The Kin

A backwards flash to many years isn't a long or memorable one either. All of my life from the moment I woke up in the middle of the Outlands blinks by through bits and pieces.

And to be honest, I don't remember much of what I did. I mostly remember the bad. I remember the anarchy, I remember the fear, I remember my strength, I remember my hate, I remember my cynical nature, I remember my idiocy, I remember the water.

And then I don't.

I remember all of these things from the little trinkets and mementos that are preserved in this place. I never thought I'd be back again.

The road to the Corner, the home I have now and had for a while, is the Overhead Tunnel. The tunnels that are just as confusing as the Sewers and hold the type of people that are homeless but fortunate enough not to be confined by the rotten smell of the Sewers.

I push myself off the cot, trying to remember where I put all of my things in case of an emergency. Nothing. I must've had one, but knowing myself I'd rely on my mind to remember, not a note on a food basket or someone to remind me.

But also knowing myself, I should've put it under a safe that I had known to be under my cot. I life the cot to the wall and there appears to be a sort of shaft. I open it, and of course, it's empty.

In addition to also knowing myself, I must've also taken all of my emergency things with me as an out to leave this place. I never thought I'd come back. I never would've. Still, I can't remember all of the details, but I remember some at least.

But, as a gesture of bad will, I left my grand father's gun and gloves on the same frame above the kitchen door. Thanks for dying, Gramps. The barrel's filled with dust, but everything's still operational. It's already loaded, as well, the handgun, so I holster it, putting on those pair of gloves myself.

Why I left? I'm still not entirely sure. Who I left with? My sister and niece. Being the strongest man didn't always pay off, I had many enemies, but not a lot compared to the people who feared me. I didn't care if people feared me or not. Whatever they felt, it gave me strength to know that I was known.

I chuckle, but then an aching pain strikes my head, and I palm my forehead. "Fuck..." I hear myself say, my legs wobble to the ground. I start to see things, the same flashes that I had when I slept.

Another Woman, and a man, but who?

I don't know, exactly, but whoever they are, they must've been important.

I walk down stairs in the corner of the walls. No one knows where this place is, and it's been abandoned for a while now. I know I'm safe because I'm the only one who knows how to get in or out without dying a horrible death or losing my way.

It seems like I haven't had any of my family members here before. I look to the foot of the counter tops, and there lies a broken frame of a seared picture of an also broken, seared family.

If I took all of my things for me to take an out, then I have no choice but to earn that money myself. How? I'll figure it out. There are plenty of people still reminded of the pain from Kin. And who knows, maybe followers of Kin, but they cause plenty of trouble for me, of course, those stupid fucks.

I walk outside, going through the many traps laid out.

So many memories trapped in my head...It's a good thing that they are, too, anyway.

Damn, I'm old.

Fifty-six, huh? Still, I'm doing pretty well for someone who's in their fifties. I doubt I look any older than thirty years old. Just a few wrinkles here and there. Plus, I've always looked intimidating.

Everything in front of me is like a locked door to a lost person. Tsk, I fuck this. I don't care what I was. Whatever I was...I need to get back home.

Every part of me is almost covered. The same handkerchief I use as a cover for my face, gloves cover my hands, sunglasses covers my eyes, and the same hate I wore covers my head and hair.

I don't exactly know how to get that money. I'm guessing a simple robbery would work, but for how long? Damn people don't have that much money. And if they did, they'd all be living in the Interior by now.

The guy walking next to me seems like he'd have some money, but given the fact that he's one of the suckers who live in the Overhead Tunnels, he's probably poor. Tch.

There's probably eyes on me right now. As ignorant and poor these people are, they're perceptive, and sharp as they've had to be.

Don't care, right now. I need a drink.

I walk into a bar right outside of the Tunnels. Mariano's Bar. That's a familiar name.

_____

*Carter, 24 Years Ago*

"Surprised you came back, Kin." Mariana smiles. "I suppose you know this is against protocol."

