City of IF

[Exmortis]

Alexander sat back against an aged brick wall legs spread. His head hung low and his eyes full of memories.

Once again, his mind wearily examined the decades past: Could he have really done anything differently? Could he have changed what happened, the deaths of his men, and of Frazer? Could he have spared the hundreds of precious humans from death had he accepted his fate?

He raised his head skyward past the collapsed roof towards the boundless sky. Orange, it was a hue similar to pumpkin flesh. Alexander remember that once, in a better time, the sky was blue. He never really thought he would actually miss it.

He sighed heavily, Alexander knew knew more were coming, they would bring guns, and they would try to kill him... and like always, he would stop them, without ending their lives.

However, the events that came next would be the final tale of Alexander the dead eye. The tale of how he was finally killed.

---

A hooded figure stroad down a decaying road towards the collapsing steel mill. This entire sector has been cleared so the figure made it's way without fear towards it's mark.

The hooded figure had been given 30 minutes by a group of rather intimidating mercenaries that had been given the same assignment. However, the figure wasn't about to put it's faith in a team of criminals. Besides, this probably wouldn't even take 5 minutes.

The Steel mill was a massive structure, however, it was also very unstable, most of it's eastern wall had fallen inward and the roof had completely collapsed. Why Alexander the dead eye would come here was infathomable.

The hooded figure stopped about 15 metres from the building's enterence and then held it's face to the sun, the flawlessly feminine face of Taylor Brown.

Captain T. Brown was assigned to a mission in which she was to eliminate an enemy of mankind and a person guilty of high treason. His crimes were killing two generals and the high commander.

The target was Alexander the Dead eye. Before he went rogue he was a Captain, one of the best actually, and he was one of her dearest comrades. It was him who had helped her through the first months of the outbreak and he had been there to save her skin many times... and then he betrayed her, he betrayed all of mankind and he became a monster in their eyes.

Since this mission was targeting a esspecially dangerous opponent Taylor had the option of becoming... like Alexander, the very idea made her feel ill. An esspecially painful procedure with would grant her the same super human qualities which the infamous Alexander himself possessed. Taylor, agreed to this modification.

Taylor's face was expressionless as she stared at a figure standing on a iron grate platform which was attacted to the second story floor. Her half fringe played against her chin as a sudden gust of wind swept past her.

Alexander calmly contenplated Taylor, A small grimace crossed his face.
"Well, well... you are the very last person I expected to walk down that road." While Alexander was smiling he certainly wasn't pleased. He didn't want to harm Taylor, she was a good comrade to him when they were young.

Ignoring his remark, Taylor spoke plainly and without feeling.
"Alexander the Dead eye, I have been sent to capture and transport you to Sector control alpha for judgement for you crimes. If you refuse to cooperate I am authorized to use deadly force."

Alexander, looked amused.
"So I leave for a while and suddenly you are all business? I remember the days when you were a scared teenage girl who couldn't..." Taylor's face held nothing for Alexander, nothing but contempt

Alexander's heart wrentched as he placed his hand into the inside pocket of his worn trench coat and his finger wrapped around the trigger of the detonator.
"...So be it..."

Taylor saw Alexander's hand reluctently slip into his coat. The first thought that crossed her mind was that he was withdrawing a gun. Wasting no time Taylor sprinted towards her target.

Alexander, glanced down at his old friend one last time, seeing her face twisted and destorted in rage, and then, he pressed the trigger.

Suddenly, Taylor lost her footing as the ground beneath her opened up with a deafening roar. Waves of rock and dirt was flung in all direction slamming against practically every part of her body.

Alexander stared out over the remains of the road leading up to the Steel mill. He had spent a considerable amount of time preparing that trap. He never thought that he would have to use it against... her. Alexander bit his lip. He wonder whether he had managed to actually kill her, perhaps she was merely maimed. That would be good.

As the dust settled, Alexander felt chills go down his spine. Taylor stood in the middle of a fissure his trap had forged. She appeared to have not accumliated any serious injuries however blood was trickling down her forehead. Taylor's head rose to the sky and the light of the sun touched her mud smeered face, and her eyes glowed with an unnatural gold hue.

A deep sense of dread filled Alexander, his body trembled out of spite, it would not be long before the dread wears off and that spite is elevated to pure fury.
"What... what have you done Taylor" he murmured.

Taylor stood silently and observed as Alexander's face grew heavy with dread and misery. Without warning he lept over the railing of the platform and fell to the ground not 2 metres from her.
"What have you done." Alexander said quietly, his voice shaking a bit.

