by Ethan Egorov
“Trent… we have to.”
“Fuck, Kristina. Fuck. Sigh. I mean you’ve already made your decision. I just wish I knew this was going to happen. I would have planned our weekend much differently.”
“Yeah… I’m sorry Trent. I’ll have to make it up to you somehow. Please. Cassandra is one of the best friends I’ve ever had.”
“Fine…yeah. We’ll protect you, at least until we can find out who’s targeting you. Then we’ll take the fight to them. I’m not a big fan of sitting and waiting things out.” Cassandra smiled at both of them and fanned her hands out on the desk. “I’m thankful to both of you. I appreciate your help. I’ll have to repay the favor when I can one day.”
Trent looked deep into her hazel eyes and felt his heart unexpectedly quicken its pace. “Yeah, all that matters right now though is you’re alive and well. Let’s keep it that way.”
“So Cassandra how are you here now?”
“Oh this…well a few years ago I decided that maybe I should eventually settle down and get a straight job and here we are. I personally love my little slice of heaven.”
“So this isn’t a front?”
“No. Not at all. This is my business. I’m licensed in the Unites States and parts of Europe. You know I went to art school, Kristina.”
“Yeah but I just thought it was your hobby.”
“Nope. I decided that gallery art just wasn’t my scene, so I opened this shop so I could get my hands dirty when I wasn’t busy getting my hands dirty with other things. We do okay here. I have one apprentice, but prefer to mostly work alone. Do you see anything here you like?”
Trent looked at her and laughed. “So you’re telling me that you’re a hired killer who is content being a tattoo artist?”
“Yeah. What’s troubling you about that? I’m sure you have your own pursuits Trent? God…I hope you’re not thinking about keeping this one Kristina.”
“Um… yeah, he’s kind of mine.”
“Kind of…?”
Trent watched Cassandra roll her eyes and Kristina smiled at her while still looking around the shop. “I still can’t believe you did all of these pieces.”
“Yeah, I have a few favs. Well thank you again for your help. I don’t know what our next step is, but I can give you the information about the last job in Paris I didn’t take. I swear, I should have but I’ve never really liked doing kids or the elderly. It seems wrong…like life will take them down soon enough, ya know.”
“I know what you mean. So what do you know about those clients?”
“Not much. I just know that it was political. They wanted me to kill the opposing faction’s kid so that would detract them from their campaign or potentially take them out of the running. I suppose a win by default is still a win.”
“I see. Well I’d say the first step is going to be laying low for a little bit. Close up the shop for a couple days and we’ll see what we can find out. Have they actually tried to mark you yet?”
“Oh yeah. I woke up this morning to shots in my woodwork. Apparently their hired guns must cave when there’s onlookers. You never did that Kristina. It’s the hallmark of a good assassin. I’ve seen you take shots in broad daylight and not flinch.”
“Thanks, Cassandra. Trent what do you think? Do you think we can provide enough protection?”
“Hah! Yeah, trust me that’s not the issue. The issue is going to be taking them out one by one. I hate to say this, Cassandra, but pack your bags. You’re going to be a tourist for a couple of days while we figure this out.”
“Well since you’ve come to the shop are you certain there’s nothing I can interest you in? I mean, Kristina can attest to my skill level, can’t you Kristina?”
Kristina reddened and cleared her throat softly responding, “Oh yes, Trent. Cassandra goes good work. I’m sure she’d be happy to show you some pictures of her clients.”
“As much as I want a Red Sox tat, I’m afraid I’ll have to pass for now. We’ve got some other issues to work on I believe. Grab what you need, we’re going back to the hotel so we can figure this out. Hopefully you weren’t followed there when you were spying on us all weekend.”
“No. I kept a close watch. If anything Trent I’m careful in all aspects of my work. A good artist pays attention to little details don’t you know?”
“So I’ve heard. Now come on.”
