“location confirmed,” the system popped. “proceed to scan.”

  Newton Hill stood on the rooftop, unmoving. Below him, the city lived in ignorance. Cars moved. People laughed. Lights flickered. Normal life was going on.

  His eyes showed none of it. Rather it scanned the building opposite him.

  “Target Identified. Fourth floor, north wing. Eliminate to earn freedom.”

  His fingers tightened around the blade.

  Freedom.

  He has waited eight years for it. He had killed two hundred and forty-nine people for that word.

  This was the last. And he can't wait to get it done. Another notification popped up.

  “Time allowed: five minutes.”

  He crossed the empty space between buildings without sound. His feet touched the wall, and he walked down like gravity had lost its authority over him.

  The window opened under his fingers. He slipped inside. His eyes fell on the target immediately. She was sleeping peacefully, unaware that death himself had visited her.

  “Good position, Ninja attack! Time remaining: four minutes, twenty seconds.”

  Newton drew his sword, and raised it, targeting the heart of the target. Then his eyes fell on a picture on the wall. It was a picture of two children.

  He froze, his hands trembled, struggling to maintain his grip on the hilt of the sword.

  “Hah, is this what i am thinking?”

  He recognized those kids. It was himself and Amelia Cardos, his childhood girlfriend.

  The target turned. The moon caught her face. “it is her,” he whispered, drifting back. And in those flashy seconds. The Ninja who had forgotten how to be a human felt human emotions.

  SYSTEM NOTICE: HESITATION DETECTED

  WARNING

  NON-COMPLIANCE WILL RESULT IN YOUR OWN DEATH.

  Newton Hill did not move. And for the first time in eight years, the perfect assassin hesitated to strike his target.

  Memories of the old flooded into his mind.

  Eight years earlier.

  Newton Hill learned early that fighting back only made things worse. He lived by one code.

  “Thou shall not kill.”

  And to achieve this, he stays away from violence.

  It was a strange lesson for a fourteen year old boy to understand so clearly. But pain had a way of teaching things faster than time ever could.

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  He was standing behind the cafeteria building when it happened again.

  His back pressed against the warm concrete wall. His fingers curled tightly around the strap of his school bag. He didn’t look at them. He never did.

  There were three of them today. There were always three.

  “Empty your pockets,” Brian said. Brian was the tallest. Not the oldest. Just the tallest. He had that kind of confidence that came from knowing nobody would stop him.

  Newton swallowed. His throat went dry. “I… I don’t have anything today.”

  It was the truth. He really didn’t. Brian stared at him for a few seconds. Then he laughed. It wasn’t a happy sound.

  It was the kind of laugh people made when they had already decided what they were going to do.

  “You hear that?” Brian said, glancing at the others. “He says he has nothing.”

  One of them snorted. The other cracked his knuckles. Newton’s fingers tightened slightly on his bag.

  He could feel his heart beating in his neck. He hated that feeling. That helpless pounding. Like his body was betraying him.

  Brian stepped forward. “Then maybe you shouldn’t have eaten today.”

  Newton didn’t answer. There wasn’t anything to say. The first shove came suddenly, it was hard.

  Newton’s back hit the wall with a dull thud. Pain bloomed across his shoulder. He sucked in a breath.

  Brian grabbed his shirt. “You think you’re better than us?” Newton shook his head quickly. “No.” It came out almost like a whisper.

  And that was the truth too. He never thought he was better than anyone. Brian’s fist drove into his stomach.

  The world folded, air vanished. Newton bent forward, coughing. His knees nearly gave out. Somewhere, someone laughed.

  He wasn’t sure who. Maybe all of them. Maybe none. Time became strange in moments like this. It stretched. It blurred.

  He didn’t even realize when Brian’s hand slipped into his pocket.

  He didn’t realize until he heard the coins clink. Three coins. That was all he had. Brian looked at them. Then at Newton. And for a second, something almost like disappointment crossed his face.

  “This is it?”

  Newton didn’t answer. Brian tossed the coins into the air and caught them. Then he shoved Newton one last time. Newton slid down the wall and landed on the ground.

  His legs felt weak. Brian crouched in front of him. “You’re pathetic.” He stood. They walked away. Just like that. Like it meant nothing. Newton stayed down.

  He stared at the ground. At the small cracks in the concrete. His stomach hurt. His chest hurt. But those weren’t the worst parts.

  The worst part was the familiar thought creeping in. Maybe they’re right. Maybe I am pathetic.

  He didn’t know how long he sat there. A minute. Maybe five. Then he heard footsteps. He tensed automatically.

  But the steps were lighter. Slower. He looked up. Amalia Cardos stood there. She was holding a book against her chest.

  Her long dark hair shifted slightly in the breeze. Her eyes were fixed on him. Not with pity.

  Something else. Something quieter. “Are you okay?” Newton nodded quickly. “Yes.”

  It was automatic.

  She didn’t look convinced. She stepped closer. “You’re bleeding.” He reached up. His fingers touched his lip. They came away red. He hadn’t even noticed. “It’s nothing,” he said. She frowned slightly.

  She knelt down in front of him. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The world felt very still. “Why don’t you fight back?” she asked softly.

  Newton looked away. He didn’t know how to answer that. Because the truth was complicated.

  Because the truth was embarrassing. Because the truth was simple. “I don’t like hurting people.” She studied him.

  Like she was trying to understand something. “You think they don’t like hurting you?” He didn’t answer.

  She sighed.

  Then she did something unexpected. She reached into her pocket. She pulled out a small handkerchief. And gently pressed it against his lip.

  Newton froze. He could feel the warmth of her hand. Her fingers were steady, and careful.

  It was such a small thing. But it felt enormous. “They’re cowards,” she said quietly. Newton blinked. He wasn’t sure he heard correctly. She met his eyes.

  “They pick on you because you won’t fight back.” He looked down. “That’s not true.”

  “It is.” Her voice didn’t rise. It didn’t need to. She believed it.

  Silence settled between them. Then she smiled. It was small. But real. “You’re different.”

  Newton felt his chest tighten. Not in pain..In something else. Something he didn’t have a name for yet.

  She stood. And held out her hand. He hesitated. Then he took it. Her grip was firm. She pulled him to his feet.

  For a moment, they just stood there. Two fourteen year olds. Behind a cafeteria.

  In a quiet corner of the world. “Come on,” she said. “Class is starting.” He nodded. They walked together. Side by side. Not touching. But close. Closer than before.

  He didn’t notice Brian watching them from across the yard. Didn’t see the way Brian’s expression darkened.

  Didn’t hear what he muttered under his breath. Newton only noticed one thing. For the first time in a long time. He didn’t feel completely alone.

  That evening, Newton sat on the small wooden chair in their kitchen.

  The house smelled faintly of soup. His mother stood at the stove. She glanced back at him. “You’re quiet today.” He shrugged.

  “I’m always quiet.” She smiled slightly. “That’s true.”

  She turned off the stove. And brought the bowl over. She placed it in front of him. He stared at it. Steam rose slowly.

  “You need to eat,” she said.

  He nodded. But he didn’t start. She noticed.

  She always noticed the weird behavior . “What happened at school today?”

  He froze. He didn’t want to lie. But he didn’t want to tell the truth either.

  “Nothing.”

  She didn’t respond immediately. She sat down across from him, and reached out to him .

  Gently she touched his lip. He flinched. Just slightly. Her eyes softened.

  “Newton, were you involved in a fight?”

  He looked down. “It’s nothing,” he whispered. “I fell and hit my face on the ground.”

  She didn’t press. She never forced him. Instead, she said something else.

  “You know!” He looked up. “You don’t have to be strong all the time. I can talk to the school authorities about it.”

  He frowned slightly. “I’m not strong.” She smiled sadly. “You are.” He didn’t understand that. Not then. Maybe not ever.

  He ate quietly. She watched him. Like she was memorizing him. Like she was afraid something might take him away.

  Outside, the world moved normally. Cars passed. Lights flickered. People lived their lives. Nobody knew what was walking among them.

  Nobody knew violence had already chosen him. And it was waiting, patiently for the day Newton Hill would finally stop being the boy who never fought back.

  SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:

  Candidate Located.

  Compatibility: Acceptable.

  Monitoring Initiated.