One Night

23:00

"Yeah I got it. I must say, it looks better than I expected. My wife's gonna love it," Willson raised his left hand to the nightsky, the ruby-encrusted ring shimmering stunningly in the bluish moonlight, "It's been a pleasure working with you too."

The wet grass crunched under the weight of Willson's heavy boot.

"If you got any other jobs, hit me up will ya? Anything for a quick buck," Willson smiled, one ear pressed against his Sony Xperia Z3, "Oh and just a heads up, there was this one dude who was kind of a nuisance."

Splattered blood trickled down the golden FBI badge donned proudly on Willson's chest.

"Went on and on about wanting to help Auditore and such," Willson bent down to pick up the shattered camera. "So I followed him all the way out here and..."

The chilly night wind howled loudly, hammering Willson's blood-stained hands with dagger-like rain drops. Willson ran his fingers across the dark, blood-soaked camera strap.

"Woah alright, calm down kid. I expected a huge thank you here, not..." Willson's eyebrows furrowed, unable to hear clearly over the wailing wind. "Wait, what do you mean this isn't right? Am I hearing you correctly? I mean, of all people, who are you to lecture me on..."

Willson's fists clenched as he continued listening.

"Look kid, I just busted my ass taking care of your loose end. I could have just closed one eye to him and... Hello? God damn it," Willson cursed at the prolonged phone beep that cut him off.

What the hell was that all about?  Willson wondered, scratching his head. He locked his phone, sliding it into his side pocket. Glancing at his ruby-encrusted ring, Willson grunted as he opened the boot of his car.

Kids these days. He snorted as he reached for his shovel.

Under the sombre and starless nightsky, Isaac's stiff body lay silently on the cold, soft grass. Drained of colour, his face remained frozen in shock, eyes wide open, lips pale blue, and jaw slightly dropped. Crimson red blood continued pouring out of his ruptured skull.

...

Sitting in the driver's seat of his black cruiser, Private Auditore took another sip of his steaming black Starbucks Coffee. The caffeine stimulant surged through his blood vessels, heightening his senses. Cup in hand, Auditore licked his lips before breaking the silence.

"Say Emma, since we got time, do you want to do something?"

"What do you mean do something?" Emma kept her hazel brown eyes on the bungalow across the road, avoiding eye contact.

"Well we could..."

"Audi, you know we're on official duty right?" Emma snarled, sliding her mirrored Ray-Ban shades back on, "Let's stay focused on the mission."

Having worked two years with Emma, Auditore was no stranger to how serious Emma was when on duty. It was a trait of hers he found strangely endearing.

"Oh come on, loosen up Emmy. Any more serious than that and people will start thinking you killed someone or something," Auditore chuckled, elbowing Emma's arm softly.

Emma crossed her arms reactively, peeking at her watch.

"Alright, alright. I'll play some music," Auditore twisted the radio knob next to the car panel, tuning in to his favourite radio station. He noticed Emma's hands start to tremble.

"Emma... you alright?"

Then it happened.

Out of the blue, the single, indisputably deafening crack of gunfire ripped its way through the tranquility of the sleeping neighbourhood, echoing on for miles down the street.

Auditore flinched, turning his head instinctively towards the source of the noise. 

"That came from the bungalow," Emma said, a grim look on her face. Before Auditore could gather his thoughts, Emma had already stepped out of the vehicle, her trusty Glock-17 in hand. "Comms the rest! I'll head in first." 

Holy crap. Scrambling to request back up through his walkie talkie, Auditore watched as Emma dashed towards the bungalow, head held low and body slightly crouched.

What the hell is going on?

...

Jane nearly screamed there and then. 

"Did you just say you recognise that man?" Jeana pointed to the television screen, a look of curiosity in her sky blue eyes. The Breaking News report replayed continuously, screaming at citizens to keep a lookout and lock their doors.

"Yes, he visited our place once. It was years ago," Jane adjusted her glasses, as she gradually pieced together fragments of her memory. "He walked right into this place. Sat exactly at where you're sitting on right now."

Jeana jumped, glancing at the couch she was sitting on. "Are you sure sis? Maybe... Maybe you saw a different guy?"

"I'm certain," Jane stared long and hard at the television screen, a thousand and one unanswered questions streaming through her head like a river, "but it was mum who entertained him back then. I don't know much about his business with us. All I knew was that dad..."

"Dad?" Jeana leaned in, biting her fingernails nervously.

"Dad didn't exactly get along very well with him," Jane went on, her palms growing clammy. "He left the man with a broken nose."

"Way to go dad!" Jeana exclaimed excitedly, punching her tiny fist firmly into the air.

"It's nothing to be happy about!" Jane yelled, leaping on to her feet, "Don't you get it? Whatever unresolved business dad and that man has... It's not good. In fact..."

Jane paused at the sudden realization. "In fact, that man could be on his way here right now."

Then the door bell rang. 

The two sisters froze, their breathing halted. They stared blankly at one another, unsure if it was just their imagination. As if time had stopped, the only thing they heard for the next few seconds was the Breaking News that looped softly in the background. Lock all doors and windows... Man is armed and dangerous...

The door bell rang again.

It didn't take long for Jane to regain her senses. A finger to her lips, she signalled for Jeana to stay quiet as she made her way to the door.

Jeana nodded her head, hugging her knees and slumping into the couch.

Half crawling, Jane crept towards the door, careful not to make any noise. Slowly and cautiously, she placed her eye against the peephole.

Goosebumps instantly ran down Jane's neck. She cupped her mouth, muffling the scream that nearly escaped.

There was no doubt about it. Clad in his signature blue kevlar, the man from back then was standing right outside her door.

It was Agent Auditore.

TO BE CONTINUED

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