"I'LL NEVER LEAVE YOU"

thrum with the rhythm of a heartbeat beneath her, each thud the sound of life and fearlessness as the bike obeyed her as though it were alive. She sped up, and bike screamed forward, the tires screeching loudly against the road as she swerved through the traffic of wary citizens. She had to reach the place in time, and she knew exactly where Rachael would be. After all, the killer must have a strong connection with her, otherwise there would be no point to targeting Rachael specifically. She knew Rachael's family, and concluded that Rachael's brother, who has been missing for some time, must be the real identity of the killer. And she remembered when her dad, Rachael, Rachael's dad and herself all went out to Southbank and watched the firework display by the river every new year's.

That was her destination. The restaurant overlooking the river, where they had always been able to watch with their friends, the owners of the restaurant. Just their place to watch it from. Chloe pushed the motorbike to its limit as she sped up further. She had to reach there in time…she wouldn't let Rachael slip away as well.

***

The killer chuckled as he turned away from where Rachael now lay across two small tables in the restaurant. The bodies of the owners lay nearby, slashed open at the chests and stomach, their eyes wide and fearful…the looks of death that the killer had seen every one of his victims share. Well, except for one. That boy, Jacob, he had been the only one not to show either fear or distress. He had purposefully leapt out the window to save his friends life, and to end the fight he had been hoping to land on the killer after dropping from the window. It hadn't worked…but I am impressed with his commitment and dedication, Philip thought as he paced back and forth. Rachael had her wrists and ankles tied tightly to the table she lay on, which was exactly the reason the killer had tied her down. No escaping this time.

"What do you need from me?" whimpered Rachael as Philip paced back and forth, thinking with his hands pressed together behind his back. "Well, I'm not sure yet," Philip sneered, "It has to be something…internal. Liver? Heart? Kidneys? I am not sure what would complete the ritual." Rachael's eyes widened as she began struggling against her bonds, but she was right in the killer's hands. She couldn't escape. "Like I said, I am not sure," Philip muttered before walking right up to the window and staring out at the rushing Brisbane River. "Why are you really doing all of this?" Rachael asked, trying to think of ways to escape as she hoped to distract the killer, and Philip turned. "Well, this city just sucks, doesn't it? People are all ready to dump one another the very second they can."

Rachael made an 'ah' sound in understanding, and Philip shot her a deadly glare. "So that's why you're doing this. Over Chloe's mum? Because she decided to divorce you?" Philip growled, but said nothing. It was a clear confirmation. "Look, I get relationships can suck and that, whether you deserved it or not, it hurt…but to kill many innocent people and go on this killing spree…it isn't right. It isn't fair!" Philip snapped his head toward her, his eyes glowing with rage. "Fair?" he whispered, his voice surprisingly calm as his features twisted with agony and depression. "FAIR?" he suddenly roared, making Rachael wince as Philip stood, shaking with anger. "Don't talk to me about FAIR when I've lost everything. I've been pushed to…to this because of injustice and unfairness. Don't you dare complain about it while staring at me!"

Rachael stared at him, shock in her eyes as Philip once again began pacing, murmuring under his breath as he did so. "I get you're upset…but do you think that Chloe will accept you as her father when she finds out?" Rachael whispered, and Philip paused before turning to her, shaking his head a little. Then he turned away. "She will have to make the choice. Join me or die. As simple as that. I don't care for her choice, but when she finds out, I have a feeling she will be proud. After all, she's an anarchist like me. She won't be able to resist." Rachael was so close to wriggling her left hand free, but then Philip spun to her, his eyes locking onto her left hand. "Well, well, well. What an awkward position," he muttered as he withdrew a knife from beneath his fur coat.

Rachael struggled harder, but Philip was too swift in straddling her and once again securing her hand in rope. He tutted almost sympathetically, then cackled madly as he placed the absolute tip of the knife at her cheek. A bead of blood appeared, and the killer took the point away, now using the flat side of the dagger to trail down her neck, over her shirt and then stopping just over her stomach. "Now…this will teach you and your friends not to mess with me," Philip hissed, and then, despite Rachael's screams, he set to work.

***

Chloe skidded the motorbike to a final halt and killed the engine, praying no one inside heard as she hurried forward. She withdrew the sword from her back, the feeling somehow calm in her palm as she entered through the front doors. She immediately pressed herself against the closest wall, hidden in the dimming light as three men stepped into view, rifles in their hands and rifles in hand. They must be working with this psychopath, Chloe thought as she took a deep breath, then ran out to greet them. One of them turned to the sound of running footsteps and, thinking quickly, Chloe sheathed the sword back onto her back as she ran and withdrew two small knives she had slipped from the armoury. By the time the man had begun raising his rifle, it was far too late. Chloe slashed the knife across the man's throat, and he crumpled as blood splattered.

