Supervision

Target acquired, time for execution. From the routine he had, he would be walking into the bar I worked at and then after that, he would be paying a visit to the docks. At least, that’s what I predicted. When it comes to working in the field, anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. A great assassin should plan for every possible outcome and even some impossible ones.

Today seemed to be a day for strangeness as I soon encountered the first impossibility. The target did indeed visit the bar where I was disguised as the bartender. At least I had that going for me, but then things went downhill from there. While I mixed drinks, the target entered accompanied by a middle-aged woman.

The two sat in the corner and got all lovey-dovey. I found this strange as I had nothing in my file saying he was in a relationship. Afterall, the reason he was the chosen target was because he had nobody. If somebody noticed he was missing, it would things difficult for the trainee. Of course, the trainee wouldn’t notice until the target reached the docks. I had to ensure that he did.

“Hi, two beers,” the target told me. His eyes were dark, lacking in sleep. It made sense considering the drugs he had been taking. Stimulants kept him awake.

“Yes, sir,” I replied.

The bar was well stocked, but only one brand of beer. Local, plenty of it in the country. What is more, the heat of the tropics got a lot of people coming through buying beers by the case load. Of course, the new liquor store kept the droves of drunkards at bay. There was nothing to celebrate in this rundown town, but plenty of reason to get wasted.

I handed the beers to the target and immediately began brainstorming. I needed to get that woman out of here and soon. Thankfully, I had a desperate enough waitress working in the bar that I could get her helping me with the price of a few beers.

“Lucy, can I get your help here for a moment,” I called.

The silhouette outside, smoking like a chimney, doused her cigarette and trundled into the house. She wasn’t a looker, but she could get the job done.

“How would you like to make a little extra money?” I whispered, leaning casually over the counter.

“Depends on the money,” Lucy murmured as she climbed onto a bar stool.

“Fifty and you need to make a fool of yourself,” I told her.

“What are we doing?” Lucy whispered, interested.

“I need you to flirt with that guy in the corner, enough to get that woman with him out of this place. Fast.”

Lucy narrowed her eyes before rolling them. She glanced over towards the corner, watching the target fawn over the woman and she fawned over him. Lucy then cut me a glance.

“You really are clueless, chief,” Lucy murmured and then held her hand out.

I subtly placed the money into her hand and watched the woman work. While I cleaned glasses that didn’t have so much as a speck of dust on them, an argument broke out in the corner. Words were exchanged between all three, but Lucy maintained her cool and soon she left to the back room of the bar while the targets lady friend stormed out.

All pieces were falling back into place. I placed the glasses back into their positions and the target sat down in front of the counter scratching his head.

“I-uh-sorry for the disturbance,” the target told me.

“Sir, this is a bar, we get a lot of lady's-men here who bring one too many partners,” I smiled.

“That’s the thing, I was never with-uh..nevermind. It’s just weird. Can I get a whiskey?”

I eyed the clock on the wall. He had to be out of here soon and whisky in these parts required sufficient nursing time. Still, I couldn’t find a reason to say ‘no’ when there was a full bottle on the shelf behind me.

I poured the drink and continued wasting time until more strangeness walked into the bar. It was a team of mascots, all dressed as badgers or skunks, I couldn’t tell. The team cheered, sang and just about made every other loud noise that evoked energy.

“Yo, man, can we get-uh-twenty...jeez, guys, hold still,” the mascot told his friends. “Twenty-three beers, we will drink outside, don’t worry.”

In moments, a small party was forming outside the bar. The mascots were soon joined by soccer players and a large bus followed, parking itself out front. It had to be the worst kind of storm that plagued the bar and what is more, it was pushing the target in the wrong direction.

“What’s the damage?” the target asked, bothered by the ruckus. “This is my last drink, I need to get home.”

“Uh...sure, sir,” I replied, panicking slightly. “I tell you though…”

I started the greatest line of quick thinking I have ever had in the field.

“I tell you, I wish I was down by the docks enjoying this whiskey,” I told the target. “That place has a great…”

“Yeah, it’s really peaceful,” the target murmured. “I was thinking of going there, but after all this…”

“Well, tell you what,” I started again. “I will fill your glass, on the house and you can relax by the docks while you drink. As a way of saying sorry for the disturbance.”

“It feels like I should be saying sorry,” he replied, pitying me as I handed out beers with one hand and pouring whiskey with the other.

“Think nothing of it,” I told him. “You can tell me if you see any dolphins.”

“That’s really generous of you,” the target smiled wide, paying for his drinks while I comped the whiskey. “I’ll tell you about it tomorrow.”

The target left and I was alone with only a bar full of mascots and soccer players singing their songs. I smiled menacingly, thinking about the ill fate that awaited the target.

“Oh, no you won’t,” I murmured to myself.

“Can I get another beer?”

“Coming up.”

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