There Is No Life

There Is No Life



The two bodyguards surrounded Don Dominic as they heard noises from the bushes. "What is it?" Dominic Santonelli asked in a tired voice. He had a pretty good idea what the problem was anyway. The business always came with risks like an attempt on your life.
"Could be nothing, but we'll make sure." the short bodyguard Franco said. The other man, Antoine was walking slowly in front of him.
Dominic Santonelli closed his eyes wearily. His dark hair was streaked with silver and he was starting to show his age by the dark bags under his eyes. The truth was, he was sick of being Don Dominic and disgusted with the way Angelus was being run. He found himself welcoming death, just so he could have a way out.
"Guess it was a raccoon or something," Antoine said, putting his gun away. Dominic shrugged and turned to walk into his house. He felt sorry for Antoine and Franco because they were so young and naive about how twisted Angelus had really become.
"You alright, Boss?" Franco asked, his face concerned.
"Just tired," he said, trying to smile. A flicker of movement caught his eye. His heart raced as he turned and saw his death coming for him.
"Don Dominic!" Antoine yelled, diving forward. The shots rang out and Dominic Santonelli felt flames of pain engulfing his chest. As if it were a dream, he fell slowly to the ground, not hearing Franco and Antoine's screams, but he knew they were dead too.
He looked into the trees and gasped when he saw the face. "It's you!" he breathed reverently as he died, his way out at last.

**************


Don Carlo sat behind his desk as the woman entered the room. "Well?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The assignment is complete," she answered, no emotion in her voice. Don Carlo ran his fingers through his brown hair, smiling.
"Excellent. You will receive the payment that was promised."
"Good," she said. Don Carlo studied her for a moment. The woman was like a dangerous snake, so lacking in warmth. He often wondered if she was human. Her fiery hair fell past her shoulders and her blue eyes were like chips of ice. She was quite tall, about 5'11". There was also the way she dressed. She wore nothing but black, including a black cloak with an onyx wolf brooch holding it closed at the shoulder.
"Anything else?" she asked.
"Uh, no. You may leave," he said, realizing he had been caught off-guard. She nodded and left as silently as she came. It wasn't until she was gone that Don Carlo noticed he had broken out in a nervous sweat.

**************


Maria Santonelli waited anxiously on the park bench. She wound a black curl around her finger looking at all the people. No one there seemed to be who she was looking for. A tall red haired woman sat down next to her. She was even more striking because her pale skin was wrapped all in black.
"Maria Santonelli." she said, staring straight ahead. Maria flinched at hearing her name. Her contact was a woman? When a friend of her father's said he could take care of "her problem", she had no idea he would be sending a woman. What could a woman possibly do?
"Yes," Maria said, trying to keep her voice from trembling.
"What is the assignment?" she asked. It unnerved Maria that the woman kept staring ahead and talking. It reminded her of a statue. She calmed herself and took a deep breath.
"Don Carlo Ginelli," she said.
"Is this a joke?" the woman asked, finally looking at her.
"No, why would it be?" Maria inquired.
"Are you aware of who Don Carlo is?"
"Of course. He is the son of Don Angelo. If Don Angelo dies, Don Carlo becomes the head of Angelus," Maria answered.
"So you do know," the woman gave her a cold smile.
"Everyone who is part of Angelus knows," Maria said.
"Then why would you want to go after such a powerful person?"
"Don Carlo had my father killed. Dominic Santonelli was my father. He was Don Angelo's second and would have taken his place. Carlo hated that more than anything. He also knew my father was trying to put right all the corruption going on in Angelus."
"Meaning?" the woman asked.
"Meaning he caught Don Carlo selling information about Angelus to a rival syndicate; something Don Angelo would never agree to. He had my father killed before he could have a meeting with Don Angelo."
"I see," she said, standing up to leave.
"That's it?" Maria asked, surprised.
"You know my fee. Was there more you wished to discuss?" she said, stopping.
"What do I call you?" Maria asked.
"Luna," she answered, walking away.
"That's it?" Maria said, but she had already disappeared into the crowd.

*************


Don Angelo walked out onto the veranda of his home, smoking a cigar. He wasn't a young man anymore. He had a portly belly and his hair was powdery white. His dark eyes showed merciless wisdom. He was thinking about Dominic.
Angelo knew somehow his son Carlo had something to do with it. He just couldn't prove it. "Good morning, Don Angelo," a voice called. He looked across the lawn to see Carlo's friend Marcus.
"Hello, Marcus," he said with a wave. It took only a second for Angelo to sense something was wrong. He could only stand there as the knives flashed in the sun, pinning Marcus to the tree. Marcus didn't even have time to scream as the last knife pierced his throat. He hung there like a rag doll, the knives jutting out from him.
"Tony, get out here now!" Angelo bellowed. His guard came out and saw Marcus.
"What the hell?" he said in shock.
"Let's go," Angelo ordered. They walked to the tree together, Tony with his gun drawn.
"Who would off Marcus?" Tony asked. Angelo shook his head, indicating he didn't know.
"Sorry, Marcus," he said, pulling the knife from his throat. Angelo looked at it and dropped it as if he had been burned.
"Don Angelo, what is it?" Tony asked worriedly. He looked down at the knife and saw a silver wolf on the side of the hilt.
"It's a warning. Carlo will die," he said, closing his eyes.

****************


Carlo walked into his office, when he saw the person sitting behind his desk. "Who the hell are you?" he asked indignantly. He couldn't see because they were in the shadows. The person didn't respond. He started to turn on the lamp, but yelled when the bulb got shot out. His eyes widened as moonlight hit Luna's face.
"You!" he hissed.
"Yes," she said simply.
"What are you doing here? I don't have any assignments for you now," he said, walking towards her. He stopped when he saw the gun with a silencer pointed at him.
"I'm here for you," she said.
"You can't kill me!" his voice had become a frightened whine.
"Oh? And why is that?" she asked, calculating amusement in her eyes.
"Because I hired you!"
"I have other clients, Don Carlo," she said, standing up.
"I can pay you twice the amount of your client!" he pleaded. Beads of sweat had appeared on his forehead.
"You insult me. I am a professional and as you can see I'm not a woman to be fucked with," she said coldly.
"At least tell me who ordered this!" he cried, falling to his knees.
"It's part of my assignment anyway, but you should know. Angelus is a twist of thorns. Dominic Santonelli would have changed that, but you had to end it."
"He was going to tell my father!" Carlo blubbered.
"Well, Don Dominic was a father too,"Carlo". she said, aiming the gun.
"No, she wouldn't!" Carlo said in stunned understanding.
"Yes, she would. Maria Santonelli's wish is for you to die," Luna said, her voice devoid of emotion.
"Please! Let me live!" he shrieked. Luna's blue eyes blazed.
"Who the hell do you think I am? There is no life in these hands, in this body! There is only, cold calculating death! When you see my face, it means your death! Dominic Santonelli knew that when he saw me. He recognized me as Goddess of death and he died like a man! You should do the same!" The anger in her voice terrified him. For a moment, she looked like the goddess she had mentioned.
"I don't want to die," he whimpered.
"You haven't been listening. There is no life coming from my hands. They only hold your death." she said calmly, as she pulled the trigger.

************************


Don Angelo came rushing into Carlo's office, knowing he was too late. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw his son lying on the floor, a bullet in the middle of his head. He saw the knife sticking in Carlo's hand, a silver wolf on the hilt.
"Luna," he whispered in awe. He bowed his head reverently, knowing Carlo was to blame if the Goddess assassin had come for him.





Finis