The Indigo Assassin

2. Shift

I wasn't fast enough.

In less than a blink of an eye, the Dutch lady managed to put her claws around the attendant's neck.

If I shoot her now, I will risk harming or even killing the innocent attendant.

I run towards her, my hand reaching out to touch her before her claw penetrates deeper.

I touched her.

Now, she's trapped in our realm.

Maybe she feels something strange when our skin touches, but she doesn't know what happened.

She turns towards me, letting go of the attendant.

Her sunken eyes glow bright red beneath her veil and her strained hair.

"Why must you interfere?!"

"Because he's innocent. Your deal is with me," I said, raising my handgun and pointing it at her.

Her frown suddenly turns into a curious gaze.

"You think a mortal weapon can hurt me?" she said confidently. I see what must've been a smirk had there still been lips around her teeth.

Right then, I come to the realization that this creature ... doesn't know who I am.

She runs at me, ready to swing her claws. I pressed the trigger of my gun.

The bullet hit her right shoulder, stopping her strike from ever reaching my proximity.

A whole second goes by with her just standing there, looking at the hole in her shoulder. Blackened blood comes pouring out of her, but that's the least of her concern.

Without turning her head, she uttered one word in a combination of confusion and sheer terror:

"How?"

"When I touched you, I took your ability to shift to your dimension. You're in our world now. Our rules apply to you," I said while adjusting my aim to her brain.

"I see .... You're the one they've been talking about."

"Good. You're all up to speed. Now, although I've seen how violent you can be, I want to ask you this question again: did you attack Anton Alfredo."

"As I said ... I only wanted peace."

"It's a yes or no question. Answer it as such. Or else the next bullet goes between your eyes."

A moment of silence ensues. It's like she's thinking of her answer.

Why? Why does she need to think whether she did or didn't do what I asked her?

"Last chance, creature. Did you attack Anton Alfredo?"

"No. No I didn't attack him."

"Then, care to explain how he's found mortally wounded in your room?"

"He tried attacking me!"

That sentence caught me off-guard. A human attacking a ghost? What? Why?

I lost my focus for one second.

One second, and that's all it takes for her to run towards me.

I shot at her, but my bullet merely grazed some strands of her hair.

She swings her claw once again. Only this time, she hits me. Her claw slashes my right cheek.

But I fired another bullet, now piercing her stomach, spilling blood and acid to the dusty floor.

I strike her face with my elbow, and then shot her once more at the same spot.

She falls back, now gushing and breathing all wrong.

"Stay down. Final warni—"

Before I can even finish my sentence, she launched herself towards me.

Wait ... no, it's not me she's aiming for.

It's ... the window. No. No. No!

She crashes through it, falling from the eighth floor.

I scrambled my legs to the window. Even from this height, I can spot the organs and bloods splattered on the ground below.

However, her spectral nature allows her to gather herself and runs away into the dead of the night.

And just like that; I lost her.

Damn it!

How?! Things were going so perfect, until this attendant showed up. He must've triggered her aggressive nature.

I try gathering myself. Focus on the positive side of things, Wagner. At least now I can confirm that this creature has a violent nature.

Also, she said she didn't attack Anton Alfredo. I don't know if I trust it or not, but at least it's better than nothing ... right?

I kick a chair to the wall, breaking it into pieces of wood.

Sigh.

I grab my phone and make a call:

"Wagner here. The target escaped. I need Nina here along with her team. Also, get a paramedic. We have a wounded civilian."