Walking Besides Death

[Shad²]

[glow=red,2,300][/glow] Part 1

In the middle of the night an adult Japanese woman and a teenage foreign boy stepped out of a poor looking van. An annoyed bald man drove off with the van. The boy and the woman walked in the house. The boy and the woman looked around. ''Not much. But something. I get you mattress and blanket to sleep.But off your clothes. They are dirty.'' The woman said. The boy looked at his clothes. ''Hah, I didn't even notice.'' He said with a smile. He put them off and asked where to put them. The woman pointed to a basket with dirty clothes. Underneath his clothes the boy was wearing a black suit, the same as the woman. She had readied his blanket and mattress in the guest room for him to sleep in. ‘’You tired probably? We go to sleep tonight, talk tomorrow.'' The woman said. The boy agreed. As he lied down and looked up to the ceiling he thought off what had happened on this strange day and fell right to sleep.

The next day the boy woke up around noon. He looked up to the ceiling and remembered where he was and what had happened the night before. He turned to his side. After a few minutes he stood up and went to the bathroom and washed his face. He went to the kitchen and saw leftovers from breakfast.’’I guess she wouldn’t mind if I’d eat some of her food. Where is she anyway?’’ He thought to himself.’’hmmm, I guess as her servant I’m gonna have to clean it up around here, don’t I?’’ He said when he was finished eating. After cleaning up he went out back and saw the woman practicing her sword skills. Again he was amazed at her elegancy and her speed. The way she swung her sword was like nothing he had seen before. She was really focused too. As if she were in a trance. She didn’t even notice the boy watching her. Either that, or she didn’t pay him any attention. When she paused a bit to catch her breath the boy clapped.’’Oh TjAd, I’d not noticed you.’’ The woman said surprised.’’You’re really good with a sword Suzuka. You must have trained a lot. Do you practice here everyday?’’ TjAd asked.

Suzuka took a look at her sword. Then she began: ’’When I was child, father thaught me how to wield sword. He taught me Kenjustu. A while after that he also thaught me how to make sword. He said to me to fight at very best, sword must be crafted by own hands. when sword is made, it makes bond with hot metal and heart of the sword maker. Bond that is unique. Not like friendship. But
bond that makes swordfighter and sword fight together, instead of swordfigher fighting with sword. According to father that bond is essential to winning battle.’’
’’hmmm… You’re not really making sense. But I guess you know what you’re talking about.’’ TjAd said in response but he found her a bit strange. How could there be a bond between metal and a person? ’’You may think I crazy, but it doesn’t matter.’’ Suzuka said.
’’But, I didn’t…’’
’’The truth is that if it was not for this sword I wouldn’t be stand here right now.’’
TjAd smiled.’’I guess that goes for me too doesn’t it?’’ He said referring to the times he was saved by her. Suzuka laughed a bit. She thought of him as a good youngman. Most children his age were just hanging around not doing anything and being lazy. But he seemed different. He didn’t act very different from other kids. But it was something about his eyes. It was if those eyes thought very deeply about what they saw.

She looked at TjAd and asked why he was still wearing the suit.’’My clothes are all dirty and this is the only thing I have to wear. It’s not like I want to wear it because it’s so tight. I don’t like thight clothes.’’ TjAd answered.
’’I have other hakama for you.’’
’’Hakama? Is that what you’re wearing?’’
”Yes”
”Alright why not”
TjAd put on the hakama. And showed it to Suzuka.
’’Look good with you.’’
‘’Yeah I know. Just marvelous is it not’’
Suzuka laughed. Although he acted a bit cocky, he wasn’t showing a tiny bit of arrogance.

”Hey Suzuka? Could you maybe let me train with you?’’
”Are you sure?”
”Yeah”
Suzuka took a bit more serious face.
”This no game. If you begin have to give all soul to it. Not just do it for few days and get bored. You have to train every day.”
TjAd hesitated a bit but agreed. As he took the sword in his hands. Suzuka laughed.”You mus be kidding. If you hold sword in front of enemy like that you be dead before you know who you’re fighting. Here let me show how to do it.”

She learned TjAd how to hold his sword properly. A few basic defensive moves and offensive moves. They practiced all day. He listened well, didn’t argue and did anything she told him. Around the evening TjAd was exhausted but he could still go on. He was always like that with something he liked. He could go on without stopping until his body collapsed. But for things he didn’t like: he couldn’t even go on for 10 minutes. And boy did he love kenjutsu. He had even fallen in love with it. Suzuka wanted to call it a day. But for the first time the whole day TjAd disagreed. ”What? Why? I’m just getting the hang of it” He said protesting. Suzuka smiled at him and said she was hungry.”And servant have to make dinner” she said with a smile. TjAd looked at the ground.”Tch, me and my big mouth.” He looked up to Suzuka and asked if they could train again tomorrow. She agreed. ”Yeah!!!! Let’s go make some dinner.” He started running back inside. When he got back in the house he suddenly stopped.
He looked at Suzuka and said:”ummmm… uh…I can’t cook” Suzuka couldn’t stop laughing. ”Hahahaha, And you call yourself servant?” She said mocking him. TjAd understood it was just a joke but he was pretty pissed.
”You don’t have to make fun of me you know?”
”It’s alright I just kidding. You just do laundry and I make dinner.”

After TjAd had finished the laundry they sat down eating. He looked at the food Suzuka had prepared. It looked delicious. It tasted delicious too. TjAd complimented her on her cooking. She said it was nothing. While eating TjAd asked her how she had died.
” I’m not sure. But I was practicing then I hear gunshot. The next thing I remember was I was in strange room.”
”Gunshot? I was shot too.”
”Really? Who’d want shoot you?”
TjAd was insulted.
”hmm, So I’m not worth killing huh?”
”No, no, no, no, I didn’t mean like that. It’s just, well you know”
”Well then? Why whould anyone want to shoot you then?”
”My father was former yakuza.”
”Yakuza? That’s like the Japanese maffia right?”
”Right. My father stepped out of crime long time ago. I think someone from back then wanted take revenge at him. What about you?”
”Well to be honest I have no idea why I was shot. My father was a political refugee in my home country. He also has been threatened by extremist moslims because he has opposed against them. But I doubt it those people would work like that. They would rather capture me and cut my head off with a knife. But I was shot in a drive-by. On top of that they don’t usually kill other people to get someone but rather just head for their target. But the strangest thing is that I got a call from a number I didn’t recognize just before I was shot.” He took out his cell phone and took a look at it.
”That odd” Suzuka said. ”And you don’t know anyone that have grudge to you?” Suzuka asked. ”I’m a pretty popular kid back home. Basically everyone likes me. I’m not saying it too brag but it’s just that way. On top of that I don’t know anyone who would be able to get their hands on an automatic weapon.” He said in response.
”I wonder if they are looking for me now. My mother is probably worried sick about me right now. Crying her tears out. She’s always likes that. Worrying too much. Crying very easily.”
Suzuka felt pity for him. He was just a kid after all. He was taken away from his home, friends and family. TjAd looked up.”I now understand what’s going on. I’ve escaped death, just to walk beside it.”

