TO KILL IS TO SERVE

Chapter 6 & 7: The Meeting

As Info sent me the basic information of this meeting, I arrived shortly at his workplace at 8:30PM, wearing my shabby dirty-white mask, plain black shirt and stretch navy blue jeans. I only brought my fists as self-defense; I hope this weren’t some kind of an ambush or trap. He won’t f*****g do that to me.

“You’re early but still late.” I heard the recognizable voice from behind, leaving no footstep sound as his aura feels nearer. Good thing there is no bloodlust in this man’s everything—steps, voice and breaths, or else I would’ve slashed a throat as my attack mechanism.

I sighed and went to my usual spot, this squishy beanbag, and sat down when I finally had a clearer view of him. He’s in his usual unprofessional clothing—like a young gamer boy with thick-rimmed eyeglasses. Young boy who? This man is a f*****g 30-year old. I contradicted myself in my thoughts. “What are you saying, nerd? I’m actually pretty early.” I gestured him to stop minding me and yawned. I should be resting now, for I’ve been keeping my consciousness awake for the whole week. “The long walk from the station to here is too exhausting. Spare me your nagging.”

Info chuckled and fixed his eyeglasses as a force of habit. “Everyone’s here already. Ergo, you’re the late one.”

I looked up to him and he pointed the holed ground of second floor. I saw the silhouettes of three people, crossing their arms while looking at me. I wonder when Info will fix that ruined ceiling. “I have been feeling faint eyes piercing on me after I step foot in here. What’s up with inviting this many hitmen?” I asked and sat properly. This is the heavy feeling I cannot shrug off since I got here.

“Kindly go down from there and introduce yourselves.” Info called them down. Each started jumping from above to the ground with minimal sound, making the area covered with dust and small particles. Is that f*****g dramatic entrance required? I sighed and rolled my eyes.

The three of them walked closer and I began to identify and distinguish their body masses. I know one and I’ve never seen the other two. I thought. “Aside from Manchineel, I am not sure if I have ever met the other two.” I uttered and stood up for a formal greeting.

“Buddy! Good to know that you still remember me.” Manchineel offered his hand for a high-five. I chuckled and did the request. “It’s been—”

“Dude, it’s only been two months since I last worked with you, you psycho.” I butted in and he laughed.

This tall assassin who is specialized in poisons and chemicals used Manchineel as his codename, the deadliest and the most poisonous tree, also called as Manzanilla de la Muerte. I turn to him when I need a handmade poison and we’ve been colleagues for about a year already. He can make any kind of deaths possible through chemicals—poisons that hurt the body as it slowly kill, that paralyze and slowly torture the victim, that make the victim feel nothing while putting him into a deep sleep or that that ensure a mouth to tell only truth and eventually kill after some moment. Manchineel is a big deal. If Info called him to be here, then, this must be a really scary client. I again, am wondering who can pay five assassins at once.

I turned to face the other two. One of them has a long light-blue hair, like those in cartoons and the other one is not even wearing a mask—but a full-face disguise like what I do every day as I investigate. “Hello. I’m Reisun, plea—”

“We’re the one who’s pleasured to have finally met you, Mister Reisun.” The one with the long hair bowed her head for a bit. The voice doesn’t ring a bell. I just know that she’s quite rude for cutting me halfway of my greeting. f*****g rude. “I’m The Strangler and this is my apprentice, Orchid Mantis. His name is his specialty; a master of disguise. He prefers that I call him Mantis, although you can call him whatever you want. He’s still very new to this.” Good thing she warned me about that Mantis’s name because I was about to cackle on that Orchid Mantis codename. Her name’s really, really comical too, but I prefer not mentioning it.

Mantis being a boy doesn’t surprise anymore. Just as his codename is, he’s remarkably good at disguise that I mistook him for being a girl. He’s new but he’s quite handy and fine for the job.

“When did he start working in Töten heißt dienen?” I asked Strangler. I bet this Strangler uses her long hair to strangle her enemy. That is an impressive method, but I’d rather finish a job without having the need to approach my victim and strangle him to death for I might risk giving out my DNA and worst, getting identify through it. Impressive but foolish for an assassin. But since she already has an Apprentice, I can say she’s doing pretty well in this work field though being foolish.

“He’s not yet in the organization. If this project be his kill, then, it will be his 5th and he can finally be a Tyro.” Strangler answered.

I don’t want this one to be my kill as well, though. I only need to be in the team so I can get paid, too. I nodded.

He looks like a young adult. Why the heck is he joining this twisted organization? “Being Apprentice is already being part of THD. But why did you choose this field, Mantis?” I asked when I turned to him. I saw him flinched and looked down immediately. I chuckled at his childish response for I remembered how faceless I was when I first entered this field. You can’t be expected to do well when you can’t even face your seniors. I restrained myself from scolding someone else’s Apprentice. “Don’t worry for I am actually younger than you.” I added and held his shoulders. He looked at me with the biggest question mark on his face. I shifted my attention to Strangler, “What’s your rank in THD?” I asked.

She smiled and fixed her mask, “I was one of those who just debuted this early summer as Agent.” She answered and I nodded. That’s why she has an apprentice now, that’s pretty excited of her. Apprentices are just nuisance.

“We’re just the same rank, then, except for Manchineel, who’s a pro-Stealth. The three of us, including Info, are Agents—”

“Come on, bro! The whole organization knows that if you weren’t just as picky as you are right now with your clients and targets, you’re already in the Stealth Rank and maybe halfway of it already. What a picky piece of shit.” Manchineel butted in and elbowed me jestingly then laughed. I am not as low as you to kill the innocents even if the clients offer to pay me billions for it. I thought and sighed silently under my mask.

I turned to Manchineel, “Well, I can’t just kill anyone, especially the innocent ones, including children.” Manchineel is a well-known assassin not just for his skills and knowledge in chemistry but as well as his heartlessness. He could kill anyone without considering anything but money. And that is the most f****d up thing as a human.

I saw his right foot moved, so I readied my defense just in case of a quick attack but he instantly relaxed his body when he saw my reflexes. Learn your place, low-life. I smiled and still kept my guard without being obvious. He cannot win against me with his petty tricks. He’s just good in assassinating if his targets were within his grasp he can easily fool. But when it comes to situations like this, fighting and stuff, he could never win against me. I believe no one in their right mind will challenge me in a duel, not unless a pro-Shadow.

“Calm your punches, you psychos. Show a little bit of love in front of our colleague’s Apprentice.” Info pushed through and knocked the ice that has begun forming between Manchineel and me. There is no meaning in a year of partnership when you’re a hitman.

I chuckled, “Sure,” and replied. I turned around and returned to my seat, then sat down. “So, tell me, why did you choose to be in this filthy field, Mantis?” I asked again.

“If you still want a good-night’s sleep, you better answer your senior, Mantis. Reisun is known not just for his skills, age and trademark but also his temper.” Strangler added as she pats Mantis’s back.

What is the point of saying those? I thought but couldn’t bring myself to build up more ice walls.

“Just before new year, my family was murdered by an assassin.” Mantis started talking. Is this some kind of a revenge story? I smirked under my mask. “And no, please, this is not my revenge.” He just answered my thoughts. Maybe Strangler asked him the same thing when he decided to enter this work field. “My parents were my abusers. My father will beat me to death as his hobby and my mother will put make ups on me then sell those girly pictures online. Last 31st of December, I came home from a party and saw my parents’ bodies lying before me. There is a badge of THD left between their bloody bodies and that gave me a motivation to enter this field of work. I will find my parents’ killer and thank him for getting me out of that hell.”

That went not so as I expect. I thought he’s an innocent boy who’s new to this. This bloody background is reminding me of something. THD Badge between bodies, huh? I f*****g know the fool who likes to put badges between his murdered bodies. He still does that, eh? What a joke.

“So, I insisted to come even though I’ve heard that this time, it wouldn’t be as easy as my former contracts.” He added and we all looked at Info. This cannot be easy if the client hired four assassins at once.

Info is one of the organization’s most trusted dealers, who got connections to major clients. He finds a client or a client looks for him, he bargains with an assassin that would fit the job, and then leads the client to the assassin. In short, he’s actually the bridge for us to have our clients and targets. He’s in fact, not a direct assassin and hasn’t killed a body once. But in every three kills, we are contracted to list one kill in his name as a p*****t for the information and client we got. He climbed the ranks just like that. He’s just an online geek. Freaking scary, to be honest.

“Boy, this is the first four-assassin joint mission that I had this year.” Info chuckled and crossed his arms together, “This indeed is something risky and yet, worthy. The amount is six zeroes–”

“I’m out. I don’t want to have a seven-figure crap and divide it by five.” Manchineel butted in, disagreeing, and turned his back on us.

Info laughed and patted Manchineel’s shoulder, “7-figure for each of you. Actually, it should be eight zeroes for the one who will get the kill but I think you guys won’t let our young Apprentice get this. So, I divided the p*****t equally. Are you still out, Manchineel?”

“Reasonable price.” Manchineel uttered and got back to us. Money-loving bastard. I whispered under my breath.

“Good. Now, let us head to—”

“This would be on my quick contracts list.” I spoke and Info turned to me, nodding. Just in case I get to kill the target, I would not be in any trouble.

“This one indeed is someone thrilling to kill. Plus, it’s also reasonable. Let’s head to my office, now.” He added and we nodded. “Please follow me.” And he disappeared under the blinking lights.

