As I knelt down to survey the scene a sense of dread washes over me. My nine-millimeter now lay next to me while three bodies lay a yard away each with a clear head wound. But their deaths didn’t concern me. They had been necessary. However, the one that rested before me was not. She wasn’t even supposed to be here. It was because of her I was here. Because of her lies I had put three more bodies down. Because of her I was now a marked man.

Claire! Her name is Claire.

I rest her head in my lap and wipe the hair out of her face. Tears in eyes, blood on her lips and a bullet whole in her gut. A bullet meant for me. I was supposed to die here, but she stopped that.
“How bad is it?” she asks.
“Fatal.”
“Never could lie could you?”
“No point lying to the dead.”
She coughs. Turns her head to the side and spits out some blood.
“I never meant for this to happen you know.”
“What part?” I ask. “Setting me up or you getting shot?”
“Both. Life’s a bitch ain’t it?”
A pool of blood starts to form around her body. She is getting pail now. Growing cold. She clings to the whole in her chest trying without any hope of stopping the bleeding.
“You think people like us go the heaven?” She asks.
“Doubt it.”
“Yah, I probably have a set next to the devil.”
“Not a chance. Besides, prize seating like that go to the real evil. Hitler, Nixon, Judas, Bush, Palin…”
“Don’t forget Hasselbeck.”
“You really hate the girl eh?”
She laughs weakly.
“Don’t worry,” I say. “When she goes she’ll be on his lap.”
“Better by his seat, like a dog.”
“Kind of harsh don’t u think?”
Even in death she finds humor.

The sky opens and rain falls upon us. Looks like the way we met is the way we will depart. The rain soon mixes with her tears and blood and I am soaked in both.
“You know I love you right?”
Her question catches me off guard.
She continues. “I know you might not, but I do. In this business your one of the last good men left. And I admire that.”
She is shivering now. Her body is unable to retain heat. Not long now. It will be over soon.
She takes my hand.
“Will you stay with me?”
“Until the end.”
She closes her eyes and becomes silent. Pain etched into her face but that soon begins to fade. My friend, my lover, my betrayer, my Judas was dying in my arms. I look down at her and say the only words that come to mind.
“I love you too.”

Twenty minutes later I walk out of the alley alone. My nine-mill tucked in my jacket with the ID’s of my kills and Claire. I left her there with the others to be another Jane Doe. No time to be sentimental. Besides, a proper burial in our world was a pine box. If you’re lucky.
I made a right and headed to my car. I was covered in her blood. Needed to get out of the city ASAP. I got on the 401 and headed west. I hit the radio on the local news to see if they got wind of my work.

Nothing.

I headed north on the 400 till I reached cottage country. My new ride and weapons would be waiting for me at the safe house. I was about two miles out when I pulled onto a side road and headed into a heavily wooded area. I got out and walked to a near by camp sight. The wood the previous campers had used on their was still good.
It took about five minutes to get the fire at the right height. I stood there for a while just looking at the flames. Letting the dancing fire have my full attention. I knew what needed to be done.
I reached into my right jacket pocket and pulled out passports, ID’s, pictures, anything that gave and record of Claire’s existence. One by one I tossed all knowledge of her into the flames. Let the fire burn her memory away. This was her cremation.
When I got down to the last item, I paused. It was a photo taken of us just two days ago. Her last words play out in my mind again. “You know I love you right?” The right thing to do would be to toss this too and move on.

I pocket the picture.

I stood there until the last of the flames goes out. I had bin my silent funeral for her. Making sure there was no trace of my presence here I left the camp and walked back to the car. Enough time had been wasted. I needed to get back on track. A contract was out on me and I needed to know who made it and if need be kill any and everyone who stands in my way.
I tapped my left jacket pocket to make sure the other ID’s were there. I had stripped the bodies of any identification and paper work they were carrying. I know it was a long shot, and that their ID’s were most likely fakes but it was all I had to go on.
Four people were dead because of me. Three for trying to take my life and one for trying to save it.
I got into the car and gunned the engine.
Three down.
Time to get to work.

As I close the novel the crowd begins to clap their approval. Some stood, others stayed seated, but all the while clapping.
The reading had been a success.