The old warehouse felt like a graveyard for the memories they shared. Silver Sable and the Food face to face surrounded by shadows and the weight of their past.

  Silver's grip tightened on her gun, knuckles turning white. The Food just a few steps away, looking calm and casual, almost as if this was a casual meeting rather than a battle to the death. But she knew him too well; that calm was just a mask for the predator underh.

  "I'll give you a ce," she said with a cold expression. "Leave Symkaria. Walk away, and I won't e after you."

  He chuckled, a mog smile on his lips. "You really think I'd let it go? After everythiween us? I've waited a long time for this reunion."

  Before she could reply, he rushed at her with blinding speed. Silver fired, the shot eg like thunder, but he dodged effortlessly. He was on her in an instant, his fist smming against her forearm as she blocked. Pain shot up her arm, but she held her ground.

  He followed up with a swift kick aimed at her head. She ducked just in time, feeling the rush of air as his foot passed over her. She took the ce to strike bading a solid kick to his knee. He winced but quickly steadied himself, smirking at her.

  "Slower than I remember," he taunted. "Or maybe I've just gotteer."

  Silver ignored his words, grittieeth. She lunged forward, feinting a left jab before delivering a hard right hook to his ribs.

  "Fuck!" He stumbled back, grunting in pain, but instead of anger, she saw a fsh of admiration in his eyes. "You've still got that fire," he said, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. "But it won't be enough."

  Suddenly, his eyes locked onto hers. A strange calm washed over her, and she realized too te that his hypnotic power had taken hold. She froze for a moment—just enough time for him to drive his fist intut. "Kuggg!" Silver doubled asping for air. His knee smashed into her face, sending blood spraying from her nose. Dazed, she barely mao stay on her feet.

  He grabbed her colr, pulling her close, their faces inches apart.

  "Does this feel familiar?" he asked softly, almost like they were sharing an old daher than a brutal fight. He punched her hard across the face, the sound of the blow eg through the empty space. "Huh? . Is this all you got?"

  The world spun around her, but Silver forced herself to stand. She couldn't let him win. Not now. "MOTHERFUCKER!!" With a roar, she broke free from his grip, smashing her elbow into his jaw. He stumbled back, surprised by her sudden burst of strength.

  "You talk too much for an assassin," she spat a mouthful of blood after cheg her jaws.

  She didn't give him time to respond, ung a series of punches and kicks. Each hit nded with force, and though he blocked most, he couldn't keep up with her speed. She finished with a headbutt on his nose. Blood frizzled out of his nose and he was forced to close his eyes for a moment. Taking advantage, she twisted his arm behind his bad smmed him face-first into the cold crete floor.

  The Fner groaned, stunned. Silver quickly pulled a knife from her belt and aimed it at his shoulder, but he rolled away just in time. The bde ged against the ground instead.

  He jumped to his feet, his expression darkening. "That wasn't very nice, ex-wife," he admitted, wiping blood from a cut above his eyebrow. "But then again, where's the fun in doing hings?"

  Before she could react, he put her in a daze again and tossed a fshbang at her feet. The explosion of light and sound disoriented her, blinding her and leaving her ears ringing. She stumbled back, struggling tain her senses. He moved in fast, nding a hard punch to her side. She felt a rib crad nearly screamed from the pain but bit her lip to stay quiet.

  "You're slipping," he mocked, ung atack.

  This time, she mao twist away, feeling his knife graze her colrbone. She winced but kept moving, grabbing his wrist and disarming him with a quick twist. The kered to the floor as she spun him around, log her arm around his ne a chokehold.

  "Is that so? Thanks for letting me know," she growled in his ear.

  He cwed at her arm desperately, raking his nails across her face. The pain made her loosen her grip just enough for him to break free. He swung a fist at her face, and she went down hard, her body crashing onto the crete.

  Silver struggled to get up, blood dripping from her nose and mouth. Every part of her body ached, but she forced herself to keep fighting. She pulled a small gun from her boot, aiming it at him even though her hands shook. He froze, a flicker of fear crossing his face.

  "You wouldn't really shoot me, would you?" he asked, almost disbelieving. "After everything?"

  Silver gave a bloodied smile. "Fuck you!"

  Before she could fire, he put her in a two-sed daze then rolled aside and threiece of debris at her. It struck her wrist, making her drop the guackled her, and they grappled on the floor, trading punches as blood smeared the grouh them.

  He mao pin her, his hands squeezihroat. "You're weaker than I thought," he snarled. "So, weak and helpless. What happeo you, Silver? Were you always this weak?"

  Dark spots clouded her vision as she struggled for air. Her hand fumbled for the krapped to her thigh. With the st of her strength, she pulled it free and stabbed it into his stomach, twisting it hard.

  "Crap! Shit!" The Fner gasped, his grip ohroat loosening. Silver twisted the bde deeper, f a cry from him. She shoved him off, rolling away. She quickly grabbed the gun from the floor and staggered to her feet.

  They both stood there, panting, bloodied, and exhausted. He clutched his side, blood oozing through his fingers, his face pale.

  "You always knew how to surprise me," he whispered, a sad smile f.

  Silver raised her gun again, aiming it at his head. "Goodbye."

  He vanished from sight using his hypnosis, and a fshbang exploded again. This time, he appeared behind her, knog the gun away and stabbing her in the side. She headbutted him hard and spun around with a right hook, but he blocked it effortlessly and kicked her hard iomach.

  Silver dropped her knife and stumbled back, gasping. He kicked the knife away, stepping closer, ung another series of punches. Each blow sent waves of pain through her, but she kept her focus, looking for a way out.

  She knew fighting his hypnosis was useless. He had bee too skilled, his powers to. Instead, she began slowly moving toward the warehouse exit, pnning to make a break for her invisible jet parked just outside.

  He nded a solid punch to her jaw, making her head snap back. Her knees buckled, but she stayed upright. He pressed his advantage, delivering another blow to her ribs, and she felt something inside crack. Agony fred through her, but she kept her eyes on him, determined not to fall.

  In a fsh, she spotted her knife lying nearby. She lunged for it, slig across his arm.

  "Damn you!" He cried out, stumbling back as blood flowed from the wound. The brief distra was enough. She bolted for the exit, running outside to her jet. She somehow got in and flew away.

  Just as she thought she had escaped, gunfire rained down on her from the Fner's men. The jet's arms bred as it took heavy damage, but Silver fought back, dodging their attacks. She outmaneuvered them, her jet s higher until she broke free and vanished into the night sky.

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