There are those who seek weapons for the cause of their god. Believing their cause to be holy and just, they will strike down any who dare threaten the divinity of their lord god or their chance at salvation. Who in their zealotry will strike down any who dare question their beliefs.

July 15th 1099 AD Jerusalem

"It is not a crime to kill a heretic! It is the path to heaven! We retake this city in the name of Jesus Christ and our Lord God! With this crucible of battle, your sins shall we wiped clean and forgiven by God almighty and the path to heaven will open to all of you! Rejoice, you do gods work here!"

The priest's voice was thundering and powerful, promising salvation and rescue from eternal damnation. All that was needed was to spill a little heretical blood. A shallow price to pay for paradise indeed.

Sir William Blackwood was one such soul seeking redemption. A member of the Templar Knights hailing from England who had answered the call to liberate the holy land in a great crusade. For redemption and salvation he would strike down any number of heretics. Cut down any who stood in his way.

Clad in heavy steel armour emblazoned with a bold red cross on the front of a white surcoat, he led the charge through the crumbled gatehouse and into the holy city. Halberd in hand he cleaved a man in half who tried to arrest his charge. Cutting through armour, flesh, and bone in one clean swing. Then he cut down a second and a third. Then a forth and a fifth.

Every twirl, every strike of his halberd saw another life ended, saw another brick laid in his path to heaven. To sweet redemption and forgiveness.

The city was on fire, black smoke filled the blue sky above and hungry fires greedily devoured all they touched. The cries of ten thousand men and the wails of ten thousand women filled the air, fighting with the clash of steel, rending of flesh, and crumbling stone for dominance.

Sir Blackwood fought like a demon even though he sought entry into heaven. No one could stand before him, his halberd moving in blinding arcs and loops around him, never stopping. Never ceasing. His white surcoat was quickly turning red, matching the crimson cross stitched to it. Soon obscuring it completely in a layer of wet blood.

Sir Blackwood's halberd finally broke when he tried to cleave a man from shoulder to groin with it. The steel head embedding in the man's collarbone, and he grasped at it in disbelief before falling to the ground.

Another guard tried to run Sir Blackwood through with a sword, but instead received the broken haft of the halberd through his throat and the Templar rammed him into the ground.

It was then that Blackwood realized that he had charged far ahead of the main crusader force and was alone. There was at least twenty soldiers of the Fatimid Caliphate arrayed before him. Cautious, almost fearful of the crusader knight drenched in blood and surrounded by dead men.

"No man will stop my salvation. No man will impede my atonement. No man will halt my entry into heaven. Do you hear me followers of Mohammad? DO YOU HEAR ME HERETICS?!" roared Sir Blackwood, drawing his longsword and charging.

He cut down the fist man before he was even aware of what was happening, then leaned out of the way of another man's wild swing before crusader steel cut down the Fatimid soldier in turn. With inhuman skill and strength, Sir Blackwood cut down every man who stood before him. More demon than angel.

He tore limbs from bodies, stripped flesh from bone, and crushed any who dared to stand in his way. Sir Blackwood fought far into the holy city, stopping only when those who did see him turned and ran from the man literally dripping blood. Even surrounded by such death and carnage, the crusader let out a joyous laugh. His salvation was finally at hand.

He pushed open the door into the Church of the Holy Sepulchure, leaving a bloody handprint on the thick wood. Christians who lived in Jerusalem let out gasps of fear at the sight of him, yet he paid them no mind. He could feel it. He could feel his salvation at hand! Images of the apostles, of the angels, of the Virgin Mary herself watched him stride to the front of the church, bloody sword in hand, steel armoured boots thundered on the stone floor.

He stopped in front of the statue of Jesus Chris depicted at the time of his crucifixion. Sir Blackwood tore off his helmet and cast it to the side, the steel helm clanging and bouncing away, finally free of its confines. Finally free of his sins! How good it felt! How joyous! He opened his arms wide and turned his head heavenwards. He eagerly awaited his salvation that he had been so promised. His long journey was finally, mercifully at an end after all these long years.

