Part One.

"What's wrong?" Asked Serena as she was sit in the kitchen's breakfast bar.

"It's a text from [Triania]..." Said André as he closed the text with a hand movement. He was using his smart glasses to read while cooking dinner.

"What does he say?" Added Serena.

"He says he will not contact us for a while." Replied André while sipping the stew he was cooking and put out the flame of the pot.

"Why? Any reason on particular?" Said Serena while standing up and walking towards the fridge.

"No, not at all. He just said that and nothing more."

As he said so, he also served himself some stew and started to eat.

"Unfair! Don't start without me!" Exclaimed Serena with two iced tea bottles in her hands.

This could be said to be a normal night in André's apartment, but it wasn't.

There was some tension on the air, due to André accepting to be the bait against Marcelline Holy, the assassin targeting his life.

After a while, Serena talked first.

"How is it going? The plan, I mean."

"Well, we are basing it in how she operates and the way I am being targeted. Since the food issue, there has not been any other strike so we can only make a base plan." Explained André.

"Base plan?"

"Yeah. We'll wait for her to show or at least track down her steps the time she tries to kill me. We've been making countermeasures in order to get a hold of every possible assassination. We also made  sure the chances of assasination that are out of our hands can be prevented."

As André kept talking, Serena grew uneasy.

Because she wasn't participating in the plan.

It's true that she is a great element regarding protection, but now her feelings are involved and could compromise the mission, and also her "intuition" didn't work on Marcelline.

Somehow, André noticed Serena's worry and slightly smiled.

"Don't worry. We've prepared this thoroughly so she can't escape." He said with a strong confidence.

In the past future, André didn't trust his partners at all, but after confronting his traumas, he learned that he was never alone.

This time, he wants to pour all his trust in them. Of course he still doubts some parts of the plan, or if they are able to throughly protect him, but he distrust the "circumstances" more than the "will" of his companions.

(It's not that I don't trust them. I don't trust what surrounds me...) Said André in his mind as he placed his hand over Serena's.

She then instantly blushed and muttered- "Idiot." while pouting.

Their insecurity didn't decrease, but it didn't increase either.

As they had their dinner, even with their worries, their minds were at ease becuase they were with the other.

Part Two.

Becuase André and co. didn't know when Marcelline would attack, they were in their guards at all moments. Their watch over André increased while Serena's pouts only augmented. She could barely stand that another member of their group had to be with him at all times.

He throughly inspected whatever he ingested and wherever he placed his feet.

It was nerve wracking to be this alert, and even if he was accustomed to it, even for André this was tiring.

His only role was not only to wait, but to be prepared in case anything happened.

Marcelline Holy, in the past future was known to be a full-fledged professional hitman and spy. It was known that even in his early years she was feared by various organizations.

Thus, if they wanted to catch her they only could wait and counter. She wouldn't spill the soup if they caught her in an early state and even if watched, she would instantly run away.

Based in such suspicions, they all kept their distance from her and focused in guarding André.

On the other hand, Marcelline was getting impatient.

From afar she tracked André and while trying to figure out how to handle her mission without using her last resource, she felt annoyed from the bottom of her heart.

She har alread requested [Babel] the rifle she was going to use against him, but her thoughts wandered a little as she considered that she could use another kind of approach.

But what she found was that the people around him only increased and a sense of uneasy grew in her.

From what she could calculate, everytime she approached, she would be caught before reaching her objective.

Marcelline could not guess at all André's plans, but she felt a strange pressure around him.

After a week of this little game of hunting, Marcelline gave up and decided to snipe André.

That certain day, she deciced to not attend the academy. Her "instruments" had arrived 4 days ago so she was familiar with what kind of rifle she had got.

It was a law enforcement rifle- Heckler and Kosh PSG 1 - A1.

A semi-automatic sniper rifle made for urban areas with an effective range of 700m.

It's not like she absolutely wanted to blow up his head, and with the season's wind it was assured that a girl with half-assed training in sniping like her would fail with a more delicate rifle.

(He's just a frail human so a shot in his torax would be enough...)

Is what she thought while watching the rifle in the case.

