Lightning Cloud

Crosshairs

Mark, cold steel still pressing against Thiago's back, ushered him out of the car. His right carried the scalpel, his left held a Glock 19 pistol with a black silencer attached to the barrel. However, Thiago was not looking at these. He was struggling to comprehend what had just happened. The socialite, successful doctor, of all people?

Mark Adams told his daughter, in the most serious tone she had ever heard him speak in,"Get inside. Now. Lock the doors until I come back."

Michelle, wide eyed, sprinted back as fast as her legs could carry her, right into the arms of her mother, who was standing at the doorway. They both went inside and closed the door.

Mark spoke,"You're very lucky there was a community party tonight. Hardly anyone is home. You were not seen."

Thiago took in his perfect poise, the sense of calmness exuding from him, the steady grip of his gun, pointed at him, and replied,"You are not exactly a doctor, are you?"

Mark smirked and said,"Well, I am a doctor, and a little something more."

He took the scalpel of Thiago's back, but did not lower his gun. In a very matter of fact tone, he inquired,"Now explain to me what the hell my daughter was doing with a man like you at this time of the night."

Thiago explained what had happened, though he left out the smoking part. She is in enough trouble as it is, without me adding to her misery, he thought, and when he finished, Mark had an eyebrow raised, but was quiet for a while.

He then said,"Well, since there are people about who are trying to kill you, it seems this neighbourhood isn't very safe anymore."

Thiago nodded,"I agree."

Mark said,"I need to move my family someplace safe. Maybe within the city. No-one would dare attack anyone like that in a populated area. Too much of a risk of someone being able to identify them later on."

This insight surprised Thiago, but he kept quiet. He would have his answers later, right now his main priority was to get them out of the area.

Mark then spoke,"Look, you seem like a nice enough person, but I really don't think you'll be a good influence on Michelle. She had quite the ordeal to go through..."

Thiago felt a small pang in his stomach, but nodded anyway. He was right. He would only be putting Michelle in harms way.

Suddenly, frustration began to boil up within him. He had served with distinction in the organisation, put in many years, earned a pretty penny along the way, and had only moved here to enjoy the fruits of his labour. Was it really too much to ask, to live comfortably having retired from his life of crime?

Then, a memory came unbidden to the front of his mind. It was of a mission Thiago had done only recently, the target being a fellow assassin within the organisation who had suddenly disappeared. Concerned that she might leak secrets to competitors if she were alive, Thiago was tasked with finding her and making sure she remained silent. He, after painstaking work, had tracked her down to a small neighbourhood within the slums of Egypt. She had expected him, she did not even flinch as Thiago pointed his gun at the back of her head, having snuck up on her as she read a book in Arabic. instead, she merely sighed, and without ever looking back, she said,"Thiago, have you ever had the chance to read the Quran?"

Her knowledge of his presence, as well as the nature of her question, startled him a bit, but he had regained his composure and told her,"No, I have not."

"It is a beautiful book, once you understand it. All that jihadi terrorist riff-raff, they don't understand the true meaning behind it..."She paused for a bit, then told him,"It'll get to you some day, this business we live in. We will have to answer for our sins sometime. I am sure of that now, seeing that you are here."