CHAPTER 1:True Colors
This book is in dedication to my dorm mates: Tonia, Juanita, Jane-Ida, Janice, Tracy, and my friends for reading the draft and for giving me the courage to go further.
Thank you.💕
Liliana's POV
The sound of a ringing noise interrupted my sleep. Initially, I found it difficult to identify the source of the sound as I remained groggy and disoriented. Despite my efforts to locate the origin of the noise, it continued to persist, disrupting my attempts to return to sleep. I sifted through the dresser, determined to find the source of the noise. When I finally found my phone, I picked it up and sat up, still groggy. As I checked the caller ID, I sighed, realizing that I would need to be awake for a while longer.
I picked up my phone to answer a call from James, whose voice was filled with urgency and annoyance. He asked, "Where the hell are you?" I couldn't help but feel that ignoring the call would have been a better choice to avoid his nagging tone. It was obvious that he was frustrated, and I wasn't in the mood to handle it.
I let out a deliberate sigh, firmly setting aside his question before confidently stating, "Let’s get straight to the point, James."
"I asked a fucking question" he yelled.
"And I don't give a damn, now state your reason for calling at fucking midnight or I will hang up," I said begrudgingly.
"Woah, what's with the attitude, that time of the month."
He was starting to piss me off and my loss of sleep is no joke. When I didn't respond he snorted coldly and said " Anyway, the boss is assigning us a new mission and told me to contact you."
Oh no! Today, of all days. The universe has decided to throw an extra curveball when you least need it.
I drag my hand across my face in a rush of frustration, a silent testament to my inner turmoil.
"Suit up, I will send you the location."
"Is that all?" I asked coldly.
"Yes," he responded in a monotone voice.
"Great," I said sarcastically and hung up.
I rubbed the last remnants of sleep from my heavy eyelids. As I shot up from the bed, I was greeted by a sudden rush of dizziness, the room swirling around me like a kaleidoscope. For a moment, I felt as if the ground beneath was about to slip away. With a swift weight shift, I managed to steady myself, the cool floor beneath my feet grounding me back to reality. I walked straight to my closet, my heart racing with anticipation. As I opened the door, I spotted a small button cleverly concealed next to the coat hanger. With a gentle press, the familiar click echoed in the quiet room, and a hidden compartment slid open, revealing my collection of gear neatly organized inside. Each item was carefully stowed away, ready for whatever adventures lay ahead.
I grinned as I surveyed my impressive array of gear, from powerful guns to an assortment of knives and daggers in various sizes.
I carefully laid out my outfit: a sleek black full-body suit designed for effortless movement, its fabric soft yet sturdy against the chill of the night air. The suit hugged my form, offering both agility and stealth, while my black padded boots silently enveloped my feet, enabling me to tread like a shadow. I secured my daggers in their scabbards, the cold steel glinting briefly as I fastened them to the belt of the suit, ready for action at a moment’s notice. To complete the look, I gathered my long black hair into a tight ponytail, ensuring every strand was in place and out of my way. I was prepared for whatever lay ahead.
I glanced at my bed where my phone was sitting and noticed that James had sent me the location. I grabbed my phone and snatched my motorcycle keys off the dresser.
I gently opened my bedroom door, taking a moment to appreciate the quiet of the space as I stepped out and closed it softly behind me. I walked through the corridor, each step bringing me closer to the door beside the kitchen. I opened that door, which led to the garage—a sanctuary for my cherished motorcycle, a classic cruiser that holds so many memories.
I stepped inside and softly shut the door behind me. Finding the light in the darkness was easy, but wrestling with the old, squeaky garage door was another story. I didn’t want my mom to discover what I was up to, but maybe I should tell her... eventually. I attempted to open the door quietly, but it creaked more loudly than I expected. The scratchy sound made me flinch, and I quickly turned around, hoping no one had noticed. After that moment of awkwardness, I carefully pushed my motorcycle out of the garage, closed the door, and hopped on. Then, I revved the engine and sped off to the location James had provided.
Driving through the unfamiliar roads demanded my full attention, sharpening my senses for optimal awareness.
At some point, I have to quit this job and find another less dangerous job for my mom's safety.
"One last time Mom and I promise to quit and find a new job" I whispered silently to the universe. The reason I remain in this line of work is clear: the pay is exceptional. I’m an assassin, and I embrace it with confidence and purpose.
