Chapter 3 - The Blazing Assassin

"Stay quiet." The voice whispered and Isana stopped resisting. 'Rhydian?' She turned around and he nodded. They were both crouching on the ground. He slowly let go of her.

"What's going on?" She whisper shouted.

"We're surrounded. I had left my window slightly open for air circulation but it ended up helping me hear some weird noises." He stared at her seriously and Isana gulped. She was close to be taken away and she can't even trust Rhydian completely who could even hand her to them if it meant he'd be safe.

"What...What can we do?" Isana was at her wit's end. More like, she was driven to that end because of all the circumstances that had happened during the past day.

"Have you unpacked that bag that you were trying to run with this morning? I think-" Rhydian slowly asked. A sudden noise of twigs breaking came from outside and Rhydian quickly turned to look, continuing to speak. Isana stared at Rhydian in awe.

"I get what you're saying. I'll take the bag and go get the car ready. I had brought a new silencers a few days ago anyway. I need you to get my laptop. It's in my room." Isana spoke seriously as they slowly got up. The noises of twigs breaking and stepping on rocks were getting louder. Rhydian nodded and they split up.

Isana went into the kitchen. She had forgotten to keep the bag properly after what happened, forget unpacking it. She quickly put the bag on, grabbed the keys and checked her pockets for her phone. 'It's there. Good.' She opened the door quietly and looked around. It was completely dark. The moon that had been shining brightly was covered by a dark cloud.

'This- This is perfect!' Isana quickly hurried towards the car and tried putting the key in the car. Using the car key remote was not an option. Not only would it make noise but it wasn't worth the risk. The noises were getting slower but louder. Her hand began to tremble. The key wasn't going in. The cloud was going away and moonlight began to seep through. It cam closer and closer to where Isana was standing. Her legs began to get weak with anxiety.

"Why...why's it not working? Argh..." Isana spoke quietly, frustrated. The light reached up to her and she stared at her hand in shock. The key....it wasn't the car's key. 'Eh?' If she would have tried using the car key remote, she would have noticed that it wasn't there and would have enough time to search her house for the key.

The anxiety didn't let her think where the remote was. She quickly ran back into the house. The noises had become silent. 'They...must be super close. Can...Can we make it?' Isana shook her head in anger. She had to find the key. She quickly moved things in the kitchen, desperate to find the key.

'Where is it?' The moonlight helped her see clearly but it also allowed those outside to see inside clearly too.

'Car keys, car keys, car keys, car keys....Where are they?' Isana held her head, worried.

"I found these car keys on the counter. Where should I keep them?" Rhydian asked Isana.

"Wherever they were. Don't shift things. I won't remember where they are then." Isana grumbled.

"Okay..." Rhydian kept them back on the counter.

'The counter!' Isana quickly moved to the counter and grabbed the keys as soon as she found them. She turned around to go back into the garage when someone knocked the door. Her heart skipped a beat and began to beat faster.

"Help me! Please! Is anyone there? Please! Help me!" A young girl's voice called from behind the main door. Isana found herself moving towards the door when someone caught her shoulder. Isana jumped in horror. When she turned around, Rhydian stood there. The voice kept crying out and finally the person started banging the door. Isana heart sped even faster with increase of noise during the quiet night.

"It's not what you thinking, right now. Whoever, that's on the other side is your enemy. Know that." Rhydian was stern. Isana got riled up. But she was in no place to protest, even though she didn't completely trust him, he was still protecting her. But she had to see who it was that was asking for help. She moved closer towards the door.

Rhydian held her hand and stopped her. "The second you are anywhere near that door, you're caught in their trap." His eyes didn't waver and his face was grim. Isana snapped out of her trance and nodded. He gave her a weak smile. The banging was just getting louder and Rhydian's eyes widened.

"They're...they're going to bang the door out. It's going to break soon. Quick." They ran towards the back door and when they reached, Rhydian opened the door. The moonlight had been gone for a while and it was coming back. Isana had put her key in when the moonlight brightened the entire space up.

"I guess I was right to wait here." A voice spoke from ahead of them. Stood in front of them, at least 20 men with guns and a man in front of them. That guy was taken aback when he saw Rhydian's face.

"Jesse..." Rhydian mumbled. "Huh?" Who was Jesse and how did he know him? Isana stared at Rhydian. She knew now wasn't the time to ask but her head rumbled with questions - Did Rhydian know them? If yes, what was their relationship? Was he double timing her?

The man laughed and they just stared him. Both Isana and Rhydian knew that if they moved even one step, they'd be dead without a doubt and that's why, they didn't move an inch.

"Have you guys heard of the blazing assassin?"

Rhydian face paled. He looked aghast. Isana, on the other hand, gave out a murderous aura at the mention of the name.

The guns didn't move from their mark as the men gave out answers to the man in front, who seemed like their leader.

"Is it that a legend of an assassin who would kill anyone without leaving a trace and his trade mark was a burn mark on his back? And the trade mark of his kill was fire?"

"That person who was able to take out a rival organization by themselves?"

"I heard he even-"

"But isn't that a legend?"

The leader smiled. "That young woman looks like she knows more than you all. Isn't that so, Aeon Isana?" He looked over at Isana's direction. The glare and dark aura in her eyes hadn't disappeared.

"A teenager with a burn mark on his back which looked like the blazing sun. After every assassination, he would light a fire in the victim's room which wouldn't spread until the door, of the room the victim was in, opened." Isana spat.

Rhydian got even paler. His legs began to feel weak and his back felt like it was burning. Isana glanced at him.

"Rhydian? Rhydian? Are you alright?" Isana didn't dare move from her spot but she felt desperate. Rhydian was her final card and hope.

"I'm...I'm fine." He gasped as he steadied himself by holding the frame of the car. The leader gave an evil smirk to Rhydian and Rhydian felt a shiver run down his spine.

Isana gave a sigh of relief. In anger, she had forgotten her train of thought but had come back to senses thanks to Rhydian. Thinking about the past wouldn't be of any help to the present. But the present would not only help her future but also could clear her past.

'How to get out of this situation? What is the best way to get out of here safely?' Her head thought about various scenarios, as her eyes darted to scout the area they were surrounded in, she ran simulations and began to plan the best way to escape. It was the only thing she was good at. Thinking.

"Why did you ask about the blazing assassin in the first place, boss?"

Isana's ears perked up. She wanted to know too but she had to set her priorities straight. Getting out of there was the first thing that mattered.

"Ah! That was because-"

Isana couldn't help but find herself stare hopefully at the leader as he gave his answer. Some clue to her past's mystery. Finally! The leader met her eyes and grinned. It wasn't anything nice.

"Nothing. I simply asked cause it came to mind." As he spoke he glanced at Rhydian and flashed a smile at him. "Now, then. Let's corner them, shall we? This getting too long right now." The leader cracked his neck, left and right, cracking his knuckles at the same time too.

"Give me a minute. Can you do that, Rhydian?" Isana glanced at her final hope. Rhydian was pale but his focus hadn't wavered. He nodded and smiled, a little confidently.

"I can do a minute, for sure." He stepped from his spot and all the guns clicked. He froze but then grinned.

"For some reason," He cracked his own knuckles. "I feel like I haven't done this in a long time."