Unlucky Harry the short story

I've been a contract killer for the Haitian mafia for ten years now. After the occurrences from my last two missions. I've decided to throw in the towel. I want to come clean and set the record straight. I'm not facing jail time nor am I dying.

I just want to disappear and let others know what I've been through. Not to help you get into to the life. Hopefully to deter you from getting in to it. My name is Hamilton Harry Hoover. I am retired and living someplace I can't disclose. My nickname depends where you live. Must people know me as Harry the plumber.

I always come in and fix the pipes that are clogged. For years I've been the clean-up man. You could always count on me to fix your pipes. I've been all over America and parts outside. I don't want to be tooting my horn. Honestly writing this memoir could get me killed. Yet now I'm just ready to tell my story.

I have no kids I have no family to speak of. I don't want to be forgotten in the history books. I've been shot, stabbed and tortured. I've had too many unlucky runs that have been the luckiest. I've made it out to see another day. Which in my line of work is the most important thing you can ask for.

I know your reading this thinking is it all worth it. Over the course of twenty years. I have acquired more money than I could blow in a life time. Naked women have swam in my swimming pool. I've met athletes who bet on the wrong things.

Now that I've read it back. I don't want the fame. What I've done over my life time is nothing to celebrate. Forget the guts and the glory for the minute. I want you to know I've been through it. You don't have to go through it.

A month of go I would never ever consider this. Yet these last couple of jobs have opened my eyes. Making this decision to get out the biz in its self is causing ripples. You don't walk away from the mob and wash your hands.

I'm a mad man for a reason. Other men made me and they have a say in a lot. I've never been one to follow any man’s rules. Yet some men over the years I've learned to do as they say. They don't take the word no well.

I'm living in a condo in Colorado now. I just left New Mexico. I left two goons in the hotel room. I was staying in at the time. No place I stay is safe for too long. My face is in the wire now it's too late for me. Some people don't want any loose wires left about.

Who they are doesn't matter. Honestly I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to. I've worked for so many people. I've acquired so many enemies. I could spend a lifetime trying to figure it out. Or just start killing other made men. Until I figure out who is at the top of this attack.

I don't want to do any of that now though. I'm done with all this killing and taking orders. I met a woman who I'm slowly working my way to be with. It's only I could completely cover my tracks. I would hate to put her life in danger.

I've seen it one to many times. If they can't get you. They will get your wife, take pictures of your kids, show up at your mother's house and leave a message. Over the years I've used more than enough of those tactics.

She will be different though. She won't ever know about my past. To her I'm a salesman who sells people life insurance. I hate lying to her but it's for her own protection. Once all this dust settles we will be clear to live as we want. I won't have to keep looking over my shoulder.

Her name is Beatrice and she lives in the country. The perfect place to go un noticed and keep to yourself. So I'll circle the states and then B line their once. I feel like my tracks are hard enough to follow.

I've killed half a bottle of Remy Martin already. Its noon and I can see I'm starting to ramble. I got nothing to do but write and drink some more. That is until I plan my next move. I guess in order to figure out where I'm going to go. I should reflect on what I've been through.

A year ago was the first time I contemplated quitting. There was a business owner in Florida who wasn't playing ball. My client wanted to scare him. Not harm him just let him know how touchable he was.

I had been watching him for two weeks. Just trailing him and watching his daily movements. The one thing I loved about my job was. People are very habitual creatures. They usually do the same thing every day. Have some type of routine to their week. Usually even drive the same way home.

I figured the best time to hit him was during the evening. There was a two hour gap, between when his maid left and he got home. I had planned to just break in and wait for him. I had placed a thin layer of dust on his keypad. Making it easy to figure out his security code.

It was supposed to be an in and out job. A simple B&E something I've done a hundred of times. Be waiting there for him when he came home. Drinking his cognac or hiding his favorite trophy. Usually the fact that I was in their house, scared most people enough to send the message.

