Chapter 232 - Scene : Annihilation
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Two lone figures stood, side by side in the night.
The slightly taller figure, dressed in his signature black suit, white shirt, and black tie while the other was in his dark leather jacket, pants, and white shirt.
"It's the last one," John said to his son, as both looked at the building in front of them.
"Yeah," Zenith said to his father, as he tapped his foot.
He thought of the events in the past month. It had been, to put it mildly, rather surreal. Pitting themselves against the High Table members was, seriously, an insane move.
Yet, it was the only move.
Having that bounty over their heads wouldn't give them any sense of peace. Previously, John kept on at it for he had the grudge and the anger of being betrayed. It was against the Code. He wouldn't back down and he had nothing to lose. Why should he just accept them trying to kill him?
Now, it was different.
Both had their own reasons to go against the High Table.
John now had a reason to go on living and he had to get rid of the threat over their heads. Well, he was also super p*ssed at them for constantly trying to get rid of him. Worse, the Adjudicator that agreed to the parley had betrayed him. Worst of all, they wanted to take his son away from him. So it was several reasons all rolled into one.
Zenith also wanted to break free from the organisation and the High Table's control. So long as they existed, he would never truly be free. Well, he was also super p*ssed at them for lying to him all this while. Worse, they had killed all his siblings in front of him. Worst of all, they put the blame on his innocent father. So, it was several reasons rolled into one as well.
The High Table was actually a council of high-level crime lords, each leading one of the underworld's most powerful organisations. Ultimate authority and was feared by all. Above the High Table, however, was an Elder.
A mysterious Elder that John actually did manage to meet to settle the situation but things got out of hand with the Adjudicator that the High Table had entrusted to assassinate John. After all that had happened, there was only one path to follow.
If you want peace, be prepared for war: Parabellum.
So war it was what they waged.
During the past month, they had systematically - with BK and a whole other load of people - began attacking and breaking down all the connections that they knew. Ideally, they wanted to get rid of all members of the High Table at the same time as that would minimise the danger.
One can only hope, but the reality is different.
The High Table members weren't stupid. Together with the help and sanctity of the Continental, some of them managed to evade the attacks. However, they couldn't keep hiding at the Continental.
Learning from the past experience, Zenith scoffed at his father's rather crude method of killing a guy and breaking the rules. One would be able to hide forever at the Continental ... so long as they had the funds. Cut those funds and the Continental would kick them out.
John found teaming up with his son changed his style. A little bit.
Both were rather ruthless and decisive in their kills but while John was more the 'all-action' guy, Zenith was more sly. If he could topple a person without lifting a finger, he would.
Some of the High Table members had actually been taken down by the authorities, despite the deep connections they had with them. Zenith had made use of the CIA and Interpol, planting evidence at times and even making bomb threats and making it as if the High Table member was involved.
Zenith managed to blow the matter out of proportion and out in the open that there was no way those under the High Table's power could avoid it. For above those connections was the President who ruled over them - and they had no power over him.
Right now, there were two more High Table members left.
The other one was being handled by BK. This one, by the father-and-son team.
John knew that what they were doing may not be the ultimate solution as the High Table members would simply be replaced. The whole cycle could happen all over again.
However, what was causing the problem right now were the current members. They were getting a bit out of hand. He would settle the future situation when it came. For now, the present, this was what they had to do.
"They'll be ready for us this time," Zenith said softly, tilting his head as he looked at the majestic building.
"As if that would really help them," John said, taking out his gun.
"You really should consider changing weapons, old man," Zenith said as he looked at John checking the gun.
Zenith took out the blades he had behind him, twirled it around with both hands before sheathing them again and said, "You can't run out of bullets with these."
John rolled his eyes. This was something Zenith constantly ribbed him about, "Everyone has guns with them. I never run out of guns to use."
Zenith snorted.
"And a knife just takes too long to kill," John pointed out.
"True," Zenith said, "If you weren't skilled."
John glared at him, Zenith looked at him nonchalantly.
"Really? You're saying that, to the man who killed a person in the library with a book?" John snorted, "Not forgetting two assassins with a pencil while being injured with a gunshot wound?"
"If you were truly skilled, you wouldn't have been shot at all," Zenith retorted, refusing to give in.
They continued their verbal insults as they continued to make their final checks. Truly, the past month of fighting together had bonded them in ways that they could never imagine.
