‘When do we start phase two?’ she asked.
‘We will do it tonight.’
‘Don’t you think that is too soon?’
‘No. We must act fast.’
‘Who is the target?’
‘Travis,’ grinned Dan, ‘we will kill Travis tonight.’
***
Footsteps clicked on the cold hard floor. Axel disappeared from sight. Not even his scent remained. Rob yawned deeply; he looked half asleep. The toilet door clanged off the wall, as he stepped into the room. Automatically the overhead lights flickered into existence. This was one of the only places left in the world that continued to use energy saving bulbs. Rob stepped up to the urinal, taking his manhood in hand. A deep sigh escaped his mouth, as discoloured urine splashed down into the bowl. A fart was released, and phlegm was spat onto the toilet floor.
Stealth was his skill.
The sword was his weapon.
Killing was his art.
Axel swept forward from his conceal location. A single slice of his silver samurai blade was all that was needed to remove the head. Decapitation happened in a blink of an eye. Rob wasn’t even aware that he had been killed. One moment he was taking a piss and the next his life was over. Pain didn’t get the opportunity to register with his brain. The headless torso fell down onto the white tiled floor, as blood spread out in all direction. The head dropped down into the urinal. Dead eyes were staring straight at the masked killer. Axel was wearing all black combat uniform. A mask concealed his face; only his eyes were visible. They looked like the eyes of a wild and dangerous predator. And then he was on the move again, hunting down his next prey.
***
‘You look beautiful,’ said JR, as he pulled on his smart, clean trousers.
‘Thanks,’ replied Jillian, with zero appreciation in her tone. JR had picked out a beautiful black tube dress for her to wear. It looked like something a call girl would wear, but what was she to expect from a teenager?
JR slipped his sidearm into its holster and then picked up his tie. The man might be an immature cold hearted killer, but he had learnt one or two things from his father. Appearances mattered. He would command respect by the way he dressed, the way he looked, the way he spoke and the language he used. She was already starting to see a change in him. That stressed boy who was trapped in the corner with his back up against the wall was gone. His army was about to land. This boy was about to become a man. He was going to bring war and chaos to North City and rise to power.
‘You don’t have to do this,’ said Jillian.
He ignored her.
‘You’re brother will listen to negotiations. He will avoid conflict.’
‘I will not avoid conflict,’ he replied. ‘This city will be mine.’
‘But...’
He silenced her with a look.
It was the type of look that left no room for further conversation.
‘This is our moment to shine, Jillian. I will be the ruler of North City. I will establish a super power that will dominate the world. I will be a living god, and you will be my wife. You will sit upon the throne of power with me.’ He gave a frustrated tut at her lack of enthusiasm. ‘You will appreciate your position once the fighting it over.’ He checked his watch. ‘Grab your things. We have a plane to catch.’
***
He could read her like a book. Fiona was frightened, shocked mixed with a little bit of flight or fight. Danny gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, just to remind her that he was with her. Fiona eased up slightly, but still she was as tense.
‘Can you do this?’ he asked her, as he walked around Elizabeth’s frozen body.
Dead eyes were looking straight out at Fiona.
She swallowed hard, to keep in the vomit, and nodded her head.
‘Good. We need to get her out and defrosted ASAP.’
***
Captain Abraham examined the information that was filling the touch screen computer in front of him. A red box was locked onto the wing of the blurry imagine of the Jumbo Jet. The red lock on the box would switch off every single time the plane flew through the black toxic clouds that blocked out the morning sun. Interference was expected, but he had faith in advance modern warfare.
‘Firing,’ he yelled.
He hit a button on the screen.
A loud bang was quickly followed by a violent shake.
A single heat-seeking shell was released from the tip of the launcher.
It shot off with frightening speed and arched up into the sky. Abraham attempted to follow the vapour trail, but it was too dark out here on the cliff side. There was no natural light anymore. It took less than a handful of seconds for the shell to disappear from sight. He turned his eyes to the image of the plane on the touch screen.
***
The Jumbo Jet dropped down through the toxic clouds, beginning its decent towards North City airport. The landing gear was already lowered. Hundreds of lights illuminated the runway, guiding the pilot towards home. The heat seeking shell struck the engine on the left wing. An explosion rocked the plane, as the engine erupted in a ball of hellfire. Part of the wing snapped off and spiralled away. The plane instantly fell the over way, like a bird that had been taken out by an expert hunter. From the coastline, the world’s media could see flames licking the clouds, as the Jumbo Jet dropped drastically from the heavens and plummeted into the black ocean. A secondary explosion gave light to the stormy sea. Over two hundred soldiers were killed in an instant.
***
‘NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!’ JR screamed the word at the top of his lungs, over and over. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. His army was gone. He had put every single last penny into hiring that army of stone cold killers, but it was all gone. In a blink of an eye, it was all gone. Flight or fight kicked in. Flight strangled the life out of any fight he had left. He was out of options. If Marcus had ordered the strike on the plane, then it was only a matter of time before he came for JR. ‘KILL THE HOSTAGES! KILL EVERY LAST ONE OF THOSE FUCKING CUNTS...’
