Assassian's Mark

1: SNATCHED AWAY

The clock read quarter to eleven… and I was still sipping my first drink of the evening. The bar had progressively filled with people for the last hour or so, and yet the one face in the crowd I searched for hadn’t magically appeared before my eyes. Even though he claimed he would over an hour ago. So much for a great way to end my year.
I checked my watch again. I had work the next morning… and my senior thesis certainly wasn’t going to write itself. And I still had to review my martial arts techniques before tomorrow’s class… With an anguished groan, I dropped my hand into my lap. I was doing it again. Why couldn’t I go a minute without agonizing over my schedule? Was this what scared guys away? Is this why I hadn’t had a single boyfriend in my life?
“Alana! Oh my gosh, Alana!”
I glanced up, my heart rushing into my throat-only to see my roommate, Trina, materialize from the sea of people. She was gracefully clutching a Cosmopolitan in one hand and her beefcake beau in the other, and from the glowing expression on her face she hadn’t initialized recognized me. Or she was just so drunk she’d actually acknowledge my presence.
“What are you doing here?” she slurred, sticking one well-manicured hand onto her waist and trying to look playfully,” Shouldn’t you be home watching the History channel or something?”
I smiled weakly,” Everybody needs a break. And who wouldn’t be out on New Years Eve?”
“Um, YOU,” she chortled, pulling her beau forward,” Hey, Brad, you remember my roomie Alana?”
“Oh yeah, the Virgin Hermit,” he smirked,” How’s it going?”
“Swell. I just love new nicknames.”
“Seriously,” Trina leaned over my table with a look in her glazed eyes that could bring down a wild boar,” What are you really doing here?”
At that exact, ill-timed moment, he appeared through the doorway. His hair was dusted with snow, and when he smiled at the roar of excitement that met his arrival, I felt my knees instantly turn to butter.
“Ooooooohhh,” Trina gurgled, raking him up and down with her piggy eyes,” That’s why. Lyle Owens.” She shot me a pitying kind of smirk,” Oh, honey, you’re never gonna get him.”
“Gotta love that Roommate Lottery, hm?”
“Did you say something?”
“Nope, not at all. Hey, Lyle!”
He turned, and with a wave began to move toward me-with each step he took, I could feel the blush grow brighter and brighter in my cheeks.
“Hey! Alana! I didn’t know you’d be here. Thought you worked tomorrow.”
“Yeah, well, thought I’d come spend the holiday with friends.”
“You have friends?” Trina cut in, and shoved the same manicured hand into Lyle’s face,” Hi, I’m Trina Robbins, her roommate.”
“Nice to meet you. You and Alana in the same major?”
Trina laughed so hard I was surprised she fake chest didn’t explode. “Hell no! I’d sooner be caught dead than be a Linguistics major!”
“Thanks Trina. Love you too,” I muttered out of the corner of my mouth.
“So,” Trina leaned close into Lyle, ignoring her boyfriend’s scowl,” You do know Alana has a huge crush on you, right?”
“Uh, Trina!-“ I tried to jump to my feet, and in the process, knocked my drink all over Lyle’s clean and brand-name looking sweater. “Oh! Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!”
With an easy laugh, Lyle brushed away my futile attempts to sponge off his shirt. “Forget about it. And you have a crush on me, Alana? That’s so cute. But come on, what are you, a freshman?”
“… I’m in your senior class.”
“Oh yeah. But hey, I’m sorry, you’re just not my type.”
“Intelligent, witty, and feisty?” I said hopefully.
“… Well I meant more, ya know, blonde. But hey, I’m really flattered. Hope ya have a good New Years!” And with a careless wave of his hand, he disappeared into the crowd.
“Aw,” Trina smirked down at me,” So close, right? I bet if you paid a guy-“
“Just shut up, Trina,” I grabbed my coat and pushed my way past her to the door,” Just shut up.”

~


The night was cold, and I quickened my step. I’d waited longer than I’d expected, and the Midwestern weather had only worsened with nightfall. I, like an idiot, had walked, thinking I could simply grab a ride home-but my fellow students had been too drunk and too preoccupied with their wanton games to safely steer a vehicle. I blew on my freezing hands, suddenly envious I hadn’t sloshed as much alcohol down my throat. At least then I wouldn’t be able to feel the cold.
A slight snow was falling-in the bright luminescent lights of the street lamps, the landscape seemed almost heavenly. I had the road completely to myself; everyone was either drinking at the local bars or fast asleep in their beds, with only the snowfall to disturb the silent horizon. The trees’ branches were heavy with snow, and I could feel it clinging to my hair and eyelashes. The thought made me snort with mirth. I must look like an abominably College Student.
Yes, a college student. Oh the carefree days of my youth. In which I had no real friends, or a boyfriend; or anything but a job, mountains of books, and an even bigger mountain of loads. Yes, a carefree time indeed.
I snuggled deeper in my coat and tried to push my feet faster. Well I didn’t need a boyfriend. I didn’t need Lyle Owens. He deserves an airhead blonde, I thought bitterly. Who needed men anyway! Who needed friends! I was perfectly fine on my own, History Channel and all! Everyone else could just go to-
“Excuse me.”
I stopped so suddenly I nearly lost my footing on the icy ground. I’d been so deep in my own thoughts I hadn’t even noticed the two gentlemen until I’d nearly walked into one. But there they stood, directly in the middle of the sidewalk. I took a step back, trying to recover my composure.
“Um… can I help you?”
“Yes. I am curious. You are… local college, yes?” The man’s accent was very thick, obstructed even more by the multiple layers he wore-nothing but his eyes were visible against his entirely black winter clothing.
“Yes, I’m a college student here. Do you need directions?”
“No, no. I am merely, um, tourist. Do you have family here?”
“No, I went to school outside state. The farther away from my family, the better.”
“And friends? You have no friends?”
I peered at him suspiciously through the snow,” Why do you ask?”
“I and my companion saw you in the tavern. Your room-person was quite loud.”
I sighed heavily,” Yeah, she was. And she was right too. Maybe my life really is worthless.”
The stranger waved his hands amicably,” Oh, do not say such things! For we have great use for you!”
“Well that’s good to-what?”
“Yes. We have searched high and low. Our master was very specific.”
“Look, buddy, I don’t know what you’re driving at, but I’m not biting.” I couldn’t hide a smile of satisfaction as I released his companion’s arm-a moment ago he had tried seizing my shoulder. “And I wouldn’t try anything, either. I’m a black belt in martial arts, and I’ll break your arm in twelve places if you try.”
“Oh, healthy as well! Wonderful! Then it is a very good thing I put the poison into your drink!”
“I-!” but before I could even spit out the next word, the snow had suddenly turned to inky blackness, and I knew nothing else.