"I never thought I'd die fighting side-by-side with the infamous John Wick," Zenith said.
"What about side-by-side with your father?" John replied with a smirk, recognising the quote from the Lord of the Rings movie.*
Zenith smirked as well, his expression mirroring John so well as he answered, "Aye, I could do that."
Both turned to look at each other, noted the similar smirks and grinned.
"What do you want to do after this is all over?" John asked, making a final check of his gun.
Zenith took out his own gun, replying, "Oh, I don't know. How about a barbeque?"
John looked at him, "Really? A barbeque?"
"What?" Zenith replied, checking the bullets and raised an eyebrow, "I feel like some meat. I'm still a growing boy, you know."
John sighed, "It's so much work to set it up and all ... how about the steak house?"
Zenith rolled his eyes, "Fine. If it's closed when we're done, then you're dead meat."
"Then we better make sure we do this quickly then," John replied.
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Zenith and John stood outside the door that would lead them to the final High Table member.
No longer were they all prim-and-proper like they had been before they entered the building. As expected, they were expected.
As expected, John and Zenith killed their way through.
Alone, John had been formidable.
With Zenith, they were like demons.
What the High Table had envisioned was true: John Wick and his son was a team that could not be beaten. Too bad they weren't working for them but working against them.
"The final boss, huh?" Zenith muttered, looking at the door.
His normally sleeked back hair was now messed up, yet somehow creating a more devastatingly handsome face. There were various wounds and cuts on his face and bloody slashes were seen across his chest.
"Looks like it," John replied, taking a deep breath.
Just like his son, he was also full of wounds
Yet, despite it all, they were still impeccably dressed. The outfits truly were magnificent, shouldering most of the shots aimed at them. Anyone who saw them would shiver.
They truly did look like the Devil and its spawn.
The Bearers of Death.
As they walked through the door, they were greeted by rains of bullets. Some hit them, but their bullet-proof outfits protected them. Didn't mean it didn't hurt, though.
John went to the left while Zenith went to the right, both shooting their respective targets.
Two men came rushing towards Zenith when his gun ran out of bullets, and Zenith threw the useless gun away. He knocked out the two gorillas that came with two consecutive roundhouse kicks to the head, causing them to flip backward and on the floor.
Without pausing, he gave a back kick to the throat to one who was trying to sneak in, while simultaneously stabbing another person in front of him in the gut. As that guy fell, Zenith stole the gun at the side holster and shot the two first guys in the head.
The fights were intense and long, the camera showing the speed of movements of John and Zenith. They used anything and everything that they could get their hands on, in order to kill their targets.
The lone High Table member that had been at one corner tried to escape in the chaos. However, he had underestimated the father and son team. Despite the fact that they were busy fighting, the moment that High Table member sneaked away, John fired a shot towards him.
It hit his shoulder, causing him to stumble but before he could right himself, his throat had a knife embedded in it. Zenith had thrown it.
The High Table looked at them, in shock, and fell down dead.
Once that happened, all the others stopped fighting, stepping back.
John and Zenith were shocked, but didn't attack. Instead, they stood back-to-back as they faced the remaining people in the room. Soon, a clapping sound was heard. Their heads whipped over to where the sound was coming from.
The people in the room went down on one knee, their heads bowed.
"What the f-" Zenith was about to say when John shushed him.
John also showed respect and Zenith, puzzled, followed suit.
"Elder," John said respectfully.
"Very good, John," the Elder said as he looked at them both, "Come here."
John did so unhesitatingly.
"You have done well," the Elder said, "You have proven yourself worthy."
Taking something from his robes, he indicated John to give him his hand and he placed something on it, "From this day forth, your status of excommunicado is revoked, and you are the new Second Elder of the High Table."
Zenith's eyes popped wide open.
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John noticed his son looking at something in the distance.
He glanced at what his son was looking at, noting that it was a very beautiful girl who was busy playing with her cat in her backyard. He swung an arm around Zenith's shoulder, saying in a teasing tone, "So you're quite normal, huh?"
Zenith shrugged his father's hand off his shoulder, "Shut up."
He walked off indignantly.
John laughed, seeing his son throwing a slight tantrum. He quickly caught up and both of them walked off into the sunset.
Father and son, side by side.
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"CUT!!" Chad shouted, "And that is a WRAP!! GREAT job everyone!!"