@Ghostwriter

Finally Back. I am back. Finally after about a month of being away from this platform, I'm back to... assume my throne? Did I have a throne? I'm not sure what to say at this point but there you have it. @Ghostwriter is back for good, and I hope I can get back to steady releasing articles. But why was I away? Well, it all started about the end of August with a sharp pain around my belly button area. I ignored it for a bit and took some pain killer s while I was trying to foucs on the exams I was supposed to be writing soon, which are my 2nd MBBS Examinations, as @Ozzyy must have mentioned in this space once or twice. That was obviously a bad idea. The pain then moved to my right side, and it became a bit unbearable. I called my parents and told them what was happening to me and they were quite livid that I decided to keep it is secret while the belly button pain started. My Mom, who's a medical laboratory scientist, already suspected that it was appendicitis,and I had to rush back home, on a plane too, because they were afraid if I went by road, the seating condition might cause the appendix to burst. By the way, Appendicitis is the jnflammation of the loendix caused by blockage which causes the proliferation of bacteria. I'd the appendix is not removed on time and it hurts, infection might spread to the abdominal cavity, and this is called Peritonitis, which can be life-threatening. So as soon as I reached home, I was slated for surgery in three days' time, and I got a hospital bed there. I couldn't go home, I obviously couldn't even type articles, since I was in quite a lot of pain. I just could not wait to go.under the knife and start the recovery process already. Finally, the day came, and I watched my parents fuss over me a bit before I was placed under general anesthesia and wheeled into the theater. I know a lot of people have fears and concerns when surgeries come into focus, but I've never felt that way for some reason. Not that I'm ignorant of the many things that could go wrong, but I'm just pretty sure I'll make it out, so.I wasn't too bothered. I can't say the same for my Mom, who teared up a bit, but then that's motherhood for you. I was conscious about three or four hours later, with a bit of the numbness wearing off and an itching pain in my side. Thankfully, the procedure was a success and my appendix was removed. There was no internal bleeding, so I was on the smooth road to recovery, and I could see myself getting back to school in maybe two weeks' time and focusing on my exams while managing to post here once in a while. Sadly, this wasn't exactly the case. There were some complications with the recover, especially the healing of the incision made on my belly. Despite a suture being made, the wound was not healing and I was running the risk of getting infected, which would have seriously flipped the whole situation on it's head, but then again they adjusted my diet and placed me on some meds and two injections until I was fine. Between then and now, it has just been resting, recovering and relaxing for me, because that was one helluva journey. It's been a long month away from Read.Cash, and I'm honestly just happy to be back, writing articles and so on. There's a lot of reading to be done since I missed about a month's worth of it, but hey! I'm healthy and that's all that matters (just kidding! Yikes, the workload is from hell, bad time to have appendicitis!) Anyway, thanks for reading, and have a great day!

Salad could one day be grown in space, a UK study shows. With every passing day, the prospects of space travel for all of mankind and the inhabitation of other planets aside from earth continue to become less bleak. Technological advancements have allowed scientists to embark on projects that would have been otherwise deemed impossible in the past. From animals in space to food in space, mankind has continued to push against all boundaries and reach for the stars, and whatever may lie beyond them. And recently, they have scored yet another major success and discovery, which brings us closer to the "life in space" possibility, more or less a fairytale turned to reality. The latest update is that salad leaves could one day be grown on another planet. As crazy as that might sound, scientists speculate that salad leaves could one day be grown on the planet Mars, and this comes after a million seeds were sent into space back in 2015. It is therefore evident that this experiment is one that has spanned over four years of work, and it appears their hard work has finally paid off. The 2015 mission was supported by British Astronaut Tim Peake as part of his Principia mission, and they came back to earth about 6 months later. Subsequently, six hundred thousand children took part in an experiment to grow the progeny, an experiment organized by the Royal Horticulture Society and spanning over 8000 schools across Britain. The research was part of a project called Rocket Science, led by the RHS Campaign for School Gardening in partnership with the UK Space Agency. And then, the results of the study were published in Life magazine. Results showed that although their germination was slower than normal, and they were more sensitive to aging than their counterparts on earth, they were still viable. Apparently, space flight, the difference in gravity, and the many other factors which differ from those on earth did not affect the seeds' viability. Peake commented on the results, saying that when humans embarked on space travel to Mars, they find means of feeding. In the same vein, the research would serve to help understand the biology of seed germination and storage, the knowledge that will be vital for future space missions. However, there were some discoveries made that could pose potential health hazards. The study authors identified the fact that the seeds had been exposed to cosmic radiation and mechanical vibrations while in space. They cited the need for the seeds to be protected from these forces which are so hazardous, they could make the seeds carcinogens. A report by the Daily Mail news agency shows that the factors that could affect the seeds in space include microgravity, a poor oxygen supply, low humidity, and extreme temperature fluctuations. James Hatton, head of Biology and Environmental Monitoring the European Space Agency has confirmed radiation as the most likely reason for the less efficient growth. Despite the hazards, it is a breakthrough that promises further success. All eyes are on the spearheads of the project to see if safer measures can be put in place to eliminate the potential health hazard posed by the progeny. ***** Space travel has never really been one of my big dreams or interests. Oh yeah, sure I'll be elated to go to space someday, but living on Mars and all that stuff weren't really my big dreams from when I was a kid. I guess it was someone else's big dream to be an astronaut and mine to be a Doctor. Tio each his own, they say. Either way, I hope this was an interesting read for you. Like and Comment!

Symbiosis...ish: Part Five Symbiosis...ish: Part Four https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/symbiosisish-part-four-1fc64b13 **[WP] You've been infected by a sentient, eldritch parasite. Realizing it's counting on you for its own survival, the parasite offers occult knowledge, wisdom, and secrets in return for the host's sustenance and protection. Describe this unlikely friendship.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/symbiosisish-part-one-3345ca80#wp-you039ve-been-infected-by-a-sentient-eldritch-parasite-realizing-it039s-counting-on-you ***** "How do you think we should go about this?" Jamin said as soon as they got in the car. She didn't reply. He turned to face her and saw that she was seething. He smiled. "Surely you didn't let what he said get to you like that, did you? Look at you, the so-called 'Kamara the Annihilator' getting all upset over the words of small fry like him." Her features relaxed, and for the first time, she turned to him. "You know how I feel when you try to talk snack to me, don't you? It's cute and all, but you'll be better off not testing me/ I might just kill you one day, Jam Jam." He knew better than to continue the wisecracks at this moment. Kamara;'s smile remained the same, but her icy tone told him that she was dead serious. With her temper and her skill, she could easily do away with him if she wanted to. And at this point, she sounded like she **really** wanted to. He apologized. "Sorry, I did;t know you were really serious. I didn't mean to annoy you." She beamed for real this time, and her voice sounded bright again. "You see why I like you, Jamin? Men tend to have this brash, arrogant approach to things that annoys the hell out of me, it's why I killed my last two partners-" Jamin gulped. He remembered how things were before they became partners. She was known for only having male partners, and she was known to have killed them over slight disagreements. No partner had ever lasted longer than three months with her, and she did not permit anyone to refuse her offer. He'd only managed to get this far, they'd been partners for 5 years now. "- But you're a different specimen," she said, placing her index finger on his chin and tracing his jawline. She smiled as she watched him squirm, and giggled as he flinched when her fingers wandered down to his chest. "You're cocky a bit, but you know your limits and you're ready to apologize when you're in the wrong. Plus the way you get all flustered when I do things like this is cute," she said, relaxing back in her seat. "I appreciate that I'm the chosen one that could keep your toxic side at bay, but I wish you wouldn't do all that while I'm driving, Kamara.," Jamin said, wiping his brow and keeping his eyes straight ahead, aware she was looking at him. "It's not like I'm going to allow us to die, so that's not an issue. My first problem is the client here, Jam Jam. I know we're being paid, and oh do I know that the money is very important, but I don't see why I should have to endure such treatment from that dirtbag. He has a lot of nerve to talk like that, doesn't;t he, knowing I could kill him and take the money. That's the issue with these ordinary humans, Jam Jam: a little bit of power or money, and they suddenly do not know their place or limits. I felt like teaching him a lesson, and I probably will." Jamin sniggered. "You're right, you could have all the money you wanted without having to do all these jobs, so why do you anyway?" "Hah, of course, I just can't, you dummy. There are laws governing the possession and use of abilities, and they are even more strict when it comes to my ability. In order for me to manipulate someone, the person in question would need to be gaining something from me or a person possessing an ability in which it can be considered a battle." Jamin lifted an eyebrow. "So if you're not getting anything from him, you can't enter his brain? But you guys do have a deal for the money, and it's a signed magical contract." "Yes, but the terms of that contract are clearly stated., so that doesn't count. It has to be a fresh contract that explicitly states what he was gaining from my manipulation of his psyche, if not, I could face losing my powers." "W-wow," Jamin said, turning to her. She met his gaze and smiled. "Don't be concerned, I've lasted all these years despite those conditions. And by the way, I might just kill this client when the job is done." Jamin smiled. "That's up to you. But speaking about the job..." he said, rubbing his sore jaw. The frown on his face showed that he wanted his revenge. "There's not much to say about that, the guy's a handful for sure. When Havok binds to someone, he's either complimented by their strength or nerfed by their weakness. That guy was weak, so my telepathy should have kept him down, but he is not one with Havok. By chance or choice? I don't know yet. But physically, the guy's good. He doesn't have the agility and fitness for the moves he's pulling, so he just envisions it and allows Havok to manipulate his body freely. It's a weird kind of Symbiosis - he can determine who should be in control at what time, and it's helping him." Jamin turned. "How can you make someone faster and stronger just like that? Aside from the whole keratinized transformation, I don't get it." "Our next encounter," she said patting his lap. "Our next encounter should answer all our questions."

Copywriting Journey: Sports Writing For a brief period in my copywriting journey of last year, I wrote articles on sports - actually football, the only sport I'm really into. I actually had a higher rate of acceptance here, and only about three of my articles got rejected out of ten completed articles, which is good! Please keep in mind that these articles were created in June 2020, so they will be a bit dated. So here are the two: Manchester United are frontrunners in the race to sign Ajax Midfielder Donny van de Beek. It is official: Football is back, and there's no doubt that things are definitely not going to be the same. The global health situation brought a sad pause to all sporting activities, but now, with many major leagues restarting, we can begin to put all that behind us. The German Bundesliga relaunched in May, and those of the Spanish La Liga and English Premier League are slated for June 11 and 17 respectively. Also, the transfer window has been open for a while, and with many clubs hurrying to acquire signings to build up a formidable team, there is some interesting activity there as well. Manchester United is now confirmed to be making serious moves to sign the Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek, this was announced by the latter club's CEO and former Manchester United goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar. Spanish La Liga Giants Real Madrid was considered as favorites to sign the player, but the latest developments show that they may be currently unable to afford him. Of course, this misfortune is to United's advantage, as they are now in the lead of the race to sign van de Beek. Donny is being praised by some retired players, with the great legend at Arsenal, Dennis Bergkamp, commenting that Donny 'reminded him of himself. Van de Beek is certainly a vital addition to the team, but some analysts have commented that with the list of players that United are speculated to be making efforts to sign, he might not be their most important signing. However, Ajax seems to be getting ready to let go of the player, as they have named his replacement as their former midfielder Davy Klaasen. Klaasen, who was touted as a flop during his brief spell at Everton in 2017 has apparently woken up from his slumber and is performing just fine in Werder Bremen. With Werder Bremen likely to be relegated, van de Beek is likely to be sold, and Ajax will be waiting. Finally, Real Madrid are now seen to be offering Manchester United their forward James Rodriguez at a token price compared to what Madrid paid for him in 2014. Why? It appears that Real Madrid is making serious moves to accumulate funds to facilitate their aim to sign Donny. They want to do this by selling off players that are considered to be white elephant projects, so to say. If United take this deal, Real might inch closer to getting Donny; but the issue is that United want him too. So the situation on ground now seems to be at a standstill, time will tell if United will take the bait or not. FA Cup set to continue in June; Finals on August 1 It is official: Football is back; and there's no doubt that things are definitely not going to be the same. The global health situation brought a sad pause to all sporting activities, but now, with many major leagues restarting, we can begin to put all that behind us. The German Bundesliga relaunched in May, and those of the Spanish La Liga and English Premier League are slated for June 11 and 17 respectively. Also, the transfer window has been open for a while, and with many clubs hurrying to acquire signings to build up a formidable team, there is some interesting activity there as well. Manchester United are now confirmed to be making serious moves to sign the Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek, this was announced by the latter club's CEO and former Manchester United goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar. Spanish La Liga Giants Real Madrid were considered as favorites to sign the player, but latest developments show that they may be currently unable to afford him. Of course, this misfortune is to United's advantage, as they are now in the lead of the race to sign van de Beek. Donny is being praised by some retired players, with the great legend at Arsenal, Dennis Bergkamp, commenting that Donny 'reminded him of himself'. Van de Beek is certainly a vital addition to the team, but some analysts have commented that with the list of players that United are speculated to be making efforts to sign, he might not be their most important signing. However, Ajax seems to be getting ready to let go of the player, as they have named his replacement as their former midfielder Davy Klaasen. Klaasen, who was touted as a flop during his brief spell at Everton in 2017 has apparently woken up from his slumber and is performing just fine in Werder Bremen. With Werder Bremen likely to be relegated, van de Beek is likely to be sold, and Ajax will be waiting. Finally, Real Madrid are now seen to be offering Manchester United their forward James Rodriguez at a token price compared to what Madrid paid for him in 2014. Why? It appears that Real Madrid is making serious moves to accumulate funds to facilitate their aim to sign Donny. They want to do this by selling off players that are considered to be white elephant projects, so to say. If United take this deal, Real might inch closer to getting Donny; but the issue is that United want him too. So the situation on ground now seems to be at a standstill, time will tell if United will take the bait or not. Thanks for Reading!

My Copywriting Journey IV Hi! We're going back to m trips down my copywriting journey, and this time we have product reviews again. I did a lot of those back then, and while some made it to the clients' websites and wherever they made use of them, these ones didn't. The Splashin' Kids 3 in 1 Inflatable Sprinkler Pool Relaxation: it's the one thing everyone is trying to find today, isn't it? With all the chaos out there, combined with the global health crisis, your children definitely need a break from all that stress. This pressure isn't helpful to their mental health, especially at such a tender age. Unfortunately, organizing a trip to the amusement park isn't in the cards at the moment, and this is a real fix. One or two things might make that trip to the cinema on the weekend impossible, or maybe you're just tired. That's enough, this product has got you covered: The Splashin' Kids 3 in 1 Inflatable Sprinkler Pool for Kids. What could a pool possibly have to offer aside an occasional splash, you say? This pool is perfect for recreation purposes. On a hot sunny day, you can take your kids to the pool and they can have fun right in your backyard, without any need to get in the road. This sprinkler pool could provide an avenue for a water park vacation in your yard, and you can get your kids to reduce anxiety and stress. With the frog and interesting bright painting and toys included, the pool will become a symbol of relaxation at home. And now, on to the next benefit of this pool. With its small size perfectly suited for kids within their first six years of life, this provides a safe controlled environment to introduce your kids to the water. Swimming is a popular recreational activity; maybe you enjoy swimming and would love your kids to get to experience it. But you can't just take them to the Atlantic for a dip, can you? There is very minimal risk of drowning in this product, and with required parental supervision, your children could learn to swim and play in the water safely. Setting up the product will be a real breeze, as it is readily inflatable. With the aid of an electric or manual pump (though not included in the packaging) you can inflate the plastic pool in less than five minutes. Instructions on how to go about this are provided in the manual included in the package, so you won't need too much 'professional' assistance. Also, this pool addresses one of the problems involved in buying or using children's toys: Safety. Some children's toys are produced with Bisphenol A or BPA, a toxic plastic material. You should not have doubts about the effects of this pool on your children's health, as it is completely BPA-free. It meets the world-recognized and approved standards of International Children's Toys. And lastly, the product is very durable and is guaranteed to last a long time after purchase. It is made with quality PVC which prevents any passive destruction or puncture. The pool is pocket-friendly and provides a great experience and good features at a nice price. It will be one of the greatest gifts you will give your child and a gesture they'll remember forever. This could also be a good avenue for bonding and family time. The product is recommendable as it will be a welcome addition to your home. The Wansview Outdoor Security Camera Security is one of the major needs of people worldwide, no doubt about that If you have a home, then you've obviously seen how unsafe the world can be, and why there is a need to keep your house secure. Moreover, with people preoccupied with jobs that take up almost nine hours of a day, few can afford to still be aware of what goes on at home. There can be burglaries, and you'll have no idea of when the crime was committed and the identity of the criminal. All these insecurities can be eliminated with the Wansview Outdoor Security Camera. The Outdoor Security Camera comes equipped with features that will put your troubled mind at rest. With a 2 megapixel HD lens assisted with 1080 Full HD video recording, you get to see what's happening at home clearly. Burglars and neighbors can be identified with ease, as it does not record grainy videos. The camera possesses a wide viewing angle of 105° which makes sure you have a clear view of the whole surroundings, so no detail is left out of your line of view. If that's good, then the rest the camera comes with is even better. You might be worried on whether the camera will be able to record distinctive images in the dark. That shouldn't be a concern, as the camera is fitted with a 24 IR lens which is capable of recording objects in a range of 20 meters from the camera at night. This means that if anything gets that close to your house or surroundings, the camera will record that. So day or night, you'll never be left in the dark, that's for sure. Another special feature this security camera possesses is a motion detector. Sure, the thieves of today are more experienced than they used to be, and would be likely to spot a security camera on one of your walls. They'd obviously perform a few rehearsed maneuvers to avoid being spotted by that camera. That's not going to fool this device, as it comes with a motion detector. So even if they aren't spotted, the camera will immediately detect the movement of an individual around your home. If you're wondering how you're going to get the alerts of the intrusion, that's about to be explained. Among the contents of the package are a Wi-Fi antenna and an Ethernet cable. Before, when using a security camera, you'd have to wait until you get home and turn on your TV or computer screen to what was recorded that day. Real-time recording was virtually unheard of, and so responding to criminal activity at your home would be several hours too late. But this device relays all alerts and 10-second videos of intruder detections to you via online means. You can download the videos from their cloud storage, but even without cloud storage subscription, you can still access the real-time alerts through texts sent to your phone by the camera. Finally, a possible downside is that the device isn't rechargeable: it must be connected to a power source to function. But that shouldn't be reason to overlook the fact that it is compatible with the Alexa service. This means that you can open up a live viewing just by giving instructions to the Alexa AI in your smartphone. The product is also durable, made of an aluminium casing that prevents easy destruction from vandalism. It is also waterproof, so it can function in any weather. In summary, this camera comes with the full package. It can cater for all your security needs efficiently, and at a price that won't create holes in your pockets. Thanks for Reading! Like and Comment if you found this interesting, thanks!