She knew, she absolutely knew, that humans were fragile. A single cut could end a life. A single bullet could destroy a person. A single punch was able to erase a man.

She knew how fragile humans were... And that's what drove her too.

Marcelline had been practising how to arm/disarm the rifle, clean it, and shot it. She was not an expert but she noticed odd thinga inside the rifle.

It didn't have any identification numbers, the rifle was light but it somehow resisted impacts that only military sniper rifles could withstand and each time the bullet was shot, it didn't have any blueprint.

She found it weird, but she didn't question things that would only benefit her mission.

"Well then, let's go."

She said and exited the quasi-empty apartment and went to chase her prey.

Marcelline had memorized André's schedule.

Actually, it wasn't that hard. There was a 5 minute difference in each but that was not a problem. André would go out to the academy at 6:00 and arrive at 6:45 on foot. He would not take any detour and only buy a coffee in a street stall.

Then he would walk while talking with his girlfriend, Serena from Class 1-B.

This time, she jumped the school schedule due to her being unable to attack him inside.

After school, he would go straight home, if not to stop for another coffee on the same stall.... And until the next day, zero moves outside his apartment. His place is basiclly a fort as strong as the academy so not long, medium or short approaches would work.

(That place is just insane...) She thought while the first time she tried to get into the apartments she got lost.

It was no joke, everytime she opened a door it would lead her to the exit; even the elevator.

She thought that said place was being controlled by a neurological drug either gas or liquid, and some subtle hypnotic sugggestions that made her lost her way.

She felt shivers just from thinking about such place.

Marcelline didn't know that this was made by [Triania God] who supports André. That's why from thevery beggining, André was not afraid to be attacked inside his own home.

Thus, she walked towards the Academy, more precisely, to the building two streets at its front. She decided to use the time when he was going out the academy gates.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

The sun was at her back, the wind was roaring but it was still not a speed that would hinder her shot and a clear vision of the entrance.

She didn't go to the academy that day in order to shot him at afterschool time. He had club activities with the coordinator teacher of Class-A and would go out until 5:00 pm.

That is a time where less than 25% of the students are inside the facilities and she had a better chance to- shot him without obstacles and avoid a stray shot.

She would kill her target only. It was a rule she herself had made. Witnesses doesn't matter, potential revenge doesn't matter, intereference doesn't matter; she would not kill anyone besides her designated obejctive.

Of course, she wouldn't let herself get seen or hindered by anyone in the first place.

So, Marcelline, in the top of the bulding at 2:30 pm started to wait for André.

She concealed herself with some gray clothing and painting the rifle. She had some water to drink and patiently waited for André to get out.

Better being early than late- That's why she was since an early hour.

Time passed, and as she thought, at 5:30 André together with Serena, Cristoph, Karen and Jyacoba.

She also saw Zarah behind him. It seems their other friends were absent.

"Well then, let's hunt."

She said in a low voice to prepare her mind.

She calculated the wind speed, the magazine and she had already made a test shot with the suppresor equipped.

Fortunately, no one was either behind and in front of him. Serena, his girlfriend, was sticking to him but Jyacoba separated them.

(If I shock him with one shot, then I can set it in semi-autmatic mode to finish the deal...) Thought Marcelline while setting the rifle.

She aimed him while he was away from Serena, and-

*Bang*

A muffled sound came from the rifle as it shot the 7 cm bullet that completely hit it's target.

Marcelline was unable to hear his screams, but she could see the bullet hit him in the abdomen. Then she changed to semi-automatic mode and as she aimed-

(Huh?... Is she looking here? No way!)

Shouted Marcelline in her head as Serena looked her way.

Then, a strange sensation struck her-

Run.

Run as fast as you can.

That's what her instincts told her. She was, for some reason, deeply sweating. But-

She decided to shot once again.

With the semi-automatic mode, she carefuly aimed and-

*Bang-Bang-Bang*

Once again the deaf sounds crossed the busy cityscape.

Part Three.

A few moments ago-

"Serena! You're clinging too much to him!" Shouted Jyacoba with certain displeasure.

