"Promises are just sweet little lies made to be broken."

A man peered through the sights of his sleek, black gun. He stayed still, so still that he might not have been breathing if it hadn't been for the necessity for oxygen. He watched the two targets from a building top, silently observing for an opportunity to shoot. It had been like this for days now. But the Master of the pet they were targeting had yet to let down his guard, had yet to leave his pet alone.

"Have you got him yet?"

The impatient voice made him flinch in surprise, the alien tech secured tightly around his throat burning as the presence of his own master swirled around him.

"No master, there hasn't been-"

"How useless." The disappointed scorn in the voice made him let out a whimper of fear.

He didn't know what his master would do to him if he received the news badly.

"If you bring him in today, maybe I'll let you off with only two dismembered limbs. I'll even let you choose between whether or not you want to keep your arms or legs." A slight pause in the musing, "Or maybe one leg and one arm?"

He shivered, the gun in his hand beginning to shake as his hands trembled.

"Don't miss, bitch, or else I'll feed you to the mermen."

His body slumped as the burning in his collar stopped, the presence leaving him quivering in both relief and dread. Reaching out with the connection he was gifted for this mission, he spoke to his team mates, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice.

"There's an opportunity. Enter the room in three..." He aimed, concentrating on the spot on the bronze neck where he would shoot, "Two..." 

He took a deep breath.

"One..."

He checked his aim, then pulled the trigger. The bullet hit the mark perfectly.

"NOW!"

Immediately, he saw the doors burst open, and he watched as his team members wielded their bats with perfect precision, the illegal alien tech was invisible to normal eyes, but to those who already knew it was there, they could see it as clear as day. 

Their target could not see the weapons. He stood no chance against them, black bruises beginning to flower as they beat him unconscious. They could have treated the silver haired boy nicer, they could have knocked him out in one blow. But they were angry. Angry that such a slave had given them so much trouble.

The boy fell and his team mates collected the body. Briefly, as they turned, the sniper and the collector made eye contact. The alien raised a hand to his heart in a silent salute. He returned the gesture before using his free hand to brush against the collar that connected him to his master.

"We have retrieved the target, Master."

He could feel the cruel smile through the collar.

"Good job. Return him to me, and as promised, I will set you free."