Chronicles of the Assassin
Darkness shrouded about the Fort Weiler, a top secret military base stationed on the outskirts of Death Valley. As night fell, the gleaming, silver disc that was the moon hung suspended in midair, its light shining down. Soldiers could be seen, stationed about entrances to the base. The year is 2037. A time of technology. A time of war. The casualties have reached an all time high, and yet the death toll continued to rise. World War III had been under way for 10 years now, and showed no signs of a peaceful conclusion. The American government, now in utter turmoil since the assassination of President Michael Tanner, scrambled to find a new, competent leader. It seemed that the enemy would surely overcome the mighty super power. Yet, this mighty country would not lay down without a fight. Armed with their nuclear warheads, they were prepared to go down, and take the entire world with them. Because of this surprise move, no one has taken up arms to combat the United States, in fear they would be subjected to complete eradication. In order to calm their enemies, the American government had begun research on genetically enhanced cyber assassins. They gathered up two soldiers, both infantrymen, and began to use them as their guinea pigs for these experiments. To be certain that these soldiers did not act upon their own thoughts, the scientists stripped them of all forms of humanity, thus making them completely emotionless. In order to increase their physical capabilities, they injected the soldiers with Nano-technology. With enough exposure, the soldiers were soon stronger, faster, and much smarter than even the top covert operative. However, despite their efforts, one of those soldiers was able to retain a small portion of his humanity. During one of the field experiments, the soldier was able to escape the facility, and return to the free world, where he began to establish a new life. Despite constant warnings of a social psychopath, the Armed Forces decided to leave the soldier be, and let him live his life. He was, however, kept under heavy surveillance, just to be sure that he would not become more than just a mere civilian. Yet, the matter of the other altered soldier was a totally different story. He passed the field exam with flying colors, causing the army to make haste in sending him on a few missions… I've never seen government officials so eager about something, unless it made them some money. Heh… come to think of it, they moved faster this time around. My name's Vincent Marquis, Codename: Shadow. A secret weapon, born and raised of the military. I know only one thing… Combat. I'm the military's top secret weapon. A soldier, devoid of human emotion. Ruthless, and powerful beyond human imagination. A weapon at the disposal of a bunch of fat-faced, cowardly bureaucrats. I follow orders, no questions, no objections. However… my simple life was changed one day…
Chapter One: Catalyst
It seems very odd that the Army would give something like me a shore leave… Not that I mind much. But, it's never happened before. Usually, after every mission, I'm sent to the confines of my quarters. Not very quaint scenery, I might add. Four walls, plain white in color. A single chair in the center of the room. No bed, no television. Not even a window to watch the sunrise in the morning. Not that I care much for that kind of thing. I don't get a newspaper every morning. There are no books for me to read. Nothing that may poison my already intoxicated mind further. Nothing to show of the propaganda of the outside world. No visions of happiness, sadness, anger, rage. The only time I see the outside world is on one of my little games, as I call them. The only time I ever see another human face, is when it's twisted in agony as my blade slams into his gut. I see nothing but death. My sword's tasted the blood of many, drained the life away from hundreds. I never hear the voice of another, save for the agonized howls of my victims. So yes, the thought of the outside world does jar my senses a bit. "Shadow, I think it's about time you took a bit of a break." General Maric told me, his voice sounding slightly grave. "You're going to wind up working yourself to death. I'm ordering a 2 week vacation for you." I simply nodded, knowing better than to question the orders of a superior officer. As the general turned away, a sigh escaped his weathered lips. "I'll be expecting you back in 2 weeks. Don't be late, soldier." He ordered, as he made his confident stride from the room. His heavy boots echoed throughout the empty quarters, as a slight smile spread across my face. "Yes, sir." I responded calmly, as I stood from my seat. I figured I would go in what I was wearing, but of course, that wouldn't be too smart. I was supposed to be a secret. Nothing more. My identity was to remain a secret, and during my time in the outside world, I would not be permitted to use my codename. I calmly made my way towards the locker rooms. I was positive I'd be able to acquire some civilian clothing. As I entered, the silent stares of a group of trainees set upon me. "I haven't seen him before…" One of them whispered, in