20 - Fight

The two bosses brought me and the person behind the creepy mask into a room under the café's floor. He was going down stairs just behind me, and I could feel the cold steel of his weapon on my back. He could kill me here and no, but he decided to not do so.

"Boss. I'm not comfortable being close to him."

"He won't do any harm to you if his master doesn't order him to do it. It won't happen, don't worry.

I sighted in relief.

"You will fight him though. It just won't happen while we're making our way to the arena.

My sigh became a gasp. I couldn't believe I really had to fight such a murder machine.

Not before long, we arrived at the so-called arena. I didn't know they kept a room this dark here. I couldn't see much, except the fact it had tables and chairs here and there. That place must have been an abandonated room.

Boss gave me her trusty weapon and whispered in my ears, "Aim between his eyes. Like you did with me. He's not an immortal like me and Zheng Tai."

I took the cold object in my hand, still baffled by the fact I had to take the life of someone I just got down stairs.

Zheng Tai went upstairs already, "Don't deceive me, Xiaojian." He left us, followed by Boss.

"So, you're Nadine Ndongo last hope, huh?" The scary clown said. Not even waiting for me to reply, he aimed at me with his rifle and shot toward me.

Well, he wasn't losing his time! I fell down backward, hoping to escape the the bit of the bullet. The ammonition pierced the wall and ignited a dust shower.

Yup. This place was clearly abandoned.

"Astonishing," His ceramic mouth didn't budge in rhythm with his words, "But not as fast as your Boss."

Dust gathered on his pinkish hair. No way I'm getting killed by a clown!

He shot and I ran away. Pas chassé, arabesque… I used every known ballet technique to flee from him. The people from the employement test were strong, but That Guy was on another level!

But my flight abilities had limits ; he touched my collarbone. I fell on the ground, and the gun Boss gave me slid near me.

He came near me and stuck his barrel on my forehead. It tingled on my skin.

"Have mercy, please. I just wanted to..."

"Don't bother wasting your last words to me. I'm not one deciding or giving orders."

So we were only pawns for them? This guy in front of me was unable to see himself as something else than a pawn. It was no use talking to him. I was the only one who could save myself. And it was…my life or his.

"Sorry!" I picked up the gun and shot him in the leg.

He fell but didn't let the pain glue him down to the floor. He begun to stand immediately after that.

I stepped back and hit a table. An idea shone in my head.

I was sorry but... I had to live.

To survive, I threw the table on his head and this time, he didn't stand.

"Sorry," I said again.

I raced through the stairs while my collarbone pounded with pain.

Up there, the Tai clan and the Firm drank juices separatly around tables. When I came, Boss raised her head from her phone, and everybody did it at the same time.

A girl in neon teal from the Clown clan shouted, "The Queen is dead! Long live the King!"

They stood, knives and guns on both hands and attacked the Firm.

Boss ordered her team to fight back then came to me, avoiding miraculously a flying table, "You're in one piece." She saw my red collarbone, "Well almost in one."

"How can you do this to us?"

"Ah, with just some persuasion and psychology. So, what are you waiting for?"

While I was too surprised to talk, she pushed me into the same door Zheng Tai came out of sometimes ago.

Before she completely closed the door, I could see Jieung-yong fight with the one who shouted.

The door closed. I approached a slightly opened door.

Zheng Tai was in there…and he was forcefully kissing one of the women he was with earlier…she asked him to stop, and he wasn't.

Piece of trash, I thought.

My skin paled. I placed my barrel between the door opening and aimed at the man pretending to be above everybody and every laws.

He deserved to die. But my finger…refused to pull the trigger. Why? Why?

"I see, my Queen is dead." Zheng Tai was now standing before me.

One trigger away from a completed mission. To freedom.

He put his wet hair into a ponytail, "Well. I suggest you don't do anything. I can't say what'll happen to Yoh Chihye if you do that."

I felt a lump in my throat.

He came back into his room, replaced my barrel in the half-open door, and as if I wasn't here anymore, he undressed.

I don't remember how much time I spent here, unable to make a choice. My mom's life was at stake!

"She'd want you to do it." Arising from nowhere, Boss grabbed my shoulder.

I didn't have the strength anymore to get surprised by her teleportations, "I know but…"

"Do it, quick! Overwise...",

I still aimed at him. I already did so much evil. I couldn't...

"Song-ho!"

The door opened and everyone fell hard in the hallway.

"Fuck!" Boss said, "The mission failed."

Zheng Tai came by the door, and as soon as he saw me, he stopped knotting his bathrobe He couldn't hide the smile at the corner of his lips as he faked surpise, "You! Then that means…"

The Boss stood and wiped the dust off her skirt, "Wei Xiaojian is dead. And we could have easily killed you. You were so busy you didn't saw us lurk for minutes."

Zheng Tai sweated, as if he was in real danger. What a good actor.

"We won't kill you know, don't worry. I just wanted to see you in terror."

He clapped his hands, "Well, everyone. Go prepare the burial of our Queen. It's enough for today." He then closed the door, no sadness for the guy I defeated or anything.

The Tai clan left.

"Miss, you saved us," I said.

Boss glared at me, "How unfortunate. You could have saved your life if you ended his."