Gangs of the MB Revisited

[John Roberts]

Dominic

Fuck! Clare thought hearing the sound of the shotgun blast from just below the stairs; with great speed she ducked her tiny head back under the counter in the chemist. She was not alone in there about a dozen people were hiding behind the isles, some were lying on the floor with their hands behind the back of their heads while others whispered quietly to each other. The whispering had stopped though when they heard the shotgun go off so close by.

Hope mum's not being a stupid tart like she usually is, she prayed to herself, she needs to stay down and wait it out until dad sent help. She knew daddy or chief if you wanted to use his gangster name would do his best to protect her, he always did. She had still not quite gotten used to the idea that her farther was a criminal and a criminal mastermind at that.

There had always been something about him, something strange the way he would talk on the phone and be so stern about not being disturbed in the study when he had guests over. It had all come out on her 12th birthday, 8-months ago when he took her up to his office for the first time. It was lucky chief had raised her to be such bad girl, subjecting her to adult material at a young age and teaching her how it was not wrong to bully and intimidate the other girls at school. The last teacher, student, parent meeting had been hilarious, she remembered, dad had told the Principle that she wanted to stab a younger girl in the eye with her compass then she should be allowed to do so without being the subject of his ternary and if he was unwilling to drop the matter he would be happy to use his million dollar fortune to buy the entire school and have him fired.

Any minute now, Clare thought some guys would come in and rescue me oh and mum. Clare bit her lower lip hard when she thought about her mum and dad's relationship, it was far from stable. She did not know much about her mum's past only that once she had been a prostitute and that her dad had somehow fallen in love with her. Was it really her though or just the prospect of having me, Clare reasoned for Sarah had often complained to her about how chief never had any time for her but would drop whatever he was doing me.

It was then that she heard the second gunshot, quieter than the first but still very close, maybe is was a different gun, she reasoned the big blast they had heard earlier was very different to the mass of shots before that. She began to shake, she was sitting in the water and it easily went through and socked her through her cloths. She wished she had not chosen to wear a crop top and a short skirt but then she was trying to look older, more mature than she was. She did have a head start though because she was tall for her age and had passed herself off as older before, he dad had always told her she got her height from his side of the family and that her uncle was a giant.

The reason she had wanted to look older and the reason she had separated from her mum to pop the chemist was that she wanted to buy some contraception. Even though she knew she could ask her farther for anything she had just wanted to do this on her own to prove to herself that she didn't have to depend on him for everything.

It was Dan she had her eye on, sure he was almost three times her age and had a girlfriend but she knew she was ready for sex. Even her mum had no leg to stand on regarding her choices in the matter, if she chose to disuses them with her, for when she was her age she had already acquired something of a reputation for herself. Maybe she could get Dan's girlfriend killed? She thought to pass the time and calm her nerves, I am chief's daughter I can ask one of his guys to do it and offer to put in a good word for him, yes it was settled then she would get it done tomorrow, that is, she gulped, assuming I do get out of here in one piece.


Dominic sat on Airborn's back with his hands firmly locked around Airborn's head pushing his face down into the water he was in ecstasy. It was then he started to laugh it was not so much the joy of killing but the joy of killing someone like Airborn, someone who had dared to challenge him. He felt Airborn struggle, he was a lot stronger than he had given him credit for but he was still lacking the extra 50-pounds of muscle necessary to free himself. Dominic then saw Airborn raise his eyes above the water and look at him, he looked so pathetic Dominic could not help but laugh harder.

As he laughed he began to slide farther down Airbon's back releasing more and more pressure. That's when it happened, the shot, the shot that made him scream. It wasn't really the pain that made him scream it was more the shock of being hurt by someone he had thought of as helpless.

Dominic fell off Airborn's back clucking his thy with gritted teeth. He looked over at Airborn, spluttering like a fish hate filling his eyes, "You Shot me you FUCK. You Shot ME!" He raged then added with a slight smile, "I'll make sure you suffer now you little prick."

With that he reached for his assault rifle and pointed it at Airborn's head, he was about to fire when he heard it, a voice.

"What are you doing Dominic?" The voice went and it sounded so familiar, "why won't you help me?" The voice went again.

Dominic was confused but then was terrified for right before his very eyes the mall started to fade away, melt and reform itself. He then found that he was on the floor of a hospital ward; he stood up shaking and looking around wondering if he had lost it.

It was then that he saw him, chief, he was lying on a bed with a tube in his arm. Chief opened his eyes and looked at him, "help me Dominic" he pleaded and looked down at something on his chest, it was a tumour and he could see it because the blankets only went up as far as chief's waist.

Dominic looked at the tumour and gasped as a face appeared on it, the face of a young girl and that face started laughing. Then even more disturbing the tumour started to grow, larger and larger, within a few seconds it had doubled in size and continued to grow.

