Assassin (One Last Deadly Hit) - A Dark Thriller Audio Drama

0:01 Speaker 1: When you sleep, you enter into another world. Beyond that world lies the doorway to nightmare. Come in. Welcome. I'm your host through the doorway to nightmare. What do you do for a living? There are many professions that men and women decide upon at an early age. Others may even change what they do to work many times during the course of their lifetime. Then there are those professionals who have a rather stylized mode of work.

1:07 Speaker 2: You do understand, don't you? There isn't anything personal in this. I was simply hired to do a specific job. Normally, you would never lay eyes on me. The only thing that you would feel... would be the bullet entering your brain.

1:27 Speaker 1: Our mystery drama, Assassin, was written especially for Doorway to Nightmare by Winslow Swan and stars Mark Wheeler and Crimson McKenzie. It is sponsored in part by Swanage Press. I'll be back with Act One. There are some people who develop a special skill during the course of their lifetime, be it painting or playing an instrument, they will hone and fine-tune that skill to become the absolute best. Jonathan Carter is one of those people. He found something that he was remarkably good at, and now has become the best in his field.

2:24 Speaker 3: 8174, this is the Major.

2:32 Speaker 4: This is extension 2379.

2:45 Speaker 5: Are there any messages?

2:47 Speaker 4: 100,000 was directed to your Zurich account in payment for order number 9805. Also, an additional 50,000 was placed in the account for order number 2957.

3:00 Speaker 5: That's fine. Are there any additional orders pending?

3:03 Speaker 4: Checking now. There is an order in place, but it is totally at your discretion.

3:09 Speaker 5: What are the details?

3:10 Speaker 4: It is very sketchy. That's why Control said that it would be completely up to you.

3:15 Speaker 5: Isn't that just a little unusual, Major?

3:17 Speaker 4: I only pass the information along, 2379. Fine.

3:22 Speaker 5: Just go ahead and give me what you have.

3:24 Speaker 4: You are to proceed to 78 Hanover Street, the high-top bar. Ask the bartender for a double scotch on the rocks and pay with a $ 50 bill. You are to write on the bill, Happy Birthday, Charlie. The bartender will give you an envelope with further instructions.

3:44 Speaker 5: Hey, now, what is this? A spy movie? That is not the way that I do business.

3:49 Speaker 4: I guess that's why Control is letting you handle all of the details.

3:54 Speaker 5: Okay. Is there any particular time that I'm supposed to be there?

3:58 Speaker 4: According to the order, you should be there no later than 5 this afternoon.

4:03 Speaker 5: And what would happen if I had not called in?

4:06 Speaker 4: As per our policy, the order would have been canceled.

4:10 Speaker 5: So what's the payout on this assignment?

4:12 Speaker 4: There is only one word on the order.

4:16 Speaker 5: Which is?

4:18 Speaker 1: Everything.

4:23 Speaker 5: Everything? I had been offered a lot for my services, but everything? With what I already had in the bank and the additional 150 grand, I could tell the company to go take a flying leap. I was getting burned out and that is not the best thing to happen if you are a guy like me. I thought to myself that maybe just one more job, one more contract, and then I could call it quits. I find the bar on Hanover Street. Just a little hole in the wall with a few tables, four booths, and a tired-looking guy serving the drinks behind the bar.

5:01 Speaker 1: What'll it be?

5:03 Speaker 5: Um, double scotch on the rocks.

5:05 Speaker 1: Haven't seen you in here before.

5:07 Speaker 5: Yeah, I just stopped in for a quick drink before I head home.

5:10 Speaker 1: Not many people do that. There you go. Five bucks.

5:15 Speaker 5: Can you break a fifty?

5:16 Speaker 1: Oh, yeah, I can do that.

5:18 Speaker 5: The bartender brought back my change and a long vanilla envelope. I tipped him another five and without drinking I left and went back to my car.

5:37 Speaker 1: Hello?

5:39 Speaker 5: Yes, I got the picture. It isn't the best likeness, but I know who it is. Well, there is my fee to consider.

5:49 Speaker 1: How much? I understand.

5:54 Speaker 5: No, no, that will be acceptable. I know about the case that you are talking about. You are going to have to give me a little time. It is not going to be easy to get to this target. How long? That's not a lot of time for something like this. Yes, I read the instructions that you left and.

