Chapter 14 : The Night Of The Shadows pt.2

The hitman dragged his broken right leg across the casino floor, his eyes scanning every shadow, every corner for any sign of Isabella. He was relentless, despite the pain. Isabella, hiding under the table, finally caught her breath and began to strategize.

She remembered everything Vincenzo had taught her, but she knew it wouldn't be enough on its own. She needed to get her phone and call for help.

Then, she recalled Vincenzo telling her that her office was equipped with arms and that the casino secretly held guns. She felt the hitman's footsteps growing closer, her heart pounding louder with each step he took.

Suddenly, luck shined on her. A drunk gambler started banging loudly on the casino entrance door, creating a distraction. The hitman, curious about the noise, turned away to investigate. Seizing the moment, Isabella took off her heels and quietly ran to her office. She grabbed her phone, a gun, and a knife, then quickly found another hiding place. She dialed a number, her hands trembling. The first call went unanswered. She dialed again, the phone ringing as she held her breath.

Before the call could connect, the hitman found her. He grabbed her by the neck, lifting her off the ground. Isabella struggled, realizing he was limping. She kicked his broken leg with all her strength, causing him immense pain. He dropped her, howling in agony. Isabella quickly retrieved the knife and stabbed him in the other leg three times.

As she reached for the gun to shoot him, the hitman managed to grab it, offloading all the bullets from the magazine. Not deterred, Isabella dismantled the gun and used the barrel to stab him in the shoulder.

The hitman, not willing to die, still stood firmly. He punched Isabella in the stomach and face, smashing her head against the wall. Dazed, Isabella felt the rope tighten around her neck as the hitman began strangling her. She struggled for breath, her vision darkening. Desperate, she pinched his stab wounds, causing him to loosen his grip in pain. She grabbed a pen and, with a final effort, stabbed him in the eye.

The hitman reeled back, clutching his face.

Isabella kicked him into a table and smashed a vase over his head, leaving him half-dead on the floor. Unknown to her, Vincenzo had picked up the call and heard the commotion. He had already dispatched guards and ambulances to the casino.

Isabella stood over the hitman, knife in hand. "Who sent you?" she demanded.

The hitman laughed maniacally, blood dripping from his wounds. "I don't know," he rasped. "I never know who hires me."

Frustrated, Isabella pushed the knife deeper into his skin. "Tell me who it was!"

He screamed in pain but continued to deny knowing their identity. "I don't know, but there's a location. You might find answers there."

Finally, having gotten what she needed, Isabella drove the knife into his heart, ending his life instantly. It was her first kill, and her hands shook as the reality of what she had done set in. She slumped into a chair, taking a sip of wine from a nearby glass to steady herself.

Moments later, the front door burst open.

Guards and police rushed in, finding Isabella in the office and the hitman dead on the ground. The chaos was over, but the storm had just begun.