The Crawford Redemption

    The rain threw itself on the pitched roof of the structure, it’s muted sound resonating throughout the rooms within. It was a grand two-storey building, with tall double-doors on the front and back, overhangs on the sides, and two tall steeples at each end, serving as entrances. The windows were like a church’s, with arched shaped windows scaling the walls. The main room was a large atrium, with smaller rooms branching off, hidden in the maze of the many tall bookcases neatly aligned in rows. A large chandelier hung from the domed, windowed ceiling of the atrium, along with many smaller ones dotted around.

    “Please, keep it down, you are disturbing other readers.” a librarian told them. “I don’t want to have to kick you out.”

    “Alright, alright, we’ll be quiet.” the taller of the two men replied. His voice was authoritative, British, and smooth. He wore a grey suit and fedora, covering his brown side-parted hair. He had blue eyes, a grecian nose, stubble, and a hard face. His face always got through to people. It had a strong and dominating look. It was his power. His special ability, some would say.

    It worked on the librarian too. She gave a vague nod, and left them to their work.

    “We better finish up soon, Kingsley.” the other man said to his counterpart. He was wearing a white t-shirt with a grey jacket on top, and faded blue jeans. He had a black buzz cut, dark brown eyes, rough jaw, clean shave, and a short nose. His voice was low and grimy. He looked at his partner, then back to the piles of books. They knew what they were looking for.

    “Tyler, we need to find out more. This is our best bet.”

    Their orders were clear: to find and eliminate the last few members of the Crawford family. The Crawfords had established a family business in the late 1950s, owning a winery and vineyard. They expanded into other fields over the decades, now an empire of manufacture and trade. Months back, they were accused of money laundering and tax evasion by a rival business, but the case was quickly dismissed when key workers went missing. The men’s task was to put an end to the corrupt family. They’ve made enough bad blood in the industry.

    “We already know enough.” Tyler replied. “I’ve found one of their associates. They’re in town.”

    “Are you sure? It’s the right guy?”

    “Yeah, it’s them. The-” Tyler was cut off by a loud shatter. It was the front windows. They immediately ducked under the table, unsure of what was going down. There were gunshots. People were screaming and running around. Gunmen kicked the front doors open, raining fire on the library. One of the librarians surrendered and was asked something. They pointed towards where the two men were taking cover. Kingsley and Tyler quickly made their way towards the back doors. Kingsley pulled out a gun from his suit and started firing back in the general direction of the gunmen, hoping to land a few shots. They ran out of the grand building and jumped over the garden fence. A cab came to a rest on the curb and they squeezed in. The car sped away, Tyler peeping through the cracked windshield, confirming that nobody was following them.

    “Who were those people?” Kingsley asked. “Were they Crawford’s people?”

    “It must have been.” Tyler replied. “I think they’ve found out.”

    They were sitting on benches outside of a cafe, deciding their next moves. They needed to act quickly, before their targets escaped. The most viable option was to infiltrate the Crawford family mansion. Probably the only option. They had the resources to do it, but it was the matter of how to get in that was the issue. They hailed a cab and rode to a small house they had rented for the mission.

    Tyler unlocked the door and went in. There was a long corridor with doors branching off to different rooms. He opened the first one to the left, which was the living room. They had set up a temporary workspace on the coffee table. He sifted through some files until he had found what he wanted to see.

    “This is where they live. Our people tracked them down.” Tyler held up the fax paper.

    “Great. I heard security is tight there.” Kingsley replied. “Especially with those mercenaries they’ve hired.”

    “We’ll deal with them. Somehow.”

    “Sure, sure…”

    Kingsley looked out the window of his room. The rain had stopped. The sky was still bleak, but he could make out the sun. It was evening, soon to be night time. They were to go to the mansion the next morning, if the circumstances were fine. They had to scope out the area and infiltrate by midday. After that, they had until midnight to finish up and leave. It entirely depended on the events that played through the day. He rubbed his face and lay down on his bed. Hopefully everything goes right this time. They won’t get away.

    Tyler woke up with a jolt. He had heard something. Inside the house. He was sure that he locked all the doors and windows. It certainly wasn’t Kingsley. He would’ve heard his door open. Who could it be? he wondered. He got up and grabbed his gun. Just in case. He slowly reached for the handle and nudged the door open. Nothing so far. Cracked the door a bit more, still couldn’t see anyone. He slipped through and surveyed his surroundings.

    He felt a small, cold breeze graze him. Tyler turned and saw the back door’s lock smashed open. Someone was inside the house with them. He quickly darted to Kingsley’s door and knocked on it. He heard some mumbling and footsteps. Light poured out the door onto the floor as Kingsley pushed the door open. He rubbed his head, annoyed to be disturbed from his sleep.

    “What’s up?” he asked.

