Laughter erupted from the group of delinquents as they left the Gangsta’s Paradise. After raiding Jason’s base of operations, they retreated to the place to eat and discuss more matters in a private area. Away from the Confederation.

  Doing exactly so and sending a report to the King of the Damned, they were going to leave the fenced area. A silver van pulled up before them. A man with sandy, orange hair had his finger out of the window in the position of a gun.

  His pointing finger being warped by lava, “What’s up, fool? Get in the van.”

  “Who the fuck do you think you are?” Emilia grunted at the man, preparing to kick over the vehicle. Able stopped her from doing so.

  “You really gonna start a fight here?” Able asked the man, he knew exactly who it was. But no matter what, the Gangsta’s Paradise is a no fire zone. Even for the Confederation, he wondered if they were desperate enough to break the pact.

  “We will do anything for the Nishizawa Princesses,” The man responded boldly. Showing that there wasn’t any intent to play around.

  “I knew you looked familiar, you’re that Red Panda Executive,” Bryant recognized him from information at the Confederation. “Codename: Pompeii the Sweltering.”

  “Yeah, and he isn’t no one we should underestimate either,” Peaches muttered. He was honest enough to admit it would take all his strength to defeat the man.

  “Much less the man in the driver’s seat,” Able sighed when noticing the black-haired gentleman. He gave them a peace sign while watching the road.

  “Time is being wasted,” The lava at the man’s finger grew hotter. His eyes glowed in his menace, “I will actually kill you.”

  “So, we’re going with them...?” Tristan closed his book and asked. They couldn’t risk having a huge fight here, especially if Skadi gets involved since he’s the most destructive.

  Able’s eyes were becoming black from his agitation, “Looks like we don’t have much of a choice.”

  ~//~

  They were brought to the Red Panda District, a very large, gated compound at the board of the slums and middle-class residences. Within the gates there are buildings of Japanese architecture, wooden frames and paper walls. Landscaped with artificial streams and having several Nishikigoi Ponds, which their captives proudly told them were of Showa Sanshoku and Kin Ki Utsuri variety.

  Being brought to Naohiko’s office, they were told to enter while the executives stayed outside. Being instructed to bow and then take a seat. When they asked for Franz, they were told he was busy protecting the Nishizawa princesses.

  “Long time no see, Zorian brat,” Naohiko scoffed at Able. In his yukata and in a very comfortable position.

  “Things are changing, Ol’ Cheapskate,” Able wasn’t the type to take that offense. Especially with his pride.

  “And what pleasure do I have for the Representative’s son to be here,” Naohiko judged Bryant’s character carefully. “Here is the Confederation corrupted to the core, are you the change?”

  “I am a part of the change,” Bryant glared at him. Hoping there would be no further questioning.

  “Not to mention, Emperor,” Naohiko turned to Peaches and grinned at him. They were very familiar with each other.

  “How have you been, Miser,” Peaches was already familiar with his mocking ways. Knowing exactly how to respond to them and go around his questioning.

  “I am wondering if you’re still going to fulfill the promise you made,” Naohiko re-lit an incense that diffused. Keeping the ritualistic scent in his area.

  “Promises made in blood endure,” Peaches responded in a serious fashion. Promises meant a lot to him, he would never break them.

  “Hahaha! You are crazy! You will make a fine addition to this family,” Naohiko bellowed a great laugh. Peaches knew he only wanted him in their family for the emperor’s wealth, he didn’t care since he loved Evelyn. “You promised me nothing will happen to my daughters!”

  “Explain yourself!” Naohiko released his pressure and intimidated them all. He was truly enraged.

  “Hahaha! You old fart!” Able’s annoyance was getting the best of him. He wanted to lay low for the rest of the day but, here he was. His rage manifesting, “Why do you think we have anything to do with that?”

  “You still got a bad temper, huh? Little brat,” Naohiko almost got up and attacked him.

  “What happened to Evelyn?” Peaches said with a menacing glare. He sent a monstrous, familiar presence when he entered the compound. He didn’t want to believe it was her.

