For the past days, Daiyu internally struggled with the thought that she killed with emptiness. Is it a good thing to kill without sympathy? she wondered. Does that make me a cold killer? She remembered the first time she killed her mother's murderer. Even though she had rightfully got revenge, she had felt immoral. Now, it was different since she was older. She didn't have any nightmares of Slane or the little girl she killed. She couldn't feel any sadness—killing the toddler was compatible to killing a fly. Everyone had become the same in her sight.
After two days of her first assignment, Daiyu managed to ask Itzal about his first mission.
"My first mission?" Itzal thought out loud. "My first mission was assigned by an outsider of the gang. Remember I told you that the leader that killed my parents?"
Daiyu nodded slowly. She wondered how the man could speak of his parents so casually. Although the girl got over of her mother, speaking of her out loud still caused her discomfort.
"He took me in—Longwei was his name. I didn't have much hate towards him, but I didn't like him either. He was like a neighbor that you would pass by." Itzal paused for a seconds and continued. "He was never interested in me but my abilities. I was not getting paid the right amount for my assassinations because he took more than half of my reward. The outsider, Waning Crescent, noticed this unfairness. He had a political rivalry with Longwei for years and wanted me to join his alliance. He told me if I assassinated my mentor for him, I would get treated with more respect."
Daiyu widened her eyes. "Did you accept his offer?"
Itzal nodded. "Waning Crescent kept his word. After I killed Longwei, Waning Crescent introduced me to Corrigere in the United States."
"Is he still alive?"
Itzal reached for his pack of cigarettes on his desk. Opening it, he realized he had run out. "No… he died."
The girl was about to ask how he died, but she closed her mouth. Guilt crawled on her for asking too many questions. As silence passed between them, Itzal folded his hands and waited for the girl to continue asking any more questions. His dark brown eyes softened as he gazed questioningly at her. Feeling a bit more comfortable, Daiyu thought hard about one more question she would ask him. She had been wondering about it for some time since she was a child.
"What… what were your parents like?" Daiyu asked with hesitation. She hoped it was the right type of question to ask.
Wincing, Itzal's face darkened into a scowl. Daiyu nearly flinched at his sudden reaction and wished she never asked him the question. It was the first time the man let the shadow of his past paint his face. Such solemn expression gave hint to the deep layers of the mask he wore. Realizing the discomfort on Daiyu's face, Itzal blinked hard and relaxed his facial muscles. He looked at Daiyu earnestly and slightly frowned. "When I think of them, I never view them as parents. My ba would usually beat me whenever he was drunk with frustration because we were poor. Even if my ma had a job, the money she earned was not enough, so she spent her life working endlessly. It often happened when my ba became a lazy bastard and decided not to work. It contributed less money to pay for our home's rent, so my ma had to whore herself to make enough money."
Faint sadness and a mixture of anger lingered in Itzal's dark brown eyes. They faded away slowly like the end of a calming storm. Composing himself back in a cool manner, he asked monotonically, "Are you satisfied?"
Daiyu flushed and didn't reply. Perhaps Itzal had been waiting for her to question him.
~~~
Daiyu was dissembling her Glock 26 on her bed when Itzal tapped on her door. Startled at his sudden presence, the girl turned around and placed her gun down. It had been a few times that Itzal approached her in her bedroom.
"I won't be here for a week and a half," Itzal said as he stood by the door. "I'm going to send you off tomorrow to live with Cassidy and Indigo until I return."
Living with… Indigo? Jumping to her feet, the girl stared bewilderingly at him. "What? Why?" She demanded an answer. There was no absolutely no way she wanted to be stuck with the boy. She didn't want to be glared at for a whole week and a half. It would be miserable.
Itzal stared seriously at Daiyu before answering. "I have to attend the Corrigere meeting in Maine. I know you haven't formed good relations with Indigo yet, but for now, the best you can do is just ignore him until he matures."
"Until he matures?" the girl retorted bitterly. I doubt he ever will. "Why do I even have to work with him?" Ever since the last assignment, Daiyu couldn't stand working with Indigo. He always watched questioning every inch of her capacity. He underestimated her just because she was a girl and grew jealous whenever she became a beneficial catalyst.
