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City of Whispers
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City of Whispers |
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Deranger Member
since 2000-05-10
Posts 498Somewhere, between here and there |
City of Whispers Prologue Everything was so bright as I stumbled through the door into the station. The shouting behind me echoed painfully through my head. The women in the stained sundress tugged at my other hand, urging me forward. But a feeble pace was all I could manage. People around me gasped when they saw the gun, still smoking. The only thing I could hear was heavy breathing, my breathing. My arm throbbed with pain, as did the rest of my body. Police shouted at me. But I couldn’t understand them. I just focused on the train, the promising beacon of hope. It could take us away to that safe, warm summer place we all belong. It could take us away from all this madness. I continued to limp towards it, but shots rang out. They say that you never feel the one that gets you. But when it happens, you realize, they lied. Hell, at this point, you realize that you’ve been lied to a lot. My gun slipped out of my bloody hands as I fell. Hitting the cold concrete, the world spun crazily. The crying of that woman in the stained dress was the last thing I heard. Chapter One I remember a time, long ago when life was simpler. All I ever wanted was a stable job, loyal friends and a pretty girl to love. Deep down, I think that’s what every man really wants. But life has a way of confusing everything, teaching you things you never wanted to know. Taking you places that you didn’t ever want to go. One day, you wake up and realize that you lost sight of your simple goals. You’re doing things that ten years ago would make you sick, though now you can’t remember why. It seems like twenty-five years of wasted hope and trying to walk the straight and narrow. It’s a shame how long it takes you to figure out life. By the time you do its half over; for some of us, more than that. I never asked for anything special, just a normal, safe comfortable life. Smoke and mirrors is all you get, lies and letdowns. But hell, that’s life. That time is up, in fact, time may be up for all of us. You see, we are in a dangerous business, we are mercenaries. Working for the infamous Ginsani Organization has its benefits however, but its all material, no real happiness, and no real life. As I said, my line of work was hazardous and you’re told not to get to close to any member of your “team”. But like anyone really pays heed to good advice these days. ********** Violently, I sat up in bed, sweat dripping off my brow. As my senses returned, I heard the phone ringing. Jumping from bed, I raced to fetch it. “Hello” I said groggily. “James Gray?” A man said. “Yes, this is him, whom am I speak—“ “Get your team together and be at work in half an hour.” The man said, hanging up. One thing about my job, the hours suck. I punched Jay’s number into the phone and nervously waited for it to start ringing. “Jay here” He answered. Sounding like he had the same amount of sleep. “Jay, be at work in thirty. Bring your tools” “Wah—What’s the rush man?” He said, probably a little angry about being deprived of his probably much needed sleep. . “You know the rules, I’ll explain once there. Call Sam, I don’t have time.” I said, hanging up. Stumbling, I navigated my small apartment to my bathroom and started the shower. With less than thirty minutes, I’d have to hurry. Luckily, I lived close to “work”. About half an hour later, my team sat at a small, round table in a conference room in the All-Saints Church, the new meeting place. The table, like the rest of the room, was sterile metal, lit by a solitary overhead light. In a job like this, it’s intelligent to not be in one spot long enough to draw attention. The halogen lighting almost brightened the white walls to the point of hurting my eyes. I looked around at the familiar faces, sad faces was what I saw. Though we’d be sitting there for ten or more minutes, not one of us had said a word. I guess we were all tired. Finally, a short, greasy man opened the door and sat down in the last chair, completing the circle. “Listen up, James. I hate wasting my time with you and your garbage, so I’ll be brief. The Troy Family has been annoying the Organization for the past decade, and we’re fricken’ sick of it. Were going to teach them a lesson they’ll never forget, I—“ “No assassinations, Fitch, you know the rules.” I angrily interjected. “Shut yer mouth James. We know your stupid rules, this is no killing. It’s a kidnapping. Further instructions are in the van, and James, no screw-ups on this one.” “What’s the payoff, Fitch?” I quarried. Fitch licked his fat lips “If you don’t screw up? Thirty grand…each. But we mean it, no screw ups.” I scanned across the table, my team seemed to be in agreement. “Look I don’t have all fricken’ day, you game or not?” Fitch said, losing his finite patience. “We’re game, for thirty grand each you better believe it.” I said, trying to maintain my composure, but that was a lot of damn money! “You have two days.” Fitch got up, gave us one last look and left. Our van was different this time. It was a white utility truck as normal, but the inside was padded and looked a whole hell of a lot more comfortable then most times. Jay and Sam poked around the van as I read the instructions for our “mission”. “What the heck’s up with this” Jay said. “It looks like we just got turned into mercenary babysitters.” “You don’t know how close you are,” I said. “That kidnapping target is a child, Rachel Troy, Erich Troy’s nine year old daughter!” Sam, who must have heard me, stepped from the back, wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt. She was an attractive 5’ 8” with raven hair, cold blue eyes and a mood to match. Maybe, if the world were a better place, I would have liked to marry her, start a family. But hell, who am I kidding? In this line of work, relationships are kinda out of the question. If you get too close, you do something dumb and someone dies. Though her mood was usually as dark as her hair, every once and a while, an innocent little girl poked her head through the ebon clouds of reality. “They want us to do what?” She demanded. “Kidnap a child, here look at this” I said handing her the orders. After a moment of studying them, she looked at me. “This is what they have reduced us too, stealing children in the night?” “Look Sam, a mission is a mission. They didn’t ask you if you like the objective, nor