When everything has been peeled back, when all the additions are torn away and all that is inconsequential - all that could never matter is ripped from the bottom up. You are left with the truth, the undeniable unequivocal truth. What you really are beneath it all, it's a sight many could never truly find, let alone be able to look upon freely. To do so could mean the very end of everything they'd ever convinced themselves to be truth, to be knowledge.

He sat atop the Dawei sculpture in quiet contemplation - there were no sunglasses hugging his head, no brawlers gloves, no weapons strapped to the interior of a coat he'd not brought with him. Even his feet were bear, he was but himself and the light Gi attached to his frame. The grey clouds above lightly pelted the earth below as rain drops swelled and fell, each randomized piece of logic within their specified place telling them where to fall, where to land and what puddles to make. His eyes were closed as he sat, the droplets colliding with him, his spiked hair falling flat to the light impact of each drop.

=

Enlightenment.

Enlightenment is a process in which one grows more aware of the falsifications in the world around them, where one does not become stronger or more powerful, but more aware. To be aware of that which isn't, and which cannot - in order to see past it. Enlightenment cannot be obtained externally, it is within one's self, that the journey must be made.

One must not seek the falseness of the world around them, but rather the falseness of themselves. To peel away the world around you, is to leave you with nothing but your own created falsifications, but to remove yourself of that which is untrue within - is to force the world around you to yield unto you it's truths.

It is not as simple as destiny or pre-ordained fate, nor as simple as cause and effect - within this place we define our realities and subsequent unrealities, it is within this world that our continual steps forward slowly become steps backward.

If each and everyone one of us is incapable of fault, then the mistakes made are not learned from, they are doomed to be repeated.

=

The rain intensified slowly, more and more of the drops coming now, more hungrily seeking those dry spots and removing them. It collided with the pools of water below and was almost loud enough to hide quick and light foot steps moving towards the monument.

=

Purpose.

Purpose is the guiding hand of a so-called fate, but fate doesn't govern how purpose exists, or how we find it how we lose it. Without purpose, one loses their sense of things, their sense of self within a place such as this. This is a world built upon purpose, upon the point of existence - the why, reasons behind everything.

A place for every book, and every book in it's place. I've fallen off of the shelf.

Choice, control, fate or freewill - those who seek are lead to believe that each and every choice is already made - it is not for us to make the choice, but to understand it, to understand the why of it. I've found more questions then choices, more falsifications and nonsense then guidance, more circles then paths, more lies then truths. In the midst of this chaos it is the world I've chosen to blame for such, and in doing so forgone the very essence of what enlightenment is.

To be surrounded by lies and to be without purpose is not the fault of anyone, but the one who allowed it to happen in the first place. To have abandoned enlightenment for comfort, for ease - to have forfeited the very path so many swear to walk.

I am without purpose in this place.

I have stopped searching for enlightenment.

And I have lost the means to find these things.

=

"Then what is it you will do?"

The wingless angel's voice broke the noise of the rains assault on the water below, his tone as calm and cool as the droplets that slowly crept down his face.

"If I knew I doubt I'd be sitting here." He replied calmly, his eyes still closed, his mind batting thoughts and philosophies around in his head.

"Perhaps you would."

"Purpose is an interesting thing to speak of with you, especially since the Halborn incident."

"I still protect that which matters most Darminian."

"Is she truly gone Seraph?" He asked his tone not nearly as cold as it had grown over the years, his vividly unusual blue eyes now opening to stare into the round dark shades of the ancient seraphim.

"I cannot say."

His eyes closed again as his head lowered slightly, a bizarre mood had descended with the rain, and he was more unsure now then he'd been when he'd been drawn to this place of contemplation. As his mind mulled over the philosophical fragments he'd buried deep within his own consciousness so long ago, once again the seraphim's voice broke it.

"You no longer know yourself like you once did, I know longer know you like I once did."

His head turned slightly, his eyes narrowing at the man in the open white coat, his thoughts racing at his comment.

"I must apologize Darminian."

"For wha-" His sentence had only half escaped his mouth when the Seraphim's legs had shot out from beneath him where'd they been crossed and sent Darminian flying off the sculpture. He tumbled back off the edge and plummeted to the ground below, he landed within the large pool of water with a large splash and rose to his feet wiping the water from his eyes in time to see the seraphim leap down into the same pool of water and barely disturb it's surface.

