have duties. I don’t know why you’re so worried. Isn’t this a good thing?”
“A good thing?”
He followed me out into the main outdoor courtyard and we sat down on the porch to put on our shoes. Shoes were never allowed in the Sanctuary. I liked it. Reminded me of home. Few things were good about my childhood, but the sense of cleanliness and order…now, that was something I missed. “Yes. A good thing. I’m tired, Adrian. I haven’t had a day off since…I don’t even remember.”
The night was quiet, peaceful even, with the occasional plop as a koi fish jumped out of the large pond to snap at a passing bug and I leaned back on my hands, staring up at the endlessly starry sky. “This is good for me. I’m sure you’d agree.”
“Well…” He stood up, hands stuck deep into his pocket, and stood in front of me. The shadows made it impossible to see into his handsome, even-featured face. “I guess that’s true. I could do with a vacation.”
I did not feel an iota of guilt prick my conscience as I took his proffered hand and let him pull me to my feet. “You talk about Miami all the time. You should take this opportunity to go there. Get some sun. You’ve been looking rather pale, recently.”
“I’m always pale,” he said, laughing under his breath. “All right, you got me, Ran.”
The two guardsmen shuffled to attention as we came to the two large wooden doors serving as the entrance and exit of the Sanctuary. “You don’t believe me.”
“Of course I don’t,” he said as we walked out and the doors closed to a subtle grind behind us. I heard rumors the doors were at least five hundred pounds each and they required a certain skill set to open and close. The Sanctuary is just what it is, a sanctuary and there are many who seek to broach its walls.
Adrian’s car was parked at the curb and he leaned against the hood, arms crossed. “You don’t want to tell me. I get it. That’s okay. Not like I’m your brother or anything. I’m just your handler. I know you get side jobs sometimes, things I have no business knowing.”
I wanted to say something, anything to assuage him, but he held up a hand, effectively shutting me up. “Like I said. That’s okay. And guess what? I don’t even want to know. Might keep me from enjoying myself in Miami. Don’t tell me a damn thing, okay?”
I nodded. What could I say?
He grinned and walked to the driver’s side, keys in hand. “Ran?”
“Yes?”
“You’ll let me know if someone happens?”
I shifted the sword on my back and smiled. “Of course, Adrian.”
He made as if to get in and then paused, head sticking over the car. “That’s a promise?”
My smile did not flag.
“Promise.”
***
By the time I got home, I already had a message on my answering machine, the red light blinking in time to the swinging of an eclectic cat’s mechanical tail. I found the clock at a flea market and happily plunked down thirty dollars for it.
Mika meowed loudly as I set down my keys and she jumped on the sofa armrest, letting me run my fingers over her head before she gave my thumb a somewhat friendly nibble. At least she didn’t draw blood this time.
I pressed the button, if only to get the red light to stop and walked about the small apartment, turning on all the lights, even though the sun would rise in less than an hour. They say it is always darkest before sunrise and they’re right.
“It’s Chang. Your entrance has been decided. At ten tonight, you will meet someone in front of the Fourth Street station. They will be wearing a green sweater and will ask you about the weather. When you reply that you wish you were in California, your mark will lead you to the current residence of Noir. He will create a disturbance and you are to eliminate him. How you go about after that is entirely your decision. You will send me a progress report every week on Fridays. Rest well, Hwang.”
The machine beeped, but at least the red light wasn’t flashing anymore.
Tonight. At ten. A little less than seventeen hours away.
I fell into bed soon afterward, the lights still on.
Elder Chang asked me if I feared anything.
I lied.
I feared darkness.
2
The mark was there, like Elder Chang said.
Tall and skinny, hands jammed deep into torn jeans, wearing a green Element sweatshirt