Chapter 4
"Hawthorne, I'm sorry, but I must have misheard you," Leroy says, voice tense, "but did you just say that he knows who you are?!"
Justine sighs.
"I have no idea how he does, but that's what he said"
Justine sighs.
"I have no idea how he does, but that's what he said"
Leroy curses on the other end of the line, and Justine almost wishes she could do the same. Almost. Years of training has taught her how to stay calm during these kinds of situations. At least outwardly.
"Justine, I'm going to say this once," he says slowly, "find the hell out. Both of our asses are on the line here. Figure it out"
She bites her lip and swallows thickly.
"Got it"
The reciever clicks after that, indicating he shut his end off.
She bites her lip and swallows thickly.
"Got it"
The reciever clicks after that, indicating he shut his end off.
A week passes. Blackquill calls her almost every day, but she never picks up, no matter how much she wants to.
To hell with this mission, she thinks bitterly as she ignores the second call of the day, to hell with Leroy and to hell with Blackquill.
And then she decides to make up her mind.
It doesn't matter how his hands on her skin makes her tingle all over, or how his icy blue eyes sends shivers down her spine or how much she adores that cocky grin. He may be handsome, but he's nothing to her but another target.
She's not stupid, of course. She knows all of that is bullshit.
But she can at least pretend.
She's a professional, after all.
To hell with this mission, she thinks bitterly as she ignores the second call of the day, to hell with Leroy and to hell with Blackquill.
And then she decides to make up her mind.
It doesn't matter how his hands on her skin makes her tingle all over, or how his icy blue eyes sends shivers down her spine or how much she adores that cocky grin. He may be handsome, but he's nothing to her but another target.
She's not stupid, of course. She knows all of that is bullshit.
But she can at least pretend.
She's a professional, after all.
The house is eerily quiet when she breaks in - it's way too easy, she thinks, because a man like Blackquill should have better security systems - and not even his snores can be heard.
Does he really not snore? She can't remember.
She gets up to the door that leads to the living room and listens. Still dead silent.
Does he really not snore? She can't remember.
She gets up to the door that leads to the living room and listens. Still dead silent.
The question is answered when she gets tackled to the living room floor with all the precision of another trained killer.
She rolls under him and manages to get the upper hand, throwing a punch before getting thrown off and quickly getting to her feet.
She rolls under him and manages to get the upper hand, throwing a punch before getting thrown off and quickly getting to her feet.
She fumbles for her gun and stands ready just before the light gets turned on.
Blackquill is pointing a revolver straight at her.
"Well," he says, "this is awkward"
Blackquill is pointing a revolver straight at her.
"Well," he says, "this is awkward"
She takes a step to the side and he follows, like some old god damned western flick.
"How did you know?" she demands.
He chuckles nervously.
"I'm gonna drop this now," he says, lowering himself to the floor and placing his gun in front of him, "yeah"
Justine doesn't move an inch.
"How did you know?" she demands.
He chuckles nervously.
"I'm gonna drop this now," he says, lowering himself to the floor and placing his gun in front of him, "yeah"
Justine doesn't move an inch.
"Answer the question, Blackquill"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, sunshine, I'm sure we could talk about this in a more civilized fashion"
"Answer the god damned question!"
She fires a shot right next to his head and he staggers back, self assured grin slowly faltering when he realizes she's completely serious.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, sunshine, I'm sure we could talk about this in a more civilized fashion"
"Answer the god damned question!"
She fires a shot right next to his head and he staggers back, self assured grin slowly faltering when he realizes she's completely serious.
"Look, I've known who you were from the moment you hacked the guest list to get to me," he says, stepping back, "you don't survive long in this business unless you've got a sharp head on you. Come on, Suzanne, you know this too"
She fires another shot that passes merely an inch next to the other side of his face.
"My handler told me you were coming, okay!" he says, and Justine steps closer, kicking his revolver away.
She fires another shot that passes merely an inch next to the other side of his face.
"My handler told me you were coming, okay!" he says, and Justine steps closer, kicking his revolver away.
"How did you know we were after you?" she says, making sure to emphathize every single word.
"I'm just a con artist, for God's sake! They get me money and status, and I get them information. Listen to me!"
He can barely finish his sentence before a single gunshot rings out, and Justine falls to the floor with a pained groan.
Behind her is none other than miss Prescott.
"I'm just a con artist, for God's sake! They get me money and status, and I get them information. Listen to me!"
He can barely finish his sentence before a single gunshot rings out, and Justine falls to the floor with a pained groan.
Behind her is none other than miss Prescott.