The Phantom
Chapter three: It's just business
"Comrade Vladimir! I hope you can perform well on your new task"- said a Soviet officer.
"Yes! Comrade commissar. I will not disappoint."- replied the white-haired man.
Vlad Masters had been given the great "honor" of serving as a guard at one of the many gulags across the country, the man never requested to be transferred to such a hellhole in the middle of nowhere. Vlad had never expected his first task out of boot camp was to work as a security guard at the worst kind of prison.
Thich concrete walls several meters high made the outer fence and despite its height, there was barbed wire on top to make sure no one could escape, added to the wall there were also three guard towers on each wall all contact with iron bridges.
The commissar took Vlad and the rest of the new unit into the main prison wing, faces of disgust were instantly shown in each one of the new guards. The stench of human waste mixed with the unmistakable fragrance of death.
Upon reaching the cells, Vlad expected the prisoners to taunt the new guards and try to intimidate them but much to his surprise, none of the prisoners even dare to look at them, they head hang down and avoided to look at any guard when spoken too.
The work ground was by far the worst sight of all, there were hundreds of men and women all working inhuman conditions, under freezing temperatures barely dress and clearly very malnourish, Vlad's eyes went over to the far end of the work ground where his peers rally a group of workers.
Vlad felt uneasy upon seeing the veteran guard's gun down the prisoners, and moments later some more prisoners began to dig a hole to bury the murdered people. The commissar explained those were people who tried to escape and had to be put to down.
Deep down in his heart, Vlad knew his commissar was lying but couldn't say otherwise. As far as Vlad knew all the men and women in the gulag were traitors or committed horrible crimes against the country.
"Comrade commissar. What is that building on the other side of the premises?"- asked Vlad.
"Research facility. No more questions"- replied the commissar.
His first month as a guard was more like a waste disposal employee whose main task was to rid of the constant flow of corpses that came out from the so-called research facility. Day after day men and women were sent into the facility only to come out as a husk.
After nearly three years of this insanity, Vlad was putting on his soviet uniform one morning when the commissar calls for him. The moment his senior officer opens his mouth a strange buzzing sound came out from within forcing Vlad to open his eyes and turn to his alarm clock.
The man with long white hair opens his eyes to a dark room, even the moon was still shining outside. A soft and warm weight could be felt on his right shoulder which made him move his head over to the source.
It was his young "roommate" Danny struggling to wake up despite the ongoing buzzing of the alarm clock. Vlad rarely ever came home due to his work with Andrei and more often than not fell asleep drunk on the couch.
"Wake up Danny."- Vlad as he pushes the boy's arm off his chest.
With an annoyed groan, Danny sat up while stretching his arms. The white-haired man still wasn't used to sharing a bed with someone so young worst yet a boy, but still missed sleeping in a proper bed.
Under the moonlight, Vlad could see Danny's silhouette as he sluggishly made his towards the light switch and for a brief moment was blinded by the yellow light though once he recovered his sight the first thing his eyes saw the boy walking buck naked towards the drawers.
"Danny, please get dress already."- ordered Vlad as he got out of the bed.
His casual exhibitionism was an issue for Vlad but thankfully only took his clothes off when going to bed as he started to feel suffocated when wearing pajamas or any other clothes. The older man knew for a fact that Danny didn't work out and yet he was well-tone.
Danny sweetly smiled at Vlad as he shows held his blue pants in one hand and a white polo shirt with a red dot in the middle with his other hand. Vlad simply groans as there was no point in going back to sleep.
(XXXXX)
The boy had to go to school as Vlad didn't want him to grow up as an outcast, worst even a psychotic killer at that. Vlad knew his younger peer was a talented murderer but didn't want him to be unable to at least read and gain some social skills.
Vlad was accustomed to rallying with soldiers back in the Soviet Union and nowadays with gangsters and other lowlifes who rarely spent a day sober but now he gazed upon Danny as he casually prepared pancakes for breakfast while wearing a black apron.
The boy had a huge sweet tooth and a taste for coffee, every time Vlad manage to get home, he was greeted by some sweet fragrance which made him feel welcome but also knew that the cook was by far more dangerous than any gangster he ever associated with.
