In Love With the Manhunter

I turned around, I saw four people at the door. Three of them wore trench coats, and masks, and just from the look of them I could easily tell the were from Eddie’s gang. One of them was shorter than the others, the person's body stace told me clearly that she was female. She wore a beaten up set of the New Tranquilities armor, which was composed of white armor plating, and helmet over a black leather body suit. The helmet was scratched up, and the visor was a T in the middle of the helmet. When the three guys saw me they immediately raised their revolvers. I looked at their guns to see the blue laser casings in the cylinder of their guns. They all looked at one another nervously, sweat dropping from their foreheads. The women however looked at them with a huff.
“What’s the matter with you three bozos?!” The women questioned angrily turning to them.
“Uh- He- He’s the uh- the- the rumored bounty hunter that some say- he’s unkillable.” The guy stuttered nervously pulling his gun’s hammer back.
“Yeah rumored meaning it’s only a rumor! Now if you sissies are done crapping yourselves just pop lasers into him, and the old man. Then we take Eddie’s girl back to him, and that is that! Is that simple enough for you three to understand, or do I need to drill it into your thick skulls?”
“No you’re the one who doesn’t understand. He can take us all out in a blink of an eye! He broke out of every prison he’s been in by himself no less! Do you know the grand Drunken Ally Man casino on Manerith.”
“Yeah why? It was the greatest ploy casino in it’s galaxy. They had their own employees dress up as poor men just to have a cheating dealer in their favor. All just to keep the credits flowing back into their pockets. Why the question?” she said through gritted teeth.
“I burn it to the ground for cheating me out of my credits.” I growled turning around. The other two gang members cock their revolvers. “Also you four are not going to leave this mortal alive, or without all of your limbs being intact.”
She turns to me, and opens one of the many pouches on her armor. She takes out a blue, and silver cylinder. “Catch this!” She shouts throwing the cylinder at me. I caught it in my right hand. She raises her wrist to her helmet. She presses a button on it, and the grenade starts to release a small burst light blue smoke. My hand begins to freeze over in a block of ice. Suddenly my arm freezes over, then my body. Before I know it I’m totally freezed into a block of ice. I heard heard voice again, but it was muffled and distorted. “See it was that easy! The rumors were just that…. Rumores!”
“I assure you, the rumors are damn right true!” I shouted breaking out of the icy prison. Two shotguns immediately shot out of my back, falling into my hands. I was able to pull off two shots before they knew what was going on. One shot hit one of the guys straight in his unarmored chest, while the other shot clipped another guy’s shoulder. The first man fell right to the ground with a thud, while the other was sent sprawling onto his back. The last man who was untouched shot two shots from his revolver before he kicked over a table for cover. The women followed suit taking cover pulling out a small pistol. The two lasers fired off by the guy hit my shield with a tiny explosion. If that was my regular armor, they would have put a dent in it. But luckily my shields were back in order. “John get to Strippes!” I ordered cocking the shotguns. Two dark red, steaming shell ejected the shotgun’s chamber. John shuffled toward Stripes while I shot the shotguns again putting holes in the table where the man, and women took cover.
“Alright I’m next to Stripes!” John said
I threw a metal plate to him. The plate skidded across the wooden floor toward John. When the plate reached John I pressed a button on my gauntlet, and the plate tuned into a purple shield. A handle built up on the shield, and John grabbed it pulling it into the back with Stripes on his shoulder. I put one of the shotguns back into it’s place pulling out a pistol. I pulled the trigger of the pistol until I heard clicking. I immediately ejected the smoking clip shoving in a fresh one. This is when the gang member got out of their cover, and started firing at me. My shield started to glow more, and more as they shot at me more, and more. I hopped over the bar taking cover. They continued to shoot at me, and the bottles of liquor above me shattered dumbing liquor all over my armor. I holstered the other shotgun on my back pulling out my other pistol. I got up, and fired the pistols. My first two shots hit the guy right between the eyes, and he fell straight down dropping his pistol. The women got five shots to the chest falling down, but I knew she wasn’t dead. The guy who was injured from the shotgun blast propped himself up, and was shooting at me with his revolver. I could see the fear in his eyes, as he tried to back up on the ground shooting at me. Even through his revolver ran out of ammo a long time ago he still tried in a futile attempt to kill me. I shot him once in the head, and he fell limp on the wood floor. I holstered the two pistols in my hands walking over to where the women had fallen in the firefight. I pushed the table out of the way to see her laying there with blaster marks staining her white armor. I saw her chest slowly rise, and fall in raggy breaths. I knelt next to her, and checked her pulse, it was slow, and weak. I opened a pouch on my armor’s belt. I pulled out a blue syringe flicking off the cap to the nettle. I stabbed it into her forearm pushing the contents of the syringe into her arm. When all of the blue liquid had drained for the syringe her breath started to increase, and her pulse as well. I stood up, as she began to wake.
