The Price
by: Nightgirl
“It’s not like that. It’s more complicated then than that, Carrie,” Jack said into the phone. He glanced
around the empty living room, tears in his eye. She wouldn’t understand how hard this was for him, and
he couldn’t tell her.
“How can it not be that simple, Jack? What makes it complicated?” He could hear her voice on the
verge of tears. He had done that. The only woman he had ever loved, and he was bringing her to tears.
He watched the rain fall, knowing that he couldn’t answer her questions. All she was asking was why,
and he couldn’t tell her.
“Please Jack.” He could hear her tears now, and he knew he was crushing her.
“I’m sorry.” He didn’t give her time to respond. He couldn’t even mutter the words goodbye. Tears
fell from his eyes, but it was better this way. She was safer not knowing, and he knew this.
He turned to glance one last time at the living room. He had only lived here for six months, and
should have known better then fall for the target’s daughter. He shook his head trying to keep the tears
back.
The day he had attended the party, she had been there. A simple servant, he had thought. A well
known rich man was bound to have them. Her smile was heavenly, that was what attracted him to hear.
She wore a blue cocktail dress and carried an empty tray of wine. He had tried to ignore her as he looked
for his target.
He only needed to get a good shot, and then it would be over. He would prove his worth, and be
accepted. That's what he wanted, and needed. He could have had it, but she was there. Her blue eyes
full of sorrow and fear caught his attention. She looked just like Claire, but he should have known better
They all had told him that his heart ran his mind, but until now he didn’t believe them. Now though,
he knew that he was not meant for this job. He couldn’t kill for money any more than he could kill for his
life. They told him the job was not for the faint of heart, and he believed deep down that he could kill.
Now though he knew the truth.
He had to finish the job, or he would be the one in the grave. He had to kill the love of his life’s
father, and he had to do it before midnight. His green eyes glanced at his wrist watch. Only thirty
minutes left, it was time to leave. It was time to kill.
He ran his long fingers through his thick brown hair, and closed his eyes trying to forget that soon
he would have to kill. Soon he would become a new person, and soon he would be expected to kill until
he was not needed anymore. This is the life he picked, and now he was cursed to live it.
He stepped out into the pouring rain letting it wash away his pain, but he knew nothing could do
that. Not even the rain he once loved. He locked the door with his shaking fingers, and slowly turned to
face his future. He was only minutes away from his future, but already hours away from his past.
Somehow he made it to her house. She wouldn’t be home, and he knew that. Carrie was broken
now, and she needed time to heal. He knew she was on her way to the beach, and wouldn’t be back for
the next twenty-four hours. He closed his eyes remembering everything she had told him, remembering
every kiss she ever gave him, and remembering the promises he had made her.
The rain poured down drenching him, but he stood there in her driveway remembering everything
that had happened since the party. He wasn’t suppose to fall in love, an assassin is not supposed to
have the ability to love. Tears streamed down as he stared at the three-story house before him, the
house full of memories that were better off forgotten.
He took the step he knew would be the hardest, but from there his unsteady steps only grew to be
more difficult. With each step he remembered what he was giving up, and what was now expected of
him. Every time his boots splashed through the water he knew that his time was limited. Soon he
wouldn’t be Jack Norris Carter. He wouldn’t be the son of Norris Jack Carter and Amanda Josepha
Carter. He wouldn’t be the youngest of six, and he wouldn’t be the father three.
He took in the deep breath and knocked on the door. He could hear the shuffling of three sets of
feet. Fear struck through the fiber of his being. He had to know she was safe, that’s why he ended it the
way he did. She needed to leave, but she didn’t. He rested his hand on the hand gun, and tried to calm
his fears. She was here, how could have he been so stupid?
He closed his eyes counting down the seconds till the door would open. It would be hard enough
killing his target, but now he was going to be forced to kill all of them. He was going to be forced to kill
three people, and there was nothing he could do about it. More tears streamed from his eyes, and he
knew it was too late now.
He heard the locks click on the door, and he listed to the silenced whispers. He listed as the
deadbolt turned, fear exploding through his calm body. He watched with fearful eyes as the door handle
turned. There was nothing he could do now. Nothing that could change these three people’s fates.
The door swung open slowly, slower than he had expected. She stood there, tears in her eyes. She
didn’t wear the smile he loved, and behind her eyes was accusation. Her hand shook, and she couldn’t
meet his glare, but if she had what would she had seen? She wouldn’t see the battle in his head, or the
tears he had been crying mentally. All his beloved would see was the cold stare he had been forced to
wear for the past two weeks. How would she know that he was dying on the inside?
"Come in,” Her voice was below a whisper. The tears in her blue eyes killed him, but he stepped by
her. He waited as he always did, and she disappeared through the arch way. His shaking hand still rested
on the gun, and he heard the muffled voices from the study. There was more than three, but he didn’t
dare count. He only had fifteen minutes left to kill everyone in that study.
