CONTENT WARNING!!! -- Disturbing imagery, violence, injury, tmi

***

"15 North Hector and Hecate 1044, 15 North Hector and Hecate 1044, 15 North- What the hell kind of name is that anyway?"

Val walked under the cold neon lights of Galia District. Blue, white and steel were the colors of the most architecturally brutal district Val had ever been to. No more bridges, no more levels except for narrow stretches between private buildings, like a spider's web of Val's nightmares; all sleek, shiny and oppressive. It was made to make you shrink under the constant scrutiny of the security cameras.

It was hard blending with the crowds, scarred and covered in blood, and no one made an effort to be discreet about staring. Vic held Val's hand all the way, and Omar followed closely behind.

One look upwards revealed the eyes of the city following them as well. Val stared back and nearly tripped with the end of a curb. He repeated the address in his head, after all, his life did depend on him remembering. Soon, walking on the street shifted into dodging between alleyways. SF agents were after their trail.

"Shit, just leg it!" Said Omar.

Val was now the one dragging Vic, trying to lose the SF between the gaps left for backdoors and delivery zones. The fear he felt in the sewers was no more, only the hard resolve of cutting down the one who made his life miserable stood. Resolve turned into anger shortly after, making his every cell boil, until his cells then literally started boiling.

A white hot pain erupted on his lower back, launching him forward with a yelp. The pain numbed out immediately, and Val was face-flat on the floor. Gunshots rang out and he heard yelling above the growling of laser rifles. He shook his head and realized he had trouble breathing. He snorted and spat out a blot of dark blood on the ground. He wiped his nose and the intense flavor of iron and murk lingered in the back of his palate. Val made an effort to get up, but the muscles around his waist tensed all at once, making him collapse back on the floor clutching his sides and clenching his jaw. His vision turned up to the sky and realized someone was dragging him by the arm. Everything was blurry. His back pulsed with pain, the wound felt as if it was shrinking every time it rubbed against cloth.

The yelling persisted, clicking and ringing filled his ears. He felt someone yank his sword. He lifted his arm weakly to stop it from leaving his side, but it was for nothing. Then, he saw Vic arguing with Omar, sword in hand. Omar put a hand on Vic's chest and gestured at the entrance of an alley. There was more shouting. Vic was absolutely outraged, snarling and pointing at Val. He started walking towards the entrance to the alley but Omar yanked him back by the shoulder. Vic seemed to calm down and nodded wordlessly. He crouched beside Val and said something to him, but all Val could hear was ringing. White over black flashes took his focus and smashed it to bits, interrupting the sight of Vic's face every few instants. Val tried to say he couldn't hear, but he wasn't sure anything was coming out of his mouth.

Then Vic said something Val recognized it from reading his lips: "Everything is going to be ok."

Val nodded weakly and tried to stand, but Vic stopped him gently. He shook his head and took Omar's sword. He said something to him and then wielded both swords in front of him. As the SF started flooding into the alleyway, Vic rushed towards them before everything turned to dark.

***

"Vic! Vic? Where are you!?" The streets were flooded with corpses, and he was flipping each and every one of them on their backs.

"Vic!?"

No one replied. Val's shoulders collapsed with the weight of pure panic, making his throat dry. He flipped corpses over frantically, his arms covered in blood and ash up to the elbow. He felt so alone, so helpless. There was nothing he could do.

"Who are you looking for?"

Val didn't even need to turn around to know who that voice belonged to. The shadow.

"None of your god damn business." Val croaked. He went back to looking for Vic, running away from the shadow, but it caught up to him easily. It looked like it was walking calmly, but it was going as fast as Val.

"I know where he is," It said, placing a hand on Val's shoulder.

Val looked at the shadow where its face should be, and then it reached out an open hand. On it was a bunch of bloodied teeth and an earpiece.

***

Thick water filling Val's mouth.

Val let it all out, the bitter stench of bile slapped him on the face, and a jolt of pain from his back snapped him awake finally. He rolled over on his knees and slammed his hands on the floor, starting to heave. A rope of saliva dangled its way to the floor, and someone rushed over to him. The heaving calmed down and he coughed, letting out the last bits of the cursed substance. He wiped and another wave of nausea assaulted him, his face red and tearful through the debilitating pain all around his hip.

"It's ok Val, I'm here."

Val hadn't heard those words in ages. He groaned and a pair of arms wrapped around him.

"It's alright, I'm here for you ok? You were shot, laser-"

"I'm- Vic I'm sorry," He babbled. "I didn't want to, I couldn't find you I- I'm sorry!"

"Val, it's ok. Come here hun, it's alright. You don't have to be sorry, I'm here now."

Val's breathing steadied and he stared at the floor. Omar was cleaning his sword and trying to get burnt bits off it, unsuccessfully.

"I'm sorry, I- I shouldn't have said what I said. I always did love you, alwa-" Vic pinched his lips shut and kissed his forehead.

"It's alright Val. I deserved that. Can you move?" He asked, cupping Val's face in his hands.

"No you didn't. You didn't deserve anything I said." He tried standing, the pain was bearable now but he still grimaced. He nodded quickly and Vic hugged him.

"It's alright Val."

"...Thanks."

"I'm just glad you're alive, we did things the stupid way. It's all ok now."

"Rushing headfirst is almost always the stupid way," Omar grumbled.

