She replied, "Just thought I'd check."No one can say for sure.I mean, I really don't know if you are who I think you are.

"It's clear that I am not, so you should just let me go right now."

That might be a little risky for me, then.Additionally, I have not yet fulfilled my contract.

“I see.Is this my contract?

"Somebody is."

"There is no one else in the vicinity that is within the range of that pistol, is there not?

She smiled as she took a look at the gun.Yes, that exists.

I seized the chance to slowly stand up.In order to ensure that I could not reach her, she stood and cautiously stepped back.I thought that was very wise, but my shift of position had covered the draw of my own pistol, which was now pointed at her.

"So, now what?"For the third time, I asked.

"I knew that button shit was a ruse," she said.

"You would have shot me if you had done that."

"No, no, I still haven't decided if I'm going to."She had not once responded to my gun.She was talking like it wasn't there.It was clear that she was confident in her abilities.

"What are you anticipating?"I pressed.

"I'm trying to figure out if I dislike you sufficiently."

"And how is it going?"

"In the middle."

" I nodded.People react that way to me.

"Maybe you ought to reconsider it now.You probably have the financial means to become more like me and more likeable.might be preferable for you.

"And how are you doing with that?

Oh, it works perfectly.However, I also have better looks than you do.

"I'll give that one to you.Does that work for you with men and women alike?

She chuckled, "You have no idea."

So, we're here.a conflict with Mexico.Two murderers, each with a gun aimed at the other and no apparent escape route.What ought we to do?”

I believe I could use a drink.What do you think?

I had planned for us to negotiate a scenario in which we each retreated with a gun pointed at each other until we were both "safe."It was yet to be determined whether one of us followed the other to complete the task or whether we both did.I wasn't sure if I could afford for anyone to know what I looked like while I was still alive.

But a beverage?That was a surprise.the third time around.

I believe I've lost touch.

Police sirens disrupted the morning peace as we walked calmly to the bar in the city.I had disassembled the rifle, packed it in a flight case, and then dropped it off at a post office on the way to a postal holding center so that it could be shipped there until it was safe for me to pick it up.

We now ordered coffee from a quiet bar from a booth at the back.With her drink, the woman ordered a whisky.Since there was nothing behind us, we had both naturally moved to a booth in the back to see the shop entrance.You survive on good habits.Right now, we were probably more at risk from each other than anyone else in the room.Since we had moved away from the sniper nest I had created, I had placed the pistol in my pocket and kept my hand on it as much as I could.I assumed that the woman in front of me had done the same.I examined my memory for all that I had some awareness of her and concentrated on her eagerly.

I began by saying, "I admit that this is very unexpected."

"Being discovered, you mean?"She said it while raising an eyebrow.

Yes, that is also the case.However, I was implying that this appears somewhat random.You have a gun to my head and a contract to kill me the next moment.The following line is "Let's go for a drink."It just seems a little odd.And unanticipated."

The woman laughed.Well, it's time to celebrate and toast the unexpected.I reciprocated with my coffee cup after she presented me with her shot glass.

"For me, it's a little early."

We don't really have a set circadian rhythm any more, do we?Somewhere it always arrives late."

I took a sip of my coffee.Like us?

"Match us."

I remained silent and observed her.She was stunning.Despite looking much younger, probably ten years younger, I estimated her to be in her mid-forties.She could easily be mistaken for a wide range of nationalities due to her dark hair, dark eyes, and pale complexion.

I awaited her subsequent speech.I didn't like to share.I wanted her to reveal more by breaking the silence.She didn't let me down.

She said, "Okay, Mr Talkative."You and I are alike.We are both murderers.We share many similarities."

We share nothing other than our chosen profession.I said.I didn't find it offensive and didn't want to make her feel bad.To let her know that, I smiled.I wanted her to continue speaking.

The woman reciprocated with a smile.Before you make a decision, maybe we should get to know each other better.After all, I did save your life earlier.

"You helped me survive?"I would consider her funny.

