Good Intentions - Adrian Hell #6 (Adrian Hell Series)

by James P. Sumner

  I clench my jaw so tightly I think I might actually shatter my teeth. I met a lot of those young women yesterday. They were scared for their lives. They were victims. And people like this piece of shit next to me did that to them.

  I look over at her. “Okay, so he deserves it. Give me half a day for surveillance, and he’ll be dead by morning.”

  She shakes her head. “Any recon or additional information will always be done for you and sent along with the details of the target. If you don’t receive any, it means there’s isn’t any. In those circumstances, termination is to be carried out immediately.”

  Jesus…

  I place the phone down on the table. I finish off the beer and place the empty bottle next to it. I look over at Lily. My brow furrows as I think about what she’s saying. “You said I have the freedom to live my life however I want now, providing I stick to your three rules, right?”

  She nods. “That’s right.”

  “So what happens if I do something illegal and the police get involved? Would The Order bail me out?”

  She pauses for a moment. Her expression tries to hide a slightly bemused smile. “The police… aren’t a concern for us.”

  I raise an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, wherever you are, whatever you do—providing you stick to those three rules, no one is going to bother you. You’re free, Adrian.”

  “Really…? Well, that is interesting…”

  I pick up one of my chopsticks. It’s thin, but made from something sturdy, like bamboo. I snap it about a quarter of the way down, leaving a sharp, jagged point. I hold it in my fist with the business end facing away from me. I look at Lily and raise an eyebrow.

  Screw it. Let’s see just how free I really am, shall we?

  I lash my arm out to the side in a swift arc. The splintered chopstick connects perfectly with my target, piercing the thin flesh of his throat, just below his Adam’s apple. I turn and stare at him. He looks around at me slowly, his eyes wide and his mouth open. I let go, leaving the makeshift weapon sticking out of him. He clutches at it as he makes an awful gurgling sound, desperately trying to take a breath, but slowly choking on the blood gathering in his esophagus.

  No one’s reacted yet. The people in the immediate vicinity haven’t quite registered what’s happening. I stare into the guy’s wide, disbelieving eyes, waiting to see the light in them begin to fade.

  It doesn’t take long.

  I reach across and yank the chopstick from his throat. A thin fountain of blood erupts from the wound, soaking both the table in front of him and the person sitting opposite. I quickly place my hand on the back of his head and slam him face first into his plate. He tries to struggle free, but his efforts are futile. I hold him there for another moment, waiting.

  I lean forward to check and…

  Yeah… that’s it.

  He’s gone.

  I sit back in my chair and look at Lily. Her expression is neutral, devoid of any sentiment or emotion. We stare into each other’s eyes until the shock wears off the people around us and the screaming starts. Neither of us makes a move. As people leap to their feet and rush around in a panic, fleeing their tables in all directions, we both sit, silently regarding one another like a game of chicken, seeing who will move first.

  I shrug. “See, I told you—all I need is a valid reason. Job done.”

  She finishes her drink. “What if I was lying?”

  “You weren’t.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because, believe it or not, I’m better at reading people than you might think. And I trust my spider sense. You weren’t lying. You were just reluctant to give me a reason because it’s against your rules.”

  She flicks her eyebrows up and flashes a perplexed smile. “Okay. And what’s your spider sense? Is that something out of Star Wars?”

  She pulls a face, possibly being facetious. I shake my head. “No, it’s not out of Star Wars… Good God, woman!”

  She chuckles and stands. “Come on, the police will be here any minute.”

  “I thought they weren’t a problem?”

  “They’re not, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any paperwork. Let’s go.”

  I follow her outside and we head left. I glance back over my shoulder at the restaurant. There’s a crowd of people gathering out front, cell phone cameras going crazy.

  Some things never change…

  That actually felt quite liberating—getting back to basics and just taking out a target. No fuss, no fallout… just me and the kill, like the old days. It’s almost comforting to have something I’m familiar with, something that makes sense to me. God knows those things have been in short supply lately.

