Lucy and Rebecca remained on the roof, keeping an eye on the warehouse to make sure no one escaped. However, the main task fell on Rebecca's shoulders, who was barely containing her impatience, eager to make a few new holes in the bodies of the scumbags who used children for prostitution.
She was also curious—she wanted to see what the vacuum bullets Alex had prepared for her were capable of. He had promised two possible outcomes upon impact.
«What do you think will happen when this little one pierces one of those bastards?» Rebecca asked, turning to Lucy.
Lucy, engrossed in watching Alex through the cameras, just shook her head in response. She saw how Alex, playing the role of a maniac, moved slowly and menacingly forward. His steps were so measured that it seemed he was almost limping. But when Rebecca spoke, Lucy had to tear her eyes away from the screen for a moment.
«What did you say?» Lucy asked, still keeping an eye on Alex.
Rebecca snorted and, turning around, repeated her question:
«I asked, what do you think will happen to that bastard when the bullet hits him?»
Lucy thought for a moment. She didn't know all the details of the bullet's construction, but she imagined a scenario similar to how a human body would react to the vacuum of space—it might just explode from the pressure difference. At the same time, Alex had said that the body could turn into a «meatball,» meaning a vacuum inside and a sharp explosion outward. But even she couldn't give a definitive answer.
«Honestly, I don't know. Alex seems unsure which option will happen himself,» Lucy admitted.
Rebecca tilted her head in surprise, not understanding why Lucy was thinking so deeply about it. It seemed like she just wanted a guess, but ended up with such a complex answer.
«Alright, whatever. The first one in my sights will be the test subject,» Rebecca smirked, flashing a crazy smile.
Lucy shook her head and returned to observing Alex. Just then, he reached the warehouse, and on the cameras, she could see two bodies by the entrance. Her eyes widened, surprised by how quickly he acted—she had only been distracted for a minute, and he had already dealt with the guards.
Calling the camera closer, Lucy examined the details—one of the guards lay with his head turned 180 degrees, while the other was literally pinned to the door.
«Has he already started? I'm getting bored,» Rebecca yawned, resting her cheek on her hand.
Lucy glanced at her friend, lazily lounging on the roof.
«Alex is by the warehouse. You can watch for yourself, can't you?» Lucy suggested.
«Not my kind of work,» Rebecca replied with a lazy sigh. «I'd rather aim through my rifle.»
Lucy shook her head again. If there was no weapon or Alex nearby, Rebecca instantly lost all energy, turning into a real «slime.» Returning to her observation, Lucy noticed that another group of people had come out to check on the guards. She watched as Alex effortlessly dealt with the trio and entered the warehouse along with the GIR.
«Looks like you'll be able to shoot soon,» Lucy said.
The words immediately sparked Rebecca to life. She perked up, grabbed her rifle, and pressed against the edge of the roof, ready for the unlucky ones to burst out of the warehouse at any moment.
«Come on, run to me, little ones,» she grinned, licking her lips in anticipation.
Lucy could only sigh heavily, lighting a cigarette. She didn't mind the killing, but she preferred to stay away from the shooting and violence unless absolutely necessary. Her surroundings were already full of those who loved blood and chaos.
Lucy glanced up at the moon, shining high in the sky, and exhaled smoke. She hadn't let go of her desire to leave this city and visit the moon. But now, she had another desire. She wanted to visit many places, even ones like the city underwater or the city high in the sky—she wouldn't mind visiting them.
Her thoughts were interrupted by gunfire coming from the warehouse. She looked towards it, understanding that Alex had already started taking action.
«I hope he doesn't kill them all himself,» Rebecca pouted, clearly craving some entertainment.
Lucy smiled:
«Don't worry. Alex loves you too much to not let you have some fun.»
Rebecca snorted and smiled even wider. She wouldn't deny that Alex had always been attentive to her. Throughout the time they had been together, he had never denied her the little things, except when it came to creating dangerous weapons.
But then, the first unlucky thug, who stumbled over the corpse of his comrade and fell to the ground, instantly received a bullet to the chest, and a broad smile lit up Rebecca's face.
The first bandit, dropping his weapon, bolted away in terror. In all his life in Night City, he had never encountered anything like this. Cyberpsychos rampaging on the streets, gang shootouts, bar fights with tragic outcomes—he had seen it all.
He had even witnessed doctors dismembering people for profit. But today, he was in for something indescribable.
