"You think this doesn't happen in Spain?" "That it's more typical of Americans," "Colombians, Mexicans," "Italians...?" "No." "Like it or not, admit it or not, this is happening right now, in the present, yes, here, in Spain." "Much closer to you than you can imagine." "This is real." "You may be wondering which of the two I am." "Fortunately for me, I'm the one with the gun." "If I weren't, I swear I'd have no desire to say anything." "I'd be pissing in my pants, just like this poor bastard who's digging his own grave." "That's enough." "Leave the spade here." "Listen..." "Listen to me." "Don't kill me." "Don't do it." "I'm begging you." "I'm married." "I've got three children, for God's sake!" "I hate the ones who beg." "Do they think that after making them dig their own grave you'll let them go?" "There's nothing more absurd than a dead man begging for his life." "Tell Rivas I'll pay him." "I swear." "Tell him I need time." "I'll get the money, I'll pay him double what I owe." "But tell him I need time." "I need time!" "I don't know who Rivas is." "You don't know him?" "Then, why are you doing this?" "Why are you doing this?" "For money." "Every year, some 1,000 people disappear in this country without trace." "I'm responsible for quite a few." "THE NIGHT AND THE SILENCE" "That guy you see there is Lujén." "Lujén is my..." "How can I put it?" "Well, if I were a bullfighter, he'd be my manager;" "if I were a footballer, he'd be my agent, but as I am a hired killer," "I guess he's just the guy who gets me the jobs I do." "Lujén is a policeman." "Surprised?" "Yes, there are corrupt policemen in Spain too, but, well, you knew that, right?" " Hey!" " It's about time." "Here." " Is this the Turk's?" " It isn't cut, is it?" "More than half the drug trade in this country is controlled by corrupt policemen." "20% of the brothels in this country are managed by corrupt policemen." "And 90% of the illegal weapons circulating in this country are the direct or indirect responsibility of..." "That's right, corrupt policemen." "I'm certainly in no position to judge them." "Who's the "lucky one" this time?" "A woman." "Where?" "13, Esteban Calmera, a detached house." " Alarm?" " It mightn't even be switched on." "Any company?" "None." "She'll be alone." "Dog?" "No." "All the better." "I don't like killing animals." "Bastard." "When?" "Thursday night." "They want it to look like a robbery, so take all you can." "There's jewelry and cash." "Any preference?" "None." " What have you brought this time?" " A HK, with its matching set of silencers, of course." "That's good." "We're going back to the classics." "I was getting sick of Ceskas." "I don't have a supermarket, OK?" "Take it easy, take it easy." "No questions about money?" "Have you got so trusting?" "If there aren't 45,000 euros in the backpack, I don't do it." "You know that." "Take it easy, take it easy." "See you, kid." "Take care, grandpa." "I get paid 60,000 euros for eliminating someone." "Lujén gets 25%, so I come away with... 45, 000." "Not bad, eh?" "Last year I killed six, that makes 270, 000 euros." "How long does it take you to make that much money?" "I love my job." "But it wasn't always like that." "The first time I killed someone I got 300, 000... pesetas, and only after doing the job." "I know there are people now who do it very cheaply." "A lot of amateurs are getting involved." "But, as someone once told me," ""Anyone can kill, the hard thing is becoming a killer"." "Anyone can kill, the hard thing is becoming a killer." "It'll be easier for you if you follow my advice." "Never, ever, take anything for granted." "If you're careless and leave even the smallest thing to chance, the simplest job will become complicated in the stupidest way you can imagine." "Always be cleverer." "Cleverer than your victim, of course, but also cleverer than whoever hires you." "Only the clever survive." "Fools die sooner." "Especially in this job." "As you can imagine, my prints are in no database, and I also have ten different identities, but you can't be too careful." "I make it a rule to leave nothing to chance." "And, although I fully trust the weapons Lujén provides," "I always carry my own gun with me, just in case." "It's like my life insurance." "This job isn't covered by Social Security," "I needn't remind you." "So, well, one must take care of oneself." "Time to go to work." "I can get in anywhere without making the slightest sound." "Once, I blew a guy's head off without him even realizing I was beside him." "I'm a shadow in the darkness." "I'm that presence you sense but never see." "I'm that shudder that gives you gooseflesh when you discover you're not alone." "I'm the night that amplifies your fears." "I'm the silence that drowns your screams." "Don't neglect your technique." "If the perfect crime doesn't exist, the perfect killer certainly doesn't exist." "No prey is easy." "No objective is minor." "No job is a cinch." "And when you think that you've done it all, that nothing