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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Science Fiction
- Subject: Action
- Published: 02/18/2021
The Syndicate
Born 1980, M, from Exeter, United KingdomIt was sunset. The last rays of the sun were turning the sky from pink to orange. From the shore a woman watched in silence the ever-changing colour of the sea reflecting her green eyes. The gentle breeze blew her shoulder-length dark hair across her face. Francis loved these evenings. The beach was deserted and somehow she could think clearer. The tranquillity almost made her forget that she was stranded here; her pursuers were relentless. As the sun disappeared the breeze grew in strength making her white skirt do a dance. It was fortunate she remembered to bring a coat. She pulls it tighter around herself.
She walked further down the beach enjoying the evening before she would return home. Francis heard a noise behind her. She did not need to turn, she knew what it was. They had found her again. Glancing behind her she counted how many figures there are. There are too many for her to deal with on her own. There was a beeping sound, she looked down at her wristwatch and there was a flashing red light warning her that the charge had depleted. She needed help.
She could not fend off The Syndicate forever. If only she didn't take that dossier, none of this would be happening.
They were coming now, more and more of them, converging on her location. She could hear their voices pleading with her to give herself up and to come quietly. She ran up the beach and back towards her house. Please say they haven't taken the dossier, she thought. The front door had been kicked in. She stepped inside, the room had been ransacked. She hurriedly searched the concealed hiding spot, but the dossier was gone. Changing her white dress in favour of a long sleeve top, trousers, knee high boots and a leather jacket, all in black, Francis looked at herself in the mirror and pulling on black leather gloves she patted herself down for weapons hoping she overlooked something, found nothing and swore audibly. How could you have been so stupid! How are you going to defend yourself? How are you going to finish the mission? You're better than this!
She could just about hear the light footsteps of The Syndicate retrieval team outside. She looked around for something to use as a weapon and settled for the fire poker. This will do, she thought, gripping it with both hands readying herself for what was coming next. When suddenly, silence.
Francis listened but only the wind and crashing waves can be heard. Cautiously stepping outside into the darkness, fire poker at the ready, but with no moon light to help her, it took a minute for her eyes to adjust. When they did, Francis saw three figures gagged and tied to nearby tree trunks. Where were the others? Who had done this? Where is the dossier? That was the only evidence she had on the people who killed her parents and now it is gone. She knew more retrieval teams would be coming. She could hold them off but for how long? With no charge on the watch, she couldn't even get to the final location of her mission. She would go the same way as her parents, murdered.
Francis gingerly walked over to the three men bound to the tree trunks, now recognising them as Syndicate members. Her grip on the fire poker tightens, ready to extract any information by any means. She crouched down to meet their eyes, wondering what to ask them first. Where is the file? Who took it? As she removes one of the men's gags, about to begin her interrogation, she felt like she was being watched. Spinning around, Francis saw a face from long ago. A tall man with black hair and a bushy beard, leaning nonchalantly against one of the trees, smirking. “Hey kid, thought you might need some help”.
Francis smiled, “You can help me interrogate these three Marcus, I need to know where the dossier has gone.” “You mean this dossier?”, Marcus said cheekily, holding up a thin blue folder. Francis quickly moved forward to snatch it from his hand, but Marcus was quicker concealing it in his coat. He held out a laser gun and holster. “Maybe this will be more useful. The Syndicate are sending more, a lot more, and they're angry at you for taking this dossier and the watch without permission”. Francis straps up her holster and smiles sweetly, “Thanks”, readying themselves for the army of Syndicates coming their way.
Years ago, when Francis first arrived at her new boarding school, she was apprehensive at first. However, the welcome she received was so friendly and her fellow students so nice that she soon forgot her apprehension. The class was medium-sized and Francis fit in immediately. In the second week the headmaster, Mr. Michael Crane, explained the true purpose of the school. All the students were to be trained, to be part of a top secret organisation called The Syndicate, a group of mercenaries. This prompted a collective gasp from the students. Mr. Crane smiled and said “Don't worry, The Syndicate only kills people who deserve it. In order to concentrate on your training, you must cut all ties with family and friends”. Mr. Crane explained that each syndicate member is given a wrist watch, which strictly cannot be taken off campus without permission. By typing in coordinates using the buttons on the face of the watch and pressing the button on the side to activate, it enables them to travel through time and space to a specific location; where they would find and eliminate their targets. The words of Mr Crane unsettled Francis, but she consoled herself with the fact that she would only be assassinating bad guys. Alongside the normal academic studies, they were taught weapons training, knife throwing and hand-to-hand combat. Francis excelled in these lessons with abilities far above those of her classmates. Only Marcus ever came close and so they were paired up. Despite being the same age, Marcus always called her “kid”, which made her furious. In her head, Francis became a vigilante fighting for justice. It was that thought that focused and motivated her; she trained harder than any of her peers. She couldn't wait for the day she would graduate and be able to see her parents again. They would be so proud of her. She was soon to discover that her trust in The Syndicate was misplaced.
Francis was never one to follow rules. One night she convinced Marcus to help her break into the office where the information about targets were kept. This office was strictly out of bounds for students. The mission dossiers were only meant to be handed out by teachers.
Marcus acted as a lookout while Francis searched through the dossiers until she noticed an older looking one with her parents' names on it and curiosity got the better of her. She took it and ran.
She had broken three school rules that night: broke into the office, stole a dossier and took a watch. The indicator on the watch was green, it was fully charged and would allow her to reach a different location and avoid the consequences of her actions; expulsion. She didn't want to be a disappointment to her family as they had sacrificed so much to send her to this school. She pushed the button on the side of the watch; not dialing in a specific location, and disappeared, leaving Marcus alone without explanation.
Upon reading the dossier, she found out that her boarding school wasn’t what she thought it was. The reason why she was told to cut off all ties with her loved ones was to conceal the fact The Syndicate murdered her family. In order to stop them doing any in depth research on the school or leaking any information. She broke down in tears, feeling sick to her stomach.
How many other students have they made orphans out of? she wondered. All this time, she had been worried about disappointing her family. Now Francis would make them proud, she would make The Syndicate pay.
The dossier also included the names of the people involved and their rough locations. She spent years hunting them down and killing them. Before leaving each location she would stock up on watches and weaponry taken from her victims. However, Francis had misjudged the power level on the watch and the weaponry she needed to eliminate her penultimate target.
Now that she had exhausted all weapons and with no charge on the watch; Francis was glad that Marcus had turned up when he did that evening by the beach. Although, she was a bit confused as to why he was there and how he had found her, considering she abandoned him at school years ago and treated him so badly.
There was no time to think about these things now. Without him she would be dead. She shouted “It's good to have you back”. Marcus replied “It’s about time you stopped being a lone wolf kid, and accepted someone's help. Now Focus, here they come!”.
The battle leaves them exhausted and covered in blood, Francis hurriedly strips the bodies of Weapons, Marcus takes the watches and hands one to Francis. She lets her old one fall to the ground and puts the new one on her wrist. “Why did you come to my rescue?” Francis asks. Marcus replies “I'd rather not talk about it kid, we all do stupid things when we are young. I read the dossier they had on my parents. Once I figured out what you were doing, I wanted to help. Our teachers have misled us kid, now let's finish this one way or another. You ready?”. Francis then hands him half of the weapons, “Ready!” she replies. They then input the final coordinates into their watches, press the button and disappear.
They reappear on a grassy verge. “welcome to Michael Crane's safe house” Marcus says turning to Francis; but she has already started running towards the guards around the perimeter, who were falling like dominoes before her attack. Even the highly trained syndicate guards were no match for the level of skill that Francis possessed. By the time Marcus catches up to her most of the weapons had been used up and discarded on the ground along with the guards. Marcus looked around and whistled, “Bravo kid, but I have to say you scare me sometimes.” they finish off the perimeter guards between them.
Walking up to the door together, Marcus is just about to knock, when Francis says “allow me”. she knocks on the heavy door, a woman opens it, “hi” said Francis, and immediately punches her, straight in the chest. “You should always check to see who it is before opening the door, it is meant to be a safe house, not very safe is it”. the woman is winded but recovers quickly and reaches for her gun. “I wouldn't do that” said Marcus putting his gun to the woman's temple, "I have seen what she can do." the woman then backs up to allow them inside. “Nice place” Francis remarks while looking around, right before hitting the woman squarely between the eyes rendering her unconscious.
They make their way from room to room, searching for Michael. most of the rooms turned out to be empty. Soon Francis comes across a heavy wooden door standing ajar obscuring what's behind it. Francis pushes without waiting for Marcus to catch up, it opens slowly, the hinges squeak in protest.
Michael Crane stands in his office with his back to the door, looking out of the window into the darkness, deep in thought.
Startled when he hears the squeak of the door and the low whistling sound of the targeting system of her gun, and finally the three beeps as it locks on, he raises his hands, turns around to face her and in a calm voice he says,
“Francis, you look in a bad way, are you OK?" “Be quiet, sit down and shut up!” she orders Michael, pointing with her gun to his desk chair. He sits as requested in the chair behind the large wooden desk declaring, “I'm not armed, please put the gun down. Can we talk about this?". “You killed my parents” Francis snarls. “Nonsense! We only kill people who deserve to die. If what you're saying is true; tell me, how am I involved?" Michael questioned. “I read the dossier, you signed the order.” Francis remarked angrily. “Where's your proof?" Michael retorts.
It was then that Francis heard a familiar whistling and looked around to see Marcus walking into the room aiming his gun at her head. She instinctively aims her gun right back at him. “Marcus how could you?" “Sorry kid, it’s just a job”. Michael Crane claps his hands slowly and deliberately while exclaiming, “Well, this is a dilemma, just who are you going to shoot Francis? Me or your friend?". “I thought I told you to be quiet” Francis growls. Michael then says, “Marcus, the dossier if you please”. Without taking his eyes off Francis, Marcus takes it from his coat and hands it to Michael, who then retreats back to his desk. “Well done Marcus, impressive to do what nobody else could do, bringing both the dossier and Francis back to us. I knew she would follow you blindly. Francis, you have cost me a lot of employees, I should kill you myself; but I think it will be more poetic if Marcus does it for me, don't you? Shot by your own friend,” he sneers. She says nothing, just keeps her weapon aimed at Marcus.
“Would you please shoot Francis, Marcus” Michael demands. Marcus doesn't respond or remove Francis from his sights. They both remain frozen with their guns aimed at point blank range. ”I'm running out of patience, someone shoot someone, now!” Michael shouts. Francis says, ”It would be my pleasure,” turning quickly and shooting Michael twice in the chest, killing him instantly. Hearing footsteps behind them they both turn to see the woman they had left unconscious in the hallway running towards them with her gun drawn, eyes wide with panic. The first thing she sees is Francis and Marcus with their guns raised and her dead boss slumped at his desk. Realising what has just happened, she drops her gun, turns and runs away.
As Francis and Marcus walk away from the safe house, Marcus says: ”Class dismissed!“ Francis just smiles.
The Syndicate(Christopher Long)
It was sunset. The last rays of the sun were turning the sky from pink to orange. From the shore a woman watched in silence the ever-changing colour of the sea reflecting her green eyes. The gentle breeze blew her shoulder-length dark hair across her face. Francis loved these evenings. The beach was deserted and somehow she could think clearer. The tranquillity almost made her forget that she was stranded here; her pursuers were relentless. As the sun disappeared the breeze grew in strength making her white skirt do a dance. It was fortunate she remembered to bring a coat. She pulls it tighter around herself.
She walked further down the beach enjoying the evening before she would return home. Francis heard a noise behind her. She did not need to turn, she knew what it was. They had found her again. Glancing behind her she counted how many figures there are. There are too many for her to deal with on her own. There was a beeping sound, she looked down at her wristwatch and there was a flashing red light warning her that the charge had depleted. She needed help.
She could not fend off The Syndicate forever. If only she didn't take that dossier, none of this would be happening.
They were coming now, more and more of them, converging on her location. She could hear their voices pleading with her to give herself up and to come quietly. She ran up the beach and back towards her house. Please say they haven't taken the dossier, she thought. The front door had been kicked in. She stepped inside, the room had been ransacked. She hurriedly searched the concealed hiding spot, but the dossier was gone. Changing her white dress in favour of a long sleeve top, trousers, knee high boots and a leather jacket, all in black, Francis looked at herself in the mirror and pulling on black leather gloves she patted herself down for weapons hoping she overlooked something, found nothing and swore audibly. How could you have been so stupid! How are you going to defend yourself? How are you going to finish the mission? You're better than this!
She could just about hear the light footsteps of The Syndicate retrieval team outside. She looked around for something to use as a weapon and settled for the fire poker. This will do, she thought, gripping it with both hands readying herself for what was coming next. When suddenly, silence.
Francis listened but only the wind and crashing waves can be heard. Cautiously stepping outside into the darkness, fire poker at the ready, but with no moon light to help her, it took a minute for her eyes to adjust. When they did, Francis saw three figures gagged and tied to nearby tree trunks. Where were the others? Who had done this? Where is the dossier? That was the only evidence she had on the people who killed her parents and now it is gone. She knew more retrieval teams would be coming. She could hold them off but for how long? With no charge on the watch, she couldn't even get to the final location of her mission. She would go the same way as her parents, murdered.
Francis gingerly walked over to the three men bound to the tree trunks, now recognising them as Syndicate members. Her grip on the fire poker tightens, ready to extract any information by any means. She crouched down to meet their eyes, wondering what to ask them first. Where is the file? Who took it? As she removes one of the men's gags, about to begin her interrogation, she felt like she was being watched. Spinning around, Francis saw a face from long ago. A tall man with black hair and a bushy beard, leaning nonchalantly against one of the trees, smirking. “Hey kid, thought you might need some help”.
Francis smiled, “You can help me interrogate these three Marcus, I need to know where the dossier has gone.” “You mean this dossier?”, Marcus said cheekily, holding up a thin blue folder. Francis quickly moved forward to snatch it from his hand, but Marcus was quicker concealing it in his coat. He held out a laser gun and holster. “Maybe this will be more useful. The Syndicate are sending more, a lot more, and they're angry at you for taking this dossier and the watch without permission”. Francis straps up her holster and smiles sweetly, “Thanks”, readying themselves for the army of Syndicates coming their way.
Years ago, when Francis first arrived at her new boarding school, she was apprehensive at first. However, the welcome she received was so friendly and her fellow students so nice that she soon forgot her apprehension. The class was medium-sized and Francis fit in immediately. In the second week the headmaster, Mr. Michael Crane, explained the true purpose of the school. All the students were to be trained, to be part of a top secret organisation called The Syndicate, a group of mercenaries. This prompted a collective gasp from the students. Mr. Crane smiled and said “Don't worry, The Syndicate only kills people who deserve it. In order to concentrate on your training, you must cut all ties with family and friends”. Mr. Crane explained that each syndicate member is given a wrist watch, which strictly cannot be taken off campus without permission. By typing in coordinates using the buttons on the face of the watch and pressing the button on the side to activate, it enables them to travel through time and space to a specific location; where they would find and eliminate their targets. The words of Mr Crane unsettled Francis, but she consoled herself with the fact that she would only be assassinating bad guys. Alongside the normal academic studies, they were taught weapons training, knife throwing and hand-to-hand combat. Francis excelled in these lessons with abilities far above those of her classmates. Only Marcus ever came close and so they were paired up. Despite being the same age, Marcus always called her “kid”, which made her furious. In her head, Francis became a vigilante fighting for justice. It was that thought that focused and motivated her; she trained harder than any of her peers. She couldn't wait for the day she would graduate and be able to see her parents again. They would be so proud of her. She was soon to discover that her trust in The Syndicate was misplaced.
Francis was never one to follow rules. One night she convinced Marcus to help her break into the office where the information about targets were kept. This office was strictly out of bounds for students. The mission dossiers were only meant to be handed out by teachers.
Marcus acted as a lookout while Francis searched through the dossiers until she noticed an older looking one with her parents' names on it and curiosity got the better of her. She took it and ran.
She had broken three school rules that night: broke into the office, stole a dossier and took a watch. The indicator on the watch was green, it was fully charged and would allow her to reach a different location and avoid the consequences of her actions; expulsion. She didn't want to be a disappointment to her family as they had sacrificed so much to send her to this school. She pushed the button on the side of the watch; not dialing in a specific location, and disappeared, leaving Marcus alone without explanation.
Upon reading the dossier, she found out that her boarding school wasn’t what she thought it was. The reason why she was told to cut off all ties with her loved ones was to conceal the fact The Syndicate murdered her family. In order to stop them doing any in depth research on the school or leaking any information. She broke down in tears, feeling sick to her stomach.
How many other students have they made orphans out of? she wondered. All this time, she had been worried about disappointing her family. Now Francis would make them proud, she would make The Syndicate pay.
The dossier also included the names of the people involved and their rough locations. She spent years hunting them down and killing them. Before leaving each location she would stock up on watches and weaponry taken from her victims. However, Francis had misjudged the power level on the watch and the weaponry she needed to eliminate her penultimate target.
Now that she had exhausted all weapons and with no charge on the watch; Francis was glad that Marcus had turned up when he did that evening by the beach. Although, she was a bit confused as to why he was there and how he had found her, considering she abandoned him at school years ago and treated him so badly.
There was no time to think about these things now. Without him she would be dead. She shouted “It's good to have you back”. Marcus replied “It’s about time you stopped being a lone wolf kid, and accepted someone's help. Now Focus, here they come!”.
The battle leaves them exhausted and covered in blood, Francis hurriedly strips the bodies of Weapons, Marcus takes the watches and hands one to Francis. She lets her old one fall to the ground and puts the new one on her wrist. “Why did you come to my rescue?” Francis asks. Marcus replies “I'd rather not talk about it kid, we all do stupid things when we are young. I read the dossier they had on my parents. Once I figured out what you were doing, I wanted to help. Our teachers have misled us kid, now let's finish this one way or another. You ready?”. Francis then hands him half of the weapons, “Ready!” she replies. They then input the final coordinates into their watches, press the button and disappear.
They reappear on a grassy verge. “welcome to Michael Crane's safe house” Marcus says turning to Francis; but she has already started running towards the guards around the perimeter, who were falling like dominoes before her attack. Even the highly trained syndicate guards were no match for the level of skill that Francis possessed. By the time Marcus catches up to her most of the weapons had been used up and discarded on the ground along with the guards. Marcus looked around and whistled, “Bravo kid, but I have to say you scare me sometimes.” they finish off the perimeter guards between them.
Walking up to the door together, Marcus is just about to knock, when Francis says “allow me”. she knocks on the heavy door, a woman opens it, “hi” said Francis, and immediately punches her, straight in the chest. “You should always check to see who it is before opening the door, it is meant to be a safe house, not very safe is it”. the woman is winded but recovers quickly and reaches for her gun. “I wouldn't do that” said Marcus putting his gun to the woman's temple, "I have seen what she can do." the woman then backs up to allow them inside. “Nice place” Francis remarks while looking around, right before hitting the woman squarely between the eyes rendering her unconscious.
They make their way from room to room, searching for Michael. most of the rooms turned out to be empty. Soon Francis comes across a heavy wooden door standing ajar obscuring what's behind it. Francis pushes without waiting for Marcus to catch up, it opens slowly, the hinges squeak in protest.
Michael Crane stands in his office with his back to the door, looking out of the window into the darkness, deep in thought.
Startled when he hears the squeak of the door and the low whistling sound of the targeting system of her gun, and finally the three beeps as it locks on, he raises his hands, turns around to face her and in a calm voice he says,
“Francis, you look in a bad way, are you OK?" “Be quiet, sit down and shut up!” she orders Michael, pointing with her gun to his desk chair. He sits as requested in the chair behind the large wooden desk declaring, “I'm not armed, please put the gun down. Can we talk about this?". “You killed my parents” Francis snarls. “Nonsense! We only kill people who deserve to die. If what you're saying is true; tell me, how am I involved?" Michael questioned. “I read the dossier, you signed the order.” Francis remarked angrily. “Where's your proof?" Michael retorts.
It was then that Francis heard a familiar whistling and looked around to see Marcus walking into the room aiming his gun at her head. She instinctively aims her gun right back at him. “Marcus how could you?" “Sorry kid, it’s just a job”. Michael Crane claps his hands slowly and deliberately while exclaiming, “Well, this is a dilemma, just who are you going to shoot Francis? Me or your friend?". “I thought I told you to be quiet” Francis growls. Michael then says, “Marcus, the dossier if you please”. Without taking his eyes off Francis, Marcus takes it from his coat and hands it to Michael, who then retreats back to his desk. “Well done Marcus, impressive to do what nobody else could do, bringing both the dossier and Francis back to us. I knew she would follow you blindly. Francis, you have cost me a lot of employees, I should kill you myself; but I think it will be more poetic if Marcus does it for me, don't you? Shot by your own friend,” he sneers. She says nothing, just keeps her weapon aimed at Marcus.
“Would you please shoot Francis, Marcus” Michael demands. Marcus doesn't respond or remove Francis from his sights. They both remain frozen with their guns aimed at point blank range. ”I'm running out of patience, someone shoot someone, now!” Michael shouts. Francis says, ”It would be my pleasure,” turning quickly and shooting Michael twice in the chest, killing him instantly. Hearing footsteps behind them they both turn to see the woman they had left unconscious in the hallway running towards them with her gun drawn, eyes wide with panic. The first thing she sees is Francis and Marcus with their guns raised and her dead boss slumped at his desk. Realising what has just happened, she drops her gun, turns and runs away.
As Francis and Marcus walk away from the safe house, Marcus says: ”Class dismissed!“ Francis just smiles.
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Thalassa Brytaye
03/14/2021This fast-paced, well-developed story was an absolute blast to read. Thank you so much for sharing.
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Help Us Understand What's Happening
BEN BROWN
03/01/2021BEN BROWN
That was an awesome adventure. It'd make a good short film. Well done.
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