After she told the Captain of what happened, he was furious. He was silent for the first few moments, then he blew like a bomb. He threw his desk across the room, and grabbed Red by the neck.
Obviously she couldn’t exactly do anything to stop him, in rankings and by blood, he is above her. She stared at him blankly without struggling as he dragged her by the neck to the balcony, where he made her dangle there in front of all of the other officers.
It is normal for the Captain to perform such acts of humiliation, it’s what he is most known for. No one at the base, though, expected to see his daughter and most talented assassin to be the victim of his cruel ways.
As she dangled from the balcony, he forced her to fall. He makes them fall to see if they survive the height of the fall. If they survive, then they are strong enough to continue on with their position in the C.T.O. If they die from the fall, then they obviously aren’t strong enough, and are quickly replaced with someone else.
When Red fell down from the balcony, she used her abilities to give her a safe landing. She is a Chemi-Terrorist, all of the assassin’s are. She has the ability to control the weather. Red pulled in a strong draft of wind to save her from the fall. It didn’t take away all of the pain caused, but it allowed her to know that she could continue in her place at the C.T.O.
She lies perfectly still on the couch for a few more moments, taking in the peace and quiet, but then her eyes flutter open when something unusual happens. The strong scent of burning wood slipped past her nostrils.
Red slowly lifted herself off of the couch and looked into her kitchen. It’s still eerily quiet. She grabs her duffel bag off of the floor and swiftly unzips it. Pulling out her bow and quiver she hops over the couch without making a sound.
As she walks closer to the kitchen, the smell of burning wood becomes stronger. She stops before entering, grabs an arrow and readies it on the bow. Then, she slides into the small room. It’s empty, no fire, no person, no wood.
That is when everything went to hell.
Something pierces into her forearm, at an unimaginable speed. Without faltering, she flips around, letting loose three arrows rabidly in a row. All three arrows strike a man who holds a shotgun with a silencer hooked on. He wears a C.T.O. uniform.
She watches him fall to the floor – dead – in shock. Her arm screams in blistering pain, but she forces herself to ignore it. She readies another arrow, and advances into the room where he came from, her room. Red slowly walked over, stepping over his unmoving body.
That’s when she sees the source of the fire. Her bed is smoldering in large, red flames. Another man stands next to the bed, holding a now empty container that most likely was filled with gasoline.
For a single moment, they just hold each other’s stare. He is dressed in the uniform that Red wears when she is at the base – he is an assassin like her. The realization of what is happened finally dawned on her.
The Captain – her own father – has given an assassin a target: Red Brown. She backs into the living room, with the arrow still readied. The assassin exits her room, where the fire is spreading rapidly. He reaches over his shoulders and to his back and pulls two medium length metal dowels.
Red begins to lets out rapid fire of arrows at the man, but he just uses his dowels as protection. She decides to attack closer, so she tosses her bow on the couch, and runs to him. She uses her arms to block and push away the dowels, but since they are metal they still cause a lot of pain.
She twists away as she rips one of them out of his left hand. Red begins to attack him with the dowel she took, hitting him on the side of his abdomen, to the chest, breaking a few ribs.
After he takes a few blows, he swiftly punches her in the neck, which causes her to falter backwards, trying to regain some air. He then grabs the dowel, and at the same time hits her in the jaw with the other dowel. Blood slides out of the corner of her mouth at the impact.
Red is caught off guard once more as he knees her in the gut, then kicks her in the chest, sending her flying back into the wall. As she tries to push herself up, the man pulls something out of a small pouch around his waist. He bends over by the window and attaches something to wall, he does the same thing to the couch, then quickly runs into the kitchen.
She finally stands up, just as the assassin comes back into the living room. He pulls a knife out of a sheath on his leg, and sends it soaring into her thigh. She grimaces, but quickly yanks it out. Before she kick throw it back, the assassin has opened the window, and leaped out.
Red limps to the window, and looks to the building over, where he is perched. The smell of smoke has gotten more powerful, as the fire as destroyed her room and started to spread into the living room. She turns to look at him once more. He holds a remote looking contraption in his right hand.