"So what?! He's my boyfriend!" Said Serena in a loud voice while André just chuckled. Karen and Cristoph were witnessing the escene with some complex feelings. That's becuase they knew how much Jyacoba yearned for André.

Then Jyacoba jumped towards Serena and forcefully separated her from André.

"What the hell are you doing people?" Then said a monotonous voice behind them. It was Zarah who decided to head out early from the lab.

Then Serena and André furrowed their brows.

"Wait, what was tha-"

*PA!*

Suddenly, just as André was going to ask about a strange sound he noticed, something at high-speed pierced his stomach.

((((SNIPER!))))

Thought Karen, Serena, Jyacoba and Zarah at the same time.

Serena stood in front of André as Karen hurried to his side to examine him.

Olivier, Alanah and co went also on alert when they noticed André had been shot but decided to stay in the margin. They needed to know if anyone was nearby watching them. Also they knew that with the others around, they needed to do nothing.

Serena then activated [Phoenix] and started to search for the culprit. Jyacoba did the same as she activated her [Demon].

"Look, the tall building in front, she's there." Quietly said Serena to Zarah.

"I see her too." Added Jyacoba.

"Alright. I'll go. Jyacoba, tag along." Said Zarah as her [Faux] - [Angel] was activated. Her hair shone in a pale yellow color and with her enhanced speed, ran towards the direction of the sniper.

Just as she gave the first step-

*Bang Bang Bang Bang!!*

Several shots were directed towards André once again.

"Damn!" Shouted Serena as she made a hand-knife and repelled the bullets with all her energy concentrated in defense.

"The Hell?!!"

Screamed Marcelline as she saw how Serena blocked the bullets with her bare hands.

(This is a failure! I need to retreat!) Said Marcelline to herself as her instincts told her to go away.

She quickly took the rifle, saved it in the case and ran towards the elevator behind her.

She quickly pressed the button of the 25th floor, out of 50 and descended.

When she arrived, she quickly went to the stairs and with all her might ran towards the emergency exit.

(Shit! Why am I so frustrated? I need to calm down!) She thought.

Going on a rush would make her look suspicious and even if she saw something inbelievable, and also felt Serena's gaze, it's obvious that no one had seen her.

She just camled her breathing rythm and slowly got out of the bulding.

To meld with the crowd, she decided to get out from the front door.

Just as she planned to get out of the escene-

"You! Marcelline Holy! Don't move!" Shouted a girl with pale blonde hair that seemed to shine-

It was Zarah.

(Wha-?! How did she arrived here? How did she knew I was here?! Wait! She used my real name?!) Questioned Marcelline to herself as she then started to run out of panic towards a nearby alley.

"You won't run away!" Shouted Zarah in an unusual angry tone and chased Marcelline.

Due to her being an [Angel], she possesed superb speed and maneuverability, caught up to her in no time.

"Eh?!"

Stupidly voiced Marcelline as Zarah arrived in front of her in no time.

"You'll come with me, Marcelline Holy." Said Zarah while gripping her shoulder.

"But that's a no!"

Said someone who out of nowhere attacked her with a flying kick. Zrah nimbly avoided the kick but couldn't help to let go of her prisoner.

"Let go of my sister!" Shouted a girl of the same age as Marcelline.

Not only that, it was as if Marcelline had multiplied, except that the girl had short boyish hair.

"A... Twin?" Voiced Zarah.

"Irene?!" Shouted Marcelline in surprise.

"Yes Mar. I've come to save you!" Said the girl named Irene.

"Zarah!" Shouted Jyacoba who had just arrived.

A distance of 500 plus meters was nothing for a [Faux] to sprint so they both arrived to the bulding at the same time Marcelline opened the elevator's door.

So Zarah proposed Jyacoba to head upstairs and in any case she would stay vigilant towards the entrance.

And as a matter of fact, the building had four sets of stairs so Jyacoba took a different one from Marcelline's.

Just after she confirmed no one was upstairs, she went downstairs as fast as she could and found Zarah just in the alley beside.

"You'll now experience a whole new level of hell for trying to kill André!"

Shouted Jyacoba with her rage at its peak while assesing how to move and help to catch the now two suspects.