The HiT Series

by Margaret McHeyzer

“Where are we going?” I ask the old, gray-haired guy.

  “Why in such a hurry, Anna Brookes?” the old guy asks.

  Fuck me!

  He knows who I am.

  Instantly I become defensive, straightening my back and looking to strike before my assailant can attack me.

  “You don’t listen, my dear. I’m not here to hurt you,” he says again, lifting both his hands up in surrender.

  The pilot chuckles loud enough to come through the head phones, making me look between the two men.

  “Who the fuck are you?” I demand.

  “I’m a friend, and I am here to help you find an enemy. One who has wronged you, and who does not know who you are. A man I will enjoy watching you kill.”

  “Katsu,” I say in a hushed tone.

  “Yes, my dear Anna. Katsu Vang. He is in hiding, and I will…. how you say it? доставить его на блюдечке с голубой каемочкой.” He laughs at his own words. I can feel my eyebrows knitting together as my annoyance builds. “I say, I will deliver him to you on silver platter.” He chuckles again.

  “Why? What do you want in return?”

  Ben puts his hand on my thigh, and when I look over at him, he shakes his head discreetly.

  I didn’t even realize I was leaning forward, on the edge of my seat and inching closer to the old man, my hands balled into fists, ready to pound his fucking head in.

  “I want nothing. I just want you to know where he hides.”

  “Why?”

  “I like to help the people who matter.” He turns to look forward, almost disregarding me.

  “Why do I matter?” I ask.

  “Because you, my dear, are very important to me. As is your sister.”

  My what?!

  I’ve got a sister? Where the hell did she come from? How is she my sister? My mother, Natalia, took off after I was born.

  Unless…

  She must be my half-sister.

  The air in my lungs leaves in one long whoosh as I fall back in my seat. My eyes fall to the seat in front of me and focus on the intricate gray stitching in the leather. My mind is completely empty of all thoughts save one.

  I have a sister.

  “Anna…Anna…” Ben half yells into the cans to get my attention.

  “I’ve got a sister?” I say in a small whisper.

  “Yes, my dear, you have a sister. Very pretty, just like you,” the old man says.

  “Who is she?” I ask as my eyes snap up to find his deep brown orbs staring at me. “And who the fuck are you?” I ask again, with more heat in my voice.

  “A friend, a very good one. Now we are going to take you to the Philippines. There you will find who you are searching for. I have organized for you to have any supplies you want. You have your inside man, da?”

  Fuck, he knows everything about me.

  “The man you call Agent. He always helps you. He’s a good man, nyet?”

  “Of course he’s good; I pay him to be the best.”

  “He will look after you too then. Here, my dear, you must be thirsty and hungry. You too, Ben. Here you go,” he says as he hands us bottles of water and sandwiches.

  The bottle cap’s seal hasn’t been broken, and the sandwich is wrapped tightly in plastic. But I’ve been caught out before. Lukas drugged me while I was training, back when I was fifteen years old. I certainly won’t be caught in the same predicament.

  Ben looks at me as I lower the offered sustenance and follows my lead by putting it on the bench seat beside him.

  “Not hungry? Or perhaps you think I drug you? Give me sandwich and water back. You very smart woman.”

  I hand the offering back to him and a slight touch to his hand tells me all I need to know.

  That serpent-bite sense, the one where ice forms in my blood to tell me impending doom is near, isn’t activated.

  He cracks open the lid and sips my water, then unwraps the sandwich and takes a bite. “Now your turn, Ben.”

  He repeats the process and hands the water and sandwiches back, showing us they’re safe.

  Ben looks at me, and I nod my head once, as I take a bite of the food.

  I welcome the sandwich. We haven’t eaten for close to thirty hours. I hadn’t eaten for a long time before that. We’re devouring these pissy little sandwiches like we’re starving people – and we are.

  “You two rest now. We take you to Philippines and tell you where to find that beast. Then we go to America and find men who hurt children too. They will suffer,” he says with a wide smile.

  “No,” I yell into the cans. “They must die by my hand, not yours.”

