Baby, You Are the Weapon I Choose

“Finally,” Mandy rolled her eyes as I opened the door. “It is way too hot, and I have been out here for like 8 minutes.”

“8 minutes?” I gasped, smirking. “However did you survive?”

She just smirked and stepped into the house. “Yeah, yeah sarcasm does not suit you Jonas.” Her eyes found Christine and quickly swept over her. She looked back and smirked at me. “Christine?”

Christine flushed as I laughed and took her hand. “Christine,” I repeated.

“Okay can we stop saying my name?” Christine said nervously.

Mandy laughed. “Right sorry. Anyways, I’m Mandy.”

“Hi,” Christine said timidly.

“If we’re done here,” I said. “I was showing Christine around the house.”

“Please tell me you’ve shown her your room already,” Mandy rolled her head back. “I do not want to here for that one.”

“That’s the third date,” I smirked, rolling my eyes. “Jeez Mandy.”

Christine fidgeted awkwardly. “Hey can I use your bathroom?” she asked.

I nodded. “Of course, first door to your left up the stairs.”

She nodded and walked up the stairs. Mandy and I stared after her for a minute. Mandy walked into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. “So what’s up?” I asked.

“I need your help,” she sighed.

“With?” I asked, immediately alert. Mandy wasn’t exactly the kind of person to ask for help unless she really needed it.

“Stephan Morris,” she handed me a card from her pocket. “He delivers food to the elderly.”

“And you’re going to kill him for that?” I asked, confused.

Mandy rolled her eyes. “He steals from them first.”

“Oh,” I said, understanding. “Why do you need my help then?”

“He’s seen me,” she admitted fretfully after a minute, hanging her head down in shame.
I stared at her in wonder. “You were spotted?”

She flushed as she looked at me. “It wasn’t my fault,” she exclaimed. “Look I can’t tell my mom I was spotted. She’d flip, and I’d be taken off this assignment. Please Joe? Just help me?”

I sighed. “Okay Mandy, I’ll help,” I said. “But after Christine falls asleep, okay?”

“Thanks,” she grinned. I just smiled. “So,” she said. “I like her.”

I looked up at her. “Really?” I asked.

“Yeah,” she grinned. “She’s a little shy, but I mean she’s cute. And nice. I could see it going the long run. I mean, she’s perfect for you.”

I sighed. Christine was everything I had always wanted. She was funny, and didn’t take my jokes or sarcasm seriously. And she was so fun to be with. “I have to kill her father,” I said quietly.

“Well,” Mandy said after a moment. “She was perfect for you.”

“Hey,” Christine came in. She grinned and sat down at the table next to me. Mandy and she started talking. Mandy invited her shopping later. I just listened quietly, thinking on Mandy’s words. Christine was perfect for me. And I truly wished I could have seen her without this assignment. I knew this couldn’t last because of what I had to do. And for the millionth time in my life, I wished I was just a nobody.

---

“Thanks again,” Mandy said quietly as we got out of her car. I put my coat on and shrugged.

“I’ve always got your back Manders,” I said.

She grinned. “So what’s Christine doing?”

“Sleeping,” I said as we made our way to the house Mandy had been told to. “I told her I had to meet one of my uncles before he left on vacation tonight so I have a few hours.”

She nodded and she walked to the back door and used a small device to cut a whole in the window silently. “Still an expert at the lying I see?” she whispered.

I sighed, shaking my head. “Not exactly something I’m proud of.” I reached my hand into the whole Mandy had just made and unlocked the door. “You have the security code, right?”

She nodded and I opened the door. She walked in and punched the code into the pad. A moment later, it switched to green. “You shouldn’t be ashamed. Lying is what’s kept you alive this far.”

I sighed and nodded. We made our way up the stairs, our guns extended in front of us. “It’s weird though,” I whispered. “I don’t like lying to Christine.”

Mandy smirked at me. “Oh really?” she asked. “Just Christine?”

I flushed slightly. “You know what I mean,” I said. “It’s just – I feel bad when I lie to her.”

“Okay hold on for a second,” she said. She kicked open the master bedroom. I saw her send three silent shots into the target’s head and turn back to me. “You feel bad? Joe, Joe, Joe,” she groaned. “Don’t, please.”

She walked over to me, standing so close. The closeness wasn’t unusual. Mandy and I were always like this. After all our assignments, we kissed or slept together or something. There was so much adrenaline flowing through us after a job. She leaned in, and her lips touched mine softly. Her arms wrapped around my neck and her forehead was touching mine. I wrapped my arms around her waist silently, and leaned down to kiss her again.

I knew me and Mandy would never be, even if I wasn’t falling for Christine. We had too much history. And we were too alike. We didn’t clash well together as a couple, which we had figured out the first time we went out. But it was nice to have her here, to be able to think of something besides Christine. Every thought was killing me. I knew we couldn’t last, but, I wished so badly we could.

Mandy slowly pulled me down to the ground, her hands moving to expertly take off my shirt without breaking the kiss. I couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like if this was Christine, if it were her lips, her hands, her body. It woke something in me. I started taking off Mandy’s shirt. Mandy smiled up at me. “Now here is the Joe I remember,” she said as she kissed me again.