It all started when a strange guy in blood-stained clothes walked into the warehouse. The bandits immediately concluded that he was a cyberpsycho, and the best option was to eliminate him. However, when one of them approached to check if the guy was dead, a true nightmare began.
The one thought to be dead suddenly rose, like a living corpse, effortlessly ripping off the head of one of the bandits and throwing it at the boss's feet. At that moment, fear engulfed everyone without exception. They began firing at the bloodied figure slowly approaching them, but the bullets seemed to pass right through him.
When he stomped his boot into the chest of yet another bandit, the first runner had no doubts left—he had to escape. This man was invulnerable. Dropping his weapon, he ran away, followed by the others who managed to overcome their fear.
They desperately tried to flee from this insane killer, who moved slowly like a zombie, impervious to bullets. The runner dashed forward, ignoring the bodies of his comrades, their blood pooling on the floor by the exit. However, just as he was about to reach the door, he tripped over a body and fell.
Turning his head to see what had happened, he saw his colleague with his head turned 180 degrees and a frozen expression of bewilderment on his face, as if he didn't even realize he was dead. At that moment, the bandit felt a searing pain in his chest. Looking down, he saw a bloody hole, and a moment later, he plunged into darkness.
Those who had been running behind him did not stop. They heard the sound of a rifle from afar and saw their comrade, who had fallen first, suddenly swell and explode, scattering chunks of meat, bones, and blood everywhere.
The rest were shot too, their bodies bursting like soap bubbles. One of the last, gripped by panic, turned and ran back to the warehouse, but a bullet stopped him in his back, filling his mind with a premonition of imminent death.
The few survivors decided not to take any chances and ran deeper into the warehouse, where the children were locked up. Their only hope was to use the kids as human shields. As they rushed to the door, they noticed a ridiculous-looking green dog with its tongue hanging out and a blue flag stuck in the ground beside it.
«Are you serious? You're scared of that dog?» one of the bandits sneered, shoving his comrade.
The first bandit couldn't take the mockery anymore and went to shoo away the dog to get to the children. Raising his leg to kick it, he heard a buzzing sound reminiscent of a chainsaw.
Losing his balance, he collapsed to the ground and saw his severed legs in front of him. Dizziness overwhelmed him from the pain, and before his eyes stood a dog with burning red eyes, wielding a strange sword that emitted a buzzing sound like a chainsaw.
«By the will of the Emperor of Mankind, I will cleanse you of heresy!» shouted GIR, swinging the sword.
GIR, standing guard over the children, understood that his time had come. When one of the bandits approached him, GIR activated the chainsaw sword without hesitation and, in one swift motion, severed the opponent's legs.
Without giving the bandit a moment to recover, he finished the execution by plunging the chainsaw sword into his neck. Blood sprayed everywhere, including on the flag bearing the image of a two-headed eagle. GIR stared at the remaining bandits, his eyes glowing red, instilling in them a primal fear.
Realizing they had fallen into a deadly trap, the bandits began to retreat. Outside awaited a sniper capable of turning them into bloody fountains, and inside was an unkillable maniac tearing people apart with his bare hands. Before them stood a strange dog that had just dismembered their comrade.
But GIR wasn't going to wait. Alex's words echoed in his head: «The best defense is a good offense.» He crouched, preparing to leap.
«In the name of the Emperor, you are all sentenced to death!» yelled GIR as he jumped toward the first bandit.
GIR lunged at the first bandit, landing directly on his chest. Before the thug could react, the blade of the chainsaw sword sank into his body. The pain the bandit experienced was indescribable—he felt his bones and organs being sliced like wood.
The last thing the dying man saw were the cold, soulless red eyes fixed upon him. When the blade reached his heart, the bandit collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
GIR yanked the sword from the body and turned toward the next target. The second bandit tried to dodge, but he was too slow. GIR grabbed him by the sleeve, pulled him close, and drove the chainsaw sword under his ribs. A raspy scream escaped the bandit's throat as his insides, sliced by the blade, spilled onto the floor.
The remaining bandits, witnessing their comrades die in horrific agony, attempted to fight back, but due to GIR's speed and agility, hitting him was nearly impossible. Using the environment to maneuver, GIR gradually reduced their numbers.
Only one remained. He looked on in horror at the bloodied GIR, once green but now covered in the blood and entrails of the slain. Seeing this, the last bandit fell to the ground, leaving a yellow puddle beneath him, not realizing he had wet himself in fear.
