Her Bodyguard His Target

Hunter felt a firm grip on his shoulder. Without looking back, he already knew who it was.

It was a cold Friday night and him and his friend Joe had chosen to come to Fellas Corner with only one motto for the night 'No leaving until wasted'. But now he knew, he might not be able to stick around even long enough to feel tipsy.

Hunter looked back and saw Hector King standing behind him. Hector nodded at him and then began walking away slowly. Hunter knew that he had to follow after his boss.

"What happened?" Joe asked Hunter.

Hunter shrugged, stepped off the stool and gulpped down the last of his whiskey.

"You're probably not coming back, are you?" Joe asked him.

Hunter didn't respond, he just grabbed his leather jacket from the bar and shook Joe's hand bidding goodbye. He took one last long pull at his cigarette and then placed it in the ashtray. He then followed Hector outside. At the door of the bar were too very sexily dressed women and he walked out backwards looking at them. They were smiling back at him, obviously enjoying the attention of such a good looking man. He winked at them and finally turned around to see his boss waiting. They often referred to Hector as King. They then walked together a few steps away from the club where Hector's car was waiting.

They got in on each side and Hunter sat there waiting for his boss to start talking. It was only when Hunter heard a shuffling in the back seat that he had noticed Marco Bianchi sitting there.

"Hunter." Marco acknowledged him.

"Marco." Hunter 'greeted' back.

Marco Bianchi was Hector King's consigliere. The 'wise man', who gave the boss advice on most topics that concerned the family.

"Guess what Hunter." Hector said.

"What, sir?"

"The rock that the son-of-bitch Marcus Grayman was hiding under had finally been struck by lightning."

Hunter frowned, trying to make out what his boss meant by that.

"We found him." Hector finally cleared the confusion.

Hunter's gray eyes widened.

"Son-of-a-bitch has been hiding in North Sunningtan all this while. Right under our noses and no one smelled that rat."

Sunningtan wasn't actually 'under' their noses like Hector had said. It was in another state in the country.

Hunter continued listening. He had never met Marcus Grayman but he knew exactly how much Marcus Grayman was wanted by Hector and for many years now.

"Who found him?"

"One of our men on that side saw him stocking up on groceries at a store called Greenpastures, followed him and discovered his hideout. And I have the address right here." When he said 'right here' he waved his cellphone slowly.

"So, what are you gonna do to him?"

"Nah, I want you to take this one. You know how much Marcus Grayman means to me. You know the great deal of distress he caused our family when he broke the most precious rule of all, silence. He sold me out to the feds and got me 2 years in, had to pull some strings to get out early."

Hunter had heard Hector tell this story at least a million times.

"Do you know how many days in two years?"

"730?" Hunter said it like he wasn't quite sure.

"Seven hundred and thirty days..." Hector repeated slowly. "For 730 days I had to let Colin be in charge even though I knew Colin wasn't ready."

Marcus Grayman was Hector King's under boss back in 2012. That year Marcus wanted out. He decided that he was done with the mob and wanted nothing to do with that life anymore. Although disappointed that he had lost a good underboss that would some day take over after he was gone, Hector King did not have a problem with that. According to how things worked, members of the mafia were allowed to leave the family if that's what they wanted to do. But even though they were out, the oarth of silence was to never be broken or else, you'd pay with your life. Everyone knew that. Even the lowest ranking gangsters and the street dealers knew it.

Marcus Grayman broke that promise. After a month of leaving the family, he reported that Hector was the one who ordered a trigger on a cop named George Walker. The cop incident had been investigated for five months before Marcus finally confessed and saved the FBI bureau a ton of time and energy. Hector King was trialed and then sentenced to 2 years incarceration. The 2 year sentence sent a raging commotion throughout the country because they couldn't understand why he only got two years when he was supposed to be sentenced at minimum 30 years, according to law.

After the sellout Marcus Grayman disappeared and no body knew where he was, until now.

"You know you mean a lot to me," Hector continued telling Hunter. "And nothing would make me more proud to see you settle that debt for me."

Hunter nodded, feeling evoked. Hearing Hector talk about him like that only made him feel more encouraged to continue being the perfect mobster.

