The Recruit

Chapter 36

It turns out the man Kojiro killed was the only guard for the door. I imagine it's because traffic is slow around this area of the barrack. Good.

I follow Kojiro's steps as he stealth his way to get deeper into the complex. He gave me the peace sign using his fingers and I nod understanding what he meant. There are two guards ahead. I signalled for him to wait.

I walked right in front of the guards and tapped them on the back. From the corner of my eyes I could see Kojiro's exasperated look as if saying, "Stop trying to get us killed, dammit!"

"Excuse me good sir, I think I am lost. I am looking for a washroom." They both looked confused. While I continue talking, I stabbed their neck in a fast upward movement with my double blades; making sure to get my blades hit their brains. I peek the next section we had to go through and then I gave a thumbs up to Kojiro.

He caught up to me and stop me. His eyes give me warnings to follow him and not do anything stupid again, so I followed him. We reach a place reminding me of a 2-storey library. There are 6 guards making their rounds downstairs and 2 guards on top. Master Kojiro signalled for me to kill the two on top, emphasizing on the gesture we used to describe 'silently' and he would kill the guards at the bottom.

We move to our separate posts. I start with the guard on the right. Once her partner went on the other way, I pull her into one of the discreet space between 2 bookshelves and slashed her necks from behind. I carry her lifeless body to a hidden corner and then I stalk my second prey.

Once he was nearby I took my position and I readied myself to strike. He walk towards my hiding spot and I strike him like I did his friend. I stack his body on top of the other guard. I went to what seems to be like an office and see if Darius is inside. He isn't here, but a man who I knew was an Orthodox Lithuanian bishop, The Bishop of Vilnius was there talking with a Dagger personnel.

"Darius fortified this place over his own paranoia and we couldn't even leave! He should have left to seek protection from Madam Tonya in Russia or Alejandra in Spain instead of dragging the rest of us in this madness. He would have got a better view too rather than this underground hell hole. It's infuriating how a little girl like that could break the brotherhood like this." The bishop said in rapid Lithuanian. Alright, so I know where I am heading after this. Before I could leave the bishop mentioned something else.

"They keep dragging the voting for new council members because each of them want their people on the council. They finally settle on 2 weeks from now and I hope they don't push it back again to sabotage each other. I wish I could vote out Darius and have him replaced, he is a disgrace." 

Oh fuck, I only have 2 weeks to kill the last two council members.

"You know your holiness, I would support you if you ended up become a candidate for the council." I see the flatterer trying to get on the bishop's good side. I have a feeling the bishop is a candidate that is championed by Darius, otherwise he wouldn't be kept the holy man here with him.

I heard enough. Before things get out of hand, I refuse to have my children in harms way in the future just because I let these two alive. I shot a poisonous dart to the bishop and his flatterer. I hid when they discovered the darts and before they could say a thing I heard their bodies dropped, so I head out on my way.

I go downstairs to meet Master Kojiro.

"Do you find anything?" He asks me.

I simply shake my head and we head to the next section. I'm starting to feel nervous; thinking that by now somebody might have discovered the trail of bodies we left behind. I stop mid track feeling unsure. The Master shake his head and grab my hand in response.

That's probably his way of telling me no time to hesitate. I usually charmed my way into the council's living quarter or office and I never killed so many people in one go. Then again, I never infiltrated a military barrack. If I was alone, I probably would have died. Finding the entrance, finding the right tunnel, getting this far... It comes to my realization that I wouldn't have survived this mission on my own and I start to shudder.

"Livia, whatever you are thinking about, don't." He whispers roughly, warning me to focus.

We keep moving and we manage to kill more people before they could get reinforcement. We hide behind one of the pillars after seeing Darius entered a room. His entourage of guards were left to guard the door.

"We need to get the guards away from the door without alerting them." Master Kojiro finally said.

"I'll distract the guards." He said assertively.

"Wait, I'll do it and you kill Darius. If they see you there is no way, they'll stay quiet. I'll think of something and distract them."

"No." He gripped my arm to stop me.

Master Kojiro couldn't look at me, but he whispered some words only I could hear.

"Don't do it. When Raina or Luca seduced and have intercourse with the enemy, they were okay with. It turns them on seeing their partner manipulate someone into sex, managing to gain what they wanted from them. It is who they are and that is fine."

Master Raina and di Vasiri are together? When they are in a room, they never gave anything away so I never noticed. Come to think of it they look great together and I could see why they would be attracted with each other.

Master Kojiro cut my thoughts, "But you and Lucius are different from them. Lucius never use sex in missions except in his last mission with you. And I could see the same with you. It kills your soul to do this; I could see it in your eyes. Any other assassins I am okay with, but you are my friend's mate and somehow during your training period I started seeing you like my own daughter, I couldn't in good conscience let you do this." I didn't know he sees me like that and my heart breaks for both of us as I always had seen him as a father figure.

"I may be an old man, Livia, but I am a Master Assassin. I have a few tricks up my sleeve." I bit my lip and paused. Then I slowly nodded trusting him to do his thing.

He ran out and starts to do his thing, which was creating chaos in front of the door. I thought he said without alerting anyone! Now I know how he felt when he saw me doing reckless things. I want to smack my face with my palm, but decide not to waste anytime. He managed to draw the guards away from the door though, so I quickly made my way to the door and entered.

Cazzo! Darius isn't here anymore, so where could he...

Before I could finished my thought I heard a toilet flushed and I smiled. Lady Luck is smiling at this mission. I don't even wait outside the door until he finished his business. I entered the washroom and took his life before he could put on his pants. I went outside, thinking of assisting my boss. In reality I just helped him kill one last guard because I just happened to be near the last guy.

"What happened to distracting without alerting the guys?" I smiled at him.

"Change of plans." He grin at me. We run back quietly to the tunnel and headed to tunnel 8, leading to an underground of a train station. We stealth our way to the surface, without alerting anyone and we leave back to Kaunas.

We ride the train back to the place he stays in, so I could send him off. The whole ride back the Master Assassin stays silent, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. I am not in the mood to socialize myself, so I took one of the rare moments of piece to admire the view.

I remember the last time Pietro and I rode a train... I confessed a dream I never told anyone, which how our story started. Now he has a son that I consider ours and our second one on the way. Me, a soul believing I don't deserve to have children and him, a soul believing he couldn't have a family – somehow we made having children work. It is unfortunate that the story had to end this way. We could have had it all if I didn't leave him the first time.

I even couldn't cry at this anymore since it was all done and dusted. I used to, don't get me wrong. Then I just learned I couldn't change the past, and what I could do is fight to keep Pietro's dream alive.