He pulled the gun out, and hid it behind his trembling body as he remembered that he had only
loaded two bullets that morning. One for his beloved’s father and one for himself. He had been trained
not to miss, but now he stood in the entrance of their mutely-dollar home with only two bullets.
“Jack.” She said his name with fear. He looked at her beautiful body, the body he had loved, and felt
his heart break one more time. “Daddy wants a word with you.” She couldn’t conceal the tears or her
shaking body. She was scared, more scared then she had ever been in her life, but why.
He could only nod, but he knew his voice would not betray him. He had been trained to hide behind
his mask, even in front of the one he loved.
She led the way to her father’s study, even though he had been there many times. As the door
opened he waited for the voice that would soon be no more. Before he had time to react Carrie was
grabbed by her out reaching arm, and her scream was silenced.
He held the gun before him, his hand now steady fear overcoming him. He pushed the door open
further with his left boot as he took in everything before him. Carrie, his love, was held at gut point by
Mr. Snider. The woman he loved, the one he had tried to keep safe was now in the arms of the man who
hired him for this job. How could have this happened after trying to avoid it. The lies he had told to stay
here, and stay with her were wasted. How different would her life be if he had just walked away? If he
had killed her father at the party would have her life been endangered?
Jack continued his sweep of the room, but he keep Carrie in his site at all times. Her father was also
held at gun point by another assassin. He didn’t dare close his eyes and think; he just stood there
breathing in and out.
“Hello, Jack. I had a feeling you would be joining us this afternoon.” Mr. Snider’s voice was cold. He
smiled as he took in Jack’s steady appearance almost in approval.
“Mr. Snider.” Jack said almost as cold, but he deep down he was crying. Even though he watched as
a man who didn’t care on the inside he was breaking apart.
“You know the rules, Jack.” Mr. Snider said almost with joy behind his words. Jack did know the
rules, and even though he tried to avoid it he had to kill them both. He was assigned to kill Carrie’s
father, but he had grown to emotionally involved with the family. The rules stated to stay a distant
emotionally from all members of the family, but he had broken that rule. Now he had to pay the price.
“Kill him first, make her watch.” Mr. Snider’s voices echoed through the room. He was being forced
to make her suffer, and he couldn’t do anything to save her now. He had done this to her, he knew the
rules and he broke the. He knew the price he would have to pay if they ever found him, and yet he still
risked her life.
Jack turned the gun from Mr. Snider and pointed it at the man who had given him his daughter’s
hand. He pointed the gun at the man his love loved the most. He didn’t think about anything as he
pulled the trigger that ended the man’s life. There was only one bullet left, and he already knew who it
belonged to. He couldn’t’ turn to face her. He couldn’t look at the woman he loved, and kill her too. He
couldn’t do that, but yet he had to.
He was taught not to show emotion, and not to show hesitation. That was how you lost, if it be
your life or something else. Now he understood as inside of him he battled, but outside he showed
nothing. Carrie stood there mere feet from him afraid for her life and sobbing tears, but he didn’t show
any compassion. He was killer, nothing less and nothing more. Her perfect blue eyes begged for her life,
and inside of him he was falling apart.
He held the gun out toward her, and before he had time to think he pulled trigger. She didn’t have
time to cry out, and for that he was glad. His hand didn’t shake as he tossed the hand gun to the
ground. His eyes didn’t water as he looked down at the dead body. Inside of him he felt nothing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Gavin Torres.” His green eyes looked over his new identity. It had been nine years since they buried
Carrie. Nine years that he once believed he would never start. He tossed the empty bottle into the trash
can, listing to the clunking noise of glass on glass. How many bottles had he drunk in the past three
days?
He didn’t feel anymore. He could no longer feel the broken heart he knew he had. After he stared at
Carrie’s unmoving body, and felt nothing he knew that his last test had been fulfilled. He didn’t
understand when you took the job, but they read into his past. They knew who he would fall for. They
gave him six months to enjoy and to fall in love, and then they asked him to kill her.
He didn’t understand that his first kill would be a test, but now he did as he watched countless
others he trained be put through the same test. Not everyone could kill the woman they loved, and then
he was forced to kill them after making the watch the woman they love die. It was part of the job, and
after nine years of killing and training he knew the job better than anyone.
Nobody grew to the distant coldness that he did, most still felt after they killed. Most beat
themselves night after night until they finally begged for their life to be taken. Jack had grown in rank
through the years, and now he was higher than what Mr. Snider had once been. All his
accomplishments, but nothing to show for them. He picked up his gun as he turned to leave. Another
home would be torched another life would be lost. He would move on to his next assignment, and for
that he was grateful.
by: Nightgirl
“It’s not like that. It’s more complicated then than that, Carrie,” Jack said into the phone. He glanced
around the empty living room, tears in his eye. She wouldn’t understand how hard this was for him, and
he couldn’t tell her.
