Murder and Betrayal

“Oh, no! What did they do to me?” His angry outburst lined his throat with disgust. He then staggers to the kitchen, heading to the sink. He was hoping to try and make himself throw up, to get the poison out of his system. Realizing that his time was growing near. Earlier he had gone out with friends for dinner

“Friends,” he said sarcastically. People whom he trusted, obviously his trust was missed placed. He should have been more careful who he called friends.

But now as he stumbled towards the kitchen, thoughts plagued his mind. He had just barely made it to the bar. Where he was leaning his heavy body up against it, and trying to catch his breath.

It’s funny how when the poison is running through your body life seems to slow down, and you feel heavier. Mike felt like he was pulling the whole weight of his house with him, not just his body.

In his line of work as a Contract Killer, these kinds of things happen when you get to close to people. You make enemies out of everyone. Someone always has a score to settle, especially when you’re good at your job. But now look, there was no one to blame but himself. “Maybe death will come swiftly, and not linger,’ he spoke out loud.

When Mike arrived back at his home, a place off in the distance, it was around 8:30 p.m. He had an early day tomorrow so he decided to call it a night. It was rather early for a Tuesday.

Living in Arizona there was beauty all around his home. From the beautiful Arizona sunset of warm burnt sienna and cadmium yellow painted in the background, and the brown mountains laid out in the distance. All of this made his home seem more peaceful and secluded. Mike was glad he called Arizona his home, he found serenity looking out into the backyard. The mountains portrayed a calling for him, begging for him to climb them. Mike’s home represented a little piece of heaven, and then things changed. Then he met Marshal and Megan and things changed, he’d hope for the better. He made the mistake of trusting people, trusting ‘friends.’

Mike looked up at his sliding glass doors, he had left the blinds open before he went to dinner. And now the midnight blue sky and stars that sparkled like diamonds were all he could see. Mike didn’t see the darkness Mike only saw the beauty in the sky. He remained slumped over at the bar for what felt like hours, but in reality, only a few minutes had passed.

Mike’s head felt light like it wasn’t even attached to his head. His breath was coming quicker and quicker, along with his heart racing. It was like his body was beating faster than he could keep up. As Mike moved slowly on into the kitchen, his muscles ached. He focused all his concentration on getting near the sink. As he made it to the sink Mike was startled, he didn’t knock over anything. Mike was very meticulous about how he kept his home.

In his kitchen, he had a square island in the middle of the floor. A couple of bar stools at the bar, and no dishes were left in the sink. A coffee pot on the left side of the counter, a toaster, and a wine rack in the corner. Mike lived for order and not chaos, his job brought plenty of chaos.

But before he could throw up the doorbell rang. “Who could it be? No one knows I’m here.” His response was more surprise than concern. So, with all his strength and might, he pulled himself up slowly stagger to the front door. Dragging each foot which felt like dragging a lead pipe through the Arizona desert. Finally, in what seemed like days, he was at his front door. Mike’s arms were wrapped around his abdomen and he was half bent forward. He leaned his heavy frame up against the door and looked out the peephole. “I can’t believe this, not them.” He was astounded, the same people who had poisoned him were now at his front door. “They must be here to finish me off. I guess I didn’t die quick enough.” His words were laced with venom. “Just how did they know where I lived?” Then he thought about it, ‘Megan.’

Mike was a person who never took chances and always checked out everything, especially people. But somehow, he let all of this slip by him. Was he losing his edge? How could he have slipped up so badly, to be put in this kind of predicament?

As Mike rested up against the hardness of his front door, trying to contemplate his options. For one thing, he did not dare open up the door. But was he wrong? Maybe they didn’t try to poison him, maybe it was someone else? The Waiter? No of course not. His breathing was taking its toll on him, every breath seems to take so much strength. And his legs felt heavier and heavier. Mike knew the poison was coursing through his body and leaving its mark. Whatever they had given him was working.

Mike had trusted a few people in his life, Megan and Marshall were some of those few people. They knew very little about him but were still considered friends. They knew he traveled for business and whenever he was in town they got together. Megan and Marshall also did a lot of traveling and never spoke about what they did either. Just a few friends who respected each other privacy, or so he thought.

