by MacShayne
Home inhaled and exhaled deeply while Mitch stood up. ‘You’re just a shark Mitch. You kill to still a desperate need. And you know what happens with shark’s don’t you? One day you will fall asleep, maybe because you are tired or maybe you are old. But when you do, there will be someone else that pulls a trigger. You’re day will come. And you Eveline, I’m so disappointed in you. You had it all. Everything that missed in him.’
‘Well, Richard, the world is disappointed in you. I feel ashamed to have worked for you.’
Mitch and Eveline both drew their gun and pointed them at Home.
‘You can still do what’s good Turner’, Home said in one last attempt to turn it all around.
‘I think this’ll be pretty damn good for me.’
‘Crowne, you will never win. The bullet with your name on it has already been made! Remember that I have told you. You’re a shark. Sharks get killed. For their flesh!’, Home said, trying to scare Mitch. But then Mitch put off his sunglasses. So that Home could see the eyes of the killing machine he once created. Mitch’s look defined everything. This was the end.
‘You know the thing about sharks..’, Mitch began.
‘What?’, Home said with a layer of acceptance in his voice.
‘Sharks don’t sleep!’, Mitch said just before Mitch and Eveline pulled the trigger at both exact the same time. Mitch aimed for his head while Eveline aimed for his heart. Home was dead immediately. His lifeless body fell overboard and into the water. The boat probably ran over his corpse. His corpse that couldn’t be seen once the boat passed it. It was already sinking.
Mitch and Eveline walked towards the back of the sailboat. For both former assassins, this was some kind of conclusion. Once they were battling against each other, now, they fought aside each other. They were heading towards Bermuda. There, she would meet Robert again. The two of them had no future plans. But, that didn’t matter. They could both start anew.
‘How long till we are in Bermuda?’
‘Two more days I figure’, Mitch said as he grabbed two Corona’s.
‘Never pictured you as the celebrating man.’
‘I’m full of surprises these days.’
‘I’ve texted Robert. He’s somewhere in Miami. He’ll be in Bermuda in two days.’
‘You guys should leave this continent and never return.’
‘And you?’
‘I’ll give you a free passage.’
‘Reddington?’
‘What is in store for me now, should be without you two getting caught in it.’
‘Jeremy Clegane and Ayda Houser?’
‘They have found their path to peace. So will you two. And it starts by never seeing me again.’
‘Robert won’t agree.’
‘He will never know.’
‘Thank you Mitch.’
‘Don’t thank me Turner. That’s not your style.’
‘You’re right. But I found a little thank you better than killing you.’
George Town, Grand Cayman, 14 February 2010
Raymond Reddington was waiting in an empty old factory with Dembé and Luli. A limousine showed up right on time followed by an SUV. The two vehicles parked across Reddington’s armoured Mercedes. Two men in a suit stepped out of the SUV and opened the left back door of the limousine. And older man joined the two. He sighed deeply before he walked towards Reddington.
‘Mister Fitch. How pleasant you found the time to stop by.’
‘Don’t push it to hard Reddington.’
‘So, you guys found a way to come to agreements with my proposal?’
‘We have unfinished business to attend to.’
‘As promised, we’ll deal with it.’
‘When?’
‘He’ll show up mister Fitch. Guaranteed. And when he does, we both, take care of it.’
‘Where you need me for?’
‘Since we are somehow business partners now, it’s both our problem. Don’t you agree?’, Reddington said. ‘Now, let’s talk about more important issues Alan. Privately.’
Chapter 7:
Last Blood
Coney Island, Bermuda, 20 February 2010
They arrived in Bermuda in six days. Mitch had his wounds treated by Eveline. His night in Washington forced him to take care of himself in a hurry. Mitch dyed his hair blonde while he dyed Eveline grey. He went into town solo to buy more expensive clothes for both Eveline to wear and Robert. His sailboat was laying next a pier on Coney Island. They had sight on Wade international airport. Robert would arrive today in Bermuda and was going to be reunited with Eveline. The pair had an highly unlikely relationship that beside themselves only Mitch knew about. Eveline put on one of the dresses and walked towards Mitch.
‘What do you think?’
Mitch grinned. ‘Obviously not your style. Perfect fit though.’
‘Which makes me wonder. How do you know my size?’
‘Do you remember Malta? When you lay above me?’
‘You make it sound like we had something.’
‘Well, we have some kind of chemistry.’
‘We have a way of killing people. If that’s what you mean by chemistry.’
‘For what it’s worth, you look like the part. No one, will recognize you as some kind of cold blooded killer.’
‘The grey hair was a nice touch. Never knew you could dye female hair.’
‘Me neither. I remember that my father used to dye my stepmother’s hair. He also said that he used to dye my mother’s hair. Can you imagine, a big though proud American that could easily kill a person hundreds of ways, dyed his woman’s hair?’
‘You at least remember your father.’
‘How come?’
‘My father died before I left Kindergarten. I grew up with my mother alone before I was recruited by the bureau.’
‘How did he die?’
‘Heart attack, while he was driving a car.’
