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A strike in the night

Eagle witnessing first hand a memory from Niles' past, imagining he is Niles himself.

My name is Niles, I've lived with a foster family because my parents were to young for a child and thought I deserved better. I'm a falcon, but I lived with a family of wolves, they raised me to believe that hunting was a way of life, living in a house out in the woods, hunting my own food and cooking it over an open fire. That life style was glorious; tell I moved to the city. I moved when I was 25, looking for a way to get money because the government decided that we all needed to pay them for the "privilege" to live on "their" land. Ridicules, that a hunter living of the land with no income should have to pay a tax so he can continue living the way he always did, of the land.

As I said before, I'm a hunter and I went into the city to look for a way to make money, I was surprised to see that people were indeed looking for hunters, but the prey was new and challenging, the terrain was different, less cover but more high places to ambush from, the money was good so I took any job I could get. A simple man became an assassin almost over night. I traded my old wooden bow for a composite; the simple linen cloth I used to use was replaced with black robes, to conceal myself against the night sky. I would stalk people from rooftops.

Most people would call me some sort of evil person, a psycho with a thirst for blood. They would be wrong. I screen my clients, and their targets. I get close to my victims and make sure they are as bad as my client says they are. And if I should find that my clients are lying to me, deceiving me into thinking they are wrong when they fly as straight as my arrows, then I would consider it a favor to their would be victim to rid the earth of them.

This story is about one client who didn't lie about anything important, they had a reason to want this person dead, but I couldn't. I just couldn't.

***

It was 5:00 am when I got a call from a tiger, a business man who had an offer for me, a job that would be too easy, worth too much, and I couldn't pass it up. So I set up a meeting for him at 12:00am (I like to work during the night). We met shook hands, the usual formalities, then he proceeded to give me all the info.

"I want you to kill my ex wife."

"Who is she and why should I kill her?"

"She is a lynx, she married me under the agreement we had that we would not have a child, she was supposed to be taking 'the pill'. She had lied to me, she's pregnant, so we got a divorce. I thought that would stop her from keeping the child. It hasn't and now she is 6 months pregnant and wants me to pay child support. I have no want or need for a child and I don't have any plans to pay into an investment that won't give me any return. So can you take care of this for me?"

I couldn't believe this, I may be heartless but this was terrible. I had rules and they were there for a reason. This woman had done wrong, but not enough to deserve death, so I would not kill her. Unfortunately I had rules, though they were there for a reason, so could not kill him either. He had told me the truth. I only kill a client if they lie, try to kill me or don't pay me, and if they don't pay me I give them one last chance and inform them the consequences of stiffing me.

"I am sorry but I can't do this job, this woman has done nothing terrible, she is just protecting a child, children are innocent. She deceived you but you paid her back by divorcing her. She is out of your life, all you need to do is tell them what you just told me and you should have no problem avoiding child support. Again I'm sorry but I can't do this job."

"I understand. You have to draw a line somewhere I guess. Maybe I'll try your advice."

He sounded sincere, and he used the words maybe and try, this freed him of having to actually do it, since he said maybe and if he did or didn't try then he still told the truth. But one part of me said 'this man was going to hire me, he could hire someone else' so I used the address he had given me over the phone before, to track down his wife.

***

He again did not lie, she was indeed pregnant. But I needed to check, something didn't add up right, I had this gut feeling. The first thing I was told by my family was that if something doesn't feel right, trust that feeling. It will never lead you astray. So I knocked on the door. I was running on that feeling and it wasn't very clear. She opened the door and I had so many questions and no way to ask them.

"Hi."

I heard that voice before, somewhere.

"Hello, I'm here doing a government survey."

I lied, it was hard, I hated lying, it always ended badly.

"Ok, I didn't know they were doing these in person now. Where are my manners I'm sorry. Please come in."

She led me into her kitchen.

"Ok, first question. Are you or have you ever been married?"

"Yes I was married to a tiger, he was a business man. We have since divorced."

"Have you ever lied to you husband about something very important?"

"Yes, but I don't want to talk about it."

I heard a noise out side.

"Have you ever had a feeling, in the pit of your stomach, like someone somewhere was watching you? Your every movement, and that they might have some big plan for you."

"I don't understand that question."

I saw him out of the corner of my eye; he was holding a pistol of some sort with a silencer. I was a woodsman, I used bows I knew nothing of guns other then the basics. I jumped across the table grabbed the lynx and dived to the floor just in time to save her from the shot. God damn me and my heroics. She screamed loudly and shivered as we hit the ground.

