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it to disguise her approach. She ended up on a slight rise right by the kitchen window, which was more
than adequate for her needs. She had a slanting view down and into the kitchen, and she could see both
Mark and Abby as they moved around the house, passing in and out of her view as they got ready to
meet the day. All she needed was a good shot actually,two good shots and then this job would be
over and she could get on about the business of her life& whatever that was.
Elektra waited, a sai in each hand. It was only a few moments before Mark ambled across her view, then
stopped in front of the window and turned his back, putzing around with something on the table,
unknowingly lining himself up perfectly in her vision. It should have been the perfect shot, really, there
was nothing at all wrong with it& but maybe she could wait for something better, something with the
girl closer to the window so she could get them both with more speed.
In another blink of the eye, Abby stepped into view, standing next to her father, a classic case of
actually getting what you wish for. Elektra s hands were frozen on her sais she couldn t help listening
to the warm, familiar banter between father and daughter, a casual conversation that showed affection
and was never meant for someone outside the family to hear.
Mark moved, and Elektra heard the sound of a can clanking against something metal. He looked over
and she saw him grin at Abby.  How about some canned plums?
Even from this far away, Elektra could see Abby roll her eyes in amusement.  Dad, you aresuch a sugar
junkie.
 What? he asked defensively.  I used to love these when I was a kid.
Abby smiled but didn t say anything for a moment. Then, instead of talking about breakfast, she asked,
 When am I gonna see Grandma?
Elektra saw Mark s shoulders rise as he inhaled.  I don t know, honey. Soon& I hope. Soon.
Crouching above the window, Elektra pressed her lips together, growing more and more angry with
herself for not justdoing it, taking the two shots and getting this over with. But no, the timing wasn t
right, something wasn t right& at least that s what she tried to convince herself of as she finally moved
away from the window. Still telling herself she could go with the shots, aloud she was muttering to
herself.
 Come on,damn it just& push.Push. She started to repeat herself, but all her air was gone, and she
just couldn t do it.
Out of the corner of her eye as she left, she saw Mark and Abby suddenly freeze. Had they sensed her
out there? Had theyheard her?
Without warning, Abby spun, fast, and made for the door. Her dad grabbed her before she could get
there.
 Dad, let me, she said urgently.  I m 
Time to go.
He shook his head.  Stay here, he told her as he leaned over the sink and peered out the window.
But by the time he focused on the foliage outside, there was nothing to see but empty green, and nothing
for him to do but exchange worried glances with his daughter.
Enough of this, Elektra thought as she stormed back into the warm front room of the beach house. She
was absolutely furious with herself for not being able to do what she was supposed to. For God s sake, it
was almost as if she couldn t eventhink the phrase, use the words in her own mind. Well, damn it, she
could she had tokill them, both of them. She was the assassin thepaid assassin and they were her
targets. She d never met them before yesterday, and she shouldn t care if they were alive tomorrow.
She strode to the closet and yanked out the tall box, then pried it open and began assembling the
contents. The Martin Cougar Elite compound bow took shape rapidly beneath her experienced hands,
and she barely had to think about what went where. This one had a hand-held trigger and a telescopic
sight that made it almost as accurate as a firearm and could send an arrow off at nearly three hundred
feet per second. She hated herself for admitting a weakness, but maybe if she could put some distance
between her and her two marks enough to where she didn t have to hear them chatter at each other
and therefore didn t have to remember that they werepeople, people with whom she d shared a
Christmas dinner maybe then she could do her job and end it the way she ought to.
With a final tightening of the limb bolts, Elektra shouldered the Martin and stood. As she grabbed a half
dozen aluminum arrows, Elektra realized she d be leaving a mess, a telltale sign of her presence here, if
she didn t clean up.
Too bad. She couldn t worry about that right now. Right now she had to do something to stop the
erosion of her own abilities.
Right now, she had to kill.
It took her less than five minutes to get back to Mark s property, although this time she was well out of
range of hearing, no matter how sensitive either of them might be. They were such innocent victims, the
worst kind only the inexperienced kept their curtains spread wide, only the most ignorant didn t
realize that doors and windows should be locked and covered at all times. As they had earlier, Mark and
Abby wandered at will across the line of Elektra s sight, easy prey for the killer neither had any idea
was waiting outside.
Down on one knee, Elektra brought up the compound bow and pulled back on the bowstring, inhaling
as she pulled against a nearly sixty-five pound draw weight. Mark was easy to fix in the center of the
sight and Elektra s hand was steady as she watched him; his back was to her again and rather than
release the arrow, Elektra found herself wondering what he was doing. Paying a bill, chopping up a
snack for Abby to eat, or spooning out those canned plums he d talked about earlier this morning?
Elektra frowned but kept the bowstring pulled taut against her cheek. One more second and
Abby stepped into the center of the window obviously their nervousness of this morning had
dissipated. She said something to her dad and he looked over at her and smiled; at that, Abby stepped
slightly behind him and put her arm casually across his shoulders.
Now would be good, no, now would beperfect. They were at a slight angle to her and she could get
them both with one shot, accurate enough to pierce both their hearts and likely kill them instantly. Very
little pain, no fuss
Abby s arm dropped away and Mark stepped to the left, disappearing from Elektra s view. Abby stayed
where she was, looking downward. Maybe she was reading something, a magazine article her dad had
noticed and told her about, a letter, a strip of brightly colored comics,any thing. She was right there,
centered in the kitchen window and in Elektra s telescopic sight, motionless and so very vulnerable. An
easy target, over in a flash
Elektra s arm began to tremble from the pull of the bowstring. Ten seconds later she still hadn t fired
and the tremble turned into a full shake as her muscles hit their fatigue point.
Finally, Elektra eased the bowstring forward and lowered the bow.
 I m not doing it.
There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end, very rare for McCabe. He was a man who
always had something to say, usually a comment sarcastic enough to annoy the person on his receiving
end. Elektra kept up her momentum and her routine, flipping rapidly through her key ring until she [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]