The Hitman

The Casino

Brook Aldridge's POV

I turned to Agent Conway.  "He's due to be here in five minutes."  I drummed my fingers on the poker table.  I had finally gotten rid of Sievers.

Conway smirked.  "You didn't exactly help any."

I lifted my chin.  "I told him where to go.  If he couldn't figure out the rest from there, he's not the man for the job."

"You hate Sievers, don't you?"

"Strongly dislike.  I try to keep it civil."

Conway looked at me.  "Do you actually hate him?"

I furrowed my eyebrows.  "Of course I do.  What else would I-"

Oh God.  He meant....no.  That was ridiculous.

"I don't have to prove myself to you, Agent." I looked away from Conway and studied the others gambling around us. Several people leaned over a table, and others were staring at slot machines. Mechanical clicks and disgruntled voices swarmed my senses.

I checked my watch. "Two minutes. There's no way-"

"Why hello there," the insufferable voice I had heard too many times said. I turned to see Sievers taking a seat, filthy but with a smug grin on his face.

Nick Sievers' POV

I was early. Two minutes early. And the look on Aldridge's face was priceless. She frowned and sighed.

"Am I here to meet with you?" I asked. Aldridge cocked her head, confused. "Because my stroll through the desert would have been quite pointless if that's the case."

Aldridge shook her head. "No, of course not. That would be ridiculous. Sievers, meet Agent Conway." A man beside Aldridge lifted a hand in greeting. I nodded toward him as Aldridge continued. "He's our intel on the inside. I trust you boys can play nice?"

I laughed. "Oh, I won't be playing."

The director raised an eyebrow. "I see. Well," she said, getting up, "I'll leave you to it." She hastily turned away from us and walked off. I turned back to Conway.

"What's her deal?" I pointed toward the director's retreating figure.

Conway looked at me. "Director Aldridge?"
He paused as if weighing his options. "Let's just say she doesn't have the happiest past."

Past.  The one thing I had tried to bury.  I swallowed and shrugged.  "Whatever.  I'd rather not waste time on sentimental things."

Brook Aldridge's POV

I fumbled in my pocket for the room key. Where had I left that thing?

There were footsteps behind me. I whirled around and nodded at the man walking by. He barely glanced in my direction as he approached.

I turned back toward the door. Maybe it was in my purse?

Something cold pressed against my temple. I froze.

A man's voice filled my ears. "You're going to come with me unless you want a bullet through your head."

Shoot. I nodded slowly as a firm hand touched my back. If someone could just come down the hall....please.

My eyes darted left and right. I couldn't let them take me. I needed to escape. My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to figure out what to do.

We walked down the hall a little ways, then I was stopped in front of a door. My captor knocked once. Twice. Paused and then gave two rapid knocks. I had to escape now.

I ducked and twisted the man's hand. He cursed and balled his fists. I squared up to face him, but two more men appeared in the doorway. They rushed toward me and tried to grab my arms. I kicked one in the groin and punched the other in the nose. Blood burst forth and he clutched his face. Red bloomed on the old, floral carpeting.

A single figure loomed in the doorway now. He stepped out of the shadows and leered at me. He was....he was Vincent Huxley. The gang leader.

Vincent waved off the men trying to fight me. He smirked. "Brook Aldridge. Director of the FBI. You're trying to get me killed." He cracked his knuckles. "We'll see about that."

Nick Siever's POV

Conway nodded.  "Alright, then.  Here's the deal.  I got an anonymous tip that Vincent would be visiting this casino tonight."

"So you want me to kill him as he comes in?"

Conway shook his head. "No. There will be too many guards. You'll have to do it inside the casino."

I shrugged. "No problem, if I had my weapons."

"If you're that great of a hitman, you can make do with what we give you."

"Fine. What do you have?"

Conway stood up. "Follow me."

Brook Aldridge's POV

I wiped off my nose. Blood stained my white sleeves. Man, that hit hurt. But I didn't have time to pause.

Vincent chuckled. "You've lasted longer than I expected."

I shrugged. "It's a fatal mistake to underestimate me."

The gang leader snarled and squared up. He swiped at my stomach, but I slid out of the way. I kicked at him, but he sidestepped me. I immediately punched again. He caught my arm and shook his head. He bent my arm and twisted it behind my back. I shouted in pain, but Vincent just shoved me toward the open door. I tried to fight, but the pain made me feel faint. The edges of my vision began to turn black. And then I was in the room, with the enemy.

As the door slammed shut behind me, the last thing I saw was Vincent's fist speeding toward my face.