Right and Wrong
Moments before the shot went off
Something just didn't feel right. There was something wrong with the silence of the graveyard. True, people tend to be very solemn around graveyards. However, one could only hear the sound of a single bird. Nothing good ever came from its call.
Faye looked around, curious why she had chills running down her spine. Something, for whatever reason, screamed danger. Why do I have a funny feeling about this trip? Faye wondered, glancing over toward Spike. I wonder if he thinks of anything besides his past and near-death experiences? She looked up, gazing at the clouds as rain gracefully fell onto her deep green eyes.
A second peek toward Spike revealed a change in position and him squatting in front of a gravestone. He must be at Julia's grave now, Faye thought to herself. The more she thought about the whole episode with him and Julia, the more paranoid she became. So what now? Is he gonna stick around or leave again? The day Spike cut down the Red Dragon Syndicate played in her mind over and over again. Why DID you come back, Spike Spiegel? What do we have to offer you that you couldn't get from being alone? Faye looked up again, noticing him tracing the gravestone with his finger. She found herself walking into the graveyard toward him, though she didn't understand why.
A few moments later…
She had finally reached Spike. The feeling that something wasn't right intensified. Now I KNOW Julia couldn't have lived through the gunshot. If she did, she even fooled Spike, Faye thought to herself. So why do I…
A quick glance beyond Spike quickly answered that question…
Meanwhile…
Spike knelt next to Julia's grave. His downcast eyes spoke volumes to anyone who cared to view the scene. On the one hand, the battle for his freedom was finally over. However, he had no choice but to look down at the price he had to pay. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I wanted to save you from all this. I guess there's no running after all."
His legs began to sting a little bit, so he shifted his position. Once he did, he thought about one of the last things she said to him. "You're right, you know," Spike said, with a sigh. "You'll be with me until the end. I don't miss you as much as I thought I would, though. I guess a three year separation can do that to you." His fingers traced the gravestone one more time. "I think I finally understand what you were talking about when you said that."
With a whispered thank you and take care, Spike rose from the ground and turned around. He came face-to-face with Faye, whom looked like she had a lot on her mind. Do I want to know what that woman's thinking? he asked himself before gazing into her eyes. How do I explain to her that there's nowhere else I can go?
Before he could answer her question, a gun was pointed in his direction. Spike looked at her funny, wondering what the hell she was thinking. Did I miss something? Spike asked himself, gazing at the Glock. "Um, Faye…" he said, hoping to distract her from whatever odd form of revenge she had in mind.
Bang!The bullet sped past his face and toward the back of the graveyard, where a woman was waiting, gun trained on the back of Spike's head. "Aah!" she yelled, falling from the force of the bullet.
Spike grabbed Faye, furious. "What the hell were you thinking?" he asked, restraining himself from attacking her. "You scared the shit out of me! Why the hell did you use me for target…"
"Well, I'm sorry!" Faye yelled, turning him around. "Next time, I'll let her blow your fucking head off!"
"Her?" Spike asked. He looked from left to right, searching for whomever had the misfortune of being the Glock's target.
Immediately following the shot…
"HOLY SHIT!" the assassin yelled, speeding toward the ground. "That bitch has good aim!" A quick glance to the left revealed a bloody hole on the shoulder blade. A piece of fabric was torn from the tuxedo shirt the assassin wore and tied over the shoulder.
A few moments later, Faye ran over to the assassin. It was blatantly obvious that she was pissed. "Where the hell do you get off trying to kill us?" she asked.
"I wasn't after you," the assassin replied. "I was after…"
Spike cut off the assassin's response. "Akina?" he asked, scratching his head. "What are you doing here?"
Akina smiled, despite the incredible amount of pain surging throughout her body. "I would say I was making sure you found the graves, but I'd be lying," she said.
Spike knelt next to her, looking into her eyes. "What's going on?" he asked. "What the hell are you shooting at me for?"
Akina looked deep into his eyes. Now I see what she was talking about, she said to herself, looking away from Spike. I can't even look into his eyes without chills running down my spine. "Nothing personal," she said, sighing. "I'm just not ready to die yet."
Faye gripped her Glock harder, stepping closer to Akina. "What the fuck are you talking about?" she asked.
"That group in Mars City," Akina said, trailing off.
"You mean that mercenary group?" Faye asked, eying Akina suspiciously. "Are you one of them?"
"Unfortunately," Akina replied. "I had no choice. I either had to turn on everyone or die."
Spike looked at Akina hopelessly. He felt as if someone, or something, had kicked him in the stomach with little to no regard for his general welfare. "So they were after you, huh?"
"Not until I accepted their merry little invitation," Akina replied. "Honestly, I'm glad I did. Had I not accepted it and someone else had, I would be dead right now."
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bullets rang through the sky in the general direction of the three. Spike grabbed Faye and headed straight for the ground. After what seemed like decades, the sonnet of gunfire finally came to an abrupt stop. Spike peeked from around a nearby gravestone, checking Akina's condition.
The next word that came from the bounty hunter's mouth confirmed what Faye feared would happen. "Shit!" Spike yelled, running toward Akina. "Please don't die yet!"
Akina looked up at Spike, smiling. "Now I finally understand what they all saw in you," she said. "Mao, Julia, Shin, Annie…they all knew you were something special. If only…" Akina coughed up a few clumps of blood. She looked into her hands and smiled. "So I guess only one of us is left." She looked sternly at Spike. "You're the only former Dragon left. They're after you now. Do whatever you have to do, but stay alive!"
Spike nodded his head, closing Akina's eyelids for the last time.
A couple hours later…
"Do you always gain more enemies as you go along?" Faye asked, panting after a 20-minute shoot-out in the graveyard. Receiving no response, she grunted and yelled into her ship's COM. "Hello? Are you listening to me?"
Spike couldn't do much more than stare into the sky. He thought of all the people who had died within the past few years that he was close to at one point or another. Julia. Annie. Mao. Vicious. Lin. Shin. Now Akina, one of the very few people left that linked him to his past, was gone as well. Only one question remained in Spike's mind: now what?
