i585Please respect copyright.PENANAAOGP5D56An
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. 585Please respect copyright.PENANAHXybPXg6IO
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.585Please respect copyright.PENANA7wdDjFD8Ar
“Tricia,” Trehan coughed, breaking my attention to him. I hadn't heard him come. “You have another assignment.”585Please respect copyright.PENANASc389XUfJd
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.585Please respect copyright.PENANAfjsP6QRyC8
He was too young for this, I kept telling him. Then again, so was I.585Please respect copyright.PENANAPILW50DQF8
“They just love me, don’t they?” I scoffed. “Stupid Ashes21 can’t even let me enjoy my break”585Please respect copyright.PENANAELvlpmFPac
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.585Please respect copyright.PENANARWHtRYWbMu
Sometimes, by killing their Most Loved, and at times, by gifting them their Most Wanted. 585Please respect copyright.PENANAVInXoWCdrL
“Be careful, Tricia,” he laughed. “They must have a hidden microphone out here somewhere.”585Please respect copyright.PENANAK9YwWDQthF
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.585Please respect copyright.PENANAJ8PrEThhxY
“So, what is the so-called ‘assignment’?” I asked. “Let me guess, another kill?”585Please respect copyright.PENANAYMtE7KFElH
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.585Please respect copyright.PENANAWyykX3kl7Q
It’s no wonder that Phoenix left. I wish I could. But I don’t have that kind of influence. Or the ranking. 585Please respect copyright.PENANAK2dpHwyiD0
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.585Please respect copyright.PENANAYmbkQUzcSl
“I’m pretty sure that this kill will get you to V,” he snickered. “Have a go.”585Please respect copyright.PENANAeeYWvcI3l7
He handed me his phone. I rolled my eyes at the Crazy Frog stickers.585Please respect copyright.PENANASprKYzxhqN
"Trehan, like seriously?"585Please respect copyright.PENANA1KanrZNlP1
He smiled with pride. "It's collector's edition."585Please respect copyright.PENANAJp1FydmjMs
I sighed. He's still a high school kid after all.585Please respect copyright.PENANAvXBqHeE6N6
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.585Please respect copyright.PENANArxNk2ZNJSU
Agent Trickster585Please respect copyright.PENANAgq2fF4ToIZ
Assignment: Terminate RED Talisman585Please respect copyright.PENANASkvhDE4ihp
Reward: Promotion To IV585Please respect copyright.PENANAvotYci6F3C
Additional Information: The Details Are In The Attachment. Your Effort And Success Will Be Highly Appreciated.585Please respect copyright.PENANArDALCIzFm1
Thank You.585Please respect copyright.PENANAnTHYrvvrLs
-Articus Caleb585Please respect copyright.PENANAdoCwc6nfTl
Articus Caleb? Wasn't the head Wilderness? “When did Articus become the Directioner?” I asked.585Please respect copyright.PENANAKYKxrejYcR
“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.”585Please respect copyright.PENANAqJyM3lEVrw
“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.585Please respect copyright.PENANAifguOodDvw
"No way in hell,” I gasped.585Please respect copyright.PENANASt1phePb8t
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.585Please respect copyright.PENANA4CElzWUPDL
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. 585Please respect copyright.PENANAlIrgy8oakr
I never took note of what he said. I remembered it, but I didn't know what it meant. 585Please respect copyright.PENANArJfftByrHb
Well, now I do.585Please respect copyright.PENANA8b3MxMZYmg
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.585Please respect copyright.PENANAK8XPco3WeQ
“They can’t be fucking serious, Tricia.” he gasped. “We’ll talk about it to them. They can’t do this to you.”585Please respect copyright.PENANAwLg61fBcoV
Was being IV worth what I was assigned to? Nothing could ever be worth it.585Please respect copyright.PENANAGjkajyw21q
“You can’t do this.” he exclaimed. “Tricia, say something.”585Please respect copyright.PENANAjDg8xMUIoQ
I glanced at the screen one more time. A part of me hoping that I had read it wrong. I had seen it wrong. 585Please respect copyright.PENANAp8ty2pgLJu
TALISMAN, it read.585Please respect copyright.PENANApn5Tr1vim8
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.585Please respect copyright.PENANAXuP8ZwEHyB
TALISMAN. 585Please respect copyright.PENANAO3dsTAZpGl
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.585Please respect copyright.PENANA1rmbhX58Co
"I look like him, don't I?" I mumbled.585Please respect copyright.PENANAtUZ1hucgpq
"Tricia," Trehan sighed. "You don't have to do this."585Please respect copyright.PENANAbMrZYvRx0K
I shook my head. "I do."585Please respect copyright.PENANA5sU2UVKtfs
"Tricia," he began, "I-"585Please respect copyright.PENANAUgYGsQOmmA
"I'm good, Trehan," I reassured him. "I'm good."585Please respect copyright.PENANAfYNIOQARMQ
I'm good. I'd do what was asked of me. I'm an Ashes21 agent now. I had to do this.585Please respect copyright.PENANA3v5guTi2TU
Like Phoenix did.585Please respect copyright.PENANA7xSpJ4D8DE
Like I would.585Please respect copyright.PENANACFRg0YaXJ1
The annexation had begun.585Please respect copyright.PENANAYfeHz4TYVm
*** 585Please respect copyright.PENANAdyXIAymJZ4