With a kick to the stomach, Gabriel freed his short sword from the chest of one of the enemies. He kept watching Livya the whole time. Holding his Magnum, he braced for the worst, but the growth of the rookie was remarkable.
The situation was entirely under the control of the Ravens, completely one-sided. He saw a man enter the warehouse ahead, and without wasting time, he ran to the spot and entered. Boxes lined up took up the entire space. He knew what they contained.
The man held a revolver and didn't pay attention to him. He moved the fingers of his free hand frantically, clearly in disbelief over what was happening. Finally, he turned and locked eyes with Gabriel. His eyes were terrified.
"Hi, little Raven," he said, forcing a smile.
"Big Brother?" Gabriel asked.
"In the flesh."
He raised the gun at the same moment, aiming it at the man. Gabriel felt sweat from nervousness running down his forehead, making the old scar burn.
"Why did you do all this?" Gabriel asked, gesturing to the boxes labeled S.L.
"I had to make my way in a cruel world, I lied and killed. And, you know, Raven, I discovered that money is the only thing that really matters in this world, drugs bring in a lot, my boy."
"You did all this for money?" The words came out disbelieving from Gabriel's dry lips. "You created S.L. for this?"
Big Brother turned with a grimace.
"I didn't create the drug, it was a gift." Seeing the other's reaction, he continued, "You don't know the cesspool of shit you're about to get into, Raven." The terror disappeared from the man's face. "If you think this drug or I were a problem, then I'm curious to see how you'll deal with the future, but soon, my sister will save me and kill you, just like she did to your friends."
"Interesting," Gabriel said, with a morbid smile. "I didn't know the dead could hurt me."
Big Brother paused for a moment. When he realized what he'd just heard, his eyes bulged with hatred and frustration. He couldn't believe everything he'd built was falling apart so easily. The whirlwind in his mind caused hysteria to take over, and he shouted at the Raven:
"Even if you kill me here, it doesn't matter. Soon, something much worse will happen. Think, Raven! How do you think I got so many resources? I pity each of you, after all, a horrible death awaits you all!"
Gabriel noticed a slight movement from the other, and without hesitation, he shot the enemy's armed hand, ripping it off along with the pistol. Big Brother clutched the remains of the limb, which was bleeding heavily.
He aimed the gun at the man's head but changed his mind.
"This is too easy," he said to himself.
He shifted the barrel slightly, firing at one of the boxes, causing the powder to spill out. He advanced and slammed the butt of his gun into Big Brother's mouth, throwing him toward the spilled drug.
The man fell to his knees over the S.L., his mouth a red hole. The Raven's foot pressed his head into the sand, forcing his face into the powder.
The Raven pushed his foot while Big Brother struggled to breathe, eventually releasing him. His face was white, and his eyes showed terror. The cursed powder covered his face.
"Sweet dreams," Gabriel said, leaving the warehouse as the other collapsed from the overdose.
It was all over. Only Ravens remained amidst the bodies. They hadn't lost anyone, while the enemy was completely eradicated. It reminded him of Sandy's words: "Bring a massacre to him."
"Gabriel," Livya called. "Is it over?"
"Yes," he simply replied.
"But this bitter taste in my throat," Livya said, looking at the dead. "I thought I'd feel satisfied."
"They never had a chance," Gabriel replied with a sad smile. "This, Livya," he said, opening his arms to the scene, "is what it means to be a Raven."