The HiT Series Read online

  “Anna, it appears you hit most of the targets,” Damon said with a smug smile on his face.

  “Hmmm,” I replied.

  “Most is still very good for a girl your age,” Nox chuckled.

  “It’s not most.” My voice was laced with disgust for these two evil men.

  The men looked at each other, having another of their private little conversation I wasn’t privy too.

  “You weren’t even looking at those last ten targets. If you hit even one I’d be impressed,” Nox said with a smirk on his face.

  Did these men not know I could take them out right here, right now, before they could even consider reaching for their own weapons? I was sure they were packing heat.

  “Hmmm,” I repeated.

  “It’s not a bad thing, Anna,” Nox continued.

  I stood to the side to let them through so they could go inspect the targets themselves. As I gestured with my hand for them to step ahead of me, I said, “I’ve hit every target in the bulls-eye. The last ten I hit twice – in the bulls-eye.” Yes, I really was that good.

  The men looked at each other in surprise. I stepped aside and again indicated for them to go have a look for themselves.

  Damon didn’t want to believe me and literally ran to all forty targets. Nox stood stock still waiting for Damon to return with the target sheets. He faced me and his eyes refused to leave mine.

  I had my game face on and wasn’t going to show him any weakness. No way. I knew he was dangerous. I knew he could cause pain and hurt but there was no way I was going to let him get to me.

  Damon didn’t collect all the target sheets. He came back with only a handful. I suspected they were the last ten I shot while I was watching the men from over my shoulder.

  Damon held the target sheets out to Nox, and that’s when you could clearly see them. Two holes in the bulls-eye, perfect, next to each other in all the sheets he held. Nox’s eyes left mine as he looked at them, gaping. His mouth only opened for a few seconds before closing again. They looked at each other. I was getting sick of their private conversations.

  “Is that all for today, gentlemen?” I asked with a snide clipped tone.

  “You really are very, very talented,” Damon said emphasizing his words.

  “I know.” I turned away from the men and left. Henry was already halfway to us.

  “What did they say?” Henry asked when we met.

  “Not much, Dad. They did sort of freak out when I put two bullets in the last ten sheets, though. Other than that they didn’t say much at all.”

  I kept going toward the main office and Henry started walking to Damon and Nox. I didn’t want to know what was said and I couldn’t hear anyway.

  I got to the main office and Mike looked at me, “How did you do?”

  “Really Mike?” I asked with a huge grin on my face. Mike just laughed and shook his head. He knew exactly how I did.

  Henry, Damon, and Nox came into the main office eight minutes after I did. They shook Dad’s hand and walked out, not even acknowledging me or Mike. Fine with me. They weren’t nice men.

  “Ready to go home, Anna?” Dad said encouraging me toward the exit.

  “What did they say, Dad?” I asked turning to him on the way out.

  “You know, not that much. They said they were super impressed with you and once you join the force they’ll be recruiting you for themselves. Isn’t that just terrific? You’re already being headhunted for your shooting skills.”

  You have no idea Dad. He really wasn’t like this, ordinarily. Well maybe he was. He didn’t know how I studied weapon upon weapon or the depth of my love for guns. And he certainly didn’t see the evil in those two men’s eyes. I did; I knew.

  Today was not a future head hunting interview. Today was something else entirely.

  I got into Dad’s police car knowing something bad was going to happen. It was going to happen soon. I just didn’t know what or how soon.

  Dad and I stopped at the diner for dinner. I wasn’t into birthday parties, frilly dresses, make up, or anything else girly. So dinner at the diner, then home for a movie was just perfect for me.

  When we got home, I went upstairs, had a shower, and came back down to the family room where Dad was sitting in his recliner with a cupcake and a candle burning on top of it. He sang Happy Birthday to me. A perfect way to end a perfect day.

  So I thought.

  That odd feeling just wouldn’t leave my stomach, though. That feeling of dread that something evil was looming.

  After my cupcake I kissed Dad goodnight and made my way up to bed. If only I knew that was the second-to-last time I’d ever see my Dad alive.