I shake my head, taking a shot that Mariana gives me. "I wonder..." I sigh,

"Wonder what?" She leans over. "Wonder if I'll do it? Cause I will."

"Heh..." She refills the shot glass for me. "I don't care if you do or don't." I drink another. "Whatever I did...I know it wasn't worth it."

"Whatever you did?" She scoffs. "Whatever you did was kill us all, Kin. You really expect me to forgive you cause of what you've done."

I shrug. "Isn't that what's going on, now?" She glares at me in her cute way. "Nah, I know this is how you are. But Business is still running, ain't it?"

"Didn't think you'd ever find that out, since you've been in hiding...how long?" She takes a shot, herself.

"No idea. At this point I've gotten used to living away from everyone that I've stopped counting the days." I sigh.

"You should start counting the years then." She sighs. "Seven years, Jackass."

"Why'd you count, then?" I ask.

She shrugs, her long black hair sliding in front of her face. "Maybe because you left me, remember?"

I nod. "You're right. Blame me."

"Hmm?" She sounds surprised. "I've been blaming you, Kin. So has everybody else."

"And so have I." I explain. "I'm sayin' now, you can blame me and I won't kill you. I'm not even going to blame my age this time. Young and Stupid my ass. I was old and a hard ass, nothing about my monstrous personality you can't blame."

"You are a monster." She nods.

"I'm gonna leave and never come back. I hate this place. The only good thing about this place is you, and the fact I can kill any fucker that get's in my way."

"And when you leave?" She asks. "Where will you go? What other poor village would you destroy next."

"The farthest away, if necessary." I say. "I'll do it and never come back."

"People are still looking for you, you know. The riots between the different gangs and the Gypsies are getting bigger, but right now, if you left, it'd be chaos."

"Excuse me?" I raise a brow.

"Yeah. Right now, they're at a temporary truce to find you, and kill you."

"Then all that means is you can't tell anybody I'm leaving." I explain.

She nods, "Okay..." Her expression's filled with sorrow. "Alright, well...how are you gonna get to wherever you're going without wagons, cows, or water, Kin."

"Since when did you stop calling me Carter."

"Oh, Kin, that was a long time ago." She squeezes my hand. "Either way, you can't leave now. You have nothing. No water. And you won't survive. Now who's fault was it that this town has no water, again?"

I sigh. "Shut up, I'll leave now." I get up, but then she grabs my wrist.

"Wait..." She looks like she's about to start crying, and I sit back down. "I...take me with you."

"What?" I question. I yank my wrist away from her hand. "Get the hell off me woman, I told you, I'm leaving, already."

"No, please, I'm not kidding, take me with you." She pleads.

I scoff. "No can do."

"I know where they are...Carla and your family. I take you to them, and you bring me with you...Deal?" She pleads.

Carla, Joseph, Walter, I doubt they're all alive. And if they are, the last person they'd want to see is me, anyway. I chuckle. "Come on, don't lie to me now, Mariana, just go tell your idiot brother I'm here and arrest me already."

"I would, but I want to come with you." Her voice sounds desperate, and everyone else is drowned out by a sliver of eye contact.

"Why?" I keep a straight face, although as monstrous as I am, It's not like I don't feel anything for her.

"I..." Oh, Christ, I know what she's about to say.

"Heh...forget it, Mariana, you don't know jack shit about what you're talking about." I hold in a laugh.

"Carter-"

_____

*Carter, Present*

It feels awfully familiar to be back here...Mariano...such a familiar name. A name of a person. Who, though? Mariana...dammit, I can't be struggling to remember things now.

I don't even bother to drink. I sit at the end of the bar, looking at a left behind, dirty newspaper.

***** -ch 344

***** ****** *then for the many**** ***** ** ******* And ****** *

Then again it's not like anyone didn't care anyway. That's four more sales today, and twenty more to go. Of course, if it wasn't for our wonderful Corpal Soldiers, we wouldn't be able to afford the food on our table! We should be thanking them and showing more appreciation for raising our children to become wonderful people! Two more lucky Academy women are being sold tomorrow, so don't wait!

