5. Mia

Chapter five

Mia

I dug around in my purse, searching for my phone, as I sped away. The car in the other lane honked at me as I swerved into their lane temporarily. Jerking the car back, I located my phone and called Evangeline.

“Hello?”

“They’re after me,” I told her. “Who?”

“The Guild. It has to be. Three men broke into my house and tried to capture me. I made it out but don’t know what to do!”

“But I took care of your mark. The job got done,” she argued. “They still sent a team after me,” I replied.

“Ok, make sure you haven’t been followed, and then drive to the mall. One of the guys will meet you at the food court. Be careful, Mia,” Evangeline said.

“I will,” I promised.

I weaved through the streets, slowly making my way toward the mall. When I was sure I wasn’t being followed, I pulled into the parking lot and parked on the top deck of the garage. I may feel safest in the dark, but in this instance, out in the open was best. I hurried into the almost deserted mall.

“We’re closing in fifteen minutes, miss,” a security guard said as I passed.

“Ok, thanks,” I replied, barely sparing him a glance. I went directly to the food court and spotted Kase right away.

“Are you ok?” he asked, concern etched into his features. I nodded. “Ok, come with me.”

He placed his hand on my back and guided me toward a door to the side of the food court that led to the mall’s bowels. His head was on a swivel as we went, checking for any threats. As soon as we were in the hallway and out of sight, he stopped and turned to me.

“This might feel a bit… uncomfortable. Don’t fight it,” Kase cautioned.

Before I could question him, he touched my shoulder and teleported. The next thing I knew, we were in a bathroom stall, and I was coughing from the black smoke surrounding us. My body felt like it was just torn into a million pieces and then pasted back together with that minty paste by a kindergartener.

“What the fuck?!” I exclaimed when I could manage to get words out.

“I know, it’s a little jarring when you aren’t prepared for it. Just breathe in and out,” Kase replied, opening the stall door for me to escape the cloud while waving his hand around to help dissipate it. “Splash some water on your face, and you’ll feel better.”

I did as he suggested, grabbing paper towels to blot my face and neck with cool water. It helped more than I expected it to. I tossed the paper towel in the trash and then sniffed my clothes. My nose wrinkled at the brimstone smell. Great. Now, I would have to walk around smelling like Lucifer’s fireplace.

We left the bathroom and ran into Evangeline, Jett, and Rylan, who were standing outside waiting for us. Evangeline wrapped me in a hug.

“I’m glad you’re ok,” she said earnestly.

“Where are we?” I asked, looking around. An announcement over the intercom answered my question when I heard it say that the 8:20 train to San Francisco was loading on Track Four. “Train station?”

“You need to get out of town, and the best way to do that under the radar is by train,” Evangeline explained as she grabbed my hand and tugged me toward Track Four. It looked like I was going to San Francisco to start.

When we stopped on the platform, Rylan handed me a ticket. “Be safe, kid,” he said gruffly. “And watch your back.” He stepped away from our group to give the others space to say their goodbyes.

I nodded, wishing I could stay with them under their protection but knowing I had no business asking that of them. It was too risky, and they had helped as much as possible.

Jett handed me a backpack, and when I opened it and saw what was inside, I gasped.

Money. Piles of money filled the bag.

“I can’t take your money,” I protested, trying to return it to him.

“We have more than we need, and you don’t have any access to yours,” Jett argued, pushing it back to me. “You’ll need a lot of cash to survive, so just take it, Mia.”

“I’ll pay you back,” I promised. Jett rolled his eyes, ruffled my hair, and went to stand beside Rylan.

Kase was next, and he held his hand out to me. “Phone.”

Understanding, I dug my phone out of my purse and handed it to him. I couldn’t bring it with me.

“I’ll take it on a bit of adventure,” he winked, pocketing it. “Take care of yourself, Mia.

Hopefully, this won’t be the last time we see you.“ He joined his pack, leaving me and Evangeline alone.

She handed me another cell phone: “Burner phone. It has all of our numbers programmed in it. If you run into any problems, call one of us, and we’ll do our best to help you. Try to check in every few weeks so that I know you’re ok.”

“Thanks for everything, Evangeline. I really appreciate it,” I said, hugging her tightly. She squeezed me back and then nudged me toward the train, discreetly brushing a tear from her cheek. “Go on, now, before the train leaves you.”