Hector was like a father figure to Hunter. Hunter grew up in an orphanage where he recieved zero affection. In the orphanage the social workers and nuns refused to give the children supper if they misbehaved during the day, and as a result, Hunter slept hungry most nights because he kept getting into trouble. But he could deal with an empty stomach even if it was three or four consecutive nights, he eventually got used to it. He worked it out, as long as he didn't think about the rumbling stomach, he'd be fine until breakfast was served the next morning. What he couldn't get used to was Miss Jackson, who was the child psychologist. She insisted that Hunter needed 4 sessions a week because he 'needed a lot of help'. Those 4 days a week, were worse than the feeling he felt when he was starving or being whipped. He remembered the days very well, it was always a Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and a Friday. Miss Wendy Jackson would take him to her office and lock the door. When they were outside and the other children and the social workers and nuns were present, Miss Wendy was the warmest person in that place, with the kindest words and biggest smile. But once they entered the room and he heard the key turn, she'd turn into a monster. She'd do things to him and tell him to do things that did not feel right. Even though he was only 6 years old, he knew that something was very wrong. After every session, thirty minutes, she'd give him a bar of chocolate and tell him to never tell anyone about what happens during their sessions. He would then return to his bed and cry and feel guilty but at the end of the day, when he was starving he'd eat the chocolate. That continued until he was 10, the eating of the chocolates, as for the abusive sessions it continued until he managed to run away from the orphanage. He was 14 when he ran away.

After a few months out in the street, he started selling drugs for a gang in the streets. That only lasted three months until he was busted for selling to an undercover cop. He was taken into custody and interrogated. They told him that he only had to answer one question and they would let him walk, 'Who was he dealing for?'. He refused to give up the name and was thrown in juvie. He stayed there for three years, and every month of the first two years, the detective would come back and ask him the same question, with the same reward of letting him walk and everytime he'd keep quiet.

A month after he was finally out, Ray's boys, the drug lord came to find him and brought him to Ray. And that was the night Ray took him to Hector King. Hector King had heard about his great oarth of silence and had wanted to see him. Hunter would never forget that night. For the first time in his life, he felt important.

"What's your name, kid?" Hector had had a huge cigar between his thumb and index finger.

"Jake."

"Your full name."

"Jake Scott."

"Ray told me you're an orphan."

"Yes..."

He stared at the boy for a few seconds before he said, "From now on, you're Hunter King. You're a special kid. I see myself in you and I believe that... with proper training and time, you'd be very useful around here."

Before Hunter had time to even process all the praise Hector was giving him, Hector turned to Ray and said "And from today, he goes where I go. He's got a lot to learn."

That being said, Hector turned around and went to fill up his glass at the table against the wall.

Hunter looked around and everyone was staring at him, some looked unhappy about what the mafia boss had said, some looked envious and some looked at him like he was a joke and Hector would take back his words.

"You heard him little fella." Ray had hit him lightly on the back. "Follow him."

Ray then gave him a little push forward, and when Jake looked at him, Ray smiled. That was the first time Ray was smiling at him.

And he did just that, he followed Hector to the table and when Hector saw him, he offered the boy a glass of whiskey, his first time having whiskey. He was 17. Hunter had never felt that important, wanted, like he finally had a purpose.

And now, 8 years later, and Hunter still felt the same way whenever Hector praised him.

"I want you to settle this debt for me." Hector said. "I want you to go to that place and take that rat out."

Hunter nodded.

"And before you pull the trigger, I have a message that I want you to pass on to him."

"What's that sir?"

"I'll phone you when you're standing in front of the son-of-a-bitch."

"Okay." Hunter nodded. "So when am I doing this?"

Hector glanced at his watch just for a split second. "Tonight. Take Joe with you."

The all black SUV pulled up softly in front of 32 Small Street, Windsor, Suningtan. A quiet and posh neighborhood. The houses here were all double stories and for some reason all their lawns were well kept. Posh cars were parked on their driveways, all of them except for Marcus Grayman's driveway. There was no car.

The men had switched off all car lights so it would be harder to spot them. Although it was dark, 11 in the night, there were street lights in the street which pretty much lumintated over everything. So there was not much cover. It had taken them 4 long hours to get to Suningtan from Bellerose. But Hunter was used to this. One time, Hector flew him and a few of the other men over to Japan to settle the rivalry between their consumers, two Japanese drug lords. Hector had only gotten involved because the Boryo-feisu rivalry between the Boryokuda drug lord and the Sukafeisu drug lord had caused a big drop in supply and demand and it was affecting King's income. Nothing gets in the way of Hector King's money. King had one rule when it came to managing his organization, 'If anything gets in the way of income, eliminate the cause'. His mob was called The Black Souls.

