“I’ve always been a solo act, at least... but that's not important." Why was I flustered with the mountain? I shouldn’t have to explain myself to him, but the words kept flowing out of me before I could stop myself. "But I've never done anything more than a good old B&E. So no, I’m not entirely sure what it means. And since Dempsey said I should ask you any questions, I’m asking. What does this mean?”
With a look of disbelief and frustration running across his features, the man tried to rub them off with his hands before offering his reply. “That man has been interfering with the boss’ business for far too long. And we've been unable to get to him using conventional means. You present a new means by which to remove the thorn. So remove it."
I wasn’t intentionally trying to be thick... okay, maybe a little. But I wasn’t going to do any interpretation with this command. I needed to know exactly where I stood with Dempsey. I needed to know what my role was going to be. So I probed a little more. Dante’s expression changed to one of scorn. "You need to take steps to ensure that we never have to deal with him again.” When I continued to remain silent, Dante spat on the ground right behind him before asking me, “Do I need to spell it out for you?”
“I would genuinely appreciate it, yes.” I answered with a vigorous nod of my head.
Disgusted he spat on the ground again before replying. “Take him for a long walk on a short pier. Send him swimming with cement boots. Teach him to push up daisies. Am I being obvious enough for you now or do I need to draw you a picture?”
I couldn’t speak, but I managed to nod in Dante's general direction. Once I did, he quickly left me there on the loading dock. I was numb to the world and it was no longer due to my stay in Dempsey's frozen cell. No wonder the man had been so eager to get a hold of me. I had the potential to be the perfect assassin. I was someone who would never get caught, since I would never leave any evidence behind. I pulled the photo out of the envelope just enough to look down into Alexis’ blue green eyes and wondered if I could do what Dempsey was demanding of me. Would my struggle for my life mean anything if I had to turn into an assassin? Looking down into those joyous eyes I did nothing to stem the flow of tears
Chapter 17
It was good to be outside, with the moon and stars looking down on me. Despite the chilled air of night I was much warmer than I had been in Dempsey’s freezer. As I curled up in the shadows of one of the houses across the street from Alexis’ home, my mind was at war with itself. On the one hand I was trying very hard not to think too much, about anything, but most of all about the reason I was waiting here inside this patch of darkness. But every time I tried to push it out of my mind it came tumbling back into focus. I was here to assassinate someone.
There in the shadows I was still trying to rationalize what I was planning on doing. One part of my mind, my conscious, kept focusing upon the truth, I was here with every intention of ending a man’s life. But of course there was another part of my mind, which desperately wished to cling to life. My self-preservation side kept trying to convince my conscious half that this was Alexis’ own fault. Each time my conscious started to complain, it was pressed with a question. Why would you intentionally antagonize a monster like Dempsey? And with every repetition of these words I grew just a little more deaf to my sense of morals. It was a good argument, no good could ever come from that kind of fight; a fact that I was already learning first hand.
But just because I was growing deaf to its arguments, didn’t stop that other voice. Each time I heard the rationalization for my actions my fingers reached for the single envelope that I was carrying. And each time I opened the envelop I reached in and pulled the eight by ten photo from its confines and immediately flipped it over to double check the address on the backside. At least that was what I told myself I was doing, there was still just enough light left in the sky that I was able to confirm that address for the umpteenth time.
I knew why that voice inside my head kept turning my attention to the envelope, I just didn’t like it. But I also knew that I had to be honest with myself, especially with this. I wasn’t nervous or worried that I might have the wrong home, no in fact I had confirmed it far too many times by now to think I had mistaken the location. The real source of my unease was twofold, one was the real reason I kept pulling out the photograph, while the other was Dempsey’s readiness to take me in. Which of course only amplified my unease regarding the photo. That willingness was uncharacteristic from the man, the only common thread I had been able to pull from all of the rumors and stories was his ruthlessness. He displayed nothing else when dealing with people who crossed him, especially cheaters.