For a long while the two merely stood within the pool of water, their eyes upon one another, the trees surrounding them, the wind picked up as the rain continued to poor. With the slightest of nods they charged at one another, volleys of strikes and kicks were sent back and fourth as they leapt to and fro, ducking and dodging sidestepping and weaving. For a time the sounds of their clothing being whipped around in the wind was indiscernible from the sounds of their blows moving through the air and the tactile parry's and combinations.

After a series of strikes had missed the seraphim, Darminian adapted the combo with an unorthodox kick - but the seraphim was too fast and easily caught him by the ankle and flipped him forward using his own momentum. Once again he found himself on his back beneath the water, he got to his feet and stared down his opponent.

"You are too distracted."

The two circled one another the rains descent growing faster and harder. Again the subtle nod played intro to a war of blows - the two of them constantly switching styles and tact in order to try to throw off the other. The seraphim's strikes to quick too flawless to counter all of them- his movements as fluid as the water surrounding their feet.

"You cannot find your path in this chaos."

Darminian caught a heavy blow to the chest and growled as he lunged forward and threw a heavy right hook his opponents way, the momentum carried him in a half circle as the seraphim ducked the blow and countered with a sift kick into his back once again sending him into the cold water beneath them. The water soaked him through and through, washing across his face as he pushed himself off of the ground, his head breaking the surface he spit out the water in his mouth and wiped it getting to his feet.

"There is no path to find, were all just following."

"Then you must break away."

"There's nothing to break away to - it's all the same!" Darminian snapped back charging the seraphim, his blows more hostile now, more vicious, they began to strike more rapidly, his speed increasing - the seraphim's visage still calm and collected but even he began to move more rapidly, occasionally one of them getting air born to avoid a blow or try and land one. Another failed attempt at an obscure punch was followed by a blow from seraph which sent him sliding backwards but still on his feet.

"Then find something that is not the same."

"I can't!" Darminian roared once again rushing his opponent, unleashing a flurry of kicks followed by a roundhouse which forced the seraphim to back peddle a few feet. He raised his guard again and Darminian did the same, the two of them switching stances.

"Why not?" The seraphim questioned - running forward into a kick that collided with Darminian's forearm - as he touched down again a fierce exchange of blows took place -this time with less speed and more power. The force from their blows and blocks sending cuts across the top of the water and through the rain that fell through the air. "Because -" Darminian belted out as he kicked off of the seraphim's guard and leapt backwards onto the ground behind him.

"THERE IS NOTHING TO FIND! His shout filled the park and the sky seemed to explode within the same moment the lightning breaking through the black cover. His frame ripped across the water towards the seraphim - but in the same instant it was off the ground, his feet running along the side of the sculpture and in the final feet of it he leapt into the air and began a deadly descent towards his opponent.

His fist collided with the ground beneath him as a tremendous splash of water shot out from around him. The park was dark now, leaving enough faded light to illuminate the area he was in, the lighting that pierced the cloud cover yielded the remainder of the area, he was alone, kneeling in the muck beneath the surface of the pool. His chest rising and falling rapidly as he sought air to fill his lungs as he spoke quietly.

"Th....there's nothing here......nothi...nothing left.....nothing that matters."

He rose to his feet in the midst of the down poor, the storm overhead, and simply stared out across the park, the water having completely soaked through his gi, and flattened his hair.

The evening winds tried to wreak havoc on a dark silhouette behind the glass but failed miserably. They were succeeding in laying siege to tabor park, as the branches and tree's whipped about wildly. People with upsidedown umbrella's and trenchcoats like capes made quick haste to leave the area, and in the midst of the choas there's a man in a flat cap sitting comfortably, his eyes on the hunk of wood with 64 squares adorned in figurines. The wind is making no small attempt to remove even him, but he won't budge, his head in the game, that's when it catches his hat and even from this many stories up, behind the glass he swears he can see the look of quiet rage upon his face as he get's up to chase the hat. A subtle smirk rises to his lips as he watches the man chase his hat but the thought is broken as he hears something behind him.

The apporaching silenced steps of someone - a woman - the carpet muffles the impact of her healls on the floor beneath it, each step completely the same as it's predecessor, no fear or hesitation, no time taken to observe the situation, no fear. A familliar scent hung in the so-called air, and his mind races to place it, to recall it. Another dark silhouette emerges behind the glass overlooking the park. She has the frame of a vixen an amazon even, but it's been covered up by a business suit and skirt that maybe is a few inches higher then it normally might be. The stockings cling to her legs, and those vertical lines attached do them work to draw one's eyes up and down, but his remain staring out the window.

