The man continued his path to the airport the next morning at 5 am sharp. Luckily, he didn't ran into any of the Copperheads yesterday, he got home and stayed up half the night, slowly breaking down as the realization that his friend is dead because of him sinks in. He would have to tell Alan's girlfriend, he would have to tell his parents. If they hated him and wished him dead, he understand, he wishes he was dead himself.
But he still wanted to live. Funny how that works.
He had his suitcase packed and ready to go, he looked all around. He cut through the slumdogs. The term slumdogs are a term the wealthy used for poverty-stricken areas. Torn off Townhouses that have been converted into crack-houses and brothels, the air heavy with desperation and despair. All the while he felt like he was being watched. He hated that he have to walk, but those bastard copperheads cut his wires.
"Although now that i think about it, i'm lucky they didn't cut anything else." He thought as he shuddered, his steps quickening. He still had his phone, he can call a taxi, but that was only when he was sure that he wasn't being followed or at the very least they lost track of him.
He ended up on a street, across from him was a fast food restaurant known as Stars and Nights, specializing in foods inspired by celebrities, rock musicians, etc. He was far from Copperhead controlled territory. The problem being he could be walking into Disciples of One or Family of the Dead territory, but at least if he keeps his head down, he can make it out of there alive. He walked next to a shop that sells sporting goods. He pulled his phone to call a taxi, he felt an strong, but slender arm around his neck.
"Harry, my old buddy, come take a walk with me!" Harry recognized this voice, it was the same ragged voice of the man who killed his friend. Harry looked into the man's face to see a trimmed goatee and short red hair, one eye that clouded due to being stabbed when he was sixteen. He flicked his tongue at Harry, it was split down the middle. Harry nodded, knowing he needs to play it calm.
"Hey Zeke, how it going?" Harry trying to sound casual as Zeke forcibly took him into the Stars and Nights, Where lo and behold there was patrons eating Elvis Pretzels burgers or Double O Sandwiches. Harry felt a little relieved because that means Zeke wouldn't be killing him in a public place like this.
But that when the sinking realization hit him like a fright train.
All around him, from the lady in flannel serving at the cash register to the fat man reading a menu to the scrawny motherfucker sweeping. All of them have the copperhead insignia. whether on their earrings or chains or as a barely visible tattoo just behind their ear.
"So my good friend, how that buddy of yours?" Zeke said , savoring each second of this.
Harry wanted to deck him, but he was no fool, well...ok most people wouldn't find themselves in this situation to begin with but you get the idea.
"Look i have what you-"Harry tried to explain but got cut off by Zeke punching him in the nose. The lady in flannel laughed. Zeke clicked his tongue and smiled. Harry hold his nose trying to stop the blood flow.
"Now i don't remember asking about the debt you owe us, i asked...how your friend?" Zeke said slowly. Harry was furious, but went along with it.
"Thanks for cutting him out of my life." Harry said, ignoring the bile that filled his throat and sadness that crept into his mind. Zeke snorts.
"Did he just-?" The lady in flannel couldn't continue as she burst out laughing. The scrawny cleaner put his hand to his mouth in shock. The fat man just utter out a "hoo boy."
"Listen Zeke, I'm going to check on something in the back...HAHAHHAHAHA." The lady in flannel went to the back, still giggling.
"Who knew you can be such a comedian? Joking about your friend's death, trying to leave this wonderful paradise city?" Zeke said as he brandishes a cruel-looking knife. Harry swallowed. He looked around, there no guaranteed that he make it to the exit in time. He could only pray from sort sort of miracle.
"Don't do this."
"Hey now, you should be thanking me. Lady Diona said the best thing a human can ever experience is pain. It a gift." Zeke said with affection.
"Now normally i would take my time but I'm on a strict schedule so..." Zeke started as he prepared to gut Harry.
Earlier....
