We're damned after all; through fortune and fame we fall! And if you can stay, then I'll show you the way, to return from the ashes you call! We all carry on, when our brothers in arms are gone! So, raise your glass high, for tomorrow we die, and return from the ashes you call!

Without the shades, the blinding light of sunny Battery City easily penetrated through the large glass windows of BL/ind Headquarters, forcing Gerard to squint his eyes. Around him, countless bodies lay limp on the floor, surrounded by a huge, nasty pool of blood. The large building felt so empty… Gerard had mercilessly killed whoever approached him, clearing out the headquarters with minimal effort.

He heard a quiet set of footsteps behind him; turning around and spotting a stray Draculoid, he raised his gun and shot the Draculoid to the ground before his victim could even respond. Gerard sneered to himself with contentment as blood poured out from the Draculoid's wound.

Nine hundred ninety-two, the Devil whispered inside his head, a chuckle following the hideous and unsettling voice. You're getting close, my friend, but I have some fun ones waiting for you…

Seven tonelessly dressed figures marched down the far hallway, towards the main entrance where Gerard stood. Swiftly turning to face the long, shadowy hallway where sunlight couldn't reach, Gerard observed the distinct outlines of what seemed like a short, high-heel-wearing woman in the middle, accompanied by Korse and the three other leaders of the four main units of BL/ind, as well as two Draculoids with long, black rifles. Knowing those minions are the best fighters BL/ind has, Gerard turned around, dashing towards the opposite direction of the hallway. He then ducked into the nearest room, soon leaning against a wall. Flashes of memory played inside his head, memories of Korse holding the gun under his chin, sounds of his friends falling as they died… Hatred and rage surged inside his body, and his eyes glowed with an intense, fuming red.

Once the seven BL/ind machines marched out to the main entrance, Gerard sprung to the entrance, turned his body around 90 degrees clockwise with astounding speed, and, reaching his arms and face out from the doorway for aim, shot down the two guard Draculoids. He then swiftly ducked back inside and behind the wall, telling himself that he'll take down Korse next, to avenge for his friends.

"Annihilate him!" An ugly, sour, and slightly accented female voice ordered her four minions. Instantly, countless bullets came rushing towards the wall, creating holes everywhere as they transpierced the concrete; through the holes, bullets started landing into the room, towards where Gerard stood. Using the holes as a temporary advantage, Gerard continuously shot at the minions and the lady-with-the-accent.

Out of nowhere, an unsuspecting bullet struck through Gerard's left kneecap, and he let out a thunderous screech of pain as the bullet flew out of the puncture in his flesh and bones. Dark, black blood started oozing out of the wound, mixing with the red stains on his pants as Gerard's knee gave in. His face was crunched up with anguish as his injured leg collapsed under his weight.

No… I… must… stand… up… I'm so close to… killing 1,000 evil men… Only… a few more… to… go... before… I see… Helena… again… KILL! KILL THEM!

While the bullets continued to rush at him through the wall, fury and desperation swelled inside Gerard. Panting, he briefly regained his strength and, while gasping in agony, propped himself up again with his arms, vowing to destroy the ones that separated Helena from him. He limped back up the wall, and behind the holes, again started shooting at the four highest ranking minions of his ultimate enemy.

As he ceaselessly fired bullets, he heard two yelps of quickly silenced pain. Helena, don't worry, we'll meet again very soon! He comforted the imaginary Helena in his mind, although the throbbing in his knee was on overdrive as he forced himself to stand. Another bullet came dashing through the wall, hitting Gerard's good kneecap. His knees immediately buckled once more, and rolling to the side, he howled in agony and twisted in distress as blood spilled out from his other leg. Using his arms and remaining strength to propel himself forward, he slipped under a near work-desk. Letting go of his guns, he held his two legs to his chest, trying to conceal the unbearable anguish inside.

Outside the room, the boss of BL/ind vilely smirked, then turned to Korse. "Go terminate him," she ordered; an obedient Korse replied "yes, boss" with a robotic voice. This will be the last of that Killjoy filth that crippled my Draculoid supply, she thought to herself, delighted at the concept of ending his life.

Gerard, a bit confused at the sudden stop of the bullets, heard footsteps quickly marching towards the entrance of the room. He hurriedly let go of his legs and picked up his guns, but before he could get out from his temporary hiding place, Korse had already stomped to the desk. As Gerard looked up with surprise, Korse lifted the desk and hurdled it at the heavily damaged wall. Then, he bent down and knelt in front of Gerard, pointing his gun up at Gerard's chin, the same way he did when the Children of the Gun tried to rescue The Girl.

Once more, their eyes locked gazes, just as they did long ago. Korse twisted his head around in the same way as before, giving that ugly, menacing grin. His opponent could hear the loud pounding in his chest as his blood feverishly rushed inside his body.

"I'm not afraid to die." Gerard whispered with almost that exact voice from his final mission with his friends, but this time much more bitterly, as he slowly pointed a gun up at the unsuspecting Korse's heart…

"I'll make you pay for the damage you have done-"

PANG!

Silence.

After a few moments, Korse eventually dropped his gun, pressing at his blood-spewing heart, trying to stop the endless bleeding. No matter how hard he pushed against the wound, the red liquid continued to seep out onto his hands and down his arms and body, and soon, the minion was choking for breath. He stared, wide-eyed and stunned, at Gerard, who was wincing in a cocktail of joy, hatred, pleasure and hurt. "You-" Korse staggered backwards, before gasping one last time…

He fell to the floor, lifeless.

As the hatred died down, a frightening suddenly laughter erupted from the mentally unstable Gerard, and clutching his chest, he threw his head backwards and let out loud snorts at the strangely funny way Korse's eyes were still gaping open with shock, even after his death. However, the uncontrollable laughter soon died down, and was changed to a soft, miserable sniffling. He couldn't help but lower his head when the sight of his friends' graves was, for the millionth time, evoked in his mind, as well as his last moments with Helena, and that kiss that he, ever so gently, placed on her forehead. I've avenged your deaths, my Brothers of the Gun. Rest in peace… And Helena, my angel, I have avenged for you, too…

Casting a quick glance at his fallen enemy's body, he saw a bandaged wound on his outstretched leg. He recalled hearing a robotic cry before he passed out; maybe Kobra Kid did that, he smiled with pride as tears began to brim his shining eyes. Nonetheless, he urgently shook himself out of the thought; there were still things to take care of, things to finish.

Helena, another night, and I'll see you.

With both of his crippled legs barely functioning, he hoisted himself back up, and with tremendous endeavor, finally managed to limp to the doorway. He could feel the presence of a muzzle pointing at him; before the final minion could shoot, Gerard already took him down with a loud pang.

Gerard turned his head towards the Boss of Better Living Industries, who was desperately running down the hall, most likely due to her fear overcoming the drugs in her bloodstream (…did she even take her drugs?). He swiftly shot her down with two blows to the thighs and approached her, ignoring the intense throbbing of his injuries, and his horrid, disgraceful limping. The Boss reached for a gun, but Gerard promptly gave shots at both of her arms, causing her to crumple into a ball on the floor. Relying solely on his stubborn ambition to kill the person who started it all, it took all the strength left in him as he stumbled towards her, and finally settled down at her fetal-positioned body, his failing legs again tugging the rest of him onto the ground. With an unwavering determination to end it all and fulfill his lingering and excruciating desires, he crawled to her side, his crimsons staring into her grey, traumatized eyes.

"It's time for you to check into the hotel bella muerte, my dear," he murmured in a soft, almost amorous voice, despite his dire wish to wince in pain. He pinned her down and confined her in his cage-like grasp, and though she tried to squirm and struggle herself free, her efforts were useless. He gave her a gorgeous, dashing yet hungry and loathing smile-

Then sank his teeth into her neck.

999 murdered… The devil whispered. One more to go.