Twin Saints

Prologue

Mission 2

Taking Charge

Rain drummed against the apartment window, waking Lock from his slumber. “Ugh…” he muttered, sitting up on the old couch, raising a hand to his head and knocking his hat off in the process. “Someone turn the rain off…”

“As much as I wish I could, I can’t,” Twilight huffed, making Lock jump. “Get up. I’d wished you’d be gone when I woke up, but I guess not.”

“Oh, shut up, Sparklebutt,” Lock groaned, pushing himself to his feet. “I’ll be out of your hair soon enough, just need to find myself a place to set up shop.”

“Shop?” Twilight echoed. “You run a shop?”

“It’s an expression,” Lock shrugged. “I’m a gangbanger. I need a place to start my new gang.”

Twilight took a quick, calming breath before speaking. “A new gang?” she asked again. “You, uh… you wouldn’t happen to be looking to…”

“Rape and kill and stuff?” Lock finished, quirking a questioning brow. “Nah, not into that. Well, unless someone crosses me that is - gotta make examples, after all.”

Nodding nervously, Twilight turned into her kitchen, Lock following close behind with hat in hand. “So where you plan to ‘set up shop’ then?” she asked.

Lock paused, and when Twilight turned to him, she saw him looking around her apartment. “Oh no…” she breathed.

“This place is nice,” Lock provided.

“No.”

“Plenty of space down in that library.”

“No!”

“Pretty sure there’s a basement too.”

“For the love of God, no!” Twilight cried. “You are not starting a gang in my home!”

“Why not?” Lock shot back calmly. “If you’re a part of my gang, you get protection.”

“I…” Twilight began, blinking in shock. “...what?”

“That guy yesterday, he was a gang member too,” Lock explained. “And when his buddies find out what happened… well, it may not have been you, but they’ll think it was. And they’ll want revenge.”

“Th-they will?” Twilight stammered, suddenly very nervous.

“Mmhmm,” Lock hummed. “I could tell from his clothes - he was flyin’ a flag. Probably one of the gangs lookin’ to expand their territory. But if you side with me - join the Saints - then I’ll offer you protection. I’ll even teach you to protect yourself.”

Twilight stepped back, thinking the idea over. Lock watched her for a time before shrugging, brushing past her as he searched through the kitchen’s cabinets. “Or not,” he relented, grabbing a box of cereal from one of the cabinets and tearing it open. “It’s your choice in the end. Just givin’ you the option.”

Twilight watched for a time, baffled, before Lock shrugged again and placed the box on the counter. “Think about it,” he said, stepping past her and leaving the apartment. Blinking, Twilight turned, watching him turn the corner and descend the stairwell into the library.

“Join… the Saints?” she muttered to herself, thoughts and possibilities flying through her mind. ‘On the one hand,’ she thought. ‘Joining a gang might land me in prison, or worse. On the other…’ Moving to the window of her apartment, Twilight glanced out, catching sight of Lock as he carefully lifted the corpse of the gang member from the day before. ‘I might not live if I don’t.’

Sighing, Twilight followed after Lock, moving down the stairwell and through the library before stepping carefully through the shattered glass door. “What are you doing?” she asked in a bored tone.

“Try’na get rid of this guy,” Lock replied easily. “Not sure how I’m gonna do it though.”

“Would a car help?” the woman continued.

“Sure, but I don’t have one.”

“Ya do now,” Twilight shrugged, jangling her keys. Lock glanced up at her, confused for a moment, before a smirk crossed his face.

“So you’re in then?” he asked, hoisting the body over his shoulder. He pulled a disgusted face at the splatter of blood that crossed his shirt. “Ah dammit…”

“Yeah, I’m in,” Twilight sighed. “And fortunately for you, I know how to get stains like that out.” Pressing a button on her keys, her car chirped, and she moved past Lock to pull the trunk open.

“You do?” Lock asked in shock, throwing the body into the storage space unceremoniously. “How?”

“I lived in one of the most gang-heavy cities in the country,” Twilight shrugged. “One of them shot my pet owl.”

“Those pricks!” Lock cried. “I don’t care how hardcore a gangbanger is, shooting animals is just wrong.”

“Yeah…” Twilight sighed. “Unless it’s to save your own life.”

“Well yeah, I guess that’s okay,” Lock muttered. “If it’s like ‘life-or-death’, anything can be excused.” Pausing for a moment, he sighed, slamming the car’s trunk shut. “So who’s drivin’, you or me?”

Twilight shrugged, tossing the keys to him before moving to the passenger door. “You drive,” she said. “At least then if we’re stopped I can say you kidnapped me.”

“You bitch,” Lock laughed, hopping into the driver’s seat. “I can tell I’m gonna like you.”

Twilight just shrugged, climbing into the passenger seat, letting out a startled yelp as Lock sent the van rocketing down the street and pulling the door shut frantically.

“What is wrong with you!?” she cried, eyes wide was she practically slammed her seatbelt in.

Lock just shrugged. “Psyches would probably label me as a sociopathic freak,” he said calmly before shooting her a grin. “But I prefer puckish rogue.”

Twilight stared at him for a moment before a smile tugged at her lips and she let out a chuckle. “You know,” she said, turning to watch the world fly by. “You’re not so bad.”

“Knew you’d warm up to me,” Lock chuckled, letting out a bark of laughter as he sent the car skidding around a corner, making Twilight cry out again.

“I just wish you’d have some more respect for my car!” she cried.

“Eh,” Lock shrugged again. “I plan on replacing this clunker anyway. Might keep it around and upgrade it though.” Glancing out the window, he smirked. “Good to know there’s a Rim Jobs nearby.”

“And just where are you gonna get the money for that?” Twilight questioned, flinching as Lock swerved around another driver.

