One by one, the bursting sounds of doors being slammed open rattled through the ears of Melissa.

"Come on out if you're still alive. And if you're not..."

Watching with eyes wide, Melissa could do no more than witness as the black hair of Valerie was soon stained red as she violently swung her 9 iron straight through the skull of a lightly dressed zombie.

"Then stay dead."

Time seemed to slow down as the woman rushed through room after room, scavenging and searching every corner and every hiding spot before Melissa could even take the time to enter, at which the black haired woman merely passed by her with a grin.

"Are you going to let me do all the work, rich girl?"

This statement was whispered ever so quickly in the moment of passing before Valerie entered yet another room, after which the sounds of rendered flesh and crushed bones could be heard.

And yet in another few moments, the woman exited, more blood covering her entire body.

Then, passing Melissa yet again, who was frozen stiff in a combination of awe and terror, the woman let out another whisper with those sneering eyes.

"I suppose you're too used to letting your servants do everything for you. Isn't that right?"

With this, the woman entered yet another room, at which Melissa shook free of the icy grasp which she had been trapped in - only to realize that the blonde girl who stood next to her moments before had disappeared.

'Eh?'

'Where... did she-'

As she began to think this, Melissa heard the opening of another door behind her, turning around to witness something that she never would have expected from the normally timid girl.

She was entering a room on her own.

"Hey! Are you going to just-"

Melissa shouted out, yet the girl didn't seem to listen, filled with a resolve that perhaps exceeded mere determination.

'It's as if she's possessed... by a desire to succeed...'

Melissa quieted herself as she watched the girl step into the room fearlessly, in a manner which was far different than the murderous woman who rushed from one room to the next.

'I... shouldn't just let her go in alone.'

This was the thought that Melissa had as she stepped forward, gripping the putter in her hands as she forced her legs to move.

They were trembling.

Not just her legs, but her arms and every bone in her body.

The gruesome sight of an undead up close was enough to make her want to shrivel back in fear, yet even so Melissa was pushed forward.

Perhaps it was by the irritation which had been riled up in her by the woman.

'Maybe she even calculated this... what a crazy bitch she is...'

Her steps hastened, and Melissa soon found herself running until she was behind the blonde haired girl, who was standing deadlocked with a zombified woman before her.

"YOU IDIOT!"

Grabbing the girl by the back of her hair, Melissa dropped Celia to the ground as the blonde girl fell backwards, narrowly avoiding the scratch of the zombie.

"You fucking idiot!"

Slamming the putter in a downward motion straight through the head of the creature, Melissa was disgusted as a rain of guts covered her face.

Tears filled her eyes as she held in a gag, pulling back as she retook a defensive stance.

'Stay down...', she prayed as she panted, glancing down to the blonde girl who looked up to Melissa, then to the zombie - fear having returned to her expression.

"I'm sorry-"

"Stop fucking apologizing for everything."

At that moment, the zombie took a step forward.

Melissa held her breath as terror filled every inch of her body, traumatized yet standing firm in the face of the cause of such terror.

'Stay... please stay... right there...'

And then, with the gurgle of blood, the creature fell forward with a slam.

'Thank... goodness.'

Letting out a quivering sigh of relief, Melissa slowly looked down upon the girl, forcing an arrogant glare as she did everything she could to keep up her appearance.

"Instead of apologizing... why don't you produce results so that you don't have to apologize in the first place?"

"You say that... but you only killed one. Aren't you a little... high handed?"

Turning back, Melissa immediately sprung herself around as her ears were filled with the voice of Valerie.

"So... so what? I killed one, and prevented this idiot from dying for no reason. I've done more than enough."

"I suppose. Come on. It's about time we found some others... and it looks like they've found us."

It was at that moment that Valerie turned around, facing the end of the hallway which cut off to a corner.

And from behind that corner, numerous footsteps could be heard.

Dozens of steps, more than one could even guess as to how many people there were.

"Heh... I suppose that's about right. After all... he wouldn't die so easily, would he now?"

As Melissa and Celia turned themselves to the corner, they watched as a number of men in suits stepped forth with trained movements.

And at their head was an older gentleman, refined in every way.

On his knuckles were a pair of brass knuckles, and in his right hand he gripped a Baretta on his belt.

On the opposite side of his belt was a chain that wrapped around, connecting to a tool which appeared to be a miniature scythe.

And on his back was a sniper rifle.

The man wore a classy gray suit, and even though he appeared to be a walking armory he carried himself with every bit of elegance as he calmly strode forward, dozens of men following behind him with motions that perfectly matched his.

"Yakov."

Valerie spoke this name with a smile, gripping the pistol that she held at her side as she approached him with a sinister smile.

"Oh my... Valerie... to think that you are still alive after this mess... and with the other two as well... don't tell me that the Boss has already become a member of the undead."

"How would I know?"

