A masked figure clad in all black walked with careful steps, silently slinking along the wall.

'There are two guys at the front of the building, take them out, but be silent, let no one know where you are.' A voice said through an earpiece the masked figure wore.

"Yes sir. Sir, if I may, why am I going after the targets in a school? Shouldn't I be going after them in a less ... public area?" The figure answered the voice, holding a hand to the earpiece which activated the mic tucked securely under his shirt.

'Are you questioning my authority? You are to do as I say, when I say got it? Besides you have no choice, the mission must be completed. You're our last resort right now, the men before you blew their cover and got themselves killed. Now the entire school is on lock down, and completely surrounded with guards. We won't have another chance to reach the targets. This was suppose to be a simple mission; get in and get out...but someone knew they were coming. This mission is very important, you cannot fail! You're the best we got...I'm counting on you.'

"Yes sir. I will not fail you." The figure replied, then with each hand wound tightly around the handle of a knife, he cocked his head around the corner. When the figure pulled back, he flattened himself to the wall, and drew in a deep breath. With two fingers delicately placed at the his lips, he let out a low whistle, just loud enough for the two people he wanted to, to hear it.

A few seconds later, and two guards appeared from around the corner, each with a flash light in one hand, and a small pistol in the other.

"Maybe it was just a bird...we should go back to our post man." The bigger of the two guards said to the smaller one.

"No way, it's him...it's gotta be him. You know if we catch him, that large bounty on his head will belong to us." The smaller of the two replied, smiling, and shining his flashlight in all directions, searching for the legend.

"Come on man, let's go back. I've heard some freaky things about that guy, and if the rumors are true, we'll be dead in a matter of seconds." The bigger guard protested, eyes darting in every direction. All the while the figure followed close behind the two, being careful not to make a sound. The figure was so silent behind them, it was like his feet never even touched the ground.

"Look man, none that is true. It's all made up, just to scare us. Now come on, he's here somewhere, and we need that money." The smaller guard said reassuringly, although on the inside, he was trembling like a small child.

He has no name and no face. No one's actually gotten to see him, even if they have, they never lived to tell about it. Some say he's a demon of some sort, or perhaps a ghost, others don't believe he even exists, but everyone's heard about him...or her. The very mention of the assassin strikes fear into the toughest of men. They say that before he kills you, he whispers in your very ear...but you'll never even see him. They call him, The Phantom...

"It's all in my head...it's all in my head...it's all in my...ahhhhhh!" The bigger guard ended his chant with a blood curdling scream when he looked around to find his partner missing in action. The guard began to breath heavily, looking around frantically for his partner.

The wind whistled through the trees, causing the hairs on the back of the man's neck to stand on end. To and to the whole eeriness of the situation an owl began to hoot in the distance. The man jumped at the sound of the owl.

"Charles? M..man where did you go? I'm freaking out here man, I'm freaking out!" The guard began to stutter but stopped when he heard the sound of leaves crunching underfoot.

"Ch...Charles?" The guard asked in an all to squeaky voice for his large build.

"Guess again." A shiver ran down the guards spine and, his blood turned to ice when a shrill laughter ripped through the dark.

"It's it's...it's..." The guard stopped speaking when the light bulb in his flash light flickered momentarily before going out.

"C c come out Ph...phantom! I..I'm not af...friad of you!" The guard yelled, straining to see in the dark. By now the guard was trembling uncontrollably, sweat ran in streams down his face, and drentched most of his clothes. The guard began to shoot in every direction, praying he'd hit the assassin.

"I'll kill you! For Charles' sake. I'll kill you, you bastard son of a bitch!" The guard yelled at the top of his lungs, his neck swelling with anger.

Before the guard even had time to think about what had just happened, he found himself doubled over, gripping his stomach in pain.

Why not make the rumors true...

"Say goodnight." The guard froze when he felt the soft brush of lips against his ear, before hearing his death sentence. In a matter of seconds the guard was on the ground with one knife lodged deep into his skull, and another in his heart.

With his left boot the figure pressed down on the corpses throat before dislodging both his knifes. Taking a few steps away from the corpse the figure tore a large chunk of grass from the ground, bending the blades in half with the palm of this hand. Delicately placing the blade in his palm he wiped it clean of blood, using the grass as a sort of towel. A few moments later and he had made his way to the door where the now dead guards previously stood watch.

"I'm in." The figure spoke to the voice on the other end of his ear piece as he slowly opened the door, and slipped inside. Quickly the figure dashed for the next hallway, and stopped at the wall.

'Good. Six doors down the next hall, and to your right is where you'll find your targets. You've got about five minutes before they notice the missing guards. You have three guards down the hall, and three coming up behind you shortly. Don't move until I give you the ok.'

"Yes sir." The figure answered, shrinking back against the wall, and waiting.

William Lancer; age: 41, occupation: English teacher.

Paulina Sanchez; age: 17, Occupation: student.

Sam Manson; age: 17, occupation: student.

A teacher, and two students. What have they done to become targets? They usually only have me take out the large crime lords, or drug dealers, anything of that sense, but a teacher? Could they possibly be a threat to the organization?

'Move now'

As soon as he heard the voice the figure moved forward slowly, keeping a watchful eye on his back side.

'The guards have changed shifts. Your in the clear, get your ass in that room.'

"Yes sir." The figure answered simply, and moved down the hall with ease. Just as the figure was about to cut around the next corner he heard footsteps.

"It's the assassin! He's here!" Came a chorus of angry voices not too far behind him.

"Don't kill him! We need him alive for that bounty!" Came a deep authoritative voice, followed by a chorus of 'yes sirs'

At the first gun shot the figure rounded the corner, and tore down the hallway. As he ran, the figure kept count of the doors, and when he came to the sixth one he stopped. With quick fingers the figure picked the lock on the door using the paper clip he kept under his tongue. Within a couple of seconds he was inside the room, with the guards just outside the door looking for him. The figure slumped against the wall when the guards had given up, and went to search for him else where.

The figure silently gasped, gripped his right shoulder, and cursed under his breath.

"I thought you said I was in the clear you piece of shit!" The figure growled through clenched teeth.

'You were in the clear, and don't you talk to me that way, I could have your ass killed for that!' The voice fired back, just as angry.

"You nearly got my ass killed already damn it!"

'Just kill the target and get the hell out of there' The voice on the other end of the earpiece growled in response.

The figure slowly let up the pressure on his shoulder, and stood up straight.

"If any one of you move or make a sound, I will kill you." The figure said, taking a step forward, causing the people in the room to shrink back further to the far wall. A few small whimpers, and gasps could be heard throughout the room.

"How much time do I have?" The figure demanded rather then asked the voice in the ear piece.

'It doesn't matter anymore, they have an entire swat team on the way. You need to take those targets out now!'

The figure sighed before replying. "Yes, sir."

The figure reached to his belt line, and slowly pulled out a .32 Tomcat with a custom made suppressor. The figure pointed the gun at a trembling overweight teacher, and thumbed the hammer.

"William Lancer."

He pulled the trigger.


"Paulina Sanchez."

Again he pulled the trigger.


"Sam Manson."