She begins to back away from the window, and looks to the spot where he put something on the wall and couch. Two small bombs having been planted, awaiting the message to blow. She shoves her head out the window once more just in time to see him press down on a red button.
Without faltering, Red jumps out the window, right when her whole apartment bursts into flames at her toes. Her apartment complex is ten stories high, her room being on the top floor.
This is the test that no one hears about. The Captain performs the test at the base, and one at their homes, when no one was about. As she falls down ten stories, she prays that she may survive the test, not to keep her position in the C.T.O., but to make sure her fathers pays for what he has done.
No one betrays the assassin.
The Love of Will
A few days after my meltdown, practice has started to slowly become more and more easy. Will says I am excelling quickly so we have moved on from using our powers to shooting. I practice using handguns, automatic rifles, sniper guns, and shotguns. It is fun, but I almost shot Will. That was probably the funniest thing that happened all day.
It is only noon, and my anxiety is already excelling. I can’t wait for tomorrow night. Will had just brushed it off and reminded me in the morning at breakfast, but that’s it. I did my best to act casual. I almost asked him what to wear! After dinner tomorrow I will go take a look and see at what I have. If I don’t see anything good enough than I will go to Chuck.
Maybe he knows someone who can donate some nice clothes or something to me. Chuck really is my only other friend than Will. He really is a big teddy bear, not the first things you would think when you first see him. Even though he scared me at first, I know now that he is the opposite.
Will has gone to his room to grab something before we continue practice, so I wait by the mannequins, twirling a gun around in my hand. All of the other Conduits are either eating at the tables, or in their rooms. A sudden banging on the door causes me to drop the gun and wince at the loud noise after impact.
No one else is close enough to hear the pounding. I take a quick and nervous glance towards the door. There is no peephole. My curiosity is growing when the stranger bangs again. What if it is the C.T.O.? Then I would be to blame for everyone’s capture. I shouldn’t open the door. But what if it is a Conduit in need? Or just some wounded person? I have got to look, no matter the consequences.
I let out a deep breath, hoping nothing bad is going to happen. Opening the door, I pull out my gun and point it at the stranger. There, leaning on a poll next to the door, is the assassin. I gape at her sudden arrival.
Why would she come here unless she is here to kill me? Oh. My. God. Is she going to kill me? Keep your cool, Alice. Stay calm, she is wounded. She looks close to death actually. You see, Alice, you have the advantage here!
She looks like hell. Her face is bloody and bruised, especially at the corner of her mouth. Her left hand covers a poorly wrapped wound on her bicep, and there is a deep cut on her upper thigh. I can see a few burns on her hands, which really confuses me.
My blood is rushing as I just stare at her. The wounds all over her make me feel sorry for her, but I have to r
emember that she has been trained to kill people like me.
I don’t pull the trigger because I don’t kill people. But this time, I feel as if a hole opened in my soul, thirsty for blood. I’ve never had this but now I just want to kill her. Or a person. Just kill.
I shake my head as she says, “Alice...I...I’m sorry…” She whispers. Blood stains her teeth and the corners of her mouth have dried bloodstains.
“I should kill you,” I snarl though gritted teeth.
The assassin’s head falls and slurred words slip out of her mouth, “I know… Y-you might want to… But, I just need… s-some medical care, if you wouldn’t mind.”
My chest rapidly goes up and down and my knuckles are white from gripping the gun handle too tight. “Give me a good reason why I should not end your suffering right here, right now,” I growl and I suck in my breath between my teeth as I force my index finger to stay away from the trigger.
A small smile appears on her lips as she brings her head up to look at me. “Your brother,” Her words are merely a whisper, but they make my whole body shake in desperation.
I stare in shock at her words. Clearly, this can be a trap. She is a trained assassin who can say things that can bring me down. My eyes are wide and I let out a deep sigh.
