Operation: One percent

Chapter 37

Margaret

How can a person be so impossibly stubborn and infuriating?

My rage was pulsating through the core of my being, and I felt as if I could punch through the walls. He didn't even want to consider being a nobody. He couldn't even bear the thought of being someone like me, even if it meant that he would eventually die.

Last night's talk felt like a distant memory, obscured by a thick fog.

He obviously never meant what he said, and I was clearly fooled into believing that he could at least level with me for a moment. But how did it feel so real? How did the sense of security feel so present? How did we feel so similar? 

Does he have a death wish? If he did, he would have made my job a whole lot easier. Actually...Perhaps he really did have a death wish? Oh no.

As much as I wanted to just walk until my legs give out, I wanted to stay and see him physically leave in his car. My mind raced back to the conversation we had in his car, cold sweat taking hold of me. His resigned face and demeanor...Fuck. 

Five minutes passed, and he was nowhere to be seen. 

What if what I told him pushed him over the edge?

„Spare credit? Spare a credit for this old man?"

A beggar spoke to me.

„I will, but I need you to do something for me, and I will give you 20 credits."

„What can I do for you child?"

„I need you to give me your rags."

So it was, and I was in a disguise now, sitting in front of the building, just like a beggar. Seriously, what am I doing? 

I waited for an hour and a half, but he never came out.

Where was this rage when I needed it? A coward or not, I felt I could literally kill him with my bare hands how angry I was.

I decided to stop "begging" to get upstairs, to either persuade him to at least drive away or strangle him with my bare hands.

„Doors are unlocked, I am coming inside."

What I saw, made my blood run cold. 

Ace was pale and heavily bleeding, holding onto his chest and struggling to look at me, then my eyes darted toward the assassin from before. He was sitting, leaning on the front leg of the bed, and they were right in front of him. 

„Well hello there! We meet again" The voice was this time feminine, and they spoke in a fake cheerful voice, spared me a moment of attention, then turned around to Ace.

„Stay still, this will hurt you more than it hurts me."

„Gee... Are you a newbie?"

I spoke, trying to gain their attention, while I slowly tried to close the distance between me and Aces pillow, where I had a small glimpse of the gun handle. They didn't turn to me physically, but I noticed that the assassin's focus has been shifted. It was a risk to go for the gun, but I decided to do it anyways.

„What is taking you so long? I would have done this job way quicker and way faster than you."

Again, not looking at me, but their focus was shifting, then they showed me a small dagger with a ruby-red crystal in it.

„It looks like a simple dagger no? Well, let's just say, once I am done with him, his soul will disintegrate, and he will no longer exist. Now shut up, before I change my mind and kill you too."

„About that... why did you want to kill me?"

Lucky, cold steel was under the pillow.

„I don't know, why did I? Hmmm, I guess we will never know."

As they moved to plunge the dagger into him, I shot a warning bullet, their eyes darted toward me. In that split second, Ace grabbed their legs, and they fell to the ground, losing balance. They quickly tried to gain their composure, but I ran towards Ace, pointing the gun at them.

„Now, you will let us go, peacefully, and I will let you go, peacefully too, if you behave."

„You won't do that."

„Oh, we will. Ace can you walk?"

Ace nodded mildly, but I could see the color started fading away from his face.

„Well, I guess the history does repeat itself...sister."

That last part paralyzed me in the spot and my hands started shaking.

Taking off the mask, Maryam's face was revealed.

I couldn't possibly hide the horror on my face. The gun became too heavy, and my hands were now free.

„But...how...."

She smirked in spite.

„What do you care? You abandoned me."

Panic was gripping my chest. The air was getting harder to take in.

„Margaret! Don't...."

Ace was speaking, but his voice was blocked out by the buzzing in my ears.

„Maryam...whatever they told you it's not true."

„Nobody told me anything, I remember it clear as day."

„Black sparrow, is the mission completed? Over."

Neither she nor I paid attention to what was going on around us.

„That never should have happened, you have to believe me."

She slowly got up and patted herself down.

„What part exactly? The part where you let a man drug me and kidnap me, or the fact that you never looked for me? Wait. I don't care."

„I did.." I pulled the hands to my chest.

„I did look for you...everything I am doing is to find you."

„Hah...right..." She pulled the radio to her mouth. „Requesting backup. Over."

„Roger that."

BANG.

The gun echoed and she fell to her one knee.

„What are you doing!!"

I shoot my gaze to Ace, raging at him.

„Snap out of it! She will live, the bullet only grazed her. We must run."

He spoke with more difficulty, and each word was a struggle. My soul was torn, I wanted to stay with her, and tend to her wounds, but I also knew that Ace didn't have much time before he bleeds out. Taking her dagger, putting Ace's arm around me, and we ran to the outside. I turned to look at her one more time, but she was only looking at the floor. I was wrenched.

Even if I stayed with her, no one would guarantee me that she would not end me too, because she tried before.

The robot was moving to push a huge trolley of trash, and I saw our opportunity to hide. I pushed Ace inside, and we hid behind a dark cover of the trolley. We were quiet as we listened to the running steps next to us, running into the room we just left. After a short while, I peeked.

„Ace, this is the emergency exit. Let's go."

He was grunting in pain, over-exerting himself for the smallest movement, and then he fell to the ground.

„Ace! Get up." Please...

He was losing consciousness, and time was running out.

„Ace, hold onto me."

I don't know how I was able to endure his body weight, but without thinking I crossed his arms in front of me, grabbed him by his wrists and I ran as fast as my legs could carry me.