• Within the month Cole came to see me I was once again in the walls of the great continent; Infira. I wasn't familiar with the history behind the continents but I heard that each one belonged to one of seven gods and goddesses. I never went to school so I really can't inform anyone about it to save my life. What I did know was that Infira was a the most populated of the seven continents. The land made it so great cities like Constantine, Constance, Dulcet and Weatherhill can exist. Right now I was back where it all started; the greatest city of all the world. Constantine.
    But this time I was alone. The goodbye with the only person I really talked to was more difficult than I expected. It was then I realized Uhali kept me from going insane. I didn't tell her the things that burdened me, but people weren't meant to be isolated and alone. I realize that now.
    But now this gave her a chance to get along with the other kids and make new friends. The truth was I couldn't be there all her life. I couldn't raise a kid. I was only a kid myself.
    Raven could though. She raised me when she was still so young.
    "Are you Lobo?" a suit said as he stepped out from a black car with deep tinted windows. He wore conspicuous shades along with his little Black Collar ensemble; the sign of a top henchman.
    "I'm he," I replied and lifted up a large duffel bag full of my belongings. There wasn't much in it besides seven teddy bears named after the seven dwarves, the two pistols Amelia gave me as a parting gift, a bunch of money, and one katana. When...Killer Wraith...and I had our final battle, she managed to destroy the two blades I used back then; the Lighting and the Rook. It was a nightmare I wanted to forget about...the identity of the greatest Killer in the world...and finishing her off for the final time...it sent me into recluse. Anyway, now I was stuck with this little no name thing. I found it buried in the sand back in the Scrap Pile. It was a lucky find if anything, but it was still a piece of crap. Although I could probably give someone some really nasty tetanus.
    The fight with Killer Wraith sent me into a world of loneliness though. For a moment I wanted to be a weakling, just so I had no chance of being the strongest and having to go through the pains. It's lonely at the top. The only person who matched me was nowhere to be found, Isis betrayed me, and now I'm working for a great enemy from my past. Uhali was all I had, and now she was halfway across the world. But I had to do something. Atrophy wasn't a death I wanted to go with. I rather choke on food.
    "Mr. Cole is waiting for results already. He's a man that doesn't like to wait. You understand why he doesn't want to see you until the deal is done though, right?"
    "Because I attract too much attention, I got it." It's true since I got here parents have been shielding their kid's eyes from me and bystanders would rush past me to get away. It would be known before the day's end that Lobo de la Muerte was back in town.
    The suit nodded stiffly. "Right. We've been told to give you anything you'll need. You can contact us at this number." He handed me a small card with a barcode on it. I needed to decode it on my own. These guys were playing hardball.
    "Call us when you figure anything out." With that, he headed back to the car.
    "You guys aren't going to give me a ride?"
    "Too risky. There's a hotel down the block. We'll pay for it of course. Good luck."
    The car took off quickly like they were trying to lose a tail. Bastards! Making me walk! I'll remember this.
    It wasn't really a long walk at all but I was a really lazy guy. They couldn't just drive me down the block though? They were even headed in the same direction.
    I came on boat so I was still in the harbor district. The hotel was pretty nice, with a little pirate theme going on. Everything was made of the same wood they used to make piers, but very smoothed out. They left small gaps to see the water below, but other than that it was a secure building. Just one problem.
    I was terrified of tsunamis. The idea of one at a place like this was unnerving. What if I was sleeping and suddenly a massive tidal wave came out of nowhere? There was no chance in hell this place was going to stand it.
    But I was too tired to really give a crap at the moment. That and I guess death wouldn't be all too bad. There was no real purpose in life anymore. Get the job done and that's that. I wasn't even that mad at Guile anymore. That little incident happened years ago. It takes up too much energy to hold a grudge.
