Veil of Treachery

05 ┊Level 'Eclipse'

                                                                ◈◆  ◈◆       

                                                                  Matteo

As I sat in the opulent office of the 'Head of Grimes', my mind swirled with conflicting emotions. It was an honor to be summoned by Russia himself, the man I had idolized and sought to emulate for as long as I could remember. Yet, beneath the surface, a current of unease churned as I contemplated the task that lay before me.

Russia entered the room with his customary air of authority, his presence commanding the space effortlessly. I rose to my feet and offered a respectful salute, my heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

"You were given the job to bring Victoria here, and you did so successfully," Russia began, his voice carrying a tone of approval that sent a flicker of pride through me.

Despite the challenges along the way, I had executed the mission as best as I could, and Russia's acknowledgment was a validation I couldn't deny myself.

"There were some problems along the way, but.." I started, but Russia waved off my concerns with a dismissive gesture.

"Nonsense," he interjected, his smile reassuring. "You handled them perfectly. As expected of you. She's a slippery one, that Victoria. I don't blame you nor do I blame your team."

I nodded, grateful for Russia's vote of confidence."But it doesn't end here, does it?" Russia continued, his expression growing serious.

"You know how it is with Victoria. She seems to think we've wronged her."

I nod in understanding. Trying to decipher the way that woman thinks is like navigating a maze without a map, I gave up a long time ago. Ever since, it's only been about being a step ahead of her, instead of figuring out her next one.

''I've got something new for you, are you up for it?'' He grabs a few papers that lay on his desk, he flips them over and examines them for a second before throwing them to the side where a pile of them lay.

I almost scoff at the question as I lay back. The one thing every student in the academy had in common was the lack of choice in the matter. But I nod nonetheless.

''Good. It's Level Eclipse.'' He finally looks up.

I sit upright at the mention of the level, suddenly far more intrigued about it, especially because of Victoria's involvement in it.

My sense of unease intensified. Level Eclipse was reserved for one of the most sensitive and high-stakes missions, and the thought of Victoria being involved in such operations other than its execution sent a cold shiver down my spine.

They were usually about socialites who needed to be eliminated, it's a high stakes job but it's not the most complicated one. A student being at the center of it however, that had the word complicated written all over it.

"I'm aware of the new circumstances, Morelli," Russia said solemnly, his gaze piercing. "But as you know, Victoria is far from regular."

I nodded again, my mind racing with the implications of Russia's words. Victoria was a wildcard, a force to be reckoned with, and I knew that my loyalty to Russia would be tested in the days to come.

That, and my patience.

"It's starting again. All of my rules, my laws are collapsing, all because of her," Russia mused, his expression clouding with frustration before returning to its usual impassive state, realizing what he slipped out. "Do you accept, Morelli?" He changes the subject.

I fought to conceal the turmoil that churned within me, the conflict between duty and morality waging a silent battle in my heart.

I almost laugh to myself. I lost my morals a long while ago. Duty won this battle in my thoughts, with little to no effort.

Acceptance was not a choice in the world of the academy; it was an expectation, a mandate dictated by those in power. Yet, as I nodded in agreement, I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that settled like a weight in the pit of my stomach.

I hesitated for a moment, yet, as I delved deeper into the implications, a strange sense of alignment emerged. It was almost as if the pieces had been set in motion long before this meeting.

"Yes," I replied, my voice firm despite the turmoil within.

"Well then, Morelli," Russia said, rising from his seat. He casually picked up the target folder, a routine motion in our line of work. But as he flipped through the pages, my unease grew.

He takes out the small picture of my new target, and I watched him unfold it with a mix of anticipation and unease. Questions raced through my mind as to why Victoria was involved in my mission and who this new target could be. 

My expression fell as I saw the picture in the dossier. A smug smile crept onto Russia's face as he stared at me, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. 

"I want you to ruin my daughter's life."

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A/N:

Cue the 'Oh's and the 'Ah's!

But not because of the 'Eclipse'  - but because I just wrote a short chapter. Omg! Isn't that impressive? Going from several thousands to not even a thousand?

Thank you! (as I bow so gracefully, several princesses just died of shame and jelousy).

I'm on a roll, this being my second chapter I posted todayyy

Thank you for reading!

May your spotify (if you dont have premium) never give you ads in the middle of your cry- session, going through your sad playlist <3

- Mrs Skywalker