TAG: The Assassin's Guidebook

A couple of miles from the pentagon sat an unmarked office building in a vast sea of parking spots. With no logo or advertisement nearby, one might think the building was abandoned; save for the cars parked nearby. This was the secret building for H.I.S. (Hitmen's International Syndicate). A workplace that assassin's and bounty hunters called home in-between posted jobs for any country.

Jin pulled up to a parking spot in his car, a red, 1995 Toyota Supra. He exited the vehicle and grabbed the envelope that Sebastian handed him the day before. As he approached the office building, he noticed a newly posted sign near the front door that read: "ALLEN – NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR DRINK".

As he continued walking, only 10 feet away from that sign stood a man who looked like a doppelganger of Mike Smith, famously known as Bubbles in the television series Trailer Park Boys. This, was Allen, a late 40's, short, slightly overweight, and socially awkward hitman with bottlecap glasses. He was also the "self-prescribed" best friend of Jin. With Jin approaching, Allen took notice of his incoming amigo and decided to toss his beloved vanilla ice cream onto the pavement. Jin passed him and he began to follow.

Jin picked up his tempo. "Al, you dropped your ice cream back there."

Allen turned back to the melted scoop of vanilla on the smoldering pavement. Ants flocked to it from the cracks in the cement.

"That's alright Jin, I can always get another one," Allen responded. He noticed the folder in Jin's hand and his eyebrows perked up above the rims of his glasses. "Turning in a job? Where'd you go?"

"Al, you know we aren't supposed to give out classified information in regards to work."

Allen adjusted his glasses and ran forward to open the door for Jin. "No, you're right. Just got a bit curious is all." He said as Jin passed him to enter the building.

Jin and Allen entered the lobby of their workplace. Outside of a few lounge chairs and couches, the atmosphere was one of silence and hollowness. Everything in the building was a sterile white, and the sunlight blindly reflected off of multiple surfaces. A single desk was placed in front of two elevators where a secretary sat.

That lovely secretary was Delores. A late 70's woman who was just as quick to pull out a shotgun as she was to bake cookies for her grandchildren. She often hummed to herself, and passed the time reading the latest erotic fiction paperback. It was a deep escape from her office and home life.

She paid no attention to Jin and Allen as they approached the desk; her newest novel was in the middle of a juicy scene. Jin stood for a moment, knowing better than to interrupt the woman in her momentary bliss; Allen however, lacked the social awareness. He locked eyes with the bell on the counter and began ringing it incessantly.

Ding. Ding. Ding.

"Delores! Jin and I need to go to the office!" Allen shouted attempting to get the attention of the hearing aid with glasses.

Delores glanced up at the two men who had interrupted her literature.

"Scan your badges," she said with a slightly annoyed, but underwhelmed tone.

Allen's eyes widened. He looked at the scanner on the counter and then at Jin. Moving his head back and forth between the two. Jin reached into his pocket and pulled out his worker's badge. Before he scanned it, Allen was quick to yank him aside.

"I don't have my badge," Allen whispered.

"Why?" Jin asked, not whispering back and raising an eyebrow.

Allen fidgeted to himself for a moment, he continued to whisper so that Delores wouldn't hear. "I didn't plan on killing anyone today. So, if I'm not working, why would I need my badge?"

Jin was dumbfounded by the logic. If you weren't going to work today, then why hangout in front of the office building to begin with?

"Then stay up here," Jin suggested, still not whispering.

"No!" Allen whisper shouted. "I want to go with you. I'm your backup."

Jin gave a sigh and turned back to Delores. He smiled at the disgruntled secretary. "Delores, beautiful, we've been working here for over ten years. Would it be okay if Al went with me even though he left his badge at home?"

"We have rules–"

"–if you say no, then Allen will have to stay up here and keep you company while I work," Jin insisted.

 Delores turned her attention to the pair of fogged bottlecap glasses. Without hesitation she was quick to scan her own badge to override the system. Much to Allen's joy.

"Go ahead," Delores instructed as the right elevator doors opened.

Jin smiled and gave Delores a wink, "You're the best."

Jin and Allen moved into the elevator. On the keypad, Jin hit a 7-digit sequence before clicking the button for the basement floor. The elevator door closed on the two men and they rode down to the office.

The basement floor of the office building was a bustling place. Cubicles created aisles up and down the floor in an office environment that hadn't seen a change in procedure since the mid 90's. Men and women in suits sat at their computers, surrounded the copying machines, and bided their time at the lone, dusty watercooler.

Along the east side wall was a gated armory. A couple of employees stood at the window to hand off weapons to employees that made orders for missions. The register furthest to the right was newly installed for the companies attempt at online orders. The employees were busy stuffing explosives and firearms into to-go bags for the hitmen's online orders.

