Paul stood beside the door. The shouts grew high, then a bullet shot through the lock. The door opened slightly.
Paul pressed his back tightly against the wall. The door flung open. A muzzle peeked at the threshold, then it moved forward revealing the hands holding it.
Paul's hands shot forward. He snatched the gun and shot the man on the neck. He stepped out and pushed the dying man forward. Two men standing outside fired aimlessly. Paul used the meat shield, and shot both of them down.
He took the spare magazine, letting the dead fall, he moved out, towards the main exit.
After half an hour of bloodbath, killing everyone who stood in his way, Paul reached the concrete stairs. The light bulbs flickered on the pillars as he walked up. The massacre here was devastating, every step lay dead, it was the ascension to Hell's Gate.
He slowed down, the exit was near. Two men stood behind the pillar on each side. Paul crouched lower, peeked out from behind the pillar. He can see a shoe slightly.
He fired the bullet on the shoe, man's jerked out, Paul shot it down and went behind the cover. The other man fired preemptively but Paul remained still, and checked the magazine.
Two bullets left.
Paul breathed out slowly and glanced at the exit. "Are you one of Anthony's guys?"
No reply.
"Just to let you know he is dead."
"What did you say?"
"He is dead from the blast." Paul let the silence hang for a moment. "No point sticking around."
"The orders were to kill everyone. Anthony died following it. I'll do—"
"Don't you have a family?" Paul interjected. "Friends? Anyone waiting for you? Because I have. There's a girl waiting for me and I don't wanna let her down. So how about letting me go? We can even hit her together if you want."
"You're from Roman's side, right?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
"Then I can't let you go."
"I'm tired of hearing the same things." Paul stood up. "I don't give a fuck a about Roman. Just because ten more dollars I don't wanna be ten feet under the ground. And I know you're also doing this 'cause of money. Everyone is."
He got out of the cover. "If you want Roman's head I'll be happy to help. We can team up and get him together."
The man hesitated, then slowly got out of the cover. "Are you sure—"
Bang bang. The first bullet landed on his hand, second on his skull. He dropped down.
Paul stepped forward, his expression remained calm. Believing in your enemy was the last thing you do in a job like this.
Paul gave a short glance at the dead before reaching for the door. Then bullets fired behind him. He quickly jumped behind the pillar.
"Finally." Roman approached closer. The firing behind the pillar continued, bullets passed beside Paul, some even grazed past his skin.
Roman stopped seven steps before Paul. Roxy just a step behind, breathing heavily.
"Show yourself Paul Vaxlar."
Paul stepped out from behind the pillar, his both hands up, one holding the empty gun, other holding the remote.
"How about a deal?" Paul dropped the gun.
"A deal?" Roman raised the rifle at Paul's head. "I like deals. Let's see what you can offer."
"This remote on my hand can stop all the explosives. I got it from Anthony. What do you say? Everything you've built in exchange for my life."
Roman broke into laughter.
"You think this is fake?" Paul flipped open the shield.
"No it's just..." Roman calmed himself, his gaze sharpened. "Do you think I'll let go of someone who destroyed everything? You might have the button to turn everything into dust but I have your life."
"I never had the intention to ruin what you built. My goal was to know about the supplier, and I know it now. I can help you build everything back up."
"And how'd you plan to do that?"
"High table."
Roman hands twitched. Paul noticed and continued. "I work for them and I can help you get in touch with my boss. He can offer a better deal than your previous one."
Paul took out a black card from his back pocket. He threw it in front of Roman's legs. "You can check it yourself."
Roman stared at Paul for a long beat, before picking up the card. He had seen it before, and this was similar. The black matt finish, a QR on opposite, details of the owner and lastly the ancient symbols.
His gaze shifted back to Paul. "This is legit."
"I told you. You can have it until we close the deal."
"But," Roman's lips widened with a mocking smile. He aimed the barrel back to Paul. "I'm not in the mood for great deals at this moment."
Paul's thumb hovered over the button. His legs began twitching. He was at his limit. Then his gaze shifted to Roxy, standing behind Roman. Waiting.
"I'm in the mood to tear your whole body apart. Putting all the bullets into your skull." Roman's finger reached for the trigger. After a long time he felt the pleasure of having control.
Bang!
Roman's body jerked slightly. His eyes fell to his abdomen, blood forming out from his cloth.
"Roxy!" He snapped back, his face turning into twisted horror.
Roxy lifted the gun. Roman followed quickly. Both fired at the same time. Ta ta ta
Roxy jerked backwards, he staggered and dropped on the stairs. Roman stayed still for a beat, then his body tilted, blood spilled from his lips.
Paul arrived beside him and took the black card. Roman watched him, tried to raise the rifle but his body gave up.
Paul crouched lower and lifted Roxy up. He shouldered Roxy and turned to the exit. They both exited the club, meeting with fresh night air. Paul glanced at the door, then pressed the button.
A loud sound quickly followed out, gusts of air pulsed out from the windows. The whole structure began to shake violently.
They walked without turning their heads, their footsteps absorbed into the silence of the night as they walked through deserted streets, passing by closed storefronts and parked cars, passing by a lamppost that illuminated an empty space in the middle of the road, while the city went about its business as cities always have — detached and unconcerned, already forgetting about whatever had happened not long ago. The smoke curled up behind them, the dim stars shone above them, and at the off road lay a silent grass field. Paul led them to the middle of it. He lowered Roxy down and sat beside him and for a moment neither of them said anything.
"What did you save me?" Roxy asked. Blood dripped down from his lips.
"I didn't." Paul replied calmly. "You did."
"So the debt is paid." Roxy glanced at Paul. "But I didn't want to die with this feeling. That I helped someone who used me as a tool to the very end."
"You made the choice."
"And it was worth it. I stepped out from the sideline and made the choice." Roxy's vision began to blur, but he forced himself to stay awake, a little more. "Why did you do it?"
"I… because I wanted to clean up the city."
"Are you a hero now?"
"Someone has to."
Roxy coughed heavily. The grass beneath him soaked with wet blood. "What about your chick from the Old Town? Have you made up with her?"
"Her…"
"Don't tell me that was a made up story. She does exist right?"
"She doesn't."
"A lie." Roxy looked at the fading stars and asked the final question. "Was everything you told me a lie?"
Paul remained silent for a moment, then replied calmly. "You were a good guy Roxy. But you never deserved to know the truth. You're not one of them. Never will be."
Paul's mind began to blur. He lay down beside Roxy, his gaze never leaving those distant stars. Consciousness fading, dream shattering and arriving back to face reality.