Angel of Darkness: Chapter 9

It only occurred to Issa once he was in the maze that a few weapons would be called for. He had his darts, knives and his sword but he knew that wouldn't be enough. Shaking his head, and begging to god the he wouldn't be found, Issa made his way down the small corridor. It was thin, barely wide enough for him to pass through with a few inches on either side. The man who had passed through the night before might have had a little trouble if he had been any larger.The ceiling was low enough to brush against Issa's head. The walls, lit with torches were long and seemed never ending as the shadows swallowed them up. Every so often, side corridors would break off to the side. Issa stayed in the corridor that he had started in, realizing quickly that it was just a service way since many of the perpendicular hallways were a lot wider and better lit. The hallway ended with just a wall and a turn to the right. Issa decided to turn right. This passage was wider and lined with doors. Issa walked into a few. Some were empty except for a few dusty boxes or broken pots. Others had old, moldy beds in them while others had what seemed to be chairs and tables. The maze was in ruins, obviously a lot older than they seemed. In one room, Issa found a dagger. It was gold, like the knives that the Mask of Death had been rumored to use. He picked the knife up, tucking it into his belt with the other one, grateful for the extra protection. He followed that hallway until it ended as well. Then he turned right again and entered another service hallway. It was identical to the other. If Issa didn't know that it was physically impossible to travel forward in a straight line and end up in the same place as before without circling the entire globe, he would have sworn that he was back where he had started. He followed this hallway as far as it went as well and turned right again. This hallway also had many doors but they were different. They had been reinforced with better wood and metal bars running across. After trying a few, Issa found that they all required a key. A key that he didn't have. Quietly, he knocked on each one, hoping that Layla would respond but there was only silence. Issa pulled his map out again and studied it. Then, he meticulously read through everything. Seeing that there was way to much for him to see in one day, Issa put the map away and followed the tunnel until the end. It stopped just where the staircase was. Issa had walked in a square. When he got out of the tunnel, he was surprised to see that the sun was already near the ground. He had spent two hours in the ruins without meaning to. Sighing, Issa ran back to his cave. There he ate while mulling over what he had seen.
Not much, he concluded. He knew that someone was using the maze as a base at night. The doors on the hallway nearest to the entrance he used were reinforced and locked. Issa worked out after eating and made a plan for the next day. He would go to work and tell Lateef that he was taking another day off, then he would go back to his cave and stock up on as many weapons as he could without being obvious. Then he would spend the rest of his day in the maze. Issa stayed up until past midnight memorizing the map of the maze so that he wouldn't have to take it with him. He finally fell asleep and woke up at six the next morning, well rested.
"Lateef, I won't be at work today either. Please tell the king that I'm still working to find the Angel, you know, the one who killed his son. Were any of the notifications urgent?" he asked.
Lateef shook his head.
"No, sir. May I know where you plan on going?"
"Following up on a lead," Issa replied, dodging the question.
Lateef caught on to that and just nodded.
"See you later maybe," Issa said, and left with a small wave.
He jogged back to the cave and changed. He slipped on a pair of brown boots, slipping knives into each one. He also slipped on a knife belt. They were regular silver knives, not black like Layla's had been. When she had disappeared, she'd had most of her weapons on her person except for a few extra darts and poison, and arrows but no bow. Issa had bought a bow of his own and other weapons as well. Now, he equipped himself with everything he owned. Ten knives, his government sword, a bow he had bought, and some of Layla's darts. These he tied around his thigh and bicep. When he was ready, he left the cave and ran to where the maze was. He scouted the area and, seeing no one, entered the maze. This time, he knew exactly where he was going. The first thing he did was examine the passageway with the strong doors again. There were only eight rooms along the whole length. Issa could have forced the locks but not without damaging them and possibly getting caught by the assassin. He satisfied himself by exploring the maze for the rest of the day.
The maze wasn't actually a maze, it was just a series of hallways with doors on each side. Only the first had been reinforced. The rest were just plain, rotting doors with rotting material inside. Some seemed like old bedrooms, others had aging wine in them, a few had become homes for rats. When Issa finally left the maze after exploring everything it was already late afternoon and he was starving. He ate quickly and then changed. He slipped into a black shirt, black pants and black boots. He tied a black scarf around his face and slipped his weapons into the folds of his clothes. He had decided to go to the maze that night and attack the assassin to see what happened. It sounded stupid but he had come up with a plan. This guy, whoever he was, was either very righteous, wanting to kill all assassins or was doing it for the challenge. Issa assumed it was the first one. He was betting his life on the idea that the assassin wouldn't kill anyone who hadn't taken a life. Issa's plan consisted of arming himself to the teeth and then attacking the assassin, claiming to be a guard from the property. In this situation, the assassin would either fight back to get away, fight back to kill, or try to placate him and lie his way out of trouble. Issa hoped that he wouldn't fight to kill. Issa also had enough confidence that if he wasn't caught by surprise, he would at least be able to run away or yell for help, neither of which Layla would ever have considered. She would have had enough confidence in her abilities to win a fight and if she yelled for help as an assassin, she would have gotten locked up. Issa was willing to run far and fast and as a government official he had nothing to fear when it came to calling out for help. The plan was dangerous but Issa needed to see the skills of the assassin and even kill him if he had to to get Layla back. Maybe, if he was lucky, he would be able to see the assassin's face and get an ID on him. If he was just able to get him out of the way, he would be able to save Layla.
As he finished putting his weapons away, he saw the darts and an interesting idea occurred to him. Carefully, so as not to prick himself, he tied a sleeping dart onto the tip of each of his fingers on his left hand. His plan was that if he was caught, he would at least have enough time to touch the assassin and have him fall asleep. Grinning at his own intelligence, Issa left the cave. Once again, he arrived at the maze entrance not long before the sun disappeared. This time he wore a long shirt and long pants and he had remembered to bring a black cloak to shield himself from the cold. That night he only had to wait until midnight before the man appeared. As quietly as he could, using all the techniques Layla had taught him, Issa crept out from his hiding place to where the man was. He had barely gone three steps before the man spun and attacked Issa. Issa yelled out his first defense.
"Stop your attack. I am a guard for the Great Oba's Government. I tell you to cease."
The assassin froze mid-step and for a second, Issa thought that his strategy had worked. Then, he dove at Issa again. Issa had seen this coming. The assassin, seeing how he was dressed and the time of night that he was out, would immediately distrust him, so Issa pulled out his second defense: his government issued sword. He brought it up just in time to stop the assassin's arm from hitting him across the chest. The assassin had arm guards up and down his forearms which he was using to brace against the sword. He didn't attack again, having seen the sword.
"What are you doing on this property at night?" Issa asked.
"I was just passing through. You know the borders are a little fuzzy in my mind and it's just sand. I wasn't breaking anything," the assassin spat back, angrily and Issa thought he recognized the voice. The moon was at the man's back so his face was shrouded in shadow. Issa pushed the man back with his sword and spun around him so that the moon was in the assassin's face and Issa froze. The assassin's face was very familiar to Issa. It was handsome, about 21 years old, and under his hood, Issa could see some curls of brown hair.
The assassin was Darius.

Angel of Darkness: Chapter 8

The next day at work Issa looked like hell and he knew it. He hadn't slept the night before, being too busy trying to figure out what to do about the base. Putting a large guard around the house would be too troublesome but at the same time only one person guarding would be difficult to cover the whole property and Issa didn't know where the door to get into the maze even was. It could be in the middle of the property or it could right at the edge. It might even be outside the boundaries a mile away, though that would be a little extreme. Issa called Lateef in.
"I hear that there are mazes under the old Adjo property. Could you please get a map of them for me?"
Lateef bowed, though his face was filled with confusion. Issa leaned back, trying to force the issue of Layla out of his head. He still had to come up with a way to protect the King's children. After a week, the king was getting antsy. All Issa had to do was get two or three strong guys with assassin-like training, who would be able to recognize an assassin in no time at all and stop them. If only Layla was there, then he could have asked a real assassin. Issa sat up with a start. He put his papers back into the desk and stood up and walked out of the office, passing Lateef just as he returned with the maps.
"Put them on my desk. I just had an awesome idea," he said and walked off.
He was a bit apprehensive about seeing the three assassins again. They might think that he was going to take him to jail or attack them for revenge so Issa made sure to make his presence widely known as he walked back into the bar and over to where the guys sat.
"Hello, boys," he said. "I have a proposition for you. This is partly for your benefit and partly for mine."
The three guys shifted restlessly in their seats.
"Here is my proposition. How about the three of you become part of the royal son's personal guard and I wipe your records so that even if someone else finds out about you being assassins, you don't have worry."
The three guys looked at him for a very long time. Issa was afraid that they would decline and kill him. After all he had just asked them to join their enemies.
"Would we get paid?" the middle one asked.
"Yes."
"How much?" the one on the left said.
"Well, first you'll have to prove that you're better than the guards that the king currently has. That'll be easy I know that you are. After that, you can demand almost any price that you want."
"So it's just like being an assassin, except we have to babysit a little boy," the guy on the right said. "No thanks."
"Yeah, we'll be right where don't want to be and you broke my kneecap," the one on the left said.