    “See for yourself.” Tyler pointed to the back door. Kingsley turned and went wide-eyed. He got his gun out too, and turned the lights on. They searched the house, room by room, vigilant for any signs of an intruder. Kingsley checked the living room while Tyler searched the kitchen. Nothing out of place there. Tyler started for his room.

    “Hey, the guy stole our files!” Kingsley yelled, infuriated. Tyler entered the living room and realized that, too. The important ones were gone. The ones they needed to get to the Crawford estate. Without that, the mission was a no-go.

    “We needed them to get to the home!” Tyler exclaimed. “How’re we supposed to get there now?”

    “By getting them back? What else?”

    “You’re joking right?” he laughed. Kingsley wasn’t. He just stared at Tyler. “What? You got an idea?”

    “I’ve always got one.” Kingsley replied. “Just you see.”

    The next morning, they called up their agency to report the developments. The agency faxed them new copies of the stolen files. They had tasked Kingsley and Tyler to retrieve the files and deal with the targets quickly. Too much valuable time had been wasted. Time that could be used to complete the mission. Kingsley arranged for a new vehicle to be dispatched to them. He also requested for some covert weapons. They collected it in a nearby parking lot, keys taped under the hood. It was a used red Mazda 6 2.5. The agency buys used civilian cars to keep a low profile during missions.

    They took the car for an hour until they were near the Crawford mansion, where they hid it in an old shed. They proceeded stealthily to the walls of the estate. Kingsley boosted Tyler up and he pulled Kingsley back up. It was a large place. They were in the vineyard. Luckily, nobody was there. The winery wasn’t far off from the vineyard, and the mansion itself was ahead of them. There was a large hedge maze with a white wooden gazebo and statue in the center. They’d have to go through that. They’d run into patrols if they went around it.

    “We’re gonna have to go through that.” Kingsley pointed to the maze. “Doesn’t seem like there’s a gardener in there.”

    “We’ll see.” Tyler replied. He grabbed a harvesting knife used to cut the grapes from the stems, sharp enough to cause some damage. It was lying on a box with a couple other tools. They continued through the yard, crouching all the way. They didn’t see anyone. Yet. Tyler nudged Kingsley as he saw bodyguards escorting Crawford.

    Kingsley nodded and pointed at the other side of the walking path. Tyler crossed quickly, and they both followed the guards. They seemed to be going to the back garden, which was larger and unpatrolled. It was the perfect place to take care of the target. The Crawford raised her hand, indicating the guards to stay put. They stood on either side of the gate, scanning the area around them.

    That was going to be a problem. Kingsley and Tyler looked at each other, understanding what they had to do next. Tyler threw a rock at the right guard’s head, which dropped him instantly. The guard to the left pulled his gun out, and looked around for the attacker. He proceeded towards the general area where the rock was thrown from, nearing Tyler. Kingsley crept behind him and hit him with a shovel. It downed him, too. It wasn’t a killing hit. They were only here for the targets, not to take out guards.

    They dragged the body into the bushes, hoping nobody would find them. Tyler quickly hid in the bushes as they saw someone smoking on a balcony. The person was facing the other direction. Kingsley sighed and walked into the garden. The hedges and plants on either side made sure people stayed on track. He followed it until he got to a greenhouse. It seemed like the Crawford was meeting someone there.

    Tyler came forward and sneaked to the left side, while Kingsley took the right. There were four exits, one facing each side of the structure. It was big, too. Tyler spotted a lone guard standing near the left-side door. He chose a small flower pot from the many rows of plants staged near the toolshed. He reached up and brought the pot down on the guard’s head, and punched them in the back.

    Kingsley tried the door on his side, and to his surprise, it was unlocked. He slipped through and crouched around the plants and tables. He couldn’t see anyone. He moved slowly to the door perpendicular to the one he opened. Tyler was outside, trying the door. He pointed to the handle and indicated for him to open it. Kingsley turned to his left and checked that part of the greenhouse. Nobody was there. He saw the key on a pile of gardening books and seed packets. He grabbed it and unlocked the door for Tyler.

    “Did you see them?” Tyler whispered.

    “No. That side’s the only one I haven’t checked.” Kingsley told him.

    “Okay, they must be there.” he replied. “Let’s go.”

    They stayed to the sides, quietly inching forward, hoping to spot their quarry. Kingsley suddenly stopped, and raised his hand. He could hear talking. It was the Crawford they had seen earlier, and another one.

    “Edwin, you can’t tell Sterling, it’ll destroy him!” the woman exclaimed.

    “It’s for the greater good of our family.” Edwin said. “You know I’m right, Willa.”

    Willa hesitated, unwilling to admit the truth. Kingsley looked back at Tyler, wanting to watch what played out.

    “Leonard wouldn’t approve.” she replied.

    “If he weren’t dead. I know you and Sterling assassinated him.” Edwin said to her. “You plotted against him because you knew he would inherit the textile factory.”

    “Lies! It’s all lies!”

    “I saw you. I heard what you both planned.”

