Phoenix and Max: Unexpected turn of events

Phoenix and Max: Unexpected turn of events

A/ N: Finally getting there. Phoenix is having trouble protecting Kara. She thinks she's going to die. But is she? All the usual disclaimers

Xx

Chicago, Hepstein Awards, 9:45 pm

Everything was prepared, from the fancy black cocktail dress to the exact timing of Kara's presence. The assassin had rehearsed her plan several times in her head. Kara would come, followed by several bodyguards. Given the size of the event and its importance, Phoenix estimated at least seven armed men to enter the building. Three would be assigned to the target's close protection while the other two would scout the place and survey any strange move. In truth, they were one man short of meeting her expectations. Kara was supposed to speak shortly before the break and then she would eventually go to the ladies restroom. Phoenix would meet her there, would inform her about her mission and the two would leave the restroom. There would be a fight of course, but Phoenix was used to fighting and killing henchmen. What could possibly go wrong?

Kara's reaction! That was what went wrong. When Phoenix finally got into the restroom, Kara swallowed pills to kill herself. She fell to the ground and started to OD, forcing Phoenix to call an ambulance and fight the two bodyguards that were guarding the bathroom door, inside. She got rid of them quite easily, breaking one's neck and turning the gun (with a silencer on) against the other's belly to have him shoot himself. She then turned Kara on her side to help her throw up without suffocating in her own vomit and cursed as she realized that there was no way she could get Kara outside. She would have to protect her until the ambulance came and took her away, which basically was suicide.

There were innocent people in the building and the risk to have them injured was becoming more and more certain. She bit her thumb, wishing Max was there so he would have helped protect her while she would have taken Kara to safety, at least, to the ambulance. It was getting out of hand and her heart was racing in her ribcage. She and Max didn't say goodbye the way Phoenix wanted to. She shouldn't have left the motel room without at least kissing him one last time. She shouldn't have left the motel room without at least telling him that she was falling in love with him. She shouldn't have left the motel room without telling him that she knew both were broken beyond repair but she believed they also deserved to be happy...Words died at the back of her throat on that day and she buried her feelings deep in her heart. What was the use of doing that, now that it was certain she was going to die? He wouldn't know...He would never know.

Curling her fingers into a fist, the assassin groaned to give herself some strength. It didn't matter anymore because Kara was in trouble and she needed to get her out of the ladies' room and out of that place so the medics could take care of her. The difficulty wasn't to leave the bathroom with an unconscious body to carry over. The difficulty was to fight against the remaining three bodyguards WITH a body she had to keep alive. It was her first rescue mission and for someone who was used to taking lives, it certainly was something she wasn't used to doing. She stroked Kara's face, chewing on her bottom lip.

« I have tried my best. I am not sure we're going to escape alive but just in case we don't, I want you to know that I tried my best. I really did. »

She dropped her head, gathering a second to think of herself and Max.. always him.. popping into her thoughts. She was hoping he was still alive and his mission with Cesare would go well. She was hoping he survived his mission and avenged his family. She was hoping he wouldn't forget her. Her eyes opened wide at that last thought as a shiver went down her spine. Why were her last thoughts to a man she'd just met a couple of months ago? She furrowed her brows and stood back up. She would carry her mission to the end and get Kara to the hospital to save her life. She grabbed the body and threw it over her shoulder while she grabbed the gun of the bodyguard who tried to kill her in the bathroom. Phoenix left the bathroom and started to walk towards the exit. No one rang the alarm just yet and she prayed not to face any of the guests who would definitely start to panic. Just when she thought they were safe from trouble, the fire alarm rang. 

People started to pour into the hallways, screaming, and bumping into one another, and before Phoenix could even curse, she was met with two of the three remaining bodyguards in front of her. It was one thing to be an assassin and another one to become a bodyguard. Saving lives never was Phoenix's forte and she didn't know if she would be able to both protect her target and kill her enemies. She pointed a gun at the head of one of them and shot him in the face but the other one had fired on her leg -in order not to kill Kara-. Phoenix screamed and knelt, the weight of her target pulling her down. It made her lose her focus for a brief second, enough for her to hear the noise of a gunshot. She froze in place, expecting to be hit by the bullet but blinked when she saw the body drop in front of her and another more familiar presence step forward. He outstretched his hand for her to take.

