kosmikwritings

[kosmikwritings]

We can't control how we hurt . . .

Truthfully, Ashlynn felt like absolute shit. Her head was spinning from getting up so fast, and if she wasn't afraid of giving Loomis the satisfaction of seeing it, she would have slumped back down on the bed to keep herself from possibly falling over. She couldn't give him that satisfaction, though, and was fighting to stand once her body started to adjust to what had actually happened.

Still, in order to take care of herself, she would have to show weakness, and it wasn't safe to do so. She could relax later, but until they were truly alone, there was always going to be someone who would notice how close he had actually been to being able to silence her forever.

Loomis' words only confirmed her suspicions, too, eyes flickering between the two men. She was the weak link in the room, and she hated that more than anything else that had happened. She was supposed to be stronger than this, supposed to be able to withstand anything, but whatever drug Loomis had put into her had drained her of that ability.

Before she even know what was going on, Michael was shoving his keys into her hands, rough fingers grazing hers for far too little time. She could clearly read his expression in the red light, but her stomach was twisting up in knots. Every fiber in her being wanted to stay, wanted to watch as he tore the old man to shreds. She wanted to enjoy his screams just as much as Michael likely did, and if she left, she would be robbed of any chance of that happening.

She recognized the desperation in his eyes, though. Loomis had screwed them both over, and it was far past time for their revenge. Yes, Michael had more reason for wanting his life, but as long as Ashlynn got to watch (or listen), she would be satisfied. But in typical, Loomis fashion, he had ripped that bit of happiness away from someone. There wasn't time for that, and if she didn't run to the car now, they would likely be trapped. She loved Michael, and she wasn't about to test just how long the effects of whatever drug she was filled with lasted in front of him.

Moving as fast as she could without sending herself falling back onto the bed, Ashlynn unhooked and grabbed the bag holding the liquid he had injected into her, planning on taking it with them. If they were going to figure out how to counter it, they needed to know exactly what they were working against. She wasn't quite ready to leave, though, and moving back to Michael's side, she reached up with her free hand to rest her palm against his cheek. Pressing up on her toes, Ashlynn pressed her lips against his, but only for a moment, lowering herself back down as she turned her gaze onto the doctor, voice so low it was practically a growl.

"Make it agonizing."

Before he could shove her away, she moved for the doorway and down the hall, hoping she could remember the way to the back.

[kosmikwritings]

Money Money Money

Standing outside the old building, Snow took a deep breath, eyes staring up at the top floor with her gym bag slung over her shoulder. It had only taken one job for them to trust her completely, and she was still unsure of how she felt about that. It was more than clear that the 4 men in the abandoned apartment had far less practice in the business than she did, and although they each had their strengths, their lack of experience was surely to be their biggest weakness. Sure, they needed experience to get experience, but they needed to train INDIVIDUALLY, not all at once. Still, Snow trusted them to stick around when things went bad, and if they didn’t…well, she had more dirt on them than any of them were aware of.

Heading up the steps, already planning on moving them somewhere underground, the brunette ran through the day's plan in her head. It was a simple job they had picked up (and most of them would be until she was sure they could handle more), and it promised comfort for a couple of weeks at least. It took her damn near 15 minutes to get up all of the steps, as well, and as she opened the penthouse door, she dropped her duffel bag on the counter with a huff. It was dusty inside, as it had been before, but the familiar smell of pizza had already drifted into her nose.

“We’re moving somewhere underground as soon as we can, I swear…” Snow’s mumbled words were really for herself, but she could already hear a voice coming from the kitchen, and practically hear the grin in the owner’s voice, as well.

“I kinda like this place though. It’ll keep people from trying to follow.” Jester was already heading into the room, a slice of pizza in his hand. He was the team’s weapons specialist, and as shown by his figure, working out was one of his favorite hobbies. He didn’t seem like the type to even go NEAR pizza, let alone be shoving what was probably his fourth piece in his mouth. Holmes was right behind him, too, though with significantly less food.

“Not all of us are top-tier athletes, dude. I wouldn’t mind something underground. You think we’ll make enough for that anytime soon??” Holmes, the team’s master of disguise, was 6’ tall, but average build and clearly not someone who did cardio every day, unlike Jester with his military background. Snow, however, gave a small chuckle and shook her head.

“I wouldn’t worry about that.” Setting the bag down on the coffee table, she watched as Ace entered the room. “I can call a few favors. Besides, if my mentor’s side piece is good for anything, it’s doing favors so people owe her later. I’m sure she can help me.”

