Project X

by Watkins, TM

  After learning who the client was, I held no issue with my goal for today. Tilley had bought products from Belle Femme and it didn't go well at all. A perfume burned her skin, leaving two large red welt on her wrists for months. She complained and got no response. She complained to the regulating body that oversees the cosmetics industry and after they analyzed the perfume, they concluded that she had an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients. To say that my father was livid would be an understatement. Everyone knew that the owner had paid them off, somehow the incorruptible government body had managed to be bribed. After that we watched the papers, occasionally there would be an article about Belle Femme that would be scathing and call for an investigation. Then not so surprisingly, the next week there would be an apology and a retraction, stating that it was the newspapers view that there was no need for an investigation into the company. And not so surprisingly again, the reporter would suddenly become unemployed or rather, suddenly working elsewhere. The articles were becoming less and less, clearly the editors were being hauled over the coals for them and were obviously reluctant to run an article about the company whether it was good or bad.

  Movement in the house roused my attention, someone was walking through the lounge room and into the kitchen.

  “That's him.” Dorian whispered from under helmet.

  It was lucky that we had earpieces, otherwise I doubted I would have heard him. I understood the need to be quiet, neither of us wanted to be caught before I could even take a shot.

  “Hold the bike steady, I'm going to stand on the seat to get a better shot.”

  Slowly and quietly I put the suppressor onto the gun. I wished it was like Hollywood where the bullet would fly out of the barrel with whisper quietness but it wasn't. As the figure made his morning coffee and strolled out to the back deck to drink it, I stood on the bike seat. Dorian's efforts for holding it firmly was a little off at first but with a few seconds of shaking he was onto it, keeping it still. The man sat on an outdoor chair as Dorian's voice whispered through the ear piece.

  “KC.”

  “Not now.” I hissed lowly.

  “Yes now, we've got company.”

  I looked through the fence panels, a lone figure walked through the garden with a dog on a lead. Damn it, he had security.

  “Hold still until he passes.” I whispered.

  The darkness of a looming tree shrouded us, it wasn't dark enough for my liking but it was enough for this. The figure continued around to the front of the house and I took aim again. Holding my breath and praying that all of those years at the shooting range would be worth it.

  Chapter 42: Down boy!

  The shot rang out, flying through the air and hitting the target with precision, something that my father would be incredibly proud of. Even though we had our differences, when I excelled in his world he took notice. It was dark but I could still see the blood burst out everywhere, the coffee mug fell to the floor with a shattering echo that was almost as loud as the shot that was fired. I could hear the dog barking and a man yelling, turning I could see the security guard ripping a fence panel away to let the dog out.

  “Shit.” I gasped.

  My legs split and I fell to the seat as Dorian started the motorcycle. He didn't give me time to put the gun away, just to get one arm around his waist. The dog was barking loudly as it finally got through the fence, chasing after us. I could hear the guard on a walkie talkie, I turned to see him chasing after us. Dorian hit the end of the path and turned onto the street. After a few streets the dog and the guard gave up, Dorian continued to weave a path through suburbia. I didn't know where we were, the houses were a little worn and tired. He slowed the motorcycle and turned off the engine.

  “Off, quickly.”

  I did as he said and followed him as he wheeled the bike into a yard, taking it around the house. When we were out of sight of the street, he put the kickstand down and took the gun out of my hands. He removed the silencer from the gun and put them into the storage compartment.

  “What are you doing?” I whispered.

  “Your sister said they were bought illegally, there is no direct link to your family and we are dumping them here.”

  “But these people are…”

  “Drug cooks and runners. No offence to anyone of their kind but it's easier this way.”

  Dorian closed the lid and took my hand, making our way through the slightly overgrown back yard to the fence. He lifted the panel and we passed through to the next yard. We passed through a few more yards, I knew that we were doing this in case someone happened to see us. To my surprise, Dorian opened the back door of a car and ushered me into it. I slid across the seat and saw Derek. Once Dorian was in the car, Derek pulled the car away and Dorian removed his helmet. I removed the helmet and the bag, still rather confused at the situation.

  “How did you know they are drug runners?”

  “Before I had a state of the art security system the little bastards stole equipment from me. It was sold before the cops could do anything about it and they got away with nothing more than a slap on the wrists. I believe that karma waits for all and today they got what they deserved.”

  “You don't know that the cops will find the bike. They could strip it and sell it. Worse yet, you've given them a gun.”

  He smiled supremely, leaning back against the seat. I knew that there was more to this, more that he was letting on. Dorian was a hard one to figure out. He could be so open and giving with information and his emotions and yet there were times like these where he would say something and you knew it had meaning yet he wouldn't tell you. He just left it to your imagination.

  As the car weaved through the streets, Dorian and I changed back into our clothes. It wasn't long before we were in the city and the morning sun was slowly stretching across the land. In the distance I could see the glint of the glass from Dorian's building, a blinding beacon set against the other glass and concrete towers. I was grateful that I left my underwear on, there was no privacy screen in this car and even though I tried to be quick and discreet, I still showed far too much. But Derek was a gentleman, his gaze never left the road, never darted up to the rear vision mirror and allowed me privacy. Even if his boss didn't. Dorian's lust filled gaze watched me, leaving me only for the second his shirt passed over his head.

