Target

The Contract

Years later, Jay was training for special operations. He never seemed to fit in with the other soldiers, at least that was what Commander Dar told him. Dar would always push Jay harder than he did the other soldiers. Jay always saw Dar as a deep black and blood red blur mix. Jay never understood why. Jay always wondered why Dar was always angry, but never could figure it out.

The soldiers worked hard through the heat and the cold. They had training every weekday, except Sunday. Sunday was their break day. They never had a break for holidays or birthdays. Most people didn't even know when his or her birthday was. Only when they were high ranks could they celebrate important days. Jay was a low rank, a very low rank. He was basically a nobody, like the rest of his squad, the Pentrons. Chad, Gordan, Heffley, and Wentley were all his companions. Jay basically saw them as yellow-orange blurs because they were happy, but they still had to work hard. Jay, Chad, Gordan, Heffley, and Wentley had been in the same squad for their entire life. Not one would leave another behind, they were like family. They were the closest thing to a family they ever had. The other soldiers always judged them because of Jay. They didn't trust him since the moment they saw him. They said that Jay was a freak to the world, and always tormented him. Jay always took the pain. He couldn't do anything about it. He and his squad were too weak to confront the other soldiers, but his squad always trained the hardest. The Pentrons never gave up, no matter how hard the task.

On a hot summer evening, Dar called Jay into his office. Everyone feared this moment, even Dar's officers. People that went in usually were removed from the army. Rumors had gone around that people who were removed from the army, were eventually assassinated by Dar's personal assassin. Jay was nervous. He didn't want to die. He thought he was doing well enough in his classes. He stopped in front of Dar's door, and quickly collected himself. He didn't want to look like a nervous wreck in front of Dar. Dar may kill him on the spot instead of later on. He knocked on the door.

"Who is it," Commander Dar growled, making anyone that heard it flinch.

"It's Jay, sir," Jay said quietly, but loud enough Dar heard him.

"Come on in," Dar said, "Lock the door behind you, and then you can take a seat."

Jay did all Dar told him to so as quickly as he could. After he took his seat, Dar paid no attention to him. Jay sat quietly as Dar filed, stamped, and organized the papers on his desk. Jay was unsure if the commander even knew if he was ready, so he cleared his throat. Dar turned a darker shade of red, and Jay took it as a sign of annoyance, so he let Dar be.

As Dar finished, he left a single file on his desk. It seemed to be an assassination contract for Yoou Hung. Dar passed the file to Jay.

"It's your duty to get rid of him," Dar said in such an ominous voice, it gave Jay the chills.

Jay nodded, and got up to leave. He exited the office, and exhales. That was both nerve-racking and wonderful. He couldn't believe that he had an actual contract to fulfill. He went to his tent and took a long night's rest before the mission ahead of him. He dreamed of all the possibilities the next day could bring. He was never injured, neither was his squadron. His dreams could never prepare him for what happened the next day.

Jay woke up much earlier than his squad. He wanted to ensure that no one left for training. He needed to inform all of them about the mission given to them. Jay waited a little while. Nobody was getting up. It was way past training times. Jay walked over to one of his comrades. He lifts his blanket and drops it almost instantly. His comrade, Chad, was a gray blur. Jay knew what that color represented. He knew at that moment Chad was dead. Jay was horrified to see what happened to the rest of his squad. He walked to his weaponry case and grabbed his M16, Barrett M98B, and his Glock G21. He walked around the tent lifting the blankets, his pistol up and ready for anything to happen. He wanted to puke every time, the smell really started to get to him. He walked toward the exit, and he noticed a note pinned to the tent. Jay read, "Nobody finds out. This is a solo mission for you and you only." Jay stood in disbelief. He wanted to know why Dar didn't just tell him not to tell anybody instead of killing all of his squad. He put on his uniform and left the tent.