“What’s in the bag, boss?” Ace was the first to speak up, and thankfully changed the topic before anyone could ask one of the hundred questions running in their heads. She wasn’t exactly in the mood to explain the situation back home, let alone to people who wouldn’t quite understand it or the reasoning.

“Our next job.” Unzipping the bag, Snow reached in to pull out four folders. She knew it only left a larger paper trail, but given the fireplace in the room, she hoped that the three men would see her plan. Passing one out to each person, she started to explain.

“Gal Green Bank. Up and coming with minimal security, but a tight team and lots of cameras. Right now, they only handle a few businesses, so not many papers know their name. It’s closed to the public, too, so we have to play our cards right. All of this means we need to have our stories straight, and watch every move. This also means that the only way in is to have an appointment.” Her eyes flickered between the men, watching them close to judge their reactions. Jester was clearly not enthusiastic about it, but Ace and Holmes both already exchanged looks that suggested they were running through ideas in their heads.

“Alright, if we need an appointment, who’s going in??” Speaking with a mouth full of pizza, Jester opened the folder, brown eyes skimming the papers. It was Ace who answered, though, clearly questioning her judgment with his words.

“I don’t know if this is a typo, but Holmes here is the actor. Why is my name there??” The men were confused, but this was Snow’s chance to get them to trust her /completely/. Up until this point, they had followed her lead, but after this job, she knew she would be able to have their full support.

“It’s not a typo. You’re going in for an interview.” Stepping up to stand on the table, the brunette looked down at the men, holding the papers in one hand as she pointed to each one. “Ace, your job is to get inside, get to the security room, and shut off the cameras. Try to keep as much security up front as possible, even if it means setting off an alarm to evacuate the building. Holmes? You’re there to talk to the big boss. If you truly mean that you can act, this is your chance to prove it. You’re going to pose as a potential new client, and we need you to distract him as long as possible. Ask as many questions as you can, and if that means repeating some or asking simple questions, then great.”

“Does this mean I’m with you?” A brow raised on Jester’s face, and as Snow turned toward him, she lowered her arms to her sides, a single nod following his words.

“You and I are going to wait until the cameras are down, then sneak inside. The bank’s floor plans are in the papers I gave you. We’re going to get inside, crack open the vault, and empty it into the van before they know what hit them.” Snow was practically bleeding confidence, but truthfully, it was just as much of a test for her as it was for them. She needed to know she could count on them to follow directions, and she needed to know she could trust them if things went sideways.

The men seemed hesitant at first, looking back and forth between each other, but it wasn’t long before Jester stepped forward, putting his hand over the table while waiting for the others to put theirs on his.

“I don’t know about you guys, but if Karma’s shown us one thing, it’s that she knows people better than you think. If she thinks this is the route, let’s do it.”

One by one, the men quickly put their hands on top of the previous, Snow dropping hers on top once the men were all in. The woman smiled at them, chin up as she spoke.

“We meet at 1:00 p.m. sharp, gentlemen. Don’t be late.”

[kosmikwritings]

Monsters Stuck In My Head . . .

As the needle was pulled out of her arm, the world around her slowly started to make a little sense. She could feel Michael's breath on her skin, and as his scent washed over her, the sheer exhaustion in her muscles was all that was keeping her strapped to the hospital bed.

However, as she felt him pull away, the urge to hop up was even stronger. She could already feel the poison pulling out of her veins, but it wasn't moving fast enough for her. All she wanted to do was help him.

It only took 30 seconds for her to be able to open her eyes, but for the brunette, it felt like an eternity. It was too late to warn her love about the pathetic excuse of a male attacking him, too, and already she was planning on stomping his brains out after Michael finished him off. Clearly, he hadn't anticipated it to be Michael there, and given as he was one of the few who knew the difference between him and The Shape, it was more amusing than it should have been.

Carefully, Ashlynn slid to the edge of the bed, eyes watching both men in the room with her. Michael and Loomis only seemed focused on each other, though. It was the prime opportunity to run . . . but that wasn't like Ashlynn. She had never run from her problems when she had a fighting chance, and with Michael in the room with her, she knew she was safe. There was zero chance of Loomis harming her anymore than he already had, and this was the perfect opportunity to help him.

Moving slowly rather than her usual speed, Ashlynn waited for Loomis to practically back into her before grabbing him by both wrists, pulling his arms behind him in order to hiss in his ear, eyes locked on her man.

"Look what you did now. You awakened the true beast. I'll give your daughter your best wishes . . . "