“Why do you think you get to ask me questions?” he said. “I have the gun pointed at you, you don’t have the gun pointed at me, I have the power here,” he continued to say something but I didn’t wait to hear it. I grabbed the gun on top, quickly moving to the side in case he fired, and ripped it from his fat hands. I turned it around and hit him on the bridge of the nose with it.
“OW!” he yelled. “Son of a bitch!” I threw the gun on the ground and grabbed Steven by the shirt and hauled him up.
“I tried to do this the easy way,” I told him. I continued to pull him with me as I moved back behind the counter and back to the kitchen. “You really should have fucking listened,” I said. I turned and punched him in the face and then elbowed him in the throat. He began making a choking noise as soon as I had hit him.
“How did you know about Phil?” I asked him.
“Fuck you James,” he said. For some reason he couldn’t figure out how to give me a right answer. I grabbed the back of his head and pushed his face down on to grill in the kitchen. I immediately heard the sizzle and started to smell the burning flesh as he screamed. I lifted him back up looking at his burned, red, disfigured face.
“Two more chances Steven,” I told him. “How did you know about Phil?” He just shook his head so I pushed him back down onto the grill. His screaming was getting louder until finally he told me to stop.
I let go of him as he lifted himself and peeled his own face off the grill. He fell to the ground on his fat ass and was have screaming in pain half crying.
“Okay, okay,” he said. “Please no more,” he said. I took my hand and smacked the burn on his face, leaving a sticky disgusting layer of his skin on my hands. He screamed in pain again as I did. “I’ll talk, I’ll talk,” he finally said.
“How did you know about Phil?”
“I knew somebody in the organization,” he said have slurred from the pain taking over. “He initially reached out to me and he was after you. I followed all of his instructions but I started feeling like I was going to get into a lot of trouble for it so I contacted the chief and told him.”
“Why would you risk your life then but not now?” I asked him.
“I told the chief and he began following Phil, somebody I knew was involved with the organization. But then the terrible thing happened to the chief’s daughter and the guy I knew did it. He told me if I ever said anything again that would be me lying there with my throat cut.”
“You didn’t just happen to end up as my partner did you?” I asked him.
“No,” Steven said. “I asked to be put on the job with you to watch you because I was told to but I had no idea you used to work for Charles.” Something was bothering me and I couldn’t quite piece it together. Perhaps it was denial or maybe it was because I wasn’t thinking clearly but I had to ask him.
“Who told you to watch me?” I asked.
“Are you serious?” Steven said. “After everything I learned today, it all makes sense to me.” He chuckled a little.
“Who is it?” I asked again. “I know of one person but I’m currently looking for him. He wouldn’t have any idea,” but Steven interrupted.
“He’s here James,” Steven said. “Justin has been watching you for awhile now. In fact he was waiting for the exact moment somebody could distract you long enough to make his next move.” He began a pathetic attempt at laughing but I knew he had to be in an incredible amount of pain. His words frightened me and I knew I had to get home.
“I’m glad you find that funny,” I told him.
“You’re not going to kill me,” Steven said. “You don’t want to spend time in prison while that girl of yours goes unprotected.”
“See, that’s where you’re wrong,” I told him. “I’ve killed tons of people, and have yet to serve a single day for it.” I could see in his eyes; he finally realized I was going to kill him. I grabbed a metal bucket that had been in the fryer and threw it on his face. His screams and his sizzling skin made a mixed noise and the smell was awful as the oil ate through his skin. I picked my foot up and kicked out, caving his weakened, burned face in and ran out of there. I ran to the car, slammed it into drive and spun the tires towards the house.
I got there and immediately knew something was wrong as I saw a figure on the floor of the front porch but I couldn’t tell what it was. As I got out of the car and approached I realized it was a dead wolf. Clever, I thought to myself, but it also pissed me off he had killed a wolf for no reason.
I stepped over the house and went into the house knowing I wouldn’t find Emma. As soon as I stepped in a projector that had been set up turned on and projected a computer screen onto the wall across from me. As soon as the picture focused I noticed it was Justin’s face.
“Can you hear me Wolf?” he said.
“I am going to,” I started to say but he interrupted me.
“Good, you can hear me. I’m sure you figured this out already but I have your girl, Emma. Now, I can see you are a bit panicked, which is good and you should be.”
“I am going to fucking kill you,” I told him.
“Please,” he said calmly, “Don’t threaten me because currently you have nothing on me and I have everything on you. Look where I am Wolf. Does this look familiar?” He moved out of the way of the camera so I could see. Behind him Emma was tied to a chair. “Go ahead sweetie, tell him where we are,” Justin said.
“James I’m sorry,” she said, “I’m so sorry.”
“Emma!” I yelled. “I’ll come find you; I swear I’ll come find you. Everything will be okay, I promise.”
“That’s sweet,” Justin said. “Now tell him where we are.”
