TAO | assasination | pg13

“You did well last night.” Wu Fan says, leaning against his desk with folded arms. “Clean kill. Quick. Not a spot of evidence. The news report said they’re chalking it up to a freak accident.”

“A freak accident in which his neck was positively shattered?” Lu Han scoffs from the window, flicking dirt from under his nails. “Is this city really that stupid?”

“Those details don’t matter.” The leader shot Lu Han a withering stare. “What I’m concerned with is that our rookie is earning his keep.”

The rookie in question looks up from his novel, glancing around the room as if he’s looking for the subject of conversation. Jet-black bangs fall in front of sharp eyes as he his head and points a finger at himself questioningly.

“Tao, I don’t know if you’re trying to be cute or modest, but it’s ing annoying.” Wu Fan pinches the bridge of his nose.

“You can’t mean me.” Tao says simply. He wasn’t one of many words.

“Oh, you’re right, it must have been Zitao.” Lu Han sneers, crossing his legs. “I keep forgetting there’s two of you.”

“Lu Han, enough.” Wu Fan grabs the blond’s wrist and tugs him off the windowsill. “Go change your clothes, you’re working tonight.”

“Mm, you don’t have to tell me twice.” Lu Han runs a finger along Wu Fan’s jaw, who swats it away impatiently. “Don’t worry, I’ll save some energy for you -- for later.”

Wu Fan rubs his temples and lowers himself onto the leather sofa next to Tao. The youngest has set his book down and is staring at his folded hands anxiously. Wu Fan notices.

“Look, Tao -- or Zitao, whoever I’m talking to -- I don’t care. There could be two or six or twelve people in that head of yours; all I need to know is that you’ll keep making hits like you did yesterday. Understood?”

“… Yeah.”

/ 18 hours ago, 11:40 PM /

Zitao sets off from his hotel room, leaping from the fire escape and landing soundlessly in the grass. His mark is behind the chapel across from town square. He flexes his fingers and delves into the shadows.

You’re going to kill someone in a churchyard? Do you realize how much is wrong with that picture? Tao says in the back of his mind. Zitao shakes it off with a scowl. It doesn’t matter, he thinks, it doesn’t matter who or where or why. When Wu Fan says to off someone you do it. Otherwise, you’re at his mercy.

He doesn’t remember how Wu Fan found him. He doesn’t even remember if it was Tao or Zitao he found first.

Zitao presses himself against the marble wall of the chapel, barely breathing. In one graceful leap, he swings himself up and hides among the carvings atop the overhang. He silently creeps along the narrow ledge until he sees his target in the moonlight. He doesn’t really know anything about the target aside from what he can see. A young man, probably not much older than himself, dressed smartly and holding a small metal case. He assumes this man is a member of some opposing force that Wu Fan wants to dispose of.

Graced with the poise of a feline, Zitao darts back to the ground. The target notices a shadowed figure rushing at him nearly too late. The case bounces to the ground and he catches Zitao in the cheek with a sharp slap. You’re still a rookie, Tao reminds him.

Zitao snarls and lands a kick to the target’s knee, immobilizing him. With one disturbingly graceful move, Zitao smashes the heel of his palm into the target’s chin, forcing it up with the sound cracking teeth. A punch to the windpipe renders the target breathless and helpless. A jerk and a twist and the target’s cervical vertebrae are shattered; spinal cord snapped. The body falls heavy and lifeless to the ground.

Zitao touches the wound on his face, and wipes blood onto his pants nonchalantly. He wore black for a reason, he always does. He picks up the metal case that the target had been carrying; he bets Wu Fan will want to see whatever it is. He looks up at the moon, then over to the angelic carvings on the church walls. In the back of his mind, Tao tells him in a small voice to perhaps say a prayer to make up for what he’s done.

Zitao sniffs contemptuously and leaves the body for the rival mob to find, and goes back “home”.