Arkangel || A Winter / Karina / WinRina Adventure

Killing John Wick

"Could you kill John Wick?" Parker asked, smiling.

"Who's John Wick?"

"I keep forgetting that a lot of aspects of modern life are still new to you. John Wick is a series of movies. The main guy, John Wick, is an ultra-elite assassin. He's played by an actor named Keanu Reeves."

"How tall is he? How much does he weigh?"

"My guess is that he's 6'1" and weighs something like 180 to 200 pounds."

Winter leaned back in the chair and squinted at the ceiling. "Does he have loved ones?"

"Damn! Who asks that? You worry me sometimes, Arkangel. But no, he doesn't. He does have a dog he's very found of, though."

"Does he use guns or knives?"

"Both, and very well. He also uses pencils. Ok, here's why I'm asking. I have a contact at MI6 who says she has an amazing operator who claims she could do it in 30 seconds."*

Winter smiled. "I couldn't do it in 30 seconds, so she wins. It would take me about 14 hours. First, right away I'd shoot him in the knees because he probably wears body armor. Let's say that takes 10 seconds. If he could still walk, we'd fight for about 10 minutes until he got exhausted. Once he was spent, I'd beat him to death with one of his guns. That would take about 60 seconds. I'd put up his pets for adoption - I'm not 100% evil - and then set his car on fire. Then, I'd use the remaining 12-13 hours flying to MI6 in London so I could find this super-agent and kill her too."

"What makes you think she'd be so easy to beat?"

"To be clear, I didn't say it would be easy. I'd be in rough shape after fighting John Wick. My first question is, as always, does this super-agent have people she loves?"

"Not sure, but let's assume she does," Parker said.

"I'm sorry. But she's putting those people she loves in danger. It's my job to exploit those weaknesses. Moving against them would shatter her heart, and she'd be easier to kill if she's already dead inside."

"But, Arkangel, you have someone you love. Don't you think that she might do the same thing?"

"Of course. I'm vulnerable too. But anyone who thinks that I'd be so swallowed up with grief or fear that I couldn't take care of business is wrong. That... that would kill however little hope and love I have, and whatever was left would be very ugly."

"You're more like John Wick than you think. That's what happens to him in the first movie."

Winter laughed. "Just tell your friend at MI6 that regardless of who would win, the operator sounds incredible and I hope we work together one day."

"That might happen. MI6 has stumbled upon some scary things going on."

"Whatever it is, the solution to their problem is to just start killing everyone, one at a time, until they don't know up from down. It doesn't matter if the bad guy is the first one who dies. You just keep going until absolute and profound terror is burned into their psyches. That's how you win, if you even want to call it winning."

Parker noticed that her expression when discussing work was blank, almost a non-expression, but nevertheless, Parker realized that Winter was sad, all the time.

Maybe we need to put a protective detail on Karina, Parker thought. If she is killed or injured Arkangel will be unstoppable, maybe even a threat to the world. I worry that I've lit a fuse on a very dangerous bomb. But I believe in her. I always have. Despite everything, I am certain that there is a good and compassionate person inside. I don't want to be just another person who's kicked her.

"Hold up. Did you say John Wick kills people with pencils? I like that," Winter smiled.

. . . . .

* It's Yeji from Vector.