Job Twenty-Two: 
Step One

     Raphael was sitting on the terrace of the adjacent building. He was quietly humming the theme to "I Spy" as he prepared himself for the flight between the buildings. They were in the expensive part of town, where the fat cats and their wives lived. Pools and gardens were on the roofs and fancy trinkets covered the outsides, even the curtains looked lavish from for away. This was all in bad taste, because it would obviously attract thieves and zombies, shiny things are a sentient being's best friend.

    Ahura had managed to infiltrated the inside of Edvard Benedetto's by dressing as a butler. It was easy to get through all of the needed areas of the house hold if you said you needed to clean. Everyone, it didn't matter who, would believe you. He smirked as he slipped past the security guard with Benedetto's midnight snack, and one for his apparent companion. He opened the door with a cordial smile, "Good Evening," he said cheerily. The man who sat before him was stunning, and reminded Ahura of a girl. He had a soft round face, jet black hair, and slim eyes. His overall air was one of power, and intimidation which reminded Ahura of only one other person he had ever met.

    "Why thank you...um, you're new to my staff, aren't you?" Edvard said beckoning him over.

    "Yes, Sir. I'm As'ad, one of your new butlers in charge of miscellaneous chores."

    "Oh good, I'm glad they filled that position, Verfield was getting so tired of doing my random chores. Ah, but As'ad, meet the lovely Rebecca Albertina. She's staying with me for a few weeks."

    A woman far more attractive than most of the upper class girls was sitting in a chair across from the man. She had long wavy brown hair and bright blue eyes, with a striking face and curving figure. Ahura still didn't see why everyone thought she was so horribly special. Rave probably would be as confused as he was.

    Ahura bowed slightly, balancing the midnight snack of cookies, milk and a little alcohol. "It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am."

    "Please call me Rebecca, ma'am makes me sound so old," she said in a sugary sweet voice. She turned to Edvard, "Hiring them pretty young, you're almost taking after Luka."

    "Well... how old are you?" He looked at Ahura.

    "Twenty-Four, Sir," Ahura said as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

    "I take it back, you're nothing like Luka. You just like it when they look young you pederast."

    "Shut up," Edvard growled.

    Apparently Ahura had more miscellaneous chores than he wanted. That took away half of his doubts about killing both of them. He set down the silver tray on the table and both gave them severing. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

    "Tell me, As'ad, where do you come from?" Rebecca asked.

    "America," he said. He knew perfectly well that anyone who lived there still called it America.

    "Ah, and you obviously have American pride," Edvard said with a smirk.

    "Enough pride to introduce you to my friend Raphael."

    "Raphael?" the man questioned as the glass to the window shattered.

    The woman screamed Edvard grabbed her and dived behind the couch. Ahura merely watched their fear. They were truly cowards.

    Anghiari had used a rubber bullet to shatter the window, this way Raphael could easily glide in. The doors were locked, and not even security could break them down.

    The dragon glided in and landed next to his bondmate. *That was messy. I could have cut myself.*

    Ahura snorted, "Well, Mister Benedetto, Miss Albertina, this is my dragon, Raphael."

    *And this is my human, Ahura Mazda Osiris.*

    The man pulled a gun, "Get away from me!"

    "Afraid of your own creation?" Ahura mused. "I think it's cute, you'll probably give me anything so I won't kill you. I thought this would be more of a challenge, but you're just as sad as you were in all my dreams."

    The man pulled the trigger, and Ahura side stepped the bullet. It whizzed past him and lodged into the door. "So, you gave us magic, why? Why did you even create the Organization? Why are you after me?"

    Rebecca laughed as she stood up fearless. She swung her foot around in a sweeping motion, forcing Ahura to take two steps back, to avoid a broken cheek. The gun didn't go off though, a scream followed it.

    Raphael was faster than Ahura expected, he had already made his way over and nonchalantly stabbed Edvard's gunning hand with his spikes, along with the gun. The horrible bloody mess of what was left of a hand sat their impaled. Edvard was in too much shock to remove his hand, or the speared through gun.

