The Target That Stole Her Heart

The empty building felt like her empty soul, reminding her that something was missing in her life. Her body was like the empty building with a lot of space to be filled. Being as an empty shell and emotionless being wasn't easy. Walking toward the glass sliding doors leading outside to a balcony and opening the doors, a gust of cool wind blew against her body. Feeling a sense of calm as always when doing her job, she settled on her knees in front of a painter's toolbox.

She pulled out black pieces of metal, assembling it into a 50 calibre sniper rifle. Setting the weapon on a tri-pod, she settled down on the floor in the leopard crawl position on the balcony. Looking through the scope she adjusted the sight settings to the distance of her target and the wind tempo. Taking deep breaths in and releasing them, she slowed down her breathing and pulled the trigger as her target sat down at the conference table.

A successful business man, Andre Vivier, was in a conference room in his skyscraper on the eighteenth floor with his company's lawyers and board members. The man looked angry and disappointed pointing at an empty seat next to his chair screaming and shouting. Suddenly Andre collapsed forward over the table. Blood spattered over the table and some of the members. Some members stormed out the room screaming while a few stayed looking in horror at the lifeless bloody body as another called the police and an ambulance. All knew that he was definitely dead judging by the massive whole in the back of his head.

The second after pulling the trigger; the killer was on her feet packing up as quickly as she could. Grabbing the toolbox, she headed out the door and down the stairs to a painters company van unnoticed. She left the vehicle a few blocks away from the scene in an alley after stripping from the painters overalls and set it a light. Once in her own vehicle, she returned to her hotel. In the safety of her hotel room, she logged onto her laptop engaging her self made message encryption program to confirm her delivery.

SpanishKitty:

-The package is delivered.

Papa Bear:

-Payment will be made shortly.

-Can you make another delivery?

SpanishKitty:

-Yes I can.

Papa Bear:

-Can I leave the information at the same place as the last?

SpanishKitty:

-No.

-Leave it at the F1 Hotel's front desk for a Mrs Maggie Li.

Papa Bear:

-No problem.

She never met her clients face to face. She always used false names when booking into hotels and disguises helped a lot to hide her true identity. 'Why would a client want to take out two people? This was starting to look dodgy. She needed to find out who this client was.' The woman thought to herself, picking up the phone.

"Yes this is Mrs Maggie Li from room 102. I would like to order room service please. A BLT served with chicken salad and a glass of dry red wine. I am also expecting a package from someone, if you could please deliver everything together. Thank you." She put the phone down grabbing her laptop from across the small dinning table.

She checked her bank records online. True to the client's word, he paid what they had agreed upon. Logging off of the laptop she switched the television onto the news. Her handy work from today was all over the news. The hit was indeed a confirmed kill. The woman's train of thought travelled back to how she had started out as a professional killer for an unknown organisation. They found her on the streets at the age of fifteen and trained her to be a fearless and heartless assassin. It was a horrible job but it paid very well. Five years earlier after fifteen years of service, the organisation put a hit out on her. She took out the whole organisation on her own. Now she worked freelance for people who could afford her.

"Good evening, room service!" A man called from the other side of the door after knocking. Grabbing her silenced nine millimetre pistol, the woman headed for the door. She looked through the peep-hole hiding the pistol behind her back in her waist band. She opened the door stepping aside to let the guy in with the trolley. He pushed it inside and left after getting a tip.

The woman found a manila envelope on a plate underneath a stainless steal lid on the trolley. Grabbing her laptop, she strolled over to the bed settling against the headboard. Opening the envelope, she pulled out a photo and a sheet of paper with information of the target on it. On the top of the sheet of paper was a hand written note; 'make it look like an accident'.

She sat there staring at the photograph of a woman with long thick curly red hair, hazel eyes and lightly freckled fair skin. According to the information on the paper; the woman was born in America after her parent's relocated here from Ireland in the early eighties. Her name was Jessica Bailey; she got married a year ago but kept her maiden name. She was a psychologist at a private clinic. The woman was twenty five years of age and was born on the sixth of April.

'Who would this man want to kill a psychologist? No mention of kids either. She is beautiful though.' The killer thought to herself. Among the killer's many skills were hacking computers and programs.

She traced the client's IP address back to a man named Charlie Schulte. The idiot didn't even bother encrypting his messages. He had fifty percent shares in the business with Andre Vivier. 'Looks like someone was getting greedy, let's see what this man looks like.' She thought to herself continuing with her research. She hacked into the company's employee files. She opened the client's file and found a photo of him. He was married to Jessica Bailey.

'Man... with a face like that even she would never trust him. He looks like a real crook. She should take him out instead of the woman.' The killer thought to herself scratching her head in confusion and shock of what she was thinking. She continued with her research on the new target. The young woman didn't have any criminal records or even one traffic fine out standing. Her parents, Callum and Victoria, were still alive and returned to Ireland two years ago. She had a younger brother Mark 23 and sister Sasha 21, both in university. The killer turned off her laptop, ate her meal then went to bed.

She woke up early the next morning, took a shower and left. She headed to the targets house first. It turned out that a house across the street was for sale. She decided that it was a perfect excuse to get closer to the target with out arousing suspicion from anyone. Sitting in her car a few feet from the complex in front of the gate, she looked into the rear view mirror and peeled off a synthetic mask of a Chinese woman from her face, revealing her true Spanish identity then continued. She got out of her vehicle in front of the empty house and walked over.

The sales agent was in side showing another couple around. She introduced herself to the agent as Niki, Nichole Barretto. After the couple left, the agent showed Niki around the house. She decided to buy the house as she did with others she used. The sales agent left smiling brightly after they signed the paperwork. Niki spent her morning in the house watching her target closely. Jessica walked out her house to her vehicle and noticed a woman coming out of the empty house. She waved at the woman, smiling brightly when she looked up at her.

She had thick shoulder length black hair, a sweet perfect face with dark eyes, full lips, broad shoulders, a long slender toned body and bronze tanned skin. The woman returned the smile and wave while getting into her vehicle. Jessica got into her vehicle leaving for work, another day with patients like every other day. As soon as Jessica entered her office, her first patient was ready and waiting. She loved her job but sometimes needed someone to talk to herself.

Niki arrived back at the house with all her belongings she kept in her vehicle and a truck full of new furniture behind her. The men of the furniture company took everything inside the house, placing it where she wanted it. Watching the house across the street when the truck left, she found that Charlie Schulte had a woman on the side. They arrived together at his house and left together two hours later. Niki took photos of them kissing and having sex in his bed. The same bed he and Jessica shared every night.

"It looks like you want your wife out of the way to make space for your side dish. Why don't you just off her yourself?" Niki spoke out loud to herself while putting the photos onto a disc. She spent four days watching Charlie, his secretary and Jessica closely. She made notes of their every move trying to find the right time make her delivery. She couldn't stop herself from thinking about the red head. Those hazel eyes were drilled into her memory prohibiting her from even thinking of killing the Irish broad.

All the information she gathered on Charlie, she put on the disc with the photos. She even found out that Charlie could want Jessica out of the way to claim her life insurance. He was in deep debt; he lost his share of his business through a poker game with loan sharks. Niki left the house and the complex and stopped in a deserted alley two blocks away. She donned an overall from an electrical company she had in her trunk, a synthetic mask making her look like a man and added a cap sticking her hear underneath it and wore safety boots on her feet.

Lifting the carpet in her trunk she took out two vinyl stickers and number plates. She stuck the stickers to the sides of her vehicle and changed the plates.

She grabbed a bag full of cameras and a clipboard and closed the trunk. Nichole drove back to the complex. At the gate she told the guards in a rough deep voice that she had a job to do at the Schulte residence. She grabbed a clipboard on the passenger seat tapping on some papers. They let her in without hesitation. She parked her vehicle in the drive way and walked up to the house with the bag of cameras.

Looking around to see if the coast was clear, she took a hair clip from under her cap and picked the lock. She entered quickly and slowly walked through the house. She placed the wireless cameras around the house in specific places then left. Back in the alley she changed the plates back, peeled off the vinyl stickers, removed the electrical company gear and synthetic mask burning the stuff in a dumpster then headed back home to connect her surveillance laptop to the wireless cameras.

