Midnight

         He made a mistake that fateful night when he decided to kill my father.  The one person in my family I was actually close to.  My father was my best friend and teacher; he was the one person I could always confide in and count on to be there for me.  Anyone else wouldn’t have given him a second glance because he wasn’t anyone special.  In the daytime my father was an accountant for a button factory on the east side of San Francisco.  What most people didn’t know was that at night my father was a top grade hit man for the same people that ran the button factory.  My fathers name was Alfonso Eberardo Salazar.  He was Spanish, so he had dark features and a sturdy build.  It was always my fathers dream for my brother and I to follow in his footsteps.  More so me because I had a natural talent for killing and defending.
         The last time I saw my father he was fighting with my brother.  My brother, Diego Lucas Salazar, was always the rebellious one.  Diego being the older one of us thought that he should be the first one to be initiated into the organization, but my father wouldn’t have any of it.  My father said, “You will not be initiated until you can learn to control that temper of yours and learn not to let your emotions get in the way.”

“You can’t do this! I am the oldest one! I should be the first one initiated!” My brother responded.

“You should be, but you’re not! Your head is too hot! Now, I have had enough of this foolishness! This is the end of the discussion.  You will leave.” After hearing this my brother proceeded to walk out of the room fists clenched in a screaming fit of rage.  My father then turned to me and said, “You will be initiated this Friday evening.  I am proud of you Fabricio.”

         Not only was that the last night I saw my father, but my brother was nowhere to be found.  Come Friday evening and I was initiated.  My father was out with a list of people to kill, but I knew he was proud of me.  I went with one of the other top grade hitmen in the organization and killed my first victim.  He taught me everything he knew.  He told me it was up to me on how they were to be killed, but one thing is for sure.  At the end of the night they were to be nothing else, but dead.  And, dead they were.  Every night for the next few days I killed one by one not knowing why they were to be killed and not really caring why either.  I killed every one of my victims with callousness and precision.  No one got away once they were on my list, or any hitmans list for that matter.
         It was around one in the morning on a Tuesday when I got back to headquarters that night.  There wasn’t a single person who would look me in the eye.  I walk up to my friend Rodolphoe and ask him what’s going on.  He wouldn’t even open his mouth to tell me anything.  He just stared at me with this sadness in his eyes.  I knew something horrible must have happened if the normally talkative Rodolphoe wouldn’t even say a word.  I turned around when I felt a tap on my shoulder.  It was Trent, Mr. Craime’s right-hand man, he says, “Mr. Craime would like to see you in his office immediately.” And walks off.

         Mr. Craime is the head of the organization, so it usually didn’t mean anything good if you got called into his office.  The only time you get called into Mr. Craime’s office is if you have royally fucked things up or if you’re to be promoted to a higher position.  Hardly anyone in this organization gets promoted.  Not like I would anyways.  I was initiated not even a week ago.  I give Rodolphoe one last look before I make my way to Mr. Craime’s office.  As I step into his office he looks up at me and tells me to take a seat.  Once I am seated he looks at me and says, “Fabricio, I have some rather bad news.  At midnight tonight your father was killed while in the middle of finishing his hit list.”

         I just stare at him.  I’m not crying and I’m not doing anything, but sitting there as solid as a rock.  Whether I was sitting in disbelief or shock that my father was actually dead I did not know.  After some time of just sitting I finally find my voice and ask, “How did he die?”

“His throat was split and there was a bullet in his heart.”

“At least it was quick.” I respond, “Do you know who killed him?”

“I do.  This is the guy” He says while showing me a picture of a guy who I know almost as well as the back of my own hand.  A guy who I never would have imagined could do such a heinous act.  This guy had dark features and a mediocre build.  He wasn’t buff, but he wasn’t scrawny either.

“No, surely it must have been someone else.” I whisper in disbelief.

“No, it was him.  We’re sure of it.  I wouldn’t have told you otherwise.”

“May I leave?” I ask.  I want nothing more then to just get out of that room and think for a while.  Get my thoughts organized.

“You may.” Mr. Craime says dismissing me.

         I get up and let myself out of the office, and I don’t stop walking until I have hit the roof top of the building where headquarters is located.  I was sitting on the edge of the building for a few hours before I decide to talk to the person who was standing at the doorway staring at me the entire time.

“I’m not suicidal, so you can quit watching me like a hawk that just found dinner.” I tell the person, and then turn around, “Rodolphoe.”

“How did you know I was here?” He questions as he comes and takes a seat next to me on the edge of the building.