"To what do i owe this pleasure."  He states more then asks.

"Just a talk Mr. Soltys." She replied, her tone warmer then any other's in her posistion, but ultimately still as cold as necessary.

"So talk." He  said.

"I am curious, as to where you will be working when this epn group has ended." Her pauses were shorter and more subtle then the usual ones.

"Are you genuinely curious, or asking on behalf of the system?" His voice held no emotion to it, albeit a bit blunt, he remained monotone and calm.

"Both." She replied.

"Well that might pose a problem." He said, actually turning to look at her for the first time since the conversation had started. She was little more then a darkened frame to him, he could barely see the lines of her face but it didn't really matter, her face coudln't reveal anything it wasn't meant to.

"Could you Elaborate." She stated more then requested.

"I could." He smirked at her slightly.

"Would you?" She spoke a bit faster then usual, a slight sine of irritation, but that was highly unlikely.

"Certainly. It poses a problem for me, becuase if you're genuinley curious - i'm willing to answer you, but i have no desire to answer the system." His words seemed to take their time reaching her as she paused. Slender digits reached up to her earpiece and she nodded slightly before her hand returned to her side.

"So tell me, and not the system." She spoke when her hand had returned to her side comfortably.

"Was there a belief that something that simple might make answer your questions, or was it just a logical reply with a high probability of success?" He asked her, more of a normal tone in his voice, displaying his interest in the answer.

"It seemed to follow your logic."

"Ah, well there's your first mistake, but we can remmedy that later, for now if you want an answer, i've got the means for you to get them." Before allowing her to reply he reached out through the darkness towards her frame, if he didn't know better he could have sworn he saw her head pull back ever so slightly, not that it stopped him. His fingers reached to the side of her head and plucked from it the small earpiece that clung there. She seemed to stop and simply observe him as he let it fall from her ear and he stood still, his eyes on her.

"There, now ask what you will." He grinned at her, guaging as to whether she'd question the poor logic behind his solution, or just ask him.

"When this group, this E Pluribus Neo group dies, what will you do?" She asked, still sure of her pupose for having this conversation with him.

"Perhaps i'll go underground with it, 6 feet under as they say."

"That would be a waste." She replied, not very convincingly.

"Of what, resources?" His cold monotone had returned with a slight sarcasm.

"Certainly." Her reply had come sooner then he'd expected, more over the simplicity of it caught him off guard.

"Why deny the obvious Mr.Soltys. You seem to have grasped why I am here, although you posess some qualities that are undesireable in comparison to most of our operatives - your abilities as an operative could be put to use for this organisation. Moreover after looking over your file extensively i am curious to see how you would fair. Curious to better understand how your mind works."

"Interested in analysing me like a science project eh?" His tone once again breaking from the cold stilness, it's movement into the realm of sarcasm easily notable.

"It is hypocritical - to criticize my wish to analyze you in spite of the fact that your very nature is to analyze and over-analyze." Once again the reply had come faster then he expected, she did pretty well for standing on her own feet, if that's what she was doing. He'd come to find it stupid to believe the earpiece was anything more then a symbol of authority and a radio, he certainly doubted it's ability to connect an agent to the system any more then a visual metaphor - though that begged the question why they would bother using them. And apt cliche of the big-brother pressence in a world of control - but that begged the question as to why - if someones job was to control and monitor - they'd wish to make their connection to the system so obvious, why they'd so carelessly and easily draw attention to the fact that in this little organization based object one wears can derrive a connection to a collective so many are hostile or fearful towards.  

"Mr. Soltys?" She broke his concentration and train of thought as he spit out a reply.

"I'm impressed you so easily got to the point." He managed as he reached into his coat, he watched the slightest movement from her frame as his hand withdrew a pack of cigarettes, another test or hoop for her to jump through, another experiment of his own. He pulled one from the pack and placed it bewtween his lips, he motioned towards her with the pack and she declined politely.

"No thank you Mr. Soltys." She said as her hand raised lightly in a stop motion.

"What, You don't smoke?" He asked her, the slight grin returning wrapped around the white stick.

"I do not." She replied, her face remained the same from what he could see, but the cogs were moving, he supposed they were always moving in hindsight.

"I guess i don't either." He said as he put the pack away and returned with the cliche zippo lighter, and ignited the tip.

Several stories above Tabor park, two silhouettes were quickly illuminated by the flare of a zippo lightly, before slowly beind consumed in the darkness of the room behind the glass. A small glowing ember tracing light across the lines of Darminian's face.

