"How have you been ? I mean it's been a long while since I last saw you ?" He asked while relaxing comfortable on the arm chair.
He stared at her fondly, she was still pretty as usual.
"I haven't been doing badly".
"But you, it seems you have been doing great; I'm happy for you".
"And yeah, nice look by the way. Especially the eyes".
She sincerely said with a smile.
He chuckled at her words. And lightly rubbed his bald head while
"Oh you mean this ? " He innocently asked. Suddenly, he slammed his head casually but forcefully on the desk in front of him.
'Bang'
'squelch'
'pop'
"One hit always does the job"
He said cheerfully as he raised his head up and stared at the horrified face of the woman in front of him. He left his eye on the table before her, like an offering.
"What the fuck Otis!"
She screamed out loud with panic written over her face.
"Calm down Lisa".
He tried to pacify her.
"I thought by now you should have been familiar with my crazy ways" He jokingly added.
"Crazy ways!? Are you a nutcase!? You telling me by speech that you got a prosthetic eye wasn't a better option than banging your head on my desk!? " she quickly retorted while staring at him, wondering if he would agree to be the next client on her list after Cindy. Not because of the money, but because he needed help.
"Yeah Lis, what's the fun of spitting out words when you could make do with some action"
"Yeah, action speaks louder than words, I get"
she calmly spoke, after recovering from the initial shock. Staring at his now empty eye socket, it was hollow and dark with a look like it was been sculpted and well craved out.
"Thank you" he muttered, knowing fully well, that she would still hear it.
She smiled gently at him and asked an unexpected question.
"You smiled after staring at the window. I know that kind of smile".
She looked at him coldly and continued.
"You plan on doing something crazy right? something chaotic right? I beg you, please don't do it".
Taking in a long breathe, the constant ticking sound of the clock resounded in the room.
"He's back isn't he"
Finally She broke the silence with that last sentence, and the ever present smile on his face stiffened.
Slowly, he stood up and turned his back against her. He ignored her last sentence which was also a question.
'All questions aren't to be answered, for some are meant to be unanswered' .
"I'm talking to you Otis, answer me, please, answer me!". she cried out.
"I mean look at these " she picked up his prosthetic eye that laid on the table.
"I don't know what you have been through, or how much you have suffered, but please just don't punish yourself any longer" .
'Yeah, fuck shit, no one does, maybe apart from Emperor' he mentally replied.
She stood up from her seat and walked towards him.
"Please even if you don't do this for me, do it for Annie".
Suddenly his body stiffened. She could see the change in his composure and felt how he became tensed. Few seconds later he relaxed his shoulders and turned to face her.
Slowly he close the gap between them and gently cradled her face in his hands and wiped her tears away with his fingers slowly.
"A man ought not to make a woman cry". he quietly said.
He gazed at her fondly and smiled.
"I'm sorry Lisa, for all the pain I have caused you, I really am. I should have cared for you and Annie better than I did. Though I provided, but still I was never around. I know I failed in some of my duties as a father and a husband".
"I'm not asking for forgiveness, cause it would be too late for that. For there's nothing to salvage from".
"But you still have me, we still have each other"
she softly whispered as she fell into his arms, feeling the warmth and comfort from holding on tight.
Slowly he held her chin with two fingers and gently lifted it upwards so he could stare at her pretty face.
"You still have feelings for me right ?"
Slowly she nodded.
"I guessed so".He smiled and then pulled his face closer towards her lips, then he whispered.
"I would make things right, baby girl, don't worry ".
He scooped her into his arms abruptly and she let out a slight gasp as he walked towards the couch while holding her in a princess carry.
He sat on the couch with her nestled comfortably on his thighs. She rested her head on his shoulder and kept her hand on his chest.
"It's empty, isn't it" she asked.
"Yeah, it's" He said calmly.
"Let me tell you a story".
He cleared his throat and began.
"There once lived a man, his wife and their little daughter. The man was never around not because he chose to but because of his job. Well he did choose to because he took his job more important than his family. But then a killer doesn't really sticks around when there are people to be murdered.
He tried to keep the violence away from his family. He wanted them to be oblivious tobwhat he really did, especially his little creation; his daughter. But then his wife found out but she still stucked with him. Even after realising that he was a murderer, that was true love to him, but borderline on insanity".
He paused then smiled at her. She looked into his eyes and softly purred.
"Please continue".
"But then I fucked up. I couldn't protect my wife nor my daughter. My pretty little angel was taken away from me. I couldn't do anything to save her but then I swore vengeance. Until the day I killed who stole my happiness, I wouldn't rest". So he tracked down her killers, turned out the hench men were just some random goons who got the job done and got killed after it. It took me time to track down the line, while leaving a trail of dead bodies from the bottom to the top. The cops were also after me, not because they figured I was the culprit, but a certain someone, most likely the man who ordered for my death but then ended up killing my little girl. He must have realized, that i was unto him like a hound following a bloody trail. So his men and his other men, that's the cops were after me. It was just a matter of time and who would catch who first, But then what I found out left me dumbfounded".
