With the table cleaned and the mugs washed, I resumed my spot at the front of the diner. Less than half an hour before Nina, my replacement, comes in. I busied myself with some last minute tasks, like emptying the trash.

Opening the back door, I tossed the bags into the alley before propping the door open with my makeshift doorstop, a scrap block of wood. The alley opened on one end to the street that runs by the diner and was closed on the other end where the metal trash bins were. I grabbed the bags off the ground and walked towards the bin. The alley was still dark with only the streetlamps illuminating the area. I opened the lid to one of the bins when I heard the creaking of a door. Spinning around, I groaned as I caught the sight of the door closing, effectively locking me out. Great, now I have to walk all the way around the building to get back in. I tossed the remaining bags in the bin and started my trek back.

Suddenly, a figure ran into the alley and pressed his back against the brick wall, his chest rising and falling. I spotted a gash on his forehead and blood pouring down the side of his face.

"Are you alright?" I called out to him, approaching cautiously as if I might frighten him like an injured animal. He turned and noticed me for the first time. Eyes wild, he rushed towards me. I managed to take several steps back, but I didn't make it far. He grabbed me roughly by the shoulder and pulled me back against his chest. Panic flared through my veins, settling in my stomach as I struggled against his hold. He spun us toward the mouth of the alley just as another person rounded the corner.

The man holding me snaked an arm around my chest and something cold and sharp pressed against my neck. A knife, my breath caught in my throat. "Stay back!" The man shouted, tightening his hold on me. 

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to bring a knife to a gunfight?" A familiar voice greeted my ears and the man in front of us took a step closer. You have got to be kidding me. My eyes met a pair of raging gray ones and yet he had a cruel smile on his face. His leather jacket was torn in several places, and his jeans were stained with dirt and blood.

The man pressed his knife threateningly against my throat and I felt a small trickle of blood run down my neck. Yep, this uniform is definitely ruined. Shut up, I scolded myself. Now was not the time.

"I'll slit her throat if you come any closer." The man's voice cracked in fright.

"Go ahead. Do you really think I care about one innocent life, Ivan?"

I could feel the fear rolling off the man, Ivan, in droves. His hold across my chest tensed, making it harder for me to breathe. A knot formed in my chest. I watched the man in front of us as he stalked towards us like a predator closing in on his prey. I saw the gun in his hand when it caught the light from a streetlamp. His eyes made contact with my own for a brief second before flashing to the knife at my neck and then back to Ivan.

Ivan and the man stood off against one another, waging a silent battle. I'd bet the hundred-dollar bill in my apron pocket that Ivan won't be walking out of this alley tonight. Neither will you, a voice in my head taunted. Again, I told myself to shut up.

The man's eyes flickered somewhere behind us just before the creak of a door reached my ears. Ivan barely had time to lower his knife before he dropped to the ground with a thump, the arm around me dragging me with him with a yelp of surprise.

As I untangled myself from Ivan's unconscious body, at least I hope he's just unconscious, a hand was thrust in front of my face. I eyed the weapon in his other hand as I helped myself to my feet unassisted. The gray eyed man just grunted in response, hand dropping back to his side. My hand instinctively traveled to my neck, checking that my throat had indeed not been slit. Satisfied that I was still alive, I eyed Ivan's prone body. While I couldn't see any fatal wounds, it's still unclear whether he was-

"He's just knocked out. For now." I regarded the blonde male behind me with narrowed eyes. In one hand was a gun and in the other was the -now bloodstained- block of wood I used earlier to hold the door. I wasn't sure whether I should thank him or run away. Apparently neither.

"Did you go through the diner?" 

Blondie shrugged his shoulders, mischievous blue eyes falling on me. "There was no one in there." He held my gaze as if daring me to say something, but with the two weapons in his hands I decided against it.

"What did I say about being careful?" The voice was close behind me and I whirled around. We were barely a foot apart, our breaths mixing in the cool morning air. When did he get so close? His face was the picture of calm and his eyes didn't give anything away either, making him impossible to read. 

"Yeah, I should've mentioned I don't follow orders well." I breathlessly replied. He smelled of pine and mint. I could also see that his eyes were not only gray, but also held specks of gold and brown in them. I mentally shook my head, realizing that I was ogling this man. "Well, thanks for saving me and all, but I really should be getting back."

