Chapter One
The day remained young in the nation of Qurac, and most especially its capital city, all bathed under the middle of clear and hot daylight. A nation still run by traditional values, but certainly showing some modern progress nonetheless, at least in terms of technology and architecture. Even with a few civil unrests lurking in the deep dusty corners of the country, democracy remained determinant and persistent as possible. Innocent civilians wandered back and forth across the pavement, vehicles rolled on by with guzzling growls, and hundred-feet-tall buildings stood tall and wide over the people, and yet still so humble.
Atop one of the many buildings, stood a strange slender figure in a full armoured suit of dull-white, with a aqua-coloured symbol on the chest resembling the angular stylised face and wings of an owl, as well as a cyan-coloured helmet with black hollow eyeholes and a long sky-bluish-grey scarf that wrapped around the figure's neck and head like a hood. Within tight hands, a loaded sniper rifle of all black was clutched.
Standing tall and still with one foot up on the ledge, the anonymous figure waited silently with eyes focused completely on the streets below. Many cars, motorbikes, and lorries drove on by, none of which matched exactly what the figure was expecting and eyeing for. Nevertheless, the cyan-hooded figure continued on waiting, waiting, and waiting for the target. The figure knew the general place and time the target would turn up, it would only be a matter of patience and opportunity.
And soon enough, before long, such patience would grant the vigilante the first reward. A silver limousine drove around a corner, out of the shade and into the light, the sun reflecting and gleaming off the paint job. But even this intense sunlight wouldn't blind the vigilante and deter the attention, especially with the knowledge that this limo would happen to be transport the very target the figure hunted for.
With the limo slowly driving by below and taking another turn, the cyan-hooded vigilante readied and adjusted the sniper rifle, aiming firmly with the closed dark back windows within the crosshairs. The limo took yet another turn with its back now against the figure's sight. The crosshairs cleared and resolved focus, eventually showing the silhouetted back of the target's head in the centre of the rear window, the tiny red dot slightly moving and shifting until it was right at the back of the man's head.
With stock pressed against the shoulder and an index finger touching on the trigger, the hooded vigilante pulled and fired away. The bullet fled close to the speed of light, quickly followed by a sudden yet still expected sound of high-pitched metallic clanging, the clean piercing and cracking of glass, and finally the splatter of blood and brain scattered inside the back of the limo, causing the car to slip and drift from side to side with a panicked screeching.
A brief and faint glimpse of dark smoke emitted from the very end of the barrel of the rifle before completely evaporating altogether. With such a clean kill, the hooded figure slowly let down the sniper rifle while still observing the limo coming on down into an uneasy halt. Letting out only a low hum of satisfaction, and no further sound, the figure stepped off the ledge and crouched down to grab and open up a suitcase hidden from sight next to the person.
Opening up the case, the vigilante disassembled the sniper rifle, placed all the components neatly into the case, then closing and locking the case again. The hooded person then took a swift turn and walked away into an aged metal door and down a few stairs, dimly lit by a couple of batten lights that kept buzzing and flickering erratically. Along the monotonous way down, the figure pulled out a mobile phone and tapped at a few numbers before placing it against the ear. The Cyan Hood soon knew exactly what to say and what to do next.
To be continued...