Board Thread:What Would You Do?/@comment-38248322-20190307003237/@comment-28718853-20190930103833

The scent of seawater and cigarette smoke reaches my nose as I step off of the boat in the port of Nilanders. Many other passengers bustle down the ramp though I take a moment to stand at the rail and admire the view. Many buildings designed for industrial purposes and automobiles and wagons rolling by. I spot several mamono either strolling about the port or chatting among themselves.

When I see the boat officer approaching me I hurry off of the boat with my black suitcase. As I make my way across the port toward the immigration check-in station I notice off to my right a particularly well-built Ocelomeh staring at me with a Minotaur with messy black hair and a Grizzly with purple eyeshadow standing at her sides. I do my best to ignore them and enter the line at the station.

My brother Mariusz had been kind enough to offer me a place to stay as I searched for work in the city. I used to be a miner back in Marwecyleky and was often tasked with handling explosives. Unfortunately, a rebellion coupled with the consequential civil war that erupted forced me to leave for greener pastures. Perhaps my talent with bombs could get me a job, but as far as I am aware there are no mines in or around Nilanders, so I am already not off to a promising start.

I eventually arrive at the booth with my passport prepared and a middle-aged woman with a miserable expression and a cigarette hanging out of her mouth asks me, "Passport please?"

It is slipped through the hole and she picks it up without even blinking. She reads through it and then grabs a piece of paper off of a stack along with a pen. Then she asks me a series of questions in a voice full of boredom.

"Name?"

"Ziemowit Pulaski."

"Age?"

"20."

"Length of stay?"

"Permanent. I'm moving in with my brother."

The woman stamps the paper and slides it along with my passport back through the hole to me and says, "Move on sir."

I take a brief glance behind me and find that the burly trio of mamono are still gazing my way, unmoved from their current position.

Doing my best to stay positive, I proceed through the station and onto the busy streets of what is to be my new home. Mariusz told me in a letter that he would be waiting for me outside a Lenny's Bakery, but so far I am unable to spot such a food store. Fortunately, the name is marked on a series of arrows that are meant to help newcomers get accustomed to their surrounds.

I use the signs to navigate the populated maze and soon find myself staring directly down the street at the aforementioned Lenny's Bakery. Leaning against a street lamp outside the store front is Mariusz, several inches taller than me with a five'o clock shadow, light grey waistcoat, a black flat cap, and a pair of brogue shoes. His eyes are scanning back and forth, no doubt searching for me among the masses.

His face lights up upon seeing me nearing him and calls out, "Z, it's so good to see you!"

"Likewise Mariusz," I reply as I set down my suitcase by the street light to give my arm a rest.

"Did the trip go well?" he asks.

"It was fine," I answer as I sit on my suitcase.

"Any trouble at Immigration?" he inquires.

"Nope, went through like a stream," I say.

"Good, heard the officials that work in that position can be quite tough," says Mariusz.

I quietly nod.

"So, how are finding Nilanders so far?" he asks.

"It's alright for now. Then again I just arrived," I reply, choosing not to tell him about the three mamono who were watching me.

Mariusz chuckles and says, "Well, I can't wait to show you more of the city."

He gazes down the road and suggests, "But first, how about we get you settled in, then we can grab a bite to eat. All that time out at sea must have left you famished huh?"

I shake my head with a grin and reply, "Had a small meal on the boat earlier, but I think my stomach can handle more."

Mariusz leads me through the thoroughfares of the city. There are many different types of buildings including stores, warehouses, and bars. We pass by a bank named Nilanders Bank and I notice a cloaked figure on the rooftop, seemingly glaring directly at me. Feeling weirded out I return my attention to my brother and decide against informing him of the eye on the bank.

Eventually, we leave the industrial section and my nose is welcomed by clean air. We pass a park along with many decorative plants and other types of greenery. On the right is a five-story apartment building that Mariusz points to saying, "That's the one."

Stepping through the glass front door I'm greeted to the scent of mangoes. A chubby clerk stands behind the desk and smiles at us upon our entry.

"Ah Mari, is that your brother?" he asks with a voice full of life.

"Sure is Mr. Newell," Mariusz replies.

"A pleasure to meet you Mr. Newell," I say.

