Paragon

⊰❉⊱ 29 ⊰❉⊱

"I happen to speak the common tongue here. They wished to–"

"I speak it well enough." I interrupted in Hindi.

A savage grin tore from his dark beard. It was finely cut. As was his hair. As was his suit. He emerged from the shadows with an almost black set of eyes. The only immortal trait prominent was the ring of gold.

"Finally, a worthy assistant."

I did not bother to satisfy him by looking offended at the title. "I'm not here for your company. Please, to business." I pressed in a cold tone. His grin did not diminish.

"Oh, I grow fond of you by the moment." He uttered, crossing the road to walk ahead of me and lead us down a darker alley between shops. A few rapid heartbeats of rats scuttled away. I stalked behind him silently.

We dropped down a set of stairs midway and he opened a metal door with a set of keys. Within was a small armoury. A map splayed on a table and several screens on the wall. I cast my eyes around unimpressed.

"I can't imagine how you faired before technology." I stated dryly.

"I did not need to wait long." He quipped with a knowing smile. That meant he was turned after my time. Perhaps he was hardly a few decades younger–yet he conducted himself with arrogance and condescension. Perhaps he was French...

"We've been assigned an extraction." He interrupted my thoughts.

"To whom?" I stated.

The screens flicked on and glowed with rows of intelligence and information about one man. A presidential candidate for the next election. I knew his face. The one contender and set to win. A true people's man. Rags to riches and with some highly controversial opinions on the country's future.

"In one week the results for the next President come in. Unfortunately they will come in default if we do not act tonight. The front runner has been captured and held under the pubic eye. All of his moves–his sudden resignation from politics–will roll out soon and this cannot happen."

"Let me guess..." I drawled, leaning against the table and crossing my arms. The cool metal of the weapons pressed into my shirt. "–this is outside manipulation from another very powerful country who would like to keep the current political affairs going a bit longer."

That vicious grin reappeared on William's face and he pointed a finger at me.

"She speaks the language and connects dots. How wonderful."

The low growl did leave my throat this time and his expression melted into innocence. "Now, now. I do jest in good nature–"

"Do you enjoy the sound of your own voice? Or can we just get on with it." I murmured, edging my fingers closer to the weapon. It would not kill him but it would be satisfying to watch the bullet casing bounce off.

He turned to the weapons under the flickering glow of LEDs. He went straight for a fully automatic submachine gun and I rolled my eyes out of my head. Laser sights, holographic sight, extended clips...

"Take what you need." He stated over his shoulder with an amused smile.

"That's okay. I only need one bullet to silence a mortal." I retorted in heavy implication as he loaded a fifty round magazine into his gun with a snap. That did however cut under that cool demeanour and make a challenge glint in his eyes.

"I suppose we shall see Miss..."

I ignored his request for my name again and moved for the laptop with the satellite info. I scanned the area–no the compound. It's no wonder they wanted a bulletproof extraction. No mortal team would escape this without serious tolls. Then there was the small detail that we were affiliated to no one. No government could be blamed for what we did. So we worked in the darkness to keep the unknowing world shining.