• The sun was unmerciful, as it was everyday. The days were getting longer and there wasn't enough time to cool off in the night. Even the people who were living here before me were starting to complain. There wasn't a whole lot to do out here either. People weren't meant to live in the deserts of Alihagos. This little settlement was simply known as the Scrap Pile, filled with ruins, old parts for archaic cars, motorcycles, planes, and even a space shuttle that crashed out here long ago. There was a well in the middle of it all though, but even that was running dry. People looked to me when they're needs weren't fulfilled, pleading for my water and food. And I gave it to them. I was literally skin, muscle and bone now. It was nothing short of amazing that I was still among the living.
    And in return for my so-called 'infinite' kindness, they granted me title of owner of the Scrap Pile. Not sure what good that did me, but it didn't bother me any. All I did was sit on the highest part of the Pile, watching over the twenty people that resided here. They didn't do anything very exciting either. Every now and then they would check the well for water, make pictures in the sand, then check the water again, then scrounge for food. It was the circle of life making two U-turns one after the other.
    "Lobo! Lobo!" one of the six children cried. It was a little girl that usually brought me fossilized desert roses by the name of Uhali. She was only nine, and her parents died several months back. Uhali had no family, and would have died herself long ago if I hadn't taken care of her. The thing with these people was when they sensed someone's death nearby, they would kill them while they still had meat and eat them. Uhali almost met the same fate, but I kept her at my side for awhile. Now she's strong enough to fend for herself.
    I turned to her, seeing a flustered and dry face. "Lobo! There's a man in a suit here to see you!" It was clear she was worried for me. This was nothing different though. I've been dealing with the suit-type for awhile now...but for them to actually come out here is a bit odd. They usually dropped a call. And even then it was only Isis and the people she advised to see me. Who would she send to this forsaken hellhole?
    "Go hide somewhere," I instructed her. My voice was dry and deep, a result from having a parched throat for days at a time. It was difficult to breathe, let alone talk. But what didn't kill me made me stronger. I just wish I was strong right now.
    "But Lobo! He has men and they all have guns!" Her lips were quivering lightly. Uhali's big brown eyes were watering with tears while her body shivered. She needed that water. Crying now wasn't a good idea.
    "It'll be fine," I replied lazily, standing up to my feet and drawing one of my pistols. It was a gift from Isis before we parted. A weapon called a Mauser D-39, crafted by the Biodyne corporation as per Isis' request. It was a fascinating weapon modeled after an incredibly old gun. It's barrel was long and sleek, similar to the Desert Eagle series, but the clips were fed like a sub-machine gun through a square compartment in front of the trigger. On the barrel was an inscription that read 'Love, Isis'. Her top agent has a different gun with the same inscription on it.
    "Please be careful!" Uhali said before running off to her hiding spot.
    Down below I can see the ruckus the suits were making. One of them was dressed all in gray, while the others around him sported the color of death; black. They were Black Collars; people who dealt with getting their hands bloody doing Black Work. Anything regarding death or combat illegally was considered Black Work. Usually assassins and Killers were at the top, but henchmen were the same. They would try and Kill me in a moment's notice if I looked like I was going to harm their boss.
    But I was better at Killing.
    When I dropped down from the pile of cars I sat on, the man's face was coming into view better and better, and frankly I was quite shocked.
    "Rigo Cole..." I said aloud, trying to realize who was before me. My mind wasn't registering it properly though. I still felt incredibly lazy beneath the sun. However, this man was dangerous....
    "Well if it isn't the milk coffee colored kid! Killer 13! Or should I say, Lobo de le Muerte?" he responded, clearly taking a crack at my patience. He wanted me to attack first so his men could have proper reason to gun me down or capture me. Back in the day Isis use to send me out on missions to wreck this guy's transportation gig. I knew he was feeling raw still.
    "Just Lobo," I answered, scratching the side of my head using the barrel of the Mauser. His men hoisted up their weapons quickly in response, much more slowly than expected. I could go through them easily...
    "Now now boys, I'm here to hire him. Put those away." Cole motioned for his men to stand down.
    Hire me? He wanted to hire me? I knew Isis had something to do with this. She was the only one who knew where I was...
    "Don't look so surprised, Lobo. You did really good against my men. You sunk four export ships all by yourself too. Quite a feat..." He stroked his bearded chin thoughtfully and nodded as his dark eyes locked onto mine. "See I have a big problem, and in return for a big favor, Isis referred me over to you. I was surprised really, since I thought she would have sent her top agent, D'Amato, to help me. It just goes to show she actually cares about his well being more than yours, no?"
    "Just tell me what the ******** you want or leave," I said lazily. "I'm busy." Between the bright sun and the fatigue I didn't know which one wouldn't allow my eyes to open fully. I must of had a very tired look in my eyes, because none of them seemed intimidated anymore. In reality I haven't fully opened my eyes since I first got here. It was damn near impossible with the sun. Even in the small spots of shade. I was basically squinting all the time with little effort. But it felt natural now, like I was born like this.
    I've been out here too long.
    "Alright, alright, I see how you work. Straight to the point, I like that," Cole smirked suspiciously and motioned to one of his men. From the back stepped out a suit with a rather pricey looking briefcase. All steel, combination locked, and even handcuffed to the poor guy's wrist. Whatever it was, it must have been worth sacrificing someone for. "What you see here can never be uttered ever again, understood?"
    "Whatever."
    Cole himself opened the case, taking only a second to input the code. Her waved for me to come closer and for the man whose wrist was attached to shut his eyes and look away. Not even his men knew what was going on.
    "This is the problem. I can't even say the words out loud just in case someone might be listening."
    Inside there was a paper sewn into the fabric with writing along with two photos of a man with green eyes and bright red hair; a major contrast to my own midnight red hair. It looked like they were taken from a security camera.
    The note read:

    This guy has been sinking my ships for three months now. The way we are currently, we're up to our balls in debt. I shouldn't even have the means to deliver or bring in goods anymore. In basic, Cole Works doesn't exist anymore. I've spent most of my money trying to catch the son of a b***h, but he keeps beating all my men. The thing is that he doesn't kill anyone. They all get knocked out, and none of them remember a thing afterward. We only have these pictures taken two weeks back to go on. Going to Isis was the last resort, and unfortunately here we are. What I want you to do, as you probably guessed, is to Kill him. Questioning is no longer an option; whoever he's working for is obviously strong, so we'll find them eventually. But we can't let anyone know about this, especially Isis. We know she'll buy us out if it comes to it, but I think I can still save my corporation. I know you're friends with her, but I'm trusting the money I'll pay will keep you quiet. It'll be enough to pay for your living expenses for the rest of your life, regardless of the lifestyle you choose. Exactly one trillion dollars.

    "How do you expect to–" His hand shot up to silence me and shook his head, then pointed to the line after.

    I know you don't believe I can come across that kind of money, especially when I'm like this. This is why I want you to do another job. Kill Guile D'Amato.

    I was about to speak again but he cut me off before I could say the first word. I had to keep reading.

    I know you two were allies in the past, but in this world we have to do whatever is necessary to get ahead, don't you agree? Anyways, I understand you two had a dispute sometime while you were working together. Isis' favor went to you as the strongest warrior she met. This made Guile a little jealous, didn't it? To make you fight him he kidnapped that broad of yours. That half-vampire girl. Her name escapes me.

    "Amelia..." I whispered under my breath, remembering the beautiful Amazon. She was a wild, gun-toting, vicious woman that could tear a lion in half with her bare hands. When other men feared her, I worked alongside her, trashing all of Isis' opponents to make it to the top. Now she was highly regarded as the greatest Hunter in the world. She went on her 'final' Hunt, and that's when we departed. I offered to go with her, but she said she needed to face her father alone. I haven't seen or heard from her since, but I could never forget her flawless face, her ravenous jet-black hair, her glimmering deep purple eyes, those curvy hips, supple a**, ample breasts, shapely thighs...
    But that attitude! I couldn't forget just how much b***h she was made of. Her grotesque and horrifying threats about cutting off my manhood and it's two friends and sticking them in forbidden places always made me back off. We lived together for about an entire year in a studio apartment, and not once have I even touched her. No accidently bumping into her, no hugs, not even a handshake. She showered so much too; once in the morning and once in the night. I haven't even seen her walk out with a towel wrapped around her. I suspected her to be lesbian, but she didn't even let women touch her. And I saw what happened when they tried.
    She bit them. I mean she literally bit their fingers off. She didn't suck their blood. Amelia just bit off their fingers like when she bit the heads off of gummy-bears.