"The pleasure's all mine!" Mr. Newell says as he holds his hand out for a handshake which I graciously take.

"Ziemowit," I say, "Feel free to call me Z for short."

"I'll be sure to do that," says Mr. Newell, "My wife has a ridiculously confusing name. Prefers that I call her D."

Both Mariusz and I chuckle and head upstairs. Mr. Newell calls after us, "Hey Mari, be sure to take Z to Uncle Denny's Ice Cream Parlor sometime! Their ice cream is so good it will even make a Bloodhound smile!"

"I'll be sure to do that Mr. Newell," Mariusz responds down to him.

Mariusz leads me up to the fourth floor and to his apartment room. The living room is as basic as they come and there are two small bedrooms along with a tiny bathroom. A Weresheep steps out from what I assume is the kitchen with a warm smile and says, "Mariusz, you're back!"

"I told you I wasn't going to be gone long," Mariusz says as he gestures to her and tells me, "Z, this is my wife Alicia."

Mariusz then pats my shoulder and says, "Alicia, this is my brother Ziemowit, but we call him Z for short."

"Oh you look so handsome Z!" Alicia cooes as she walks up to me and embraces me in a hug.

Her wool is warm and soft, and I can feel myself slipping away in incredible comfort. I feel like I am about to fall asleep in bliss when I feel my brother pull me away from her hug and say, "Now now Alicia. What did I say about hugging guests for too long?"

"But honey, I love meeting new people!" Alicia whines in a playful manner.

"Good to meet you Alicia," I say, finally getting my greeting out.

"Anyway, I gotta get my brother settled in and then take him out for lunch," Mariusz explains to Alicia.

"You sure you don't want me to cook it?" she asks.

"It's fine. I'd rather Z get used to the city first," Mariusz replies.

"Okie dokie," says Alicia.

That morning into the afternoon is spent with my brother helping me establish my space in my own bedroom and showing me around Nilanders. There were houses, banks, a hospital, police precinct, stores, warehouses, and even a gun store owned by a man who Mariusz claims constantly acts like he's seen a ghost. He also told me about a few of the major gangs that run different parts of Nilanders including the Brigand Crew, a gang run by Danukis that engage primarily in extortion and prostitution, the Perino Family, a criminal organization headed by a Medusa that controls a major part of the drug trade, the Order, a powerful cult that is vehemently anti-monster, and finally the Wild Claws, a gang that profited mainly from gun trafficking.

When the tour is finished, Mariusz treated me to lunch at a reputable deli. The sandwiches they served there were quite delectable, enough to satiate my hunger for a while. As I threw away the wrapper however I noticed the Grizzly from before staring at me from across the street.

Mariusz nudges me and asks, "Z, everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," I answer as we leave the deli.

Mariusz asked me if I wanted to do any other activities, and I replied with a simple "No," ready to head back to the apartment for the job hunt tomorrow.

"Very well," Mariusz replies, though I see him steal a glance back at the spot where the Grizzly stood, now no longer there and vanished to parts unknown.

Back at the apartment we discussed what went on in our lives. Mariusz explained how he met Alicia and his job as a factory worker. I talked about my time working in the mines and the ensuing rebellion that changed my former neighborhood as well as the country I immigrated from. Both my brother and his wife sounded equally impressed and sympathetic to my story.

Come nightfall I am fast asleep in my bedroom when I awaken to the feeling of something nudging my shoulder. Mariusz is standing at my bedside wearing a dark brown coat and says, "Get dressed, I'm taking you to meet someone."

"Errr…this late at night?" I groan, rubbing my eyes.

"My boss has an offer for you," Mariusz answers.

I sit up, intrigued, but confused. An early job is nice, but why would he want to see me at the stroke of midnight?

Despite the odd schedule, I leave my bed and dress up for the trip. Mariusz stands by the front door, waiting for my arrival, and once I am prepared we leave the apartment.

"Is it far?" I ask once we're out in the streets.

Mariusz shakes his head and points to a brown four-door car that is parked next to the curb. A slender man stands next to it and gestures for us to enter. We both enter the rear passenger seats and I take in the feel of the leather material that I'm sitting on. This is my first experience inside of a car, as I mainly walked from place to place back when I lived in Marwecyleky. It's quite an overwhelming feeling, the thick but pleasant scent, the windows, the soft floor.

