Two rival groups of assassins.

A rivalry that's lasted for nearly 7 centuries.

And it's all boiled down to two teenagers.

Skylar is one of two hundred teenage assassins in the new generation, except she's special- she got her license to kill at the age of 13. She's trained all of her life for this moment- her first real assignment.

Alexander Ezio Auditore, direct descendant of the 1400's Assassin Ezio Auditore, is assigned his 100th job in the small town of Paradise, Maryland. What he doesn't realize, is that Skylar has the same mission as him- the Assassin disguised as the star of the football team- Bradley Mason.

What will happen when the two are forced to come together for a mission, despite the fact that Skylar's double-header mission is to kill Alexander too?

Chapter One:

Paradise, Maryland

2015

"So Skylar, why did you show here right before the last quarter?" Mr. Harrison asked me. I shrugged.

"Just needed a change of scenery." He nodded and turned back to his computer screen. I'd been waiting for that question for two months now, and it seemed he had been too. The bell rang, and I grabbed my backpack, throwing it over my shoulder. I left the room, heading to my next period when my phone buzzed in my back pocket. When I checked it, two files opened- one on Bradley, and one on Alexander. I knew their names through the agency, but until now I hadn't seen their faces. Bradley I knew. He is the star of the football team. 'Brad' is what he told everyone to call him. Cocky and arrogant, he had already slept with half of the cheerleaders. I scoffed and carefully avoided a teacher who was roving the hall looking for people who had their phones out. I turned down the stairwell. The file on Alexander started with a series of pictures- sniper shots of him, followed by pictures of him on a job, kill techniques, acquaintances, and more. The final picture of him, though- I stopped short, just shy of my classroom.

Alexander 'Alex' Ezio Auditore had hair that was as dark as a raven's feathers, cut to just below his chin in an edgy sort of way. He had grey eyes and two lip piercings on his left side. The shot didn't show too much of his face, as he was turning, but it was enough for me to be shocked to my core.

Alex looked like my ex-boyfriend, who had been killed on a job. We had been partners, then we fell in love.

After him, I had sworn off loving anyone.

Seeing Alex was like a punch in the chest. He was the spitting image of Chase.

I shook it off, reminding myself that he was my mission now, and I had to kill him, despite my own personal thoughts. I had messed up once by falling in love- I couldn't do it again. I opened the files on Alex and started to read as I went into my second period class.

Alex, 16, 6'3, 150lbs, Vegan, Demi-sexual. I read on. It listed the basic information I needed to know, family, friends, the few weaknesses he had. I noted that he loved animals, and didn't have any allergies. I sat down in my seat and looked around the classroom as it began to fill up. The teacher was nowhere to be seen. I opened Brad's file. He was an in-the-closet pansexual, 17 years old, 240lbs, 6'5. I hated taking jobs where the guy was much bigger than me. I stood only 5'4, weighing in at 108. Both guys were taller than me, and I knew that I wasn't stronger than Brad, but I could be equal with Alex. The teacher came in the room. I quickly hid my phone. The phone had rung probably two minutes earlier, so she was late.

"Class," She said, "I would like you to welcome our new student, Alex Auditore." I chocked on air. He was here already? Sure enough, he walked in the door, and damn if he didn't look better in person than in the photo. He wore black skinnies and vans and a black shirt with the White Chapel logo on it. His hair was longer than it was in the picture, and messy in that I-don't-care-so-fuck-you kind of way. I noticed a piercing on his eyebrow, and his spider bites were a chrome color.

"It's pronounced Auditore," He said. His eyes flashed angrily, but his features were friendly. My breath caught in my throat. While he looked like Chase, he didn't sound like him. Chase's voice had been softer, with a slight accent, but Alex's was a little deeper, with a rich Italian accent. He didn't look Italian, though- his skin was pale like mine and his hair was straight, even to the very ends.

