《Sins of Iscariot City》


 Crime Report 1: The Barkley Job

    Getting blood on Mom¡¯s jacket was one of my least favorite things, aside from earning the wrath of that Father of mine. So for tonight, I¡¯d have to swallow that pill. At least I could enjoy a quick blood bag before taking care of business.


    Paulie''s Diner, a little hole-in-the-wall in front of Barkley''s hotel, right where my little rat was staying. Showing this early in the night was a little much, but it''s better to stave off my appetite before getting to work. Father''s explicit orders not to eat the target warranted a firing squad threat. Not the first time he''d threatened me or some other Paradigm with that. Reaching into my jacket, I pulled out a piece of paper and a photo of the guy. A mugshot our clients gave to me to ID our guy. He was a bit of a fatso with red hair, an Irishman. He looked like the guy who''d spend the whole day breaking balls.


    Poor fat Irish prick... He probably should''ve stuck to being funny. As the sun disappeared into the clouds and the city lit up, I finally looked out the window over where the hotel was. I saw a few people come and go¡ªa few men with briefcases and even more with a woman around their arm. There were even a few more like me, their crimson eyes almost ready to pop out as they stared at their human meals. I never understood why some poor humans would want to be one of our snacks. It''s not like they''ll ever be blooded.


    The traffic began to die, with a car or two dropping more people off. But before the sky completely darkened, a lone car pulled to the hotel''s entrance. It wobbled from side to side before a rather large man with red hair waddled out. He had a skinnier guy wearing a black fedora and a pretty swank suit with him. Great, now two people to put in the dirt. Well... At least I didn''t have to use Bethany this time.


    Crumpling up the blood bag, I tossed it in the trash and exited the Diner. I dug in my pocket to find a small ticket with "Barkley''s One Night Stand" printed on it. If only I were so lucky to use this ticket for what it was for. I threw a couple of bills on the counter, not bothering to count them, and headed straight for the door. I stepped outside the Diner and looked both ways before crossing the street. Getting through the hotel doors was easy enough. It was the hotel clerks and bellhops that I had to get past. Luckily, tonight was quiet, though I could hear some moaning from upstairs.


    As I approached the counter, the clerk looked me in the eyes and smiled. "Can I help you, young man?" She asked while jotting down some names in a record she kept.


    I placed the ticket on the counter and slid the ticket over to her. As she examined it, her rosy cheeks got a little redder. "Aren''t ya a little young to be havin'' something like this?"


    "I''m becoming a man today," I answered. "Dad wanted his boy to have a nice 18th. You understand, right?" I tried my best playboy smile, hoping to convince her.


    She looked me up and down, then reached under her desk to pull a stamp. As she pressed the little stamp onto the ticket, the word "USED" had now overtaken the other little letters. "Where''s your dame then?" she asked, reaching for a room key.


    "She''s comin''. She just had some errands to take care of. Freshening up, she put it." Taking the keys, I tossed them up and caught them. "Thank you, sweetheart. You made me a lucky man tonight."


    "Have a fun night," she giggled as she returned to work. My room was on the second floor, where the Irishman and his colleague had stayed. I opened my jacket, placing the keys in my other pocket¡ªno need to make strange noises. The room I''d be "staying" in was two-oh-three¡ªa decent enough room with a big enough bed to fool around in. I''m glad I never told the guys back at Dogland where I''d be tonight. Iggy would''ve probably begged me to come. But alas, the boss said to come alone. Not even Penny could come.


    Opening the room door, I walked in and sat on the bed. Reaching into my main jacket pocket, I pulled out my tool for the night. Wanda, a black Mauser C96. Brushing my hand over the gun''s metal, I lingered on the engraving of a red bat wing on the clip. Having Wanda saved me so many times in the trenches. I wouldn''t know what to do if I didn''t have her. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a strip of bullets to load. Pulling the slide back, I stuck the stripper over its little slot. Pushing the bullets in, I slapped the slid back in and pulled the hammer back. Ten shots for two guys. Hopefully, they won''t give me a reason to use all of them.


    "Ya stupid fuck! What were you thinkin''!" I could hear through the thick walls. Being a creature of the night had a few of its perks.


    It wasn''t the fatso the younger kid he''d been with. My Client, the Rotterdam, didn''t normally allow Irishmen to become made men. I couldn''t remember whether it was because they were former Londoners or they had some stick-up-the-ass rule about them being true Brits. So his nephew or whatever had every right to be pissed.


    "Who the fuck are you talkin'' to ya little shit!? Don''t forget I used to wipe your shit stains off yer mother''s bathroom floors!" They were arguing about the situation they were in. It was likely going to turn into a pissing contest. Some of the moaning from upstairs stopped, and I could hear someone striking something heavy against the floorboard of their room.


    A loud shush leaked through the floor, and the argument the two were having grew softer. "Alright, look," the younger guy said. "I''ve got Patrick picking us up in the morning. If we lay low here, we could be out of Iscariot before the Rotterdams even notice. They got bigger fish to fry anyway."


    The sounds of a newspaper being crumpled a bit made its way to my ears. "Cleaning up after a blood-crazed vamp attack will keep them busier than looking for us."


    "Those blood-suckin'' pricks should''ve been grateful I didn''t talk too much," the mark boasted, the creaking horribly as he stood. "The FBI and Romaniconti would''ve had their asses burning if I sang a little louder."


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    "Never heard of anyone bragging about being a rat before, Uncle," the younger guy said. I could hear a match being struck, followed by the slow puff of a cigarette. "Somethin'' you shouldn''t be doin'' since Paradigms use this hotel too."


    Poor nephew. Stuck with an idiot as an uncle. But orders were orders, and I just got my confirmation. I stood from the bed, reaching into my pocket for a tiny rune stone. A little gift from my sweet Shaman girl Francis. If Father figured out I was using Weird magic, he''d probably get another wrinkle. I began to evaluate my exit strategy as I picked up a complimentary bottle of whiskey for the hotel. The receptionist was the only person other than the two guys that would become stiff in a few minutes to see me. I didn''t give her my name, which was good, and I knew I could still get out the front door. The next thing was my cover story for leaving. I could say I got nervous and wanted to go for a walk. I could also say I got cold feet. Shame never really bothered me.


    Going for the door, when I stepped out, I reached into my jacket pocket, holding the bottle in my hand, trying to hide it. I then shuffled over to the mark''s door and raised my free hand toward it. With three knocks, because that''s how the extras in those pictures did so, I shouted, "Room service." It took a moment before I heard steps come to the door. Then the clicking of a hammer of a pistol. Idiot, like I wouldn''t be able to listen to that.