And wonderful workers to!

**** *** * **** ** ***** ** ** ** *** **

Sales will be finished by ***** so be prepared to ***** your cash folks!

*REMEMBER* Please report in any suspicious behavior to the Corpal soldiers. Bounty (With pictures):
-Korlein Mistov $18,000 _X_
-Brent Highton $5,000 _ _
-Neil Mantile $15,000 _ _
-Black Scarf $350 ,000_X_
-Navy Leg: $700,000 _ _
-The Blade $2,000,000,000 _ _
-Red Band Leader $12,000,000 _ _ -
Jeremy Klein $18,000,000 _X_
-Kin $5,000,000,000 _ _

Due to the failure of tax payment, Tolls and Citizenship have risen once again:
Interior: $16,000,000
Overhead Tunnels: $1500
Sewers: $1700
Gates: $800

Nice to see that people still have a bounty on me. Although I'm sure they've stopped looking. At least, the smart ones did. I'm looking at all of these pictures and it's making me second-guess these criminals.

I mean, The Blade? Really? Some short, Asian guy that always looks pissed off and apathetic, and then there's his friend, A some skinny, white-haired Latina that really is just a kid. How in the hell are they the strongest?

A man's shadow is cast upon me, and I don't look up, instead I move to my right.

"What, you trying to find these criminals, too?" He asks.

I shrug. "Isn't it illegal to be a bounty hunter?"

"Sure is, but that don't mean that I won't do it." He chuckles. "It's funny though, all this irony. They want you to catch them, but at the same time, they don't."

"Yeah, I see what you mean." I say.

"Yeah...you know if you wanted a newspaper you could just take one from the rack." He points to his left. That's right, the rack. I have been here before.

"Yeah, well...I'm a lazy one."

"Oh, that doesn't pay well, now does it?" He chuckles. "Name's Robert." He sticks out his hand, though reluctantly I shake it. "Those men over there, those are my boys." He points to his left to a bunch of other poor men, not built well.

"Name's Jackson." I say, taking the name of that old Gypsy.

"I see, well, nice to meet you Jackson."

I point to his men. "That's, uh, not exactly the safest thing, there, is it? To be in a group of hunters?"

He shrugs. "Well, it's not like we try to get all of 'em. We go for the smaller ones, though. Just the ones we trail, and pretend like we were just at the right place at the right time."

I nod. "I suppose that'll work."

"Yeah...it does. Not enough to pay for the interior though, am I right? If you were looking for those people, don't go for the one's with the x's, they-"

"Yeah, I got it...from the X through the line." I cut him off before he explains something annoyingly. I wish he would just leave.

"Oh, sshh!" He backs away and hides his face; he's clearly not someone who's been in a dangerous business for a long time. I'm guessing it's all luck. I look behind him, and it turns out to be a bunch of Corpal soldiers.

At least now I know that this hair cut really works, considering this bounty hunter doesn't even recognize me. Or he's just stupid. I'm sure that plays a critical role in his mediocre lifestyle. Still, as idiotic as he is, I don't feel like killing him, just yet.

I suppose I'm not a too much of a sociopath that I would kill just anyone. Then again, I don't mind admitting that I can be a sociopath. Well, not just can, really. That would be a huge understatement.

"It's them Corpal soldiers again-" I nod. "No, Don't look at them!" He quietly panics.

"How long have you been in this business?" I ask.

"Uh, just takin' the place of my uncle, so definitely too long." He chuckles. "Although, it certainly don't feel like it's been half a decade."

I internally sigh. "I'm sure it doesn't."

"Them stupid Corpal soldiers took all our money once. Promise to pay us, but they didn't. I'm sure they've stolen a bunch of money from here, too. They probably keep it in some Interior safe, lucky bastards." He grunts.

