Akumi: Redemption

Undead Nightmares

After receiving his first bounty via a sleek, high-tech cellphone Akumi had given him, James embarked on a mission to track down a pair of undead female twin assassins named Killana and Killara. The two were notorious for multiple counts of murder, corporate assassination, and, bizarrely enough, prostitution. When they weren't executing high-profile hits, the twins were selling their undead services to the lonely and sexually frustrated men of Spug City for a surprisingly reasonable price. Perhaps their competitive rates stemmed from their lack of freshness, but who could really say?

According to the intel on his newly acquired phone, the zombie sisters were last spotted in the seediest part of Spug City, a district known for its dark alleys and questionable inhabitants. Upon arriving, James began to ask around about the whereabouts of the undead duo. The responses he received were intriguing, to say the least. Most people were too frightened to speak, while others cast him strange, wary glances. One anonymous tipster suggested he head to the local dive bar just across the street, a place where information flowed as freely as the cheap liquor.

The bar was a typical rundown establishment with morally ambiguous patrons crowding the dimly lit space. As James entered, he was greeted by a cornucopia of beings from various species, not just humans. A group of burly trolls hunched over a poker game in one corner, while a quartet of elves laughed and threw dice in another. The atmosphere was a cacophony of voices, the air thick with smoke and the smell of stale beer. Yet, despite the lively crowd, all eyes turned to him as he made his entrance.

The tension in the room was palpable. James felt the weight of dozens of gazes, some hostile, others merely curious. Many of the non-human patrons bared their teeth at him in a display of subtle aggression, while others whispered and pointed. As an African American man from 1899, James was no stranger to being hated for no reason, but this situation was different. Ignoring the hostility wasn't an option; he needed to be vigilant.

He approached the bar with measured steps, his senses on high alert. As he took a seat, a drink was slid in front of him by the female bartender. She wasn't human, but her features were familiar, resembling the non-human woman he had encountered at the hospital. Unlike many of the other patrons, she seemed more amiable, possibly drawn to his dark aura. However, James wasn't here to socialize. He had a job to do and was determined to see it through.

"I ain't order no drink."

The female bartender gave him a very flirtatious smile as she lustfully licked her lips, her eyes gleaming with a predatory interest.

"Eh, on the house handsome, enjoy. So what brings you to this part of town. Here on business."

James picked up the glass full of what appears to be liquor. The aroma was particularly strong, clearly it was more on the pricey side. James couldn't fathom what kind of alchohol he was drinking. But he was still focusing on his mission, he looked to the bartender to ask her about the two bounties he was searching for.

"I'm lookin' for a pair of twin assassins. They're called Killana and Killara. You wouldn't happen to know their whereabouts, would ya?"

The female bartender gave James a look of disappointment as she pulled out a cigarette, taking a long, contemplative drag before finally giving him an answer.

"Oh, I see. So, which service are you trying to get from those two exactly? You wanna do them, or do you need them to off somebody?" she said disappointedly.

"Neither, the bounty on those two is mighty high, and I'm aimin' to collect."

A slight laugh left her lips, tinged with both relief and concern. She extinguished her cigarette and fixed her gaze on James, wanting to fully convey the gravity of the situation he was about to find himself in.