Mercy
#4 of Final Masterpiece
He easily made it into the mansion, since the security was so lax that he could get in while he was asleep. That, and he installed kill switches on each of the security features. Sammy even installed kill switches on the guards, those consisted of a well placed bullet to the brain and were much more messy. Didn't matter, he was running out of time.
As he ran through the duct work, Karma's voice kept popping into his head, "Please, don't kill him. Don't become the monster he is. Stay the one I fell in love with, be merciful and kind to your opponent."
"Then how can I deal with him?! There isn't another way... unless..." he smiled as he planned Drakath's final moments. He took a branch and ran towards the security office. He kicked down the vent and incapacitated the guards. With a few keystrokes, he bypassed the security system and wired the main video feed to the national circuit. It was a kind way to go, as he would not be the one to wreck havoc on the monster. "Heh..." he let out a low growl before climbing back into the ducts.
For Sammy's plan to work, he needed to distract everyone long enough for the virus he installed to take effect. It was powerful, but could easily be deleted. All offence and no defence, but still effective. Sammy knew what had to happen, and since he was dying anyway, it didn't matter. Drakath was going to die by his own hands.
He reached the end, the very end, and kicked out a section of the duct to fall twenty feet to the ground. He stood strong and locked his eyes on Drakath's, who was sitting calmly, "About time you made it here, I was getting worried that you lost your edge killer."
Sammy smiled but didn't reach for his gun yet, he was saving that, "Don't worry, I haven't lost anything yet. In fact, I've been on a winning streak. And I think I'll keep it going with this new contract of mine. It is simple enough, but powerful at the same time. All I have to do is kill you." He kept his gaze fixed upon his enemy, but the disease was getting close to claiming his life. His legs started shaking and his hands lost all strength. However, he wasn't going to let death slow him down, "So if you would be so kind as to turn around and let me get a good clean shot, I promise to make you suffer significant;y less than if you resist."
He laughed, "Less would still be a lot, and I don't think I'm in the mood for suffering. Tell you what, kill yourself and I'll forget this ever happened. Deal?" They kept taunting each other, Drakath was truly trying to get Sammy to give up because he could easily kill him, while Sammy was trying to buy time. However, his sickness just kept racing towards the finish line. His knees buckled and he fell down. Drakath smiled, as if he had won, but Sammy just laughed, "What's so funny, it looks to me like the mighty has surrendered."
"Funny," Sammy was having trouble staying on his knees, "it is funny, isn't it? Karma has been begging me to stop killing for profit and pleasure, but I never listened. It took her death for me to truly understand my purpose. I am a murderer, and that will never change, but because of her guidance, I have become more skilled. I doubt I'm going to live much longer, with what I've got and all, but it doesn't matter. The security system has been shut down, your main guards have been killed, and I'm dying. How pathetic, a dying man can infiltrate security that would put the White House to shame and intimidate you." Drakath was getting worried, "You see, I could easily take your life, but I won't. An artist has to suffer for his greatest works... and this... this is my Masterpiece. To kill... without... a weapon. To kill... with only... what you are. Enjoy bastard." Sammy fell limp to the ground with a sick smile on his face.
All across the nation, Drakath's records, his employees, his contracts, everything was broadcast on every channel. Everyone he had killed had a picture and a paragraph. Children, family members, public officials, everyone. People who were loved, people who had changed the world, anyone who had the slightest impact on anything. Drakath couldn't do anything to stop it, he had just become the enemy of the world. Sammy slowly drifted off to the afterlife, the thought of Drakath's twisted face making his final moments happy.
He woke up in the room with two chairs and a little table with a teapot and two cups on it. He sat down, as this time he was expected. He picked up a cup and tasted the tea, which was perfect. It was bitter, just like he preferred it. Karma floated out into the other chair with a smile on her face, "I'm glad you could make it."
"Happy to be here."
