CHAPTER 1

YOR

October 29

Yor hummed to herself as she finished pinning up her hair. She blinked into the mirror. "You're going to make a great breakfast," she told her reflection authoritatively. The reflection looked unsure.

She smiled at herself to make the doubt go away and tripped out into the hallway. It was so quiet in the morning with Loid-san gone already! She flipped on the radio for some ambient noise and pulled out her favorite mug. There was plenty of hot water waiting in the heater. Loid was so thoughtful and organized like that. He always refilled it after pouring a cup.

She made herself a cup of chamomile and breathed it in deeply. "Today is going to be a good day," Yor decided. She put the cup down on the counter and went to wake up Anya.

"Anya-chan," Yor sang out, fingers curled over the door frame.

There was no response from the huddle of blankets.

She flipped the light on. "Anya-chan, it's time to wake up!" A pause. Hmm. "Bondman," Yor said quietly.

Anya sat up immediately in a cloud of frizzy pink hair and began looking around. "What?" She blinked and rubbed at her face.

"I'm about to make breakfast," Yor explained cheerfully. She felt her eyes curve along with her smile. "What would you like? I'll make it while you get ready!"

"Anya wants soft poached eggs and fresh bread again!" she declared. "With the herbs in the bread! And the cheese! And the cream soup in the blue bowl!"

…Loid usually made breakfast.

Yor's smile faltered. "I can make eggs and toast!" Yor blinked rapidly. "Do you want your eggs scrambled? Sunny side up?"

"Oh." Anya's shoulders fell. She gave Yor a look. "Well… Sunny eggs! And can I have a salad?"

'I can do this! I can get Anya ready for school even without Loid's help.'

"Of course!" Yor chirped. "Go wash your face."

It was a little… lonely, though, with him out of the house so early. He had left before she got up at 6, on his way to meet someone who was delivering his old university textbooks. He was so studious and responsible! She didn't own any of her old textbooks.

Yor turned on the gas and set a cast iron pan on it with a clunk. She fished butter and eggs out of the fridge and put the bread in the toaster. She pulled the lever and grinned at the bread disappearing. Then she waited for the pan to get hot. After a while, she touched it experimentally. Not hot.

Oh! The burner wasn't on. She fixed that, and then she put the butter in the cold pan because she was a little worried about time. She cracked two eggs in a bowl, checked for shell, and slid them next to the pat of butter. Then she went to set the table. By the time that was done, it was time to scrape the eggs off of the pan and put them on plates. She put the toast out, too and then remembered the salad. She opened the fridge and leaned down to investigate.

"I don't know what these are," she said quietly to herself. There was something purple and oblong. She didn't trust it. She took out lettuce and found a tomato on the counter. That was a salad! She plated it all up and beamed. That was fast! Anya was still in the bathroom. She had enough time to wash Loid's favorite cast iron pan, humming as she rubbed soapy bubbles over it with love. When the dishes were clean, Yor took her tea and sat down at her chair to wait.

Anya came trudging out with her hair half-brushed. She looked at the table. She looked depressed.

"Is something wrong?" Yor asked, concern swelling. She clasped her fingers together anxiously. "I can help you with your hair after you eat!"

"...Thank you," Anya said. She climbed up onto her seat and then blinked. "Where's Anya's juice?"

Yor leapt up and nearly spilled her tea. "I'll get it!"

After breakfast, she walked Anya to the bus stop. Then it was time to rush off to city hall for work. She made coffee and she fetched files. At 9:05, the main phone rang.

'A special assignment?'

No matter what happened, Yor was in the office at 9:05 every single day. That was when her boss would call her if there was an assassination.

She looked up at the sound, but it was Camilla's job to answer the phone today. Yor was hyper aware as her coworker cheerfully greeted the caller, made acknowledging sounds, and then said, "Just one moment, please!"

Camilla made eye contact with Yor. Her smile was strained. "It's for you, Yor-senpai," she said sweetly. Everyone else turned to look at Yor as she crossed the office, thanked Camilla, and took the phone.

"Yes?"

"I have a job for you, this evening. Can you accept it?"

"Of course," Yor said cheerfully. She wound the cord around her finger.

"Excellent. Goodbye," her boss said, and hung up.

"Goodbye," Yor said to the dial tone, and then hung the phone back up. She nodded at Camilla and went back to her desk.

No one asked her who it had been, and they all went back to work without any interesting gossip.

