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Author's Chapter Notes:
I hope you guys still love Jack!! Thank you!!

She sleeps peacefully her head leaned against the window, her body huddled up on the seat as I pull into the motel. If I leave her here at the motel, she won’t follow me and she’ll be out of any kind of danger. I carefully get out of the car so I don’t disturb her sleep and check in.

A couple of minutes later I exit the office and she is leaning against the car watching a couple at the end of the corridor going at it. “You know he’s going to hit her any minute.” she huffs, with a roll of her eyes.

“Well…that’s to bad for her…come on. I gotta go do something.” I start to pull my bag out of the car, and feel her eyes boring a whole through me. “What?”

“You just don’t give a shit about anybody, but yourself. Would you hurt a woman? I mean, just cause she’s being mouthy doesn’t mean she deserves to get beat up. Or does it Jack?” she crosses her arms over her chest and purses her lips in anger.

I guess I pushed a button “No…of course not I never said that. What I’m saying is that, I’m not going to get in the middle of a lover’s quarrel. You got that?” I sling the bag over my shoulders and grip my laptop case in the other hand.

Crystal pushes herself off the car and starts down the corridor “Fine I will…”

Motherfucker! This woman is so much better as the sweet, innocent and fearful girl I usually see. I throw my shit back into the car, “Crystal get your ass back over here, damn it woman.” I storm after her, but she has a good distance between us. Just as I reach her, the fucker let’s the girl that is many years younger than him have one in the face.

“Hey asshole” Crystal voices, making the man stop with a raised hand. Didn’t I say I wanted this trip to be hazardous free, I have a feeling I’m gonna get my ass beat down any minute.

“Who the fuck are you…” he snaps at her, then turns to look at me “You should put your bitch on a leash, so she stays out of other people’s business.” I look over at the frightened girl that is cornered by the overgrown man.

He’s about two feet taller than the cowboy and he has a mass of uneven muscles all over the place. I clear my throat, cause let me tell you it’s rare the times that I feel threatened, with exception of this week and a half of course. So right now, yeah, I feel threatened. He actually looks like a WWF reject. Ha, that was funny…OH SHIT!!

My feet dangle off the floor and my head hurts from him slamming me against the wall. Why in the hell is everyone so fucking overgrown around here? He’s got me by the collar, funny how now I’m the bitch about to get slapped around. “Yo…asshole…calm the…fuck down.” I try to voice, but he’s got a tight grip on my throat.

“Put him down you asshole.” Crystal holds the gun in her hand, my jaw drops and my hands fly to look for my gun. How the hell could I tread my scrawny ass over here and forget the gun. She doesn’t look frightened at all and she stands her legs sexily spread apart, the gun pointed directly at this monsters back and a really somber look on her face. Like if he makes a false movement she wont be afraid to pull the trigger.

“W..what…the fuck?” I pipe.

“Never mind you’ve trained her well…” the man chuckles letting me fall to the ground, with a thump. I choke a little, watching as the monstrous man grabs hold of the frightened girl and walks away.

I get up quickly snatching MY gun from this girl that I like better, quite and innocent. “Have you lost your fucking mind, pointing a gun at someone. You wouldn’t hurt a fly if you had too.” I can’t help it, I have to scold her.

“Yeah well he was choking you, not to mention that if he wanted to, he could have snapped you like a twig. I had to do something Jack. Plus my dad and Nick have taught me how to shoot a gun, there is nothing too it really. You think I’m just this stupid, innocent dumb ass girl. Don’t you?” she grabs her bag from the car and stands waiting for me.

“No, I never said that” ok, I didn’t saaaay it, but I constantly think it. I look at my watch, I have to kill three hours and show up at Mr. Miller’s home at 4 o’clock. When I enter the room I can still hear her bitching and moaning. I look around and notice two beds, I sigh with relief. I Don’t think Junior would behave with her in the same bed as me, I place my bags next to the nightstand and plop down on the bed. Exhaustion hits me all of a sudden and I close my eyes still hearing her voice rambling on, as I start to doze off.

A while later, I groan as I open my eyes and find the kid on my bed, she is on her stomach, legs in the air, elbows propped up, chin in her hands and that damn book opened. “Hey there sleepy head!” she mutters, not even looking up at me.

“Uh…don’t you have your own bed?” I let out a groan, stretch out, but stay in place.

“You didn’t even know I was here…plus at some point you even put an arm over me” she snickers, moving a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear.

I can’t help sounding like a child “I did not! What in the hell has gotten into you? What happened to that nice girl back at the ranch.”

“She is still here, but you don’t seem to like her much sooo…” She continues to read her book, not really lookiing up at me. I'm a little disappointed, I guess I'm so used to her always looking at me with puppy eyes.

I look at my watch and leap out of the bed “Holy shit I have to go…I’m going to be late?” I wash my face, pull on a clean black shirt, and make sure to stuff my shit under the bed. I’m hoping she won’t get to curious and check anything out. Well, she doesn’t have my fucking password, so she will be shit out of luck. I just have to make sure to give her the evil eye and remind her to stay away “I’ll be back in a bit, and stay out of my shit.”

“I wasn’t even thinking about going into your things…I’m not curious one bit. Although you’ve never told me what you do for a living, you know.” she closes her book, gets up and sits Indian style, waiting for my answer.

Didn’t she just say, she wasn’t curious. “You just said your not curious!”

She shrugs “I’m not, I just…it‘s normal to know what people do for a living. I haul hay and clean stalls, freakin lovely. What do you do Jack?”

