PART 1

"Do you enjoy violence?"

Thomas laughed, not quite meaning it. "I'm not fond of it."

"You should be."

"No. I don't think so."

"You have a bad attitude, if you ask me."

He didn't have to tell Thomas twice. Thomas didn't have a bad attitude. Thomas had a good one. In fact, Thomas had one of the finest that the world had to offer. Thomas was the kind of person who laughed at the misfortune of others. There was, and always had been, a place for Thomas in the universe, and Thomas would fight for it. And right now, the universe had a good idea of where to put Thomas.

When he asked if Thomas wanted to talk about the murder, his answer was terse.

"I don't care to discuss it."

"But you were angry."

"No." Thomas shook his head. "It wasn't my choice. The boy was going to kill his mother and then planned on himself. That's the end of it. I can't change what happened. I can't undo it. It's done. It's the end of it."

"What about justice?"

"What about it?"

"Isn't that what you are asking of me?"

"It's a concept." Thomas shrugged. "That's all."

"It sounds like a rather lofty concept for someone who enjoys violence. Wouldn't you say that you have violence and lust for it, that's all? That's what seems to run through your veins."

Thomas didn't rise to the bait. "I don't appreciate your implication that I'm into killing for the sake of it."

"If that's what it takes, you'll end up with quite a few bodies on your hands. And for you, I don't see that any of that is likely to be an end in itself. It's an unfortunate way to live. It's not a life worth living. You deserve more."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for starters, you need to wake up." He then reached into his coat and took out a revolver, "This is for you, by the way," and then he pulled the trigger.

BOOM!