Author's note: This is much longer than I expected it to be and much less funny than usual, so you don't need to read the whole thing.Ben, assassin, walks along a street, enjoying the afternoon sun on a day in which he presumes he doesn't have to kill anybody. But then he gets bored and decides to go on a mission to...
kill three hours.
Hour One: Two O'clockHe could already sense his first target and knew it must be nearby. He knew it would be an easy kill too, as Two O'clock tended to be in public places with its guard down. Ben scanned the streets around him, and then he caught sight of it across the street from him, strolling and whistling like there wasn't a care in the world. Ben crossed the street at the next crosswalk, careful not to draw attention to himself, and gradually snuck up behind Two. When they passed by an alleyway, Ben grabbed him by the back of his collar and threw him next to a dumpster.
"Your time's up, Two O'clock," Ben growled.
"No, please! I have money! Here, take it all!" Two pleaded.
"Not this time."
Ben drew his gun and fired two shots at the hour. Two collapsed by the side of the dumpster, and Ben disappeared out the back of the alley.
Hour Two: Three O'clockBen figured Two's brother Three might be a little more elusive. Three preferred the solace of obscure and shadowy locales where he wasn't noticed. Unfortunately for him, Ben knew the ins and outs of his gang well enough to extract some information.
A few kids had just finished a game of basketball and a local street court. They stood to the side, gathering their things, and chatting about the game to wrap up. Ben recognized two of Three's thugs, the cousins Three O'Five and Three O'Six. As Ben strolled up to them, they recognized him too and took off running. Ben ran after them, chasing them around corners and through the neighborhood. O'Five eventually lost one of his shoes, which he never finished tying, and Ben caught up to him. He shoved him onto the ground and held him there with his foot on his chest.
"Where's your boss?" Ben demanded.
O'Five spat at Ben's face. "Go to hell."
Ben pressed harder with his foot and O'Five yelled. "You're gonna tell me what I want to know."
"My cousin's gonna get to him before you do."
"I'm gonna find your cousin and kill him if you don't tell where I can find Three O'Clock."
O'Five whimpered. "You wouldn't."
Ben pulled out his gun. "Maybe I'll just kill you instead."
"OK, I'll tell you where he is! Apple Blossom Park, he plays chess with the old people."
Ben lifted his foot up, and O'Five ran off. Ben didn't expect O'Five to tell him the truth, so he decided he could follow him to his target. He caught a taxi and trailed O'Five from a distance.
Sure enough, O'Five ended up at Apple Blossom Park and went straight to the chess boards. Ben got out of the taxi and paid the driver with an ample tip. He walked stealthily over the shuffleboard courts but directed his attention to O'Five and the chess player he whispered to. When he saw the chess player get up and excuse himself from the game, Ben drew his gun and fired into the crowd. Three and his henchman ran off while everyone else ducked down to the ground.
Ben ran after his targets, and lucky for him Three O'Clock couldn't make a fast getaway. Ben nailed him once in the back, and he fell face forward onto the street. O'Five kept running but turned back when he saw his boss go down. Ben walked up slowly, and when he was close enough for a point blank shot, he put one in O'Five's leg.
Hour Three: Four O'ClockFour O'Clock was the king of them all. Some unoriginal members of the gang called him the Godfather, but it was more accurate to call him the Grandfather. He was the oldest of the bunch, and he practically lived out of the family's watch shop. So Ben knew where to find him, he just needed to figure out how to take him out.
The best way to approach--the only way--was in plain view through the front door. Ben made his presence known, and he kept his hands in plain view for the bodyguards. They patted him down at the entrance and, finding no weapons, let him in.
The Grandfather sat at a table in the middle of the store as if he was expecting Ben. "Sit," he invited.
Ben accepted the invitation but kept a sinister look on his face.
"You've come a long way, today, Benno."
"It's all part of the day's work."
"Do you know why I let you in here?"
"No."
"I am most displeased at your treatment of my family. I am not one to take this sort of treatment lightly."
"What are you saying?"
"Don't worry, you're perfectly safe. I don't kill people in my shop. Consider this a warning."
"Do you know why I came here?"
Four laughed. "Don't patronize me. Either you cease immediately your vendetta against us, or you face the consequences. Do you hear me?"
Ben slid his watch off his wrist. "My dad bought this watch here twenty years ago, I believe."
"Yes, I remember your father."
"And your goons killed him twelve years ago."
"I was sorry to do it, but considering the state of his affairs, it was unavoidable."
"You can take the watch back. I won't be needing it." And with that Ben stood up.
"I've spoken my peace. I hope our next meeting is more under more felicitous circumstances."
"I doubt it," Ben said under his breath.
Ben left the store and walked across the street. Behind him in the shop, the watches clicked away the few remaining seconds before five o'clock. When they reached five, one of them stopped. Ben's watch. The building exploded. Ben smirked and kept walking.