"You still going to the movies with that monkey from Devil's diner?"- casually asked Vlad.
Danny loathed whenever someone insulted his best and only friend and made to have Vlad understand not to call Tucker by any such names as he sat down to eat. Both boys had agreed to go to the movie theater right after school.
"Speaking of which, I must remind you that I don't like it when you act behind my back, at least you didn't keep it a secret."- added Vlad as he sips down on some coffee.
One thing Vlad was more than sure of was of Danny's loyalty towards him as he handed over the loot from little adventure save for Tucker's share the moment once they met again, Danny told him about his break-in with childish pride.
Though initially furious, Vlad calms himself down before saying or doing something that might jeopardize his life. Upon seeing the wads of cash and jewelry along with expensive-looking watches, and being assured no one saw them made Vlad change his anger for glee.
The man had the contacts to sell the jewels and watches but was more interested in the cash which amounted to nearly twenty thousand dollars and despite Danny's loyalty towards Vlad he just couldn't bring himself to tell him about the shooting at the hippie camp.
All Danny told him was that Tucker came up with the plan and did all the preparation, though in reality, they made up the plan as they venture into the mansion. The kid knew it was for the best to keep the fact they were discovered by a guard and one of the residents to himself.
Thankfully the local news didn't mention anything about the robbery at the rich family's mansion nor the shooting at the Hippie camp which made his lies much more believable. Danny was expecting to be chewed out by Vlad but much to his surprise, he wasn't.
"We got work tonight so I'll pick you up at that ridiculous burger joint at six. Be punctual."- Vlad said firmly.
Even with their current criminal lifestyle, Vlad didn't want to keep Danny from the simple pleasures of his childhood. To enjoy an outing with his friends at the local movie theater or the burger joint.
"Got it comrade."- replied Danny seconds before stuffing his mouth with pancakes. Vlad sigh loudly as Danny left for school after breakfast.
(XXXXX)
The day at Casper high was boring as always, the boys were more interested in their afternoon activities more so than listening to Lancer classes but did their utmost to avoid falling in detention which meant having to endure Dash and his bullies from the football team.
Though most bullying was directed towards the nerd who rarely let it stand as they more often than not retaliated by adding laxatives to their meals and roar out laughing once the fireworks began.
Danny and Tucker were speeding down the snow-filled street once the bell rang ignoring the speeding cars and rude pedestrians as they made their way to their local movie theater in downtown, for a time Danny wondered if his best friend would rat him out to the police.
Yet a few days after the shooting at the hippie camp, the dark skin boy hadn't uttered a single word about it. It was possible might have been traumatized by the whole event despite living in a dangerous neighborhood where gunfights were recurrent.
The boys saw the recently open movie theater just down the block, despite Tucker's age it was the first time he was entering a movie theater in his life. So far, all of his mother's income was for food and to pay the bills.
Tucker look with glee at the cinema's entrance, even Danny found it heartwarming to see his friend with a smile so wide, their worries could wait for later. The boys walk over to the billboard at the sidewall over the wall just by the entrance.
As the duo looks over to the movie posters on the wall, Tucker suddenly froze up making Danny turn over to whatever made his friend petrified. It was a couple of police officers walking down towards them.
Tucker began to sweat buckets as the officers walked by them, though Danny remains stoic as he commented on wanting to see "Dirty Harriet" yet his friend remains quiet. The raven hair boy assured his friend the police had nothing to pin them down with.
The shooting at the hippie camp hadn't been reported yet but Danny was more than sure to have taken all the possible evidence leading back to him and Tucker, his .38 let him have an easier time to preserve his bullet cases.
"Relax Tucker. The man ain't got shit on us."- Danny said as he pulled Tucker by the arm to the ticket booth.
Tucker was becoming paranoid, always looking behind his back not only for the police but for other vengeful hippies that might come for his head. It came as a surprise to see Danny so relax and collected, never even looking behind as if no one could touch him.
"Two for Dirty Harriet, please."- Danny said at the booth.
It bothered Danny greatly to see the booth attendee eye, Tucker, down before handing the tickets and telling them to enjoy the show yet Danny knew better than to ruin his evening by beating up some random booth girl who didn't know manners.