"Marko Caserelo".
"He was the one who ordered the attack". He breathed in deeply as he took a pause.
Immediately, Lisa sat up with a baffled look.
"Marko ?"
She stared at him with a look that wished what he said wasn't true.
"Yeah Marko, my former partner".
"He got a contract to take me out and he took it".
He smiled after seeing her face change from one of surprise to that of anger and hatred. Gently, he rubbed her back and spoke soothingly to calm her down.
"You remember Marko once offered me a position as his right hand man. Just like the batman, I work alone, so I refused. Well, you know what happened next and Annie ended up dead".
"Mhmm"
"Early this morning, I paid Marco a visit in his home..."
"Tell me you killed that bastard" she spoke furiously cutting him off.
Otis smiled at her and continued the story, as she took the smile as 'be patient for the good part'. She laid her head back on his chest as he continued.
"He was having breakfast with his pretty wife and beautiful children. From my rifle scope, they just looked so adroable, like every happy family on a Monday. The sad thing about life is the fact that a man steals away your joy at night just to go enjoy his in the morning. I too am guilty of that. But then I don't kill children but then I thought to myself, maybe I would".
She stared at me wide eyed as her mouth opened in an 'o' form, so quickly he placed his index finger on her lips and mouthed the word 'shhh'.
She looked at his finger and then at him, and playfully sucked it in while still maintaining eye contact with him. Her cute eyes stared up at his smiling face as she playfully twirled her tongue around his index finger for some seconds before removing it from her mouth with a slight pop.
"You naughty girl" He laughed at her actions.
"So I packaged the sniper rifle into a metallic case, wrote down a note for a certain person on black and white outfit to pick it up. Few minutes later I walked in through the front door, not before taking out the two bodyguards at the entrance of the mansion gate. I could see other men in black pants and jackets patrolling the premises. I never knew Marko had this kind of a hideout, tucked in somewhere like this. Since he was a comrade I felt it would be unethical to carry out some deep search on him, so I decided not to. But anyways, it doesn't matter anymore. So for the next ten minutes, I took care of all the guards leaving the butler and the maids who were easy to discern since they respectfully bowed their heads while serving and were in a black and white outfit. I knew in the next two minutes, they would be digging in. I mean I have been watching them for the past few days. Have a meal with his family every morning, and then leaves home to do what he knows best, while his driver takes the kids to school alongside escorts of both his men and the policemen".
"Policemen ? The cops work for Markos ?"
"Yes dear. Markos is not only a hit man, but also a drug lord. I mean it's not every time someone hires a hit man. Besides drugs gives a better money. And that's one of the reasons I had no intention in even working with him albeit, it was a minor one. I was already dabbling in murder and that one was more than enough. It wasn't like he bought the whole precint or something but to be a successful drug lord, some cops would need to be on your payroll".
"Their door bell rang as one of the maid instinctively rushed to answer it. It seems the guards aren't expected to enter the house, apart from emergencies. She opened the door to see an unfamiliar man with bald head and navy suit.
A nod or a bullet I said casually as I stepped forward and pressed the nuzzle of my gun against her stomach. I'm just a maid she said fearfully. Last warning I retorted while staring at her sternly. She nodded.
Is the master of the house in ? she nodded up and down. Good, lead the way".
"Following behind her, I admired the interior of the house, man must have a pulled a bullion van worth for this structure. I knew my head was shining brightly like a bulb above her thick black curly hair. Immediately the dining was in sight, I quietly told her to step outside and inform the other maids to get out of the house. With panic written over her face, she knew what I wanted to do and stated fearfully with pity also in her eyes at the family having breakfast with excitement on their face.
Quickly, I put on a black bunny mask and walked in. Hey Daddy, it's a bunny! Marko youngest daughter shouted with delight. The family of five, two daughters and a son; a five, eight and twelve.
They were still young and didn't deserve what was to come next; neither did Annie.
I could see the perplexed look on their faces apart from the two girls. One was surprised and the youngest delighted".
"I pulled out a chair beside the youngest who was sitting close to her daddy as she happily grabbed my fluffy ears when I lowered my head. In return, I rubbed her head affectionately. She closed her eyes, enjoying the soft petting.
Who the fuck are you! ? Marko glared at me.
No cursing at the table dear. His wife Jessica cautioned him with a frown on her face.
Slowly I pulled down my mask.
Otis! .
He and his wife gasped upon seeing my face.
Hello there Marko, Hi Jessica. It's been a while.
I smiled widely with a smirk on my face".