the Sixteenth Surgeon

Chapter 7 "The Day Spa"

Roman sat patiently at the small outdoor diner, checking his Rolex to see if it was 8:00 yet. His smile of casual satisfaction in life was dimmed as a man approached and sat across from his table.

"I'm sorry, I am expecting someone...please come back later." Roman said politely as the man stared and remained.

"So you are Roman Blue...the man who invited my sister to breakfast. How did you plan on doing it? Poison in the eggs?" he asked.

"Gemini Jack I presume...one of the famous Gemini twins. I guess that makes your sister the crack-shot Gemini who made a very impressive 2000 yard shot last night."

"Best shot I know." He said, drinking the orange juice that was for his sister.

"She is a bold young lady, that last shot was a hell of a message and I admire someone who gives a warning to their enemies with that kind of precision."

"My sister doesn't give warnings." He assured.

"Then my cigar suffered a fate not meant for me and I was mistaken about the caliber of company I was to dine with." he sighed with disappointment.

"You know I used to admire you, but it takes a little heartless indifference to invite someone to breakfast to kill them." he said checking the menu.

"I had no intentions of killing anyone for breakfast and if I intended to kill your sister, it will be a fair dual. I do hope I get to meet her before and shake her hand on a very impressive shot...before we dance." He nodded, receiving his breakfast plate.

"Like killing young women do ya?" suggested Jack.

"No, I like killing a worthy opponent, gender means nothing. I do enjoy dining with a beautiful woman in the morning, and I do have a respect for female Surgeons, so if your sister wishes to challenge me, I wont turn her away, but I don't hunt the ones who don't want a fight." He assured. "I'm an artist of death, not a monster."

"That why you only kill other Surgeons?" he asked.

"Correct. What fun is murdering an innocent bystander for money? Now putting my training against another killers training, and betting my very life that I am the better...now that is a good way to spend a Friday night, don't you agree?" Roman said, sipping his tea.

"I never killed another Surgeon before...never even seen one on the board before now." he admitted. "Except The German...and nobody's that suicidal."

"Those Operations tend to go quickly and are often reserved for the Surgeons with the most skilled hands. I get the opportunity before the board does."

"And even you wouldn't take on The German?"

"Hard to kill what you can't find." he admitted. "And I looked."

"So why do you do it?" asked Jack.

"The job or the details?" asked Roman.

"The details. Why leave your kills unconfirmed, why go after other Surgeons, I mean most of them find it highly controvercial, it's like a brotherhood...you don't kill another brother." He mentioned.

"It's not a brotherhood, it's an Organization, it's a game with rules and players and not all players are respectful or honorable. There was a time when it was gentlemen and ladies with respect for the rules, but as time passed, the younger Surgeons don't care about those things. The Organization can't control they young Surgeons greed anymore. Nobody asks why an operation is needed anymore, they just follow orders. People need to be killed for various reasons, control, cleaning the corruption, enforcing the rules that make society what it is. Sometimes leaders must be adjusted, sometimes companies need to be reformed, sometimes damage must be throttled and men in positions cannot be allowed to remain...and as the Organization grew, so did the politics involved within it.