“Dunno,” he shrugged. “Might go hit the local bank.”

“Are you crazy!?” Twilight screamed.

“A little,” Lock allowed. “Why?”

Sighing, Twilight began counting on her fingers as she responded. “Because one: there’s no way you can hit a bank as you are now, not with just that gun. Two: the way you’re driving clearly indicates you’re not right. And three: you shot a man in the mouth just yesterday.”

Again, Lock shrugged. “If I’m wrong, I don’t ever wanna be right,” he started, taking a left. “But okay then miss brainiac, whadda I need to hit a bank?”

“Experience, for one,” Twilight replied, ignoring his nickname for her. “Have you ever robbed a place before?”

“Nope,” Lock answered readily. “But how hard can it be? Walk in, point your gun, maybe shoot a couple fools, then walk out with the cash. Easy!”

Twilight sighed tiredly. “Please tell me you’re not really that stupid…”

“Of course not!” Lock scoffed. “I know I’d need more people to help out. And I’d need to get the blueprints for the place, get some more guns n’ shit.”

“Oh, good,” Twilight muttered, sighing with relief. “Oh, and just so you know, I’m not gonna go out ‘poppin a cap in some nigga’s ass’ or anything.”

Lock glanced to her with a raised brow. “The hell did you hear that?” he asked incredulously. “You really think I’m that cliche? I’m not askin’ you to shoot someone straight away.” Pausing, he glanced at a sign before skidding around a corner. “And don’t say niggas, it’s racist.”

Twilight let out a bark of laughter. “You’re telling me not to be racist!?” she cried. “That’s rich coming from a guy who has no problems taking a person’s life!”

“Hey,” Lock shot back. “Ending a life and ruining one are two entirely different things. Even killers have morals.” Pulling the handbrake, he sent the car into a spin, the whole thing tilting onto two wheels before landing perfectly in a parking space. “And shut up, we’re here.”

Twilight took a moment to catch her breath before looking out the window. “How’d you know where the dump was?” she asked.

“Followed the signs,” Lock shrugged. “Now c’mon, we need to find a rug or somethin’ before we deal with him. Can’t have anyone knowin’ about it.”

“Pretty sure that doesn’t matter,” Twilight muttered as she climbed out, looking around. Spotting a rolled-up carpet stood against one of the skips, she pointed it out, calling out over her shoulder. “Would that work?”

“Perfect!” Lock replied, running over and grabbing it. “Open the trunk!” he instructed as he ran back, Twilight instantly doing as instructed. Searching the area briefly, Lock nodded before rolling the carpet out on the floor behind the car. “Put’im in there,” he instructed, waiting for Twilight to do so before rolling the carpet back up, the body inside. “Now, let’s find the incinerator.”

“Why?” Twilight asked. “Just throw him in the car compactor, it’d be easier, and police’ll probably think he was a homeless guy that chose the wrong place to sleep if they find him.”

Blinking in shock, Lock nodded slowly before chuckling. “You really are better at this than anyone would think, aren’t you?”

Twilight shrugged. “Science books can get boring sometimes, so I read crime dramas. Gang novels just come up once in awhile.” Looking around, she spotted a wrecked car, noting the crane dropping another one in a nearby compactor. “Put him in there, the crane will get him then.”

“Good idea,” Lock agreed, jogging over and placing the rug across the back seat. “C’mon, let’s get outta here before anyone starts askin’ questions.”

“Yeah,” Twilight nodded, leading the way back to the car. “I’m driving though. If you do the police might stop us anyway.”

Lock chuckled, rolling his eyes. “Fine, whatever.” Climbing into the passenger side as Twilight tuned the key, he turned the radio on, a news broadcast filling the air.

“Reports indicate that the perpetrator was a female, though no other details about her appearance are known. Pop sensation Sunset Shimmer is supposedly outraged at the theft of her motorcycle, a black-”

“Sunset Shimmer!?” Twilight cried, eyes wide.

“You know her?” Lock asked. Twilight nodded as she pulled the car out, calmly driving away from the dump.

“Yeah,” she said. “We went to school together, but she moved to Manehatten to become a professional singer. I wonder who stole her bike?”

Staying quiet for a moment as he listened to the supposed carnage the thief had caused in her getaway, Lock let out a low chuckle. “Gotta say,” he admitted, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a black, rectangular phone. “She sounds familiar. I wonder…”

Twilight watched as Lock tapped away at his screen. After a moment, he placed the phone on his knee, tapping his foot impatiently before smirking when it let out a brief ‘ping’. Picking it up again, he let out a bark of laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Twilight asked, pulling up at a red light.

“It’s my sister!” Lock cried, still gasping with laughter.

“What is?” the purple-skinned woman questioned, shooting him a confused look.

“The one who stole your friend’s bike, it’s my sister!” Falling into another fit of laughter at Twilight’s shocked face. “Oh god, I can’t believe she’s here too! I gotta bring her here!”

Twilight sighed, shaking her head as the light turned green and she pulled away. “Alright fine, tell her to find the Golden Oaks library in Ponyville.”

Lock nodded, tapping at his phone again until he paused. “...really?” he asked. “This town’s called Ponyville?”

Twilight shrugged again. “The founders were supposedly really into horses.”

“Eh, whatever. Name’s just a little weird.”

Load smiled warmly as her phone buzzed again, glancing down at it as she sped down the empty highway. “...Ponyville?” she asked with a chuckle. “That sounds dumb.” Tapping the screen with her thumb, she simply replied with ‘on my way’ before shoving the phone into her jacket pocket again. Revving the bike’s engine, she sped up, laughing loudly as she reared the bike onto it’s back wheel for a few miles before dropping it heavily again.