i578Please respect copyright.PENANAu5jRuQJLlZ
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. 578Please respect copyright.PENANA6b1cuCpRXZ
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.578Please respect copyright.PENANAYP1bS0O3uO
“Tricia,” Trehan coughed, breaking my attention to him. I hadn't heard him come. “You have another assignment.”578Please respect copyright.PENANAF0WYPCfYyW
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.578Please respect copyright.PENANARuSn02zSss
He was too young for this, I kept telling him. Then again, so was I.578Please respect copyright.PENANAiaSUhVCkXO
“They just love me, don’t they?” I scoffed. “Stupid Ashes21 can’t even let me enjoy my break”578Please respect copyright.PENANA2UkkXNtEtt
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.578Please respect copyright.PENANAtU8OSmONTM
Sometimes, by killing their Most Loved, and at times, by gifting them their Most Wanted. 578Please respect copyright.PENANAxyetvIQqhe
“Be careful, Tricia,” he laughed. “They must have a hidden microphone out here somewhere.”578Please respect copyright.PENANAkGDkdeRS9X
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.578Please respect copyright.PENANA3yXeTzYU6k
“So, what is the so-called ‘assignment’?” I asked. “Let me guess, another kill?”578Please respect copyright.PENANAz2hAsq6VVa
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.578Please respect copyright.PENANABY6o1ZUPpZ
It’s no wonder that Phoenix left. I wish I could. But I don’t have that kind of influence. Or the ranking. 578Please respect copyright.PENANAbM9MDKieMU
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.578Please respect copyright.PENANAPOyqreykEV
“I’m pretty sure that this kill will get you to V,” he snickered. “Have a go.”578Please respect copyright.PENANALVgu39SuaK
He handed me his phone. I rolled my eyes at the Crazy Frog stickers.578Please respect copyright.PENANAsVasffx0ze
"Trehan, like seriously?"578Please respect copyright.PENANAFeCOd9ajrs
He smiled with pride. "It's collector's edition."578Please respect copyright.PENANALEzWL1qbvs
I sighed. He's still a high school kid after all.578Please respect copyright.PENANAn7MQchUVdz
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.578Please respect copyright.PENANAz4IbU5MONl
Agent Trickster578Please respect copyright.PENANA4Ld4nqTFpd
Assignment: Terminate RED Talisman578Please respect copyright.PENANAcBTrqQ9sT2
Reward: Promotion To IV578Please respect copyright.PENANAaRLjlP1KYT
Additional Information: The Details Are In The Attachment. Your Effort And Success Will Be Highly Appreciated.578Please respect copyright.PENANAw2lHx1IsX7
Thank You.578Please respect copyright.PENANAWV0JhccOwH
-Articus Caleb578Please respect copyright.PENANALd7OeCPZQY
Articus Caleb? Wasn't the head Wilderness? “When did Articus become the Directioner?” I asked.578Please respect copyright.PENANApy2vXNYlSk
“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.”578Please respect copyright.PENANAzgbzR9nE9P
“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.578Please respect copyright.PENANAoUBaC26pWA
"No way in hell,” I gasped.578Please respect copyright.PENANA0tmnIzUOyM
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.578Please respect copyright.PENANAe47WbKcovv
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. 578Please respect copyright.PENANAP7HJ567S1d
I never took note of what he said. I remembered it, but I didn't know what it meant. 578Please respect copyright.PENANAyGzHqOiPLA
Well, now I do.578Please respect copyright.PENANA5eAulpoHJ0
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.578Please respect copyright.PENANAxf4flDPyh3
“They can’t be fucking serious, Tricia.” he gasped. “We’ll talk about it to them. They can’t do this to you.”578Please respect copyright.PENANAEF8OKDCjqB
Was being IV worth what I was assigned to? Nothing could ever be worth it.578Please respect copyright.PENANAYG48vYHHt7
“You can’t do this.” he exclaimed. “Tricia, say something.”578Please respect copyright.PENANAgA9ZDaWnx5
I glanced at the screen one more time. A part of me hoping that I had read it wrong. I had seen it wrong. 578Please respect copyright.PENANAYDu1aFzjuD
TALISMAN, it read.578Please respect copyright.PENANAhEb0ju8ako
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.578Please respect copyright.PENANAMZlNuq9OhH
TALISMAN. 578Please respect copyright.PENANAaLtrtAvCWw
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.578Please respect copyright.PENANA2Ttfy8JG41
"I look like him, don't I?" I mumbled.578Please respect copyright.PENANAYsGrNzjR2V
"Tricia," Trehan sighed. "You don't have to do this."578Please respect copyright.PENANAKpRBpAfgGj
I shook my head. "I do."578Please respect copyright.PENANAZbt1gUuWTY
"Tricia," he began, "I-"578Please respect copyright.PENANAcCITwhV3Ie
"I'm good, Trehan," I reassured him. "I'm good."578Please respect copyright.PENANATCehBOIPSB
I'm good. I'd do what was asked of me. I'm an Ashes21 agent now. I had to do this.578Please respect copyright.PENANAzTynEzUXPb
Like Phoenix did.578Please respect copyright.PENANAdf5qGryJHS
Like I would.578Please respect copyright.PENANA69fQ9EpkHj
The annexation had begun.578Please respect copyright.PENANAHclfRxcvzu
*** 578Please respect copyright.PENANA4OITCTZtsy