Ai-Petri, one of the peaks in the Crimean Mountains range, is renowned throughout the world as one of the windiest places in Eastern Europe. Speeds have been clocked at over 110 miles per hour, and unless one is either a native of the area, or accompanied by one, it is relatively easy to be blown off your feet and roll down a fair distance. Of course, one wouldn’t attempt the entire climb on foot; it is simply too tiring and outright dangerous. For that reason, a cable car ascends the mountain, not all the way to the summit, but to a point just a little higher than the halfway mark. The reason the lift doesn’t scale the entire thing is due to the massive urge of privacy experienced by the occupants of the summit. People who left their homes with the intention of reaching the top and finding out what goes on up there have never returned alive. Occasionally, a body may be found a few months after they go missing, but more often than not they are never found, leaving the more sensible residents of the neighbouring town to treat the summit with fearful respect.
Ai-Petri is Greek for “Saint Peter,” however the actions going on at the summit could be described as anything but holy. For it is here, at a facility tailored for this purpose, that JHF recruits learn the arts of espionage, sabotage, and most importantly, assassination. Recruits are hand picked (although sometimes one may apply if they learn of JHF’s existence and survive) and are placed through a vigorous programme, at the end of which, if they survive the initiation exercise, they become full operatives.
The facility never hosted more than 10 recruits at a time, and had a full compliment of teachers, 20 to be exact. The “principal” of the facility, if he could be called that, was Carlos Tolido, a former operative himself who, now past his best, was assigned to oversee the instruction of the future of JHF.
There were currently 9 recruits. They were about to be joined by a new one. Jonathan was tired from his trek up the mountain from the end of the cable car, and not for the first time this week; in a generally bad mood. Clad in a thick, black jacket and a brown scarf which covered the lower part of his face to protect him from the cold, he could barely see a foot in front of him, and had stumbled and nearly fell several times. Many times he had regretted his decision to come here, but then remembered Sunny, and his own goal to kill Matheus Plattenhardt someday. That objective was what fueled him to continue pushing on, despite his body saying no.
“ Almost there now. Only a few more minutes.” That came from Mitchell, the man who had served as his guide up the mountain. Mitchell was also a guard at the facility, tasked to ensure that not only did no one get in, but also to make sure that no one left before their time. He hadn’t said much in the few hours that the two of them had spent together, however he wasn’t as cold as the Mammoth twins, Oleg and Jan, had been. He could relax around Mitchell, but not too much. After all, this man was affiliated with the group which had shattered his whole life from the day he was born.
After a few more minutes, like Mitchell promised, the pair finally arrived. Jonathan took his time and gazed upon the place he would be calling home for the next few months. Visually, he wasn’t impressed. It was honestly like any office building he was used to in Palermo, bland, expressionless, dull. The facility was actually a compound of 5 buildings, each one designed the same way, and each one at least two floors high.
“You should come in now.” Mitchell, who had already reached the door of the closest building, turned back to Jonathan, who had stayed rooted to the spot. Jonathan Mayers nodded, and joined him as he entered the building. Immediately, Mitchell set to work peeling off his jacket and scarf. Jonathan followed suit. As soon as he did, he was hit by a wave of cold air, which confirmed that the room, and by extention the entire complex, had an AC unit in there. Jonathan shook his head and shivered. Seemed like JHF wanted their agents to die of hypothermia before they left here.
“ Took you long enough to get here. What was the delay?”
Jonathan whirled around. The voice came from someone who was sitting at a chair in the left corner at the room, which was set up as some sort of reception lounge. The man was sprawled out across a couch, and from his position it was clear he had been there for some while. Jonathan was startled. He had not only not sensed the man there, but he didn’t even see him.
Mitchell spoke up. “ Some locals wanted to stop along the way up. Took a while, considering they were quite a few of them.”
The man sighed. “ I’ve spoken to Vincent about this; how he should get the government to just ban locals from the mountain altogether. It’s a hindrance. But anyway,” he changed the topic, now directing his attention to Jonathan. “ Welcome to JHF’s Recruit Training facility. Bland name, I know, but the name isn’t important. What is important, is what you will learn here. Apparently, from the reports I’ve gotten on you, you have shown no aptitude for this line of work. No matter, by the time you leave, you will be one of the best recruits of your generation. I remember your father….a decent man, I found, just a little weird at times. Shame what came of him,” he sighed, shaking his head in mock sadness. “ I trust you will decide to work with us, and won’t end up like he did. Anyway, I’ll leave you with Mitchell, he’ll show you around the facility. Classes start next week Monday.” With a nod of his head, he turned on his heel and walked away.
Turning to Mitchell, Jonathan asked; “ Who the hell was that?”
Mitchell replied with a grin; “ That was Carlos Tolido, the man in charge of the entire facility. A strict fellow, but deep down he’s a nice guy once you get to know him. Anyway, do you want me to show you your room first, or do you want to look around the place?”
“ I think I’ll take a peek at the entire place first. My room can wait.”
“ Very well then. Leave your things here, someone will bring them up to your room.” And with that, Mitchell walked off, seemingly to begin the tour.
Jonathan hesitated, then followed after a few seconds. This is it, he thought. I’m actually going to join that shitty organization. I can’t believe I’m doing this…but….I’ll get through it. For Sunny…..
YOU ARE READING
Jonathan Mayers: Origins
Action20 year old Jonathan Mayers never knew his parents. Instead, he was raised by a one eyed Indian in Palermo. His life was a pretty normal one. All that is about to change. Suddenly, Jonathan is plunged into a world of espionage, corruption and assass...
