Part 3

Daniel's breakfast smiled back at him, two small pancakes and a large one arranged on his plate to look like a mouse or bear? There were two chocolate syrup eyes, a glob of cream in the middle with two chocolate curves shaped like a mouth on it. Around the face, she cut heart shaped bananas and strawberries.

"Is something wrong?" Jill asked him, noticing his expression.

"No…I just never had my breakfast smile back at me before," Daniel smirked; he couldn't remember the last time someone made him breakfast. It was nice and normal. "You are pretty talented."

"Thank you," Jill beamed; she sat down across from him. He wasn't what she expected, in spite of his hard exterior. He seemed a little funny instead of hard and cold.

Daniel developed a crush on her. Fucking perfect, this is just fucking perfect. He shoved the food into his mouth. He didn't want to take her in today…maybe tomorrow or at least until he finished painting her house. Somehow he found logic in that notion.

"I didn't say anything embarrassing or do anything embarrassing?" Daniel asked her in between bites.

"No," Jill laughed a little. "Other than throw up on me and in my car." Daniel's ears went bright red. "Sorry, I had to hose you off last night. You smelled really bad and there was vomit all over you."

"I don't mind at all, it not every day a guy gets a shower from a pretty girl." Daniel replied to her. "I am just sorry you had to see me like that." He offered up no excuses and she didn't ask him for any.

"Would you like some coffee to go with that?" Jill got up from her seat and headed toward the counter.

"Sure," Daniel liked the way she looked, hair pulled to the side in a loose braid, shorts and a pink sweater. His eyes lingered on her backside and slender legs.

"So are you up for painting today?" Jill glanced back at him, catching his stare.

"Yeah, I'm up…I'm up for anything," Daniel averted his gaze.

Jill painted in straight lines, they were perfect and exact while Daniels were often uneven. They stood a few feet apart yet he could feel as if she were next to him. It was nice, painting and doing what normal people did. She gave him a comforting feeling; there was no dangerous business, no trying to fix him or giving him medications. The ghosts in his head actually left him alone in her presence.

"Your arm," Jill pointed her paint brush at him. "Your arm has paint on it."

"Fuck shit," Daniel accidently brushed his arm on the wet paint. "Son of a bitch!"

Jill started giggling; she put her paint brush down. "Here let me take your jacket, I have some stuff that will take the paint off"

They took a break and sat under a large oak tree, Daniel stared at Jill for a moment. "You saw the markings on my arms."

"What you did in your past is your own thing," Jill gazed toward nothing in particular. "We all have our own demons, it's not up to anyone to save us or keep us in check. We can do it ourselves." She stood up and brushed away the dirt. "Come on, we have work to do."

They finished painting the house and the barn after that. For the next several days, they worked on fixing up the house. For the first time in his life, the voices stopped bothering him completely; Kenya no longer tried to escape. It was Jill…Daniel quietly observed her peeling apples for a pie, they were both in the kitchen. The skin came off with ease as she twisted the apple round and around. She kept the ghosts at bay; it was her that calmed him. Daniel wished they met under different circumstances; he might have had a chance to be something to her. If only he hadn't killed the mentor, their paths might have eventually crossed. Daniel longed to extend his hand out to her but knew she would not, could not ever accept him if she knew the truth. They played on opposite teams.

"Here," Jill stretched the newly shaved apple toward him.

"I can't…" Daniel stood up abruptly, he needed to leave. "I have to go…I have to…" Jill frowned but said nothing. "I have to go…" No explanation, Daniel whirled around toward the door.

"Wait," Jill called out to him softly. "Will you come back tomorrow?"

Daniel paused; he didn't look back at her because he would say "yes". Jill watched him clinched his hands and released them. "No…I don't know if I can…"

"I see…" Jill wanted to stop him; she couldn't let him leave like this. "Your pay-"

"Consider all the times you cooked for me payment," Daniel stormed out of the room; he couldn't bear to near her any longer.

Jill put the knife and apple down; she wondered what was on his mind. He appeared normal for the most part, up until now. She let him go, knowing that he would come back. He had to come back.


