The Wicked.

The winds of the thunderstorm became even wilder with each second but the rain had slowed down. 

The smoke of the burning shops was rising in the sky and the nearby citizens and visitors, many of whom knew nothing of what was happening behind the walls watched in fear and awe.

Sounds of gunshots and men dying here and they've rattled their eyes as the lawless city fell into a deep night of chaos.

And, at the centre of it all. The man who brought with himself the storm was in dire need of help.

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Isabella and Edward took cover inside a shop, hiding behind a shelf. She laid Edward on the floor removing his blood-drown clock and tearing away his shirt without removing the knife in his arm. 

"You need an hour of rest, even after I fix this. If you move around a lot your wounds will open up. "

Saying this Isabella placed her briefcase on the ground and opened its locks. The suitcase was open without noise, and Isabella's great assets came from it.

It comes with a symmetric array of aligned tools, anything you need for taking someone's life and equally useful materials to save someone's life. All were carefully arranged in a designed format.

As Edward saw it, the lower cabinet read, "Survival". It meant it had things to help her survive anywhere. 

While Edward looked in awe, he realised his body was becoming numb. The blade had been more sharp than expected. 

Isabella noticed that Edward was losing and without any delay, she began her procedure.

"Don't worry. Take this bottle and drink whatever is inside. Don't ask questions, I need your trust right now."

Isabella talked like she was talking to herself and giving herself the strength to do what she was thinking.

Edward began chugging the bottle as he knew he could do nothing besides on Isabella and there was something else he needed to tell her.

"The knife…. It has some poison in it. We need to stop it from spreading."

He took another sip from the bottle, the taste wasn't bad and felt like it had much-needed help.

"I need to keep my moment at a minimum. So, I need you to gather information from the surroundings. How is the assassin fighting off the whole force of troops? They must have assistance from an insider. Look for them."

Isabella listened to Edward's words as she tied a cloth around his wound but not too tight as if the circulation was too slow it had the risk of permanently paralyzing Edward's whole arm.

"I can't leave you here. You will be defenceless if they ever find you. You are asking for a death wish telling me to go away."

Her eyes leveled with Edward as she continued.

"I am not leaving you alone by any measure. You don't understand-!!"

Suddenly, Edward used his left arm to pull Isabella close to him. At the moment, their breath landed on each other face and it wasn't a moment of intimacy for Edward.

"See, I can move around fine. I can fix this myself tell me the details of the medical equipment. I need you to do what I say right now." 

Saying this, Edward lets Isabella go. Isabella with her cheeks burning hot finally begins to digest Edward's words.

She sat on the floor, thinking for about 2-3 seconds.

"What will I get if I do what you want?"

"Want...?! People are dying out there each second we talk. Come on…"

Isabella raised her hands as two to say, "I don't care." And began mingling with her suitcase bringing out bottle and cotton.

Edward knew he should make a promise when he was in a vulnerable state, he could say something which could cost him significantly later but he was getting desperate and weak each second and could not stall it further. 

"I'll give you one of my ships or any of the jewellery pieces you want!"

"HMM…HM..."

Isabella began chumming pretending not to hear Edward rubbing and inspecting her bottle and testing for the type of poison the knife carried.

Edward wanted to get angry but couldn't risk his heart getting too fast. So, he made a risky promise.

"Okay, you get to have a meeting with Lucius. One on one just you and him."

Isabella stopped in her work, a smile appeared on her face, and her eyes twitched for a second confirming to herself what she had heard.

But she did not stop in her work and tested Edward's blood against different chemicals.

"How sweet, my Darling. I would've loved to know, How do I know you will honour our promise? You might just sell me to the police after this. I am a nationwide wanted criminal after all."

Isabella no matter how eccentric wasn't stupid as Edward had thought earlier. She knew Edward would sell her out whenever he had the chance.

"So, what do you want? What is it that you wish from me?"

"Oh, It's simple. I want you to get the name off the criminal charts. I should be completely free from any criminal and I should be able to roam freely in the township. Grant me that and I go now and I have another very small promise which I'll tell you later."

From the colour of the clothes it seemed she had already ministered the type of poison and went rolling on finding an effective antidote.

"and how do you know I'll honour your words now? I can betray you anytime even then."

Isabella got up from sitting and began wiping off the bloodied clothes. Edward's words gave her the whiff that she will get what she wants.

"I know this because I am confident that it would be easier for you to erase my name off the charts than to arrange a meeting that Lucy Boy. Also, I think I will gain immeasurable importance by telling you this one thing."

Isabella took out a pen and paper, wrote down something and verbally told Edward the steps to put his arm in the best position for the moment.

Isabella's confidence gave Edward the impression that she knew something Edward did not and that it wasn't small.

"What is it? What information do you have?" Edward inquired from Isaebella.

"Oh!! I'll tell you about the half thing now and half after You will have completed my promise, Okay?"

"…"

In response, Edward nodded, he prepared himself to hear the worst but he still wasn't ready to listen to what Isabella was about to disclose.

"The Reaper is currently inside Britannia territory."

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