12. April
The day of the encounter had arrived. As I placed in my backpack the black tights, the metal mask, the black hood and the belt where I kept my knives, I couldn't help remembering that moment when I had to take off my mask because someone shot me in the forehead. It was then that Sophie approached me and, with a reassuring smile, told me:
"It's going to be all right, April. After all, we're in this together.
I shouldered my backpack and, together with Sophie, we left my room through the window, making sure no one could see us. The night protected us like a dark veil as we crept stealthily into the parking lot. There, Ethan greeted us from the shadows, his unruly black hair falling over his eyes in messy locks; those dark, piercing eyes that seemed to scrutinize everything.
"Ready for action? " asked Ethan, displaying that confident attitude that characterized him.
"We will be when you are, "Sophie replied, folding her arms.
At that moment, a strange feeling came over me. Despite the fear and uncertainty, I was aware that my greatest motivation was still to please my parents. I wondered if I would ever be able to escape that compelling need.
"The important thing is to accomplish the mission" I said to myself, trying to push those thoughts out of my mind. There was no turning back now.
We walked to the parking lot, where we met Ethan, who seemed to have arrived minutes before us.
A sleek black Porsche appeared in our field of vision. The vehicle's lights flashed briefly, signaling us to approach. As we reached the car, I recognized Gabriel in the driver's seat and Natalia in the passenger seat. Their eyes met mine for a brief moment before focusing on our backpacks.
"Quick, put your things in the trunk," Gabriel said in an authoritative but calm voice. We obeyed without complaint and climbed into the car while he started the engine.
As we left the school, we were stopped by one of the security guards. I felt my heart pounding at the possibility of being discovered, but Gabriel acted quite naturally. He showed a permit to the guard, who examined it and, after giving his approval, wished us not to take too long and to come back soon. I breathed a sigh of relief and sank into the seat.
Once outside the school grounds, Gabriel stepped on the accelerator and we drove into the city. The night wind hit my face, reminding me of the adrenaline coursing through my veins. Natalia turned to us and asked how we had been. Before I could answer, April lied that we were fine.
Ethan let out a chuckle and added, "I missed them already, as I was already forgetting how to murder."
I couldn't help but feel disgusted by that comment, but I kept silent, aware that we all had a role to play in that mission. Inside me, a voice told me that I had to focus on what was important: to fulfill the task at hand and protect my own.
"Lately we have faced killers from other organizations and terrorists more dangerous than the simple mafiosi we were used to," Natalia boasted.
"It's good to get together after so long," Natalia commented, looking directly into my eyes in the rearview mirror.
"Don't worry, April, we'll watch your back," he added confidently.
Finally, we arrived at the parking lot of a hotel where we would get ready. We unloaded our bags and Gabriel handed us magnetic passes to our rooms.
"Get changed and be down in half an hour," he instructed before leaving for his own room.
Sophie, Natalia and I walked through the corridors of the hotel, following the number marked on our keys. Upon entering our room, we found a simple but functional space: a double bed, a bathroom and an antique television on top of a chest of drawers.
"We'd better hurry," I said as I pulled my clothes out of my backpack and walked into the bathroom. I began to change, feeling myself transform into the assassin I had been trained to be.
"Remember we're in this together, April," I heard Sophie say through the bathroom door. Her words, though sincere, made me wonder if we could ever escape the life that had been thrust upon us.
"I know," I replied as I walked out of the bathroom, already dressed for the mission.
Reflected in the bathroom mirror, I watched my face transform into that of an assassin. Holding the metal mask in my hands, I couldn't help but shiver at the thought of what I was about to do. I watched myself carefully, trying to recognize the person I didn't want to be, but who I had been trained to become.
"Ready?" asked Sophie from outside the bathroom. I nodded silently, putting on my mask and walking out to meet her and Natalia, who were already dressed in their black outfits. Together, we left the hotel room and headed to the parking lot where Gabriel was waiting for us in the Porsche.