    Anyway, I remember that look on your face. That's what turned you into a full-blown Killer. That was the turning point. You almost had Guile, but he ran away. Don't you think it's time to exact your revenge? Doing this will destroy Area Zero, and Ms. Isis Martinez have to start sending her other agents for work, and I will be the one to transport them at whatever price I want. I plan to milk that cow for all she's worth.

    He was referring to Isis' bosom. They were life F's or something.

    So Kill this kid, and Kill Guile. If things work out well, I can make you my personal Killer and you and I can rule this world. Doesn't seem like a lot of work, right? I'll crunch the numbers, and you do the dirty work. Leave it all to me and I can make you even more famous. What do you say?

    It's true that I branded Guile as my enemy when he kidnapped Amelia, but I guess I had that coming when I kissed Isis. She and I had a brief relationship, and from what I knew Guile had his eyes on her for a long time. Inhumanely long. In human years I was twenty-two. He was four hundred. Isis lost track of her own age over the centuries, but looked like she was in her mid twenties, just like Guile. None of them were human. And neither was I apparently. I didn't know how it would affect me, like I wouldn't age or something, but so far nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I still looked young, and I felt strong.
    "Just to make a note, Isis practically betrayed you by revealing your location to me. I could have bombed you to bits if I wanted, and I have every right to. I also have you to blame for my downfall. But do this, and consider your record clean. Either way, if you refuse, you're dead."
    It took awhile for me to understand, but I saw my reflection in a broken vanity mirror nearby. A sniper's dot was locked on my head. He took good caution setting up.
    "So it's work for you, or die. And I'm sure you have a back up plan if I decide to go after you during the mission, right?"
    He held up a mechanical collar in his hand. "E-Collar from Biodyne. You've seen these before, and you know what the E stands for."
    Explosive.
    "You can guess that I'm going to put this on you if you agree; just a precaution." That annoying smirk returned as my own face fell into a glower.
    "This turned from asking help to bringing down Area Zero, didn't it?"
    "I like to capitalize on opportunities. See? Now you know how good I am in my line of work. But don't worry. Once I confirm your missions are done, the collar comes right off. A sign of goodwill and faith. I promise." He crossed his heart with his index finger. Part of me was hoping he was lying, just so he could die.
    But his arguments were sound. Isis did betray me, I wanted to destroy Guile, and if I did bring down Area Zero, I knew I would be held in the highest of places as the man who created the world, and then destroyed it.
    "Alright..." I nodded. "But I want to show you just how good I am too, since you were kind enough to reveal your skills to me."
    He looked puzzled, but nodded.
    The Mauser was suddenly guided through the air by my hand with my finger pulling the trigger at optimum moments.
    One, two, three, four, and five.
    All his guards holding weapons fell down with a bullet in their brains, including the sniper and the hidden one behind me. In one 360 twirl, I annihilated all his ground forces, as well as the collar in his hand.
    The expression on his face; priceless.
    "You don't know how much stronger I've gotten, Cole. It's been two years, but I'm getting better and better. These pansy asses didn't stand a chance. Not even that idiot you tried to hide."
    He remained speechless for a moment, soaking it all in, but then a huge grin spread across his face.
    "Even the extra sniper...I knew you were good but..." he began to laugh maniacally. "Yes! Yes! You're going to destroy them! And I will make you a god!"
    He began to make calls on his cell phone excitedly while I stared at the engraving on the Mauser. Love was just another word to her then. What kind of lover would send murderers to me? Did she think I could handle myself?
    So what if I can? She had no right.
    That's not a friend.