Sector 10

Chapter 3

A few days later, I found myself on the balcony of a magnate apartment. It was cold up here, with the warm, yellow light shining through the glass to the side of me. The only area of wall which wasn't made up of glass was the corner of two impending walls in the form of a square column, which was what I was leaning against. The balcony was quite expansive. It had marble floors and cushioned seating spread around the place. Can't imagine how it was all being held up.

I hadn't taken my sniper with me. Oral, who normally took these missions, was unavailable, so Sean had assigned me to record a discussion between a magnate and syndicate in case they were doing anything fishy. In my ear was a device that took on the smallest sounds, isolated vocals, and made them easier to hear. My phone was hooked up to the device, dictating the entire conversation.

It wasn't at all exciting. The syndicate was called Trent Lau, and he was being hired to take out a member of the Board. I don't know what Sean isn't doing, but I could accomplish that task easily.

"Is that all?"

There was a pause before the magnate said, "I have another syndicate member hired, but I don't trust him. He's shady. Check up on him for me. His name is-"

I wouldn't let him finish. The glass shattered and fell to the ground. With the help of a smoke grenade, it was foggy enough to snatch the magnate and slice his neck before he had time to realise what was happening. I dropped his motionless body before his dark blood could drip onto me and slid the stained pocketknife across the ground to the other syndicate member. He was coughing and calling for help.

I checked the pulse before making my escape. Sean always made sure to make precautions like this in case his true name was leaked. Many of the magnates that hired him had made this mistake and never lived to tell the tale.

The detonation wasn't enough to set off any alarms, but it was still enough to alert the large amount of security manning the building. Before long, men in navy uniforms had barged through the door of the apartment. I swiftly dashed through the fading smoke and leapt off the balcony. As air rushed to my face, I reached for the handle of the handgun tucked away its holster and swivelled my body to aim at the stone barriers of the balcony. After switching the mode, a miniature claw attached to a rope was released, inserting itself into the stone. Holding on to my hood, I swung towards the wall as the gun ate up its line in time to listen in on the security.

I could hear them shuffling around the room, inspecting it probably. By now, the smoke would've cleared entirely.

"Who are you?" one of the officers asked the syndicate.

"I... I just came to have a meeting with him, then there was all this smoke and it cleared. And... then he was dead," he spluttered.

"I'm sorry sir, but you're going to have to come with us."

I listened as they picked up the contradicting man and exited the room, glass crunching on the way. Success.

---

I had rested on a couch a few balconies down of a vacant, unlit apartment. There were shards of glass wedged into my boots that needed to be taken out. Using the ghostly flash from my phone, I finally chipped the last piece out of the firm rubber.

I dug out a closed vial out of one of my pockets and inspected it for a bit. It was filled with gunpower, provided by another employee of Sean's.

I don't know much about the others who work for Sean, but I do know they aren't friendly towards each other. Syndicate relationships are traitorous and selfish. When someone does something for you, there's always a true motive behind it all. In fact, no one in Sector 10 does anything for you without a dark intention.

I threw the vial across the other side of the balcony. I couldn't stand explosives. I stood up and walked to the railing, closing my eyes, and letting the wind brush my face like a cool blanket. The few strands of hair that peeked out of my hood fluttered in the wind. I grabbed a lock of hair and held it in front of my face. The silver shimmered in the moonlight. Until suddenly, it turned a raven black; the ghost of my past returned to haunt me.

I shook the image out of my head and checked the time on my phone. 3:24am. I deftly hopped over the edge of the balcony and used every nook and cranny I could find to lower myself until I was one floor above the ground. I let myself hang while I was clearing the ground below me for guards. Soon, I released and silently landed on the ground. The light from the inside reception glowed behind me.

I was about to start travelling back home before I was stopped by a solemn voice. "Oi, you there. This is restricted property; you're going to have to come with us."

I tensed up. I didn't check the area directly below the balconies. "Put your hands in the air and turn around," the officer commanded. Magnates seemed to be the only thing that police genuinely cared about. They turn a blind eye to chaos happening any place that isn't occupied by one. I found myself too quick to judge. After all, we follow the money as well.

I tugged at my hood once more before raising my hands, turning around slowly. There were two officers, both aiming pistols at me. They were dressed in dark uniform, and both looked Japanese. "Look, I think this is all a bit of a misunderstanding, I am simply a bodyguard," I started with a shallow smile.

"Miss, it will be easier for both of us if you keep your mouth shut. You're coming with us," he cut me off.

I immediately dropped the go-happy act. I allowed them to walk towards me and cuff my hands in front of me, dragging me away from the building. To the station, I presume. I figured it would be useless to resist with brute force.

Nothing I couldn't handle, though. Folding my wrist in uncomfortable angles, I fiddled with the cover of a needle-like tool I kept on the inside of my jacket sleeve. Finally, my fingers grasped the tip of it.

I was ready to put it into use until I heard loud footsteps behind me. Someone was running to us. The panting and the clip-clopping of thick heels grew louder. A man's voice started speaking. A voice I had heard before.

"Excuse me kind sirs, but this woman is under my watch. I apologise for the misunderstanding. I'll be taking care of her now."

I craned my neck to take a look at the person that would 'be taking care of me,' suspicious. My eyes widened when I caught sight of him.