“James,” she said again, “We’re at your parents. This is that shed we stayed in.” I had already figured this out as I recognized it immediately and I was already thinking of the best way to get there or at the very least to warn my parents. Justin backhanded her and she let out a small yelp in pain.
“You mother,” I started but he interrupted again.
“Stop talking,” he said. “This is very simple. I give you my word if you do exactly what I say and exactly how I say to do it neither she nor your parents will get hurt, understood?” I didn’t answer right away.
“What do you want me to do?” I asked him.
“Also, don’t try to call anybody. I had that fat fuck bug your phone quite awhile ago. If that bug is destroyed or your phone stops working, she’s dead. If you don’t answer my calls, she’s dead. If you don’t do everything exactly as I say, she’s dead. Do you understand?”
“What do you want me to do?” I repeated.
“Do you understand?” he said again.
“Yes, I understand. Just, don’t hurt her,” I said. “Don’t touch her, don’t lay a fucking finger on her again, and I’ll do what you say,” I told him. My blood was boiling but I was serious; I didn’t want any harm done to her and I would do what he said to prevent any harm. I didn’t trust him but I also knew I didn’t have a choice and had to try and trust he’d stick to his word.
“Good. Now I know you’re extremely motivated by the well-being of this girl, so she will continue to be okay as long as you stay motivated and listen to me.”
“Got it,” was all I could muster to say.
“Now sit down,” he said. “We’re going to go over what you need to do.”
New Contracts
I did as he said and sat down in the chair next to the projector, continuing to look at the projected image on the wall. I noticed a small camera attached to the computer in the room that was also watching me so I turned it so he could see me now that I was sitting down.
“Okay,” I told him, “What is it you want me to do for you?”
“Are you surprised to see me alive Wolf?” he asked me, ignoring my question.
“I knew you were alive. The police had footage of you,” I told him. “I was just put on the case to track you down.”
“Well, here I am,” he said
with a laugh. His laugh turned into a cough that seemed out of control for a few seconds. “Apologies,” he finally said, “still healing from the last time I saw you.”
“This is between us Justin,” I told him. “If you want to settle scores we can, but please do not hurt her.”
“I told you I’m not going to hurt her as long as you do as you are told,” he said. “Speaking of which, next to you on the table is a file folder,” I turned and saw the folder and picked it up. “Open it up and look it over,” he told me.
I was a little unsure of what I was looking at. The folder contained a list of names, some that I recognized some that I didn’t, with addresses and information on finding the people on the list.
“Okay,” I said. “What is this for?”
“Your new contracts,” Justin said. “Payment in the form of her returned to you safely and your parents remaining unharmed and unaware.” I looked at the list again realizing where I recognized the names from.
“Some of these guys are from the organization,” I said. It came out as a statement but I was implying a question of why were some of the guys from the organization on here.
“Exactly,” Justin said. “They’ve all started doing their own business with contracts. James, I set out to get Charles’ job even though Phil thought he would get it and I intend to do so, in fact I intend to thrive in it, but I can’t with all these whack jobs trying to run their own side business cutting into my jobs.”
“So why don’t you kill them?” I asked him. “Or buy them out?”
“Because I have you willing to help me out,” he said with a smile. “I don’t have unrealistic expectations James,” he said. It was the first time in our conversation he called me James instead of Wolf, something I didn’t appreciate. During the organization the only people that got to call me James were those I liked. “I know this is going to take you a little bit of time,” he continued, “And that is okay, because I have time; lots of it. Unfortunately she doesn’t.”
“When do you need this done by,” I asked him.
“Take today to prepare. Plan your kills, plan your travel, and prepare yourself. Obviously these guys are killers too so I expect you to struggle. If you die, it is a win for me, just try to take out a couple before you do. After today I expect you to kill one a day,” he said.
“There are close to fifty people on this list,” I told him. “You can’t keep her for fifty days.”
“First off, yes there are a lot of people on the list but some of them are working together so that will speed it up; second off, don’t tell me what I can or can’t do.”
“How many days to you expect this to take?” I asked him.
“A month at the maximum,” he said. “Anything more and I will have to assume you lost your touch and aren’t nearly motivated enough. Also, anything beyond thirty days, she starts losing body parts. What should I start with James? Her fingers or her toes? Maybe I’ll skip right past that and take one of those lovely eyes,” he said with a maniacal smile.
“I swear to God if you touch her I’m going to,” I said as I was interrupted for the third time.
“You’ll do what?!” he yelled. “You have nothing to threaten me with James!” I was silent. He was right, I didn’t have anything to threaten him with and the fact that he had her was tearing me up inside.
“Now, there’s a box right next to where the file was; pick it up and open it,” he said. I did as he said, opening the box to find the same gun they used in the organization to implant our trackers. “Put it in your neck,” he said.
I did as I was told. I placed it to my neck right next to where a familiar scar was located and squeezed the trigger. The force of it stung but I bent my neck left and right to shake off the pain. I saw Justin look towards what I only assumed was his computer.
