I was woken up by a scream from the front door. I shot up and rolled out of bed, running for the front door without even thinking. I slid to a stop behind Beth.
The Major had a hand over her mouth and was calmly asking her to relax. Beth was struggling quite adamantly.
The first thought that ran through my mind was that I was wearing only my pyjamas. Then I noticed that Beth was similarly attired.
It was then it fully sunk in.
"Major. What are you doing here?" I asked, a little perplexed by the unexpected visit.
He released Beth and she stumbled back.
"What is going on?" She hissed to me, her eyes fixed on the Major.
"Ah… I'll explain in a moment." I said. "So… Major… what is going on?"
The Major glanced at Beth then back at me.
"Is there somewhere that we can talk privately?"
"Ah… my room I guess." I said, leading him to my room. Out of the corner of my eyes I could tell Beth was watching us go, a look of confusion on her face.
I let the Major walk past me, then closed the door with a click.
"It's not going to do much." I commented. "She'll probably try to listen at the door."
Suddenly the Major grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards where he was seated on my bed until I was seated on his lap. I flushed and prepared to push away from him.
"Closer proximity will reduce the possibility of being overheard." he said in a low voice.
I went redder when I noticed his breathing so close to me.
"Alright. What is going on?" I asked for the third time, eager to move out of this awkward position as soon as possible. I had to wonder if he would have taken such precautions if I hadn't mentioned that Beth would try to listen in.
"Take this." he said. I felt cold metal press into the palm of my hand. I looked down and saw that he had one of his guns held out to me.
"Major?" I said, holding the gun unsurely. It felt even colder in my hand. It was as if, when he held it, it was a living part of him. Now I had it, it was practically useless.
"I request you do the following." He said, his voice at the same level and tone as always. "Approximately five minutes after I leave you should head to Saint Matthias church and ensure that no-one is in the immediate area."
"Wha… Why?"
"When the area is clear you should proceed to a safe distance. Ensure that no-one re-enters the area."
He was ignoring me, continuing in that blank, monotonous voice. His face was dead pan, not the slightest hint of emotion. He didn't even make eye contact. I felt confused and scared and he refused to explain anything. I felt tears beginning to fall down my cheeks.
"Major!"
His eyes moved to mine, then down and followed the trail of a tear down my cheek. Almost absentmindedly he wiped one away with a thumb. He stared at his thumb for a long movement then returned his gaze to my eyes.
"I can not inform you of any details. However, if you don't do as I ask, many casualties may be dragged into conflict."
He released my wrist and I stepped back. I sniffed and wiped my eyes on the back of my hand.
"Why me?"
"Istvan… is your home."
I looked at him, lip trembling slightly. For some reason, that line made something in me click.
"Of course." I said, wiping my eyes again.
"The evidence is conclusive."
"You speak oddly." I said, speaking the thought as it came to me.
The Major tipped his head slightly to one side and frowned slightly. Strangely enough, it was the first change in expression I had ever seen him make.
"Negative. I speak fluent Hungarian and Roman-Latin, therefore my speech is no different to your own."
I smiled and said, "I never thought I would find a frown such a comforting thing." I looked to one side. "You're a very straight-forward person, really."
He put his head straight again and the frown disappeared. The moment of humanity was carved on my mind, however. He really was a human.
"To delay any longer would be negligent. I will depart."
"Yeah. Alright."
"Should you choose not to act, that is your own choice."
He opened the door and walked out of the room. I waited and heard the front door open, then click shut again. He was gone. I sat on the edge of the bed, my grip on the gun tightening.
Beth walked in. Her eyes immediately fell on the gun.
"Perce? What is going on?"
"I don't know." I said, still staring at the cold metal. I could see the word 'Gunslinger' engraved on the side of the barrel. Slowly I stood.
"Beth, I won't make you, but do you think you can help me with something?"
"What is it?"
"We need to help Istvan."
