Andre understood the jargon instantly.
The Dark Web was a shadowy underworld where anonymity was king. Identities were hidden behind layers of secrecy, making it nearly impossible for anyone to track you down, no matter how persistent. This place was a haven for the world's most sinister characters, including hitmen. Freelancers, however, like the guy Andre was talking to, had talent but stayed away from the bloody business of contract killing. They made their dirty money without getting their hands dirty.
Betraying an employer here was a surefire way to invite retaliation from unseen forces.
"When did they contact you?" Andre asked.
"After that trending fiasco. No one could find a trace of you online. That night, the Walker family reached out to me privately, offering big money to dig into your family history."
"Do you know a guy named Tom?" Andre pressed further.
The man replied, "Heard of him, never met him. We only connect through secure channels. I've worked with the Walkers before, so they trust me. This time, they wanted me to find Tom here, but the guy’s a ghost."
A complicated expression crossed Andre's face. He was past the point of keeping secrets. "Take him to the hospital."
"Yes, sir."
Stepping outside, the cold wind began to wash away the stench of smoke and blood from his clothes.
Andre got into his car, handed off the wrap-up tasks to his team, and then detoured to a hotel halfway home.
After taking a shower at the hotel, with his hair still damp, Andre drove back home.
"Where have you been gallivanting, Andre? Getting all cleaned up before coming home, but still in the same clothes?" Jenny, his little spitfire, cradled their chubby baby at the doorway, her tone dripping with mock jealousy.
Andre took the baby from her arms. "Had a smoke. Didn't want you or the baby to catch the smell, so I took a detour for a shower."
"And the business from this afternoon?"
"Handled."
"Did you catch the guy?"
"Yes."
"Did he talk?"
"Yes."
Jenny, growing impatient, said, "Andre, do you have any other words in your vocabulary besides ‘yes’?"
Andre replied, "…Yes."
Soon after, their harmonious marriage hit a playful rough patch as Jenny jokingly accused him of “domestic tyranny.”
Back at his place, Leo was sharing his day as a junior assistant with Anya, even showing her photos on his phone. “Here’s Aunt Molly’s wedding dress pics. I didn’t want you to miss out, so I snapped some shots for you.”
Leo, unimpressed, grumbled, “Why would I want to see those?”
Anya, puzzled, asked, “Then whose would you like to see?”
Leo, ever the provocateur, said, “Your uncle’s.”
"Chad, you can look at anyone's. Uncle Andre doesn't have wedding photos, and to get those, he'd have to pose for them with Aunt Jenny right now."
Anya knew her limits. She wasn't about to suggest such a brazen idea to them.
"Leo, come up here," called the man from upstairs.
Both Leo and Anya looked up as Uncle Chad cradled the little one at the top of the staircase.
"Chad, he probably didn't hear you from that distance," Anya worried, hoping Chad wouldn’t end up in trouble again.
Leo blinked rapidly, a sign of his guilt, before saying, "Oh, I'm on my way."
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