Chapter Two: Living Alone

Hello again. I've worked day and night on this thing, literally. I also must thank the dear readers of my tales. I also wish to express gratitude to those of the readers who are awaiting each chapter and even more thanks to those who have spoke their thoughts on the story. Thank you, Thank you very much.

A young man of age twenty-five sat at a bar with a glass of dark red wine sitting before him. He wore blue jeans and a blue jean jacket. He had a pair of black steel toe boots and a white t-shirt. His hair was short, brown, and messy. He stood about five foot ten inches with a handsome face and deep, calculating blue-green eyes. He never bothered to tan because of a natural dark pigment to his skin. He also had scars across his body that never rose up into a conversation. The radio of the bar in the background was playing Pour Me by Hollywood Undead even when there was only the man and the bartender. Outside the window no traffic was to be seen or heard and snow feel lightly, burying everything. Children hid inside and played with their newfound toys and the parents cleaned up the Christmas mess.

"Hey, Miller, what happened to that redhead you brought in a couple weeks ago?" the bartender inquired of the silent man.

"Cindy?" Miller replied in question, "things didn't work out. We had a fun night and then she left. Miller lifted his glass and gazed into the red before swirling the glass and watching the whirlpool. He took a drink and set it back down. "Thank you Max. Most people would have been closed today." Max nodded and returned the glass he was cleaning to its spot.

"S stay open for people like you," he said. "You know my wife and kids are gone. My wife would've wanted me to stay open for those who had nowhere else to go." Max, having finished with the glasses, began to clean the tables and stack chairs. "You know there's room in back if you get to drunk to drive home. Plus, tonight's on the house." Miller looked at the older man. He was a great friend and a good conversationalist, plus Miller didn't have to pay to get drunk now.

"Thanks again Max," He looked at the T.V. and listened.

"True reports have finally come in to tell us of President Chavez's misdeeds and termination. It was confirmed that Chavez was working with Jamone, head of the Taliban. They were both found dead, Jamone with a bullet through his right eye and Chavez killed by a hail of bullets. This would mean that the Sniper killed Jamone and knew that Jamone's guards would kill Chavez . . ." the beautiful brunette reporter continued on as Miller lost interest and began fantasying about her large breasts and beautiful hazel eyes. A sad smile split his lips as he remember how alone he was on Christmas and New Years.

"At least on New Years I have some pool opponents," Max knew Miller was mumbling to himself, but he couldn't help release a sigh knowing that the young boy would spend a fourth year at the bar alone.

+Dragon Realms+

Spyro and Cynder sat upon pillows set around the meeting table where the newest Guardians sat finishing the circle. An ambush force of strange creatures had killed the older Guardians. This ambush marked the beginning of the war that had ravaged the Dragon Realms for over a year now. The Dragons and their allies just call them demons for they know not the beast's name. All they knew is that the creatures called themselves the Ultimate Army. The Dragon forces also knew that the beast's where harvesting their resources and sending them through some kind of portal where more demons appeared from. "The moles tell us that they can't find a weapon that could give enough of a crippling blow for regular armies to strike directly." The new lighting Guardian Spaz said. He was a berserker with a small temper. He was electric blue with a neon yellow chest, belly, and wing membrane. He had neon green eyes and a lightning bolt shaped tail blade. He had four horns forming four corners of a square on his head. A single row of spike ran down his spin. He was riddled with small muscle and held the least armor of the group.

"Blast," Spyro struck the ground with his front paw. " Their numbers swell every week, every day! We need a weapon!"

"Why can't we just hid and let the moles work?" The new Guardian of Ice said. Her name was Spray and she had dark blue scales with a light blue trim. Her chest, belly, and wing membranes were pure white and she had a single horn in the center of her head. Her back spikes look like those of a stegosaurus while she had an ice sickle tail blade. She examined the group with fearful, pure white eyes.

"They'd hunt us down and we can barley hold them off now." Cynder replied. The council room fell silent. They needed to buy the moles time but they didn't have a single idea as to how. Then the large earth Guardian looked up and examined the group. His dirt brown scales reflected the light ever so slightly. His chest, belly, and wing membranes held forest green.

"Spray's idea is a last resort, but not fully a bad one." His voice rumbled through the silence. Everyone examined him curiously. "We should abandon all of the other cities and condense our forces here, this would allow us more ability to hold them off." The earth dragon breathed heavily under his plate armor and his bull like horns shifted along with his head as he looked for those who didn't agree.

"That would cut off our resources though." The fire Guardian said. His body was dark red with a burnt orange chest, belly, and wing membrane. His spikes and tail blade resembled fire. His horns and spike were a burnt brown color. "But, Brutus, you are right. We must condense our forces, though it will add more strain to the effort as well." Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Incendiary, you and Brutus see about defenses. Spray and Spaz, you two continue helping the moles. Me and Cynder will send the message of assembly." The dragons headed the King of Dragons and fled the room. Cynder went up to Spyro with a sad look.

"I'm scared will lose this fight, my love." Spyro frowned at the pessimistic thought.

"There is nothing to fear." Cynder gave a half-hearted smile and spoke again.

"Lets go to our room before we leave." Spyro nodded his agreement.

+The Bar+

"Max, put that back. No cheating." Miller stated. Max, who had "accidentally" knocked the one ball into the hole after it had stopped rolling, placed the ball back on the edge.

"I don't understand how you do it," Max replied.

"Do what?" Miller questioned as he sank the nine ball.

"You've had two glasses of wine and are drinking shooting drinks from a cup. You should be stumbling and passing out, but you can walk a straight line and pass any alcohol test. I just don't get it." Miller examined Max with his blue-green eye and lit a cigarette while holding his pool stick in the crock of his elbow. After the smoke was lit he shrugged.

"Always could hold my liquor." He lined up his shot. "Eleven ball, corner pocket." He proceeded to start his shot, but Max stopped him.

"Which corner?" Miller pointed at the one two inches to the balls right. "You're aiming the wrong way." True, Miller was aiming at the other side of the table. He still took the shot and both people watched as the ball bounced back and rolled into the specified corner. "I think you need a hobby." Max smiled as he watched the final stripe drop.

"Pools my hobby." Miller said as he lined up to take the eight. Max nodded.

"You need a new one. You're to damn good at this one." Miller struck the cue ball's bottom and caused it to jump the four and tap the eight in. Miller won. "Well, I think it's time for some rest." Miller nodded and finished his cigarette as he headed out.

"I'll see you later" He told Max who nodded in return. Miller went to his black, four-wheel drive Dodge Challenger and got in. A moment later the beast roared to life and the custom, off-road tread grabbed the snow with vengeance and threw the car into the empty street were it proceeded to the highway running past the east side of town. He flew down the stretch of road and drifted onto the interstate heading north. After a few miles he veered to a gravel road and drove into the woods, disappearing from civilization. He came to a mailbox and turned onto an asphalt driveway. Five feet after turning stood a large electric, barbwire, and chain fence. The fence ran into the woods and disappeared to the east and west. As Miller approached the gate slid open with a beep. After passing through the fence closed. Miller drove straight five miles, into a different state, north of the gate before reaching a large brick wall. It had two towers on each side housing security cameras and systems. After they confirmed his presence the gate and large metal doors opened. He drove through the five-foot long tunnel and into the beautiful courtyard. The entire courtyard was surrounded by the wall, which melted into the main house. It was all black bricks with stain glass windows. Two weeping willows stood guard by the double front doors. In the center of the garden within the circle drive stood a fifteen-foot statue of a kneeling knight. The front doors held stain glass windows as well, but they also held his coat of arms. As he stopped before his stairs he took note of the SUV sitting a bit away. Miller got out of his car and looked at the older man who came down the stairs to him.

"Welcome back Titeus." The man shook Miller's and smiled at him.

"Thank you, Jeffery. I must ask why, and how, you are in my home?" Jeffery wore a black suit with a white undershirt and red tie. He was also the Secretary of Defense and Miller's biggest customer.

"The war is ours." He replied.

"Yeah, just keep your end of the deal and it will stay that way." Miller walked past the man and into his house, locking him out. He then spoke through an intercom system, "Now leave my house or my dogs will show you the way out." Jeff shook his head and left in his SUV. Miller turned the lights on and began to whistle a simple tune. Two large German Shepherds came running up to him. "At least you two are loyal." He then went to the shower and changed to black shorts before going to bed.