"Sure, sure. I know that but it's also a lot safer. Not that many assassins go straight for the king's son and you'd be protected by the government. Also, the assassin assassin might not come after you if you stop being assassins. It's the same thing essentially but one's funner and the other's safer. You'll have to choose what you want. I'll come back tomorrow at this time expecting an answer. Choose wisely," Issa said and stood up. This time he wasn't attacked as he made his way back to his town. It was about 6 when he reached the palace again and began to work. Lateef had left already but the maps were still on Issa's desk and he carefully examined them, determining that there were only two entrances to the maze. One was right in the view of the main gate so it probably wouldn't be used. The other was on the other side, just out of view of the other gate. During the day, the assassin would probably be seen but at night it was safe. Having learned this, Issa looked out of his window. He had about an hour until the sun went all the way down but it would take him 25 minutes to get to the maze entrance. Issa walked to market with the maps in hand, bought dinner at Mr. Beb's stand, who commented on Issa's bedraggled appearance but let it go when Issa waved it away with a smile. While he ate, he studied the maps, attempting to memorize them as well as he could. When he finished eating, he paid Mr. Beb and left the stall. As soon as he was out of the crowded marketplace, he began to run. The sun was just below the horizon and it gave everything a beautiful golden sheen. Issa didn't notice. He put all of his mind into finding the assassin who had taken Layla from him. He ran a mental inventory of the weapons he had on him. Everyone who worked in the government was expected to wear a sword on their belts to keep order, he also had a knife tucked into his belt, hidden by his shirt and another one attached to his wrist with the mechanism that Layla had invented. He had a few poison darts around his left bicep as well but that wasn't much.
"I just hope I don't get caught," he thought.
He arrived at the house just as the sun disappeared behind the horizon and the world fell into darkness. That night his only plan was to hide and see if he could catch a glimpse of the assassin. If he couldn't he would go in the next day and see if he could find Layla at all in the maze that was down there. He searched for the entrance for a long while before finding a trapdoor mostly covered by sand, hidden behind a small bush. He positioned himself so that no matter from which angle the assassin approached, he would be able to catch sight of him. Sitting as uncomfortably as he could, so that he wouldn't fall asleep, Issa looked out at the night.
One hour, two hours, three hours, four, five, six, seven hours passed without any sign of anything at all. Issa sometimes wondered if he fell asleep for a few seconds since there was no change in everything thing around him except the moon, which was already back on its way down. The desert was cold at night and Issa was still only wearing his thin cotton shirt and shorts. He shivered a little, trying to find some warmth in the cool sand. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw some movement. It was a man, not too tall, and well-built, but Issa's eyes had never been as good as Layla's and that was all he could see. The guy walked over to the trap door and went in. He was obviously very confident in himself because he didn't glance around worriedly nor did he try to keep quiet. This guy trusted himself to be completely aware of everything without looking. Issa was glad that he'd stopped moving as soon as he had seen the man or else he would have been discovered immediately. For the next three hours, Issa waited anxiously for the man to come out again. When he did, Issa moved as silently behind him as he could but realized that the man twitched at every noise or movement out of the corner of his eye. A couple times he almost saw Issa but he ducked just in time. It didn't take long for Issa to figure out that he wasn't going to be able to follow this guy around long before getting caught, especially not during the day. The night was giving him enough cover that he could use Layla's techniques but as soon as the shadows disappeared, he wouldn't be able to use that at all. Chances were this guy would catch him before that. So, Issa allowed himself to fall back. He went back to his cave home and wash. It felt nice to finally get out of his clothes. Then he changed and ate breakfast, right on schedule. Then he went to the office and told Lateef that he had a meeting and if the king called to tell him that it was about his son. Lateef nodded and bowed.
Issa took off to go see the three assassins again. They were sitting in their usual spot at the bar, obviously waiting for him because they stood as soon as they saw him.
"Hey, man," one of them said. "Was that offer for real?"
"Yes, absolutely. If you come with me now I can get you set up immediately."
The three guys looked at each other a little nervously.
"And you promise that we won't get in trouble?"
"Yeah, don't worry about that. They won't ask for your background and as long as I'm the only one who knows about you guys being assassins you're fine. Even if they do find out, I will put my life on the line to protect you."
"Thanks man. I think that in that case we'll take the job," the middle one said.
"Great," Issa grinned. "Come with me and I'll set you up. The king'll give you a couple days to move and get settled in quarters at the palace. Then you will just do whatever you are told."
They nodded and followed Issa out of the bar. The walk back to the palace was long but Issa didn't mind. He had achieved something. Finally his father would get off his back. At least until he thought of something new to bother him with. Finally, Issa could focus all his attention on getting Layla back. He was so close that it wasn't even funny. After four years of getting enough power to actually investigate and then another one just finding dead ends, Issa was ready to get it over with and save Layla, no matter what it took. The three guys mumbled with each other the whole way back but Issa had quickly realized that the sharpness that he had seen in their eyes that first day had been just for show. They were just as harmless as Layla had been. Were there any truly evil assassins? Were there any who did it for any other reason than a job? Issa didn't know but he feared that he would trust every single assassin that he met after that point. That was not a good thing. They finally reached the palace and the guards were about to stop the three assassins from passing through but Issa waved them away. Immediately, with no hesitation, the guards moved away. Issa didn't miss the amazed expressions on the assassin's faces. They walked through the green garden where Issa had grown up and into the large, elaborately decorated palace, through hallways till they reached the throne room. The assassins just stared at everything. Before entering, Issa held up his hands.
"You guys wait here a sec. I have to talk to the king first to introduce you. I'll call you in when I'm ready."
The assassins nodded, silently. Issa, a little worried that they'd forget how to speak, pushed the heavy doors open and entered the room. The king sat on his throne, speaking to a few advisors and cabinet members. When he saw Issa, he stopped speaking and sent his people away.
"I trust that you have the people I need," he said, in a tone that implied, "If you don't you're dead."
"Yes, sir, I do. They are just outside. Though they are not of the best backgrounds, they are quite a bit more qualified than our current guards. Their price may be a bit high but, for your son, I believe that it's worth it," Issa said with a bow.
"Yes, okay, let's meet them already," the king said, impatiently.
"Come on in," Issa called out and the three assassins walked through the door.
Their expressions of amazement had turned into fear and little anxiety. They were on edge, all of their instincts telling them to run, but Issa ignored this and brought them forward.
"These are the men, sire. They will follow your orders and protect your son. I can guarantee that they are very good."
"I believe you, son," the king said and Issa flinched.
The king had only used it as a condescending way of addressing him but Issa still felt the repulsion of hearing the word inside of him.
"Is there anything they will need?"
"Just payment sir, a place to live, and two days to move their belongings. The rest they carry themselves."
"Will they need weapons?"
Issa looked at the men curiously. As assassins they should have weapons but Issa remembered the night he had been attacked. None of them had used weapons. The man in the middle cleared his throat.
"No, we won't need weapons. We can use our own, sir."
The king nodded.
"How does a payment of 1,200 yeli a month each, sound to you?" he asked.
Their heads shot up.
"That would be fine sir. Thank you for your generosity," they said.
The king nodded.
"You will begin in two days time. In the mean time I will have a maid bring you to your new quarters and set you up. Go now."
The three assassins bowed reverently and turned to leave. Issa bowed as well and followed them out.
"The king is a really nice person," one of the assassins said.
Issa had to force himself not to cringe. The king was not a kind person at all. He was brutal, harsh, and cared about nothing. Except, Issa realized, he wasn't. His father had only treated Issa like that. Seeing him as a boss and not as a father, he was a decent man. Issa couldn't erase everything that the king had done to him but he could see how others could see him as a just and even kind man. Though Issa disagreed with a lot of what he did, he had to admit that Oba Ahmose was a good king. He nodded in response to the assassin's comment. A maid walked forward, bowed, and told the assassins that she was to take them to their quarters. The assassins thanked her and followed her away, leaving Issa on his own.
"One problem solved," he said, sighing.
The next problem was the problem of Layla. She was probably in that maze beneath the caves.
"No. There's no probably. Chances are she isn't. I reached that conclusion through shaky evidence and many rumors. I don't know at all if Layla's there but that maze is being used for something strange and I will figure it out," Issa told himself, in an attempt not to get his hopes up. He decided that he would go to the maze and check it out during the day when the assassin wasn't there. He went to his office and spoke to Lateef.
"Hey. I don't think I'll be here the rest of the day. Take messages from everyone and leave them on my desk. I'll get to them tomorrow," he said.
"Sir, may I ask something?" Lateef asked.
"Uh, yeah, what's up?"
"What have you been doing sir? You have been missing a lot of work and sleep as well by the looks of it. I don't mean to intrude sir but you seem to be worried about something and if I can help --"
"Thank you, Lateef," Issa interrupted, "I'm fine. There have just been so many things on my mind. I'm hoping that things will settle down a little after this. Anyway, just get the messages and stuff. See you tomorrow."
Lateef's concerned eyes didn't leave him and Issa couldn't blame him. Issa was losing control of everything but he just needed to find Layla and everything would be fine. He walked to market got food for lunch, though it was very late and then made his way back to the old property. There, he spoke with the owners.
"No, we do not know of a system of mazes below this house. Why? Is there one?" the old lady asked. She was exquisitely dressed in light robes and a gold band around her head.
"No, no. We've just been consolidating data down at the palace and have found that many of the houses similar to yours have a maze system but if you don't know about it, this house probably doesn't have it. Thank you for your time ma'am. And, as always, remember that we're here to help so feel free to report any suspicious activities here or in town and we will help."
The old lady nodded and thanked him. Issa was disappointed. The visit had taught him nothing new. The next part of the visit would be the interesting one. He walked over to the trapdoor and lifted it. There was a torch on the wall, which lit up a stairwell down below the sand. Taking a deep breath, Issa started down the staircase.

