Sector Z

Chapter 1: Indecision and Despair

June 26th, 2005 10:26pm. A boy turned one today. In the mist of one of palm tree drive’s flats, a mother is sobbing, trembling with fear and regret. Clenching the baby close to her chest in her bedroom waiting for midnight. As the moon hits the top of the sky, a brown truck parks by, holding 3 men and a little girl. One puffing cigarette smoke out the window, Another loading a pistol with bullets scattered on the floor in the passenger seat.

“Fuck Kennedy, I told you to wait till we park, them bullets was bound to scatter everywhere with this bumpy ass road” Pyro said. He was the one driving. Honestly, he was the only one I think I could tolerate. Pyro was a tall lanky man. He was just above six feet. At first glance you would think he was skinny, but really he wears long sleeve clothing all the time. from what I've seen he's in a lot of shape. He had white hair, pale skin, and light brown eyes.

“Shut the fuck up, I’m getting it done aren’t I” said Kennedy. He was such a lazy slob, he just did things to piss everyone off. He was a foul, burly man with brown hair as short as his temper. I was told that he was Pyro's first friend, though as of now I don't see how.

“Well hurry up, we’re about to be late on the extraction, you should have been loaded up back at the camp like me and Sniper did, ain’t that right sniper….., right sniper?” “AYE SNIPER.”

Sniper was in the back with me, all he does is drugs. He does it so much that we get familiar with what drugs he’s on each day. Today was probably the heroine, I think so at least, he doesn’t smell like weed. He was almost Pyro's height but honestly there isn't much I can say about his appearance due to the fact that he wears a ski mask all the time with a skull on it. All I've seen were his lips anytime he would pull his mask up to eat, drink, or smoke. Apparently the last fool who pulled off his mask for jokes, was shot 16 times the next second.

“Alright Kennedy, we’re going in without the lazy bitch” said pyro.

“But wasn’t he the main one who wanted t-.”

“DOESN’T MATTER, you know I want to get this shit over with as quick as possible.”

With guns holstered, Pyro and Kennedy left the truck and headed upstairs to the widow’s flat. It was a small apartment building with a single palm tree in front of it. This was another place known for crime, such as drug deals and prostitution. Though after some years, drug dealers would move leaving nothing more than feins and people in poverty. They knocked multiple times. "Aye, open the door, it's time." Said Pyro. He knocked again "Hello?" with no answer, Kennedy kicked the in while yelling "OPEN THE FUCK UP!" Pyro looked at Kennedy and gave himself a face palm.

The house was oddly clean and the widow was nowhere to be found. That is until they searched the house. Pyro had found her in the master bedroom. She was brown-skinned and had curly hair with brown eyes. She was crying silently over her baby on her bed.

"Is she in there?" Asked Ken

"Yeah."

The widow looked up at Pyro. You could tell she'd been crying nonstop for days.

"Come on out." Pyro started "I wanna get this done without problems." He spoke as if he was trying to cope with her. The widow, slowly but surely, got up from the bed and walked into the living room with the baby in her arms.

The widow sobbed and sobbed. “Wait, please, I don’t want to do this anymore-.”

“Hold it right there,” Kennedy interrupted. “Now we had an agreement like what, a fuckin year ago. You can’t change your damn mind at the last minute. Your kid is a candidate for the selection and we are to take the kid when he’s one or whatever. Nuff talkin, give us the kid."

The widow started to plead to the two, mumbling on her words. “N-no please, y-you had to have made a mistake, it couldn't be my child you want, I don't unsta-” Kennedy walked up and grabbed the widow by the neck and picked her up, the baby started to cry. “You must of been taking drugs this whole year bitch, stop wasting our time, this bastard child is coming with us, no more questions.” Kennedy threw her by the neck onto the floor. The widow, still crying, started to cough and gag.

Pyro stepped in and pushed Ken to the side. “That’s enough,” he said. Pyro looked at the crying mother with the baby in her arms, crouched down and said, “listen, he’s right, we had an agreement like a year ago, and you can’t change your mind like this oka-.” “He's my baby, he’s my baby, MY SON. YOU WON'T TAKE HIM FROM ME!” Suddenly she kicked pyro in his face and ran for her room.