A knife on the counter behind her fell to the floor, probably hit by the bullet, I picked it up and rolled to the right, hiding behind a cupboard. The other assassin was a bear; he pulled another gun out of his waist. I saw him walk up to the woman; his face was covered with grimace. I was an assassin too, I had been hired to kill a woman before but never a pregnant one and I would assume he hadn't ether, they were a rarity, any contract involving a child was hard, I never took one before; plus I would assume by how easily I had seen him he was an amateur. I jumped from behind the table, grabbed his hand, then with the other I removed the gun kicked the other one out of his other hand and held the knife to his throat. He was new so I let him go; I kicked him out through the window he broke in through. He ran away.

"Thanks for taking our survey, nice meeting you."

I knew all I needed to know. I left that place knowing that he hadn't given killing a child a second thought, that heartless bastard was going to not only have her killed but anyone else in his way. I was going to take pleasure in meeting the tiger again, a lot of pleasure.

***

I went back to my place; I got my bow and my robes. I know this wasn't my style, being the hero, but something was different this time. I knew the address well though I hadn't had time to study his patterns; I decided to steak him out and see where he went for a few minutes. I caught him at his computer, checking his mail. I moved to a better position, behind him. His window was open, I drew back the sting and let fly an arrow. It hit him in the hand and stuck into his desk. I launched another arrow and it did the same to his other hand. I flew into his window.

"Why!? Why did you want me to kill that woman and child?"

"That child was mine, I didn't want it, and I hadn't planned on having it. I trusted her! She went around me, and had it! Now she wants me to help her raise it by paying her? Who the hell does she think she is?"

"I told you how to get around it, in the time it took me to get there you had already hired someone else. You didn't give it anymore thought did you? Now tell me why did you really want her dead?"

"I don't want her dead but it's the only way!"

"The only way? What do you mean?"

"That woman is my wife, but that child is not my child."

"And of all the things you could lie about, it was something trivial and stupid like that. Why the hell did you feel you needed to lie about that?"

"I'm rich, I'm smart and I'm cultured but the one thing I could never do was please my wife, she cheated on me and got pregnant. I didn't think it was important and I didn't want to seem like I was as much of an idiot as I was. I thought I could avoid the humiliation."

"So you wanted me to kill her so that the child would die, the child wasn't collateral damage, your wife was."

"Yes! Yes..."

"Dishonesty almost cost you your life. Never lie to me again, or you will die. And give me my arrows back."

I yanked the arrows from the desk and pulled them out of his hands. He yelled in pain. I put them back in my quiver and jump out the window. I know the bear did not have a cell phone; I had searched him for any other weapons during the fight. So I went back to the house where the lynx was located.

***

I arrived at her house. I don't know why; there was no way she would stay there after what happened. I went inside to look for any indication of where she went. I found a list of names and phone numbers; I still didn't know her name so I had no way of knowing who her family and who her friends. So I got a phone book and check the numbers for addresses, I wrote them down and decided to check up on them to see if she went to one.

At the third place I went I saw a male lynx, he looked a lot like her so I stayed a while longer then normal to see if she was there, he looked like a family member. After about an hour I saw the woman I was looking for show up at his door. I was happy I had waited. I left my perch to go to his door after she entered. I knocked on the door and the male answered, I was still wearing my robe and quiver my bow swung over my shoulder in a similar fashion. He looked very puzzled.

"There is a woman here. Her life may be in danger."

"Who are you?"

"A...friend."

The look he gave me was one of questions and I had no answers to give him. Not yet.

"Well if you're a friend of Kiren then your welcome here anytime."

"Thank you."

I entered the house; I couldn't get that name out of my head. I heard it before somewhere. When I entered the room that Kiren was in she turned to look at me. The look on her face was hard to describe. It was full of questions, but also shock; at the same time it was happy and afraid.

"I guess by now you know I don't work for the government."

"Who are you and what do you really do?"

"My name is Niles, I'm a professional assassin."

"And are you here to..."

"No, I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen."

The male voice came from behind.

"And why should we believe you."

I turned around to see him holding a long sword to my neck.

"Am I going to assume you don't trust me then?"

"You could say that."

"Why is that?"

"The first thing you said to me was a lie."

"What makes you think I lied?"

"You said you where her friend, to get into my house, she didn't even know your name."

"I'm the one who saved her. And in my books saving someone's life makes you a friend."

He lowered the sword and walked away, but he never really turned his back to me. I turned my attention again to Kiren.

"So, who was that?"

"My brother, he doesn't trust quickly so don't mind him."

"He is wise not to."

"I don't think so, it keeps him bottled in his house, he has never had a relationship. I think it's tearing him apart, turning him into a mad man."