TjAd cleaned up after dinner and washed the dishes. They were watching television at about 8 o’clock. It was a Japanese program so TjAd didn’t understand any of it. An half hour later he just fell to sleep.”Poor boy, he’s exhausted from the sword training. But he learns fast and becomes better with a every swing. Within a few years his skill might even equal mine. He truly is talented.” Suzuka thought to herself while looking at TjAd.

The next day TjAd woke up before Suzuka. This time he could put on his normal clothes since they were clean now. He decided to make breakfast. So he did. He first ate himself and then woke Suzuka up. He told her to hurry up so they could begin training and she told him that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After she finished eating they started training again. Today she learned him how to defend. Her attacks were hard to block because of her strength and hard to dodge because of her speed. But TjAd learned on the way. His timing became more precise and he blocked more effectively and his dodges became more succesful as the day passed by. Once again they were at it non-stop until 6 o’clock. Again suzuka made dinner and this time TjAd helped. He fell to sleep early again that night. It went on like this for a few weeks.

One day TjAd figured he had been in Tokyo a few weeks but hadn’t even seen anywhere of Tokyo. He was just training with Suzuka. He asked if they could go into town and Suzuka thought it was alright. He found it wonderful. Tokyo was a great city. He loved the crowds and the high-tech stuff in the stores. He asked Suzuka if there was a bank nearby because he wanted to exchange his 50 euros in to Yen. In the evening they returned The next day they started their regular training schedule again. He had bought Suzuka a necklace which said ‘’Thank You’’ on it. Indeed TjAd was very grateful for her help. She had saved his life more than once and because of her she had somewhere to sleep. She even learned him Kenjutsu. And for all this she hadn’t asked anything in return. TjAd had begun to see her as a second mother.

A month passed by since that horrible day. That day TjAd had wen out to town with Suzuka to buy some clothes. He payed everything himself and didn’t allow her to pay for anything. His bank was an international bank so he could get money from his bank account even in Japan. And that’s just what he did. They got back home and watched TV. He had learned a little Japanese. But it wasn’t really anything much. He picked most things up from TV. The same way the learned to speak English so good. Suzuka had also learned to speak better English the last month. Suddenly they felt a chill.
”Suzuka did you feel that too?”
”Yeah, Do you think it’s…?”
”I don’t know, but feels strange we better get our suits.”
TjAd stood up to get the suits. Just as he came back in the room with the suits he freezed.
”What the fuck? I can’t move”
”I can’t either”
Suddenly they both started to vanish.

[Shad²]

Part 2

TjAd, Suzuka and Samuel are sitting in the cab. The cab is driving back to the apartment where they came from. Before they could go home, they had to do something about Spike.
TjAd was staring out the window. He hadn’t said anything when he got back. Samuel wanted to ask him what was wrong. Suzuka stopped him. She knew TjAd longer and knew it was best to just leave him alone.’’Let him be, right now we have to figure out what we’re going to do about the bear.’’ She had said.

They arrived at the apartment and Suzuka figured out what to do with the bear. She told her adress to the cab driver to bring the other two to her house. She herself left to deal with the bear. Samuel wasn’t pretty assured with Suzuka leaving them alone. But she gave him a reassuring wink and told him to trust her. Meanwhile TjAd was still looking out the window. As if made of stone. He knew what was happening around him but didn’t care a lot about it. The cab left and Suzuka went to the bear.

She got there and the bear growled at her. ‘’Well, my fluffy friend. I finally figured what to do with you.’’ She smiled at him and the bear backed down for a minute. He didn’t like her tone. ‘’But first I have to find some transportation.’’ She thought a little. Then she took out her wallet.
‘’hmmm, that should be enough.’’
She called a cab. When the cab arrived he didn’t trust Suzuka and didn’t want to bring them. But Suzuka gave him some extra money and asked him not ask any questions.

When she arrived at her house TjAd was leaning at her frontdoor looking ahead of him without any motion. Samuel was sitting on the porch. It looked like he wasn’t really comfortable around TjAd. Suzuka put the bear in her backyard and went to the front to let the other two in. ‘’Why were you guys outside?’’ She asked them. TjAd didn’t say anything and walked right by her. Samuel came in a little slower. Looking around the house first. ‘’We didn’t have any keys.’’ He said. ‘’Oh, how stupid of me’’ Suzuka said hitting herself on the head. TjAd lead out an irritating, ‘’Fuck it.’’ Meaning Suzuka shouldn’t worry about it. Just then the bear growled. TjAd and Samuel both turned to where the sound was coming from. ‘’Don’t tell me you…’’ Samuel started. ‘’Yep’’ Suzuka interrupted him. ‘’I’m planning on bringing it to the zoo tomorrow. But he’ll have to stay here for the night’’ Suzuka went over to the kitchen to get the bear some food and water. She didn’t knew what bears ate so she gave him some raw meat. The bear happily started eating. Suzuka hoped he wouldn’t make too much noise through the night or run away. But just in case she tied it’s feet down with a rope. The bear didn’t like it. Suzuka saw that. ‘’Sorry about that. But we don’t have any other choice. We should give you a name.’’ Suzuka thought about it a little. ‘’Tomo, yeah Tomo.’’ The bear gave out a satisfying little growl. ‘’You like that, huh?’’ She said petting Tomo.

Meanwhile. TjAd looked at Samuel and looked a bit annoyed. ‘’Guess it can’t be helped’’ He thought to himself
‘’Hey Sammie’’
‘’Yeah?’’
‘’I’ll show you where to sleep’’
Samuel followed TjAd to the sleeping room. TjAd gave him a mattres and a blanket and told him to put it somewhere in the room. Samuel put the stuff down an got ready to get some sleep since he was really exhausted. TjAd had already gotten into his bed. But he wasn’t sleeping. He was tired. But he couldn’t sleep. Samuel lie down and couldn’t sleep either. He was feeling a little uncomfortable in this new house. Suzuka had come back in the house too. She figured the two boys were sleeping. ‘’If it goes on like this, I’ll have more people in my house than a hotel’’ she thought to herself while she yawned. As she walked to her bed to get some sleep. She thought of TjAd. ‘’TjAd… What happened to your eyes? They don’t have what they used to have.’’

The next morning Samuel woke up after hearing a door slamming.
‘’Huh? What? Where am… oh right.’’
Samuel went to the kitchen to see Suzuka sitting on a chair and an unfinished sandwich at an empty seat. Suzuka looked up when Samuel came in the room. ‘’Ow Sam, you’re awake. Here have something to eat. You must be starving.’’ Samuel was hungry indeed. While eating Samuel asked where TjAd was. Suzuka said she didn’t knew where Tjad was. ‘’He was different today. He really has been hurt. I hope he can overcome it’’ She said with a sad face. Samuel looked at her while eating. Then Suzuka started. ‘’I’m going to call the zoo the get the bear.’’ Samuel nodded.