I could tell her I’m a sales person, although they don’t dress like this, people would close their doors in my face or not bother opening, thinking I'm going to rob them. Hum…I’m an exterminator, yeah that’s a good one, I get rid of unwanted pests. Uh, technically I don’t know if these people are pests and well exterminators don travel around, like I do. Shit, I wont answer it, plain and simple “I’d love to play this get to know Jack game right now, but I’ve got to go…so I’ll see you in a while. Please stay out of fucking trouble. I don’t feel like being manhandled by a wrestler again, knocked on the noggin or shot at for the rest of the day.” I don’t even let her answer or ask anything else and I close the door behind me.

The drive to Miller's house was about twenty minutes, I’ve been standing against the wall for the past ten minutes. Finally the he parks his car and hops out. He holds a briefcase in his hand, and doesn’t even notice me standing there.

I take the last puff of my cigarette and then fling it onto the pavement, striding behind the older man, who hasn't even noticed me behind him. I’m having an adrenaline rush, my palms are sweating, my heart is pumping full force, there is sensation running up and down my enitre body and my stomach is in knots. Although lately I would almost bet that instead of a rush, it’s more like nerves.

I know what your thinking, it’s almost a joke for me to have nerves at this point, after hundreds of people. Yes, I said it…hundreds, I can’t help it if it pays to kill or if that was what I learned from my supposed father figure. Fucking sue me. I watch as he turns into the driveway of a big white house, and starts for the backyard, which is working out great for me, less chances of being seen.

Suddenly he turns and flinches as he sees me so close to him. I reach out and grab him by the collar and slam him against the backdoor, his hands try uselessly to pry my hand from his neck. He chokes, on his words, trying to speak. Without warning his fist jabs into my rib and I can’t help but fold over in pain, making me lose my grip on his neck.

He lets out a couple of gasps and frantically tries to open the door. “I know…what…you want?” he mutters, but I don’t answer. I groan and get back up. Just as he swings the backdoor open, I throw myself onto him knocking him over, and making his briefcase skid across the kitchen floor. I almsot sit on him, and struggle to keep him down on his stomach, but he puts up a fight. This is not turning out as easy as I thought it would be. Although lately what the fuck is easy for me? NOTHING!

My arm struggles to wrap around his neck, if I get a good grip I can do it quickly and get all this shit over with. “Please…I have a family…my son…”

I have him in a headlock in my left arm, and the palm of my right hand is up against his neck, as I find the proper way to do this. Then out of the blue I see this little kid standing in shock in front of us “Daddy” the kid squeals and his blue eyes lock with mine “Let…him go…” he demands with his little girl voice.

“Shut the fuck up kid…” I snap, as I squeeze on Miller’s neck.

“Please…don’t let…him…see…look…I…know…who…” he forces himself to speak “You are…your…Jack!!”

My grip loosens quickly “What the fuck are you talking about? How the hell do you know my name? Spit it the hell out…now!” I give him a squeeze. “Send the kid away…first.”

“O…o…ok…” he looks over at his son and I can see the fear in both of their eyes, it’s not the same feeling anymore. Usually I love to see the fear I impose on my targets, now I almost feel remorseful. Right now, I’m about ready to run the hell out of here and never do this again. “Son…bring me the briefcase…” he gives the kid a weak smile and the boy slowly lifts up the case and drags it over to where we are, his eyes never looking away from me. “Thank you…now go back to bed. Ok! NOW!”

I watch carefully as the kid disappears and I tighten up my grip on the man again “So what is this information…I want it now!”

He tries to nod and I loosen up again “Look, I’m Don’s lawyer, I’ve represented most of his men…and you guys aren’t many. I failed at this one, so now he wants me dead…look I have a family and I promise to get the hell out of here, so it looks like I’m dead…just please don’t kill me.”

I roll my eyes at his pleading, whatever he just said doesn’t help me any, Don has sent to kill many of his ex workers, friends, hell even family members. “That doesn’t seem to affect me in any way. Your just wasting my time and I have a check to collect after this.”

“NO…please…I was rambling…the real truth is that I have information that I’m not supposed to have. I have all of your files…Howie’s…Tom’s…Meyer’s…Don…Ed…you…I have your file. I can give it to you…just…please…It has your life in it…I just beg that you let me live and get as far away with my family as possible.” I’ve crawl off of his back and I lean against the kitchen wall as I watch him open the case with his shaky hands. "Tom is on some assignment I have no info on it...the other two I don't know...but...uh...Howie, he's supposed to kill some girl...but all his attempts have failed, so Don isn't too happy. he's sending Meyer's after him."

I grin, Meyer's wont need to do the job, because I'll be sure to do away with Howie as soon as I get home. He's the bastard that shot at us that night, the one that roughed up the kid and was tending to the wounds he had inflicted this morning. I could kill him right now, if it were possible. Who the fuck could want Crystal dead. She is just a damn kid. I knew he looked fucking suspicious...god damn it.

Miller's hand reaching out with the file in it, brings me back to the moment. I’m excited and a little frightened to see what this file contains…I want to know right away, but when I take it from his hands. I stand up, staring at it and then stuff it in the back of my pants where my gun usually goes. “Now you listen to me…you get the fuck out of here right now…not in an hour…later tonight…tomorrow…next week…RIGHT THE FUCK NOW!! I’ll be coming around in an hour and if your not gone…Miller…I’ll kill you and MAKE your family watch.” I really don’t mean that, god the kid was frightened enough, not everyone deserves to be traumatized for the rest of their god damn lives. “Now hurry the fuck up…and…thanks”

I rush out of the house, cursing a storm, I can’t believe I just let one of my targets get away. Never have I failed…I guess that phrase will never be said by me again. I hear the file crinkle against my back and the seat, as I hop into the car. It's little times that I've felt nervous, ok, before I came to Greenville, but I'm fucking nervous about this file. If it has my life story...it must have my family information and maybe my real name. I sigh and fight my curiosity, then drive off, I got to make sure the kid is still alive and well…then I’ll check the file.