Six Shot

Agony

Lauren sat at the table, staring out the window at the city. The rain was falling slowly, making the city appear to be dripping like wet paint and casting it into a grey haze. Like her memory of the night before.

She remembered shooting the man in the leg and dropping the gun, screaming like she was the one that had been shot. She remembered thinking that she had to find the mannequin man. That she needed to make sure this man was stopped. She remembered checking the phone books for a Bombarez and finding the address of Alex and Elizabeth's apartment, then finally collapsing outside their window. Now, her hopes were crushed and she felt there was no stopping him. Her plan had failed. She was out of options. She could barely move because of her injuries. This man, the man who used to be her uncle, was getting more powerful with every passing second. What was she going to do?

Alex pushed the door open and smiled a bit when he saw Lauren sitting at the dining room table. He set the bag of groceries he'd been carrying on the table and sat across from her. "Milo told me who you are. He told me that you acted like you were in trouble. Are you?"

Lauren laid her head on the table and began to cry. Alex pulled her into a hug. "We can help you. Just tell me what's going on."

Lauren slid her chair away. "Will you stop saying that? Your wife has told me that. The other woman said that. I'm tired of hearing it!"

Alex reached into the bag and handed her a small plastic bag of candy he'd bought from Milo. Then he handed her a small bag of clothes. "I mean it. Milo told me something about the mafia. That your uncle was a mob boss. Is that who you're running from?"

Lauren nodded. "Yeah. I shot him in the leg and ran away."

Alex stared out the window. "Go to the bedroom and be quiet."

"Why?"

"There's a sniper on the roof across the street. Tell Elizabeth to hide the three of you in the closet. Stay down until I give you a signal. I'll knock five times. Stick close to the wall on your way over. Don't make any suspicious movements."

Lauren blinked twice to let him know she'd understood and did as he asked.

Alex stood up and walked out of the apartment, donning the mask in his pocket as he left the building.

Robert cursed to himself as his target disappeared through a doorway. He'd been hoping to nail her while she was alone but then the other man had shown up. Now he had to wait until she left the room before he could complete his mission.

He looked down the sight again and was greeted with Alex staring him in the face. He tapped the lens on the eyeholes of his mask and gave him a thumbs up. He jumped and dropped the gun as Alex punched him in the face.

"Tell me. Who the hell do you think you are? What kind of sick bastard kills children?"

Robert pulled himself up and wiped the blood from his lip. "What kind of coward hides behind a mask?"

Alex grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and lifted him up to eye level. "I could do much worse without this mask. If you want to survive, then answer my damn question!" He held Robert over the edge and slightly loosened his grip. Robert spit in Alex's face. "Go to hell."

Alex dropped him and grabbed his arm as he screamed. "Fine. Just don't drop me."

Alex threw him over his shoulder like a beanbag. "TALK YOU SICK BASTARD!"

Robert shivered as he thought about Alex letting him fall. "I work for the mafia organization known as Radium. I'm a sweeper. They told me to find the girl and kill her. I didn't know she was that young, I promise."

Alex punched him in the face. "You volunteered for this mission?"

Robert nodded furiously. "I promise, I didn't know it was a little girl. I never would have volunteered if I knew that."

Alex kicked him against a vent. "Where can I find Radium?"

"The bri-" he was cut off as his head exploded, showering Alex in blood. When he looked up, he saw Agony standing there, the barrel of his massive pistol smoking. "I thought he would turn out to be soft." He jumped down and bowed to Alex. "Nice getup. Shame it's gonna be covered in that little girl's blood soon. And if you stand in my way, it'll be covered in yours too."

Alex drew his father's revolvers but found that Agony already had him in his sights. "Is being stubborn a thing that runs in your family, Alexander? Your father was quite like you. He never stood down. It bothers me that your wife got to him first. It should have been me."

He cocked his guns and smiled beneath his mask. "Sayonara, kid."

Alex clenched his fists and the building started to shake. Agony struggled to keep his balance. Alex used that to his advantage and punched him in the face, knocking his mask off. Agony screamed as the sunlight burned his skin. Alex had forgotten that he was a vampire. And his kind despised sunlight. He hit him again and barreled him into a vent. Agony struck Alex with the butt of his gun and kicked him away, nearly over the ledge. He pulled his mask on and raised his gun to take aim. But Alex was gone. He spun around as Alex drove a knife into his chest, taking the two through the roof and into the abandoned warehouse. They landed hard on the concrete floor with a loud crack!

Alex stood over Agony, guns aimed at his head. "You're not gonna kill that little girl. I won't allow it. Now tell me who hired you. Was it Radium? Do you work for the mafia?"

Agony laughed as he removed the knife. "Who do you think robbed that truck, Alex? Did you think any normal man could do it? Of course not. I'm the one that brought them the Hercules ring. I help them, and they pay me. That's how it works."

Alex shot out one of Agony's eyes. "Tell me the boss's name. So that I'll know who to mail your head to."

"I'll tell you his name. But you're not going to kill me. I won't allow that," laughter. "His name is Victor Frost." He jumped onto Alex and sank his fangs into his arm, paralyzing it, then stepped back. "You win for now, Alexander. But next time, you won't be so lucky. Thanks to you, the girl lives another day. Until we meet again, Bombarez." He dissipated into shadow and disappeared.

Alex groaned and sat up. Now he knew why his dad had a silent fear of this guy's capacity for violence. He was durable too. Alex had obviously underestimated him. A mistake that nearly cost him his life. Now, he had to explain to his mother and his wife what was really going on.