    Opening fire here would only draw a lot of attention. So before our conversation started, I reached into my back pocket and crushed the rune. Francis mentioned the rune should''ve made a room-sized spell that stopped the sound from escaping, but I wouldn''t have much time. Since the Rotterdam cops were gonna find these two, they wouldn''t bother tracing back the Weird magic. "Whe''r ye uniform lad?" He asked, his voice having a slight shudder.


    "At the cleaners, sir," I lied. "My old lady spilled coffee all over it this morning, and I only got one." It was a reasonable lie, but I''d half-expected the nephew to sniff it out. Luckily he didn''t. Hearing him clicking the safety back on his pistol, he opened the door. "Gimme the whiskey and piss off," he demanded as he held out his hand. "Sure thing, boss," I said.


    As I handed him the bottle of whiskey, I noticed my mark on the bed. He''d been wiping his bulbous face with a towel, the sweat making his skin glisten in the light. This was my moment, the nephew''s guard was down a little, and his uncle was in sight to bite it right after him. I''d make it quick for the nephew¡ªno need for him to die screaming for his uncle''s screw-up.


    Drawing Wanda from my pocket before the nephew could close the door, I aimed at his head and squeezed the trigger. He didn''t make too much of a sound. He just dropped as the blood gushed from his head, dripping onto the floor and table. The uncle barely had enough time to register what was happening before I aimed Wanda at him. As he opened his mouth to speak, I squeezed the trigger again with two casings ejecting from my gun: two shots, one in the shoulder and one in the stomach. I rushed over to him, picking up the towel as I did. Stuffing the cloth in his mouth, I aimed my gun at his head and looked him in the eyes.


    There was an incredible amount of terror in his gaze, enough to make him seem like a scared kid. "Sorry, Paddy," I said with a hint of coldness. "But Jeanne Rotterdam doesn''t forgive informants." He stuck his hands up, screaming something muffled. I believe it was "wait." I couldn''t risk him screaming or giving me away to any of the other Patrons. But I remembered my orders.


    "Anything higher than a whisper, and you''re dead," I said as I pushed the barrel against his head. "Lady Rotterdam said you could have some last words." I removed the cloth from his mouth but pushed Wanda against his temple. I was glad to have drank that blood bag earlier, or else I would''ve let my thirst take over after seeing the bloody rag.


    "P-please," the Uncle whispered. "Lemme go, man. Whatever those Rotterdam fucks are payin'' ya, I can beat. My benefactor is very generous."


    "Sorry, pal," I said as I tightened my grip on Wanda. "But I''m just fine with what I''m being paid." I didn''t need any more money than whatever this guy was trying to sell. Besides, angering Father was not an option.


    "You little blood-suckin'' bastard," he quietly yelled. "You think I''m the source of your little rat problem. There''s an even bigger rat than me. Rotterdam... Huang... those big fish don''t even realize they are being played."


    I moved the barrel, placing it right on his forehead. "Well, it''s a good thing we''ve got idiots like you that spill their guts," I allowed him to hear before squeezing the trigger again. He jerked instantly, then his body went limp as his brain matter splattered all over the floor. Standing up over him began to look over my handy work. Slipping Wanda back into my jacket pocket, I took out a pair of gloves from my pants. Slipping them on, I searched Uncle fatso''s body and found at least two hundred in cash stuffed in his pocket and a colt. Then I searched the nephew''s body. I didn''t find any money, but I did pick up his gun. Placing their respective weapons in their hands. I sprinkled a few of the Weird Rune''s remains in the nephew''s hand. I made sure to shoot one with the opposite weapon. Better to make it look like a disagreement as per orders.


    Finally, this torture was complete. Right on schedule, too, since Penny would be here any minute. After shutting their door, I''d run back to my room and wash the blood off my face. Some did splatter on my shirt, but Mom''s jacket survived. So I just buttoned it up to hide the blood after leaving the hotel room. I''d rush down the stairs. The clerk from earlier was still there reading a book. Good, the rune worked as it should. As she noticed me come down, her eyes lit up with glee.


    "Where ya goin'' stud? I haven''t seen your lady friend yet," she said, almost singing it.


    "Eh, well... I got cold feet. A little nervous for my first time and all. Plus, she''s a bit late." Her lips formed a Frown, but she didn''t seem too upset.


    "Well, kid, I understand. Sometimes people want their first to be more special." Her smile returned, and I could feel she genuinely cared for me somewhat. I didn''t wanna waste the lady''s time or her concern, so I dug into my pocket and retrieved the money from it. Folding the large bills up, I held them up for her to take.


    "Take what you need for the room charges. I know those tickets aren''t cheap," I said, putting on that fake Playboy smile again.


    "Are you sure?" She asked, her eyes widening as she examined the amount I''d given her. "This is an awful lot to be giving away."


    "It doesn''t come without a cost. Anyone asks, my lady friend came, we did our thing, and we left."


    The clerk looked around before stuffing the money in her breast pocket. She winked, then waved me away, her smile being so wide I feared she might get stuck that way. I walked right out of the hotel, going down a few blocks before stopping near a convenience store. I''d bought a candy bar and a cigar before returning to the street corner. It''d be there. I''d wait until a black duesy pulled over next to me.


    Driving it was a pale-skinned dame with frost-white hair and bright red eyes. She looked like she''d been dressed for a funeral. But I knew better. As she smiled, her fangs showed her true colors. She may not look like my sister, but I''d know her from anyone in town.


    "So... Dogland or the Estate, dear brother?" Penny asked with a grin.


    "Dogland," I answered, "Gotta lay low till the clients find their dead rats. Besides, Francis will worry."


    "You got it, Alex," she chirped, shifting the car into drive. And off we went into the cold night.

 Crime Report 2: Dogland

    "So... How''d the old man kick the bucket? Cause that''s the only way I see you have his baby," I asked Penny as she drove down Fifth Avenue, a few blocks from where she picked me up.


    "Please," she scoffed, "I think you give the powers that be a little too much credit. The only thing that''ll be his death is Mother and her incessant need to get involved in the family business."


    "She could kill him for a lot worse," I said before taking a long puff of my cigarette. "I''m living proof of that."


    Our conversation came to a grinding halt as we slowed at a red light. I could tell Penny glanced over at me. Her eyes were probably filled with a bit of worry. I was my father''s bastard, but I loved my sister like we''d shared the womb. It''s too bad "Mother" never saw it that way.


    "So... How''d things go?" She asked as if itching to change the subject. "I take it since no one came screaming out of the hotel, it went quiet."


    "Yeah... though it wasn''t without its mess. Our poor stiff brought his nephew with him." I didn''t mean to sound callous since I felt terrible for the poor guy.


    "Does it bother you?" Penny asked, having to kill someone you didn''t have to again?" I knew full well what Penny was doing now. Giving me the whole, "You don''t have to be this person routine." While she was right, she''d been at this since I was twelve. The first time I''d killed someone.


