"You damn well take care of yourself" Lathain said

"I will, he won't be happy to see me, but I'm hoping he'll slip up and give me something I can use to give to Bucket" I told Lathain as I headed back to Gregory Arkut's apartment.

"That cop's a menace" he grunted "I don't like her one bit" I laughed

"Only because she's as smart as you and hasn't fallen for your charming smile" I told him, "I'm just round the corner from the main apartment, I'll comm. you back from this terminal when I'm done"

If I don't hear from you in an hour I'm sending the army in after you" Lathain warned, I laughed

"Duly noted" I clicked the comm. off and made my way to the reception area, the suited man recognised me from before and my hasty exit, I told him I was here to see Gregory and he comm'd the upper floors

"You're to go straight up Miss Xanders" he said nervously "Mr Arkut is waiting for you in the lounge"

"Thank you" I entered the lift that was shown to me and waited as the numbers climbed, the soft ping told me I'd reached my destination, but when the doors opened I was greeted not with a mad man in a wheel chair, but the barrel of a pistol.

I swung to one side, the sound of the shot deafening me as it zipped past my ears, I struck out, catching my opponent in his covered face, he fell and rolled backwards, I wasted no time in pushing the button to head back down, nothing happened, a red light flashed on the elevator pad, locked.

I jumped over the man, kicking him in the face as I went and felt a snap as my foot broke his nose, I raced east down a hallway, trying to remember where I had seen stairs before, a shot rang to my right and I swerved to the nearest room, a bedroom with an en-suite, I locked the door and bolted to the bathroom, locking that behind me as well. Think Ghost, think.

The air shaft for the de-misted hummed above me, it would be tight but I might make it through, I shrugged out of my jersey, the loose material would catch and slow me down and I removed my clunky boots. I heard the sound of the bedroom door lock being shot out and I yanked the grate down and shimmied inside as quickly as I was able, I dropped down the next vent I could find, back in the corridor, round the corner from the bedroom door, as I landed a shot broke the vase behind me and I sprinted down the hall and round the next corner into what appeared to be an open kitchen, I grabbed a kitchen knife, using the blade to see round the corner, but saw no shooter, only the water from the vase drip slowly to the floor. Suddenly an arm snaked around my throat, pulling me hard backwards, surprised I dropped the knife, and clutched at the arm trying to suffocate the air from my lungs, panicked my eyes caught my reflection in the silver fronted fridge, the arm was coming straight out of the wall!

I felt my body convulse as it tried to suck in air and black dots swum in my vision, I tried to focus, to clear my mind to cast, too much of my energy now in a high charge, lighting up my scars. Just as I thought the spell would fail I felt myself falling backwards through the wall, I landed hard onto my opponent who released me, I rolled from him, coughing hard and tried to stand, I pulled air into my lungs which made me cough all the more. I heard the click of a gun and knew I had no strength to move. I levelled my eyes at the man who would kill me, I'll be damned if I wasn't staring Chantel Marlow's killer in the face.

"You're quite the talent Miss Xanders" the assassin said "I'd never thought to meet another who could phase like I can, a pretty girl too"

"Go to hell" I spat, my voice broken and hoarse "just shoot me already, or get out of my way cos I haven't got the time to be pansy footing about with you, you've already wasted my time once today"

"oooh touchy" he sneered "you know it's a shame to kill you, but the pay package is particularly fine, you've really pissed someone off to warrant my services"

"I'll take that as a compliment" I said

"See you around" the hit man pulled the trigger

The shot rang loud and the shattering sound followed, I looked down, expecting to see a pool of blood forming across my chest, nothing. I did not expect what came next

"I'd lower the gun Travis if I were you" a voice I knew, but did not expect called out down the corridor.

"You're quite the shot Joker" the hit man, Travis said "honestly you broke my favourite gun"

"Bill me" Whisperer stalked down the corridor, his long coat brushing the sides as he went, he looked the angel of death, his jaw set, eyes hard and cold, fixed on Travis "your contract on this woman is cancelled, you're not to take any relating to her or other members of the affiliate without first relaying all information to me"

"Relaying information on my hits?" Travis sneered, as if the expression was the only one he knew "that's against my profession, clients expect confidentiality"

"And they'll get it, I wont pass on the information, but if your hits are against affiliate activities it'll be best to take my advice on your acceptance criteria" Whisperer stood in front of Travis, though slightly shorter than the assassin Whisperer seemed to have the greater presence. Travis looked down at me.

"And the fee?" he asked

"Paid in full" Whisperer said "If you tell me where you took Sam Arkut after you incapacitated him"

"I'll ping you the co-ordinates" Travis said, he gave me a thoughtful look "you know Miss Xanders, I do hope we meet again sometime under more . . . pleasurable circumstances" I held my tongue "Now, it seems I've been given my leave, good day to you Joker, Miss Xanders" with that he left, strolling down the corridor without a care in the world.

"You alright?" Whisperer asked, giving me a hand to get to my feet, I nodded and was presented with Whisperer's long coat, I looked down to see my upper body was covered only by my bra after dumping my top to escape, I burned crimson and took the coat, I wandered into the bathroom to find my T had gone "I'll order him to return it" Whisperer said, I shook my head

"Tell him to burn it" I said, I shuddered at the idea of the hit man having a trophy and tried not to think of what other items he had acquired, the watch, my T shirt, was he a collector? They were the worst kind of people, those who killed because they took pleasure in it, rather than out of necessity.

Whisperer removed his shirt, allowing me a look at his toned muscled pressed against the cotton of his undershirt "You might find this a tad more comfortable and a little less cumbersome" he was right, the coat hung to the floor on my frame and was very heavy, he draped the shirt over the bath side and left so I had the privacy to put it on.

The cotton smelled of leather and cinnamon, the smell of Whisperer, strength and spices it made me feel comforted. I washed my face and checked my throat in the mirror, had Whisperer not been here I would have most certainly been killed. Gregory Arkut it seems had it in for me, I untangled the knots in my hair and used some floss as a makeshift cotton thread to pull in the sides of Whisperer's shirt, it might be more comfortable, but a very baggy shirt could be just as cumbersome.

"Wow, it suits you" Whisperer said as I left the bathroom, I gave him back his coat which he swung over his shoulders. I blushed and hid my face behind a curtain of hair

"We should go, no doubt there'll be cops on the way over any minute" I said, Whisperer took the hint and led the way "Did you get the coordinates from Travis?" I asked

"Yeah, he was taken to shack just out of town" he looked across at me "You should go home; you've had a long day"

"Don't I know it" I said, "but no, I'll see this through" Whisperer smiled

"That's what Lathain said you'd say, come on, I'll go with you"

"Don't you have Affiliate things to do?" I asked

"Yes, but I can take a break for two hours to check this out with you, you really should go home, so unless you're planning on getting some shut eye then you're stuck with me" he smiled and I knew he had me, he wasn't going to let me out of his sight until he was convinced I was up to full strength.