can surprise you," "you'll face the biggest challenge of all:" "your own self-complacency." "And when you know everything about this tradet, you'll discover you don't know shit about yourself." "If she had screamed, if she had opened her mouth, if she had said a single word, I 'd have killed her." "But, instead of that, she stayed silent, staring at me." "And then I had the strange sensation that her eyes could see inside me and, what's even stranger," "I felt that I too could see me through her eyes." "And I didn't like what I saw." "I didn't like it." "What's your name?" " Why do you want to know?" " I need to know." "What is it?" "Mónica Martin." "Mónica..." "What's your job?" "I'm a linguist, but I don't work." "And your husband?" "He's a lawyer." "What's his name?" "Jesus." "Jesus Balaguer." "Where is he now?" "At a client's house, working on a case." "Money laundering?" "Drug trafficking?" "He never tells me about his cases." "Why do you want to kill me?" "No, I..." "I don't want to kill you." "I was just given the job." "Does it have to do with my husband's work?" "I don't know." "I'll have to find out." "Are you..." "Are you going to let me live?" "Why?" "Because I'm pregnant?" "I don't really know." "Don't ask any more questions." "As soon as I leave, wait for fifteen minutes." "Then get dressed, pack a bag, and go to an hotel." "If you want to see your husband alive, don't call him." "If you tell the police, I'll come back." "And I'll do what I should have done." "Understand?" "Yes." "This job only has one rule." "This job only has one rule." "There's no boss, no fixed salary, no set hours, no vacation." "You can't even be sure you'll work again." "You just have to remember one rule, the golden rule:" "If you don't do a job, you're dead." "If you don't do a job, you're dead." "If any time, for whatever circumstance, you don't do your job," "you only have one option, one single option:" "Be faster than them." "Be faster than them." "Wasn't this your birthday?" "Didn't you say you never celebrate it?" "Do I look like I'm celebrating?" "You look like..." "I'm going to the kitchen." "Want anything?" "No." "How did you find me?" "Only the clever survive, Lujén." "What the fuck do you want?" "Didn't you do the job?" "You didn't do it, did you?" "Why?" "Why the fuck didn't you do the job?" "I'm asking the questions." " Who hired you?" " What are you going to do?" " Who hired you?" " Are you out of your mind?" "Tell me who hired you." "You're insane if you think you'll get out alive." "You know this job is a one-way road." "You can't back out, we can't, neither you nor I." "I've no time for metaphysical discussions." "Tell me." "Who gave you the money so I'd kill that woman?" "If I tell you, you'll kill me." "You're right." "But if you don't," "I'll have to kill your wife too." "You choose." "Swear that you'll let her live." "She knows nothing about you or our business." "Very well." "Very well." "I swear, I give you my word." "Now, who was it?" "His name is Néstor." "Néstor?" "Néstor, yes." "Who's Néstor?" "He has a whorehouse on the Burgos road." "Which one?" ""El Mirador"." " So he owns "El Mirador"." " Yes, that's right." "Did he order the job or is he just a middleman?" "I think he's just a middleman." "You know how this is." "Yes, we know how this is." "No questions." "Until today." "Until today." "You don't know what you're getting into." "No, I don't." "No!" "You said you wouldn't kill me." "I lied." "Never leave anyone alive if they've seen your face while you're killing someone." "Never." "Accidental witnesses reappear when you least expect it, and it's not worth worrying about being recognized in the street." "Don't leave any loose ends." "No, I haven't turned into a petty thief, but I sense that tonight I'll need a lot of money." "So... better Lujén 's than mine." "After all, I'm just getting back my 25%." "In the world we move in, money opens all doors." "Everything can be bought, everything can be sold." "But be careful, money lies, money is envious." "Money is like smoke." "To get it, something. has to be burned." "Try to make sure it's not you." "Hey, handsome!" "Hi there, handsome." "What'll you have?" "Vodka, with lemon." "OK." "You want a girl?" "Sure, do you think I'm here just to look at the scenery?" "If you knew the weirdos who come here..." "Do you have any preference?" "As long as she has a pair of tits, she'll do." "OK." "Like them?" "Yes." "Well?" "How are you?" "What's your name?" "That doesn't matter." "As you wish." "My name is Doris." "Doris..." "ls that your real name?" "Yes." "Where are you from?" "Colombia." "I've never known what to say to whores." "Especially tonight." "I can't waste time, but I mustn't rush either." "In my work, whores are almost always accidental witnesses, possible collaborators or, as I hope from..." "Doris, sources of information." "She wouldn't smile so much if she knew she'll be dead soon." "47 euros." "Keep the change." "Thanks." "Shall we toast?" "To what?" "To an