Why do I have to be so weak? Whenever anyone says anything about my brother I almost just fall into millions of pieces. That is my weak point. To take me down, one just has to mention my brother. Damn it! I just don’t know what to do! It would be great if Will could just show up already. If I leave her, she dies. I don’t want to kill her, but she was going to kill me. But, was. Maybe she has changed. There is only one way to find out.
Once again, why do I have to be so weak?
I shove my gun back in its holster and take a quick glance around. Everyone is still at the dining hall for lunch. I’m not just going to shut the door in her face. Well, actually I can but I shan’t. I wrap my arm around her neck and she leans on me. I scurry towards the infirmary; hoping I won’t see Will. Wasn’t it just a minute ago I was hoping to see him? Very funny, Alice.
I set her down gently on one of the beds and grab a first aid kit from a small shelf next to the bed. I toss it onto the bed on her left side. She raises her hand and picks it up. I watch her open the kit and she starts to rummage through it. I harshly snatch it from her clutch and glare at her.
“Why so harsh?” She mumbles.
I give her a hard glare and reply, “Why wouldn’t I be harsh? It’s not like shooting an arrow at someone’s freaking hand is not harsh.”
She turns her body over slightly, ignores my rude remark, and groans in pain. She reaches for the first aid again but I pull back. I set it down on a short wooden stool that sits next to the bed. I lean forward slightly and observe her wounds on her body. Some are deep, others are just burns that didn’t get past her skin. Blood drips from her nose and comes from the back of her head, causing the white pillow not to be so white anymore. She might have a concussion, and will most likely need stiches.
Quickly, I glance around the room, hoping to see an office or something where a doctor or nurse might be. Sadly, the infirmary is empty. The room is small, with white walls and matching beds. Little stands are set everywhere with medical tools set out. I glance at her and wince at all the blood. I grab towels from beside me and put pressure on her wounds that are spilling lots of blood. I am actually surprised that she hasn’t passed out yet.
I’m guessing from how much blood is escaping her wounds now, and from when she was coming here, she has lost maybe two to three pints of blood which usually makes anyone, of every age and size, pass out.
Quickly, I begin to work. I begin on her thigh, first cutting away her jeans so I can get a good look at the wound. I grab the stiches, and begin to weave the stich in and out of her skin. She doesn’t move a muscle or make any sound, just watches me work.
I open my mouth to speak, but is interrupted by who I hoped wouldn’t find her.
“Who the hell is that?” Will says. “And why is she making a mess of the new bed sheets? We just got those!” He is leaning on the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. I wince at the irritated look on his face. I really hope he isn’t that mad.
Before turning to see him, I finish the stiches, wipe away some blood, and cover the stiches wound with a bandage.
I turn myself around to see him standing there with water in his hand. He is wearing his training clothes along with a weapons belt that hangs loosely around his waist. He looks more tired than usual and I want to ask him if he is having a bad time going to sleep. His dark hair covers the top of his eyes and large bags are under them.
“Uh...She is...um,” I don’t know her name, actually now that I think about it. I snap my fingers and turn to look at her to see that she is struggling to sit up. I reach out towards her to gently push her back down to the bed. “Stay down,” I command, but quiet enough just so she can hear it.
“Don’t tell me she is your assassin?” He groans with a sigh. “Of course you would be that one person to invite their assassin into the only place they’re safe from them,” He mutters quietly.
“How did you know?” I ask while ignoring his last comment. I mean just because she wears all black clothing, and has knives hidden under her clothing could mean anything. That could just be her style. You never know.
“I recognize her from when I went to your apartment,” He answers with a shrug. She was at my apartment? When?
“She banged on the door, Will. She is hurt. I know that she tried to kill me, but she said that she was sorry,” I plead. I cannot just make her leave without tending to her wounds first.
“So if someone killed Eric, and they said sorry, you would forgive them?” Will hits my nerve. He is trying too; he wants me to realize that this isn’t a good idea.