6:20 Speaker 5: Make sure that you answer the phone by the third ring. If it goes past that, I hang up and the contract is cancelled. Believe me, I will have everything arranged.

6:38 Speaker 5: I knew about the case that my latest employer was talking about. I knew about it all too well. It had happened about two years ago. The target was supposed to have been some political rival. While he was liquidated, there was one more casualty. He was supposed to have been alone at the time of the contract, but somehow Intel had dropped the ball.

6:59 Speaker 6: I'm sorry about this. I understand that there was a civilian involved. Well, it can't be helped. These things do happen.

7:07 Speaker 5: That was their answer for everything, even if something went wrong. I understood my new employer's feelings when they told me how much they were willing to pay. I put aside my own personal feelings. It was time to do some planning.

7:20 Speaker 1: When a person decides on a career choice, they usually try to learn everything that they can about what they are eventually going to do for a living. But how does one decide on becoming a professional killer? The answer may present itself when I return with Act Two. Jonathan Carter, a well-dressed, well-spoken man whose occupation happens to be that of a killer. He's accepted an assignment from a mysterious client. and is now in the process of fulfilling the contract. Everything.

8:14 Speaker 5: My usual fee for a contract has always been, at the low end, $ 25, 000. Depending on the target, I have charged upwards of $ 200, 000. I have never been offered everything. I found the target easy enough and began to do my surveillance work. Which means I spent a lot of time sitting in my rental car and eating stale potato chips and drinking a lot of coffee. My work phone rang breaking up the day. This is 2379.

8:48 Speaker 4: Hold for control.

8:53 Speaker 3: John?

8:54 Speaker 5: Why are you calling?

8:56 Speaker 6: I wanted to see how you were. I understand that you took that new contract.

9:01 Speaker 5: I have my reasons.

9:03 Speaker 3: Look, John... I know that it was a pretty ugly set of circumstances.

9:07 Speaker 5: To say the least.

9:08 Speaker 6: I admit the information was sketchy at best. The target was eliminated and the client was happy with the outcome.

9:14 Speaker 5: And what about the casualty? Was the client happy about that?

9:19 Speaker 3: Surviving members were compensated.

9:21 Speaker 5: Oh, you mean your usual five grand. I know how you people operate.

9:25 Speaker 3: John, let me give you some friendly advice.

9:28 Speaker 1: Advice? Or a warning?

9:31 Speaker 6: Have it your way. A warning then. I'm not at the top of the food chain. I have people that I have to answer to as well. Scary people. Take my advice and let this one go.

9:43 Speaker 5: They offered me everything. I can't let it go. It's me. I'm calling to give you an update. I can make your timeline, but it is going to be very tight. I'm breaking protocol and willing to meet you for your first payment. Tomorrow at 2, the park. I will be wearing a red carnation in my lapel and reading a book. Does that matter? Okay, I will be reading Mask of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe. Yes, that's the one. They all die in the end. I met my client at the appointed time and saw what they meant by everything.

10:44 Speaker 5: I had almost decided to drop the whole thing like Control had asked, or rather, ordered me to do. After what the client showed me, there was no way that I was going to do that. That is a small caliber. 22 in the small of your back. It may not kill you, but at this close range it will do a whole lot of damage. Now, get in the car and keep your mouth shut.

11:08 Speaker 1: The author Eric Ambler wrote, The important thing to know about an assassination is not who fired the shot, but who paid for the bullet. While John now knows who his employer is, we will have to wait. to find out when I return with Act 3 shortly. Assassin for hire, Jonathan Carter has been offered a hefty fee for his latest contract. He has acquired his target, and is currently sitting in an abandoned warehouse, his target safely incapacitated. No, no, no.

12:07 Speaker 5: You won't break those straps, and no one is around for miles. The only reason I put that tape over your mouth is because I got tired of hearing your voice. You know, you are really a piece of work. I got to hand it to you. You covered everything up nicely. Maybe I should let you talk. At least give you a chance to say something. Make your peace before the client gets here.

12:32 Speaker 3: Just what the hell do you think that you're doing?

12:35 Speaker 6: John!

12:36 Speaker 3: If you wanted to kill me, you could have.