"This place?" I ask. "What about this place?"

"Uh..." He scratches his head. "Well...something about this place gone rogue. You know them dark days when there was that civil war with the water and the Kin and stuff? Yeah, they say the family's gone rogue."

"The family?"

"Yeah? Uh, Mariano? He's that old muscle guy that runs this place still. He's the only one of them that didn't turn dark, you know? Like, start all these gangs and such." I nod. "Yeah, he was a Corpal soldier for a while, but then he quit, so I heard."

"Quit?" I ask.

"Yeah, I know, weird huh? Normally when you quit, well, you die!" He chuckles awkwardly, making me stare at him with nothing but boredom, but then he clears his throat, "It was something about this bar that let them say it was okay, but I mean, let's face it, it's got pretty nice drinks."

"Mariano..." I hear myself say.

"Yeah, well, he's still here...are they gone?"

I look over to the Corpal assholes paying their bills and saying their goodbye flirts to the young workers of the bar, and I silently nod. "Yeah, you're good."

He looks at me weirdly. "You know...you remind me of someone." Wow, he gets it now.

I sigh. "I'm sure I do." I honestly couldn't care if he found it was me, what's he gonna do, attack me? That's ridiculous, especially from...some weak scrawny looking old guy like him.

"Oh no, I hope they're not running to get our bounty." He says. "There's been rumors going around about Kin being back, although I kinda doubt it, cause, you know...notorious serial killer and all-"

I nod. "Yeah, I know."

"-Yeah you know, anyway, for some reason, his little old gang has been coming around here and trying to finish what they started and all. I mean, he's worth such a big bounty, even till now," He chuckles. "Those idiots."

"Right...you would know a thing or two about idiots." I say.

"Yeah, my men over there, can be fuckin' idiots some times, you get what I'm sayin'?" He nudges me with his elbow.

"Well, I do, I just don't know if you get what I'm saying."

He turns around to face me. "Hm?"

"Never mind." I grunt.

A sudden flash of light shines through the paper windows, and the sound of a gunshot echoes through the air. Robert looks frozen and scared, running around and panicking to find his gun.

"Ah, where is it?" He grabs it mid air and holsters it, whistling to his boys to go outside.

The sound of stomping from behind stops him, and we both turn around. An older man with gray hair but a muscular body stops in front of us, cleaning his dirty wine glasses. I'm sure I know him from somewhere, I know I do.

"I heard a gunshot," The man says.

Mariano.

"Yeah, well, no time to talk, Mari, it seems my men let them Corpal soldiers through to our Bounty." Robert explains.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're men are the real problem. And what the hell did you just call me?" He grunts.

"Nothin-ah-never mind I gotta-" He stumbles.

Mariano glares at me, his eyes are way too familiar. "You."

"Hn?" I look up at him, bored.

"Oh yeah, that's Jacki-" I then glare at him. "Ah-sorry-do you know each other? Agh, anyway, I really-"

"I'll go with you." I then say, walking away.

"-should be going. Okay, then, yeah, let's go."

Mariano stops him, and then he says, "No, sorry, I just...think I know him."

"Yeah...small world." I shrug.

"Small town." He then explains, and walks back.

I hold in a sigh, and I run out with him. "I'm surprised he lets you do that, seeing is how he does harbor some Corpal soldiers here."

"Yeah, well, still, he's a reliable guy. Come on, let's go catch ourselves some Kin worshipers." He says.

"You sure you wanna trust me?" I ask.

"What? Yeah, I'm sure." I almost let out a chuckle at how stupid and trusting this guy is. "I-I mean why wouldn't I be."

"Is it really that wise, huh? A shady guy you met a bar?" I sigh. "You're a fucking hunter, you know."

"Y-Yeah, but, I didn't think you were that shady." He gulps, and then calms down. "Never mind, it doesn't matter."

He's an idiot. So, nothing to worry about there.

