The Assassin's Blood: The Confradia Assassins 3

Chapter 15: Heartless

Declan

I look at my phone's screen, reading my new assignment's information. All of the information is processed through a secure line. Looking through the file, I commit my target's image to memory. My assignments are Elano and Dazid Liaza. Two brothers who are really into role-playing. However, their idea of roleplay is to act like crazy serial killers, and the women they choose are their victims. The brothers came under the Confradia's radar when they cut up a few girls and tossed them into the Hudson. Unfortunately, like many of our targets, the brothers have diplomatic immunity. Their file is riddled with the remains of "unsolved" deaths around the world. Too bad they fucked with the US. We don't like it when foreign dignitaries try to get one over on us.

According to the file, the brothers own a yacht near the Hudson. Which happens to be the same general area where Willem Kazik was last seen by two of my fellow Assassins, Reaper and Savage. What is it with bad guys and yachts? It's so cliché. Willem has been a thorn in the side of the Confradia for way too long. Unfortunately, he threw himself from the deck of his ship, and we didn't know he was alive until we received intel that he resurfaced several weeks ago. For the past few weeks, I've been helping Priest, Savage, Reaper, and Hunter with their investigation. Savage and Reaper are definitely a lot more motivated in finding the bastard now that they've fallen in love. That's why I don't do relationships. They come with too many complications. We're in a very dangerous business, and anyone who becomes involved with us will have to deal with our enemies too. I can't imagine putting Santana or Connor through that.

Turning my mind away from thoughts of Santana and Connor, I prepare my silencer and special tranquilizer shots before I place them in the strategic pockets that were sewn onto my suit. It doesn't take much work to get into the yacht. The idiots like to throw parties here almost every night. I look around as I step through the deck and adjust my suit jacket. Several women rub against me and smile as I walk through the room. People are drinking and snorting lines of coke in a corner, and several groups of people putting on an amateur sex show in the middle of the floor. I roll my eyes desensitized to the whole scene.

The brothers are standing on the top railing, drinking, and talking with their next victims. I observe as they both wrap an arm around a drunken girl and maneuver them down the stair. I scoff at their stupidity. They make it almost too easy to kill them. Once I spot them, I wait around for a while to lessen any suspicion, but I keep them in my line of sight. The waiters walk around the boats, passing out flutes of champagne and trays of appetizers. The crowd becomes rowdier as the night progresses, which makes it easier for me to blend into the crowd. Hours pass until the two brothers decide to take action. I observe silently as they wind their way through the crowd and lead the girls to the lower deck.

Following behind them, I pretend to drunkenly stumble and slur as I follow their descent into the bowels of the ship. Several guards notice me but look away when I pretend to vomit over the railing. Continuing to feign drunken delirium, I observe the guards from the corner of my eyes. After a few moments, they write me off as non-threatening and move away so that they can scan the rest of the deck. It's almost too easy. Keeping an eye out for any other threats, I stealthily make my way to the bottom deck and carefully scan the hallways. No one seems to be around. I guess their guards are so accustomed to their bosses' activities.

I'm sure the two brothers are just as unconcerned. After getting away with killing so many women, I'm sure they consider themselves invincible. It's the same with all the psychos I've had to deal with. They never think they'll get caught until one day they get careless. Moving around, I listen for voices until I finally hear a few squeals on the other side of the door. The squeals are stifled by the music and the revelers, making it easy for the brothers to finish their prey. What they don't know is that they're about to become my prey tonight.

I crack the door open and find that the brothers are already subduing the girls. One of the brothers has a girl face down on the floor as he slams her face and attempts to get her to submit. The girl cries out in pain when he slams her hard. The other brother is biting his girl's skin leaving bloody mouth prints. The girl whimpers and cries out beneath the gag. Taking the syringe, I wrap my hand around the mouth of the first brother and plunge the syringe into his neck, he pulls back in surprise but makes no further sound. Releasing him, I watch with satisfaction as his body slumps on its back, his lifeless eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. He's not really dead though─ he's paralyzed. I gave him a very specialized tranquilizer that will incapacitate him until I'm ready to dispose of him.

The girl remains on the floor crying and heaving with fright, completely unaware of what has happened. Not giving her a thought, I move to the other brother, who's too busy hurting the other girl to notice his brother's silence. The girl under him gives me a terrorized look but quiets down when I signal for her to be silent. The brother continues to make his way down her body, not noticing that death is standing so close. Before he can react, I cover his mouth and plunge the other syringe into his neck. His body shudders as the tranquilizer makes its way through his nervous system. I hold his body until it completely shuts down.

The girl whimpers lightly until I remove her gag. "Be quiet," I reply gently. She instantly goes silent. "Listen to me very carefully. I'm going to help you get out of here, but you need to be quiet. Can you get up?" The girl nods her head, rises from the bed, and adjusts her dress in hopes of finding some semblance of modesty. I try not to wince when I see all the bloody bites in her body and move towards her friend, who is beginning to rouse.

"Caty." She whispers, leaning over her friend's trembling body. Trembling, the girl turns her friend over carefully and inspects her. Both girls are bruised and beaten, but they're fighters. She makes soothing noises as she explains to her friend what happened. "It's okay, Caty. We're going to be okay."

I look back at the door for a moment. "We better go," I whisper urgently. "It's been quiet here for too long. I'm going to help you to a raft that's waiting nearby. We just have to get to those sliding doors. I promise there's someone there to help you." They both gaze at me with gratitude as tears slide down their faces. I had made a call earlier to the Confradia cleaners for a pickup. They should be here within a few seconds. I have a locator beacon that I use when I need backup.

"Listen, ladies, I know that these two hurt you, but I need you to keep this to yourselves. These men have killed and hurt a lot of girls over the years, and I'm here to make them pay. I promise you now, these men will never hurt you or anyone again. Now, someone from my company is going to come here to help you get safely back home. Are we understood?" They both nod their heads in understanding and follow me as I guide them to the balcony doors. The Confradia raft is already outside the balcony doors waiting for the girls. Once they're safely in the raft, I move back into the room and finish what I started. Thankfully, none of their guards have appeared yet. But the possibility of being discovered is still there.

Stepping into the room, I reach for both brothers, take them by the legs and drag their bodies to the balcony. The roar of the raft's motor hums as it disappears into the horizon.

No one will ever know that they were murdered. If any of his men come around, they will assume that both brothers drowned. I wait a few minutes as the last air bubbles in the water fade. Minutes later, another raft appears near the balcony and takes me back to the pier. It doesn't take us long to reach land, but it feels like forever. I guess it's the tension I feel whenever I have to go on a mission. My car's dark exterior gleams like a beacon in the night as I make my way through the lot. Before I slide into the car, I reach for my phone and dial a familiar number. When a voice answers on the other end, I respond with a code, "The sharks have been placed back in the water." Not another word is said. I simply disconnect the call and settle my phone back in my pocket.

I have to say that I enjoy giving codes the most. Especially when they are this entertaining. The car's engine roars to life as soon as I turn on the ignition. Resting my head back on the headrest, I listen to the soft sound of music and make my way home.

Unfortunately, there's no reprieve from my thoughts. Over the past few days, anytime I fall asleep, I dream of Connor and Santana. I don't think that my erection has subsided since the day I saw her. However, I'm resigned to the fact that I will never see her or my brother again. It's just not a good idea. I can never be what they want me to be, and it would be dangerous to try. Somehow though, instead of relief at my resolve, all I feel is emptiness.