A/N Alternate universe, potential to be multi chapter, but wanted to put this intro out there to see if y'all like the concept before I invest too much time going down this path. May change the title, not attached to it yet.

Disclaimer I own none of the characters and I intent no offense to anyone, warning of potentially confrontational plot material towards the end.

Hope you enjoy. I am open to criticism and suggestions always.

Stepping off the plane at the Paris International airport, Villanelle was beat. She was returning from a nasty exchange in Turkey involving the head of a tech company. She didn't know why he needed to be eliminated but she followed her orders and she accepted her payments. She enjoyed her life. The money, the power, the sex, and all the traveling and expensive clothes she could ever hope for. She was as glad she could be to be home again. Her top floor apartment was not the classiest, but it was hers and it had a great view of the city.

She threw her bags down just inside the front door and made a b-line for the shower. She was tired since she was unable to sleep on the plane. Someone had thought it a good idea to pay for their small child to have a seat in first class. Constantly crying and whining and yelling. She wouldn't say she didn't like kids because she just didn't like anyone. She had never seen the appeal though. She knew how the world was, and she knew what it was like to grow up without a family, and it was borderline disgusting to her that people would still choose to bring more of themselves into existence.

Now letting the steaming hot water run over her she was able to relax. After she finished relishing in the hot water and the aroma of her fancy soaps she dried off and pulled on a soft fluffy robe. She wrapped a towel around her head and took a moment to look at herself in the mirror. She had dark rings set under dim cloudy grey eyes. A purple greenish bruise was far from fading along her right jawline and a crimson gash just above and behind her hairline by her left temple was still stinging from the shower. She had definitely looked worse before but she had definitely also looked better.

Exhaustion was creeping over her as she finally made her way back to her bedroom. Her feet were cold against the hardwood floor which woke her up a little.

Flicking on the lights she jumped. A woman whom she did not recognize was sitting, legs crossed in the corner of her room.

"Hello Villanelle," Said the woman. She was Asian with amazing hair, wearing a very well fitting suit. Her eyes were dark and mysterious, that was something Villanelle could tell even from across the room. This woman was mysterious.

"Who the hell are you? Your face is familiar, have I threatened you before?" Villanelle eyed her curiously as she edged closer to the vanity where she kept numerous weapons.

"Your new handler," The woman spoke firmly. Villanelle continued to watch her skeptically sitting down on the vanity bench.

"What happened to Konstantin?" Villanelle hadn't had to work with anyone else in a long time. She was still weary of this woman in her apartment and she attempted to grab one of her hair pin knives.

"You won't need that," The woman said observantly. "Hold onto it if it makes you feel better, but Konstantin is on assignment elsewhere for the time being, and I have an new assignment for you,"

"Oh sound's exciting," Villanelle played with the knife in her hands. "Where and when?"

The other woman stood and walked nearer to her. Her features soft, but her eyes were fierce. "All in due time, this assignment is critical, this is the most important target you will ever take out in your whole career, and you will be rewarded as such if it is executed with the utmost perfection," She explained and Villanelle was intrigued both by the assignment and by this gorgeous but perplexing woman.

"So what is your name," Villanelle stood, noting she was taller than the other woman.

The other woman seemed to think for a moment but Villanelle continued instead. "Wait, let me guess, if I guess it right, will you tell me?"

The other woman just looked at her, but she did not look amused. Villanelle circled her looking her up and down, taking in every inch of her form. "Olivia?" No response. "Hmm. Sandra?" Nothing. "Last chance before you tell me,"

"There is no guarantee I will tell you," The other woman's voice was smooth and she was just watching Villanelle scrunch up her face at her words.

"Christina?" Villanelle guessed and judging by the somewhat smug expression of the other woman she was wrong. "Damn,"

"Better luck next time, goodnight Villanelle," The woman stepped around the tall assassin. "7 am, don't be late," She set a postcard with the address down on the side table before she left.

"Goodnight," Villanelle managed to say just as the door shut.

XXXXXXXXX

Two days prior.

The vote was cast. Unanimous. The target was to be eliminated. Another vote was cast. Villanelle would be the assassin to carry it out. This next one was a more difficult decision. One of them had to be her handler for this mission as no one outside that room could be trusted. The assassin and the Twelve had to be the only ones to know, and the Twelve had to be the only ones to know why. Another vote was cast. Unanimous. Eve Polastri would be her handler. She was number three, she was a woman, she was loyal, and she was ruthless.

"I appreciate the council's trust, I accept this mission," Eve spoke confidently to the rest of the eleven councilmembers who sat around a large table.

"Any and all resources are at your disposal. Make no mistake, we value you highly and we would do everything in the council's power to assist should something go wrong, however, we will not jeopardize the existence of the organization to save you. You and the assassin will be on your own if that becomes the case," Number one stated.