The teacher blushed. "Sorry." She muttered. Always a shy little thing, Mrs. T scurried back to her chair and queued the power-point, leaving Chase to find a seat on his own, coincidentally the one next to mine. I watched as each girl in the classroom eyed him like he was a piece of meat- which, I guess he was, or at least he would be once I had finished with him. Brittany, Brad's girlfriend and biggest bimbo of the cheer squad, pushed a kid out of her seat so she could sit next to him. Alex didn't even glance at her when she sat down, hiking up her skirt to show her rear. She pouted her pretty-girl face, sticking out her lower lip. He reached into his backpack and got out a black, three-ring binder and a pencil. Mrs. T started teaching. Brittany scooted closer. Alex didn't pay her any attention, even when she lowered her shirt, showing off her immense cleavage. She was close to becoming desperate, I could tell. She dropped her pencil, waiting for Alex to pick it up for her. When he didn't, she cleared her throat. He ignored her. She cleared her throat again. He sighed and started tapping his pencil against the desk, back and forth, back and forth, a nervous habit. She placed her hand on his shoulder. He tensed and glared at her.

"What?" He hissed between clenched teeth.

Brittany acted like she didn't care. "Can you pick that up for me?" She asked, motioning to the pencil that was closer to her anyway.

He bent over, bracing himself with one hand on the table, and snatched the pencil. Brittany smiled at him, leaning her breasts over the table so that they were pushed up.

"Thanks, babe," She purred. Alex rolled his eyes and all but slammed the pencil on her desk.

"You have a boyfriend." He growled, shocking her (and me, to be honest- how did he know about Brad?) "Not to mention the fact that I don't date sluts."

Brittany's jaw dropped. She huffed and pouted, crossing her arms over her comically large chest. Alex turned back to the front of the classroom, focusing his attention on the lesson. The rest of the period passed smoothly, until the very end. Five minutes before the bell, I glanced out of the window in the door to see you-know-who framed in the glass, smirking at Brittany. The students packed up, eagerly awaiting the end of class. When the bell rang, Brad came into the room. He came up behind Brittany and hugged her, but she pushed herself out of his grip and stalked off, high heels clicking away. Brad looked shocked. He ran after her, yelling 'come back, baby!' I rolled my eyes and shoved my binder into my backpack, wondering what Red's qualifications were for their assassins, and why oh why would they ever let a dimwit like Brad become a trained killer. When I looked up, Alex was already gone. I sighed and heaved my bag onto my back, huffing at the weight of my school books and knives. Regulations stated that I had to have at least five daggers or switchblades on my person, as well as two daggers, pepper spray, a neurotoxin, and a suicide capsule in my bag. It got heavy after a while.

I headed off to my next period- Math. Sure enough, guess who was there- Alex. He was talking to our teacher, a tall, bald man named Mr. P. I huffed and sat down in my seat in the back of the room.

"This is our new student Alex Auditore." Everyone glanced up at Alex. A few of the girls swooned, but most kept a straight face. Mr. P pointed to an empty seat, thankfully away from mine. I realized that this would be a great opportunity to learn more about Alex, as he sat in the front and I sat behind him. After all, as the saying goes, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

When the bell rang for lunch, I jumped out of my seat and grabbed my things, all but running for the cafeteria. I had a headache, and the only way to get rid of it was to get away from people.

So that's what I did.

I took my lunch and went to my solitary spot- the old oak tree on the edge of the patio. I sat amid the roots, just my lunch and I, and I turned on my music, tuning the world out.

All that existed was the space between my earbuds.

I was transported back in time by the song that was playing.

"Hey beautiful." Chase sat next to me. I smiled at him.

"Hey."

"Wow." He whispered.

"What?" I asked, immediately concerned.

"You actually answered when I called you beautiful." He said. A smile played at his lips. I groaned and leaned my head back on the tree behind me. I heard him laugh, so I kicked him- not too hard, but not soft either, and the laugh cut short.

"That hurt."

"Cry me a river."

"Don't be that way." I could see the sarcastic smirk even with my eyes closed.

"Shut up." I retorted.

"Only one way to make me do that."

Oh no.

"Not happening-" I was cut off by his lips on mine. Resistance was futile- I gave in almost immediately. Lord only knows the effect this boy had on me.

"You look happy."

My eyes widened. Was that-? Holy fuck!

"When did you get here?" I demanded of the black-haired boy beside me.

"Two minutes ago." He said. "What do they train you at Shadows? Professional daydreaming?"