Xxx

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," cursed Liz over and over again as she and Henry ran to the decorative stone pillars supporting the overhang to the shops around them, only to have to trust that same stone to keep them alive as rounds started thudding into them.

Liz's heart was up in her throat and her blood was pounding in her ears. She was holding her pistol in both hands, waiting for a lull in the barrage so that she could return fire. Looking over at Henry, she saw that he was nonchalantly leaning against the pillar that he was hiding behind and checking his phone.

"Are you calling for help?" asked Liz.

"No, just checking my email, I forgot to do it this morning," said Henry.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" demanded Liz, her voice rising to a shrill screech.

"No, if I forget to do it they just keep building up and then I have to sit down for at least two hours to sift through them and reply. This would be a good time to shoot back by the way."

"Jesus Christ!" cursed Liz rapidly letting off a trio of shots before ducking back behind the stone pillar as return fire came her way.

"Where's your gun?"

"I didn't bring one. I honestly didn't think that I would need one."

"Then what the bloody hell do you have?"

By way of reply Henry took a small knife out of his pocket and hit a button causing the steel blade to pop out.

"Bollocks! So I'm the only one with a gun?!"

"I did hire you as my bodyguard Liz."

"Yeah, yeah, I fucking know," said Liz firing a few more rounds at the pair of assassins before ducking back into cover.

"Besides, this is Dubai, not Somalia. Hear that? That's the police coming and with them an end to this ill conceived assassination attempt."

"Aw fuck me sideways."

"What?" asked Henry.

"They've got a fucking grenade launcher."

"These people have no sense of propriety. Using such heavy weapons in the middle of the day in public. I suppose they want their faces plastered on every news station in the world. Henry rubbed at his ears when a 40mm grenade exploded and took a police car with it.

"And why not murder the local police while they're at it? Not like cop killers are hunted down with special vigor. If these are professionals, it's with their skill in killing only, other than that they're rank amateurs. If I ever were to be so sloppy I'd hang my head in shame."

"Love, the way you're talking it sounds like you were a hitman."

Liz got a smile in reply that made her stomach sink, for it wasn't a kind smile, more like a smile one gives another when they have been let in on a rather dark secret. Liz cringed as another explosion rocked the square and she rubbed at her ears.

"Jesus that's loud,"muttered Liz.

"Hmm, more of Koko's bodyguards," said Henry idly.

Liz peered around the corner of the pillar that she was hiding behind to see one of them at least. A gray haired man that looked like he was pushing sixty, but moved like a man half that age.

"Liz, stay in Cover," said Henry, a moment before a Kalashnikov roared to life and began shredding apart anything that moved.

"Hmm, those aren't military surplus rounds they're using. They sound almost match grade. And yet he's burning through them by shooting on full auto. Like throwing money away. Liz, hold your fire."

"What? Why?"

"They're ignoring us for the moment. We are unimportant for the time being and we aren't their target. They are entirely fixated on Koko and her party. Now would be the perfect time to leave."

"So what then? They're just going to let us walk away?"

"Of course not Liz, they'd shoot us in the back. Whoever hired these buffoons made the mistake of hiring assassins who kill for pleasure rather than money. Absolutely unreliable rabid dogs. Now, when I say to move run from pillar to pillar. I'll be right behind you."

"Damn love, aren't I supposed to be the one telling you how to keep safe?"

"Maybe when you're older Liz."

"Wanker," muttered Liz a sour look on her face. "FUCK!" cursed Liz as white hot pain coursed up her leg and it gave out underneath her. She hit the ground hard and clutched at her leg, gritting her teeth to bite back the pain. A steady flow of bloody leaking out from her leg. Liz saw the man who had shot her, a wildly grinning man with a Kalashnikov who looked very much like he planned on finishing the job.

