Hit List

one | files

I stare down at the motionless lump of meat on the floor with a grimace.

Well, that's disgusting.

For someone who is squeamish around blood, I would have never imagined myself becoming a hitman.

But as a twenty two year old university student, I have got to admit, it really pays the bills... And by pays the bills, I mean that I can buy an aeroplane and it wouldn't really affect my bank balance.

The sound of my phone chiming suddenly pulls me out of my thoughts and back to reality. I click the little green button on my phone and place it against my ear.

"Is the target dead?" A voice booms from the other end of the line.

I glance at the headless corpse on the floor and let out the slightest chuckle. "I guess you could say that."

"Good. Get rid of the body and come to my office. I have a new job for you. Don't dawdle." My boss, Antonio Rodriguez, puts the phone down and I sigh.

Killing people is a really tedious activity.

I stare at the body of the person lying on the floor. The dimly lit room smells like ash and wet cloth. This isn't how anyone wants to die - head cut off and left to rot in a random abandoned factory. Sometimes I wish I didn't do this. A lot of the time it honestly doesn't feel right.

All of these people have lives and loved ones and to take it all away honestly makes me feel horrible and a lot of the time I consider quitting but I can't.

I pour oil over the lifeless body on the floor, and then set it on fire. I watch it go up in flames and, after a few seconds, I turn and walk out of the building.

•<•>•

I push the brown wooden door to my boss's office open. It squeaks slightly and I cringe. I have no idea why, but I hate when doors do that.

He is sitting behind his desk with his brown eyes trained on a stack of papers - probably the file of my next target.

I shut the door behind myself and stand in silence, waiting for him to give me instructions. I fold my arms over my chest to stop myself from fiddling, then take my time to look around the well furnished office for the hundredth time. It's quite simple and not as gigantic as one would expect. Most would assume it would be huge and over the top, considering the amount of money that Antonio has.

I know this office well, mainly because I see it in my nightmares.

The slight bumps under the paint on the white walls, the crack on the right corner of the polished desk, the flicker of the one light on the chandelier. I've seen more than I would ever want to.

"Take a seat," he instructs. I nod and do as told, still not uttering a word. I melt into the soft leather chair, but I don't feel comfortable in the slightest. I don't waste my time with Antonio. He is not the 'chit chat' type of person. I come here when I get paid or when I get my next job and both times, it is a quick and efficient meeting.

He slides the yellow tinted file across the desk, allowing me to look at who I am supposed to kill next.

"Elijah Lancaster?" I ask, slightly shocked. My eyes scan over the words printed on the paper.

"Yes. According to the file he goes to New York University with you. It should make it easier for you to get rid of him, right?" he answers.

I look up at Antonio and he is watching me intensely. He lifts his calloused hand and scratches his short beard. I nod slowly. "Yeah, he is studying biochemistry with me, so he is in all of my courses. What did he do?"

"That is not your concern. Just get the job done."

"Sir, I used to be his best friend. I know him. He may be a bit of a man whore but he is definitely not a criminal..." I only accept the job when the target seems to have no morals.

Antonio sighs. "He knowingly slept with a married woman and he was caught. That woman's husband is a very rich and powerful man, and now that man is angry. Just kill the damn boy."

"But sleeping with a married woman is not against the law, right? I don't think we should kill someone for that. He may be an idiot but he isn't a bad person..."

"Actually, in twenty one states, adultery is against the law and people get sent to jail or a sued because of it. Look, it doesn't matter, you and him are no longer friends either way. He shouldn't have slept with a married woman. This job pays well, so just do it."

"I know it pays well, but..." It doesn't seem right. Although, it has been four years. Maybe Elijah isn't a good person anymore. Maybe he isn't that sweet guy who I remember.

"Thirty million dollars," Antonio states.

My eyes widen. "What? Seriously? Wait- No, I can't."

He slams his hand on the table and I lean back, hoping the chair will just swallow me up so I won't have to be here. "You don't tell me what job you accept or not. You kill him or I will send those videos to the police. Do you understand?" he says angrily.

I stare down at my hands which are clamped tightly together. It starts to feel really hot in the room, like it is slowly closing in on me.

"Okay," I whisper. "But once the job is over, we don't speak of it at all, okay? He was my friend and I don't want to be reminded of how I stabbed him in the back. Deal?"

Antonio nods. I lean forward, glance down at Elijah's file once more and notice a picture of him. It's one of the few pictures where he isn't showing that gorgeous smile of his. I don't remember a lot about him anymore, but that smile is unforgettable.

I stand up, gathering the file in my hands. "I'll try and get the job done as soon as I can," I say and then walk out of the office.

I make my way down what seems like a never ending amount of stairs, and by the time I get to the bottom, I am panting like a dog.

For someone who runs from my problems all the time, I am really unfit.

I climb into my beautiful black Mercedes and make my way down the road, to my house. Even though Elijah used to be my friend, I guess I'm going to have to do this. I haven't spoken to him in a while so it is not going to be as easy to get close to him again.

Technically, by killing him, I'll be doing him a favour, because now he won't have to write the physics test that is coming up in a few weeks...

•<•>•

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