She groaned, and started to shake her head “What happened? Did we get Eddie’s girl back?” I didn’t answer I just looked down at her. She continued, “You numbskulls, answer me when I speak to you!”
When she realized who I was she tried to grab her weapon which was next to her. Before she could wrap her hand around the trigger it I slammed my boot down on her hand. I heard a soft crunch, and she began to scream in pure agony. When I lifted my boot she immediately cradle her hand still wailing in pain. I grabbed her, and lifted her by her throat, as of right now I was trying with all of my might not to just snap her neck right then and there. But I was able to restrain myself, as I did need to relay a message to Eddie himself. I pulled her in close to my helmet she just kept struggling in a futile attempt to break free from my grasp, “I want you to listen, and listen very well.” I growled grabbing her good arm, “Or you can kiss your right arm goodbye.”
She stopped struggling, and just stared at me through her see through visor. See tried to talk, but all that came out of her mouth were mutters of non-understandable pleads of mercy.
With me lifting her up her feet dangled helplessly off the ground above my knees. I didn’t know how she got into Eddie’s gang, as he only took in really tall, ruthless, and most level headed people around town, but I guess Eddie’s just even more desperate than I thought. “What I need is a message given straight to Eddie.” I said pulling her arm softly each time I did I earned a whimper from the girl, “The message is: He must stay the hell away from John and his motel forever, and if I even catch him in five hundred feet radius near this place I will hunt his whole gang down until there is not even a smoldering decal is left of the gang.”
“I-if he asks who is this message from wh-what do you want me to tell him.” The woman whimpered out trying to stop from her arm being ripped out of her body.
“Tell him that: a late winter’s wrath has come back to kill. He will know what it means.” When I released her she immediately bolted out the door still holding her left hand. I waited a couple of minutes before I called to John, “Alright they’re gone now, or what’s left of them.”
The door John went through slowly opened up with a soft creak, and Stripes, and John came out. Stripes yawned, and shook her head before speaking, “What did I miss….. I really need to stop drinking I hate the hangovers, and I don’t even like drink ever, even at the casinos. Hey what did I miss?”
“Nothing much just some of Eddie’s cowards.” I growled poundering if the messenger would even bring the message to Eddie, “Sorry about the mess John.”
“Eh it doesn’t matter my life is more important than this dump, and thank you for saving my life.” John said picking up a glass cup that had broken in two, “Besides This place is going to be shut down anyways.”
Stripes was immediately ripped from her thoughts when the words left John’s mouth, “What do you mean shut down?!”
“It’s a long story.” I said walking toward the busted door, “I’ll tell you when we get to my ship we have a long walk ahead of us, so I’ll have plenty of time to tell the story.”
“You can take my car outback it will help with the distance.” John offered seeming to silently ponder something to himself.
“It’s fine we can walk. We don’t need to be take your things when there's something being take most dear to you.”
John chuckled before speaking, “Shadow the most dear thing to me was my wife, and she’s passed long ago this musty old joint can’t even compare at all to her. Anyway’s I insist it need to be running it has just been sitting back there.”
I sighed looking back at him, “Fine. We’ll take it, but I might need it for awhile I might need to do a lot of traveling around Crime City.”