Before he could though, a strong hand grabbed the front of her blouse roughly and yanked her back up and behind the pillar she had been hiding behind a moment before rounds tore up the ground where she had just been laying.

Her face was pressed into Henry's chest, an unyielding mass of iron hard muscle and he held her as if he were the one protecting her from the bullets, not the stone pillar. His eyes were different now. Focused, and resolute where before they had been almost bored.

"You won't be able to run now."

"Yeah, no shit," hissed Liz in pain.

"I'm going to bandage your leg, hold still."

"Oka-whoa!" exclaimed Liz as she was spun around and quickly put against the stone column. The next thing she knew, Henry had his knife out and had cut open her pant leg on her injured leg. Then he was cutting strips out of his silk dress shirt to use for gauze and then cut his Hugo Boss suit jacket for a strip to tie it all around with. He did it with practiced ease and it seemed that he had just begun and then he was already finished.

"How's that?"

"Still hurts. A lot," grunted out Liz as if short of breath.

"Maybe, but you'll live. Now, get ready to move."

"What? How-okay then!" sputtered Liz in surprise as Henry picked her up bridal style. The next thing she knew, they were rushing from pillar to pillar, Henry moving no slower carrying her than he did unencumbered.

Liz almost shot a shockingly pale woman with white hair in surprise as they almost collided with each other, or rather Henry and her almost did.

"Oh! Fancy running into you here again Henry, how have you been?" asked the pale woman, a small southeast Asian boy suffering from some form of albinism with a gun at her side.

"Now is not the time to discuss this Miss Hekmatyar," said Henry, never breaking stride.

"Oh come on now, it's been awhile since I've seen you last. Who's the new girl? Your new partner? She doesn't look like your boss."

"I would advise you to focus on running and less on talking Miss Hekmatyar."

"Oh, I'll be fine with Jonah here watching over me. Are you sure that you don't want to come and work for me? It could be fun."

"I am most decisive on that matter Miss Hekmatyar."

"Your friend is bleeding," observed Koko."

"I fucking know I am!" retorted Liz hotly.

"So you like the English girls huh?" continued Koko with a smirk, seemingly oblivious to the present danger. "The first one is just a coincidence, the second is a fixation."

"Go fuck yourself you albino bitch!" yelled Liz.

"Really bad mouth though, oi love?" mocked Koko adopting a fake Cockney accent.

"Can I shoot her? Can I fucking shoot her?!" demanded Liz.

"Calm yourself Liz, getting worked up will serve no purpose."

"Calm? I have a bloody hole in my leg!"

"It's bloody because it's a bullet hole," said Koko.

"I'm going to fucking shoot her!"

"Liz, enough," said Henry curtly.

"Company," said the boy with red eyes as with a screech of tires a red truck rounded the block and accelerated right for them."

"This is where we part ways Miss Hekmatyar," said Henry and with a leap cleared small wall separating the beach from the road. Quickly pushing both himself and Liz flat behind it to avoid fire from the approaching truck.

"Fu-UCK!" hissed Liz, very nearly crying at the pain as her leg impacted the ground..

"I know it hurts, but you're doing good."

"Fuck off!" retorted the Brit testily as gunfire erupted above them and them slowly passed them It intensified, but grew more faint with each passing second. Henry kept both Liz and himself pressed flat to the ground for several minutes as the chase continued with revving engines and eventually HMG fire. Henry was intimately aware of every detail going on, like everything had taken an unreal quality to it. It was always the same whenever he was in combat Finally ending in an explosion. One final gunshot followed by a woman screaming that she would kill Koko and it was over.

"Are you alright Liz?"

"No, but I'll live," said the girl through gritted teeth as Henry helped her to her feet. "Oh look, the police. Nice that they show up after all the fucking gunfire," muttered Liz darkly.

"Be nice Liz. The ones who were dedicated to their job were killed with a grenade launcher. These are the smart ones."

"Hah, you're a right comedian ain't ya love?" giggled Liz.

