Face of the Assassin

by Bill Brewer

  She reached out, took his hand and led him down the hall, her bare feet padding across the hardwood. Walking down the hall, Julie pointed out the guest room to the left; they passed by her office, and on the right, a sitting room. At the end of the hall, they reached her bedroom. Entering, Vince could see that the sleeping chamber was the entire width of the fourth floor. To the right was a marble bathroom, to the left an enormous closet. The bed itself was gigantic. It looked like an acre of mattress. It was one massive cushion, well beyond ‘King Size.’

  “You got to see me naked, so how about I get to see you?” She tilted her head and waited an impatient moment before adding, “If you take your clothes off, you can stay with me tonight.”

  Diegert was confused. The desired action was obvious, but the deeply personal and intimate situation after just having violently killed people was difficult for Vince. He was just so surprised by how forward Julie was being after such a traumatic event. Was she really okay? Was it right for him to do this? Was he crazy for not getting undressed as quickly as he could?

  With a soft purr in her voice Julie said, “Don’t be shy, it’s just you and me.”

  Vince untied his shoes and removed his socks. Her lips curved into a cute smile. He unbuttoned his oxford shirt and peeled it back off his shoulders. Julie’s smile broadened as she took in the muscles on Vince's chest and the lean rippling abdomen. Her eyes though, grew wide with anticipation. Unbuttoning his pants and sliding them to the floor revealed strong legs, but also exposed the deep scar on his left thigh. Vince saw the painful wince in Julie’s face. He shrugged at her as she looked at him with concern. Standing in his dull gray briefs, a lustful smile on his face, reassured her that this man’s injury was fully healed.

  Vince put his thumb under his waistband. Julie smiled and quickly did the same. Looking at him, she started to giggle. Without realizing it, they synchronized their blinks and they both pulled down their underwear simultaneously. A burst of laughter erupted as they stepped out of their undergarments and rose to standing. They felt silly, they felt sexy and Julie was impressed with the rising erection forming in front of her. Vince’s aroused penis engorged as he gazed at Julie’s neatly trimmed landing strip.

  With a fading smile she stepped over to him, hand extended. He took her hand stepping to the edge of the massive bed. She pulled back the sheets, climbing on to the cool cotton. Vince looked at her as he followed on to the soft sheets. He was surprised that the excitement and effervescence of a moment ago seemed to be waning. Perplexed, he searched her face for a message. She was no longer making eye contact. Sliding onto his back, he laid his head on the pillow next to her. She wrapped a leg across his thighs and an arm across his chest. Vince put his arm around her shoulder and drew her close. Julie tucked her head in tight upon Vince’s broad shoulder. The room was still, Vince’s hard-on was tent-poling the sheets, but he sensed things were different.

  The first sob came from Julie like a bursting bubble. The second escaped an attempt at repression. The third and all the rest fell out of her like floodwater cresting a dam. Julie Kellerman cried uncontrollably. She sobbed and trembled as her emotions shook the massive bed with grief, sadness and pain. She cried with such force that the tears seemed to spray from her eyes. Vince could only imagine the pain of betrayal she was feeling over her brother’s treachery. The sense of worthlessness with which he regarded her and the belief that what he was doing was somehow okay. Treating his sister like a sexual commodity to be bartered for a debt he could’ve easily paid. With all the money in the world, he chose to offer the one woman who loved him as meat for the violent pleasures those four creeps had planned. Vince’s face grew stern as his Diegert feelings boiled inside.

  After fifteen minutes of mournful crying, Julie wiped her face on the sheet. “I’m sorry,” she said.

  “Shh,” replied Vince. “I’m right here. Why don’t you go to sleep.”

  Julie repositioned her head on Vince’s shoulder. Soon her soft rhythmic breathing caressed his chest. Before long they were both dreaming of the good thing they’d found in one another and the retribution for betrayal that awaited Michael.

