compound impatiently with his gun in the left

hand, waiting anxiously for his new boss,

Tarasha. It was the first time he was going to

work under a lady. He had worked with several

male a.s.sa.s.sins and thugs who were well feared

in the country, but he hadn't even heard about a

powerful female a.s.sa.s.sin until when Tarasha

showed up. He was the second in command to

Don, his immediate former Boss who just

transferred him to Tarasha.

Don did not release him to her without

hesitating, in fact Don had to think about it for

almost thirty minutes before he finally decided

to transfer him. Thinking for that long on a small

matter as this wasn't something he had ever

seen Don do for the three years he worked with

him. But Don's long thinking moment didn't

come as a surprise to him as he knew he was

for sure a great a.s.set to Don's organization,

Nanl gang. He never failed at any task and he

always carried out his job within the specified

time. He was also very good in convincing and

mobilizing other men for tasks.

His transfer didn't also come as a surprise to

him as he saw the angry look on Don's face

when the two guys previously transferred

returned that morning looking thoroughly

battered. The only reason Don did not kill them

after they explained was that he didn't want to

lose another two of his strong men.

He took a look at Cole, the other man

transferred with him. Cole was seated on a

chair with a anxious look on his face. He also

had worked with Don for three years, working

efficiently as the best ICT agent and fastest

driver. Don had no choice than to release his

two favorite men because he couldn't face the

embarra.s.sment of his men being returned again

for their inefficiency.

Benny turned suddenly at the sound of Cole's

foot tapped on the floor, he pointed his gun at

Cole.

Cole looked at him funnily, 'you better calm

down my friend'

'Calm down? I don't want us to disappoint Don,

we must not be returned like the other guys'

Benny replied . 'I want us to be the ones to

catch the lady unawares this time around'

'She said she'll come in the afternoon, but the

time is only thirty minutes past eleven'

'Yesssss' Benny stressed the word, staring

widely at Cole. 'Didn't you hear what the guys

said? She told them she was coming by seven

in the morning but she caught them while

sleeping at midnight'

'That's nice dude' A lady said approaching

them. 'But you don't catch a trained a.s.sa.s.sin by

fidgeting all over like you are doing now. You've

allowed your anxiety gain ascendancy over your

attentiveness'

'Who are you? How did you get in?' Benny asked

as he pointed his gun at her. Cole got up from

his seat and brought out his revolver also.

'How I got in isn't your concern' she smiled and

extended her hand to them. 'I'm Tarasha, your

new boss'

'Huh? Tarasha?' Benny shook his head in

disbelief. 'It can't be'

'Tarasha is supposed to be on mask' Cole

added, still pointing his gun at her. 'Don't come

close or I'll waste you'

'I'm working with you guys so it would be stupid

use a mask' she said. She smiled at them

sheepishly but in next second sent them

sprawling on the floor as she slid towards them

and took their legs off the ground swiftly, their

guns falling off from them as they landed

thunderously.

She got up without any stains on her clothes

except her shoes which she cleaned off. She

picked up the guns and sat on the chair

previously used by Cole leaving the duo on the

floor to recover from the attack.

'Another lesson you ought to learn is not

allowing an attack keep you down; what if I was

an enemy lying to be Tarasha? Would you still

be struggling to stand while I send in bullets

through your skulls?'

They got up faster and stood firmly, staring at

her like they saw an alien that just landed from

another planet. The attack was enough to prove

to them that it was Tarasha but the lady sitting

before them looked too beautiful and innocent

to be an a.s.sa.s.sin, her voice was also too calm

and peaceful

'Why are you both staring at me like that? Won't

you tell me your names?' She brought back the

two startled men to reality.

'I'm Be.. Benny and he's Cole' Benny

stammered.

Tarasha smiled and handed the guns back to

them, she walked into the building and they

followed her. 'I will come here always to give

you instructions when there is a job, otherwise

I'll only talk to you on phone and on camera'

She walked into the living room and turned on

the TV , then she sat on the sofa, crossed her

legs and starting searching through the stations

with the remote control.

'Come on, have your seats' she said to Benny

and come who stood beside her like bodyguards

on punishment.

They sat reluctantly on the sofa facing hers, she

remained silent for some few minutes, busy with

the TV after which she tossed the remote

control to Cole.

'So Cole and Benny, I believe you know why

you're here' She began, sitting up right. 'We

have a job at hand right now and I urgently need

a very good driver and someone good on

computers'

Cole and Benny looked at each others faces,

Benny answered her. 'We are both good at

computers and also fast drivers'

'Okay, who's better using computers?' She

asked.

'The truth is… ' Benny replied with a sorry look,

he glanced at Cole as he spoke. 'He's better at

both than I am, but I'm not bad either'

Tarasha smiled, 'so in what area are you better

than him?'

'I can handle guns very well' Benny replied with

a smile.

'Is that true?' She looked at Cole's face for

confirmation.

'Yes, he was the major hitman in our gang'

'Okay then, Cole will be in charge of all

computer or camera works while Benny would

handle the cars and be my backup at

operations' she paused and looked at their

faces, they both nodded in confirmation. 'So

when I leave here now, c.o.ke would set up the

computer room to his taste while Benny would

visit the store rooms for weapons and study

them carefully'

'Okay' they replied softly, one after the other.

