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  He drives cautiously and carefully to another shopping center several blocks away. He feels no panic. It will be days before the crime is detected, days before anyone investigates the mark’s failure to report to work or answer his door. In the crowded parking lot, he disassembles his weapon and removes the stolen tag. Now his only remaining task is to dispose of the weapon.

  He gets back on the interstate highway and heads out of town. Traffic become sparse as the city is left behind; now he begins to toss out the small gun parts at irregular intervals, aiming for water-filled and overgrown drainage ditches. He also tosses out the tennis shoes.

  At a rest area, he walks through the woods and buries the barrel of the gun. He crushes the plastic silencer and disposes of the bits and pieces as he drives back to town.

  Just before he reaches the airport, he pulls over to the side of the road and wipes the car for fingerprints. He removes and discards the stolen tag, replacing it with the rental tag. He disposes of the rubber work gloves and replaces them with a pair of leather driving gloves. Then he returns the “clean” rental car to the agency and heads directly for the airport men’s room.

  A short time later, a businessman emerges from the men’s room and approaches the ticket counter for information. His flight leaves in forty-five minutes.

  He checks his baggage, a suitcase and small duffle bag, and goes to the coffee shop to wait for the flight to be called.

  On the plane he dozes, having learned long ago that few people will try to make conversation with a sleeping man. To all appearances, he is just another businessman suffering from an exhausting schedule; no one interrupts his rest.

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  Hit Man: A Technical Manual For Independent Contractors 1.

  The Beginning

  AS A FIRST CLASS MECHANIC, you will become and expert at your profession. Becoming an expert entails research -- reading, observing, and asking questions -- as well as development of a wide range of physical abilities and weapons expertise.

  The preparations outlined in this chapter should be considered essential prior to any acceptance of actual employment. Your keen mental and physical fitness will serve as your edge between life and death.

  PERIODICIALS

  Read and reread pertinent articles relating to weapons and techniques that interest you in magazines such as Soldier of Fortune, New Breed and Gung-Ho. Stay abreast of new trends and developments as well as new gadgets and inventions as they become available. As well as the valuable articles, study advertisements and classified sections for a wealth of information and sources for supplies and books.

  Check our military newsletters like Military Exchange. Your local library can inform you of what is available in this category.

  BOOKS

  Books on subjects related to the professional hit man are hard to find. But there are a few publishers out there who have the backbone to provide those of us who take life seriously with the necessary educational materials. Paladin Press advertises in almost every issue of Soldier of Fortune and other publishers offer relevant reading material, available by mail order. Check advertisements and classified sections.

  And let's not forget reading for entertainment. With the right attitude and an open mind, almost any good mystery or murder story can provide some ingenious new methods of terrorizing, victimizing, or exterminating. Sometimes a new poison will be introduced, or perhaps a new method for induction.

  Sometimes the warped imagination of a fiction writer will point out an obvious but somehow never before realized method of pacification or body disposal. So don't bypass these fictional characters. Chuckle through the trench coats and warped personalities but test out any new theories you come across.

  DAILY PUBLICATIONS

  A subscription to your local newspaper may be the wisest investment, with the highest return, that you will ever make. Each morning as you sip your coffee and scan the local section, you will be met with a variety of up-to-date employment opportunities. So study your local paper carefully to see who in your area might be your next employer ... or victim.

  Headlines -- Follow closely any news stories about people who have been apprehended for contract hits.

  These stories sell papers, and readers thrive on the sensationalism they create. Study details made available for law enforcement techniques, mistakes that led to the arrest and methods the law used to obtain incriminating information. Learn from the other man's mistakes. And if he is lucky enough to be acquitted, make a note of the attorney's name in case you ever find yourself in the position of needing a good one.

  Drug Arrests -- If the reported suspect posts a heavy bond, he is probably dealing in a big way. As soon as he gets back on the streets, chances are he will be dealing again to raise money for his defense. His name and address are right there in the paper. Is he worth a drug rip-off, or would it be more profitable to contact him discreetly about eliminating that certain witness.

  Political Corruption -- Keep up with gossip. All politicians are expected to be corrupt, but who among them is desperate or despicable enough to be willing to pay to eliminate the competition? Tried and true methods are accidental death, assassination, or worse yet, political death brought on by scandal.

  Divorce -- Follow closely news or rumors of particularly nasty divorce proceedings involving any wealthy or socially prominent couple. Chances are one could use your discreet professional services. Or perhaps 12

  Hit Man: A Technical Manual For Independent Contractors some not so wealthy acquaintance who prefers not to become entangled in messy divorce proceedings may find it a proper time to collect on that old life insurance policy.

  Adjustments -- Thefts, cases reported where the law did not render justice, bogus operations that swindle ordinary people out of their hard earned money -- all these are potential opportunities for employment.

