How to Raise an Assassin

CHAPTER 10: STAGE ONE: GIVE ME MONEY

Thanks to Ash, him and his aunt had Zay-Maps. They somehow injected something inside me that pinged my location at all times. One important asset an assassin uses is concealment. An assassin strikes when you least expect it.

But with a GPS screaming my position at all times, I lost that major asset.

The feeling in my legs had mostly come back to me. I limped alongside Ash as he brought me back to the tattoo parlor where I was tattooed with the symbol of a single locust on my upper right arm. A soothing ointment was layered afterwards, followed by a layer of skin that matched my complexion.

Next came the buzzing noise of the razor and I shooed it away from the barber. "No, I'm not having my hair cut."

Ashton stepped in and tried convincing me otherwise with a smile. "Zay, everyone in the gang has to do this part. It's to distinguish the real members from the fakes."

"Well I'm not everyone, and I can't just show up to my home with no hair on my head. My father will know something is up and he'll get me talking." I sized up Ashton and smirked. "You might've brought me down easily, but I can assure you if he comes after you guys, well, let's just say the Farmer leaves no crops un-reaped."

Ashton's smile faded. Even he has heard of the rumors of how my father, born and raised on a farm, culled his victims. He really did put the reap in Reapers. "Fine, but it's bound to happen sooner or later. Before this process is over, you will have to get your hair shaved and your scalp signed by Auntie."

"Let it happen later rather than sooner," I advised as the barber put away his razor and started tidying up. "Now, what's next?"

"The action," Ashton told me. "Each stage has a ritual and an action. For stage one, you must acquire $5,000 in 24 hours."

My fingers started fidgeting. Acquiring $5,000 in less than a day will be tough even for me, the daughter of an affluent criminal organization that keeps the rich wealthy. How the heck did these people get all that money in a day?

"Robbery," I concluded out loud. "You guys rob your way to $5,000."

Ash shrugged his shoulders. "Depends on the initiate. Some acquire a loan. Others load up their credit cards. Few sell a precious family artifact. But yes," he smiled. "Some rob their way to $5,000 and they target those who have the money."

He grabbed onto my hands and helped me out of the chair as the numbing effects of my legs were still wavering off. I felt like I had sat on the toilet for hours and my legs had fallen into a slumber. I collapsed forward into his arms as he kept me steady. Our faces were inches from each other, and his breath smelled like stale meat. "I'd imagine acquiring the money won't be hard for a girl like you. Now come, I'll walk you to the bus depot."

***

I was surprised that I was somehow on the bus heading back home without blood stained on my hand or conscience. I was sure that along the way to the bus I would've knocked Ash unconscious, maybe cut off his arm and slap him with his own hand, or simply knee him in his rocks until he rolled over dead. The nerve of him to draw me into another gang. I already hated this one.

I also slapped myself for not seeing through his disguise. The minute I understood that he knew I was in a gang and still wanted to be friends with me, I should've cut off the relationship right there. Then again, that was like a couple of days ago. The guy sure does know how to make a quick move on a girl.

For starters, he apparently stalked me to Washington Park after school and found out that I was responsible for the 'Basement Death Brawl' as the media had labeled it. People had watched a little too much Fight Club and took it to an extreme.