Transmigration

"It was a beautiful night" he thought looking at the stars.

Based on the location of bullet holes and accounting for the blood loss he had suffered he put his time among the living at 10 minutes give or take a few seconds. He laughed realizing that even in the face of death he was analytical instead of emotional. He remembered people around him drifting away due to his inherent nature of weighing everything logically,well it may also be due to his untimely sexual innuendo that never stopped. He found it really funny to make people uncomfortable. Telling dick jokes while killing people was funny. They were unnerved by him,thought him to be a monster, a psychopath. He was flattered. He was at best a sociopath who shut his emotions behind a lock and threw away the key.

Breathing deeply,he slowly tried to prop himself up barely avoiding slipping on all the blood around and rested his back on the building. His fingers were barely responding. It took a couple tries to get the cigarettes out of his pocket and light it up. He breathed in deeply and immediately coughed up blood.

He felt nostalgic, all those years wondering how his end would be only to end up on a battlefield almost dead, knee deep in the blood of his enemies. Marcus was right,you cannot escape the darkness. Dying of old age in a peaceful manner surrounded by family was a beautiful death he did not deserve. The balance always comes due.

He spent his whole life shaping things up to his liking,manipulating people he didn't want to kill and sending others to an early grave if it was the optimal solution. They called him the boogeyman in hushed whispers behind his back. People were scared because it was an anathema to them. How could someone so carefree be so dangerous. A kill count numbering into hundreds. People he had personally sent to the big guy upstairs. Well killing was easy for him. Well it may have been easier on his conscience that he majorly only hunted

Huh he was reminiscing again. There was no coming back from this. His old age and the lack of medical facilities in a 10km radius assured it. He was no longer young and angry enough with the will to survive. Time had blunted his sharp mind and body.

Taking another deep puff of the cigarette,he closed his eyes and waited for his death,there was no other alternative based on his estimations.

"It is shocking to see you give up John, the man who successfully toppled entire governments , dying like a rabid criminal on the streets."

John opened his eyes to look at the newcomer. A three piece immaculate black suit, hair neatly pulled back into a small ponytail, hollow cheekbones and sunken eyes. There was a primal intelligence lurking behind those eyes hidden by an indifferent facade and relaxed stance.

"Occupational Hazards I'm afraid" was his reply and he tried to give the shrug but all that came out was a pained grimace. Great. Damaged Ligaments and torn tendons. More to add up to his list of problems.

The newcomer looked at him in shock for a moment and put his head back and laughed heartily.

"Only you John. Only you. People tend to get sentimental and wish for second chances near death you know?" He said gesturing vaguely around and smiling dangerously.

It was John's turn to laugh. "We both know it would turn out the same way exactly. Emotions are something I can emulate to deal with people and form baseline estimations for their reasons behind their actions. My actions based on virtual scenarios i play out in my mind taking the most optimal path based on the variables involved. I barely feel anything. I have based my decisions on rationality my whole life. Please do not insult my intelligence by assuming that I would aim for such mediocrity. I can already assume you are not human. So tell me who are you?"

"Wonderful,you can already tell I'm not human?. How so?" he asked rubbing his non existent beard in an extremely fake manner.

John rolled his eyes and answered."Well you never blinked an eye looking at the carnage around you, you casually ignore the forty three dead bodies I left behind. The first thing you refer to around is second chances. So many deviations from the norm. You tell me?" in a totally deadpan manner

"Touche" the stranger replied looking around curiously. "You know you are one of the few souls in the multiverse with such extreme potential that I have only seen a couple times since the beginning of time itself. It is a pity you had to exist in a universe that cripples your potential to such an extent". Idly toying with the head of a dead man with his leg he looked up at John smiling eagerly and said "I'm bored you know. Time for a trip john"

John looked at the stranger tiredly. It was not the kind of tiredness that sleep could do away with,the kind of tiredness when you soul was weary,where deep in you there is a kind of pain that time cannot heal nor love do away with. "Please. Just no." He sounded so fragile and weak,begging did not suit a man of his temperament but it came close. "I had enough for a lifetime. I have earned my rest. Let me be." he pleaded on the last dregs of his life with his breathing extremely shallow.

He looked at john with pitying eyes and told him."What awaits you is hardly good John" He told stepping closer to him and got down on one knee till he was facing him." A few years of good deeds do not outweigh a lifetime of crime and indiscriminate murder".

John smiled painfully and said "The balance had to come due I guess" he looked to the sky for a few moments . Then looked back firmly and said "No rest for the weary huh?. Do it"

The stranger looked at him with sadness and leaned forward closing his eyes,he kept a hand on john's shoulder. John looked at him,wavered for a few seconds and exhaled heavily for the last time.

He closed John's eyes and stood up and started walking away footsteps echoing loudly in the dark isolated alley.

"See you on the other side John".