Chapter 4
The P-Creek CDS was, as you've figured, an organization that employs assassins for paid hire. They send out the assassins on jobs to kill intended targets. When we come back with a job well done, the employer deposits money to the company which then gets distributed to the assassins via bank transfer. The employer pays 4 times more than the bounty to compensate for the costs of travel and hotels.
You wouldn't think that a popular cellular company was the face of such a shady business. Assassins and other staff get a free plan from the company along with a phone of their choosing, but only if they stay with the company for some time. The founders of the company thought it fair that if they send people to do dangerous things that there should be some form of compensation.
The lobby of the building looked like an airport. A lot of people of all shapes and colors, moving about and buying things from multiple stores. Kevin and I walked through the front doors and presented our badges to security. All the women in the lobby would stare at Kevin and goggle as he sauntered in. I felt a bit like a shadow but everything Kevin was not. Not to say that he wasn't smart, but he lacked the hospitality, medical knowledge, and obsessive-compulsive cleaning disorder that I pride myself on. I also felt jealous that these many women were staring at him. I know that we're only together for an idiotic reason, but I would love for them to look someplace else while I'm within earshot.
We scanned our IDs at the elevator and stepped in. Since we're...an item now, how is everybody going to react to this? More importantly, is he going to try anything in front of everybody?! I don't think I can handle any embarrassment of that degree. The elevator music was calm and soothing as the doors closed, drawing out the lobby goers. I've been alone with Kevin all night but now feels a bit different. I glance over in his direction to see him on his phone texting.
Edd: Kevin?
He didn't respond or stop texting. I want to ask him so badly, although I'm not sure if that's a good idea.
Kevin: Since we are now lovers, our personal lives will carry over into work.
What? I looked at him as he was still texting.
Kevin: I'll restrain from being too forward in front of others but I'll still kiss you as I have before.
He put his phone away and turned to look at me. His smile was dastardly, he backed me up into a corner and kissed my cheek. He trailed them down my neck and snaked his arms around my waist. I held on to his arms and whimpered at his touches. Why do I get like this when he kisses my body? He pulled away and looked at my hat.
Kevin: I am curious as to what your hair looks like without the hat.
Edd: As most people are.
Kevin: When will you let me see it?
Edd: I doubt that you'll ever see me without a hat on.
I've never let anybody see my natural hair. It was always unruly and just too hard to manage. My mother had a hard time trying to tame these obscene curls and my father said to just cut it when it's wet and then put a hat on after it dried. One time my aunt thought that she could try and wrangle them and she gave up her profession as a hairstylist. Neither Ed nor Eddy has seen me without something covering my hair. I trust them the most but only my family has seen me without any head accessory.
Kevin: I hope I get to see it one day. I feel like you would look super cute without that hat.
The bell rang and he pecked me on the cheek as the doors opened. He grabbed my hand and dragged me out onto the main floor. Big monitors with pictures and bounties of targets were right in front of us. They clung to dark grey walls that had wires running up and down the walls. Red carpet complimented the walls as people walked along taking orders and talking. This was my second home.
Nazz: Hey guys!
I'd know that chipper voice anywhere. We turned and saw Nazz along with Rolf walking and waving to us. Even though he said he didn't care what people thought and that we were still going to act like lovers in front of the others, I still feel like I need to let go of his hand. Nazz wore her assassin's uniform which was all black leather with a pink bra. Her hair was tied up into a ponytail and she didn't have her swords with her today. Rolf always walked around shirtless since his uniform was pants, boots, a cape, hat, and jewelry. His entire color tone was dark and mystical.
Edd: Greetings Nazz, Rolf. You two seem energized today.
Nazz: Do we? Wait…
Her sentence trailed on as she noticed something. It might've been the fact that I and Kevin came in together or that I wasn't doing anything embarrassing in his presence. But no, it wasn't that.
Nazz: You two are holding hands?!
She screeched in excitement. She jumped for joy as Rolf nodded and clapped showing his approval. This, while kind of unexpected, was a relief to witness. The company doesn't discriminate against sexual orientation, gender, religion, or anything that would make someone feel out of place. This goes for assassins, indoor staff, mechanics, and our targets if we are told to bring them in. We've had past troubles where employees were treated poorly due to someone's bigoted opinion. They've tried to sue us in retaliation for terminating them but of course, with Sarah having a law degree alongside her gymnastics medals, she proved them wrong and won the case every time.
