Author:
M.J. Swenson has been writing stories since elementary school and earned a B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota. Besides writing and reading, M.J. also enjoys playing music and video games.

I woke up feeling that something had changed.

I blinked twice, waiting for my eyes to adjust, and glanced at the clock beside my bed. It read 6:38, as it did every morning. I slid out of bed and moved to my dresser, where I opened the third drawer and pulled out a dark blue V-necked shirt with short sleeves and a dark blue pair of pants. I changed in front of the mirror and examined myself. I looked just as I had the last time I’d looked in the mirror: long, straight, dark brown hair; blue eyes; an absurdly straight and narrow nose; the slight scar at the edge of my eyebrow. The scar whose origin I still couldn’t remember.

Familiar Assassins

"Well, now that you're introduced," Thane said, "Miranda, Amabel, Dalton, feel free to contact each other on Incipio. Miranda, if you want to contact us, you can go in through the back door of the restaurant. It'll be locked. Give my name to whoever's there. Only we remember it anyway."


"And if we need to find her?" Dalton asked.


I spoke up. "The bench at the edge of the park in the academic district. I'll pass by there almost every day. If I'm not there, you could wait for me in the park by Residential Division Three. Whatever you do, don't try to find or contact my house. If you implicate my family I'll kill you."


"Thanks for the warning." Dalton raised his eyebrows.


Thane had a strange look on his face. "Anyway, everyone, Incipio contacts. Don't forget. Excluding you, of course, Tai. And don't forget about Cedric, all of you. He's our most experienced member."


"Demoted again, Thane?" Tai accused from his corner.


Chapter 35