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FIFTY-FIVE

Alderney State Penitentiary,

Dear Amethyst,

Our first attack on the graduation run went smoothly. The firm relied on people like my allies to set the stage, hide the tokens, and connect cameras so higher-ups like my father could watch from afar.

Back then, only a small number of operatives attended to transport the losers to their fates. The first thing we did was disable them.

We also sabotaged the graduation run by supplying enough purses for everyone. Unfortunately, some trios didn’t think to search for an additional purse and attacked their fellow students. We intervened, saving those poor souls, and offered them a place in our hideout.

Some refused, even after we described how the firm treated its non-assassins, but we removed the trackers from those who agreed to come with us, and took them straight to our safe house.

So as not to arouse too much suspicion, many of us returned to work. The firm believed they were being poached by a rival organization and went on the defensive. Assassins guarded the next graduation run, oblivious to the fact that its support staff was stealing potential recruits.

After the year of my sisters’ graduation run, poaching students became too risky. Instead, we focused on destroying the organization from within. We took disgruntled new recruits and anyone we knew had been unfairly indebted to the firm.

I also abandoned my post and became the face of my rebel group. We spread the truth about the exploitative business practices, and slowly gathered information that proved the firm sent operatives into ambushes.

All the while, we continued to poach the firm’s clients. Many assassins were aware of what we were doing, but didn’t interfere. I can’t think of a single person who approved of the firm’s bullshit.

My father remained elusive. We had sentries watching HQ, his house in Victoria Gardens, and other known hangouts, but he had gone into hiding and didn’t want to be found. At one point, he stopped paying for my brother’s institution fees, leaving him to get evicted.

Some say my activities got him ousted as the firm’s leader. Others suggested he moved on to more lucrative venues. A few implied he was dead, but I knew he was alive. I needed to find him, not just for revenge, but to shut down the facility of child assassins.

So, out of desperation, I broadcasted the attack on my stepmother and brother.

Fan questions:

Alcohol is strictly forbidden in the prison, so it would be irresponsible to reveal my favorite beverage. However, I can share that I first tried it in the Armagnac region in Gascony, southwest France. I highly recommend a trip to one of their vineyards.

Thank you for the delivery of Animal Farm . We weren’t expecting triple the amount of requested donations. This allows each death row inmate to keep theirs as a memento of your good wishes, while also giving the general population a chance to discuss fine literature.

Yes, I heard the protest from my cell and wondered if there had been a riot. It wasn’t until the warden called me into his office and said that followers of my unofficial fan club were gathered outside the gates, demonstrating against my unfair punishment for the sexual harassment. There’s a debate on whether the non-consensual touching of my genitals could be deemed an assault, but the issue under contention is whether prisoners should be punished for refusing to submit to invasive and unwanted searches.

When the warden ordered me to address the crowd, I asked if he would instate my visitation rights. He said no. Then I argued that speaking to a crowd of unofficial fans is a form of visitation, and he sent me back to my cell. As of today, I am still unable to receive visitors. All for the crime of not wanting another man to handle my private parts.

Love,

Xero