A Choice Never Taken

On the horizon, the sun was setting, painting the world with a shade of red and orange. Up high in the atmosphere, a single jet airplane flew with high speed, cutting the sky and the clouds apart as it pierced through them.

Inside the small aircraft, a man was piloting the aircraft while cleaning his face with a piece of cloth and a boy was sitting behind him while occasionally glancing at the passing clouds, moving like a film reel.

"Is it that interesting, looking at the fleeting clouds? What are you, the main character?" asked Nick Fury, sneering and teasing?

"Is it felt good, having a cake thrown to your face? Wanna try something heavier?" replied Edward while recalling the accident at the Inn.

If only he had a camera, he would have saved it and send the picture to Clint and Natasha. They would've loved to see it and use it to tease him later.

"Boy, you better behave or you gonna see the sky from outside," said Nick while glaring at him.

"Not before I send this thing flying down instead of going up," replied Edward while tapping on the metal wall next to him.

They both tried to outdo each other with their glares, not giving up until at the end, they both burst into laughter.

"Boy, how I missed that potty mouth of yours," commented Nick.

"And I did miss your reaction as well," said Edward while smiling before moving his eyes back to the darkening sky outside.

It had been two years since the last time they met. They only talk through phones, and that was only when Nick wanted Edward to do some secret mission that he couldn't leave to any agents at SHIELD.

It couldn't be helped, Nick was a busy man. He was drowned in documents and reports ever since the accident at Raccoon City. And after that, he spent most of his time cleaning up the remnant of Umbrella, hidden in the most secretive places on Earth.

And the same could be said about Edward.

"How's work? Did I miss something?" asked Edward.

"Nothing much happened. It's just there's this particular research that the Government wants to fund lately," said Nick, looking at all the blinking buttons near his hands.

"You seemed concerned, what is it about?" asked Edward.

"It was old research called Project Rebirth. Do you know Captain America? Basically, they planned to replicate his source of power." explained Nick.

"So? It's just another attempt to restore the past achievement. What's so bad about it?"

Ever since the creator of the Super Soldier Serum died, the American government, including the lurking shadows in the backgrounds had tried to mimic the Serum. Most failed, while some others transmute and mutate into a whole another thing, which is bad. Really bad.

"Ever heard of Gamma Radiation?" probed Nick.

Edward's head finally clicked. He already heard about this research that Nick mentioned. To put it correctly, he watched it before, in the movie. This is how Bruce Banner transformed into the most unstable Avenger ever made, Hulk.

Unless Banner could somehow control it, Hulk would rampage around destroying everything in its way. Nonetheless, he was one of the most beloved characters in this universe.

"Heard a tidbit of it from a passing client. So how did it goes?" replied Edward, not wanting to involve himself with the matter, but still he felt a bit curious. This was the only way he would gain off-screen information.

"It's still in the planning phase, I could hold it off for now. Who knows what would happen if something wrong ever happened to its development," explained Nick, not noticing Edward's interest.

"Hey, stop it, you're going to jinx it." teased Edward.

"Ah shit. Okay, let's talk about you. What're you doing in that town? That's too far from the main city." asked Nick, changing the topic.

"Nothing much, let's just say a took some days off from firing my gun."

"That's new. So? How was it? Let me guess, from how you looked, it seemed to be a good place." said Nick, observing the long lost light in Edward's face.

"It's not bad. I might return there whenever I hit some problem."

"Really? Just let me warn you kid, running away once or twice might be fine, just don't go too far." Nick thought that Edward was trying to run away.

He was concerned for him, not because he was planned to join the Avenger project, but because he felt a genuine worry for him. For God's sake, he's just 10 years old, now. And he was forced to grow up much faster than the kids his age.

"What are you saying, I'm not running away. It's just... I finally found peace, not with the world, but with myself." said Edward smiling contently.

Nick saw it. That face was the old face he saw the first time he met Edward. In the almost abandoned landscape of Raccoon City. The face that still had hope for the unknown future. The face that said, "I'm fine and happy."

Nick then chuckled, it seemed his worry was unneeded after all.

He then said, "Well then, if you say so."

The aircraft picked up its speed, leaving a long trail of the white line, splitting the night sky in half. In the end, this line would become blurry and vanish after a few minutes. However, the memory of it once existing is still there. Even if Edward and Nick didn't see the existence of this line, you did.

