The Hitman and His Consort

XVII - Ties

First Person P.O.V: VALENTIN HACKSAW

The following events after that were hazy. I know I got home, but the other meager thing like eating or even showering was one of the many things I’m unsure of at the moment. The first on the list was as usual what I was going to do for the rest of the day, it made me hope some unknowing i***t would try to steal something from us, anything just so I can get to do something today even if it’s a waste of my time.

I got up from my bed, not changing just yet. I’ll just put on a suit in the event that it’s needed. Now only on my sweatpants, I headed to the kitchen to get something to eat even though I haven’t got the appetite for it. Everything about today sucked ass and I’ll continue to blame Arthur and whatever communicable disease she passed onto me.

“Oh…Valya~ what vibe are you going for today? Do you want to be like that devoted husband who couldn’t even catch a break to put a shirt on?” Denis jeered at me with that obnoxious tone of his,

I flipped him off and got my coffee in one hand while loading bread into the toaster with the other, making him scoff, “Wait, are you actually pissed? What happened?” he asked with a curious smile. I obviously am not in the mood to play the ‘Denis is being up my ass’ game today, so I just ignored him.

He makes it a known fact that he’s someone who can read people to make me jealous or just make people think he’s a psychic.

I don’t know the reason, but he’s really not as intuitive as he thinks he is. I also don’t know where he gets the idea that I’ll tell him the reason why I’m mad like I knew myself but even if I did know—

“This is about Art…isn’t it?” he asked in a hushed tone, like a professional nosey d**k,

‘Yes.’

“What makes you think that?” I asked, frowning at him.

His eyes widened at my reply like it wasn’t a question but a confession, his mouth gaped open before he clasped both hands over it, like the overdramatic man he is, “Oh my… did you guys have a fight?” he asked again but this time rather than slightly celebrating my disdain he somewhat has a bit of sincerity in his query,

The toaster got my bread ready, so I just started eating, trying not to indulge Denis any further or I might just sock him one.

“Oh, come on… Valya, if you tell me, maybe I can help you,” he pushed, poking my arm with his index finger like an annoying kid,

“Denis, I will break your fingers… poke at me one more time,” I warned, making him grimace at me,

“Okay! We definitely need to fix whatever the hell you’re throwing a temper tantrum about because you’re going out today,” he lectured, taking on the whole stance of crossed arms with tapping feet,

Rolling my eyes, I took another bite of my toast and set my coffee down, “I’m not going anywhere today because Arthur got me off the case—”

“Who said you’re going to Arthur’s? Uh, hello Valya, you have actual work… did you forget—?”

“I’ll shower,” I interrupted, finishing my cup of coffee.

“DID YOU SERIOUSLY FORGET?”

“DENIS SHUT THE f**k UP.” I snapped as I left to get showered.

‘I can’t believe I forgot about that,’

Just how much time did I spend with Art to cause me to have a painfully one-track mind leading to her or aspect about her? This is quite concerning, regardless of why I’m strangely upset about us parting ways, this really is for the best.

What else could’ve happened if we spent time together, God forbid I may actually come to like her presence around.

After finishing the shower and getting dressed, I got everything ready for what Denis was talking about and got down to meet him again, but when I did I saw him talking with our mother as they both exchanged hushed words with occasional gasps.

“You shouldn’t believe sham like that, mom” I announced as I descended the steps, mildly startled they both turned to me with a knowing grin, unlike dad, mom looks almost exactly the same as Denis so them having similar facial expressions, as well as faces, irked me.

“Well, Valya~ a little bird told me that you’ve made… attachments,” she began,

“Did that little bird also tell you he’s a chronic liar?” I replied, making Denis stick his tongue out at me,

“Stop bullying your brother—”

“He’s the one bullying me,”

“I find that hard to believe, but listen, son, what you’re experiencing might be your first ever fight with a ‘friend’, sometimes you just have to wait things out a bit before you could apologize so the air is—” I pinched my nose as she went on but that stopped her midway her knowledge impartment because honestly, they got it wrong.

“Why would I apologize?” I asked, crossing my arms and leaning on the counter, “she was the one who kicked me out,” I reasoned, and Denis frowned,

“Now… you must’ve done something, otherwise, why would Art do that?” Denis replied, and I couldn’t help but notice he’s quick to take her side over his own brother, isn’t he?

I rolled my eyes, “I did do something, I did what I could to help,” I countered, and they shared a glance before giving me a weird look, I know I’m initially bad at reading facial expressions and I’ve been somewhat good at it recently but this one I couldn’t discern.

“Whatever, Denis, let’s go…” I sighed, practically begging for this stupid Q&A to end before I lose my mind.

I still can’t believe I’m this upset to be kicked out of a case that I merely joined to counter my boredom, I know I’ve talked myself into getting off that f*****g mission a couple of times but I always end up in it at the end of the day. If I knew that it would affect me this much, I would’ve never considered helping in the first place.