Angel of Darkness: Chapter 7

Issa didn't tell Lateef what his plan was. If he had, Lateef would have tried to stop him and Issa wasn't in the the mood to be stopped. Lateef had given him the locations of the assassins that Mr. Chuma had been using. They were new and did not really know how to hide themselves well. It turned out that they actually worked as a team of three and they did it very well. The town they lived in was even smaller than the town surrounding the palace. It wasn't hard to find the bar that they frequented and ask the barman where they were.
"Look, those kids are good kids but be nice around them. It won't be the first time someone gets hurt because of insulting them inadvertently," the bartender added.
Issa nodded and flipped him a coin, walking off into the dark corner where the boys were sitting. Really, they weren't that much older than Issa, probably about 18 or 19. They were all tall and lean but very strong as well. The darkness in their eyes scared Issa and he realized for the first time since meeting Layla that assassins were bad people. They were scary, cold-blooded killers who should not be toyed around with. Living with Layla had given Issa a false sense of security and, suddenly, he felt afraid. He inhaled deeply and almost automatically, shifted into the steady defensive position that Layla had taught him. Simply separating his feet a little, hunching his shoulders together, and bending his arms the slightest bit, allowed him to dodge, punch, kick, or run away at just a second's notice. Then, he cleared his throat to alert them of his presence. They all looked up calmly but, in their eyes and their postures Issa could see that they were on edge just like he was, ready for anything.
"Hello, fellas," Issa said. "I've got a few questions for you. Would you be up to answering them?"
The guys stared at Issa, stared at each other, and then laughed.
"Well, well, well, you're not from around here are ya kid?" the one on the left said.
"Nope, I'm not but I know you guys. You're famous," Issa said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Well, if you really knew about us, you'd know that we don't like talking to stuck up kids like you, so how about you get your ass out of here," the middle one said.
"I have questions for you. I won't leave without an answer."
"Oh, yeah, well what if I don't wanna answer?" the third one asked.
Issa smirked at him and slid in to the seat beside him.
"I have ways of making you talk. So wanna do this the easy way or the hard way?"
Issa wasn't sure he could make these guys do anything but he was betting him life on the bluff. It made his heart race and his breath shorten. The guys looked at him, sizing him up.
"What do you want to know? Depending on what it is, we'll answer or kill you."
"Fair enough. I know the three of you are assassins."
The words were barely out of his mouth when he had three knives pointed at his neck.
"You're a group of three guys called Devil's Mouth. Fairly new on the scene but talented from what I have heard, which is, admittedly not much."
Issa forced himself to keep speaking calmly, though he was anything but. The assassins didn't move and inch.
"I need to know what you guys know about the guy who's killing assassins and what you plan on doing against him?"
The three guys stared at Issa. They didn't know what to make of him. They'd thought he was a government official. Then they'd thought he was an employer. Now, they didn't know what he was.
"That guy won't get us. Our identities are airtight. No one can see through them."
Issa turned his head to look at the guy who had spoken. He smiled slightly.
"I did," he said. "And I work for the government. I'm not another assassin like you guys."
The only thing saving him at that point was the fact that he had not yet said what he really wanted, nor had he made a sign to capture or kill them. Their knives held him in a perfect position so matter what he did at that point, he would not be able to escape or hurt them.
"I don't want or need to arrest you guys. I was friends with a great assassin once and I need to find her again. She's been missing for five years," Issa added.
"Who?"
"The Angel of Darkness," Issa said and carefully gauged their reactions. Their eyes widened in disbelief.
"You knew the Angel and who she really was," one of them said.
"Yes, I knew her. I knew everything about her. She was like an older sister to me. On March 31st five years ago, she disappeared on a job. I assume that it was the same guy who is killing everyone else. The only difference is that her body was never found. I believe that she is still alive. I need some info from you guys, can you give it?" he asked.
The guys relaxed a little but their knives didn't leave his neck.
"You won't turn us in to the government?" the middle guy asked.
"No. I don't care about you guys. All I want is to find the Angel again. If you give me the information I need, we won't have any trouble."
The guys nodded.
"We'll answer."
"What do you guys know about the assassin who is assassinating assassins?"
"Nothing more than you I assume. All we know is that he's scary strong and powerful. That he was able to take out so many trained assassins like the Angel is terrifying. It's gotten to the point where there are no longer any assassins who have been working for more than a year. This guy, whoever he is, gets us all before we can even kill people sometimes. I don't know how we've stayed safe for so long. I mean we've only been working for a couple of months and he still hasn't come for us. You have no idea how scary it is for us to wait for this guy to come."
"If it's so scary why are you still assassins?" Issa asked.
"It's a job. Assassins are in high demand now. We may be new but we get jobs every week and they're well-paid too. I trust that that guy will not be able to get us. It's three on one and we have great training. He won't be able to sneak up so he'll have to attack directly. Plus we all know that he's going to stab us and then break our necks so there's no problem."
"He'll break your necks and then stab you," Issa corrected.
"How do you know?" the guy asked, his defenses rising again.
"Both a stab to the heart and a knife to the chest are almost immediately lethal. Why would he do both? The answer is because he wants to mask the fact that he kills with bare hands and he just stabs them to hide that. You guys can't do anything against this guy, I'm sure. He is crazy strong and crazy fast. I know that Lay-- The Angel was looking out for him when she was captured. If he was able to get through her radar, you won't be able to spot him either. If she did see him, from the reports that I heard, she was defeated in seconds. You guys have no chance, I'm sure but who am I to tell you what to do," Issa said, "If you have any more information for me please tell me. If you don't I'll be going."
"We don't. No matter what you say, I think we can handle this guy," one of the guys said again, angry at the insult.
Issa sighed.
"Fine, whatever. I'm going now. I hope I never see you again," he said, standing, glad that they withdrew their knives from his throat instead of stabbing him.
He walked out of the bar. It was already dark outside and Issa began to wonder if he should stay at a hotel for the night but decided against it, knowing that he would be missed if he was late for work. Running home wouldn't be too hard for him to do. He calmly walked through the town. Then, just as he turned a corner, he felt all of his senses fire up. Without thinking, acting on pure instinct, Issa whirled around and sent a kick into the stomach of the person jumping at him from behind, realizing too late that it was actually three people. The kick sent the middle person flying but also upset Issa's balance and before he could right himself, the other two pushed him to the ground. Issa rolled up quickly and got his feet under him, just in time to receive a few punches from his left and his right. Using the techniques Layla taught him, he punched the guy on his left, his non-dominant side, to get him to back off before kicking the second guy in the knee-cap. The guys fell to his knees with a cry. The guy he punched came back with a right hook that caught Issa across the jaw. He flew back, the back of his head hitting the wall behind him. His vision blurred, he swung at the shape of the guy who had punched him but his depth perception was off and he over swung, losing his balance again and receiving a sharp jab to his ribs. He couldn't see very well so he closed his eyes and used his other senses to find the guys surrounding him. The first guy had stood up again and the second guy was still on the floor cradling his probably broken knee-cap. The last guy was punching Issa in the stomach over and over again. Coming back to his senses, Issa blocked his next punch, twisting the guy's arm and trowing him right into the first guy's path. Then he opened his eyes again and punched the third guy up under his chin. His neck snapped back, and he fell to the ground, unconscious. The first guy rushed him but Issa caught him calmly in a headlock and flipped him on his back. The guy landed on his back, moaning. Only then did Issa realize that the three guys were the guys from the bar.
"What do you guys want?" he asked the third guy.
"You said you were a copper. We didn't need you blabbing but we couldn't very well kill you right in the middle of the bar," he whimpered back.
"Man, I wasn't lying. I am not going to tell anyone. I have better things to do than arrest doomed assassins."
"Look, we can't afford to trust anyone. Not in our job. If you really knew the Angel I'm sure she did the same thing. Being an assassin ain't easy."
Issa looked at the guy remembering how Layla had killed the guards at the palace simply because they had seen her face and how much work she put into hiding her true identity.
"Yeah, I get it but really, I have a headache now."
"Sorry, man. Look, we do have a little more info but it's just a rumor that's been traveling around within the assassin circles. Some have seen him supposedly, though they can't say what he looks like. Some people say that his lair is in Mr. Khalid Adjo's old house. The current owners don't know it but under the house there is a large maze where the assassin is living. I don't know if it's true but the thing about the maze is true. Any adventurer will tell you about it because according to legend there is a large bounty under there for anyone who wants it. Look man, these are only rumors okay? Please don't turn us in. This is just a job, kay? I mean if you knew the Angel, you understood that, right?"
Issa nodded, not really listening. Mr. Khalid Adjo's house. He was the one who had ordered Issa's death. Was it just a coincidence? He shook his head and marched off into the desert, not really knowing what to do next.

Angel of Darkness: Chapter 6

It took the rest of the week for Issa and Lateef to find out who her employer had been. The first step had been to find out who would have wanted Mr. Rasheed dead at the time of the incident. Dredging up information from 5 years before was nearly impossible but through his many connections Issa had been able to figure out that at the time of the incident, Mr. Rasheed had been working to pass a bill. There were a couple people who would have been opposed to that bill. The second step had been to figure out, time-wise, if it made sense for Layla to reach his location and then get to Sais at the correct time. Finally, he'd had to get a confession directly from the man. Issa had visited the man's house. He lived right off the edge of town in a large home that consisted more of windows than of walls. The ground was paved with smooth, red tiles and there were even a few plants hanging around. Serapis Chuma had risen in the government even though the bill that was passed worked against him. He was in charge of handling finance for the army, which gave him a lot of control over the army itself. After a long time of asking politely, threatening, begging, cajoling, and arguing with him, Issa was able to get a confession.
