Chapter 1

Secrets out

He decided at a young age what he wanted to be when he grew up. But knowing how people felt about them he kept his dreams and desires quiet. It wasn't until high school that his friends finally figured out his plans for after graduation.

He was popular in school. He had a lot of friends and was extremely smart. He excelled in everything. Everyone knew his father was a doctor, but assumed he was a medical doctor, not a scientist. He was hardly at home either. He spent most of his time in his lab and because of this he really didn't' know what was going on in his young sons life.

He was out practicing at the shooting range when one of his friends happened to see him there. He stood and watched as his friend destroyed target after target moving and non with extreme accuracy. After seeing this his friend went to school the next day and told everyone closest to them about what he saw and what he feared he was preparing for.

"Are you sure?" Molly asked. She was short with big emerald eyes blonde hair hanging to her shoulders. She always wore shorts and t-shirts and today it was khaki shorts with a purple shirt.

"I know it was. He didn't miss either." Valor replied. Valor was tall, tan, muscular and blonde. He was the star tackle on the football team and had a killer left hook. His tan skin fit perfectly with his blonde hair and sky blue eyes. Vincent came around the corner to see his friends congregating in front of his locker talking. Immediately he had the feeling it was about him. Smiling he snuck up behind Valor.

"What did I miss?"

Valor jumped and spun around blue eyes meeting red. He was face to nose with Vincent. Vincent stood 3 inches taller than Valor. He was lean but skinny. His dark red eyes in deep contrast to his raven hair and lightly tanned skin. He wore black jeans and a dark blue shirt with black boots.

"Uh, well…we were just uh…" Valor stuttered.

"Valor told us he saw you at Shooting World yesterday after school" Molly interrupted.

Darrell, Gabriel and Zephyr all stood in silence waiting for Vincent answer. His smile faded immediately. I was seen, so what. He thought to himself.

"Point being?" he questioned

"Well there is a rumor going around about you Vince." Zephyr said softly. He was short kid with brown hair and brown eyes. He and Gabriel were brothers, identical twins.

Vincent pushed past Molly and Valor and opened his locker to retrieve his books. Slamming his locker with enough force to shake the ones a few lockers down Vincent turned and faced his friends his red eyes blazing.

"Which one? About me becoming a doctor or a Turk?"

Everyone flinched when they heard him say Turk. Turks were highly trained operatives and killers. They were excellent body guards and were scouts for SOLDIER, the Elites were sent out on assassination and kidnapping as well as espionage missions. Turks were feared by everyone and the training proved to be the most difficult and life threatening. Not many who were accepted got passed the training.

"You wanted to be a, a Turk" Molly whispered.

Vincent looked into her big green eyes brimming with tears.

"It's not a rumor." He answered coldly.

Gasping she pressed her hand to her mouth. The others stood in shock to what they just heard.

"Vince?" Valor whispered. "Why?"

"Because it is something I have wanted to do for a long time." He answered pushing passed Gabriel and Zephyr to head to class. The first bell rang and they stood silently not believing what they had just heard. Tears finally spilled from Molly's eyes as she turned for class. The boys stood and watched as Vincent disappeared from sight. They only had a week till graduation and now Valor felt like he didn't even know his best friend anymore.

The second bell rang now. Saying nothing they each headed off to class. Valor walked slowly, his head down and shoulders drooping. He knew Vincent since they were kids and this came as a major shock to him. He knew he didn't have the greatest home life and his dad wasn't around a lot but from what he saw Vincent was good with a gun and he couldn't deny his uncanny ability to sneak around undetected. He was concerned for Vincent and wondered why he chose this and if he could talk him out of it. If anything he really wanted to know why.

Vincent avoided his friends till lunch time. Pulling his keys from his pocket he walked out to his car. People were avoiding him in the halls and whispering to one another as he passed them. No one made eye contact with him either. Valor ran up to catch up with him before he got to his car.

"Vince, wait up." Valor called finally catching up to him. Vincent hit he unlock button on the remote to his car and the door locks popped with a soft click. Vincent reached down and opened the door to his black sports car not looking at Valor who was now standing on the passenger side he spoke quietly.

"I assume you are going to join me for lunch."

"You bet your ass I am." Valor replied.

Opening the door Vincent slid into the drivers' seat and pulled the door closed as Valor sat down in the black leather seat next to him. Silently he started his car and roared to life. Backing out of his parking spot and putting it in drive he headed for the exit to the parking lot punching the gas when he had an opening. His car sprung forward with ease forcing Valor farther into his seat. They were headed for Vincent's favorite place to eat.

