Snakeskin (Tangerine) ✓

九

Tangerine

I followed my brother into the large building, adjusting my pristine suit as I walked through the glass doors. Seoul was beautiful this time of year and nothing could put a damper on that like another job. I had always enjoyed working with my brother, but recently the good jobs had become slim pickings and they were the same as the last: get the money that was stolen from me and bring it back.

This job was supposed to be different though. We were being partnered with another contractor called The Cobra. My brother and I had heard of her before. She was notorious for her clever method of killing. She had a two-pronged blade with poisoned tips, Whenever she stabbed someone it would leave two slits resembling a snake bite. It was genius.

"Why do you look so excited?" My brother asked from beside me, as we approached the reception desk. "I thought you'd be upset about having to drag someone else around with us."

I shook my head. "No, I'm actually excited." He looked surprised. "The Cobra is a top-tier assassin. She's never failed a job."

"I know that," he muttered under his breath. "You just don't really work well with other people."

He stopped talking when we approached the desk, instead holding out a card to the receptionist. The boy behind the desk glanced down at it, nodding in recognition, before gesturing to the elevators behind him. "Head up to the top floor," he instructed politely. "He is waiting for you."

I nodded in thanks, heading over to the lifts. I pressed the up button and stepped back to stand beside my brother. This was going to be a huge moment. We had been in the business for a couple of years now, but we had never done any really big jobs. We weren't well known for anything yet. But that was about to change. We stepped into the opening lift and it shot straight up.

"Ah, the twins are here." The elevator doors opened, revealing a large office, floor-to-ceiling windows covering all four walls. There were two people in the room—a man and a woman. The man was sitting behind an impressive mahogany desk, while the woman was standing by the window, admiring the view. "Please, come in."

The woman walked over towards us, a charming smile on her face. "Hello," she greeted politely. "I'm the Cobra," She visibly cringed at the name. She mustn't have liked it.

"Cool name," I said with a cheeky smile. "We don't have ones yet."

She looked surprised. "Really?" She put her hand to her chin, pressing her lips together in thought. "Well." She pointed to my brother. "You look kind of annoyed—kind of sour. I'll call you Lemon." She turned back to me. "And you."

"Please don't say Lime," I joked humorously. "Or Orange. That's just predictable, innit?"

The Cobra nodded. "Yeah." She looked like she was analysing every inch of my face, like she was taking the job of giving me a code name incredibly seriously. "I want to say orange," she said after a while, gesturing to my immaculate blue suit. "But I think you need something more sophisticated."

I waited quietly, glancing at the man behind the desk. He didn't look impatient. He just watched the situation play out with amusement on his wrinkled face. I turned back to the woman in front of me, whose face lit up with excitement.

"I've got it!" She exclaimed, clasping her hands together for emphasis. "Tangerine."

I pressed my lips together in thought. Lemon and Tangerine: the Twins. It had a nice ring to it."I like it," I said, a smile appearing on my face. "They're adaptable. Like me. What do you think, Lemon?"

Lemon looked a little sour about it, ironically. "Why do I have to be the worst fruit?"

"You're not the worst fruit," the Cobra reassured him. "Everyone loves lemons. Lemonade, lemon drops, lemon meringue pie."

"True," Lemon agreed, a smile slowly creeping onto his face. "You know what? I do like it." He elbowed me in the side with a grin. "What do you say, Tangerine?"

I nodded, elbowing him back. "I like it too."

"Good." The man spoke up from his desk. "Let's get down to business, now we've got that out of the way."

"After you," the Cobra said, gesturing for Lemon and I to approach the desk. We did, sitting down on two of the three chairs in front of it. The woman took the third, beside me.

"Alright." The man crossed his arms in front of him, glancing between the three of us in front of him. "This job is simple. My son is being held hostage, in exchange for 1,000,000,000 won." My eyes widened in shock. This man must be pretty important. "He's being held in Mexico by a former employee of mine. I fired him last year and he's been threatening to leak company secrets ever since." The man glanced at each of us individually. "Bring the ransom money, but don't give it to him. I want him killed. I can't risk those secrets getting out, understand?"

"Yes, Mr Kangjeon," the Cobra replied confidently. "Dispose of the kidnapper, rescue the hostage and return him back here, to Seoul."

Mr Kangeon nodded in satisfaction. "Very good." He turned to Lemon and me. "I take it you will follow this lady's instructions?" We nodded. "Good, because I'm entrusting you with a very important job."

"I can assure you, we are very professional, sir," I said to the man behind the desk. "Lemon and I will make sure you get your son back."

"Okay," Mr Kangjeon replied, leaning back in his chair. "Well, you'd best be off. I want him returned to Seoul airport in one week, where one of my employees will conduct the handoff."

"No problem, sir," the Cobra assured. "You can count on us."

"I hope you're right."

The Cobra stood up, looking down at Lemon and me. "Alright, fruits," she joked, heading towards the elevators. "Ready to go?"

I nodded, standing up and brushing the front of my suit down. Lemon and I followed her to the elevator, where she stood by them with an excited grin on her lively face.

A/N: Was it what you were expecting?