The Eleven

by Adrian Popa

  Chapter 7

  It's been about a week since we last killed off Haylin, we raided his place and found no evidence of any top secret invention or anything. Everything was standard. We investigated the body and it was definitely his. Even though we won, it just was not what any of us had expected. Jane had left and went back to her usual line of work, and so did Rat, this wasn't their fight, there job was done here, all they had to do was move on and go back to the status quo. But I, I couldn't accept such an easy victory, was it really that easy, did all I have to do was ask for help. No, this doesn't feel right, but, I don't have the power in me to do anything about it, and John has been laying low on me as well, didn't he say something about giving me a task. Everything is up in the air at the moment, but, that's not going to stop me from doing what I do, I'll just move on like everyone else and let this sit on the back burner. No use thinking about something I can’t control. I take my equipment and head out, some contractors are coming in later today, they won't care if a person or two is using it, but if they see that person, than they have the rights to remove them, and these guys are no pushovers. Well it doesn't matter, I needed some fresh air anyway. I open a sewer passage way nearby and jump in. I navigate the sewer tunnels until I see a door that says

  "Mercury"

  Mercury is one of the many underground stores and bars that plague the sewer system in Courtlyn. It's a convenient way to deal black-market goods and is also well known throughout the city. No one is sure whether the cops just don't care to deal with the damp dirty sewers, or still don't know of an entire society going down here. Either way, the sewers is definitely a big place. I enter the bar and sit down on one of the wooden circle tables that you would expect at an old western bar. Like with most of these types of bars, it doesn't matter whether you order or not, you can come in to just relax. The news was playing.

  "A.C. Hamsburg, Suspected of mass murder of many on Barium avenue and suspected of illegal drug and gun trades, police are warranting an arrest on him, if anyone has seen this man please contact the police immediately "

  A picture of a man in his mid 20's with his unshaven beard and ragged look appears on the screen. Looks like any other random criminal in Courtlyn if you ask me. Well, if he's got a big reward on him, then I might consider him. Just then my phone got a call. I opened it and checked the caller. Private. Well here we go again. I pick up, "What do you need John".

  "Looks like you completed my first task"

  "That's what it looks like, pretty anti climatic if you ask me"

  "Well as long as the job is done, I have no complaints, but on to more pressing matters"

  Oh great, is he going to send me off to kill more people, I appreciate the targets, but you aren't even rewarding me. I ask in a sarcastic manner "Oh, more pressing matters is it"

  "Yes, did you think you would get away with just this"

  Not really, I mean you did kind of mention that you were going to force me do random killings. But then again what do I know, for now all I can do is play along with this guy, not like it's going to hurt me, might as well, and maybe I could even get a payload off of the guys I get sent to, might be worth my while. He continues.

  "So, for your second task I need you to go and kill someone by the name of A. "

  "Oh, he was on the news"

  "Great, so, get to it"

  With that he abruptly hangs up. Well I got the mission, looks like I am hunting this Hamsburg guy, well I better start getting leads and finding his hideout. I would think he would make my next mission a little more interesting with a riddle or something, guess not this time. Well whatever.

