So Many Decisions But Only A Few Bullets Left

6:47 is what my alarm clock blinked as I woke up startled. I sigh heavily, placing my hand on my face. Yet another night wasted because the Boogeyman had to start and end my nightmare. My eyes peer around the room, everything still and slightly lit from the approaching sunrise. Getting up slowly, I walk to the window, grabbing the binoculars and looking at the home of my infamous dream slayer. Looking through them, I spot very few guards pacing about the perimeters of the mansion. I look at the window of the place, seeing little action inside but then again, it was nearly 6:50 in the morning. Suddenly, I spot a man on the third level balcony from one of the rooms, looking out over the railing. I zoom in on the man’s face and see that he was young, maybe my age or older. His hair was slightly short and spiked, and his eyes have that look like he’s seen much but continues to pull through. His body height might have been a good 6’1 compared to my 5’11. The clothing he had on was a clean white long sleeve button-up shirt with crisp black khaki’s. What he wore for shoes, I couldn’t tell but he seemed like one of Augustus’s assistants although he would definitely be the youngest of them all. The man’s shirt was slightly opened, revealing part of a toned chest. The mystery man was good-looking but sadly, he worked for one that’s not so good. The man turns his head around and looks my way. I tense up, thinking that he knows I’m watching him but that idea vanished when he looked around and seemed un-phased. He then promptly turned and walked inside, shutting the window door. I put the binoculars down and turn back into my room. The clock read 6:52; knowing that I wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep, I decide to get a head start on preparing for my last mission.

By 10, I was cleaned and dress and had the equipment that I wanted to bring including the stuff that Alex gave me yesterday. Everything was set on the bed, ready to go when I came back. Before every mission, Alex, Aileen, and I always take off somewhere to spend time together just in case I happened to fail and never come back to them. We usually don’t think about it like that but it’s the truth. We spend the day just having fun whether it’s going to a movie, being at an amusement park, or even taking Roscoe to the dog park. Whatever it was, we cherish our time together.

As I was putting on a jean jacket, Aileen comes into the room and smiles, “Breakfast is ready.” I turn to her and happily smile back, “What’s it this time?”

“French toast with a side of eggs, sausages, and hash browns.” She grins.

“I didn’t know you invited the staff from IHOP to come and cook for us?” I tell her, slightly laughing and adding a wink to my joke. She laughs as well. “That’s what we get for having a guy in the house that enjoys cooking,” she winks back. Quickly, she exits the room as I follow her out. We head into the kitchen, Roscoe hungrily watching Alex as he places scrambled eggs onto a plate. I go to him and kiss him on the cheek saying, “Thanks mom.”

He laughs and puts the plate in front of me. Aileen grabs her fork and begins to eat her French toast with a very satisfied expression. Roscoe looks up at me as I cut up my sausages. I stab one of my cut pieces and before I chomp down on it, Roscoe whimpers, giving me those puppy eyes that dogs use to their advantage. Those sneaky bastards….

I sigh and pluck the sausage from my fork and drop it into his mouth as he eats it gratefully. I continue to eat the rest of my breakfast; from time to time giving into Roscoe’s way of persuasion by feeding him more of the meat, a part of the egg or a small piece of the French toast. “You’re going to get him fat like that!” Aileen stated, finishing her food and standing up to take her plate and wash it off. “It’s not my fault he’s so damn persistent!” I reply, finishing up my food and standing up to take it to the sink.

“But it is your fault for being soft with him.” She added, smirking. “Me? Be soft? You’re the one who practically gave up your entire chicken sandwich to him almost 3 days ago!” I grin. We were modifying a few things on a 5th Generation Celica and we stopped to take a break. Aileen made a chicken sandwich and Roscoe pulled off the puppy-pout with her, forcing Aileen to take 3 bites and the rest going to him. Knave little dog…

Aileen laughed and nodded, giving up on making a comeback. “So ladies, where do we go first?” Alex asked, leaning against the kitchen counter.

Aileen and I look at one another and grin.

“THEME PARK!!” we say in unison, Roscoe barking with us.

Our day started off like that. We went to the theme park, strolling around the place as we tried to get Alex to ride one of the many roller-coasters that the park offered. We convinced him to go on The Monster, the parks giant, adrenaline-racing roller-coaster it had for its visitors. Now, Aileen and I began to think we might have scarred him for life from the way he looked after coming off the roller-coaster. His face reminded me of mine when I saw my parents murdered except he might have seen his life flash before his eyes or had a glimpse into the frightening face of the Grim Reaper who had let him live this time. But he regained color about half an hour or so later after throwing up today’s breakfast. After spending some time at the theme park, we headed back to the house and picked p Roscoe, getting him in the car and driving him to the nearby doggie-park where he happily played with us 3 and bugged the crap out of other dogs. After about a good 2-3 hours at the park, we drove to get some lunch at a drive-thru. I ordered a hamburger, Aileen getting her usual BLT and Alex choosing chicken nuggets. We then headed back home with our food still warm. Getting inside, everyone set up their meals in the living room with the big screen and played my all time favorite movie: Underworld. I got to had it to Celine. She’s kick ass!