Chief cried out in pain then said, "you have to destroy it Dominic, destroy it now while you still have the chance!" By now the tumour was over 2-feet in size and nearing his face, "you mustn't waste your bullets on Airborn, he is not part of the disease!" Dominic stood helpless as the tumour finally engulfed chief completely and then stepped back as it continued to grow. It would not stop and soon the bed collapsed because of the weight and it started to threaten the patients in the other beds. Dominic could not speak and wanted to scream when he saw a slimy tentacle shoot out of the tumour and grab the leg of a patient and then dragged him towards itself to be absorbed.

He dropped to his knees in despair and covered his face with his hands as hundreds of tentacles shot out towards him.

Then everything had gone, the tentacles, chief even the hospital and Dominic found himself back in the mall pointing his rifle at Airborn, "no" he said and lowed his gun. He knew he could not spare the bullets and was about to move forward to snap his neck when he spied the swat teem far away at the entrance, "I'll let the SWAT team finish you off. Now excuse me I have someone to kill" he said and got up doing his best to ignore the pain.

As Dominic limped up the stairs the sprinklers finally stopped casting the mall into an eerie silence broken only by the sounds of Airborn heavy breathing and splashing and his own splashes caused by his limping. He used the rail to help him up the stairs and was at the top sooner than he had expected. Slowly he trudged forward and went into the first door he came across, a door belonging to a McDonalds.

[John Roberts]

Chief

[/li][li]

Chief: WAIT.. Where is a good place to get a good look at the mall?
Driver: The best place is probably Crain view point... Its just above us on the cliff..
Chief: Go there
[/li][li]Chief: *starts thinking on how he Jim and Airborn are doing at ground zero* I have to get Clare out...
[/li][li]
Chief: *thinking* this is a good place to see the mall, you can see almost the intire downtown core.
Driver: Shit, its pretty bad down there eh.
Chief: Yess.. Yes it is.. *steps out of the limo* hm.. *takes out a dime and puts it in the view scope* The cops have already covered all the exits.. And it looks as if there setting up a command post.. *he zooms in on a young detective giving orders*
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John Roberts

IC: Brian Irons cursed at himself as he took the corner of Ash and Third far too quickly. His vehicle mounted a curb, missing a telephone booth by only inches while still doing 80 miles. He easily regained control and accelerated back on the road, the siren on his dashboard flashing continuosly as he weaved in between traffic. He was followed closely by another seven squad cars all trying despretly to reach their destination as fast as they could.
His radio was crackling with life from other on duty officers from around the district responding to the emergency.

And exactley what kind of emergency are we headed for? Brian thought
Another gang war?

His mind flash back to another time he was called out to a shooting. A gang war had broken out outside of a junior high school at the worst possible time of the day, 3:30 in the afternoon. Parents were still picking up their children, children still using the school crossing, children still playing on the playground, children still ...alive. When Brian had arrived at the scene all the gangs had already fled apart from those that had been hit by the gun fire but when he approached the still lying bodies he realised that they did not wair the colours of any gang...the bodies that were scattered across the road and park area they were those of children.

Brian's mind snapped back to the present by the radio as it once again buzz with a female voice, "Attention all units. FBI agents have arrived at the scene, they are requesting all LAPD officers to fall back. Repeat; the FBI have arrived at the City Cetre Mall, all units are ordered to stand down."

What the hell?!

Brian swung his vehicle left around another corner, tyres screeching, almost losing it but with fast footwork and quick acceleration, he manged to roar out of the corner faster than the last time.
He reached for the radio's hand reciever, put it up to his mouth and held down the button as he spoke.

"Dispatch, this is Detective Irons, what the hell's going on?" he released his hand from the button, awaiting a reply.

"Sorry Detective, the FBI have taken over the incident. It's in there hands now. You are ordered to return to the station."

"WHAT?!" Brian shouted out of frustration, not holding the button down on the reciever. He noticed that the squad cars that were close behind him had dropped back and were pulling over, their sirens switched off.

What is this shit? Since when did the goddamn FBI get them selves involved in gang shoot outs?

Brian held down the reciever button, "Screw the Feds, I am proceding to the City Centre Mall. This is a possible gang war in progress so I am going to need some back up."

Brian smiled as the radio crackled with response, "We're with you Irons. Unit 53 proceding to the City Centre Mall."

"Unit 17 procedding."

"Unit 28, procedding"

"Unit 36 is on their way."

Brians smile soon faded as another voice responded, a males voice, "This is Special Agent Mark Cosgrove, you and your men are orderd to back off now! This is now the FBI's jurisdiction. We have already sent a team in to storm the complex, LAPD are not needed."

Bullshit!

Brian held the button in, "Look here, Cosgrove, LA is our jurisdiction and there are no amount of Feds that are going to stop the LAPD from doing our job."

"Detective Irons, this is your final warning. You are intefering in an FBI investigation. Turn back now. If you do not comply you will be arrested."

