Chief - Pouring a drink in yet another makeshift office, apparently
this one's in the air. He hands it to the Russian General, "Please.
Did you enjoy playing along with their epidemic games ?"
General - "Oh ... don't be like that. This is very good. Thank you. But you know we fight that same front right now, that same force of evil as it expands to our borders. And I know that our leader uses this as an excuse to redeem himself before death."
Chief - "His legacy."
General - "The Soviet legacy. As our counterpart in Israel watches his own leadership the same. To rebuild the temple."
Chief - "To fulfill prophesy."
General - "As though it would be his own legacy, instead of God's. You are right about too many things my friend. And indeed it's only the people who suffer for it."
Chief - "And China ?"
General - "Their problems are more complex. They intend to grow in their deserts, to expand past their thirteen cities, they look at Dubai and dream in megalopoli. Their leadership suited to this, and already repelling these influences ... "
Chief - "Have they ? It all started there."
General - Sets down the glass, "Perhaps we should ask."
____________
The Crow wakes alone, wrists resting in open manacles on the tabletop, body bandaged well from the work done, face left clear, she looks around.
New clothes of her own style adorned in the mirror, she checks the weight ash she picks up the coat and finds a pistol in the pocket, outside the car waits.
General - "Oh ... don't be like that. This is very good. Thank you. But you know we fight that same front right now, that same force of evil as it expands to our borders. And I know that our leader uses this as an excuse to redeem himself before death."
Chief - "His legacy."
General - "The Soviet legacy. As our counterpart in Israel watches his own leadership the same. To rebuild the temple."
Chief - "To fulfill prophesy."
General - "As though it would be his own legacy, instead of God's. You are right about too many things my friend. And indeed it's only the people who suffer for it."
Chief - "And China ?"
General - "Their problems are more complex. They intend to grow in their deserts, to expand past their thirteen cities, they look at Dubai and dream in megalopoli. Their leadership suited to this, and already repelling these influences ... "
Chief - "Have they ? It all started there."
General - Sets down the glass, "Perhaps we should ask."
____________
The Crow wakes alone, wrists resting in open manacles on the tabletop, body bandaged well from the work done, face left clear, she looks around.
New clothes of her own style adorned in the mirror, she checks the weight ash she picks up the coat and finds a pistol in the pocket, outside the car waits.
Driver - The man from the airstrip, "We've been looking everywhere. Are you alright."
Crow - Looks around at the beautiful trees, the birds, a butterfly. She smiles with youth in her voice, "Yes." Clears her throat to normalize the voice, "Yes. But we have been so very wrong."
She turns her eyes from the world to him, looks him over.
Crow - "You really are, a terrible person." She shoots and pulls him out of the car.
__________
Chinese General - "No one doubted some form of Western evil took place there, but it was assumed it could be better contained. From what we see it was made for a plan. But it was released accidentally, which forced the plan. So we learned not do business with dogs."
Chief - "Wow. So are you in ?"
General - "Most definitely."
Chief - "And North Korea ?"
General - "Well. To be faithful to truth, they'll do it because it's 'cool'. As you say, we all have, the same enemies now. But when it is done, we will have to see."
As the largest multinational fleet in history rolls through the waves, crews at work and jeering across the bows.
In the desert a soldier puts down the phone, another from another nation does the same, both with a look of confusion. Two rows of the same from sides accustom to killing each other approaches the other.
In Guadalajara mercenaries are killed one by one, by the people while on the decks the crews of parallel ship dance at each other to jest.
In the desert they shake hands, then the hugs and the drinking. Their mobile and armored division converge to one, the ships sail on with their dancing crews.
In a bunker the cult commander draws on a soldier and puts it to his head, Capricorn lights a smoke. The warhead launches. It flies as the ships sail.
In the desert a soldier puts down the phone, another from another nation does the same, both with a look of confusion. Two rows of the same from sides accustom to killing each other approaches the other.
In Guadalajara mercenaries are killed one by one, by the people while on the decks the crews of parallel ship dance at each other to jest.
In the desert they shake hands, then the hugs and the drinking. Their mobile and armored division converge to one, the ships sail on with their dancing crews.
In a bunker the cult commander draws on a soldier and puts it to his head, Capricorn lights a smoke. The warhead launches. It flies as the ships sail.
The
Phalanx systems from the ships fire, the missile bobbing around to the
music with incredible luck, until it runs out. A Colonel of unknown
nation interrupts a briefing with his gun, firing on all the politicians
as his soldiers take the room.
The ships sail on ... mobile drives into the kicked up sandy dusk.
____
Capricorn works feeling into his face, face into the mirror while the door creaks open behind. Joe stands before a hall of mercenary dead.
Joe - "Do you know why ... God ... sends the Anti-Christ first ?"
Capricorn - "Hm. Is this like a thing you tell me before killing me ? Like some sort of epic final word for me to hear, sending me to Hell just how you want me ?"
Joe - "Oh no son. If I were going to kill you ... this is what I realized on the drive. It's because ... look around. You tried to tear the world apart, but all you did is make world peace necessary."
Capricorn - "Well. Would that not make your 'Christos', a bit of a lazy ass ? I mean here I do the job for him, but only to die because it wasn't for the right reason ?"
Joe - A laugh, "Funny old world."
Capricorn - "Hm. And what if I told you that was the plan."
Joe - "I'd say the worst kind of liar is the one who pieces small truths together in different ways, to create a sculpture of his own reality."
Capricorn - "You mean the one who believes his own bullshit."
