i758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwcJtTSstD
The world looked better at night. When there is silence, peace and sleeping souls. It always had been better like this. As long as I can remember, it had been my daily routine; looking around at the cold winter night, watching the people flock back to their homes and enjoying the view of everything below from the roof top. It made me feel as if things were more minute from here, like things hardly mattered. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vHOmsfAJa
The wind was blowing with all it's might tonight, ruffling my hair as it wooshes past me. I tried fixing it, but the wind was more stubborn that I was and I let it rest.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROxrHtVUcF
“Tricia,” Trehan coughed, breaking my attention to him. I hadn't heard him come. “You have another assignment.”758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNuAcidLOJ
Trehan was a thin lean boy of seventeen, with blonde hair and harsh grey eyes covered under his convex glasses. He looked like one of those boys that got bullied in high school. Well, he did get bullied. But that was only because he let them. Don’t judge him by his appearance; you'd be in for a surprise. Trehan Werner, a.k.a. Altair, the world’s deadliest sniper. And also the world’s youngest.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9X7h6nQtZ9
He was too young for this, I kept telling him. Then again, so was I.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbMkaJ0ZOU
“They just love me, don’t they?” I scoffed. “Stupid Ashes21 can’t even let me enjoy my break”758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM76Xe4lVLN
Trehan and I work for Ashes21. It’s the world’s largest and most active criminal organization in the world, under the radar. If you’re wondering why the Ashes21 don’t get caught, the answer is simple. We work both ways. The Heads of the countries worldwide bestow favors on us, and well, we repay them.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BX1xt4AC6
Sometimes, by killing their Most Loved, and at times, by gifting them their Most Wanted. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFqh6igtbj
“Be careful, Tricia,” he laughed. “They must have a hidden microphone out here somewhere.”758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7sRe2ZwZy
That wouldn’t be a first for the Ashes21. Last year it installed a dozen surveillance cameras at Phoenix’s secret hideout. They wanted him back on the job, but well, he was bored with the Ashes21 and didn’t pay heed to them. The coolest assassin I ever met. Even though, our encounter was for ten seconds. But, that’s a lot. Others die within five seconds flat.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5o31fk6jEa
“So, what is the so-called ‘assignment’?” I asked. “Let me guess, another kill?”758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwrni43siE
I jumped down from the rooftop, two floors down and landed right in front of Trehan. I was tired of killing people. It was boring. People didn’t value their lives. At least not in the way that they're supposed to.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTx1XpBT7mj
It’s no wonder that Phoenix left. I wish I could. But I don’t have that kind of influence. Or the ranking. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZtfFm5fw1
I'm ranked XIII. There are twelve Whisperers ahead of me. And only the first three of every division get to quit or have a say in the matters of their division. And becoming either for the three, calls for utmost discipline and 'fealty', as they call it. I was loyal and disciplined, but they thought what they wanted to think. In other words: I wouldn't get to leave anytime soon.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljzFT3CsKm
“I’m pretty sure that this kill will get you to V,” he snickered. “Have a go.”758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3YU2dEddq
He handed me his phone. I rolled my eyes at the Crazy Frog stickers.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8SrXBorVS
"Trehan, like seriously?"758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9b22LBRUN
He smiled with pride. "It's collector's edition."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiclfcLy0pg
I sighed. He's still a high school kid after all.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ413mgaE6Ai
The message was addressed to Agent Trickster. I got that name in the first year of the Academy and it stuck. I hated that name, but it was too late to change now.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFCBB9aNH3
Agent Trickster758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjSBXPy62z
Assignment: Terminate RED Talisman758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNbPCynEjG
Reward: Promotion To IV758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9f4ZVECmz
Additional Information: The Details Are In The Attachment. Your Effort And Success Will Be Highly Appreciated.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qHupoqX4v
Thank You.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HG2hSDivM
-Articus Caleb758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPCSdFnS4E
Articus Caleb? Wasn't the head Wilderness? “When did Articus become the Directioner?” I asked.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsCSlEJvtd
“When Phoenix had to kill his blood aunt, under Wilderness' command” Trehan said nonchalantly, “he requested, more like, threatened Wilderness to step down, in the Council meeting. And Max Muller agreed, which was strange, but anyway, Wilderness left. Rumor says that Wilderness is out for Phoenix’s blood. But there are some counter-theories to that.”758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcAsY3rb5b
“Phoenix did what!?” I exclaimed. Phoenix was an orphan and only had his aunt as his support. To kill his aunt would be like killing his very soul. Shrugging it off, I checked the attachments.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFgZaxernb
"No way in hell,” I gasped.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ771HPb0v3g
I tried to ignore Trehan’s questions about what's wrong, but I was too well trained to ignore any sound. But I couldn't bring myself to answer.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsB13jGHzO
I remember Phoenix walking down the hallway, the signature black Ashes21 crucifix dangling from his hand, his eyes stern and focused. He didn't know me, I was as invisible as any Whisperer can get, but he had walked straight to me, hugged me and had whispered, "The annexation has begun, Trickster." That was the last time anyone saw him in the headquarters. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JRo38FfaD
I never took note of what he said. I remembered it, but I didn't know what it meant. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2b4e5bNn2l
Well, now I do.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uDTU9XbVk
Trehan took my daze as an opportunity to grab my phone and let out a gasp the moment he read what I had just read.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1165U5c5P
“They can’t be fucking serious, Tricia.” he gasped. “We’ll talk about it to them. They can’t do this to you.”758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4p5fDyr5Kp
Was being IV worth what I was assigned to? Nothing could ever be worth it.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvFnIYpnIq
“You can’t do this.” he exclaimed. “Tricia, say something.”758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡov4VaRsFcj
I glanced at the screen one more time. A part of me hoping that I had read it wrong. I had seen it wrong. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pA72Uuddd
TALISMAN, it read.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4F3qjznPDR
And the face on the screen looked so old. Wrinkles where there hadn't been few years back. The eyes as dead as I had last seen them. The frown stagnant on his lips. I remember the face being younger than that. He had grown old, since the last time I saw him. Four years was a long time, I realized.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEICvGAGvn
TALISMAN. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrEj4Q5e92
I should have known he would be targeted sooner or later. I looked at the picture once again, and it still remained clutched in my hand.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dRKw0xsBq
"I look like him, don't I?" I mumbled.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMxe9PKlmr
"Tricia," Trehan sighed. "You don't have to do this."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlk1qwRXRC
I shook my head. "I do."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBVBrOk1hi
"Tricia," he began, "I-"758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymw3IOjPFb
"I'm good, Trehan," I reassured him. "I'm good."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehksagt5x1
I'm good. I'd do what was asked of me. I'm an Ashes21 agent now. I had to do this.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0muDNyD1vp
Like Phoenix did.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGpG58CxRY
Like I would.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9RzF8a3aM
The annexation had begun.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7AHD0NvaQ
*** 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tdQ6yGzRi