"He's the only assassin we know of your age that is still a beginner. Besides, it helps to complete the first couple of your assignments with a partner… it will help you get used to group work."
Daiyu sighed heavily. Although Itzal did make a point, she still didn't want to be near Indigo. "Why does the meeting have to be so long?" she muttered.
Itzal gazed at the window across the room. The sun was retiring leaving soft orange-pink trails in the sky. "It takes time to travel to Maine by car. Don't worry, I'll be back soon."
Giving up, Daiyu collapsed on the bed. It was the first time that Itzal had to go somewhere far away to the meeting. At most, the Corrigere meetings he usually attended only took up a whole day. Now that the man was sending her away for more than a week, Daiyu was not used to the idea of being away from the cabin. Fingering her gun's rubber grip, she asked, "Can't I come with you?"
Itzal sighed. "You can't. The meeting is only reserved for me and a few members."
Daiyu grimaced and half-heartedly continued to dissemble her gun.
Before Itzal ended the conversation, he said drawing the girl's attention, "Don't be surprised if you get another assignment from Red Scarf, so don't turn it down."
Nodding obediently, Daiyu watched as the retired assassin left her room. She sighed heavily once again and dragged her eyes toward the closet. She better start packing now.
~~~
Cassidy and Indigo resided in a grand, two-story, white house with dark gray roofs in the woods of Pennsylvania. Daiyu felt a shiver stir her mind as she remained staring at the large house. It reminded her much of Slane's house except there were gates. Itzal pulled the car beside the entrance of the low black gates that stretched on the acres of grass. They were soon replaced by brick walls that cornered the house's territory.
"If anything happens," Itzal said turning to face Daiyu, "call me." Fixing her gaze on his unreadable dark eyes, Daiyu realized Itzal's face was clean-shaven which exposed his strong jaws lines. His fading blond-dyed goatee was also trimmed short for the meeting.
With a nod, the girl, whose plaid messenger bag was slung on her shoulder, stepped out of the car with her light suitcase. She said her farewells and slammed the car's door. She felt a slight heavy ache in her chest as she reluctantly treaded to the gate. She could already feel homesickness dwelling in her mind. A brisk breeze broke her glumness by her making her sneeze.
When she approached the house's door, she took a deep breath before pressing the doorbell. Cassidy appeared seconds later. He was wearing a gray turtleneck and fitting pants.
"Good afternoon, Daiyu," he greeted with a toothy smile. The sunlight caught his white teeth.
"Good afternoon, Cassidy."
"It's good to see you again," he said as he took her suitcase. Daiyu took one last look outside, but Itzal was already gone. Sighing in her mind, she closed the door. The girl removed her boots and unzipped her winter jacket for the man to hang.
Following Cassidy behind on the ornate red carpet, Daiyu entered the living room. There were several pieces of lavish furniture and framed paintings on the wall. The living room was connected to the dining room where a glistening chandelier hung above. The dozens of crystal prisms fascinated the girl. The house was vastly different from the humble cabin she lived in.
"Indigo!" Cassidy called by the staircase. "Daiyu is here."
It took several minutes for the boy to show himself in the top of the staircase. He was wearing a blue sweater and loose jeans. Daiyu tried not to glower at his cold brown eyes.
Indigo flicked his hand to wave 'hello', though it was more of a force from Cassidy whom was eyeing him impatiently. Daiyu grimaced as she waved her hand in return. The two remained staring at each other regrettably across the stairs in awkward silence.
Cassidy broke the tension. "Daiyu," he whispered to her, "if he bothers you, let me know."
Daiyu politely laughed it off. "I'll be fine."
Indigo remained quiet as he stepped aside for Cassidy and Daiyu to get through. Following Cassidy as he led her to her room, she could feel Indigo eyeing her back like a vulture. Sheesh… the girl thought wryly.
It's not like I'm going to steal anything from his room….
The dim guestroom was much bigger than her bedroom at home. The bed's blanket matched the red carpet, and there was a large window in the end of the room. Cassidy placed her suitcase down and went over to the window to tie back the burgundy curtains. The sunlight seeped into the dark room bringing color.
