We finally made it back to the plane where Professor Carn exited while applauding our return.
“Congratulations on your success. But I promised that whichever one of you killed the mark would graduate. Jennifer, why are you holding a bear cub?”
“I found it. His name is Sabertooth,” she told him while the bear clung tighter to her.
The professor’s words sent a chill down my spine. It echoed in my head, a cruel reminder of the reality of our situation. Only one of us could graduate. Only one of us could walk away from this.
I glanced at my teammates, their faces a mirrored of my own shock and disbelief. We had worked together, fought together, survived together. And now, we were being pitted against each other.
Erin was the first to speak. "That's not fair," she said, her voice shaking. "We did this together. Scott and I pulled the trigger on the bomb that killed that evil man. We both should graduate."
The professor simply shrugged, a cold smile on his face. "Life isn't fair, my dear. You should know that by now."
I felt a surge of anger. This wasn't right. We were a team, not competitors. But as I looked at the professor, I knew arguing would be pointless. He had made up his mind.
So, I did the only thing I could. I stepped forward, my heart hammering in my chest. "We both did what you asked and killed the mark. That's your word, and in the handbook it states once a deal has been made the offerer cannot go back on their word," I told him, my voice steady.
The professor raised an eyebrow, a glint of surprise in his eyes. "Is that so?"
I nodded, meeting his gaze. "Yes. We both killed him."
There was a moment of silence, when suddenly, we were sprayed with something that made our heads spin. It was like a whirlwind of memories rushing through my brain, each one more absurd than the last. I shook my head and looked over at my girlfriend Erin, who was blinking rapidly, trying to make sense of it all. But the two teens… Well, they were out like a light, snoring away like a couple of chainsaws.
Erin, in her usual dramatic fashion, ran over to me, diving into my arms. We embraced, holding onto each other like our lives depended on it. And in that moment, amidst the chaos and confusion, we shared a passionate kiss, as if we were the stars of a cheesy romance movie.
Just as we were lost in our own little world, the professor spoke up. "Ah, young love. Even with the forgetful spray, you two found a way to each other. That was an impressive feat."
"Forgetful spray?" Erin and I said in unison, our eyes widening in disbelief. We looked at each other, perplexed and slightly alarmed. How had we forgotten about the forgetful spray? It was like a plot twist straight out of a bad soap opera.
The professor nodded, his expression a mix of amusement and satisfaction. "Yes, my dear students. You see, as part of your graduation ceremony, we decided to test your love and commitment. We sprayed you with a special concoction that would make you forget everything, just for a moment. And yet, here you are, still in each other's arms."
Erin and I exchanged a bewildered glance, trying to process what the professor had just revealed. Graduation? Forgetful spray? It was like we had stumbled into a parallel universe where the laws of logic no longer applied.
But hey, at least we had each other. And if we could navigate through the ludicrousness of forgetful sprays, then we could conquer anything. We both looked at the professor.
"Thank you, Professor. We may not remember how we got here, but we're ready for whatever comes next."
"Very well,” he grinned. “Congratulations on both of your graduation."
As we both walked into the plane hand in hand, we felt a mix of emotions, most of all relief. The two teens finally woke up and walked onto the plane behind us. They shook their heads and blinked a few times. When their brain fog finally cleared, we both looked at Alex and silently said “thank you.” He had saved us. Without his quick thinking, we would not have succeeded.
Erin grabbed my hand before laying her head onto my chest. My hand ran through her hair while she silently sobbed in joy. A grin slowly broke on Jennifer’s face while the plane took off.
A WEEK LATER……
Erin and I had done it together as boyfriend and girlfriend. We had completed our final mission, proving our worth to the Assassin's University. We had faced countless challenges, overcome numerous obstacles, and emerged victorious. Now, we were about to graduate, to officially become assassins.
The graduation ceremony was a secret affair, known only to the students, the faculty, and a select few from around the world. These were leaders, powerful individuals who were in need of our unique services. They had come to witness our graduation, to see the new generation of assassins who would be at their disposal.
The ceremony was held in the school's fencing gymnasium, a place where I had shed both tears and blood. Tears pooled in my eye while I looked around at what had been our training ground. The school was lit by hundreds of lights, casting a warm glow on the walls. The air was filled with a sense of anticipation, of excitement, of pride.
As Erin and I walked toward the stage, I could feel the eyes of the audience on us. These were people who had seen us grow, who had trained us, who had pushed us to our limits. And now, they were here to see us graduate—to see us become assassins.
The ceremony was a blur of speeches, of congratulations, of proud smiles. But the moment that stood out the most was when we received our graduation certificates. As I held the piece of parchment in my hands, I felt a sense of accomplishment, of pride, of joy.
I had done it. I had become an assassin.
As the ceremony came to an end, I lost sight of Erin. The leaders approached us, offering their congratulations and expressing their interest in our services. It was a surreal moment to be standing there, a newly graduated assassin, being courted by the most powerful people in the world.
But as I looked around Erin, the woman who had stolen my heart was nowhere to be found. And as I walked out of the school into the schoolyard for possibly my last time, I knew that this was just the beginning. I had a long journey ahead of me, a journey filled with challenges, with adventures, with opportunities. But I was ready.
After four years of hard work I was a graduate of the Assassin's University. And I was ready to make my mark on the world. Graduation. Although it was amazing, without seeing Erin, I felt empty. Until I felt familiar hands squeeze around my waist from behind.
“So… where is your first assignment?” Erin asked, I turned toward her, adjusting my glasses.
Turns out I needed glasses after all, I laughed to myself.
I saw the same excitement, the same pride, the same joy in her eyes. We had done it. We had graduated from the Assassin's University. We were ready to take on the world. We stood there, staring into each other’s eyes.
“How about we tell each other on three—”
“Okay,” she giggled. “One, two, three—”
She leaped, wrapped her arms around my shoulder and pressed her lips to mine, stealing my breath away. “Wherever we go, it'll be a package deal, agreed?” she giggled.
I lifted her up into the air, her robe flapping in the wind.
“I wouldn't have it any other way,” I smiled up at her adoringly.