  Work for a flat rate or for a percentage of recovery, plus expenses.

  Classified Sections -- You can place an ad under the guise of collector and solicit any particular weapons you might want. Or scan these ads when you are in the market for new toys and pick them up from private owners to avoid registering your weapons.

  Classified sections also announce gun shows, which are an ideal source for all types of equipment at competitive prices.

  REFERENCE MATERIALS

  Local City Directory -- If at all possible, get one of these to keep at home. Otherwise, they are available in the reference of information section of the public library.

  If you have partial information on a mark, you can usually gather the rest without leaving the comfort of your easy chair. These directories are broken down into three categories: Alphabetical by Name: Lists name, wife's name, occupation and employers, street address, telephone number and other living in the home.

  Street Address: Lists alphabetically by street and then numerically by house number. If you know the mark's address you can also know who lives next door, the type of neighborhood, vacant lots, and businesses and so on, all according to the information that was available when the directory was compiled.

  Phone Numbers: If all you have is a phone number, look it up in the numerical listing. Then go to the Alphabetical listing and Address sections to gather the rest of the information.

  Auto Tag Department, County Courthouse -- Often the books are left out for public use. Look up the mark by last name or tag number for address.

  Telephone Directories -- For obvious reasons, it will sometimes be to your advantage to know the mark's telephone number.

  But don't overlook the wealth of supply sources available in the Yellow Pages and become familiar with suppliers and readily available merchandise. If you live in a small town, get directories for any large cities in a 200-mile radius. Their Yellow Pages will be extremely valuable if you don't want to obtain supplies locally.

  Maps -- A local city map is a must for planning routes if you are not familiar with the road systems. And of course a city map for any out-of-town job is in ord
er.

  A large atlas showing the national road system network is handy not only for planning travel, but also for finding nearby large cities and alternative routs to the job.

  Just remember that once you use a map, if you have marked it in any way, it should be destroyed immediately.

  Travel Arrangements -- Start inquiring now about the various modes of transportation available for out of town jobs. Find out necessary identifications, advance scheduling requirements, and time factors involved.

  File this information away for future use.

  Stop by and ask what your local travel agent can do for you. You will be surprised at the variety of services they offer. When you are ready, call and make the necessary arrangements by telephone, using a fictitious name. They do all the work in making the arrangements to your specifications, and the airline pays their fee.

  Shipping and Routing -- You can take a plane under an assumed identity and arrive at your destination in a matter of a few short hours. But how will you get your weapons to the jobsite? Better start now checking into alternative methods for shipping your tools separately.

  The US Postal Service offers Express Mail to most major cities, and the main post office is generally located very near the airport. By disassembling your weapons and double packing as a precautionary measure, you can send your tools to yourself under an assumed name (post office to post office) and have them waiting for pick up the next morning. Airport mail is not x-rayed.

  If time is not a factor, check into bus line, common carrier or UPS rates and delivery schedules.

  Locating the mark -- An obliging postal clerk will inform you of the several ways of tracking down the last known address of anyone you choose to locate as a function of the Freedom of Information Act.

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  Hit Man: A Technical Manual For Independent Contractors One way is to send one dollar and a written request addressed to the postmaster of the mark's last known location. A Freedom of Information Act form will be returned to you within a matter of days giving the Postal Service's most recent update.

  Or, you can address an empty envelope to the mark's last known address with your return address in the upper left hand corner. Under your address should appear this notation in bold letters: DO NOT FORWARD

  ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

  Within a few days your envelope will be returned with the updated information. The fee is twenty-five cents.

  LAW

  The Law Enforcement Handbook for your state should be available through any college bookstore where law enforcement classes are taught. If not, STEAL ONE! If such courses are available in your area, you may want to audit a few.

  How can you successfully evade the law if you have no knowledge of how it operates? By all means, learn everything you can about the law and how it works and how it applies to you. Learn what constitutes a good arrest and what abuses or mistakes can make an otherwise good arrest null and void.

  I hope you will never have to fall back on the information and knowledge you acquire, but it will be worth its weight in gold if you ever have to rely on it. And you will have the added advantage of using you knowledge of how your opponents think and operate as you plan successful jobs.

  MISCELLANEOUS

  Check every source available to you for potential information. Even those cheap tabloid newspapers sold at the grocery store counter have classifieds that offer fake ID's, interesting gadgets, non-traceable mailing addresses, and so on.

  Your public library more than likely has the local newspaper on microfilm, and the information section has employees eager to help you find books and materials on the subjects you are researching.

  Chambers of commerce will mail out information and maps of their cities upon request.

  And bookstores and libraries have reference books that show all the books still in print and available on any given subject.