unforgettable night." "A very suitable toast." "I see you're not shy." "What did you put in my tits?" "A 500 euro note." "Why?" "I want to know where to find Néstor." "Who is Néstor?" "How much money is in your pocket?" "It depends on what you know, it depends on what you tell me and it depends on how smart you are." "Why don't we go to a room and talk at our ease?" "I'm not moving till I know where Néstor is." "If I don't say any more, you'll have lost 1,000 euros." "If you don't say any more, you'll never know how much is in my pocket and the prize will go to some other girl who's smarter than you." "Néstor isn't a ghost, he owns all this." "You could have asked at the bar." "That I want to know about him doesn't mean he wants to know about me." " Are you a cop?" " No." "Just someone... very curious." " I don't want any problems." " You won't have any, Doris." "I need to know where he is so I can watch him and follow him, that's all." "And as well," "I can give you enough money so you can walk away from here tonight." "It's easy to fool someone who's desperate, it's very simple to take advantage of the weakest." "By just looking in a person's eyes," "I know what they would do for money." "He's in a room with one of the girls." "You know which room?" "No, but I can find out." "Has he been there long?" "You want to know when he'll come out?" "He'll be there all night." "When Néstor takes a room and a girl, it's for the whole night." "Very good, Doris." "That's all I wanted to know." "It wasn't so hard." " That's all?" " That's all." "Now you and I are going to get a room." "We'll find out how much money I have in my pocket, we'll have a good screw, and then I'll leave." "My car's outside, I'll watch Néstor from there." "How will you know who Néstor is?" "I said I needed to know where he was, not who he is." "Let's go." "Let's go." "How long do you want to stay?" "I don't know, but we'll take a room for the whole night." "Give me 300 euros, that will give us until 10:00 a.m." "Alegra, give me the keys to no. 3." "No, 3 is occupied." "But I wanted the one with the jacuzzi and all the games." "Yeah, but it's occupied by we-know-who." "Then give me the keys to no. 4." "No. 4." "Have fun." "Thanks." "How much money is this?" "40,000?" "50,000 euros?" "Count it later." "Now, undress." "I'm going to give you the best screw of your life." "What are you?" "A fetishist?" "No, a killer." "Do you believe in fate?" "Do you think Doris was predestined to meet someone like me and, while still a child, her future as a prostitute was cast?" "At times, when I kill someone, I think of all that, of how strange life and death are, of the strange way our fates intertwine." "Like them?" "If someone's fate crosses with mine, they usually lose out." "Oh, yes, baby!" "That's so good!" "What the fuck...?" " Shout and I'll blow your head off." " Who are you?" "Who told you to hire someone to kill Jesus Balaguer's wife?" "You're that someone." " What do you want?" " Who told you to do it?" "If I tell you, will you let me live?" "What do you think?" "Fuck you!" "If you talk," "I can kill you quickly and cleanly." "If you don't, I'll have to get creative." "Help!" "I've never tortured anyone." "Normally, [execute my victims with a single shot to the head or the heart." "Physical harm?" "It makes me sick." "Even as a kid, I didn't want to fight with other boys." "I don't think violence leads to anything good and I've always avoided it." "So I'll have to improvise." "Try not to get blood on your hands." "We are... hard to define." "Usually we're called hired killers." "At times, hitmen, even mercenaries." "But we're not butchers, we're not cruel, we're not sadists." "You have to erase the word "cruelty" from your dictionary." "Only by acting coldly will you do well in this job." "Well, Sleeping Beauty is awake." "I hope your whore's panties are clean." "This is the best I could find." "But you can't expect much from a whorehouse bathroom." "It doesn't seem very sharp." "Of course," "I guess the hair on your girls' cunts is pretty tough, right?" "What?" "What?" "Go fuck yourself!" "Will you tell me the name?" "Will you tell me the name?" "No?" "Very well, we'll continue." "No, I'm not going to cut off your balls." "That would be too quick." "Where shall I begin?" "With your nipples?" "And if I take out your intestine?" "I read somewhere that it would take you 7 hours to die." "I know." "Let's get started." "There, there." "There, there, there." "Fuck!" "I don't know if you've ever tried it, but it's very hard to cut a bone with a razor blade, even if it's just a phalange." "It's tough." "Fortunately, a whore 's toiletbag has everything an amateur torturer needs." "Right..." "Fuck." "That was hard." "Look," "I don't have the time and you don't have the balls to carry on with the other toes." "Yes or no?" "If I take off the gag, will you tell me what I want?" "Very well." "Give me the name." "Igualada." "What?" "Carlos Igualada." " Who is Carlos Igualada?" " A building contractor." "Important?" "No, average." "Why does he want to kill the lawyer's wife?" "I don't know, so they stop pissing him off." "Why did he turn to a shit like you?" "We know each other a long time, We did business together." "He helps me launder money and he uses my girls to blackmail various mayors so they'll sell him land." "But he doesn't mix with people like you." "He has a driver who acts as his bodyguard, but he isn't a killer." " Where can I find him?" " At his office." "No, where can I find him tonight?" " Tonight?" " Yes." "How should I know that?" "I've been in this business for a long time." "If she was to be killed tonight, everyone involved needs an alibi." "That's why Lujén was watching TV with his wife." "Yeah, I killed him." "You were spending the night with a whore and Igualada is somewhere public or somewhere private, but with lots of witnesses." "Where?" "A secret poker game." "In Guadalajara, or near there." " Where, exactly?" " I don't know!" "The driver came, got two whores and left." "You'll have to find out yourself." " What's Carlos Igualada like?" " I don't know, in his 50s, grey hair," " average build..." " No, no, that's too vague." "Anything distinctive?" "Yes, one thing." "What?" "He's got a tiny dick." "Yes, sir!" "You've got guts." "I like that, with good humor to the end." "Come on, finish this off, you bastard." "I don't like being hurried." "Why are you doing this?" "You wouldn't understand." "Normal people usually say:" ""I've got friends even in hell"." "We go farther, we say:" ""I've got friends especially in hell"." "We live in a rotten world and you find hell where you least expect it." "Let people know you're better as a friend than an enemy." "Fear does the rest." "Fear is contagious." "If someone is afraid of you, all those around him will be afraid too." "Whoever is afraid of you will do anything for you." "I've always had a good memory." "It's essential for this job." "I never write anything down," "I never keep anything to do with my work, just this car and the money I earn." "The weapon, cell phones, even what I'm wearing at the time, all disappear once I've done the job." "Who is it?" "It's me." "What do you want?" " The usual, information." " Go ahead." "If I had to go to a secret poker game in Guadalajara, where would I have to go?" "Hello?" "I'm thinking." "Give me a few minutes." "Can I call you on this cell?" "Yes." "I always try to avoid those places where I've worked." "That's why a good memory is essential." "I always have to know when and why I was anywhere, if I left any trace there if there's anyone there who could compromise me." "I've memorized all kinds of data:" "names, streets apartments, faces, license plates, phone numbers, PINs, timetables, hotel rooms..." "I never forget the name of a bar, a restaurant, a company, a workshop, any business I've been to." "I'm a fucking walking phone list." "Phone-a-friend." "Go ahead." "If there's a game in Guadalajara Luis Calderón will be there." " Who's Luis Calderón?" " He owns a night club," "The Kalima." "If there is a game he won't be there, but someone will tell you where to find him." " Will it be open?" " Until 3:00." "If you're not far from Guadalajara, you'll get there in time." "OK, thanks." "No problem." "If you need anything, call me." " I'm on patrol all night." " OK." "Every precaution counts." "Friends can sell you out at any time." "Especially the ones you know in hell." " We close in half an hour." " Yes, I know." "What can I get you?" "Been" "Bottle or draught?" "Draught." "Three euros." "We don't accept notes for more than 50." "Not even if I don't want change?" "If you buy me a beer it's all yours." "If you think I'm a whore you're in the wrong place." "If you think a screw with you is worth 500 euros you're in the wrong job." "What do you want?" " I'm looking for Luis." " He isn't here." "Yeah, I know." "That's why I'm looking for him." "Who's looking for him?" "I want in on the game, but I don't know where it is." "Do you know?" "If I put my hand in my pocket again," "I might take out something you don't like." "OK, I'll tell you." "Good girl." "She could have got ten times as much from me, but as I said before, I know each person's price." "I read it in their eyes." "And in that girl's eyes" "I see her hatred and contempt for her boss." "Tomorrow, when she hears he's dead, she won't even feel remorse." "So she won't tell the police about me." "For a few days, she'll keep the 2,500 euros hidden in her room, wondering if it might associate her with her boss's murder." "Finally, she'll go out and buy something lovely and expensive." "While she tries it on, she'll realize she's completely forgotten my face." "I'm that blurred memory you try to forget." "I'm that image you cast out of your mind time and again." "I'm that reality that ends up becoming a bad dream." "I'm the night that masks your conscience." "I'm the silence that emerges from your lips." "In this job, you must always be prepared to do