He awoke at four in the morning due to the incessant beeping of his alarm clock. He fell out of bed and went to the door. He then typed the date and time into a keypad to turn the alarm off. He then turned around and gazed at his room. It was a circle brick walled room. A red carpet lay upon pine wood floors. The closet and dresser where incased in brick and their doors were made of pine. Light trailed in through the single stain glass skylight. There was a single lamb on the headboard along with a single shelf of books. The bed was elegantly carved from willow wood and was painted black. The sheets were also black while the pillows were red. Both had blue trim. Three paintings of the same landscape, but at different times, lay within the all along with their elegant wood frames. There was also a shield hung on both sides of the door with a poem written on them. One was about god, while the other was about family. Miller collected a pair of camo jeans and a fresh pair of boxers. Then he left his room and went to the bathroom to take a shower. Every room and hall in the house was designed relatively the same, save the contents. The basement and office were the only different rooms. Each room was built of black brick with pine wood floors. A red carpet covers all but one foot from each wall. The lights were mimicking torches minus the flame and could double as a real torch. There were few pictures in the house. Mostly painting but some family pictures in the living room. Each window was designed like that of the medieval era and the stain glass was built into each window. All but the outside and bedrooms doors were built like Japanese or Chinese paper screen sliding doors. The house was an elegant sight. The office had willow wood hide the brick. The center of the floor was willow wood planks while the last foot to the wall was red carpet. A single desk sat in the middle of the room. It was built of bricks and into the floor. The drawers were elegant pine crave. Upon the desk sat a flat screen, high-definition, and touch screen computer along with an almost flat keyboard. The mouse was a simple touch screen mat. Two stain glass window were placed so the inside edges lined up with the outside edges of the desk. A single wheeled computer chair with a high back sat behind the desk while a four legged arm chair sat across from it under a strange ceiling panel. This panel focused the room's single light on who ever were sitting there. A fireplace sat within the left wall. The basement seemed like a white library. Everything was white, the walls, floors, and ceiling. It spanned under the entire house only ten feet below it. It was set up like a library with a workspace in the middle. The shelves held assorted weapons from guns to knives. The workspace allowed customization of weapons and the construction of ammunition.

Miller entered the bathroom to take his shower and found that it was all in order. Stone bricks encased the outside sides of the toilet, sink, shower, and tub. The tub could fit four people and doubled as a hot tub but was never used for such. Miller then took his shower and went back to his room to get his dog tags, watch, and black leather belt. He also put on some socks and a pair of steel toe black combat boots. Miller then went in search of the dogs. He located them in the kitchen waiting for breakfast. He filled their bowls and got some food for himself. Afterward he went to his office followed by the dogs. He thought back to how he had found them. The male was found in Germany. Miller had killed its owner for some animal rights thing. The female was found in the woods. She had been peppered with birdshot. She was a year younger then the male and they had gotten along very well. Miller entered the office and sat in his chair. With the push of two buttons the lights came on and the door shut, the dogs laid outside the door. He turned on his computer and proceeded to type his personal report. Once complete he took the file he had from the recent contract and ran it through the shredder twice and then threw the shreds into the fireplace and lit it.

+Client+

A young man awoke that morning and kissed his wife lightly on the forehead. It was four o'clock and he had a long ways to drive. A put on his best suit, it was a little ragged, but still looked nice. "Where are you going John?" his wife whispered groggily. He had once been one of the richest people in the world but his money was destroyed when 'The Sniper' destroyed his resort to get at a large mass of terrorists. He held nothing against The Sniper; he just wished the government had paid for his loss.

"I'm going to sort things out." He replied and left. He used to drive a large black H2 hummer, but couldn't afford to keep it. Now he drove a beat up four-door sedan. He drove from his home and through two other states. He followed a gravel road two a chain link fence and drove toward the fence, it opened and he drove past. After another couple of miles he arrived at a large medieval style gate. He pulled up to an intercom system and pressed the button.

"What do you want?" a voice commanded from inside.

"I have a special job needed done and I heard you were the man to do it." John answered fearfully. He was talking to the most dangerous man in the world. The gate opened.

"Enter the front door and follow the dogs." John entered the beautiful courtyard and drove around to the doors. Standing on the top step were two German Shepherds and they lead him through the doors and through the medieval designed house to a single room. He entered the room and saw it wasn't lit very well. "Sit." The man said from behind the chair. John sat in the only chair and could feel the light beaming down on him. The dogs went and sat on two cushions on opposite sides of the room. "How may I help you?"

"I need some one I can trust not to be on the books." John whispered.

"I'm not in any."