    "A little," I admitted, not wanting to hide that little shred of guilt like the other times before. "The poor guy was just trying to do right by his family. But orders are orders, and the Rotterdams aren''t people you wanna cross, and an even worse and far more stupid thing to do would be to get on Father''s bad side."


    "Right... Orders are orders," Penny repeated as she clutched the wheel. When the light turned green, she sped off but pumped the brakes shortly after. The engine''s roar echoed throughout the streets, almost like a male lion roaring to show everyone who was the king.


    "Enough with the Psyche eval," I spat, "Finish telling me how you got the old man to give you the Duesy."


    "Mother," Penny said. "I overheard her nagging Father''s ear off about how loud the engine was. She said she preferred something a little quieter and more stylish. I guess to appease her. He let her pick out something else. She went to Grandfather about it."


    "Grandpa Tony?" I asked, feigning a bit of shock. "I guess Mother is still Daddy''s little princess... What''d he get."


    "A Rolls Royce," she quickly answered, "I think it may have been a ghost or something. I can''t remember."


    "Heh," I scoffed, "the old man knows how to pick''em. Who better aid in reclaiming the tarnished Murcielago name than off the back of the illustrious Alessandra family back in the old country." I hoped Penny would say something about the apparent sarcasm.


    But she didn''t. She didn''t even seem remotely interested in the conversation. I knew she probably didn''t want to talk much about Father. I''d even bet she''d hated the idea of getting the car as a hand-me-down rather than getting her own. So to please my big sister, I decided to change gears again and maybe talk about something she''d be more interested in.


    "I''m surprised Francis gave me that Weird Rune for the job," I sighed, "She was never one to like me going out on these kinds of jobs."


    "It''s probably because the girl doesn''t want to see you get hurt," Penny groaned, her reply with, "I told you so" energy. "You''re lucky any girl would care about you that much."


    "I know you and Judy care," I pointed out with a cheeky smile.


    "We''re your sisters," Penny snapped back, "we must care about you. Otherwise, you''d be at the mercy of Mother Dearest."


    The thought of being at Mother''s mercy nearly added to the stress I was trying to smoke away. Grinding the cigarette into the ashtray, I sat back in the seat, trying to push that unsettling thought out of my head. It''d be a few more minutes until we reached Dogland. Penny pulled up to the curb near the shabby boarding house.


    "Thanks for the lift, Pen... Give my regards to Judy and Jules, would ya?" I asked as I opened the car door, sticking one foot out.


    "Why don''t you give your regards yourself," she hissed, "I''m crashing here for the night."


    "So you did get into another fight with the old man," I said. That would explain her disinterest in discussing him. "Even though you got a new car?"


    "More like he nearly caught Becca at the Estate," he corrected, "It''s OK, though¡­ Furio found her and let her give him the slip."


    "Jeez, Penny... What were ya thinking having Becca at the Estate!?" I nearly bellowed. "The old man could''ve killed her if he caught her."


    "I know, I know... But Becca surprised me. I didn''t think she''d know where the Estate was. Besides, Jules and Furio helped me out." She said that like she''d heard someone scolding her for the millionth time. "Furio said he''d talk Father down, convince him that Becca was just a bloodgiver who took a shine to me."


    That certainly sounded like Furio. He was the old man''s underboss and took care of me and Penny when Dad was caught up in his work. Even though at times I envied Judy and Jule''s time being raised by our father, from what I heard from our older brother, Furio was the better caretaker.


    "Ugh, fine," I relented, then exited the car. "Park around back and lock the doors. I''ll ask Senior Martinez to put you up for the night."


    She nodded and then put the car in drive. As she slowly rolled away towards the end of the street, I watched her turn into Dogland''s parking lot. I''d have customarily stayed to see if she got in OK if I wasn''t confident she could handle herself. As I looked at the decrepit old building, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. The place was called Dodgerland Boarding School for Boys and Girls, but the guys who owned it went bankrupt, and the building was taken from them. It''d become so run down that some letters fell off the sign, hence the name Dogland.


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    Before stepping up the building, I caught a familiar scent hanging near the alley to the right. "Come on out¡­ I know you''re here¡­"


    Stepping out of the alley was a tall man in a black suit with a red necktie hanging neatly from his collar. His condescending look would typically earn someone a punch in the jaw. But I couldn''t touch him, and he knew it. Big Paulie, one of Father''s illustrious Capos and my handler if I were to be honest.


    "Ya Father sends his regards," Paulie said as he took a cigar from his breast pocket. After striking a match and lighting it, he took a huge puff, then blew the smoke in my face. "He told me if ya sister dropped you off here, the job went without a hitch."


    "That''s about right," I said, trying not to sound annoyed by Paulie''s presence. "The fatso is pushing up daisies. No one will know it was me."


    "You sure we won''t have to worry about this?" Paulie asked after taking another hit of the cigar. "The boss would be upset if his little doggy had a bite to eat out of our former friend. It would be bad if you were to slip back into your old blood-craze habit."


    "If I did, I''d be covered in a lot more blood, asshole," I spat. Paulie''s amused smile faded away into more of a disgruntled frown. He flicked the cigar at my chest and held up his hand, then a mass of black miasma began to seep from his skin until it enveloped his hand. The miasma then formed into a blade, and he held it close to my neck. While the magical blade didn''t touch it, I could feel its edge graze my neck, causing the cool red liquid to ooze.


    "I''d watch what you say, mutt," he said through gritted teeth. "Just because you''re the Boss''s son doesn''t get you out of an ass beating."


    I want to speak up and show indifference to his attempt to intimidate me. But, I knew all too well that Father wouldn''t do anything to him if he did. Even though I was my Father''s son, I was still the bastard. "Sorry," I let out like I was trying to release some held-up air in my lungs. "It won''t happen again¡­"


    Paulie''s eyes narrowed, and he pulled the blade back, and it disappeared into nothingness. "Good¡­ Your father said to report to the estate in the morning. He also wanted me to pass a message to that sister of yours. Says if that little negro bitch snuck into the estate again, he''d have a nasty surprise for her, understood?"


    "Will do," I responded, giving him a sloppy salute. Paulie seemed satisfied enough, so he just walked off like he didn''t just threaten a young guy in the middle of the street.


    Climbing the steps to the door, I held my knuckle to the wood. I knocked four times and then paused before knocking two more. I then heard someone step toward the door, followed by metal clinking and sliding in different ways. When the door opened, I was met by a rather stout-looking Hispanic man with slicked black hair wearing a white tank top with some brown trousers. The thin shirt barely contained the large muscles that seemed sculpted on him. It was Mr. Martinez, the new owner of the building as of last year.


    "Oh, look... The little stray doggy is back from his walk," Mr. Martinez snickered, scratching his chest as he looked beyond me to the street like he''d been expecting someone else. "You alone? That cocky wop leave?"


