author's note: shit, sorry, i'm such an idiot! i forgot to post this chapter. maybe that's why it seemed a little choppy with donovan all of a sudden killing someone. sucks too, because it is supposed to be a totaly shocker, but now that you've read the next chapter you know who will be shot. damn, i'm such an imbecile :)
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"Dr. Richardson has completed his development of the nanotechnology. He assures us that it will work. As he so eloquently put it, he would even bet his life on it." The Triumvirate always took that seriously.
"I suggest we halt the operation in Seattle and instead, bring the X5 in now."
"Why now?"
"Including those two we will have enough enhanced X5's that we can send them out to bring the others home. As well, with Zack we will know where they are all located anyways. It is strategy."
"Ah, yes that makes sense." The triumvirate conversed amongst themselves casually before they finally agreed.
"Send Mathews the memo. We are ready to proceed."
*****
He checked his watch again. Time seemed to have crawled by but thankfully the target would be home soon.
Donovan sat, waiting impatiently. He glanced over at the apartments across the way but even a quick glance at the penthouse, even if it was only in his peripheral vision, would threaten to bring on another splitting headache. How was he supposed to complete the objective with such a distraction? Why was something like that distracting him anyways? That couldn't be normal. Who were these people whose faces haunted his mind?
He tried to recall the images that had flashed into his mind, but despite their brilliant clarity before he could only remember hazy images.
'Focus,' he chided himself, and took a deep breath. Soon his objective would be complete and he would be heading home. Away from this city of ghosts.
*****
Raven sat behind Max on her ninja. They were well on their way to Fogle towers where a delicious meal would be ready in less then an hour no doubt.
She only wished that the thoughts in her mind would whiz past as fast as the buildings were now. But thoughts of her brother refused to wash away.
It was almost as if she felt guilty for leaving him and the others. For the first time since she left Manticore she realized that she had essentially abandoned her family. She left to find out exactly how these rogues worked and she stayed with them when she began to understand their reasons for leaving. But wasn't it possible that she was leaving her siblings behind to suffer the same fate. If she did not return with the X5 that Mathews would be needing soon, wouldn't it be possible that he would resort to using the X6 in his stage three experiments? It wasn't like the X6 weren't expendable at this point. The X7s were nipping at their heels, and the mothers that were heavy with the X8 when Raven left had probably already given birth. Either way it would be inevitable that Manticore would deem it appropriate to use the X6 in those horrid experiments.
She shuddered at the thought. Her family could be in great danger and in more then one way it would be her fault. What kind of a C.O. was she if she would just abandon them like that?
But then again how could she betray the X5 whom she has grown so close to over the past few weeks? Especially the two X5 who were her parents?
There was no doubt in her mind that Ty would bring others to retrieve her and Zack and Max. But after all the two had done for her she could not let them be taken back to Manticore. Raven wished that she could just tell them to get out of Seattle, but deep down she knew she wouldn't be able to convince Max to leave Logan's side. And if that was the case she wouldn't want Zack to leave because then Max would have no chance of escaping the X6 on her own.
She needed a plan that would be best for all and only one came to mind. Freeing one of her hands she reached down into her pocket and felt the cool touch of a small vile of liquid. It just might be their only hope.
*****
His gut had never lied to him before, and Logan wasn't willing to dismiss the strange feeling he had just moments ago. He walked quickly to his computer and tapped into the hover drone net. He had done it so many times that he was in and controlling the closest hover drone within a minute of logging on.
After a few simple commands he guided the hover drone to the roof of the adjacent building and his eyes widened with shock when he saw who was there.
The boy was older, looking to be about Raven's age. But there was no mistaking the tiger striped hair. It was Cole. Logan had only moments to recognize the boy, for Cole soon raised a sniper rifle and shot down the hover drone.
Sniper rifle?
Only one thought entered his mind. Logan wasted no time picking up the phone and paging Max. 'Please Max don't come home.' He thought as he hung up and waited for her to call.
*****
Max looked down at her beeper. "Alright Logan, we're almost there." She whispered, not bothering to stop and check in.
*****
"Hello Deck." Mathews walked into Lydecker's office and threw out the informal greeting. Though apparently he expected more in return. "Shouldn't you be standing and saluting me?"
"Get over yourself Mathews." Lydecker refused to stand. He couldn't bear to be under the command of such an insolent fool.
"You know I am trying my best to be polite to you here. I did after all come here to personally inform you that I was given the go ahead with Stage Three and I will be taking control of Brin and the others. I could have just sent a memo."