On the busy streets of Tokyo a lonely boy was walking. TjAd. He was thinking to himself.
‘’Stupid bitch… I told her I didn’t want to talk about it. But she still had to ask about it. Well fuck you then’’ TjAd had taken his suit with him since he wasn’t planning to return. Under his clothes he was wearing the suit. It was good he was alone. Now he could think about some stuff. TjAd looked around watching people laugh. Couples walking together. A single mom with a nagging kid who wouldn’t move. TjAd thought about what he had experienced. He looked up to the sky.
‘’Damn… When did all of this go wrong? Why did she have to be there at that moment. More importantly: Why didn’t she wait? I don’t understand. GODDAMN!! When did I become like this? Why can’t I walk around anymore with the same attitude I had: Fuck It, what comes, that comes. When did I change in to this pathetic person?’’
Then someone bumped in to him. TjAd didn’t pay attention to it but the other person turned around:’’Ey, stupid-ass, why don’t you look out where you going?’’ TjAd turned around. ’’Hm?’’’
‘’Ya, you heard me muthafucker. If you do that again I fuck you up and rape your girl’’
TjAd didn’t mind the man but when he started about his girlfriend, TjAd got mad. The man appeared drunk and probably didn’t know what he was doing. Even so, TjAd’s anger boiled up. He clinched his fist as hard as he could. TjAd knew that if he’d hit the man with the suit on he might die.
‘’Haha, and to make it better I’ll share with my friends’’
Now TjAd barely could stop himself when a voice from inside whispered to him.
Get him.
For no reason TjAd listened to the voice and hit the man as hard he could. He fell to the ground. Slowly a crowd began crowding around them. A man called an ambulance. TjAd looked at his hand it was filled with blood.
‘’Strange, I don’t feel any guilt. Well it wasn’t like he didn’t deserve it. But still…’’
TjAd heared the sirenes. Now he had to leave. He jumped onto a building a few buildings further he jumped down and dissapeared in the darkness of the alleys.

Night fell. Back in Suzuka’s house she was worrying because TjAd still hadn’t returned. Tomo was now in the local zoo. She knew they would have to bring him back to the zoo each time they would be transported again. But right now she was worrying about TjAd. Maybe he would turn around sometime soon. With much effort she went to sleep.

2 weeks later. Samuel was starting to feel more at ease now. But TjAd still hadn’t come back home. While they were having breakfast Samuel asked something that had been on his mind for a while now.

‘’TjAd… Is he always like this?’’
‘’hmm’’
‘’…’’
‘’Not at all. He’s a very kind person normally. But he changed on that night. Something has happened which he doesn’t want to talk about.’’
‘’mmm’’
Suzuka was worrying about what she had seen on tv. It was a report about a man’s face being smashed by some foreign kid. The man was dead. She hoped it wasn’t TjAd. She kept telling herself he would never do such a thing. But the way he had acted made her doubt it.

Meanwhile. TjAd has been living on the street for 2 weeks now. He’s become a thief. He’s become the boy which is looked down upon by other people. The boy which is always talked about. A black sheep of the community. But in real life he’s just broken and lost. He lies down on top of a rooftop at night to go to sleep. A few minutes ago he stole a blanket from another building so he wouldn’t be too cold at night. He was planning on bringing it back the next morning. Even though he was a thief, he only took what he needed. The suit helped a lot. Because of his speed no one could catch him.
‘’On this cold rooftop, I lay on my back, alone and cold.’’
TjAd smiled to himself.
‘’haha, would be a great first line for a book’’
He looked at his hand. Two weeks ago it was full of blood after that incident.
‘’Am I still alive? It doesn’t feel that way. I live on others. Like a parasite I take from then what I need. I want… somewhere where I can prove that I live. Somewhere… something like the hunts. Yeah. Wait. That can’t be right. That’s the most dangerous place to be. Not to forget the most horrible. But… It’s the only place I can prove I’m alive though.’’
He lays his hand on his face. He feels a small beard on his face. TjAd had had facial growth all from an early age and the result was that now he had to shave like a 20 year old man. But right now it did help. Because of his little beard he was less recognizable. Also, he had put his hair over his forehead. This all made him look pretty different. He knew he was wanted. That’s why he tried to hide as much as possible.
Didn’t expect you to change your mind so soon.
TjAd stood up right and looked around. He was only wearing his suit. His clothes he had thrown away. Since those would probably give him away too.
‘’Who’s there?’’
Ahhh, come on. Don’t tell you forgot who I am.
‘’Tch. Where are you? Don’t hide like a coward.
I’m not hiding, I’m right here…
TjAd looked around a bit
In your mind.
‘’What? Are you kidding me?’’
Don’t tell me you forgot our little chit-chat that other night.
TjAd digged in his memory. He didn’t know what he was talking about. But suddenly pieces of his memory came together. He remembered a voice talking to him and saying he would be back. But he couldn’t remember anything of the surroundings and what had happened after that.
‘’So it’s you…’’
You remember? How nice
‘’What do you want? I still don’t believe you, you know’’
Well that’s what you say…
‘’hmmm’’
Tell me. How does it feel to kill a human? I’ve always wanted to know. Did the adrenaline pump through your veins? Did it make you feel… alive?
‘’What the hell are you talking about?’’
Don’t act stupid. Didn’t feel good when you punched that drunk to his death?
TjAd couldn’t really disagree with that. It did feel good that, that son of a bitch got what he deserved.
Speechless eh? Don’t worry. You did good. You can’t let people talk to you like that. Show them the limits. People shouldn’t walk over you.
‘’hmm’’
You want to go back don’t you? Yeah I know you do
‘’Is this all you have to say?’’
A smart-ass, huh?
‘’Let me put it like this. You’re not going to bother me anymore understand?’’
what’s that?
TjAd tried some meditation technique. He had picked up a book in some house where he had gotten his breakfast from. Very interesting he thought. Medititation. Concentrating on something so hard no other thought could enter. A book for the dummy meditator. Even though you might not think it, it had learned him how to look in to his own mind and look at every thought that came by. Instead of getting caught up in it. This had also thought him to block out thoughts. Something he had used so he wouldn’t tormented with thoughts about the things he had done and which had happened. Even though sometimes those thoughts popped up he was getting better and better at it. He was no master at it. Still just a rookie. But it helped a lot. So he tried to block this voice out too. He closed his eyes and started breathing regularly. A few seconds later he opened his eys and said: ‘’That’s it. He’ll probably pop up sometimes. But I’ll get a better grip on it as time goes by. This meditation shit really is calming.’’
He lies down on the roof again and sleeps.

2 weeks later. Suzuka has been searching for TjAd for 10 days now. Every day she’d get out at morning and search for him until it became dark. She hadn’t found any trace of him. On this night she had just gotten home. Suzuka walked through the door and felt a breeze. Samuel felt it too. This was it. It was about to start again. She rushed inside and told Samuel to put on the suits. He didn’t understand why but she told him they were being transported again. Samuel couldn’t believe what he had heard. As they were being transported Suzuka was glad that she’d be able to see TjAd again. She really needed to talk to him about one and another.

TjAd had just sneaked into a house and was plundering the fridge. He had gotten used to this life. Even though he still wasn’t sure if he was alive he had accepted it a bit more. Now he could laugh again…. Sometimes. Time had healed his wounds a little. His meditation had helped him a lot. In the living room they had heard something. A small old lady came walking in the kitchen. She saw TjAd plundering her fridge. A young man, looking like he hadn’t shave for weeks. His hair was all messed up and over his forehead. TjAd looked a lot different from a month ago. He saw her and wanted to run. But then he felt a breeze.
‘’Finally’’
He drank the last bit of her milk and finished an apple. Then he began transporting. ‘’Good milk’’ he said raising his disapearing thumb at her.
When he was all gone the old woman gazed a bit. Then she took off her glasses an looked at them.
‘’Honeyyy… I Think I need new glasses!!’’

[Shad²]

Part 3

On a cold night in Tokyo a few people walk out of an apartment. Each going their own way. But two of them, a teenage boy and an older male don’t separate. Both of them have their hair all messed up and look like they haven’t shaved for a while.

Shad ‘’TjAd’’ Raouf & Brandon Heat.

After a night of worthless blood spilling and fighting they can rest… for now.

They are walking to the house of one of the people that died tonight: Suzuka. Just for a place to stay until she comes back. The walk silently, looking in front of them. It’s a long walk. At least a few hours.

After an hour of walking TjAd looks at Brandon.

‘’So… how did you get in this whole Gantz shit?’’

Brandon doesn’t answer, but keeps on walking looking in front of him.

‘’Hmmm,’’ TjAd thinks to himself.

He turns his sight back on the street. At that moment Brandon opens his mouth.

’’I turned my back on those who trusted me.’’

‘’Wha…’’

TjAd wanted to ask what he meant. But Brandon looks at him with a look that explains his question pretty clearly.

‘’Ah, like that.’’

TjAd looks in front of him again and keeps on walking. Brandon doesn’t ask how he got in Gantz. They don’t say anything else the whole walk.

They arrive at Suzuka’s house. TjAd looks under the doormat and takes out a key from under it. He opens the door.

’’Make yourself at home.’’

Brandon doesn’t say anything but instead gives him a smile and walks inside. He looks around a bit. Not anything big. But it was enough. TjAd closes the door behind him. Not quite perfect but it’d do.

‘’Why don’t you take a shower? Real relaxing.’’

‘’No thanks. I’d rather just go to sleep now. I’ll take a shower in the morning.’’

‘’Ok, that’ll work. Then I’ll take a shower now. You can use the bed in that room’’

Brandon walks to Suzuka’s room. He first stops and looks at it. Seems like a woman’s room. But it didn’t matter. He puts his X-Guns and pistols on a table and takes off his suit. He crawls on to the bed

‘’But I won’t turn my back again.’’

Then he falls asleep

Meanwhile TjAd had taken off his suit and put his Y-Gun and X-Rifle on the kitchen table. He’d been under the shower for quite awhile now. He’d felt real tired too but thought it was best to take a shower first. After getting out the shower he felt real refreshing since he hadn’t had taken a shower for a month. He lets his suit off and his weapons on the kitchen table and goes to the room he used to sleep in. As he walks in the room he stops. He sees the clothes which he’d left there before leaving. His matress and blanket. A little smile runs on his face as he thinks back at when he used to live here. Now he really misses Suzuka. Now he really understands that she’s gone. TjAd walks to his bed and lies on it. It felt soft and clean. But even though she was gone he still had a chance of getting her back. With that thought in mind he falls asleep.

The next day TjAd wakes up he keeps lying in his bed for a minute. He looks up to the roof.

‘’Damn that was a bad nightmare’’

TjAd had dreamt he had to carry Suzuka to safety because her foot was broken. But when he turned around to help her their was glass between them. Nothing could brake the glass. Not even his X-Rifle.

He hears someone turning on the shower. Brandon was awake. TjAd steps out his bed and puts some of his regular clothes on. He walks to kitchen and sees his guns lying there. He picks them up and puts them on his bed. Then he walks back to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Meanwhile.

Brandon opens his eyes to be surprised for a minute.

‘’Huh? Oh yeah.’’

He comes out of his bed going to the shower. It felt good to have some warm water after all that time. While in the shower he thinks to himself

‘’I think it’s time for me to repay a debt to my old friend. But first I’ll need to get back on my feet a little. Maybe I can still be a hitman. Just use a different name and do small time jobs on the street.’’

Brandon walks out the shower and smells something cooking. He walks to the kitchen to see TjAd setting breakfast. TjAd looks at him and smiles.

‘’Aaah, good morning.’’

‘’Good morning’’

‘’I made some eggs. Sit down and eat. You must be starving. I know I am.’’’

Brandon lets out a little smile and sits down. While eating Brandon says he’s going to look for a job since he has no money left. TjAd gets a bit worried about his last comment. Because he’ll have to get a job too since he can’t feed on everyone else’s money. But the problem is that he’s being wanted and if anyone recognizes him he’ll be in for a lot of trouble. ‘’I think I’m going to find a job too’’ he says with a fake smile. Brandon looks at him for a moment and then continues eating. After finishing Brandon thanks TjAd for the breakfast and says he’s going to find a job. He walks to the door.

‘’Brandon…’’

Brandon stops and looks at Tjad.

‘’…Your suit. Take it. You never know what might happen.’’

‘’Right. Thanks.’’

Brandon puts on the suit and takes his regular pistols and one X-Gun with him. He waves his hand to TjAd as he walks out the door without looking back as a goodbye.

After a while Brandon arrives at an old house in a shaggy looking neigbourhood. A junkie walks up to him and asks him for some money. Brandon doesn’t pay any attention to him.

‘’Come on man, I suck your dick man.’’

Brandon looks at him and the man smiles thinking he convinced him. But instead Brandon just looks at the house again and breaks the front door. In the house there’s a man smoking a joint and watching TV. When he looks at Brandon his faced turns white. Brandon walks up to him and grabs him.

‘’What’s wrong you look like you’ve seen a ghost.’’

‘’I have’’ The man says full of fear.

His eyes are a red which indicates he’s probably high. His speech wasn’t real perfect either.

‘’You’re supposed to be dead’’

‘’And you’re supposed to be in jail. Now listen to me. You’re going to announce the word on the street about a new hitman. Will do any job for anyone and do it perfect without any trace. Tell them Desumasuku has arrived’’

‘’But…’’

‘’Do it. Don’t ask any questions or I’ll blow your fucking head off. I’ll be back here for any jobs you have for me. If you do good I’ll let you have a share of the profit’’

‘’O…Okay’’

Brandon drops him on the floor. He comes down with a big bang. Brandon walks out the broken door.

‘’Ey muthafucker what about my door!!!!’’

Brandon ignores him and keeps on walking

Meanwhile.

TjAd had finished his breakfast and had washed the dishes. Which he hated.

‘’What am I going to do about this shit? If the police finds me I’m fucked. Even though I’d be called back to the apartment by Gantz sooner or later. But then my sentence would even last longer. I’m going to have to make sure I don’t get recognized. But I also have to get a job. Pffff. Damn. All this bullshit is tiring. I guess I’ll find a way.’’

TjAd sits down and starts breathing regularly for a minute.

‘’Aah that’s a little better. But I still haven’t found out what to do.’’

TjAd walks in to the dojo where he used to train with Suzuka. He looks around a little. Thinking back. The first time he held that sword. He walks to the sword he used to use and picks it up. Back then a thrill of excitement would go through his body. Now, nothing. TjAd gets an angry look on his face.

‘’Why, why, WHYYYYYYYYY’’

as he keeps yelling that he digs the sword in to the dojo’s floor. He stands back and looks a the sword.

‘’hmpf’’

hehehe.

‘’Who’s there?’’

Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten me? Or should I say ‘you’?

‘’tch, you again? What do you want?’’

hmpf, you insolent brat. Why are you so blind and naïve. What is this shit about getting that bitch back? If you want to fuck a woman go to the hookers.

‘’Fuck you, don’t you ever talk about her again’’

haha, or else what? you’ll kill me?

‘’No, I know something better’’

What? One of your meditation pussy shit again? You know that won’t keep me away. I’ll always come back. And I’ll keep coming back until you open your eyes.

‘’No, nothing like that… you little kid.’’

What did you call me?

‘’What you are, a little kid. Little kids always keep asking for attention. And that’s exactly what you’re doing. But if little kids are ignored for a minute they’ll stop.’’

Hahahahaha, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heared. Hahaha

TjAd quietly walks out the dojo and turns on the television watching some crazy Japanese show.

Ey idiot. I’m talking to you. Haha. You think I’m gonna stop? No way. La lala lalala. Fuck you muthafucker. You’re real stupid you know that? You should be thankful of me. Go fuck that 100 year old bitch. She’s probably experienced right?

It takes TjAd some trouble to ignore those last words. He had never even had any intention of sleeping with her. He was like a mother too him. She was too old from him anyway.

Ya, fuck you. You… you. Stupid…Tch…

After a few hours the doorbell rings. TjAd walks to the door to open it. It’s Brandon.

‘’Ey wassup. You found a job?’’

‘’Uhh, yeah. I uhh make deliveries.’’

Brandon thought it was better not too tell Tjad what he really was doing since he couldn’t predict his reaction to it.

‘’Cool’’

‘’Yeah but I need to be available 24/7’’

‘’oww, Well as long as it pays right’’

‘’right, what have you been doing?’’

‘’uhh not much. Taking care of the house a little. If you’re hungry I can make some dinner.’’

‘’No don’t worry, we’re going to order.’’

‘’I like pizza’’ TjAd says with a wide smile.

‘’Then pizza it is’’ Brandon says with a wink

TjAd always thought of him as a more distant and cold person. But it seemed like he was a pretty nice guy.

While eating pizza they watch the news. It was a special broadcast about the ‘mysterious foreign killer.’ TjAd freezes when he hears that.

‘’Oww, shit’’

He wants to change the channel when he hears the reporter say they won’t chase him anymore.

‘’…The reason for this is because the king of China requested it himself. It seems like the man was a heavy Chinese criminal sentenced to death. He had killed many people. One was a good friend of the prince. The criminal had escaped to Japan and probably had killed even more people here. So Thank you, from the citizens of Japan and China.

Brandon frowns his eyebrows a bit.

‘’Pff’’

TjAd’s eyes lit up and his mouth falls wide open and he freezes like stone.

‘’What the…?’’

Brandon turns around to look at TjAd when he notices the look on his face. TjAd was a foreigner too.

‘’Don’t tell me…’’

TjAd turns around looking at Brandon with his mouth wide open.

‘’uhh… No, no. Of course not…’’ He says with a fake smile.

‘’…I could never do something like that.’’ TjAd lies as he sweats all over.

He quickly continues with eating.

‘’hmmm’’

Slowly a wide smile appears on TjAd’s face.

‘’This is unbelievable. I’m a hero. Not one but two countries. Hahaaaaaa. Damn. Shiiiit. But I better not go walking on the streets telling everyone who I am. At least I can go find a job tomorrow.’’

The next day TjAd wakes up hearing an annoying voice in his head.

RIIIISE AND SHIIIIINNNEEEEEEEEEEEE

‘’Huh what?’’

DID YA MISS MEEEEEE?

‘’ha, seems like you were good for something after all.’’

Uh?

‘’Thanks I wanted to get up early today’’

wha… wha… WHAT?

TjAd smiles a bit as if mocking him

You stupid idiot. Don’t treat me like this. What? are you laughing at me? You won’t be laughing for long muthafucker…

While having to listen to this kind of talk TjAd walks to kitchen and makes a few sandwiches for himself. Brandon wasn’t home.

‘’Probably had to leave early for work.’’

He lets out a big yawn.

‘’Guess I should go looking for a job too.’’

Stupid idiot. Who’d want to hire you? Fucking moron.

TjAd takes a shower and puts on his clothes. Then he remembers that he should take his suit with him for safety. So he puts his suit on under his clothes and takes one of Brandon’s X-Guns. He doesn’t really know his way around but after a few hours of wandering around and going in circles he sees a beautiful girl. TjAd’s stops for a moment as she walks by him. He’d never seen a girl that beautiful (or well formed). As she walks by him he smells her nice perfume.

‘’uhh…. Excuse me. Hey

The girl turns around

‘’Huh? Me?’’

‘’Yeah you… uhhh, do you know a store where they need some help or something? I’m looking for a job you see.’’

The girl looks at him as if she’s examining him. Suddenly a smile runs across her face.

‘’You’re from Iran right?

‘’huh? What?’’

Tjad is surprised at her reaction. He asks her about a store and she asks him if he’s from Iran.

‘’uhh. I’m from Iraq, but I’m actually a Kurd.’’

‘’ohhh, A Kurd? I’ve read about them?

‘’You have?’’

‘’Yeah, it’s pretty sad though. How it all went.’’

‘’Well yeah. But we did kind of deserve it.’’

The girl looks at him again with that examining look. She found it strange to here something like that from a Kurd himself. She had heared Kurds talk about their nation and they always talked highly of themselves and blamed others for their oppresion. But he blamed theirself.

‘’What’s your name?

‘’Uhh, Shad. But you can call me Tjad. What’s yours?’’

‘’Yuzu, you can call me Yuzu’’

‘’Is she trying to be funny?’’

‘’So Tjad what were you looking for again?’’

‘’A job. Got to make some money.’’

‘’haha, alright I know a place.

She takes his hand and drags him with her. Tjad feels getting it hotter as she takes hold of his hand. As if though she noticed it she lets out a little smile.

She brings him to a small grocery store where an old man sits on his chair. The man notices them and looks up.

‘’Yuzu? Is that you? Who’s that boy with you?’’

She walks to the old man dragging Tjad along with her.

‘’Hi grandpa, how’re you doing? Remember you needed someone to help around the place? Here he is.’’

The man looks at Tjad for a moment. A slight twitch in of his eyes can be seen as he starts to speak

‘’I don’t like him’’

‘’What? he just met me’’

‘’ah grandpa don’t be so mean. He’s very nice. Don’t judge people just like that. If you get to know him he’s a real nice guy.’’

A slight smile appears on Tjad’s face as she calls him nice. The old man seems to notice this.

‘’Oeh, I gotta go. I’ll leave you to alone bye’’

Tjad looks at her as she walks away. As if she noticed it Yuzu looks back and gives him a wink. Tjad waves to her smiling.

‘’She’s pretty isn’t she? The old man suddenly says.

‘’huh, uhh yeah, she is.’’ TjAd says blushing a little bit.

‘’Don’t get too fond of her. Because more brainless than her isn’t possible.’’

‘’Huh?’’

Yeah muthafucker now you can fuck her without a problem because she’s so dumb

‘’ey shut the fuck up’’

The old man waits a minute as Tjad is fighting himself in his mind as if he knows what’s going on.

