Loyalty's Price: The Hunter of Washington

Mandes had called him at midnight.

“I’ve got a tough one for you, Lorne.”

“Oh?” Lorne had been getting ready to go to bed. He was going to need all his strength tomorrow. They’d made a big deal about this job and he was eager to prove himself. “Let me guess, the head of the Washington Mafia?”

Mandes gave a low whistle that could barely be heard over the line. “You are good, Lorne. But I don’t think you know who I want you to kill.”

“The head of the Washington Mafia? No one else would make sense. Why would you want me to kill the head of the Washington Mafia? I’ve never even been in DC before. I don’t know anybody there, or even where they hang out. You have any connections there? Can we get some intel on where they live?” Lorne had only so many favors owed to him and he wanted to get this job done as quickly as possible so he could move on to someone else that needed killing.

Mandes turned and looked at Carla, who was sitting in his kitchen, sipping tea and watching him talk with Lorne on the phone with great interest. Mandes spoke into the phone again, “Lorne, there is no need for you to worry about that information. We have everything we need. You just need to show up at the house tomorrow night at ten o'clock sharp and kill everyone inside the house." Mandes turned away from Carla and started walking towards his bedroom, motioning for her to follow him as he continued talking through the phone. "Don't shoot through any windows - we don't want anyone outside noticing anything strange happening when you enter the house."

"Wait!" Lorne yelled after Mandes, trying to keep him on the phone long enough to get some answers as he followed behind Carla into their bedroom and closed the door behind them. "What's going on here? How do you know where they all will be?"

Mandes sighed into the phone, "We'll talk about that more in person tomorrow night, but please trust me when I tell you that everything has been taken care of." His voice took on a darker tone as he continued talking into the phone, "But I'm afraid it won't be safe for us to meet up until then because there's a lot of activity around my house right now." He put down his cell phone and started taking off his clothes while Carla walked over to her dresser and pulled out a handgun hidden underneath some dirty clothes in one of its drawers. "It looks like someone has seen our movements here tonight and sent some lackeyets after us." Mandes finished undressing and sat down on their bed with a sigh while Carla picked up his cell phone again and placed it back in his hand before putting on her robe and gun holster while keeping an eye on him through their bedroom door as she whispered into her radio transmitter while keeping her eyes on him.

The tension in the room was palpable. Lorne felt a shiver crawl up his spine. This job had suddenly taken a dark turn, and he wasn't sure if he could trust Mandes anymore. There was something off about the whole situation. But he couldn't back out now. Not when so much was at stake.

As Carla kept an eye on Mandes, Lorne pressed the cell phone closer to his ear, his voice heavy with suspicion, "Mandes, what the hell is going on? Are you telling me that you set me up? That this whole thing is a trap?"

Mandes's voice crackled with static, making it hard to discern his exact words, but Lorne caught the desperation in his tone. "Lorne, I swear to you, I had no idea. Something has gone wrong. It's not safe for you here. You need to be careful, okay?"

Lorne's mind raced. He didn't trust Mandes anymore, that much was clear, but he also couldn't disregard the danger that seemed to lurk outside their door. His instincts told him to be cautious and to trust no one. With a determined look in his eyes, he made up his mind.

"Alright, Mandes. I'll be there tomorrow night at ten o'clock sharp, just as you said. But remember, if this feels like a setup, I won't hesitate to protect myself."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and Lorne could almost hear Mandes deliberating. Finally, he spoke, his voice tinged with regret, "I understand, Lorne. Just remember, things are not what they seem. Trust your instincts."

With that, the line went dead.

Lorne and Carla exchanged a knowing glance. As much as they wanted answers, it was clear that Mandes wouldn't provide them over the phone. There was only one choice left—to face the unknown at the designated house tomorrow night.

As they prepared for the long and uncertain night ahead, Lorne and Carla shared their suspicions and devised a plan. Unbeknownst to Mandes, they had secretly been preparing for such a situation. They had contacts and resources scattered across the city, people they trusted implicitly. It was time to gather their allies and dig deeper into this mysterious job from Mandes. They couldn't afford any more surprises.

The following day was a blur of covert meetings and frantic strategizing. Lorne called in favors from old allies, using his reputation as a skilled assassin to rally support. Carla, on the other hand, tapped into her network of information brokers and hackers, determined to dig up any dirt on Mandes and the enigmatic target he had asked Lorne to eliminate.

As the hours ticked away, anxiety gnawed at Lorne's gut. The weight of the unknown pressed down upon him, but his determination to uncover the truth kept him going. He would not be a pawn in someone else's game.

Nightfall finally descended, painting the city in shadows. Lorne and Carla rendezvoused at a safehouse they had secured earlier. Standing before a well-worn map of the city, they laid out their plan. With their allies by their side, they would infiltrate the target's house, gather the evidence they needed, and confront Mandes.

The hands of the clock inched towards ten o'clock, and a mix of apprehension and resolve filled the room. Each member of their team knew the risks they were taking, the dangers that lay ahead. But they also knew they had to uncover the truth, no matter the cost.

As the final seconds ticked away, Lorne adjusted the holster on his side and exchanged a look with Carla. They nodded as one, their eyes filled with a steely determination. Tonight, they would walk into the lion's den, armed with their wits and the strength of their allies. They may not have all the answers, but one thing was certain—they would not let themselves be manipulated any longer.

With synchronized precision, Lorne and Carla led their team out of the safehouse and into the night, ready to face the secrets that awaited them within the walls of the unknown house.