Code Name Orchid

Chapter 5

       "I'm telling you I can't give you any more jobs."

"And why not?" Hannah asked the man in the suit who was sitting behind his desk fidgeting nervously, "I delivered on the last one."

"Yes you did, but I had a visitor who made it very plain what would happen to me if I employed you again."

"Who was it? Did he give a name?"

"I wasn't going to ask his name while he had a gun pointed at my face, but he said to give you a message."

"Which is?"

"He wants to talk."

"Did he say when and where?"

"No, that's all he said. Now will you please go. I value my life and my business."

As Hannah left the club by the rear door two words were in her mind 'The Organization'. They had tracked her down again, but did this man really want to just talk? More likely he planned to kill her.

As she walked onto the dimly lit loading dock a figure stepped in front of her. As fast as lightning she snatched her Ruger from her jacket pocket.

"Whoa! Don't shoot," the man said, holding his arms up, "I'm unarmed. I just want to talk to you, Orchid."

"Keep your arms up," Hannah commanded keeping her gun trained on the man in the dark suit, "So you want to talk to me? Okay then, talk."

"Can I put my arms down first?"

"No!"

"All right you've probably guessed who I work for, and they're not very happy with you for killing their man in Miami."

"He was about to kill me!"

"Okay well we can put that to one side for now. They have an offer for you. Work for them again, they will even pay your new higher fee of two hundred and fifty per hit, and one hit per month like before."

Hannah eyed the man suspiciously. "The Organization does not forgive that easily. What's the catch?"

"You do your work well so they consider you to be an asset, however because of let us just say recent developments, from now on you will have a handler."

Hannah laughed. "You've got to be joking."

"I'm serious. You can still do your job unhindered, but your handler will be your liaison with 'head office'. He will supply you with details of each hit and will give you assistance if you need it."

"And if I refuse? I could just shoot you dead right now and walk away."

"That would be unwise. There is a man nearby with a rifle trained on you. If you kill me you will be dead half a second later. Just think it over, Orchid. I'm walking away now. Meet me tomorrow at noon by the pond in the Constitution Gardens. If you don't turn up I'll assume your answer is no."

The man slowly put his arms down, turned and walked briskly down the alley until he was out of sight.

Hannah kept her gun pointed at his retreating figure, then she moved into the shadows and waited until she was sure he and his companion with the rifle were gone. She kept checking the rear view mirror in her car as she drove home. No one was following her.

She sat on her couch with a glass of white wine in her hand as she thought about the events of the evening. She had suspected the police or FBI would be watching Chantelle's apartment building. Her little ruse had worked, but she was surprised to find out that Michael, her ex-husband, was now in the game. This could complicate things. If he got too close she might have to kill him. Could she do that?

Hannah took a long sip of wine as she thought about The Organization's offer. If she rejected it they would get one of their own hit men to come after her. If she accepted it she would have to work with a handler. She knew what that meant. It meant the Organization didn't trust her and the 'handler' would be watching her closely and reporting back to his bosses.

She poured another glass of wine and made her decision.

At noon the next day she waited on a seat in the Constitution Gardens near the pond watching the tourists with their cameras as they walked past or stopped to take photos of the pond. After five minutes the man she had seen the previous evening on the loading dock sat down next to her.

"You made a wise decision, Orchid," he said.

"Yeah okay, so I'm wise. Well who is going to be my handler? When do I meet them?"

"It will be me."

"You?" she chuckled, "I suppose I should have guessed, "Okay well we better sort out a few details about how and when we contact each other. I don't want you coming to my apartment. By the way do you have a name?"

"It's Nick. I look forward to working with you," He smiled and held out his hand, "Don't worry, Orchid, I'll take good care of you."