  “Before she went full monster…” Naohiko sat back and allowed the incense to calm him down, “She gave us clues of what turned Lauri into one…”

  “It has something to do with someone at both Luluwa Mauter’s party and the Cult of Jason’s Parade,” Naohiko recalled the information that Franz told him. He glared at them, “Which matches your activities as of lately.”

  “Or any other monster that happened to be there too?” Able wasn’t going to hold back his tongue. Peaches had to make sure that they didn’t launch over the table and fight.

  Emilia, Tristan and Bryant said quiet and allowed them to do the talking. They were familiar with the man, and it would lead to less complication.

  “Then give me your alibi so I won’t have my executives slaughter you all right here!” Upon hearing those words, the executives released their pressure. It was five of them, not including Naohiko and Franz who was nearby. They were outnumbered.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  So, they had to cooperate.

  “Tsk, at Luluwa’s party we were too busy fighting off Jason,” Able decided to explain. To avoid more problems for themselves. “All the innocents were evacuated, in fact Peaches here had Franz take them both away.”

  “They couldn’t have seen anything if Franz failed to do his job,” Able finished the first alibi. Naohiko did recall that report from Franz, they left before the monsters arrived.

  “At the Cult of Jason’s Parade, we were fighting Jason again… that’s the mission the King of the Damned gave us…” Able didn’t bother hiding it since everyone should know what they were doing.

  “I saw Evelyn that night, I made sure she went back to Franz before I went off on the mission,” Peaches explained himself. “She didn’t follow me either… And I didn’t see Lauri not once that night.”

  “So, it happened on the Cult of Jason’s Parade,” Naohiko was coming closer to the truth. Franz said the same thing, Lauri disappeared that night. But, where to? “Where could she have gone?”

  Emilia sat in silence, wondering if she should have told him. She knew where Lauri went but, would it be right to out Kayne like that? She thought of the possibilities, if she were to tell the truth, the Red Panda Mercenaries still couldn’t do anything. Kayne was valuable to the Confederation, attacking him meant a war they couldn’t win.

  Telling the truth could give them some closure.

  “I know where Lauri went that night,” Emilia spoke up. She couldn’t bother sitting on her knees, so she got comfortable.

  “What were you waiting on to tell me?” Naohiko looked at her in slight annoyance.

  Emilia had seen Naohiko a few times at the Gangsta’s Paradise, him and Skadi were old friends. She had a potty-mouth worse than Able so she avoided talking too. “Old man, be glad that I am telling you this.”

  Emilia sighed, “I saw her leave with Kayne Mauter that night but, she did return safely. Nothing seemed wrong about her.”

  Upon hearing that name, Naohiko felt defeated. He held his head, and his thoughts began to spiral.

  “What? I doubt Kayne would do anything to her,” Bryant went to school with him after all, they went on missions and ate lunch together. “He’s too soft for that.”

  “I agree, I know that idiot like a brother,” Able agreed with him. Not thinking about a single possible thing, he could have done. “He wouldn’t do anything.”

  “Same…” Emilia muttered. Recalling how Lauri kissed him before she left.

  “So what? Something happened,” Naohiko barked on them. He beckoned for his executives to enter, “You guys can come in.”

  “And you can leave, I got what I wanted from you already,” There was a woman amongst them that wasn’t a monster. A beautiful woman with blonde hair, wearing a sundress and having round glasses. It was Lauri’s mother, she immediately went and embraced Naohiko.

  “It’s nice to see you, Ms. Nishizawa,” Peaches said to her and bowed. If one thing that Peaches respected about Naohiko, is that he never allowed his wife to become a monster. He protected her no matter what.

  Naohiko wanted to same for his daughters.

  “It’s a pleasure as well,” She responded while Naohiko got extremely comfortable in her embrace. Only this woman could tame him. “I am sure that Evelyn misses you.”

  “Don’t chalk up to the mother-in-law because the father is giving you a hard time,” Naohiko barked at Peaches while spoiling his wife with kisses.

  “My bad, you miser,” Peaches laughed, Naohiko was a role model to him, “Do you mind if I see Evelyn?”

  Naohiko thought about it and then sighed, “Go ahead, maybe you’ll be able to reach out to her.”

  “Keizer, escort them.”

  ~//~

  Kayne was summoned to the Confederation Quarters, rather than Diane’s Excellency. It wasn’t the first this happened, usually it’s when no Detectives are available, and they needed someone for dirty work.

  From a young age, Kayne had potential at being a monster. He was trained to kill. Acting as a stand-in Detective was also a responsibility as the Head Student at Diane’s Excellency.

  The man who summoned Kayne, he didn’t like him. Kayne feared him, sensing a strange repulsive eeriness from the moment he met him. Knowing well that this man’s intention was not for the citizen but rather, his own desires.

  He knocked on the man’s door. Because no matter what, he was trained to kill.

  “Take a seat,” Count Earl commanded Kayne. He sat at his desks organizing documents since recently they’ve been piling up on him.

  “Good morning, Sir,” Kayne responded as he was taught to do. Sitting upright in the chair but avoiding eye contact.

  “I won’t entertain any small talk with your likes,” Count Earl spat out immediately, not even looking up at him. He continued to skip through documents, “Gisseupe Curry, aka Detective Clawer, is dead.”

  Kayne wanted to vomit. He wanted to take it as a joke but, Count Earl wasn’t the type to joke. He doesn’t like Kayne.

  Gisseupe was Kayne’s mentor and only father figure. His only other friend besides Luluwa, Able and Gisseupe’s girlfriend. He was the one who made Kayne’s training less torturous. The one to hear his anguish.

  Kayne was trembling in his seat, despite not wanting to show weakness. He was supposed to be a killing machine. But, losing the man he valued as much as a father? He wanted to cry his eyes out. To grief like nothing before.

  “Can I know who…. Killed him?” That’s the least he wanted to know. He would take revenge against whoever it was.

  “That information is classified,” Count Earl sharply responded. As if he wasn’t supposed to ask him.

  “I am sorry,” Kayne responded in his pathetic self. His grip almost breaking the chair and tears swelling in his eye.

  “Gisseupe’s now unavailable and this mission needs to be done. Since you’re the Head Student, you will do it,” Count Earl said plainly as if there was no rebuttal. “There is a massive spike in stimulus in the Red Panda District.”

  “We believe that the mercenaries are harboring a strong monster,” Count Earl told him the details of the mission. “Avoid the mercenaries and kill the monster.”

  “Leave.”

  He briskly and clumsily exited the office, almost knocking over the chair as he did. When he got out, his eyes swelled up with more tears as he recalled precious memories shared with Gisseupe. And how no more of those memories would be made.

  He didn’t care if people saw him. Once he was outside the Confederation Quarters, he protruded his wings and soared to his mansion. Flying nonstop as his eyes finally flooded and sobbed in his misery. Plummeting into his mansion and crashing into the pillow room that he called his bedroom.

  Vomiting and continuing to cry, he wanted to see Gisseupe. And have one last proper memory with him. He wanted to see his father figure for one last time. But,

  His shoes needed to be filled.

  For this settlement that he poured his life into protecting, Kayne would take over. Gathering himself as much as he could.

  He soared to the Red Panda District.

  Landing on the grass and avoiding eyes, the Red Panda Mercenaries seemed frantic. As if something major was happening. He contained his presence so none of the Executives would identify him. He was sure that they could but, they were too distracted to notice him.

  Before him was a huge shed from which the strong stimulus came from. Guarding it was a familiar face, one of Luluwa’s friends, Franz De Cole.

  Going into his killing machine persona, he held his arm at him, “I am Detective Stone, leave the premise.”

  “Don’t introduce yourself with that name, Kayne!” Franz yelled at him. Originally, Franz was doing some weighted exercises. 500 Kg sandbags tied to each limb as he slashed with a spear a thousand times. “Leave! This has nothing to do with you.”

  “I must complete my mission…” Kayne muttered. Realizing Franz wasn’t going to be an easy opponent, he whispered to the fire within him. The fire sobbed at his sadness.

  Franz threw off the weights and small depressions formed from them.

  “You don’t have to do this…” Franz took out a bag of spears and spilled them all on the ground. “You don’t have to make me end you!”

  Dust clouds gathered around Kayne. He held back his tears, being taught he couldn’t have emotions when on a mission. He was just mean to kill, “I am sorry…”

  “I have shoes to fill.”