The Target

Chapter One - The Assignment

The smell of gunpowder and how loud it was around me woke a different beast, the one I only allowed out when I had no other option. That sound was still a bit scary because of my last job though, but I needed to do this and get used to it again in order to be put on an assignment. Being on paid leave felt like a punishment for my kind. Especially to someone who also loved their job like I did.

I sighed and looked at the scenery in front of me. I've been here more than I should. But I loved the feeling I was getting back. Soon I'd be up and ready for work.

I aimed at the silhouette target and started shooting until there was nothing left in my gun. It went super quiet around me after the last bullet... then someone suddenly started clapping their hands behind me.

I quickly turned around and took my ear gear off, these were just useless, because sound came as if I still didn't have them on for me.

I came face to face with my captain, he smiled, "I see you still got it bad.."

I laughed, "I miss the field.. Wish my captain can put me out there.. I want to do some work.. Staying home is boring..."

He knew exactly what I meant by that which is why he just laughed at me and walked closer. He brushed my shoulder and went past me to press a button on the wall. My target came closer and he looked at it. Another smile grew wider on his lips, "well... Did you have to ruin this man's face like that?"

I turned to look where he was facing and saw that all the shots I took went straight to this target' eyes. I smiled satisfied, "serves him right..."

"let's go in detective.. The chief wants to brief you on an ongoing assignment."

I sighed, such cases meant undercover. If it was a Jane Doe lying somewhere he'd have briefed me right there and then so I'd know what I was going in for...but now he was being secretive.

"how long until I'm back in the field sir?"

He laughed, "I can never get used to you calling me that Joel... Umh.. Until you recover.."

I mentally groaned, I recovered about 8 months ago even though he didn't know that, "but I am fully recovered sir.. I did well on my physical training."

My captain turned to look at me as we reached Chief's office. He smiled and touched the door knob, "you calling me sir won't change the fact that you are going undercover Joel... Enjoy the briefing." He then turned the knob around and opened the door for me to go in.

I took in one deep breath and braced myself for another undercover work.

As I went to sit in front of my chief I mentally imagined what work I was going to be given. Probably going to a strip club where they wanted me to bust some drug lord or a s*x trafficking company. It was usually that with us women. They would send us to jobs that required we be half naked during the day but find criminals at night. It was crazy.

"detective Sandra Joel... It's good to see you again.." Chief said. He was like a second father to me after I left my hometown. Only he knew who and what I really was. And he recruited me to use my abilities so that I could help those in need.

"good morning chief.. I can't say the same about you.." I said after sitting down and gave him a small smile.

He looked at me then back at my hands, "ahh... Shooting range.."

I shrugged, "just sharpening my training sir.. In case I'll need it.."

"where you are going you won't need a gun because there's a toddler involved." he said putting a file in front of me.

I was scared to open the file for a second and my brain was still on his last sentence. So I wasn't going to need a gun and there was a toddler? Where was I going.

"your Target is Martha Pillow, 34 year old mother to 38 months old Leslie and wife to Robert Pillow. She owns a law firm and.."

I have never felt so confused my whole life, "a law firm??" I asked cutting off my chief, were they charging people unfairly? "and she has a baby..? What am I supposed to do with it?"

He smiled, "she needs a babysitter..."

I laughed, genuinely laughed. He must be kidding. He definitely was kidding because he knew I didn't like babies one bit. Why would he do this to me?

"sir.." I said about to warn him and he sighed, "her company is reported to be creating a nuclear weapon and is also selling drugs in order to cover some expenses.. Now this is hard to prove without any insider because from the outside they are just people who are running a law firm."

".. a babysitter you say... I can't babysit... I don't like babies sir you know very well that my last relationship ended because my girlfriend wanted a baby and I didn't."

He cleared his throat and the captain laughed, "your last relationship ended because you didn't like your girlfriend enough to be with her alone.. So you cheated.."

I turned and gave him a glare. He smiled, "you're welcome.. Now back to the assignment you are going to and babysitting Joel.."

"she is interviewing babysitters and you are supposed to go there in two days... You will go as yourself.."

I furrowed my brows at my boss. Did he just say I'll go there as myself?

