Deadly Like a Fox (Reboot)

Ch. 2: The Proposal

The next morning, I was sitting on a bench at the subway platform, the exact one the letter had specified. As people boarded and exited the trains that passed by, I started to get kind of impatient. I must have been there for close to two hours before I suddenly saw a leopard woman standing in front of me. She was dressed in a black business suit and skirt, with high heels on her feet and thin-rimmed glasses.

"Rane?" She asked with an African accent. I nodded. "I apologize for taking so long, but we wanted to make sure nobody had followed you. Come with me, please." We boarded a subway car which was strangely devoid of other passengers. It was only now I noticed that she was carrying a briefcase, which she opened as she sat down, and motioned for me to do the same.

Inside the case were some documents and photographs. She showed me the pictures and I gasped when I saw that they were crime scene photos of my dad's body being dredged out of the river by police. "Not bad for a beginner." She said. I started to lie, but she cut me off "Don't deny it, we know it was you. Don't worry, I assure you this is not an attempt to blackmail you. Actually, it's more of a job offer."

"Job offer?" I asked, confused. "Oh yes, my employer is most interested in having you join our rather... unique organization." "Just who is your employer?" I asked hesitantly. "You'll find out soon enough. Let's just say that we see great potential in you, and sincerely hope you'll accept our most generous offer." It was then I noticed that the train had stopped, and I was lead not to another subway platform, but what looked to be a foyer of some sort with an series of elevators linng the walls. "Where are we?" I asked. "IAL Headquarters. Well, one of them, anyway."

"IAL?"

"That's our organization's initials. If you'll come with me, I'll take you to the boss." We stepped on an elevator, and rather than going up like I had expected, we went down, deep below the city until the elevator shaft became transparent glass and I saw an enormous room with dozens of TV monitors on the walls, all set to different news channels around the world as well as hundreds of people at desks on computers lining the floor. When we reached the bottom, I was lead to a mahogany door with a gold plaque that read "Director". Inside the office was a Siberian tiger man in a dark suit and red tie, smoking a cigar. He sat behind a large, polished wood desk, and the entire wall behind him was a giant TV screen.

"Sir, I've brought the new recruit as you ordered." The leopard said. "Thank you, Ms. Zeena. You may leave us now." Zeena left the room, and the tiger motioned for me to have a seat. I sat on a chair in front of his desk, and he said "Ms. Rane, is it? " I nodded. "As I'm sure Ms.Zeena has informed you, we know all about your little secret, so to speak. We also know that the victim happened to be your abusive adoptive father."

"Exactly how do you know all this?" I asked, and he chuckled. "You'll find that we know a great many things, and have eyes and ears practically everywhere. Tell me, Ms. Rane, judging by what you know already, just what exactly do you think we are?" I thought for a few moments before responding "I'd have to guess you're spies or something like that, right?"

He chuckled again. "Not quite. We are in fact, the International Assassination League. In other words, we kill people. Not just at random, mind you. We are assassins, yes, but not monsters. No, we kill people that make life difficult for others,the worst of the worst. Cartel leaders, war criminals, tyrants, you name it. Now, compared to our normal targets, your father was pretty small in terms of his crimes. But still, you killed him not because your friends in the local mob had ordered it, but because you wanted to rid the world of the likes of him, am I right?"

I was speechless. He had me pretty much to a T. He smiled as he saw the look on my face. "I thought so. It's exactly that kind of philosophy that we believe in around here. Not to mention, you did the job discreetly and with no witnesses. That's a big plus. So, I'm offering you a position in the IAL as a field agent. You'll be traveling the globe, eliminating the worst kinds of people this world produces. I think you'll find that should you accept, your salary will be far beyond what you could ever earn serving drinks to mafiosos. We also provide housing and training, as well as any tools of the trade you might need. You are of course, free to refuse. But please note that if you do, and you tell anyone about what you've seen here, we will have no choice but to pay you a visit, if you get my meaning. So, what will it be?"

It really didn't take long at all for me to come to a decision, because not three seconds later, I was shaking hands with the Director, and was officially an Agent. For the next few months I was rigorously trained in stealth, disguises, marksmanship, hand to hand, and weapons of all kinds. Everything I would need to be an assassin.They even gave me my own place, a penthouse in the most luxurious part of the city for when I was off duty.

When the time came for my first contract, I remember I felt like I was a kid again at Christmas, eager to tear open my first gift. I couldn't wait to prove myself, and I soon got my chance to do so on one of the worst kinds of people imaginable.