The Angel of Death

The Truth

    Today’s the day, the beginning of the end, my first job with the Armani’s. To say I was nervous would be a bit of a stretch, but I always do get butterflies every time I preform a hit. All of those involved in the mission are gathered in the large conference room. Blue, Andrew and I sit side by side at the long, oak table, while about fifteen others sit around us. The tension in the room was high, everyone knows just how serious this is, especially since Blue is coming along. My main job will be to protect Blue on this hit, everyone else is going to be getting a feel of what we’re up against.

    “You’ll head out at eleven this evening, scope it out, then move in and take them out. Understood?” John bellows in his deep, threatening voice. Everyone lets out a “yes sir” before he waves his hands to dismiss us. I begin filing out with the others before I hear John behind me.

    “Aura, do you have a minute?” He asks me. I turn and find him standing by one of the large windows that overlooks the rose garden. I turn around and make my way next to him.

    “Yes, sir. What can I do for you?” I ask him. There’s a worried look in his eyes, something is definitely bothering him.

    “I’m going to ask a little more out of you on this raid tonight.” He tells me slowly. I furrow my brows in confusion but nod hesitantly.

    “Yes sir.” I tell him. He sighs and moves back to the conference table.

    “You will be doing two jobs this evening,” he tells me sternly, “your first priority is of course keeping my son safe. Not that he needs protection, but just an extra set of eyes.”

    “Of course, sir.” I nod. He sits at the table and puts his chin in his hand as if he was trying to solve a riddle.

    “I have reason to believe the Brotherhood has a new leader, someone much more careful and precise. Someone who isn’t used to not getting what they want. I need you to try and find out who that is tonight. The sooner the better.” He tells me, concentrating on whatever was going through his mind. A new leader? I wonder what gave him that impression, but my job isn’t to ask questions.

    “I’ll have that information by the time I return, sir.” I tell him blankly. He looks to me with those dark eyes and menacing smile.

    “Good,” he says in a voice that would send chills down anyone’s spine, “that’s all I needed, Aura. Thank you.” He looks down at the papers in front of him and a nod and walk out of the room, closing the door behind me. I reach the end of the hallway and am about to head down the stairs when I feel a hand on my arm. Turning around quickly I see Blue’s smiling face.

    “Hey pretty lady, where do you think you’re going.” He asks me in a southern cowboy voice. I let out a snort and laugh before gently pulling my arm away.

    “Well, I was going to go for a walk in the garden before we have to leave, it’ll help me clear my head.” I tell him. He just raises an eyebrow at me.

    “A walk in the garden, huh? It sounds like you’re in the 1800’s.” He teases me. I just roll my eyes and continue down the stairs as he follows behind me.

    “That’s a bit of a stretch, don’t you think?” I look over my shoulder and ask him. He just shrugs and smiles.

    “Not at all. Either way, do you mind if I join you?” He asks me. I smile at him and open the door to the garden, gesturing for him to go first.

    “Ladies first.” I tell him, bowing and moving my hand around. He scoffs and rolls his eyes at me.

    “Ha ha ha, you’re so funny, Aura.” He says sarcastically. We laugh and walk side by side in the cool night air. There’s going to be another storm tonight judging by the way the wind is blowing.

    Blue and I walk to the wooden bench behind the hedges, it’s only been a few nights since we sat here together the first time, but every night since then we’ve met up here for a few hours, sometimes we talk about our past or our day, sometimes we don’t say anything and enjoy each other’s company. I still haven’t told him what was bothering me that first night, but he hasn’t pried and I’m very grateful for that.

    “How are you feeling about tonight?” Blue asks me as he props his head up with his arm as he leans it on the back of the bench. I just shrug at him and smile.

    “Normal,” I say, “this is nothing new for me.” He lets out a small laugh and shakes his head.

    “You’re something else, you know that?” He tells me. I raise an eyebrow at him.

    “How so?” I ask. He looks me dead in the eyes and just like every other time I get stuck there. Honestly, I’ve stopped fighting it, and I’ve grown to like getting lost in them.

    “I’ve never met someone so unafraid of everything.” He says softly, making my breath hitch.

    “Well,” I say slowly, “I’ve got nothing to lose.” I tell him. His smile waivers, but only for a moment. He clears his throat and shifts to a different sitting position.

    “So, how long so you think you’ll be staying with us?” He asks me. I haven’t really thought about that. I take a second to think while I chew on my bottom lip.

    “I guess until the job is done.” I tell him. His smile completely disappears now and he looks away from me.

    “Well, what if you just stayed?” He mumbles towards the darkness. My heart stops in my chest. What if I stayed? Is that even an option? Even if it was, would I even consider it? Staying in one place is something I never thought of doing.

    “I-well, I haven’t thought about that.” I tell him truthfully. He leans his head back and gives me a look that would make any girl melt right then and there.

    “You should.” He says softly. I feel my cheeks begin to burn and I look away before he can notice.

    “Maybe,” I mumble before looking down at my phone, “we should head back, it’s almost time to go.” I tell him. He stands and offers me his hand, I take it and he swiftly pulls me to my feet. I try and let go as we begin walking back to the house but his grip is firm and he doesn’t release my hand. I look up at him confused but he just keeps his eyes forward, smiling as he does so. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. I can deny it as much as I want to, like I have been since I got here, but no matter what I do I can’t escape the truth. I definitely have a thing for Blue.