Jillian struck him hard from behind.
JR fell against the glass window, holding his head.
He could feel the warmth of his blood trickling down through his fingers.
He turned towards Jillian, as she swung the iron-based lamp a second time. Youthful reflexes saved his skull from behind caved in. JR ducked and pounced. Pure hatred was pumping through his veins. He tackled Jillian around the midsection and sent her crashing into the office wall. She cried out, as he lifted his head up, head butting her upon the base of the chin. Blood poured from her mouth. She had bitten deep into her own tongue.
‘You fucking whore, why would you do this to me?’
‘I won’t let you hurt any more innocent people,’ she said, spitting blood.
‘THAT ISN’T YOUR CHOICE. I AM A LIVING GOD!’
He came forward throwing an assortment of violent and brutal punches.
***
‘KILL THE HOSTAGES. KILL THEM NOW!’ JR’s voice echoed throughout the airport.
Panic spread through the hostages like a wildfire. Many of them began to fight against the chains that bound them, as others prayed to god for salvation. Laura cocked her AK-47 assault rifle and marched forward towards the crowd. This was going to be a massacre. It would be like shooting fish in a barrel. Doubts did try to talk Laura into thinking common sense, but she knew the score. They were fucked. She had seen the plane go down. There was no backup coming. The army they had been promised was gone. She would tie up loose ends here and then move forward with the escape plan.
Laura took aim.
She never got to squeeze the trigger.
She caught a glimpse of silver light out of the corner of his eyes and then there was darkness.
Axel slashed his sword with speed and grace, cutting through skin, tendons and bones.
The hostages screamed as the decapitated head bounced across the floor towards them.
One man kicked it away.
>
They cried for Axel to help them, but the assassin was already on the move.
***
‘Fuck me, she is heavy,’ groaned Dan, as he held Elizabeth beneath the armpits. Fiona held the feet, but in all honestly she was doing very little to help the situation. Unconsciously, Dan glanced up the stairwell. He still had two floors to go before he reached the top. Already he was sweating his balls off. He just wanted to put the deadweight down and take a breather, but time was against them. This was Murdock territory. There was no telling how long it would be until someone decided to investigate why his car was parked up outside. ‘Keep going. We are nearly at the top.’
***
‘YOU STUPID LITTLE BITCH, WHO DO YOU, THINK YOU ARE?’
Handfuls of hair ignited pain across her scalp. JR swung Jillian around like some kind of discus thrower. She was sent spinning across the room and crashed rib first into the edge of a cabinet. Tears blurred her vision. Everything hurt. The taste of iron filled her mouth, as blood dribbled down her chin. A heavy fist was thumped down on her back, knocking her flat to the floor. Jillian cried out, as a boot cracked several ribs, rolling her onto her back.
‘YOU ARE A WHORE, A WORTHLESS CUNT!’
Jillian prayed for death.
She wanted it over, quickly.
The pain was too much.
JR pulled her handgun from his holster. One good eye looked up through a wall of tears at the barrel of the gun. Jillian cursed herself for ever feeling pity for this man. He had the eyes of a demon. JR had an expression of pure madness.
‘ROT IN HELL, BITCH!’
JR groaned.
He spat blood.
A silver blade had pierced through his back and stabbed straight through his torso.
JR touched the blade; confusion was written upon his face.
Suddenly, the blade was pulled back. Weak knees began to give way. The Japanese samurai sword was slashed down at a diagonal motion before his body started to fall. Axel’s blade cut through flesh, muscle, organ and spine. JR’s corpse landed with a heavy thud on the floor beside Jillian. Wide eyes looked up at the masked assassin. Should she feel relief or fear? Axel extended out a hand towards her. That was the trigger. Raw emotions were released. Jillion howled like a new born child. The nightmare was over. She had somehow survived.
***
The couch was uncomfortable as ever. New knots had managed to work their way into his muscles. River looked up at the darkened living room ceiling. Today was the day he would have to make his decisions reference the store transfer. He was going to have to lose some good people and finally be able to fire the ones that were rubbish. River had no idea what Kerry was wrapped up in, or why someone would put a gun to his head, but that didn’t matter. She would get the transfer. That would get rid of her once and for all. The next issue was Ariel. He would have to talk to her. That was the only way.
‘Tonight,’ he told himself, ‘Tonight I will tell her I’m leaving.’
And he was taking Alisha with him.
***
Mother and daughter sat either end of the kitchen table. The oven door was left ajar so that the room would heat up quickly. Snow covered the windows. The radio was reporting of a record snowfall during the night. Many people were advised not to go into work, but that was not an option. Kerry had to go in and do all that she could to make sure the transfer was hers. Small talk had been a failure with her daughter. Kerry attempted to find out how her time with her father went, but it was like Samantha had been on some kind of classified mission. Kerry wasn’t told anything. Samantha was pulling further away with each passing day.