I arrived at a secluded spot, nestled deep in the heart of nature, where towering trees formed a dense canopy overhead. In the far-off distance, an abandoned factory loomed, its crumbling facade draped in creeping vines and bold graffiti that whispered stories of its forgotten past. Around it, shrubs of various shapes and sizes cluttered the ground, creating a wild, untamed landscape that added to the eerie charm of the scene. I parked behind one of the trees and walked straight to the factory making sure to be extra careful cause this was unfamiliar territory aka I was trespassing.
While walking I saw a figure from the corner of my eye looming in the darkness. As the shadowy figure loomed closer, a chill of danger surged through me. My instincts, honed from years of survival, kicked in—analyzing every detail, every movement, as I prepared to confront the threat with lethal precision.
I drew out one of my daggers ready to fight cause I had no wish to die tonight. The figure came towards me trying to attack me but I swiftly dodged the attack and raised my leg to kick it in the rib section, before it could recover, I secured it with a swift grappling maneuver, using a fluid motion to pin it down effectively. The figure crashed to the ground with a heavy thud, the sound reverberating through the quiet night. I leaned closer, the cold steel of the dagger glinting in the dim light as I held it near its face, my heart racing with anticipation. It let out a low groan, a sound that reverberated in the stillness of the night. Just as I was about to strike and knock it unconscious, the silver moonlight broke through the dense canopy, bathing the area in a ghostly glow. In that brief illumination, I could finally discern the features of the figure beneath me. My heart raced as recognition dawned upon me—it was James.
“How the mighty have fallen,” I proclaimed with a self-assured smirk, fully confident in the unfolding drama that awaited.
"Let me go!" he growled, his teeth clenched tightly, each word dripping with suppressed frustration.
Who was it that suggested this ominous meeting place? Even though my training had equipped me to navigate through darkness, the shadows enveloped the surroundings, making it nearly impossible to make out any distinct facial features.
I released him, standing firm as he brushed the dust from his clothes. He turned and walked away without a single word, leaving me with a mix of annoyance and curiosity. I shrugged, shaking off the tension, and followed in his footsteps. As we stepped into the clearing, an unmistakable sense of being watched crept over me. I spun around, and to my surprise, my colleagues emerged from their concealment, their figures blending seamlessly with the arching trees and leafy underbrush.
Wow, it seems like a lot of us are here which means this mission is of grave importance.
"Hey Dark Sparrow" I turned to see one of my colleagues Mark coming towards me with a folder in hand.
Mark is one of the best trackers in the organization. We aren't close heck I'm not close to anyone here, it's all work but he's a decent guy a bit strange but a decent guy.
He passed me the folder and then walked away. I opened it and quickly flipped through the pages. The information about the mission caught me off guard; I was taken aback by what I discovered.
That's new! A pedophile was selling two little girls to one of his clients for breeding. As I read this I felt so disgusted and angry. The organization mostly deals with illegal drug smugglers, terrorists, human traffickers, traitors, and minor crimes like theft but this was something I haven't yet witnessed.
Who could possibly commit such a dreadful act?
"Get to your stations the targets are approaching" That snapped me out of my spiraling. The document indicated that I was assigned to oversee the sniper operation. Consequently, I positioned myself on top of an abandoned building within the clearing and proceeded to set up the sniper equipment.
Locked and Loaded, ready to deal with some assholes.
A few minutes later, two cars arrived at the clearing: a sleek black BMW and a pristine white Mercedes Benz. Based on the information in the folder, the man in the black BMW was identified as Felix, while the man in the white Mercedes was his client, Bob. Both men exited their vehicles, accompanied by two bodyguards for added security.
Felix stood tall and imposing, his muscular frame accentuated by a perfectly tailored suit that hugged his shoulders and tapered elegantly at the waist. The fabric gleamed subtly under the light, showcasing his polished appearance. In contrast, Bob had a lean, lanky build, his dress suit slightly loose and hanging on him in a way that suggested it was more functional than fashionable. The crisp lines of his attire lacked the same sharpness as Felix's, giving him a more relaxed, yet still respectable, look. They shook hands, and Bob signaled to one of his bodyguards. The bodyguard stepped forward, opened a briefcase, and revealed its contents to Felix. Inside lay a hefty sum of cash worth millions—just for two girls!
How disgusting can these people be?
