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I lay onfish as Poison delivered kick after kick to ht, protecting bones with thick muscles

Confusion andclarity

When Poison’s leg ca distance, I reared up and head-butted his chest He went down just like a giant oak tree, bouncing on the springy floor "What the fuck, Fox?"

Cli to my feet aardly, I kicked him once "I said I wouldn’t put you back in the hospital, not that I wouldn’t try"

"That’s a lie You said you wouldn’t toucha trickle of hot ed upright and lunged His shoulder connected withme backward to collide with the ropes

I closed my eyes as he trapped me and welcomed the flurry of fists to ony helped ht, protecting hi was difficult Seeing was difficult Every movement screamed with pain But I couldn’t stop yet Not yet

"Fox Do--" he shouted just as I sprung and roundhoused his ear Victory thudded swift and hot even as rew slick with blood fro his head where I’d kicked hi under the skin

"You’ll pay for that," he growled

"Co myself wide open for a free shot to my jaw

He wasn’t stupid He sensed the trap and backed away, searching for a weakness His hands flexed as he plotted his next manoeuvre

I knew the o as he charged The s wrapped around his waist, and I usedto the floor, landing on his side withto him More stars flashed in my eyes, but I didn’t unlock ony through my lower back Another fist connected with s, so I couldn’t catch a breath

Then he did a cheap shot

An elbow landed inin excruciation Fire licked right through o on their own accord, and he pushed eony of the junk shot sent nausea building inover bent legs, gasping through the wash of pain

Poison stood, breathing hard A cut spewed blood fro on either side of his nose "Done, Fox?"

"You’re never done No matter what condition your body is in You always finish the objective" My handler stood above me with the all too fah tiht to fear him

"Answer me, operative"

"Yes, sir" I kept my eyes downcast as he patrolled aroundhim see hbone It snapped with a horrible crunch

I bit my lip so hard it bled like a waterfall in my mouth, but I didn’t un with a silencer into rip, he pointed toward the horizon where a compound full of diplomats and informants rested "Go finish your "

I nodded once and clutched the gun as if it could give me pain relief

I hobbled off to work

"Never done, Oaks," I growled, launchingmy shoulder, I knocked him off his feet and went doith him He punched my jaw and er see out of ht out ofer inin a sea of cal of oblivion

"Yes Now I’iving him his fucked-up therapy"

I left hts or flashbacks existed to pay attention to the ru off the noise of street life and night tis

My body ached liked I’d been run over by a fucking train

"Got it It won’t happen again," Oz’s cultured voice drifted quietly

Goddammit, why had Poison called hiy to I could’ve driven ho, I winced Okay, er than just to sleep it off, but that’s what I loved about Poison Oaks He gave

If you’re not careful you’ll turn hi man and own your own life

I would if I kne was a rogue killer supposed to exist in a world of hierarchy if he had no orders to follow?

They gave you the pill to end it You know that’s what’s expected of you

The cyanide pill they’d given me rested in my safe hidden in my wardrobe I hadn’t done as expected as I wanted to live

I wanted to see what everyone else had--to live a different kind of life

I twisted a little on the backseat where I’d been laid The pain resonated through hed