Elliot woke to the sound of the hinges on the door groaning. Bright light entered the cell, and she put her hand up to protect her eyes. Someone stepped into the cell and nudged her with a foot.
“Get up,” the person growled.
“Zann?” Elliot asked, sleep still clouding her brain. “What time is it?”
“I said, ‘get up!’” He snapped.
His sharp tone of voice woke her up the rest of the way. That didn’t sound like the usual Zann. Something was amiss. “Alright, alright, chill out.”
Groaning from stiffness, she stood and attempted to ach her back like a cat. Zann grabbed her roughly by the arm and dragged her out of the cell.
“Ow, Zann, you’re hurting me.”
“Good.”
Surprised, she squinted up at him. His face set with a coldness she’d never seen before. It unnerved her. “What’s going on?” she asked with a hit of nervousness in her voice.
He didn’t answer.
They passed an open doorway. Standing in it was Lisa Clearwater. She had a very seditious smirk on her face. She winked evilly at Elliot. “Goodbye, Elliot.”
Suddenly, she realized what was going on. Staring at Zann in disbelief, she said, “Oh my goodness, you’re going to shoot me.”
His lips twitched, and she caught a glimpse of the man she knew, but then it was gone. A cold, hard face remained in its place. So this was the other side of him. This was Zann Kolzak the assassin. Somehow, she felt betrayed. She realized she had always expected Jerin to come rescue her or Zann to refuse to shoot her. For some reason, she had trusted him. Besides, what was with the icky green stuff he had dumped in her coke? Why protect someone from poison only to shoot her?
She glanced at his hard expression. Maybe she could talk him out of it. He seemed to be reasonable. “I don’t think this is a good idea, Zann.”
He rolled his eyes. “Of course you don’t.” His voice was hard, just like his face.
“Do you honestly want to kill me? That’d be murder! Plus, Jerin said he’d shoot you.”
“Not if I shoot him first.”
“Don’t you have a conscience!? Isn’t there a nagging little voice saying ‘Don’t shoot, Elliot, Zann. Don’t shoot Elliot?’”
“I killed my conscience long ago.” There it was again—that slight twitch of the lip.
“Great.”
“I have had a lot of people plead with me, and beg, but never have I had someone try to convince me not to shoot them.” He glanced at her.
“Yeah, well, don’t expect me to beg. I’m too prideful for that.” She frowned. Time for a new tactic. “Shoot me, and I’ll come back to haunt you.”
He almost smiled that time. “Will you?”
“Yes. Not only that, but I’ll plague you. You’ll never hit a single target again. I’ll run off with the bullet.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Yes, I am.”
Zann shook his head and put her back against a wall. “Not going to work, Elliot.”
She folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the wall. Silently, she watched as he pulled several bullets out of one of his numerous pockets and loaded them into a magazine. When he pulled the gun out of its holster, she asked, “Out of curiosity, what kind of gun is that, Mr. Assassin?”
Zann looked up at her. “Desert Eagle. You sure you don’t want to plead for your life?”
“Positive.”
Shrugging his shoulders, he slid the magazine in the gun with a loud and unnerving “click.” Aiming towards the ground, he slid the action back in one swift motion, loading a bullet into the chamber.
Elliot felt her heart rate accelerate. He was really going to shoot her. She tried to convince herself it was just his job—nothing personal—but she wondered if he had been playing with her all along, just like Lisa. She swallowed. So, she had been wrong about Zann, just like he had told her. Dogs weren’t as good at judging character as everyone thought.
He raised the gun and aimed at her chest. She had this grand plan to stand and keep eye contact with him as he shot her, but when his finger went to the trigger, she flinched and squeezed her eyes shut tight.
A shot rang out across the warehouses. Smirking, Lisa raised a glass of champagne. “To her death.”
Dante Vang laughed and lifted his glass. “And to our endeavor.”
Lisa grinned. “And my revenge.”
Thy clinked their glasses and drank, while across the yard, Zann Kolzak slowly lowered his gun.
---
I looooooooooooooove the end of this chapter! It makes me go "gasp!" every time. Hopefully you did, too.
Sorry it's late guys. I kinda had a hectic day yesterday. My car broke down and we had to get it fixed and we were worried my brother had a tumor. He doesn't, praise God, it's just Mono. Never in the history of the earth has a sister been so happy her younger brother had Mono.
But, good news! They've moved my siblings to Adis Ababa (the capital of Ethiopia) so we can get them in about seven weeks! I sooooooooooooooo excited!
Right, the story. What's this revenge Lisa's talking about, huh? And WHY THE CHOCOLATE DID MY MAIN CHARACTER HAVE TO GET SHOT?!?!?!?! Ehem. Tragic. Zann better watch out. Jerin will not be happy. What's gonna happen? Will Lisa succeed with her diabolical plot? Why did Elliot get shot? Is Zann doomed? Is Jerin totally ticked? Is Sherlock part dachshund? Tune in next week, same bat-time, same bat-site! Warning: the worst is yet to come!! (dramatic bat-music)
YAAAAAAAY THE MAIN CHARACTER GOT SHOT! *kidding*
ReplyDeleteI'll be here at the same bat-time--maybe!
~Barbara
P.S. WHY ARE YOU NOT ON THE INTERNET! I"M BORED!
Well, we're all glad you're happy, Holly that the main character got shot. And I know you're not kidding ;)
ReplyDeleteWell, you certainly are good at suspense, Arty. I can't believe I have to wait to read what happens next! This is an outrage!
And you two need to get Skype so we can videochat.
Haha! Part dachshund. Those things are dangerous you know, and Linnea has the scar to prove it!
Ciao,
A dangerous midget with hooves
I LOVE the way you ended your comment Foaly!! Classic....anywho i am (slightly)kidding!
ReplyDeleteI don't like dachshunds they are ugly.....
Love to all,
C. Short
Hehe. I'm glad you approve of my suspense. I felt evil leaving you guys like this, mwahahahaaaaa!!
ReplyDeletePhooey on you for moving. Come fall, they will run you out. Oh yes. My hats do that. I'm working on that, yes I am. Holly, get a skype, too!
Yeah, they are evil little things. I felt like doing the 1966 Batman suspense endings, and that popped into my head.
We all know Holly was supper happy. She's just evil like that.
I was going to say something else, but I forgot what it was. Oh well. See ya'll tomorrow!! (same bat-time, same bat-site!!)
Artemis Fowl, Jr.
aka Dick Grayson