    I was starting to sound like a living contradiction. A guy too lazy to do anything but doesn't want to die from atrophy. Sometimes I don't even know what I am anymore. I was over the whole 'need to be the Best Killer' phase. Now I just wanted to...I don't even know what I want to do. What was there left to do? Whore myself out to some big a** corporation and live the good life? I don't know why, but I had a big problem with that. It's a rags-to-riches story, just like the one I wanted back then when I started, but now I don't really want anything. It's been like this ever since the Killer Wraith fiasco. My whole world suddenly went to s**t. Her identity...it was so damn shocking, but I knew I should have expected that. It was like straight out of a movie.
    "How long will you be staying here for?" one of the cleverly dressed up wenches at the check-in desk asked.
    "However long this gets me." I shoved a stack of hundred dollar bills toward her, trying to get the key quick so I can get a move on. I really needed to sleep.
    "Errrr...sir...are you...are you a Black–"
    "Yes I'm a ********' Black Worker. Just give me the damn key."
    "Yes sir! I'm sorry sir!" The frightened woman swiped the key card through the little encryption machine and handed it to me. "And of course your stay is free of charge!" She started to push the money back toward me.
    "No, keep the money. See, I pay you for the room. You keep the money. See?"
    "Sir it's quite alright I'm sure my boss–"
    "You. Take money. Go. Take it."
    "Are you sure sir? I am absolutely positive my boss won't mind at all."
    "Yes, I'm sure. Keep it. It's dead weight. Just don't bother me."
    It was about three pounds off my bag. I could barely tell the difference, but I was freaking rich. It didn't matter if I spent a thousand here or there. I didn't need a trillion dollars. I needed to move around and flex my muscles was all. This job was something to do, and really I wasn't expecting much of a problem.
    My room was nice and cozy, complete with a queen size bed, a thirty-two inch T.V., and a nice view of the ocean. Even thought tsunamis scared me shitless, the ocean was still a pretty sight. The sound of waves gently riding over the sand was a welcomed comfort too. Within moments I was on the bed, snoozing away...

    I had the same dream I did every night since I fought Killer Wraith. That raven black hair stained with blood, those dark gray eyes almost glowing red with desire to kill, and that terrifying grin as she said "Look at my baby now...". The bloodlust in her eyes during our fight...she wanted to Kill me. And when I laid the final Killing blow, I saw a newfound pride in me in them...and an unreadiness to die. That was the most horrifying part. That last look of fear. What did she see? As she was dying, what laid before her eyes that could have scared her? I can't imagine anything that could scare her...she was the scariest person I've ever come across. Is death a stronger opponent?

    A blaring ring suddenly went off only a foot away from my ear. It took me awhile to remember that it was a phone. My hand shot over to it and knocked it off the receiver to silence the noise. It took awhile longer to answer the call.
    "Hello..." I said meekly, my eyes still closed.
    "...Lobo...?" Isis' voice. Suddenly my eyes were wide open.
    "You have a lot of nerve calling me b***h," I spat venomously. "What went through your stupid head when you gave Cole my location?"
    "...I'm sorry..."
    "Or did you forget that I worked under you to take out his ships? Did you forget that he was my enemy too?"
    "...I'm sorry..."
    "Or maybe you wanted me out of the equation now that I'm the strongest alive? You didn't trust me and you thought someone would hire me to take you out."
    "NO! THAT'S NOT TRUE!" she shouted. I could hear a slam on the other end of the line. She must have hit her desk in anger. "You are my friend, and I love you! When we became more than friends...even for just a moment...I believed that I could never bring myself to hurt you. And yes that thought did cross my mind. You're so unpredictable I wondered if you would actually turn against me...but I never thought of hurting you. When...when he made an offer to me in turn for my help, I only had my success in mind. I knew it was a bad idea but I believed you could defend yourself...but I see now that still isn't an excuse. I betrayed you...and I can only keep apologizing until you forgive me..."
    "...I'm not in a forgiving mood. Why is it that you called me if all you're going to do is apologize? You know I'm not going to accept it that way."
    There was a brief silence, but then she resumed. "I have information I know you want. I want it to be a sign of good faith...but also because she needs help."
    I paused for a second. Who was she talking about?
    "If it's another one of your employees that needs saving, how would that be a sign of good faith?"