  Lily strides confidently and carefree next to me, as if we have all the time in the world. A warm, stifling breeze catches her hair, blowing it gently and causing it to flow like black water behind her as she walks.

  She’s an absolute vision…

  “So, do you always act so impulsively?” she asks.

  “I wouldn’t say that was impulsive, as such. I tend to operate using calculated risks and instinct more than anything. It’s always worked well for me in the past.”

  “How did you know he wouldn’t fight back?”

  I look over at her and raise an eyebrow. “Are you being serious?”

  She holds my gaze for a moment and then smiles. “No, not in the slightest.”

  I smile and shake my head. She might be a little frosty at times, and really hard to read, but I’m starting to like her. And she seems to be warming to me, which is unexpected but not altogether unpleasant.

  “So, where to now, Lily?”

  She spins around so she’s facing me and walking backward. “Time to meet the boss.”

  14:11 MYT

  We’re sitting side by side at a table outside a small café, silently observing the long lines of people stretching out from the ticket booths at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Neither of us wanted to sit with our backs to the doors, so after a little debate, we’re next to each other.

  The airport is crammed and noisy, filled with the monotonous rabble of a hundred simultaneous conversations. Herds of people are shuffling in every direction, carrying bags of varying sizes and dragging cases behind them.

  Security is insane, too. Unsurprising, after the last few weeks, I guess. Groups of armed guards are everywhere—every door, every corridor… even alongside every line of people. Some of them are wearing GlobaTech uniforms, which is making me feel a little self-conscious. I’m trying to ignore them and act normal.

  Lily drove us here, which took about forty minutes in traffic. She has a great car—it’s a bright yellow convertible. A Porsche, I think. We had the top down all the way here. It was a nice feeling, to be speeding around with very little to care about. I’ve forgotten what a vacation feels like, but I imagine it’s something close to how this feels. For the first time in ages, I don’t have any burdens or responsibilities. I don’t have anyone to look out for or depend on. I just have me.

  And do you know what? It’s weird, and it’ll definitely take some getting used to, but I reckon I’ve earned this. I’m still not completely convinced The Order of Sabbah is as great as it makes out—in my experience, if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Since my test in Vietnam, it’s been nice hotels, good food, and a relatively easy kill… I’m not naïve enough to be blinded by it all, but I am smart enough to take advantage of a good thing while I have it.

  Colonel Sanders is supposed to be meeting us here any time now. I refuse to call him Horizon—it’s a ridiculous name! Lily said he wants to talk with me. I just hope he tells me what’s going to happen now…

  We’re both drinking coffee from large paper cups. Mine’s black, obviously. No sugar, no cream—just pure caffeine, as nature intended. Lily has this weird, creamy-looking cup of cat sick with chocolate sprinkled on top. Each to their own, I guess. She seems to be enjoying it, which is all
that matters.

  She nudges my arm and nods over at the main entrance. “He’s here.”

  I look over and see the man himself walking toward us wearing his trademark white suit and black shirt. There’s a guy on either side of him, both dressed in matching black suits, with a visible earpiece. No doubt, they’re armed, too.

  He stops at our table and nods a curt, professional greeting to Lily. “Hello, my dear. It’s good to see you.”

  She stands, picking up her coffee, and nods back. “Sir.” She looks down at me. “I’ll see you around.”

  I go to reply, but she walks off before I have chance.

  Colonel Sanders sits down next to me, crosses his legs and clasps his hands on his lap. He looks out at the sea of chaos flowing around the terminal and takes in a deep, calm breath, but remains silent.

  I’m not sure what to say, or even if I should say anything at all. I stare at the heaving mass of humanity before us. “Can I… ah… get you a coffee or something?”

  He smiles. “No, thank you. I’ll be brief. It’s not often I meet with our assets, Adrian.”

  I look across at him. From the side, he looks quite frail. The loose skin around his throat and on his face makes him appear older than he probably is. He has a tall, strong posture and an easy confidence. I bet he was a real tough sonofabitch when he was younger.

