Life went on as usual in the following day, as if nothing had happened. But no matter how much Ash tried to push it all to the back of his mind, the weight of yesterday's events pressed down on him, making each breath feel heavier than the last.

 His boss had always trusted him with the toughest jobs - after all, he was one of the best in the business. Ash had known this world for as long as he could remember. In many ways, he was little more than a form of payment, a living ransom for his father's sins. He didn't really had a choice in the matter. As a marksman, his father trained him from childhood. He'd always been a natural, meant for great things - or at least, that's what Victor belived when he started his private business. 

 At first, everything went smoothly. Ash handled the dirty work. It's hard to say how much he understood back then, whether he truly knew that what he was doing wasn't right. But in the end, this was what he'd been trained for. The first time was the worst. He went into shock afterward, struggling to catch his breath, the weight of the trigger pull still hanging in the air. Sure the blood never directly touched his hands, but the final decisions had always been his. And the muffled screams - they never stopped haunting him. Making his sleeping more difficult each day.

It was simple business. Wealthy people could make anyone disappear for the right price. Who they were didn't really matter. Work was work. At least, that's what Ash kept telling himself. 

However now something was off about the whole thing. The weight of the job, the pressure to be perfect as always was suffocating him. He had to take his jacket off to get some fresh air it was all too much. He told himself for years that he was just doing what he suppose to do, that it was all part of the game. But the longer he stayed there the line between right and wrong started to slowly burned out. His father belived in the business more than anything - the power, the money, the control. Ash loved the control of his own life as much as he loved the control he had on others life as well. Every mission, every kill, came with its own set of nightmares. 

The previous job seemed the hardest one yet. He had to eliminate the eldest son of some drug dealer maybe. He wasn't always good with the detailes. Not because he wasn't paying any attention he just didn't wanted to be sentimental about the victims. But there was something about this one that gnawed at him, a familiarity he couldn't undersand. Although he never met the man before it was more than difficult to put it in words.  

He didn't slept much before the mission, he just couldn't do it as usual. There was something else here now, something unsettled him even more. It was the feeling that peerhaps - just perhaps - he was the one being hunted this time. It felt like he was watched every corner of the building. The sense that someone knew what he was doing. Nothing was there honestly it was just in his mind, it was some kind of defense mechanism on his part. Victor always warned him about weakness. He had to kill his emotions as well in that moment. Right now he is nothing more than a machine. No choice, no mercy. Lately Ash started to question that. Was it really for the best? The thought lingered in his mind as  he prepared for the mission ahead. His rifle felt heavier than it never had before. His hands, though steady, was shaking at this moment.  

"Come on don't fucking mess this up. Just get it done." - he said to himself for the second time as he tried to look down to the road. 

The street was empty, silent, no soul in sight. The darkess had swallowed everything, concealing what needed to remain hidden. Ash crouched on a nearby rooftop, scanning the area. He was waiting for the right moment. According to the informats, his target would be passing this way tonight. There was no room for mistakes. His breath came slow as he adjusted his scope, his fingers dancing over the controls with an ease now. Every part of him was turned to the right rythm for the job. His mind wandered for a moment, his gaze drifting to the night sky. Was it the weight of the mission?

He scanned the street again. Nothing yet. 

Then, a figure emerged from the shadows, walking with a purpose, his head down as if he was completely unaware of the situation. Ash's breath caught. There it was. His target. Everything was right the man was alone as expected. A simple route. It was almost too perect. Ash shaked his head quickly and started to positioning for the shot. Just as he lined up the shot, he noticed a slight movement out of the corner of his eye. Someone was walking on the sidewalk, not far from the target. Ash's eyes darted toward the figure. 

 It was a man. He was tall, and his features were shadowed by the night, but his posture was confident, purposeful. Ash started to get annoyed, a knot formed in his stomac. " Fuck. He wasn't part of the plan" - he cursed out quietly as the figure moved closer, coming into view. Ash's stomach dropped as he was finally able to see the man's face in the light of a passing car. 

 It was Lucian.

Ash's pulse get a little too high right away he saw him. "What is he even doing here?" He haven't seen him since that night - they haven't speak even a word after. He was...a distraction. The last thing Ash needed right now was Lucian showing up in the middle of the job. Lucian walked with his hands in his pockets. Ash's grip thightened around the rifle. The perfect moment was there, within a reach, but Lucian was too close. If he made the shot now, there was a good chance he'll be exposed. Or worse, he  could recognise him. 

 Time passed, and Ash knew he couldn't afford to run out of it. He had to act, sooner or later. He could still take the risk - he had enough time if he moved quickly. If he took down the target fast enough, there was a good chance Lucian wouldn't notice him. But to pull this off, Ash had to get himself together, as soon as possible. Lucian's presence complicated things, but there was no getting around it. The job still need to be done. It was just the way things worked. He couldn't let distractions - no matter how close or familiar - get in the way. 

Just as he was about to pull the trigger, a sudden flash of movement caught his eye again. Lucian. He stopped in the middle of the street. His sharp gaze swept over the shadows around him, making Ash's blood run cold. Lucian had to know something was wrong. His instincts were too good. 

It doesn't matter now. Ash didn't have the luxury of waiting anymore. He squeezed the trigger. As the rifle kicked back the bullet tore trough the distance, striking the target with a sickening thud. The man lifeless body hitted the ground instantly. There was it. Job is done. 

 Ash without a second rushed back from the rooftop's edge and dissapeared into the darkness. His heart hammered in his chest, but he couldn't stop now. He had to get out before Lucian has any chance to figure out what just happened. Ash hit the ground silently, his boots barely making a sound as he moved toward the closest alley. He could hear Lucian's voice in the distance, calling out to someone. But that was nothing Ash needed to concern himself with. He had to get away. Now.