‘Curse my f*cking mentality.’

Denis nodded to mom as he silently led the way to the car we were using, his Mercedes, so I suppose we won’t be doing something too intense. I wish we did.

Denis was the one who drove this time. It’s not like it was rare for him to drive in the first place since I never learned how to drive until 3 years ago. He’s probably the one who made this referral, probably someone he met from work. Maybe he’s strengthening connections for that whole ‘empire’ of his.

It wasn’t until I recognized the all too familiar route to Javier’s warehouse that I realize we’re actually doing business with a long-term acquaintance rather than a stranger and if I haven’t made it clear yet; I prefer these kinds of jobs.

We were granted entranced at the large gates and park in the designated spots before heading straight to his office. Javier is one of Denis’ good friends, part of his innermost circle, rather because this man is a literal social butterfly who would probably die if deprived of human contact and would declare that anyone is, or could be, his good friend just to validate the counterpart’s emotions.

Javier wasn’t that kind of ‘friend’, I suppose. He’s actually a high-caliber kind of man, if that made sense. Of all of Denis’ friends, I suppose I like him the most, followed by Rodrigo, then Christopher, and finally Anselmo.

Denis barged into Javier’s office and without so much as a wave or a greeting, he takes a seat on the couch and snaps to me, “Here’s Valya,” he said in a dismissive tone as he snapped his finger at me, Javier, who’s frowning at Denis at this point, sighed and rubbed his temples,

“I see, thank you, Denis… Valya, come here, I need your help with this one,” Javier said, beckoning me over to his desk where his laptop was propped, and the familiar view of a security camera footage is on display, I tried to squint to make out the figure he’s showing me but it’s either his surveillance cameras are sh*t or there’s really nothing there.

“Vier, you need to invest in new surveillance cameras,” I told him, making him chuckle,

“Yeah, I know but what do you think?”

“What do you mean what do I think? I just told you,”

“So nothing?”

“Vier, I see nothing, this is just pure darkness and—what the f*ck was that?” I was about to tell him off until I saw blotches in the dark, like a moving mass of glitches and dead pixels, the panel was labeled as ‘aisle 4-7 end.’ As soon as I reacted like that, Javier crossed his arms and looked at me with a smug look.

“So… the cameras were fine, huh?”

“I will shoot that camera once I see it, replace the f*cking thing,”

“If you miss it, then it’s staying,”

I smiled as I looked around his office. He usually keeps his best product around him, so of course, if I want a bet over a good gun. Javier’s been our main artillery source since I could remember, I think we did use to have another weapons dealer for the family and Madre Maria but ever since Denis secured Javier the changes have been for the better and this gun dealer always has one of his good products out on display.

His display, that is.

After looking around, I saw the sheen of a chromed Desert eagle, right there in his holster.

I really find no appeal to the gun, so I don’t want to center a whole bet over some paperweight. I suppose I could use that gun for other things, like gifts. My father is a sucker for shiny things, to the point my mother calls him a crow.

“If I hit that camera, can I have that gun?” I bargained as I pointed to the shiny gun. Javier, used to my antics by now, merely sighed and pulled out the gun from his pouch and placed it on the desk.

“Done, but what I need you to do here is lead me to the culprit who stole my products and not take my precious guns away for free,” he droned, shaking his head. That gun is as good as mine, though. I nodded and looked at the footage again. But honestly, there was nothing to be seen here other than a moving glitch.

Sighing, I stood straight again, “Tell me everything then,” I told him and he took a seat.

“We’ve been getting busy, I actually met… a lady-friend from Germany and we’ve been partnering up for a multitude of reasons, including products, so we’re pretty stocked up with good quality stuff ready for shipment," he started not stopping to acknowledge the jeering he got from Denis the second he said 'lady-friend'.

"But for some f*cking reason, I end up with lesser products relative to what I send out,” he paused, leaning on his desk, visibly pissed,

“Whoever these *ssholes are, they’ve been sneaking around taking my sh*t but it never shows flaws in my books because all the missing s**t’s being paid for. I just want to know where the f**k my products went,” he finished.

Denis was frowning the whole time, “look at this f*****g i***t—how’d you let that happen?” he asked, making Javier flip him off,

“Do you think I’m letting that happen? Why’d you think I got your killer brother over here?” Javier retorted, gesturing at me with a low ‘no offense’ mumble.

“I’ll start looking around the place you two resolve your lover’s spat,” I said and left the room after, out of everyone my brother gets annoyed at Javier the most because he claims the Korean man has 6’2 energy for someone who’s 5’10. I’m not certain of the sentiments behind the phrase, but in all my years of existence, I know that any man who brings up the height of another man bears no goodwill.

