THREE: C o m p R o m I s e

*****

The black SUV drove at a calm pace. The quiet driver observed the road meticulously as he turned the wheels. His deep sharp eyes quickly surveyed the area, not missing any detail or oddities in the view.

Beside him, the beautiful young woman in the passenger seat refused to talk or even look at his direction. She was dressed up neatly. Black jeans and a white shirt, just like him. Their attire was a pair, something that was cheaply bought from a convenience store from an unpopular family clothing line.

Vresca's shoulders were shaking, either because of fear or anger. He wasn't sure though. He could only gave her time to compose herself.

The matter was already settled. What's done was done.

Vresca watched the scenery as the car drove. She thought she already cried enough, but for some reason, everytime she caught a glance of him, she felt so weak and she felt so sorry and then she felt like crying again.

'This bastard didn't even say anything when he came back. He just packed our bags and drove away. But there wasn't a drop of blood on him.... Did he possibly let her---No. He would never let a target escape. Did he give her a quick death or did she die miserably...'

The weight of her thoughts only weakened her spirits down. She shook her head, forcing herself to stop thinking about it or else she would shatter like glass and cry in front of him. She would never let that happen.

Suddenly, the side of her window rolled down, letting the fresh wind kiss her skin. She was skeptical for a moment. She loved opening her side of the window with the wind on her face but he would never let her.

Why now?

Why is he doing this all of a sudden?

Hypocrite.

Bastard.

Murderer.

Vresca had a stoned-face expression. She would rather die first than give him any sort of acknowledgement.

"Didn't escape this time..." Alrend spoke quietly.

Vresca snapped her head at him and her sharp eyes met his calm gaze when they shared a glance together.

She was furious as waves of countless memories tormenting her came crashing down. She sneered in her mind and retracted her gaze back to the side of her window.

'Fucking asshole. I would've escaped. I would've run and wouldn't stop trying so hard... God knows I've tried, if he even existed... And if only you could be hurt that way...'

Suddenly the car speed up and Vresca was almost thrown off in her seat by the force.

"Seat belts..." Alrend uttered.

One word was enough to alert her of their all-too-familiar situation. Her heart beat began to race as she quickly followed his instruction. Glancing at the rearview mirror, she finally noticed two black Audi cars following then inconspicuously.

She held her breath. It was them.

This scenario, it had happened too many times, too many times she already lost count. For three long years, they were pursued again and again no matter which country they fled.

Alrend immediately closed the open window on her side, glanced at her seatbelts and increased the speed again.

'Jesus Fuck!' Vresca internally screamed yet her expression was calm just like him. She couldn't get used to it but it was easy to pretend she could.

Something bigger than them which was an unknown mysterious force was always trying to wipe them out. The cycle was endless. Things were hard to understand but one thing she would bet all her money for was that Alrend Hunter was a part of it.

'Two dollars in my pocket. I'm simply too rich.' Vresca sarcastically thought.

Their car bolted fast, reaching the max acceleration.

Following closely behind them, the two black cars also pulled their gears up to chase.

Hunter's expression was too peaceful and yet Vresca had the strangest feeling that he was extremely angry.

With one hand on the wheels, the man reached for the car's drawer and pulled out a huge gun.

'Persistent mutts...' He thought and opened the small hatch on the car's roof. Beforehand, the car was already modified to fit his needs for survival.

/Take the wheels/ He signals to the girl. Every action he made was based on his own reason . A dangerous reason most often.

Vresca shook her head fast. She couldn't drive.

The man squinted his eyes dangerously but Vresca didn't yield. Her driving skills started and ended at zero. Abruptly he pointed the gun at her and his eyes darkened. He was fucking serious about shooting her.

'Bastard. I don't know how to drive! Aren't you the one who made sure I wouldn't learn it....' Vresca gritted her teeth in frustration and without any care, she rushed to control the wheels. Her main focus was not crashing.

'I'm not going to die! Not like this! Not this way! Not before I take my time killing this bastard!'

Her resolve was screaming so loudly that she didn't even realize that her hands were shaking.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The ear-piercing sounds of gunshots in the background was enough to tell her that things were getting serious.