“Fuck.” Pyro blurted while holding his face In pain.

“Screw this shit” said ken. He reached for his pistol, aimed and shot her in the shoulder. In pain she fell onto the floor just barely missing the baby. Blood poured out of her, some of it reaching the baby.

The baby cries

“YO KEN WHAT THE FUCK.”

The baby cries

“WHERE USING FORCE, THE BITCH WON’T COMPLY.”

The baby cries

“AAAARGH” the widow screams in pain and

The baby cries

Kennedy walks closer with the gun in his hand as she struggles to get away.

“Gimme the damn baby.”

“Pipe down ken”

“SHUT THE FUCK YOU.”

Kennedy turns her around and stomps and grinds his foot on her wounded shoulder. The baby was on the floor, wailing, and the widow was reaching for him throughout the pain.

“Nnnggggaaah.”

“Hehehe, apparently the bitch must like pain.” Kennedy aims the gun at her face.

“You could have made this easier.”

“WAIT KENNEDY!” yelled pyro.

Through the struggle, the widow quickly pulled a switch blade from her stockings and stabbed Ken's leg. Kennedy flinched, letting a shot go off, which the bullet just barely missed her head. He then falls over. “FUCKING DAMNIT”. During this chance she took the knife and went for Ken's face, but Ken stopped the strike, sacrificing both of his hands. She then twisted the knife and pulled it out as she kicked him in his gut. The widow then picked up her baby and ran to the door which Pyro was guarding. Pyro seen it, the murderous rhythm she had in her eyes the moment she pulled out the blade. They were vibrating but calm. She glared at both of us with nothing short of killing intent. Ken and Pyro both knew what these eyes meant. She went from a helpless woman to an accustomed killer. The situation is now killed or be killed, but Pyro would rather it not be.

As she came close she swung the blade at Pyro, but he dodged it and slapped it out of her hand.

She tried to rush through Pyro to the front door as it was the only way to leave, but couldn't get through Pyro.

“LET GO OF ME!"

“LISTEN” pyro yelled, “JUST GIVE US THE DAMN BABY, PLEASE, I'M NOT TRYING TO HURT YOU!”

“GO TO HELL” during the struggle she kneed pyro in the balls and took for the door.

Bang bang. Two shoots went into her back, she fell, breasts hitting the baby as he cried. Kennedy shot her with a Smith & Wesson model 629. Pyro looked at her on the ground bleeding quickly. He then was reaching to help her out but Kennedy rushed to her, mad, hitting Pyro to the side. He then grabbed her by the hair and put the gun to cheek.

“You should of gave it to me, now I gotta take the little devil, forcefully.”

He snatched the wailing baby and dropped her on her face. Pyro got up. “Damnit ken, HOLD THE FUCK UP”

"YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Pyro looked at both of them with disappointment. He knew that regardless, the woman wasn't gonna stop. Ken, holding the baby by his shirt, gave him to Pyro. Then he said, “you know what they told us, if she doesn’t comply we can use force no matter how brutal, plus, you know what I’m about.”

The widow slowly turned on her back.

She was going pale. No doubt that Ken had hit something vital. She tries to grab hold of her baby, reaching her arms out towards her son, vision going blurry with the only thing in her sight being Pyro carrying her crying son. But she has been severely weakened. She takes a good look at her crying baby once more. She frowns then she smiles at the boy. She says in a quiet fading voice "C-come to me."

Kennedy shoots her in the head. Blood splattered everywhere including the wailing baby. Pyro had a saddened, disappointed look as he witnessed the scene.

“Be glad, I’m showing mercy.” Said Kennedy looking down upon the now lifeless widow

Sniper then runs up the stairs with his signature mask on. “WHAT THE FUCK, I told you guys not to start without me.”

“Well you should of been up you fucking junky.”

“What the-, SHE’S DEAD, I wanted to-.”

“WELL YA SHOULDA BEEN UP, this is payback for drinking all my booze.”

“God damnit.” Sniper said in disappointment

“Hey pyro, help me with this body.” Said ken

Pyro looked at Sniper and Ken, both of whom didn't care for the crying baby and his dead mother. Then the dead widow and her baby, all with a disappointed, embarrassed look.