John just nodded before disappearing into the back of the bar. Stripes then met my gaze, “So what are you doing around Crime City this time of year?”
“Eh, I have a problem that needs you kind of how can I say- your feminine touch to solve it.” I said walking out the front door Stripes tailing me.
When we got to the back of the building outside. A lone white mustang sat there with a ripped up tarp on it. When I pulled the tarp off it a blue dragon was on the hood. As I walked to the driver’s seat I ran my gloved hand across the car. “This thing is still holding in perfect shade for who know’s for how long, but when I want to preserve one it doesn’t even hold for two years.” Stripes muttered doing the same on the passenger side.
The back door opened to the John’s Motel, and John’s voice came out, “That’s because you never knew how to take care of a car. You two, and mostly everyone else only knows how to take of transports, and space ships. I, and a select few still know how to operate, and take care of a gasoline car.”
I decide to cut in before the subject change, “Hey on the subject of operating the car uh- how do you start it?”
John just threw me a metal ring with a bunch of small strips of metal connected to the ring, “You take the large black, and blue key put it into the side of the steering wheel, and turn it to the front of the car. But when you are turning the key only hold it to the front for a few seconds.”
I opened the door, and took a seat in the blue leather seats putting the key where John said. When I turned there was a sound of a engine coming back to life, and when I stopped turning the key the car let out a loud roar. Stripes sat down, and put the radio onto a rock song that I never heard before. I waved to John before closing the door, and driving out to the main road. I turned down the radio as I opened my mouth, “Alright, Stripes the reason why I went to you is the problem I have.”
“So let me guess there’s a daemon after you.” Stripes suggested elbowing me
“No” I simply said giving her a are you kidding me look, but it was blocked by my helmet.
“Uhm, is it a bloodthirsty murderer?”
“No”
“A undead hoard, or a uh- Vampire, oh or is it that you're a werewolf who wants to get rid of your cure! Or is it a-”
I cut her off looking at her trying to figure out how she was coming with all of this, “First of all, no to all of the things you just listed. Second how are you coming up with all of this?”
“I’ve been reading a lot of stories of that genre, Don’t judge me…”
“I’m won’t, but the problem I have is a bit- uh how do I say... complicated.” I said looking around the dark streets, “Also the how I got this problem is also complicated. Basicly I did a job, then I escaped with the whole castle alerted to my presence, and then I found out someone was on my ship only to find out it was the target’s sister. But no it couldn’t end there no no no, after all that we, and by we I mean Zero, The princess, and me. Zero intercepted a message from Quala. That message had a whole thing about The princess being a run away, and joining a bounty hunter, so you might be able to see my problem.”
Stripes looked at me seeming to try, and piece together my puzzle I just put in front of her, “So what you're telling me is, she’s your girlfriend.”
I mentally facepalmed letting out a sigh, “No you missed the point, she got on my ship mind you, and so I need to go, and uhmm… shop for her. Not in a girlfriend way I just need to get her new clothes since her current clothes are full of dirt, and are ripped!” I quickly added on turning and parking in a parking lot. I turned the engine off, and looked at Stripes who was browsing through a clothes store catalog on her gauntlet that she had under her white hoodie sleeve.
Then she turned to me, “So what does she like, or what are you looking to getting her?”
I then sent the list that Zero had gotten me, “Here I’m sending you a list of stuff that Zero got me of Jessica’s, which is the princess by the way, I have sizes, and preferences, etcetera.”
Stripes pulled up the list on her gauntlet, and then got out of the car, “Alright let’s go, and you might want to leave you weapons in the trunk, so we can get through security quickly.”
I nodded doing just that stripping myself of any lethal instruments that could cause a death. When I did the trunk was full of weapons, and what not. I shut it an audible click was emitted, as I pressed the lock button on the key ring thing that Joe had given me. When Stripes and I entered we were intimately in a security checkpoint where some people were being check by droids, scanners, and basically anything else that could spot a weapon on someone. When we finally got through the checkpoint my arm was being tugged by Stripes almost making me fall, as I was not paying attention.