"I did use the Angel of Darkness. She was very helpful and there was a low chance that she would die. I just needed her to get rid of a few people for me, nothing more. Please sir, don't take me to jail."
"My job isn't to get you in trouble. It's to find the Angel so tell me everything you know about her and I will have no reason to do anything to you."
"Yes, sir. I'll tell you all I know."
"That night, you sent her to Sais to get rid of Mr. Rasheed. You were going to pay her later, correct?"
"Yes, sir. I was going to pay her 1,200 yeli for his murder."
"And you sent her to the hotel."
"Yes, I did."
Issa bowed his head. This man probably didn't know any more than they did.
"Do you have any other assassins currently under your contract?"
"Ummm…"
"I will not arrest you and I can swear on my life that I will not let these assassins hurt you. My goal is only the Angel of Darkness. The others will not be arrested."
It took another ten minutes of prodding and poking before Mr. Chuma told him a list of people, their names, and descriptions.
"Thank you, Mr. Chuma. You have been most helpful. I bid you farewell."
Issa walked out of the house and took to memorizing the list of people. When he made it back to the office, Lateef was waiting for him.
"I have a list of people who were in the hotel that night. It's not complete, based completely on the old records taken by the manager and there are some gaps. I'm sorry. It's the best I could do."
"It's fine. I will read that list over. Could you please find the location of these people as soon as possible?" Issa asked handing, Lateef the list of names Mr. Chuma had given him.
"Certainly, sir."
Issa sat at his desk and calmly began to read through the profiles of the people on the list given to him by Lateef. Some he eliminated immediately because they had died. Others just by looking at their profiles, he knew that they couldn't be an assassin at Layla's level. Some were too fat, some were too old, and some were too young. Issa read through the others. He narrowed the list down to 15 and called Lateef back in.
"Please find out what each of these people was doing during the last few assassinations. I need to see which of these have iron-clad alibis."
Bowing Lateef retreated from the room.
Then Issa stood up and left for the day. It was still earlier than usual so he decided to visit Jamila on the way home. He knocked gently on her door and was quickly invited in.
"Hello, Issa. How have you been? You look tired. You're still just a kid, you know. You should calm down a little and lie back. That's what I do when I'm tired. Would you like some tea? I have lots of different flavors. You like tea of course. I'm sure Layla served it to you. She liked it a lot and would come to get some from me every so often."
Issa listened as Jamila rambled and allowed her to keep speaking while she led him into the spacious living room. Her father had bought her a nice house with carpets, wall-hangings and other things everywhere. Issa was sure to wipe his feet before stepping on the carpets. Jamila wandered off to get the tea, still speaking. Issa turned to sit down on one of the couches. Suddenly, he was met with a surprising sight. Sitting on the couch in front of him was a tall man with a goatee.
"Hello, sir. My name is Issa," he said bowing at the waist in the deferential way that was owed to all adults.
"Hello, Issa. It's nice to meet you. My name is Krato."
"I'm sorry for interrupting, sir. I can come back at another time. I just came for a friendly visit. Jamila is like an older sister to me."
"No, no, it's fine. Have a seat."
Krato was thin and wiry. He spoke with a soft voice, that would probably not be the first one heard in a crowded room. Issa wondered why he was there. Then, Jamila returned carrying two cups of tea and she handed them to the two men.
"Oh, right, I forgot to introduce you. This is Krato, my fiancee."
Issa was very close to spitting his tea out.
"What?" he asked after having recovered from the surprise.
"Yes, we are getting married," Jamila said.
Issa just stared at her and the guy as well because he did not seem like her kind of person at all. He was not strong, didn't seem to smart, though he was quiet and calm just as Kosey had been.
"Since when have you been dating?" Issa asked.
"Just a week, but when you know, you know. You know?" Jamila said, petting Krato on the head nicely.
"Uh, sure," Issa responded, not really understanding the situation.
"Anyway. We will be getting married at the end of the month. You're invited of course and…" Jamila trailed off for a second. "And Layla as well if she shows up."
Issa nodded. Layla wouldn't show up, he was almost sure of it but he didn't say so out loud. Out of everyone, Jamila was the one who hoped for Layla's return the most. She was still unable to believe, even after five years, that she was gone for good. In a way, Issa felt the same way but Knowing that she might be dead also kept him from hoping too much. He finished drinking his tea.
"Thank you for having me over, Jamila. It was nice to meet you Krato. Maybe I'll see you around some time soon. Goodbye both of you," he said.
"Goodbye Issa," they said and Issa let himself out. That afternoon he worked out for a lot longer than he normally would have. He could almost see Layla again as the clues began to line up again and he was itching to use everything that she had taught him for the first time ever. He practiced every attack and defense formation he knew, he ran for as long as he could, and then cooled down by doing push-ups and sit-ups. All the while, thinking,
"I will find her and save her, just like she saved me."

Angel of Darkness: Chapter 5

Issa woke up at 6 just like Layla always had. He got dressed at ate his usual breakfast of honey, milk and bread. Then, he walked off to work. He worked in the palace. At first he thought that it had been a little risky to work there since there may have been someone who recognized him but he soon realized that he had changed enough that no one would assume that he was a dead man walking. He still cringed whenever he saw his father but the old man had nothing but praise for him. He was hardworking, committing completely to his work. He had come into the palace young but even as a small boy, he had risen quickly through the ranks and now was the king's number one advisor. The pay was great and it gave him enough power to search for Layla behind the scenes. It had been five years since she had disappeared. Issa was now sixteen years old. He was tall and strong and quite good-looking. He had been a Prince at one point after all. Before working at the palace, Issa had never dreamed that anything he had learned before meeting Layla would be helpful but had quickly been able to use the knowledge to help the man that he hated the most in the world. The king had not changed much since Issa had lived in the palace. Interestingly enough, he had already had another son with some woman. He's also had a daughter before that with a different woman. The boy was four and the girl five and they loved Issa and Issa did his best to shield them from their father but they still had new bruises on their arms and legs everyday. He didn't have the power to tell the king to stop hitting his own kids. He just hoped that one day he could do the same thing Layla had done for him. He on the other had would make sure not to leave them.
She had disappeared that night five years before. When Issa had woken up the next morning and had not seen her there, he had been afraid to speak to Darius and the girls. When he had appeared alone at the stand at lunch he had said that Layla's mother had taken a turn for the worst and she'd had to stay home. Everyone had accepted this easily. Issa had listened to Darius for news about the body of the Angel of Darkness but he hadn't said anything. For the next week he had listened carefully but there had been no news and Layla had not returned. Issa did exactly as Layla had instructed him to do if she didn't return from a raid. He told everyone that her mother had died and that she had run off.
"She left you alone?" Jamila had asked in disbelief.
"That doesn't sound like her," Darius agreed.
Issa had shrugged and then had no longer been able to keep the tears from falling from his face. Jamila had pulled him up onto her lap and hugged his gently and spoke words of consolation that didn't help in the slightest.
"Would you like to stay with me?" she asked.
"Yeah, little brother, you can stay with any of us," Darius had said, ruffling the boy's long hair. Issa had just shaken his head and said,
"I'd rather just stay at my house. Layla left all the money so I can take are of myself. Plus, I'm going to get a job soon. Please don't worry about me."
Everyone had nodded and let the small boy wander off on his own. Only a week after that, he had gone up to the palace and asked for a job, acquiring one as a messenger boy.
Six years later, everything was different. He no longer went to school, but it didn't matter because he knew how to read and write, which was generally enough and he would often go to the library at the palace to learn about anything that he could. That's where he was when Lateef came in, giving him his daily report.
"Nothing on the Angel yet, sir," he said as if fearing a blow from the boy who was many years younger than him.
Issa sighed and rubbed his temples.
"Thank you, Lateef. Keep up the good work," he said.
"Sir, if I may, I believe that we should give up this search. It has been quite a while now."
Issa stared down at the book in front of him, taking in Lateef's words. They were words that he himself had thought. The reason he believed that he could find her was that Layla was so much stronger than everyone else and there were things that didn't fit. Layla had taught him to look at chain murders and find the smallest differences to prove whether or not it was a copy cat. Issa didn't believe the reason that Layla had disappeared was a copy cat but for some reason there had been something that didn't match up at all. That was the fact that no body was found, no one came to their lair, and there were no rumors about the Angel having been caught. Some people thought that maybe the Angel was dead because of her inactivity but Issa was sure that she was alive, somewhere. She had to be somewhere.
"Have you found out who her last employer was?" Issa asked.
"No, sir."
"Even by promising them safety and absolution?"
"Yes, sir. I think that everyone is too scared either of us or the Angel retaliating."
Issa sighed and spouted back the story that he had been telling to get Lateef and the others to search for the Angel even if it seemed hopeless.
"She killed my parents. Not only them but countless other people as well. I need to know where she is to take her in no matter what."
"Sir, I have a question."
Issa waved his hand, gesturing for him to continue.
"The Angel, sir, why do you always refer to the assassin as a she?"
Issa froze and then scolded himself over and over again for the careless mishap.
"I guess I just associate the word Angel with  a woman," he replied hoping the excuse would slide.
"That's all fine, sir, but there is no way the Angel could be a woman," Lateef said.
"Why not?" Issa asked, looking up from his book for the first time. "There's no reason she couldn't be a woman. Women are just as capable as men when it comes to things like that. Society just doesn't give them a chance to really show that. What if this woman grew up in a society where that was okay?" Issa asked.
"Well, then I guess it could be a woman but the chances of that are very slim."
