Legion 666

the mission

I wake up on time as usual, I don't bother turning on the lights I know where everything is. I quickly put on a clean tank top and some cargo pants both are a grey color. I'm about to exit when I notice a piece of paper in front of my door. I pick it up, it reads:

777 report to the commandant.

Exit your room then head right, go all the way to the end of the corridor, then take the stairs, get off at the 11th landing. When you get off the stairs go straight, at the end of that hallway is the commandant's office.

I can't fathom why the commandant needs to see me, but I do know that it's because I either did something very good or something really bad.I follow the directions and get to the office in almost no time at all. The metal door is closed, so I decide I should wait outside for the commandant.

"Enter 777." comes the order. I quickly come into the office not hesitating. The office is around the same size as the lesson rooms, except there are photos on the walls, and a desk. The commandant has dark cropped hair and dark skin, he is also the tallest and most muscular person I have ever seen, but what was most intimidating about him is his aura of arrogance.

"As I'm sure you know you are ranked first in the legion. You work the hardest, are the smartest, and have the best results in physical training, that is why you have been selected to go on the first mission. You will be briefed on it for the remainder of today, hopefully you will start the mission by tonight." I can hardly believe my ears, all my hard work has finally payed off, a lifetime of training for this! I feel so proud, I can't keep the smile off my face, and I am standing up straighter.

"Thank you commandant." I replie.

"Report to lieutenant Kutler, she is four doors down on your right." came the instructions.

I have to stop myself from running to lieutenant Kutler's office to be briefed. I can't believe that I got the first mission, I knew that I was ranked first but, I never allowed myself to even dream of the possibility that I would get the mission.I can't wait. At this point I'm a mere couple of feet away from being briefed, I close the distance and with my heart about to thud out of my chest I knock on the oak door.

"Enter member 777, of section 7, of legion 666." comes the lieutenant's answer to my knock. It's beyond me how she could have known who was at her door, but I don't question it. The legion's motto is, good soldiers don't question the orders, they follow them. I open the door and enter excitedly. This room looks identical to the commandants, except there is a pale, short woman with frizzy, mousy brown hair behind the desk.

"You will assume the persona of a young woman inspired to work in the government. You are showing up for your first day on the job. You may pick a code name. Your job is to find out what they know about us, their military capabilities and report them to us. If we deem anyone a threat, you will need to dispose of them. The details are in this file. You will report back here at 10 tonight, then we will disguise you and go over your mission one more time before releasing you." Says the lieutenant. I pick up the yellow file she hands me with unnecessary enthusiasm, nod, then exit.

I start reading the file as I head back to my room. I will be interviewed for a job in the government of the U.S.A. I have just gotten out of college. I will be given a apartment in washington D.C, I'm from North Carolina originally. I have lived with my aunt ever since I can remember. That's all the back story, as for the mission I will hopefully get a job working with computers, I need to find out what they know about us (the legion), I need to find out their military capabilities, and as I was told possibly take someone out of the equation.

I'm not sure what I want my code name to be. I could be named Susan after Susan B. Anthony, or Ana, ugh there are just so many possibilities. For awhile I sit there in my room staring at my ceiling, when a funny idea came to me. What if I was named Skyler Hawking. I smiled at the thought, naming myself after the sky and a creature that flies in it, oh the audacity. A laugh escapes me, it is high pitched and airy.

At this time it is time for lunch. I'm surprised this much time has passed, I could have sworn that I had only been studying the file for a few minutes. I head down the hallways to lunch, this time the facility seems so much more cheerful and bright. I can see the the lunch room now, I speed up.

I walk into the familiar room and notice that the board only shows the ranks for 2nd place and below. Above that to my surprise, it said 777 ranked first, first to receive a mission. No one is aware that I'm member 777, except for me, but everyone is giving each other dirty looks, so I keep my head down and try to hide my smile.

I quickly grab my chicken salad, trying not to seem nervous but more so just resentful, jealous, and rather angry. No one is giving me any special attention, so I just eat as quickly as I can. I keep my eyes trained on my plate, It's shocking how a room that just a few minutes ago was so inviting, and bright can become so hostile an..and scary.

I exit as fast as my legs will carry me. I head to the lieutenant's office, the hallways seem longer than usual as though they want to stop me from ever going on my mission. I dismiss it as my frustration at not already being on the mission messing with my mind. It seems to take me a century to reach just the stairs. Once I reach the 11th landing and exit into the hallway my trip goes much faster. Before long I'm standing outside her door.

I knock, and once again comes the answer, "Enter 777 of section 7 of legion 666." I'm starting to wonder if she has cameras monitoring the hallway outside of her office. I enter anyways, I do as the motto says and follow the order. "You have gone over the file." she phrases the sentence like a fact not a question, so I just stand still. "Are you ready to begin the final preparation for your mission, disguise yourself? Have you chosen your code name?" she asks.

"Yes I am ready. My code name will be Skyler Hawking." I responde.

"In the room next door you will find a pencil skirt, light blue blouse, and a blazer. You will put them on as well as the heels. Then you shall come back in here and I will cut your hair, and teach you to do make up. Understand?"

"Yes." I replie as I walk out the door.I walk about to steps to the next room it is identical to both the commandant's, and lieutenant's rooms except for the contents. The clothes she mentioned are on a leather chair in a corner, I quickly change. In order to put on the shirt I have to I retract my wings into my back, yes that is as painful as it sounds. The blouse seem to have been made out of silk, the skirt and blazer match. I have never worn any clothes besides the standard tank top and cargo pants, I think I like the cargo pants much better. That's when I spot the shoes, they look like death traps. Even though the heels can't be taller than two inches, they still look extremely hard to walk in. I tentatively put them on and tried walking a couple of steps, and to my great surprise it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

That's when I notice that there is a mirror right across the room, I have never looked in a mirror before. I practically run to it, nearly tripping and dying in the process. It is strange seeing myself for the first time. I have blond, slightly wavy, wispy hair, that has never been cut or taken out of a ponytail. My eyes are big, and piercing blue. I have freckles on my face but not really anywhere else. I'm incredibly short, and fit. My lips are a pinkish color, and full. My cheeks glow rosey red. I have a medium sized nose.

When I enter into the office again, the lieutenant nods at a seat beside her. I take it sitting down carefully. She then puts a towel around my shoulders and pulls out scissors. I feel myself tense up as I hear the snap of my hair being cut. It seems to take forever, with every cut my head feels lighter. "I'm done." she says as she hands me a mirror, my hair is now chin length, parted at the side, and slightly more wavy. It suits me better.

"Now for makeup." She says. She takes out different colorful powders, and paints. She tells me to put a coral paint on my lips, and a very light gray color on my eyelids, then she takes what seems to be a black pencil and draws on my eyelid, then she brushes my eyelashes to make them darker and longer. She hands me the mirror again, the difference is subtle but still there.

"If you go out into the hallway to your left, then go all the way down the hallway you will find an airplane hanger. I'll go with you, as well as the commandant to see you off. General Mary will come with you as far as your apartment, pretending to be your aunt. After that we will contact you via text to instruct you." She informs me. I think it's funny that I have to go by airplane when I could easily fly myself there.

We go into the hall, I walk a few paces behind the lieutenant, because she is my superior and that is the right thing to do.