A Hunters Prey

Chapter 4: Assembling

A groan of disgust left me as I washed the blood from my hands under the rusted taps. I hated the smell, its coppery tang would stick to me all day now.

Behind me was the body of a dead gangster from the Edge, crumpled in the bathtub that was stained in filth. A deep sigh left me as I turned and leaned against the sink for a moment, this was not how it was meant to go.

Yes, I had done my job and killed him, but I didn't want it to be so messy. Clean-up would not be impressed by the blood spray on the wall, or his nudity. When they told me, he was in the bathroom, I thought he would be shaving, or something.

Not taking a leisurely bath in the middle of the afternoon.

See, not all jobs are so meticulous. I got a notification that a close contact kill was needed in the neighborhood, and I just happened to be around the corner. Easy money, minimal effort.

I even came through the front door that he so arrogantly left unlocked. His girlfriend, who also happened to be his bosses wife, was passed out in his bed when I walked past his room, and I had a gun in my hand.

"Are you kidding me?" A voice groaned in annoyance, making me tense. Helena came through the bathroom window with a blade already in hand, and scowled at the dead gangbanger, "I have a collection going on, Halen! Ugh, I've been waiting for this one forever!"

Helena looked stroppy as she criticized my work from beside me and I shrugged, "Sorry. Next time I'll ignore the call." I teased in a quiet voice that matched her own, "You're the one killing all the mobs men off then?"

"I got Callisto Mendes the other day." She announced proudly. Remembering that she killed a key member of the Italian mafia almost made her forget that I had snaked her kill, "Talk about a mess. You have blood on your shirt."

A curse left me when I noticed the small splatters of red across the white tank top, "Goddamn!" I cursed in annoyance, shrugging off my jacket to peel it off over my head, "The girlfriend is still in the room, if you want her. Could you give this to clean-up?"

"Fine." Helena sighed with a roll of her eyes, taking the top off me as I splashed water over my face to clean off the blood, "Here, you can take mine. I always carry a spare."

My brows rose at the extremely loose fitted black camisole that looked more like something I'd wear to bed during the summer than with an actual outfit. But hey, it was either that or take the streets in my lacy black bra?

"He was bathing with a damn knife." I explained pointing to the blunt weapon lying on the water soaked floor, "That's what the mess was about. Took me by surprise."

The wild haired woman grinned at me knowingly, "Oh, yeah! They tend to do that!" She teased sitting on the edge of the tub that was filled with water now turned red, she dipped her hand in and flicked the water at me playfully, "Where you headed? This isn't your usual domain."

"Potential operation meeting." I muttered combing my fingers through my loose waves that always looked so messy. I threw them up into a ponytail with a sigh and turned, "Sorry I killed your gangbanger."

Helena was something of a wild card for an operative, she was one of the odd ones. Always taking the most random jobs there was to find, her most recent fascination was offing gang members, I should have known she'd want this one.

"I forgive, I forgive." She waved me off with a teasing grin, and turned towards the door with a burning anticipation, "After all, you did leave me dessert! You better get moving, no rest for the wicked!"

I let out a half-hearted chuckle but agreed, if I didn't hurry then I would be late. Knowing that there was no bad blood between Helena and I relieved me, she wasn't the type of person you wanted to get on the wrong side of, so I felt safe enough to turn my back as I walked to the fire escape.