There were few exits for their escape. One main exit with a set of double sliding doors that were accessed via an electronic key fob or by using the available phone to call someone in the building. One emergency exit door that exited to the back alley and would let off a screeching alarm if opened. And one other way of escape via a rickety, rusty fire escape snaking down the west side. It was structurally unsound and missing the ladder that touched the ground. In the end, it meant for them, her targets, there would be none.

A misty rain had started falling in the past hour. It slide over her, noted, but then quickly ignored. She had tracked through much worse. Shadow absentmindedly wove ribbons of darkness between her fingers, ever observing. The room she had been watching for the past ten hours was dark. To the untrained eye, it would have be assumed abandoned like many apartments in the neighborhood. Too bad for her query, Shadow was anything but untrained. Her eyes were sharp in even the darkest of places. The shadows and black were her allies and no one could hid from her within them. She stood up dismissing the shades she had been playing with.

Shadow took a step off the building, plummeting to the ground. At the last moment, the impact was cushioned by her own shadow beneath her. She strode to the nearest street light and disappeared into the encroaching darkness it fought to fend off. She felt her feet move swiftly across the floor. It was going to be a quick kill. She let the shadows swallow her as she approached the room where the targets were. One second she was outside the door and the next the shadows transported to ones inside the room.

The room was barely light with just the flickering of a TV screen casting the shadows she moved through. She reached back into the shadow and pulled out a long katana. Her shadow blade, more sharp than any natural wielded blade and far deadlier for its other world properties, was her weapon of choice. Shadow let herself glide forward towards the couch. It would be over soon. The entire trip was barely worth her time. She had been given one month for the assignment. Shadow hadn't even needed twenty-four hours to find and infiltrate the home. There was a reason she was the most requested assassin in the Manor.

She flipped in front of the couch, blocking the TV. Shadow had always preferred to face her kills. There was no one there, just a pile of blankets and pillows. She frowned in annoyance for the delay and turned in time to see the attack. The attack, loosely used here, was by a boy running at her with a kitchen knife. Shadow pulled herself back into the darkness before reappearing behind him. It took little effort to disarm and shove the boy across the room.

He leapt up with surprising quickness and moved himself so he was between Shadow and a lump, a lump that was no doubt the other target. "Leave us alone. We never did anything to you." The boy's voice shook with fear.

Did he truly not understand who she was and why what he had or had not done mattered so little? Did it make a difference either way? She should just end this child now. With that thought, Shadow spun her blade with a flick of her wrist as she stepped forward to finish the job.

Warmth trickled down her sword wielding arm. Shadow paused. It wasn't the normal warmth, not her muscles getting ready for the attack, but it was one she recognized. She glanced to her left and saw a small girl clutching an even smaller paring knife that was still sticking out of Shadow's arm. She barred her teeth at the girl causing her to stumble backwards over her own feet in a rush to get away from Shadow's range. Shadow pulled the knife out and inspected it.

"How interesting," she mused softly, "It's been a long time since someone has drawn my blood."

The girl shook as Shadow turned her gaze back to her. "Hey leave her alone! Pick on somebody your own size! Come get me!" The boy screamed at Shadow as he started throwing anything he could get his hands on at her.

Shadow let her body move rhythmically to avoid the debris before drifting through darkness until she was behind the boy. She flicked her blade and pressed it to his throat. A small whimper escaped his throat before he stuttered out, "Run Missy! Don't let her get you too! Don't look back!"

Shadow spun the boy around as she flicked out a hand toward the general direction of the girl. Shades crept out and bound the girl stopping her attempt at an escape. Shadow stared calmly down at the boy. She knew now that her eyes would be solid black and had scared greater men into blubbering children as they stared into her eyes, the eyes of their death. It was time.

But the child did not cry. He did not beg for his life or the life of the girl. He raised his chin proudly. Then he glared Shadow down, fighting back the tears. "Close your eyes Missy. Don't worry it'll be over soon." He said in an unwavering voice.

Shadow felt her arm tighten and freeze. The killing swipe did not come. It wouldn't have taken much, just a muscle twitch against the artery. Nothing came. What was wrong? Why couldn't she finish this job? It was a job so easy she literally already had her prey trembling within her grasp. Yet, nothing happened. She was a statue, her strong hold still locking the boy in place. The self-cultivated numb on her emotions felt thicker, almost suffocating. Releasing the boy, she threw him across the room into the girl. Both children gazed at her with fright as they clung to each other like life preservers in a savage sea. Shadow continued watching them feeling time slow down and each tick of the clock get louder. Click.

Shadow flinched whipping around. There was no doubt in her mind that sound. So she was not the only one with the job. She glanced back at the children. There was no more time. As the gun shot ricocheted through the air, Shadow and the children were swallowed by the darkness.