winding whirlpools...

When "The Mensch" as I call her, told me that she wanted me to hunt him down and shoot him at sight without hesitation, I'd sweat beads on my forehead. No not because of the incessant power cuts or the unbearable heat that global warming was heaping on Bangalore, but just the idea of executing the plan she'd laid out for me.

It'd been a week since that fateful call was made. I was rubbing my hands and licking my parched lips in anticipation of drawing blood, of the fresh kill and the release I'd have as a result.

Polishing my assault weapon hadn't given me the immense pleasure that it was giving me now. I felt the smooth edges, the barrel was cold and minus a soul - perfect to serve the mission I was on. A flicker of doubt crossed my mind as I wondered whether I should catch him off guard or whether I should serve him his sentence and watch as my words had their effect and the words sank deep into his fearful eyes.

I eyed the room I was in, perhaps I should have opted for some sort of a camouflage? Naaaa... I'd some sort of fetish for instilling fear of the unknown in my victims mind. He or she would have no clue as to how this all would end up, I certainly did. I wanted them to remember every single detail, the ruthlessness in my eyes, the hard cold stare and a steely smile as I held my weapon and aimed it on his or her cranium.

"The Mensch's" words rang loud in my head, 'Show no mercy,' had been my strict dictum.

I was shaken out of my reverie by my chief informant. She'd spotted the victim and sped across the dully lit room to do what she did best, snitch on the unsuspecting. After all, it had been her masterplan to lure him into this well laid trap. She ached to get her hands on the victim but I forbade her as she was a rookie. I told her to sit back and watch as first blood was drawn.

I heard his unsuspecting footsteps up the abandoned stairway. The building had been evacuated for I did not believe in unnecessary panic. No one liked to witness a shoot for the fear of getting caught in it themselves. My reputation of shoot at sight and show no mercy had probably preceeded me here even. I shrugged my shoulders at the insolence of it all - I'd only my target in sight and nothing else in this world mattered now. I had to finish this one off and rightfully retain my place as the 'company's' chief marks man. No time for saving myself some grace on that sexist remark.

The door opened slowly - the creak was straight of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. The right foot appeared, then fawn coloured trousers, a white shirt and then a happy unsuspecting face. I drew my weapon and kept to the shadows as he went into the restroom to set his hair right. He liked making an impression - something I was aware of, having followed his every movement for the past few days.

As he walked out, I shadowed him to his seat. As he sat down, I motioned my informant to keep a straight face, wipe that silly grin she had on her face. He was about to open his diary to check his appointments for the day when I spun the chair around and got him to face me.

The shock registered, the look was that of a baffled man caught off guard, incoherent mumbling followed frantic limb movements to protect his being. I showed no mercy as I threw quickly threw a rope, then held in place by my assistant in a bid to bind his limbs to the chair. I minced no words in letting him know that I meant business and this was definitely IT!!!

He had no option but to pose for the company news letter in a decent fashion like we'd been requesting him to do for the past few weeks. Either this or we'd just publish his thrashing around photograph. He accepted defeat and made a twisted face at me, I shook my index finger at him, told him I'd all day and the patience required to get a decent mugshot. I'd the license to shoot and took my job very seriously as the official photographer of E-I and this one wasn't getting away easy!