The hypnotizing crash of waves against the black lava beach, coupled with a gentle breeze against his skin convinced Mr. Smith that he worked entirely too much. Gentle slack-key guitar music drifted over him from the hotel bar perched above the water.

A tanned retired couple watched their grandchildren dive for coins in the black-bottomed pool. A young couple, pasty white, honeymooners no doubt from the mainland, slathered lotion over each other's bodies. Another couple, an older bearded gentleman and much younger woman laughed and giggled together drinking multicolored cocktails with pineapple garnishes and little paper umbrellas.

Behind him gardeners manicured the lush tropical grounds. Palm trees studded the property filled with colorful flowers and leafy foliage. Large orange and white koi slowly meandered back and forth in ponds fed by decorative fountains.

Paradise, thought Mr. Smith taking it all in.

Leaning out from the shade of his cabana Mr. Smith took a sip of lemonade. A colorful bird perched on a nearby bush eyeballed him, determining if a morsel of food might fall from his mouth. The bikini-clad woman in the next cabana sipped on a piña colada that looked as divine as she did, but he would not let temptation knock. He still had a job to do.

Mr. Smith had to admit his work brought him to beautiful exotic locations around the world, but he envied those around him on holiday. He never relaxed until his workday was done. And he never took a day off.

A waiter paused midday and Mr. Smith put down his book and ordered a club sandwich and a second lemonade.

By late afternoon, Mr. Smith vowed he would take tomorrow off. He would call in sick, rent a snorkel and fins and head to the beach. He would go to a Luau in the evening. He would order a piña colada and talk to pretty ladies. Mr. Smith glanced at his watch. 4:52pm. Time for work.

He put his book away in a small leather bag he always kept at his side. He returned his towel to the pool boy and paid his bill.

In the lobby, he watched the bearded gentleman put his companion into a cab. He followed him at a distance as as the man meandered back through the hotel to the elevators.

Mr. Smith got in an different elevator about sixty second after the bearded man got into one. He pushed the button to floor seven. Opening his leather bag, he took out the keycard his boss had given him for room 710. Then he took out his pistol and checked the silencer was in order.

Mr. Smith smiled to himself. Tomorrow he would float weightless in the sea and watch colorful fish dart in and out of the coral and he would have fun like everybody else around him.