The dimly lit room was shrouded in silence, the only sound the soft hum of the air conditioning vent above. Rowan, a tall, imposing figure with chocolate brown eyes, sat behind a sleek, black desk, his gaze fixed intently on the figure clad in all black wearing a mask with only his eyes visible standing before him.
"Axura," Rowan said, his deep voice low and even. "I have a new assignment for you."
Axura nodded, his eyes never leaving Rowan's face. Axura was dressed in a black jeans and grey hoodie and a black mask covering half of his face even his eyes was not clearly visible.
"Your target is a wealthy businessman named Marcus Thompson," Rowan continued, his eyes glinting with a hint of intensity. "He's been making trouble for some of our... associates, and it's time he was taken care of."
Axura raised an eyebrow, Axura expression neutral. "If i may ask what kind of trouble?"
Rowan leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together. "Thompson's been using his wealth and influence to muscle in on some of our operations. He's getting too big for his britches, and it's time someone took him down a peg."
Axura nodded, with the eyes narrowing as Axura processed the information. "I'll take care of it."
Rowan smiled, a cold, calculating smile. "I knew I could count on you, Axura. You're one of my best."
Axura's expression remained neutral. Axura knew it was one of Rowan's top assassins, and Axura intended to keep it that way. Axura was the best in fact, feared and respected by all who hears his name, even he could tell that Rowan gave him a lot of respect and feared it, since day one of him working in that organization, no one has ever seen Axura face not even Rowan and Axura intends to keep it that way. Anybody who hears the name Axura trembles just at the mention of that name, Axura kills ruthlessly and spares no one, till date no one knows Axura true identity and gender, but everyone just assumes Axura is a he, no matter how hard they try to get information on Axura their efforts prove futile, it's as if Axura never existed on this earth. He goes by the code name Axura.
"What's the deadline?" Axura asked, the voice crisp and professional.
"You have three days to complete the assignment," Rowan replied. "Thompson will be attending a charity gala on the third night. That's your window."
Axura nodded, the mind already racing with strategies and contingency plans. To Axura, taking out Thompson would be as simple as taking out the trash
"I'll get it done," Axura said, turning to leave.
Rowan's voice stopped it. "Axura"
Axura turned back to face him, the eyes questioning.
"Be careful," Rowan said, his eyes glinting with a hint of warning. "Thompson has connections. If he suspects something is off, he'll make it difficult for you."
Axura nodded, a small smile playing on the lips. "I can handle myself."
Rowan's expression remained serious. "I know you can, Axura. But I also know that complacency can be a killer. Stay sharp."
Axura nodded, with the expression sobering. He knew that Rowan was right – in it's line of work, complacency could indeed be fatal. Axura nodded and left the room, with the mind already focused on the task ahead
Rowan's second-in-hand, Marco, stood before him, his expression laced with concern. "Rowan, I need to talk to you about something."
Rowan, seated behind his desk, raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Marco?"
Marco hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "It's about Axura. I know he's been a valuable asset to us, but... I fear he might turn against us one day."
Rowan's expression remained neutral, but a hint of interest sparked in his eyes. He, too, had concerns about Axura's loyalty, but he wouldn't admit it to Marco. Not yet.
"What makes you think that, Marco?" Rowan asked, his voice even.
Marco took a deep breath. "It's just... he's so skilled, so deadly. And he's been getting more and more autonomous in his missions. What if he decides he doesn't need us anymore?"
Rowan leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together. He knew that Axura was a lone wolf, preferring to keep to himself. He didn't have any close relationships within the organization, and that made him a wild card.
"You're telling me you fear Axura," Rowan said, his eyes narrowing. "But what if I told you that I share your concerns, Marco?"
Marco's eyes widened, surprise etched on his face. "You do?"
Rowan nodded. "Yes, I do. Axura is a talented assassin, but he's also unpredictable. And that makes him a liability."
Marco's expression turned thoughtful. "I see. So, what do we do about him?"
Rowan's smile was cold and calculated. "We watch him, Marco. We wait for him to slip up, and then we take action."
Marco nodded, a look of understanding on his face. "I see."
But Rowan's eyes told a different story. He was watching Axura, all right. And he was waiting for him to make a move. But it wasn't just about loyalty or betrayal. It was about something more primal.
Fear.
~~~~~~~~~~
Lyriel groggily opened her eyes, rubbing the sleep from her eyelids. She stretched her arms above her head, yawning widely. Another day, another dollar... or in her case, another day, another dose of high school drama.
She tossed off the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed, planting her feet firmly on the ground. After a quick shower and dressing in her favorite jeans and a comfy sweater, Lyriel headed downstairs to the kitchen, her stomach growling with anticipation.
As she entered the kitchen, she was greeted by the warm smiles of her aunt, who was busy preparing breakfast. "Good morning, sweetie!" She chimed in unison.
Lyriel smiled, hugging her. "Morning, Aunt!" She took a seat at the table, eyeing the spread of pancakes, scrambled eggs, and fresh fruit. Her stomach growled louder, and she dug in with gusto.
Just as she was savoring the fluffy pancakes, her aunt reminded her, "Lyriel,don't you think you should wait for Ava? She's already eating breakfast, I've noticed that you guys don't go to school together"
Lyriel's eyes rolled heavenward. Ava, her cousin, was the bane of her existence. They had been sworn enemies since childhood, and their dislike for each other only seemed to grow stronger with each passing year.
As Lyriel turned to face Ava, who was sitting at the far end of the table, Ava sneered and said out loud, "Mommy you don't expect me to ride to school with this trash."
"Ava" her mother cautioned her but she put on an innocent face
Lyriel's eyes narrowed, but she bit back a retort. Instead, she said sweetly, "Don't worry, Ava. I'll take the bus to school. Wouldn't want to sully your precious presence with mine."
Ava snorted, but Lyriel just smiled and continued eating her breakfast. When she finished, she grabbed her backpack and headed out the door, calling out a cheerful "See you later, Aunt!" as she left.
The bus ride to school was uneventful, but Lyriel's mind was already racing with thoughts of the day ahead. She and Ava would undoubtedly clash, but Lyriel was ready for her. Bring it on, Ava. Bring. It. On.
NOTE:
From this point forward, I'll be referring to Axura as a male character (he/him pronouns), since everyone refers to him as a he but Axura's identity is not yet known. Please note this change to avoid any confusion.
Thank you for reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter!