My eyes open slowly, everything in view is still a little fuzzy. Somehow I've ended up in the back, with the seat above me and I’m sprawled out right under it, a groan escapes me as I move my aching body up to a sitting position. I snap my neck up without thinking as I hear her voice, call out my name in panic. I blink a couple of times, as I try to focus my vision. I just know that the fucker or fuckers that were chasing us, are only a couple of feet away, and we have to get the hell out of here. “Crystal?” I mumble.

“Jack. What the hell...” there are tears streaming down her face, hell more than I’ve seen, since I met her. The only difference is that, this time I’m not annoyed at all by the waterworks, for once I understand her reasons. I reach over to the front and tug at the door, once, then again, but it doesn’t even budge. Then I watch as she bites her lip and tugs at hers “Nothing…” she looks at me, the panic still visible in her face.

Without thinking I yank her to the back seat with me, as a yelp escapes her lips and she’s suddenly on top of me, this all sounds like it’s happening really fucking slow, but it’s not. I am more than sure that someone is waiting a couple of feet, hell maybe inches from the car, ready to blow our brains out. I pull her to the side as I kick out the back window.

I’m not to sure where the hell these people are, so I decide to crawl out first. I take a deep breath and make my way out of the mangled car. I look around, but I see nothing, just the smoke escaping the car and it’s tires looking up towards the sky. “Come on Crystal we gotta…” I watch her on all fours as she starts to crawl out, then she looks passed me in horror.

“Jack…” I hear as someone cocks a gun “You scrawny little bastard, you’ve got nine fucking lives…dontcha.” My eyes narrow and I don’t bother turning around, I’d know that motherfucker’s voice anywhere!

I close my eyes, I’ve got to think fast, the kid is still on all fours frozen in place, with a look, I can’t even make out. This bastard is known for his aim. I want to lock eyes with the her, I don’t want her playing no fucking hero, she has no idea who she’s up against. “Don send you?” I question, still staring at the upside down car.

“Does it matter? You’re a dead man, one way or the other.” I can already see the smirk on his god damn face, that bastard is known for his sarcasm. He’s those type that let you know your going to die, watches you as you squirm, then blows your brains out.

Just as I take a deep breath and spin around. I see Crystal reach out, wrapping both small hands around Meyer’s thick ankle. He’s caught off guard and goes tumbling backwards, falling on his back, with a thump. His gun goes off, sending an echo ringing in my ear.

There is no time to waste, I quickly jump on him, struggling to take the gun from him. He grunts and fights me off, this man is three times my size, he’s a big motherfucker. Ow fuck! Just confirmed that, with a swing of his arm, he's knocks me off and into the dirt. I look around and notice that Crystal is hiding on the side of the car, my envelope in one hand and my bag of weapons in the other. I wonder if she knows what’s even in there, not that the girl would kill a fly.

I spot the gun over Meyer’s head, right at the same time he does. With a loud huff, he turns himself around and we both scurry towards the gun picking up a cloud of dirt around us. We both fumble around for it, then finally my fingers grip the handle and I point it right in his face.

“Whoa kid” he lifts his hands up to shield himself, like that shit will help him. “Jack…just calm down we can always talk this shit over. I was just sent to do my job.”

Funny, how he’s suddenly become a chicken shit, when the tables are turned. “Get up you fat fuck.” I always wanted to call him that. He glares at me, and quite frankly I must admit…now don’t even snicker…but he freaks me the fuck out. One punch from him and I'd be knocked out for days.

He slowly gets up, his hands still up, black suit full of dirt, I know he’s dying to dust himself off. “Listen…Jack…”

“Jack…” I hear her voice, full of panic, causing Meyers and I to both turn for a split second. We see the car that has suddenly burst into flames, I know the damn thing will explode any minute. My thoughts are interrupted by Meyer’s, barreling into me, my back landing on the rocky gravel and my head hitting against the car, shit feels like it split right open.

He holds me down with his fat ass body and grabs my neck, slamming my head against the car once again. “You throw everything away for a piece of ass, Jack. I thought you knew better, than that.” His grip tightens around my neck "You forgot the rules, Jack. Don't fall in love with the target."

I choke on my words "She...is...n't...the...tar...get...you...fu...ck" My hand searches blindly for the gun, I know the kid is watching, but if he kills me, he'll kill her next and I can't allow that to happen. One of my hands fights to pry Meyer's fingers from around my neck and the other one gropes the dirt in a effort to find the gun's handle. Got it!