The driver enters the vehicle and its engine hums as it comes alive.

We are driven through the nearly empty streets with most of the folks likely having checked in for the night. The exterior is almost quiet with several people walking about along the sidewalk, likely out for a round of late night drinking. We pass by a drunken bum who lies slumped in an alleyway, his clothes torn and disheveled.

I nudge Mariusz and whisper, "I'm eager for this job offer, but why this time of night?"

"The boss insisted that it be that way," Mariusz answers.

I'm silent, just leaning back and enjoying the rest of the ride.

The car soon pulls in front of a fifteen story hotel named the Imparato Deluxe. Several plants dot along the red carpet that stretches all the way to the street that is covered by a dark green canvas. A Werewolf in a black dress stands out front with a firm glare and her arms crossed. The driver gets out of the car and opens the door for Mariusz and me.

Mariusz leads me up the carpet to the front door where the Werewolf pushes it open and allows us through.

Inside is a lobby that would make Zeus blush. The walls are made of marble, the carpet is a spaghetti pattern of red and gold, light fixtures are shaped like coils, and the ceiling is a soft tan.

A Kobold desk clerk grins at the both of us and says, "Hello Mariusz!"

"Hey Jeannette! Brought my brother Z!" Mariusz responds, returning the smile.

I grin and wave at Jeannette who points to the elevators on the left.

Mariusz leads me to them and we take them up to the top floor where we're greeted by a succubus who we follow down the corridor to a double door that is guarded by two Ren Xiongmaos armed with baseball bats. The sight of the security leaves me confused as to what this job could be. Granted, there are criminal organizations in Nilanders, but this could be different.

"I brought him," Mariusz tells the guards who nod and push open the doors.

The interior holds the toned Ocelomeh I saw at the dock seated behind an oak desk alongside her Minotaur and Grizzly cohorts. The feline sports a sinister grin as my brother ushers me in and the doors shut behind us. With the situation now I am lost for what to do. Silence is all that rains until the Ocelomeh breaks it by ordering, "Take a seat you two."

We both lower into a pair of red leather chairs adorned with golden studs.

"His appearance is not what I had in mind," the Ocelomeh states to Mariusz while gesturing to me.

"Z's physique does not account for his experience Madame," Mariusz explains, leading me to give him a bemused look.

The feline makes an apologetic gesture and says, "You're right. I shouldn't judge a book by its cover."

She focuses her attention primarily on me and holds out her paw for a handshake. I take it and she says, "You can call me Madame Estera, Z. Sorry for waking you from your beauty sleep, but your brother tells me that you have a particular talent."

I nod and reply, "Y-yes, I used to work in a mine and handled explosives."

Madame Estera gives Mariusz a side grin and her expression grows even more eager.

"What kind of explosives?" she asks me.

"I worked with dynamite. Used it to blow away rock," I explain, a growing suspicion that this conversation isn't going the way I think it's going.

"Dangerous work?" Madame Estera inquires.

"Of course. Working around explosives is always dangerous.  One of the most dangerous parts of dynamite is relighting the fuse if it goes out," I say.

"Less time to get away," the Ocelomeh concludes.

"Correct," I agree, "I was trained extensively on their use."

"Good," Madame Estera says as she leans forward in her chair.

I can see Mariusz eyeing me with a nervous look.

"Z, I would like to offer you an opportunity. An opportunity to be something big.  Someone who can contribute to my business," Madame Estera begins, her eyes narrowing while her toothy smile widens, "We've made big contributions to the citizens of Nilanders.  This lovely hotel is one of them."

My voice is muted as I listen to my potential employer.

"And I'm sure your aware, but competition is a big driving force of this economy. The more competition there is, the better the quality of the products.  That is capitalism in a nutshell," she continues, "The businesses of Nilanders?  They all contribute their share."

I nod to show that I am listening.

"And to some extent, even the gangs."

This causes me to sit up in surprise. My mind struggles to comprehend what Madame Estera said. From what I've heard, gangs exist to cause trouble for society, not help better it. I want to ask a question, but I remain quiet in case she has more to say.