Rolf: You two look cute together. Smart-Edd boy, how is that arm of yours? I heard what happened yesterday with Sarah and Jimmy.
Nazz: Yea, are you ok dude?
I patted my left arm lightly. It still stung but it wasn't as bad as it was before. I applied fresh bandages before we left and it started to heal quite nicely.
Edd: I'm more than ok.
I turned to Kevin with a shy smile. I felt butterflies more just looking at him than when we kissed or he would feel my body.
Edd: Kevin here, did a good job at patching me up.
A long pause accompanied by a look of confusions and disbelief graced Rolf and Nazz's face.
Rolf: Wait…
Both of my colleagues were stunned, and I understood why too. We all know that Kevin isn't one to be hospitable unless it benefited him, also his bedside manners and execution were lacking drastically.
Rolf: This man here?
He said pointing at Kevin. I nodded.
Nazz: The same guy who made you wear a form-fitting dress and posed as a woman in front of the entire staff and our customers because you lost a bet?
Edd: Yes.
Rolf: Are you sure that it was this man? The one holding hands with you?
I nodded again. I know that it is hard to believe for them but the truth can be kind of weird.
Nazz: Huh, this is something that you don't hear every day.
Nazz giggled at her statement and then Rolf walked over to us. He stood at Kevin's side and put his hand on his shoulder. He didn't turn his head to look at him, nor did the smile glued on his face lighten in the slightest.
Rolf: Follow Rolf, we must talk privately.
Kevin: Ok, after I take Edd to-
Rolf: Now.
He let him go and walked to a corridor past the elevators. Kevin gave off a vibe of concern and some fear in the words that Rolf spoke. He wasn't one to be trifled with when he was serious even if his foreign ways were comical to the unaware. Kevin huffed and looked at me.
Kevin: I'll come to find you after I talk with Rolf, I want to see you off before we both go.
Edd: Ok then, I leave in about an hour.
Kevin: Ok.
Kevin kissed me quickly and then ran off after Rolf. He must have some words for him as to why we were a couple. I feel bad for him because it looks as though Rolf is going to scold him, but I know better than to approach Rolf when he sounds like that.
Nazz: Hey Double Dee!
I point my attention towards Nazz who was rocking back and forth on her heels. Pink glossed lips brimmed with glee as she swayed forward to back as if she were a child.
Nazz: Can you spare some time before you go? I want to talk to you.
This day was having more and more turns by the minute. I complied with her request and walked with her arm in arm to her office. To note to those reading this story, that is familiar with the original, the base of the assassins under the company building is in the shape of a giant circle. There are only nine top assassins in the entire organization, and we all have our own offices because we killed to earn them. Of course, they can be taken if we break rules, turn against our code, or kill someone who isn't a bounty. As you get off of the elevator and step into the main lobby of the underground, to the left side is Kevin, Johnny & Plank (who share an office), Rolf, and Sarah and opposite of them are Nazz, Ed, Eddy, Jimmy and myself.
We entered Nazzs' office and took our shoes off at the door. I forgot to mention, our offices represent us. What I mean by that is that our personalities litter the walls of our offices. I am a doctor so my office would look like a doctors' examining room along with a desk and multiple filing cabinets with medical instruments performing surgeries and experiments. As you know, Nazz used to be a cheerleader back in high school and in college from what I was told. But what you readers don't know is that in the first year of college, her parents divorced and her father married a woman of Asian descent. Deciding to live with her father, she moved to Japan for three years.
Her office looked as if it were her home from Japan ripped from the soil and planted here for her pleasure. We sat at the small table in the middle of the room. She went off to make tea for us as I opened a tangerine that sat in the middle of the table and took a few pieces for myself and left some for Nazz. After ten minutes, the tea was done. We sat together drinking tea and eating the sweet yet bitter nectarine felt serene, even if I knew a slew of questions were going to berate me.
Nazz: So...you and Kevin huh?
I sipped my tea trying to hold back the grin creeping onto my face. I set my cup down rubbing the rim where my lips were.
Edd: Yes, a strange occurrence but something that has become interesting to journey through.
Nazz: When did he ask? He's been talking about asking you out for a little over a year now and Rolf and I were sure that he was going to wimp out like before.
