Chapter II

The next day both men woke up around 10:00 and followed their morning itinerary better known as the three 'S's. Shit, shower and shave. Shit always came first. About 10:45, both were ready to head out and meet their fence, Dresser. The meeting wasn't for another couple hours, so they grabbed a bite to eat and after much heated argument they picked up Jan.

Jan Wiles was the ideal woman for Hood. She was smooth, brunette, about four to five inches shorter than Hood, sexy, cool, strong-minded, street smart but all in all, she was the hooker with a heart of gold. She really was and it was amazing how she stayed that way. Here was a woman who had slept with hundreds of men, who should have been just dollar signs to her, but to her, they were lot more.

She was especially gentle with her clients, empathetic even. Most prostitutes don't give a shit about their clients and they shouldn't, but she did. Most whores just wanted to hurry up, get to the fucking, get their money that was due to them and get the hell out of there. But Jan didn't. She knew that some men like the slow, tender intimacy of sex and not the "in-out-in-out-done" kind. Jan took her time, built up both the client and her to climax and then it was over. That was another thing Jan was widely known for; she didn't fake it.

After awhile, she began to become popular and pimps came out of the woodwork to get her, but she wouldn't have it. Soon, she started her own escort business and the dough started coming in. It was almost like an overnight success in the world of prostitution, some of the biggest names in the business, entertainment and even the government, called up Jan. But then came Hood.

The two had met in some shabby nightclub, where Jan was on duty, escorting this would-be rock star. At first, Jan completely ignored Hood. He wasn't her type or so she thought. He tried desperately to get her attention but after several failed attempts, was thrown out of the nightclub. Of course it would have been simple just to call her up and hire her for a night, but Hood didn't do that. He would be the old romantic bull shit; send her flowers, chocolates all sorts of dumb shit and Jan being, the soft-hearted kind, fell for it, eventually. But there was one small problem; Jan was a hooker.

At first, it didn't bother Hood all that much. She was financially independent and easily proved that she could take of herself. But the whole idea of Hood's girlfriend being a whore didn't sit well with Hood. He knew there were a lot of sick fucks in the world, some with those horrible diseases. Even though Jan's clients had to be someone with lots of money, that didn't mean they weren't clean and soon, Hood asked her to stop.

Jan told Hood off the second he asked. There was no way in hell she would stop and by that time, she had learned of what Hood did for a living and thought it hypocritical of him to make such a statement. She figured that she ran as much a risk as he did by going out and robbing or killing off big name drug dealers, gunrunners or any other kind of insidious underworld monster. Plus, Hood wasn't bringing nearly the same kind or amount of money that Jan was. But as the world changed for Jan, it also did for Hood.

He was made known to some big crime boss and had him pull jobs that were making hundreds of thousands instead of just thousands. After a lot of thinking and persisting from Hood, Jan promised that she would give up her business and in about a month, she did. Jan terminated her business and acted like it never existed. Calls would come in and she would ignore them. She was through with it all. It was the hardest thing she had ever done.

Steve and Hood pulled up to Jan's studio apartment. It was in a fifteen-floor complex and Jan lived on the tenth. Steve parallel parked their car and turned it off. Hood told him to turn it back on and wait in the car. They had become big targets for other crime bosses and others who played the game just like them. It wasn't an easy business and that's probably why a lot of folks aren't in it, but those who are, just have to deal with it. Hood then instructed Steve to keep an eye and if he saw anyone suspicious, just go ahead and leave. Steve hated when Hood said things like this but knew it to be the truth, no point in both getting killed if one could get away. It wasn't cowardice or anything like that plus they made an agreement, unless both were facing the same problem at the same time, then it was fight to the death together. But if one could get away, then it meant only to come back and fight another day to get revenge. They shook on it with urine stained hands.

Hood put on a pair of sunglasses, stepped out of the car, leaned over and looked in the car through the opened window, "I'll be back in about twenty minutes. Keep an eye out, you got your piece?"

"Of course, do you?" Steve said nervously. He hated being in the car, being the get away driver. Most people don't think about this, but it's as dangerous as being the actual hit man. You screw up or get spotted; you're as dead as the man whose intended to get whacked.

"Yeah," he said grasping his the waist of his pants and shaking it, "remember, if anyone spots you, get the fuck out of here. If you see someone and get one of those feelings, don't ignore it. Go straight to Dresser and give him the case. He'll be pissed you came early, but it won't matter because he'll still fork over the cash. Once you get that, just go. You understand me?"

Steve stared at what Hood was saying and it made him even more nervous. He didn't show it but it was still there, "Yeah, I gather ya. Just go get her and get your ass back down here, ok?"

Hood nodded and stepped away from the car. He looked over his shoulder and straightened his shirt. He then slapped the hood of the car twice, walked around the car and went inside the building. Steve let a long sigh of relief. He then shifted in the seat uncomfortably knowing what was under it. He looked at his watch quickly, not ever thirty seconds had passed. It was going to be a long twenty minutes.