The Devil You Know: Part 1

Biting back a scream as he was slammed into the wall, Omi sagged to his knees, eyes half-lidded. His side was aflame with pain, but the young assassin made no noise. Gritting his teeth as he pushed himself to his feet, Omi wiped the trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. He never took his eyes off of those piercing green eyes watching him like some kind of cat facing a helpless bird...

There. The tiniest of flickers in the back of those verdant eyes, the barest upturning of those thin lips. Still, knowing he was about to be attacked would do him no good if he were unable to move. Eyes locked with the Schwarz assassin's, Omi waited, his vision blurring. His shirt and the remains of his jacket were soaked with his blood. Blood that continued to stream from the deep gash in his side caused by the explosion and the collapsing building. The building that he was trapped under, with the flame-haired Schwarz assassin as his only companion.

Somehow they had both been spared; the section of the lower levels of the compound's main lab they had been trapped in apparently having been built with the possible use as a bomb shelter in mind. The upper support beams had barely held the weight of the upper floors, and as far as the two of them knew, they were the only survivors.

Surely, the crushed bodies they had stumbled across in their running battle had served to confirm that suspicion. Buried deep beneath the earth, the walls that protected them were made of some material that nullified the German assassin's mental powers. Making it impossible for him to reach out to the other Schwarz members to see if they still lived.

*Which means,* Omi thought, with a grim sort of satisfaction, *that I might actually stand a chance against him now.*

Schuldig was still gifted with his speed, but being unable to reach into the Weiß assassin's mind to read what he was thinking had made his attacks nothing more than retaliatory strikes. Mindless, unfocused, and ultimately it would lead to his downfall. Omi, the tactician and strategist of Weiß, knew this. He could see it in the way the Schwarz moved in an almost stilted manner, his short temper getting the better of him. So, Omi took advantage of this fact; he made lightning quick strikes against the other assassin, never aiming to kill, but only to wound. To inflame the other's anger, to make him careless.

This scheme had taken its toll on the small boy though; as was evidenced in the stabbing pains in his chest every time he drew breath, sending blinding white spikes of searing agony into his brain.

Pain was a constant companion now, a familiar presence that the boy could not have imagined being without. And still he faced down the older assassin, determined that if he was destined to die buried alive, then he was damn well going to take one of Schwarz with him.

*Especially if the others are already dead...*

"Why do you continue to fight, chibi? Your friends are already dead. Killed in the explosion. There's no reason why we should be enemies now."

Blue eyes narrowed in anger, the only visible sign that Schuldig's words had registered.

"Then why," Omi's voice was a gasping wheeze, coppery liquid tickling the back of his throat as he strained to speak, "why are you still fighting? Schwarz must have been killed as well. Why are you still fighting me, Schuldig?"

A feral grin. A flash of teeth.

"Because it is who I am. I am a killer, and I will continue to be a killer until the day I die. What is your reason?" Whatever the boy was going to say was drowned out by the ear-splitting roar that came from behind the German. Blue eyes widened in genuine fear as the boy took in the misshapen form looming over the Schwarz assassin.

Reflex kicked in, all rational thought having fled, as Omi barreled into Schuldig, knocking them to the side as the monster lunged, clawed hands flashing through the air. With the smaller form's arms wrapped around his middle as they struck the floor, Schuldig felt the violent shudder that hit the boy. Twisting sharply as a sudden, gagging stench washed over him, the Schwarz assassin stared in terror at the creature that had attacked them, one clawed finger sunk deeply into the blue-eyed assassin's leg.

Screaming in triumph, the monstrosity jerked back sharply, and Schuldig instinctively reached for the younger assassin's outstretched hand, as Omi's hold on his waist was torn away. The sight of those desperately pleading eyes - eyes that begged for him to run, to get away - touched the Schwarz like nothing had in a long time. Baring his teeth in a fierce grin, Schuldig got to his feet, drawing his weapon in one sinuously smooth movement.

"Oi, let the nice assassin go."

Raising its head at the quietly spoken words, the beast blinked large golden eyes slowly, a low growl emanating from its throat. Keeping his gaze on the creature's face, Schuldig took an involuntary step backwards as it moved towards him, dropping back onto all fours in a ponderous movement that seemed to shake the ground with its massive weight.

Sparing a glance at the too still form of the Weiß assassin to check that he was still breathing, Schuldig raised his gun, and took careful aim. He had no idea if his bullets would kill - or even hurt the thing - but he was fucking well going to try!