Before heading over to the snack bar, Tucker suggested taking a quick trip to the bathrooms to avoid leaving mid-show. It was the first time for both boys to attend a movie theater and actually expected the bathrooms to be covered in graffiti.
Much to their surprise, the yellow ceramic tiles where spotless as was the floor save for a recent stain on the corner. Even the mirror was flawless, Danny was accustomed to the filthy bathrooms at Casper high and not even the one at his house was any better.
"Hey man… did you bring your piece?"- suddenly asked Tucker while they were taking a piss.
The boy with raven locks turned his head around trying to spot any other men inside the bathroom before nodding in agreement, it was true the boy never left home without his .38 revolver, wherever Danny went so did his gun, let it be to corner store or even to school.
The dark skin boy pleaded with him to show him the weapon as he didn't get a chance to get a proper look at before. Even though Danny was constantly told by Vlad never to let others know their business Danny knew to trust in Tucker.
"Fuck it, let go to the stool over there"- replied Danny.
Tucker watched in amazement as he took the small revolver unto his hands, it felt heavy despite the size. His fingers slide over the cylinder and the hammer, the boy was fascinated by this small tool of war.
"Man, this shit's heavy. How can you walk around with it?"- Tucker said as he aimed the gun over the toilet.
The dark skin boy wanted to shoot the revolver but understood there would be hell to pay if he did, therefore, kept his finger off the trigger. Tucker looked at the weapon as he recalls how Danny shot River and his people with this exact weapon without a single doubt or hesitation.
It was then that Tucker looks at Danny who watches him with a friendly gaze, there was so much Tucker didn't know about his friend, where he came from, how he got a gun and more importantly, why was he able to kill people so easily.
"Yo, the fuck you two faggots doing in there!?"- asked a man knocking loudly on the door making Danny take the gun away from Tucker.
The dark skin boy instantly noticed how Danny's gaze turn somber and understood it wasn't wise to cross the boy ever as there wasn't a single gang member in his entire neighborhood that could give out such a chilling and intimidating aura.
Danny opens the bathroom door after hiding his revolver inside his brown leather jacket, never breaking eye contact with the man who called them out. He much taller than Danny but even so, Tucker noticed him turn his eyes away.
Armed with popcorn, hotdogs, and sodas all courtesy of Danny, the duo headed over to their seats at the back of the theater. The place was fairly empty, just a few people at the front and one elderly man sitting in the middle.
"How are we gonna sell them jewels?"- asked Tucker as he took a sip of his soda.
"They're probably already reported as stolen but Vlad got some contacts and he can sell them."- Danny casually replied as he takes a large bite of his hotdog.
Tucker suddenly went pale as he never expected Danny to simply go and tell his uncle. The boy quietly demanded to know if Vlad knew about the robbery and about the shootout, but Danny assured him that everything was fine.
Danny kept a few details to himself such as knocking out one guard and a teenager, the lack of news about the robbery on television or radio back up his claims. The shootout so far was still unreported and Danny knew better than to tell Vlad about it.
The movie theater suddenly went dark and the huge screen turns white but soon was replaced by the sight of a woman swimming her rooftop pool but her calm afternoon was threatened by sniper across from a nearby building.
"So, your old man's cool with it?"- asked Tucker as the lights dimmed.
"Yeah, he knows a guy out of town that's gonna buy the rocks but I had to give him my share, don't worry I'll get yours."- Danny said.
"Ok, man"- replied Tucker as he leans on his chair.
Danny smirk at the gunshot from the sniper as he had too much experience and knew how an actual gunshot looks like. Soon the rooftop was filled with police officers but none stood out more than a female inspector.
Tucker only shook his head as he complains about giving such a role to a woman only thanks to feminist move yet Danny was intrigued by this course. Never once had Danny seen a real-life female police officer.
"Harriet Callahan… cool name."- whispered Danny as he saw the inspector walk into the mayor's office.
Despite inspector Callahan trying her best to properly explain the situation and their progress, she was constantly interrupted by her senior officers with nonsensical issues which made the woman glare at him before all where dismiss.
