Chapter 3 - The Surprise Visitor

When we arrived at our estate's front gate, we were greeted by an unexpected sight—a man in a sharp tuxedo, jet-black hair, and a focused gaze at his phone, leaning against the gate as though he had been waiting for someone. The streetlight cast an eerie glow on his chiseled features.

"Huh?" Uncle Reo and I exclaimed in unison, our shared bewilderment deepening the mystery that had enveloped us tonight.

As Uncle and I exited the car and approached the front gate of our estate, the man with the intense gaze finally glanced up from his phone. His piercing eyes locked onto Reo's with a sense of authority that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Reo Souken?" the man inquired, his voice brimming with an air of command. Reo tensed, but his calm demeanor didn't waver. He was a master of concealing his emotions, but I could sense the unease beneath his stoic exterior.

"Souken?" I repeated curiously. Is that, by any chance, the last name of Uncle Reo? The name I had secretly longed to call my own. My mind raced with questions.

"That's me. What can I do for you?" Reo replied his voice firm but edged with caution. The man's expression shifted from stern to slightly relieved as he confirmed my uncle's identity.

"I've been searching for you for some time, Mr. Souken. My name is Ace Williams, and I represent the Gaia Agency."

Gaia Agency? The name held an ominous weight, and my curiosity intensified. What was this man talking about? His demeanor, his looks, it all screamed of an important figure, and he knew my uncle somehow.

"Who is this man, Uncle?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity and anxiety. Uncle and I exchanged glances, the tension in the air was palpable. But instead of answering my question, Uncle remained lost in his thoughts.

Ace Williams, however, chose to fill the silence. "So you're Mr. Souken's niece. It's a pleasure to meet you, dear." His tone softened for a moment. "You might not know this, but your uncle and I have a history together. He was once one of the best snipers within our agency. His skills were legendary, and his services were sought after by nearly every government in the world."

Reo's eyes narrowed as he recalled a past life, a life he visibly did not want to remember. "I left that life behind a long time ago. What business do you have here?" he asked, his annoyance thinly veiled.

Ace nodded, acknowledging my uncle's reluctance. "I understand, but you see, there's a situation. There is a certain man out there, someone you are very much familiar with, who is wreaking havoc within our agency. Over a dozen of our top assassins have been murdered during their missions. We need someone to stop him, and you are the only one with the capabilities to do so."

The man's words hit me like a tidal wave. Assassins? Wreaking havoc? Agency? What was happening? It felt as if this man had come to take my uncle away from me, to drag him back into a world I knew nothing about.

"Assassins? Wreaking havoc? Agency? What's happening, Uncle?" I asked again, my voice trembling with fear and confusion.

Reo, who had been trying his best to ignore me ever since this Ace fellow approached us, continued to avoid my gaze. 

Was he ashamed? It seemed he had no reason to be. No matter what his past entailed, my love for him remained steadfast and unwavering. Yet, Reo continued to ignore me, as though shielding me from the storm of secrets and danger that had suddenly engulfed us.

"I'm retired, Ace Williams. Do you not see my wrinkles? I'm too old for a mission," Reo retorted, his voice laced with a hint of defiance. My heartbeat quickened as Ace leaned forward, his voice dropping to a low, urgent whisper.

"This is your last chance, Mr. Souken. The man we want you to target is Xavier Foster, the same man who you hate so badly."

Until that moment, Reo had tried his best to maintain his composure, but upon hearing the name "Xavier Foster," a fire ignited within him. Every vein in his body seemed to pulse with anger, his eyes locked onto Ace's every movement, and every hair on his body stood on end as he clenched his fists.

"Xavier," Reo uttered, his voice filled with seething rage. I had never seen Uncle Reo this furious before. He had always been a laid-back guy with a caring personality, and this sudden transformation was both alarming and perplexing.

"What about it, Mr. Souken? We will support you on your path to vengeance," Ace assured him, his tone unwavering.

Finally, Reo sighed, his resolve firming. "Very well, I'll take on this mission. But on one condition—my niece is safe." Ace handed my uncle a file jacket, their agreement sealed.

"We'll stay in touch. I'll give you a week to prepare," Ace stated before turning to leave. Tears welled up in my eyes, a cascade of emotions overwhelming me. The uncle who stood before me now felt different, changed by the weight of his past and the choices he was about to make.

"Uncle?" I called out to him, my voice trembling. At long last, Reo let out a deep sigh and turned to me, his eyes filled with regret and apology.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you, Maki. Please don't worry. Everything will be okay. Forget about everything that just happened," he pleaded, his words heavy with a promise he hoped to keep.

But how could I forget? The man who had shown me love and care, who had rescued me from a life of neglect and abuse, was now entangled in a web of secrets and danger. I couldn't simply forget.

"No! How could I forget?" I retorted, tears welling up in my eyes. "Is your last name truly Souken? What relationship do you have with a guy like him?"

Reo hesitated, his gaze falling to the ground. He seemed burdened by the weight of his past and the choices he was now forced to make. "And Xavier, who is he to you?" I pressed, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.

