| Clementine Jr. |
The dawn of the day crept closer between the time it took for Clementine, a high class assassin, to strike his next victim and meet his deadline. He knew Eduard Howard was a traitor, a middle class citizen who supported the children, a rebel to bring the adults down. He also knew that Eduard got up every day before the sun rose to continue on his 'business', which was why Clem had been assigned this mission. If he failed he would have to report to the head officer and master assassin and admit his failures, or wait another day to commit his kill. These were not options.
He waited silently above a two story apartment building, a shabby looking thing with only one light flickering inside. Clementine knew that light, he knew who came out of there everyday at precisely the crack of dawn. For at least two days Clementine had made his home up there on the roof of the building, watching Eduard, retreieving proof of his traitorous behaviours. It wasn't the first time Clem had been assigned tasks like these, actually this was only one out of many. After failing the Reece Frendo case, where Clementine ended up unconcious in a trash can, he made it sure that he memorised the routine of his targets and not to strike too soon, after all, he would prefer not to report back smelling like a sewer.
Soon enough, morning light slid over the city, covering it in a grey light that made things easier to see. Clementine could not kill in public, he could not let anyone else see or be killed, the Adult Government did not want there to be a panic, they did not want the adults to know that the children may be a threat, that there are people trying to stand up for themselves and the children. This is the way it was and will stay, and Clementine did not question or take sides, he needed money and they gave it to him, a lot. They also gave him a name, something to live up to, and that is all that Clem wanted. He did not care for anything else until it presented an opportunity to him, in his face. It's how Clementine worked, and the Government knew that.
He expected Eduard to have come out by then, but he did not. The light was not flickering now, all was dark except for the grey light that covered the land...this was not right, instantly Clementine knew something was wrong.
"Hello," a deep, raspy voice called out from behind him. Darn.
Clementine turned and saw a dark figure, a little bit younger than himself, "Hi there, care for a seat? Tea? It's a bit chilly out tonight".
The man scoffed, annoyed at Clementine's offer. Eduard was faced with Clementine Jr., a dark haired man wearing a gasmask and nice tailored attire. He had a small table and was sitting on a small wooden oak stool. A teapot was placed in the middle of the table, and Clementine held a small blue glass cup, likely containing coffee. This was where Clementine had stayed for the last few days.
"Not funny," Eduard growled, and suddenly pulled a knife out of his jacket pocket. With a sudden flash a bolt of electricity covered the knife and surged quietly in Eduard's hand, "I don't appreciate spies, so if you please." The man ran quickly towards Clementine, before Clem could react Eduard was ontop of him and stabbed him in his right shoulder. Electricity shocked Clementine and with a groan he managed to pull away from the knife and the dark man. Eduard turned toward Clementine, ready for another round, but it was too late. Clementine had pulled a small metal contraption out of his pocket and with one swift movement blew on it, revealing a needle dart that shot into the air and into Eduards thigh.
"A tranquillizer?" Eduard muttered.
"Nay," Clementine groaned, sore from the cut and the shock of the electricity "Poison".
Before Eduard could form a correct facial expression, his legs were numb and paralyzed, followed by his arms and soon after his whole nervous system had shut down from the poison. The limp body of Eduard Howard lay dead on the ground.
Clementine sighed, and stood painfully from kneeling on the floor. He held his shoulder to stop the blood flow, and walked towards the body with a drag.
Mission complete.
*
It was a while after before Clementine reached the training grounds, fresh from a shower and a bandaged up shoulder. He was still a bit sore from the shock earlier, but his body had been through worse. He had successfully handed in the body and got his payment, a local nurse treated him for the minor internal damage and the stab wound and sent him on his way. He was annoyed at himself for letting the target find him out and, even worse, attack him, but he tried to hide that when filing his report.
He walked lazily along the sidelines of one of the training facilities, not actually planning to train (he rarely did) but he enjoyed watching others' techniques, picking up little moves that might help him. Perhaps he should train, especially after this morning...nah.
Clementine reached in his pocket, holding a small dog tag necklace with a tiny diamond in the middle, engraved on the bottom was his name 'Clementine'. His first lover had given this to him, a rebel of the adults who supported the kids. Clementine was only just an adult when he had met her, but the government ordered her death. This was the last thing he had of her, and then he became what had killed her. Ironic.
A soilder ran past, crashing into Clementine and making Clem drop the dog tag necklace. "Hey, watch where you're going," he called out, and the soilder waved and apologised while still running. Probably late for a training session.
He looked down to pick up the necklace, but instead his sight was met by a rusty metal grate. The necklace had fallen inside and down into who knows where, a dark abyss that awaited inside the grate.
A burst of panic went through Clementine, he could not lose that...it was one of the most important things he owned. His hands lifted to his head and he grabbed his hair in annoyance. Think, think...where do the drains lead to? Sewer...and where do they lead to?
Project 21.