Chapter 1 The Broken Contract

Jason Bowen, a name carved in shadows and whispered through the corridors of power. His life began in innocence, but fate had other plans. At the tender age of four, he was snatched from his parents’ embrace, torn from the warmth of their love, and thrust into a world of confusion. The Assassins’ Guild, shrouded in secrecy, became his home. Jason’s days were a relentless cycle of combat drills and stealth exercises. His trainers molded him into a weapon, a blade meant to kill.

His memories of his parents faded like smoke, replaced by the scent of gunpowder and the sound of yelled orders. He learned to move silently, to blend into the

shadows, and to destroy life without hesitation. The assassin’s creed became his life “At night, we thrive. In silence, we strike. ”As the years crawled by, Jason’s innocence crumbled. His heart calcified, and he embraced the life chosen for him. At thirteen, he stood before the Guild’s council, his brown eyes betraying nothing when they assigned him his first mission, a test of his mettle, a rite of passage into the ranks of a true assassin. The trees in the forest whipped about and Jason Bowen’s boots sank into the damp forest floor, each step echoing the beat of his heart. At seventeen, he was a small shadow in the world of secret operations, yet here he was, closing in a gap between

himself and Katie Hawkins, a woman who defied all odds. Katie wasn't just a target she was once one of them. Her eyes showed the weight of the truth. Jason’s training screamed at him to act. But this mission was no ordinary assignment. Katie was a mirror, reflecting the fractured shards of his soul the innocence he had lost, the choices he had made.

He lunged, brute strength fueling his movements. Their bodies collided, and for a moment, he felt the warmth of her breath against his skin. But Katie was no fragile flower. She kicked him off effortlessly, and before he could regain his bearings, her leg was over his neck, cutting off his air supply. Panic clawed at his throat,

he struggled, his vision narrowing to a tunnel.

But he was strong almost effortlessly he surged upward, lifting her small form, and threw her into the air. Katie landed with feline grace, retrieving a knife from her boot. The blade glinted its edge promising pain. Jason’s knee exploded in agony as the knife found its mark. He staggered, but adrenaline surged through his veins. Katie lunged again, her leg wrapping around his neck, squeezing the life out of him.

He fought back, pinning her to the ground. Her gasps matched his own, and their struggle became a desperate dance. But then she spoke, her voice strained, revealing the truth. “They’re making us kill

innocent people,” Katie rasped. “That’s why they keep us in the dark.”

Jason hesitated, the forest holding its breath. Why were they doing this? The question echoed in his mind, reverberating through the tangled branches. Katie’s plea reached him, raw and urgent. “We can break free,” she implored. “Leave it all behind. Find a different purpose.”

His grip slackened, and Katie pushed him away. They both scrambled to their feet, chests heaving. The forest seemed to pulse with anticipation, waiting for their decision. Katie’s eyes bore into his, searching for a spark of understanding. “Come with me,” she said, her voice a fragile thread. “We can disappear into these woods, away

from the bloodshed. Find a different path.”

Jason knew the risks the hunters who would track them down, the life he would leave behind. But the chance for a fresh start beckoned like a distant star. Still, he couldn’t fully trust this suspicious woman but he knew what he had to do. Jason used his knife to cut a part of his sleeve off and wrapped it around his leg.

He took a deep breath and said I'll come with you.

                Chapter 2 A Cautious Journey

Jason looked at Katie as if she was about to jump on him. He didn't trust her, not one bit. After walking in the forest for an hour or two Jason said we can make camp here. Katie looked at him and said you know we never really have been properly introduced. I'm Katie Hawkins. Jason looked at Katie with suspicion, I'm... Jacob Bowen. I'll get some firewood, he said and went farther into the forest. As he was collecting firewood he heard a strange sound but he knew that there would be a good bit of people in the forest and headed back toward camp. He heard a loud gunshot he looked around and saw a man with a gun aiming at Katie look out! As soon as he yelled

the man's sight changed in an instant and Jason felt a sharp pain and he shot several times hitting the man each time he shot. He stumbled and looked down to see his leg gushing thick dark blood. Katie ran to him, she knew that he had been shot and already had gauze in her hand, once she reached Jason he looked white from losing blood, he had tied a piece of fabric from something around his wound and stopped a good bit of the bleeding, but not all of it, she thought. She leaned down to help him, but he hesitated and moved away, Katie looked at him in his eyes and he stopped moving and let her bandage it. It hurt bitterly, but Jason made no sign of being in pain, once she finished he nodded at her and limped off into the woods.