“I could feel your eyes on me.  It’s a rather creepy feeling.”  I reply.

He chuckles lightly and says, “Well, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I’m fine thanks.”

“So, did Craime tell you who your fathers killer was?”

“Yes.” I answer shortly.

“Good, so what are you going to do about it?” he questions knowing full well the entire time I was sitting up here I was trying to cook up some kind of plan.

“What do you think? I’m going to seek my revenge.” I tell him.  I then get up and start walking towards the door until I hear him yelling at me.

“If you need any help let me know!” I just give him a quick salute of the fingers as I continue to walk towards the door leading back inside the building.

         For the next two weeks I followed my fathers killer closely watching his every move.  I knew of a few things he habitually did, like that fact that every Tuesday he ate lunch with his Grandmother.  Also, every Sunday he attended the early morning church service.  What came as a surprise were his Friday night habits.  He would start the evening off with a peaceful dinner at his apartment.  From there he went to a local club called The Flamingo.  Thirty minutes till midnight he stumbles out of the club and to the rooftop of his apartment building where he stands on the ledge for exactly thirty minutes.  It currently is a Wednesday night and I am with Rodolphoe at headquarters relaying all the information I was able to gather on this guy from the past two weeks.

“So, tell me what you’re thinking.” Rodolphoe says.

“I’m thinking this Friday night will be the perfect time to exact my revenge, don’t you?” I reply.

“Well, it certainly seems the most opportune time.”

“So, Friday night it is.”  I say with a sinister grin.

“He won’t know what’s coming.”  Rodolphoe said with a chuckle.

         Forty-eight hours later I stood looking out the window of the hotel room I rented on the fourth floor of the building right across from the killers apartment.  I had a clear shot of him sitting at his dining room table eating the chinese take-out he ordered while watching the five o’clock news.  I could have shot him then, but I didn’t.  I’d rather confront him first.  I want to know why he murdered my Father.  Once he finishes his dinner he walks out the door and heads to the club.  I stay where I am in my hotel room and wait for him to get back.
         Thirty minutes till midnight I spy him on the rooftop of his building.  I quickly make my way to the lobby of my hotel and out the door, across the street, and into his building not stopping until I was on the rooftop.  I saw him there standing on the ledge as if he was carrying the burdens of the world.  But, I know of the burdens he carries.  The only burden he could possibly be carrying is the murder of my Father.  Anger takes over me and I run towards him, grab him around the shoulders, and throw him to the ground.  From there I proceeded to kick him in the gut.  He then picks himself off of the ground and says, “Took you long enough.”

“Glad to hear you were living in anticipation.  I wouldn’t want you to be calm.” I reply.

“Of course you wouldn’t.  You have always liked it best when you knew people feared you, but I don’t fear you.”

“No?  Perhaps you should.”
“And, why is that?” The killer questions.

“You’ll find out soon enough.” I answer, “but, first, you’ll answer me this.  Why did you kill my Father?”

“Why? You want to know why?!” he screams, “For plenty of reasons! He didn’t give me what I wanted! He didn’t play by the rules! His end was of his own making!”

“So, you killed him because you didn’t get your way!” I scream just as loud as he, “How selfish can you get?”

“I am the oldest!  It should have been me who was initiated that Friday evening three weeks ago! Not you!”

“So, you murdered him because you were envious of me?” I exclaim.

“Yes!”

“Diego, you bastard!” I shout before giving him a swift kick to the stomach.  I proceed to punch him in the eye and then tackle him to the ground whilst pulling out my knife.  I then cut him lightly, but hard enough so it hurts on his neck, wrists, ankles, and right behind his knees.  I continue to kick him until he’s bloody and bruised only stopping once he stopped moving around.  I look at him with a face set like stone and a piercing gaze.  Once, I have discerned that he is still conscious I get my pistol out of my holster and point it directly at his heart.

“Fabricio, please have mercy!” He cried.

“Did you give our Father any mercy?” I shout.

“I am your brother.” He whispered.

“Brother? I have no brother.” I say and then glance at my watch, “Well, Diego it’s midnight, and I think it’s time you meet your new friends in hell.  They’ve been anxiously waiting for you, and I would hate to keep them waiting any longer.  Allow me to assist you.”

I then allow my finger to pull back on the trigger putting a hole right in Diego’s heart. Afterwards, I put the pistol back in my holster and continue to slice his neck in half doing to him exactly what he did to my Father.  I wipe the blade of the knife free of blood on the bottom of my pants, pocket the knife, and then walk out through the door leading back into the building acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.