    I shook my head, "Penny should be coming around soon. Come on, pendejo, don''t you remember the code knocks." As the insult ground into his hearing, Mr. Martinez got closer, sticking his chest out more as he jammed his meaty finger into my chest.


    "Look, Chucho... Little dogs like you can easily get put down if you yap too much, me eschuchas?" As I stared into his eyes, I could see the tinges of red flowing into them. His breath smells of alcohol but looks too put together to be drunk.


    "Yo, Tio. Chill out already and get back inside," I heard coming from behind the man in front. Looking past him, I could see another Hispanic guy, much younger than the drunk asshole in front of me. His hair was much curlier, and he chose a more relaxed attire consisting of an open-buttoned shirt and checkered pants, with a grey bushy tail wagging back and forth. It was Iggy, the first friend I ever made in this city. Aside from our complicated first meeting, Iggy or Ignacio Martinez was a stray like me.


    "Relax, Mr. Martinez," I finally say to break the tension between us. "I was just bustin'' your balls a bit, honest." Mr. Martinez didn''t seem amused for a moment, but there was a slight change in his demeanor. Suddenly, it was as if a magician had pulled away a curtain because his scowl turned into a friendly smile. He slapped me on the back and then ran a hand through my hair, ruffling it up and making it even more unruly.


    "I got ya this time, didn''t I," He said, his smile widening as he marveled at his success. I wasn''t willing to admit it, but he had gotten me. Out of all the people in Iscariot City, a few could make me shit my pants. Near the end of the list was Mr. Martinez since I''ve seen what he does to people who piss him off. Letting me go, Mr. Martinez stepped out the door, letting me know he was going back to make sure Penny got in. He assures me that he''s got a room for her already and even mentions something about Rebecca waiting for her.


    "Oi hefe," Iggy said as he threw his arm around my shoulder, "How''d the job go tonight?" He took two whiffs of me as he asked before letting me answer. "Two guys? Plus, ya didn''t eat either of them?"


    I shook my head, "Nah, orders were not to do anything a Paradigm would do. Had to make it look like the guy got taken out by someone normal." She could tell I had some blood, just not from the two Irishmen.


    "Well... At least you got out without having to paint another room red," Iggy sighed, "I''m sure Franny would be happy to know that."


    "Speaking of which," I say before Iggy could continue, "Where is Francis?" Iggy scratched his chin, the stumble making a slight sound as his fingers rubbed against it. "She''s in your room like always," he answered, "Like she always does when you go out on a solo job." As we reached the staircase leading up to the second floor in the hallway, Iggy took his arm from around me as he took a different path than mine.


    "So, you talk to your Dad about letting us join you for a change?" He asked as he leaned against the wall next to the staircase. His tail wagged back and forth as if he''d become even more eager than he already was when I arrived at the door.


    "I did," I said, "He says that I''m to become Capo first. You can''t lead anyone as a lowly soldier. Plus, you know only Paradigms can be made in our family. No Lupus or Shamans allowed."


    "I know... But come on. It''d be awesome to work with you for a change." Every time Iggy brought this up, I could see the genuine excitement in his eyes. I hated to disappoint him with the same standoffish answer every time since it''ll be a cold day in hell when my Dad would let a bastard be one of his capos. He said I was only a soldier because I was his son. He''d be damned if he let a Murcielago become just an associate.


    "Be a little more patient with me," I said as I stepped up the stairs. "Trust me, out of our band of misfits. You''ll be the third to know." I winked and even flashed a cheeky smile.


    "Wow, ya cheeky pendejo," said Iggy. "I see how it is. But that''s fair. I know I''m not pretty like that fine sister of yours."


    "Don''t let her hear you say that," I warned, "Or Becca, for that matter. You know that one gets jealous easily."


    "Shit, you''re right," he realized, checking around the hall for anyone else. "That Loco Chica would wear my fur as a pelt. Going to make myself scarce, give my regards to the missus."


    Before I could wave, Iggy bolted down the hall. He was always too fast for his good. I started back up the stairs again, taking time with each step. Using my ears, I listened to anyone else in the house. I could hear Becca up in Penny''s room giggling at something. Maybe she was knitting something for Penny or found something amusing. Only one other person was in the house besides Becca and Iggy, and that particular person had been in my room.


    As I got to the second floor, I dug in my right pocket for my key. I usually locked my door in case someone snooped around when they weren''t supposed to. Both Iggy and Mr. Martinez had sharp noses and tended to flock wherever there was a strange smell.


    I had my room key between my index and thumb when I reached my door. It took a second for me to unlock it, but not for any mechanical reasons. It was mainly because of who was inside.


    My sister''s interrogation I could stand, as she was just checking to see if my head was on straight. Francis, on the other hand, was a different story altogether.

 Crime Report 3: Fran?ois

    As I entered my room, I first took note of its current condition. I only had a few things: a full-sized cot, a dresser, and a desk with a chair. My closet was closed, with a large bag in front of it. It was filled with my dirty laundry from the last week.


    After I assessed, nothing changed. I looked at the girl sitting on my bed. "Francis," I said, letting her name nearly steal my breath.


    "Lexi," she called back as if the same were happening to her. There was an air of awkwardness between us as we exchanged a bewildered stare.


    Her beauty enraptured me, from how her sun-kissed olive skin stood out from her pale white nightgown to how her voluminous black hair hung over her shoulder. Her striking emerald-colored eyes darted up and down as she looked me over. She may not have been as well endowed as most women, but I never found the appeal in that. She even had the most beautiful name I''d ever heard. Francois Abreo...


    I rubbed my face trying to snap myself out of the trance Francis nearly put me in. I opened my mouth to say something but couldn''t form words. Usually, two people would say hello to each other in this situation. Then ask, "How was work?" or say, "I''m glad you''re back." But I remember our last conversation. We both said things that we didn''t mean, and now was the time for one of us to apologize. I could see her open her mouth to speak before stopping herself as I did.


    It was at this moment I recalled something my elder brother taught me. "You should never allow a lady to apologize first, even if she is in the wrong," he said. "Be the man and show her you can acknowledge your hand in her sorrow." Thinking of those words made me feel as though I had to be the one to say something.


    "I''m sorry," I said, leaning against the door, crossing my arms but not taking my eyes off Francis. "I know the work I do is dangerous... But it''s for my family."


    Her gaze fell, and she didn''t say anything for a moment. I could see the gears turning in her head as she tried to think of something. I removed myself from the door and took one step forward. She didn''t look up but didn''t seem like she would protest my approach. In fact, by the time I made it halfway across the room, she''d scooted closer to the head of the bed, giving me space to sit down. Accepting her little invitation, I sat on the bed, careful not to invade too much of her room if she changed her mind. But I didn''t take my eyes off her.