what you have to do, anywhere, and under any circumstances." "Don't let anything surprise you." "Once I had to kill a guy who was on a sailboat, at sea." "Know what I did?" "I hired a pedalo and went up to the sailboat." "I said I was lost and asked for help." "When the guy looked over the side, I blew his brains outwith one shot." "I don't know what I'll find in there." "I just hope I've got enough ammunition." "A poker game in a town hall." "I thought I'd seen it all." "You're playing like a kamikaze, kid." "I was born on the road." "This goes in spells, like life." "Relax." "We'll have one more hand." "He says he wants into the game." "Néstor sent him." "They all seem to know Nestor." "So that reference won 't help me find out who is Carlos Igualada." "The minimum stake is 500 euros." "Welcome." "When we finish this hand, we'll take a break." "You can join after if you want." "Pour yourself a drink" "Kid, maybe this is your hand." "I hope I have better cards." "Three of them must be in their 50s." "Sorry, I win." "They're grey haired, average height, normal build." "Fuck you." "Just how Néstor described Carlos Igualada." "The fourth one looks like a rich kid, squandering his father's fortune." "And the driver, Igualada 's I guess." "And the whores?" "Have they left already?" "I need to know which is Carlos Igualada." "And I need to know soon." "I don't know if he's the final link, or if anyone else is involved." "I don't even know if my victim took my advice." "Igualada could get a call at any minute to tell him the job wasn't done And then..." "Then I'd be up to my neck in shit." "There's 500." "If you have to kill more than one person in the same place, there's one rule:" "they have to be together." "Remember that. "Divide and conquer" doesn't work here." "Just the opposide." "If you kill one and then look for the other, you might get a nasty surprise:" "either he's got away or he's waiting to kill you." "If you're good enough and fast enough, you can kill an entire family in less than one minute." "I've done it." "Get moving!" "Get moving!" "What's up, mayor?" "Tired of screwing?" "Tired?" "Of screwing, he says." "Like hell!" "I'm just gathering my strength." "Are you joining us?" "Later, not now." "Come on." "With this other guy and the whores, that's eight." "I don't know if I can kill them all." "My maximum is three." "Really, the number of dead has never worried me too much." "Are you hot?" "You like it like that?" "Are you feeling playful?" "Who's that?" "Just another player." "Fuck!" "Haven't I said 1,000 times I don't want strangers?" "He's clean." "Néstor sent him." " Who?" " Néstor." "Oh, Néstor." "Néstor, that's right." "Néstor, Néstor." "Then it's OK." "Néstor's friends are my friends." "Especially his lady friends." " Who's winning?" " Not now, baby." "We're in the middle of a hand." "I wonder how many of them are armed." "The driver, obviously." "That, of course, would take Igualada out of the equation." "And another 5,000." "And the others?" " No one here is straight up." " I'll see you." "But maybe they're just businessmen burning black money." "I don't trust the rich kid." " I know the type." " Trio of nines." "He'd carry a gun just to show off." "Gentlemen, we'll rest." "That's great, my love." " Baby, let's do a line." " Another?" "I'm really high." " You want to fuck?" " I guess I do!" "Hey, leave me some coke." "Here." "Don't worry, I've got lots for everyone." "Come on, let's get on the couch." "They've split up again." "Six and two." "I still don't know who the hell Igualada is or how much time I've got." "I suppose Néstor told you." "Told me what?" "To play here you have to give me a kind of fee, a little gift." "Here." "Yes, of course." "How much is it?" "3,000 euros." "3,000 you said?" "Good." "Here's 4,500." "Look on it as a little contribution to the Council." "It's good to put in money occasionally instead of taking it out." "The taxpayers will be happy." "Get comfortable." "You can hang your jacket there." "I'm fine, thanks." "Are you one of those weirdos?" "No, I wouldn't say I'm a weirdo." "Take it off." "Very well." "Will you hold this, please?" "Thank you." "I can't judge others." "Very kind." "I don't think I'm better or worse than this corrupt, whoremongering cokehead." "But I'm sure of one thing:" "I know who I am, and he has no fucking idea who he really is." "Patience must be one of your greatest virtues." "At times you may have to shoot first and ask questions later, but, whenever possible, try to be sure of things before you take out your gun." "If you kill someone at the wrong time and place, it could be the end of you." "At times it's better to leave a witness than the wrong victim." " The mayor's coke is fucking great." " Yeah." "It's 3:30." "How long do I have?" "When will the lawyer call home and realize there's no one there?" "When will his wife call him and tell him she was nearly executed by a hired killer?" "I never told Lujén when a job was done," "I just killed the victim