GIR looked at him with his glowing red eyes. The chainsaw sword in his hands roared to life again, and the terror in the bandit's eyes intensified. He began to crawl backward, but even with short legs, GIR moved swiftly. Soon he jumped onto the bandit's chest, pinning him to the ground with his weight. Raising the chainsaw sword with both hands, GIR proclaimed with fanaticism in his voice:
«In your next life, you will be reborn in the glory of the Emperor and find salvation in his embrace.»
The bandit wanted to say something, but he only gasped—his throat and mouth filled with blood. In his dying agony, it seemed to him that behind GIR, he saw a halo and the light of the Emperor, warm and peaceful. Reaching out to this light, the bandit never got to touch it before he sank into darkness.
GIR pulled the blade from the body, jumped down, and headed toward the door. Stabbing the sword before him, he returned to his primary task—protecting the children. His eyes returned to their previous color, but blood remained on his green dog suit.
Dismembered bodies of the bandits lay everywhere, and the floor was soaked with their blood. No one was left alive, and no one would pass further without GIR's permission.
While Rebecca and GIR dealt with the fleeing bandits, Alex approached the next target. The bandits continued shooting, trying to stop him, but one of them ran out of ammo as Alex got too close. In desperation, the bandit grabbed a metal rod and plunged it forcefully into Alex's chest, hoping to pierce his heart.
The rod pierced through, exiting on the other side, but Alex didn't even flinch. The bandit was about to rejoice when suddenly Alex grabbed his hand in an iron grip.
«Let go, you bastard!» the bandit shouted, striking Alex in the face.
Without saying a word, Alex used his free hand to yank the rod from his chest, which was devoid of any blood. With force, he drove it into the ground and released the bandit, but before the thug could escape, Alex seized him by the head. With a sharp jerk, Alex smashed the bandit's face against the stuck rod. The bandit screamed in agony before convulsions overtook his body.
Alex continued to methodically eliminate those who stood in his way, doing so with cold cruelty to instill fear in the remaining ones. He saved Loka for last, wanting her to fully comprehend her terrible end. When the last of the bandits died with a torn mouth, Alex tossed aside his corpse and turned to Loka, the one responsible for all this.
Loka, watching her subordinates die one by one in horrifying agony, couldn't hide her terror. Her men were dying at the hands of Alex, whose methods seemed twisted and barbaric. Fear paralyzed her as Alex slowly approached.
«Get away from me!» she screamed, opening fire.
When the bullets ran out, she panicly threw the gun at Alex and tried to flee. Seeing her attempt to escape, Alex hurled his machete, which embedded itself in her shoulder, causing her to fall.
Ignoring the pain, Loka tried to crawl away, but the sound of approaching footsteps filled her with dread. Soon she felt someone grab her by the leg and pull her back. Terror consumed her consciousness, and she began to thrash, but escaping was impossible.
«Let me go!» Loka screamed, turning pale with fear.
Alex dragged her to the place of execution, fully immersing himself in the role of a mad killer. But he knew these people wanted to sell children, and their deaths could not be easy. Yes, perhaps his new father would be disappointed in him for his cruelty, but Alex had already decided that such people should not be given a second chance.
But Alex didn't care. If he encountered such a type of person, he would not hold back and certainly wouldn't grant them a peaceful death. Such people deserved neither a second chance nor the opportunity to atone for their sins.
This type of person could only be forgiven by the most flawed individuals who could only scream for some kind of justice. But they would never understand the pain of those who faced this, and they would now have to live with the thought that the murderer or kidnapper of their child was still alive and roaming free.
Alex dragged Loka to where all her comrades had perished. He released her leg, and she immediately began trying to crawl away from the fate that awaited her. Alex stepped on her back, preventing her escape.
He pinned her to the ground and pulled the machete from her shoulder. He kicked Loka onto her back and stomped on her chest, breaking her ribcage. Loka coughed up blood from the damage inflicted by just one kick.
Alex leaned down, grabbed her by the neck, and lifted her so that her eyes were level with his.
Loka, who was on the verge of losing consciousness from the pain, felt herself being grabbed by the neck and lifted. She opened her eyes and saw a pair of red, mad eyes staring straight into her soul.
With her last strength, she raised her hand and struck at Alex's mask, wanting to knock it from his face. And when the mask slipped off Alex's face, what she saw filled her with horror to the depths of her soul.
Beneath the mask, she saw no face, only darkness from which a pair of bloody red eyes and two rows of sharp teeth frozen in a twisted smile emerged. Because of what she saw, she intensified her efforts to break free.
