Each of her videos pushed the limits of my sanity.
Yes, I killed for a living, which most would find insane, but I never took unnecessary risks. I didn’t scale mountains, dive out of planes or trust a mask to keep me alive under water. My job required me to be up close and personal. So, the mark knew exactly who was ending their life and why. Our rules were simple.
We did not kill in public, we did not strike from the back, and we did not play with our kills either. While I never knew the reasons these people were chosen for elimination, I did know the world was better off without them.
But I couldn’t imagine a world without her in it and the thought of her playing with her life chilled me to the bone. Because I feared the day would come that the videos just…stopped.
Only Finn Lee would stand next to me staring down her enemy and make a Men in Black reference. Because these two thought as one, fought as one, and killed as one, I answered on their behalf since I’d bet they had no idea what she was talking about.
“Swift is the gentleman on your left and that’s Creeper on the right.”
Huffing, Finn rolls her eyes asking, “So, what? When you joined up all the good names were taken?”
Glancing at each other, it was clear they didn't know what to make of Finn. “How does this work?” she continues. “Like, who goes first? Do we flip a coin?” Pretending to search for change, Finn searches her pack actually producing a quarter.
“Phoenix,” Swift steps forward. “This isn’t the NFL, we aren’t flipping for it.”
“Hand over the girl,” Creeper adds. “That’s all you have to do.”
“And if I refuse?”
“You don't want to do that,” Swift says eyeing her. “You taught us much, saved our lives many times over. We give our word not to kill her in front of you.”
“It will be quick and painless,” Creeper finishes.
“You’re so hard up for money that you’d kill a pretending to be defenseless female?” Finn asks.
“This isn’t about money,” Creeper says. “It’s about following the rules. The money is just a bonus.”
“No one walks away and Phoenix knows this,” Swift points out. “He knows this better than anyone.”
“If no one has ever done it, then how is it a rule?” she fires back.
“Stalling only prolongs your pain,” Swift sighs. “Phoenix, this is unnecessary.”
Pulling Finn close, I whisper in her ear, “Run.”
Nodding once, she gives me a wink, takes off at a sprint and I rushed forward tagging Creeper around the middle and we go down hard. Knowing one couldn’t function without the other, it was a given Swift would join in.
This was their weakness though they always refused to believe it.
Landing a blow to Swift’s side, he grunts, “Don’t make us kill you too, Phoenix.”
“You leave us no choice,” Creeper says reaching for his gun. He did this because the coward knew he’d never best me in a fight. Plus, once they were done with me, they would chase Finn.
Fighting two men I trained myself, gave me the advantage. But that’s not to say getting rocked in the skull didn’t hurt. Breaking Creeper’s wrist, he snarls in agony dropping his gun. Now with the two of them circling me I make it clear, “I'm going to place your heads at my woman's feet.”
Swift was about to retort when he found a rope around his neck.
Kicking the back of his knee in, Swift goes down and his eyes go round. Leaning down to his ear, Finn looks up at me and announces, “He’s mine.” For fuck’s sake where did she even come from?
“Partners?” Creeper roars. “What is the meaning of this!”
Wary of the bullshit, I share, “I can’t have both so I choose her. I will always choose her. I will kill for her and she for me. You both have a choice to make; walk away or die today.”
“You would die for a female?” Creeper demands.
“I would die for the love of that female.”
“Love?” he laughs and the sound was raspy. “We don’t love, Phoenix.”
“Guys?” Finn says but I couldn’t afford to look at her right now.
“I’m proof,” I say firmly. “That it’s not only possible, but worth the price.”
“You are choosing her over the brotherhood you alone helped to build, Phoenix.”
“Guys,” Finn says again but I couldn’t break his stare. Not now.
“You took the contract not giving a single fuck about the brotherhood,” I remind him. “You don’t ask questions. You follow blindly. Here you stand ready to kill my woman, who is innocent, because you were told to.”
“That is our way!”
“Because you refuse to consider another!” I roar in fury. “You fool! Listen to me when I tell you, our ways need to change!”
“Guys!” Finn yells and when Creeper breaks his stare, so do I. With Swift hunched over and Finn still holding him up, I knew shit was about to go from bad to worse when she shrugs and says, “Oops?”
“You killed him, Finn.”
“I just roped him,” she says casually. “He wouldn’t stop moving so really he killed himself.”
Stunned at what he was seeing, Creeper stood stock still unable to process it and before he came to his senses, I retrieved the gun from my back, raised it and put one in his head.
Letting Swift go, Finn steps over him to find safety in my arms. “We’re exposed outside like this.”
Kissing the top of her head, I take her hand and lead her back to the car.
Once back on the highway, I say, “I’m sorry you didn’t get to meditate.”
Facing me, Finn smiles confessing, “It’s okay, I’m feeling pretty centered right now.”
At this, I threw my head back and laughed.