Dead Men Bleed

Notes and Messages

"S-sir." A voice cracked on the speaker with a static shrill.
Billy grunted in irritation as he pressed the button. He was doing a recreational snort before he was rudely interrupted.
"This better be good or one of you shits is gettin' killed. What is it?"
He lifted his thick finger off the button. He took another snort off the desk. The intercom shrieked again.
"You need to see this. For yourself."
He gave out a whiney and frustrated wail. He snatched his blue jacket off a hook by the doors.

The court yard was green and vivid unlike the rest of the city. A crowd swarmed around the iron gates. Murmurs filled the football field sized court yard.
"Holy shit.." One thug whispered.
"Who the fuck did this?...." A guard questioned.
"Move away!" Blackhand ordered with a roar. "Get away! Lemme through!"
The crowd split apart, opening a clear path for Billy to walk. A hoarse cry floated around, growing louder as he approached.
A man was laid out on the ground, his hands were restrained with duct tape.
"Ahuugghh....ahhuugghh...." The body sobbed out.
"What in God's name?..." Billy was in shock, his jaw dropped a good few inches.
The body had large burn circles, the flesh was bubbly and pink of raw flesh. Cuts and abrasions decorated his back. A long strand of tape concealed his mouth.
Billy got down on one knee beside the man. He gently turned the man over. "AAGGGHH!!" The man squealed as Billy touched his wounds. His eyes were swollen. The left was completely shut. Black and blue tones surrounded the puffed up eye. His right eye had a long slash going from his hair line down to his jaw. Tears streamed from his pink eye.
"Jesus H. Christ.....who did this?"
His front was worse. His sternum was pure pink. Slashes stretched across the burnt areas. Dry blood flaked off of his chest. "Aughh.." He moaned in pain. On his right breast, just below the collar bone, was an "M". Not written. The "M" was carved into his skin.
One of the guards gagged as he separated the piece of tape, freeing his hands. His fingernails were ripped completely off. The red coated flesh pulsed, revealing a nerve.
Billy slowly pulled the tape off. Blood dribbled from his swollen lips. He stopped pulling when his lips were fully revealed. It was O'Neil. The poor bastard.
"What happened, O'Neil?"
O'Neil stayed silent. He didn't utter a sound. Instead, something began to push out of his mouth. Something as black as ash.
"Fuhpuh." He forced the small object out. It tumbled down his chest and rested on his lap.
Billy rolled the object in his fingertips. The surface was rough. Ash sprinkled like powder off of the stone. He looked back to O'Neil. His jaw struggled to even open.
His whole mouth was raw. Pieces of his tongue were burnt off. Holes formed on the roof of his mouth.
"Holy shit...."
His right eye gazed down to his pants. Blackhand followed his stare. He was looking down at his pocket. Hesitantly, he wiggled his index and middle finger, feeling crumpled paper close to the opening.
He clawed at the paper and yanked it out. It was folded long way. He unfolded, anxiety began to creep in on him. No one has ever done such a thing to Billy. Even vigilantes didn't muster the balls to do this.
His jaw dropped again as he read the note.
"Give me Avirace!- Max" was written in crimson.
"Who the hell is-"
It hit him like a meteor hits the ground. That new guy. The new vigilante. Max Ammo.