Perverted Client

Cetus struggled with the assignment that Blanche had given him. Seriously? This was a sanctioned Hidden Blade operation? Stealing into someone's home, stalking them and taking a picture of their underwear. It was possible this was a troll from Blanche to him. That wouldn't surprise him since he was the 'new' guy. Or one of many at this point anyways. There had to be a little more to this than he thought. Perhaps the woman had some documents that a different client wanted. Blanche had been very very vague with the details. She'd also handed him a camera that was supposed to be returned to the client. Maybe implicating the guy would work for this as well. He'd be doing that anyway regardless. No need for the streets to be stalked by this sicko. Once Cetus was paid, the client was going down.

The assassin carefully darted through the shadows of Magnolia. The sun was setting on the horizon. The town was bathed in an orange glow. It was quite stunning. Cetus didn't notice one bit of the view. He was focused in moving unseen through town. His target was likely to change up her schedule yet again. After two weeks on this job, he was getting sick of her constantly changing plans. It was easy to see why she dumped the client though. His obsessive need to control things clearly would have driven her insane. Cetus had been setting up this final part of the job since day one. He wanted the job to be over with already.

What he planned to do was more than a little off the script given to him. He was going to let the woman know she was being stalked. The photos he'd been taking would be posted around her house with a sacrificial offering to her or blood everywhere in her house. He hadn't decided which yet. Then the evidence linking someone to that crime would appear inside the client's house after Cetus had been wired his payment. It was a neat way to deal with this awful human being and complete his job all at once. Hidden Blades didn't frown on side jobs or freelancing. He wasn't sure about it but he hadn't been scolded for it yet. Maybe it was because he hadn't been caught.

Cetus landed on the roof of a house. The wind barely ruffled his official Hidden Blades uniform. It was rather restricting in his opinion. It also kept him from easily using his shark skin against his opponents. The mask over his face didn't open either which was a pain. It meant no biting or scaring people off with his smile. Both of which were rather effective at keeping people away from him. The assassin peered into the street below him. This was his target's workplace. He needed the final piece of this puzzle before he could finish the job. Cetus had pictures of her panties in the drawer, hanging off her bedpost and while the target was putting them on/taking them off. He wasn't sure if that qualified for the client's needs. Each picture had made the assassin feel a tinge as if he was dirty. It wasn't a good feeling and he hoped he never felt it again. He still needed one final picture, one of the panties securely on the target. That was why he was here instead of setting up his little present.

His target exited the building, laughing with a few of her coworkers. Good. He was right on time for her departure. Cetus scanned over her outfit. Deep v neck blouse, short skirt, high heels. She looked like an escort or a high level prostitute in his opinion. There was nothing professional about the way she dressed. Now the question was how to get that final photo. He could try the obvious of flipping up her skirt but that required his direct interaction. That wouldn't do at all. He could also wait for an opportunity. However, he'd been doing that for two weeks and nothing had happened yet that was a good shot. Third was a slight in between option that Cetus was rapidly approaching as the only idea. Using extreme speed, he could slid between her legs or create a false 'wind' that made the skirt come up. Cetus didn't really like any option. Perhaps he should simply go with the photos he'd already taken. Maybe he could throw in a few of the target naked. He might anyways to make it a little more credible that the client was the stalker.

Cetus leapt to the next building, landing silently on the tiles. For now, he'd wait for an opportunity. If that failed him, the assassin would leave. The target quite liked to party. If she was partying hard enough when he left, she wouldn't be home until the next morning, possibly afternoon. Cetus could probably encourage the behavior to get a little extra time. His mind began to trail down that path. It was a good idea for the most part. It kept the target away from home and tied her up long enough for him to paint his masterpiece.

With that plan in mind, the assassin was content. He followed the target through the streets of Magnolia. He watched carefully for the right moment to enact his plan. When she walked into one of the biggest clubs in the city, a mirthless smile slowly crossed his features. This was excellent. Now he only had to ensure she stayed here. The assassin tapped his armor bringing up a magical timepiece woven into the threads. It had only been about two hours since she left work. He'd have plenty of time. Cetus dropped into the alley by the club.

There were plenty of shady characters in the alleyway. A few knew better than to mess with the dark figure that had suddenly appeared in front of them. Others weren't so smart. Three young gangsters sauntered up to Cetus. As the first opened his mouth, Cetus swept with his leg. The lead man crashed to the ground. The two next to him crumpled over the assassin's fists. Cetus straightened over the three thugs. There was a look of disgust on his face. He didn't like people who acted superior but were really quite weak. He should put them out of their misery. However, that would only bring attention down upon the club. Cetus did not want that.

Leaning down, Cetus handed the leader a packet of drugs and a few jewels. "Yer gonna does me a favah, whaht boi." He gave clear instructions and a description of his client. The jewels and whatever remained of the drugs were his to keep. The drug wouldn't harm the young lady. They'd simply heighten her ecstasy for anything she took pleasure in. Cetus watched the thug carefully as he entered the club. Waiting three minutes, the assassin watched the entrance. The thug reappeared, gave the thumbs up then went back inside. Idiot. He had to know Cetus had set him up for a fall. Who would believe a shadowy figure giving someone jewels and a drug? As Cetus left the scene, he left a small tip with a passerby. That tip would eventually reach the authorities. It'd end with the club being raided and the thug being arrested. May the Lords of Hell have mercy on his soul.

The assassin hitched an anonymous ride across town on a buggy. The couple inside was having an amorous rendezvous inside. Cetus listened, curious to if it was any different from when he had sex. What made people enjoy it so much? Was there some kind of connection in the act? Something more that could be gained from making yourself vulnerable to another being? The assassin had yet to find an answer to why sex was such a big thing. Or really an answer that satisfied his curiosity. The buggy neared the street where Cetus needed to be. He hopped off before the couple had finished their exchange. That was quite the stamina they had. Perhaps it was a lack of fear that they'd be caught.

Cetus looked up at his target's house. It was a lavish affair that was nearly empty inside. The entire thing was only for appearances. The assassin shook his head as he retrieved a key as well as some supplies he'd hidden in the bushes earlier. Letting himself into the house, Cetus set about his work. In three hours, the shark man covered the house in large blowups of the photos he'd taken of the target. He also selected the youngest cat to be the horrifying aspect of this entire tale. He built a shrine to the woman on the bed. The carcass of the cat was placed before it after being used to decorate the house. Cetus was sure to wear a shirt of the client's and a pair of gloves. All of this would be planted at the client's house later.

Satisfied that his work was done, Cetus exited the house. The door was locked up behind him. The spare key that the assassin had had made would be left at the client's house as well. Now he needed only to deliver the client's camera.  It was only a hop skip and a jump away. As the sun rose upon the horizon, signalling the end of night, Cetus put in the call to Blanche. Once she confirmed his payment, the assassin put in an anonymous call to the police. The burner iLac was smashed afterwards. Nothing linking Cetus to this crime was left. What little might have linked him to it was covered in the client's fingerprints and left inside the client's house. Cetus felt a small flicker of emotion inside his chest. He'd done well today. This tiny flicker must be pride.  The assassin basked in the feeling for a few seconds. Then he slipped away, a shadow no one noticed leaving Magnolia behind.

WC: 1711