  I went into my room, closed the door and lay in bed. The faces of those two men kept flashing in my mind. If my eyes were open, I could see them, if my eyes were closed I could still see them. That feeling I got when I shook their hands was hanging over me. I couldn’t shake it. It wouldn’t leave my body. That serpent bite, the cold running through my veins, the hair rising on the back of my neck. Eventually, sleep took me into deep darkness. I didn’t stay asleep for long, though.

  It all happened so fast…

  I heard a huge crash like glass being broken.

  I startled awake.

  Mask automatically on.

  Shit, no guns in here! Dad kept them locked in his gun safe, in his room down the hall.

  I heard someone say, “Upstairs.”

  Did I have time to get to the safe?

  I was up out of bed within seconds of opening my eyes. I threw myself at the door and opened it, hoping I would have time to get to Dad’s room.

  I flung the door open and there he was.

  Damon.

  No mask, not even trying to hide.

  “Anna,” he said. He could see I didn’t have my gun. He had his though, and it was pointed straight at me.

  “Damon.” It was more of a breath than an actual sound. My heart was pounding in my ears.

  “Here’s your choice. You leave now with us or we kill your father and we take you. You’re far too valuable to leave in this hell hole.” He was very sure of himself and the plan he’d already started to execute.

  Crossroads. I leave and Dad never sees me again or they kill Dad and they take me. Easy choice.

  “I’m coming with you,” I said in a confident voice, though really, my insides were almost liquefied in fear for my Dad’s safety.

  “Can I change?” I was still in my pajamas.

  Damon eyed me up and down and licked his bottom lip. Yuck, is all I think.

  “I’ll stay with you to make sure you don’t have a gun in here,” he said with a Cheshire cat grin.

  “You would already be dead,” I replied in a cold and confident voice.

  I turned and changed, keeping my back to him. What a disgusting man. Looking at me and thinking about me like that when he’s just threatened the only person I love.

  When I finished changing, Damon grabbed my arm and dragged me down the stairs.

  As I passed the family room, dad was sitting right where he was when I went to bed. He had such a horrible, fearful look in his eyes. His arms and legs were duct-taped together, and there was tape over his mouth. I could see tears streaking his face, his eyes are red and puffy.

  Nox was standing behind him with a gun pointed at his head. I stopped and jerked my arm away from Damon. I ran to Dad, fell to my knees and hugged him. I said the only thing I could to try to keep him safe, “Do not try to find me, Dad. I’ll be fine. Promise me, don’t try to come after me.” Dad was crying but nodded. I don’t think he wanted to, but he was forced to accept my plea. I kissed him, got up and turned to leave.

  “I love you, Dad.”

  Those were my final words to the only person I’ve ever loved.

  I turned to leave and I heard it.

  One small sound.

  One small whoosh.

  I knew what happened.

  I turned to see my father’s head slumped down, c
hin on his chest. I saw the blood. I saw Nox standing there with a smile on his face. My mask is fully on now. I straighten my body and I know what I have to do.

  “See?” Nox said to Damon.

  “She hasn’t shed a tear. Watched me put a bullet in her father’s head and there’s no emotion in her at all. She’s a fucking natural. She’s gonna be fucking unstoppable once we’ve trained her,” Nox continued.

  Damon stood near the door with a stupid grin on his face. I looked at him. “Did you know Nox was going to kill him?” I asked.

  “Of course. That was the plan all along,” Damon said. Wrong answer, fucker. Game on. I began collecting information.

  Damon opened the back door on the driver’s side and I got in. Never let yourself be taken from point A to point B, I thought. Once that happens, you’re as good as dead. In this case though, they didn’t want me dead. They wanted me trained. I was in the car a few seconds before Damon and Nox slid in.

  I quickly reviewed what I had to work with.

  Miraculously, there was a gun near my feet. I could feel it, and by maneuvering my foot, I got to the gun. What idiots to leave a weapon in the car, which lead me to believe they thought I wanted to be here with them.

