In the dim light of the moon, halfway hidden behind the clouds, the complex looked almost peaceful. And, in large parts, it was. Eighteen guards patrolled the area, slow and methodical. Most were alert, and none were the lazy or underpaid kind that companies so often hired to keep their costs low.

But no matter how well trained you are, the boredom of monotony is a threat to anyone. Even the best of the best fell victim to it once in a while, and even I wasn’t an exception. That said, I was more prepared for it this time around.

For weeks I had kept an eye on the building, had studied all those that spent their nights here, meticulously learning their patterns and habits. I had scoured the network multiple times, keeping tags on anything of interest. The surrounding cameras had been wiped clean, playing a recording on repeat that would be hard to figure out before I was done with my mission.

Tonight this complex would devolve into chaos. Nineteen people would have to die. Eighteen of them the guards, the last my target. Personally, I would have preferred to only go after my target, but the orders had been clear. None would survive this day, none other than the servants inside. If everything went according to plan, they wouldn’t even be woken up.

Checking over my gear one last time, I mentally prepared myself for the task at hand. I had all the equipment I needed, and some more, just in case I had to improvise. Unless something went wildly off track, nobody would be aware of what happened before the day broke.

With one last glance, making sure that I had the right moment in the guard’s routine, I began to move. The roof I was on was not far from the defensive wall surrounding the building. It was not a perfect location, but I didn’t want to risk anything. Very likely those that had built these defences were aware of the best way to get past them. Even with all my electronic countermeasures, someone might spot me if I went for the obvious entrance.

On light feet, I stepped off the building, falling onto the roof a little further down, a small little outcropping housing an extended bathroom. I rolled myself off, dispersing the energy from that little fall, and did my best to make as little sound as I could.

After making sure that I was still undetected, I attached a rope onto the small metal supports to either side of the small roof. I had to lose some weight for that plan to work, but that was nothing new to me.

Repelling down, I stopped a couple meters above the wall of the complex, before I jumped off, just barely reaching it. Not wasting any time, I rolled myself off, immediately diving for cover behind the automated turrets that were meant to stop such an invasion. A shame their cyber defences were so poor. It was almost insulting how little care had gone into protection from digital invasion.

Counting to four, I moved once more, using a blindspot in the guards cover to jump down the other side of the wall, landing in a meticulously maintained green area, before rushing over to one of the bushes. From here I would have the perfect opportunity to take out the first two guards.

Once that was done, I had less than four minutes to get into the complex and deal with the rest. A damn tight timeline, but it was the best shot I had. And they wouldn’t have sent me, if this mission would be easy.

I counted again, this time to seven, before I popped up behind the bush, two throwing knives at the ready. The guards came around the hedge at just the right moment, and I flung the weapons towards them, aiming for their throat.

A flash of silver in the dim light, two almost simultaneous thuds, a gurgle, then two louder thuds, as the guards fell onto the grass.

They weren’t dead yet, but they would be paralysed by the venom that my blades were coated with. Still, I had to move quickly, and so I dashed over, quickly dragging them behind the cover of the tall hedge. Pulling a dagger, I stabbed each of their hearts. Twice, just to make sure.

Once they were dead, I pushed them into the green. It wouldn’t help much, but it would give me just a little bit more time before they would be found. Getting up once more, I quickly made my way past the hedge. My steps were precise and measured, light on the ground.

The next guard would come out of the building in 27 seconds, if everything went according to plan. A timeframe that was only off by one second.

Another throwing knife found its target, and I just barely managed to get to the guard in time to catch them, otherwise the sound of their fall might have alerted the others.

She was still alive, choking on the blood in her throat, eyes wide in fear and panic. She tried to move, but the venom prevented her from doing so.

I ignored the pleading gaze, pulling my dagger and stabbing her twice, killing her swiftly and as painlessly as I could manage. With her dead, I deposited the body under the veranda. Not a perfect hiding spot, but it didn’t have to be.

The interior of the building was as I expected to find it, and I quickly made my way along the left wall, towards the break room. By my account, I would find three guards there, which would be the second most difficult part of the job today.

Silently opening the door just a smidge, I confirmed that my theory was correct. Three men sat around a table, drinking coffee and talking in low tones. Pulling out two throwing knives with one hand, I held my dagger in my other. Gunshots would be much too loud, and I had to stay undetected for as long as I could manage.

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The perfect opportunity to strike came a couple of moments later, when one of them started laughing heartily, and I didn’t waste any time. Pushing the door open fully, I dashed inside, flinging my throwing knives before anyone had the chance to act. Both hit, although one slightly further to the right than I would have preferred. It did its job, though, and by the time I was upon the last guard, already getting up from his seat and reaching for his weapon, the two others fell limp in their chairs.

Much to my surprise the man managed to avoid my first swing. However, he was not prepared for my follow up strike. With a grunt he was sent tumbling, and I was above him before he even hit the ground, dagger buried to the hilt in his chest, first once, then twice.