The day had been fun for all of us. I enjoy every moment I have with them, my family. I know it’s a bit touchy but it’s the truth none-the-less. Like Celine, it was time to exact revenge on my big bad wolf. I went upstairs and placed my weapons in a backpack small enough for me to get comfortable and big enough to hold my major guns I can’t hold on my body. The bag was filled and light enough that I had no trouble wearing it. I look out my window and grab the binoculars. The guards were out on patrol, making the rounds like Alex had pointed out. I look at the windows, knowing Augustus had been smart to stay away from the windows. Suddenly, the balcony’s only entrance had been opened up and by the same man who was out earlier today. If I could, I can take him out with the sniper rifle I had in my closet and blow his mind away, hehehe…. Ok, so I’m not that good with jokes, I get it. The guy was dressed nicely and ruffling his hair with his hands. He seemed tensed, rolling his neck as though it were sore and shrugging his shoulders to rid him of the nerves. I felt bad for him. After all, he does have to put up with Augustus’s bullshit all the time. He takes off the black suit jacket and hangs it over the railing. He bends over it and stays like that for some time.

“Casey, we’re ready.” Alex says. That was bad on my part. He comes in so quietly; if he had been someone else, a stranger, I could have had my life taken away—this all could have been where my journey ended. Luckily, it wasn’t and he wasn’t some mystery person.

I nod, glancing back at the spot where the guy had been. He was still there although he was pacing about on the balcony.

“What are you looking at?” Alex asks, apparently still in the room. I hand him the binoculars and point to the balcony. He looks through for a few seconds then removes the tool from his eyes. He smirks, “What about him?”

“I don’t know. He seems like another employee pissed at their master. I promise, one way or another, they and I will get freedom from him.” I reply, heading towards my closet. “I’ll be out in just a few.” Alex nods and places the binoculars back on my window ledge, silently walking out of my bedroom.

I undress myself, putting on a suit made of a special material that allows me to maneuver around with ease. It’s better than that shiny leather/elastic stuff you see in movies that the super spy wear, majority of the time worn by females. Plus, it doesn’t make that annoying squeaky sound when the material rubs together. Also, it’s strong enough to prevent tears and such although bullets can get through but then again, you try not to get shot already.

The suit hugs my body, not tight enough to not allow me to breathe but a good even fit. It didn’t require buttons or a zipper or any of the sort to close the suit up. It’s like when you put on a swim suit and you have to zip up the back but with mine, no zipper required. It seals itself up. Kind of hard to explain how that happens.

I stretch around in it a bit by making slow motion cartwheels, back-flips, and splits so the material could be worn out a bit. Once tested and worn down, the outfit fitted perfectly against myself. The night had come, the stars shining brightly down in twinkles from the mix of blue and black. It was a lovely time to just look up and stare, having an array of day dreams. I’ve seen the night so many times and yet, it never stays the same but I wish I actually took the time to sit and glance to see which stars stay and which leave. More or less, appreciate the things around me.

I grab my back pack, strapping myself down with the holsters and the weapons that fit in them. I also have a sword upon my back underneath the backpack; it wasn’t very long, the blade alone stretching from the bottom of my neck to my lower back just above the curve of my butt. It was wide, about 4 and a half inches and the steel was that of samurai swords and made in the same fashion too although it was an American who made mines. Aileen thinks it’s a machete but it was big, heavy and bulky as one but we agreed that it would chop something off someone. The holster it came with was of a strong material that kept it from digging into my back but fitted comfortably on my spine as the strap pressed against my chest gently but tight so it wouldn’t slide off.

I walk out, turning to see my room (hopefully not for the last time), seeing all that I had and what made me comfortable in this house. I shut the door slowly and head back down the stairs, passing by the portraits that hung on the wall of my family and friends I have made over the years. I get to the bottom of the stairs and turn into the living room where Alex and Aileen had the monitors ready and hookup to their computers. They look at me, Alex standing with a set of headphones around his neck and Aileen sitting in a chair with a keyboard and screens in front of her. They smile at me the best they could although the happiness didn’t quite fully reach their eyes. I smile back and peer down at Roscoe who had a non-deadly red ball in his mouth. I kneel down, petting his head and taking the ball from his mouth. Immediately, his tail wags quick and happily as his face and body told me he was ready to get the ball. I laugh and throw the ball down the hall, past the kitchen into the next room. Roscoe chases after it, sliding here and there from the wooden floor. Aileen and Alex watch but return their gaze back to me. I look back at them and go over to them as they come towards me. We embrace each other in a group hug, feeling the sadness of me leaving. I let them go, hugging them separately. I hugged Aileen first and felt her squeezing sisterly hug. She looked me in the eye and smiled, “You better get your ass back here. I’ve been working on that car for a while!” I laughed and nodded, giving her a second hug. I moved on to Alex and hugged him. His hugs weren’t as brotherly as most siblings but they weren’t discomforting either. I pull back, letting my hand hold his waist as his with mines and meet his eyes. They showed what we’ve been feeling: sadness, and regret; he was already missing me. I kiss him lightly on the cheek and smile, “I’ll come back one way or another, my darling husband,” as I raise my left hand to him to show him the ring he gave me. He laughs then I give him one more strong hug and back away towards the door. They watch me, Roscoe looking as well with the ball in his mouth. When I grab the knob, Alex calls out my name.

I turn towards him, eyes focused. He smiles, “Go out with a bang.”

One last warming smile is what I gave them before walking out the door, not letting them catch the tear rolling down my cheek. Oh, I’ll give them a bang alright. 4th of July wouldn’t dare compete with what I have in store.