Chapter 31

Her legs on the verge of giving out, Susan slumped down beside Elijah. He propped himself up on his elbows, breathing hard. Groaning, he prodded at his chest. "Thrice lucky," he muttered. "Somebody up there likes me."

Susan laughed, half in relief and half in mania. She realized she was still holding onto his hand and gave it a squeeze. "I'm sorry," she said. "Maybe this is what trying to love me is like."

"I'll take it," Elijah said.

Susan leaned against him, slipped an arm around his waist, and felt him wrap an arm around her shoulders. She leaned her head against his, reveling in the warmth of the contact against the cold. Closing her eyes for a moment, she let the thrill of surviving fill her. "You came for me," she whispered over the crackling of the flames.

"Did you think I wouldn't?"

"I didn't think you could," Susan said. "How the hell did you even find this place? How'd you know where I was?"

Elijah explained the Continental's involvement.

"And you just rushed off after me?"

"After buying some explosives." He chuckled, and then groaned painfully. "Ow. What do you say we get out of here?"

"Tell me you have a car nearby."

"I rode a bus here, actually." Elijah grinned at the look she gave him, and Susan felt herself return it. I'm definitely screwed up something serious, she thought. Here they were, surrounded by carnage. But she was happy, damn it. At that moment it all just felt so… right.

Laboriously they climbed to their feet. She wrapped an arm around his waist as they started away from the scene, moving slowly and tiredly. Susan felt his weight against her side and knew that she was leaning on Elijah just as much as he was her.

It was over. They just had to make it to Elijah's car and-

Harsh white light flooded over them. It came from a trio of vehicles barreling down the street towards them.

"That can't be good," Elijah muttered as the cars, a trio of gray SUVs, pulled to a halt in a rough semi-circle around the staggering assassins.

Susan wished she had her weapons, but realized that would change nothing as car doors opened and grim-faced Chinese men poured out and leveled SMGs at them. Silver Mountain. She felt Elijah tighten his grip around her waist and shift the sword he held in his other hand.

The rear door of the center car opened and Xiao Ma emerged, facing off to the side. The porcelain beauty had her phone to her ear. "…yes, that is correct. I will require a substantial dinner reservation." She paused. "That is yet to be determined." She paused again, and then turned to face Susan and Elijah, meeting their gazes. "I shall call again in a little while to confirm the final count."

Of course the universe would mock them like this. Susan blew out a tired breath as Xiao Ma put the phone away and brushed a hand down the side of her winter coat like she was wiping away a speck of dust. The Silver Mountain lady clicked her tongue and said something in Chinese. Susan felt Elijah tense against her.

"What do we have here?" Xiao Ma said. "How odd, Wu-cike, that you would profess a desire to wash your hands in the golden basin, and yet…" She gestured at the flaming wrecks and building behind them. "If this is your idea of a quiet life, I would say you needn't bother retiring." Then she lifted one eyebrow at Susan. "And to find you in the arms of Miss Rizzi; I should be affronted."

"What are you doing here, Xiao Ma?" said Elijah wearily.

Xiao Ma ran a finger idly across the hood of her car. "Eighth Tiger was dissatisfied with your lack of progress, compared with your previous work. He tasked me with investigating what could be the matter. I cannot take credit for it; others reached out to me with information. Imagine my surprise to discover the oh-so proper and professional Wu-cike rutting like an animal – with his target."

One of the Silver Mountain men to the side said something in Chinese and Xiao Ma laughed. "Indeed. It appears he found a pretty lady for himself after all."

"Looks like the Eye sold us both out," Susan muttered to Elijah.

"Oh yes," Xiao Ma said, stepping closer. "They are delightfully mercenary in their ways. Unlike, say, the Continental. One must admire the management's commitments to its principles, but it does make business difficult at times." She looked over at Susan. "Tell me: did you enjoy yourself? It looked like you were having fun."

Elijah's blade twitched and the Silver Mountain personnel raised their weapons.

"Funny thing," said Susan. "You're the second person I've had this conversation with today. The first is dead."

Xiao Ma laughed. "I think, in another world, we might have been friends, Miss Rizzi. And you, Wu-cike. I was having you followed. Then suddenly off you go, charging to the outskirts of the city. The curiosity overcame me."

"Your little war is over," Elijah said. "It ended here tonight. And we're out."

"Are you, now?"

"Fabbro's dead," said Susan.

The smirk on Xiao Ma's face froze. She looked over to her left and gave some orders in Chinese. Two men left the cordon of vehicles and hurried towards the former hospital. "You hope to buy off your fates in this way?"

"Hasn't there been enough bloodshed?" Elijah asked, but to Susan he sounded resigned and weary – not hard to see why given their situation.

"There is the matter of your contracts," Xiao Ma said with all the unconcern of ordering a coffee. She appeared to be content to wait, wrapping her coat tighter against herself as she stared at Susan remorselessly. The assassin shivered; the cold seeped in through her torn clothes and even Elijah's presence could only do so much. They waited in silence until the men returned – one moved across to Xiao Ma and spoke quietly in her ear.

"How very interesting," Xiao Ma said. "You were truthful in this regard. Tell me: whose hand ended Fabbro's life?"

"Does it matter?" Susan said.

"Indulge me. It can't hurt your chances, after all."

"Susan killed Fabbro," said Elijah. "She won your war for you."

"What is this? Have you resorted to begging now?"

"If you want to censure me for breach of contract, fine. Just let her go. She's-"

"That's not happening!" Susan said. "I haven't come all this way just to lose you now."

