ZEMEN ACÉTTA:

I leaned against the door frame looking at her climb the hung rope as fast as she could with a possible, pained expression on her face.

"39.78 seconds" Jade sighed.

"Fuck" she muttered lowly and rubbed her palms which I am sure have blisters and rough cuts on them from her training twice as last week.

"Aera." My low call was enough for her to look at me with those eyes.... Which rolled once she saw me.

"Boss" I didn't look at Jade but still at the brat who has been ignoring me the whole day.

"Aera. I called you."

She scoffed and turned on her heel and drank water from her bottle.

"Uh.... Am I- missing... Something?"

"She wants to go on the mission with us."

"Level 10?"

I didn't say nothing and just kept glaring at the petite girl in a high crop top and black leggings.

"Wait! No way. Azariah you know it's dangerous an-"

"Did I ask?" She turned to Jade, shutting her up at once.

"I don't think so." And went back to picking up the dumbbells.

I looked at Jade and sighed, signalling for her to go out the gym. She nodded and left.

Once I turned from looking at Jade leave and close the door behind her, I felt sudden pressure on me and before I knew it, my back was against the gym wall.

"If you think I will stop ignoring you or will talk to you... Then quit dreaming."

"Amo-"

"Shut up"

She left.....

•••••••••••••••••••••

"Estoy claro con mis instrucciones?" (Are my instructions clear?)

"Sí jefe" (yes boss!)

"Aera-"

"I'll be okay..... I promise"

I stared at her for a few seconds before moving to her and cupping her cheeks, gripping her chin tight and looking into her eyes. My eyes darted to her lips and I kissed her.

"Please be careful, amor."

"I will be... I promise you."

"Do you have your gun with you?"

She nodded and placed my hand on her waist where I could feel the belt which held all the weapons that I hope she wouldn't have to use.

"Be safe." She whispered to me and slowly parted her hand from mine while slowly moving backwards.

She slowly turned around and ran to the building where our target was.

As I turned around her voice stopped me.

"Zemen!"

"Come back to me."

I nodded at her and saw her smile before she ran inside while slowly taking her gun out.

I looked down at the lighter in my hand and opened it, rolling it around my fingers.

I guess it's time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Verdict" I asked Noah.

"Clear"

"Where's Aera?"

"She's safe, boss you just be safe and-"

I halt in my steps taking deep breaths , keeping an eye around my surroundings.

I ran a hand through my hair feeling it wet under my fingers. Finger combing them back, I pressed my earpiece while heaving a breath.

"I asked where she is."

"Two lefts to your location."

I pressed my earpiece and took two lefts.

The stinch of ratshit, the brick walls, cracked. That was all I could see. His men laying dead on the ground had my heart igniting with pride.

I turned and saw a sight which made my blood boil.

Aera was turning red and a pained expression on her face as she tried her best to chokehold a guy.

I grabbed him and pushed him away from Aera, going to him and shooting him between the eyes.

"Thanks" she didn't wait for me to turn and look at her and just disappeared, running around only caring about the mission.

I wish she wasn't here. I can't seem to concentrate.

I wish I wouldn't have given up so easily to her demand to bring her here.

Loading my gun, I took a right to be instantly met by a punch to my gut, I took charge and kicked the leech of me, pulling out my gun and killing him within three bullets.

Mierda, he sure knew how to punch.

I looked up from his body to see a man dressed in all black looking at me with widen eyes and almost pissed pants.

Upon my sight, he started backing away and took a harsh turn, disappearing to my right.

Running now are we?

A bullet was enough for him to fall down on the ground with a grunt.

"Hel-hmm!!!" I covered his mouth placing a blade right on his throat.

"Shhhh.... Don't speak much, it doesn't suit you."

"Mghmm!" He grunted in my hold and I tightened my hold on his arm, twisting it behind his back.

"Be a good pet and tell me where I can find that filth of your boss? Hmm?"

He thrashed around in my hold and kept moving, getting difficult by each second.

I pressured the tip of the blade into his skin just above his collar bone and he let out a scream which had my ear piece turning on.

"Boss, target to your right and left."

I turned off the earpiece and looked right into the eyes of the rat in my hold.

