[THE HAVEN]

Dane approached the wastebasket, peering down into its contents - there lay the decapitated head of the Healer Killer, right where it belonged. The head looked pretty alive for a dead guy. Especially a decapitated dead guy. Two beady black eyes peered at Dane, staring past his flesh and into whatever ethereal layer lay beyond.

“Hello Dane,” said the Healer Killer.

Dane stood in stunned silence.

“The younger one called you Dane,” said the Healer Killer. “So you must be Dane.”

Dane delivered a slow solemn nod.

“Right,” said Dane. “And what should I call you?”.

“Everyone calls me the Healer Killer,” said the Healer Killer. “I used to be an enforcer called Jeremy. But then Jeremy opened the wrong window. Now I’m Jeremy.”

“You’re not Jeremy,” said Dane.

“I’m just like Jeremy,” said the Healer Killer. “I’m human. I think with a human brain. Talk with a human tongue. Kill with human hands.”

Dane stepped close, but not too close.

“Why are you killing healers?” asked Dane.

“Why are you an enforcer?” asked the Healer Killer.

“I’ll ask the questions,” said Dane.

“I’ll ask them too,” said the Healer Killer.

Dane rattled the trash can with his foot.

“Do as I say,” said Dane.

“I do as I want,” said the Healer Killer. “You can’t hurt me, Dane. I feel no pain. I heal from all wounds. Even the wounds you gave me.”

Black veins slithered from beneath the Healer Killer’s neck, stretching out like restless spider legs.

“Why are you an enforcer?” asked the Healer Killer.

Dane tapped his foot against the carpet.

“I tested into the enforcer program,” said Dane. “That’s the whole story. It’s not interesting –”

“Why are you an enforcer?” the Healer Killer asked again. “Jeremy became an enforcer to become stronger. Now he’s stronger than ever. But he’s not Jeremy anymore. He’s me. Why are you an enforcer –”

“My turn for a question,” said Dane. “Why are you killing healers?”

“Someone tells me to,” said the Healer Killer.

“Who?” asked Dane.

“My turn for a question,” said the Healer Killer. “Why are you an enforcer?”

Dane gritted his teeth.

“To protect people,” said Dane. “From monsters like you.”

“But I‘m human, just like you,” said the Healer Killer. “You can’t protect people. This world is destroyed already. All we can do is make a new one.”

The Healer Killer’s tongue surfaced like a swollen sea slug.

“Let this world go, Dane,” said the Healer Killer. “Let the Glitch Man finish his work –”

“The Glitch Man?” asked Dane. “So this is all connected. I knew it. The glitches. The static. Tell me how –”

“I’m just a soldier, like you,” said the Healer Killer. “I do as I’m told. I work for the Glitch Man. And he works for someone in a Haven very far away.”

“Why does he want you to kill Healers?” asked Dane.

“Why are you an enforcer?” asked the Healer Killer.

Dane kicked the trash can, nearly knocking it over.

“Answer me, damn it,” said Dane.

The Healer Killer grinned, stretching his lips past their intended length.

“Because without healers,” said the Healer Killer. “You are without hope.”

Black foam bubbled from the Healer Killer’s lips.

“If you won’t answer my questions, I won’t answer yours,” said the Healer Killer. “There’s just one more thing for me to do.”

The Healer Killer’s body wriggled and writhed, as if cultivating an alien ant farm.

“The Glitch Man prepares to emerge,” said the Healer Killer. “My brothers and sisters will emerge too. They sleep in my flesh, ready to wake.”

The Healer Killer’s nerves rebooted, recalibrating broken bones and mangled muscle into intricate circuitry of flesh.

Dane gripped the Healer Killer’s head, squeezing it between his palms. Foul breath sprayed across his face - it was a deeply human musk, like half-digested corpses seeping out from a cannibal’s gut.

“You can’t kill me, Dane,” said the Healer Killer. “It’s impossible to kill me.”

“I’m done trying to kill you,” said Dane.

Dane hoisted the wriggling body over his shoulder, tucking the decapitated head beneath his elbow.

“You can’t lock me up, Dane,” said the Healer Killer. “Hundreds of lifeforms sleep in my body. Hundreds of powers –”

“I’m not going to lock you up,” said Dane.

Dane dashed across the torn carpeting, leaping over what remained of the door.

“What will you do then?” asked the Healer Killer.

“I’m going to answer your question,” said Dane.

Dane hurried into the hall, greeted by flaring sirens and glaring lights.

“You want to know why I’m an enforcer?” asked Dane. “I joined because I have questions too.”

The Healer Killer’s clay skin blobbed across Dane’s shoulders.

“Why’s the world like this?” asked Dane. “What’s the static? What are glitches?”

“I don’t have those answers –” said the Healer Killer.

“I’m not asking you,” Dane interrupted.

Floor thirty two flashed by Dane, numbers, doors and strobing beacons blurring by his periphery.

“I can’t find answers,” said Dane. “I can only find more questions.”

A lone window awaited Dane on the other end of the hall.

Dane gripped his walkie-talkie.

“Window thirty two, C, zero-zero,” said Dane.

BZZZZZZZZZ

The window rose like a drooling jaw.

“What are you doing, Dane –” the Healer Killer began.

“I’m not like you,” Dane interrupted. “I’m not a soldier. Or a killer.”

Dane allowed himself a subtle smirk.

“I’m a healer,” said Dane.

“You’re not a healer,” said the Healer Killer. “I know all Zero Space healers.”

