Chapter Two

Back at the apartment, Wynter was sharpening one of her knives, the metal against metal noise calming her nerves. It was a familiar noise to her - knives had been the first thing she'd trained with, and the noise comforted her worried mind, calming her nerves.

Harley leaned against the counter, watching her skeptically. "Why do you always do that?" Wynter brought her knife sharpening to a halt and turned to give her cousin a withering look. They watched each other for a few minutes, then Harley looked down and blushed. Wynter turned back to her knife sharpening.

After a little while, Harley announced that he had to leave to go to work - he taught diu jitsu at a school about fifteen miles from their apartment. He swung his bag containing his uniform and weapons onto his shoulder and sped away on his bike. Wynter walked back into her room. She looked at her school books but decided not to bother with them - she was practically done already, no need to work when she had other things to do.

Walking over to her closet, she knelt down and opened one of the small doors that held her numerous weapons, and placed her knife and sharpener inside.

She shut and locked the cabinet before standing up and walking over to her bed and pulling her computer out from under her pillow. Sitting cross legged on the black bedspread, she opened it up and held down the boot up button. The computer flickered to life and she typed in ehr complex password before pulling up her assassin program. It had been created by her uncle Siberious - Harley's father - after he retired from the Skylar Mission and before he died.

Blocking out any further thoughts about her uncle, she signed in (through several phases of identification) and finally typed in Skylar's name, to chek out his background. This was her first day on the mission, and she had been saving the background check to do today.

Scanning quickly through the information, she picked up only a few key facts : One. Skylar was a devoted hunter, and had been since he was old enough to hold a gun (age eleven) Two. Skylar had a younger brother who he would protect with his life. Three. Skylar attended the mixed classic rock concerts every monday, wednesday, and friday night. If she could corner him there, she could get him to a more private place and take care of things.

It seemed to have only been half an hour as she sat and considered how to do this the cleanest and simplest way possible, but suddenly Harley was knocking at her door. She quickly logged out and looked up innocently. Her cousin knew she was an assassin, and he knew who her target was, but he was not allowed into the database. It took only one key to log out - even though it was on her communicator - the newest model, created by M(whatever that wizard's stupid name was)

"Yeah?" she said in as much of a you've - interrupted - me - again - you - idiot - i - just - may have - to - kill - you, - too glare. Harley cleared his throat in an uncomfortable sort of way. "Skylar's at the door. Should i tell him to leave?" Wynter leapt up and glared at him, shoving her phone and communicator into her pocket. "You idiot!" she hissed as she ran from the room. she brushed her hair off her shoulders and put on a smile as she opened the door.

Skylar gave her a smile that seemed to much like hers. Fake.

"Hi" she said, widening her smile a fraction.

"Hi" he replied, and glanced behind her at Harley, who was retreating to his room. "Can I come in?"

Wynter stepped to the side to let him in. "Sure," she replied.

She shut the door behind him and they talked for a couple of minutes, sitting on the counter with hot chocolate that Wynter had made for them. After a little while they had finished it and Wynter glanced around. "xBox?" she offered, pulling a game that she had recieved from Skuta with the intention of playing with Skylar. He smiled and hopped down, offering her a hand. "Sure"

The Assassin

January Novel Writing Month

By Viktoriia Hope

Chapter One

Wynter Love was staring silently out of her bedroom window, turning a .45 caliber in her hands, the breeze from the open window blowing the perfectly bleached whiteness of her hair across her hard blue eyes and flawless, pale skin.

A knock came at her door and she shoved it back into her coat. As it touched the fabric, it disappeared, simply vanishing into thin air. A small trick Skuta had come up with. Standing, she walked over to the door.

Her cousin Harley was standing at the door, wearing a black muscle tee, long cargo pants, and the converse Wynter had bought him recently after shooting a whole in his shoe in an arguement. His blonde hair was wet -- he hadn't bothered to buy a new hair drier since he accidentally dropped one of his knives on the cord while he was spinning it around his fingers -- and it flew across his persuasive soft black eyes. Harley brushed the hair back impatiently and looked at her. "Are you done with your school now?" he said, a bit impatiently. Wynter glanced back at her algebra textbook, which she had finally finished working on. She nodded and looked back at her cousin. "Then let's go," he said, turning towards the garage.