"how is it undercover if I go there as myself.." I asked and chief looked at the file in front of me, "open the file Joel.. Nothing will jump out of there. And I am sending you here just so you'll get back alive. Remember what happened last time and how it ended, we don't want that, hence we are sending you to a place that won't need you to have your weapon. Your name stays.. But your profession changes. Just make sure you get the job and you do what you are hired for."

I sat there and listened to him and all I could think about was I did not like babies at all. I'll have to babysit and try to get information at the same time. Was that even possible? Didn't babies need like full time eyes on them all the time? What if I drop it and it dies? Or what if it falls inside the pool and dies. Oh God what if they have a big house and their stairs...

"don't overthink this. Just open the file.." chief said looking at me and I sighed then opened the file in front of me. I came face to face with the husband first. He looked really good for someone who was a suspect of building a nuclear weapon and selling drugs for a living, maybe it wasn't them, maybe their company was just used and they didn't know... But then again, in training I have learnt that looks can be very deceiving. I went to the second page and saw a woman.. Martha Pillow was written under her picture.. She was beautiful for someone her age and she seemed like she took very good care of herself. She also didn't look like the kind to build a nuclear weapon.. I smiled looking at her picture...then turned the page and saw their baby. Leslie Pillow.. She was cute. But... She was still a baby... And I didn't like babies.

I sighed and turned the page again and was met by a burnt body and a picture of a beautiful lady next to the one of a burnt person.

"that's Latoya.. She was 21 years old when she took a job at the Pillow house. Rumours has it that she had an affair with one of the partners in the firm, fell pregnant and then woke up like that... Burnt. What got our attention was the fact that she was actually NOT burnt. We don't have proof of what happened hence we are sending someone in there. And that someone is you because I trust that you will do good by us." Captain said apon seeing the look on my face.

I furrowed my brows at my captain, "say what now? She wasn't burnt?"

" yes... She was injected with something.. With what we want and it turned her into that. See that weapon is very dangerous and we need it. We trust you Joel. We trust that you will get it and give it to us so that it can be in a place where no human will get ahold of it."

I went back to looking at Martha, "so maybe one of them injected her?"

"we don't know. We don't even know if a lot at the moment.. Hence we want someone inside. You can try to find that out so that we know who we are dealing with. Robert, Martha or someone else?"

I nodded my head, this case suddenly became more interesting.

"alright.. But first. I need some teaching with babies.. Those things are too much work.. And also an increase in my salary, this was not on the form I signed when I joined the operation."

They both laughed at me, "you might want to talk to your ex for the baby staff... I heard her baby is 11 months old now. As for the salary, I'll think about it."

I got up taking the file with me because I had a lot of reading to do since I just looked at the pictures while sitting down, "that will never happen. I'll pass this case to someone else if it's like that.. Besides Lucia would never agree to see me, not after 2 years of not talking to each other.."

"watch as many videos as you can and read as many books as you can about babies in two days. All the best with the interview." those were the last words from my chief.

I sighed before leaving him and captain in his office. I was not calling my ex. That was not an option.

..

Growing up I wanted to help people so much and when I reached my teens and realised the capability I had. I knew it would be easy. When I reached 17 my mother and father sat down with me and told me what was about to happen. They told me about wolves and some old family stories. Then they told me that when I was 18 I was about to start experiancing some things and I shouldn't be scared.

When that time arrived my father trained me with my brothers and then he sent me to the city to his friend who now happens to be chief. Apparently his friend was running an organisation that was helping people. I went on a training programme where I was one of the lucky ones to be picked to work for that secret private operation.. Even today I still work for them.

We were hired by either Billionaires or took cases when there was a certain target who was about harm the country. Our main focus was to protect by all costs.

I've been to three works already where I worked undercover. What I loved more about my job was more than just holding a gun. It was also saving someone's life even if it meant putting mine in danger. And travelling to different locations came as a bonus...

I came with different abilities.. I could hear more than others could, I could see from a distance and also smell more than any human.. And my father told me it was because I was a Werewolf. I used my abilities all the time to try and survive in a job. But this was was a bit tricky. Babies were just not a thing for me. Why were there even babies on this earth. They were fragile things that I was not a fan off.

This time I was placed in Johannesburg since my target was there also. Which was also where my ex moved to after the break up to come and 'start over' away from me.. This was going to be the longest assignment ever.

