“Ouch,” I say as the doctor removes the bullet lodged in my left shoulder.
“Sorry,” he replies back, “this is why don’t do any more field work as an assassin.”
“So, Thunder. Do you remember what tomorrow is?” Someone replied behind me, and I recognized as Mike.
“Yeah,” I reply, “It’s the Brotherhoods 140th Anniversary.”
“You ready for tomorrow boys?” The doctor asks as he removes another fragment of the bullet from my shoulder.
“Ready like I’ll always be,” Mike replies.
“Same here,” I say as the doctor starts wrapping my shoulder up.
“You can go as soon as you get some rest,” The doctor says holding out a syringe for me, “and you can take a shot to help you fall unconscious.”
“Eh, sure I’ll take the shot,” I say grabbing the syringe out of his hand, and injecting it into my thigh.
------------------------------------------- 8 Hours Later ------------------------------------------------
I pull on my left boot, and tighten it. I stand up grabbing the hand gun I had laid on my end table. I take one last look at the bland room, and I walk out closing the door behind me. The Nest was buzzing with activity, and each assassin heading to the Platform to get their new contract, and celebrate the 140th anniversary of our Brotherhood. The Brotherhood consisted up around 128 assassins, and there are different groups of assassins. A group to take care of drug lords, another for arms dealers, illegal immigrants, and another group to kill civilians who have contracts. I belong in the arms dealers group along with Mike and Tara. They are my closest friends I have had in my entire life since the incident. I walked into the massive crowd looking for Mike of Tara. I walk towards the center platform and to the section for all the assassins who deal with arms dealers. You could tell the difference from an arms dealer assassin from another group of assassins. Underneath the phoenix symbol there is an emblem of an automatic weapon. A man walks upon the stage holding four boxes filled with USB’s holding our electronic contacts. The man that has walked on the stage wore a familiar uniform, and a mask to cover his face. I make my way over to my group, and Tara walks up behind me.
“Hey. Heard about your last mission,” She says greeting me with a surprise hug.
“Yeah, the cost to get a new squirrel suit will cost me 12,000 credits,” I reply.
“You still owe me that drink,” she told me, “how many credits do you have left?”
“Enough for a drink and I still want a rematch,” I say playfully.
“You’re on,” She said and added, “but it’ll have to wait for later.”
“Silence!” the man we call The Phoenix. The room fills with silence waiting for him to speak up.
“We all know what today is, and we all know what it means. Tonight 30 of the most notorious criminals are going to die. There are nine contracts for arms dealers, six contracts for immigrants, eight contracts for regular civilians, and seven for drug lords. Have some one from each group to collect all of your electronic contacts. Remember only the top assassins get their own contract along with being able to let someone to tag along. Each USB has a name labeled on it so you give the USB to them. Good night, and happy hunting,” as soon as The Phoenix says his last few words he starts walking off the stage, and not to be seen till next ten years.
“Where’s Thunder?” someone says in the distance.
“Right there,” someone says pointing in my direction. They rush over to me and hand me a USB with my name written on it.
“Who are you going to choose?” Tara asked while looking at the USB I was handed.
“Hey Thunder I’m fine if Tara wants to go,” Mike says from behind me.
“I don’t know who to bring. Or just any of you two who wants to go more than the other,” I say. Both of them look at each other.
“Tara can go if she wants,” Mike says.
“Eh, I guess I’ll go,” Tara says taking note of what Mike says.
“So who’s our target today?” Tara says as I send her the contract over a private email.
“His name is Zachary Luna. He’s 5’11, and 163 pounds. His reward is 24,000 credits.” I say taking a look at his contract.
“Pack one SMG, sniper, and a hand gun that all have silencers. Face recognition system, and anything that seems necessary for taking him out along with any back up he has with him,” I tell Tara as soon as I start walking away, “meet me here in 5 minutes with your equipment.” I rush up a flight of stair, and I stop at my door to scan my hand. As soon as the door opens I rush over to my bed, and press the button beneath it. Two metal doors open up from in my closet. I rush over grabbing the three guns, three different silencers for each of the guns, facial recognition system, and extra magazines. I look down at my watch. Two more minutes until I have to be back down to meet Tara. I close the doors, shut the lights out in my room, and close the doors behind me.
