AXEL

Axel Monroe never left anything to chance. He planned out his schedule down to the last second and never trusted the weatherman’s predictions on the six o’clock news that he tried to sell. In the early hours of the morning, he received the call from a client stating that one of his cronies had messed up burying a body. A mistake that Axel had to clean up.

He glanced down at his clothes, cursing at the new suit he picked out to wear today, the crisp black shirt would no doubt be ruined digging up a body. The squeak of his leather gloves reminded him of the stiff fabric every time he wriggled his fingers. He missed the worn old brown ones he once had but welcomed the new scent of leather.

Two goons guarded the office door, their gaze fixed on the wall in front of them and not one acknowledged Axel’s presence. Axel smoothed his hand down his silk tie and wrapped his other hand around the door handle, popping it open to reveal the boss.

Well, not his boss he liked to think of it as freelance work for him.

Len Danvers reminded him of a pit bull, an average sized guy built like a brick wall and his face constantly twisted in pain like he was chewing on a wasp. Lines carved into his forehead from frowning what seemed like a lifetime and a dark brown tan graced his skin to give him the only warmth the man possessed. He stretched his hand out to a leather chair in front of his desk multiple rings stacked upon his fingers and he sat in sync with Axel in his seat.

Axel nodded, unbuttoning his overcoat and he swept his hand underneath him to stop the fabric creasing where he sat. He did not indulge Danvers in small talk as he was not a man of many words.

“Monroe,” Danvers said nodding his head and Axel couldn’t help but stare back at him.

Axel never understood why anyone would want to be called by their surname rather than their first. He never wanted to be bound by a name, connected to a family and one for them to burden him with loyalty or blood. It was one of the many reasons he didn’t use his real identity.

“Let’s cut to the chase Len Danvers,” he said leaning forwards and swiping his finger along the metal plaque on the desk to leave a line in the dust. He despised waiting and the prolonging of events. Time was everything and the thought of the internal organs decomposing made him want to find the body as soon as possible. The only complications he would endure was ruining his new suit, much to his distaste.

“Yes. Here,” Danvers said as he jabbed his finger to the map. He bit his tongue to stop the insult escaping his mouth as he needed to tread carefully otherwise Axel wouldn’t carry out the job.

“How long have they been dead and buried?” He asked folding the map into his pocket and sitting again. He rested his hands on his knees and drummed his fingers against them impatiently.

Danvers shook his head. “Not sure." he stole a glance to Axel, the tick in his jaw pulsing as he clenched his teeth.

“What moron buried a body with no experience?” He snapped and rose out of his chair to loom over Danvers desk. His leather-clad hands planted on top and he blocked the lamp, the shadows clung to his face to cast his grey eyes black.

“An accident the boy lashed out...”

“I don’t care for the details. All I want to know is the important stuff...If the body is dead for three days or more, it bloats,” he interrupted Danvers with the rise of his hand. He wasn’t fond of the putrid smell the body emitted after a few days and he cleared his throat trying to push the thought away.

“I don’t know,” Danvers snapped finally losing his cool for a second. He rubbed the side of his forehead and sighed, the whole ordeal drained him.

Talking to Axel was like pulling teeth.

“Very well then,” he replied taking the map out of his pocket and slamming it on the table. The cup of coffee on the table jolted and splashed out of the cup, leaving splatters on the map. He spun around on his heel, storming to the door and hovering his hand over the handle.

Danvers cleared his throat.

“I’ll give you twenty percent more than what I’m paying you now,” Danvers blurted out as he scraped his chair along the floor to stand.

“Deal but the next time you fuck up and need me to dig up your skeletons, I won’t be so willing,” he said. The corner of his lips curved up to a smirk and he wiped it off before turning to face Danvers.

Danvers left cheek sunk into his face, his teeth catching the side of his cheek to prevent him from talking back and he nodded, sliding the map to Axel one more time. He needed Axel on his side because there wasn’t anyone like him that disposed of bodies and never left a trail.

“It’s a girl,” Danvers called after him as he walked out the door, his voice travelling through the corridor and stopping him for a second.

Axel followed the maze of dimly lit corridors and pushed against the metal fire escape door to the alley. A cloud of smoke welcomed him as some of Danvers goons puffed away at their cigarettes and they all avoided his gaze as he barged his way through. He buttoned his overcoat back up, pulling the lapels around his neck to shield himself from the cold and dug his hand into his pocket to get his car key, a key without a chain.

He stepped out onto the street dodging a puddle and walking down to the garage. The one advantage of working with Danvers was that Axel got a garage to store his car in and with him collecting body bags, it was the only reason he had one.

When it came to his goons, Danvers had a type. Burly men with shaved heads and scars that marred their bodies from old prison fights. Ready to throw their weight about but they hardly even glanced in Axel’s direction let alone spoke to him. Everyone saw him as the reaper, the one person to take the dead and bury them when no one else would. That gave him an edge.

He nodded to the guard as he clicked the security gate open and he headed to the underground floor. His eyes roamed over the curve of every car as they sat in their neat rows, the fluorescent lights casting a harsh glow upon the custom paintwork.

The garage door slid open as he punched the key code in to reveal his Vauxhall Ventora. The classic dark green glimmered as the light hit the car and his hand glided across the hood as he walked around to the driver’s side. The comforting scent of lavender flooded his senses when he opened the door and fell into the seat.

He studied the map briefly before he set off to the green lands, a forest on the outskirts of the city. The city lights faded into the rearview mirror and the street lamps became less and less with each mile into the green lands. He couldn’t help but think this was the worst place to bury a body. He dimmed the headlights at the last stretch of road before he stopped and he leant over to look in the glove compartment, pulling out a black bandana, stuffing it in his pocket.

Axel’s gaze snapped up to the window as a palm slammed against the glass to leave a muddy print in its place. He wrapped his fingers around his gun, the cool metal tingling under his touch and his eyes followed the girls face as she peered into the car. She hit her palm against the window once again, rattling the door handle in an attempts to open it.

The ringing in his ears cancelled out the sound of her voice as he watched her lips move and he searched her face to find it caked in mud, the stains of blood covering her skin but her striking green eyes caught his attention. She stopped trying to get his attention, resting her forehead on the window, the red now mixing with brown and dripping slowly down the glass.

He opened his door quietly, the click of it closing catching her attention and he made his way to her cautiously, one hand still resting on his gun behind him. She stood, blinking back as she tried to focus on him but she stumbled back, leaning against the car for support and he grabbed her by the arms to stand her upright.

“Please,” she whispered, her voice breaking into a half sob and she gulped a few time as she tried to get rid of the dry feeling in her mouth. A lone tear rolled down her cheek, a trail cutting through the grime that covered her skin.

“Shhh.” He said guiding her to the back of the car and opening the trunk. He dropped his hand from her elbow, to wrap his arm around her neck and he pressed his arm against her throat, squeezing till she passed out. He caught the girl in his arms and placed her in the trunk, tying her feet and hands. He a ripped off some tape and pressed it over her lips, smoothing the wrinkles from the strip. With one last tug on the rope to make sure it was secure he shut the trunk and winced as he slammed it shut.

Axel tapped the trunk as if it finalised his decision and he returned to driver’s seat. Out of the corner of his eye, all he could see was the bloody handprint that marked the glass and him.

“Fuck!” He yelled slamming his palm against the steering wheel over and over again. He took a deep breath and wrapped his hands around the steering wheel, his leather gloves squeaking at the pull of fabric.

Now he would have to take the girl back to Danvers and wait for her to be killed then bury her.