Fuck 'em. Brian thought as he threw the reciever to the floor and firmly gripped both hands on the steering wheel. He took another sharp right turn onto a narrow street which leaded him into plane veiw of the grand complex that was the City Center Mall.


Meanwhile, inside the mall on the first floor, eight figures were sweeping the area. They all wore full body armour and each were carrying a standard AK-47. They were checking any signs of life from the dozens of bodies sprawled across the large department. Gun shots could be heard from above on the second floor but the men ignored the noise above and continued their search.

"Help...me." a weak voice could be heard from the left of the team, a trembling arm streched into the air from a man lying on the ground.

"Captain, we have a live one." one of the team members called out as he run up to the injured man and kneeled down beside him, checking his wounds.

"What's his status, Jensen?" the captain called back, standing still.

"He has a gun shot to the left shoulder.." Jensen paused checking the mans lower body,"...and one to the left kneecap, he'll live."

The injured man looked up to Jensen and smiled, "Thank god...thank god your here...he shot us all...all of us... he was crazy...out of his mind..."

Jensen leaned in closer to the man and said, "Did you see the man who did this to you.?"

He slowly nodded his head, "Y-yeah...I saw his face."

"Captain?" Jensen called out, looking up at his commander.

"Take care of it."
"Yes, sir." Jensen reached his hands down to his boot and unsheathed the knife he kept there, holding it tightly.

"I...I think...I think I can walk." the man said weakly trying to sit up. Without saying another word, Jensen grabbed the man and jerked him closer, and stabbed him in the throat.
The man put his hands to his neck as Jensen withdrew the blade, staring at his killer with wide, shocked eyes, blood pouring over his fingers as his heart continued to work.

Jensen stared back at the man, grinning and pitiless.

The man finally fell over, still clutching his bubbling throat, and lost consciousness. he died quickly after that, a final spasm and he was gone.

The captain nodded with approval, "Good. Birken, Summervile, you two stay here and guard the main entrance. Jensen, Burton, Cortez, you all continue searching for survivors on the first floor. Mikail, Aquino, you'll come with me, we'll continue up to the next floor."

All eight men nodded.

"Now remember our orders," the captain continued, "nobody leaves this place alive except for the target, understood?"

Before the team could answer, a single shot rang out from above along with a scream, "You shot me you FUCK. You shot ME!"
Two men where fighting up on a balcony in plane view of the team, one man was clutching his thigh while the other was holding a hand gun.
The man clutching his thigh smiled at the other and spoke, "I'll make sure you suffer now you little prick." and with that he reached down a pulled up a rifle and pointed at the man's face.

"Sir, shall we take them out?" asked Birken, aiming his AK-47.

"Hold your fire." the captain glared at Birken, "That man is our target. We are under strict orders not harm him or get in his way. We take out anybody else. is that understood?"

Birken lowered his weapon, "Yessir."

Up on the balcony, the man holding the rifle had also lowered his weapon and was slowly limping away in the opposite direction, out of veiw. The other man was glancing at the men below, a shocked look on his face.

"Aquino, Mikail, let's take him down. The rest of you, move out! " the commander ordered as he and the other two ran towards the stairs to the second floor, weapons raised.

[John Roberts]

Airborne

*Airborn ran to a small wall full of bushes and hid in the darkness. His breaths came in quick and he was sweating. Old memerois flooded back of him and his squad in suitutaions like now, lying in ambush for a enemy patrol to come by. He seen them come up the saris in 2's ans scan the area. They went to another map.*

" What they doing?* They were checking his pulse and then stabbed him in the throat just like they done down stairs. Airborn gasped and leaned back agasint the wall*

" Who the hell are they? They should be saving them for fuck sake not mureder them?"

*he looked back up 2 were coming over to his area, swinging the flashlights on the end of there rifles into the darkness looking. They both stopped suddenly and aimed at him and fired. Airborn quickly ducked down as bullets destroyed the bushes and splinted the wall*

" WHAT THE FUCK! YOUR SUPPOSED TO SHOOT FREEZE!" *Airborn yelled in fright.*

" New policy, just shot them, inocent or not." *One of them said and chuckled.*
" If you playing it like that." *Airborn jumped up with his MP5 in his hands and jsut kept his finger on the trigger. The 2 men in front of them bounced back as the bullets went into them. His gun clicked dry and he jumped back down as bullets flew past him again. He quickly seen the 2 guys get dragged away while the team covered them. The body armour had saved them but they were still out. He went for another mag and he couldn't find any. He then seen them over by were Dominic had fought him.*

" SHIT!" He pulled out his .45 which had only 6 rounds left and an extra clip*

" I'm screwed." *he sat back thinking what to do when the SWAT team moved closer*
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Jim Doe

Jim vaulted up the stairs, taking three at a time in his hurry. He had to take down Dominic as quickly as possible so he could get back and help Airborn . . . if Airborn was even still alive by then. A snarl creeped over Jim's lips as he stepped onto the second floor. The fact that Dominic had apparently turned traitor on Chief didn't bother him overmuch, but the fact that he had screwed up what should have been a perfectly easy job pissed him off to no end.

