Nemesis: The Violet Cloth Army [IC, 2 Player RP] CONCLUDED!!

[Infected Mushroom]

Not too far from Blue Hills
Vermont
USA

The sides of the road were surrounded by large, beautiful pine trees. The trees were numerous, tall, beautiful, and everywhere. Ice-capped mountains could be seen in the horizon beyond.

There was a touch of rain. The sky was grey and there was a hint of fog.

It was quiet, very quiet. The only sounds were the chirping of birds and the sounds of the slight rainwater thudding against the dirt and the asphalt.

A young girl emerged from the forest and continued jogging up a pavement by the side of the road. She wore a black T shirt and a pair of blue shorts; she had pallid skin and short hair that was dyed pink; a rather large pair of eyes. She was jogging at quite a rapid pace as her dark sneakers travelled across the ground.

Her head bobbed up and down because she was immersed in the music that was being played through the massive, high quality earphones she wore around her head.

For 19-year-old Alice Colemont, nothing was more enjoyable than a hike through the beautiful Blue Hills countryside, in full view of nature's majesty and listening to her favourite music.

...

Carl Wilson

Jameson Nature Park was quite empty at this time of the day.

Metallic music blared inside the vehicle at max volume. Carl Wilson was at the wheels, the lone passenger of a small red car. Carl had left the party hurriedly after a meet up with his friends Reynolds, Karren, and Dutch. He was alone now.

They had offered him a lift home but he decided to take his own chances in his own car solo. They would have to detour to get to his house since they were from St. Quentin. The were all sort of drunk and would risk it if they ran into cops on the wheel anyhow. Who got the bright idea to host a party in this wretched park anyways?

Best get back to Blue Hills before my vision blurs further.

It was getting blurrier and blurrier by the minute but Carl barely noticed. As he drove by, he noted that there was a deer near some of the pine trees. Just as Metallica was getting obscene, Carl flicked a middle finger at the animal over the driving wheel.

"GOTCHA A HAHAHAHA!"

His car sped past a slight bump on the muddy road.

Looks like there's no peeps at this time, parks gonna shut down man...

He steadily pumped up the speed of the car as he saw the exit straight ahead.

Speed limits don't apply now you park ranger fucks...

...

Alice Colemont jogged cheerfully through the woods. She glanced at her special watch that measured her heartbeat, workout level and steps. It was almost time to turn back, her target was nearly met. Maybe after a track or two...

She continued to bob her head up and down a she kept jogging. The pine trees on either side were absolutely beautiful and she didn't mind the slight rain.

She was a little too distracted when she rushed by a small, almost unnoticeable entrance/exit to Jameson Nature Park.

...

Carl Wilson

Carl was driving at a high speed, he was about to get out of the park. Get out to the main road, turn left, and its a straight clean drive back to Blue Hills. His head was spinning and it was getting hot but he could make it.

This track sucks...

He fumbled with his stubby fingers to change the Metallica track as his car sped towards the exit. Even in his drunken state he suddenly noticed something was off.

He sat back up and saw her...

Without a warning, a young pink-haired pale woman/girl suddenly appeared. She was listening to her headphones.

OH!

Carl's eyes were wide open as he hit the brakes at once. But it was too late, way too late. Carl was so taken aback he didn't even hit his horn.

THUD....

...

Alice Colemont was still immersed in her music when she was very suddenly hit by a great and terrible force.

There was grotesque thudding sound followed by a cracking sound as the speeding red car collided into her. Her small body flung over the front of the car briefly before flying off to the side of the speeding vehicle. Her body landed thereafter on the side of the forest.

...

Carl Wilson

The skidding car finally stopped. It had sped past the park entrance and was now sitting in the middle of the main road; the front window panel was slightly cracked.

OH NO... NO NO NO!

Carl unclipped his seatbelt. He opened the car and rushed out behind. Filled with terror and panic, he found her.

The young woman was lying on the side of the forest, on the slightly muddy park floor amongst the trees. Her arms and legs were sprawled out in a rather grotesque posture; her bright eyes were wide open and a large stream of blood ran out from her nose.

"OH MY LORD NO! PLEASE NO!" Carl screamed out, his voice sounded desperate and panicked.

He rushed over and knelt in front of the pink-haired woman.

"WAKE UP YOU FUCKING BITCH!'

He grabbed her and shook her very violently. If she was dead it was highly disrespectful but in his drunken stupor Carl had other priorities. She didn't wake up.

"FUCK NO!'

Was she dead?

He reached down and tried to feel a pulse (in the process, he winced because it felt kind of wrong touching her like this)... NOTHING.

"COME THE FUCK ON..."

Nothing. No beat. He withdrew his hand as he realised it was slightly covered in blood now too. There was blood pouring out of some other part of her now and not just from her nose and his hand had gotten a bit of it.

He was sickened to his core. She was dead. With her mouth hanging open and her eyes being wide open, she wasn't coming back.

Maybe I should call the pol... NO FUCK THAT! I ain't going to jail for something like this.

He dropped the woman and looked around. There was no one.

His heart was filled with regret but his survivor instincts kicked in. His car was still sitting in the middle of the road, anyone could come up now. He had to go.

Throwing one last glance at the unconscious/dead woman. He got back into his car (the Metallica music was still blaring). He turned his car around and sped off as fast as he could, away from the scene.

I... well... I... if they found it, they wouldn't know it was me... my life... it... it can still be normal. It wasn't me it was GOD'S WILL.

...

Two weeks later...

Mary Wilson

In a small but stately house by a forest clearing in Blue Hills, it was time for breakfast.

The home belonged to the Wilsons (in fact, the Wilsons had built it up brick by brick, it was impressive). The family consisted of Jake Wilson, his wife Mary, their two children Kenneth and Abigail. The children were very young, 12 and 8 respectively. It was the summer holidays so school was out.

"Is Daddy going to come downstairs?" Abigail asked.

Mary sat the pancakes down. "Daddy needs his rest. He's had a difficult time abroad."

"Killing bad people?" Abigail asked naively.

"Yes," Mom replied.

Kenneth rolled his eyes.

Mary didn't like simplifying things for her kids but at the moment, there was too much on her plate. Jake had suddenly come home, discharged from Iraq, but he had become well... a different person. She wasn't really sure what he was dealing with but the war well... it had changed her husband. And then there was that AWFUL arrest two days ago of Jake's nephew Carl. Apparently he had hit and killed a young woman in a park after some drunken driving; the details were still unclear but there was definitely going to be some jail time involved. Jake hadn't taken the news too well either.

"I'm going to bring your dad some food," Mary said firmly.

Carrying a large plate and putting in a glass of juice, she headed up the stairs to the guest room, now occupied by Jake. The door was closed.

She knocked on the door.

"Honey breakfast is out!"

No reply.

"I'm going to leave it outside the door by the low table. However, you should eat something okay? Remember... we've still got that party later today. It's your dad's birthday. We can't cancel that... Everyone's coming over so."

It was honestly a big hassle and it couldn't have come at a worst time. But everyone had a turn hosting events like this and now it was Jake's turn. It was going to be a big deal, Jake's father Terence was going to be seventy-two. It was going to be such a huge gathering they had to borrow some tables from "the neighbours" (there were no neighbours where they lived, they had to drive ten minutes downhill to the Langleys). Two days ago she had done a massive shopping run at Family Mart. The yard had been prepared though and obviously everyone would have to bring some food and chip in. Still, a huge cooking work was about to begin right after breakfast. She was even going to need the kids to help.

"Jake are you okay?" Mary called out as she tapped on the door. "Should I come in or you want to be alone?"

[Main Nation Ministry]

Jake Wilson

Jake was in the air. In the Apache, Jake was at the gunner seat where they were flying over enemy territory. A mixture of beige and tan were below him in the desert. "This is Apache-6, do you copy? Stronghold is ahead of us. Permission to release the bomb?" the pilot asked, as Jake was ready to help his country. "Permission granted." The Apache flew over the large building in the middle of this town of flat buildings. Jake and his partner were given intel that the place they were attacking was supposed to be a stronghold for several terrorists related to the Al-Qaeda. Mission was simple. Go "shock and awe" and they stand down. "Let's light them up, boys!" Jake said to raise morale, as the operation was commencing.

Everything was looking good, until the radio operator communicating on the helicopter started to yell, "Wait! Stop! STOP! Cease fire! Cease fire!"
"Wait, the hell is going on?" Jake said, as the pilot flew over the site. "Jesus fucking Christ, this is a school we bombing! Cease fire!"

"Oh god.."

---

Jake woke up from his bed, as he put his hand to his head. That mission was still haunting him even after he got discharged from the military. When you have PTSD, it was somewhat of a total bitch. He couldn't sleep. Every time he tried, he would just get these nightmares. Of horrible things. And there were these thoughts brewing around. When guilt has you by a tether, it was hard to be happy. Jake was caught in his own bed covers, as he sat up from his bed. Every day after he was discharged has been nothing of pain for him. His wife Mary had to give the kids a talk about what Jake did for a living at Iraq. He heard knocking at the bedroom door. Mary. Jake got up to answer the door, as he heard what she was telling him. It would help to interact. Does treat his behavior.

The door opened, where his wife had placed his breakfast at the low table. "Jake? You're ok, sweetie?" his wife asked him, where he tried to maintain a stable attitude. "It's hard to sleep after the war. I'm guessing you prepared my favorite breakfast?" Jake said, seeing the food on his plate. Some blueberry pancakes with maple syrup and butter. He prefers tomato juice for his breakfast, but Mary had a glass of simple orange juice instead. It was best to not have anything that reminded him of blood. The other problem with PTSD for Jake was that he was a horror fan. Movies of slashers and giallo were his interest. However, when you are involved with actual horror, that hobby of his is too real to enjoy.

"You want to eat your breakfast in the bedroom?"
"Yeah. I don't want the kids to see me like this." Jake said. He didn't look like a mess, but he had rings around his eye, where he still looked disheveled. But the main problem was that it was his father Terence's birthday today. Aged now at 72. It would be amazing if he reached past 80 or 85. As part of running in the family, Jake's father Terence was also in the war. Vietnam back in the 60's. While the counter-culture was happening, Terence was caught in the Tet Offensive, where he had his leg blown apart for his troubles, forcing him to return home. Even after what happened in Kent State, Terence was still a soldier by heart. His own older brother Stanley was dealing with the fact that Carl, his son, had hit some poor girl in the town. Jake wanted to distance himself away from Carl, since he knew that Stanley was practically useless in treating his own son's alcohol abuse. He wasn't going to help Stanley bail Carl out of prison, that's for sure.

"When is everyone coming?"
"In a couple hours. You have enough time to eat breakfast."
"I can get myself tidy up also. Make sure you don't let any of the kids disturb me. I can try to play with them during the party." Jake said to reassure her. "Love you, honey." Mary said, where Jake gave her a kiss. "You too." Jake said, before starting to eat breakfast.

Jake went to the backyard to get everything set up. He wasn't going to leave his hands on the grill. Stanley can do it for all he cared. He wasn't going to be standing close to an actual burner. Several party garlands in colors of blue were tied from the hinges from the gutters to the plywood picket fences surrounding the backyard. The tables were arranged as if it was a potluck. The trampoline was still there for the kids. And the weather seem sunny.

"Kenneth, I need you to help me with the plates!" Jake called for his son Kenneth, as he came out with an assortment of plastic plates you can get at a Wal-Mart. Though it was from the Family Mart, where they sold similar plates. "Dad, my friends want to go online to play Minecraft with me!"
"Kenneth. You can have your school friends wait. Your grandfather is coming over and you are going to welcome him like any other member of the family." Jake stated to Kenneth, as Abigail put a birthday card for her grandpa on a table with an assortment of gifts. "Dad, when is Grandpa coming over?"
"He will be here. Make sure you welcome him."

Terence arrived with Stanley driving him in one of those cars for the handicapped, along with his wife in the passenger seat. Jake welcomed them both, as he hugged his mom and dad. So did the children. "Jake, my boy! I see you're here back in Vermont!"
"Dad, this is where I live."
"Well, you still look good after-"
"Terence!" Jake's mom Clara stopped him from mentioning the war. Their son was in front of them after all. "Where's Stanley?" Jake asked him, where he was busy unloading gifts from the back of the car. "Oh god.."
"Jake. Please be nice to your brother. I know what happened to his boy Carl couldn't have been prevented, but at least show him respect."
"He's doing the grilling. I still have several days to recover." Jake remarked, as he tried to help Stanley with the gifts.