“Perfect,” he said. “Now I’ll be able to see you coming if you try anything. And if this stops moving too much I’m going to call you and I’m going to need evidence that you are where it says you are, understood?”
“Yes,” was all that I said.
“Not so talkative anymore?” he asked. “That’s too bad; I was hoping you would be.” He was such an asshole.
“Behind the list of names there is a list with some specific details for some of the guys on exactly how I want you to kill them. You should have any information you will need in order to find these guys and kill them. They won’t all be easy to find but the list should give you a good start.”
“What happens when I’m done?” I asked him.
“I’ll be in contact throughout. When the list is complete I’ll call you and have one final task. As soon as you’re done with that task you’ll be able to come here and as long as you’ve done what I’ve said, you’ll find your girl and your parents unscathed and be the hero again,” he said.
“What’s the last task?” I asked him.
“Don’t worry about it now,” he said. “You’ll find out later. There’s a box in your garage with some specific supplies you’ll need for some of the jobs. I’m sure you have everything else needed. Now get to planning because you have a lot of work to do.”
“Wait,” I said. “Can I please have a moment with Emma?” I asked him.
“Don’t plead James, it doesn’t suit you,” he said. “Speak,” was all he said before stepping out of the way. I didn’t want to talk with him right there but I realized I was going to have to.
“Emma,” I said but before I could say more she spoke.
“I know James,” she said. “I know you’re going to save me. I know you’re going to do everything in your power.” A tear fell from her eye. “I love you,” she finished.
“I love you too,” I told her.
“James?” she asked with a question.
“Yes?”
“Be careful please,” she said. “And kill every last one of them.” Her encouragement to kill made me smile. She didn’t really approve of it but knew I would need to do it.
“I will,” I said. “Be safe.”
“Isn’t that sweet,” Justin said. “Now get to work.” At that he turned the camera off and the screen went blank.
“No!” I yelled out. “EMMA!” I stood up and grabbed the projector and threw it against the wall. The cords yanked the computer to the ground and the projector hit the wall, smashing through the drywall. I sat back down and put my head in my hands. I couldn’t believe this was happening, I had sworn to protect her and now I had failed. I quickly realized the only thing to do was get the list complete as soon as I could.
I began looking over the list and eventually moved to the table spreading all the paperwork out. I retrieved the box from the garage and started laying things out with what items went to each person. Behind the list of people and list of specifics each person had a page with their picture and all the information needed. I spread it all out and began tracing my steps on a map. Some of these I could drive to, others I would have to fly or take over night road trips to.
I’d quickly have to decide my best route and the most time efficient. Some of the items I wouldn’t be able to fly with, other kills I could make do without anything or could get equipment once I had landed if I chose to fly. Looking at the names and faces some of the targets were people I never cared for, others were pretty close to me in the organization. There were a few on there that I had no idea who they were including a group of five that I had to take down at once. I had my work cut out for me and I wanted to get to work immediately.
The First Job
The first job on the list could be completed in town so I decided to do it first. I had taken most of my day to plan out my trips, my strategies, and as much as I could from start to finish. If I was under any other circumstances I would have enjoyed what I was doing; I had forgotten how much I missed the strategic planning of the jobs.
The target was a thirty-three year old bartender who had started doing some contract jobs on the side after leaving our organization. He wasn’t somebod
y I had ever heard of, which surprised me given that he was from the same area, but then again the organization was pretty big.
Being a bartender was a clever way to pick up jobs because who complained more about their enemies than drunken people at the bar? From what I read on my target he started bartending after the organization went down and then decided to start his own jobs. He operated alone and Justin had a specific death in mind for him.
I’m not sure where Justin got his information but it was pretty thorough. Perhaps he had worked with Steven to determine which murders or missing persons handled by the police department were potential works of this guy.
I waited outside of the bar until there were no cars left outside of it. I knew this didn’t necessarily mean everybody was gone so I waited a little longer. After I was convinced nobody else was there I got out of the car and walked through the door of the bar.
The bartender, who I knew was named Brian, looked over at me as I walked in the door.
“Sorry bud, we’re closed,” he said. “Last call was awhile ago.”
“No worries,” I told him. “I’m here for business not the bar.”
“What kind of business?” the bartender asked.
“The kind you specialize in,” I told him. “More importantly I’m looking for either a guy named Wolf or a guy named Justin. I want to hire them.”
“Not sure how you know about them buddy, but I heard they were both dead,” he said.
“Interesting,” I told him. “But you still do contract kills right?”
“Aren’t you that new cop?”
“Nope,” I said. “Well, I was, but they let me go. That’s why I’m here.”
“I don’t know if I want to kill a cop,” Brian said. I smirked.
“A killer with a conscience.”
“It isn’t that,” Brian told me, “It just seems like trouble you know?”
“I get that but I’m willing to pay a lot,” I told him. “Can we discuss over a beer? Anything on tap will do.” It looked as if Brian was thinking about his options when he finally responded.
A Killer's Memoir 2: New Contracts Page 2