  I can’t help picturing him with a white beard though…

  “I should count myself lucky then. This is the third time we’ve met now.”

  As I shift in my seat to get comfortable, he finally turns to look me in the eye. “Are you nervous?”

  I shake my head. “Not at all. But given the first time we met, I technically died a short while afterward, and the second time resulted in me being thrown out of an airplane, I must admit I’m exercising caution.” I pick up my drink and gesture to it with my head. “I just want to finish my coffee before anything else happens to me, alright?”

  He nods and smiles, but there’s no humor in it. “You have nothing to be cautious about. You’re in The Order now, Adrian. This is your life. My name is Horizon.”

  “Yeah, Lily said. I’m sorry, I just can’t bring myself to call you that with a straight face! To me, you’re Colonel Sanders.” I smile and look at his bodyguards, but they’re staring at me blankly. I chuckle to myself awkwardly. “Huh… tough crowd.”

  “Adrian, when I was given the somewhat unenviable task of managing The Order’s assets, my life had to change for the second time since being accepted into this organization. I was assigned that name because I was deserving of it. It’s more of a title—an acknowledgement of my ability to always plan ahead, to look further forward than other people do. It means I’m always six moves ahead of anyone else, and therefore perfect for the job I have. It’s who I am, and you will respect that.”

  I shrug and hold my hands up in silent apology.

  “Thank you. Now, I understand Lily has already given you a cell phone…”

  I nod. “She has.”

  “Good. Periodically, you’ll receive contracts on that device, so keep it with you at all times. There are three rules I want to explain to you, which our people must adhere to. The first—”

  I hold a hand up. “Don’t worry, Lily has already covered the rules. I—”

  “Then you will hear them twice.” His tone is sharp and final. “Don’t ever interrupt me again.”

  I nod once and turn away, pausing to take a sip of my coffee, using the time to calm down. Usually, anyone speaks down to me like that and they’re knocked on their ass. But these are exceptional circumstances, and I need to bury that flash of anger.

  I place my cup down gently and turn back to him. “You got it, Chief.”

  He holds my gaze for a moment, almost defiantly. “Thank you. The first rule is that you will always be ready to carry out a contract. You will be provided with everything you need to carry out the task when it’s assigned to you, and you should do so without question or hesitation. We expect you to commit to our cause, put your faith in us… believe in what we’re working for.”

  “And what is your cause, exactly? Sorry—our cause. Blind faith is a lot to ask for without any explanation. For me, trust and faith are like respect—they’re earned, not expected.”

  “I appreciate your point of view, Adrian, but understand these rules are non-negotiable. The penalty for disobeying any of them is expulsion from The Order and death.”

  “Bit extreme…”

  “We take them very seriously. We don’t answer to anyone, and consequently don’t owe anyone an explanation about anything. But as a show of faith, I will say this: The Order has existed for countless years, observing the world around us and working with people in strategic positions to guide it toward the right future. If we believe someone is directly, or indirectly, working in opposition of this, we see that as a problem, and we assume responsibility for removing that problem. It’s a burden we gladly bear.”

  I take a sip of my coffee. “Fair enough. That all sounds very noble and everything, but who put you guys in charge?”

  He lets out a short sigh, which I take as a sign of impatience. “The upper echelons of The Order consist of very influential people throughout the world. They hide their allegiance, but believe completely in the goals we strive to achieve. We put ourselves in charge, and there’s no one powerful enough to keep us in check.”

  Jesus…

  You know what… I’m not arguing with him. Not here. Not now. I’m going to play along until I find out what the hell I’m meant to be doing.

  I wave a dismissive hand. “Okay, fine. Whatever. Rule number two?”

  “The second rule is you’re an assassin, not a murderer. There is a difference. You’re The Order’s weapon, and we will use you when we feel the time is right to do so. But unless we give you permission, by way of a contract, you are forbidden from taking a life.”

