Alex slowly opened his eyes.
A bright white light immediately forced them shut again.
His head hurt.
Where am I?
He tried to move, but his body felt stragely heavy. Every muscle in his body ached as though he'd been thrown a wall.
The he heard it.
Beep… Beep… Beep…
The faint sound echoed beside him.
Alex slowly opened his eyes again.
White walls.
A ceiling light.
Medical equipment.
An infirmary.
He turned his head slightly and noticed an IV connected to his arm. On the other side of the room, Daniella was speaking with another agent.
Alex tried to sit up.
His body immediately protested.
He swung his legs towards the edge of the bed, but the moment he stood, his legs stumbled beneath him.
"Whoa! Easy there, tiger."
Daniella immediately rushed over and grabbed him before he could fall.
"I'm fine," Alex muttered.
"Would you stop being stubborn and get back on the bed?" She said, her voice carrying more concern than annoyance.
Alex sighed.
"Fine."
Daniella helped him back onto the bed, and he sat down.
Alex rubbed his forehead.
"How long have I been out?"
Daniella hesitated.
"Uhh…just…just a couple of days."
"Days?"
Alex's eye widened.
"Yeah." Daniella gave him a small smile. "Trust me, you didn't miss much."
She turned towards the door.
"I'll go get the doctor to check on you."
She had barely left when someone else entered the room.
"Uhmm…hey."
Alex looked up.
Jack stood awkwardly near the doorway.
"I don't know if you remember me, but… I wanted to thank you."
Alex stared at him for a moment.
"Yeah. Jack, right?"
Jack nodded.
"Don't worry about it. Anytime."
"I… I…"
Jack struggled to find the right words.
Before he could continue—
"So… he lives."
A familiar voice came from behind him.
Felix stepped into the room with a grin on his face.
"Good evening, Captain Felix," Jack said.
Felix looked at him.
"You know, Agent Jack, for a moment I thought you all were going to die."
He suddenly burst into laughter.
Alex stared at him.
Captain Felix, Agent Jack?
Then he remembered what Daniella had said.
You didn't miss much.
Right.
"That's our job," Jack said with a laugh. "Fight for our lives."
"Well, that's the spirit."
Felix turned towards Alex.
"Get well soon, Agent Alex."
Then he looked back at Jack.
"Now, Agent Jack. Go run your evening drills."
Jack's face immediately dropped.
"Oh, come on!"
"You'll have enough time to rest afterwards. For now, get to it."
Jack sighed.
"Yes, captain."
Jack amd Felix left the room.
Almost immediately, Daniella returned.
"Well, hello, Agent Daniella," Alex said.
She raised an eyebrow.
"Well… you didn't miss that much."
Alex scoffed.
"Yeah, right."
The doctor soon entered amd began examining him.
For the first time since the battle, Alex allowed himself to relax.
Two days later…
Alex finally left the infirmary.
He made his way back toward the dormitory, still feeling a little weak.
The moment he stepped through the doors—
CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!
A loud wave of applause erupted throughout the room.
Alex froze.
Agents surrounded him, congratulating him and patting him on the back.
"Wow."
Daniella appeared beside him, grinning.
"Seems you're a star."
Alex looked around in confusion.
"What?"
"Yeah," she said. "You and Jack are the only class of Assassins who have faced a class 3 demon and survived."
She paused.
"And killed it ."
Alex scratched the back of his head.
"I just did what I had to do."
"I'll say that's the craziest thing you've done so far."
"Thanks."
"Agent Alex."
Alex turned.
"The Assistant Commander wants to see you in her office."
Alex's expression immediately changed.
"Uh… yeah."
He swallowed.
"I'll be there."
The agent nodded amd left.
Daniella looked at him.
"I'll see you later."
"Yeah."
_ _ _
Knock. Knock.
"You may come in."
"You wanted to see me?"
Lucy sat behind her desk.
She looked at him for several seconds before finally speaking.
"You know… you're a very difficult person to understand, Alex."
Alex frowned.
"I'm sorry. I don't understand."
"You weren't gifted."
Lucy leaned back in her chair.
"And suddenly, after one confrontation with a demon, you're special."
Her eyes narrowed.
"A class 3 demon, Alex."
Alex remained silent.
Lucy continued.
"Last time, at the supermarket, you also fought a demon with abilities that shouldn't have been possible for someone like you."
"I…I can't explain it either, Ma'am."
Alex could feel his palms becoming sweaty.
Lucy studied him carefully.
"Well, I can think of two possibilities."
Alex looked up.
"Either you're a demon…"
She paused.
"…Or you're something special."
Alex's heart skipped.
"Something different from the rest of the gifted."
"I—"
"I really hope I'm wrong, Alex."
Lucy stood.
"You're dismissed."
Alex nodded quickly.
"Yes, Ma'am."
He turned and walked toward the door.
Only after stepping outside did he release the breath he'd been holding.
That was close.
Alex was walking toward the dormitory when he noticed several agents rushing around, their faces filled with excitement.
