i776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0ovkWUHqf
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. 776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfCNb2DjKM
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.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIV0NUFKD5e
“Tricia,” Trehan coughed, breaking my attention to him. I hadn't heard him come. “You have another assignment.”776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3P7xyNrmAO
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.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3bishX3L2
He was too young for this, I kept telling him. Then again, so was I.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSw2GR0cTRF
“They just love me, don’t they?” I scoffed. “Stupid Ashes21 can’t even let me enjoy my break”776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEzTYMQ2twT
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.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wpmEOzYIa
Sometimes, by killing their Most Loved, and at times, by gifting them their Most Wanted. 776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7i71IPrOuf
“Be careful, Tricia,” he laughed. “They must have a hidden microphone out here somewhere.”776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2LolTSyNI
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.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNU9voWEPaL
“So, what is the so-called ‘assignment’?” I asked. “Let me guess, another kill?”776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlHvH4RHPq
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.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNtxxrSnOJ
It’s no wonder that Phoenix left. I wish I could. But I don’t have that kind of influence. Or the ranking. 776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjq7nvdO1j
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.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPV7FF59fz
“I’m pretty sure that this kill will get you to V,” he snickered. “Have a go.”776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnaaT1mM2X
He handed me his phone. I rolled my eyes at the Crazy Frog stickers.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcM4kSZy5T
"Trehan, like seriously?"776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2eAk7KL26
He smiled with pride. "It's collector's edition."776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWmR5ioSJR
I sighed. He's still a high school kid after all.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPEbDStkw2
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.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0yWZ4NRaOL
Agent Trickster776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLDPAXZp1Z
Assignment: Terminate RED Talisman776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RC3L8o0Dy
Reward: Promotion To IV776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oehbj5SfQ
Additional Information: The Details Are In The Attachment. Your Effort And Success Will Be Highly Appreciated.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHPdFOXOrK
Thank You.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2727p1bC3w
-Articus Caleb776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcm6yzOm7r
Articus Caleb? Wasn't the head Wilderness? “When did Articus become the Directioner?” I asked.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDGU7IADZM
“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.”776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmhVm6lFoT
“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.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1y8v6oRAQP
"No way in hell,” I gasped.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwrDobX1yJ
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.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsPEYBnCkC
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. 776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsbEB8rrmH
I never took note of what he said. I remembered it, but I didn't know what it meant. 776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCIxVt1FRL
Well, now I do.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcgMZJh98h
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.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxG0OvFYOr
“They can’t be fucking serious, Tricia.” he gasped. “We’ll talk about it to them. They can’t do this to you.”776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb73gVNuGrM
Was being IV worth what I was assigned to? Nothing could ever be worth it.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkXGMFTX3y
“You can’t do this.” he exclaimed. “Tricia, say something.”776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigHZlbvyZ8
I glanced at the screen one more time. A part of me hoping that I had read it wrong. I had seen it wrong. 776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssFnORUUaT
TALISMAN, it read.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo39amnkanz
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.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQ0UYHGD0u
TALISMAN. 776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmMfj1pwMu
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.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDO0vCGXRq
"I look like him, don't I?" I mumbled.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwJ0W5ODPI
"Tricia," Trehan sighed. "You don't have to do this."776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3PmjdiQ7c
I shook my head. "I do."776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaskstwwd3
"Tricia," he began, "I-"776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDsiGw0k31
"I'm good, Trehan," I reassured him. "I'm good."776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqloP54ac4
I'm good. I'd do what was asked of me. I'm an Ashes21 agent now. I had to do this.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4S1j5w1IbA
Like Phoenix did.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzwUwkBK1s
Like I would.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7GlrIgOFd
The annexation had begun.776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzohjsDLBUb
*** 776Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSUblbQ8KT