‘’I didn’t want to say this around Yuzu but, What’s wrong with you’re eyes?’’

‘’My eyes?’’

‘’They show too opposite things’’

‘’I don’t know what you mean’’

‘’hmmm, you seem an interesting young man. But I still don’t like you. But you can work here. All you have to is make sure this place stays clean and do everything else I ask you.’’

‘’As long as it pays’’

‘’hmm yes. You can start right away. Take a broom and start sweeping.’’

After a few hours

‘’You’re name was Shad right?’’

‘’Yeah’’

‘’You think about life and death alot don’t you?’’

‘’Yes’’’

‘’Have you also ever taken life?’’

Tjad is frozen by that question. Had he recognized him? He was too overwhelmed to give an answer right away.

‘’of cou…’’

‘’Don’t lie to me boy. I don’t like lies.’’

‘’hmmm, if a tiger kills a dear because he needs to survive, nobody blames the tiger anything. Even though the dear hasn’t done anything wrong. Right?’’

‘’hmm, right’’

‘’I’m a tiger too, in a way.’’

‘’Then was that man on the street a dear too?’’

‘’Don’t you watch the news old man? He was a criminal. He was sentenced to death. It doesn’t matter who killed him’’

‘’Then I have another question for you. Some say there’s more between heaven and earth. Do you know anything about that?’’

‘’…N...No’’

‘’Your eyes deceive you’’

They stand there for a minute saying nothing.

‘’You’ve done enough for today. You can go home. Be here tomorrow by 12 o’clock’’

‘’uhhh, yes sir’’

Meanwhile

Brandon arrives at the same house as last time. He walks in through the still broken door and the same man sits there smoking. This time when the man spots him he acts normal

‘’Oy’’

‘’What you got for me?’’

The man throws him four pictures of some big gangsters. Brandon looks at him as if to ask who they are.

‘’ganglords, 100.000 yen for each. See there’s 5 gangs in that hood a…’’

‘’I don’t need to know why they gotta die just where they are.’’

‘’Locations are on the back of the picture’’

‘’alright, have the cash ready when I come back.’’

Brandon walks out the door again and starts walking to the whereabouts of the ganglords. At first he just follows them. To see how many people were around each ganglord. As dark falls Brandon takes of too the roofs where he’d have a better shot. The first ganglord. Brandon aims and shoots. A loud bang and he falls dead.

‘’Boss!! Boss!!!

‘’Bro, bro!! Get up man. Come on. What the hell are you all looking at? Go find that muthafucker. I want him dead’’

Brandon quietly goes on with his business and proceeds to the next ganglord. This one’s only what another guy. Brandon shoots. The ganglord falls on the ground. The man next to the ganglord looks around him a bit. He doesn’t seem sad in any way.

‘’I guess that makes my job easier’’

He proceeds making a phone call. Brandon notices this.

‘’A rat. Dirty rat’’

Brandon is filled with disgust for a moment. But it’s none of his business so he keeps on walking. He arrives at the 3rd ganglords whereabouts. He shoots and the ganglord dies. This one was being arrested as he falls down. The policemen didn’t know what was happening. They’d probably be blamed for this. So they would make up story that he tried to attack them and they had to shoot him. Brandon doesn’t care. All he needs to do is finish his business. He arrives at his last target. This one was alone. He knocks on a door and an old woman opens it. Just right then Brandon shoots. As the woman sees the man her face looks happy but immediately changes to grief as the man falls on the ground dead. She immediately falls on the ground next to him and holds him. She starts crying real loud.

‘’No. My baby. My baby, no no no no. nooooooooooo. My baby boy. Why him. Why? He never hurt anybody. Oh God why?’’

Brandon stands their for a minute watching the woman cry for her son.

‘’One man’s death is the other’s bread. It’s a harsh world we live in. But a mother shouldn’t bury her child’’

He turns around and goes in the direction of the same house he came from earlier. As he walks in he sees four piles of money. Each a 100.000 yen.

‘’Ey man, wassup. I got the cash. The ganglord was impressed by how fast you killed them. Expect more jobs for the next few days man.’’

Brandon doesn’t say anything but instead walks over to the pile of cash and picks them up. He takes out 10.000 yen and gives it to the man.

‘’Ey man is that all? You gotta be kidding me.’’

‘’Don’t worry with the other 10.000 you took it should be more than enough’’

‘’Tch’’
Brandon returns home. Tjad’s already home watching some television. Brandon rings the doorbell and Tjad opens it.

‘’ey wassup’’

‘’Hi’’

The next few weeks went actually quite the same. Tjad went working at the grocery store and Brandon went out killing some people. They didn’t see each other anymore so much since Brandon would come home after Tjad had gone to sleep and would’ve been gone before he’d woken up. The name Desumasuku spread fast through the criminal world. Brandon got many jobs some even for judges or lawyers. Tjad didn’t see Yuzu anymore and the old man didn’t talk about his eyes. He worked there and he got payed. It wasn’t very much but it didn’t have to be either. Brandon made enough to pay all the bills and food so Tjad could do anything with his money he wanted. Tjad often went outside at night after his work just walking around Tokyo for a few hours and then returning. After awhile he could find his way pretty fairly.

4 weeks later Tjad wakes up and sees Brandon had already left. But this time he hadn’t taken his suit with him. Tjad was surprised by this. As he walks in the kitchen table he sees a few piles of cash. Tjad doesn’t lnow what’s happening. He walks over to the pile and looks at it. He sees a note. He picks it up and reads it.

This I leave to my comrade to aid you in your fight, Brandon.

They were all piles of million Yen. There were 30 piles. Tjad didn’t know what had happened or where Brandon was all he knew was that there was a pile of money he’d left him. This couldn’t be from a delivery service. Maybe he’d killed himself. Tjad didn’t know where Brandon was. There wasn’t much he could do. He takes the money and puts it under Suzuka’s bed. Then he goes to his job. Taking his suit and one X-Gun as always. After his work he doesn’t go home like he usually does. But heads in to Tokyo. He walks around for a few hours until it gets dark. As he sees a big building in the distance he catches a glimpse of someone running on the roofs.

‘’Brandon?’’

He follows him, but makes sure he doesn’t get seen.

On the roof.

‘’Harry Mcdowell. A job to kill Harry Mcdowell. But this time I’ll show him my face. He shot me in the back. But I’ll take him down fair. With no suit just me and my pistols.’’

He arrives at the building next to the big one. Tjad hides somewhere in the shadows. A man with a suitcase comes out the building. Brandon immediately shoots a bullet. The man ducks out the way and draws his pistol. But Brandon’s already down there aiming bot his guns at the other man. Now they stand face to face.

‘’Brandon? But how?’’

‘’Harry. My friend. This time you die’’

‘’I don’t know how this is possible but I won’t die’’

Harry throws his suitcase at Brandon which distracts him for a second. Harry uses this opportunity to shoot him but Brandon anticipated his moves and had already ducked out the way. But harry is already behind and shoots him in the back. Brandon falls down on the ground.

‘’Hehe, you naïve fool. Always trying to play fair. Now look where it got you.’’

As he turns around to get his suitcase Tjad stands in front of him with his X-Gun aimed at his face.