Danny look in sheer awe as he saw the inspector casually instruct a diner worker to call in the police during her lunchbreak, Tucker didn't like that his people were often portraited as the bad guys in movies but in all fairness, he did very little to change that stereotype.
"Do you feel lucky punk?"- asked the inspector.
Danny and Tucker both exited the movie theater as the raven hair boy commented on how cool it was for the inspector to catch the terrorist, and stop so many criminals along the way in such a cowboy manner which Tucker found strange since his best friend is a criminal, a murderer and yet he was rooting for the law enforcer.
"I don't know man, too much fantasy. Come on, a woman as a police inspector… really? Not in this century."- Tucker said as he tossed his empty soda cup on the floor.
"It could work."- replied Danny.
"Yeah… in a movie." Added Tucker as they walked down to the subway.
As the boys rode back to East town, Tucker couldn't help but asked how he was going to explain to his mother about already paying off the rent. Tucker couldn't just go and tell her it was thanks to the stolen money.
"Tell her you asked me to loan you the cash, obviously I don't have it and beg Vlad to get it to you."- Danny said as he took hold of his gun the moment a few gang members boarded the train.
Tucker looks over to best friend while recalling his soft skin on his eyes just a few days ago and wonder why he felt so soft, almost like a girl though in all fairness Tucker had never once touched a girl's butt before.
"Wanna grab a bite to eat? We can go to the comic book store…"- said Tucker as he put his hand over Danny's hand.
"Sorry man but I got work tonight."- replied Danny with a smile.
The raven-haired boy didn't have to explain anything as Tucker knew what Danny meant by work; he was out to kill someone. Unlike himself or any wannabe gangster back at his block, Danny was the real deal who work for "serious" people.
Tucker did ask himself how Danny ever manage to start working for such people, he knew his best friend was a real killer who had taken many lives but didn't act like the gangster with their barking and flashing their old guns.
On the contrary, Danny was quiet and very discreet never waving his gun at anyone who looks at him wrong. If Tucker had to describe Danny with one word it would be "wolf" due to his quiet but very dangerous nature.
"See ya tomorrow man."- said Danny as he abandons the train.
(XXXXX)
Exactly at six o'clock a black Volkswagen type 3 park in front of Danny and Vlad comes out from the passenger seat a second later ordering the kid to get in the back, Danny's eyes move over to the driver's seat and saw Skulker struggling to fit inside which in itself was an amusing sight.
Danny knew better than to laugh out loud and so kept his mouth quiet. The trio then began driving down the main avenue towards downtown though Danny wanted to ask what the job consisted of, he didn't trust Skulker enough to begin questioning.
As the minutes piled up as Danny stares at out the window, seeing people carry on with their daily lives. It was upon entering into downtown that Skulker stop as a policeman detoured him due to another dead octopus monster blocking the road.
Such animal attacks were growing more recurrent by the day but so far, the police managed to keep it under control. After some annoying turns around downtown, Skulker managed to take them to their destiny.
"The Pig Pen motel? You guys aren't planning a threesome with me?"- mockingly asked Danny.
"What!? No!"- yelled out Skulker blushing red like a tomato.
"I'm down for doing Vlad but I don't really fancy you."- teased Danny as he winks at the white-haired man.
It was Vlad's turn to turn red like his former flag upon hearing about Danny's queer inclinations though he was sure Danny was only messing with them but made him realized the boy did have an odd taste for jokes and was unnecessarily touchy with others.
Both men blushed but Vlad was the one who pushed Danny into the motel while telling him they were seeing a traveling salesman who's got the equipment they need for tonight's job. The trio walked past the front desk but was merely given a sideways glance by the clerk.
Skulker knocked lightly on the door a couple of times before opening and letting himself in, Danny made sure to step upfront before Vlad did while keeping his hand inside the coat holding on to his revolver ready to spring into action.
Sitting by the window was a slightly fat man in a pink suit completed with a yellow bowtie, the eccentricity of the salesman caught Danny and Vlad by surprise who looked over to Skulker but were assured the man was legit.
"Evening gents. Name's Box. Now mister Skulker didn't really tell me what you wanted beyond saying some strong hardware and so I brought a little of everything."- said the salesman.
