The Reaper 2

But he knew better than to dismiss it entirely. The timing was too perfect, the noise too loud. The Reaper’s instincts, honed by years of survival in a deadly business, told him that this was a setup—a distraction meant to draw them away from something more important.

He motioned for one of his men to check the back door of the bakery while he and the other assassin continued to sweep the area. The Reaper wasn’t about to let his guard down, not when the stakes were this high.

Inside the bakery, Jason watched from the shadows, his heart pounding so loudly he feared it might give him away. He had intentionally knocked over the trash can to create a distraction, but now he needed to move—and fast. He slipped through the back door and into the alley, staying low and keeping to the darkest shadows.

The Reaper’s man reached the back door just as it was swinging shut. He signaled to his leader, and The Reaper’s eyes narrowed with a mixture of suspicion and certainty.

“He’s close. Spread out