Business before pleasure

By Raúl Piad Ríos

— Can you see something? – asked the tall man, pale as someone that doesn’t go out too
often or that has anemia.
— Same as you ––responds his partner while protecting his fedora hat from the wind––
nothing.
The other one lets out a fake laugh, spitting it out. Then he turns his back against him,
scratching his head with annoyingness.
– I think we’re wasting our time. Let’s just say, your enthusiasm doesn’t help much either.
– Yeah, I haven’t had my coffee yet. That always gets me cranky.
– That’s why I don’t have any addictions, because in the end…
– Wait! I think the bitch’s coming.

The other partner quickly looks away and stops talking. He tries not to make a sound and he
leans on his partner’s shoulder, whom is resting against their almendron1. For a couple of
seconds, they stare at a specific direction in the multitude, all crowded between the near avenue
and the deserted park. A figure suddenly curves down until it disappears behind a bunch of
rickety trees.

– No, nothing, false alarm. It was just an old lady.

– Could it be possible? –he cups up his hands and blows into them–. Even with this cold
weather.
– Let’s just wait another while.
– Are you sure she’s going to come this way?
– That’s what we’ve been told, but he could’ve been lying to us.
– Let that asshole wait and see –he cracks his fingers–. Some people never learn.

1
American vehicles from the fifties in Cuba.
They remain in silence. The tall man thinks about his room at the motel, in taking a hot shower
and abandoning him right away. Any stay that lasts more than a week usually calls employee’s
attention. The other one admits that even though the job has become a fiasco, it wouldn’t be a
good idea to fleet the city. They’ve yet to try all of their possibilities.
The money is a good plus, but not the main goal.
Suddenly a silhouette tears apart from the multitude. The man stands up straight and he
contemplates her indiscreetly. She reminds him of the girls that were his object of desire from
when he used to attend the institute: good looking, fun, with a curvy figure –although, later they
are destined to gain weight as years go by– a natural beauty that is bound to end makes it even
more desirable.
–– I think it’s her –the wind twists his fedora hat–. Let me see the picture.
–– You think so? –– The image of a similar young woman appears on the screen of his
omniplaque ––. Doesn’t she seem thinner?
–– They always seem skinnier in pictures –– He again starts to compare the virtual model
with the actual flesh and bone–– Yep, that’s her.
–– Perfect. Well, same as always; quickly and without making any noise.

He nods his head and walks towards the back of the car where he simulates to have found
a broken part of the vehicle. With his peripheral view he sees the girl walking in their direction.
The street is narrow and a bit lonely, the lights of the old municipal station flicker at the
other side, but the surroundings remain solitary. You can only hear the distant roaring of the
trains and the unintelligible mumbling of the broken speakers announcing arrivals and
departures.
Now that he sees her closely he realizes, indeed, that she is a fetishistic dream come true:
bronzed skin and green-eyed brunette. He waits for her to get a little closer and with the
efficiency of having rehearsed the same routine a thousand times, he takes a couple of steps and
stands in front of her.
–– Hey hottie –he says– Can I take you somewhere?
She looks at him and then turns her head away, as she thinks about her options. All of a sudden
her face melts as if it were wax and the corners of her lips softly curve up.
 – I’m not going too far, thank you –– her eyes enhanced by dark eye shadow looking at the
parked vehicle––. Besides, I don’t think that you have a chance to take me anywhere in
that.
— As you wish, doll. Whatever you want.
He moves to the side, just enough so that she has to brush against him as she walks. He
perceives the feeling of her skin, warm despite the cold: her perfume, floral but light enough to
vanish from the client’s skin.
Fucking bitch.
He moves his head whit a subtle gesture, his partner clears his throat and throws himself over the
young lady. After a quick struggle he grabs her by her arms and twists them behind her back. A
scalp vibrates against her throat; a strand of blood flows down her neck.
––How about now beautiful? What do you say? ––he whispers, his head barely a shadow
over her neck.
The youngster doesn’t kick nor resists, even though her muscles tense up under her
clothing. She tries to avoid her feet slipping, stuffed in tights and smooth leather shoes, while the
men drag her into the car.
––Maybe we can come to an agreement –– she says to them with a nice contralto voice––
Would you guys like to have me as your little friend for a while?
––Maybe ––as his fedora falls to the side ––Will you do anything that we ask of you?
––Just as long as it’s reasonable, that I like it…and that you both use a condom.
––I can’t speak for you ––His hand lowers her head––, but I’m sure we’ll have a good
time.
She takes a deep breath and tries to relax. His hand loosens off from her head and he
shifts it towards the edge of the seat, where he takes out a hidden pistol. With a quick movement,
he stabs the silencer onto her back. The bullet is fast, she dies immediately.
––Shit! ––shouts the other––Why did you do that? We had plenty of time to have some
fun.
––If you want to have some fun wait until you get paid and then waste your money on
some other girl. We’re here for business.
The other one mumbles under his breath and puts the lifeless body to the side. Then, he
takes out a small surgical kit from his jacket’s pocket along with a pair of latex gloves. He works
quickly and efficiently, cutting precisely. His partner observes him, and when they finally find
what they were looking for, he becomes relieved. She’s definitely the right girl.
––Let’s see ––he wipes the sweat off his face with his sleeve –– Is this a new model?
––Nah, it’s the same as usual just updated ––a tiny silver rhombus shines before his eyes,
still covered in blood––, but it has more memory and better transfer speed.
He adjusts his fedora and holds out the rhombus. He opens an access port situated in the
rear part of the artifact, where he plugs in a cable that connects to his omniplaque. He starts the
software and lets it run. Minutes later, a beep draws a smile on his face.
He observes the videos, images and sound recordings downloaded on the device. Before
his gaze begin to appear sweaty faces, videos of money going from one hand to another, and the
sounds of moaning and grunting. He even begins to recognize the faces of a couple of big fishes.
The files are not of high quality, but they could be improved by a stabilization program.
––We have good stuff here ––he comments while separating videos and images of each
client––. Let’s keep some of them as a backup. You never know.
––Yeah you’re right, you never know ––he repeats.
––Let’s get moving, we’ve already taken too long.
The other one starts to grumble, and he shifts to the driver’s seat. He puts the bloody
gloves and kit in a plastic bag and reviews the girl’s telephone to copy all the contacts and recent
calls.
Do you think that the clients know about the recording chip? –– he asks with his hands on
the wheel.
Maybe they can imagine it ––shrugging his shoulders––, but I’m sure they don’t tell them
everything. It’s better, because that way the company carries all the fault.
––They are expensive, but they couldn’t get any better! They even put blood on them
now! ––He turns back with bitterness – Look at the backseat.
He can’t do anything less than giving him the right. He starts to look at the dead girl again. He
doesn’t feel sad but he notices a sensation of waste. She was pretty, they make them prettier
every time and he would have liked to enjoyed her a little longer. Although, he might have left
too many hints, including a condom.
Either way, one can always find one later on. Maybe one of the same series but like snow
white, he has always preferred dark hair and light skin girls.