With a smug reply, the woman and the man approached one another as tension filled the hallway, to the point where Melissa found herself unable to move.

As if she was wading through a viscous liquid that had solidified in place, not only Melissa but Celia and even the men behind the one known as Yakov seemed to freeze in their positions as the two titans seemed to press towards one another.

"How would you know? My... to think you would say such a thing when you were in his very room... haha... you wouldn't have killed him by any chance... would you?"

"And if I did?"

It was in an instant, too quick for Melissa to even follow the motions, yet as soon as the two had reached a certain distance from one another, their hands moved without restriction.

Each of the two now had a gun pressed up against their cheek as they glared into one another's eyes with murderous intent.

"Then I suppose... it would be my obligation to take my revenge for the sake of the Boss. After all... heh..."

The old man closed his eyes gently as the breeze seemed to make it's way through his hair, to which he opened his eyes without a shred of fear.

"I AM a loyal dog to the Stirling family. Nothing more... and nothing less. And if you have slaughtered the Boss... then you are my enemy."

"Lucky you."

Yet even while faced with such confidence, Valerie didn't budge an inch.

"It just so happens that I spared his life. After all... I too am nothing more than a dog."

Pulling away her gun, the woman's grin beamed as her cherry red lips were revealed to the man.

"Although to say I am loyal... haha... well, perhaps I'm nothing more than a mutt. After all, unlike you..."

Bang!

A bullet shot straight at the ground, narrowly missing the foot of the older gentleman, who didn't flinch in the slightest even at the provocation.

"I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to bite back at the one who tries to TAME me."

----

As if a hurricane met a typhoon, the two forces which seemed to swirl in opposite directions collided with an immense amount of energy.

"Your words border treachery... but if you did not kill the boss then I suppose I have no reason to slaughter you... at this very moment."

With a haughty yet elegant tone, the man known as Yakov spoke without retreat, stroking his luxurious grayed mustache as an arrogant smile tainted his expression.

"However... that is not to say that I will not eliminate you should I feel that you pose even the slightest threat to this organization... and its survival."

"I am a member of this organization too, you know? And the last time I checked... I am in a higher position than you."

The woman responded to the words of the man with a sly tongue, tying him up in his own loyalty.

"While that may be true... that is only because of the particular... preferences that the boss has towards his subordinates. At the end of the day, no matter what pedestal he places you upon... a whore is a whore."

With a grin, the man turned his back to the woman as he folded his hands behind it with confidence.

"You are nothing more than his plaything."

"Then what would that make you?", the woman responded - stopping the man in his tracks.

"I do believe I have already stated that."

With a chuckle, the man snapped his fingers as the rest of the men surrounded him, at which they all proceeded through the hallway, walking straight past the three women with fluent motions.

"I am his loyal dog."

Swiftly, the men walked past without making a sound, as if their very footsteps carried no weight to them.

"And it is the duty of a guard dog... to deal with anyone who threatens the master."

However it was at that moment, as the men approached the end of the hallway from which the women had come from, that the sound of a pair of footsteps could be heard from that direction.

Heavy, ruffled footsteps which carried not the slightest bit of elegance, yet at the sound of them each and every man and woman present straightened themselves up, realizing the situation which they were in.

Not a word was said, yet stepping forward with swiftness Yakov immediately held open the door, bowing his head reverently to reveal a large man who gave off the aura of a wealthy bastard.

"So you're all still alive, eh? Given the situation outside, I assumed that most of you would've already fallen... however I suppose my men won't lay down so easily."

With a smirk, the man stepped into the hallway as he took control of the room, not with any elegance but rather due to an overwhelming aura of power that he emitted.

Yet such power was not due to the weapons he held or the equipment he wore - but rather due to the overwhelming authority he held over each and every person present.

"Hey. This thing is getting pretty sweaty to wear. Somebody fan me."

"Understood, Sir."

Two men immediately took off their jackets, rushing over to the side of the man who now stood at the head of the group, smirking as he looked around with a lust for power.

The two men began to flap their jackets, fanning the man in a manner which required no resources other than the very clothes on their backs.

As if they were truly nothing more than his dogs.

"That's right... a nice breeze there... haha... if only I had some babes to do this for me... ah. But I suppose there are some."

The eyes of the man fell upon the three women who stood behind the group, and immediately all the men stepped out of the way to create a path, as if standing in the way of his gaze was a forbidden taboo.

The man immediately made his way through this path, scratching himself in an indecent manner as he bit down on his smile with his rotten teeth.

"Come now, girls. After all... we were in the middle of something before this thing all happened, right? Or perhaps you've decided to rescind the positions that you worked so hard for now that this world has changed?"

As the man walked forward, the expressions of the girls stiffened as they glared at him, however to this a fake smile came across the expression of the one known as Valerie.

"Of course not, Sir. After all... nothing has changed. Is that not correct?"