"He's not Arabic," noted Henry as a blonde man got out of the car with a policeman, before pushing him out of the way and making his way to Henry and Liz.

"Alright you two, get in the car."

"May I ask what for?"

"No, you may not."

"Then I am afraid I will have to ask anyway. On whose authority to you detain us?"

"The authority of a concerned citizen."

"That authority seems to be lacking weight if I do say so."

"Yeah, well fuck what you say, now get in the damned car. We've got more than enough to go on to take you in. You were running with the arms dealer Koko Hekmatyar and talking with her."

"Yes, running for our lives from a pair of crazy killers, one of which went and shot my friend here. Also may I ask how you will have room for this woman called Koko Hekamtyar if me and my associate occupy the backseat of you car? My friend as I feel I must reiterate does need medical attention immediately. By the way, your badge is showing."

By way of reflex the man glanced towards where his badge would be, were it not hidden from view by his suit jacket.

"Ah to hell with it," cursed the man, pulling out a cellphone and taking a picture of Henry. "I'm not done with you yet, don't you forget it. Scarecrow's coming for ya! Come on!" yelled the man to the cop with him and in an instant they were racing towards where Koko had gone.

"What a buffoon, wouldn't you agree Liz?"

"Hole...in my fucking leg," hissed Liz.

"Ah, right. We should get that fixed."

"Ya fucking think?"

Xxx

"Hello?" asked a raspy voice with glimmer of youth left in it.

"Hello Maxine, this is Henry."

"Good evening Henry, what can I do for you?"

"I had a run in today with a man, I believe he may have been CIA agent. Maybe Interpol...no, Interpol doesn't hire idiots like that. He seemed incompetent and brash, but I believe that I piqued his interest. He goes by the handle of Scarecrow, could be a false name, perhaps just him mocking me, but he didn't seem that smart. A young man, Caucasian, blonde, brown eyes, in his later twenties."

"Is he a danger to you?"

"Hardly. I just like to take precautions whenever I have a run in with the various alphabet agencies. I want you to find out all that you can about him and what he does. He seems to be obsessed with the arms dealer Koko Hekmatyar and since he believes that I am associated with her, he may very well become obsessed with me as well. Such a thing is of course an inconvenience to me, one in which I would like to avoid if at all possible."

"That's life mon ami, not much we can do about it. Regardless I think I still owe you a favor or two that I need to repay. I shall call you when I have learned everything that I can about this Scarecrow fellow. Would you like known associates as well or just the man?"

"I suppose I should be thorough, a list of his known associates would be very much appreciated."

"I'll send it express when I've finished. Same address as before?"

"Come now Maxine, everyone uses email in this day and age. Just email it to me once you have it all together."

"Bah, I'm too old for that nonsense. Have to get my damned nephew to show me how to even use the internet. I should introduce him to you actually, he's a bright boy, just thinks that he's going to be a famous rapper. Cette petite merde," muttered the Frenchman grouchily.

"Does he wear the baggy pants and hat twisted sideways?"

"Oui, and he wears gold chains and some kind of fancy sneakers," admitted Maxine sounding embarrassed at the fact.

"Oh no, really?" chuckled Henry.

"You can't pick family mon ami. Next time you're in Brest we should catch up, for old times sake."

"We should. Is that cafe still open? You know, the one who was run by that Hungarian couple?"

"Non, it closed down ten years ago."

"Has it really been that long?" asked Henry genuinely surprised.

"Yes, but do not worry, I know of another spot that will let us drink more wine than we should. I'll contact you when I have the details that you're looking for."

"Thanks again Maxine, take care."

"You as well."

Henry hung up and went in from the balcony into the hospital room where Liz was still high as a kite on pain medication and puckering up her lips at a fish on the tv.

"Blub, blub, blub," said Liz. "Hey. Heeeeeey," continued the redhead, noticing that Henry had come back into the room, slurring her words like she was drunk.

"Yes Liz?"

