Preparation

The days just seem to fly by. Well, living on a repeated schedule does make life dull as you slowly lose your sense of time. Well, whatever. What's important is that next week we will have our final exams. Can't really say I'm not nervous but I certainly am pumped. Who knows what we'll have to do. Based on recent preparations, I'm guessing it's something cool.

Jeremy and I just finished eating breakfast after our very tiring morning exercises. "Let's go" Jeremy says as I follow behind. We enter the main hall after walking for a few minutes. I've only been here once during orientation. Jeremy head on near the front and takes a seat while I follow suit.

Apparently there's supposed to be some sort of briefing. Maybe it's about our final exams. Just as I am dozing off, I hear a stern voice. It's the training instructor. "Well, well! My congratulations for making it this far! I honestly thought you all would've succumbed to the boring repetitive lifestyle here. Well, it's not that challenging I guess. Just you wait for what we have in store..."

What's with this ominous speech?

"Speaking of that, I'm sure you all know the joys that you will be having next week, right? No? Well, let me enlighten you. This is an age old tradition for our academy of assassins. This week will be solely for preparation. Rejoice, for you will be allowed to head into the world after so long! You will be free to do whatever you want, be it visit family, friends, or drown in entertainment. But! You must remember one thing! Your assignment. You will be ordered to assassinate a target."

Wait, what? Seriously? Our first assassination? Awesome!

"I can see many expressions. Some seem worried, others excited. Fret not. It will be an easy target. It's not like we expect you to kill the president or something. Well, you could try, but just know that we won't be there to save you. Now, on to the assignment!"

My heart is racing and my blood is pumping real fast right now.

"Throughout this entire week, you will be tasked to examine and study your target. But! You will not be allowed to engage them in any way whatsoever. If you wish to engage in conversation, you must hide your identity. You may enquire with the information department to set up a fake identity."

Man, now we really are like spies now. This is so cool!

"Now, your targets will still be within the country but I'm sure you all know that ours isn't a small one so the academy will provide with unlimited travelling funds. But it is strictly for travelling. You will be given a card. Now remember, you won't be able to sell it as it holds no real value to people besides us. And don't lose it. You will be given some disciplinary actions. Now, as for spending money, you will be given a budget. You are free to do whatever with it. We will not provide you with any other things so make sure to spend your money wisely. Say that you spent it all on whatever and need more, you can do some odd jobs for the academy to get more. Though, keep in mind that our 'jobs' are much more demanding than you think"

Huh. Sounds cool. Maybe I should go travel around the country a little bit since I couldn't really do that. But a week does seem a bit short considering we have to do some investigation. I'm sure I'll figure it out. I look at Jeremy. He seems deep in thought.

"Well, that is all! Your target information will be sent to you via eyePhones so be sure to check it later. Well, that is all. Good luck! Oh, and by the way, I forgot to mention this but failure will result in you immediate death. And if you were to say, get caught, we will have to silence you in order to keep our secrets safe. Well, have fun!" he finishes of and walks away.

The hall immediately bursts into chatter after leaving. I glimpse over to Jeremy. He looks busily at his eyePhone. Well, I am also interested as to who will be my target.

[]

NAME: MICHAEL MIXX

AGE: 47

LOCATION: CITY 32 SLUMS, DESTRY

OCCUPATION: GROCER

WIFE: -

CHILDREN: MINA(FEMALE, 6), MAX(MALE, 3)

BIODATA: AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS WIFE, JOCELYN MIXX, MICHAEL WHO WAS WORKING AS A GROCER IN THE SLUMS STRUGGLED TO TAKE CARE OF HIS TWO YOUNG CHILDREN. HE WAS APPROACHED BY A MYSTERIOUS ORGANIZATION WHICH WE SUSPECT IS INVLOVED IN MULTIPLE SYNDICATES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. HE MADE A CONTRACT IN WHICH HE WOULD SELL POISONED GROCERIES TO CIVILLIANS IN ORDER TO GAIN EXTRA MONEY.

