A/N: chapter 6 and there's more to come today! out of fear of giving a spoiler, let's begin!

Chapter 6

Arthur looked at his mother's bloody body, not a single readable expression on his ten year old face. He saw a necklace, slightly covered in blood, and picked it up. It had his name in silver inside an open cartouche. He held it tightly in his hands and laid his head down on his mother's stomach. He looked at his mother's closed eyes, wondering when she was going to wake up…

Arthur bolted upright when his phone started to right. He took a deep breath and grabbed the phone, not bothering with the caller I.D. He knew who it was.

"Bonjour, mon amour," Francis said in a voice that was WAY too cheery. "You just got a delivery."

Arthur stared into space for a second. So what, now Francis was stalking him again? He had thought they got PAST that…

Arthur just sighed and looked all around for the Frenchie before going to the door. Francis was rambling about something stupid. Arthur saw a white, legal sized envelope propped up in front of his door. He grabbed it and started to open it, not even bothering to keep the phone pressed to his ear. He threw the envelope into the fire place while he kept the contents in his hands. He sat down on the couch and sighed.

"You frog, shut up for one minute, will you?" Arthur snapped, looking at the first page. "It's a double."

"Oui, which makes double the money," Francis said on the other line. "That's why the big bucks."

Arthur put the front page aside to look at the picture of his targets and froze. The first picture was Yao, walking down the beach. He had sunglasses on, and his back was to the camera and his head was turned around, but it was defiantly him.

"What's the matter?" Francis asked, not liking Arthur's silence.

"Nothing," Arthur said, making his voice sound as normal as possible.

"Good," Francis said, his smile audible through the phone. "Then there'll be no problems."

Arthur turned the page to see his other target and nearly dropped the phone. Kiku was there in black and white, his hands on his hips and looking defiant as ever. Arthur closed his eyes and turned the papers over, not wanting to look at them.

"I'll call you when it's done," Arthur said, closing the phone.

Arthur went into his leather bag, his breathing shaky and uneven. He pulled his Sais from their case and flipped them a few times in his hands. He couldn't believe he was really going to do this…

Before he could get cold feet, Arthur stood and fled his house, heading for the Asian brother's home…

Arthur slinked up to their front door, seeing it closed. He flipped his Sais again, just to remind him of what he had to do. He moved silently onto the porch and hid beneath an open window.

"So, how's algebra going?" Arthur heard Yao asked.

"Alright," Kiku said, rummaging through a drawer most likely.

"Need any help?" Yao asked.

"No," Kiku said. "Don't put those CDs there! They go in my room!"

"Alright, alright, aru," Yao said, moving further into the house.

Arthur could feel himself sweating. He gripped his Sais tighter, hoping that they wouldn't slip out of his sweaty palms and alert the brother's of his presence. He couldn't believe he was going to do this…

Arthur shocked himself. He never had second thoughts about doing away with his targets, so why was this any different? Was it because he knew them? That had to be it… Arthur couldn't kill them in cold blood.

Arthur let out a few shaky breaths that were just a little too loud. Kiku and Yao heard him and knew that there was someone sneaking around.

"I'll go," Kiku said, just before Yao grabbed his wrist.

"No, let me check," Yao said, moving silently to the window.

Arthur's mind was moving at the speed of light. He could hear Yao coming closer. This was it. Now or never…

Yao leaned over the open window and saw no one there. His eyes narrowed to slits as he looked around, hoping to see someone fleeing away or hiding nearby. But as much as he looked, there was nothing there.

"What was it?" Kiku asked, his entire system on high alert.

"Nothing, just the wind," Yao said, closing the window as he walked back inside.

Arthur cursed himself as soon as he got into the house. He couldn't do it! Why the fuck not? They're just another assignment, Arthur tried to reason to himself. This can't be happening…

Arthur tossed his Sais to the side, not really caring where they ended up. He went into his closet and pulled out a stainless steel case. If he couldn't kill them up close, he had to do it from afar. This way, he could trick his mind. If he was standing over the bodies with their blood on him, it would have been hard to convince himself that he didn't just kill them in cold blood.

Arthur opened the care and started to piece together the gun. The gun was an elaborate puzzle, made especially for him. He quickly pieced the sniper together, with the scope, a muffler, everything. Ever bit and bob you could think of for a gun was there. It was just a tedious set up. And that's why Arthur loved it.

He picked up the finished product and left the house, steeling his mind to the task to come.

Arthur found a rock outcropping that was covered with brush and a perfect view of the Asian's home. Arthur rested his gun down and laid flat on his stomach. He saw Yao on the back porch through the scope, talking and laughing with his brother over algebra.

Arthur kept seeing the assignment papers flashing in his mind. The pictures of the brothers with the words TERMINATION in bright red letters. Arthur shook his head, trying to clear him mind. He lined up the scope again and put his finger on the trigger.

It's not or never, Arthur said to himself. Just pull the trigger. You can do it… come on…

Arthur could feel a bead of sweat run down his face. This was nerve wracking. Just do it already!

But he couldn't. Arthur sighed and sat back up, pulling the gun up with him. Francis was right, he was crashing. But he couldn't kill these two. Something inside him was telling him not to do it.

So, with that thought in mind, Arthur stood and walked back to his house, his mind realing.

Arthur can't kill them! good boy, Artie, good boy!

lols, he's a dog nao! XD

so, love it? hate it? want to cuddle Arthur and huggle him to death? tell me what you think!