The Corpal soldiers are tying people up, some trying to escape, some actually escaping. These old people who used to believe in me...are still around. And some young ones, too. Huh. I guess my evil essence never actually left this place, did it?

They're all tossing each other a box of things, something important probably. As much as I don't need their help, I feel both disgusted, lame, and proud at the same time.

And then there

"You guys! What are you doing?!" He grunts, and whispers, bringing his men to the side. "Why aren't you running after them?"

"Cause then we'll get caught!" A chubbier one, still trying to catch his breath states.

"What exactly were you running from, son?" I ask him.

"To...the door." He heaves. "Wait who are you?"

"Doesn't matter! Come on, we need to catch up to them, you fucking idiots." Robert cries out. "My main man, here, Jackie-" I glare at him.

"Jackie?" Someone, a lanky woman interrupts.

"-Is gonna help us catch these guys--for no pay--I'm assuming because we don't really have that much to give you anyway, but, he's gonna help us, and we need to go, now!" He and four others start running, and I slowly job to catch up to them.

"Wait, are you sure you can trust this guy?!" The chubby one heaves.

"Shut up, Calvin, you ignorant slut, I know what I'm doing." Robert leans into me. "Fucking idiot."

"What?" Calvin asks.

"Shut up!" We run into an alley. "There!" The remaining of my old men run around the overhead tunnels, avoiding the tolls and jumping on the overheads, fitting through cracks similar to the way I used to do it as a young child.

Except these people are fucking idiots.

I look to my right, knowing my way through these stupid alleys. "This way."

"What?" Robert asks, but then I jump, spider-climbing through the thin alleys, propping myself off the walls and kicking to the right so I jump far onto the over head tunnels.

"Oh, okay, that's smart." I hear Robert say, faintly, and in awe. "But that seems fuckin' impossible, Calvin, get on our knees and lift me up--Gah--what the hell--that mean case of old man strength!"

Fucking idiots.

There at the end of the overhead tunnels, I see a child running with the rest of my old crew, jumping into a familiar alley. I jump to the left, knowing that's where the two alleys would meet anyway. I know they're tactics, they think they can evade me by ending up behind me, but like I said.

This is my part of town. I now this place better than anyone.

And yet, this is all on instinct. Can I truly remember this place for what it truly once was? I can't even remember that stupid Mariano guy.

They turn the corner, and I punch the first face to come up, knocking him to the ground, and before they can escape, I back them up to the corner of the two alleys.

I make sure no one's around us, although I'm sure those idiots will catch up to us eventually, I'm really stretching out the world eventually.

"Damn you, Corpal soldier, we don't have anything-" A child cries out.

"Yes, we do, and you can't take it from us, you should help us get that water back for Kin." An older one admits.

"Relax." I say, softly, pulling down Carla's handkerchief from my face and tipping my hat. "I need your help."

"Huh?" The child questions. "Get the hell out of here, old man."

"No, hush, child, that's...no way...Kin?" A man asks. He gets on his knees and a brief feeling of relief fills his face. "I hope you're proud of us."

"Tsk." I let out.

Finally, Robert and his idiots show up, and they look at us, wondering what's going on. "Jackson! You caught them!" My men looks terrified, betrayed.. "You caught them damn, Kin worshipers, those...Kinners! Those Surgents!"

"Yeah, I did. I'll handle it from here." I then say.

"Wait, what about our share of the money?" Robert asks.

"I knew we couldn't trust him." Someone else says.

"You can get it, just a minute."

"But-"

"What, you said you trust me, right?" I then say. Robert nods, and he waves to his boys.

"Come on, let's give them their space. Jackson's scary as it is."

My men sigh in relief, and I do, too. I look at them and ask, "You got money I can borrow?"

They look confused. "Uh, no, why?"

"I need it." I explain. "I'm fucking tired of this place, I'm leaving."

"What? If you wanted to leave, why did you come back?" The child asks.

"You're not gonna bring us our water and earn us a spot in the interior?" They ask.

I shrug. "I'll be frank with you, I am getting into the interior, but not for the same reasons as you think." Their faces seem relieved again. "Tell me, did anyone find a way to make it into the interior, yet?"

One of them, the oldest, I would think, shrugs. "I...our people think there might be someone who knows."

Don't tell me it's the Gypsies, of all people.

"Who?" I ask.

"The Blade." He says. "There were some talks about the different gangs trading things from the Gypsies, and that he traded old maps from that old Gypsy guy of the sewers, and that maybe there was an entrance into the Interior."

"Oh?" I ask. "Tell me, where's this Blade, guy? I heard he's the new Kin?"

The child shivers. "He's intimidating."

The mother, I assume, shakes her head. "No, he's young and stupid."

"Our guys tried to get the maps from him." The old man says. "I'm not entirely sure what happened then, but he escaped, unfortunately, and now we don't know where the maps are."

"It's that stupid girl and his weird friends." Another says.

"Girl? The...Navy Leg, they call her? Why that name, of all things." I almost chuckle out of that ridiculous name. Though Kin's not any better. Son--Kin--of the devil they called me.

"Well, it's because of her killer leg." Someone says. "She kicks hard, is all I'm saying. And she's always got that navy blue bandanna over her face."

"So it's safe to say she's not that hard to find, then?" I ask.

The old man shrugs. "Well, maybe for you, but you've been silent for a long time, Kin. She can disappear just like that, and so can The Blade. It's better if you run into only one of them, preferably the girl, although it's best not to take any one of them lightly."

"What's their story anyway?" I ask.

He shrugs. "Who knows? Something about childhood stuff, I assume."

"Right, there's always that. Well, their bounty's pretty high." I think aloud. "If I find one, I'm sure to find the other, right? Probably find the maps along the way and then make my way into the interior? And if not, one bounty should be enough to get into the interior. Where did you last see them?"

"South western sector, in the sewers is where I heard they caught The Blade." The mother says.

"Thank you." I walk away.

"Wait, are you gonna help us?" They call out, but I don't say anything, I'm already gone.

Robert and his gang catches them, some try to run, but those idiots get caught anyway. I couldn't care what would happen to them. They live, they live. They die, they die. They've been great help, and I doubt those idiots would be willing to go anywhere but to me even if they do live.

"Wait-Wait, help us, no, don't take us!" They cry out. "He's the Kin! He's the Kin!" The child pleads.

"What? Who?"

But again, I'm already gone.

For a while, I walk around, until I see the Corpal soldiers, following bits and trails of some sort. Maybe mine, maybe the kids? Who knows? Whoever's trail they're following I have to be there.

Before I sneak around, anymore, I immediately walk the other direction to the Barber shop. Wherever they're going is probably connected to some killing, and maybe my killing. If I'm lucky, I'll be lead to all of them criminals on the bounty list.

And even if the Corpal soldiers will probably take me in custody as well and on death row, it's not like I can't sell these people to other people.

As I heard yesterday, children sales are at a high.

One Corpal soldier from the behind nearly spots me, and I hide behind a building, spider climbing up, once more. Of course, that lazy man lets me go. I jump back down, silently, creeping along the side of the Barber building.

I doubt they see anything. There can't be much in the first place, anyway. I've done the most I can to cover that I'm not here. Even if they start to think that, their doubt will cover most of it for them anyway.

Not much here.

I start to walk home, then I bump into a figure.

"'Scuse me, sir, what are you doing here?" He points his gun at me. "Try that again, and I'll shoot." Good thing I've got Carla's handkerchief on, and those sunglasses I got.

"Sorry there, officer, I didn't mean anything by it, I just wasn't looking, is all."

"Maybe it's cause you've got those sunglasses on, you incognito, take them the fuck off and show me some kind of...paperwork." I take off my sunglasses and put my hands up, not trying so hard to remain calm--not because I need to try hard anyway.