“Huh? Where is he—”

“Let’s go.” I cut what Mantis was about to ask and followed Info into his office. I’ve been here for countless times, how could he still disappear before my f*****g sight? I exhaled in disappointment of myself.

Info hasn’t killed anyone yet but it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t know how to. He’s still an assassin in any angle. I smirked and reached the third floor, where his office is. I went inside the room and saw him standing there, in front of his computers and monitors, waiting for us. This room always gives me nausea. It took me 18 seconds to reach Info, 22 seconds for Manchineel and almost a minute for Strangler and Mantis. Strangler even tried to literally strangle her apprentice for being a trouble; Mantis just continued asking for forgiveness. Apprentices are nuisance. I sighed in what I just thought.

“Please allow me to grab the attentions now. I will be explaining the target for tomorrow’s assassination and the questions shall be asked at the end of the presentation.” He began his introduction and started flashing the slides for us to easily understand.

Target: Marco Steven Saragossa

Age: 58 years old

Work: CEO at Saragossa Technologies, Inc.

Family: Wife: none; children: none

Relation to the client: former boss

Main information on when should the assassination occurs:

Every Sunday, Mister Saragossa goes to a bar near the Layton Exit, named ‘Via RestoBar’ with 8 of his bodyguards, to not just have business dinners and dealings, but also to enjoy girls and drugs. He goes in by 7PM and goes home by 12AM. The assassination needs to happen within the time that he’s at the bar for the security at his home is far stricter than anywhere.

What a lame presentation. Info is very good at computers yet he does presentation like any other high school kids—even my former classmates can do better than him.

“Okay, so the plan goes like this,” Info started, “Since that bar is a strict one as well, based on my research, it doesn’t allow firearms and anything. The only thing that you can bring inside is yourself and your purse. The security is tight even outside the bar because many high-profiled people go in and out of there. There is a conveyor belt that scans everything in the purse and a human scanner. So, Manchineel needs to go to the kitchen and prepare his quick poison using only the materials that could be found in the kitchen. I believe that it’s the most basic task.” He turned to Manchineel and they both answered each other with a nod. “Next, Strangler and Mantis will distract Mister Saragossa away from his bodyguards for the easier access to Manchineel’s food. Then, of course, Reisun will be the standby outside to check. Since communication from the inside is prohibited, we won’t be using any earpiece for insurance of the task. The assassination must take place at exactly 9PM-10PM only. Sounds easy, right?” He asked as he finished.

It does. It sounds too easy. Why does the client want the four of us to work on this? It’s impossible for a job this easy to hire four assassins all at once. Why is this mission sounds so possible yet dark?

“That’s it?” Manchineel reacted. “It’s easy! A lot of money in one night? I can actually handle this alone.” He added and laughed.

Info stayed quiet.

“Info, who is our damn rich client? We deserve to know since we’re going to assassinate for them.” I asked next.

Even with the eyeglasses on, I saw Info’s eyes squinted as he smirks. He looked as if he doesn’t want to tell us who our client is. “Good question. Actually, the client doesn’t want to be named unless you were to ask first.” Info turned around and typed on his keyboard. So f*****g fast. I couldn’t even see any letter that he typed. “This is our client, the former boss of your target.” And a picture appeared.

I see. I whispered under my mask. “Mister Love, huh?” I asked Info and he nodded. What is with this old man, now? “Do you guys understand that if Mister Love were his former boss, he’s a former assassin as well?” I spoke while staring at the founder of THD’s photo.

“What?” I’ve heard the almost-backing-down exhale of each of them, excluding Info.

“Correct. Marco Saragossa, aka the Head-crusher, is a former assassin.” Info has finally given the right information that we need. I bet Mister Love specifically ordered him to not say anything about this unless I discover something first. “Head-crusher was his infamous name because he could actually crush heads with his hands. He’s trained and fit for all physical job—”

“Oh, wait, please wait. Please, let me absorb this.” Strangler butted in while waving her hands. Sounds and looks unprofessional. I slyly smirked under my mask. She’s dumbfounded by knowing that. She should at least hide her real emotions. “Our target is an assassin, and I don’t care about that but how come that you know the boss’ face, Reisun?”

And she was f*****g curious about that? I think I just misunderstood her. She’s not unprofessional, she’s just dense. “I’ve met him countless times already.” I answered shortly.

“But I thought he never talk to anyone personally unless he’s going to kill them? How could you even recognize him that fast? I only met him on-screen! It’s even my debut as an Agent.” She exclaimed. She’s really putting me off by acting like Mister Love’s fan girl. If she were to squeak, she’ll die in my f*****g hands right here, right now. “He’s even so good looking! Are you sure he’s already 50 years old?”

He is a f*****g 64 year-old, mind you.

