Lucas had always been a bit of a risk taker. However, this time he felt that the most obvious choice was perhaps also the path least likely to get him found out. Sure, not everyone would willingly choose to jump from building to another. However, if you wanted to keep an organization of deadly killers from knowing your every move, you sometimes had no choice.

And so, the teen found himself scanning the opposite building in the hopes that some fool had left something open. It was an apartment building, and so he was in luck in that there were several balconies.

Several moments of searching paid off.

Bingo. He zeroed in on a window that was wide open.

At three floors below, it would be perfect if he got the jump right. If he miscalculated, well, ECHO would probably spin it as a bullied teen's suicide while they investigated why their agent dropped from the twelfth floor.

Lucas took an extra moment to grab a monocular. With it, he gathered as much information as he could about his landing.

A table. Vase will need to be caught. He waited several minutes. No sign of life. Either the owner is out or in another room. The open window made him lean more toward the latter. The threat will be dealt with when it appears.

The monocular was lowered.

In two minutes, Lucas changed into fresh clothes and grabbed what little he needed. He took the new passport, left on his nightstand, and a new wallet with equally new cash and cards. He attached a hat to his pants, taking it in case of use later.

That was all. He had exactly what he needed for travelling. Just in case he nodded to head to the airport from the location he was going too. If he was in the right place at the right time, he would most likely be able to avoid suspicion of how he got there.

Done, Lucas opened the door to his own balcony. He glanced down at the street below. It was pedestrians only, all rushing along to get to the places they needed to be. Most looked at their phones, caught up in the social media they couldn't leave for a second. A few shoved their way through the crowd, each the only person currently needing to go somewhere important, at least in their own minds.

None looked up. If the chance arose that someone did, Lucas' jump would take him across the two buildings in mere seconds.

Turning his attention to his target, Lucas calculated the distance in his mind. As soon as he was done, he took several steps back, all the way into his room.

He stood for a moment, going over the calculations one more time. Then, without an ounce of hesitation, the boy ran forward. He was on the balcony in moments. With a leap, his right foot touched down on the rail. A push made him airborne.

For a few moments, the boy soared. Wind and noise from the city rushed by. Somewhere, a siren wailed, alerting citizens of a crime either being or having been committed.

Then, the ECHO agent began to drop. His jump took him true to course. The operative laded just within the window, perfectly on the table. Tucking his head in, he completed a roll to absorb the shock of impact.

At the same time, his hand reached out. His fingers latched onto the vase just before it could hit the ground. Without a pause, the vase was returned to the table and Lucas slipped from its surface.

The sound of singing and a shower running greeted his ears.

Evening plans? Lucas couldn't help the question as his eyes darted to the large clock to his right. It was only around four, an unusual time to shower for the average person.

Not dwelling on the question, the boy silently slipped through the room. The layout was easy to guess. Most apartments had the exit near the kitchen. He found it in moments.

Smoothly, he undid the latch and slipped into the hallway. The door was closed just as silently as it had been opened. There was no worry about the occupant freaking out at the unlocked entrance. Perhaps, there would be a moment, but then like everyone else, the person would doubt themselves. With nothing touched in the apartment, it would be brushed off as a simple mistake.

Lucas reached the stairwell and made his way down it, mind already on his plans.

Raven, the name flashed through his mind. He can tell you more. Lucas had some difficulty getting the information out of the unwilling man in Russia. However, everyone had a weakness, even hitmen.

The ECHO agent exited the building in minutes, taking the stairs rather than wasting time on the elevator. On the way, he pulled on his cap, making sure to keep the front pulled down so that his face was hidden from any security cameras.

In the streets of the busy city, he easily navigated his way as only a local could. Had he been here before? No. But he had taken the time to commit the direction to memory, rehearsing it repeatedly so that when the opportunity arose, he could find his way without a hitch.

Though he moved quickly, he stayed alert always. If ECHO had even caught a whiff of him heading out, they would tail him.

The boy turned into a network of smaller streets. His nose was hit by the stench of rotting garbage, alerting him to the fact that he had arrived at rundown area of the city – his goal.

Music pulsed from bars and nightclubs which had beat the dark to opening. The early party goers, ready for a long night, already began to line up. Underage girls giggled nervously, fake IDs in hands. Bouncers, well aware of the minors, waved them past with little care.

Lucas glided past all this, keeping his cap low. Only when he reached a building with a neon blue sign, did he pause.

Tilting his head back, he took in the letters on the sign. It read: The Oasis.

An image, that matched the one before his eyes, flashed through Lucas' mind, confirming he had arrived at his goal. With confident strides, he pushed the door open.

A haze greeted him, produced by the smoking clients sitting at the bar or tables around. A lone TV, at least 10 years old, was propped up behind bars. It displayed a channel currently showing a wrestling match somewhere across the world. Few of the customers paid it any attention, most seeming lost in thought as they stared, glaze eyed, into the distance or into their drinks.