"That shit hasn't been perfected yet, you'll turn them into fucking vegetables."
"Come on now Lydecker, give the doctors some credit. They've made leaps and bounds with that technology. The X4 are only slightly flawed with random fits of rage. But we are assured that that has been taken care of."
"You know what the triumvirate is doing to them right?"
"Are you trying to enlighten me in some way Deck?" Mathews raised his eyebrows, obviously amused.
"How will they become perfect soldiers if all they need is a virus in the central computer to render them useless? Or what if someone were to be able to hack into the controls they could give our soldiers a slow and painful death just by pushing a button. How will it make them perfect if it will be their downfall?"
"The only way to disable them internally by using their nanoprobes, or introduce a virus would be to be physically at the terminal. So I don't see how it is possible…"
Deck began to get frustrated. He did not want to see this children injected with nanoprobes, even it if did make them stronger and faster. Introducing something foreign like that into their bodies, meant that they could be controlled. Deck had put his life into creating and nuturing the X5. If he would not have control, then no one, especially not Mathews, would. "What about your X6? Would you like to see them become lifeless puppets?"
Mathews shook his head and smiled, "As I told Ty, they are still imperfect. Stage three will enhance them to beyond their full capabilities, and the Triumvirate will have its super-army four generations ahead of schedule. They won't be puppets, Deck. They will become a streamlined multitasking killing machine. That has been our goal from the beginning."
"I will not-"
Mathews stood and cut Lydecker off, "You will, because you have no choice. We are moving into the future Lydecker. With or without you."
He left the office without another word, leaving Deck once again to stare blankly at his desk. He had just been told this morning that he was no longer in command and now he was being told that the X5 are out of his hands. It was all happening so quickly.
There was no way he would be able to save Brin and the other X5 who were on the base. But there was still a hope of saving Max and Zack and all the other rogues. Mathews would not get his hands on all the X5. At least some of his children would remain pure.
*****
Zack was on his bike now, racing towards Logan's apartment. He had found a semi clean cloth in the alley to tie up his leg and he could feel the bullet wound already begin to heal. The physical wound was easy to get over, but Zack's mind was in tatters. Too many things were happening in his life. Too many losses in too short a time that he had snapped.
He still could not get over that sickening feeling of beating up on someone he could have sworn was Lydecker. He saw Lydecker, spoke to Lydecker, took his hatred out on Lydecker. But when his blood lust ended he found he had beaten a man to death. Over and over he would try and justify his actions. 'That guy was a criminal anyways, he deserved what he got.' But nothing he could think of would wipe the girls face from his memory. Her face was so pale with fright that he might as well have been holding a gun to her forehead and ripped apart her clothes himself.
It was her face that brought him to a full realization that what he did was truly savage. He wasn't human, but a heartless killer, no better then the trash off the streets, just more efficient at it. All his life spent freely roaming the streets he had been trying to run from whatever it was Manticore wanted him to be. It just took an incident like today to make him understand that he couldn't run anymore. The hate, the anger, it would always be with him.
Finally he turned into the alley beside Fogle towers and parked his bike. He got off and tucked his helmet under his arm. What he needed right now was a good shower. He knew washing away the blood would not be enough to clean his mind, but it was a start.
Stepping through the doors and into the lobby, he saw a face that actually made him lips form a slight smile. Something he hadn't done for a long, long time.
"Zack? What happened?" Alyssa, who had been waiting for the elevator, now walked up to him. Upon seeing her Zack forgot what he must have looked like in her eyes. His clothing was stained with dried blood, his one leg was completely drenched, even the cloth tied tightly around his thigh was by now a deep crimson red. Any normal human would have passed out from the blood loss.
Her question made Zack remember once again, exactly what he had done and the smile slipped from his face. "I'll be fine."
With Alyssa's experience with the X5 she knew he a gun shot to his leg would easily heal. "I know you will, but what happened?" she said, her voice soft and reassuring. Zack knew she would understand, she was like his mother, and he knew he could tell her anything. The elevator she had called was now opening and they both stepped in. Zack did not bother selecting a floor, going straight to the wall and leaning against it, resting his head back and closing his eyes. Dr. Munrow followed, and selected her floor, prompting to doors to close.
"I killed a man today Alyssa."
She was expecting no less with the amount of blood she saw. "I'm sure there was a good reason."
