Miss Militia and I walked slowly down a trash-choked road at the foot of Captain's Hill. We'd been dropped off a little while ago to start an evening patrol. So far, things had been quiet, but we'd barely been out for an hour. The sun was just beginning to set, taking any semblance of feeling okay with it.

  I was sick to my stomach, knowing exactly what was coming for us. I didn't know when, barely remembered anything but the feeling of blood on my hands and Miss Militia's last sigh on--

  A loud 'clang' rang out as I viciously kicked a toppled hot water tank on someone's front lawn. Miss Militia glanced back and I just shrugged. What the fuck was I going to tell her? 'Hey, look, the leader of the world's biggest band of serial killers is coming to chat with me and I need to you not freak out'? Like, how even? How did I tell someone they'd died in my arms and it had been my fault?

  I didn't was the answer. Maybe that was wrong, but it was hard to bring myself to care. I wouldn't let it happen this time, and telling her wouldn't make a difference anyway. What, we'd go back to the headquarters and get ambushed on the way? Better that it was like this where I could sort-of focus through a dim haze of panic.

  That feeling kept my eyes roaming, checking every alley, byway, rooftop, anywhere Jack could be. Miss Militia had been kind enough to ignore my little tantrum, so I wasn't distracted trying to explain why I felt like I was standing at the event horizon. I tried to keep my breathing slow, but it hitched on every other breath, and did nothing to quiet my pounding heart.

  Without warning, a blood-curdling shriek echoed through the streets. I hesitated for a second, but Miss Militia didn't; a real hero. I followed close behind her, ducking down an alley towards the now-muffled sounds of distress. My heart crashed against my ribcage as I sprinted towards the sound. This was it, this was--

  Two shots echoed out, along with a cry. I rounded the corner a second later and saw two men laying on the ground, clutching their stomachs. Miss Militia was kneeling next to a crying woman, her clothes torn. She gestured to the fallen, would-be rapists and I nodded. Not Jack, not a problem.

  One tried to sit up when I came over, so I gave him a vicious kick to the stomach. After that it was just a matter of rolling them over and cuffing their wrists behind their backs. Bastards that they were, I tried to keep them on the driest parts of the pavement. Work done, I returned to Miss Militia's side and kept an eye out for the real danger that was coming.

  It didn't take long for the backup to arrive. Miss Militia greeted the officers tersely, then took the trembling woman up front. I helped get the two assholes in the back, then huffed and started scanning the streets. The sun had set, besides us the streets were quiet. Despite myself, I felt my shoulders relax fractionally.

  There was a slim fucking chance, if it had been my...state last time that attracted him, I'd slip by now. I wasn't fully convinced of course, I hadn't been that lucky in the past. I kept my eyes roaming, ignoring the muttered conversation behind me. God, they really needed to get the grid fixed, the nights under a waning moon here were just impossible to--

  I heard a series of wet burbles behind me and whirled around, stomach dropping out from under me. The two PRT troopers that had been outside the van collapsed, clutching their throats. I swore viciously and shoved the armoured door shut as the officers inside tried to get out. They were safer in there...probably.

  I knelt next to one of the fallen officers, stomach churning at the grim sight his throat made. Miss Militia jumped out of the van and slapped the door twice. With a roar of the engine, it took off. There was nothing I could do for the officer...but maybe there was something he could do for me. I covertly took his newly familiar pistol, stuck it in my belt, then rose and stood beside Miss Militia.

  “Well now,” a sonorous, confident voice rang out as a barely visible silhouette shifted. “How noble, staying behind to sacrifice yourselves to let them get away.”

  “Jack Slash,” Miss Militia bit out.

  “In the living flesh,” he replied, stepping closer, his shirt practically glowing where the faint moonlight struck it. “Oh don't worry, I'm not here for you, hero; I want to have a conversation with your Ward. Come he--” A loud 'crack' rang out and Jack's eyes widened. “Well hell.”

  “Amaranth?” Miss Militia demanded.

  I stood there breathing heavily, hand still wrapped around the barrel of Miss Militia's rifle. I'd shoved it, throwing off her aim, probably saving her life. I met her glare, unflinching, as sweat dripped off my forehead.

  “Don't,” I snapped, then turned and pointed at Jack. “Goes double for you, asshole.” The shit-eating grin on the killer's face grew.

  “Amaranth you—”

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  “Shut up!” I barked at Miss Militia, then lowered my voice. “Please, god, please just...please.” She stiffened, but her rifle fuzzed, morphed, and finally landed on a grenade launcher slung over her shoulder.

  “How touching,” Jack drawled, raising his knife. “I wonder what would happen if I...”

  He swung and I slammed back into Miss Militia, knocking her backward and off balance. I felt a deeply wrong scraping across my projection, but when I glanced back I was relieved. It had worked. I put myself between her and Jack even as my gorge rose in my throat. I knew I was panicking, but locked my shaking knees and took the pistol from my belt.

  “I said it goes double, Jack,” I snapped. “You want to talk? Go ahead and run your fucking mouth, leave her out of this.”

  “Or what?” he asked, like a petulant little shit. My heart felt like it stopped...but I knew the answer.

  I put the pistol to my temple and pulled the trigger.