"Strange...." She said almost unintentionally aloud.

"What is?" He asked already knowing where it was going to go, but still amused.

"Our records don't indicate you as a smoker, you also know it is not real and yet you are still doing it, why?" She asked.

"There's several possible reasons really. Though usually the easiest is the right one. Perhaps i do it becuase as a kid i thought it looked cool, maybe i like the taste and don't have to worry about my lungs. Maybe it's because this building is non-smoking and it makes me feel like a 'bad as*'." - His tone was sarcastically animated for the words bad as* - before returning to the norm to continue his process of reasoning. "Maybe it's because part of your shirt is white and i'm hoping to set off the sprinklers - or maybe - i wanted to see if i could change the direction of this conversation at my whim, by doing something as simple as lighting a cigarette." He chuckled lightly as he sucked back on it before exhaling the smoke towards the window.

"Interesting." She replied eventually, looking him over casually, subtlely, he wondered if she'd tried to make sense of the winter santa coat draped over an all black ensemble, with the expensive italian shoes.

"Thank you, i try ever so hard." He grinned at her as his hand gripped the cigarette and pulled it from his mouth as he made an outward and obvious event of his looking her over from head to toe. She remained calm and casual despite his lingering on certain areas.

"Finished?" She finally asked when he'd returned to eye level. He lifted the smoke and took a drag on it, blowing the smoke out again before replying.

"For now."

"It is apparent that your organisation is going under Mr. Soltys, we merely wish to make it known that there are other employment options out there, ones that could result in better things for everyone." She replied seeming to recompose herself.

"Duly noted." He replied.

"I  do believe i should be going Mr. Soltys, i do not know if there is anything else to gain from this situation, but i would like you to consider possible new employment." She spoke while adjusting her suit, perhaps an attempt to remove some kind of residue that she could feel upon her skin, or perhaps the smoke was just a bit heavy.

"It's been an absolute pleasure Miss Pace, do allow me to make my exit first though." He spoke before sucking the last bit of life out of the cigarette and butting it out on the wall. He sauntered over to the elevator and pushed the button, he stepped inside as the doors opened and turned around to stare back at the business draped vixen standing in front of the windiow. He pushed the button and waited as the doors began to close, before the two met in front of him he spoke to her once more.

"I was totally picturing you naked for that whole time gorgeous." The usual grin sprung to life on his lips as the doors closed in his face.

Her frame turned towards the window as she stared down into the park, to anyone who didn't know who or what she was she might have looked like she was grinning. She spoke softly to the window before her as she reached for her earpiece.

"Curious Tesoro, very curious." As the words left her lips, she plugged the earpiece back in and walked away from the window.  

The room was empty save for a mattress and a window, it’s decrepit look paired well with the scent of decay and the fading aroma of burning wood and plaster. Across the street and a few stories up from the ruined pawn shop Darminian scanned the room where the shot had come from. His eyes moved left to right taking it in - he moved to the window and looked over the scene below.

Judging by the hole left in the decoy’s head Darminian had anticipated it would have been one hell of a slug. He picked up a turned over chair next to the window and sat down on it, pretending as though he had a large rifle in front of him. The first thing he noticed was the awkward angle, the barrel had to be well elevated from the bottom of the windowsill, he ran his fingers along the wood back and fourth. In two spots the wood was scarred and torn into - a weapon with a bipod.

The angle was still off however, the shot had come downward meaning the shooter was sitting comfortably with his shoulders higher then Darminian’s.

“Big fella.”

The words left his mouth, his thoughts aloud. He moved his legs to rest on a knee on the chair looking for that perfect angle - scanning left to right slowly he found it. He reached up into the air that was his non-existent rifle and made to draw back the bolt action of a rifle, and instinctively his eyes moved following the non-existent empty casing to the floor. His eye’s fell upon the filthy mattress and immediately to a small dark hole in it.

“Tell me you aren’t that stupid.”

Once again he said aloud before reaching behind his back and pulling out the blade, slicing a long line into the worn bed he reached into it and felt around. His fingers closed around the now cooled empty casing and removed it from the bed.

“That‘s just lazy.”

He brought the casing up towards the light of the window and scanned it over, nothing special, standard casing. He flipped it up to look at the bottom and took in the details. It was a .50 cal sniper rifle round, big loud and angry. It was a rather poor choice of tool for this sort of task, but despite that it had done the trick. He pocketed the casing and left the small room. On his way outside to the car he pulled out his phone to make 2 calls.