  CHAPTER 25

  After driving for sixteen straight hours, Wayne arrived in London and texted Avery. I’m on the LPU campus, I have critical intel to share.

  Avery: Was your mission successfully completed?

  That’s what I have to talk with you about. Let me in.

  Where’s the video?

  I must see you in person, let me in.

  After a long pause, Wayne received a message.

  Wait where you are, I will have an escort team bring you in.

  Standing in Avery’s office, Wayne’s pledge to kill his benefactor had faded. Instead, he arrived with a more hopeful request in mind.

  “So Wayne I see a substantial injury to your left ear. In fact that’s a pretty nasty looking bandage you have there.”

  “Ah, yes sir, the ear is gone and I’m hoping your super nanocytes can fix me up with a new one.”

  “I see, but before we discuss any such arrangement, please explain the outcome of your mission. Is Masoni dead?”

  “Aye, I got to tell ya, I could have benefitted from a bit more information about that crafty bastard. You see I went to the boat business you told me about and I stole inside so I could kill em, and when I surprised him, he had a bigger surprise for me.”

  “Yes, what happened then?”

  “The boathouse was a big cavernous space. Masoni was inside, and he seemed to be waiting for something or someone. I thought for sure I had him right where I wanted him. I crept along the shadows on the edge of the room to get a good shot. As I drew closer, I was attacked from the side. A powerful force emerged from the shadows, knocking me to the ground. Falling into the middle of the room alarmed Masoni, who looked at me and shouted, “Kill Him.” I looked and saw what had pushed me down. It was a man all dressed in black with a skull mask on his face. He drew a long katana from a sheath--that’s a big sword.”

  “Yes, I know what a katana is.”

  “This guy was a ninja. I rolled to my side and popped off two shots at Masoni. He ran for cover and I’m not sure if I killed him. The ninja struck my wrists with his sword.”

  Wayne held out his wrists, and the cuts from the zip ties were significant and looked quite painful, but a sharp katana would have taken his hands right off.

  “I lost my pistol as I scrambled to my feet. I found a boathook with a long staff and squared up against the ninja. The hook end of the staff had a tapered metal point and it was long enough that I could jab him. I thrust the staff at him, poking him in the stomach and the thighs. He circled me constantly adjusting his stance and his grip on the sword. During one of his adjustments, I whirled the staff and swung the end of it at his head. I could hear the crack of the metal against his skull. He stumbled a bit trying to regain his footing, but not before I whacked his left knee. He went down, and I set the point of the shaft to pierce his throat. As I drove forward he deflected my shaft, slid himself to the opposite side like a cat and struck me in the side of my head with the butt of his sword.”

  Wayne turned his head, bringing Avery’s attention to his bruised temple where Masoni had strapped the metal nut and tortured him with the impact driver. Out of the corner of his eye, Wayne saw Avery wincing at the site of his bruises.

  “We were both standing now, a bit groggy but not giving up the fight. I looked around but I could not see Masoni anywhere. The coward either was dead or had run off. The ninja began whirling his sword, cutting through the air with big swooshes. He was trying to intimidate me. I stood and twirled my boathook, shifting it from side to side and brandishing it so that the bastard knew I was ready for his shit.”

  Wayne saw a glimmer of doubt turn into a full frown on Avery’s face.

  “I moved forward, aggressively using the boathook to snag the sword from the fucker’s hand. He was forced on to the defensive; I had him backing up toward the w
aterfront. Crossing the open area of the boathouse, I was getting ready to disarm and skewer him when I stepped into a puddle of motor oil. My foot slipped out from under me and I fell to the floor. The ninja flashed forward. As he passed by, he swung the katana at my face. I had only an instant to react. My evasion kept the blade from splitting my skull like a melon, and instead he sliced off my ear like a piece of deli ham.”

  Avery’s earlier frown remained, but was now joined by a furrowed brow and one raised eyelid. After a moment of silence he said, “Well I’m glad to hear you survived this harrowing battle with such a skilled combatant. The boathook turned out to be a very clever weapon.”