do they fricking care. We’re Mercs, hired fricken guns, just follow the stupid orders.” Jay said, gleaming angrily at Sam. Jay was always the most violent member, shoot first and ask questions later was his method (phy). A true loose cannon, unnecessary lethal at time. He is very mission driven, which is exactly why he’s on my team, to keep me on track. Jay and Sam never really get along , the only thing that stop’s them from blowing each other’s brains out is my firm leadership skills. At least, that’s what I tell myself. “Settle down you two, we have a kidnapping to plan.” Chapter Two Back at my apartment, the blueprints of the daycare were scattered among pizza boxes and oriental take-out boxes that all, miraculously managed to fit on my small kitchen table. “Ok, we have seven hours to pull this off” I said. “Rachel is at her daycare in the day. I bet the place is crawling with Troy members, so this has to be quick, in and out. Any ideas?” I said. “How about we throw some gas grenades though this window, and nap her in the insuring confusion?” Jay suggested. Sam sighed purposefully loud. “You just can’t expose a child to that potent of gas and expect them to live, she’d suffocate in minutes. Not to mention the other children.” She said. “Good point Sam, I don’t want this to be a bloodbath either, no shots fired would be my preference, though I know that’s not possible.” “What if we pull the fire alarm, they’ll evacuate the kids, as easy as cake!” I suggested. “It would be impossible to find her, there is got to be at least fifty kids in a place this size.” Jay said. “Hmm, good point.” I said, defeated. “Ok guys, look here, it says there is a city inspection of the facility tomorrow at 12:00 Am!” Sam exclaimed. “Alright, now lets talk details” I said. Jay nodded. **** Intercepting the city inspection team was easy. We used the old flat tire and beautiful girl routine, gets city officials every time. Unfortunately, there was only two of them and the Troy Members were likely to know that. Deciding would go was tough, but it finally came down to the fact that Jay and myself had photographic memories. Sam would stay behind to drive the truck once we had the girl. Jay was screwing on the silencer to his 9mm as I hid my pistol in the large pockets of the utility belt. I nodded to him “Good luck”. He returned the nod but said nothing. That familiar cold look that often preceded multiple deaths was in his eyes. The girl at the main desk bought our act and led us to the basement, we passed the area were the kids were, I made a mental note of it. The building was very nice looking. But I guess it was only patroned by the richest criminals in Miami. Once we arrived in the basement, and the woman had left us, Jay and I went over the plan once more. To maintain the illusion, we waited fifteen minutes before coming up the stairs. We arrived in the play area and begin looking for the target. There were two men in nice suits, the type that had no business at a daycare. Troy Members. Jay nudged me to say the guards were his. Finding the girl in a corner talking to with the other older children. I pointed to her, which turned out to be a bad move, for the two men now approached us. “Something we can help you with?” One said. “Ever stared at the night sky and wonder what it felt like to fly like an angel?” Jay said, grimness in his voice. “What...no, what are you on buddy?” the guard said “No, that’s a shame” He said as he pulled his akimbo pistols and shot both squarely in the forehead. Before either fell, which takes longer then you’d think, I had my weapon drawn and was half way to the girl. The whole room was screaming and shrieking in the tone only hysterical children can manage. I grabbed the frenzied mass. “Got the girl!” I yelled over the pistol-fire to Jay, who was trading fire with two or three Troy men that had taken refuge behind some plastic play apparatus. “Stupid pistols need to hold more bullets!” Jay said as he ducked behind a pillar to reload his pistols. “Yeah, that’s wonderful, you wanna um, blow this place?” Jay said in a playful tone. “ Lead the way Jay!” I said, holstering my 9mm to devoted both hands to the girl’s worming form. Jay grinned as he holstered a pistol and removed a black, spherical object from his belt.. Pulling the pin, he let the handle clank on the ground, savoring the sound. He chucked the grenade over the plaything, right into the Troy members’ lap. Boom! I would hate to be the one to clean that mess. Or the one who pays those kids shrink bills. --------------------- Ok, be harsh! --- Spreading insanity, one post at a time “Writing about darkness comes easily for me. I just close my eyes and write what I |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
Thank you for posting this. As I told you, it's a good story! And there are a few minor things that need work, but I think you definitely should pursue prose as well as poetry! Good job!  |
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Erin Member Elite
since 2000-06-15
Posts 2527~Chicago~ |
My eyes were glued to the screen the whole time!!I just couldnt take them off. This was really good. I liked it alot. I cant wait to see more of your work. And hopefully thats soon!!  |
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sonjes Senior Member
since 2000-02-18
Posts 564North Carolina |
Harsh? Who would do that? Hmm...I liked it, I can honestly tell you that. But, I am not a big one and action, gore, that stuff. The action did flow though, I really liked that. (I'm only on cup of coffee one, bear with me).  Your main character is drawn well. He seems real. I, being female, liked the idea of a female Merc, but I didn't get to see enough of her.  That is strictly a personal thing, not a literary thing. Overall, I enjoyed it, strangely enough. When's the rest coming to a computer screen near you? |
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Deranger Member
since 2000-05-10
Posts 498Somewhere, between here and there |
Poet deVine: Thanks again. I fast working on a sequel that I’ll share with you when its complete. ERIN: Glued? Really? Cool, thanks! And I am posting chapters 3-4 in a few minutes… Sonjes: Sorry, I was raised in the era of first person shooters, violence is hardcoded into my imagination… Hmmm, I think I consider your point about the la fem merc. Thanks everyone! That was a long read…and it gets longer…. --- Spreading insanity, one post at a time “Writing about darkness comes easily for me. I just close my eyes and write what I |
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