"You STUPID," Punch.

"Piece," Punch.

"Of SHIT!" Punch.

It had been a mere two weeks since Mercedes and her roommate Sarah had left their respectable jobs. The kind of jobs that worked you fifty or sixty hours a week and paid your rent, maybe put a little food on the table. 

My, my, how things had changed. Here she stood over the unconscious body of some guy who had tried to snatch her purse while she was on her way home from...a long day of snatching purses.

The irony was not lost on her. But Don HooLZ had told her that this was the best way to hone her skills. Stealth wasn't good enough. No, you had to know your mark.

"Don't waste your time, love," he'd told her. "The take you could score in a day can be done in an hour if you pay attention to the mark."

Or some such shit. It was hard to focus on his words when his mouth was moving. He had fantastic lips. 

​​​​​​But he'd been right. She could really see her marks now, even guess within reason what she would find in their wallets. The way they walked, the cut of their suits, the shoes.

The shoes wrote most of the story. Looking down on her perpetrator, she guessed him low to mid-level mafioso. Wondering who he might work for, she rifled through his coat and pants pockets. He'd been at this a while...there were wallets, jewelry, cash, and...

What the hell was this? She looked down at a gold lame' card, about the size of one you'd play poker with. Totally blank but for a few tiny words professionally printed on one side. A cold sweat broke out on her skin and she looked up and down the alley she was in. No one there. She reread the card in her hand.

Mercedes.

Waterworks Park.

12PM tomorrow. 

​​​​​​

Just now reading a letter from my ex wife,

(woman's voice)

"Dear Max.

             I'm sorry but we can't do this anymore, the life you live and the things you do have put us all through shit that we never thought we would ever have to go through. Because of you, Bishop was killed and Little Max Jr was hunted down like a dog! That's your fucking son Max, how could you ever let that happen. But oh how you care more about your "so called career" than your REAL family. Max I care for you dearly but if you keep this up it will kill me and your daughter if we live even blocks within reach of you and one day I hope you realize after now losing your family and everyone that loves you that your profession will be a legend that only you will be proud of. On my end knowing all that I know about you, you have no worries, being the father of my child I will never talk, and I want to thank you Max for setting me and your daughter up with a new life in Spain. Goodbye Max and I hope you know that I will forever lo....."

Just as I was about to finish reading, the burden that was placed on me arrived, walking out his home. I stalked him like prey waiting on the perfect moment to clear the existence of this asshole. He walked to his car, ha, the douche decided to fire up a smoke before opening his door to his nice new midnight black 1938 Phantom Corsair, which was perfect for a night like this. I know I'm a opportunist and this was the perfect opportunity to complete my contract. Pouncing on this son of a bitch like a lion on a  god damn gazelle, I snatched my wire rope and embedded that shit in the meat of his throat slicing his adams apple as I dragged him to the dark alley next to his house as I delivered the message my employer HooLZ gave me.

"You useless, backstabbing motherfucking prick, value loyalty amongst all else" tightening the wire rope attempting to rip his head off.

As his face turned blue and all the life spilled from his corpse, it was time for me to clean up, chopping up the body and bleaching the scene. As I went to set his clothing aflame, out of the handkerchief pocket fell a nice gold looking room key at first glance. I took a second look and noticed my name imprinted on the card. With my hands bloodied I reached and and picked up the card and read it. Yea, this was more than a regular fucking work day, someone knew that I was going to take the trash out tonight and to find out just who I need to follow the instruction on this golden card.

"Mad Max" Santiago

Waterworks Park

12 o'clock PM Tomorrow