‘’Huh? What? Kid get lost I don’t have to play’’

‘’…’’

‘’You saw what happened? then I guess you can’t get away from here.’’’

Harry shoots Tjad in his forehead but the power of the suit stops the bullet. It does hurt a bit but he doesn’t let it show.

‘’huh what the hell?’’

‘’You do not deserve to live. You’re a rat. You don’t know what honesty is’’

‘’What? are you going to lecture me?’’

‘’No, I’m going to kill you’’

Tjad pulls the trigger and puts his X-Gun down.

‘’For Brandon’’

‘’Hahahahaha…..’’

Before he can finish his head explodes and blood sprays all over Tjad. Then he feels a breeze. Tjad looks at Brandon.

‘’Goodbye my comrade’’

Then he looks up to the sky as his head begins to disappear

‘’I’m coming to get you Suzuka’’

[Shad²]

Part 4

On a rainy night in Tokyo, Tjad walks outside an
apartment. The same apartment he walked out so many times. Every time which changed his life. But this time.... This time he came out a changed person himself. He felt more complete. Like himself. Like he has found his place. A glare back at the apartment. Raindrops dripping from his hair and face. He stops a cab. Tjad gets in letting of a sigh. The cabdriver looks at him through his rearview and smiles.
‘’Tiring, huh?’’
Tjad raises his head being surprised for a minute.
‘’Huh? Oh yeah.’’
The man smiles at him.

Upon arrival Tjad pays the guy and he leaves giving him a friendly smile. Something about the man was strange. But he couldn’t figure out what. Tjad stands for a minute in the rain. Looking at the car driving away.
‘’hmmm’’
He decides it’s best to go inside and go to sleep. He decides to sleep in Suzuka’s bed. When he enters the room he remembers the money Brandon left him. He looks under the bed and brings out the money.
‘’30 million.’’
He does the math and figures it’s an estimated 255.700 US Dollar.
‘’Damn. This didn’t come from delivering packages. Pfff. What the hell am I gonna do with this?’’
He decides this is the money he’s going to live on. But he can’t just spend everything. He needs to make sure he turns the money into more money. But how? Well at least for now he wouldn’t have to worry about money.
How would things be going back home?
He suddenly starts wondering about his family, his friends and his girlfriend. At least if she still was his girlfriend. He hadn’t heard anything about her for months. Except that one time. But he still couldn’t be sure about that.
Well I do have the money.
He could go there for awhile. It would take another 4 weeks until the next mission. Yeah, that was what he would do.

The next morning he wakes up, Tjad immediately starts packing. Not much just an X-Rifle and Y-Gun and a few clothes. Some extra money. The suit, he wears under his clothes. He looks at the big round button again.
What does it actually do anyway? I didn’t see anything in the mission.
He tries it again. Again the words STEALTH appear. But nothing happens.
‘’Piece of shit.’’
Just then he looks up and can’t see a reflection in the mirror. Suddenly it becomes clear to him. A smile runs across his face.
‘’Swweeeett’’
This was amazing. Imagine what he could with this. He wouldn’t even have to pay for a ticket. Wonderful. He takes an estimated 2000 Dollars worth of Yen with him and walks out the door. At that moment he remembers he still had a job to think of. Tjad walks to the small grocery shop and sees the old man and Yuzu talking. The old man seems to notice him first. Tjad smiles at him from a distance as if letting him know what had happened to him. Yuzu looks confused at her grandfather not paying attention to her anymore suddenly.
‘’Huh?’’
She turns around.
‘’Oh Tjad. Heeeeeyy’’
She runs over to him and gives him a hug. He didn’t expect that.
‘’Where have you been?’’
‘’uhh..’’
‘’Never mind. Listen. I have a lot to tell you…’’
‘’uhh… Yuzu. I’m going away for awhile. But I need to talk to your grandfather first’’
‘’Why?’’
‘’It’s something… between men’’
‘’hmmm. I didn’t expect something like that from you.’’
She looks away a bit annoyed. Tjad smiles at her. He walks over to the old man.
‘’Hi’’
‘’hmmm’’
‘’I can’t come to work for awhile.’’
‘’I know’’
‘’hmmm’’
‘’I understand’’
‘’Right’’
Tjad smiles at the old man. As he walks away he waves to Yuzu. She waves back still looking annoyed.

Upon arrival at the airport Tjad pays the cab and walks in. So huge. All the commotion made him feel at ease. He liked commotion. He walks up to a counter and asks for the next flight to Schiphol, Holland. But there’s no more seats.
‘’That’s alright thank you.’’
It was leaving in 4 hours. That was a long time. Tjad decides to go and get something to eat. Then it’s time to test his invisibility. He walks in to the bathroom and comes out invisible. Tjad looks around him.
‘’aahh. Now let’s see.’’
He takes a popsickle from a store and walks around with it. The look on the people’s faces. Priceless. He was having the time of his life.

Four hours just flew by and he was on the plane before he even knew it. The painstaking 14 hours in the plane were troublesome. The first thing was he couldn’t sit anywhere since all the seats were taken. He had to make sure no one bumped in to him. One of the most agitating things were that he didn’t get any food. He just took some of the other passenger when they weren’t looking. But that didn’t really fill his stomach. The worst thing of all was that he had to stand the whole 14 hours.

‘’aaaaahh. Finally.’’
Schiphol, Holland. Just like he remembered it. The main airport in Holland. He felt home. But not quite completely. For a minute he felt like his old self. But that feeling soon dissapeared. Still in Stealth mode he gets in to the train for his hometown. A three hour journey. But now he could sit. He immediately falls asleep. At 1 o’clock in the noon he arrives at the trainstation of his hometown.

Tjad wakes up and realizes he’s back. He looks out the window and it all feels so familiar. He walks out the train arriving at the entrance of the train station. A place where a lot of people hanged out. He recognizes a few. Not friends just people he knew. They stare at him like they’d seen a ghost. Which was understandable. But still they were pretty exaggerating. As he walks down the streets to his home, Tjad can’t help it but to keep looking around him.
‘’Damn. Everything’s still the same.’’
With a smile he keeps on walking. He gets in the elevator. Now an even wider smile is on his face. He arrives at his front door. Tjad waits a minute. Then he hears a woman screaming from in the house. That wasn’t his mother. He presses the doorbell. Seconds later a dark-skinned woman with fuzzy hair opens the door and sticks her head out.
‘’Wadd-ya want?’’
Tjad is surprised to see her. What happened to his parents? Had they moved?
‘’Look I ain’t got all day. If you got something to say, say it.’’
‘’Uhhh… What happened to my parents?’’
‘’What? How the fuck should I know?’’
‘’I mean the people that used to live here?’’
‘’I don’t know. There wasn’t anybody living here when we came. They said they dissapeared a few months ago.’’
Tjad is shocked to hear this. What could’ve happened? Had they been killed too? He was shot in a drive-by. Did the same happen to them? Or had they just taken refuge? He knew his father was threatened. They were political refugees after all. He doesn’t know what was going on. But he’d find out. He leaves without saying anything to the woman.
‘’pff. Idiot. EY DON’T YOU YE…’’

