Angel's Authority

Part Two, Chapter Forty: Closure

Based on the Volition Inc.™ game: Saints Row 2™

THE BOSS

I had not once visited the church since Carlos had told me that it was tightly monitored by Ultor and not advisable to use as a headquarters. But so far, there was nothing there. Not even one soldier.

I entered through the front door, remembering the first time that I came here. Right after my stay at the hospital and after meeting Shelly; the first person that gave me hope for this place to be eventually rid of the Sins' influence.

I had not met Johnny and the others on my way out of Philips Building. But the church was just around the corner anyway. Nothing about it had changed. Not the exterior, neither how it looked like from the inside. Every bit of furniture and decoration had been untouched.

"Julius!"

I shouted and my voice echoed back to me from the walls of the large space. It really had not changed a bit, I almost could not wrap my head around it. Perhaps a little more decaying but nonetheless just as equally disgusting like it had been five years ago.

I heard him or something else stir behind the wall where his office had once been and released a bullet into his stomach once he showed his stupid face around the corner, making him fall and slide down against the wall. How have I ever thought about recruiting him again? Snake.

"It's you again..."

He coughed. I must have hit some major organ that he was forced to cough blood. The more pain he was in, the better. He was the reason everything here had happened.

"...Is it because I took your car? Don't worry, it's safely parked outside..."

I scoffed. If it was only about Lin's car, I would have thought of something different.

"You know why I'm here, Little. Why did you do it...? You had the city in your pocket! It would have been free of violence!"

Now, Julius was scoffing. Or coughing, I could not tell.

"We were Vice Kings, wearin' purple, playa. My dream was no longer worth dreaming..."

I stepped closer, taking a seat behind him.

"Every dream is worth dreaming, Little. And so, what? You decide to blow us up? You killed a beautiful human being and someone who promised to keep the city safe. Despite Alderman Hughes being just as much an asshole as you, he had a vision..."

Before he could even react, I turned towards him and leaned closer.

"And Little: Don't dare to use his name. Not for me, nor for anyone else."

I raised my hand and placed my last bullet into his temple, splattering the wall behind us and my expensive jacket with blood.

"Asshole..."

I mumbled under my breath, stood up and walked back out of the church. If I had the opportunity, I would burn this place to the ground. Once, I exited I was faced with a sight that I did not expect.

A helicopter, parked right in front of my car with a man standing in front of that. I aimed my gun although it was empty but he didn't know that.

"Don't worry, ma'am! I just want to talk to you."

He shouted to be heard over the rotors of the helicopter. I did not know why but from all the people I had met, he seemed the most trustworthy. And he was unarmed.

What did I have left but to follow him into the helicopter? I knew how to kill even without a weapon. I walked up to him and he gave me a nod as I passed him and entered the helicopter. He did so merely seconds after me.

A sigh exited the man's mouth as he unclasped the lid of the metal briefcase that was resting next to his seat. My grip tightened around Carlos' pistol but that did not seem to affect him in any way. He did not even blink.

He opened the briefcase and took out a heap of papers which he carefully placed into his lap, unified the edges, knocked behind him to signal the pilot to take off before he closed the door and offered me all of his attention with a smile.

"We got off on the wrong start with you and I humbly apologize..."

He began, stretching out his hand for me to shake. Confused as I was, I swapped the gun into the other hand to be able to shake his. If I only had the ability to read minds, it would have made things a lot easier right now.

"...On behalf of Ultor International Inc., I would like to propose something to you: a deal..."

He continued and I was too baffled to speak. He took this as a sign to keep on with his planned speech.

"...My name is Eric Gryphon, Vice President of the Ultor board and am here to present to you something that you would be stupid for refusing..."

In this moment of being calmed down by his quiet voice, I felt the cold leave my body. Felt the suffocating grip let go of me. How long did they have this hold over me? What had I done?