Gunslinger Girl: The Cross and the Crescent

[FreddyCast]

Ok, so to give you a bit of the background, this story is based on the Gunslinger Girl Anime. But this is a whole new universe, completely different from the anime. So all those awesome little assassins Henrietta, Triela, Angelica, Rico, and Claes, don't exist in this story. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this story. I don't know if I'll continue this story, but if lots of people like this, then I'll consider focusing on this story.
Oh, and I'm back. For who knows how long, before I return to the shadows LOL.
Anyways, enjoy the story.

Chapter 1- The Vagabond

(In the outskirts of a middle-eastern town lies a man within a vacant rundown room on the second floor. The vagabond man puts his back to the wall and spies through the open window. He sees a group of trucks carrying militant men armed with AKs and hiding their faces with bandanas. The man observes a few of these trucks carrying what appear to be captive women, and one truck in particular carries a small coffin-like wooden container with black-painted Russian markings.)

Vagabond: And just what are you hiding there, I wonder? (The man looks back at the torn piece of paper that he holds in his hand. It reads: “Follow the targets and destroy their ‘special’ cargo”)

Vagabond: I assume that this ‘special cargo’ is the wooden crate with those Russian letters.

(He crumples the piece of paper, takes out his lighter, and burns it. He drops the paper to the ground as the fire consumes it to ashes.)

Vagabond: Anything that’s from Russia is never good.



(The man grabs his rifle and carries it on his back. Then he looks outside to make sure it’s clear and goes out the window, climbing on top of the roof. He keeps low as he jumps from one concrete rooftop to the next in order to keep up with the militant group of trucks. The trucks arrive at an abandoned mosque and park themselves around the front of it. The armed men take their captives and the wooden crate inside. The vagabond jumps on top of the mosque and sees a hole which appears to have been made by multiple gunfire shots. In fact the surrounding area shows signs of a gunfight in and around the mosque and the adjacent buildings. The vagabond peeks through the hole and sees even more armed men inside with what appears to be a sheikh giving a sermon in Arabic)

Sheikh: Our prophet taught us in Sura 4:24 that wedded wives of other people are forbidden to us except those who have fallen in our hands as prisoners of war. (The sheikh sees armed men come in with the captives) Ah...and here are they whom our right hand possesses.

(They lay the captive women down against the wall near the sheikh and put the wooden crate next to him.)

Sheikh: My brothers, here is the abomination which will win us this war. Here lies the weapon that will end this fighting once and for all.
(Back on the roof of the mosque, the vagabond gets up to his feet)

Vagabond: I guess that confirms it. That’s the ‘special’ cargo. Alright then... (The man puts on a high-tech vision goggles, drops various smoke bombs through the hole and equips his rifle. He runs to the front of the mosque and jumps off, landing on one of the trucks as the smoke bombs go off inside.)



(The few armed men outside are caught by surprise and the Vagabond quickly shoots them with his rifle and are electrocuted by the ammo. More armed men come out the mosque coughing and trying to figure out what just happened, but are quickly incapacitated by the vagabond’s rifle. One of them sees the vagabond tries to quickly aim his AK-47 at him, but is immediately unarmed by a thrown knife that pierces his trigger hand. The Vagabond moves swiftly towards him and knocks him out by the butt of his rifle. As the Vagabond enters the mosque more militants are moving about within the smoke trying to find the intruder, but the Vagabond comes behind them one by one and disarms them. He lands a knockout blow to the face on one, chokes another to sleep, and strikes the other on his abdomen taking the breath out of him. He then comes to the captive women and cuts their restraints.)

Vagabond addresses the freed women: Go, take the back exit and follow the alley, then take a right and run until you come to the end of the street. You’ll find a building with a cross on the door post. The people there will take care of you.

Freed woman: شكرا لك. شكرا لك. شكرا لك. [Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.]

Vagabond: كنت موضع ترحيب [You’re welcome] Now go! (The women leave through the back.)

