Charmer

Gunshots and an oat milk vanilla latte. The only acceptable breakfast to start off a great day. Actually, not the only one. A stakeout and a pain au chocolat were also pretty damn good. Milo needed something sweet in the morning to get him ready for whoever he was supposed to kill that day. It wasn’t every day. Just most days. Not weekends or holidays though. He reserved those for drinking and eating whatever was in season. He got the most pleasure doing it among friends and colleagues but he could accept that not everyone was as much of a foodie as he was.

It was almost Thanksgiving and Milo was getting excited for the full week of feasting he hosted every year. Usually by the time the parties finally died down he had gained nearly twenty pounds. It would take him about until next Thanksgiving to work it off but he didn’t mind. It didn’t impede on his work and everyone was too fucking scared of him to tease him about it.

At that moment Milo’s daydreaming of stuffed turkey and cranberry sauce was interrupted by a bullet that shot past his ear, embedding itself into the wood with a crack.

He rolled his eyes.

These guys must be half blind if they can’t even graze at this distance, he thought with annoyance.

“You know,” he called past the shipping container he had parked himself behind, “If you’re going against a hitman you might wanna ask your mama to teach ya how to shoot first.”

He hopped out into the open and shot two of the mafia men right between the eyes then hopped back into his hiding place just a smattering of gunfire landed where he had been standing.

He chuckled. Milo had found the grunts that their own family had hired him to kill down at the docks holed up in a few empty shipping containers. He hadn’t gotten the warmest welcome but he hadn’t expected to. After all, they knew was trying to kill them and they didn’t know his reputation. If they had, it might have been more like a firing squad set up than having to pick them all off in ones and twos. He thought there were about five guys left.

Must be some kinda stupid to keep shootin’ when they know they’re all dead meat.

More gun fire sounded. Milo wondered briefly why they were shooting at a metal box.

A creak sounded from above him. He didn’t bother looking up as he leapt to the right and kept going as he heard bullets hit the ground behind him. He turned the corner and collided with one of the thugs. The man raised his gun but Milo was faster. A bullet to the neck had him falling even before Milo pushed past the dead man.

A searing pain bloomed on Milo’s arm. The guy on top of the crate had some talent after all.

Not for long though, thought Milo as he smiled through the pain.

He ran and bounded up on to one of the lower crates then hauled himself on to the next level grunting slightly at his injured arm. He didn’t like getting shot but it worked better to wake someone up than a bucket of ice water.

Milo could see his attacker now still looking down trying to find where his prey had gone.

“Over here darlin’!” Milo yelled, shooting the guy as he turned around. The man fell off the container and landed with a thud.

Milo jumped to the next container and the next till he saw the last guy back where he had first found them. He had his gun out and was scanning all around him. All around him at eye level.

The kill was fast. Milo didn’t bother saying anything to announce his presence. He was ready to go home and he needn’t drag this out any more than needed be.

He called up the boss that had paid him to take out the poor guys and told him the job was done.

“Thanks a lot Milo. That’s a load of shit that I don’t gotta deal with.”

“Language darlin’. But you’re very welcome. Can I expect the usual payment?”

Milo liked to get paid in two different ways for the work he did. Money transferred directly into a bank account so secure that if every hacker in the world got together and tried to get in they would have no luck. And a line of credit at whatever the fanciest restaurant was in the territory of the gang he’d done the job for.

“You know it. The joint’s called Saucy Sushi or something like that.”

“Thanks darlin’. Oh! I almost forgot” Milo received the directions his employer had sent, “Any updates? Anyone new or looking for someone to take care of business?”

“Actually yes.”

Milo perked up. There were almost never any new people or jobs that someone else heard about before he did.

“There’s a new fella in town. Heard he’s running with the Crowns. Supposed to be a pretty good shot. A real charmer too. That’s all I’ve heard.”

“Thanks for lettin’ me know.”

The call ended and Milo began his trek to the restaurant.

It ended up being even better than the places he usually went to. He ordered a bowl of shrimp ramen and a spicy tuna roll. They were both excellent. The set up was gorgeous with fountains in all corners, teardrop chandeliers and below floor level seating which Milo always thought made a restaurant more fun. The servers were very kind and relaxed. Probably because they didn’t know who he was. He was fine with that.

Milo didn’t really care about who knew his reputation. Even some of the police knew but he was too well connected for any kind of action to be taken. Besides, he didn't go after innocent people. He killed those you had done something to deserve it. Rebel gang members, rapists, murders. Sometimes he would even leave the bodies where police would find them. He wanted to make sure that people knew why these men were wanted dead. He didn’t kill for sport. People who did rather disgusted him. Taking human lives without reason was unacceptable. Though, Milo was sure that some people would say that taking lives at all was unacceptable.

Milo left the restaurant happy and ready to fall into a food coma.

