The Crime of Three [Ticci Toby : Masky : Hoodie: Clockwork]

Mission Two: Small Town Raid

    During the night Toby was visited by the Operator in his sleep. Again, the voice of the creature came raspy and head splitting.
"TOBY! I CALL ON YOU AGAIN TO PROVE YOUR WORTH TO ME. TO PROVE YOUR MOTHER DESERVES SAVING."
Anything to save his mother. This time he would excel though. This time he wouldn't feel the guilt or remorse. This time he'd be just like Masky and Hoody, enjoying the adrenaline of the kill.
"TOBY ARE YOU LISTENING?"

He was indeed listening. His head didn't hurt so much this time either. At least not to the point of wanting to bang it on the ground. "Y-yes! I h-hear you!"
"TOBY, YOU AND HOODY AND MASKY WILL BE RAIDING A SMALL VILLAGE OFF THE COAST OF BOMBA BAY. DO AS I SAY AND TOU MAY BE SPARED."
He knew to listen, and by now asking for further intel wasn't wise. He had learned that from previous experience.
"TOBY, DO YOU AGREE TO THIS BIDDING."
"I-I do", he shouted at the unseen entity. The blackened world suddenly shattered and Toby jolted awake. He frantically looked around the room, checking to see if he resided in the same place. He was still there.
Toby slipped out of bed stretching and yawning. He felt like this was one of the best sleeps he had had in awhile. Even with a mysterious man visiting his mind.
He walked over to the mirror staring at his reflection. You look stupid. By now the voices remark was a lame attempt. He just smiled at himself smugly and began putting his gear on. Propped against his bed was the axe he had used on their first mission. He grabbed it hastily and exited the room.
In the living room sat Hoody and Masky. "Morning Toby", Masky said calmly. "More like afternoon..." Masky nudged Hoody. "It's only midday." Toby couldn't really tell the time, nor did it matter. Since he had been here he had lost concept of time.
"R-ready to g-go?" Both stood up and walked past him. "Well aren't you eager, let's get going then!" Toby nodded, not that they were looking, and followed them out the door.
The light was bright outside. Even under Toby's burnt orange goggles he could tell. Though now that he was thinking, wasn't it dangerous to be carrying an axe in broad daylight, much less raiding an entire village. Were they even looking for anything, and if so, what was it? Hopefully one of the other two knew the details.
     After a long period of walking, they finally reached what was presumably the coast line. Along it resided a small village that didn't seem to have that advance of technology. Odd wasn't it, how something close to civilization could be so degraded. What were they getting out of this?
     "Ready", Hoody asked. Toby nodded his head, even knowing there was no plan. To him it was just a run and kill. No witnesses must be left. Just a bunch of... Murder. He shook his head of any oncoming second thoughts. Now wasn't the time for cold feet.
     They all shared glances and ran. Toby took the right, Masky the middle, and Hoody the left. Some people began to stare oddly at them, while others looked panicked. Get that one. Even though the voice couldn't point, he knew which one.
     He came upon a man who had been tending to a makeshift garden. Before Toby had time to hesitate he swung his axe at the man. The man fell, gripping his shoulder where the axe had broke his skin. The man looked at him helplessly, knowing he could do nothing. Toby took another swing, this time splitting his head. It didn't quite go all the way through, but Toby thought to the nose was enough. No time for hacking them. He had to move.
     Toby continued to slash away at people, occasionally getting approval from the two proxies when he saw them. Their optimism helped to dull out his voices that attempted to make him feel guilt for his actions.
     "I believe that's the last of them", he heard Hoody shout. "Clear here", Masky responded. "Y-yeah", Toby started. Hoody and Toby met in the middle with Masky. Walking over there, Toby got a good glance at the scattered corpses. Look what you've done. A whole village gone. You've gone crazy. He was already crazy so what does it matter... "Great job Toby. You seemed to have an easier time this mission." A faint smile formed under Toby's mask.
     After the whole murder spree they returned to their house, Hoody jubilant as ever. He described the different actions he took killing them. Almost like a child discovering something new, but without the innocence. The sound of everything still made Toby uneasy.
     "S-so did we g-get what w-we needed?" Both looked at him with confusion. "What do you mean", Masky asked. "W-well I j-just thought..." Their confusion turned to a sort of sorrow. Even after murdering a whole village, his innocence remained.
      "Toby.... We didn't--" Toby cut him off, "J-just forget I-I said a-anything." The conversation didn't push any further. "Anyone want to eat something", Hoody said trying to rid the air of awkward silence. "I-I'm gonna g-go to bed." With that Toby stood up and walked off dazed. Hoody and Masky stared at him, feeling empathy for him. Being a killer didn't necessarily devoid you of all emotion.
     Toby found himself being comforted by his bed again. Though it wouldn't for long. The blood on his clothes seeped onto the sheets causing it to smell funny. That didn't bother him though. Starting to regret it finally. "N-no." You should, you murdered a whole village. You've just put yourself in a position where they know you are able to kill, and the first time wasn't a fluke.
     A fluke? There is no fluke when it comes to murder. You either do it or you don't. Once it's done, you realize you have that sort of power. There's no going back no matter what.
They could keep you longer. "N-no.. They p-promised..." No they didn't. They made an empty gesture you fool. No... They would bring back his mom. He would see her again. Why else would he do this? He wouldn't do this without certainty. He wouldn't murder with less then 100% chance of getting his mom back!
      He screamed into his pillow as a release for the rage he was feeling. He felt so torn and frustrated. Why couldn't there be a right and wrong? Or at least one he could depict. Why did things have to seem so complicated? All of this was too much for his teenage brain.
     Toby was yanked from his thoughts when he thought he heard someone at his door. He turned his head, but no one was there. He sighed trying to calm himself. Right now, all he needed was some sleep.

A/n: hope you enjoyed this chapter! My gosh I really enjoy writing this book. Geez. Honestly I any wait to write the ending because I have such high hopes for it. But it's not the time for it. No where near time. Anyways... Have a fantabulous day! ^_^