"ID?"

"I live in the left side of the Overhead tunnels, I don't have an ID."

"Yeah, so where's your paperwork?" He asks.

I sigh. "Okay, take me back there, then officer."

He grunts and pushes me along, handcuffing me and putting a gun to my back, as well, as he escorts me out. "You guys finish up here, I'll get this fleeter home."

"Tch, another one?" A lady Corpal soldier asks. "I'd kill him."

"Really?" The soldier scoffs. "You would now, would you?"

She nods. "Mm-mmph, yeah, serious."

"And uh, just about what happened to that other guy you captured, huh?" He fixes the restraints on my arms to make it tighter. At this point my arm would be bleeding but, well, maybe it is, I don't feel it. "You...thought he was cute was your reasoning? The oh so reasoning Mr. Bossman had to listen to?"

She scoffs. "Yeah, well, I'm not one for denying, and this one definitely ain't a cutie. I mean, what's with your haircut? You look like a homeless man, well, you are." They both chuckle, and I hold in a sneer, myself, from just about what they missed.

"Still..." She rubs her chin, "For an old guy-"

"Stop it." He cuts her off quickly and she raises her hands in a surrender. "Yeah, well, you better start paying your tolls, you fleeter move the fuck up." He growls. "I'll see you tonight." He tells her.

"Maybe not." She then sighs. "I mean this old barber store shut down for some reason, and..." She looks at me, and then turns again at her feet after a second of doubt, swinging her gun around, carelessly. "Never mind, I don't know...and now we got this...white haired girl and handsome blonde guy we saw on the tapes, I think, breaking into one of our facilities, stealing stuff. So after that fiasco, we, for some reason, are still trying to tail their ass. Damn kids and their little hiding ways, just fight like a man, wouldn't they."

"Wow, didn't think they'd keep stuff from us." He pushes me along.

"Didn't think so either, but who knows?" She walks away, herself, sighing. "Whatever it is, I hope it's important so it gives me a good reason not to go home and eat."

"Yeah." He stops and looks back at her. "What are you gonna do with them?"

"What?" She chuckles. "You mean the blonde handsome one?" She sighs, smiling. "Ah, you'll have to wait and see. Seriously, though, his deep grey eyes...man, I felt like I was staring at a hot soul. I"ll tell you what, though, that white haired girl and her stupid green eyes are gonna rot in a cell."

"And what if they're a couple?" He asks.

She sneers. "All the more reason to get rid of her, right?"

They're sickening. And to think that they are the 'good guys.'

The dust starts to pick up from the ground. Another storm is coming, like it had been yesterday. There's no way another storm's brewing already. Things have changed, and certainly not for the better, fucking idiots.

"Why are you so quiet, you sleek bastard?" The soldier asks.

"Because I'm smart."

"Not smart enough to avoid us, huh?"

"I suppose not, no." I almost chuckle.

"You're some fucking piece of work, I oughta kill you right now."

"Okay." I say. "It doesn't matter. You can try to kill me right now, but it isn't going to work, you fucking idiot."

"Damn you!" He takes the safety off, and I immediately duck forward, jumping down and outwards to knock him off his feet. The gun goes off and as he drops it, making a bullet hit my shoulder. I grunt.

I push myself up, pinning him with my back this time. He struggles to reach for his gun, but then I kick it out of the way, my shoulder burning a little. My hands behind wiggle down to my legs and come out the front. I kick up once more, grabbing the gun, and hitting his head with the butt of it before his full strength comes back to strangle me.

I take my knife and stab him in the through the middle of his chest, taking his gun from him. The more the merrier, right?

Fucking idiot.

From there, I walk back, and I jump into the alley way, where I know my place around, disappearing once more, as the Corpal Soldiers find him.

"Shit, where'd that guy go?"

"Come on, it doesn't matter, there's something more important at hand."

A tall blonde man runs after someone in the alley way. Could they be who they're looking for? Because whoever it is, they have a bounty on him.

