'Till Death Do Us Part

One

The streets of the city were eerily dark and empty that night. Snow was falling peacefully, the biting cold kept people at home. That, and it was somewhere between three and four in the morning. Caspian had orders to stay hidden while his father located their target, his last kill while working in a team. This would prove himself a necessity to Aerin. He needed to show that he could replace his father when the time came.

Caspian shoved his hands into his pockets, unable to keep his fingers warm despite wearing gloves. The young man stood in a shadowed alley, waiting for the signal his father would give as the target approached. Caspian felt down his leather jacket once more to make sure his gun was still there. He had already checked three times before. The familiar weight of the gun was a comfort. He didn't know why he was so anxious. He and his father had done this plenty of times before. This should be as easy as breathing, but Caspian's breathing was coming rapidly now. His breath rose as small puffs of smoke in the frigid air. He felt his hands begin to tremble and shook his head.

He couldn't- wouldn't -fuck this up. If he did...he didn't want to think about it. Caspian held his head in his hands for a few moments and attempted a deep breath. He could get through this.

Next to him, he heard the metal clink of a bullet dropped from above. He watched it roll towards his boot and bent down to pick it up. He looked up and saw a flash of movement as his father moved away from the edge of the rooftop. That was the signal. He took it, slipped the gun from his jacket, and loaded it. The bullet was a part of the test. One shot. If he couldn't do it in one shot, he useless. He'd be better off dead.

He approached the street, staying hidden in the alley until he heard stumbling footsteps getting closer. That moment was the moment he chose to step out and bump into a dark haired, middle aged man. Caspian didn't know his name, but he knew the face.

"Watch it!" his target grumbled. Caspian immediately began to apologize.

"I'm so sorry sir," he said as the man grabbed him by the wrist. He did his best to keep the gun hidden behind his back. The man sneered at him, taking in the expensive clothing he was wearing. Of course they were expensive. His mother wouldn't settle for any less.

"You're one of his," the man said, his eyes widening with horror. He dropped Caspian's hand, turned, and ran. Caspian sighed. He really didn't want to do this tonight. He took off after his target.

The man stumbled and struggled to get away over icy pavement and snow. Caspian was used to this chase. People that figured out who he was and who he worked for didn't stick around for long. When he got close enough, he reached forward and grabbed the back of the man's collar and yanked him backwards. Dragging him to a nearby alley, Caspian dumped him unceremoniously onto the ground. The man landed on his back on the sidewalk, winded.

Caspian pressed a foot onto the man's chest, causing him to wheeze. He clawed at Caspian's calf, but Caspian only grimaced at him. "What gave me away?" he asked, but got no answer.

He gave a weak laugh. "It doesn't matter," Caspian said. "Last words?" He cocked the gun and placed the silenced barrel against the man's temple.

"Fuck y-"

Blood and everything else inside the man's head splattered across the snow and the pavement. Caspian stood up, slid his gun back into his jacket and calmly walked back to the rendezvous point. It was done.

***

"Aerin will be pleased," was the first thing his father said to him when Caspian arrived at the meeting point. They were on the roof of the building next to the alley Caspian had been hiding in. He could see the body of the man he had just killed in the distance, and watched as snow began to fall harder, obscuring the evidence.