Constantine Capers: The Pennington Perplexity by Natalie Brianne (new ebook reader TXT) 📕

it, but I’ve been fully trained on the use of firearms, and I’m more than ready to demonstrate. In fact, all of you, step away.” Mira moved her aim between each of the members of Circe in turn.

Joe and Sam let go of Byron’s arms and he brushed himself off. He moved over to where Mira was. Angelica stayed seated right where she was. The Shadow glowered.

“I should have just killed you that night in your rooms. Death threats weren’t enough to keep you away.”

“And good thing, too. Otherwise you would have gotten away with murder.”

“Again, you mean? I’ve been at this a long-time, sweetheart.” The Shadow cocked her head and smiled, bringing her hands down to her hips.

“What, did you murder my parents too?” Mira’s voice shook, and she cleared her throat to get her confidence back.

“Oh, no. That wasn’t me.” The Shadow chuckled. “Do you want to know how they died?”

“I…” Mira swallowed.

“Let me tell you, princess. History always repeats itself. Pennington’s story is your father’s. He was killed because he found out about the smuggling hold that Circe secretly built into his precious airship. Of course, in his case, he was decent enough to forego the blackmail.” The Shadow took a step around the table.

“Stay where you are!”

“You wouldn’t shoot me before you find out what happened to your parents, would you?”

Mira hesitated. The Shadow smiled. “Your father was rarely alone, but he needed to be taken out of the picture. So, when he and your mother took a walk by a particularly vacant bank of the Thames, they were both taken. And I’ll let you know; their deaths were far more painful than Pennington’s. To mimic the effects of an explosion on the human body without a real explosion, now that takes skill. After they were dead, it was a simple task to fake an explosion and move their bodies into position.”

“Shut up! I’ve heard enough!” A few tears escaped.

“You know it’s true, though. If your family would just mind their own business, it would be better for everyone.” The Shadow took another step forward.

“No! Move back.”

“You’re no murderer sweetie. If you were, you would have brought a different weapon. Flintlock pistols only have one shot.” Mira felt herself paling. Joe and Sam turned towards Byron, who took a defensive stance. Mira’s hands continued to shake. The pistol went off.

The shot hit Joe in the knee, and he fell to the floor in agony. Byron flew into action, picking up the knife that Joe dropped, and wielding it against Sam. Mira turned her attention to the Shadow, who leapt over the table. The Shadow tackled her to the floor, hands melding around her throat.

The Shadow’s nails dug into Mira’s skin. Mira tugged at her wrists, trying to get free. Her grasp was too tight. Mira felt herself getting faint. She remembered the gun and felt around with one hand until she found it. She hit the Shadow squarely in the face with the butt end of the pistol. There was a loud crack. The Shadow’s hands relaxed as she tried to recover. Mira scrambled out from under her, gasping for breath, dropping the gun.

She saw Angelica moving quickly out the back. Mira looked over at Byron. He had a deep cut in his arm that was bleeding, and barely held out against Sam. They both wielded knives and were keeping each other at arm’s length, trying to get a swipe in where they could. Joe writhed on the ground due to his knee.

She felt a blow to the back of the head and fell to her knees, the world becoming fuzzy, and noise filling her ears. She put a hand to the back of her head and felt something sticky. Blood. Anticipating another blow, she turned to protect herself. The Shadow wasn’t there. She turned and saw her retrieving her syringe. She turned back towards Mira with a smile on her face. Blood dripped down from her forehead. Her dress was ripped off at the knees. Mira stood and looked around for something to defend herself. The pistol had been tossed clear across the room. There was no weapon in sight. Byron was losing to Sam. Mira felt nauseous.

“Not so heroic now, are you?” The Shadow cackled. Mira backed into the wall, trying to think through the fog of her brain.

“No gun, no detective, no protection. Just you against me. I think that’s fair.” The Shadow came closer.

“You have a weapon though.” Mira’s voice faltered. The Shadow looked at the syringe she clutched in her hand and then at Mira. She grinned.

“Completely fair.”

With that, the Shadow pounced, kicking Mira’s feet out from under her. Mira felt the wind rush out of her as she hit the floor. A weight came down on her back, and she quickly turned before the Shadow pinned her to the ground.

“Now, just hold still.” She pulled at the tear in Mira’s jacket, ripping the sleeve off. The needle came dangerously close to brushing her skin. Mira’s hands wrapped around the assassin’s wrists, trying to push back and away.

She heard a shuffling pain as Joe continued to try to get up and heard a table crack as Byron threw Sam into it. Her eyes shifted from the Shadow’s hands to her face. So full of anger. Twisting, writhing, seething. Determined to kill her. She shifted underneath her, pushing with all her might, feeling her muscles burn. One of the Shadow’s hands moved to her throat, pinning her. The needle came ever closer. She had to think of something fast. Running out of options and oxygen, she pushed back with all her force, and got her legs underneath the Shadow, kicking as hard as she could. The Shadow was knocked back, losing her grip. Quickly Mira sat up, grabbed the hand with the syringe, and slammed it into the wall.

The Shadow let out a blood-curdling scream as the syringe shattered and glass penetrated the mercenary’s skin. She recoiled and let go. Mira clawed