"MAKI!" Reo's voice cracked a rare display of vulnerability. "Don't say that name, please. I haven't told you this, but it's a trigger word." He sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping with the weight of his memories.

"Uncle Reo, the man whose past is mysterious and rich. It never occurred to me that today would end on such a note. We were having such a great time, so much fun, only for it to end like this."

Reo finally gave in, realizing that I deserved to know the truth. "Fine," he said, his voice resigned. "I guess you deserve to know." 

uncle's identity.

"I've been searching for you for some time, Mr. Souken. My name is Ace Williams, and I represent the Gaia Agency."

Gaia Agency? The name held an ominous weight, and my curiosity intensified. What was this man talking about? His demeanor, his looks, it all screamed of a dangerous figure, and he knew my uncle somehow.

"Who is this man, Uncle?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity and anxiety. Uncle and I exchanged glances, the tension in the air was palpable. But instead of answering my question, Uncle remained lost in his thoughts.

Ace Williams, however, chose to fill the silence. "So you're Mr. Souken's niece. It's a pleasure to meet you, dear." His tone softened for a moment. "You might not know this, but your uncle and I have a history together. He was once one of the best snipers within our agency. His skills were legendary, and his services were sought after by nearly every government in the world."

Reo's eyes narrowed as he recalled a past life, a life he visibly did not want to remember. "I left that life behind a long time ago. What business do you have here?" he asked, his annoyance thinly veiled.

Ace nodded, acknowledging my uncle's reluctance. "I understand, but you see, there's a situation. There is a certain man out there, someone you are very much familiar with, who is wreaking havoc within our agency, specifically my branch. I am not sure who ordered him to commit acts towards us, but it has been pretty bad. Over a dozen of our top assassins have been murdered during their missions. We need someone to stop him, and you are someone we could hope to use right now."

The man's words hit me like a tidal wave. Assassins? Wreaking havoc? Agency? What was happening? It felt as if this man had come to take my uncle away from me, to drag him back into a world I knew nothing about.

"Assassins? Wreaking havoc? Agency? What's happening, Uncle?" I asked, my voice trembling with fear and confusion.

Reo, who had been making an effort to avoid eye contact with me since Ace's arrival, persisted in doing so.

I wondered if his actions reflected shame, although I could not fathom why he would feel that way. Regardless of his past, my affection for him remained constant and resolute. Despite this, Reo remained aloof, seemingly seeking to shield me from the potential risks and hazards that accompanied the secrets and dangers that now enveloped us.

"I'm retired, Ace Williams. Do you not see my wrinkles? I'm too old for a mission," Reo retorted, his voice laced with a hint of defiance. My heartbeat quickened as Ace leaned forward, his voice dropping to a low, urgent whisper.

"I understand, this is your last chance, Mr. Souken. The man we want you to target is Xavier Foster, the same man who you hate so badly."

Before hearing the name "Xavier Foster," Reo had made a valiant effort to remain calm. However, at the mention of the name, a fierce rage overtook him. His entire body vibrated with anger, his eyes fixed on Ace's every move, and his fists clenched tightly as every fiber in his being bristled.

"Xavier," Reo uttered, his voice filled with seething rage. I had never seen Uncle Reo this furious before. He had always been a laid-back guy with a caring personality, and this sudden transformation was both alarming and perplexing.

"What about it, Mr. Souken? We will support you on your path to vengeance," Ace assured him, his tone unwavering.

Finally, Reo sighed, his resolve firming. "Very well, I'll take on this mission. But on one condition—my niece is safe." Ace handed my uncle a file jacket, their agreement sealed.

"We'll stay in touch. I'll give you a week to prepare," Ace stated before turning to leave. Tears welled up in my eyes, a cascade of emotions overwhelming me. The uncle who stood before me now felt different, changed by the weight of his past and the choices he was about to make.

"Uncle?" I called out to him, my voice trembling. At long last, Reo let out a deep sigh and turned to me, his eyes filled with regret and apology.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you, Maki. Please don't worry. Everything will be okay. Forget about everything that just happened," he pleaded, his words heavy with a promise he hoped to keep.

But how could I forget? The man who had shown me love and care, who had rescued me from a life of neglect and abuse, was now entangled in a web of secrets and danger. I couldn't simply forget.

"No! How could I forget?" I retorted, tears welling up in my eyes. "Is your last name truly Souken? What relationship do you have with a guy like him?"

Reo hesitated, his gaze falling to the ground. He seemed burdened by the weight of his past and the choices he was now forced to make. "And Xavier, who is he to you?" I pressed, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.

"MAKI!" Reo's voice cracked a rare display of vulnerability. "Don't say that name, please. I haven't told you this, but it's a trigger word." He sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping with the weight of his memories.

Uncle Reo is a man whose past is mysterious and rich. It never occurred to me that today would end on such a note. We were having such a great time, so much fun, only for it to end like this.

Reo gave in, realizing that I deserved to know the truth. "Fine," he said, his voice resigned. "I guess you deserve to know."