"Not now Kenya…" Two days passed since Daniel left Jill, his phone ranged constantly. Lucy called continuously on his progress, so did Dr. Sung. "Leave me alone." He hardly slept or ate, Kenya came back and so did the others. The voices in his head…why can't they leave him alone…he hated them. He saw them live their lives, make their own decisions, love…marry…it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that he could have any of that…he couldn't have what he wanted.

Daniel summoned Jill's face, the smile that seemed to take so much effort for her. He saw right through her, the way she attempted so hard to be happier than she was. At first glance, one would not be able to tell she was fighting something but upon closer inspection, something darker hide under her gentle expression. Maybe it was because he experienced so much pain in his life? Or that he knew darkness well? But he could recognize another broken soul. The voices calmed in his head, they became quieter. He wanted to go back to her, back to the farm.


The ticking of the clock gave her a sense of calmness, so did taking apart a gun. Her grandfather used to sit at the kitchen table with her and show her the different pieces inside a gun. They even made a game out of it; the first to finish got to pick their next trip.

"Done!" Jill screamed happily, the first time she beat her grandfather. "I win!"

"So you did, you are getting good." Her grandfather told her proudly. "You are just like your old grandpa."

"Yep, I'm going to be like you some day." Jill declared to him, she hopped over to his lap. "I want to go with you to Canada, can I go?"

"Of course you can Baby Girl, but we have to ask your grandma first." Her grandfather patted her head affectionately.

"Okay," Jill smiled up at him, excited to be going up north.

Daniel Crossed caused the death of her grandfather and killed the mentor. She trained all her life to kill him one day, for her grandfather and her brotherhood, she will avenge them. Without her grandfather's guidance, she was lost for a while but the thought of finding Daniel Cross brought her back, it gave her a new meaning. When she first met him, she didn't know how much of an impact he would have on her life. Her grandfather had taken her to a camp with him; he was training some new recruits and promised to take her out on the shooting range. Daniel Cross and a woman came to the camp that day; it didn't mean a thing to her until later. Her memories of his face was vague, truthfully she hardly paid attention to him. She recalled a young clean shaven man, wearing a white jacket. Bright blonde hair, somber blue eyes and very sharp features…


Canada 1999 May

William waited outside for his son, this was the first time he took Desmond anywhere on a trip with him. It was brief but necessary for him to bring Desmond to the training camp up in Canada for a few days and he had business in Canada. Some mysterious man named Daniel Cross was coming to the compound to speak. He found the man's story fascinating; he seemed to have certain knowledge of the Order that only a few high ranking Assassins knew about. It would be interesting to see what he had to say. A green truck pulled up into the camp, William Miles watched as James MaceaEAchthighearna got out of the truck. The two nodded at each other respectfully. MaceaEAchthighearna's granddaughter hopped out of the truck a moment later, William had the opportunity to observe the girl on several occasions. She was a bright girl, obedient yet curious. The girl possessed the same drive and talent the MaceaEAchthighearna clan was known for; she would make a fine field operative someday when she grew up. Admittedly, he was disappointed that Desmond lacked many of the skills to make an Assassin. He often wondered where he went wrong with Desmond; the boy came from a long line of accomplished Assassins. It should be genetic or something. He didn't understand him; maybe the reasons were that he hardly spent any time with the boy. It was too late for him to be a father now; he often wondered if he had any business in having a child. He certainly didn't have the skills or time for such activities.

Jill carried her rifle and lugged her grandfather's sniper case out of the trunk. Her grandfather came around to her. "You need help Baby Girl?"

"Nope, I got it," She lifted the case off the ground.

"Okay than, I am going over to talk to Bill. You go on ahead now to the shooting range, I'll meet you in a bit." He told her as he walked toward William Miles.

Jill grabbed the case with both her hands; it proved harder to carry than she thought. Suddenly a car pulled up, a sleek black van. She watched two individuals come out of the car but soon turned her attention away from them. When she glanced back at them, a blond man stood staring at her. He wore a frown on his lips; he tilted his head to the side to speak to the other person, a young woman. She said something back to him and he averted his attention away from her. Jill didn't think much of the two and went about her way.


Present time…

"Come on Jill," In spite of her protest, Toby dragged Jill up to the stage. It was karaoke night at Romeo and Juliet. College students and the locals filled up the shop. "Ladies and Gentlemen, here is a talented lady. Jill Kim. Let's give her a round of applause." Jill gave him a death glare; she looked to her friends for help. Dwayne and Piper only smile at her. "Jill Kim, singing "To Build a Home" by the The Cinematic Orchestra." Jill sat in the hot seat; it made her extremely uncomfortable to sing in front of so many people. Toby started playing the piano softly, Jill took a nervous breathe; glancing at the faces, she opened her mouth. Her voice came out shakily but gradually became smoother:

"There is a house built out of stone
Wooden floors, walls and window sills
Tables and chairs worn by all of the dust
This is a place where I don't feel alone
This is a place where I feel at home…"

Daniel observed Jill from the back; she really did have a nice voice. Welcoming and enticing, it drew him in. By this point, his infatuation with her had increase even more. Her expressions were soulful and sad; he could feel the deep emotions in her voice. It needed to be tonight, he needed to take her in for his own sanity.

"Out in the garden where we planted the seeds
There is a tree as old as me
Branches were sewn by the color of green
Ground had arose and passed its knees"

Jill was distracting him, she scared him a little…no… she scared him a lot. Her presence disrupted his routine, his life in general. Daniel already decided to accept his place in Abstergo. Not only that but she was an Assassin, he can't imagine what she would think if she knew who he really was.

"By the cracks of the skin I climbed to the top
I climbed the tree to see the world
when the gusts came around to blow me down
Held on as tightly as you held onto me
Held on as tightly as you held onto me..."

Jill paused for a moment as Tobey speeded up the tempo, closing her eyes she bob her head from side to side and started up once more:

"And I built a home for you, for me. Until it disappeared from me, from you
And now, it's time to leave and turn to dust..."

After she finished, she saunter over to a table to talk to some of her friends, as if she sensed his presence, Jill turn to see him. Pausing for only a moment, she grinned at him and started toward him.

"Who do you think that is?" Tobey asked the two others, all eyes followed after Jill. "I have never seen him before."

"Beats me," Piper spoke with curiosity. "Do you think it's a boyfriend?"

"When has she ever made time for a boyfriend," Tobey snorted. She turned him down a couple of times in the past.

"He kind of looks like a…" Piper noticed the blonde stranger had a piercing on his brow and wore earrings. "Thug…maybe he's just someone she knows."

"Guys, whatever Jill does in her personal time is her own business," Dwayne interjected the two. "It's not our business."

"Has anyone ever told you that you are a bad gossip," Toby laughed, he could see the curiosity in Dwayne's eyes. "Hell who am I kidding; I'm going to ask her later." Dwayne recanted after a moment, he wanted to know.

"Hey…I didn't think I would see you again," Jill said to him casually, trying not to spook him.

"Yeah…I was walking around and I came in," Daniel wished he thought of a better lie. "I'm not taking you from your friends am I?" His eyes strayed to the trio; they grinned and waved at the two.

"No…not at all," Jill glared at them and they quickly pretended to mind their own business. "I…Ummm…" She didn't expect to see him; she didn't know what to say.

"You want to go outside? For some air?" Daniel asked her without thinking.

"Yeah…sure," Jill grinned brightly, Daniel liked the way her dimples showed when she smiled. "Let me get my sweater, wait here."

"Who's the blonde?" Tobey asked when Jill returned for her sweater.

"A friend, he's doing some work for me around the house," Jill replied at him simply, she grabbed her sweater.

"Where you two going?" Dwayne piled another question on her.

"Why are you guys so gossipy tonight?" Jill smirked at the three of them. "It's nothing; we are just going to talk about the farm."

"Come on guys, leave her alone." Piper chimed in, Jill gave her an appreciated gaze. "It's no big deal."

"We're just messing with ya," Dwayne gave her an affectionate squeeze. "Don't stay out too late."

"I won't," Jill hugged him back; she gave Dwayne a light kiss on the cheek. Nodded to Tobey and squeezed Piper quickly. "See you guys later."

"You know this is the longest time Jill has stayed in one place, not counting that time she got back from Rome with a broken leg." Tobey commented to Dwayne.

"Jill doesn't like to stay still," Piper sat down and stir her coffee. Jill took all her class online just so she could be on the road. "She is a free spirit."

"Maybe it's a good thing, she needs a break. I am always afraid she might collapse from exhaustion or burn out one of these days." Dwayne stared after his friend.

