Gino

Gino stood with one hand resting on the box cabin's window frame. The building was little more than a brightly coloured box that had been split into two rooms by a thin polymer wall. It had a low ceiling, but that didn't bother him. He was not a tall man. The structure wasn't much to look at, but it served his purpose just fine. The box cabin's bright yellow exterior blended in well with the multicoloured buildings on either side. The Old Quarter was full of such dwellings, and it was important for Gino's home to look just like any other. He liked to maintain a low profile. The dim internal lighting made it easy for him to observe passers-by without being seen.

Gino watched the street outside with placid brown eyes. The moon hung low over Cinnamon City. Most of the market traders had already closed their stalls for the day. An old man lay drunk in the gutter, and children played on the other side of the street. The old man wasn't as drunk as he pretended to be. He worked for Gino, and he chose his gutters well. He wasn't the most sober of employees, but his memory was impeccable. He remembered every face he saw, and his eidetic memory had come in handy on more than one occasion. Gino had already checked in on the old man this evening. He hadn't seen any security forces in the area all day. There hadn't been any undercover operatives in the area either. It was exactly the kind of news that Gino wanted to hear. Quiet streets were ideal in his line of business.

When his wrist console buzzed, he looked down and recognised the name on the incoming call. 'Jacob.'

'Gino, where are you?'

'I'm at home, waiting for a late delivery.'

What happened with Trent?

'He wasn't there.'

'Did you find anything useful?'

'No. The security forces turned up. We didn't have time to do a thorough search of the apartment.'

'Okay. I need you to do something for me, but there isn't much time.'

Gino stepped back from the window, slipping into the deeper shadows of the room. Thin lines creased below his receding hairline, and his small brown eyes reflected the moonlight as he talked. 'I'm always happy to help the cause.'

'The lords are sending a new general to Central Command. He's coming tonight. I want you to make sure he doesn't arrive.'

'How is he travelling?'

'He's coming from the Southern Territories, by air.'

'That's going to be difficult to intercept. When do you expect him to arrive?'

'In less than an hour.'

'That's not enough time, Jacob. I need more notice for something like this.'

'Think of something. That's what I pay you for.'

Gino inhaled through a short, flat nose. His scarred face showed that he was no stranger to combat. 'I'd better go now, if you want this doing fast,' he said. 'I need to find out who's available.'

'Just make sure the general doesn't arrive,' Jacob said. 'I want him dead. Do you understand?'

'I understand,' Gino said. 'I have to go now. There isn't much time.' He closed the comms link, and his eyes scanned the room as he thought about what he was going to do. One hour wasn't long enough for anything elaborate. It would have to be something simple and yet effective. It didn't leave him with many options. Gino walked towards the door in a few short strides and stepped out into the street.