The HiT Series

by Margaret McHeyzer

  “You don’t know me that well,” I say, looking through the top kitchen drawer for pen and paper to write down the coordinates to my safe house in New York and the combination for the safe room.

  “Have you got any ideas about how you want to handle the brothel owners?” Ben asks.

  I look over at him and smile.

  “That’s your dangerous grin,” he says. A small, evil smirk slowly forms on his beautiful face.

  “I’m thinking that maybe I’d like some rats.”

  Mystery POV

  For years I’ve watched her, and for years I’ve made sure she’s safe. But I haven’t had to do much because there’s nothing that she can’t handle. She’s the toughest female I’ve ever known, and she can hold her own against almost anyone.

  I don’t like interfering in her business, because she needs to make her own way in life.

  Her sister though, she’s tough too, but has taken the wrong road.

  I want them to finally meet, and for each of them to know the other exists.

  My last wish before I die is for one to take over and rule, and for the other to stand beside her sister and help.

  That boy will be able to assist. He’s managed to hold his own secret all his life. He’s fought for that girl, killed for her, and I know he loves her.

  He’s a good companion for her.

  My girls are both tough, and can both stand on their own two feet.

  But now, I need to herd them in the direction I want them to go.

  First, I need her to know where Katsu Vang is, because watching him die will be as much fun for me as killing him will be for her.

  I’m looking forward to seeing what she can come up with for him. I really do enjoy the shows she puts on.

  She doesn’t know that I have a direct feed into her life. She’ll appreciate it when she finds out.

  Her sister may not be so accommodating.

  But they will take their rightful places.

  There’s no one else I would trust this to.

  No one comes close.

  Only my two girls.

  Anna

  I watch as Ben hugs his sister and she gets into the car that Agent arranged for her.

  Emily’s leaving today. Agent is sneaking her out of the country. Unfortunately Australia’s facial recognition software has made leaving the country much more difficult for us.

  By sneaking, I really mean it.

  Emily is leaving on a chartered plane that’s taking off from some small rural area of New South Wales. It’s a half-day trip to the airstrip via car, and tonight she’ll be on the plane and on her way back to the States.

  That leaves Ben and me exactly eight hours to get to the whorehouse, and kill the Madam and her family.

  Doctor’s at a hotel, waiting for the okay to leave. Between Ben and me, we should have this situation taken care of quite quickly.

  Last night, Ben and I went over the plan, called Agent to organize supplies, and he had them waiting at the house the moment the sun rose.

  Now it’s time to play.

  Man, this is going to be fun.

  “You ready?” I ask as I check the ammunition in one of the Glocks Agent sent.

  “I am,” Ben says as he packs the duffel bag. “Just out of curiosity, are you going to replace your gold guns? I know someone that can get new ones for you.” I look up at him and he smirks.

  “I did have someone else I was dealing with, but maybe I’ll take you up on that. But I’m not sure I want gold anymore. That’s so last season, maybe I’ll get platinum guns this time.” I check the rounds in the last Glock and tuck the gun into the back of my waistband.

  “You’re such a girl,” Ben teases.

  All the weapons have been checked. Everything’s good to go.

  “Give me ten,” I say to Ben as I walk into the room I detoxed in.

  I sit cross legged on the bed and close my eyes, trying to center myself and find the internal strength that I’ll need to get through today.

  It’s been thirteen days since Ben rescued me from those people, and I’ve fought a war inside myself every moment since. I’m still desperate for a taste of heroin, craving the feeling of it coursing through my veins, filling the emptiness.

  My mind’s clouded by want.

  A strong desire for a man-made toxin.

  Get it together, Anna. You need to focus.

  A cool, calming feeling washes over my body, covering me in a fine dusting of goose bumps.

  They had choices, and they made them. They could have chosen not to inject me with more heroin, causing the dependency to grow. They could have heeded my warnings when I told them not to. But they didn’t. They deliberately addicted me.

  They had the upper hand at the time, and I was helpless. Now I’m the one who has control.

  It’s time they know what they did to me, what they do to all those other girls, is not acceptable.

  They need to be held accountable for their actions, and I’m just the enforcer to make sure they settle up.

  Yes, they’ll pay the penalty with their lives.

  I snap my eyes open, and I can feel the resolution slowly creeping back into me.

  The power I once held is flooding back into my veins, my bones, and my entire being.

  They’ll be my first kills in a while, and I’m going to take my time, savor every second of it.

  I get off the bed, straighten my back, lift my chin to stand proud and tall.

  I walk out to the kitchen where Ben is leaning against the kitchen island counter looking at his phone.

  With tunnel vision, I walk over to him, focusing on his lips. I grab his t-shirt, ball it in my fists and bring his mouth down on mine.

  He’s momentarily stunned. His lips don’t part for a split second as I force my tongue into his mouth, demanding this heated union between us, making him accept me even though I’ve taken him by surprise.

  He groans into my mouth and I absorb his cry of pleasure as our lips move together. Our tongues lap at each other, tracing a delicate dance and our breath becomes one.