  I head back to my place and start surfing the internet for any clues. Let's see, killed a guy here, killed another guy here, dealt some crack, got some smuggled guns, bombed gangs. I strolled down through the links of information I was given, trying to pinpoint any leads to where he could be and to find patterns. Well looks like nothing, he's just some random guy who attacks whenever he wants to, nothing has a pattern and all the places are random. Looks like this is going to be tough, this guy could be anywhere, heck he could even attack me if he wanted. I reach for my phone to call Rat. Just at that moment I sense the presence of someone else. He's slowly approaching me, he's got something out, I continue to reach for my phone like I don't notice him. He continues his advance, and just as he's about to strike I quickly dodge to the side. He smashes the table in front of me. He's wearing a black ski mask, I throw a punch to his face, it hits. He stumbles back. He charges at me. I sweep to the right to dodge his swing while I throw another punch at him. He stumbles back again, this time he runs out of the door. I listen very carefully to his steps. They get feint, I quickly move out as well. I chase after him. As I run down the Canex building, I hear his footsteps once again, he's rushing out of here pretty quick. I manage to run enough to see his figure. We managed to make it to the front lobby of the building. I quickly brandish my Blue bird and take aim. He's in my sights, I fire the trigger, and manage to hit his leg, he falls back, near the door to the outside. Looks like that's that, well he better have some explaining to do. I walk towards him, but of course, I sense the presence of his friends, he didn't come alone. I do a backwards elbow to the one charging at me from behind, it hits. I then turn back and punch him in the stomach. He falls back, two more coming at me. I turn around, and fire, I manage to hit one of them, but the other dodged. I quickly take the one I knocked down, and use him as a shield. I slowly approach, as I see the figure of the attacker, he freezes in his position, he can't shoot his own kind, looks like I got him. I throw the body at him, and fire. Looks like I took them all out. Well looks like I'm going to have to do some cleaning. Or at least I can just call the cops and they will do it for me. I head back to my room and, just as I approach the door, I hear rummaging. Looks like we got a straggler. I brandish my Blue bird and slowly approach. The door is slightly opened. As I reach to push the door open I hear gun shots. I quickly step back. He's firing through my door. Bullets wildly smash through my door. I don't have any grenades on me, this is going to be tough, and I sure don't want to damage any of my stuff. I hear a drop, and at that moment, a figure comes rushing out of my door with a pipe in his hand. I quickly drop my gun as well and catch his swing in mid air. I then use my free hand to punch his stomach, he takes it. But that doesn't stop him, as he backs away, he pulls out what looks like a whip. He presses a button the handle and electricity starts flowing through the entire thing. He then lashes out at me, I use my arm to block it, but looks like that electricity sure hurts. It rips through my shirt and pulses through my entire body, effectively I'm stunned. He then lashes at me a few more times. I feel blood flowing down my head, and just as my adrenaline lowers and pain starts kicking in, everything faded to black.

  I wake up in a weird room. The walls are insulated and the door is locked pretty tight. I get up slowly and see that the wound I had before was bandaged. There is nothing else in this room other than this bed. No escape route either. I start knocking on the doors. "Hello?".

  Someone comes up, he is wearing a black ski mask as well, he whispers something on his shirt microphone "He's awake". He then says "Wait here, he's coming"

  "Who's coming?"

  He gives me no answer and simply leaves. Looks like I got myself in some serious shit. I wait for a few minutes, and then the door opens. A man and two guards appear in front of me, the man says in a rough voice "Follow me".

  I follow the man into another room. Looks like I'm in some kind of headquarters. I ask him "Where am I?"

  "You will find out soon enough"

  We enter the room.

  "Sit down".

  I sit down on a nearby chair, the two guards leave, the only thing in this room is a long table in the middle, is this guy gonna interrogate me. He looks like he's about to begin.

  "Adam Henning, I've heard a lot about you, and perhaps you have of me"

  He takes off his ski mask. Well, how does this work, He's A. , the
murderer, I was given a task to kill him, and he comes to me instead, looks like my work is already cut out for me, now I got to kill this guy, but, I have to wait for the right time, looks like he wants me to do something for him. He continues

  "I have a little job I need you to do, it involves, bravery, stealth and a good shot"

  "And do you think I'm going to do anything you say after what you did?"

  "My sincerest apologies, I only asked them to bring you in unharmed, I could have never guessed that they would attack you, I will have to punish them later"

  With this rough ass treatment, like hell am I going to do anything for these ass holes. This is a waste of my time, screw this. I say angrily "Look, if you think this is a joke, than screw you, I ain't doing shit for you". He pulls out a gun and puts it on the table

  "Perhaps you won't, but if you think you can leave now, you're not going to be doing anything for anyone"

  He's threatening me, I kind of value my life, looks like I have to play it his way for now, no way I can escape from a place I don't even know anything about, and who knows how much goons this guy has. He's more like a gang leader than a murderer. I say with defeat "Fine, what do you want"

  "All I need you to do is to escort my men to a dealing down at Port Ferry, you get there with a sniper rifle, watch the dealings, and if anything suspicious happens, you get the shots."

  "Sounds simple enough, why can't you get anyone else to do it?"

  "Because, afterwards, I need you to stalk the client, raid his place, and kill him, I've heard of your exploits, this sounds right up your alley, what do you think? "

  Doesn't sound half bad actually, pretty straightforward, as long as he gets off my back, then I'll do it, and besides, after I do this, it's going to be all over for him. I answer "Fine ill do it, you gonna supply the equipment? or you gonna let me back at my place"

  "Oh, for now, your under house arrest, you will be staying here until the mission is done, once it's done, your free to go, our men is guarding your place so don't worry about that, just make yourself at home, the mission starts tomorrow, I'll have my men call you when its ready"

  "Alright, than am I free for now?"