The man produced one large cylindrical bag often used by sportsmen and two large briefcases. Danny's eyes open wide in delight as he saw the first briefcases open, several handguns of different sizes came out.
"See anything you like?"- casually asked mister Box.
Vlad and Danny walk closer to the small arsenal which laid on the bed before their eyes, so far all they had was two petty .38 revolvers which didn't envy anything from the standard service revolver and one empty greaser gun.
Before them were several revolvers and handguns of different sizes and models. Danny came closer and mentally compared them with his own weapon, the salesman saw how Danny took hold of small .22 handgun but quickly put it back.
"Do you have the .44 magnum?!"- suddenly asked Danny looking at the man with expectancy.
"That's an expensive gun, son."- replied the salesman.
Vlad knew his younger peer didn't have any childlike hobbies beyond watching cartoons on the television, Danny didn't buy comics or board games and actually committed a burglary on his spare time with some small-time thug from Devil's Dinner.
"We got money."- assured Vlad.
"Excellent but that piece might be a little too big for practical purposes."- added the salesman.
Box then open the sports bag along with the second briefcase showing the mighty .44 revolver. Danny eyes and mouth open in delight upon seeing the large hand cannon while hearing the salesman say such a gun is used to hunt elephants in Africa.
Meanwhile, Vlad took hold of the classic Colt 1911 handgun, it was a weapon he had been wanting to use for a long time. Skulker then intervenes saying he didn't ask for petty handguns and ordered Box to show the real goods.
"I'm sure you're gonna appreciate this."- said the man as he presented a Remington 700. Skulker examines the weapon and lock on the telescopic sights.
Vlad noticed the childlike glee on Danny's face as he fondles with the .44 revolver much like a kid would do with a new toy, even posing in front of the mirror which made Vlad smirk. Yet it was still business and so he asked to be shown the high calibers.
"Before you, my friends; the M16 assault rifle. The same model the army's using in the war."- said the salesman.
Vlad wasn't going to question how the salesman got hold of such arsenal but as he looked at the weapon, he couldn't help but compare it to his old Ak47 from when he served in the Soviet Union, though by what he heard the soviet weapon outdid the American in many ways.
"so, what'll be."- asked the man.
"All of them."- said Vlad as cocks and dry fires the handgun.
"That's little more than 6,000 dollars' worth of killing."- said Box with a worried tone of voice as he was along with two mobsters and their kid.
His worries were in vain as Vlad tossed a couple of large wads of cash over the table saying it was the six thousand for the guns and the ammo. Danny looks over to his "hard-earned" money but says nothing as he was also getting his price cannon.
The boy couldn't take the scene where Harriet threatens the petty bank robber with her massive .44 magnum, and now he too had one. It was much heavier than his old .38 revolver and much larger, he knew there was no way he could conceal-carry such a beast in his coat.
"Nice doing business with you. Say can I get you anything else? Grass, horse, coke. Maybe a brand-new Cadillac with pink slips for 3G."- added Box as they exit the room.
"Come on Danny. Andrei's waiting for us."- Vlad said while opens the door for Danny.
(XXXXX)
Tucker stood in front of the comic book store while looking up to the sky wondering if Danny was doing fine, the dark skin boy wasn't sure or at least didn't want to believe his best friend was working for the mafia as a hitman.
Danny hadn't told him about the "jobs" he did for them nor actually told about working for the mafia, but seeing him killed River and his goons with precise marksmanship meant he was trained and had done it before.
Even his gun didn't seem to be old or falling apart for that matter it seemed fairly new and well kept. As Tucker looks over to the comics, his eyes turn over to a fantasy boardgame on display, mainly the blonde elf with enormous breasts.
"I wonder if he likes this stuff? Maybe we can play it together?"- mentally asked the boy as he took it over to the cashier who didn't take his eyes off him since entering.
Upon exiting the comic book store his eyes notice the pale moon shining above the city's it was the same moon which shines over the train station at the edge of Amity, concretely in the farthest and less care part the trainyard.