‘How was your mother like?’
‘She was not the biggest socialiser. She tried to start new relationships when I was a teenager though. She is kind but also couldn’t let go of me easily. Sometimes, it was like she claimed me. I loved her, but it also felt like I was suffocating at home.’
‘How is your relationship now?’
‘She’s death.’
‘Predictable.’
‘Why?’
‘The bureau most often recruits orphans. No other family?’
‘You have a brother.’
‘They didn’t know about. Nobody knew about my brother except for Reddington.’
‘He’s your only family?’
‘Some particular person once mentioned that my father was a bad boy in the desert.’
‘What do you mean.’
‘There’s a possibility that the Crowne family is even bigger than Robert and me. And then there’s Mia. She’s not related to me in anyway, but she is the person I care about the most.’
‘You didn’t care about anyone prior to her. You were unable. Almost like me.’
‘You love Robert. He loves you. You’ll be doing fine Eveline.’
‘What if he wants children. I’m not a mother type.’
‘If anything at all life has taught me.. Is that it is filled with unwanted surprises. You don’t know if you gonna like it or not until you have unpacked it.’
‘Sounds like it’s from a book. Poetic. Well, almost. But do you care about Robert or your possible half sister?’
‘I care about him being safe. He should not die because he is related to me. I don’t know if I can even care about him. I think the only reason I care about Mia is because I was unable to prevent her mother from being killed. I hate myself for that. I’m a man that is let by rage.’
‘I never got to be like you Mitch. Thank god I never was. But I think all they have experimented one you has run its course Mitch. You are led by rage. But you care about Mia like she’s your own. You see something in her that you see in the man in the mirror. And when you do
, you also see your brother. That’s why you risked everything to safe his ass in Sennen Cove.’
‘Where will the two of you go?’
‘I think I could easily adjust to this place. That house over there sure as hell looks fine to me. Besides, everybody thinks I’m death. They think you killed Home and me on the open water. Thanks to Marlene’, she said smiling.
‘You should buy a private jet, a boat. Just build a few escape plans.’
‘You don’t need to tell me Mitch. I have a mind of my own. I’m pretty good at saving myself. And Robert.’
‘Do you have enough funds?’
‘You don’t need to worry.’
Palermo, 12 April 2010
Reddington was sitting on a terrace when Luli joined him for a talk. Reddington was wearing black
suit pants and a white blouse and his glasses. Reddington looked at the paper she lay on the table without saying a word. It was a picture taken of Mitch Crowne. Facial hair, half long hair.
‘Have you arranged preparations?’, he asked her.
‘We are ready for takeoff.’
‘Splendid. Then I need to make an appointment.’
‘You really going to do this?’
‘He would be disappointed if I wouldn’t.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘You don’t need to. Thank you for all of your good work Luli.’
Reddington made a phone call. It was a phone call which directly connected him with Alan Fitch. The two set a date to meet each other in Southport. To take care of a last threat to their new found business relationship.. Then he made another phone call...
‘I thought our business has concluded’, Sibranski said.
‘How well are your medical skills Mr. Sibranski?’
‘Do you have a new job?’
‘You may or may not have to save a life.’
‘I’m meeting an old friend. I’m sorry, but no interest.’
‘Maybe you owe saving the life of this particular man.’
Miami, 12 April 2010
Sibranski was waiting at the airport while held his phone close to his left ear. His friend was about to arrive when Reddington called him. Sibranski was wearing khaki jeans and white shoes with a white t-shirt. Then he ended the conversation and sighed deeply. Sibranski made a decision and grinned. Then he walked away. He typed a message addressed to "red" while he took seat in a cab.
Coney Island, Bermuda, 20 February 2010
Robert arrived late in the afternoon at the beginning of the pier. He was brought by a taxi. Robert stepped out of the vehicle and saw two persons in a little distance. A grin appeared on his face as he told the cab driver that he could leave. While the cab drove away. One of the persons, stepped off the boat. It was a woman, it was Eveline. Robert walked towards her while she waited.
Mitch turned his back at the two lovers while he held a corona in his hand. He threw a piece of bread in the sea while he inhaled sea breeze. He thought about his trip back home. He was going to arrange George and Emily’s return to the united states. So that Mia, could be brought up in the country that was the most safe. He had his eyes on a house in Southport while he was on his way towards Bermuda. And then, whatever time he would have left, would be all spend with Mia. It was part of the deal he made with Reddington. Let Robert loose somewhere safe and he would owe Reddington a favour...
‘Is it too much to ask for you to hug me?’, Robert joked.
‘You wouldn’t want to know the end of it’, Eveline said as the two kissed.
‘God, what have I missed your body against mine’, Robert teased her once again.
‘You like this piece of land?’, Eveline asked seriously.
‘Why?’
‘Because from now on, we are going to life here.’
‘Is it safe enough to stay at one place?’
‘The only person that knows about you and me is your brother’, she said while nodding at Mitch.
‘When you say it like that, I guess I would sure agree with you luv’, he said before they kissed again.
