{His POV: 12 days before.}
Our guide was the first to step through the doors to the oval office. Following that was my reconnaissance expert, checking for potential threats.
After that was my security and then myself. The rest of the crew remained in the waiting area.
It was just as it was shown in news broadcasts, nothing special and certainly nothing luxurious.
I stood at attention just before the seal of the united states.
The president got up and slowly walked around his desk to greet me. Extending his hand in the internationally recognized fashion of peace.
I thought about accepting his handshake, then I thought against it.
I subtly shook my head horizontally to signal my decision.
He noticed and retracted his offer as he let out a sigh.
"Very well then, Shadow. Let's get started shall we?" He said sitting back down and motioning to the seat across from him.
I paused and looked at my personnel. Giving them a small handsignal that meant they were supposed to leave. However, to stay active.
I watched as they went to the waiting area and the president, taking notice did something similar.
I took the seat across from him and waited patiently.
We looked into eachothers eyes for a moment. Waiting to see who would make the first move.
It was him.
He squinted before turning his gaze to a drawer in his desk. Pulling out a small document.
Before he could say anything I followed suit. Reaching into my suit jacket and pulling out both the letter he sent and a document of my own.
We looked at eachother and nodded as I traded my letter for his document.
I read his document, it was a large but vague outline of what they wanted.
In turn I gave my document over.
After a few moments he looked up and nodded.
"Okay. Let's talk now."
I nodded.
"As you have read in the document, we want to hire you on retainer. The sum is negotiable and will be paid out quarterly."
I narrowed my eyes before finally speaking.
"1 Billion"
"Annually?"
"Quarterly."
He raised his eyebrows and let out a sigh.
"Mind explaining that one?"
"I do actually."
He looked at me blankly before saying "that's too much"
"I know how much you spend on defence. I also know how much you will be saving with me on retainer, either accept it or I leave right now."
He paused to consider.
I sat for a second before I promptly stood up and began walking to the door.
Just as I reached it and placed my hand on the handle he seemingly changed his mind.
"Fine. 4 Billion annually."
I paused for a moment and he took that as an opportunity to continue.
"However...you will have to attend school. Our intel suggests you may be in highschool. Is that correct?"
I froze. How could they know that? Someone had to have leaked my information.
I turned back around to face him and walked back to the desk. I didn't know what to say and that moment of vulnerability reminded me I was still only a child playing a "grown ups" game.
"What else...does your intel suggest."
He froze this time. I wasn't supposed to know they knew things about me and he let slip.
I stared icily into his soul. "What else do you know. Tell me right now or only one of us will walk out of this room alive."
His eyes flickered slightly to the corner of the room.
I pulled out my pistol and without looking, shot 4 holes through a painting on the wall.
After a second or two I shot into a wall and then one more bullet into the door.
He looked calm. Almost as if id missed every single shot. I knew I didn't.
I walked over to the wall I shot and kicked it in, false wall. Behind it was a body littered with bullets, holding a rifle.
He finally spoke. "We know nothing else. Besides, it seems you know more of us than we do of you. Isn't that right?"
I didn't answer. It would be dangerous to.
Any moment now secret services could kill me. It was all reliant on his word.
"Fine. I'll attend your "highschool" and I'll remain on retainer for the agreed upon price. However, I am free to take on any jobs while still on retainer on top of this the contract is null and void if I so choose."
He considered it for a moment.
"You may take on other jobs but our requests take priority. You could have your target in sight but if our request comes through you back out immediately and attend to our job."
He paused before continuing, "I agree to the terms of this contract."
"One more thing" I added "I am exempt from any and all crimes in perpetuity under US National law."
He stood up and outstretched his hand. "Deal." He didn't look happy.
It was hard to make out his features but regardless, I outstretched my hand and shook his firmly.
"You'll receive first payment in 10 days."
"I'll be waiting."
I turned and pushed my way out of the doors into the waiting room where my team, excluding the flight crew was at a standoff with the secret service.
Guns drawn on both sides but neither having fired a shot.
All eyes were on me as I walked out of the oval office, gun in hand.
"Let's go" I said firmly.
As we walked down the halls of the Whitehouse, we were escorted out by heavily armed guards.
The air crew was waiting in a large helicopter hovering outside. Being escorted by two black hawks.
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{His POV, October 29, 10 days before.}
"Have you completed all the recon yet?" I asked Iris, the reconnaissance expert.
"Yes. I have full legal names, addresses and images for every last person in the school. Along with a full comprehensive background check including but not limited to psych reports and police files."
"Thank you, go take a break. You deserve one."
"Thank you boss" she sighed heavily before walking out of my office.
I took a few minutes to read over all the profiles before stopping on a girl my age.
"This one is interesting.." I muttered to myself reading through her file and police records.
"Attempted murder and aggravated assault..." I say under my breath "All charges dropped..."
"Previously placed on 3 psychiatric holds...unstable mental state...diagnosed with depression and severe anxiety...interesting."
I look at the marked date for the records. August first, Two thousand twenty-two.
Updated date stamp: September fourteenth, Two thousand twenty-four.
Depression subsided, Diagnosed with Anxiety and minor delusions.
"But why...?" I continue to dig deeper but everything seems to be almost erased.
"Weird...very weird." I sigh and continue looking through all the files.
"I don't need this information." I think to myself trying to get out of doing it as quickly as possible.
"Maybe I do need it? Nobody seems to be particularly dangerous per se.
"Nah I'm not going to do it, I'd rather be out in the field."
I turned off the computer and got up from my desk. Spending a minute or two looking out the window, waiting for a job. My time was spent in vain.
I let out a sigh and walked out of my office. Down the velvet carpet lined hallways and into the garage.
I flicked on the lights to find my glossy black
Hennessy Camaro Zl1 Excorcist waiting for me.
I opened the garage doors and got in the car. The 1000 horsepower engine roaring to life, shaking the garage and rumbling the street.
I drove out onto the street and tried to give only a little bit of gas so as to not disturb my neighbors.
After reaching the main road I hit the gas and my breath caught in my throat as I was suctioned into the seat.
This was the only time I ever got to feel alive. It wasn't jumping out of planes, dodging bullets or killing my fellow man.
It was the wind blowing through the car as I accelerated, The tires slipping and the engine whining and crying as I pushed the machine to it's limits.
I smiled and laughed as I flew down the stretch of road at unimaginable speeds, reflecting on how it takes knowing death to truly feel alive.
Walking hand in hand with the grim reaper as I thought about every pebble and every pothole on the road. I smiled and laughed still even though I knew my life hung in the balance of every single one, just hoping they evened out.
Is this all it took to feel alive? I wondered as I let off the gas and coasted to a crawl, Nearing a stop sign.
The expression on my face faded as the car stopped, I took in a deep breath and held it for a moment before letting it all out in one large sigh.
I mindlessly took a few turns just coasting down the town roads when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye.
A girl, close in age to me. Matching a very interesting description I had seen earlier.