Killing Never Changes

It wasn't too long before another little swarm of five came rushing out of a building at me. I did the math, and landed five head shots without wasting a bullet. That sort of thing was instinct after a while. More than a few times I've found myself walking, seen a group of people and went through the motions in my brain of exactly what I would have to do to kill every one of them and get away. It was just a fun little game I always played, and it always benefited in situations where you needed to kill a room full of people. The key was to visualize it happening, and then adjusting when your vision was wrong. Read the people in the room, and envision how they'll react with a gun pointed at them. Killing never changes, only the targets do. You only see the real person right before they're about to die. It was a philosophy I lived by, and its never let me down yet.

It seemed like I couldn't walk a block without something running full speed, trying to kill me. I watched in horror as a man was chased down and violently ripped apart by his attackers across the street. I finished them off with a few shots and approached his broken body. He was barely alive, and was trying desperately to get to his feet.

“Help me,” he whispered as he lost the strength to hold himself up.

“Close your eyes,” I said as I put my gun to his head. He started to say a prayer as I pulled the trigger and the whisper of the gunshot sent him to the afterlife. The more I saw, the more I was starting to think Evan was right. This had to be it. This really was the zombie apocalypse... Maybe not for the entire world, but this city was dead. There was no coming back from this. It wouldn't be long until the government bombed this place, which meant I needed to get my money and get out as fast as I could.

Two more blocks to go, when a group of preschool kids charged me. At first I hesitated, but when I saw the crazed look in their eye and the blood flowing down their cheeks, I finished them off quickly. I couldn't help but think of that little girl from the night before. She was about the same age, but she was still alive inside. I realized it was going to be a while before I was over that. I've killed kids before, but for some reason this one was sticking with me. I couldn't quite put it out of my brain... Something was just... Familiar about her.

I could see the strip club in the distance, and checked what I was carrying weapons wise. One silenced Glock, and one Colt 1911 with no suppressor. I still had all three throwing knives, and one extra clip for the Glock. A girl crawled on her hands and knees out of the club's front door. As I passed by, I shot her without even stopping to check if her injuries were fatal or not. I wasn't taking any chances at this point, especially not with any of the Lion's whores. I couldn't help but feel a little bit of guilty pleasure after blowing the girl's brains out.

I walked inside and was immediately swarmed by half naked, blood drooling strippers. I used what was left in the silenced clip to take them out, and continued further into the club. There seemed to be an abundance of people here for what time it was in the day. I knew this place doubled as a brothel, but I didn't know that it was this bustling with activity at one o'clock in the afternoon. I popped the spare clip into the Glock, and took out a few of the Lion's henchmen who I could tell weren't themselves. Someone was firing a gun from somewhere, and I quickly took cover behind the bar in the middle of the club. When I seen the source, I could tell by the dead look in his eyes that he was one of these things now, and I didn't waste anytime in putting him out of his misery. Evan wasn't lying, these things could shoot too. I don't remember that in any zombie movie I had ever seen... Just glad his aim was complete shit or I'd be a little worried.

I couldn't help but wonder what I was going to find when I made my way into the basement, and into the Lion's office. Who would I find down there? The Lion? Or just one of these things, with the Lion's face? I was more concerned with how the hell I was going to get my money at this point. If the Lion was gone, there's be nothing for me to collect. Needless to say I'd be pretty pissed off, but I'm sure the Lion would have something I could steal that would make it worth the trip. I was definitely going to take a vacation after this. I know I said Aruba, but maybe Jamaica would be nice too. A fully nude, slightly husky woman charged me from behind, and I reacted quick, putting her down with one shot. I suppose now wasn't the best time to start planning my vacation.

Another group of about seven came rushing from upstairs, and I couldn't help but wonder what was cluing them in to my presence. Perhaps it was the screaming of my attackers that was bringing all of them to me. I used what was left in the silenced Glock to take them down. There was going to be no more playing it quiet from here on out. Thankfully the basement was soundproof. The Lion made sure of that, due to customer complaints of screaming coming from the staircase. I started down the steps, and was met by more blood drooling henchmen. I let loose with the 1911 and set my sights on the Lion's office. I noticed a small pile of bodies outside. It looked like somebody had pushed them to the other side of the hallway. The door was closed, as it usually was, and now the question was, what exactly was behind the door? I decided to knock and find out.

“You go away! You fucking things! You leave me alone! I send you all to hell!” the Lion shouted.

“Its Alana! I'm coming in!” I replied, as I opened the door and closed it behind me. The Lion continued to point his gun at me, not completely sure I was who I said I was.

“Alana? It is you! I am happy to see you! Come sit down! I am glad you are not one of those fucking abominations! I keep killing, and killing them! But they don't stop! It has all gone to hell Alana! How did this happen!? Do you know!?”

“I don't know Lion. I really don't... I'm just happy to see you're still alive. I was worried I wouldn't get my money from the job this morning.”

“Oh! Yes! The money. I have the money... Alana... How did this happen? You must be honest with me... For the first time in so long... I am afraid.”

“You? Afraid? Wow, that is something I thought I would never see. How did this happen? Well... Not sure exactly, but a guy I ran into earlier seems to think its linked to some disease on the news.”

“Yeblya glupoe derʹmo byka!... Alana... I am not much longer for this world... I can feel it in my heart... I fear I will become one of these things... Alana... you must kill me.”

“Well... I was hoping it wouldn't come to that, but if its what you think is necessary... Just one thing... I need my money first.”

“Your money is here,” the Lion said as he set a briefcase upon the table. “Alana... There is more. I want you to have this as well... One of these keys is to my safety deposit box... The other, is my personal ticket to hell... You must help me set this right... It has gone on for too long now.”

“What the fuck are you talking about old man? I think whatever it is you have has already gotten into your brain.”

“No... You will see... The room at the end of the hall... Move the bookshelf, and you will know.”

“I will know what exactly?”

“You will know why we will meet in hell.”

“Well... I'll just have to take your word for it.”

“I need you to do me one final favor Alana,” the Lion said as he laid out a set of swords on his desk. He handed me the large one, and took the smaller one for himself. He then got out of his chair, and onto his knees.

“Whoa, I don't know what kind of girl your think I am...”

“Ha! Alana! You always make me laugh. I mean this. This favor I ask... I think you know what I ask of you.”

“I get the gist of it... Make it quick, I hate watching this, no matter how many times I see it... And Lion, when I see you in hell... Could you please make sure the girl is out of the room before I show up?”

“Ha ha! I will see what I can do Alana. I will see what I can do... Are you ready?” He asked as I positioned myself behind him. I wasn't lying when I said I hated this. Its never a pretty thing to witness someone else killing themselves, and its even worse when you're the one who has to finish the job. Seppuku was a common thing amongst assassins, although I never understood it. I suppose its to show how much of a bad ass you are before someone cuts your head off... Must be a guy thing.

The lion plunged his sword into the top part of his abdomen and ripped the blade across horizontally. He then made another cut a few inches below that one, his blade cutting across a little slower this time. He was midway through the third cut, and I ended his pain, decapitating him with one quick flash of the blade. I was impressed though. He didn't even cry out once during the entire thing. The lion was a tough son of a bitch... A perverted one, but tough none the less.

I scavenged the office for anything I could use. I found some ammo and another silenced Glock. I left the 1911 in its place. No sense in carrying too many guns around, especially loud ones. I had a theory noise was not a helpful intimidation tool against zombies, and yes, I was now willing to admit they were zombies. What else could they be? I decided to keep the sword I used to behead the Lion until I could get mine from my apartment. I'd stop there and get everything I was going to need until this whole mess got sorted out after I stopped at the bank to get whatever it was the Lion had in his safety deposit box... And maybe a little extra cash too.

I found a belt clip for the sheath in one of the drawers, and an extra leg holster for the other silencer. I'm glad the Lion kept all this stuff. For a guy who probably hadn't killed anyone himself in years, he stayed prepared. I grabbed the keys off of his desk, as well as the briefcase with my money. I started to head back down the hall and up the stairs when I remembered. The Lion was talking about something in that room at the end. Something that would surely send him to hell... This I had to see.

I hurried down the hall, and stopped at the door. I drew one of the guns, and got ready for anything. It was hard telling what I was going to find inside, and that fact alone was making me just a little nervous about opening it. I turned the knob and pushed the door open. I was greeted by a familiar voice in the darkness.

“I remember you... You were the girl from yesterday... In the car... How are you?” the voice asked. I looked over to see the driver from the previous day, bleeding from his ribs, and struggling to breathe. I smiled at him, and put a bullet in his head before he could say anything else. I still wasn't in the mood to talk. Poor guy, he just caught me on the wrong day.

