Mara spent the week moving from one city to another to finished one job then another. It was always clean, quiet and no mistakes. That was how she worked as an assassin for years.
Mori had given her seven days and she intended to use every single one of them properly. Joining the Port Mafia officially while still having unfinished commissions would only bring trouble to her later. Some of those jobs were tied to politics, businessmen and people whose names were better left unspoken. If she mixed those worlds together too early, it would leave traces.
And traces always led to blood.
So she kept moving. For a week, Mara already changed into different identities, clothes, personalities and faces.
The other night, she stood on a rooftop while watching the lights of a city below while a man collapsed behind her. His heart stopped with no wound, no noise and no sign of struggle. Last night, she walked out of a hotel calmly while chaos broke out three floors above. The target was already dead before anyone realized what was happening.
Mara never hesitated when it comes to her targets. Hesitation was a luxury she had buried long ago. Mara also heard heard bits of news while she was doing her job. Port Mafia rumors traveled fast especially when she was now tied to them. One name reached her ears more than once.
Dazai Osamu, the so-called right hand man of the current boss, Mori Ougai.
She heard he had been sent to Suribachi City. She saw several news about that place. It was a dangerous and messy place where people either survived by becoming monsters or died quickly.
Mara only listened to the rumors. Then she ignored it. If someone asked her about him, Mara already knew what she would say nothing about it. For her, they no longer had any relationship.
Whatever blood once connected them meant nothing now. Blood could be spilled. Blood could be washed away. Blood could lie. That's what she calmly told herself without any emotion. Mara had learned long ago that attachments were weaknesses people used against you.
As she cleaned her hands in a restroom sink after another job, Mara stared at her reflection in the mirror. A pair of sunset-colored eyes looked back at her. These were the eyes that were not hers before. These were the eyes that were remade by hands that never asked for her permission.
Whatever happened in the past was no longer important. The little girl named Mariko Tsushima died in winter at the age of eight. She died cold, alone and forgotten.
She turned away from the mirror, picked up her coat and walked out without looking back. Mara still have a few commission jobs to do.
The next day, Mara had another job to do. The target was a newly elected member of the Diet. And her deadline was before lunch. The target was in Tokyo while Mara was still in Yokohama. But it was not a problem for her.
Mara went to the rooftop of a tall hotel. The sky was clear and the wind gently moved around her. From here, Tokyo was far beyond what human eyes could see. But distance had never stopped her before.
She stood near the edge, lifted her hand and a sniper gun slowly formed in her palm. She checked it first then pulled a single bullet from her pocket. She sharpened its tip until it was too sharp and clean. Then she added more gunpowder in it that was far more than a normal weapon could handle.
After preparing her weapon, she pointed the gun in the general direction of Tokyo. She was not aiming with her eyes. Mara was aiming the gun to the direction of her target who was in Tokyo.
Then Mara opened the live telecast on her phone. The ceremony was already starting. The stage was bright and the target were standing among officials while smiling at his supporters.
Soon, she slightly adjusted the angle of her gun not for distance but for release. The bullet she made did not need to travel like a normal bullet. When Mara pulled the trigger, the force behind it was overwhelming.
The bullet was launched with impossible speed and pushed by compressed energy. The air screamed as it tore apart. The speed was so extreme that distance stopped meaning anything.
To the world, it looked like nothing happened. On the screen, the target stepped forward. And then, her target's head snapped to the side in a blink of an eye.
The bullet struck his temple instantly. There was no sound or warning at all. There was no time for anyone to react. The speed erased all delay and its impact came before anyone could understand what had happened.
The live telecast became a chaos. Mara watched it silently for a few seconds. The velocity did not just carry the bullet. It simply ended the distance and finished her job.
After finishing her job, Mara lowered her arms and let go of the weapon in her hands and the gun disappeared like it had never existed. Then she checked the time again. Mara finished her job before the deadline.
Mara turned her back to the edge of the rooftop and calmly walked away. She left the wind, the city and the impossible moment behind her.
Several hours later, she returned to her new penthouse. Mara removed her clothes and walked toward the bathroom. Soon, warm water ran down her skin while steam filled the bathroom.
She had just turned off the shower when her phone started to ring. But Mara reached for her phone without hurry. The screen showed no name. There was only a long series of numbers on the screen but she already knew who it was.
After staring at her phone, Mara decided to answer the call.
(Hello, my dear.)
An elegant woman's voice said from the other line. It was calm, smooth and amused. But Mara did not reply. The water was still dripping from her hair onto the marble floor. The woman on the other line did not seem bothered by the silence. Instead, she continued speaking in an almost playful voice.
(I heard you joined a mafia organization in Japan, my dear. To be honest, that was... unexpected.)
Mara wrapped a towel around herself and leaned against the sink.
(Hah... Why would you do that? I offered you a good position, power, protection and... freedom.)
This time, Mara spoke.
"Your offer did not appeal to me."
There was a short pause.
(Oh? Hmm... Is this a rebellion? Against me?)
Mara's brows slightly furrowed. But she said nothing. Soon, the woman chuckled on the other line.
(You really are stubborn. Anyway, you may stay in Japan if you want. I won't stop you. But...)
All of a sudden, her tone changed just a little.
(Don't forget. You can still return to my side. The offer I gave you still stands.)
Mara's grip tightened on the phone.
