Chapter 2

Nancy

What is a monster’s worth? What do they value?

My sadness. My depression and my distress evolved into hate the longer I stood in Delta. Along with my hatred, grew terrifying ideals that could spread like a virus.

Like Tony said countless times. I’m a killer. I’m a Rhino and nothing else. When I finally realized my purpose as a Rhino, my goals were then missions and objectives I had to complete.

When I turned eighteen, I asked Romeo for a favor, “Romeo. May I get discharged?”

“For what purpose?”

“I want to hunt the monster who killed my parents but I need to go back to Detroit to do so,” I said.

“Hm,” Romeo laughed. “You spent quite some time here. I think if you to want kill a man like that, you’ll need to do some further research.”

“I already did,” I told him a higher tone. “One of the coders here solved the mystery for me. There's a man in Detroit named Liam Darkson who is allegedly controlling most of the crime in Detroit. Sort of like a mafia boss.”

“Liam Darkson.” Romeo put his full attention on me. “I heard that name. Yeah, but no it’s not an allegation. I had a few Rhinos attempt to hunt this man down years ago. He has criminals in every street of Detroit and he pays all of them. He's actually a weapon’s manufacturer.”

Romeo set up a chair and pulled a handgun out of a drawer. “Liam Darkson’s parents crafted weapons from centuries ago, dating back to WW2 days. This is a 1911, it’s not supposed to exist anymore.”

“Okay,” I said. “So, he’s dangerous.”

“Yeah, and he supplies his criminals with the weapons from several companies across the United States. We actually got details from a Rhino who investigated, that Liam killed his parents when he was ten years old.”

Then Romeo showed a name printed on the 1911. “This is the gun he killed them with.”

“How did you get it?” I questioned.

“Liam is demented.” Romeo put the gun back. “He literally sent the gun to base as a warning to not mess with him. He's got quite a foundation built in Detroit.”

“But!” Romeo pointed a finger up. “We finally have details about where he lives. I’ve been searching for a special team to take him out. I already have a few guys who are willing to go in.

“You could join them but you’re not experienced yet, so you’re obligated to listen to them at all times no matter what grudges you have.”

“Just send me in and I’ll do what I need to.”

“That’s good,” Romeo said. “Because you’re going to die if you don’t.”

***

It was a long relaxing fleet back home. It was nice to relax from training for the first time. I don’t think Tony ever got a break. I did feel bad for leaving him alone with Maurice and Jacob, but I’m sure a man like Tony can handle more than years without breaks.

“Hey, Nancy,” a Rhino broke my alone time. “We’re almost there. Just one more minute and the ship will reach its next hyper speed.”

“Hey, answer me this,” I said. “Why doesn’t the ship go in hyper speed for the whole trip. With speed like that, we could arrive a lot faster than two weeks.”

“That’s a dumb question. Speeds like that can literally cause explosions if we go that fast for so long. We'll die.”

“Dumb question?” I heightened my tone. “Well excuse me for not being a scientist.”

“You don’t have to be a scientist to know that. That was one of the things they taught us during training about airships.”

It already seemed like I made enemies with the Rhinos. I’m seconds from dropping back on Earth where I’ll meet the possible murderer of my parents. I should not make enemies with the Rhinos.

“Teams 012 and 017, need to drop off with their armor hidden in the briefcases we made. Don't equip the armor until you arrive to downtown Detroit. There are hotels waiting for you in Dearborn heights.”

I don't know any of these Rhinos. I spent most of my time watching tv and sleeping in the ship. I should have used at least an hour to know them before we got here.

I’m currently an unexperienced Rhino stepping in with a den of hungry wolves.

Romeo told me before I left, “Liam is not as dangerous as he seems in person. It's the people who work for him. They could be in any house around the corner with weapons waiting for you but I will tell you, he is a mentally unstable man. Don't listen to him. Don't even let him speak. Kill him on sight.”

I dropped off the airship on top of a boat that took us to the city. Each Rhino with me looked like they were in their forties. Right there, was the time to get to know them.

“Hey, how long have you been serving?”

“Too long,” one of them said and that was it. That was the conversation. I was going to say something else but they looked away from me and walked away. I guess not all Rhinos are like Tony.

“Nancy, keep your handgun on your back. You're going to need it where we’re going.” When it comes to killing people they’re easy to talk to.

The boat arrived at the docks and people overran the streets. We were already downtown.

“Should we put our armor on?” I asked.

“Shh!” they hushed me and I failed to get my answer but then I shared a look with a suspicious man who kept making eye contact. He stepped behind multiple people and pulled out a smartphone.

“Hey, there’s someone over there calling someone,” I said.

“Hey, you need to be silent,” the Rhino complained. “We’re not here to explain things to you in public.”

Right after his fit, someone from the street shot him in the chest. Everybody scattered away from the gunfire and the man was carrying around a 1911.

Before I reached for my handgun, the other Rhinos impaled him on sight but then a car drove by that capped two down in front of us. We were down to five Rhinos now.

I chased down the car on foot and flattened the tires. The vehicles around were providing me my own space away from gunfire and the other Rhinos returned fire as they reached for cover.