“How can it not be that simple, Jack? What makes it complicated?” He could hear her voice on the
verge of tears. He had done that. The only woman he had ever loved, and he was bringing her to tears.
He watched the rain fall, knowing that he couldn’t answer her questions. All she was asking was why,
and he couldn’t tell her.
“Please Jack.” He could hear her tears now, and he knew he was crushing her.
“I’m sorry.” He didn’t give her time to respond. He couldn’t even mutter the words goodbye. Tears
fell from his eyes, but it was better this way. She was safer not knowing, and he knew this.
He turned to glance one last time at the living room. He had only lived here for six months, and
should have known better then fall for the target’s daughter. He shook his head trying to keep the tears
back.
The day he had attended the party, she had been there. A simple servant, he had thought. A well
known rich man was bound to have them. Her smile was heavenly, that was what attracted him to hear.
She wore a blue cocktail dress and carried an empty tray of wine. He had tried to ignore her as he looked
for his target.
He only needed to get a good shot, and then it would be over. He would prove his worth, and be
accepted. That's what he wanted, and needed. He could have had it, but she was there. Her blue eyes
full of sorrow and fear caught his attention. She looked just like Claire, but he should have known better
They all had told him that his heart ran his mind, but until now he didn’t believe them. Now though,
he knew that he was not meant for this job. He couldn’t kill for money any more than he could kill for his
life. They told him the job was not for the faint of heart, and he believed deep down that he could kill.
Now though he knew the truth.
He had to finish the job, or he would be the one in the grave. He had to kill the love of his life’s
father, and he had to do it before midnight. His green eyes glanced at his wrist watch. Only thirty
minutes left, it was time to leave. It was time to kill.
He ran his long fingers through his thick brown hair, and closed his eyes trying to forget that soon
he would have to kill. Soon he would become a new person, and soon he would be expected to kill until
he was not needed anymore. This is the life he picked, and now he was cursed to live it.
He stepped out into the pouring rain letting it wash away his pain, but he knew nothing could do
that. Not even the rain he once loved. He locked the door with his shaking fingers, and slowly turned to
face his future. He was only minutes away from his future, but already hours away from his past.
Somehow he made it to her house. She wouldn’t be home, and he knew that. Carrie was broken
now, and she needed time to heal. He knew she was on her way to the beach, and wouldn’t be back for
the next twenty-four hours. He closed his eyes remembering everything she had told him, remembering
every kiss she ever gave him, and remembering the promises he had made her.
The rain poured down drenching him, but he stood there in her driveway remembering everything
that had happened since the party. He wasn’t suppose to fall in love, an assassin is not supposed to
have the ability to love. Tears streamed down as he stared at the three-story house before him, the
house full of memories that were better off forgotten.
He took the step he knew would be the hardest, but from there his unsteady steps only grew to be
more difficult. With each step he remembered what he was giving up, and what was now expected of
him. Every time his boots splashed through the water he knew that his time was limited. Soon he
wouldn’t be Jack Norris Carter. He wouldn’t be the son of Norris Jack Carter and Amanda Josepha
Carter. He wouldn’t be the youngest of six, and he wouldn’t be the father three.
He took in the deep breath and knocked on the door. He could hear the shuffling of three sets of
feet. Fear struck through the fiber of his being. He had to know she was safe, that’s why he ended it the
way he did. She needed to leave, but she didn’t. He rested his hand on the hand gun, and tried to calm
his fears. She was here, how could have he been so stupid?
He closed his eyes counting down the seconds till the door would open. It would be hard enough
killing his target, but now he was going to be forced to kill all of them. He was going to be forced to kill
three people, and there was nothing he could do about it. More tears streamed from his eyes, and he
knew it was too late now.
He heard the locks click on the door, and he listed to the silenced whispers. He listed as the
deadbolt turned, fear exploding through his calm body. He watched with fearful eyes as the door handle
turned. There was nothing he could do now. Nothing that could change these three people’s fates.
The door swung open slowly, slower than he had expected. She stood there, tears in her eyes. She
didn’t wear the smile he loved, and behind her eyes was accusation. Her hand shook, and she couldn’t
meet his glare, but if she had what would she had seen? She wouldn’t see the battle in his head, or the
tears he had been crying mentally. All his beloved would see was the cold stare he had been forced to
wear for the past two weeks. How would she know that he was dying on the inside?
"Come in,” Her voice was below a whisper. The tears in her blue eyes killed him, but he stepped by
her. He waited as he always did, and she disappeared through the arch way. His shaking hand still rested
on the gun, and he heard the muffled voices from the study. There was more than three, but he didn’t
dare count. He only had fifteen minutes left to kill everyone in that study.