12:38 Speaker 5: I could have taken you out a dozen ways this past week. My client insisted on meeting you first.

12:43 Speaker 3: John, you have to believe me.

12:44 Speaker 6: In our business, there are going to be innocent people hurt.

12:48 Speaker 5: You make it sound so clean.

12:50 Speaker 1: Our business.

12:51 Speaker 5: This time, our business is biting you in the backside.

12:55 Speaker 3: I can offer you more money.

12:56 Speaker 5: Forget it.

12:57 Speaker 3: Twice!

12:58 Speaker 6: Twice whatever the client's paying you.

13:00 Speaker 5: Twice of everything? I don't think so.

13:04 Speaker 3: Damn it, John! I kept you out of it.

13:06 Speaker 6: You know that.

13:07 Speaker 5: I know. My client doesn't know.

13:10 Speaker 6: Is this some form of reconciliation with your conscience?

13:14 Speaker 5: I suppose it is.

13:15 Speaker 3: Believe me, it won't work. You're always going to see her face in your dreams.

13:21 Speaker 5: Maybe you are right. Maybe I can never be forgiven for what I did. But I can give her this. I can give her you. That must be her.

13:30 Speaker 1: Triple!

13:31 Speaker 4: Triple!

13:32 Speaker 3: I'll triple it. We can triple her offer. We can triple it.

13:35 Speaker 5: I see you were able to find the place.

13:37 Speaker 3: Wait a minute. Wait, wait, wait. You? You were the client?

13:43 Speaker 5: I was only 12 years old when you killed my father and mother.

13:48 Speaker 4: I brought it.

13:48 Speaker 5: Your feet? Is this enough?

13:57 Speaker 3: $ 14.

13:57 Speaker 1: 73.

13:57 Speaker 4: Everything I have.

14:00 Speaker 5: This will do nicely.

14:02 Speaker 3: No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! It wasn't me!

14:05 Speaker 5: How do you want this done? Bullet?

14:08 Speaker 1: Knife?

14:09 Speaker 5: I want to do it.

14:10 Speaker 4: I brought Daddy's knife.

14:15 Speaker 3: .

14:25 Speaker 5: I stepped outside and lit up a cigarette. I felt the weight of the money in my pocket. After a short time, there was no more screaming, only the silence of death.

14:42 Speaker 3: It's over.

14:43 Speaker 5: Did you bring a change of clothes?

14:44 Speaker 1: Yes, thank you.

14:46 Speaker 5: It was my pleasure.

14:47 Speaker 3: Oh, there is one more thing.

14:49 Speaker 5: What's that? You.

14:54 Speaker 4: Daddy kept everyone on a file. I found that file.

14:58 Speaker 3: I found you.

15:03 Speaker 1: What makes a person a murderer, or in this case, an assassin? What driving force is within someone that they would take out their anger on another person? As the Latin proverb says, revenge is a confession of pain. I'll be back shortly. While I can sympathize for the little girl in our story, I am reminded of another quote by Douglas Horton. While seeking revenge, dig two graves, one for yourself. Our cast included Mark Wheeler, Grinson McKenzie, William Stafford, Haley Harrison, and Patrick Scott.

16:02 Speaker 1: The entire production was under the direction of Winslow Swan. And now, a preview of our next tale.

16:14 Speaker 7: How old do you think Margo really is?

16:17 Speaker 6: That's something we've never really had the need to talk about. For us, age is just a number.

16:23 Speaker 7: Yes, that is something that people usually say. I suppose you believe that I was just an aging writer when I met Margo. By marrying her, I was trying to recapture my youth, and she was just a trophy.

16:42 Speaker 3: You said it. I didn't.

16:44 Speaker 7: I'm being very serious. How old do you think that she is?

16:50 Speaker 3: If you're going to press the matter, I would say that she's in her mid to late 30s.

16:54 Speaker 1: If that.

16:56 Speaker 7: Believe me, dear girl, she is much, much older than that.

17:02 Speaker 1: Doorway to Nightmare is sponsored in part by Swanage Press. This is your host inviting you to return with us through the doorway to nightmare for another adventure into the world of your terrifying imagination. Until next time, slumber peacefully. Epilogue. The butler did it.