BOOM!!
The explosion still echoed in my ears, but it wasn't just sound—it was a reality check.
My name is Henry Rhodes. For as long as I can remember, there was only one person I truly trusted in this world. One person I could always rely on: Mrs. Lina. A caretaker, a mother, and the heart of my new family after the tragedy of losing my parents.
She had filled a void I thought could never be filled, and because of that, there wasn't anything I wouldn't do for her. I'd face any danger, endure any pain, betray no one. For her, I could risk it all.
And yet—here I was.
I was falling. Not metaphorically. Literally falling from a plane that had just exploded behind me. The wind tore at my clothes, the roar of the world twisting and bending around me, and my mind screamed in disbelief.
"Okay… Henry, you need to calm down," I muttered to myself, though I had no idea how that was going to help. "Falling from a plane… expecting to survive… that's a bit—MUUUCH."
Yeah. That really was a bit much.
But you probably don't understand. So, let's backtrack a little.
Earlier that day, the air in the house had been thick with tension and confusion.
"What do you mean by attending university? And how does that help you?" I asked, my voice sharp with confusion. My heart still pounded from everything I'd learned, and my eyes were wide, trying to take in the stern, unreadable figure of Mrs. Lina. "Also… what is BITE?"
"Huh? Henry is going to BITE?" A familiar voice called from the doorway.
I turned.
Miss Mary. Of course. She strolled into the room like she owned the place, wearing nothing but a bra and panties, a cigarette loosely balanced between her fingers.
"Oh my gosh! Miss Mary! Why are you dressed like that?" I shouted, covering my eyes instinctively. The sudden, inappropriate exposure shocked me into silence for a moment.
Mrs. Lina's gentle voice cut through, but it carried a scolding tone I wasn't used to hearing. "Mary, what are you doing? And in front of Henry, no less?"
"No need to worry, Mom," Miss Mary replied with a playful grin. "He's just a kid." Her tone, as usual, was teasing, but the words did little to calm my shock.
Mrs. Lina's eyes narrowed slightly. "Lina, what have I said about cigarettes in this room?"
The weight of that one sentence made Miss Mary pull her cigarette away immediately, her playful demeanor replaced with a sudden, almost robotic compliance. "Sorry, Mom," she murmured.
I lowered my hands slowly, blinking in disbelief. That was Miss Mary—the same one who always joked, laughed, and teased everyone around her—bowing almost obediently before Mrs. Lina. By the time she stepped back, she had changed into a brown T-shirt, looking a little more… normal.
"Now," she said, turning to me with an unreadable expression, "what's all this about Henry and BITE?"
I glanced at Mrs. Lina, still trying to process everything. "BITE? What is BITE?" I asked, honestly baffled.
"Huh, really? Guess I got here just in time," Miss Mary said with a grin, the mood in the room shifting slightly with her energy. "I've got this one, Mom," she added, enthusiasm dripping from her every word.
I raised an eyebrow. "Go on, then," I muttered, curiosity pulling me forward despite my confusion.
Miss Mary practically glowed as she launched into her explanation. "BITE—the Black Institute of Tactical Elimination—is a university that trains assassins."
I blinked. Hard.
"You're joking," I said, my voice flat, unsure whether to be impressed, terrified, or both.
Miss Mary shook her head with a proud grin. "Nope. Isn't that amazing?"
I frowned, trying to digest the concept. A college… for assassins. A place where lives were put on the line every day in the name of education. And for some reason, it sounded… incredible.
"It actually is," I admitted, despite myself.
Miss Mary's face lit up, her energy infectious. "I know, right? Unfortunately, I never attended. Mom did, though."
I turned sharply toward Mrs. Lina, intrigued. "Really?"
She didn't smile. Didn't even soften. Her expression remained stern, almost cold. "BITE is a warzone. A place where every second is a test of survival. Where the weak don't last long."
My heart rate jumped. "R… really?"
Miss Mary shrugged, her curiosity genuine. "I don't think it's that bad, but I never went, so…"
I leaned forward. "Why didn't you go? You seem to admire it so much."
She hesitated, then paused, her voice faltering for just a moment. And then… I saw it. The glare. The murderous glare Mrs. Lina could summon with a single look. It filled the room like a storm cloud, dark and suffocating.
"You know what, Henry? I think it's time I left," Miss Mary said sharply, standing. Fear, real fear, flashed across her face—a look I'd never seen before.
Was it because of Mrs. Lina? What had she done? The questions swarmed my mind, but before I could voice them, Miss Mary was gone.
Silence fell. Absolute.
"Alright, Henry," Mrs. Lina said, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife, "let's continue."
I forced myself to focus. "Of course… so… why am I going to an academy for assassins?" I asked, my tone trying to mask my nerves, though I knew it was failing.
Mrs. Lina's expression remained stern, unreadable. "Like I said before, I don't know who placed this bounty on my head. Removing it won't be simple." She rifled through the messy stacks of papers on the desk. "And as you are now… you're a liability."
The word hit me like a physical blow. "A liability?" I snapped, standing, my anger flaring. "You said I could help! I can help!" My voice trembled, desperate. Even after everything, I was willing to throw myself into danger for her.
"Yes," she said coldly. "But you're not strong enough to defend yourself if attacked."
Memories of yesterday's fight surged into my mind—the man, impossibly fast, punching me through a wall. I clutched my head, pain stabbing through my skull. She was right. Without Miss Mary's intervention, I'd have been dead. The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth. I'd survived, but only barely. I felt pathetic.
"That's why I'm killing two birds with one stone," she said finally, pulling a single document from the pile and handing it to me. At the top, bold letters screamed: BITE Admission Form.
"You're going to BITE," she said, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder, "so you can learn to kill… and help me investigate."
A warmth I hadn't felt in hours—or maybe days—flooded through me. That familiar, motherly glow, the one that had comforted me countless times before, made my chest swell. Without thinking, I allowed a small smile to tug at my lips.
But then reality hit. "Wait… what am I investigating?" I asked, a twinge of concern creeping in.
"The AAO," she said simply. "And whoever placed the bounty on my head. I need someone to cover for me when I can't be there. That's where you come in."
My mind raced. "What about the kids?" My voice cracked as worry surged up, protective instincts taking over.
"Don't worry," she said, with another gentle smile, easing the tension. "Mary and Willam will take care of things here."
I exhaled slowly, determination hardening in my chest. This wasn't just about survival anymore. It wasn't just about me. It was about protecting Mrs. Lina, protecting everyone she cared about, and uncovering the truth behind the bounty, the AAO, and all the shadows that stretched across our lives.
I glanced down at the admission form again. My heart pounded. This was my chance, my path forward. And I would follow it, no matter what it demanded.
For the first time in a long while, I felt a clarity I hadn't known since my parents' death. I had a purpose. A goal. A fire burning inside me, stronger than fear, stronger than doubt. And I would see it through to the end.
I was going to BITE.
I was going to survive.
And I was going to fight.