======

Continental Hotel, New York Branch.

Although the mercenaries and assassins would stop by the Hotel to restock and taking up missions, the hotel bar was still the number one spot frequently visited either get wasted or built connections with others.

It was lively, but not loud enough, maintaining the elegance and their status among the commoners, which was quite questionable why some merc for money take good care of it.

However, among these pretentious criminals, one single guy stood like a sore thumb at one of the VIP tables in the corner. Everyone maintained a clear distance from him, wanting nothing to do with him. His unkempt beard and long hair were trimmed, making him look a bit younger than his actual age.

He took a sip of the whisky in his glass and prepared to leave. It was then that a waiter rushed through the mob and whispered a word to him, delivering a message.

"Really?" muttered John Wick.

He received a card from the waiter, who then proceeded to leave as fast as he came. John pondered for a few minutes while glancing at the card on the table. It was an order, an excommunicado. However, this time it involved one of the members of the High Table.

Suddenly, another waiter rushed his way toward John. Noticing the waiter, John couldn't help but ask, "I just accepted it, did he died already?"

"No, it wasn't about the order, sir. Someone is coming looking for you." reported the waiter.

"I already told you, I don't want anyone to bother me tonight," complained John.

"But Sir..." the waiter was sweating profusely when a voice interrupted him.

"What is it with this high-class treatment? Did you hit a jackpot in the lottery?" asked the voice owner. It was a bit muffled because he was wearing a pitch-black glass helmet.

"Killswitch?"

"No, it's your mom," replied Edward, sarcastically, while taking a seat next to him.

The waiter took his leave when he realized there's no need to explain anything anymore. It was just that the identity of these two 'gentlemen' wasn't as gentle as it sounds.

"Back so soon? I thought you don't want to meet me anymore," said John. After that last meeting, John actually didn't know how to face him. He then asked, "What is it now?"

"That shit about honor and whatever the fuck the rest is." Edward still didn't believe in the honor that a mercenary should uphold. And not only that, he didn't understand what honor can do to help him. All a mercenary should think about is reputation and clients, without one of those, it would be hard to stay in this line of work.

"So you still don't get it," muttered John, feeling disappointed.

"That's why. Give me one more try," said Edward abruptly. It caught John off-guard, he didn't expect that the reason Edward came tonight was to ask for another chance.

"I couldn't see it the last time. The thing that you want to say, that you want to say. Let me do it properly now." said Edward, bowing to him. It was not a sign of submission, but a show of genuineness and honesty.

John might not see it, but he could hear the sincerity in his tones.

He grabbed the card on the table and put it in his pocket. At the same time, he took out three cards and laid them on the table.

"Remember, what I'm giving you was not a chance, but a choice. Whether you take it or not, it's all up to you. Whether you do it right or not, it's up to you. So, believe only in what you think is right, and don't let others swaying your choice. Because in the end, everything would return to you." said John, giving his last advice, for tonight.

Edward kept his eyes on the three cards. 'A right to choose, is it?' thought Edward.

His hands moved, moving close to one of the cards.

======

He stood in front of an unfamiliar door, in an unfamiliar building. His target is behind this door, he didn't know anything about the target, only that she's a female in her early twenties.

Edward closed his eyes and see through the wall surrounding him. He could 'see' everything. The cat lady on the top floor, the small family behind him, the lovebirds under him, and the girl who was staring at the wall in the room in front of him. But that was not the only thing he saw.

Edward stretched his arm and forcefully opened the locked door. He broke the handle with his hand. What greeted him was not the figure of the frightened girl, but the rotting smell all around the room.

"It's much worse than I expected," muttered Edward.

The room was littered with all kinds of garbage. Rotting food trays, pizza boxes, empty bottles, tissues, plastic bags, paper bags, everything that you can imagine, rotting and decaying. There were also some mushrooms growing on one corner of the room.

As Edward moved through the piles of garbages, the frightened girl was edging toward the corner, looking fragile and brittle.

'Is this the girl that was threatening my client?' pondered Edward.

While looking around the room, Edward found bits and bits of her information. Her name was Emily Beresford, a countryside girl who studied at a university in Queens. No photograph of a father, only mother. Her state seemed to be not as threatening as his client described, but it didn't mean Edward would lower his guard.

"Emily?" called Edward. What followed was a plead for forgiveness from her.

"I... I'm... sorry. I will leave, and won't ever come back. So please... leave me alone." said Emily.

Something didn't add up. The mission this time was to take her and send her to the client. From the description, she was supposed to be a dangerous entity. If it was the old him, he wouldn't hesitate and just bring her to his client with no question asked.

'What is John trying to say?' pondered Edward for a minute.

There was an awkward silence, but finally, Edward came to a decision. He took a nearby stool and sat before her.

"Emily, is it? Can I ask you something?" asked Edward. The girl couldn't see Edward's face, although suspicious, she still nodded. She already expected it, and there's no way of resisting.

"Do you know, Bobby Faguini? Son of Alfred Faguini?" asked Edward.

Hearing the name, the girl squirmed and throw up. 'It seemed her trauma kicked in.' thought Edward. At least now he understands that the problem didn't lay in her.

Edward sighed and just sat there, waiting for the girl to recover. He didn't plan to say anything or taking her for the time being. He just waits.

The girl was confused at first, but still, she didn't give any response or said anything. She just sat on her bed, looking at the wall behind Edward.

Having nothing to do, Edward decided to clean all the mess in this apartment. But he didn't know where to start. There were tons of garbage all around him. The amount was just too much, the girl might have shut herself for months inside this cramped apartment.

It might have been hard cleaning all of this by himself, but Edward has his own way to cheat it. He just crouched and spread his hands, and everything it touched would vanish in the next moment, like magic. '

Having spatial storage is really a blessing.' thought Edward.

It would not take a long time for him to finish, and the girl finally moved his eyes from the empty wall to the boy that was cleaning her room. She saw him hanging the painting that fell on the floor. She saw him, wiping the stain on the wall. She saw him crushing the bottles and cans and make them vanish. She saw him working his ass up just to clean the mess she made all this time, while she sat there, depressed and broken.

Of course, Edward wasn't merely cleaning it just because he had nothing to do. He wanted the girl to open up by showing that he's harmless.

As Edward turned on the light, a soft voice interrupted him, "Why... are you doing this?"

Edward didn't bother to turn around and keep cleaning until everything shines.

"How did it happen?" he asked.

The girl was quiet, she didn't know what to do or what to say. But, somehow, her mouth moved by itself. "It was two years ago..."

She then started to explain her little story. He met with Bobby Faguini, Edward's Client when she started attending college. At first, they were just friends and all, they would spend time together, but there was always someone around them at that time.

One night, drunk and unconscious, Bobby offered to take her home in his car. But, instead of going home, he took her to a hotel. She couldn't remember how she got there. The moment she woke up, both she and Bobby were naked with each other on top of the bed.

She struggled, of course, but it was then that Bobby confessed to his love. Because of the heat of the moment and the booze she gulped, Emily couldn't refuse him as she also secretly held a feeling for him. As the night ended with both in each other's arms, days and weeks passed.

She got pregnant. It felt unreal, she couldn't think at all. Confronting Bobby who she couldn't reach for the past weeks after that night and a few more after, he said something that completely baffled her.

"Abortion, you do it," he said.

Hearing it, Edward felt a surge of anger coming from inside him. He didn't say anything and keep listening to her story.

There's no trace of passion and love that she felt that night. It felt empty. The girl hesitated, and honestly, she didn't want to abort the kid in her stomach. The guilt she felt for killing the unborn child was too huge for her to bear, and she wasn't ready for it. So, she decided to confront Bobby one more time.

However, before even meeting him, she heard Bobby and his friends' vulgar chatting. He told her how it felt when he fuck her body when he gave her an empty promise just to rile her up. Saying that the only thing good thing in her was her body. That he was just using her.

She couldn't remember what happened after that. Before she knew it, she woke up on a bed in an unknown clinic. The doctor said that the abortion was successful without any problem.

She went home just like that, but when she closed the door behind her, she burst into tears. Not because of him, but because of the unborn child she lost because of her short temper.

The floor cracked, Edward tried to hold the rage inside him. 'is this what you want to show me?' asked Edward, toward no one in particular.

"I'm ready..." muttered the girl, snapping Edward out of his thought. She added, "before that, can I call my mother for the last time? She might be worried, thinking I haven't eaten properly the last few months."