“The fuck are you staring at, get over here. You're the one who wanted to get this over with as soon as possible."

There was a slight pause.

“Yeah,” Pyro said with a raspy tone.

Minutes later the three men walked back down with the crying baby. Pyro went to the driver's seat, Kennedy went to the passenger seat, and Sniper went to the back and gave the baby to me.

“Here you go,” he said with a nonchalant tone. I took him into my arms and looked at him, disappointed.

“Time for the last spot.” Said Ken as he yawned.

Pyro sighed, started the car and drove.

I could tell the ride was more than thirty minutes, but it felt like five. I was sick of all of them. I didn't even want to look up from this baby. I drifted into my own world with this boy in my arms. The only thing I remember was Sniper and Ken changing the song.

“Aye, Sniper, pass me my CD.” Said Ken.

“Tell the brat to do it, she’s closer.”

“Aye, Martyr, pass me my CD.”

I ignored him.

“Seems she’s ignoring you again.” Said Sniper.

“Do you hear me brat.” Ken turned and looked at me. But I was busy looking at the baby as he finally opened his eyes. They were gorgeous. I didnt wanna stop looking. Grey, green, hazel, brown, blue, I couldn't tell what color they were.

"God damnit. Fuckin brat." Ken reached from the passenger seat, his hand passed me to shuffle through his CDs. Then he found the one, his favorite album, White pony by Deaftones.

"Aye Pyro, remember when this joint was released like 5 years ago, we were so hooked on this shit we never stopped playing it. Even through missions we'd keep it playing." Pyro kept quiet. "What was our favorite song again, oh right, Change right."

Ken put the CD in to play and shifted to the tenth song, Change (in the house of flies). I actually liked this song and the band, though I never expressed much because it's Kennedy's favorite and it only plays when he's in the truck.

As I looked into this boy's eyes with Deftones playing, in this car filled with criminals, I felt at peace.

Time passes by and we reach the destination of the second child. We were supposed to get him on November thirtieth, but we decided to get both of the babies on the same night. It was the same routine, but this time Sniper was awake. Pyro was already ready and Ken was reloading his gun. Couple of minutes later the three got out of the car and walked up the house. We were more in the countryside. It was a sort of smaller two story house on the side of the road. Pyro knocked on the door, moments later he heard someone. "Come in." A man said with a low, exhausted voice.

The door was already unlocked. The three walked in and looked around the room.

"The fuck happened in here?" Sniper asked, looking around.

The room was filthy, the kitchen was trashed with broken plates and bowls and knives and forks on the ground. Everything in the refrigerator was empty out and scattered on the floor as it had toppled over. The living room's couch was ripped open and the carpet was stained with blood. Then there was the man with a gun in his hand. He was dark skinned with a nappy head. He was sitting on a chair in the dining room with his side toward us. He had a ripped white tank top on.

"Hope you ain't thinking no funny shit with that." Sniper said, patting his holstered gun. We already had a bad run in with a crazy woman."

"You say that like you was there." Ken said.

"No no." The man said, raising his palm in reassurance. "This gun here is for me. Besides, I'm too exhausted to take on all three of you right now."

"Look over there." Ken pointed to a figure on the ground. It was a dead woman. Upon closer look, her neck was bruised up, purple, and her face was pale. She was strangled to death.

"The fuck happened here?" Ken said.

"I killed her." The man said.

Pyro walked up to the man with the gun in his hand. He inspected him. He saw scratch Marks and bruises on him, two stab wounds on his shoulder with blood dripping to the floor. Upon all else, the most noticeable feature was his face. Other than the scratch marks, his face was just utterly miserable. His baggy eyes looked lifeless. Despite all of this he had a little smile. He looked as if he had been in one too many bloody wars.

Even though his wounds wouldn't kill him, Pyro saw that this man was already on the brink of death.

He then began to ask "What happened here?"

"My wife, she went crazy, she destroyed the house and tried to kill me, then she tried to kill my boy. So I killed her." The man explained. Each word he said, the pain in his scratchy voice became greater, all with a smirk on his face."She didn't want the child to go with you people. Even though-."