Two back doors, Lucas noted immediately. Five windows, breakable with a chair if needed. His eyes darted to the bar. A woman stood behind it, pouring a distraught looking elder gentlemen and drink.

Seeing no other staff, Lucas headed over. He slid into a seat, hat still low but eyes roaming.

Now, where's Raven? He didn't have a face to go by. The informant had nothing but a name. Turning slight to his right, Lucas scanned the customers at the bar.

"Whatcha having?" the voice made the boy turn his attention elsewhere.

He found the woman watching him, one hand on her hip and her brown eyes piercing into him. Her black hair was straightened, a job recently done.

"Whiskey sour," Lucas told her. He didn't plan on drinking it, though his tolerance was high, this certainly wasn't a situation to get any alcohol in his blood.

"Aren't you a little young to be drinking that?" the woman challenged as she eyed him.

"Aren't you too pretty to be working here?" Lucas smoothly shot back, following up with a devilishly handsome smile.

He was given a blank stare. The woman wasn't having it.

"Shaken or stirred?" She grabbed a glass, twirling it before setting it smoothly down on the table.

"Shaken," Lucas responded.

He watched the lady reach for a bottle.

If anyone could identify Raven...bartenders know all their regulars, he decided. "Any chance you could add a raven's claw into the mix?" he asked.

The hand froze. It was for only a split second, but that was enough to tell the boy what he needed to know.

"That's an odd request." The lady didn't lose her composure as she began to prepare the drink.

Lucas leaned an arm on the bar top. He eyed the lady, smile on his face. Got you.

"Funny, I'm pretty sure this is the place I was directed toward." He shot an exaggerated glance around the room. "This is The Oasis, right?"

Thump.

Surprisingly the liquid didn't spill from the glass as it landed before him.

The lady gave Lucas a sweet smile. "Drink up."

Her reaction made Lucas' senses tingle with suspicion. He returned the smile and slowly lifted the glass, eyes never leaving the woman as she turned her back to him.

"I assumed Raven was a man." The liquid was almost at his lips. "Didn't really cross my mind that it was a woman."

The lady froze.

Bingo. Lucas' hand paused. "The again, I should have guessed."

Raven whirled. Without losing composure, one hand reached under the bar while she leaned forward. To any other person, it could easily be mistaken as her just having a conversation with another customer.

"Who sent you?" she asked, voice low.

Lucas was aware of the weapon her hidden hand now clutched.

He smiled, lowering the glass and twirling it in his fingers. "Want to talk about it?"

"I asked you a question," Raven snapped.

With a sigh, Lucas carefully placed the drink down. He lifted his eyes, meeting the ones staring intently at him.

"No one," he spoke. "I came on my own."

Raven's eyes narrowed.

The ECHO agent could see the thoughts rushing through her head as she seemed to go through all the possibilities.

"Your own?" Raven's eyes ran up and down him. "You're too young to be here on your own..." she trailed off, eyes widening ever so slightly.

Lucas leaned back, reading every expression. Yes, she was good at keeping her face blank, but her eyes, they gave away everything. And now, they were telling him that she knew quite a bit.

"There's no way," she breathed. Raven recoiled somewhat. "You're one of theirs!"

The way the realization was uttered with a trace of fear was both understandable and yet intriguing. Few people knew of ECHO. The organization did well in keeping their identity hidden. Yet, the few people who were aware, knew well enough that they were to be feared.

"You know a lot." Lucas traced a finger across the top of the glass.

"They haven't changed," Raven murmured. "Keeping young ones." She reached out, grabbed the glass from Lucas, and downed the contents in one shot. "So." She wiped a hand across her lips. "How long do I have to live?"

"I told you." Lucas was pleased to note that no one in the room had ceased what they were doing. There seemed to be no growing suspicions...yet. "I'm here on my own."

He saw Raven's hand relax her grip on the weapon, as well as the confusion that ran through her eyes.

"One of theirs wouldn't run around without orders." Her eyes darted to the door.

"If there's unanswered questions, he would."

Raven shook her head. "Thinking on your own, how are you not dead?"

"Because." Lucas shifted. "I'm just that good."

Raven paused, seeming to consider. "What questions?" she finally asked.

"Null," Lucas uttered the single word, pronouncing it the German way for zero.

The air in the room seemed to grow cold and Raven visibly shivered. She leaned closer, glancing around nervously.

"Drop it while you can, boy. This isn't a rabbit trail you want to follow."

Lucas smiled. "It's too late for that." The man to his right was beginning to show too much attention. "Want to tell me willingly, or should we try a different method?"

Raven hesitated another moment, conflicted. She straightened. "Follow me."

Lucas waited, watching her head for the one of the back doors. The boy knew that she could be luring him out to attempt an attack. In fact, he didn't doubt it. However, the thought made his smile grow wider.

Getting up, he shot a casual wink to the man who had begun to show attention. The gentleman grunted and returned to his drink. Satisfied, Lucas followed Raven.

