He turned, slapping my hand from his shoulder. "What do you want?" His cherry-red hat shadowed his face and effectively hid his expression from me.

"I have a job for you." The two brutes I had brought along drew near, and my audience turned as they approached from the gloom beyond the streetlight.

"What kind?"

"One that I'm certain you'll be… interested in completing for us. Come!" I turned and gestured for him and my friends to follow. "All will be explained in time." With a grunt from my companions the man reluctantly followed.

We walked the two blocks to our little rebellion's home away from home, where our new friend would be inspired to his assignment. "Have a seat." I gestured to the chair nearest the door, whilst sitting down in the other.

"Why am I here?"

"Straight to business, eh?" I tsked, setting my hands on the desk between us. "I'll give it to you straight, then. We need the Ninja out of our way. Guaranteed. Permanently."

"What?!" Shock rendered on his face for a second, before he regained his calm demeanor. "I won't-"

"Relax. All we need you to do is bring one of them here, to us." I assured him. "We'll do the rest for you."

"No. Nice doing business with you, but you'll have to find someone else." He moved to get up, but my companions prevented him.

"You don't even know what we're offering yet." He flinched ever so slightly when I snapped my fingers to summon those in the back room. "You see, Ronin, we like to do our research before recruitment."

A yelp echoed from behind me and he lunged onto the desk, only to be dragged back to his seat by my friends. "Kya!"

"Uncle?" Kya's voice was as tiny and frail as she was, yet it was surprisingly hopeful for someone with a knife to their throat. I smiled, knowing what was coming next because of the agony on Ronin's face.

"Does a life for a life change your mind? Or should we have little Kya here-"

"Okay! I'll do it. You'll return her to me afterwards?"

"Of course!" I assured him. "You have three days. After that - well, accidents happen." She yelped again as the knife was shifted slightly, just enough to draw blood.

"Okay! Okay, I already agreed! Put the knife down." They did, and he walked out with his head down; dreading what he was about to do.