===

“Did you find anything?”

“I’m going to upload you a casing, get it to speck and see if he’ll be interested in helping me find his killer.” Darminian chuckled lightly.

“Will do.”

“Golden.” Darminian hung up and dialled the next one.

===

“I’m pretty sure you’ve got the wrong number.”

“Shut up and put me through to the coat check - I don’t have time for the run around.”

“I don’t give a sh-- what you have time for, you’ve got the wrong number.”

“Listen moron, if you don’t put me through to the coat check were both going to be getting the fresh meat treatment in blackwood - the merv is chopping heads right now and I’m trying to get my job done.”

There was a long pause before the exile on the end of the line grunted and pushed a button, the phone call was being transferred.

“Coat check.”

“I don’t have time for the formal stuff - I need to know right now if you gave out any of the Barret M1’s recently - I just got wind of something big on the grape vine and if there’s any truth to it - sh**’s gonna get sour real fast.”

After a slight hesitation and some ruffling through papers he spoke again. “We gave one out yesterday with that big pile of them that went to that group of brawlers - the one’s who wrecked that pawn shop in west view apparently.”

“I need to speak to the guy who used the rifle, cause right now he’s in the most dangerous position.”

“uh… the guy who used it was Carter - should I be worried about it being here- I mean what’s wrong with it?”

“Nothing now, it should be fine but our friend Carter is the one in trouble. I’ll call you back in 10 I need to clear up something else.” Darminian hung up before anything else could be said. The smirk creapt past his teeth and painted itself over his mouth.

The black four door pulled up and stopped in front of the apartment building, the lights and engine cut off and he stepped out of the driver side, adjusting his tie he moved towards the control panel next to the door. Punching in a combination of numbers into the buzzer he was met with a long silence before finally a voice came through the box. It was muffled at best - spoken with a mouth filled with snacks.

“Yeah?”

“It’s Darm buzz me up.”

“Did you bring me some snacks?”

“Buzz me in.”

“Did you?”

“If you don’t buzz me in your going to be eating shoe leather.”

“Toucheee”.

The door buzzed and clicked as it was pulled open and Darminian made his way up the stairs. The building was clean and rather nice considering it’s current occupant, as Darminian continued up the stairs he emerged on the second floor where he rapped on the nearest door. Minutes later he was greeted by a familiar face hidden behind cheese snack residue and what he hoped was chip dip.

A short while later the two were sitting across from one another at the coffee table in the would be living room, the casing sitting on the table between them.

“I’m glad it arrived, did you pick anything up off it.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t bring me anything to eat.”

“It won’t be long till you can go out and get your own food, I’m not a bloody caterer.”

“It’s not like it would kill you to bring some chips.”

“Forgive me if I’m a little pre-occupied with stuff - can you focus please?”

“I do better with a full stomach.”

“How much food are you going to be able to eat with a dislocated jaw.”

“Fine.” Speck replied in annoyed manner.

“I already checked it out, you were right about it coming from Hel but that’s not where it was moved around the most. Smells like wharf rat.”

“Well that narrows it down, any sewer specifically?”

“No I mean the gang that’s at the docks downtown.”

“The hell?”

“Yeah, I dunno why - but that’s what I’m getting you best go and check with them - got any super secret ties with them big shot?”

“You know the more you talk, the less I feel like helping with this conspiracy and the more I feel like taking up the contract myself.”

He glared at Darminian and watched as he got up from the chair and let himself out. He shook his head and reached under the couch to withdraw a pizza box.

==========

An hour later the black four-door was parked in an empty lot in Edgewater outside noir. He slipped in through the backdoor of the club and made his way up the stairs, his eyes moving to the side to take in the crowd, despite the empty lot the crowd was as riled up as every other club’s crowd in mega city - the sea of red pills and bored blue pills writhing and moving like it was a living entity.

He pushed his way through the door atop the metal walkway and climbed the stairs leading to the catwalk overlooking the club. The door leading to the VIP rooms was being watched by a rather large ape dressed in rat garb with an earpiece. Darminian dragged his tongue along the back of his teeth as he moved towards the door man. The ape eyed him up and down from behind the shades before spitting out the words -

“Get lost.”

“I’m looking for Bernie.”

“I said get lost.”

“Could you tell him I want to talk some business with him.”

“I’m not going to say it again pal.”

“Could you tell him…..please?” Darminian inquired sarcastically as if looking for a password.

“That’s it.” The rat replied before grabbing Darminian by the coat.

