Opposite of Normal

Punching a punching bag at 4:13 in the morning is normal, right? That's what I do every morning at precisely four. Before I get along with my normal workout. I cut off my normal workout at exactly 6 ’o clock sharp. I've been laying low from view for about two weeks now, there's been men in black suits standing around town. They were looking, I was in Italy, my favorite of all places. But, this bullshit that the Bratva was pulling wouldn't slip past me. I stayed in, made executive calls and managed my accounts online. My businesses and assets were blooming. I thought of this as I took an icy shower to wash off the sweat. I stepped out, and grabbed my blow dryer. I dried my raven black hair and slipped into my usual outfit; white tank top, black cargo pants, my black under armor charged asserts, and a black leather jacket that was long sleeved and had a collar that covered my neck. Oh, and my high tech watch. It was quite simple but had an edge, it was my only outfit I wore besides my workout outfit. No dresses, no bullshit. I sat in my luxurious office in my mansion and typed on my computer and started updating new stocks and assets. I checked my watch, 7:58. Perfect. I needed to have a meeting call with a client at eight. The call came at exactly eight, my client wanted to meet. I walked to my room and grabbed two black automatic pistols, put them on my hips and two daggers, one went in my right shoe and the other in the pocket on my leather jacket’s sleeve. I strode downstairs and went out my door and down into my underground garage. I went to the key showcase and took out the one for my black Bugatti Chiron. I slipped in and locked my garage before speeding off into town. The men in black suits were out heavy and I inwardly calculated the escapes before I parked and locked it. I slid into the crowd, scanning the alleys for my client. I spotted him, but he was directly by one of the men. I strode towards him with quiet confidence and my dangerous and dominating aura made others clear my path. The men in suits studied me and I sent my piercing emerald eyes to them. I stepped up to my client and he leaned down to my ear, “Those men are watching everyone. Here's your money, thank you for taking care of it. Watch out for them.” Then he pulled back and strode away. I pocketed the money discreetly and started striding back to my Bugatti Chiron until a strong hand firmly placed itself on my shoulder. I snapped around, my emerald eyes locked on one of the men in black suits. My calm stillness scared even the man, I could see it in the way his body reacted. I stared at him steely and then walked away. But the man then grabbed my wrist forcefully and I let my deep, cold calculating voice show, “ You have no right to touch me.* He didn't flinch and he started pulling me to a black SUV. I quickly took out my dagger and slit his throat while his back was to me, he fell silently. But the other men were now advancing. I strode to an alleyway where no one would see us. They filtered in slowly and I took out my muffled gun. I shot two right away and then four more came running in. I shot three before the last one got to me and I ducked from his punch and took out my shoe dagger and sliced his achilles tendon and he crumpled. When I stood I shot him and now the others were finally getting here, except that their guns were out. I shot two, but then one shot me in the shoulder and I shot him. But three had advanced already. I swiped with my dagger and slit one of their throats, and thankfully no blood hit me. But, the other two had pinned me, I threw a crippling punch and it connected with one of their jaws. The other one contained my hands with cuffs. I smirked when I looked up and saw 11 dead men and one reeling in pain. My shoulder was starting to hurt as the adrenaline faded. Luckily he shot me in no critical muscles. I didn't show any emotions and didn't show any pain. I stayed deadly silent, my eerie calm not breaking even the slightest. The man who cuffed me shoved me forward but my 6’3” height and athletic build were hard to move. I planted my feet calmly and stood still. He growled in my ear, “Move.” His supposed to be menacing tone didn't phase me and I stood, calm and still. He growled and shoved me forward so hard that I stumbled forward. Then, I started walking. He silently guided me to the black SUV and shoved me in before getting in himself. Right after he shut the door the car took off to what I knew was the Italian Bratva’s Headquarters. Just fucking great. I let the man strip my weapons off without causing chaos and sat deadly calm and still as I stared straight forward. The man did the same until we got to the headquarters and then he shoved me out, forcefully. The bullet hole in my shoulder screamed but I didn't flinch and stayed unmoving and calm as he grabbed my cuffs and dragged me into the huge skyscraper. I didn't struggle. I let my powerful and dangerous aura fill the room and coldly looked at the receptionist. My body is calm and my face stoic and cold. I was void of emotion and simply stood very calmly. I immediately saw the receptionist’s eyes widen as her eyes darted from the man to me to my shoulder. She stuttered, “S…she c…cannot see the capo l…like that.” The man stood rigidly, “She would be a good qualifier for a job or should be punished for her actions.” The receptionist finally nodded, still looking at me with wary eyes and a scowl. I stayed utterly silent and still. My eyes staring right through her. The man finally shoved me to the elevator and