The Girl Behind The Bullets

T H R E E

"Grazie" I thank the young good looking waiter in Italian as he places a strong cup of coffee on the wooden bar table top. The dark brown rich liquid looks very appetising and I don't hang around to take a sip while enjoying the soft waves that hit the beach only metres away. The beautiful sea side cocktail bar would have been full of drunken people of all ages merely eight hours ago but now I'm the only person in the Mediterranean themed bar. However I will be staying clear of any alcoholic beverages because I'm on the clock.

On the table beside my steaming cup of joe sits my laptop. With all my signal blocking codes running in the background I can browse without worry. I head to the main Italian newspaper to read about the main articles on every newspaper around.

Till Death Do Us Part:
The world has woken up to a shock this morning as the well known Coaster couple and guests have been found murdered in their family home in what appears to a robbery gone wrong. Elizabeth and John Coaster were hosting a dinner for friends Peter Sopazzo and his partner Victoria Pentwell. The Coasters have been under fire recently due to rumors and claims of corruption but nothing has ever been confirmed. There are also claims that this was an attempted robbery and it's unknown whether or not anything was taken from the family but it's definitely clear that who ever committed this horrendous act of evilness will be brought before the law.

I sip on the coffee as I scroll and read over the very vague facts that the journalist have gotten their hands on. There is nothing to indicate that I was responsible so I'm content. I make a mental note to check up on any develops but as of now I'm good.

Just before I decide to close down my computer and enjoy the coffee and the next one I plan on having afterwards, a ding noise arises from my computer. In the bottom right hand corner a small envelope symbol pops up indicating I have mail. I click on the icon and the screen brings up my emails. The top email is in bold meaning I haven't read it yet so as I recognise the email address I open it.

Congratulations on the successful kill, my employers are very content with it and the files which you provided. The money has been transferred into your account at the amount we agreed upon and a little bit extra due to the happiness of my employers.
It was a pleasure doing business.

R.R

I exit the email and instantly delete it and the rest below it. I frankly don't care if they are happy or unhappy, for me if I just get done what I'm being payed to do then I am not in the wrong. My hands aren't dirty, well they are but not in that way. I move the mouse to the top right hand side of the screen and click on my email and it reveals yet another email which I then click on. The same layout appears but this time there are a few more unread emails. These are all my job offers. I pick and choose what jobs I want to do and I never do a job without knowing the ins and outs of every detail, it's too make sure I don't get caught out. My thoroughness is my safety net I think. I check my surroundings once again to make sure there is no one peeking in or eavesdropping on my illegal dealings before getting to work on selecting my next job.

When you get job offers, they are generally the same. Nearly all the potential clients are wealthy and believe they are powerful. In a job selection there will be the usual offers, my wife is cheating on me or this guy stole my business idea. I call these the revenge jobs. Next there's the dodgy jobs, these either have limited information or what they require me to do is too risky for me and them. I avoid these jobs unless absolutely necessary. Then there are the jackpot jobs, these are jobs that rarely come around and they incorporate good pay, good targets and a sense of adventure and adrenaline. It's a bit like winning the lotto, but today seems like a good day because on my list of offers there is a jackpot job.
I ignore the others and concentrate entirely on the brief but informative description of the potential task at hand.

'We are a private agency based in London who deal with clients that have a lot of money and need it to be stored correctly. Over the past year we have noticed a lot of complaints from our clients who have informed us that their balances have been going down.
Someone has been robbing us from the inside, taking our powerful clients money and using it for himself. Now, it didn't take us long to find out who it was. The mans name is Oliver Weatherly and he is a minister in the Parliament in the United Kingdom. He too was a client and it's unknown how he got into our systems. If you choose to accept, he is your target but he has been paranoid recently and is always surrounded by bodyguards which is proving difficult for us. Giving your reputation we believe you are the right person for the job and if you choose to accept we would like to see him publicly assassinated by any means you deem necessary.
Enclosed in this file are pay terms and a more in depth biography of the target'

I lift my eyes from the screen and start running scenarios in my mind. If I accept do I kill him from afar with a sniper rifle or do I make it personal and up close but I risk my identity this way. Over the next hour I read all the other files that this company sent me and give everything a once over. This seems like a fun task, there's nothing better than taking power from someone who thinks they are made from it. At the end of the email a phone number was left to be rung in confidence if I wish to accept the assignment. Me punching in the number on my phone shows my answer and I await for someone to pick up.

'Hello?' A lone male voice replies.

'Hello, I'm ringing about a job offer you sent out today, I'm interested in the position' I reply keeping my voice low and controlled. There is a brief pause on the other end.

'Would this be about the London position, within the Parliament?' The man asks again, making sure this isn't someone who is ringing about an actual job in the company.

'Yes' I simply reply giving the name confirmation of who I am.

'If you would hold for a moment while I get a secure line please ma'am' the man professionally states as I hear him click on a few buttons. I'm impressed by his appreciation for security.

'You have read over the files I sent you then I'm assuming' the man sounds more relaxed now, was he expecting me?

'Yes, I'm willing to take the job under one condition, I meet with an informant of yours in London prior to the hit' I set down my rules and make sure he understands them.

'That won't be problem, may I ask why?' The man questions.

'I like to know who I'm dealing with' I blatantly answer.

'You're dealing with professionals I can assure you, how soon can you be in London?' The man sounds almost over confident.

'This evening, I'll meet your informant tomorrow morning' I run flight times through my head as I speak.

'Perfect, 9 am on the second bench along the river Thames beside London Bridge. You can't miss the large tree that's beside it, the informant will be waiting' The man rhymes off like he has said this before.

'Tell him don't be late' I state before hanging up not giving the man a chance to reply.

Although I like to keep my identity a secret and as unknown to as many people as I can, I also need to make sure I'm not walking into a trap. When I worked with The Company they ran all the background checks and I did the hit, now that I'm freelance I need to do the background checks myself . When I meet with this informant tomorrow I will be able to tell by watching body language and speech whether or not this is a legit hit. Yes he or she will know my face but they will be one person and I'll never have to see them again. That's just the risk I take.
I close my laptop lid and stuff my phone into my pocket. I leave a generous tip on the counter for the waiter before leaving the almost idyllic setting.
I've a plane to catch.
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