He held his Uzi in his left hand and the silenced pistol in his right. If he was lucky, he could take down his opponent with one silent shot. If he wasn't, the best he could hope for would be to take Dom down with a random spray from the Uzi while he was being shot down himself.

Tracking Dom wouldn't be hard, from the looks of it. Though Airborn's bullet had bypassed all the major arteries in Dom's leg, he was still leaving a pretty clear trail of blood behind. As Jim stalked forward, he noticed that the trail would occaisionally turn to the side and enter a store, where several bodies could be seen lying on the floor.

They thought hiding would save them, Jim thought sadly, but it just allowed him to cut them down all too easily. And if I don't hurry the hell up, he'll do the same to Clare . . .

Jim wasn't particularly fond of this city, but he had been driven out of one too many cities of late. He didn't want Chief to give him a reason to ditch yet another one. He had to save Clare.

The walkway turned at a 90 degree angle not too far ahead. The blood trail turned with it and, without thinking, so did Jim.

"STOP. FOLLOWING. ME."

Jim barely had time to take in the fact that Dominic was standing around the corner, pointing an assault rifle at his chest. He heard a sound somewhat reminicent of distant thunder as lightning flashed before his eyes and he was lifted off the ground. It seemed as if an eternity passed as he floated, but it came to an abrupt end as he smashed into the walkway railing and collapsed in a heap.

Dominic grinned maniacally as blood started to seep out of the hole the rifle slug had made in Jim's so-called bulletproof vest. He stepped forward and kneeled over the still form, preparing to take every weapon he could find to add to his own arsenal.

The bottom of a coke bottle tapped the side of his head, causing him to stop short, but only for a moment. He swung the barrel of the rifle up to Jim's face at the same time he felt the Uzi's barrel press into his side.

Jim hurt all over, but he kept the Beretta and Uzi steady on Dom's head and body. He could feel the bullet inside of him, digging against a rib. The vest had slowed it enough so that it hadn't killed him or hit any vital organs, but DAMN it hurt! If he got out of this alive, his whole upper body would be bruised for weeks, he just knew it.

He had more pressing matters to attend to, however. He and Dominic sat and squatted respectively, waiting for the other to make a move.

Madness flashed back and forth across Dom's eyes. Jim could see the struggle working itself out in his diseased brain, trying to decide whether it was worth the risk to pull the trigger. Dominic had things to do, dammit, and he couldn't do them if he was stuck here!

Jim waited patiently as the seconds ticked by and the time of his death began to loom ever closer . . .

[John Roberts]

Dominic

IC: Abruptly Reese got up from his the desk and then with slow stiff movements began to pace around Zane. His face showed a look of intense concentration as he debated the idea over and over in his mind. As Reese passed each of the 6 men he chanced to look at their faces, to see their doubt or approval. They were not individuals, not any more those of the Inner Brotherhood had sacrificed the luxury of individuality and they now existed only as cells of a greater being, a being called the Brotherhood.

Every one of them knew what Reese, their leader was deciding and in their eyes he saw neither doubt or approval, instead he saw only humble loyalty, if you think it's the right thing to do we are behind you all the way, their eyes said without words.

Finally when Reese had completed his circle he stopped, put his hand on the shoulder of the nearest man, and said to him in a calm tone, "take him down and prepare him, the fire will decide."
"The fire!" Zane blurted out, "what the hell are you going to do to me?!" But he got no answer and the medic had already drawn a syringe and the other 5 men held him while needle pierced his skin.

Zane fort but it was futile, they had him pinned down and soon he began to feel calm as darkness overtook him.

Reese watched the men carry him out of the room; it had been years since they had done anything like what was about to happen. We've become so dependent on the things we can see, the things we can touch and control, Reese mused. Have we forgotten the very thing that holds, that binds us together like the brothers we are? No Reese answered his own question, not forgotten, just allow it to fade slightly, well, he resolved, after this evening all that will change I will make sure of it.

With his mind set on the course of action Reese went to the intercom and addressed all the Brotherhood currently present in the HQ, "My brothers!" He began, "I beseech you to join me in assembly, I know it strange for me to call assembly this early and on this day, but have faith in me my brothers when I tell you the need it great. I expect you all to be present and accounted for in 10-minutes."

With his speech finished Reese descended down the stairs himself so that he might get ready himself for what was sure to be the most interesting assembly he had ever taken part in.


Why couldn't he find her? Dominic mind raged, he had killed so many people now and none of them were Clare, sure he did not know what she looked like but so far he had only killed one girl near her age and that was only after he had murdered her farther.