"I will act on that chance. Please widen your search to include women," Issa said waving Lateef off.
"Yes, sir," Lateef said with a bow and walked out of the room.
Issa stood up and looked out of the window. He saw that the sun was already on its way down through the afternoon. He went to the market in town and bought what he needed chatting a little with the vendors there. On his way home, he stopped by Dalila and Omari's home. They had gotten married the year before and they were living together on the edge of town. He said hello and sat down for a short drink of tea, since it was the only time that he could see them anymore. Kosey and Jamila had broken up in the same year that Layla had left and didn't speak to each other at all anymore. Kosey travelled around, working as an official tax-collector for the king. Jamila had finished school and was still searching for someone to marry. She had darted from man to man but had yet to settle but her father was threatening that if she didn't get married soon, he would withdraw the support he was lending her to live. Every so often, Issa would visit her as well, but she was usually busy running her household. Darius had left to travel around the country. He came back to town every so often to visit and tell amazing stories of his adventures before running off again on a another crazy voyage. Issa still admired him greatly and often wished that he could go off with him but he knew that if he did the search for Layla would halt so he stayed in town. He still lived in their little lair since he had been unwilling to give up the idyllic location and buy a house. He had made a few changes, such as making the opening a little larger since he had grown quite a bit and was bigger than Layla had been. He had also brought a few pieces of wood and constructed a table and an actual bed for himself. He still followed the routine that Layla had followed, more out of habit than anything. Then he would sleep and wake up the next morning for the same dull day to follow.
He was in his office, sorting through some paperwork, when Lateef found him that day.
"You were right, sir," Lateef said.
"About?"
"The Angel of Darkness is a woman. Only after searching that way did we find any clues. We asked a few people if they had ever seen the Angel of Darkness and they all responded no. When we asked if they had seen any suspicious men they all shook their heads but when we asked about women quite a few remember from years ago woman dressed all in black running through the village. They could never see enough of her face to tell us who she was and they just had thought that it was some young girl off to see a lover or something. Here's the information we have been able to collect. Most of her sightings occurred in this area, which is not strange since that is where most of her murders occurred. The last time she was seen was not in this area at all. It was in the town of Sais. There, on March 31st five years ago, outside of the hotel in the village, a small ruckus was heard. One of our officials told us about it, since it had occurred right out of his window. He heard a few muffled words and then  few scuffles before everything fell silent."
Issa furrowed his brow thoughtfully. March 31st was the date that Layla had disappeared.
"I need to talk to that officer as soon as possible. Also, see if you can get a list of all the guests at the hotel that day and check their backgrounds. I want to know the reason the Angel disappeared. If it was someone at that hotel maybe we can ask. Give me the list by the end of the week."
"Yes, sir," Lateef said.
A knock on the door interrupted what he was about to say next.
"Come in," Issa said.
"Sir," a messenger boy said, "the king orders you come directly."
"Alright, I'm going. Good work, Lateef. Keep it up."
Lateef bowed.
Issa walked to the throne room to face his father, something that he greatly wished he didn't have to do. Every time he saw those dark eyes and that scraggly hair, Issa wondered if he would every become like him. He walked in through the large double doors and everyone bowed to him courteously except the king who sat high above everyone else.
"Hello, Your Highness, is there anything that I can do for you?" he asked politely.
"I used to have a son. He'd be about your age right now. When he was eleven he was killed by the Angel of Darkness. Have you heard of this?"
"I lived it," Issa thought but said, "Yes, sir, I have."
"My current son. I have to protect him somehow. What do you advise?"
Issa thought.
"The only true solution to this problem is getting someone as well trained as every assassin out there to protect him. If we could discover who it is that is killing these assassins then we could get him to protect your son."
"We don't know where he is. Is he really trustworthy?"
"I do not know sir. I'd say that right now your best bet would be to get your most well-trained guards at your son's door instead of your own but that solution is not ideal either."
"I'm not willing to give up my own guards for him."
Issa flinched thinking, "You're his father. You're first instinct should be to give everything up for him."
"I understand sir. Would you be willing to maybe have him live with me? I have training and I can protect him if I need to."
The king stared down at Issa. He seemed to be trying to see something in him that didn't exist.
"No, that wouldn't be right either. They must stay here."
"Yes, sir of course, I'm just trying to think of something. I promise that by tomorrow I will have a good solution for you. Do not worry at all."
The king nodded and dismissed Issa. Issa didn't know why he had offered to take the kids in. It would have created more problems than it would solve. First of all, he would have had to explain why he was living in a cave, despite his high wages. Maybe it was because Layla had done the same thing for him or maybe it was because he just wanted to get the two kids out of there as soon as possible. Regardless, he knew that offering that had been a stupid thing to do. Issa sat down at his desk heavily. For the next hour, he worked non-stop on papers that the king was too lazy or busy to do himself, until he heard a knock on his door. He invited the person in and saw that it was Lateef and a government official. Issa stood.
"Sir, this is Sefu Rasheed. He works in the business and distribution sector. He was the one who heard the Angel on that night 5 years ago. He said that he was willing to answer all questions he needs to."
"Good. Thank you Lateef. You may leave now."
Lateef bowed and left.
"Hello, sir. Have a seat. Welcome to my office," Issa said, sitting.
Mr. Rasheed sat at the chair in front of Issa's desk.
"I've heard of you," he said. "You're the sixteen year-old boy, who was able to rise to the level of advisor to the king in just a matter of years. I've heard people say that you are intelligent, mature, polite, and above all, you have a very commanding air about you. All of this seems true though I know nothing more than your name."
"These rumors are a tad exaggerated but I thank you for your compliments sir. Now, the reason I brought you here, you already know. On March 31st five years ago, you heard some scuffling outside your hotel room window. On this same night, the Angel was sighted in that town. Could you please give me some more details about that night?"
"Well, it was a long night. I had been traveling all day and finally be able to stop in Sais in my hotel room. My bed was right by the window to allow fresh air in. I am not a very heavy sleeper so I was quickly woken when I heard noise outside. I believe it was the noise of someone jumping off the roof and grabbing onto the window sill. I hear whoever it was whisper something and then he was gone. Then, on the ground, I heard scuffling back and forth as if there was a fight but a very quiet one."
"On the ground? Were you not on the ground?"
"No, sir. My window was three floors up. Anyway, the scuffle only lasted a few seconds before it stopped and thinking that I was just a couple of cats or something forgot it until a couple days ago when I was asked about it again."
"The person on the window sill was male or female?"
"I couldn't say but I'd guess male."
"You didn't look out of the window?"
"No, part of me was too frightened to look. It's probably a good thing that I didn't."
"Yes, you're right. Is there anything else that you remember about that night?"
"No, not really. After that I fell back asleep and woke up to another day just like that."
Issa nodded.
"Thank you so much for your time. That was all the information I needed."
Mr. Rasheed bowed and left the room. Issa sat at his desk silently. They had made a little progress. Issa was almost sure that Layla had been sent to kill Mr. Rasheed for some reason or another. Now, he just had to find her employer. He also needed to get that list of people who had been at the hotel. He leaned back in his chair with a sigh.
"I'm coming Layla. I'm coming."

Angel of Darkness: Chapter 4

Six months after she almost murdered the boy, he had gone back to the happy young one that she had seen the night of the fake murder. All of his suspicions were gone. His name had originally been Oba, just like his father, but when he had found that Layla wasn't Layla's real name, he had decided that he wanted another name and Layla had agreed that he should change as much as he could. Now she called him Issa. He called her Layla or Angel. It had taken a long time before he had built up the courage but finally he had asked her which assassin she was: Mask of Death, Hand of Hades, Pluto's breath, or one of the many others. When she's told him that she was the Angel of Darkness, he had freaked out and it had taken another week for him to talk to her. Layla had gotten him enrolled at school under the name Issa and everyone in town believed that he was her cousin. He always helped her out with her story, which she had made him memorize thoroughly. At first he'd complained about going to school, but after a few days he seemed to enjoy it more than anything else and had developed an insatiable thirst for knowledge, whether about math, Layla's life story, or fighting techniques, it didn't matter as long as he learned. Everyone in town loved him just as they had come to love Layla. He was just so happy and innocent all the time. Dalila and Jamila were both ready to adopt him. Issa liked all of them as well and was always happy to see them but the person who he was always closest to was Layla. As he had slowly begun to trust her and then get close to her, she had become his personal goddess. That feeling had only increased after she had decided to teach him how to fight.
Teaching him to fight had been an interesting experience because, in a way, she'd had to relearn everything in order to teach him what she knew by instinct. There was also the fact that he had a different body type than her. He wasn't as nimble or as fast as Layla but she knew that in a few years, if he continued training, he would get quite a bit stronger than her. Layla worried that he wouldn't stop training. He wanted to become an assassin.
"No," she told him every time he asked. "The only reason I'm an assassin is because I need money. I get more than enough for both of us. I won't let you put yourself in danger or force yourself to kill someone. It's not that easy to do."
Issa seemed to understand but was disappointed and would often ask again and again, just to see if the answer changed. As they trained together, Issa's thin arms grew and he lost a lot of the soft fat which had lined his stomach. He slowly became stronger than any of the boys his own age and by the end of the year, Layla predicted that he would be able to defeat any of the people in the village in a fight with the exception of herself. He was a quick learner with a lot of energy but his lack of physical exertion previous to living with her made things that were incredibly easy for Layla really hard for him. It was only after a lot of intensive running, and work-outs that he was able to actually start training. Waiting for her to teach him actual attacks and defenses had probably been the hardest part for him. It didn't matter though because Layla did her best to keep him on his toes.
