Something was wrong. I sensed it as soon as I saw the bodies of C102 and C103 lying dead at my feet, the mother still clutching the child protectively to her chest. It was not that I had killed them; no, H.I.D.E had ordered their extermination, and so their death was inevitable.
I turn to walk out the door, past the spot where C102 had grabbed the dazed kid in an attempt to flee, past the hallway where she had finally turned to me, pleading for C103 to be spared, and past the corner where, after murmuring soothing words to her girl, she stared me in the eye as a last act of defiance before I terminated her.
I leave no evidence behind - H.I.D.E had thoroughly prepared me in the art of erasing my tracks - and I make sure nobody spots me as I depart from C102's modest house on the fringes of San Francisco. But still I feel oddly unsettled as I retreat into the growing light of dawn, as if I had left a piece of me behind.
With a jolt, realization dawns upon me - for the first time, as I watched my victims collapse from the killing beam of my ray gun, I had felt nothing. No guilt, no sympathy, no remorse. Just a simple sense of duty, as if I was completing an unpleasant chore. Had I lost my humanity? Revulsion floods through me and I search my conscience, trying to drag out those feelings of shame that I hoped, knew, were there. H.I.D.E robbed me of the things I held dear; I refused to let them take away the little I had left. In my moment of panic and distress, the awful memories from two years ago come flowing back.
Chapter Two: Recollections
"You have completed your Transanimate training. From now on, you will be Number Six. You have the honor and privilege of serving H.I.D.E."
Yeah, right. As if I had a choice.
"Remember, you are part of the noble sacrifice to keep peace and stability in this nation. You are to uphold H.I.D.E's mission to eliminate those that threaten the government and the public."
I stared blankly at the two-way mirror, determined not to let the H.I.D.E agents behind it know how upset I was. I see a dark-haired, cool-faced girl stare back at me, which contradicts the turmoil of emotions I feel roiling in my gut.
"Before you are a full-fledged B.E.A.S.T like the others, however, you must successfully complete a real assignment."
I hated them then. Hated them for taking away my freedom. Hated them for making it impossible for me to ever rejoin the rest of society. Hated them for threatening the lives of the people I love if I did not follow my orders. But most of all, I hated, despised, loathed them for altering my body and making me the way I am without my consent. It is because of them that I carry the traits of a hawk; from my grafted-on wings to my unusually large heart and lungs and my two sharp, yellow eyes.
A screen flickers to life in front of me. I see the picture of a man in his 40's and a map with an address.
"You will exterminate Criminal 57. Leave no evidence relating to H.I.D.E behind. If anyone happens to see you, you will kill them without hesitation or mercy. Do this within 48 hours, then report back here. Is that understood?"
"... yes."
It was the only thing I could say.
I'm circling comfortably a mile and a half above C57's apartment, my sleek, jet black wings spread wide to ride the warm thermal drafts. At this height, I would appear as a small speck to humans on the ground. To be safe, though, I've kept the sun at my back, which gives me added protection against being spotted. My enhanced eyes, on the other hand, allows me to perceive even the smallest details of C57's face as he leaves his home and walks confidently to a nearby bus stop.
I can't kill him now. Even with my incredibly accurate ray gun, I would have to descend to an altitude where I'm bound to be spotted by an bystander. Instead, I wait till dusk before alighting in front of his residence, making sure to keep my wings and knife hidden in my oversized jacket. In this darkness, the blast from my gun would attract too much attention. Within minutes, my eyes catch C57's movement in the distance. I recognize his bearded face and see the rapid rise and fall of his chest as he hurries home through the secluded streets. I step out of the shadows as my victim approaches, and he slows down as he spots me. I see the exact moment his pupils dilate in fear as he sees my altered, golden eyes, but there's a trace of recognition and understanding as well.
He knew H.I.D.E was coming for him, I realize.
I give him no time to react as I dart towards him, my knife aimed for the pulsing bump of the carotid artery on his throat. Within moments, he's twitching on the ground, terror and pain evident in his eyes as the lifeblood flows out of him.
"I'm sorry", I whisper. Only the weak regret actions they must take. I am the weakest of them all.
But I'm truly sorry. My excruciatingly acute vision shows me all too clearly the bubbling of blood in his throat, the jagged edges of the wound I'd inflicted, the tiny convulsions that shake him as his body clings vainly to life. Then, C57's gone, and I watch a thin film fog his horror-stricken eyes.
Guilt and nausea floods through me and I take to the skies, eager to leave the gruesome scene behind me and knowing I would probably throw up if I stayed any longer. HIDE never discloses their victim's name or background, and now I am grateful for that lack of information. It detaches me from my deed, and for a few precious moments I am able to convince myself that I'd done the world a favor by eradicating a criminal.
I'm about 800 feet in the air when a piercing scream echoes through the night.
Against my better judgement, I glance back. I see a woman and two children huddled by the dead man's body. Their faces are contorted in anger, fear and sorrow. And tears. I will never forget the way their tears fell, sparking like a diamond in the air and, moments later, breaking on the cold pavement below, scattering tiny droplets of light. I beat my wings harder. It was him or my family. The choice should be easy. And once again, I felt that bitter hatred towards H.I.D.E.
Somehow, I report back to H.I.D.E's headquarters before realizing that it was my 15th birthday.