I remembered what the Lion had said. Move the bookshelf, and you will know he told me. It didn't take much strength to move the bookshelf. It seemed like it was on some sort of track. It appeared that the bookshelf was hiding a small, unlit hallway. I felt around for a light switch, and finally found one, flipping it on before continuing down the hall. I seen what looked like a cell at the end of the hall, and my heart sank. I knew what I was about to see. The Lion really was going to hell, and I hope they have a really special place for him there. One where he was on the other side of all those blow jobs he got over the years.

In the corner of the cell was a little girl, curled up in a ball, trying to protect herself from the darkness of the cell. She was maybe four, and was so malnourished it sickened me. I knew what this was. I was in her position once. For the first time in a very long time... Since I was her age maybe... I felt like I could cry. It was an emotion I had forgot existed. I was trained to ignore it, but it all hit home right at that moment. Now it was my turn to make sure she didn't turn out like me. I lifted my gun and my arm started to shake. The little girl looked me in the face, and showed no fear at her inevitable death. Her eyes met mine, and my arm began to shake even more.

“You have to do this Alana! They'll never let you live if you steal their cargo! Someone will come looking for this girl. End it now!” I thought to myself, but my finger wouldn't budge. The girl walked up to me and touched my trembling arm through the bars. I fell to my knees, and let the tears fall. I couldn't do it... Fuck what they do. I'll fight them all. She's mine now, and I'll make sure she's happy. This girl deserves what I never had... A chance.

I unlocked the cell, and the girl looked at me, confused as to what was happening. I know this is all she knew. She had probably been there for at least a year, just waiting for the right person to buy her. I grabbed her hand, and wiped the tears from my face.

“What's your name?” I asked, receiving no response. “Mine's Alana... Alana Asimov... Well... That's the name I was given... I'm not sure what my name was before that... Did they give you a name?”

The girl just stared at me, and I was starting to gather that she either didn't want to talk to me, or she had simply never learned the act of talking. Either of them could be possible.

“I'm going to give you a name, and if you don't like it, you can change it later okay? I'm going to name you Kira... That name just seems to fit you... We're going to go outside okay? Hold my hand and... Ah shit... I need a free hand don't I? I guess we don't really need this briefcase do we? I have a feeling the asshole who kept you here has something really nice in that safety deposit box. Something that will make sure you and I live a nice comfortable life. So... Let's go to the bank Kira? What do ya say?”

She didn't give me any reaction. She just stood there looking at me, trembling as if she was waiting for me to do something terrible to her. I could only imagine what she'd been through. I had repressed those memories long ago, but I knew someday they'd come flooding back. It was a day I didn't look forward to living. I threw the briefcase aside and guided her back down the hallway, and to the stairs leading back to the club. It was a quiet walk outside, which at this point in the day was a welcome change. Kira looked around at the carnage, and didn't seemed phased at all by it. It actually worried me a little that she wasn't. It meant she had seen much worse... I didn't want to think about what it was that she saw.

We got outside and I took another look at her. Something was familiar about her, despite the fact that I'd never met her before. Maybe it was her short black hair, but something was just triggering something. She looked a little like the girl I had killed in Germany, who also seemed familiar. I couldn't place the memory at the moment... I was just hoping it was something I actually wanted to remember. Kira was wearing a tattered dress, and I knew she needed a wardrobe update as soon as possible, as well as a decent meal for once in her life.

I took three steps, and felt a presence behind me. I had a feeling I was being followed for a while now, but chose to ignore it, thinking it was just one of these things trying to kill me. I drew my gun and pointed it at my stalker, expecting it to make a charge at Kira and I. When I saw who it was, I dropped my gun, and couldn't help but smile. It was Evan, he had been following me this whole time.

“How long have you been following me?” I asked.

“Since you stopped pointing a gun at me in that ally. I wanted to just keep following you unnoticed. Let you clear a path for me... But I guess the stealth game is not my forte.”

“No, its definitely not. Well... I'm not sure how to handle this Evan... I told you I'd kill you if you tried to follow me didn't I?”

“Yea, another reason why I was trying not to get noticed... So this is what you had to pick up that was so important... Didn't know you had a daughter... I mean with...”

“I'm gonna cut you off before you go too far. She's not my daughter... I found her.”

“So you'll take a kid with you, but not me?”

“Her and I... We have a lot in common,” I answered. Evan leaned down to try and talk to Kira.

“Hi! I'm Evan, its nice to meet you. What's your name?”

“Her name is Kira,” I replied.

“You don't have to be shy Kira. Its okay...”

“She's not going to talk to you... And I gave her that name... I have no idea what her real name is.”

