CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-NINE

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-NINE
RANDALL
The compound seems different tonight. It hasn't changed physically. It's still the same dim light, the same silence after 8 pm and the same suffocating stillness that oddly used to feel safe. But tonight, it feels different. Maybe because tonight, I'm sneaking in to kill my teacher.
I used to sneak in and out for fun, to see if I could. It's a pity that I've been sneaking in to prepare for tonight. I scale my way up to the last window on the three storey house on the hill. I enter the room quietly and the first thing I do is search it and take all the weapons hiding in plain sight, then I hide.
Right about now, he should be finishing up with rounds with the new children he's training. I came here because of my father. He once mentioned in passing that 'The End' was the best person to train anyone and I wanted to tell him after my training that I'm closer to being the son he wanted. He didn't visit for two months after my training and I never told him.
Footsteps approach and I quickly hide. Teacher calmly walks in and closes the door softly behind him. The soft click feels final, like this is the end.
"I expected you months ago." He says taking off his shirt.
I haven't moved or taken a breath since he came in and somehow he knows I'm here. He truly is a master. Too bad all of that can't compete with a bullet.
I step out into the light and he smiles at me. The End. Older but definitely cannot be confused for being weaker.
"You're not surprised that I'm here?"
He tilts his head slightly, studying me like I’m still something he can understand.
"Should I be?" He returns.
Silence stretches between us. The kind that makes me uncomfortable and looking for something to fill the silence with.
"I heard you were found out but you escaped. I expected you to come home and when you didn't, I thought it was only a matter if time."
"So you know why I'm here?"
"I can take a guess."
He takes a seat and watches me with a sad smile. I don't buy it. I'm sure he's thinking of ways to get to one of his weapons so he can kill me first.
I won't relax enough for him to do it.
"I’m here to kill you."
The words land flat. No emotion to it, just facts. I thought I'd be scared to do this but I'm not. I'm confident in my abilities. He can try to shout for help but before they arrive, my bullet would already be in his brain and I'd be long gone.
"Why would you want me dead?" he asks.
I let out a slow breath and shake my head.
"For betraying me. Let's not draw this out. I want to know why you did it. Do you think he's better than me?"
When he doesn't say anything, I continue. "I told you everything. I trusted you. And you gave me up!"
His expression hardens and he stands up.
"If you're implying that I gave you up to Melo, you're wrong. I didn’t tell Melo where to find you."
"So how did he find me?"
"Melo controls a vast network of people. I'm sure he found a way."
The way he says it, so proud of Melo, seals his fate. Up untill he said that, I didn't realise that I would have taken pity on him if he apologized but hearing him be proud of Melo ends every likeness I've ever had for him.
“It doesn’t matter." I say.
And that’s the truth. Because this was never just about being found.
"You left me when I needed you. One phone call from your favourite boy and you left me hanging."
Something flickers in his expression. Regret, Maybe? It's too late for that.
"I taught you to survive. I knew you'd be fine."
A humorless smile pulls at my lips when he starts moving to the first location of his hidden gun. When he doesn't find it, he moves again, subtly and I start laughing.
"They're gone." I say and I pull my gun. I aim for the middle of his forehead and shoot.
The sound of the gun shot cracks through the room as 'The End' comes to an end.
I think of running, but I don't. I put some contingency plans in place in case something went wrong but I guess I'll just have to use it to keep myself alive.
What's better than killing a betrayer? Killing him and taking his life's work. The door opens and Modric, the second in command, runs into the room. His eyes go from 'The End' on the floor to me standing close to the window and his eyes widen. He pulls his gun and I take out the pin from the hand grenade tucked into my jacket.
"Shoot if you want to."
He pauses and closes the door as more footsteps approach. He locks the door without turning his back to me and I smile.
"Why would you did this? He loved you."
I don't doubt it. He just loved him more.
"The why doesn't matter. He's dead now but we all don't have to follow."
"If you think there's a way you will live a happy life after killing 'The End', you just made a terrible mistake."
"Clearly, you're the wrong person to talk to."
Before he can make any moves, I shoot him. I was aiming for his head but he moved in the last second and the bullet went through his eye. He falls in a heavy lump and I sigh.
Something slams into the door from outside but the door doesn't move. The door is reinforced. It can only open if I open it. I throw the fake grenade on the bed and walk to the door
"I'm going to open the door." I say, raising my voice. "We all don't have to die tonight but you should know that there are bombs all over the compound and this building and the trigger is connected to my pulse. The second I stop having a pulse, the place gets buried underground, is that understood?"
When I don't hear anything back, I sigh.
"My name is Randall. If you've heard of me, shoot twice."
Multiple shots ring out and I smile. "Good. So you know I'm crazy and I mean everything I just said."
I open the door and they all start coming in one after the other. When the room gets full, I clear my throat.
"I am taking over. If you don't like it, leave. If seeing my face everyday will remind you that I killed your precious boss, leave."
The room clears by half and I smile sadly. These are the ones without honour or a home to go back to. We'll get along quite well.