2002 (Side A): Bullet Garden/Prologue 2—The Sleep-Deprived Hound

Synopsis
Angelo, the gunman who shot Death, walks into the restaurant carrying the same type of pistol as those of the corpses on the floor in either hand. He identifies himself as the sniper who had been taking a nap to the Businessmen; when the Businessmen ask if he is a guard dog for the corpses, he replies that he is a "hound" who will seek and kill his prey even if his master dies. As he talks, he shoots two of the businessmen who had drawn their weapons with such speed that his hands do not appear to move.

The Businessmen hide behind the overturned table, but Illness, one of the Businessmen's Four Afflictions, remains standing in the open. She proudly says that Death was the weakest of the team and that Angelo should not be cocky over Death's death, throwing the insults of the Businessmen back at them. The Businessmen do not respond, expecting that Angelo will shoot her dead.

Angelo asks if Illness is saddened by Death's demise, and Illness admits that she is not particularly upset due to the nature of her work. She then wonders out loud how she is 'supposed' to react in this situation, aiming her gun in Angelo's direction. He replies that he knows what she means and apologizes for the insensitive question; at the same time, he takes cover from shots by the Businessmen and retaliates by killing two more of their number.

Illness lowers her gun and asks why Angelo did not shoot her. to which he answers that he does not kill women and children. Impressed, she asks her allies what to do about someone as 'cool' as Angelo, prompting the Businessmen to complain about Angelo's 'sexism and ageism'. When one tells Angelo to stop acting like Chuck Norris in Hitman, he replies that he's more of a John Wayne. A debate over whether Wayne said such a thing is interrupted by Angelo, who argues that even if Wayne had not actually said it, he might as well have. The Businessmen grin and say they'd get along with Angelo, who reminds one of them of Antonio Banderas, and he agrees that it is unfortunate they have to be enemies.

The Businessmen proceed to ignite a smoke bomb in order to obscure their position, at which point Angelo hears the rumbling of the demolition specialist's truck. Angelo dives out the nearest window just in time for the Demolisher to destroy the restaurant with his gigantic truck. He runs a hundred meters and ducks behind another building before Demolisher obliterates the remains of the restaurant with his explosives.

Despite the severity of Demolisher's explosion, Angelo is convinced that the Businessmen have escaped. He informs the Demolisher over walkie-talkie that his job is done, and the Demolisher puts Angelo's new boss on the line.

Several days later, on North America's west coast, Angelo eyes the cruise liner Entrance from his seat in a bar by the harbor. He receives a call on his cell phone from the Demolisher, a freelance killer whom he counts as a frequent contact despite rarely seeing and only occasionally working with him. They had come to know each other through battles against the organization Angelo is fighting, and the Demolisher is the one who told him that the Businessmen's organization will be on the Entrance. The Demolisher says that Angelo's organization won't last much longer; Angelo is unfazed, saying that his mission is only to pursue the group's enemies.

The Demolisher tells Angelo that he will be on board and promises to smuggle his guns onto the ship. Angelo reminds him to not do anything that might harm civilians, as their only mission is to find the organization's leader and employer. He then wonders why the Demolisher never shows his face, but the Demolisher brushes off his question.

Angelo believes that the people on the boat are actually a team of mercenaries known as the Mask Makers, named for the masks they wear during their crimes. Reflecting on his high chances of dying to the Mask Makers, he thinks of his two year old son Carlos, whom he has yet to met. He mumbles to himself that after the job is over, he should return to his family in Spain and take them on vacation in Venice.

Cultural References

 * Contract to Kill
 * John Wayne
 * Antonio Banderas

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Angelo
 * Illness
 * The demolition specialist

Quotes

 * "I am no guard dog. I am a hound. Even if my masters are all dead, I will tear out the throat of my prey."