X: Delay
"Doc! You old scum, how are you today?" Rosé drew back an arm and whacked the old geezer on his back, grinning when he forced back a wince.
"You silly little chit, your respect for your elders has been way overdue for years now." Despite his crankiness, Doc was obviously in a good mood, else his companions would have been catechized long ago for lazing around and spewing obscenities at FIFA on the T.V.
Looping an arm around his broad shoulder, Rosé leaned forward and pecked him on the cheek, smiling at his annoyed grunt. Doc loved her, but hated it when she openly expressed her reciprocation. Today was no different, sniggers had already started passing around among the other men draped about the sofa.
"So, sweet. How's your job coming along?" He asked, dusting off his fitting shirt. Doc had never been very meticulous in his issues of cleanliness, but he had always made an effort to do so whenever she popped over. Well, at least he attempted to, and she loved him even more for that.
Rosé sighed, pushing her fists into the thick leather of her overcoat. "Pretty much smooth sailing. I observed the security systems at the place for a week, and managed to plant pinhole cameras in significant areas. His study, his bedroom etc etc. Plus, I hotwired the surveillances to my laptop. Wanna see? It's in my car now."
"No thanks, sweet. And by the way, did you install any cameras in his, ahem, bathroom? Y'now, for a little eye candy. I've seen his picture. Quite a stud, that man. Wouldn't you agree?"
Doc glanced at her teasingly, jerking his elbow playfully into her ribs. He moved quick enough to dodge her flying fist towards his head, followed by an irritated "Hmph." But he was slow to look back at her face, where the memory of a blush still lingered.
Chuckling, he dropped the subject. "Follow me, I've got something new for you."
Her curiosity piqued, Rosé let Doc drag her into the ammunition storeroom at the back of the building. While he sifted through the large trunk at the corner of the well-furnished room, Rosé poked around the closet in which Doc usually stored the new arrivals, and unhooked a long narrow rifle from its latch. Propping it up on her shoulder, she peered through the eyehole, and just for entertainment, aimed the barrel at Doc's ass, laughing when he growled in annoyance.
"That rifle's no fool's play, sweet. Remember that Winchester I told you about? That's the one. Old, but as effective as it was 2 days old."
"Sounds nice. Mind if I take it out for a test round?"
"Sure. By the way, while you're at it, take this lovely along with you. An Arsenal P-M02. It's a new model, recently shipped in from Bulgaria. Compliments of my cousin."
"Hmm. Anyway Doc, When I called, you told me he had recently contacted you. What's he want?"
"The man didn't say. But he did ask me to pass you this message."
Rummaging about the frayed pocket of his jeans, he extended a faded gloved hand, a crumpled piece of notepad paper in his palm. Unfolding it, Rosé scanned its message quickly before slipping the note into her coat pocket, a curse escaping her mouth.
"Damn. Stupid man. Sorry Doc, looks like I can't stay to chat after all. This seems urgent."
"No worries, sweet. Also, take this with you." Grabbing up a dusty leather pouch from a large trunk, he placed it in her hand. "It contains a few extra rounds of ammunition plus a brand new leather strap chest holster. My birthday present to you."
Rosé gasped, her eyes clouding over. "Shit, Doc. I hate it when you do this to me. You conniving old fox, are you trying to see me cry? Thanks." Placing the gifts on the floor, Rosé wrapped her arms about his muscular frame, a joyful sniffle choking up her nose. When they parted, Doc punched her playfully in the shoulder, smiling fatherly. "You should be glad no one but us is here right now, else I'd be tortured everyday for simply caring about you."
"Dumbass."
Rosé made a sharp turn into the bustling parking lot, scanning the wide asphalt apron for an empty slot. There. Right between the red Dodge and the silver Merc. Exiting the car, she squinted up at the stately building ahead. Her client and his death wish. Again.
Verifying her name as Ms. Nadine Jonas at the concierge, she managed to cram herself into the crowded lift before the doors slammed shut. 11th floor, suite R56. Her knuckles had just grazed the smooth wood for a third knock when the door suddenly swung wide open. Rosé was let in hurriedly, her client poking his head out and scanning the hallways before clicking the door shut.
Leaning against the clothes closet, she snorted. "Y'now, you really shouldn't do that. It just arouses more suspicion if you act like that."
"Never mind how I act. It's none of your business anyway."
"It will be, if you implicate me. Despite the not-so-paltry amount that you are forking out for one guy, I have no wish to get the police involved in my matters. Yours, I don't care so much." She stood akimbo in the hallway, glaring pointedly at him.
"Bitch. Anyway, I have sent for you as there is a change of plans in your little assignment. Over the past fortnight, there has been a fluctuation in the prices of stocks on the international market. If I bode my time well, the price of that bastard's stocks may drop enough for me to buy them over. If however, he dies now the patent of all his stocks will be controlled by his father. And once this happened, it will be near impossible to touch."
"And…so? Get to the point." She complained, rolling her eyes.
"Is it not simple enough for you to understand? Good god! My mercenary's smart enough to snuff someone but not understand simple ABCs?" He lamented, sweeping his arms about dramatically, oblivious to her tightening fists and the sudden jump of her cheek muscles. "Here. Let me simplify that down for you, sweetheart. Zala dies now, no good. Later, when I give the OK, Zala dies. Everybody's happy. Comprende?"
Rosé was hard-pressed not to forget how generously paying this whole task was and kill him there and then. Who did the little shit think he was? Instead, she forced out a demure "Si." through clenched teeth.
"Perfect. Now run along, I expect that you have a few language classes to catch up on." With one hand, he dismissed her.
He dismissed her.
Nobody dismissed her.
With a quick step forward and a rapid turn, she had his hands manacled behind his back, a gleaming rapier poised against the pale skin of his lanky neck. In midst the sudden silence, Rosé heard the loud gulping swallow as his body quivered with shock and fear, and imagined his heartbeat speeding up, faster, faster, before his heart exploded from the overwhelming pressure. But the cardiac failure didn't come, and his hands were starting to get real sweaty. Disgusting pig.
Lowering her voice to a hiss, she warned him right into his ear. "Listen, you. Just because you pay me doesn't mean I have to take your demeaning remarks too. At any time, if I decide to forgo this little assignment, you'd be a dead man. You clear? Or do I have to leave a little mark," she pressed the blade slightly more against his skin, but not hard enough to tear it, "to remind you?" His answer was almost inaudible, a wheezy huff that rang still of defiance, and only until a tiny trickle of blood seeped from the cut, did he capitulate.
"Perfect. I'm glad we've settled that." Smiling coldly, Rosé released him, letting his body fall heavily onto an armchair. Replacing her dagger, she stepped back and left the room without glancing back.
The man, who had been lying slumped against the plush armchair until he heard the door click shut, quickly got to his feet, his eyes seething with despise, his fists shaking with controlled fury. Snatching up his mobile, he practically rammed the buttons back into their dents, and when he spoke, his voice was coarse, rough.
"Hello? Juan? Get this lady checked out. Her name is listed as Nadine Jonas, but she prefers the moniker Rosé. I want everything you can find out about her mailed to me ASAP. Family, friends, whatever. Just dig out any shit you can find with her damned name on it. Goodbye."
On the other end of the line, Juan's mind had frozen still. His hand remained clutched around the phone, although the monotonous beep rang loud and clear in his ear.
Rosé? Shit.
Ah haha! A cliffie! R & R please!
Faie. P