I nodded and climbed on the train but paused on the step to look back at them. I didn’t know them well, but they did more for me than most would. I met Evangeline’s sad eyes, my own mirroring hers. We both knew this was probably a lost cause. You don’t run from the Guild, they’re inescapable, but I also was damn sure that I wasn’t going to go down without a fight. If they wanted me, they’d have to catch me first.

Evangeline saw the determination in my eyes and smiled. With a final nod to each other, I boarded the train without looking back. I was officially on my own now, and while it was a little scary, it also felt like I was going on an adventure.

The burner phone Evangeline had given me was a smartphone with limited capabilities. By the time my train stopped in San Francisco, I had devised a plan using it and its basic web browser.

When I deboarded the final train in Washington near the Canadian border, I was beyond exhausted. I planned to get lost in the Canadian wilderness and make friends with a moose, but first, I needed a place to get my bearings and rest. Before checking into a hotel, I needed clothes and the basic necessities.

I took a cab to the local Walmart, which had everything I needed. After paying for everything, I huddled in a corner near the carts and packed it all into the brand-new suitcase I bought. Now that I looked more like a traveler and less like a runaway, I called another cab to take me to a hotel. Motel was the better word for it. It wasn’t a roach motel, but it wasn’t a

five-star establishment either. While I could technically afford a better hotel, I didn’t see the point in wasting what little funds I had on it. Now wasn’t the time to be boujee.

I checked in for a week with the bored attendant who barely looked away from her soap opera on the small TV, let alone ID me. That was another good reason to stay at this

less-than-stellar motel— anonymity. They didn’t care who I was or what I was doing.

When I got into my room, the first thing I did was take a shower. The bathroom was dated, but the water pressure was strong and scalding. After my shower, I planned to sleep for

twenty-four hours straight. There weren’t enough cat naps in the world to catch me up on the amount of sleep I’d lost. The only thing that would help is a full coma-like sleep.

I wrapped the thread-bare towel around my body when I stepped out and reached for my newly purchased toiletries. I brushed my teeth first and smiled at my reflection, pausing when I noticed something was slightly off. I ran my tongue over my teeth and leaned forward for a better look. My top canine teeth had lengthened and now came to tiny little points. They were far more fang-shaped than they used to be, not a tooth you would find in a typical human’s mouth.

Fascinating. And rather cute. I could rock it.

Once I was dry, I stepped out of the bathroom, prepared to crawl into bed, when something caught my eye on the nightstand. I froze and stared at the little black card.

No fucking way.

If I hadn’t known how the process worked, I would have thought the Guild had caught up with me already, but the cards didn’t work like that. They just… appeared near the assassin. But why was I getting a card?

Immediately, I thought it had to be a trap. As soon as I show up to kill the mark, I’d be ambushed and hauled in, if not immediately killed. Or an assassin would be waiting to follow me back to my motel to kill me here.

But there was also a chance that it was a real job. Maybe my escape proved to the Guild that I could handle the job, and they’re giving me a second chance to prove myself. I might not have to go to Canada after all! However, there was still a slight issue with my powers. If they screwed up again, I’d be a goner for sure. I would just have to make sure that however I planned to complete the contract, it didn’t have any opportunities for me to get myself into trouble.

Without touching the card, I climbed into bed. For once, I wasn’t going to rush into anything. I would sleep on it and decide when my tank was full, and my mind was clear.

I slept for eighteen hours straight that night, got up, ordered some food, and then went back to bed for another ten. When I finally woke up from my second sleep, I felt more alert than I had in quite some time. With my energy renewed, I picked up the contract card. While sleeping, my brain chewed on my options and decided to accept the contract.

Stan Jackson – $10,000.00

The worst outcome was that it was a trap. If that were the case, I would fight my way out of it or die trying. If the Guild was indeed after me, it was only a matter of time until they caught

up with me again. I could live the rest of my life constantly looking over my shoulder or show the Guild just how formidable and tough I was.

I pricked my thumb on one of my fancy new teeth and swiped the blood onto the card. This time, I was smart and was already sitting down. I dropped the card to the floor and laid back as the information downloaded into my head.