'Now, one thing you guys have to realize is that

you're working for me and your loyalty should be

to me and not your former boss or Chief Gab

who brought you here, I just sent him an errand'

She paused and laughed. 'And then, I hate

dishonesty and unpunctuality, I hope you guys

don't have these bad qualities?'

'No' they replied in unison this time, Benny

shaking his head softly to emphasize hos

answer.

'Good, also note my instructions have to be

obeyed always, I won't share anyone who

willfully and unnecessarily disobeys' the look on

her face changed to a serious one as she stood

up from the chair. 'Now pay attention to this

serious warning'

The two guys bounced to their feet and

followed her as she was motioned towards the

exit door, they followed hurriedly expecting to

hear her give the serious warning.

She paused and turned back, the look on her

face was a contorted one, the guys s.h.i.+vered at

her new look. She stared into their faces and

spoke in a harsh voice. 'n.o.body knows who

Tarasha is except you two and the maid, the

day anyone finds out from you is the day you

will breathe last'

They stood still and watched as she walked

away, still finding it hard to believe that their

encounter with her was real and not a dream.

What baffled them most was the ease at which

she could switch her mood easily, they

wondered what it would be like to work with

her.

Benny who had earlier planned to call his former

boss and tell him about her, changed his mind

and decided to keep mute, his loyalty was to

Tarasha henceforth.

The both stood still in silence for a minute after

she walked out of the gate. Then Benny turned

and muttered some words under his breath, he

took off his s.h.i.+rt and threw it on one of the

sofas in the living room, revealing his heavily

tattooed back.

Cole followed suit, brought out a cigarette from

his pocket and lit it. He stopped at the

entrance, stuck the cigarette in his mouth and

puffed out the smoke into the air.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

++++

*6am, Sat.u.r.day Morning*

Cole was the first to get up that morning,

he

opened the door to the room where Benny

slept

and peeped, Benny was still fast asleep. He

closed back the door and continued walking

to

the parlor, he stopped again after walking a

distance. Just at his left side was the

computer

room which he briefly a.s.sessed and

arranged

the last night.

His countenance changed as he noticed

that

thedoor was slightly opened, he

remembered

locking it with keys the last night. That

arouse

his suspicion, he pulled out a knife from his

left

side and walked slowly to the door. He

opened

and peeped in but saw no one, he walked in

carefully scanning through all corners of

the

room for possible sign of an intruder. He

found

nothing and walked out of the room.

Benny was already awake and was at the

computer room doorstep.

He yawned as he talked, 'are you working

this

early already?'

'No, it's as if someone came in here. Or did

you

enter here last night after I had gone to

sleep?'

Cole asked, locking the door again.

'No' Benny answered, giving Cole a serious

look.

'I locked the place yesterday but found it

opened this morning' Cole continued.

'Huh?' Benny moved back slowly, then

turned

and walked to the weapon store room, the

place

was locked. He opened to check if

everything

was in place and he found it to be in order.

'Nothing here has been touched, maybe you

forgot to lock up the place. Sleepy head

like

you' Benny mocked as he walked to the

living

room.

Cole followed behind, ' I don't think so'

'You …' Benny paused abruptly and stood up

as

swiftly as he sat into the chair, he walked

towards the window like someone who

discovered something.

He opened up the curtain and saw a figure

hung

upside down on the tree in the compound,

she

looked towards his direction. He closed

back the

curtain and turned back, Cole was already

standing behind him, trying to have a look

outside too.

'I think she's is here already' Benny

announced.

'Huh? Who?' Cole moved forward and

confirmed

for himself. 'Tarasha'

The both straightened up their s.h.i.+rts and

proceeded out of the house. Tarasha

dropped

off the tree when she saw them

approaching,

she used a towel to wipe her face and hung

it

around her neck.

Benny licked his lips in admiration, he

stared at

her exposed thighs below the tight black

shorts

she was putting on, her tight top only

covered

her neck to b—-t region and left other parts

exposed. Benny wished his eyes could

penetrate

through the clothes to reveal what was

behind.

'Good morning Tarasha' They chorused,

standing

at her front.

'Good morning' Tarasha answered, she

twitched

her lips and gave Benny a stern look.

Benny's

body vibrated as his eyes met hers, he

knew

she had caught him searching her body with

his

eyes.

'We got some work to do this morning' she

said

and bent down to pick a pistol, a hardballer.

She

also laced her sneakers properly and

proceeded

into the house with the two others following

closely.

Benny stared at the hardballer in her hand

carefully, it looked like one which he had

seen

among the a.r.s.enal last night and arranged

carefully. He cracked his brain, trying to

remember if he saw the gun in the store

that

morning.

'I took this from the store this morning'

Tarasha

said with a smile, helping him solve the

mystery.

'And I also used the computers too, I

installed a

camera there so we can communicate well,

at

all times'

Benny and Cole looked at themselves in

awe,

fear surged through their bodies. They also

had

some form of training but wondered how

Tarasha could enter into the house so

silently

without them waking up. Did she use

magical

powers to transfer herself into the house?

Or

how did she enter without making any noise

to

stir them up?

'Cole should have noticed my presence, I

didn't

lock the door to the computer room, I left it

open as a sign to show you that I was

around'

Tarasha explained, she walked past the

living

room and turned to the computer room.

She removed a flat metal from the belt

around

her waist and opened the door.