The Contract

Skai pushes open the door of the topmost floor and takes the time to close it before making his way towards his destination.

Just like the rest of the place, this floor is dark and dusty. His paws slip on the layer of dust and his talons put extra effort into grabbing the floor. There is a labyrinth of wooden beams, metal pillars and dry wall, too. Most are rotted and crumbling with mold lining them, but there are a few that are sturdy. Old lights and wire also hang from the ceiling and the missing windows allow the chilly, howling wind to push old paper across the floor.

As Skai walks through the floor, his eyes and ears search for any signs of trouble. Besides, the obvious building might collapse any minute type of trouble. He does not see any fresh prints on the floor or any signs of old furniture and equipment being moved around, which is a nice feeling for him. That said, he still searches the entire floor with great haste before he gets to his spot. An open room with a single table and chair in the center facing a beautiful tower in the distance. The tower has a trio of stars surrounding a crown on its roof, its corners are covered by golden rounded covers, and its polished windows glisten in the sunlight like crystals.

Skai sets up his rifle with quick, fluid motions, sits in the chair and peeks through the scope. Surprisingly the position is perfectly lined up with a long room that is crowded with zebras wearing suits and dresses, talking and drinking as waiters in tuxedos carry trays of food and drinks. He also spots armed guards, a single podium with blue curtains behind it, and a zebra stallion wearing a brown uniform with a white undershirt, red cuffs, various medals and a sun on his collar. He is watching everybody and refusing every offer of a drink.

Skai decides to ignore him and put his attention to the podium.

“Drink, sir?” asks a waiter to a zebra stallion in a brown uniform.

The uniformed zebra, Major Xolani, waves off the waiter, and thankfully he leaves immediately. With the waiter gone -just like the other ten he dismissed- the Major watches the crowd go about their business with his old, but hardened blue eyes. They are smiling and laughing with their fancy drinks and outfits, uncaring of the plight that is just beyond the walls of the building.

He is honestly glad that none of the aristocrats are talking to him. Maybe they are too distracted with their hubris feeding each other, or maybe his large build is intimidating. His large size is partially due to his long service, and partially due to genetics that only the blind can miss. If his bulky frame doesn't do it, then the light green color beneath his black stripes should be a dead give away of what he is. Thankfully he had just enough of the right genes to keep him safe from the military's purge. However, while he has survived that event, many more like him were not so lucky and are either working dead end jobs or buried.

“I'm surprised you're here,” says a stallion next to Major Xolani.

The Major glances to his side and grunts at an old, frail zebra with a short mane. He is wearing a crisp blue suit and his smile is disgusting.

“I promised my wife I would go,” says Major Xolani.

“That's nice. How's she doing?” asks the zebra, called Senator Themba.

“She's still alive.”

“Any signs of her improving?”

Major Xolani stares at Senator Themba with the silence of an airborne disease, and the Senator awkwardly clears his throat and steps back.

“Right. Well, I have to introduce our guest of honor.” The Senator points at a passing waitress. “Please, have something to eat or drink. It isn't healthy to starve yourself.”

Skai keeps his breathing steady and his ears open as he watches the scene across the way. So far he hears nothing that indicates danger and the old zebra that spoke with the commanding officer has now taken the podium. Said zebra is now talking and Skai wishes he would hurry up just so he can put a bullet in Kajil Ilb and go home. It is not too much to ask for!

“He is a retired General of the Altain Imperial Army and he has done a lot of work into helping the children of our great nation,” says Senator Themba. “Please, welcome General Kajil Ilb.”

The floor and dishes is rattled by the applause of the crowd, and Kajil Ilb walks out from behind the curtain, wearing a bright red suit and smiling and nodding to the crowd. Senator Themba steps away from the podium and extends his hoof, which taken by Kajil Ilb's hand and he brings the zebra in for a hug. The crowd chuckles, and Kajil Ilb pulls away to pat Senator Themba on the shoulder with a warm smile before he takes the podium. As he adjusts the microphone the Senator sits next to Major Xolani and grumbles to himself as he brushes the wrinkles off of his suit.

“I would like to thank Senator Themba for the kind introduction and good food,” says Kajil Ilb, pointing his palm at the Senator.

Said zebra quickly looks up and flashes a smile and playful wave, and when the griffin looks away to address the crowd his frown returns.

“Oh, what a lovely crowd,” says Kajil Ilb. “Very, very lovely crowd. Good food, good people. It's nice. It's nice. I like it.”

Skai adjusts his scope as he expels unnecessary air from his lungs. The visual blurs for a moment, but nothing a quick tweaking can't fix to give him a clear sight of his target.

Down in the alley, Jela hums and bobs his head in tune with the music playing from his radio, just waiting for the finale. Though, his antics grind to a halt when a large vehicle with a long trailer made of wood pulls to a stop next to him. The back opens up and a group of fifteen zebras armed with rifle-saddles and pistols strapped to their hoofs hop out, and a dozen rush inside while three aim their weapons at Jela.

“Oh, shit,” says Jela, his hoofs slowly raising and his heart banging wildly against his ribs. “Uh, I think there's been a misunderstanding.”

The zebras silently stare at him. Their bodies tense and their eyes focused, and Jela starts trembling and his mouth goes dry as his eyes frantically dart between each zebra. Then the passenger door opens and the vehicle shakes from someone sliding inside, and when Jela turns with a start, he screams at who he sees.