'I can get the information drop during my lunch break,' Yor decided. 'But… I won't be able to get Anya from school! I need to call Loid-san. Can I do them both during lunch? I have to.'

When noon came, she shrugged on her coat and went to the phone booth nearby. Yor stuck her tongue out in concentration as she fished out the paper with Loid's new office number on it.

A clear female voice answered on the second ring. "Good afternoon, Forger Mental Health Clinic, how may I help you?"

Yor cleared her throat. "Ah, Ilina-san, right?" She tapped the side of her purse. "It's Yor, Yor Forger. Is Loid there?"

"Just one moment, Mrs. Forger. I'll get him on the line." There was a click.

After a few seconds, Loid picked up. "Hello, Yor," he greeted. The sound of his voice relaxed her. Yor slumped a little and toyed with the telephone cord around her fingers. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, it's fine," she reassured. There was a big black bird on the sidewalk. She watched it hop between pedestrians. "I have to work late today. Do you think you could be home for Anya?"

He let out a surprised "Oh." Only a moment passed before his voice shifted to reassuring and dropped a few notes. "Of course, Yor-san. You won't work too hard, right?"

She beamed at how thoughtful he was. "I won't," she confirmed. "But I need to go, I have one more errand to do during lunchtime."

"Oh, you are busy. I won't keep you. Have a good day." The sound of his voice was like a hug. She reveled in it as she left the phone booth to retrieve the information drop.

Yor read the file at her desk, eating onigiri with the other hand. The target was a male, 76 years old. He was a retired politician who had opposed the wall that separated them from the dissidents in Westalis. And he had been passing information to former co-workers.

She frowned.

'That's worse than if he was selling it. He's such a traitor he wants us to fail and he doesn't even care to profit.'

Yor felt anger burning in her stomach. She pushed it down and plastered on a smile for her office. She was going to make it right. She put her head down and tapped on her typewriter until it was time to leave. She picked up her purse and then went back to the apartment to change into her other work outfit. She put a coat on over it and then selected her favorite weapons. The three-tipped blades went under her sleeves. Yor hummed as she picked back up her purse and went out the door again, quietly locking it.

She took a train. Then she walked to another train station and went the other way for a few stations. She got out and walked around at a businesslike clip, smiling beautifically at other pedestrians. No one made eye contact with her. She made her way several kilometers to a residential neighborhood with wide lawns and the occasional fountain. She started humming again as she went up the correct sidewalk. The door was locked. She put all her might into her arm and forced it open.

Metal fell to the ground as she quietly walked in. She closed the door behind her. Yor scanned the area, face tilted to look at the upper level. "Wow," she marveled quietly. "It's very pretty." She shed her coat and laid it on the banister on her way upstairs. She peered in doors as she went. Empty, empty, empty- ah. She beamed at the old man. He was seated in a burnt orange chair, reading a book. A glass of amber alcohol was on the side table at his left elbow.

"Good evening," Yor called.

The man jumped and stood to face her, surprisingly spry for his age. The book hit the floor with a soft thud.

She tilted her face again, comparing his face to the photo. Yes. It was the same man. "What are you doing here?" her target demanded. His face went red in anger. He gave her outfit a disbelieving look, eyes lingering on her low cut neckline. "Who are you- did my degenerate son invite a whore?"

"I'm sorry to intrude," Yor said apologetically. She let her hands come out from behind her back, showing her blades. "I'm here to kill you."

His face went white. He stumbled back. "What- no, please don't!" He hit the chair behind him and accidentally sat down in it. He struggled to get up and hide behind it. She just watched. "I have money!" he cried out desperately.

"I'll get paid for working," Yor pointed out cheerfully. And then she let her face go hard. "And I can't let a traitor live."

"A traitor," he breathed. His expression turned to a sneer, and his chin went up. "Kill me, then," he spat.

"Okay," Yor said. She took a step forward.

"I'll haunt you!" he screamed at her, spit flying. His wrinkled hands curled into fists that wouldn't protect him. "You bitch, I'll come back and I'll-" He choked wetly as her three blades went into his throat. His hands came up. She forced the blade to the side, batting his hand away.

He hit his knees. He fell to his side, hands twitching around his ruined throat.

"Thank you for your time," Yor said politely. She gave him a little bow. "I'll be on my way, then."

Hmm. It was very easy. No bodyguards, no witnesses. She wiped her blades on his clothes, headed back downstairs, and put her coat back on the way out. She left through the front door.