Stan owned a used car lot, but he had a sneaky little side business that not many knew about. He picked up cars caught in floods under the guise of hauling them to the scrap yard for people. Stan paid the owners cash, but the vehicles never reached their intended destination. Instead, he brought them to his buddy who owned a mechanic shop, had the cars fixed enough to run for a few thousand miles, and sold them as certified pre-owned on his lot, ripping off everyone who purchased a vehicle. Someone had enough of his business practices.

The easiest place to take him would be at his lot after hours. It would be deserted, leaving no one to help him. As much as I would prefer to take a more hands-off approach with this one, I didn’t have a choice. However, I did figure out a way to get close to him without him suspecting anything. I wasn’t planning on purchasing a car, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t shop for one.

I took a cab to the car lot about thirty minutes before it closed. If an opportunity to kill him didn’t present itself, I could always return another day. This would allow me to get a feel for the area and familiarize myself with the layout.

I spotted the cute little white sports car about the time that Stan spotted me. Excellent. I didn’t want to deal with any other salesman but him.

“Good evening,” he purred, his voice silky smooth and accentuating his sliminess even more, though he probably thought himself charming.

“Hello,” I said, adopting a naive desperation. “I know you’re closing soon, but I’m in a bit of a bind and really need some wheels.” I looked around the area nervously as if I was looking for danger. “I— I have cash,” I stammered hopefully.

I could see the dollar signs in his eyes as he smiled warmly at me. “Don’t worry about the time. I pride myself on helping others, and it looks like you could use some help.”

I nodded shakily. “I’m… I need to get to Canada,” I admitted. “My ex is after me, and if he finds me, he’ll kill me!”

“Let’s see what we can do to get you back on the road,” he replied. “Now I saw you eyeing this little beauty here, but if you ask me, you need a vehicle you can trust that won’t stand out and can handle the road or any other condition you may find yourself in. Canadian roads, I hear, can get rough in some areas, and we wouldn’t want you stranded on the side of the road, unable to escape anyone who might happen upon you, would we?”

I shook my head, eyes wide with fear, as I appeared to hang on his every word. He was good, quickly hammering the nail into what would be my biggest fears. He placed his hand on the small of my back to steer me toward a newer, more expensive SUV. It took all my strength not to pull away from him. I didn’t give him permission to touch me, and yet here he was, taking liberties with a young, desperate girl.

“Now, this vehicle is more what you’re looking for. It’s a little more pricey, but I think we can work with you since you’ll be paying cash to lower the price.” He opened the driver’s door, “Hop in.”

I played along and hopped into the SUV. The black supple leather hugged my body, but I could detect the slight hint of bleach and mold; sufficiently covered, he thought, with the thick, disgusting new car scent he had doused the car with. He might be fooling the humans, but he wasn’t fooling me.

“It’s gorgeous,” I gushed, “but surely it’s out of my price range.” I knew it was for the part I was playing. The fifteen thousand dollar price tag was way above what he would expect me to have on hand in cash. I was interested to see how low he was willing to go and what he expected in exchange for the extreme discount.

To my surprise, he low balled the offer I had in mind entirely. “I’ll let you drive it off the lot tonight for five thousand.”

My eyes bugged out of my head, an honest reaction to his offer. “But that’s ten thousand less than the ticket price,” I objected. His eyes narrowed at my break in character. I let tears well up in my eyes. “Why would you do that?”

He smiled at me. “I told you, I enjoy helping people when I can, and you seem like a nice girl who got into a bad situation and is just looking for a way out. It takes a lot of strength to leave; I just want to make sure you are successful.”

For a split second, I believed his sincerity and questioned if he deserved to die. But then I remembered what he’d been doing and that it wasn’t my job to judge whether a mark deserved to die. My job was to do it.

“If you’re sure,” I hedged.

“I am,” he replied firmly. “Now, why don’t we go inside and complete the paperwork so you can be on your way.”

I followed him inside, and as he locked the door, I noted all the exits and rooms. We walked through the showroom to his office. Stan pulled a chair out for me and then went to his filing cabinet and pulled out a file. He smiled reassuringly at me as he sat.

“Now I’ll just need your license.”

I contemplated his request. Knowing my real name didn’t matter, considering he was going to be dead soon, but I’m not sure the person I was pretending to be would so willingly hand out that information if she were on the run and didn’t want to leave a paper trail.