I tried to step around him, but he used his larger build to block my path to the street. I moved to go around the other way but Blondie stepped up next to me. My only other option was the dead end of the alley to my left and the wall behind me. I looked to the ground, taking a deep breath in and slowly exhaling through my nose.

"You know I can't let you go, right?" The man asked, voice gentler than I was expecting it to be. I looked up and he was staring right at me, eyes uncharacteristically kind. I nod slowly, whispering, "Go ahead."

His eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly composed himself. He glanced briefly at Blondie, and it's all the distraction I needed. I squeezed through the gap between the man and the wall and caught them by surprise, shoving them into each other and lending me a few precious seconds headstart. Instead of turning left to the diner, which they have no qualms about bursting in, I turned right and ran as fast as my legs would carry me. My apartment building wasn't far off down the road. I sent up a silent thank you to the landlord for installing the keyless entry a few months ago. 

I could barely hear their footsteps pounding the sidewalk behind me over my own thumping heart. I took the next corner fast and turned down a narrow alley that led out to the street on the other side. I've lived here barely over three years and I knew these alleys like the back of my hand. They had no chance on my home turf.

The footsteps behind me faded until I couldn't hear them anymore, and I decided to risk a glance over my shoulder. All I saw was an empty alleyway, and I almost stopped to catch my breath but some undeniable instinct kept my feet moving.

I ran out of the alley and collided into someone walking down the sidewalk. We hit the ground hard and rolled to a stop with me on top of the person. I glanced down and immediately wished I hadn't. A pair of familiar ebony eyes looked at me in shock before registering who I was. I scrambled to get up, but he grabbed my wrists, hauling me to my feet. 

Henchmen number three shoved me back into the alley I just came from, pulling a gun from his belt and aiming it at me. The hint was clear, keep my mouth shut. I clenched my jaw as he grabbed his cell phone with his other hand, speaking softly and never taking his eyes off me. "I've found her."

It wasn't five minutes before a black sedan pulled up to the curb next to the alley. I could barely make out Blondie in the driver's seat, and as we got closer, the passenger door opened and out stepped Mr. Tall, Dark and Brooding.

"Thank you, Izaha." He nodded to the man. Izaha, holding my arm, let go and rounded the car to the passenger seat. Before I could even take a step, I was grabbed again and thrust into the backseat of the car. I subtly tried the door handle but it wouldn't budge.

"Did you really think it would open?" The man beside me tusked as the car lurched forward, speeding away from the curb. I glared at him from the corner of my eye, but either he didn't notice or he didn't care. I'm just glad they've put away their guns. For now.

"What, you're not going to throw me in the trunk like in the movies?"

The man snorted before replying, "Unless you want to room with our friend Ivan." When my face paled, he added. "Didn't think so." I crossed my arms and stared out the window. 

We drove out of the city, which didn't take long. Black Wolf was on the outer edge of Chicago. It was only when the street lamps started flickering off that I noticed movement in my peripheral. The man was drawing some liquid out of a bottle with a syringe and I had a bad feeling about it.

"What are you doing?" My voice came out as a whisper as he emptied the vial, tossing it on the floor. 

"Just a precaution." His gray eyes settled on me and he reached for my arm. I moved out of reach and pressed myself against the car door, as far from him as I could get. He only raised his eyebrows in response as he reached out again.

Almost dying. Sure. Getting kidnapped. Sure. Being drugged. Apparently, that was the last straw. My arms started flailing against him when he shifted closer to me although he deflected each hit as if swatting a fly.

"Would you rather me shoot you instead?" He pulled a gun from his waistband causing me to freeze. I glared at him, crossing my arms over my chest before murmuring, "Fine."

"What was that?" He leaned closer until his face was just inches from mine, his breath spanning across my neck. It took me a full two seconds before I could find my voice again.

"Fine." I snapped at him. "Just shoot me up with whatever the hell that is." I turned my head to look out the window so I wouldn't have to watch. 

"It's just a sedative." He whispered as he gently grabbed my arm. "It'll knock you out for a few hours while we drive." I flinched as the needle stabbed into the flesh of my arm but as quickly as it went in, it was gone.

Curiosity got the better of me and I turned my head to look at my arm. There was a small droplet of blood forming but it kept shifting in and out of focus. A weight settled over my chest as my head lolled to the side.

"It'll be okay." A voice whispered just as my eyes slipped closed.