He notices her noticing him as he refocuses in on his target.  His hand steadies as his finger inches closer to the trigger.   He knows that his job will be over in a few seconds so he engrosses himself in her while he can…

There is but one rule in his line of work, one rule, that if followed eliminates the need for any other:   the target is just a target.

His target, a lady not much older than his own daughter but with an uncanny strut of effortless grace.  The grace of an angelic dancer who isn’t on stage performing but still stuck in character for the rest of her life.  Her movements are a wonder to behold as if each normal everyday action were practiced to perfection.  Grocery shopping, driving, brushing her hair, jogging in the park, making a phone call, crossing the street, or waving down a cab, she brings a shine to every move she makes.  And its her obliviousness to the majesty of it that makes it all the more alluring.

She smiles at him from a distance, knowing full well what his next action will be and partly looking.  She motions for him to join her with a single finger.  His normally steel resolve melts as he makes his way toward her, his  finger still on the trigger.  He’s been spotted so he will have to play her little game or risk her making a scene and it was his job to make it look natural.  He knows that when the right moment presents itself, he would do what he had come to do.

He approaches her and then sits, his eyes never loosing their lock on hers.  They sit there for what seems like hours studying each other until she speaks.  “When I was informed that I would be your subject, I must admit that I was quite impressed.” she says without breaking her inquisitive stare, “‘What could I have done to deserve such a professional?’ I thought to myself” she pauses briefly then continues , “I’m not good enough at what I do to garner such attention but all that doesn’t matter now does it?” he finally chimes in, “Your right it doesn’t.”  He then stands with a grim look on his face and begins to walk back to his spot overlooking her from afar.  A smirk creeps across her face as he walks away not taking the time to look back for her reaction.

He returns to his perch to find that she is gone!  The rule repeats in his mind:  the target is just a target.  He looks around frantically for her only to hear something rustling in the bush to his rear.

“Did you know that photographers don’t like to have their picture taken?  Or that assassins don’t like being a mark?” she asks with a smile in her voice.  He whirls around in a shock only shown on the inside.

“I’m gonna teach you what its like” she threatens as she slowly walks toward him with each mesmerizing stride more seductive than the one before it.  I’m gonna teach you what its like to be seen but not to see.” she says as she approaches.

Now standing toe-to-toe, she once again glares into his eyes looking for something.  Something that might make this cold man seem compassionate.  Just then she found it, a small glimmer of human in him.  A crack in the armor of his emotions.  She knew that she had to make her move before he froze back up so she leaned in and kissed him.

It was a feeling he hadn’t felt in years, a feeling of warmth and passion intertwined.  The kiss sent chills down his spine and he halfway lost his footing.  He kissed back and wrapped an arm around her head still gripping his tool still ready for anything.

The kiss ends with a long stare as if their eyes are connected by an unseen thread of intrigue and wonder.  His grip steadies as he prepares to do what he has to do.  He releases his hand from her head, runs his fingers through her hair as if savoring her last breaths for her.  He can feel her shivering in fear from whats about to come.  “Everything is gonna work out great” he whispers in her ear as he loosens his grip on her and lunges backwards, squints his eye, aims and presses the trigger as a flash engulfs the roof.  The look on her face was exactly what he was looking for and his smile is proof of that.

He glances at her with the look on his face of a job well done.

“Best photo shoot ever”, she thinks as she shakes his hand.