They immediately went back to the hotel and quickly found the elevators. They rode in silence up to Trent and Kristina’s room. No one dared to speak it seemed as if the silence that separated them was welcome. Apparently Kristina had a history with Cassandra that she never told him about and that was something they definitely needed to discuss. While he would never judge her for her past or actions, he also needed Kristina to know that he expected to be let in on her life from this point on. They were both a little old for keeping secrets and as it turned out this was one that could potentially kill both of them.
As soon as they got in the room, Cassandra looked around. She secretly congratulated herself on being right about her assumption that her and Trent were together. This would certainly be an interesting few days. Trent looked around the room and sighed. There were the remnants of the previous night’s activity still in the floor. He found himself then slightly embarrassed that Cassandra had an eyeful of his boxers by the bed and Kristina’s delicate bra.
Wordlessly he went to the mini fridge in the lounge area and retrieved a bottle of Scotch. He then placed several ice cubes in a glass and poured himself a cold drink. “Can I interest either one of you ladies in a drink?”
Cassandra smiled politely at him and said, “Yes. Please, I need a strong one, so light on the ice?”
“Yes, ma’am. Coming right up. What about you Kristina?”
Kristina still looked anxious and concerned. Trent could tell her thoughts were still a million miles away. Hell they were probably in Paris at the Eiffel tower or something. She smiled politely at him and said, “No thanks, Trent. I’m fine. I’ll just grab a bottle of water or something.”
“Hmm. I’ve personally never been able to figure out a problem after drinking a bottle of water, but Scotch, well that’s helped me out of more jams than I can count. Here ya go.”
He delivered Cassandra her Scotch and then crossed the room to hand Kristina a bottle of water. She sat on the edge of the bed with her head downward. Trent didn’t know exactly what she had to be upset about, but she never spoke of Cassandra so he figured the story didn’t end well. “So what’s going on Cassandra? We’re all here now and this is apparently a safe spot, I mean, no one’s taken a shot at us yet, so start from the beginning and let’s see if we can figure out how to find out who’s marked you.”
“Well like I told you in the shop, I had that job that I refused. Afterwards I came back to Vegas and reopened the shop. I just started getting strange phone calls and one morning there was a card under my door. I retrieved it and that’s when I heard the shots. I did the only thing I knew to do and that was duck and cover.”
“What did the card say?”
“It just said, ‘no take backs.’”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah. It’s concerning to say the least.” Cassandra took a long sip of Scotch then cleared her throat and continued. “I really am sorry to trouble you on your lovers’ holiday or whatever this is, but I really don’t have anyone close that I can turn to. Besides both of you seem to know the business and I’m certain have dealt with this before.”
“Yeah. I mean, I’ve been there before. I really can’t speak for Kristina though. One time, and fuck this has been years ago, Pop and I took this job where we were going to threaten a rival business owner. Pop decided that summer that he would do some freelance just to have a little extra cash floating around. Well it ended up being the last summer he tried it. Kristina probably doesn’t remember this, I don’t think she was too into the business then, but fuck I was young. I remember Pop coming back from the job saying he was successful in his
mission. The next day there’s a gang of thugs that show up at the mansion and they were trying to beat the crap of out him. Of course, I handled that bit of nastiness, but afterwards I asked Pop exactly what happened. He just shrugged his shoulders and said that there were kids involved so he didn’t want to do the job. So I suppose that’s how it goes, but don’t worry. I think that your reason for not wanting the gig was valid and if someone is going to take pot shots at one of Kristina’s friends, then I’m all for getting my hands dirty.”
Kristina looked at Trent sitting on the edge of the bed leaning in closer to Cassandra and suddenly stood up. “I’m going down to the bar. I’ll be back, don’t wait up.”
“What the fuck?! Kristina?! Hey…what’s wrong?”
“Nothing you need to be concerned with. Just have your drink and go to bed. I’ll be back eventually.” She slammed the door and walked about leaving Trent to look at Cassandra and shake his head. “I don’t understand. What the fuck is her problem? I didn’t do anything.”
