Chapter 5: Azure
It’s ten minutes past the meeting time and the person who requested this job has yet to show. He’d instructed the deserter to wait nearby rather than join him. The tense atmosphere that Ocher keeps along with his already unexpected presence might warn his customer off. Ocher can stay with him for now if he’s useful, but he can’t cost him money. Not when he’s so close to the end.
He’s not exactly sure what to think of his new companion. Ocher is naive, that much has been made obvious, but as for his inner thoughts and goals, those are still a mystery. Ocher may not even know, his only focus seems to be escaping the army and now he’s done that as much as he can with Haithen’s current leader still in control.
If Ocher’s last and only goal is just to be free, then they’re working towards the same end and when he avenges his family, he won’t just be helping himself, he’ll be helping the entire country. If some people have to die along the way, which they will, then so be it. The result is a better future and a soldier who was raised with the intent that he would eventually kill can’t argue with that. His own family might have, but they’re dead now, so it no longer matters. Only what he wants matters.
A ball flies past him and a kid chases after it before running back to his friends across the grassy expanse and he shifts on the hard bench. This park is big and the constant noise of children playing in the background will keep them from being overheard, there’s no reason for his client not to be here.
Azure looks up when a pale man with black hair dressed in nondescript navy blue pants and a gray shirt joins him. He gets straight to business. “How soon do you need it done and where’s the picture?”
The other man looks at him in surprise, but slides a picture over. “Two days. Don’t you at least greet first?”
“What’s the point? I don’t care how you’re doing and we’re not sharing names.”
“That’s true.” The customer looks around in uncertainty, fingers fidgeting on his thighs. “Why did we meet in such a public place?”
“Because it’s less suspicious than meeting in some alley or a restaurant where people will be constantly checking in on us or eavesdropping.” Azure studies the picture. It's a middle aged man with dark skin, sharp brown eyes and a shaved head. He has a no nonsense look about him, but doesn’t come off as inherently bad.
He skims over the single included sheet of information labeled ‘Tamsen.’ The man has two daughters and a wife. He runs a business responsible for managing the produce for this town.
Azure looks up, “What did he do?”
“What do you mean what did he do?”
“I’m not going to kill an innocent man just because you don’t happen to like him. I want to know what he did.”
“They said you were good. Asking questions wasn’t part of the deal.” The man puts a hand to his pocket where he probably has some type of weapon waiting. Another reason for a public meeting, he won’t be attacked in a public place.
“And I am,” Azure agrees easily, then gestures towards Ocher some distance away who the man now notices has been watching them. “But, I have standards and I can’t go around teaching him the wrong things, can I?”
He moves his hand away from his side, recognizing he’d be outnumbered if he even attempted a subtle attack. “Tamsen cut corners on production and delivered infected produce to the city that sickened numerous people who then had to go to the hospital for care. And do you know who profited the most from the increased cases? Him, because his wife runs the hospital. Three young children even died! Yet, despite the evidence, he was found innocent. My own son was gravely ill because of his bad business practices and he may come up with another scheme that profits himself. I can’t allow someone like that to stay in power and put other lives in danger.”
Azure nods, “Alright, and you didn’t bring me a weapon, so I guess it’s on me to determine how he dies. What he did determines the method and you said three children died?”
The man nods, “Yes, but I don’t want a scene to be made when he dies. Keep it quiet.”
“Half up front and half after the job is done.”
“Agreed.” He presses his own tablet against Azure’s and half the funds are transferred immediately.
“I’ll take care of it and then you can transfer the rest, no reason to see me again.”
Azure nods in goodbye and returns to Ocher, gesturing for him to follow. He's suspicious of this job, there's probably more to it than he's been told and he wasn't lying when he said that he wouldn't kill an innocent man for no reason.
He always digs a little deeper before making the kill, he knows what it's like having your family taken away. Needlessly inflicting trauma on them is the last thing an innocent family needs. He gives Ocher a quick breakdown on what they’re expected to do and he wonders if despite being a soldier, Ocher has actually killed anyone. This will be a good chance to see what he’s worth.
“So, will you do it?” Ocher questions him as they leave the park.
“Will we do it,” Azure corrects. “I’m not sure yet, it depends on how I feel.”
“You already took his money.”
“So?”
Ocher shrugs, “Doesn’t that mean you have to do it?”
“Ocher, I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do.”
Azure leads them to another cafe and leaves Ocher to order while he pulls up the news story on his tablet, quickly skimming through the articles for the results of the case. ‘Not enough evidence’ seems to be the main reason for his innocence.
He scrolls further down and is unsurprised to see a picture of the man who hired him. His client is the one who brought the case against Tamsen because of his daughter who became sick. Of course, he had the funds to push the case because he runs an the opposing agricultural company. Azure sighs, no matter what’s going on in the world, petty fights like this over money will still be thought of as important.
A few taps later and he's reading about how his client’s company is failing due to the lack of demand for their products, typical. Had Tamsen been found guilty, he would have been able to acquire his company and save himself at the cost of an innocent man’s freedom and three children. Hmm, Azure thinks, sounds like a pretty severe crime to him.
Although, it’s better to make sure before he acts. He reaches across the table, snags Ocher’s last remaining sandwich half and ignoring his shout of outrage, shoves it in his mouth, “Let's go.”
“Where are we going?”
“Why do you constantly ask questions when the answer means nothing to you?”
Ocher shrugs, “I just don't like to be kept in the dark anymore.”
“We're going to pay Tamsen a visit and see if he's guilty or not.”
“You don't believe him?”
Azure gives him a withering look, “Of course I don't believe him. I don't even like the look of him. Do you believe everything someone tells you?”
“...I just thought it sounded pretty simple.”
"You're simple." Azure shakes his head, “One thing you really need to learn is to stop trusting people so easily, assume they have the worst intentions and you'll save yourself a lot of issues in the long run.”