"Noted." Vic held Val's hand.

"We're gonna try to go in unnoticed but it's going to be tough."

"Yeah. How should we go about it?" Vic asked.

"We're going to have to go separately, I'm sorry but this is the only way we can help this thing from going tits up again." Omar stood and sheathed his sword. He put a hand on Val's shoulder and nodded reassuringly. Val nodded back and let go of Vic's hand. "We meet at the address in half an hour. Go wherever, just stay like fifty meters apart and we should be fine. Cover your faces too, I doubt we'll be any good at sneaking like this anyway but you're never too safe."

"Alright, but I'm gonna ask for one thing."

"What is it Val?" Omar asked.

"The Handler is mine."

***

The city was rather quiet after the incident with the SF, Val stopped to think of everything that had led up to that point. The pain of the wound had subsided and he was seeing things more clearly than before. It was at that point where the questions squirming under his skin took the hand of a cold determination, sword gripped firmly in his hand. The rain poured, and with it, the promise of his vengeance.

He walked calmly through the empty streets, not a shadow of doubt clouded his judgement. He breathed in and exhaled before starting to walk to the place. They were to go up. It was an apartment building, the last place Val expected, though being there and thinking about it, he realized he should have seen it coming.

The hallways were clean and shiny just like everything else in Galia, reminding everyone it was about the richest district, Val had seen it from below in Jericho. It was 150 levels above, on display like some knock-off piece of heaven. Everything worked just fine and it made Val suspicious. He often looked at Vic just to calm himself down before doing something stupid, so far it was working fine.

Occasional jabs of pain reminded him of the wound, but he could function as far as he could tell. Vic helped him walk and Omar looked out for any threats.

"It's gonna be ok, it's over after this. If you need help Val, please ask." Omar reached towards the door, no threats so far. There was some chattering inside. He gestured at Vic and Val to come closer.

"We're fucked..."

"Pretty much. Doesn't take a genius to figure half of Lambda being after you is pretty bad."

"And don't mention those weird... samurai shadow things, creeps me out."

"...Then why do you mention it, you fucking jackass!?"

Val grinned and turned to Vic. He smiled back and put a finger over his mouth slowly. Val nearly snorted but nodded silently.

"You think we're gonna make it?"

"Honestly, no. Odds don't look too good, we're backed against a wall."

"Will you stop it already? As soon as the car gets here we're all going out of town. Obscuro was a failure."

Val recognized the voice instantly. The Handler was in there. His hands curled into fists, and he clutched the hilt of his sword. Vic placed a hand on his and nodded reassuringly.

"A failure, uh-huh, you should have an idea of how much we hurt Lambda using them though."

"I do, but we'd have stood a better chance using a traditional strike force instead. Obscuro are too unstable and inefficient. They work in short bursts and they're dragged down by remorse and delusions of morality. Only two fit the bill for the perfect agent and one of them is in Lambda's hands."

Vic cringed and looked at the floor, and it was Val's turn to reassure him. He held his hand with both of his and touched it against his forehead. Vic managed a weak smile.

"We go in when you're ready. Use the shadows." Omar breathed in deep and exhaled quietly. Vic and Val as one. Omar counted to three with his fingers, then vanishing and sliding under the door inside the room. Val's heart skipped a beat as he followed. Vic entered last.

There was about five people in the living room. The Handler was in the kitchen. Vic drew a knife and plunged it through the nearest man's throat; Omar threw Vic's dying victim at the others and opened up with his handgun. Val managed to cut one down and was going to kill two more but Omar had already taken care of them with the handgun. The Handler tried going out the window, but Val got to him in the blink of an eye and yanked him back to the kitchen. Omar stayed in the living room. Vic went lend Val a hand.

"So you're the Handler huh!?" Val snarled. He poked him harshly with the saya and let out a sigh when the Handler curled up. He threw the sword away and got down to grab him by the neck of the shirt.

He was looking at a middle-aged man, bags under eyes and stubble were the first thing he noticed before slamming his palm on his nose, feeling it snap under his weight, gross wetness in his palm which he wiped on the Handler's shirt. The Handler grunted and looked up at him defiantly.

"Killing me won't end this!"

"Sure." Val hit him again, feeling the wet and the soft against his fist.

"Who am I?"

"Does it matter?"

Val sighed loudly and pulled the Handler up to his feet, throwing him against the table then pinning him with his arm.

"Who am I!?" He yelled. Vic stared from the doorframe.

"You're a weapon."

"Don't push it. Don't fucking push it! Tell me, or I'm going to put your head through the fucking window." Val was livid, Vic made no attempt to calm him down. He just nodded from the doorframe when he looked at him.

"Wait... Weren't there five blokes?" Omar asked from the living room before Val sunk the Handler's nose even further into his skull.

As if on cue, a shadow leaped from the wall and lunged at Omar. Vic tried to warn him with a yell, but it was too late. Val could only stare in horror at the man ripping Omar's throat out with a knife he held in his mouth. He didn't even had time to react. He was dead before he hit the floor. A snarl stood where Omar did, wild narrow eyes and the ghost of civilization of a man now turned into a manic beast breathed heavily in front of them.

"You." Val growled. Vic stepped in front of him.

The figure flicked his head back to get hair off his face, sticky with blood and bits of gore sprinkled throughout. It was Kiew.

***

Author's Note: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA