(a brief introduction to my character by way of his thoughts during a recent contract ) The air is thick tonight with the haze of wandering smoke crawling through an open vent shaft as if escaping down one of the towns dim lit back alleys. The alley is filled with the noise of poorly sung melodies from the gargled intoxicated mouths of some the towns so called upstanding citizens, footsteps tap across the pavement along the roadside in an almost perfect tempo, the unmistakable movements.... a beat cop walking his route like a well-trained robot. Like a quickened shadow I slip lower in the alley till eaten by the darkness, unseen, unheard, the officer looks down the alley as he passes by, feels like straight at me with that passion filled glow in his electric blue eyes, the look only lawmen have thinking they making a difference that righteous look of virtue...inherit justice (I laugh to myself). But that trained robot cannot sense a thing. I take out a metal chesterfield smoke holder from my jacket inside pocket I always felt I was born in the wrong era. I strike a match an old wax head across the wall it lights up my face for a split second as i inhale the first puff these damn things ...mother always said they would kill me one day, if won't be these things that help me meet my maker (I grin slightly) slipping a small photo from within a secret compartment under the cigarette holder. I draw another puff it lights up enough for me to take one last look at the photo I was given "what a beauty" Men would kill for you I think to myself. I check my watch closing time soon, people will roll out on the streets like sheep flocking to the nearest diner or eat-house to soak up all that top shelf poison that’s been filling them up all night. It’s 2am.Then right on time "last call" screeched from the tired overworked under paid bar maid in a mild but moody manner the sort that must make the patrons feel uneasy like it's really saying "GET THE FUCK OUT"...but it works and they clear out and fast like a flood. I call the number on the back of her picture, it rings for what feels like an age till the clumsy sound of a hastily pressed button sounds of the phone being frantically dragged through the contents of her overpriced knock off hand purse. She answers. I explain the situation I give her a name she knows all too well and tell her it's time for the exchange, her breath speeds up with excitement and anticipation of the joy to come, the joy only a junky can explain cause their next fix is just round the way, I tell her be alone, "of course" she calls me baby as she hangs up, I close my eyes like I always do and visualize. She makes her way out of the crowed street; her high heels click as she walks down the dark moist alley by now her cool calm charm from the phone call is all but gone I can sense it. She steps slowly, carefully but lower into the alley she steps right by me but can't see a thing, she whispers out the name I was given "Gino"...Gino...some low life drug dealer obviously, a hero a life saver a king among men in her jumped-up eyes but he's not here tonight. The clouds cover the moon light the alley becomes fully engulfed in a shadow of darkness, the sheep all heading out of the karaoke bar make it too hard to hear anything. She whispers again "Gino....where the fuck are you" …” Gino!”, its time I whisper back fast and hard a single click is heard then the whisper of an omega 9 silencer answers her calls with the hot fiery tongue of my Glock 19's 9mm hollow point tip…it enters her chest. She falls forward into my waiting arms, it whispers again...one more time just to make sure. I lay her down and toss a few bags of low grade Charlie next to her and tip all the junk onto the ground out her purse a quick scene set up not by cleanest but it'll do for this known junkie, I roll off the silencer and tuck my piece back into its holster. Her habit caught up with her and someone found it cheaper to have me be the reaper than wait for her to pay the bill. I slowly walk off into the night light another cigarette and merge into the locals partying along the street side fucking suckers think to myself, blending in, unnoticed, unseen. I’m one of them, but they’re not one of me, I slip the sim from my phone and crush it under my heel...time I head to my human ATM to make a full withdrawal collect my nights earnings and let him know that beauty meet the beast and this Cinderella won’t be coming back......I flip a smoke from my holder and light up the picture using it to light my cigarette I let it burn down till it disappears into ash an blows off my hand I look around it’s crowed , people everywhere (I smile as I tip my hat to a few dames passing by) they giggle an whisper to one another…. I love this town.

The air is thick tonight with the haze of wandering smoke crawling through an open vent shaft as if escaping down one of the towns dim lit back alleys. The alley is filled with the noise of poorly sung melody’s from the gargled intoxicated mouths of some the towns so call upstanding citizens, footsteps tap across the pavement along the roadside in an almost perfect tempo, the unmistakable movements a beat cop walking his route like a well-trained robot. Like a quickened shadow I slip lower in the alley till consumed by the darkness unseen, unheard, the officer looks straight at me as he passes by but that trained robot cannot sense a thing. I take out cigarette from jacket inside pocket striking a match across the wall lighting my eyes up for a split second as I draw a puff and take one last look at her in the photo. Closing time soon, closing time and people will roll out on the streets like sheep flocking to the nearest diner to soak up all that top shelf poison’s they have been flooding inside their body all night. 2am last call is heard from the under paid bar maid in mild moody manner that makes the local flocks feel uneasy...but helps her clear them out fast. I call the number provided it rings for what feels like an eternity till the clumsy sound of hastily pressed button as the phones dragged through the contents of her DB hand purse. She answers. I explain the situation I give her the name she knows all too well and tell her it's time for the exchange, her breath speeds up with excitement an anticipation of the joy to come, the joy only a junky can explain cause their next fix is just round the way, I tell her be alone, "of course" she calls me baby as she hangs up and makes her way out of the crowed street, her high heels click as she walks down the alley and her cool calm charm from the phone call is all but gone as she steps slowly lower into the alley she steps right by me but can't see a thing, she whispers out the name I was given...some low life drug dealer obviously, a hero of hers but he's not here tonight. The clouds cover the moon light the alley becomes fully engulfed in a shadow of darkness, the sheep all heading out of the karaoke bar make it almost too hard to hear. She whispers again, this time I whispers back. The whisper of an omega 9 silencer answers her with the hot fiery tongue of my Glock 19's 9mm hollow point tip as it enters her chest and falls forward into my waiting arm, I make it whisper again...one more time just to make sure I lay her down and toss a few baggies next to her tip out her purse a set the scene, I roll off the whisper and put the speaker away. Her habit caught up with her and someone found it cheaper to have me be the reaper than wait for her to pay the bill. I slowly walk off into the night light another cigarette as if I had been part of the locals partying, blending in, unnoticed, unseen. I’m one of them, but they’re not one of me...I head to my human ATM to clear my cheque and let him know her debts now paid ......paid in full.