At midnight, I had everything ready. I woke the target with a splash of cold water.
We were in an underground warehouse on the outskirts of town, forty kilometers from the nearest city. The caretaker only came twice a year.
In a two-square-meter iron cage, the target was handcuffed to a metal post. Next to him was a huge pet dog.
“Who are you? What do you want?” The target struggled, the cuffs clanking against the bars.
I pulled out a newspaper and read the article aloud, then showed him a note from my client. “This is you, right?”
Sweat poured down his face as he struggled in vain. The dog, sensing his fear, grew agitated, barking furiously at me.
“Is it you?” I asked again.
“Yes… it’s me. But it was a misunderstanding. My dog is usually gentle. I don’t know why it attacked that woman that day.” He stammered.
“Do you think a dog’s life is equal to a human’s?”
“No, I never thought that.” He shook his head desperately. “I checked on her at the hospital—she’ll be out in two months.”
“Let’s do an experiment, then. See if your dog is as tame as you say. There’s no food here. I’ll come back in seven days. If your dog is still obedient, I’ll let you go.”
I put the note away, set up a camera facing the cage, and ignored his pleas as I left the warehouse.
Twisted—absolutely twisted.
That pale young man, with his sick excitement, always made my skin crawl.
The camera streamed live to the cloud, so both the client and I could watch everything.
Day one, the target tried everything to call for help, but it was useless. By nightfall, his voice was gone.
Day two, the dog began to succumb to hunger, circling its owner but not attacking.
Day three, the target noticed the dog’s strange behavior. He tried to command it to stay away. The dog, still half-tame, hesitated. They were at a standoff.
Day four, the target grew weak. There was water from a pipe, but no food. The dog’s animal instincts began to surface. It attacked for the first time, tearing his pant leg. He kicked it away, and they were at another standoff.
Day five, the dog went mad, looking for chances to bite. The target was losing strength, suffering multiple wounds. The dog bit a chunk out of his thigh. He cursed, then cried, trying to regain control, but it was hopeless.
Day six, the dog bit his neck. He bled out quickly. By afternoon, the dog began to eat…
“Incredible! Absolutely incredible!” the young man applauded, as if he’d watched a brilliant, absurd play.
“Mr. Ray, you’ve left me speechless. To show my appreciation, I’ll add a fifty percent bonus.”
He stood and extended his right hand. I shook it coldly.
This guy was definitely insane, I thought.
“Here’s your next target, Mr..Ray”
He slid another photo across the table.
This time, he said, it was about a single mother from his company who’d quit and started a food stall to support her child. A self-proclaimed “consumer rights activist” bought a bunch of her food, then reported her for selling unlicensed products. The fine wasn’t huge, but for her, it was devastating.
What kind of logic is that? I frowned at him.
“So, what do you think? Isn’t he despicable? Doesn’t he deserve to die?” The young man stared at me, hungry for agreement.
“If you really want to help, why not just give the woman some money? It’d solve the problem, and it’d cost you a lot less than hiring a killer.”
“Mr. Ray, you’re too naïve. Giving her money only treats the symptoms, not the cause. These things keep happening because evildoers aren’t afraid of justice. If evil ends in terror, people will restrain themselves. That’s my philosophy.” He was getting more and more worked up, like a preacher on a stage.
“How do you want to do it?” I interrupted, impatient.
“Like this…” He leaned in and whispered his plan. Sensing my irritation, he added, “Mr. Ray, you’re the most talented man I’ve ever met. I want to work with you long-term. This time, I’ll double your fee.”
The red ring on his finger glinted with a chilling light.
Chapter 04
*