Gambit's Corner

[Lobo de la Muerte]

Prologue To: Area Zero-Dark Hour

"You shouldn't slouch when the vampires are so close," Blair directed at me as my posture began to waver against a dead tree. "You present yourself weak. These creatures don't need to sleep or even sit down. What are you telling them if you're having trouble merely standing on your own two legs?"
"That next time they should arrive on time," I glowered and yawned. Isis was off to the side looking contemplative as usual. The blond Caibera woman was always deep in thought before these mundane meetings. The usual threats about borders and treading on the lines were never carried out, so I never understood why she had to be so serious. Blair was always serious so I didn't mind her much. I just wish Isis didn't stress herself so much over these things. She shouldn't even be out here! Blair and I were enough to handle any affairs with the vamps but she always risked her health coming here. "You should head back to the headquarters."
Isis turned to me, her emerald green eyes a blank stare. "Sorry?" She didn't hear me.
She was absolutely sexy. Her skin was a dark tan, similar to mine but several shades darker. Her long, dirty blond hair reached to her lower back in a twisted pony tail with several long bangs falling over her ample bosom. Wherever she went she would always wear a tightly fitted lab coat that barely concealed anything. Her cleavage still broke through, and her black shirt was stretched to the limit. And no matter what, she wore high heels. Even with the recent rain making the forest ground so soft and moist. To think this woman had so much brains that she built one of six controlling companies of Endo City so recently. It was astounding. At first glance she looked like a stripper. Not the head of a corporate conglomerate. Especially not the one the trains humans to become spies, assassins, bodyguards, security guards, soldiers, and bounty hunters.
"You shouldn't risk being here Isis. You should head back to the headquarters and let Blair and me handle the negotiations. Just tell us what you want."
She shook her head, but for once Blair agreed. "As unfortunate as it may sound, he's right. You really shouldn't be out here ma'am. Ophelia Vanderveldt doesn't even come to these meetings. Why should you?"
Isis sighed and shook her head again. "It's a sign of good faith on my part. Anyways we're here to appease them. They're the biggest of the six, and at any time they want they could wipe us all out. Even if the others don't want to deal with them, I want to keep good relations with them."
"Ma'am, with all due respect, these monsters are only out for blood, not friendship. Why extend to them courtesy when all they do is insult you?"
This was the most passion I've ever seen come out of Blair. She was usually so cool-headed and collected. And she was dressed to look like a leader. She wore elegant clothing for business, albeit a bit foreign. Tonight she was wearing a nice long, white robe with sleeves that covered her hands. Her satin sash was a brilliant red that was tightly wrapped around her supple waist. I knew she wore loose clothing to conceal weapons, but also to hide her figure. Her body rivaled that of Isis in attractiveness. Great rack, curvy hips, slender waist and a gorgeous face. Even if she was a total b***h, the Touran warrior woman was smart and wise, as most Touran's were. If she were to parade around in anything less, no one would take her seriously.
I had the most racial prejudice against me as a Cajun mixed with Caibera blood. I was one of the last of the old ethnicities. A dying race, the Cajun in me. But I hold out hope. If the Caibera, one of the very first races to ever exist, can still survive all these years, then maybe I can too.
Of course I didn't have the perks of immortality on my side like the full blooded Caibera do.
Isis was looking unsure, but she needed to rest. We really needed her to get back. "Come on Isis, get back and get some sleep. We'll handle things here."
Isis was more of a friend than a leader. Best friend actually. She would talk to me when she needed to vent and always treated me kindly. If I didn't like the idea of being second in command then I would actually be giving orders to Blair instead of having her whine about my posture. She chose me first; we were that close. A bit unprofessional I suppose but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Finally she nodded. "Alright, I'll leave things to you two."
She must have been ridiculously tired if she agreed so easily. Even Blair looked a bit surprised, but she recovered quickly. "Yes ma'am. Shall I call you transport?"
Isis smiled softly with tired eyes. "What would I ever do without you guys?"