"It keeps him safe. It kept you safe. That untrusting feeling made me question your ex husband and it put me at your house when that other assassin came to kill you."

"That may be good for someone in your position, in your profession. But for a normal man it can only lead to pain."

"It may require some sacrifices but it is a safer life style."

Her brother returned.

"Kiren we have to move."

"Why?"

"He found us; he wasn't even being paid to find you. If he found us with such ease then anyone else could show up at any time."

"Your brother is right. We should leave now."

"Hold on here. We?"

"Listen to me, I have more experience with hired assassins then both of you combined, I know where they will look, when they will strike and how they will do it."

"So that entitles you to come babysit?"

"I'm coming whether you like it or not. Because you need me and I have unanswered questions."

The male made a face that conveyed his disappointment

"Well if your coming we might as well know each others names. My name is Tom."

He held out his hand and I shook it

"Niles. Well let's get going I have a place we can stay. It's a safe house I have for when I need to let the heat blow over."

"Where is it?"

"Deep in the woods."

"You do realize we are about to hide a pregnant woman in the woods, possibly miles away from any food."

"One thing you must learn about the wilderness is that food is everywhere. You need only find it."

I lead them into the woods where the safe house was, I made sure we weren't followed and I covered our tracks. The safe house wasn't actually a house it was a shelter built in the ground held up by rocks and sticks and made water proof with leaves and mud. But it was large and secure.

"Stay here. I will be back with dinner."

I left and looked for a deer or some rabbits. I found a deer and got it with one shot right in the spine. I dragged it back to the hut. The look on their faces when I brought them a fresh kill was surprising, considering they were lynxes. Kiren spoke first.

"Are we cooking it over a fire?"

"No, the smoke would alert others of our presence. Besides its better fresh and uncooked."

I know that some people have assimilated them selves with the humans over time but most of them find raw meat a little more enticing after they have a bite; so I tore a piece of and gave it to Kiren.

"Eat up, you need your strength."

She looked somewhat disgusted but after the first bite, as always, her instinct told her it was right. As she ate the hunger overwhelming her brother took hold and he started to eat some. I wasn't hungry and I needed to do more investigating anyway so with a wave of my hand I left.

***

I did not go to the city my investigation was one of myself. I needed info from my family so I left to a remote part of the woods and found them hunting together. They were stalking a heard of deer, I was the only one in the family able to shoot a bow, and if they wanted a large catch they needed an archer. I pulled three arrows from my quiver, they still did not know I was there. I let them fly and before the deer had time to turn and look I was drawing another arrow. All three arrows hit a deer each and 4 more ran I shot one more leaving 4 dead. Quite a large catch for the family. I saw my father look up at me. A timber wolf.

"As I live and breathe, Niles. What in the name of all that is worldly have you been doing all this time?"

"Hunting a more elusive prey."

"Well what brings you back to this place."

"Questions."

The look on his face changed from one of happiness to one of grimace.

"About your real parents?"

"No. I need you to tell me; who is Kiren?"

"Kiren?"

His eyes where searching me for the answer to my own question. His face suddenly gained a shocked look like he just found a lost heirloom.

"Kiren! Don't you remember? We were hunting in the mountains and on our way back we came across a family of lynx, they were all skinny and shaking, your mother offered them one of the mountain goats we killed and the mother of the two lynxes cried in her arms, thanking her. The father was dead and all that was left was the mother and two children. One was a boy and he was shy, the mother had to tell us his name, I think it was Tom. The girl walked right up to you and gave you a big hug and thanked us, all she kissed you on the cheek and told you her name. It was Kiren! That's where that name is from. But I don't understand how did you find them?"

"It's a long story, I can't get into details here but all I can say is I found Kiren. I felt a connection to her and I couldn't remember what, I feared it would interfere with my ability to perform. My mind is clear I thank you."

"Please, you just gave us food for the next 2 days, it is I who must thank you."

We hugged for the first time in years. I turned and gave mom, also a timber wolf, a kiss then I left.

***

I returned to the burrow, I was shocked. Kiren and Tom were gone they had vanished. All that was within the burrow was a puddle of some watery fluid. I could not place it so I decided to see if they had left a trail. They would need me for protection.

I found their trail, it was easy to find. After only a few minutes I could hear Kiren and she was screaming and moaning in pain. I could hear Tom trying to calm her and tell her it was ok. What was happening?

"We're almost there Kiren; come on you can make it."

I caught up to them and I could see Tom half carrying Kiren. One of her arms was on his shoulder, his arm was on her waist and they were walking quite fast. Kiren was holding her stomach.

"What the hell is going on?"

