Chapter 17

I wasn't lying when I said everyone in the criminal underworld was out to get me

No that was an understatement

Everyone wants the bounty even if it means I'm either dead or partially at least.

These past two days had been hectic, it was like everyone knew I was going to Russia. Dylan suggested that the information was somewhat leaked and that we had a traitor in our midst. The three of us have become an unlikely trio on this trip, Rachel and I have been on good terms recently. She didn't give me the cold shoulder anymore which was a huge improvement, to be honest. The three of us managed to survive many encounters, but things just went South on the third day.

My lungs were burning and it was getting hard to breathe with each second, I was panting for air at this point. Blood flowed freely from my wound in my shoulder, making it even hard to stabilize my breath and my beating heart, which was about to burst out from my chest.

Everything was in shambles even my own mind couldn't comprehend anymore.

We were almost to the Russian border when suddenly a police car by the side of the road signaled us to pull over, we hesitated at first since it was in the middle of nowhere but when we saw just two cops with no one in sight we pulled over, which was a huge mistake. After Dylan was asked for his license, the cop then retrieved his gun and aimed the barrel at Dylan's head.

That was how we got into this predicament, standing at the edge of the forest. Thirty armed thugs surrounded me, Dylan lay bleeding at one side with a guy holding him down. He looked so beaten, fresh bruises covered his face and a black eye. From here I could see him trying hard not to pass out but that served difficult since the guy's foot was directly applying force to his ribs, making it even harder for him to breathe.

"Give up kid you're outnumbered."

The guy who was one of the cops said

He tightened his hold on Rachel's neck, unbothered by her thrashing and cursing. I gritted my teeth, he was right we were useless at this point. Rachel and Dylan were severely wounded and I wasn't much with my present condition but I didn't falter one bit. gripping the gun with my uninjured hand, pointing it to the blonde cop who had Rachel by her neck. His lips twitch and soon he was laughing, really laughing his lungs out and soon everyone decided to join him. The mocking sound bellowed around me and throughout the whole forest.

"You're a stubborn one."

He pointed out then looked at the blue-eyed in her hand

"I wonder."

My eyes widen at the scene before me, Rachel dangled by her neck on the edge of the cliff. One wrong move and she'll fall, fall to her death.

"If I were you, I'll choose wisely though there are huge spikes at the bottom." He peered below holding out a distressed Rachel before turning to me with a smirk, his partner. A brunet step forward and in a polite voice said

"Midnight, let's settle this calmly no one needs to get hurt." His statement only earned an eye roll from me "hurt more than it should be, just lower your gun and Hyung would let Rachel Cacilie Siegel go."

He assured with his hands in front of him, the gesture was like calming an endangered animal that has gone feral. The panic in Rachel's eyes was not hard to miss like a deer caught in headlights, seeing her expression made something in me stir. Up to this point nothing mattered to me the most except my own life, I always believe that this world was made so that only the strongest survive while the weak perish and be forgotten.

All my life, I had no one it's just me against the world and I liked it that way. I never batted an eye to other people's misfortunes, I'll just go on with my day and forget about it.

Now, why was it hard to do that?

It's not like the three of us were friends or anything, they were just my chaffer and they were ordered to do this.

Why was seeing them bloody made me cloud my judgment?

"What the hell are you doing?!" Rachel shouted in the most hoarse voice ever, I haven't realized that I was already lowering my gun until she snapped me out of it

"Goddammit run, get out of here." She pestered "we'll be fine."

"Oh really now such a tough one, what will you do if my fingers suddenly slipped?" Rachel could only dig her nails to his arm in retaliation.

"Ji hoon." The brunet warned him while trying to maintain his soft expression

Wait that name, the semi idol hair cut, and the Asian features. Everything started to click.

"You're from the Korea faction."

"That's right ding ding ding you get a fucking star, now do you want your friend to die or not." Ji hoon was not a patient man to say at least, even ignoring the fact that his partner was giving him a death glare.

I was so tempted to say that 'she wasn't my friend and just be done with it but something keeps pulling me back. I threw my gun a meter away from me with a frustrated sigh then turned to glare at Ji hoon.

"Good answer."

He placed Rachel back on the ground and instead grabbed her by her hair, roughly manhandling into a standing position.

"Yongsil call him he'll be happy that we got the thing."

Yongsil scowled but proceeded to take out his tablet with a few clicks the brunet then turned the screen towards me. As if my night was already bad enough, the sigma on the screen just made it worse, tenfold.

"Hey Lilith, you look awful." That voice alone made my blood boil

"If it isn't the angel who loves to waste my time." I replied with spite "I never thought you'll join an Asian mafia, why got bored in Europe? Is big brother giving you a hard time?!"

My remark earned a few chuckles from the crowd especially Ji Hoon

"You could have thought a better insult you know, still you went with Angel. is your brain not working as it should be?" He said in a flat tone like he was trying to hide the annoyance in his voice.

Yup he was definitely avoiding the topic

" Well I'm sorry, I don't like wasting more time on you." And a smirk "and besides with just a simple name can already rile you up this good, what's the point of changing it"

"It seems like you forgot the position you currently in but don't worry I'll wipe that smirk off your face when we meet next time." A short pause "Ji hoon and Yongsil take her back to headquarters as soon as possible, I want to settle something first before handing her to the New York faction."

The two-man nodded in sync, Ji Hoon harshly shoved Rachel to my side. As she landed by my side I could see the bruises forming on her throat but besides that she was fine, Dylan then followed on my other side. He was still conscious which is a huge relief.

"You look pitiful Lilith, concern, and worry doesn't suit you at all." Angel from the tablet spoke again this time in a bored tone "this won't be enjoyable as it should be if you have already gone soft, come on where's the cold stone Lilith that I meet years ago, I can't have fun with you anymore if you got this so-called 'feelings' now."

My eyes darken at his statement, both fists balled at my side

"I hate things that are boring you know that right?!"

It was more like a proclamation rather than a question

"Kill the other two and be done with it, I'm already bored as it should be."