World of Io

9. The Hit

Milo walked along the narrow paths that crisscrossed through the slums of Bankor, not yet inside the city walls. The huts surrounding him were small and low enough that he wouldn't be able to stand straight inside, their roofs tattered, walls crumbling. It was a sad sight, the filth, the obvious struggle. These people were on their own, no one cared, no one bothered to save souls already lost. Yet despite the heavy taste of despair in the air, the walk through the night soothed his soul. He was a night creature and he had spent too much time in the daylight recently, or else hadn't been able to cherish the dark. Now, he was enjoying his last night alive, and that gave him a reason to soak it in.  

The slums were quieter than during daytime, but still held a concerto of intermingling sounds. In it he heard the soft cries of a baby, halting his step, filled with confusion and a variety of unknown feelings. A baby? He had not heard of a baby being born in a very long time because who would want to bring yet another soul into a dying world. Why, and why here, in the slums?

He felt compelled to follow the sound, his steps now filled with a new purpose. As he got closer he heard small little hums together with excited cries. In the background he heard a soft voice, singing. He hid himself in the dark shadows and closed in, froze, and stood mesmerized at the scene in front of him. A young mother cradled her child with a breathtaking expression of love written across in her face. He saw a tiny little hand reach up towards the mother's hair, gripping it with chubby fingers. The display was so serene, and he felt something stir inside, something warm. He realized that he was happy for them, happy for their mutual love.

He stood there a long time, brooding, and when he finally walked away, the scene remained vivid in his mind. It was such a brave opposition to the horrors around, bringing this beautiful, innocent baby into a world like this one.

He continued until the wall loomed above him. He had scaled it before but the perilous climb still spiked his adrenaline. He was grateful for the awareness it gave, but it also made the rough texture beneath his fingers feel like broken glass, and the murky smell of mosses coming from the crevices was overwhelming.

When he was close to the top he listened for the sounds of guards on patrol. A set of footsteps passed by, and after another few heartbeats he swung himself over the ledge. The city spread out before him, and he took a moment to enjoy the view. He hated this city, but seeing it like this, from away and above, allowed him to appreciate its beauty. Also, something lingered inside of him, something new and unexpected brought forward by the mother and her child, something that made him see things differently.

Well, he was here for a reason, and it was time to find his death.

-----

Vigilante approached the safe house, hidden in plain sight along a row of identical houses. To anyone else it would look like an ordinary home, but to her it was something else. It was her check point in Bankor, and her best shot at finding Milo even if she couldn't be sure that this safe house was used by any other of Spider's protégées.

She slowed her horse and jumped off, tying the animal to a pole out front. She looked up at the dark brick building, its height and austere decorations stating the status of those in residence. A ruse, and it worked. It had been used for several years and it still remained "safe". Candles flickered visibly behind the darkened windows, so someone was definitely home. Since she knew that all available entrances would alert those inside, she decided to walk in through the main door. After all, she had been hired by its owner to kill the person who was most likely on the inside already.

She heard muffled voices as she held her ear against the front door, two of them. She took a deep breath, and knocked.

"Well, I must say this was rather unexpected dear," Spider's soothing voice said, almost allowing her to forget why she was here.