If there was one thing i learned while living in this city for twenty years, besides don't get into white vans with strangers claiming they have candy, is that you always had to be alert. You never know when somebody might kill your parents over a massive debt. Or a bully might push you down the stairs, causing you to break your arm as they laughed all the while. I mean i get it, i laughed when i shot that same bully in the stomach and left him to die a week later. There is comedy in pain , after all. I wrote some jokes down in a notebook as they dragged the poor man into the restaurant. Harry, Sally said this guy name was. Whelp, time for a check up. let me Just check my jacket, let see. A uzi for long range, a colt.95 just in case i ran out of bullets for the uzis, dang wished it was a bar they were going to kill him in. Could've make a neat joke about the beer of the same name.
I walked over to the restaurant, i didn't have my face on yet. i looked into the window and saw The slightly intimating man bring Harry to a booth to sit down and talk. I walked around to the back, the door was slightly ajar, light shining through. Such a rookie mistake, The Copperheads are getting sloppy. I put my face on. This time it was the black mask with a crude happy face painted on. It was probably among my favorite masks to wear beside the white one and the one with the clown face painted on. A guy have to have options, after all.
Dang didn't get to use the lockpicks, I've been getting really good with lockpicking, they're also a decent last-resort weapon. You can gouge someone's eye with it pretty nicely.
Eye see you. I started to crack up, but quickly put on my face. It was time to order some takeout. I pulled out my gun and went in quietly like a kid sneaking to get another glass of water before his abusive dad wakes up.
The huge stench of dead bodies was something i was used to, benefits of being a murdering psychopath i suppose. There were four of them, sitting side by side by the deep fryer, necks slashed opened. There were employees, well former employees at this point.
"See? this is why we don't work on Mondays." I quietly told the corpses sympathetically. Not too far from where i was standing was the dining area. A walk-in freezer was to my left. i heard footsteps. I ducked into the freezer as a woman who look like she walked straight out of the nineties came into the cooking area. She was polishing her knife and admiring her handiwork.
"Four dead in less than five minutes? That had to be some sort of record." She said happily.
I can't say i didn't share the enthusiasm about killing. I honestly get it, just thinking about the time i took down and gutted seven members of the Dead Men. Well I get chills to say the least.
We could've been great friends under different circumstances. She walked in front of the freezer door.
----------------------------------
She was knocked to the ground, a sharp pain in her head. The freezer door slammed right opened and cracked her in the temple. She knew she was in deep shit.
She tried to scream but instantly got a pistol to the mouth. The pistol smashed right through there, Teeth falling down her throat. she began to choke. She kicked at the intruder.
"It has to be The Jackal, Lady Luck is too much of a upstanding citizen to have a gun." She thought as she continued kicking, she dropped her knife, she got pistol whipped again, and again, until she began to lose conscious. The pain she felt from getting bashed in the head The Jackal looked at the body, she was still breathing. He pick her up and throw her into the freezer.
"How about you chill out?" The Jackal shakes with laughter, he could barely compose himself.
"Alright, now time for the main event." The Jackal thought as he went to the front.
"Ding Ding! Order up!" a voice said from the counter. Zeke and Henry turned their heads to see the counter was empty, nobody was in it.
"Three orders of dead mobsters with a side of bullets!" With that, the Jackal hopped out of cover, guns already in hand. He fired his uzi at the fat one first before he can reach for his gun. Blood splattering across his food. The cleaner took out a knife and throw it at the vigilante with impressive speed. The Jackal ducked under it, it caught the top of his mask ripping it slightly.
"You're pretty sharp for a kid." The Jackal said, making the scrawny cleaner pissed off.
Harry was watching in shock while Zeke was just amused.
"Look like we're in for a show, eh Harry?" Zeke said, Harry didn't respond.
