Chapter 10

I couldn't believe that guy. He actually wanted me to go up there. I didn't even know how he got up there & so quickly & how he managed to stay up there. I could tell he was smiling down at me.

"What's the matter? Don't tell me that this is the best that Donovan can offer . . ." he was teasing me again, pushing my nerves.

And it worked. I was on the deck & climbing up the mast in no time. I wanted to prove myself to him, to show that I could do whatever he could so he could take me seriously at what I do. What else can I say, I take risks everytime I go out on a mission so why not then.

As soon as I was able to place my foot on the spreader, I looked up to see the smirk on his face.

"Nice work," he told me.

"You," I began, "This is enough. I wasn't trained to play games. I was trained to kill."

"Fine, we'll have it your way."

The next thing, I knew his foot was on my face & he was trying to shove me off the mast. I couldn't hold on much longer & my fingers slipped. I heard the boards break as my back met with the dock. I wrapped my hands over my aching head & rolled over onto my stomach, trying to catch my breath. That fall knocked a lot of air out of me & I was barely able to move without hurting so much.

I opened my eyes to see him land on his feet a few yards away. I looked up at his face that persisted to be hidden under his hood. His arms were crossed in front of him. I started to my feet. I couldn't lie there any longer. I had to fight even if I was hurt & exhausted. As soon as I got into my position, he asked me if I really wanted to fight him in my condition. I didn't say anything. All I thought about was killing him in the only way possible.

"Fine then," he said after noticing that I still didn't move, "Just remember what I told you . . ."

He lifted his arms & brought out two blades from his sleeves. I suppose you could say he had the upper hand then. He had blades & was still able to keep a healthy vision, but all I had were my snake fists & I could barely see straight. He got into a fighting position I've never witnessed before, but I couldn't let that bother me. But it would've been best if I knew my enemy's fighting style before I fought them.

We stood there in silence, both of us waiting for the other to make the first move.

"Just remember what I told you . . . You'll be dead before you can even think about making the first move," I remembered.

With those words it would seem like he was being overconfident, but I had to keep that in mind. I knew nothing of his fighting style or skill. So I had to be careful. It was best to wait for him to make the first move.

There it goes!

No, I was wrong. He just switched his position around. I had jumped back a bit just to be careful. I heard him chuckle, thinking that I was afraid of him & his blades. But I wasn't. I was just being careful.

There was silence for a few more minutes. I couldn't get impatient or I'll lose my guard. It was a good thing to have in mind, because I saw his move beforehand & was able to jump back, avoiding it. He had driven his blade into the dock. I would've attacked him then while he was trying to get it out, but he had his other blade. And I had hurt my back again when I landed on my feet after that jump.

His other blade came horizontally at me, but I was able to duck it just barely until I was face to face with him. Pieces of my white hair fell before our faces & I realized how close that was. But I didn't have time to think anymore about it, because the other blade came soon enough. I rolled backward then go onto my feet. A sharp pain went up my spine. I kept forgetting how badly I was hurt.

I noticed he was on his feet as well & another minute passed before he started to attack again. He swung at from every direction: up, down, right, left. And I jumped back everytime. But I knew I couldn't just keep dodging his attacks for long. I would tire out before him, so I had to think of something. He was quick, quicker than I thought.

He swung at me & spun around until his back was facing. But I knew better. I knew he did that just so I could think I could get a hit in, but then that would be the end of me. Instead I waited a second before he spun around again for a diagonal strike & jumped back from that one. My feet landed at the edge of the dock. I took a glance behind me & saw that it was the same jump I made before. I was trapped. But then an idea came to me. He was wearing a hood that covered most of his body & we were surrounded by water.

If I could just counter this next attack . . .

Sure enough, he drew one or his blades back & then went in for a thrust. I caught his arm & threw him into the water. I winced as my back started to act up again. But I was surprised it even worked. I backed away from the edge as he climbed out of the water. His clothes were dark & soaked. I knew they were heavier than before, especially his hood. But he stubbornly got back in his position; not bothering to take off what could slow him down. He must have thought he could still beat me with it on or he didn't want me to see his face.

Your identity isn't worth dying over.

But it was my chance to strike. If he was slow enough, I could counter his attacks. He sliced horizontally & I ducked then hit him in his chin. He stumbled backwards, but I wasn't finished yet. I striked him in the chest & he hunched over allowing me to knee him in his face. He fell onto his back.

Get the blades!

But I couldn't because my back hurt even worse than before. The longer I stood, the worse it got. I winced & fell onto my knees, holding my back. I opened my eyes to see Silver Hands standing over me with a smirk on his face. I saw drips of blood drip down from his hood onto the dock. Then I understood. He knew he would still have the upper hand, because I was hurt & it was going to get worse.

"Pretty smart, but not smart enough," he told me.