In a blur, the party was being in full swing. Food wasn't being served, yet so it was mainly chatting about how your lives have been. Politics weren't mentioned, thank fucking god. Stanley was struggling getting the grill set up, where he had to be helped by Jake. "Son of a bitch.." Jake realized that Stanley was going to be useless when cooking. "Hey Jake?"
"Yeah Stanley?"
"Is it possible we can talk about something at the front porch?" Stanley asked him, though Jake knew what it was about. "Whatever it is, make it quick. I need to help Mary set up the cake." Jake said, as both of them went to the front porch of the Wilson's residence. "Look. I know it's been a rough time for you, but I need you to help my boy Carl."
"Stanley. I already told you. Your son is going to be in prison. I raised my kids the same as any other adult should."
"But I think something bad is going to happen to him!"
"Of course, something bad is happening to him. He's going to be in Sing Sing."
"No! I think it's from that girl he hit! Her family has like guns! And connections!"
"Connections?"
"That's why I need you to help bail my son out! They might pay a prison guard to shank him!"
"Nobody is going to shank your kid. If they wanted revenge, they would just let him rot in jail. If he's lucky, the court might go easy on him. But I'm not giving you money for a lawyer."

"Jake, please! He's going to suffer!"
"Suffer?" Jake started to get agitated at Stanley's pleas. "You hadn't seen suffering from someone who went to hell and back just to make sure their home isn't nuked. Just drop it, Stanley! You had more time than me to raise your son, well! I nearly sank to the bottom of the bottle after what happened to me, which was easy for me to get out since I had a doctor! Your son Carl could have been given help, but you give me a damn driving license even when you saw him drinking for the bottle. I don't even let him near Kenneth or Abigail anymore, because of what he might do when he's drunk of his damn mind!" Jake argued with Stanley, where Mary went to the front porch from the front door to see the commotion.

"Honey!" Mary said, where Jake calmed down, while Stanley looked helpless. "I need help in the kitchen." Mary softly said, where Jake went to the front door. "Stanley. It's best you tend to the grill." Jake stated, where he went inside the house to help with Mary. "Sweetie, we went to the Mart to get plastic forks and knifes, but I could have sworn that we bought enough forks for everyone." Mary said, where Jake examined the situation. "Keep everyone occupied with the hamburgers. If Stanley a shit cook, make sure the kids don't eat anything raw."
"You going down to the Family Mart?"
"I get some more food and more plastic forks. Can't let the party be lacking stuff. My dad doesn't have much time left. Can't disappoint him." Jake said, as he went to get the car keys. "Tell the kids that I will be right back." Jake said to Mary, where she blew a kiss.

Driving from the driveway, Jake drove downhill to the town. As he was stopping at a stop sign, he didn't seem to notice the parked black car that was spying on him.

[Infected Mushroom]

A few days ago...
 
Penny Colemont 


Alice Colemont lay lifelessly, her graceful features eternally frozen (the mortician had closed her eyes and her mouth, so she looked peaceful). She was encased in a beautiful transparent glass coffin; her corpse wore an elegant gilded pink dress. There wasn’t a hint of injury, they had done a good job.

The sky was a threatening grey, clouds were swirling but it wasn’t raining yet. 

A woman knelt on the grass in front of the glass tomb. Penny Colemont looked very much like her younger sister (they were only five years apart). The petite, slim woman had her sister’s pale flawless complexion; her large bright eyes were surrounded by heavy thick dark make up. Penny had short hair, they were dyed to a light blue color, across the front of her hair she wore a large navy blue flower pin.

Being here to pay respect to her sister, Penny had dressed down. She was dressed in a simple black dress. 

In her fragile fingers (manicured with violet), she held a small bouquet of prize roses. 

I am really going to miss you Alice. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. 

Choking back some fresh tears, she placed the flower bouquet in front of the glass coffin. 


“Farewell my dear sister,” she said softly. 

You were too sweet for this world...

A dark resolve settled over her as Penny stood up, lifting the folds of her dark dress from the grass. She turned and walked away. 
 
She walked past a respectful and sullen crowd of men and woman in suits (they stood a few meters back, giving her a moment with her sister). 
 
In the distance far off, there was a small network of informal security walking around, half a dozen or so men in suits and leather jackets.
 
Although she could have called on a much larger crowd for the procession itself (including everyone and anyone who mattered in Vermont), Penny had opted for a small private funeral procession. She felt it’s what Alice would have wanted. 
 
Penny reached the back and walked towards her vehicle. It was a high end black Cardillac. A single very tall female guard stood by the vehicle with her hands behind her back, still as a statue; the tall woman wore a simple officer’s uniform; she had a side cap on with a red star in the middle, her red hair was tied back. She had a stern tough-looking face. Her sharp eyes were alert as they scanned the perimeter (her name was Nadya Ivinov).  
 
A nervous young man approached her, unimpressive looking and in a butler’s outfit, his name was Jacob Fairs. 


“Miss Colemont,” Jacob said uneasily. “You’re leaving? What about the rest of the funeral?” 
 
Penny threw Jacobs a very cold look. 
 
What a blithering idiot, he always had his priorities wrong. 
 
Most of the funeral was finished at any rate, the important bits. 
 
Jacobs fell silent at once and backed off slightly; he was terrified of the young woman he was bound to serve.
 
Penny didn’t expect he’d recover in time to open the car’s door for her so she opened it herself and stepped inside. Nadya took the passenger’s seat. As soon as the doors were closed, her private driver moved the car off the road.
 
Jacobs can handle the rest of the funeral. He was at least capable of that.
 
Penny wiped away a small tear from her eye as her heart grew cold. 
 
I don’t have time to grieve… I have a revenge to plan. That fucking driver is so dead… He took something very precious of mine away. He will pay. 
 
…
 
When Penny returned to her mansion. She said nothing as she strolled past her guards and locked herself inside her massive bedroom. On the road back her wrath had dissolved and given its way to a wave of unbearable searing grief once more.

She was only nineteen! NINETEEN! It’s not fair!
 
Her sister Alice was one of the only people in the world who ever truly understood her; they had shared such a close bond. It was soon… too soon for her to leave…
 
She didn’t leave. She was TAKEN!
 
Penny closed the large mahogany doors to her room. She looked around, as if to make sure she was truly alone. Then she was overwhelmed… she rushed forward and cried into her bed sheets. All memories of her pure, innocent sister came rushing back to her. She had managed to remain relatively cold and stately during the proceeding (she didn’t want her subordinates seeing her weakness) but now it was just too much. 

Penny Colemont cried for what seemed like an eternity. Then a violent, unadulterated rage overtook her entire form. She screamed and hurled a ten thousand dollar lamp across the room. It landed unto the floor with a loud crash. A table or two were turned over with all contents smashing unto the ground. 
 
A servant tapped on the door, bang on cue. She recognized Jacob’s voice.
 
“Miss… Miss Colemont? Are you al-”
 
“LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!” she shrieked right back. 
 
The servants did for the better part of the afternoon, probably for their own sake too. 
 
…
 
Victor Miller
 
A young, handsome-looking man with dark hair and a pale face walked up the courtyard and gardens leading to the Colemont mansion. He was wearing a trendy black suit jacket; there were a few white frills here and there, it looked expensive and had a touch of haute fashion. 
 
The next few plays I make will prove critical. Can I capture this Queen? I’m up for the challenge. 
 
It seemed that Penny’s latest move, probably more out of emotional impulsivity then rational calculation, was to bar him from attending her sister’s funeral. A few days ago Victor had tried his best to react badly to the news of Alice’s death but apparently Penny didn’t find it too convincing. 
 
“I don’t think you truly understand what she meant to me,” Penny Colemont had yelled at him, raising volumes. “I don’t think we should be together anymore.”
 
Victor remembered being as annoyed as he was exasperated.  
 
PL-EEZE my lady how old are you? “I don’t think we should be together anymore”… what is this, literal HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA? If you didn’t have extraordinary amounts of money and power I could take I wouldn’t even bother. You’re too high maintenance. 
 
However, Victor said nothing and felt strangely in control. There were going to be phases with this type of woman and you had to play them out, he had experience to know this. He took it as gracefully as he could and stepped out of the mansion. Of course, he planned to orchestrate a grand return… when the time was right. Still, it was difficult for him to accept that he was only three years older than Penny; he sometimes felt like he was dealing with a literal teenage girl rather than an adult woman. 
 
He had already pocketed a few millions (which he’d reinvested into various side businesses of his own), it had massively increased his pocket book and revenues. Truth be told Victor could probably take his wins and leave but he wanted more; there was SO MUCH POTENTIAL here with this little queen. 
 
Victor was fairly sure he could get her back. He had a gift for that sort of thing. As things were, he had a wicked idea in his scheming mind. 
 
He found his way to the door blocked by a stone-faced Nadya Ivinov. “Miss Soviet” he liked to call her (it was somewhat insensitive but come on, the uniform is just asking for it; What’s with the anime get up in this organization?).  She didn’t look too happy to see him.
 
If she just had a makeover she’d be doable as well. Unfortunately, she has NO CLUE how to be a woman and what’s with that GHASTLY stern face?
 
“Uh HUM,” Victor said, clearing his throat.
 
Nadya didn’t move.
 
“You’re in my way,” Victor said pointedly. 
 
The guard said nothing.
 
“Since when did you guard this entrance anyways?” Victor asked mockingly. “I thought you were too high for this sort of door duty?”
 
“Mister Miller,” Nadya said, there was a slight non-American accent. “You don’t belong here. She doesn’t want to see you anymore. She’s not to be disturbed after the funeral.”
 
“I have to see her now,” Victor replied, mustering as much defiance as he could. 
 
“I’d advise against it,” Nadya said. “She’s expressly banned you from entering.” 
 
“And I expressly INSIST on entering,” Victor said. 
 
Nadya didn’t budge; she continued to stand there, statuesque in her uniform.
 
“If you don’t let me in,” Victor said slyly. “I’ll leave a note telling her you prevented me from entering. What will she do? You want to take the risk?”
 
Nadya gave him an unpleasant smirk but stepped out of the way. “Have it your way, Victor, it’s your funeral.”
 
Victor gave her a mocking bow. Then he walked past her and up to the doors to knock. 
 
You stupid Soviet bitch. One day I’ll be king of the world then I won’t have to deal with your superior attitude anymore. Hell maybe I’ll even arrange a little accident for you. 
 
…
 
It took a few hours but Penny was eventually persuaded to step out of her chambers. Then it took a few more hours for her to actually see Victor because she had to call her girl servants to clean her looks up.
 
Victor was very patient.
 
Penny Colemont stepped into the dining hall where Victor stood up at once to greet her. She was dressed in a white, purple, and dark blue dress.
 
“Penny are you… you… you must feel terrible right now I can’t BEGIN to imagine…,” Victor said. 
 
Penny looked at him. Saying nothing, she sat herself down on one of the chairs not far from him. Victor sat down as well. 
 
There was a brief moment of silence. 
 
Then he spoke.
 
“So then what are you going to do about it?’
 
“About what?” Penny said coldly. “My sister is dead. There is nothing more to be done.”
 
“Are you not going to take revenge?” Victor asked. 
 
Penny looked at him, frowning slightly. “I… I’ve said before that I don’t discuss family business with you. Besides, we’re not together anymore and-“
 
Victor ignored her and cut across. “Well the bastard driver HAS to die. I’m sure you’ll avenge your sister’s honor. That drunken, rotten, filthy son of a bitch.” 
 
Penny couldn’t resist the bait, some of her anger was already coming back, but not directed at Victor.
 
“Yes, he will die,” Penny said, betraying a good deal of anger. “Loyalham’s already looked him up for me. His name is Wilson, Carl Wilson. The police got to him but I can still arrange for him to die and disappear. He can still be clipped. He will die for what he’s done to Alice…”
 
“But you feel that it’s not enough,” Victor interrupted her.
 
Penny blinked. “What… what do you mean?”
 
Victor stood up as he continued to speak, pacing around the room as if making some sort of sales pitch or sermon. 
 
“You run the scenario over and over in your head. That Wilson killed your sister, he’s a car driving murderer… so to take revenge you arrange to have Wilson clipped. Tit for tat, equation solved… it should feel fair and settled… RIGHT?”
 
He clapped his hands.
 
“Except it DOESN’T. And you know why? Because that useless drunken idiot’s life can NEVER be worth what Alice was personally worth to you. The bond you had with your dear sister, she was the only person who understood you, even more so than your late father. HE TOOK YOUR ALICE! It’s not fair.” 
 