"No, you don't understand. It went beyond everything I was taught at Manticore. I could feel his skull give way to my fist but I still didn't stop. I murdered the man, for no good reason." It was a sorrowful topic but it felt so good to talk to someone about these things.
"I know you Zack, you wouldn't just kill a man. Something must have pushed you and given you no option."
"I thought I saw Lydecker… I killed because I thought he was Lydecker…I'm going crazy I could have sworn I saw him."
Alyssa listened calmly as Zack told his tale from the beginning. How he learned about what Manticore was doing to his son, what they made his son do to Kat. Alyssa was shocked to hear the story of Operation Lockdown, but she held her tongue. It was obvious that Zack had been holding this all inside and it was just as obvious that he needed to get it all out.
Zack was happy to tell her everything, how he thought the man was Lydecker, but he didn't want to tell her how far he went. He didn't want her to know how much he enjoyed it.
His tale ended as they approached her floor. "…She was more scared of me then she was the other men. And that's what scares me Alyssa…How do you handle your life knowing what you did back at Manticore? Doesn't it eat away at you?"
Alyssa pushed the emergency stop just before her floor. He needed more time to get this all off his shoulders. "It still gives me nightmares. But I know that my past doesn't determine my future. We all can change. If you can accept these killing urges as a part of who you are you can control them."
"But I don't want to accept that that is who I am."
"By burying it like you have all these years you are just allowing it build beyond your control. Like tonight. Zack, your mind is stressed, especially after everything you have lost," she placed a mother hand on his cheek, "Kat, Cole, Max…"
Zack turned his head away from her hand.
"I know how you felt about her Zack," she smiled, "I was the one who treated you after those post mission beatings remember. I know that time and again you put yourself on the line to help her. I know what her relationship with Logan must be doing-"
He turned rigid and cold, "I have accepted my sacrifices Doctor. That I can get past. But what Manticore made my son do… That is unforgivable." Telling her everything had been refreshing, lifting a huge weight off his mind, but he didn't want to talk about this.
Alyssa did not speak, she knew she might have stepped beyond what was welcome.
Zack snapped out of it, and relaxed his tensed muscles. He knew Alyssa was only trying to help him, she always did. "Do you have the medicine?"
"Yeah, I finished it last night, but when you didn't come back…" she reached into her purse and pulled out several little vials of a bluish liquid. "And I got these as well…" Next she took out several needles and handed them to him.
All of which Zack put into his upturned helmet.
"I don't know if there is any way to thank you."
She smiled, "There is no need after what I've done… but if you really must, how about helping me cook some dinner tonight? My sister is set on making me a vegetarian."
Her smile was infectious and one made its way to Zack's lips again. He was also happy to stay somewhere else tonight, if only for the evening. What she said earlier was true, and he didn't want to have to see Logan and Max together. "Sure, I just… need to clean up."
Alyssa released the emergency stop and the door opened on her floor. "I'm sure I got some sweats you could wear."
Zack loved how he felt around her. She was so accepting and understanding. He had just killed a man, the blood was testimony to that, but unlike the girl in the alley Alyssa's eyes were not filled with detest and fear. Being from Manticore she understood the atrocities that took place there, and how that could wear down on a person. Anyone else, save fellow X5's, would have feared this aspect of him, yet Alyssa was inviting him to dinner. A sigh of relief left his lips. Alyssa was the last human he would want to bring fear to.
They entered her apartment and Zack looked around. Just like Logan's apartment it seemed relatively untouched by the pulse. "Nice place," he said, putting down his helmet, careful to balance it so that none of the contents would spill.
"Thanks, but it's my sister's. After a couple more years pushing my work I should be able to afford a place like this." She hung her coat on a coat stand and set her purse down.
"How did you sister get a place like this? I thought you were the genius."
"Ah, yes, but she was the gold digger… long story," she waved it off, walking into the living room. A few steps in she turned to face him. "So the washroom is over there. I'll just-"
The window behind her shattered with a deafening crash. Zack was caught too unaware to react instantly. The bullet was too fast and the aim too true. Even with his speed he only made it to Alyssa quickly enough to catch her falling, lifeless body.
"Alyssa!" He hugged her to his chest, her blood mingling with that which had already stained his clothes. A lover, a son, a friend and now a mother. What more could he lose?
Finally, with Alyssa still in his arms, he lifted his head and looked out the shattered window. His whole body shook with grief and hatred. Dilating his pupils he focused his eyes the far distance to the top of the building where the shot must have originated.
As much as his mind didn't want to believe, Zack could not deny that it was his son who stood there, sniper rifle still in hand, staring back at him.
-------------------
"Dr. Richardson has completed his development of the nanotechnology. He assures us that it will work. As he so eloquently put it, he would even bet his life on it." The Triumvirate always took that seriously.
"I suggest we halt the operation in Seattle and instead, bring the X5 in now."
"Why now?"
"Including those two we will have enough enhanced X5's that we can send them out to bring the others home. As well, with Zack we will know where they are all located anyways. It is strategy."
"Ah, yes that makes sense." The triumvirate conversed amongst themselves casually before they finally agreed.
"Send Mathews the memo. We are ready to proceed."
*****
He checked his watch again. Time seemed to have crawled by but thankfully the target would be home soon.
Donovan sat, waiting impatiently. He glanced over at the apartments across the way but even a quick glance at the penthouse, even if it was only in his peripheral vision, would threaten to bring on another splitting headache. How was he supposed to complete the objective with such a distraction? Why was something like that distracting him anyways? That couldn't be normal. Who were these people whose faces haunted his mind?
He tried to recall the images that had flashed into his mind, but despite their brilliant clarity before he could only remember hazy images.
'Focus,' he chided himself, and took a deep breath. Soon his objective would be complete and he would be heading home. Away from this city of ghosts.
*****
Raven sat behind Max on her ninja. They were well on their way to Fogle towers where a delicious meal would be ready in less then an hour no doubt.
She only wished that the thoughts in her mind would whiz past as fast as the buildings were now. But thoughts of her brother refused to wash away.
It was almost as if she felt guilty for leaving him and the others. For the first time since she left Manticore she realized that she had essentially abandoned her family. She left to find out exactly how these rogues worked and she stayed with them when she began to understand their reasons for leaving. But wasn't it possible that she was leaving her siblings behind to suffer the same fate. If she did not return with the X5 that Mathews would be needing soon, wouldn't it be possible that he would resort to using the X6 in his stage three experiments? It wasn't like the X6 weren't expendable at this point. The X7s were nipping at their heels, and the mothers that were heavy with the X8 when Raven left had probably already given birth. Either way it would be inevitable that Manticore would deem it appropriate to use the X6 in those horrid experiments.
She shuddered at the thought. Her family could be in great danger and in more then one way it would be her fault. What kind of a C.O. was she if she would just abandon them like that?
But then again how could she betray the X5 whom she has grown so close to over the past few weeks? Especially the two X5 who were her parents?
There was no doubt in her mind that Ty would bring others to retrieve her and Zack and Max. But after all the two had done for her she could not let them be taken back to Manticore. Raven wished that she could just tell them to get out of Seattle, but deep down she knew she wouldn't be able to convince Max to leave Logan's side. And if that was the case she wouldn't want Zack to leave because then Max would have no chance of escaping the X6 on her own.
She needed a plan that would be best for all and only one came to mind. Freeing one of her hands she reached down into her pocket and felt the cool touch of a small vile of liquid. It just might be their only hope.
*****
His gut had never lied to him before, and Logan wasn't willing to dismiss the strange feeling he had just moments ago. He walked quickly to his computer and tapped into the hover drone net. He had done it so many times that he was in and controlling the closest hover drone within a minute of logging on.
After a few simple commands he guided the hover drone to the roof of the adjacent building and his eyes widened with shock when he saw who was there.
The boy was older, looking to be about Raven's age. But there was no mistaking the tiger striped hair. It was Cole. Logan had only moments to recognize the boy, for Cole soon raised a sniper rifle and shot down the hover drone.
Sniper rifle?
Only one thought entered his mind. Logan wasted no time picking up the phone and paging Max. 'Please Max don't come home.' He thought as he hung up and waited for her to call.
*****
Max looked down at her beeper. "Alright Logan, we're almost there." She whispered, not bothering to stop and check in.
*****
"Hello Deck." Mathews walked into Lydecker's office and threw out the informal greeting. Though apparently he expected more in return. "Shouldn't you be standing and saluting me?"
"Get over yourself Mathews." Lydecker refused to stand. He couldn't bear to be under the command of such an insolent fool.
"You know I am trying my best to be polite to you here. I did after all come here to personally inform you that I was given the go ahead with Stage Three and I will be taking control of Brin and the others. I could have just sent a memo."
"That shit hasn't been perfected yet, you'll turn them into fucking vegetables."