He kneed me in my face & I fell back, holding my nose.

"How does that feel?!" he yelled at me.

I sat up.

I can't let him win . . . I have to think of something!

He shoved his foot in my chest & I fell back. I could barely move. My face was burning, my back was aching, I had a headache, & I was tired out. He held my head down with his boot. I moved around a bit & felt my ankle against his. I grabbed his boot that was holding me down & swung my leg against his free one, tripping him. I could hear him fall, but slowly get up. I tried to as well. And soon enough, I was on my feet. I took in a deep breath & let it go as I watched him. He got into his position again & so did I.

I can't stand anymore in this condition. I have to try to counter & stop worrying about getting hit. It's keeping me from winning.

He swung at me first, but missed me. I realized I actually had time to strike that time so I went for it at the small of his back. He stumbled then tried to kick me from behind. But I caught his leg. My back started to ache again, but I ignored it. I actually had him that time. I was able to kick him in his face then his stomach, letting go of his leg. Surprisingly, he dropped one of his blades. I quickly went for it then brought up to his chest. He blocked it with his, but that didn't stop me from attacking again. I kept swinging it at him until he slowed down & made a mistake & I thrust the blade into his side.

I got him!

I stood with the blade in his side, making sure I did damage. Slowly, his blade dropped & that was my cue to get it done. I made one final attack & kicked him in the face as hard as I could. I then fell down with him, dropping the blade. My back was killing me & I was tired. I was glad it was over. I laid on the dock, breathing deeply. After a few minutes, I gathered up my strength & sat up. I then got onto my feet. He was still breathing . . .

I walked over to him & looked at him. He was in pain, no doubt there.

"Assassin, I must commend you," he tried to speak while he lost his strength, "You're the first & the last. I guess I underestimated you . . . Congratulations."

His voice sounds different.

It did. He sounded more feminine. I lifted his hood then I couldn't believe what I saw. He wasn't a he at all. He was a she all along. She had short, wavy, black hair & black eyes. She had freckles & her lips were as plain as the walls in an insane asylum. And blood was dripping from her pointed nose, covering most of her face..

"You're . . ." I began, but I was too stunned to finish my sentence.

Never had I fought a woman who was so skilled & strong.

"A woman," she finished my sentence for me, "I pretended to be a man so they would take me seriously. They would never get the respect I deserve if I was a woman."

I suppose I understood where she was coming from. It happened to me all the time. Just because I was a woman, they would laugh in my face.

"Assassin," she began, "it would be an honor to die by your hands."

She picked up her blade & handed it to me. I accepted & took it.

"But there is something I must know," she said.

What could she possible want to know before she dies?

"What is your name?" she asked me.

My name?

"Christie," I answered her.

She laughed, "Typical female name . . ."

I didn't let that bother me. She was stuck in the world of a man for so long.

"Assassin?" she started to speak again.

After I said yes, she coughed a bit.

"Tell Donovan that I will be avenged," she then closed her eyes & waited for me to end her life.

I'll have quite a story to tell Donovan.

I held the blade in a stab position. The heart was always the best place to stab someone. Before I could, someone grabbed my hair & threw me in the water. I resurfaced, wondering who could spoil my execution. But I should have known he would show up sooner or later. It was Bayman. Doing what he does on behalf of Michael Kin. He picked up Silver Hands then looked back at me.

"So that makes us enemies, right?"

"If you want us to be."

"What am I to you?"

"What you want to be."

He was my enemy now. I couldn't deny it. If he was going to stand in my way then he was. But he wasn't my enemy that one night . . .

I opened my mouth to speak to him, but no words came out. I suppose my expression said it for me. Bayman ran off with Silver Hands in his arms.

"No, wait!" I shouted after him.

I needed to see him again, but I knew by the time I got out of the water that he would be gone.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I messed up again. Bayman & Kin won that round. I didn't know what they had planned with Silver Hands though, but I got to see Bayman again. I knew I would sometime though.

I was walking down the plaza going back to my hotel. I had a rough night & needed some rest & a first aid kit. Some people were staring at me. I wouldn't blame them, because I was in bad condition. I stopped when I realized I past a familiar face. I turned around & saw him disappear behind a corner.

Bayman . . .

I followed him. He was walking down the alley with his hands in his pockets. I quickly followed him, worried that I would lose him, but he knew I was following him. He stopped in front of a walkway before he entered it. I jogged after him, too tired to run. I looked around the walkway & spotted him down the street. He entered a building & I followed after him. I was in a hotel, probably the one he was staying in. He was walking towards the stairs.

"Bayman," I finally called him to stop him.

I was too tired to yell, but he stopped & looked back at me anyway. I felt a smile tug at my cheek at the thought of him looking at me, Bayman, the man I had given myself to.