A superior subordinate
"She got away. She had help." Orion was deadpan as she said it.
But she took the earpiece out in anticipation of the reaction from the other side of the line.
Sure enough a high pitched roar could be clearly heard from a meter away.
"How could you let her get away?"
Orion was very familiar with this type of person. They try to make their problems, your problems. They were trying to put Orion on the defensive. They would not succeed.
Orion wasn't biting.
"You hired me to track and locate the target; which, I did. Instead of paying me my fee, you than enlisted my help in eliminating the target, holding my wages as ransom to do so."
Orion was more than done with this client's sense of entitlement. She did not let it come through in her tone. Her words should get her point across.
They didn't.
"I am paying you to do a job, you,
apparently, aren't capable of doing. If you can't do it, tell me now, and I will hire someone more competent."
Orion sighed inwardly in exasperation. 'I should never have taken this job.' She berated herself.
"As I just mentioned, you haven't paid me for what you original contracted me to do. I did my job. I won't charge you for the failed elimination."
Orion lowered her tone menacingly. She wanted to make sure what she said next, got through to this thick headed customer.
"But you will pay me. Than you will loose my number. And you will be thankful I don't blacklist from The Black Dragon Clan."
This customer must know she had the authority to do so.
Angering a member of the Black Dragon Clan may be one of the last thing you ever do.
Suddenly there was nothing but acquiescence coming from the other side of the line.
That was more like it.
She heard the jingle coming from the payment hitting her account. She nodded her head in acknowledgment even if the other person couldn't see her.
"I appreciate the support, have a nice day."
With that she decisively ended the call.
'Actually….I think I will blacklist them anyways.' She thought to herself.
Her subordinates shouldn't be bothered by such irritatingly stupid people.
The opponent in this case, however….
Orion took a moment to appreciate the competence.
There were not many who could out maneuver her. She had to acknowledge their expertise.
Perhaps they were someone that she could enlist to her side. She would have to do some reconnaissance.
With that settled in her mind, she swiftly packed up her high powered rifle and disappeared from the area as if she was never there in the first place.
One week later
This place was crazy. I had been here a week, and I still can't wrap my head around it.
I had wanted to be taken home immediately. I was worried about my family.
Li disagreed.
"The fact that your enemy wanted this done quietly and out of Country, tells me they won't do a thing to your family."
His answer was far too reasonable.
'No,' I reasoned to myself. 'I had been the sole target. Targeting my family only exposes them. They wouldn't risk that. As long as I don't know who they are, they will stay in the shadows.'
I was able to relax slightly after coming to this conclusion. I started to think clearly without that worry clouding my mind.
Instead, Li had brought me here.
To the largest underground cave system I had ever been in.
Located smack dab in the middle of America. The Arizona state to be exact.
I was told, by a very informed posted board, it was, in fact, not the largest…. but they could have fooled me.
This place was massive.
Even stranger, was the energy of the people assembled here. The reference will sound weird but it reminded me of the rebel base on the planet Hoth in the Empire Strikes Back .
Except for the snow and ice.
My meaning was, it reminded me of the activity of a rebel base.
People coming and going, in uniformed military efficiency. They moved with purpose; unlike me.
I, on the other hand, could only follow Li. Wherever he went, I was like a shadow behind him.
He lead me to the person in charge. A man named John. Just John. No title, no insignia.
I figured out he was the Leader here only from observing how everything flowed around him.
Even Li deferred to him.
John's welcome was warm enough but not overly familiar. He assigned me an area to while around in as long as I would be here. But no one has told me how long that would be.
A week later…. and I'm still here.
I felt so ungrateful but I couldn't help hating this place. Not that I said as much.
It was dry to the point of feeling dirty even though dust could not flow in this dead air.
It felt damp, even though I was told there was absolutely no moisture here.
I was cold. I couldn't seem to get warm dispite the heater being less than an arms length from me.
And the dreams
I couldn't help feeling claustrophobic.
So I had dreams of being buried alive. I was plagued by these nightmares. I had the insane image of the whole place caving in on top of me.
But above all those things, I had nothing to do. Boredom was a constant enemy.
So when Li said he was headed to town, I had begged to go with him.
Even though I hadn't complained out loud, I knew he could tell how I was feeling. So, after proving how fall proof my camouflage abilities were, he relented.
Meanwhile, things were going on at home that I was completely unaware of.