The other two spun around and raised their weapons, but Chloe couldn't allow that. She was on a stealth mission. That part was vital to rescuing Rachael. She flung the knives through the air, and each paled into one of their chests. The two men dropped, and Chloe advanced, not thinking as she stepped into the main dining room of the restaurant. There, just a few meters in front of her, was Rachael. Tied down to the two closest tables and her shirt lifted to expose her stomach, which was now blood red and shining in the lights above. Chloe immediately ran over, fumbled with the knots as she hurriedly untied her best friend, and then stared down at her stomach. It was not hacking at her or attempted murder, Chloe observed. There were words carved onto Rachael's skin: I AM A TRAITOR.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" came a soft and dangerous voice from behind, and Chloe spun, instinctively reaching for the guns at her sides as she came face-to-face with the killer. "You did this to her…why?" asked Chloe, feeling the tips of her fingers wrap around the smooth plastic of the gun's hilts. "Oh, come on now. No need for guns at a knife fight," the killer rasped, sounding almost joyful as he indicated lazily at the object by his side. Chloe looked down, and her eyes widened. Just like her, the killer had a sword, which was also sheathed and protected. Chloe stepped away from Rachael to face the killer, her breathing becoming sharp and dangerous as the two slowly began pacing around one another. The killer had his familiar gasmask around his head again, making Chloe furiously want to tear it off. "So this is what it has come to…a sword fight?" Chloe breathed.

The killer bowed his head, laughing as he grabbed the hilt with his right side and drew the sword. It was golden, not silver like Chloe expected. She recognised the blade as well. It had been stolen from the Museum of Brisbane several days ago. Now she knew where it had gone. Chloe reached behind her back and also drew her blade, letting the hilt sit in her palm, the leather cold against her pale skin as she gently spun it slowly through the air. A warning. The killer arched backward and raised the sword over his head, the tip pointed directly at Chloe. Her father had taught her many fencing stances. This had been one of them. So he knows what he's doing, Chloe thought as she put herself into a defensive stance, placing the long edge of her sword between the killer and herself.

The killer took a few small, slow steps forward, his eyes calculating as he stared at Chloe. Chloe didn't move. She remained calm and expressionless, feeling the sword in her grip and weighing the lightness that surprised her. The killer stopped a few meters away, and then darted forward, driving his sword forward. Chloe dashed back, her sword slashing quickly through the air as she parried the blow. The killer spun and struck low, aiming for Chloe's legs as she drove her sword into the ground, the two blades bouncing away from one another. Chloe dodged back as the killer slashed mightily through the air, the tip very nearly slicing into her face. Chloe darted her blade forward, trying to catch the killer by surprise, yet her attempt failed. It sailed past the killer's head, just millimetres away from cutting him.

Snarling in frustration, the killer took a step forward, blade flashing through the air like a golden blur, barely giving Chloe time to return the attack as she stumbled backward, only able to block and parry the multiple attacks. "Come on, you can't keep this up forever," the killer growled as he pushed Chloe further backward, both their blades blurring through the air. It was sword on sword. Gold on silver. Chloe ducked as the killer's sword flew over her head, dodged backward as he brought the tip clattering down to where she had been mere seconds before, and then blocked another slash. Chloe was panting, but her guard was not yet defeated. The killer's eyes widened at the sudden block, and Chloe used the split second of confusion to jam her fist into the killer's stomach, spin and slash the sword through the air. The killer didn't have enough time to block, and the tip of the sword hooked into his gasmask before tearing it away.

The killer turned his back to her, and then slowly turned around, a long gash along his cheek. Chloe narrowed her eyes, and then they widened with recognition. "D-dad?" she stammered, not understanding at the killer laughed loudly, the sound sending chills of fear down her back. "Well, no point to trying to hide it. Although I must say I am impressed you immediately recognised me. How did you when I look like this?" Chloe's mind was racing with questions and rage, but she decided to answer her father's own question first. "The stance you first used. It was the one you always started with when you taught me." Philip sighed and shook his head, still gripping the sword tightly in his hand as he murmured, "Of course. I had forgotten you recognised my opening move." Chloe also held her sword, but loosely in her hand. She couldn't believe it.

"After all this time, it was you?" she whispered accusingly, and Philip bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Leila…Jacob…you took them from us," Chloe growled, and Philip chuckled, "A necessary sacrifice. If I want to win this war, then I must sacrifice people for the greater cause." Chloe clenched her fists around the blade, and Philip tutted in annoyance. "Chloe. I am your father. You still have a loyalty you owe after everything I've done for you. Now, join me…please." Chloe looked up in surprise. She had never heard her father beg, but then he outstretched his hand towards her welcomingly. "Join me…and together we can stop this madness. We can finally teach this city a lesson for everything it's done to us and run away together! Jut me and you. Father and daughter." Chloe looked down, thinking. She wanted to leave all of this behind her, more than anything.

