The dimly lit street light flickered as Darragh walked by it. The air of the slum was cold and filled with smog. He heard a gunshot off in the distance followed by a chilled scream from a women. This place wasn’t suited for most people, but it was home for Darragh. Everyone in the slums either killed or were killed. Darragh wasn’t planning on dying soon.

He continued walking down the debris ridden street towards his destination. He glanced up at a worn sign reading “Wayward Ave” and turned right down it. His pace quickened as he started down the road. He stopped just before the fire escape ladder in front of the place he thought he would never go to again. However, in the city of Danvel, Darragh had to survive somehow. As his hand approached the hard wood door, he quickly glanced to either side to check for any possible followers. He knocked twice, then waited a second and rang the doorbell.
Inside he could hear the jumbling of a man moving towards the door followed by the movements of many locks. The door squeaked open and the man stood there with a smirk on his face.

“I knew you would eventually come back. There’s nothing else for you in this blasted city,” he said.

“Shutup Vale.”

The man laughed loudly to himself. “Don’t think you’re all tough now just because you’re a ‘politician’.”

“Was,” Darragh explained.

“You always screw up don’t you. Its probably better that way so I can have a good income once in awhile. I’m assumin’ that’s what yur’ here for right?”

“Of course. Why else would I come see you?”

“Cause I’m yur’ best friend!” Vale continued to laugh hysterically and Darragh looked at him disgusted. But he knew without Vale right now he would be dead by the next week.

“Alright lets just get down to it Vale.”

“Ok come on in.”

Darragh walked in and noticed that nothing had changed since he had last visited. Beer cans littered the piss stained carpet and there was still a stench of molded cheese. The television still sat crooked atop of a uneven log and the single couch was just as lumpy. There was still the same metal door in the back that he had never seen inside. “Here take a seat.” Vale said while motioning him to a folding chair next to a old chess table.
“You got any politicians this time? In particular, Patrick Claus.”
“Um, I think so,” he looked under the coach he was sitting on and pulled out a clump of papers. He shifted through them a while and then he found it.“Here ya go,” Vale said as he handed the papers to Darragh. Darragh got up out of the folding chair and walked towards the door.
He turned around towards him and said very sympathetically, “Hey, Thanks Vale.”
“Happy hunting.”
Darragh left the house and took a seat up against the wall. He opened the papers and studied the contents to figure out where Patrick lived. According to the papers, he also lived on Wayward Ave but two miles west of Vale’s house. With the information was a blueprint of the apartment complex that Mr. Claus lived in. He lived in the penthouse which had a balcony extruding off the edge of the building.

Darragh jumped up, grabbed the fire escape ladder, and pulled it down. He started to ascend up the ladder until he reached the top of the slums. Then, he started running across the top of the slums until he reached the high-class zone of Danvel where Patrick Claus and his penthouse estate resided.
He studied the architecture of the tower for a while so that he could figure out a way to the penthouse three floors higher than where he was. Darragh noticed a pattern all the way up the building. There was a pipe that stuck out of the brick wall to the side of the windowsill on every level the went up to the next story.
He got a running start and then jumped to the tower. He barely grasped the edge of the windowsill with his hands, then he started to ascend to the balcony. He swung his arms around the pipe and made his way to the next floor. He continued this two more times until he reached the base of penthouse level but he didn’t realize earlier that the pattern ended here. So he scaled the brick wall by sticking his fingers in the crevices between the bricks and pulling himself up until he reached the balcony.
Darragh climbed over the balcony very quietly but when he turned around Patrick was right behind him on a couch. “ Hello Darragh.”
“Good Evening Mr. Claus. Nice night isn’t it.”
“Indeed it is. Just wondering, um, why didn’t you just use the elevator?”
“I had to make it look like I was going to try and kill you, in case someone was watching.”
“That’s pretty smart of you, but completely unnecessary. Is that door in the back still bolted shut?”
“Yeah it was. When are you going to tell me what's behind it?”
“You will know when its open.”
They went down the elevator and started to walk down the street. They made it to Vale’s place and just as before, Darragh did the secret combination to get in.
The door opened and as Vale saw Darragh he said, “Back already? You get it do-”
“Not exactly,” Patrick interrupted as he revealed himself to Vale.
“What is HE doing here?” Vale questioned as he pointed at Patrick.
“As you may have noticed, there has been a change of plans,” Darragh said mischievously.
“Where’s the key to the door?!” Patrick yelled impatiently as he pulled out his concealed handgun and pointed at Vale’s acne-covered forehead.
“Its right here,” Vale said as he pulled it out of his back pocket. “Just please don’t kill me.”
Patrick walked over to the door and Darragh followed. He put the key in the lock and the door opened. As soon as it opened, Patrick turned around and shot Vale in the stomach.
“What are you doing?! I thought you said you wouldn’t hurt him!”
“He isn’t needed anymore, and neither are you.” He turned to shoot at Darragh but he tackled him. They wrestled on the ground and Darragh punched him the stomach. He got up to go pick up the gun when Patrick was immobilized but he got up and pushed him into the wall. Patrick picked up the gun and fired at Darragh but he dodged out of the way. Darragh then picked up a knife off the kitchen counter as Patrick was getting positioned for his next shot. He threw the knife and it impaled in between his his eyes.
Darragh, exhausted, walked over to Vale and asked, “Are you alright?”
“Ya I’m fine,” there was an awkward silence, “Why did you betray me?”
“I don’t know. I guess the lifestyle of a politician intrigued me, but I’ve realized I’m meant to be here working with you.”
“Hey at least you still get your pay for getting the job done!” They both laughed.
Darragh went over to the door and locked it shut. “I don’t need to know what’s in there. I trust you and I think its better if I just don’t know.”
“Thanks man, yur’ a true friend.Ya ready for your next target?”