  “But I kill them tomorrow. You not get there ‘til much later.”

  “No,” I say again, this time my voice is hard and deadly. “If you want to help, you’ll get them ready for me. Take them off the streets and lock them up with only bare minimum food and water. The more dehydrated they are when I get to them; the more my methods will hurt.”

  There’s something going on here. Although I don’t know his name, who he is, or even what he wants, I know I can trust him. There’s just something about him, something almost familiar I can’t quite grasp that tells me we’re safe with him.

  “What do you know about Katsu Vang?” I ask as I relax back into my seat and take another drink of water.

  “He is hiding from all the wrath your Agent brought on him. Yakuza believe he deceived them and he is hiding in the province of Mindanao.”

  Ben looks at me and his eyebrows furrow together. He opens his mouth to say something, but stops before he lets anything slip out.

  A few minutes pass and Ben looks even more confused, “Mindanao? Are you sure?” he asks the old man.

  “Da, I’m sure, why you question me?” he replies, ruffled.

  “I’m just surprised. Because if he was hiding in Mindanao, the militants would have captured and tortured him by now. They don’t take kindly to Japanese since the occupation back between 1942 and 1945. The Japanese were cruel and inhumane to the Filipinos, so now they hate them with passion.”

  My eyes are glued to Ben, where the fuck did that come from?

  “Da, you are right. He is not hiding in Mindanao, but I make sure Yakuza think he is. He is in the province of Antique, in a village called Hamtic, hiding in a hut near the hills.”

  “How do you know this?” I ask him.

  “Let us say I have friends. I know he is hiding from everyone, but he expects Yakuza, not you. They too will find him, very soon. You need to make sure you deal with him before they do. Your punishment will be worse than anything they will give him, and this is what I want.”

  I look out the window and notice the blue ribbons of the sea close below us. We’re flying low to the ocean, the altitude enough to tell me the pilot doesn’t want to be detected. Neither do I.

  The sea seems to go on forever. There’s no sign of land nearby. In this almost claustrophobic aircraft, my mind is still focused on one thought.

  I have a sister.

  I have no idea what she looks like, how old she is, or even what country she lives in.

  Why did our mother Natalia, or her husband Lincoln, the man who wanted me dead, not tell me about my sister? If Lincoln knew, he would surely have tortured me with his knowledge.

  So she’s obviously not his, which means Natalia had her at some stage after Henry, but before Lincoln.

  Lincoln told me Natalia was a strung-out junky who’d attacked him with a spoon in order to kill him. I wonder if she had her while she was a heroin addict.

  “Please,” I say into the cans and catch the attention of both Ben and Gray-haired Old Man. “Tell me about my sister,” I almost whisper. On one hand I want desperately to know, but I’m afraid of what I’ll discover.

  “Your sister isn’t like you. She’s different.”

  “How so?” I ask as Ben puts his hand on my thigh, providing support.

  “She does things in her way.”

  “What
does that even mean?” I look at Gray-haired Old Man, expecting an answer.

  “You will see soon,” he answers cryptically. “Now you must rest, because soon we will leave you in Antique and you must find Katsu. Please, record it on your telephone when you do kill him. I want to see you work first hand.” He nods at me, a menacing, deadly smile pulling his lips tight.

  I lean back against the seat again, closing my eyes for a moment.

  The old man has given me nothing, except Katsu Vang. He says my sister and I are important to him, but it appears he’s as much of a sadist as I am. Obviously he’s not opposed to torture, because clearly he knows who I am and what I do, and he’s a fan.

  With my eyes shut, I think about my sister.

  Sister…

  Sister…

  Sister…

  Sis…

  Anna

  We’ve been in Antique for three days, just laying low and catching our breath after the major clusterfuck that preceded our arrival here.

  The old man wouldn’t tell me who he is, or even who my sister is. But he gave me a number to call when Ben and I are ready to come back to the States.

  I don’t need his help for that. I’ve quietly snuck in and out of countries since I made my mark in this world thirteen years ago.