Vlad, Andrei and twelve of his mobster peers waited for the Arcuri family envoy to arrive, it was time to settle things with them once and for all. The city lockdown and police raids were bad for all businesses on both sides.
Six black Lincoln continental cars arrived minutes later from which came out almost twenty men all in black suits armed with shotguns and automatic weapons such as Uzis and old school Thomson machine guns.
"Glad to see finally meet you mister Luciano Arcuri."- greeted Andrei standing at a fair distance from the old man.
Even with the headlights of the cars, Vlad could make out an old man in his late sixties. The white hair man didn't like this meeting at all, Andrei had told him the Arcuri family wanted to make peace with them in return of several of Ivanov's businesses.
Vlad knew there were only the brothel and a couple of underground casinos left, handing them over meant the death of the corporation. Andrei lacked the vision and the brains to start other more profitable businesses such as drug trade or money laundering.
To that matter, the man was rash and impulsive, unable to control his own anger. The fool had even beaten to death one of his best whores for not being able to meet her quota after he scared off many clients in one of his many drunken rants.
"This is the guy?"- asked the old man pointing over to Vlad.
"Yes. That's him."- replied Andrei casually.
Soon his criminal peers began to walk away from him, it didn't take a genius to know he was being sold out to the Arcuri for peace. He and Danny both murdered several of Luciano's men and worst yet his made-man Tony and personal aide in the local government Stefano Russi.
The Italian mafia had more muscle than anything Andrei or even Ivanov could gather, there was no winning in open war with them as they had more men, guns, and contacts with the local police, everything Andrei lacks.
"I know you think I'm an impulsive idiot but I'm not. How many times have you told me this is business only? Sending my brother to prison was business and me sending you to take out mister Luciano's men were also business."- Andrei monologued.
Vlad remained in silence as he stares at the muscular figure of his crime boss, Andrei spent more time lifting weights than taking care of few remaining businesses or trying to expand their reach, though Vlad had to give him credit for having the balls to strike this deal with their enemies.
"We came up we a deal, your head and that of your nephew along with the whorehouse and we call it even."- added mob boss Luciano.
Of course, it was the most logical course of action, Luciano had the police contacts to set things right with them once they handed the actual killers meaning the lockdown would be lifted though rumors said it was going to be lifted anyhow but it would also reduce the police raids.
"I completely understand you comrade Andrei. I would have done the same in your place."- Vlad said in a calm voice.
"Oh… well… I'm glad we're on the same page."- added Andrei.
The man wasn't expecting this behavior from Vlad, Andrei truly thought he was going to beg for his life or try to run away but in the end, Andrei supposed Vlad's military training and strict communist upbringings made him accept this kind of end.
"I hope you understand that this is also just business."- said Vlad with a long smile.
(XXXXX)
"Izmennik!"- a ghoulish voice yelled from nothingness.
(Traitor)
From thin air a barrage of bullets shredded through Andrei's chest and head leaving nothing more than a smoking lump of meat. Vlad took advantage of the confusion to unleash his brand-new colt .45 on his former comrades while taking cover behind the car.
Luciano back away in sheer terror as he saw three of his men be mown down by gunfire from an unseen weapon accompanied by eerie laughter. All his men could do was fire back at Vlad as he was the only visible target.
In a matter of seconds, men from both sides began to fall as the desperate shooting carried on making the Italian mob boss crawl inside his car in an effort to escape the human slaughterhouse. The man knew Vlad had foreseen Andrei's betrayal and planned ahead.
Luciano's driver stood by door firing over to Vlad as the white hair man hid behind his own car, the chauffeur follows his boss example once he saw the man climbing aboard. The moment the man tried to turn on the car but a bullet blew his head off followed by a second to the engine block.
"There's a fucking sniper!"- said the man as he hid behind the seats.
The mafia mob boss pulled out his own handgun as he saw through the windshield how his men were being gunned down. No matter where he turns his eyes to, he just couldn't see the shooter, only Vlad and the sniper on the control tower.
Luciano knew for a fact there was a third shooter but couldn't determine where he was. One minute he was shooting in front of the cars and the next he was on the other side just behind his very own vehicle.