    That left Rebecca and Ahura with quality time. She through a punch which he blocked by crossing his arms. He felt the ache on impact. In response he kicked her left leg out from under her. She caught herself, so he came down on her with a punch to the nose. In response the woman flailed and managed to stab Ahura's thigh with her a stiletto. Worse yet, it stayed.

    Pain really didn't describe it. Though he imagined in that instant it was far less painful than getting a spike through your hand. He bit down a scream and pulled out a dagger made of a strong sharpened plastic. With no hesitation at all he pulled the stiletto out of his thigh.

    The blood oozed down, he would deal with that later.

    "Rebecca, tell me why the Organization was created."

    "To find the key to immortality and youth, of course," she said bitterly. "Are you going to kill me now?"

    "Death would be too good for you," he smiled.

    She tried to pull  gun, but Ahura crushed her hand under his foot. She was taller than him, and probably had more force behind her hits than he did. Yet she was still playing helpless.

    When she tried to get up he kicked her in the chest as hard as he could, pinning her down. He then bent over and pulled her head forward grabbing as much hair as he could, and he cut it with his dagger. Throwing that on the ground next to him he kept her pinned down.

    He leapt back, she quickly stood, and grabbed her gun with her other hand. He through the dagger which lodged itself in her hand. She gave a shrill scream and pulled it out using her mouth. It dropped the the floor, soundless. She came forward with a kick that Ahura blocked effortlessly. With a sharp twist he broke her lower leg bones. She couldn't scream in pain, so she fell to the ground trying to clutch her leg, which was facing the wrong direction. Ahura lifted that leg and slipped another dagger out of his clothing, and ran the blade along the back of her heal. She cried in pain.

    "That," he said, "is only the beginning of what I went through as a child." He kicked her once more, swiftly in the side. She was a woman, and apt fighter, and a monster. She had sent many people to their deaths, killed them with her own hands, and watched them die slowly. This wasn't justice or revenge, this was just Ahura playing.

    He eyed the gun and slipped it in his pocket. It may come in handy later.

    "Edvard Benedetto, your sins are far worse than Rebecca's," He smiled.

    Raphael in those fifteen minutes of fighting had pulled off the man's hand from his spikes and was picking the pieces of the gun off. Edvard had tried to move, so Raphael stabbed him in the leg, what else could he have done. Even though the blood was disgusting as it stained the shinning spikes Raphael couldn't help but wonder if this is what the man had deserved. All for the sake of money he had destroyed the lives of possibly hundreds of people. *Pentech CEO,* Raphael said, *You never took responsibility for your actions. Now is the time.*

    He was bleeding out, and he noticed that the thief was as well. "You, you won't win if you kill me. They'll hunt you down and murder you and your little pet! After all, the key to immortality can't live!"

    Ahura raised an eyebrow. He knelt down besides the man, and continued to smile. "I am not a pet, and neither is Raphael. Your death would cause us no hindrance, and would probably save a lot of lives. We're already wanted dead or alive. One more reason isn't going to make a difference."

    He brushed the blade across the man's neck, drawing blood. His smile faded. "All I want to do is steal, because that's the only thing I'm good at--I've ever been good at. Don't take it away."

    *Ahura, then let's go and steal something right now,* Raphael seemed to plead, *Even you cant administer enough justice to make this man stop. Killing him wouldn't even stop him.*

    "You're right," Ahura said, tears welling up in his eyes. Why was he crying? "Let's go. But first," he grinned, "Let's take something of his."

    Ahura ripped off the small brooch the man was wearing. He struggled, "That was my wife's!"

    "So, you took my heart. The least I can take is a piece of jewelry that can easily sell for thousands," with that the thief bowed. "Thank you both for providing me with some conformation, now would you like to tell me where the two remaining members of your party are?"

    "Luka is at Adell, and Richárd is in Venice."

    *You'll be happy to know that Richárd is dead. Our assassin went a little overboard.*

    "And sweet Luka is about to meet his maker."

    *Check mate.*