  His hands go to my ass and his grip is almost painful, but so fucking sexy. I want it harder. I want the hurt; I want the heat.

  “More,” I moan. My hands grab the back of his t-shirt and bring him closer to me.

  There’s a subtle exchange of power. I want him, but we also have a job to get done and I know he’ll let me take the lead.

  I pull back from his warmth, and stare into his heavily hooded, dark eyes.

  “Damn,” he says as he runs his thumb over his lips, savoring our kiss.

  Smiling at him, I take a deep breath and find that edge I’ve always had. I’m not going to turn into one of those pussy women now. You know the type…the ones who follow their man around like a lap dog and are too intimidated by him to say shit. I’m not one of those women who think I’m not good enough for my man, that I need to remain subservient to keep him.

  I’m one of those women that other women hate because I’m so self-assured and arrogant.

  “We have a job to do, but I just had to kiss you.” I turn my back and look one last time through the duffel.

  “And I’m glad you did. I’ve missed you so much.”

  “Don’t turn into that gentle and loving man you once were. I fell in love with him, but now I need a partner.” I don’t raise my head as I deliver those words.

  “Well, I fucking did,” Ben mumbles under his breath, but still loud enough for me to hear.

  I can’t help but let a smile form as I search for the tiny implement I’ll need most when we get to the whorehouse.

  I pull the small scalpel out of the bottom of the bag, check the lid’s on securely and put it in my pocket.

  I’m probably not going to need the Glock today, but I’ll keep it with me just in case.

  And my delivery of thirty furry little friends should arrive there in three hours. That gives me a few hours to play.

  I smile.

  Damn,
I love this part of my job.

  I turn to look at Ben. He’s seen this look of concentration on my face before, the tense face of concentration and determination.

  He straightens his back and knows that from here on in, I will demand excellence and nothing less will do.

  Ben picks up the duffel and looks at me, waiting for direction. In this union, as assassin and arms dealer, I’m the alpha. I’m the one with the knowledge and training; I’m the one who will call the shots.

  And Ben is well aware of that. He’ll follow my orders.

  “Let’s go,” I say. I walk toward the front door, not stopping to check whether Ben is behind me.

  We drive to the whorehouse in complete silence.

  This is the time I need to review the plan and what I know about what we’ll find there, make sure no one is following us, and descend into the zone. The place in my head where nothing but perfection and dedication are welcome.

  I’ve reached the absolute moment, where clarity blooms and my training kicks in.

  We park one block away and get out of the car. Ben takes the duffel and I stand watch over the environment.

  You can make the most precise and ordered plans, but if a police car drives past you and you behave suspiciously, then you’re screwed and all the planning is thrown out the window. Unless, of course, you’re prepared to eliminate anyone who stands in your way.

  So I need to have my assassin’s intuition engaged at all times, to know what’s around the corner, and prepare for it.

  I hit Agent’s number. It rings twice before his voice comes through my Bluetooth.

  “Glad to know you’re back to normal,” he says with a small hint of humor in his voice.

  “Don’t you go soft on me too.”

  He chuckles. “You’re clear to the house. I’ve disconnected their phones, and all CCTV around the area is on a loop. You have plenty of time,” Agent says in his clear voice.

  “Thanks.”

  “The rats should be there in exactly two hours and forty-five minutes.”

  I touch my Bluetooth and the call’s disconnected.

  “Let’s play,” I say to Ben with a smile as we head in the direction of the house. “Earpiece working?”

  Ben nods.

  “Yours?” he asks.

  I wink at him and smile.

  Even though I’m eager for revenge, walking back into this place isn’t my idea of fun.

  What I’m going to do to them, though…well, that’s going to thrill me to bits.

  “You go through the front, and I’ll go around the back. You know what to do, as we planned last night.”

  Ben looks at me and smiles. I’m impressed with that evil smirk. He’s going to get a taste of my lifestyle and never want to leave it. It’s so liberating to live without rules.

  He simply nods and waits for me to disappear around the back of the building.

  I pull my gun and flatten myself against the old red bricks, waiting for whomever to come out the back.

  “Ready,” I whisper to Ben.

  “Going in,” he whispers back to me.

  My heartbeat increases, the blood in my body pumps with excitement and a renewed feeling of invigoration takes over every nerve ending in my body.

  This is what it’s all about for me, the buzz and the ecstasy of anticipation. Knowing that I’m stronger, faster, and more skilled than anyone who will come through the back door.

  Not only that, I’m armed.

  And I don’t – won’t – hesitate to pull the trigger.

  Thirty-six seconds and the door flies open. Out comes the fat daughter who finger fucked me, looking behind her as she busts through the door.

  She’s greeted with my gun to her head, and my smiling face.

  “Fuck,” she breathes through a long and defeated sigh.

  “Hello. It’s so nice to see you again.”

  “I suppose you’re here to kill me,” she says without a hint of hope in her voice.

  “Nope, I’m not going to kill you.”

  I nudge her back inside with the gun. “Hands laced together on the back of your head, and walk into the office,” I instruct her. She cups her head and walks as slowly as possible back to the dreary office.