Penny said nothing. She watched Victor closely, slightly intrigued. 
 
“You will arrange for it to happen of course,” Victor said. “Because it’s what you must do. The honor of the Colemont family is at stake and you have to do your duty. Your father’s dead, your cousins are gone, you’re the only Colemont left so you YOU… Penny… not your father or anyone else… YOU… YOU  have to protect the honor of the Violet Cloth. WILSON WILL DIE. But you’ll still feel bad after.”
 
Penny considered his words. Then she said, 
 
“You’re right I have no choice. I… I’ll admit you’re right in saying I wouldn’t get much satisfaction from it.” 
 
“And the reason for that is all too clear,” Victor said, he looked straight at her. “In order to TRULY avenge Alice, you must do more.”
 
“Do what?” Penny asked. “What else can I do? I’ll still feel terrible after.”
 
“Don’t stop at Carl Wilson,” Victor said to her. “Do his ENTIRE FAMILY. His mother, his father, his cousins, his children… KILL EVERYONE.”
 
Penny considered it. It was not unprecedented; two generations ago a Colemont had done something like that. She was beginning to feel a stir inside her… 
 
“Show the world what Alice TRULY meant to you,” Victor continued. “He took away your world. Go take away his. Kill him and his entire family. Avenge Alice. Avenge your sister. When the debt is paid, you will feel better at last.”
 
Penny stood up as well. She trembled with a newfound exhilaration. The path forward was clear. 

The vision, It’s beautiful!
 
She looked across the table at Victor Miller. Her heart raced for him as she felt a sudden, uncontrollable wave of desire.

Without saying a word further, she walked to him, grabbed him firmly, and kissed him full on in the mouth. This was a move that Victor reciprocated at once…
 
Later that evening.
 
Penny said, “Will you kill his entire family with me?”
 
Victor was sent a chill down the young man. He had expected a gangster squad would do the work. What did she mean “with me”? But he hid his uncertainty.
 
He didn’t like where this was going. He had already done several of these “tests” where he was asked to murder people. They were supposed to be past that.
 
“Yes of course, I’d do anything and everything for you.”

Penny allowed herself a dark smile.

They will never see it coming...

[Infected Mushroom]

Carl Wilson

Carl Wilson couldn’t believe it. He had been held for what seemed like an eternity inside a cold, lifeless, windowless room. He was all alone.

Constitutional rights are a fucking myth! This ain’t right.

The arrest had been traumatic but at least he got his phone call and his lawyer. A few hours ago, all of that had disappeared. It seemed the Blue Hills PD had just thrown him into a room, handcuffed him to the chair and forgotten about him. No warning, no questioning, nothing… He hadn't seen a soul in hours.

The fuck is going on… My lawyer is supposed to be in touch.

He had lost track of time, and he was pretty sure the air con was maxed out on purpose.

“Hey come on man!” he yelled at the mirror behind him. There was always someone watching behind that thing right? “You don’t need to do this… This is CHILDISH! You don’t need to send me a message I get it okay?!”

No reply.

Sigh…

To his relief, the door finally opened. Carl tried to stand up but then he remembered he was cuffed to the chair.

“You guys realize I have rights or is that not a thing?”

Two police officers had walked in. He hadn’t seen them before, they weren’t the same ones who took him here. One of them had a scar across his face.

“Yo Wilson,” he said. “We’re uncuffing you. You’re coming with us.”

“Where am I going?”

“You don’t ask the questions.”

Without warning, the two cops forced a large, thick cloth sack over his entire face. Carl panicked as his entire world went black.

“HEY… WHAT… WHAT THE FUCK!”

…

The cops released Carl from the chair. He was too shocked to struggle so it was easy for them to cuff him again. He was handled and marched very firmly out of the building and into some kind of vehicle waiting outside.

Soon, the car was on the road.

…

Not far from the Wilson residence…

Penny Colemont

Seven people marched across the tall grass of the countryside on the way to the Wilson residence.

Penny had planned this in a rather hurried fashion as soon as her advisor Jon Loyalham got wind of the fact that the Wilsons were holding a family reunion.

All the fruit of the rotten tree in one basket…

She trusted Loyalham to ensure the police wouldn’t get involved and to work out the details of Carl’s transportation. However, she wanted to get the massacre started as soon as possible.

There wasn’t any time to waste; she wanted to murder absolutely everyone while the Wilsons were at the family reunion party. The location was too perfect and there was a strange ironic sense of justice to it all, they wouldn’t get to celebrate family time when she had lost hers.

Penny Colemont had handpicked a particularly vicious bunch for this very very personal mission. Captain Jed Hackaway (“the Butcher”), a leering fedora wearing mobster with messy dark hair whose choice weapon was a long thin revolver which he held out; he had brought three of his most vicious trigger boys with him (Alan York, Gary Steel, and Bill Sherman). Of course, Penny brought along her trusty tall Soviet uniformed female guard, Nadya Ivanov (with her prior experience in Russian intelligence, she was one of the very best).

And of course… Victor Miller, the author of this absolutely ingenious and beautiful vision and the True Love of her life.

Against all advice, Penny herself had insisted on coming. She needed to be there (she wanted to be there). Penny wore a white and dark blue long sleeved short dress with frills; she sported a pair of dark blue gloves and had on a large navy blue scarf around her delicate pale neck. She marched across the forest floor, wearing a pair of long violet leather boots.

The young pale woman herself had chosen to carry a long semi automatic hunting rifle (with iron sights). It was the firearm she was the most comfortable using; when her father had been alive, Penny had gone on these long hunts with him in the forest and shot many animals down with this very special rifle. Most of the gang members carried handheld firearms (with generous ammunition); Bill Sherman sported a large shotgun which he slung over his broad, leather-coated shoulder.

Penny felt a rush of excitement. She hadn’t personally murdered anyone since three years ago; ordering people killed from the mansion was one thing but there was something visceral about participating in the actual act.

Most of the team had a stern, solemn expression on their faces as they approached their pre-scouted destination (well, Jed the Butcher looked pretty happy). Penny was getting increasingly thrilled with blood lust.

You think you can party while my sister burns. You filthy, complacent idiots, you’re all responsible for raising the murderer who stole her from me. I will enjoy killing all of you.

Victor Miller in particular didn’t look very happy; he had suggested the idea but its execution… well… it wasn’t QUITE how he had envisioned it (he didn’t really want a front row seat with required participation in this). However, Penny didn’t notice.

My dear Alice… this is for you…

…

It was a delightfully sunny afternoon at Jake Wilson’s residence.

The outdoors party was going very well.

Shortly after Jake’s departure to get the supplies, the atmosphere of the party had really picked up. A particularly chatty cousin of Jake’s, Dolores, had shown up along with her rather plump children. Mary walked around and offered everyone more drinks. Soon it would be time to bring out the birthday cake. Even Stanley seemed to temporarily forget about his troubles and got into a relaxed conversation with Terence (for a man aged seventy two, Terence was looking surprisingly sturdy, except for the prosthetic leg he had to lean on). The potluck was a massive success, the wooden tables were filled with food and snacks in plenty. The BBQ was occupied too (though as Jake had advised, Stanley had nothing to do with it, it was left to Rob and his wife Sarah).

Beer bottles were passed around in plenty. Kenneth, Abigail, and their cousins Paul and Simon took turns on the trampoline in the corner. The effects of the birthday decorations, ad hoc as they were, was great (Mary had a talent for this sort of thing and she had enlisted help from aunt Larissa).

All in all, counting all adults and children, every relative present, there were eighteen of them gathered. The backyard, large and vast as it was, was getting quite crowded.

“HEY ITS MY TURN!” Paul yelled as he pushed Simon off.

“Children,” Rob said as he yelled from the BBQ, “No fighting okay? Let’s be nice. Work it out okay?”

At that moment, Jake’s 8 year old daughter Abigail turned and noticed that a new group had shown up.

She noticed a strangely dressed woman with blue hair and a large blue flower pin in her hair; she was surrounded by lots of people…

Abigail pointed a finger in their direction and said:

“Mom… MOM! … Who’s that?”

Penny Colemont raised her rifle and fired almost immediately.
…

There was a cracking sound like a thunderbolt followed by a brief whipping sound; it was punctuated by a sickening thud.

A spray of blood flew out from Rob’s head. Almost instantly, he fell over the BBQ equipment and lay sprawled on the floor, lifeless. There was loud clanging sound as the sizzling stopped and baskets of meat and bread fell over and spilled.

Rob’s wife turned around and let out a bloodcurdling scream of anguish.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!”

There was a brief moment of silence; several heads turned and noticed the fallen Rob; some eyes darted towards the intruders.

The gangsters followed their leader and all of them started to open fire with their weapons. A hail of bullets flew out and it indiscriminately massacred all those caught in it.

Left and right, up and down, it did not matter. The Wilsons were defenseless and they could do nothing.

Many of them made a mad dash for the house; screams and cries ran out, punctuated by gasps of pain and yells of agony. Many of them were struck by the bullets and fell over. Clarice was struck by a bullet to the back and fell over, 9 year old Simon fell on top of the trampoline.

A huge thuggish man with a shotgun (Billy Sherman) loaded and fired his shotgun indiscriminately as he strafed. The effect was to cause beer bottles, ceramic plates, and parts of the house to explode as he strafed around and kept cocking and firing his weapon.

As the gang members kept firing their guns, they stepped forward and into the thick of the party.

Nadya walked by Maria. The homemaker was in a mortal state of terror; her knee had been caught by a random bullet and she struggled to get up. She saw that the Russian guard had noticed her and was now pointing a handgun straight at her chest.

Mary raised her hand. “Please I-“

BANG! BANG! BANG!

“Alright boys!” Jed Hackaway shouted over the gunfire. “Spread out and make sure they don’t get away. York, get the other side NOW!”

...

Penny Colemont

Penny walked across the yard in her boots, she felt unbelievably cathartic as she unleashed her anger on the Wilson family members, young and old. The whole sequence was almost dreamlike, it was better than the hard drugs she had tried in her experimental teenage days. Penny pressed her rifle against the head of a wounded Wilson and fired. Some of the blood splashed against the barrel of her gun and her clothes.

The killing was completely taking her mind off the loss of Alice. She was now completely living in the moment, relishing the destruction she was unleashing against those who had wronged her.

She aimed her rifle and aimed for one of the Wilsons in the distance. It was important no one escaped.

BANG!

It was a perfect hit.

…

Stanley Wilson

Stanley had been talking to Terence, he always had a close bond to his father. The subject of Carl had been brought up. Before he could get very far though, he heard the gunshots.

He turned around just in time to hear the screams of terror and notice that Rob had been shot.

Before he could process what had happened, he heard a series of very loud gunfire followed by absolute pandemonium.

Stanley instinctively leapt unto the ground but then he remembered his elderly father.

“DAD we have to go!” He got up but it was too late. A handgun bullet had struck the old man in the throat. Due to angle and range, it had somehow lodged inside deep his throat… causing a slow and painful death as he choked and fell over.

OH GOD NO!

Stanley tried to think but it was all a blur. His survival instincts kicked in as he forced himself to get up and sprint across the large yard to the house. On the way, he grabbed a terrified looking Abigail.

“COME WITH ME NOW!” he yelled over the deafening sound of gunfire as he practically dragged the mortified little girl across the full length of the yard. A window pane not close to where they stood exploded.

Stanley had heard something about “Kenneth” but there was no time. He couldn’t turn back, and he could realistically only save one child.

By some miracle Stanley and Abigail weren’t hit by the bullets and they made it past the house to where the car was parked.

However, they found themselves face to face with a gangster waiting by the car (he had somehow come in from the other side, they were surrounded). It was Gary Steel, a thuggish bully with a rat like face in a polo shirt with a handgun raised and aimed; his face was expressionless, the look of a stone-cold murderer.

Stanley realized there was no running so he raised his hand.

“Wait… you don’t have to do this, there are childr-“

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Stanley felt a series of bullets pierce him through the chest; he heard a fraction of Abigail’s traumatized screams just before he ceased to exist.
…

The yard was filled with smoke from all the gunfire. Finally, the shooting had stopped.

Penny stood, quietly soaking in the scene of the bloodied bodies on the floor. She was so amazed and caught up in the experience of what she had just done that she was rendered speechless.

It was up to Nadya and Jed, the ones with the training and the experience, to instruct the goons to do a head count and make sure there were no survivors.