Terry, the mob's driver was the one behind the wheel, none of the other mobsters had ever heard him speak. Hunter had heard from someone that Terry had drove for the mob for more than fifteen years. The only person who has heard him speak, is Hector. When Hunter first joined the mob, he always watched Terry drive in silence and always wondered why nobody said anything to him and why he never said anything to anybody. But now, Hunter was used to seeing him like that.

Hunter sat in the passenger seat, and then Joe was in the back.

When the car came to a stop Hunter turned back to Joe.

"You ready?" He asked him.

"You're the one pulling the trigger, are you ready?"

Hunter smirked, turned back and pulled down his balaclava. "I was born ready."

"Then let's do this." Joe said.

Hunter pulled out his gun and exited the car. Joe, him too wearing a ski mask went around the car and began following behind Hunter.

They walked across the lawn quickly and came face to face with the front door of the double story. The number on the door was '32'. Hunter rung the door bell with his left hand while the other hand held on to the handgun firmly against his jeans.

It took a while before the lights went on downstairs and they began hearing a bit of shuffling.

"Who is there?" They heard a sleepy voice say and then there was rattling of keys.

Hunter heard the door unlock, and as Marcus was about to ask again, Hunter pushed the door open. Marcus' attempt to push back was overpowered by Hunter and Joe as he was already caught off-guard. Hunter and both Joe pointed their gun at him.

"What the hell..." Was all Marcus could say as he began walking back slowly.

"Don't move a muscle." Hunter whispered to him. The gun was pointing at Marcus and his finger was hovering above the trigger. Marcus stopped moving backwards and raised his hands in surrender.

Hunter reached into the right inside pocket of his leather jacket with his left hand without taking his eyes off the target. He pulled out a little ID photo and compared it to the man standing before him. The picture was from 8 years ago. This man looked chubbier as compared to the man in the picture, with the bald head and shaved off face, he didn't look like he was the same bearded man standing next to Hector in the picture. But the man that had spotted him was certain that it was Marcus. He had brought Hector blurred pictures and both knowing him agreed that it was him.

"Marcus Grayman..." Hunter smiled. "First I'd like to say, good job on the disguise."

"Wha... what do you want?" Marcus stuttered.

"You remember your good boss Hector King?" Hunter said, putting the picture back in his jacket.

Marcus Grayman's eyes widened.

"He has a message just for you."

Hunter pulled out his phone and dialed the mafia boss' number. And placed it on speakerphone. It rang for a split second and then Hector answered. Hector had been waiting at the phone for almost an hour and a half.

"You with him?" Was Hector's first words.

"Yes sir."

"How does he look?"

"Fat. Scared..."

"I bet he smells like a rat too."

"Stinking up the place." Hunter smiled.

"Grayman, you broke the most important rule of all in our family. You sold me out, you rat."

Marcus just stood there with his hands up quivering.

"And running away didn't get you far did it? Only gave you 10 more years to live, but what's the point if it all goes to waste now? Reduced to nothing. You're a nobody Grayman, and when Hunter shoots you, your little blonde girlfriend will get a new sugar daddy." Hector said. "You made a grave mistake by selling me out to the feds, Grayman. 10 Years working together and you sell me out. I still wonder why you did it. So I am going to give you a chance to tell me now before you are 6 feet under."

"I'm sorry, Hector." Marcus said. "I know I made a huge mistake and I gravely regret it."

"You sold me away for the petty reward of 10 grand offered by the feds to find the cop killer. How could you? We've earned more than that together."

"It wasn't about the money, I swear." Marcus was begging. "Please don't kill me. Please. I only did it because I didn't think that cop deserved that."

"Deserved? You were my underboss! I promoted you because I trusted you. And then you stab me in the back for some cop who doesn't even know your name?"

"That cop was my brother." Marcus said.

Hunter frowned.

"Lies!" Hector ranted. "You have always been a liar. You wanted the money because after you left the mob you blew up all your money on strippers and gambling. You were left with nothing and so you traded me for that 10 grand."