Symbiosis...ish: Part Four Symbiosis...ish: Part Three https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/symbiosisish-part-three-3d75e26d **[WP] You've been infected by a sentient, eldritch parasite. Realizing it's counting on you for its own survival, the parasite offers occult knowledge, wisdom, and secrets in return for the host's sustenance and protection. Describe this unlikely friendship.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/symbiosisish-part-one-3345ca80#wp-you039ve-been-infected-by-a-sentient-eldritch-parasite-realizing-it039s-counting-on-you ***** I woke up slowly, my body still aching all over. It was still dark outside, and even though I didn't have a clear idea of the time, I guessed it had to be about 2 AM, max. And then I felt the presence of someone else in the room and turned. Sitting on the chair beside the bed, wrapped in a silk bathrobe was Elena who was looking at me intently. "You're awake." I only then noticed that I was not in my room. Or even my apartment at all. This room was bigger and had a huge mirror opposite the bed. Just under a mirror sat a desk where make-up and skincare products laid impeccably arranged. It had this spotless, feminine look to it. "Are we in your house?" "Yes," she said, walking over to me and giving me a cup of green tea. "Take this to relax, I'm sure your body is in shambles right now." "How did I even..." I paused as the memories of the events of the previous day came flooding in."Sh!t, so all that wasn't a damn dream? I really am your slave now or sum'n?" Elena smiled and got into the bed beside me. "Slave is a strong word, which kinda fails to describe this relationship between us, don't you think? You're not bound by the contract to serve me, or obey my every whim now are you? All you have to do is protect me at all times, what you choose to do with your life and newfound power is solely up to you." "Newfound power? Heightened senses and physical abilities? Or the regeneration? Yeah, maybe I could start playing rugby or American football or even join the army as a top-secret biological weapon and stuff," I sneered sarcastically. "You can't be too far from me, it's physically impossible. And I'm not joining the army. The rest sound good, but the more you get popular, the more likely it is that more people will set their eyes on you, people like our company last night. And besides, you don't think that the physical stuff is all Havok's good for, do you?" "Well, what else?" "He knows a lot of secrets about this world, having been around for centuries. He's basically an information and wisdom bank, and anything you apply his knowledge to guarantees success. I just told you, as far as you guys can sync and get along, you'll find out that there's a lot to benefit from Havok." "So is that an attempt to make what you did look like less of a selfish, sh!tty thing to do, Elena?" I sneered. She laughed. "You should know me too well by now. I don't care about any of that stuff. I just did what was in my best interests, but still, I'm not just a callous self-centered lil' b!tch. You're getting something out of it, and that's what I use to balance my own moral compass. " I laughed. "You're wholesome and genuine even when you're doing the worst things. So who were those guys, and why are they after you? It's going to be a huge problem if they keep hunting us down." "Then you need to get your game on and bond with Havok faster..." Havok laughed and spoke out using my mouth. "This guy moves pretty well with me despite the power tussle, but at this stage, those guys will finish us. Now they've seen what he's capable of, they won't be so sloppy." I shivered. This body snatcher situation was still new to me. And then the prospect of having to face off with some highly skilled assassins who were after me wasn't encouraging. "Wait, if I was protecting you, does it mean they're after you?" "Seems like it's us both this time. Havok's vessel and I, the Klein in the custody of the parasite. When you were down, Jamin tried to hoot you instead of going for me." "Jamin?" "Jamin and Kamara. Two of the most dangerous assassins in the world of the supernatural. They used to dwell in the Temple, which is like the highest court of all that Is supernatural, and they were soon to become judges at a young age because s=tey were very talented and skilled. But they abandoned that to use their powers for mercenary activities and espionage. The money was more important." "They're good," I had to admit. "The best in the business. You can't employ their services for anything less than a million dollars, which means that a big name wants us dead, and my lineage wiped out." I sighed. "And now, I've been dragged into this. One minute I'm dodging y'all at the office, the next I'm dodging weird spirit bullets and protecting my life and yours. This is exactly why I did not want to attend the hangout." Elena laughed. ***** "You failed to kill them?" "Yes." The client looked angrily at Kamara who had replied, but she looked unfazed, Nothing would be done to her, and the work wouldn'tbe given to anyone else because they were the only ones who could kill those two, "We've managed to scout perfectly, however, so it's not a loss or a setback. We know what he's capable of, so we'll be well prepared." "I hope you eliminate them this time." Kamara laughed. "I hope we don't." Jamin shot her a stern look as the client barked. "What the hell do you mean?!" "It's been forever since I've had a good challenge. I want him to go all out and gather enough battle experience. Why do you think we opted for this sort of assassination? It's better when they can put up a fight because then I get to feel alive. Isn't that gr_" "I don't give a flying f*ck about any of that.," the client said, butting in. Kamara's smile faltered for a bit; she hated being interrupted. "Kill those two, and kill them fast. It's Sunday. By next week Sunday, I should be seeing their names on the news." "Will do," Jamin said, leading Kamara out of the room. ***** TO BE CONTINUED Please Like and Comment!

Symbiosis...ish: Part Three Symbiosis...ish: Part Two https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/symbiosisish-part-two-9a7b06c1 **[WP] You've been infected by a sentient, eldritch parasite. Realizing it's counting on you for its own survival, the parasite offers occult knowledge, wisdom, and secrets in return for the host's sustenance and protection. Describe this unlikely friendship.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/symbiosisish-part-one-3345ca80#wp-you039ve-been-infected-by-a-sentient-eldritch-parasite-realizing-it039s-counting-on-you ***** They were given this mission because they were the assassins most suited for these kinds of in and out jobs, leaving not so much as a trace of their presence. Not only that but they were also well equipped to battle supernatural forces and entities like Havok head to head. Kamara, the lady was a clairvoyant with psychic powers that included telepathy, divination, telekinesis, and tele-projection: the ability to create matter from nothing but brain waves by channeling her spiritual energy to project objects she thinks about. The only limit was that the size and spiritual energy consumed were directly proportional. Jamin was basically the brawn of the team. With his gun, he could use his 97% accuracy to shoot and hit anything with a poisonous bullet that eats away at their spiritual energy, and in some cases, life force. He also had superhuman agility and reflexes. "This job could set us for life, you know that? 10 riggin' mill, Jamin," Kamara said. "We could get off this business and move to the Bahamas or something, start a new life there, and be free from all this bullsh!t." Jamin laughed. "You and I know very well that you're not going to do that. The money is a fine icing to the cake, but you're more interested in the thrill of fighting, subjugating, and killing these spirits, aren't you? Conquering the enemy, whatever it may be?" "You're no fun, Jam Jam. You know me inside out already, what's the fun in all of that-" "Look alive, they're coming out." ***** "I think we're done with the conversation here. Let's move this somewhere else," Elena said as the cafe began to close. "Somewhere else like where for f*cks sake? And why arem't you saying anything about undoing the spell or removing the damn parasite? I told you, I don't to be your bodyguard or whatever." "It;s an irreversible action, Chris. Don;t think any less of me - well, you can,k since it's within your rights, but I believe you're going to appreciate what I've given you sooner or later," she said as we stepped out into the warm, balmy summer air. Then I felt my hairs stand on end. I'd never had this feeling before, thisstrange, tingling sensation, this sense of urgency to push Elena out of the way. But I moved quickly and did so. And then the bullet hit me in my left wrist. A searing pain shot through my arm as it began to turn black from my finger tips. Without thinking twice, I grabbed my left shoulder and ripped it out, blood splattering all over the curb. As I looked up, I saw two figures in long coats approaching us. I quickly dashed to Elena's front, even as my arm began regenerating at a dizzying rate. In less than 10 seconds, it was whole again. "Even without too much involvement from Havok, you had the mental fortitude to rip out your own arm? Amazing... just amazing.," the woman said, smiling as she tapped her forehead. "I don;t think we expected this, did we, Jam Jam?" "You'd do well to stop calling me that, bit yes, this one's interesting. It semade an excellent choice of host now, haven;t you," he asked, raising his gun and aiming at me again. Elena smiled. "Havok, I think you know what to do at this point, don't you?" The impulse was crazy, but I moved with it anyway. Before the man could fire, I grabbed Elena and threw her eight feet into the air. While she was up, I could feel my leg muscles tighten as I accelerated towards the woman, dodging the bullet. I knew for sure now that the man's gun had some weird enchantment or something on oit. "Good call avoiding the vusubke pressing threat, but dod you really think I'd be any less of a target?" Instantly I felt my body freeze for a second and fall to the ground as m brain seemed to shit down for a second, ceasing all motor function. But then I moved to the right with surprising agility, avoiding a bullet from close range before punching m=the man directly in the face. He flew backward a few metres. I looked at my hand. It had keratinized on the surface forming what looked like a hard armor around my arm. I did hear a crunch from his jaw, but I also felt some resistance. That guy had to have some level of hardness. Then my body tingked and Idahsed backlwatds, catching Elena with my arms and thighs before she hit the ground, and racing into the alleys and hopping atop buildings with her in my arms till I got away. "Havok, what the hell was that>" Elena screamed, obviously in shock. '"I operate according to the tendencies of the host," a voice within me spoke, the sound issuing from my lips. But it was neither my thought nor my will to speak at that point. "These guy is just a nutcase, and he has the wierdest ideas. Get ready for more crazy stuff, heh." I was dizzy as hell as I got off the rooftops and walked Elena to her room before crashing as soon as she opened the door. *** "That was f*cking weak, Jamin," Kamara said with a sneer as she put her gun aside. "I didn;t even get to use my beloved Vengeance, and she's been aching for a real challenge. I haven't seen you take a hit like that since Panama in 2018, what;s up with that?" "He's more than a handful, and you know that. Your telepathy didn' t bind him permanently, as he should have." "Yeah, I noticed. It seems that for some reason. Him and Havok aren;t one at all. They aren't even merging. Both are within the same body, but they re not molding into one another. My telepathy was able to hit the weaker mind, which was his, but Haok's impulse kept him awake and able to dodge your bullet. It;s like he has a backup entity, and I didn't takethat into consideration." "Still, you saw his movements, didn;t you? I doubt the info told us that Havok gave someone that level of agility and fluidity of movements. I don't know who was in control there, the man, or Havok himself, but that speed is something to be worried about." Kamara laughed. "It seems that this fight will force me to go full steam. Amazing, amazing indeed! We will encounter Elena Klein and Havok's host again, and then we'll be sure to finish them off." ***** TO BE CONTINUED. Heavy on the action with this one again like last time. Please, Like and Comment if you found this interesting!

Symbiosis...ish: Part Two Symbiosis...ish: Part One https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/symbiosisish-part-one-3345ca80 **[WP] You've been infected by a sentient, eldritch parasite. Realizing it's counting on you for its own survival, the parasite offers occult knowledge, wisdom, and secrets in return for the host's sustenance and protection. Describe this unlikely friendship.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/symbiosisish-part-one-3345ca80#wp-you039ve-been-infected-by-a-sentient-eldritch-parasite-realizing-it039s-counting-on-you ***** I paced around the room slowly, my thoughts everywhere as I could hear the voice of...whatever it was echoing in my head. It sounded like me, except his voice was deeper, and certainly more sinister. I had no idea what I was currently stuck in, but one memory was stuck in my head. Elena's weird 'Would You Rather' question directed at me yesterday, and her smile after. Why did she do this? A prank? What did she have to gain? And most importantly, WHAT THE HELL WAS THIS ANYWAY? Hypnosis? An actual demonic possession? I couldn't make heads or tails of it. All I knew was that there was a malevolent entity in my head talking about killing people, world domination, and telling me to eat more. As I stared at the empty bucket of chicken wings on the table and the three boxes of pizza I had just finished, I accepted that this was real, and this was something beyond the scope of my u understanding. I had become a glutton overnight, and it wasn't funny. Elena's little laugh as I screamed into the phone was another thing that made her blood boil. If anything, it was a confirmation that she knew exactly what was happening to me, and she's responsible for it. The entity did mention something about her choosing a good vessel this time, so I assumed that I was the vessel being spoken about. How I managed to get through the whole day, I did not know. I had to battle impulses being generated by the b*stard in my head, that only wanted to do acts that ranged from mischievous to downright cold-hearted and brutal. I was stressed as hell when I walked into the Moonbucks Coffee. Elena was already there, wearing a lowcut red dress that stopped just above her thighs. Her bare legs were creamy and her heels showed off her perfect pedicure. I felt very much underdressed in my shirt and jeans. but I couldn't;t care about any of that. She smiled slyly. "7:11 PM. You're the one that said something about 'sharp', or so, didn't you? It really isn't nice to keep a woman waiting, Chris. And I could have sworn that the quiet guys were the gentlemen." I had to wait for the waiter to drop the cups of cafe latte and leave before I snarled. "Fuck all that, what the fuck did you do to me, Elena?" "Oh come on, you could be a little more-" "I swear to God, if you don't answer my questions now, I'll let the character of this guy talking in my head take over. If you know what you did, then you must know that it's not something that you want to want to happen." She smiled and waved it off. "I know enough to know that Havok won't hurt me." "Havoc?" "Yeah, with a 'k'. That's the name of the eldritch parasite inside you." "Eldritch?" I had heard those words somewhere, and as I googled the meaning of the word. As I saw it, I looked back at Elena. "You put a f*cking parasite ghost in me? What the hell is that?" "I didn't exactly put it, you see. The last part was all in your hands. Your confession, your answer to my question was the last nail in your coffin. It was looking for a home, and as its custodian, I was supposed to find it a home. Havok is the patron spirit of my family, and it is supposed to find a human host to possess to continue its actions, which could be violent." "Violent? Why the hell would you then keep something like that in your possession?" "Did you not hear? It protects me. Anything else it does is solely its business. As it is now, you and Havok are one, and your primary objective is my protection. Anything else you do is absolutely none of my concern." I looked at her in shock. Elena never struck me as this cold-hearted or selfish, but then it was obvious I did not know anything about her. "Then why me? I mean, I'm sure there'd be a lot of people you associate with more that would have been more fit physically to be a goddamn bodyguard." "You think it's about the physique? You're really funny, Chris. The main thing here is the mind. What's your mental fortitude like? How much can you withstand? That's what matters. How many people do you think would have lasted this long without giving in to the impulses of Havok? But here you are, not a wanted criminal, and no ref and blue lights or police sirens around. I've observed you for three months now, and you've exhibited the discipline of mind required to handle Havok. As for physical ability, Havok will handle all of that." I looked at her intently, and she was indeed serious. On a selfish whim, she had tricked me into receiving an evil spirit parasite or whatever it was. "Parasite, huh? And what the hell is it feeding on?" "Well, first of all, your finances, because as you must have experienced, it has the appetite of two people. You'll be spending thrice as much as before on feeding. And then, I cannot guarantee your mental stability will return to what it was because Havok will continue to disturb you until it is time for me to transfer him to my offspring, or any member of the next generation in my family. Probably about two decades, more or less. And then, there will still be a residual within you, because you'll continue to protect me till the day I die." I barely managed to suppress my urge to wrap my hands around her neck and squeeze the life out of her. "And then what about me?" "You? You'll soon come to see that I gave you a great thing here. That is if you and Havok ever get to bond," she laughed. *** Outside the Moonbucks Cafe, two figures sat inside a car and watched the entrance. "She went in there 15 minutes ago, you think she's meeting someone?" "Of course." "Think it's the new vessel?" "If it is, it doesn't;t matter. The vessel must not have completely synced with Havok. When they come out, we kill them both." The woman laughed as she cocked her gun. "Domino, you are one coldhearted son of a b!tch, you know that?" ***** TO BE CONTINUED. Please like and comment if you found this interesting, thank you!