Minutes later the door to the last third VIP room was kicked open and a large and bloody ape dressed in a rat’s garb was kicked to the floor as Darminian brushed himself off before waltzing into the room and sitting down at a couch across from several rats including bernie himself.

There had been two guards in the hallway that he’d been incapacitated, the ape was on the floor trying to figure out where the truck had come from, and the two on either side of Bernie were reaching for their weapons - when Bernie spoke first.

“Gentlemen that would generally be a bad idea,.”

“You’re the smart one I see - Bernie I presume?” Darminian asked calmly as he leaned back into the couch, draping an arm along the back of it.

“You are correct sir, and you would be?”

“Doesn’t matter - I’m actually looking for someone.”

“Prey tell, who would that be?”

“Some Merv thug named Carter.” Darminian stated calmly as he watched Bernie’s lips part and reveal a pseudo snarl.

“I take it you’ve met him?” Darminian chuckled.

“Oh I know him indeed stranger, a small time nobody who ripped me off recently. Problem is now he just finished a solid French contract and it would be in rather bad form if I were to remind him of who he shouldn’t cross.” Bernie spoke while trying desperately to remain calm.

“Then perhaps this is a most fortuitous occasion - it seems I’m hunting for our dear friend Carter and although I too wish him harm - I’m not really worried about proper form.” Darminian grinned in the usual manner at the Wharf rat leader whose snarl seemed to shift to a smirk as he spoke again.

“Well then stranger - what do you need?” Bernie asked.

A few hours he was riding an elevator with the one and only lady oblivion at his side, his suit despite his hobbies was clean pressed and flawless, his near OCD concerning his tie was put to shame as she reached over and corrected it for him as their eyes met within the small space. Wrapped around her slender frame was the long dark leather coat, but underneath it was the tight and skimpy leather corset combo he’d specifically requested she dawn for this evening’s event. Even behind both sets of shades the words unspoken were d*mn near enough to set off the sprinklers.

"Didn’t you used to do things elaborately?"

"I tried to, I came to realize the best methods are the simplest ones."

"So why not just kick his door down."

"Cause then I’d have no company for this one."

"Mmm." She replied casually as she fixed his tie.

"Mmm." He replied mockingly as he flashed that trademark grin.

The tone sounded and the doors opened as the two stayed in the elevator a moment longer then necessary. Without a word they simply chuckled lightly and turned making their way down the hall. The hall was filled with the subtle clicking of the heels that he’d also selected for her to wear, as they moved along the white tile floors. Everything was clean and fancy - the attempted high life of an exile thug who felt himself becoming a big time mover and shaker. They stopped in front of a large door and Darminian leaned against the wall to the side of it as she positioned herself in front of it, opening the coat slightly. His grin widened ever so slightly as he motioned her to the door.

She rolled her eyes fighting back the grin and rapped on the door, her eyes falling upon the glass peephole that rested in the center of it. Some movement could be heard on the other side of the door as a groggy exile moved towards it. As the exile pushed his face against the door he peered out and looked over what he could see of Oblivion.

"Well well well - what do we have here?" The voice came from behind the door.

"You going to invite me in or just keep staring?" She voiced back in that cool jazz like tone.

Several bolts and latches snapped out of the locked position on the inside of the room and he nearly ripped if off it’s hinges. His eyes lit up as he looked her over, his jaw nearly colliding with the floor as he tried to straighten up the shirt he was wearing.

"Carter I take it?" She asked slyly.

"The one and only - and you must be my Chrismas bonus." He said with a chuckle.

Oblivion just smirked as the man at the side of the door interrupted the moment.

"I guess that would make me Santa Claus." Darminian said as he watched the exile’s head turn in curiosity only to wind up colliding with his fist. He hit the door and nearly crumpled having leaned out of the frame. As Oblivion took a step back Darminian dropped another bomb on Carter and sent him to floor sprawled out on his back - as he tried to regain composure Darminian had mounted him and continued a relentless spree of punches to his face - by the time he’d finished his nose was clearly broken and the exile was completely unconscious.

Getting to his feet Darminian reached down and grabbed the exile’s leg and dragged him from the room back towards the elevator.

"So now what?" She asked him.

"Well I guess I’ve got to carry this moron to the car seeing as how I got a little carried away." He chuckled.

"Not the first time - but what’s next?"

"Firstly a friend of mine is coming to loot Carter’s place for anything worth while for himself, us and the rats. Secondly I’m going to sit our friend here down for some one on one time. Thirdly I’m going to return him to his employers and as a final note I’m going to collect some payment from our new friend Bernie."

