The List That Shouldn’t Exist

Kai didn’t lower the gun.

But he didn’t fire either.

Rain hit the paper in his hand, ink smudging slightly at the edges—but the words were already burned into his mind.

Target: Kai Mori

Status: Active

Impossible.

Kai’s grip tightened.

“This is fake,” he said coldly.

Mara didn’t argue.

“That’s what I thought when I first saw it too.”

His eyes snapped back to her.

“You’ve had this?”

“For a while.”

“Then why are you still alive?”

A small pause.

“Same reason you are,” she said. “Because something about this doesn’t make sense.”

Kai stepped closer, closing the distance between them.

Danger returned to the air.

“Who gave you this?”

Mara hesitated.

Not fear.

Calculation.

“That’s complicated.”

“Make it simple.”

She met his eyes directly.

“I stole it.”

Silence.

Kai studied her again—really studied her.

Not just her posture. Not just her calm.

But the gaps.

The parts that didn’t fit.

“You’re not just some random target,” he said.

“No,” she replied.

“I figured.”

Rain grew heavier, drumming against the pavement like a countdown.

Kai lowered the gun—slightly.

Not enough to be safe.

Just enough to think.

“If this is real…” he muttered, glancing at the paper again, “…then someone wants me dead.”

Mara gave a dry laugh.

“Welcome to the list.”

Kai looked up sharply.

“There’s more?”

She nodded once.

“A lot more.”

A cold realization crept in.

This wasn’t a single job.

This was something bigger.

Something planned.

“Why me?” he asked.

Mara’s expression shifted—subtle, but real.

“That’s the same question I’ve been asking.”

Kai folded the paper slowly, slipping it into his pocket.

“Start talking,” he said.

“Or I walk away, finish the job later, and figure it out without you.”

Mara crossed her arms.

“You won’t.”

“Try me.”

“You already had your chance,” she said. “Back at the café.”

That hit again.

Kai exhaled through his nose, irritation flickering.

“Don’t push your luck.”

“I’m not,” she replied calmly. “I’m surviving.”

A beat passed.

Then—

Footsteps.

Faint.

Behind them.

Both of them reacted instantly.

Kai turned, hand snapping back to his weapon.

Mara stepped back, eyes sharp now—entirely different from before.

Not calm anymore.

Ready.

From the shadows at the end of the street, a figure emerged.

Tall.

Covered in a dark coat.

Face hidden beneath a hood.

Then another.

And another.

Three in total.

They moved slowly.

Confident.

Like they already knew the outcome.

Kai’s expression darkened.

“Company,” he muttered.

Mara didn’t look surprised.

“They’re fast,” she said quietly.

“You knew this would happen?”

“I was hoping it wouldn’t be tonight.”

Kai almost laughed.

“Yeah. Me too.”

The three figures stopped a few meters away.

One of them tilted their head slightly.

Then spoke.

“You took longer than expected, Kai.”

Kai’s grip tightened.

They knew his name.

Of course they did.

“We’ll handle it from here,” the figure continued. “Step aside.”

Kai didn’t move.

“I don’t take orders from ghosts,” he said.

A faint chuckle came from beneath the hood.

“You’re not in a position to refuse.”

The other two shifted slightly—spreading out.

Flanking.

Professional.

Assassins.

Kai’s eyes flicked between them, calculating distances, angles, and timing.

Three targets.

Close range.

Rain.

Limited visibility.

Doable—

But not clean.

And Mara—

He glanced at her briefly.

She caught the look.

“I can run,” she said quietly.

“No,” Kai replied instantly.

That surprised even him.

Mara raised an eyebrow.

“Are you sure?”

“No witnesses, right?” he muttered.

“That was your rule.”

“Was.”

The lead figure stepped forward.

“Final warning, Kai.”

“Yeah,” he said, raising his weapon fully now.

“I don’t do warnings.”

For a split second—

Everything went still.

Then—

Gunfire shattered the night.

Chaos exploded.

Kai moved first.

Fast.

Precise.

Deadly.

One shot.

The figure on the left dropped instantly.

The other two reacted, weapons drawn, firing back.

Bullets tore through the air.

Mara ducked behind a parked car.

Kai shifted position, using the streetlight pole as cover.

Another shot—

Missed.

Too fast.

These weren’t amateurs.

“Still think this is fake?” Mara shouted over the noise.

Kai fired again.

This time—

A hit.

The second attacker stumbled back.

Not down.

But hurt.

“Starting to believe you,” Kai replied.

The last one moved differently.

Smarter.

Circling.

Closing in.

Kai’s instincts screamed.

Danger.

Real danger.

Then—

The attacker spoke again.

“Your name was added recently,” they said. “You should be honored.”

Kai’s eyes sharpened.

“Why?”

A pause.

Then—

“Because you got too good.”

That was all the answer he got.

The attacker rushed forward.

Fast.

Too fast.

Kai barely raised his weapon—

Too close to shoot.

So he switched.

Hand-to-hand.

The impact was brutal.

They collided hard, sliding across wet pavement.

Punch.

Block.

Counter.

The attacker was skilled.

Trained like him.

Maybe trained the same way.

Kai twisted, driving his elbow into their side—

Then disarmed them in one clean motion.

The weapon clattered to the ground.

One move.

One opening.

Kai didn’t hesitate this time.

He pulled the trigger.

Silence followed.

Heavy.

Sharp.

Final.

Rain filled the space where gunfire had been.

Kai stood there, breathing steadily but deeper now.

Three bodies.

Still.

Mara slowly stepped out from behind the car.

Her eyes moved across the scene.

Then back to him.

“Well,” she said quietly.

“That answers one question.”

Kai glanced at her.

“Which one?”

She met his gaze.

“You’re definitely on the list.”

Kai looked down at the bodies.

Then at the rain-soaked street.

Then back at Mara.

His voice dropped.

“Yeah,” he said.

“And now we’re both targets.”

A beat.

Mara exhaled slowly.

“Guess that means we’re not enemies anymore.”

Kai didn’t answer immediately.

He watched her.

Measured.

Thinking.

Then finally—

“Temporary,” he said.

Mara smiled slightly.

“Temporary works.”

Thunder rolled in the distance.

And somewhere far away—

A phone buzzed.

Unanswered.

Because tonight—

Everything had changed.

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