    For a moment, I could hear the hastened beat of our hearts. I avoided looking at her exposed neck for fear that I might lose control. When she still hadn''t said anything, I decided to move away. But when I tried, she grabbed my hand. "D-Don''t... she said in a hushed tone. "It''s alright..."


    "I''m sorry too... I''m glad your back home..." She was so quiet it was almost like I''d been listening to a ghost. As I turned to face her, I could see her eyes watering. Even though she''d been on the brink of tears, she cracked a small smile. "You didn''t get hurt, did you?"


    I shook my head, "I made sure they didn''t have the chance." I almost hated how that sounded. I''d never given a line like that any thought to anyone else. But with Francis, I never liked showing her what a monster I could be. My gaze fell, my attention turning to her hand. It was soft and warm. Whenever I held it, I remembered the one time Father spoke of Mom. One of the few times, the man''s cold heart seemed to melt.


    Francis took hold of my chin with her delicate fingers, raising my head to look at her. She flipped her hair, exposing her neck to me. "You must be hungry," she wondered, "I can''t imagine a blood bag is very filling."


    I didn''t want to look at Francis again, not as she offered to feed me. I adored looking at her like I did when I entered the room. Now, all I could see was the blood flowing through her body. My throat suddenly became so dry. I felt like I''d been walking through the desert with an empty canteen. Francis could see my hesitation clear as day, but knowing her, she likes to look out for me too much. She inched closer to me, momentarily taking her hands away before wrapping her arms around my neck. She pulled me down, resting my head on her collarbone. She smelled so sweet it became incredibly intoxicating. "It''s ok. "She whispered in my ear, "Drink."


    My mind became clouded with thirst. As I inched closer to her neck, I opened my mouth, revealing my fangs. I could feel her blood dripping into my mouth as I bit down her neck. I could feel veins pulsating as I fed. Even hearing her whimper from the pain made the meal even sweeter than it was. Of all my life as a Paradigm, Francis''s blood tasted unlike anything I''d ever had. As I drank, she held me tightly, her hands clutching my back and head for dear life. An embrace I was sure to return. But I began to lose track of how long I''d been drinking. Francis''s blood became too sweet to give her any relief. If she was telling me to stop, I didn''t know it. The craving for blood began to overpower my senses.


    "Cease..." I finally heard, and the craving suddenly stopped. I opened my mouth, removing my fangs from Francis''s neck, and after, I couldn''t feel anything anymore. "Careful," she playfully said, lips close to my ear. "I''m a dangerous snack to have." My body suddenly regained its feeling, and the first thing I did was let go of her.


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    "I''m sorry," I said, "I didn''t mean to..." Francis cupped my cheeks into her hands, showing me her smile again. "Don''t worry, Lexi. I know how to get you to stop."


    She shouldn''t have had to force me to stop. I should''ve been able to control all on my own. I felt so frustrated at myself that I wanted to bash my head against the wall until I died. But I knew she''d use Weird magic again to stop me.


    Francis reached under the bed and pulled out a small med kit. She pulled out some gauze and medical wrap. She also pulled out a small water container, then handed me all the items. Using the first bit of gauze and water, I cleaned her wound. Then used another patch of gauze, pressed it down onto the injury, and began to dress it. Once I was done, Francis put the kit back under the bed. She then crawled to the corner and patted the space next to her. I moved over beside her and lay down. She joined me, reaching her arm across my chest and positioning her leg on my thigh, coiling around me.


    "Who was your mark?" she asked, her eyes shining in the moonlight.


    "An Irishman. The Rotterdam family wanted him dead ''cause he was working for the feds." I shook my head again. "Typical rat problems."


    "Did you have to kill anyone else?" She asked, her voice trembling a bit as she did.


    "Yeah... The guy''s nephew. He was trying to get his uncle out of the city." The events in Barkley played again in my mind. I didn''t want to kill the kid, but I couldn''t leave any witnesses. "He was just trying to do right by his family... Same as me."


    For a few moments, the room fell silent again. With Penny, it felt like I''d accidentally spilled coffee on her bed or let the cat get out again. Telling my sister about these things felt a lot easier than telling Francis.


    "Probably a good thing that you think that way," Francis said, breaking the silence. "Paradigms aren''t supposed to be heartless monsters like Vampyres. Murdering without feeling remorse makes us better than them."


    "I don''t know if I like the concept of being compared to a blood psycho," I chuckled, "But I guess it''s nice to think like that. Though, being super strong and fast would have its perks."


    "It''s not good to dance around with such dangerous thoughts," Francis warned. "You''ll give me wrinkles from all the worrying I''d be doing." Her saying that made me wonder how much she''d worry if we met during the war.


    "Trust me. I don''t plan on becoming one of those blood psychos. Besides, Acolyte agents would swarm on me like flies to feces." I''d come to regret that statement as Francis would tighten her grip on my jacket. There I go again, making the poor girl worry. "T-Thanks, by the way," I said, attempting to break the tiny bit of tension I had created. "That silence rune worked like a charm."


    "It was either that or you get found out by the cops," Francis said, "I seem to remember you saying that you''d figure it out as you went." Ouch... She went for the gut on that one. I couldn''t blame her, considering how far south that conversation went.


    My original plan involved me following the guy into an alley and putting him down there. But that was a little more risky, given I had to operate at night. I asked Francis to help, but that almost didn''t go so well. I felt terrible guilt-tripping her into making me the rune, which got me thinking of how to make it up to her.


    "Well, I did think of a smarter idea," I said as it popped into my mind. "Would you like to just go for a ride?" Francis sat up, looking me in the eyes with as much skepticism as a detective looking at a strange clue. "You don''t even have a car," she said.


    "Well... My Sister just got the Duesy from my old man," I said. "I''m sure she''d let me borrow it for a little night on the town at least once." Francis took some time to consider the idea which popped into my head because I remembered when we first met. Unlike me, the only parental issue she had was her lack thereof. Shamans usually only stick together briefly, so Francis came here when this place was still a boarding school.


    "Wouldn''t that be dangerous, though?" She asked, "Wouldn''t you be a target?" She was right to assume, but we could handle things. "My family isn''t very well known yet. Plus, we work for the biggest family in town right now."


    "The bigger the fish, the more satisfying the catch," she said. Again with the valid points? I was starting to think she didn''t have that much faith in me.


    "You don''t have to worry about a thing Franny. As long as I got Wanda and a steady hand, we shouldn''t have any problems." She covered her mouth, but I could see her cheeks poking out as she smiled underneath her hands. She looked to the closet and then down at her gown. "I wonder what I should wear. When would we go?"


    "As soon as I''m free from the family work," I answered. "Provided everything goes alright with the old man." My free time was due anyways since it was near the end of May. I always got some time off for myself.


    Francis laid back down, now excited for our little car trip. She rarely got to explore the city, so diving into Iscariot''s nightlife would be alright. It''d be a while until she fell asleep, leaving me with my thoughts for the night. This brought me to what the Irishman said.


