Eliminator: Sloppy

I dumped Toni-131's body in the freezer in her kitchen, squashing her among stacks of ready meals. It was obvious that the room in her villa in which we'd met had seen violence, there was blood and shards from the wrecked vid-screen had gone everywhere. I sighed in frustration as I quickly scoured the villa, such a task was normally done by a clean-up crew, and then slumped onto the sofa Toni-131 had been on, an exhaustion settling upon me after the events of the day. If I continued it'd be likely all twelve of the city council would be dead at my hand and I couldn't disappear into the underground again, not after my presence had caused noticeable waves.

I woke suddenly a few hours later, initially disorientated. I relaxed as everything came back and rolled off the sofa. The two moons were high in the night sky, their light just enough to illuminate the room, and I padded over to the desk that dominated one wall. A laptop sat atop the wood and I flipped it open before powering it up. Toni-131 didn't have a passcode enabled and I was soon browsing through her files, learning information about the other councillors, as well as other prominent figures, that she'd squirrelled away. Her cleaning staff must have done more than just steal items, also pilfering secrets, and I was just about to start reading the documents when a gentle click made me pause. I was instantly moving, heading for where I'd heard the noise, and pressed myself against a wall, eyes darting about.

A tall classically beautiful woman, her blonde hair shoulder-length and parted over her left eye, was in the room, walking around the bed in its center. A sliding door had been left open behind her, the way she'd gained access to the villa.

"Toni? Love?" The words came out as whispers but to the enhanced hearing Toni had possessed they would have sounded like the speaker was just inches away. I started to sidle from my position but a shadow must have been visible. "You there love?"

I could never pass for Toni-131 but I couldn't let this new girl start investigating the rest of the villa either. I swung round the frame of the doorway, moonslight bringing half my features into view.

"Toni isn't available. Can I help?"

A scowl was on the woman's face as she tried to look around me.

"Toni called me here, arranged it like she always does. She'd have told me if something else came up. Where is she?"

I shrugged as I stepped into the guest-room, with a quick glance evaluating both the girl and the chamber's furnishings. She was unimpressive but I'd made that mistake with Toni-131 while the room was dominated by the bed, the only other item present a wardrobe in a corner.

"Place was empty when I showed up. I was expecting her though."

There was a flicker of movement as her gaze dropped and I could see her tense a moment later.

"I know everyone assigned as security, absolutely everyone Toni deals with. I've never met you."

I shrugged again, moving further into the room, and sprang forward, acting before the other woman could. I barrelled into her, the pair of us flying into an inner garden, and we landed heavily on well-maintained grass. The breath left her with a whuff and I shifted to be on my knees astride her. She was trying to squirm from beneath me, arms flailing, but a sharp slap stunned her.

"You're her bodyguard. Do you have a name?"

"Elsa-285."

I nodded and then slapped her again, the blow throwing her head to one side. As a red hand-shaped mark began forming on the struck cheek I reared up, balling my hands into fists.

"I have beaten people to death with these when I've had to. And the lack of any firearm means I have to."

She bucked violently, dislodging me, and we both rolled away from each other, ending up on either side of the inner garden. Elsa-285 was near an arched passage and took off the moment she found her feet, sprinting along the passage and out of the villa. I cursed as I followed, chasing her onto the street, but had to dive as a bullet whizzed past.

Elsa-285 was next to an old-world electric motorbike, a pistol in a firm two-handed grip. There was no cover for me, the only thing I had was speed, but even as I closed the distance I felt a bullet punch into my left shoulder. Again we clashed, knocking over the bike, and the pistol skittered away. Blood sprayed from protesting muscle as I swung a wild punch and I scrambled for the pistol, spinning the moment my hand touched its grip. Elsa-285 fell back just as she was rising, a neat hole in her forehead, and I let myself drop to the street too, lying on my back and trying to control my breathing.