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

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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 dining in the middle of the destroyed room. Asked if he is a guard dog for the people in the restaurant, 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'd drawn their weapons with such speed that he hands do not appear to move.

The Businessmen hide behind the overturned table, but Illness, one of the Businessmen's Four Agonies, 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, pointing 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, killing two more.

Illness lowers her gun and asks why Angelo did not shoot her. He responds that he doesn't 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 saying that even if Wayne hadn't actually said such a thing, he might as well have. The Businessmen grin and say they'd get along with Angelo, and he agrees that it is unfortunate they have to be enemies. One Businessman comments that Angelo is more like Antonio Banderas.

The Businessmen proceed to ignite a smoke bomb in order to obscure their position, at which point Angelo hears the rumbling of Demolisher's truck. Angelo dives out the nearest window and turns to see Demolisher's gigantic truck destroying the restaurant, seconds after he escaped. He runs a hundred meters and ducks behind another building before Demolishers blows up 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'll 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 won't show 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, after 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

 * John Wayne
 * Antonio Banderas

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Angelo
 * Illness
 * Demolisher