Tutelary of a Perilous Entity

The title means Guardian of a dangerous being.

                             The jungle creed says the strongest feed on any prey it can,
                             So I was branded beast at every feast before I became a man.
                               -Unknown




It had been nearly two months since her red cell phone had rang, and when it did she was sitting in her loft in only a t-shirt at two o’clock in the morning while cleaning her sniper rifle and listening to dub step music. Her name is Camille, a fiery red haired contract killer for a man named Chance that used to be one before retiring. An anxious sensation came to her stomach before she answered for a conversation that lasted for less than five seconds; the rendezvous was where they often met at the top of a parking garage at twelve o’clock in the morning in a dark corner on the roof overlooking the night city lights. It was their spot; they had their own name for it too,
“Meet me at the top of world.”  He said and hung up.
She shows up first anticipating the meeting knowing that the promise of another pay day would surely be upon her. His intro is as dark as his persona when he appears as a shadowy figure with a hood over his head moving into the light calmly coming towards her.  He removes his hood and what is usually a serious emotionless face is genuine smile because he loved seeing her. To him she was the epitome of beauty, he’d seen plenty of pretty women in his life but she was stunning. He once heard a gay man say that he would go straight for her. Her eyes are a mix of green and silver making her glare seem sometimes like they are blue, her hair red with the tips splashed with yellow looking like it’s on fire, the face of a goddess that turns into an angelic vision when she smiles. The first thing they do is hug, he lifts her off her feet and they just swing as he holds her tight never wanting to put her down. When he did he couldn’t help but to smile. She held special place in his heart even though she once tried to kill him, but he forgave her because others had failed but she got the closet. They hug for a minute from the absence and catch up on mandatory small talk conversing for a half an hour about anything they can think of, but most of the times he would say little things to see her smile. She pulls out a cigarette and lights it, he knows she doesn’t smoke those so he plucks it from her lips and puts it to his own. Next he reaches into his pocket in the hoodie and handed her what she did like to smoke; a black and mild. When she puts it to her lips he lights it for her so he can see her face lit up with the glow of the fire.

“So you know as gorgeous as you are I didn’t just call you to just be in the presence of such exquisiteness right?” He asked her.

He can speak seven different languages but he had the tendency to speak like a poet just to watch her blush.

“Who do you meet more; Xavier or me?” She asked about the other hitter that works for him.
“You of course my dear.” He responded and got his reward of her walking closer with a smile staring into his eyes.
“How did I know you were going to say that?” She asked.
With a simple answer he kept it honest with her.
“Because it’s not Xavier’s lips I want to kiss when we part.”

She backed away and he just continued looking at her with a grenchy grin on his face knowing that he would do like every other time and just kiss her on the forehead slowly and gently. He was afraid of falling in love with her reminding himself of four women that were in his life that were dead now; his two daughters to a sexual predator, his wife to suicide and his old contact to another professional. He felt his love was a curse for all the bad stuff he did to others loved ones, so every time he felt enchanted by her he would take a deep breath and shake his head smiling and she would read his mind smiling back in return. She was easy to fall for, that’s how she got the closet to him but her skills with a multitude of weapons made her as deadly as her looks. He saw the potential in her and it would’ve been the last thing he saw if her contact didn’t get killed. She knew his reputation and after studying him for almost three months wanted to know everything she could about him. After she had him drugged and zip tied to a chair with a gun in his face waiting on the phone call that would insure her payment she was ready to pull the trigger but instead she received the news stating she wouldn’t get paid what she was promised because of the unfortunate death, she offered to kill for him. At first he was reluctant due his promise of never killing again because he had retired from that life, but money was running low for him and he found out he had a son. Staring in his eyes with the gun pointing at him waiting to make his decision he thought it was the sexiest thing he had ever seen in his life and was interested on what she was really capable of. It wasn’t her feelings that kept him alive, it was what he could offer her and she knew he would make her better than she had ever gotten by herself. He already had a protégé named Xavier that went freelance after he retired and was making pretty decent money on his own but when Chance made him the offer to work for him with Camille as well he didn’t turn down the opportunity because he and Chance were as close as brothers.   
She had done multiple jobs for him and was living comfortable with everything she needed in eight different states; passports, fake identifications, safe houses, and enough currency to cover any travel that was needed. Guns, ammo and multiple connections keep things simple as she lay low where ever she slept.
“Really, how have you been?” He asked her.
“Been good.” She answered with a smile on her face.

He hands her a flash drive and pulling out her IPad she injects the information sliding her finger across the screen. She looked at the mark’s photo and glances through the profile scanning the Intel before looking back at him.

