i561Please respect copyright.PENANAmJF2JVzHPo
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. 561Please respect copyright.PENANAqr9MVp3MmX
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.561Please respect copyright.PENANAgQh0HMFDtD
“Tricia,” Trehan coughed, breaking my attention to him. I hadn't heard him come. “You have another assignment.”561Please respect copyright.PENANA6CBf4vG7Q8
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.561Please respect copyright.PENANADgF9i665WN
He was too young for this, I kept telling him. Then again, so was I.561Please respect copyright.PENANAf41dMooGNv
“They just love me, don’t they?” I scoffed. “Stupid Ashes21 can’t even let me enjoy my break”561Please respect copyright.PENANAOm2FpvAikd
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.561Please respect copyright.PENANALu68EQ6Skf
Sometimes, by killing their Most Loved, and at times, by gifting them their Most Wanted. 561Please respect copyright.PENANAh2GTPyk7wD
“Be careful, Tricia,” he laughed. “They must have a hidden microphone out here somewhere.”561Please respect copyright.PENANAWAWxgOPZco
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.561Please respect copyright.PENANAMW3v5B7DTw
“So, what is the so-called ‘assignment’?” I asked. “Let me guess, another kill?”561Please respect copyright.PENANAO4JSiQEMGF
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.561Please respect copyright.PENANA2FkAD2K0ep
It’s no wonder that Phoenix left. I wish I could. But I don’t have that kind of influence. Or the ranking. 561Please respect copyright.PENANA1mS0B0Kkyq
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.561Please respect copyright.PENANAwD3F3PipuK
“I’m pretty sure that this kill will get you to V,” he snickered. “Have a go.”561Please respect copyright.PENANAe0PVkanmU2
He handed me his phone. I rolled my eyes at the Crazy Frog stickers.561Please respect copyright.PENANABDoFEOavNb
"Trehan, like seriously?"561Please respect copyright.PENANABvwymDgUu2
He smiled with pride. "It's collector's edition."561Please respect copyright.PENANAKYcEHvlRZF
I sighed. He's still a high school kid after all.561Please respect copyright.PENANAaMCFitopuc
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.561Please respect copyright.PENANAxrQFp5Ntw1
Agent Trickster561Please respect copyright.PENANAepWJAdDDzK
Assignment: Terminate RED Talisman561Please respect copyright.PENANAVz83Rcpdqh
Reward: Promotion To IV561Please respect copyright.PENANAVD9iajHxEC
Additional Information: The Details Are In The Attachment. Your Effort And Success Will Be Highly Appreciated.561Please respect copyright.PENANABjuiyxwPt5
Thank You.561Please respect copyright.PENANAEEao0pL1pN
-Articus Caleb561Please respect copyright.PENANAAtNz94YoS1
Articus Caleb? Wasn't the head Wilderness? “When did Articus become the Directioner?” I asked.561Please respect copyright.PENANA29EQUTmUTb
“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.”561Please respect copyright.PENANAKfMqk9P3OU
“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.561Please respect copyright.PENANAICDy2E5HtR
"No way in hell,” I gasped.561Please respect copyright.PENANAZFrbiolMjJ
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.561Please respect copyright.PENANA9R6S2ja3rs
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. 561Please respect copyright.PENANACnGeFR4cAK
I never took note of what he said. I remembered it, but I didn't know what it meant. 561Please respect copyright.PENANAs8ivLhv6KM
Well, now I do.561Please respect copyright.PENANAMWI2x0vRBX
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.561Please respect copyright.PENANAeL65K673xF
“They can’t be fucking serious, Tricia.” he gasped. “We’ll talk about it to them. They can’t do this to you.”561Please respect copyright.PENANAjfkNDBWvXa
Was being IV worth what I was assigned to? Nothing could ever be worth it.561Please respect copyright.PENANAiF0afLskBE
“You can’t do this.” he exclaimed. “Tricia, say something.”561Please respect copyright.PENANAWBf4f1xo3k
I glanced at the screen one more time. A part of me hoping that I had read it wrong. I had seen it wrong. 561Please respect copyright.PENANAyI6Teew1gL
TALISMAN, it read.561Please respect copyright.PENANAfeNlm9H5f0
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.561Please respect copyright.PENANAjvc6AGYZlW
TALISMAN. 561Please respect copyright.PENANACTkxcxg4ZV
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.561Please respect copyright.PENANAg8l5VQqGGA
"I look like him, don't I?" I mumbled.561Please respect copyright.PENANAlzN9K13BZs
"Tricia," Trehan sighed. "You don't have to do this."561Please respect copyright.PENANASL7afFOmmc
I shook my head. "I do."561Please respect copyright.PENANAnHtCe4Ro34
"Tricia," he began, "I-"561Please respect copyright.PENANAhsKIQwHXav
"I'm good, Trehan," I reassured him. "I'm good."561Please respect copyright.PENANAImdaceUn7G
I'm good. I'd do what was asked of me. I'm an Ashes21 agent now. I had to do this.561Please respect copyright.PENANAIWt6ljyksf
Like Phoenix did.561Please respect copyright.PENANA1O0bgliwiC
Like I would.561Please respect copyright.PENANAdLIhc4l4tu
The annexation had begun.561Please respect copyright.PENANAqw8AwM508v
*** 561Please respect copyright.PENANA5LNyOR19VK