Wynter followed him downstairs and into the garage, where their two motorbikes were parked. They both hopped on, but before Wynter could start hers, Harley spoke. "You got your communicator?" Wynter held up her pink blackberry curve and pushed the small rectangular communicator box out of it slightly before clicking it back in, showing Harley that she did indeed have her communicator. Harley nodded, a slightly exasperated look on his face before he pulled his helmet over his head and revved his bike. Wynter did the same and they sped out of the garage towards the nearest Starbucks.

They flew past the city, cars, lights, and tall metal buildings flying past them at terrific speeds. In about fifteen minutes they were at starbucks. Target sighted, Wynter noted mentally. Harley radiated exasperation. Do you have to be so darn serious all the time? Wynter turned almost unnoticably and looked at him with her hard, icy eyes. Yes. Harley sighed and turned to the counter to buy himself an espresso.

Wynter glanced around the shop, trying to decide how to get closer to the target. His name was Sylar, and he was a lightbringer. Wynter's upper lip twitched in irritation and she sat down, lounging in her chair and and considering the best way to get close to Sylar. She didn't have to think about that long, since he came down and sat down at the bar next to her and ordered a frappe for both of them. Wynter left hers untouched as he thought.

Eventually, Sylar spoke. "So, you're new here," he said at last.

"Yes," said Wynter, one eyebrow raising as she spoke, a tendancy which she'd picked up from Slint, who was extremely sarcastic. (Another tendancy she'd picked up)

Sylar raised one of his own eyebrows and Wynter looked at him like he was crazy, not lowering her own eyebrow.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he said, a smile spreading across his face.

"Like what?" said Wynter, not changing her expression.

"Like I'm crazy or something," said Sylar, turning back to his coffee and trying to wipe the smile off his face. Wynter sighed. This was not working.

"So where do you go to school?"

"Homeschooled," Sylar replied, not looking up at her, and Wynter could tell he was trying not to smile again. "You?"

"Same," said Wynter. "I'm almost done with school though."

"Wow," said Sylar, sounding just a little impressed. "Where do you plan to go to college?"

Wynter gave him a sideways smile. "That's what I'm almost done with."

"Wow," said Sylar again.

It was silent for several more minutes before Wynter spoke again, trying to initiate a slightly longer conversation.

"Where do you live?"

Sylar gestured vaguely with his head towards where Wynter had come from. "Down east - still in Mississippi, but east." Wynter lifted her chin in a half nod. "Me too,"

"Really?" said Sylar. "Where?"

"The Moon Sky apartment complex - I live in the one that looks partially abandoned."

"How many people do you live with?"

"Just one. My cousin, Harley."

Sylar raised an eyebrow. "Is Harley here?"

Wynter opened her moth to reply and winced as Harley slammed his elbow down on the counter next to her. "Yes," he replied with a slightly nasty tone of voice.

You idiot! Wynter said into his head. He's the target! I have to develop a positive relationship with him!

Whatever, replied Harley, gave Sylar one last glare, and sauntered off to order probably another espresso.

Wynter sighed and looked apolagetically at Sylar. "Sorry about tha-" she started, but Sylar interrupted. "It's okay," he said, looking into her eyes.

Wynter stared back into them. She'd never seen a lightbringer before, much less into his eyes, which were the source of his light power - and she could see why. They were pale green around gray pupils, shining with every emotion that possibly existed, and something else - something .. deeper.

They stared at each other for a long time, until Wynter couldn't stand to look at him, smiling at her like an idiot, no idea of what she was going to do to him.

Or, so she thought.

(ends chapter one)

((don't forget to comment and tell me what you think!! ^^))

(eleven PM : it's a short chapter .. but it's late .. and mario bros is calling. i love y'all, thanks for reading. i'll add another chapter or maybe two tomorrow. we spent the day painting so i didn't have much writing time, then sarah's birthday present was this game. muchas amor.)

Home of the Assassin story (:

This is where my january novel, The Assassin will be posted anytime i feel like i have a decent amount of words. Coming .. tomorrow!!