«Max? » Was all she could whisper as the brunette grinned at her.

She wanted to speak but couldn't, given the pressing matters. They couldn't stay around for longer in fear of being caught by the police. She gave him Kara, he carried, bridal style, and stood back up. Her leg was profusely bleeding, so she tore her dress up and wrapped the fabric around her wound to stop the bleeding. She made a hand gesture to let him know he could move while she would follow. Kara was still unconscious but she was still breathing, which reassured Phoenix who walked with a limp right behind Max. Adrenaline was rushing through her veins and she knew there still was one last bodyguard that would try to find them. Max was stopped by a woman who pointed her gun at him. Phoenix pointed a gun at her, knowing full well she only had one more bullet she could use. *

Max noticed she let her guard down and used the opportunity to shove her so he could walk past her, Phoenix then kicked the gun out of her hand but the woman punched her hard in the face, and then punched her chest, making Phoenix take a few steps back. She then ran towards her and tried to kick her face but Phoenix grabbed her legs and fell on her back to throw the woman on the floor. She then rolled and straddled her. Phoenix punched her hard in the face, drawing blood off of her nose, and kept punching until the woman grabbed her wounded leg and pressed into the wound, making the assassin scream. The bodyguard then grabbed Phoenix's neck and started to strangle her. People were running everywhere around them, making it difficult for the assassin to find room to manœuvre. She kept telling herself that Max found the paramedics and that Kara was in good hands. She tried to remove the hands from her neck but the bodyguard was hugging harder, blocking the air from her lungs. Phoenix tried to punch her but she realized that she would not be able to do serious damage,

So instead she let her left hand search for the knife she kept hidden inside her dress. The bodyguard noticed and went harder, holding tighter on her neck until Phoenix stabbed her. As soon as she felt the knife sink into her skin, She released her neck and started to cough blood. Phoenix caught her breath and rubbed her bruised neck before she managed to stand back up, her leg bleeding again profusely, and ran towards the exit. She noticed the ambulance closing its door on Kara and looked around for a sign of Max but couldn't see him. Since the Police were almost at the crime scene, she decided to run to her rented car but was caught by Max who grabbed her arm and took her next to the wall.

« What the fu--! I need to go to my car! »

« It's compromised. Follow me. »

«Max! » She didn't resist much as he took her hand and took her to his car. It was a new one, one that didn't stick out in Chicago. She entered the car and put her seatbelt on while Max started the engine. He put his belt on and left the place. « Why did you do that? » She asked, her brows furrowed. « Why couldn't I go back to my car? »

« Because cops were already there. They would have wanted to question you and with your wounded leg? They would have been suspicious... » He paused and kept looking straight forward. « You're welcome by the way. »

« I...Thank you. I didn't expect to see you. Why did you... » She looked at him and realized that if he was with her, then he wasn't with Cesare. Her eyes grew wide at the realization and she leaned into her seat, speechless. « Thank you... For rescuing me. »

« You're welcome. » He was calmer, his hand held onto her knee as he was still concerned about her injury. « I have a safe place in town. I'm taking you there. You need stitches. » His voice didn't leave room for arguing and she would not want to anyway. Her heart was beating faster than when she was in the midst of action because he was near her. She was very aware of his hand on her knee and swallowed a lump.

« Okay... » Was all she could say, she looked at the window and wrapped her arms around her waist. « I hope she will make it. »

« You saved her life back there, Phoenix. You saved her life... » She shrugged and nodded. Her eyes looked at his who was holding onto her knee and she put her hand over his, only for a brief moment. She wouldn't talk, she usually didn't talk whenever she was looking away so he wouldn't force her to talk as of now. She needed to have her wounds tended to before they inevitably talked about why he intervened and the fact he let Cesare escape. They would have the night to talk about it... or would they?

-TBC-