The Reckless Assassin

Chapter 3

Having forgotten to take note of the registration plate of Covyns’ car for further reconnaissance, I head into the mostly desolate corporate building to have a look at the security footage to get the information from the cameras. I could probably find some more note-worthy information too. Perhaps I will find some more people to spy on to get to him. His security team is my best chance.

After picking the lock on the car-park door, I take my heels off, leaving them on the outside of the door and sneak inside quickly and efficiently knowing that I’ll have to avoid the cameras. If Covyn is smart he’ll have someone here watching the cameras day and night. I don’t want to underestimate him, given whose son he is. Cadyn was notorious for being paranoid, although I guess that’s fair when you have so much money. People nowadays are willing to do anything for money. I guess I am a prime example.

The atmosphere in the building is to my advantage. The building doesn’t have censored lighting so all the hallways are dark, and with my dark outfit I can imagine I blend right into the walls on the cameras. He should really update those. They don’t have any lights on them, nor are they up-to-date enough to be night-vision. I snicker to myself, he has made this all so easy.

I start on the ground floor, all the administration rooms seem to be down here, I have my fingers crossed that the surveillance room is too. I run swiftly through the winding hall, keeping track of where I’m going and where I’ve been so I don’t get lost. I mean god this place is a maze. It’s definitely been made this way on purpose but I have a great memory so it makes no difference really.

After searching the entire floor, I start working my way up the floors. It’s late in the evening by the time I come upon the thirty-ninth floor, second floor to the top. Absolutely typical. My sore feet are begging to go home as I peer round the door into the surveillance room. I’m shocked to see it’s empty. Not for long I suppose, spotting the cup of steaming hot coffee on the desk.

I start back out the door and hide in a utility closet, hoping that I can catch the security guard by surprise. I’ll knock him out cold before he even knows I’m here. Just as the door to the closet clicks shut, I hear the sound of muffled steps coming from down the corridor. I wait as the steps grow louder and clearer, and as they pass the door, I abruptly open the door and stick an arm around the neck of a very large muscular man with a buzzcut. He is unconscious after a little struggle. I drag him into the surveillance room and get to work. All of a sudden this all feels very wrong, like I'm betraying someone very close to me. Whats wrong with me? I press on. This is absolutely necessary.

After a half hour of digging through files, downloading some useful information onto a hard drive I had in my purse, I leave as quickly as I can. I’m back on the ground floor with impressive timing and out the back door. I slip my heels back on as I make my way to the bar to cool off. Dad should be at home getting ready for bed by now. I think as I check the time. It’s already eleven o’clock. Maybe I can see if Mallory is around for a chat.

I’ll have a look through all of this information later.

***

Opening the door to the bar, I can already see that it’s going to be a busy night. I find myself a small table at the back, out of the way of anyone else. This way I won’t find myself in any trouble.

I’m hoping that Mallory will come by tonight. It's been a few weeks since she worked this street, so I haven’t seen much of her. It’d be nice to spend some time with her, even if it’s while she’s looking for work.

I spend an hour or so watching all the different people in the bar and after a few rounds I decide to call it quits for the night, the bar patrons look riled up tonight and I can’t be bothered getting into a scuffle tonight. Mallory must not be working here tonight either. I hope she’s okay. I’ll have to make a point of going to see her at home to make sure.

It seemed my timing was right. Although it usually is. A fight broke out outside the bar, just as I was heading down the street to my apartment building, using the neon signs as my source of direction, whilst ignoring all the different smells wafting around me. I decide to ignore my brains’ call for violence and head home to get a decent sleep. I have important people to tail and consciousness chips to contemplate destroying. Starting tomorrow. This could possibly be my longest job to date.

***

My sleep was invaded with dreams of a very handsome, very rich and very bad man. Waking up earlier than usual I get up and get ready to start my day a little earlier. Instead of my usual run by Maxens’ shop, I decided to use this time to take a run through the business estate, hoping to get another glimpse of Covyn or his security team. Anything that will give me some leads, or something to follow to get an idea of his schedule.