  “Thank you sir,” said Wayne with a bow to his sensei.

  “But I gather from the story that Jarod Masoni is not confirmed dead.”

  “No sir. In fact from across the room the ninja shouted something before he left.”

  Avery leaned forward, opening his palms as he kept his eyes fixed on Wayne’s.

  Following a thoughtful pause, Wayne said, “The night will never be too dark for us to find and kill the one who sent you.”

  Avery leaned back in his chair, folded his arms over his chest and said, “These were the ninja’s parting words, and he put no more attack upon you?”

  “Yes sir, that’s why I drove straight back here so I could deliver the warning as soon as possible. I fear Masoni intends to do you harm.”

  “How does Masoni know you were sent by me? You never mentioned speaking to him.”

  “AH… That’s true sir, but ninjas have a sixth sense. If even a thought of you entered my head during the fight, the ninja would know it. That’s why they are so successful in fights because they can enter the minds of their opponents and know their thoughts before they become actions.”

  After rubbing his forehead in his hand Avery said, “I see. That‘s amazingly insightful of you to recognize the ways of the ninja. You’re lucky to have survived a confrontation with such a formidable mental warrior.”

  Another deferential bow and Wayne said, “Again, I thank you sir.”

  “Previously, you mentioned nanocytes. Tell me what you know of them.”

  “When I flew back from China with Mr. Perez, he told me that the way in which he changed his face involved tiny little cells which could communicate with an app on his phone. These nanocytes, as he called them, could restructure the DNA of cells, making them appear in a different and specific way, such as an image on a computer. I thought it was pretty amazing and I figured that was the technology you said you were afraid Jarod knew about and would sell the information.”

  “But you never had the opportunity to speak to Jarod about the issue, correct?”

  Stammering for a moment Wayne said, “That is correct.”

  “Have you spoken to anyone else about nanocyte technology?”

  “Well there was this one girl in a bar in Italy on my way to the job. She was a pretty girl, but she was all upset about a mole she had on her chin. I told her about the tech and the nanocytes and that one day she would be able to get rid of something like her mole overnight. She was so excited. This capability will be quite profitable when you release it into the market.”

  Avery’s eyelids narrowed and his jaw muscles bulged as he sternly exhaled like a raging bull. Despite his anger, he spoke calmly saying, “Now, about fixing your ear. I’m going to call over to medical and have them prepare to receive you. They will have to gather your medical history, screen you for any risk factors and prepare you for the procedure. Recreating an external structure without the template upon which to generate changes will be new for us, but if you’re willing to undergo an experimental procedure then we’ll move forward.”

  “There is no progress without experimentation,” said Wayne the wise sage.

  Smiling wanly, Avery replied, “I will have the men who escorted you here direct you to Medical.”

  Avery arrived in Medical an hour later to find Wayne sedated on a treatment table in the surgical room. To the surgeon and her assistants, Avery said, “Thank you for all your preparations, but unfortunately this procedure is being cancelled and you are to leave the area now. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. Your time is valuable and you will all be paid for your expertise.”

  Avery kept smiling as all the medical professionals removed their masks and gloves as they exited. Avery stepped over to the anesthesiologist. “How’s he doing?”

  “He’s fine. We just put him under two minutes ago. I can cut things back and bring him around in about fifteen minutes.”

  “No, no, that won’t be necessary. In fact I want you to follow my orders explicitly.”

  Although the anesthesiologist was wearing a cap, mask, and glasses, the concern in his eyes could not be hidden.

  Avery said, “Show me which valve will deliver anesthetics that cease his ability to breathe.”

  “Ah… I can’t do that.”

  Through a cold, hard, direct stare, Avery said, “You work for Crepusculous, now show me.”

  With a trembling hand, the anesthesiologist pointed to the red valve, which was currently set at 2.5.