“I need you to be my guardian angel.” He said to her.

She knew what that meant; shooting at a distance. With a couple of pokes on the screen she pulled up the logistics of the area getting a satellite view of a penthouse and the buildings that would be ideal for a proper vantage points.

“You know I got you.” She responded turning off the device.

“I like what you did with your hair.” He said as he ran his fingers through it.

It used to be just red until she added the yellow highlights and he had never seen it like that.

“Thank you, I’m still trying to get used to it though, but you just like it because you’re weakness is a redhead.”  She responded grabbing a strand.
He smiled at her in his mind saying to her that it wasn’t a redhead that was his weakness but just her.
“Make sure you read the details; I don’t want to have to kill anyone myself, that’s for you and Xavier. He added.”
“Have you talked to him about this yet?” She asked.
“Not yet but I will. Clear out his boys first and cancel him last.”
“Compensation?”
“You’ll get the same per head plus fifty grand for eliminating him last.” He answered.
A usual pay for a gig was five to fifteen grand it always depended on the circumstances on how it was to be completed. He would sometimes slide them extra if he was very impressed with the work but she always dazzled him with the things she could do; she could get into more places than Xavier because she would handle situations with finesse while Xavier depended on brute strength, martial art skills and his savvy with a guns and a knives. When the two pair up they are poetry in motion; they are both skilled in a wide variety techniques to not only hinder but to also terminate, so when they functioned as a duo it wasn’t a question for him if the job would get done. He never had to brief Xavier unless the job was his alone but he would catch him up enough before a situation and rely on his coping skills to do the rest; Xavier never let him down.  
 
“I’ve missed you.” He confessed.
“You know you can see me whenever.” She replied.

But he didn’t want to do that; the problem didn’t lie on his ability to see her but how many times he did see her. He once sat in solitude for a whole day contemplating on if he was infatuated with her or if he really did find someone to hold his heart in hand. A close friend of his who is also a poet made him see things in a different light when he asked for advice he quoted on his poems that not only left Chance without a response but the question he had been ruminating about. He told him:
“This genuine intuition from within had surfaced tension to begin bringing forth what matters the most internally may shatter externally. All of adversity’s faced images were now on display as broken fragments from its gallery of deep convictions.”
It was indeed profound and it took Chance the rest of the night to digest it but by the next morning he understood what his friend was telling him so he made himself stay at a certain distance because alone he wouldn’t be strong enough, so in with closure he knew she could never really belong to him. He once fought fifteen knife and pipe wielding thugs and walked away just a little out of breath but Camille once had him to where he accepted his fate and was ready to die, he would give his own life for her even though he would never tell her how much of his soul she really owned. They talk about trivial things that had nothing to do with fighting or killing and he loved when that would happen. He was always serious but when with her he could laugh, joke, and be someone that most would never see. He enjoyed time with her but time does fly when you’re having fun so when the meeting concludes he does it with a hug and kiss on her forehead. He held on to her for a little more than he usually would giving her only one warning;
“Walk away now before I never let you go.”
She knew what it meant and she caressed his face with her fingers with a smile as he left his eyes closed. She disappeared into the shadows and drove away and going back to her abode getting comfortable in a raspberry thong and a tight fitting top before reading the resume.
The mark was named Terrance Harding; a local dope dealer turned boss of his own territory recently because of an unfortunate shooting of his best friend. He set the whole thing up as he sat back waiting for his moment to take over; he started out small slinging dope on the block until he got the promotion after meeting with the plug along with his ace being a look out for any ill formations. He made a name for himself busting a couple of shots at cops or making quick getaways in the hood after ruthlessly executing blatant disrespecting opposition. He got powerful but didn’t play the game right; he curbed his morals becoming cocky like Nino Brown. But he wasn’t his brother’s keeper as he gave him the answers to the drug game and showed up at his own mother’s house throwing money on the table spitting in her face and saying,

“Here b***h; just thought I’d give you some insight before you start passing judgment.”

It took a couple of days to get the right vantage points but when she did and after finding out that the windows weren’t bullet proof she had three perfect spots for a perfect head or heart shot. Looking at his upper penthouse his balcony was where he went at the end night to smoke a joint alone before retiring for the night. But Chance had arranged for him to have anything but a normal one of those, Camille contacted a couple of her girlfriends that were in the business of prostituting for high paying clients. Beautiful women with the skills of talking and touching their way into multi-millionaire pockets, but when things got dicey would have enough sense to exit the party quietly. Music blasted as he danced with two of them rubbing on their butts while they got naked, walking away to his glass table he chops up lines and sniffing yayo.

