A/N: This is a Romeo and Juliet-esq story. In the first few chapters, it may not appear as such, but I assure you, it is.

Prologue

It is night. A clear summery evening, although it is the end of August. A night for a murder. A man walks along the dirty city streets, nervous. His pudgy hand keeps returning to the pocket of his suit. He himself is balding and stout, the most commonplace and unsuspicious kind of man. As he walks, he comes to a sudden halt, underneath a streetlight. Another man appears, seemingly from nowhere. He is thin and wiry, with a rats face, clothed entirely in black. The shadow of a man.

“My information?” asks the balding man, his voice unusually high for a man of his size

“Of course” sneers the younger man, in a slightly condescending voice. He hands the man a sheaf of papers, bound together in a dark folder. The man looks through it, grins maniacally, and reaches in his own pocket. He produces a wad of bills, almost as thick as the folder. The younger man smirks wickedly.

“Pleasure doing business with you, Torres” says the suited man, with a small bow, and turns and begins to walk away.

“The pleasure is all mine,” says the younger man, under his breath. He appears to bow, but instead produces a knife from his pockets. He takes aim, and throws it. Bull’s-eye. He hurries to the body, already in a pool of blood. “A pleasure indeed, Carson”

Without ceremony, he takes the man’s pocket watch, wallet, a gun, and the folder. “So you planned to shoot me as soon as I turned my back? How unwise, Harwin. You always did underestimate me. Never turn your back to the enemy, that’s what I always say!” he giggles wickedly. He looks through the wallet. His last act. A knife between the ribs, and he too is dispatched. His executioner grins from the shadows

“And you always underestimated me as well, Torres” a figure appears, and takes from him the valuables from the already dead man, as well as the cash he had been paid. She grins. Another victory for the Rednallos. Another victory for her.