“Are you listening to me?” Stripes snapped looking at me
“Oh no, sorry I zoned out getting through god awful checkpoint.” I said looking around the mall, which when I looked up had about seven floors filled with shops back to back, “Alright where do we start?”
“Well that depends on where you want to go first, as you’re the one who needs to shop for your ‘not girlfriend’.” Stripes said sarcastically looking around.
“For the seventh time she’s not my girlfriend, and she got on my ship!” I said a little annoyed cracking my neck, and crossing my arms across my chest. “Let’s just go for the regular clothes shop, or store whatever.”
“Well that’s on the sixth floor so let's find a elevator, and get up there unless you want to take the stairs.” Stripes said walking toward the elevators which were in the center of the mall.
When we got on the elevator, and the glass doors closed, I saw some guys walking in wearing an all too familiar trench coats. I immediately pushed the button labeled six, and went to reach for my pistols remembering I didn’t have them on me or any of my weapons on me at the moment. “Eddie’s guys are here probably looking for, us after the stunt I pulled.” I muttered, “And all my weapons are in the car’s trunk.”
Then Strippes looked at me, “Well that shouldn’t have any either unless they want to be stopped, and maybe even arrested by security, so I think were safe for now at least unless we meet them. But there is no way they will be able to magically appear up on the sixth floor.” When Stripes finished her sentence the doors opened again dropping us off at the sixth floor. Stripes was walking to a store when She bumped into two guy’s who were wearing trench coats, and what’d you know it was more of Eddie’s men. This time they did something weird instead of attacking us they just looked at us handing Stripes a holopad, and bolted right off the scene even when I looked to the lower floor I saw the other gang members bolt out the door.
“I have a bad feeling about this.” I muttered looking back at Stripes who was looking through the holopad. I walked over to her, “What does it say?”
“Well it basically says…” Stripes muttered scrolling through the holopad’s content, “That Eddie is royally pissed off at your actions, but he says he’ll agree to your terms only if you meet him with me tomorrow morning. You think we can trust him?”
“I only trust him as far I can blast him, this is probably a trap of some kind. But you know I can break any traps anyone puts me in so...” I trailed off walking into the women’s clothing store with Stripes.
“Oh, this looks cute.” Stripes said picking up a dark silver dress that looked like silk. Stripes put it to her chest seeing if the length, and with would fit her’s.
“Remember we’re here for the princess not for you.” I muttered tapping her on the shoulder.
She rolled her eyes at me, and place the dress where she picked it up from. She rolled up her sleeve, and brought the list up again, “Ok your friend’s sizes would be over there.” Stripes stated walking to a non specified location she only knew, so I was forced to follow her deeper into the store. When we got to the section there was t-shirts, shorts, dresses, and basically everything else in every color known to every galaxy. Again Stripes picked up a dress that was a galaxy blue putting it to her body, “Do you think this will fit me?” Stripes asked putting it to her body turning to me. When I saw it it was obviously too small, as the dress’ with left like a couple of inches of her hoodie visible, and the length was too short also.
“No.” I simply said tapping on my helmet, as if silently saying remember what I just said.
She again rolled her eyes sighing at me, as she tossing the dress back in it’s place, “Alright fine… Well if you says she’s a royal type then I think more like dresses, and heels rather than t-shirts and sneakers like I would wear.”
“You know you were just looking at dresses like five seconds ago right?” I asked cocking my head to the side a little.
Stripes began to grab clothes seeming at random, but they all seemed to be the same silver spectrum. She had about twelve dresses, and some other clothes when she moved away from that section moving to the section where I saw shoes lined the racks. Stripes turned to me, and dumped the clothes on my arm saying, “Hold these for a minute.” She walked over to some heel boxes. She took about two boxes of heels, and one box of slippers. She again dump the boxes with me continuing to another section of the store. Witch I was beginning to hate with my very existence.
We started to wrap up when I had about seven boxes of shoes in one hand, and about thirty clothes over my shoulder and arm. When we got to the register I dumped the clothes, and everything on the counter searching for my wallet.