Chance and Xavier took the elevator up and he put him up on what had to be done. He was close to him too because he was like a little brother to him. A light skinned pretty boy who lives for an adrenaline rush. Chance took him under his wing and taught him how to be a professional after sparring with him when he was eighteen years old. He began teaching him multiple techniques, then he when he decided to bring him in on the business he moved to silent kills and made him better at close quarter fighting. Chance sent him to an old comrade named Buck who for three months mastered him in Krav Maga even before his first job, everything had to be valid. Xavier was around him when his kids were murdered he helped as much as he could but Chance cut himself off to the world. But when they did jobs together they played off each other’s instinct in situations that were on the verge of chaos or already in progress. But most important Chance trusted him; he made him godfather of his daughters and recently of his son.      

“So you mean to tell me that you are not going to kill anyone tonight?” Xavier asked.
“She’s going to take care of him and most his boys when they start shooting; I want you make sure I don’t catch a bullet while we’re in here.” Chance responded.
“I got you and she’ll take care of the rest, if you say you’re not killing anyone then I’ll make sure you don’t, but I want some good money for this s**t.”
“You’ll be taken care of like Camille and I’ll throw in a bonus because the one that wants this done is paying top notch for it. He specifically requested you two for this so that’s what I’m giving him. Once he’s dead they want his ring finger with the ring he got married to his wife with. That’s where you come in.” Chance said.
“Okay then he’ll have it.” Xavier replied checking his gun and chambering a bullet for when the real party started.

Chance lowered his head and closed his eyes while the elevator climbed.

“What are you doing?” Xavier asked.

He doesn’t get a response until he sees his mentor gives himself the sign of the cross and kisses the cross that hangs around his neck.
“I’m praying for my enemies; I said I wouldn’t kill anyone and I haven’t broken that promise in eight years.”
“But you’ll shoot them?” Xavier asks with a smile on his face.
“You damn right, and when I do you put one in their head to finish it.”

Xavier looks out into the night view city lights as the glass elevator climbed to the top.
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know, but I can’t wait to see her in action. Terrance is probably coked up and feeling like doing some real stupid s**t tonight so be ready for anything.”
“I’m ready for this man, this feels like the old days when we used to do gigs.”
“Those were the days weren’t they,”

Xavier began to say something low and under his breath and when he was done Chanced asked him if he was praying.

“Nah, I reciting a quote I heard you say a long time ago and it stuck with me. I’m probably going to get it inked after this s**t tonight.”
“What is it?” Chance asked.
 “It was some s**t Genghis Kahn said and I thought it tightest thing I’ve heard, he said: I am punishment of God, if you would not have created a great punishment God wouldn’t have sent a punishment like me upon you.”
“I remember that.”
“Yeah I love that s**t, I say it before every job.” Xavier replied.
 
Chance looks up at the numbers to see what floor they were at when he noticed they were one story away.
“You ready,” He asked.
“And you know it.” Xavier said cracking his neck.
 The elevator reached the floor and the doors open presenting Terrance wearing a blue kimono and orange flip flops standing waiting on them and dancing. Rap music plays in the background and he lip sings the words until the chorus comes in and he starts saying it out loud looking at them.

“Drink a little bit, smoke a little bit, snort a little and get fucked up!”

He repeats it once more before waving them in and walking away with a bottle of Moet in his clutches. The all white marble room with stone statues of different Greek Gods in different areas was mentally being broke down and analyzed by the duo until they look at each other slightly nodding. He saw a drug dealer named Blizzy; when he saw Chance and Xavier he knew what time it was.

“Well my guy, I need to get out of here but I’m going to need that money right now.”
“You know I’m good for it, I’ll pay you tomorrow.” Terrance said.
“Nah man, I gotta re-up tonight and I need all of the loot for it.”
“Okay I got you then, but you act like you don’t have no money.” Terrance said loudly reaching in his pocket pulling out a wad of cash.

He gave Blizzy the money watching him and his sagged pants gap legged walk to the elevator. He greeted Chance first shaking his hand. It was him who gave Chance all the information he needed to know plus more. He got paid for it and even threw in his families address for free but he was treated like any other rat and quickly dismissed before going Xavier next. He and Xavier shared some type of past affiliation as they twist up fingers with the hand shake. He did as much dirt if not more than the two so they knew he wouldn’t be a liability as they let him exit behind them. A song comes on and it’s opera mixed with a techno beat, Terrance begins to feel it as he starts to dance around,

“I love this song…”

His boys don’t care what he is saying as long as the girls keep their attention, they just think it’s any other time he has had one of his parties.