As he walked he heard shouting coming from a bar about half a block down. The Lady’s Finger. He knew the place. It was less than savory but the burgers weren't half bad.

A crash sounded and a guy hurled through the door. He landed on his back in the street but was quick to get back on his feet. Three more guys shoved out of the place surrounding the first in a matter of moments.

A muscular young man that seemed to be their leader pulled out a colt. “You ain’t allowed to be anywhere near our fuckin’ territory.”

“We both know that this’ll be crown territory by the end of the month.”

Lord help this boy, thought Milo. He is diggin’ himself a hole to lay in.

The last statement earned the speaker a crack to the jaw.

“The fuck did you just say?”

Milo sighed and strolled over. This guy seemed like he had enough of a mouth on him to start a gang war and he was not in the mood.

“I said-”

“Can I help you fellas?” Milo smiled amiably discreetly sliding between the offender and the badmouth.

“You can help by minding yer own fuckin’ business,” said the man with the gun, “This doesn’t concern you.”

“Oh? I can’t help but think it does,” Milo said looking up at the other guy, “I don’t want you two fine gentlemen startin’ a war. Believe it or not I make a lot more money when there’s peace between you lot. And mind that dirty mouth of yours.”

All four people just stared at him.

He turned to face who he already knew to be the newcomer his last customer had told him about.

“Hello darlin’. What’s your name?” Milo held out a hand to shake.

A pause and then, “Leo.” He shook his hand.

“Leo. That sure is a nice name. Is it short for Leonardo?”

“It is.” Leo’s smile was rakish.

A charmer indeed.

“My name’s Milo.”

As soon as he said it all the men but Leo paled.

“M-milo?” one of the men asked tremulously.

“Yes sweetie. And I suggest if you don’t want anythin’ happenin’ to you you best keep all the words said here private. Understand?”

“Yes sir.” the leader said tightly.

“Aw darlin’ I wasn’t built for titles. Call me Milo and nothin’ else.”

“Yes Milo.” he said hurriedly.

The three men rushed back inside.

“I feel like there’s somethin’ I’m missin’.” Leo said, raising one eyebrow.

“It’s not too important. Don’t worry about it.” The guy would find out sooner or later. “Now darlin’ mind tellin’ me what you were doin’ kickin’ up trouble in another gang's territory?”

“I…” he sighed and tugged at the hair at the back of his neck, “I got told off by my boss.”

He looked at Milo as if to see if he was still interested. When he was met with big blue eyes fully anchored on him he blushed a little and kept going.

“I fucked up real-”

“Language darlin’.”

“I screwed up real bad. Made the wrong choice at the wrong time. Nearly got myself and a few others killed. I deserved the scoldin’ but my pride was sparkin’ and I thought a fight might help blow off some steam. I just wanted a friendly tussle, nothing that extreme.”

“You really are new to this, aren’t you?”

“That easy to tell?”

“Eh.” Milo shrugged. “How old are you sweetie?”

“23.”

“So not that young. Just new to the city. To its rules.”

“I guess,” Leo considered him, “Who are you anyways? Those guys were scared shit- I mean terrified of you.”

“Let’s just say I got a reputation that don’t match my face, personality or habits.”

“What? So you’re like a boss?”

“No no. I’m not strictly affiliated with any of the gangs. I just…” Milo seemed to be reaching for the right words, “Help them out from time to time.”

Leo nodded as if understanding when really he still couldn’t begin to guess who this guy was.

“Well I believe this is your place.”

Leo hadn’t realized how far they’d walked. They had made it all the way back to head of operations for the Crowns.

“Well, I’ll be seein’ you around.” Milo said as he continued to walk.

Leo hesitated then said, “Can I invite you to dinner sometime?”

“This some kind of ploy to try and kill me?”

Leo was shocked.

“Course not. I got no reason to.”

“Why should I believe you? I got plenty of enemies. How do I know you’re not some assassin?”

“Do you really think an assassin would nearly start a gang war just to get to you?”

“Yes actually. I think one would.”

“Well I’m not. How can I prove it to you?”

Milo considered.

“Take me somewhere real fancy and then,” he strode back over, “take me somewhere private so we could have some fun.” As he spoke the last part he took hold of Leo’s tie and leaning close, pulled it tight.

Leo swallowed, making Milo chuckle. He stepped back, took something from his pocket and slipped it into Leo’s.

“That’s my address and phone number. If you’re not an assassin you can text me tomorrow with where you want to meet.”

“I will!” Leo said louder than he meant to.

This made Milo laugh again.

He turned and started walking to his apartment. This entire interaction had taken maybe 30 minutes but that was 30 minutes Milo hadn’t been able to sleep in his feather bed.

“I’ll see you soon.” Leo called.

Milo grinned with his back turned.

He was most definitely a charmer. And Milo might just have been charmed.