I surveyed around the facility. 'Survey' isn’t the proper word, but it’s the right one because one of his staff is definitely the one f*cking with his stock. Whoever they are, they’re dealing with good people who don’t want to get caught or rival Javier in this business because they make sure to pay for the transactions.

If they pay for the transactions, I need to know just how much product is missing. From then I can line up possible buyers, who are not in the scope of reselling.

So far, though, I don’t see any suspicious behaviors, and I would know because it took a while before I was trusted to make that description and be correct about it. Because apparently, suspicious behavior isn’t something I could grasp well before, in my defense when people look at you for a brief second as if they’re afraid without pretense is skeptical.

'Suspicious.'

I walked around the place and passed through aisles, I’ve seen his staff do quality checks and inventories but that’s both pretty normal—oh wait it’s here.

I’m in aisle 4-7, so I tilted my head to find the angle of the camera and I found it,

‘I wonder what I’m going to do with that Desert Eagle’

I thought as I drew my gun and shot the things, the ringing and echoes filled the warehouse and startled a few, but seeing as they work in a gun warehouse I’m sure they’re not going to be perturbed by something like this. In addition, I’ve been going here for a while. These people know how I’ve always done sh*t, so they’d probably be used to things like this.

“S-Sir, why’d you shoot the surveillance camera?” A man approached me, worried, as his gaze shifted between me and the destroyed camera.

“Your boss needs to replace that anyways,” I said before putting the gun back into the holster, “I’ve heard your stock was magically selling itself,” I followed up and he gulped.

Straightening his back, he looked around before leaning closer to me, “are you going to investigate in that?” he whispered and I nodded.

‘Talk about sus-f*cking-picious.’

He then goes ahead and looks me in the eye with a little scowl, “Well, if you need help I’ll make time,” he said as if I would actually need his help, he acted like he needs to offer at least the smallest amount of concern even though he doesn’t really want to. In fact, I just hoped he would mind his business. What the hell is wrong with this man and what does he want?

'I didn't know there were 'hero' auditions in this area,'

Out of speechlessness, baffled by the nerve and audacity of this man I just left in silence, I was told that was rude, but it was better than to further fuel the conversation, if that’s what you’d call that, because the things that would come out of my mouth will be more than just 'rude'. I when back to Javier’s office, I need to ask him when his next shipment is.

“Tonight, that’s why I called you in today,”

Was what he said as he gave me the Desert eagle since I did hit the shitty camera. I admit it’s a little sudden, but I suppose no better way to find out what’s happening unless you watch it ensue. Which is what I did. I waited until it was time, and the proper stock was sent out and an immediate checklist for the stock that’s left was done and it didn’t report back anything missing.

Obviously, if we’re around whoever was doing this wouldn’t even f*****g dream of pulling through with his covert operations so when while we were busy with the whole ‘investigation’ once it was proven that there was nothing happening, we made a big show of dismissing it as it is and just checking it again next time, like how routine inspections like this would eventually deter back door operations like this.

‘Bullsh*t, honestly, we rushed that whole ‘better-luck-next-time’ sh*t, still whoever’s doing this after all that is a dumbass b***h…’

Is what I thought, I almost had no hope we’ll see the whole thing happen tonight because once nighttime hits, Denis and I went back to his warehouse, no we didn’t strut in, we’re just doing spy work from a distance, much like what I and Arthur di—

…Great now my mood’s shitty again.

“Ohh~ that’s not a good look, did you see something?” Denis noted, putting down his binoculars to look at me,

Shaking my head, I only gesture for him to go back to watching them close4 up the warehouse and the last few staffs leave the building, except the guards. We changed spots a few times and I’m starting to think that our missing stock isn’t going to explain itself tonight.

But once we saw a faint light blinking somewhere, I was reminded how f*cking idiotic most of humanity is. We exchanged glances and while Denis put on a bright triumphant smile, I just couldn’t be more disappointed.

'I wasn't rooting for them necessarily., I just realized that these idiots and I are the same species and I immediately feel stupid,'

We snuck up on them; the guards were more than willing to let us in and after navigating through this pitch-black warehouse it was just a free ticket to watch as five staff members talk among themselves, pushing three crates, even going as far as to open them, quality checks probably, picky bastards.

It seems that after that meticulous quality check I suppose the stock was good and ready so they loaded it up into three separate vehicles, two cars, and a motorcycle that’s not even manufactured with a built-in compartment like that, this is something they planned even on how they’re going to cover it up.

They drove out of the building still dressed in staff clothes that when they left the premises the guards just let them out, maybe they forgot that we were conducting an investigation or maybe they thought the same as we did to let them go so we can go further with the case.

We did.

We followed them as much as we could, making sure they didn’t notice us. Denis made sure of that, even calculating possible routes they could take and which route we can take so we don’t tail them so obviously.

I didn’t even know I was able to feel such an intense surge of emotion until I recognized another familiar route leading to the Mariella Labs.

'What the f*ck is happening’