“Where did you find her?”

“In the basement of this strip club.”

“Holy fuck! Was she down there hiding or something? And what the fuck were you doing down there?”

“Watch your mouth Evan, I'm not sure if she knows how to talk, and if the first word she says is fuck, I'm blaming you. I'm... I'm not sure if I want to tell you what was going on.”

“Dude... Come on... Seriously, we need to just team up for the time being, just until we're out of the city. If anything I'll help you watch her. So let's just both come clean with each other. Hi! I'm Evan Snow and I'm twenty two. I grew up in this city. My mom ran a head shop, and on occasion, I tend to enjoy smoking the plant known as cannibus. You are?”

“I'm gonna just kill you in a second and get it out of the way.”

“Come on! Just tell me your name! That's all I want. Its not too much to ask is it?”

“Alana... There. Are you happy now?”

“Alana! That's a sexy name by the way.”

“How did I know it was leading there!?”

“Sorry! I meant it as a compliment! Don't kill me! Uh... So does this mean you'll take me with you?”

“... Fine. Just until we're out of the city. Then your ass finds your own way. Understood?”

“Yes ma'am!”

“Good... And if you ever call me ma'am again, I'll make sure you never have kids. Do we have an understanding?”

“Yes... Uh... Alana. Umm.... Okay, so now that we're partners... Sort of... What's the deal with the kid. Will you please fill me in? I think its only fair you tell me a little about yourself. I'll tell you anything you want to know. All you have to do is ask... Here's a deep dark secret about me. Once I got caught masturbating in the bathroom at my mom's friend's house. There! Now its your turn.”

“That is information I did not need to know. Thanks for that image... Ew... Fine... This place right here, its a brothel. Really that's just one of their smaller business operations though. They make most of their money taking in murder contracts and that sort of thing. Today I learned they also dabble in the human trafficking business. This little girl was in a cell, with no windows, and no lights, waiting to be sold off to the highest bidder.”

“Holy shit... Wow... I don't even know what to say... So... Why did you have to come here?”

“Well, if you really want to know Evan, I was here to pick up money from a job I did this morning. I killed a man, around your age. Slit his throat and then killed the rest of his apartment building who I later learned were zombies... There... Are you happy now?”

“Fuck!... That is seriously the most bad ass shit I have ever heard! It all makes sense now! Why you're such a bad ass! Dude! I could not have found a better partner for this!”

“Listen, what I do is not cool at all, and you can get yourself killed just knowing me alright? If you're gonna follow me around like a lost puppy, you'd do well to remember that. I don't care about your life. I don't care how that makes me sound. If it comes down to a situation between you and I, I will throw you in front of a bullet without thinking twice about it. You follow me at your own risk. Do you understand?”

“I got it. Trust me, I understand... I'm just glad you finally told me all of this... So where are we headed now?”

“We're headed to the bank. I have something to pick up from the sick bastard who sells kids.”

“Alright... Well... Do we really need money at this point? I mean... The world as we know it is as good as done.”

“This city is dead, sure, but is it nation wide?”

“Shit... I don't know honestly, but I've been looking for a rescue helicopter since this shit started. So far nothing. Think about it, normally the military is all over some shit like this by now. I haven't seen one motherfucker in camouflage so far. I think this is it. I think this is the end of the world. About a week ago, they mentioned on TV how the president's daughter had this disease or whatever. I think it was to show how widespread it was, and to make us feel like help was soon at hand. Make us think its really no big deal or something like that... Fuck I don't know, but if that's what caused this, its everywhere, and we're never going to get away from it.”

“Well if that's the case, I plan on taking enough money to start my own country. There... There's your justification. Now I'm going to the bank, and I'm gonna make a withdrawal. If you're following me, then let's go.”

“Yes... Alana.”

“You almost fucked up didn't you?”

“Yea... It was a close call,” Evan replied as he lit a joint.

“Seriously!? We're getting chased by zombies and you're lighting up!? Are you fucking stupid or something!?”

“Hey! I'm stressed okay!?”

I didn't answer, I just glared him down until he put the joint out. We started to make our way to the Lion's bank. I was pretty sure I knew which one it was. If I knew the Lion like I knew the Lion, he went to the biggest bank in the city. The one right in the center of everything. It was going to be a hell of a journey just getting there. Kira was still trembling as we started down the street. It would be a while before she learned to trust other people. I had been there once... And the fact was, I still didn't trust people. I was just good at hiding it.