Alrend already had his hands full by handling the cars that pursued them. There were seven to eight highly trained assassins. Each one was adept and skilled. The gunner would exchange shots with him, while the other shielded him. They were very coordinated with their movements.

'A newer version of the Organization's lab rats.' Alrend thought with a grim look.

The modified SUV drove faster and the tiniest of smiles drew on the corner of his lips. The girl was always quick to adapt and learn.

The bullet proof car met his expectations. Although it was used far too early than he originally anticipated but the results were still acceptable.

Out of the blue, the pursuers changed their pattern and started shooting at the driver's window. The girl was startled.

Vresca shot the black car beside them a middle finger and focused back into driving. Alrend caught everything at the corner of his eyes and inwardly felt satisfied.

'She doesn't give up that easily---'

Bang!

"Tch." A bullet suddenly managed to graze his right arm.

A man in a black mask then took out a machine gun but he was quicker. He reloaded his barrel and shot the man back in the face.

Alrend took down the men one by one until he suddenly felt the graze aching terribly. The flesh around the wound turned a bit purple-like and a weird green substance started to secrete.

'Poison!'

The bullet that grazed him was infused with toxic chemicals. The Organization specially made something just for him.

He scoffed and took cover from the bullets. Then he mercilessly stabbed himself, cutting off a small chunk of flesh. A quiet groan tried to escape his throat but he didn't waste another more second.

WHAM!

The other car violently slammed against their side.

"Fuck!" Vresca screamed and tried to shook off the pursuers while Alrend observed the situation, calculating their next movement.

The enemies were starting to box them close, trying to cut off their escape route.

The dark-haired devil calmly glanced at the infuriated expression of the girl and the two Audi aggressively closing in. He then shifted his gaze over the GPS. He pinpointed their current trajectory. The time regarded as well.

Their car was about to reach a curve over the cliff in a matter of seconds.

Alrend kept his instincts sharp. Time slowly moved for the male.

Three grenades were in the hands of the pursuers and he was sure it was aimed for them in a matter of seconds. After all, every assassin had a discrete style of hunting. He bet everything on instincts and observation.

Despite the chaotic situation, he was very calm.

It was always the same for him, the endless violence, the empty silence and the fucked up way of murder in his shitty life.

Hell, and damnation.

"Somebody's shitting me." Vresca said loudly when she saw a curve ahead of them.

'I can still make it--'

WHAM!

Two black cars slammed violently against each side of their car, decreasing their speed.

She couldn't make the U-turn in time!

Vresca braced herself for the impact but she wasn't ready to give up yet.

Out of nowhere, her arm was instantly pulled away by Alrend as he took charge of the wheels and increased their speed.

'What is he doing!? He's leading us both towards our deaths!'

Vresca couldn't help but scream despite knowing he couldn't hear her. He was deaf for God's sake.

"I'm not dying like this!"

Unexpectedly, he grabbed her body towards him and tightly held onto her.

"...Don't let go.." He whispered in her ear.

[ No. Don't touch me with these filthy hands. ]

She felt disgusted.

[ Kill him. Shoot him. End it. ]

"Kill me...." Alrend suddenly spoke in a deep clear voice, making her confused. His strong grip around her body almost bruised her skin.

Goosebumps spread all over her body.

How was she going to kill him if they were already dead!?

As if hearing her thoughts, he squeezed her waist.

"Stop that." She squirmed aggressively.

"We won't die...."

[ Lies. ]

"If we make it, I'll let you shoot me."

Vresca was caught off-guard for a moment.

She had lived with him for three painful years and there was not a single moment where he said something and didn't do it...

He was everything bad.

Yet strangely enough, he wasn't a liar.

"Aaaaaaaaaah!"

Their car went straight towards the cliff and at the final moment, it turned around to face the two vehicles. Alrend didn't press on the brakes and instead accelerate it, barely avoiding the bombs that was thrown at them.

Gas leaked and everything was on fire. Simultaneously, two wired hooks shot from the front of their car and sink into the tires of the pursuers. He brutally yanked it over, driving backwards with an insane speed to the dangerous sharp cliff.

'Crazy motherfucker!'

Vresca and the pursuers thought at the same time as every car slammed against each other and the grenades rolled all over the road.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

The smell of gunpowde exploded.

Burnt metal and human flesh.

Everything had happened too fast.