Mike felt light-headed, he wasn’t sure how long he could hold on. There was no one to call, not even family. Mike knew when things turn bad, and you had to accept the consequences. Tonight’s fate was no different, “who wants to live forever.” Mike said with a smile, then headed for the sofa.

The sofa was a few feet away from the door, not too many steps to take. Mike fell down hard on his sofa. He took a quick breath then reached under to middle cushion for his gun. He knew when you play with fire you often got burned. Mike was a man of honor in spite of his profession. And when he died, he hoped to die the same way, with dignity and honor.

Mike’s handheld onto his gun with a strong grip. He rested the gun in his lap then closed his eyes.

OUTSIDE

“Knock harder, we both know he’s in there, we followed him. It’s amazing he’s still alive. Did you give him the correct dose?” Marshall was busy trying to find a way into the house, as he questions his partner in crime Megan. Marshall would have been yelling if he knew for certain that Mike was dead. But he couldn’t take the chance, Mike could still come out shooting. But all Megan could think about was Mike. When Megan had the chance to get to know Mike, she fell hard. Mike unlike his profession was not hard or cruel but Marshal was. Mike was kind and thoughtful. Mike was everything she thought Marshall was. Mike seemed so much at peace every time they got together, he really enjoyed hanging out. Marshall was still busy trying to see if there was a key above the door or under a flower pot.

Marshall looked over at Megan. She wasn’t knocking but just standing there. Marshall saw the signs early on, how she was loving their little play -acting. Megan was never really into the jobs they pulled, but Marshall always manage to keep her in line. And playing the part of a couple made most people relax, who wouldn’t want to hang out with a cute couple? Even Mike fell for it. But without Megan Marshall could not have been able to betray as many people as they had.

Mike, Marshall, and Megan's friendship were based on respect for one another. They never talked about what they did and neither did Mike. Although Marshall knew very well what Mike did and that’s why they set him up. There were people who would pay good money to have Mike killed. This would be their biggest payoff, yet.

Mike had made so many enemies being a Contract Killer. And always kept to himself, so it was hard to find a way to get rid of him. Mike was smart, he had no family, he grew up in an orphaned and never dealt with friends. Even women did not have a hold on him. There never seem to be an angle until he moved to Arizona. It was here that Mike finally let his guard down.

“Try and see if there is a spare, look, under a flower pot,” Marshall said a little louder this time. Megan began looking under flower pots for an extra key. But Megan was thinking in her mind about what Marshall had said at the restaurant. He told her this would be their last job. So, if she would put the poison in Mike’s drink then they could retire and never had to deal with this kind of life. But after she agreed to do this, she felt like Marshall wasn’t about to stop. Because Mike was a big-ticket so now they were in the big league.

As Megan searched, she remembers the times they spent together. How easy it was to talk to Mike. It was as if they had always known each other. Mike made her smile and told her she always looked like a lady, beautiful, pretty. Marshall never said anything to her except to get friendly with whomever they were trying to set up. Otherwise, his comment was not forthcoming. But Mike saw the beauty that Megan had forgotten about, he saw her the way she used to be, happy. She was a desert flower that still manage to bloom regardless of her environment. That made her smile, Mike had a way of saying things.

Megan still looking for a spare key, although she knew where to find one. Once when Marshall had to take an important call Mike told her if she ever wanted to talk, he would be there for her. It was as if Mike somehow knew she needed to escape, to getaway. Mike had told her if she came by and he wasn’t there he had a spare key at the bottom of a rain barrow in the back yard. He kept water in the barrel so no one would think anything about it. Megan was not about to tell Marshall what she knew.

Their friendship was supposed to be based on respect for each other. But their friendship with Mike was their usual setup and get paid. But things changed, all of a sudden someone had to die. Will they ever be able to go back? How do you quit when murder and betrayal become the only option?

At the restaurant when Mike made his excuse to leave. Marshall said sure, he understood. But that was not part of their plan. They had planned to blame it on the food at the restaurant. And go along in the ambulance where Mike would be pronounced dead. But that plan didn’t work out so well, betrayal never does.