"Such a businessman." She stated almost comically amused at the entire scenario of the two of them carrying on a casual conversation amidst dragging an unconscious exile toward an elevator. As the doors opened Darminian nodded to a man who stepped out dressed in all black who returned the nod, stepped casually over Carter and moved towards the room they’d left wide open. As Darminian pulled Carter onto the floor and dropped he turned his attention to the lady beside him and began to fiddle with his tie.

"I do have one question for you." She commented with a gesture.

"By all means." He said still playing with the tie.

"Why am I wearing this outfit in the first place if he was just going to see me through the peep hole before you hit him?" She asked with a curious look.

"Oh that’s easy enough - I just needed you to get him to open the door, the outfit is for me." He replied with that tactically placed grin that lead him past the fork in the road that could lead to a slap or interesting evening.

"Mm." She replied - reaching up and fixing his tie for him grinning slightly."

"Mm." He replied mockingly, as their eyes met once again behind their shades as the doors to the elevator closed.

((not for the feint of heart.))

The room is small and clean, the porcelain tiles stretching across the floor give it the distinct look of a hospital while the eggshell white walls do the same - the only thing in the room that isn’t of a matching color is the large steel door that cries out in seeming agony as it opens. Carter shifts uncomfortably in the chair as anyone would with their arms bound so tightly behind and through the small wooden chair - almost too small for someone with a frame as large as his. His eyes try desperately to adjust the bright white light within the room grants his eyes only the outline of a figure who moves through the door and shuts it behind him.

Carter’s effort to speak fails miserably, the swelling causing him too much agony - he continues to try and focus and manages to get an idea of what his guest is wearing - an apron - some kind of plastic - like a cooking apron or a medical apron. His eyes start to adjust properly and he also notices the suitcase and chair the man in front of him is carrying.

He set’s the chair down and places the bag atop it as he crouches down and stares into Carter’s face - the details of his face are still blurry but the bizarrely coloured eyes stand out. His head cants to the left and right as a twisted smile rises to his lips. The smile dissipates and he sucks his teeth as he lifts himself off the floor and moves to the bag which he opens and begins to rummage through - he folds out the top like an old house doctors bag but the contents make it look more like a tool box.

“Who are you?” He slurs and manages amidst the swelling and the fresh blood that leaks from his mouth as his speaking breaks the slowly and slightly healed abrasions he suffered less an hour earlier.

Reaching into the bag he pulls out a handkerchief and wipes the blood and saliva from Carter’s mouth and Shushes him softly. He places it back in the bag and wraps his hand around another object before pulling it from the bag slowly.

“Carter… you did a very bad thing to a friend of mine - I’m not very happy about it.” He finally replied as he seemed to force the object against his palm tightly. After a moment or too he flexed his fingers and Carter saw what it was. His eyes widened and his eyes darted around the room from side to side as he looked desperately for something anything to aid him to call out too - he didn’t make a sound as his eyes moved back to the object the man before him had tightly clenched in his hand - the brass knuckles.

The first blow toppled him and the chair, he hit the ground with a messy thud as some pieces of teeth flew from his mouth, he cried out in agony as the next blow burst open the swollen lips, and knocked out some more teeth. The crimson pooled around his head and mouth as blow after blow removed and damaged the flesh of his face. When the chair was finally picked up off the floor Carter was barely recognizable amidst the blood, swelling and bruising. His jaw had been dislocated during the process and his cries had gone from ascending in volume and agony to excruciated whimpers.

The man in front of carter removed the knuckles with some difficulty amidst the swelling and damage to his own hand. He placed the bracers back into the medical bag and withdrew the same kerchief and began to wipe the blood from around his eyes.

“I like to keep a clean work place you know?”

Carter’s breathing intensified as blood and saliva again oozed from his mouth, as his exhausted gasps forced more of it out of his wounds and across his swollen lips. He moaned in agony and tried to say something completely incomprehensible before moaning louder in frustration. Putting the kerchief back in the bag he withdrew a scalpel and reached out towards Carters head. He started to violently shift his head to turn and resist to which the man before him spoke after gripping his hair.

“It’s ok if you want to resist, it’ll just mean I miss more.”

He immediately stopped moving and his eyes widened as he looked up his eyes following the tip of the blade.

“Let’s see if we can reduce some of that swelling shall we?”