"You are hardly in a position to prevent it," said Xiao Ma, pacing back and forth before holding in front of them. "I haven't anything against you personally, Miss Rizzi, though you did try to kill me once. That was merely business. So is this."

"It's going to get personal if you try anything," Susan replied.

Xiao Ma glanced around at her men pointedly. "'Try'?"

Susan stared silently at her.

"You are both wounded and spent. Why persist with this? There can be only one outcome."

"If you want him, you'll have to go through me."

Xiao Ma tilted her head to the side. "Why? What is this outcast to you?"

"You're really going to make me say it, aren't you?" Susan felt the corner of her lip tug upwards as she tightened her arm around Elijah's side.

"Words have power, Miss Rizzi."

And they were going to die in the next few minutes. It wasn't like she would be getting another chance. She felt the old aversions, the old barriers, start to rise up – and then crumble down. A warmth that had nothing to do with the physical temperature flickered in her heart. For once, she wanted – she needed – to be open. Honest. Vulnerable.

Susan pressed her head against Elijah's. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you," he murmured back.

Xiao Ma clapped her hands twice. "How very touching. But as I've said, there remains the matter of your contracts."

Susan tensed, digging deep for her reserves. Xiao Ma was right: any fight here would have only one outcome. But she'd make them work for it – and Xiao Ma stood closest. Her mistake.

The Silver Mountain lady raised a hand – and then stepped aside. "I understand the benefit you've rendered the Silver Mountain. It would be… unbecoming to act against that here."

"You're- What?" Elijah shifted against her, his weight against Susan a constant pressure.

"As you said, you're out." Xiao Ma gestured past herself towards the lights of the city. "You're free to leave here."

"Why?" Susan asked, her innards churning. "It's never that easy. What's your game?"

"Shall we call it a desire to see what happens next? The last time a renowned cike washed his hands in the golden basin, the result was… all this. Mister Wick has left no small measure of disturbance in his wake, no? Admittedly, it took several years for him to ignite things again, but when he did…" She took a deep, happy breath. "Oh, it was glorious."

"You just want to watch the chaos?"

Xiao Ma inclined her head once. "Chaos breeds opportunity. I am quite content to use you in such a manner. Of course, Eighth Tiger is unlikely to see it that way. He will desire action against the both of you."

"Of course he will," said Elijah.

"We will clean this mess up," Xiao Ma said, nodding at the site behind them. The Silver Mountain men broke around them and moved past, none of them exactly turning their backs on the pair but also giving them space. "And then I shall return to Eighth Tiger and make my report. At that time, there will be contracts placed upon both of you, for the duration of one week upon their opening. After that, the Silver Mountain Society will have considered both of you as having washed your hands in the golden basin – and everything that entails. Assuming, of course, that you survive."

"Very generous of you," Susan said.

"Yes, I thought so myself." Xiao Ma gestured past towards again with one hand. "I suggest you not linger in the city. You're about to become uncomfortably desirable for a while." When the pair didn't move she quirked one corner of her lips downward. "My offer will not stand forever."

Elijah's hand tightened around Susan's side. "We'd better move," he muttered.

They started off, slow and shuffling. As they walked past the cars Susan turned her head to regard the other woman. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Xiao Ma gave her an odd little smile. "Be seeing you both."

Heading for his car, Elijah sheathed his sword as they moved away and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Susan sank into the warmth, her heart racing. She felt a sudden desire to laugh deliriously. They were out. They were together.

"We have contracts on us now," Elijah said, as if he'd read her mind.

"I'm sorry about-"

"Don't be," he said. "I always figured it was inevitable, given our life choices."

"Yeah, I've made some pretty lousy ones." Susan reached up and took his hand, gave it a squeeze. "I don't think being with you is one of them. Anyone wants to fulfill the contracts, bring them on. We'll face them together."

"Together," Elijah said. "Not something I'm used to."

"Think you could get used to it?"

"With you?" He let out a shaky breath. "Yes, I think I could."

"If only because you need somebody to watch your back when the hunters looking to fulfill the contract come along?"

"We work well together."

"Yes, we do."

"Except for that time you shot me."

"Or that time you threw me out a window." Susan chuckled and kissed his cheek. "It worked out."

"It did." Elijah sighed. "Whatever happens, I love you."

"I love you," she said, then, "I'm really not used to saying that."

"Me neither," he admitted. "But I look forward to growing used to it."

"Honestly, that idea scares me more than surviving a contract."

"Yeah, me too." Elijah sighed, shifted. He brushed a thumb over Susan's shoulder. "You getting second thoughts about all this?"

"Hell no. I just don't know how to do this."

"We'll figure it out. Somehow."

Out in the distance, the lights of the city glittered like a multi-faceted beacon. The sky was a hazy darkness, all gathering clouds heavy and swollen with the promise of snow. Another cold front was coming in, heralding a winter storm that threatened to cover the city. Susan took a deep breath, savoring the sting of the chill in her lungs. "Yes. Yes we will."

"Come on," Elijah said. "Let's go home." He paused, chuckled. "Not that I have one."

"Me neither," said Susan. "But that's alright. We'll make one; I have you."

Elijah took her hand, intertwining their fingers together. "Yes. You do."

"I told you once that loneliness is a choice," Susan said. The cold, the pain, the exhaustion - none of that could dampen the prospect of something new beginning and the fierce joy welling up within her. "I'm no longer alone."

The End