Hitman: Resurgence

A Shade From The Past

AS 47 WALKED THROUGH THE STREETS OF PARIS, his shoes echoed on the stone pavements. Although the Bombardier Global 5000 that Smith had provided could carry him to more distant locations, he chose France, driven by the need to confront Diana. Questions swirled in his mind, demanding answers as to why she had abandoned him in Washington.

His flight took around six hours, and he decided to land in Madrid, Spain, in case someone came to look for him. During the flight, 47 contacted a former supplier of his and when he arrived at the airport, his equipment was awaiting him. A silenced Silverballer, a set of lockpicks and a fiber wire.

In the following 12 hours of the day, 47 was in a rented car to Paris. He arrived at the city late at night. The city's streets glistened with the reflections of neon lights, painting a surreal and ethereal scene as he continued through the rain-soaked urban landscape.

Turning an alley, he reached his destination. 1 Rue de La Perle, Paris. The building that had become Diana's permanent center of operations. She had chosen this location to eliminate the necessity to move her equipment to various places each time 47 embarked on a new assignment. The safety of the center of operations relied on its unassuming appearance and secret location.

The rain fell lightly on 47's Neon City Suit. A blue raincoat with a popped collar. Underneath it, 47 wore his standard black suit and red tie.

He stood still in the rain, looking to the exterior facade, boasting intricate details that showcased the artistry of its construction. Carved stone embellishments, ornate wrought iron railings, and gracefully arched windows adorned the building's facade, lending it a touch of sophistication. Climbing ivy complemented the soft beige color of the exterior walls, and a set of double green doors guarded the courtyard, also surrounded by tall walls.

The doors were locked, but he had the keys. He crossed the courtyard with haste and entered the building in silence. He found himself in front of a staircase that led to upper floors. The small square tiles on the floor, alternating between black and white, resembled the corridors of 47's first home. The Asylum.

He closed the doors behind him and walked slowly in the darkened entrance hall. Approaching the staircase, he looked up to a clock above the front entrance – 11h49 pm.

He started going up the stairs, covered in a dark brown carpet which muffled his footsteps. In the top of the main staircase in the entrance hall, there was a window, that even with closed curtains led the faint beige light to shine in the staircase floor, showing the sparse shadows of raindrops cast in the ground, yet diminishing the sound of the rain.

He made his way up to the third floor. He knew the building was entirely empty from the ground floor to Diana's apartment. They had bought the entire building, and most of the rooms had no utility.

He stopped in front of a white door with a French style. He knocked.

No answer.

He knocked again, but already knowing Diana wasn't home. He crouched, lockpicking the door. After a few seconds, the lock clicked and the door opened in front of him, revealing the interior of the apartment. What he found was unusual.

The mess within the living room wasn't what Diana would leave in her place. 47 knew her perfectionist personality, and his suspicions grew. He grabbed the silenced Silverballer he kept under his raincoat, closing the door behind him quietly, and walking through the apartment. Checking the kitchen to his left, he kept going to the right, entering a corridor that led to the rest of the apartment. The first door to the right revealed a spiral staircase leading up, but he checked her bedroom and bathroom before going heading upstairs. Her sleeping quarters had also been disturbed, as if someone was searching for something.