The areas around his face that had swollen the most yielded the most blood when sliced into, the areas that hadn’t swollen were only cut into when he flinched in agony. The lips proved to be the hardest part of the entire ordeal - despite the amount of cuts sustained they kept swelling - they proved to make such a mess that ultimately immediate removal and cauterization proved necessary to which there was no painkiller applied.

After being wiped down again Carter’s hopelessness had overtaken him and he’d fallen into a near catatonic like state as his eyes seemed to glaze over and though his drooling continued he’d even stopped crying out in pain. His eyes didn’t even dart left to right trying to look for an exit or help or even out of curiosity at the next item the man before him pulled out of the bag. This time unknown to carter it was a pair of needle nose pliers. A person can ignore a lot of pain to the outside of their body - but the nerve endings for their teeth are a little harder to ignore - and eventually Carter was screaming and moaning once again. It was no easy task to be done, teeth can be rather tricky to remove with pliers, one often needs to dig around in the soft tissues protecting the teeth to loosen them first - the job certainly was easier when the tongue was cut out though.

Carters mouth had become little more then a pool of his own blood as it seemed like an almost constant out flow of crimson. His moans and whimpers replaced now with long winded wheezes and shallow breathing amidst gurgles of blood. It took a short while but eventually all six tourniquets had been tied, at the beginning of the limbs and the halfway points. He managed to work up the screams again amidst the whirring of the bone saw against first below the knees, then just below the hips. The final two were at the shoulder to which had he not been fastened to the chair so well he would have easily slipped out.

For the cauterization of the newest wounds, he was granted duct tape to cover his mouth so that he wouldn’t embarrass himself further by screaming more - the only real dilemma was making sure his lungs didn’t fill with his own blood. One needs to exercise great caution when using a flame inside another persons mouth to stop them from bleeding. When it was all said and done the limbs were pushed to the side of the room and the torso remained in the chair - the man in the apron left the room only to return with two large hockey bags.

“Let’s go for a ride shall we?” The man asked Carter.

==========

20 minutes later outside Hel.

==========

Several large exile body guards escort a man with white hair and a finely cleaned and pressed dress shirt and vest into the parking lot - in front of the entrance podium two duffel bags rest side by side, a note on one of them.

He snaps his finger motioning to the piece of paper on the first bag, and watches as one of them retrieves the note and the others watch in confusion.

“What are you all looking at - check the bags - imbeciles.” He broke the awkward silence as his eyes browse the letter in his hands - while the exiles around him move the bags and begin to open them one waiting at his side explains -

“Some dude in a black four door pulled these out of his trunk and drove off - haven’t figured out who it was yet - he seemed to know where the cameras are and we didn’t get a look at his face.”

“Mm.” The one in white replied as he read the letter.

=

To whom it may concern -

The recent death of a friend and colleague of mine has left me in a most flustered and violent state - I know how business works and in this situation one can consider themselves lucky they have so many puppets to use for this line of work. In the future if this sort of thing happens to any other of my kin the consequences will be much more severe I promise.

Unwarranted harm that befalls any of my people from your people will be repaid 10 fold, despite how you and yours operate I have but one rule, and I’ve stuck by it for quite some time.

Do not fu-

=

“What the hell….” One of the exiles opening a bag interrupted his reading and was immediately shushed by the man in white.

=

Ck with my family.

Sincerely -

A friend of Speck.

Enclosed -

You’ll find both messenger and message - head my words wisely, lest bad things start to happen.

“Flood - you really ought-to see this.” One of them chimed in again as the exile finally looked over the letter and nearly gagged as the exile that had spoken to him now held a severed limb which he’d pulled from the bag. Flood’s eyes darted to the other bag and looked on as another exile opened it and leapt back and gagged as well. The limbless torso of Carter lay motionless within the bag as the entire group looked to flood for some kind of insight.

In an effort to compose himself he smoothed down the sides of his vest and cleared his throat.

“Dispose of it - all of it.”

With that he turned on his heel and moved toward the elevator, the doors still open.

“Uh….. Boss?” One of them called to him again. This time he sighed and turned back to face the group as the exile near the other bag now spoke to him.

“What is it you ape?”

“I think… I think he’s still alive.” Flood winced a little his stomaching knotting at the mere thought of what it would be like - but before any more of the pseudo empathy that in itself was little more then his desire for self preservation could kick in he spoke again.

“I said - dispose of it.” With that final note he turned and moved back into the elevator, closing the doors behind him. The doors being closed and the elevator in motion almost drowned out the sound of the gunshot that echoed through the car park.