Chapter 61: App
His haven was school. It was an odd, highly ironic thought. However, school was the one location where he felt reasonably safe amid the turmoil and violence that plagued his life.
In the shadowy alleys and deserted homes, his adversaries worked. They had not yet ventured to attack him in his high school’s bright, crowded hallways. A temporary ceasefire in a war he was fighting alone, it was a neutral zone. He needed to get there.
Assassin Five let out a long slow sigh a sound of finality. "Alright" he said. "I’ll tell you what you want to know. I’m only doing this because you promised us a painless death."
Adam was genuinely surprised. He had been planning on giving them a quick death anyway. The threat of torture was just an empty-handed gambit. He hadn’t expected it to work so well. It seemed even professional killers feared pain more than death. His bluff had paid off. It was a welcome bonus a silver lining on a very dark cloud. He nodded his head once a silent agreement to the terms.
Assassin Four (4) listened to this exchange his mind completely numb. The reality of his situation was finally sinking in. This was it. This was his last day on earth. Tears started to well up in his eyes.
They traced clean paths through the grime on his face. He didn’t sob. He didn’t beg. He just sat there bound to a chair in a stranger’s kitchen and wept silently for the life he was about to lose.
Assassin Five completely ignored his partner’s breakdown. He was a professional to the very end. His focus was on the transaction. Information for a clean death.
"We got the assignment to kill you two days ago" he began his voice a calm monotone. "We had a plan to take you out yesterday evening. But you disappeared. You didn’t show up outside the school. You didn’t come home. We even planted a bomb on your front door. Set to detonate the moment it was opened. But that didn’t work either. You never came."
He paused. Adam listened intently. The mention of the bomb confirmed what he had experienced in a previous loop. It was a chilling reminder of how close he had come to death.
"Then late last night we got a tip" Assassin Five continued. Adam leaned in slightly his curiosity piqued. This was new information. This was what he needed to know.