or made him disappear." "Well..." "I didn't give a shit about the rest." "You're going to play with gloves?" "I've got a defect on my hands." "A defect?" "What kind of defect?" "An acid burn." "Sulphuric?" "Want to see them?" "Sure." "I'm joking." "They bring me luck at poker." "I always wear them." "Kid, that's why you've been losing all night." "I'm not sure, but I think he's Carlos Igualada." "You deal." "After all, he's here to have an alibi." "It's normal that he's nervous, that he wants to control every detail, that he makes a phone call." "And it's normal he doesn't even look at the whores." "The fucking mayor and the damn whores might be my biggest problem." "They keep moving," "They don't have a fixed position in this set." "If they went into the office again," "I could even risk splitting up the targets." "I could even leave them alive, they wouldn't be a problem." "These are the kinds of urns I like." "I'd like to see the mayor tomorrow explaining what five bodies, two whores, a load of money and a lot of cocaine are doing in his town hall." "I'll call." "I've never been very interested in gambling," "Maybe because for years I've left nothing to chance." "I let them win so they're happy and relaxed, but not too much, because then they'd suspect me." "What I do is play every hand." "With bad cards, I lose a lot." "With good cards, I get some back." "The bad news is that time is passing and I don't know how long this damn game will last." "The good news is that very soon they'll all be drunk or drugged." "10,000." "Too much for me." "I haven't got shit." "I'll see you." "Me too." "Trio of sevens." "It beats me." "Trio of aces." "Well played!" " Yes, sir!" " Ole!" "Excuse me, may I use the bathroom?" "Yes, it's in the hall." "It's 4.' 15." "I'm running out of time and patience." "My back is aching from the two guns pressing against the chair." "I'm in the middle of a game, maybe it's time to play my hand." "I think I know which one is Carlos Igualada." "And, if I kill the driver and the rich kid, maybe I can ask some questions to clarify things." " Kid, this goes in spells." " It was time I won something." "And now you're complaining." "I'm going to fleece you now." "It's my turn." "Yes?" "I'm getting another drink." "OK." "OK." "Fuck, man." "Fuck, they're all so horny." "Fancy that, I was mistaken." "Now I know which one is Carlos Igualada." "I don't know if that call was about me, but now" "I don't care." "Well?" "Are you going to play?" "Yes." "When you're in a tight spot, try to visualize each one of your movements beforehand." "See them in your head as if they were a projection of what is going to happen." "And afterwards, what comes afterwards," "ls just a minute of fucking insanity." "Son of a bitch." "You know who you've just killed?" "No, I only know who I've left alive." "As well as the mayor you killed a policeman" "You don't say." "What a pity." "Who was he?" "Him?" "Luis Calderón." "I thought you knew, and shot him first because you knew he had a gun." "I didn't know." "It was a matter of luck." "Luck?" "I must be a lucky guy." "Maybe not after tonight, because you'll pay for this." "You think so?" "If these scum were important the police are going to cover this up." "You seem very sure." "I know what I'm talking about." "No." "No." "Why?" "Why do all this?" "Why?" "Can't you guess?" "I guess a lot of people want to see me dead, right?" "It's because of the lawyer." "What lawyer?" "Jesus Balaguer, you know that." "Fuck!" "ls all this because of the business with his wife?" " You set up the killing." " No, it wasn't me." " Néstor told me." " The son of a bitch lied to you." " Néstor lied to me?" " Of course he did." "Why?" "I owe him money." "You killed him, didn't you?" "The bastard decided to get me killed as well." "But I had nothing to do with this." "Don't give me that shit." "You know about it all because you were involved." "OK, but it's not what you think, really." "It wasn't my idea." "No?" "Whose was it?" "It was Balaguer's!" " That doesn't make sense." " Of course it does." "I know him, he's my lawyer." "I introduced him to Néstor." "I swear, I had nothing to do with all this." "Why Would he kill his Wife?" "The bastard is broke." "His wife has got a lot of money." "In the will, she left it to him, but then she decided to put it in the baby's name." "She has no idea about her husband's debts." " Don't give me that shit." " It's true." "Where did he get the money to pay for the job?" "Néstor advanced it." "The woman has a life insurance of 300,000 euros." "Balaguer told Nestor he could have that." " You're lying." " I swear!" " I swear it's true." " You're lying." "I swear it's true." "You can ask Balaguer." "Very well, I'll do that." "Where can I find him?" "He's in one of my hotels, in Madrid." "Which hotel?" "Which hotel?" "Villa del Rey." "Villa del Rey." " Why is he there?" " I'm his alibi." "When he works late for me he usually sleeps in the hotel and starts work early next morning." "It's a