"Come here, I want to tell you something," slurred his bodyguard.

"What do you want to tell me Liz?"

"You have a nice bum. It's not too big, but it's also not too small, and I like looking at it. It's nice and firm," Liz smiled a dopey smile after she said it. It remained in place as her hand traveled to his rear and began stroking his butt. Henry politely took her hand off of his posterior and placed it at her side.

"The flattery is most unnecessary Liz."

"Your shirt is soft, I like it," said the girl, rubbing his ripped silk shirt. "You should take it off."

"It's time to get some sleep Liz, you've had a long day," said Henry, politely, but firmly taking Liz's hand off of his stomach and putting it back under her blankets, before tucking her in like she was a child.

"Hey Henry?"

"Yes Liz?"

"Do you think I have a nice bum?"

"You have a wonderful bum Liz," assured Henry, getting a happy grin in response before the drugged girl closed her eyes and let out a contented sigh.

"Well I'm not going to let you touch it. It's my bum." She was snoring within moments rather loudly and Henry couldn't help but let out a contented smirk. He didn't know why, but he enjoyed having someone brash and impulsive in his life. Perhaps he just enjoyed having someone to travel with again after having spent so many years working alone. Working with Alice had rekindled the desire to have a partner within him, and like any good flame; once it took light it turned into a raging inferno.

He stroked Liz's brow once and left the room, startling a nurse on the other side of the door.

"Mr. Black," said the woman, in surprisingly good and nearly unaccented English.

"I'm stepping out for a while, and I'm not sure when I'll be back, if Miss Montgomery wakes before I return be sure to tell her to reach me at this number," said Henry handing a slip of paper to the nurse. "Have a good day."

"Of course Mr. Black," assured the nurse.

"Oh one more thing," said Henry after taking a few more steps, half turning as if having forgot to tell her something.

"Yes Mr. Black?"

"No one else is to get that number. Understand?"

"Of course Mr. Black," answered the nurse politely, but her mouth feeling dry as she watched the blonde man leave. He had been courteous, polite even in his request, but his eyes had been anything but. They had seemed to promise pain and untold suffering.

Xxx

Henry had to make his way to the police station to give a statement, it was a matter of due process after all and it wasn't worth pulling the political strings to get out of what had transpired completely. The gun that Liz had in her possession was legal, they had acted only in self-defense, and had no reason to be wary of the police or delay the proceedings. After allowing himself to get a new suit that is.

It would be a quick process, one that would see him soon forgotten and the file buried under the mountain of day to day work that crossed the desks of the local police department. It went without incident and once he was done he paused for a moment on the concrete furnishings outside the police department to review his emails.

Most were junk or of little importance, mere day to day things that he was to be kept appraised of. Stock prices, political news, and other inconsequential things. One did grab hold of his attention and hold it hostage.

ANINA said hello.

Henry let out a smile despite the trepidation he felt at those words. On one hand it was exciting and on the other it was completely terrifying.

Leaving the digital world though, Henry noticed in the real one, he was once again confronted with Koko Hekmatyar.

She was not glib this time though, hiding all she knew behind a Cheshire grin. This time she looked frightened, fidgety, wary, and very much her age. She was also alone.

"You look uncertain Miss Hekmatyar," said Henry and just like that all of what he had just been watching disappeared behind a mask that Koko seemed to be able to put in place at will.

"Henry!" exclaimed Koko with far too much candor and cheer to be natural. "Fancy seeing you here, you get in trouble again?"

"Merely dealing with the trouble from this morning. I see that you are alone, your bodyguards have been detained then I presume?"

"Oh, they're just not allowed to leave the hotel is all, no big deal," said Koko with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"It wouldn't be no, were there not a woman intent on your death stalking you," countered Henry. The smile slipped then, but only for the tiniest moment and only at the very edges of the mask.

"Oh don't be so doom and gloom," admonished the albino girl. "It's not like she's waiting around the next bush ready for me."

