Returning Red

Underworld.

NEW YORK - 2 years ago

Isabella

"Cosmo, don't take the shot." Ryan hisses from beside me as I aim my shot. 

My breathing was too unsteady to pull the trigger on the first clear vision of the target. I had to calm down so the gun in my hand stops shaking. We'd broken into his mansion. The mansion of the one person who I was chasing for the last two years. The one person whose life destruction had become my only motive for survival. To the one person who had dirt buried deep under his existence that I'd managed to dig up in ways that surprised me. 

"Cosmo, we came here to spy. You've already knocked out the two security guards, do not take the shot. It's going to be useless if you kill him." Ryan instructed. 

My eyes glanced at my wrist which was covered in blood. My arm stung because of the earlier fight with the two guards and the blood had trickled down from my arm to my wrist. I quickly wipe it on my black bulletproof vest. I definitely didn't want to leave tracks. 

"It won't kill, I promise," I say to Ryan as I take my aim again. This time, my hands are steady. "Just a scrape." 

I hear Ryan grunt in his lowest possible voice. He was guarding me and my stubborn verdict. His only problem was that he could shoot but he was choosing not to. Even though I have a gun license, I can only shoot to defend myself. I can't use my gun for offense shooting, which I was currently pulling the trigger for. 

I steady my position and my target locks when I have a clear target again. My eyes stare through the peephole directly onto his arm. Left-arm. I take a three-second countdown in my head. 

"You'll be arrested, Bella." Ryan was interrupting my focus. 

"Only if I get caught," I whisper before starting my countdown in my head again.

I block all voices as I pull the trigger. My aim is perfect because it does exactly what it was supposed to do, scrape his leg and push him to the floor. 

I pull down my face mask as Ryan and I jump down the balcony patio and head towards the car. I run to the driver's side of the car and despite how much Ryan hates the whole idea of this, he tosses me the key. Guards are beginning to run out of the mansion as I start the car. The familiar black SUVs begin to reverse out of the garage gates. 

I change the gear before zooming out of the mansion before Ryan even completes wearing his seatbelt. I never wanted to go on unsupervised missions but this was personal. I could never involve Dylan or the crew because it was beyond the firm matters. This concerned the law. The police would get involved and I couldn't afford that again. Not after what happened with the CCTV.

"Holy shit," Ryan yelled when I took the sharpest right cut, making him almost hit his head on the window of his door. I gave him a look for not holding onto his seat properly even after my countless warnings. 

I grip the steering wheel when I see four cars chasing us. The suburban areas make it so much easier for cars to speed. In a way, I appreciate the less traffic but I don't want to keep chasing for the rest of my life either. 

"Get us out of here before the NYPD steps in," Ryan growled as he pulled his mask down. 

My arm stung when I changed the gear of the car again. I had to find the right instance to change the fake number plate on the car with the right one. The electric display boards could switch numbers with the click of a button but I couldn't press the button when I had four cars chasing me.  

I take another quick left and the next right before hitting the accelerator through the straight empty street. I sit back in the seat praying for the NYPD to give me enough time so I could escape. One thing that makes me lose faith in the police, is power. I hate that people have the power to buy the police in charge and bribe them to delete important shreds of evidence. I don't know how many victims suffered deaths that were completely unfair and unlawful but this had to stop.