Heeriye

Seven.

Sidharth

The tall one goes down like a toy soldier.

I might as well have flicked him down with my fingers. He tumbles over, face-first, into the ground without emitting so much as a gasp. His companion doesn't even notice until his question goes unanswered.

"... Jagan? How do you wanna do this...? Jagan?"

I'm already halfway to him when he turns and notices that Jagan's eating cement in a pool of his own blood. As soon as he sees me coming, he pales, twisting around while he fumbles for his gun.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He freezes with his hands suspended in mid-air. "Hands up where I can see them."

"W-who are you?"

"The better question is, who are you?"

"I-I-I..."

I roll my eyes. "He hired the very best, didn't he?" I mutter under my breath.

Clearly, Aarush didn't think he needed to send his best men to deal with a woman and three children. His fucking mistake. This poor bastard's price to pay.

"Listen..."

"No,you listen," I snarl. "You have five seconds to tell me who hired you or else you're going to be drinking your own blood just like Jagan there."

The conflict in his eyes is evident. His gaze darts between me and Jagan, Jaganand me. For a moment, it even veers up to the second floor of the motel.

What should he choose?Self-preservation or certain death?

The joke's on him, though. He's facing death either way. I just need to make him believe he has a way out.

"Four seconds."

He licks his lips. "Listen, man. I'm not who you think I-"

"Three seconds."

His right hand keeps twitching in place. He's still got them raised but they're creeping lower with every passing second.

Don't be a fucking idiot.

"Two seconds."

He chooses to be an idiot.

His hand swoops towards his gun but I've already taken aim. I pull the trigger and his strangled cry echoes across the empty lot. He grabs hold of his stump of a right wrist with his uninjured hand and holds it up to the light. It's spouting blood in every direction.

Like I said-I'm a great fucking shot.

I sigh and let my weapon dangle by my side as I saunter closer. "I'm disappointed. I thought you looked like the smarter one. It's why I chose to kill him instead of you."

He's still gawking at the bloody sewer where his hand once was. Even when his legs give out and he drops to his knees, he doesn't look away. The only indication that he's even aware I'm there is that he flinches away when I step up to him.

"I'm not a patient man. Nor am I a merciful one," I growl. "But I'm willing to make an exception tonight-foryoursake. Tell me who sent you."

His eyes slide up to mine. They're wide with disbelief but there's a little anger creeping in, too. He scowls darkly. "Y-you're gonna kill me anyway..."

I shrug. "Maybe I will. Maybe I won't. If you tell me, there's a chance you might get to live. You might as well play those odds tonight. It's the most important gamble you'll ever make."

His skin is patchy and pale. It looks even worse with all the sweat and blood dripping down his face.

"I-I've got kids, man," he tries.