60. A Meeting Between Killers
A Meeting Between Killers
“Welcome back, Lucien. It has been a while.”
That voice was owned by the very person who had been on the other end of the phone, whose fingers had written countless anonymous letters detailing precisely how people were to meet their end. And the one… who had tasked him to kill Kate.
Will Anderson stood in front of him now.
Burn marks covered half of his employer’s face, permanently marked by a fire that had taken place during his own time as a hitman. Around one of his piercing blue eyes was nothing but mangled skin, an eyebrow long since lost to the flames.
Lucien had dared ask him about it once, during his late teenage years. The only response he’d gotten was a proud, ‘you should see the other guy.’
The man now extended his scar-littered hand towards Lucien.
He took it without hesitation, their eyes catching. Will, he knew, would be searching for the truth in his gaze. Was known to dig out traitors as easily as a hunting dog could find its prey.
Luckily, he wasn’t one to shy away from a challenge.
Lucien raised an eyebrow toward the grey hairs starting to show in what had once been jet-black hair. “Too long, boss, too long.”
Will snorted in amusement but kept a hold of his hand. Long past a courteous greeting, he pulled Lucien closer, slapping an arm around his shoulders.
“Indeed it has been. Now I wish it wouldn’t be under these circumstances, but…
” He piped up, escorting Lucien closer to a long table sat in the middle of the room.
“I’m sure you will be able to clarify and we can all leave this in the past.” A firm squeeze followed around his shoulders.
And Will’s expression showed a promise of what would happen if he was unable to make it crystal clear, today.
You. Clarify. Max has gotten to him alright. Lucien bobbed his head once in curt confirmation. “Of course, sir. This all has been nothing but a witch hunt, if I’m honest.”
Which he wasn’t.
“Good. Sit, eat a cookie.” Will waved to the table, encompassing the light brown, round cookies with happy blue sprinkles on them that lay haphazard on a China plate. “Enjoy.”
Lucien pulled out a chair, wincing at the screeching the legs brought forth over the wooden flooring. He slid down in it, ignoring the cookies to focus on his fellow colleagues who worked in the field of death.
Trey had followed him here, kept the tapping of his shoes to himself as he too sat back in a chair, stiffly leaning against the backrest. If the instinct that had been keeping him alive all these years was right, there was little risk of Trey betraying him.
Unless his friend would be put directly on the spot.
Let’s hope I’m not wrong. It would make tonight… messy at best.
“Como estas, hombre?” Emilio sank down into the chair next to him with a beaming smile.
Joyous as always, aside from the tinge of warning resting in the depths of his amber eyes.
Two of them knew. Two of them that would need to lie, or rather omit the truth tonight.
And then there was Daniel, sitting upright in his high-backed chair.
Another colleague. He wasn’t exactly close with the grey-eyed man.
But at least, he kept himself out of most things called trouble.
One less nose to sniff around in Lucien’s affairs.
Max was yet to appear, and would do so with befitting drama no doub—
The twin doors slammed against the walls, Trey winced over the overwhelming ruckus.
While Emilio leaned back, weaving his hands together above his head as they all turned to see Max enter.
The hulk of a man strode to the table, biceps flexing as he shrugged off his burgundy Super Dry vest, showing the rippling muscles beneath.
“Must you always enter with such flair?” Trey remarked.
Max’s gaze slid from Lucien, narrowing slightly on him before moving to Trey, a grin already forming. “My man, I got to stay ahead of all the beauties surrounding this table.” A dirty wink followed. “Besides, I’ve just secured myself a date for tonight, and I am feeling so ready for it.”
Every man laughed, including the two bulging security guards who were keeping watch over Will, as he too settled himself at the head of the table.
Everyone but Lucien. He managed to utter a polite chuckle while swallowing acid.
The date the bloodhound had scored would be lucky if she survived the evening.
It was a piece of knowledge that had never sat well with him.
“But, don’t let me ruin tonight’s festivities.
” Max rubbed his hands together, glee practically dripping from his whole posture.