    "There''s an even bigger rat than me. Rotterdam... Huang... those big fish don''t even realize they are being played."


    These are the final words that I neglected to share with anyone yet. I knew the fourth time I''d have to tell the story of what happened would be with my Father. Dismissing those words would''ve been stupid. Plus, this came from someone who turned rat to the human governments. The only fish bigger than the humans were the Romaniconti Order and their Acolytes. Even though they mostly leave the hive cities alone, could they be attempting to make a move on us?


    Then there is the sudden increase in Vampyre activity. The headline in the Irishman''s newspaper wasn''t the first these past few months: Sanguine-Psychosis, a dangerous affliction.


    As my thoughts raced over the information I was given tonight, I noticed I clutched Francis tightly. As I looked at her sleeping face, my worries began to quiet. I knew that no matter what the future brought. As long as I had her, then everything would pan out alright.

 Crime Report 4: Encounter

    Being a creature of the night meant I would be less active during the day. Stepping out into the sun was a huge detriment to my continued existence. Luckily, I wasn¡¯t a Vampyre, so I took solace in the fact that I wouldn¡¯t combust instantly. I''d also boarded up all of the windows in my room so I wouldn''t wake up and accidentally begin to burn.


    Francis woke up before me, as evidenced by the opaque blanket wrapped over my body. If it weren''t for spending time together last night, I would''ve greeted her this morning before sunrise. I always liked that paradigms could tell when it was morning. It was as if we had a clock running through our heads all the time. I did take solace in the fact that the other residents of Dogland would be out and about. I knew Iggy usually went to work in construction as early as he could. Francis would often make everyone breakfast and tend to Dogland for Mr. Martinez. Plus, since Becca was here, Franny would get done in time to sit with me for a while.


    As for me, I''d be in this bed, curled up, trying to put myself back to sleep. I never knew what it was, but I could never fall asleep for most of the day. I''d wake up at least three times a day. I would keep a chamber pot if the urge to piss came about. The best part about sleeping in Dogland was that I didn''t have to keep a hand on Wanda most of the time.  Crime in the city was lower with a locked door and us being in a more secluded part of town. Besides, I let Mr. Martinez keep Bethany near him in case he''s gotta chase someone out. Not a lot of people are big fans of trench sweepers.


    The worst part about the day was that Francis wasn''t here. I knew she had to pull her weight at the boarding house. Anyone who stayed long-term had to. Whenever I''d get paid from my "work," I''d usually have Jules clean my money for me, so whenever I needed to pay rent, I didn''t give Mr. Martinez anything dirty. But Francis usually got stuck with taking care of the place. When I couldn''t sleep, I''d listen out for her. Listening to her hum some swing tune, she picked up from Mr. Martinez as she washed dishes. Sometimes, she''d even practice magic, animating the brooms in the house to sweep the floors themselves.


    Francis and Becca are talking about finding a stray cat outside. Francis is telling Becca that they can''t keep it since we don''t have a way of feeding it so much. Francis always had an air of responsibility around her, like she''d been our house''s mother. The most admirable part was that she was never asked to do what she did. The most Mr. Martinez expects from her is to cook and clean. Knowing how amazing she is made me fear the day Father would ask me to be his son. To forsake the little life we had here.


    Instead of letting those thoughts cloud my mind, I focused on her until sleep came to claim me. By the time I would wake up, Francis had come into the room. Lifting the covers off my head, she sat on the bed beside me.


    "Rise in shadow, young bat," she said, "Your sister is getting ready." Rolling to my back, I saw Francis looking at me warmly. She''d been carrying in her hands a small coffee cup. Taking a whiff of what it had inside, I could feel my stomach growl as the scent of Francis''s blood filled my nostrils. But that wasn''t all that was there. I could smell traces of someone else¡¯s blood.


    "Becca gave you some of her blood?" I asked as I stopped myself from reaching for the cup. Francis nodded and then put the cup in my hands.


    "Becca and Penny were fine with it. You need your strength." I was hesitant to drink. Although the smell of Francis''s blood made drinking enticing, having some Becca was a little strange. I didn''t want to end up liking it enough to want more. I wasn''t a blood psycho, I knew that, but the urge to feed was a little stronger than what was considered normal. Putting the cup to my lips, I downed every last drop. While it was sweet from Francis''s blood, there was a tinge of spiciness. One that I wasn''t prepared for at first. I could manage not to spit the blood back out, but I held my breath as I drank the rest of it.


    "You ok?" She asked as she reached for the cup. Letting her take it, I wiped my mouth with my shirt. "I''m fine... I wasn''t expecting that."


    "Alexander Murcielago!" Francis gasped, covering her mouth in horror. "Why haven''t you changed out of that bloody shirt."


    I nearly hit the wall from how startled I was. Then I looked down, noting the blood all over my shirt. I''d forgotten to change yesterday, and my jacket came undone in my sleep.


    Francis began muttering something in French, I couldn''t pick out the words, but I knew she was probably complaining that I was a silly man who couldn''t find a quarter on a barren floor. She exited the bed and headed to the closet, fiddling through the small space before finding another shirt. She threw it at me, with some pants and a pair of trousers.


    "You know the drill," she said as she held her hand out. Without argument, because I knew it didn''t matter, I took Wanda out of my jacket pocket and any extra strips I had, then took off the jacket and handed it to her. She took it, almost snatching it away from me, before holding out her hand again. "Shirt too."


    Slipping the fabric off, I tossed it over to her. She then hurried out of the room, muttering some more in French. I took this as a sign to clean myself up. Heading to the latrine, I turned on the faucet in the bath. A thought occurs to me, and I end up chuckling. Many humans first believed that paradigms were like that Dracula fellow and feared running water. When it was just stories some guy made up. Maybe not of Dracula, Vlad the Impaler was an actual guy, but he was an absolute nutcase. Sometimes, I wondered who were the real monsters, the actual bloodsucking zombies that could sink a boat by themselves or the humans who kill more of their own than any other race ever.


    I usually prefer the water to be cold, mainly because getting the water hot takes too long. Besides, I was too tired to be in a warm bath. The feeling would probably put me right back to sleep. After washing up and getting out, I returned to my room, finding Francis waiting for me. She had my mother''s jacket in her hand, setting my clothes out for me to put back on. When our eyes met, I could see a tinge of red filling her cheeks. I closed the door behind me, ensuring no one could accidentally enter.


    "Come now, Franny," I said as I slowly approached the bed. "You were practically naked last night. Just because you''re dressed like a newsboy now doesn''t mean you won''t get any payback." Picking up the pants, I managed to slip them on without taking off the towel completely. Then, I dropped the towel entirely to put on my trousers. Francis covered her eyes as the towel came off, but she ended up leaving a small gap between her middle and ring fingers. When I put my trousers on, she uncovered them.