"Agatha." she said her name in warning.
Agatha Christie, the woman on the other line, laughed.
(Is that how you speak to your mother now?)
Mara's reflection stared back at her from the mirror. She has pale skin and sunset-colored eyes with no emotions in it.
"I have no family." Mara flatly said.
Then she ended the call. In an instant, the bathroom fell silent again. Mara lowered the phone and looked at herself properly this time. The girl in the mirror looked calm but her eyes were now alert and calculating.
She knew Agatha well enough. That woman never called without a reason. She never let go of things she considered hers.
Mara exhaled slowly.
"The Order of the Clock Tower will move soon." she murmured to herself before walking toward her walk-in closet.
At around midnight, Mara arrived at the Port Mafia building. The guards at the entrance already knew her face. They bowed and let her pass without question. As she walked through the long halls, she saw someone walking on the opposite direction.
A beautiful woman with long red hair stood ahead and wearing a soft pink kimono. A sword rested at her side. She looked calm and deadly at the same time.
When Mara stopped walking, the woman also stopped. For a moment, they simply looked at each other. The air between them felt sharp but not hostile. Mara knew who she was. She had read the files and memorized the names of those in power in the Port Mafia.
She was Kouyou Ozaki, one of the new executive.
So without a word, Mara bowed her head in respect. Mara could feel Kouyou was watching her closely. Her eyes were sharp and curious. Soon, Kouyou opened her mouth and spoke.
"So you are the new sub-executive." Kouyou said.
"Yes." Mara simply replied.
Kouyou nodded once. Her gaze swept over Mara again. But after a short pause, Kouyou smiled at her.
"You should visit me if you have time."
Mara looked at her in silence. Seeing her reaction, Kouyou continued while still smiling.
"You will be under my division. It would be better if we know each other well. It makes work easier. And life too."
Mara understood. This was a test disguised as politeness.
"I see." Mara politely said.
Kouyou seemed satisfied with her answer. Then she stepped aside and gestured down the hall.
"Oh, right. Welcome to the Port Mafia, Fujisaki Mara."
Mara nodded once more and continued walking. As she moved away, she could feel Kouyou's eyes on her back. It was not hostile but not warm either. Maybe she took a pinch of interested on her.
But Mara kept walking toward Mori's office with a calm expression. When the people guarding the heavy doors outside saw her face, they quickly bowed at her and opened the huge doors. Then Mara quietly entered Mori's office.
At the large desk, Elise was sitting on a chair while humming a nursery rhyme. Her small legs were swinging as she doodled on Mori's papers with colorful pens. Mori himself was standing by the window with a phone pressed to his ear. He glanced at Mara and lifted one finger and signaling her to wait.
Mara stopped near the door and stood still although Elise noticed her almost right away. The little girl slowly turned her head and stared at her and Mara met Elise's gaze without moving. For a few seconds, neither of them spoke. It felt like a quiet staring contest.
Then Elise frowned.
"Hey! You should smile!" Elise suddenly said. "You have a pretty face. It's a waste if you don't."
Mara blinked her eyes in surprise. After a brief pause, she gave Elise a small but polite smile.
But Elise seemed satisfied by it. Then she hopped off her chair and walked toward Mara. Without asking, she grabbed a white ribbon from the desk and pointed at Mara's head. She was clearly telling her to lower down.
Mara stared at the blonde little girl for a second before slightly bending. Then Elise carefully tied the ribbon into Mara's hair. When she finished tying it, the little girl stepped back and proudly crossed her arms.
"There! Perfect!" Elise said. "And I've decided. You will be my new playmate!"
"Hmm?" Mara hummed.
"You are more suitable than that stupid Dazai as my playmate!"
Mara had no strong opinion with Elise's words. So she smiled again as a response. Soon, Mori ended his call and turned around just in time to see the scene.
"What's this? Elise-chan, you're already making new friends?" Mori gleefully said.
Elise huffed at him and turned her head away.
"Yes! But she's not your friend. She's mine. Got it?"
Mori chuckled. Then his gaze shifted to Mara.
"Hello, Fujisaki-kun. You came at a good time." he said. "I have something I want you to do."
Mori walked back to his desk and slid a photo across the surface. Mara quietly picked it up. It was a picture of an ordinary-looking man. It's the kind of face that tried very hard not to stand out.
"One of the rats in our organization managed to escaped our cage." Mori calmly said. "He stole some important files and ran before we could deal with him."
Mara looked at the photo closely.
"So you want me to catch him?" she asked.
"And kill him." Mori lightly added as if correcting a small detail. "As soon as possible if you may."
"Alright. So any leads where I can find him?" Mara asked.
Mori folded his hands.
"We believe he is trying to reach the government. We learned he is planning to sell the files he stole from us."
Then he paused and faintly smiled.
"The last information we got says he arranged a meeting with a detective named Ayatsuji Yukito."
Mara lifted her eyes.
"So I should kill him fast before their meeting?"
"That's right." Mori replied. "Your job is to make sure that meeting never happens."
"Understood. Consider it done now, Boss."
Then Mara bowed and she turned to leave without another word. Behind her, Elise happily waved her hand at her.
"Hey, pretty girl. Don't die, okay?" Elise said. "You still owe me time to play!"
Mara didn't turn back but a small smile touched her lips as she walked out.
Another mission. Another work. Another person to erase in this filthy world.