On Friday Niki headed to the clinic where Jessica worked. She parked outside and waited for the young woman to finish work. Jessica walked out of the building to her vehicle. The young woman looked up at two other vehicles in the parking lot. The place looked deserted and creepy at dusk. She could feel someone watching her. She saw one familiar vehicle, one she had seen during the past four days everywhere she went. The little hairs on the back of her neck rose sending a shiver down her spine. She fumbled around in her handbag for her car keys.

With her keys in hand, she opened her car door. Suddenly she felt an arm wrap around her neck with a knife at her throat.

"Help... help me... somebody!" Jessica screamed and kicked.

"Shut up bitch; give me your handbag... now!" The rough male voice sounded in her ears.

Without second thought Niki jumped out of her vehicle heading toward the young woman. She realised that she couldn't shoot the guy in front of this woman. She stalked behind the guy and then kicked him in the bends behind his knees. The crook landed on his knees with a thud. Niki wrapped her arm around the crook's neck holding her grip. Jessica fell to her knees crying into her hands out of fear and shock. The crook tried to jab Niki in the stomach with his elbow but missed.

She bent her head down beside him grabbing his hair while pulling out her silenced nine millimetre from the holster under her jacket. Walking around him and pointing the gun to his cheek, she whispered so Jessica couldn't hear.

"I think you better get going. My finger loves pulling this trigger." The crook swallowed on a lump in his throat looking at the long barrel and nodded; sweat trickling down his face. Niki stood lowering the gun to her side so the woman couldn't see it. The crook stood up running into the direction he came from. She put her gun away turning her attention to the woman kneeling on the floor behind her crying. The Spanish woman lowered to Jessica's level putting her hands on her shoulders.

"Excuse me, are you alright?" Niki asked in a gentle voice.

Jessica raised her head looking into the darkest blue eyes she had ever seen. 'The woman was obviously half Spanish judging by her thick black hair, eyes and skin. Yet, she spoke English like she grew up here. She didn't look like a tourist.' Jesse thought to herself.

"Yes, thank you very much for saving me..." Jessica said in a shaky voice and looked behind her searching for the crook.

"How did you... Is he... gone?" Jessica asked looking back into the dark blue eyes in front of her.

"He's gone, he won't be back here." Niki said looking at Jessica while she helped the woman to her feet.

The young Irish woman threw her arms around the Spanish woman and rested her chin on a broad shoulder screwing her eyes shut. The young woman felt a sudden delightful rush serge through her body from her core. The imminent danger caused a familiar tingle in her groin. The Spanish woman stood there stunned then slowly wrapped her arms around the Irish beauty.

The young woman felt the serge get stronger when she felt strong arms surround her waist. Her breasts pressed against the other woman's breasts then her body started trembling. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt the hot juices drip down her thighs. Niki felt the woman trembling then thought to herself how scared the young woman must have been.

'Oh my God, did she just have an orgasm in the woman's arms?' Jessica asked herself in shock. She cleared her throat stepping back trying to look normal, as if nothing happened to her body a few seconds ago. The other woman didn't seem to notice what had happened. Jessica blushed furiously.

"I'm Jessica Bailey, everyone calls me Jesse." She stuck her hand out to shake her hero's hand.

"I'm Nichole Barretto, you can call me Niki. Are you sure that you're alright? I can take you to the hospital if you need medical attention?" Niki said shaking the woman's still shaky hand. 'Why did she just give this woman her real name?'

"I'm alright, thanks to you. You look familiar. Have I seen you s...?" Jesse furrowed her eye brows still holding the Spanish woman's hand in hers. "You moved into the empty house in Green Acres Complex across the street from mine."

"I thought you looked familiar. I bought that house. I was just passing by when I saw that man attack you." Niki felt captivated by the woman's hazel eyes.

"I feel I should do more to thank you for saving my life." Jesse said smiling brightly.

Niki's heart beat faster as dimples appeared on the redhead's face. 'How could she ever have missed those dimples?' Niki thought.