an attempt to keep it from me. My enhanced hearing, however, could hear a pin drop from miles away. Surely this rookie didn't think anything could get passed me. But then again, they had no idea as to my identity. My existence hadn't even been a thought in their miniscule brains until now. "Hey, you there…" The one in the far corner of the locker room called to me, his voice echoing throughout the expanse of their surroundings. I stopped slowly, not even bothering to look upon him, my head remaining slightly lowered, my eyes focused upon the floor. "Problem?" My voice, emotionless in its splendor, echoed as I responded. The man quickly shook his head, as he slipped his white undershirt on. "Not really. Just wanting to know your name." At that moment, I thought of snapping his neck. I would think that his commanding officer would speak of the top-secret military weapon. Apparently, he hadn't, so the young soldier was going to get off easy this time. "If you were wise, you wouldn't ask that. The only ones who ever find out my name are the ones that I wind up killing." I responded calmly. My countenance remained calm, a wicked grin spread across my face. The soldier's brow raised slightly, as his head tilted off to the side. "Listen, man. All I was askin' was for your name. No need to be all uptight about it." I raised my brow in response, lifting my head up to get a good look at the speaker. Clear blue eyes remained fixated upon me, slightly frantic, yet all the more angry. I'd pissed him off. Good. Just what I wanted. "Shadow." I responded calmly, as I set my hazel orbs upon him. The man shook his head, and turned away slowly, as he began to rummage through his locker, in an attempt to find another shirt. His search turned up fruitful, as he pulled, from the locker, a red, long sleeved shirt. A black stripe stretched across the breast of the shirt. The man calmly pulled it on, his blonde hair ruffling up slightly, as he straightened the article of clothing. "Shadow, eh? Well, that's a pretty… odd name. Wonder what your parents were on, when they gave it to you." I shook my head, and chuckled slightly as I rested my gloved hands upon my hips. "Watch your tongue, peon. Or I'll show you exactly why they call me Shadow." Not very many people know why that was my name. I was given the chance to choose my own codename, and it fit my profession well. I was like nothing but a mere wraith, a shadow of my victim. I never exposed myself, not even for a second, until it came time to terminate. That was the power given to me through the genetic mutations those scientists performed upon me. The ability to melt into a wall, to become one with the shadows. I could slip past any surveillance system, no matter how advanced it was, no matter how sophisticated. "A bloodthirsty recruit, eh?" A voice echoed from behind. I slowly turned to face it, only to find that, to my surprise, it was the soldier's drill sergeant. "Well, you mess with my troops, and I'll have your ass shining the floors." He informed me, his tone rather commanding. I merely grinned, and shook my head a moment. "Is that any way to talk to a superior?" I questioned him, as the grin quickly dropped, my countenance once again emotionless. "Superior?" His voice echoed my words, as his crimson lobes widened. "Shadow…" He breathed, as he shook his head. "Boy, what the hell were you thinking!" He set his gaze upon the young soldier, his visage streaked with fury. "You have any idea how much trouble you could get into by sassin' a superior officer!" The boy straightened quickly, his body going rigid as his sapphire orbs locked to the fore, staring straight ahead. "Sir, yes sir!" He shouted obediently, as he stood, not moving. "I want you to drop and give me 50, soldier! And the next time I catch you back talking those of higher rank, I will personally tear you a new asshole, do I make myself clear?" The drill sergeant had continued to shout, until he was red in the face. Despite my enjoyment of watching as this private was driven into the ground by his commanding officer's constant scolding, I merely shook my head, and turned away. "Enough, Sergeant. He didn't know. Let the kid be, eh?" The sergeant locked his stone cold gaze upon me, yet despite his attempts to seem tough, I could feel the fear that emanated from his soul. I shrugged slightly, and turned to walk past them, my hazel orbs never shifting from the direct path ahead of me. "Yes, sir…" The man merely responded, a bead of sweat forming upon his furrowing brow. I made my way back into the hallways, as the monotonous view of linoleum halls began to work at my last nerves. I was anxious to get out into the outside, to experience things I hadn't seen for many a long time. The life of solitude I lived was beginning to work at my conscience, eating away at my very soul. I found that I had been yearning for a life beyond this military compound, but I chose not to voice this. It was against my better judgment that I decided not to, because, quite frankly, I loved my job. It may seem twisted, but up until today, I enjoyed disposing of the enemies of the American government. The thrill, the excitement, the