The store was just ahead. The windows were dirty, caked in a layer of dust and grime that would not be cleaned. It made it hard to see within the store as the inside radiated a bright orange light. It sat wide open, perched on top of the hill as they approached. Ralphie looked behind him to see his hotel towering over the skyline. It was eerily bright as the light pollution from the nearby cities made it seem as if sunrise was coming.

  There was a mention inside the store before a shot rang out from the store, shattering the glass window. The bullet flew past Ralphie and The Man. The man's eyes grew wide as he grabbed Ralphie and pulled him behind a rock. The rock sat a couple of feet off the sidewalk, but was flat enough that they had to press their backs into it to avoid being shot.

  The man chuckled to himself, “Louzy shot,” he muttered. Then, like a puppy dog, he popped his head out from the side of the rock. “I see them there. You got a clean shot at them.”

  Ralphie's heart began racing, adrenaline pumping through him; he popped around the rock, firing shot after shot, the metal shards flying back towards the gun. He wasn’t afraid of running out of ammo, so he kept firing.

  The man looked at the gun with contempt and a little joy. “What a weapon.” Ralphie fired his last shot; the barrel of the gun was red hot, enough to burn flesh.

  “What did you say your name was again?” The Man asked.

  “Ralphie,” he responded, still peering into the store to make sure that he had gotten them all. Another shot rang out from the store.

  The man lunged at Ralphie, pulling the gun from his hands before he aimed it into the store, firing two shots. The sound of two men crying out in pain could be heard from inside the store. Ralphie looked up at the man, impressed and even more curious about who the man was.

  He walked closer to the store, peering through the broken window before firing off two more shots. Silencing the howls coming from within the store. The man pointed the gun at Ralphie for a second before he flipped it around, handing it to him.

  Ralphie looked at him cautiously. The man looked old, but he was surprisingly fast. “Thanks,” Ralphie said.

  They entered the store, the shattered glass crunching against their shoes as the shards buried themselves in the soles. Two men lay at the entrance of the door, each in a pool of blood.

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  A squeaky voice called out from behind the counter, “You fuckers better not start shooting.”

  The cashier popped out from behind the counter, holding a pistol in his hands, aimed at the man and Ralphie. “I told those last fuckers that they better not cause any trouble, but they took over this store, waiting in here for about an hour. I was a bloody hostage.”

  The man then pointed at Ralphie. “Then youse came in your nice clean clothes, and they started shooting. For no good reason.”

  “Who were they?” The Man asked.

  “Bounty Hunters, MindHunters, Puppets, I don’t care who they were, but they didn’t talk. But now I’m going to have to clean up all this blood on the floor. Oh, and you're paying for a new window.”

  “Don’t worry, I will pay,” The Man nodded before walking down the aisles. The store was filled with large metal cabinets that, when open, held a series of different snacks.

  “You said your last name was Studd, right?” The man asked Ralphie.

  Ralphie picked out several bags of chips, slinging the gun over his shoulder so he could carry all of them before looking over at the man nodding.

  The man's eyes never stopped looking at Ralphie. “I can help you find your parents,” the man said. Ralphie dropped the chips, looking up at him. “Who are you?” Ralphie demanded. The man pulled up a mask from underneath his shirt. It was the masked man. Ralphie pulled out the gun, aiming it at him.

  “You’ve been following us this entire time. Why?”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa, fellas, for the love of decency, please take it outside,” the cashier said, raising his gun, pointing it at Ralphie.

  The masked man put his hands up in the air, “You're quite jumpy. Not very trusting. It’s a good trait to have, since your father was the same way. ”

  Ralphie lowered his rifle, not taking his eyes off the man. “How do you know my father? Are you with the spades?”

  “No, although I am sometimes in contact with them. I am more of an independent player. But your father, we were close friends.”

  “I don’t believe anything you say,” Ralphie muttered.

  The man’s breath was cold and wispy; each breath was drawn out. He let out a sigh, “I wouldn’t want to believe me either, but I remember my sister, from before she was a puppet. I tried to kill them when I found out, but ended up almost killing myself. They burnt my house down and threatened to kill everyone I knew. I guess at that time I welcomed death, but for some reason I escaped.”

  “Why are you telling me this?” Ralphie said the gun lowered to his side. “I don’t care about your sister. How do you know about my parents?”

  The masked man looked Ralphie in the eyes, “You should care, because my sister was your mother.”