005

Miranda's POV:

The foyer broke into full blown chaos.

Gunshots filled the air. A strong grip grabbed my arm and yanked me back. I swerved around, my heel raised and kicked him right in his chest. His grip loosened and I moved quickly. I pulled a small knife out of my thigh holster and slashed it across his arm.

"Get the fuck off me." I hissed darkly.

Cole stared at me blankly, then his eyes moved to his bleeding arm. "You are a pain, officer."

He reached out to grab me again. I grabbed the balcony railing and threw myself off it.

Big mistake.

I got hit with a dizzy spell, tripped, and fell.

I bit my lip hard as pain shot up my ankle. I felt a pair of eyes on me, burning into my skull as if they wanted to burrow a hole in my head.

"You," A deep rumbling voice said. Someone grabbed my arm and yanked me up.

My hand holding my knife slashed on instinct right across his chest. His grip slackened and he refused to let go. I aimed the knife at his hand and stabbed, just as he let go of my arm and the blade slashed through air.

I came face to face with him. The devil of the underground himself.

Don Federico.

His hateful eyes glared at me, his lips curled into a snarl. My eyes moved to his chest, and I could see the line of blood bleeding into the white of his shirt.

"One more step, and I'll jam this in your fucking eye." I spat.

He watched me closely, his eyes narrowing. "This isn't over."

"You bet it isn't." I said, taking small steps away from him.

A shudder ran down my spine. I had a sickening feeling who it might be. But at the moment, that wasn't my aim at all.

I pushed through the frantic crowd, making my way to the front door even as my ankle screamed out in protest. It wasn't broken, for that i was grateful. Just sprained.

I got out into the night. The chaos had gotten here, people hurrying to their expensive cars and zooming out of the compound.

"Officer," A chilling voice said behind me. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

I hastened my footsteps. I could hear him following me, calm and unhurried. I broke out into a sprint, nearly crying out with pain.

My vision swirled. I could feel my legs getting weaker. And it had nothing to do with my sprained ankle.

I have to get to the van. I must! Something just happened, I knew it. That gunshot I heard wasn't a mistake.

The van came into my line of sight. My heart soared for relief and then quickly dropped to my gut.

"No." I gasped.

The windows were gone, shattered by bullets. In the dim light I could see streaks of red.

No. No. This can't be.

"Officer,"

"Shut up!" I snapped through grit teeth.

"I have a schedule, officer. You are delaying me."

Dead.

All my crew. Dead. Their bodies piled on top of each other, blood pouring on the floor of the van.

My heart raced in my chest, my breaths stuck in my throat. How did this happen? Who did this?

I turned to him, the same time I felt a whoosh and the knife was knocked out of my hand. He grabbed my neck and slammed me into the body of the van. I swallowed a cry as the shards of glass dug into my back and arms. I grabbed his arms, my punches weak and getting slower by the second.

"You truly are one of a kind." He said, his face a mask of coldness. "Most people would have been knocked out by now. You are strong."

Knocked out?

He sighed softly. "Good thing I have another dose with me"

My eyes widened.

It clicked.

Back on the balcony. When he caught my champagne flute, he dropped something inside it.

His grip on my neck tightened. Dark spots appeared on the corners of my vision. I choked on nothing, my eyes turning watery. I felt my consciousness slipping out of me.

He stared at me, blinking slowly. The lack of oxygen, coupled with whatever he had put in my champagne got my head fast. My hands dropped to my sides limply. My eyes fluttered shut, the last thing I saw being his cruel eyes.

"Good night officer. I will see you tomorrow. "

*****

When I opened my eyes, I knew someone was watching me.

Pain exploded through my entire body, concentrated in my ankle and neck. I tried to touch my neck and found my hands were tied behind me. Bile rose in my throat and I forcefully swallowed it down. My head ached, and I felt like I'd been pulverized all over.

"You are awake." Cole said.

I groaned, anger flashing through my head. "Shut the fuck up man. You're so annoying."

A cold blade pressed to my chin and lifted my head up. Our eyes met. He was still in his clothes from the party, which made me wonder how long I was locked up for. His eyes searched my face and narrowed.

"You are the annoying one." He said.

He's holding my knife. He pressed the sharp tip of it into the soft flash under my jaw. "If I apply more pressure, you will die."

"I don't think you want me dead."

His expression shifted. Barely noticeable. His left eyes twitched and he ran his tongue over his lower teeth.

My heart skipped a beat.

Cole.

For a split second, I saw my twin. Cole always did that when he was angry.

"I don't want to hurt you, Mira." Cole would say, his face angry and his tiny arms folded tightly across his chest. When I pushed him, took his favorite toys, or did something to piss him off. "Stop it."

I shook my head. "No fucking way."

"What?" This man asked.

I spat in his face. "Get the fuck out of my face."

He calmly wiped the spit off and rose to his feet. "Annoying." He grumbled under his breath.

He's not Cole. I would know my brother if I saw him. This criminal is not my brother.

"I see you two are having fun." A cherry voice said from the door. I looked up and saw that man. "Officer Fontaine. Thank goodness you're awake. I was worried he hit your head too hard."

"You. It was you who attacked my crew right?!"

The man shrugged and gave a knowing smile. "Who knows? But that aside. Pardon me for the underhanded means used to obtain you. I had the idea you wouldn't come if i asked you to."

"So you kidnapped an officer of the law, and killed others. Do you have any idea the trouble you'll get in?"

He touched his chest and sighed. "So kind, worried about me. Just like your mother."

The mention of my mother had my heart drop to my chest. "My mother? How do you know her?"

He walked up to me. That man grabbed a chair and positioned it for him.

"Pardon me, I haven't introduced myself, have I?"

"How do you know my mother?!"

"You can call me Dr Spencer."

"I don't give a shit. How did you—"

"Careful officer, your emotions are showing. Didn't they teach you anything about that?"

I narrowed my eyes. The nerve on these bastards.

"Now the question remains, what do I do with you?" He stroked his chin, his eyes scanning me from too to bottom. "There's quite a bounty on your head. I could turn you in and become rich."

"A bounty?"

His eyes gleamed. He seemed to preen, like a peacock. "Oh my lovely officer Fontaine, you have no idea the countless feathers you have ruffled, do you?"