"I swear to God, Hector."

"Daddy?" It was a little boy standing at the bottom of the stairs. He couldn't have been more than 8 years old. He was in a Spiderman onesie with the hoodie over his head. There were strands of blonde hair sticking out at the sides of his forehead. He had big eyes and bright red lips. In his left hand was a soft dinosaur toy and with the other hand he was holding the railing.

The Intel that had found Marcus had spotted him with a young blonde woman, both Hunter and Joe knew this, and they assumed that the woman was he's girlfriend since he's wife left him two months before he sold Hector out. But the little boy, he was a surprise. A horrible surprise.

"Rot in hell you son-of-a-bitch." Hector said and then added. "Hunter, pop him."

"Sammy stay right there!" Marcus shouted at the boy. "Don't come any closer. Please."

"Sammy go back to bed." Joe said.

"Go upstairs baby." Marcus began tearing up.

"Pop him, Hunter." Hector said impatiently.

Hunter looked from the boy to Marcus and back. But this little innocent boy was standing there at the bottom of the stairs. How could Hunter shoot his father right in front of him?

Hunter looked back at Joe and that's when Marcus pulled out his rifel from the back of his pajama pants and pointed it to Hunter.

"Sammy go wake mommy and tell her to phone the police." Marcus said, not taking his eyes off Hunter. "Throw me your gun, boy."

"No," Hunter said firmly. "You throw me yours. Don't be stupid there's two of us."

In one nimble movement, Hunter quickly turned and was now aiming at the little boy. This caused tension. Even to Joe.

"Hey man..." Joe whispered behind Hunter. "What are you doing?"

"Marcus, if your Sammy takes one step up those stairs, that will be the last step he'll take in his life." Hunter said. "Stop the bullshit and throw the gun on the floor."

Marcus was still pointing his gun at Hunter but Hunter could see now, Marcus' hands were trembling, and there was a trickle of sweat running down his temple. From past experience, Marcus knew very well that the mafia were ruthless. He knew that if he made a small mistake, he'd lose his son forever. But he also knew that no matter what happened, whether he surrended his gun or not, he'd end up dead because it was the two of them and one of him. He knew that the smart thing to do would be to surrender his gun, because if the the two men didn't get hurt, they wouldn't harm his son or his sleeping girlfriend upstairs. She had always been a deep sleeper and he had joked one day and told her, "One day people would come into the house and kill me and you wouldn't even hear a thing." Of cause she had laughed.

"There's two of you, take both of them out if you have to!" Hector's voice came shouting through the cellphone speaker.

There were a few tense seconds of Marcus trying to decide whether to surrender or fight until the end. Hunter was tensed too. He knew that killing the innocent boy would never sit right with his conscious but it's not like he's conscious was spotless, was it? Hunter also knew that if he did not, he could end up taking the bullet from Marcus. With pressure from Hector and a gun pointed at him, Hunter had made his decision. He knew what the best thing to do was.

Pow!

Gunshot.

Hunter, Marcus, Joe and Sammy all flinched.

"Hunter?" Hector sounded through the speaker.

Marcus gagged and blood started escaping from his mouth. He then fell knees first on the beige carpet. He's white t-shirt became soaked with blood.

Hunter looked back and Joe was lowering his gun.

"Daddy?" Sammy's little voice croaked.

"Hunter!" Hector continued calling.

Marcus then fell forward, face flat.

There was a ruskle upstairs. The blonde woman had now woken up and was probably trying to call the cops.

"We need to get out of here, now, Hunter."

Hunter had to make sure Marcus was really dead so he took a step forward and looked down at the body. Marcus was still. The gun he had been holding was now lying next to him. A pool of blood began to escape from underneath him. Hunter aimed his gun at Marcus' bald head and took a shot.

Both Joe and Hunter then walk-runned out of the house. Before Hunter walked out the door, he looked over at Sammy and he was crouched down on one of the steps shaking and whimpering in fear. In that little boy, he saw little Jake Scott. But that didn't stop him.

Terry had already revved the car when he heard the gunshots. The two men quickly got into the car and before they could shut the door, Terry speeded off.

"Hunter tell me what the hell is going on!" It was Hector.

"It's done, sir." Hunter responded.

"Good." He said then hung up.

"Fuck!" Joe said and then slammed the seat next to him.

