Chapter12
-Rhez-
Rhez coughed up blood and rolled to his side. His face was covered in blood, so much so that he couldn't see out of his right eye. He held his gun up towards the men who were walking away from him and carrying a body. He pulled the trigger, the hammer clicked down and no bullet fired. "Empty…" He said absently as he tried to get up and failed. He laid his head down and closed his eyes. Rhez held his hand up to his head and wiped off some of the blood. There was something wrong, his entire face was numb so he couldn't exactly tell what, but there was definitely something wrong. He laughed to himself, how could he have been so stupid? After what felt like forever he finally managed to sit up. His face was throbbing now, the numb had started to ware off, and Rhez wished that it wouldn't have. "God damn it… If I ever find that vampire looking reject again… I'll finish the job for sure." He sputtered as he stood up. There was a noise behind him and he turned to see Elle stumbling towards him out of town. "Oh you fuckin bitch… you just don't know when to die do you?" Rhez said as he struggled to keep his balance. Elle balled up her fists spit blood from her mouth. Her red dress was shredded to the point of near falling off, and she was covered in soot and ashes. "You did this to me! You're the reason all of this happened! My bar, my town! All of it ruined now, because of you!" She screamed. Rhez dropped his revolver and tried to think if he had anything else to shoot her with. "Heh, you are one crazy bitch…" He reached down and pulled the little two shot pistol from his boot. "I'm really not in the mood!" Rhez yelled and pointed the pistol at her. They both took shaky steps towards each other and closed the distance slowly. "Don't think I won't shoot you!" Rhez yelled. Elle stumbled and dropped to a knee. "Go ahead! If he finds out that I failed and I'm still alive…"
"Who?! If who finds out?!" Rhez yelled as he kept walking towards her. She laughed and looked up into the sky. "Him…" She said absently. Rhez knew, something in him told him who 'he' was. "Knives." He said to her. She looked at him with surprise, she hadn't expected him to know her master. "Yes… him." She said sadly. Rhez reached her and put the gun to her head. "Do it." She said to him. Rhez pulled the hammer back and touched her forehead with the barrel. "You are going to die if you think I'm bluffing." Rhez said seriously. "And if I believe that you will do it?" She asked.
"Than you will tell me where he is, or I won't pull the trigger, and I'll let him deal with you." Her eyes widened, she knew there were things worse than death. "And if I tell you… you'll kill me?" She asked. "I promise." He said difficultly, the pain of his face climbing slowly as his adrenaline wore off. She opened her mouth to speak, but they heard footsteps from behind Rhez. He turned around and saw Vash standing there and looking at him with a vicious stare. "Don't kill her Rhez!" He screamed. "Do it!" Elle yelled at him. "Tell me, tell me where he is!" Rhez said to her. Vash held his left arm up and his wrist flipped down as the hidden gun popped out. "I'm sorry Rhez." Vash said as the gun fired. Rhez felt the bullet tear through his back and sharp pain overtook him. Seconds later he passed out and hit the ground. Elle screamed and dove for his gun, more than willing to finish herself without his help. Vash was on her in an instant, kicking the gun away and delivering a quick chop to her neck. She fell down unconscious over Rhez and Vash sighed. "It's all going to be different now…"
-Stran-
THREE DAYS LATER
"Stran…Stran wake up Stran". Tia lightly taps Stran on the cheek with her open palm. "Stran wake up my angel". Stran struggles to open his eyes his. "What… what's going on where am I". "Your back at the compound". "Compound ? what compound who are you where's Vash". "Who's Vash what are you talking about Stran your back home with me Tia your girlfriend". Just then a door at the front of Stran's bed room opens and Knives walk threw. "Well brother I'm glad to see your finally awake you took quite a beating". Stran looked at Knives with a confused look. "Brother where brothers" ? "You must have lost your memory Stran and not surprising after those two men nearly killed you. "What why would any one want to kill me". You where trying to save a town full of people from these two evil men a tall blonde man and a blonde young boy they tried to kill one of are sisters and then take out the rest of the town I tried to get to you as soon as I could but by the time I got there I was to late there was nothing I could do so I brought you bake home so we could help fix you". "Fix me what happened". "You lost your left arm". Before Knives could finish the list Stran popped up out of bed and started to look his left side what he found confused him a dull metallic arm rapped in black leather bands. He moved the arm up and down getting a feel for the new appendage. "What is this how I but the seems I don't understand". " Its my gift to you little brother a new arm it might take some getting use to but eventually it will feel normal. Well its time for you to get some more rest will be busy over the next couple weeks Tia if you would follow me please". As Tia and Knives exit the room Tia looks over her shoulder at Stran and gives an absent smile as he examines his new arm.
"Every things going as planned master". Tia says while looking at the ground almost avoiding eye contact with knives".