"Heh heh, I can see the confusion on your face," says Madame Estera.

I make no motion to respond and she speaks on, "I understand. These words can be hard to make sense of, but believe me, they're quite sensible."

The Ocelomeh's grin grows even more vicious and I swear I can see them gleaming off of the light in the room. She leans back in her seat with her smile softening and says, "I know you have a question for me Z, so go ahead and ask it."

"W-what opportunity is this?" is all I manage to utter out, but Madame Estera appears to be satisfied with my question and replies, "I would like for you to work for me."

My gaze shifts toward my brother who is staring straight ahead seemingly uninterested in helping me develop a response.

"I'm telling you right now, there are no mines around here, but I can think of other areas where your skills would be useful," says Madame Estera.

I look back toward Madame Estera and ask with fear in my voice knowing what I'll likely be getting into, "This…won't involve me performing horrible activities will it?"

Madame Estera chuckles in a dark manner and responds, "Don't worry, you won't be doing that...much."

Mariusz is wearing a sorrowful expression and my eyes are glued to the floor, wondering how he could pull me into this mess. Part of me wants to get up and exit the room, but my gut tells me that Madame Estera and her cronies wouldn't let me go that easily. I gulp and try my luck at convincing her to let me leave, "Madame Estera, I appreciate the offer, but I don't think I'm your guy."

Madame Estera tilts her head at me and I expect her to frown, but her grin is solid and she replies, "You can still look for regular work. Just think of this as earning money on the side."

"Ma'am I'd…I'd rather not participate in this," I say.

My brother's boss looks to him then to me, her eyes showing that she may have more cards up her sleeve.

"Well, you are quite a difficult one to convince, but perhaps this can change your mind. Could one of you get Mary?" she says glancing between her two bodyguards.

"I got it," the Grizzly says and steps out.

Almost a minute later she returns with a Mindflayer trailing behind her.

I feel another lump slide down my throat as the Grizzly retakes her position by Madame Estera who says with a slightly matter-of-fact tone, "Apologies Z, but I simply can't let a valuable asset like you just walk out of here with all of the information that you have on us. You're free to leave, but Mary there will have to mind wipe you so that you will forget that this meeting ever happened.  Alternatively, you could join my organization, but you'll be kept under close surveillance to  make sure you don't go to the coppers.  That's just how the wheel rolls around here.  So what's it going to be Z?  You going to leave and forget that this meeting ever happened, or will you become the newest member of the Wild Claws?"

As everyone watches me, anxious for my answer the only sound I can hear is the thump of my heart. This was not what I wanted when I arrived in Nilanders, but it seems that I don't have a choice. I soon clear my throat and reply, "I'm in."

Madame Estera raises her eyebrows at me maintaining her sly grin and asks, "You're what?"

"I'm in, I'll join the Wild Claws," I mutter with sheer reluctance in my voice.

"Excellent!" the Ocelomeh beams as she holds her claw out for a handshake which I accept with regret.

"This won't be a choice you'll regret I guarantee it!" says Madame Estera.

"So what now?" I ask as I set my arms in my lap.

"First thing's first you go home and get some rest, but not before I give you your first job," Madame Estera explains.

"What is it?" I inquire.

"The Order's been a thorn in this city's side for some time now. I'm sure you've heard of them, there's no one in this city who hasn't," Madame Estera explains.

I nod and steal a glance at Mariusz saying, "My brother told me about them."

Madame Estera nods and continues, "Bastards are planning on moving guns around the city to a couple of their hideouts. Mamono already don't feel safe with them around, and them getting those guns would just add more fuel to the fire.  Tomorrow night I want you, your brother, and my daughter to sneak over to their warehouse on Ehrman Avenue and destroy them."

"O…okay I suppose I can-wait your daughter?" I'm stunned at the crew I'll be tagging along with.

"Yeah, Araceli excels in sneaking and fighting. She'll help you out," Madame Estera answers with full confidence.

"I'll be at your side Z," Mariusz assures me, though it does little to suppress my fear of family lives being placed on the line.

Madame Estera appears to have noticed my worry and says, "She's very trustworthy. She worked up through the ranks herself."