She couldn't comprehend what she was seeing, but it was clear that the cruel killer before her could not possibly be human. He was like a demon that had crawled out from the depths of Hell.
Alex raised his hand and slowly plunged it into Loka's chest. When his hand reached her heart, he wrapped his fingers around it and began to squeeze slowly, never averting his gaze from the terrified Loka, who experienced fear and excruciating pain right up until her death.
When he finally crushed her heart, her life ended, and he released his grip on her neck. Loka fell to the floor like a lifeless doll whose strings had been cut. Immediately, a pool of blood began to appear, slowly growing larger.
«I think it's not worth it to engage in this anymore. Being a maniac isn't for me,» Alex said wearily.
Alex sighed heavily and lit a cigarette, watching Loka's lifeless body lying on the floor. He hated feeling like a maniac — it was completely not his style. He preferred the role of a chaotic, yet in some way harmless, follower of the Cult of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Throwing those thoughts aside, Alex headed deeper into the warehouse, where the children were being held. In the distance, he noticed a blood-soaked GIR, beside which the flag of the Empire fluttered. Alex didn't even comment on the sight — he simply ignored it.
«Well done, GIR,» he praised the robot as it proudly raised its chainsaw and saluted.
GIR nodded, pleased with itself, and Alex cast a spell to clean it of blood so as not to frighten the children. Approaching the locked door, he effortlessly ripped it off its hinges and peered inside.
In the corner, huddled in fear, sat the children, looking at him distrustfully. Alex frowned at their condition but relaxed a bit upon noticing that their wounds were superficial.
«Don't be afraid, I'm here to save you,» he said softly, trying to calm them.
However, the children were not quick to trust him. Alex understood their suspicion — caution was necessary in their situation. Without further ado, he walked to the wall and, with one motion, punched a hole through it, opening a path to the outside. He then turned to the children and smiled.
«If you want to get out, follow me.»
This time, the children eased their caution somewhat, but they remained on guard. Alex stepped through the hole in the wall and began helping them exit. GIR, remaining last, assisted those who were too weak. When everyone was out, several children cried, feeling freedom for the first time. Watching their tears, Alex felt a weight settle on his heart.
He led them to the warehouse exit. In the main courtyard, a horrific sight awaited them: the remains of bodies were strewn everywhere, mixed with blood. The children couldn't comprehend what they saw, but instinctively followed Alex like chicks trailing after a hen. He waved toward the roof where Lucy and Rebecca sat, signaling them that the job was done.
After leading the children out of the warehouse, Alex waited for Lucy and Rebecca to descend to watch over the kids while he made a call. Stepping aside, Alex lit another cigarette and, pulling out his phone, dialed Padre's number.
«How can I help you, Alex?» Padre's voice came from the other end of the line.
«The job is done, but there's one problem,» Alex replied with a heavy sigh.
Padre sensed that something was wrong and asked anxiously,
«What happened?»
«Loka and her people were kidnapping children. They wanted to use them for their dirty deeds,» Alex explained calmly, exhaling smoke through his nose.
Padre fell silent. Upon hearing this, his hand involuntarily clenched into a fist. He knew that Loka was involved in drug trafficking and the sex industry, but he hadn't suspected that she had stooped to using children. This news angered him.
«What about the children?» Padre asked, trying to hide the concern in his voice.
«They're okay, just scared,» Alex replied tersely.
«Good,» Padre sighed in relief.
«Listen, you don't have to pay me. Spend that money to bring the children home,» Alex said, gazing at the moon slowly drifting across the night sky.
Padre paused for a moment, realizing that Alex was willing to forgo payment for the sake of the children's well-being. This showed him that Alex was not just a mercenary — there was something much more human in him.
«No, you've earned your reward,» Padre said firmly.
«But I will take care of the children. Valentino's people will head to the warehouse and bring them home.»
«Thank you,» Alex said with relief, knowing the children would be helped.
«You deserve it, Alex. My people will be there soon. Stay put,» Padre said and ended the call.
Alex tucked his phone into his pocket and tossed the cigarette butt aside. He turned to Lucy and Rebecca, who were checking the children for injuries. Approaching them, Alex informed them that Padre's people were on the way to pick up the children. Upon hearing this, the children joyfully embraced each other, crying tears of happiness.
Lucy stood nearby, watching with a soft smile. Rebecca took Alex's hand and discreetly wiped her tears, not wanting anyone to see. Alex sighed heavily, realizing that this city was a real dump and surviving in it was becoming increasingly difficult.
To be continued...