LOVE WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME

THE INFORMER

Gary walked like a man with purpose, but sadly he won't be able to fulfill it. He followed the exact routes plotted for him. Routes she as the Grey man, had given him.

In exchange for information, she had taken on the title of the Grey man, paid Gary for information and initiated this exchange. Gary's information was so important that she finally, after a long and difficult bargain. had to reach the price of six million with a three upfront.

Eliana winced in memory of the three million dollars she had sent to Gary's account just this morning. As far as Quests were considered every bill was on her, until she had fullfilled mission. Eliana hoped to get her money back, if not from The Thorns then maybe from Gary himself, before she killed him.

Gary made a sharp bend into an alley and she followed closely, while also trying to remain undetected.

She could just wait by the location, letting him approach her unaware of her gender. But that would not give confirmation on what she wanted to know.

If he was being followed? If this was all a trick against her?

I am so close, I've come this far, and I would have no drawbacks. I must finish this quest.

She turned back thinking she had felt some presence, but all she saw was the empty narrow stretch of an alley

As they kept going the structure of the houses changed from middle class and neat to abandoned and dirty. The perfect spot to commit a murder.

Time to act

She rushed toward him, landing a hard kick on his back. Gary doubled over in pain. Giving him no chance to breathe she stood over him, slammed his head twice into the ground and put a gun over his head.

"Hi Gary. I'm sure you know me by the Grey man. All my friends call me Ellie and I want you to. I see you as a friend, and you must know Gary friends are not disposable. However it depends on how you see it, cause by the end of today, I'll be having all the answers I need either from you or someone smarter"

"What the.." He groaned. Blood dripping from his forehead.

"No time for curses Gary. I only have fifteen minutes to spare. Beating you already took two. So please Gary be a friend and just help me out." Eliana slowly stepped away from him. Gun to his face.

"I don't understand! I'm suppose to meet the Grey man?" He managed to say through the pain.

"Standing right before your eyes. So speak away" she said impatiently

"You say you're the Grey man?" He said with the calmness of one who had passed through similar situation countless of times. Sadly this might be the last gun he'll ever see.

"I believe you. But why do you have a gun to my face, and where the hell is my money?"

"Knowing you were expecting a man I thought to spice things up and show you how brutal a female grey man could be. And as for your money, it's right over there." She motioned to a bulging black bag discarded a few meters away.

"Gary, you must know my patience is quite thin. So give me my information, or..." she clicked her gun as Gary whimpered in fear.

"Easy with that dear. Aren't we friends?" Gary said in the most soothing voice he could muster.

"Gary" Eliana warned in irritation.

"Okay, okay."He raised his hands high more in resignation than surrender.

"Well I won't lie. I don't know much. You told me you want to know about the mysterious shippings happening at the Green Port. So here's how this works. You tell me what you know and I fill in the gaps."

"Okay." She sighed.

"Three months ago a ship landed by Green Port, bringing in large quantity unknown goods. They said it belonged to the six toppers. This wasn't the first time that something like this has happened. But there was something strange about this one. The way the goods were brought in, too quiet and easy, the cops, too submissive and the gangs, too restrained."

"All I know is that evening the Six toppers were raided quietly, with every one of their members killed. And the goods not released to the market or circulated, has not been seen by anyone till date. Now your turn."

"You and I both know the man who could make all this happen. As for the, why's and where's, I know not. But for the, what, the only thing I can tell you is, it's not drugs."

"It's not drugs!" Eliana exclaimed, feigning shock

"Well thank you Gary for that priceless information. Like I didn't know it isn't drugs. Give me something important, or ..." She didn't need to speak further. Gary saw something every of her dead victims saw in her eyes before they took their last breaths. Eliana was done playing.

"Okay, I also heard it was some type of rare mineral, shipped from Africa. Please that's all I know. Please Don't shoot!" Gary pleaded, hands up high.

"I'm so sorry Gary but that's not enough. So maybe if you could give me a refund I could act like this conversation never happened." She said giving him a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll do just that."

Eliana was quite short shocked by Gary's quick approval. She had a feeling that this was not Gary's first encounter with a Rose. Under Gary's direction she unlocked his phone and made the transfer. On getting the money back Eliana smiled radiantly and Gary did too, taking this as a good sign. He must have heard the rumors, that to survive a Rose, you must follow all their instructions.

"Thanks Gary. But it seems, you are of no more use to me."

Gary then realized that Eliana had no plans of letting him leave this place alive, so he lunged for her gun, just before she pulled the trigger. A devious smile spread across her lips.