Chapter 68 – Prey is Prey
The hitman’s boots echoed on the marble corridor floors as he left Raphael’s office. The picture was burned into his brain, but the actual snapshot was in the pocket of his leather jacket. His movements were deliberate and fluid, like a wolf on the prowl, as he strolled toward his motorcycle parked outside.
In the dark light of a nearby streetlamp, he examined the woman’s face and took out the image when he got to his bike, Madeline. She was younger than the majority of his typical targets, and her gentle features revealed a subtle intelligence. Raphael had given the hitman Madeline’s picture, even though the agreement was to shift police attention to Sebastian.
Raphael thought Madeline an easier prey and a better case. Besides, Sebastian had seen the hitman’s face before and was the peak of attention recently, Emily too had been the centre of attention too but Madeline, Madeline had been hiding in the background.
The hitman knew exactly what he had to do: get her to Raphael alive. But he wanted to know her routine, her habits, and her vulnerabilities before he could approach her. He would have to strike when she was completely defenseless, alone, and unaware.
He slipped the picture back into his pocket and mounted his bike, the engine growling metallically, he swerved like a shadow through the tumult of the city as he drove into traffic. Madeline’s work was his first destination.
This man had done his research, Raphael’s network had supplied comprehensive details, including Madeline’s regular schedule, car, and workplace. And now, luck seemed to be on his side tonight. She was more alone than usual because her employer had called her in for a last- minute meeting, upsetting her schedule.
He parked his bike in a place that offered a clear view of the door, a block from the office building. He adjusted his jacket and sat down comfortably, hiding his face from curious observers with his helmet.
Hours passed, and the ordinary cadence of the city filled the air around him. One by one, people walked out of the building, their footsteps echoing in the still darkness. Then she eventually showed up, Madeline emerged through the glass doors, her face alert but tired.
Although the hitman couldn’t hear her, she spoke gently while holding her phone to her ear. He observed the subtle rigidity in her motions and the way she looked over her shoulder. She felt tense, her gut telling her that something was wrong, but instincts alone weren’t enough.
As she made her way to her car, a modest silver car parked under a streetlamp, the hitman remained motionless. As she unlocked the door she took one more look around her. Feeling content, she climbed in and turned on the engine
The hitman waited for her to go a little farther away before pursuing, he followed her, staying just far enough behind to attract suspicion, while his motorcycle hummed silently. Madeline
Chapter 68–Prey is Prey
gripped the steering wheel tightly as she drove carefully.
She soon arrived at her destination, a small one–story home tucked away in a peaceful area.
Sticking to the shadows, the hitman stopped his bike in a discrete location and walked approaching the house. Because of his lifetime of preparation, he moved in silence and was nearly invisible.
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There was a small garden that made for good shelter, and the yard was kept up nicely. He squatted in the bushes, staring at the house, he could see Madeline moving around through the glass of the living room. After placing her bag on a table and removing her coat, she vanished down a hallway.
A moment later, he saw her figure through the frosted glass as a light in the bathroom flickered on. The hitman shifted into a posture that allowed him to see more clearly. He could see her taking off her clothes because the bathroom window wasn’t completely covered in frost. Her pants, then her shirt.
After standing for a while without anything on but her panties, she reached back and unclasped her bra. His breath froze, not out of desire, but rather from the calculating observation of a man who has been taught to consider every possibility.
Even in private, her motions were elegant, and her physique was strong yet slim. He forced himself to concentrate by shaking his head, he couldn’t afford any distractions this time. He had to move fast to attack her while she was defenseless and alone.
He watched as her shadow moved into the bedroom as the bathroom light turned out. Excellent. With his hand already reaching for the rag drenched in chloroform in his pocket, he emerged from the bushes, then suddenly, he heard footsteps. A second figure emerged on the porch, and the hitman paused, slipping back into the darkness, it was a man.
The newcomer opened the door lightly, and called out to Madeline, she opened the bathroom door, and her face lit up with a smile, and she hugged him. The hitman cursed silently, this was not part of the plan.
The hitman’s cool face belied the frustration that simmered behind his clenched fists. He
couldn’t approach Jacob here, It would be more complicated and expose more people. After that, however, things took an even more surprising turn.
Leaning forward, Jacob gave Madeline a passionate kiss. In response, she tangled her hands in his hair and lowered them into a closer hug and Jacob led her to the chair, taking her legs and placing them over his shoulders. The hitman tensed his jaw as he watched, this was hardly the perfect, effective procedure he had envisioned.
An hour passed, and it was obvious that Jacob would not be departing anytime soon. The hitman’s patience ran thin, but he was wise enough to avoid making snap decisions. He could wait again, as he had in the past.
With his thoughts already working out his next move, he quietly withdrew to his bike. He
Chapter 68–Prey is Prey
would not let Madeline elude him. The failure tonight, if anything, just strengthened his suspicions about her cleverness, caution, and ties.
Even though she would be difficult to catch, she was still prey.