Symbiosis...ish: Part One **[WP] You've been infected by a sentient, eldritch parasite. Realizing it's counting on you for its own survival, the parasite offers occult knowledge, wisdom, and secrets in return for the host's sustenance and protection. Describe this unlikely friendship.** ***** Eldritch. Meaning weird and sinister, or ghostly according to an online search. At least my problem now had a name. A logical explanation was probably pushing my luck and the limits of science, so I was a bit content with knowing the name of my problem. For now. I should have known that going for that team hangout was a bad idea. But my supervisor wouldn't;t hear of it - I had missed the last four hangouts, dinners, and get-togethers, giving excuses all the way. One more and I'd receive a query from my boss, and the HR Department would summon me, I knew it. So I agreed to go with four other colleagues, including my supervisor, ALL of whom had their own weird characters and mannerisms. **Aaliyah Baxter**, my team supervisor. She was only about three years older than the rest of us fresh 22-23-year-old graduates, but she had this wisdom, sense of responsibility, and overall aura around her that made her a great leader. She also had a great sense of humor and she was very kind. I agreed to come to the hangout mostly because of her character as a person. **Elena Klein.** She was quiet, calm, and very sharp. I'd say that she had the best brains on the team, and she did. She also had a sassy, witty mouth that could drop anything from stinging to scathing remarks, depending on the situation, Of course, she had a 'resting b!tch face', but she was also a nice person who you could talk to easily. Just don't get on her nerves. **Gerald Garrick.** His parents must have been literature professors or something and thought that the alliteration would be witty or funny. It wasn't. If it wasn't already tacky and cringe-y as hell, his character made things worse. Gerald was the guy with the dad jokes that always turned tense or funny situations into awkward ones pretty fast. Not to talk of the fact that he was a crazed anime fan - now I watch anime, but I don't talk about it and make references to it everywhere I go, the hell?  **Adam Strange.** Yeah, and my job isn't a superhero agency - those don't exist, at least to the best of my knowledge they don't - so that's really his name. Strange. Apparently, his parents were very big fans of Marvel Comics so they thought it'd be a great idea to change their last name to Strange. Adam was not a geeky comic book lover, that'd be cliche, right? He was a klutz. Clumsy as hell, but very hardworking. He also fantasized about seeing all of the women at the workplace in MCU cosplay, so that was weird in itself, And then you have me. **Chris Okocha**. As you might have guessed, I was just the boring, quiet employee that just got their job done on time and got their monthly paycheck. I couldn't;t give a damn about any of my teammates, colleagues, or about the job itself. The pay was okay, so I could put up with this weird group of people, after all, I did a good job of avoiding them so far. But ow I was standing outside the bar, wondering why the hell I didn't just fire a nail gun into my own foot to generate a genuine excuse this time. Gerald brought in the 'Would You Rather game - like I said, cringe-y. and since everybody was either buzzed, tipsy, or just drunk, they agreed. And then the question pipped up. It was Elena of course, no one had such a sharp tongue and a sly, mind that delighted in placing people on hot seats. "Chris, would you rather be possessed by an eldritch demon or come to another one of these hangouts?" Everyone laughed, and I was a bit lightheaded too so I laughed as well. "As much as I 'enjoy; your interesting and colorful company, y'all, I'd go for the demon any day. I'll just add it to my collection of inner demons I'm struggling with." Everyone laughed while Aaliyah raised an amused eyebrow. "Well, I'd like to see that collection soon." Elena had a weird, triumphant smile on her face as she eyed me, but I shook it off. It was the alcohol. It had to be the alcohol. ***** "Elena chose a fine host this time around, thankful. Damn, you look and feel fit as hell. A proper vessel! I'll enjoy making use of this body," my reflection in the mirror said to me the next morning. It was a miracle how I did not fall to the ground immediately, though my legs were light as feathers. "Did you just-" My reflection suddenly focused its eye on me. "Wait, I thought you were just a fragment of conscience left. There's still this much of our own presence left?" I looked closely and sure enough, my reflection in the mirror was moving of its own accord, even speaking. I picked up my phone and dialed Elena's number. I didn't know what the hell was going on, but I didn't like it one bit. "Elena, what the -" "Oh, and here I thought I'd be speaking to Havok already", she said in a slightly surprised but generally normal tone. She sounded like she had been expecting my call, and that she knew what was going on. Well of course she did, "We're meeting at the Moonbucks Cofee on 44th. 7:00 PM, TODAY. SHARP." *****' Please Like and Comment if you found this interesting. I've already been tricked by this nice prompt into writing another series!

Copywriting Chronicles: Apple Let's talk a walk down memory pane, back to Last Year when I had been a copywriter (if you even say it like that). I once wrote for a tech-based website, specifically one centered around Apple - their products, their software, all of that stuff). Like I always do, I post the articles that neer made it to the websites or clients here. I was later asked to rework about 70% of the two articles, so these are the rejects that I'm reposting. It's just an expose to my journey so far. ***** **The Apple Watch: A Potential Collectible?** About five years ago, in 2015 to be precise, the manufacturing giant Apple broke the barrier: they began manufacturing accessories. Apple was and still is very popular for their top-notch smartphone, the iPhone, as well as the iPad and Mac. But, possibly in a bid to better touch the market, they added some Bluetooth auditory devices, the so-called AirPods, and the Apple Watch series. Considering the Apple Watch, it would suffice to say that it is one of apple's most prosperous creations yet. This fact is consolidated by the now underway 2020 T3 Awards, which appreciates the leading technological creations now. The Series 5 of the Apple Watch has beaten all others in its category as the best smartwatch of 2020. Smartwatch in the sense that it combines the timeless functionality of a watch with the modern needs and demands of a society driven by tech. With an always-on screen, an inbuilt compass, and premium quality titanium bodywork as a few of its features, it is hard to see why the product does not deserve this award. Since the release of the first Apple Watch, others have followed in its footsteps, but Apple is certainly leading this movement. The Series 5 in question was released in September 2019, and it is the newest one yet. However, traditional watch collectors and 'traditional' here means the likes of Cartier, Rolex, Polo, and so on do not seem very fond of the Apple Watch. Some collectors of Watches do not see smartwatches as a collectible item, let alone Apple's "high and mighty" product. Others have tagged smartwatches as inanimate horrors and an abomination to the name of 'watches' and even rather rudely, rubbish. The co-founder of a Shanghai collectors club, the Shanghai Watch Gang even went further to say that just because it is spelled with a watch in its name, does not mean it should be considered a watch. He said that publicly inciting that a smartwatch is a watch could lead to outrage, something some have experienced firsthand. Many are not eager to 'following the changing times' and 'being trendy', as the Apple Watch seems to be such an effort. Basically, the 'hate' of the smartwatch is due to its being a materialistic object: you'll always have to get the newest and latest series to fit in. Traditional mechanical watches on the other hand serve as timeless pieces which will still be relevant any day. That's coupled with the fact they all have a life cycle, so no matter how much you recharge it, there will always be that day for 'ashes to ashes, and dust to dust, so to say. Finally, there is no rarity of the Apple Watch, as over thirty million were released that year. What's the value of something which is virtually everywhere, at a relatively cheaper price? Some say. Either way, the fact remains that some watch owners are technology-minded, and the Apple Watch is certainly a good product for anyone in this category. So whether you consider a watch or not, it is certainly of value in several ways to people. Apple launches iPad-OS 14 with stunning new features: Find out more! Despite the current global health situation and the setbacks it has created for most tech companies, Apple Inc is a brand that continues to deliver as promised. In June of last year, Apple split the iOS into two separate variants which were the iOS 13 for the phones and pocket devices and iPadOS 13 for tablets. This was to absolve the iPad of the limitations of an iPhone user interface. In 2020, just weeks after the release of iOS 13. 5. 1 for both the iPhone and iPad, which contained mainly security-based upgrades and a health-inclined feature, they are back again with yet another launching. The iPadOS 14 is the latest installment of the version of the operating system for the iPad devices, and according to most analysts, converts the iPad into a basic laptop. If that's exciting, then perhaps a brief rundown of the new features will show if that s a befitting comparison. The first new feature is applied to the call app, actually, to apps that occupy the entirety of the screen while running. Users of the call app are familiar with phone and FaceTime calls covering up the whole screen, interrupting whatever was being done before. This update brings a more minimalist UI, allowing these notifications to appear as banners, while Siri occupies a small circle at the bottom of the screen. The 'Search' section has been upgraded to a more general feature called 'Universal Search'; its function brings the macOS to mind. Now, the search can be used to search local and online content, in-app content, launch local and web apps. Don't get all hyped up yet, the best is still yet to come, in the form of the Scribble feature. The Apple iPad usually comes with a stylus called the Apple Pencil, and this pencil is set for a major upgrade. Now, text that you write in the Notes app can be recognized and transformed into an actual typeface. This can be copied and pasted on many apps as typed text, and that is definitely a real stress reliever for users. Also, the Scribble service is expanded in that if you have written a phone number or address, the iPad provides prompts that enable you to call that number or get directions to the address. The feature is available in English and Chinese languages for now, and comes with a smart drawing tool: if you draw a circle that's a bit awkward, Scribble will correct it to be perfect. And then, the last thing is the upgrade to the use of Apple's wireless headphones, the Airpods, which allows for a more fluent experience while using them. Users can now switch Airpod use between the iPhone and iPad in the blink of an eye as users alternate use between the two, this is one thing that was promised when the original Airpod was released. With all these special features in store, iOS users can't wait to receive the update. A beta version is available for developers right now through the official Apple website, and hopefully, the public will get theirs next month. ***** I hope you enjoyed this. I'm too lazy to write any stories now, so... until next time folks! Please Like and Comment!

Deceived [WP] The prophecy was a lie. You are just another in a long list of sacrifices to the abomination. As you lay there, body broken, it stands above you. And you think your final thoughts. ***** I should have never trusted them. As I watched the scene of carnage unfold, I knew I had been foolish to ever trust them in the first place, ***** We were always taught and told to respect and trust in the elders. That they were wise, all-knowing, and the closest liaison with the gods. That they were our ray of hope, and they were concerned about our feature. That they were the standard, the blueprint, the ones we were supposed to look up to if we ever wanted to be successful in life. The ones who were doing all they could to deliver us from the abomination plaguing the land. The man who founded the village had done so after running to the altar of a demonic entity for aid and protection from his assailants. He received power, affluence, and all that was required to build a prosperous city but the catch was all of us, the descendants of the first settlers in the city would never be successful.' We all barely managed to survive, and no one who left the city ever returned. They never did send any help from beyond the walls, so it was assumed that they died. We were cursed. And unless we had a savior, none of us would manage to leave the village. Every New year, Iscarith the head priest would receive the prophecy of the year. For the three youths who were chosen to deliver the town. The elders told us that all the others got enticed by the things of the world outside the walls, and this was what led to their deaths. Every year, we cursed three youths that left the city, left all the teachings that had been instilled in them to partake in the frivolities of life outside the walls. I had reached 23. I married Lily, the girl of my dreams and my childhood friend, and I already had one girl. My pride and my world, and she meant a whole lot to me. My wife was pregnant again, and in six months we would be having another child. Another bundle of joy would be welcomed into my household. And then the prophecy came. Iscarith's servants showed up at my door that morning, telling me of my summoning to the High Court. We all knew what it meant, and it was something we dreaded, yet looked forward to. We grew up wanting it, but after settling down and having a family, you do not wish for anything to come between you and them. But I knew that this was the time for me to take a step towards freedom. Towards the best for my wife, my children, and the city as a whole. I would be the hero who would see all that lay outside, the enticing and enchanting scenes... and I would be the one to resist all that etch my name in the sands of time as the one who delivered my city from the curse. What I was to do, I did not know. It was a secret that was only revealed to the chosen ones. Nobody saw when they left, and nobody heard from them again. The jinx was mine to break, I thought, as I entered the High Courts and sat with the other two youths this year. Xeris, the blacksmith was chosen this year. His family was well known for the trade, and he was one of the makers of the silverware used in the palace and the high courts. Jasmine was a musician who entertained us at the Friday Night opera and plays. She was a wizard with the harp, very skilled, and with a beautiful, melodic voice to match. I was an architect, well known for my designs of the new royal palace which were executed magnificently. I realized that this year's choices were star-studded in all regards, and this gave me a sudden boost as I drank the wine we were offered. "We are going to..." I never finished that statement. I think it was the screams of Xeris that woke me up. I realized that I was tied to a rock, and as I was trying to understand the situation, I heard another scream to my right. I had never heard such a guttural scream, one that expressed the height of human pain, terror, and anguish. I turned my neck to see what looked like a nine-foot-tall demon eating him from the waist down while he was still alive, slowly chewing his legs before swallowing them. Xeris looked on, still conscious, still very much aware of the things happening around and to him. He then looked at something behind me and cried, "You lied to us! You're lying to them all! You're deceiving them." I turned, and it was our elders, seated and looking on as we were being finished in what seemed to be a large underground cavern. The lair where it was rumored that the abomination plaguing our land was kept restrained. Jasmine screamed. "You b*stards! You lying, selfish... It was never restrained. Our elders had entered a bargain with it. For your continued protection and safety, you offer three citizens to it each year. People that look up to you and trust-" I heard the last gasps of pain from David and turned as the demon slowly bit into David's head. He finally died, he was finally free from the terrible pain he'd been put through. "Take the woman next," Iscarith said. "You dare tell me what to do?" The demon asked menacingly, and they all cowered before him. "No, surely not. We just thought you'd prefer not to have all that noise." The demon laughed briefly."I do." It ripped out the ropes and picked Jasmine, smiling savagely before holding her two legs and ripping her apart slowly, her screams jarring my ears. From what I had just seen and heard, I suffered a trauma worse than death. I died a thousand deaths. "And then there was one. I think I'll take time to enjoy myself." As the demon reached out for me, I turned towards Iscarith and spat at hum, the missile whizzing through the air and actually touching his face. He grimaced. Muttering curses under my breath, I bit down hard on my own tongue and killed myself, unwilling to die such a shameful death for the benefit of the elders. ***** THE END I went for gritty and cold this time. I can never miss that, I know that fOr sure. Please Like and Subscribe!

