Chapter 1

A Different Dollar

It is nighttimes, around 11:00; I start to approach a bar called, "Python." It had that new and fresh look to it but its real appearance is a spot for low lifers to come and prey on young women, or sell narcotics and drugs, or even just to get really goddamn drunk and start a fight; those are the ones that end up dead a week later.

The reason I am here is to kill a Faunas named Patrick Shade; he's been kidnapping young Faunas teenagers and escorting them to the White Fang. Now it may seem like I'm doing something heroic here, but I'm not. I was paid 200 Lien to kill this man; if it wasn't for the money, I wouldn't be here trying to kill him. I guess you could call me an assassin, or a mercenary, but I prefer a Soldier of Fortune. I enjoy adventure and occasionally, killing someone for some money.

I approach the door and a tall muscular man who is obviously the bouncer; puts his large gorilla hands on my chest. "Excuse me sir. No weapons are a loud inside." The bouncer exclaims. He is referring to the crossbow bolts around my belt. I decided to leave my Crossbow at home since it draws to much attention at places like this.

I frown upon his request and look him at him with a pissed off look. "The last man to put his hands on me woke up in a lake with his legs broken. Let's just say-" I grab his wrist tightly "-he didn't know how to swim." I throw his arm to the side and make my way in.

Before I could enter, the man grabs my arm and pulls me back. He puts both his hands on the collar of my leather jacket and firmly grips it; lifting me off my feet. "What don't you understand 'bout any weapons fool?" He throws me back causing me to land on my ass. "Now stay down unless you wanna be 6 feet down fool!"

I roll over onto my stomach and push myself to my feet. "You're dead now fool!" The bouncer says as he starts cracking his nuckles and neck.

I quickly duck and side step to the left causing the bouncer to lunge forward at nothing. I turn around and take a crossbow bolt from my utility belt and jam it into his leg. The man lets out a scream of pain. "Uhhaaa!" The bouncer takes his hands and grips the arrow. I wrap my arms around his neck, putting him into a choke hold. "Ghhhe, Gerrrrg!" After a few seconds of flailing, the bouncer passes out and I throw him in the cold hard concrete of the parking lot. I kneel down beside his body and take the bolt out of his leg; pulling a small cloth out of my pocket, I wipe the blood off the metal shard of the bolt.

'They never learn...' I think to myself.

I get up and head into the Python, putting the cloth back into my pocket and attaching the bolt back on my belt. The sound of music, loud beats and people screaming filled the bar. It's a large place cramped with a lot of people, so killing my target is going to be easier. I make my way into the bathroom, manoeuvring around people that dancing; mostly dry humping.

A blonde haired women walks in front of me and says, "Hello handsome, want to dance?" She puts her hand on my leg and gently moving it toward my crotch. I push her out of my way and continue walking. As I'm walking away, I hear her muttering something but I couldn't make it out considering how loud this bar is.

I enter the bathroom and pull out a crossbow bolt, followed by an explosive charge. I wrap the charge around the staff of the bolt; about 10 cm away from the metal shard. Everything is ready.

I look in the mirror and surprise myself. The mirror showed me, a 5'11" man with a scruffy beard and short unkempt hair. The biggest thing that stood out is my green eyes; they illuminate my face like a light bulb. I turn on the faucet and begin splashing water in my face.

*Bang* the bathroom door flies open and a couple runs in entering a stall. Loud moans and noises echoed through the bathroom. I head over to the door and start smashing my elbow against it. "Prick, this is the bathroom, not the f*ckroom!" It didn't matter what I said, they just kept getting at it. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I head into the stall beside them and notice that the last user didn't flush his 'property' down.

I throw the toilet paper roll into the toilet and start to repeatedly flush it. Once the toilet started overflowing, the crap swam around like fish. I exit the stall and bang on the f*ck buddies stall door. "Have fun," I say. I return to the faucet and turn it off; looking back at the stall, I notice the amount of crap and water that is starting to quickly build up on the floor. Upon leaving the bathroom, I hear, "Billy, is tha... Ewww! Ew Ew Ew!"

I exit the bathroom and head to through the crowd, to the bartender. When I finally get there, a Faunas with long white hair and grey bat ears is sitting at the front table, holding a drink. I walk over to him and take a seat.

He looks up and glares at me. "Are you Patrick?" I ask leaning back in my chair.

He takes a sip of his alcohol and says, "You a cop?-" leaning forward, resting his hand and cup of booze on the table.

I lean forward and stare at him. "No, I'm not a cop-" I stab the explosive arrow into his hand. The metal point pierces his hand and the table; with the explosive charge above his hand "Ahhh!" He hunches forward, and knocks his glass of alcohol off the table. "What the f*ck man!"

I lean back and finish my sentence, "- but I'm much worse..." I get out of my seat and walk behind him.

"You know Patrick; they say a wolf will chew its own leg off to survive. Would you?" I pat him on the shoulder. Let's see if my hunt will turn to a chase.

I turn my attention to the time remaining on the explosive. It read 16 seconds in which is more than enough time to get away. I walk away from Patrick and hear him crying out for help.

After walking through the crowd of people for 20 seconds, blood begins to rain down from the ceiling. The music is so loud I couldn't even hear the explosion. I walk back to his table to make sure he's dead and didn't just remove the arrow and throw it. When i arrive at his table, I see the lower half of his body still sitting in the chair; also half the table was blown apart. I was surprised no one took notice yet...

I look around to see if anyone got hit by shrapnel. No one did, at least not that I could tell; everyone is still dry humping or kissing. No one seemed to have taken notice of the blood that they were covered in either. Everyone probably thought it was someone throwing liqueur in the air.

After a couple seconds of staring, I turn around and accidently bump into a women. "Sorry." I apologise. The woman is fair skinned, with brown hair and brown eyes. She squints at me for a second then nods her head. "It's okay." She responds. It's really hard to hear her.

Instead I just nod my head and walk away.

I reach the entrance to the bar and notice the bouncer is still unconscious... or dead. I pull out my scroll and call my client.

"Hello?" He says

"The rabid dog has been put down." I say. It is code for, "The job is done."

"Good, stop by my place at 12:00 noon tomorrow for your money." We both hang up. I walk through the parking lot and make my way down a sketchy neighbourhood. I could hear Police sirens in the distance. I can't wait to see what they say on the news.