“Nope. You didn’t do a damned thing. That’s just how Kristina is though. I don’t think you know her as well as you might think, Trent.”
“Obviously. I mean, I didn’t know you existed until tonight. What’s this about Paris? I remember her having a job there once, but she didn’t say much about it when she got home.”
“I think you’d better pour us both another glass of Scotch, Trent. There’s more to the story than what you know.” Trent walked to the fridge and opened the bottle again. After refilling their glasses he sat back down to face Cassandra. She looked at him with her hazel eyes, slightly cloudy.
“Well…go on. Tell me what happened.”
“Did anyone ever tell you you’re not easy to talk to?”
“Yeah, all the time. Why?”
“Well just tell me is generally no way to get anyone to talk to you. It’s actually a bit offensive.”
“Yeah? So are you going to tell me or not because I can drink my Scotch perfectly fine in silence.”
“Fine. You know that I met Kristina while I was on a job, but what you don’t know is what happened afterward. Kristina…well she was certainly unlike anyone I’d ever met. She was beautiful, brave, and when she left the room the air in it seemed to collapse as well. She was full of energy and brought a youthful joy to all of her work. I respected that. Hell, in my age and at that time…well let’s just say I needed some of that energy in my world.”
“Yeah… me too. I’m just saying I know what you mean. Go on.”
“Kristina proved to be a valuable ally and also a great pupil in many ways. She decided to extend her stay in Paris so she could study some different techniques under me. I helped her really find a way to focus in situations where distractions could make one miss a crucial shot. She helped me find my artistic fire again, making me paint or draw something at least every day. You see I’d fallen behind in my practice due to my job. She agreed to take on some of my hits so I could get my portfolio together for accreditation. Of course, I paid her a little on top of making sure she had living expenses while staying with me. I have to say that summer was one that I could count among the best I’ve ever had.”
“So what happened? Kristina said you just disappeared.” Cassandra drained her glass and Trent filled it back up. She sighed out loud and took another long drink. Her eyes became blurry and Trent noticed her speech began to slur a bit. He wanted her to push back the pain so he could get to the root of the story and this was the only logical way he knew how to get anyone to talk without becoming violent. He was getting her drunk. Cassandra smiled at Trent sympathetically and said, “Thank you by the way for coming to my aide. You could have easily said no and let me face this alone, but you were kind enough to take a chance on me. I mean…for God’s sake I could have been sent to kill you both and you just welcomed me in with open arms.”
“Had you been sent to kill us, I would have known instantly and already shot you in the head before you could have finished your first glass of Scotch. I’m kind, but I also am an excellent judge of character. It will do you good in the future to remember that. Also, everything that Kristina knew before she met you in Paris? Well there’s a good chance that I taught her that at some point, just so we’re clear.”
“Ah yes. I see now. You’re where she gets her killer instinct from. I suppose that’s a great attribute to pass on. I’ll have to remember that the next time I decide to help someone improve their skill level. Just shoot and ask questions later, that’s a great strategy Trent. Lots of finesse.”
“Hey, we’re not talking about me. Remember this is about Kristina.”
“Right. Well long story short, things got a bit personal, so Kristina came back home and I just went into my own cave I suppose. I drank, I wrote, I cried, I screamed, and I painted.”
“That still doesn’t tell me what happened.”
“For fuck’s sake Trent. I guess I’ll have to spell it out for you. One night we were drinking and having a bit of fun. I kissed her, and it had the opposite effect of anything that I could have envisioned. She ran like a scared rabbit.”
“Wow. I’m sorry I guess? Damn. I didn’t know that happened. So that’s why she was so shocked to see you?”
“Yeah. I can honestly say that I don’t blame her, I mean I completely cut off contact even when she tried to get me to talk about what happened. I was too hurt I suppose. She took some of my light with her when she left.”
“Yeah, well she certainly has a way of getting under your skin doesn’t she?”
“That she does. So you two…have you seal the deal yet, Trent?”