    “You can’t prove anything.” Willa angered. “There is no proof. They’ll know you’re a liar. That’s what you always were.”

    The man stood there, unmoved by what Willa said. He pulled out a letter from his coat. The woman immediately froze when she saw it.

    “What’s this then?” he held it up. “This is the letter you sent to Sterling planning to kill him. Seems like the butler was in on it too.”

    “It’ll be better if you kept quiet about this. I know people. They can end you.”

    “You’ll never succeed.” he laughed. “You’ve never succeeded at anything at all.”

    “YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!” Willa screamed. She pushed him back and grabbed a plant clipper. She plunged it into Edwin’s chest. He fell back onto the table. He looked down, and looked back up, face pale. He slowly slumped down to the ground, coughing blood out. Willa was shivering. “I-I didn’t...I didn’t mean to do this…”

    Edwin looked up, enraged. He mustered up all his remaining energy to say his last words.

    “I tried to help our family, and this is how you repay me?” he said faintly. He went limp. Willa fell to her knees, crying desperately. Her hands were covered in blood. Tyler pulled his silenced pistol out, and aimed for her head. He pulled the trigger.

    “That’s one target we didn’t have to kill.” he said.

    “We still have three more people to kill. And the butler.” Kingsley stated.

    “Also the files, we need to get them too.” Tyler replied.

    They were hidden in the bushes outside of the mansion. They had sneaked from the greenhouse to the mansion after getting rid of the bodies and plant clipper. They needed to get into the mansion now.

    “Tyler, you reckon we can get in through the window?” Kingsley pointed to one.

    “Yeah. Why not try it?”

    Tyler climbed up and scanned the interior of the room. There was a grand piano in one corner and a pool table in the center. The floor was wooden and the pillars made of white marble. Bookcases lined the walls and a fireplace was fitted to the left. There were three exits, two on either side to other rooms and one straight ahead, leading to a corridor that extended left and right, and a door straight through that led to a kitchen. Kingsley followed him in.

    “Where to now?” he asked.

    “I’ve never been here before, how would I know?” Tyler replied.

    “Let’s go left.”

    The two men walked through the room, and opened the door. It was a display room. There were antique jewelry and guns from wars, all kinds of items like that. They continued through the door to the right, which brought them to the corridor. Tyler spotted a staircase and they skulked up, unsure of what to expect. He heard someone talking on a phone. He opened the door to the room and saw the person they had seen on the balcony.

    It was a man, a cigarette in hand and talking to a lawyer on his phone. Kingsley entered the room, and waited till the man leant on the railing. He pushed the Crawford off and looked down.

    “Another one bites the dust.” he joked. Their files were on the desk. He grabbed it and held it up as if it were a trophy. Tyler opened the door to leave and the butler was standing there, two security guards standing behind him.

    “Hello, gentlemen. You are trespassing on private property. I see that it was intentional.” the butler said to them. “Dispose of them.”

    The guards reached for their guns. Tyler shot a guard in the leg and kicked the entry wound. Kingsley pushed the butler onto the other guard and punched him in the face. They knocked out the guards and slit the butler’s throat. They had to hurry up with the mission because they had been seen. They rushed out and checked each room, trying to find any targets.

    “There!” Kingsley saw two Crawfords entering a room. He opened the door a crack and listened in on their conversation.

    “It’s a matter of time before the business falls.” one woman said to the other.

    “You’re right, Valda. I don’t understand why Willa wanted it so much.”

    “She needs to sell it. We’ve already sold our shares.” Valda said. “Page, ask her to sell it during dinner, alright?”

    “I’ll try my best.” Page replied. “Where’s that butler at? He’s supposed to be here by now.”

    Kingsley pushed the door open and shot Page in the head. Valda started screaming. Tyler shot her twice and they started running. Guards ran up the stairs, guns out. They spotted Kingsley and Tyler running, and fired at them. Kingsley pointed to a balcony and ran out. He jumped off, followed by Tyler. They landed in the water fountain in the middle of the driveway. There were more guards there. Kingsley tried running but fell as a bullet lodged itself in his lower abdomen.

    Tyler pulled him up and dragged him to the wall they had scaled a few hours ago. He boosted Kingsley up and climbed up. Kingsley fell onto the ground. He was bleeding badly.

    “We’re almost there, you can make it.” Tyler encouraged his injured friend. “It’s just over there.”

    Kingsley nodded and Tyler helped him walk till the car. He pushed him in and got into the driver’s seat. Tyler fired up the car and speedily escaped. He looked in the rear view mirror and spotted black cars chasing them. He whirred down the window and shot back at the cars. A bullet grazed the rear windshield. He fired back and managed to shoot a driver. The car skidded across the road and stopped.

    The last car rammed the back of their Mazda and thrust Tyler forward. He shot back a couple of times, and landed a few shots. The enemy car’s tyre blasted and the car spun on the road. Tyler shouted and whooped. They had completed the mission. Kingsley laughed and celebrated with him.