"She very well could be. I really must be going now Miss Hekmatyar, please have a good day."

"What? You're going to leave me alone here? That's now a very gentlemanly thing to do you know!" berated the arms dealer gesturing forcefully at Henry's retreating form.

"No, I suppose it's not. Where would you like to go Miss Hekmatyar?"

Henry was surprised at very few things in his life, one that happened to surprise him though was an arms dealer wrapping herself around his arm and smiling up at him.

"I don't know, around," answered Koko coyly.

"You are an odd woman Miss Hekmatyar."

"Please, call me Koko."

They walked for a short distance in silence before Koko began asking the questions that he had known she would.

"So tell me, where does a man with your skill get his training from?"

"There are many places where one could learn what he needs to in order to survive."

"Would that also involve learning how to dodge questions?" prodded the arms dealer.

"Of course."

"Well tell me this then, why are you walking with me? There's a crazy killer after me you know," said Koko in a sing-song voice.

"You did pester me Koko."

"Oh come on, it wasn't that much pestering and you look a guy who can take some bothering."

"You wouldn't be wrong Koko."

"Did anyone ever tell you that you're frustrating to talk to?" asked Koko with a frown.

"Many times."

"Okay, so why are you walking with me then?"

"Maybe I just like walking with a beautiful woman?"

"You know what? I'm going to accept that answer because I like it the most," said Koko with a grin and giving Henry a wink. "Now how about another compliment huh? I like those. What do you find most interesting about me? Hmm?"

"Are you quite serious Koko?"

"Quite."

"You do have a way with mockery don't you Koko?"

"Come on, answer the question."

"Very well. You embody your profession even in your physical appearance."

"Oh? How do you figure that?" It seemed an innocent enough question, but there seemed to be an edge below Koko's words. Like an anger that had been wrestled back down into submission a moment before bursting free.

"Your first name is Japanese, yet your family name is Persian. Your ethnicity appears Caucasian, but to pin it down to one area would be nearly impossible. You have traits of the Saxons, Slavs, and a host of others. You call no country home, yet can make yourself at home anywhere you go. You are a person not bound to any one land, yet can offer your services anywhere you go. You yourself are like the weapons you sell. A weapon has no loyalty except to the one wielding it. It picks no favorites and functions only as it meant to."

"You make me sound evil witch with no loyalty, that's not nice Henry."

"There is no disrespect in what I said Koko. A weapon is neither good nor evil, it is simply a force that can be utilized for either side. It has no hate, no bias, no attachment, and no favorites. There is no malice in what it does, It simply does as it is meant to do. Perhaps it is used to kill a young man for daring to think differently, perhaps it is used to put food on the table for a starving family. Maybe it is used to overthrow a tyrant and usher in an era of peace. It is a neutral thing. You merely let people act out the desires in their heart."

"Most of their desires involve killing."

"So it does. There is evil in the heart of man Koko, but also good. It is just that the evil always tries to bully itself to the fore."

"You know, you're a lot deeper of a thinker than you appear Henry. Do you want me to tell you what I find most interesting about you?"

"I would be intrigued Koko."

"The fact you're wearing a wool suit in Dubai! It's like holding onto a freaking furnace!" exclaimed the arms dealer letting go and shaking her hands as if they were burned from the contact. "It's like you're trying to charbroil yourself!"

Despite himself Henry laughed at the antics of the young woman.

"Are you sure it wasn't the fact that when you were feeling around for where I keep my gun that you didn't find Koko?"

For a split second there was a look of surprise on the arms dealer's face, like that of a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar so to speak.

"Do not worry yourself too much Koko, your skills haven't degraded at all. I merely am not carrying one."

"What? After this morning you don't have a gun on you? What about the one you had earlier?" asked Koko incredulous.

"That belonged to my bodyguard, not me and quite frankly I don't feel I need a gun. Not yet at least."

"You like older weapons right? Last I saw you were carrying a M1 Thompson submachine gun, a K98 Mauser rifle and a colt 1911. What's the story behind that?"