"N...no it was nothing at all. I'm just happy I could help." Niki removed her hand from the redhead's hand stepping back a little. 'She can't do this, not with this woman.'

Jesse felt a twinge of disappointment when Niki removed her hand and stepped back. The expression in the woman's eyes said she had secrets that she didn't want to or couldn't share with anyone. Niki's face turned unreadable, as if she knew that Jesse was reading her emotions.

"Alright Niki, then I guess I'll see you around. Thanks again though, I owe you my life." Jesse got into her vehicle.

"No problem at all... Jesse. See you around." Niki closed the woman's door and bent down. Jesse opened the window to listen. "By the way Jesse... you don't owe me anything."

Jessica looked into her hero's dark blue eyes. Something about the Spanish dark beauty made her feel safe and needed.

The look she received from the woman was that of curiosity and a promise of something exceptional. Her eyes showed excitement, danger and security. It was something that Jessica craved for. She just had to get closer to this woman. She had to have this woman. But what would she get if she did get this woman?

The last time a woman made Jessica feel this way was in college when she and her roommate acted on their curiosity for each other. It was the first and last time Jesse slept with a woman. After that she felt addicted and craved woman as if they were a drug.

Being with a man now was only to please her family. After her college experience with a woman, her need for sex with a man was greatly spoilt, except for Charlie. Jessica craved the softness and gentleness of a woman's careful loving touches.

This Spanish beauty had awakened a sleeping side of Jessica that she had almost forgotten. Jessica couldn't help wondering what this Spanish handsome and beautiful woman's profession was, that made her so secretive.

"Can I at least buy you a drink? I always go to this one club on Fridays. Would you like to join me?" Jessica had a hopeful smile tugging on the corners of her lips, her hands felt clammy and her cheeks felt warm.

Niki stood up straight looking around as if thinking about the offer. Her hands were resting on the frame of the open window. Suddenly she felt the soft gentle touch of this young redhead on her one hand and looked down. Painted fingernails surrounded by silky skin greeted her eyes. Niki bent down staring into bright hazel orbs and swallowed hard.

"Sure why not. I have nothing to do anyway." A bright smile grew on Jesse's lips exposing her dimples, making her heart skip ten beats and her breath catch in her suddenly tight chest.

"Great, come over to my house at eight o'clock. We can drive together." Jesse started the vehicle still staring into dark eyes.

"Great... I'll be there." Niki said looking at the watch on her arm reading six o'clock. Jesse rolled up her window then drove off. 'What are you doing Nichole? Why did you save her? Why are you thrown so off balance by this woman?' Niki thought to herself watching the redhead drive off.

Jessica arrived at home thinking about what happened at work. It seemed kind of odd that Nikki was there to save her at that precise moment. She didn't hear Nikki's vehicle pull up in the parking lot while under attack. Charlie seemed a bit distracted the last week. She noticed that he couldn't look her in the eyes anymore which told her that he was lying to her about something. He didn't hold, kiss or make love to her either. It didn't bother her that much anymore, she still loved him as she learned to love him through the year married to him.

If he wasn't interested in her, why marry her in the first place? She yearned to trail her fingers down the soft silky skin of a woman. She yearned feeling the gentle kisses of full luscious lips pressed to hers. Jesse didn't bother eating anything. She had to get ready for her annual Friday night out at her favourite club. Charlie spent his Friday nights playing poker with his friends. She at least thought he did.

Niki stood against the closed front door staring at the inside of a house that seemed empty even with all the new furniture in it. Most of her life has felt as empty as this house felt. Her parents sent her to America for a better future. She was supposed to live with an aunt, but her aunt never picked her up at the airport.

Ten years later Niki found out that her aunt had died two nights before she arrived. She lived on the streets for five years before she was found. Walking through the lonely house, Niki headed to her bedroom. She filled up her closet with new clothes earlier in the week. Niki took out a tight pair of blue jeans a black snug fitting t-shirt and black low heal boots. Setting it aside on the bed, she walked toward the bathroom, head hung low to take a bath. She spent an hour soaking in the tub thinking about what she was doing and had done.