Katie knew that Jason was having a hard time trusting her but the truth was so was she even though she acted like she didn't care she was just waiting for him to change his mind, but she was hoping that he would trust her a little after this. She looked at him and said I think it won't get infected unless you get it dirty. Thank you, he said I won't forget this. Katie smiled at him and put down some green leaves for them to sleep on. Jason dragged himself to the pile of leaves and laid down. We need to keep moving tomorrow said Jason they'll wonder why that man hasn't reported to them and send someone to find him. Katie sighed and said I don't think you'll be able to move yet. I can if I have to, he said I just need

something to lean against. I'll find you one she said, Jason watched her leave with curiosity wondering if he really could trust her.  After a couple of minutes, Katie came back with a long smooth branch. I think I can make this into a walking stick for you. Thanks, he said stifly. Katie looked at him and said I guess we could move a little farther south and then rest until you can walk by yourself. Katie knew that the gun wound was serious and if he let it open back up it could be lethal.

 A new day dawned, Katie could tell that Jason hardly slept that night, you ready to go she said to Jason yeah he said clutching the stick he stood up. Katie grabbed the things she had brought and covered what used to be their fire with leaves and they set off deeper into the forest. Katie noticed that Jason was lagging and slowed down for him to catch up. After a couple of hours, they heard a branch crack, Jason using the hand not clutching his stick grabbed his handgun ready to shoot at any sight of danger. Katie was watching everything that moved. I don't think it was a person said Katie, Jason eased up a little but he remained watchful until they reached a nice patch of green grass in the forest, Katie leaned against a

old tree and set down her bag. Jason was leaning against another tree, he looked tired. Why don't you go and rest said Katie I don't know said Jason, what if someone comes while I'm asleep? It'll be fine she said, just go and rest.

It had been several hours since Jason went to rest and she had decided to set up two tents she found a bunch of long sticks wound them together with some string and set them on the ground then she put some leaves over the top and sides. After that, she put her bag into her tent and sat down. 

Jason had just woken up and saw Katie sitting in her

tent she had already made a fire and must have found a stream because, by the look of it, she had fresh water in a small bottle that she had brought. Jason had wandered off to find more fire wood when he saw a shiny glint, (something you wouldn't see in the woods) Jason quickly dropped to the ground and saw the all too familiar green camouflage shirt that he had always worn, almost at soon as he saw him a bullet whizzed by him, Jason saw where the bullet had come from and shot, as quick at the bullet had come. He heard a grunt and Jason stood up he walked over to where he had heard it and took the gun from the now still man. Katie must have heard the shots and she came running out of some brush, "I'm okay," said Jason standing back up.

"I think I should move the body said Jason," "Someone is sure to come looking for him." "You can't, said Katie you still need the stick to walk. Well, you can't," said Jason, "you probably can't lift him." Katie looked at Jason and smiled, "I'm sure I can drag him." Jason tilted his head sideways and smiled, "Okay fine whatever you want to do." Katie got right to it and left while Jason stood there thinking. It had been a couple of days since Jason had gotten shot and he was looking a lot better he had gone to get more firewood and Katie was trying to find something to eat she went in the same direction as Jason and watched him walk around. "Do you think you can walk without the stick," she asked.

 I don't know he said I can try he set the stick down and started to walk in her direction. Katie smiled, but then she saw a stick, she knew Jason couldn't step over it, she said stepping forward, but it was too late Jason fell into her she tried to hold onto him so he wouldn't fall and their lips met in a stolen kiss.

       Chapter 3 Shadows Of The Past

It was the next morning and Jason had just woken up and stepped out of his tent he tried to act like he didn't care about what had happened the day before but no matter what he did to hide it he knew the truth, he was falling in love, with Katie Hawkins a runaway from his guild, and he was now a runaway with her. Jason looked around and saw Katie collecting some firewood. Jason thought of her green eyes and dark brown hair flowing in the breeze.