Assassination High: End Assassination High: Prologue https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64 Assassination High: Thirteen https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-thirteen-784e0c58 **[WP] In a school for assassins and mercenaries, you're a beloved lunch lady. You ruefully realize that you're the only person nearly everyone trusts. Then you get framed for placing hemlock in an administrator's meal. The school board rushes to fire you, throwing the academy into turmoil.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64#wp-in-a-school-for-assassins-and-mercenaries-you039re-a-beloved-lunch-lady-you-ruefully-reali ***** I took a huge breather and fell unto my butt, drinking in the cool sea breeze and looking at our 'prisoners of war', so to speak, laying sprawled on the ground. After a rollercoaster of a journey, all in less than two days if I was to start counting from when the action involving Amanda I started, we finally got the culprits. I picked up my phone and called Viper. "You guys drag that little sh!t over to the Electricals Block, We've secured these two." "Two?" Viper asked. I remembered that they didn't know about Karina's involvement. "Just come. Karina Hantz was working with Krane and Rook on this. She supplied the knife used to kill Caprice and Inosuke, and she was supposed to attack any backup from the shadows here." I could hear Viper gritting his teeth on the other side of the line, and I knew this meeting was going to be a little grimmer than I originally thought it would be. There was no guarantee that he wouldn't kill any of them the moment he got here, so we had to be careful. Viper and Nina dragged the weakened Rook into the clearing, all bandaged up. Amanda did the gritty job of trying up the other two before wrapping their wounds in bandages. Then we called some of the other members of the ICT unit to drag them into the cafeteria before calling out the students. They were surprised to see that of two instructors and a sophomore student on the ground, and the place was soon buzzing with side discussions. Hardly anybody could believe that these seemingly normal instructors could have been the culprits. After all, Krane was just known as 'that instructor amongst the students. Nothing about him gave an off vibe, and he was hardly a suspect in anyone's eyes. Although Karina was known to be a tad eccentric and could get a bit crazy when on a hunt, she was also friendly and well-liked amongst the students. And then there was Rook, the quiet genius student in his class who had a few friends and just seemed to be a cool guy. None of these guys would actually come to mind when one thought of a dangerously ruthless trio that would kill both students and staff to get what they wanted in brutal, gruesome ways. But then, that was the point of being an assassin. They would never have gone sp far if we were able to easily detect that they were the culprits all along. Viper looked livid and was constantly clenching and unclenching his fists, his gritted teeth bare. Amanda and I had to hold him from bashing Rook's head into a rock while we were still outside. Even now, I was ready to spear him to the ground if he tried anything crazy. Amanda briefed the entire facility on what had happened from the get-go: the murder of Eunice Wong and the Surveillance Unit, and then down to the ending and the whole standoff outside. By the end of her speech, everyone present was left in shock and disgust. "And their petty objective? To kill me, for the price of 10 BTC. A decent amount, yes, and they are, after all, assassins, so it was very much part of their character to go for the job. However, they did not succeed, and as such, they will be disposed of at why whim." The students all went back to their dorms as we loved the trio to the seaside and into a boat, still tied up. Amanda wisely decided that it was Viper that would deliver the final rites, after the loss of Caprice whom he clearly held dear. He tied an anvil to each of the six legs before dropping the anvils in the water. Krane had a distraught, scared look on his face. "You really can't do this, can you? You don't have the heart to-" Viper pushed Krane off the boat first before turning back to the other two, smiling sadly. "I'm an assassin, I have all the heart for this." We looked at the moon as the splashing sounds drowned out KRook and Karina's pleas and screams. ***** EPILOGUE: THREE MONTHS LATER It's safe to say that Spyder survived the attack, and other activities went on smoothly]ly. The Surveillance Unit was replaced with a five-man team, and ten armed guards were hired on patrol duty. The Fenderson Supply company HQ was destroyed by a strange fire. and their operations were brought to an end soon after. We found another r supply partner soon enough. We found a replacement for Inosuke Kubo, the late Unarmed Combat instructor, but we're yet to find one for Eunice Wong. Amanda occupies the position for now, and she's doing a fine job of it even though she denies it every time I point it out to her, Because the vetting process is so strict, I count we'll find anyone good enough for the job in another six months. Viper did graduate, but he became a contract assassin exclusively for Spyder. Any missions brought to Spyder were handed to him, and his tally is 49 successful missions and zero failures. He's currently on this fiftieth at the time of writing this, and the best thing about him is that he has Caprice's name tattooed on his upper back. I remained the cook at the facility, but then I'm no longer the only person they trust here. Amanda and Viper now share that honor. THE END ***** Wow. What a journey. I'm not sure if I'm up for any more series again, but if I see a good prompt, I can't make any promises

Assassination High: Thirteen Assassination High: Prologue https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64 The Assassination High: Twelve https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/the-assassination-high-twelve-2e296c19 **[WP] In a school for assassins and mercenaries, you're a beloved lunch lady. You ruefully realize that you're the only person nearly everyone trusts. Then you get framed for placing hemlock in an administrator's meal. The school board rushes to fire you, throwing the academy into turmoil.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64#wp-in-a-school-for-assassins-and-mercenaries-you039re-a-beloved-lunch-lady-you-ruefully-reali ***** The scream was bone-chilling. It was at that moment that it dawned on me - the naivety we approached this mission with, and how we overlooked a lot of basic things while formulating a plan that seemed foolproof. We technically did not have a Plan B, because we did not think of the possibility that plan A would fail. Nina looked at me. "You go there, Viper, and I will hold him down, so check up on Amanda!" I ran off in the direction of the Electricals and Power Block. The widespread blackouts could only have been controlled from there, and that was why part of our plan was to have Amanda wait there for Krane who was surely going to come there to turn off the lights. So what happened to make Amanda scream? How the hell had a simple plan gone wrong? The path from the shore to the Electricals block was through a forest area that was rarely dense. I had to approach as quickly as I could without alerting the potential enemy of my presence. When I approached the clearing, I assessed the scene before me. Amanda was in a knife fight with Krane apparently, both of them taking bold swipes at each other. She was bleeding from her right knuckle, but Krane had a knife stuck in his left arm. I whipped out my gin and raised it, aiming for Krane's legs before I noticed it. There was someone else in the vicinity; someone who had done a good job of concealing themselves so far. If not for the intent to kill which permeated the air, I wouldn't have been aware of their presence. But, nothing was said of a third person. We did not factor that in at all, and now I was in danger. Because this person was behind me, above in the trees to my right. I ducked in time and avoided a knife that whizzed right past my face, my eye-catching the glint of the moonlight bouncing off it. "Costly miss, you b@stard. I know where you are," I said, shooting as I turned. The person had narrowly avoided that, jumping down and running towards me. In the split second, I had frozen due to shock at their speed, my enemy had closed the gap between us. The only problem? It was close-range. I couldn't miss it. I fired two shots, one of which hit my attacker squarely in the shoulder. However, she - we was close enough for me to confirm the gender of my attacker - managed to punch me in the jaw, sending me crashing out of the clearing and into the open ground. Amanda and Krane had heard the shots, because they had stopped fighting and were now staring at me trying to get up and the woman who had just come out of the bushes, clutching her shoulder, a snarl on her face. A soon as I saw her, it all made sense. Karina Hantz, the Hunting Instructor. The one who provided the bread knife that was used to kill Inosuike and Caprice, and one of Krane's closest associates on the island. Of course, she was in cahoots with him, we were stupid to have overlooked that possibility all this while. "So Karina, you're the third assailant, huh?" Karina grimaced, fixing her eyes in a deathly stare with me before turning to Amanda. "Nothing personal, but my loyalty to Krane supersedes abt affiliation I have with you whatsoever. We were never really friends, to begin with, but I owe Krane a lot." "So you're willing to be an accessory to the murder of innocent students just for some stupid loyalty to a bast*rd like Krane?" I asked. Karina sniggered. "Innocent? They're being groomed in this facility to go out there and kill people. They're not innocent, no one is, and I don't think you're in any place to question my actions now, are you? You're just as culpable, seeing as you're working for-" "I understand you now," I said, getting up. "You're operating on your moral compass, and I'm operating on mine. So you must understand me when I say no hard feelings, but I must kill you, just because you're my enemy." My gun had fallen somewhere in the bushes, so I was unarmed. Karina was injured, and she had a knife in her hand, so she was still at an advantage in this faceoff. "We're going for her first!" Krane said, dashing towards me. He was much closer to me than Amanda was, so he was going to hit me. Or Karina would. I was cornered. And then the shots rang out. Krane dropped to the ground screaming in pain as his things turned red with blood. Amanda stood, the gun in her hand aimed at him. My gun. "You threw it when she punched you. Krane didn't notice when I grabbed it," she said, before nodding to remind me of Karina's approach. But Karina's movements had lost their composure after seeing Krane shot, and she was open, I avoided her punch and punched her in her injured shoulder, eliciting a scream from her, before disarming her and stabbing her in the other shoulder. I drank in the screams as Amanda shot her in both legs. It was over. ***** To Be Continued. One more episode?

The Assassination High: Twelve Assassination High: Prologue https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64 Assassination High: Eleven https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-eleven-ef14d401 **[WP] In a school for assassins and mercenaries, you're a beloved lunch lady. You ruefully realize that you're the only person nearly everyone trusts. Then you get framed for placing hemlock in an administrator's meal. The school board rushes to fire you, throwing the academy into turmoil.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64#wp-in-a-school-for-assassins-and-mercenaries-you039re-a-beloved-lunch-lady-you-ruefully-reali ***** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/the-assassination-high-four-77905e54 Edward 'Krane' Morrison and Khalid 'Rook' Hassani. The two people who were currently not just our prime suspects, but certified culprits in the case at hand. Amanda handed their files to me as we sat in her office, drinking cups of coffee and planning how we would go about their capture. "And we know for certain that they are the people we're looking for?" Nina asked, ever the overthinker. Ot was important, however, If they were not our culprits, then we would be alerting the real culprits of our knowledge of their actions. It would be hard to come up with any surprises at that point, and the enemy would now be three of four steps ahead. "That's why I don't think we should just go and grab them. Not only can they easily deny, but there's the fact that we're only 98% sure that they're the people we're looking for. 2% leaves more than enough space for error to come in, and at this stage, we cannot afford any slipups." Viper looked at us intently. The look of shock seemed to have worn off, at least a bit, "So, have you got any ideas on how to appropriately nab them? I guess it would be better to catch them in the act if we're going to do things your way, Nina." I thought about it. Viper's suggestion was actually very correct upon brief consideration. The best way to go about it would be to catch them in the act, but how the hell were we going to set something like that up? "As much as that sounds good and all, ther's also the problem of risk assessment. Now that we look at it, the reward is bigm but the risk is somewhat even bigger. We're going for all or nothing here, so we can't leave any loose ends. I've come up with a plan, and it's a plan that'll require tasty bait," Amanda said. I somehow caught her drift immediately. Catching the culprit would require baiting them with someone they wouldn't resist having a shot at,. A loose end that needed to be tied urgently to poritect their identity. I looked at Viper immediatelt. Amanda smirked. "You sure catch in quick, Maria." Nina finally caught on and nodded. " That does sound like a plan, but can you guys really execute that? Aew you really gonna-" "The hell? How the hell would I agree to that?" Viper said angrily, standing up. "I understand that Spyder means so much to you and all, but at least consider the lives of other people. Maybe your cold assassin nature doesn't have to be seen in every damn-" "If you think this is just about my facility then you're wrong. It stopped being just about Spyder or even myself when innocent staff and students started getting killed. I'm not going to abandon you in the lion's den or anything. I just need you to draw the enemy out, and I can assure you that you'll be watched and protected throughout. Fair enough?" Amanda asked. I wa surprised she overlooked Viper's slightly insulative outburst, but then again his life was on the line. There was little wonder why he reacted like that. He nodded. "Normally I'd have had to have Maria's assurance, but you've been great these past few hours. I'j willing to trust you just this once, and I hope I'm not making a mistake." Amanda smiled and nodded. "Now that all of that's settled," I started. "Let;s get our plan straight." ***** During Dinner, we sent Viper back to his own five man unit - or four man in this case, seeing that Caprice was dead - and told them that we were still working on the investigation, but that they would be safe. We again emphasized on the instruction of staying together, and then dismissed them. Amanda went off on her own, while Nina and I went to our agreed destination. Viper moved like we agreed. As though he was sneaking off to the shore area where the boat made a rendezvous with Krane and Rook that time. He was halfway through to the place when... ... the lights suddenly went off. The silhouetted figure approached Viper at a surprisiding speed. If we were ven a second slow, we would have been too late, Byt luckily, I aimed for his leg and shot, getting him in the right knee. MNina shot him in the right thing, and he was down with a pitiful groan. I walked over and kicked him on the side to roll him over. "Noce to see you, Rook." The pain0stricken but snarling face of Khalid 'Rook' Hassani was all I need to see to know that our spoecukations were spot on. But that smile was wiped off my face when we heard Amanda's scream from a distance. ***** To Be Continued. This story will be over soon enough. I'm happy with he way it has turned out so far anyway.

The Next Bitcoin: More Copywriting Samples The need for a decentralized currency that was free from the control of entities gave rise to Bitcoin. Bitcoin ushered in a modern age of finance, with greater efficiency in performing transactions. The cryptocurrency was much appreciated because it abolished the need to carry cash and credit or debit cards around. That practice was becoming obsolete anyway and was more prone to robbery and theft. With Bitcoin, people could be walking around with millions of dollars virtually stored in their phones or cold storage and encrypted to prevent hacking. Using Bitcoin, people could send money to their friends halfway across the globe without having to wait days due to Western Union's long processing times. Transactions between countries could be performed in less than an hour, with very minimal fees. People could work for foreign companies and get paid without any hassle because many companies and networks began implementing Bitcoin as a mode of payment. And then there was a boom; a crypto boom is the best way to explain it. Wallets were created to store your Bitcoin securely; as the right investors saw its uses, so did thieves and hackers. Then talented developers began to wake up and see the prospects and profits of a decentralized currency that is quite secure. And they also began to see the lapses and loopholes Bitcoin had. Then, they created their own cryptocurrencies that would better serve people all over the world. Today, there are various forms of cryptocurrencies including stable coins such as tether that are designed to be immune to market volatility. The price of Bitcoin was infamously unstable in these eleven years it has been in use, and this has resulted in losses for investors. But with stablecoins, you can have the assurance that your coins will always maintain a near-constant value at all times. Also, there's Stealth which was created to ensure the anonymity of transactions at all times. Both wallet addresses and transaction amounts and details are obfuscated to protect them from hackers. So now, the question remains: What is the next Bitcoin? What is the next big cryptocurrency that will lead the markets and amass a high number of investors and profit? It is the next in line to Bitcoin and is very popular among cryptocurrency enthusiasts and investors. This crypto is called Ethereum, denoted by ETH and it is the next-generation Bitcoin. Here's a question that has often been asked: What's so great about it anyway? ETH is far much more than just another cryptocurrency, the term used to describe Bitcoin. The only reason why it is behind Bitcoin is perhaps that Bitcoin is more popular (a status that is fast changing), older in the business and this Bitcoin is still leading the global markets. But by logical reasoning, ETH has surpassed Bitcoin's qualities and is fast rising. Ethereum has become a phenomenon described as a "ledger of technology". Several networks, website, applications, and platforms render their services and provide earning methods for users built and based upon this ledger. There are newer social media platforms that are based upon the Ethereum blockchain. That said, account holders of these services can earn ETH while making posts, chatting, and getting engagements. ETH is probably Bitcoin's upgrade as some have cheekily mentioned, through its blockchain is known as 'Blockchain two-point-zero". In addition, transactions on the ETH cryptocurrency are much faster than on Bitcoin. As said, it is based upon its software and technology, so purchases and deals are performed quite faster, often in less than five minutes. Furthermore, it provides a platform to build ETH-based apps called dApps. These apps are built upon the cryptocurrency's own programming language called Solidity. Finally, from all that's said, it is obvious that Ethereum took the innovation behind Bitcoin and then upgraded it. It is important to know that Ether is the token being mined and transacted upon. Ethereum is simply a generalized platform that manages the use and trade of ether and its implementation on the dApps. So when people use ETH, they are aware that they are making use of a multifunctional platform that can be used to develop profitable websites. Simply put, Ethereum is a glimpse of the future of cryptocurrency, and none of the newer developed cryptocurrencies can match its amazing features. ***** Most of these articles were rejects from my early Copywriting days. It was so painful having my articles rejected after literally hours of research and writing, trying to keep it grammatically correct, perfectly readable for average US readers, and also plagiarism-free. Most times I actually gave in to my feelings and abandoned the whole thing, but then poverty came knocking so I had to run back and pick it up, And to think that all I stood to earn from this article was a mere 50 cents lol. Life really takes you places sometimes. Now, I don't think I'll be returning to the copywriting scene for a while unless I have every good reason to (and by that I mean juicy pay). There's no other reason why I should subject myself to all that stress, annoying customers, and not having any credit for my work when I could just continue freelance drawing, writing, and all that good stuff for sites like read.cash, and noise.cash. Still, it feels nice to take a trip down memory lane every now and then, just to see how far I've come since March 2020. Please Like andComment, thank you!