“Remember everyone,” Jed called out. “Double tap!”

What followed was a gruesome procedure as a number of unnecessary bullets were fired into already dead people (this was completely disrespectful). A few of the Wilsons weren’t dead, they screamed and begged but it was useless; the Violet Cloth gang showed no mercy.

A few gang members broke into the Wilson house and searched every corner. No one was inside, just as Alan York had reported after first scouting the area before the attack.

All of the corpses were brought into the yard and lined up. That took a while but Loyalham had paid good money to make sure the police wouldn’t come.

Jed and his goons did a count. They had killed eighteen.

“Who are we missing?” Nadya said, a concerned frown on her face.

“Jake Wilson,” Jed said. “Carl’s uncle.”

Jed was a sadist but he was also a professional, he had studied and memorized all of the Wilson profiles and their photographs before the job. He had no problems looking at the corpses so he managed to work out who they missed.

Penny walked up to them, having overheard the conversation.

"We should get rid of the bodies, burn the house, and get out like we planned," Nadya said.

“Don't be such a kill joy. Let's have some fun with Jake. He doesn’t fucking know…” Jed said, sneering. “Why don’t we wait until he gets back and give him a nice welcome home?”

“What if he doesn’t show?” Nadya asked suspiciously.

“It doesn’t matter,” Jed replied. “We can risk it. We bought the coppers off for a whole day and there’s no neighbors for miles. We have time. Let’s have some more fun.”

Penny liked the idea.

“Tell me what you have in mind,” she asked, curious and intrigued.

…

Victor Miller

Meanwhile, Victor Miller stood in a corner all by himself. He had fired only one bullet during the entire event and he had missed on purpose (not that it mattered, it looked like Jed had it more than covered). He had killed before but this event, it was just particularly distasteful. Not his idea of a good time.

Of course Penny must never know the truth…

But in a sense his plan had gone wrong. He was going to see those screaming Wilsons in his dreams. He’d get over it eventually (hopefully in a week or two) but it was really bad that he had to see this stuff. Murdering one or two people to prove his love was bad enough but this… this was pushing it.

He couldn’t believe she was dead serious about them both being at the massacre.

I don’t think I should have suggested this after all…

He cursed to himself. Why couldn’t Penny murder an entire family without getting me involved?

He turned around and feigned an awkward smile to the rest of his team.

Thankfully, Penny was too busy talking to Jed and Nadya. They were planning some other nasty surprise. Victor wasn’t sure he wanted to know what.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Jake Wilson

Jake was in the Family Mart, putting some plastic forks on the conveyor belt, so the cashier can scan them. A couple of dollars didn't hurt. Going back to his car, he noticed a police cruiser with an officer giving him a funny look. Jake didn't have any problems of the law. He was already an established local, but this cop was eyeing him like he was about to die or something. Uncomfortable, Jake turned his key in the ignition and proceeded to drive back to his house from the town. 10 minutes later, Jake pulled up to the house, where he saw someone outside of the gate to the backyard. Some man with a fedora hat and dark hair was standing outside of the gate, where he saw Jake and darted back inside. Jake could have sworn he saw a shotgun in his hands.

"Hey! Who the hell are you?!" Jake said, as he started to head to the gate. However, he felt something on his shoes, where he saw a large puddle of blood. "What...? Mary? Mary!?" Jake ran into the backyard, where he saw the horrible display in front of him. It was like a goddamn mass execution. Bodies. Bodies of everyone he knew were lined up in front of him as a spectacle.

"Oh god! No!!" Jake saw it with his own eyes. This couldn't be real? No. No no no no no no.. This isn't real? This isn't real! Jed took this opportunity to club Jake with the shotgun in the back of the head, where Victor Miller watched as they dragged his body to the end of the line of bodies. "Make sure he's awake. I want to see him suffer!" Miller was giving Penny some advice, as her men was getting Jake ready.

Jake woke up to feel his hands and legs get bruised and battered, along with some stomps from Jed's crew. Jake was forced on his back, as he was staring at the sky. Jed leaned over him and saw the dog tags around his neck. "Welcome back to America, motherfucker!" Jed said, as he delivered a kick to Jake, where he saw the body next to him, which caused him to let out a scream. It was Abigail-

HER HEAD WHERE IS HER HEAD HEAD HER HEAD

"Stop screaming, soldier boy!" Jed yelled, as he had Gary force him on his back, so Jed can grab Jake by the hair and raise it to his face. "Sorry to crash the party, but our boss wants to have a word with you." Jed said, where Penny arrived in front of him. To Jake, she looked like a doll that came into life. Especially with her choice of dressing in violet. "Listen here. You think you can party, while we had to bury my own sister? Do you know who you messing with?" Penny said, her violet outfit already stained with blood.
"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU!? THIS IS JUST A FUCKING BIRTHDAY PARTY!"
"This cocksucker thinks having a birthday party days after our funeral is something to celebrate for!"
"I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THE FUCK YOU PEOPLE ARE!"
"Shut up!" Penny said, enraged where she kicked Jake. Penny looked at Jed, where she nodded at him. "Come on, boys! Let's have some fun!" Jed said to his group, as they all proceeded to beat the shit out of Jake.

Not helping matters is that Jed had eyed a barbecue fork near the grill during the shooting. He decided to take it to use, where he started to poke some holes on Jake's belly like a pig, after Alan took off Jake's shirt. Nadya simply stood there, knowing that Jed was doing most of her work, until she noticed that Miller was nervous. Penny noticed Miller first, before Nadya had a chance to speak. "Victor! Come! I want you to come here! I want to help make things special!" Penny declared, as Miller was forced to walk over, visibly uncomfortable. Jake was forced back to looking at the sky, where Penny gave Miller a loaded gun. "You heard what Jed said. Double tap. I want you to kill off the Wilson bloodline, so it can send a clear message to anyone who dares mess with us." Penny explained to Victor, as he saw that Nadya was watching him. Jed was watching him. Along with his crew, who had pinned Jake down to the grass.

Victor pointed the gun to Jake's face.

Victor Miller

Come on. You just shoot him twice. It isn't hard.

Miller was nervous. He wasn't going to get soft hands. Everyone was watching.

Square up, you pansy! He's right there! He's a nobody now! Just shoot!

Jake stared at him, horrified and looking broken at the events that had happened to him. He was breathing heavily, looking at Victor. Did he want him to spare him or kill him in an act of mercy.

SHOOT!

BANG!

And then, Jake let out a loud scream of pain. Victor didn't aim for the head. Instead, the bullet was shot into Jake's right cheek, giving him a half Glaslow smile. Penny, growing frustrated, snatched the pistol from Miller. "You are supposed to aim for the head. Now you wasted Jed's opportunity for a double tap for himself!" Penny frustratingly said to Miller, where she immediately aimed the gun at Jake.

"Look. You can just give up here. I'm only doing justice is what I'm doing. The Colemonts are not to be messed with. Which will be what I will send to everyone out of this town. You think you lost everything today, but I lost someone dear to me which I can't let slide. And you know what. I don't believe in all of that Heaven and Hell bullshit. If I'm wrong....."

"Tell them I sent ya."

BANG!!!

And Jake saw white.

Victor Miller

"It's done." Miller said, as he softly kicked the body of Jake Wilson. "Victor, you going to help toss them in the house. Nadya, I need you to help, also." Penny stated, as Nadya looked at the line of bodies in the yard. She was cold, yet she was only doing orders. "Come on, Jed." Nadya said, as she picked up the body of Kenneth, who looked like the aftermath of a car crash against a semi.

The house was drenched in gasoline, as Jed lit up the place with his lighter. Penny took a moment to stand back. It was beautiful. The flames in front of her. This is what Alice would want. Yes. For her, she can have some peace.

"Come on. Let's leave. Firefighters will have to put this out." Penny said, as her and the gang proceeded to leave.

[Infected Mushroom]

Some time later...

Carl Wilson

Handcuffed and with his vision obscured by a bag over his head, Carl figured something was off.

The police told him to “shut up” after he yelled out some questions. Then they threw him inside the back of a… a delivery van (he couldn’t see)? He was in some sort of cargo hold and it was locked.

Oh shit something’s REALLY WRONG…

He shouted out for help. The vehicle wasted no time in hitting the road; Wilson was slammed against the doors at the back, which were firmly locked. After moving around for a bit during the road travel, he figured there was no way out. He waited in trepidation.

This isn’t normal police procedure. I’m supposed to have rights and stuff…

Angrily and desperately, he hurled himself against the doors but they did not budge, being firmly locked in place.

This is not good. I… I can’t do anything about this! OH GOD WHAT THE HELL?!!!

The drive seemed to last quite a long time. Suddenly, the vehicle stopped. He heard a lock being turned. The doors opened but he was seized immediately; he was forcefully yanked down from the van’s cargo.

“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!” Carl yelled, his world still dark.

His reply was a firm punch to the chest.

“UGH!” he cried out as he fell down to his knees. He was unable to clutch his chest since his hands were still cuffed behind his back. The bag was removed from his head, at last he could see…

Carl’s blood ran cold.

He was in the middle of forest clearing and it was dark. The only lights came from several parked vehicles.

However, the woman standing in front of him… IT WAS ALICE?!!!!

“This… this can’t be happening,” Carl said.

It was “Alice Colemont,” she looked like a ghost to him. Her dress was stained with blood and those large eyes… they were fixed on him with clear, malign, vengeful intention. Her hair had somehow transformed into a pale blue color…

NO! IT CAN'T! THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GHOSTS!

…

Penny Colemont

As Penny came face to face with Carl Wilson, she felt an uncontrollable, overwhelming wave of homicidal rage wash over her entire person.

She originally had a much crueler plan. She was going to tell Carl that she’d murdered his parents, his cousins, his nephews, his whole family. Only then would she personally kill him.

However, she overestimated her self-control.

Killing Carl’s family had been enjoyable and surreal, but now that the very person who had killed Alice was brought to Penny… Penny found herself possessed by a demon of wrath.

She did not count on the blind, boiling, overwhelming rage that washed over her at this very instant.

YOU KILLED MY SISTER!

Penny pulled out a large knife; the blade gleamed in the pale moon light.

She walked over to Carl, grabbed him firmly, and without looking down, she stabbed and stabbed and stabbed and stabbed…

As she stabbed him over and over, memories of Alice came rushing back to her, as if to torment her…

[Main Nation Ministry]

After the Violet Cloth Army left the Wilson residence, it wasn't until 15 minutes later was when the firefighters arrived to extinguish the fire. When they arrived, they all saw the bodies inside when the flames were out. Then the police actually came. At first, a massacre in this town was taken seriously. Police were turning up leads on what might have happen. However, when someone in the Violet Cloth Army tip them off about what happened, most of the cops immediately dropped the case. The boys in blue knew that they were responsible, but they were either corrupt or afraid to have their heads hanging from the chandeliers to stop them. When the Violet Cloth Army get their hands on something, everyone else stays clear or end up getting their brains scraped from the sidewalk.

EMT's arrived, but everyone was dead. Paramedics arrived to help take the bodies of the deceased or to be sure that someone might have survived. At first, it seemed to be more of a clean up operation, since most of the bodies were charred beyond recognition, until suddenly..
"Guys! This guy still has a pulse! We need medical attention!" a paramedic yelled, as they had found the body of Jake Wilson. Jake Wilson took a bullet to the head, but that didn't mean he was dead. He was still breathing and conscious. And he managed to somehow survive the flames. It was almost like it was like God was practically on his side. Rushing him to the hospital in an ambulance, Jake was somewhat in a midst of a coma, while an oxygen mask was strapped to his face.

In his hospital room, several doctors observed the damage that had happened to him. "You managed to get an I.D of our patient?" one of the nurses said to the doctor, as he was checking Jake's vitals. "We found his dog tags. Former soldier. He's the only survivor in the family."
"I'm guessing his damage is permanent."
"Major. His face is a mess. Torn up. Sure to be a visible scar. He's lucky that his jaw wasn't shot off. What's putting him in a coma is the bullet lodged into his skull. Surgery will take place of it. However, he has 3rd degree burns all over his body. Especially the face. Hair is gone too."
"Doesn't the Violet Cloth Army want him dead?"
"Don't mention them, Nancy! We have a job and oath to follow! If we start getting threats, we have him shipped to a hospital outside of town. Now, come on."

How many days was Jake in a deep sleep? Was Jake even dreaming? Or was it going to be the moment he woke up, him getting shot in the head was going to feel like it was a second ago? How much time has passed. His new scars were never going to heal. And it didn't seem like he was going to wake up. Even with the bullet out of his head, he was just a vegetable. A vegetable covered in hospital fatigues with a face of a mummy.

