He twitched, gasping, clawing for breath, but air would not come. Pain ripped through him. He slowly turned his head to see a figure approaching.
'Danica,' his mind whispered.
Rage flickered weakly in his chest, then dimmed. A bitter laugh tried to escape his throat, but only blood came out.
'In the end, I was nothing but a pawn,' he thought. His lungs burned. Each breath came slower than the last. 'I should never have messed with Mr. Woods.'
Slowly, the struggle faded. His limbs went still. His eyes remained open, staring blankly into the darkness above.
Danica crouched beside his motionless body and slipped a hand into his pocket, retrieving the black card she had given him. A cruel smile curved her lips.
"You really thought you could walk away with my money?" she scoffed. "Not happening. You became a liability, and I never leave loose ends."