credible alibi and I'll confirm it." "Listen." "Let me live." "I've got lots of money." "I'll give you loads of money." "Well..." "I've got loads of money, but thanks." "Four minutes since the shooting ended and no sign of the driver." "Maybe he's waiting for me outside, or maybe he's smart and got out of here." "I'll have to check." "All clear." "It seems the driver took the easy option." "It must be hard to choose duty over your own life." "Son of a bitch!" "If you look at my face, I'll kill you!" "Get out of here!" "We exist because they exist." "And we've existed for centuries." "When a Roman senator wanted to get rid of a rival," "He hired a sicarius." "Corrupt senators, corrupt policemen, corrupt lawyers, corrupt businessmen, corrupt doctors." "We live thanks to their corruption, we kill because of it." "It's not a justification, it's a fact." "In a perfect world, our profession would be unnecessary." "But... who wants a perfect world?" "Who is it?" "It's me, open the door." "Fuck, it's 5 o'clock." "I've been hurt." "OK, come in." " What happened?" " I was shot." "I think the bullet's still in there." "Have you lost a lot of blood?" "Depends on your idea of a lot." " There's a lot of money here." " You'll have to earn it." " Is it clean?" " Yes, as clean as you." "Come on." "Strip off and sit on the couch." "Good old doc." "He's happy to enlarge your tits, provoke a miscarriage or remove a bullet." "By day, he's a leading surgeon in one of the country's most prestigious clinics." "By night, a common quack covering up the high society scandals." ""Fill your pocket and shut your mouth That's the only oath he respects." "That's all I can do." "Well?" "You were lucky." "You think so?" "Yes, it's small caliber bullet." "If it had passed through your arm it would have gone straight to your heart." "Fortunately, it's lodged between the muscle and the bone." "Take it out." " I have to knock you out." " No." " Not even a local?" " No." " I'm on a job." " It'll hurt a lot." " I don't care." " Very well." "I'm going to fix a drink." "I said I need a clear head." "I don't want anything." "It's not for you, it's for me." "Learn to resist pain." "Control the pain, don't let it control you." "It's impossible to ignore it." "But it is possible to control it." "It'll be a great help if you're wounded." "It could even save your life." "If you can take a bullet and not double over with the pain, it'll be very hard to beat you." "Very hard." "It's not the first time I've had a bullet removed." "Soon after I started, I got shot in the ass." "Yeah, in the ass." "What about it?" "It's kind of a long story." "Maybe I'll tell you another day." "Right now..." "I'm not in the mood." "We're almost done." "Fuck!" "You want it as a souvenir?" "Go to hell." "I have to sew you up." "That won't be pleasant either." "It can't get any worse." "I'm John Wayne in "Rio Grande"," "I 'm Stallone in "First Blood" "I 'm Tom Cruise in "Collateral" "I'm everything you see and don't believe exists." "I'm an unscrupulous anti-hero, a sworn sceptic," "A survivor over and above anything else." "I'm the fucking paradigm of the 21st century." "Here, for when you finish the job." "If you notice any blood or a bad smell, come and see me." "OK." "I have to wash and I need some clothes." "You won't like my style." "I'm not going to a fashion show." "6:00 a.m. It'll soon be dawn." "I shouldn't worry so much about the time." "I don't want to underestimate Balaguer, but it's a relief to think my race against the clock could be over." "Even if he finds out that his plan has failed," "I doubt he has the capacity to react appropriately and, above all, quickly." "All roads leading him to me have been closed off and the road leading me to him is very short." "Information:" "Tamara speaking." "I'd like the number of the Hotel Villa del Rey in Madrid." "Shall I put you through?" " Yes, please." " Don't hang up." "Hotel Villa del Rey." "I'm calling on behalf of Mr. Carlos Igualada." "Yes, sir." "I need Jesus Balaguer 's room number." "Just a moment." "Room 105." "Shall I put you through?" "No, Mr. Igualada just wanted to know." " Thank you." " You're welcome." "Become the night, for your victims won't see the light of day again." "Transform yourself into silence, because the last thing they'll hear will be the barrel of your gun." "Be death... armed with an automatic instead of a scythe." "Because death is no more than that, an eternal silent night." "Hey, with everything." "Yeah, right!" "I don't know..." "Well, I do." "What time is it?" "It's 6:30." "Well, and now what?" "NOW?" "Now, nothing." "Nothing?" "Any move I make will be a mistake." "I have to wait, the maid gets to the house at 10:00." "At the latest, she'll find the body at 10:30 or 11:00." "The police may not call me until 12:00 so the best thing is to get some sleep, it's going to be a difficult day." "We were right to go out last night." "Yes, and be seen in various places." "It'll look bad being out with my mistress while