by Carl Hancock
Checking his watch he had sufficient time to grab a coffee for the short drive to the secondary vehicle, enough caffeine to enable him to see through the early hours of the morning with the ability to concentrate solely on the issues at hand.
The office door closed silently behind him, the light inside faded as he made sure to lock the door; with Tina and Sheila in the annex he felt the need for such precautionary measures. He relied on secrecy and discretion for his business to succeed, soon to be kin or not, the two of them were not privy to his deals.
The kettle boiled in the kitchen as he peered out the front window, the house silent other than the noise of the water reaching its optimal temperature. The room remained unlit, the streetlights that sat back from the house offering the only light he needed for menial tasks.
Returning to take a seat with the boiling drink he sat close by the large window overlooking his elaborate drive and considered how and why it had come to this. Mindful of the time and the importance of being punctual he refused to give into his tired feelings. Nothing would relieve him so much as to lay back and forget about executing his plans, to feel the freedom of relinquishing the burden he felt he carried but without actually doing the deed.
In the still of the night, with his mind elsewhere he heard a repetitive noise on its third cycle, alarmed he realized he had drifted so far into his own thoughts that he had been oblivious to the tinkering sound by the patio doors adjacent to the conservatory.
A slight tap followed by a scrape that could resemble that of a feline begging for entrance away from the chilly air continued to echo toward him. But he didn’t have a cat. His body followed his stare as he cautiously placed down his drink and made his way in continued darkness toward the area. The blinds that remained shut obscured his view inside the outbuilding; he retracted them to allow a minimal view inside and across the rear gardens. He scanned the area although it was as dark as it was to the front, he saw no reason to be concerned, an overhanging branch from the nearest tree rested on the roof of the building, stroking across the ceiling with every gust of wind. He smiled as he reflected on the thoughts that had first come to mind; paranoid suspicions that maybe he had been beaten to the point by his adversary.
Matt turned away, his back to the area he had travelled to inspect pointlessly just as his mobile vibrated in his pocket. He reached in and answered it. ‘Dave, I forgot you were calling,’ he whispered. ‘I’m about to leave now, I’ll ring back when it’s all done!’
Suddenly and from nowhere, a hand was placed tightly around his mouth as he hung up, an assailant pulling him down from behind as he instinctively fought back. His phone fell to the floor landing softly on the deep pile carpet, he grabbed at the intruders hand trying to prise his grip away. The strong muscular arm that fought off his defence remained unmoved.
‘Calm down son,’ he was urged by the intruder who wrestled him to the ground rendering him unconscious.
Cold water hit him across the face, he stirred as his eyes opened wide with shock and immediate remembrance of what had prevailed moments before. Familiar surroundings, his dimly lit kitchen with him smack bang in the middle. His arms restrained behind his back and shackled through the frame of the wooden dinner chair and around his body for the most minimal of movement. He tried to shout, to make a noise of any sort before realizing his mouth had also been tendered to.
‘So what the hell was this little item in aid of?’
The question came from behind, an area he was unable to freely look toward. His assailant held a gun over his head. The gun that had been removed from his waistband, the one he had intended to use on Billy.
‘Not a matter for concern really,’ the intruder added emerging into sight. ‘I believe you know why I’m here?’
Dressed in black, from head to toe the man stood fearlessly in front of Matt, his full facial hair ensuring his face was completely obscured. A black gentlemen’s hat rested on his head, evidence to support Matt’s answer as to who and what he wanted.
The gun was placed against his cheek as the man bent down to speak again. ‘I’ll remove the tape so that we can discuss the business we have together,’ he said. ‘But don’t be so stupid as to try to wake up your partner upstairs Ok? Or I won’t hesitate to kill her right in front of you, don’t make it any of her business alright?’ he warned.
With no choice otherwise, Matt nodded in agreement to the terms laid down, this was his fight regardless of how it turned out and he knew as long as he did as he was told then Suzy would remain safe. Arnold Wagner was there to terminate him and him alone and he had heard that he was a man of his word.
A searing pain shot across his lips as the strong tape was ripped off, he took several gulps of air whilst wishing he could curse and shout obscenities’ at the man who planned to take his life. He bit his tongue, struggling to hold back the temperament that was his nature.
‘What about we make a deal?’ Matt suggested.
‘Hah…like what? What do you have in mind?’ the renowned hit man asked.
Matt had doubted the sense in making an offer, he just wanted time to think and assess the situation. ‘Whatever you want, I can maybe pay you double what you’re getting from your client.’
Arnold scratched his hairy chin, for a brief moment giving the impression he was actually considering it. ‘No, I don’t think so,’ he finally said. ‘Do you know how long it takes to gain a reputation like mine? All the solitary years I’ve had to put in, the things that I’ve had to go without to ensure that I maintain a first class trustworthy service?’
The rhetorical and sarcastic rebuttal was too be expected, a reputation like his was very rarely earned. The likes of him were usually imprisoned or killed by the hand of their target before gaining such notoriety. Arnold was old school, had seen off many younger rivals who had challenged him for his title and had never backed out of a deal in his life.