  Avery turned the valve up to 7.5. He directed his gaze upon Wayne, who started taking bigger and bigger breaths, until his rate of breathing started to increase and the depth of his breaths became shallower. Finally, after only three minutes, ventilation ceased entirely. Avery turned to the anesthesiologist to say, “Pronounce him, and see to it that he’s delivered to the furnace room. I want his cremains on my desk tomorrow morning. Thank you.”

  CHAPTER 26

  “Honey I just don’t understand why you have to remain in London, and why can’t we at least come visit you,” asked Carolyn’s mother Laurie.

  “Mom, I’ve told you many times that my role here is classified and I can’t talk about it. I can’t leave London at this point in my mission and I can’t entertain guests either.”

  The truth was Carolyn had not told her parents that she was now in her ninth month. She hadn’t posted to Facebook or Instagram for months and was doing her best to avoid all social media.

  “Darling, I’m just worried about you. We haven’t even seen you on Facebook. Why not?”

  “We are restricted from social media.”

  “You used to post on Facebook all the time.”

  “This mission is different. I’m not allowed to be active on any social media. I’m only allowed to make this phone call from a secure line in the consulate.”

  “I know secrecy is what the CIA is all about, but I just don’t like it. I can’t be sure you’re okay.”

  “Mom, I’m okay. You can be sure because I’m telling you everything is fine. Now how’s Dad and the kids?”

  Laurie Fuller veered off the topic of Carolyn and spent the rest of the phone call praising her other children, grandchildren, grand-dogs and local charity events. Carolyn kept the conversation focused on the family and all her mom and dad’s activities. After listening to as much as she could before bursting into tears, Carolyn told her mom they had to get off the secure line. Laurie asked, “Will you be home for Christmas?”

  “I don’t know, Mom. If I can make it home, I will let you know. Love you, I gotta go.”

  “I love you too dear; I’ll tell your father you said hi.”

  “Okay, mom thanks, and please give him a hug.”

  After disconnecting the call on her cell phone, where she kept several burnable numbers, she felt terrible lying to her mom. Her mission was classified, but she was lying to cover up the fact that she would soon give birth and had not told her parents she was pregnant.

  How could she? The father was the assassin of the President of the United States whom she assisted to escape the U.S., and who then died carrying out one of the most horrific acts of terror to ever strike the United Kingdom. This was more than just a lapse of judgment. A wild night gone too far. This was in her mind an act of treason. A betrayal of the trust the Agency had in her. She was going to bring into the world, a chil
d whose father she had feelings for, but was a professional murderer capable of incredible violence. How was she ever going to tell this child about his or her father? In spite of all the technology, Carolyn went old school and did not seek to know the gender. Since so much of this was a surprise to her, she figured she might as well leave the gender unknown like so much of her future.

  A text message popped up from Richard Ramsey. Call me. At 9:00 pm on a Saturday, she figured, it must be something important for him to be asking her to call. As the phone rang, she prepared for the worst.

  “Carolyn, I’m so glad you called.”

  “I’m returning your call Richard. Now what’s up?”

  With a slur in his speech, Ramsey replied, “Don’t forget, that’s Agent Ramsey, but I’ll let you call me Rich if you want to. You can even call me Dick!”

  “Oh believe me I’ve already called you that. You sound like you’ve been drinking and if this is not official business I’m terminating the call.”

  “Wait! Wait just a minute. It’s Saturday night and I know you’re home alone. Why don’t we get together for some social time?”

  “I do not want to spend social time with you.”

  “Ok, Ok, I get it. We don’t have to go out and ‘be social.’ I can come to your place and we can just hang out.”

  “You may not come to my place. I have no interest in hanging out with you.”

  “Are you with your mystery man? The mysterious father of your soon to be born baby?”

  “That is none of your business. We’ve been over this.”

  “We have been over this and I believe I made it clear that your pregnancy is my business. Your condition is a risk to both you and our mission.”

  Carolyn felt a pang of guilt when he said this. She had slept with the enemy and now held his progeny in her womb.