Inside his house, Mike had found the strength the wrap his hands around his gun, he knew that they would get in to finish the job. He remained stiff on the couch thinking about Marshal. He wasn’t surprised about him; Marshall always looked the part of a traitor. But without enough balls to do it himself. But Megan, she was the mystery part of all of this. She was the one person he had felt something more than friendship. He always felt like Megan was unhappy, that Marshall was linked to her unhappiness. But being the man he was, Mike wouldn’t break up a marriage. So, he told her if she ever needed to talk to him or to get away, he would be there. Mike told Megan where he kept his spare key. What if she needed to get away, and he wasn’t in town, she could stay there. But now Mike realized it was only a moment before Marshall found out about that spare key. “Megan, how could you betray me like this, how could you?” Those hurtful words were his last.

Marshall could not wait any longer so he pried open the back-sliding glass door. As he entered, he saw Mike sitting on the couch. Marshal’s smile widen as he walked over to the front door, never taking his eyes off Mike. As he reached the front door, he unlocked it and saw a surprised look on Megan’s face. “What surprise to see me? Who did you think it was, Mike? Ha, he’s gone, sleeping with the fishes.” Marshall headed over toward the kitchen, looking under the sink for cleaning products and towels to wipe clear any prints. Megan just stood by the closed front door. Her tense back rested up against the same door that Mike had rested on. One single tear slowly rolled down her rosy cheek as she realized all that had happened in a single night, betrayal. Marshall caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye and he spoke with sarcasm to her, “You do realize that now neither one of us can turn back, especially you. You were the one who put the poison in his drink, I have your fingerprints on the vile. You’re in this for the long haul, and we just raise up our stake. Now we are known for killing, can you imagine how many more jobs we can do now? With your special skills of killing.” Marshall started laughing as he continues looking for something to wipe off the prints. His evil laugh was heard all over the house, he only stopped when he got a call.

Megan took that time to walk over, and stand in front of Mike. His eyes were still open, it was as if he was staring straight at her. She knew he must be thinking ‘how could you betray me when all I wanted to do was help?’ Because that’s all she kept hearing in her mind, those same words, ‘betrayed me.’

“I will miss seeing those beautiful grey eyes”, she said under her breath. Megan walked over towards the sliding glass doors and looked out. Mike often spoke about the beautiful sunsets in Arizona, about how amazing the mountains were. And that is why he decided to settle here, a place close enough to see the beauty of the desert. A beauty that some people missed because of what it seemed like, barren, dusty, and too hot. People think about the rattlesnakes, the cactus, and dust storms. But they somehow missed the majestic scenery that lights up the day and night. Mike had told her once she should come to watch as the sun set down behind the mountains, to just enjoy the beauty of nature. And that made another tear fall from her eyes

“If only we could have met before, before Marshall. If only I would have taken you up and called or come over. If only I had not gotten into this business in the first place, if only.’ Megan’s mind was scattered with ‘if only’. But fate had dealt her a different hand.

Marshall continue listening to his call, but he kept one eye on Megan, she was getting soft in her old age. Maybe it was time to let her go, he needed someone who could hold their own. Marshall knew she resented the position he had placed her into, but that was the only way to keep her in line.

Megan wiped away the tears and went towards Marshall and grabbed the white terrycloth out of his hands, and he smiled at her. She walked over towards the door and wiped off any prints. Megan opens up the door and wiped off any prints left there. She walked back in front of Mike, staring down at him. Megan finally noticed the black gun in his hand, she glanced up to see what Marshall was doing. He had put the things back under the sink and had his back to her. Marshall knew when Megan took the towel from him that she was doing what needed to be done. So, he could focus his attention on their next assignment, and make sure their bank account reflected tonight’s work.

Megan pulls hard on the gun, Mike had quite the grip. She looked up and Marshall was now texting with his back to her. Megan knew what must be done.

She walked over towards Marshall, as he turned around with that same grin on his face, she shot him point- blank. ‘Marshall was right, now I am a killer.’

It was a good thing that Megan was wearing black gloves so none of her prints would be left. Marshal’s body fell forward, first it hit the counter then onto the brown panel kitchen floor completely missing the small island. Mike’s gun had a silencer on it, so no shot was heard. And then Megan left out of the front door, closed it shut.

As she got behind the driver’s side of the car, slowly backed down the long driveway. She knew to keep her speed normal so as not to draw suspicion to herself. When she got onto the main road, she took the first turn to the highway for LA. Looking into her review mirror she said out loud, “betrayal is a dangerous business.” Then she said softly, “for you Mike, for you.”

The End