DATE EDITED: 7/13/2017

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"Holy jazz!" I yelped, ducking for cover when bullets were traded from both sides... with me conveniently in the crossfire in the middle of the moldy alleyway. The police had cornered down the terrorists who had set a bomb in the halls of the London museum showcasing the Phantomhive artifacts from hundreds of years ago. They had wounded 13 people in the explosion and nearly caused the whole museum to collapse.

If I hadn't warned the police, the situation would be worse like a hostage situation or mass death tally, so you would think Lady Fate would give me a break or something. Instead, it seems that I completely ruined her fun and she's taking out her anger on me once again.

Really, it was all just luck and my own paranoia after years of somehow ending up in bad situations between criminals and police or government agents, so even their careful planning and subtle hints were as obvious as a blaring neon sign. The instant I recognized their pointed gestures and communication as malicious, I instinctively made in a call to the local police.

Now, since you don't know me, I'll explain. I had the amazing, coveted ability to be in near death situations repeatedly yet miraculously escape with only the occasional heavy injuries.

Yay.

That now brings us to the unfortunate secondary gift. Every time, every single flipping time, I wind up wherever criminals or crimes occur so this was just another one of those times. I was sprinting away aimlessly and, with practiced and experienced ease, I dodged through the panicked crowd into a narrow dark alleyway that I assumed would be safer than being trampled over. Hoping to find a good place to hide so I wouldn't be caught in more trouble, I continued down the alleyway.

Then ran smack dab into the crossfire. Me being an unimportant civilian, I had gone unnoticed in all the chaos and therefore, they shot at the terrorists without knowledge of my being there. I was just another suspicious shadow, and since I was just visiting this country and the local police didn't know of my "reputation" as my country did, they might assume I was with the terrorists.

Lady luck loves to kick my ass in the right moments, doesn't she?

The alleyway I was hiding in was evidently too narrow for the criminals to escape through so they were effectively trapped with nothing up a large metal garbage container to cover for them. I almost felt sorry for the poor bastards, as pity for their stupidity. Seriously, who plants a bomb and escapes without knowing the city escape routes?

That pity faded the moment a round from their pistol ripped through my leg. Nothing would make me happier to see them beg for mercy as I forced them to watch the Teletubbies. Unfortunately, I was not in the law enforcement and neither was I allowed to make such decisions. But seeing as it is a stalemate, with the terrorists having the advantage of the fully automatic machine guns, but the police with the advantage of having them trapped, I can help arrest these fools.

I clutched my leg, discovering the evil silver bullet a few feet from me. The bullet had gone straight through my leg and out the other side. I tugged off my jacket and tore at the fabric, wrapping it around the wound tightly and wincing at the pain. With a sharp inhale, I used the wall to help pull me up and leaned against it.

I waited until one of the four terrorists stopped to reload and spun out of the alleyway, making sure the others were still focused on the police to act. Holding part of my white sweater to use as a flag of surrender to the police so that they didn't shot me too, I flung myself over garbage bin they used as cover. Landing on my good leg, keeping the other in the air, I grinned wildly at their stunned and confused expressions.

"Consider this payback for ruining my day, bitches!" I pushed aside the barrel of the gun into the closest terrorist's face, kicking his feet from under him and swiftly punching him in the temple to knock him out as I pulled the fun out of his hands.

I twirled around, jumped forward and roundhouse kicked another terrorist into his friend, pinning them to the back of the garbage bin and jabbed a finger in between his collarbone, effectively chocking him. I yanked at the terrorist's arm, using him as a human shield from the last one who tried to shoot at me. Aiming under my human shield's arm, I shot their legs and dropped my stolen gun once the last idiot fell to the floor groaning in pain with the others.

I stretched my arms and sat heavily on my butt as the police swarmed the area, sighing before smiling widely at the gawking police officers. "A bunch of freaken trouble… what was the point of this, absolutely no profit. I mean, bank robing or something but no, go for the museum that has done nothing to you and has nothing for you. Idiots." I grumbled under my breath, dragging my dirt-smudged sweater and using the cleaner side to wipe off my sweat.

The police were uncertain what to do but their superior officer quickly pushed them aside to pull me onto my feet. The nice older man frowned disapprovingly at me, as if I had willingly brought this situation upon myself. That didn't stop him from pulling off his coat and placing it around my shoulders like a gentleman.

