"Oh no, I can't slow down, I can't hold back

Though you know, I wish I could

Oh no there ain't no rest for the wicked

Until we close our eyes for good."

- Cage the Elephant

It was just past three in the morning, and a lonely redhead sat at the back of a train cart, a dark hood covering most of her face, her head rested against the rattling window pane. Normally she would've had a hard time sleeping this way, but it was her third day being awake, and she had been fighting her exhaustion for too long.

She had gotten a phone call earlier that morning from a strange man, who wouldn't even give his name, asking to meet in New York City. The only information she was given was a time, place, and that it would be worth her time and efforts if she decided to take the job offer. Getting a train ticket hadn't been very difficult, they're cheaper than plane tickets and she had some money stashed away.

In an instant she was startled awake by the loud horn, signaling they were close to their stop. Her heavy green eyes shifted around the cart she was in, only a few other people in there, all of them seeming to have just woken up like her. They had been chatting to each other earlier that afternoon, but of course the anti-social female had decided to keep to herself. She didn't have the time nor patience for small talk. She was here on business- sort of.

The train came to an agonizingly slow halt. She couldn't imagine how slow it would've gone had she not fallen asleep. The redhead had always hated being confined to small spaces, and this train cart was really starting to make her toes itch for relief to leave. As soon as they called for exit, she shot to her feet, grabbing her duffel bag and practically running off the train. In all honesty she had never been to New York City before, even though she had done plenty of traveling. However, the city was absolutely nothing like what she expected, or what she had seen on tv.

The streets were crowded, even in the middle of the night. The smell that lingered in the air was a mix of what seemed like rotten garbage and car exhaust. She had spent a good portion of her life in Texas and Georgia, so the busy city life was definitely a step out of her comfort zone. However, she had less than an hour to get to where she needed to be, so window shopping was out of the question.

Her normal source of comfort in situations like these would be to gaze up at the night sky, letting the twinkling of the stars wash over her, reminding her of home. However, not a single star could be seen. Just a dull grey-blue haze that masked everything else. Her berry-tinted lips turned down into a disapproving frown. The sooner she could get away from this city, the better.

It took a little over fifteen minute to find the intersection she had been instructed to, an empty alleyway just across the street. The entire situation had seemed a little fishy from the beginning, so of course she had come prepared to defend herself if the need arose. Stepping onto the asphalt, she crossed the street with haste, her steps lively and light. Shadows them surrounded her as she stepped between the two buildings, an uneasy feeling washing over her.

Her pale hands gripped the strap to her duffel back nervously, her palms becoming a little sweaty. What if this had been nothing but a set up? There were plenty of people who wanted her head on a silver platter, and with each shaking step, she began to feel more and more like she should've just turned this offer down.

In less than a second a shadow appeared in front of her, or what seemed like a shadow. It had a small sword, something she recognized to be Japanese or Chinese, but the glance she got was too short to tell which it was. Without hesitating she dropped the duffel bag, her hood falling backwards to reveal long waves of vibrant red hair falling around her freckled face like a fiery veil. Her brows furrowed, and she reached into each of her boots to grab her twin blades. Being the type to stab someone and ask questions later, she launched herself forward, dodging at last second from the strangers own blade. She was small- just around 5'3, but that made her alarmingly fast. She dove under his arms, thrusting herself upwards and kicking him backwards, landing on top of him with her blades crisscrossed over his throat.

"Who are you?" She hissed, her eyes wild with fury. It had been a while since she had to take someone's life, but she wasn't in the mood for anyone's shit tonight, since she was already on edge.

Then, the sound of clapping echoed through the alley, causing her to glance around slightly in confusion. 'What the-' Before she could ask, she saw a woman, flanked by two other men, begin to approach them.

"You, my dear, are exactly what I was hoping for."

If she hadn't been confused before, she definitely was now. Shaking her head, realization hit her, and she moved away from the man quickly, but kept her blades in her palms. She stayed low to the ground, eyes narrowed and on her guard. "What was that, some form of a sick test?" She spat the words, suddenly irritated. This must be who she's supposed to meet with, but where was the man she had spoken to over the phone?

"I am the one you spoke with," the strange woman said aloud, as if reading her mind. "Since you decided to come, I will explain a bit further. My name is Karai- I am the leader to a group of ninja called The Foot. There has been word of you spread around, and I was interested to meet you in person- to hear if the rumors were true."

The redhead stood up straight, her grip tightening on her blade in annoyance. "Well, were they?" She asked, truly not caring for the answer, but she decided to seem engaged in the conversation so she could find out what the woman truly wanted. Karai, however, was still sizing the smaller female up. Her brown eyes washed over her, curiosity lighting up in them.

"I would have to say yes. You're quiet. Fast. Lethal."

Green eyes widening, she froze, taking a step back and shaking her head. "Wait, no. I'm not going to kill anyone."

Karai scoffed at her reaction, as if she had expected much more from her. "I don't want you to tell anyone, you misunderstood. There's something I need you to take, steal, that's what you're good at, isn't it?" She raised an eyebrow, hand resting on her hip, and Sarah realized this woman was way too relaxed for her liking. "It's a necklace, from a museum. I'm sure you're wondering why we, as ninja, cannot just go and steal it on our own. The truth is, there's four vigilante's in this city. They're a bit of a nuisance, and they've been fighting us for so many years they know our exact fighting style. I need someone who's skilled at fighting, but not at ninjitsu. I need someone who, when they show up, and they will, can hold her own and simply catch them off guard long enough to escape."

The redhead took in the woman's words, and it all made perfect sense to her truthfully.

"Be warned," Karai added at the end, "you can't beat them in battle. You'll only win if you can distract them. Do not engage in prolonged combat, they are very skilled and would take you down in less than a minute."

We'll see about that, Sarah thought to herself. Crossing her arms over her chest, she narrowed her green eyes. "What's in it for me?" She asked casually.

"We'll talk about that when you bring me the sapphire necklace. All I can promise you is that it will be worth your time."

Sarah stood there, staring the woman down, debating all her options. The truth was, she mainly wanted to agree simply because she had wasted her time by coming to this dump of a city to begin with, she might as well make use of it.

"I'm in."

A few moments later, the redhead disappeared into the night, leaving Karai with the few of her ninja she had brought with her. She smirked to herself, one of her men appearing at her side, gaze focused on the fire escape the girl had disappeared down.

"Forgive me for prodding, sensei, but why do you need the necklace?"

Karai was silent for a moment, debating on if she wanted to even tell him, but she figured implying she had a full proof plan was better than having her men doubt her.

"I don't need the necklace. She's too egotistical, she won't be able to turn down a fight with them. She also has a soft heart- a thief that refuses to kill for money. I don't need her to take the necklace, I simply need her to meet the turtles, then we wait."