adrenaline rush I always seemed to get when I was working an operation always seemed to get to me. And the look on the face of my victim, oh, that was ever so priceless. It all seemed so right, like this is what I was born into. Being an assassin was all I knew. I could do nothing else. Especially not with my talents. The only thing I'd qualify for is a side-show freak at a circus. And that was totally below me. I would have nothing to do with such… waste. And from what I've learned, people with my talents usually become heroes of the people. But then again, I was much to cold-hearted to become a "super hero". I could care less what happens to the human race, just as long as my existence is not compromised. And don't get me wrong, I don't exactly fear death. However, the thought of it coming for me irks me beyond reasoning. It bothers me, makes me uncomfortable. I'm a bringer of death. I don't take kindly to those bringing it to my doorstep. Which is why I know better than to question or deny orders. I know what cunning acts the Army is capable of. Anyone who opposes them is eliminated, and is no longer a threat. As long as I did what I was told, I would live a nice, long, fruitful life. But something was amiss. The constant thought of being given a… "vacation"… still pushed to the fore of my mind, nagging at me, pushing me to find an answer as to why they would do something of that sort now. I shrugged it off, and made my way towards the shopping sector of the military facility. To my surprise, a lot of military bases were equipped with these shopping facilities. It seemed that entire families of military personnel could live in this place, for they even had living quarters. Man, I'd been confined to that room for so long, I didn't even know of the accommodations that came with living in this confounded place. As I arrived, I instantly focused my sights upon the map of the sector. A decent set of pants and a shirt would do me fine. I didn't require anything else. I would only be gone for a couple of weeks, and if I needed anything else, I'd find it on the outside. I grinned slightly, as I had located a decent clothing center a few stores up. I continued my slow progress, drawing the eyes of many a soldier, of many a civilian that lived upon the military base. A mini-city all in its own respect. Such an utter surprise. I didn't think those fools up in the higher ranks would be able to think up something like this. This was the work of a rather intelligent man. Keep stationed soldiers in a certain place for a certain amount of time, then after their allotted time has expired, send them back home. Give them proper residency, and all the resources of the outside world. Simply ingenious. After a moment of thinking about it, I shrugged the thought off, pushing it to the rear of my mind. Not something I particularly wanted to dwell upon for a long period of time, so I considered other things. Like… what color would suit me best? As I entered the noisy confines of the clothing store, all forms of motion and sound ceased. They turned, focusing their gaze upon me. 20 pairs of eyes… not exactly my idea of comfort. I grimaced slightly, wondering why is it that, everywhere I went, I always seemed to draw the attention of astonished onlookers. It was like… they'd never seen a man before. But then again, they'd probably never seen one such as myself before. I shrugged it off, and glanced at the store clerk. "Excuse me, Miss." I called to her, trying to seem as polite as were humanly possible, however, not having much success in that regard. "I'm looking for some civilian clothing. I'm on leave, and I can't possibly go out there looking like a top secret military weapon." She chuckled slightly, and shook her head. "Right this way, sir." She ordered gently, her melodic voice flowing through the air. Music to my ears. She led me to the men's clothing area, where I glanced about at all the different articles of clothing. Jeans, pants, shorts, shirts… all seemed rather different. But then again, I didn't really pay much attention to the differences in all the bits of physical attire that lay before me. "So, what exactly are you looking for… uh… I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name." She smiled gently at me, her blonde hair hanging about her brow, as her clear, turquoise orbs focused upon me. I merely smiled back, a polite gesture, as I shook my head. Pushing a few strands of crimson hair from my face, I slowly responded. "Vincent Marquis." It had been a while since I had ever used my birth name. I had remained under the shadow of the military for so long, under my codename for so many years, that I had forgotten what it felt like to be called by my real name. "Well, Mr. Marquis. What exactly would you be looking for?" She smiled gently once more, as her hands remained clasped in front of her. "Please, call me Vincent. I'm not exactly old enough to be called a mister just yet." She laughed at my joke, her bell-like laughter echoing throughout the clothing store. The sound of it brought a small smile to my face, as I pushed my crimson tresses from about my brow once more. "And I was actually hoping