A few people though tried to play tough. That's usually my favorite part. When I get to show them who really the boss is. Make them be quiet in their own home. Most of the people I have to go see. Are so use to bossing people around. They don't know how to act when the role is reversed.

Their shock and anger can really come out. Usually once my 9mm is against their head. They start praying or begging for mercy. Ready to do whatever the mob requested of them. All to never see my face again. To save their pathetic hides for another day.

One thing I've learned though in this business is always expect the unexpected. Planning your entrance as well as your exit. Are crucial parts to making it home alive? Once the wheels start rolling there is no telling what they run into.

I've had wives and kids come home unexpectedly. Goons pop up and are strapped. There is no worse feeling then having a gun pointed on someone and someone else having a gun pointed at you.  Which is why preparation is key even though you can only plan for so much.

The day came when I was ready to give this guy the message. That morning it had started to thunder storm. I sat in. My car two blocks from his house just watching everything. Finally his maid left and the house was clear.

I thought I could use the weather to my advantage. It could add an extra scary factor. When I got out my car a 9mm was in the breast pocket. I had a .22 attached to my leg. With a .45 on my back as my back up. This was my normal out the house set up. In my line of work you could never have enough guns on you.

Getting out the car though I felt weird. It was as if the hair on my skin was standing up. I paid no mind to it I continued to the house. Walking around the back I stood on his wood grain patio deck. I took a cigarette out and began to smoke. I knew I had at least an hour before he came home. There was no reason for me to rush.

Finishing the cigarette I put it out right on his deck. With a chuckle I turned around and went to the porch door. Holding my umbrella with my chin. I began to pick the porch door lock. The security system began to start its alert. I quickly walked over to it and put in the code. With the alarm disarmed I went back to the patio. I was about to close my umbrella.

The lightning bolt that struck me sent me flying back in the house. I woke up in the marks bathroom chained up. Two guys stood watching over me. They called their boss alerting him to me being awake. My headache was still ringing everything looked a bit fuzzy to me. The chains weighed heavy on my chest. I guess that's what to be expected when you get hit with ten thousand volts.

"So sleeping beauty is up... you are very lucky we found you. You almost died on my kitchen floor. So what were you doing in my house?"

"Don Zoë wants you to start playing ball"

"So let me get this straight. You came here to deliver a message"

"That's right"

"So now that you delivered your message what happens now? Are you going to walk away and go home?"

"That was my plan"

"Oh you’re a funny guy I see. Well let me give you a bit of advice and some help"

The Mark leaned over and whispered in my ear. Something about him being a god and didn't need any stinking Zoë to tell him what to do. How me getting struck by lightning was divine intervention. It's still a bit fuzzy on everything he said but I do remember the beating clearly. He started punching me in my face and finally spit in my face. His goons picked me up out the bath tub and too a car. They threw me in the trunk.

After we drove for about an hour. The car stopped and they pulled me out. We were at a scrap metal place. They took me to an empty room and began to go to work on me. Using the chains that were already around my wrist the hung me up on an overhanging pipe. They had metal pipes, chains and their fist. After the first couple hits to the rib from the metal pipe. My body became numb to the blows. By the time they got tired of just punching and kicking the dog shit out of me.

I was ready to go to the emergency room and get patched up. They weren't going to kill me but they were going to teach me a lesson in failure. Hopefully they would drop me in front of a hospital. Cause catching a cab with my face right now would be impossible.

The goons took me down and threw me back in the trunk. I was covered in blood and sure I had some internal damage as well. Sadly not the worst state I've ever been in. I could be missing a few fingers. I can handle a broken rib or two.

I'm not sure when I blacked out. When I came too I hit the floor outside of the emergency room hard. The sound of their screeching tires made my headache even worse. Within a few minutes two nurses were running out with a stretcher.

It took me a few months to fully recover. As I did I thought long and hard about the series of events. I don't believe in coincidences. I've also never really been much into the god thing. Yet when you get shocked by a thousand volts and beat to a bloody pulp. It makes you reconsider allot of life choices.