As I run towards the business estate, the little cafe that I met Orion in catches my eye. I slow my pace to watch as the waitress opens up shop, turning over the open/closed sign on the outside of the door. The chimes ringing through the door and out onto the street. I couldn’t imagine leading such a peaceful life. I guess peace doesn’t really work in this day and age. No one gets peace. It’s just a hard life or a harder life.

I pick up my pace again as I run straight into the business estate, up into the centre of it, where Vita Incorporation and Mortem Technologies are both situated. Directly across the street from one another.

They are true rivals. I chuckle to myself.

Approaching the front doors to Mortem Technologies, I pretend to fix my laces. Bent down, I take note of the staff at the front doors. Two uniformed members of security and four casually dressed: one is pretending to be sitting in the lounge area reading a newspaper, another is ordering a coffee at the other end of the room, the third one is standing at the edge of the room next to the elevators having a pretend phone call and the last one, the trickiest of them all is the woman with the extremely revealing clothes on, pretending to chat up the men walking through the building. A great cover, I used it myself on more than one occasion. My mind wanders as I think about whether Covyn would be susceptible to such charms. The thought caught me off guard, a blush creeping its way up my neck to my cheeks.

Why does he make me feel weak in the knees?

We just met and have yet to speak to one another. I’m ashamed to even think about the feelings I’m having for a target.

I shake my head, chasing the thoughts away.

I check my watch and realise it’s already quarter to seven, working hours don’t start for another hour and a bit so having skipped my usual coffee this morning, I take my chances grabbing a coffee from the cafe inside the Mortem building.

No one seems to take even a second look at me. They assume I won’t be a threat due to my small stature and petite frame.

Oh, how wrong they are. I sigh.

I walk straight up to the coffee counter and order a large cappuccino. I’m digging around in the bag that’s slung around my waist, looking for the change I always keep on me if I ever need it. Occasions such as this one are not rare, I always think I can go without my morning coffee. Just as I find the few coins, a hand reaches over me and hands some money to the barista. I look up; ready to argue that I can pay for my own coffee when I become entranced by the most captivativing pair of eyes.

Peering down at me is Covyn Mortem, I don’t know how I didn’t notice yesterday that his eyes are also unusual. They are violet. His eyes are even more unique than my own. I can’t help but think about what a pair we would make. I stand looking up, opening and closing my mouth like a fish out of water, a blush grazing my cheeks. I don’t think I have ever blushed before. Very professional of me.

I snap out of my stupor and hand my own money over too; looking away from him to avoid eye contact. The barista looks between us, not knowing whose money to take as payment. I give her a hard glare causing her to push Covyns’ money back at him. I hear him clear his throat over my shoulder so I turn around to stare at his chest, still avoiding eye contact.

“What is your name?” he asks, curiosity and amusement filling the tone of his voice. My brain is in uncharted territory, I don’t know whether to be honest or not, I’m all muddled up.

“Val,” I choke out, totally disbelieving of my unnatural behaviour, but glad my brain had the sense to give me some sense of identity cover. You’d never know I was an assassin with the way I’m acting. I guess that could work in my favour.

“Have we met before, Val?” he questions seriously.

“I think we briefly encountered one another in the car park yesterday,” I answered honestly.

“I knew I recognised those eyes. Heterochromia is very rare indeed,” he states bluntly.

“Not as rare as violet eyes,” I counter. He chuckles lightly, his shoulders bouncing with the action. It’s a comforting action, I feel my body relaxing after hearing it, but an ache in my core replaces the uptight feeling, the sound of his laughter doing things to my body that I can’t fathom. I feel my brain starting to work at normal capacity again. I breathe a heavy sigh of relief or contentment – I’m not sure which. Just as quickly as the relaxed feeling came, it disappears again as a wave of anger takes over my body. I’m angry that my brain and my body seems to want to betray me and hand me over to a stranger, a very bad one at that; and I’m angry at Covyn for having that effect on me. I’ve never felt so out of control before. I wish I'd opted to have my coffee at home this morning. I certainly won't make that mistake again.