(The sheikh, unable to see in front of him because of the smoke begins to shoot everything in front of him. As the gunfire stops, the Sheikh shouts in fear.)

Sheikh: WHO ARE YOU? WHA...WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM US? (The vagabond’s voice is heard within the smoke)

Vagabond: It’s just you, sheikh! (The Sheikh fires some more in the direction which he believes the voice came from)

Sheikh: That’s not...possible. All of my men? What do you want fro...from me? (The sheikh stumbles back as he tries desperately to reload his rifle. The Vagabond’s voice is then heard from behind him.)

Vagabond: I want to destroy....(The sheikh turns around but his rifle is kicked out of his hand as the vagabond grabs him by the throat and slams him to the ground)....your Abomination!

Sheikh: khahkk! You killed my men..kahkh...I will avenge them.

Vagabond: You’re men...are still alive. You and your ilk are not my target.

Sheikh: What are you?....khakkkkha...(As the sheikh struggles to fight back, he is slowly choked unconscious.)

Vagabond: What I am....(he gets up and turns to look at the crate)...is none of your concern.

(He walks up to the crate and takes off the top. He aims his rifle at the object within the crate but is amazed by what he sees)

Vagabond:......It’s.....a child. (The child lies there peacefully, surrounded by white foam and straw. The Vagabond kneels down and lays his rifle to the side, and with his gloved hand brushes aside the hair hiding the child’s left eye.)

Vagabond: What’s a little girl doing here?

(Suddenly the little girl opens her eyes and looks straight up to the ceiling)

Little girl: вундеркиндом прототип XL001 онлайн [Prodigy prototype XL001 online]

Vagabond: Huh...little girl, are you alright. (The little girl moves her eyes to look at the Vagabond)

Little girl: Движение нарушено. Попытка восстановления [Movement impaired. Attempt recovery]

Vagabond: I can’t understand you. (The man raises her back and puts her in a sit-up position) Can you move?

Little girl: Оружие системы в автономном режиме. Попытка перезагрузки [Weapon systems offline. Attempt reboot]

(The little girl sees an armed man in the distance slowly approaching them)

Little girl: Неизвестный нападавший [Unknown assailant]

Vagabond: You must be speaking Russian...huh...

(The vagabond finally notices the armed man from the corner of his eyes and sees him pointing the rifle at the girl)

Vagabond: NO! (He throws himself onto the girl to cover her. He gets shot in the shoulder and right arm and the girl then falls back into the crate with the vagabond laying motionless on top of her.)

Little girl: Движение восстановлено [Movement restored]

(The little girl pushes the vagabond off her)

Little girl: Оружие системы онлайн [Weapon systems online]

(She gets up out of the crate, quickly transforms her right hand into a small automatic weapon, and shoots the gunman dead on the forehead.)

Little girl: нападавший устранены [Assailant eliminated]

(Her hand turns back to normal and turns to look back at the Vagabond who has recovered just enough to understand what occurred)

Vagabond: You stopped him. That’s good I guess. (They both stare at each other for a while)

Little girl: разрешение языковой барьер...в процессе [language barrier resolution...in progress]

Vagabond: Look, I’m not even going to ask what you are. Just...hmmph...(He gets up on his feet as he puts his hand on his wounded arm)....just tell me your name.

Little girl: My name is Ayala!

Vagabond: Ayala....Hi my name is....

Ayala: Neal Dietrich Bennet. Former Special Ops Forces. Code name: Vagabond. Last seen in the Middle East. Presumed MIA.

Vagabond: You...are not normal...thanks by the way, for saving us both....I guess I do have to ask you this. What are you?

Ayala: I’m...obsolete. Designated for termination.

Neal: Hmm...It seems your termination has been cancelled thanks to these rogue militants....(He rubs his forehead feeling a bit stressed.)...*sigh* Whatever you are now, you’re no longer my target. I won’t kill a kid, even if she is the Terminator.

Ayala: Your wounds! Do you need assistance?

