1:

I sat on the edge of my bed, untying my weighted boots over three sizes too large. The pressure release was instant. Moving on, I pulled my hoodies off, all four of them one after another, then pealed the medical wrap that covered my breasts, and took off my short blonde wig.

After removing the other padded weights, I put all my equipment away from the slightly red-stained garments to my homemade voice modifier –which had low and high settings that I patterned off Batman's- to the bald cap on my head. Once that was done, I washed the ten pounds of make-up, scrubbing myself clean, then hopped into the shower. The steam rose and filled the bathroom with a nice warmth –I loved the scorching feeling. It made me feel cleaner-. I stayed in the water, enjoying the much-needed downtime for my tense muscles. But what did I expect after finishing a hit?

My money for killing Yoko Ringer was to be dropped a quarter-mile from the kill site. It would then be taken by my only and unknown associate, Sun Sun. We've agreed to keep our identities hidden from one another in case one of us got caught so we couldn't rat each other out. Sun Sun will grab the cash, take her cut, and put the remaining amount in one of our many secure drop-off stations set up across Japan, usually the furthest one from the crime scene.

Don't get me wrong, though. I'm no normal criminal. I only murder those whom I consider corrupt. If the mark that I'm paid to silence isn't proved to be a worthy target, then I turn down the job. Those who request someone to be killed, they usually get signed up by another person to die, and I consider it karma. Take Yoko, for example. He was a lawyer who bent his fair share of evidence in favor of the highest bidder. The one who hired me was a client he failed as the defendant upped the guy's pay. Yoko's friends are now likely to get revenge. It's a vicious cycle that I live by.

Sun Sun feels the same way. That's why we started working together. She was barely out of the 'new' section of our work, and was very good at what she did. In a sudden burst, she took over the underground world and became highly recommended with gracious pay. I began four years ago, going after any and all who I heard about that had a filthy reputation. Not long afterwards, people swayed me to use my talents for cash. It was very lucrative, so much so that I decided to branch out. Using multiple aliases, Sun Sun and I put a monopoly in the worst of ways. We joined forces, so if I got a hit done, I'd pay her a percentage to bring it back to me so the police can't tie it to me. If she got a job, I'd do the same for her. I had different guises, all male to keep suspicions off of me. I can't say if Sun Sun did the same. We didn't speak a lot.

We met on a call, how cheesy that is. She had been hired by the mark's brother, I was recruited by his wife, and the two of them were having a secret affair. The mark wasn't going to sign divorce papers, which made them both irate. He was also dealing drugs to a local gang. Well, we had been about to take the guy out, but spotted our competition before we deployed our services. Automatically, we recognized the description everyone had for us. Automatically, we paired up. Sun Sun distracted the man, flirting some. I snuck up behind them, grabbing her purse and taking off. The man chased me, thinking he was getting it for her, so I took a sharp turn around a corner, temporarily losing him. She had followed behind, swift and silent. I jumped out, startling him, and she covered his mouth. Quickly, I stabbed his intestines to ensure that he'd die if he escaped us. The human's waist stored there seeps into the bloodstream causing infection to set in immediately. As he gasped, she slit his throat. From then on, it's been us against the world, trying to make it a safer place.

Sighing, I turned the water off and ran my fingers through my hair. The blood wouldn't show if it stained because I had my shower painted a brownish-red color. My skin was prickled with goosebumps as I pulled on a towel to dry myself.

I got dressed in a comfortable tank top and shorts, and flopped on my bed, turning the TV on to the news channel.

"..and unnatural increase of heart attacks plague the world. The cause is still undetermined, but rumors suggest that 'Kira' is responsible. The ICPO has yet to give a statement on this matter…"

I phased out. Everyone was aware of this supposed 'savior'. If it was, indeed, the work of a person(s), then how should I respond? So far, he's trained his focus on jails or news reports about criminals, just like Sun Sun and I. He's fueled by a sense of justice, just like us. He could very well try to kill us, too. Unless it was Sun Sun? I would call her to check, but I've set up a Faraday Cage around my house. That meant I couldn't call or text anyone, or vise versa. It blocks electronic signals from working. I couldn't just allow clients to call me there. I'd have to catch her underground.

2:

Stone had just finished up another contract, and the money was dropped at .25 miles from his latest job, so I had to retrieve it later. Hopefully, no homeless guy finds it before me again. You think that's funny? A few bums occasionally steal it if it's hidden poorly by our clients. Let's just say that they ended up sleeping with the fishes once we track them down.

My companion, Stone, has many names –Jasper, Onyx, Rocky, etc.- as did I. We took the titles as the best in our area of expertise, creating a monopoly without anyone knowing it. What he did for a living, what hobbies he had, I'd never find out, nor would I ask. The less we knew about one another, the better.

I worked as a coach at the local high school, which left me with free nights most of the time once I had the paperwork done. My family was gone, and the only person I talk to outside of my job was my dog walker, Wisteria. We're good friends, and A.J. –my pit bull and boxer mix- seemed to enjoy her company. Since I had few ties, my job was easier to complete. Never would I marry for my wife would be in danger should my identity be uncovered. For women's safety, I'd remain single. Sure, i had to date to keep a normal appearance, but I'd never commit 100%. My trade was my perfect other half, and that was the end of it.

I leaned back in my chair, moving so that the extra weights attached around my waist weren't digging into my stomach and back. I needed to look heavier so that when I 'work', so that when I go out to get my mark, I appear to be lighter. This helps in case my footprint was caste to see a rough estimate as to the killer's body mass. Don't take this the wrong way, but my underground personas were all women. Who would think Sun Sun was Zero, or Starburst, Cassiopeia, Moon, Luna, and Sol? It was rather ingenious, if I do say so myself.

Oh, and I don't spend my money all at once. A high school coach doesn't make enough to live in a mansion or have a brand new car. He has barely enough to pay his bills and buy necessary living items, though he may sometimes get himself something nice and sort of cheap. No one's counting exactly how much I spend 24/7.

A.J. ran up to me, tongue hanging out and slobbering. His tail wagged a mile a minute as he jumped into my recliner to lay in my lap. Chuckling affectionately, I rubbed the space between his eyes, which he had come to love.

"Did Wisty walk you well?" I asked him. "I hope so. I brought home dinner, and it's pretty greasy."

It almost appeared like he smiled up at me, the anticipation of food sounding quite nice for owner and pet. Together, we could eat a horse and go back the same day for a cow.

Flipping on the TV, I went into the kitchen, rummaging through the plastic bags the drive-through provided. A.J. followed on my heals, barking some in happy pleas for dinner. He was cute, taking the best of both breeds: Caring, devoted, loyal, and protective; playful, hyper, gentle, and watchful. To me, he was like a son or friend. I'd do anything for him, and was sure he'd feel the same. I got him at 1 year old after my mother passed away. He cheered me up every day with those large bat-like ears and deep brown eyes.

"It's Burger King."

Dropping his hamburger in his bowl, I took it and my food into the living room and sat back down. I set his bowl next to me, and kicked back to watch TV with my dog.

"..and unnatural increase of heart attacks plague the world. The cause is still undetermined, but rumors suggest that 'Kira' is responsible. The ICPO has yet to give a statement on this matter…"

"Huh. What do you make of that, A.J.?"

He barked.

"That's what I thought. It sounds like Stone's been busy. I'll talk to him about it later. For now, let's enjoy this grace period between sports seasons."