Scarlet Angel by C. A. Wilke Page B

turned slowly to face Neil. “What the hell is
this?”
    Neil strolled around the perimeter of the cage,
running his fingers along one of the bars. “This is a local
underground fighting arena. That wonderful odor you’re smelling is
from last night’s fight.”
    “ I don’t understand.”
    “ Scar, I have to make sure you
have the right stuff to do this. I’ve invested a lot in you. If you
can do this, then you are ready.”
    She looked around again, seeing only the bars and
the bare concrete floor. “So, what? You want me to escape?”
    “ No. The cage itself is not your
test. I’ll open it and let you out as soon as you’re done.” He
reached the far side of the arena and disappeared into the
shadows.
    He reappeared a few seconds later. Neil opened the
other cage door and let it swing wide. Then he reached back into
the hidden crevices of the stands and pulled something.
    A figure stumbled out of the darkness. Propelled by
Neil’s hard shove, he stumbled into the arena and fell to the
floor. The door slammed behind him.
    Scarlett didn’t move. She watched the third person
move slowly and get up.
    Ratty, blond hair tumbled over the new arrival’s
filthy shoulders. He looked up and revealed a hollowed and sickly
face splotched with sores and bruises. His hands trembled with the
need for a fix.
    “ Neil, no.” Her voice was only a
whisper.
    Neil walked back around and stood next to Scarlett’s
door. From behind his back, he produced a nine-millimeter pistol.
He set it on the ground and kicked it into the ring.
    “ This is your final
test.”
     

Chapter 18
The Test
    People are never who they appear to be.
    * * *
    Scarlett stared at the gun at her feet. “Neil. What
the hell is this?”
    “ This is your first
job.”
    She looked back over at the young man on the other
side of the arena. He stood, wavering slightly. His gaze was
distant as he absently scratched at a sore on his arm.
    He can’t be more than seventeen.
    “ But he’s just an innocent kid. I
don’t know him!”
    Neil laughed. “He’s the job. You are being hired to
kill him. Actually, I am, but I’m assigning it to you. Kill him,
and you get paid.”
    “ Paid? That’s not what I signed up
for.”
    The boy looked around.
    “ Scarlett, what the hell did you
think this was about? That I would train you for some petty
vengeance? Oh, no. That would be an incredible waste of my time and
your talents. You are a killer, born and bred.”
    She shook her head and stepped back. “No. Only
Derrick. It’s only Derrick.”
    Neil laughed again. “You actually think you can get
in and kill Derrick and no one else? Stealth is one thing, but he
lives in a fortress. You’re going to have to leave a trail of
bodies.”
    “ Still... That’s
different.”
    “ No. No, it’s not. Those guards
will have girlfriends, boyfriends, spouses and children. This...”
He pointed to the target. “This is your reality now. You are a
killer. You’ve done it once, now do it again. Finish the job and we
can talk about Derrick.”
    She reached down and picked up the gun. The man at
the other end of the arena froze, his gaze locked on the weapon in
her hand. She looked at him then down to the weapon. “Why? Why
him?”
    “ It doesn’t matter. It’s the job.
If you want to be safe, you have to be able to do the
job.”
    Her voice was soft. “The job.” Am I really going
to do this? He’s just a kid. Why him, it makes no sense.
Safe...
    She lifted the weapon. The sights centered on the
boy’s face.
    He shook his head and stepped back. “No... Please.
Don’t do this. C’mon man...”
    Neil’s voice came from behind, smooth and confident.
“Finish the job, Scarlett.”
    Scarlett breathed in as much as her lungs would hold
then let it flow from her lips in one long exhale. The target’s
eyes settled on either side of the front sight post. Her finger
squeezed against the trigger. The cool metal resisted her pull.
    I can’t.
    She flipped the safety on