On the west side wall sat a row of tellers. Employees that worked in the company's banking and finance; paying out successful jobs and logging in the accounting papers.

On the north side there were three doors. Two that were designated for conferences and meetings, and another that led into the office for the boss of H.I.S. There was also a row of painted portraits of previous professional killers that went above and beyond their profession in both life and sacrifice. These included people such as Luther, Jack Walter, and many others from history.

Jin began his trek to the tellers. Allen attempted to stay by his side until he was pulled away by nearby office workers George and Carl.

"Hey Al, how'd you find your way down here?" teased George.

"Yeah, we heard you botched the Zimbabwe job," laughed Carl.

"Fellas. I didn't botch the job. The hit required me to take out the entire family, and I shot the husband clear in the head. He was as good as dead. Saw no reason to eliminate the wife and children. I have rules you know. They were harmless." Allen said, attempting to justify himself.

Carl continued laughing, "Harmless? The wife was the leader of the cartel Allen. You just put a bullet into her eye candy, trophy, husband."

George threw Allen into a headlock, "always complete the job!"

Away from Allen, Jin continued to walk through the office. Another man, Hugh Jackson, a late 20's hotshot to the workplace noticed Jin from the watercooler. He had sandy blonde hair and icy steel blue eyes, with a cool temperament to match. Hugh brushes off his conversation with a few coworkers and moved over to Jin.

"There's the master," Hugh said pointing a few finger guns at Jin. They shot off their imaginary, supportive bullets of encouragement.

Jin continues walking to the tellers and gives no acknowledgement.

"Did you get my memo?" Hugh asked.

"You know I don't read that company newsletter shit." Jin responded.

"Yeah, well, a couple of us guys got thinking–"

"–There's your problem" interrupted Jin.

Hugh gave a fake chuckle as they entered the back of the line for the tellers.

"Anyhow, we were thinking some things needed to change around here. We professionals shouldn't have to compete for contracts. They keep double booking us and wasting our time."

"Not this again–"

"–We need to unionize." Hugh said firmly.

The two men took a step forward with the line.

"Do you hear yourself. A union for professional killers. What government is going to support that?"

"We need to stick together Jin."

"That's why I work alone. I don't want another team unnecessarily above me to make my job more difficult. If you are worried about competing with others to take jobs, then be more efficient than the other guy."

They took another step forward. Hugh placed his hand on Jin's shoulder, "Look, you are one of the oldest among us. The office sees you as a leader. Who else are we going to elect to represent us to the boss? Allen?"

On the other side of the room, Allen was still in a headlock from George. He was trying to smile and play it off while they belittled him. Jin and Hugh took another step forward.

"Think about it, please. Cause if you aren't with us," Hugh said as he began to back away. He reloaded his imaginary finger guns and gave of a few more shots, "You're against us."

Jin was called to the teller as Hugh returned to the watercooler. Jin approaches and opens his dossier folder to grab the correct papers.

"Last and first?" asked the teller.

"Shimada, Jin" he answered.

The teller began typing into her computer. Jin slid the documents through the window tray and the teller grabbed them. She quickly glances over the papers.

"Pines, Bradley. Assassination. 850 thousand initial payout. Subtract, 200k for finder's fee. 50k for rifle loan and ammunition. 25k transfer fee. 275k in other taxes and expenses. Your total for the job returns to 300 thousand. Would you like that deposited into your account or any of it in immediate cash?"

"Deposit, please."

The teller continues her typing. An initial receipt prints and the teller hands slides it through the window tray to Jin.

"Is there anything else I can assist you with today?" she asked.

"No, no thank you. I'll have my assistant take care of the paperwork and assigning my next job."

"Have a killer day."

"Same to you."

Jin turned around and placed the receipt in his pocket. He began his trek back to the elevator to leave. Meanwhile, Allen broke free from his captivity and retreated back to Jin's side.

"Making friends?" Jin asked with the rare hint of sarcasm.

Allen almost trips over his own feet, "Those guys? Nah, they're just a couple of knuckleheads."

Jin and Allen enter the elevator and the door closes on the office workplace. Jin and Allen reach the lobby and move past Delores, who ignored them as she continued reading her literature. Outside the building, the vanilla ice cream remained on the ground; nothing more than a sweet puddle infested with ants.

Jin takes notice of the puddle and stops momentarily. He drowns out whatever words Allen was spouting on about and his head begins the thump. He stared at the engulfing insects devouring their nectar and his ears rang out. His vision became blurry and Jin began to black out.

"Jin? Jin?" Allen said in a sound that was muffled out by the ringing in Jin's head.

Jin collapses over on the ground as the sensation of devourment overwhelmed.