He pulled the gun out, and hid it behind his trembling body as he remembered that he had only
loaded two bullets that morning. One for his beloved’s father and one for himself. He had been trained
not to miss, but now he stood in the entrance of their mutely-dollar home with only two bullets.
“Jack.” She said his name with fear. He looked at her beautiful body, the body he had loved, and felt
his heart break one more time. “Daddy wants a word with you.” She couldn’t conceal the tears or her
shaking body. She was scared, more scared then she had ever been in her life, but why.
He could only nod, but he knew his voice would not betray him. He had been trained to hide behind
his mask, even in front of the one he loved.
She led the way to her father’s study, even though he had been there many times. As the door
opened he waited for the voice that would soon be no more. Before he had time to react Carrie was
grabbed by her out reaching arm, and her scream was silenced.
He held the gun before him, his hand now steady fear overcoming him. He pushed the door open
further with his left boot as he took in everything before him. Carrie, his love, was held at gut point by
Mr. Snider. The woman he loved, the one he had tried to keep safe was now in the arms of the man who
hired him for this job. How could have this happened after trying to avoid it. The lies he had told to stay
here, and stay with her were wasted. How different would her life be if he had just walked away? If he
had killed her father at the party would have her life been endangered?
Jack continued his sweep of the room, but he keep Carrie in his site at all times. Her father was also
held at gun point by another assassin. He didn’t dare close his eyes and think; he just stood there
breathing in and out.
“Hello, Jack. I had a feeling you would be joining us this afternoon.” Mr. Snider’s voice was cold. He
smiled as he took in Jack’s steady appearance almost in approval.
“Mr. Snider.” Jack said almost as cold, but he deep down he was crying. Even though he watched as
a man who didn’t care on the inside he was breaking apart.
“You know the rules, Jack.” Mr. Snider said almost with joy behind his words. Jack did know the
rules, and even though he tried to avoid it he had to kill them both. He was assigned to kill Carrie’s
father, but he had grown to emotionally involved with the family. The rules stated to stay a distant
emotionally from all members of the family, but he had broken that rule. Now he had to pay the price.
“Kill him first, make her watch.” Mr. Snider’s voices echoed through the room. He was being forced
to make her suffer, and he couldn’t do anything to save her now. He had done this to her, he knew the
rules and he broke the. He knew the price he would have to pay if they ever found him, and yet he still
risked her life.
Jack turned the gun from Mr. Snider and pointed it at the man who had given him his daughter’s
hand. He pointed the gun at the man his love loved the most. He didn’t think about anything as he
pulled the trigger that ended the man’s life. There was only one bullet left, and he already knew who it
belonged to. He couldn’t’ turn to face her. He couldn’t look at the woman he loved, and kill her too. He
couldn’t do that, but yet he had to.
He was taught not to show emotion, and not to show hesitation. That was how you lost, if it be
your life or something else. Now he understood as inside of him he battled, but outside he showed
nothing. Carrie stood there mere feet from him afraid for her life and sobbing tears, but he didn’t show
any compassion. He was killer, nothing less and nothing more. Her perfect blue eyes begged for her life,
and inside of him he was falling apart.
He held the gun out toward her, and before he had time to think he pulled trigger. She didn’t have
time to cry out, and for that he was glad. His hand didn’t shake as he tossed the hand gun to the
ground. His eyes didn’t water as he looked down at the dead body. Inside of him he felt nothing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Gavin Torres.” His green eyes looked over his new identity. It had been nine years since they buried
Carrie. Nine years that he once believed he would never start. He tossed the empty bottle into the trash
can, listing to the clunking noise of glass on glass. How many bottles had he drunk in the past three
days?
He didn’t feel anymore. He could no longer feel the broken heart he knew he had. After he stared at
Carrie’s unmoving body, and felt nothing he knew that his last test had been fulfilled. He didn’t
understand when you took the job, but they read into his past. They knew who he would fall for. They
gave him six months to enjoy and to fall in love, and then they asked him to kill her.
He didn’t understand that his first kill would be a test, but now he did as he watched countless
others he trained be put through the same test. Not everyone could kill the woman they loved, and then
he was forced to kill them after making the watch the woman they love die. It was part of the job, and
after nine years of killing and training he knew the job better than anyone.
Nobody grew to the distant coldness that he did, most still felt after they killed. Most beat
themselves night after night until they finally begged for their life to be taken. Jack had grown in rank
through the years, and now he was higher than what Mr. Snider had once been. All his
accomplishments, but nothing to show for them. He picked up his gun as he turned to leave. Another
home would be torched another life would be lost. He would move on to his next assignment, and for
that he was grateful.