Copywriting Sample: Product Review Control: it's very obvious that it's an elusive stag virtually all people desire to catch. Everyone needs to maintain an awareness of what goes on at their homes or places of work. The safety of your family and workers is one of the primary driving forces for the creation of various safety mechanisms to this effect. There's no denying the fact that security cameras are a vital part of these creations. Security cameras have done so much more than show videos of what happens every day. They have been used to identify and arrest wanted criminals. Security Cameras have been used to provide hardcore evidence in many crucial court cases. Without security cameras, safety would be heavily compromised, and the crime and punishment agencies would be at a loss. The choice of security camera to use is, therefore, an important one. For you to purchase a security camera to use, it has to be functional in various ways. It needs to be durable, as any burglar or criminal may well make efforts to destroy it. The videos recorded must also be of high quality to make the act of identifying people and objects easier. These are just two of the essential features a good security camera should possess. And one camera that has it all is the Wireless Outdoor Camera from Zeetopin. Heading further, the first feature of this camera worth mentioning is the HD videos it records. The camera is built for outdoor use and provides an advanced high definition resolution, precisely 1920 x 1080, hence it gives recordings that are as clear as day. An added bonus is that day or night, you won't be left in the dark as the camera offers ultra-clear night vision videos, so you're always in control. In detail, the camera has a 120° wide-angle or field of vision feature. This provides the ability to provide an extensive view due to the extensive range. Hence, you don't miss out on any important detail in the day. Then you can head to the battery department, where this device packs a stunning battery life of 10400 mAh. Under specific conditions, the security camera can work for two to three months on a full recharge. Such quality of recording and battery life is nearly unmatched by any other service. Then, there's Wireless Antenna and Motion Detection feature, which makes things even more interesting. Unlike the traditional cable and drill camera, being not only cumbersome but handicapped, this product is completely wireless. The product, therefore, does not just keep on recording all day but comes with a sensitive motion detector. Once this is triggered, the camera immediately begins recording the entire surrounding. Because the camera is wireless, it comes with a Wi-Fi antenna which immediately relays the alert and video to your connected mobile device via push notifications. The durability of this camera should not be an issue, as it is made with very quality materials. Part of the reason why it was made to be durable is that it is a multi-functional device. The product was developed to be used at homes, small businesses, companies, on the streets, and so on. Thus, the various conditions and scenes it was built to be operated that made it necessary for the product to be durable, something the producers attached much importance to. The security camera is completely waterproof, which guarantees use all year round, on snowy winter or stormy days. There are no limitations for this device; though primarily built with rugged features for outdoor use, it also possesses aesthetic beauty and features required for indoor use. Once you download the cloud application, you can receive two-way audio filming on your connected mobile device. And with a memory card slot suitable for cards of up to 128 GB, there will be enough space for all your desired videos to be saved. As earlier stated and now proven, this camera comes with the complete package. What's nice to know is that the camera comes at a quite affordable price, so even if you're on a strict budget, you could still afford it without a strain on your pocket. Users of the product have given it positive reviews on online stores and such, as it works as perfectly as it states. The wireless feature ensures that the installation process will be smooth sailing, a term that can be used to describe your experience with this device. ***** In early 2020, when the lockdown in my country had just been placed in order, I found myself battling a new enemy: a new strain of being BROKE. Of course, I saw enough of that when I was still in school, but then I had a monthly allowance to rely on. Suddenly I was at home and all those channels were closed off in a flash. I was broke and there was no remedy in sight.' I had to switch to online sources of income and run back to a hobby I had abandoned a long time ago: writing. I was only used to writing fiction, so copywriting product reviews like this were an area I was very much new to. But I was determined to make a quick buck and polish off my writing skills, so I did it and this is how it turns out.'I just decided to drop this draft here since I haven't written anything for my ongoing series. How did you see it? Please leave a like and comments, thanks!

Assassination High: Eleven Assassination High: Prologue https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64 The Assassination High: Ten https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/the-assassination-high-ten-e005e463 **[WP] In a school for assassins and mercenaries, you're a beloved lunch lady. You ruefully realize that you're the only person nearly everyone trusts. Then you get framed for placing hemlock in an administrator's meal. The school board rushes to fire you, throwing the academy into turmoil.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64#wp-in-a-school-for-assassins-and-mercenaries-you039re-a-beloved-lunch-lady-you-ruefully-reali ***** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/the-assassination-high-four-77905e54 Nina's plan really bridged all the gaps in the investigation. Now, we could focus on two leads, and if we burned opposite ends of the rope, we were sure to get to the center of things pretty fast and achieve our aim: catching, capturing, and eliminating the culprits. Viper spoke up. "Should we be worried about the interrogation process though? Does it matter if they know that this is what we're doing?" The question was valid. If there was any need to conceal our intentions and we failed to do that, there was a possibility that we could get false, misleading answers. We were going to have to factor that in when asking the questions, or at least I thought it was right if we did so. "It won't really matter or at least not as much as you all fear it would. It is actually quite impossible to ask all these questions without giving off even a slight hint of our true aims and objectives. You guys can do your best to ask the questions discreetly and in code, and make sure to look at body language..." An idea hit me and I interrupted Amanda. "If we are going to be interrogating the sophomore class, then we will also have to ask those four who will notify them of our intentions and plans. We haven't yet given them the impression that we know the exact group that did the crime, and so, asking the entire sophomore class questions will tally with what I said earlier, and it will give them a false sense of security." Nina nodded, "Yeah, that does make sense, but what else? We need a template for these questions that ensures that the students subconsciously give us the answers we need without them knowing the exact purpose of all the questions." "I thought about something there. Why don't we ask the students if they saw any instructor leave the classroom?" Amanda looked on at me quizzically, not seeing the point or basis of my idea. "What are you tryna achieve with that?" "Simple. The students will believe that we're on to someone in the ICT unit and therefore, we just need to ask them about that to get an answer for them, which will obviously be trying to shift the spotlight away from them," "So they'll tell us what they know without knowing underground that there was another question which they answered? Genius." Our four suspects were there, and only one of them was the person we were looking for at the moment. One of them was the serial killer moving amongst the students and clearing anyone who seems to have caught wind of their actions. Venus, the silent sophomore girl who was rarely ever seen without a book in her hands. The person we were looking for was most likely male, but her broader than usual shoulders (for a woman) and her voice made me think she was manlier than I thought. Conan was another sophomore who was known for being something of a loudmouth. We were fairly proficient students, but he always managed to go over the top with his arrogant lifestyle and noisemaking antics. Virgil was the one who made it clear he didn't like anything about Spyder. It was obvious that he didn't want to be here, but then he had no other places to go so he just remained for the sake of it. He had above-average grades, but that was all about him. Rook was the last one out of this bunch of oddball suspects. He was quiet, bit managed to score a couple of friends. He did well on his tests, getting scores that were among the best in his class. Essentially that students were all enjoyed- lowkey and still get the job done. Our suspicions were already there as to who did the crime while we asked the questions, but we knew we had to kill those thoughts before they influenced our interrogation or gave the students a hint of what was going on. After gathering our data, we came back to the office to discuss our results. Nina, Amanda, and I all took turns interrogating the students, and as we exchanged the information, we could easily sift through the accurate descriptions and those that were either from students who couldn't remember at all or those that were cleverly constructed by the culprit to throw us off the scent. Amanda spoke. "According to the timeline we have here, Instructor Krane left the class fourteen minutes before those two were spotted at the shore by Insouke and Caprice's team. Rook also took permission about sic minutes after that, and no one else went out and entered during that period." It was crystal clear to us now. Krane Diesel, the instructor who was best at hacking and cybercrime activities. He had something for Karina from the Hunting Department, and it looked like she was reciprocating the feelings. The knife wound sustained by Inosuke was from a knife that could only have come from the Hunting Unit, so the story looked clean, but was Karina working with him? "Krane and Rook are our culprits. Karina is also going to be treated as a suspect till further notice. We need to g=find a nice, flashy way of capturing them, don't you think?" Amanda said, smiling as the wheels in her head turned. ***** To Be Continued Please show your support by liking and commenting if you enjoyed the story.

The Assassination High: Ten Assassination High: Prologue https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64 The Assassination High: Nine https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/the-assassination-high-nine-aff83134 **[WP] In a school for assassins and mercenaries, you're a beloved lunch lady. You ruefully realize that you're the only person nearly everyone trusts. Then you get framed for placing hemlock in an administrator's meal. The school board rushes to fire you, throwing the academy into turmoil.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64#wp-in-a-school-for-assassins-and-mercenaries-you039re-a-beloved-lunch-lady-you-ruefully-reali ***** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/the-assassination-high-four-77905e54 Our original plan was to keep watch in shifts or some kind of arrangement like that. Where at least two people would be awake while the other two slept. But somewhere in the recesses of our minds, we all knew that would not work. We were all very exhausted from our exertions of the day so that just wouldn't work out. Amanda and I didn't even get through the first watch before dozing off, drooling and open-mouthed. We headed for the cafeteria first, knowing that no matter what the situation was, students would still be hungry as hell, more especially after the events of the previous day. As expected, they were all there, all hunched in different groups. The whole place was buzzing with discussion, as expected of them anyway. Given the circumstances, and the fact that they were still in the dark about all that happened. But as soon as we walked in, silence fell in the hall. Everyone kept silent, but I could feel the weight of their stares and understand what they were saying with their eyes. They needed an explanation, a clarification, something. Any words that could calm the situation down. I looked at Amanda, but she nodded for me to speak. This was strange, because no matter the situation at hand, it seemed to me that someone with a bit of authority and power was better suited for the role Amanda was asking me to play. Someone that the people respected, and not necessarily one that they trusted - which may have been erroneous thinking, but since I was with Amanda, I thought they'd let it slide. Nevertheless, I spoke. "The events of yesterday are not gonna be easily fixed with a few measly explanations, coverups, and lies. As much as we'd love to say all sorts of things to assure you that you're safe, Amanda has entrusted me with this because she knows you all trust me, and because of that, I'll spare you the bullish!t and be frank with you. Spyder is under siege as we speak." The place was buzzing with discussion again. "And by siege, I mean specifically that there are people in our midst who are after the life of Director Amanda Keller here, and that want to destroy Spyder completely. The fact is that this would have been accomplished if not for the failed attempt at poisoning, but then we got to learn a few interesting things too. Now, they are desperate to keep their work secret until both can be accomplished, and that is why students and staff are getting killed. Somehow, Caprice, Mr. Inosuke, and Viper had caught wind of their actions, and two of them have paid the price for this find." The students gasped and expressed exclamations of shock, sadness, and confusion. "All these are truths which can't be denied, but here's one more; we cannot expressly guarantee your safety." I waited for the angry noises to die down before I continued. "Because, although the culprits aren't targeting any students specifically, if you do mistakenly stumble on any information or somehow pose a threat to them, they will dispose of you when the lights go off." The students seemed to understand this perfectly. I could see Amanda and Nina nodding appreciatively, and even Viper looked a bit awestruck. Apparently, I had taken control of the situation pretty well. "But then, to be completely honest with you once more, we are on top of the situation. We've found out a lot, and we've narrowed our search to a few individuals who could have committed the crime, thanks to the help of Caprice. By the end of today, we will produce the culprits and avert any more losses of life" I then looked at Amanda and she nodded, But until then, here's what will happen: for your practical classes, you are always in groups of five, yes? Then I ask that you all move in those five-man groups from now till then. All the group leaders should meet me for a debriefing, as this is how we can keep you safe and pass resources and information around safely, okay?" *** Amanda faced the six group leaders and announced. "You're going to be watching the actions of the members of your group and reporting to me by the secret wire hidden in your clothes. We have enough reason to believe that a student is in on this, as you must understand. Your job is to keep us updated on the actions of your group members during this time, alright?" They answered in the affirmative, hid the listening wires, and went out. "Do you really think this is going to work?" I asked Amanda. "We have no choice but to bet on it. Our main problem now is going to be how to investigate the part of the ICT department. From this diary Caprice wrote in, she didn't make much headway there since she was just a student, so how do we go about it?" Nina suddenly grinned. "We will make some headway there because we're going to use the students." "Use them? For what?" "The sophomore class was having the lecture at the time when those two culprits retrieved the canister. I think one of them knows something, at least about who left the class during that period, don't you think?" Amanda and I smiled. The plan was genius. ***** To Be Continued. Please Like and Comment, thank you!

The Assassination High: Nine Assassination High: Prologue https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64 The Assassination High: Eight https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/the-assassination-high-eight-8b06be10 **[WP] In a school for assassins and mercenaries, you're a beloved lunch lady. You ruefully realize that you're the only person nearly everyone trusts. Then you get framed for placing hemlock in an administrator's meal. The school board rushes to fire you, throwing the academy into turmoil.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64#wp-in-a-school-for-assassins-and-mercenaries-you039re-a-beloved-lunch-lady-you-ruefully-reali ***** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/the-assassination-high-four-77905e54 Nina was the fastest of us, apparently anticipating it even more than us. Her torch came on almost immediately, and we scanned around the room for signs of movement. Actually, we were more concerned about Viper than anything else, since he was the only unknown in our midst. But he wasn't even moving. He looked a bit more apprehensive, probably due to the lights going off. It was probably some Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, after all, the same circumstances had killed someone he was clearly close to. What was the nature of his relationship with Caprice? I couldn't say for sure. I know Amanda did frown on any of such amorous relationships among students because she believed it made them weak and made them perform below the standards she sought to uphold. I didn't blame her anyway, Amanda was always focused on productivity, and that policy certainly did help her to achieve that. His face was still frozen in the daze-like moony expression it was in when we found Caprice's body. It was clear that Viper was very much out of it, and would be useless to us during this long night. I turned back to the screen, calling the attention of the others. Rachel had turned on backup lights in the room and she then wrote on a little whiteboard 'hemlock confirmed, consider was probably used for storage as it was brought in". It seemed we had a lot of information, but all of it was just bits and scraps without a definite clue. I didn't know what it was, the evidence or discovery that would change the course of the investigation and solve it, but all I knew was that I needed som And then I finally remembered it after forgetting it for a little while due to all the walking around and the damn blackout. Caprice entrusted that case to me, so I still had to check it. She might have known more than Viper on the matter. And then... I looked at Amanda. "Caprice told me something. She believes that the student involved was one of those four who walked in front of her and Viper. They were probably following those students yesterday afternoon, trying to covertly dig up more." Amanda nodded skeptically, before shrugging. "I honestly didn't want to accept the possibility, but then the source is a capable one, who seems to have known more about what was going on than any of us here-" "Caprice was a major threat," Viper finally found his words. "They were very careful, knowing where they were and the caliber of the people they were dealing with. They did try to cover their tracks, but CapráÁice kept following the threads and getting close to finding out who they were and what they wanted." I nodded. Viper's eyes looked moist for a moment before he blinked it off. "The wasn't too careful though. As careful as she could be. Once they discovered Inosuke's involvement and killed him, Caprice's mission to retrieve the canister compromised her secrecy. They saw her, they killed her. Fin." "But if they really want to kill me, why don't they just bomb me while I'm in here? Why go through all these unnecessary killings? Their objective is right here." I opened the book, and I began to skim through it till I saw a title in bold, red ink: Possible Motives. *Possible Motives?* I thought. Did she mean -yes, she did. "Check this out. Caprice thinks that it has something to do with a personal vendetta. somebody Amanda must have met in the line of duty, and someone she might have gotten on the wrong side of. The person must be quite familiar with you and your actions since they're targeting Spyder at the grassroots." Amanda nodded. "I was beginning to see that pattern, but I tried to discard it, hoping things were not going like that, but then look at thins now. The deaths have been calculated to chip away at my core and destabilize me, tearing down all I've worked for and the embodiment of my effort after my father handed the island to me." "They want to kill you, but they want to punish you first, huh? Any ideas come to mind?" Amanda smirked weakly. "My job and situation can be likened to the state of being a bad dancer. It was normal for me to step on people's toes, I wasn't about sportsmanship, I was about getting the job done no matter what it took. Sabotage, Backstabbing, burning bridges; OI did all that sh!t. I can't remember any outstanding moments, all this could be the doing of any of the ghosts from my past." "They were the ones who met Inosuke themselves, seeing that he had already spotted the men too from his vantage point. They discussed, and then they decided that they were going to leave it in the hands of Caprice and Viper to figure out who the guy was. Caprice immediately went and searched and discovered that at the time of the return of the Fenderson boat, the sophomores were having an ICT lecture and practical." Viper nodded. "Yes, that puts them in perfect sync with the timeline Caprice drew for me." "Caprice said that a student she had managed to ask a few questions without being seen as being suspicious informed her that six students had left during the lecture, and one of the instructors wasn't there, although she couldn't really note which one it was." Amanda nodded. "We'll have to rest it for now. We'll be on the offensive some Sunrise. We're not going to be crushed like this!" ***** To Be Continued. Thanks for Reading, Please Like and Comment to show support!

