HENRY'S POV
BOOM!!
The explosion echoed in my ears, but it wasn't just sound—it was a reality check.
My name is Henry Rhodes. For as long as I can remember, there was only one person I truly trusted in this world. One person I could always rely on: Mrs. Lina. A caretaker, a mother, and the heart of my new family after the tragedy of losing my parents.
She had filled a void I thought could never be filled, and because of that, there wasn't anything I wouldn't do for her. I'd face any danger, endure any pain, betray no one. For her, I could risk it all.
And yet—here I was.
Falling. Not metaphorically. Literally falling from a plane that had just exploded behind me. The wind tore at my clothes, the roar of the world twisting and bending around me, and my mind screamed in disbelief.
"Okay… Henry, you need to calm down," I muttered to myself, though I had no idea how that was going to help. "Falling from this high… no parachute… expecting to survive… if you ask me, this is a bit—MUCH!!!"
Yeah. That really was a bit much. But you probably don't understand what's going on. So, let's backtrack a little.
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Earlier that week, on a Monday, the air in the house had been thick with tension and confusion.
"What do you mean attend university? How does that help you?" my voice sharp with confusion. My heart still pounded from everything I'd learned, and my eyes were wide, trying to take in the stern, unreadable expression of Mrs. Lina. "Also… what the hell is B.I.T.E?"
"Who the hell are you talking to like that?" A familiar voice called from the doorway.
I turned.
Miss Mary. Of course, she strolled into the room like she owned the place, wearing nothing but a black bra and panties, her bandages clearly visible and a cigarette loosely balanced between her fingers.
"What are you doing, Miss Mary?! Why are you dressed like that?" I covered my eyes instinctively. Her sudden exposure shocked me into silence for a moment.
Mrs. Lina's gentle voice cut through, but it carried a scolding tone I was used to hearing when it came to her daughter. "Mary, what are you doing? And in front of Henry, no less?"
"My clothes were getting a bit choking," Miss Mary replied with a playful grin. "But forget that, why the hell is he talking to you like that, Mom?" Her tone swiftly changed to annoyance.
Mrs. Lina's eyes narrowed slightly. "Mary, what have I said about cigarettes in this room?"
The weight of that one sentence made Miss Mary pull her cigarette away immediately, her playful demeanor replaced with a sudden, almost robotic compliance. "Sorry, Mom," she murmured.
I lowered my hands slowly, blinking in disbelief. That was Miss Mary—the same smoker who always joked and teased everyone around her—bowing almost obediently before Mrs. Lina. She disappeared for a second and returned with a baggy brown T-shirt, looking a little more… normal.
"Back to the main issue," she said, rushing towards me and pinching my cheeks, with a furious expression, "who the hell are you yelling at?"
"Let go of me, you old hag!" I yelled, pinching her cheeks as well.
"The fuck, are you calling me old? I'm only twenty-seven." She then pinned my head with her arms and squeezed hard, my face looked like a tomato almost immediately. The fact that I got pinned means I successfully got to her. Calling her a 'hag' always works…
"Also, I'm sure I heard B.I.T.E. Is Henry going to B.I.T.E?" she asked, suddenly stopping her squeeze before my head popped.
I glanced at Mrs. Lina, still trying to process everything. "What is B.I.T.E.? And how do you know about it?" I asked, honestly baffled.
"Huh? Guess I got here just in time," Miss Mary said with a light grin, the mood in the room shifting slightly with her energy. "I've got this one, Mom," enthusiasm dripping from her every word.
I raised an eyebrow. "Go on, then," I muttered, curiosity pulling me forward despite my confusion.
Miss Mary practically glowed as she launched into her explanation. "B.I.T.E, aka the Black Institute of Tactical Elimination, is a university that trains assassins."
I blinked. Hard.
"You're joking, right?" My voice was flat, unsure whether to be impressed, skeptical, or scared.
Miss Mary shook her head with a proud grin. "Nope. Isn't that amazing?"
