Academy for an Assassin {A Novel]

AFAA: Chapter 9

We drove for what seemed like hours.

Once we hit the highway about twenty minutes later, the truck sped away from the academy. We were in a place with a lot of trees and as we drove, Cody and the girl Helena took it to themselves to be like our tour guide.

Helena informed us we were in some part in Wyoming, but that now we were headed towards Oregon, where the headquarters was. Cody seemed to love traveling, and he pointed out whenever we entered a new state.

I was amazed at the sight before me. All my life, I'd been hauled up at the academy. I had almost never been out. And then seeing so much like this, it was great. There were some parts, like small towns where we had to stop to fill up the gas and Cody went to get us some snacks (even if no one wanted anything and Cody took it on himself to finish it all himself) I was amazed. Sad but true, a small town gas station amazed me. I had never seen these things in real life, only in movies and mentioned in books.

We were all half asleep when the car stopped and parked. We weren't at a gas station this time, we were in the middle of the woods again and nothing else. I began to worry about where they had taken us but Cody smiled happily and Helena and Sabel were already climbing down.

"Headquarters?" I asked Cody as we hopped down.

"No," he shook his head, "home."

Home for him was headquarters apparently. But I couldn't see the house or building from here. The truck headlights barely illuminated anything, only the road and beyond which they were already traveling on, and a small narrow path leading up a small hill.

The truck drove away when we were all out and it kept on going, disappearing around a corner of trees and all I could see was a bit of light that soon disappeared too.

"Come on," announced Jack as he passed by me and up the road. He led the way and I hurried to follow. Though where I had no idea where I was following him too.

I walked next to Cody, and he kept talking as we walked. The others talked quietly, but Cody didn't seem to think he should too. He talked normally, his voice ringing out into the darkness and wideness.

Alas, as we went higher up the hill, a house came into view. It was big, about four stories high and it was really wide with a porch that seemed to go all around the house. On the lawn and stairs were various things: boxing gloves, a few fake but what seemed like heavy swords for practice and a few other instruments used for training.

This was no ordinary home, I was sure. I just didn't know exactly what it was.

We quietly entered the house, and at first, you would have thought it was just a normal house. The hall we entered was a bit narrow and at the end of the hall there was a set of staircases that led upstairs and down and in between both stairs laid a door that led to the backyard. It was carpeted with a few things littering the floor like toys and different playing balls; as well the rest of the house was littered with such things. But beyond that, you could see weights lying around, a magazine about guns and fancy sports cars. There was a set of darts and knives to go along with it, with the tiniest target possible, and three knives stuck into it.

So this was a home, it was obvious, but also obviously not for normal children. They were for assassins.

"We should all get some rest," Jack announced quietly, probably as to not wake any of the others up. "The others will be home soon, so no need to worry," he said mostly to the others. Sabel and I weren't sure who the others were, but I had a pretty good guess.

"Helena, take Sabel to her room," Jack ordered the girl. She nodded and turned to Sabel, tilting her head towards the stairs, indicating if she would join her. But Sabel looked at me; she was waiting for me to decide what we should do. I was the leader here for us. But I just slightly nodded, signaling it was okay to stay here. For now.