The women behind the counter started scanning the clothes at a fast pace seeming to have lots of practice. “So what a couple of bounty hunter doing here in this store I mean? Are you shopping for yourself.” she asked jokingly looking toward me still scanning the items. I just looked at her not laughing stopping the search for my wallet. Her eyes began to flash with worry looking away from me, “Sorry I didn’t mean to-”
Stripes cut her off, “It’s fine, the big guy just has a ‘no joking policy’. It’s just a thing he does, and he also doesn’t talk much. He’s going for the very strong, and very silent type.”
Worry began to wash away for the woman's face, but her eyes still held the worry, and fear tightly. I continued searching for my wallet in my pistol holster. (Forgot I left it in there.) I thought taking it out.
“Your total is 989 credit’s...Sir.” The woman said shackly avoiding eye contact with me.
I pulled out the credit’s tossing them on the counter, and picking up the bags with the clothes in them. I knew Stripes was not going to take them, as she was already out the door. (That has probably been the most I’ve ever sent on someone in my life.
“Alright time to go.” I said walking toward the elevator hauling the bags with me.
“Wait what! W-We just go here, I have to- I mean we still have to go to the other store for the princess you have with you!” Stripes begged running after me.
“No we don’t that’s all I needed. Next is food for her then I’m done., and back on my ship that should be repaired.” I said getting into the elevator with Stripes. I pressed the button labeled one, and the elevator began to descend. When we reached the bottom floor of the mall I walked out to see a shop called ‘Wrenches Hard Pressed Armory’ then an Idea popped into my head. I turned to Stripes asking, “How would you like to go shopping for yourself for a little while?”
Stripes immediately perked up to shopping, “Take all of the time you need I’ll be on the sixth floor.”
I got out of the elevator, and I looked at Stripes pushing a button, and the elevator shot up the it’s shaft. I continued to the weapon’s shop still hauling the bags over my shoulder. When I entered the shop I was greeted by a women at a display case which held a huge sniper rifle. I nodded to her, and started browsing the racks of weapons, and armor. I picked an assault rifle off its rack looking down it’s sights into a small scope. The scope had three types of zooms it reminded me of a sniper’s scope, but it was made for mid range to short range. I put the gun back on it’s rack pointing to it. The women behind the counter nodded going to another case pulling out the same gun putting it on the counter. I kept looking along the racks I found some armor knowing someone who might need it. It was made for speed, and agility. It has what looked to be a black leather with bits of small armor trying to protect the wearer, but also trying to keep mobility to it’s highest degree. It also had black leather boots that had metal plates as soles, and on the display case there was a caption written on the glass saying ‘magnetic gripping works on all metals, and metal alloys’ . Then I started to examine the helmet. It was black, and had a midnight black visor. The helmet was sleek, and angular. (Must be something to do with aerodynamics.) I thought. The helmet had two tubes coming out of the chin of the helmet to a very small pack on the chest armor piece under some armor plates. The tubes were close to helmet also allowing better movement. I turned to the women tapping the glass of the armor case.
“How many do you want?” she asked taking out a holopad.
“One female.” I said continuing to search the weapon racks. I found two twin pistols. They were both identical in every way, and even had the same paint job with a black body, and silver pinstripe. The size of the pistols were smaller than normal. If I was trying to use the pistols I wouldn’t be able to. Maybe Stripes could use the pistol, but I doubt it. I pointed to the gun, as the women came out of a back room nodding toward me. I walked up to the counter. I saw the assault rifle, the two pistols, and a tall skinny box.
“Your owe me 2,375 credits.” She said typing on a register. I gave her the credits. She put the guns in a case clicking the pop locks into place, “Here you go.”
I took the cases, and the box of armor walking out of the store. I put my gauntlet to eye level. Three dot popped up each being large, but then went to a small size. This cycle repeated about three before I saw Stripes appeared doing the same on her end. “Alright time to go…. We're done here.” I said cutting the connection. I walked to the exit of the mall, only to hit a security at an exit checkpoint. I sighed putting the bags on a belt, and getting scanned by a droid.