"It the disappointing series finale!" The Jackal exclaimed as he dodges another knife barely. The Jackal fired his gun at the cleaner, but the cleaner dove over the counter.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
"Hey Harry, cover your ears!" The Jackal yelled out as he pulled the pin of a grenade and toss it over the counter and ran to where they was sitting. Zeke jumped up and tackled the Jackal just as a explosion went off. Covering the two killers with the blood of the cleaner. Henry was covering his ears and his eyes was closed, he felt the loud vibration and decided that he was going to stay that way.
"Well three down, one to go!" The Jackal exclaimed, noticing Zeke was making a beeline for him. The Jackal dodge his first swipe with a rather cruel looking knife and dodges the second swipe as well.
"Don't you have guns? Why aren't you using them?" The Jackal questioned as he got on the counter to avoid a sweeping kick from the deranged man. He reached inside his jacket as he stands on the counter, keeping his distance.
"You know you're not the first person to ask me that, well i prefer knives because i like to get up close and personal. A gun is no fun, it too quick." Zeke jumped on the counter only to get shot in the chest five times, he collapses on the floor behind the counter.
"I respect your choice, I just prefer to win." The Jackal said as he put away his Uzi and hopped off the counter and made his way over to Harry.
"We should head out, this place is dead." The Jackal said happily as Harry looked at him. The Jackal's jacket and mask was splotched with warm blood.
"Thank you. You that hero that kill bastards like these, right?" Harry said but immediately felt stupid. Who else make decent puns and kills without remorse? Harry got up, grabbing his suitcase.
"Let sneak out the back." The Jackal said. he hopped over the counter. Harry followed suit.
They left out the back door and went through the alleyway behind the restaurant.
The Jackal stopped in front of a metal staircase leading up to the roof of an apartment building.
"Alright Harry, follow me to freedom."
"Hey, you wouldn't happen to know Sally, would you?" Harry spoke quietly as he ascended the metal ladder.
"Oh, she my loyal sidekick. You have her to thank for your life today." The Jackal said quietly as they got on the rooftop and caught their breath.
"If you have a phone, you should probably call that taxi, now." The Jackal said calmly as he laid down on the ground. The sounds of police sirens drawing closer. Harry did what he was told.
"Hey, thanks, and tell Sally that i owe her my life." Harry said tearfully after he was done, he wipes his face with his shirt.
"Don't mention it buddy! Just make wiser decisions in the future, because UltraDam doesn't have a wonderful woman like Sally looking out for a train wreck like you." The Jackal said happily as Harry laughs.
"My sister is there, as a police officer nonetheless." Harry told the vigilante.
"Good! She keep you on the straight and narrow, or the gay and wide, or the asexual and the linear, or the bisexual and topsy-turvy. Basically i know that whatever your sexuality is, you be just fine." The Jackal told him happily as Harry look at him in confusion.
"How did you even get there- You know what? I almost forgot, i do got some info that might help you out, consider this a thank you for saving my life." Harry said as The Jackal listened intently.
"Ok i heard that there a meeting going down at St. Barbara this Friday between the lieutenants of Copperheads and Familia Dei Morti." The Jackal perked his head up at the mention of Familia Dei Morti.
"How would you know?" The Jackal asked, he wanted to be sure.
"Once you're targeted by the Copperheads, whether for your talent or like me , You're in a lot of debt, they will forcibly conscript you. I overheard the info from Zeke one day, he said the meeting taking place at 8 Pm." Harry went into greater detail and pulled down the collar of his shirt to reveal the copperhead insignia etched into his collarbone.
The Jackal nodded.
The taxi cab came soon after, along with the screaming sirens of police cars.
"Take care of yourself Harry, you get many chances like these."
"Aright i will. Thank you Jackal." Harry said with a smile and left down the metal staircase. The Jackal happily sat down against the wall leading to the interior of the apartments and sighed.
It was always nice saving someone.
"Is this what Lady Luck and Sally feel like all the time?" The Jackal thought with a smile.
LATER....