Valor envied him. He bought and paid for his car with his own money and kept it in immaculate shape. The black paint sparkled like diamonds and the leather interior still had the new leather smell to it. Valor wished his beat up truck looked like this car did. They drove in silence until Vincent got the restaurant. It was a small dingy restaurant that once served as a truck stop. It was the Golden Clam but the sign wasn't working and the building was dilapidated but they served the best food according to Vincent. Exiting the car Vincent locked it with the remote, lights flashing twice and they walked into the ruddy restaurant. Valor followed Vincent to his regular booth. The restaurant had horrible lighting and his table happened to be in the darkest corner of the place.

"Hey Vince, the usual?" a small waitress with big glasses and red frizzy hair called from the counter.

"Yes May, make that two today please. "

He knew Valor didn't have any money so he planned on buying lunch today. Valor's Blue eyes stared at Vincent's crimson ones sitting there in complete silence neither one of them speaking. Valor couldn't take the tension and decided he had better get this out in the open if he was ever going to find anything out. Besides, the silence was killing him and he couldn't handle it anymore.

"Vince…"

"Here ya go boys, food will be right out." May said smiling.

Vincent and Valor nodded as they took their soft drinks. Vincent hated tea, but he didn't know he liked soda.

"If you have a question then spill it" Vincent said quietly.

"Why Vince, why the Turks?" Valor leaned forward to keep his voice from traveling to unwanted ears.

"Why not, I have found something I am good at. Why not pursue it?"

"But Vince, they are killers. Trained killers" Valor whispered.

"Only if you are good enough to make it into the Elites, otherwise they recruit for SOLDIER and carry out protection missions" Vincent replied.

"Enjoy your lunch boys" May said shuffling back to her counter. Vincent always got a ham sandwich on wheat bread with lettuce, tomatoes and a side of fries and since Vincent ordered two, valor got the same thing.

Valor ate some of his fries still in shock about what his friend was choosing as his career. Vincent watched Valor's discomfort discreetly. Good enough that he didn't know Vincent was watching him. He could understand his discomfort and that's why he kept it all a secret. Since they weren't that far from graduation Vincent wanted to get this settled before they headed back to school. Finishing his sandwich Vincent spoke.

"Valor, I have wanted to be a Turk for as long as I could remember. I don't expect you to understand."

Valor set his sandwich down.

"But Vince, they are cruel and vile people. From what I saw at the shooting range you could be an Elite, what if they send you on an assignment to kill one of us, what then Vince?"

Vincent sighed.

"Val, it won't come to that. I am no where near good enough to become an Elite."

"Vince, I feel like I am losing you. Why couldn't you tell me this sooner" Valor questioned.

"Because of this, I knew you guys wouldn't take kindly to this."

"Why can't you go to school and become a doctor like your dad?"

Vincent's eyes hardened. His crimson gaze became a piercing glare and Valor shuddered under Vincent's intensity. He knew he hit a nerve.

"I chose not to follow in his footsteps" he growled.

Valor knew he loved his father but he wasn't around much and he left Vincent to handle himself.

"Vince, I'm sor…"

"Don't. We need to go" Vincent cut him off as he stood from the booth and strode over to the cash register to pay for their meals.

Valor stood and walked outside waiting by Vincent's car. He saw a large dark blue van parked a couple spaces away from them with dark tinted windows. He paid them no heed, but Vincent did. He saw the van as he walked out the door stuffing his wallet back in his pocket. Walking slowly passed it he tried to see if there was any movement from within the van. Getting to his car he unlocked it with the remote knowing something wasn't right about the van. He saw it a few times before outside his school when he was leaving and once outside his work. Since he had high attention for detail he knew it was the same van since the front grille was broken, the license plate bent at an awkward angle and the bumper seemed ready to fall off. Walking to the drivers' side of his car he opened the door and reached down and pulled his gun from under the seat. Valor who had already gotten in and closed the door turned to see a nickel plated semi automatic pistol hanging from Vincent's grasp.

"Vince?"

"Quiet and sit still" Vincent replied putting his gun in the waistband of his jeans and pulling his t-shirt down to conceal its location. Once he stood up to full height he closed the door and pressed the lock button on his remote then slid them into is pocket. He walked around to the front of his car and leaned down on the hood, his back to Valor.