we rode to the seventh floor in tense silence. I stared forward and was so calm it probably was scary, considering the situation I was in. But, I didn't budge and stayed ominously silent. I could feel the man's anxiousness. My dangerous look and aura were very intimidating to a lot of important people. I was stunning though, I had raven black hair, emerald eyes, very tanned skin, extreme height, and was very muscular and athletic. The elevator door slid open and I was once again shoved forward, my shoulder screaming but my face and body remained stoic and calm. He roughly walked me to a dark mahogany door. He knocked respectfully and a deep, dark, and rich voice answered in a curt cold tone, “Come in.” He opened the door and his grip tightened on my cuffs. I stayed eerily calm and still even as the famous Valentina Moretti looked up to see us. Her face was masked with an unreadable expression. The guard shoved me forward and the same screaming pain shot through my shoulder but I didn't flinch. My composure was so silent and still that I looked like a statue. My dangerous aura immediately swept into the room, demanding authority or at least respect. Valentina stared coldly at the man. “Why are you bringing this woman into my room?” Her deep rich voice was a hybrid tone that I never heard before. I stared at her with no emotion besides a calm, dangerous aura. The man stuttered under her intense stare, I almost chuckled, almost. “U..uh, I…I thought you would want her, she killed eleven of our men in three minutes. She also sent Michael rolling on the ground.” Valentina’s face remained unreadable but darkened slowly. She nodded curtly. “Leave. I can handle this further.” The man left without hesitation and shut the door. I still stared at her with a deadly calm. Valentina’s deep aqua eyes finally locked on me and I stared boldly right back into them. I didn't move a muscle, I just calculated her with piercing emerald eyes. She stared right back, doing the same thing, calculating. I knew I didn't give her anything, I was too skilled at hiding pain and emotions. Although my shoulder screamed. She finally spoke, “You didn't come out unscathed did you? But, you sure did make short work of my best men.” I didn't respond, I stayed the same, detached, expressionless calm. She raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow. “You don't talk back. That's interesting…” She stared at me and I remained in eye contact. Our aura's were battling for dominance. I simply just stared deep in her eyes, trying to calmly calculate her motives. She chuckled, “You're a bold one. You won't find anything in there.” She continued to stare at me, but I didn't move. I also didn't respond. She frowned slightly. Her chuckle disappeared, “Why did you kill so many of my men?” Her question was blunt and direct. I tilted my head slightly as I thought of a calculated answer. “They interfered with my schedule." My voice was its usual cold, deep, raspy and calm tone. She raised an eyebrow at my broad answer. I remained calm and looked at my bleeding shoulder for a second. Before immediately meeting her stare head on. “Bet that hurts. You don't show it though. My men were told to pick anyone who looked suitable for a higher position. The man that chose you had a keen eye. Did you kill him?” Her clipped, deep voice echoed in my head as I considered how to respond thoughtfully. “Yes.” It was short and void of any emotions. She nodded slowly. “You killed how many?” I smirked and responded cunningly, “You should go see.” She chuckled dryly. It was deep and raspy. I calculated it to the last reason it would conclude. She then spoke calmly, “No one speaks to me like that. But, I don't doubt that all those men are already cleaned up.” I shrugged with no emotion except calmness, “Your loss.” She smirked at my comment. I didn't let my composure crack, staying unmoving and calm. “You are either incredibly brave, or very foolish.” I tilted my head slightly in question, “Which one do you think I am?” She hesitated at my question, thinking deeply. She stared deep in my eyes. “I would say both. What's your name?” I didn't hesitate to turn it around. “What's your's?” She raised an eyebrow at my dejection, “Valentina Moretti. Now, what is your's?” I completely ignored her question and asked, “The new leader of the Italian Bratva, interesting…” Valentina frowned at my deflection of her question. Her tone suddenly turned sharp and cold. “Answer my question.” I smirked, she just showed that she wasn't very patient. I stayed silent and calm. She frowned at me. “You're not answering my question.” I retorted almost immediately, “That's for a reason.” She raised an intrigued eyebrow. “And what are those?” I thought of my response before speaking, “What do you think they are?” She tilted her head in response, thinking of what she actually thought. “Because you're hiding something.” Her answer was blunt and carefully calculated. I didn't bite the bait. She studied my face intently, but my face was devoid of any emotions. I didn't flinch at her coy accusation. But my response was coyly placed, “Doesn't everyone?” She smirked at my response. Seeing the truth in it and realizing I was quite smart. She nodded slowly, she hid her emotions well, but I saw a flicker of intrigue on her face. I knew I was playing with fire, but I didn't want to answer her and so I challenged her. She finally spoke again, “Yes… but yours is a little more… dangerous.” I smirked, it was cunningly coy and curt. But, I retorted with a challenge, “And your secrets