But then she spied something and nodded. "I'll do it, I'll join you," she whispered pathetically, and Philip smiled warmly, "But first…what happened to your face," she murmured as she drew closer, standing just millimetres away from her father. "That, I believe, was your mother. I was drunk when I came home one night, and she was not happy. Yelling, screaming, throwing things. You were out with Nicola at the time, I believe. But then I finally snapped. Finally showed what I was capable of. I had a fight with her, and by the end she was finally dead. But not before she cut at my mouth and turned me into this." Chloe's eyes were wide and surprised. They had found her mum dead and her father had not returned until the following morning. But he had not shown any such scars.

As though sensing what she was thinking, Philip quickly continued. "I used a facial mask, a replica of my face, and wore it out in public and whenever you were around." Chloe slowly nodded, then snapped her hand forward. There was a second sword on her father's right side, and she wrapped her fingers around it before drawing the blade, turning and tossing it through the air. They both watched as it landed in Rachael's outstretched hand. She was awake and sitting up, wincing in pain but then rising to a stand. Philip groaned and whistled loudly. Four men entered the room, wielding silver swords, and Chloe groaned. Of course they wouldn't have taken the golden sword. They would have taken an entire case full of them. "You deal with them!" Chloe shouted, and Rachael nodded before turning and leaping at the men with her sword raised.

Chloe spun back to her father, who had a look of vague surprise on his face, and she raised her sword. "Don't think that just because I know who you are doesn't mean I won't fight you until my last breath," she hissed, and Philip groaned, turning his back to her as the sound of shrieking metal came from nearby. "Chloe don't do this!" he groaned, but Chloe wasn't listening. She was far beyond believing her father to be a good person. "What is the real purpose of this?" Chloe whispered, and Philip looked taken aback. "Anarchy," he said after a long pause, and Chloe laughed. It shocked Philip greatly, and then Chloe's expression instantly turned serious, the laughter dying away. "We both support anarchy. Government is too powerful. But this…this…is not the way. Killing innocent people, becoming something evil and unbelievable…it is not the right way!"

Philip snarled in frustration and glanced over his shoulder at her, gripping the sword sheathed by his side tightly. "If you're not with me, then you're with them. And I can't let you side with them." Chloe gritted her teeth together and pointed her sword out behind her, correcting her stance as she murmured, "Then I will do what I must." Philip stood still, breathing hard with rage, and then he leapt up,, twisting through the air to face Chloe as he withdrew his sword to land directly in front of her. Chloe brought her sword up, and the killer blocked it, now slashing furiously through the air. He was no longer trying to disarm her. He was trying to kill her. Behind them, Rachael ducked away from a jab, turned and stabbed her sword forward, impaling one of the men through the chest and watching them drop.

The other three advanced, and Rachael moved backward, her sword twisting and turning through the air as she darted frantically, trying to land a hit. Another took a swipe through the air, and Rachael ducked, quickly rising and then wildly slashing her blade through the air. It cut across the man's throat cleanly, and he hit the floor, his head bouncing away. Meanwhile, Chloe moved back as Philip advanced, both of them slashing and dicing through the air, their swords blurs as they traded blow after blow. They locked blades and their faces drew closer, glaring at one another hatefully. "You can't win this," Philip hissed, their swords screeching against one another as Chloe replied, "Let's find out." She pulled back and swung through the air, forcing Philip to dodge, and then she advanced, blade slashing up and down.

Rachael ducked a jab, slashed open one of the men's stomachs, turned to face the final one and impaled her sword through his skull. She turned, panting and holding her bleeding stomach to find Chloe and the killer locked in a deadly duel. "Chloe, here!" Rachael shouted before tossing her sword. Chloe grabbed it with her left hand as she duelled, and the tide of the fight turned. The killer stumbled back; his sword frantically darting through the air. Armed with two blades, Chloe easily parried and blocked the attacks as she advanced, her own two swords spinning violently through the air as the two battled. Finally the killer drew his sword high and chopped down as hard as he could, only for Chloe to cross her two blades together and catch Philip's sword. Philip's eyes widened, and Chloe moved her swords upward. Philip's sword slipped from his hand and clattered away as Chloe directed her two blades at him.

"You used the move I taught you," Philip growled angrily, and Chloe nodded, a smirk on her face. "You are beaten," she snarled as Philip took several quick steps back onto the wooden balcony, smiling cruelly. "Well, till next time, daughter," he murmured, then he leapt over the railing and disappeared. There was a roaring sound, and a motorboat suddenly came into view, the killer directing it as it charged onto the open water. He disappeared in the darkness. "W-we should be heading after him," Rachael stammered, stumbling forward and leaning against the table in pain, and Chloe hurried over, gently placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "He will be a problem for another day. I have a feeling that day will be a lot sooner than we would like. But the next time we face him, we'll make it count."

Rachael looked up at Chloe, and Chloe chuckled, stroking the back of her head gently. "Hey, it's ok," she whispered, and Rachael nodded, not meeting her eyes. "I'll never leave you," Chloe whispered as police sirens sounded and the sound of tires skidded to a halt outside. "Chloe, Rachael?" came Darcy's voice, and Chloe chuckled, "Looks like the party has arrived."