The Assasin

Part 1

I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Enter."

I swallowed and turned the handle. Walking into the room, I couldn't see anything. There was darkness all around me, but it only took a second for my eyes to adjust.

"Sage! My wonderful killer, what news do you have for me today?"

I straightened my spine and faced the source of the voice. It was Cal. My boss.

He sat behind a large desk in a big, leatherback chair, his face shrouded in darkness. To a normal person, his bulky form would've been just a silhouette, but for me, all of his features were clear as day. The scar running down his face made him look mean, but, in reality, he was actually quite kind.

"The mission was a success, sir." I said, and Cal chuckled.

"Good to hear, my dear!" He sat forward and studied me. "Is there something bothering you, Sage? Come, sit. Baelfire, fetch her some food, the poor girl looks as if she hasn't eaten in a few days."

A guy around my age nodded and quickly exited the room. I hesitantly took a seat in a chair in front of Cal's desk.

"Now, Sage, tell me what's on your mind." He said. His voice sounded concerned, but there was a nearly imperceptible and underlying tone of warning.

"There was a... complication during the mission." I said.

Cal tensed up.

"And what was that complication?"

"There was a witness." I said, my pulse quickening. My instincts kicked in and I managed to stop any sweat from forming.

"And..."

"And they were taken care of." I said.

"Well, I don't see a problem there." He tilted his head to the side. "But you seem to."

"The witness was a bystander." I braced myself for the oncoming storm, and it came. Cal slammed his fist against the desk, cracking the wood.

"You killed a bystander?! Don't you know the Code? Only the target and its affiliates are to be exterminated! What made you think that was a good idea?!" He yelled.

I flinched inwardly, but showed no change in my facial expressions.

"I'm sorry, sir, but the Code also states that we should not leave any witnesses. I thought that rule would overrule the other one."

"You thought it would, did you?" Cal raged, standing up. "I don't pay you to think, I pay you to do your job and follow my rules! I have that rule in place so we aren't suspected, but that mistake you made might just give us away. Do you want that?" He asked, his voice dropping to almost a whisper.

I shook my head, the dread in me growing.

I shouldn't have told him. I thought. Maybe if I hadn't told him, he wouldn't have found out. But then if we were found, it'd be all my fault... It is my fault.

"Don't worry, sir, I made sure they wouldn't be discovered. The body will never, ever be found." I said, hoping that would calm his temper.

It didn't.

"You think that hiding the body will do anything?! No, they'll be looking for the person, and when they don't find them, they'll search harder and harder. I already had another agent make a mistake, but I never expected you, of all people, to mess up." The disappointment on his voice cut deep. Cal was like a father to me. He raised me and taught me everything I know.