  Fucking ow! I barely managed to not flinch as my ears rang. My hearing slowly returned, and I heard a loud, cackling laugh echo down the street. I kept my eyes on Jack as he gripped his belly, doubled over laughing. The pistol in my hand stayed firmly pressed to my head, a warning, a promise.

  “Amaranth?” I didn't spare a look back, couldn't.

  “You're here for me, right?” I growled as Jack's fit of amusement subsided.

  “I certainly am now,” he replied, making a show of wiping his eyes. “Though I'll admit, I'm curious what would happen if your...friend were to expire?” He pointed the knife and smiled.

  “Nothing good,” I promised and meant it. “Stop fucking filibustering and get on with it.”

  “Filibustering?” Jack arched a brow. “Any other five dollar words to throw out there?” I just stared silently until he let out a sigh. “Fine, since you're obviously set on being dull. As you obviously know, I'm here for you, little Ward. I'm giving you the opportunity to never need to be alone, hiding who you really are.” I narrowed my eyes and took up the slack on the trigger. “Bonesaw?”

  The girl practically skipped from a nearby alley, followed by a shuffling, vaguely human-shaped...thing. It had been a person, once upon a time, but since Bonesaw got to it...no longer. It didn't seem to have any major modifications, just livid red scars from fresh surgery all over its bare skin. I shifted to make sure I was between all of them and Miss Militia, swallowing against the desert of my mouth.

  “Now we can't simply let you in, of course,” Jack continued, gently ruffling Bonesaw's hair. I was sorely tempted to shoot her, nip that in the bud, but knew it wouldn't do anything. “You'll have to earn your place with us.” He put a hand on the Bonesaw-horror's shoulder. “Ever killed before, little Ward?” The rubber of the grip creaked under my fingers.

  “Only myself,” I muttered, ignoring the sharp inhale behind me and the shiteating grin in front of me.

  “That so?” He asked. “Well I can't count it, since you're standing right in front of me, so I'll take that to mean 'no'. Should be alright anyway, wouldn't you agree Mark?”

  I stared at Bonesaw's creation as it turned towards me, nodding slowly and filling my guts with ice. An acrid taste coated my tongue and I very nearly pulled the trigger, despite everything. I took a deep breath and held it, looking away from M-- from the creature and meeting Jack's eyes.

  “So here's the deal, little Ward,” he drawled, making a gun out of his empty hand and putting the barrel against the ma-- thing's head. “You're being put to the test. Not mine, if you make it that far I'll be impressed, but Bonesaw worked very hard to put everything together.” She nodded eagerly.

  “Had to sneak into those Nazis' territory to get him,” Bonesaw chirped, running a finger gingerly along one of...it's scars. “Lucky they're so dumb. 'Oh sweetie where are your parents? Come here.'” She giggled maliciously. “Anyway, you know him right?”

  “I've never seen him before in my life,” I droned flatly, half-lying.

  “Oh? That's not what he said.” She touched a button.

  “Amelia,” the thing wheezed in a voice that made my stomach plummet. “Oh sweetheart, what'd they do to you?” The barrel of the pistol clinked gently as it rattled against my head. “Honey I'm so sor--”

  “Shut up!” I barked, spittle flying from my lips. His jaw snapped shut and Bonesaw's grin widened.

  “So,” she said brightly. “Since you want to get in the way of me getting a new sister.” What? “You have to get rid of your old family, if you wanna join a new one.”

  If I hadn't locked my knees I'd have fallen over. Even then, I nearly fucking did. Gravity had flipped, the world with it, and Bonesaw's wicked grin was at the center of it all. The trigger clicked and I barely kept myself from flinching. That was the double-action, if I moved my finger any further...

  “Sweetie,” the thing breathed, taking a step towards me. His bare skin shimmered sickly under the dull moonlight. “Hey, sorry it's been a while.” I stepped back, swallowing the vomit that wanted to decorate the asphalt.

  “Stay back,” I demanded, pleaded.

  “Or what?” Bonesaw asked in a voice that was far too happy. “There's only one way to keep him back, you just gotta take it away from your head.”

  The Mark-thing smiled sweetly like he always had, a torn hand reaching out towards me. I couldn't do it, no fucking way. He took another step forward and I took one back. His arms opened and his bright, blue eyes looked like they were filled with tears. My vision blurred and my hand shook. I couldn't, couldn't do it to my--

  A tremendous explosion rocked the street and Mark's face slackened, nose and upper jaw annihilated. Like a puppet with his strings cut, he slumped and fell to the asphalt, black blood pooling under his head. The pistol shook, still aimed squarely at his corpse.

  “Oh wow,” Bonesaw's surprised voice greeted the new murderer. “Um, shoot. Well, don't, you already did that.” She giggled and Jack chuckled.

  “I can't say I'm disappointed,” he said, hands on his hips. “Well little Ward, Amelia, that's your first test passed, with flying colours even. I can't wait to see how you deal with the others.” He cackled, then he and Bonesaw retreated into the darkness.

  “Amaranth?” I collapsed to my knees, staring down at the blurry corpse of my own making. “Amaranth, please, speak to me.” I sighed and shut my eyes, head hanging heavily.

  “I guess I don't have a choice.”