Kill Order

The Cleaner

Alton Thibodeau, a professional assassin known as a 'cleaner,' receives a high-stakes mission to eliminate two targets in New Orleans. After

Key takeaways

• Alton uses a 'PSP' fountain pen device to deliver lethal saxitoxin to Patrick Hawkins.
• The mission involves two distinct targets: attorney Patrick Hawkins and his associate Jolene Teagarden.

Main topics

• Professional assassination techniques
• Espionage and covert communications

Notable quotes

In my business, we call it a cleaner.

Conclusion

A tense thriller that masterfully blends procedural spycraft with deep

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:01) Voyage. I Speaker 4 (0:25) made a mistake once, a long time ago, and someone I loved nearly died because of it. I vowed never to do that again, and I kept it. For 33 years, I kept my distance from other people. Thought I could do that forever. I was wrong. My name is Alton Thibodeau. I'm an assassin. In my business, we call it a cleaner. Speaker 4 (0:58) Hear that, ma chère? You have to get the cast iron screaming hot first, to get a good sear on the beef. I know what you're thinking, gorgeous, but this is not for you. I kept Cher in a 15-gallon tank on the counter, filled with sand, rocks, a little castle, and all the dried crickets she can eat. Her shell was a mottled, brilliant blue. She had red bands at the knuckles and a dash of crimson on her claws. She perched on her spindly legs, splayed out as she looked right at me. Cher hung on my every word. Now you baste the meat. As a crustacean, I can understand your aversion to melted butter, but it does wonders for beef. Take a look, my Cher. Cher. A nickname I used once before. Time to turn the meat. Six minutes on each side, then 20 in the oven. Gotta get the center up to 130 degrees. Any less, and it's unsafe to eat. Any more, and it's overcooked. Speaker 4 (2:08) I love the precision of cooking. It's not about the food. It's about the discipline. Like my work. To be good at it, you have to plan. You need the right tools. You need to hone your technique. And you need to prepare in the event things don't go as expected. An overcooked bit of meat is a disappointment, a failure, but not so much as having a man lined up in your scope 400 meters out, only to have a city bus pass between you at just the wrong moment. In my business, one man's failure could be another man's next assignment. At 55, I'm a fossil in a profession where one mistake can end you. Speaker 4 (2:54) While that's going, I'll make the sauce. Some say it's simple. Egg yolk, butter, and lemon juice. But don't let that fool you. Emulsification is a delicate process. The yolks need to be warmed, but not so much that they cook. And the butter needs to be a similar temperature. Not too hot, or the butter and yolk will separate. Simple things can be the trickiest. Like most things worth doing, it's all about technique. Speaker 4 (3:24) Yes, this can be done in the blender. But where's the skill? This wasn't my first Bearnaise, but it was a component of a dish I'd never tackled before. Steak Oscar. Seared tenderloin topped with crab meat and the rich sauce. I pulled the encrusted meat out of the oven and pierced it with a cooking thermometer. I saw a guy get a meat thermometer jammed through his temple, but that was in a movie. In reality, it's flimsy and a lot duller than an ice pick, the tool of choice for Hollywood mobsters. I prefer a karambit knife, which can angle under a man's ribs, between them, or make quick work of a femoral or carotid artery. How do you even sit down with an ice pick in your pocket? In the movies, I'd have to hurl my knife across the room and pin a guy's sleeve to the wall to stop him shooting me. Speaker 4 (4:23) Reality's nothing like that. A hit should play out as commonplace, almost mundane. In many cases, it should go unnoticed and in all cases go unsolved. That takes skill, technique, and discipline. 130 on the nose. I let the meat rest for six minutes to keep the juices from running before I cut into the tenderloin. I used the time to ready the crab meat. I held out the tub of lump crab for my little roommate to see. Fresh from Lake Pontchartrain. Not a relative, I hope. I cut a medallion of beef and arranged it on the plate, warmed the crab meat in butter, then added it to the top of the beef, followed by three green asparagus spears 45 degrees across the meat. I drizzled the bearnaise over it all, sprinkled the plate with chopped chives, then took a good long look. Speaker 4 (5:23) I could give those chefs on Bourbon Street a run for their money. What do you think? Cher just stared at me. Come on, tell me what you think. The little crustacean flicked her tail. In protest, I imagine. I took the plate to the chrome trash can, pressed my foot on the pedal, opened the lid, and tipped the plate, letting the steak and all of its accoutrements slide off into the trash. Never get too attached to your work. Speaker 4 (5:55) Crayfish aren't known for showing emotion, but I could see the horror on Cher's spiny little face. I said I was making dinner. I never said I was going to eat it. The crayfish disappeared under the edge of a rock, out of sight. Oh, is that how it is? You know, this dish would be just as good with crawfish tail. Not traditional, but regional. You should keep that in mind. Speaker 4 (6:23) Steak Oscar is a protein bomb with that eight ounce medallion of beef. But with the sauce, it's far too rich. The dish had served its purpose in its making. I enjoyed the challenge and discipline it takes to make a Michelin star worthy dish. The fact that I had no one to feed was irrelevant. Speaker 4 (6:45) The protein bar didn't taste as good as that tenderloin, but it also didn't have any saturated fats. At my age, I have to think about things like cholesterol and blood pressure. And I have to stay fit. Not fit for 55. Fit for 30. In my line of work, I almost never have to run or fight. If I do, something's gone wrong. I need to be prepared for wrong. So in addition to a workout routine that would bring a boxer to his knees, I eat these compressed bars of shit for dinner. I cook like I do push-ups. It's an exercise in discipline. Because that's what it takes to slide a man into the garbage can and not be caught holding the plate. Speaker 4 (7:31) I approached my south-facing windows. The entire reason Cher and I picked that place a month ago. It certainly wasn't for its worn hardwood floors or its putty walls. All I