"Sad you couldn't corporate." With a swift move of my blade he slumped down, lifeless.

I took out my gun, making sure to leave the knife there.

Making way to the path to my left and right and shooting blindly to any target there, I walked to the left.

"Zemen"

"Aera?" I stopped in my track, keeping a finger on my ear piece.

"Zemen- I found Alejandro... "

••••••••••••••

"Isn't it nice to meet, tiny?"

I saw Aera in his hold with a vicious look in her eyes.

"I knew you'd come back to me. What a good girl." Before he could lick her neck she turned her elbow, kicking his abdomen and kicked his shin, making him fall to the floor.

Before I could see it, she took out her gun and pointed it at him.

"Don't do it." She looked at me bewildered but I kept my eyes on the fallen body in front of me who was looking at me with bloodshot, hatred eyes.

"Zemen-"

"Don't."

She lowered her gun and stepped away, giving me space.

"Leave, Aera."

"Be safe" I heard her boots clicking and soon they were distant.

I could hear the dripping and could smell it. I looked at the floor and saw it flowing and almost reaching him.

Petrol.

"How pathetic you look, right where you should be. "

As expected he laughed bitterly and looked up at me shaking his head.

"What you here for? Let's be real Acétta, I felt a shocker seeing tiny still with you... Even willing to fight me.... Guess she's still unclear about her love for me-"

"Shut the fuck up, fucker!" I barked right on his face and picked him up from his collar, slamming him on the wall.

"You hear me, you hear me well. Even if I die here, I'll rest well knowing I killed your bitch of a moth-"

I heard enough.

I kicked his knee cap hearing a definite crack and his scream.

I grabbed his head making him look up at me and send a tight punch to his nose.

Blood trickling down his nose, broken bones, busted eye.

"Dad! Dad!"

"There's my boy!"

"Dad are you okay? Why is there blood on your clothes?!"

"Your mom was misbehaving so we played a little?"

"Play?"

He nodded and booped my nose with his smiling wide.

"Who does Zemen want to be like when he grows up?"

"You!"

He chuckled and put me down, ruffling my hair.

"My boy will take after me won't he?"

"I will dad! I won't ever disappoint you!"

Disappointing him wasn't a word in my dictionary.

I remember my four year old self trembling and shaking at the thought of my father ever being disappointed by me.

That corner in my cupboard became my favorite place to hide whenever I'd have suspicions of my father hurting my mother... But how could he have? He was my role model.

I wanted to be like him when I grew up.

If only I had known that he'll snatch the only person whom I have ever loved, from me.

I opened and closed the cap of my lighter that had been bought for this mere purpose, and had been in my pant pocket.

I saw the thick liquid approaching his arms and dropped him to the floor.

"I hate you, you ruined me, Acétta.... You fucking hear me!! Yo-"

I couldn't hear anymore as I draw my gun pushing it right onto his head.

"I hope you aren't disappointed with me... I became just like you, dad." *BANG!*

"A murderer.... Of lives and happiness."

I closed my eyes as his blood splattered everywhere, on my clothes, my face.

I touched my cheek and brought my hand up to my face. All blurred except his face.

He was lifeless.

He couldn't hurt Aera anymore. He wouldn't hurt me anymore.

I opened the lighter's cap and without much thought, threw it onto the floor, right beside me.

"I hope you rot in hell."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Watching everything go up in flames in front of me, was a sight to ponder over.

The flames that covered his body, his last screams that once were filled with laughter.

"Dad is so proud of you Zemen. You had your first kill."

"Dad- did- did I kill him?"

"Yes and dad's proud of you."

He was proud of me and there was nothing else left in me. I made him proud.. And that's all I ever wanted-

"Zemen!"

I felt small arms wrapped around my torso as her body collapsed with mine.

"Are you okay? I thought you were in there! I-I watched everything, are you oka-"

I didn't wait and held her head in my hands and....

I kissed her.

And she kissed me back.

And that's all I'll ever want.

"I am okay now." I kissed her once more feeling her soft petal lips against my own and felt her smile through them.

"Hey! If you're done can we leave!? The police will be here in no time."

"Let's go?"

I nodded against her swollen lips and clasped her hand in mine directing her towards the car, not looking back once.