  Damon and Nox took off down the street and started laughing. I heard a huge explosion and turned to see my old house up in flames. Mother fuckers! I thought. You will die…tonight.

  Nox pulled his phone out of his pocket and hit a speed dial number. I heard a one sided conversation.

  “Sir, we have her,” he started.

  “Yes, Sir. It went exactly as you planned it, Mr. Murphy,” he continued.

  As he spoke, I remembered word for word what he said. Although I’d only turned fifteen that day, that day I became a killer.

  “Mr. Murphy Sir, she’s better than we thought. She didn’t even bat an eye when I put a bullet in her old man’s head. I’m sure she’ll surpass your expectations, Sir.” He was quiet then, listening to Mr. Murphy.

  “Yes Sir, I’ll pass that message on to Damon.” The conversation ended.

  Nox was driving us out of St. Cloud on the main road toward Iowa. He turned to Damon briefly, not taking his eyes off the road for too long, “Mr. Murphy was very specific she’s to be left alone.” He flicked his head back, indicating me.

  “Like that’ll stop me,” Damon huffed and snuck a look over his shoulder at me.

  This was my moment. I already had the gun in my hands from under the seat. No time to waste. I had all the information I needed. I knew who I needed to find and I knew who I needed to kill.

  Damon – bullet to the side of his head. He was done.

  Nox slammed on the brakes, I think it was just a reflex. It gave me the chance to put one in the back of his head. He was finished too. My mask was still on. No emotions at all.

  I took his cash. I took Damon’s cash too. They had a few thousand dollars between the two of them. I took Nox’s phone to find this Mr. Murphy’s number. I dialed it.

  “What!?” Murphy yelled into the phone. He sounded angry at the two idiots he sent to get me. I doubt he was expecting to hear from me.

  “This is Anna. You came for me, now it’s my turn. Get ready,” is all I said. As I’m throwing the phone I heard a response of “Fuuuuuuck,” from this Murphy guy. I memorized his number and sealed it in my brain. I promised myself I would find him and kill him. In time.

  And that’s how I started out in this business.

  I’m standing here on top of the building willing myself to breathe. This is Hit 147. He’s so much more than just a number, though. This target is Roman Murphy.

  The man who sent Damon and Nox into my home to kill my father and take me.

  Of course, the only thing they succeeded in doing was killing my father and making my mask permanent. Roman Murphy is the head of Hunter, Inc. who recruited protégés like me.

  No one was ever as good as me, though; I was the only one who never took Roman Murphy up on his offer. What I did do, over the years, was educate myself about everything to do with Hunter, Inc. and Roman Murphy.

  I learned Roman Murphy put a price on my head the day I refused him and took out his goons. It went up by two million dollars for every year that passed. It started out at ten million, and now it was thirty million.

  I was extremely well respected. There were very few who would even try to take me out. They’re all well aware a decision like that would result in a death – theirs, not mine.

  I was very careful in everything I did. I had apartments all around the world. I was able to get in and out of countries completely undetected. By the time the bodies were being taken to the morgue, I was already on a plane or boat and leaving.

  There’s no fee for today’s target. Today’s target is purely for self-satisfaction. Roman Murphy became increasingly paranoid after I called him that night many years ago. He traveled everywhere with an army of guards. But I’ve been patient, and now I know everything I need to know about this man to end him.

  So here I am. My target is three miles away and I know he’ll be here soon. I set myself up. I’m not using my new Barrett today. No, today I’m using a favorite of mine. A Barrett .50 caliber sniper rifle. I know it will get the job done. It’s set up and ready to go.

  My eyes are closed. I’m breathing. My body relaxes. Breathe in and out, just breathe.

  I snap my eyes open. I’m in position and ready. I have a Bluetooth headset attached to my ear. I can see the car. I don’t quite have him in my scope. Come closer, just a little closer…yes, there you are, Mr. Roman Murphy. I touch my Bluetooth earpiece and dial the number. I see him reach for his phone.

  “What?!” Roman says, not expecting a call, especially from me.

  “We meet again,” I say. Mask in place, no emotions, no hesitations, no second thoughts.

