The Assassin's Ghosts

Chapter 5: Getting Started

 A/n: Finally getting to the more exciting bits. I think I was listening to a LOT of Lana Del Rey while I wrote this bit so that's fun. Enjoy!... 

Akoni didn't miss the looks he had received from Adira. Still, he didn't feel as though she didn't like him. She didn't seem to be racist, but she acted like she was not used to seeing people like him. He supposed he couldn't blame her; his kind were not in the mainstream, as they were either often slaves or in hiding, so they tended to avoid public places. Regardless, Akoni pushed away the thoughts and focused on what Kyros was saying.

"The problem with people like this is that they have no pattern. If they do have a pattern, it's frustratingly difficult to decipher from an outside perspective. Whoever they are, this person is smart, and they are not alone. They have to have some people working with them," Kyros explained, keeping his eyes firmly on the map on the coffee table.

"But there's still something I don't understand," Adira interrupted. Kyros scoffed, muttering something along the lines of 'Add it to the very long list.' Akoni chuckled as Adira shot Kyros a glare. Clearly, she had heard him.

"I was going to ask why you are even working this case. I mean, I get that you are being paid for this, but you said that you were going to do this anyway and being paid was just a convenient opportunity. Why were you already set on stopping this person? Aren't they just taking out your opponents and such?" she continued.

"Oh lord," Kyros groaned.

"What Kyros means is that we want opponents. The more people we fight, the more we steal, and the more we profit. This person is taking out people who are- who could be future targets for us. We don't gain from any of this," Raelyn explained easily.

"On top of that, a few of our establishments and staff have been victims of this person's attacks, so we are even more compelled to stop them. We have been indirectly targeted as well. A few issues and whatnot," Kyros added. "Now, that's all cleared up, we shall continue. Unless you have any more questions. No? Perfect."

"So, boss, how should we go about thees?" Akoni asked.

"Find out more about them, where they work from, and go after them. We can't do much right now, so for now, how about we all work out where everyone is sleeping. It's been dark for a little over an hour now, and we should all get rest. I'm not sure how much sleep any of us will be getting in the days to come. Adira, you're with Mavis obviously. Euphi and Rae, you two can bunk together, yes? Good. Akoni and Neo, you two are together."

"You'll be seeing a lot of me, Ako," Neo winked, draping his arm over Akoni's shoulders.

"Don't make thees weird, ya twerp," Akoni laughed, shoving Neo's arm off. Kyros stood up and made his way to where Euphoria was sitting. He leaned down and whispered something in her ear, causing her to nod once. Akoni almost laughed aloud as he realised that Adira was straining to hear what he had said. Kyros went to Neo and whispered to him next. Neo grinned up at Kyros and saluted.

"Yes, Sir," Neo smiled. Kyros nodded, his face absent of any emotion, and went off to his own respective bedroom, towards the back of the large building.

"Why does Kyros get his own bedroom?" Adira asked as they all got up to scour the series of the rooms until they found one to choose as their own.

"Uneven number of people," Akoni shrugged. "Plus, if ya' hadn't noticed, he eesn't exactly a big 'people person.'"

"Pft- it'd be pretty damn hard not to notice," Adira jeered. Akoni nodded with a little exhale that didn't quite count as a laugh. Akoni felt Neo's arm curl around him once more and the tall blonde boy pulled him off to go choose their room. Behind them, Adira and Mavis grabbed hands and went off down the hall towards the bedrooms as well. Akoni paid close attention to the way Raelyn followed behind with Euphi. Rae's eyes were transfixed on Mavis and Adira's intertwined hands. Akoni smiled to himself; Did Raelyn Blake have a little crush?