"My family is in danger. I have a six-year-old daughter and a boy on the way. I went to find a job and ran into some drug people. They gave me a job and it seemed harmless. If I hadn't taken their offer my family would have starved." The man turned around and stared into Johns own. John could tell this wasn't a normal thing for the Sniper. "Now they're asking me to kill someone. I can't harm a fly, even if he's a rapist. That's why I came to you. On top of that I would like you to destroy the gang so they can't harm me or my family or anyone else. I'll give you anything you want, just please help me."

"What's the name of the gang and who are you to kill?"

"The gang is the Black Cobras while the mans name is Jason." The sniper stood and held out a hand.

"I'll tell you when the deed is done." They shook. Then John realized something.

"You didn't specify a price."

"Janir, Sally, show him out." With that John followed the dogs, which had growled at him, out. He drove home knowing that he was going to be safe. Miller leaned back in his chair.

"You know who that man is right?" The communications voice said.

"Jena, call the man and tell him I'll collect after Jason is dead. Also find out all you can about him"

"What of the gang?"

"I already know all I need. Today they shall end once and for all."

+Somewhere in Adjikistan+

Five U.S. Navy Seals moved silently through the streets of Mechock. The leader crouched behind a low wall. He was a five-foot-ten Caucasian man called Shadow by the service. He was considered handsome and had black hair. He wore the same as every one else, urban night camouflage. He examined the area before him with his suspicious, insightful green eyes. He rolled his shoulder under the strap of his suppressed M8 assault rifle. He checked to make sure he still had his knife strapped to his boot, a Gerber Mark 2 then proceeded to look through the scope of his rifle. He spotted ten snipers, 16 regulars, and a handful of I.E.D.s spread about. The second line crouched patiently. He was an Iroquois Indian called Knight by the force. He had brown hair and stood about 6 foot. He held an M4-90 semi-automatic shotgun. He carried throwing knives on his belt and could aim quite well with his brown eyes. They also had a medic called Apenar. He was a young man standing at five-foot-five. He had bleach blonde hair and sky blue eyes. He held a single Mark 23 pistol in his right hand. Standing behind him was Killjoy, a hulking Hispanic. He had dirty blonde hair and had abnormal red eyes. He wielded a MK .48 Machine gun and carried a M3 rocket launcher on his back. Six grenades were visible on his vest. Finally crouched Freelance. He was a silent, five-foot-seven black man. He had brown hair and hazel eyes. He held a SR-25 sniper rifle with a bayonet.

"Freelance, Killjoy. Find a good point for take down fire. We'll assist where we can, it's up to you guys though." They nodded and fled back the way they had come. "Knight, Apenar. Stick close." Shadow ordered.

"This wasn't the extraction plan," Knight growled.

"The extract team was laid up at the city gates." Shadow replied as he moved under a car followed by the others. "Now be quiet."

"We have visual of the street." Freelance said over the communications relay.

"And a couple going at it." Killjoy smiled as he looked through his binoculars. Freelance looked at him, took the binoculars and hit him with them. Shadow began giving out locations of each person and I.E.D. Freelance and Killjoy stood on the roof of a building directly behind the rest of the team. Freelance aimed and fired three consecutive shots, killed three snipers, before taken aim at three more. The other snipers crouched and searched, thinking they were on the road, while the normal troops hid. A couple soldiers stepped on their own mines. Freelance fired three times more and took out three more snipers, which lead them to hide.

"Shadow, no more visual on snipers." Freelance informed Shadow. Shadow examined the area before using his scope to pop a sniper in the shin causing him to fall and kill a normal soldier and himself. The snipers shifted to be seen from the roof but the regular troops opened fire on the roofs.

"Take out the snipes Free man and I'll unload on the regular bitches." Killjoy smiled. Freelance raised an eyebrow and looked up at the hail of bullets flying overhead.

"Throw a frag, Shadow and company won't get hit." Killjoy's smile grew as he threw a M67 over the wall. The firing stopped so Freelance stood and took down the final snipers in quick shots. As he sat back down Killjoy stood up. He rested his cannon on the wall and let it rip. When he ran out of bullets, three soldiers remained purely from the spread of bullets. By the time they peeked out Shadow, Knight, and Apenar had moved up the street. Knight and Shadow took down two with quick knife movements while Apenar threatened the last with his pistol while Freelance shot him from over Apenar's shoulder. The team regrouped.

"Hide!" Apenar yelled as a near by wall buckled. Killjoy went for his M3 and prepared to fire as a tank came through the wall.