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    "It was because Becca suggested it," she huffed. "Men like that sort of thing." It was adorable she still went along with it. It made me hate that I didn''t use it last night to my advantage.


    After completely getting dressed, I slid Wanda back into my jacket pocket. Then, I gave Francis a peck on the forehead. "If you''d like, I could humor you when I return."


    "Don''t push your luck, lover boy," Francis giggled, straightening my jacket collar. "You''ve still got a date to take me on."


    "Darn, foiled by myself this time," I playfully said. Francis pulled me down by my collar, kissing me deeply. For a moment, I almost got sucked into her embrace until there was a knock on the door.


    "Alex," Penny called from beyond the door. "You know Father dislikes tardiness. Get your butt in gear."


    "Damn... just when we were having fun." We let each other go, and I began to head for the door. Turning back, I smiled and waved.


    "See you when you get back," Francis said as she waved back. "Je t''aime, sois prudent."


    "Je t''aime aussi," I said back, See you later." After leaving the room, I made sure to have my key. I could hear the door''s lock click as Penny, and I reached the end of the hall.


    "You know, little brother, you have quite the amazing woman," Penny said, nudging me on the shoulder. "I''m sure he''d get jealous if Julian ever met her."


    "That wouldn''t be a bad idea," I said, considering it. Then I began to think of what Father or Mother would do, and suddenly the idea seemed too far-fetched. "How''s Becca?" I asked.


    "Becca is fine," Penny answered, "I made sure to give her a good scolding. We shouldn''t have any more problems like that."


    We said our goodbyes for the night to Iggy and Mr. Martinez, then got in the Duessy and headed for the estate. From where we were, it would take roughly twenty minutes to return. Luckily Dogland was in the territory between the Rotterdam family and the Isoarashi-gumi. Father established relations with both families when he arrived in America almost twenty years ago. So at least I didn''t have to deal with any greenhorns wanting to crack some skulls because they felt like it. Thanks to the Barkley job going so well, we''d be safer.


    The Murcielago estate was located in the northern residential district, barely inside the Rotterdam family''s territory. Many homes on this side belonged to politicians, actors, and the occasional investment banker. The Estate sat on the farthest edge of the district on top of a hill, almost looming over the other houses. There were bigger houses, but the estate looked the most exotic. Red bricks lined the outer walls, with the house standing three stories high. In the front of the house, a tower built into the building could be seen as the first notable thing. It made the place look like a miniature castle. As we drove up through the long driveway, I noticed somebody had other cars parked in front of the house. Dad must''ve had visitors over.


    Penny parked the Duessy behind the last car, and we got out. As we headed up to the front door, it opened with a large group of men in black suits coming out. They were Americans, some with blond hair and some with black, but all wore blue three-piece suits. In the middle of the group was a tall woman. She also wore a suit, but it was black, with a long skirt of the same color. She had a long brown jacket that hung over her shoulders like a cape. As the group walked by us, I could feel a weird tightening in my chest, but not in any way suggesting feelings of love or embarrassment.


    She must''ve been essential if all of these guys were escorting her. I knew that, in my mind, I thought I shouldn''t look her way. I should just let her walk on by. That was before I noticed I had stopped and had already turned around. It was like a base instinct, something I couldn''t control. When I entirely became aware of what I''d done, I''d realized she turned around too.


    Her bodyguards stopped a bit after she did, then turned to me. The one closest to me, a blond man, approaches me, grabbing me by the collar. "What are you looking at, punk?" He asked, his voice hoarse with annoyance.


    "N-Nothing," I said, but I didn''t think that could convince him. "Sorry, I just thought I knew that lady from somewhere."


    "That lady... Is Queen Jeanne," the bodyguard nearly growled as he began lifting by my collar. "You''d better show some respect."


    Queen Jeanne? Like the head of the Rotterdam family Queen Jeanne? I''m glad I kept those questions in my head. Looking ignorant before someone important could''ve meant the death of me.


    "Mark..." said Queen Jeanne as she stepped forward. "Release the boy." The guard, Mark, drops me like a sack of potatoes. I''d have fallen on my ass if I hadn''t been more alert. The Queen approaches me, her gaze keeping me paralyzed like a statue. She doesn''t smile but doesn''t seem annoyed or slighted. The way her emerald eyes darted around made it seem like she''d been attempting to stare straight into my soul.


    "You certainly have his hair," Queen Jeanne said. She reached for my face examining every single feature it had. "You must be the youngest son."


    "Y-Yes, ma''am... I mean, your majesty, I mean..." I couldn''t stop fumbling over my words. The tightness in my chest began to turn into pain now. Letting go of me, the Queen rested a hand on her rather large chest as if something had bothered her.


    "You must be the one who aided me with my rodent problem," she surmised. "You''re not quite who I thought you''d be." I knew she wasn''t trying to insult me, but it was hard not to want to take offense to that. I couldn''t ask the most influential person in Iscariot City to say sorry or take what she said back.


    "What is your name, boy?" The queen asked, her eyes narrowing, but I couldn''t feel hatred.


    "Alexander... Alexander Murcielago." I sensed something was wrong with how she asked for my name. The first clue was that her guards backed away when she asked. Usually, when you protect someone, you can''t just step away from them. The second was their relief when I answered.


    "Very well," the Queen said, seeming satisfied with my answer. She reached into her purse and took out a stack of money and a medal. She handed both to me and smiled. "I''d like to reward you before I take my leave personally. Spend the money how you like. As for the medal, keep it with you always. You''ll know when you need it."


    I wanted to ask why she''d like to give me these things personally. But before the words could form in my throat, her guards surrounded her, and she took her leave. The tightness in my chest faded, almost as if the Queen had taken it with her as she left. I slid the money into my jacket pocket but examined the medal for a few more moments. It was shaped like a coin, with one side having a woman''s head and the other a jar.


    "Whoa," Penny gasped, "You just talked to the Queen." The realization of this meeting now dawned on me. Father hadn''t told anyone about me yet. I was just a soldier for now. I''d gone and given my identity away like a fool.


    "Shit... Dad is probably going to kill me..."

 Crime Report 5: Family Duty

    Putting the medal in my pocket, I''d start having the biggest panic attack as Penny, and I headed into the house. I knew I couldn''t just lie in the face of a Don from another family, but I knew I shouldn''t have given away my identity like that. I''d been wondering what I would do when Father found out. I started trying to convince myself that maybe I was overreacting. I even went as far as to think I didn''t have any other choice. With how the bodyguards looked, perhaps she would''ve killed me on the spot with magic had she thought I lied to her.


    "Alex? Are you alright?" Shaking my head, I finally became aware of my surroundings amid my panic. I was hugged by a tall woman with long dark hair and crystal blue eyes, the same as mine. A wide smile was present on her face, and it was as warm as a campfire in a cave.


