Beyond the Crosshair 4.9

I was on my way to the next floor when I started to think about what Natalya said to me.

"Good night, Natalya."

"You've changed..." She managed to spat out before finally succumbing to her wounds.

I wondered what she meant. Changed? Was it because I betrayed the Agency? The mob?

"You got soft"

I stopped moving, "What are you talking about?"

"You're wondering what Natalya meant, I could tell." Gilbert said through the communicator, "The answer is that you've gotten soft"

"I am not soft"

"Bitch, please. You've gone to Hell and back for a woman. It's official: you're a softie"

"Shut up"

Gilbert snickered, but his laughing came to an abrupt stop, "Uh oh"

"What is it?"

"You're not going to like this..."

I pulled out my pistol, "What is it?"

"Is that Gilbert you're talking to?" The elevator opened and I saw Ivan holding a gun to [Name]'s head. She looked horrible. Half of her hair was cut so short the locks barely brushed the tip of her left ear and while there was blood all over her clothes, I could tell in an instant that most of her injuries were directed towards the torso.

But she was alive.

"Alfred, I've missed you"

I kept my gaze on [Name] who could barely stand up. It suddenly clicked in my head just who was the one to torture her.

I should've done more to Natalya.

"You could at least say 'hello' to me, Alfred. It's the right thing to do when you meet with an old friend" Ivan said, still smiling.

"We're not friends." I said a matter-of-factly.

Ivan hummed, resting his chin on the top of [Name]'s head. Her lips were trembling and she wouldn't stop crying.

"Such a pretty little thing..." He pressed the barrel right to her skin.

"Let her go, Ivan"

"After all the trouble I went through to get her here? I don't think so"

"Whatever it is you got against me it's between the two of us, you let her go now." My knuckles were turning white and getting cold.

He sighed.

"It is between the two of us, that's why I need to get rid of her, so I can have you all to myself. You had potential, Alfred, but this woman, this girl" He shoved her to the ground, "—got in the way" He raised the gun.

Every muscle in my body heated up as my mind yelled "NO" and I flung myself at him. He fired and the bullet hit the window. I twisted his arm and sent the gun flying.

"Don't you fucking touch her again!" I shouted.

Ivan laughed and dodged the knife swung at him.

"I can't remember the last time you and I sparred. I kind of missed this"

"Fuck you"

I managed to cut him once but he's already punched me over five times. It's difficult to land a hit on someone with experience like Ivan's. He's not the leader of the largest crime syndicate for nothing.

Back when we were younger, I was always too slow.

I grunted when he flipped me over to the wall.

Even now I couldn't best him.

"Say, Alfred..." He pickpocketed my other pistol while we were fighting, "You lost your family, right? You became a hitman after that tragedy. I wonder what you would become next if I killed your girlfriend..."

"You—" Ivan's eyeball exploded and I think a piece or two landed on my mouth.

"Missed me?" Double-O Seven said into the receiver before appearing through the shattered window.

"About damn time" I heard [Name] mumble with a groan.