"Skies! What's that unholy, pungent smell?!" I smirked evilly and sarcastically took a deep breath, though it almost caused me to gag myself. 

"It's assassins working out." Bile rose to choke me, but it was worth seeing the disgusted look on her face. She always had the best reactions. 

"Yeah?! Well, it stinks!" 

"So it does." She tried for the door, but I grabbed her by the back of her collar and dragged her after me. "Come on! Don't be like that! You're gonna love it!" I continued contemptuously as I let go of her and threw her a sword before I realised what an idiotic catastrophe that would've been. Luckily, she swiftly caught it mid-air with her right-hand.

1. She's right-handed. 

She snorted derisively at my comment as she continued in a "sweet" voice. 

"Gee, hun. Ya take me to the best of places, don't ya?" I smirked tediously at her, the corners of my mouth twitching upwards as I played along.

"Only the best for my precious." I maliciously continued, saluting her. She blew me a sardonic kiss, with a wink.

"And aren't I grateful." She made another kiss at me and I gawked at her. 

"Hey! We're in public you know!" Kat made a face at me.

"What? You don't absolutely adore me?" She batted her lashes. My mouth twitched upwards when I responded. 

"I adore the idea of your death," I told her which caused her to feign indignation. 

"Why must you break my heart so?" She pouted adorably and falsely sniffed. "Why don't you love me?! You unfeeling, uncaring, barbarian, masochistic bastard!" I was going to respond to that when a voice called.

"C-Commander Black?" I turned to find a man, who was probably older than me but two inches shorter, gawk. 

"Yes. I am he." He just continued to stare, as others joined. 

O-kay... This is awkward. 

Now, you're all wondering what's going on. Here's a little bit of history to help you understand that assassin's reaction. 

When I was about ten, I had a bit of a tantrum, wiping off a good bunch of the facility. Now, remember I was top of my class combined with my planning skills, my obsession with reading, my electronics and Alexia, Skrymer's merciless training routine, and the idiots having underestimated me, it was all about timing. When all was set and done I had killed a total of 20 assassins, 4 commanders, and 3 generals. Now, the question to be asked is where the hell is Erebus, his children and the other nine generals?

Well, you see it was the end of November and the preparation for the "choosing ceremony" would be upon us soon. As such, they were out attending to some"business" and I had thought that they'd be out for weeks. I was mistaken. As I took the head off the last general, I heard clapping from the entrance of the throne room. Erebus was standing there, clapping. At first, when I started out the tantrum, I had thought he'd execute me for it. I couldn't have been more wrong. Instead, he gave me a special, high-ranking barracks, that would make a mockery of those for the generals, I got promoted to Commander of the Diamond Rank, the only one in centuries to have proclaimed the title. The only one to claim it was a commander who died protecting one of the royal children, and in honour of his memory, the rank was given to him. Not to mention it was preposterous for a child my age to achieve anything above assassin and only two per cent of us had even that.

As such for the past seven years, I've been a living legend, held up like a holy artefact. It was part of the reason I hated the city of Astrid so much. I can't walk down the street without people noticing and gawking. 

"I-Is it true?" Disgusted I took out my blaster and pointed it at him. 

"Count of ten. If you're not out of my sight, you die." The assassin's eyes widened and others gasped. I didn't see why they were shocked, I tended to threaten people all the time. It was part of the job. It was my reflex to idiocy. "One." I clicked off the safety. "Two." The charges snapped into position. "Nine" The laser pointer was right between his eyes and I kept it there until the entire room went tumbling out of the doors as if a contagious deadly disease had been unleashed. I snorted. "What's this?! Amateur hour?" A deep rumbling laugh resonated behind me. 

"Sweet Skies!" He slurred, obviously drunk. "Black, I swear you can make Moros wet his pants!" 

I tsked in response. 

"Yeah, but you never learned to keep away." He laughed, maniacally as he came to stand in front of me, towering over my head. 

Dagger was a hulking brute that could give even Hawk a run for his money. He attended Assassin's institute with Hawk and I a few years back, but he was not my friend. He would be best described as the freakshow acquaintance that was somehow dropped into your life for no other reason than to show you that you're not the craziest out there. His shoulders were the size of my head (and remember I am not small). One of his biceps probably outweighed  Katarina herself. Speaking of which, she was being awfully quiet. 

"Ah! A newb?" Dagger asked, his vicious black eyes darting over her in interest, sizing her up in a way I didn't like. I stepped between them so that I blocked his view of her. 

"She is. I was going to start training her. Now, if you'll excuse me!" 

"C'mon man! Ain't seen ya in years! Chat up with me! Why ya care so much about the newb?" I arched a brow at him, he stepped aside to study Katarina again. I shifted to block him. Dagger was an animal, the things he'd done... I pity the poor soul that would be at his mercy. I sure as hell wouldn't want Katarina to be anywhere near him. 

"Dagger," I said coldly. "Are you questioning me?" He smiled amused. 

"Nay!" He cried. "I know better. You might be tinier than me, but man you have a fierce bite on you! I wouldn't wanna be on the receiving end of your wrath! Even I ain't that crazy!" 

"Then you'll stay away from my newb. Won't you?" His eyes gleamed.

"Say," His voice was suddenly clearer, more focus. All the slurry quality escaped as he smiled that psychopathic smile of his. "Ain't that the hacker from the third district?" He cocked his head to take in Katarina "Ya remember me, girly?" My blood froze.

Oh. Shit!