"Thanks, but I think I'll need to get this stitched." I said pointing to my wound that was gushing blood. Blood dried on my knuckles and I brushed my hands off on my shorts, raking a hand through my messed up black hair. I pulled it to the side, tying it into a lose side pony tail and handed the terrorists guns to the police officers.

"Ma'am, I'll need-"

"Sorry for interrupting, but I already know what you need. Name, Azure Lynch. Age, thirteen. American citizen here for a two-week vacation with my Gran and we are currently staying at the Marriot hotel. I was visiting the Phantomhive museum because I love history and was the one to make the call about suspicious activity and possible bomb threat." I paused to take in a deep breath, aware of how the sheriff was already writing everything down with a familiar look of exasperation but appreciation. I went on to recount the bombing and my inconvenient participation in the fight.

The ambulances that arrived on scene were helping all the injured, one was called over to clean my bullet wounds and the wounded taskforce. The criminals were handcuffed and shoved into police cruisers where they vanished off past the corner of the London buildings and traffic. I repeated my involvement a few more times to other detectives and even London's government agents because the bomb was a terrorist attack, but I was eventually given a ride home in the passenger seat of the sheriff's cruiser.

Now exhausted and my throat somewhat sore from speaking and yelling, I hoarsely thanked the man who reminded me vaguely of Sheriff Stilinski from Teen Wolf and entered the hotel. The hotel staff immediately attended me, some even hugging me and giving me treats because I resembled a tired and hurt kitten that screamed for some love and nurture. After I escaped their clutches, I made my way to my hotel room and unlocked the door with the key card and shut it behind me, calling out "I'm home".

My Gran appeared a second later, with a raised eyebrow as she peered around the corner in her nightgown with her spectacles on her nose. I smiled sheepishly, trudging over to accept her bear hug. she must have heard what happened on TV and knew I would be involved. That and the police had called to confirm my stay at the hotel to inform her what her granddaughter was up too.

Grandma rolled her eyes and sighed heavily, "Really, child. You worry me too much. Even in another country I can't keep you from trouble."

"Sorry Gran, you know I try. Both you and I don't want all this, all it does is make more hospital bills for you and weird interrogations from the police." She smacked the back of my head lightly, pinching my ear as she pulled me to the table and placed a big plate of mac and cheese in front of me.

"None of that matters. I'm just a rich little old lady with too much time on her hands. At least I can mess with those handsome young police men and tell them all about my troublesome little granddaughter who has saved so many lives. Even if it's on accident or being at the right place at the right time." She brushed my frizzy black hair, fingers trailing over to the cuts on my face. "I heard you knocked out the terrorists." She said, raising her eyebrow again.

"Well, after they so brutally shot my leg, yelling 'Die, bitch-" Gran hit me upside the head cutting me off and rolled her eyes.

"They didn't know you were there, the police or the terrorists." She told me, with a knowing look in her eyes. "Good job. Though… it would be better if you don't get hurt all the time, or sometimes get caught by the police or catch the jail on fire."

"I only did that twice!" I defended, throwing my hands up for mercy. "Some criminals in there had a match, though it would be funny to hit on me. Wasn't so funny when they had a nap and I torched their hair off." I grinned mischievously, bouncing on in place. Gran rolled her eyes and shoved me back onto the chair.

"Get to bed once you're finished eating, brat. And take a bath, you stink." She got up and left, no doubt to return to whatever soap opera show she was watching before. She paused in the kitchen doorway but didn't look back. "I love you, Azure. Don't you ever believe you are a burden, you've lightened up my life more than you could ever know."

Turning back to the food, I quickly ate before my stomach would resort to eating me instead. Gran's homemade mac and cheese always had that flavor that I could never replicate but made it so much better. I didn't know at the time, but that was the last time I would ever eat it or even see my Grandma again.

Instead I was blissfully ignorant, content to shower off the dirt and grime of today and sleep in the comfortable twin sized bed. Closing my eyes and letting my mind drift and relax.

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Yeah, if you're reading this recently, I made a lot of changes. Seeing as I first started this story in 2013, I've recently decided that I REALLY needed to edit this. My writing style has changed and hopefully my improved skill isn't just my imagination so I didn't want to just leave this as it was and ignore it. I wanted to make it better and more realistic for you guys.

I'll be editing all the other chapters as well, so just be patient. If anyone is just now reading this story and confused by the jump from this chapter to the others, know that I will fix it soon.

If you enjoyed, I'd love to get a comment from you.