With him dead, I immediately moved over to the others. With four quick motions, both of them died. Double checking that the room was otherwise as I expected it to be, I left as swiftly as I entered, closing the door behind me.

I had roughly two and a half minutes left, before the next round of call ins would happen, at which point they would notice something was amiss.

There were seven more guards on this floor, which would be the hardest part of this mission. I couldn’t get past them, and if they were alerted before I killed them, the rest of the mission would become infinitely harder.

While I moved, I flipped a switch on a device strapped to my belt. It was a short range communication jammer, my best bet at remaining undetected.

The first two went down without any trouble. I had timed my arrival in the corridor at exactly the same time they made their rounds, and neither saw me coming. The problem was that I didn’t have time to get rid of the bodies, forcing me to leave them out in the open.

The next one also died without a fuss, but the last four would be the biggest threat. I had to engage them head on, and I had to kill them quickly, before they could shout. While they wouldn’t be able to radio for help, thanks to my little gadget, that wouldn’t stop them from making noise.

By sheer luck the guard that was supposed to keep an eye on the door I entered the room through, was not paying attention when I arrived. It gave me a second or two of headroom, time I utilised immediately.

Flinging two throwing knives towards the ones on the left, I dashed for the one closest. Managing to take him by surprise, I buried my blade in his chest, making him grunt in pain. The last one turned immediately, and I left the first one behind, the other two hitting the ground only a moment before he did.

To my dismay, that last guard was a lot sharper, and he managed to get his gun up before I reached him. Barreling into him, I just barely managed to knock it out of his hand before he could fire.

We both hit the ground, with me trying to end it quickly. He was not as easily deterred, however, and he fought back. The scuffle only lasted a few moments, but those few moments were enough time for the one I had stabbed to croak something out. It wasn’t loud, but it was a noise, and that meant that I had to hurry.

Finally able to subdue the last guard, I stabbed him twice, abusing a momentary lapse in his judgement. Not wasting any time, I jumped to my feet, before I rushed back, finishing off the first. Swiftly moving over, I killed off the other two that were still paralysed by my throwing knives, collecting my weapons, and stowing them back into my belt.

I was already moving towards the stairs to the floor above. By my internal clock I had roughly thirty seconds before my time was up, and I still had five guards to deal with. This was going to be a lot closer than I would have liked.

With quick, but careful steps I arrived at the top floor, immediately making my way over to the left. I had the layout of the place memorised, studying it carefully before I ever set foot in here. Pushing through one of the side rooms, I quickly found the main hall of this floor.

Three of the guards would be close to the door I had to get through, while the rest would be just in front of the room where my target was still sound asleep. Drawing two more throwing knives, coating them in fresh poison, I quickly made my way over to the end of the room.

From here I had the perfect view on my targets. Two of them were standing on either side of the door, while the last one was a bit further away, currently looking out the window towards the courtyard. Soon he’d move over to the other side of the hallway. If he wasn’t dead by then, he would see that the guards there were missing.

Silently counting down, I waited for him to turn, slowly making his way over. When he arrived at the halfway point, just past the door, I threw the knives. Following quickly after them, they hit their targets at around the time I came through the door, already aiming for the last guard.

My dagger glinted in the dim light of the moonlight, and I tried to cut his throat before he could act. This time, things were different, however. The man was far quicker on the uptake, probably better trained.

He reacted quickly, stepping to the side and making me miss my thrust. Before I had time to overpower him, he opened his mouth. “Intruder!” It was all he could get out before my blade found his throat, but the damage was done.

With the safety of stealth now out of the window, I quickly ended the two guards I had hit with my throwing knives. Abandoning all attempts to remain hidden, I barrelled through the door, hoping that I’d be faster than the two men who were waiting inside.

Dagger in one hand, I drew my pistol with the other. The guards already had their weapon drawn, but I was faster, already knowing where they’d be. Two shots rang out and they crumpled.

There was only one door leading to the room my target was in, but there was a window. With this only being the first floor, my target would have little trouble using the window to escape. I couldn’t allow that.

With quick steps I crossed the room, shooting the lock. I didn’t have time to pick it, and it was likely to be locked. Of course, shooting the lock made opening the door a bit harder, but it relented eventually, after I tackled it. Despite the guards, the interior of this place wasn’t built to withstand intrusion.

I found my target standing at the open window, evidently trying exactly what I feared they’d do. They turned as the door opened, eyes wide. It was a young woman, clad in a fancy nightgown. Her auburn hair was fluttering around in the nightly breeze entering through the window.

For a moment she seemed stunned, before she opened her mouth. I raised my pistol. It glimmered in the dim light of the moon, the black crystal it was made out of catching the few rays of moonlight. Before she had time to speak, I pulled the trigger.

A crimson explosion turned the back of her head to mush, the body falling backwards and out of the large window.

Mission complete.