Write to Rank Submissions

Round 2 - Live By The Gun

The smell of burning wood filled the Monteverde Cloud Forest. The birds had long since evacuated after the bloodcurdling scream that had come from the now-burning cabin.

Moss, an experienced mercenary and the cause of the fire, eyed his handiwork silently. He didn't know the details of his recent victim, he had long since stopped asking for information once his requested kills reached the one million price range. 

This particular job had made him two million richer, more than enough to settle down for the average person, but Moss was now addicted to the thrill of the hunt. The feeling of being a predator bearing down on his unfortunate prey.

Just then he heard the crunch of a branch right behind him. The sound was far too loud to be a small animal and no large animal would be attracted to fire.

He whirled around just in time to see a figure launch at him, tackling him to the floor. His pistol fell to the floor but he reacted almost instinctively, punching his perpetrator and following it up with a sharp elbow to the masked figure's jaw.

The figure reeled from the combo, giving him enough time to kick the person off. He rolled toward his gun but his attacker was no slouch either, kicking him in the abdomen before he could reach his gun.

Pain shot through his body from an old wound and he cringed as the masked figure threw himself back onto him, pinning him down with his knee lodged into his injury. 

It was almost like the figure knew exactly where his injury was.

"Who are you?" Moss asked, panting heavily.

The masked figure said nothing, pulling out a gun of his own and pointing it at Moss' head. 

This wasn't how it was supposed to be, enemies were dead how could he have become the prey?

"Who are you?"

"CIA agent at your service," the masked figure cockily confessed. "You've racked up quite an impressive kill list of important figures recently."

Moss breathed heavily as the figure put more pressure on his abdomen. "What? I was endorsed by the CIA for this job."

The masked figure laughed. "A trap, one that the great Moss fell for."

Moss looked up in disbelief. "Why would the CIA want me dead?"

"You've become quite the nuisance, Moss. Accepting jobs from criminals of the underworld."

"But...I'm just the gun, I don't give the order."

"Don't be daft. You have a conscience and the ability to make your own decisions."

Moss glanced at his gun out of reach. So many men he had killed with it and now it eluded him in his darkest moment.

"You could've settled down but you got too greedy, too arrogant. A man of legend with no integrity is no better than the ants that reside in this forest."

Moss struggled, surely he wouldn't die here, with no friends or family to speak of. He still had a life to live, things that he now realized he hadn't done.

The CIA agent shook his head. "You live by the gun..."

Bang.

You die by it.