“Last I heard we were here to… catch the latest news, Lucy.” He bumped into Lucien’s chair before taking place beside him.
Placing his elbows on the table. “What have you got for us?”
“Cut it out, Max. I don’t feel particularly keen on having your blood cleaned off the walls tonight. We all know Lucien has a temper.” Will said it with mirth in his voice, but the death stare he sent Max was meant to get his point across.
The latter put his hands up in a show of defeat. “Alright boss, just…” He rocked back on his chair, slamming his booted feet down on the table like a child. “Don’t be too sure of who would walk away from that encounter.”
Will smiled cruelly. “As much as I would love to see you go toe to toe, clawing each other’s eyes out is not quite contributive to the cause, I’m afraid. Also, remove those shoes from my table before the night will end with the type of festivities I enjoy.”
Max had the good sense to shudder in his seat, removing his boots from the table as if struck by lightning. Yes, their boss was quite known for his skills with a skinning knife as well as other pain-inducing ‘fun’ tools.
“Now all that is settled.” Will heaved a heavy sigh, as if he was being surrounded by a bunch of screaming kids.
“We all know why we are here tonight. A girl, or rather a woman, seems to have disappeared off the face of this Earth. Since we all know that is rather impossible, I do wonder.” Will leaned forward, interlocking his fingers. “What the hell went wrong?”
Lucien saw Max’s mouth open but cut the man off.
Ignoring the dirty look thrown his way. “I was informed that the assignment was meant to involve five individuals, all of whom needed to die on Christmas in what had to look like an accident. That is what I orchestrated. Only later was I informed that there was a sixth individual who should have found her death that same night. But there is no need to… question where she is anymore.”
“Meaning?” Will leaned forward even more, eager to hear more.
“Well,” Lucien let the plan float around his mind, mulling over the words in his brain once more before he spoke them out loud. Knowing there would be no going back after. He reached for a cookie on the table and delicately sniffed it. “Anyone know if these are vegan?”
Lucien clocked the tiny smirk that threatened to break through on Daniel’s face. But Will’s remaining eyebrow lifted. “For your sake, I hope you’re joking.”
“Of course, boss.” He put the cookie back on the table, wiping his hands on his black pants before steepling his fingers together in front of his face, uttering his own damnation. “I buried her.”
Silence fell. Trey’s eyelids fell shut the second the words had left his mouth, knowing damn well what his friend was doing. Meanwhile the others turned to Lucien in shock, all but one. Daniel merely tilted his head slightly while remaining as silent and stoic as always.
But all Lucien could see was blue eyes staring up at the sky.
No expression was left in them. Sweat coated his entire body as he shoveled and shoveled in the frozen ground.
While his heart had been pounding painfully in his chest, not from the hard work but from what he had to do.
In order to save the woman still breathing.
For he had been a witness to the machines going black. To a life lost. He’d signed off on her death. Killed her. And… had desecrated her resting place. Had used Isabel’s death to his own gain.
To Kate’s gain.
“You what?!” Max yelled, disbelief raw on his reddening face. “You told me she walked out on the Christmas table!”
“And she did. But unlike you I have done my due diligence. I found her. A couple of days ago, her run from us is officially… over.”
And with that, Kate should be safe.
“Then why, pray tell?” Max was practically fuming now, but Will merely kept his eyes narrowed tightly on Lucien while Max asked. “Why didn’t you just come out and say it?!”
“Because you needed to realize the gravity of your mistake. I simply meant for it to linger longer… lest you forgot.” Lucien leaned back in his chair, knowing he’d unleash the beast. “I hope you’ve learned your lesson.”
The bloodhound was up and in his face within a second, his hand going to the gun by his side on instinct. “You motherf—”
“Enough!” Balled fists hit the table. Will. “Max you will refrain from spouting the first words coming to mind, and Lucien… you… I don’t even know what to say right now. This whole show could have been avoided.”
Lucien hadn’t moved an inch since Max had shot up like a rabid dog. Merely regarding the man with contempt. “It could have been avoided entirely had my loyalty not been questioned.”