I shake my head at her and mutter, "Back in my old country, many families either fled, tried to stay out of the way, or marched off to fight in the civil war. All of that bloodshed tore many of them apart.  Death, betrayal, horror, I heard them all."

The Ocelomeh is silent and for a moment I feel that my words may have affected her. That is until she says, "I'm sorry to hear about the troubles back in Marwecyleky, but it won't be like that here trust me."

A sigh escapes me as Madame Estera asks, "Any other questions?"

For a moment I quietly stare at her then shake my head.

My new boss gives me a satisfied nod and says, "Great! Now go get some rest.  You know what you need to do."

"Yes ma'am," I mutter as Mariusz and I get up from our seats and are escorted out of the office by the Grizzly who leads us back to the elevator. On the trip down in that metal box my eyes are glued to my brother, the one who roped me into this gang business. He only grits his teeth in what I assume is embarrassment when he detects my uneasy gaze on him.

On the car ride back to the apartment I ask Mariusz in a soft voice, "Why didn't you tell me about this beforehand?"

"I was worried you would try to back out," he replies, his confidence waning.

"You said you would help me find a job," I say.

"I did. You're working with Madame Estera," says Mariusz.

"I meant a legitimate job," I say as I set my gaze forward, "I'll probably be dead or in prison by the time I'm forty."

"Z, don't be like that," Mariusz says with a restless gesture.

"You dragged me into this Mariusz!" I say, pointing an accusatory finger at him, "I never wanted the criminal lifestyle!"

"I'm sorry Z, but…but," Mariusz mumbles and I ask, "But what? Why did you do this to me?"

Mariusz's eyes roll down to the floor and hang there for several seconds until they rise back up to meet mine. He lets out a heavy sigh and answers, "I…I felt that you were the best choice after the last explosives expert got killed. Man was like family to me.  He helped get me to the position I am in and I was always grateful to him.  Losing him was like losing another brother."

I am left speechless. Part of me wants to tell him off more, but another part doesn't want to make him feel worse. Tears form in Mariusz's eyes and I glance away realizing that he meant every word.

My first job would be essentially a bombing, no different than the ones that plagued my old country. Both sides made use of explosives as well as other weapons, but I never cared about which side was right. I only cared about escaping the violence that they brought. I'm to carry out an attack on a gang who is concerned with bringing harm to others for being mamono. Yes, the Order is a vicious gang who must be stopped, and destroying their supplies would deal a severe blow to their operations. I'm mainly doing the innocent mamono of Nilanders a favor by doing this job that will make their lives safer.

"I'm…I'm sorry," I mutter, prompting Mariusz to lift his gaze up at me revealing his tear stained face.

"I'm sorry…for snapping at you," I say, "It's just that all of this happened so fast and it left me with no chance to make a reasonable decision."

Mariusz shakes his head and says, "I'm sorry for stringing you into this without telling you."

"I can't really do anything about it now," I reply with a flimsy grin.

Just then, we arrive back at our apartment building where we retreat into our room and sleep away the rest of the night.

The next night comes and we head out to a different car, this time black. We enter and we're driven to our destination. During the trip I'm hoping that the warehouse isn't guarded, though with the supplies being firearms that hope is likely a fleeting one. I glance toward Mariusz several times who has his fingers interlocked and a distant look on his face the entire time.

Eventually, we arrive at a back alleyway with the target warehouse just down the street. We step out and look around, but our third participant is nowhere to be seen. A light tap is heard behind us and we turn to find a fit Ocelomeh standing on the hood of the car with a sheathed machete.

"Araceli, I presume?" I ask.

The Ocelomeh shows me her green eyes and eager grin and says, "Yes. You the brother of Mari?"

I nod and Araceli hops off of the hood in front of me.

"You remember what we're gonna be doing here?" Araceli asks me.

"Yes," I respond.

"Good," Araceli says as she and Mariusz along with our driver head to the trunk and pop it open.

I walk over to find a rucksack, four bundles of dynamite, a lever-action shotgun, a revolver, and a few boxes of ammunition that correspond with each weapon.

Mariusz picks up the shotgun and gestures for me to take the rest of the equipment. I shudder as I pick up the revolver and Araceli says, "Don't worry, the rounds are Demon Realm Silver. Especially my blade.  No one's gonna be dying."

