For two days, Daiyu spied on Hayward's routine. He usually woke up at 6 AM and retired to bed at 10 PM. In the morning, he went out to golf and returned in noon to sunbathe in his backyard with two bodyguards watching over him. Hayward had been enjoying his unproductive leisurely days, completely unaware of being watched by the assassin. Tonight would be his last day enjoying his life.
Daiyu waited until the last lights were turned off on the first floor. Sprinting quietly to the back of the mansion, she dodged trees and camouflaged herself in the darkness in her black clothes. She specifically chose to wear a black tank top, baggy pants, and combat boots to aid her performance. She caught her breath by the time she arrived in the back of the mansion and eyed between the tall fence and the large tree beside her.
The assassin had been studying that tree for a few days and came to conclusion that it was good for climbing. Its branches protruded from the trunk, making it as a substitute for a ladder. Jumping up, Daiyu grabbed the first branch and kicked her legs against the trunk, pulling herself up on the first branch. She climbed on to the next few branches until she came to the branch as high as the wrought iron fence. The arching thick branch reached over the fence, making it perfect as a bridge to the other side.
Crawling on the thick branch cautiously, Daiyu could feel her weight leaning against the firm branch. She took a breath before swooping her body down to the ground, crouching in a position that lessened the impact of her fall. Quickly, she sprinted toward the mansion, ducking low behind the windows. The assassin made her way carefully to the front of the mansion where the door was. Drawing a deep breath, she loaded her gun and pressed the doorbell. Running toward the right side, she kept herself low waiting to knock out the first guard.
The door opened seconds later revealing a guard. He stepped out, confused for he was expecting a visitor. Right when he was about to turn to his side, Daiyu knocked him out with the butt of her gun. Slamming down heavily to the floor, the guard lay unconscious. The assassin held her breath to hear the next voices.
"Michael?" a voice called out. "What—"
Daiyu clutched her gun tightly, nearing close to the door. A shot startled Daiyu, making her jump.
Was that another gunshot? It was distant—not on the same floor.
"Shit!" the voice cursed. Footsteps ran to the other side of the mansion, forcing Daiyu to peer through the door.
The main entrance was empty. The guard had run up the stairs probably to Hayward. But whose gunshot did that belong? Was there another assassin in the mansion after Hayward? Daiyu wiped the sweat off her forehead; she was confused. Clove mentioned a Canadian assassin whom originally took the assignment but turned it down.
Could it be her? Daiyu wondered. She turned it down however. It was probably another assassin not from Corrigere but from another company.
Carefully heading upstairs, Daiyu kept her gun close to her chest. Another gunshot rang out from the hallway. Was it the guard that fell? Or the other 'assassin'? Adrenaline pumped toward Daiyu's heart. She did not feel ease about the current situation, not knowing who could be upstairs that was equally dangerous as her if the assassin was not from her company.
Freezing her movement, Daiyu found the dead guard at the end of the hallway where Hayward's bedroom probably was. Blood pooled around his body, soaking up the embroidered carpet. She carefully walked around the body, making sure her footsteps were quiet. She held her breath as she approached the door.
Stepping in front of the door, Daiyu withdrew her gun pointing it toward the room.
In the distance by the large windowsill was a young woman staring back at her with calm green eyes. Her black bangs formed a perfect cut midway of her arching eyebrows, and her hair fell past her shoulders. By her feet was Hayward lying lifelessly on the ground surrounded by his own pool of blood. The woman was holding her gun, but she did not point it toward Daiyu.
The mysterious woman grinned at Daiyu and leaped out of the window.
Daiyu jolted toward the window, staring down where the woman had landed. The woman had escaped the window from the hanging rope. Daiyu's eyes never left the young woman who disappeared into the vegetation. The only question that was left hanging at the end of her mouth was: who is she?
~~~
Daiyu immediately left the site, driving home back to Itzal. She was confused yet angry that her job was taken away by another assassin. She had wasted her time spying on Hayward only to find out that another assassin got to him.
