Operation two: Part-time nanny

While washing my hands, I heard the bathroom door open.  It was Kirsty.  She was a close friend of mine but not my best friend.  I do not have best friends.  I do not care how close I am to them, or whether they want to be best friends.  I don't do best friends and that is final.

The number one rule of being an assassin: don't get close to anybody.  I stick to that rule and always will.

'What are you doing?' asked Kirsty, completely forgetting about the fact that she came into the bathroom to use it.

I replied with the honest answer: 'To wash the blood off my hands.'

Kirsty laughed, slapping my back hard.  I flinched, pretending to find it funny but I certainly did not look like I did.

'What's so funny?' I asked, proceeding to scrub the dry blood off my hands with an excessive amount of soap.

'Oh, it's just...' she trailed off, trying to think of an actual reason for laughing.  'Uh, never mind.  It was funny in the moment.'

Funny in the moment?  Please.  Who does she think she is fooling?  I know she laughs whenever she is nervous.  Strangely, she is always nervous around me.

Eventually, I got all the blood off my hands.  It was good to know all those dead guards were not haunting me with their blood anymore.

By this time, Kirsty had finally remembered that she needed to use the bathroom so she used it.  The whole time she was doing her business, she was yapping to me about, practically, her whole life story.  It was a rollercoaster.  It went from the happy stuff like how she used to do ballet and tap dance to the fact that her father died six days ago.

I expressed my sympathy and said, 'I'm sorry for your loss.'  Nevertheless, I could not care any less.  It was not my problem to deal with.  It was another rule for assassins: never show any emotion.

Somehow, Kirsty thought I was being truly sincere and started to cry.  Was I really that convincing?

'Thank you,' wept Kirsty, her voice cracking as she cried.  She leaned forward, resting her head on my shoulder.  I stiffened as she did.  I was not an expert in comforting people.

Kirsty sobbed into my shoulder; her tears felt never-ending.  I hesitantly patted her back, trying to comfort her the best I could.

'Uh... there, there?'  I raised my voice at the end of my oh-so-comforting words.  Thank goodness Kirsty was dense enough to believe that I was being sincere.

After what felt like an eternity, Kirsty finally left.  As soon as she left, I washed my hands once more and then walked out of the bathroom.  I started to walk down a long flight of stairs until I heard that annoying yet familiar male voice calling my name.

Ezra.

He was Mr. Bradson's little messenger.  Like an annoying bird.

Ezra ran down the stairs to meet me halfway.  It seemed like he was in a rush.  I was actually impressed at how fast his stubby little legs could carry him.

Ezra stopped in front of me, breathing heavily.  Whilst trying to catch his breath, he said, 'Mr... Bradson wants... you to...' he took a big inhale before continuing, 'go to his office... immediately.'

My brow furrowed, 'His office?  Immediately?  Why?'

Ezra shrugged, 'No idea. You should go before he gets mad, though.'

'I will head there immediately.' I walked past Ezra, not even bothering to say goodbye.

I ascended the large flight of stairs I had just walked down. Once I reached the top, I decided to get the elevator up to Mr. Bradson's office. I pressed my keycard against the card reader. It beeped to approve access into the elevator and opened it for me. I stepped inside. The elevator was empty; exactly how I liked it.

After around a minute, I reached the fifth floor — Mr. Bradson's office.  Surprisingly, no one was waiting outside it.  Normally there would be about two to three people waiting to talk with him.

I walked up to the door of his office, assuming it would be best to knock on it as his assistant was not there.

Knock.  Knock.  Knock.

I knocked on the door three times until I heard Mr. Bradson call out to me, 'Come in, Red.'

He knew it was me.  How?  Why?  Was there a special reason that I was called here?  Was there a reason why his assistant was not outside his office?  Was there a reason no one else was here?  How secret could this be?

Gradually, I opened the door to his office.  It was dark inside.  The only light came from the blue light outside (though its brightness was limited by a few buildings blocking our view of the sky).

'Close the door behind you,' ordered Mr. Bradson.

I quietly shut the door with a click.  I then walked up to his desk but stayed standing.  I could tell from his tone of voice that he would rather me not sit down.

After a moment of silence, I spoke up and asked, 'Why did you call me, sir?'

Mr. Bradson turns around in his chair to face me.  'I have a new mission for you, Red.  A very important one, too.'

I stand in silence as he slides a file across his desk to me.  It's the file I retrieved on my last mission.  I take the file and open it to the page he put at the front.

'His name is Jaden Reed.  He's the CEO number one earning business in New York,' informed Mr. Bradson.  'He is twenty-nine years old and has two kids.  Their names are Charlie and Naomi.'

As Mr. Bradson told me all this, I proceeded to read through the document.  Jaden Reed.  He was quite an attractive man.  He carried the look of a CEO about him.

Mr. Bradson continued, 'Charlie is his youngest child at four and Naomi is his oldest at nine.  He has been looking for a nanny to take care of both of them when he's at work.'

'What about his wife?' I ask, turning a page to see what his children looked like.  Charlie was a very cute boy who looked like a messer and Naomi seemed like a very prim and proper girl.  Even at the age of eleven.

'His wife died three years ago,' solemnly said Mr. Bradson.  'He has been getting his maids and assistants to take care of his kids but he would rather hire a qualified person.'

I turn another page.  'And what am I supposed to do?  Hire a nanny for him?'

Mr. Brandon shook his head in disagreement.  'No.  You are going to be the nanny.'

My head quickly whips up to look at him, I could have got whiplash.  'What?' I exclaimed.'

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***