Next stop was his friend’s house. He always knew what was going on. He must know something. On the way there he keeps on thinking about what could’ve happened. Where they could be. Tjad rings the doorbell. No one answers the door. He rings it again. Now he hears footsteps. His friend opens the door. He’s is clearly shocked to see Tjad. Tjad just looks at him with a dumb smile. Then out of the blue he balds up his fist and hits Tjad right on his right cheek. Because of the suit he suit he doesn’t feel much of it.
‘’Where the fuck have you been? You know what everyone’s been through becomes of you?’’
Tjad looks at him with a cold look. He didn’t care really. It wasn’t his fault.
‘’Is this the way you treat your brother, you haven’t seen for four months?’’
He eases up a little.
‘’Where the fuck have you been?’’
‘’I can’t tell you that…’’
‘’WHERE?’’
Tjad puts his hand on his shoulder. Squeezing a little. But because of the suit he gets on his knees because of the pain.
‘’I was somewhere far. This the first chance I had to come back and I took it. I can’t stay long. Just a month. I don’t know if you’ll see me after that. But right now I wanna spend some time with my friends and find out what happened to my parents.’’
He freezes by that question. His parents. He looks away at the ground
‘’They, uhmmm. They dissapeared just like you did.’’
Tjad notices this wasn’t all he knew. There was more. Tjad loosens his grip. He gets back on his feet and Tjad gives him a hug. Not a soppy hug of cousre because that’d seem gay. They walk in the house. There wasn’t anyone home. He was alone for the weekend. The TV was on. They were talking about some destructions which happened without any logic reason that had been occuring recently. Tjad wondered if it might have to do with Gantz.
Could there be a Gantz here too?
He doesn’t think much of it and turns to his friend.
‘’So bro, What you been up to?’’
He looks at him as if trying to say: I should be asking that.
‘’Not much. Music. Hanging out.’’
‘’Bro. What happened to my parents?’’
‘’They’re bodies were found in the river. You were the only suspect. Since you just dissapeared. But there were no leads no prints no nothing.’’
He looks at Tjad as if trying to ask something.
‘’I wasn’t me. You know that.’’
He lets out a little smile.
‘’I know it wasn’t you. Because I know who it was. I iced that muthafucker because I thought he had you too. But it seems like I was wrong.’’
‘’Who?’’
‘’Remember that racist muthafucker you had this big fight with?’’
Tjad has to dig in his memory for a minute. But he knows who. But that wasn’t the guy. Tjad knew who they were. It had been clear to him what had happened. The reason his family was murdered. His father had been a refugee. He had to flee because of his statements. More modern statements you could call them weren’t tolerated by the extremist moslims. But even here he wasn’t save it seemed. Tjad had the four names printed in his head. His father talked a lot with them. Trying to convince them. No he wouldn’t let them get away with this. No way in hell.
‘’Bro. Thanks. But you’ve got the wrond guy.’’
‘’huh?’’
‘’Don’t worry I know how to fix this. Right now you and me have to hang out. Maybe roll a blunt?’’
He always was reluctant to let Tjad smoke. He was much older than Tjad. So he was like a big brother to Tjad. But for this time he made an exception.

The next few days they just hang out a little. Not smoking anything. Just talking. Haidar informed him about what had happened after he was gone. How his mother had reacted. It was strange to Tjad but he wasn’t broken down in tears when he found out that his mother, father and sister all had been killed. He had never cried for anyone’s death. But his time he surprised himself. But still. He did feel bad. His father was doing the right thing. Trying so hard his best to cure those of their blindness. His mother, the most unselfish person on the planet. Always helping others. Never thinking about herself. And his sister. So young and innocent. Something he wasn’t since a long time ago.

After the weekend he says goodbye to his friend.
‘’This time it’s farewell brother.’’
‘’You idiot. Don’t try acting cool on me’’
‘’haha.’’
With these words Tjad leaves again. Now it was time to head to the town of his girl. But before that there was some unhandled business he had to take care of. The four men who killed his family. They were probably in the mosque right now. That’s where he goes. He turns invisible and enters the mosque. He finds the first one almost immediately. Without hesitation he blasts his head apart. The blood sprays everywhere. Everyone panics. Running out of the mosque and over each other. Tjad stays calm. The second guy comes running straight at him
Must be my lucky day.
Again without hesitating he pulls the trigger. Another head blows apart. They get even more scared now. Someone yells judgement day has come. His third man.
For you it has
Tjad pulls the trigger. The mosque is now almost empty. He can’t see the fourth guy anywhere. He walks outside and goes standing against a wall on the other side of the street. There he returns to normal and watches as everyone runs out. No one notices him. Except one man. His fourth man. Tjad smiles at him maliciously. The man stops in his tracks. His eyes lit up.
A…a…a… A devil.
Before anyone elses notices him he returns back to invisible and shoots the man in the head. After this he walks away calmly. At the train station he takes the train he needs to get to the girl he’s been dying to see.

As he steps out the train on the trainstation he looks around. Still as small and dirty as always. No time for this. He had to get to his girlfriend. He looks on a clock. 8 o’clock. She’d probably on MSN right now. He heads to her home. An half hour he arrives in front of the house. At night. He jumps on the balcony. Looking through her window in her room. There she was. As beautiful as always. His heart races as he watches her. She doesn’t seem to notice him, until he puts his hand on the glass. She looks up and her eyes lit up. For a minute they stand there. She runs to the window and opens it.
‘’Am I dreaming?’’
‘’……No’’
She looks in his eyes. Then breaks out in tears and puts her arms around him. Tjad grabs tightly as of holding on to his life. Actually he was holding on to the only person left that he cared for.
‘’Where have you been? What happened? I heard about your parents.’’
‘’ssshhhh… I’m here now.’’
He looks her in the eyes for a second.
‘’I missed you.’’
Tjad tries to kiss her but just then she turns her head away. At moment the doorbell rings. Tjad surprised by her turning away.
‘’You were just gone. Without saying anything. I was broken, sad. I couldn’t eat or sleep. All I thought about was you. And then…’’
That’s when they can hear footsteps coming from the stairs. Tjad understood where she was going to. He can’t believe it. He’d never do something like that. Just before the door opens Tjad jumps out the window. A boy from his age walks in.
‘’Heey sweety. What’s wrong? Have you been crying?’’

Tjad runs away from her house. He keeps on running. Shedding tears. Feeling sorry for himself. He keeps on running until he can’t run anymore. How could she? He loved her. He loved her more than anything. How could she do that to him. He books a hotelroom and stays for the night. Next day he checks out immediately. He didn’t feel like staying in doors. He was going to sleep outside again. The only thing he can think about is her and that other guy. He had shed tears for her. The only person ever. Now look? That’s the way she repays him?

4 weeks later he stands on a nearby building looking in to her room again. The same guy walks in again. He walks in gives her a kiss on her lips. Tjad starts to burn from the inside. They sit down and watch some television. She seems to be somewhere else with her thoughts. It was killing Tjad to see her with someone else like this. He just couldn’t take it. As the tears drip from his cheek he raises his X-Rifle. Aiming it at the boy’s head. Should he do it? He’d hurt her a lot if that boy get killed. His hand starts shaking. He locks on. His fingers starts sweating. Now his hand is even more shaking. Just then he starts teleporting. Would he have done it? Would he have killed him? He doesn’t know………………