Time To Hunt.

"I am here on a mission. Tell me what you know, and we can get started."

He was not going to participate in her melancholy.

"I asked Collective for help. They sent me a rookie. My bodyguard had left a while back to scout the area for any problems. His receiver has been switched off. The mafia has already made preparations to end my life. I have no way of making out of this town alive. What else do you want to know?"

She had no hope left. At least she could enjoy her last moments in peace.

"Then why haven't they attacked you yet?"

"Who knows? Maybe they are holding back. I have their money after all."

2.68 billion euros.

"Is giving up the money an option?"

She smirked at that.

"I'd rather die."

A personal vendetta.

"I am a simple woman. They dared to use me when they needed me, and throw me away when my work was done. If I don't pay them in kind, then what is the point of being a part of this society?"

"I couldn't care less."

Alex said with his poker face. Her attitude was admirable, but there was no substance to it if she was giving up.

She closed her eyes, and rested her head on the chair.

"If you want to do me a favor, kill me."

'System, Glock 19."

A handgun appeared in his hand, and he pointed it straight towards her head.

"Favor? What do I get in return?"

Her eyes slowly came into view. A serious expression.

"Assassins work for the pleasure of killing people, don't they?"

Sweat trickled down her forehead. This was it. This was going to be her last moment.

'Click.'

He pulled the trigger. A soft sound, followed by silence.

He lowered his gun.

"Wrong. Killing is the business we are trained for. It is not our hobby."

He pretended to keep the gun back into his jacket, but it disappeared.

"Let's make a deal."

This was his mission.

"What deal?"

She was slightly annoyed by the previous chain of events.

"Let's go ahead with the original plan. You have a place you can get to, and I will help you get there. No matter what comes in our way, I will try my best to keep you safe. In return, you cooperate with me and listen to my orders."

"No promises. An admirable decision."

She was expecting melodrama from him.

"And what if you aren't able to protect me?"

There was a 99 percent chance that he could screw up, according to her.

"Then before anyone can get to you, I will personally grant your wish and put a bullet in your head."

A fair deal. Shoot for an impossible target and hope for a miracle, or make the wise choice and give up.

Was it worth the effort though?

She was staring at the boy. Where was he getting his confidence from?

After 5 minutes of serious contemplation, she finally came to a decision.

"Deal."

As a proprietor, this targeted her business instincts. No risk, no reward.

Laura extended her hand towards him. He grabbed her hand and placed a small item on it.

"A tracker. Put this on your skin."

A small, circular device of about 3 cm in diameter. Numerous small hooks on it that were meant to pierce and attach to her body. She hooked it to her back. It didn't hurt, and the tracker was set.

"Also, a transmitter. Press the button on the top to send a distress call."

A rectangular gadget. 5 cm in length, and a small red button at the top along with an antenna to transmit radio frequencies.

"Make sure to pack everything you want. I suspect that you have one last piece of business left before you disappear."

"Yes. To dump all the burden and finish my plan once and for all."

The money was to be transferred to 10 different off-shore companies that had vowed to protect her from the mafia and ensure her invisibility after they got the money. Alex had to get her to the safehouse because the companies didn't want their covers being blown. And there was the risk of moles from the mafia that could end her life if the companies took full responsibility.

"Couldn't they have picked a less conspicuous place to meet?"

The MQ Residence, London. A luxury hotel.

"I don't intend to stay there. One of the companies owns that place. After the deal is done, we are free to leave."

"Free to leave? Or do they intend to get rid of you?"

"That is why I have hired you."

This was getting more difficult by the second.

"Don't worry. I have a lot of dirt on them that will be released the second they try to do anything out of order. The government will rip them apart for all of their misdeeds once they get that information."

She had a backup plan.

"And after that, I have to get you to the coordinates specified in the file. Is that right?"

"Yes."

That was the gist of it.

"Go back to your room, and start preparing for the departure. For the next 4 days, we will be constantly moving around."

She was not sure about his plan.

"What about the assassins?"

He smiled.

"Now that they have your location, there is no point in hiding. If we want to win, we will have to cull their numbers."

Instead of waiting for them to strike first,

He was going to hunt them all down.