"Trying" Normal [Editing In Progress]

Chapter 16: What's In The Box?

A/N: Warning Violent chapter! Remember murder bad! Don't do it! This demonic criminal is fictional and the author has a bias for keeping him out of jail!

Once we exited back to the decrepit hallways, Sean got in front of me.

"What are you planning?" He asked me. I gave him a smile, 

"Oh I already planned it. Don't you worry, contract buddy, I made sure the only thing you have to do is just stand there and not be a part of it." I said as he looked at me to see if I'd respond only to get a smile and silence.

Sure, the US legal system would consider him an accessory to murder, but someone else would have to find a corpse for that whole thing to start.

Sean merely sighed, then moved out of the way. As we moved through the hallways, I said.

"Once we get this guy and the ghosts set, the rest of the day will be boring."

"Boring how?" he asked. I started to list off my plans. 

"I need to find an electrician for my condo. All the outlets are old and some probably don't work. Also, need a plumber. Most of the pipes I'm responsible for are old, too. Then I also need to figure out a suitable location to murder Harold and dispose of his corpse. You know, boring stuff." I said matter-of-factly.

"You need help." Sean said matching my tone.

"Oh, definitely."I said, "Right now I have to make sure everything goes right and time it all properly for this to work out. So please, let me focus." I said. Sean looked at me with an incredulous stare. 

"I don't want to know." He said and I agreed with his request, 

"That's smart. Then you got that sweet, sweet claim of plausible deniability for when shit gets real." I said. Before I continued down the hallway, Sean reluctantly followed. Our trek lead us back to the reception area. Once we got outside, Sean took a deep breath and said, 

"Oh, fresh air!" I watched as he took a deep breath then asked. 

"Do the heightened senses make it hard to be in there?" He turned to face me. 

"Yeah, that and fighting my instincts to run far away from here and all the horrible things in there and in front of me." He said in a growl.

I guess this would be hard for him. I've had to go through places in way worse shape than here and those places didn't have the big bad contained either. But I'm not just going to listen to him continue to whine, either.

 I sighed then went at him. 

"Sean, I like to mess with you and everyone else, but it's just how I keep myself from thinking about how messed up my job is." I paused as he gave me a flippant stare. "It's a lot easier if I see it as giving some fuckers what they earned, and if some of their victims get some closure or move on, then I guess some good came from it all." No change in his face came from that. I held my hand up with my index finger extended then waved it at him. "But don't think I view myself as some sort of hero." I then pointed to myself. "Sure, you probably think I'm an opportunistic psychopath who only lives for the rush you get from bashing something's skull in." He nodded to the last part. I gave him a dry smile. 

Alright, let's shatter him with the reality of his situation.

"I mean, you're not wrong, but either way, let's be real. Your family doesn't have any other options." His face went deadpan. I took a step towards him, "Your brother wouldn't be under self-appointed house arrest if you did." Another step closer to him and winning the argument. "Your sister would have never agreed to any of this if that was the case." I had closed the gap and was right before him. "You wouldn't be my contract buddy if there was another way."His face remained unchanged as I listed of the reality of his family's situation when I Held out my hand. "So if you could stop complaining, I'll be nicer to you. How's that sound? We got a deal?" I asked, waiting to see if he'd take my hand.