  Derek pulled into a steep driveway that sank below the building of Aphrodite International. From the outside though, it appeared that he was entering the next building along. It was a devious ploy, the driveway went one way and when we moved past the garage door, it did a sharp turn and went back to the correct building.

  “You are such a good employee KC; did you know that you've been at work all night?” Dorian grinned darkly.

  “Have I?”

  “Oh my word yes, the guards tell me that they saw you entering for work last night and they haven't seen you leave. They even have the footage to prove it.”

  “How?” I gasped.

  Dorian shrugged, opening the door once Derek had stopped the car.

  “Why do you care? I've provided an alibi for you and provided that you don't mind being seen as a naughty little vixen that spent the night pleasing her boss, then you won't have a single issue.”

  “Yeah great.” I rolled my eyes, getting out of the car.

  We had left the suits and the helmets in Derek's care. And by care, I knew that Dorian meant that they were all going in this mysterious furnace that he had. Tilley will be pissed that she won't get her suit back. I slung the backpack over my shoulder and followed Dorian into the elevator, the third and unaccounted for elevator. With a smile I added another section of the building to my memory. Dorian shot me a smile, I wondered if he could figure me out. It was likely, Chet always said I was too expressive. The elevator steadily rose through the floors, moving higher and higher and I could feel something different in the air. Dorian held my hand, interlocking a few fingers as he faced me.

  “Quit the spy business KC.”
>
  “To do what? Spend my days filing my nails, perched on the edge of your desk?”

  He nodded with a cheeky grin so I showed him my fingers.

  “Can't do that, don't have any nails to file.”

  The elevator stopped and the doors opened, I hitched my bag that was slipping off my shoulder as I followed Dorian into the reception area of the thirtieth floor. I almost ran into the back of him, too engrossed in the bag. As I looked around him, I could see why he stopped. We weren't alone.

  Chapter 43: Pay day

  I looked at the refined appearance of my former best friend. Her flowing mane of strawberry blonde was pulled back into a tight bun; her clothes were odd for what I thought Amber should be wearing. Gone were the jeans, band shirt and dirty cons replaced by a slick black body suit. It hugged her body and showed off her svelte frame, making her incredibly drool worthy. And for the first time ever, I saw Amber in a pair of pumps. Not just an ordinary pair, these things could be a weapon and it was likely that she would use them as one if the need were to arise.

  Amber was leaning back on one arm, tilted to the side with her leg crossed over the other, reading something. No doubt it was something she shouldn't be reading. Her attention lifted to us, offering a malevolent smile. Something I had never seen on her. She was always the happy and carefree Amber, never this killer spy in leather and spike heels. My hand slipped into the bag to the second gun that Tilley had provided in case the first one malfunctioned. Not that they would, my father always tested them on a regular basis to ensure they worked perfectly. There was no point to owning a gun that didn't work properly, if it jammed at the wrong moment it would end in a dead agent.

  “Good morning killer.” She purred. “It's amazing how fast word spreads in this town, wouldn't you agree?”

  “What do you want?” Dorian snarled.

  “Why payment of course. I know who the killer is and I'd hate for it to inadvertently slip out.”

  She slid off the desk and stood tall, her fingers danced over the stone desk as she slowly walked closer.

  “When you killed Dunlop this morning, I lost my pay day. So you can pay me for loss of earnings, to keep me quiet and so that I will forget that your daddy is threatening to hang me out to dry.”

  “How much?”

  “You cannot be serious?” I gasped at Dorian.

  “She will leave and then it will be over, Amber will leave town, won't you?”

  Amber grinned, offering her agreement.

  “And she knows that if she steps out of line then I will make it my business to ensure a cold and cruel death for her.”

  “Of course.” Amber agreed. “Provided you pay in cash and allow safe passage to my new town, one million thanks.”

  Dorian stepped away, moving swiftly to his office.

  “How did you get in?” I squinted at her smug smile.

  “Why you of course.”

  She lifted something from the desk and tossed it at me. I caught hold of something so familiar, one little card reader. Damn it. I tucked it into my pocket and tried to calm my heavy beating heart. Dorian stepped out a few minutes later, a large duffle bag in his hand. Amber's eyes widened with a wicked glint, a dark grin curled into her lips. Dorian dumped it onto the desk, allowing her to see that it was stuffed to the brim. He could barely shut the zip; it was that full.

  “Well, it's been a pleasure. Now if you don't mind KC.”

  She pulled a gun out and gestured to the elevator, taking the bag in her other hand.

  “What?” Dorian hissed.

  “Safe passage is what I was granted and I intend on holding you to your word.” She turned to me with a snarl. “Get on with it.”

  I edged my way to the elevator, pressing the call button.

