Darkness closed around him as he fell. He saw a montage of important images from his life flash in front of his eyes; the day he became a marine taking up most of the time. He remembered in horror the day he met the woman that had just caused his death; the comrade he thought he'd gained in service. With a sickening crash, he hit the ground; the final ounces of life leaving his body almost instantly.
The woman stood on the balcony of the 32nd floor; a look of regret and pity washing over her face. Her green eyes narrowed, irritated at her thoughts. Her boss had warned her that if she was attached to the victims or the thought of who the victims could've been, she'd never make it. She glanced one more time over the white metal railing, now smeared with the man's blood; trying not to think of the family he could've left behind. Suddenly the harsh ring of her cell phone echoed through the midnight air; snapping her from her forbidden thoughts.
"Is it taken care of?" a man with a thick accent asked; his words echoing in her ears.
"Yes…" she said, eyeing the bloody knife she'd dropped on the ground; taking a ragged breath.
"Alessia…I warned you…" the man began in a threatening tone.
"I know…to not get attached…" Alessia said; clicking the 'off' button on her cell phone, wondering whether or not it was a good idea to become involved in this business. She walked back into the living room area of the suite her victim had rented for the night. Knowing there was most likely a grave-yard shift security attendant she reminded herself she won't have much time. She pulled her blonde hair back into a bun, and pulled a brown curly wig over her scalp. Putting on a baseball cap she headed out of the room; careful to avoid any main exits. The lobby was thankfully abandoned, and there was no one outside at this hour; so she was able to relax a little bit. She spotted her car and breathed a sigh of relief.
"You're out awfully late miss…" a security guard said from behind her; his voice carrying in the silence of the night.
She stood for a moment, startled, willing off the look of panic threatening to wash over her features, "yea…I was with a friend; big day tomorrow, need to be home first thing."
The last bit of tension eased from her body as she sunk into her BMW's leather seats. Starting the car she pulled out of the parking lot, careful not to look back. Once she was out of sight from the hotel's premises, she shed her baseball cap and wig and headed home.