"Hold fire!" Shadow barked as he moved toward the tank. "Thought you boys were held up"

"Well we were n the neighbor hood and heard the shots. Thought we'd drop in." A soldier said as he dropped from the tank. "Mechock is ours now."

"That's good to hear." Shadow returned. "We got a ride back?"

"Yeah, jump on." The team jumped onto the tank and hitched a ride to Mechock's U.S. Military camp.

"Oh, by the way. You chock who?" Killjoy asked for the tenth time. Freelance struck him in the back of the head while Apenar shook his head and Knight burst out laughing. The regular soldiers raised confused brows and Shadow ignored them all.

+Mechock H.Q.+

Night fell on the camp as Shadow sat before a laptop gazing at his beautiful, redheaded wife. He skin was a beautiful tan and silky smooth. At the moment she was gazing sadly at her husband. "I know Angel. I wish I were there with you. Being trapped in this town for three days was worse than hell."

"Why do you have to stay there all the time?" Angel returned.

"Saves money." He said.

"Bah! We're already in debt!" she growled.

"We're just getting out. Plus it keeps the soldiers away from plane bombers." At this she settled down.

"How's the food?" She asked

"I would kill to get some REAL ribs. All this place serves is shit," His wife smiled.

"I don't know about ribs, but I can send you some nice sugar cookies."

"Don't be trying to get me out of shape."

"They'd let you come home though," She smiled. "SEAL dropped do to too many sugar cookies." Shadow smiled for the first time in weeks.

"Times about up." The Supervisor barked. Shadow and Angel frowned.

"I guess we have to go. I love you Angel."

"I love you to. And, Jake, swear you'll be home safe and sound." She said. Jake gave her a reassuring smile.

"Cross my heart and hope to die." The screen went out so Jake returned to his team who were sitting by the basketball court. They were in normal clothes for the time being, save their dog tags.

"How'd it go?" Freelance asked as he made a three point shot from behind the hoop.

"How do you guys do it?" Jake questioned.

"Do what?" Knight inquired. Knight was playing Apenar in a game of cards and Killjoy was trying to out show Freelance in basketball.

"How do you not worry about your wives?" Jake clarified.

"That's easy. I got a girl for every day of the week." Killjoy laughed. Knight looked at him.

"You got to pay for all those five minutes, don't you Bob?" Killjoy grabbed for Knight.

"I'll beat you, you damn Indian." Bob, or Killjoy, growled. Apenar coughed to get their attention.

"You ain't helping." He said.

"You ain't ne'er been laid before short boy, so shut it." Bob scowled.

"Actually I was quite a hit for the ladies in high school." This just made Bob angry. Freelance kicked Bob in the back of the shin and sat down on a barrel.

"Why ain't you chasing 'em then?" Bob questioned.

"I'm looking for the long time relationship now." Bob rolled his eyes. "You got anything Henry?" Knight blinked.

"I got twins at home and no one wants to watch them, except for their grandma. No one likes her though. She's way to strict, on everyone. Not even the kids like her." He said. "You got anything Lance?" Lance remained silent. Bob shook his head.

"Hey, Johnny, one on one?" he asked Apenar who shrugged. The two began playing a game. After they played a bit, Lance looked at Jake.

"You love her, Jake?" he nodded. "She love you?" he nodded. "Is she willing to die for you?"

"She'd step in front of a tank and nag the driver because he ALMOST hit me."

"Well, if that's so, rest assured my friend. All is at peace with her. She is loyal and you need not worry. She'll worry though, girls always worry . . ." Lance trailed off as he finished and went back to watching the game.

"You ever have a girl?" Henry asked. Lance nodded.

"What you see before you is all that she left. My story always checked out, but she still called me a cheater and left." Both Shadow and Knight stared in amazement. "We were perfect till we got married. Before I left I found an old journal she hid. I'd never seen it before and we would share everything." He paused for a full minute before looking at them. "It was a list of all the people she'd slept with while with me. It also had dates as to when they'd next meet. I took it to the judge and he cross-referenced the writing, this proved it to be hers. She thought she had won till she got called back in. all my stories checked, but she had over a hundred people give testimonies against her. I won it all back. I let her keep the house though. My jeeps sitting at Forty Madison at the moment. Finished with his story he fell silent again. Knight, Shadow, and Freelance were the nice people on the team. They respected each other.

+End Chapter+

Well, that's the end of Chapter two. I don't have anything really special to say so I'll be done with it.

Miller Out.