Corrupted - The Tigris Series Book 1

Chapter Twelve

January 20th, 1969

"You know you ain't gonna do that, ol' timer." a man, no older than 30 years, challenged his father.

"Ye' I know it; but I outta show them a lesson n' what happens when you mess with the Killin' Vipers. Now I may be old, but I still got my pistol on my belt that I can whip out faster than any of them newcomers. Just let em try, I'll show em." the older man responded, pacing his horse back and forth in irritation.

The two men were alone near the outskirts of their property, deep in the country in Austin, Texas. They often rode their horses around their property as both a hobby, and to keep an eye out for any who may trespass. They had just broken off a deal with Hydra, and were ready for anything that they may throw at them as consequence.

Or so they thought.

The younger man laughed, and lightly kicked his horse to urge it to move forward in a smooth walk. "Well I tell you what, Pops, if any of them so called assassins step one foot onto this property, we'll do just that. Besides, imagine how rich it would make us if we took out the famous Winter Soldier, or that purty little Tigris woman they got."

The older man chuckled when the Tigris was mentioned. "Nah, you know damn well you wouldn't kill that woman. You've loved her since you first saw her in that ice machine of theirs."

"I don't love her, I just though she was real purty is all. But I tell you what, if they send her here I might just show her around, lead her right to my bed." he stated, smirking as he imagined the scenario.

"Ho ho, slow down, boy. You gotta take the lady to dinner first, son. I ain't raising no slob." the father said, moving his horse to ride alongside his son.

"Yeah, you right. You right."

The two of them rode down the trail that they had created for their daily stroll, continuing their small talk as they kept a watchful eye out. Though despite their expert eye, they neglected to see the female assassin as she began to close in on them. She had been listening to their conversation the entire time from a far distance; it gave her a plan.

She followed them strategically, making sure she was completely out of sight as she crept closer and closer. She made sure she didn't make a sound to avoid spooking the horses in any way. Right when she was walking alongside them in the tree line, she cut away from them, taking a short cut to the trail ahead of them.

"So you mean to tell me that he jumped over that stack of 6 buckets?" the younger man asked, looking over at his father with his brows furrowed.

"He sure as hell did! That boy could jump a 6 foot pole better than a 9 foot stallion crazy for a mare!" his father replied.

"Hah, he must've got somethin' in his boots, ain't no man jumpin' that high-"

"What the hell is that?" the father interrupted, spotting a figure standing at the center of the trail about 20 yards away from them.

The two men stopped their horses to get a good look at the woman standing in the distance. Her cloak blew in the country wind, syncing with the trees that stood tall on either side of the trail. Her hood was down, revealing her long, raven black ponytail. Her bright golden eyes dug holes into their skulls as she waited for them to make a move.

"Holy shit, it's her." the father rasped, reaching for his gun.

"No, wait!" the younger male exclaimed, reaching his hand towards him to stop him.

He looked at her with wide blue eyes. He didn't expect for them to send one of their assassins so soon, and he definitely didn't expect them to send her. Though he couldn't deny; he was glad they did.