Chapter 8
Hey guys, so sorry that i took this long to post this, i really am :( I had some issues, and im over them, so expect me to continue on with this story. Its unofficial hiatus is now over, and i present to you, chappie eight!
The tension in the air was thick enough to cut a knife as Dexter eyed the two men who sat before him, both watching Dexter with an unending gaze, waiting for him to make a move.
"So," Said the man to his right, "What will it be, Dexter?"
"Yes," Hissed the man on the left, "What will you do?" The two men leaned in closer, waiting for his reply.
Dexter, exhaling, gazed down at his hands, and smiled.
"I'll call." He smirked.
"Bold move amico." Chuckled Milo as he leaned back in his chair. "So, tell me mio amico. How have you been lately?"
"Not bad, Milo." Said Dex gazing over to his friend. "Considering today's mission nearly ended in failure."
"I see." Replied Milo gazing back down to his cards. He rarely asked how Dexter and co. did during their expeditions outside the city walls. It wasn't that he didn't care, he just believed what happened outside the walls, should stay out. It really wasn't his business what the exterminators did, they kept the city safe from the undead masses, so he had no room to complain. Milo's only concern was keeping his shops well maintained, and any man or woman who made it safe to do so was okay with him. Even if his moronic son had the brains of day old spaghetti.
"So Dexter," Said the man to Dex's left. "Do you have any special plans for the lady at home?" The man then licked his lips.
"Rori," Replied Dex with a stern gaze, "You're sick. Shut up. Don't make me hurt you like last time, do you recall that day? I know I do."
"As do I, mio amico!" Chuckled Milo as slapped his son on his back. "Ah, smile my boy, he is kidding, aren't you amico?"
"Mostly." Replied Dex, smirking beneath his mask. Across from the table, Rori shifted nervously, making Dex laugh at the portly man. All things considered, Dex liked Rori. Though he found him to be massively unintelligent, he was a good man, with a large heart, and belly. Rori and Milo looked massively alike, with the round bellies, short black hair, light stubble beneath their chins, and their uncanny love for homemade cigars. They had once tried to turn Dex into a smoker, but he found the things distasteful, and the mask made it very difficult to do so. All in all, Rori would make a fine mogul of Milo's empire when the man finally did pass. Milo, was in all senses, a beloved citizen of Haven. His kind heart and trustworthiness made him a father figure to most of his customers. Dex would often ask the man for advice whenever he felt at a lost.
"So," Smirked Rori, "Are you ready to lose that Kawasaki, amico?"
"Depends," Replied Dex, turning over his cards, watching the two men's expression turn from joy and amusement, to discouragement, "Are you two ready to hand those keys over?"
"Maledizione, lo ha fatto di nuovo!" Roared Rori.
"Ah Merda…" Chuckled Milo, as he and Rori both threw the key's to their bikes on the table.
"Adieu mes amis. Oh, merci pour les vélos, ils vont faire des ajouts sympas à ma collection." Said Dex, beaming beneath his mask. "Jusqu'à la prochaine fois!"
"So Cash," Began Annalise, smiling playfully at Cash, "What did you wish to speak to me about." Cash remained silent, sliding a chair out beneath the desk and sitting down. After the lab, Cash had ridden with Annalise and her aide, Rene, to the Haven City Council building, where most of the politics were handled. Annalise's office overlooked the entire city, as did the Exterminators HQ, and The Garden, an apartment complex that all Exterminators called home, with the exception of Cash and Crowley, who had their own homes on the opposite side of town.
"Cash?" Questioned Annalise, waving her hand in his face.
"I want you to reinstate my active field agency status." He said abruptly, causing Annalise to recline in her seat slightly.
"Are you sure?" She replied in a serious tone, "You were quite insistent about the details, you wanted a more peaceful desk job."
"Yes," Replied Cash coolly. "I am sure. Ana, I'm suffocating, I-I-I can't stay in that office. I'm not cut out to be a desk jockey. I need to be out their with my team. Yeah, I wanted more peace and quiet after the gate incident, but, I wasn't meant to sit behind a desk and give orders. A member of my team nearly died today, and a good pilot nearly lost his life as well. If my team goes down, I do too."
"Yes," Said Annalise quietly, "I heard about Kev and Rick. But they are okay, Rick is recovering in the hospital, and Kev seemed fine."
"Doesn't matter." Said Cash quietly, "I won't allow my guys to die. They're good men and women."
"I see what you are saying Cash," Replied Annalise, "But we are in the middle of a wasteland, filled with mindless freaks, undead and alive, who want to tear us apart. People will die. You can't allow yourself to take all responsibility for them, the guilt you would feel would literally kill you."
"I can." Growled Cash, "And I have. I've given this a lot of though Ana. Now will you do me this favor, or not?"
"I don't wanna." She said quietly, "But, I can see I can't talk you out of it. Consider it done, hon." Annalise rose, offering her hand, which Cash accepted.
"Thank you Ana." He said with a smile.
"No problem, Sir." Replied Annalise, saluting Cash, who repeated the action before taking his leave.
"Stubborn ass." Smirked Annalise as she sat back down, sifting through papers strewn upon her desk. She was the first to heckle her children about cleanliness, yet she was so messy herself.
"I am sooo hypocritical." She thought with a grin, before her eyes caught sight of a file she had long since forgotten.
"The Gate Incident." She thought sadly. The Gate Incident was the biggest tragedy to ever occur in Haven's walls.
As it's name suggested, it involved Haven's main gates, which three years ago, mysteriously malfunctioned, opening and releasing wave after wave of the undead masses into the city. The exterminators fought valiantly, but soon, they too were overwhelmed. The entire situation was only quelled when half the city was shut off from the rest, do to emergency measures. Many died. It was a truly dark day. It caused Annalise to blame herself, and for weeks she was in a deep state of depression, and thought about exiling herself from the city. But, her children, Cash, and Rene caused her to rethink her decision, as well as Shiro.