  I’ll certainly be calling him to find out where those pedophiles are, so I can finish that bit of business.

  But for now, Ben and I have been gathering supplies and have found Katsu’s hut.

  He’s been holed up in a shitty little bungalow at the base of the mountains, trying to blend in, remaining quiet and keeping to himself.

  Last night, Ben and I followed him into the local village. He got some food and wandered back to his bungalow.

  Tonight the sky in the distance is black with clouds. But at the very bottom, near the horizon, it also holds the last beautiful golden-red hue of sunset, making it lovely to look at.

  And absolutely brilliant to work under. There’s a stillness in the air, a calming, tranquil mist clings with determination to the ground.

  As soon as it’s fully dark, Ben and I dress in the blacks we bought here on the island and quietly go about our preparations to end Katsu’s life.

  Ben silently watches as I check over the supplies. I take everything out of the duffel, and meticulously ensure I have spares of almost everything. Katsu will die tonight, by my hand alone.

  “Do you need anything else?” Ben asks as I eye the tools – of fun or torture, depending on who’s looking at them.

  “Give me ten.”

  I walk over to the double bed and sit on the edge.

  Closing my eyes, I begin my ritual. Centering, calming, becoming completely in tune with myself and my surroundings.

  The familiar wave of clarity is welcome; the desire to kill a monster beats through my body with an exciting thrum.

  I’m hyperaware of movements happening around me. I hear a scurry of small feet outside the window, possibly a native animal. Ben’s breathing as he stands beside the duffel watching me. My eyes are closed, but I can certainly feel him. I know he’s there, just waiting for me. Outside, a bird makes an annoying screeching sound, calling to its mate, waiting for a reply.

  I open my eyes and immediately search for my partner. He stands tall and awaits my command. His stance is protective, yet reserved.

  “Let’s play,” I say as I stand from the bed.

  A buzz travels the length of my body; I’m eager to end this now. Katsu has caused too much devastation to live. He’s caused me pain and suffering. And for that, he must die.

  Without realizing it, Ben and I have fallen into a routine. Ben takes the duffel and we leave.

  This is how it has to be. Although Ben is an arms dealer, I’m the one who’s been trained to kill someone without batting an eye.

  My pleasure, my joy, is to watch someone die who truly deserves it. To watch them breathe their last breath, and know I’ve caused their end – my absolute fucking pleasure.

  We walk through the small community without notice, carrying only the duffel containing everything I need.

  After a fifteen-minute walk, we’re crouched behind tall trees, hiding outside his hut. There’s no man-made noise, only the sounds of nature echoing through the land.

  Softly, calmly, just a whisper of wind touches our skin, reminding us the heat and humidity and the nighttime mists they generate here are our friends.

  Well…maybe not for Katsu.

  “You go around the back, and I’ll take the front. Remember the plan,” I whisper to Ben as he nods once to me.

  Silence envelops me as I watch Ben sneak around the back of Katsu’s hut.

  I feel that extraordinary anticipation of a hit’s impending death via torture.

  I’ll be doing some of my finest work tonight, and Katsu will be on the receiving end of it all.

  “In place,” Ben whispers through the Bluetooth.

  I stand from my hiding spot, and stealthily cross the few yards to the door of Katsu’s hut.

  I steady myself, calm my heart rate to no more than a constant, strong purr.

  “I’m going in,” Ben says no louder than a sigh.

  I hear the back door burst open, and a small yell of surprise.

  Within seconds, the front door flies open and I come face to face with the man who sold me.

  His eyes widen. The muscles in his face tighten, and his mouth drops open as he gasps and looks into my eyes.

  I can just imagine what he’s seeing. A woman scorned, perhaps? A ghost from his past? Or possibly, the cold-hearted assassin I am.

  “Katsu,” I sweetly greet him as I jab a syringe filled with a paralytic agent into his neck. I watch as it quickly goes through his system, and he collapses a mere foot away from me.

  Ben hooks his hands under Katsu’s limp arms and drags him back into the hut. I follow, my eyes glued to Katsu. I can feel a smug smile pulling at the corners of my mouth, taunting him.