I frowned, trying to digest the concept. A college… for assassins. A place where lives are put on the line every day in the name of education. And for some reason, it sounded… incredible.
"It actually is," I admitted, despite myself.
Miss Mary's face lit up, her energy infectious. "I wanted to attend like Mom did, but she decided to keep my sis and me home schooled."
I turned sharply toward Mrs. Lina, intrigued. "Really? Even Mrs. Alex?"
She didn't smile. Didn't even soften. Her expression remained stern, almost cold. "B.I.T.E isn't your typical college. It's a war zone. A place where every second is literally a test of survival, and those deemed weak don't last long."
My heart rate jumped. Miss Mary shrugged, her curiosity genuine. "I don't really think it's that bad, but what do I know? I never went."
I leaned forward. "Why didn't you go? You seem to admire it so much."
She hesitated, then paused, her voice faltering for just a moment. And then… I saw it. The glare. The murderous glare Mrs. Lina could summon with a single look. It filled the room like a storm cloud, dark and suffocating.
"You know what, Henry? I think it's time I left," Miss Mary said sharply, standing. Her usual teasing expression didn't flash across her face this time, and to me, that was a bit weird.
Was it because of Mrs. Lina? What had she done? The questions swarmed my mind, but before I could voice them, Miss Mary was gone.
Silence fell. Absolute.
"Alright, Henry, let's continue," Mrs. Lina said, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife.
I forced myself to focus. "Of course… so… why am I going to an academy for assassins?" I asked, my tone trying to mask my nerves, though I knew it was failing.
Mrs. Lina's expression remained stern, unreadable. "Like I said before, I don't know who placed this bounty on my head, so removing it won't be easy." She rifled through the messy stacks of papers on the desk. "And as you are now… you're a liability."
The word hit me like a physical blow. "A liability?" I snapped, standing, my anger flaring. "You said I could help! I can help!" My voice trembled, desperate. Even after everything, I was surprised to be desperate.
"Yes," she said coldly. "You're nowhere near strong enough to help me."
Memories of yesterday's fight surged into my mind. The man, impossibly fast, punching me through a wall. I clutched my head, pain stabbing through my skull. She was right. Without Miss Mary's intervention, I'd have been dead. The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth. I'd survived, but only barely. I felt pathetic.
"That's why I'm killing two birds with one stone," Mrs. Lina then pulled a single document from the pile and handed it to me. At the top, bold letters screamed: B.I.T.E Admission Form.
"You're going to B.I.T.E," she said, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder, "so you can learn to defend yourself and… help me investigate."
A warmth I hadn't felt in hours—or maybe days—flooded through me. That familiar, motherly glow, the one that had comforted me countless times before, made my chest swell. Without thinking, I allowed a small smile to tug at my lips.
But then it hit. "Wait… what exactly am I investigating?" I asked, a twinge of concern creeping in.
"B.I.T.E supplies hitmen to the AAO," she said simply. "So whoever placed the bounty on my head is either among the AAO or the staff of B.I.T.E."
My mind raced. "What about Miss Mary, William, and the rest of my siblings?" My voice cracked as worry surged up, protective instincts taking over.
"Don't worry, my son," she said, with another gentle smile, easing the tension. "Mary and William will take care of things here."
I exhaled slowly, determination hardening in my chest. This wasn't just about survival anymore. It wasn't just about me. It was about protecting Mrs. Lina, protecting everyone she cared about, and uncovering the truth behind the bounty, the AAO, and all the shadows that stretched across our lives.
I glanced down at the admission form again. My heart pounded. This was my chance, my path forward. And I would follow it, no matter what it demanded.
For the first time in a long while, I felt a clarity I hadn't known since my parents' death. I had a purpose. A goal. A fire burning inside me, stronger than fear, stronger than doubt. And I would see it through to the end.
I was going to B.I.T.E.
I was going to survive.
And I was going to fight.