Killed/Chapter1
The Man in Black with Pale Blue Eyes stood upon the beach. Why was he on the beach? Not even heaven knew and after all he did work for heaven. He felt a weight at his hip and where his trusty throwing dagger had been was an oddly shaped piece of metal. He gripped it and it felt familiar and he realized that he’d been here before, in a dream. Was he dreaming now? He whirled around swinging the gun like he had in his dream, pointing it at an illusory adversary. He mocked shooting the phantom and it disappeared from his imagination as quickly as it formed. He smiled almost deviously with contentment. He started walking through the sand and realized his usual robes had been replaced with clothing only familiar from dreams, a 3-piece suit. He whipped out the pair of mirror shades that always sat in the same pocket of his dream, and put them on. He definitely could get used to this. He reached the end of the beach and hopped into the car he had in the dream, it was no steed, but what steed can go from 0-60 in 4.2 seconds?
“Agent 34, Call in.”
“Agent 34, Are you there?”
The Man in Black picked up the odd but familiar radio piece and reported in.
“Agent 34 we have a situation that needs requires your unique skills, report back to base as soon as possible.”
“Well Gallant, just how fast can ya go?” The car turned into a blur of pure speed as The Man in Black attempted to find out the answer to that question.
The Man in Black slid the car into what he long ago dubbed “7th Gear,” and Gallant bore him onwards toward Heaven. He cruised down the hallway leading to heaven, nodding to the Celestial Lion on the way. Some things never change; good thing Yu Shan isn’t one of them.
The airways of heaven were crowded as always, but for Agents with official business it’s never a problem unless of course some of those newer technological gods in their hotrods get in the way. Luckily the Man in Black only had to dodge three of them on the way to the Agency. Gallant sped away as the Man in Black leapt off unto the steps leading to the Loom Room. The Loom Room, one of the few things that haven’t really changed since the olden days, and something the Man in Black could remember without relying on the dreams. Gods, Bureaucrats, Weaving Spiders, and the Occasional Agent tromped along the sacred walkways doing mostly the same things they had done since the First Age.
“Still wearing those clunky old suits, eh 34?” came a familiar and exotic female voice from behind.
“Well, I guess I could be wearing a tank top, miniskirt, and stiletto heels. But than where would I keep the gun?”
“I’m sure we could find room.”
“I’m sure you could, May, I’m sure you could. We could talk more about this at my place. I’m in a rush.”
“We could, if you ever were at your place for more than half an hour. Besides, when aren’t you in a rush? If I didn’t know better I’d think you were a Chosen of Journeys.”
“I wish, if I was Journeys I could rest more.” And with that final comment the Man in Black. Slipped into his boss’ office.
“What’s up Chief?”
The bald, heavily bearded man who had been called Chief longer than anyone could remember turned around.
“There’s something going down South of Chiaroscuro. Possibly Demonic or Wyld related, you are to report to Nimrod and find out exactly what the hell is happening down there and put a bullet in its head if necessary.”
“Wait a second, since when do I do the work of Journeys, War, Secrets, and Endings like some kind of super Agent?”
“Since I approved your request for a second gun.”
The Man in Black had to catch his jaw before it hit the floor. The mark of owning a gun was a great honor for an Agent, the honor of owning two was reserved for the top of the top. While every Agent technically had a request in for 2 guns, only about 4 active ones actually had them.
“I assume that’s a yes, now get your ass down there before Nimrod sends me a report reprimanding you for dereliction of duty.” The Chief slid down the writ of approval. “I guess you can stay long enough for the party I’m sure will break out.”
“Thanks, but I’m sure this mission is more than going to make up for the gun.”
“If I was you I’d make damned sure both of them work. Dismissed”
“Reassuring Chief.”
The Man in Black had to keep himself from skipping like a school child down the hall to the Office of Requisition. There the Ancient (and showing it) Goddess Arathella sat, behind what was probably the most secure door with bulletproof Moonsilver glass. Arguably one of the most powerful Deities in all of creation merely because of her access to all the artifacts that might be requested or given to Agents.
“What is it this time 34? Another portable scrying pool to break, another Orichalcum detector to have stolen, or perhaps you’re just like the Agent who always comes by asking every mission for a set of Jade Superheavy Plate?”
“Wait a second, that scrying pool was not my fault, besides that happened over 100 years ago. The detector wasn’t me and everyone knows Ahn-Aru is incredibly jumpy after that encounter with Lillith.”
“Yeah yeah, the usual excuses. All you agents are all just alike. Thinking that I’m some sort of old, soft touch. There’s a damn good reason I’ve had this job for as long as I have had it and it ain’t cause I’m boinking the boss.”
The Man in Black sighed. It really was no use talking to her, but she was good at what she did. He calmly placed the writ against the glass and it appeared on the other side. Arathella looked at it, looked up at him, looked back down the writ, sighed, and walked away from the glass. She returned a few minutes later. Pushing several items against the glass, which the Man in Black caught.
“One regulation issue gun, suitable for off hand. One concealable holster, suitable for hip, armpit, or boot. So, I didn’t hear that anyone bought the farm or got kicked upstairs, how’d ya get promoted?”
“To be honest I don’t know or really want to, but whatever it is I’ll probably be fighting more demons than a Zenith in Malfeas.”
“Heh, maybe I should just give ya an instant pyre kit now.”
The Man in Black smirked at the last comment and walked away before she actually went to get one. He quickly looked around, the last thing he needed to have happen was to be caught in a week long party and piss off Nimrod. Nimrod pissed off was a bad thing for all parties involved, except for maybe Nimrod; the guy seemed to enjoy causing pain. The Man in Black seemed to be in the clear; carefully he started to shuffle down the stairs out toward the Loom Room. He took a glance around, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but than again he didn’t have as good of eyes as an Endings his age.
“Just a few more steps… Fuck….” Around the corner came May, carrying something that looked like a bottle. “This will be so much fun, but oh so much pain…” The Man in Black’s voice was drowned out as a loud chorus of congratulations sounded out.