The Assassination High: Eight Assassination High: Prologue https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64 The Assassination High: Seven https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/the-assassination-high-seven-78ed1a77 **[WP] In a school for assassins and mercenaries, you're a beloved lunch lady. You ruefully realize that you're the only person nearly everyone trusts. Then you get framed for placing hemlock in an administrator's meal. The school board rushes to fire you, throwing the academy into turmoil.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64#wp-in-a-school-for-assassins-and-mercenaries-you039re-a-beloved-lunch-lady-you-ruefully-reali ***** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/the-assassination-high-four-77905e54 The only question I kept asking myself was: 'what happened, and why these two?' They were the best of the best among their peers after all. There was no reason I could think of that they could be targets, and worse still, there was no way I could understand that they were in danger of getting wiped out by a student killer on the loose that had probably taken the lives of Caprice, Eunice, Inosuke, and the Security Team. Or, which amongst those were the handwork of the ally, or allies, of this enemy within the ICT unit? These were questions we hoped that Caprice and Viper had somehow managed to answer while they were doing whatever it is that they were doing that put them in this situation. We were soon joined by Rachel Chase, the head of the Toxicology Unit. The students were going to have to be versatile and well-knowledged in the aspect and use of poisons, toxins, and venoms, so it was her field and her job to do so. She also ran the laboratory tests for the hemlock just the previous day. Amanda handed her the canister. "You know what to do Rachel." "The fact that you still trust many of us is surprising, Amanda. But then again, I don't think anything can surprise me much after seeing all that's happened within the past, what, 13 to 14 hours? The question is, will Spyder survive this onslaught?" Amanda smirked. "I've always known you for asking the most piercing, hard-hitting questions, but then again, I guess that's just for someone as inclined to the sciences as you are. We're on ut, by the way, in answer to your question. Spyder will see the end of these bozos and not the other way around." Rachel smiled and began to walk off in the direction of the laboratory. "I'll take your word for it." Amanda stopped. "Rachel, you know how things are with the lights and stuff. Once they go off you're basically a target, you know that, right?" "Yeah, but I'm not worried. It doesn't have many of those fortifications your office has anyway, but it's technically the most dangerous room to break into or try to do any of that sh!t in. I think I'll be fine anyway, so worry about Spyder instead," she said, not stopping for a moment. Well, on matters of technicality, she was right anyway. 60% of the things in Rachel's domain could kill a man in less than five minutes, Amanda once told me. She was obsessed with finding a new chemical or biological agent that could kill within seconds and leave no trace, and she'd managed to create a few that were used by some of the best mercenaries in the world. This innovation brought her a lot of money, so much that she didn't really need the job at Spyder. But she was a teacher before she decided to venture into the 'dark arts', so it was only right for her to return to her first love and educate the new generation on how to use these agents. As soon as we entered the office and sat down, Amanda's screen came on. It was a live camera feed from Rachel, and she gave us a thumbs up before continuing with her work. "When did she install that?" I asked. "No idea," Amanda answered as we sat Viper down and offered him a coke. He looked completely out of it, and kept glancing between the three of us from time to time as if to say 'wait, all this is real?' "Take your time, Viper," I said, patting his back. "We need to know exactly what you two have been involved in, and what happened, to understand what's going on and to help you. Caprice won't be forgotten-" "I spent so much time telling her not to meddle in these things instead of watching her back and reading the signs. Maybe she wouldn't have-" "Don't blame yourself for any of this, Viper. Caprice knew the risks she was taking," Nina said. "Her last words to us showed us that she was very much prepared for this, and that she knew the consequences of her investigation. So please can you tell us what's going on?" "Inosuke Kubo spotted it first, and knew something was wrong. We were also lucky enough to spot the proceedings, mainly because during our hiking exercise, Caprice and I had reached the mountain peak and so, had the privilege of standing and looking at the seaside, precisely in the direction where the Fenderson shipment that had brought foodstuff two weeks ago was leaving. "A few minutes after you had gone," he said, pointing at me, the shipment turned around and returned to the shore, and two people walked out to meet it. We couldn't see who they where from that distance, but I could note the distinct badge of the ICT unit on it. Whatever reason they came fr=or, an exchange occurred between the two groups and then they left." Nina, Amanda and I were frozne in shock. So this had managed to happen right under our noses? "Inosuke spotted it too, and managed to spot us, so he called us aside and told us that he thought a student in the sophomore class was one of those two, since they were the only ones free at the time. He had a better view than us, but he still couldn't identify those two. He said he was going to stick to the ICT unit and have us sniff out the student while he tried to understand what was going on." Nina suddenly remembered something and checked the timetable, "The sophomore class wasthe class Inosuke had thought right before my period when the cansuter was discovered by me. To think that his culprit was right before hi-" The lights went off again, and shivers went down our spines as we remembered Rachel. But then, a thought came to my mind. What made us think we were safe, with this stranger in our midst who might have just been Caprice's killer? ***** To Be Continued. Please remember to like and subscribe!

The Assassination High: Seven Assassination High: Prologue https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64 Assassination High: Six https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-six-da11e390 **[WP] In a school for assassins and mercenaries, you're a beloved lunch lady. You ruefully realize that you're the only person nearly everyone trusts. Then you get framed for placing hemlock in an administrator's meal. The school board rushes to fire you, throwing the academy into turmoil.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64#wp-in-a-school-for-assassins-and-mercenaries-you039re-a-beloved-lunch-lady-you-ruefully-reali ***** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/the-assassination-high-four-77905e54 At this point, it was important for me to take stock of all that we had discovered within a single day just to clarify our standing, the lead-up to this point, and our course of action going forward. The time was 11 PM, and we were headed for the room of Caprice, one of the graduating 'students' at Spyder, a top-secret facility which was known in the creme de la creme of the underworld for its longstanding history of training some of the most infamous and skilled mercenaries and assassins. It was completely independent of manipulation by governments and world powers but still took high-paying, top-tier, and top-secret dirty work from them. Around 2 PM that day, a test revealed that the food delivered by me, Maria Hernandez - the cook and the only person everyone could trust at this facility - was laced with hemlock. I was fired, but then I managed to prove my innocence and I was welcomed back. In a strange turn of events, we discovered that the Weapons Instructor, Eunice Sandler was murdered and butchered in her office, and within that period, the lights went off and Inosuke Kubo, the Unarmed Combat instructor was killed. We had a little confrontation with a man who tried to kill Amanda and found an ally in the person of Nina Alcott, and after a brief altercation, discovered the existence of a canister that the late Inosuke had kept within his coat when she confronted him about it. The said canister had been stolen just 30 minutes ago, by someone who we suspected to be Caprice. The present met us in the dormitories, where we spotted a cluster of students at the entrance to a room. Amanda began moving sharply before Nina called her out. "Remember, I'm supposed to be behind you, Amanda. And by the way, we're in enemy territory right now for all we know, one of those students could be waiting to stick a knife in you," Nina said. I nodded. "From the way, the night's been going, they could cut off the power supply anytime now again, and that's certainly not a situation we'd want to be in." Amanda quickly pointed her gun upwards and fired a shot into the air. The students all froze where they stood as she stood behind them, allowing Nina and me to enter the room. "You guys find the canister, the students will debrief me on what the hell happened here." It was Caprice's room of cause, and there she sat on the ground, her back rested on the wall and a wide stab wound in her abdomen. The same injury we had seen on Inosuke's body. But her right hand was also bleeding. Nina rushed to her left hand and opened it, seeing the canister in it. But then, Caprice flinched and looked up at Nina with weak hostility in her eyes, before her eyes settled on me and she calmed. "T-That's...it's...damn, hemlock!" "Caprice, who attacked you? Do you have any idea who it could have been?" "Neck, hands. Scratches. I fought..." she weakly brought her hands up to show what she meant, and I saw the bits of skin lodged in her skin. She had fought her attacker back. But that didn't make any sense. Caprice had to be a skilled f=operative, being the best in her class. The only way she could have been attacked as if it was a surprise attack by someone she was very close to- "Viper?" Nina asked, way ahead of me already. "NO-" she exclaimed, her eyes widening as strength left her. "Viper - in danger. Tech Unit... answers... Fenderson Shipment... Last two weeks..." We were losing her, she was only alive because of a strong will to live and a sense of duty on her part. And because of that, we could get these scraps of information from her. The Fenderson Shipment last two weeks was the last shipment that brought food supplies. How did she know all this? "She turned to me then, her eyes deadset and the sheer determination in them shining through. "You're the only trusted. Student killer, and ICT unit involvement," she whispered a Nina shifted backward and left the room, sensing she wanted us to be alone. "Amanda is the target, but they want Spyder destroyed. A silver box under my bed. Code is 4351... please-" She was gone. Caprice had fought for so long and kept death at bay successfully all the while, but there was only so much she could do. But she did not die in vain, because she came with valuable answers. There were four different instructors in the ICT unit since it was so big and involved many crucial aspects of current mercenary/assassin work. Did she mean that the whole unit was involved, or one of them was? And then she said Viper was in danger as well, and something about a - I went under her bed and there was a cavity carved out in her mattress where a silver box hung suspended by a net. I dragged it out and carried it with me. Nina and Amanda stood outside with Viper, whose eyes were red as he kept looking at Caprice, absolutely devastated. "We're going to the most secure place in this facility - my office," Amanda said. "We'll be comparing our information obtained there." Needless to say, it was a dark day for Spyder. In one day we had recorded the deaths of six people, and unless action was taken as quickly as possible, that toll was bound to rise soon. ***** To Be Continued.

Assassination High: Six Assassination High: Prologue https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64 The Assassination High: Five https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/the-assassination-high-five-9c594504 **[WP] In a school for assassins and mercenaries, you're a beloved lunch lady. You ruefully realize that you're the only person nearly everyone trusts. Then you get framed for placing hemlock in an administrator's meal. The school board rushes to fire you, throwing the academy into turmoil.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64#wp-in-a-school-for-assassins-and-mercenaries-you039re-a-beloved-lunch-lady-you-ruefully-reali ***** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/the-assassination-high-four-77905e54 I heard Amanda raise her gun even as I raised mine instantly, hissing. "Nina, don't f*cking move or I'll blow your damn brains out!" Amanda hollered. "Damn it, switch on a torch, will ya?" I whipped my phone out of my pocket and turned on the torch to see Nina still in her seat, her gun on the table, and her hands up in the air. "I swear I'm not involved in the poisoning, you guys got it all wrong-" "No one's accused you of anything yet," Amanda said, eyeing Nina icily, "Maybe it's the guilt within you that's answering on full auto reflex, Nina?" "And yet you both have guns leveled at my forehead. I don't have to be a f*cking genius to know that. But I'm saying that you guys are horribly mistaken, and justifiably so. I'm surrendering, so you can take the gun, so allow me to explain myself-" It was a faraway sound, but that was definitely a scream. Something scary was happening at Spyder, a mysterious set of events. I began to question whether the death of Amanda was the only objective because a lot had happened to the contrary. "What the hell do we do now? Go outside or stay inside here? And what do we do about this one?" Amanda asked me, pointing her gun towards Nina. "Explain yourself," I said, sitting back but not bringing my gun down. "Amanda, you can grab her gun. Whatever's happening outside now can wait until we're done with this situation. Before we can manage anything out there, we need to make sure that everything is alright within our camp." Amanda nodded, grabbing the gun and pointing it at Nina too. "Nina," I said calmly. She nodded. "Before I say anything, I'd like to remind you to note that there are three guns pointed at your forehead. I chose to believe you after our first talk, and right now, a part of me regrets that decision. So here's how this interrogation will go. We ask questions, you answer them to the best of your knowledge and with full disclosure. If I feel that any answer is being held back, I shoot to kill. If I am not satisfied with the answer, you're dead. If you move a muscle other than those in your face without my consent, you're dead. Understood?" Amanda just looked at me in shock briefly before turning back. "You're I quick to switch personalities," Nina said smirking, before seeing the look on my face and apologizing. "Sorry." "That was strike one. You have only one strike, and you used it up. If your replies don't answer my questions, I'll kill you. I'd rather have you dead than leave you alive and then be worrying that you're going to turn on us anytime soon." "Understood," she said calmly. "What were you doing in this hallway, and what was the canister in your hand? Where did it come from?" "I got it from Training Area A when I was there to make start my class. I went to set up some props for one of my camouflage sessions before I spotted it on the floor. I thought it was strange because Inosuke had used the place right before me, and his field was unarmed combat so the canister looked out of place there, so I picked it up and was walking over to his office." "Did you meet the group of students while you were coming?" "Yes," she said, her face a bit tentative. It checked out. If she looked completely neutral, I would have suspected that something was up. "They were talking about something in hushed tones and I rushed them off to class." "Anything else about the students you noticed? Anything at all?" Amanda asked. "Two of them were a bit behind the others and seemed to be talking about something else. Caprice and Viper, those two. Caprice and Viper were codenames for the two best students from that graduating class. If what Nina said was anything to go by, then it would be important to investigate those two. "And what happened to the canister?" "For some reason, Inosuke was not at his office when I reached there, and I looked for him all over that area until I finally met him on the way to your office. It was then he told me that you summoned us for the meeting. I told him about the canister, and he just admitted it was his and put it in his inner coat pocket. That's all I know about that stuff!" The lights came back on. "That's very convenient, Nina. Now we can go back to his body and check if the canister is still on him, can't we?" "How can you be so sure that it's still on him?" "We aren't. We just assume that it might be. But-" "Wait a moment," Amanda said, running back to her screen, There's one other thing we haven't talked about. The feed from the security cameras also transmits into the Surveillance Room, where a three-man team monitors the screen. Above the door in that room, there's an independent wireless camera disguised as a mirror." She opened the feed and we saw throughout the day and the day before, all the men had been bent over their tables. "Are they dead?" Nina asked. The footage from two days ago answered the question. The door burst open, and before the men could turn, their bodies were shown to shake violently as bullets were pumped into them. "I'd say it's an SMG, and a silenced one at that. Obviously gotten from Eunice's office. Which means she was killed first, then the surveillance unit was done on, then the feed to my office was cut off," Amanda said, standing up. "Nina, we go to check the body now." As we reached the body, I was the first to comment, but they had already noticed it too. "It's been moved. His coat was opened, and one of the tickets was turned inside out. Someone, in a hurry apparently, had removed whatever the contents of that pocket were. Someone who had unfortunately left prints of her shoes wi=hich m=were made when she stepped in the pool of blood. "Female feet." "Yeah," Nina said as Amanda handed her the gun. "Your story checks out, but you'll be walking ahead of us now. We're going to the hostels, and we'll go find Caprice. She should have some answers for us." ***** To Be Continued. Like and Comment if you felt this chapter was good, thanks!

The Assassination High: Five Assassination High: Prologue https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64 The Assassination High: Four https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/the-assassination-high-four-77905e54 **[WP] In a school for assassins and mercenaries, you're a beloved lunch lady. You ruefully realize that you're the only person nearly everyone trusts. Then you get framed for placing hemlock in an administrator's meal. The school board rushes to fire you, throwing the academy into turmoil.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64#wp-in-a-school-for-assassins-and-mercenaries-you039re-a-beloved-lunch-lady-you-ruefully-reali ***** The heat was mounting, and it was just 9 pm. Amanda and I walked behind Nina as we made our way to her office. One day was all it took to turn Spyder upside down. Well, the fact remained that Eunice's death occurred two days before – part of the build-up – and perhaps several other events which we were yet to discover. We couldn’t tell for certain how much had been done even before the attempted poisoning, because there were quite a lot of departments that Amanda had not checked out in a while. “Do you think we can trust her?” Amanda asked in what was a little above a whisper. “I don’t think I can trust anyone at the moment. My intuition says she isn’t a problem, but then I can’t know for sure since she just joined. It helps that I can read her very well, or at least I seem to be able to do that, but her motivations for working with us don’t sound too pleasant.” “You can just keep me around you, in that case,” Nina spoke up, turning slightly. “It would be better knowing that your potential enemy is right within view rather than somewhere in the shadows, isn’t it?” Amanda spoke up. “It’s hard to fault your logic, and that’s just so convenient. A little too convenient, if you ask me. But I’ll take your advice, and one-up you. I’m considering you on our site, or at least on probation. But any funny moves-“ “Bang-Bang got it,” she said as we reached the office and walked in, shutting the doors behind us. The students were forced into their dorms and locked in, while the administrative board and other staff were patrolling the school. “The surveillance cameras all over the school have a live feed that relays all the information to my screen here,” she said, turning on the large television screen in her office. “If we check this and see the culprit, from here on out it’s a search and destroy mission. Find them and eliminate them. Shoot first, ask questions later. Got it?” “Them?” Nina asked. “Maria’s hunch. We think that a student and a teacher, maybe more numbers of either or both groups, are working together to do this.” She smirked. “Well, that’s interesting. It’s interesting to see that you both have worked this all out, but what’s more interesting is the idea of that team-up. Now that I look at it, it does seem to offer some of the much-needed flexibility and intel that would have been needed to carry out the last two operations. As we turned on the screen only the jagged lines across the fifteen surveillance feed greeted our eyes, accompanied by the sound of static. No matter how many times we tried rewinding the playback or turned the screen on and off, nothing came on, except the feeds from three days ago which were saved into the memory stick. For the past 48 hours, the surveillance cameras had not relayed a second of video to Amanda’s office. “Damn it, the only way this could have happened is if the wires were cut somewhere at the junction box where all of the wires assembled before feeding into this office. I made a mistake not checking the cameras for the past two days, even though I was busy. Now we’re neck-deep into this sh!t and we’ve stuck without a lead again…” She stopped talking and placed her right hand on her chin, softly biting her nails before she dashed back to her computer. “Heh, I knew I wasn’t a fool to drop that thing there, after all!” Nina looked at me quizzically and I shrugged as we both turned to Amanda. “What do you mean? What did you drop, and where?” I asked. “It was a gift from one of my old comrades during my spy days. A speed cam with thermal and optical sensors. When a large heat source is detected, as, in the case of a human, the optical sensor is triggered and wait for it to come within optimum proximity before taking six shots, all facing the cardinal points and their relations. There are six 108MP lenses on the camera to this effect, so it gives this panoramic 360-degree view that’s ultra-clear. I placed it secretly right in the hallway right in front of my door.” Nina smiled. “Now that’s cutting edge. You think it grabbed any pictures?” “We’re about to find out,” she said as we scrolled to the pictures taken earlier that afternoon. There was me, approaching with the cart, and then leaving shortly…” “Your story checks out, Maria.” “Tch,” I hissed. “Of course it does!” Then after that, Inosuke approached as well. “That’s interesting.” Then six students, one after the other, two amongst whom were in the set which was soon to graduate, passed by very close to the cart. “Damn, I wish this thing could video stuff!” Amanda nodded. “Yeah, but I know those six. Two among them are the top-tier finalist students too. That’s quite interesting – the rest are sophomores. Any of them are capable of these acts though.” “But we’ve only got pictures of one instructor, and that one’s dead-“ There was one more picture within that time frame, and just a few seconds before I returned to the cart. The picture of Nina Alcott walking by with what seemed to be a small metal canister in her hands. And at that very moment, the lights went off again, ***** To Be Continued. Please support with your likes and comments!