There after the three of them walked towards the house that Eveline had bought. It was empty for years until she expressed her interest. She bought it within a day and was for them to make their own. While Eveline walked back to the sailboat, the two brothers were left at the back of the house. At the veranda.
‘Can you believe this. I mean, everything seems so sorted out right now. That I’m asking myself what’s the catch’, Robert said. ‘I mean, why did Reddington cut me loose. Why did he needed me in the first place. And why can Eveline and I have the happily ever after life? If you ask me, it’s all you Mitch. Am I going to lose the only brother I have?’
‘Rob, you need to put that brain of yours at rest.’
‘It doesn’t make any sense Mitch.’
‘Some people have it what others some way wont. That’s not a bad thing.’
‘What do you have?’
Thinking about Mia and his past. ‘Really Mitch, what did you have?’, Robert asked again.
Did? Mitch thought. ‘You deserve something of a pie too. Doesn’t even matter what pie that is. Are you listening to me?’
‘I hate pie Rob.’
‘Pie my bottom. What do you get.’
‘I do not want anything. But if you ask me what I need.. I need you to take care of miss reckless. She deserves a way out of this mess. And you, you have something that I know can make her, well, normal. But, don’t test her. She has an attitude’, Mitch said with a wink and grin.
‘An attitude says who?’, Eveline said with three Coronas in her hands.
They all laughed, even Mitch.
‘I know you have a distaste for beer Robert, but then again, this is all we have right now.’
Robert looks at Mitch. ‘Don’t look at me Rob. I like her taste.’
‘When do you leave?’
Eveline also looked at Mitch. ‘I have a little time left brother.’
Southport, Marina, 16 April 2010
Reddington and Dembé followed Mitch towards the St. Vitus Dance. When the approached his boat, someone else was standing on deck already. It was an elderly man from where Mitch could see. The three went onboard. As soon as Mitch was onboard, something sharp hit him in his neck, expected.
Mitch woke up later and was confused and drowsy. Unaware of how long he had been out, he knew that someone had grabbed his magnum. Looking around he figured out he was sitting inside his sailboat. Reddington and the older man were sitting on the couch. It had started raining.
‘Mitch, I rather didn’t want you to meet Mr. Alan Fitch’, Reddington began. ‘You must have seen this one coming, since you lowered your guard that much. You may want to know that we will not harm those you brought to some needing peace (hinting at Mia).’
‘We are far away enough’, Dembé said from outside.
‘He’s a very talented member of my organization Mr. Crowne. I’m very fond of him. Shall we go outside? Have some fresh air?’
‘For havens sake Reddington’, Fitch said but stopped when Reddington gave him a disapproving face. Then Reddington followed Mitch while he drew his gun. Mitch stood outside in the rain when Reddington stopped next to him so both could stand under his umbrella.
‘We both know this was always going to be the end. You fulfil your revenge and me gets the bigger picture. Some kind of mutual agreement. Just like a bad romance story. You can’t have everything without making sacrifices. Make decisions but accept the consequences. Don’t you agree? Do you know the sarcasm about romantic stories?’
‘Yeah, someone always dies’, Mitch says as he leaves his dry space under Reddington’s umbrella.
‘My business has not concluded yet. Far from yet’, Reddington say’s calmly. Crowne opens both his hands, raindrops falling gently on his hands also. Of course he already accepted his faith. Mia was safe, those responsible for his pain were death, except himself. He was ready to go full circle. ‘Legends are created by people. Legends ar
e people that are somehow above and beyond anything we can purchase or control. They are most of all fractures of someone’s experience. An experience where someone or something caused are was the core of something normally wouldn’t occur. Hard times is what I foresee Mr. Crowne. A time where the battle of good and bad will be fought in daylight and night. Here I am, one man only, two if you count my most trusted loyal operative Dembé. I see a legend right here. This legend will be the one who lays its wings on the night. Its very existence Mr. Crowne, won’t be for less than more than its life could possibly be. Like you’ll rise beyond your death.
‘Between the raindrops’, Crowne says as he’s standing on the back of his boat. Looking at the far horizon. A lighthouse is visible. Southport’s lighthouse. Mia, George and Emily together. The place that is the closest to the meaning the word home defines, for Mitch Crowne that is.. Was...
‘You will be this legend, no one except me understand this.. yet. Farewell... my friend’, Reddington says as he shoots Crowne three times. Crowne falls overboard. Dembé shines a light on the water while Fitch stops next to Reddington. All three men had no visual of Crowne...
Southport, Beach, 17 April 2010
George Dreyfuss and his wife Emily woke up at the same time. While Emily made breakfast for four persons, George walked throughout the house in order to find Mitch. He normally slept on the couch, but he wasn’t there. Mia wasn’t sleeping anymore. She lay on her bed, just staring at through the window. She was breathing calmly, looked peaceful but George knew better than that. George seated himself next to her on her bed.
‘You were downstairs earlier’, George asked in his gentle voice with frowned eyebrows.
‘He’s not here anymore.’
‘Maybe he’s on his boat.’
‘I am maybe much younger than you George, but I know that he’s not coming back for a long time.’
