I peeked from behind the bush, pulling my baseball cap further down my face. I adjusted my sunglasses, and fixed my hood even though it was the middle of summer. My dark disguise stood out oddly in the small town, but the people didn’t seem to notice. I watched my target sipping onto his coffee as he smirked at nothing in particular. I couldn’t wait until I could take this one down. He is my first target. The one who took the main role in the plan. The same plan that killed my parents.
* * *
3 years earlier
“Guys you know this is my parents shop, right?” I giggled as we entered my parents jewellery store, with Marcus’ arm placed around my shoulders. He smiled at me in return as he messed up his sandy blonde hair, looking at me with his green eyes.
“Yeah babe. Just looking for a new watch,” Marcus said eyeing the store, as he wondered around exchanging glances with the others. Catelyn laughed at something Max said as they trailed along behind us. I noticed the three kept looking at each other with unsure looks, but I decided to ignore it. I smiled widely as I saw my parents talking to one another behind the encounter.
“Hey Sam? Can you ask your parents where the silver chained necklaces are?” Catelyn asked looking a little desperate as she balanced her weight on separate feet, squirming.
“No need, the silver wears down there,” I grinned at her as she looked a little disappointed, which made me frown a bit.
“Oh, I mean’t the gold chains..” She scratched her head looking unsure. I had no idea where the gold chains were. I nodded my head and went over to my parents.
“Hey Mum, Dad,” I smiled at my parents. They meant the world to me.
“Samantha! honey, I was wondering where you were,” dad smiled gently as he straightened his name tag. Even though I was eighteen they still kept tabs on me.
My parents were wealthy. They owned the biggest jewellery shop in town; Peterson’s Jewellery Merchandise. It had all the latest bling which celebrities are now wearing and the whole load.
“Sorry I didn’t notice it was getting dark,” I said sheepishly as my mum and dad shook their heads, grinning and dismissing it.
“Oh! Catelyn was wondering where the gold chains were?” I asked mum as I pointed to Catelyn chatting with Marcus and Max in the far corner.
“In the third row down the back honey,” mum replied pointing to the back row.
Giving my thanks, I leant over the counter and kissed her cheek.
Walking over to my friends they stopped talking and looked at me, smiling brightly.
“Follow me,” I said smiling as I walked to the back of the store.
“Here’s the gold-” I began but Catelyn interrupted.
“Sam, what’s in there?” She asked pointing to the store room were the faulty jewellery were stored.
“That? Thats the store room, no goodies in there,” I chirped brightly as she smiled at me and nodded her head.
“You guys are awfully quiet,” I said giggling as Marcus smirked and Max just smiled.
“Just thinking,” Marcus said.
Shrugging my shoulders I kept on walking. As I began to walk past the store room, I felt strong hands grip my shoulders and roughly push me in the store room.
Not knowing what was going and slightly confused, I fell on my butt and I looked up to see Max closing the door.
“Sorry babe,” I heard Marcus say as the door slammed shut.
“Guys?” I questioned confused as loud rackets erupted from outside of the store room.
Trying to open the door, I immediately stopped as I realised it was locked. Feeling scared I started banging onto the metal door.
“Guys! This isn’t funny! C’mon, open the door!” Now I was yelling.
No one seemed to hear me as I stood there feeling trapped and very confused. Peeking through the key hole I noticed Marcus’ figure pointing to a shelf.
I watched, shocked as my friends began to shove the expensive goods into large garbage bags.
Not hearing a word I pushed my ear up against the door and tried to listen.
“We’re going to be rich,” I heard Max’s voice as rattles of chains and metallic objects made contact with one another.
“Sam? Is everything-”
As soon as I heard my mums voice I began to panic and bang on the door. I wanted to believe my friends were pulling a prank however it all looked so real.
“Mum!” I screamed as I balled my hands into a fist, banging onto the metal door.
Leaning my ear against the door once more I listened
“Mr and Ms Peterson.. we don’t want anyone getting hurt. Please, just let us walk out of this store,” I heard the unmistakable voice of Marcus as I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces.
“Are you crazy? Put those bags down, and leave before I call the police!” My dad boomed which made me jump even if I was in a separate room.
“Wrong answer,” Marcus said, in a sickly sweet calm voice that made me shudder.
“Max..”
“Oh, dear Lord! John he has a gun!” I heard my mums terrified voice.
Feeling the unfamiliar sensation of fear creeping into the pit of my stomach, I began shaking uncontrollably as my tears blurred my vision.
“Please! Someone open the door!” I pled. However I was starting to believe the walls were sound proof as no one answered me.
“Son, put the gun down,” my dads low voice said. I peeked through the tiny key hole, and Max was there, pointing a pistol at my dads chest.
I gasped and felt tears well up in my eyes. The little gun looked like the one Marcus used when he took me duck hunting. One of his favourite ‘hobbies’.
“Oh cut the crap Mr Peterson, don’t try playing the nice card,” the high pitch of Catelyn’s voice filled my ears which now sounded like dieing cats to me.
“How dare..”
I watched as my dad pushed my mum down onto the floor. He lept up into the air with force I’ve never seen.
He tackled Max to the floor who had the gun, and took a tight grip of his wrist; making the gun point to the ceiling. Marcus took an alarming step back.
“Stop now! I’ll cut her throat,” Catelyn threatened however her voice sounded unsure.
“No! Please don’t! Mum!” I cried as now tears broke loose and the waterworks began.
The heartless girl I called my friend held a knife to my mums throat. She pressed it deeper and I watched the blood begin to pour out.
My mum screamed in agony and I screamed with her, crying as nobody heard me.
“Alright stop! Not my wife!” Dad yelled and lowered his guard.
“Give me the gun,” Marcus said impatiently and I knew it couldn’t be good. The thought that we were dating sickened me.
Just as I was about to begin my protests again, I heard the most terrifying noise that haunted me every night till today. The noise that rang in my ears, the noise that reminded me of my parents and the noise that tore my heart to pieces all over again.
The gun shot.
* * *
I watched from behind the bush, my target; Marcus finish his beverage and ask for a check. He was now a wealthy business men and was so wealthy- he didn’t even attend to his meetings.
The idea of how he even became wealthy makes me want to puke, as he tells everyone his fake story of building his career.
The night Max, Catelyn and the devil himself-Marcus killed my parents, they covered their tracks well. They introduced themselves to me with fake last names and age.
They all are in fact two years older then me. However now we are all adults and I am ready to claim my revenge. An eye for an eye they say. However in this case I’d like to put it as; a life for a life.
The police didn’t believe my story. A part of Marcus’ plan which I unraveled was that taking me to the new pub in town before the robbery, wasn’t to have fun. It was that, if I were to have a drug test it would appear that I drank.
And exactly that happened. The police believed my story was fake and arrested two men who they pled guilty, which for all I knew; were innocent civilians who were framed.
My dad got shot right at the internal organs and died in minutes. My mum however bled to death on the way to the hospital.
Over the past three years I didn’t come back empty handed no-no. I changed my appearance and name along with creating myself a background story.
Instead of my long blond-childish hair, I now dyed it to a darker shade of blonde and cut it mid-length. My blue eyes remaining the same. My face has matured past the years and I didn’t look like my young naive self.
In other words I was a whole new person. I wasn’t the cute, gullible and bubbly girl anymore; I was hot, dark and dangerous. My new appearance sent out an aura that would definitely catch Marcus’ attention. Not only that, but I was wealthy. Oh yes.
My parents left me a big fortune, however in my background story; I transferred into this town to work for one of the biggest companies in the business industry.
Everything was set and ready to go. First I enter all their lives, get them to trust me and then attack.
I was more than ready- in fact I’ve been waiting too long. During the years, I’ve mastered my acting skills. I got a black belt in karate, a trophy for martial arts and combat fighting. Ive become familiar with a gun and know how to protect myself now.
Samantha Peterson was gone. Dead. Now in her place stood Victoria Strikings.
Slipping off of my dark clothing, I threw it into the back of my car and fixed on a pair of heels and applied dark red lipstick as my eyes zeroed in on Marcus. Walking in through the oak doors, the little bell chimed letting people know there was a new customer.
My red pumps smacked against the marble ground and several heads looked my way. A few guys stared at me with wide eyes, while others smirked and sent me winks.
Ignoring their stares, my eyes didn’t leave Marcus, as I strode up towards him, his green eyes glued to his smart phones screen.
Walking past him I suddenly stopped and turned around to face him, putting on a look of surprise on my face.
“Marcus Williams?” I said tilting my head and his head shot up and his eyes grew slightly wide as he took me in.
“Do I know you?” He asked looking at me from head to toe, as he slipped off his shades and bit the end of them looking at me with a grin.
“No, but I know you,” I said with a smirk and he quickly stood up, pulling out a chair for me.
“Please. Take a seat,” He said also smirking and I sat down in the chair he pulled out. He placed himself back down on his seat and looked at me expectantly.
“I just moved into town. My old company suggested I look for new business with the best companies,” I said leaning forward and he raised an eyebrow.
“Best companies like my own?” He said leaning forward and a flirty smile suppressed his features.
“Ofcourse,” I said with a grin, “-I noticed you right away.”
Marcus grinned in delight and leaned back. My stomach did a little twirl and I forced the nervous feeling away. I wasn’t letting his pride wreck my plan. Never.
“So you’d like me to help you out?” He said with an eyebrow raised, “-I don’t just help out strangers.”
“That’s fine. I could try and find someone else that could maybe give me an interview,” I said and paused, shrugging my shoulders, “-I just heard you were the best.”
“And indeed I am,” He said loosening his tie.
After a moment, he leaned forward looking interested.
“Your name?” He said his smirk never wavering as he looked at me, his eyes bringing back so many memories.
“Victoria. Victoria Strikings,” I said the very phase I repeated many times before. It was my new name and I had to remember that.
“Striking indeed,” Marcus said with a side grin, slipping on his shades as he stood up.
“Tell you what,” he said with a pause slipping out a little card, “-you found me at a great time. Call my office and ask for the address for tonight’s event,” He said handing it over and I took it, purposely brushing my knuckles against his.
“An event?” I said tilting my head, “-for what exactly?” I asked also standing up as I stood facing him.
“We do it every few months. High business class people will be there. It’s a chance for them to mingle and exchange business cards,” he said his gaze trailing down.
“Oh? Isn’t things like that invite only?” I said with a smirk and his grin widened.
“I like you already. I’ll get you on the list. Be sure to find me,” He said grabbing my hand. He brought it up to his lips and lightly brushed them over my knuckles.
“I sure will,” I said with a little flirty smile. Marcus smirked and with one last look he left.
I watched him leave and once I saw his expensive looking car speed away I left the building and got into my car.
My hands immediately clutched onto the steering wheel and I squeezed them hard, making my fists go white.
I took in a sharp intake of breath as images of Marcus killing my parents went through my mind.
“Relax,” I soothed myself, “-you’re not Samantha. You’re Victoria now,” I said firmly looking into the review mirror at my reflection.
Seeing my now dyed hair and now mature face, I snapped back to my senses and slightly relaxed in my seat.
I was going to do fine. Tonight I’d go to the event, drink some fancy wine and make progress.