“This is that new Beethoven.” He said walking up to them.
“That’s Emmanuel Santarromana you ignorant b*****d.” He said lowly.
“What was that,” Terrance asked.
“Nothing, I am here because Omar Festorama your father in law wants that money you owe him.” Chance replied.
“I’ll give him the money when I feel like it!”

His boys start to ignore the girls now looking over at the two intruders their boss was now yelling at. Chance remains calm looking at them pushing the girls to the side and walking to Terrance. He counted nine in the room but two came from the back and he had to factor them as well.

“Do you think I’m going to give you that money now? Call him so I can tell him to kiss my a*s and I’ll give him that money when he gives me those four keys he owes me for taking care of his clients last month.” He added getting more upset.
“Whatever you two got between you is your own business but I’m here to pick up what he sent me for.” Chance said watching his boys walk up.

The girls began to pick up the money that was lying around and gathering all the drugs they could before walking up and going to the elevators.

“Do you see that, you made all of my company leave so now I’m pissed.”      

Camille watches a hundred feet away calibrating the scope and focusing on him trying to predict all of his next movements as if in the same room to get a good shot. Her friends already knew that when things got started to take all the money and drugs they want while getting out of the vicinity; it’s their payment for the distraction. She saw where Chance and Xavier was and anticipated where they would get cover at when the gun fire erupted. She lowered a patch over her left eye and looked at Chance so in his body movements she could play off of him. Inside of the penthouse Terrance continued to yell about the situation that was going on with his father in law, but Chance and Xavier didn’t care they just want to get this over with.

“Listen, we are getting this money tonight. We will get it before leaving this place tonight and I have things to do so I’m getting it right now.”
“You and him come in here and think you’re going to take it from me tonight, then I suppose I’m going to just give it to you without a fight?” Terrance asked.
“No, because I need something else from you before I leave.” Chance said.
“What else do you need from me a*****e?”

Chance just smiled because he imagined the curse words that he would hear from his response.

“I’ll be taking your ring finger with the ring since you are legally divorced from his daughter.”

Just as he thought Terrance began to yell calling him every name but his birth one but Chance didn’t lose his cool and Xavier just stood by waiting for his moment; he eyed for one of them to even reach for anything he didn’t care if it was for a cigarette, he was going to shoot them.
“It’s only two of you, which one going to take my finger let alone my ring?” He asked Chance.
“That’s going to be me, I’m going to cut your finger off and get both of them.” Xavier said.

His boys got anxious hearing that and one started walking closer, the cross hair danced around his head as she steadied her aim and inhaled holding it.

“Yo Terrance I’m about to kill these…” He reached under his shirt at his waistline for his gun and instantly caught a silent bullet in his temple.

He fell and the others looked around, Terrance pulled a knife out and thrusted it. Anticipating his movement Chance grabbed his hand twisting it and took the knife. Guns were drawn and Xavier pulled out his shooting and killing the one he been eyeing then ducked behind one the statues. Chance held on to Terrance’s hand and pulled him making him fall and dragging him so he could hide behind another statue. He took the knife and made a quick cut at his bicep. Xavier shot again hitting the head of another before they separated going for cover themselves. They shot at Chance chipping pieces off the marble statue he sat behind but was scared of hitting their boss so they shot more at Xavier. Chance made another slit in Terrance’s arm as he kept him by him screaming and yelling for his boys. Camille saw another free one and took another head shot. That was four that were down and the others kept shooting. Xavier blind fired a couple of times while looking over at Chance concentrating on not killing Terrance with the knife in his hand. One ran toward them fast while Xavier reloaded and when he looked up trying to move faster with his empty gun Camille had taken care of him putting down the man with a head shot. She looked around for another but they finally figured out where the shots were coming from and hid in another angle. It didn’t stop her as she picked the rifle up and ran to another vantage point. Xavier realized he didn’t have another full clip and saw two thugs running toward Chance and quickly reacted heading to them throwing a knife at one hitting inner thigh making him fall, then got to the other with another knife slicing his abdomen first, next was at his chest, and he quickly dropped it into his other hand and slit his throat. Two came from behind hiding and started shooting but Camille had already got in position and put them both down. The man with the knife in the leg was happy when he pulled it out but it was short lived as looked up seeing Xavier right in front of him. Chance watched him and Camille finish off the others until it was only Terrance left as he kicked him away. He ran into the middle of the room where he looked at Xavier first on one side then turned to see Chance on the other side of the other side of the room. Last while in panic mode he looked down at the arm of his shirt that was saturated in blood.