The cellphone almost slipped from the assassin's hand as she dialed Clove's number. Clove picked up a few seconds later.
"I greatly apologize," Clove's voice immediately began. "I did not know that Aikaterine was spontaneously going to take her task back."
"Aikaterine?" Daiyu asked. "Is she that Canadian assassin?"
"Yes, she is," Clove answered. "She put off her task of killing Hayward, but somehow decided to take it back. I am greatly sorry if it caused so much trouble. I will speak with her soon to discuss her reasons for this."
Daiyu sighed, turning off her phone.
Aikaterine never left her head, almost haunting her as she recalled the memory of her leaping out the window. How did she get to Hayward before she did? She had been spying on him for days and did not see her around. It would been obvious to know that she was not the only assassin after him during the spying. Daiyu had so many questions, but perhaps Itzal knew about Aikaterine too since she was part of the company.
Someone I have never met, Daiyu thought. Female assassins were rare to encounter.
As Daiyu pulled up in the driveway, Itzal greeted her.
"Have things gone wrong?" he asked, noticing the unhappy expression plastered on Daiyu's face.
"Well, Hayward is dead," Daiyu replied, "but I did not kill him."
Itzal stared hard at her, almost disbelieving her. "Who did?"
"Aikaterine."
Itzal's expression turned cold. "I thought she turned down the offer."
Daiyu shrugged, getting out of the car. "Maybe she decided she wanted the money again."
"She definitely cannot be paid," Itzal replied with a growl. "The contract was finalized between you and Clove. She would know that she would not get paid $60,000 for taking back an assassination she turned down."
"She probably knew about that," Daiyu responded, "and had her own intentions." She recalled Clove mentioning that Aikaterine originally turned down the offer because she had some issues. What were they?
"Do you know who Aikaterine is?" Daiyu asked. "Clove said she's Canadian."
"She is a fine assassin that usually works upstate New York and Toronto area," Itzal answered. "She is from Quebec, born half Thai and French. She's about your age but a few years older—twenty years old I believe."
Daiyu nodded, absorbing the information about the Canadian assassin.
An assassin around my age, Daiyu contemplated. She remembered Indigo whom she used to work with when she was ten years old. The twelve year old boy underestimated her as an assassin at first but then grew to respect her after he worked with her.
"Clove will work out the details after she speaks with Aikaterine," Itzal said as he unlocked the cabin door. "If you do not get the $60,000, I will speak to her myself."
Daiyu followed Itzal inside the cabin. Although she wanted the money, her mind could not stop thinking about Aikaterine and what her intentions were for taking back her assignment.
~~~
Aikaterine sighed heavily, dipping herself deeply in the tub. The foamy bubbles emerged closer to her face, touching her pale thin cheeks. Although her black hair was tied into a bun to keep it from getting wet, it was already getting soaked from the bath. The wash after an assassination was always part of her daily ritual. The steam enveloped her mind that was heavily recalling her day.
The image of the Asian assassin pointing her gun at her replayed in her mind. She was young too, possibly around her age. Her shoulder-length black hair matched her black attire—tanktop, pants, and boots. Black must had been her signature color while red was hers.
She must be the assassin who took over my task, Aikaterine thought.
My apologies to her.
The vibration of a phone disturbed Aikaterine's thoughts. Her arm reached for the phone placed on the table by the tub.
"Aikaterine," Clove's sharp voice addressed coldly. "Because you declined the offer, you will not be getting paid for Hayward."
"I understand that," Aikaterine replied. "I killed him because today is the last day I will be working for Corrigere."
The other line grew silent.
"So you decided to break the rules knowing that you will get fired instead of reporting you are quitting Corrigere?"
"I wanted to finish my task," Aikaterine answered.
"You could've notified me before being impulsive," Clove remarked, sighing. "Well, good luck to your future."
"You too—" Aikaterine was cut off as Clove hung up on her.
Aikaterine resumed her bath, soaking herself deeper in the tub. She would need to tell her mentor very soon about her decision.
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