He remembered the encounter, how after the man had charged into him screaming, "you stay away from my daughter you fucking lunatic!" After he had shot him the girl had began to scream herself and he had bashed her head repeatedly into wall until he brains had spilled out. The other girls he had killed were either too old or too young, some of them much, much to young, where was she, Dominic's mind continued to rage.

What made matters worse was that he was running low on bullets and was down to his last 2 clips, to save ammo he switched the gun to single shot over automatic fire.

Then he heard footsteps, or rather splashes and even though the sprinklers had stopped and the water was draining away there was still enough to make sneaking up on someone difficult

Dominic took refuse behind the corner, he knew it was not the swat-team, they had been to far away. Perhaps it's that other guy, he thought Jim?

Like one of those living statues Dominic remained still and silent, I'll shoot him the second he comes around the bend, he thought. However when Jim did make his appearance Dominic rage got the better of him he shouted out, "STOP. FOLLOWING ME!"

The bullet left the rifle and made contact with Jim's chest and Dominic's eyes widened and his lips grinned when he saw Jim almost float like Superman before crashing into the railing.

Although it went against his better judgment he approached Jim to take his weapons, it was necessary he was running low on ammo and although he knew he could snap Clare's neck with one hand he did not want to be left defenceless against the swat-team, not that he didn't have some grenades to spare, but there would also be a massive number of cops to attend with outside.
He kneeled over Jim and that was when he felt it, the bottle. Jim had been so quick in the movement that he had been unable to grab his wrist in time. He responded instantly though by pointing his own, bulky weapon at Jim's face as he felt the Uzi press into his side.

'Time flies when your having fun' they tell you, what they don't tell you is that time grinds to a complete halt when your having a bad time. That was what had happened between Jim and Dominic for they were in that zone. The place others only watch in clichééd action movies when the camera goes in for a close up to show the tiny line of sweat drip down the villain's forehead, just to let the audience know what a pathetic miserable coward he was.

Unlike that though there was no line if sweat, for although Dominic was insane and most defiantly a villain he was not a coward. The only person in his mind was chief and how every second spent here meant he was getting more ill and the tumour was threatening more and more people besides chief, not that he really gave a shit about them you understand, it was just another reason in his mind to justify what he was doing.

Perhaps I could try to talk him round? Dominic asked himself, he knew nothing about this Jim had not meet him like he had Airborn maybe I could make him understand?

"You think saving Clare from me is the right thing to do?" Dominic asked Jim.

Jim look a little startled he had quite unexpected a question like that and answered after a pause, "I know its what he's paying me to do."

Dominic felt a buzz of excitement, this Jim was not a moral fagot like Airborn perhaps there is hope, "whatever he's paying you I'll double it" Dominic lied since he had not a penny to his name.

"No thanks" Jim shot back, "I have a reputation to keep in this city, if word got around I screw anyone over for a higher price I'd soon find myself out of work altogether. Also it would be foolish of me to piss off the most powerful gangster in this city."

"Would killing him be any less foolish?" Dominic asked hoping to hit a nerve besides ones he had hit with the rifle.

"What are you talking about?" Jim quizzed looking slightly jaded.

Inwardly Dominic smiled before continuing, "Clare is killing chief, she's part of the cancer the tumour from where it all started ever day she feeds of him increasing in size, she's clever so far I seem to be the only one who can see it, see the truth. There are omens you see, signs that I can read telling me what has to be done. Also Chief's subconscious, it comes to me in visions, flashes in my head he's begging me to relive his suffering, to kill Clare and the civilians in this mall since they'll part of the cancer too. Dominic was ecstatic; he was finally having the chance to tell the truth to someone, someone who might understand and as he spoke his eyes danced from side to side and saliva dribbled from his mouth. "We can work together, to save him!" Dominic continued ranting, "he'll thank both of us you'll see and then the three of us can sit down together and watch the film me and chief were going to watch, 'Reservoir Dogs!'

My God, Jim thought Airborn was right the guy really has lost it, I've spoken to crack heads that make more sense than him. Jim did not what to provoke the nut though and hid his disgust well.

"I don't mean to sound ignorant" Jim began cautiously, "but maybe we had better have a talk to chief about this, maybe there's been a mix up or something, in any case he could straiten everything out."

"No! No! No!" Dominic yelled, "you don't understand, Clare has him under some kind of spell, I don't know what it is something dark and demonic but it means that chief does not even know she's killing him, using him. She has made him think he loves her so that he will protect her, deep down he knows the truth but he is unable to say it."

[John Roberts]

Dominic continued

Jim took a breath, this was getting nowhere, he had to take a gamble or they would be sitting ducks if Airborn was unable to hold off the swat-team, "If he isn't asking for your help, then what gives you the right to take action, he is a grown man free to make his own decisions good or bad."

"It is my right as his father!" Dominic shouted.