"Yes, I could have and should have killed you, but I didn't, and now we're sitting here drinking coffee as friends," he stated.

I said, "Ah, I see."So, why did you not?

Something wasn't right.I desired to locate you.I wanted to meet you, and that was the challenge.However, something was off about the hit.I don't kill people without a conscience.I do this for more than just money.There was no justification for your death.I wasn't happy about it.

"There was a reason."

“Neither of which I was aware of nor could I discern.I figured I'd find you, see how you were, and try to figure it out.or murder you.Interestingly, I made the decision that we ought to get to know each other better.

But I don't need to learn more about you.I have all the information I need about you.

“Everything?”

You were given up as a baby and were born in South Africa, where you never knew your real parents.Possibly because you were the victim of an extramarital affair or even a rape, and possibly also because you were of mixed race, despite the fact that it is not immediately apparent.Adopted by a black Cape Town family who gave you their name Simbine and the name Emma because you didn't have one.When you were eighteen, you joined the South African Police Force.You volunteered for the Special Task Force when you were 21 years old.Only slightly more than one hundred of the four hundred and fifty applicants were selected.Only forty of them completed the selection's preparation and conditioning phase, and only twenty completed basic training.After basic training, the first nine months were spent learning different weapons, parachuting, and the usual physical and unarmed combat. After that, diving, VIP protection, explosives, and medical training were taught.

“After working for the STF for a few years, you were hired by a private contractor to work in Baghdad as a protection and hostage recovery specialist before transitioning into assassination.You blew a hit on Hezbollah after becoming extremely proficient and earning quite a reputation.Deborah, you were fortunate to escape and were saved by a British group, who gave you a new identity and now employ you for wet work.

I caught Simbine's eye.She said something with her mouth open, then she closed it again.I could see that I had shocked her.I tried to avoid feeling proud.

She eventually said, "Your knowledge is extensive, and I haven't been called Emma Simbine in a very long time."Debs is what my friends call me.

It is essential to be aware of your rivals.Emma, I also don't think we're friends yet.You signed a contract to kill me, and I have no idea why we are sitting here drinking coffee instead.

To begin, I never signed the contract.I was offered it, but I didn't take it.Before deciding whether or not to accept the contract, I wanted to see if I could locate you.Second, I am not your rival.Yours is far more well-known than mine currently is or ever will be.You have been credited with everything from Fagin F. Kennedy to Saddam Hussein.Since no one really knows, people will assume you were hit if no one reports it.Even when a company claims a hit, they still assume you are the culprit.No one knows which ones are true and which ones aren't, so they can't all be true.

Because they were so absurd, some of the rumors about me appeared to have originated in Marvel comics.They made everyone laugh all the time.I figure I could have my own series.I might be played by Tom Hardy in the movie.

“ Simbine went on.Nobody knows who you are, what you look like, or how to get in touch with you.You are nothing but a ghost.You are known by the name George.Okay, so far?

She had merely repeated the legends.Some of them I even cultivated myself.For me, reputation didn't matter.That was plenty for me.It was done so that people would learn less about me rather than more about me.In the event that you're correct, you presently understand what I resemble, so perhaps I ought to kill you."I stopped and grinned.But you aren't sure if I'm the person you think I am or just another murderer.

"No, I'm fairly certain.You were located by me while I was looking for George.To me, it seems pretty conclusive.

“I suppose there is correlation.However, strictly speaking, you did not locate me; rather, you discovered me.I'm sorry to offend.On the way here, I've checked my steps.I only made one mistake, but it didn't make it possible for you to track me; otherwise, you would know more about me than just my name.

"Enough fair.To catch a thief, it was a thief.There was nothing to go on when I made the decision to go after you.Therefore, the only way to locate you was to attempt to think like you do.I try to figure out how I would do it after you get a contract, but the information was very sketchy.Everything came so late.Between the time I learned about a contract and when it was already completed, I sometimes did not have enough time to pack a bag.I discovered the man's body on one of them.Even the completion of the contract went unnoticed.I finally got there after signing a few contracts and a lot of mistakes.