Ava's POV

"Are you sure you know how to work this thing?” Mina asks as the helicopter wobbles a little in the air.

“You wanna steer it instead?” I snap. I readjust the controls and balance us out until we're flying smoothly.

Mina huffs as we fly above New York City. The Hudson River glistens in the distance as the busy, night traffic bustles beneath us. The whole land is lit up in bright lights. No matter how many times I've flown above this city, it never ceases to amaze me. Even though the pollution is terrible and the streets overflow with daily crimes, trashy people, and gian rats.

“So…” Mina glances at me. “You care about Jennie, don't you?”

I exhale sharply..“I don't see how that's any of your business.”

“Well, I've shared about myself, no? I think it's only fair for you to tell me what your stance is with my best friend.”

My grip on the controls tightens as I grit my teeth. “Why do you want to even know?”

“Because I don't understand why YOU, a cold ass murderer of little girls, spared a woman's life AND is going against her own organization for her.”

I suck in a breath. “What are you–”

“It's not hard to piece everything together. The killings in New York City, the newspapers and media dubbing the person as the ‘Shadow Killer’... you are behind them, and so is your organization. KCD or whatever.”

“It's KSD,” I grumble.

“You shot a five-year old girl in the freaking head! And you spare Jennie's life? My question is, why?”

“You should be grateful that I haven't killed her.”

“And I am! But I want to know why. Especially if we're going to work together to save Jennie.”

A few seconds of silence consumes the stuffy interior. How can I answer her question when I don't have a clear answer to it myself? Why am I doing this?

As we fly over the city lights shimmering below us, I ruminate on the question for a couple more seconds. I've killed Lena, Serena, Fox, and Yuko for Jennie. My sisters, the people I've fought alongside and grew up with. I've broken all the five rules that Eve has beaten into our heads.

I slowly inhale. “I've spent years of my life enacting revenge on whoever my mentor ordered me. I've never questioned the contracts. As long as she told me that they were bad men who hurt women like my mother…” I draw in a shaky breath. “It was enough for me to kill them. To carry out Karma. I was like… a mindless machine. 

“Did I have my fuck ups? Yes, but I never hesitated to kill a target. To comply with orders. Until I met Jennie in that alley. She… disarmed me with one look, like she pressed an off switch button on me. When I met her again in the café, she brought out a side of me that has been long dead.”

When Mina doesn't reply in a few seconds, I glance briefly at her. She's looking straight ahead, her eyes blinking rapidly as her shoulders roll back. I return my gaze to the front.

“So you love her…” Mina softly says without looking at me.

“Something like that.” I lower the helicopter a little.

“Has she—?”

“Said anything? Yeah, before you came barging in back at the disgusting fireplace.” I shift in my seat.

“And what–”

“We're here,” I interrupt. The top of the Montague-Court building appears into view. As we approach closer, my expectations are confirmed. It's not empty, but instead lit up with dim lights on all sides.

“Is that her?” Mina points towards the black shadowy figure standing in the middle.

I nod. “Yes.” When we are close enough, what I see besides Eve drives panic into my heart. “Fuck.”

“What?”

“She brought everyone from the organization.” A rough count tells me that there are twenty-five other people standing on both sides of Eve. That is the number of the remaining members. Another horrifying realization hits me.

I will have to kill them all to save Jennie.

“Mina. Go in the back and get the weapons ready. When we land, I want you to stay in the helicopter until I need you. You copy?”

“What? No, I'm not–”

“Hey, you better follow my orders. I said, do you copy?”

Brief silence. “Copy.”

Mina climbs into the back and rummages around while I hover above the building. I begin to lower us onto the roof. “You ready?” I yell.

“Yeah!” Mina replies.

The helicopter kisses the surface before I gently set it down. I turn off the engine and jump out while the blade gradually slows down behind me. The other KSD members shift in their positions as I approach Eve.

“It's about time you arrived,” Eve gleefully says. She's smiling, that fucking bitch.

“Where is she,” I growl when I stop five feet away from her.

“Don't you worry. Your little bitch is safe. For now,” she adds. Her smile widens.

“Don't you fucking call her that.” I grip my knife harder.

She tuts. “Language, Ava.”

“I'm gonna fucking talk the way I wanna talk, you fucking bitch!” Everybody around shifts in their positions again.

Amusement twinkles in Eve’s eyes at my outburst. She's enjoying this…

“Well, well, well. You know, through all your fuck ups and slip ups, I never would have thought that you would betray me for a skinny Asian chick.” She scoffs. “After everything I have done for you.”

It is my turns to scoff. “Everything you've done for me? You turned me into a monster! You turned all of us into monsters, pawns with no human feelings! And as soon as we show that, you fucking kill us! What the fuck!”

“Oh, come on darling, don't blame this all on me. After all, you-” She gestures all around her. “-chose to become a ‘monster’, which by the way, is a very harsh term. Did little… what's her name… Jennie label you as that? I see she got into your head, hm?”

“No. She helped me realize that you've been manipulating and puppeteering us all this time. You stripped us of everything that made us human.” I turn towards the other women, the people I've grown up with. Each face staring back at me with nothing in their eyes. Emotionless, not a hint of sympathy, compassion, or feelings. “Don't you guys want something more than just killing bad guys your whole life because of one single traumatic experience when you were kids.”

Something shifts in the atmosphere, whether for the better or worse… I guess it actually doesn't matter, because I'm not as powerful or intense as Eve. I can't break the hold she has over them. After all, I'm just one of them. Besides, if any of them has harbored the same hatred towards me like Lena did, then this is just an opportunity for them to get rid of me.

Eve’s cackle disrupts my thoughts as she throws her head back and laughs before returning her steely gaze on me. “They're loyal to one person, Ava darling. And that is me.”

“Why did you bring them here anyway?” I tilt my head in curiosity. “Are you afraid you can't handle me all on your own?”

She blinks. “Babydoll, you are like a measly cockroach for me. No, I thought I'd give you a little challenge.”

“A challenge?” Dread returns to me.

“You want Jennie so bad? Then you will have to kill your way through your sisters.” Eve’s lips curl up in a malevolent smile.

Everyone slowly lines up around us in a circle. The roar of traffic, beeping horns, and barking dogs disturb the quiet night air as I'm surrounded by the people I've worked alongside with and shared many a drink with. And the energy I feel radiating from everyone? Death and cold, cold murder.

It is one against twenty-five. And even though I'm Eve’s top and best assassin, it doesn't calm down the rising panic bubbling inside of me.

“You're fucking insane,” I whisper.

Eve chuckles. “I'll be waiting for you on the other side.”

She turns around and walks away. Two assassins move aside to create a path for Eve to go through. Once she does, and they return to their position, she faces me and with a chilling loud voice, says the two words I expected to hear.

“Kill her.”

Word Count: 1426