Chapter Four

    Jean was irritated. Her client was late. She despised lateness.

    She was to be paid in cash today for her work in the Morrison's demise. She also had to go to school to round off the register process.

    Finally, when she had decided to leave it to a disciple, they arrived. Stately cars in a large convoy drove in. Jean debated with herself whether or not to meet them. She decided to, if just to punish the man.

    Bodyguards came down from all the cars. One of them ran to the most decorated of them and opened the door. Outstepped a middle-aged man dressed ostensibly in an expensive white suit. He wore a white bowler hat and white snake skin shoes, holding a beautifully wrought walking stick.

    Jean could smell the opulence a mile away, and it made her sick. She did not have a problem against wealth, just with the way some people showed it off. She had no qualms if you spent your hard-earned money, even flaunt it a little, but when you were using money you did not really have or truly worked for, to spend on things you did not really need, she had a problem. There were many people like Danielle, who needed the money, but people like Mr Goldstein, her client stole this money and spent it on worthless frivolities, even hiring people like her to kill of each other, so they could move in on the left over wealth.

    Well, she would continue to kill. Heck if she was hired tomorrow to kill this client, she would not give a dime. As long as she was not hired to kill those who truly cared, what mattered?

    She sat down in an armchair in the beautifully furnished reception room and waited for him. It was decorated in monochrome black and gold. Two stairways led to a mezzanine, whose railing were covered with lush cloths. Danielle stood at her side, and two disciples holding guns stood behind them.

    Mr Goldstein walked in with seemingly no care in the world. Although Jean was angry inside, she stood to greet him. Then they sat down.

    He rested his legs on the center table separating them. He brought out a cigar.

    "Can I smoke?" he asked. He proceeded to have an assistant light the cigar without waiting for an answer.

    The arrogance and disrespect shown by the man annoyed Danielle. She hated arrogant people, rich or poor. Especially those who would cowardly not want to soil their hands, yet would want to reap where they did not sow. In her eyes, they were the worst kind of swine.

    She kept her peace however, and so did Jean. They waited patiently till the client was ready to speak. Finally, he did.

     "I'm here to fulfill my side of the agreement." he said and tossed a briefcase on the table "here's your pay."

    Danielle picked up the case and opened it before Jean.

    "What is this?" Jean asked, obviously angry.

    "That is what I owe you."

    "I reckon it's more than this."

    "Well, I naturally subtracted the amount for the unfulfilled part -25 percent, then of course some logistics. I figured 70 percent is quite fair."

    "Really?" asked Jean, cocking her head to the side, "You just said I didn't complete about 25 percent of the work. Can you please clarify?" There was a light in her eyes which subtly betrayed her anger, but the man was too blind to see it.

    "Don't play cat and mouse with me. You were to KILL all the Morrisons, but you didn't get to the wife, so you don't get paid for her death."

    "I see."Jean said whilst nodding. "Any other problems? What are those logistics you mentioned?"

    "Well as her nearest living relative, after my sister's death, I had to pay to get her out of that hospital and give her a befitting burial. That and other things were also subtracted."

    "Okay, starting from the first problem, how did Sarah Morrison die again?"

    "Of a heart attack!"

    "Caused by?

    "Stop asking questions you know the answer to."

    "Hmm." I don't know if you read the content of the contract you signed, but incase, let me refresh your memory. Danielle?"

    Danielle passed her a folder. She opened it slowly until she reached the page she needed.

    "Ahh, here it is. It says here that '...by signing this contract, I agree to let the assassins use any method to dispose of the subject, be it physical or non-physical. As long as the assassin is involved in the execution, I agree to pay IN FULL for the service rendered.'" Jean looked up at the man. "Do you understand the import of these words? And look, you signed it" she said and showed him the paper with his signature on it.

    He was visibly red and angry. He started to say some incoherent things.

    "Shut up!" Jean effectively cut him off. She stood up and walked directly in front of him. "The money in there is not even up to fifty percent, if we don't count the fake notes. Also, I didn't ask you to kill your sister, so you don't get to charge me for her death." She bent her upper body to be on eye level with him. Her aura scared him. Her eyes reminded him of a deadly poison and beautiful gems at once. He was petrified.The Jade Poison effect.

    Jean smiled on seeing his reaction. They were all like this, big and bratty, yet very big wimps. She whispered near his ears;

    "Two days. I give you two days to pay what you owe, unless you want to have an 'accident' and a very fatal one indeed."

    She slowly stood up, and the spell broke.

    "Y-you worthless thing" Mr Goldstein stammered. "How dare you?!" he shouted and stood up "Guards!"

    All his guards pointed their guns at her. Almost simultaneously, from behind the mezzanine, countless disciples arose, guns ready.

    "I hate scum like you, always trying to one up each other. Leave this place, and make sure the next time you're here it's with my money!"

    She started to walk back to her seat, then thought again and landed him a flying kick, direct to his face.

    She flung the brief case on the floor. "Take this with you."

    Mr Goldstein ordered his assistant to gather to gather the money, and almost ran away like a cowardly dog, greatly amusing Danielle.

...****************...

    After the incident, Danielle and Jean left for school with an actor who pretended to be their guardian. When they arrived, they were told the principal was busy, so they waited outside. The actor went out to get some snacks, while the girls sat and read the magazines they found

    The door opened and in walked...

    "Ugh Janelle." Jean sighed.

    What are you doing here? Janelle asked without any emotions.

    The same thing you must be doing. Registering.

    Janelle nodded. Her gaze traveled to Danielle.

    "I'm guessing this is part of your version of The Bloody Harem."

    "I do not call my disciples a bloody harem."

    Janelle walked slowly towards Danielle, maintaining eye contact. Once she was near enough, she bent slightly to be on eye level with the younger girl.

    Danielle had seen Jean pull this move countless times, but yet she still felt scared. This girl scared her. Her eyes were as dead as rocks. There was no anger, pain, joy, or excitement in them. It seemed like they took they took their job of seeing so seriously that they forgot to display human emotions.

    Danielle had seen trained to show no fear, and feel no fear, yet she wanted to buckle up and run. She readied herself to fight, but when she looked at Jean and saw her relaxed attitude, she relaxed too. She held Janelle's stare till finally, the older girl straightening.

    Janelle said to Jean "She needs a lot more polishing, but she's a gem."

    Jean mumbled something along the lines of 'of course she is.'

    Just then Dael's parents walked out. Janelle left with them.

    Danielle looked to Jean, her eyes baring the questions in her head.

    "She is a former colleague, and that was a test" Jean explained. "You passed"

    Danielle did not know what kind of emotions to express.

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