    "Not one of mine. One of yours," she replied. "It's Amelia, Lobo. She's been captured and right now she's being tortured for information regarding you."
    My mind blanked for a second. There's no way that could be true. What kind of person could capture Amelia? She's a half-vampire! But it's true she did have some weaknesses. Religious artifacts left a nasty sting, but she told me it wasn't as effective because she was also half Caibera. Her Caibera blood also made her extremely powerful. Could it be her father? Was he really that strong a man? She did go to see him last, but what would he want with me?
    "Judging by your silence I'm guessing you're trying to figure out wether I'm telling the truth or not..." Isis always was the smart one. "Well, just to show that I am, go to Warehouse 57 in the red light district. It's a brothel, as you might have guessed. There's a man there by the name of Memphis Ura. If you really want to test your skills, then you can try them against him. He's made a big name for himself while you were away for the past couple years. Everyone knows him as Killer Psycho. He's part cleaner, part Hunter, and part Killer. People continue to mention how mentally unstable he is with his methods. It appears he likes to make people...'compact'. Anyway, he's Killed a lot of new comers and people are beginning to think of him as your replacement. Now to prove himself, he's trying to get to you. Sounds familiar, right?"
    "If you're referring to me you can stop right there. I didn't go looking for the top brass."
    "No, but he wants to be the best. Let's just say you inspired a new generation of Killers."
    "Alright. Let's say you're telling the truth. How the hell did he capture Amelia? She's my equal."
    "I told you, he's really good...he might even be better than you."
    Killing isn't just some kind of combat thing. It's also about luring victims and prey to our ground and taking full advantage of everything. Whereas assassins usually go to their targets and finish them off, Killers had a more luring approach, so that the Kill was one hundred percent certain. He must have gotten the jump on her somehow. Hunters went to their targets too. Killers usually lured Hunters. This was the natural rivalry between the two. Our methods were designed to destroy each other. But to trap Amelia...this was something beyond extraordinary...
    And at the same time my blood was boiling. He wanted to face me and he took Amelia. I knew he didn't torture her for information. He was torturing her to get to me! This was a challenge to my face. A slap with a glove. A fart in my face. I never heard of this guy but if he really managed to catch Amelia, then I can already tell how good he was.
    But I was good too. This was another trap set up, but Isis didn't know. I could tell by the tone of her voice she thought she was genuinely telling the truth. If I was any dumber then she would be sending me to certain death. Isis was smart and clever, but she wasn't sinister...actually...now I know she didn't have any ill intent aimed at me. She wasn't that kind of person. "...alright, I'll check it out." I replied.
    "If I'm right...what does that mean?"
    "That you might make up for your stupid choice. But only if you're right." Not wanting to waste another moment, I hung up and started to contemplate on a strategy. During this moment, there were two voices. One was mine. It was all the experience and predictions I had melding together to produce the probability of a certain outcome.
    But then there was another, and it was the more dominant voice of the two. This one came from deep desires. It was a voice with no real origin. A voice that came from nowhere. It was like a whole different being, another soul living within me. Sometimes I couldn't understand the rationality of it's existence. It wasn't smart, it wasn't helpful.
    It was just driving. A desire and lust so powerful sometimes it worked against me more than helped.
    But I knew it was the voice I needed to listen to more.
    The voice telling me to Kill.
    This...Memphis Ura...had someone dear to me. Of course, the quickest way to get her back and solve all my problems was simple, and this voice kept reminding me of the answer over and over.
    Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill.
    When this voice started to speak, I knew I was in Killer mode.
    I knew I was ready to work again.
    I knew it was time to work.
    I came to Constantine with intentions to find someone causing problems to Cole and to Kill Guile, but now I had a more pressing matter at hand that literally came from nowhere. It was sudden, but I knew I was up for it. I didn't have much choice either. Once again Amelia needed saving. Maybe I wouldn't Kill Guile then. I'd definitely Kill Memphis, but Guile didn't torture her. And Isis didn't really mean to feed me to the sharks...
    Before I could get into deeper thinking about my situation, the voice returned, louder than ever.
    KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL.