12 days of Christmas - Three Stars (Part I)

Written by: D S Dhanvin (24-E4)

Designed by: Xavier Lee (24-O2)

Daniel briskly walked across the crowded London streets. It was an unusually dry day, and as he weaved through workers clamouring gleefully as they went to the nearby pubs, Daniel reviewed the game plan in his mind.

His task was a simple one, head to Tromperies, be seated and patiently wait until he received what he needed. He’d look through the package, carefully analyse it and use his weapon when no one was looking. If all went well (as it almost always had) he’d leave the place, submit his report and await his next task.

The words ringing through his head were simply ‘Don’t get caught’. If his identity was in any way questioned, he’d need to leave immediately. Companies would kill to know the identity of a man who could help them flourish and if his identity was unveiled, his career would simply be annihilated.

He reached his destination. Here he slowed his pace, trying to seem to everyone that he wasn’t anyone special at all. He climbed the steps and entered the building.

Daniel was quickly seated and awaited the package’s arrival. As he sat down, he surveyed his immediate surroundings. Men in business suits gloating about the deals they’ve closed. Family members gossiping about anything and everything they could. Everything seemed normal and Daniel was sure that this operation would be a success. He ordered a martini (Shaken, and not stirred) and began to think.

Daniel checked his left breast pocket, his weapon was still there, anxiously awaiting its use.

A mighty weapon it was indeed. Handcrafted by numerous professionals in Zimbabwe, it comprised of a plastic polymer with parts of pure stainless steel. Long and slender, yet slim and subtle, concealing it from everyone there was vital. Its raw potential in combination with Daniel’s skill, truly made it a formidable device. Daniel knew to be subtle in its use however, and only planned to unsheathe it when no one was looking.

Then, something peculiar happened. From the corner of his eye, Daniel saw two individuals dressed in dark clothing look at him intensely. They signalled to another and they began closing in on him. Daniel immediately stood up and began speed walking to the exit.

They closed on him quickly.

Before he knew what he was doing, Daniel started sprinting, moving quicker than lightning  in a desperate attempt to get out of there fast. Cardio wasn’t ever his strong suit, or any other form of physical exertion but he managed to dash out of the restaurant onto the street.

A dark van pulled up in front of him, the back door opening to reveal a young woman. ‘Get in. Now.’ 

Daniel was no fool. His mother always told him to never ever enter a stranger’s vanand he was damned if he was going to test her wisdom. The promise of ice cream wouldn’t get him to enter that van at all and he figured that he’d just run back to his hotel and lay low before requesting his company for an extraction.

Then the guns started firing. Bullets streaked past him as he ran forward and the sound of them as they barely passed him was deafening. “Why in the hell do they have guns?” Daniel quickly thought. “Why would restaurateurs want to kill me? I’m a food critic for god’s sake not some damn criminal!” he asked himself. With every passing second it seemed that the assailants were getting closer to him and even worse, that van was still in front of him with that lady still shouting at him to join her. 

Daniel turned a right, then he turned a left, then right again. The gunmen still followed him and now, they were getting closer and closer. The lady stopped shouting and screamed at him. ‘GET IN. NOW!’ she shouted. With death now on the table, he reneged on his previous belief, jumping in.