Chapter 1 It must be life’s greatest irony that to bring life into the world one must feel pain like no other thought Nurse Marie as she hustled down the stair into the lobby of St. Francis Hospital in New York City. “Goodnight Joe,” said Marie as she smiled at the guard stationed just inside the door. “Goodnight Marie, see you tomorrow,” said Joe as he opened the door into the fleeting light. Marie strode outside, walking purposefully across the pavement to the parking lot. “Marie! Marie! Wait up!” Marie turned around to see Dr. John Tabith running to her his white coat blowing back in the wind his golden curls bouncing on his head. She smiled as he finally caught up to her, “you forgot your phone in the office.” He said as he handed it over. “Well thank you John.” “What I would really take as thanks is if you would accompany me to din— ” An explosion of red appeared before Marie, liquid sprayed everywhere dotting the ground with red. She felt chunks of solid hit her face as the world twisted before her. She fell to the ground as Joe rushed to her radioing for help, but it was too late there was nothing they could do. Dr. John Tabith fell to the ground, his heart no longer beating, his head no longer intact. On a rooftop far away John’s killer whispered a nearly silent, “kill confirmed” as he quickly disassembled his Barett 50 caliber. He packed it neatly into a large briefcase and put his suit jacket back on. As he exited the building blending with the crowd he saw two uniforms run into the building. Too close he thought as he carried on walking to the extraction point. “Mission complete?” asked the shadowy man sitting on the other side of the limousine. “Of course, Sir” said Alex. A drop of perspiration ran down his forehead, his heart pounding as he replayed the kill in his mind. “Well then I have another job for you Alex,” he said as an envelope was passed from one end to the other. The target’s face stared firmly back at Alex as he browsed the information. “It can be done, I need a week for surveillance and then I will be ready.” “Of course, I trust the usual rate?” “Yes, although I will need half up front again.” “Not a problem. In fact I already included it.” Alex exchanged his current briefcase with another. He opened it noting the crispness of the bills then quickly closed it. “I will contact you when I am ready,” Alex said as the car stopped and he stepped out. The car sped away into the darkness while Alex wondered if it was truly worth it. Chapter 2 Detective Mike Burke stared down at the coroner’s report for Dr. John Tabith. The paleness of his skin contrasted with the sharp metallic glare from the table he was laid on. Burke pushed these thoughts out of his mind as he shut the report and entered the interrogation room. Marie Lasich sat there, the sadness and pain evident in every part of her body. “Hi Marie, I’m Detective Mike Burke with the NYPD, I know this must have been traumatic and I am truly sorry about the loss of your friend but I’m going to ask you some questions if that’s alright,” he started. “Yes, that’s alright.” Marie struggled to get the words out, the scene replaying over and over in her mind. The spray of red, his body crumpling to the ground, Joe shouting for help and running to help, her standing there unable to do anything, unable to save him. “You’re sure you’re okay?” Burke asked. “Because I can wait if you need me to, we have people you can talk to about this if you need.” I was never any good at this Burke thought as he stood up to leave. “No, no it’s fine” Marie sniffled, the raccoon eyes left by her mascara further exemplifying her pain. “I need a report; can you tell me what you saw? Burke asked. “Well I left to go home and John, John he ran out to bring me my phone, then…then he started to ask me to dinner,” Marie started to smile but then she remembered what at happened and her face fell. “Then it happened and he was laying there and there was nothing I could do… There was nothing I could do,” Marie cried as tears ran down her face. Burke sat like a deer in headlights unable to move. He wanted to comfort her he just didn’t know what to do. “I know, I know, it’s alright Marie… you know what we can continue these questions tomorrow morning, it’s getting late. I’ll have an officer drive you home.” Burke drove home the case playing through his mind the whole way. He kept asking himself, why was a doctor at a hospital killed by a professional hit man? Meanwhile Alex arrived at his 800 square foot apartment downtown. The few possessions he had were organized and placed carefully in their respective places. Everything was set up to leave at a moments notice. He walked to the bathroom the stress from today’s kill weighing him down. When he finally stepped out of the shower the mirror was fogged up. He ran his hand in a circle exposing his face. He stared back at himself noting how the shine from his eyes was gone. He thought back to when he was a teenager and he dreamed of joining the Navy, pulling the trigger to serve his country. Now he wasn’t sure. He stood there for a moment collecting himself then he went to get dressed. As he brushed his teeth he wondered, what an emergency room doctor could have to do with anything truly important. Alex no longer served his country, but he still answered to the same people. The payment was no longer the sense of accomplishment of serving your country but rather more money than he would ever need. He stood there wondering if he was doing the wrong thing for the wrong reasons. Chapter 3 Burke woke up and hopped in the shower. He still couldn’t shake what had happened last night. He poured himself a cup of black coffee and walked out the door. When he finally arrived he was pointed to the interrogation room, Marie was already there. “How are you feeling?” he asked her. “I’m alright, a little shaken up, but alright.” Her voice was shaky, her eyes tired, it was clear she did not sleep much, if at all. “Alright, I need to ask you some more questions about Dr. Tabith now if that’s ok?” “Ya, go ahead,” she whimpered. “Did Dr. Tabith have any enemies that you know of?” “No, no John was well liked by everyone, one of the most popular doctors in the hospital.” “Was John working on anything special currently?” “No, he wasn’t doing any research; he spent all his time treating patients. He spent all his time helping others.” The pain evident in her voice Marie bent her head down willing herself to keep going. “Was there anything special about John’s past that maybe could have introduced him to some dangerous people?” “Well John wore a ring on his finger in honor of his brother who died during combat, and I know John was part of the 101st airborn…. I don’t know what that could have to do with his death though; the guys in his company were like brothers.” “I’m not sure but it’s definitely something that we can look into. Thank you Marie. You can go now.” As Marie got up to leave Burke went over to his computer and looked up Tabith’s company. There was one photo of him and 6 other guys, the caption read “7 lucky ducks”. Burke wondered, What do you guys have to do with this death. Give me your feedback. I will be updating this post.
Nice read. Continue it! Just make sure you remember to put commas in where they need to be. Besides that it was great.
Really liked this. Especially once I despised it wasn't a romance story. :lol: I really didn't want to read a romance story and them I read on and boom now I know what type this is. Loved it