  I have to admit, he’s being far more condescending than Lily was when she told me all this. I don’t have the tolerance for people like him, but for the sake of argument, I nod along silently.

  Horizon—yes, I concede that his reason for the name was impressive—shifts in his seat slightly “The third rule is perhaps the most important. The life you now have is one that many people cannot imagine. The freedom it affords you is, at times, hard to believe. But we cannot allow you to make contact with anyone from your former life. You can do whatever you want when you’re not working a contract, but you have to actively avoid going anywhere or doing anything that could alert anyone you may have once known to the fact you’re still alive. No exceptions. Am I clear?”

  I take another sip of coffee, which finishes it. I push the empty cup aside. “You are.”

  “Good. Now that’s out of the way…” He looks at one of his bodyguards and nods. The guy steps forward and reaches inside his jacket. He pulls out a small, thick envelope and drops it on the table in front of me. “Inside that is your new life, Adrian.”

  I frown and open it up. Inside is a new passport, a couple of credit cards and some other bits of paperwork. I look over at Horizon. “Is this it?”

  He nods. “Your passport is in the new identity we have manufactured for you. The credit cards are limitless and the bills aren’t your concern, so do whatever you want. The other papers in there are a birth certificate and some insurance documents.”

  Holy shit! Unlimited money, a new ID… are you kidding me?

  Yeah… I know, I know…

  “What’s the catch, Chief?”

  Horizon shakes his head. “Besides your unquestionable adherence to those three rules? There isn’t one. This is your reward, in acknowledgement of the skills that brought you into The Order.” He stands and takes a few idle paces away from the table, then turns around to look at me. His bodyguards resume their position on either side of him. With one hand, he gestures to the lines of people, all queuing to buy airline tickets. “It’s a big world out there, Adrian. Go and see it. We’ll be
in touch.”

  He turns again and walks out the main entrance, leaving me sitting here alone, staring at the envelope. I scratch the back of my head and look around. I’m not really sure what to do now.

  Coffee. This definitely calls for more coffee.

  I get myself another drink and sit back down. I take a sip of the steaming hot liquid and let out a deep breath. I look over at the lines of people, and all the destinations listed on the boards above the counters they’re queuing from, then I look at the envelope again.

  I smile. “Anywhere in the world, eh?”

  8

  June 2, 2017

  15:12 AST

  I have the roof down on my car and I’m resting my arm over the side, cruising at an even eighty on the dusty, twelve-mile stretch of road that cuts through the desert on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi. I’ve always viewed driving as a necessity rather than a pleasure. But then, I’ve never really done it without a reason. And I’m not a hardcore enthusiast or anything, but, seriously—this car is amazing! It’s an Aston Martin, fresh off the production line. I think there are only about thirty available. It’s jet black with large chrome trims, and a mixture of brown leather and cloth on the interior. I opted for both—with the temperatures as high as they are out here, if it was all leather, I’d never be able to sit in the damn thing without burning the skin off my ass!

  It’s electric, too, which is a big thing nowadays. Ironic, given this country has always been one of the biggest exporters of crude oil… Having said that, they used to sell a lot more than they are now. Because of everything that’s happened recently, it’s no surprise that the U.S. is now the gatekeeper for most of the world’s oil, so maybe they’re playing it smart and covering their asses by investing in alternatives, I don’t know.

  As part of their environmentally friendly approach to transportation, all the roads around here have had these heavy-duty solar panels laid over them. They look like normal roads, except they’re far stronger and more durable, as well as much easier to maintain. All electric cars have paneling underneath the chassis now, so it will charge itself as you drive around in it. It was a concept designed a few years ago, but now the balance of global wealth has shifted dramatically, and with all the uninhabitable land and residual radiation everywhere, the environment has become a priority for everyone. Thanks to GlobaTech—who else?—with their research and funding, it took maybe two months to essentially re-cover the entire city with these panels. There are many people looking for work nowadays, too, so it was a quick and easy job.