you could help me with that. You look like a woman of exceptional taste." Her visage took on a bright crimson hue, as she lowered her head away from me, obviously embarrassed. "Uh… Thank you, Vincent." She responded quietly, shyly, as she slowly pushed a few stray bits of her golden locks from her brow. She turned her back to him for a moment, her sapphire orbs scanning each rack of clothing before her, as I stood patiently, my eye steadily upon her. I think she felt me watching her, because every so often, she would turn around to look back at me. Each time our eyes met, she quickly shied away, her head quickly whirling about. This kept going on for a few moments, before she finally returned, a pair of long black jeans, and a long sleeved black shirt clutched gently in her soft, cream-colored hands. "I figured black was your color…" She said quietly, her head lowered slightly as she spoke. She sighed softly, as she handed him the clothing, and, after a few moments, looked up at him. "How much?" My tone was flat, despite my efforts to make it sound a bit more lively than usual, and she quickly shifted her gaze from me. "Um… Twenty dollars. Army discount and all." She laughed lightly, her bell-like laughter echoing throughout the clothing store once more. Again, this brought a smile to my face. "You have such a pretty laugh." I told her, my countenance set in a serene, tranquil expression. She blinked slightly, as she continued to look away, her face once again taking on that crimson color of embarrassment. Slowly, she turned away, making her way back behind her register, just as a group of shady looking characters strolled into the store. One of them, in a bold fashion, made his way to the counter, where he leaned against it, his face strangely close to the young store clerk's. "Hey, Mia. So, how about that date for Friday?" She blinked, and shook her head quickly. "Locke, you know I have work." Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Locke. A serious hard ass, or at least that's what he wanted his peers to think. Somehow, he had developed this strange illusion of him being the top soldier the Army had to offer. But then again, he had no clue as to my existence. For all he knew, I could be a low ranking private. And I'd prefer to have kept things that way, considering how much he irritated me. His gaze shifted to me, as an irritated expression crossed over his handsome face. "What are you looking at, soldier?" He demanded of me, as he made his way over to me. I merely kept my mouth shut. I wasn't in the mood to do any unnecessary killing, but boy, was this guy tempting me. "You have a bit of a staring disorder?" I locked my hazel orbs upon his crimson lobes, never wavering for a moment. "Soldier? You're speaking to me, as if you're MY superior. I'd watch my tone, kid." I responded, as my brow furrowed. I could steadily feel my cheeks growing hotter by the second, as we had become locked in a deadly stare down. I wasn't prepared to back down, and neither was he, which frustrated me all the more. I could very easily decapitate this guy's head with a clothes hanger. But, I'd rather keep the blood spill to a minimum. "Locke, leave him alone. He's just a customer." The store clerk, now identified as Mia, quickly stepped in between us, as she pushed him back towards the front counter. "He hasn't done anything to harm you." Locke roughly pushed her aside, as he moved closer to me, this time, until our noses were touching. Boy, did this really get to my last nerve. "I suggest you back away, soldier." I said the last word a bit more stronger than the rest, emphasizing my superiority. This sent him completely off the handle, as he brought his fist back. He swung it with such force, and such speed, that no normal person would be able to keep up. But then again… who said I was a normal human being. I smirked slightly, and, with incredible ease, ducked beneath the punch. His fist flew harmlessly above my head, as I yanked the dagger strapped to my belt from its sheath. I pressed it tightly enough against his throat to mark him, but not enough so to draw blood. He stood, frozen in place, in awe at the vast difference in our abilities. "You'll be the first… and the last who ever makes it away from my blade after it's been pulled, kid. Next time, think before you act." I pulled the knife away from his throat, sliding it back into its sheath, as I walked past him towards the counter, and Mia. "Sorry for the trouble, Miss Mia." She quickly threw her hands up in protest, and shook her head quickly, the messy bun swaying quickly from left to right. "It's just Mia." She responded, her face still a look of incredible surprise. I pulled a twenty dollar bill from the breast pocket of my combat suit, and rested it upon the counter. She calmly bagged my clothes, and handed the sack to me, as she smiled. "It was a pleasure serving you. Please, come back again." I merely nodded, returning her smile with one of my own. "No problem, Mia. I'll catch you later." I turned towards Locke, still frozen in place. "And you. Watch yourself, next time. I won't be so kind and gently, if we ever have to meet like that again."