One of the security women walked up to me giving me a purple cylinder, “This is to activate your bought weapons, but until you have left the proximity of this mall. When this cylinder turns green, then your weapons will be able to fire.”
“Yeah, I know the drill.” I said annoyed walking out of the exit into the cold air. I didn’t know why, but something in my mind began to tick. (I’ve had this feeling before…) I thought looking around the somewhat empty parking lot. I spotted the car walking to it. When I reached it I unlocked the doors throwing the bags I had into the back. Then I popped the trunk putting all of my weapons into their holsters, which when the gun locked in the popped back into the armor disappearing into my armor. As I put my grenade pouch back on the small grenades clanking against each other. I saw Stripes out of the corner of my eye holding a bag full of black, and white clothes. I walked to her taking the giant bag off her hands, “Don’t you think this was a little overboard?” I asked stuffing the bag into the trunk. Stripes didn’t retort, but she just chuckled at me. We entered the vehicle driving back to John’s motel. When I parked the car in front of the building I remembered I had to get food for Jessica. “Hey Stripes I forgot something for Jessica, just stay with John, and I’ll be right back.” I said turning to her.
“Alright.” she said walking into the motel waving at me.
I drove to a restaurant remembering I couldn’t bring some fast food which would be way more cheaper, and much faster. The restaurant was a couple of miles, away from John’s place, so it was going to take awhile to get back. I looked at the restaurant's name, which was proudly presented by the bright neon writing. ‘The Nightingale Sisters’ I looked at the people who were entering the establishment. They were all people in fancy clothes from dark suits, to shimmering dresses. “Great, now I get to mingle with the rich men, and women tonight.” I muttered to myself getting out of the car. When I got to the entrance the people who were just beginning to enter just stared at me, some evening giving me dirty, and disgusted looks, but to be honest I was in dirty scratched armor, so I guess I couldn’t blame them.
“How many in your-” a waiter began to say only to cut himself off when he looked up from some papers.
I looked at him through my helmet, “Look I don’t want to be here, and neither does anybody want me here, so I just want an order placed, and brought to me and I’ll be off.”
“I can’t do that sir. This is not take out.” The man said looking at me with mild fear.
I dropped some credits on the podium he was standing behind, “Now can you take me order?” I asked
“What would you like?”
“Just a veggie salad with the finest dressing you have.”
“Alright it will be out shortly.” he said stepping away from the podium. I sat in the waiting area for a couple of minutes before the waiter gave me a bag with a container inside of it.
“Thank you.” I said walking out of the building. Again having that ticking in the back of my head, but this time I had a flash of a old building burning. The flames biting at the building screams reaching my ears, as if coming from every direction. (I better not be having those hallucinations again….. I can’t relive that moment it’s still too soon.) I thought to myself shaking my head. I got into the car driving back to John’s place. When I was about two blocks away, I began to see a red, and orange glow enveloping a building whole. When I got closer I saw six guys half of them were throwing some type of flat long cylinders at a building, and the other three were kicking, and beating someone on the ground. That person had robot legs and robot arms. My eyes widened, and my teeth gritted in pure rage. When I was a few feet away I slammed on the brakes, and got out charging the thugs. One of them looked up and froze. He tried to run, but I pulled out my pistol blasting him right in the face. Then the others turned to me, and pulled out their guns trying in a vain attempt to kill me. I tackled the two who were beating the man with so much force, as I was bigger than them they were knocked unconscious. The other three who were throwing therm charges to burn the motel. Who were still shooting at me their lasers not even scratching my shields. I put the pistol away grabbing a medium sized grenade from off my belt. I turned one of the sides, as it crackled to life with green electricity. I threw it hitting one of the guys square in the face. The grenade then blew sending thousands upon thousands of bolts of lighting at the three men. They all howled in pain, as a nute charge was the worst way to go, as it basically burned everything organic until it was just dust.