Neal: Don’t worry, You and I aren’t so different. My body is self-healing, thanks to a few miracle doctors. See! (He shows his shoulder wound, which is rapidly healing itself) The bullets passed right through, so it makes it easier for the nano-bots to do their thing. (He smiles, but Ayala shows no emotion).
Ayala: I must return to my handler and be terminated. (Neal stunned by this quickly picks up his rifle, throws it on his back and runs to stop Ayala from leaving.)

Neal: Wait a minute, you want to be terminated?

Ayala: I’m obsolete. I...must go back.

Neal: Hah...Whatever you are, you’re not obsolete. How about you follow me? It’s dangerous for a little kid to be...uh...but then again, you’re dangerous as well, hahaha.

Ayala: Follow you? Are you my new handler?

Neal: How about you call me your friend. We should get going, before more of those rogues arrive. (Neal turns to walk towards the front exit, but sees that Ayala won’t move)

Neal: Do you trust me? (He extends his hand towards Ayala. She slowly but cautiously grabs his hand. Neal smiles at her and then moves forward as they exit the mosque together.)

end...

[FreddyCast]

Chapter 2- Daughters of Faith

(In a black night somewhere in a dark pathway midst in a maze of warehouses two armed men dressed in dark suits and strapped with militaristic gear run alongside the wall of a building. They stop at the entrance of the building and put their backs on the wall preparing themselves to ambush their target. The first man named Keith takes a peak at the crack of the entrance of the double doors and sees a man sitting on a chair with a laptop laid on a table next to him. Keith then turns and looks at the car parked outside and reminds him of a car he used to have.)

*Flashback*

Keith: Sweetie, stay in the car, please. Promise me you won’t leave this car, alright!

Girl: Dad, I’m not like mom, I’m not going to leave you. Trust me.

Keith: Right, I’m sorry sweetie. (He kisses her on the cheek) I’ll be right back. I just gotta get something from the store. I’ll be quick!

Girl: Ok! (The girl smiles cheerfully at her dad as he gets out the car.)

*flashback ends*

Corey whispers: Keith...Keith.

Keith: Wha?

Corey: I said, “You ready?”

Keith: Yeah, I’m ready. You ready, Corey?

Corey: I’m ready, but...(He raises his hand gun and checks his mag)...I only have one bullet left.

Keith: It’s alright. *reloads gun* I got us covered.

(They both burst through the double doors with their guns held forward taking aim at the man sitting on the chair)

Keith: IT’S OVER, SHANE!

Shane: *sigh*...(He takes the laptop and folds it closed)...It’s never over.

Keith: It is for you. (Keith and Corey slowly close in on Shane)

Shane: You might be right....I’m tired of this game. I’m tired of the lies. I’m tired of the betrayals...I’m just tired.

Corey: You’re not going to get away this time. (Corey circles in front of Shane in order to flank him)

Shane: You two have chased me for years, and for what? Nothing.

Keith responds in anger: Nothing?...YOU MURDERED MY DAUGHTER...She was all I had left.

Shane: Like I said, nothing.

Corey: You’re also charged with spying, stealing classified information, and destruction of government property.

Shane: I had no choice.

Keith: And just what did my daughter have to do with any of it? Huh...Tell me, WHY DID YOU KILL MY DAUGHTER?....LOOK AT ME WHEN I’M TALKING TO YOU.

Corey: Keith, please, this isn’t the time.

Shane: hah, I didn’t kill her.

Keith: I saw her car blow up in front of me. I left her alone when I should have....You killed her, I KNOW YOU DID.

Corey: The evidence shows you planting the bomb under the car.

Shane: Yes, I did....but what would any man do if their family was in danger?...(Shane turns his head halfway to look at Keith)...I had to.

Corey: What are you saying?

Shane: I’m saying the ones who hired me to kill your daughter, were the same ones who threatened to kill my family.

Keith: You lie!

(Shane looks at Corey and slides his laptop on the table towards him)

Shane: Open it up!...And look at your government’s work.