"What?" Jim said startled remembering how back in the office Airborn had said Dominic was chief's brother. Not only that but from the look of him Dominic was far to young to be chief's father, had he really become that delusional Jim asked himself.

Seeing the reaction Dominic thought it best to clarify, "oh I may not be his father in the biological sense, but I was the only farther chief ever had. His own farther, our own farther we never knew and our mother was always too drunk to be of much use. I raised him, while other children my age were running, playing I spent my time keeping my younger brother alive! How dare you say I have no right, the only reason he even exists is because of me, I know what's best for him and I know that Clare... has... to... DIE!"

Full of passion Dominic acted not out of rational thought but out of emotion, with all the force he could muster he head butted Jim in the face causing him to drop his pistol and as he fell back, his nose bloody barely keeping hold of the Uzi that he fired sending bullets in all directions including a few at the side of Dominic's chest that were thankfully stopped short but his custom vest that offered compete protection, from every direction.

As Jim fell Dominic stood and as Jim bought the Uzi to Dominic's face he was cut shot by Dominic stamping on his hand. He was laughing his head off, then reached down and removed the Uzi putting it on his waistcoat pocket.

"I'm going to enjoy this" he said tersely, and picked Jim up off the ground with both arms. Then with a sound of intense strain he hurled Jim through the air causing him to crash through a large store window a few feet away.
Jim landed on the floor of the chemist with a thud, he let out a groan, he had he thought been knocked about far too much this evening. He felt he eyes trying to close and he would of let them were it not for not for the sound of Dominic's manic laughter.

When Jim focused though he found himself on his side looking at a young girl hiding under the counter staring back at him with sharp alert eyes untained with fear as you would expect a 12-year old girls eyes to be after she had witnessed and no doubt heard the events that had just transpired. Like a clip being inserted into a gun the face registered in Jim's mind with efficiency, he had found Clare!
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Airborne

*Airborn sat behind the wall panting hard. He looked at his .45 again and at his last clip in his other hand. He knew they were flanking him right now, but why hadn't they just flash grenade him and shot him? All these questions, so little time. He heard splashes to his right and seen a SWAT guy crouch down and fire at him. Airborn quickly jumped out the way and psrinted into a coffe shop, bullets shattering the glass, sending shardes in all directions. He felt some hit his face followed by the stinging pain.*

" Now there pissing me off." he said to himslef before picking himself up and leaning aganist the counter.

" Come out, there's no escape!" someone yelled at him. He looked around the corner and they were right. No exits accept the front where he crashed through.

" No way you'll shot me dead as soon as I stand up!" Airborn yelled back, trying to buy sometime. A large mirror behind the counter on the wall showed outside the cafe and he could just make out them. 2 by the door way, crouching and aimming at the counter. 2 others were at the side of the large, broken, window panes.
" If you don't come out while shot you dead. And if you stand up while shot you dead. Who gives a fuck. At least if you come out you can die like a man." The captine, he persumed, said to him with laughter in his voice. Airborn gripped his .45 tighter.

" Hey guys why you kill them inocents?" Airborn asked turning around so he was facing the front of the cafe again.

" How does mind you own fucking business sound." He said sarcastic to him.

" Come on now thats not very nice is it." Airborn mocked at him hoping it would work.

" Cocky shit are we. Ok guys he want it the hard way so give him the hard way." He said and then opened up with his AK-74, as did the other 3. Bullets flew in all directions and basicly shot the place up. Bullets smashed through the counter making Airborn fall back and he began to scream, hoping he wouldn't get hit. After what seemed like minutes they stopped. He heard the distennctive sound of reloading. He quickly sucked in a breath and jumped up.

" my turn." he said in a low, deep voice. They all seemed to look up in shock, thinking that he was at least hurt and thought he was unarmed. Airborn's .45 kicked back in his hand. The guy by the left window got a bullet clean through his head. He quickly swung to the right and shot the other through the head also. He fell forward and got impaled on some broken glass through his chest. The 2 by the doorway finished reloading and was about to shot him but Airborn quickly shot the one on the left in the leg making him fall over cluching the wound. The one on the right he shot twice, in the chest knocking him back then in the neck. HE fell on the floor spasming around, choking on blood. The other guy went for his sidearm but AIrborn jumped over and kicked it out his hand.

" Who are you? You not LAPD there no marking saying so?" Airborn asked pointing his Colt at the mans head.

" Fuck you." He said back through his gas mask. Airborn then heard glass break from upstairs.

" Jim? Sorry but I have to go." He then ran off towards the stairs, reloading his gun.

" This is Jensen. We have 3 men down Sir." He said into a radio he pulled from a pouche on his vest.

" Ok, helps on the way. Peterson and Wood are being taken care of and will be alright. I'm coming back with more units so hold on " came the reply.

" Roger that, Jensen out." Jensen fall back onto his back starting to feel the effects of shock.