When they finally died I heard two groans come from behind me. My rage just doubled as the two I just tackled were beginning to awake. I turned to them walking slowly a t them. My boots were thumping against the metal road. When I reach one he attempted to run, but I just grabbed him. I lifted him above my head with my two hand. I actually heard him whimper, “P-Please Mercy! I beg of you plea-” I cut him off, as I slammed his spine against my knee. A load grotesque crack erupted, as his spine met my armor plated knee. When he stopped twitching I threw him aside, his body slamming against the wall. I started to walk toward the last one standing.
“Your a blood thirsty m-monster!” He scream, purely terrified his whole body shaking in terror. I stepped on his boot letting my full body weight crush his foot. His scream echoed.
I then kneeled over him, “You call me a monster? YOU CALL ME A MONSTER!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. Some tears rolling down my face at what they probably did to John when I was not there when I should have been. I grabbing his collar of his jacket sending punch after punch to his face. My metal knuckles were tearing his face apart, I began to actually see his skull, but I didn’t care. I even threw a punch that shattered his head. My fist actually went right threw his skull. I dropped his lifeless, mangled corpse to the ground, his blood all over my helmet and chest plate. My hands were just covered in crimson blood.
A soft croak met my ears, and I froze…. John was still alive. I turned seeing John lying there, his chest rising ever so slowly in ragged breaths. “S-Shadow.”, he said weakly.
I turned running to him throwing off my helmet. It hit the ground with a hollow thud. I kneeled next to him propping him up with my hands, “John you’re not dead!” I said fresh tears flowing down my face.
“They t-took Stripes back to Eddie's’ place.” He said coughing up some blood, his face was bruised and bloody.
I saw his eyes begin to close, “No- no no, John stay with me! Don’t go, I need you!” I said through clenched teeth and tears.
His eyes opened a little, “Listen to me Shadow. Don’t go for revenge…. It only makes the wound worse, not better.”
“But why is this happening to you? You helped everyone! Even that backstabbing scum Eddie. Why is this happening?”
“Everyone has to go at some point, and don’t be sad… I get to see my wife Adore again, so it’s not bad I leave this world now. Just please promise me.” he said grabbing my armored hand.
“I’ll do anything!” I said straining my ears to hear his weak request.
“Take care of your lady friend.” He chuckled weakly, a breath escaping his mouth, and his brown eyes just blankly stared through me. His hand fell out of mine, and his body went limp.
“John…. John? No please don’t go….” I trailed off, hoping this was not happening. I slowly, and gently put his body on the ground closing his eyes. I put his arms on his chest. My mouth went dry I couldn't believe it was happening again. I should have been here not away. Why did Eddie have to do this. When Eddie was in need John helped him. John was never mean to anyone even when they threatened his life. (Eddie you will pay for this. You better be ready, because when I come for you death with just be a mercy that you will be begging for!) I thought letting out a scream into the cold night air. I began to hear sirens coming from every direction. I wish that I could of stayed there, but I didn’t have it good with the police here. I got up picking up my helmet. As I put it on four words escaped my mouth, “Goodbye my old friend.” I made my way into an ally watching from the shadows, as police, firemen, and paramedics rushed to the scene. The medics tried to resuscitate John, but stopped after the third try. I continued down the dark alley wishing I could have stayed there. When I open the car door a cop stopped me.
“Stop right there, Bounty hunter scum!” the cop said putting a pistol to my back, “You're going to the lockup for a long time.”
I turned to him, and I looked down a bit, “I just lost a friend, that man to be exact. I had nothing to do with his death, or this building burning down either.” I said pointing to the scene, “Eddie is responsible for this, and I’m going after him.”
“Eddie the notorious gang leader?” the cop asked lowering his gun.
“Yes, and I’m going to kill him.” I said sitting down in the car.
“Wait wait wait.” The cop said grabbing my shoulder, “I’ll make a deal with you.”
“I’m listening.”
“I will totally wipe your slate if you get us to his location, and allow us to take him into custody.”
“I will leave him alive for your jail, but I never said I would give him to you in perfect condition.” I said closing the door slamming on the gas. The engine roared, as the car rushed down the street to the hanger where my ship was. They say money is the poison that makes men mad, but I disagree. Revenge is the true poison that is already in everyone’s heart. Also revenge doesn’t have to be served cold.