I felt Info glimpsing at me for a second but I did not give him what he’s obviously waiting for—my annoyed face.

“Please calm down, Miss Strangler. Let them finish first.” Mantis held Strangler’s back and rubbed it to calm her. I look at Strangler and used my only visible eye to smile at her, and then focused again on the dish on our plates.

“Okay, can I continue now?” Info asked again, after a bit of silence. He is normally a nag-type, so probably; this Strangler’s also getting into his veins already.

“Yes, sorry.” The only lady amongst us answered. Kindly keep your f*****g mouth shut for the rest of the meeting. I mumbled to myself as I swiftly glimpsed at her.

“Okay. So as I have said, he’s well fit for any physical combat, so we won’t have Reisun to deal with him inside his turf. That would just drive him to his assassin mode.” He looked at me and sighed through his nose. Is he f*****g saying that I cannot be professional in that place? I rolled my eyes at him. “Instead, we will use Manchineel’s way to assassinate him; of course, with the help of the both of you. If anything come unexpectedly, we could then, use Reisun’s ways to stop and kill him as fast and as convenient as possible. Now, questions?” He finished the plan just like that and he sounded so confident over this. Maybe that Head-crusher is one hell of an i***t that he wouldn’t even notice that assassins will be coming to him.

If he were a retiree, he couldn’t still be alive now. If he were a resignee, the organization will come to him as soon as he resigned. If he were dismissed, he wouldn’t have to be assassinated. The most probable reason would be dismissal directly from the boss, Mister Love, but why the hell are we having this job?

“When did he leave the THD?” Mantis asked. “Or did he?”

“He was fired.” Info answered. “The client did not give much information about the matter but he said that he fired him last month.”

He was dismissed, indeed. But last month? That doesn’t sound like Mister Love at all. Why do I f*****g feel like this Marco Saragossa has been out of THD for as long as he should be? Is Info aware of this, and is just trying to hide something from us or he also got lied to, by a dearest client that he cannot even complain on?

“Then, why would Mister Love wants us to assassinate him?” Mantis asked again. This young man—in the job—is unexpectedly acting professional by being cautious and prudent.

“He broke some rules and shared the secret of THD. Mister Love did not like that and proceeded with his termination.” Info answered. What kind of a f*****g reason is that to have? How could Mister Love think that we, specifically Info and me, are very gullible to believe such lies? But I shouldn’t say anything about this anymore. I sighed in silence. “If there is no more—”

“I have one.” I raised my concerns and cut the host off. Info’s shoulders dropped because he already knew what I should be asking. “Please be honest, Info.” I added while staring at him intensely to observe his actions and expressions. “What’s Mister Head-crusher’s rank?”

It excites me to kill an assassin. But of course, I need to check the feasibility of the task first. I am quite wondering how come that these guys did not think about asking that in the first place. Is this how unprofessional assassins should act? What a disgrace, really.

I heard Info sighed and he turned to his computers again. He clicked things and flashed it on the screen monitor. “I knew you would ask. I prefer not to show this to you but what can I do?” He said and looked up. I looked at the screen as well and started reading Mister Saragossa’s ex-assassin information.

Name: Marco Steven Saragossa

Code number: 0030

Alias: Head-crusher

Specialization: Close-quarters combat, hand-to-hand combat

Date of Baptism: December 2, 1995

Date of Debut as Tyro: March 28, 1996

Date of Debut as Clandestine: June 13, 1997

Date of Debut as Agent: February 21, 2000

Date of Debut as Stealth: August 3, 2002

Date of Debut as Shadow: December 2, 2005

Rank: Shadow C

Total Kills: 109 (with contract), 8 (joint mission)

Date Dismissed from Duty: April 8, 2006

It is in the f*****g information sheet that he got dismissed years ago. How in the hell did Info tolerate that lying information he received from the client? I stayed silent and waited for my co-assassins to react. I would definitely declare that they’re utterly dumb if they can’t see that obvious fact.

“He just climbed the ladder from being dirt poor to a Shadow in 10 years? I’ve been an assassin for 6 years now and I’m still a filthy Agent, what the he—”

“Please watch your mouth, Miss Strangler.” Mantis held his master’s back again, calming her. This Strangler’s showing too much of herself while she’s with us, hitmen.

“Well, I’m also in my 6th year in service and I’m still an Agent, too. So, please calm those punches of yours, as Info once said.” I smiled at Strangler even with my mask on, although out of annoyance. But since she’s just a lady with all the demands, I couldn’t judge for I think she’s almost in her mid-thirties already.

I stared at Mister Head-crusher’s picture. I couldn’t even think of how he climbed the hierarchy that fast. I don’t even want to know who did he kill and sacrifice just for the damned rank. He’s a monster. He’s surely a monster.

And I don’t have any f*****g plans to be eaten by a monster that old.