Page 88 of Wandering in Darkness
“When’s your birthday?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Oh! Happy early birthday.”
“Thanks. I’m wanting some seafood… man, that sounds good.”
“It does,” I say. “Don’t make me hungry. While they get to feast in that fancy hotel, I get to starve.”
He chuckles. “Still nothing yet?”
“No. But the waiters are obviously prepping for something.”
“That’s good, at least. Just strange.”
I notice Devon hesitates and wonder if he’s hearing something through the earpiece. He leans into me.
“You have a second to listen to this too?”
“Yeah,” I respond, but before I can say more, he holds up one finger. He leans down, and I assume he’s going to have me listen in, but I can tell he’s noticed something.
“Something’s wrong, just… fuck,” he says. “Fourth floor from the top. Second window from the right.”
I quickly shift away from the people setting the tables and over to the window he’s directed me to. There are two people standing in front of it. One man I can barely see. I can only see his hands when he waves them around while he talks. The other has his back to me but is wearing a dark hat and gray pinstriped suit.
“Man on the right?—”
“Gray pinstriped suit, black hat,” I say.
“Yes. That’s our target. Shoot him.”
I hesitate. I guess not seeing a gun in his hand makes it harder to pull the trigger.
“Cal, don’t fucking hesitate. Eddie just identified him to me. Our cover has been exposed and he knows. He’ll fucking slaughter all three of them if we don’t get them out of there.”
“But the moment I shoot, the man on the left will draw back.”
“You have to have faith in the other people on the team, Cal. You don’t have to shoulder this alone. Now pull the fucking trigger before they wind up dead.”
So I pull the trigger.
The man’s back is to me, so he’s not expecting it as he’s thrown forward, hitting the ground.
“Contact.”
The other man draws back while I anxiously search the windows.
“I can’t see the others,” I say.
“Just stay steady.”
“They’re going to avoid the windows. We need to get our team out. What are the others saying?”
“Eddie, are you getting the other two out? We have your backs… They’re heading out the south exit.”
“I don’t have fucking eyes on the south exit,” I say.
“They have to do what’s safest,” Devon replies, and I know that but hate that I’m useless up here.
