Halo over a fallen Angel

Look at the picture closely and you'll get it.

It had been raining all day and he was looking for her since morning. She called him early waking him up talking kind of grim, he couldn’t piece some her phrases together before she hung up. He got up slowly first lying just staring at the ceiling knowing that this was going to be one of those days. He took a deep breath and stood up; pulling out his phone and calling her back. She didn’t answer so he called Xavier his other hitter, protégé, and friend; afterward got his son together and awaited Xavier’s SUV to pull up so they could trot to it trying to remain semi dry. They drove around for hours hitting every spot he knew she hung out; they were leaving the arcade when Chance spotted just a wisp of her red hair hanging out her hooded head behind it in the alley. She stood against a brick wall so he told Xavier to pull over.

 

“Don’t you just love when your days start like this?” He asked.

 

He didn’t immediately answer looking in her direction.

 

“Oh yeah, this is going to be some fun.”

“I’ll mob with you.” Xavier said unclicking his seatbelt.

 

 Chance put his hand on Xavier’s chest as he looked back at his son.

 

“Are you hungry little dude?” He asked him.

 

The rainy day was affecting him too as he just looked tiredly at his father and telling him yes softly.

 

“Xavier, take Donovan to the diner on the corner.” He told him.

 

He knew Chance would take care of it so he just nodded like whatever. Chance looked back at his son rubbing his head before telling him that he loved him.

 

“What the f**k is wrong with her dog?”  Xavier asked.

“I’m pretty sure I’m about to find out.” He responded putting his hood over his head.

He rolled his neck cracking out the last of last night’s slumber before emerging into the wet atmosphere.

 

“Be careful; she’s changed.” Xavier said looking at himself in the rearview mirror.

“What do you mean?”

“The last job that she was on she got shot for the first time, I think it just scared her.  After that she started thinking more about her existence; hell I went through it when I got the lovely badge on my shoulder.” Xavier said rubbing an old bullet wound scar.

“I talked to Anthony after he got done with her; it was only a graze and some stitches.” Chance replied.

“Yeah but it was a graze that showed her that s**t is real. She’s a beast at what she does; I have to admit she’s knows her s**t, but she needed this.”

“She needed it?”  

“Yeah, she needed to know that what we do is not just an adrenaline rush. If she wants that then tell her to go jump out of a plane, but think about it; didn’t your perspective of s**t change after you got popped in your stomach?” Xavier asked.

 

Chance didn’t answer him while he mentally braced himself for the world he forged. He was out of the business before she came along and brought him back in. At the end of the night she was like Xavier to him; the reason why his life and multiple bank accounts were lavish. But even though he never had any doubts about the completion of any hits that he gave either one of them at any time; everyone that had ever been close to him was dead, especially the women. He worried about her at times but never admitted it; mollified at the wisdom and the dexterity of professionalism she possessed.

 

“Out of all the bullshit you’ve done; that bullet in your shoulder made you contemplate existence Xavier?” Chance asked.

“That s**t hurt,”

 

Chance sported the first smile of the day but presented it to his reflection in the SUV window he was still looking out of as raindrops rolled down.

 

“I’ll take care of this; just go feed my little guy.”  Chance said closing his eyes and taking another deep breath.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”

“I’m positive Xavier, don’t be another pain in my a*s right now.”

 

His protégé and friend conceded knowing and comforted in the fact that he at least offered his services.

 

“Just go to her and give her the same speech; we are born alone and that’s how we die.”  Xavier said deepening his voice to mock Chance.

“Do you want to find out right now?” Chance asked him.

“That’s the spirit; now go talk to your girl.”

 

There weren’t many that could talk to him freely without worrying about offending him but Xavier knew like the red haired girl that stood alone in the rain, Chance had a soft spot somewhere in his cold soul for him but always omitted any frame of mind that even seemed like he cared on the surface. He knew on the inside if it ever came down to it that Chance would put a bullet in both of them and then disappear with his son like a ghost, but out of anything in his mentors life he knew that he needed true friends and that’s what they on a daily tried to prove.

 

“I’ll be at the diner in a little bit.” Chance said opening the door and getting out.

 

He walked to her slowly as she stood with her back against the brick wall looking down as the raindrops ran down the brim of her hoody. As he got closer he could see that the way the concrete had eroded from the bricks it looked like she had a pair of angel wings and a halo. He got to where he was standing right in front of her.

 

“Hello trouble,” He greeted her.

 

She didn’t answer at first as rain drops poured around them.

“I knew you would find me.” She responded quietly.

“How is that?” Chance asked.

“Because that’s what we do isn’t it?”

“Yep; find, fore plan, and then finish.” He answered.

 

He knew she knew the motto, but at the moment wasn’t looking for that as her answer. 

 

“What’s the matter love?” He asked.

“If I would’ve died what would’ve been the process?” She asked.

 

He knew she would’ve picked out any bullshit that he made up so he had to be honest.

 

“The cleanup crew would’ve swept you under the rug, and the mark if not terminated by you would’ve been terminated regardless.”   Chance answered honestly.

“Just that easy?”  She asked.

“Just that easy baby.” He responded.

