Academy for an Assassin {A Novel]

AFAA: Chapter 9

I watched them go up the stairs quietly but quickly as Cody and the others dispersed, leaving Jack and me alone.

I looked at Jack as the guys disappeared and found him already staring at me. It was a little unnerving, not that I actually let it show. Instead, I listened as he spoke.

"I know you have no real reason to trust me," he started. And hell yes I had no reason to trust him, but I didn't say that to him. "But listen to X. He's the one who set this all up, found the Academy and set the stage for the break out. It's him to trust."

"Because I'm supposed to trust I've never seen or heard, other than through some secret texts?" I asked. "I don't know about you, but that doesn't exactly sound trust worthy." It actually sounds like he doesn't trust me.

"I know," he said. "And, don't worry. You're safe here, and you'll be able to talk to X soon."

"Tomorrow?" I asked.

He softly chuckled. "A little impatient, aren't we?"

"Just a bit," I said, only a little humorous. But mostly just dead serious.

"I don't know when. X runs on his own agenda," Jack told me. "But don't worry, you'll get to talk to him soon. But for now, I think I'll just show you to your room."

I followed him up the stairs and the third floor. I entered a long corridor with a few doors. We walked to the end of it, in front of a door that was at the end of the right side and I could see into another corridor leading into both sides that had doors on the right and windows on the left. Stairs was at the end of the left sided corridor.

It was dark and I could barely see Jack except for the little moonlight peeking in through the window behind me. Jack gestured to the room and said quietly, "This is your room. Don't worry. Sabel is close; she's the last door by the stairs in that other corridor. Fairly close, I think."

I nodded, not sure if he saw. "Jack. Do you know who it was in my room? Back at the academy, I mean."

He sighed. "I'm not entirely sure, but I'm not entirely clueless. I have a few guesses."

"You do?"

"Yes. Look, Anna. There are a lot of assassins, and not just in the country, but also all over the world. They're all brought up by the government, meant to do their dirty. And not all of them want out. There are a few . . .smart ones who do though, but they're only a few. Because not all of them can resist and not be brainwashed by the government.

"It could have been anyone from someplace else, some other country. Or, some other academy here in the country. We know of two other academies in this country, and well, you don't know this, but you've become pretty popular. Especially after that stunt."

"What do you mean I've become popular?"

"I mean you are a good assassin, for being so young. One of the best. And other people, academies, countries, might not like that. They could have sent an assassin to kill an assassin."

I felt myself not be able to breathe, my heart beating a lot faster. This was news to me. I didn't know that so many people were talking me about. I mean I knew I was a big deal at the Academy. I was their number one, but I didn't know that would cause such a problem for other people. And I have thought about an assassin going after another assassin, but I didn't think it was possible. I would have thought it'd be harder for someone to get in at the Academy, then to get out. So I didn't have much to worry about someone getting inside and trying to kill me.

But now I was proved differently. Someone did sneak in, and someone almost did kill me. So that proved that other people-assassins-did want to kill me. They wanted to take out competition. And it had to be from another country, right? Why else would someone from the same country try to take me out? Jealousy? I doubted it. We were taught not to really feel.

But I felt this. I felt . . .fear.

"And you're telling me this right now why?" I questioned Jack instead.

"Maybe," he said, "because I want you to know you can trust us. That we want you to know what's going on, we're not going to keep you in the dark. And we're going to try to help you." Before I could respond, he continued. "Get some sleep. We'll talk this all over tomorrow. You should find everything you need in the room. Good night, Anna."

I wasn't even able to tell him good night, before he was already down the corridor and stairs and was gone.

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All right, I hope you liked it. And I would appreciate it if you commented and voted. Comments always make my day and I like to know what my readers think. And the next chapter will be uploaded a lot sooner, I hope, and be a little more detailed. Sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes. Love you readers!

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Linnette