“Just…be safe,” he’d forced out, almost sounding like it hurt to say, right before you left his office, gun holstered. You’d nodded silently, tongue clicking as your eyes met across the room, broken only by you shutting the door behind you. It shouldn’t have gone this way.

It was a simple thing. Meet up with Sevika, track down those guys you’d been shadowing the last couple days, and beat the money they owed Silco right out of them. It was two guys, presumably unarmed, versus the two best-trained hands of Silco. Should’ve been easy.

Should’ve, could’ve, would’ve. Didn’t matter anymore, when Sevika stumbled back into Silco’s office an hour later, your arm slung over her shoulder as she grunted. Blood was dripping, though whose was unclear. Drops of red stained his carpet, as so many had before.

He shot up from his seat, eyes widened in shock and anger.

“Get them on the couch,” he snapped at Sevika, who complied with a muffled groan. It became clear the blood was yours, Sevika’s wounds seeming to extend only to a gash in her arm and a potentially broken finger.

“They had guns,” she gasped, trying to keep her cool.