‘You sound very bitter, all your own choice at the end of the day,’ he ranted fidgeting to free his hands discreetly.
Arnold walked across the room, he picked up a framed photo of the soon to be happy couple, ‘Yeah, maybe some of it was,’ he said. ‘But it’s easy to see how you’ve gotten on the wrong side of certain people,’ he added waving the photo about. ‘She’s a good looking woman.’
‘Put it down, it’s none of your damn business. Do what you came here to do and fuck off,’ Matt demanded.
Arnold placed it down calmly; he faced him again. ‘Like that is it? All brave when you think the end is near,’ he teased at the outburst. ‘Have you even considered that you might be wrong and that I’m not here for you? If I wanted to fulfil my contract then we certainly would not be having this conversation.’
Matt looked back at the photo and then to Arnold. ‘Leave her alone, you won’t get paid if you touch her, she’s his daughter.’
Arnold laughed. ‘I know full well who she is; whose daughter she is is irrelevant and of no concern to me, it’s more important to me who she’s going to be. I do my homework before accepting a job you know!’
‘Is that right?’ Matt sneered.
‘Of course, you’d be surprised at what I know about you!’
‘And what exactly is that then?’ he demanded to know.
‘Enough to know that we have a common enemy in Billy Drake, and you can’t do anything about it without taking the risk of your betrothed finding out, no matter how much planning or how careful you are you’ll have to live every day with the fear of her finding out what you did and whatever love she feels for you turning into hatred. You can’t live a life like that.’
The words he spoke were true, his biggest fear when making his decision had been that many happy years and maybe kids down the line that Billy’s curse would resurface to destroy any happiness that they had achieved. ‘Yes but that’s a risk I have no choice but to take, it’s irrelevant now though!’
‘Not necessarily so,’ he argued. ‘Just because I’m not accepting your generous offer
doesn’t mean I’m not here to make you one. You see… I’m retiring, hanging up my guns so to speak.’
Matt continued trying to loosen the rope that held him to the seat; no matter how much he tried he couldn’t make any headway with the restraint.
‘There’s no point in those efforts to release yourself, it’s only there to prevent you from doing anything heroic and something that we both might regret,’ he commented observing Matt’s attempts to hide his frustration.
‘Why the hell would I care about your plans?’
‘Maybe for reasons that you don’t yet realise, but in the meantime I intend to settle an old score with our mutual friend. For obvious reasons I’m not an easy man to make contact with and usually I only work with complete professionals, high profile targets because tacky low grade hit’s are not really my scene anymore.’
‘So I should be honoured then, is that what you’re saying? I’m not worthy of your attention?’ Matt interrupted sarcastically.
Arnold was empting out the clip of the gun on the kitchen work surface, avoiding eye contact as he spoke. ‘Quite the opposite actually, I should be the honoured one to be standing here, I only wish it were under much different circumstances…’ He placed the firearm down and surveyed the room again. ‘I really do wish it were,’ he added seconds later.
‘I won’t pretend to understand what the hell your riddles are supposed to mean, but if you really do intend to take out Drake then what’s your beef with him and why now?’ Matt hissed.
‘Hah… that’s a good question,’ he answered. ‘I work alone, I always have because of trust issues, and in this business it’s the best way to stay free and breathing. He crossed me once, did me a wrong and took something from me that I felt unable to take back; I waited and waited until I felt the time was right to take my revenge only to find he had been sent down. Although it would have been easy to have him disposed of inside that would have deprived myself the pleasure of terminating him. Fortunately for him I was unaware he had been released otherwise he wouldn’t have enjoyed such a lengthy period of freedom, but on the other hand it was unfortunate, maybe even fate that I should hear about a piece of work being offered by him. I accepted the job with the full intention of carrying out the assignment in order to get a meeting with him, to get up close and personal to take my revenge.’
‘And what changed your mind? Why am I so lucky?’
‘No luck I’m afraid, when your name came up I knew I had to revaluate my plans, I had to bring them forward before another contractor tried to complete the job over my head. Not a wise thing to do but some do still try.’
‘What’s it to you if it happens? I’m surprised you even know my name,’ Matt replied.
‘I know your name but not for the reasons that you might think, you may have a reputation among certain circles but nothing compared to the level of international clientele that I’ve serviced over the years. As I said, you’d be surprised what I know about you, but we don’t have time to discuss that at the present time.’
Matt found it hard to believe that his problems could be dealt with without the need of dirtying his own hands, although the possibility of it was very tempting he had learnt through life that nothing came so easy or without a price tag.
‘And if you do this, what’s the catch? What do I have to do in return?’
‘Firstly there’s no if… it is going to happen and it’s going to be very soon and along the schedule that you yourself devised,’ he said before pausing for a few seconds of deliberation. ‘But no grand gestures are required in return,’ he finally added. ‘Just that when the jobs done, when he’s dead then I think we should meet again.’
Matt shook his head. ‘Sounds like you’re asking me out on a date!’ Obviously he was distrustful of the situation, fearful that he could be being misled or guided into a trap.