The Assassination High: Four Assassination High: Prologue https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64 Assassination High: Three https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-three-747a736a **[WP] In a school for assassins and mercenaries, you're a beloved lunch lady. You ruefully realize that you're the only person nearly everyone trusts. Then you get framed for placing hemlock in an administrator's meal. The school board rushes to fire you, throwing the academy into turmoil.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64#wp-in-a-school-for-assassins-and-mercenaries-you039re-a-beloved-lunch-lady-you-ruefully-reali ***** The scream rang in our ears and sent shivers down my spine. “A-Amanda w-“ “Stay calm and keep quiet, Maria. For all we know, we could be the next people to scream out our friggin’ lungs. Stay alert.” Damn, I thought, curling my hands around the trigger of my pistol as I tried to get my heart to stop beating erratically. Arrhythmia would be too much of a burden on Amanda at the moment, so I =took deep, quiet breaths, trying to stop the panic attack I could feel brewing. And then the lights came back on. For a second, we squinted as our eyes adjusted to the light, before looking at each other. The same thought struck us like lightning. “Who screamed?!” We ran out of the room and down the wing into the courtyard, looking at a point where students and staff gathered. We reached there, and Amanda shot once into the air to dispel everybody there. On the ground lay Inosuke Kubo, the Unarmed Combat instructor. I recognized the injury. He had been stabbed in the chest and forehead, and his blood pooled around his pale, stiff body, which was stuck in the unnatural pose in which he fell. The size of the wound made it seem like the weapon used was something with a similar width to that of a cleaver. The Hunting Unit, I thought. That’s the only place a blade of this nature could come from. “What the… shit!” I exclaimed. Amanda turned to face me. “What’s up? That’s more emotion than I’d expected you to show. If I remember correctly, you hated his guts.” I nodded. “I did. He was my suspect in this case actually, and now he’s dead, I’m damn confused. Is he innocent? Whose side was he on? Is this a conspiracy, or what the hell is going on? I’m f*ckin’ confused here, dammit.” She was about to respond before I noticed some movement on the floor above us. It was opposite us, and I looked up to see a hooded figure. “Amanda, duck!” I fired first as the other students and staff scrambled. I didn’t get him, but the bullet did graze him because I heard the groan as he beat a hasty retreat. It was a distinctly male voice, even though I couldn’t place the voice. I looked around, memorizing the faces of all I saw present at the scene as Amanda raced up the stairs, her gun at the ready. I followed suit after telling them all to stay pit, knowing that the staff wouldn’t take that instruction, and soon, the students won’t either. On the way up, the Camouflage and Infiltration instructor cornered me. She was a young woman, about the same age as me, and was an even bigger recluse than Eunice. What made her creepy to me was her ability to switch personalities as she pleased. If you saw her in a different setting, you would be amazed at how much she changed to blend in with her surroundings, from her looks to her accent. “You’re taking quite a proactive role in this case, Maria.” “I don’t understand where you are coming from, Nina. Is there something, in particular, you have to say?” She walked on, and I followed at her pace as we reached the floor, scouting for any suspicious movement. “I’d like to say that you’re way in over your head, but then I doubt it’s in my place to say that, since it is more than likely that Amanda is the one who asked for your help, being the only one she can trust. And even though I understand that you’ve been through quite a lot of training under Amanda, evident in your display just now, you’re handling something that’s far too dangerous for a ‘petty dabbler’, if I may, in the acts of killing and espionage.” That was the most I ever heard her say. “Do you care about me, or do you detest me that much?” “Neither. Nothing interests me more than the paycheck I get from Amanda at the end of the month.” “Then if money is your only motivation, there should be a price to betray Amanda, shouldn’t there? I wonder if a payment has been made already, hmm?” She smiled. “Amanda **has** thought you well, I suppose I’d be offended at that insinuation, but then you don’t know me, and even if you did, that’s not enough to trust me. I turned down a life of espionage and mercenary work to tutor here at Spyder because I have a certain level of integrity. Amanda spared me once and saved me twice when I was active, and in all three instances, she was my target and/or enemy. She said she needed my help here, and that’s why I’m here.” I nodded, “If that’s right, then your motive for involving yourself in the hunt for the assassin has nothing to do with Amanda’s welfare. True, you care about her, but you’re not in this to save her, or at least that’s just a side objective. What’s your main?” She stopped and turned to face me, smiling broadly now. “You know, I take back what I said. Or a bit of it, at least. You’ve got a good head on those shoulders, and your brain is sharp. I’m just in this for a few random reasons. Boredom is one of them... it’s been really long since I’ve done any real fieldwork. Don’t get me wrong, this peaceful life is blissful, but sometimes I want to have my heart racing, you know? Second is that I don’t like the idea of Spyder being attacked by these people from within, and people being killed like the instructors here are worthless." We rushed to meet up with Amanda who was searching, even as we knew that the man had escaped. To where, and his identity was still unknown at the moment. The question on my mind as I took short sidelong glances at Nina was... "Is she really an ally, or is she trying to get Amanda for the fourth time?" ***** To Be Continued. Please, Like, and Comment.

Assassination High: Three Assassination High: Prologue https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64 Assassination High: Two https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-two-5d504b6c The entire dynamic had changed after we found Eunice's body. Whoever we were up against had a very good idea of how things worked here, particularly Amanda's schedule, habits, and mannerisms. They were also heartless, and cold-blooded in their operation. 'Sadistic' might have even been a great word to describe them, judging by how they disposed of Eunice's body to cover up the deed. "This is my fault," Amanda said as we stood in the empty room, thinking and planning out our next action. "How so?" "Routine checks. Vigilance. Generally checking on everyone within this facility and making sure everything runs smoothly. I got too comfortable, even though I'm working with people who kill and are being trained to kill on a whim. After setting systems in place, I just relaxed and assumed those systems were okay as far as they continued working." "I still don't understand where you're going with this," I answered, not really getting her point. "Eunice is supposed to clean and reload my guns every time she returns them. When I gave her that gun and got it back the next day, I assumed all was okay. She always dropped it off early in the morning through my inbox chute, so I rarely ever saw her. I always deposited the gun through her inbox chute, so I couldn't smell a rat since everything was working how it used to. I didn't bother to check the gun that was returned to me either." "But then how did you find out about the hemlock?" "Ah? My dog, Xavier." "X-Xavier?" "Has always had the bad habit of digging into my meal before I got to eat, especially if I'm not paying attention like I wasn't that day. Within three hours, he dropped dead, and that's when I realized and called the meeting. The lab results came back and showed that it was hemlock." "That's something. Now I understand what you mean. You let your guard down because you trusted the top security systems you put in place." "The death of Eunice and the sabotage of my gun was to ensure I would be defenseless in a critical situation, for example, assuming I did not fall for the poison for some reason. Pandemonium breaks out, a shootout, and I'm left without ammo... the perfect setup." I shook my head tiredly. "Another thread we have to follow is finding out who exactly got hemlock on this island, and how they managed to do it. I'm pursuing that based on the assumption that it came from one of the supply boats that come here." "You think it's external?" "Eh? Of course. The students are searched routinely, and none of them could have had access to your food anyway. There was a window of opportunity to poison your food, now that I think about it. Right in front of your door, while I wheeled the cart, I got distracted by the archery practice going on for a few seconds. I stepped away from the cart for a few minutes at that moment, so I'm sure that must be the one time the culprit had to do this." April nodded, thinking about what I said for a while before she turned back to me. "Maria, I'll tell you this one thing. I trust in your mental aptitude far more than you do. You may underestimate yourself, but I don't, because I didn't pick you up from that place just because I needed a cook here. There's a fire inside you that I can see in your eyes, and you're sharp-" I blushed a little. "And why are you telling me this?" "Who do you think did this? Based on all you know?" "A member of the administrative board is involved, and at least one student is working with the person. There may be more members of either of the two classes of people I mentioned now - or both. But I feel that's the case." "And why is that?" "The fact that this person is well aware of your schedule - as in the Eunice case - gives away the fact that it's a member of the administrative board. None of the students would be able to access such information. But then the flexibility of movement gives away the involvement of one of the students. At the time your food was poisoned, the instructors all had to be involved in some activity or the other." She smiled. "I thought the same thing, but mine was just a thought. Yours is a well-thought hypothesis and one we caneasily confirm by checking the security footage that's being relayed to my office. " I remembered that there was that. "Why didn't we use that since?" "Well-" We were interrupted by the sudden power outage. The whole place went pitch black for a few seconds as we both scrambled for weapons, Amanda switching on her phone's torch. Somewhere in the distance, we heard a loud shriek. ***** To Be Continued. Please Like and Comment! Thanks!

Assassination High: Two **Prologue** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-bc68cc65 Assassination High: One **[WP] In a school for assassins and mercenaries, you're a beloved lunch lady. You ruefully realize that you're the only person nearly everyone trusts. Then you get framed for placing hemlock in an administrator's meal. The school board rushes to fire you, throwing the academy into turmoil.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64#wp-in-a-school-for-assassins-and-mercenaries-you039re-a-beloved-lunch-lady-you-ruefully-reali ***** Authors are a hundred percent correct when they write that one's life flashes before their eyes at the point of death. All my actions and experiences flashed before my eyes like a tape. In a split second, I saw all that I had been through, all the decisions I took, and all I had achieved as a human in this godforsaken world. And it occurred to me that though it didn't amount to much, I once held one of the most vital posts in a setting. Amanda must have been confused at the distorted, rueful smile on my face as I pulled that trigger. I remembered that for a brief stint - 20 years brief - that is - I was the only person anyone in that school would trust. For a few seconds, I felt numb. So this was what it felt like to d... "Damn, Maria. This is just about the craziest thing you've ever done!" A voice... Amanda's? There was no mistaking it, it was Amanda's voice alright/. How could I hear her voice? How could she be in the same place with me? Did she also kill herself after I did? "Don't just stand there, you idiot," I heard her say as I felt a sharp pain in my rips. My eyes were forced open and there was the gun still in my mouth, probably marinated in my saliva by now. "What the...?" "Empty," she said, pulling my arm out of my mouth and grabbing the gun from me. "Luckily for you, I ran out of bullets. " I was unable to face her, so I looked out at the water. "Luckily? Like there was more to live for, aye?" "There is now. If you'd died, I would have killed myself just to beat the shit out of you on the other side," she said, dashing into my arms and enveloping me in a warm bear hug. I had no option but to hold her back and pat her as she cried, probably feeling guilt. I was beginning to feel a little resentment for how she just treated me, but then I was the only one who knew Amanda. I knew that in those moments, she was looking for a reason to believe me. She wanted me to prove it to her so that her fears and insecurities would be resolved. So that she would take her next course of action. "So, this was a test, wasn't it? All of it, right? You knew the gun was empty from the start, didn't you?" I said, relieved. "No." My eyes flew open upon hearing that. "Wait, you mean... you had no idea that your gun had no bullets? That I just played Russian Roulette with my fucking life now?" "You must have thought you were going to die when you pulled that trigger, so cut it out," she said, biting her nails, It was a bad habit she had; she bit her nails when she was deep in thought. I could see the wheels in her head turning. "This was not premeditated at all. My gun was supposed to be full. I last used it two days ago before giving it to Eunice, who's in charge of our Weapons at Spyder. I've not seen her since then, which is usual since she's a bit of a recluse, but she has never failed to do her job." "You mean-" "Something is happening at Spyder, that's for sure. We still haven't figured out who tried to poison me, and now that I can settle for the fact that you're not the culprit, the question remains: Who is?" "And how do you intend to figure that out? I can't be of much use in that aspect, you know that by now. I don't even have a job there anymore." "That can be fixed. Your departure vessel isn't coming anymore. You're staying at Spyder, Maria because, in the current situation, pandemonium is bound to break out soon. Nobody is more trusted than you, so you have to go back." We began walking back towards the car. "I will make the announcement, while you go and prepare yourself." "Prepare? For what?" "You think you're just coming back to wear an apron and cook meals? I just told you, there's war at Spyder now. The stakes are that high, and right now, you're the only person I can trust out. For all we know, the other 78 people there are potential enemies. We can't even say if it's just a person or a group behind this. So just know that you're going to be of help." ***** If the news of my sack brought some shock to the school, the e=news of my sudden re-employment was even worse. Now everyone was on edge. If it wasn't me, then who was the secret assassin in this vicinity? What were their goals? Was it just Amanda, or were there other targets? The administrative board tried to organize an impromptu meeting, but Amand suspended the board for the time being. "You all should ready yourself and pray to God that you're not the next target. Actually, shelf that, pray to God that you're not the culprit because death will be a favor to that person when I'm through with him/her." We both left for the Weapons and Ballistics wing, and straight for the office of Miss Eunice Wong. As expected, she wasn't there. "Turpentine," I said quietly. "What?" "The smell. I could smell it from the moment we came into this wing. The man I was sold to in Russia forced me to use it to scrub the vat in his room. The vat where he killed and harvested the organs of people for sale on the black market. It's a cleaning agent." "So that's the smell, huh..." I looked at the huge fridge in a corner of the storage room and saw the blood smudges on the body. "She's in there," I said, choking the emotion in my voice. Amanda walked over, opened it, and then slammed it shut instantly, covering her mouth with her right hand. "They chopped her up into bits..." I stood transfixed to the spot, shaking my head. Whoever was out for Amanda was ruthless.