(Corey opens the laptop while still pointing his gun at Shane, and what he sees shocks him)

Corey: He...He’s right! These photos they’re his wife and sons.

Keith: They’re fake!

Corey: The source is from the CIA.

Shane: Keith, you and I aren’t so different.

Keith: Tch! Even if it is true, why my daughter? She was innocent.

Shane: Innocent? (Shane immediately gets up from the chair)

Corey: DON’T YOU MOVE! (Shane turns to face Keith)

Shane: No one is innocent....You know what I have learned. It’s that humans are inherently evil. You have to teach a child to be good to others and respect others, but you never have to teach a child to be selfish, or to lie, or steal,...or kill.

Keith: What are you getting at?

Shane: If you take a babies toy and he fights, he can’t do anything but cry, but put a baby’s mind in grown man’s body and he will straight up murder you for that toy.

Corey: What does that have to do with anything?

Shane: My point is what I said in the beginning, no one is innocent, ESPECIALLY your daughter. (Keith can’t hold back his anger and punches Shane in the face making him fall to the ground. He then points his gun at Shane’s head, intent at killing him.)

Corey: KEITH...(Corey goes over to restrain Keith)...not like this. He needs to be arrested and be put in trial. He’ll get what he deserves.
Keith: YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT MY DAUGHTER, YOU MURDERER (Shane pick’s himself up in the sit-up position and stays on the floor.)

Shane: hmhmhm *spits blood from his mouth* I know her more than you ever did...But let’s talk about you...Keith....You call me murderer, but tell me how many have you killed just to get to me?

Corey: What?

Shane: He hasn’t told you? Ha, tell him Keith, about the taxi driver who helped me escape thinking he was doing it for his country, but when you caught up to him...well, he’s not going to help his country anymore.

Corey: Wait, that was you who killed him, not Keith.

Shane: Is that what he’s been telling you.

Keith: SHUT UP!

Shane: How about the car that got in your way and you pit-maneuvered, killing everyone inside. That Car was carrying a family of 2 parents and their 3 kids.
Keith: I SAID SHUT UP! (Keith kicks Shane on the face)

Corey: KEITH. THAT’S ENOUGH! (He holds Keith back again.)

Shane: * Spits out blood again* Hahaha. Your closet is full of bones, Keith...But I know exactly what went through your mind when you killed those “innocent” people. You thought “As long as I don’t know who they are, my hands are clean and my mind is at peace”. Am I right?

(Keith looks at Shane with furious eyes, yet does not respond to Shane as Corey tries to restrain him)

Shane: Ha, your silence says it all. That was the same mind set I had when I attempted to kill you daughter. You and I are not so different after all.
Corey: How do you know all this?

Shane: I was there. Not like any of this matters anymore...My family is gone, my whole reason for living is gone. And your government, the very ones I worked for, doing their dirty jobs, are responsible for this.

Keith: ENOUGH OF YOUR LIES. (Keith breaks free from Corey and slams him to the ground)

Corey: Ahck! Keith, no!

(Keith walks up to Shane as he raises his hand gun toward Shane at point blank range)

Shane: You fool, you know nothing. Do what comes natural to you. You selfish, arrogant, HYPOCRITE.

Keith: My daughter can’t talk anymore....SO YOU CAN’T TALK EITHER.

(From outside the building a gunfire can be heard, and then silence....Then, back inside the building, Keith looks down at his chest and sees blood flowing slowly from it)

Keith: ....Corey.... (Corey is on the floor with his back on the floor, yet has his smoking gun nervously pointed at Keith. Shane looks on in astonishment at the turn of events)

Corey: I knew....I knew....And I turned a blind eye to it....I’m sorry Keith.