“Oh wow. I’m gonna need another glass before we can even consider talking about that.” He poured himself another drink while simultaneously scrutinizing Cassandra. She was beautiful in her own right with her lean figure and hourglass body. Her features also gave her an air of mystery and he imagined that she could be quite beneficial in a poker game. Not only would her beauty be distracting, her eyes wouldn’t give any secrets away. Even while she was intoxicated, he knew that she wasn’t ready to spill her entire heart to him. Not yet at least. He watched as she shrugged off her jacket and took off her shoes. She was attempting to get comfortable and Trent knew this was a good sign. “So Trent, you’ve gotten quiet on me. I’ll take your non-response as a negative on sealing the deal. I don’t understand why not. I mean… you’re not a bad looking man. You’ve got that whole shabby handsomeness happening and I’d imagine to some women you’d be remarkably attractive. You have a good ass too, I just thought I’d mention that.”
“Um…thanks, I guess. It’s complicated and I’m not going to push Kristina into anything she doesn’t want to do.”
“It’s frustrating you to no end though, isn’t it? The more you give to her, the harder you work to show her you care, the colder she becomes? All I can say is that I’ve been there. You must be one hell of a teacher because that killer instinct surely does come into play when we’re talking about romance.”
“Fuck.”
“Exactly. Thanks for teaching an already scared rabbit just how to run a little bit quicker.”
“No…you don’t understand. I just can’t stand the thought of Kristina getting hurt. I’d see her with all of these I don’t even know how to categorize them, I guess just wimpy dudes, and I knew that they wouldn’t be strong enough to protect her from anything in life.”
“So when she’d get close to them she’d just dip out wouldn’t she? All I can say is that while I finish your bottle of Scotch if I were you I’d go downstairs and hunt your rabbit. If you’re still frustrated later, though…let’s just say that I can be non-committal and just the drug you may need, Trent. Go now. I’ll be here.”
Trent took Cassandra’s advice to heart and walked downstairs to the hotel bar where he saw Kristina sitting alone on a stool nursing what appeared to be a fruity drink. The red from it stained her lips and he could tell where the rims of her eyes were lined that she had been crying int
o it. He walked up to her and placed his hand gently on her shoulder. “Kristina…come on now. Tell me what’s wrong. You know that this is dangerous.”
“What Trent you’re the only one who can get sloppy drunk while thinking about the past?”
Chapter 10
“No. I mean we have a situation that needs to be handled and I’d hate for you to be hurt or killed because you’re too drunk to listen to your instincts.”
“You mean those instincts that felt you walk up or do you mean the instincts that kept me from putting a bullet in your chest?”
“Yeah. So are we going to talk about this? Why are you being like this? Honestly Kristina I don’t know what’s been wrong with you. You’ve been distant ever since we arrived here. If you didn’t want to come with me on this trip you didn’t have to you know.”
“Oh here we go. It’s all got to be about you doesn’t it Trent? You need to accept that everything isn’t about you. Fuck. I wanted to go on this trip I thought we’d get away and have some fun and hell for once many even enjoy our own company. Then you made it weird.”
“What are you talking about Kristina? How did I make it weird?”
“Fuck Trent. You made it feel like we were married or something. I mean the Elvis impersonator? What were you thinking? Do you know how much pressure this puts on me?”
“Wow. I can’t believe you. I thought that I’d try being romantic for once, but fucking excuse me. It won’t happen again. I just wanted to try to make you happy but I can see that is something that I apparently don’t have the ability to do anymore.”
“Trent wait! That’s not what I meant—“
“Whatever Kristina, enjoy your night. I’m going to bed. At least I can do that right.”
Trent stormed off leaving Kristina sitting at the bar, still staring into her drink. He walked back to the room and slammed the door upon entering. He saw that Cassandra was still sitting in chair with her legs crossed. She was sipping her drink and looking at the painting that was behind the bar area. “Wow. It didn’t go well did it?”
