Golden Age of Man, my ass. Sure, the Overcity looks like its all champagne and diamonds, but from where I’m sitting, you can tell its all lies. If the great and the good knew what went into keeping the peace for the last hundred years, they’d be horrified.

Who am I kidding? The great and the good are who pay my salary. Paid…they paid my salary. That was before I found out what I was really doing in the name of world peace. Now I’m hiding here, in the deity forsaken Undercity, waiting to see who they sent for me this time.

I’ve been straining my eyes for signs that I’ve been found…jumping at shadows and the movements of rodents through the dank crumbling warehouse. So, I’m a little paranoid, but paranoia will keep a person alive.

The shadow on the opposite wall seems to be moving. Shit, I should have sensed him before he got this close. Bad Bolverk, no cookie.

“I should have known they’d send you eventually, Executioner.” My voice doesn’t shake at all, brownie points for me.

“I’ve waited a long time for this day, Death.” The shadows melt away as he steps out from the wall.

“If your friends don’t fantasize about killing you, who will?” I stay right where I am as I slowly slide my hand towards the gun at the small of my back.

He moves towards the center of the building, keeping to the shadows at the fringe of moonlit concrete. He’s wearing what can only be called assassin chic. Not that I’m dressed any better, but at least I left the leather trenchcoat at home.

He always was meticulous about his clothing, right down to painting his belt buckle black so it wouldn’t catch the light and give him away.

Me, I didn’t have that kind of patience. I did, however, know where all his weapons were hidden…right down to the garrote he kept as a hatband.

“I didn’t say I fantasized about it.”

“No? Just figured some day I’d go rogue?” I’ve got the gun resting at my side now. I always feel better with a gun in my hand.

“Actually, I always thought you’d be hunting me.”

“Looks like I’m not the loyal kind of gal you thought I was.”

“Which is why I haven’t tried to kill you yet.”

“Aw, Executioner…are you getting sentimental on me?” A girl can hope. Right?

“Put the gun away Brigit and talk to me.”

I slide the gun back into the waistband of my black jeans.

“I can’t believe you’ve slipped this far in so short a time.”

“Give me some credit. In the last 3 days I’ve taken out Morpheus and Destiny.” Wait, did he …? “I’m slipping? You just used my real name.”

“And?”

“I didn’t even know you knew my name.”

“Like you didn’t hack into my file to find out about your competition.”

“Invasion of privacy…friendship at his best.”

“Friendship, is that what you call it?” He looked like he was trying not to laugh.

I hate it when I’m the butt of a joke. Back to the business at hand then, “What do the all powerful want to know before we try to kill each other?”

“Nothing,” he circles nearer like a shark that’s smelled blood in the water, “but I’d like to know what happened on your last job.”

“I tell you why I’ve become a rabble-rouser and then we duke it out? Is that the plan?”

“Maybe.” He lowers the brim of his hat to cover his dark eyes.

I’ve seen that enough times to know what it means. I just might be able to talk my way out of this. Thank Dagda Almighty, because if it comes down to the two of us, I’m not sure if I can survive it. Even on my best day, Executioner is more than a match for me. Today didn’t even make my top ten list of good days.

“If you’re not going to shoot me yet, would you at least sit down?”

“Am I making you nervous?”

“When the Executioner comes for you, you should be nervous.”

His blank face cracks and he laughs before sitting down. “If there’s a person alive who shouldn’t fear the executioner, it’s the Death.”

“Does that mean I’ll get to see another sunrise?” Hope is an awful thing to have when your death is imminent…and yet, here it is.

“Just tell me what you found.”

Decisions, decisions. Do I tell him what I learned and risk him not believing me or do I just start shooting with my death as a very likely outcome?

I start talking. “The government is lying to the people.”

“And?”

I don’t know what reaction I was expecting, but that wasn’t it. “Doesn’t that bother you?”

“Every government since the dawn of time has lied to their people. According to our government, you and I don’t exist.”

He had a point. Okay, two points. Even Ramses the Great lied to his people. As far as I was concerned, I knew that most of the people around me believed I was just the shy and reclusive Brigit Forrester. Makes me wonder what Executioner’s secret identity is.

“Which lie sent you running?”

When in doubt, jump in at the deep end. Have I mentioned that I can’t swim? “Our marks haven’t been terrorists…they’re monotheists.”

“Monotheism is extinct. It has been since the Last Great Religious War.”

“Not according to the historical documents my last mark had waiting for me.”

“He knew you were coming?”

“Not me exactly, but somebody. Too many of his friends either suddenly committed suicide or mysteriously disappeared.”

“Sounds like some of our best work. What did he leave you?”

“The real truth about what happened after the war.”

Every school kid was taught about the Last Great Religious War. The world burned for ten years while the polytheists battled against the monotheists. It only ended when monotheism was extinct. At least, that’s what the history books say. What they don’t say would rock this civilization to its very core.

“What truth?”

“The vast majority of people with one god were on our side. I’ve seen the treaty that was signed when it was over. There was supposed to be religious tolerance so it could never happen again.”

“The powers that be are always spouting off about religious tolerance.”

“And yet, we’re taking out monotheists who are nothing but archaeologists and historians. Why?” I already know the answer, but I need to know that he does.

“They know what really happened and have the evidence to prove it.”

“Not any more.” I have it now.

“You do realize that if this gets out, it will start a revolution, right?”

Oh, goody, we’re on the same page. I nod, “It may start a civil war.”

He stands, “You’d better show me this evidence of yours.”

“You’re going to help me?” I get to my feet as I speak.

His eyes are cold and empty, with just a hint of menace in them, “For the possibility of practicing my art out in the open, absolutely.”

Not the reason I had latched onto, but I could use all the help I could get.

“Besides, I’ll get to take on a few of my fellow Bolverks in the process.”

“That’s the Executioner I’ve come to know and fear.”

He laughs as we leave the abandoned warehouse.

The sun is just beginning to rise and the Overcity gleams like red gold. As the sun climbs higher, the city takes on the red orange hue of flames.

I smile. Executioner and I are going to take everything the great and the good hold dear. Do I trust Executioner not to take me out in the process? Not exactly, but in a fight he’s a good man to have at your side.

This could be the beginning of a wonderfully doomed friendship.