We miss on purpose, to keep this game alive

Best Frenemies forever

Ace Williams point of vision:

I shoved some twigs aside as I tried to get through a particularly nasty pieces of undergrowth. I hadn't planned on coming back so soon, but this coworker of mine was bugging me.

He kept insisting that I wasn't good enough for this mission, and that they should have given it to him instead. Well, it's not like I asked for this...

I stopped my useless attempts and stopped dead in my tracks as I spottet a familiar suit.

Slenderman looks into the opposite direction, and seems to be deep in thoughts, or else he would already have noticed me. That's quite weird to be honest... I've never actually managed to surprise him...

This could be my only chance...

I grab one of my knives and aim at his head.

But then, for some really weird reason, I hesitate.

So that's it then? That's the end? I still know nothing about him...

I still don't know where he came from, why he is like he is, why he kills, what the "family" is he's talking about...

Oh right, he has a family...

I wince. A family. I hate killing people with family.
It only brings problems and pain.
What did he say as we first met?

You protected a threat to my family

Has he just been trying to protect his family all along? Is this what this is about?

I take a steady breath and calm my frantic thoughts. It brings no good to think too closely about the person you are supposed to kill.

Person? Since when do I see him as more than a "thing"?

Whatever. I need to kill him, and this may be my best chance. I have to safe lives.

Should I at least announce my presence, so we can fight fair? No, if I fight fair my chances of dying literally skyrocket.

He seems to be pondering about something, deep in thought.
It's now or never
So I grip my knife tighter, steadying my breathing.

If I can hit his head just right.... it seems like he doesn't have a heart, but he sure has a brain as smart as he is.

I fight down my protesting conscience, and aim.

Then I throw the knife. But just as the cold metal slips from my fingers, the uncontrollable urge to take the knife back, to stop the attack causes me to give the knife a last nudge in the wrong direction.

My knife hits a tree three feet away of him making a hollow noise.

Slender turns around really fast, looking livid and ready to kill.

Oh fuck

To my immediate relief he almost seems to relax when he sees me.

"Well hello there.."

"Always nice to meet you sir! I swear I meant to hit that tree, it was totally a part of my evil master plan..."

"Very plausible... but what did it do to you to warrant such harassment? I've always believed trees to be rather peaceful.."

I'm surprised he actually plays along with my stupid banter. Maybe that's a good sign.

"Well, it just kept provoking me with its... treeness...."

"Ah, I see"

He reaches for me with his tendril, but I dodge him.

Is it just my imagination, or is he slower then normal?
I throw a few knifes at him, not really expecting them to hit their mark.