Broken Redemption

Purple Hyacinth

      "So... I've gotten an announcement from Solis to share with you all," Jennison says as she looks around in our group. "It's great news. He wants Ethan to be ranked up earlier, and he so he will be moving in very soon, in 6 months."       I raise my eyebrows. That is pretty soon, considering that he's not yet half as trained as he should be right now, especially with Andrew training him.       4 years ago, I was still Comet, lowest rank in Twilight, but I was under the care of Stars since they said 'I was special case' because of Solis, or something. But in just one year, I was able to move up to Star. My first 4 months inside this organization, I had Mother training me, and I can still remember very well, even when the snow was still thick and the winds still strong, all of what she taught me.

***

      "No, Juliana," she called out. "You're not holding the knife properly. One move and it will end up in my hand. Change it."       I frowned, looking at how I was holding the weapon in my small hand. It wasn't like I could help it, I felt more secure and fast holding it as I did. I changed my grip, looking for the nod of approval from her but none came. Right, what was I really expecting? She never really approve of anything I did anyway.       "I think you two should take a break," Kristy commented worriedly as she stepped through the snow, her feet burying into the groud slightly. "It's already night and you all didn't have anything after breakfast... besides..." she looked at my conditions. "I think we should get those wounds treated before they get infected."       I remembered Mother's frown as she nodded. "Let's go, Juliana."       At that time, there was only one person that I talked to and listened to. That was her, my mother. I didn't want to trust anyone else, even as Mother told me that they were reliable and or trustworthy. All I knew was they were just in the same organization as me, doing the similar jobs as me. However, at that time, all who I knew were Mother and Kristy, for at that time, Jennison hasn't joined Twilight yet. Meanwhile Andrew, I wasn't introduced to him until almost half a year later. And my first impression of him wasn't nice, either, but that would be a different story.       "What is your favorite color?" Mother asked and I stared at her, confused.       My favorite color? What does it mean to have a favorite color?       "What is a color that you like to see?" she asked further, sensing that I was confused at the term 'favorite'.       Color that I like to see...? If it was a color that my heart reacted strangely to it, desiring to see more, would be the color of the moon on that fateful night, the color of the new bruises on my arms and legs, and the first color that comes to mind when roses are brought up.

***

      The crimson red tint of blood as they spill out from inches deep cuts as I slit their throats with the knives in my hands.       That is the color that I like.              I turn back to see Ethan stiffly standing behind me, shaking with astonishment and fear.       "That's that," I shrug. "So why are you here again?"       Although I have my other weapons that are probably safer to use, such as a gun, but they're not really a fit to me. I like it more when I hear the sounds of flesh tearing apart, ripping quickly as I see the blood trails.       "U-Um..." Ethan stutters. "Andrew wanted to see you."       I tilt my head. "So he sent you to get me?"       "Yes."       "So that means you have the full map of Twilight's lands now?"       "Yes..."       "Alright," I wipe down my knife with the shirt of a body next to me at the ground. "I leave you to clean this up, then. Thanks."       I turn on my phone and scan the messages to estimate how seriously I am needed there---wherever he is.       Only a single message.       No context, no whatever.       Just only 'Building 14.'.       I sigh as I walk to the location, having a hint of what this is going to be about.       "Did you already give Ethan the full map?" I ask when I see him in the small waiting area.       "What if I did?"       "He's still not Star," I say but I can't do anything about it since it already happened.       "I know."       "What do you need?" I decide to ask and he nods, walking ahead of me into the building.       "They're traitors, I already reported to Solis and told him I'm transferring them to you," he points to the people inside the cells. "I need to go take care of something... Ethan, to be specific. I leave it to you."       I take out my dull knife as I enter the first cell, opening the locked door with a key and a passcode.       "J-Julia?" he looks up and I frown. I was really hoping it wasn't him...       "Mark."       He smiles sadly. "Well, you didn't expect me to be here, did you?"       "I could tell that your eyes changed," I keep the plain and cold expression on my face. "I didn't know exactly what changed, but I am not going to refuse to believe it. So..." I crouch down into a squat to get to his level. "Are you going to make this easy for me?"       We used to work together early in the years. He used to be as good as me at one point, but after I became Star, I saw him less often. And last week that I saw him, I knew something changed. We used to be partners in many missions together. But people change. Now we are enemies.       "Who is it you're working for? Is it Dawn?"       "What if it is?"       "Then it might be a bit harder," I let myself sink to the ground, still having my knife next to me, ready to use it if I need to.       "Why did you betray us?" I ask. It is a question that I've never asked before since I already know that the answers will be stupid and unreasonable. And it will just make me hate them even more.       Mark looks at me and stays silent for a second before letting out a sigh. "Well... can you answer this: What is the point of Twilight?"       Point... purpose... of Twilight...?       "Simple," Mark continues. "There's none."       I open my mouth, prepared to argue back.       "It is just an organization for maniacs to have excuses to kill people, isn't it? At first, I thought I understood Solis, having us kill criminals such as kidnappers, scammers, and so on... but then as I continue to work, I start to wonder. If it is really for the good of the world, why are the victims of them also disposed off by us?"       I must admit, but this is a question I've had more than a several times. Each time dismissing it and pushing it away from me, trying not to think about it too much.       "And so you think working for Dawn has more reasons?" my face twiches from hatred.       "Yes."       Dawn... the name itself brings the undescribable loathe to my mind.       "I didn't even expect anything, yet I was disappointed," I start to get up and see Mark tense up. "I need some questions to be answered since you're working for Dawn for... how long now?"       "2 years," he answers and I need to give him respect for that. We do a traitor sweep once every year and yet he has survived one.       "Did you know that Dawn has a new strategist?" I ask. He nods. "What do you know about him?"       On Mark's face is an amused expression, "This guy is a concern to you guys?"       "If I know who to kill, then there'll be no reason to worry about it. It's not like we are given the order to wipe out all of Dawn yet."       "I don't know anything about him," Mark says and I know he's telling the truth. "They don't trust me. I think."       I can feel the short and brief vibrations of my phone in my pocket. I know what it is going to be and I don't want to even take out my phone. But it is what it is...       Execution order: 1401.       Feelings is what makes human weak. Forming bonds and relationships, even if it was just friendship or partnership, too close makes human weak.       "That's that," I say and walk up to him. Mark closes his eyes, aware of his fate and embracing it. Though his face has an expression of defeat, his microexpressions say otherwise. He wished he did not side with Dawn. He wished he did not make the wrong decision that in the end, he gained nothing but a sooner death. He is scared.       He doesn't want to die.       Why do you care? Your order is to kill him. So kill him, Julia.       I put back my knife and instead use my gun to shoot him at the head two times.       That's just that. Nothing more. Nothing less.       Just death.       One more to the hundreds. Soon will be nameless and forgotten by me.       We used to work together, looking out for each other's back. We used to accomplish missions together so fast and so good the quality Solis was going to have us both as the first working partner Star. But he slowly stepped down when he heard about it.       I didn't understand why he would ever do that. And I will never, ever be able to understand why, now that he is dead. Did he not want to work with me?       Did he hate me?       I stare down at his lifeless body for another minute before walking out the cell and move on to the next people, none of which I know, not even their names.       And they also couldn't give me any details nor information about the new strategist of Dawn.       "Twilight is just for maniacs, giving excuses for you people to kill."       I guess he was right.       I am a maniac after all.