[John Roberts]

And that is that. And about bloody time too. That took me a couple of days of preparing.

Anywho, that is how the RPG remains. Whether it does get continued or not, I don't know. But it is here now for all your reading pleasure.

[chief]

YOu want it to start back up again... Well I think it'd be kinda cool, I'm getting better at rpgs so...

[Jim Doe]

I was next on the posting list, as I recall . . . I might put up my post when I have the time to type it all out.

[chief]

I forget most of this.... I'll have some reading ahead of me.... But who will be x273?

[Jim Doe]

OOC: Bwa-ha. ;D

IC:Holy shit, Jim thought as he lay on the floor, staring at Clare. Holy shit! For an enternity of seconds, his brain simply couldn't register anything else.

The girl, in the meantime, simply stared at him with a mixture of hope and concern underlied with a fierce determination. When his mind finally jumpstarted and caught up with the moment, he could tell she was trying to figure out whether he was there to help her or to kill her, and what action she should take in either case.

The light crunch of boots on broken glass snapped Jim's attention to an even more urgent matter than Clare's discovery. He quickly shifted his right hand down behind his back, trying to make it look as if it had fallen there by happenstance. His last hope of surviving this encounter lay there . . .

With half-lidded eyes, he could just make out the dark form of Dominic as the madman carefully stepped through the window Jim had just been thrown through. He stepped in on his right leg and shifted his full weight onto it, causing a small glut of blood to ooze out of the bullethole. Jim's heart dropped as he saw Dom pull his left leg over the window sill without faltering . . . apparently, the maniacal energy trapped within Dominic's body was keeping his leg stronger than it had any right to be.

Jim did his best to make his breath flow in and out as slowly and evenly as possible. He didn't figure feigning unconsciousness a second time was going work, but it was the only option he had at the moment. As Dominic stepped forward ever so carefully, Jim realized he was right. The maniac wasn't going to fall for it this time. He slowly made his way towards the mercenary's prone body, alert for the slightest untoward movement. The assault rifle hung loosely in his right hand, ready to be brought to full bear at a moment's notice.

Seeing this, Jim resigned himself to death, but he was going to make sure this bastard went with him. He steeled his nerves for the final shootout, then felt all the blood drain from his face when he saw what Clare had done in the meantime.

She had stood up! Jim couldn't believe his eyes. What the hell did she think she was doing?!

"M . . . mister?" she said in a quavering voice. "What's going on?"

Dominic jerked his head around at the sudden sound of the young girl's voice, his eyes growing wide with shock and recognition. He slowly pulled the rifle up to his shoulder, taking a moment to grin and revel in his victory.

A moment was all Jim needed. With a quickness that made his already aching head screech with pain, he snatched his second 9mm pistol from its holster and fired three blind shots.

His target immediately tried to shift his aim towards Jim, but by then the three bullets were already in the air. They almost seemed to move in slow motion as the first two flew by him and buried themselves into the pharmacy's walls . . . the third, however, sliced right through his thigh, just inches above the hole Airborn had already made.

Maniac invulnerability could only bear so much, and two bullets in the same body part crossed the line. All of the strength flowed out of Dom's right leg along with a fair amount of blood. His finger pulled convulsively on the assault rifle's trigger, but the shot went wild. His right knee buckled underneath him of its own accord, slamming down hard on the tiled floor and causing another flare of pain to shoot through his entire body. Dropping the rifle with a scream, Dom clutched at his upper thigh and dropped fully to the ground.

Jim propped himself up on one arm, using the other to keep his gun aimed squarely on Dominic, and coughed up some of his own blood. With a renewed sense of determination, he hauled himself up off the floor. Stars burst in his head as his vision began to swim. He tried his best to shake off the fatigue, then turned briefly to look at Clare.

"That," he said, his voice dry and scratchy, "was pretty damn stupid." He looked back at Dominic, who was still writhing on the floor. "Thanks," he added after a moment.

"Who are you?" Clare asked. The flinty edge to her voice told Jim that even though he'd saved her life, she wasn't quite willing to trust him just yet.

"Call me Jim," he said. "I work for your dad."

"And who is that?"

Jim turned and looked into her eyes, thought it over carefully for a moment, then lied. "I dunno," he said. "But he's not gonna be a problem here in a second . . . "

He turned back and swore when he saw that Dominic had vanished. A small trail of blood suggested that while Jim had been looking at Clare, the maniac had silently rolled across the floor and amongst the shelves. Somewhere amidst the various non-perscription painkillers and anti-biotics, the killer was waiting for him to slip up again.

"Dammit!" he cursed again. "All right, no more shitting around," he said as he waved Clare over to him, never taking his eyes away from the shelves. "Let's get the hell out of here, nice and easy."

