Holy Wars

[Gifted]

"Just be strong and survive for a few more years. I promise I'll come back for you." I took his hand, trying to comfort the boy and show him how serious I was. "I promise."

[Raven]

Kenny gripped her hand, and met her eyes. He was shaking slightly, and he nodded once. "I believe you. I'll make it."

[Gifted]

"You better." I replied. Then I felt the ambulance stop. "Oh shit, we there already?"

[Raven]

"Yeah, we weren't far... I'll see you when the time is right." Kenny seemed really hesitant to leave, but he couldn't stay, and he had to get home, so he hurried out and down the street towards his house.

[Gifted]

"Yeah... bye Kenny!" I sighed as the paramedics came to get me out of the ambulance. "Good luck."

I grinned at the memory. It had been awful, having to leave Kenny to Aaron like that, but Roseanne still needed him. I'd kept my word too.

Several years later, I began to watch him again, knowing the time was near. A few days after Adam OD'd and went to rehab was when I made my move. I insisted on going myself, with no one but Jacob for company. I went up to the large house and knocked on the door....

[Raven]

There was a shout from inside, and then the door was thrown angrily open. Aaron glared down at the woman on his step. His hair was a shade of black, and his forehead and neck were slightly stained bluish from the hair dye. He looked absolutely livid.

[Gifted]

"Good afternoon Aaron." I said coldly. "Jacob? Dispatch of him."
"Yes ma'am!" Despite my words, Jacob wasn't really planning on killing Aaron until I got the okay from Kenny. He was, however, planning on severely injuring the man. His guns were out in a flash and Jacob fired at Aarons stomach.

[Raven]

"What the hell??" Aaron asked, and in a flash he was across the room. "Who do you think you are? This is my house."

[Gifted]

"He moves fast for a guy who just got shot." Jacob nodded approvingly. "This guy'll be fun."
"Have at him Jacob. And as for your question, Aaron Villein, best friend Thane Chaze, ruler of a drug empire that spans the entirety of the city of Soudoyer, that has a really simple answer.

I'm God."

Jacob ran forward and shot his guns at Aaron. He was a loaner from the government, and he'd been trained to fight Gifteds, so he knew how to compensate for speed.
He fired both his guns simultaneously, but rather thanaim directly at Aaron he aimed so that each bullet would just barely graze his sides - if he stayed perfectly still. Gifteds didn't tend to stay perfectly still when shot at.

[Raven]

Aaron did not stay perfectly still when shot at, and the bullet struck him in the shoulder, narrowly missing his heart. He yelled in pain. "There is no such thing as god," he hissed, putting one hand to his shoulder and one to his stomach. He grimaced, and wisely stood still.

[Gifted]

Jacob kept his guns on the man but didn't fire again.He wouldn't until Kenny gave permission.
"Really?" I laughed. "Tell that to your son." I walked to the staircase I knew led up to Kenny's room and called up it. "Kenny!"

[Raven]

Kenny Clark knelt next to his window, as he did every night at that time, despite the pain in his knee. His hands were clasped in front of him, and a small cross hung around his neck, though he knew Aaron would take it and beat him for being a gullible idiot if he found it. He wasn't even sure if the woman he'd met had anything to do with the Christian god, but it was the principle that counted to him. It helped him remember what he was still there for, and why he was waiting. "There's a girl I've spoken to a few times. Her sister does drugs. It's nice, being able to have someone who understands, and being able to be there for her in return... Do you have anyone to talk to? It seems like it would be awfully lonely being a god..." His eyes snapped open as he heard the voice. That was not Aaron's girlfriend. He slowly pushed himself up and limped towards the stairs. For a second, he just stared at Gifted. Had that really been the voice he thought? He started down the stairs, hesitant and hopeful at the same time.

[Gifted]

"We're leaving." Tilting my head slightly away from Aaron so he couldn't see my face in profile, I lifted the mask I'd begun to wear for my own protection and grinned at Kenny. "Sorry I took so long. Just, you know... Roseanne."

[Raven]

Kenny grinned. "I completely understand now. I knew you'd be back." He didn't even notice the two men standing not so far away. He bowed his head to her. "Lead the way."

[Gifted]

"Oh," I figuredI'd mention it before it alarmed him. "And the boy holding your dad at gunpoint was trained from before he could walk by the government to assassinate gifteds and can handle all manner of gifts on his own, including super speed. I'm blackmailing the government and he's a loaner. That's the nice thing about knowing everyone, you have all the higher-ups dirty laundry. Anyway, don't freak out that the only thing holding your dad is a kid with a gun. Jacob has it covered."
"Can I kill him now?" Jacob said, frustrated.
"Jacob, have a little tact." I scolded.
"Maybe in my next version."
I sighed. "I normally have scumbags like him who I know aren't going to get any better executed, but I told Jacob no this time. I wanted to check with you first, since he's your dad. If you want me to spare him I'm perfectly fine with that."