    When we reach the house, Blue releases my hand and we go inside to find everyone geared up and ready to go by the front doors. I already have my knives and Glock tucked away in my black baggy cargo pants so I’m ready to go. Blue goes to grab a black sweater from Andrew and ditches his white button up. I can’t help but stare at him as he changes when I feel a pair of eyes on me. I turn to see a blond girl glaring at me from the second floor, the same girl who called me a slut the first night I was here. I make the meanest face I can and glare back before Andrew interrupts.

    “Don’t mind Chloe,” he tells me, “she’s just jealous.” He smirks at me, obviously amused. So, the girls name is Chloe. I’ll have to have a chat with her later.

    “You ready to go?” I ask Andrew. His smile grows wide as he cracks his knuckles.

    “Oh yeah, I’m ready to kick some ass.” He tells me. I just laugh and make my way to stand by Blue. Once we leave this house I will not be leaving his side for the whole night.

    As soon as everyone is geared up we begin filing out to some black SUV’s parked out front. We all get in and I sit in the very back in the middle of Blue and Andrew. Everyone finds their seats and as soon as the last car door shuts we bolt out of the driveway and onto the road. A man in the passenger seat begins passing back walkie talkies and we all turn them on and sync them up, hopefully no one gets lost.

    We drive for what seems like forever until we reach an industrial area of town with what looks to be an abandoned warehouse. The driver parks behind some cargo crates as the other SUV’s pull up behind us. I take my gun out of my pocket and c**k it back so it’s ready to go.

    I turn to look at Blue and find he’s already staring at me, looking mildly worried. I give him a reassuring smile and nod. He nods back and opens the door and we shuffle out, still hidden behind the cargo container. I take my place in front of Blue and follow Andrew to the edge of the container, he peaks around the corner and pulls his head back just in time to miss a shower of bullets coming right for us. He leans his head back against the metal and begins to laugh.

    “That was fast.” He mumbles before sticking his automatic around the corner and begins firing. The others around us do the same and I can hear screaming in the distance. We wait for a moment before moving out from behind the crate to get closer to the warehouse.

    We try to walk in the cover of the shadows to avoid detection, but from the other side of the building we hear shots and screams from a few of our men. We begin to spread ourselves and I’m left with Andrew and Blue. Suddenly I hear footsteps on the top of the crate behind us and look up just in time to raise my gun and shoot the man right between the eyes.

    “Nice shot.” Blue chuckles, looking at me with a sense of relief on his face. I just smile and turn my attention back to moving forward. We come to the edge of the warehouse and find that some of our men have found a way in through a busted door. We follow them in and find the almost empty warehouse to be poorly lit with broken lights.

    “There’s no one here.” I mumble to myself. As if I jinxed it, men come out on the second floor and begin firing at us. I take Blue by the arm and drag him behind a large concreate pillar, Andrew copies me and gets behind the one closest to us. The three of us take turns looking out from behind our pillars and shooting. The rest of our men have either retreated back outside or are bleeding out on the floor. We slowly pick them off one by one until there’s only a few left before we hear a deep voice call out.

    “Stop firing!” The voice commands, and just like that the gunfire stops. We stay put behind our pillars and hear footsteps on the top floor come to the edge to overlook the bottom floor.

    “Aura?” The voice calls out to me, my eyes grow wide and my body grows cold. There’s no way. There is absolutely no possible way that voice belongs to who I think it does. Tears well in my eyes and I hold up a hand to Andrew and Blue to tell them to stay down. I take a deep breath and hesitantly walk out from behind the pillar. I slowly look up and gasp, I must be seeing a ghost. His eyes are just as blue, oceanlike and deep, hair just as black as before, small wavy strands fall in front of his eyes. Above all, his smile just as threatening, smirking at me with sadness in his eyes.

    “Hello, sweetheart.” He says down to me. My knees begin to grow weak, but I try my best to keep standing. My vision becomes blurry and I think I might pass out.

    “Peter?” I whisper up at him as my tears begin to fall. He nods at me. Suddenly as if a switch has been turned, I no longer feel sadness, now I only feel complete and utter ferocity and hostility. My body begins to grow hot and I see red as I raise my gun to the man standing above me.

    “Peter!” I roar out, screaming, almost growling a him. His men raise their guns at me but he just holds out his hand to them, telling them not to fire. As soon as Peter has them lower their weapons Blue runs up behind me and begins to drag me out of the building with Andrew watching to make sure no one tries to shoot us.

    “Let them go.” Peter tells his men as they watch us exit the building. I take one last look back before Blue drags me out and we run to the SUV’s. Everyone is already there taking care of the wounded. I take the lead, huffing as I walk and begin shouting at them.

    “Everyone get in the f*****g car!” I start screaming at them. Startled, they all pack up and get in. Andrew and Blue stand behind me, looking shocked and confused. I look back to them with murder in my eyes and begin walking back to the warehouse.

    “Aura! Where are you going?” Blue calls out to me. I look back at him, he looks flustered and concerned. Normally I would care, but right now all I want to do is cut Peter up into tiny pieces and scatter them around the city.

    “Get in the car, stay there until I get back!” I yell at the both of them. They both jump at the way I snapped at them but they don’t argue, instead they quickly head for the cars.

    I continue to walk to the warehouse, cracking my neck and knuckles in the process. Peter is going to pay for what he’s done.