"It's different for people born into the lifestyle," The one thing Tobey and Jill had in common. "You go where you are needed; there is no other way of life." Tobey felt bad for Jill sometimes but he understood her need to keep moving. Growing up in the Order could be daunting and most of the time lonesome. Not only that but he knew her story, he knew her lost. He too lost someone important to him during the purge.


It was a breezy night, the weather just perfect for walking under the starlight sky.

"Romantic…just fucking romantic…" Daniel mumbled under his breathe.

"What did you say?" Jill threw him a puzzled glance. "Did you say something?"

"Naw…no…just nothing," Daniel stuttered sheepishly. "It feels nice outside, that's all." They were alone; there was no one in sight. He could take her away right now and it would be all over for him…for them.

"Yeah, I like this kind of weather." Jill took off her sweater; she wore a white lace dress underneath. It fell just an inch above her knees, fitted with a slightly puffy skirt. Her hair was braided on her head into a romantic hair do. Whatever an Assassin looked like, she didn't look like one. He was on edge; she could see it in his motions and feel it in his voice. Jill wanted to calm him, make him comfortable.

They walked in silence until they came to a fountain, the two sat down by a bench. Daniel tapped his foot nervously; he stole quick glances at Jill. He wasn't good at this sort of thing, spending time with a girl, no sex or mission involved. The only women he ever spent time with were recruits or women working at Abstergo. And only then, it was only sex. Women in the office found him attractive because he was the suppose Abstergo hero. The one to kill the mentor and nearly take down the Order.

Jill tried to think of something to say, she hardly interacted with people outside of her field. Her only real companions were her teammates and the other various Assassins she met during missions. Maybe she should ask about why he left so abruptly or was it too awkward? She had to say something right? Maybe they didn't need to say anything?

Daniel pondered to himself. She didn't seem like the type who would be bothered if they just sat next to each other silently. Or was she? Was he being too creepy or weird by not saying anything?

"You sing good…" Daniel frown, did he really just say she sing good? "What I mean is that you sing very well."

Jill smiled a little, he actually broke the ice. "Thank you, I don't really like being on stage." She stared down at her feet. "It makes me nervous…all those eyes."

"You were really good," Daniel replied quietly. "I like the way you look when you sing…" He trailed off.

"So you have traveled a lot? Russia sounds interesting," Jill groped for another subject. "What did you do there?"

"Building...construction work," Daniel answered quickly, he already prepared in case she asked him about work. She asked him more about Russia and how he liked it.

"So where are you staying now?" Somewhere during the conversation, the two had subtly drifted closer together. Daniel's foot stood barely an inch away from her.

"Now?" Daniel stared at her for a moment. "A Motel 66 by the road, it's shit but cheap as hell. Pardon my language."

"It really is," Instead of looking appalled, Jill only chuckled. "Last time I stayed in one, I hardly slept. There were weird stains on the sheets; I ended up taking a nap in the tub." Her knee knocked into his innocently. "It was terrible."

"I've been in worst motels, one time there was not even a bed in my room." Daniel's arm brushed hers. "I take it you know a little bit about traveling and bad hotels."

"I have done my fair share of traveling," Jill replied coyly. "But I bet not as much or as exciting as your adventures."

I bet, Daniel thought to himself. She sure knew how to play innocent. Her travel history was equally as extensive as his. He wagered she had been in many shitty hotels before.

"You know, you could stay at my place for a while, "Jill offered to him, surprising both of them. She tried to play it off coolly." I mean it would be easier for you to work on the house and that way…I could pay you half in lodging."

"No…" Daniel said to her flatly. It was a bad idea to be so close to her, even if he wanted to be near her.

"Why not? It's a reasonable idea and you are working for me," Jill continued in a practical manner. "Besides, it's better than stain sheets and you get to sleep in a bed."

"I wouldn't want to…you know…intrude on your time and take advantage of your kindness." Daniel fought the temptation. "And…I don't trust your judgment."

"What?" Jill blinked in surprise. "What does that mean?"

"You know…we haven't known each other long. I could be a killer or a drug dealer for all you know," Daniel said to her with a half-smirk. "Then what?"

"You could," Jill replied thoughtfully, suddenly she grinned impishly. "But what are the chances that we are both killers. I could be all sugar on the outside and a demon on the inside."