‘Seeing as neither of us are that way inclined Matt, then a scenario like that is definitely not on the cards, and even if it were then it would be leaving us both in a whole different kind of trouble. Believe me!’
‘Then why? Why the hell would I be stupid enough to trust you?’
‘Trust at this point is all we have between us.’
Arnold dropped an envelope onto the side, told Matt it contained an address to meet him at in a few short hours and advised him of a task it was best for him to complete before arriving at the destination. He left the way he had come, leaving Matt with the need of acquiring some aide and the hope of no questioning.
Chapter Twenty Five
By now the deed would have been done if he hadn’t have been prevented from executing his plan by Arnold Wager. At that moment in time he should have had blood on his hands, unlike other times, on this occasion it would be quite literal. Being no stranger to violence or bloodshed, ordinarily he would be distanced from the actual deed although the victim would be left in no doubt as to who had signed their fate and why. Little time had passed since he was trussed to his kitchen chair and for reasons he had yet to fathom, been asked to trust in the country’s most revered contract killer. Calming Suzy down and convincing her the situation was in hand had been his top priority since she heard his calls and untied him, he had seated her down in her state of panic and called on his new house guests for their calming influence so he could concentrate his time to readjust his plans.
Being asked to trust and have complete faith in the hit man was daunting; although his head was urging him to be extra vigilant he was also filled with a different feeling. In the occupation he had reluctantly accepted to be his own due to acts beyond his control he trusted few people completely. The nature of his work and business demanded that everyone be viewed with some level of suspicion, monetary gain or relief from the worries of imminent imprisonment were the foremost reasons for associates to betray their colleagues. Because of this he had few confidantes he could rely on, that he felt safe to be around without being alert or on edge.
He had heard how good Arnold was, but somehow he had managed to put him at an ease that few had managed to achieve. The unfamiliar sense of calm that he felt engulfed him as he made his way as instructed to the meeting place with no idea of what faced him. The inner battle raged inside him between the sensible head that had guided him so far without injury through the years and the feeling of security and blind belief that he could trust the man who had accepted the task of ending his life.
Of course the sensible part of him knew it could be part of his plan, to lead him to a prearranged kill room equipped with the tools of his trade and a ready planned disposal route for his corpse. The untraceable gun he had acquired with the intention of using on Billy sat next to him on the passenger seat, loaded and ready to fire once the safety was taken off it almost seemed a shame if it wasn’t to be used.
The dark silent street off the main drag seemed surreal, just around the corner was one of the city’s busiest tourist hotspots, a bus station and access to the rail network was also a short walk away serving the thousands of commuters making use of the public transport system to avoid congestion. He sat and surveyed the street with caution. It seemed impossible to believe that the tranquil side road was desolate and barren without a helping hand when its locality suggested it should have been a hive of activity with through traffic of pedestrians.
He noted the time on his watch; he was early as planned by thirty minutes. Hopefully enough time to scout the area for any untoward surprises and place him in the position of advantage by securing a safe place to observe the attendance of Arnold Wagner.
It was just a matter of minutes to go before he faced him again and this time he had no intention of being caught off guard. He had listened to the sensible voice in his head and carried the gun in his waistband, the grim two star hotels that only befitted the scourge of the city had been far too easy to enter undetected although he doubted its lack of patrons was any part of the plan.
Matt had observed the overweight night reception come security guard slope off with a pack
et of smokes in his hand toward the backroom, taking advantage he had slipped in past the obvious dummy CCTV and up the stairs after stealing a glance at the guest book. Sat in the room directly opposite that assigned to Arnold he waited with an eager eye placed on the security peephole.
The car radio had been on during his journey, set to the local station he had not heard of any incidents or fatality’s that would indicate the deed was done. Although he wouldn’t have expected someone of Arnolds calibre to fulfil the task out in the open, opting for somewhere discreet instead was his hallmark. Somewhere like a virtually uninhabited flea ridden guest house maybe?
The stairs to the right of the door creaked; his line of vision was obscured by the effectiveness of the peephole with a tunnel view directly ahead. Feet shuffled along the thread worn carpeted corridor toward his position as he hoped his wait was over.
Arnold Wagner, acclaimed contract killer who was charged with taking his life stood in ignorance with his back to him less than three feet away. Unprotected except by the thickness of the door Matt thought hard about seizing the moment, he felt his waist for the handgun in preparation for ensuring his future was devoid of any concern of Arnold returning to honour his original deal.
Ahead of him through the spy hole he could make out the outline of a man, stood stationary facing Arnold’s room and fiddling with the door handle. With similar build yet wearing a different outfit since they last met he was left with no doubt it was him. The hat that sat firmly on his head identical to the one he had seen perched on Arnold’s just hours before. As he anxiously waited for him to enter the room he heard the click of the lock disengaging. He felt for his gun, holding it tight he considered making his presence known, to burst through the door and take him by surprise. To hold him captive and do unto him before he had the chance to strike first was dominating his thoughts yet something was holding him back. That feeling he had felt when speaking with him earlier was still with him, something Arnold had said that reflected a sense of humour seemed so familiar. Dejavu but from a different time and a different place.
