The Ultimate Assassin

2

Inside the cockpit, the short hijacker was lounging comfortably in a side seat, thoroughly enjoying a cup of cola.

"We really can't turn back now. We simply don't have the fuel to make the return journey," pleaded a middle-aged man in a crisp white uniform. It was painfully obvious this was the flight's captain.

The hijacker wasn't having any of it. Returning to Korea meant a guaranteed death sentence; he wasn't stupid enough to walk into his own execution. "If we can't go back, then change course! Head for Thailand or Vietnam," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"But... if we just breach their airspace without warning, they'll treat us as a hostile target and shoot us down," the captain explained desperately. Entering foreign airspace unannounced required complex clearance. At best, they'd be forced into a highly dangerous emergency landing; at worst, a surface-to-air missile would blow them out of the sky.

"I don't give a toss! You'll do exactly as I say. One more word of rubbish and I'll blow your brains out." Losing his patience, the hijacker sprang to his feet and shoved the barrel of his assault rifle hard against the captain's chest.

The captain let out a defeated sigh. When you’re staring down the barrel of a gun, logic goes out the window. If he refused, he'd be a dead man in seconds. Resigned, he reached for the radio. Seeing the captain finally playing ball, the hijacker relaxed and slumped back into his seat.

Right at that moment, the cockpit door burst open and Xavier slipped inside like a shadow. Hearing the noise, the hijacker instinctively spun around. Seeing a stranger, he frantically swung his rifle to fire.

But his reflexes were just a fraction too slow.

Before his finger could even squeeze the trigger, a streak of crimson light flashed across the room. The short man collapsed straight to the floor, dead before he even hit the ground, completely oblivious to what had just killed him.

Taking a life was second nature to someone who had been strictly conditioned since childhood. With his intimate knowledge of human anatomy, Xavier knew exactly how to instantly neutralise a target. It was a mandatory foundation for every operative of the Iron Squad mercenary group.

Retrieving his dagger, Xavier tossed the hijackers' weapons onto a console. "There are three more bodies out there. I've dealt with them," he told the stunned captain. "Have your crew clean it up. I'll leave these guns with you."

The captain stared at him, wide-eyed. "Thank you! If it weren't for you, everyone on this flight would have been doomed. May I ask your name, sir? Once we land, please come to the police station with us to give a statement."

Xavier frowned. Seeing the genuine gratitude in the captain's eyes softened his annoyance, but he had zero interest in drawing attention to himself. If he made the news, Korea's Ministry of State Security would definitely catch wind of his return.

Misreading his hesitation, the captain quickly added, "Please don't misunderstand, sir. It's just standard protocol. You've done us a massive favour, and the airline will want to officially commend you."

"No thanks," Xavier refused flat-out. He had no desire to be swarmed by reporters and painted as some national hero. He turned to leave, pausing just as he reached the door. "Captain, this flight has air marshals, doesn't it? As far as anyone is concerned, they're the ones who took down the hijackers."

The captain froze, then slowly nodded. He wasn't a government official, just an airline employee. If he could spin this crisis into a victory for the airline's security team, it would do wonders for his own career. Since this nameless hero was willingly handing over the credit, he wasn't going to argue.

A short while later, the plane touched down safely at Korean International Airport. Carrying nothing but a battered military holdall, Xavier disembarked and headed straight for the exits. The terminal was already swarming with armed police and hungry journalists.

Not wanting to leave things to chance, Xavier quietly slipped through the crowd and out of the airport via a side exit. When the captain finally emerged, the press descended upon him like vultures. The captain calmly recounted the ordeal, deliberately omitting Xavier's existence. He confidently declared that the terrorists had been subdued by the brave flight marshals on board, noting that their identities were being kept strictly confidential for security reasons.