EPISODE XVIII: THE JOB

 The four of us were sitting at a table in the back of a bar with the girl, who had introduced herself as Miriam.

“So,” I said after some silence. “Tell us about this job.”

“The king is very oppressive,” Miriam said. “He killed my sister just for swimming in a lake.”

“Where does he live?” Lilith asked.

“In a castle,” Miriam replied. “It's about seven miles east of here. I don't need to know whether or not you're going to do it, but when it's done, I'll find you.”

“Okay,” Kirina said.

Miriam got up and walked out of the bar.

“So,” Lilith said. “The world has a king now. Great.”

“I don't understand how we're supposed to get in there, kill the king, and get out without dying,” Ophelia said. “It makes no sense.”

“We don't even have weapons,” I said.

We sat silently for a moment, thinking.

“We could find a place that sells weapons, and kill the guy,” Lilith said. “We get in by requesting to speak to the king about what happened.”

“I saw a place with a bunch of Japanese shit towards the edge of the city,” Ophelia said.

“I think there's a gun store down the road from here,” I said.

“Okay,” Lilith said. “Lightning and I will take the Japanese place. You two raid the gun shop.”

The four of us got up from the table and split up.

* * *

“What would you two be looking for?” an old Asian man asked as Lilith and I walked into the Japanese weapons shop.

“Could I see some throwing stars?” I asked.

“And I would like to see a katana,” Lilith said.

He went into a back room.

“There's, like, nothing out here,” I said.

“I know, right?” Lilith replied.

The old man came out carrying the weapons we had requested.

“Can I hold the katana?” Lilith asked.

He handed it to her. She took it by the handle and swung it a few times. Then, without warning, she chopped off the Asian man's head.

“He shouldn't be a problem,” Lilith said.

“No, he shouldn't be,” I said.

The two of us took our weapons and exited the shop, not even looking back at the body.

* * *

“Whoa,” Ophelia said. “This is awesome.”

Kirina and Ophelia were in the gun shop. Ophelia had just discovered flip guns.

A flip gun, according to what the (now dead) store owner had told them, had a special, magnetic holster, and a hinge. You put the gun on the holster, which was nothing more than a metal strip, and folded the barrel down over the handle. Then, if a situation got really bad really fast, you pulled the gun off the holster. It would automatically clip to the single part of the barrel that was already attached to the handle, and you could shoot very easily. It was quicker than a normal holster and a safety, and it was more compact, so it was easier to carry.

“Then take it,” Kirina said.

Ophelia clipped the holster to her belt.

Kirina took an old, 1920's-looking machine gun, put a strap on it, and slung it over her back.

“Let's go,” she said.

The two of them sneaked out the back door and through several alleyways. They then walked through the streets to the inn we were staying at.

* * *

“So,” Lilith said as we stood around the room at the inn. “Do we understand the plan?”

“Yeah,” we all said in unison.

“Good,” she said. “Then let's go get this dick.”

TO BE CONTINUED

APRIL 25...