He quickened his pace.
When he entered the dormitory, he immediately spotted Jack.
"What's going on?"
Jack turned toward him.
"We were given two days of vacation!"
He rushed toward the door before Alex could even respond.
Alex smiled.
The first thing that came to his mind was his mother.
He needed to see her.
He needed to explain everything.
_ _ _ _
Alex was packing when he heard a voice.
"Hey."
Alex turned.
Daniella stood behind him.
"What are you doing with your two days?" Daniella asked.
"I need to go home and fix things up a little," Alex said. "What are you doing with your two days?"
"I don't know." She shrugged. "I guess I'll go home, relax, and dip my feet ice water."
She chuckled.
Alex laughed.
"Well… I guess I'll see you later?"
"Yeah."
Then, without thinking, he turned and gave Daniella a quick peck on the cheek.
He immediately continued walking.
Daniella froze.
Her eyes widened.
Alex didn't realize what he'd done until he was already outside the dormitory.
He stopped.
His eyes widened.
Oh shit.
_ _ _ _
Alex stood outside his house and took a deep breath.
It's going to be fine.
He reached toward the doorbell.
Ding! Dong!
A few seconds later, the door opened.
"Hey, Mum."
The moment she saw him, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug.
Alex smiled.
But before he could say anything, she pulled away amd smacked him on the arm.
"Do you know how worried I've been?"
"Ouch!"
"I'm sorry, okay? But I'm here now."
He smiled.
"And I'm hungry."
His mother stared at him for a moment.
Then she hugged him again.
_ _ _ _
Alex and his mother sat together on the couch.
For the next several minutes, Alex explained everything.
He told her about his decision to join the Elite squad.
His mother didn't look angry.
She simply listened.
Eventually, she sighed.
"I accept your decision."
Alex looked at her.
"But you know I'll always worry."
She smiled sadly.
"It's my job to worry. I'm your mother."
Alex lowered his gaze.
I'm sorry, Mom. But if I had told you where I was going, you never would have let me go."
She sighed.
"You're probably right."
The two continued talking when suddenly—
A man's voice came from behind them.
"Uhmm…babe, I think the neighbors dog got into your house again."
The man stepped into the living room.
Then he noticed Alex.
"Oh. Hello."
Alex's mother smiled awkwardly.
"Honey, this is my son, Alex. Alex, this is Tom. He's my—"
"I'm her boyfriend," Tom interrupted.
Alex immediately stood.
He extended his hand.
"It's nice to meet you, Tom."
Tom shook it.
Alex smiled.
"You know, it's been a long time. I've tried to get her a boyfriend multiple times."
Tom chuckled.
"Well, I didn't know that."
Alex glanced at his mother.
Them back at Tom.
"Just take care of her, okay?"
"I will."
Alex nodded.
"Well, you two have fun. I'll be upstairs," Alex said.
"Wait…honey, aren't you going to eat first?"
"I think I need to sleep in my bed first, Mom."
He stared toward the stairs.
"If it's still there."
His mother laughed.
_ _ _ _
Alex opened his eyes.
Darkness surrounded him.
He slowly looked around.
"Hello?"
No answer.
"HELLO!"
His voice echoed into the darkness.
Still nothing.
Alex began walking.
He didn't know where he was going.
He simply kept moving.
The farther he went, the colder it became.
A terrible smell reached his nose.
Alex covered his mouth.
"What the hell is that smell?"
He took another step.
Them another.
His foot suddenly struck something.
Alex looked down.
His blood ran cold.
A body.
Then another.
And another.
Hundreds of body were scattered across the ground.
Alex slowly looked around in horror.
Then he saw someone familiar.
His eyes widened.
"Assistant Commander Lucy…?"
Lucy lay among the dead.
Motionless.
Blood covered her clothes.
Alex's heart began pounding.
"No…"
A voice suddenly echoed somewhere in the distance.
Alex froze.
There were people nearby.
He slowly turned toward the sound.
Two figures stood in the distance.
Alex couldn't see their faces.
Only their backs.
He cautionsly moved closer.
"I'm sorry, Lord Lucien."
Alex stopped.
The name sent a cold shiver down his spine.
Lucien?
One of the figures spoke.
"You have to do better."
The voice was calm.
Almost emotionless.
"We don't want my brother finding out about us…"
A pause.
"Right, brother?"
Alex's eyes widened.
Brother?
The two figures slowly began to turn.
Alex's breathing stopped.
They were about to reveal their faces—
Alex jolted awake.
He shot upright in his bed.
His chest heaved.
His heart pounded violently against his ribs.
He looked around.
His room.
His bed.
His home.
It was all real.
Alex placed a trembling hand against his chest.
"What the hell…?"
He looked toward the darkness of his room.
Who were those people?
His mind replayed the dream.
The dead bodies.
Lucy.
Lord Lucien.
And why did I see Assistant Commander Lucy dead?
Alex stared into the darkness.
For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that the dream wasn't just a dream.
And somewhere deep inside him…
Something had just began.