Page 109 of Ruin

Unknown

Fifteen minutes.

“That message didn't come from anywhere close to this house. It actually came from outside of the State.”

“Where is Cain, he said he was going to be here?” I ask, putting my phone back on the table.

“Not sure. Sent him a message, but he hasn't opened it yet.” Hayden looks down at his phone to make sure he hasn’t missed anything from him.

It’s not like him to not be here, something must have happened at the club. That would be the only reason he wouldn’t be here. If it was anything to do with Autumn he would have called Hayden.

I look at my phone again as it beeps.

Unknown

10 minutes.

“You know the countdown is a messed up mind game. I like it, I might start using it.” Mason is the only one who would think like this right now.

“Who the fuck are you going to use it with? We’re cleaners, we don’t have time for mind games. We get in and out with the job unless we need information, then we drag it out.” Mile’s jokes with him, making me laugh.

“Yeah, I know.” Mason flips him the finger.

“Talking about hits. Has anyone had one lately?” Hayden asks.

“Cain sent me one couple of days ago to hack into someone's system to find out what they were looking at and then erase everything about them. I mean, everything. He even made sure I got rid of any information about him being born.” Miles taps away on his laptop at something.

“Who was it?” I ask.

“I have no idea. A teacher in London. Cain said it was a favor for someone.” Miles looks at the three of us.

One thing I’ve realized with this side of the business, is not to ask too many questions. Do the hit, and that’s it.

My phone beeps with another message.

Unknown

Five minutes

This one is from Washington.

When you grow up in the family business, you know you’re going to kill someone, but you’re never the one who will die. If you die, you did something stupid. You fucked it up. I’m dead, because it’s my fault.

Do I want to die? Fuck no, who wants to die? No one. But Riley seems to have a plan, the perfect plan for him to put a bullet in my head. So far, he’s always been a step ahead of us.

Unknown

Three minutes.

Minute countdowns now it seems.

“Guys, this one's from London,” Miles tells us.

Unknown

Two minutes

“We're back in New York.”

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