Puppet Master

They hate you.

"I’m beautiful in my own way, cause God makes no mistakes,” sang my radio as my alarm went off.

“Oh, shut up!” I yelled, throwing the radio at the wall next to my bed. “Now today is going to suck, and it’s all your fault, radio!” I got out of bed and put on my favorite black pants and red t-shirt, and walked out of my cramped bedroom. I entered my apartment kitchenette and grabbed a box of frosted flakes from a cupboard. I put it down and opened up my fridge to find no milk. “Damn it!” I slammed the door shut.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and a man on the other side said, “Open the door, this is the police!” I walked up to it casually and opened it glaring at the men in their navy blue uniforms.

“What do you want?” I hissed at the shortest of the three cops. They all had hands on their guns; probably thinking I may hurt them. Well it is morning.

“We need you to kill someone for us.” The tallest said. He walked towards me, a hand stretched out to shake mine. I looked at him as if he were crazy.

“Don’t touch me, and I won’t touch you,” that didn’t quite come out like I wanted. He looked at me with a crooked smile.

“Now now Mr. Jones; I believe we all know you could kill us without the need of our touch.” Well isn’t he a smarty?

“So then what’s stopping me from killing you three? Dead cops aren’t usually much of a story to anyone. Plus I need something fun to do. I could make it nice and slow,” I smile dreamily. It really does sound like a good idea.

“Actually killing someone is why we are here.” I look at him with my eyebrow raised. “And you would get paid handsomely.”

“Who’s the unlucky guy?”

“An ex cop gone rogue by the name of Charles Heinz. He’s one of your kind,” he said that last part in a bit of distaste. “He used to be one of our best cops. He could catch anyone. He’s fast.”

“Yes, I get that. Please move on to why you want him dead and how much you’re willing to pay,” I don’t like cops, but it’s worse when I have to talk to cops in the morning.

“We want him dead because he’s been killing cops and getting away with it. We’re willing to pay fifteen thousand. Five now and ten when you finish,” he glared at me the entire time he spoke.

“You don’t like me very much do you, officer,” I said with a pout.

“If it wasn’t for that the commissioner himself told us to give you, the enemy, this job, we would have never come here unless we were here to kill you ourselves.”

“Not that you could kill me. I mean really. Guns won’t even protect yourselves. I’ll do the job, but make it twenty thou. Speed’s aren’t easy to kill and I haven’t paid my rent yet,” I looked at him straight in the eye. “And since I have already agreed to the job I expect the other fifteen thousand when I finish. If I don’t then I’ll find all three of you and put you all in a coma.” The main cop looked at me in anger, but I could see the fear in his eyes. I love scaring people; especially when you’re telling the truth.

The man handed me the money and I made sure to count it just in case. When I saw it was all there, I shut the door in their faces and locked it. I don’t have any time to chat with silly cops about how I’m going to take out this guy. Plus a good magician never tells his secrets.