“I’m a real-life healer,” said Dane. “I’m going to heal the world.”

Bulging mounds of monster ripped free from the Healer Killer’s tattoos, lashing out with what Dane could only assume were claws and teeth.

“The static is a disease,” said Dane. “To cure a disease, you cure the source.”

“Where are you taking me, Dane?” asked the Healer Killer.

Eyes, tentacles and teeth tore through the Healer Killer’s flesh, seeking Dane’s.

“Until I find that source,” said Dane. “I’ll keep asking questions.”

“Dane, answer me,” said the Healer Killer.

Dane lifted the thrashing blob of monster above his head. It watched with a hundred eyes. Thrashed with a thousand appendages. Screamed with ten thousand mouths.

“In the meantime,” said Dane. “I’ll treat the symptoms.”

“Dane,” said the Healer Killer. “Wait! No, Dane –”

With a disgruntled grunt, Dane lobbed both pieces of the Healer Killer through the open window.

BZZZZZZZZZ

The window slammed shut as the Healer Killer’s wiggling body burst like an eldritch pinata. Legions of abominable abnormalities spilled into existence: A spidery hand with stingers for fingers. An inverted dog without legs. A palm tree with human palms –

Each entity ricocheted off reinforced glass and impenetrable steel, propelled into the distance by a violent violet bubble. Their formless figures disfigured as they plummeted into the darkness, swallowed by an inky maw of rain and sand.

Dane watched as the last monster faded from view.

“And that’s why I’m an enforcer,” said Dane. “Asshole.”

***

DD collapsed against his safe room floor, bleeding from at least four locations on his body.

“That’s enough, Lieutenant David,” said DD. “Please –”

Lieutenant David’s boot opened up a fifth location.

“You think all those enforcers had a chance to beg for mercy, DD?” asked Lieutenant David. “Before you ended their lives?”

“I suppose I deserve this –” said DD.

DD earned a kick to the side.

“You deserve a whole lot more, DD,” said Lieutenant David. “This is for every person you killed. And every enforcer!”

“M-Many still remain,” said DD. “There’s still hope –”

“I’m all done with your brand of hope, DD,” said Lieutenant David. “I want out of this god-forsaken Haven!”

Lieutenant David’s missile toes launched into DD’s side.

“I know you’ve got some sort of static vehicle, DD,” said Lieutenant David. “It’s your own personal escape pod. Well, now it’s going to be mine.”

Lieutenant David pulled out a small cloth map, charted with squiggles that vaguely constituted as handwriting.

“The next active Haven’s west of here,” said Lieutenant David. “It’s a three day walk. But a static vessel could get me there in three hours.”

Lieutenant David gripped DD’s collar.

“Where’s the static vessel, DD?” asked Lieutenant David. “And where’s the damn key for it?”

“T-The vehicle’s on the first floor,” said DD. “Unit 1148. But you’d have to make it past that static creature on the lower floors –”

“Static monsters are my speciality, DD,” said Lieutenant David. “I’ll handle it. Now give me the key!”

“T-There is no key,” said DD. “You need a code.”

Lieutenant David shook DD’s jacket.

“What’s the code?” asked Lieutenant David. “Give me the code!”

DD’s eyes widened as something rattled in his pocket – a pen – the same pen V gifted him long ago. It was theoretically more than a pen: it was a tool of destruction. A means of protection against Zydan, though DD now had more pressing protection-needs.

Lieutenant David shoved an armored fist through a computer console, unleashing a swarm of sparks.

“The code, DD!” Lieutenant David shouted. “The code!”

“Y-Yes,” said DD. “P-Please, be patient. I can’t think with you screaming at me.”

Lieutenant David shoved DD into a rolling chair. It drove DD like a drunken chariot, straight into the edge of a desk.

“You have ten seconds, DD,” said Lieutenant David. “Then I’ll start breaking those brittle bones of yours.”

“I-I understand,” said DD.

DD’s hand ascended towards his pocket – Lieutenant David raised his giant compound bow.

“What are you doing, DD?” asked Lieutenant David.

“I-I’m grabbing a pen,” said DD. “I suppose I’ll need to write the code down for you.”

“My memory’s just fine, DD,” said Lieutenant David. “Shout it out.”

“There’s fifteen digits,” said DD. “And they’re not numbers; they’re symbols. I suppose I could attempt to describe them –”

Lieutenant David bared two rows of browned teeth.

“Fine, DD,” said Lieutenant David. “Get your pen. Slowly.”

DD’s hand slid from his pocket, retrieving a large red pen. The pen was oversized, unfit for human hands. It was more like a novelty pen, suited for the fingers of giants.

“That’s a hell of a pen, DD,” said Lieutenant David.

“Huh,” said DD. “I suppose it’s a hell of a code.”

Lieutenant David squinted at the pen.

“Wait,” said Lieutenant David. “That’s not a pen. That’s a damn enforcer weap–”

CLICK

The beam that emerged was larger than the pen itself and redder than all of Lieutenant David’s insides combined. What remained of the enforcer captain could fit inside a pen. Not a giant novelty pen. Just a regular ballpoint pen.

DD stood in silence for several seconds.

“I-I’m sorry, Lieutenant David,” said DD. “But I suppose I must live a little longer.”

DD patted down his suit, tucking in his shirt.

“I have an overpowered dev character,” said DD. “Whatever is hurting Zero Space, I’m going to find it.”

DD slipped the sizzling pen away.

“And I’m going to kill it.”