The following morning was spent with Gerard convincing his boss to give him the week that Mikey had off of school.
"Any specific reasoning?" The gruff voice asked.
Oh nothing just planning a murder and shit.. Gerard thought, pulling his legs up onto the kitchen stool with him.
"I am planning to go to New York to see family." was his only answer. It was cliché, but it worked.
"And what do you plan on doing to make up this time gone, Mr. Way?"
"I really don't know yet sir, I'm sure we can work something out. I'll work some weekends and do mandatory."
"Fine Gerard, but you know, you are really putting your balls on the line." the elderly man grunted. Gerard could almost see the judgmental look on his face through the phone line. He never liked him much anyways.

As he hung up, he drug his hands over his tired eyes before letting his head fall onto the marble countertop beside the phone. When he finally looked up, Mikey was pulling a timid Frank through the kitchen door. Gerard raised a quizzical eyebrow before actually noticing that Frank looked different. Way different. Instead of Mikey's old grey skinny jeans, Frank wore dark denim skinny ones with faded thighs that hugged his hips particularly low. Instead of his hair being out for order, it had a mohawk down the middle leaving his blonde side-shave uncovered. When Gerard's eyes made their way to the demon's face, his body went rigid. Yes, he wore eyeliner again, but it was cleaner this time. It made his eyes stand out and brighten, beautiful. A proud Mikey stood by, watching his brother's face.
"He just said he wanted to look good." he shrugged, reaching over to flatten feathers that were sticking straight up as a result of Frank's nervous re-adjusting every five seconds. "So, I helped him."

Gerard's eyebrows furrowed and his mouth opened and closed a few times before he just smiled to comfort the unconfident looking Frank.
"Well you did a good job."
With this said, the demon smiled widely, showing newly brightened teeth. All the nerves in Gerard's stomach twisted and he felt that unexplainable nervous ruffle. Mikey gave him a knowing look before walking over and taking the bench across from Gerard. Frank took the other stool for lunch.
"So I know where we can get weapons." Mikey said through a mouthful of sandwich.
~
The closet door swung open to reveal rows upon rows of powerful machinery that was unimaginable to the three boys. Gerard's jaw hung slack as he glanced at the bearded man holding the door open.
"Is this even legal?" the older Way asked, running his long fingers across the boxes of ammunition.
"Laws, wonderful laws. I have the right to bear arms." Bob said "I don't think they specified anything about that... and if they did. Well I don't give a fuck."
"But-"
"Don't question me."
"No But-"
"Do you guys want my help or not?" The blonde snapped, looking at the three faces in front of him. Frank nodded rapidly and pinched the skin on Gerard's back, a warning.
The two boys straightened themselves to attention as Mikey reached out, picking up a Mamba pistol off the shelf and idly weighing it in his hand.


"No no no. Before I let you do anything, I'm teaching you all how to actually use these" Bob interrupts, taking the gun from Mikey "I don't want to hear about you morons going in for the kill and blasting your own fucking
hands off"

"Fair enough. But how? We can't really go to a shooting range"

~
A three hour drive with Bob riding behind on his moped brought them to a large clearing in the forest outside of town where Bob stood passing out artillery to who he thought fit each piece. Mikey had the Mamba pistol, Frank a Glock 23, finishing off by handing Gerard the Heckler and Koch MP5 seeing as he seemed like a pretty strong guy.

"Lesson one; hold the damn thing right" Bob grumbled, taking Mikey's weapon completely away and straightening his lanky figure out, then slightly adjusting Gerard's hands (but he mostly got the gist) and lastly, positioning Frank's arms straighter.
"Okay. That's.. acceptable. Now before any of you-" he was cut off by a loud shot making him pivot to a slightly stumbling Mikey.
"DUDE did you see that? That felt fucking AWESOME!" the younger Way voiced, jumping in excitement. Bob let out a sigh and a grumble, snatching the gun away before stomping back to the middle of the group, leaving Mikey to pout.
"As I was saying.. BEFORE you shoot at all. You need to know that these are going to kick. Especially yours Gerard." he said, walking over to Mikey and placing the gun back in his hand. "Raise your guns."
He walked down the short line, re-arranging hand positions and stances. "Okay. Frank you are going to cock your gun like this" he said, reaching over and making the boy's hands form on the gun as needed. "now pull back."
The telltale click showed Frank had done it right. Next Gerard.
"Okay. You need to rest this part here on this front part of your shoulder, assuming your right handed?"
"Yeah."
"And you don't really cock this kind of gun you just, load it." he explained, taking the magazine out of his pocket and clicking it into place.
Last there was Mikey. He took a stride in his direction, over exaggerating caution and making the boy roll his eyes.
"You just have to do as Frank did.. then pull this back.. see?" he explained, letting the scrawny boy do the work himself.
"One. Two. Three. FIRE."
All three boys pulled their triggers, Mikey and Frank firing a single shot (his feathers turning up and ruffling in excitement) and Gerard about six due to having an automatic.
"Successful. Now on to gun safety."
Gerard suppressed a groan but followed the others to sit on stumps over by a picnic area to listen to 'Mr. Bryar'('s) lecture.. although the whole thing was spent with him staring idly at a particular winged demon across from him, picking his nails and staring at his feet.