  Keep an open mind, and sources of information will open up to you, sometimes in the least likely places and when you least expect it!

  FITNESS

  Your body should be as fit as your mind. You should be capable of running, jumping, climbing, swimming, pushing, pulling or meeting the demands of any other physical requirement encountered in your job. This means not only careful attention to exercise and diet, but moderation if you are going to partake of tobacco products and alcohol, and complete abstinence from any involvement with drugs.

  A man who smokes two packs of cigarettes a day will certainly not be capable of running long and hard for any length of time. And his endurance in hand to hand combat situations will be severely limited.

  By the same token, a man who overindulges in alcohol may be taking his own life in his hands. The use of cigarettes and alcohol in moderation is acceptable, although undesirable, but use of any kinds of drugs is suicide.

  Drugs dull the senses and the reflexes, yet the user feels sharp and alert. His confidence in his abilities swells out of proportion. His ego takes over. He sees himself as indestructible, incomparable. That image of himself may be the last thing he ever sees.

  I, as a professional, never use drugs, although I will steal them for financial gain, or to use as bait or even as an induction agent for some chemical that I know will do an effective job. I don't need an unreal

  "high" that can mar my judgment. There is no margin for error in this business. A single mistake can cost you your life, either literally or by providing the evidence to take away your freedom. Either way you are just as dead. A professional needs a clear head and unhampered reflexes to be able to react properly in any 14

  Hit Man: A Technical Manual For Independent Contractors situation. This is equally true whether he is performing the job itself or conducting pre-job research. If you have to depend on an artificial sense of courage in order to carry out your assignment, then this job is not for you.

  COMBAT TRAINING

  If you are afraid of taking a punch, again, this job is not right for you. No matter how careful you are, no matter how thorough your research, at some time you will probably have to prove or defend yourself physically. Any skills you can acquire are to your advantage.

  You can get expert training in hand to hand combat is you can find someone qualified to teach you. Preferably, this will be someone with Special Forces training or the equivalent.

  You will need to know kill techniques as well as survival self-defense, and you won't learn these skills at the corner karate school that includes women and children in its classes. Sport karate can get you killed in the street.

  You should become so familiar with skills like breaking holds, throws, effective punches to vital areas and crippling moves that will come when needed as a reflex action. You should be aware of the best barroom fighting techniques. You should be able to fight two men at the same time. You should know the best way to disarm an opponent. And more.

  But such skills require real practice with a sparring partner who can’t take, as well as give, a good punch. In order to teach these methods in the proper way, your instructor will have to take his fighting as seriously as you do.

  Veterans with wartime experience and the ability to kill are first choice instructors. Their contact with real life and death situations has made them a bit unconventional. Some never again conform to the rules of society, and quite a few rigorously keep in top physical shape while stockpiling M-60s and hand grenades under the bed in preparation for the next war.

  The same man who can train you in the very best methods of self-defense and combat fighting might also be one of your best sources for accessory merchandise. His contact with other veterans will give you access to a chain able to locate almost any weapon you might request.

  The veteran with guerilla warfare training will be a walking textbook on silent movement, torture, revenge, ammunitions, escape, silent weapons, and a host of ways to kill. And if, by chance, you accept a contract where a partner is in order, he may the first man you'd choose to cover your back.

  The ti
me needed to acquire the skills of this degree will vary; depending on your physical condition at the time you begin training, your aptitude for following directions and your eagerness to learn.

  I have seen an eager student, one who is willing to put in the hard hours of practice and full contact sparing sessions, progress very rapidly to the point of capability in less than six months.

  MERCENARY SCHOOLS

  Once your fighting ability has been established, you may want to test your news skills at one of the mercenary of survival school advertised in the various military magazines. Look for a school that can teach you more than you already know, and be prepared for one hell of a workout while you build your endurance and skills. An added benefit in attending one of these schools is that the people you meet there, like you, take the game of life seriously. Be prepared to meet people who have the same interests in weapons, explosives and effective kill techniques as you do. Some of them may prove to be very good resources or even future employers.

  AWARENESS TRAINING

  It is estimated that if ten people witnessed the same crime and then were separated before they could compare what had taken place, ten different descriptions would be given. People rarely pay attention to what is going on around them unless, or until, it becomes of importance to them personally. This book stresses the importance of using disguise and false identification to foil positive identification. But just as important to your success are your own observation skills.

  Start now developing and exercising your observation powers. Make a habit of studying your surroundings. Listen when others talk. A man can reveal a great deal about himself through his conversation and opinions. Make a note of features or habits that make one man different from another.

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  Hit Man: A Technical Manual For Independent Contractors Think of the people you know intimately. Can you tell whether they are right or left handed? What color are their eyes?