“You should be more light-footed, master assassin,” he said. “I’ll text you to get that water gun.”
“Finally getting that date, master assassin,” Gem whispered.
Lia knocked her shoulder against theirs. “Shut up.”
They wove their way through the halls to their next class, Lia noting every senior she knew leaving the bathroom with their phone in hand. As they sat down in their next class, Gem leaned against the window.
Outside, May Barnard and the other soccer girls sprinted across the lawn. They spent every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday first block at the gym down the street with the other varsity teams, and Lia was sure all of them would play Assassins. May was in the lead, her bright red hair streaming out behind her, and she threw her head back with laughter. She was pretty and perfect, and seemed to glow instead of sweat. Gem stared, mouth slightly open.
“This is serious. No romantic distractions.” Lia rolled her eyes and took her seat. “And she’s the reason you had in-school suspension for a week.”
“Growth and change are important aspects of life, and she did apologize.” Gem sighed and dropped their elbows to the sill, folding in on themselves like a dead spider’s legs. “She does that thing where she rolls up her sleeves, so it’s not like I could not like her. Look.”
“She’s not my type,” Lia said, “but if she’s our target, you don’t have to help kill her.”
“You’re so kind,” Gem said, and sighed. “I bet she could bench-press me.”
Lia laughed. “Is that a thing?”
“I don’t even care,” Gem said. “And you’re one to talk about romantic distractions.”
Lia flushed. “No distractions at all. If we’re not on a team, I love you, but you’re dead to me.”
Gem reached out and tapped the tip of Lia’s nose. “I always wanted a nemesis.”
The rest of class went as it usually did—boring—and halfway through, Lia added her new notes from her journal to the spreadsheet she kept just in case. It was always good to have a backup.
“There are definitely more people playing than I anticipated,” Lia said.
Cassidy Clarke twisted around at her desk. “Did you stalk us?” she asked.
Lia froze.
“Oh my God,” Gem said, pointing to the blue, pink, and white hairclip keeping Cassidy’s bun in place. “Where did you get this?”
“Online.” Cassidy scrunched her mouth up and narrowed her eyes, returning her gaze to Lia. “Did you follow me around?”
“No,” Lia said, and bit her cheek. “I did not follow you.”
Lia had only taken notes on where Cassidy said she was going. That wasn’t following.
“What about me?” Ryder asked, leaning around Cassidy to stare at Lia.
Lia pretended to check her journal and clucked her tongue. “I’m sorry. Who are you?”
“You liar.” Cassidy laughed, turned back around, and shook her head. “You better not win.”
Two days later, a hush fell over the cafeteria as noon neared, the silence so odd even Mr. Jackson, Lincoln’s sole security guard, looked up from his crossword. Of all the seniors Lia could see, at least half were bent over their phones.
At exactly noon, she got the message.
Hello, Lia Prince.
Welcome to Assassins. Your goal is to kill your targets with your team without being seen, and survive until only one is left alive. However, as with all good things, there are rules:
1. Kills must have (mostly) no witnesses. You are an assassin, an enigma wrapped in shadows and trailing mystery. You must be sneaky. All kills must be committed when the target is completely alone, and no one except your team members can see you kill your target. If you kill someone who is not alone, the kill will not be legitimate. Also, they’ll know you have it out for them.
2. Kills must be made with water guns, and the guns may only be filled with water. Any amount of water on clothes or skin is enough to kill the target, so don’t go overboard. Don’t modify paintballs and don’t aim for the face—we don’t want a repeat of three years ago.
3. Shields are allowed, but they must obviously be a shield. Your arm is not a shield; your backpack is.
4. Self-defense is allowed. If an assassin attempts to kill you and fails or you notice them first, you may kill them.
5. Do not commit a crime in order to kill your target. You will be arrested or worse, disqualified.
6. The school is a safe zone. No kills can be made on school grounds during school hours, and any that are made will get you disqualified.
7. Do not camp at your house to avoid death. Anyone who refuses to leave their house for more than three days in a row will be disqualified. Anyone who makes their parents follow them around for more than three days in a row will be disqualified. Do not pay non-players to follow you around. You will be disqualified. The game is about teamwork and survival as much as it is killing. You have your team for a reason.
8. When you kill your target, email [email protected] that you have completed your contract. The Council will provide you with a new target by the next midnight.
9. If you are killed and would like to dispute it, email [email protected] with your evidence of a disqualifying kill. The council will decide within a reasonable amount of time.
10.If there are only three assassins remaining, we will inform them of their accomplishment.
11. And the most important rule of all—have fun!
12. We’re kidding. Murder is a necessity. Fun is optional.
Your team members are Ben Barnard, Gem Hastings, and Devon Diaz. If you don’t already have them, phone numbers and addresses are in the student directory.
Your first target is Abby Ascher.
The game begins in five hours. Remember: you’re someone’s target too.
Good luck,
The Council
PS: OBVIOUSLY NONE OF THIS IS LITERAL. DON’T KILL ANYONE. NO DANGEROUS TRAPS. PUTTING ANOTHER ASSASSIN IN DANGER WILL DISQUALIFY YOU. IF YOU HURT ANYONE OR DAMAGE ANY PROPERTY, YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN.
“Well,” Lia said, laying her face on the plastic lattice table smothered in decades of student germs. “Devon’s going to be sad he can’t kill me.”
“No. Romantic. Distractions.” Gem pulled her up. “Gabo definitely didn’t write that last part. He hates caps.”