"Let's go," he said, and we got into the vehicle again. As we drove through the city streets, I noticed how the adrenaline began to flow through my veins, making me feel alert and ready to face any situation.
Soon we came to an old parking lot of an abandoned shopping mall where the streetlights were out.
"Our organization's spies intercepted a message," Gabriel explained. "The banker is meeting his associates here in a couple of hours. We have to wait, but let's use this time to familiarize ourselves with the place."
"What has the target done to deserve death," I asked quietly, looking at Natalia and Gabriel with doubt in my eyes. I remembered the sheet Professor Alexander had given me, which mentioned only what the banker did for a living.
"This doesn't matter," Natalia replied nonchalantly. "Our orders are to assassinate him and ask no questions. Everything we do is for a hierarchy that both benefits and protects us."
"Trust us, April," Gabriel added, his voice firm but reassuring. "The banker was surely into dirty schemes, like all the pigs we've killed."
I nodded, although I still felt a knot in my stomach. I decided to go out and reconnoiter the place along with Sophie, while Natalia and Gabriel stayed behind. We went up to the abandoned building and started walking along the roof of the supermarket, testing the radios Gabriel had provided us with.
He handed each of us radios, instructing us to place them in our ears to keep in communication.
"So, what's the plan?" asked Natalia, adjusting the radio in her ear.
"Let's split up," Gabriel proposed. "Each of us will explore a part of the parking lot and its surroundings. That way we can find the best position to attack when the time comes."
Without wasting any more time, we split up and began to survey our surroundings. As I stepped into the shadows of the abandoned buildings, I couldn't help but wonder if we were doing the right thing. Did that banker really deserve to die? I shook my head, trying to push those thoughts away. I had been trained to do my duty, no matter the circumstances.
"April?" I heard Sophie's voice on my radio. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine," I replied, although I wasn't really sure if that was true. "I'm just trying to focus."
"Your question was valid," Sophie said suddenly, as she looked down at the empty parking lot. I turned to look at her, surprised by her comment.
"Do you know anything about him?", I asked, hoping to get some information that might assuage my doubts.
Sophie sighed before responding.
"I did my own research," he admitted. "And I can assure you that he is someone who deserves to die. He's been siphoning funds from various accounts, and one of those accounts belonged to your parents' business partners."
He paused before continuing.
"He hired protection for tonight and will be taken to a safe place."
Although Sophie's words did not completely ease my conscience, I understood that the banker had to die. We continued to explore the area in silence, on the lookout for anything that might be useful during the mission.
The dark silhouette of the supermarket loomed ominously above us as we continued to walk along its roof. The full moon illuminated the landscape with a silvery light, creating eerie shadows in every corner. Despite the tension I felt, I forced myself to concentrate on the task at hand. I could not allow my emotions to interfere with our mission.
"We'll be in this together," Sophie whispered, as if she could read my thoughts. I nodded silently.
The night reached its climax as the moon stood in the center of the sky, enveloping everything in a blanket of silvery shadows. From our position on the roof of the supermarket, Sophie and I watched the parking lot intently. A shiver ran down my spine as I watched a closed van with a laundromat logo slowly pull into the area.
"There they are," I whispered, clutching my night binoculars that allowed me to see clearly in the dark. It wasn't long before a white Audi A4 pulled up next to the van. My heart was pounding as I watched the banker get out of the vehicle. It was him, our target.
"We must shoot now," Sophie said anxiously, pointing her gun at the banker.
"Wait," Gabriel interrupted through the radio in our ears. "We need to know who's driving the van."
My fingers tightened around my knife, but I obeyed. I watched the banker walk toward the van, trying to remain calm even though his face betrayed the fear he felt inside. I couldn't help but wonder if he really deserved to die.
"Don't let the van escape!" commanded Gabriel in a firm voice. He knew he had to act fast; he had to get off the roof of the supermarket and intercept the van before it started up and fled.
"Come on," I said, looking at Sophie.