Edward dropped his head, looking at the now clean but cracked flooring. Bobby Faguini's father, Alfred Faguini was a member of the High Table, she planned to run for a Mayor candidate next week. He ordered his son to clean his mess first so that there's no problem coming to him in the future.

As a future member of the High Table, Bobby understood what it means. No loose ends. That's all. So he started with Emily.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," said Edward.

"It's okay, I already expected it," replied Emily while smiling helplessly.

An hour later...

Both Edward and Emily stood side by side in an old warehouse near the harbor. Bobby Faguini and his rows of thugs stood at the opposite side, the car's light blinded both Edward and the girl, barely seeing the face of the client.

"Killswitch! You're fast. I thought it was just a rumor, but you're really as capable as they said." commended Bobby.

"My payment?" asked Edward.

"Whoa, hold on... Your job hasn't ended yet, let's save it for later."

"My job is only to take her to you."

"Yeah, well, it also said you will do anything for me before the sun rises," said Bobby, smiling cheekily. "Now let me see my girl."

Bobby walked step by step, moving toward the frightened Emily. She hid behind Edward's small body, but Bobby just shoved Edward out of his way and grabbed her by the hair.

"You bitch, I miss your plump body," said Bobby, grabbing her chest. Emily didn't resist and let him do what he wants. Tears could be seen flowing down her cheeks. "Before I end you, let's savor this night a little bit more."

Edward didn't turn around and had an inner conversation by himself. Well, that's what the others thought.

"Regina. What's the punishment for breaking a contract?" he asked.

[For the first time, every single Mercenary Points you had will be deleted. Everything that you gained through Mercenary Shop will be returned. You will be banned from using any Mercenary Features for three months.] explained Regina.

"What's after that?" asked Edward, wondering if there's nothing left.

[No need to worry, Sir.]

"Good." muttered, Edward. Throughout the 'conversation' Bobby's goons were confused by Edward's monologue. Bobby himself was too busied with enjoying his moment that he didn't aware that the wolf was staring at him, hungry.

"Emily. Do you have anything that you want to do?" asked Edward.

Although confused, Emily replied, "I want to meet my mother."

"And then?" asked Edward.

"And sleep while hugging her."

"And then?"

"Have breakfast with her."

"And then?"

"Take a walk with her."

"And then?"

"Watch her grew old as I sat by her side."

"And then?"

"Watch... as this bastard die a gruesome death," muttered Emily. Bobby who was ignoring the small commotion that Edward made felt enraged by her words.

"Good," muttered Edward.

"You bi—"

BANG!

A bullet drove through Bobby's knee, the pain came in late as he started to grimace and screamed.

"Aaaaaaaarrgghh!!!!"

His goons were flustered by the sudden gunshot, they then saw the gun in Edward's hand, leaving a trace of smoke.

"What the fuck are you doing!! Help me!!" yelled Bobby, snapping at his goons.

Finally, they took out the guns strapped in their waist and inside their clothes. But Edward didn't let them do whatever they want. He also ignored the red notification popping in front of his face. And started blasting.

BANG! BANG!

"12,11."

Two died with a bullet each drilling their forehead. Two guys approached him with knives in hand, but as always, it's wrong to bring a knife in a gunfight. But Edward ignored them and instead used them as his shield and cover. Of course, that's after drilling a bullet each into their brain.

"10, 9."

He threw the first corpse toward a guy who was taking out an AK from the trunk, smashing him to the wall. The second corpse, he used it as a shield to cover him from the barraging bullets. He might be fine without it, but who knows if stray bullets are aiming at Emily. He wouldn't take the risk.

Without even stopping even once, he finished them one by one.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

"8, 7, 6, 5, 4."

The last three tried to flee, escaping with their ass in different directions.

"Reinforcement... Curve Bullet."

BANG!

With a single bullet that moved in a circular pattern, he ended all three of them. Now, what's left was the pathetic brat.

Emily witnessed everything, although scared she didn't falter even for a bit in front of Edward. All she could see now was hope, in front of her. Her savior is here, and he came with a gun.

"You know... I lost a lot of points tonight, so let's make it worth a little bit more," muttered Edward toward the crawling Bobby who couldn't walk properly after his left knee cap was completely broken. Edward started smiling devilishly, as he crushed another knee cap.

Crack!

"GUAAAHHHCKK!!"