A/N: Hello to all who read this, I present my second Gunslinger Girl fanfic. I re-watched the series, as previously stated, and this came to my mind as I was watching. I hope you guys like this because I am really excited about this myself. This takes place between the first and second season so it will be a bit of an AU in regards to the fight with Pinocchio but that's it.
Update: 11/11/2011: I now have a beta crazyidiot78 and I want to thank him for his help. Also, I encourage you to read his story "GSG great escape" which won't disappoint.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gunslinger Girl it is the property of Bandai and Yu Aida. The political party, stay-behind operation including the atrocities tied to it the, the Armed Revolutionary Nuclei and Prime Minister mentioned are real and I don't own them either. I do own all of the characters, groups and etc. that are mine and I created.
As the men sat around the small room their patience was wearing thin. The group was the Movimento 31 ottobre or the October 31st Movement. It was a Neo-fascist and expansionist terrorist group dedicated to rebuilding the Roman Empire. The name of the group came from October 31, 1922 when Benito Mussolini became Prime Minister of Italy. The group had one big problem which was the Republican Faction, because while ideologically similar in some aspects such as ultranationalism. However the Republican Faction were Padania Nationalists while the October 31st Movement were Italian nationalists, and thus had not intention of letting go of Northern Italy. Also, the Republican Faction was by far the largest right-wing movement in Italy taking potential recruits and so to reach their goal the October 31st Movement decided to eliminate the competition.
"He's late." snapped one of their more irate terrorists as their contact was still MIA. Due to their small size and a surprise raid by Section 1 on compounds in Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, Tuscany and Campania the group was on the verge of destruction. So in order to kill the Republican Faction, the group gathered together all the money it had and hired a mercenary. The remaining members, who numbered just over twenty men, were all against this but the group's leader gave them no other option. It was a clear desperation move.
"He'll be here just calm down!" yelled back Luigi Bartolli nervously. Bartolli was IL Duce (that means "the leader") of the group. He was forty-eight, slightly pudgy, and had chestnut brown hair perfectly arranged along with dark green eyes. Bartolli had been a far right-wing agitator his whole life. He joined the Military Police and was a member of Operation: Gladio. He remained holding the rank of Captain until his resignation in 1993 in protest to Socialist Prime Minister Guiliano Amato. However, the real reason he left was that Bartolli was under investigation for several atrocities associated with Gladio and deals he made funneling government money to the neo-fascist terrorist group Armed Revolution Nuclei, but he covered his tracks enough so he couldn't be convicted.
After two years working odd jobs he joined the neo-fascist Tricolour Flame Party after it's founding in 1995 and dedicated his life to it. As a member of this party he had a failed run for the mayor of his hometown of Genoa and then a disastrous run for the Italian Senate in the following elections. After that he quit the party to form the October 31st Movement but after a decade he had no progress to show for it and now things were desperate.
"You guys looking for me?" came a voice from the doorway with a distinct British accent
"You made it." said a relieved Bartolli before adding in an irritated voice "What took you?"
"I've been hanging around waiting for the right time to pop in." replied the Brit with a smirk on his face and arrogance in his voice.
The relieved Bartolli then addressed all of his men.
"I give to you the one and only Peter Langsford."
"Who?" asked Nicholas Salvatore, the same terrorist who had snapped about Langsford being late and was unhappy about him being there to begin with. (A/N: I know both of those are first names but plenty of people have two first names.)
Bartolli had a confident smile come across his face.
"You would recognize him better by his moniker: The Ace of Spades."
All of the other terrorists were in awe, except one Nicholas Salvatore. They knew this man, he was a legendary mercenary know for his big hits, always succeeding in his missions, killing everybody in his way. And an insatiable blood lust earning him his fame. His trademark calling card which was a simple playing card: an Ace of Spades which is how he got his nickname.
"Indeed." replied Langsford proudly "I am the Man, the Myth and the Legend."
Langsford was young, only in his mid-twenties, and yet he had been operating for almost a decade. At six feet even and two-hundred and forty-three pounds proven by his rock hard physical health and his muscles and washboard abs could prove that. He was dressed very casual as always with black sneakers, a pair of blue jeans, a leather jacket which he wore over a blue t-shirt, and dog tags around his neck. His hair was a dark brown, it was even on the sides and back. His hair ran down the entire side of his face stopping as soon at the top of his throat and almost the entire length of his neck. It was shorter in the front only covering his forehead. His hair was clean and combed yet still very unruly. He wore black sunglasses which after he took off revealed his dark blue eyes.
"I don't give a fuck!" yelled Salvatore interrupting everyone else, while marching up to Langsford.
"Listen here!" he began and he started poking Langsford in the chest. "I joined this group because I want to restore the glory of Rome. It will restore all of the former Roman Empire including Britain, so then I'll be damned if some lousy Brit can just waltz in here-"
Salvatore was unable to finish his train of thought because in a blink of an eye Langsford used his left hand to grab Salvatore's wrist and slam him on the table in the center of the room with his right arm behind him. Langsford drew a Glock 9 mm semi-automatic handgun from the waistband of his jeans and jammed it right against the back of Salvatore's head.
"You were saying?" asked Langsford with a sly smile before turning to the rest of the group.
"Now listen, I'm doing you blokes a favor and I don't appreciate stupid wankers like this coming after me. Though they are no threat, it is not even worth wasting my talents." now unhappy about this annoying man getting in his face.
"I'm very sorry for the hassle Mr. Langsford," said an apologetic Bartolli before placing a briefcase on the table which he opened it up.
"Ten million Euros and you'll get the other ten million after the job is complete." Bartolli said trying to salvage the deal.
Langsford let go of Salvatore who quickly slipped away and hid himself in the crowd while Langsford counted the money.
"Jolly Good." said the mercenary now happy again.
"This is all the money we have left." replied Bartolli worried, hoping the incident with Salvatore wouldn't ruin things now
"It'll work" said the Ace of Spades.
"Great!" replied an enthusiastic Bartolli to which Langsford responded
"So this target is an abandoned boarding house?"
"Yes, Triela it is an abandoned boarding house in the Giambellino-Lorenteggio suburb of Milan. We believe the Milan Faction of the Padania are using it to plan an assassination of the Minister of the Interior during his upcoming visit to Lombardy. We have also learned that Cristiano might be arriving at noon tomorrow to meet with them so we attack at quarter past." began Jose
"Henrietta will go in through the front door," continued Jean before turning to his cyborg "Since the windows are boarded up there is no use for a sniper, so Rico you'll be her cover. Don't screw up."
"Triela, you will take the back door. Our goal is to trap them inside and take as many alive as possible especially Cristiano." finished Hilshire giving his girl her orders.
"Understood." the three girls replied in unison and the handlers left.
However, Henrietta seemed worried. Jose noticed but had to prepare for this assignment so he decided to talk with her later.
"What's wrong, Henrietta?" asked Triela concerned about her friend.
"I'm not sure but something about this raid worries me. I have a feeling something bad is going to happen." confessed the brunette.
"Don't worry." replied Rico as chipper as always "We'll all be there so nothing will happen."
"Yeah your right. Everything will be fine." said Henrietta now smiling and trying to brush off her worries.
The three girls could have been more wrong because little did they know they were about to cross paths with the infamous Ace of Spades.
A/N: Well there is chapter 1 revived and next chapter the girls meet the Ace of Spades. I hope you enjoyed and chapter two should be up anywhere from ten days to two weeks. Don't forget to review!