Lei Wulong slammed the door of the Leana's, and almost fell on top of the secretary, when the receptionist was leaned, gazing the roof.
"Nina Williams!" He panted, showing her his badge. "Where is she?!"
"What?! Oh, officer! I didn't… oh, Nina… are you referring to that blonde chick that arrived yesterday?"
"Where is she?!"
"Calm… down! Just go through the hallway… fifth room, at your… right."
He tried to ignore the fact that the lady was drugged, and rushed to the darkened corridor, with quick and silent steps. Nina Williams was a priority: she's nothing more than one of the police' most wanted. After disappearing from the radar for years, she apparently resurfaced. And he's going to be the one to catch her.
As he walked the dark and stinky corridor, he started to sweat and he felt his heart pulsating in his throat. She's a ghost of his past, a vendetta in this 'cat and mouse' game, which she always managed to win. She's the only criminal he always failed to catch.
Once he stood in front of the door, he held his breath, gripping his gun with both hands.
Nina was still stuck in a battle between the assassin, who never left a job undone, and a mother's instinct to protect. Gods above, even her hands were shaking…
But something suddenly snapped her out of it. She couldn't hear anything, but she could swear she was not alone anymore.
Wulong took initiative and shoot the door's lock, giving it a kick, to open it. "Freeze!" He ordered.
However, he immediately had to take cover, before being allowed to have a glimpse on the room. Nina has shoot, and missed him by close. Rolling his eyes to the door frame, Lei was able to see the wood cracked by the bullet.
"Nina Williams! You have no escape! It is better for you if you surrender!" He screamed, before turning to the room, gun first. His heart jumped. The only thing he saw was an empty room, a forgotten sniper, and an open window.
Why did I talk?
He rushed to the window, and saw her running through the escape ladders. "Shit!" He quickly surveyed his surroundings, and locked his gaze on a drainage pipe. He slid down through it, and continued the pursuit by foot.
"Freeze! He shouted again, before shooting. He saw her, at distance, losing her balance for a second, but she kept running. Did I hit her? He thought, with the adrenaline flooding his system. He even felt himself running faster, with the perspective of catching her, while his head mimicked the clicking sound of the cuffs closing around her wrists. Until all his confidence went down on a dime: Nina ran, several meters ahead, in a route of collision with the target she almost killed.
Keep going. Just keep going… This repetitive thought was the only thing keeping Nina on her feet. Now, she was running, no matter where, trying to escape. Who the hell was that man?
In panic, she didn't realize the unsuspecting young man who where walking the streets, hearing music with headphones. Both crashed, and she fell. Their eyes met, and he immediately took off the headphones, with a concerned expression.
"You ok?" He asked, helping her to stand. Nina was aphonic for a while. She was face to face with her son, Steve. "Do… did we know each other?" He asked suddenly, after swiping out every detail of her face. "Thank you…" She managed to say, before running away.
"Hey! Wait…" Steve Fox has never felt more intrigued, but when that woman came across. That face… he was almost certain to know it from somewhere…
Moments later, a cop stops beside him, panting. "Are you ok?" "Why shouldn't I?" He didn't answer: he just looked ahead, and draw a rather painful expression on his face, when he realized he lost her sight. "Damn it!" He muttered.
"Who is she?" Steve asked, curiously.
"Someone you should avoid at all cost…" The long-haired man replied evasively, before sheathing his weapon, and walk away. Steve retained his gaze on the strange man. What the hell did he meant by that?
However, moments later, his mind laid somewhere else. All he could remind, all he could focus on, was that strange fugitive. Why do I have this feeling… that I know her from somewhere?
Lei couldn't believe in his bad luck: Nina Williams escaped once again. He wouldn't have the pleasure of returning to the police station and see his boss swallowing his damn pipe when he saw her walking with her hands behind her back towards the remotest cell they have in the catacombs.
Now he was prepared to be mocked by his fellow co-workers. Even if he manages to have a description from the hotel's hostess, no one would believe in the word of that drug addict. Unless… His eyes opened wide, and he ran as fast as he could to the Leana's when he remembered the sniper which had been forgotten in the hotel room. That they could not ignore!