Daniel shuck his head in disbelief, she could be so adorable devious. Maybe it wasn't a bad idea; he would be closer to her. They would be alone, in a big house by themselves out in the country. It was perfect really if he really thought about it. He needed to capture her soon, Lucy was constantly on his ass and so was Warren. "I'll think about."

"That sounds good," Jill stood up and held her hand out to him. "Will you walk me to my car?"

Daniel reached out to take her hand, he was certain she would be his downfall one day.


Jill went into her grandfather's old study. Walking over to his book shelf, she brought down a thick leather bound book. The title read: A Collection of Tolkien's Greatest Works. Her grandfather made a hobby of collecting great classics, Tolkien was one of them. The book was hollow though, Jill took out the revolver from inside the book. There were no bullets in the cylinder. She spun it, thinking about the first time she ever killed a man. Her grandmother died a year after her grandfather died cancer. She never knew how sick her grandmother had been, she wished she could go back and have treated her better. When she found out about her grandfather's death, she withdrew into herself. Jill wished she spent more time being good to her grandmother.

William Miles spirited her away after the funeral; he sent her out into the field early. Her uncle could not take care of her; he was deep under cover and could not be pulled out. She went to a camp in Mumbai for a while and was assigned to one of the poorest slums in the city. The base in Mumbai provided bureaus and safe houses for their trainees but they were encouraged to assimilate themselves into the locals. What she learned about the human condition was something she could never learn in a classroom or at the camp. At first, she was scared and alone. She felt abandon by everyone yet she didn't cry once. All her tears were spent after her grandmother died.

The adjustment proved difficult at first due to her foreign appearance and the fact that her communication was not often clear. But she proved herself among the street kids with her toughness and resourcefulness. Jill learned to adapt and pick pocket, she developed the ability to lie and cheat others easily. She experienced fear, poverty, hungry and oppression first hand. On her first day in the streets, she saw a man steal a bag of rice. He was a thin figure, barely able to outrun the police. In the end, they caught and beat him down, a young child ran to stop them, calling out father. The police shoved the girl child away and hauled the skinny man off. Her second week, she found a girl beaten to death by her pimp. A month into her stay and a grocer's shop was ravage by thugs. It affected her greatly; it even made her distrustful of the Order. But the superiors she reported to for missions told her that things took time, they could not save everyone at once, there were too many.

Jill made friends with two young girls about her age. They were sisters, both exceptionally bright but born into a poor caste. Their parents had been farmers, working on someone else's land until they were kicked out. Their father died of a fever and their mother remarried. The girls were thrown out into the streets because their new step-father did not want to provide for them. Nadia was the elder sister and Jill's age, Indira was the younger by two years. The three became inseparable and shared an alleyway. Nadia taught Jill how to survive on the streets, in turn Jill taught the two how to write and English. They would often triple team tourist together.

One day, Jill left the girl for a few days to do a run for the Assassin base in Mumbai. When she returned, she found the two girls gone. No one would tell her where they went, until she finally had to blackmail and manipulate the people around her to get the answers. For three days, she asked around and coerced the people in the slums for answers. Finally someone told her about "The Prince". The Prince was the name of the man, who basically owned the slums where Jill, Nadia and Indira lived. He was a known pedophile, sex trafficker and drug kingpin around the area. Everyone was afraid of him; he liked to prowl the streets for young girls. In spite of the danger, Nadia tracked the girls down to an old abandon warehouse.

One of the street kids told her that he saw The Prince bring two girls into the building a few nights earlier. Jill found her friends, brutally beaten and raped. She managed to save Indira, who was holding on for dear life but Nadia died from internal bleeding. Anger and grief, Jill never forgave herself for not being there. It wasn't fair, the girls were innocent. The police of course did nothing; they didn't care for two girls of no account. As her remaining friend recover in the hospital, Jill plotted vengeance. She didn't ask for help from the Order, she felt this was something she had to do on her own and she didn't want them to stop her. For months, she waited and stalked her prey. Jill followed him and memorized his schedule and the layout of his homes.

