“You think you can just quit? Do one job for our group and call it a day? It doesn’t work like that, mate.”

Cerrekk’s eyes were gummed shut with blood. He knew he was being held upright by some ‘roided up freak of nature with a large gun, but beyond that he was virtually oblivious.

But even he knew there was a third man. Cerrekk, his attacker, and another figure moving in the background. He was amazed that the gunman hadn’t noticed.

A click as his tormentor removed the safety, and a hum as the gun began to charge. Cerrekk felt it press against his head, felt the cold of the metal that was slowly becoming warmer as the plasma core prepared to discharge.

“No such thing as a happy ending,” said the assassin.

“You’ve been going to the wrong massage parlours-” Voln snapped the man’s neck with one hand- “mate.”

Cerrekk wasn’t in a state to appreciate the expression that crossed the assassin’s face, but he could have imagined it. And that’s why he and Voln were even… for the moment.