Codename:nine

Welcome to the deep ends

I pull my hood up, exit the building and went down to the streets. It's dark out, and there's not much people in this time of day, which means it's time for them to come out, mercenaries, assassins, criminals, and other shady folk.

But for me, It's a good time for a drink, I enter an alleyway into the deeper and lesser known parts of the area. After a few minutes of walking, I come upon a lone bar in a pretty narrow path. I walk up some stairs and knock on the steel door. "P a s s w o r d" a deep robotic voice calls out, "Nine" I said sternly, my voice clear yet muffled, due to the mask. "E n t e r" I hear a click and the door opens with a soft creak, I enter and the door closes behind me, I immediately notice the faint jazz music in the distance, which grows louder and clearer as I went inside further.

I reached a large area with tables and booths, a stage area on the side, and a bar in the middle. Almost immediately everyone looks at me, and the jazz music stops. I pull my hood down and take off my mask revealing my face and I put my hands up "woah, calm down guys, it's just me, no need to be so tense." I say out loud. "Well if it isn't the big bad wolf himself! You've been away for quite some time, where have you been?" A collective gasp can be heard from the patrons As a tanned skinned man, with green eyes, and long curly hair dressed in a bartender's outfit came out from the back. "It's a long story Vee, but I would happily tell you over a few drinks. And as a little homecoming present. Drinks on me guys!" Cheers were heard from all over the bar and the jazz music starts again.

I walk over to the bar, took a seat, and put down my mask, Vee approaches me and sets down a glass of their best drink. "I'm gonna guess, the usual?" Vee asks. I lift the glass and took a small sip "You know me too well Vee." I responded, and we share a laugh. "So, mind telling me about you're latest shenanigans?" I took another sip from my drink and set it down. "Came in expecting them to ask me to put a guy down, as it turns out they were asking me to rescue a stuck up, rich man's daughter from the citadel since she was kidnapped by some deep ends mafia. I was looking all over for information for a few days, which led me somewhere in the middle of Mantle, guys were smart for hiding in such a popular area in Mantle I'll give them that. But they weren't smart enough for me." I took another swig of my drink. "So, did you went in guns blazing?" Vee says with a smile. "As fun as that sounds no, some dudes look pretty tough so I had to play it safe. But I ended up killing some of them after taking the girl on the way out. I did left them a small gift though." I finished my drink and set the empty glass down. "What was it?" Vee asked in anticipation.

*quick cut*

A building in a crowded area explodes and goes up in flames as people are screaming and running away from the explosion.

*cut back*

"Well let's just say things got pretty explosive. The chaos provided enough cover for us to escape." Vee provides another glass for me and I took another sip. "Oh so that was you who did it, should have guessed, it was all over the news. How did you not get caught?" Vee was cleaning a glass as I stare at my drink. "Had to hide for a couple of days, it was shitty to say the least, having to stay in one place while baby sitting a noisy kid is not good for your sanity. She just won't shut up. In the end it was all pretty worth it since the guy paid me a huge amount of credit." I downed the whole glass and gently set it down the counter. "So, this mafia dudes, who they working for?" I paused for a while, trying to find an answer. "I think it was some guy named Loyce. Sound faimiliar?"
Vee puts a hand to his chin. "No, not at all." Interesting, "It's either their very well hidden, or that they're very stupid. But then again, they did manage do kidnap a rich man's daughter without getting caught." I thought to myself. I put my hand in my right pocket and took out a credit card and gave it to Vee. He took it, scanned it and gave it back. "You sure you aren't gonna stay a little longer?" Vee looks at me as I got up, took my mask, and put it back on. "I'm a very busy man Vee, I got things to do. Maybe some other time." I turned around and walked towards the exit, but before I do Vee calls out. "Stay safe out there Nine, don't wanna see ya as just another body in the streets." I shot him a quick glance. "I can take care of myself Vee, besides, I don't go down that easily." Having said that, I exit the bar.

I was once again embraced by the silence of the streets, as I make my way towards a well known gunsmith in the area I spot it at the side of a street, right in between two shops, with a bright neon sign that says "Ammunation" I walked inside, a smile chime sounding off as I enter, I take a look around and it looks just like your common gun shop, different firearms displayed in glass casing and shelves, with a door in the side that leads to a shooting range. My thoughts were interrupted as a voice calls out "I was expecting you for quite some time Nine, what took you so long?" Standing behind a counter was a bulky, bald, caucasian man with brown eyes, and one mechanical arm, wearing a blacksmith's apron, underneath was a brown shirt, camouflage pants with a pair of boots, and a pair of goggles strapped to his head. "Long story Frank, but anyways, I came for the package." He nods at me and gives me a smile. "I'll be right back." He goes inside the back of the shop, and comes back out with a small box in hand. "Here you go, custom made just for you." I approach the counter, and inspected the box, it looks like a small chest, just enough to fit a weapon in. I open the box and smiled in amazement.

Inside was a revolving hand cannon, with a black body and orange decals. I took it my hand, it was pretty light, with enough weight to it. "Not bad, this bad boy looks like it can pack a punch." I looked back at Frank. "That it does my friend, here's some ammo and its holster." He sets down a box of rounds and gives me a brown belt with a place to put the ammo in and a holster for the gun. I put on the belt, loaded the gun and put the remaining bullets in the pocket, I spun the gun in my hand and put it in its holster. "Thanks a lot for this Frank, and I believe you already received the payment a week ago." I began walking towards the exit. "No problem Nine, and please, do come back if you require my assistance." I turn around, gave him a nod, and exit the shop.

I began the long walk to make my way home, I decided to take a look at my sorroundings, though the streets was almost empty, there was still people walking around, I take a look at the alleys and saw a group guys beating up another man, anotther man, some guys were selling drugs, others were drunk and passed out. Hell I even found a young couple getting pretty, intimate. These are the things you get used to when you live in the deep ends.

I decide to take a shortcut to make my trip a bit quicker. I turned a corner where the street is empty and the lights are barely reaching it.
As I was walking I hear several footsteps emerging from every angle, as five bulky, and heavily cybernetically enhanced men began to sorround me, armed to the teeth. The one infront of me pointed a gun towards my head. I breathed a heavy sigh, "come on guys, we've all got places to be. Why don't we just talk this one out?" The one pointing a gun towards me spoke. "The boss Loyce has been looking for you, said you caused him a lot of trouble. We were sent to clean up the mess." They slowly walk towards me. "The boss also told me to tell you something. Its from a friend of yours he said." I looked at me straight in the eyes. "Oh, and what might that be?" I look at him with a cold, dead, stare. "Zero sends his regards." As those words echo through my head, my right eye, as well as all the lines in my arms and the ring in the middle of my chest began to glow a bright red as anger slowly seeps in to me. I throw off my cloak and prepared for a fight. "After this is done, I want all of you, to go back to your boss and tell him, to tell Zero."

"That Nine says to go fuck yourself."

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And that's chapter two, how you guys liking this so far?
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