The briefcase I brought with me was designed to fit in small spaces. I kept it in my pocket and released the armor to gear up.

The Rhinos to my side were having a life-threatening struggle to gun down the men in the car while I set up my armor. They popped in and out of cover only to miss each shot.

Just when my armor was warmed up, I jumped out of my cover with my rifle and shed lead in their way. The men sat there hidden in a hole like moles, not even bothering to shoot back.

I kicked the car hard enough to knock them on their backs and put the driver in room temperature then grabbed the other culprit in the air.

“Where is Liam Darkson?!” I shook him and knocked his head back and forth. “I want Liam Darkson now!”

The man dialed a number on his phone and said, “You already know where he is. The mission is to get to him.”

“What?!”

How does this man know Liam is being hunted down? I turned to my back and saw one of the Rhinos executing the rest then he made eye contact with me and reached for his shotgun. I slid back into cover against the vehicles and reloaded my rifle for action.

“So, you’re one of the Rhinos working for Liam, huh?!”

“Liam was paying me before I joined the Rhinos. I just joined to serve for him before anybody got to him.”

“Uh huh,” I sighed then popped out of my cover and hit him twice in the chest plate. He put his armor on right as were speaking and I didn’t know it.

“You’re going to have to shoot me a lot more than that,” he said while shifting away from cover and landing shells on the cars in front of me. The cars were being lit on fire and it gave me an idea.

I called a ran towards the building while jumping out of his gunfire. I slammed a door open into a restaurant with multiple people hiding in it. They were going to get shot if I stood there.

My rifle was more determined to kill than me as I ran to another position. I heated up the cars next to him until they bombed in front of him as a combined explosion. The explosion tore down the entire street, yet only scraped his armor.

He definitely felt it though. He trembled as he tried to stand up. I approached him and kicked the shotgun out of his possession.

“You know where Liam is,” I said. “Tell me and I’ll consider attending to your wounds.”

“I’m going to die anyway,” he said then aimed a handgun under his chin. “Let the Devil peek into hell.”

He splattered blood into his helmet and left a vomit worthy scene. I never saw a man kill himself like that. I want to make sure that was the last time I saw that.

I realized after, the man from earlier contacted someone. Somehow the phone wasn’t damaged but it was scratched up a bit.

I searched through the phone but all there was to it is contacts without names. Though the recent call took my attention. I dialed it back and a man who sounded like he smoked a lot answered.

“I heard you’re looking for me?” he said and my heart dropped. “Come and find me young lady. I’m on your kill list. I’ll be here in my apartment waiting for you.”

“Where are you?”

“The building with the restaurant you just entered. I’m on the sixteenth floor. Just use your threatening powers on the people in the lobby and take the elevator up,” he said in a sadistic voice.

“Why are you telling me where you are?” I asked.

“I’m a murderer. A kingpin. I deserve to die.” And he hung up.

This is what Romeo meant by mentally unstable. Well, that’s the mission but I knew he won’t be happy about the fact I got two squads of Rhinos killed.

I returned to the building and followed the lobby and a woman hid behind the counter. I didn’t think they’d try to stop me anyway.

The elevator dropped for me and took me to his floor. I was disturbed by my own thoughts throughout the elevator ride. I was about to meet the killer of my parents. I wasn’t supposed.

Nobody just randomly shoots up an entire street just to kill someone who murdered your parents. Romeo and I won’t be happy about that at all. This elevator was only revolving around my own tension.

I prepped my rifle and waited for the door to slide open in case he shot at me but the door opened, and he only made tilted eye contact while smoking in a giant red couch.

“What’s your name young lady?” he asked.

“Nancy,” I said and aimed my rifle. “You killed two people dear to me long ago.”

“I’m sure I have but I don’t recall having people murder someone related to a Nancy.” He blew his smoke next to him. “Something about justice makes me feel warm inside.”

“Don’t talk, you crazy fuck!”

“Fine.” He flicked his cigar away. “End me but in your end, I’ll cause you a lot more pain than intended. You'll know later in the future.”

“What?!” I felt my eyes shrink from shock. “What do you mean by that?!”

“I can’t tell you right now, Nancy.” His pupils shaped into a red ring. “It's just going to happen. Say hi to Tony for me.”

He waved his hand and put his head down. I wanted to know why he knew Tony. I wanted to know why his eyes are glowing. Is this even real anymore?

“Please, kill me,” he whispered. “Repair my sanity with a bullet.”

Do I kill him? Do I question him? Romeo said don’t let him speak. I didn’t know what to think anymore.

“Do you know my parent’s names?” I asked before pressing a slight grip on the trigger.

“Your parents?” he sighed before answering and made a slight smirk. “I know after they died, you hid under the—” Bang!

I silenced him. He sure was no human but he definitely died like one.

***

Suddenly, my motivations depleted. I just killed a monster and I grew up. All I had left was a clear sunset. I had already given all I could to Auntie Ana. All I needed do now was survive.

I joined Delta once again and gave my brightest smile to Tony like nothing happened. The only example I needed to mark was the future ahead.

All I could ask for from anyone was a kiss on the lips. It’s going to be long before we can get a future outside of war and Hell. It better not be too soon.