It was then a cloudy day in the Blue Hills Mercy Hospital was when Jake later woke up. Two thugs from the Violet Cloth were tipped off that Jake was still alive. Jon was the one who realized this. Doing this to not piss off Penny and send her on another massacre, Jon figured that sending some guys to take of the problem would do the job without disturbing the boss. Nancy, the nurse who was tending to Jake saw the two men enter the room. "Umm? Excuse me? I don't think anyone asked to visit the patient?"

"Listen, princess. We checking him out. Orders for work." one of the thugs said, where a violet-colored tattoo was visible on his arm. Nancy knew who these men were. "You are not going to kill anyone here, if that is what you are planning!"
"Relax. We are going to take him somewhere in the woods. He will be in a nice grave of dirt. We arranging his funeral!" the thug continued, where he started to rub the grip of his gun. Nancy didn't have a choice. They were practically agents of death, plus they might as well do it quick. Nancy let the two men pick up Jake from his hospital bed. However, Nancy noticed something immediately different with Jake when they were picking him up. Nancy saw his eyes were wide open. Yet, his whole body didn't move. It was just a blank expression from his face, as they carried him out.

---

Jimmy tried to call Jon, as they had Jake sling on the backseat. He was still nothing, but a vegetable to them. But his eyes were still open. They figured that since he was in a coma, he can just sleep with his eyes open. Jimmy's partner Gump was driving the car, as they were driving to an empty dirt lot at the outskirts of Blue Hills. Jon didn't keep up his call, since Jimmy simply left a voicemail for Jon.

"Hey? Loyalham? It's me, Jimmy. We got the guy. We are making sure to do a triple tap on him for sure. He will be more dead than we thought. We getting a grave set up in some dirt area at the outskirts. We got a shovel in the trunk and everything. We just kill him and bury him. A half a hour funeral. Listen, I see you tonight. Hope the boss is still in a good mood. Bye." Jimmy hung up the phone, where Gump looked back at Jake for a split second.
"You think he can hear us, but can't move a single muscle?"
"Maybe he's feeling pain right now. We aren't angels, so we might as well make sure that the job is finished. Jon will get us promoted. Maybe we can join Jed's death squad of his."

Gump was driving, until he looked at the rear view mirror to see that Jake was sitting up from the back seat of the car. He was in middle backseat, looking forward. His eyes completely staring at the two. "Uhhhhh... Jim-"

"AGHHHHHHHH!!!" Jake let out a cry, as he lunged towards the two of them with each arm aiming for one another.. It wasn't a cry of pain. It was a cry of full primal rage.

Jake had officially woken up.

And he was fucking pissed like a mad bear on rabies and steroids.

"GUMP!" Jimmy yelled, as Gump had his hands off the steering wheel to get rid of Jake's meaty fist pulling him in. Jimmy was reaching for his gun, but when he raised it, he fired a shot only to realize that he had shot Gump in the shoulder, letting Jake pull Gump in. The car was swerving and swerving until it skidded off the road and rolled down into a ditch. The car horn let out a loud bleep, as Gump was dead. The force of the crash had sent him head first into the edge of the steering wheel. Neck practically snapped. Jimmy was still alive, as he crawled out of the car through the window, bleeding from a damaged leg. He tried to crawl back to the road, but it was up a hill, since the car was in a ditch. Then, he heard the car door burst open. Jake was still alive. Panicking, Jimmy tried to grab his phone to call Jon. However, Jake immediately caught up with him. Jake grabbed him by the neck and started to squeeze, then with both of his hands, Jimmy's head was forced in an angle.

And he was no more.

All that remained is Jake. Stuck with hospital fatigues, a bandaged face, and a burning desire for revenge. To the Violet Cloth Army, he was their Nemesis.

[Infected Mushroom]

One day ago...

Penny Colemont

“To Alice,” Penny said as she raised a glass of red wine.

“To Alice,” everyone else echoed.

The high ranking participants of the Wilson operation were seated around a rectangular table in a large dinner hall, the walls were decorated with morbid paintings and there was a special 16th century style high ceiling.

They were treated to a seven course extravaganza that was worthy of nobility. It was a special celebration and Penny made many demands on the cooks.

Nadya and Jed Hackaway were on either side of Penny. Victor was there too. So was Jon Loyalham, Penny’s trusted, experienced lieutenant and enforcer who had arranged Carl’s transport from the police station.

Penny Colemont felt largely cured from her grief over Alice. It had been literally washed by the blood of the Wilsons. It was telling on her state of mind that she was able to hold a celebration days after her the crushing blow of her sister’s death. She had Victor to thank for the idea. He will be rewarded.

“I have made a decision,” Penny announced. “Effective immediately, I’m making Victor Miller a high ranking member of the Violet Cloth Army.”

Victor smiled smugly as he gave a theatrical nod of respect towards her, raised his glass and drank.

“There will no no need for a formal ceremony, it’s official immediately,” Penny added.

Victor’s smile grew wider.

Not everyone was happy about this. Most noticeably, Nadya’s face darkened.

“Why?” Loyalham said. “What qualification does he-“

“The qualification of absolute loyalty will do for now,” Penny cut across him. “And for giving me the inspiration and strength to avenge my sister.”

“Thank you my Leader,” Victor said boisterously. “You do me a great honor. You won’t regret this.”

“What’s his exact rank going to-“ Loyalham began but he fell silent at once when he saw Jed shaking his head at him and making a face, hinting for him to stop for his own sake.

Thankfully, Penny was temporarily distracted by the fine food in front of her. It was marvelous but something was slightly off.

“Servant!” she snapped her fingers.

Jacobs rushed into the room, he was wearing an elaborate haute restaurant server’s outfit. Despite being the “head servant” of the mansion, Penny enjoyed having him around (though certainly not because he was respected).

“Yes ma’am?” he said nervously.

“Did I not request that you not overcook the scallops this time?”

“I... I passed the order to the kitchen,” Jacobs said. “They reassured me. I h...hope -“

“It’s over cooked,” Penny insisted. She turned to the rest of the table. “... is it not?”

“Yes yes,” Victor said at once in support.

“Yes,” Jed said too, but he had an ironic grin on his face.

“So fix it okay? And don’t let me down again,” she said. “You… CAN… handle some scallop orders correctly I hope?”

Jacobs was speechless. Why was he being blamed for this exactly?

“Tell them to make it again and do it right,” Penny said, seemingly enjoying Jacob’s fear and confusion. "And bring us more wine okay? If I have tell you again I'll have you thrown out of a window."

“Yes ma'am!”

Jacob bowed and hurriedly headed for the exit.

“Oh and Jacob!” Jed called out. He decided to have some fun too.

Jacob turned around, confused.

“Bring me the wine clipper.”

“Yes sir!”

He bowed and rushed out. Jed laughed silently.

Penny turned to Jed. “The… the wine clipper?”

“Haaaa... ha ha ha...” Jed laughed distastefully. “How long until he figures it out a hahaha?”

“Very amusing,” Nadya said flatly.

...

Jon Loyalham

After the fine feast, it was time for everyone to leave.

However, Loyalham decided he wanted to send the young upstart a message. Victor Miller was getting out of hand.

Jon Loyalham had been a criminal since birth, and so had his parents and his grandparents. The Loyalhams had always served the Colemonts and throughout history, they’ve always played an important role. He himself took his vows of loyalty very seriously and in his view he earned his place today through decades of hard work. He had started as an errand boy before acting as a hitman for a few decades, only a few years ago, in his mid 30s did he rise to the highest ranks.

He didn’t like it when people got special treatment. Especially not some con artist and ex drug cook (even with criminals there was a cast system, drug cooks were a few tiers down from real gangster).

Loyalham had been with the Colemonts since the days of Penny’s father Alex Colemont. Now that Alex was gone, all that was left were his unstable daughters… well, daughter now.

Nothing he could do about that, he was bound by oath to obey the Colemonts even where he didn’t agree. He was a soldier, that was how the tradition went.

However, when that silver-tongue wolf in sheep’s clothing Miller showed up, things got worse. At least before, Penny would listen to his advice. But now he could see that Victor was whispering a lot of poison in her ears…

“Hey Victor,” he said to the young man. “Let’s meet outside. Let’s have a word now.”

“How about later?”

“How about now?” he said firmly. Without waiting for a reply, he turned around and walked out.

He heard Victor follow him.

Let’s get this out of the way.

Once they were outside on the balcony, he turned around and faced the young man. Victor Miller was wearing a crisp tuxedo tonight… what a prick.

“Listen Miller,” he said. “I think both you and I know what you’re really up to.”

“Mr. Loyalham,” Victor replied, seemingly surprised. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.“

“Oh COME NOW,” Loyalham insisted. “You aren’t fooling an old fox like me. You’re only here to make money and maybe you even dream of taking over the entire Colemont Army yourself.”

“I wouldn’t-“

“You’re not terribly popular here Miller. I suggest you leave; accidents could happen. You’re out of your depths.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Loyalham replied, glad to see there was a hint of fear on Miller. “As a matter of fact I only offer you some advice. Run while you still can. Quit while you're ahead. Penny’s interested in you, that’s why she favours you FOR NOW. But that kind of thing isn’t permanent. She’ll grow disinterested, she always does. And when she does…”

Oh God I look forward to that day….

“Well… I’ll be waiting, and so will the others,” he finished ominously.

Loyalham allowed himself a cold smile.

Satisfied, Loyalham turned and walked away from Miller. However, Miller said one more thing.

“Hey Loyalham!”

Loyalham turned around.

“I’ll be sure to communicate your intentions to Miss Colemont later in the night.”

Later in the night? Why you son of a…

Paying him no further regard, Victor Miller turned his back on Loyalham, walked over the the balcony, popped a cigarette into his mouth and took out a silver lighter. He smoked into the night air, blowing out a puff of smoke.

Loyalham shook his head in disbelief as he walked away.

[Infected Mushroom]

In the present...

Jon Loyalham

Jon Loyalham paced around the club for some time, slightly uneasy.

He had gotten Jimmy's message a while ago. Jimmy had not returned the calls, neither did Gump. Loyalham had called all the usual places, but they couldn't be reached.

These young unprofessional hoodlums...

What the hell is going on? Surely they can handle one hospitalised man?

It was not like Jimmy and Gump to be unresponsive over the phone. He hoped for their sake they weren't celebrating their mission's success with a drug party. That would be unprofessional...

Loyalham regretted not picking up Jimmy's call immediately. He himself had been involved in some old school racketeering style shake down. Even at this age and rank, Loyalham liked to do some foot soldier grunt work from time to time. It kept his skills up to date. However, as a result he was unable to take the call, forcing Jimmy to leave a voicemail.

He turned to a goon in the room.

"Hey Mike," he said. "I have to check on my new casino's progress. I've wasted enough time waiting; those new workers Cyv's hired are clueless and they're going to need my direction."

Mike was a tall thin man with dark spiky hair in a maroon leather jacket. "Boss, you want me to?"

"Yes Mike," Jon said. "Drive to Jimmy's house to see if he's there. If not, then just leave me a text. I want to be kept in the loop, don't be like these guys."

"Mmmmm kay boss."

...

A while later...

Mike Caulder

It was quite dark by the time Mike drove his red car into the suburban neighbourhood in which Jimmy lived. The streets were empty and it was dark except for some of the lights from the houses and the street lamps. On the way there, Mike had texted repeatedly as well, hoping to bypass the need fo the road trip.

No response from this idiot...

Jimmy Getz lived in a small suburban house with a brick roof.

Mike stopped the engine. He stepped out of the vehicle. Mike strode up to the main door. He hit the bell.

"This is Mike!" he called out. "Jimmy open up!"

He crossed his arms and turned around. There really was no one else at this hour.

Annoyed, he turned back to the door and hit the bell button repeatedly. Then he started pounding on the door.

"You're not here boy?!"

[Main Nation Ministry]

Nemesis

Nemesis still had to leave the area. He didn't know much about this gang of thugs that killed his family since he was more focused on the war, but if he wanted to still be alive, he had to check whatever stuff he can find on these two and book it to the woods. He did know about the shovel on the trunk, but it was still locked. Trunk needed a key to open it, though he checked the goon that he just killed. He did a brief sweep on his pockets and jacket. Nothing useful. However, he decided to grab Jimmy's phone. If someone tried to call him, it could be a lead. Nemesis went to the crashed car, where the body of Gump was still slumped against the steering wheel, bleeding heavily from a head wound, where he was still dead. Nemesis reached into his pockets, where he managed to find a keyring with a set of keys on it. The glove compartment might have a gun, but Nemesis felt something within him, that objected at the idea of using a gun.

