(2013) Shooter (2 page)
I punched in the ten digit, randomly changing code into a keypad holding the back door to my building closed. It beeped once and clicked and the steel door swung open.
"Home at last…" I mumbled, stepping inside and kicking the door shut. It closed and clicked, the lock sliding back into place. I was met with a dark nondescript hallway, only one door at the very end. This door led to a spiral staircase, which I climbed slowly.
At the top, I walked into a warm, spacious room where a crackling fire roared in the center of it, surrounded by several wine-red sofas and chairs, and tasteful décor. Cherry wood made up the flooring, conservative bookshelves lined the room, and pricey artworks adorned the pale yellow walls.
A small Hispanic woman was draped over one of the sofas, reading a paperback book. One crimson painted foot dangled over the arm.
"Hey Julie." I called to her, crossing the room in a few strides and taking off my gloves and wet shoes when I reached and adjacent couch.
"Hey Ghost. So I guess you're done with the Kramer job?
"Thank God. Bastard stayed at a party for
ever.
I sat on that rooftop for four hours. I. Am. Freezing."
Julia grinned at me, dog-eared her page, and set the book down. I read the cover upside down with some curiosity.
"Dante's 'Inferno'? That's different."
"I thought I'd try some of the classics. Those romance novels were turning me into a softie." Julia sat up gracefully and stretched, her toes soundlessly touching the hardwood floor.
I snorted. "Please." Julia Serrano, a softy? Right, when Hell freezes over, and pigs fly, and Sunnis start holding hands and singing campfire songs with Kurds. In other words, not bloody likely.
"Seriously. I would have been useless pretty soon."
That would be a sight.
By the way. Wondering why she calls me Ghost? A little bit of professional respect, and a reflection of how we do things. My nickname's Ghost, because you never see me coming. Want to know what we call her? Medusa.
Because once you're close enough to look her in the eye, you're fucked. It's over; kiss your happy ass goodbye. If we weren't such close friends, I'd be scared shitless of her.
"Catching you useless would be like catching me singing karaoke to 'Achy-Breaky-Heart'." I gave another derisive snort and pulled off my wool hat, leaving my hair free to fall in my face.
She laughed and winked one chocolate brown eye. "That's at the top of my list of things to see before I die."
"Well, that box is going to have to remain unchecked. Sorry, hon." I grimaced as I shrugged off my coat and gathered the rest of my discarded clothing.
Such a stripper, gosh.
"Even if I said please?" She sounded cheated, and her grin turned into a frown of disappointment.
"Not even if my life depended on it."
"Ooh, careful who you say that to, Ghost." She flashed me the barest suggestion of a dangerous smile that gave me the willies despite myself. I almost shivered.
I stood up with my armful of stuff and started toward my room. "I think I'm going to go soak. Work the chill out of my bones." I smiled again.
Julia nodded, picked her book back up, and re-draped herself back over the couch, and called after me. "You can borrow my bath beads, if you like."
"Thanks, Julie." I stopped and detoured to her room, going in just long enough to grab the little box from the bathroom and leave, closing the door before returning to my humble abode.
The layout of the building was, two floors, the second floor divided up into a big center room with a large kitchen branched off of it, and three full bedrooms with full baths, and an office. One bedroom belonged to me, one to Julia, and one to Daisuke Kasuka, our roommate who shared our profession and our general way of life. A half-Asian guy who was pretty easy to live with, as well. The office was Kendall's, though he wasn't here too often.
My room consisted of just a queen bed (I like my space), a modified walk-in closet (I like my clothes), a recliner chair and fifty-two inch plasma HD TV (I like my entertainment). A silver laptop rested on my bed, a little portable game system atop it. You wouldn't see anything here out of the ordinary, no hitman's gear.
All that's in my closet.
I hung my coat and hat on the waiting peg by the door, and went to go stick my shoes in my closet. I came out with a drab shorts and t-shirt sleep outfit, and went to my bathroom.
Now, I absolutely love my bathroom. The tub's nearly big enough to swim in, with jets and ooh, it's amazing.
I grinned to myself, and started the water, dropping a few rose-scented beads in, steam rising in the air.
I stepped out of my bathroom an hour later, much warmer and a good deal happier. I was busily toweling my hair, which smelled of roses and sandalwood, dry. It hung in damp spikes around my shoulders. I yawned deeply, and wandered to my bed, sitting on the edge, and casting about for something to do. Nothing much came to mind, so I sat there for a few minutes, until there was a knock on my door. It was one of only three people.
"Come in." I called. The door opened. "Oh, hey Dai."
Daisuke walked in, grinning and looking around. "Hey, Grace. How did your job go?"
"'Bout turned into a block of ice waiting for the guy to come home, but other than that, just fine. Done right the first time, one shot, one kill." I pulled my legs up under me and grinned cheerfully.