Blair called the transporter section of Area Zero. These guys were top of the line. They could transport a baby through a minefield without waking it up. In only minutes a black car was waiting at the edge of the forest. Isis headed to it, but turned back. "Be careful...if I hear you two were harmed in anyway you can expect a war to explode at their home with full force."
The two of us nodded once in understanding. "Yes ma'am!"
When she left, we were still left waiting. They were always late, but never this late.
"Do you think something might have happened to the vampires?" I asked Blair. She was still standing strong with a solid face of focus. Touran's were really tough...
"What on earth could stop such demons? It's obvious they're trying to anger us because they know we can't do anything to retaliate. They're making sure we know who is boss around here," I couldn't help but notice a hint of disgust in her smooth voice. "Simply bad manners. Poor Isis would have frozen out here."
With that skimpy skirt she was wearing she might have. "Yeah well what can we do about it? They're going to complain about one of our people wandering into the forest and we're going to complain that they had no right to kill him. They'll threaten us, and we'll just nod our heads and smile. You know I kind of wish the vampires really were like how the media portrayed them. You know. Cuddly and easy to fall in love with."
"Yes well they are very easy to become infatuated with. They're hypnotic charm lures weak minded humans into a sense of comfort. I'm just surprised you haven't fallen to the calls of the females yet..." She eyed me out of the corner of her eye and snickered. She was toying with me...again!
I growled under my breath but she waved her hand in the air. "Don't bark at me dog. Or else I'll bite."
She was glaring at me with anime-like half-closed midnight blue eyes through a mischievous smile. Even if she made me so mad...she was beautiful...I couldn't bring myself to insult her. The way her perfectly bobbed cut black hair hair swayed with the wind and brushed her short bangs across her forehead struck me silly. She was a combination of cute and sexy, even when she wasn't revealing much skin like Isis. At times she could be so serious, but when she was picking on me she was adorable.
Of course I'd never let her know that.
"Whatever," I sighed and rubbed the tension out of the back of my neck.
Just then we felt the vampires arrive; more than usual by one. The extra person's footsteps were light, almost inaudible. Also there was this uneasy feeling in the pit of my gut. One I haven't felt before. At the same time, Blair looked completely in control, like Isis would have. Sure glad I wasn't second in command...
A petite woman with mystical deep violet eyes and dark purple hair stepped out of the darkness wearing the most expensive clothing I had ever seen. In an instant I knew who it was.
"Queen Ophelia Vanderveldt," Blair curtsied lightly and turned to me, expecting me to bow. Hell no I didn't. They made me wait too long.
"...Isis has departed," the skinny doll-faced vampire said, looking around. "I would have liked to have addressed her personally on this upsetting matter."
Blair nodded slowly. "Yes, but she was not in the best of health. Or leader works day and night without any sleep, similar to your kind. But she is only human."
I could tell when Blair was trying to one-up someone. Sneaky b***h.
"I see..." Ophelia's eyes turned to capture Blair's in a hold. "Perhaps I should bestow the gift of the night upon her so she may never need sleep again."
And I could tell when Blair was peeved. Her brow twitched a bit, and suddenly we were surrounded by vamps, all ready to attack. They could sense ill intent like a fart in a crowded elevator. My hand shot to the handle of my Thirteen, a special handgun that fired in three-bullet bursts made by Biodyne as a request from Isis. It was a present for me. On the polished long silver barrel was inscribed 'Love, Isis' written in elegant font. Vampires were apex predators, but I was an apex hunter, and I had a gun. They were just big game to me...
"I would appreciate if we could get down to business," Blair quickly said, noticing how close I was to capping all of them.
"If the life of one of your own is not important enough for the head of Area Zero company to present herself personally then I do not believe we have anything to discuss. Farewell." The queen just totally blew off Blair, right in her face. After all the times Isis had to reason with Ophelia's lackeys, she suddenly blew off the second in command like she was a regular employee. A simple beginner.
Even I couldn't stand that.
"You ******** b***h!" I roared and drew my weapon, aiming right at the back of her head as she began to walk away. In that split second, her guards encircled me, only inches away from me and their icy cold breaths blowing against my skin, ready to tear me to shreds. But I kept my eyes solid on her. "You'll treat Blair with the same respect you would treat Isis!"
The queen slowly turned around. The way she did it was so...eerie. It was like she chose to be that slow, just to intimidate me. Vampires were notoriously fast and strong, but she moved too slow for one. Most vamps were jittery and fast. She, however, flaunted just how much control she had.
"And who might you be, youngling?" Ophelia's eyes pierced mine, and suddenly I felt the urge to fall to my knees. Her presence was so demanding...
But I kept on my feet. "Guile C. D'Amato, Agent Zero-Six of the Ten Agents. Even though there's only two of us we rank high in our organization. The Ten Agents are the most skillful in all of Area Zero. We're the top warriors, so we're not just underlings you can wave off. Day after day Isis meets with you to keep good relations, only to be greeted by your lower people. So why, if you never showed yourself before, would you suddenly ignore us when she paid close attention to your subordinates?"
Her face didn't even twitch. She was a stone cold expressionless statue.
"I believe this concludes our business." Ophelia waved her hand, and in an instant, there was no trace of any vampires. It was like they never came.
Angered, but not stupid, I simply holstered my weapon and turned back to Blair. "Isis is probably going to do the whole 'I told you' bit if we explained...so let's call in and tell her we're fine but we're not going back yet. She needs rest."
Blair's eyes were fixated on the darker part of the forest but nodded. "Yeah. It wouldn't be wise to tell her now. She would probably try to set up another meeting as soon as we get back," she replied. "But what now? We can't go back without facing her."
I shrugged my shoulders. "Don't know. But I'm starving."
"Well I suppose you would be, since all you eat are salisbury steak T.V. dinners."
"Shut up."
The two of us headed back into downtown; the industrial monolith of Endo City. In all of the world there wasn't a place I rather be than here. This place had everything, and as a little tourist attraction they had spots from different cultures and times from around the world here. 1920's America, Medieval Japan, so on and so on. There was a bunch of things to do here.
Surely one of them was bound to take our minds off of that bad taste from earlier.  

[Lobo de la Muerte]

I'm bad at keeping to just one piece of work, but here's the first chapter to
Area Zero-CONSPIRACY

My boss, Isis, was on the floor below the rooftop discussing business with the megacorp Biodyne's CEO, James Arco. He was a shady man, that Mr. Arco. Always wearing a black suit and leather gloves. Every single visit to our headquarters was awkward and suspicious, and as Isis instructed, everyone was on their toes. We were to watch him at all times and he was never left to be alone. She wasn't the type to be so careful either, but Biodyne and Area Zero were on thin ice with each other. There were talks of Isis' corporation being used to protect Biodyne and it's interests, and in turn we would get our hands on Biodyne tech. And everyone knew how nuts Isis was about tech.
Still, I would kill the CEO if it was in Isis' best interest. In the time and economy we were in, there was no way to survive in Endo unless I was involved in one of the five major corporations. Area Zero was the newest of the five that had risen to power very recently, and luckily it was hiring when I went to her. What started as a measly one story building grew into one of the Five Towers of Endo City. Our expertise was in spy, bodyguard, security, and assassination work. Biodyne had the most advanced technology around ranging from weapons to blenders. The other three were the SSPF, the Super Soldier Police Force, City Hall and Cole Works. Cole Works was the chief in exports and imports. Everyone helped each other really, in turn for favors and such. Cole Works provided free transportation to Area Zero in turn for protection or an assassination. They also exported Biodyne's merchandise and imported them parts. In turn, Biodyne built them advanced ships, planes, etc. The SSPF became privatized awhile back, thanks to the three of us, and although they regularly do respond to 911 calls, they don't do anything at any to us. They were a**-deep in our pockets, and of course, they get new weapons, transport, and assassination requests. City Hall was the last to turn to the dark side, and even then they hold out and hope to rescue the city from out grasps. But still, they ask us all for favors, and in turn we get to control the city. In all the real battle for territory and money was between us three. Cole Works, Biodyne and Area Zero. City hall and the SSPF stayed out of our affairs regularly. The biggest threat to us would be a sudden turn from the police force. Their numbers were massive, and Biodyne's been feeding the fire with super-tech. I wouldn't be surprised if they had missiles for each of our headquarters.