He had gotten used to her schedule really easily. Morning; wake up at six, small breakfast, school, lunch, more school, shopping, home, fighting lessons, dinner, work-out, bath, sleep. One Tuesday, Layla woke up at her normal time and woke Issa up. He had stopped lashing out at her when she woke him up. Instead, he hopped up and said,
"Good morning," and scampered off to the stream to wash up as Layla started a small fire and made some honey-milk and bread.
Issa came back, dressed in a loose, white cotton shirt and khaki pants and sandals. His hair was it's usual mess on top of his head. He had blatantly refused to cut it since he had left the palace, preferring to grow it out like many of the kids in the village. It now hung past his ears, though it was still too short for him to pull it up.
He hungrily stuffed the bread in his mouth and gulped down the milk.
"Time for school," he said a lot more gleefully than most kids would have.
Layla laughed. Before Issa, she had rarely smiled even with her friends, but with him around, she found herself laughing and teasing like anyone else. Issa had that effect on people. He made them forget their hardships.
They walked to school together, and as the entered the town people greeted them. One of the older, grumpier men had decided that, since Issa no longer had a father, he would care for him. The old man would give him free fruits, honey, and bread but would also scold and beat him if he ever got in trouble as any real father would. It took a large part of the responsibility off of Layla because she honesty didn't know how to deal with him other than feeding him and clothing him. As they approached the school, Issa darted off into the crowd calling, "See you later," out to Layla. She smiled after him and though she knew he would be safe, she worried about him a little. She briefly wondered if that was how parents felt but ignored the thought and made her own way to school. Halfway through day, Dalila, Jamila, and Layla all walked off to Mr, Beb's stand which he'd had to expand because of the added people eating there. Now, it wasn't only the three girls but Issa as well and Darius, Omari, and Kosey. The three older boys treated Issa as a younger brother and he treated them accordingly. The boys had become regulars at the stand and had become great friends with the girls. Shy, curly-haired Kosey had already started dating Jamila. He was cute in a boyish way and quiet so Jamila was able to ramble on  and he would never interrupt her. They ended up spending a lot of time together. Omari was just as quiet most of the time but it was not because he was shy but more because he was more willing to let Darius do the talking and just watch. He wasn't as smart as Kosey or Darius but he made up for it with bulging muscles and and terrifying scowl. Even though she didn't seem to notice, it was obvious that that scowl always softened when his eyes met Dalila. But she was too busy gazing after Darius, like many of the girls in town. Even Layla, who had avoided boys in the past because of her life, would have been willing to give Darius a chance. He was more than willing to give her that chance as well. Layla wasn't oblivious to his gazes and innuendos that he always threw her way but she knew what would happen if she allowed herself to get really close to him; she would feel guilty about lying, and would begin to resent him or would break down and tell him everything. Neither of these was a good solution. At the same time, there was something about him that interested Layla. Through his smart, kind nature, there was something else. Something that Layla couldn't figure out and this had become like a puzzle that Layla was determined to solve. As part of her suspicious nature she had learned to read people really well but this something that Darius was hiding completely baffled her.
"Hey boys," she said and sat down next to Issa, wiping apiece of rice off his face.
"Hey, girls," Darius replied and handed the girls some apples.
Kosey slid next  to Jamila and cautiously put his arm around her waist. She kissed him on the cheek. Omari walked over and stood protectively behind Dalila. Darius leaned against the counter of the stand and started give out the latest gossip, which they had taken to discussing.
"Okay, I have some really cool news today."
He paused for dramatic effect.
"They caught the Mask of Death."
"What?" Layla asked, surprise and a tad of anger coating her voice.
She's never met the Mask of Death, but from what she's heard and seen, he was a pretty good assassin.
"Yep, the Mask of Death has been caught. The only problem is that he was caught dead."
He had everyone's attention and he was very good at playing to an audience. He lowered his voice and his expression became grave.
"Guys, in the past month they've caught three other assassins. The others were all small scale, not great, but they were all caught dead."
Layla forced herself not to pale by clenching her jaw.
"Wait a sec. How did they know that it was the Mask of Death? From what I heard no one has seen his face," Jamila said.
"True enough but they followed a note on his chest which led to his lair or whatever and there they found knives. Gold ones, which the Mask of Death is known for. He was dressed like an assassin and had plenty of golden knives already on him."
Layla clenched her jaw even tighter until it hurt. Someone was killing assassins and it was someone who knew not only who they were but their lairs, which were an assassin's most treasured secret. Not to mention, the killer was strong enough to killed hired killers.
"How did he die?" Layla asked, hoping her fear wasn't showing.
"His neck was broken and there was knife sticking out of his chest. The other three were killed in the same way."
Layla felt Issa's hand searching for hers and she took it. Without looking at each other they had both come to the same terrible conclusion.
"So an assassin is killing assassins?" Dalila asked. "Is that a good or a bad thing?"
"Both," Omari said, surprising everyone by speaking.
"It's good that the assassins are dying so they can't kill anyone else but whoever is killing them is someone who is strong enough to kill highly trained assassins such as the Mask of Death. That is probably not good, especially if he decides to turn on us."
Jamila shuddered and Kosey hugged her more tightly. The rest of the meal was finished in fearful silence and then everyone went back to school where Layla tried to ignore Jamila and Dalila's hushed discussions. After that, Layla and Issa shopped together and went home. Issa had been unusually silent since lunch and instead of darting in between the people on the streets, playing with the other children, he just walked by her, holding her hand in his. When they got back to the cave he helped her unpack and then asked,
"Are you going to die?" his face was full of worry. "I'm scared for you."
Layla sighed and knelt down in front of him.
"I don't know."
She had resolved to never lie to him no matter what because she needed him to trust him and she needed him to understand her life even if it hurt him.
"This guy is pretty good. He kills highly trained assassins with his bare hands. I don't know what he'll be able to do with actual weapons."
"But I thought he had killed the guy with a knife in the chest?"
Layla shook her head.
"A broken neck and a knife in the chest are both almost immediately lethal so why would the murderer do both? It was because he wanted to cover up the fact that he killed with his bare hands so that people would underestimate him."
Issa's eyes grew wide.
"You can't be an assassin anymore. You can find some other job or we can just go hungry. I can work. I don't mind. Please don't die."
Layla sighed and drew him in tight for a hug.
"I won't die, I promise."
Issa's eyes filled with tears and he gripped her tightly.
"Don't go."
Since Issa had begun living with her, Layla had only gone on three raids, which compared to before was very little. Every time, Issa had begged to go with her and she had said no every single time. He had pouted but then let her go. Layla had been planning on going on another raid soon because they were in need of some more money.
"I have to go, or else we won't be able to eat. I trust myself. I know about the killer and how he kills so I can take extra care. Don't worry about me."
Issa shook his head and refused to let go of her.
"Tomorrow I'm going to see an employer who might have a job for me. You will stay here and not worry, okay?"
Issa shook his head again. Layla kissed his forehead and wiped back his hair.
"I love you, so please stop crying. I'll be here tonight and tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that. No matter what I will come back to you."
Issa looked at her and nodded.
"Do you trust me?"
Issa nodded again and let her go. Just like any other afternoon, Layla trained with Issa, teaching him as he quickly gobbled up the knowledge that she was giving him. They ate, worked out, washed and then slept.
The next day proceeded like any other day and at lunch, Darius told of the murder of one more assassin, though not at the same level as the Mask of Death. Issa had gipped Layla's hand again, squeezing it and refusing to let go. That evening, they had done everything as always and Issa sat on his bed, watching Layla carefully as she got dressed and slipped her weapons on. She walked over to Issa again and slid down onto her knees and hugged him.
"You know what to do if I don't come back, right?" she told him.
Every time she went out on a raid she had asked him the same thing but this time, it held a different weight. Layla stood up and slipped out of the cave into the cool desert air. She climbed onto a nearby rock and sat there for a few minutes because she had the feeling that Issa would try to follow her but he didn't come up. Layla jumped off the rock and ran off towards her employer's house. She had told him ahead of time that she was coming, though he had no way of contacting her back. When she arrived, she walked right into the man's living room as if she owned the place. This employer was a very fat, old and ugly man but he was rich. He looked at her and nodded once.
"I do have a job for you, Angel," he said.
"What is it?"
"Government official in Sais. Here is a picture. He should be at this address. Kill him immediately."
Layla nodded her agreement.
"Payment?"
"1,200 yeli."
"Okay, I will be back."
Layla dashed off into the night, memorizing the address and the man's picture at the same time. Sais was a good hour's run away so Layla set a pace and began to jog lightly. She thought back on Issa, hoping that he was sleeping and not just sitting there waiting for her. He would do that.
"I won't die," she whispered to herself, making herself believe those words and sharpened her perception.
She forced her mind to become hyper alert by using all of her five senses to recognize the world around her. She used her nose to smell for any strange smells; her eyes scanned the empty desert with a hawk's watchfulness; if her ears had been like a dogs, they would have been cocked and rotating every few seconds to gather in as much noise as possible; she even used her tongue to taste the air around her, searching for changes in air currents; and every inch of her body tingled as she tried to feel anything that her other senses hid from her. When, Layla arrived at Sais, she was aware of everything around her, even noticing as a small lizard darted across her path. She walked straight to the main hotel in the town and climbed up the side of it to the third floor, fourth window from the right. She was about to slip in though the window, when a small whistling sound, alerted her to something falling from the roof. She threw herself, using the window sill of the third window from the right to catch herself. She realized that whatever had fallen after had been a person. That person had caught himself on the sill of the window that Layla had been hanging on just a second before.
"Hello, Angel of Darkness. It's time you met your death."

Angel of Darkness: Chapter 3

       Layla always woke up at six o’clock every morning regardless of the amount of sleep that she’s had the night before. Today, she was right on time and her eyes opened just as the first rays of sunlight shone in the vast canyon. Her cave faced east and was usually the first part of the canyon that felt the warmth of the sun as it flooded the entrance to her cave. She loved watching sunrise with a cup of warm milk and honey and some bread. She started a small, smoke-free fire with some dry wood and two pieces of flint. When it caught, Layla stood back allowing it to gather heat. When she was sure it wouldn’t go out she went around the bend in the cave to a hollowed out ledge to the right of the entrance tunnel. Though, she knew no one was watching, Layla had always been uncomfortable with changing with the whole canyon in view. Now, with the boy in there, she was even less willing to change in that area. Getting ready for her regular daily life, she put on a light blue tunic, which hung down to her ankles. It had no sleeve and was held together at the shoulders with two large, golden brooches. She slipped two golden bands up around her biceps as was the tradition. Girls should wear long tunics and bands around her arms. Boys wore short tunics that ended just above their knees and bands around their wrists like cuff guards. Layla braided her hair with gold colored strands of fabric so that her black hair would flash yellow and orange in the rising sun. She walked to the fire and hung a pot with milk over it and took a roll of bread and started to heat it. She made up her bed, which that day had just been a lumpy pile of sheets since the boy occupied hers. He was breathing easily, curled up on his left side and was facing the wall of the cave. The little boy looked so defenseless.
“I’m going to take care of him,” Layla said, just so she could hear the words out loud, liking the way they sounded.
She finished her milk and bread and began to go over her list of things that she would need for the boy -- clothes, more food, and another bed. Though the money she had taken from Khalid would easily cover it Layla wouldn't have needed it.  Assassins were paid a great deal. She would need the extra money to pay for his schooling though. She was sure that he would resist but, she would convince him. She didn’t want him to have to do what she did when he grew up. Also education always made people respect you more. In Kemet, a poor but well-educated person could get more respect than a richer person. That was why Layla went to school. For a girl, it was especially hard to get any real respect so she did everything she could to earn it.
Layla stood up and walked over to the sleeping prince. Softly, she caressed his hair and then shook his shoulder. His hand shot out quickly almost hitting her in the face. Only her quick reflexes allowed her to catch his wrist. She held it gently, surprised at how thin it was. Again, she shook his shoulder and his eyes started to open. When he saw the cave wall in front of him, he sat up quickly, and looked around, his eyes wide. He saw the cave opening out to the canyon, and the pile of sheets at the wall across from him. Then he saw her. He scrambled back against the wall, twisting his wrist out of her grip.
“You’re the assassin,” his dark eyes filled with fear.
For some reason, Layla felt hurt. She was used to people who knew who she was being afraid of her, but the boy had been different. He hadn’t been scared and that had been one of the main reasons that she’s liked him.
“Yes, I am,” she said cautiously.
His eyes grew even wider and Layla knew that he had been holding onto the hope that she wasn’t. He started to shake his head.
“No… I… I didn't… I wasn't sure… I just wanted to get away.”
"What do you mean?”
"I wasn't thinking. I just wanted to get away. It didn't matter if I died but I don't want to die. I was wrong I don't want to die."
"I'm not going to kill you."
Layla spoke to the boy like someone might speak to a frightened animal and she didn’t move.
“You’re an assassin. You’re going to kill me.”
The boy was starting to cry, which really annoyed Layla.
“No, I killed the man who ordered me to kill you last night. Do you remember that errand I had to run?”
The little boy nodded, tears overflowing from his eyes.
“I won’t hurt you. I helped you get away from the palace, right?”
The little boy’s hand went to the bruise that he had showed her the night before. He nodded.
“That’s what you wanted, right?”
He nodded again.
“Did I hurt you at all?”
He looked at her with wide eyes and shook his head. Layla stood up slowly and walked back to the fire. She put more milk on and warmed up another roll. She added honey to the milk and put the bread on a plate.
“Are you hungry?” she asked.
The boy hadn’t moved an inch but tears were now steadily streaming from his eyes.
“It’s poisoned,” he sniffled.
Layla ripped a piece of the bread off the roll and, ate it and had a sip of the milk and honey. She put it back down on the ground. The boy didn’t eat it.
“I have to go. I’ll be back around four. There is food over there and if you want to leave, the tunnel over there’ll get you out. There are some bushes at the top. Just push through them. Go west to get to town.”
Still, the boy didn’t move.
“Okay then, bye.”
She started to leave.
“Are you going to kill someone?” he asked.
“Nah, kid. I’m going to school.”
The boy looked up in surprise and Layla smiled. She slipped on a pair of leather sandals and started up the tunnel. She’s gotten pretty good at getting up and out without messing up her dress or her hair. At the top of the tunnel, there was a cluster of rocks that had a hole under them. Layla kept her money there and she grabbed a bag of gold coins to pay for lunch and the shopping. It was Wednesday so she had to buy food as well as supplies for the Prince. Meat and fresh fruits didn’t keep long in the heat so Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Layla bought some more. As she headed towards the village, sand tickled her feet through her sandals. Layla loved the desert more than the water of Hellas. She supposed it was in her blood because the endless blue sky over the golden desert was way more beautiful to her than the ocean could ever be to her. The people who visited from Hellas would often leave with red, sensitive skin but the sun never bothered Layla or any of the other Kemetians. They all had similar features that protected them from it -- dark skin, dark eyes, and a tendency to tilt their heads a little forwards so that their face was rarely hit directly by the sun. The walk to the village took only about 5 minutes and it could be seen as soon as she stepped out of her cave. From there, it looked like a small group of really square rocks but she knew that in the middle of the adobe houses was an open air market place that even early in the morning would be filled with people. The houses weren’t very big because very few people actually spent their day inside. Houses generally had two bedrooms, one for the adults and one for the children, and a kitchen. The kitchen was only used by the women to cook dinner. Breakfast was usually a cold meal and people ate lunch quickly, usually in the market place. Women usually spent the whole afternoon in a sweltering hot room to cook. Men, on the other hand, would go to work, whatever that happened to be. Some men had stands in the market that sold goods, others had farms out of town, and others worked at the palace as guardsmen, servants, or advisors to the court. Others would go to work at Khalid’s oasis. Someone would find him and his seven guards soon enough. A huge battle would be waged concerning who now got ownership of the land because if Layla knew anything about Khalid it was that he did not plan to give the farm away to anyone. He would not have an heir and so the land would be given to whoever was deemed most worthy by the mayor of the town. No one knew who it would be. Layla banished these thoughts from her mind as she reached the outskirts of town. People started calling out to her.
“Hello, Layla.”
“How are you?”
“Do you want to buy some toad’s legs?”
Layla smiled and nodded back at everyone. She knew exactly who they all were and they all knew her.
“Hello, Layla. How is your mother doing?” an older man with twinkling eyes called out to her.
“Great Mr. Beb, my mom’s fever broke. The doctor said she should be good as new by the end of the week.”
“Good, good. She still won’t be coming to town though. I have yet to meet her.”
“No, no. Mr. Beb she is still too weak.”
“Well, tell her I said hello anyway.”
“Yes, sir,” Layla said and the continued on her way.
That was her cover story. Dead father and a sick mother that could not come into town so she was forced to do all the work on her own. According to her story, her mother’s family had been quite rich and after the war, she’d been the only living child so she had inherited all of her parents’ and grandparents’ money. This story was not unlikely as many people had come into a lot of money from deceased relatives after the war. Her father had also been a hard working fellow before the war and had died fighting bravely on the front lines. All of his money had been left to his frail wife. According to the story, Layla had enough money that she would not have to do much work for the rest of her life. As she walked through the streets, Layla greeted the women working in the houses and watched the young children dart in and out of the crowds, looking for something fun to do before the sun made the sand burn their feet. Her thoughts slid back to the boy in the cave, wondering if he had eaten or not. She still needed to buy some clothes for him and think of some sort of cover story as to why she was buying young boy’s clothes. She would also need more food than she usually had. She worried about it until she reached the school. The school was just an open patio with places of shade for the teachers and none for the students. Each teacher would teach a small group of students at a time. The school was an all-girls school. Since their parents had to pay for a girl’s education, the girls were usually pretty rich and they really wanted to be in school. It was their choice and it was a very special gift that they savored. The only reason they were sent to school, though, was so that no one would be able to cheat them and so that they would not be helpless without their husbands. In Hellas, women had a very central role in society and so it was different in Kemet. Layla was thought that in Kemet life was insanely unfair but she held her tongue. There was nothing she could do the change society. As she neared the school, two girls ran up to her. They were her two friends and two of the few people in the world that she would risk her life for. Dalila was tall, thin, and poised. She belonged to one of the main families in Kemet. She would make a great wife to whoever wanted her but she wasn’t beautiful. Not ugly, either, but not pretty. Or maybe Layla was just comparing her to Jamila. She was one of the few people in Kemet with really curly hair, where most had straight black hair. Some had slightly wavy hair but none had her thick, round curls. She was small, only about 4’ 9’’ and she had some chubbiness around her face and hips but that would be good for childbirth. Her face was beautiful , with large eyes, a small nose and full, red lips. Boys would let their eyes and thoughts follow her but none would actually pursue her because of her schooling. She was smarter and more knowledgeable than most of them and men hate being showed up by a girl. That was the main reason that none of the three girls had many suitors.
“Hey, how’s your Mom?” Dalila asked, worriedly.
She knew that the one thing Layla cared about more than anything was her mother because that was how she played it.
"Oh, she's better. Her fever broke and the doctor said that she should be fine in a week or two."
"Oh, that's good. It would be terrible if she got worse, right?" Jamila asked.
Layla nodded and hugged the two of them and they walked to their school, arriving just on time.
"Class time!" the head teacher said and everyone sat in their respective groups. After that it was just studying. They learned reading, writing, arithmetic, a little geometry, some astronomy, and rhetoric. Layla worked hard on everything. A teacher would come teach them a little of something and then move on to another group of kids while the students did some exercises. Sometimes it was hard for the teachers to keep up because the girls absorbed knowledge like sponges and filled out their exercises quickly but as lunch grew nearer everything slowed down. The sun really started to shine in the sky and the heat pointed on the back of the girls' necks. The heat started make even the most alert people, like Layla, drowsy. This time of day was true murder, Layla thought. In town, everyone would go back to the house and get something to each while lounging in the shade of nearby palm or the cover of a tent. Business in the market became slow as people disappeared into the little shade that the town offered. Merchants stayed at their stalls protected by the cloth roofs but not many people came around so they would kick back and start to eat the food that their wives had prepared for them. At 12:00 the school was let out for an hour so that the students could go and eat something. it was the only activity in the market from 11:00 to 1:00, the hottest hours of the day. They would buy fruits, chips, dried meat, and some milk or water. As soon, as their teacher called for lunch, Layla, Dalila, and Jamila put down their writing tablets and walked to the market. The three of them automatically walked to Mr. Beb's stall. He was their favorite because they were really close and he had a good variety and he was the only shopkeeper who would let them sit under his stall with him to escape the sun.
"Layla, Dalila, and Jamila! What a surprise to see the three of you here," he said, his eyes twinkling. They came to the stall practically every day.
"Yes, you see we got tired of the food we normally eat so we decided to go somewhere else, you know, for variety," Layla replied, cheekily.
Everyone laughed.
"Well, come on in and have your food."
The girls picked out some sun-dried tomatoes, sweet fruits, and some smoked beef. They didn't always eat the same thing but usually it was something very similar. For the next half an hour, Layla and the two other girls laughed and ate right along with Mr. Beb who had saved his lunch until the girls joined him. The girls stuffed themselves and then began their favorite activity of the day: relaxing. There were still some students in the market place. Most of them had left to their homes and shade but the ones who stayed were milling around, laughing.
"Hey, guys, guess what," one of the older boys said -- he was about Layla's age -- "I heard that Old Oba's son was killed last night. There was blood all over the bed but no son."
The other two guys' eyes widened.
"The Mask of Death," one whispered under his breath.
Assassins were famous in Kemet, almost more so than the king, and people knew how to recognize each of them because they each had their own weapons and special way of killing.
"Nah, they said that it was the Angel again. Had all the signs: men killed by darts, no witnesses, and six or seven unconscious guards."
"Six," Layla thought, "and three dead."
"How many died?" one of the guy's friends asked.
"Other than the king's son? Three guards, I think. You know how the Angel works. He only kills as many as he has to."
Layla was a little miffed to hear herself being referred to as a guy but that was also the most powerful part of her disguise. No one would expect a woman to be an assassin, much less a 15-year-old girl.
"Hey, boy," Mr. Beb said and the three boys walked over.
"Is that true? What you said? Ahmose's son is dead?"
"Yes sir. That is what I heard and there have been guards running everywhere. They also executed a bunch of the unconscious guards and a few others who were supposed to guard the boy."
Mr. Beb leaned back in his chair, his chin at his chest and his eye brows furrowed.
"I heard that Mr. Khalid Adjo was found dead at his house this morning by one of his workers. Seven guards dead and him with a slit throat."
The three boys stared at each other.
"Really sir?"
"Yes. The seven guards were on the roof with bows and arrows. I think they might have tried to ambush someone but that someone was able to kill them all and get away."
Everyone looked at each other in fear. Whoever was able to kill seven guards as he was being ambushed must have been incredibly strong, fast, and terrifying.
"Who did it?"
"Before I wasn't sure but I had a suspicion that it might have been the Angel. The men were killed by arrows that were no longer there. The torch was stuffed in the sand so whoever did it probably did it in pitch darkness. Do you know anyone else who can do that?"
The boys were excited now, but Jamila piped up.
"There's no proof that the arrows were shot in the dark. There could have been another torch or the torch could have been put out after shooting."
"Well, I guess," the first boy said, reluctant to take the glory away from the Angel, "but whoever did it still had tremendous skill at fighting."
He was quite good-looking actually. He was one of those rare people who didn't have black hair. Instead, his hair was brown and fell in a wavy pile on his head. He had a nice smile and bright eyes. Layla partially to help him out and partially to boost up her other image said,
"We know he did it in the dark because I guess no other torches were found since that was a special part of the report. Also, if he'd already killed all the men then why would he have to put the torch out?"
Everyone looked at Layla.
"It makes sense," the second boy said. He was tall and brutish, with large muscles and a slightly dull expression but he had kind eyes.
"Exactly, that's how we know he shot in the dark," the brown-haired boy said, and he looked at Layla almost hungrily.
Layla knew that look, having seen it often enough directed at Jamila.
"Well, it seems that the Angel is on a roll. These are more deaths than normal." Mr Beb said.
"Actually, that's not true," Layla said without thinking since she knew better than anyone the amount of deaths that occurred. Everyone looked at her and to cover it up, she explained.
"Remember three months ago there were six deaths every night for a week," Layla said.
She remembered that week well. Someone in the palace had asked her to kill 42 soldiers who had information regarding a policy that he did not want passed. These soldiers had gone each to the other six main cities in Kemet and she had been expected to kill them all before rumors of each other reached them. That had been an especially bad run because the murders had been all across the country and she's had to run miles and miles and miles to get to each of her locations. Then, she had had to get back to school before the rumors reached them otherwise people might have begun to tie her missing days to the murder days. If she sometimes had to take a day off for a job, she would claim that her mother was ill again. Still, disappearing for a week in which so many murders took place was pushing the envelope a little.
Slowly the market started to fill up with students again since it was time to go back to classes.
"We have to go Mr. Beb. See you later," Dalila said and all three girls kiss whim on the cheek and they were about to walk off back to class but the brown haired boy called out,
"Wait, what are your names?"
"Layla."
"Dalila."
"Jamila."
"It's nice to meet you. My name is Darius."
"I'm Omari," the brutish boy said.
"And, I'm Kosey."
Layla grinned at them.
"It's really nice to meet you."
"Totally, I'll see you tomorrow?"
Layla smiled her warmest smile.
"We'll be here."
"Okay, bye," Darius said and he walked off with his companions.
The girls kept their composure until the guys were out of sight and then started to giggle. All the way back to school, they giggled. The teachers snapped at them and had to threatened with a week of detention before they finally quit speaking. After classes the girls had to go their separate ways. Dalila went home to help with her six younger brothers and Jamila walked off to help her mother make dinner. The three girls kissed each other goodbye and Layla went to market. There she conversed with the shop owners while buying lots of  dried meat, fruits and vegetables. She also bought some clothes for the boy.
"Who's this for?" the shopkeeper asked because he knew full well there there was no one in her home who would wear it.
"My cousin is living with us now. His parents died recently and we're the only family he has left."
"I hope he won't cause too much trouble to your mother."
"I hope so too, though he seems like a nice kid."
The shopkeeper nodded and handed her the clothes.
"Goodbye Layla."
"Goodbye, Mr. Tikal."
It was around four when Layla got back to the cave lugging six bags of food clothes and sheets. She crawled in through the hole and put down her bags. The boy was still sitting on the bed, curled up against the wall but he had eaten the bread and the milk. A banana peel and an apple core were on the floor in front of him.
"Hey," she said and the boy jumped up, pushing his body against the wall as if he could just sink through it.
Layla simply started to unpack the things she had bought.
"I see you ate the food," she said.
He just nodded.
"Look at what I got you."
She held up a plain cotton shirt, some brown shorts and leather sandals.
"The clothes you are wearing look nice but they probably aren't that comfortable and they'll get you noticed if you go into town. Take these."
The boy didn't move so she just put them on the bed next to him and turned around to organize the fruits and the counter where she kept them. She had originally used the random outcropping as a bed but then hadn't had room for her food so she had decided to sleep on the floor instead of putting her food there. Layla turned and caught a glimpse of the boy fiddling with the buttons on his shirt before he snatched his had away. She walked over to him and knelt down in front of him, as much as she could in her dress, and tried to look him in the eye. It was hard to do, since he was trying to look everywhere but right at her. Finally, she was able to grab his attention. Speaking slowly and calmly, she said,
"I promise that I am not going to hurt you."
The boy looked back at her. His eyes no longer held as much fear as they had that morning.
"Promise?"
Layla nodded and smiled.
"Promise."
The boy looked at her.
"I have to pee."
Layla laughed a little and then showed him where she used for a bathroom. It was just past the area where she bathed where the water rushed by fast enough to carry her wastes away without bothering her at all. She walked back to the main cave, allowing the boy to pee in privacy. After a few minute he joined her. It was immediately obvious to her that he still didn't trust her. He always stood a few feet away from her and never trusted the food she handed to him, preferring to go pick fresh fruits or vegetables off the shelf. His eyes didn't leave her while she was in the room and he wouldn't fall asleep until he thought that she was as well. Then, over the next few months, Layla watched happily as he began to warm up to her.