Maybe I could call my ex and check her out.. I thought to myself but then ended up shaking my head no, I couldn't do that. It was going to complicate things between us. She was probably fine without me. I've hurt her enough.

So I did the only thing I could do. Watched as many videos of babies as I could on YouTube and then I went back to reaching some book 'parenting for dummies'

...

I moved around my apartment frantically. I couldn't believe that they gave me a job that included babies. They knew I was bad with babies... but then again, a job was a job and I had to pull through if I wanted to be holding guns soon.

I watched so many videos and read half a book In a day about babies. So this better work pretty well for me... Or else my chief won't be impressed. I mean I was on paid leave for over 9 months because of an injury from my last job. I have been screaming down their neck that I was ready, so I had to impress them so that I'll be back to working in the field.

My phone beeped and I took my cv and started going to my target's firm.

I have to agree I was a little bit nervous about this because it was totally different from anything I've ever worked on. When we are trained, we are told about the jobs that we will take and I've managed the past jobs with such confidence.. Now I was nervous because this was not my comfort zone. Being a babysitter was not something I thought about when I took a job to work for a secret organisation that cleans the country off criminals.

I wasn't far from her firm so in 15 minutes I entered the offices, arriving 20 minutes before my interview.

I quickly went to the receptionist and she smiled at me, "hello, May I help you? Are you looking for a representative?"

I returned the smile, "oh no... Umh.. I'm here for the babysitting interview. I'm a little bit early. Nerves.."

She smiled, "Oh God that's great. Mrs Pillow will be very impressed. Take a sit and I'll tell her you are here."

I did as I was told and watched her take the work phone and dial Mrs Pillow.

I looked around and everything seemed okay. The place was beautiful and screamed 'I'm here to take your money away'

I mentally laughed for thinking that. But also lawyers were expensive. So they did take people's money. I just hoped they were doing it while really representing their clients.

"miss...?" the reception lady said kicking me away from my thoughts and back to where I was. I smiled, "Sandra... Just Sandra."

"miss Sandra. You'll take the lift and get off on the 3rd floor. The first door on your right is her office. She's waiting for you."

I nodded my head, "thank you so much.." and then headed up.

As soon as the lift opened the door, I quickly got out and headed to the room I was directed in, I knocked a bit and heard a little 'it's open' come from inside.

I smiled at myself, her voice was so soothing.

I opened the door and walked inside. She was sitting on her table looking at the computer that was in front of her. She quickly lifted her head up and removed her glasses. Then she furrowed her brows a bit as if she was surprised to see me there.

"umh.. Mrs Pillow... I'm Sandra Joel.. Here for the.."

"interview..." she cut me off while standing up. She extended her hand for me to shake, "I'm sorry you just... You look a bit older than everyone who applied.. I was expecting someone younger.."

I had no idea whether to be offended or not by that statement. But because I needed to get this job I calmed down and spoke, "I had no idea that only younger people should apply. Had I known that you don't need people with experiance to take care of your child then I'd not have applied. My apologies ma'am.."

Her eyes shot wide open, "oh God I'm sorry I didn't mean it in a bad way.. I just. It's usually younger girls who are in college wanting to make some extra cash who apply for these jobs. Don't take this the wrong way.. I didn't mean..."

I smiled when I saw her panicking, "it's okay Mrs Pillow. You don't have to apologise."

She shook her head and pointed at the chair in front of her desk, "sit down please. And yes I have to apologise. I mean the past three people I interviewed were kids who just needed extra cash and 'only' cared about the extra cash part.. So it's good to have someone who is actually here for my daughter."

I sat down and watched her go to her seat. She was even more beautiful in person and there was just this thing about the way she moved that screamed 'authority' it screamed 'power' and also 'Money'.. She didn't have to say respect her. You'd look at her and just respect her. I admired people like that. They were fascinating and interesting to read...

She took a deep breath and smiled, "I'm sorry Sandra.. Can I call you Sandra?"

I nodded my head, "yes you can.."

".. I am Martha Pillow and I'd like us to start over.." she said with the same smile on her face.

I smiled too, "I am Sandra Joel... And definitely old enough to take care of your baby.."

She laughed, "okay, you are hired."