Walking down 77th street and Farley Ave was always an adventure for the luck-based heroine, there was always something that draws her to this area. Whether it was the Lofi-lounge that she frequently visited to relax and unwind. Or the modest Belly-Buster gym where she worked out from time to time. She saw a mini-mart that Sally Watson owned. Watson's Market. She knew Sally for awhile, Their friendship founded on mutual love for the hit show Downtown and Eastbound, About a female cop teaming up with a female vigilante to solve mysteries in the fictional town of Cherry-pick, Michigan. Sally only knew Lady Luck out of her hero persona. To good ole Sally she was just Mara Hayes, not Lady Luck. When she was patrolling the streets, she took a little time out of her schedule to watch over the area Sally lived in. She see the Jackal around this area a lot too.
She honestly was conflicted on this murdering vigilante. On one hand, he had saved a lot of lives. Like killing that murdering pedophile or Sally's own life when he killed those bastards trying to strongarm her.
"But he is far too reckless, he have no regard for human life." Lady Luck thought and yet she couldn't help but find fault with her argument. Haven't she shamefully thought about killing the criminal at hand every once in awhile? Was leaving them alive really the best choice? Sure they get arrested, but half of them get off scot free, pay some crooked cop a fee and just a slap on the wrist for a murderer. It was hard to tell who wasn't on the bankroll of some prolific crime-lord, regular people could be persuaded with threats of violence and destructions of their lives. Wasn't the Jackal's way more efficient? At least he was cutting down the number of criminals that the average everyday citizen would have to deal with.
"Even though we both vigilantes, we don't run into each other at all. If i do meet him...what will i do?" Mara thought to herself, will she make him listen to reason? Take him in? Join him in this bloody crusade?
She laughs to herself. If it a rapist or a sex trafficker she might just look the other way when it comes to The Jackal's killing rule if they do team up.
"He not a bad person. But he not good either. Some of these mobsters are just regular people who have no where else to turn to, others are in too deep to even hope of a way out." Mara continue her evaluation of the masked pun-making maniac. She kept some tabs on him,
These questions ran through her head as she continue her leisurely stroll in her civilian attire. People passing her by, on their way to where? Oblivion? Well this is Redemption, that wasn't too far off.
A man wearing a large black coat caught her eye. Lady Luck couldn't see the man's face but she could tell that he was young, going on Nineteen at the most. He was shivering, despite the nice weather.
He looked up at her, She saw into those brown eyes, eyes full of hunger and regret.
"Hi" The man said sensually, as one would greet their significant other after a long day.
"Hello, how are you doing?" Lady Luck asked, knowing full well what this is and what he was trying to do. She smiled warmly at the man who was taken aback, but quickly regained his composure.
"Uh, fine. I just been lonely as all, and i can tell that you're lonely too." The man said, getting back on track as he placed an hand on her shoulder. She gently place her hand on his.
"Are you hungry?" She asked as she heard the distinct grumbling of the man stomach.
"Yes, for yo-" The man stopped mid-sentence as he felt his hand getting squeezed by her. This was different from the others, who simply wanted to use him to escape for a hour or two.
"Yes, but don't worry. I'll be fine." He smiled. Lady Luck 's heart broke at the sight of this. So without talking. She took him by the hand and led him across the street to Sally's store.
"Where we going?" He asked, scared for his life.
"You're hungry right? I have a friend that could help with that." She told him , a smile on her face.
Sally was reading a magazine while hard rock played on the Bluetooth speakers. The door chimes notified her of someone coming in, She looked up and smiled at the sight of her best friend.
"Mara! How are you doing today?" Sally asked as she noted the disheveled young man standing behind her, not wanting to be noticed.
"I'm doing pretty good!." Mara stopped and listen to the music being played.
"KillSwitch Engage?" Mara asked, amused.
"What else would i be listening to at this time?" Sally asked rhetorically. Mara smiled, Sally
Mara turns to the man. A realization dawned on her face.
"Oh my god, I'm sorry. I never got your name." Mara said apologetically.
"No it fine, um just call me Nick."
"Hey Sally, You said you needed help, right?"