“Yeah, you’re bleeding out.” Chance said.
In the business he ran into many who tried to beg, plea, and negotiate their way out of what they knew they had coming. Terrance was no different,

“I’ll pay you double than what the old man offered.” He cried out.
“The old man needs that money you owe him.” Chance said.
“Screw him, I’ll pay you what I owe him and pay for a contract on his head double the price.”
“Sorry can’t do that.”

Terrance reached behind and pulled out a gun and began to laugh. Xavier picked up a gun laying next a dead man then quickly pointed at him. Chance put his hand out to not shoot him.

“You should have taken my offer you stupid a*****e.” Terrance said nervously.

Camille didn’t hesitate to shoot the gun from his hand yelled and looked in her direction at the hole in the window.

“What the f…” He didn’t get to finish his sentence as one went between his eyes.

He fell to the ground and Chance reached in one pocket pulling out a piece of paper with the code to the safe in his bedroom, then he pulled out a pair of rubber gloves. Xavier walks to the deceased with a pair of garden weed cutters. Chance got the money and Xavier got the finger with the ring while Camille packed the rifle away and disappeared for the night. The two men wasted no time leaving the place with no trace evidence behind and when they got outside even went in different directions.
The next morning Chance stood in the back yard doing Tai Chi with his son, the doorbell sounded and he went to the front door leaving his son in the back practice. When he answered it was Xavier, they shook hands and he let him in. He began to close the door when he heard a motorcycle pulling up and knew it was her.

“So that was fun last night,” Xavier said pausing when he saw his son running in.
The little boy ran up and jumped in his arms calling him Uncle X. Xavier greeted him with a smile and played with him a little before Camille walked in stealing his attention.

“Aunt Camille,” The boy yelled.
“Donovan, how’s my little man?” She said as he ran to her at the door.

She played with him for a minute as they all three talked about how big he was getting and how he was doing in school. The little boy then called for his father,

“Dad, can I get that game today?” He asked.
“You go take a shower and put on some clothes and we’ll do that.” Chance responded.

The little boy instantly ran upstairs leaving the three grown-ups alone. Chance directed them with his head walking to his office and they followed. Once in there they could talk freely but only after Chance made sure his son was not around and before reaching in his drawer pulling out two envelopes. He handed Xavier his first,

“I haven’t seen you in motion in a long time Mello Yello; you’ve gotten better.”
“Thank you but it was just cool having you back in the mix again, we did all of that and you kept your word not killing any of them fools.” Xavier said as he received his payment.
“I couldn’t have done without you two; Xavier, you were a beast in there and you…”

He looked over at Camille with a smile on his face.

“My guardian angel; thank you again for watching my back baby. I heard you were the s**t with that thing but I had no idea that you like that.” He said to her.

He gave her the envelope getting closer and whispering something in her ear then smiled as she blushed and laughed at whatever he told her.
They left the office and headed to the front door. Chance got to it and opened it up for them. Camille exited first,
“Good s**t cutie; stay close I’m going to have one just for you and a rifle real soon.”
She smiled and gave him a hug before walking away. They both admired the beautiful view until it rolled away then shook hands bringing it in for a hug.  
“I’m going to need you to show me a couple of those moves soon.” Chance said.
“Why don’t you come have a beer with us tonight and meet me at the gym in the morning before I fly out?” Xavier asked.
“Sorry I have some things I need to do.” Chance replied and they shook up one more time.
“I’ve heard about some issues that are getting ill out in the world.” He added.
“Well Mr. Contact, contact me.” He said smiling.
Xavier walked away and Chance went back in the house rubbing his face. He didn’t have anything to do he just needed to be away from it all once again. He hadn’t been in that type of situation in a long time and he didn’t miss it. That type of life was behind him now and there are people reading this that may say that just by being there he killed, but technically he didn’t and most of us live off technicalities, but he was a man that lived for his son and for those he could depend on. Those three were his life now and he would do for them on any given day like they did for him and that was to insure his survival at a table among beasts.
                    -007
          

Author's Note

I liked doing this one because I like writing about both characters so to throw all three into one together was fun to do. I hoped you like it if not let me know why.

Reviews

[B-poet]

Very well written and laid out, Your style commemorates itself. Great work with using my poetry. Who says poets can't be writers and vice versa. :) Nice use of third person, If you want to experiment more with point of view, You can use your lead character or another with first person or omnipresent to fill in the details with your transitional story-lines & background info for setting up each scene as you did in third person p.o.v - There's a few typo's with the word "closet" throughout the story, I think you meant "closest". Nice ending. Very well said about living off technicalities. You could have a field with the inner dialogue's for each character if you're looking to experiment and extending your hitman series. Overall Job Well done Gone 007 - Gutta