Assassination 101

Lesson 16: Kidnapping

Lesson 16: Kidnapping

"Duck," I hissed at Kole, yanking him downwards so we were uncomfortably close to each other, hiding behind a skip with pieces of rotting timber shoved inside.

"Bossy much," he muttered, peering out from the side of the yellow metal.

The rhythmic ticking of his wristwatch was the only sound as we waited for everyone to leave. "Oh I wish you'd leave that bloody watch at home. It drives me nuts."

Even though it was dark and I wasn't looking at him, I knew he was grinning. "But annoying you is my favourite pastime."

Hinges squeaked as the rusty metal door of a rundown building was forced open and people began to file out, chatting without a care in the world. The skip was about fifteen metres from them and without daylight, there was no way they would have spotted us. All of them were wearing dark clothes and hoods, making it harder to see their faces and I squinted to make out any features I could from the dim lamppost light.

We waited for another ten minutes until practically everyone had left so we could ambush the last straggler. Finally, a tall man with a thin frame exited the building, locking the tattered door behind him. "That's our guy," I whispered to Kole, double-checking there was no one else around.

The willowy man barely had time to put the keys back in his trouser pocket before I had snuck up behind him and swept his legs from under him. He fell to the floor with a quiet grunt and tried to trip me up by latching onto my leg but I was too fast.

I jumped out of the way but that gave the guy a chance to get to his feet. He lunged for me but I darted to the side, clasping his extended right arm in a vice grip. I pulled him to my chest and twisted his arms behind his back as I pushed him onto his knees, not slackening my hold even the tiniest bit.

Kole watched the entire exchange happen from his spot by the skip, choosing only to walk over once I had the guy restrained. "Thanks for the help," I scowled and he shrugged as he taped the guy's mouth closed and put a bag over his head. The lanky man was thrashing in my grip but unable to break free.

"You seemed like you had it under control... oh stop moving will you. You're not getting away." Kole had an irritated frown on his face but obviously, the man couldn't see this. He ignored Kole's words, still lashing out violently with his long limbs.

"You asked for it," Kole muttered, grabbing his face and smashing it into the concrete. He went completely still, knocked unconscious by the painful blow. "Much better."

I rolled my eyes, getting to my feet and shoving the guy into Kole's arms. "You knocked him out so you can carry him," I said simply, skipping ahead much to Kole's distaste.

He threw him roughly in the back of our small van before getting onto the passenger seat with a huff, crossing his arms.

"Why are you acting like someone pissed in your cereal this time?"

The engine hummed to life and I started the twenty-minute drive to the small flat Henry had told us to use. Kole had loaded up the GPS but refused to answer my question, staring sulkily out of the window.

"Kole?"

"It's nothing, Jay."

I shot him a look, momentarily taking my eyes away from the road and he sighed. "I just don't see why they make us do this."

"Because it's our mission?"

He shook his head, frowning as if I didn't understand what he was trying to get at. "No that's not what I mean. It's- never mind."