Chapter six

ARIA'S POV

The second I saw the red dot on my forehead, my body reacted before my mind caught up. I dropped to the floor with my palms flat on the cold tiles. The shot fired and tore through the metal pipe behind me. Hot dust sprinkled over my neck.

I rolled under the vent opening. Whoever was above could not hit me unless they moved. My heart thudded hard. I forced myself to breathe in small amounts so it would not echo.

The voice drifted down from the vent again in a calm tone.

“You can run all night, little ghost. You will still end up here.”

I picked myself up and backed into the wall. “Come down and say it to my face.”

A short laugh came from the vent. “Not today.”

I scanned the hallway for anything I could use. A small supply cart stood near a corner. I ran toward it, pulled the handle and dragged it under the vent. I grabbed the long mop stick and shoved it upward through the opening.

A loud sound followed, like someone shifting backward. I did not hear any grunt or shout, only a light scrape of a shoe against metal. Then silence.

I kept the stick lifted for a few more seconds, then stepped back slowly. My palms felt wet. The alarm lights kept blinking across the ceiling.

“Coward,” I muttered.

I wanted to climb up and follow him but my blackout symptoms were coming back. The back of my head began to fell heavy and my sight became blurry. If I climbed up now, I would either fall or pass out.

I needed to get out of this trap.

A door at the far end of the hallway had an emergency lock. I rushed to it. The keypad flashed red when I tried the handle.

Locked.

I pressed my comm. “Jason, someone is here. The odds: A lcked corridor, and a sniper in the vents. I need an extraction now.”

Static answered me.

I tried again. “Jason, do you hear me?”

Nothing.

Either my comm was blocked or they turned their line off. Both options meant the same thing.

I was alone. Fuck!

I stepped away from the door and tried the other side of the hallway. A small fire hose compartment hung on the wall. I opened it and pulled out the metal nozzle. It was heavy but good enough to break glass.

I hit the nearest window three times. The glass cracked on the second hit and shattered on the third. Cold air blew inside. The view showed the outer service area behind the hotel. Which was empty and dark.

I climbed through carefully, but careful was almost impossible with broken glasses, I had a few cuts but dropped to the ground successfully. My legs buckled a little but I steadied myself.

A shadow moved on the roof. I did not stick around to confirm if it was the sniper. I ran toward the parked delivery bikes, keeping my head low.

When I reached the back gate, I looked over my shoulder.

No one followed.

I pushed the gate open and slipped out into the street.

My breathing hurt my chest. Sweat rolled down my neck. I held the wall beside me until the blackout feeling eased up.

“What do they want from me,” I whispered.

The Wraiths said nothing about another operative. Nothing about rogue shooters. Nothing about someone with access to my comm frequency.

And now a sniper who called me by name.

I started walking toward the busier road. My dress caught on a loose nail but I tugged it free. The whole night felt very off. The gala. The blackout. The lock down. The voice. The silence from the Wraiths.

Every part of it felt planned. And I was the bait. But why?

A soft crunch came from behind me. I turned quickly with my blade ready.

A man stood a few meters away. His hood was up and his hands in his pockets.

“Why are you following me,” I asked.

He did not answer. Instead he tilted his head a little, like he was sizing me up.

“I am not in the mood for games,” I said.

He let out a slow breath and turned as if to walk away.

I lunged forward and grabbed his sleeve. He twisted out of my hold with one clean move and stepped back. His speed surprised me. He moved like he had training.

“Who sent you,” I asked again.

He raised his hand as if he wanted me to wait. But before he could speak, a car turned into the street with bright headlights. The man looked toward the light, then vanished into the alley beside us.

I ran after him but the alley was empty by the time I got there.

My hands shook, but I pressed them against my thighs.

What the hall is going on. I needed answers.

I needed the truth from the Wraiths. Even if Jason refused to talk….especially if Jason refused to talk.

I headed toward my apartment. My legs hurt but I kept walking fast until I reached my building. When I climbed the stairs, the light on my floor shine faintly. I ignored it and went straight to my door.

An envelope sat on the floor.

I froze.

No one ever came to my floor. My neighbors all kept to themselves.

The envelope was thin and plain, with no writing. Only a small dark smear on the corner as if someone touched it with dirty fingers.

I picked it up slowly and went inside, locking the door behind me.

I opened the envelope and pulled out a folded paper.

A small symbol sat in the center. Drawn in ash. A circle with two lines crossing through it like an eye covered by bars.

My fingers went cold.

I had seen it once before. Years ago. During training. The Wraiths never explained it. Only said that if I ever saw it again, it meant someone marked me.

Marked for what, they never said.

I dropped the paper on the table and paced the room.

I pressed my comm. “Jason. I need to talk. Right now.”

The comm beeped twice then turned off. Not even static this time.

They fully cut me out. A light knock came from my window and I turned slowly.

A tall shadow stood outside on the fire escape. Still. Quiet. And unmoving.

I held my breath for a few seconds and stepped closer but the silhouette stayed in place. Too tall to be Jason, wide houlders. And the head tilted in an eerie way.

I blinked once and the shadow was gone.

Am I seeing things?!

I rushed to the window and pushed the curtain aside. The fire escape was empty. Not even a footstep or a single noise.

No, u wasn't hallucinating, someone had been standing there, atching me and they wanted me to know it.