Three years before the outbreak.
It was pitch black outside with the only source of light being the dim street lamps and occasional bursts of lightning that lit up the night sky.
In a nearby alley sat a black 2002 Audi S8 inconspicuously parked within.
Sitting within the vehicle, only the sound of rain pattering against the car and heavy breathing could be heard.
Paul looked in the rearview mirror, his twelve-year-old innocent features making themself pronounced even though he felt so far from innocent.
Brushing a hand through his slicked-back wavy black hair, he took a deep breath.
"Relax, little guy. This is nothing haha. Just kill the husband and remember to keep the wife and daughter alive, they are worth more alive than dead, you understand."
Paul looked at Reggie, his handler, before nodding and slipping on his two leather gloves before opening the glove compartment, and grabbing a silenced 45 Pistol with a shaky hand.
Just as he was about to grab the car door handle, he felt Reggie put a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, after this I'll take you for tacos, huh!" Reggie smiled, his yellow teeth even darker in the pitch black car.
Paul didn't say anything, pulling the car door open and taking a step into the alleyway, feeling the rain pelt his hair and the sound of it hitting his trench coat.
Walking behind the alley, he spotted white steps leading to a white door of a big brick house.
Taking small steps, he made sure to step on the parts of the stairs he knew wouldn't creak before he finally made it to the door.
Putting a hand on the doorknob, he gave it a calm twist, already knowing it would be unlocked.
After all, he was the one who had just unlocked it not even an hour ago when he had left his friend Sarah's house for the night.
That was the whole reason kids like him were stripped of their free will and turned into weapons.
They could blend in. They could be in places that no one else could and no one would suspect a thing about them.
He had been enrolled in school, forced to befriend this girl, all because her father didn't pay back the money that was due.
Opening the back door, he slowly entered the house.
He heard the sound of a movie playing, just as he expected.
It was movie night.
Walking slowly, making sure to avoid creaky floorboards, he found himself in the living room.
He saw them.
The kind couple who had made him dinner and had taken care of him.
And his friend Sarah.
They were all facing the TV, the back of their heads to him.
He could easily finish the job. One bullet into the back of the husband's head, knock out the wife with a clean pistol whip to the jaw, and same for the daughter.
But something in him knew he wouldn't do that.
If he let that happen, the wife would be forced into a life of pure hell, and Sarah worse.
He was already in hell. It changed you, molded you into something you can't even recognize.
He would afford them a small mercy.
Psst!
Wait three seconds for her to turn around.
Psst!
Psst!
A bullet to the back of the head and one to the face for each.
Walking to a decorated chess board near the front door, he slowly opened it and pulled out a small revolver before walking back to the wife and placing the revolver in her hand.
Looking at the family of three that had an hour ago been so lively and full of love, now dead with empty eyes, he clenched his fist.
"I swear I will rip apart everything you've ever built and loved and then I will tear out your heart."
After a small moment of silence, Paul left through the back door and back into the dark alley.
Opening the car door, he spotted Reggie who looked confused as he got in.
"What happened?"
Despite the gun being silenced, it was still loud, and Reggie, who was listening just in case anything went wrong, had clearly heard the distinct sound of three silenced shots.
Paul, who already had everything planned out, calmly placed the gun back in the glove box before replying.
"The wife had a gun I didn't know about. I had to."
Reggie looked at Paul in silence, his scarred eye twitching before nodding.
"That's fine. It's your first job, the boss has high hopes for you."
"Let's go get dinner."