He seems to have been watching my internal struggle I realise after taking note of the confused look on his face. I turn back to the waitress, grab my coffee and storm out of the building. Cursing him and myself under my breath as I leave, not looking back to see whether he’s watching me leave or not. I decide it’s better to steer clear of Covyn for now, until I have to finish the job. I can silently observe him from afar until the time comes.

***

Having used the walk back to my apartment to calm down, I am now sitting on the sofa in the living room gathering as much information as I can on Covyn Mortem. It seems he is very popular among his peers within his industry, unlike his father. Cadyn Mortem was feared within the industry and was known for his bad temper and scheming ways. Cadyn, like a child who hadn’t gotten their way, threw tantrums when he didn’t get what he wanted. Several of these tantrums had been plastered over magazines and billboards, trying to get the city people to see what he was really like. The scandalous news had been wiped from existence the next morning, and several of the people responsible for the magazine articles and the billboard articles had been reported missing. None of them ever seen again. I guess that comes easy for someone with enough money to buy the entire city outright. He feels like the place belongs to him, as well as its people. The thought alone disgusts me but the evidence devastates me.

I find some more basic information on Covyn. Information about his family, any relationships he has or had, as well as details about his inheritance, of his fathers’ business and some of the dealings he has been involved with since.

As I spiral into the internet world of Covyn Mortem, I stumble upon a web address that reels me in immediately. I gasp at what I see.

www.MortemTechMustGo.com

Having clicked on the link I am bombarded with links and articles about all of Mortem Technologies business contracts and such – legal and illegal. I also find some more personal information about Covyn and his father and what I read enrages me. I feel my blood start to boil beneath my skin. The rage itching to get out.

Someone must really have it out for the Mortem family. They must have gone through an awful lot of effort to get this information. If this site was non-existent, I don’t think private investigators would even have been able to get a hold of the information here. Information that even Orion didn’t seem aware of, but there’s proof on the site of everything they accuse them of. It looks like all the information on this site is legit. I start scratching down notes in my notepad for later on, hoping to look into all of this myself and if it is true then I hope that this information can help me not only complete my job, but take down Mortem Technologies too. God knows they would deserve it. This job won’t end with Covyn, not now that I have seen what that family has been upto.

***

Over the last few days – since coming across the site online – I have been doing some digging of my own into the accusations, as well as tailing Covyn. I have found out a bunch of information about the things said online and it’s looking like it’s all true. I’ve also pretty much mapped out Covyns’ routine for a typical week. The perfect time to strike is between him leaving work and getting home – between five and half past five. Now I just have to pick my method and sort out my payment from Orion.

My watch is showing nine in the morning. I’ve just finished my training for the day. It’s time to call Orion, hopefully he won’t be too busy with work and we can get these tests done as soon as possible. My mind flashes with images of Covyn. I think it’s trying to guilt trip me into backing out of the job. I can’t seem to get him out of my head. His shocking violet eyes, his hearty laughter, his strong frame. It seems to have invaded my mind. I wish it would stop. It’s making this job much harder than it should be. I feel anything but professional. The thoughts anger me as I think about all I’ve found out about him, his actions should be more than a deterrent, and yet they don’t seem to factor in where my heart or my mind are concerned.

I pick up my phone, dialling Orions’ number. It rings once. Twice. He picks up on the third ring.

“Hello, Orion Aemulus speaking,” he states down the phone.

“Hey, it’s Val. I’m just phoning to ask when I should come in for those tests and such? I’ve pretty much planned out the whole job, I just need payment so I can get started,” I say, hoping to get this done today.

“I’m really busy today, could you come by early tomorrow? I can hopefully have your payment ready the day after so you can get started.” I sigh, humming down the phone in response. We say our goodbyes and I start getting all of my equipment ready to get started.

This will all be over soon Val, don’t worry. You’ll be back to your usual spunky self in no time.