I jump after him, but that perceptive guy turns around, and I walk casually to the other side, disappearing once more. There's no time. As much as I'd love to kill those Corpal soldiers, it's not gonna do me much good if the people who'll pay the most for other people don't want them from me.

And they hardly got a look at my face. I'll be fine.

I walk around them, to the alley's on the other side, watching some action through my peripheral vision.

A smaller lady, with pure white hair, wearing a navy blue bandanna runs down the street, quickly. Faster than the rest of the other Corpal soldiers. I hold my bleeding shoulder and keep walking. I know she'll run into here, eventually.

But then, she disappears from my sight, and the sound of her running gradually turns quiet.

"Walker!" I hear a feminine cry. "Ah-I mean-shit!" Gun shots sound, she's probably hit now. "Fuck! Move it!"

"Gah! Stop being a pain in the ass."

"Go! GO!"

Then the sounds dwindle away.

At least they're no longer looking for me. There's no point right now. I'll have to try and get her another time.

The walk home turns into a bunch of twists and turns knowing that I could be followed, and even if I was there wouldn't be too much of a problem, I'm sure.

Somewhere in the sewers is where those two live, and I'm sure now, they might still be there. A quick trip wouldn't hurt, but that isn't really the way to go right now. Especially not right now.

I walk to a different alley that does lead me to the Overhead tunnels. Strange, I see some Corpal soldiers to the right of me. They shouldn't be here.

As I turn the corner, and short white hair and terrified green eyes pop up next to me. The same Navy blue bandanna hits my chest, just as I catch her.

"Sorry." She says. But then, she tenses up. I gotta give it her, she's developed keen instincts, and she's managed to escape, well, kind of escape, the Corpal soldiers. Even if I didn't hand her over to the Corpal soldiers, people would still bid a lot of money for a face like hers.

I then, take her from behind and cover her mouth with one hand, and wrap my arm around her neck with the other. She tries to scream, she flails around, but I know she's fatigued. Her will to survive is strong, and she keeps fighting, struggling, biting my hand making it bleed, and she kicks my shin with the back of her foot, hitting me against the alley.

"Walker! W-Walker--Maverick! Help!" She cries out, "My God, let go of me, you fucking pervert, I'm gonna kick your ass!" And a Blonde man, whom I assume to be Walker, sees us through the other alley way, until the Corpal soldiers start to follow him, and he runs down and disappears, trying his best to reach her.

She kicks up, but her weight isn't enough to pin me down. After her brief second in the air, she lands a weird kick on my stomach and kicks up, as she falls to the ground. My hands cover my stomach by instinct, but then I hit her hard on the head with my boot.

"Gah...damn." She covers her bleeding nose, and then I kick her once more, and all the lights go out from her.

That doesn't look like the Blade in the photo. From what I can tell, his hair was dark. I hit the girl in the head, knocking her out, and run disappear again, into the shadows like I normally do.

There's no point in handing her into the Corpal Soldiers right now, especially since those particular soldiers are after me as well. Right now, I need to find my old men, and see where I can sell her.

And maybe that Blade guy will come after her. Mr. Walker over there's gonna be a witness. The more eyes to tell that guy the better. If not, she's worth enough for a head start, maybe to at least find a wagon.

I drag her all the way to the house, setting her down in a room half underground, half above ground. Those stupid Corpal soldiers were probably too fucking tired to even care if I had someone passed out on my back.

She reminds me of someone. A strong, young lady who would do anything to survive.

Casey Rylander.

What the hell am I thinking? I sit beside her and take a drink of an old beer bottle. She's all tied up, and whoever that Maverick fella is, he's not gonna know where to find me. I've gotta move soon, anyway.

Doesn't matter. This girl is gonna lead me to Casey.

I'll be back soon. It doesn't matter who I need to kill. I'll be the man no one wanted me to be, but the one I needed to be.

"Maverick." She mutters.