Felix nodded in satisfaction and signaled his bodyguard to bring the two girls for the exchange. When the bodyguard brought the girls outside, I felt a wave of shock wash over me. They were much younger than I had anticipated—perhaps only seven or eight years old. The fear in their eyes was unmistakable; they looked utterly terrified, and my heart ached for them in that moment.They didn't even take a step before Bob's bodyguards restrained them. Both Felix and Bob were still taking business. Just then I was given the signal to shoot, as I calculated the distance, range, and position, I realized that from where the girls are it could hit one of them. One of the girls was in the snipper's shot range.
I signaled one of my colleagues about the problem but he signaled back for me to proceed. I was taken aback. Don't they see the problem? I tried to shoot but the risk of hitting the girl in the range was too great so I hesitated.
What do I do? If they escaped there would be psychos on the loose, the longer I waited the more time was wasted, and Nabbing these two men might prove challenging next time. As I pondered my next move, James quietly approached me from behind.
"What's the fuck is taking so long?" he whispered harshly.
"A girl is in my shot range, I might kill her so I won't shoot even if it costs the mission," I said standing my ground.
"I always knew you were soft," he said, shoving me aside. He took the shot, and I watched in horror as it hit the girl, killing her instantly. I stood there, frozen.
The chilling, piercing scream of the other little girl shattered my fragile grip on reality, pulling me back just in time to witness the horror before she, too, was struck down.
I have killed before witnessed killings but I didn't feel remorse or guilt cause they deserved to die but not these girls.
Amidst the swirling chaos, Felix made a desperate bid for freedom. His heart raced as he darted through the confusion, but his escape was abruptly cut short. Before he could gain any ground, a shot rang out, echoing in the tumult. He fell to the ground, lifeless, struck down by one of my colleagues who had acted with swift precision. James stood up high very proud things went his way while I was still dazed. The cleaners swept in methodically, erasing every trace of the night’s clandestine events, ensuring that no piece of evidence would linger to tell the tale. We were all called back to the headquarters so I went for my motorcycle, hopped on, and sped off.
I arrived there with several others thirty minutes later. As I walked through the hall and entered the lobby, I was struck by the sight of people celebrating the supposed success of the mission. It filled me with anger. Two innocent children lost their lives tonight, and it feels like no one cares. This disregard for the gravity of the situation is unacceptable.
The actions taken by those in power do not align with the promises made regarding the protection of our country. Initially, it was claimed that these measures were implemented for the safety and security of the nation. However, after recent events, it has become evident that there may have been deception involved, or perhaps the individuals in charge are not who they purported to be.
"Hello Dark Sparrow" I tuned in to see my boss walking towards me.
"Hello sir," I said coldly.
"No need for formalities, you all completed a difficult mission even though you almost cost us the mission either way you deserve to celebrate too."
I glared hard at him wanting my eyes to turn to daggers to stab him.
"Excuse me sir but innocent lives were at stake or have you forgotten the main purpose of the mission" I said angrily.
"Well, you have to learn to make sacrifices then. We don't need children blabbing about the organization " he smirked.
"I quit then sir, have a nice day," I said as I started walking away. I didn't bother to wait for him to speak, I didn't want to do something I would later regret.
"You can't just quit," he yelled angrily after me.
"Watch me signore watch me," I said in as I exited the building quickly.
As I stepped outside, a refreshing cool breeze enveloped me, bringing a momentary sense of relief from the day's heat. I let out a frustrated sigh, the sound mingling with the rustle of leaves overhead, as I made my way to where my motorcycle stood waiting. I flicked the key in the ignition, and the engine roared to life, a familiar sound that ignited a spark of anticipation within me. Climbing onto the seat, I grasped the handlebars firmly, feeling the vibrations resonate through my body as I set off on my journey back home, the world blurring past in a cascade of colors and sounds. As I was driving my mind kept wandering back to what happened today, images, the screams. I sighed as I thought about it but more surprisingly, the organization didn't seem so keen on protecting the lives of those innocent children.
Have I been naive all this time? Or there is more to the organization than it meets the eye?
I arrived home feeling the weight of today's events on my shoulders and fuck I'm so exhausted. I parked my motorcycle inside the garage and this time I didn't cross to check if anyone heard my noisey garage door. I made my way inside the house and stopped at my mom's door, I opened it peeked inside, and saw that she was still fast asleep. I found myself smiling unconciously. To not disturb her beauty sleep, I left and found my room. I entered and plopped onto my bed, falling asleep instantly.
Hi this is my first book so please be honest with me on how you feel about my book.
My next update will be soon.😊