Part One
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"I think we have a different definition of simple," Taff said. He was seated across from the man, who Vellis had informed him in a low tone was a senator from 2092. The man's suit was a rich black color, and fit his frame exactly in the manor only something that has been tailored can. He flicked an imperceptible piece of lint off it. Castian rolled his eyes. A moment later Vellis' hard elbow slammed against his gut, making a little puff of air escape him. Castian gritted his teeth, straightening. The others hadn't seemed to notice.
Both boys stood behind Taff's chair, leaning against the dark paneling that made up the walls. The senator sat in a deep cushioned chair smoking a cigar. The smoke twirled up into the air around him, clinging to him like a second skin before it slowly dissipated into a haze through the rest of the room. Castian breathed through his mouth, trying not to smell the pungent smoke.
The senator shifted in his chair, flicking a bit of ash into the tray on the table between him and Taff. Taff wasn't smoking, but also didn't show if it bothered him. Castian was pretty sure it did though. "You say that, I say it isn't, we haggle. Can we just skip to the last bit, you may not know, but I am a very busy man." Right. He looked like he was so overworked. Probably just wanted to get back to one of his half dozen mistresses. "What's your price?"
Castian blinking in surprise. He couldn't decide if he was that rich, or just that impatient to have whatever it was done. His eyes flitted to Vellis. The boy's dark hair blended with the wall, making it look like half his head was gone, his onyx eyes were fixed straight ahead, unfocused. Why was he here if Castian was?
"Quarter billion non-trackable units each." Castian's mouth went dry. Well that was one question answered. What on earth were they doing?
The senator ground out the end of his cigar on the ashtray. "Fine." He folded his hands in his lap. Smoke left his mouth as he spoke. "Half up front, is it?"
Even Taff looked just a little taken aback. Then the expression was smoothed away. He smile. "Yes. Half now, half after the job is done."
"Very well." The senator stood, straightening his suit. "I will have an adequate room?" It was barely a question.
Taff continued to smile as he stood, walking the senator to the door. "Of course sir." He opened it. "Roselin! Show Senator Mase to his room." Roselin replied, but the door closing behind Taff and Senator Mase cut it off.
Castian swung his head to face Vellis. "What the hell did I miss?"
The other boy laughed, his soft, mocking laugh. Castian ignored it, as usual. "You get to kill an assassin's assassin, and I get to provide moral support; and raise the price."
"Oh, aren't you precious," Castian muttered. "And since when are we moral."
Vellis shot off the wall, dark eyes narrowing. "Some of us like to pretend we're still human, Castian." He slammed the door behind him as he left.
"Some of us like to pretend we're still human, Castian," he mocked into the empty room. It helped the painful hole in his gut the words had made. A little.
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The street was empty and dark when Castian regained consciousness after the Warp. Wait. Dark?
He sat up with a jerk. The alley loomed around him, empty. Something stirred behind him, and Castian shot to his feet, staggering a step as the cobble stones pitched beneath his feet.
Vellis stood. His eyes were wide, and full of.... concern? What the hell?
"Why is it dark?" Castian demanded. The concern shed like a dropped blanket from Vellis' eyes.
"We got here an hour ago, or, that's when I woke up. It was eight forty then." Eight forty? Castian stared at him for a long moment.
"Six. Taff said six, didn't he?"
The other boy nodded in reply, swallowing. He chewed on his bottom lip before continuing. "I woke up, and you wouldn't. I didn't know what to do, then I got really sick after about ten minutes. It finally stopped about a half hour ago." The next words were reluctant, "I didn't know what to, I don't... do this," he gestured around at the alley, "I don't go off like you. Or Deric."
Castian's teeth clenched at the name. "It's..." No, it wasn't fine. "What time is it?"
Vellis glanced at his watch. "Nine forty-seven, local time."
"Shit." Castian rubbed his face. "Shit!" He lashed out with a sharp kick at a bit of alley clutter. The stupid shoes Taff had made him wear smacked hard against the object in the dark and he yelped.
"Fine. Come on. We need to salvage this disaster."
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I hope you enjoyed this edition of Idiot Teens In Time--I mean... Nah, that works.
If you did, please consider a vote, and as always, tell me what you thought. Do you like Vellis, or nah? I can't personally decide how I feel about the kid, he kind of bugs me, but I can't say how exactly.
YOU ARE READING
An Assassin In Time
Science Fiction(ON HOLD) If time couldn't hold you, what would you do? Castian was born inside a Field, outside of time. He has no timeline. He belongs nowhere, and anywhere. The Field he was in was destroyed when he was young, and he and four other children...
