"What really happens when humans die? Do we get to feel again or… do we just vanish into some endless void of nothing?
I remember back when I was eight… some old man told that... 'When humans die, they either go to heaven or hell. They are judged… right at the moment of death. And the people who die with regrets about the life they had are sent to hell. Where… they'll be tortured by a devil called Satan for the rest of eternity.'
Honestly? I think that's bullshit, when we die… that's it. There's no other place for us and that's why the life we live right now… is very precious. Or at least maybe to anyone else but... not me."
Ravyn spoke quietly to himself, as he sat alone on the edge of a crumbling rooftop, staring out over the city below.
A soft rustle interrupted his thoughts. Ravyn glanced over his shoulder.
"Are you making one of those dramatic lines again?" Xavier said, leaning casually against the wall, with one hand in his pocket.
Ravyn turned fully, facing him.
Xavier chuckled and shook his head. "You always find a way to make sitting on a rooftop sound like philosophy class. Boss is calling us... says she's got all the info on the job now."
Ravyn rose slowly, brushing dust from his jacket. "About time..." he muttered.
They descend silently.
The meeting place was a small room. Ravyn and Xavier stepped inside and there she was... the boss. A woman in her early forties, dark hair pulled back tightly. She didn't greet them with smiles.
"Ravyn. Xavier." she said. "Let's get to it, target specifics are ready."
Xavier leaned back slightly, while Ravyn remained still with a straight posture.
"The target..." she began, "...is a bandit operating out in Calvess. Name's irrelevant, he's holed up in a decrepit hotel room on the lower levels, floor twelve. Room ten-thirty-three."
"Hotel is on the fringe of the business district..." the boss continued, pulling out a thin tablet and sliding it across the table. The holographic map glowed softly, highlighting the hotel and surrounding streets. "There's minimal security there, just enough to alert him if we're sloppy."
Xavier smirked. "Sounds like your kind of night, Ravyn."
The boss sighed once. "It's a in and out job. And please, make sure you don't attract attention from The Hall Of Custodia. The less noise you make, the easier it is for us to maintain discretion."
Ravyn tilted his head. "Calvess is very far from here..." He said with a low voice. "Even if we made a big splash, the H.O.C wouldn't notice anything from there."
Xavier leaned forward, studying the map silently, noting patrol patterns and lines of sight. "I see entry through the west alley..." he muttered, tracing the path with his finger. "Roof exit might work if we're fast, otherwise the service stairs at the east side."
The boss raised an eyebrow. "Exactly. I want precision and no mistakes."
Ravyn rubbed his neck, pointing at a narrow street on the edge of the map with another hand. "Side street here… could be a good advantage for overwatch if things go south."
Xavier nodded once.
The boss studied both of them carefully. "I expect the job done cleanly. We're not running a personal vendetta. It's an extraction… or neutralization. And leave nothing that will tie back to us."
Ravyn folded his arms. "You worry too much boss and it's in and out fast. We got this as always."
Xavier smirks again. "You make it sound like we gonna take another stroll at the park."
"That's because it is. I mean, since when have we messed up a job?" Ravyn said.
"Alright, we never did. But don't make us seem like we some legends." Xavier said.
Ravyn smirked. "Speak for yourself, man."
The boss gave a curt nod, closing the tablet. "Good. I'll have transport ready for you at midnight. Questions?"
Neither Ravyn nor Xavier spoke.
"You're both dismissed then." The boss said.
Both of them nodded and left the room.