"Come on now Lydecker, give the doctors some credit. They've made leaps and bounds with that technology. The X4 are only slightly flawed with random fits of rage. But we are assured that that has been taken care of."
"You know what the triumvirate is doing to them right?"
"Are you trying to enlighten me in some way Deck?" Mathews raised his eyebrows, obviously amused.
"How will they become perfect soldiers if all they need is a virus in the central computer to render them useless? Or what if someone were to be able to hack into the controls they could give our soldiers a slow and painful death just by pushing a button. How will it make them perfect if it will be their downfall?"
"The only way to disable them internally by using their nanoprobes, or introduce a virus would be to be physically at the terminal. So I don't see how it is possible…"
Deck began to get frustrated. He did not want to see this children injected with nanoprobes, even it if did make them stronger and faster. Introducing something foreign like that into their bodies, meant that they could be controlled. Deck had put his life into creating and nuturing the X5. If he would not have control, then no one, especially not Mathews, would. "What about your X6? Would you like to see them become lifeless puppets?"
Mathews shook his head and smiled, "As I told Ty, they are still imperfect. Stage three will enhance them to beyond their full capabilities, and the Triumvirate will have its super-army four generations ahead of schedule. They won't be puppets, Deck. They will become a streamlined multitasking killing machine. That has been our goal from the beginning."
"I will not-"
Mathews stood and cut Lydecker off, "You will, because you have no choice. We are moving into the future Lydecker. With or without you."
He left the office without another word, leaving Deck once again to stare blankly at his desk. He had just been told this morning that he was no longer in command and now he was being told that the X5 are out of his hands. It was all happening so quickly.
There was no way he would be able to save Brin and the other X5 who were on the base. But there was still a hope of saving Max and Zack and all the other rogues. Mathews would not get his hands on all the X5. At least some of his children would remain pure.
*****
Zack was on his bike now, racing towards Logan's apartment. He had found a semi clean cloth in the alley to tie up his leg and he could feel the bullet wound already begin to heal. The physical wound was easy to get over, but Zack's mind was in tatters. Too many things were happening in his life. Too many losses in too short a time that he had snapped.
He still could not get over that sickening feeling of beating up on someone he could have sworn was Lydecker. He saw Lydecker, spoke to Lydecker, took his hatred out on Lydecker. But when his blood lust ended he found he had beaten a man to death. Over and over he would try and justify his actions. 'That guy was a criminal anyways, he deserved what he got.' But nothing he could think of would wipe the girls face from his memory. Her face was so pale with fright that he might as well have been holding a gun to her forehead and ripped apart her clothes himself.
It was her face that brought him to a full realization that what he did was truly savage. He wasn't human, but a heartless killer, no better then the trash off the streets, just more efficient at it. All his life spent freely roaming the streets he had been trying to run from whatever it was Manticore wanted him to be. It just took an incident like today to make him understand that he couldn't run anymore. The hate, the anger, it would always be with him.
Finally he turned into the alley beside Fogle towers and parked his bike. He got off and tucked his helmet under his arm. What he needed right now was a good shower. He knew washing away the blood would not be enough to clean his mind, but it was a start.
Stepping through the doors and into the lobby, he saw a face that actually made him lips form a slight smile. Something he hadn't done for a long, long time.
"Zack? What happened?" Alyssa, who had been waiting for the elevator, now walked up to him. Upon seeing her Zack forgot what he must have looked like in her eyes. His clothing was stained with dried blood, his one leg was completely drenched, even the cloth tied tightly around his thigh was by now a deep crimson red. Any normal human would have passed out from the blood loss.
Her question made Zack remember once again, exactly what he had done and the smile slipped from his face. "I'll be fine."
With Alyssa's experience with the X5 she knew he a gun shot to his leg would easily heal. "I know you will, but what happened?" she said, her voice soft and reassuring. Zack knew she would understand, she was like his mother, and he knew he could tell her anything. The elevator she had called was now opening and they both stepped in. Zack did not bother selecting a floor, going straight to the wall and leaning against it, resting his head back and closing his eyes. Dr. Munrow followed, and selected her floor, prompting to doors to close.
"I killed a man today Alyssa."
She was expecting no less with the amount of blood she saw. "I'm sure there was a good reason."
"No, you don't understand. It went beyond everything I was taught at Manticore. I could feel his skull give way to my fist but I still didn't stop. I murdered the man, for no good reason." It was a sorrowful topic but it felt so good to talk to someone about these things.