I nod with relief as I grab the revolver, its ammunition, the rucksack, and the dynamite to load into the rucksack.

The weight is a tad heavier than I expected, but it is not enough to impede my movements.

"What does the warehouse look like?" Mariusz asks Araceli.

"Large building, but the Order seem to have left a skeleton crew to guard it. Two grunts standing guard outside and I saw six more on the inside with guns," Araceli answers.

"A light defense," I mutter to which Araceli responds with a claw planted on my nose, "Yes, but don't take them lightly. Bastards don't play around, especially when there are mamono involved."

"Yes, of course," I say with a nod and Araceli removes her fingers.

"What weapons are these men carrying?" Mariusz asks the Ocelomeh.

"One of the thugs outside has a baseball bat while the other carries a pistol. On the inside I counted four revolvers, a bolt-action rifle, and a shotgun," says Araceli.

Araceli then looks to me and says, "Four crates full of guns in that warehouse and you have enough dynamite for each."

"Yes ma'am," I reply with another nod.

We sneak down the street to the warehouse where we hide behind a building at the sight of the two aforementioned Order cronies with their specified weapons. They both appear to be young adults with a pair of cold, hateful glares. Araceli points to them and whispers, "I'll deal with those two."

"Alright," I quietly respond as she scales up the building we are using to hide. Her movements are silent as I watch her ascend the structure and disappear over the top. My gaze then turns back to the two guards who are still oblivious to our presence.

Araceli appears at their side with her machete drawn. She huddles behind a pole for a moment before she leaps at the thug with the gun and drives her blade through his side. The other man lurches back in surprise as his friend collapses to the ground twitching, but before he can call for help Araceli slices through his neck which sends him to the ground in a useless heap. With both guards incapacitated Araceli motions for my brother and I to come over which we do.

Once we're by her side she says, "Two main entrances, front and back. Mariusz, you and your brother go through the rear door.  I'll slip in through the windows here."

"Yes Araceli," Mariusz replies as he motions for me to follow only for Araceli to place her free paw on my chest and say, "And if you make it through this Z, then I'll be sure to give you a nice juicy reward."

I stare at her befuddled for a moment until I realize what she means and reply with a soft blush, "Don't you think it's a bit early for that?"

A toothy grin forms on Araceli's face as she presses a claw against my lips to shush me and responds, "Don't worry, we'll discuss it after this job is done."

She sheathes her blade and scales up the side of the warehouse toward the windows. Mariusz nods to me and I follow him to the rear of the building where the entrance is a simple metal door. He gestures for me to open it and I attempt to twist the handle, but it moves slightly before it stops. Locked.

I shake my head at Mariusz and he bites his lip in frustration. He points to the door and whispers to me, "Knock on it."

A puzzled expression takes my face as I stare at him as if he had grown a second head. I am about to complain about how foolhardy his order is when he explains, "We'll try to draw one out, knock him out, and then head in."

Now understanding my brother's idea, I wrap my knuckles against the door and then back away against the edge of the wall. Mariusz shifts his ear to the door with a focused look. His eyes soon widen and he whispers to me, "Someone's coming!"

He retreats from the door as footsteps approach from inside. The door opens and out steps a slim man with a white beard who appears to be in his early fifties wielding a small black revolver.

"Those whackjobs playing tricks on me?" the gangster grumbles just as Mariusz lurches toward him and bashes the butt of his shotgun against his head. The man stumbles to the side as my brother tackles him to the ground and proceeds to smack him in the head for a total of up to three times until he his finally unconscious. Admittedly, Mariusz display of his melee skills was quite impressive.

My brother gets up taking the thug's weapon with him and stashes it in one of his pockets. He stops the door before it closes and whispers to me, "You first."

I step in and move through a cluttered office, stopping at another door to listen for who or whatever's on the other side. Hearing nothing, I pull open the door and see two more men armed with revolvers glaring at me with surprised faces. "Got some goons!" one of them announces as Mariusz moves beside me.

The two guards rush behind crates and a third yells out, "Clip them!"

One of the men pops up from behind the crate and fires a shot at me with his revolver. The vicious round cracks into the door, but it doesn't break through. I hop behind the wall and Mariusz sticks his shotgun into the doorway. He fires off a blast before he joins me behind the wall just as an array of hostile rounds tear up more of the door.