“Is there any way we could do this without using my name?” I asked tentatively.

He nodded as if he expected this response. Was that a test to see if I was who I said I

was?

“I can understand your desire for anonymity, but since it would be illegal for me to do so, I will have to add another thousand to your total for my trouble, of course,” he replied.

“Of course! I have no problem with that,” I assured him. “Excellent. Then let’s say your name is… Martha? Martha Jones?”

I bit my cheek at the unintentional reference and nodded. “Martha Jones will do fine.” I sat quietly as he filled out the bogus paperwork and considered my options. I wouldn’t get a better chance than this, but when should I do it? It would be best to do it out of immediate view of the glass walls in the showroom, which meant I needed to do it before we left the office.

We finished the paperwork, and I made a mental note to take it with me when I left so I didn’t leave my fingerprints everywhere. I handed the cash to Stan, and he placed it to the side without counting it. It didn’t matter if I gave him all of it; he knew he was making a profit.

Stan handed me the keys and grinned. “Shall we?”

I nodded and returned his smile. Finally, we would get to the true purpose of my presence here. I stood and waited for him to go to the door. As he reached for the handle, I extended my claws, planning on slitting his throat. What I didn’t account for was Stan catching my reflection in the window of the door as I raised my hand.

Quick as the snake he was, Stan spun around and kicked me in my stomach, sending me flying over his desk before he flung the door open and ran out into the showroom.

“ALEXA, TURN OFF THE LIGHTS!” he shouted.

The building went dark, and I grinned. I got to my feet and dusted myself off. Stan didn’t know it yet, but that was a grave mistake. I chanced a partial shift and brought out my cat ears so that I could pick up his movements more easily. I could hear his keys jingle as he struggled to find the one that would unlock the doors.

My footsteps were light on the tile floor as I ran for the entrance. Stan was at the door unsuccessfully trying to open it. The man shook so severely that I doubted he could slide it into the lock even if he found the right key. I let a little kitty growl out, and it echoed around the room.

Stan looked over his shoulders, trying to spot me, and I timed my approach perfectly so that I was standing beside him as he looked the other way.

“Boo.”

Stan screamed, dropped the keys, and ran.

I laughed as I followed him at a slower pace. I let him get too far ahead of me and heard him push through a heavy door but scream in terror again two seconds later. When I reached the door, he was running toward the other side of the building. I eyed the emergency exit door curiously, wondering what had been on the other side to spook him. I also sent up a quick thanks that Stan was too cheap to bother with the alarm on the emergency exit.

Crouching down, I began following him in the direction he was going. I could hear his labored breathing and the rapid pounding of his heart. I followed the sound until I was on the other side of the Jeep he was hiding behind.

“What do you want?” he shouted, not realizing how close I was. Silently, I climbed onto the vehicle’s roof and perched above him.

“I’ll give you whatever you want! Do you need money? I have lots of money!” Stan was desperately trying to buy his way out of this, but his money was no good to him now.

“It’s too late for that, Stan,” I said. I waited for him to jerk his head up in surprise before pouncing. I sliced my claws down his chest as I maneuvered myself behind him and sank my elongated teeth into his shoulder to hold him in place as I ran a single claw across his neck.

Blood sprayed all over the Jeep as his life drained from his body.

Once dead, I dropped him to the floor and stepped back. Because I was standing behind him, I was able to avoid most of his blood. I went back to his office to grab my money, the keys to my new shitty SUV, and the paperwork I had signed. I also took the extra precaution of wiping down the chair I sat in and pocketed the pen. You could never have too many pens.

Out of curiosity, I checked Stan’s file on the SUV he sold me and saw that the life expectancy of it was less than a thousand miles. What a dick. No wonder he was willing to let it go so cheap. So much for all of that compassion he showed me. I located his security system and grabbed the tape recording of tonight’s events. One more way cheap Stan worked in my favor.

I used a claw to unlock the door and left Stan and his shitty showroom behind me. I’d take the SUV with me to get back to the area of my motel, ditch it somewhere, and then walk the rest of the way. I had just opened the door when someone grabbed me from behind.

“Now we’ve got you, Kitty Cat,” a man said.