He's been trying to ask me for a while? And on top of that, he's failed more than once? Even still, he felt this way for longer than I thought. I knew that it would take time for him to change his preference from females to males, but even still, how could I never notice this? Nazz and Rolf were the closest people to Kevin other than his own family and friends in his personal life.
Edd: Really? This is quite interesting.
Nazz: Don't get me wrong, we were worried that you would reject him because you weren't gay or that you would say no since he's beaten you up and humiliated you since we were all kids.
She smiled sheepishly as she ate a few slices of the fruit I peeled.
Nazz: He didn't bully you into saying yes did he?
Edd: He didn't. He was persistent and we know that he wanted to hear me say yes to his sudden proposal.
I looked at the peel of the orange fruit that sat on the table and felt a wave of guilt loom over me. While I was telling the truth, at the same time I wasn't. His persistence was an intrusive tactic that left me on the edge of every second that he was with me last night.
Nazz: Did he call you to stop by last night since he slept over?
Edd: No he didn't. I came home, he called me asking about my day and he came out of my closet.
Nazz: Ironic.
Edd: Ironic indeed.
We both took another long sip of our tea and sighed in pleasure. It was a chamomile tea with lemon and honey, a soothing taste that went well with this somewhat interrogative conversation.
Nazz: Well I can say this, he chose the right person to have feelings for.
Nazz had nothing but kind words to say about this entire situation. She praised me for accepting his proposal, even if unbeknownst to her it was an ultimatum, and praised Kevin for gathering the courage to ask out the person he's been pining for. Nazz was never one to bad-mouth a person for who they were. Depending on their actions and morals which she determined irredeemable after a few encounters, then insults would be thrown to the person because they deserved it.
Edd: Thank you Nazz.
Nazz: Not a problem. You two look super cute together and I don't think nobody here would say anything about it. Besides Eddy of course.
Edd: Rest assured, he already has.
Nazz: How did he find out?!
Edd: Kevin and I were kissing after we had woken up and Eddy called me to inform me of a mission that we were scheduled for. Kevin answered.
Nazz started laughing. Recounting this morning's events was something of a comedy skit on a show. I looked at my watch and saw that I had to meet with Eddy and Ed soon so we could depart for our mission.
Edd: Thank you for the tea and the fruit Nazz, however, I have lost track of time. I have to meet up with my team to leave soon.
Nazz: Oh then let's walk and talk.
I accepted her offer and we went to the door to put our shoes on.
Nazz: You guys haven't had sex yet...Have you?
I was caught off guard and nearly fell backward. I didn't think this would be a question that would rear itself from the depths of her mind. My face felt hot from the sheer thought of having sex with him. I already feel nervous when he gets near me and I surrender all rational thought when he starts kissing and touching me. Sex is another realm that I know I won't be able to comprehend let alone consciously participate in. He has said that he's wanted to and was struggling to keep control, watching him struggle was just telling me he was holding way more back than I originally thought.
Edd: We-we...we have talked about it...I told him that I wasn't ready and that we had just started dating so sex this soon would be a bad idea in my opinion.
Nazz: He didn't force you to change your mind?
We stood with our shoes on and walked out of the door.
Edd: No he didn't. He said he wouldn't do anything that I wasn't comfortable with yet and I set some ground rules of what he could do.
Nazz: Awww, that's cute. I take it since you're inexperienced that you only went for kissing and hugging?
Edd: Things along those lines, yes.
Nazz: I think you two will be great together.
She said as she lunged at me. Her arms wrapped around my shoulders in a soft embrace as I patted her arms. I'm not sure how this relationship will turn out honestly. I know that I like kissing and touching too much to let it go now because letting go of that would possibly make me want to search for it. Although would I be ok if it were anybody else other than Kevin?
We walked a little while to my office and before we even got to the door I saw Ed playing with a lamb's pancreas that I had in a solvent in a jar. I left Nazz quickly running into my office.
Edd: ED PUT THAT JAR DOWN THIS INSTANT!
I scared Ed and the jar hit the floor. Glass shards and a now rapidly decaying lamb pancreas was on my sterile clean floor, that same pancreas was used for research for one of my patients and one of my experiments. Over 14 months of research have just been destroyed because I have friends like these.
