The long silver blade cut into me as I awoke, I felt the metal prying into me as I hung there, helpless. My eyes sat in a distant daze as my mind focused on the masked figure looming over me, a long knife which I recognized as a machete, the grip of the knife in a tight hold. I stared at the pool of blood forming at my feet, my own blood. My arms were suspended with chains high above my head. At this point I was invalid, not able to do anything for myself, only hoping I could survive this brutal onslaught. The machete still feasting on my flesh and blood, sticking awkwardly out of my side, my torturer spoke." I will ask you again, what are you doing here?" My memory was all a blur as my vision began to fade. Without a second thought I spat in the face of the assassin. I had spat in the face of death with no fear. As he released the blade once more, ready for another deep thrust, an explosion sounded, a strange quake shook the floor as he lost his balance and fell to the hard, cold concrete, instantly unconscious. I didn't know where I was, why I was captured nor why I was being interrogated, the only thing I knew for sure was that Lady Luck had smiled upon me. The chains tightly bound me as the coil of a thousand snakes, suddenly I realized it was hopeless as another tremor shook the ground, sending the assassin's body tumbling to the other end of the room, crashing into what I thought was a weapons locker. His head jolted at the door as blood ran down his back, the unlocked pad lock falling to the floor with slight distinction. The door had shook open, revealing my M-16 assault rifle in all its glory, I had never been happier to lay my eyes on a gun. I struggled with my bonds, then, as I had stated before, lady luck had smiled on me, though I never imagined I meant that in a literal sense. A few yards off I heard a strange beeping, as if for an alarm clock. Too bad I didn't think it would bomb, a C-4 to be exact, till it was too late. The next explosion destroyed the door as debris and flame were emitted from where the door had formerly resided, my body shook and I shuddered. Out from the shadows as the smoke cleared, a dark figure somewhat like the one lying seemingly lifeless on the floor approached me. It was a woman; similar to the one I had brutally murdered what seemed an eternity ago. She also hid behind a sleek black mask, though through the faint glimpse of her eyes that I received, her submachine gun out thrust in front of her Kevlar protected chest, I didn't see the eyes of a killer, but the eyes of a sad and hopelessly lost girl seeking vengeance. It didn't seem like I should have projected so much from first sight, though I was extremely disoriented at the time. She began her dissent towards me, a flash of silver escaping her pocket as she removed a ring of keys and set me free. She then picked up my rifle and handed it to me as I was struggling to get to my feet. All of my previous wounds still bled and my arms had been sore, though I shouldered the rifle immediately. "Follow me," was all she said as I blindly followed. I was intrigued with her beauty, I had to follow, and after all, she was my only chance of escape. As she led me out of the ghastly room. I had wanted to place a bullet into the head of the bastard on the floor, though I thought better of it and let the mysterious woman in black lead the way as al my open wounds were forgotten which allowed me to last just a bit longer. My painkillers were in their accustomed place though I couldn't stop to pull them out. The woman ran at a quickening pace, I tired to keep up. As she turned a corner, the familiar sound of gunfire fell upon my ears once again. She fired a short burst from her submachine gun before hugging the wall to the left, waiting for the assailants to make the next move. However, I was not this docile. I chose the more aggressive path, to show her what I was made of; I leapt past her into the line of fire, my rifle at the ready. There were only five of them waiting for us. I had managed to unload half of my clip into them; all my shots directed by my laser, catching them right in the heart as each one fell to the floor, dead. Their screams of pain all heard in unison as a thud could be heard when their bodies fell. I grinned in spite of myself. I suppose you could say it was a smile of malice rather than humor; death is often funny enough to laugh at, just one of the things I learned each day. Once again she lead the way, emotionless, though I sensed the slightest of disgust in her. An elevator sat in the distance, innocently waiting for us to escape. Suddenly, the doors swung open revealing at least twenty assassins as they filed out. They had opened fire, she had slipped and had fallen down to her death, if it had not been for me as I dragged her to her feet, and to cover, narrowly escaping a shell being planted in her cranium. She had slid out a radio and quickly relayed a few pleas for backup. "Requesting backup, I repeat, requesting backup." "Backup denied, all units abort mission." "Damn you Stal." she muttered under her breath. It was clear that backup was not coming. I stood to the side of her and made it evident that I was up for it. This was when the civilians were separated from the soldiers, the boys from the men. I had trained all my adult life for this moment and I wouldn't be denied, I would live on. My muscles were tense, as my hands had begun to sweat, my index finger tightly around the trigger. I was as ready and focused as I would ever be. With a nod to her we both waited for the barrage of bullets to momentarily cease in time for them to reload. We waited patiently and were rewarded. At the first indication at an empty gun we rushed out from behind the wall, walking at a steady pace towards them. Our bullets ripped through them, reducing them to nothing more but a pool of blood on wall and a pile of flesh on the floor. Half of them had retreated like the true cowards they were. Yelling in fear as they laid eyes on me, drenched with blood with wounds freely bleeding smothering my body I had been a gruesome sight. My M-79 was ready; it was time to finish the job. With their backs turned I fired a single shell at them, exploding in midair. Their bodies flying in the air, being pushed forward as the flames relentlessly licked at their bodies, now makeshift kindle wood. The fire had spread, turning the small corridor into a flaming inferno. "The Devil's Kitchen…" I though as I looked at the awe inspiring flames and one unlucky assassin that hadn't died, watching as he was burned into nothing but ash and smoke. She entered the elevator, yelling aloud, trying to get me out of the trance I was in. I could either follow her into freedom or stay and die a gruesome and painful death. I chose freedom. I ran into the elevator, taking one final glimpse at the hall just before the sliding doors shut, blocking all light. I looked at her, unable to say anything. I wasn't sure what to do. I had been so weak, I felt drained of all energy. I had lost too much blood, it was getting to me. I was left to the familiar scene of utter darkness and despair…….