  "Do as you please, but if you try to escape, then it may not end well"

  "Note taken"

  Well looks like I get to play my favorite game, the waiting game.

  The fumes of a nearby factory fill the air, the abandoned warehouse projects the footsteps of a man. He smiles and whispers to himself "Nice try, Adam".

  Chapter 8

  I wake up to see myself in the same insulated room I was in before. Today's going to be a long day. I get to aid in a fishy trade, kill some guy I don't even know and then hopefully I get to kill my target. I get up and open the door. Two guards greet me. This place really is some secret base, it has a living quarters and even a cafeteria. I stare at a wall map in amazement. This is just too crazy. I move to the shooting range to test out the equipment these guys got. I take a standard pistol from the wall of guns. I load in the magazine and aim down the lane. A practice target stands in my field of vision, and I pull the trigger. A direct hit to its head. Not bad. I put back the pistol and take the sniper rifle from the wall. I load it up and aim. I pull the trigger. The sound of the gun being fired rings throughout the shooting range. Or at least it should if I didn't have these protective ear covers on. This sniper rifle should be good enough to do the task. Not my personal choice, but whatever, as long as it can get the job done. I put the rifle back on the wall and leave the shooting range. I looked on a wall map and make my way to the cafeteria. No point fighting on an empty stomach. I arrive there and instantly I'm greeted with the glares of the people already eating. Gang members perhaps. I get some food and follow suit. I should be careful on what kinds of questions I'm asking, and who I'm asking them to, but I don't think these guys want to talk to me, heck I don't either. I'm also assuming that they won't tell me where the heck I am either. Or what the name to this gang or organization is called, and what it's purpose is.

  Well it's just about time to get this started. Time moves by when you're having fun. Or rather when your confined to an organization that is forcing you to carry out dirty work for them. Fun. A guard approaches me and says "Its time, follow me to the briefing room". I listen without hesitation and follow the guard to the room. There is a big table down on middle, chairs on either side and a small projector is aimed towards the left side of the room on a big screen, a map of Port Ferry is shown. I sit on a chair, three other men are there, not including Hamsburg. I assume they are the ones working the trade. He speaks, while pointing out vital locations of the trade area. "The mission is simple, you three will go to our target, James Borough, and initiate the trade, if anything goes fishy, the mission will be over then and there, but if everything goes smoothly and nothing happens during the trade, than things will progress, we have here Adam, who will carry on with part two of the mission." He pauses and looks at me. He continues "Part two consists of tailing James to his place, raiding it and effectively stealing anything valuable and then wrap it all up by covering the place with his own blood, any external obstacles, will be dealt with appropriately, to make things more fun, I will let you decide how you want to deal with them". He says obstacles, but what he means is any guards or associates of James, well if push comes to shove, I guess a little extra blood might be shed. Hamsburg wraps it up with a strong tone "Good luck everyone, and I hope that the only ones dying are on the other side of the playing field, move out, the mission will start when everyone is in the pickup vehicle".

  The afternoon air of the sea caresses my face. Salty, I hate salt. I shake my head and get in shooting position. I anchor myself in my hiding spot and look down my scope. A perfect view. I see a van already there. James must be waiting for us. Another car, our car drives in and stops across James car. Three men come out. The trade begins. I watch carefully, James has two guards with him, and that van must be loaded with supplies as well, they should be as ready as we are to battle. Well, all we got is me, so, actually, if they do start a fight, then I really have to pull through. With this in mind, and because I don't want to be on Hamsburg's bad side, I stay completely focused on the task. If something does happen, I better be the first one to exchange bullets. The trade drags on for about twenty minutes. I stay completely focused on James and his guards. The three men on our side seems just about ready to withdraw. Alright, now's my chance. Well, looks like part two is about to begin. The trade went smoothly, now it's time for me to do my thing. Luckily these guys have a similar model as my tracking gear. It's only a little outdated but it will get the job done. I load in a special magazine containing the tracking device, and fire it, it hits the van and the signal is sent to my handheld tracker. Time to count the clouds.

