(A/N) Hey guys, time for an update in the adventures of X-Ray and Vav! We're resuming our normal schedule of updates, which will be on Thursdays from now on, but this one is a little short, just a little teaser of things to come, as we expand out a little with some plans for the sequel, which, by the way, is going to be incredible. Some of the planning we have is just looking…well, incredible. So, without further ado, this chapter features the reappearance of Bullet-Beard and the Community, and is written by the fantastic Jerem6401.

Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-Three – The Community

Jack Pattillo / Bullet-Beard

Written by Jerem6401

"My conscience hath a thousand several tongues,

And every tongue brings in a several tale,

And every tale condemns me for a villain."

- William Shakespeare, Richard III.

"Hand over any weapons you have," the guard ordered. Bullet-Beard tilted his head at the soldier. The guard had a rifle pointed at Bullet-Beard and shifted it towards a bucket next to him for a moment. "In there. Now!"

Bullet-Beard sighed and approached the bucket. He dropped the .50 calibre sniper rifle that had been draped across his upper back, the two desert eagles on his chest, the two submachine guns holstered on his lower back, and the two glocks by his hip. The guard stared at the bucket and gulped for a moment. "Umm…anything else?" Bullet-Beard stepped closer to him and grunted. He reached down and pulled a 9mm pistol off the top of his boot, under his pant leg. He held it in the air and dropped it in the bucket, but it instead hit the top of the other guns and slid off the side, onto the ground. The guard examined the weaponry, before nodding and lowering his rifle. "Okay. The Corpirate is ready to see you now."

Bullet-Beard grunted again and then turned to the door on his right. He pressed his hand against it and pushed his way in, wondering what on earth was going on this time. This contract was turning out to be more hassle then it was worth, and he was starting to think it would almost be better to cut his losses and leave this mission behind, and indeed, would have, but for the one lingering thought in his mind: X-Ray and Vav made him miss.

He had been fixating on that failure ever since its occurrence, when X-Ray had blasted the city's mayor out of the path of his bullet, resulting in Bullet-Beard's first failed hit ever since he had become a contract killer all those years ago. Even when his brain told him to leave, to get out, his pride kept him here, determined to have his revenge on the heroes.

"Bullet-Beard!" a voice shouted cheerfully. "How fartunate that you could join us." Bullet-Beard stepped into the dark room, the door slowly shutting and sealing behind him. The Corpirate sat at the centre of a table, twiddling his fingers on the cold metal. Bullet-Beard nodded and turned his attention to the other seven figures sitting at the table. They sat back in their chairs, drowned in shadows, but he entertained the suspicion that one of them was a woman.

"And who do I have the pleasure of addressing?" he asked, trying to get a better look, his eyes narrowing in an attempt to pierce the gloom.

"That isn't important," murmured the man on the end. He leaned forward into the light, which to anyone else, wouldn't help identify him in any way. He was wearing a black mask, which only allowed his eyes to be seen. He was wearing a blue collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a heavily armoured combat vest over it. His hands were covered by fingerless gloves, and they were steepled before him, the bared tips mottled and grainy. The mask hid nothing for Bullet-Beard, however. He knew exactly who this man was.

A wanted terrorist, responsible for countless deaths. A former member, or possibly leader, of just about every major terrorist organisation across the world, although his own religion and political beliefs were enshrouded in mystery. All that was certain was that he thrived on chaos and destruction. He had a bad habit of not only committing murder, but stringing up the bodies like ornaments when he was finished. Bullet-Beard had only been in the room for a few moments, but he could already tell that this man was truly the head of the operation…not the Corpirate. One of the most wanted men in the world. His true name was unknown, as was his nationality, although his skin colour, was white, or whiteish at least. The only name that he was known by had originated in an underground kind of why, with no known source, but somehow it had become labelled to him, and he wore it with a certain satisfaction.

…Shadlz…

"You're putting too much faith in men we can't trust, Corpirate!" he whispered, in a voice like the sigh of a gallows in the wind. "With your actions in Achievement City as of late, I'm surprised your head isn't already served on a platter."

"I guarantee ye," the Corpirate began, "Bullet-Beard be one of the best soldiers we have in the field. We can rely on 'em, we can trust 'em, I promise ye that."

"Oh really? Then riddle me this… why are X-Ray and Vav still walking these streets?" Shadlz stood from his chair and slammed his fist onto the table, but his voice never rose from the strained whisper, and even the dark figures jumped at the sudden noise. "If those two weren't around, this entire city would be ours right now…do you hear me?"

"If you'd let me explain…" the Corpirate started, nervously twitching beneath the terrorist's gaze.

"No. No more explanations. No more excuses. You failure to take out those two is crippling the Community and its resources. We have no time to deal with amateurs who cannot take care of some simple liabilities."

"Lamp," Bullet-Beard spoke quietly. Shadlz stopped and turned to look at him. He titled his head and lifted his fist from the table, and it was all Bullet-Beard could do to remain impassive in the face of this man.

"What did you say?" he asked, his voice quivering slightly with barely restrained rage. He straightened up, and looked Bullet-Beard up and down, before the bearded man spoke up once more.

"Lamp's dead," Bullet-Beard reported. "I killed him." Shadlz remained silent, staring at Bullet. "Kerbal-Gunnerz… dead. By my hand." Shadlz turned his whole body towards Bullet-Beard and stepped away from the table. "And if X-Ray and Vav are officially on the list… they'll die, too. As long as I get my money, in the end."

Shadlz slowly nodded and turned back to the Corpirate. "Maybe there's potential in this one after all," he stated. "But hear this." Shadlz approached the table and leaned on it once again, putting his face very close to the Corpirate's. "Disappoint me again, and you're gonna become real familiar with Davy Jones' Locker, if you get my drift."

Another voice spoke up, from one of the shadowy figures, and Bullet-Beard smiled as heard a woman's voice, glad that he still had his skills of perception. Nailed it. "Shadlz, that's not your decision to make. X-Ray and Vav are our enemies, not each other."

"She's right," another voice murmured, from one of the other figures, this one more gravelly and throaty, a stark contrast to the warm feminine tone that had preceded it, almost as if the speaker voice box was physically deformed, not able to make the normal sounds of conversation with any ease. "We have more important things to deal with. And since I'm too volatile for a mission like this, or at least, that's what you all keep telling me, then I think we should probably start doing something, yeah?"

Shadlz snorted, looking away for a moment, and only Bullet-Beard caught the flash of rage in his eyes as he did so. "Very well," he murmured, the rage in his voice ebbing away to the slightest hint of it, but nevertheless remained present. "But just know, one more slip up, and I'll make sure you're punished for it. We have no more room for failure."

The Corpirate gulped as Shadlz tilted his head once again. "Savvy?" He pushed himself from the table and turned to a doorway in the room. He lifted his hand to Bullet-Beard and then motioned him to followed. "Mr…Beard… if you will." He walked to the door, opened it, and made his way out. Bullet-Beard stared at the darkness behind it… who knew if this maniac was just planning on killing him here, while he was defenceless. At the moment, though, there wasn't much choice. Bullet-Beard shook his head slowly, as he followed Shadlz into the dark, and his brain pinged once more.

Get out of here while you still can.