"You want to know what they teach us?" I growled. "Then let me show you."

He smirked.

"Better grab your stuff. Lunch will be over by the time you come out of la-la land long enough to fight me."

I glared at him, snatched my bag, stood up, and stomped off into the woods. I knew I was being loud, but who the fuck really cares? It was me against him, and if I completed my mission right then and there- well screw the system. I've been here long enough to cover my tracks. He, on the other hand, hasn't, so his alibi for my murder would be weak. You can't get away if you don't stay, as the mentors taught us. Every assassin nowadays has to be even more careful than in the past. We have to cover our tracks. We can't just show up in a city, kill someone, and leave. It doesn't work like that. Besides, that's just a trail for the bloodhounds in the senate to follow- the only group who opposes us.

Yes, Assassins are legal.

You just have to have a license.

Oh, and a lifetime of training.

I heard Alex stop, so I dropped my bag and spun, blocking his fist. I slipped my arm down his and darted in toward his chest, aimed at his ribs, but he saw it coming and twisted, giving a shove to my back. I pitched forward, but stayed on my feet. I felt more than heard his kick coming- the air moved around my body. I fell to my knees and ducked, arching my back, letting the move sail right over me without affect, and when his leg was right over me, I reached up, grabbed his knee, and twisted. The motion traveled all the way up his body, making him have to flip to escape it. He landed on the leaf-covered ground face first. I got a sort of grim amusement hearing the breath whoosh out of his lungs.

"You alright there, bucko? Need some help?"

He growled, and before I even saw him move, I was on the ground, struggling to breathe, trapped with my torso between his legs, arms pinned by his shins, a blade at my throat.

"Do you need some help?" He asked, mimicking me. I glared up at him. His weight kept everything above my waist down, so if I could just- I bucked my hips and locked my legs around his neck in one fluid motion, sending him onto his back. I held on with a scissor hold while he fought to find a way out.

"No, I'm fine, thanks for asking." I said. "Oh shit," I had underestimated his core strength- he had done a sit-up with me still attached, and slammed both of us back onto the ground. Stunned, I dropped my grip. He darted out of my reach. I jumped up and stood in a fighting stance, protecting my chest and face.

Alex stood just out of reach, a smirk on his face. I noticed that he had taken his fingerless gloves off, as well as his black hoodie. Without his arms covered, I could see the shithole I had dug myself into. The bastard had hidden blades of the most dangerous kind- implanted under the skin of his forearms. One of those had been the blade I felt earlier.

"You arrogant dick!" I yelled. "If you get blades, then I do too!" He smirked and flicked both wrists, exposing the blades. I charged him, without regard for my safety. He was ready for anything, though, and when I was in the space he had just occupied, he was gone. I flipped around.

"What the fuck?"

The clearing was, well, clear. No signs of Alex were anywhere.

Until, a weight dropped on my shoulders. This time, I found myself face down in the dirt, Alex lying on my back. All I could see was the light reflecting off of a blade, so close to my face that I could almost feel it.

"I'll let you go if you say I win." He said.

"Fine." I snarled. "I win."

He huffed. "Now you know that's not what I meant."

The blade came closer. I was becoming distinctly uncomfortable with him pinning me down. It wasn't just that I was sent here to kill him, and had just lost our first fight, or the fact that he could kill me at any second, or worse, rape me, no. It was the fact that I sort of liked the power he had over me in that moment.

My second thought?

Get it the fuck together, Sky. He's a douche.

"Fine. You win. Now let me go!"

"Ask nicely," He crooned.

"Please let me go or so help me god I will rip your fucking balls off, if you even have any!"

"Yeah, I suppose that's as nice as it will get with you." He pushed himself off of my back. I sighed, realizing that I was on the verge of oxygen deprivation. Without the extra pounds, I easily picked myself up and brushed off my clothes.

Alex stood there, waiting for me, just as the lunch bell rang.

"Douche." I muttered, although I could sense the resistance within me, whispering nasty little thoughts about not being able to finish this job. I told that part to go die in a hole, punched Alex's shoulder, and walked off, ignoring the boy laughing like a maniac behind me.