I'm headed now to New Mexico. This will be my last stop before I meet Beatrice. I'm having to jump around the country just to clear my tracks. I don't want anything getting in the way of our new life.

The fact alone that I have to use a new burner phone every month. I feel it brings a strain to our already fragile relationship. All my lies go un noticed by her but they eat at me. Every one that come out my mouth taste disgusting. I just want to keep her safe. That's what I keep telling myself.

It's not like I could just be fully honest with her. How would I look? Hey baby the name you call me isn't really my name. The train I switch phones is because the mob it's trying to kill me. We see each other every few months; because I don't want someone to rape and cut you up to get to me. Everything about me besides my favorite books and movies have been a lie. I can see that going over real well.

I made it to New Mexico and checked into my hotel. I have three passports ready to make my move. One to get into Mexico which is my true passport. One to get me out of Mexico. The final one is too live happily ever after with Beatrice.

Once I get to Arizona I'll stop writing. I will prepare myself to give this life up. Never having to look over my shoulder. Flip one final bird to the mob. Allow Hamilton Harry Hoover to die as a person rather than a nobody. 

Which brings us to the last job that I did. Which gave me the final sign or push that I needed to get out the game. I found an envelope with a picture in it on my porch one morning. Which only meant one thing to me. A new job and a target for me to get.

The target though was a man I knew well. He showed me the ropes when I first started. Cleaned up my messes once or twice. We had worked a few jobs in the past together. He was the top dig in my field of work. If you needed something done and wanted no strings left behind. He was the man to go too and get it done.

Now he was a marked man and I had the cross hairs on him.  This wasn't the first time I've had to 47 one of my peers. Locating him was going to be the first issue. Then figuring out what he did to end up on my door step. Was going to be the second step. The final step was simple finish the job.

After visiting a few people and twisting a couple of wrist. I began to pick up Vinny's trail. While beginning to understand exactly why I was hunting him in the first place. I could not believe where I ended up finding him. Vinny was in a cheesy motel on Miami Beach. Not hiding he even registered his room with his real name.

I was beginning to believe that he had lost his mind. I knocked on his door and got ready for the shooting. He opened the door with no problem. Vinny was smoking a cigar and had tequila on ice. He turned and walked to the balcony.

"You going to kill me I'm cold blood or you going to figure out why."
"I haven't figured yet"
"Well when you do there is tequila, vodka and weed. I've already set up the board. It's your turn."

Checking every room and crook in the room. I tucked my chest piece in the holster and followed him. His marble chest board was already set. I he had my knight at t7 and his rook at e5. Behind as usual and trying to counter right.

Vinny had been expecting me. We had a few drinks and talked. He knew they would send me, and didn't want to be much trouble finding. He was the worst chest player. Two steps ahead of you and a laugh that could eek you. I knew why I was here and what was expected after I left. The only question I had was if I was going to do it. Before I could answer my own question.

During our moment of silence Vinny stood up and walked to the closet. He pulled out two large black travel bags. Throwing them on the bed he stood and just watched them.

"This is what you came to get right"
"Maybe... it depends what's in them"

Vinny smiled and unzipped them. Thousands of hundred dollar bills filled the inside. I had to take another swig of my tequila and just watched all that money.

"How much is my life worth too you"
"Not worth my own life"
"How long have we been doing this Harry. I remember when you got your first contact. Don't you want to love, live and not be worried about a bullet in your head"
"What are you getting at"
"There is 20 million in each case. I'll take one and I'll walk away to my new life."
"What happens if I want both cases"
"You've never been a greedy man. I know that; but if you do then you know what you will have to do. They won't let you ever go unless you’re dead or in jail. This is your chance to get out.”

I took another swig of my drink. As I contemplated the whole situation. I wondered where he was stashing his gun. Was this just another ploy to see what I would do? I took the final swig of my drink and placed the drink on the table. My body felt like it was on auto pilot before I knew it. The suitcase and myself were heading out the hotel and getting into my car.