my wife is killed, but..." "Your mistress?" "I thought I was only your secretary." "Well, you know." "I'd rather look like an adulterous bastard than a suspect." "But don't worry, everything will work out." "Sonia, trust me." "If I didn't, I wouldn't be your alibi." "Maybe you should worry about trusting me." "I trust you... because I love you." "Don't get romantic, it doesn't suit you." "You're as ambitious and immoral as I am." "That's why we like each other." "We're the perfect couple." "You think so?" "I'm sure of it." "Hey, is my phone in your purse?" "You hear?" "Darling, are you deaf?" "I'm brushing my teeth." "Why?" "You still haven't sucked me off." "Idiot." "Are you in the mood?" "What a question." "I'm always in the mood." "It's my first time with a widow." "Does that turn you on?" "I don't know." "I think I'm more turned on by your wife's money" "When I get the inheritance, I'll take you to the Seychelles." "Two weeks, three, as long as you want." "But first you have to settle your debts." " Yes, mom." " And control your expenses." "Yes, mom." "I'll make sure to control them." "And, right now, why not control the tremendous erection" "I have down here?" "Switch out the light." "Sonia." "What are you doing?" "Sonia!" "No, no, no...!" "Your wife is alive." "It's done." "Mónica is safe." "For a few days she'll be traumatized by tonight's events, but she'll realize that all that matters in this world is staying alive," "And this bastard won 't have to worry about his debts, his mistresses, the Seychelles..." "Did I administer justice?" "No, I did What I had to do." "Just in time." "Create a routine for when you're not working, be normal." "Most people spend their lives waiting for death." "The only thing that should make us different is that we go out to look for it." "Live among those you kill." "Live, eat, fuck, breathe like a normal person." "Don't be ostentatious, even if you have a lot of money." "Don't be arrogant, despite the power you have over them." "Don't be more of an idiot than everyone else." "Where did you think I lived?" "In some lousty slum, among junkies, rats and garbage?" "Hiding from the police and the families and friends of all the dead I've left behind?" "No, I live among you, because you created me, you made me who I am, and from time to time you need me." "I'm the charming neighbor who always greets you." " Nice to see you." " So long." "I'm the citizen who gives up his seat for old ladies." " Sit here, ma'am." " Thank you." "I'm the ordinary person who sits next to you in the cinema." "I've never considered if what we do is good or evil." "It's absurd." "All I can say is that evil doesn't need justification, while good does." "It's hard to be a good person in the world we live in today." "A lot of people on the streets are crying out to be killed." "They're lucky we only do it for money." "It's the best advice I can give you:" "if you ever do good, don't do it for money." "I've killed 15 people because I didn't kill one." "You'll think I'm insane, a psychopath." "Nothing farther from the truth." "Have you bothered looking up the word in the dictionary?" "I have." "And it's not a hired killer or anything like it." "It's an individual whose social behavior is pathologically disturbed." "So don't look for a psychopath in me, because you won't find it." "Look for it in politicians, lawyers, policemen, journalists..." "Yes, I'm married and she knows exactly what I do." "She accepts it and respects it." "I love her and she loves me." "As simple as that, it's not hard to understand." "If there was a woman who loved Hitler, why would there not be a woman who loved me?" "I'm not trying to justify myself." "Someone told me once that evil doesn't need justification." "But who is worse?" "Me for killing 15 people in one night or those leaders who let 15,000 people starve to death every day?" "How did it go?" "Fine." "It went fine." "A lot of people have asked me:" "when is the time to quit?" "There's no specific time, there's no retirement age." "But there is a sign, a sign you shouldn't ignore because you'll only see it once." "Once and never again." "Sooner or later, one of your victims will remind you of someone you know, someone you care about, someone you love." "You'll look in their eyes and..." "It will be hard for you, even impossible, to take their life." "That day you will be absolutely certain that the time has come to quit." "I had it recently." "I had a victim who was identical to my mother, perhaps not to other people's eyes, but certainly to mine, which are the only ones with which I can see." "But I ignored it," "I ignored the signal, and I killed her." "That's why you're here." "You're out of cigarettes... and time." "If you take the advice I've given you, you'll be a good hired killer." "Thank you for the interest." "Noblesse oblige." "I am the night that envelops and protects her." "I am the silence that protects and calms her." "I am the night and the silence." "THE NIGHT AND THE SILENCE"