"Aaaahhh so you killed the bitch because the bitch tried to kill you. "Sniper blurted out. "Bitches be crazy, bitch even tried to kill a baby."

"Shut up dumbass." Kennedy said with a cigarette in his mouth.

The man nodded his head slowly.

Pyro then asked."So where is the boy?"

The man pointed to a cushioned rocking chair in a dark corner in the living room. There the baby was asleep.

"Oh for real? I didn't even see the little devil." Ken said.

"I don't care if you take the spawn, wherever he goes he has a better chance of survival than being here." The man said.

"You really think he's going somewhere safe?" Asked Ken with a smirk on his face. "Not that he has a choice."

"I said he has a better chance of survival, who cares about safety, my boy is strong. The only thing that can kill him is himself. Not even I could."

"Hehehe." Laughed Ken.

Pyro looked down for a moment, then he got up, grabbed the sleeping baby and left for the car.

"Well damn that was quick. Good thing you didn't try to put up a fight like the last slut, I would of put you down the second you tried some shit." Ken said.

The man chuckled.

"Thanks for the exchange, bye bye." Said the high Sniper.

"I hope you ain't smoke the rest of my weed." Ken said as they walked out the door.

"Shut up, I'm getting some more today."

The door closed.

The man with the gun in his hand was now alone in the filthy, silent house. He heard the car start and drive off. The atmosphere was filled with dead silence.

The man looked at his dead wife, then looked up to the ceiling.

Then he started talking to himself "Alissya, my dear, I'm sorry. I couldn't save you or myself. I could only save my damned son. Do you think it was right, seeing as he's supposed to be a candidate to bring havoc to the world." The man slowly brings the gun up and presses it under his chin. "....I'll see you soon, and we'll see him one day."

Bang.

Back in the car, I now have two babies in my arms. The baby with the pretty eyes cried throughout the whole ride, though it wasn't as bad as a few minutes ago. The other one stayed asleep the whole time. I hated the fact that they had to come with us but it's all a part of the plan, whatever that is.

After a couple of hours we finally arrived at the camp's entrance gates.

Sniper grunted as he stretched " we finally made it, about damn time."

"I can finally eat." Kennedy said "they better not have ate all the chicken."

"Are you dumb?" Sniper interrupted, "Of course these savages ate them all."

They hopped out the car and closed the doors. It was now me and Pyro alone. I looked up at Pyro, confused as to why he was still here. He was just looking down. I slid closer to the door until he finally spoke.

"Wait, Martyr." I stopped and looked at him. "You're 8 now right? It's crazy how fast you grew up, especially around us. And you're smarter than most of us. You even gave yourself a code name." There was a slight pause. He gripped the steering and laid his head on it. He seemed very stressed out. "I'm so sorry that you had to come on this mission with us. I know you didn't see what I saw tonight but I know you know what had to happen."

He then raised his head and looked at me through the rear view window and said "Martyr, what I'm about to say will place a burden on you but I need your help. You have to help me raise these kids. It's no doubt that being around criminals, junkies, and gangsters that they are gonna become corrupt in some kinda way. But me and you, we're the only ones who can save these kids." Soon, when you and those two are older we will escape. Just us. I will work on a plan that will get us both out of here. Throughout those few years I need your help to make that plan happen. You'll have to be patient, you'll have to get strong, and we will have to kill someone. But please Martyr, I know you're still young but I need you to understand how important this is." A couple of tears fell down from his face. He was right, I was young but I understood that everything that happened tonight must have changed Pyro's heart.

We both looked at each other with a serious look. He started again "Martyr, I promise you, we will be free, just give me time." I too was already planning to escape, but ever since these two have been in my arms I knew I wanted the same for them.

The two babies started to grunt and kick, they both clenched one of my fingers.

I've haven't been put in a situation where I had to trust someone but, the respect and trust I had for Pyro grew a lot during this talk.

Then I finally said

"Okay."

Pyro, looking at me, gave a faint grin under his saddened eyes. "Thank you so much, Martyr.

He then looked at the two babies. Both of them were awake. And both of them were staring at Pyro.

This connection will signify the start of earth's bloody end.