Not over yet.

Cleopatra

I adjusted my aim, the streetlights on the mountain road barely illuminating my target. The first bullet had struck his thigh, and he fell to the ground, clutching his leg in agony. His screams echoed through the silence. I steadied my trembling hands, inhaled deeply, and exhaled as I squeezed the trigger.

Bam!

The shot rang out, slicing through the cold night air. A clean hole appeared on his forehead. His anguished cries stopped abruptly. His lifeless body crumpled to the ground, his eyes wide with disbelief and fear, frozen in a haunting stare.

"One down," I muttered, pulling back into the shadows of the cave.

"Where did that come from?" a man screeched, his voice shrill and panicked. I ducked deeper into the narrow, jagged crevice, retreating from the opening. My vantage point was gone; I could no longer see them.

"Boss! He's dead! Jimmy is dead! We're under attack!" another voice wailed.

"Reinforcements! What if their reinforcements are here? Oh God, we're screwed! I shouldn't have taken this job—now my best friend's dead, and I'm next. We're all next!"

Good. Panic was my ally, and I intended to exploit it.

"Shut up!" barked another voice—the boss. His tone was sharp, commanding, desperate to maintain control.

"Listen here, idiot! Their reinforcements aren't here yet, okay? If they were, do you think we'd still be standing? No, it's just some fools playing with a gun. Jimmy got unlucky, that's all. Now grow a backbone before I put a bullet in you myself."

"But, Boss—"

"No buts! If anyone deserved to die, it was you, not Jimmy. He'd have handled this better." He paused, his voice taking on a sinister edge. "You know what? Think of it this way: with Jimmy gone, the girls are ours to split. Just imagine all the fun we'll have. It'll take your mind off things. Trust me."

The vile suggestion churned my stomach. Rage bubbled in my chest. I tightened my grip on the gun, my fingers itching to send a bullet through his skull. But I was out of ammunition.

I slithered silently out of the opening and back toward the base of the cave, where Harley stood waiting. She caught me as I landed.

"Do we have any ammo left?" I asked, desperation creeping into my voice.

She shook her head, her frustration mirroring my own. "That was the only gun I brought. The rest of the weapons are with the protection crew. I sent out an SOS, but I don't know why they're taking so long to respond."

"We're in the outskirts of the city," I said, trying to sound calm despite the chaos in my mind. "It makes sense for them to take time, or maybe they didn't get the message."

As if mocking me, the boss's voice echoed closer.

"And don't worry," he sneered. "Help won't be arriving for them anytime soon."

"Why not, Boss?"

"Because we intercepted their signal, you fool!" he roared with laughter, a twisted sound that made my skin crawl.

"You thought we came unprepared? Think again!"

"You're the best, Boss! I was so scared, but now I can relax. Say, can I have Cleopatra first? I've always wanted to see what a boss lady feels like."

Nausea rolled over me. My fists clenched, and I saw Harley stiffen beside me.

"No, no," the boss said, his voice oozing smugness. "I get Cleopatra first. You can have the other one. Then we swap. Sound good?"

My vision blurred with fury. My pulse thundered in my ears as I fought the urge to charge out and take them down with my bare hands.

"I want to rip his tongue out and bury it in the dirt," Harley hissed, cursing under her breath.

I pressed a hand on her arm, shaking my head. "We're out of ammo," I whispered. "And there are two of them."

Her jaw tightened, but she nodded.

The crunch of footsteps on gravel drew closer.

"Come on," the boss said. "Let's go inside. Those two baddies are waiting for us."

Every muscle in my body tensed as I heard their boots nearing the cave's mouth. My heartbeat pounded in rhythm with their steps, louder and louder.

I scanned the dark interior of the cave. The jagged walls stretched into endless blackness, the faint stench of damp earth clinging to the air. Shadows flickered and danced on the rough stone, mimicking my own spiraling panic.

"Harley," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "We need to outsmart them."

She looked at me, her eyes gleaming with determination. "What's the plan?"

I hesitated, my mind racing. I could feel the weight of failure pressing down on me. The odds were stacked against us, and every second brought our enemies closer.

"We create a diversion," I said, grasping at straws. "Draw them into the cave, split them up, and take them down one by one."

"With what?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Anything we can find."

I scanned the ground, picking up a fist-sized rock. It was crude, but it would have to do. Harley grabbed a thick branch, her knuckles whitening as she gripped it tightly.

The footsteps stopped at the cave's entrance.

"Cleopatra!" the boss's voice boomed, echoing off the walls. "We know you're in there. Come out, and I promise we'll make it quick. Resist, and you'll wish you hadn't."

I felt Harley stiffen beside me. I placed a hand on her shoulder, steadying her.

"We don't fight on their terms," I whispered.

The cave fell silent. I could hear the faint rustle of their clothes as they stepped inside, the light from their flashlights casting eerie beams on the walls.

The air grew colder, the darkness pressing in around us. My grip tightened on the rock, and I prepared myself for what came next.

The game wasn't over yet.