A Missed Opportunity

Luka's heart pounded as he moved through the rain-soaked streets, his footsteps blending with the steady patter of droplets. He kept his head low, the collar of his coat pulled up to obscure his face, but his thoughts were loud, chaotic.

He should have finished the job. He knew that. Now, whoever was coming to clean up would know he'd hesitated. And hesitating in this business? It was as good as a death sentence.

He reached the end of the block and ducked into a narrow alley, leaning against the cold brick wall to catch his breath. His mind replayed the moment over and over—his finger on the trigger, the scope trained on Mia, the way her lips had curled into that small, unassuming smile. He had never let his personal feelings interfere with a job before. So why now? Why her?

His phone buzzed again. He didn't want to look, but he couldn't avoid it forever.

You failed. Stand by for instructions.

He clenched his jaw. "Failed" wasn't a word he was used to. It made his skin crawl, but he had no one to blame but himself. His employers didn't care about excuses, and they didn't care about complications. They only cared about results, and Luka had just painted a target on his own back by not delivering.

He shoved the phone back in his pocket, frustrated, his mind racing with a million what-ifs. He could still fix this. There was time to make things right. All he had to do was find Mia before the backup arrived, before someone else decided to take her out and Luka along with her.

But could he do it? Could he finish the job now, after the choice he'd already made?

He wasn't sure anymore.

Just as he was about to make his move, the door to the alley creaked open, and a figure stepped out. Luka instinctively reached for the knife hidden under his coat, ready for whatever came next.

But it wasn't an enemy.

It was her.

Mia.

She hadn't seen him yet. She stood just a few feet away, peering out into the rain with that same distant expression he'd seen through the scope. She had her laptop bag slung over one shoulder, her hair damp from the mist as she fumbled with an umbrella.

Luka's heart stopped. How had she gotten here so quickly? And why had she come to this dark alley of all places?

Mia turned slightly, and in that brief moment, her eyes locked onto his. She froze, startled, but not afraid,not yet. Her gaze lingered on him for a heartbeat too long, her curiosity piqued by his presence.

"Sorry" she muttered, her voice soft but cautious. "I didn't mean to"

"No problem" Luka replied, keeping his tone even. His mind scrambled for a plan. He couldn't leave her here now, not after everything. But what was he supposed to do? He was trained to kill, not to talk.

Mia hesitated, the umbrella still unopened in her hand. "Do you... live here?" she asked, glancing around at the shabby surroundings.

Luka almost laughed at the absurdity of the question. "No. Just passing through."

She smiled,nervously, but it was still a smile. "Right. Well, good luck with… whatever you're doing."

Luka watched her for a moment, torn between instincts and the strange pull he felt toward her. He could see the faint confusion in her eyes, the subtle unease of a woman who knew something was off but couldn't quite place it.

"Wait" he found himself saying before she could walk away.

She paused, looking back at him.

The words he needed wouldn't come. There was nothing he could say that wouldn't sound insane. I was supposed to kill you wasn't exactly a great conversation starter.

Mia tilted her head, her curiosity deepening. "Do I know you?"

For a split second, Luka felt like he was teetering on the edge of two worlds. One where he let her go and returned to his cold, calculated life and another where he stepped into something far more dangerous. Not because of the people coming for him, but because of her.

"No" he said finally, the lie burning on his tongue. "You don't know me."

She gave him one last glance before walking off into the rain, her figure fading into the mist.

And just like that, Luka had his answer. He couldn't let her go, not without finding out what this feeling was. Not without knowing why someone like him, who had spent his life erasing people, suddenly couldn't bear the thought of losing her.