Chapter 1 - New Recruit

Great water ways wound between the tall white buildings, the bright sunlight glinting off the metal framework, concrete and glass. Shuttle trains glided quickly through the slim glass and steel tubes that laced the city, sometimes disappearing into the water or ground and re-emerging somewhere in a large building. Kez stepped from one of the two seater pod-like train carriages of the three-thrity shuttle train.
''I don't trust you as far as I can throw you, Eric!'' She snapped angrily.
Eric, a tall, weasely man in his mid twenties stepped out onto the platform behind her, waiting for the crowd of people to disperse.
''And why not?'' He asked innocently.
''Because you're a lying, thieving bastard.'' She hissed and strode forward, stamping down the concrete steps and into the clean cut gardens below the station, walking out into the main street and leaving Eric behind.
She walked past more, smaller clean cut gardens that surrounded the tall buildings as she headed towards the outskirts of the city centre. A squat building, five storeys high, lay ahead of her. She'd been called back in mid-assignment. It wasn't the first time it'd happened since being on this job. She walked into the gym and walked through a door labelled 'Staff Only'. Beyond the stairs, at the end of the long corridoor was the office which belonged to Master Archer, the leader and founder of the Assassin's Guild.

Kez sat down heavily in the chair opposite him, arms folded, waiting for him to stop writing.
''You're three hours late.'' He said levelly when he finally stopped what he was doing.
''There was a cow on the line.'' She grumbled angrily.
''In the shuttle train tube? What is this world comming to...''
She grunted unintelligably, not in the mood for light hearted jokes.
''I have to be back at the club in four hours.'' She said.
''I know. But we've acquired a new recruit and I want you to show her the ropes.''
''I ain't taking a Nub on my assignment! It's taken me ages to get in to Bently's good books and I don't want some clueless brat ruining things for me! Especially with the kind of staff he hires.'' Kez protested.
''That's why I've told her to get a day shift over at the take-away on the opposite catwalk, so she can take up day-time observation. And before you say anything else, I want you to check up on her twice a day. You know the consequences of disobeying the laws and orders handed out by your superiors.''
Kez sighed heavily, finding no space to wriggle out of the situation.
''Yes, Master Archer.''
''Good. She's waiting in the front lobby. Her name's Susan.'' Archer said calmly and gestured toward his office door.
Kez rose and stormed out of the room, the door slamming shut behind her.

When she stepped back in to the main lobby, a girl, no older than seventeen, leaned against the main reception desk, flirting with one of the gym's patrons, flicking her long blond hair over one shoulder.
Great. Just what I need; a spoilt little rich brat to frack things up. Kez thought sourly.
''Susan!'' She barked.
The girl jumped, her pleasant features turning hard and irritated.
''And who might you be?'' She said bitterly.
The man walked off.
''I'm your boss for this assignment.'' Kez said as she approached her. ''You will obey my orders, understand?''
''Or you'll do what?'' Susan said, looking Kez up and down in distaste. ''Set your pack on me?''
Kez tried not to gape. She didn't know how the girl knew about her and a surge of anger coursed through her body.
''My dear Kezzara, if your Alpha knew what you were doing for a living, he'd have you strung up by your ears quicker than you can blink.''
Kez growled in the back of her throat. Was this what she was going to be stuck with for the next month? An arrogant rich girl who thought she knew everything about being an assassin?
One of the women at the desk handed Kez a file and she flicked through the pages, quickly taking everything in.

''Susan Meyark, the youngest daughter of the late governor Meyark and half sister to Tillie Meyark.''
Susan stared at her. Kez continued.
''Inherits four million dollars and thirty-five cents on the twenty-first birthday, courtesy of your father. And your business, Jheylande Cosmetics, is curretnly struggling to stay above water. Would you like me to continue? Reel off a list of your dirty little secrets, maybe?'' Kez finished sweetly, looking Susan dead in the eye.
''This is blackmail!'' She excalimed angrily. ''How did you get your hands on such information?!'' She demanded.
Kez padded slowly over to her and leaned down to whisper in her ear.
''This is an assassin's guild, little girl. You figure it out.'' She then stood up straight and walked out the doors.
A small titter of amusement rippled through the air when she left, the two receptionists trying hard not to laugh.


Susan stepped off the shuttle train and followed Kez. They stopped in front of an old, raised manhole that lay hidden away at the end of an old alleyway, secreted away by a month's worth of forgotten rubbish from the old furniture shope nextdoor.
''We're not going down there, are we?'' Susan asked, a sahde of worry and fear edging slowly into her voice.
Kez nodded. ''You first. Wait for me at the bottom.''
''I'm not going down there-!''
''Yes you fracking are! You have a job interview in an hour and a half, so get moving. I'll be damned if I let you screw this operation up. Kez snapped angrily and pulled the heavy metal cover up, it's rusted hinges protesting tiredly.
Susan sighed heavily and hesitated before carefully climbing down in to the rancid darkness, the bitter musty air settling heavily in her lungs.

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment