The man had been summoned urgently to a meeting with his handler.
It was not the way things were usually done. He would normally receive a polite phone call asking him to provide a convenient time to come in. Even when it was the case that someone needed to be neutralised as soon as possible, there would be a calm and courteous call. It was normally arranged and carried out carefully and in a professional manner, to minimise mistakes.
The handler was waiting for him in the small sound-proof room at the back of the florist shop.
The handler looked put out.
“It must be important. It’s the first time I’ve had to break off from a round of gulf to be here.”
He unlocked a drawer in the metal desk and took out a large brown envelope.
He slid it across.
“I don’t know anything about this one, beyond it being top priority, so I hope you don’t have questions.”
The Neutraliser stared down at a coloured photograph of the man sitting opposite.
He reached into his jacket.
As he screwed the silencer on, he said, “This will be a first for me too.”