Decimated Skies and One Shot Lies

Chapter 1

The sky was bleak. Just mottled grey that stretched far beyond the decimated city skyline into nothingness, the crumbling skyscrapers matched the dreary overhang perfectly in this dismal dystopia. Mortal man should never play God, what they created in that lab was death and misery labelled as DMH77. The city however was not silent, far from it, the corpses of the infected and in some cases pieces were piling up amidst the noise. At the heart of the anarchy was a man with messy, dirty blonde hair and grey eyes they called him Stock after his birthplace Stockholm, his real name was too difficult to pronounce. Next to him firing pistols was a short African-American woman with hair as wild as she, you never crossed her and lived, her name was Nikki Kennedy or NK for short. Steve, Stew and Stan were circus performers and easily evaded the biting teeth of the enemy with their somersaults and back-flips, they usually acted as diversions so Alex could open fire. Alex was just Alex, nobody knew who he was or where he came from but he was an expert with guns and homemade ammunition, he set the city ablaze with Molotov's and machine gun fire, no one had racked up as many kills as him. He was as fearsome as he was mysterious with long dark hair and dark eyes that revealed nothing, on his left check lay a long scar without cause or story it just gaped at the onlooker begging for them to question it. Around him the world exploded and bodies flew everywhere, his path of destruction was clear and soon enough the entire area was cleared of the infected. Or at least that is what they thought. The gunfire was replaced with the exasperated breaths of adrenaline deprived bodies, as the fight set in the more tired they became and instead of continuing they sat down among the dead. A small bubble of chatter enveloped them, all except Alex who silently tended to his weapons and began crafting new ones. 

Their minds occupied with laughter and glory ignored the silent creaking and clicking that encircled them. When the senses are let down anything can happen. It was only when it was too late when they realized that a new hoard of the infected had closed in and surrounded them, Alex readied his machine gun but his ammo stocks were dwindling and NK had spent all of her bullets. Within a few short blasts they were defenseless and their fate sealed. Stock opened his mouth ready to say his goodbyes to his companions but was cut short by a flash of black that darted from oblivion. The blur set about in reckless motion slashing with expert precision, the blades that were clasped in hands danced in mad rhythm washing the old pavements in vermilion rivers. Too stunned to move they watched as the mystery from above rained her terror upon the oncoming swarm, it was within a matter of minutes that the blur had halved the numbers. Without faltering a voice came from the being 

"Don't just stand there, run!" following the group she ran in close proximity keeping close guard. They reached safety gasping for air and legs shaking from the chase. Now the fight was over they could see their guardian properly, she had short jagged black hair and white skin covered in dirt and old wounds. A pair of blue eyes shone from the abyss and fixated themselves firmly on Alex almost trying to peel away his layers like old paint. She was his polar opposite. Her bright eyes and delicate proportions gave an illusion of a damsel unworthy of wielding a sword but she had proved herself more than worthy. 

"Who are you?" Stock looked at her suspiciously. 

"Bandit. Don't bother asking me anything else because I am not staying for a chat or a run up on my life." She turned to make her leave but Stock continued 

"You saved our lives, join us we would love you to be a part of our team." 

"Thanks but no thanks. Just keep yourselves outta trouble and you'll be fine" they left her walk away. Yet something nagged at Alex's mind, Bandit's fighting was unlike anything he had seen and she would be an asset to them. No it was more than that, she looked at him like she knew, she understood how precious it was to remain anonymous. He walked after her without explanation. 

"Don't follow me." She did not turn around but just stopped walking 

"Stay." Silence fell for a moment and then she turned around 

"Why do you stay with them? They don't understand you." 

"Stay. Please" She looked at him, the word 'please' ran through her body like a shiver. She knew she had to stay.

"Fine. I'll stay." She looked at her battered black boots and then back up to Alex, avoiding his gaze as she walked back next to him.