The room in the warehouse was pitch black when Zack slipped into it. He barely needed the flashlight to confirm what he already knew was inside, but he used it anyway. The two people sitting before him, tied to a pair of wooden chairs, were as familiar to him as his own parents. More familiar, perhaps. They were the ones who had killed his parents, Deadly Daven and Avenging Amber, and set him down the path he was on today. They were the reason he’d become a hitman

He could remember the day if he thought back hard enough. His parents, huddled in the back of the sloppily built house, his father begging the pair to spare him for the sake of his son and wife. Of course, the pair had no intention of leaving his wife alive either as they shot her immediately afterwards. Zack had tried to keep silent, and obey his father’s last command.  But there was only so much that could be expected of a 6 year old, hiding behind the curtains while his mother’s blood stained his shoes. Amber and Daven certainly hadn’t expected the small ball of fury that flew at them out of the hiding spot.

Suddenly, the warehouse flooded with light, and from behind Zack he heard the footfalls of Dr. Sean Trenton. The name Dr. ST was well known in the underground world where Zack had found a home. It was said that no on survived a run in with his type of gang. It had taken Zack 4 years to work his way into Dr. ST’s inner circle, and now the fruits of his labour were about to come about. He’d never laid eyes on the man, but he recognized his voice immediately.

“Well well, Zachary, how’s that for a coming home present?” Dr. ST chuckled, gesturing at the two trained killers tied to the chairs. “I’ll admit, the pair was tricky to hunt down, but after that job in Japan, I figured I could go the extra mile. It’s not everyone who manages to whack off an ambassador and get away clean.”

Zack smiled to himself as he inspected the pair in front of him. Tied to chairs and gagged, they hardly looked like the menacing pair of his childhood. Beaten and swollen, they both looked rather pathetic. Daven gave him a pleading look over the dirty gag, imploring him with his eyes. Zack wondered if that was a similar expression to what his father had worn, 27 years ago. Amber looked barely conscious, her head rolling at an awkward angle with blood crusting over half her lovely face. Dr. ST walked over to her, lifting her head with one hand to stared into her one barely opened eye.

“So what are you thinking, Zack?” the Doctor moved behind her as he spoke, running big, filthy hands through her gritty, auburn hair. “Shoot them quickly and be done with it? Torture them slowly for their crimes against your parents? This is your big moment.”

Zack hemmed as he pulled his gun out of it’s hidden holster. It was a good gun, it had served him well over his years. Hitman was hardly a typical career path, but his had hardly been a typical life. It was a small handgun, not nearly as useful in the long range kills he specialized in now, but at this range, he could hardly miss the shot.

“I’ve always been a believer in making it quick.” Zack said, raising the gun. It let out a quick bark that echoed in the warehouse, as Dr Sean Trenton fell to the ground, a bullet hole through his forehead.

Zack moved quickly to untie Daven, slicing through the ropes that bound his wrists before moving over to Amber. Daven pulled the gag from his mouth before working on the tight ropes that bound his ankles.

“I really thought for a moment there you were going to shoot her,” Daven said quietly as Zack pulled Amber’s limp form up from the chair, draping her arm around his neck.

Zack scoffed, “Shoot you guys for one more scumbag weapon’s dealer? Come on, Dad, you know me better than that. You’re the one who taught me to lie when I was barely 8 years old.”

Daven gave him a wry smile as he rummaged the crime lord’s body, coming away with a spare gun.

“I suppose I did, Kid. So then, what’s our best path out of this wasp’s nest?”