The Start Of Something Great

Helping a Friend

Ren's POV: Jan. 13, 1237
Daturn, Saso City

Walking into the apartment complex, I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling settling in my gut. They had reached out before, but they had never resorted to a marker to get my attention. Something big was going down, and it had to be serious. Standing in front of the door, I felt a brief wave of relief when I didn't hear any sounds of struggle inside. I knocked on the metal door three times. Knock, knock, knock. After a few seconds, the door swung open, and Loona grabbed me by the arm, pulling me inside.

"Took you long enough," she said, dragging me into her bedroom.

"Well, I had to make an excuse to get away from my team," I replied.

She shut the door behind us, hitting a button that caused a board to descend from the wall, revealing a collection of photographs. Each person had an "X" scratched through their face, signaling their death. As the board settled into place, only one person remained untouched: Carter Redfield.

"Loona, what the hell is going on?" I asked, eyeing her with concern.

She turned to face me, her expression tense. "Carter Redfield. He's my last target. Once he's gone, I'm out."

I stared at her in disbelief. "Are you out of your mind? The Redfields have controlled the Russian Mafia for centuries. You're asking me to help you take down the current head? The odds are stacked against us, Loona."

Her desperation was evident as she looked at me, pulling out the marker. "You're the only one who can help. You've been through it. You made it out, and you know how they operate. Please, I need you. I can't back out now."

She opened the marker to reveal my thumbprint in blood. That was the only sign I needed. "Fine, I'll help, but after this, you're done. No more of this life. Don't let them pull you back in."

Loona nodded in agreement. She hit another button, and the room shifted, revealing weapons stashed in various compartments. She grabbed a suitcase and tossed it on the bed, opening it to reveal my old suit. As I went to change, she handed me a black balaclava with an Oni half-mask.

"What's this for?" I asked.

"It's to hide your face," she replied, putting her own mask on.

I put it on, then grabbed the weapons: a Mastiff shotgun, an R-201, a P2016, and a RE-45. I grabbed the appropriate magazines, loading them into the respective weapons and holstering them where they felt most comfortable. Loona grabbed her own gear, including an R-101, P2011, and a B3-Wingman, along with enough magazines to last us through the job.

We geared up quickly, and Loona opened the door. We made our way out of the apartment building and onto the busy streets. With the typical hustle and bustle of the city, it was easy to blend in, but there was still a sense of tension hanging in the air.

Loona hailed a cab, and we climbed in. The driver gave us a strange look as we settled into the back.

"Kanpaki Plaza," Loona ordered, handing over an agency coin. The driver raised an eyebrow at me, but I only gave him a short nod. He didn't ask further questions and took us to our destination.

As Kanpaki Plaza came into view, Loona turned to me. "The plan is simple. We walk in, sign in as Kayla and Hank Star. We take the elevator to the 67th floor, hit the fire emergency button, and then climb on top of the elevator. From there, we enter the ventilation system and move through it to Carter's room. We stash the guns downstairs on the way in, and pick them up again on the way out if we need them."

I raised a hand. "What about cameras?"

Loona smirked. "IR LEDs built into the masks. They'll keep us hidden even with the masks on."

The cab stopped at the entrance of Kanpaki Plaza, and we got out, the building looming above us. We walked inside, the receptionist greeting us. Loona gave her a nod, and we continued to the elevators. After signing in, we took the elevator up to the 67th floor. Once the doors closed, Loona hit the panic button, and the elevator came to a halt. We climbed up onto the roof, and Loona started removing the grate for the ventilation shaft.

"Come on, we don't have all day," she urged, climbing into the vent.

We crawled through the ducts for about ten minutes until we arrived at the grate just outside Carter's room. Loona whispered, "Here we are."

I drew my RE-45 and adjusted my jacket, preparing for whatever came next. Loona unholstered her P2011 and motioned for me to follow her. She kicked the grate off, and we dropped into the room.

The two guards in front of us barely had time to react. We moved quickly: I shot the man closest to me in the leg, then used his body as a shield, allowing me to take out the second guard with a headshot. Loona made short work of the others.

We were in.

The sounds of chaos echoed from outside the room, and I signaled to Loona to breach. We kicked open the door and charged in, Loona immediately engaging the guards in the room.

The firefight was intense. I used the pillars for cover, taking down one of the guards with a couple of quick shots to the chest, while Loona handled the others. Her precision was brutal, dispatching her targets with surgical efficiency.

Then, one of the guards got the drop on me. A six-foot-one Russian brute, his eyes full of rage. He grabbed me by the throat and tossed me across the room like I was nothing. I slammed into a pillar, my ribs cracking from the impact. Gritting my teeth, I managed to reload my pistol and get back on my feet.

I fired at him, but my shot only grazed his side. That was enough to make him angry. He pulled out a knife, and I scrambled to defend myself. I threw a punch at his wound, momentarily stunning him, and followed it up with a roundhouse kick that sent him stumbling backward. I pulled my P2016 and shot him in the head before he could recover.

When I turned back around, Loona was on top of the last guard, struggling with him as she drove her knife into his throat. The fight was over, and Carter Redfield was next.

We made our way to the bedroom. Carter stood there with a Wingman Elite aimed at us. I fired first, knocking his weapon out of his hands, and we closed in. With his hands raised, Carter knew his time had come. Loona and I positioned ourselves, aiming at his head.

"Any last words?" Loona asked him in Russian.

"Fuck you!" he spat, his voice full of defiance.

Without another word, we pulled the triggers. Bang, bang.

We left him there, laying him down and crossing his arms. An old tradition, pennies over the eyes to pay the ferryman.

As we turned to leave, we heard a knock at the door. Loona opened it, and the receptionist stood there with our bags. She froze when she saw the bodies, but didn't say a word.

"Good night?" Loona asked, her voice smooth.

I couldn't help but smirk at the receptionist's silence. "Yes. Are you new to this?"

She nodded, and we exchanged understanding glances before Loona grabbed the bags, and we made our way out.

Once we were in the cab, Loona settled back in her seat, removing her mask. The driver raised an eyebrow at the blood stains, but didn't ask questions.

"Good night?" he asked.

"Afraid so," Loona answered with a small smile.

As we drove away, she laid her arm on my leg. "I can't wait for us to be free from the agency."

"Me too," I replied, my eyes on the road ahead. "Me too."