Even though I've started to feel lightheaded, without thinking it twice, I dig the nuzzle into the bastards chest. Then I pull the trigger once, then again.

His eyes roll to the back of his head, the grip on my neck loosens slowly as I let out a couple of gasps for air. His body falls backwards, back onto the ground, I see his chest still moving. I'm livid, this bastard just tried to kill me, and I'm more than sure that Don sent him. I'll send a message to Don, don't fuck with me. I stand up, the gun pointed at Meyer's head, who squirms in pain, like a fucking worm.

"Your...gonna...die any...way...Jack. They are gonna...hunt...you..." he chokes.

 I cut him off before he can continue, the kid has heard and seen to much for today, "Rule number four...two assassins equals one motherfucker. I'll see you in hell Meyer's." Boom...I let him have one right in the forehead, his blood spatters on my clothes and some on my face. Boom, another one, he's a big fucker, he might get back up.

"Jack...you just...killed..." Crystal mumbles, her hand over her mouth. I can hear the terror in her voice.

I turn to look at her and she flinches at the sight "I had too. He would have killed us both." I lie, and she nods in acceptance, her eyes still wide and her mouth slightly open in shock. "Come, this shit should have exploded a while ago" she still stands, immobile. "Come on kid..." I take my bag, yank her arm and make way, down the small hill.

After what feels like a damn eternity, we reach a small suburban area. I don't see a motel...anything in sight, but houses. "Jack, there is nothing here, but houses."

No shit shirlock! "Yeah...listen. I have to clean up or no one is going to let us into their house."

She points over to a house with a hose in the driveway "Here I'll turn it on and you wash off...the...bloo...blood." she stutters on the word 'blood'. I watch her as she runs to the side of the house and turns on the hose.

The water spews out of the hose and I take a scoop, splashing the coldness all over my face and arms, I whistle at her that I'm all set and I watch her jog back to me as I rummage my bag, I pull on a regular T-shirt. "Uh...we can knock on someone's door and...we could tell them that..." I never ask anyone for help, so I'm not sure what the hell I would say in this case, I hope she has some ideas.

She grins "Um...we can say that...our car broke down and we got mugged." I join her in the grinning, when I really want to laugh, I wonder what dumbass will believe that.

A bit later, we enter a really cozy house, nothing like I've seen before. Everything in the house is as old as the owners. It smells like...uh...cookies and old people. What house smells like fucking cookies? "I only have a spare room, but your more than welcome to it. I hope that you can get some rest." the older woman flashes us the warmest smile I've ever seen. So I can't help, but force myself to smile back, although I didn't really have to force myself. What the fuck? "Good Night." she disappears down the hall.

We walk into a generic room, with ivory walls, a beige comforter, a lamp, and a dresser nothing fancy. It almost looks like a motel room, hell it even has it's own bathroom. "Do you mind if I go first?" she asks, her face has lost all the color, her hair is in disarray and her clothes are all dirty. I nod, I know that she's dying to ask me a ton of questions, now I have to decide if I'm going to answer them or not.

"No, you go ahead." she holds the side of her thigh and let's out a small moan. "Are you alright?" I ask getting closer to her, but she quickly moves back.

"I'm fine...um...can I bother you with one more thing?" she asks, still keeping a distance, which bothers me a bit. Is she afraid of me now? I shouldn't give a shit, but I do.

I raise a brow "What is it?"

"Can I borrow something to wear...I kinda forgot my bag..."

"Oh sure..." I rummage through the bag, hoping that nothing pops or falls out of it, that isn't supposed to. I find a black T-shirt "That's all I have..." I toss it at her.

She catches it and shrugs "That's fine, thanks." she turns around and walks into the bathroom.

My head is spinning and it wont stop, even when I hold it in my hands. I have so many thoughts and questions running through my mind, that I start to feel a heavy pounding on my temples. Did Don find out about Miller already and that's why he sent Meyer's? What if this had nothing to do with that? Why is Howie trying to kill Crystal? All those are important questions to me, but the one that is really killing me is....Why would Don hide my real name from me?

Alexander James Mclean. My mind screams it, but I just can't adjust.

I find myself sitting on the edge of the bed, I know that some of my answers are in the envelope in my hands. Could there be anything worse from my past, than being forbidden to know your own real name? I highly doubt it, I stare at the envelope, my fingers ready to break open the truth. Well...there is only one way to find out.