Four after Midnight

A cool breeze washed over my face as I stared out at the glittering city lights. The moon hung in the sky, casting deep shadows and daylight in stark contrast across the horizon. I forced myself not to look at the time, having been out here since moonrise it had to be sometime around midnight, if not already past. I fished binoculars out of my neatly packed rucksack, and brought them up to focus on the top of the nearby residential building. The wide open space was neatly organized with a frosted glass enclosure in the center. The relatively small building was someone’s house.

The house was dark, with some ambient lighting around the perimeter of the building. The target wasn’t home yet. The information I’d gathered indicated they should be here by midnight. However the longer it remained dark the more I was beginning to think I’d gotten something wrong. As a more persistent cool wind began to buffet me on my perch on the small fire escape. It had been cheaper to let it rot and simply install newer required systems. Which gave me the perfect spot to hide. That and I made sure to coincide the night with one that was a full moon and cast this part of the building into such a deep shadow, I was invisible. Just how I preferred. One shot, one kill. Tonight was the night they died. If I got everything right anyway. Otherwise I’d have to wait another year, give or take a week and good weather. I wasn’t about to wait that long though.

As my uncertainty reached a tipping point I began to think I was simply impatient, and maybe I should check the time. Just then the temperature dropped a few more degrees, and the lights blinked on. Shadows began to move about the house. He wasn’t alone? I felt some sweat trickle down the back of my neck despite the chill. I didn’t kill anyone who didn’t deserve it. As they moved around time ticked on, and the illuminated pool set into the corner of the roof steamed in the cool night air. Apparently it was ready for someone to use, probably whoever had joined the target tonight.

A woman in a two piece bathing suit and a towel draped over her shoulder exited a pane of glass closest to the pool. She was talking over her shoulder to someone who exited swiftly behind her. He grabbed her by the waist and kissed her neck as she laughed and shoved him away. The man was in a pair of swim shorts that were far too small for his body and the large barrel chest was covered in copious amounts of hair while the top of his head glittered in the pale moonlight. She gracefully laid her towel on a nearby lounge chair and entered the pool, and he jumped in after her, making a sizable splash. Neither of them were the person I was looking for. What is going on here? Another shadow moved close to the window. The slender shape had to be the target. I lowered the binoculars and closed my eyes, picturing the last time I’d seen him in person.

His tall slim build was clothed in a three piece suit and a shiny expensive watch on his wrist. Shiny black loafers squeaked against the marble floor as he watched without remorse as he passed the line of people kneeling on the floor. With a wave of his spindly pale fingers; he spun and floated away without so much as a look back. Shots rang out in the empty hall and the people I’d called family died one by one without a fight. When the henchman got to me I fought back, and the fateful day faded from my memory.

Returning my gaze to the rooftop, the two guests had finished with the pool and the target had come out of the frosted house to talk with them. They sat down for what looked like a midnight snack of a meal, a small amount of charcuterie and a glass of wine. The conversation looked like it was focused almost solely on business, and sure enough the woman went inside and came back out with a small bag. No larger than her own hand, she handed it over and the target emptied the sparkling contents onto the moonlit table. He held out a piece of paper to the man who took it and made it disappear like a stage magician. Hopefully it wasn’t important since putting paper in wet shorts wasn’t advised. He shook the target’s hand and then the two of them went into the house.

This was perfect, there were people to take the fall, and in the middle of a shady deal no less. Perhaps two birds with one stone. I couldn’t have wished for more. Quickly removing the pieces of my rifle I removed the singular bullet around my neck and loaded it into the complete weapon. Screwing on the silencer, I laid myself out as best I could in the small rickety space. Aiming down sight, I watched my prey from the darkness like an angel of death. As I was lining up my shot he went back inside. Softly cursing under my breath I watched his shadow mill about inside. What could he possibly be doing? While it had felt like hours it had only been seconds and he reemerged in a set of silk pajamas. He held a set of tools, no doubt for checking the blood diamonds he’d just been paid with. As he set up the black background he angled himself in a way for the diamonds to catch the moonlight, and for me to take the perfect shot. I could feel myself becoming giddy with excitement, but I had to remain calm if I wanted to get this right.

Revenge, after all these years. So much time training, shooting, killing. Here I finally am. I adjusted for wind and bullet drop, then pulled the trigger. With the satisfying crack of the bullet breaking the sound barrier I watched his head pop like a melon, The blood diamonds finally being shown for what they were.

Satisfied with my work I returned my weapon to its hiding spots and replaced my watch to check the time. Time of death, Four after Midnight.