My face pales and unconsciously, my hands shake with nervousness. “She could die, and I am no killer, Will. Besides, all she did was kill my hand. Not me. I believe that everyone, no matter what he or she has done in the past, deserves a second chance,” I hold my head high as I argue with him. “What if you shot me? Right here and right now?” I ask loudly. His face pales at the thought and I continue quickly, “And then I survive and you come to me pleading for forgiveness. I say no. I spit and curse at you, not giving you a second chance. How would you feel? Everyone, no matter who the person is or what they did, that person still deserves a second chance, Will!”
Will stands there for a moment looking at her and glancing at me occasionally. I am really hoping he says yes. Even though, I am walking into most likely, something very dangerous (which might just lead to a pool of my blood). But she is a person. And people change all the time if you just give them a chance.
“Fine,” He growls. He sets down his water and walks over, picking up the bandages from the bed. I let out a sigh of relief, I am glad he started to help, since I only know the basics of tending to wounds.
He starts to wrap her wounds up slowly. A feeling down in the depths of my stomach makes me cringe unexpectedly. Jealously wraps me in anger, but I force myself to stay calm and focused. They aren’t even doing anything, and besides Will clearly doesn’t like her or me in that way. Most likely just as a friend is what he thinks of me, but I cannot think of that right now. Focus, Alice!
“My name is Red,” She says quietly, breaking the awkward and tension filling silence. I smile. She has a long scratch along the side of her mouth, so it looks very painful to speak.
“Why did you come here?” Will demands sternly. His knuckles are white as snow as he ties a bandage around a burn on her left arm.
“I was attacked at my house. Attacked by my own Captain,” She sighs while flinching as Will tightens the bandage harshly.
“Captain?” I ask. That reminds me of one of my favorite stories Eric used to tell me so I could sleep. Pirates and princesses was what the bedtime stories were about.
“Yes, every city has a main base for the C.T.O. a
nd every base has its own Captain. My Captain assigned me to you. He said that you are different than the other Conduits. I am one of the best after all, so I didn’t think it would be a problem. So when he found out that I missed your heart at first he was very furious. He has this…test he does with people who fail his tasks,” she explains.
Red looks down with a great sorrow in her eyes. “Is he like family to you?” I ask softly.
She seems very disheartened when speaking of the Captain. I guess that from the sudden change of emotion means that he means something to her.
Red looks at me with anger and sadness clearly shown. “He is family. My father to be exact,” She mumbles, clearly ashamed.
“Don’t sound so ashamed. No matter who your father is, you shouldn’t be ashamed of him,” I say.
“I don’t want to be ashamed. But I grew up looking up to him. I grew up trying to be exactly what he wants me to be. And I failed,” She explains, “That is why I am ashamed. It is a very upsetting feeling, really. Being ashamed to me feels like I made the wrong choice in life.”
“You didn’t make the wrong choice coming here, even though it is a weird choice that you chose to come here, never shall it be a wrong choice,” I pat her hand gently.
Will looks at her with a slightly different attitude. Maybe, he is starting to feel sorrowful. Only sorrowful, I’m sure.
My gaze travels up towards her forearms. She has tattoos and marks on her arms like ours, but the black ribbons seem to be more worn in and pulsing at a much lower rate than ours.
“Are you a Conduit?” I ask in curiosity.
She nods, “Yes, but not like you. I don’t use smoke or fire. I can manipulate the weather.”
“Awesome,” I chuckle. I wonder why the government would use a Conduit to kill or kidnap even more of their kind. Might as well ask. “Why would the government use a Conduit to capture more Conduits or kill them?”
Red pulls herself up a little bit and answers after a moment of thought, “Well, there are multiple reasons. One: humans aren’t as strong or as powerful as Conduits are, so when the President thought of making the C.T.O. he wanted it to be a prestigious group. Most advanced people in the world at the moment just happened to be Conduits. Two: most Conduits don’t like what has happened to them. When the President realized this, he decided to open spots for Conduits to become assassins. Some people might even like what they are now, but they would rather work for the government and not risk their lives being free. All in all, it takes a monster to kill a monster.”
Alice: The Leader Page 10