The Hitman and His Consort

X - Alternative

First Person P.O.V: ARTHUR B. DE LAVINGE

‘f*ck, f*ck, f*ck—what the hell?!’

I pulled at my hair to ease the growing headache as I recalled just what the hell I did—no, ‘we’ did. I was too much of a pushover, even now. I let him drag me along. To think this line of work would make me more assertive. I know I have flaws in my original plan and that if Michael did so much as call home and thought he wouldn’t need to risk his job to cooperate with me I have a contingency plan for that.

“But noo~ I had to be dragged by that lumbering giant—”

“Easy there Art, I wouldn’t have the time to comfort you in your ails,”

“But Ink, you didn’t see him, he was—ugh, he’s heartless!”

“He sounds like a red flag,”

“He is!”

“Perfect, that’s just your type, right?”

I groan at her quip and buried my face in my hands. Am I that terrible at picking out men? Now that I look back, I can see where she was coming from. Then again, it’s not like I work at an office or anywhere legal, really, and all of the men I meet are from the same or somewhat similar origins as me.

I don’t have many options here, and even if I try to look for a normal guy, a normal guy wouldn’t last in a relationship with me. Realistically speaking, no matter how cliché it is, we live in different worlds.

I can’t just tell them that I’m a merc. A damn good one, too. Dad was right. It does run in the blood.

‘But what the hell am I even thinking about? Focus Arthur!’

“I’m gonna check on, Valya,” I told Ink as I got out of the van and just saw him walking back with a plastic folder in his hands, mission success. I couldn’t help but smile a little and melt the annoyance I had for this man because, in all honesty, he’s pretty damn good at this job.

Still heartless though.

He handed the folder to me, his face as always expressionless. I flipped through the contents and my smile grew wide. This thing has everything I asked for, the surveillance camera placements, the vents, the circuits even and Michael even left a copy of the guards and their working hours.

“Wow, this is great! Michael, that son of a gun, what a trooper,” I cheered as I then inspected the contents.

‘...wait, wa—what is..oh, come on,’

I thought as the contents sunk in, “It’s impossible, is what Michael said, the whole place is watched by hawks,” Valya said, putting his hand on his pockets.

I shook my head, “No… no, no, no, I-We can do this we just have to look for an opening if we work our way around all of these I’m sure we’ll find an opening,” I argued but he still had the same void expression as before that I felt my heart sink a little.

‘No, I can’t stumble on a dead-end now, I need to… I need to know what happened to Madeline,’

I flipped through the other pages, but it’s just getting increasingly obvious just how tight the place is. Even the vents have security cameras. I rubbed my temples, feeling the desperation and anxiety well up inside me. I can’t have this. This has to be wrong.

“It’s because Pierre told them to heighten security measures, that guy knows that he’s doing something that can’t be seen by just anyone,” He added.

And it did add up to my stress.

He then scoffed as he took the folder from me, “But... we have another shot,” he began, making me frown. I’m not aware of this ‘shot’ Valya was talking about, but he had a slight smirk when he said that. I can only hope it’s not a repeat of what happened earlier because heavens help me, I’ll sucker punch him.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a cheap shot but what matters is I hit that smug, cold, face of his.

“What do you mean, Valya?” I asked, crossing my arms as I watch his expression grow more menacing.

“I’m saying, if you want to get in the lab there’s another way, and you won’t need this,” He said as he tapped the spine of the folder on his shoulder,

“And I’m asking, what is it?” I asked, getting more impatient as he goes,

“Patience мой король, do you know about their ‘guest and visitors’ rule?” he asked, and I frowned, ignoring whatever he just called me. I nodded.

Of course, I knew about that it’s when they held out charities and sponsorship programs and events and give big donators' the visitor pass—Ah!

Valya probably realized that I understood what he meant because he was smirking again. Then again I did have my jaw dropped when I thought about it.

“How did you know that?” I asked in surprise,

“Michael told me, diligent guy,” he noted.

“He is, right?” I agreed.

If we do go through it that way it would take a lot of effort, but compared to the first option that seemed a lot more attainable. However.

“They don’t just let random people in events like that though, some big-named families are actually invited, no forget families, some individuals, it’s not easy to get in now,” I reasoned, I can try but as I said we’ll have to hustle hard tonight since I’m pretty sure the next event is set for tomorrow.

I didn’t take that seriously because I knew I wouldn’t be able to go in there.

“Big-named individuals? Like who?” he asked,

“Well, like the Peiroton’s, the Burnham’s, the Carnegies and like... The Sandoval’s,” I trailed off,

“Do they get to bring plus ones’?” he asked again, pulling out his phone,

I frowned, not sure where exactly this is going, but it sounds like it’s going somewhere positive, “I... guess?” I answered, and he hummed before pocketing his phone again.

“We’re getting in that event,” he announced so casually with confidence that I stared at him for a few seconds. Isn’t he going to elaborate on just how he secured the fulfillment of a process I couldn’t do?

“Care to explain on that, Valya?” I asked, furrowing my brows in confusion.

“Denis and I did a favor for Miss Sandra Sandoval recently, and judging how the favor went, she probably has an invitation on her hands, we’re going to tag along with her,” he explained, saying everything and nothing at the same time but I guess he did give some insight.

He then checked his watch, “He won’t take long he said he’s within the area...” he said.

“Yeah okay—wait who’re-?” I was, of course, going to ask who Valya was talking about, but a car horn cut me off. From the other side of the street was a sleek black Mercedes Benz, it was more on the vintage side. Valya gestured to the car, and I just followed him, texting Inka that something came up.