She smiled, "You have felt much pain over the years. Even though your condition was known, there was nothing that could be done with it. You knew your death was inevitable, and you still lived your life as if nothing had changed. Most would be happy to get sympathy from others, but not you. You wanted to end it with a bang. And you listened to me."
Sammy sipped some tea, "Yeah, well, it was about time. Can't drag on life forever. At least this way I don't have to feel any more pain. Those I called friends don't have to feel any pity for me. It's nice."
Karma smiled, "You know, we will rest for eternity, but I know that isn't for you. We have been offered something that no other soul has. You will like it because of the work, and I will like it because of the mercy. Are you interested?"
Sammy leaned forward, and noticed that his tea cup hadn't emptied out at all, "I suppose, if it means we could work together."
Karma grinned, "We have been asked to become Angels of Death. To let our judgement rule over the world of the living. To end the lives of those who suffer and, for you, to end the lives of the evil. So how about it? Your first thing would be him. I will let you decide how he will die. Shall we?" She extended her hand out to Sammy, who gladly took it. Before he knew it, he was at the place where he died.
He looked at his body, which had become a twisted version of what it once was. If someone were to have seen him on a street, they would think he was a monster. He liked the way he looked. Then he examined Drakath, who was cowering behind his throne. He smiled as he felt the angry presence on the outside of the mansion. Hundreds gathered, screaming for his head. Everyone from the simplest housewife to the highly trained police officer were calling for blood.
Sammy smiled as Karma let him do his thing. He set his feet on the ground and became visible to Drakath, "You see, I wasn't going to let you get away. That little escape hatch? I tied that to the security system as well. You couldn't open that with a stick of dynamite. No, I think I'm going to let them in. They will see my body and think you were involved. They think of me like a hero now, because of my actions over the past few days. And this sight will only fuel their rage. I will watch you suffer. So let's get started, Karma? Give me a hand with the doors, won't you?" She appeared before Drakath and went to Sammy's side.
"Daughter?"
She smiled over her shoulder, "This is what you have done. You have taken my life, which was the same as digging your own grave. It is my duty to see that you fill it. Farewell, father." With Sammy, she tore open the door and they both vanished from the sight of the angry mob. They were carrying everything from knives to guns. Some even had torches. They advanced on Drakath, without any mercy.
Sammy and Karma watched as they tore him apart. He was stabbed, shot, and burned, but he didn't die. They made sure of that. His screams echoed through the mansion and the people he hurt the most were finally able to get their revenge. Then, Sammy made the decision to let him die. Sammy lifted Drakath's tortured soul from his beaten and bloodied body, but didn't remove the pain, "Why?! Why does it hurt?!"
Sammy smiled, "Just because you are dead you think that you will feel no pain. Fool. You have killed countless people. You have even killed your own daughter so that one of your killers would focus more. But that's fine with me. The thing I have a problem with is that you killed the only woman I ever loved. For that, I will personally see to it that you suffer for an eternity. Your torment is only just beginning."
Karma wrapped her arms around Sammy as Drakath reached out to her, "Please, help... me."
"Why should I help you? As far as I'm concerned, I have no father. You were never around, and you were a murderer at heart. We have nothing in common, so please go away and suffer elsewhere, I want to regain my time with Sammy, the time you stole from us." A tear formed in Drakath's eye as the abyss swallowed him.
The two were once again left alone in the white room. They were finally able to spend an eternity together.
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This is the shortest one, but I enjoyed it. This entire story was a tribute to my late cat (can you guess his name?) who had a birth defect. He had and extra non-functioning colon that was slowly killing him. He had surgery to remove it multiple times, but it kept growing back. I had to hear him suffer through the night with his quiet moaning. When I woke up, there was silence. I found him dead. I am always the one to see my family's pets die. It got so bad that I couldn't even go to watch my first dog get put to sleep, she also suffered and I was the one who watched it. I don't care what you rate this. I'm going to keep this one up even if it gets a half star rating. I just had to get my thoughts out so I won't be haunted by that sound any more.