"As usual, as usual..." the man sighed over the young woman's corpse. "Couldn't they just give it up for once? How much longer will this go on? Is it so hard to understand!!!
But no one heard those words anymore. The man dressed in black looked at his victim for a moment longer, then looked around and headed for the nearest door.
"Will I be cursed forever?" he sighed and left.
***
He couldn't remember the last time he'd looked at the stars. There seemed to be no time at all lately. Something was always happening. And he had to be constantly on the alert. You never knew where the next attack would come from. Now, however, he was certain that nothing would surprise him anymore; his last victim had been a huge shock. But how it had happened? He couldn't even remember how it all began. Only vague flashes of memories from his college days, when everything seemed so simple.
Back then, he'd had big plans. After all, he'd been the best student in his class. Friends, parties... Yes, friends. Today, he wouldn't call any of them that, wouldn't even shake their hand. Though it wasn't necessarily their fault. After all, it wasn't their fault he'd become what he had become…
Now he looked at the stars again, unsure if he should be happy about it. Because only he understood the danger lurking behind them. If only they all knew… if only they knew, maybe he wouldn't have to resort to such methods, but now… now it was too late.
The man rose from the grass, from "perhaps the last great meadow on Earth," as a large neon sign proclaimed, some two kilometers to the north—the old north.
"What has become of this world?" he sighed to himself. He still remembered running around the field with other kids, playing football, completely unconcerned by the tufts of grass that had been torn up—back then, the grass that still grew thickly not only in designated areas, but also everywhere human hands could reach.
"One day nature will take back what's its own, and humans, with all their technology, will have to hide so deeply that they'll completely lose sight of the higher purpose they're so vocal about today." He still remembers these words of his old friend, who, however, didn't expect how prophetic his words were. "Or how quickly they would come true," he said to himself again.
"What will come true so quickly?"
The surprised man spun on his heel, simultaneously drawing his knife.
"Who are you?" he growled. "And how on earth did you manage to sneak up on me so close?
" "Perhaps you're getting careless in your old age, Dorrian.
" "How do you know my name?"
"It wasn't hard to guess. There aren't many people today who despise civilization and the sight of another human being. Much less people who draw weapons against another human being."
"How do you even know what that is?"
"You may think we're idiots, but at least don't treat us like idiots who don't know our own history. We invented weapons ourselves, and we used them against ourselves instead of animals. Besides, you're still doing it. That's why we abandoned such devices.
" "And you replaced them with much more hideous weapons. You started brainwashing people. Putting them in place from start to finish. Everyone had their own designated place. You forgot that people are individualistic and can't be completely subjugated; there's always a risk...
" "I didn't come here to argue with you.
" "Why did you come? I still don't know your name either.
" "Who I am doesn't matter in the slightest now. What matters is what you can do and what I need...
" "What do you need??? Interesting, I thought no one needed anything these days...
" "Don't joke around." You know how this mechanism works, because you helped create it and…
- Due to unexplained circumstances, I'm the only person in the world immune to its effects. Yes, but we all know that. So maybe you can tell me something I don't know?
- The mechanism fell into the wrong hands and can be misused…
- I said: something new
. - You're joking again, and the situation is truly critical.
- And it hasn't been before? Because of you and this damn machine, I've already killed a dozen people.
- And it's precisely this talent that we need most now…
- I must have misheard. Is the Citizen asking me to kill someone?
- In the name of a higher purpose…
- You must be joking!!! The greatest crimes in history were committed in the name of a higher purpose. Let me just refresh your memory: Napoleon in Spain, Hitler in Poland, Stalin in the USSR, Truman in Japan, Bush in Iraq, and many, many others. And all this for what? In the name of the greater good. The problem, dear friend, if I may even call you that, is that each person has a different understanding of the so-called "greater good." And this infernal machine is the best example of that!
"Now is not the time for philosophizing. We need to act, and quickly. And only you can do that. Only you are beyond the machine's control.
" "I hope you realize that even if I agree, I will destroy the machine at the first opportunity.
" "I will do everything to stop you then.
" "If you say 'do then,' I always work alone...
" "Surely you didn't think I'd trust you enough to let you into the labs alone...
" "Wait a minute. You said someone took the machine from you, and now you're telling me it's still in your labs?"
"I never said the machine was taken. I only stated that someone inappropriate took control of it. Besides, you know that someone, it's your old college friend Morris.
" "I wouldn't call him that.
" "I know, and that's why I'm counting on you to help me. You probably realize the irreparable damage he can do with that machine in his hands.
" "Actually, I don't give a damn about the damage he can do to this damned world with that machine. Everything that was still worth anything to me on this stinking planet was taken from me by you, with the help of that damned machine. Although I have some scores to settle with him too, which I'd gladly settle. So let's say I agree. So what's the plan?
" "I can't give you the details here. Meet me tomorrow at 4:00 PM standard time behind the warehouse on Colridge Street.
" "Fine. I'll be there. But if you're leading me into some trap, you won't catch me easily."
"Right now, it would be madness to get rid of the only person still capable of using a weapon, so you're in no danger. Don't worry.
" "We'll see
." The woman turned and walked away. He watched her for a moment longer. "As I know life, I'm either drawn into something, or I'll kill her in the end," he thought, and averted his gaze, deciding it was best not to get used to the sight of her. He looked up at the stars again. "Who knows, maybe there's a chance to save this world after all, "
he said aloud to himself, and laughed the most disgusting laugh of all.
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