Joe - "Do you ?"
Capricorn - He takes the mask from the stand and puts it on before turning, "Not even a little bit. I have no reason at all to want to destroy this world. I just do." He pulls silenced pistol from the leather and looks it over calmly, pulling the mag and checking it.
Joe - "Guided by the hand of God. No. I'm not going to kill you. We're not through with you yet."
Capricorn - Slaps the magazine back in and points, he's gone. "Fucking creeper." He turns throwing the mask down and looks up back into the mirror, Joe standing behind.
Joe - "You have no idea."
With a roar Capricorn turns with the gun again, the barrel slapped down by the sword and held to the table.
Joe - Strikes with the back of the hand, "Whelp !"
Capricorn - Spins off abandoning the gun, clutching his arm's convulsions with his rage. "And do you believe that bullshit ? That 'God' and his little fairies will come down and save the day ?"
Joe - Sheathes, "No. I think we're going to do the hard part. You. Me. Our soldiers. I think He'll let us all die. And then His brat comes down to shine."
Capricorn - "So what are you in it for."
Joe - "Just doin' the right thing with what I've got, how about you ?"
Capricorn - Walking to the sword on the wall, "Just doing whatever the Hell I want. Because I can." He pulls it and draws.
Joe - Punches his face and handle trips the sword with his own, grabbing it. "You don't get off that easy." Backhands him again. "Infant !"
Capricorn nearly activated by rage itself as though demon taken, he launches for Joe, grabbing the crossed handles the swords and pulling them up to twist wrists and sends the blades flying.
A hard club with his embittered arm across Joes head, the other grabbing the face on its swing back, club arm to the gut hard three times. Joe grabs the arm with one hand and twists against the elbow as the grip on his face pushes him down, the other hand grabbing that wrist.
Capricorn - Seething through the teeth as he forces against Joes standing feet, "That Arm. Feels. NOTHING !" Pushing Joe now below his own height, "Just as I. Feel. Nothing. Now die."
The ships sail on ... mobile drives into the kicked up sandy dusk.
____
Capricorn works feeling into his face, face into the mirror while the door creaks open behind. Joe stands before a hall of mercenary dead.
Joe - "Do you know why ... God ... sends the Anti-Christ first ?"
Capricorn - "Hm. Is this like a thing you tell me before killing me ? Like some sort of epic final word for me to hear, sending me to Hell just how you want me ?"
Joe - "Oh no son. If I were going to kill you ... this is what I realized on the drive. It's because ... look around. You tried to tear the world apart, but all you did is make world peace necessary."
Capricorn - "Well. Would that not make your 'Christos', a bit of a lazy ass ? I mean here I do the job for him, but only to die because it wasn't for the right reason ?"
Joe - A laugh, "Funny old world."
Capricorn - "Hm. And what if I told you that was the plan."
Joe - "I'd say the worst kind of liar is the one who pieces small truths together in different ways, to create a sculpture of his own reality."
Capricorn - "You mean the one who believes his own bullshit."
Joe - "Do you ?"
Capricorn - He takes the mask from the stand and puts it on before turning, "Not even a little bit. I have no reason at all to want to destroy this world. I just do." He pulls silenced pistol from the leather and looks it over calmly, pulling the mag and checking it.
Joe - "Guided by the hand of God. No. I'm not going to kill you. We're not through with you yet."
Capricorn - Slaps the magazine back in and points, he's gone. "Fucking creeper." He turns throwing the mask down and looks up back into the mirror, Joe standing behind.
Joe - "You have no idea."
With a roar Capricorn turns with the gun again, the barrel slapped down by the sword and held to the table.
Joe - Strikes with the back of the hand, "Whelp !"
Capricorn - Spins off abandoning the gun, clutching his arm's convulsions with his rage. "And do you believe that bullshit ? That 'God' and his little fairies will come down and save the day ?"
Joe - Sheathes, "No. I think we're going to do the hard part. You. Me. Our soldiers. I think He'll let us all die. And then His brat comes down to shine."
Capricorn - "So what are you in it for."
Joe - "Just doin' the right thing with what I've got, how about you ?"
Capricorn - Walking to the sword on the wall, "Just doing whatever the Hell I want. Because I can." He pulls it and draws.
Joe - Punches his face and handle trips the sword with his own, grabbing it. "You don't get off that easy." Backhands him again. "Infant !"
Capricorn nearly activated by rage itself as though demon taken, he launches for Joe, grabbing the crossed handles the swords and pulling them up to twist wrists and sends the blades flying.
A hard club with his embittered arm across Joes head, the other grabbing the face on its swing back, club arm to the gut hard three times. Joe grabs the arm with one hand and twists against the elbow as the grip on his face pushes him down, the other hand grabbing that wrist.
Capricorn - Seething through the teeth as he forces against Joes standing feet, "That Arm. Feels. NOTHING !" Pushing Joe now below his own height, "Just as I. Feel. Nothing. Now die."
Joe drops to his knees, he reaches a thumb for the sweet spot on the wrist, the nerve which makes the pain when that muscle is used, to the degree of its usage.
Capricorn roars against it, until his hand is freed from the face. He punches down hard with the the blunted fist, Joe catches on fours.
Capricorn - A laugh backing away as if to take in the sight. "Well." He pulls a handkerchief for the blood on his knuckles. "And may the devil get his due."
He turns back for the mirror to play with his face, "That was the price for letting me live, to see your faith through. And I, wish you to live with that. You may go now." A glance across the mirror and Joe's gone. He smiles.