"What?" Hunter turned back to Joe.

"That kid man. That was messed up."

"What about the kid?"

"You pointed a damn gun at the kid?" Joe quickly pulled off his balaclava, he looked upset. "What the hell man?"

"It's done, the kid didn't get hurt."

"But you pointed the gun at that little kid, that's messed up. If I didn't pull the trigger would you have really shot him?"

"Don't be stupid, Joe." Hunter said and then turned to the front.

"Stupid?" Joe asked. "I think you would have. Wouldn't you?"

Hunter caught Terry glimpsing at him and then Terry looked away. He was probably waiting for the answer too.

Hunter cleaned his teeth and looked out towards the window. "Don't ask me stupid questions."

Joe didn't insist, he knew not to try and push Hunter too far. So he stayed quiet. But that question wouldn't stop repeating itself in Hunter's head, 'Would you have really shot him?'. As cold as that was, Hunter knew very well that Sammy was in fact saved by Joe's bullet.

Hunter pulled up in front of Hector King's mansion. He could see Joe waiting at the sliding gate. Joe was wearing a beige hoodie and khaki pants with white sneakers. He always had the best sense of style. A few meters ahead, Hunter could see Joe's batted 2008 Opel Cadette parked. Yes, Joe might wear the latest sneakers and stay on top of fashion trends but he seems stuck back in time when it came to cars. He always says that the best car models are the ones made before 2009.

And since he doesn't really have a solid reason for keeping his worn out Opel Cadette that was handed down to him from his grandfather, everyone just assumed that he was stingy and didn't want to spend on gas or anything else for that matter unless it was clothes and alcohol.

Hunter got out of his 2019 Mercedes Benz and pulled off his shades as Joe raised a hand to catch Hunter's attention as if Hunter would miss him in plain sight. Hunter looked up at the blazing sun and then clumsily pulled off his leather jacket and threw it on the passenger seat. It was only 11 in the morning and the sun was already so hot. He was wearing black jeans, a black t-shirt, black and white sneakers and a black Porsche cap. He shut his car door and walked over to Joe.

"You good?" Joe asked him.

Hunter nodded and then they shook hands.

"You?"

Joe shrugged as the electric gate slowly slid open. "I'm good." They walked into the gate. "Just hoping Hector won't get too upset about me shooting Grayman."

"Woaw..." Hunter put a hand on Joe's shoulder. They stopped walking. "You are not thinking about telling him that, are you?"

"The phone was on loud speaker, maybe he picked it up-"

"No. I don't think so. Just don't say that. He wanted me to take down Grayman and that's what I did. Let's keep it like that."

Joe studied Hunter for a few seconds.

"Why can't we just tell him? What if he finds out?"

"Don't be stupid Joe, how will he find out?"

"We don't even know whether or not that house had cameras. What if they do and we make the news? Sure the world won't know it was us but King will know exactly which one was you and which one was-"

"No. We stick to the story. It was my assignment, I choose the story we tell King." Hunter uttered. "Besides, this assignment was very personal to King. He wanted me to take down Marcus Grayman he won't like it if we tell him the truth."

Joe shrugged. "Cool."

Joe was Hunter's best friend but Hunter always had a dominating personality over him, and everyone else, because although he was just part of the mafia, he was the closest man to Hector King, their boss.

The two men continued up the steep driveway ascent. They greeted the two big built security men at the door who then stepped aside and let Hunter and Joe open the front glass door into the mansion.

The mansion was typical rich people decor, with ornaments that would make one a hundred thousand if they stole and sold just one of the ornaments. But there were cameras everywhere, so Hector King told Hunter. The cameras were hidden and only a specialist would know where to find them. As a result, Hunter too had no idea if there really was cameras or it was just a lie to keep everyone that walked into the mansion at bay.

The two men made it up Hector King's large spiral stairs. As they neared the top Hunter realized that he needed to start working out again, he was almost out of breath from all these steps.

They then walked down two passages and took a left turn in the third passage. The second door to their right was Hector King's study. On either side of the study door was a statue of an angry looking lion seated on a throne.

The study door was electric, there was a door nob and a keyhole but that was just for show. The door could be opened only two ways, by Hector King pressing the open button from underneath his desk or by fingerprint on both sides of the door. There were only two peoole whose fingerprints were registered to unlock the door to the study. Hector King and Hunter King.