"I'm gonna put you bastards into the big sleep!" one of the thugs yells out.

Mariusz cocks his shotgun and gives me a nod before he pops back out into the doorway and unleashes another wave of buckshot. There is an audible groan from the large storage area as he leans back into cover and whispers to me, "I got one of them!"

"Richard's been clipped!" one of our enemies shouted, anger seething in his voice.

"It's that demon shit!" another says.

"Oh hell, a mamono's in here!" someone screams.

"Kill her!" shouts one of the others as more gunfire racks up the sound level.

"Time to move!" Mariusz says as he cocks his shotgun again and rushes out of the office. I run out after him and leap behind a medium-sized crate with my gun ready. Mariusz is behind a metal pillar just several feet from my position, sparks flying as a bullet ricocheted off of his cover and strikes the floor near his feet.

I try to locate Araceli beyond the chaos, but there is no sign of her. However, I do spot a man with the rifle standing on top of a crate and another, more brutish man with a silver revolver firing to the left. It's likely that they're firing on Araceli's position, so I take aim at the hostile with the rifle. My aim is rather wobbly, but I fire the second the iron sight crosses over his head. The round is a close miss from behind.

The man with the revolver turns his attention to me and fires off two shots. Both pieces of lead punch into the crate in front of me, but not enough to penetrate. "You mamono lovers are gonna be real sorry!" he taunts.

I return fire at the man who shot at me with two more shots. One of them smashes into the crate behind him while the other strikes him in the upper torso, causing him to slip down to one knee. Mariusz uses the opportunity to maneuver his shotgun around his cover and fire, the swarm of DRS buckshot smashing into the chest of the man I shot which causes him to slump to the floor with a loud moan.

Mariusz takes aim at the man with the rifle who turns his attention to us just as he fires. The man's rifle slips from his hands as he stumbles, a sign of a direct hit. He twitches as he struggles to stand, but Araceli jumps in from the left in a twirl and lands a corkscrew-style kick on the man that knocks him off of the crate.

Araceli spots us and motions for us to come forward calling, "Come on, come on!"

My brother and I press forward toward the Ocelomeh when another man armed with a revolver leaps out from behind a stack of crates with his gun trained on me. I try to dodge as a bullet explodes out of his weapon, but I'm too slow and feel the round pierce my lower left leg. No feeling of pain, possibly from the adrenaline coursing through my body. Still, I fling myself behind another crate as Mariusz blasts off his shotgun at the attacker, unfortunately missing entirely.

The goon fires his gun wildly at Mariusz who is able to run behind cover as rounds mark the environment around him.

I spot Araceli leap off of her crate and cleave through the man with her machete. The guard cries out in pleasure just before he collapses to the floor an exhausted mess.

There are no more sounds, so I slide to the floor and tend to my wound. With my adrenaline rush fading from the calm, the intense pain is beginning to creep in. I peer on the other side of my injured leg and find an exit wound. The good news is that the bullet didn't get lodged in my leg.

"Check your brother Mariusz, I'll search for the weapons," Araceli says just before she hops across the crates.

Mariusz jogs up to me and asks, "Z, are you alright?"

I let out a few pained breaths and reply, "Just a leg wound."

Mariusz kneels beside me and observes my injury with a worried expression. I bite my lip and say, "Let's just get this done and get out of here."

My brother nods just as Araceli returns to us and says, "Found the weapons. They're in crates marked with the Order symbol."

She looks down at my wound and her eyebrows raise in alarm despite her focused expression. "You okay?" she asks me.

I nod and mutter, "I think I can still move."

The pain is intense as I force myself to my feet, but I work through the burning fury as I have back in the mines of my old country. Araceli shakes her head at me and cautions, "Try not to work yourself too hard."

She shifts her gaze to Mariusz and orders, "Mari, help me clear these guys out of the building. Z, get to work planting that dynamite."

"Yes ma'am," we both reply.

The first person Araceli grabs ahold of is the man who shot me and she is quite rough with him as she drags him out the door that my brother and I came in. I navigate around the network of crates on a limp and find the marked ones close to the center. Four total with one of their lids slightly exposing the contents inside. I walk up to the partially open one out of curiousity and find it loaded with submachine guns.

