[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.
*****
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.