"Why all this interest in me Miss Hekmatyar?"

"I sell weapons, so I'm curious why you use such obsolete weapons."

"They may be old, but they still work quite well. In addition getting old war surplus is both cheap and easy."

"It is, but not from wars fought over half a century ago. If ease of acquisition was the case you would be using a Kalashnikov variant, maybe something from the M16 family or even an FN FAL. Those things are littering the market right now and you could buy those as easily as a soda on the street corner. Hey, are you listening to me?" huffed Koko to Henry who was currently buying something from a street vendor.

"For you complexion," said Henry handing a white umbrella to Koko.

"Oh, how considerate, thank you," said Koko opening the umbrella and resting it on her shoulder.

"My bodyguard has a terrible time with her pale skin in Dubai, so with you being several shades lighter I assumed that you would appreciate it."

"Oh I do. Sometimes I forget that I burn like kindling in the sun when something grabs my attention. I have to say though, why don't you want to work for me? I would offer a steady paycheck and you would have a team of people that you could depend on. You seem to do mostly freelance, or you did before this job. You were the bodyguard and now you have one. What's with the sudden change in careers?"

"I haven't changed careers Koko, I still am what I always have been."

"And what might that be?"

"A problem solver."

"How was being a bodyguard solving a problem?"

"That was more of a favor than anything else."

"Really? Well you were that woman's bodyguard for two years. How big was that favor?"

"Time is relative Koko, the fact of the matter is that the terms of the contract were satisfied."

"Okay, well how about as a favor you come and work for me for a few years? You never know, you might like it."

"You know nothing about me Koko, why so adamant about trying to hire me?"

"I know you went through twenty men with nothing but an ax and a knife and before that took on another full platoon after being ambushed by yourself. I like skill Henry and I like to surround myself with soldiers who are especially good at what they do."

There was a change to Koko's voice as she spoke. It wasn't jovial or coy. It wasn't even conversational. It was almost as if a darker side of the woman had taken over and was speaking to him now. Was this the true face of the arms dealer, or merely another facet? It was incredibly hard to tell.

"I have many skills Koko, but I fear that I am entirely loyal to my current source of employment. Your persistence is admirable, but entirely fruitless I am afraid."

"Oh come on, at least consider it," said Koko, voice switching to that of a petulant child. So quick did she switch the masks that even Henry was having trouble seeing the real face beneath. He would see a flicker of it here or there and then it would be gone as if it had never been anything more than an illusion. "I mean I'm not that bad to work for."

"You are used to getting your way aren't you Koko?"

"Every time all the time."

"Then I believe I will have to be one of the few to refuse you."

"Oh that's no fun, yes is so much better. I'll even let your red haired friend come along too, how about that?"

"Once again, I must humbly decline your generous offer Koko."

"Well this sucks," huffed the arms dealer. "This day just keeps getting worse and worse."

"You are still alive, so in your line of work I would call that a very good day."

"You're not helping," grumbled Koko.

"Koko."

"Wha-ah!" cried out the arms dealer startled as Henry pulled her down. The crack of a pistol sent two bullets careening through the umbrella that Henry had bought Koko. For an instant, and only an instant, Henry saw through all the masks and saw the real Koko. She was terrified.

Acting without thinking and ignoring any distractions, Henry rushed the shooter, grabbing hold of the gun and forcing it out of the way as it let loose another round, this one careening high into the sky. The spent casing hit Henry as it ejected, searing the flesh where it touched. In an instant he had the would be assassin on the ground with her arm behind her back. The same girl from earlier.

"Let me go! I said Let me go! I have to kill her! If you get in my way, I'll kill you too!" shrieked the girl, almost past the point of recognizable speech.

"Are you alright Koko?"

"You're hired!" cheered the arms dealer, giving Henry a thumbs up even as she was still still sitting on the ground from being pulled down.

