CHAPTER 4

"WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?" The man yelled at me, punching me in the stomach again.

Once he'd shoved me into this little interrogation room, I had been pushed into a chair with my hands securely tied behind my back with barbed wire. The stupid thing was cutting into my wrists and hurt like hell.

But then, of course, to make matters worse, the man in front of me had decided to play a little game.

He would ask me a question, and if I answered, the reward would be another punch.

If I didn't answer, the punishment would be another punch.

And if I remained silent, the consequences would be another punch.

Either way, I was battered and bruised, and his knuckles were stained with my blood.

Stupid terrorists.

"I asked you a question kid" He growled hitting me across the face.

I laughed at him, "Go hell moron".

He punched me again, making my head snap back with the sheer force.

I swore under my breath, ignoring as the door opened and another man walked in, before turning back to him, "You hit like a girl. A really. Really. Really. Weak. Girl".

He glared at me, before kicking me in the stomach.

We both heard the sickening *snap*.

He grinned evilly at me, "Could a girl do that?".

"You'd be surprised" I replied, spitting out the blood from my mouth, "... I've met quite a few girls stronger than that actually".

He raised his hand again, "Why you little-".

He abruptly stopped as someone caught his fist.

He slowly turned around, gulping, "... S-sorry boss".

"Get. Out. Now" The other man replied quietly and my torturer quickly left the room, but not before shooting another glare at me.

I waited until he had left before turning to the man in he shadows, smirking, "What? I don't get to see the face of my Prince Charming? My one and only rescuer?".

The man paused, "... Alex?".

I grinned, "And if it isn't the man of the hour himself. S'up Gregorovich".

He stepped out into the light, staring at me with a calculating gaze with piercing blue eyes. His reddish hair had a slight blond tinge to it, he still had paler than normal skin, and he was still as tall and slim as the last time I had seen him.

Course, the last time I had seen him, he was supposed to be after dying.

Which really alters your view on someone.

"You just going to stand there?" I asked, "Or are you gonna kill me? Either way works for me. Just thought I should let you know".

He stared at me with an amused expression, a slight smirk playing over his lips, "I believe you are the so-called 'Assassin' my guards told me about then?".

I grinned, "Yep. Though you know how it is, the whole Spy-by-day and Assassin-by-night... But. No. Sorry. That wasn't you. That was just my father".

It was a low shot, I know, but I had to say something.

He didn't seem effected by the remark, instead, he seemed to find it quite funny, and his ghost of a smirk spread wider, "You really don't know how much irony is in those words, do you?".

I remained silent.

He sighed, "No. Of course you don't. Because your employers never tell anyone anything... But tell me, Alex, why, exactly, did you plan my assassination? Did MI6 send you? A mission, perhaps?".

I glared at him, "Personal gain".

"But what could you possibly gain by killing me?" He asked, the slight Russian accent to his voice standing out more with his curiosity.

I sighed, "Oh I don't know... Maybe get rid of an old enemy? Avenge my uncles death? Fulfil the promise I made to you exactly three years ago? Please note my sarcasm... Assassins do understand sarcasm, right? You contract killers do at least have to have a sense of humour, don't you?".

He actually grinned, revealing perfectly white straight teeth, "Well that's purely based and decided on the assassin... But yes, most of us do have humour, to such an extent".

"Then I hope you'll understand when I say I'm not joking about killing you" I replied and he immediately turned serious again, "Unforcently so".

He paused for a minute, seeming to think over something in his head, before suddenly taking out a knife and walking towards me.

I let my head drop.

Guess this was it then.

He was going to kill me.

The Contract Killer assassinating the Spy.

Kind of cliche really.

"I'm not going to kill you Alex".

I looked up surprised, only to find the assassin kneeling down behind me, attempting to cut away the barbed wire from my wrist.

I frowned, "... You're not?".

"No. I'm not" He replied sighing and I slowly nodded.

It was silent for another minute.

"... Ok, not that I'm not grateful or anything about you saving my life and all, but... Well... Why? Why are you doing it? Keeping me alive?" I asked suddenly and he sighed again, "You shall find out everything in time. Right now, however, I have to go and murder the guard who managed to wrap this wire around your wrists".

Silence.

"Rhetorically speaking, of course" He suddenly added and I smiled, biting back a laugh, "Of course".

"... But then again..." He trailed off mysteriously and I gulped, before suddenly flinching as I felt him tug at the wire around my hands.

"Sorry" He muttered, and I felt his cool fingers dance over my wrist as he tried to untangle the metal.

Stupid guard.

"... If you do end up killing him, could I pretty please be there to watch?" I asked suddenly and I could almost hear him smile, "Of course... You could always kill him yourself, you know".

I shook my head slightly, "I can't kill in cold blood".

"He beat you up, broke a few ribs, and tied barbed wire around your hands" Yassen shot back and I shrugged slightly, "Still. That's not enough motive for me to shoot someone... Even if he or she did deserve it".

"... Well in that case, you'll just have to resort to watching him die a slow painful death" The assassin finally replied, before suddenly standing up, "And as of now, your hands are free".

I slowly brought back around my arms, rubbing my wrists sorely and trying to ignore the fact that they were covered in blood from the barbed wire.

As I said, Stupid guard.

I glanced up as the assassin headed back to the door, "Thanks... And I truly am sorry about this".

A split second later I had pulled out the gun hidden in my jacket, clocked it, and had it aimed at his head, "Personal gain".

He froze, slowly lowering his hand from the door, "... You won't shoot me Alex".

I pulled the trigger and a bullet lodged itself in the wall next to him, millimetres from his head.

He paused, "... Let me rephrase that. You CANT shoot me".

"Why not?" I demanded, "You may have spared my life, but I don't feel like sparing yours. So give me just one single good reason as to why I shouldn't pull this trigger RIGHT NOW, and I may reconsider".

"Because... Because I- Becuase...".

I faltered slightly.

That was the first time I had ever heard the perfectly calm assassin stutter.

It wasn't right.

It didn't sound right.

He was meant to be collected.

Calm.

Cool.

Always with his head in the game.

And he had just lost it.

He sighed quietly, "... Forgive me".

I barely had time to register him spinning around, a gun in his hand, before I heard a loud *Bang*, and my entire world crumbled and fell to ash.

Then everything went black.