Short Story
He sat alone in the bar at the Hilton, happy to enjoy a few quiet beers while reading a book and waiting for the target to be in position. He’d already been there for two days and had managed to wire into all security, so that his computer would simply text him when the targets door opened. Until then beer and a good book suited him just fine.
“Looking for some, company?”
The woman’s voice was soft but confident which instantly told him what kind of woman it was. He smiled and lowered his book to at least get a look in before rejecting her.
“Oh my God! Bailey?”
“Sarah?”
They started at each other through a cocktail of shock and horror before he remembered his manner and stood up so that they awkwardly hugged.
“I can’t believe it’s you, I haven’t seen you since high school.”
Her voice had lost its soft confidence and had taken on a much more familiar tone. He invited her to sit and called for a waiter.
“I know it’s been like fifteen years, you still look amazing by the way.”
She blushed slightly then realized she’d just offered her serves to her dorky high school best friend. Then wondered if he knew that’s what had happened.
“Thanks man, and you though you’ve completely changed, and for the better.”
She then blushed again and quickly added.
“Not that there was anything wrong with you before.”
Bailey laughed.
“Oh relax don’t worry I know I was a skinny little guy back then, and thanks I defiantly feel better about myself these days than I did back then.”
He was trying to avoid asking what she was up to, knowing what she was up to and the conversation fell quiet, which only broke when the waiter arrived to take orders.
“So what ummmm... brings you to the hotel? Here on holiday?”
“Oh no, working in the city for a few days, leaving in the morning though.”
“Nice what kind of work do you do now? Did you get into computers like you always wanted?”
“Not exactly but sort of... I guess.”
He fell silent again for a moment and just stated at her. Then it hit him. He was a hitman, she was a whore and they had been inseparable in school. She had always been pretty and popular and yet still stuck up for him, and without her he wouldn’t have made it through. Lying was his job, but not to her.
“Ok full disclosure?”
“Oh, ok”
“I know what it means when a women in a hotel bar asks if you want company.′
Sarah blushed and looked away.
’and I know that because after high school I went to university as you know. Got recruited as a cod breaker by the government, trained up as a field agent, then went private and now I’m an assassin.”
She turned back to him and searched his face for his old tell tail signs of lying.
“Oh my God, really?”
“Yeah, I’m just waiting for the target to arrive so I can... do my job then leave on the first flight out.”
“Jesus, I want to be horrified but Bailey that’s… Actually kinda cool. That makes escort to the rich and famous seem really lame in comparison.”
“Yeah how did you end up here. You also went to uni. I remember we both cried when we realised we’d gotten into ones on different side of the world.”
“Weird story it kinda happened by mistake. I drunkenly approached a guy I thought was cute in a bar one night and we quickly went back his hotel room. And in the morning he’d left a business card and a large wad of cash. And I thought, that was the easiest money I’d ever made. Started doing research into the high end scene and here I am.”
“You’re kidding he just assumed and you went with it? That’s ridiculous.”
“Yeah I was a little offended at first. But he left a LOT of money.”
They both laughed and let the conversation take a break while the waiter delivered the drinks.
“So how rich and famous are we talking?”
“Well remember that rock star I used to have a real crush on?”
“Yes?”
“Great tipper.”
Bailey chuckled and shook his head.
“This is so insane, I mean don’t get me wrong I’ve thought of you over the years but never thought I’d run into you here. I actually thought you probably settled down by now and didn’t need my chaotic life coming in and causing trouble.”
Sarah threw he head back to laugh, but managed to force out.
“That’s exactly what I thought about you.”
Bailey joined in and the two of them proceeded to keep the hysterics going until they had tears in their eyes. Making rude comments and making fun of each other until Baileys phone chimed on the table and it brought him back to sanity. Quickly he picked it up and after the few tap frowned.
“Well, unfortunately I’ve got to get to work.”
“Aww, well it’s been great seeing you again. Like really nice. I don’t have a lot of real friends anymore, what with what I do.”
“Yeah, yeah I know exactly how you feel.”
They looked at each other for a moment.
“Hey I’m not going to be long, if you’re free do you wanna go grab a drink somewhere afterwards?”
Sarah raises a professional eyebrow and smirks.
“My time isn’t cheap.”
He smiled the strong confident smile of the men who was very good at his job, and it sent a shiver down he back, unsure if she was suddenly a little scared of her friend, or turned on.
“That isn’t going to be a problem.”
She sat back down and took a sip of her wine.
“I’ll be here, but the clock is ticking.”
He nodded at her, straighter his suit and headed off toward the elevators. He had a duplicate of his targets key so could easily let himself in, but needed to wait until he could go in unnoticed. He stood outside the door looking at the cameras feed waiting for his moment. As soon as it arrived he was in. A few minutes later, his target was hanging from the back of the bathroom, pants round his ankles and pay per view porn was streaming on the hotel screening system. He quickly stopped by his own room to drop off the cameras. He put a loop into the hotels security system which removed him from every going to the room while on his way back to the bar and was delighted to see Sarah still waiting him.
