i569Please respect copyright.PENANANlbloJKK86
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. 569Please respect copyright.PENANA2XXmtRL0cU
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.569Please respect copyright.PENANAq4CJ8gCw9I
“Tricia,” Trehan coughed, breaking my attention to him. I hadn't heard him come. “You have another assignment.”569Please respect copyright.PENANAHLdrqreF1f
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.569Please respect copyright.PENANAyproaU9dzc
He was too young for this, I kept telling him. Then again, so was I.569Please respect copyright.PENANAIH6EAly0Kz
“They just love me, don’t they?” I scoffed. “Stupid Ashes21 can’t even let me enjoy my break”569Please respect copyright.PENANA1XvgNYUrg0
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.569Please respect copyright.PENANAuQbsQReTHy
Sometimes, by killing their Most Loved, and at times, by gifting them their Most Wanted. 569Please respect copyright.PENANAKrvtmA8Ybl
“Be careful, Tricia,” he laughed. “They must have a hidden microphone out here somewhere.”569Please respect copyright.PENANAGsTmEvwgvz
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.569Please respect copyright.PENANA7pfo4MZ8dA
“So, what is the so-called ‘assignment’?” I asked. “Let me guess, another kill?”569Please respect copyright.PENANAulv3HVCvSp
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.569Please respect copyright.PENANABLcnIrVJue
It’s no wonder that Phoenix left. I wish I could. But I don’t have that kind of influence. Or the ranking. 569Please respect copyright.PENANAUytvVVmI0p
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.569Please respect copyright.PENANAtDJrkGlLCr
“I’m pretty sure that this kill will get you to V,” he snickered. “Have a go.”569Please respect copyright.PENANA731banHbCE
He handed me his phone. I rolled my eyes at the Crazy Frog stickers.569Please respect copyright.PENANA8YqdfbJ4Hd
"Trehan, like seriously?"569Please respect copyright.PENANAxOtqBwg38j
He smiled with pride. "It's collector's edition."569Please respect copyright.PENANA4fSZ1Tf7W8
I sighed. He's still a high school kid after all.569Please respect copyright.PENANAW5F1pMMX3T
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.569Please respect copyright.PENANAtySRvG6Wqa
Agent Trickster569Please respect copyright.PENANAbTuIdELMoY
Assignment: Terminate RED Talisman569Please respect copyright.PENANAXpUdqRYKnq
Reward: Promotion To IV569Please respect copyright.PENANAOIFmTJvxLO
Additional Information: The Details Are In The Attachment. Your Effort And Success Will Be Highly Appreciated.569Please respect copyright.PENANAHSIU2SWhZH
Thank You.569Please respect copyright.PENANAvY7JO8ZFUO
-Articus Caleb569Please respect copyright.PENANAMwnv1oFM5S
Articus Caleb? Wasn't the head Wilderness? “When did Articus become the Directioner?” I asked.569Please respect copyright.PENANA21xcrFr6rn
“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.”569Please respect copyright.PENANAHahpzPbENW
“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.569Please respect copyright.PENANAqIJ0i6yZAq
"No way in hell,” I gasped.569Please respect copyright.PENANAvrx6p2Vlb1
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.569Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1PP8a9Yb5
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. 569Please respect copyright.PENANAmtKbedj51k
I never took note of what he said. I remembered it, but I didn't know what it meant. 569Please respect copyright.PENANABf54AroqBK
Well, now I do.569Please respect copyright.PENANAEPHaOmFp2z
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.569Please respect copyright.PENANAFtngwjEP42
“They can’t be fucking serious, Tricia.” he gasped. “We’ll talk about it to them. They can’t do this to you.”569Please respect copyright.PENANApAHoodQIQW
Was being IV worth what I was assigned to? Nothing could ever be worth it.569Please respect copyright.PENANASTknlcyiiz
“You can’t do this.” he exclaimed. “Tricia, say something.”569Please respect copyright.PENANAghJj2XYRM7
I glanced at the screen one more time. A part of me hoping that I had read it wrong. I had seen it wrong. 569Please respect copyright.PENANAfeP72vaCkx
TALISMAN, it read.569Please respect copyright.PENANA81lFxExnXt
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.569Please respect copyright.PENANAF2fSiLacyE
TALISMAN. 569Please respect copyright.PENANAcjwybuNNuD
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.569Please respect copyright.PENANAkNvb55FPbP
"I look like him, don't I?" I mumbled.569Please respect copyright.PENANAybKsNOcS1f
"Tricia," Trehan sighed. "You don't have to do this."569Please respect copyright.PENANAvDYYXeSJmW
I shook my head. "I do."569Please respect copyright.PENANAOnRvNCcXjU
"Tricia," he began, "I-"569Please respect copyright.PENANAXnQtpnnMDL
"I'm good, Trehan," I reassured him. "I'm good."569Please respect copyright.PENANA5bxkML0uZU
I'm good. I'd do what was asked of me. I'm an Ashes21 agent now. I had to do this.569Please respect copyright.PENANABzINpR5Xlt
Like Phoenix did.569Please respect copyright.PENANAGbRLAt8dMo
Like I would.569Please respect copyright.PENANAvHy2Zp8QoK
The annexation had begun.569Please respect copyright.PENANAnPLTe92BbS
*** 569Please respect copyright.PENANATOiZKGtWme