  When we get inside, Ben has the owners, Veronica and Alva standing with their hands up against the wall and their legs spread wide open.

  “You’re not a cop anymore.” I laugh and shake my head as I continue pushing Chastity further into the room.

  “You,” the devil spits angrily.

  She has a black patch over one eye and her husband has his hand bandaged up.

  He looks over his shoulder at me, and the glare he sends my way is clearly supposed to scare me.

  It doesn’t. It’s more amusing than anything else.

  “They’ll be here soon,” he says to me through a tight, clenched jaw.

  “Oh, really? And who are they?” I ask as I motion to Chastity to join her fucked up parents against the wall.

  “Katsu. His men will be here soon. I pressed send on my phone, it goes directly to his men, and they’re coming here for him.” He nods over at Ben.

  I press the button on my Bluetooth. Agent answers immediately.

  “The call didn’t go through. I disconnected it at the source. But I did get a location on the phone they were calling,” he says before I even ask him. “You have two hours and thirty minutes before your furry friends arrive. Get a move on, 15.”

  I touch the Bluetooth disconnecting the call.

  Smiling and silent, I lean up against the desk. I let the atmosphere become thick with fear and dread. I can see the growing uneasiness coursing through their bodies as they fidget and shuffle on the spot, sweating and breathing shallowly.

  A stifling silence encompasses the room, suffocating the three of them in worry and apprehension.

  “If you’re after money, we’ll give you however much you want,” the devil says as it dawns on her that the call might not bring the cavalry in time.

  She turns to look at me over her shoulder, waiting for my reply. “Fuck, take it all,” she blurts.

  I lower my chin and look at her from beneath my eyelashes. The small, eager, hopeful smile slowly fades from her ugly face.

  She knows I’m not going away while she’s still breathing.

  “Sure,” I say, totally surprising her.

  “Take however much you want. The safe is over there,” she points behind Ben, who’s been completely stoic during this exchange.

  “Combination?” I ask and indicate for Ben to open the small safe sitting in the corner.

  “I’ll open it,” she says as she goes to move.

  I shake my head, keeping her rooted to the spot as I point the gun toward her heifer daughter. She freezes and looks at her daughter with her one good eye.

  I see her struggle to swallow and take a visibly distressing breath.

  “60 left, 45 right, 35 left.”

  Ben gives me his gun, and I point them both at the daughter, silent but hoping that Veronica takes that first step so I can kill her offspring in front of her.

  She turns around, not willing to risk my wrath.

  Oh, this really is fun.

  I’m putting the fear of God into them, slowly but surely building their dread to a crescendo, the moment they know absolutely that they’re about to be truly fucked over, Anna style.

  Ben turns the dial on the safe and opens it. From inside he pulls out wads of green stacks, hundred-dollar bills, along with bundles of yellow fifty-dollar bills, and a small black box.

  I know what’s in there, because it’s identical to the one she hides in her desk.

  “Open that,” I instruct Ben as he shoves the money into our duffel bag.

  The black box is filled with satchels of my natural enemy.

  I feel my body pulling me toward it, a hungry yearning for a taste trying to weaken my resolve to stay clean.

  My mind screams at me, telling me to hold on with every
ounce of strength I have, but my body betrays my mind. The blood inside me warms with exhilaration as my eyes send the image to my brain and my brain responds with a cruel fierceness.

  “The whore wants a taste,” the devil says, smirking, as she reads the reaction my body is radiating.

  Her words abruptly yank me out of the pit that I was fighting to escape.

  I look at her, and her cynical stare sparks a cold, angry rage throughout my body.

  Keeping my eyes on her demonic face and one gun pointed at her daughter, I move my right arm and without looking, let one single bullet loose from the chamber.

  The sound calms me. The small kick from the Glock sends an electrifying wave of pleasure straight through me.

  Her husband falls to the ground, half his head removed from his neck. His brain is splattered all over his daughter and the Madam. The wall behind where his head once sat is colored in grey and red bits, sliding toward the floor.

  The daughter is screaming; the madam is crying. And I’m in my element.

  “Sorry, what did you say about me?” I ask calmly as I tilt my head and smile at the devil.

  “Who are you?” she asks between sobs.

  “You may have heard of me before. My professional name is...” I draw the pause out, letting her feel every bit of fear, “…15.”

  The madam’s expression falls, her mouth pops open to form an O and her shoulders completely slump.

  “Chastity, darling,” she says as she looks at her daughter with anguish on her face. Chastity stops crying and looks at her mom.

  “Yeah, Mum,” she says in her Australian accent.

  “I love you, baby.”

  She knows now exactly who I am and what I’m capable of.

  Anna

  We’re down in the dungeon that I was in when Ben rescued me, and I walk around the Madam and her disgusting pig of a daughter.

  They’re lying on the floor, parallel to each other and a few feet apart. Their arms are stretched above their heads, cuffed and chained to the wall. The inside leg of each is cuffed together and their outside legs are spread wide and chained to the eye bolts on the opposing walls.

  They’re spread eagled with only a little give in their arms and no slack in their legs.