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[COLOR=red][indent][sub][I]Somewhere in Texas[/I] - [I]Present Day[/I][/sub][sup][right]Issue 1.01.04: The Killer Inside Me[/right][/sup][/indent][sub][hr][/sub][INDENT][sub][B]Interaction(s):[/B] [I]None[/I][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][b]Previously:[/b] [I]Issue 1.01.03: [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5162700]The Claim[/url][/I][/right][/SUP][/indent][/color]

[color=orange]"Finally... they really need to space these gas stations out better."[/color]

The two men let their heads fall back in the blazing heat of Texas as they were relieved to finally see a gas station just up the road, trudging along each carrying a gas can a piece. The two looked like an odd pair as always, with Roy wearing his simple trucking hat, half a mechanic's jumpsuit, and a tank top. Jason, on the other hand, wore the same black turtleneck and black pants. Of course, their odd match was the first thing the gas station clerk made a note of as they entered into the store. Jason immediately made his way towards the back, grabbing a few waters. Roy, in the meantime, went up to the counter. It was a rather fine gas station, a regular gas station chain. Hanging up near the clerk was a tv with the sound mostly off, the news playing.

[color=orange]"We're gonna be filling up a couple cans... We'll take 10 gallons on pump 1."[/color]

The clerk looked over to Roy for a second, then looked back up towards the tv while mindlessly typing away at the cash register. The total popped up on the screen, and Roy put a crisp fifty on the counter. The clerk was enraptured by the news story, something practically out of a comic book. The subtitles were struggling to catch up, but the gist was concerned with some criminals assaulting some local Texans outside a bar. One of them even used a bow and arrow. The clerk shook his head. [color=gray]"Can you believe that... some fucked up people."[/color]

Roy's head turned towards the tv, and his face literally turned white. He watched in horror as the clerk, who was moving remarkable slow, saw the police composite images on the screen and then turned his gaze back towards Roy. The recognition wasn't instant, and the clerk had to do a double take. The former army sniper shook his head. [color=orange]"Listen... those guys were racists, beating up some defenseless man. We couldn't just..."[/color]

Roy heard the roaring sound of two pick up trucks pulling up to the gas station in that moment, country music blaring on their respective radios along with a lot of whooping and hollering. The clerk's face went white as his gaze turned to Roy after seeing the trucks. [color=gray]"You and your friend need to leave out the back. Now."[/color]

The red-haired vigilante was confused, but chose to oblige. He quickly walked towards the back, motioning for Jason to follow. The vigilante, carrying a couple bottles of water, obliged. The two shuffled behind an "employees only" door, slipped through a small maintenance area, and arrived out the back of the gas station. The two could still hear the blaring country music, followed by a gunshot. The two men looked at each other for only a moment before they shared a nod. Jason dropped the water bottles and reached towards his back waistband, as Roy did the same. The two pulled out handguns in unison, pulling back the hammers on their guns, before slowly entering back into the gas station. The two crept towards the door, and were able to clearly hear the exchange inside.

[color=lightgray]"Need I remind you, Jim, that there are some radical liberal assassins prowling about the place. I know you sit there watching the news. So when I see some gas cans sitting over by that there pump, and a van a while back up the road that matches what they were driving... I'm beginning to think you're harboring terrorists. And that's something the militia doesn't support."[/color]

The sound of a thud could be heard, along with coughing. At that sound, Jason grit his teeth, and immediately shoved his way through the door into the gas station proper. In that second of shock, Jason saw a few things. He saw three armed men in bulletproof vests carrying AR-15s, all with shaved heads and exposed biceps that had various military tattoos designating their branches and units served. But Jason's eyes gravitated towards the clerk, Jim, hunched over on the ground with a small glob of blood on the tile underneath him. Jason's anger caused him to yell as he quickly fired the gun at the man closest to Jim, two bullets lodging into the side of the man's head and killing him instantly. The other two, shocked and disoriented by the spray of blood, quickly lifted their ARs in Jason's direction, only to fall limp themselves as a bullet lodged into each of their skulls. Roy, having followed Jason into the fray, only needed to fire two shots to take the men out. Jason quickly walked forward, moving towards the glass doors at the front of the gas station. As he looked outside, a burst of gunfire broke through the glass. One bullet grazed against Jason's left arm, forcing him to hide behind a shelf.

Roy quickly moved over towards Jim, ushering him behind the counter and out of the way of the oncoming fire. Jason clutched at his arm, removing his free hand to see it covered in blood. That was going to be a problem. He looked at the shelf behind him, and sighed in relief at seeing a display of bandanas. Grabbing an American flag one, the ex-spy quickly wrapped it around his upper torso tight, using his teeth to help tie off the wound as best he could. It was makeshift, but it would help him for now. Roy, comfortable in Jim's safety, peeked his head up over the counter. He couldn't quite see the trucks out the front door from where he was, but he did notice a large mirror hanging from the ceiling that was installed so the clerk could see people approaching the store before they got in. From this mirror, Roy saw two more armed men approaching the door slowly. Military formation... they were professionals. The former sniper made eye contact with Jason, holding up two fingers, before waving for Jason to fall back. The latter man did so, ducking back into an aisle deeper into the gas station's store.

Roy took a deep breath as he saw the two men approaching. His eyes turned towards the door, and they made eye contact at the same time. Roy, again, fired two shots. Each embedded themselves in the men's foreheads, and they fell immediately. Roy sighed, his hand beginning to shake slightly. The gun fell from his grip onto the counter, and Jason ducked his head out from the aisle. The next moments were a blur for Roy. He didn't remember hearing anything. He didn't remember the store clerk yelling about how he was going to call the police. He didn't remember Jason knocking the clerk unconscious or grabbing some supplies. And he didn't remember getting into one of the pickup trucks as Jason drove back off towards the van.

He just kept looking as his hands. It had been a long while since he had killed anyone. And this was definitely the first time he had killed an American. As his hands continued to shake slightly, reality kicked in as Roy found himself in the passenger seat of his own van. Jason slammed the driver's side door as he hopped in, turning on the van. Seeing Roy's eyes begin to wander over towards him, Jason looked at his close friend with concern. [color=red]"You ok there, Roy?"[/color]

Roy shook his head slowly, his eyes wandering off to stare at nothing in particular. [color=orange]"I need a drink."[/color]