Eve could feel the pressure, but compared to everything she had to do to get to this point, it was nothing she couldn't handle. This was perhaps the most ambitious, dangerous, and important mission the Twelve had ever agreed to have carried out. It made sense though, the target was getting out of control and driving so many global changes that were counter to the interests of the Twelve that they no longer had a choice. Eve agreed, and she believed in the Twelve's cause. Of course she would rather it be non-violent, but for all evolution and progress ever to have taken place in history, some blood had to be shed and this was no exception.

The rest of the meeting was spent discussing further strategy and other targets. Some were voted on unanimously to be taken out, and some were voted down not being deemed to be necessary to remove from the playing board at this time. Eve was excited for this mission, it would have global ramifications and it would forever be remembered for decades to come.

The sun was getting lower in the sky, sending golden rays through the large crystal clear windows that overlooked the valley and beach front below on the island. The meeting adjourned with a toast to Eve for taking this on.

The island, at an undisclosed location off the coast of Norway, was only reachable by helicopter or boat. Eve left that evening by helicopter to Norway where she then took a plane to France to meet her assassin. Her personal assistant and bodyguard accompanied her even though she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

Her assistant was a tall polish man with a horrendous mustache. His name was Nicholas but he went by Niko. He was there to keep track of things, to communicate her orders to others and to deliver messages to her. He was never informed of what the orders were, they were all in code, but he was paid well enough to not ask. His other function was as part of her cover. When necessary situations arose he acted as her dutiful husband. Their names: Nicholas and Olivia Williams. If anyone were to look them up they would find he was a high school math teacher who taught poker lessons every other night, and she was a low level MI5 agent making minimal salary chasing after nobody criminals. They'd find they were happily married and living in a small flat on the outskirts of London. Totally normal and boring.

Her bodyguard on the other hand was a hot young woman from Russia. She had medium length brown hair and a very fit and nimble physique. Her name was Laura. She was very serious all the time, sometimes to Eve's dismay. She liked people with a good sense of humor. But either way, Laura did her job. She was originally trained to be part of the assault teams that were used to take out multiple armed targets, but somewhere along the way she was offered a position to defend the council members and Eve chose her. Eve already had to have Niko around all the time, she did not need another man there too. Plus she felt it was easier to blend in that way. Laura's cover was that she was Olivia's best friend from college, working at a martial arts studio in London.

Normally they would travel by Eve's private jet, but given the nature of Eve's mission they flew first class commercial. Upon arriving in Paris she had Niko take their things to their safe house, while her and Laura made a visit to Villanelle's apartment. Eve needed a closer look into her new partner's life. Laura was there as a precautionary measure but as soon as she checked the apartment Eve ordered her to get a car and come get her later. Eve knew Villanelle should be arriving soon. With some space from Laura and Niko, she had a little space to breath as she walked through Villanelle's place. After a little while of observing Villanelle's living situation she sat and waited. She couldn't help but be thrilled. She knew of Villanelle's work for them, she did a marvelous job and she had her own flair. Meeting her would be interesting for sure.

XXXXXXXXXX

Eve had Niko and Laura blend in with the rest of the crowd at the cafe while she waited patiently at a table for two for Villanelle.

She was ten minutes late, but when she did show Eve could tell it was likely her extravagant fashion that kept her.

She looked devastating, in a jaw-droppingly good kind of way. Eve did not make that expression though. She was extremely good at masking her feelings. Villanelle looked effortless. She wore a mint green blouse paired with cut off denim shorts and a pair of stylish boots. Her hair was down and she wore black sunglasses. "Good morning, strange lady who won't tell me her name,"

"You're late. Tell me now if I should find someone else for this job, someone who will take it seriously and who can handle it," Eve said with a dangerous tone, looking away from her.

Villanelle pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head so she could look the other woman in the eyes. "You're going to replace me already, but we barely got a chance to know each other," She whimpered like a child.

"Villanelle!" Eve snapped really getting her attention now. She carried on in a more hushed but just as harsh tone. "We need you, but if you screw this up we are both dead, got it? If you try to back out after I give you the target, you are dead." She paused. "I'd hate to see you, our best asset, be wasted so needless," Eve said plainly. "So tell me, can you do this, seriously?"

Villanelle seemed to think about what the woman said. "Serious is not as fun, but of course I will do it, I work for you, you said I would be paid, what more do I need, huh?" Eve was not amused. "Yes, I will do it,"

Eve just looked at her for a moment. "Here," She slid a newspaper across the table to her and leaned back in her chair, taking a drink from her now cold coffee.

"You've got to be shitting me," Villanelle was astonished. She looked at the picture. A man standing behind a podium with an American flag in the background. The image was taken while he was mid-yell apparently. His skin had an orangish tint and his hair was a stiff but stringy yellow. This woman was right, whoever she was, this was definitely going to be the biggest hit of her career.

A/N Please let me know what you think and if more chapters are in order