To Hold a Dove

Takedown Pt. 2

Chapter Twenty-Eight:

Takedown Part 2

AI POV

Ai had been following Shinara rather closely until she noticed a presence to the right of them. Shinara didn't seem to sense the danger, but Ai knew exactly who it was and she slowed to a stop before darting the opposite direction of Shinara. She had her own bone to pick and she would do it her way.

"Where do you think you are going, little Rose Bud?" asked Chianti as she grinned down at the girl beneath her hiding place, "Don't you know you're going to die?"

"I might, but I can promise you one thing Chianti-chan, I will be bringing you down with me...for Akemi."

"Well, well, so you truly didn't die Sherry. I'm so glad I have the chance to see you again", she said smirking as she jumped down behind the girl and watched with amusement as the small eight year old flipped around and glared at her, "Even if you are rather...small."

"No thanks to you", Sherry spat, "Why did you kill Akemi!"

"Why not!" yelled Chianti with a laugh, "She was always a goodie-goodie who did nothing but turn the boss against me. She needed to die."

If looks could kill, Chianti would be dead a hundred times over as Ai glared at her with every fiber of hate she held for the female assassin before her.

"Oh please, admit it Sherry-san, you also didn't like your sister. You ignored her daily and even spoke against her to the boss. What do you care if I killed that good for nothing?"

"She was MY sister!" yelled Ai angrily, "Of course I loved her! She was a goodie-goodie just as you said, but she was also an innocent! She didn't deserve to die and she definitely didn't need to be favored by the boss. We all know...how the boss's favorites got treated in the end."

Chianti frowned, her smile turning into a scowl.

"You dare to talk bad about the boss, Sherry!"

"I don't just dare, Chianti" smirked Sherry, "I am."

"Enough!" yelled Chianti raising her weapon, "Time to die Sherry."

"You first" spat Ai as she grabbed a smoke bomb she had 'borrowed' from Kid and threw at the ground. The smoke exploded around them and while Chianti fired blind into the thick cover, Ai pulled a knife from her jacket. The gun went off and Ai surged forward at the same time. The bullet grazed her arm as she dug the knife into Chianti's thigh causing the assassin to scream out in pain as she dropped to the ground, holding her wound, her face contorting into a rage.

"You!" growled Chianti as she pulled the gun up and grabbed hold of Ai's wrist before the small girl could move back. Ai panicked as the gun stopped in front of her face. "Die!"

A single shot was fired.

Ai kept her eyes closed until the sound died away and she opened them in bewilderment to see Chianti staring at her. She stared back unblinking as blood began to run out of the assassins mouth and a red patch in the middle of her shirt began to bloom bigger and brighter. "Y-you", Chianti whispered as she glanced up above Ai's head, "Traitor", she mumbled and died, her eyes open as she stared once again at the girl before her, the target she had been chasing since the day they had met all those years ago.

"Why did you save me", Ai whispered.

"I told you..." the deep voice said as he turned to walk away, "I made a promise."

The footsteps quieted as her savior faded into the darkness.

"Fool", she muttered and leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes.