The Withered Doll

THIRD PERSON POV

"Haraya, that's enough. He is dead." Haraya finally dropped the baseball bat before removing her gloves. "He puts on quite a fight for his life. I was just making sure that I got him." Haraya's guardian, Lady Red, shakes her head while handed a box of tissue for Haraya to clean up the mess she made on her face.

"But, do you have to bludgeon the man to death? The cleaning crew will have a field day on this room alone. Do I need to mention the mess you did on the ceiling too?" Haraya wipes off the blood from her face before throwing the tissues on the dead body.

"So? I was hired to kill the man. Anyway, am I done? Do I have any other mission?" Haraya inquired her guardian before leaving the room as the cleaning crew shows up.

"Yes. You were chosen to deal with a high profile case. Tomorrow the CM and FO wish to meet you in person. For this mission, you have to go to Russia." Haraya raised an eyebrow. "Russia? Are you serious? I thought the Agency has no jurisdiction in Russia. Why do I have to be there?" Haraya asked as she opens the door to leave the house. Lady Red took the box of tissues away from Haraya's hands and placed it on top of the trash bin.

"Because the elders want to bury any bad blood between the Agency and the Vladimirovna." Haraya scoffed. "There is a reason why Vladimirovna decided to forbid us from going into Russian soil. And that reason is standing in front of you. Lady Red, as my guardian, do you think the Vladimirovna will let me go upon knowing my arrival?" Haraya stopped on her track before facing her guardian.

"The Vladimirovna despise me, Lady Red. They will do whatever it takes to kill me. Of course, I have no problem in dealing with anyone they send, but the Agency will have to vouch for me. I doubt they will let me do whatever I want." Lady Red has nothing to say to Haraya. Because the guardian knows that what Haraya just stated is the truth. Haraya went into the car, followed by her guardian.

"I am aware of your concern, Haraya but you have no choice but to follow theborders from the higher-up. They want you to take this case. I did try to help you, but they dismissed my report. The CM even said the president himself was the one who recommended you. The client is willing to pay top dollar for your service." Haraya didn't say anything.

"I want to take a bath. My whole body reek of that man's scent. I don't like it." Lady Red sighed. "To the dorm, please," the guardian told the driver before facing Haraya who avoided making eye contact.

"Your beautiful blonde hair is now drenched with the colour red. Of course, you need to have a bath. I'm sorry, Haraya. I'm such a useless human being. I may be your mentor, but I can't do anything to help you. Even if I used my status as the former top assassin, I can't go against the president. I'm sorry." Haraya kept a nonchalant expression before facing her guardian.

"I know that you have no power against those who sit on top of the organisation. You and I are simply guinea pigs for the higher-ups to use for their selfish desire. I choose this kind of work so now I have to go through it." Haraya unzips her jacket to take it off.

"I can't believe I have to seduce that old man. Look at me! I have to put on this useless makeup to cover up my scars. I can't wait to get this whole thing off of me." Haraya tried to wipe the thick foundation that was all over her arms. "You can't remove them that easily. You need to use the proper liquid to wipe it all off." Haraya sighed while her guardian chuckled at her antics.

"This is not funny, Lady Red. I don't like wearing such thick makeup. I look like a clown with it." Lady Red felt her phone vibrated and decided to look at it. "Did your husband just texted you to come home?" Haraya inquired when she noticed that her guardian seems surprised.

"Well, you can say that. I promise my husband that I'll be home for dinner. He just told me that he had prepared our dinner." Lady Red showed Haraya the dish that her husband had prepared. Haraya did take a look, but she only replied with a short hum.

"Hmmm. Your husband doesn't know that you used to kill people for a living, right?" Lady Red shakes her head no. "I told him that I am an accountant. No one will ever question you after they knew that you're an accountant. Even I don't know the reason why." Lady Red chuckled.

"An accountant? You? If only he saw you with that double-bladed naginata, he wouldn't even dare to cheat on you, Lady Red." Haraya's guardian shakes her head.

"It's enough for him to know that I am a weak woman. Well, we're here at the dorm. If you need anything, please just call or text me. It doesn't matter if I'm with my family. Haraya, we've known each other for so long, and I see you as my little sister. You're not alone. Remember that." Haraya scoffed before grabbing her jacket and got out of the car.

"Just take care of your family and do your job as my guardian; that's it. There's no need to keep a meaningless relationship between us. I'd be only bringing you more trouble if you thought of me that way. Besides, everyone wants to kill me. Involving you in my affair will only make your husband and daughter sad." Haraya closed the car door and walked towards the dorm.

"Besides, anyone who stays by my side will leave me in the end. So why should I keep hoping that someone would stay?" Haraya said to no one in particular as she unlocks her door to her room.

***

"Is this your first time meeting the CM, Haraya Convington?" Haraya didn't reply when the FO asked her a question. Lady Red smiled and explained to him that Haraya doesn't like to talk to someone she doesn't know.

"I've been assigning her to her mission as the field officer, I thought by now she would have acquainted with me." The FO sighed. Haraya didn't even care about him as he walked in front of him without regarding his presence.

"It's best if we let her do whatever she wants. Since you've been assigning her mission, you should understand her antics by now." The FO nodded.

"You're right, Lady Red. I wouldn't want to be on her bad side." Lady Red and the FO waited for the CM. "Hey Lady Red, how does it feel to be the mentor of the world deadliest assassin?" Lady Red chuckled at the FO's question.

"It's incredible. Because most of Haraya's clients is a high profile individual or it requires her to travel abroad. That means I get to travel and get paid top dollar for her work." Haraya shook her head when she heard what her guardian said. The FO was worried that Haraya might feel offended by her guardian's words.

"It's nice to see you without your victim's blood on your hands, Haraya." The CM walked into his office with a smile on his face. Both Lady Red and the FO greeted the CM but not Haraya. "Haraya!" The CM raises his hand.

"That's okay Lady Red. Haraya has done a tremendous job at her last mission. I saw the pictures from the scene; it seems you were having fun bludgeoned the man to death with the baseball bat." Haraya shrugged her shoulder without ever standing from her seat. The CM smiled as he walked towards his seat behind the table.

"Haraya, did your guardian briefed you about your next mission?" Haraya looked up to the CM. "I would like to withdraw from this mission. This words may sound cliche, but I still have a few unsettle debt with my enemies. I wouldn't want to risk my life for a simple search and kill kind of mission. I-," the CM raised his hand.

"Haraya, don't worry. The Agency will vouch for your safety as you travel to Russia. All you have to do is wait for your target and then just pull the trigger; easy right?" Haraya turned to face her guardian.

"Please tell this old man that when I aimed the scope at someone's head, someone else will do the same to me." Lady Red finds it troublesome to be the mediator. The CM raises his hand.

"I will make sure that won't happen to you. You're our best agent, Haraya. And I'm sure with your experience, you will survive and won't fail this mission." Haraya pinched the bridge of her nose.

"The Academy has a bounty on my head for three hundred million dollars. Tell me, which bounty hunter wouldn't miss a chance to end my life? Why don't you go there yourself and kill this target? Why do you need me to do your dirty job?" Haraya stood up from her seat and was about to leave when the CM said something that made her realised how horrible reality is.

"Do not forget that without me, you're nothing but a withered doll. If I hadn't found you dying at a dark alley, naked and battered, you wouldn't survive that night. You want revenge; I gave you revenge. You owe your life to me." Haraya turned around and faced the CM.

"I owed my life to lady Red. Not you. Yes, you took me in, but it was lady Red who care for me. This woman risks her life to protect me while you stayed behind your agents when times get dire. You're a coward." Haraya didn't care what happened next and just walked out the door.

"Lady Red, is this how you raise your student? I am fairly disappointed." The FO shakes his head. "You shouldn't comment on the way she raises her student. I'm more curious about how you control what's happening on the field. How was it possible for Haraya to have three hundred million price on her head?! As the field officer, your job is to prevent that! I hope you have a good explanation for this." The CM stare at the FO as he waits for his answer.

"Well, the thing is; Haraya killed one of the notorious drug dealers in Russia. The Academy was not happy since they were assigned to protect that target. It was The Academy who place that bounty price. I was too late to prevent it from happening." The CM slammed his hands on the table.

"THAT IS BECAUSE OF YOUR NEGLIGENT! Find a way for Haraya to be able to travel to Russia and complete this mission! Lady Red, I'm sorry. But we have no choice but to force Haraya to accept this mission. Is it important, and no one can complete this mission except for Haraya. This mission needs her talent." Lady red sighed mentally.

"I understand." Lady Red excuse herself and went out of the office with troubling thoughts. "How am I suppose to get her into the plane? Knowing Haraya, that kid will not be happy if I force her to do anything. Dear God, I know I've been a bad person, but please- please help me!" Lady Red begged while the others look at her with weirded looks.

"Lady Red, are you okay?" One of the guardians who acquainted with Lady Red inquired when he noticed that his friend is going insane. "Oh! Don't mind me. I'm just thinking out loud. Since you're here, do you still have that sleeping pills you mentioned before?" The guardian nodded. "Do you need them now?" Lady red nodded.

"Oh. Come to my office, and I shall give you a set. But who is it for? Haraya?" Lady Red nodded. "Am I in trouble? Why am I afraid of my student?" The guardian patted Lady Red's shoulder.

"I'll pray for you. Don't worry, Lady Red."