Chapter 2 - Elena

Elena had been awake at the stroke of midnight when the experience bar appeared, startling her as she had been studying her health at the time. She had been puzzled why her health was a few percent higher than it had been not even ten minutes ago. Perhaps the surge of adrenaline from dispatching the three men who had pursued her was artificially boosting it. Since her previous encounter with them in the university dorm earlier that day, she had retrieved her weapons, stalked them to their motel room they were staying at, and broke in silently to assassinate them. The men she had killed were vengeful gang members, loyal to a former gang leader whom she had taken care of with a well-placed bullet earlier that day. Elena was an assassin for hire. With her irresistible womanly charms, it made it easy for her to get close to powerful men and take them out, permanently.

"Experience in what?" she asked herself.

Still in the motel room that bore the traces of her bloody encounter, she reclined on the only free bed, absentmindedly tossing her blood-soaked ceramic knife into the air. After a few more moments of contemplation, she decided it was time to depart. The stench of blood was starting to grate on her senses. She got up and left the room, closing and locking the door and throwing away the key. After descending the external stairs she stepped out onto the street and headed toward her hired car. Elena had just hired a new car a few hours earlier, after the men she had just killed had shot and destroyed the previous one. Fortunately, she had provided a false name and address during the hire process, ensuring that she wouldn't be traced for the expenses.

Half an hour later, Elena had changed her clothes and stowed her knives away. She was now driving down the highway, making her way back to the hotel on the other side of town where she had been staying. After a drop in concentration, which resulted in her speeding, dread welled up inside her as the blue and red lights of a police car illuminated from behind her. Once she had parked on the side of the road, she pulled a pistol out from her hip and placed it under her leg. This was for quick access if the need ever arose. She would not be happy with killing a police officer, but the consequences of going to prison would be far greater. Unusually, the police officer was alone, a single female. She got out of her car and approached Elena's vehicle. The Officer knocked on the window for Elena to open it, she complied.

"Good morning, officer. What can I do for you?" Asked Elena, feigning innocence.

The officer leaned down, allowing Elena to read her badge. 'Emilee Dean.'

"Good morning miss, you were exceeding the speed limit by over ten," responded Emilee.

"Sorry officer, I was momentarily distracted thinking about the second evolution."

"Crazy, isn't it?" Emilee remarked casually.

"Absolutely," Elena concurred.

Elena shuffled herself ever so slightly, the gun was now facing the door ready to shoot if necessary.

"What's your name?"

"Fredricka Page," replied Elena, telling the officer the name she had hired the car with.

"Well, Miss Page, due to the extenuating circumstances, I'll let you off with a warning. Please be mindful of the speed limit for the remainder of the night," Emilee stated.

Elena breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you officer, have a good evening," she nodded.

"You too, Miss Page," said Emilee, stepping back from the car and returning to her vehicle.

After the police car had driven away, Elena safely stowed the gun back into its holster. She then pulled back onto the highway and continued her journey, unfazed by the encounter. She had another job first thing in the morning, a second mark, then she could leave this city, hopefully forever. Once back at her hotel, she returned to her room and, after cleaning herself up, promptly fell asleep.

The next morning, Elena awoke to her alarm. She had not gotten enough sleep, but today was not the day to complain, she had a job to do. Once this job was over she could return home and indulge in several months of relaxation. The combination of these two jobs were providing her with a substantial payday. As Elena looked up from her bed, the experience bar above her head remained, unmoved and at zero percent. She hoped that there would not be as much of a commotion this time over the Second Evolution. Everyone knew it was coming, so this time it shouldn't be so much of a shock. If her mark were to cancel their date due to the perceived risks of going outside, it could take her weeks to get another opportunity. She just wanted to be home, not stuck in a foreign city. Assuming the date was still on, Elena commenced her morning ritual, meticulously preparing herself to exude irresistible allure. An hour into her morning she got confirmation that her date was still on. Rejoicing at this great news, she completed the final touches of getting ready. She concealed her ceramic knives in the boning of her corset and tucked a gun up into her bust. It was only a micro-gun that had a single shot, but that is all she needed.

Her date consisted of firstly a visit to a luxurious restaurant for breakfast, followed by a trip to the bank where her mark had a surprise waiting for her in his vault. Little did he know that this was the opportunity she had been waiting for; it was the only time she would get him alone. The assassination mark was an immensely powerful man and was always surrounded by heavy security. If she was to attempt to take him out another time, they may interfere. She had been building up to this for months, everything had to be perfect.

The mark's driver picked up Elena in a sleek limousine, chauffeuring her to the fancy restaurant. A delightful breakfast followed, well at least in the eyes of her mark, Elena had opposite feelings; she hated this man. The mark was very touchy with her, which was what she needed for her plan to work, but she could not help but to subconsciously recoil ever so slightly with disgust every time. After the meal, they travelled together to the bank. Leaving his security in the lobby, the mark led Elena down to his personal vault. This is where she would execute her plan.