The Reckless Assassin

Chapter 2

I arrived at the address Orion gave me to find a little cafe just outside of Perditus’ business estate. I head inside, setting off the chimes above the door, I ask the waitress for a table, telling her my name for when Orion gets here.

It’s almost deserted inside, bar a few people waiting in the queue to grab their coffees to go. The waitress shows me to a small table for two at the back, out of view of the door, but close to the back of the shop so that I can slip out undetected if the need arises. It is five to eight currently, so I ask for an americano, not bothered to wait for my company to arrive. I sit and heave in the smell of ground coffee beans and freshly baked cakes and pastries as I wait.

Just as my coffee arrives, the chimes sound and a large, very handsome, older man is escorted to my table. The man stands at around six-foot three-inches, with a muscular build. He has bright hazel eyes and a thin beard, with a full head of black hair though it's sprinkled with grey. He looks to be in his fifties, around the same age as my Dad. I stand up and plaster a bright smile on my face as he walks over to the table, I smooth my skirt and stick my hand out to take in his. After a firm handshake, we make formal introductions. Orion is the CEO of Vita Incorporation, the second largest AI development corporation in Perditus – second only to Mortem Technologies.

“I’d like for you to take down the CEO of Mortem Technologies,” Orion states, making eye contact with me.

“So you’d like me to take out Cadyn Mortem, one of the richest men in the world?” I scoff, not believing that he thinks I would put myself at risk like that.

“No. I’d like for you to kill Covyn Mortem. Cadyn’s son has very recently taken over the family business,” he counters.

“Has the son done much wrong? You should know that I’m an assassin with values. I won’t kill the innocent. If his only crime is being his fathers son then I can’t help you here,” I tell him. He maintains eye contact whilst telling me all about Covyn Mortems’ dealings, before taking over his fathers company and everything since, the man is bad news. He has had relationships and business dealings with drug lords and king-pins, he has also taken part in illegal trading and much more. I ponder all I’ve heard.

“How much are you willing to pay?” I question, knowing Orion is filthy rich, whilst also thinking about the worth of my life. I fully believe that my life is what it will cost me to complete this job.

“One million,” he offers nonchalantly.

I scoff internally. Looking around the shop, making him think that I am considering his offer. I turn back to him with a serious face, looking him straight in the eye.

“I think you’re willing to pay much more than that. I’ll make a counter offer. Three million and one of those chips that you rich people love so much.” He frowns, rubbing his greying beard before nodding reluctantly.

Perfect, I think to myself as another much more real smile takes over my face.

“I’ll need that chip before I go anywhere near Covyn. However, whilst you are preparing that, I can do some recon and figure out his schedule and pick the perfect time to strike.” He nods again with a faraway look on his face. He’s clearly thinking some things over. He looks back to me after several minutes, a blank look on his face.

“I’ll have it ready in a couple of weeks. I’ll need you to come to Vita to get some samples taken and some tests done.” I nod my head. We exchange some pleasantries and he stands to leave, shaking my hand once more before disappearing through the shop and out the door. I let my face go back to its usual blank state, taking time to finish off my coffee and paying before trekking over to Maxen’s.

***

I walk into Maxen’s shop at ten o’clock, hoping to get some new ink as it’s never too busy at this time of the day. He’s sitting in his chair, working on a piece for a big burly man who looks like a gang member. I sit down on a waiting room chair. Maxen looks up at me and smiles. I take note of his features; he’s ruggedly handsome, with choppy brown hair framing his face, amber eyes and some stubble coating his jaw. He finishes up with his client after twenty more minutes and walks over to sit down next to me, looking at me with a face that says he knows exactly what I want. He does. I giggle at him.

“So, what’ll it be this time, Val?” He asks me, raking his eyes down my frame.

“There’s not much space left,” he adds.

“I’d like some work going up my left shoulder and onto my neck. Here, where the little bit of space is.” I point to the space between my shoulder and my neck. He nods.

“Any idea of the design?” He asks. I nod to the wall beside us where it shows intricate designs that look like the inside of a circuit board.

“I want that going up my neck, stopping just before my jaw,” I state. He walks me over to the chair, sitting me down over the side of it. I swing my legs round so that they are propped up and I wait while he gets his equipment sorted.

We talk while he works; about the tattoos he has recently completed, my most recent jobs and about any gossip making its way round the slums. It’s comfortable here with Maxen, he’s one of my only friends, the other being Mallory – she’s a prostitute. Mallory and I met after one of my jobs. I was stalking through the back alleys on my way to the bar to meet my Dad when I saw her being attacked by some thugs who couldn’t pay for her services. They thought they could take what they wanted. They were sorely mistaken.

Maxen and I met when my Dad brought me to get my first tattoo on my sixteenth birthday, after begging and begging for him to let me get one. I finally wore him down. I've been coming to his shop every month since that day, as well as running by during my morning training every day for the past few years.

He finishes off the tattoo, wrapping the ink in plastic wrap, before taking my payment. I say goodbye to Maxen, noticing that it’s four o’clock – way later than I expected. We got distracted with our catch-up.

I head out of the shop into the now darkening city centre. I don’t have any other obligations today, so I decide to get a head start on some basic recon for Orions’ job. I make my way through the city to the business estate.

***

I cross over into the business estate after a forty minute walk through the city. I can already see Mortem Technologies in the distance. Their large neon sign is like a beacon in the rapidly diminishing daylight. It gets dark earlier at this time of the year. My skin starts to pebble with goosebumps as cold air breezes by.

I wish I’d brought my jacket with me.

All around me, people are bustling by, heading home after a long day of work. I start towards the building to see if I can get a look at Covyn Mortem. From what I’ve heard on the streets, he’s drop-dead gorgeous. All the girls want to be with him, and all the men want to be him. I don’t blame anyone, even if he were ugly he’d be classed as an eligible bachelor since he’s the son of the richest man on the planet and he’s just inherited said man’s company. His good looks would just solidify the facts.

I spend a little bit of time scoping out the building, pinpointing the security cameras and identifying the different security measures they have at the building entrances and exits. No one gets into Mortem Technologies without Covyn Mortem knowing. I think I’m going to have to change my strategy.

I get close to the back doors and I am frozen to the spot. A man has just stepped out of the revolving doors. I think he has my heart. My hand comes up to my chest as the palpitations start. He is the most beautiful man I have ever seen on this earth. His broad, muscular frame and sharp facial features. He’s typically handsome, a man you’d expect to see walking out of a fairytale, or atleast a fashion magazine. My thoughts wander as I spend a little time thinking of all the things I want this man to do to me. I’d let him ruin me.

I follow him discreetly from the building to an underground car park just round the corner, all thoughts of my job have vanished. I’m in a trance looking at this mysterious man. Then a thought occurs to me and I am snapped out of my stupor.

Please don’t let it be him. Please don’t let it be Covyn. I’m hoping for any details on him, who is he?

Please don’t be Covyn.

I am shaken from my thoughts when what looks like a security guard indirectly answers my question. He’s just called him over to a waiting car. My shoulders slump and I think I might cry. The breath I didn’t know I was holding is also released.

Covyn Mortem.

It’s a shame he has to die. A waste.

I watch as he steps up to the car that’s waiting to take him where he needs to go. He hops in the back and the door is shut behind him. The car starts and drives towards me to the exit of the car park. I’m about to walk away when the car abruptly stops right next to me and the back window rolls down. I am face to face with my mark.

My breathing hitches as he looks me right in the eye with a curious look on his face. He smirks at me when I’m left speechless, rolls the window back up and the car takes off down the road.

I stand on the spot he left me with a confused look on my face.

“What on earth was that?” I mutter to myself, shaking the confusion from my body. It’s time to get to work.