In the ritzy part of the city next door, far removed from the police station, from the news reporters, and even from the blood soaked bedroom of the local mafia head, Andreas slept soundly.  After business had been finished, he’d made the annoying drive so he could return to his hotel suite and the cute little thing he’d been keeping there, have some fun, and fall asleep.  It was a lazy morning for him.  Uncharacteristic, but even evil assassins had to indulge every now and then.  Even when his lover woke him by moving from the bed, Andreas ignored it and remained there to be lazy.  It was behaviour that would’ve gotten him a severe beating in his youth, but he’d long since been free of that dark cloud.<br/><br/>Freedom had been something he’d cherished.  He could go where he wanted, do what he felt like on a whim, and he could be with anyone he chose.  That didn’t mean that he had flawless judgement, and he’d had to put some men in their place regarding what he was and what their relationship was to be.  This particular instance had been a good match, because James didn’t ask too many questions and he didn’t try to pin him down.  This was a good man, an honest one, and didn’t have a hostile bone in his body.  Every now and then, Andreas found that appealing.  But it was a game.  It was almost like playing house… seeing how close to normal he could get before it bored him.  This time, he’d gone into the relationship under the guise of being a private investigator, ensuring James would understand the need for various levels of secrecy, that whatever they had was not likely to last.<br/><br/>He heard the main door of the hotel suite open and close.  Every morning, like clockwork, James went for a run.  Andreas himself had a strict routine that he kept to, but he felt like being a spoiled brat and curled himself deeper into the sheets for a while longer.  The only reason he moved from the bed at all was that his lover being out of the room in the mornings gave him time to take care of work details.  He had to wrap up the rest of his business concerning the job he’d finished.<br/><br/>Out of bed.  Into the bathroom.  The morning necessities only took a few minutes.  The blond wrapped himself in a black silk robe and settled down at the stylish desk with his laptop, flipping it open and setting up all the necessary security measures.  He’d already scanned every nook and cranny for cameras or other invasive devices when he’d rented the luxurious suite out for the month, so all he had to worry about was security beyond the room.<br/><br/>Once he had made contact, he set up the laptop to type for him as he spoke, giving him the freedom to kick back and sip away at his morning protein shake.<br/><br/>“It’s done,” he said in his usual deep, thick voice.  It didn’t take long for a chime to sound that his conversation partner was available.  It took only a moment more for the reply to pop up on screen.<br/><br/>NICE WORK.<br/><br/>“Thank you.  I do try to give my clients their money’s worth.”<br/><br/>MY SOURCES TELL ME THERE WAS A PROBLEM IDENTIFYING THE SUBJECT MATTER WHEN THEY FOUND IT. THAT MADE ME A LITTLE CONCERNED.<br/><br/>“What you paid for often does that.  But there were other methods of identification.  I made sure to leave enough of the personal signatures.  The ID should’ve been positive, without a doubt.”<br/><br/>SO I HEAR.<br/><br/>I WISH THERE WAS SOMETHING MORE AS PROOF.<br/><br/>“You didn’t ask—or pay—for photographs, my dear.  That’s extra.  You should have taken your paranoia into account before you booked the gig.  But my record should stand as proof enough.  I don’t take the easy way out, and I don’t fake a job.  There’s no satisfaction for me in that.”<br/><br/>I THOUGHT MERCS AND ASSASSINS WERE IN IT FOR THE MONEY?<br/><br/>Andreas’ eyes narrowed at that.  So much for dancing around the subject in case someone saw or heard anything.  He was confident that everything on his side was clean, but he had no way of securing the client’s portion of things.  Oh, well.  If anything fell down, it would be on the client’s head… not his.<br/><br/>“Maybe they are.  But I’m not like them.  I’m something different.”<br/><br/>WHAT? A SERIAL KILLER?<br/><br/>He wondered.  It had been a long time since he’d been under the tutelage of the man he once called Master.  At that time, he’d been under the impression that he was being trained in the art of assassination.  That might have been Master’s intent, but it was not how it had played out.  Not at all.<br/><br/>“That’s so crude,” he finally said, a feline smile teasing the corners of his mouth as he leaned back in the desk chair and rocked a bit.  He was more assassin than murderer when it came down to it, though there should’ve been a new category created for him to exist in, even if he was alone.  