The moment came on the night of The Prince's birthday. Jill rolled the cylinder again and held the gun up to her ear. The memories of that night flowed back vividly; she wore red lipstick for the first and last time that night. And a bright red dress, too tight and short for a young girl in her preteen, she hardly had breast yet at that age. She convinced the guards that she was a gift from a rival group, a group that was sometimes on friendly terms with the The Prince. At the moment, they were on friendly terms. She figured if anything went wrong, it would be blame on the equally corrupt rival. Jill bribed her way into the party, she never been so scared and tense in her but she managed to entice the sick bastard into his private chamber.

Once she got him to put his guard down, she stabbed him to death. It took all of her control not to go to town with him, she gave him only three fatal stab wounds. Jill put the gun down and gaze at her reflection in the mirror. Sometimes she could still feel the blood on her body. She had stripped down to distract him; afterwards she washed the blood off in his shower. Jill took no joy in killing; in fact she vomited in the bathroom. But didn't regret her actions, it was justice and partially revenge for her. No one was going to do anything about his the so-called authorities, the way she saw it, she did the world a favor. When she finished cleaning up the mess, Jill escaped out the window.

She hadn't gone far when she was knocked out. Later, she found herself back at the bureau. Her superiors were furious at her but Jill argued that what she did was what the Order had been doing for centuries, fight oppression. In spite of her fear, she stood her ground. They were all older and more experience than herself, she apologized for taking such a risk but she didn't back down for her actions.

Finally they left her alone with the head of the base in Mumbai. An older high ranking Assassin, his name was Adam Carter but everyone else called him, The Professor. Jill met him when she first arrived but he barely spoke to her until Jill's first assassination.

"You are a tough girl aren't you?" The Professor said to her in a not unkind tone. "You understand that you nearly got yourself killed." Still Jill didn't respond to him. "You may think we are cold but we care about our younglings. The future of this Order relies on the next generation. Every one of you matter to the Brotherhood."

Jill recalled being incredible nervous than, he was a man revered and respected by many of the members of the Order in Mumbai. He looked like a college professor, dressed in a blazer and sweater vest. She didn't know how to answer him at first.

"Cat got your tongue? You were very vocal a moment ago," The Professor walked over to the window. "I have to admit, although you broke the rules by acting on your own. Your ability to execute such a bold plan at such a young age and with your resources…is rather impressive. It was very clever."

Jill stayed silent; she believed her plan was flawed in many ways. At any time she could have been caught and killed. What got her through was her determination, attention to details, luck and the notion that no one would ever suspect a girl and a kid to be capable of such a plan. Her courage nearly failed her many times but she pushed the fear out of her mind.

"What will happen to me now? Will you send me back out into the streets? Or home?" Jill found herself asking him quietly.

"Neither," The Professor responded, he put his hands behind his back. Jill bit her bottom lip, would they actually kill her? "I'm being relocated to France, when I leave next week. You will be accompanying me."

"What? Really?" Jill gawked at him in shock; she didn't know what to think. "Why?"

"I will be taking over your training from now on," The Professor said to her as if it was nothing. "In spite of your recklessness and age, the others decided that you have a lot of potentials."

Jill could feel the tears coming. "I-I…thank you, I understand that I have acted recklessly and will try to be more cautious in the future."

The Professor chuckled. "I noticed you didn't say that you won't do it ever again." Jill flushed in embarrassment. "You remind me of another time Jill, the Order has changed greatly." His lips fell into a wan smile. "For the time being, you are not to leave the safety of the bureau. The man you killed had some power; the Order must tie up some loose ends." Jill bowed her head in shame. "Also, you are to see the counselor. It is important that you don't become completely De-sensitized and cold. Run along now child, I have much to do."

Jill spent her final week making preparation for the well-being of Indira. She felt compel to do something about her plight. Her grandfather knew that he or her grandmother could die at any time, so he set up a trust fund, along with some careful investments to help support Jill in case of emergency. Even Assassins had life insurance. Her uncle, being her legal guardian made sure she was able to access her accounts whenever she wanted to. So she used the money to find a safe place for Indira. Jill put the gun back into the book. She and Indira still write and talked once a month, the last they spoke, Indira was still studying medicine in England. The experienced changed her; she would be lying if she said she adjusted well after her first assassination. The regular visit to the therapist helped a lot. Jill place the book back in it's original space, she picked out another book, Alice in Wonderland. her grandfather used to read a chapter to her every night when she was a little girl. Rereading it always made her feel better.