Chapter 97:... 4AM Visitor

Kate's car was parked outside the apartment's courtyard. There were no other occupied parking spaces anywhere. The only other space was in the alley behind the building. That space was located beside the utility room. I parked there, but only after I looked over the whole courtyard using the images from the surveillance cameras stored on line. I went through the rear door of my apartment. Since it was the only apartment with a rear door there was no incentive for the other residents to park back there. They would still have to walk all the way around. Not to mention that there were tow away signs and I planned to call the tow trucks.

Once inside the courtyard I stopped and listened carefully to the sounds of the night. There was nothing out of the ordinary. The walk lights along the path from the gate to the building came on as they sensed me in the area. Those kinds of sensor switched lights had become very inexpensive and available everywhere. Checking the courtyard wasn't necessary, but I did it anyway.

The downside to all the security for the residents was a thirty foot walk from the parking lot to their doors. Not a big deal until it was raining, snowing or even bitter cold. It wouldn't be a lot of fun with an arm load of groceries. I was planning to suggest a small folding grocery cart and a golf umbrella in the tenant's car at all times. We would just have to see how all that worked out.

Since they removed the drive through overhang and windows, my unit looked just like everyone else's. That was a good thing I thought. I didn't need to be all that easy to find. But I knew that Martin would, and he most likely would do it that very night. He had to know I made him, since he wasn't trying to hide his identity.

My guess was that he would drop off Kate, then circle the block. Most likely he would come park on the street, walk through the alley and try the rear door. Well all that was, if he had a death wish. Even thought I figured him to be from Swamp Thing, I had no intention of holding a professional at gunpoint while I asked. I planned to blow his ass into next week, so he better be good. My guess was that he knew I was expecting him. "So Martin," I said aloud. "Let's see how good you are, and if I'm worth recruiting."

I will give him this, he wasn't a rabbit in bed obviously. He didn't show until 4AM. I had spent a lot of nights awake checking parking lots, so it was a magnificent thing to have the cameras. I sat in the dark, but in the corner of my bedroom on a big ole pillow sipping coffee. It was quite a step up from the back of a cold van with cold coffee.

I saw his SUV pull in beside Kate's little foreign thing. Then I watch both pull away after a few minutes. After that I was wide awake and very careful to make no noise. When he came he was quiet, but you can't be absolutely quiet breaking into a place.

"Don't Shoot Maxine, I come in peace," he said from the kitchen.

"What makes you think I'm not asleep?" I asked.

"If you were sleeping, knowing what I allowed you to find out, I wouldn't need to talk to you at all." he said reasonably.

"So how was the bonus I threw you?" I asked.

"Enthusiastic," he replied with a laugh. He paused then went on, "How about some light while we talk?"

"Oh are we going to talk?" I asked.

"I certainly hope so, I spent a week scouting you out." he admitted.

"Let me see if I got this time line right? I survive my little road trip with Vlad, and you begin scouting me out, as you call it, while they finish my apartment building." He nodded. "Now that it is finished, you are ready to have a chat?" I asked.

"Exactly, who said women weren't intuitive?" he asked.

"Some man no doubt," I replied. "Turn on the light.' When he flipped the switch on the wall, he was probably expecting a lamp or low watt overhead light. He had to be shocked by the florescent snake like bulb hanging from the ceiling. It was the equivalent of a 150 watt incandescent bulb. I watch as he involuntarily shrank back. It was an interesting effect, but predictable.

"So Martin, if that is your name, what can I do for you?" I asked. "More to the point what can I do for Swamp Thing?"

"Edgar said you renamed everything. I can't say that I disapprove of Swamp Thing." He paused, and when I didn't respond he went on. "We are setting up a list of operatives we can call on for domestic security operations. We need women, even more we need women with your unique qualifications."

"Oh and what do you think those are?" I asked.

"Let's not play games. We know you will sacrifice your body to get the job done. There aren't many who will do that. You are also willing to trip a trigger without hesitation when it is necessary."

"Or stand bye and let someone else do it, if thats what the mission calls for." I added that, since he obviously knew about me and Vlad.

"That to," In other words you are a smart, resourceful, and dedicated operative, just what we need." Martin said.

"Not to mention a middle-aged white woman who doesn't look like a hired killer. Thanks but I'll pass on the assassin job."

"You know I wouldn't be here, if it were that. This is a counter assassin position, if you need a name like that. Your job isn't to kill anyone, It's to keep the client alive." he said.

"Sweetie, if it wasn't to kill people, you would be out hiring college kids?" I suggested.

"Actually we do hire college kids as well, but sometimes we need their mother along for the ride." He didn't try to soften the impact of his words. He knew that I would respect him less if he did. "You have one more big plus."

"What is that?" I asked.