God, this warehouse was way too quiet. It felt creepy. Rex hated it. It gave him that itch between his shoulder blades, the kind that always meant trouble.
Evelyn stood close, her flashlight slicing through the darkness, all business. She wasn't a killer, but she picked things up quickly. Maybe too quickly for her own good. That's why he kept her nearby. Well, maybe a bit too close, if he were honest.
[WARNING: MULTIPLE HOSTILES. BLACK OPS UNIT INCOMING.]
Rex scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Finally. Thought they'd never show." He pulled out Rebellion with the confident ease as he pretended it was natural.
Evelyn reached into her bag, calm as ever. She wasn't naive. She could smell blood in the air just like he could.
And then hell broke loose.
Gunfire erupted from above, precise and silent. No flashy displays, just death.
Nobody was warning anyone here.
Rex caught the first round with Rebellion's edge. Sparks flew, metal screamed, and he twisted through the chaos like a demon. He barely noticed Evelyn stepping out of cover.
Not until he heard the sound. It wasn't very loud—just...final.
One soft, suppressed shot.
A choked gasp.
He spun around.
Evelyn crumpled, hands pressed to her side, blood soaking through her shirt. Her knees gave out. Damn.
"Evelyn!"
He didn't recognize his own voice. It ripped out of him, raw and ugly.
She slumped against a broken crate, gasping for breath, cursing under her breath as if she could scare the pain away. Blood was everywhere.
[ALERT: PRIMARY HUMAN COMPANION CRITICALLY WOUNDED.]
Yeah, alright. Something in Rex just snapped.
The assassins never even saw what hit them.
One second he was with Evelyn, the next, he felt like a monster. The rafters turned into a nightmare, blood splattered everywhere. Rebellion tore through flesh, shattered bones The armor was useless. Bullets? Even more so. Screams? Even less helpful.
This wasn't a fight. This was about erasing them. Wipe them all out, like he was scrubbing stains off a wall. Every swing, every shot from Ebony & Ivory was pure, ugly revenge.
[STYLE RANK: A — ANARCHY.]
Still not enough.
Rex found himself among the last three with eyes glowing, smile full of malice.
"You should've aimed at me."
But, hey, too late for regrets. By the time the dust settled, there was barely enough left of them for a dog to sniff at.
He dropped to his knees next to Evelyn, hands slick with blood but not all of it hers. She was awake, sort of. Hanging on by a thread.
"Hey, c'mon, doc. Don't give up on me," he said, pressing his coat onto her wound, trying to keep everything inside that should stay inside.
She managed a smirk, her voice rough as gravel. "What, is this your idea of a date?"
He tried to laugh, but it fell flat. Not that he noticed.
"Oh, you know me. Candlelight, gunfire it's real romantic you know."
Her hand closed around his wrist, stronger than he expected.
"Don't twist. The Pact, remember?"
He choked out a laugh. "Shut up, Evelyn." His voice cracked. Damn it.
He just needed her to stay awake. Just keep breathing. Please.
[EMERGENCY PROTOCOL: INITIATE FIELD SURGERY OR RISK VITAL LOSS.]
His mind raced, panic clawing to break free.
"I am Not losing you," he said through gritted teeth. "I'll drag you back from the afterlife if I have to."
Yeah. Blood oath. It's not a pact anymore. It's not a promise. It's something much darker and deeper.
And devils? They don't break oaths. Not ever.