‘Bye flag-pole’ is what she replied. A one-second thought of blocking her number passed, and I just went along with what the heck Valentin is scheming and decided not to block my only tech-support and friend’s number.

When we reached the car, he just sat by the passenger seat so I just settled on the backseat. I tried to get a glimpse of the man driving, and I guess this is Denis. From what I know, Denis is his older brother, Mrs. Hacksaw told me they were close.

‘Madeline and I used to be close too..’

“What do we have here? What’s your name, miss?” Denis asked, glancing at me through the rearview mirror as he drove.

I was still wearing the dress I used as a part of the disguise earlier and it made me kind of fidgety, “I’m Art, uhm, Art De Lavinge,” I answered, clearing my throat.

“My oh my, that’s very fitting of a masterpiece like you, I must say I have never seen Valya tag along a lady with him,” he quipped,

I chuckled, he’s obviously a ladies' man, a womanizer rather, to work out pickup lines on the fly like that. I gave him a polite smile, “I wouldn’t say that and Valya probably played along because he was bored or something,” I replied, making him frown.

“Wait, so it was Valya who tagged along with you?” he asked, seemingly surprised, his expression stuck between confused, bafflement, and slight… cheer?

I nodded, and from that point was the mark of his constant jeering. First, he was laughing. I couldn’t see Valya’s face, but I did see him lightly punch Denis.

What’s the big deal? Is this going to be like those childish things when they tease you for standing in close proximity to a person of your preferred gender? Like, when a girl and a boy get teased the moment their hands brushed. Because if that’s what this is, I’m jumping off this car.

“Making progress, huh? Man, who knew, all this time I was thinking you’re gonna die alone in a ditch, but look at you,” Denis said as he patted Valya’s broad shoulders.

‘That was harsh, but he has a point, moreover…’

“It’s not about that, I was just bored, and don’t tell this to mom,” Valya denied,

‘He makes it sound like he has something to hide, what the hell?’

“How could I not? Valya, this is great, mom would love to hear all about this,” Denis argued,

At this point I need to step in, I feel like Valya is not clearing up the building misconception of our relationship with each other and I don’t want Mrs. Hacksaw to think I’m cuddling up to his son for another chance to meet her since I expressed that I was both star-struck and desperate when I met her. I’m still embarrassed about that.

What can I do? Mrs. Hacksaw is a legend, for me anyway.

“Ah—We, Valya and I, aren’t like ‘that’ we’re just working together,” I said, interjecting in their conversation. Valya tilted his head, looking at me with furrowed brows,

“Who said we’re like ‘that’?” he asked,

“Well, I just thought that ...is that what Denis was talking about?” I whispered,

“Oh dear, no, Art I’m hopeful, not delusional, I’m sorry if you thought I was insinuating a romantic relationship between you two but that’s impossible, I’m just glad he was making friends,” Denis explained with an apologetic look.

“Are you my mother?” Valya quipped, making Denis laugh while I’m still processing both my confusion and embarrassment about what I just heard.

“I’m sorry, what?” I blurted out, and Denis frowned at me for a brief second before looking at Valya,

“She doesn’t know?” he asked,

“Oh shucks, sorry, I didn’t know I was supposed to spread that kind of information around,” Valya replied in sarcasm.

I was torn between asking what this was about or chuckling at the fact I heard this large, intimidating statue of a man just said ‘shucks’.

Denis glanced at me, again, “What’s your job, Art? Is this…like for an office?” he asked. Valya didn’t tell him that I was a mer—

“She’s a mercenary,” He just did.

Denis’ eyes widen and pursed his lips, nodding solemnly as if affirming my occupation, “Then it’s no big deal, you shouldn’t hide things like that to our people, Valya,” he said.

“I wasn’t hiding it, I just wasn’t broadcasting it either, should I just have a card ready with ‘that’ on to share with everyone I meet?” Valya denied

“Oh, Anselmo would’ve loved that.” Denis joked, chuckling to himself.

‘AND HERE I AM STILL NOT KNOWING WHAT THE HELL THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT,’

I strained a smile, squeezing my fist. I hate this feeling so much. Valya then turned to me with the same, empty, deadpan bored look on his stupid face—

“I’m diagnosed with ASPD, I'm a sociopath, it's relatively mild, but it's there, and not going anywhere, so Denis was getting his d*ck hard thinking I made a friend,” he explained before facing the road again.

“Valya! That vulgar mouth of yours!” Denis scolded.

‘I agree, he’s got a pretty vulgar mouth, contrast to his calm, collected demeanor’

BUT EXCUSE ME? SOCIOPATH?

For someone who says he doesn’t say it to everyone he meets he was pretty damn casual about dropping that truth bomb on me. I couldn’t have known, well actually now that he said it, it makes sense. But I guess it’s a little heartwarming to see Denis so proud of him, while on the other end Valya is pretty indifferent, so it seems.

“Oh…” is all I managed to say after making sense of it all.

Now that curiosity is out of the way, the embarrassment of what I said when I denied our ‘romantically inclined’ relationship earlier when I’m the only one who thought that, seeped in.

‘I’m still an embarrassment’

“Well, anyway, we’re here, she told me her fiancé is home,” Denis said as we watched the gates of a large manor.

“You’ve been keeping in touch?” Valya asked, and Denis shrugged with a smile,

“I’m building my business empire, Valya, of course, I need some allies,” he replied with a smirk,

“But it’s dad’s business,” Valya retorted with the same smirk,

“Yeah, but what I’m building is the ‘empire’—and it’ll be mine, dad just wants to sleep and go to the beach. This business is basically informally mine,” Denis defended.

‘It seems Valya gets talkative around people he’s close with, huh?’ I thought as we drove inside the gates of this intimidating manor.