The Hitman

The Reveal

Brook Aldridge's POV

Vincent laughed. "You thought I was foolish enough to believe you would really go to Honolulu? Really?"

I shifted on my feet and aimed my gun square at his temple. "Release the girls."

"You're lucky I don't order them to be killed on the spot."

"It's 11:55, not midnight."

"But you didn't go where we agreed upon."

"I agreed on nothing. However..." I tossed the briefcase I had been carrying this far onto the floor. Vincent nodded toward two of his henchmen, who unlocked the briefcase. An audible gasp filled the room as the men grabbed the money.  "Two million dollars.  Just as you requested."

Vincent smiled.  "I knew you would see reason eventually, my dear.  But where are the AK-47s?"

I nodded toward the way we had come in. "I had the helicopter drop them outside."

Vincent frowned and gestured toward one of the terrorists. He instantly rushed out of the door to confirm that the guns were delivered.

Jay had been so quiet up to this point, I had forgotten he was there. "Brook?" he questioned. "This wasn't part of the plan."

I shrugged. "Plans change." Instantly, I whipped out a pair of handcuffs and whirled behind Jay, locking his hands behind him.

"Mom?  What's going on?"  Lila's voice was so quiet and weak, it pained me.

"Shut up," one of the terrorists barked.  Lila's eyes glared in defiance for a moment, and I shook my head at her infinitesimally. I was as angry as she was that the man had dared to talk to her like that, but we both needed to keep level heads.

The door slammed open, and in came the same terrorist who had left only minutes before. Out of breath, he leaned against the doorframe.  "The guns. They're here."

Vincent grinned slyly and turned back to me, nodding. "I'm so glad you decided to play nice, Director. But there is one part of the bargain you have yet to fulfill."

I smirked. "Sievers is the easy part." I cupped my hands to my mouth and shouted, "Nick!
Help!"

Nick Sievers' POV

"Nick! Help!"

By the time I heard Brook, we were nearly to the room. I nodded at Anderson, who drew her gun. Slowly, I held mine out, too, and threw the door open.

The first thing I saw was the missile. And my daughters strapped to it. Red, digital numbers were counting down.

Counting down to midnight. God, it was a time bomb.

Vincent stood in front of me, arms crossed and a smug look on his face. I hoisted my gun, aiming straight for his head.

"N-Nick....?" Jay asked. I turned my head to see him, a dozen guns pointed at his head while his arms were cuffed behind his back.

Suddenly, cold metal pressed against my temple. "You shouldn't have given me a gun,"
Anderson hissed. "Now drop the weapon."

Anderson? I cursed under my breath.

I hesitated for a few seconds, clenching and unclenching my free fist. But finally, the gun fell from my grasp and clattered to the floor.

Anderson kicked it far away, and I watched helplessly as it was picked up by one of the terrorists.

Wait. Brook was the one who had called for me. Where was she?

"Where is Brook?" I demanded. "What have you done to her?"

A familiar voice piped up. "Oh, right here, sweetheart."

Brook stepped out from behind Vincent and approached me. She tossed a pair of handcuffs to Anderson, who locked my wrists in place.

"Brook?" I asked.

"I'm sorry," she said. "But I'm doing what's best for our children."

I sighed. "I told you, we could fight him."

"Charles told me about your deal."

I paused and glanced toward Lila and Henley. They had perked up at the sound of their reclusive grandfather's name.

Brook shook her head. "You agreed to give him custody of the girls?"

"I had no choice!"

"There's always a choice, Nick."

"Then why did you make this choice?"

"God, Nick, you really are thick! This isn't all about you. This is about Lila and Henley."

"And you think Vincent will release them?"

"Look, I love a good drama as much as the next person, but I've got places to be," Vincent cut in.  "We wouldn't want that missile to accidentally go off while you two are arguing, would we?"

I snarled and tried to lunge for him. "You!"

Anderson swiped my legs out from under me, and I collapsed to my knees.  She held me down, placing a firm hand on my shoulder, while gripping the handcuffs with the other.  I could have broken free of her grasp, but at the expense of getting several bullets buried into my body.

Vincent chuckled. "If I do recall, you once told me I was too trusting. In reality, I believe it's the other way around. Honestly, I'm disappointed in the supposed world's best hitman.'"

I frowned. I had told Vincent he was too trusting? When?

Vincent shook his head and cleared his throat. "I know better than to get on the wrong side of a hitman." His voice had...changed.

Changed into that of someone I remembered all too well.

God, no.  I had been playing into his trap all along.

Richard Donovan. I set my jaw.

"Agent Donovan?" Brook asked, voicing my own confusion.

Vincent nodded. "How did you think I knew who your kids were, and exactly where they were? Honestly, it was too simple to infiltrate your organization."

He snapped, and two terrorists gripped Brook's arms and shoved them behind her back, tying them in place.

"Release the girls. You have what you want," I demanded.

Vincent frowned. "Now, what kind of person would I be if I just let them go?"

"Um, a nice one?" Jay piped in.

Vincent chuckled.  "I like you.  It's a shame you have to die."  He picked up the briefcase full of money. He checked his watch before turning back to us. "Oops. 11:58. Guess I better be going."

Anderson shouted in pain behind me as a man pulled at her hair. I whirled around to watch a terrorist tie her hands behind her back, too. I started to lunge for the man, but several guns clicked. I froze.

Vincent opened the door and laughed one last time before slamming it closed behind him.

A minute and a half was left on the countdown when Vincent left, leaving us all handcuffed with guns pointed at our heads.