-ASSIGNMENT-

KIDNAP MICHAEL MIXX AND INTERROGATE HIM ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION HE IS WORKING FOR. AFTER SUCCESSFULLY EXTRACTING INFORMATION, YOU ARE TO KILL THE MIXX FAMILY AND GET RID OF ANY EVIDENCE. FAILURE WILL RESULT IN DEATH.

-BONUS ASSIGNMENT-

IF YOU SUCCESSFULLY TAKE DOWN THE ORGANIZATION, YOU WILL BE GIVEN AN EXTRA REWARD. IF YOU LACK CONFIDENCE, THEN REPORT EVERYTHING YOU FOUND TO THE ACADEMY

PARTICIPANTS: ERIK MOONSTONE, JEREMY FOX

BUDGET: 2000$ EACH

COMPLETION REWARDS: YOU MAY CONTINUE YOUR TRAINING AT THE ACADEMY

BONUS COMPLETION: ??

FAILURE: DEATH

[]

What, the, heck. I look over at Jeremy only to see him looking back.

"Well, I didn't know that we were gonna do this together" I say surprised.

"That's what you're worried about?!" Jeremy snaps at me.

"Erik! Do you realize what we have to do?! We have to kill a man who was desperate and loves his family more than anything! Not to mention we also have to kill the children! What the heck's wrong with you?!"

"..."

"There's no way I'm doing this insane assignment!"

"Well, just shut up will you!" I shout.

"Do you think now is the time to turn back! You should've done that ages ago! We both agreed to be ready for anything when we made up our minds to be assassins! So just shut the f**k up and get the job done together! Failure means the death for both of us, you got it!"

"Well, how about you shut up! Don't forget that we were also from the slums! Don't you dare forget all the things we did to survive! Don't you dare forget about what everyone had to struggle through!"

"Well, boo-hoo! Cry me an ocean, will ya? Just suck it up. It's not like I want to forget. No, I have to remember what drives me every day. You might not remember, but I was tortured. For months. And it hurt every single day. You can't even imagine what I had to go through. And never once did I say anything about the Order, or the academy. No. And if I have to kill a man who poisons other people along with his kids then why not?! The tiny guilt is only a small price to pay. Nothing compared to what I've gone through. And if you think that with your sh*tty little ideals that you can change the world, then have fun. I want to see you try. I'll get this job done, all right. With, or without you."

"..."

Jeremy remains speechless as he storms off. Maybe it was a bit harsh but it had to be done. He can't expect to do anything unless he learns throw away his ideals and get the job done. After all, all that's expected from assassins are results. Nothing more. And I will do anything to get those results.

_____

Ugh, goddammit. Erik was right, but I just can't admit that. I know that we have to produce results, otherwise we'll just be discarded but this just feels.. wrong. I mean, I know that man poisoned others only for his own benefit but he did have a good reason. He's a loving father and would do anything for his children.

You know what? I don't even know anymore. Everything's messed up. I knew the world was a sh*tty place but I never thought it was this bad. Ughh. I think I'll just walk around to clear my mind a bit. Maybe I'll go to the park.

As I reach there, I stroll around. I then sit on a bench and take a few deep breaths of fresh air. Marie walks up to me and sits right next to me.

"You look worried" she says with her usual smile.

"Well, yeah. It's about the target" I say.

"Ouh, that. Well, what's wrong? Can't get around the idea of killing another human being?" she asks curiously.

"Well, no. It's not that"

I look down on my hands. Wait, why is it covered in blood?! Ugh, my head hurts. Wait, who's mangled body is that? Damn, this headache is killing me!

"... Jeremy... Jeremy!!"

I snap back to reality as Marie is shaking my body while calling out my name.

"Sorry 'bout that" I say

"No worries. More importantly, what happened there?"

"No, it was nothing. Where were we?"

"Well, it's okay if you don't want to tell. I guess we all have secrets. So, what's troubling you? The killing part?" she asks

"Well, no" I say while I stare off with a pathetic smile on my face.