He took down marks because of the money, and he carried out the sick and twisted wishes of those who paid him to extinguish life in the most painful ways possible, but it would’ve tasted like a bitter lie on his tongue to say he didn’t enjoy it.  Whether he did or not, it didn’t make the crime of taking a life any worse, did it?  To have a stricter moral code, to weep for those receiving death, it made no difference to those who died, nor to the friends and families left behind.  He found that outlook pathetic.<br/><br/>“Besides, serial killers don’t charge for murder.  They do it for free.”<br/><br/>ONLY THE DUMB ONES.<br/><br/>“It was a pleasure doing business with you.  If you ever need another, you know how to contact me,” Andreas said, suddenly bored with the conversation.  He didn’t even wait on a reply.  Everything was closed out, the laptop shut down, then closed.<br/><br/>He put everything away and then went to stare out the window.  He was sulking.  A serial killer?  Him?  That wasn’t dignified, it wasn’t sexy or charming, and it definitely wouldn’t have paid the bills.  There wasn’t anything wrong with enjoying work, was there?  He polished off his morning drink and found himself sprawled across the bed like a captious teenager refusing to come out of his room.  He’d have probably stayed there half the day if it wasn’t for James returning from his morning run.  When that handsome face came into view, still a little pink from exertion, Andreas had to admire it for a moment.  Then he flipped over and groaned into his pillow.  It wasn’t a slap in the face, but rather a plea for distraction.  Despite being in the picture for only a short while, James was quick on the uptake, and he knew how to get the blond out of his bad mood.<br/><br/>The floor plan on the suite was open with a garden Jacuzzi tub settled in the corner, in full view of the king sized bed.  James started running the water for it, without a word, and peeled the sweaty clothes from his well-shaped body.  He worked at a local gym, so there was good reason for him to be in shape.  He’d been neglecting his own training a bit, thanks to this spur of the moment fling, but he still managed to get in at least a run and maybe some lifting.  It entirely depended on what Andreas had planned for the day.  It wasn’t as if every detail was shared, but there were times when the blond was more mysterious and concentrating on ‘work’ with little time to spare for fun, and then other days or nights were filled with going places, drinking, dancing, and enough sex to make them both sore and exhausted.  The previous day had been one of the more uneventful ones, though the late night return had been nice.  James had no idea what had put the other man in such a cranky mood since then.<br/><br/>Soon enough he was sinking into the water, and that sound was enough to grab Andreas’ attention.  It took a minute, because he didn’t want to acknowledge his interest at the start, but he finally rolled to where he could see James’ fine form.  He looked damned good wet, all perfect lines and dark, slicked back hair.  Watching the man bathe from his lazy spot on the bed had a lifting effect on his mood, and he was soon curling a finger in invitation.<br/><br/>Later, after his body was drained and his disposition recharged, Andreas was ready to tackle the day.  Immediately following a job, it was always good to keep an ear out for the news.  Even though the wide media didn’t know everything, they sometimes came at it from a different perspective, and even they got lucky sometimes and had an inside source.  It was one of those habits that had been drilled into him during his youth, and while he didn’t make mistakes…  Well, not doing it would’ve felt wrong.  It would’ve bothered him.  He made use of the hotel’s fitness center, took a shower, and then committed himself to a quiet day in.  He thought James would complain or pout over it, especially since he had the day off from work, but the blond found him so agreeable that it was bothersome.<br/><br/>Daytime news was the best, so Andreas wanted to stay in and watch TV.  Even if it was turned to some random local channel, any breaking news would show up.  There was also his phone, which was set up to catch any media coverage in areas of his choosing.  He was rewarded for his patience when, about an hour and a half in, there was a breaking news story.  The house in the background was instantly recognizable.  He smirked and took a cool drink from his bottled water.<br/><br/>“Thank you, Tom.  Yes, I’m in front of a property belonging to Frank D’loy where police and ambulances gathered earlier today in response to a frantic call by Mr. D’loy’s maid, Rita Jones.  Our sources tell us that the fourty-seven year old woman came for her scheduled cleaning duties this morning and found her employer in the bedroom.  As you can see, the police have this area under strict control, and we haven’t been able to talk with Mrs. Jones, yet.”