Hello! Hello! What do you mean you’re going to handle it! Alexander!

Jade looked at the message again. She had been left on read. I’m going to kill him. She paced around, trying her best to think through everything. He’s so going to die again, but I can’t risk going out and spying. If Riverman catches me, I’m done for.

Jade’s hands flexed and shook with frustration. That good for nothing idiot! Does he just expect me to wait around and do nothing?!? She punched her thighs and pursed her lips. Ok, ok, think… Jade relaxed her shoulders and rolled them around. Then, she started pacing again, this time making sure to stay as calm as possible. Vantage. I need a vantage point.

Jade opened up her messages, scrolled through a few tabs, then found the one she was looking for Obadiah had sent her a list of some of the contacts he had in St. Louis. She scanned the list and found what she was looking for– an arms dealer.

Jade had been close to where Alexander had died. After all, she was expecting him to have some sort of plan, or to even ask for some help. But no, he didn’t. So she rushed forward, jogging towards the city again.

Through a series of trails, small boat rides, alley ways, and sewer tunnels, Jade was able to worm her way in the city again. She was getting used to the landscape, and her past experience with living in a big city was a huge advantage. Not only that, but St. Louis was dark at night. There was a strict curfew, but it wasn’t like all the guards had stealth-detecting equipment. So through the shadows and darkness, Jade slithered through the city, eventually finding herself at a Korean restaurant named Hangbokhan Dwaeji.

It was a small restaurant, with a max capacity of around twenty from Jade’s estimates. She looked inside the front window, but couldn’t make out anything. Again, the streets were dark, with the only activity being the occasional guard. And the LED signs inside the restaurant were not on, so Jade turned on her night-vision and looked again.

She saw nothing– or at least, she saw no activity. Everything was in its proper place, and there was no one inside the building. Still, she was determined to get what she needed, and quickly. Jade withdrew from the front, walked around the side, and found herself at the back entrance.

It was a dank alley-way, and thankfully no one was around. She still checked, regardless, and when she deemed it safe enough, she got to work.

Jade, thanking herself endlessly, had brought her lock-picking kit. With little effort, she picked the lock, and the back door swung open. Inside was still nothing.

She went in and cautiously walked around. The tables were put up, the dishes were racked, and the shelves were stocked. But while looking through the cabinets full of spices, a light suddenly shone through the kitchen.

“Hello? I know someone is there, show yourself.” A man spoke up, a flashlight in their hands.

“Yeah, I’m here to meet a Mr. Sung. I’m a friend of Obadiah.” Jade said with her hands in the air, her stealth deactivating.

The man walked over and shined his flashlight right at Jade, which momentarily blinded her.

“I can tell Obadiah sent you.” The man turned off the flashlight and sighed. “No one else would so brazenly break into my restaurant.”

“Sorry about that; I’m in a bit of a rush.” Jade slowly lowered her hands.

“Whatever. That’s what they always say.” The man palmed his hands, and suddenly a dim red light emanated throughout the restaurant. “I am Mr. Sung. What do you need at this ungodly hour?”

“What anyone would need at this ungodly hour– a sniper-rifle.” Mr. Sung scratched his chin, shrugged, then motioned for Jade to follow him.

Mr Sung was an inconspicuous man. He was aged, with gray being the prominent color in his short hair and scruffy beard. He had a bit of a hunch, and he walked around with a cane. But upon closer inspection, Jade realized that the cane was actually a weapon in disguise, and she wondered who this man really was. Still, Obadiah vouched for him, so she went along with him into the freezer, through a secret door, then down into a basement.

When they got down there, Jade only saw a blank room of stainless steel. But then Mr. Sung activated some mechanism with his hands, and suddenly every inch of the place was covered in weapons.

“What can I get for you?”

“I need something accurate, with range, and a decent amount of fire-power. And I need it fast.” Jade glazed over the rooms, her eyes not knowing where to start.

Mr. Sung took exactly one second, then walked over to one of the walls and picked up a rifle.

“This will work.” Mr. Sung handed the sniper-rifle over to Jade, who started to look over it. “This is the M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, manufactured by the U.S. military. It uses .300 Winchester Magnum bullets, which have around a 1,200 meter range if you’re good at what you do.” Mr. Sung paused for a second, letting Jade look over the weapon more. “It has been modified to fit our new world, with carbon fiber parts for weight reduction, an advanced carbon-ceramic suppressor, and a precisely shaped barrel, down the micrometer.”

“How much?” Jade lifted her head to look at Mr. Sung.

“Five thousand credits.”

Jade looked through the scope. It was high-tech, and her suit’s night-vision only helped the situation. She finally was able to get to a roof top and scout out what was going on, but when she did, Jade saw Alexander impaled by Riverman. She saw him pull back his trident, Alexander’s heart on its spikes, and present it to the dying Alexander. A second later, he fell to the ground dead. Fuck.

It was still dark outside, and the moon would lord over the sky for at least a few more hours. So Jade just stayed there for some time, thinking. After killing Alexander, Riverman left, taking something off of Alexander. But Jade couldn’t see where he went, so she just stayed still.

She was well hidden in her current spot, and all the rushed movement through the town worried her enough already. She didn’t want to go anywhere, and she had no reason to go anywhere. She felt trapped.

Alexander was now dead for the second time, and it would at least be another twelve hours before he was able to come back. She cursed at herself then cursed at Alexander. She had pain-stakingly set up explosives in cleverly hidden spots throughout the town, and with every passing second, one of them might be found. And she didn't’ dare risk messing with them, or even setting up more. Again, she felt trapped.

Jade frowned, stretched her neck, then decided to meditate. She needed a plan. And she needed to plan around what Alexander intended to do.