“Oh, shit! Oh, man. There has definitely been a mix up!” says Jela, now hyperventilating with tears filling up his eyes. However, his antics hold no sway over Ausar Jah, who is looking right at him with a hunger for blood in his eyes.

“Drive,” orders Ausar Jah.

“I love smiles,” says Kajil Ilb. “Smiles and kids. I love it. I love it. It is because I love kids that I am donating a generous sum of fifteen million bits to the Orphan Sanctuary Fund.”

The crowd stomps the floor in applause and-

Skai watches Kajil Ilb enthusiastically speaking crowd, and when his crosshairs line up perfectly with the target's forehead he squeezes the trigger and...

Click.

Nothing.

“It is important that we look after the future of the children,” says Kajil Ilb. “Our choices now dictate their destinies. We may not think of it, but every action we do ripples and changes others. We change enough lives we change the future. So... So...”

Kajil Ilb balls his hand into a fist, presses his fist into his beak and takes a deep breath. Then he exhales explosively and grips the podium tighter.

“We must now make a choice,” says Kajil Ilb. “I made my choices and I will not take them back for anything. Nothing. Nothing will sway me, convince me otherwise. Will you find it in your hearts to chose a child over your next possession? Will you change the future for the better?”

Skai looks at his rifle and takes a deep, long inhale as he squeezes his rifle tight with hot blood pulsing through his veins.

“That son of a bitch,” says Skai.

Right as those words leave, there is a series of echoes as the door is kicked open and a dozen sets of hoofs rush in with shouts accompanying them. The voices spread out and Skai instantly runs towards one of the worn walls and presses his back against it while bringing his useless weapon towards his chest. He sucks down air and forces his heart to slow down and his furiously swearing mind to shut up as he listens to the steps.

The attackers are not very discrete. Their steps are heavy, their gear rattles and they do not know how to keep quiet. Not that he is complaining since he knows exactly where his killers are going to be.

Speaking of which, he hears one just around the corner. They are breathing heavily and their gear is really shaking, and when the zebra rounds the corner he strikes.

Skai swings the rifle stock against the zebra's head, and with a loud crack and a gushing wound the zebra staggers into the adjacent wall. Skai then discards the useless weapon, grabs the zebra by his weapon and throws him to the ground. The griffin then clambers on top of him and the zebra screams and thrashes as he bleeds all over the floor. Others shout and run, and Skai presses the zebra's head into the floor, yanks out the pistol strapped to his hoof and shoots him through the ear. The zebra stop squirming and Skai snaps his pistol up and fires off three more rounds to a zebra rounding a corner down the walkway. All three rounds strike his target in the chest, dropping him instantly, but before he can fire off another salvo a burst of bullets rip apart the wall and strike him in the arm.

Skai curses and collapses, and firing blindly through the wall until his revolver clicks empty. The bullets punch holes in the wall, and the zebras shout in their native tongue as they scamper like scared rats.

Breathing heavily, Skai crawls to the other fallen zebra and tries to unfasten the rifle on his saddle, but with his hand bloody and shaking and the straps and mechanics keeping it locked good in place he chooses to grab the pistol instead.

With a pistol in one hand, Skai pulls on the dead zebra, using the corpse as a meat shield when he is shot at. Blood squirts up from the corpse and he fires off a few more rounds at the assailant. Most miss, but one strikes the zebra in the head, splashing the wall with red as he crumbles. Skai then scrambles to his feet and slides towards a slab of drywall, panting and shaking as he checks his stolen pistol. Only to find that it has one bullet left.

“Really?” scoffs Skai.

A sharp, hot knife suddenly rips through his hind leg, and he screams and drops to the floor, growling as the dirty floor scrapes his open wound. He bites his tongue and grips the wall for support as he pushes himself up with blood covering his arm and leg. Each motion brings a tearing pain into him and each hole feels like a mouth wanting to close.

A pair of zebras runs towards Skai, yelling at him. Not caring what they are trying to say, he puts the last bullet in one's head and throws the empty pistol at the other one. The zebra holds up his hoof to block the pistol, and Skai takes the opportunity to push him into the flimsy wall. The two are covered in dust and splinters upon impact and he stabs his talons into the zebra's throat. His target gurgles and blood soaks the griffin's hand and arm, and after he throws the zebra's limp body away he turns to see seven guns pointed at him.

Skai glares at them, panting with sweat and blood dripping to the floor.

He really wants to keep fighting. He can see and smell the fear in their shaking bodies. Even though they can kill him now, they all back up when he takes a step forward, and Skai forces a grin and waves them forward with one of his bloody talons.

“Who's next?” says Skai.

Out of his line of sight, around four sets of hoofs skid to a halt from the balcony area. The steps get closer and when the ponies enter, Skai scoffs in disbelief, for standing in front of him, flanked by four armored pegasi is none other than Royal Sentry.

His number three target is also wearing armor, and has a long rifle attached to his saddle. His guards, however, have shorter rifles with larger drums, and painted on their shoulder pads are winged pony skulls.

The zebras immediately part ways when Royal Sentry reaches them, and he looks at the dead bodies before looking at Skai with a heavy frown while the other pegasi flank him.

“Please stop fighting,” says Royal Sentry.

“Make me,” says Skai.

A hard, blunt object suddenly hits the back of Skai's head and he flops to the ground. He hisses and tries to stand up, but Royal Sentry's hoof hitting his skull knocks him down again and pushes him into the darkness.