Taylor felt satisfaction fill her up. It appeared that her current state had disturbed Alexander quite a bit.
"I did what was nessercary... to end your campaign of destruction"

Alexander felt his rage grow a little bit with every word which slipped from her lips. His body shook as he desperately tryed to control his emotions. However, it was to no avail, as his rage exploded.
"Taylor! Do you realize what you have done!"

Taylor, looked slightly taken aback from his outburst, in all the time he had known Alex she had never ever seen him show anywhere near this level of emotion. However, she quickly regained her composure
"Yes I do, and I also know what I am going to do now... I am going to kill you Alex... and I am going to enjoy it."

A grim slience over took the both of them.

In the blink of an eye Taylor had withdrawn her duel pistols from within her cloak and commenced firing, her golden eyes gleaming savagely.

Alexander opened his right eye a little to late, as a bullet embedded itself into his stomach causing him to cringe a bit. However, his right eye was fixed on taylor, refusing to look away.

The world seemed to decelerate around Alexander. It appeared that his abilities were not too rusty at least. Several bullets were moving through the space a couple metres away from him.

They were progressing at a gradual pace and all appeared to be in the perfect positions to hit him were it would hurt the most. The space behind them ripped, leaving a kind of trail. Alexander, placing all of his strength forced his body to move to the left.

When he firsted used 'the eye' his movements felt strange to him, almost alien. In order to make a signifigant motion while using it he would need to place all of his effort behind his movements.

It took a while but eventially he managed to figure out how the eye works. At first, he thought he could slow the flow of time. However, later he dismissed that theory as being ridiculous.

Instead, Alexander concluded that his right eye had been transformed into some kind of super sensory organ. In other words, he could percieve time and his environment faster then other people could.

While he too was subject to his own ability. The mutation within his body had also enhanced his reaction time and general quickness. So, he could move slightly faster then normal people. This complimented his primary ability rather well.

Alexander pushed his body off the ground hurling himself towards the twisted, delapidated remains of an old Ute. The world moved slowly around him as he passed through the air. It was a sensation similar to floating.

Alexander painfully landed on the ground, and something metalic and pointy with a thump. His right eye closed, he reached into his inside coat pocket and withdrew his twin Magnums.

Taylor hadn't gotten used to her sight yet. Besides, the fact that everything seemed to have a gold hue. There were also a lot of other things, such as that if she focused on a space her vision 'zooms in' on it. She hadn't quite gotten thae hang of that little trick yet.

Another thing, was that her average accuracy on the firing range has improved a great deal, as in 100%. These were all probably side effects of the modification. Taylor hoped they would wear off, having them made her feel foreign in her own skin.]

Suddenly, a explosion rippled through the air as a bullet from one of Alexander's magnums was fired. Taylor dived for the corner of a nearby building, a second bullet missing her by inches.

The profile on Alexander had mentioned that he possessed two customized magnums loaded with specialized explosive rounds. There was no doubt, if one of those hit her then she wouldn't be getting up.

Alexander jumbed out from behind cover. He opened his right eye, he sprinted over to the spot where Taylor had dodged his shot. Leaping through the air when her hiding spot was within his line of sight, but alas, she wasn't there.

Once the kinetic energy had been used up, and Alexander had stopped moving, he looked around frantically. Then, Alexander listened. A hissing... No, a whooshing sound reverberated in his skull. The kind of sound a plane makes when it passes overhead.

The shatter penetrated glass was the next sound to reach Alexander's ears. Taylor must have entered the building she was using as cover and then thrown herself through the window attempting a surprise attack.

( To be continued )

(Nb: No spell check yet, will be done after the story is finished and fleshed out.)

[Thunderbird]

Interesting... I'm liking this explosion of superhuman themed tales. A catching start. I wanna see more!

[Exmortis]

I like such subjects, they change the dynamics of ethics.

[fairywaif]

A fascinating beginning. How quickly old friends turn into enemies! I wonder if whatever she did changed her personality too, or if she was always like this?

[Exmortis]

This is just a teaser, a little snippet from this story. The fact is, that you may never know what happens before or after this event unless I get a substantial motivation to release the full story (a signifigant number of viewers with appeals for continuation).

Anyway, I still have alot more to add to this teaser.
So if you liked what you have seen so far then stay tuned.

[PopeAlessandrosXVIII]

Well...I have to mention somthing...You like magnums, don't chu? Don't get me wrong, love that gun, but it's kinda repedetive. Anyway, moving on!

Loving the "Matrix" fight here. I also like how thier powers seem a lil different. Alex is intreiging. What is that sharp thing he landed on?

Super people are always fun! I'd like to see more! *Waits for more*