Chapter 1
It was deep winter, and the snow capped mountains loomed foreboding over the small town of Fort Sines.
Ali had been cold before but not like this. At least not tha she could remember. Her hands shook with force as she bundled her coat around her. Her breath came in short gasps, filling the space between her and the brick wall she peaked around with clouds of fog. She had begun to wonder if she should be seriously concerned of the possibility of frostbite when a deep voice sounded behind her.
“Now what do we have here?”
She jumped, smacking her shoulder into the wall and wincing.
Ali let out a curse under her breath. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had been able to sneak up on her. Being caught off guard left a sour taste in her mouth.
The man behind her was tall, with inky hair that hung in messy tendrils around his face and eyes so dark they were nearly black.
He was staring at her blankly, arms crossed tightly over a well muscled chest.
Ali gulped as her eyes roamed over him, “Can I help you?” Her voice came out deliciously annoyed.
The man frowned, “I was wondering if I can help you with something as you’re loitering around my shop”. He lifted a brow.
Ali glaced past him towards the back entrance of the butcher shop he had clearly stepped out from.
“No thank you.” Ali said simply before turning back around to peer once more at the cross street mulling with people. Families preparing to celebrate the new year bustled about with their various errands.
The man behind her cleared his throat and Ali turned back to him, irritated. He was distracting her and she needed to focus.
“I really don’t want to be a bother but if you can leave me alone I’d appreciate it”. She bit the words out with an attempted polite air.
The man took a small step towards her and Ali tensed.
“As you’ve piqued my curiosity and happen to be on my property I’m afraid I have to ask: what are you doing?”
Ali sighed, “it’s truly none of your business,” it was time to find a new vantage point she supposed.
She made to walk off and the man placed a hand on her elbow halting her movement.
“I haven’t seen you around here before.”
“I haven’t been around here before” Ali stated matter of factly, though that wasnt necessarily true; staring at the man pointedly until he removed his hand. She could have kncoked him on his ass in an instant but wasn’t stupid enough to draw that sort of attention to herself or cause a scene.
“This isn’t exactly a tourist destination”.
“Do you give every person passing through here the third degree?” She was getting really irritated now. At this rate she may have completely missed her target due to the interference of this very tall, very handsome distraction.
His lip quirked to the side slightly, “Just the ones who look like trouble.”
“I look like trouble,” Ali responded flatly, with a clear inference of disbelief. She looked as ordinary as it was possible to look, and that was very purposeful.
He tilted his head at her, “yes.”
Ali frowned at him. This stranger was far too interested in what she was doing and it was time to throw him a bone to get the interrogation to stop.
“I’m in town visiting family, my cousin actually”. It wasn’t even a lie, technically. She was truthfully staying with her cousin.
The man blinked, “Who’s your cousin?”
Ali clicked her tongue, “now why would I tell you that?”
“So stand offish,” the man grinned at her and she startled. His face lit up at the expression, with small dimples forming in his cheeks giving him an almost boyish look.
Snap out of it!
“I don’t make a habit of handing out my personal information to strangers.” She stated blandly.
The man looked unfazed, “In a town like this there are no strangers.”
Ali grimaced internally, unfortunately that was all too true. She’d been here nearly 12 hrs. And she was having trouble not sticking out like a sore thumb.
“I’m Ali,” she changed tactics, shoving her open hand into the space between them in gesture and plastering a disarming smile to her face.
The man looked surprised before slowly grasping her hand in a polite shake.
“Hi, Ali”.
She waited a moment before asking, “are you not going to tell me your name?”
“Nope”, the man grinned at her again and she narrowed her eyes at him. If he was trying to get under her skin it was working.
She decided not to argue the point, who cared what his name was. She was over wasting time.
“Well, now you know mine so if you could let me get on with my business” she took several swift strides away from the man and turned the corner towards the nearby shops.
“Nice to meet you, Ali!” She heard him call in amusement behind her.
She ignored him, pulling her collar around her face more tightly and tipping her face down. She hated having to be so exposed here.
Ali was used to working in a city landscape with sky scrapers, dark alleys, and a massive population to blend into. A small town where anyone with an unfamiliar face stood out was the last place she wanted to be, but it couldn’t be helped.
She followed her prey wherever it went and this time it had gone somewhere unexpected. It had gone home. To her home.
Well, not really her true home, as Ali considered New York her actual home. But Fort Sines was her birthplace and therefore a home of a sorts. She hadn’t been back here for nearly ten years.
Ali breathed in the frigid air as she walked swiftly. The smell of baked goods and cinnamon wafted past her and she felt her mouth water.
When was the last time she had eaten?
Ali realized with a start that she had missed both breakfast and lunch, and frowned at her watch as it read the time 16:47.
Perhaps this is why your focus is off.
She thought to herself sardinically.
Paris would have chided her for the oversight. Ali knew better than to miss meals if it was at all avoidable.
The day had proved fruitless and that combined with her hunger had put her into a foul mood. Ali had just decided to head back to her cousin’s place when she noticed a uniquely familiar brown and blue fedora hat bobbing at the other end of the street towards her.
Without a moments hesitation Ali slipped into the nearest store, smiling politely at the shopkeeper and appearing to browse the ornate soaps and candles that filled the space. She picked one up and looked at it skeptically, holding it in front of her towards the large window facing the street. Ali watched as the man in the brown and blue fedora passed by the store. He was limping and had a gash over his left eye that he was attempting to hide by wearing the hat brim low on his head.
Ali’s heartbeat quickened, as it always did when these moments happened. When she caught sight of a target and the thrill of the hunt sent shivers down her spine.
She set down the candle and casually stepped back out onto the street, now tailing the limping man.
She followed him for several minutes, making sure to keep a calm pace and window shop as she went; the picture of ordinary if anyone were looking.
It was almost sunset when she watched the man get into a silver car and start to drive towards the end of the Main Street. Ali quickened her pace imperceptibly and caught up to the car as it stopped at a traffic light. Quick as a flash she flipped a small tracking device out of her pocket and bent down to retie her shoelace. Ali placed the device on the car near the wheel on the inner portion of the vehicle. The movement was smooth and calculated and she stood up slowly, straightening her jacket as the car began to move again. Ali kept walking and waited until she had made it up a relatively steep hill, the path leading out of town center and towards her cousin’s more remote property, before taking out her phone. She watched as the blinking red dot moved across the map and smiled, satisfied.
It was time for dinner, she decided as her stomach growled. Ali placed a hand on her abdomen, absentmindedly rubbing at the thick scar there. The wound reminded her of the knives she had lost in her last job. Taking iut that target had cost her dearly and she’d had more close calls than usual. But the thought did not dissuade her excitement at her current prospects.
Ali smiled to herself as she continued on the path, her lips curving upwards wickedly.
It was time to replenish her kill kit.