Never before had seen such a fight in his entire life, not even during the war thirty earlier back at the old country. His men and options were quickly being depleted not by Vlad's expert marksmanship nor the sniper but for this "invisible" shooter.
"Come on boss! Let's go!"- said one of his bodyguards.
The mob boss nearly shot his own man in fear it was the third shooter, but upon taking the first step out of the vehicle, he saw his guard's neck suddenly was cut open without explanation gushing out blood over Luciano's face.
The old man's eyes open in horror and shock as he saw the translucid figure of a petite body forming under the falling snow and a pair of glowing green eyes. The eyes of a devil. From the cold snow a young boy materialized in front of the mob boss.
Luciano wanted to draw out his gun and shoot at the demon but his hands didn't respond to his call, the barrel which press against this forehead was colder than the snow falling from the sky. The cocking of the gun was louder than the ongoing fighting mere meters away.
"Do you feel lucky punk?"- asked the apparition.
The cold steel of the .44 magnum pushed Luciano's head back as he gazes upon the glowing green eyes of this demon and his wicked smile. The devil had killed nearly all of his men and that of Andrei while the sniper and Vlad's contribution was minimal.
Only six mobsters remain alive and two of Andrei's men, both sides had rallied to tried and outmaneuver Vlad who was being protected by the sniper at the control tower. One of the mobsters took noticed of Danny and his boss. Before the man could even take aim, a train car was thrown above their heads crushing several of their vehicles.
From the shadows came out a beast made of horror and nightmares: Towering, fierce true nightmare material. Male in appearance and taller than the trains with fresh corpses on his back as decorations and skulls on its shoulders, rifles protruding from his left arm and gigantic mace on the other. It was beast with a half-rotten head and blind eyes which could see all that lay before it monstrous form.
Vlad looks at the beast as it walks out into the snowy fields, the man had heard rumors and legends of this monster from his comrades back in the Soviet Union, even now the radio often mentions such hellish monsters attacking American troops in Vietnam.
It is said to be drawn by the sounds of war.
(XXXXX)
"My god. That's a War Dweller."- whispered Skulker as he took aim at the beast but search for his allies.
From his conceal position he could see how Danny pulled the trigger on his .44 turning Luciano's head into nothing more than pink mist. With calm steps, the boy moves away from the car and around the creature while becoming one with the air as to not be seen.
Skulker couldn't believe the kid was able to vanish into thin air at will but was glad to have him on his side. Though wasn't sure who was by far the worst, if the War Dweller or Danny as both seem to be monsters at this point.
The Mohawk wearing man took aim and landed a bullet straight in between the monster's dead eyes but wasn't nearly enough to stop him. The man ran away from his position once he saw the War Dweller take aim at the control tower.
Thousands of bullets sheered through within seconds, though the monster shifted his attention on the men at ground level. Their shotguns and machineguns could hardly do any harm at all, but the War Dweller's multi-barrel arm claim the lives of three men in a matter of seconds.
Vlad froze on his spot as he saw the towering beast turn its attention to him. His colt .45 wouldn't do anything against such a monster, as the walking hell was about to unleash an array of bullets, Danny leaps over him landing a powerful kick followed by a close-range shot with his revolver.
"Get out of here Vlad!"- screamed Danny as he turns invisible to avoid the mass of bullets.
Taking Danny's word, Vlad begins to run away as he didn't expect this monster to ruin his plan. It was supposed to be easy; Danny takes out Andrei and most of the mobsters using a couple of brand-new Ingram Mac-10 while he and Skulker got rid of the stragglers.
Fighting a War Dweller wasn't in the plans by any means. The creature was almost like a bullet sponge as the hot lead hardly even move the beast, within minutes it was only Danny and Vlad standing alive at the trainyard.
"Fucking die already bitch!"- screamed Danny as he fires his revolver landing all six rounds on the monster's chest.
A bullet impacted on the War Dweller's head briefly pushing him back which allow Danny the time to reload, upon turning over to the source of the gunshot, he saw Skulker preparing a second round with sniper rifle.
"Get in guys!"- ordered Skulker as he shot the monster a second time.
Danny knew it was impossible to beat the monster with their current arsenal and so he dashed over to car under Skulker's cover fire. The last of the mobsters were desperately trying to get away from the walking hell.
