Note that this chapter is violent.
Bernard put Haku on the ground, across the cold warehouse floor. There was a bloodstain from other victims Bernard had practiced on, but Bernard doubted he could keep from beating her instead of just putting one in her head. The anger inside of himself had grown far too much for that.
Haku woke up dazedly. "Damn that hurt."
"Remember me?" Bernard asked, grabbing the Soldier by the shoulders and lifting her to her knees, shoving his ugly face in her vision.
"Bernard? You..."
"Look like a monster? I've changed. Worked on the other side of the law. I'm a killer-for-hire!"
Haku tried hitting Bernard, but he caught her fist and countered, knocking her on her side.
"You ruined my life!" Bernard shouted, the words echoing around the room. "I'm happy that big damn hero Shepard saved you. I wanted to kill you myself."
"You're crazy." Haku said, holding the side of her face Bernard had struck. He was much stronger than Haku remembered.
"Maybe. But I'm better than you'll ever be. That's why I'm going to live while you die." Bernard said, throwing his jacket off. "Every tattoo I have is from a man I've killed. You should see the tattoos all over the rest of my body."
"Tattoos for each kill? How cliché." Haku said, her words coated in venom, and Bernard kicked her in the ribs, knocking the wind from her lungs.
"You always were cynical." Bernard said, grabbing her around the neck. It was easy, and brought Bernard much more joy than any other kill.
Bernard slammed Haku against the wall, her hands trying to pry his hands off of her windpipe. She was crying, half of her face bleeding and her ribs burning. If she died know, they would just find a dead former Private in a cold warehouse and, not wanting to die that way, Haku put all of her strength in a kick aimed at Bernard's head.
Bernard caught it, laughing. "You never were a fighter, baby."
Haku saw black spots, and began thinking her final goodbyes. But, before she could even begin, a deep, cold voice echoed through the room.
"You'll find a fair fight is much harder." Shepard said, and slammed a large fist into the side of his face, knocking the hit man to the floor. Haku landed, taking deep breaths.
Bernard took a knife from his boot, grinning. Bernard spat a tooth and said "I got a knife."
"I have a gun." Shepard said, and a single shot echoed around the room. Bernard screamed and fell to the floor, blood spurting from his leg. Shepard walked over, putting the gun in his holster. "You are an eviler bastard than I've ever met previously. Say your final goodbyes now."
Bernard glared, his eyes narrowing.
"That's a no." Shepard said, and crouched down, grabbing Bernard's hand. Shepard looked back at Haku and, seeing her unconscious, said "Today is not your lucky day, Bernard." Then, Shepard snapped Bernard's index finger, making the digit touch the back of his hand. Bernard bucked in pain, but Shepard, a several-hundred-pound man mostly made of muscle, didn't move.
"What about a fair fight?" Bernard gasped.
Shepard snapped another finger. "I said a fair fight is harder than an unfair one. I didn't say that this fight was going to be fair. This is payback. No one touches Haku as long as I'm alive."
"How'd you find me?" Bernard said through gritted teeth.
"You talk a lot for a man in a lot of pain," Shepard noted. "I put a tracker in some of my things, especially things special to me. In Haku's brown leather jacket, there is a tracker hidden in two of the zippers, as well as in the stitching."
"You're crazy."
"Coming from you, that means nothing."
Shepard broke the thumb and the rest of the fingers in one movement, then looked away from Bernard at Haku. Bernard, seizing the opportunity, grabbed the knife that was near him on the floor and stabbed Shepard in the back. Shepard, wincing from pain, turned around.
"What did you say earlier?" Shepard asked, then pulled the knife from his back. "Got a knife. Haku lives for old movies, as you should know, and I saw one to see why. The movie I saw was Reservoir Dogs. Now, tell me, which ear do you prefer?"'
Five minutes later, Shepard stood, wiping the prints off of the knife.
"Mercy." Bernard gasped.
"Forgot to cut your tongue out." Shepard grunted, then took his gun out. "Save me a seat by the fire, Bernard."
Once again, a gunshot echoed in the empty room, but, instead of screaming following it, there was a deathly silence.