It was the most crucial moment in any fight; he was three metres away from her, her hand rested on the butt of her gun.
If she drew her gun, he would lunge. He would likely blow her brains from her head at the same moment her bullet connected with his own. They would both fall, splattered with gore. And they didn't want that. They both wanted to leave this alive.
So they waited. They both stood there, knees bent. Like predators, motionless, about to pounce. Focused. Tensed. Ready.
They waited for the other to make a false move. A momentary lapse in concentration.
Scar took a small step to the side, she matched it, her hand sliding the last inch to loosely grip the gun in its holster.
A few strands of hair fell from Riza's clasp. She ignored it. She was a trained soldier and he was a threat that needed to be eliminated. There was no time for petty discomforts.
Then she felt as the clasp began to loosen. The rush that morning had left her putting it up hastily. It was the same reason she was in the alley in the first place, she'd been taking a shortcut. She could have smiled at the irony.
He stepped again and once more she mimicked it. And that was all it took. As her long blond hair fell from its confines and some settled before her eyes, he pounced. She drew her gun... but not fast enough. It clattered to the ground. A yell escaped her as her head hit the alley wall. Blood dripped down her neck and she felt the panic rise. She was trapped.
She could hear shouting in the distance. They wouldn't get to her fast enough. Basic instinct kicked in and she struggled. But he was bigger and stronger. Her feet weren't even touching the ground from where he pinned her with his body.
"You killed my people," he growled in her ear, "men, women, children. You slaughtered them. But I won't fall to this military's level. You aren't my real target. Stay out of my way."
She could hear the shouting getting closer.
In one quick movement he slammed her head into the wall again and she screamed in pain.
Black dots began to cloud her vision.
He let go and she fell like a rag doll.
Her eyes closed to the sight of black military boots.