  I close the front door behind me, and Ben closes the back door. The curtains are already pulled shut and they’re thick enough so prying eyes won’t see in.

  Katsu is slumped on the floor, completely still except for his wide eyes darting back and forth. He’s realized how he’s not in control and he doesn’t know what will happen to him.

  I squat down beside him, bringing my face close to his. With a gentle hand he can see but can’t feel, I begin to caress his cheek as I look into his terrified eyes.

  “The needle I stuck into you was a drug that paralyses your senses, which means you can’t feel pain. You’re still awake and conscious; you just can’t feel.” I smile as sweetly as I can, comforting him, giving him a sense of ease. “Though of course, that won’t last long,” I say in a tone a mother might use with a sick child, gracious and serene.

  “On the kitchen table?” Ben asks, but my eyes don’t move from Katsu.

  “Yeah, on the kitchen table,” I confirm as I continue to stroke Katsu’s hair and face.

  Ben clears the table with one swoop of his arm, and everything falls to the floor.

  “I found a stockpot; will this do?” Ben asks, holding up a large, flimsy metal pot. I nod my head and Ben continues with our preparations.

  Beads of sweat are forming on Katsu’s forehead and by the furious wild way his eyes are moving around, I can tell he has no idea what’s about to happen. He only knows it’s going to be bad.

  “The drug will wear off soon, but first I need to cut your tongue out. And then I need to set up two IVs. But it’s okay, that part won’t hurt. I do have plans for other things that will hurt, but I can’t have you screaming and waking the neighborhood. Oh that’s right, you don’t have neighbors, which means you won’t be heard.”

  “The table’s ready, Anna,” Ben says as he stands over Katsu and me.

  “Can you move him for me, please?” I ask as I stand from the floor and dust my pants off.

  Ben picks Katsu up quite easily and lays him on the kitchen table. K
atsu, unable to move, just lays there, his dread probably building as he anticipates whatever I’m going to do to him.

  “When I start playing with your body, it’s going to hurt. Matter-of-fact, you’ll likely pass out as I’m working on certain parts of your anatomy. But rest assured, I’ll wait until you wake to continue. And if it takes too long for you to regain consciousness, I did bring some adrenalin I can pump into you.”

  “When do you want me to begin recording this?” Ben asks as he stands behind Katsu’s head.

  “You can start now,” I say. I walk around Katsu, just trailing my hand over his body, much as he did to me when he had me strapped to a bed in the castle. My intention is clear, but this will fuck with his mind and let him see the true demonic monster I am.

  I’m not a sociopath. I care for Ben, and I’m even concerned for Agent, Doctor, Emily and Cleaner. But if I’m paid to kill, I will kill. And if someone has wronged me, I’ll happily destroy them and I’ll take pride in it.

  “What I’m going to do is insert two IVs into your arms. One of them will be used to drain the blood out of your body. The other will pump it back in, slower than it was extracted. I’m also adding a few drops of solvent to the returning blood. That will make you feel like you’re on fire while it attacks your organs. They will shut down at a glacial pace.” I smile down at a visibly distressed Katsu. “But first, I need to make sure you can’t make any noise to give us away.”

  I stop at Katsu’s head, and open his mouth. There’s no sound coming from him. His vocal cords are paralyzed, and he can’t feel pain yet. The drug will keep him in a state of paralysis for a while longer. His eyes are opened so wide now, they appear ready to pop out of his head.

  “Can I have the pliers and scalpel, please?” I ask Ben. He takes them out of his pocket and hands them to me. He’s definitely prepared.

  Holding Katsu’s tongue with the pliers, I slice his tongue as far back as I can get the scalpel. The incision hasn’t gone all the way through, leaving the tongue to dangle to the side.

  “That’s really going to hurt when the paralyzing agent starts to wear off, but I actually think I like it just hanging there more than cutting it off completely.” I take a step back and tilt my head to watch blood spurting out of his mouth, as if I’m examining a work of art.