Analysis Complete:
Assassin Profile
Age : 27-29
Origin : Shadow Covenant operative (Confirmed via scarification)
Stage : 4 Blinking Assassin Path
Kill Count : 18 Direct Kills Confirmed with Judgement's Eye
Indicators : Shadow Covenant operatives work exclusively for high-level political or criminal organizations. A 100 GA payment indicates government, military, or major criminal syndicate.
Target Priority : Melissa (Primary), Hiroto (Secondary)
Analysis : The Shadow Covenant has seen history working for Councilman Gerard Thorne. 3 prior cases involving the Shadow Covenant have all been dismissed. He was betting in Ivory Syndicate Territory, indicative of the slip.
Hypothesis : Gerard Thorne used the Ivory Syndicate as an intermediary to hire the Shadow Covenant operative. This provides plausible deniability, if the assassination is traced, it points to the Syndicate.
I stared at the analysis, my mind racing.
"The betting slip." I held it up. "Two days ago, this assassin was in The Slash. That's deep in Ivory Syndicate territory."
"M-my father owes money to them," Melissa finished, her face paling. "You think the Syndicate hired him?"
"I think Gerard used the Syndicate as a middleman. Gerard has a history with Shadow Covenant operatives. Public record shows three incidents where they were connected. He pays the Syndicate to hire the Covenant."
"If he succeeds, it's practically untraceable.. Gerard is clean, the syndicate takes the heat." Melissa said.
"But since he didn't.." I grin.
"Although this man was probably not entirely here by choice." I muttered.
"He was compelled because of his family. 100 Golden Argentums isn't just his payment, it was the escape money. He was going to take his family and flee." Melissa's face darkened.
"And now he's dead." Her voice was soft. "And his family…"
"Is probably already being hunted by the Covenant."
We stood in silence, the realization settling in.
The assassin hadn't been evil. He was just someone who had no other choice.
Although excuses don't excuse sins its…
I killed him. Was that justice? Was it survival of the fittest?
Every choice is just made in a shade of gray..
Maybe I can-
"You're thinking of saving them, right? Melissa said suddenly.
"What?"
"The family. You're already planning on how to find them. How to protect them." She paused. "I've seen that same look before. My father makes the same face."
I didn't deny it.
"You won't be able to do anything anyways. You're only stage one, essence drained, your eye is bleeding for God sake!" She berated me.
I ignored her, mentally resolving myself to do anything I can.
"Let's go. Now." I started gathering all the "evidence" I could carry. "This location is completely compromised. We can't stay here. Whoever sent him will know he failed."
"Where do we go?"
"Somewhere where they can't attack us recklessly." I pocketed the contact card, photo, and the cash. "And we need to find out who's really behind this."
"And the family?" Melissa looked at the photo in my hand.
I looked at it again. The woman's smile. The boy's laughter. I felt sharp pang in my heart.
"I have to survive first. I'll save who I can." I met Melissa's eyes.
"You are quite unusual, Hiroto Takatana."
"So I've been told."
I moved toward the door, every muscle in my body protesting. My essence was depleted. My eye is still recovering from the residual pain from Judgement's Eye.
I had no weapon, limited options, and they were moving in.
But at least we lived.
And I had a boatload of leads!
A sound outside the building. Footsteps.
We both froze.
Voices drifted up from the alley below, muffled but audible.
"..confirmed. Second floor…"
"...two heat signatures… One stationary…"
"...authorization to engage…"
More assassins.
I looked at Melissa. She looked at me, her face paling.
"Back exit?" I whispered.
"Blocked. There are lockdown wards, they sealed all the exits."
"You can't.. Deactivate them?"
"It'll take far too long, it'll be too late by then."
"Windows?"
"Its a three-story drop onto concrete. You'd probably shatter your spine."
The footsteps were getting closer. We had probably ten seconds til they reached us.
I had no weapon or essence.
Melissa had her crossbow and probably not too much essence.
I don't think we stand a chance in a face to face confrontation.
I pulled Melissa back from the door, thinking frantically.
"When they breach that door," I said quietly, "what's your strongest area-denial skill?"
"It's…" She paused to think. "Thorn Barrier. It creates a wall of thorns for about 30 seconds."
"Can you cast it in the doorway?"
"Yes, but.."
"Okay then do it. I'll figure out the rest from there.. Probably." Although I said that last part more quietly. I was confident.
Probably.
She sighed and nodded.
"If we die here, I'll curse you in the afterlife."
"I have enough people who have done that already." I sighed.
The footsteps reached the top of the stairs. Right outside the door.
"On my mark," I whispered.
Melissa raised her crossbow, aiming at the wall to our left.
The door handle turned.
"Breach in three—"
"—two—"
"—one—"
The door exploded inward, blown off its hinges by a blast of Essence.
Three figures stormed in, weapons raised—
"NOW!"
Melissa fired at the doorway.
A glowing seed shot from her crossbow and detonated mid-air.
WHOOOM!
Massive thorny vines erupted from the floor, ceiling, and walls, filling the entire doorway with a writhing mass of razor-sharp barbs. The barrier grew so thick it completely blocked the entrance.
Screams came from the other side as the attackers ran into the thorns.
"Thirty seconds!" Melissa shouted.
"SHOOT A BIG ARROW AT THE WALL!"
I shouted.
She spun and fired her largest arrow yet at the wall.
BOOM!
The impact was like a bomb going off. The wall exploded outward in a shower of brick and plaster.
A hole three feet wide opened up, revealing the abandoned building next door.
Phew, so it was there!
"Go!" I pushed Melissa toward the hole.
She jumped through without hesitation.
I followed, diving through the opening just as the Thorn Barrier behind us began to wither.
We hit the floor of the abandoned building hard. Rolled. I came running.
Behind us, shouts of anger.
"They're escaping!"
"Bring down the barrier!"
"Follow them!"
We sprinted through the abandoned building, a former apartment complex, empty and decaying. Melissa led, her Stage 4 speed far superior to mine.
I pushed my Stage 1 body as hard as it would go, ignoring the burning in my lungs.
Down a hallway. Down a flight of stairs. Through a broken door.
Out into an alley on the opposite side of the building.
"This way!" Melissa grabbed my arm and pulled me left.
We ran through the maze of Vermillion District back alleys. Left, right, through a narrow gap between buildings, over a fence.
After five minutes of all-out sprinting, we finally stopped in a covered alcove, both gasping for air.
I listened for pursuit.
Nothing. We'd lost them. For now.
Then I saw her expression.
She was staring past me, eyes wide.
I turned slowly.
A figure stood at the entrance to the alcove, backlit by the neon lights of the district.
Tall. Hooded. Stage marking visible on their wrist even at this distance.
Stage 6.
Ah shit..