Mandy woke up and changed into faded blue jeans and a long T-shirt. The clock showed she still had half an hour left before James came to pick her up. She took a duster and wore gloves and began picking up the glass shreds lying around the kitchen and the dining table. The pieces were a bit tricky to pick, and she pierced her fingers two times. She then took a mop, dampened it with disinfectant, and began mopping the floor. She took a hot shower and made herself a sandwich.
Just then, the doorbell rang. She opened the door to James and Robert standing in the doorway. They all greeted each other.
‘I am sorry. I would’ve left, but I forgot my morning coffee at home. I am going to make myself one here, if you don’t mind,’ said Robert.
‘Why would I? I’ll make you one,’ said Mandy.
‘No, I’ll do it myself.’
‘Don’t bother him, Mandy. He is digging his depression pit today,’ said James.
‘Why? What happened?’ asked Mandy.
‘Well, there is nothing good about this morning. I was supposed to buy amusement park tickets yesterday. I couldn’t do that and, as usual, my family is a bit cross with me for working on the weekend,’ said Robert.
Mandy laughed and said, ‘You’re a good guy, Robert.’
‘And our captain is a cold-hearted beast,’ said James.
‘For the first time, I agree with you. Only in this case though,’ said Robert.
James’s cell phone beeped, and after reading the message, he said, ‘It’s our captain. He is asking whether we left yet.’
‘Seriously? We still have ten minutes. I’ll go and change, and then we’ll leave,’ said Mandy.
Robert went to the kitchen to make himself coffee. Moments later, a black puff of smoke erupted, and Robert was heard coughing wildly.
‘Is this guy on self-punishing mode now?’ asked James.
‘Oh crap. I think that would be my doing,’ said Mandy.
‘I don’t even want to know how you did that.’
‘Just in case, that’s the burnt pizza in the oven.’
‘Is that what you like to eat? Burnt pizza?’ asked James with sarcasm.
‘Actually, that’s yesterday’s pizza.’
‘Wow, that is disturbing.’
‘I had just started cleaning up.’
Mandy went to Robert and asked, ‘Are you fine?’
‘Nope, not a bit,’ said Robert.
‘I’ll make you coffee in a moment.’
‘No, I think I just lost my appetite.’
James laughed at them both.
Minutes later, they were standing on the parking lot. Robert was seated inside his SUV while James was reversing his electric-blue-coloured sedan.
‘I like his car,’ said Mandy.
‘I like the colour,’ said Robert.
‘And I like the speed,’ said James as he pulled alongside Robert.
Mandy sat inside, and the three headed their separate ways.
After a few miles, Mandy eyed the speedometer. James was driving really fast.
‘You’re well past speed limit,’ said Mandy.
‘It doesn’t matter. I am off duty. I didn’t buy this fancy car to let its engine rot,’ said James.
‘Then I hope it’s not my last day today.’
‘And I hope you’re insured.’
Mandy’s cell phone rang, showing David’s number. She picked up and greeted him. She listened for a few moments and then hung up. She turned to James and said, ‘Casney Junior’s details have come up. We were right about him being hired, and we missed the part about his being a professional assassin.’