"Ah, much better." Pointing at the drawer across the bed, Cassidy said, "You can put your clothes in the drawer. Unpack your things for now. If you need anything else, I'll be downstairs."
Daiyu nodded, and he left the room. She laid her messenger bag by the bedpost and bent down to open her suitcase. There was not much she packed—just enough clothes that would last for more than a week, a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, and cleaning supplies for her gun. After she shoved everything in the drawer, she explored the room to be familiar with it.
The window had a view of the maze-like woodland. Below was what appeared to be a training area that resembled that of the cabin's. Daiyu was familiar with the littered cans and bottles used for plinking and the long-range dummies that stood like marching soldiers in a row. It was quite large that it was possible that the training area was not limited to the cousins.
After Daiyu's curiosity was satisfied, she headed downstairs to meet Cassidy. The smell of creamy hot cocoa welcomed her by the bottom of the stairs. It was so deliciously strong that it almost hypnotized all her senses. She hadn't had anything flavored in chocolate since she lived with Itzal. The man was a health freak when it came to beverages and food, so all she ever ate were things that were considered 'healthy'.
Indigo was seated in a chair with a mug of hot cocoa in the dining room. Taking one last sip, he quickly got up once Daiyu entered and went to drink in the living room. Ignoring him, Daiyu went to look for Cassidy in the kitchen.
Cassidy was brewing hot cocoa in the counter. He heard her coming in and gave her the hot mug of cocoa. "Here's some hot chocolate," he said. Thanking Cassidy, Daiyu gently took it from him and sat down by the table. "Would you like to eat a sandwich? It's vegetarian."
Daiyu arched her eyebrows curiously. "Vegetarian?"
Cassidy nodded. "Indigo and I aren't vegetarians, but there are times when we don't eat meat." He returned with two plates of sandwiches and an extra mug of hot cocoa. "Don't worry though, we'll be having meat tonight," he added winking.
Daiyu smiled as Cassidy sat down across from her. She wouldn't really mind actually. It was interesting that they didn't always eat meat. While they were eating lunch, Cassidy asked her how the car ride was and other casual questions. His open nature enabled the girl to answer him comfortably and ask questions in return.
"So, Itzal won't be—" Cassidy's cell phone vibrated in his pocket, and he took it out. "Sorry about that," he said getting up to answer the call. Daiyu nodded understandingly and finished eating her sandwich. "Hello?"
Daiyu watched Cassidy as he talked on the phone. His calm face melted in surprise and then relaxed back in its normal posture. Eavesdropping, the girl tried to make out bits of the conversation.
"Another assignment?"
An assignment? Daiyu clutched her mug tightly and yelped from the burn. She earned a stare from the man, and she scolded herself for her unconscious actions. Thoughts returning to the conversation, Daiyu assumed it referred to her and Indigo.
"And the reward is an $8,000 split? All right, I'll ask her if she wants to do it… I'll see you tomorrow then. Goodbye."
"Who was that?" Daiyu questioned although she assumed it was Red Scarf.
Cassidy slipped the cell phone back inside his pocket. "Red Scarf. He has another assignment that he wants you and Indigo to do. Are you interested?"
Daiyu nodded. It wasn't really considered an option since Itzal expected her to accept the following tasks. "Who are we supposed to assassinate?"
"He didn't say, but we'll be finding out tomorrow. The award is $8,000, but since you'll be working with Indigo again, both of you will get $4,000 each. This person is worth a lot more than Slane." Sitting down, Cassidy took a sip of cocoa which had cooled down. "Curious question, Daiyu," he asked, "can you show me your gun?"
"Sure," Daiyu replied a bit confused, "does it have to do with the next assignment?"
Cassidy chuckled. "Nope, I'm just curious about your gun. I'll show you my collection of firearms in return. What do you say?"
Daiyu's face stretched into wide smile. "Okay."
Cassidy grinned. Getting up, he added, "Meanwhile, I'm going to tell Indigo and Itzal about the news. Anything you want to tell Itzal when I call him?"
Daiyu pondered for a moment. A smirk appeared momentarily on her lips. "Tell him to buy cocoa powder when he returns."
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