"Please comrades take us with you!"- implored the last two of Andrei's men.
Vlad looked at them but before he could let them, Danny blew their heads off while calling them traitors and forcing Vlad out of the way as a mobster flew over to the car crashing into the windshield just over the driver's seat. Danny was down to his last six bullets on his .44 which compelled Danny to rush over to the trunk for the bigger guns.
"Get Vlad out of here at once!"- firmly said Danny as he took the M16 assault rifle from the trunk.
"Danny let's go!"- ordered Vlad but the kid didn't listen to him for the first time.
"I'll hold him off!"- replied the boy as he opens fire at the incoming monster.
With no one else to kill, the War Dweller focus solely on Danny and his crew as he unleashed the mass of bullets forcing Vlad and Skulker to seek cover while Danny turned invisible but kept shooting at the roaring beast.
Even the rifle couldn't stop the monster but each bullet hit its face making him kneel while covering its head with his massive arms to avoid the bullets, Danny knew that just because the monster was kneeling didn't mean he won.
"For fuck's sake just die already!"- yelled Danny as he reloaded his rifle.
Danny's eyes widen as he saw the monster dashed over to him at an unremarkable speed crashing the boy unto a train car, he could feel his bones breaking under the pressure making it nearly impossible for him to turn intangible as he did during his raid at the Grand Amity hotel.
Even with excruciating pain, Danny managed to at least turn his right arm intangible long enough for him to pull his precious .44 revolver and point-blank shot the beast straight to the head, just a second after Danny pulled the trigger a truck hit the monster.
The boy saw the truck impact the beast unto a wide concrete pillar, Danny couldn't believe his eyes upon seeing Vlad jump out of the car and running straight to him. The man had the chance to escape but chose to stay and help.
"I saw the chance and took… you ok, dear?"- asked Vlad as he gently held on to Danny's chin.
"Yeah, just got the wind knocked out of me."- Replied Danny as he looked into Vlad's eyes.
"Leave that faggotry for later! He's still alive."- said Skulker.
The truck was pushed back but the creature was bleeding heavily and could barely lift its massive arms, yet Vlad and Skulker didn't dare to approach the monster to finished it off. The monster was powerful and very hard to kill but not invincible.
Danny walked towards the monster firing his revolver straight to its head, it took a total of eight bullets to fell the monster. With enough time and bullets, even the mighty War Dweller could befall. Even demons can die.
"Shit! The cops!"- yelled out Skulker.
The sirens sounded distant and the police light was hardly visible but the trio knew it was for the best to leave at once before having to fight their way out, enough blood had spilled and Danny was visibly tired.
"Get in the car guys."- said Danny pushing his allies towards the vehicle.
Skulker's mouth was left ajar upon seeing Danny and his petite body pulled out the corpse from the windshield using one hand in a single effort. It would have taken him and Vlad much works to do what Danny did in a second.
"Danny plant the .38 on Andrei."- ordered Vlad while Skulker tried to start his car.
Had it not been for the hellish monster then Danny would have frame Andrei by simply planting his small revolver after killing him and making it seem like a meeting gone wrong with the Arcuri family but despite the unwanted guest, Vlad had much confidence his plan would work.
"Gonna miss ya little one."- whispered Danny as he put the gun on Andrei's hand and fire it off two times.
Danny was breathing heavily as Skulker drove them out of the train station in the opposite direction from the police lights, none had the energy to outrun the forces of order and the car was already giving in.
The boy with raven hair looks through the back window as the police lights grew bigger, the silence within the car was broken by Danny as he cocks his M16 rifle and readies himself for another police chase.
But not a single patrol car came their way making them all sigh in relief. Despite Vlad having been once a soldier and taken several lives so far, it was the first time he was in actual combat, much to his shame his hands shake not due to the cold.
"You did really good Danny. I'm proud of you."- Vlad said but didn't hear a reply.
Danny was sound asleep on the back seat hugging his rifle tightly to his chest, the boy looks so innocent and pure as if he couldn't harm a fly but Vlad knew that between the War Dweller and the boy, it was Danny the true monster.
To be continued.