NEW LIFE : A SECOND CHANCE

Sam looked at Kyle blankly then nodded seriously, "Okay."

Kyle laughed then.

Whole-heartedly, completely and without restraint. Seeing the extremely serious expression on Sam's face, Kyle just couldn't stop the laughter from coming out. He was, however, extremely touched at the fact that Sam, without hesitation, agreed to become an assassin. No questions asked.

After a minute of this, Kay hit him hard on the shoulder.

"Stop it, Kyle," Kay scolded him, "Sam believed you whole-heartedly."

Wiping the tears from his eyes, Kyle held up his hand while holding his stomach, "Sorry, sorry."

Taking a deep breath, he smiled at Sam, who was looking at him with some slight pout. He had been serious and Kyle laughed at him. He was feeling slightly miffed.

"I am sorry, Sam," Kyle said, "I didn't mean it about you becoming a silent killer but I am truly touched that you are willing to. Your loyalty means a lot to me."

The smile he gave Sam this time was a gentle smile that spoke volumes. If Sam didn't know Kyle any better, that sort of smile would make one think he was in love with him or something.

"Okay, seriously," Kyle said, "Not a killing machine, but yes, you will be taught how to kill. Namely, it's for self-defence for yourself, your family ... and your future family."

"As you're my PA, it won't just be for the Smith Industries CEO, but also for MIB's leader - namely, me. You'll be the middle person between me and my MIB team."

"And Kyle has many enemies as MIB leader - which, by the way, no one other than Zero and the group knows," Kay revealed, "Everyone else is under the impression that we are just one of the agents being trained under MIB."

"Ah yes, that little detail, too," Kyle mused.

"Little? You call this little?" Kay rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, as I was saying," Kyle continued, ignoring Kay, "MIB is ultra top secret and no one knows our connection to it. Still, one can never be too complacent. As my PA, you're going to have to know how to protect yourself."

"Your skills must be kept a secret because this would cause anyone to underestimate you and that would give you a huge advantage. Also, just how many PA's out there actually would know martial arts? They wouldn't expect it, especially with the way you look." Kay continued.

Sam saw the logic in that.

He's the nerdy type and more often than not, people expect him to be 'soft' or 'gentle'. Just thinking about the change that Kyle was suggesting made him quite excited.

"People may also use you to get to me," Kyle said, "So that adds on to this need."

"Plus, people may try to force you or threaten you just to get to Kyle," Kay warned.

"MIB will always protect your family, so you don't have to worry about that," Kyle assured him, "Now that you know that MIB exists, know as well that the moment you became my PA, a team has already been dispatched to keep an eye out for them."

Sam nodded, touched as well. Then, he began to get worried for his bunny.

"Betty and her immediate family as well," Kyle said, "But know that we can't protect everyone. For now, the warning level is very low so there is minimal surveillance. As we grow older, though ... well, you catch my drift."

Sam understood.

"So, to toughen you up. You're going to have to train everyday for two hours," Kyle continued.

Two hours? Sam gulped but nodded again.

"I'm putting Team Lucka on that," Kyle said, "Today, is basically an assessment of what would be the best programme for you. After that, they'll make the self defence programme catered for you. It will also include weapons training."

"How am I going to keep this training a secret from everyone, though?" Sam asked, "Two hours a day isn't easy to explain away."

"Congratulations! You've been specially selected to participate in the first ever community service programme of Sakura Academy," Kyle announced, looking all serious and 'Student Council President' like.

"I've submitted a proposal that was just approved by the Principal," explained Kyle, handing him yet another file.

This was a slim folder, with just two pages. On the front page was the title 'Community Outreach Programme'.

"Volunteer service?" Sam queried as he read on, "I'm the guinea pig to do the preliminary research on it to validate whether it's viable?"

The Community Outreach Programme was simple. The third years of Sakura Academy would be involved in a community service programme during the school holidays.

The purpose was to get the kids to help in shelters: from basic reading programme to caring of residents.

It would help the students to foster some self-awareness and, hopefully, to be more empathetic to the less fortunate. The activity would also alleviate the reputation of Sakura Academy in the community.

The whole programme would only be for two weeks and is to be implemented the following year. Thus, this year, they needed more data.

"Yes, that's the gist of it," Kyle said, "You'll be coming here everyday to keep Ms. Rheia company. Her medical records show that she needs constant care and basic company. Of course, you won't be here to do that but down here, for training."

"Then the reports?" Sam asked.

"I'll be doing them, of course," Kyle said nonchalantly, "I know Auntie Rheia quite well and all that - well, I'll be writing it in the same way as you do, so Principal Godric wouldn't suspect anything."

"You ... you mean you're going to imitate my style of writing?" Sam asked, looking at Kyle with wide eyes.

"Yes, of course," Kyle answered, "I've read enough of your reports in Sage Class to be able to grasp your writing style."

Kay patted Kyle's shoulder and said, "That's not quite normal, you know. Can't you see Sam's rather taken aback by the way you're just taking it for granted?"

Kyle blinked.

Oh. Yes. That's true. He had been so caught up in studying Sam, figuring out how to reveal things about MIB slowly without shocking him, that he completely forgot about the more mundane stuff. Such as, how certain things he did were rather abnormal.

Forging documents had merely been one of the skills he learned and honed, thus copying Sam's writing style was nothing. He could even copy Sam's handwriting and signature if needed to.

This skill helped him a lot during his younger days as he was too young to be able to hire people or purchase things.

His Dad, Patrick, had unknowingly 'signed' a lot of things back then.

Kyle coughed embarrassingly, something unusual for him.

"Well, yeah," Kyle grinned sheepishly, "Sorry about that. Since you know a lot of my secrets already, I was a bit careless."

"But, back to the matter at hand, we've got you covered," Kyle said, "You'll also go through basic fitness regime which would include exercises and a diet. Hence, the two hours will be fully utilised."

"Diet?" Sam queried, "Am I fat?"

"No, no," refuted Kay, "Not to lose weight. It is to increase fitness and health. Yes, you will lose any excess fat and replace it with muscle. Essentially, since you will be training, your body must be at its optimum as well."

"Okay, that makes sense," Sam said, "When do I start?"

"LUCKA!" Kyle shouted, leaning back on his chair so that it was on two legs as he peered through the door on his left, "Sam's all yours."

"What?! Now?!" Sam gasped.

"Nothing better than the present," Kyle said with a smile.

Sam looked up as Lucka walked in, gesturing to Sam and said, "Come on, choose a weapon."

Sam turned towards Kyle and Kay, his mouth agape then back at Lucka. Was he serious? A weapon? Taking a deep breath, he got up, straightened his shirt and said, "Okay, let's do this."

As he passed by Kyle, he stopped to ask, "I've been meaning to ask ... MIB? Like, Men In Black?"*

"Yup," Kyle said, "Aren't we like the MIB? We are an organisation that doesn't exist."

Sam nodded. That made sense.

As Sam walked resolutely towards the weapons room, Sam couldn't help but feel that with each step, he was going forth to a new future. One that was both exciting and scary.

But one which Sam wanted with his entire being, despite the danger.

It was just too exciting to ignore.