Author's Note: This chapter's by HappyBunny1. Please review!

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Chapter 1: Because It's My Job

Dodge stood over what he thought was Jack's dead body. He just blew a hole the size of a damn fist through Jack's abdomen so Dodge's logic and reasoning told him that he wasn't going to be getting up anytime soon. Dodge's eyes searched over Jack's body for any sign of movement, but none were found.

Dodge didn't want to kill Jack. He didn't like him too much but that didn't mean he wanted him dead. But Dodge knew, in his heart, there was something seriously wrong with Jack. There was something ominously dangerous about him that Dodge didn't want any part of. It was a creepy feeling that was proven to be true when Jack's demeanor suddenly changed. Within a split second Jack's cheery façade melted away to show the true beast inside.

Jack's smile faded and the vibe of weakness that he gave off quickly disappeared. His eyes clouded over, becoming almost black and even his posture was different. There was nothing left of the kind Jack Ferriman that Dodge had met. Instead, in his place, stood a heartless man of stone who cared nothing for the people around him.

Dodge didn't know it at the time, but this man, Jack Ferriman, was the cause of the disappearance of the Antonia Graza in the first place.

When Jack spoke, his voice was chillingly dark and deep and even the light around Jack seemed to skitter away when he spoke. He insulted Dodge, belittled him, degraded him. He spat words at him that, deep inside, Dodge knew were true.

But when Jack lunged at him Dodge panicked and pulled the trigger of the shot gun. Jack flew back several feet and landed on the rusty, metal floor of the Graza's helm.

And now Dodge was just standing over him, watching ever so carefully and making sure he was indefinitely dead.

But Jack was an immortal being and he was just waiting for the right moment to pounce.

Dodge turned around and began to walk away. He had to get out of there and tell Maureen Epps, the only other crew member of the Arctic Warrior that was left alive, that Jack Ferriman was dead. If only Dodge knew that at that very moment, only several feet behind him, Jack had opened his eyes and he was severely pissed.

"Dodge." That deep tone once again resounded in Dodge's ears as he was about to walk out of the door. Dodge knew he must be imagining things. It couldn't be real. Dodge quickly spun around, expecting to see Jack's STILL dead body on the ground and then expecting a wave of relief that the voice was only in his mind.

But what he came face to face with was far more terrifying than the darkened helm of the ship. There in front of him stood Jack. Dodge watched in horror as the bullet hole in Jack's side vanished before his very eyes. The hole began to close up and the enormous amount of blood that once soaked his shirt was disappearing as well.

A smirk tugged at Jack's lips as he watched Dodge. Not a word was said by Jack until his wound was gone completely.

"Surprised?" Jack said nastily. Just by his tone Dodge could tell he was being mocked.

"Wh-What the fuck are you?" Dodge's tone was fearful, but held a hint of curiousity. And Jack played off that.

"Why don't you come closer and find out?" Jack didn't want Dodge to know who he really was. He didn't want to tell him he's a soul collector sent from the depths of Hell to claim thousands of the innocent and wicked and ferry them down to Hades. And besides, people feared Jack more when they knew less about him.

Dodge's eyes widened and he took a step backward, but poor Dodge forgot that there was a step there, it was just a small step the led into the helm. But that small step cost him his soul.

Dodge fell backward and his body hit the floor hard. He wanted to yell out in pain but it was impossible because Jack now had his hands wrapped tightly around Dodge's throat and was lifting him up.

See, Jack took advantage of Dodge being distracted. The second Dodge hit the ground Jack was on him, completely prepared to end the man's life right there.

Jack lifted Dodge off the ground and slammed his back next to the door. Dodge's feet were no more than a foot and half above the ground and they twitched slightly as Jack was choking the life out of him.

It was almost funny to see such a small man like Jack lift a buff man like Dodge off the ground and hold him against a wall.

Dodge struggled futiley against Jack's hands. Dodge couldn't breathe and he could feel himself getting dizzy from lack of air. His vision was getting blurry and darker.

Before his final breath, Dodge managed to squeak out one final word, "Why?"

Dodge's eyes slowly closed and the last thing he saw was Jack's grinning, evil face. And the last thing he heard was Jack's echoing voice saying, "Because it's my job."

Dodge's life faded out of existence and he didn't even have time to comprehend Jack's last words. His body went limp and Jack quickly let go of him, letting his body slump to the ground and then landing in a heap leaning against the wall.

"And it will always be my job." Jack said as he bent down to mark Dodge. He grabbed Dodge's right hand and as he scarred his palm, you could hear the screams and tortured cries of thousands of souls that died before him.

Jack stood up and everything was eerily silent. He let out a deep sigh and then bent his head to the sides, the back, and the front, as if he were stretching after some strenuous activity.

Jack stopped for a moment and thought about his current condition. Everyone was dead except Maureen, but he knew she would be pretty damn hard to kill. She knew who he really was and all about his plans, not to mention she was getting help from that Katie girl.

Jack didn't like difficult things. They annoyed him. And he knew bumping off Maureen would be difficult becasue she was a fighter. She would fight until her last breath.

So Jack needed help. And he decided to call on the one being that could take care of Maureen for him... Death.

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Author's Note: Please review! Next chapter is Epps.