"It's Kiren, a wild bear in the woods growled and she thought it was the one that came after her. She went into a panic attack, she started to tremble and shake, and then her water broke. She's almost 2 months early. We need to get to the hospital now!"

"I can help her, I may not be a doctor but I can do enough. Part of being an assassin means I had to be able to treat my own wounds."

"I don't care what you are, what you can do or who taught you. If your not an MD your not going anywhere near her."

He gave me a vicious look, it felt like a knife going into my chest, A feeling I had felt many a time. He continued walking with her, he hit the road and a car was going down the road. He waved it down and the car pulled over. The door opened and a human came out. Tom spoke first.

"Can you help us, my sister is in labor, and we need to get to the hospital."

"I'm a paramedic; I'm on my way to work right now hop in."

"Thank you."

He opened the door to the back seat, Tom and Kiren got in I got in the front and the human jumped in the driver seat. He drove with skill, he must have been used to speeding in his ambulance. We arrived at the hospital with surprising speed. I was there to protect them, that was my moral obligation, but there was no way I was over seeing the little escapade that was going on in that room.

I decided to go check up on something. Another question I had I knew that my family could not answer. I went to the government building of our city. They had records of everything there, including but not limited to unsolved murders.

When I talked to the receptionist I asked for any records involving the death of a male lynx, where the killer was believed to be a hired assassin. I always trusted my gut and it was telling me something I didn't want to hear.

She came back and told me there was only one file, then she handed it to me.

"You can keep those, it's a copy."

I thanked her and looked into the file. It was a male who looked very similar to Tom, possibly his father. After some reading I had what I needed. It was indeed Tom's father, I know this because he looked just like him, and the file said that the murder was witnessed by the son. He was killed with a knife, it was lodged in the base of his neck. The male lynx carried a knife, it was found in his hands, it explained why Tom carried a sword, very hard to stab someone with a knife when they have a sword the size of your arm. It also explained why he was so cautious, and why he didn't trust me even after I saved his sister.

I returned to the hospital. I saw Tom holding Kiren in an embrace, he looked grim and she was crying into his shoulder. When I turned to the doctor he gave me a solemn look. I didn't want to believe what was happening. I had to be sure, I asked the doctor.

"Is the baby ok?"

"It's alive but it doesn't look good."

"Damn."

I turned to Kiren.

"Kiren, I'm sorry. Tom, I know you will never trust me but please, protect your sister, she means more to me then you think. And by the way, I may not have known you for very long, but you never treated me like this before. What happened to the shy child that was cautious, but respectful of other people?"

I could leave safely now because her husband was after the baby, if it was born and they knew he was after it they could run, he did not know where they were. But just to make sure that he wasn't going to make another attempt, I was going to check up on him.

***

I knew that the guards would know who I was, I knew I wouldn't be able to get close to him; lastly I knew that I wouldn't catch him next to an open window. So I abandoned all plans of remaining undetected. I was going to make sure that he wasn't going to hurt that child. I had done nothing right in my life and I was going to make a positive change in the world. I snuck into the ground the same way as last time, this time he was at his desk but it was moved so that it faced the window. I could see that the window was close but I didn't care. I drew back my bow, in it I had an arrow that had a rock tied to the arrow head. I let it fly and I was in hot pursuit behind it. It broke the window, and I came in through it with out a scratch. I grabbed an arrow from my quiver, I had dropped my bow, I broke the arrow in half dropped the part of the arrow with the feather and took the part with the head of it in my hand. I jumped and landed on top of him, I raised the arrow with out giving him time to scream, I rammed it into his throat. I was going to protect that child. He was a threat and I couldn't let him live. I jumped through the window and was gone in a flash. A swift strike in the night. I had to run, I was no good dead, I had much left to do. I guess I had never thought of the other career option. Body guards where becoming big. Maybe it wasn't too late to make a shift in my lifestyle. But before I left I had to say good bye to a friend.

***

I went back to the hospital, Kiren was still there, she looked more stable now. Tom was next to her, they were not holding each other anymore. I walked up to them.

"You have no more worries. I took care of your problems. You are safe."

Tom looked confused but Kiren knew well what I was talking about.

"I'm leaving now, you may find me, but you might not. I am making a change in career. Live well and be safe."

With that I gave Kiren a hug and left.

Her child was a girl, they named her Sasha, a nice name. Here father, as it turns out, was Tom. Tom looked a lot like Kiren, but they were not brother and sister. Kiren was adopted by Tom's mother and father. I know this because I was hired to protect there daughter; years ago. Now I live with her and her two roommates, Sarah and Rebecca.