“I almost died last night.”

“The bullet grazed your shoulder.” He responded.

“It almost took my head off.”

“We wouldn’t be having this conversation if it did.”

 

Thunder rolled heavily and they got quiet as it shook everything around them.

 

“Tell me what happened.” Chance said.

“I took out the mark and his brother came in right after, he saw his brother laying on the floor in a puddle of his own blood when he pulled out his gun and pointed it at me.  He didn’t know what to do as he stood there shaking but he managed to fire off a bullet. I moved then slit his throat with the straight and I didn’t see his body drop but I heard it while he gasped and gurgled next to his brother.”

 

He stayed silent for a minute waiting on if there were any other details because he had to cover his own a*s in the process of this little adventure.

 

“Everything was good when you left I presume?” He asked.

“No doubt; I’m a professional, we are good in that department I just don’t want backlash from having to end his brother too.”

“It’s collateral damage baby girl; no worries, he was a piece of s**t too.”

“How many times have you been close to dying Chance?” She asked.

 

In an instant hundreds of instances crossed his mind as he remembered too many times to count when a gun had been in his direction and a bullet had been meant for him.

 

“Too many times than I’d care to admit.” He responded.

 

She remained silent for a second then with a quick movement that was so fast he didn’t have time to react she pulled out her gun and pointed it at him. He stared down the barrel of her Dessert Eagle with an infrared scope mounted on top.

 

“Would you kill for me?” She asked.

“Yeah, if my life was in danger too.”

 “Would you steal for me?” She asked.

“Yeah, if that s**t belonged to you.” He responded.

“Do you think I would ever kill you?” She asked.

“This is the second time you’ve put a gun in my face; if you don’t do it this time, then you better the next because I promise you won’t get a forth opportunity.” Chance responded with a smile.

A smile crept across her lips and she put the gun back in its holster that hung at her side.

 

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I know you will.” He responded.

“It’s some heavy s**t when you’re confronted with the thought of how we prepare for death at the same time of killing, but when it’s in your face; so many memories flash in your head.”

“I’m sending you and Xavier out to Texas in a month; I’ve set up some training that could help your reflexes.” He replied.

 

She took her back off of the wall and walked in front of him, they stood in front of each other as the rain continued to fall on their hooded heads. She then quickly came in for a hug and he held her tight for five minutes as she mentally got herself together. He couldn’t tell if she crying nor did he care; just as long as when this session was done she would be ready to do another hit if a job was presented. She backed away and looked at him and he knew he had to say something to settle her mind and to get him out of the drenching rain.

 

“People like us have to expect the worse when we put ourselves in the position that we do. Just know that that little knick you have is just the beginning; keep your vest on and think faster next time. I just wish there was a vest against pneumonia in which we will get if we continue to get shot by these raindrops.”

 She smiled and laughed a little and it made him smile when he put two fingers under her chin raising her head to where they looked eye to eye.  

 

“Never doubt yourself; you’re the s**t at what you do, you simply dazzle me on how you handle business. Just remember observation, reflexes, then your thoughts and you’ll survive. Now let’s go get dry and grab something to eat.” Chance said.

“No thanks, I have some laundry to do.” She responded.

 

He brought her in one more time for another hug then kissed her on the forehead.

 

“If you need me you know where to find me, but until after Texas I want you to relax.”

“I got you Chance.” She said and turned walking away as he watched her.

Before he walked to the diner he watched her until she disappeared around the corner. He stood there for a minute thinking about the other women in his life that held a place in his heart but were no longer around. Then the voice of the uncle he had killed flashed in mind when he had received advice about women. He said that even the smartest man in the world never completely understood women; the most important thing to know about them is when to give them a hug.

 

                              007  

Author's Note

I hope you like it, it's the first short of year.

Reviews

[DBrown]

ha ha yeah bro i was digging this story. it's like crack on paper....Can't wait for that next hit.
007 for life...

[Dez H.]

Yea boy and when this novel comes out do that s**t like blow; put yo nose in it and sniff a whole lot of lines. My n***a 007 fo life.......

[A. H. Pinley]

He walked to (does the girl have a name?) slowly as she stood with her back against the brick wall looking down as the raindrops ran down the brim of her hoody. As (Chance closed) in he could see that the way the concrete had eroded from the bricks it looked like she had a pair of angel wings and a halo. He got to where he was standing right in front of her.
Too many he and her in the first two sentences.
“It’s collateral damage baby girl; no worries, he was a piece of s**t (anyways).”
Not bad! I hope there's more?

[Dez H.]

lol i love it. I feel what you're saying and thank you. And yes the whole erosion of angel wings and halo was needed i thought. Look at the picture closer for the story and you'll understand that part.I got you though i like that. read something else of mine and tell me what you really think, right on and holla at ya boy.

[A. H. Pinley]

Angel wings is great...

[Dez H.]

thank u it just fit.

[luvingu01]

LOL. ITS PRETTY FUNNY. BUT I LUV THE WAY U SET THE TONE FOR THE STORY IN THE BEGINNING.

[Dez H.]

Right on ms lady, if you like that check out some others i would love to hear what you think.