"The usual method, of course." He raised an eyebrow at me.
I patted the spot next to me. "Here, park it for a mo'".
He sat next to me, and even sitting, he was much taller. Julia and I were the smaller, stealthier ones. He was the muscle man.
"You never did like getting your hands dirty." He continued.
"Nope, not like some people. So how are you, Bull? Haven't seen you in two weeks."
"Yeah, I was doing a couple of jobs in Cape Hill, one took a little longer than it should have, and Kendall's not happy with me." He grimaced and crossed his arms over his chest. A couple things clanked. He must have just come in if he was still armed.
It was sort of an unspoken trust thing that none of us carried weapons around 'the house'.
I leaned back, resting my palms on the bed behind me. "He'll get over it. Besides, what else can he do?"
Daisuke shrugged. "Good point."
"So what are you up to right now?"
"Just talking to a friend." He grinned. "I think I'm free for a while, now, too. Would you maybe want to, I dunno, get drinks somewhere? Catch up?"
I know what you're thinking. Not at all. We were just friends, and I'll prove it right now. "What about…?"
"Julia? I asked her already. She's coming."
"Sounds fun." I smiled and he smiled back. See? There's nothing there.
"Alrighty then. By the way, how's your sister doing?" Daisuke asked with mild curiosity.
"Pretty good, she still thinks I'm a telemarketer, actually. I need a better alibi." I chuckled softly to myself.
He snorted. "You? A telemarketer?"
"I know, right? That's why I need a better fake job."
"Lawyer?" Daisuke suggested unhelpfully.
"Lawyer? Are you insane?" I sniggered at the thought. "Con'll just stare at me and ask when the hell I went to law school. No, I need something I might actually be able to back up… oh, screw it, I'll think of something else later."
I stood with a yawn and a very unladylike stretch and grunt. Hey, at least I wasn't scratching my bum. Daisuke watched me and frowned.
"You really should get some more sleep, Grace. Or try to." He frowned again. "It's not healthy, you know."
"I do. Doesn't make it any easier." I mumbled, folding my arms across my chest. A hint of a smile quirked the corner of my mouth.
"No, I don't suppose it would." He nodded and left with one last sad smile at me.
I traced a finger under one eye, where I knew dark circles showed clearly. Sleep? Me?
Right.
I tossed and turned under a sheet, waking once or twice before rolling over and trying again. It didn't happen, and I was almost relieved when my cell rang. I glanced at the alarm clock beside my bed. 5:42 AM.
"Hello?" I mumbled.
"I have another assignment for you and Julia."
I raked a hand through my disheveled hair. "When and where?"
"Get some rest for now, I'm sending the details later."
"Who's the monkey?" I sighed.
"Julia. Come prepared accordingly, Graecia." Click.
Alright then. I tossed my phone back on the bedside table.
Confused? What's a monkey, you may ask? Well, typically, when there are two hitmen on one job, it's because there are separate jobs to be done. The monkey is the stealthy one, who breaks and enters, for wont of a better term, and the other, the metal man, is the one who actually does the dirty deed. Unfortunately, unless I'm with Julia, I'm always the monkey. And the monkey tends to be the one who gets munched on by the guard dogs when they pick up her trail. But this time I get to be the one holding the gun. Hooray.
So I sighed and rolled back over a few more times before giving up and hobbling off to my closet.
Flipping on the light switch, I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes, trying to decide what to wear.
In the end, I selected some torn jeans, a black t-shirt, worn black Chucks, and a canvas coat, the military style that was halfway fashionable and functional at the same time. Under my coat, I wore a nylon and leather gun holster that allowed for two standard .45 ACP handguns and a couple of knives. The guns went under my shoulders, and four four-inch knives rested on my hips. My standard getup. Dressed, I stuffed a duffel bag with various paraphernalia that I would need later.
Shutting my closet door behind me, I took the bag out into the main room and dropped it on one scarlet couch. My stomach growled, time for breakfast.
Attempting to keep my clanking to a minimum, I crept into the kitchen and opened the fridge, selecting a pan or three from the rack over the stove.
I selected eggs and bacon and several types of seasonings from the cabinet overhead, and a couple types of cheese and kicked the door closed.
I felt the need to cook up something special this morning. Chances were, this might be my last halfway decent meal for a few days.
Laying out all the ingredients on the countertop, I set to work.
A half hour later, Julia and Daisuke woke and wandered in.
"Holy crap, Gracie, how long have you been up? I was going to go and wake you, but I heard the sizzling and smelled the delicious food." Julia stretched and looked around at the amazing spread I'd laid out.
"Just about an hour or so." I poked a stuffed pepper and cheese omelet to see how done it was. "That's for you guys. Dig in." I waved at the table.
They both grinned like children presented with cake, parked it at the table and seized a plate of breakfast each.
Daisuke smiled as he ate, and Julia wore a dreamy expression.