(Keith drops to the floor lays there motionless. Shane gets up to his feet and approaches Corey)

Corey: STOP! (Corey attempts to fire again, but he’s out of bullets)

Shane: Your gun is empty. (Corey get back up to his feet and throws a punch at Shane, but Shane grabs his hand and puts him under submission with his arm around Corey’s neck)

Shane: Keith, I want you to see this. (Keith sees from the corner of his eyes his partner subdued by Shane)

Shane: I thought I no longer had purpose to live, but your friend here revealed to me my true purpose.

Keith: Shane....d-don’t do this.

Shane: I must! I will destroy this country. I will burn this government to the ground. I will murder everyone involved. And my first act is to kill the best friend of Keith, the father of the person who killed my family.

Keith: What?

Corey: Let me go! Please!

Shane: Certainly! (Shane breaks Corey’s neck and Keith looks on horrified by what he has witnessed)

Shane: Thank you, Corey, for giving me this gift. (Shane walks up to Keith and picks up Keith’s gun)

Shane: Ironic isn’t it. This all started because I tried to kill your daughter, but your daughter instead killed my family.

Keith: But...she’s dead. (Shane clicks the gun and points it at Keith’s head)

Shane: Keep telling yourself that....You know I was never the bad guy in this story....You were.

(Suddenly, before Shane can finish off Keith, a bomb explodes through the ceiling and a slender figure enters through the hole. Bullets start to fly and Shane takes cover.)

Shane: Sorry, Keith. I’ll let you live a little bit longer.

(Shane opens a secret entrance under the table and escapes through it. As the smoke clears, the slender figure approaches Keith who is laying face first on the ground)

Keith: Who...(The slender figure then moves his body and examines his bullet wound on his chest. Keith however finally sees the figure clearly and is shocked to see who it is)

Slender figure: You’ll live.

Keith: K...Kaylee...you’re ali......(Keith then passes out)


(Neal and Ayala are walking on the side of a long road surrounded by nothing but a barren desert. As Ayala follows Neal from behind she begins to wonder where it is that they are going)

Ayala: Mr. Benet, do you know which way we’re heading?

Neal: Hmm, well we need to go north. Away from the mess we were in. If you’re asking where exactly north, well that...is more complicated. You see I wasn’t given instructions where I’m supposed to meet up with my employer. But since I, in a sense, failed my mission, I can’t exactly go back to my employer. I’ll most likely be hunted down and interrogated over what happened. Nevertheless, I can’t let them take you, so I’m going to visit a friend hiding somewhere up north in the woods of Ukraine.

Ayala: How do you know we’ll reach our destination?

Neal: Well, let’s just say, I walk by faith, and not by sight.

Ayala: What’s faith? (Neal stops and turns to look at Ayala)

Neal: You’re very inquisitive all of a sudden. But then, I’m not surprised. You and I just met not so long ago....Well, let’s see....faith is....trust. Trust in someone or something you can’t see now, but you know it’s there. And you fully trust in what it says and promises.

Ayala: I don’t understand. (Neal thinks for a moment as his eyes wonder to the ground and spots a small rock. He picks it up and shows it to Ayala)

Neal: You see this rock. This is me. Now watch. (Neal throws the rock up in the air.) The rock can’t see gravity, but it knows it’s there, and it trusts in gravity to always bring it back down to the ground. Even though the rock doesn’t know where it will land, it trusts in gravity to bring it down to where it needs to be. So it’s the same with me. I can’t see my friend, but I can trust that my friend will be there for me when I need her. So even though I can’t see where exactly I’m going, I can trust that my friend will appear if I just follow this direction. Does that help you understand what faith is?

Ayala: I’m not sure.

Neal: Hmm, do you remember when I said, “Do you trust me?” and you followed me. You put you’re faith in me, trusting in me to guide you.

Ayala: Yes, I did...But in truth I only came with you because my former handler is dead. I had no one else to follow and give me orders.

Neal: That’s ok, though remember I’m not your general, I’m your friend.

Ayala: Friend! (Neal nods his head and smiles)

Neal: Come on, we shouldn’t idle any further. (Neal and Ayala keep walking forward.)

end......