"How did it go?" I could feel Isis walking up behind me even though my back was turned. The wind was blowing gently up here. Although down on street level no one could really feel the wind, being on top of one of the Five Towers gave me that little luxury. Also another.
The city was big and wide, lights emitting from down below. I could also see the bay a ways off, and the other four towers standing tall and erect over the smaller buildings. To say the least, it was beautiful. All the lights weren't always on, but they were never off either. When one building's power went down for the night, the one next to it started up immediately. I wouldn't trade this spot for anything in the world. This was my home.
"Fine," Isis responded with venom in her voice. She was mad. "Just fine. That stupid Arco wants more of our guards to watch his front and back door while we get a new coffee maker for the lounge. God sometimes I just want to cap him myself." The gorgeous Caibera woman went over to my side and stood with her arms crossed below her ample bosom. It must have been cold for her. She was still in business wear, and she wasn't too modest about it. Her cleavage was exposed, as well as her thighs thanks to her short skirt. She wore high heels as usual though, made by a famous designer that we offer protection to. But no matter what, she always wore that long white lab coat. Sometimes I joked that she slept in it, until it became apparent that she might. She was a professor first and a leader to Area Zero second. And I respected that immensely. I had the sort of love for her where she was my best friend, but also my boss. She would talk to me like she would a friend, differently than everyone else. She would crack jokes, show an unprofessional side of her, and reveal how she really felt about things even when she would wear a calm and composed face throughout the building. That's what a good leader needed though. To always be strong and show people they were in control. But even she needed someone to talk to.
"Why not allow me? I could do it on their grounds too so there's no suspicion," I offered. She shook her head and sighed while rubbing her eye tiredly.
"No, that won't work. With all their technology they'll be bound to find you. Anyways we need them, as much as I hate to say it, and they know it. They're only putting small deals for us while we have to give them chunks of our personnel. Right now Arco was pitching a trade for thirty security guards for three boxes of handguns and rifles. When he said that I was about to punch his face through my desk!" Isis clenched her fists tightly as a scowl scrunched up her pretty face. Her brown tan skin had a red frustrated color in her cheeks, something that never happened to me before, and my skin was a couple shades lighter than hers. Still tan, but somewhat lighter.
"It doesn't matter. Say I went rogue and killed him. They can execute me afterwards. I won't fight back."
Isis looked at me like I was nuts, but placed a hand on my cheek. "You're sweet. You're the only guy I can really talk to around her, so I don't want to lose you. It's hard enough to send you out on these dangerous missions. If I didn't have so much faith in your abilities I wouldn't even let you outside the headquarters."
I would do anything for her. She picked me off the streets and provided me with everything I ever needed, including pay. I declined it in turn for everything she's given me, but she insisted. And it wasn't cheap either. I could buy my own mansion on a hill overlooking the ocean if I wanted. "You've been with me since the beginning," she continued, a soft look in her sharp, emerald green eyes. "You're my best friend. You've stuck with me through bad times and worse, even when the people that started with me bailed. I even told you if you wanted to leave you could and I wouldn't hold anything against you. I even offered you to be the second in command of Area Zero, but you refused. How could I ever live it down if I sent you to your death?"
"I feel the same way. I'll kill anyone you want me to, and anyone who tries to hurt you," I replied. As I unfolded my arms my jacket squeaked with the sound of stretching leather.