"I know you Zack, you wouldn't just kill a man. Something must have pushed you and given you no option."
"I thought I saw Lydecker… I killed because I thought he was Lydecker…I'm going crazy I could have sworn I saw him."
Alyssa listened calmly as Zack told his tale from the beginning. How he learned about what Manticore was doing to his son, what they made his son do to Kat. Alyssa was shocked to hear the story of Operation Lockdown, but she held her tongue. It was obvious that Zack had been holding this all inside and it was just as obvious that he needed to get it all out.
Zack was happy to tell her everything, how he thought the man was Lydecker, but he didn't want to tell her how far he went. He didn't want her to know how much he enjoyed it.
His tale ended as they approached her floor. "…She was more scared of me then she was the other men. And that's what scares me Alyssa…How do you handle your life knowing what you did back at Manticore? Doesn't it eat away at you?"
Alyssa pushed the emergency stop just before her floor. He needed more time to get this all off his shoulders. "It still gives me nightmares. But I know that my past doesn't determine my future. We all can change. If you can accept these killing urges as a part of who you are you can control them."
"But I don't want to accept that that is who I am."
"By burying it like you have all these years you are just allowing it build beyond your control. Like tonight. Zack, your mind is stressed, especially after everything you have lost," she placed a mother hand on his cheek, "Kat, Cole, Max…"
Zack turned his head away from her hand.
"I know how you felt about her Zack," she smiled, "I was the one who treated you after those post mission beatings remember. I know that time and again you put yourself on the line to help her. I know what her relationship with Logan must be doing-"
He turned rigid and cold, "I have accepted my sacrifices Doctor. That I can get past. But what Manticore made my son do… That is unforgivable." Telling her everything had been refreshing, lifting a huge weight off his mind, but he didn't want to talk about this.
Alyssa did not speak, she knew she might have stepped beyond what was welcome.
Zack snapped out of it, and relaxed his tensed muscles. He knew Alyssa was only trying to help him, she always did. "Do you have the medicine?"
"Yeah, I finished it last night, but when you didn't come back…" she reached into her purse and pulled out several little vials of a bluish liquid. "And I got these as well…" Next she took out several needles and handed them to him.
All of which Zack put into his upturned helmet.
"I don't know if there is any way to thank you."
She smiled, "There is no need after what I've done… but if you really must, how about helping me cook some dinner tonight? My sister is set on making me a vegetarian."
Her smile was infectious and one made its way to Zack's lips again. He was also happy to stay somewhere else tonight, if only for the evening. What she said earlier was true, and he didn't want to have to see Logan and Max together. "Sure, I just… need to clean up."
Alyssa released the emergency stop and the door opened on her floor. "I'm sure I got some sweats you could wear."
Zack loved how he felt around her. She was so accepting and understanding. He had just killed a man, the blood was testimony to that, but unlike the girl in the alley Alyssa's eyes were not filled with detest and fear. Being from Manticore she understood the atrocities that took place there, and how that could wear down on a person. Anyone else, save fellow X5's, would have feared this aspect of him, yet Alyssa was inviting him to dinner. A sigh of relief left his lips. Alyssa was the last human he would want to bring fear to.
They entered her apartment and Zack looked around. Just like Logan's apartment it seemed relatively untouched by the pulse. "Nice place," he said, putting down his helmet, careful to balance it so that none of the contents would spill.
"Thanks, but it's my sister's. After a couple more years pushing my work I should be able to afford a place like this." She hung her coat on a coat stand and set her purse down.
"How did you sister get a place like this? I thought you were the genius."
"Ah, yes, but she was the gold digger… long story," she waved it off, walking into the living room. A few steps in she turned to face him. "So the washroom is over there. I'll just-"
The window behind her shattered with a deafening crash. Zack was caught too unaware to react instantly. The bullet was too fast and the aim too true. Even with his speed he only made it to Alyssa quickly enough to catch her falling, lifeless body.
"Alyssa!" He hugged her to his chest, her blood mingling with that which had already stained his clothes. A lover, a son, a friend and now a mother. What more could he lose?
Finally, with Alyssa still in his arms, he lifted his head and looked out the shattered window. His whole body shook with grief and hatred. Dilating his pupils he focused his eyes the far distance to the top of the building where the shot must have originated.
As much as his mind didn't want to believe, Zack could not deny that it was his son who stood there, sniper rifle still in hand, staring back at him.