His strides were relaxed, but beneath the surface, his muscles were coiling in preparation. The door Raven had passed through conveniently swung shut after her.

Chuckling at the obvious moment of blindness she had grabbed, Lucas casually pushed the door open.

As expected, she was waiting for him. Standing in the middle of the room, Raven held at shotgun, pointed directly at him.

One hit and it'll blow a good chunk out of me, Lucas noted. If it hits.

Raising his hands, the boy let the door swing shut, hiding the two from the customers in the room behind.

"Fire that thing and the entire neighborhood will know," Lucas calmly told the lady.

Raven didn't blink. "I'll be long gone by the time they set foot in here."

"And on the run for killing a minor in cold blood," Lucas tagged on. "That and..." he walked to the right, tracing a hand across the bookshelf that was there. "You know they'll come after you to try find answers." He paused, turning to face Raven. "Think there's anywhere you can hide from them?"

"Or I can let them know you're going off doing your own things." The lady didn't waver in the least.

"Hmm..." Lucas resumed his walk. "And yet, you seem like the type that doesn't want to get involved with them."

"Stop," Raven order.

Lucas did as told. The woman had caught on to him moving closer as they talked.

With a sigh, the ECHO agent raised his hands again. "All I want is the answer to one question and I'll disappear." He cocked his head to the side. "It'll be like I was never here." He gave his best puppy dog look, making his face every bit that of a teen. "Please?"

Raven's eyes flickered. It was only a second, but it was all Lucas needed.

In a flash, the teen closed the gap. One hand went for the gun, the other for the lady behind it. Smoothly, the weapon was torn from grasp and the Raven was whirled so that her back pressed into him.

Lowering the barrel so it faced the gun, Lucas maintained a firm grip on Raven.

"Shall we talk?" he asked sweetly.

He saw the elbow coming and responded by twirling the lady out from his grasp. She stumbled one step and regained her balance only to spin. Her reflexes allowed her to grab the shotgun just in time as it flew to her. Freezing, she stared down at the weapon that had been returned to her.

Leaning on the desk he now stood by, Lucas coolly watched her.

"How do I find Null?" he asked returning right back to his reason for being there.

Raven toyed with the weapon, however, she no longer raised it.

A laugh escaped her, sounding almost crazed like. "Find Null?" Shaking her head, Raven slumped against the wall. She raised eyes that were suddenly fear filled. "What possible reason could you have to voluntarily ask that question?"

Lucas felt the curiosity inside him grow. Ever since he'd learned the name, there had been a feeling he couldn't quite explain. That and, with every step he took closer to finding this person, he was also learning more. And bit by bit, it seemed that Null was going to be the and most difficult challenge of all.

"Let's just say it's personal," Lucas replied. Null seems to be the end of the trail. The one with the answers...

"Personal?" A scoff escaped Raven. She straightened, seeming to recover her composure. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, but if that was your question, then your trip here has been a waste." She walked over, placing the gun on the desk. "I'm afraid I couldn't help even if I wanted."

Lucas' face stayed devoid of the disappointment he felt. He could see there were no lies in Raven's eyes. "You don't know where I can find Null then?"

"Find?" Raven shook her head. "No one knows. In fact, I'm pretty sure no one knows what Null looks like either." She pressed a hand against her forehead, as though fighting a headache.

"You're saying no one can help track the whereabouts?" Lucas clarified.

"Exactly." Raven nodded. "I'm afraid this is the end of your hunt or whatever it is you want to call it." She took a step away, however, Lucas' hand shot out, grabbing her wrist and stopping her mid stride.

"Please," he spoke, letting his voice quiver ever so slightly. Perhaps emotion will work on her? It was worth a try.

Pulling her hand free, Raven whirled to face him. "You don't get it, do you?" she asked. "No one finds Null. Null cannot be found. The only way is to make Null come to you. But if that happens, you won't live past the point of hearing Null's voice." Her gaze softened every so slightly. "Is what you're seeking really worth it?"

Is it? Lucas wondered. Ever since his time at Ellison High, this was a path he had started down without looking back. But was it really worth it? Was there a point to learning about his past? Or was it better to leave it as it was?

"The question here," Raven spoke again.

Lucas lifted his eyes to meet hers. He saw the troubled look within.

"Is this a door you really want to open?" She didn't break his gaze once. "Because once you do, you won't ever be able to close it again."

The ECHO agent took it into consideration. Something told him this was his last chance to turn back. If he pursued this, would what he found at the end be worth it? Would it clear up his raging questions? Put a stop the dreams he'd been having lately? Finally give him a sense of peace? Or would it just end in disappointment or an abrupt death?

He took a deep breath, calming his raging thoughts as he decided.

The next chapter has been posted and so options are now invalid.    

Options:

a) Lucas should pursue this, go all out, and find the answers he's looking for.

b) Lucas should drop it. Life is fine as it is.

c) Let the author choose.