***
‘You would have hated this,’ said Chelsea, as she sat on the couch, wrapped up in her duvet. The baby was sleeping peacefully in her arms, unaware of the freezing conditions outside. The news story on the television continued to play out. Riggs Crew soldiers had stormed the North City airport. Images of hostages, wrapped in thermal blankets, whilst being treated by medical staff were broadcasted all around the world. The gunmen had all been killed, including John Riggs Junior. Over two hundred mercenaries had died after a plane was shot down over the ocean. The United Islands had released a statement saying that the attack on the plane was an act of war and insisted that civilians were onboard and not soldiers. There had been no comment from President Riggs on the matter. ‘You would never have allowed the situation to get to this point.’ Chelsea directed her words to a framed photo of Riley. The Hand of God had been known for dealing swift justice. He would have ended the dispute without a single hostage being harmed, but because of the Murdock Crew he was dead.
***
‘Why did you do that?’ Travis was genuinely confused.
Jasmine observed him for a long moment and then turned back to the window that overlooked her small kingdom. All sorts of different types of diggers, cranes, loading trucks, forklifts, and cement mixers could be seen across the landscape. Funding had come in from John Riggs Senior from South City, which allowed for extra builders to be pulled in from neighbouring towns. This did not make John Riggs Senior her ally. He was still the face of her enemy, but money was money, and right now she could do with every last penny she could get her hands upon.
‘The Torres crew had sided with Marcus Riggs. They had betrayed us. It was my only option.’
‘The remaining ten families will not like it.’
‘And what if they don’t?’
An evil eye was cast his way.
Travis swallowed hard, as the slightest glimpse of fear illuminated his heart.
‘This is not a democracy. I am the Queen of North City. I am tired of playing nice with these fools. If they are going to betray me, then I will remove their heads. That is how things work now. If I say jump, you ask how high. A war is coming to North City. It is a war that I will win. I will take back full control of my city. I will reward all those that stand by my side, but I will show no mercy to those that cross me.’
‘I still think the ten families will be a problem.’
‘They will,’ she agreed.
‘What do you plan to do?’
‘I have money and power. I plan to do nothing. They will serve me or die.’
‘What do you want to do about Elizabeth?’
‘You stay on that. I will take Leon with me to the meeting. What do you know?’
‘We found her car burnt out under the bridge, but no evidence of a struggle or her body. Her girlfriend hasn’t seen her for a few days. Nobody has.’
‘Is she dead?’
‘I don’t know,’ he replied, honestly. ‘If this was the Riggs Crew they would have it all over the news. Marcus Riggs wants to be seen to be doing anything that aids in the safety of his people. We are deemed as terrorists, but there are no reports of Elizabeth’s death. My feeling is that one of the ten families has made a move against her, but for what reason, I don’t know.’
‘Keep looking. I want her found.’
***
Boredom is a curse. It allows those horrible voices in the back of your head the platform they need to dictate your thoughts. Ariel carried Alisha down the corridor, avoiding her half-naked neighbour with the, unfortunately, hairy beer belly, and stopped outside of the landlord’s apartment. She couldn’t get the man out of her head. He was the only source of pleasure she got these days. Being with him was much better than being alone. She knocked on the door.
***
The television image jolted up and down, as the camera crew closed in on the hostages. The makeshift North City police officers attempted to make a line, whilst paramedics ushered the survivors into the back of waiting ambulances. An onslaught of questions was fired from the horde of journalists.
‘How do you think this situation was handled?’
A microphone was poked into a hostage's face.
Marcus was eager to hear what was said.
This situation could go one or two ways. The people could feel that he botched the airport siege, which
would turn popular opinion against the new President, or people would feel he did the right thing, which meant that would lean towards his rise to power. Marcus was practically on the edge of his seat. Melissa and his advisors held their breath as one.
‘I am so happy they came for us,’ cried a young woman.
‘What about all the people that were killed?’ The reporter continued.
‘I am sorry they had to die, but I thought we were all going to die. I just want to go home and see my daughter. I am so happy I get to see her. Thank you. Thank you so much for saving me.’ The horde continued their pursuit of questions, but Marcus no longer cared. A smile split his lips, as he sank back into the leather cushions. That sound bite was going to be replayed on every television network around the world. His popularity was moving in the right direction.
Melissa tapped him on the shoulder.
She leaned down to his hear.
‘JR is dead.’
This day just got better and better.
***
River took up his position at the front of the room, as he delivered the morning briefing. The general atmosphere in the store was good, but there were a few worried faces and a few defeated faces. Two people were going to be fired today, whilst others found out about their transfers. At no point did he look over at Kerry. It wasn’t like anyone would know what happened between them, but just the sight of her made his voice quake and his hands shake.
‘I know you are all eager to find out about the transfer situation today. I won’t drag this out. I have been through a fair few of these staff cuts myself, and I know how you are all feeling. I will be calling all of you into my office throughout the day. For many of you it is just a six-month review to see your progress, but for two of you it will be your last day here at Eat Easy. Things are going to get a little bit harder here over the next few weeks, as we lose several members of our staff to transfers and cuts, but I want you all to know you have done an absolutely fantastic job this year.’
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