Hunter layed his thumb gently on the little blue screen until the screen turned green. After two abrupt beeps, the door slided open. Joe stepped in after Hunter.

Hector King was seated behind his desk, hands clasped, grim, as if he had been waiting for the men all morning and they were late. But no, the appointment was at eleven thirty and the men were fifteen minutes early.

"Take a seat boys." Hector King motioned. Hector was sixty-two years old but still looked fit and younger. And since he was bald and shaved off all his facial hair, he didn't look a day over fifty.

Hunter took a seat opposite Hector and Joe took the seat next to Hunter.

Hector regarded them for a few seconds before speaking. "So, what happened?"

Hector was asking the both of them but in actual fact, Hunter was the one being addressed.

Hunter cleared his throat and said, "The mission was successful, sir."

"I know. But there were two gunshots. Did you kill the kid too?"

"No, sir."

"So what happened?"

Joe and Hunter exchanged looks.

"Well, the boy came downstairs while you were still talking to Grayman and then Grayman pulled out a gun and aimed it at me."

"The son of a bitch was packing at that time?" Hector smirked as if that gave him satisfaction. "Must have been expecting us for years. And here I thought he was sleeping peacefully every night."

"And then he told the boy to go upstairs and ask his girlfriend to call the police. So I tried to talk him into giving up his gun so we wouldn't harm his child, he eventually gave in and that's when I popped him."

"I heard two gunshots." Hector said.

"Yeah, I shot him twice just to make sure."

Hector stared at the two men for a while and then beamed. Even though Hunter was close to King, it was rare to see Hector smile.

"Where did you shoot him?"

"Headshot and then behind the head after he fell."

Hector nodded and leaned back in his office chair. He looked please.

"So what did you do?" Hector was addressing Joe now.

It was a few agitating seconds as Hunter waited for Joe to answer. Hunter knew that Joe would never stab him in the back but today he was a little skeptical. Probably because Joe was already upset about the kid story and also that he was scared that there might have been cameras.

Hunter was so close to cutting in and answering in Joe's place and then Joe spoke.

"Just backed him up, sir."

"Backed who up?"

"I backed Hunter up."

Hector then looked from Joe to Hunter, "I am so proud of you!"

He opened a drawer and took out a stunt bottle of whiskey and placed it on the office table.

"Go get yourself a glass over there boys so we can make a toast."

They both stood up and walked back towards the office door where the table with glasses and whiskey bottles stood. As they each took a glass from the table, their backs towards King, Hunter and Joe simultaneously locked eyes.

"Relax man." Hunter whispered. "It's sorted now."

"I hope so." Joe said, giving Hunter an unsure look and then they both reverted back to King, who stood up with the bottle in his hand as they approached. He poured some whiskey in their glasses and then set the bottle back on the table.

"There's ice in the fridge but I'm drinking this clean today because today is an auspicious day." King said. "You're welcome to get yourselves some ice but only after we make this toast."

Hunter smiled at Joe to get him to loosen up. Joe smiled back, Hunter could see that he was still not hundred percent sure everything was now fine but he looked a lot less worried now.

"Today, we make a toast to Hunter King. For taking down Marcus Grayman after we've been looking for the barsted for nearly 10 years. Hunter finally took him out. I wanted you to do it because it makes me so happy seeing that little boy with holes in his jersey slowly turn into a real man. And you know how this makes me feel?" Hector King looked at the ceiling dreamily. "I can't even find a better word. Proud seems like an understatement."

The men laughed.

"And for this, I'm promoting you, Hunter King, to underboss of the Black Souls Mafia. Cheers!"

Hunter King couldn't believe his ears.

King raised his glass and then gulped down his whiskey. "I couldn't wait to do this in front of everyone. But I will make the announcement tomorrow morning. Tonight you boys need to go and celebrate this good news."

Hunter was ecstatic! He had dreamed and waited for this position since he was seventeen years old. In his mind, he thought he'd have to wait decades to finally get this position, but here he was, at twenty-five, being promoted to underboss. He had to Google it, but he was sure that he was now the youngest underboss of a mafia group in all of history. He raised his glass at King with the biggest smile he's had all year but when he turned to Joe, he did not see the same excitement reflected back. Joe looked unhappy, and was not even afraid to show it in King's presence.