Chapter 2 TWO- END OF SMOKE

As I dropped down stealthily into the compound, I could hear the thudding of my heart against my ribs.

This would be my last and only chance to do good in my life.There were guards stationed at every corner and CCTV watching as well but that was fine by me because I would never be seen.

I was called Shade for a reason.

Quickly I found the door that led to the basement of the penthouse and got in so I could change into the clothes I would use for my mission.

It was the 40th anniversary of Emily and Richard Myrtle and their family as well as friends had come to celebrate their life and love together.

How poetic.

But what they didn't know is that tonight, their joy would be short lived because the person on my hit list happened to be their son.

Sebastian Myrtle.

Second generation business tycoon who was married to the heiress of a oil rigging company called Dome Wells. Apparently, he had been involved in some pretty shady business and so I was asked to kill him.

Not asked per se, more like hired to kill him.

Oh well, he's just one of those things that happen; you know?

I zipped the bag I came with, placing my Glock19 9mm inside my jacket as I got out of the basement and walked towards the main entrance where the guests were being searched.

The catering service was headed in so I attached myself to a trolley, smiling as the guard let me in with them.

Good, now we're in. What next?

I looked up and sighted camera's all at right angles to the door and the corridors too.

"You." A chef called out to me while I looked around.

"Me?" I asked in return as she signalled for me to follow her into the kitchen. There were guests hanging out everywhere and it was hard not to bump into someone.

Now, if I could just see Sebastian Myrtle.

"Oh mother, you don't look a day over 60." A young woman passed by me holding her mother's hands.

The woman was Emily Myrtle, Sebastian's mother.

We both know that's a lie. Not with all that Botox making her look like something from a sci-fi movie.

"Did you come here to gape at the guests or you came here to work-" she squinted at my name tag. "Pamela?"

I choose the name because it sounded so ordinary, something no one would ever remember me by.

"Sorry ma'am." I said turning up my Atlanta accent. "It's just that this place is so huge."

"And beautiful too." A huge Latino guy standing behind me said with a smile. "Hi, I'm Rio. Why would your parents name you Pamela? You'd think they were having a rat."

I laughed at his joke. "Right?"

"Rio not now and you Pammy, take this to the guests seated at Table 13. It's Cobb salad. Meanwhile Orion, you'll take this dessert to the same table so that she doesn't pee on herself. She looks as pale as a ghost." The woman. Said as she handed us both our trays.

"Let's go, Pammy." He said playfully. I nodded my head at him and followed, tray in hand.

The crowd was massive.

Just when I thought we were actually going to be serving them inside, Rio took me to the backyard where over 50 guest were seated; their table numbers displayed boldly.

"It was Table 13, yes?" I asked him just to be sure.

"Yes Pammy. Can I call you Mela instead? Pammy sounds like a drink in Nigerian."

"Really?"

"Mhm. Went there with a friend once, best time of my life. Here we are." He said dropping the contents of the tray gingerly on the table. I did same and then we both bowed at the same time, turning to leave.

"Hold on." I heard a voice say.

We both turned to look at her.

Of course. Sebastian's sister. What was her name again?

Right, Vanessa.

She picked at her salad with her fork and chewed, then spit it out at me, soiling my white shirt.

"You call this salad when it's not properly cooked? Is that what we paid you for?"

Girl, amma whoop your rude ass with a gun.

"We're so sorry Miss. We didn't know that -"

She interrupted Rio. "Don't you dare talk back at me! You don't have the right to do so, understood?" She asked and Rio nodded at her but I didn't so she took a step closer to me.

"I said do you understand me," she looked at my name tag. "Pamela?"

No I don't.

"Let her be, Nessa. You're causing a scene." A set of brown eyes appeared behind her, locking eyes with mine for a moment.

I looked away quickly.

"I'm sorry. I'll get it fixed." I mumbled.

"It's fine, it's okay. She's just in a bad mood tonight that's all." Then he looked at my tag too.

"I'm sorry Pamela, my name is Kai."

"Leave here now!" She ordered as I and Rio scurried away quickly.

"God she's so rude! Mela are you okay?" He asked me as we got back into the house.

All of a sudden, I caught him watching me.

Sebastian.

"Ur..." I wiped my shirt where the stain had appeared. "I'll just clean this off, okay?"

He nodded in understanding as I asked a guard standing by where the restroom was, my eyes on Sebastian the whole time.

He headed out through the entrance and I followed him carefully until we both came to an outhouse located faraway from the main building then he turned to look at me.

"You came. I was wondering when you'd show up, Smoke."

"You were expecting me then. That's comforting. I might as well do what I was sent for."

He laughed. " You don't ever ask questions do you? All you do is kill when you're given an order to."

I brought my Glock19 9mm and fastened my fingers on the trigger.

"It's not in my place to ask. So you have any last wishes before I plant a hole in your chest?"

"You're not the only Babel there is, Smoke."

"Wh-"

A bullet hit me in the head as I fell down flat immediately, my vision blurring. He stood over me with a smile plastered on his face.

"Out with the old, in with the new. Goodbye, Smoke."

I jerked up from sleep, perspiration rolling down my back.

It was only a dream.