The Assassin's vow

CHAPTER

Jonas Vale wasn't his real name.

His real name had been buried the moment he accepted the assignment buried along with the last man who tried to walk away from the Circle.

Now he was seventeen, enrolled at Vanguard Academy, with forged documents and a quiet smile.

On paper, he was perfect. Mid-tier grades. No social media. Parents allegedly diplomats stationed in Brussels.

In reality? He was a Sweeper-in-training.

And his orders were simple:

Locate Iris Dax and Ava Monroe.

Observe.

Report.

Kill, if necessary.

He sat in the back of Advanced Political Theory, pen tapping lightly against his notebook as Ava entered the room.

She didn't notice him.

But Iris did.

Her eyes narrowed, just slightly.

He smiled, just slightly.

And the game began.

Cafeteria – Noon

Jonas picked at a sandwich he didn't intend to eat.

He watched as Ava and Iris took their usual table near the window. Alone. Always.

They whispered.

Iris looked over her shoulder twice.

Jonas made a note.

"Aware. Paranoid. Still learning."

He wasn't here to make friends. But blending in meant playing the part.

So when Melanie Morton approached him, tray in hand, he didn't flinch.

"New kid," she said. "Sit with me."

He did.

"Jonas Vale," she read from her tablet. "You don't exist before two months ago."

He met her eyes. "Neither do you, anymore."

That earned him a smile.

Clock Tower – Midnight

Ava adjusted the scope of the miniature drone hovering just above the east dorm.

"He's not like the others," she said.

"Because he's not," Iris muttered. "He moves like I do. You notice that?"

"Yeah."

"And he doesn't blink when he lies."

"So he's one of them."

Ava's jaw clenched. "He's a sweeper."

Iris was already pulling out a blade. "Want me to end him?"

"Not yet," Ava said. "Let's see what he wants."

Jonas's Private Log (Encrypted)

Target Monroe: Cautious. Intelligent. Dangerous.

Target Dax: Volatile. Instinctive. Equally dangerous.

Observation: They suspect infiltration. Engaging proximity strategy via Morton. Risk factor rising.

Recommendation: Expedite Clean Slate.

By morning, Jonas found a note slipped under his dorm door.

It read:

You blinked.

– I

And for the first time in years, Jonas Vale didn't feel like the hunter.

He felt hunted.