  As the signal finally halts I make my move. I had already ran along with the signal, since I don't have my grappling gear, I figured I might as well cover ground to save myself some time. It didn't take long until I reached the location. I find myself looking at a small apartment complex. It has seven floors. The signal doesn't really help me pinpoint the floor he's on, but one thing for sure is that, there is gonna be people other than James in there, and I have to make the right precautions about it. I look around the back of the building. There's a back door entrance, I quietly try it, its locked. There's a stair case that leads further up into a fire escape route. I climb it. When I reach the top of the stairs I Jump and grasp the edge of the roof of the building. Barely reached it. I stand on the ledge of the platform and jump again, this time I grabbed onto the roof and pulled myself up. If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do this my way. I see a entrance leading into the seventh floor of the building. I take out the knife they gave me and used it to break open the door. I enter the building. I quietly make my way through the hallway. If I can make my way to the reception desk and sneak into the office where they keep the residential records than I can pinpoint where he is. I assume he won't be leaving his ho
use now that his trade is done but I can't risk it either. I better do this quickly and quietly. I descend the stairs quietly and make my way to a door leading to the front of the building. I take a little peak through the mini window on the door. The receptionist is there, but no one else. If all goes well than all I have to do is take him out, get the keys to the office and make my way to James. I push the door slightly open. With the angle the reception desk has I'll be caught instantly, I need to deviate his attention first and then get him. With this small opening, I can make a sound on the other sound of the desk. But the question is how. I got it. I take out my fingerprint proof gloves and take out a magazine and pull out one bullet. I push the door slightly again, just enough so that the bullet can fit through. I step back and using as much power as I can I throw the bullet to the wall on the other side. It creates a sound and the receptionist looks away, just enough time for me to crouch into the reception area close the door behind me, and get right under the desk. At this angel there's no way he can see me. It looks like his attention is back to his work. I hear the sound of him typing. Perfect. While he's occupied I can sneak up on him. As his typing continues, I slowly creep up behind him, just as I'm right behind him I slowly stand up, and begin to strangle him. I don't plan to kill him, when I notice that the struggling has stopped, I stop and check his pulse, alright, just knocked him out. I rummage through his pockets and find the key to the office behind him.

  I enter the office and start looking at the residential paperwork. And what do we have here, James Borough, floor three, room 27. Alright, I put back the records, drag the unconscious receptionist in the room, put the key back where I found it and close the door. I make my way to the third floor quietly. I make my way to room 27, I don't think James will let me just stroll in there and shoot him. I have a gun, a knife and a grenade. The grenade is out of the question, I gotta do this quietly. Maybe if I break into the room next to this one, I can sneak in through the balcony. I press my ears on room 28, I hear no signs of movement. I patiently listen in. When I'm sure that there's no one in room 28, I attempt to open the door. Locked. I take out my knife and break the lock and enter the room. I make my way to the balcony. James' balcony is just a jump away, but if I make that much noise I'll be caught. I stand on the ledge of the balcony, and make my way across. I quietly step onto the platform and then listen in for movements. One person is watching TV. The other is typing on a laptop. That makes two. But I can't detect a third person, perhaps they are sleeping. No matter. If I can get one of them to come to this balcony, kill 'em here then the other won't be able to see it. The tricky part is getting the one with the most vision to come. From what I hear the one watching the TV is my target. It's all up to luck now. I take out my knife. I tap the glass door of the balcony just enough so that it doesn't cause too much ruckus, and is enough for just one person to check out what had happened. One of James' guards opens the glass door, and as he walks on the balcony, I quickly grab him and muffle his mouth so that no sound escapes, I then stab him in the head, nice and quick. Blood spills all over the balcony. It was a quiet kill, the person on the laptop is still typing away. The door into the room is open, but if I enter now I will be caught and that might alert the third person; possibly James. I knock on the glass door again. The person on the laptop yells at the now dead first person "What the hell are you doing over there?". When he receives no answer, he starts getting skeptic. I hold my breath. After a while, he stops typing, and begins walking to another room. I listen carefully, I hear the footsteps of the second person fade away and a door closing. I take this opportunity to sneak into the room and hide behind a counter. I wait for a while, and hear the approach of a person. He sits back down and continues typing on his laptop, he also sets down a gun on the table. Does he know? Is he waiting to attack, or is he just unaware all together?. Either way, I get out of my hiding spot, and restrain him, putting my gloved hands over his mouth and stabbing him in the head. Blood splatters all over the laptop and table top. I slowly make my way to the other side of the room and listen carefully. James is still sleeping. I make my way into his room, and quietly make my way besides him. I draw my knife and in one motion, it's all over. His pillow is now painted a beautiful shade of red. Mission complete. I scavenge the room, and once I'm finished, I head to the rendezvous spot. That was fun, but now onto the real target of this game, A. .