"Well, Nicholas D. Wolfwood. Welcome."
Nick opened his eyes slowly when he heard the sultry voice of a woman. He had to squint as he stared up at the bright white light above him. What the hell, he thought to himself. Then he remembered his last fight. His teacher, Vash's words of peace echoing in his head as he was shot. He made his way to a church to ask for forgiveness and then there was blackness. Where was he now?
"Where am I?" Nick asked.
"In the afterlife of course. You didn't think you survived did you?" The voice replied.
"Heaven?" He knew it wasn't hell, it was to calm.
The voice laughed teasingly. "You wish."
He didn't see what was so funny. "I don't want to be here."
"We don't want you here either, so this is what we'll do. You'll be partnered with someone else and placed in realm where you can live after death. Most of your life before death will be forgotten. You're still to attached to the world to go to heaven or hell. Now sleep while we prepare things"
Nick closed his eyes even though he had questions. They were suddenly too heavy to keep open and the light became increasingly too bright for his eyes. He tried to speak but no words would form. He began to fall into blackness like he had done when he died. Soon he lost all thought and gave into darkness.
Nick awoke in a queen-sized bed. Sitting up, he rubbed his hands over his eyes and temples as his head began to pound. He reached over automatically and got a cigarette. He lit it as he stared up at the ceiling and wondered what time it was. Maybe noon, he thought. His stomach growled, but he ignored it. He wanted to relax for a little while before he got in the shower. He needed to find a place to live. He spent more money renting hotels and buying food than he did on anything else. He smoked his cigarette to the bud, contemplating what to do before he got up to take a shower.
"Find her..."
He stopped abruptly and looked around. Was he going crazy? He could have sworn he heard a voice. He remained unmoving for a moment, in case he heard it again. But there was only silence but for the words echoing in his head. He turned on the shower, hoping to drown it out. As he got in, he let his mind wander, trying to forget those words. Angrily, he turned off the water, realizing it was probably going to be one of those days. He dried himself off as he entered the room and quickly got dressed. Grabbing his gun and keys, he left the room.
It was some time after noon, Nick thought. He walked the streets casually and put on his sunglasses. He lit yet another cigarette as he walked into a small store to buy a bag of chips and a soda. He stood out on the street, realizing he shouldn't have left without his Cross Punisher. He didn't think he would be getting into anything his fist and his gun couldn't handle, but he headed back to the hotel. He knew he should have eaten more, but first he needed to find out how to get some more money and there were other things he needed to deal with.
"There she is..."
He looked around involuntarily, searching the streets and side walks. He didn't know what or who he was looking for. He kept walking to the hotel, ignoring the voice, the people around him, and the woman he was supposed to find as she walked past him.
He sat in a small corner of the bar in a booth by himself. His Cross Punisher sat on the booth in front of him without blocking his view of the door. He figured he'd have another drink before he skipped town. He had checked out of the hotel after he ran into some punk who thought he would have a chance against him. He grinned now, taking a sip of his scotch. He had handled that situation and now he was bored. His blood was still churning and he needed a distraction to calm it down. He looked up as he heard long whistles when the doors closed behind a gorgeous woman. There, Nick thought, is your distraction.
Her hair was black and straight as a pin, its length stopped a few inches above her slender waist. She wore a long thin red jacket that went just below mid-thigh. It dipped a little low, showing a small amount of cleavage and that it was more of a shirt because of her lack of anything under it. She wore pants as black and straight as her hair with low red heels. She wore red framed, black lense sunglasses as well, hiding whatever color her eyes were. He was slightly amused by the way she matched from head to toe, but he had to admit it looked good on her.
Many men in the bar had taken notice to her, but she seemed not to care. She glanced around the bar and stopped her glance at Nick. He wasn't sure because of her sunglasses, but it looked as if she was staring at him. He returned the stare, letting a smile creep slowly over his face. She smiled at him in return and sashayed her way over to the bar. Nice hips, he thought keeping his eyes on her. He wouldn't approach her. Though she smiled at him, she still looked unapproachable. His guesses were proved correct when she rudely turned a guy down who had begun to hit on her.
She ordered a drink and when the guy tried to pay, she balled it up and tossed it over her shoulder. The man, obviously not amused and obviously drunk, cursed at her violently. She ignored him as she took a sip of her drink. She took money out from God knows where and paid for her drink as she got up. The man placed a hand on her arm still trying to convince her to go home with him.
She rolled her eyes. "When I want a low-life alcoholic with no common sense, I'll jump off a bridge."
That made Nick grin, his boredom quickly fading away. The man tightened his grip on her arm and she narrowed her eyes dangerously at him. With her free hand she punched him in the face, sending him falling on his ass. Nick had predicted a slap, but not a punch so he tried to keep his mouth from falling open. She turned and apologized to the bar tender for the little scene and walked out of the bar. Some of the men were helping the trouble maker up, sending dirty looks towards the door the woman had just excited. Then they all walked out to follow and confront her.
"That's her..."
Is it?, Nick thought to himself. Well, he'd better go help the lady out. She may have been able to handle that one man, but he doubted 5 or 6. He grabbed his Cross Punisher and hurried to the door, not wanting to miss any action.
They weren't as far from the door as he thought they would be. It appeared that she had expected someone to follow her out, which is why all of them were able to catch up with her outside the bar. She showed no signs of fear; she even looked a little amused. They began to form a half circle around her as Nick set his cross to the side. He took out his gun and walked towards them.
"Just six of you then. What is a girl to do." She laughed a little and tossed her hair over her shoulder, then put her hands in her pants pocket.
She had a gun, Nick thought. It was only obvious. "What seems to be the problem gentlemen?"
The men turned to him and so did she. Then one spoke, "Just handling some business. Nothing for you to concern yourself with so back off."
Nick glanced at the woman then back at the men. "I doubt that."
"I can handle them myself." They all looked at her.
"You little bitch!" She rolled her eyes as one lunged at her. She stepped to the side and brought up her leg just in time for it to hit his stomach. She hit him in the head with her gun and he collapsed to the ground. Nick grabbed two of the guys before they could jump in and sent them flying into the street. She punched one man and kicked the other, breaking one's nose and breaking the other's manhood. They all took out their guns the first chance they got and began firing at Nick and the woman. Nick easily dodged and shot the two men he threw in the street. The woman had taken cover behind a car and when she had the opportunity, she shot and killed the remaining two men.
They stood and stared at each other for a moment. Nick retrieved his cross and began to walk across the street with her following him. They walked off into darkness without looking back as police sirens began to sound.
