CHAPTER 1

DECEMBER 23, 1993

The Pierce household was quiet and lacked furniture. Cardboard boxes piled in the center of the living room where a white leather couch was placed. A four-year-old girl in a red dress colored in her princess coloring book. She laid on her stomach with her legs up kicking back and forth. She hummed to herself as she decided which crayon to use next. Security guards in black suits stood at every entrance and murmured codes into their ear pieces.

Alexander Pierce sat on the couch, reading a book with his legs crossed. He tried to ignore the happy tune his daughter hummed, but it became distracting. He lifted his eyes away from the page he tried to read and shifted them to the girl. Pierce inhaled sharply, patience lost. "Alexandra," Peirce warned his daughter.

The bronze haired girl stopped humming the moment she heard her name. The green crayon she just picked out of the box was dropped in front of her. She looked up at her father, across from her, and sheepishly bowed her head down in apology. "Sorry, daddy."

One of the security guards rushed over to Peirce and whispered something in his ear. Pierce let the side of his lips curl in satisfaction. "Bring him in," he ordered. When the security guard walked away, Pierce stood from the couch and watched his daughter continue to color in silence. "Alexandra," he demanded. When she looked up at her father, he continued. "I have a gift for you."

The little girl put down her green crayon and stood from her coloring spot. "What did you get me, daddy?"

Pierce placed his hands in his pockets and gave her a half smile. Her excitement grew, even though she had know idea what her gift was. She hoped it was a puppy or a kitten. She began to hop up and down when she saw a few men walk in. The "clicking" sound coming from her shoes echoed through the house. Her excitement and joy faltered when a tall masked man walked into the living room. His eyes and forehead were the only visible parts of his face. His dark blue eyes averted to the little girl before him. She kept her eyes on his metal arm which sent chills down her spine. She turned to look at her father. "Where is my present, daddy?"

Pierce took one of his hands out of his pocket and motioned it to the masked man. "This-," he started. "-is the Asset. You will call him by that or Soldier and he will go by no other name. He is assigned to protect you."

The little girl glanced back at the Asset's arm with curiosity, "What happened to his arm?"

Pierce took his free hand and rubbed it on the bridge of his nose. "Don't worry about his arm," he answered. He placed his hand back into his pocket. "There are people out there who want to take you away from me because daddy is a powerful man. So, be a good girl and listen to the Asset and do whatever he tells you. Do you understand?"

Noticing her father losing his patience, she decided to stop asking questions. She nodded her head like the obedient child she was. Satisfied, Pierce then ordered his daughter to go to bed.

DECEMBER 30TH, 1993

It had been a week since the Asset had been babysitting the four-year-old. He had been on many missions, most being almost impossible to achieve. This, however, was something he had never done before. He wanted to know what was so special about this girl, but it was not his place to ask. Orders are orders. She had forced (well, pouted until he complied) him to play "tea party" with her. Being 6'0", his body looked gigantic in comparison to the small pink chair he sat on. His shoulders were hunched and he kept his arms crossed over his chest. He stared at the little girl who sat across from him. She happily hummed to herself as she poured imaginary tea into his white tea cup. She put the pot down and leaned back in her chair. She took her cup from the table and put it to her lips. She sipped in air and gulped. She looked back up at the Asset.

"It's not polite to wear your hat at the dinner table. Maybe it's not polite to wear a mask at the table, either," the little girl innocently hinted. The Asset never replied. The girl, wondered if he understood her. "You have to take off your mask," she demanded.

He did what he was asked and laid his mask onto the pink table. The little girl looked at him in awe. He was normal. She imagined his face to be covered in scars or something gruesome, but he was a handsome man. She giggled to herself.

"What's your real name?" The girl asked him in a hushed voice.

He looked at her in surprise. He didn't have one. Or at least he thought he didn't. "I don't have one," he answered gruffly.

"I can give you a name. Let's see," she thought for a moment. "I know! You're new name will be Jeffery."

He stared at her. He felt something that he did not recognize. He felt a lump stuck in his throat and swallowed it down quickly. "I am the Asset or Soldier," he replied softly. "You will only call me by such."