Surprisingly, getting the people to evacuate was incredibly easy. Beth and I worked with blinding efficiency. As it was, there weren't many people in the area anymore, which was making our job easier.
A couple of the older people still living in the area were more reluctant to move. They seemed to want to stay where they were, tied to the very house in which they resided. Like me, they loved there home. I felt bad having to make those people move for that very reason.
We moved them silently as possible, not wanting to raise any sort of suspicion. Whatever was going on was secret enough to lead to the Major's mysterious actions.
We had just reached the last street when the explosion occurred. People screamed and clung to anything sturdy enough to hold while the shockwaves rumbled. Beth and I tried to keep them calm and move them to safety but already they could see the smoke rising from the church.
Eventually we managed to move the people to a safe distance, at which the smoke appeared only as a faint swirl.
"What do you think is going on?"
"I have no idea."
"Your Major there?"
"I don't know."
"Did he know this was going to happen?"
"I think so."
I watched the smoke for some moments. Despite what the Major had told me, Beth's questions had me worried. What if the Major had been there when the explosion had occurred.
I couldn't stand to wait any longer.
"Beth, keep these people here. I'm going to go see what is happening."
"Are you sure that it's safe?"
"No. But I can't just stand and wait."
I pulled out the gun from where I had tucked it under my belt and ran forward. It seemed to take forever, walking through the hundreds of silent, empty houses. It was scaring me a little.
Eventually I reached the Church. Or at least, what had once been the church. All that was left was smouldering ruins. I wondered what could possibly have happened. I heard voices not far off and I headed towards them.
"… You've even told the people living here to evacuate the area. You're amazing Tres 3."
"Negative. I opened fire only because I concluded there was no need for you to use 'that function' against humans. Plus, you weren't the only one involved…"
I recognised the Major's voice in conversation with another man. However, the voices were drowned out as I drew close to an area still ravaged by fire. A couple of nearby house had also caught alight.
"I will help free the civilians from military oppression. Right now, Gyula's plans are underway. I suggest that you take the necessary actions to put a stop to his plans as soon as possible…"
Another roar of fire blocked the conversation momentarily. I stepped through the wreckage and emerged on the other side. I was shocked to see the Major's clothes were torn and ripped in several places. In fact, most of his shirt was completely useless now.
Whoever he had been talking to had disappeared.
"Major." I said under my breath.
"Negative." He said, turning to me. "I am no longer a major."
I frowned. "What?"
"I am AX Agent Father Hercules Tres Iqus, Codename: Gunslinger."
I froze for moment. The crucifix would make sense then.
"You… You're a priest?"
"Positive."
"You don't take celibacy vows anymore do you?" I asked without thinking. The minute I said it I was confused as to exactly why it was the thing I was most worried about.
"Negative, they are not mandatory."
"Oh… ok…"
There was another moments silence. I looked around, noticing several members of the City Police were sprawled in the ground, groaning in pain but not moving. Among them was the great hulk of body mass I instantly identified as Radcon.
"My God… did you do that?" I asked, pointing at the Colonels broken body.
Tres turned and locked where I was pointing. I cold see the bullet holes from where I stood
"Positive." Tres said, turning back. "You were asked to not come here until you were informed that is was safe to do so."
"I have to admit, I was a little worried about you." I said, lowering my eyes to the ground, eager to not catch the look on his face, should he realise how childish I was being.
"You should not waste your time." he said smoothly, no hint of malice in his voice, as expected.
"Well apparently. Unfortunately I wasn't aware that you weren't just a Major."
"That information was classified."
"I realise that."
I looked down at the gun in my hands. My hand felt sweaty against the cold metal. I slowly lifted it and held it out towards Tres.
"I suppose you want this back."
He looked at the weapon for a moment, holstering the two guns he had been holding, I expected him to reach for the one in my hand. Instead he just looked up at me, capturing my gaze.
"Negative." he said, "You will need it. We are going to arrest every member of the city police."
"What?!"