Ed: Sorry Double Dee I'll pick it up now-
Edd: Don't or else your fingers will suffer third-degree burns and you could get a possible infection.
I turned to see Nazz with a blank look on her face and smiled angrily at her for witnessing such a strange sight.
Edd: Nazz, I'm sorry about this. Thank you for walking me to my office and for talking to me today.
Nazz: Not a problem Double Dee, whenever you want to talk about Kevin and what to do, you can always come to me…
Her sentence trailed on as her phone rang. She grabbed it from her back pocket and looked at the screen.
Nazz: Speak of the devil, Kevin wants to talk to me because he thinks I said something to make you rethink dating him.
Highly unlikely that someone else's opinion would sway me. She kissed my cheek and ran off to meet with Kevin and Rolf. Was he that concerned that she would say something negative about him to get me away from him? What would she even say to make me think that? He should be more worried about just what I think and not about outside forces trying to jeopardize it. Now, back to the situation at hand. I turned back to Ed and Edd who were just staring at me. I walk into my office and close the door behind me.
Edd: You two are the reason I have anxiety.
Eddy: Whatever, we have better things to do.
Eddy hopped off of the table and walked through the mess that laid on the floor. I'm used to this kind of behavior from him and I have snapped on a few occasions but his actions never changed.
Edd: You're being ruder than usual today Eddy, and I would really appreciate it if you would tone the attitude down a bit.
Eddy: I should be telling you the same thing!
He retorted, raising his voice. I stood and walked over to my little white locker behind my desk and pressed my thumb to the scanner.
Eddy: Of all the people to date, whether it be in the job or out of it, why Kevin?!
I didn't answer. When I asked him for the reasons he did things I never got a straight answer and I accepted that. But I also never showed attitude or passed judgment even once. A small panel on the wall behind my desk raised as a rumba came out and cleaned the mess that my friends made.
Edd: So you're more upset that I chose to share my life with someone that you've had a rivalry with since we were kids?
I grabbed the file of our target and went to my desk.
Edd: From now on, I will not tolerate you speaking ill of Kevin or our relationship. If you continue from this point on I will start working by myself.
I don't always put my foot down when it comes to Eddy. Sometimes talking about anything with him is as irritating as pulling teeth. While his distrust and skepticism were warranted, I can't allow him to throw punches at someone who can't even defend himself due to my request. I saw his face alter from disdain to partial acceptance, something he looked uncomfortable with.
Eddy: Fine, whatever, but don't come crying to me when you two eventually break up.
Edd: I assure you that neither of those will happen anytime soon.
Ed: So...are we going to talk about the target, please?
Edd: Oh, right.
I opened the file and opened a search about our target over the internet.
Edd: Apparently, Martin Shern, a family man of three kids and one more on the way, is a rival cellular company that offers low prices for new members and even gives their customers the option to keep old files from phones. Stolen or not.
Ed: We're ordered to kill him, no excuses and we can't have any outside help either.
Eddy: Great, at least we won't have your sister and Jimmy distracting us like last night.
Looking back at his physical file, it named all the addresses from his work, home, and even the stores he frequented. It also contained information about his four cars, two motorcycles, his previous wife, and even the kind of adult films he watches. Who put this folder together? I stood from my chair and reached for my briefcase that was under my desk. I set it on the table and opened it up.
Edd: Is there anything else that I need to know that wasn't in the folder?
Eddy: Yea, the company is letting us use their most prized, private jet.
Edd: Pardon?
Eddy: But there is a catch.
Edd: As I thought.
Ed: We have to complete the mission and not destroy anything.
Eddy: If we do that then we won't have to pay for fuel from our own pockets. Not like we care.
Regardless of whether we care or not, that's not a bad condition. We constantly destroy things from property damage of the city to company-owned items. We rack up more money up in destroying things than we do in killing people.
Edd: Well, I guess we better not muck about and kill Mr. Shern.
Ed: RIGHT!
Ed cheered as he hopped merrily towards the door.
Eddy: Yea, let's go.
Eddy shuffled over to the door and opened it leaving first. I followed behind the two locking my door and stashing the key in my pocket. We walked and talked down the halls towards the hangar about the condition involving the jet. Turns out that Sarah and Jimmy were scolded for allowing a teammate to get hurt and for slight property damage done to the private offices of the building.
