A Game (AAT and Martyr)

There was a dim light outside the café window. Clouds blocked the early morning sun, keeping it a light grey as the orange light off the eastern horizon battled to be let free. Inside the café there was a light that was buzzing, flickering between on and off as the chatter of a few dozen customers occupied the air, nearly cancelling out the jazz that played. But, it didn't mind him.

AAT-08317 sat at a two chair table, the warm contents of a branded styrofoam cup filled with a black tea, filled with lemon juice. He preferred it that way, while others may have opted for sugar or honey. He looked down at the chess set in front of him—an addition made to the café likely to encourage constitutes to be social—but he had been playing himself for quite some time. All the other seats had been occupied but the one in front of him.

Quietly, he moved the black knight to A6.

As Ashley was on his way home from his, "Job", he decided to take a pit stop. He was carrying a gym bag with his suit and buisness supplies inside. Hole punch, letter opener, and plenty of green tinted paper.

He walked into a nearby diner and saw a man playing chess by himself. "Mind if I join you?" Ashley asked, and without getting an answer; Ashley sat down and contemplated the board. He saw the knight had been moved to A6.

Responding in kind; Ashley moved a white pawn to A4

AAT-08317 looked up as Ashley took a seat, as he looked down to the pawn on the board that was already moved for white: D5. He shook his head, "No, I don't. But white goes first, are you sure you wouldn't like to reset?"

"It's fine," Ashley shrugged. He was suprised by the allowance that the man had for his joining the game so callously. "After all, I do always say that if you join the game late; you should play late." He said and nodded towards the board. "So, where are you from?" He asked casually.

"Very well." AAT-08317 replied. The man asked the question, as the assassin remained silent for a while, but he disguised it as consideration where to move as he pushed his black pawn to D4. He then answered, "I travel around a lot. I don't really know where I am from anymore. You?"

"Toronto, born and raised." Responded Ashley while considering his moves. He moved his pawn forward to intercept the other man's pawn, Martyr didn't feel super comfortable with this move; but he was certain it was already done. "Well, I just realized how rude I have been." He said. "My name's Ash. Ash Cresswell. And you are?"

AAT-08317 would have smiled if he knew how to, as he pressed his bishop to the spot that was previously occupied by the pawn. Then the man asked for his name. AAT-08317 hadn't used his real name in years, he always used the name on the passport his officers handed him. He spoke: "Sometimes it feels as if I live by a number. But my name is Vadim Mironov. Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cresswell."

Vadim looked down to the bag the man had: "You exercise?"

Martyr was off put by the placement of the bishop but quickly retaliated by moving the queen to the bishops spot; capturing it. The man made a statement about seeming to live by a number and Martyr chuckled. "Man, you aren't kidding. These days more and more I feel the same way." Then Martyr nodded. "Good to meet you as well, Mr. Miranov. I don't get to talk to many people normally these days. Seems like I'm always busy."

Martyr shot a glance at his bag nervously; but played it cool. "I do some light jogging, a little cardio. Sometimes I even do yoga. Good for the mind." Martyr shrugged. "Got any family?"

Vadim shook his head as he placed his hand over the Queen, and put it back to it's spot on the board before he put back his Bishop: "Queen's cannot jump over other pieces."

Vadim then listened to what Martyr had to say, as his eyes seemed to be unconvinced by what he just said about jogging, but then again, that was always the look in his eye. When Martyr brought up family, Vadim picked up his tea and closed his eyes: "Don't have any. You?"

Ashley was discouraged by the failure of the move, but he nodded. "I have a little sister at home, and my mother is paralyzed from the waist down. I kind of take care of her."

Ashley thought about his moves; the decided to move his pawn from C2 to C4; not really knowing what else to do. "Sorry about my relative terribleness at this game. I've only played a couple times before." Ashley said awkwardly, Chess wasn't something you played often in the streets, and it's not like his mother had time before the incident.

Vadim watched the man move his pawn, as he reached and put his second knight to G6. He listened to what Ashley had said about his family, before he decided to speak: "That is quite honourable. Many would decide to run."

Vadim's voice remained cold and unmoving throughout the entire conversation, as he replied to what Martyr had just said: "Knowledge comes with experience. Experience comes from failure."

"Many people don't need their families as much as their families need them." Ashley said off the cuff. He did need his family, just as much - no, more - than they needed him. His family is what kept him balanced.

Ashley shrugged at the Vadim's words and moved his pawn forward once again; not really paying as much attention to the game anymore. He didn't exactly have many people to talk to, so Vadim was a breath of fresh air from that perspective. Martyr was glad that Vadim didn't know about his felonious past. He was enjoying being a human being for once. Not a meta.

"I wish that were always the case." Vadim replied. Having talked to the man would have been a relief, if the assassin knew what that feeling could be. Everything worked as a plan to the man, and it was no use for him to work against it. Still, to possibly be considered more than a cold-blooded killer—even if just for a moment—felt different to Vadim.

The man moved one of his pawns to the centre of the chessboard, right in the face of one of Ash's. He was almost certain he would claim it, so that he could enact his plan. He reclined in his seat, "Sometimes you need to break away, if just for a moment. And think."

"Exactly." Ashley said moving his knight out onto the field, to C3.

"It's just so hard being in this situation, you know? But I couldn't leave even if I wanted to. They're my family, and my dad already walked out on us. I can't imagine what mom would think I did the same."

Vadim listened to what Ashley said about his family, as he tapped his lip. He then spoke again: "Family is sometimes the only thing we have, Mr. Cresswell. Keep them safe."

Vadim then pushed a pawn to E5.