  I see Roman look out the window and scream at his driver.

  “That won’t save you, Roman,” I croon, and with that I press the trigger. I hear that beautiful sound of a bullet leaving the chamber.

  The calm in my body when I see Roman’s head explode is instantaneous. I breathe in one large breath and release it slowly. “I love you, Daddy,” I say out loud.

  Thirteen years I’ve been sitting back, waiting for this one glorious day. Today is my twenty-eighth birthday, and on this day thirteen years ago Roman Murphy took the only person I have ever loved away from me.

  So, it was only fair I give myself the best twenty-eighth birthday present I could by taking Roman Murphy out. I pack my Barrett up. I really do love this rifle. I should bring it out more often. I like how it shoots. It had to be modified but it’s perfect now.

  I get in my car, nothing ostentatious. Nothing to draw attention to myself, nothing that’ll cause anyone to be suspicious. I know how to blend in, how to go unnoticed. I’m lucky enough to be an absolutely gorgeous lady though. So I can slip into any situation as I require it.

  I’m five-foot seven inches. My hair is long and very dark brown, almost black. It’s straight, no curl or kink to it. It comes to halfway down my back. My eyes are large and the darkest brown. Not that chocolate brown but dark brown. Like my hair, almost black. My skin has a slight brown tan to it but nothing fake from a bottle or a bed. It’s all natural.

  I’m a size six with curves in all the right places. I have great arms and great legs. I work out six days a week. I need to stay in shape because of my line of work and the luggage I need to carry around.

  I head home and clean my rifle. Although I’ve really enjoyed my time here in Salt Lake City, I think I might head back to Minnesota for a while.

  But tonight, tonight’s going to be all about me. I’m going to head out to a bar where I know I can find some grade-A eye candy. I’ve been there a few times before and the choice of men who visit the establishment has never disappointed me.

  They never come back to my place; no one’s ever come here. No one even knows where I live. And that’s exactly the way I like it. I look hot tonight. Y
es, really quite delicious and sensational. I’m wearing a tight red Gucci dress, long, with a slit that comes to mid-thigh. It’s only got one shoulder and shows every one of my God-given curves. My matching Gucci heels are 4 inch black high-heeled pumps. They set my legs off fantastically and make me look like a goddess.

  I know tonight I’ll certainly be getting the attention I want. I think I’ll take the Mercedes out because I want people to look at me. I’ll demand attention and I’ll get it.

  I waltz into Bar X and straight away, I get the attention I want from the men standing or sitting around the bar. Some men are here with their wives or girlfriends and even they steal a look at me.

  I take my seat at the bar and order a Jack straight up. The bartender is definitely easy on the eyes, but he’s not my type – too stocky. As soon as I finish my first drink, I motion to the bartender for another. As he brings it over to me, a man sits next to me and smiles. He’s definitely not my type either. Way too short. But I smile nicely at him while taking in all my surroundings.

  “Hello, can I buy you a drink?” he asks. He’s enthusiastic.

  “No, but you can tell me your name,” I reply sweetly. He’s taken aback by my honesty and his face falters slightly.

  “Um, it’s Cooper,” he says, almost stuttering over his words. He must not be used to either honesty or rejection.

  “Cooper, you seem very nice. But I’m not here for you.” Cooper looks at me and his eyes blink a few times. He has that what the fuck look on his face.

  “Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were here with someone,” he says, now looking uncomfortable.

  “I’m not…yet.” And with that I turn back to the bartender and motion for another Jack.

  Cooper slips away as quietly as he seated himself.

  I look over my left shoulder and there he is.

  He’s the one who’ll be taking me home tonight.

  I can feel it in my stomach; it’s flip-flopping frantically. I’ve never felt that before. My heartbeat increases. My eyes narrow, my mouth lifts slightly on the right side. My palms are sweating and my thighs are clenching together. I’m starting to feel excitement between my legs. Oh my God. I have never had a reaction like this before to any man. My panties are drenched and all I’ve done is lay eyes on him. Wow.