"Aww, that's so sweet." She sighed heavily and pulled back a long lock of her blond hair away from her face. "How do you do it, Guile?" she asked out of the blue.
"Do what?"
"Cope with taking lives. You don't even look like you mind all that much. I've asked you to take lives over and over and you still look the same as you first walked in. It's a dark business we're in. I don't want to see you suddenly turn into one of those guys with a set of snuff films." Her worried eyes met mine as she came closer to me, almost meeting chest to chest. She was almost as tall as I was with those heels.
"You're a nice guy deep down. Don't let that change. Don't enjoy what you do. These are weird things to ask but I need you more than I need this stupid position. If you suddenly went berserker on me then no one would have a model to look up to. You're the figurehead of this corporation, wether you like it or not. I can only lead you guy's in the right direction."
"That's nonsense," I said. "Everyone looks up to you. You're the boss. Everyone knows how hard you worked to get here and everyone respects you for it."
Isis' eyes dropped to the ground as she nodded slowly. "I suppose so. Still, just don't get lost in what you–"
Her words were drowned out by the whirring blades of a nearing helicopter. It sounded like...it was below us.
Without having to put two and two together I covered Isis with my own body and jumped to the floor. In seconds an armed chopper was blasting away at the building's top floor, obviously trying to kill her. It was her office after all. "Damn it!" she screamed as she broke away from my arms and dashed to the stairway. I shot up after her and grabbed her, pushing her against the wall and holding her.
"Don't move!" I shouted over the loud gunfire. If they wanted to be effective then they wouldn't just be shooting bullets. I was expecting a–
The sound of a rocket launching filled my ears. It exploded and sent us both through the wall and into another floor, rubble flying everywhere. Isis coughed hazardly as she landed flat on her back. Blood was trickling down the side of her mouth as her beautiful eyes wandered throughout the room in a daze.
"ISIS!" I shouted loudly over the chaos, but she didn't seem to be able to hear. Those ********! Around me concerned colleagues were rushing to her rather than running away. Good people. "Take her to the medical floor! Get a fire squad to the top floor! Hurry!" I instructed before pulling out a special weapon designed by Biodyne called the Thirteen. It was a machine-handgun that fired in bursts; three shots per fire. As far as I know this one was specially made for me per Isis' request to Biodyne. A present. Along the side of the sleek polished long silver barrel read 'Love, Isis' in elegant font. It was the only gun of it's kind.
I ran as fast as I could to the elevator, seeing that the stairs were now useless. It wouldn't work because of the automatic shutdown mechanism from the fire, so I had to climb up the shaft and shimmy up the cables. There was a massive hole blown where the doors once were on the top floor. And there was the chopper, it's pilot staring right at me.
I fired at him as he moved his hand to the panel, probably trying to shoot another missile. The windshield shattered with one burst and took him by surprise. The pilot panicked and swerved away, trying to make a run for it. I jumped onto the floor and got a sprinting start before I leapt out the broken window. For a brief moment, I honestly thought I was going to die. I felt like I was coming up short as I started to drop. But if that was the case then I would take it down with me, and it wasn't hard to take down a chopper. You just needed to know were to hit.
I fired at the tail rotor and instantly it went out of control, dropping just as fast as I was. Smoke started to rise from the back as the crippled tail swung around in full circles. It's difficult to change positions in mid-air, but I managed to move over to the side of the closed hatch and planted my feet firmly. It was falling on it's side, the propeller spinning at shredding speeds just a couple feet behind me. As we both plummeted to the street, I fired a few rounds off at the spinning blades to stop it completely. There was no way the pilot was going to live after what he had done to Isis. With only a few yards left between me and certain death, I leapt as hard as I could from the falling wreck and into one of the building's floors, right through the window. I rolled over shattered glass, feeling hundred of pieces digging into my skin. And only a second later, the helicopter made contact with the street below and exploded with a loud boom. Pieces of metal were flying high and reaching this level of the building.