<br/><br/>“Janette, you said that she found Mr. D’loy in the bedroom.  Was he unconscious or unresponsive in some way?”<br/><br/>“That does seem to be the case, though, again, we haven’t been able to get much information.  The police on scene are refusing to comment on anything, so far.  What we do know is that most of the emergency response vehicles cleared out relatively early, but about fifteen minutes ago there was something or someone carted out of the main entrance and placed into the last remaining ambulance.  From our angle, we couldn’t make out anything, though others have claimed that it was a black bag.”<br/><br/>“Jeez.  That’s terrible,” a voice piped up from beside him.  James.  Such an innocent man.  He probably had no idea what D’loy himself was capable of.  “Someone probably tried to rob him and ended up killing him.”<br/><br/>“Doubtful.  They said he was found in the bedroom, right?” Andreas asked, eyes still fixed on the screen.  “Most burglars won’t go near the bedroom if they’re not absolutely certain that the house is empty.  Gun owners tend to keep a gun in their bedroom for self-defense against home invasion.  Besides, most robbers just want to get some valuable shit and get out.  There’s not much going on in the bedroom, unless there’s a wife in the picture that might have some jewelry.”<br/><br/>“So… what, an accident?  Planned murder?”<br/><br/>The blond let out a soft chuckle and flipped around on the sofa to let his legs hang over the arm, his head falling into James’ lap.<br/><br/>“You’ve lived here for a while, but you don’t know who D’loy is, do you?” he asked, reaching up to slide his fingers into that dark hair.  Andreas loved black hair.  It had been one of the reasons he’d chosen James to be his new lover, if only for as long as he remained in town.  Unless it was unavoidable, after it was over he’d steer clear of the area for long enough that time would soften memories and harden hearts. James was a strong and handsome man, though.  Andreas would only be missed for a short while.  It was fun in the meantime, though.  “He was a criminal.  One of the most dangerous.  That huge house of his was probably bought with blood money.  Men like that don’t have<i>accidents</i>.  Someone wanted him out of the way.  Or revenge.  Whatever the case, I doubt it’s as tragic as you think.”<br/><br/>“Of course it is.  All loss of life is tragic,” the other man protested.  Though his voice was soft, the tone in it meant he was serious.  It also hinted that he was disturbed by Andreas’ casual assessment of the possible homicide.<br/><br/>“Oh?  Then you’d weep for the death of a child molester?” Andreas asked.  “What about a baby killer?  Not just some post-partum depression thing, I mean a hardcore killer who murders a baby in cold blood.  They do that, you know.  Ritual sacrifices.  Insane cults.  Movies and books use those things for plot points, but it really does happen.  The black market is alive and well, too.  If someone can think to want it, it’s for sale.  Sex, bodies, parts of bodies… life and death.  So what would you think of someone who does that kind of thing for money?”  He knew he’d backed James up against a wall there, so he went in for the finishing blow.  “How about someone who murdered someone you cared about?  Your mom… your sister…  Would you argue that their murderer’s life would be precious?”<br/><br/>“Guess not…” James whispered after a long, tense pause.  And then, “You really know a lot about all that, don’t you?”  That caused the fingers in his hair to tighten, but it was only a playful gesture.  Andreas wasn’t in love, but he had a soft spot for this one.  That was the only reason he’d been so truthful with his thoughts.  Ruining James’ innocence wasn’t what he was after, more like trying to open his eyes a little.  It was for the man’s own protection.  The world was a terrible, evil place.<br/><br/>“I investigate all sorts of crazy things, you know.  I’ve travelled far and wide… had some dealings with some of the unsavory types.  It’s a dark place, the other side of that fence.  I don’t recommend you ever get involved.”<br/><br/>Their day went a little smoother after that.  Andreas started keeping tabs on what was being said in the news on his phone between other activities.  He knew at some point James would need to take off to deal with his own life, and so he used that opportunity to play catch up back at the hotel.<br/><br/>Andreas draped himself across the sofa and stared at the screen, flicking through the channels.  All the local news stations had covered the event in some manner, but it was easy to spot the more aggressive reporters.  He hated them all.  He’d made an example out of one in the past, but the grisly murder had gone down as a mystery.  Some speculated revenge, others that it was an ex that lost his mind.  