Assassination High: One Prologue https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-bc68cc65 **[WP] In a school for assassins and mercenaries, you're a beloved lunch lady. You ruefully realize that you're the only person nearly everyone trusts. Then you get framed for placing hemlock in an administrator's meal. The school board rushes to fire you, throwing the academy into turmoil.** https://read.cash/@Ghostwriter/assassination-high-prologue-35376e64#wp-in-a-school-for-assassins-and-mercenaries-you039re-a-beloved-lunch-lady-you-ruefully-reali ***** I stood transfixed at the spot, not knowing what to say or think at that moment. I knew hemlock to be a highly poisonous plant native to Europe and North Africa, two places that jointly accounted for 40% of the student population. Any of them could have brought it in. But then, routine searches and security cameras dismissed the possibility of that happening. The only way that something of that nature would have entered the compound and into the kitchen was through my foodstuff supply unit. So it was only reasonable that I was the prime suspect in this situation. "What? I thought you were going to deny the allegations, but now you've gone silent. Has your facade come crashing down on you? Have you now seen that there isn't any way you can lie to me about your attempt to kill-" "Miss Amanda Keller." She looked up at me, I had never called her by her full name before. Never. It was always 'Amanda' or 'Miss Keller'. Nothing more than that. "Maira Hernandez. You have something to say for yourself?" "Yes. It's not much in the way of an alibi; actually, it's nothing at all. I know this situation is irredeemably incriminating, and I have been set up in such a manner that all leads would point at me, no matter how one looked at it. Therefore, I will say this now: there is no factual way I can prove that I am not the one who poisoned you." "Then-" "Please," I cut in. "Allow me to finish. You always liked that saying, 'no one can prove that he is not the devil', and here, I find that more reasonable than ever. But then, I implore you to remember that I have worked with you and **walked** with you for 20 years. If I bore a grudge, if I bore any ambitions to kill you, I would have done it before now. We have been close, closer than I have ever been with another person, both in the bedroom and just on the couch, talking about anything that comes to mind. You've seen me at my best and worst, and I feel I can say the same for you as well. You know all my secrets, and you know me inside and out - more than I even know myself. So I will ask you to put this into consideration when answering this question..." She maintained eye contact, her facial expressions having remained unfazed during my little speech. "Do you really think I made this attempt at your life? Can you even consider the idea of me poisoning you as a remote possibility?" "My answer? Yes." Her face was as cold as I had never seen it before, lacking any emotions, and the weight of her words made me know that this was the truth. This was how she really felt. "Do you think I got to where I am by trusting in people or doubting the extent to which humans will go for their personal desires, Maria? If you know me as well as you claimed to just now, then you'll know that it's foolish to think like that. The moments we shared seem so special to you, and to me they were special, but what does that have to do with this situation here? I do not know your motivations, and what you stand to gain from killing me. I do not know who sent you, and what you were promised. Our past does not affect any of this, Maria." Was it all in my head? Did I just put Amanda in a special place in my heart and assume she did the same? Was she just like any other human being, selfish and uncaring? Did I escape one demon 20 years ago, just to frolic with another one for two decades of my life? In the end, was it all for naught? "But then you're right. I should take all of that into consideration, shouldn't I? I should make it the highlight of this discussion, and place sentiment over logic and facts, shouldn't I? After all, it's a relationship that has spanned roughly two decades, isn't it?" she said, placing her legs on the table and crossing them. No one can really prove that they are not the devil, but I'll give you a chance here, Maria. Prove to me that you are 'God'. I'm not asking you to prove that you're not the one who attempted to kill me, because we have established that you cannot. Now, I want you to prove that you're as loyal to me as you were 20 years ago. Can you do that?" No matter how I thought about it, there was no way. No option whatsoever. Hug her? Kiss her? Swear on my mother's grave? Amanda was looking for concrete, logical answers to her questions, and I had none. I had my chance, and I lost it. "No." ***** The emergency assembly was buzzing. I stood at the podium, in front of all the staff and students, all of who looked at me with varying expressions on their faces. Confusion. Indifference. Pity. Sadness. Hate. I was in the public eye now, all for something I might as well have committed since I had no way of proving I didn't do it, and I had no way of proving that I loved Amanda as a person. Amanda spoke up. "In the wake of the event which happened earlier this afternoon, being the attempt made on my life by the cook here, Maria Hernandez has been dismissed from duty-" There was a silence in the room that was louder than anything else. The one person everyone could trust tried to kill the Director herself. That same person was now gone. The looks exchanged inside that hall were deathly, as everyone kept their hands to themselves, anticipating something big happening. But there was nothing. I was led out of the room and placed in a private car which was driven by Amanda herself. She asked that we were left alone to ourselves, as she drove me to the point at the waterside where the boat would pick me up. Asn we both stood and waited, nobody said anything for a while. We were both silent, and I looked away from her, at the water, expect the boat to burst out of the horizon anytime soon. "I did consider all that you asked me to, Maria. If I didn't, you would have been lying at the bottom of this ocean with a bullet in your brain. I would have shot you myself," she said, and I looked at the gun holster at her waist, her pistol sitting in it. "Then I'm glad all of it meant something to you," I said, extending my hand for a shake, which she obliged. The money she came closer, I reached for her y=gun and yanked it out of her holster, avoiding an elbow to my neck as well. She was on guard, as always. "And then? You'll complete your mission and kill me?" she said, standing and looking, unfazed by the gun in my hand. "No. You just gave me the inspiration. You said I had to prove my loyalty to you, didn't you?" She raised an eyebrow, I cracked my fingers and said a silent prayer. "Then, should I prove it with my life?" "W0what do you mean?" she asked. This was the first time I heard her stutter. The first time I heard the worry in her voice. "If I put this gun in my mouth and pull the trigger, will I have proven my undying love, not just loyalty, for you? Will I have proven that without you - who saved me from the hell that was my life all those years ago - I have nothing else to live for?" She stood wide-eyed. "I'll take that as an affirmation. If there is an afterlife, let's meet there, Amanda," I said, putting the gun into my mouth and pointing it at the roof. "Maria, don't!" She scrambled towards me, but she was too slow. I pulled the trigger. ***** To Be Continued. Likes and Comments if you enjoyed this one!

Assassination High: Prologue **[WP] In a school for assassins and mercenaries, you're a beloved lunch lady. You ruefully realize that you're the only person nearly everyone trusts. Then you get framed for placing hemlock in an administrator's meal. The school board rushes to fire you, throwing the academy into turmoil.** ***** Only a few people knew about Spyder, the 'school' for assassins, mercenaries, and other well-trained operatives who offered their services on the black market. But to those who knew of its existence, they could attest to the fact that it was the most dangerous school in existence. Having been in existence for about 120 years, it had steadily produced many assassins and the likes, an example being Gustavo Princip, the man responsible for the assassination of the Archduke of Serbia, an event that snowballed into the blot on human history known as World War I. With the characters, the school possessed, everyone was very wary of each other, from top to bottom. These were people being trained for various forms of espionage, so trust was something they learned to kill off from the onset. Thus, they knew that anyone on the remote island where Spyder was located could be an enemy sent to kill them. This put a real dampener on the atmosphere, and everyone was tense. Whenever fights broke out, which was relatively less frequent, it was common that deaths would be recorded. At the very least, injuries worthy of a visit to the Emergency Room would be sustained. And there was I in the midst of it all, being the single person everyone could trust. Because I was the one who made their food. They say that there are two people - or three - you have to trust - or you shouldn't mess with... I am not sure which is it, since I didn't go to school. But I believe those two people are your cook and driver. I fed every human being on that island - about eighty of them, sixty being students. I was the only person who cooked, supervised the delivery of condiments and all of that stuff. I was the one who was responsible for their feeding, o they had no other option than to trust me. I, Maria Hernandez, a slave who knew not her origins. I had grown up with a man called Dmitriy. In Russia. He let me keep my name for some reason, but was not kind to me at all. He beat me constantly and forced me to cook his meals to perfection. It was under his roof that I learned to cook, and he always reminded me that he had bought me off my dying father while he was in the UK, and he had come back with me. I was his property. In 2020, I was a modern-day slave, and one day I got sick of it. That day was my 18th birthday, and he told me that I was 'ripe' for 'harvesting'. He tried to force me to fellate him, and in response, I almost bit his pen!s off. I escaped unto the streets, where I almost died of cold until I was somehow found by Amanda Keller, the Director of Spyder. She was on those sane streets looking for prodigies at the bottom of the barrel to bring up into malleable weapons. I had that fire in my eyes, or so she said, but my body was too frail and weak for extensive field action. I was only good at cooking, but that was certainly good enough for her. I had worked there for 20 years now, and I needed nothing else. When I was not cooking or overseeing any duty, I spent my free time with Miss. Keller in her office, She was six years older, and very much interested in me romantically. If we were not having heated romps in her room, we were discussing any topic that popped up. I never got a formal education, I refused one, in fact, deciding that I didn't need it. I just learned to read, to write, and to hold guns and shoot without missing. In the world we lived in, a degree didn't matter as much as survival skills did. Why is all this backstory necessary? Because in one day, all that I had struggled to build came crashing down when I was summoned to the administrative block. I was asked the question I never, ever wanted to hear. "What did you put in this food?" Amanda's eyes were icy as she glared at me, as did the other six administrative officers. The Unarmed Combat instructor always hated me, and his sly, crooked smile churned my insides. "I always told you that no one can be trusted, Miss Keller... Especially not a street rat like this one. A leopard can never change its -" "Leave. All of you." They all walked out, and soon after I began to hear loud noises around the school block. "I swear I-" "You shut your mouth, Maria. You're the only one allowed to handle my food, so how do you expect me to believe anything you say? Where did you get the hemlock you used in this food?" I gasped. Of all the deadly poisons used, it was hemlock. ***** To Be Continued. I'm positive that this will be even more interesting than The Seal of Magic.

Seal of Magic VI Cerberus whipped its tail around in a mad frenzy, howling in what was clear to be extreme pain. The right side of its body began to crack visibly, even as the other eye glared at Azael and me ferociously. I looked at the bloody, charred socket where its right eye was supposed to be and smiled. We really got it good, and its body was proof of that. The cracks were steady trying to heal up, but the destruction was much faster than the regeneration. "Azael, the other eye. We're taking this thing down now, while we still have the chance-" "We?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. I turned to see Azael sitting on the ground, looking weak and deplorable. There was no reason why this battle should have taken that much for him, except if he was already at the end of his line. One Blood Art technique and the Solar Kannon? Was that what remained of the only sorcerer in the city? "I can't go on for much longer, Leo. Actually, to be honest, I've been at my limit for over a year now, and I kept prolonging it because I felt the village needed me. I never could have predicted this outcome really, Cerberus being freed and all. The knights of the demonic feretory are very much active in this city, and so, Cerberus is just another cog in the deadly wheel we've found ourselves in..." He was beginning to sound like Panthera. That resigned, quiet voice - pregnant with a lot to say, the burden of a lot of experience, so many regrets, and yet peace. Peace in the fact that till the end, they did all they could do in the interest of those they loved. The voice of one who was about to die. "Azael, you can't be-" "It was always my wish and dream to be a martyr for Ascelpia. To have my name etched into history as one of our heroes. And also, secretly, to lift the embargo on magic by exorcising Cerberus. But now I can see that this fight has to be left to you, sadly. I will be content with having played a part." I couldn't believe what I was seeing or hearing. I never had much respect or care for Azael as a person, seeing him as nothing but a nuisance to all who wanted to use magic in the city. Apart from Panthera, I had no respect for any of the other elders. But at that moment; that moment when he was at the door of death, it seemed that he realized his true nature. And just when I was beginning to understand him too, it was time for him to die. "I'm going to die now, Leo. But first, I'll give you a shot at ending this battle. The war's not yet over; you should know this better than anyone by now. Like I said, for the knights, Cerberus is just another cog in the wheel. There are many other cogs at their disposal, so you must be able to stand up to the challenge-" He then stabbed his heart and watched the blood gush out. Another blood art? And his heart this time... was he really looking for a glorious exit? "Prepare....yourself to attack... and close your eyes!" Grabbing Panthera's discarded bow and arrows, I stabbed my palm with the tip of one of the arrows and yelled. "BLOOD ART: SUPERNOVA!" I felt the vibration in the air that signaled my blood and the orbs had combined. Azael's voice sounded more hoarse and stronger than it had ever been. "BLOOD ART: SOLAR KANNON!" I knew to cover my eyes with the crook of my arm this time, even as the sound of the Kannon of heat hitting the earth reached my ears. The intensity was prioritized this time again, and the force of the impact threw me back a bit, but I stood my ground, and as the light shimmered, I opened my left eye and fired. Cerberus didn't even see them coming, so consumed in its anguish and the extensive burns all over its body. The four arrows maneuvred around to its eyes, and that's when it realized, raising its tail too slow. "SUPERNOVA!" The explosion was brighter this time. The power Panthera had transferred to me expressed itself well this time. That second eye was gone too, and the other slide had begun to crack as well. "You're done for." It lunged at me one last time, in a fit of fury, but that was a futile effort. Its whole body calcified midair and began to fade rapidly. By the time it reached me, it was just dust. I fell to the ground, exhausted and dizzy. I had instigated so much blood loss during the battle, so I wasn't surprised. "Is-is it all over?" People were beginning to come out of hiding, many crying, others joyful. "No," I said, smiling weakly. "We're just getting started." ***** The End. This drew out longer than I thought it would, but I had so much fun writing so I guess that's okay. If you liked this series, a Like and Comment would be appreciated. Thanks!

Seal of Magic V It was a stupid thing to dash towards where Panthera lay motionless. All common sense and the rules of hunting made it clear that impulse actions taken when a comrade gets wounded are bad ideas. But I couldn’t just leave her there. I couldn’t just ignore what I had just seen happen to her, and who she was in my life. The best friend of my mother Eve who died 12 years ago, when I was just 10. The woman who I’d lived with for 6 years until I was 16 and old enough to inherit my parents’ house and join the archery unit. She’d trained me and guided me through puberty and my teenage years, the years that really mold one’s life. And there she lay, in her pool of blood which was growing steadily. “PANTHERAAAAAA!” I screamed, dashing towards her, I had only moved about three steps before I saw it out of the corner of my eye. That same accursed tail whizzing through the air towards me. Then, for I split second, did I realize how stupid the action I took was. “BLOOD ART: PETRIFICATION!” *Blood Art?* “NOVA!” I screamed turning as the orbs appeared. The scene before me was one that remains etched in my memory to this day. Azael had stabbed himself in the palm so could use the blood to strengthen his Petrification spell. Even I knew that bloodletting was something risky for him to do, considering his age and the fact that he had just used that Solar Kannon. I had to do something better. Whipping out my knife, I stabbed my own palm too, watching the blood flow out. “BLOOD ART!” I screamed, and the flow floated in the air until it made contact with the orbs I formed from Nova. I’d only ever read about how to incorporate blood into my spell, but I knew from my research that the more the blood, the more effective the spell. This was one-quarter of a pint of blood. “SUPERNOVA!” The comets whizzed through the air, aiming for Cerberus. As usual, it whipped its tail – which was not held by any of Azael’s Petrification Chains and tried to block. But I’d already saved two behind, and as the searing hot supernova orbs hit its tail, it howled out. Our techniques so far had weakened its toughness and resistance. It was so engrossed in its howl that it did not realize the two orbs that went behind it. ‘Until they converged at their target, the right eye which Panthera and I had assaulted before. “Boom,” I said, turning back and walking towards Panthera. The explosion was of white light, akin to the death of a star, from whence the spell got its name. Grabbing Panthera in my arms, she smiled weakly at me, blood flowing from her nostrils and her mouth. “Eve was always so timid,” she said, speaking slowly and weakly, with more love and care than I had ever heard her speak. “She really prayed you didn’t get those traits, Leo. Why do you think she named you that, huh?” She coughed up some more blood, and I cried. I didn’t know any spells to heal. But at least I could do something. Something to- “Don’t do it. Use your Blood Art spells to try and transfuse blood or vitality to me. I’ve already entered a pact – one I swore to Eve that I would enter when I was at the door of death.” “You…swore to my mother?” “She was my best friend, Leo. She knew she had her faults, and she was too weak and imperfect to raise a child that would be any different from her, so she told me about you. She was dying of pneumonia then, so she entrusted you into my arms. I could only do what a friend could do at that point, the most a friend could do…” Cerberus roared in anguish, and I cried in anguish at this moment. I hadn’t really thought much of my parents before then. My father was a member of the archery unit and had been killed during a hunt when I was just four, so I couldn’t remember anything about him. My mother was the one I could remember, but she was always sick and frail, and all she could manage was a kiss on my forehead and a whisper to me when she died.” Her last words were, “I have given you all I have, and another will one day give you all she has one day. You’re watched by three guardians now, Leo.” It was only now that the situation sunk in. “You’re the third guardian, aren’t you? Why? How are you giving me all you have anyway?” “At first it was due to a promise. But now it’s because I have seen the man you have become, and I’m proud of you. Eve would be proud, Eve and Evander, your father actually. The binding pact I made with your mother allowed me to store my peak vitality and magic ability and transfer it to you when I am at the brink of death. I shouldn’t be able to feel it until I am about to die, so that’s why I told you not to worry about trying to save me. I am about to die now…” I broke down crying. “Leo, we don’t have much time!” Azael said, his voice choked with tears as well as frustration. “This thing is getting rapidly out of control, and it’s because you got it!” “You were always a very kind child and you still are right now. The son I never had indeed. I’m proud of you; I’ll say it again. You’ve got three people’s dreams; three people’s essence flowing in your veins now, Leo,” she said, pressing her thumb to my forehead, and I felt the power flow into me. It was so much that I stumbled backward. The sheer power of the greatest warrior our city had ever seen was certainly unfathomable. I had obtained the strength of five men, all at once. I brought my head back, closer to her lips, and she smiled weakly, lifting them up to kiss me on the forehead. “Don’t be too hasty to join us on the other side, Ken,” she said, as her voice drawled off to silence. “Eve has been waiting for 12 years now, she can wait a lot longer than thaa-“ That was the end of a fierce woman. And the beginning of an even fiercer warrior. Turning back to face the one-eyed, even smaller Cerberus just as Azael’s chains broke, I wiped the last tears off my eyes. “You’ve overstayed your welcome, foul beast.” ***** To Be Continued.