  “Leave the bag thanks, I can guess what you've got in there and we won't be having any of that.”

  Reluctantly I dumped it to the ground. When the doors to the elevator opened she gestured with the gun, insisting that I go first. Dorian moved forward but was stopped by Amber pointing the gun at him.

  “I don't think so. Remember, safe passage otherwise she's going to get a bullet in her.”

  Dorian was fuming in his own quiet way, I had seen a few emotions that would easily crack through, some were a little harder to decipher. But this was pure rage that was being willfully restrained for the benefit of my life alone. Amber was one the other side of the elevator, the gun still directed at me. The grin hadn't died any and as I looked at her I wondered if I ever really knew her. My eyes darted down to the bag, the weight of it caused her to slump to one side. I was curious as to whether there really was a million dollars in there or if Dorian had put a few large notes in and weighted it down with something. It wouldn't surprise me if he did, he seemed to be always one step ahead of everyone, me included. The elevator hit the bottom with its usual soft thud that seemed to rattle me every time. I hated elevators, they were like a metal coffin precariously hanging over a shaft of possible death. The doors opened with a soft whoosh and I looked out to the lobby and our own personal welcoming committee.

  “Back away!” Amber snarled to the security guards as she pushed me with the gun. “Guns down!”

  The elevator beside us binged and the doors opened, Dorian stepped out.

  “Tell them to put the guns down, I said safe passage.”

  Dorian's eyes narrowed at her, then he turned to his guards.

  “On the ground please gentlemen.”

  Reluctantly they put their guns down and kicked them away, Amber dug the gun into my back.

  “Out the door and don't try anything.”

  We walked across the lobby, Amber was moving rather disjointed as she kept any eye on me and the set of guards who were slowly approaching from the other side.

  “Guns down!” She screamed.

  From the corner of my eye I watched as they did as she asked and again she dug the gun into my back.

  “Move it.”

  The glass doors slid open revealing more guards that were stopping people from entering the lobby. They held them back on the street to avoid any unwanted casualties caught by the crossfire. Not that there was any. As I walked down the steps to the side walk, I saw a figure leaning on a sleek black car, a figure I wished wasn't here.

  “What do you think KC?” Amber purred in my ear.

  My heart pounded hard as I stared at the man I had once adored. He was my flesh and blood and yet the look of indifference on his face told me that he didn't care. All that I had that was dear to me in this world stood before me and I realized that like I had been so many times before, I was wrong. My heart broke into thousands of little pieces as he looked at me.

  “Do you think daddy would be proud of him?” She whispered. “Make sure you take a good look at him KC because you aren't going to see him again.”

  Chapter 44: Inferno on Main Street

  I wasn't sure what she meant. Did she mean that they were fleeing the town to live their lives in another city or another country? Or was it something far sinister, something deadly? With tears in my eyes I looked at Walter, he refused to look at me and I was gutted.

  “How could you?”

  He shrugged and lifted his body off the car, opening the door for Amber.

  “Well it's been a pleasure.”

  Amber moved around my body with her back to Walter. Slowly she walked backwards, pointing the gun at me with her dark grin.

  “KC.” Someone whispered in my ear.

  I almost gasped. I had forgotten I still had the ear piece in my ear.

  “Step away from her, as far as you can get.”

  My heart thudded hard, there had to be something in the bag. As much as I hated the situation with Walter, I couldn't let them harm my brother.

  “No.” I hissed under my breath.

  Amber squinted at me and stopped walking.

  “What?”

  “Can I have a moment to say goodbye to Wal? Please?” I begged.

  She snee
red at me and then turned to Walter who had already begun to move to me. Amber rolled her eyes and threw the bag onto the back seat of the car.

  “What?” He grumbled.

  “Have you got Kevlar on?”

  “Uh, yeah. Why?”

  I shook my head with a shrug, wrapping an arm around his neck to hug him.

  “Hold still.” I whispered and turned to the glass doors that was lined with guards.

  A single nod was given in understanding and I pulled the gun out of the holster on Wal's body and pointed it at Amber. She turned to face us and the shock had barely registered on her face before I pulled the trigger. I wasn't a cruel person, as much as I hated Amber I couldn't kill her. Instead I planted one in the thigh, sending her to the ground in an instant.

  The problem was, whatever was in that bag was still ticking away, the voice in my ear was still telling me to back away. As the guards pushed the people away, the bomb went off sending the car into the air in a flaming inferno. The ferocity of the explosion sent everyone to the ground, scuttling for their lives. I watched in horror as the car came down fast, hitting the street with an almighty thud. The blackened carcass of the car had fallen on its side, slowly tipping over. If the car had fallen wheels down I suppose it might have been something Amber could have survived but it didn't. The car tipped over, roof side to the ground and crushed Amber in a fiery mess of metal.

  Walter wrapped his arms around me and hugged me, a gesture that made me curious as to what exactly was going on between him and Amber. I could hear the sharp shrill of a siren filling the morning air, outdoing any of the car engines or tooting of impatient drivers.