Sally nodded, seeing where Mara was going with this, and so did Nick.
"Mara, listen it alright, you don't have to-" He tried to object.
"Nick, I'm doing this because i want to." She told him gently.
Nick teared up, he quickly turned away from the duo. He couldn't afford to show weakness. Especially to these strangers he barely met. But yet, maybe they're different from everyone else?
"At the very least i could score some food out of this." He rationalized in his head.
"Well if you insist, then how can i say no?" He asked with a cocky smile.
Sally smiled.
"Well welcome aboard, Nick. I show you the ropes and in no time you be behind the counter." Sally said jubilantly as Nick smiled at positive attitude of the girl. He turn to Mara.
"Thank you. I don't know if i can repaid you." He admitted honestly.
Mara just squeezed his shoulder, looking him dead in the eyes.
"Helping people out is it own reward." Mara explained.
Nick couldn't help but take their words to heart. Who was this woman and why did she make him feel like he was worth a damn?
Sally explains to Nick what he is going to do as Mara pick up a six pack of beer and a frozen pepperoni Pizza and brought it to the counter. Sally quickly walks over to the counter after politely excusing herself from Nick.
"Dinner tonight?"
"No this is a snack."
They both laughed as Nick watched on, a warmness spreading throughout his veins. It was a nice feeling that brought him some comfort.
After Mara payed for the stuff, she stuck around as Sally turned to Nick and ask him some questions.
"Where do you live?"
Nick stayed quiet. He doubts that a smelly room in the small house dedicated to crack and sometimes other drugs would make her feel better.
"It a little out of the way but i can get here early no problem."
"It Ok, just give me the address and I drive you . Is the route you usually take safe?" Sally asked of him.
"Is anywhere in Redemption safe?" Sally chuckled at his joke and he felt a little better.
"But to answer your question yeah...usually. If i go out at five am then it should be no problem."
Sally nodded but Nick could tell she felt really bad for him. He didn't need her pity nor does he feel he deserve it.
"You can start at 10 am tomorrow. I will be there by 9:50 am to pick you up. Is that ok?"
"Yeah that great!" Nick said, a little surprised at how easy it was.
Mara walks over to Nick with a smile.
"You ready to go?" She asked of him.
"Um yeah but..."
"You're going to sleep at my place tonight. I don't have a guess room but i do have a comfortable pullout couch." Mara told Nick who considered her offer.
"If she is just using me...no this way too elaborate then again it could be her fetish but again i'm getting a job out of this so..."
"I need a answer soon or I'm going to eat this pizza all by myself..." Mara teased Nick who agreed just because pizza is peak food.
Sally watched the two head out the store. She hopes that make it back safety and couldn't help but feel happy.
She closed the shop down for the night and headed upstairs. She will fix herself something to eat and then watch some tv.
The Jackal made sure the coast was clear before he ascended the metal staircase outside Watson's Wares. He was out of his mask and just wearing a purple shirt and black pants. His equipment was in his bookbag. He was feeling really good with himself. He hopes that Harry makes a new life for himself and live a long and fulfilling existence. He took out his keys and unlocked the door.
Sally was passed out on the couch wearing rainbow pajama pants and a white t-shirt, the tv playing a show about a female security guard and her misadventures with a group of assassins who masquerade as performers. He gently scooped her up and carried her into her room and placed her in bed. He smiled at the sight of his best friend in the whole world. He placed one hundred and fifty dollars on her nightstand with a note saying.
"Enjoy =)"
He walked out and gently closed the door so he didn't wake her. He sighed contently.
He went into the bathroom and took a shower, singing "Idiot" by Wavves, softly of course. He didn't want to wake Sally from her peaceful sleep. He watched the water washed over his bruised skin. He chuckled to himself as he saw the broken skin on his knee, he didn't even noticed that.
"Well that on me for not wearing kneepads today."
He cleaned himself up and used his own towel to dried himself off, he went back to his room.