Apparently, Sarah went off because she felt as though it were Eddy and Edd's fault for everything with no valid reason besides the people annoying her to end and for my getting hurt in the process. Concluding that conversation, I suggested a less...convoluted way of killing Shern. Poison. I am a pacifist in a kill or be killed business. I won't physically hurt someone with my hands seeing as I am against fighting, however I am not opposed to pumping someone's veins full of arsenic or hemlock. The method is less messy and sometimes undetectable when done correctly.
Entering into the main lobby we exchanged hellos with other workers and then a familiar voice rang throughout the room.
Jimmy: Double Dee!
I turned around and was met with a smiling young man with pale blonde hair and rosy cheeks. Jimmy stood in front of me in a light blue dress shirt with matching slacks which complimented his white tie and white leather shoes. Ever since he was young, Jimmy has always been a fashionista. As he got older, Jimmy, along with Sarah would hold annual fashion shows for the neighborhood as well as take their designs to other schools for profit. They both freelance in fashion but have found that gymnastics were their true calling.
Jimmy: How's your arm doing?
He leaned forward on his toes looking at me with big blue eyes.
Edd: Oh it's fine, a little sore but I can move it at least.
He stood straight clasping his hands together with a bright smile.
Jimmy: Oh that's good, all that blood made me a little woozy and I didn't mean to cut you like that.
Edd: It was no problem, it wasn't like it was on purpose, plus I was being careless of my surroundings. If it weren't for you then I would've been knocked unconscious by that henchman.
He laughed and then Sarah appeared right next to him with her long salmon jumper, matching shoes, and pearl accessories. She had a black folder under her left arm and her right hand rested on her hip.
Sarah: Yea, sorry Double Dee, we didn't mean for you to get hurt.
Edd: Apologies accepted.
I patted both of their heads earning big smiles and small squeals of approval. Eddy made gagging noises, unwarranted mind you, and then started walking ahead.
Edd: I'll see you guys later.
They waved at us and we made our way to the hangar. Eddy said that we could take the private jet as long as we could actually kill our target this time. We took a monorail car to the coast that took about half an hour, enough time for me to load my guns with poison dissolvable bullets and for Eddy to hit on almost every female that worked on it. There is never a time where this man lowers himself to such barbaric levels just to court a female, not saying that Kevins' approach was nobler but I am saying that it was a little more favorable.
We arrived to see an explosion on the waterfront of the hangar. Not what I was expecting. The blast knocked everyone back into the car.
Eddy: Is everybody ok?!
Ed: I am Eddy! And I also have Double Dee.
Indeed he did. When we were hit by the wave of the explosion, I was in front of Ed and he grabbed me from behind and shielded me from the blast. I was under him gagging from the smell of his body and clothes. I can tell he hadn't bathed in weeks, probably months, and knowing that he works out a lot made my assumption more plausible.
Eddy: What the hell was that?!
Workers came running from the direction of the blast and helped us up as they were trying to clear their lungs of the dust in the air.
Worker: Sorry guys, we didn't know he was here! We were told to Ed-proof the jet and he-
Eddy: Wait a fucking minute! What do you mean by "Ed-proof" the damn jet?!
Edd: Is that something you should be concerning yourself with?!
Eddy: Aren't you offended?
Ed: Guys?
Pushing myself from under Ed, I kneeled on the dusty floor in front of Eddy who had a moving cart lying over his legs.
Edd: Of course I'm offended! But that's not the primary objective here!
Eddy: You're too happy about things since you started dating moto head.
He said casually as he kicked the cart over.
Edd: Excuse me, how could I possibly be happy about almost getting blown to smithereens at my own job?! And my relationship with him has nothing to do with my complacency.
Ed: But guys…?
Eddy: Well morning sex can do that to ya.
Edd: For the last time, we did not do anything of the sort!
Eddy: You're probably lying to my face!
Edd: When have I ever needed a reason to lie to you unless we were on a job Eddy?
Ed: GUYS!
Both: WHAT?!
Ed: Look.
Ed pointed towards the partially blown jet. Out of the debris were several mechanics and the explosives expert himself, Johnny Valentine. His body was covered in dirt and oil from the explosion which graced his tanned skin that held the widest grin I've ever seen. He climbed out and slid down the pile as he stumbled to stand straight.
Johnny: Gee, looks like I owe you a buck buddy.
END of 4