 Katie had woken up early and saw the fire dying down so she went to collect some more firewood.

She went not far from their camp just far enough where she could still see the tent entrance she quickly collected an arm of wood and was about to come back to their camp when she saw Jason come out of his tent, her mind rushed back to him tripping and their lips touching for a moment, she thought of Jason's black hair (that needed a trim) and his brown eyes that reflected the sunlight. Then she knew that she had fallen in love with the assassin who had joined her they didn't know each other much but Katie knew that she couldn't tell him if he didn't feel the same way. After a couple of minutes she came out of the brush, Jason was standing there. How are you doing without your stick? I think I'm 

just as good as new he said smiling. Are you feeling up to walking today and seeing the forest? Yeah, I think that's a good idea. Jason went into his tent and grabbed his handgun. After they had been walking for a couple of hours they turned around and started walking back and all of a sudden Jason said, so what made you want to leave the guild? Well, she started her story, I had a friend in the guild which you know we're not allowed to do, but I was so lonely in the guild, and when I met Thomas I could talk to him and he helped me through the hardest part of my training, then all the sudden he didn't come to our meeting spot and I was scared something had happened to him so I snuck into one of the file rooms

and searched for his file after a couple of minutes I found it, he had been killed in a mission I knew something was off he was such a good fighter so I kept looking and I found a file that another man was supposed to have helped him but they never showed up and he died so I looked in the file of the man that never showed up and it turns out he was terminated, the man in charge had him killed because he had spared someone that he knew was innocent and they found out. I'm so sorry I know what that's like, said Jason I had a friend once too his name was John, and he helped me with some of my training. When I was old enough, I had my first mission and after that, John wanted to come 

with me to help with them. He changed a couple of files once to let him be able to come with me and one of the times he came with me we had at least three targets and he took one since it was my mission I took the other two after it was over I heard a gunshot I ran to look for John and there he was laying on the ground with a bullet in his head, as soon as I got back to base I reported it and they got his body and buried him, but I knew we had terminated all of our targets so I asked for his file and they denied me, so I broke in. When I found his file it said terminated, they had killed him. That same day John told me that he had to tell me something but I told him that I had a mission.

 Jason took a deep breath and said, I guess they figured out that he was with me and sent someone to kill him, but I didn't believe that they would do something like that so I just pushed it aside and blamed who they told me to blame. Katie looked at Jason and said I'm sorry. Katie could see the tears in his eyes, he took a deep breath and said I had just turned 13 when I had my first mission and I was only 4 when they started training me, my whole childhood was snatched away from me. Katie looked at the ground and said, I guess things like this happen. Jason looked at her and said I guess so but it shouldn't. Katie slowed down and watched Jason walk toward camp he was still limping a little but he was

doing much better. Katie caught up to Jason and said I think in another day or two you'll be fully healed. Jason said thanks for helping me. Katie smiled and said no problem, you'll just have to help me now she turned around and saw Jason smiling looking at her but as soon as she turned around he walked away.

                     Chapter 4 Veil Of Shadows

Katie woke up and saw Jason sitting on a broken-down tree she came up to him and he said I think we need to make ourselves look a little different. Ok, said Katie I think that's a good idea. Katie grabbed her knife from inside her tent and stood behind Jason, she ran her hand through his hair, and Jason turned around and smiled at her. Katie used the knife and slowly cut his hair once she was done with his hair Jason got up and Katie sat down Jason put his hand on her neck and carefully started to cut her hair Katie turned around and put her hand on Jason's, she smiled as she looked at him, Jason set down the knife leaned forward, and kissed her.

Katie stood, up looked at him, and said how are we going to make this work? There are assassins out to get us, we don't have any more food and we have to go into some sort of town or city to get food we might as well stay there. I don't know, said Jason we could but if someone finds we'd be staying in different apartments and come for us I wouldn't be able to protect you. I wouldn't need you to protect me, said Katie. I guess you put up a good fight with me said Jason, but what if someone comes that doesn't care, and... and, you know. Then I know you'll come and help me she said.

                                 The End