"Did Drake bring food?" I whispered to Sam as River guided as to the conference room.

She chuckled quietly. "What do you think?"

River cleared his throat. Two guards opened up the huge double doors, revealing a group of assassins sitting at the abnormally long dinner table. I noticed Cody and Drake in the corner, discreetly eating Nutella. Sam started to walk towards them, but before I could, someone called me over.

"Miss Blair!"

"Oh, Alexander, " I murmured as I walked over to him. River silently walked beside me, without a single glance my way.

"Hello, Blair! How are you?" Alexander smiled brightly.

"Great, thanks, " I nodded. "What about you?"

"Oh, I'm fantastic! Seeing my organization become better with new assassins make me feel young again, " he sighed happily and I chuckled.

"Our organization, " River mumbled, but Alexander waved him off.

"You're still learning, son, " Alexander said before his expression abruptly changed. "Now, I was thinking about you, Miss Blair. You were one of the best assassins I had in the beginning, when you first got here. But you've improved."

"You are now the best assassin. No one can defeat you or do better than you. Which is why I need you to work with and train with River."

"What?" River coughed while I gaped at Alexander.

"You heard me. The leader and the best assassin need to trust each other, they need to be able to understand each other, everything. I've done this with my best assassin and it was proven to be effective."

River looked at me, then back at his father. "But..."

"Uh, Alexander, I've got to say... I don't exactly agree with this idea of yours, " I admitted.

"I'm sorry that you don't agree, Miss Blair. But it's not an idea, " he pauses, his voice cold and stern. "It's an order."

"Dad–"

"Did you not understand me, River? It's an order!" Alexander yelled and the room filled with silence.

"Yes, sir, " River murmured with his head down.

"Assassins, you may be seated, " Alexander announced and everyone quickly found a seat at the table. I was forced to sit beside River, who was still sulking.

"Alright. Shall the conference begin?"