Clare had apparently decided to trust him after all, as she quickly stepped under his arm and wrapped her own arms around his waist. For a second, he thought she was trying to feel him up, but then realized she was just searching to see if he had another weapon. He knew she's come up empty, but didn't want to waste the breath telling her so . . . breathing was getting harder and harder to do as it was.

The two of them walked sideways in a wide semi-circle along the shelves. Jim held his 9mm out in front of him, alert for even the slightest movement. Finally, they reached the glass doors. Clare pushed one of them open until it locked in place, then they stepped out onto the walkway outside.

The sudden crunching of broken glass made Jim spin around again. Dominic had stepped out into the main area of the pharmacy again, but he didn't have his assault rifle trained on them. Instead, he was hefting a grenade in his hand, the pin already pulled out.

"I will excise the infestation!" the maniac screamed at the top of his lungs, then popped the clip on the grenade and threw it. Jim returned the favor by shooting twice into the building, but apparently he had become far too ineffective thanks to his wounds. Both shots went wild as the grenade flew through the door, hit the walkway railing, and bounced to a stop on the floor right where Jim and Clare had been standing.

Before the explosive had managed to finish its last bounce, Jim had already bundled Clare into his arms and made a mad dash for the walkway's edge. With speed, agility, and strength borne out of last-second desperation, he vaulted over the railing and began the long decent to the floor below.

He had barely enough time to register that he was about to land on a small spot of packed dirt between two potted plants when the grenade went off, sending shrapnel flying through the air above him. All worries about the grenade vanished, however, when he hit the dirt feet first, sending shockwaves of pain through his entire body. The muscles in his legs coiled almost tightly enough to split open as he bent his knees and back to better absorb the impact, then released, sending him flying backwards.

He managed to reflect for a moment that flying through the air was something he was starting to get used to when pain slammed into his spine and drove all the air out of his lungs. The sound of the explosion was still ringing in his ears, his lungs felt seared as he tried to drag in necessary oxygen, and his legs felt as if every single ligament had been cut in half.

But he had to get up, had to keep moving. Fourtunately, Clare had managed to survive the fall without injury and was already up and trying to help him. He put almost all of his nearly-spent energy into standing, then wrapped an arm around the young girl.

The two of them looked up for a moment at the walkway. "Do you think he's dead?" she asked.

"Maybe," Jim managed to squeeze out. "But I . . . doubt it. C'mon . . . let's get outta here . . . "

Clare pushed his back softly as he staggered forward, and together, they managed a slow jog. There were still a ton of police officers around the building, and there was no guarauntee that either Dominic or Airborn were alive or dead. They had to find a way out of the building, and they had to find it fast. Their very lives depended on it . . .

[chief]

IC: ok I'm going to refere myself as Paul now my real name instead of chief. But my nickname is still Chief, I just don't feel like saying Chief all the time now.

Paul was walking around the limo thinking of what to do. The many thoughs going through his head were starting to drive him mad. "why did I get involved in this " He thought to himself "Why could'nt I just have a normal life.. be a normal father?!?" Just then Paul punched the hood of the limo making a small dent.

"Sir?" said the driver named Pete, a long time worker for Paul, someone he has always trusted.
"Sir?" Pete said again "maybe we should go back to the office and... Just wait and see how it.."

"WAIT!" Paul said spinning around and kicking a pepsi can sending it skidding across the ground and into the grass "What GOOD is waiting... Look at me, I have the power.. I should beable to do something... I have no idea if they are still alive.. The past few weeks since Dominic came back has been hell" Paul walked over to his open door and got into the limo "You know what...?" he said to Pete " Bring me to the damn mall.... I want to be there"

"But sir.. Its a dangerous place to be right now, and the police are all over the place.." Pete said looking back at Paul.

" Well good for the fucking cops" Paul said while lighting a cigar "Take me there"

"Yes sir.." Pete said as he started the limo and started to drive down the hill into the city core

It was starting to get dark and the street lights just flickered on. The red glow of the police cruisers and S.W.A.T. vans could be seen through the dark haze of the night. Two crusers were at every entrance to the malls parking lot and a police chopper flew obove with the spotlight gleaming over the parcking lot and the mall.

The limo reached the road leading to entrance 4 of the mall and pulled over behind a channel 7 news truck.

"Now what sir?" Pete asked Paul

"I'm not sure... We'll wait here for a bit... There has to be a way that we can get in..."


IC: ok well that probably is'nt that great of a post but I'm just trying to get the hang of this RPG again.

[Dominic Hyde]

Nicely done Jim, I could not help but laugh at this,

Jim said:

"I will excise the infestation!"

It really was spot on and something that crazy son of bitch would say. I do really want to resurrect this RPG but not now or even in the near future, perhaps sometime next year though, yes I'd be able to give it my full attention then.

[Jim Doe]

I wasn't really intending to get the thing started up again, personally. I just wanted to get that last post out of my head so it'd stop buzzing around and distracting me.