Just another day at work. Bringing down aircraft down straight from the sky. It was on the job description too.
Isis!
The run up to the medical floor was too long, and really everyone should be evacuating instead. It wouldn't take long for people to notice smoke was rising from the Area Zero Tower, and possibly there would be a turf war. If we were weakened and everyone else noticed, it wouldn't be very long until Cole Works and Biodyne attacked. Maybe even City Hall. Everyone knows they want less of us around. Or maybe somebody already did attack...this was just a shot to wound the beast and now they would swarm like ants. Something is wrong here. That looked like a Biodyne chopper to me. Also their pilot wasn't very experienced. They could have shot the rockets from a distance and still get away. That was sloppy work, as expected of Biodyne personnel. Sure we gave them soldiers, but those soldiers built a fondness of Area Zero and would never attack...would they? They all loved Isis too, like a mother. And for sure that pilot wasn't one of ours. They were better than that.
Then all fingers were pointed at Biodyne. James Arco only left the building awhile ago, and Isis said they didn't really come to an agreement. But what if Cole Works wanted to kill two birds with one stone? What if they meant to take out Arco and Isis? The possibilities were endless...
"She's in stable condition," a nurse said right away as I rushed into the medical ward. "It'll take a while for her to recover fully. She's sleeping for now. Let her rest."
I saw her lying helpless, battered and bruised. Now that the adrenaline was fading I could also feel the soreness and glass lodged in my body. "Oh my..." she put her hand to her mouth as she examined my body. "You need to be attended to right away."
"It's fine. Just pulled them out and clean me up. I need to talk to the other Agents."
She shook her head slowly. "No sir, you really need to be attended to." She pointed to a mirror at my side.
Near my spine was a serrated fin made of a third of the window I jumped through. It stuck out horrendously and stiff, like it was a part of my body. Now I could see I was going to need surgery to get it out. With a heavy sigh I nodded and followed her to another room. Now I was definitely feeling it. With each step excruciating pain jolted in my back, but I was trained to deal with it. "Okay, just lie on your stomach and we'll begin immediately. The surgeon will be in as soon as I sedate you."
"No, just do it like this. I need to talk to the other Agents fast. Just get it–"
"I'm sorry but your body won't be able to withstand it."
"Listen I–"
Before I could finish my sentence, she jammed a needle in me, and it was lights out.


Agents are the highest ranking soldiers in Area Zero. There are only ten at a time, from ten to one. Agent Zero-One is our leader and Second In Command, and was the position I was offered to awhile back. I wasn't all too enthusiastic about being the leader of the Agents so I refused. Right now I should be looking for her, but I was immobilized. And yes, the leader was also a girl. Agent Zero-One is chosen be strength too. She was deemed more skillful than everyone else in a test–which I didn't partake in–and came out with the top score. So now that 5'4, 110 pound, nineteen year old woman was our leader. And she didn't fail to make us remember that, and she was more than likely going to scold me for being late to the meeting.
Two weeks late.
"You're ready to move now, Guile. Ms. Valentine is looking for you," the nurse said. "She's waiting at Isis' office."
"How is she?" I asked right away while getting up. They had to cut through my jacked and shirt to operate, so I was left with just briefs and a pair of pants. My shoes were also a lost cause.
The nurse smiled grimly. "She's still in bad condition, but she'll be alright a few more weeks."
The idea of the person I envisioned as the strongest woman in the world lying helpless in the room next to me...it pissed me off so bad I wanted to cap every unfunny comedian that people laugh at. I felt like punching every mom that had an abortion right in the uterus. I wished that the world would suddenly go up in flames, all because of Isis being harmed.
I wanted bad things to happen because Isis was hurt.
I wanted the world to suddenly spin out of control because my leader was hurt.
The nurse could probably see my anger and gently placed a hand on my shoulder. "Ms. Valentine needs to see you soon. Please talk to her...and take care..."
I left the room without a word, quickly slipping into my pants and going off to meet the next leader.