NationStates Jolt Archive

The Bad Man was coming.

The Good One lay on his cot, staring at the ceiling, unblinking. He slowly flexed his hands, slowly warming up for what he had to do. He heard the Bad Man coming, his footsteps echoing in the nearly empty dormitory. The Good One remained still, waiting for the proper moment. The Bad Man walked to and fro between the occupied beds, sticking his nasty pointy sharp things into the arms of the Others, taking the Red from their bodies. He came closer and closer to the bed of the Good One, his cart filled with the Red of the Others, phials of it littering its surface.

The Bad Man was next to the Good One's cot now, and he lay silent and still, feigning sleep. The Bad Man lifted his arm, drawing forth his slender needle, feeling for a vein in his arm...

In a flash, the Good One was on him. Twisting away, he flipped up onto his hands, sweeping his foot around into the Bad Man's throat. He went down to his knees, clutching at his neck. He vainly attempted to cry out, but all that came from his wrecked voice box was a wet rasping noise. Standing on the floor, the Good One looked the Bad Man in the eyes, and thrust his hand into the man's chest. They heard the faint sound of a rib cracking, and the man's eyes bulged, then glazed over as the Bad Man fell to the ground, dead.

Lifting the ID card from the Bad Man's chest, the Good One looked up at the security camera he had carefully rerouted and, for the first time in his life, smiled.

"So, what's the story here?"

Jake Dalen walked through the wreckage of the dormitory, looking with interest at the children in their hospital gowns milling about through the room. With his hawaiian shirt, shorts, and sandals, he was distinctly out of place here, filled as it was with white-clad scientists and the children who lived here.

"Our first break-out. Was bound to happen eventually, but we didn't expect him to escape so violently, so suddenly. We didn't realize he was gone until the alarms started going off, apparently for no reason. When the orderly got here to reset it, he found the subjects rioting. They don't like finding a corpse on their living room floor unless they put it there, apparently."

"I don't think anyone did. So, how'd he get out unnoticed?"

"He rerouted the security camera, we found where it had been tampered with. He apparently just walked out, using the dead doctor's ID card to get past the locks. We also found this. See what you make of it."

The doctor handed Dalen a worn notebook, slightly blood-splattered. Leafing through it, his face went pale. Slamming it shut, he pulled out his phone and dialed. He paced nervously as it rang, once, twice, three times before the man at the other end picked up.

"David, it's Jake. I don't care if you're in the middle of dinner, you're in danger. Get yourself and your family out of there, NOW!"

Daniel Quetzal moved quietly down the ruined city street, moving from cover to cover, his finger pressing lightly against the trigger of his rifle. Peering out from behind the decrepit wall he was hiding behind, he caught a glimpse of movement, creeping forwards, he slowly took aim...

*bamph*

Daniel lay on the ground, red slowly spreading across his chest. He'd been a bit slow, the shot had nailed him in the solar plexus. Gasping for air, he saw his killer, garbed in an OLED poncho, walking jauntily towards him, cradling her rifle in her arms. Kneeling next to him, she pulled a cigar from her pocket, and stuck it in his mouth, lighting it with a match.

"Looks like I got you good. Right in the chest, ne?"

All Daniel could do was lay on the ground, gasping for air.

"Oh come on, you pussy. It's not that bad. I've had ten times worse and you know it."

"Fuck... you."

Samantha laughed, and grabbed her husbands hand, pulling him up off the ground. She wiped the remains of the paintball off his poncho and punched him playfully in the arm.

"Maybe later, Dan. Right now, let's head back to the camp, 'kay?"

Daniel didn't answer, instead looking pointedly at the crimson-clad pair that stood at a respectful distance, watching them.

"Honey, do you remember asking a pair of Samurai to keep an eye on us?"

"No, why- oh. Think they want something?"

The two Samurai moved forward, obviously on alert, even with their demonic masks hiding their features Daniel could tell they were nervous. The pair bowed deeply, standing at attention.

"At ease, boys. To what do I owe this visit to?"

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, your Majesty. It's about your brother..."

Daniel's senses were immediately fully alert.

"What happened? Take me to him, NOW."

"Sir, you can't come in here! Sir, sir!"

Daniel strode forward, ignoring the doctor tugging at his sleeve. Pushing open the ER doors, he saw his brother, rather pale, even for a Quetzal, but still conscious, calm as ever, smiling cockily at his brother even as the doctors stitched up his wounds and operated on what remained of his arm

"Daniel! Good to see you finally made it. Looks like I'm going to have to have a bit more chrome in me after all."

"What the hell happened?! You're missing your fucking arm and you act like this?!"

"How else should I act? Not like I can change it, and anyway, I've had worse."

Despite himself, a grin began to lift the corners of the Regent's lips.

"You still haven't answered my question, David. What the hell happened to you?"

"You tell me. I get a call from Dalen telling me to get the hell out of my house, and just in time. Melissa and the girl made it to the car about the same time as the house went up."

"What?!"

"C4, by the looks of it. Took down the entire place, so expertly planted. That's not what took out my arm, though. Bullet did that. 15.5mm, by the sound and look of it, would have hit my daughter if I hadn't swerved the car when I saw the rifle."

"Good god... David, this is all my fault..."

"What the hell you talking about? Don't get survival guilt on me, bro, it's a standard risk in this business. I do a job and a friend thinks they can take me out in turn."

"It wasn't a pissed off relative, David. We had a breakout last night. From the Hephaestos facility."

"What, how is that rela- the Hephaestos facility?! Jesus Christ, Dan, that's where the Shinigami are based! You don't mean to say-"

"That's precisely what I'm saying. A pair of Samurai briefed me on my way here. Jake found a notebook by the Shinigami's cot, filled with writing and sketches. Of you, Dave. Of you, snakes, winged serpents... all dead."

"My God..." David's shocked expression was quickly replaced by a look of certainty. His business face. "You know where he's going. You're going to tell me, brother, along with everything else about him."

"Jesus fucking Christ, David, you can't be thinking of going after him. He's a fucking Shinigami, he'll tear you apart."

"Not if I have help, Daniel. Now, you're either my friend or my enemy. There's more than one way for me to get this information out of you. Which is it going to be?"

Daniel sighed.

"I'll tell you everything. You're not going to like it, but it's everything I know..."

The following message was sent out to the underworld community across the world.

FROM: Serpent@daedalus.ota
SUBJECT: Job Opportunity

Greetings. Most of you already know me, if not directly, by my reputation. My name is Coatl, and I have a business opportunity many of you may be interested in. Attached is a picture, a picture of a young boy. I want him dead, by any means possible. I am already tracking him, but due to certain knowledge possessed by my target, he will quite possibly be able to evade me. Thus, I have placed a 10 billion Quetzale bounty on his head. He is in Otagia, Arbite City to be precise, and will stay there. That is my offer. I hope you will consider it.

Yours,
Coatl

Attached is a mugshot-style photograph of a young boy, approximately twelve years of age.