Page 1 of One Eye Open (The BlackWater)

Maddie sat across the street, sipping her overpriced coffee and carefully, surreptitiously, watched as the target walked towards her. She had to bite back the smirk that threatened to erupt across her face because she’d only taken the case a month ago and in a short space had already managed to achieve what the previous company had failed to do in five years.

She’d located him. Tracked him down and now here he was plain as day, strolling along, oblivious to what was about to unfold.

“Ready when you are.” Hunter’s American lilt drawled into her ear through the tiny earpiece.

She nodded slightly knowing he would see it, took one final swig of her coffee and stood up, pulling a tourist map from her pocket and pretending that she was trying to figure out where she was, like she didn’t know.

Officially she wasn’t allowed to be involved, wasn’t allowed to even be there but when they’d offered her the chance she couldn’t turn it down.

The target walked past her and she got a waft of cigarette smoke mixed with a distinct hint of BO. She saw the agents moving from their positions, circling, waiting for the final tourists to get out of the way and then they pounced.

One man jumped him, bringing him quickly to the ground but the target responded just as he did so, throwing him off and springing to his feet before punching the second Agent as he tried to bring him down.

It felt like half the neighbourhood reacted, moving in as if the Agents were the ones in the wrong, as if the man they were trying to detain was innocent.

The target turned on his heel, sensing his opportunity to run and sprinted away and Maddie sprang after him even as the voice in her head told her she wasn’t allowed, that she was only observing, that she wasn’t meant to actually be involved.

And another voice told her her body wasn’t physically up to it either.

He was fast, nimble too, dodging all the bodies, dodging all the street vendors. Maddie pounded her arms, her feet slamming against the pavement, ignoring the dull ache already in her thigh. She was making gains, he was just within touching distance, she told herself and then he flung himself down a side alley.

She ran after him and he stopped turning to face her, seeing he was cornered.

“Games up.” She said narrowing her eyes but he just laughed.

“I eat little girls like you for breakfast.” He replied as if that was meant to somehow intimidate her.

“Sure you do. Just not today.” Maddie retorted.

He flung himself at her and she deflected, blocking his attack with one arm and slamming her fist into his side with the other. Then she kicked his legs out from under him with her good one, flipping his body and letting him slam hard into the concrete.

She rammed her knee into his back, yanking his arm round as he shouted out.

“What’s the matter Harrison? I thought you ate little girls like me for breakfast?” She taunted and he snarled but she pulled his arm up higher.

“Stop fucking moving.” She ordered glancing back to see when her supposed friends were going to make an appearance but her eyes fell on the cop instead.

“Let him go.” The cop ordered, gun pointed right at her.

“For fucksake.” Maddie muttered under her breath. “I work for BlackWater. This is an Interpol Suspect.” She stated but the cop just screwed his face up like none of the words she uttered meant anything to him.

“Let him go or I’ll shoot.” The cop stated.

“I’ve already been shot once this year so how about you put the gun down and just listen to what I’m saying?” She replied as the target fidgeted beneath her.

“She’s robbing me.” He yelled.

“Oh fuck off.” Maddie snapped at him.

“This is your last warning.” The cop said raising his gun right at her face.

“FBI.” Hunter yelled in his thick Texan accent, flashing his card and running in front of the officer. “Put your weapon down.” He ordered.

“About bloody time.” Maddie said.

“You weren’t supposed to be involved. I said observe only.” Hunter stated to her as he pulled his cuffs out and clicked them into place over the target’s wrists.

“Hey I just did what I had to. Your agents ballsed it up, I wasn’t about to lose him because you lot can’t cuff a man quick enough.” She stated and the other agents that had arrived started laughing.

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