Agent 47

Mirthrean

Once 47 arrived at the weird building, he scanned it for any potential dangers, as he did with all the rooftops via security cameras. No snipers in sight.

Diana had told him to go on inside once he arrived because the mother was already gone.

The windows all had very odd frames, and there were gargoyles outside it. Who designs buildings with gargoyles anymore?

Nonetheless, the agent pushed open the heavy oak doors, and stepped inside.

The house on the inside was even weirder than the outside. Cases with many objects stood everywhere, and a large, oval shaped staircase sat before him. 47 looked around, but there was no child in sight. What if someone had taken him?

47 pulled out one of his golden eagles, and loaded it quietly. After checking both hallways, he headed up the stairs.

The agent made no sound in his ascension, and once at the top, he stopped, listening for anything.

Seconds passed, minutes. 47 almost gave up, and moved to keep searching, but was finally rewarded for his effort. A clatter of a small object sounded in a hallway to his right. The agent had to control himself so he wouldn't run into the room. A rookie mistake for any mission.

Back to the wall, 47 slowly approached a door at the end of the hall. Silent as a praying lioness, he reached his hand around the doorknob, and flung the door open. Gun in hand, he stormed into the room, looking for any movement.

It took about fifteen seconds for 47 to realize that the child he was supposed to be protecting was staring at him.

Ashamed, 47 knelt down, and examined the boy, reaching into his coat to put the weapon away.

But the boy stopped him.

The child took hold of the weapon, and pulled on it, trying to bring it out. 47 was quite confused, but he consented, and redrew his gun, slipping the clip out at the same time. The child, Mirthrean, didn't seem to mind.

Matt's small fingers ran across the barrel, and the ivory handle, testing every piece of it. But the child did not allow himself to touch the trigger.

Once finished with the examination, he gingerly handed the golden eagle back to 47, picked up the car he had dropped, and began eagerly driving it on the floor again.

The agent stood, very confused. The child's toys consisted of cars, stuffed animals, and a pen and notepad. That spiked a question in 47's mind. Pen and notepad. Was Mirthrean a mute?

47 checked the windows in the small bedroom to make sure that they were not comprimised and couldn't be opened, and then hurried downstairs to speak with Diana.

"What is it, 47?"

"Is he a mute?"

"What?"

"The boy, Diana. Is he mute?"

There was a ruffling of papers on the other end of the line. "It doesn't say anything. Why don't you ask him?"

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. He's old enough."

47 sighed. "Fine."

The agent re-entered the room he had been in with Matt. "Um... Matt, can you speak?"

The child looked up at 47 with curious eyes. Then he reached for his pen and pad, and wrote,

Mom told me that when I speak, then things happen. I don't want to hurt you.

47's eyes narrowed. "That sounds a little cruel, don't you think?"

No, Matt wrote. Mom tried everything she knew to help. Nothing worked. Then she told me about you. She said she might not come back.

Mirthean's eyes watered, and a tear dropped onto the pad.

"You really loved her, didn't you?" 47 genuinely felt bad for the boy.

Yes. She was always there for me. But I could only speak when she was around. I couldn't hurt her. She had to go and fight something away. Mom was a protector.

"Every mom is," 47 told him. "Especially around their own kids."

No, Mirthrean said. You don't understand. She was everyone's protector. Mom protected everyone.

This made 47 curious. "What did your mom say about me before she left?" he secretly turned on his visual camera, allowing Diana to see what Mirthrean wrote.

Mom told me that you always try to do right, but in the wrong way. She said that you would protect me, and stay by my side. She also said that you were lost, and you need to find your way back.

After reading that, the agent was concerned. What the hell did this mean?

"My way back from what?"

Matt positioned himself to where 47 couldn't see his pad. But after he was done, he showed it to the agent.

Your way back to humanity.