He’d listened to experts babble on and on about how it must’ve been a crime of passion, thanks to how bloody and terrible it was.  Experts…  They didn’t know a damned thing.  There hadn’t been even a little bit of passion behind what he’d done.  It had been something to do, a little side project to mess with a detective that the woman had spoken with earlier that day.  Sure, she was beautiful, but even if he was more into women than he was, he’d never have gone for someone like her.  He hadn’t given a damn about her life at all.<br/><br/>Another perfectly manicured image popped up on the screen then.  The same, horrid smile gleaming from across the room at him.  Ridiculous Barbie people annoyed him for no real reason, just like that reporter he’d done in before.  It didn’t matter if they were women or men, they all had that same look in their eyes, like the world owed them something.  Andreas rolled his eyes and prepared to change channels, but another face caused him to hesitate.  It was a fine one, accented by tousled hair and a loosened tie.  The man looked like he’d been ravished and left there on the bench to recover.  The assassin found himself chuckling, realizing that this was a detective the reporter had caught off guard during a break.  More interesting was that this was the one investigating the D’loy incident.  Poor guy…  It was unlikely that the feds would mess with it.  Such a terrible man, they had no reason to believe that someone in his own little clique didn’t decide to overthrow him, or that wasn’t a local revenge case.  It would be a cold case, and one day be forgotten.  Seemed such a shame to cause disappointment to such a fine face.<br/><br/>Andreas was ready to change channels again when something else froze him in place.  It was a single sentence that made his blood run cold and caused his teeth to clench.<br/><br/><i>Then how about the man that was escorted from D’loy’s home earlier today?</i><br/><br/>Man… from D’loy’s.  What man?  There was a maid, but she only came in the mornings and was gone around noon.  Most business didn’t happen at the house, so who could it have been?  Andreas slowly sat up, his mind racing to find the answer.  There hadn’t been any visiting cars.  The man didn’t have children.  He wasn’t married.  Parents dead.  No siblings.  A friend?  A lover?  His mind traced back over every step he’d taken toward the house, inside of it, all the way up to when he’d found the bastard stepping out of the bathroom.  He’d just washed, or so it had seemed, which Andreas had been thankful for at the time.  He hated killing messy slobs.  He always left the scene feeling dirty or gritty in some way, even if he didn’t have any mess on him.  It was their blood, he’d decided.  Their blood smelled filthy.  But D’loy had been clean, leaving the master bathroom to… settle in for the night?  He’d left his clothes scattered.  Untidy, but not unheard of for a man who had a daily maid service.  Pants, socks, and underwear on the floor.  There was a decorative bench at the end of the bed with a second set of clothes.  Shirt, pants, tie-<br/><br/>D’loy had the same maid come in every day.  So why were there two sets of discarded clothes?  Andreas had ignored it when he’d been there, but now he was kicking himself for being so simple.  There had only been one shirt.  Where was the other one?  Had it been something as simple as a stain on one pair of pants to cause the need for a change during the day?  No…  No, it was something much more than that.  He’d been so sure that D’loy had been alone, but he must’ve been wrong.  Someone else had been there during the murder.  The time it had taken, the screams… there was no way that man had been oblivious to what had been happening.  He’d been there during the torture, all the way up until the final moments of death, and never made a sound or a call for help.  He must’ve hidden himself away somewhere to escape his own gruesome end, letting D’loy suffer alone.  D’loy wasn’t the gracious type, so he must’ve assumed that his lover, or whatever the man was, had been trying to get help, else he’d have spilled the info to buy himself some time.<br/><br/>“FUCK!” Andreas barked, slamming the controller down on the couch and leaping to his feet to pace.  Fourteen years.  Fourteen<i>fucking</i>years of working solo, and he’d never made a mistake like this.  From the beginning, that had been one of the key elements to his training.<i>Never</i>leave a goddamned witness.  His blood was boiling with rage as he spun and headed into the bedroom to pack.  He had very few options, and he hated all of them.  Running while he had the chance was what he should’ve wanted to do.  That would’ve been the natural reaction, right?  What he really wanted was to plant a bomb and explode the entire police HQ, taking that detective, the witness, and any sketches they might’ve gotten done of him with it.