• Thunder, red fire lightening, the distant echo of clashing swords; someone grabbed him, pulling him up from his laying down, screaming "Awaken!"
    Phillip found himself sitting up in the bed he rented from the day before...that dream, what was that all about? The past? The future? A warning? Nah...that couldn't be...or could...?
    Suddenly, his gut made him jump aside from his bed as a shower of lead rained through the rooms' door.
    The man dashed quickly behind some furniture, grabbing his bag, hiding it and himself from view.
    The door was kicked in and a few thugs walked in, finding nothing laying in bed.
    "He's not here."
    "What? You don't say? Tell me more..."
    Phillip looked around, anything that could be used as a weapon, or an escape.
    "You don't have to be sarcastic..." the first one continued saying.
    "...It's not like he left the building."
    "Right, so if he hasn't left the building, he must be somewhere in it, no?"
    "Well, yeah...very clever Alex" a third voice popped in.
    'For crying out loud, they're so smart' Phillip thought, sarcastically.
    "THEN SEARCH THE ROOM FOR HIM!" Alex said, from what sounded as pushing them both.
    This was bad, no weapons, no escape...he didn't want to kill people, not yet at least.
    Someone approached and poked his head from behind, Phillip didn't move nor resist as he felt the steps closing in beside him.
    When he felt the tip on his head again, he rapidly turned, pulling down his assailant, hitting him in the throat, disarming him. At the same time the other two turned into his direction but were too slow, and two shots was all it took him to clear the situation.
    After scouting the corridor, he returned to his room to interrogate the survivor.
    "Why are you here?"
    "The money...*cough* all the money....the boss want's it back..."
    "You stole it, how can it be yours?"
    "Well...that's...uh..."
    "Another question...who's your boss?"
    "I don't know...*cough* a lady...two divisions above, *cough* only Alex knew who she was."
    Phillip checked the watch on the wall, it was time to go.
    "You'll be fine, but not your leg..." and with that he shot the mans leg, just in case. The man screamed out in pain, and as he cried Phillip crouched next to him.
    "I have a message for your boss. Tell her to not come after me again."
    "But who are you...?"
    "Phillip."
    And with that he left the man there, and scavenged the others for things to use; a decent knife, ammunition, a decent pistol, and keys to a vehicle.
    Now, it was time to set his plan into motion, but he needed information to expose the betrayal, the day he was murdered.
    Philip made his exit as lots of blue uniforms made their way through the front motel door, passing by him as he acted like he didn't know what was happening.
    "What's going on?" the man asked to the receptionist.
    "Someone reported gunfire upstairs..!"
    "Oh wow, we'd better leave then..." he said, and left through the front door, clicking on the car key alarm.
    A lovely black SUV with leather interior, fine for him.
    The one place he knew had access to all surveillance was in a room in Epsilon squads' base, but that would be full of people and it would be too dangerous to even think of trying to get in.
    There was a possibility though, a safe house could have a direct connection to the main server, and safe houses were unoccupied most of the time.
    It was a 15 minute or so distance to cover, so he turned on the radio.
    After a few minutes there was a breaking news broadcast, or so it said.
    "Police report they were called from a local motel claiming to hear gunfire come from it's third floor. In the room police found 3 dead males with multiple gunshot wounds. The rooms' host is being searched for questioning..."
    Well, that wasn't a good sign. If they were labeling dead the one he left alive, it meant that the police force was involved, or that they lied about the scene...or also, but least convincingly, someone cleaned up after he had left.
    Phillip pulled over next to a old house, in a not-very-likeable neighborhood. It was broken-down apartment complex, with "demolition" tagged all over it. He knew they were a bluff, they'd been there for years.
    It was easy getting in, around the back through an air vent he had used before, even if the stench of death stung his nose inside it.
    Inside, the furniture was almost intact, it seemed it had been used a month ago at least, but his main concern was the computer and its safe line. To his relief, both were there, and power was still up.
    It was going good, too easy, maybe just enough to the later get ruined. But for now, his main goal was to find information, something to clear up the dust and settle down the mayhem in his heart.