When a Hitman Gets Haunted by a Ghost-Chapter 13: Bugged

Gabriel had marked the location of his dead body like a pirate marking his treasure, and now stood there proudly, slapping the fridge like a salesman. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"I removed the shelves, then possessed my body to get it in there," he said. "Consider me nicely cooled."

Kant scratched his brow, still staring at the fridge. He was about to ask where Gabriel had put the shelves, but stopped himself.

Something wasn’t right. Jones had left too easily. The quiet in the apartment felt oddly tense. Kant cast a suspicious glance at the bathroom.

"What?" Gabriel caught onto his wary silence, following his gaze in confusion.

Kant went straight to the bathroom, scanning the surroundings. Any place Jones had stepped a foot in was worth checking.

Gabriel rubbed his chin, watching Kant search every cupboard and shelf, opening them one by one and checking inside.

"What are you looking for? You think Jones took something?"

Kant shook his head and knelt down, his eyes catching a glimpse of something hidden under the sink.

With a sigh, he reached out and snagged the small black object, bringing it into view. A small listening device.

Gabriel’s jaw dropped as he stared at the object. "What?! Is that a bug?"

Kant gave a nod, unimpressed. Jones and his sneaky tech. Useful for real missions, but a hindrance in daily life.

After a while of playing ’who-will-blink-first’ with the bug, Kant walked out of the bathroom, heading to the door.

Gabriel ran after him with a question, "Are you going to confront Jones?"

But as Kant reached the corridor, instead of leaving the apartment, he put on one boot and dropped the device onto the floor.

He stepped on it, crushing it to bits, then stomped some more for good measure.

The ghost came closer, crouching to stare at the pitiful remains. "Woah, you really destroyed that thing. But won’t Jones get curious if he doesn’t hear anything from the bug?"

Kant took off his boot and went to grab a broom, finally allowing himself to speak, "I doubt he’ll bother to check the bug’s feed. It was more of a message: ’I have other ways to find out what you’re up to if you won’t tell me.’ Not a big deal."

"Not a big deal...?" Gabriel followed him around the apartment like a puppy. "But planting a bug in the bathroom is a bit... I mean, he would hear you taking a shit. Only a pervert would enjoy that."

Kant grimaced, shaking his head before that scenario made its way into his imagination. He swept the remains into a dustpan.

"But I guess it’s better than him installing cameras. Can you imagine?" the ghost mused, snickering to himself.

"I’m trying not to," Kant dead-panned as he carried the dustpan to a garbage can, dumping the bits into it.

"Honestly, I feel paranoid now," Gabriel remarked. "How do you know Jones didn’t plant any more bugs somewhere? Did you check the dresser? He was standing there for quite a while."

Kant paused, mulling over the thought. The ghost had a point. The bug under the sink could have been a diversion, and the real one might be concealed somewhere else.

He eyed the drawer by the wall.

Gabriel moved on his toes, whispering, "I didn’t see him slip anything in there, but maybe check it to be sure?"

Kant nodded, walking up to the dresser. He gripped the handle of the upper drawer but hesitated. If there were another bug hidden, it would cause some complications.

The bug in the bathroom was as good as a prank. But one more in the living room? Pure distrust and a breach of privacy.

Slowly, he pulled open the top drawer, revealing a pile of neatly folded clothes. He scanned the contents carefully, then moved to the next drawer.

No bug.

No bug in the next one either.

After checking the entire dresser, both he and the ghost exhaled in relief.

Gabriel let out a low whistle. "You’re thorough."

Kant didn’t comment, turning to the main door. He opened it, inspecting the lock from both sides. There were no signs of intrusion.

"How did Jones get in?" Gabriel questioned, peering over Kant’s shoulder.

Observing the lock a while longer, Kant ran his fingers along the surrounding frame. "Picked the lock."

Although Kant was confident in his own security measures and the solid lock he had installed, Jones was a crafty individual. Nothing was impossible for him to do if he wanted to.

"What?" the ghost’s mouth hung open again. "People actually do this? I thought it was something that only happened in movies."

Kant raised an eyebrow at him, closing the door. "Have you never seen a locksmith work? It’s a real skill. I know how to pick simple locks too."

The thought of Kant picking locks intrigued the ghost. He leaned closer with wide-eyed curiosity, "You can? Woah! Can you show me?"

Kant shook his head. "It’s not nearly as cool as it sounds. I doubt you’d be interested in watching me kneel by a lock with my glasses and a tool pouch. And it takes time."

"Really? Jones did it pretty fast," Gabriel mentioned.

"Yeah, well, I said I can only pick simple locks. Obviously, I’m not that quick with it," Kant grumbled, sinking onto the couch.

Gabriel sat next to him, peering at his face. "Aren’t you a bit too relaxed about this? Wouldn’t most people get angry if they found a bug in their home?"

Kant leaned back, pulling out his laptop and setting it in front of him. "It’s fine. Jones just wants to protect me. He’s crossing boundaries, but he’s not doing it out of malice. He’s just being... Jones."

The ghost sighed, resting his chin in his palm. "Man... If he plants bugs to protect you, then what does he do to destroy someone?"

"Shows up quietly. Acts without mercy." Kant suppressed a yawn. "Don’t sweat it. While he’s calling and bugging me, it’s fine."

Gabriel scoffed at the nonchalance in Kant’s tone. He tried to keep in mind that this individual was dangerous and calculated, but instead, with his hair disheveled and his eyes still sleepy, Kant looked completely harmless.

The ghost chuckled to himself, getting comfortable. It was like watching a bear slowly rouse from hibernation. Huggable.

Kant shifted his gaze to Gabriel, who quickly looked away, whistling a melody.

"Since you have nothing better to do, research ways to revive your body." Kant set the laptop in front of the ghost on the coffee table, going back to the kitchen himself.

"Coffee again?" Gabriel called after him.

"The file," Kant replied, taking a seat by the table.

Just as Kant was about to open the file, a sharp tap echoed from the window.

Kant froze, his heart skipping a beat.

Tap. It came again, loud enough to make the glass shiver.

Gabriel’s eyes widened. "What was that?"

Kant stood up, his body tense. He moved slowly toward the window, his pulse quickening.

Tap. A shadow flickered against the glass.

The ghost came over to check as well, sneaking up to Kant quietly.