<br/><br/>Andreas relied on a keener instinct, though.  While it had let him down once, it had only been this single isolated incident, and so he was willing to put his faith back in it.<br/><br/>Find a way in.  See what they know.  Take out the witness.<br/><br/><i>Have some fun.</i><br/><br/>He finished packing, but it didn’t take long.  He never let himself get so settled in that bolting on short notice would’ve become a hassle.  There were other things he had to see to before he left town so he could arrange himself more closely.  An idea had come to him and he had to set the wheels in motion ahead of time.  A little hacking, a little fudging some records…  He even had a contact or two who could help him fill in the blanks and cover for him if things started getting sketchy.  One of them had some pretty handy connections in high places to help make everything go over a little smoother.  Still, any way he went into it, getting in that deep was a huge risk.  He was putting himself right in the den of lions.<br/><br/>After it was all set in place, Andreas packed away the rest of his equipment and did one last check to make sure he hadn’t left anything behind.  What he did leave was the keycard to the room, along with a note for James explaining that something work related had come up and he had to leave last minute.  There were a few short but sweet sentimental praises, and he signed it only with a large<i>XO</i>at the bottom.  It had been fun, hadn’t it?<br/><br/>It was getting late by the time he stepped into the building.  Someone in his position should’ve been shaken, nervous, or at least a little anxious.  Admittedly, the idea had been a little uncomfortable in the beginning, though now that Andreas was there, he thought it was a rush.<br/><br/>“Hey,” he called out as he stepped up to the first desk, flashing a smile at the average looking guy sitting at it.  The man already looked annoyed, even before Andreas planted a hand on the messy surface and leaned on it like he belonged there as much as the stacks of paperwork.<br/><br/>“Help you?” the uniformed officer grunted.<br/><br/>“Hope so.  Is the captain in?  I’d like to at least see that my papers are getting processed so I can start as soon as possible.”<br/><br/>“What, a transfer?  You taking ol’ Joe’s place?”  He was given the once over.  “Kind of young for a detective, ain’t ya?”<br/><br/>“I moisturize,” Andreas answered in a saccharine purr, then held up the file of paperwork he had in his left hand.  He had played the game long enough to know that trying to get anywhere with a bitter asshole was a waste of time, so he’d just give the man his own treatment.  “You want to tell me where I’m supposed to take these, or do want me to make it up as I go along?  I can think of a couple of options that sound really good, right now.”<br/><br/>“Jeez, fine.  Over there.  Door on your left.”<br/><br/>“Thank you,” he muttered.  The tone felt more appropriate for a<i>‘finally’</i>.  Bold as he always was, the blond strode over to where he’d been directed and rapped on the (not) fancy windowed door.  “I know it’s late in the day,” he explained when the older gentleman he assumed to be the captain opened up.  “I just wanted to go ahead and drop these off personally.”<br/><br/>“What’s this, then?”<br/><br/>“A transfer.  It was short notice, but I’m supposed to lateral in as a detective.  Everything should be in your system, by now.”<br/><br/>“I didn’t hear about a transfer…” the gruff man muttered, flipping through the pages presented in the folder.  His eyes settled on one spot in particular and he started to read.  “Jesus…”  Andreas smiled a little in response, feigning some kind of smug pride he couldn’t own at that moment.  Most of what was there was all lies.  A lot of the abilities were true, but he hadn’t accomplished all the paperwork claimed.  Some things were similar.  Undercover operations and the like.  What probably stood out the most was his record of solving murder cases.  The best way to get to the witness and the information about the case was to be put on it, and that was what he was aiming for.<br/><br/>“I live and breathe homicide, Sir,” he chuckled.  “I’d be happy if you accepted me on your team.”<br/><br/>“And the records are all in?”<br/><br/>“Mm-hm.”<br/><br/>“Fingerprints and all?”<br/><br/>“Yep.”  Another lie.  The fingerprints were as fake as the rest of what was there.<br/><br/>“Good.  I might have the perfect spot for you…” the man claimed as he spun and went to his computer.  After some typing and a few clicks, Andreas could see the spread of a smile from under a silver moustache.  Perfect.  Everything was just as it should’ve been.  The desk phone was snatched up and the captain called for… someone.  “Is Murphy still here?  Tell him I want to see him.”