Celeste

I'm bleeding profusely. It'll probably get worse if I don't get the bullet out but I can't stop to attend to it. I have to keep going. I press the thick material of my hoodie onto the wound and hold back a scream and I feel a sharp pain. It doesn't help that my left hand is already broken.

I look at my rear view mirror. There's no sign of him. Not good. Not good at all. I would sooner have him tail me than not know where he went. It gives me the shivers. I risk a glance at my wound. Oh no. Please not that again! I slam the brakes. Son of a bitch! He wanted me to lead him straight to her. I take out my walkie -talkie.

"Do you copy?  I say.

There's a crackling showery sound before he responds.

"I read you. Thank goodness you're okay. When will you be arriving at the rendezvous point?" He asked.

"Change of plans. You guys have to proceed without me." I said.

"Les," he began.

"I'm sorry, Marsh, it's the only way. Over and out." I say before I throw the device out the window.

I'm starting to feel a little light headed. I must be losing a lot of blood. I take a deep breath to clear my head and then start up the car. I couldn't meet up with Ivy and Marsh now. Not when that bullet was still inside me and not when I was in this condition. I drive for about thirty miles which is crazy because I'm constantly looking over my shoulder. Still no sign of him. Man, I hated not knowing where he'll show up rather than having him tail me.

I make it to my destination without incident or a tail, thankfully. I walk to the door. It's getting hard to stay awake but I have to. I ring the doorbell once then twice. No answer. I'm about to ring it the third time but my knees give in. By some miracle I'm saved from a painful union with the concrete floor. Everything is a blur but I hear a faint voice calling my name.

I don't know how much time has passed by the time I wake up. I just know my head is swimming and painful as hell. I try to get up but that sharp pain along my shoulder shoots up.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A familiar voice says. "Stitches are still new and they'll easily rip. Also, you sprained that hand pretty badly. I had to force it back in place."

"Ash, I thought you weren't home." I say. "Hold on, sprained? I thought for sure I broke it."

Boy am I glad she's home. I haven't seen her in a long time but she was still the same. The only difference was that her dark hair was shorter.

"Well, you are one lucky duck. I wasn't home by the way. I was just getting back when I found your near dead ass on my front door. Its not a very welcome sight by the way." She says with a mocking smile. "Not to worry though. I saved your ass, again. You really need to stop showing up on my doorstep with shady wounds, Celeste."

"I'm sorry, Ash. I didn't know who else I could trust." I explain.

"I see. Funny looking bullet by the way." She says as she examines it.

"It's not exactly a bullet," I say as I take it from her and crush it underneath my foot. "It's a tracking device."

"Are you kidding me? Why would you bring that thing here?" She demands.

"I'm really sorry, Ash. I didn't know where else to go." I say.

"Okay fine." She says she breaths out in frustration. "So who wants to do you in this time? And where's that blond hottie? I know he saved your ass last time. Surely you trust him from what I assessed. I don't see how that could have changed."

"It's complicated." Is all I manage to say.

"Are you serious? I'm your best friend and you can't trust me with the truth?" She asks in disapproval.

"It's not that it's just... this is the only way I can keep you safe." I explain.

"Honey, you brought a tracking device into my home. You pretty much left safe out the front door." She points out.

"It's not only you I'm trying to keep safe. Ivy too." I say.

"Ivy? What's this got to do with her?" She asks in confusion.

"Remember how last time someone wanted me dead? Now its her. Someone wants her dead." I explain.

Of course I don't tell her who is really trying to kill her.

"Oh poor thing. Where are they now?" She asks.

"We were supposed to head to Kansas together to a friend of Marsh's, Luke Jones. He's a professor at the state university. After I got shot, I figured I'd only slow them down." I say.

"You mean you figured it'd be better to lead the tracking device to me rather than to her." She points out as she fishes out two coke cans from the fridge.

She's right and it shames me.

"Wow, your life could be a soap opera." She says.

I burst out laughing, not that its funny, its just poetic justice. Huh, who am I kidding? There's no justice in any of this. The guy who'd saved me from getting killed the last time was probably going to end up killing me himself. I pop the can and take a sip.

"Do you have some aspirin? I'll be out of your hair in no time flat. I just need painkillers." I say as I get off the bed.

She's about to respond when suddenly her eyes widen in shock. There's blood at the center of her forehead then she collapses onto the floor. I'm in shock myself and I can't move as I come face to face with him pointing the gun at me.

"Thank you. I have no use for you anymore." He says.

I have no desire to die plus there's no way I'm going to let him go. That's it. There's no two ways about it. I have to kill him. Ivy will hate me forever but at least she'll be alive. Which she won't be if he goes after her.

Maybe it's adrenaline because I'm pretty sure everything I did after Ash dropped dead is downright stupid. For starters, I rushed at him and barely managed to dodge the bullet he fired next. I wrestle the gun out of his hands and shoot at him. Nothing happens.

Jerk! Did he really think I would be that easy to take out? I mean, sure dude you're good. Everybody knows it but come on! It seriously pissed me off. Which is my justification for taking him on. I was annoyed and angry and pretty much running on adrenaline. I was like a powered up super bunny as I jumped around avoiding his blows whilst delivering my own.

I manage to find a broom, which I put into good use after I break off the lower half.  Honestly, the away I'm getting worked up you'll never guess that my last spree with him left me bruised and battered with a bullet hole and a sprained wrist. You'd think I'd put this into consideration. But no. I am not thinking at all so naturally things went south from the onset.

One, he was stronger than me, obviously. Secondly, he was smarter. Thirdly, did I mention I ended up hanging from my dead best friend's apartment window? He kicked me through it and given I was already at a disadvantage, it was bad. I may have cheated death once but I couldn't do it again. I've been terrified before but this was far worse than that. My brain froze for I knew he was going to push me off the edge.

"Don, please don't do this." I said with a pleading voice.

Not that it would help. Silly me. Why did I even bother? Except something happened. For a moment I saw a flash of recognition in his eyes. I wanted to believe in miracles. I really did, and maybe under other circumstances I would have. Right now, I was hanging from a fucking window. I had to get the hell out of there.

I pulled myself up and before I could change my mind, I kicked him in the balls. A dick move, I know but hey, whatever works, right? Lucky for me, this side of the city was never short of traffic. Please let it slow him down that I got into some random taxi.