The Prince's Assassin

Chapter One

I calm my breathing.

The cold night air fills my lungs.

I pull my black neck-sleeve up so it sits across the bridge of my nose and under my eyes. I adjust my hidden blade under my wrist and quickly scan the area. I jump up and grab onto the window seal on the second floor of the house.

I silently crawl through the window and stand instantly on my feet in the dark hallway. The deep sound of men laughing flows up the stairs.

This should be fun.

I creep across the landing to the staircase and peer down. I can just see the backs of two men, seated at a circular table. Cigarette smoke fills the space around them, accompanied by the familiar scent of alcohol.

I listen for a moment, trying to figure out approximately how many there are by the different voices I can hear.

I assume about 5 or 6 of them.

I slowly go down the first step, before jumping over the railing and landing without a noise on the wooden floor. I glance around quickly, then swiftly switch across the hallway so my back is against the opposite wall. I keep pressed against it as I move towards the kitchen. They all laugh again, then continue talking in a low murmur.

I count myself in.

3.......

2.......

1.......

In one movement, I flip my body around the corner and release my hidden blades into the necks of the two closest men. They don't even have time to gasp for air before their bodies fall limp in their chairs. The four other men stand and draw handguns from their belts. I flip the table up on its side for momentary cover. I dive roll out in front of it and swipe my leg under one of the men's feet, making him collapse on his side. I jump onto him and wrap both hands around his head, twisting it aggressively until I hear the snap of his neck.

I drop his lifeless body and concentrate on dodging the bullets being fired at me. The three men left, who have terrible aim, run into the next room which looks like a living room. Instead of following right behind them, I go back into the hallway and go in through another entrance, catching them off guard. I run straight at the closest one and leap into the air, stabbing into him with my blade as I come down on top of him.

The two left keep shooting and I somersault across the floor towards them. I knock the guns out of their hands and they slide across the ground. The two men look at each other with worried expressions. I smile under my mask, then side kick one of them in the stomach, launching him onto his back. I strike my hidden blade through the other one's neck without hesitation, then retract it back out with blood dripping from it.

The last man left crawls away from me as I walk towards him.

"No! Please don't kill me!" He begs of his life.

I crouch down over him, bunching his shirt in my hand and holding him close to my face. I stare into his worried eyes, projecting fear into his soul.

"You owe Snake money." I growl.

"That's what this is about?! Please, just give me some more time and I can get the money."

"I wasn't sent here to bargain," I say dimly. "I was sent here to kill."

And I dive my blade into his heart, holding it there a moment longer than needed.

I step away from the mess of dead bodies and turn to the front door, running straight at it and pushing it open. I stand in the driveway of the house, breathing heavily. I flip my black hood over my head and start running.

My feet barely touch the road as I fly past the blur of houses at full speed. I make a sharp turn down a dark ally way and slow to a walk. I pull a key from the pocket on my chest and step over to the black Yamaha motorcycle. I swing my leg over the seat effortlessly before kicking up the stand and revving up the engine.

I adjust the neck-sleeve around my face and narrow my eyes at the road ahead, twisting the throttle to go forward into the night.

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