Introduction: Looks Can Deceive

"In this ever-changing world nothing is constant. Hearts can lie, humans are traitors and everything you know... is just a clever illusion."

The soft sound of lapping water resonated through the night as the steel-gray ship docked. Immediately people began unloading all their cargo, making almost no noise. They were professionals, the best of the best, and this was possibly their most important task yet. Overlooking it all was a tall, muscularly built, bald man, wearing a pressed suit and tie. He had watched countless scenes like this and knew everybody's role, everybody's step and even about each breath they took. It was his job and he did it perfectly, holding his high position for nearly a decade. Yet something about this job was unnerving. It was gnawing on him from the inside, since he didn't know what their "mystery cargo" was. He knitted his brow and leaned forward on a rail.

"Sir, Titan wants to see you, in his office, now." his assistant said, midway up the stairs that separated him from below decks. She said it quietly, but the meaning was crystal clear. Something's up. And it isn't good. Sighing he pulled himself from the rail and climbed upward.

Titan was a codename for his boss, the chief, the boss of bosses and the leader of this organization. One didn't exactly go to him for any reason and praise wasn't in his nature. The bald man could hear the anxious breathing of his bespectacled petite, strawberry-blond assistant. It wasn't helping him calm down. Shit.

Titan's office was stationed behind a heavy steel door that would only open after a fingerprint scan and a retina scan. After that you had to type in a code and then verbally answer a security question. The man in the suit passed through the standard procedure and stepped inside, while his assistant waited outside, clutching her clipboard to her chest.

If the outside of the room looked strictly military, the inside was anything but so. It was a strange mixture of old and new. Hanging from the walls were famous paintings, the room had no windows, so the only source of light came from an ornate black crystal chandelier, and it smelled of wax. Red velvet armchairs were positioned across a circular deep brown rug. A dark mahogany table stood at the centre, with two glasses and a bottle of fine wine. Atop a raised platform the scene changed entirely. Seated behind a futuristic black desk equipped with multiple computers and screens, was Titan an enormous, over seven feet tall man, which made everyone feel like a mere insect in his presence. Suddenly he removed his eyes from the screen.

"Hallows," he greeted sternly with an eerie voice.

"Sir," the bald man replied as a lump formed in his throat.

The giant stood up, making Hallows gulp at the realization of his full height. Slowly he paced along the corridors. The bald man felt the tension build up every passing second. When Titan walked behind his back he wanted to turn heels and get the hell out of there, but kept his calm. He was after all a professional.

"Wine?" his superior asked menacingly. Hallows shook his head politely. He didn't drink while working.

"Very well, suit yourself." he brought the glass to his lips: "What do you know about our cargo?"

"Nothing." a completely blank, cold, emotionless answer resonated.

Titan grinned evilly: "Good. That's exactly how I want it." he sat back down behind the glossy black desk. "As you're well aware our client has asked us to deliver his cargo and has paid us quite a handsome sum of money for it. You know your part in this play, but no one else's..."

Hallows knew. That's how we work. Do your job and let others do theirs. The only person who knew the entire scheme was Titan. It was a security precaution, if anyone got caught. Like that ever happens. Still he felt a strange tension. Here comes the catch.

"Our employer, " he continued: "... has recently alerted me to a possible threat to his plans." A photo appeared on one of the screens: "This particular person could jeopardize the entire mission, I need you to neutralize him. A few seconds of silence passed as Hallows let the information sink in. Assassination, yes. That was his main field of expertise. Titan leaned closer to him.

"Do not take this threat too lightly..." he was saying: "... This person used to work for us, he's a master of disguise. I've seen him do it myself, he can fade into the crowd in a second, acclaim an entirely different persona in a minute, be halfway across the world in an hour with a watertight alibi for three weeks. I cannot stress this enough. Looks can deceive. Don't be focused too tightly on this image." he pointed to the screen.

Holly shit, Hallows thought. He was supposed to trace somebody who was practically invisible and smart enough to evade Titan.

"If I may ask, if he was so good, why was he discharged?" he asked, fearing he already knew the answer.

"He wasn't." Titan slammed his fists loudly: "He dot away during one of his assignments, whilst under maximum security and under my watch, I haven't been able to trace him since!" he was furious now. The bald man stared blankly at the image. One just doesn't evade Titan, it's impossible. He scanned the picture intently; a young white male with dark, curly, shoulder-length hair, pale thin lips and an overwhelming protruding gaze in his pale gray eyes. He sighed inwardly, watching both Titan and the dark haired man.

Looks can deceive. The Game is on.

Author's Note: Yay! I got the introduction done. In my mind this fic is reaching whole new dimensions of what it was supposed to be. Anyone want chapter 1? I bet you can't guess who the dark curly head is.