His new enemies needed to be taught a lesson. Their deaths must be slow and painful, till actual blood would be on his hands. Was the PTSD still talking? Or did it grew worse?

Nemesis checked the glove compartment anyways to find something of value, where he found a spare letter inside. Curious, he checked it to see what it said. The letter was more detailing a drug transaction with the goon Jimmy and another guy involved. The letter was already read, since it was a couple dates old, though Jake recognized that this happened before the attack at the birthday party. These people have been in town for a long time and probably have been doing business while he was away at Iraq. But he found himself an address that can be important. He recognized the street. It is in the middle of the lower suburbs in the town. If there were something in that house that can be used, it could be important to these men.

Nemesis started to hear some police sirens echoing from down the road. The police were already nearby. Nemesis ran to unlock the trunk, where he found a large shovel lying inside. Could be used to bludgeon someone, that's for sure. Nemesis took the shovel and started to run towards the woods. He can lose the cops in the trees, but he didn't want to attack them, unless it was self-defense.

The woods seem to tower all around Nemesis. Back in the war, he was in the middle of the sand, but here.. there was something within these woods. Jake didn't go camping, but he started to tell that these woods weren't friendly. He already felt like someone was watching him. From a distance, the shapes from far away seem to blend together, making a disorienting experience. Until Nemesis immediately realized what was watching to him. He was having another flashback. He was already starting to hear gunfire and screams.

Before he took up the mission abroad the helicopter, he was doing ground work below in the actual battlefield. He had been in this war for during years and one of the most major wars he was in was the Second Battle of Fallujah. It was a straight up massacre. It wasn't until someone finally had him permanently discharged, so he can pick up his own pieces. But even that failed. Then, he heard a familar voice from near him.

"Where are you going?"

Nemesis turned to see an old friend. Fellow captain Reed Simmers was smiling at him from his foggy white eyes. He was requested to be dressed in his uniform when they buried him in his closed casket that day Nemesis had to attend for the funeral. Back at the Iraq War, Reed and Nemesis were both soldiers in the same battle. After having to get rid of the aftermath of what happened in Fallujah, both of them got promoted. However, in another battle several months after, Reed got his whole body mangled by an IED. Nemesis didn't see it coming. Reed's death was already in the back of his mind, but now the wake up call was starting to adjust his own thoughts and memories to flood out from his broken and shattered brain.

"Remember me, motherfucker? Remember how you had to go through the process of my own family drowning their eyes out, when they saw my body? Back before they moved to New York?"
"Reed, get out of my head. This isn't how I remember you." Nemesis said, where his voice was still the same, though a bit gruff. Hallelujah for his tongue and jaw not getting shot off.
"Oh come on, Jake!"
"It's isn't Jake, no more.."
"Of course, Wilson. After all.. You are dead to yourself, aren't you. You couldn't save them. You just had to wait in line with that Ms. Philips chatting away on her phone with some guy looking to go wild with her. Had she not wasted your precious time, you could have saved them and strangle that doll."
"You aren't Reed. He's dead!" Nemesis tried to get rid of this hallucination that he was seeing, but the blood-stained mangled face of Reed started, while grinning.

"Come on, Jake! You joined the war before Bush left being president! And besides.. at least, you consider yourself a good guy.. Aren't you. You could have ended up posing with torture victims. If you played it by the book so much, why did you incinerate dozens of those people? Answer that, Jake.."

Nemesis began to see more victims flood his vision near him. Good god.. They were coming back. Burnt husks of people. Actual people from Iraq. They were approaching Nemesis like zombies. They came in all sorts of age and sizes. A scorched mother was still holding her child near her, as she tried to reach Nemesis. "YOU CAN'T BE IN MY MIND FOREVER!" Nemesis yelled, as he started to run deep in the woods. Several more sinister sights were near him. As he came across a fork in a dirt path, he saw this dark haired woman in a black dress. Why did she look like that chick from that Pearl Jam- wait a minute.

"Aw shit!" Nemesis realized he was standing in front of Death itself. "Bring me more.." she beckons, as she started to crack open. Nemesis kept running, not seeing Death's true form, until he came across a man standing with sharp shark-like teeth and black eyes and red irises that stared back at him. "You can be like us.." Nemesis was about to bolt, until he bumped into this scarecrow that was standing in front of him. That wasn't a scarecrow, it's an actual monster. "Jake.." a female voice said, as it took off it's mask. A greenish skull with eyes looked back at him. Nemesis kept running...and running...and running...

Until he made it to a clearing. He breathed heavily. All of the nightmares were fading. For now.

"I guess I just have to live with it. I'm going to hell anyways.. I just wanted a happy life, but those fuckers took it away from me. I find them. And I make sure that they pay.." Nemesis was getting his shit together. He was pretty much still clouded out with guilt that his family was dead. He couldn't kill them. Being stuck in a coma of bad dreams were a mess for him. It was then that Nemesis realized where he was. He was in the lower suburbs. He just needed to find the house and bust in. He wandered around on the sidewalk, as the streets were getting empty. The sky was darkening. What time was it? He needed a watch, but they probably stole it. He checked the address under a streetlight, as he saw the house in the front of him. It was one of those small suburban houses with a brick roof. Still had a garage and the small windows below the actual windows meant that it had a basement. Possibly had a meth lab or something. The lights were off, but there could be a way inside. He started to go around the back, where there was a backdoor to a small backyard area with some pink plastic flamingos. Nemesis saw the opportunity, as he started to use the shovel in his hands as a crowbar to get the door open. When that didn't work, he started to kick the door, till the latch broke.

Nemesis stepped in to observe the inside of the house. The place wasn't organized, but it was obvious that no one was in here. Place was a bit of a mess, though. Needles of some sort of drug were found in a trash can, some rather "risque" posters were scrawled around the bedroom. Nemesis was going through a closet to see what was in it, where he found a Halloween mask of some sort. It was a smiling human face mask with eyeholes. This led Nemesis to check the bathroom with a tacky shower curtain covering a bathtub, where he found the mirror and the medicine cabinet. "Painkillers, perfect!" he thought, as he took one, before cupping his hands to drink water from the sink. He wasn't in any real pain, however he didn't know if he might have a headache later, since he was in that car crash. Now, he was overly curious at what happened at his face. He found some small metal scissors in one of the drawers, where he cut a strip of the bandage off. Then he proceeded to remove the bandages.

He was nervous to look, but he had to see if the damage on his face had healed. To his shock, after he removed his bandages, all he saw was a charred burned face that stared back at him. The torn cheek made by Victor was still visible by a scar, where the rest of his face looked like it gotten roasted off. "Fucking scumbags!" Nemesis punched the mirror, where it cracked and shattered some fragments where the fist impacted it. "I need to still something that can give me a clue on to where those thugs came from. But where?"

He heard a doorbell. Someone was at the door. Nemesis put the Halloween mask on and peered out of the bathroom to the front door. A tall and thin man with a maroon leather jacket and black spiky hair was at the door, where he saw Mike through the door window.

---

Mike Caulder was standing at the door, where he thought he saw someone inside. "Jimmy! It's me, Mike! Open the damn door!" Mike yelled, where he peered into the house through the window. Mike sent a quick text to Jon on his status.

Mike: Boss, I'm at the house. There's someone inside, but I can't tell if it's Jimmy. I'm going to try the backdoor. I text back, if I found him.

Mike went to the back door, where he saw the door was forced open. This wasn't good. Some crook might be trying to break into Jimmy's place. Mike pulled out a handgun, where he slowly opened the door, where it let out a creak. He aimed his handgun near the corners to see if anyone was inside. "Hello? Jimmy? Jimmy, where the hell are you?" Mike wandered into the bathroom, after he stepped on some broken glass, which let out a crunch.

He switched on the light, where he looked around. The mirrored medicine cabinet was smashed a bit, but he noticed that the shower curtain was covering the whole bathtub. Drawing his gun, Mike walked slowly towards the bathtub, where he held his gun with one hand and had another to draw the curtains open. With a sudden silence, Mike drew the curtains, where there was nothing there..

Mike let out a sigh of relief, until Nemesis sneaked up from behind him and knocked him out with the shovel. Nemesis kicked his body to make sure he was still breathing. "Dumbass.."

---

"Ughh.. My head.."

Mike Caulder woke up in the basement of Jimmy's house, where he saw that he was tied to a chair with some rope. "What's the meaning of this!?! Someone fucking untie me now!" Mike yelled. It was then that Nemesis strolled out into his view, wearing one of Jimmy's suits and a smiling Halloween mask. "You going to need to ask me some info about your boss." Nemesis immediately stated.

[Infected Mushroom]

Mike Caulder

What... what the hell? Why's he wearing my mask?

He tried to move but he found that the rope did not budge.

"Who... who the hell do you think you are you punk?" he said. "I'm a member of the Violet Cloth Army. I'm UNTOUCHABLE. You fuck with me, you get clipped, you die. That's how it works. Now untie me and I might forget about this m' 'kay?"

He managed a somewhat condescending sneer.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Nemesis

"Violet Cloth Army, huh? So you're the guys that shot up my father's birthday. You think I'm going to untie you, where you just going to kill me anyways.. If you're so untouchable, why did I have your head hit with a shovel?" Nemesis taunted Mike to slightly piss him off. "Now, I am in a bad mood because I just woke up at the hospital, where I overheard from your friends that you were planning on killing me. Now tell me this.." Nemesis said, pacing over to a darkened corner, where something that against the wall, but Mike couldn't see it.

"Tell me more about the Violet Cloth Army. I want to start finding your boss. And her friends."

[Infected Mushroom]

Mike Caulder

“That’s right I’m part of the Violet Cloth Army, we own this town, we own this state! ... Wait...” he replied. “You... you’re WILSON? Aren’t you supposed to be a vegetable or some shi... how did you...?”

His eyes widened in shock.

What... what happened to Jimmy and Gumper then?

Rather than ask out loud, Mike decided to continue with the tough guy act.

“Fuck you man!” he yelled. “Why the hell would I talk to you you punk? I ain’t saying spit! You better release me now cause otherwise... when the boss’ people get here, they’re gonna splatter your brains on the fucking wall! Now I can put a stop to that. It’s your call punk!”

[Main Nation Ministry]

Nemesis

"Not if I splatter your brains on the wall first." Nemesis stated, as he picked what was against the wall. It's the same shovel that Nemesis used to knock out Mike. He walked up to Mike with the shovel in his hands. "I only needed to light this down on your head to knock you off. If I swing harder, this will break some of your bones. Now.."

"Where is your boss and your friends?" Nemesis said, where he held the shovel like a baseball bat in both of his hands.

[Infected Mushroom]

Mike Caulder

Mike felt a flash of fear as he saw the shovel; there was also something quite unnerving about the mask with the fixed grin that Jake was wearing.

Mike was sure of one thing though, he wasn't a rat. Being the hothead the he was, he chose to call the bluff.

"I... I ain't saying anything!" he insisted. "You... YOU CAN GO TO HELL!"

He turned his head and spat on a corner of the floor.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Nemesis

"So it's your call." Nemesis said, where even though only his eyes were visible behind the mask, Mike can tell that Nemesis was pissed that he wasn't getting any information. Nemesis put both of his hands on the handle of the shovel. And with a mighty swing, Nemesis swung the shovel, where it struck Mike's left leg. For Mike, he can feel the pain that surged from the impact, but at worst, his leg was now bruised and about to be battered more. "I'm dislodging your legs first, so you better hope that they still strong, because I smash this thing on your testicles." Nemesis threatened Mike, where he wanted the information. "I'm going to say this again. Where is your boss and her friends?"

[Infected Mushroom]

Mike Caulder

Mike was shocked by the strength of the blow; he had not expected the shovel to hit so hard. Instantly he felt as though his entire exposed leg had been CRUSHED and BROKEN.

At once he howled out:

“GIAAAAAAAARGH! OOOOOOOOWWWWWW! You… YOU’RE CRAZY DUDE!...”

He was immediately filled with a high level of pain and his false façade of courage instantly broke down. Especially because his testicles could be next...

Seeing that the masked Jake was about to strike again with the shovel, he cried out:

“Okay okay I’ll talk JUST DON’T HIT ME AGAIN OKAY?!!! ... I'M TALKING OKAY?!!!”

He took a deep breath before continuing.

"The boss... the boss is Penny Colemont. She... she runs EVERYTHING with the help of Jed Hackaway. Hackaway see, he runs this death squad; he and the boss gunned down your family. I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT OKAY?!"

He was about to tell Nemesis the names of all the participants in the Wilson massacre (he had heard about it from Loyalham) when he stopped himself. Mike realized he had said too much.

Oh my God I am so gonna get clipped now! If Loyalham, or worse Colemont or Jed ever find out I talked I’m going to die. Better stop here.

“I honestly swear to God, I don’t know much more okay?! This is ALL I KNOW. They don’t tell me much, I’m just a LOW RANKER see? I'm no death squad member!”

[Main Nation Ministry]

Nemesis

Nemesis let Mike talk, since he was about to reveal some information. Penny Colement, huh? And there's Jed Hackaway. So he's the asshole with the fedora. If Nemesis wanted to take down Jed first, he should take down his death squad to intimate him. But he could try to squeeze out more information from Mike. "Next question. Where's Jed Hackaway and his cronies of a death squad? Tell me more about him." Nemesis said, getting the shovel ready again.

[Infected Mushroom]

Mike Caulder

So help me God...

But he didn't want to get hit by the shovel again, his leg was already filled with a numbing pain. Jake had hit him so hard that there was now a raw, throbbing pain under his skinny pants and he felt a stinging lingering pain. The mask-wearing creep somehow had inhuman strength, he didn't want to try his luck again.

"They call him the Butcher cause he slays," Mike said. "He's the captain of the death squad and Penny goes to him first whenever she needs someone clipped. He... he moves around A LOT I... I SWEAR I really have no clue where he is NO ONE EVER GAVE ME HIS ADDRESS!"

He eyeballed the shovel nervously.

"But... but I do have one address for one hitman. Alan York, he has red hair and a scruffy beard, he lives not far from here. He lives on 21 Nelson Street; I delivered some ammo to him once. That is ALL I KNOW okay? I'm not TOLD where everyone lives. I don't work for Jed and I'm telling you man, I personally had nothing to do with shooting down your family. They don't let me in on the details- I don't know where anyone else from death squad lives. Hey listen..."

He tried to make a deal.

"Look, I gave you something okay? Let me go now now. This sounds like some beef between you and the death squad right?"

...

A while ago...

Jon Loyalham

The Bellano was Jon Loyalham's pet project. He was into casinos, they provided a steady income (legal and illegal); most importantly, like drugs, this was something that people got addicted to. Every night, despite the supposed conservatism and moral piety of the community of Blue Hills, it was PACKED to the brim.

The location was ideal, it was a large building on the edges of Blue Hills. Since the government danced to the tune of the Violet Cloth Army, regulations weren't a problem. Loyalham was in the process of doubling the size of the casino. Once this was done, the Violet Cloth could skim even more money out of the place.

He drove to the flashy casino with lots of new ideas to tell the manager Cyv. However, once he got there, he felt increasingly uneasy about Mike.

Even while Cyv gave him a long and detailed update, he was seemingly lost in his thoughts and checked his phone more than once. Something wasn't right.

Then he had gotten the text...

Mike: Boss, I'm at the house. There's someone inside, but I can't tell if it's Jimmy. I'm going to try the backdoor. I text back, if I found him.

He gave it five minutes. Nothing.

"Sir are you okay?" Cyv asked. "Is something the matter-"

"Yes," Loyalham said. "Something... has come to my attention. I must leave at once. Trevor, let's go."

He walked towards the door with his guard Trevor. Then he turned to Cyv and said, "I'm going to borrow Todd as well."

...

Jon Loyalham walked out of the flashy casino in a hurry with enforcers Trevor Castle and Todd Gallagher. They entered the black vehicle, Trevor was at the wheel.

"Head for Jimmy's house at once," Jon said firmly. "We have to assume the worse."

What the hell is going on?

Suddenly, he got a call.

Mike you bastard FINALLY.

However, it wasn't Mike. It was Rick Angiers, a contact from the Vermont police.

"Hey Mr. Loyalham," Rick said over the phone. "This is Rick."

"What's going on Rick?"

"Jimmy and Gumper are dead. We found Jimmy's car near Mercy Hospital. There seemed to have been a struggle of some kind."

"Wait... WAIT WAIT! What... what do you mean?!!!"

"I thought you needed to know-"

"Tell me everything," Loyalham replied. "Well GOD DAMN IT RICK!"

As Loyalham listened, he grew increasingly uneasy. This was getting out of hand, very quickly... Loyalham was hearing some very strange things indeed.

"Drive faster," Loyalham said firmly to Trevor. "Yes Rick, KEEP TALKING."

God damn it...

Jimmy's house was on the opposite side of the town, this was why he had sent Mike there to begin with. It was going to take some time to get there, even if Trevor picked up the speed.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Nemesis

Nemesis was about to strike him again with the shovel, until he mentioned one of the hit men involved: Alan York. It immediately rang a bell to Alan York. 21 Nelson Street might be in the town, unless it was another house in the suburbs. However, Nemesis didn't take it kindly when Mike thought that Nemesis was mad, because it was a simple beef with him and the death squad. "Those bastards fucked my face. And killed my own family." Nemesis said, taking off his mask for a moment to reveal his charred face. "If you think that's bad, imagine having your kids shot up.." Nemesis said, immediately swinging the shovel, so that it struck Mike's other leg.

"Let's see how long you can hold your breath underground.." Nemesis said, where he was planning on swinging the shovel to knock out Mike again. "Another concession wouldn't hurt."

[Infected Mushroom]

Mike Caulder

Mike gazed upon the mutilated, horrifying charred face of Jake Wilson.

"OH MY GOD!" he cried out in terror. He had underestimated the pain that had been caused to this man and the great vengeful wrath that it has stirred.

Nemesis struck his other leg... the blow was so hard that instantly Mike felt a searing pain; his shrill cry of agony was contained in the walls of the basement, it also covered up the cracking sound of a part of the bones on his leg being slightly broken by the sheer force of the blow.

He wanted to cry out: "What are you doing? I... I talked!!!"

But he was unable to speak out because he was in so much pain; forcing him to continue to cry out. He struggled against the ropes but they didn't budge.

Nemesis put an end to that with a clean firm hit to the back of the head.

THWACK!

For the second time in the evening, Mike Caulders' lights went out.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Nemesis

"They are going to kill you no matter what." Nemesis said to the unconscious Mike Caulder, as he hoisted Mike from the chair, untying some of his restraints, before taking him upstairs. "So you going to kill him? Probably because he thought he was doing cops and robbers. I don't blame you for that." "Shut up! If I wanted him to suffer, I would have bashed his brains in with the shovel, already!" Nemesis said to Reed, as he saw that Mike left his car in front of the house. "He has car keys?"
"And a phone. I left it in the basement, along with his handgun of his." Nemesis stated, as he gotten the car keys from Mike's pocket and used it to unlock and throw Mike into the trunk. Nemesis went back to the house to get his shovel, before heading to the car. Turning the ignition key with his shovel lying on the passenger seat, Mike drove off with the headlights on, as the night was in full-force.

It didn't take until several minutes later for Jon and his enforcers to arrive to Jimmy's house to check up on Mike. Drawing their guns, Todd Gallagher was about to knock on the door, where he realized that the door was already unlocked and slightly open. Someone had been here recently. "Mike! It's us! Jon is here, also!" Todd called for Mike, where there was no response. "Mike?"
"Boss, I think a break-in happened here?" Trevor said to Jon, where they grouped around the front door. "Mike said there was someone inside. Unless our coma patient paid a visit." Jon said, as they started to search the inside of the house. They had to turn on the actual lights, where the electricity still worked, but the house was still in some disarray.

"Boss, I found something in the bathroom! I think that coma patient you mentioned earlier was here!" Todd yelled, where Jon looked to see what Todd found. There was hospital fatigues and a large pile of bandages on the bathroom tile. Some drops of blood and a cracked mirror were also some interesting things to find. "Uhhh.. Where's Mike?" Todd said, where Jon's shock was starting to become visible. How hard was it to kill this guy?! Rick revealed to Jon that both Jimmy and Gump were dead, but if Mike encountered Jake Wilson, things weren't so good for him.

"Jon! The basement!" Trevor yelled, as he had found both Mike's cellphone and his own handgun. "Where's Mike!? Goddammit, where is he!?" Jon was becoming worried, where Trevor showed him both Mike's phone and handgun. "I think someone was on that chair over there. I don't know where Mike is.." Trevor said, where Jon felt like he wanted to blow up. "You two! Keep your mouths shut about this, until I report to Jed!" Jon said, where he started to immediately dial Jed's number. "How hard is it to kill a man that was shot and set on fire?" Jon pandered, as he had the two clean up the house, in case any of the neighbors called the police, since he doesn't want any attraction made.

Nemesis

Mike Caulder woke up with his hands and feet tied, where there was a gag in his mouth. He saw the stars above him in the night sky, where he realized that he was in the forest in Jameson Nature Park. "Hmm?!" Mike tried to say something, but all he said was muffled. Nemesis was near him, digging a large and deep hole in the dirt. Nemesis climbed out, where Mike was struggling to get out of his restraints. Nemesis grabbed him by his tied up hands and removed the gag. "What the fuck, man!? I told you everything!" Mike yelled at Nemesis, where his eyes looked an indifferent expression. "I live in this town, wanting a happy life. You wanted the same, yet you decided to get your kicks from blood money."
"I told you, I didn't kill your family! It was Penny and Jed!"
"Oh, I know. But you're just a rat that about to abandoned by your peers. If they cared so much about low level scum like you, they would find your body and gave you a more proper funeral. I want to see if they actually care about you. They would tear apart this whole town, just to find you." Nemesis said, standing in front of Mike, as he was near the open grave.
"C'mon man! I have some coke, if that's what you want!"
"No, but thanks for the offer." Nemesis delivered a kick towards Mike, where he ended up tumbling into the grave.

"My leg! I can't move my fucking legs!" Mike Caulder yelled as Nemesis started to shovel dirt back into the grave with Mike in it. "Oh go scream all you want. Maybe that will help." Nemesis started, as he was starting to bury Mike Caulder. "GET ME THE FUCK OUT OF THIS GRAVE, YOU BASTARD!"
"You probably don't have a family that remembers you. Makes sense, since you're probably feeling a different sense of despair."
"YOU SICK %@#@!"
"With a capital C, I'm guessing? You hadn't felt despair of losing everything that you loved and held at your grasp, so you can watch it grow." Nemesis stated to Mike, as he continued to shovel dirt into the grave with Mike, who is unable to move.

Mike's screams was echoing through the woods, but there was no one nearby to come. Nemesis drove him to the middle of nowhere. No one around to save him. Miles practically from anyone. And now was to die nowhere.

---

Nemesis scraped the ground of where he buried Mike and decided to draw a X with the shovel blade to give the Violet Cloth Army an ironic hint on where Mike might be. If they cared about finding him that is. Nemesis got back into the car, where he put the shovel back on the passenger's seat. 21 Nelson Street. That was Nemesis's next stop for the night. It provided cover, so it was going to be in the darkness. Everyone was mostly asleep to help anyone. He might as well plan on leaving behind Alan's body as a sign.

"He's one of the pests in this town that shot up my family. If he's part of the death squad, he knows how to aim. I got to find some tactics to get him while his guard is down. But that's going to be tricky.."

[Infected Mushroom]

Penny Colemont

No, this… this is IMPOSSIBLE…

Penny sat behind a desk in a comfortable study of the mansion. She was still trying to make sense of these crazy texts Loyalham had sent him. A fireplace was cackling in the corner under a painting of a dark castle.

Jon Loyalham walked into the room.

“What is going on?” Penny asked coldly, looking into his nervous face. “You said Jimmy and Gumper are dead. I DEMAND an explanation.”

Loyalham bit his lip. It wasn’t going to be good.

“Mike has disappeared as well,” he said uneasily.

“EXPLAIN. And START FROM THE BEGINNING.”

Loyalham took a deep breath and then said:

“I… I found out that Jake Wilson was still alive. He was supposed to be in a hospital, so I sent Jimmy and Gumper to clip him.”

Penny said nothing, she was NOT pleased.

“WHAT?! … Why didn’t you tell me IMMEDIATELY?!”

I am surrounded by incompetent fools.

“The reports said he was little more than a hospitalized vegetable,” Loyalham said, on edge. “I was going to take care of it quietly, not upset you. But… but my sources were wrong. He’s still dangerous. Clearly-”

“Clearly you have FAILED,” she finished for him.

“Jake is alive and dangerous,” Loyalham continued. “I don’t know how-”

“You have made a considerable mess. I should have you burned alive for this. “

“My Leader I…“

Thankfully for Loyalham, Penny was more distracted by something else he had said. She felt a chill run down her spine.

The blue-haired woman stood up and walked up to the fireplace, standing closer to Loyalham. As the flames in the fireplace danced, they cast an eerie glow on her pallid face; she spoke her next words with conviction.

“Jake Wilson can’t be alive,” Penny insisted coldly. “I killed him myself. I looked into his eyes when I pulled the trigger. I WATCHED HIM DIE.”

“He’s somehow alive and active now,” Loyalham replied grimly. “My sources have confirmed, he’s missing from the hospital. It’s like he’s COME BACK from the dead.”

Penny couldn’t believe it. She was furious. This ruined EVERYTHING. Jake had NO RIGHT to come back from the dead! NO RIGHT! So long as he’s alive, Alice isn’t completely avenged. The painting is incomplete; the picture is marred, it was DISHARMONIOUS!

“He’s dangerous,” Loyalham said. “I’ve looked him up. Wilson has military training, he served in Iraq, some of it’s classified. Special forces. He snapped Jimmy’s head from his shoulders with his bare hands. He’s completely psychotic.”

“Find him and clip him,” Penny said coldly. “I want him dead. Let me know if you need to borrow more people. I’m getting Jed involved too.”

“I’ve called Jed already, he’s on it. I’ve also told all my people on the streets,” Loyalham said tensely. “I can finish this-“

“Find him and kill him,” Penny said firmly. “Clean up your mess. No one can get away with attacking the Violet Cloth Army and live with IMPUNITY. I demand that he suffer and die. Don’t fail me again Loyalham… That will be all.”

“Consider it done Miss Colemont,” Loyalham said as he gave a bow before leaving.

As Penny sat back down, she felt a bit uneasy about the whole thing. Still, she re-assured herself, there was nothing to worry about. He would be found and killed. And that was that.

Victor Miller

Miller sat in a room full of books, twiddling his thumbs. He was bored to death.

The euphoria of his recent promotion into the “high ranks” of the Violet Cloth Army was relatively short lived.

His new rank was much less useful than he had hoped. He got neither new powers nor new responsibilities. He was still on the outside. He didn’t even get any soldiers of his own.

Is my captainship only honorary? Come on Penny…

Without soldiers, he was still one hundred percent dependant on Penny (maybe that’s what she intended, who knows). There were some things that money couldn’t buy. He was still not seen as someone who could command life and death. It bothered him quite a bit.

The rest of the organization, and especially smug Miss Soviet and know-it-all Loyalham, continued to treat him with disdain and disrespect when Penny wasn’t around. He had tried to attend some of the Violet Cloth Army’s meetings a few days ago but Penny had insisted that he wasn’t allowed to attend for now. His time would come “later.”

What is this?

To reward him for his inspiration and help in the Wilson massacre, Penny had also showered Victor with monetary gifts. This greatly increased his poketbook but only temporarily; the gains were soon reversed. Not being the most financially astute, Victor ended up squadering a huge percentage of the new gains surprisingly fast.

Victor had initially been thrilled about being re-invited to live in the Colemont Mansion and live like a prince, but now he increasingly felt like a prisoner. The novelty of having servants to command around and access to fine food was quickly wearing off.

Victor fumed as he continued to turn some of the books around. Most of them were un-readable.

Penny Colemont spent most of the day in the mansion coordinating some illegal stuff from behind closed doors. He wasn’t allowed in. No doubt dozens of financial oppertunities were being bypassed as he sat here.

For instance right now… who knows what is going on behind that closed study?

The last time he had tried to leave the Mansion, Penny had gone into a frenzy later and asked where he was. The strange thing was, when he was around, he was mostly ignored except when she needed to satisfy some of her desires. He knew that he had gained an extraordinary amount (materially and in other regards) from this relationship, but he still felt on some level… used and not appreciated.

Left to his own devices, Victor began to stew in his resentment.

He decided that it couldn’t be avoided, he would try to influence Penny later on. During the night, he was considerably more persuasive.

He was ITCHING to spend some of that new money on something actually fun… Being cooped up in the mansion was not the way to go.

[Infected Mushroom]

Later in the night...

“So you’re saying you want to leave me,” Penny said coldly.

“No… that is not what I-“

Penny crossed her arms, she wasn’t impressed.

“I would like to re-arrange things a little,” Victor said nervously. “Two complete days out of the mansion, that is all I’m asking. Just some time to run some of my side projects. Say, every Tuesday and Wednesday.”

Penny couldn’t believe it.

“Are you saying you’re NOT getting everything you need here?” she asked. “If you want anything, it can be brought to the Mansion.”

“Do you trust me?” Victor pressed.

“Yes.”

“Then please allow me to do this. I just need TWO DAYS a week out of the Mansion. I will come back during the nights, NO EXCEPTIONS. I’d rather you came along but you’re always busy running things.”

“What are you going to do on those days out?” Penny asked, watching him closely.

“Visit some of the hotels and shops I bought up, making sure they’re running; you cant do everything from behind a laptop, you have to go there and manage,” he said as-matter-of-factly. “Drive my race cars around, visit my relatives and say hello, watch a few movies at the cinema, very comprehensive wholesome acti-“

“Alright then,” she said, but she was not happy. At the same time, she had to agree that it might be too unreasonable to keep him in the Mansion for entire weeks on end.

“THANK YOU Penny,” Victor said, grabbing her wrists and looking at her in the eyes. “This means SO MUCH to me. I knew you cared.”

Penny yanked herself away; looking displeased still. However, as she looked at him, she was unable to resist the slightest crack of a smile.

However, Penny’s next words were very serious.

“Victor,” she said. “I trust you. However, in return I expect one hundred percent absolute loyalty.”

“HEY YOU TRUST ME RIGHT?!”

“Yes. But if you ever betray me or play me... I will personally kill you. I will.”

Victor’s smile faltered a little.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Nemesis

The suburbs were still dark, as Nemesis was driving to the address that Mike Caulder had given him. Everyone were in a sense of sleep. Those who were asleep were bound to be spared tonight. Nemesis was going to take down Alan York tonight, that's for sure. Nemesis parked his car in front of the address, where Alan's house was in front of him. There was only one light on in the house. From what appears to be the living room. Nemesis got his shovel and opened the car door to get out. Alan York had probably gotten word of what happened, but Nemesis knew that he had to be alone. Otherwise, he would be hiding out with several other of his fellow death squad.

"He's alone. Thinks he's safe with the safety of the light with him. Now, it's time to show him that the light can't save him forever."

---

Alan York

Alan York chugged another hard sip of cheap beer from the can. For a thug in the death squad, he didn't look like one. He looked more of a redneck with a beard and red hair, as he had a beer belly exposed, as he lounged in his living room. His red and yellow plaid shirt and jeans were his clothing for the night, as he didn't know any plans on sleeping, due to the tension on this day. He rubbed his tattooed arms in discomfort, knowing that the texts from Jon weren't good. He had a pistol behind his ass in his pocket, but he can still reach it. The VHS porn was his only distraction, as the TV had darkened all of the corners in his house, as it illuminated him and the living room. He was nervous to fall asleep, but he can just drink some more beer to save him the troubles.

Alan went to the kitchen to check the fridge, since he was running low on beer. He switched on the kitchen light, where he went to the fridge to let the faint neon glow show him the contents from inside. A 6-pack was in the fridge. Good enough. Alan hauled it out of the fridge, before shutting the door, as he didn't notice that Nemesis had already managed to get a window unlocked from the outside to enter the house. Now Nemesis was standing there in the living room with a shovel, as Alan had his back turned. Alan was about to go back to the living room, until the wall phone nearby rang. It was probably Jon reminding him to watch out for that comatose guy that woke up. He did see Penny finish him off from the job at the hill house, but he needed to make sure.

"Hello? Jon?"
"Hello, sir. We are the IRS calling to infor-"
Alan immediately hung up. "Fucking scammers from India.." Alan said, as he went back to the living room, unaware that he had literally passed Nemesis, as he was hiding in a corner near the kitchen. Alan sat down at the couch, where he let himself relax, before realizing that the volume was starting to be hard to hear. Especially doing a good scene like this, where the true stuff was going down. Alan leaned forward towards the glass coffee table, where he grabbed the remote to turn up the volume. Finally, some peace he thought..

Alan lounged back in his couch.

Where Nemesis was directly standing by him. This time he noticed, as Nemesis immediately struck him in the chest with the shovel. Alan felt pain immediately, as he had his right hand dig into the back of his pants for his gun. Nemesis lunged his shovel forward to stun him, before taking another swing at Alan, sending him off the couch into the glass coffee table. The table shattered in pieces, as Alan started to fire some shots at Nemesis's direction. Nemesis leapt up and darted to the kitchen, where he managed to duck at the last shot that Alan fired. "You smiling fatass! You think you can just sneak into my fucking house with your shit!" Alan yelled, as he ran into his bedroom to get the shotgun that was holstered next to his mattress. He had enough birdshot to blow in several holes and splatter some. Nemesis was in the kitchen, where he checked for some sharp knives. An submachine gun Uzi was in one of the drawers, where Nemesis examined it. "This guy is a serious gun nut. I'm not surprised." Nemesis thought, as he was forming a plan.

Alan York had a flashlight attachment to his shotgun, which wasn't like a traditional double barrel. Instead, it was more of a shotgun officers and the SWAT would use. Alan had his flashlight pointed at the end of the hallway, as he slowly aimed from every corners to find Nemesis. "Come on out! I finish you for good!" Alan said, as he went back to the living room, where the kitchen light was off now. "Come on!" Alan immediately fired a shot at the kitchen, where he heard a groan of pain. He managed to hit him! Alan continued to fire, where he heard the sounds of what appeared to be Nemesis falling to the ground. "Got you, fucker..." Alan said, as he slowly walked over to the kitchen. However, Nemesis was smarter than Alan imagined. When Alan walked over to the kitchen, he immediately felt pain hit both of his shins. Alan was crouched on the corner in the kitchen, bleeding from his shoulder when a stray pellet from the birdshot had hit him, as he slammed the shovel into Alan's shins and legs to knock him down. Alan screamed in pain, as a bone in his leg broke, where he fell face first to the kitchen tile, as Nemesis got up to grab him. Carrying him over to the fridge, he opened the fridge door and proceeded to slam the door while Alan's head was still in it. "Stop! Please!" Alan pleaded, but Nemesis forced him to his knees, as Nemesis gripped his shovel.

"Consider this a message from me to your friend, Jed. I'm coming for the rest of your friends in the death squad, including your captain." Nemesis stated, where having the shovel positioned horizontally, so the blade of the shovel would hit Alan's head, Nemesis swung the shovel as hard as he could. When Alan went down, Nemesis proceeded to hit him with the shovel multiple times, until he left a large blood puddle. Nemesis took a deep breath, as he observed his handiwork. Alan was now a bruised and battered man with a cracked skull. Nemesis didn't see any brain, but inside of Alan's head, it was probably already scrambled. Nemesis searched him for some things of use. The neighbors had heard the gunshots, so they were bound to call the police. He can see the lights in the neighbor's house lit up, where Nemesis took off the flashlight attachment from Alan's shotgun and took a quick sweep of the house.

Entering his bedroom, he was checking some of the drawers, where he found a notebook, which Nemesis believed belonged to Alan. Skimming through the pages, he saw several addresses, but noticed that there were names he recognized. Jed's name was on there. And there were some names also. He didn't have long to check all of the addresses. Nemesis ran back to the kitchen, where he grabbed some snacks, seeing how he hadn't actually eaten anything for a while, before darting out back to the front door into the car. He left the shovel behind, but he wanted to have himself a better weapon that he could easily carry around. Nemesis started the car, where he drove away.

"Where we going now?"
"I'm not sleeping out in the open near the houses. I'm heading back into the woods. I think I know a place.." Nemesis needed to avoid having people's houses shot up, if he tried to make a base of operations there. He figured that since he's near the woods, he can hide out in an abandoned building somewhere in there. Nemesis eased up on the gas pedal, as he kept his headlights off, as a police car zoomed by him on the opposite of the same road as him.