- The First Step To Hell

Click. 

Click.

Whirrrrrrrrrrr.

The eye locked in place and began to swivel from side to side.

Light began to pour into the darkness.

Cassandra looked around with her right eye, straining with concentration. "It's working," she said, looking at the doctor. "I can see perfectly."

"Good," said the doctor. Now that wound is going to take a while to heal. Just follow the routine I gave you and you shouldn't have to worry about infection."

Cassandra nodded. "Sounds good. What do I owe you?"

The doctor raised an eyebrow. "Me? Nothing. Vaas, on the other hand…well they pay me. They paid for that eye. If you use it right, it can help you predict an enemy's moves. This makes you very valuable."

Cassandra sighed. She hadn't done a job for Vaas in years now. "Yeah I assumed there was a catch. What do they want me to do?"

"Kill a target," the doctor said, handing her his interface. 

She chuckled as she looked at the screen. Then she began to laugh. "This is a joke, right? Him?"

Name: Min-jun Quon

Wanted: Dead or Alive

Bounty: 6,000,000 Ƈ

It was too good to be true. 

"What does Vaas want with him?"

"They want him back. His sniper skills are some of the best in the galaxy. You heard about Elendir right?"

"Elendir?"

The doctor frowned. "Don't watch the news much?" He took the interface from her and swiped a couple times before bringing up a T.V. channel. 

"...location unknown. He was last sighted on Elendir, which has since been destroyed. Thousands have been confirmed dead, with many more to come soon. Over fifty thousand people were visiting Elendir at the time, and it's likely none survived. It is unknown who Quon is working for, or who destroyed the famous rogue planet. To all of the family's out there mourning, our hearts are with you. Have a good night."

The screen flicked to a commercial, and Cassandra looked up. "How does a planet get destroyed? That's ridiculous."

The doctor sighed. "Look, I probably shouldn't be saying this, but word is that Vaas wanted to take Elendir as their own. They used the boy to take out their leader and then arrived with a fleet. Something happened. I don't know if it's true. It could be nonsense."

"Tell me," Cassandra insisted.

"That a monster appeared and tore the planet to shreds," the doctor said reluctantly. 

"So how would Min-jun have survived?"

"Later reviewed footage caught him leaving on a small ship. He was with four other companions, including his sister, Hyunji Quon. Vaas also wants her, but dead only. She murdered forty-six of our members after all. They would never let that slide."

Cassandra clenched her metal fists. So this was it. Another opportunity, hanging right in front of her. "Will I be going solo?"

The doctor shook his head. "I wasn't told. All I know is the target and that you are to meet up with Vaas immediately. There's a dispatch already on the way. They'll be here in a few hours."

Cassandra nodded and stood. "I appreciate it, Doc. These hands…now my eye. If you don't want payment, at least accept my gratitude."

The doctor nodded. "Please come back in one piece. I don't want to replace anything else on you."

She smiled. "I'll do my best."

With that she left the building. It was late, but Cassandra felt full of energy. The boy's bounty had only gone up. Over three million for a sniper? She smiled inwardly, thinking of all that she could do with that money. 

But did she really want to double-cross Vaas?

She would be getting something else out of this deal. Revenge would soon be hers. Hyunji would pay. 

Dead only, the doctor had said.

Cassandra sucked in a deep breath. She would do what needed to be done. 

*******

The creature charged forward, growling. Hyunji stepped in front of Min-jun protectively. "Stay back. I got this."

It drooled, its eyes rabid and wide. Hyunji's right hand felt cold and got heavier. Looking down, an object was forming, particle by particle. Growing from the handle, a blade sprouted, shiny even in the darkness. The scythe began to flourish, and hung over Hyunji's shoulder. She swiped down, splitting the monster clean in half. 

She frowned, surprised. "Where the hell did this come from?"

Min-jun stood. "How did you do that? That scythe…where did you get it?"

She knew…but she couldn't make him understand. Not in this moment. "I…I don't know. Look, it doesn't matter. I'm strong." She paused. The sirens were growing closer now. "I won't let you turn yourself in."

"Hyunji!" Kenji yelled, pointing. A helicopter was descending from above. 

"Come out with your hands up!" A voice from the loudspeaker shouted. 

"What do we do?" Dante yelled over the rumbling of the helicopter blades.

Min-jun knelt down. "Surrender."

Vehicles pulled up from either side of the road, flashing lights illuminating the darkness. 

Officers spilled out, holding guns. 

"I'm going where you go," Hyunji said as the scythe disappeared from her hands. She looked over at the others, who were departing Terry's shop, their hands raised. But where was Jade? He must've run. Good, she thought. The kid didn't deserve any of this. 

The next thing she knew, they were all in handcuffs. 

"You have a plan to get us out of this, right?" Kenji asked over the sirens. "Right?"

"No plan," Hyunji said.

"You're under arrest, for conspiring in a terrorist attack, as well as harboring Min-jun Quon," an officer said into her ear. "You fucking animals are about to get the punishment you deserve."