Icy Blue Fire (An Assassin Story)

Gentle Torn Heart

Thankfully, when Arashi came back, 04 acted as if nothing happened between them. The only proof  of last night's incident was the sharp ache in the area of his ribcage. He made a mental note to visit the hospital later for an x-ray.

04 reverted to his crazy, good-humored self while he told Arashi the fake background he made up for him.

In school, he would pretend to be an exchange student in the only senior class of Academia de La Consolacion. His make-up family was connected to the Emperor of Japan, and thus, he was privileged to attend the school built in order to protect while educating the daughters and sons of the richest and most powerful people in the whole world. 

Trust Faye to choose a school that would prevent the paparazzi from sniffing her scent.

"Remember, Hanade. Your job is to look after our target. You may include the girl, but please, prioritize Jared," 04 told him the morning before he started his first class. It was the closest breach he made on the taboo subject. "If you don't cooperate, I'll tell the Master to pull you out."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me."

Arashi wanted to punch him again.

04 gave him a sour look. "You know how important this mission is. Falcon is too dangerous to be dealt with half-heartedly. I can't track him if you refuse to guard his prey. I only have one pair of eyes, you pipsqueak. The Master will be disappointed if we fail this, you know."

04 was making sense. It must be the end of the world.

"Shut up," he muttered lamely.

04 placed a set of gadgets on the breakfast table. "Here's the earpiece for your left ear. I will give you update on an hourly basis. Here's your new hand phone. My current number is on speed dial one. This is a bottle of chloroform if you ever need it. I have a gas mask for you too. Also, leave your gun and your knives here. The academy has installed a metal detector. I believe your Gift is enough to protect Jared as long as he's within your range."

"You're really prepared."

"What are you saying? Don't underestimate me. I'm 04, need I remind you."

Arashi wore the ear piece and hid it with his hair. 

"Here you go buddy." 04 handed him a bag pack. It was filled with books and notebooks and pen, and what do you know. A set of small cameras to plant around school. "Have a nice day, and promise me, behave!"

Arashi playfully hit him in the head.

The excitement faded the moment he entered school.

"What a sad-looking sky," he muttered. The clouds were grayish, as if it was about to rain, and the smell in the wind was that of near decay.

04 sent him out two hours too early for class. Arashi already had his class schedule, and he was done scouting the entire campus proper within the first thirty minutes. Without attracting anyone's suspicion, he had managed to place five cameras in the senior’s room, the hallways and the cafeteria. He still had three to go, but he wanted to study Jared Hudson's movement first so that he could strategize how to place the rest. 

Truth be told, he was edgy. This was his first time attending a school ever since he left Japan. He had learned enough to get him a degree in college, but he had never been in a formal learning center with kids of his age. In the headquarters, he trained with agents of different ages, mostly older than him. There were different stages for self-development: mental, physical, psychological, emotional and the most important, the Gift-side.