Shiro, that was a name that brought back many memories. He was Dex's teacher, and adoptive father. Shiro had found Dex ten years ago, when he still lived with an abusive step-father, and began to teach him the ancient art of ninjitsu, helping to channel the young boy's rage into something more useful, thus turning him into the man he is today. Dex often talks about him, and how he saved him from a life filled with nothing but despair and pain. He was a good man. Unfortunately, he died during a mission outside the walls two years ago, a tale that Dex still was vague over. None would pry however, these were dark times, and many loved ones were lost. One way or another.
Sighing, Annalise placed the folder within her desk, and continued to re-organize her office.
Dexter made the slow climb up the stairs to his apartment on the fifteenth floor. He normally chose the stairs over the elevator, for two reasons. One, he didn't trust them. They could malfunction, or worse, fall. Two, he preferred the exercise. Only on days when he was truly exhausted, would he even dare to contemplate the elevator, but he never chose so. He was stubborn that way.
Finally reaching his door, he fumbled through the pockets of his cargo pants, looking for his key.
"No, those are Rori's, check that, MY keys," He said to himself with a chuckle, "Ah, here they are." Dexter then opened the door to his home, strolling to the kitchen and tossing his newly earned keys on the counter, as well as his bag, as he flipped on the light switch, illuminating the three room apartment. It was a nice home, two bedrooms, a full bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room with a view over the city. Dexter found it humorous, considering he was a Seigei No Tenshi, or an Angel of Justice in English. He would gaze out the window, thinking to himself how much of a guardian angel he was to the city, as well as many other exterminators. He wasn't motivated by material gains, but he had to admit, the apartment was amazing. Though he would've been happy with a ground floor room, but he digressed.
"God I am hungry." He muttered to himself as he wandered over to his fridge, "Let's see….ah, here we go." Dex quickly assembled his meal, a small PBnJ, and sat down upon his table, but before he took a bite, he noticed something odd.
"Something is off…" He thought to himself. "Oh, yeah."
"Sadie?" He called out behind him, "Ya there babe?" he quickly stood up, walking to his room to investigate "Sadie's" tardiness. Opening the door, he slowly readied his small blade, but before he could act, he was tackled to the ground by an unseen attacker.
Shaking the cobwebs from his head, he gazed upwards at the light blue eyes staring down at him, however, he soon smelled the rancid breath he had come to recognize and love. It was dog breath. Pit Bull breath to be exact.
"Sadie," Began Dexter, pushing the pit bull off of him. "You big goof." Sadie quickly got back up wagging her tail, happy her master was home. The dog sat down, and raised her paw, a trick Dexter had taught her the day he met her. Dexter leaned close, rubbing the dog's forehead, and shaking her paw before kissing the dog's forehead.
"Are ya hungry baby?" He asked the Pit, who barked as If to say yes. "Okay, okay, okay. God, you are so pushy." Standing up, Dex made his way to her bowl, filling it with bread crusts, dog food, and pieces of a chicken breast from his fridge. Sadie immediately began to choke down the scraps.
"Sloppy." Remarked Dexter, observing his dog. Dex had found Sadie a year ago, and the two were almost inseparable, she was his baby. Even though the dog had to be at least three years old, he always saw her as a playful pup. She acted as a guard when not Dexter was not home, with her fearsome looks, and intimidating growl. But Sadie was far from an attack dog, instead she was most likely Haven's sweetest resident, making friends with whoever she met. Dexter often thought about how hard life would be without her, and vowed to never let something happen to her, even though the dog depended upon him for so much, Dexter depended on her for so much more.
A sudden movement behind him broke Dexter free from his thoughts, gripping his blade, spinning around, and holding it to a masked and hooded intruder.
"If you wanted to kill me," Hissed Dex, "You shoulda been faster."
"If I wanted to kill you," Snarled the intruder, "I could've done so without making a noise. You would've never seen me coming."
"Doubtful." Quipped Dex, "Do you know who you are dealing with? Ep, Don't even answer that. Why are you here then?"
"I know who you are Dexter Bradley." Seethed the intruder, "Release the blade, and I will tell you all you want to know." Hesitantly, Dex lowered his blade, and released his captive.
"Talk." He growled.
"As promised." said the intruder, who now in retrospective, bore a striking resemblance to Dex, only a few inches taller, and slightly more muscular, a blue and grey hooded sweatshirt, a dark blue mask, and he spoke with a Japanese accent. "I am an ally to you and your friends. I come here to warn you of an impending doom in the form of YOUR past. You must prepare."
"In case you don't get it," Sad Dexter, smirking beneath his mask, "I can handle myself."
"I have no doubts about that." Replied the stranger, "But you have no idea what is coming. Please, heed my warning."
"I see what you are saying. Thanks." Replied Dexter, "I guess. Why do you do this?"
"I need your help."
"There's always a catch." Sighed Dexter, "What do you need?"
"I can't say now, but," Spoke the Stranger, "I will call upon you when I need you. Can I count upon your aide?" The stranger offered his hand.
"You can." Said Dexter shaking his hand, however, he soon began to feel weary, tearing his hand away from the stranger, he observed a small puncture wound in his palm, before slowly collapsing to the floor.
"It's a small poison." Said a distorted voice, probably the Strangers, "it will cause temporary paralysis, it will wear off in a few hours, I apologize, but I need my secrecy. I truly appreciate your help, we both do."
The last thing Dexter saw before losing consciousness was a dark form stepping over him.
HA! Cliffhanger!