With a smile that plastered itself on the expression of the woman, betraying every aspect of true emotion like someone had painted it on her, the woman spoke these words.

"Heh."

With a chuckle, the man laughed with a nod.

"That's right. Nothing has changed. Except one thing."

Spreading his arms, the men around the man created room as the woman removed her jacket, making her way to his side as she fluttered it to cool him.

Following the lead of the black haired woman, Celia and Melissa soon found themselves doing the same as they worked tirelessly to ensure that the man before him was as comfortable as possible.

"The laws of this world are no longer in place. And without any laws... our organization is no longer BOUND by consequences."

Making his way over to a window, the three women followed him as they continued to fan him, not stopping for a moment as they did exactly as they were told.

For they were trapped.

"We no longer have to worry about pesky things like public opinion. How annoying it was... always having to cover things up if we made any mistakes... always having to worry about moles and rats... always having to worry about what would happen if everything were to go public... always having to cover up anything that leaked... always having to deal with those justice minded figures who dared to go against us... haha... they were fools, but annoying fools they were. How much money did they waste us every time they appeared? Ah..."

Pulling a cigar from his pocket, the man bit down in it as he tapped it with his finger, at which Melissa immediately pulled out a lighter from her pocket, assisting the man without question.

"But we always won in the end, didn't we?"

"Because at the end of the day... power wins everything."

Taking a puff of his cigar, the smoke covered the window as it was laced in the fog, blurring out the world below.

"Dictatorship.... democracy... none of that matters. The only thing that matters is to be on the side of the person in charge. But now that those people are gone... heh..."

Slowly, the fog faded from the window as the streets below once more came into sight.

"I suppose that leaves an open position for the taking."

----

'I should have used that bullet when I had the chance... but I suppose that will have to wait. After all...'

As she fanned the man with a flawless smile, Valerie glanced out the window towards the rotten world.

'There will be plenty of chances. But for now... heh...'

'Playing the loyal fool is the correct decision.'

'After all, I wouldn't want to give everything up after coming this far... like that woman did.'

Valerie watched as Melissa wiped the sweat off the forehead of the man with her handkerchief.

The three had immediately assumed the roles of servants, their demeanors completely different from how they had acted before.

'If we act carelessly then we will be ruined. This is the world we have always lived in... and it is the world which we will always live in. However I suppose the stakes are now... raised. But the fact of the matter is... this man is in charge. No matter how much of a fool he is... no matter how incompetent... if he has all the competent people backing him, then he can and will call the shots.'

Glaring around, the eyes of the black haired woman fell upon the one known as Yakov.

'Particularly that one. If it were not for him... then the man known as Gerard Stirling would be nothing more than a leech off his family and their success. As for how he obtained the loyalty of such a man... well, I suppose that is perhaps the one reason that he has obtained all this.'

Valerie knew nothing of how Gerard had met Yakov, however she knew that Yakov had been in the 4th branch of the organization serving Gerard for as long as she had been here.

'The brother of the current head of the Stirling family, founder of the Street Rats organization... a group who built up their reputation as the most powerful mafia group in Stronvardia after taking over numerous cities and gangs. The first branch is led by the young master and the 2nd and 3rd are led by his two brothers... the 5th is led by the current head... and the 4th by his brother... Gerard Stirling.'

Closing her eyes with a gentle sigh, the woman resigned herself to her current position as the man turned around and stepped forward, motioning with his hand for the three to stop fanning him.

'Very well then.', the woman thought as she followed the man from a distance, the other two taking their places at her side.

'You want us to be both competent and beautiful?'

'You want us to please you both during the workday and at night?'

With a sinister smirk that she hid from all view, the woman emanated an aura of craftiness as she followed behind this man, who was completely absorbed in his own power.

'Fine then.'

'I'll build up your world.'

"Hey, you two. Get in front of me. If there are any enemies, you can act as fodder if you're too incompetent to kill them."

Motioning to two men behind him, the two immediately took their places in front of the man without question as the group strode through the hallway in an organized manner.

"Understood, Sir."

"If we die, it will be nothing more than our own fault for allowing such a thing to happen."

"Regardless, we will ensure that you are protected - even if it means we have to give our very lives."

The men responded as such, like little robots that obeyed their creator without question.

And this put a smile on the face of the man who controlled them.

"As it should be.", he muttered. "First things first... we take back this hotel. Is that understood?"

"Yes Sir!"

With enthusiasm, the men responded as such, gripping their various firearms as they prepared themselves to fight.

The group proceeded to the stairway once more, heading down as they challenged whatever creatures may await them.

Celia seemed to be holding her breath as she followed, and Melissa glanced at Valerie with uncertainty, however she quickly puffed herself up as if to avoid showing any weakness.

However the woman with black hair instead continued to hide her evil smirk, plotting and planning all the while.

'I'll raise you to the very top of this world... I'll give you the best view on this entire planet.'

'Only to take it from you for myself.'