He was pushing it now. But there should be no doubt on Will’s mind or she still wouldn’t be safe.
“Your loyalty?” It was a mere whisper crossing his boss’s mouth, lips curling in barely contained anger.
“You and you,” he jerked his head to Max.
“have been playing around in goddamn pissing contests instead of doing what I pay you for. That girl should have stopped breathing months ago! If you had…” His balled fist relaxed on the table.
“I would have been able to sleep at night.”
So that was the reason for the bags under his eyes, the unkempt hair. All eyes were on the boss now, silenced by his outburst.
“Will.” It was the first time Lucien had spoken his name tonight. “What exactly is it with this assignment that has you this ill at ease?” How deep in shit did I bury myself?
“Nothing but a mistake of the past.” He ran a hand through his hair, attempting to flatten it while whispering, “something that I thought handled already. Instead it continued to plague me. But.” He fixed Lucien with a stare.
“You say you ended it. Good. I need only hear from one more person. Trey.”
Lucien fought the instinct to shrink back.
Plan, all part of the plan.
“You have been monitoring Lucien’s house over the past three days.
” Lucien’s head whipped to Trey, forcing shock in his eyes.
“State what you saw and Trey… I know you and Lucien are close, but I would see to it that the words you speak now are truthful. Consider it a test of… loyalty. If that is indeed where we wish to stray to tonight.”
“I thought I had proven myself over the years. If you continue with this crusade, with this breach on my privacy… Will,” Lucien shook his head. “I must say I don’t know where this will end. Whatever happened to taking people on their word?”
“You happened.” Max hissed.
“Max.” Will had raised a hand. “Had it been any other matter, Lucien I would have taken your word for it, no question. Now Trey, do enlighten us.”
The latter flashed Lucien an apologetic glance and coughed, clearing his throat while deciding on who was to live or die tonight.
But instead, his colleague tried a different route. “Sir, if I may, before I share more, are we certain we want to go there?”
Max’s face split into a sneer. “That’s rich coming from his BFF. Always looking out for him aren’t you?”
The elegant man waved his hand in agitation.
Not one to be in the center of attention.
“No, Max, I’m thinking about all of us, the actions we take set a precedent to those aware of our movements.
Pretty soon it will be possible to pry into anyone we ‘dislike’, then where will we be?
” His hand fell to his sides, conveniently showing he was armed.
“Surely you like your privacy, knowing your favorite pastimes.”
Daniel and Emilio nodded along to his train of thought while Max snorted. “You, my friend are always welcome to join right in on the fun.”
“Worries for later, Trey.” Their employer glanced at him, the threat obvious in his whole posture. “Spit it out. Now.”
“Fine.” His foot tapped against the floor once. “I have not seen anything remotely suspicious telling me Lucien is hoarding the girl.”
“None the wiser?” Will asked.
“None.” Trey glanced between his boss and Lucien. “I assure you.”
Lucien crossed his arms in front of him in a show of confidence. While on the inside his blood was roaring, so close. So close to sure death. But his colleague, no, his friend. Had put his own life on the line. His credibility. Something he would never forget.
“Now that is settled, I take it I can leave?” He blurted out the words, annoyance lining every syllable.
“Not yet, Lucien. Max… show me you can contain yourself. I wish for the grave to be visited as soon as possible. Gentlemen, put those muscles to good use, dig her up, verify it’s her, and let’s be done with this madness. The damage of tonight will have to be dealt with after.”
If it ever could be undone. Because if he hadn’t in fact saved Kate’s life, tonight would have shattered any and all loyalty to Will.
Emilio stiffened in his seat, Trey’s eyes closed again. The only signs they’d show. But none of them knew the lengths he had gone to.
Max nodded his head. “If you will, sir, I think I’m going to need that date of mine.” He held Lucien’s gaze. “To ease the feeling.”
“Fine. You are all free to leave.” Chairs scraped over the flooring as every killer but Max scrambled to escape the tension.
But Will’s voice rang out once more. “Lucien… Do not ever play such games again, if you value your life.”