i840Please respect copyright.PENANAnC3L8Ah1kl
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. 840Please respect copyright.PENANAsYwrwY39nw
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.840Please respect copyright.PENANAudKvvEN6J8
“Tricia,” Trehan coughed, breaking my attention to him. I hadn't heard him come. “You have another assignment.”840Please respect copyright.PENANAZv6UUuEeGh
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.840Please respect copyright.PENANABZJnGgqw7k
He was too young for this, I kept telling him. Then again, so was I.840Please respect copyright.PENANA0QgDHSbu3K
“They just love me, don’t they?” I scoffed. “Stupid Ashes21 can’t even let me enjoy my break”840Please respect copyright.PENANAifmmDOQGW6
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.840Please respect copyright.PENANA4ielDzXTCN
Sometimes, by killing their Most Loved, and at times, by gifting them their Most Wanted. 840Please respect copyright.PENANABVT7o4YNm3
“Be careful, Tricia,” he laughed. “They must have a hidden microphone out here somewhere.”840Please respect copyright.PENANAfJcwQJJ8IV
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.840Please respect copyright.PENANAMRifk4lKar
“So, what is the so-called ‘assignment’?” I asked. “Let me guess, another kill?”840Please respect copyright.PENANAIgKCdNgoJZ
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.840Please respect copyright.PENANAzLH6dlgUYQ
It’s no wonder that Phoenix left. I wish I could. But I don’t have that kind of influence. Or the ranking. 840Please respect copyright.PENANAp655WqzYWT
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.840Please respect copyright.PENANAzSrWNc3Cpn
“I’m pretty sure that this kill will get you to V,” he snickered. “Have a go.”840Please respect copyright.PENANAWu66pcyTBp
He handed me his phone. I rolled my eyes at the Crazy Frog stickers.840Please respect copyright.PENANA2Ksgi3DuDp
"Trehan, like seriously?"840Please respect copyright.PENANADebfCnRAoE
He smiled with pride. "It's collector's edition."840Please respect copyright.PENANADuD0PUMcV0
I sighed. He's still a high school kid after all.840Please respect copyright.PENANAy2gV7FbR9r
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.840Please respect copyright.PENANAx5CpWb5ML9
Agent Trickster840Please respect copyright.PENANANFCFDbD2MU
Assignment: Terminate RED Talisman840Please respect copyright.PENANAhbpDcSgUte
Reward: Promotion To IV840Please respect copyright.PENANAwIfYwpDZec
Additional Information: The Details Are In The Attachment. Your Effort And Success Will Be Highly Appreciated.840Please respect copyright.PENANAPsnR7QbDvg
Thank You.840Please respect copyright.PENANAN2d3aQJOav
-Articus Caleb840Please respect copyright.PENANAYREWMaYupz
Articus Caleb? Wasn't the head Wilderness? “When did Articus become the Directioner?” I asked.840Please respect copyright.PENANAZnFLcAnZmg
“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.”840Please respect copyright.PENANAmFCHN0SfEu
“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.840Please respect copyright.PENANAq8WKgkNx4g
"No way in hell,” I gasped.840Please respect copyright.PENANARl7vsOl0gp
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.840Please respect copyright.PENANAMN4Hs8S1gO
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. 840Please respect copyright.PENANAIPEUp3hhuv
I never took note of what he said. I remembered it, but I didn't know what it meant. 840Please respect copyright.PENANAyDhLnbNzRK
Well, now I do.840Please respect copyright.PENANACunyZD4pdT
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.840Please respect copyright.PENANAXAe5e6rCTc
“They can’t be fucking serious, Tricia.” he gasped. “We’ll talk about it to them. They can’t do this to you.”840Please respect copyright.PENANA7u21xdJqSx
Was being IV worth what I was assigned to? Nothing could ever be worth it.840Please respect copyright.PENANABz4ERUEdyo
“You can’t do this.” he exclaimed. “Tricia, say something.”840Please respect copyright.PENANAPLHadelx7O
I glanced at the screen one more time. A part of me hoping that I had read it wrong. I had seen it wrong. 840Please respect copyright.PENANAB0tRQ2HALn
TALISMAN, it read.840Please respect copyright.PENANA8vsjdTN3nA
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.840Please respect copyright.PENANA1EyG6TMe4q
TALISMAN. 840Please respect copyright.PENANAaqeYO878Jv
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.840Please respect copyright.PENANAPiXyPkmpI1
"I look like him, don't I?" I mumbled.840Please respect copyright.PENANABVj8EDMoaY
"Tricia," Trehan sighed. "You don't have to do this."840Please respect copyright.PENANAAUqlLL0Otw
I shook my head. "I do."840Please respect copyright.PENANA88MgRMDNA6
"Tricia," he began, "I-"840Please respect copyright.PENANA8bNNPggkqn
"I'm good, Trehan," I reassured him. "I'm good."840Please respect copyright.PENANA3Xc6YHO9bM
I'm good. I'd do what was asked of me. I'm an Ashes21 agent now. I had to do this.840Please respect copyright.PENANA6LLEW8kmGq
Like Phoenix did.840Please respect copyright.PENANAfCAZb4Ffgm
Like I would.840Please respect copyright.PENANAywqGIJFEw5
The annexation had begun.840Please respect copyright.PENANAwVV1T8Fp4T
*** 840Please respect copyright.PENANAeN2JHEvOZP