aren't?” She chuckled darkly. “Touche.” She just stared at my eyes. And then suddenly stood from her desk, I didn't move a muscle and stayed stoically calm. She came in front of my chair. She invaded my personal space but I didn't flinch. “Now, why don't you answer my question. What. Is. Your. Name?” She punctuated every word of the question, but I didn't even respond. I just raised an unamused eyebrow. “Why?” It was a bold question but I so far got more answers from her then she did from me. She leaned down to my face so we were eye to eye. I stared at her sharply with my emerald eyes. “Because I told you to.” I smirked at her irritated tone. She really was very impatient. “Well, I don't listen to commands that don't benefit me.” I accentuated the me and she let out a low growl and my smirk widened. She looked like she was ready to snap and it temporarily made me forget that my shoulder was screaming. She responded in a low, deadly tone. Barely concealing her anger. “You will. Now.” I chuckled, for the first time in a while. It was deep, rich, and dark. “Will I now?” She suddenly shoved a finger in the bullet hole in my shoulder. I didn't flinch. I was mentally reeling from the pain though. “You're testing my patience. I advise that you answer me.” My calm composure didn't fail, “I advise you to let me go.” She smiled, a dark and sinful grin. But she curled her finger in the hole. But when I didn't flinch her grin faltered. “Do you even feel the pain?” Her voice was suddenly filled with genuine interest. “Do you?” Her expression changed to one of irritation. “Stop flipping my questions.” I immediately retorted, “I'm not. I'm redirecting them.” She growled in irritation. Pulling her finger out sharply. I didn't move. My face didn't move. I watched her with keen, emerald eyes. She stared down at me. I stared back. “You're very different, aren't you?” Her voice was filled with intrigue and hints of irritation. “Am I? Now.” My voice was cunning and falsely innocent. She smirked at my tone. “Very. Will you work for me?” I didn't even flinch at her sudden question. I thought about it deeply. I stayed silent for a minute. “Depends.” She raised an eyebrow. Probably taken aback by my non- immediate response and neutral answer. “Like?” I responded with a cutting business-like tone, “Position. Times.” She tilted her head, “Money?” I shook my head. “I don't care about that. The others are more important.” She nodded. Knowing now that I had money. “I need a personal assistant. One that's loyal and that is very smart and wouldn't mind correcting me. I need dedication in time. Whenever I'm here you'd have to be here.” I stayed still for a moment then nodded slowly. It would be a good job. I could do my other accounts on my computer on break. “I would do that. What's in it for me?” She smiled at my question. “You're quick witted. You will have access to my contacts and information. You will get paid well and you'll get a very high command position.” I nodded slowly. My shoulder was hurting like a bandit and I was trying to figure out how good this deal was. It was too good. “Why? This is too good.” She smiled. “Because you are smart and I really need someone who doesn't fear my power, but won't try to threaten it. You're the only one I have met who doesn't try to kiss my ass.” I nod. Understanding her completely. I was deadly loyal and I was not afraid of her. I responded coldly, “What time do you want me to start?” Her expression lifted at my acceptance. Then, as fast as it came it was masked with business like authority. “Tomorrow, but I will have someone treat your wound. 6:00 sharp.” I nodded curtly. But stood up and motioned to my cuffs that still bound my wrists. She frowned. Obviously not liking that I had been cuffed the entire time. She walked over and unlocked them. I rotated my wrists smoothly. Then I gently touched my shoulder through my leather jacket. It was pretty bad. “Where will this be handled?” She smirked. “Right here. Come here.” She pulled out a first aid kit. I strode to her in three strides, my height was barely taller than her she was probably 6’. I unzipped my leather jacket, revealing the raven tattoo on my collarbone. When I took it off my arms, my tattooed arms showed bare now. Valentina stared at the tattoos. Her eyes were unreadable but darkened. I didn't move. She finally spoke, her gaze finally going to my shoulder. “You have a lot of tattoos.” I nodded, and prepared myself for the pain of the alcohol through my shoulder. She gently cleaned it despite her known hostility. I didn't flinch, but it really fucking hurt. She started sewing it silently and I clenched my jaw tightly. “Yeah. I like them.” She nodded but her face showed confusion. “But you hide all of them?” I nodded. “People think I'm part of the slums when I show them. I keep my profile low.” Realization kicked in and her face turned to understanding. “Oh. I see that. But, you do know I need to know your name.” I smirked, “It's Octavia Iris Xavier.” She finished sewing and stepped back and looked me in the eyes. Repeating my name, “Octavia Iris Xavier, that's unique. Were you born with it?” I shook my head, “No.” She nodded. I stayed still. She watched me carefully. I didn't show anything. “You can leave.” I nodded curtly, grabbed my leather jacket and strode to her door. Before I could open it she said. “Remember, 6, I don't accept tardiness.” I nodded curtly, I still had my back to her, “I'm never late. Capo.” I didn't wait for her response and left. Closing the door and striding confidently to the elevator.