I set down my sack and remove the bundles of dynamite. Each one is placed on the weapon crates and I equip a match, but I decide to wait for Mariusz and Araceli to finish removing the thugs from the warehouse before I light the fuses. A minute and a half passes when my two partners arrive and Araceli asks, "How's it looking Z?"

"They safely away from the building?" I ask, not interested in causing fatalities.

"We set them down at a safe distance," Mariusz replies.

I nod and move as fast as I can to each bundle of dynamite, lighting their fuses. As soon as all four have sparks Araceli grabs me and rushes me bridal style out back with Mariusz behind me. We made it several feet from the warehouse when a series of explosions rock the structure and blow out many of its windows. The ground beneath us trembles slightly as we get back to our getaway vehicle.

When we arrive Araceli places me in the middle seat and both she and Mariuz enter afterwards. "Get us out of here!" she tells the driver, who nods and drives us away from the scene. All around us window lights are switching on indicating the people who were startled awake by the recent explosions.

I glance back at the warehouse, the weapons surely destroyed.

Araceli places a paw in my lap and says to me, "Nice job Z. That's going to be a major setback for the Order."

"Thanks Araceli," I say as I lean back against my seat. The pain from my leg wound is ebbing away albeit slowly.

"I'll need to get this treated soon," I say as I gesture to my wound.

"Don't worry, I know the perfect way to fix it," Araceli says with a reassuring grin.

I notice Mariusz growing nervous after Araceli says that, but I decide not to press him on it. Instead I look to Araceli and say, "I hope the doctor doesn't mind working late nights."

Araceli chuckles at this and says, "A doctor won't be needed."

I shoot her a confused look as the car pulls up in front of our apartment building. Mariuz exits, leaving his weapon in the car and I'm about to join him when I feel Araceli wrap her arm around me and hold me in place. "No no no, you stay in here," she states.

"I'll…see you later Z," Mariusz says as he closes the door and steps inside the structure.

Araceli turns to the driver and says, "Take us to my place."

The vehicle drives off again and I ask Araceli, "Hold on…why are you-"

"Your leg needs to be healed, remember?" she replies.

"But…how can you be sure we won't need a doctor? Are you a doctor?" I ask Araceli who places her paw on my shoulder and says, "You'll see dear."

We soon enter a middle-class neighborhood where our car stops in front of a red one-story house. Araceli gets out and helps me along, gesturing for me to abandon my revolver in the car, which I do. "You know what to do with them," she says to the driver before she shuts the door and the car leaves us outside the house.

I see that Araceli still has her machete with her, but she appears to have read my mind and says, "This blade's a personal one, now come on."

She carries me up the walkway to the front of the house and uses a key to unlock the door. Inside I'm greeted to a living room with a whole manner of tribal decorations. She leads me to her room that has a purple queen-size bed and tosses me onto it. Still confused about the entire ordeal I ask, "Uhhh…Araceli? What are you trying to do here?"

Araceli lets out a light chuckle and replies, "Oh? I guess Mari hasn't told you yet huh?  Or you just never knew during the twenty years you've been alive."

"W-what are you talking about?" I ask, growing nervous once more.

"Demonic energy from mamono can heal wounds, and you know how we do that?" Araceli inquires, a devious smile growing on her face.

"I'm not sure," I answer.

Araceli leans into my ear and whispers, "Through sex."

My eyes widen in surprise as Araceli tosses aside her weapon and pins me to the bed. She strips me of my pants and says, "I've wanted you ever since I first saw you in the city. I'm going to make sure it's fun for both of us."

I remember the figure who was watching me from the rooftop yesterday and ask, "Wait…was that you watching me from the rooftop yesterday."

"You deserve a prize," Araceli replies just before she plants a kiss on my lips.

An uneasy smile appears on me as I prepare for what's about to happen and ask Araceli, "Uh…could you be gentle?"

"I'll try to," she answers, though from her voice and sinister expression it's obvious that she isn't.

"My mother is going to be happy about your first success as I already am," Araceli says, and at that moment our passionate love making session begins. Already I could feel my wound healing up, but there is more to come and I'm ready for it.