The Last Option

The last three months had been relatively quiet in both the Hicks and the Sullivans' lives. Norma's pregnancy had not presented more news than heaviness and the occasional back pain due to her voluminous belly, where a small and healthy baby was about to come into the world. In one of the last consultations, Dr. Holloway was already prepared and was preparing them in turn to attend the delivery at any time. The moment had come.

Duncan, for his part, had also let those three months pass before returning to the assignment, waiting for his target to lower his guard. He was also ready to proceed, but he had to come up with a new way to meet his customer. This time he would take care of it personally, and he would not fail.

But his options were not many, as he had to make Nathan's death seem like an accident. He had discarded the options that involved cars, and since the assault did not work, he only had the one he did not want to use, or even consider: sniper, but it carried the risk of exposing his client in some way if an investigation is started by the authorities, so he can carry out his work in the best way and without leaving the slightest evidence, as has always been the case.

In the end he decided, although he did not want or had any other options, to simulate a kidnapping and ask for a ransom, and he would take charge in the middle of the negotiations to eliminate him for any reason. It was a risky choice, but it was that or shoot him with his sniper rifle.

To carry out the kidnapping he would need at least two assistants, and he already had them in mind: the Benelli brothers.

The Benelli brothers were two recognized ruffians dedicated to doing all kinds of dirty jobs, especially for the Italian mafia, where the main characteristic that identified them was precisely not being tied to any capo or "Don", working on their own and for whom required their services, with the exception of those that did not involve the assassination of any mafia boss on behalf of another.

He had met them in an old abandoned shed. Despite his experience, he could not help feeling intimidated by the ruffian brothers, who upon arrival gave him a look of visible contempt, since they had not heard from him more than once or twice, considering him a small-time bully despite his experience as a hit man.

The eldest of the brothers, athletic in appearance and looking at least fifty years old, since nobody knew anything about their personal lives, not even their age, he was elegantly dressed in a blue suit, and as was his custom, with a short- brimmed hat that reminded the protagonists of old movies; while the youngest, five or six years apart, was dressed a little more casually, with a light blue striped shirt and khaki pants. Duncan was struck by the fact he had shoulder-length hair and squinted eyes as if he were smoking.

"We don't usually answer the call of the competition," the oldest said, named Giancarlo, "but it made us curious and here we are."

"You know me then," Duncan said.

"We know you're a professional assassin," Giancarlo said again, "and it's the only thing you're competitive with us. We all know each other in our world, friend Duncan, despite how little we may hear from each other." "And our code is very strict, as you know," the other of the brothers said, named Gianluca, "since even though we all know each other, no one betrays anyone."

"I know what our code is," Duncan approached them, who had stayed at a safe distance, "and that's why we are here now. I need your help."

"Help?" Giancarlo asked, intrigued. "From what we know of you, you have never needed help from anyone. Why would you ask for it now? Are you getting old, maybe? Are you losing conditions?"

"I'm still the same as always, only this time the work is different from what I always do. My client wants someone dead, but that death in no way connects or leads to him, so I must make it look like an accident or something other than a rifle execution."

"All work of that nature isn't supposed to expose the client," Gianluca said, "you are talking nonsense to us. What do you want from us?"

"Help me kidnap someone, for whom ransom will be requested. My plan is during the negotiations the kidnapped person dies, so it won't look like a death to order."

The Benelli brothers looked at each other with a kind of mocking smile and then turned their attention back to Duncan.

"You just want that?" Giancarlo asked.

"That's all. I'll take care of the rest. Your job will only be to help me kidnap him."

"And you already have in mind how you will do it?" Gianluca asked.

"Yes. I already have the site, what we have to wait is the moment, and I think I already have it planned."

"Very good," Giancarlo said, pulling away from his car, on which he was leaning. "As we said at the beginning, we don't usually heed the call of the competition, since we consider in this profession, whoever dedicates himself to it must be good enough not to need others, and we have tried to make it so until now."

"We are not simpletons dedicated to small-time jobs," Gianluca said in a contemptuous tone, "and for me this one is. What you need is to get two thieves to help you. We are professionals in what we do."

"One moment, brother," Giancarlo interrupted, "maybe we will get something out of all this."

"I hear you," Gianluca said.

"Tell me," Giancarlo turned to Duncan, "who are we going to kidnap? Is someone important? A politician, perhaps? In that world these people have many enemies."

"He's a businessman," Duncan said. "His name is Nathan Hicks, a mining and jewelry billionaire."

"So a billionaire, huh?" Giancarlo said. "Those people usually have bodyguards around the clock, and defensive drivers. Are his bodyguards professionals? That would compromise the job."

"This billionaire is different from the others; he doesn't have bodyguards, despite his position. No one knows how he has stayed out of harm's way until now."

"If he doesn't have bodyguards, even better," Giancarlo said, "that will make the job easier. I imagine there will be no problem paying the ransom."

"As I told you, the ransom won't be collected, because the man will die in the middle of the negotiations."

"Well, dear friend, if you want us to participate in your circus, we'll tell you what we are going to do," Giancarlo faced him, standing in front of him, and holding his gaze fixedly. "It will be the payment for my brother here and for me, what you do with him after we have left, is your problem. Do we agree?"

Duncan thought those guys were cheeky to run such a business, especially the older of the brothers, who apparently was the one who squared their jobs, and for a second he considered the possibility of refusing to his terms, but he needed to finish the deal commissioned by his client, and finally accepted.

Finally, he wouldn't have to pay them and the job would be done.

"Okay, I accept your terms. I'll let you know the day and time. Be ready."

"We always are," Gianluca said with a smile as his brother got back into the car. Then he came in and they left the place quickly.

Duncan remained a few seconds more in his position without moving, watching as the car of the brothers sped away, and then exiting the shed.

He thought about how he would handle them once he had Nathan Hicks in his hands. He was aware that involving third parties in his work was an enormous risk, and they would also want to handle the matter in their own way, as was

effectively suggested a few moments ago. He would have to somehow prevent the brothers from controlling the situation, and he was already thinking about how to do it. His client wanted Nathan Hicks dead and nothing to point to him as a suspect, as he will have him dead and it will be in an attempted kidnapping.

He thought of the Benelli brothers and their contribution to the plan and then left the shed as well.