"I'll deal with this Koko, do not worry. Return to the hotel with your bodyguards."

"Are you sure?"

"Very."

"Alright, see ya big guy. Remember: job offer, great benefits, stellar boss, superb coworkers, and awesome explosions!" yelled the arms dealer even as she ran away.

"Get off of me," growled the girl underneath him.

"I don't think I will."

"You going to kill me?"

"I thought about it, but I would like to avoid that outcome if I can."

"You going to try to fuck me?"

"Much too young for my tastes. Now tell me, why try to fulfill a contract with no escape route and no way of getting paid?"

"She killed the Mistro, she has to pay," seethed the girl, writhing in his grip like an eel. Henry actually had to adjust his hold on the girl so that she would not break her own arm struggling against him.

"Ah, vengeance is it? A vendetta is always cause for retribution."

"So let me kill her!"

"Tell me, what would killing her get you? What would it bring back to you that you've lost? Once you're dead the hope of anything new vanishes."

"There is nothing without the Mistro! You hear me? NOTHING!"

It was more like being shrieked at than actually having a conversation with the girl, but she was a girl. If she was a woman it was just barely and killing children always left such a sickening feeling in his stomach that Henry would have trouble eating for a long time afterwords if he was forced to end this girl's life.

Henry held the girl down as she cursed and shrieked at him, thrashing wildly until she had tired herself out and lay still, like a stallion finally broken in the arena and accepting of its fate.

"What is your name?"

"Why do you care?"

"I want to know your name. Mine is Henry. Henry Black."

"Chinatsu," said the girl bitterly.

"That's a lovely name Chinatsu."

"Don't lie to me. So why aren't you killing me? Hard to stomach killing a girl?"

"I've killed plenty of women in my time, do not make that mistake. I simply want to understand why you would throw away your life for this Mistro. What was he to you? A lover?"

"NO! No...he was my teacher, and my friend. I wanted to keep him safe, but I failed. He died, because of me. Because I couldn't...I wasn't good enough. We only ever wanted to make beautiful music together. It made him happy, and he made me happy. That's why I can't, I won't forgive her. I won't forgive Koko Hekmatyar for killing him!"

"So you are dead set on taking your revenge then are you?"

"Yes."

"Even if it means your life?"

"YES!"

"Then who am I to stop you?"

Chinatsu was startled when her arm was no longer being held in an iron grip and she quickly spun around so that she was on her back and gun pointing up at the man above her. A red drop fell on her face. Blood.

She had hit the man who had been holding her after all with one of her shots and he had been bleeding this entire time.

"Why aren't you afraid?" demanded Chinatsu holding the gun against the crouched mans chest.

"What do I have to be afraid of?"

Those words shocked Chinatsu and looking into the mans eyes, they were perfectly calm, even when faced with death. Just like the Mistro. Chinatsu felt a tightness in her chest that she couldn't explain and her trigger finger suddenly felt as if it was made of concrete and impossible to bend.

"I am not your enemy and I have no quarrel with you and you none with me. I stopped you so as to not see a life wasted. If you kill Koko, her guards will kill you if it means tracking you to the ends of the Earth. More than likely you will be killed in the attempt and anything that you could ever be will never come to pass. Time is too precious to throw away so idly. However, you have just cause for vengeance Chinatsu and I will not stop you from pursuing it. Your life's path is yours to walk as you see fit. Take care."

Without hesitation, without fear, Chinatsu watched the man walk away from her, knowing that she could put a bullet into his back. He was...just like the Mistro.

Chinatsu wiped the blood off her face with a finger and looked at it, then at the retreating figure of the man with no fear of death. Like a cat she licked the blood off of her finger as she watched him leave.

AN: So I always saw Chinatsu as someone who was traumatized and clung to Mistro as a replacement for her parents (Who he killed) and with her damaged psyche it made sense to me that she would immediately be looking for someone else to cling to after his death, so Chinatsu won't be dying just yet in this story :)