    "J-Judith," I said, backing away out of surprise. "I''m sorry, Elder sister. I didn''t mean to bump into you." Judith crossed her arms, and her smile turned into a frown. "Come now, Alex, you know to call me Jude. Like you''ve always done."


    "R-Right... Sorry Jude," I said, "I was just lost in thought, that''s all." I thought I''d be used to meeting with Father''s associates by now. Queen Jeanne must''ve gotten to me in a way I couldn''t figure out. "How''re you, big sis?" I asked, dropping the formalities.


    "I''m quite alright," Jude said, her radiant smile returning. "You must''ve bumped into Father''s associate Queen Jeanne, no?"


    Penny nodded, "She was gorgeous. I thought she would''ve had her goons give Alex a hard time." That was a plausible assumption to make. Most Dons wouldn''t want to waste their time on a soldier like me. Which only made the significance of her interest a little more startling.


    "Oh well, I''m sure it was fine," Jude said. She approached me, leaning close to my ear, "How''s your little friend?"


    "She''s fine," I answered, "I''ll tell her you send your best." Jude nodded and then turned away, heading for the stairs. "That''s good," she said. "Now come. Father awaits."


    I never kept Francis a secret from anyone in the family. Those who cared often asked about her well-being and wished her good health. Those who didn''t ask about her. Being a Bastard has some perks, I guess. Following Jude up the stairs from the foyer, We''d come to the second floor, walking down three doors to the left. At the end of the hall was my Father''s office. Before Jude knocked on the door, it opened. Out came a man who was Jude''s height. His stark white suit jacket contrasted with the black collared shirt. He looked like one of those statues from the old country and was even pale to boot, and though he had my elder sister''s face, he was her polar opposite.


    Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his watch and opened it. "You''re almost late, brother," he said as he narrowed his eyes. "You must be punctual to any meeting you are called to."


    "Yes, Julius," I answered while nearly coming to attention. Even though he had Mother''s silver hair, he certainly had our Father''s eyes. While he wasn''t freezing, they could freeze you in place on command. Julius, my elder brother, commanded such respect. Seeing that I absorbed his small lesson, he stepped aside for me. From where I stood, I could see a dark figure standing near the far wall with smoke rising to the ceiling. The man''s long hair draped over his shoulders like a scarf, and his broad shoulders nearly seemed too wide to fit into his suit.


    I reached the doorway, where I''d turned back to look at my siblings again. They all wished me good luck, then shut the door. From the other side of the room, I heard my Father take a long huff of his cigar, then saw the thick cloud of smoke as he exhaled it. Turning around, he faced me, his crimson eyes piercing deep into my soul.


    "Alexander... My youngest son," he said as he held his hand out to the chair before his desk. "Sit." The word that seemed like an invitation felt like a command from someone of a higher power. I sat, being careful not to take my eyes off my Father. He''d also sit down, waving his hand as a signal. From the left side, a maid approached the desk. A curly redhead with lots of freckles. She seemed a bit too pretty to be some rich guy''s Maid. Father pulled out a knife from his pocket, then pulled two small glasses from a drawer from his desk. Placing the glasses on the table, he used the knife to slit the girl''s wrist, allowing the blood to pour into both cups.


    "Alright... Go get some medical attention," he growled as he pushed my cup toward me. The Maid did as she was told without so much as a word. The strange behavior she exhibited possibly was Mother''s handiwork.


    "First, I''d like to congratulate you on your good work," Father said, his lips forming a smile. "If I had known you''d be that effective, I''d have sent you on better jobs much sooner."


    "It was either that or be fed to the dogs. I remember you saying," I said, remembering the last time I was in this room. "After all, the family can''t afford to look bad now."


    "Come now, Alexander, that was the past. We must put that thinking behind us. The Queen was very pleased with your work." Father''s gaze darted to the drink I hadn''t touched on the table. The blood of people I didn''t know wasn''t tasty, and I''d already drunk my fill for the night. But to refuse a gift, especially from the boss, was a higher disrespect than spitting on his nice shoes. So I picked up the glass and drank its contents.


    "Now... I wished all I had called you here for today to chat about your accomplishments," Father said, "But I have been approached twice now about this subject." As he spoke, Father withdrew two files from his desk. Both had names associated with each other, along with a picture. There were two women. One with short blonde hair and emerald eyes, almost identical to the Queen. The other was Asian, Japanese specifically, given the more elongated, oval-shaped face.


    "Due to the success of your job and now our allies have become aware of you, it''s time you fulfill your role as a son in this family." Father put out his cigar after taking one last puff, then took out another and cut the tip. "While they don''t know you are my illegitimate son, I can not afford to have them find that out." Putting the cigar to his mouth, Father had his fingers at the end of it, a spark of black flames flickering a few times before the flame lit the cigar. Taking another puff, he blew another cloud of smoke and then tapped on the file of the Japanese woman.


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    "To strengthen our relations between the Isoarashi-gumi and the Rotterdam family, I will have you and your brother marry these women. This part is non-negotiable."


    Hearing this caused me to act like an idiot. I sat in my seat, placing the glass back on Father''s desk. My brow furrowed, and I could feel a vein readying to burst on my forehead. That was a big mistake. Not only had I shown my annoyance, but I did so in the face of an order. I expected Father to come from around the desk and yank me by the collar. But when he didn''t, I began to have new worries.


    "I''m sure you''re worried about the little Shaman girl you''ve got living with you at that boarding house," Father said before taking another puff. "If you aren''t going to live at the Estate, then you should know I''ll always be watching you."


    Of course, he had Dogland staked out. That meant he likely knew about Becca and the others. As that frightening nugget of information settled in my mind, something bigger loomed. If he knew about them and hadn''t done anything, then that was arguably worse than him spying around.


    Father sat back in his seat, his smile widening as if he''d caught a mouse in a trap. "There are only two women in that house. One is the Negro girl that snuck her way in here last night. The other rarely leaves. She mainly goes around dressed as a young man. Smart considering how dangerous this city is. But, normally, one wouldn''t go out like that unless they could handle themselves should they be discovered."


    I could feel my heartbeat race as my Father began piecing things together. I wanted to leave. I felt as though the room''s atmosphere was constricting the air in my lungs.


    "Then there was the Barkley job," Father continued, "a rune was found in little Mikey''s hand. Queen Jeanne had her Shamans examine it, and they said they''d never seen a rune crafted so expertly. So, with that information, I did some digging."


    I wanted to cut Father off before he could finish that thought. I tried to tell him no and refused to do any of this. But then I''d be getting in the way of the family business. I knew what Father did to those who crossed that line. Hell, I''d even handled it for him on certain occasions. I tried calming down, even sitting back in my chair to try and play it cool. But it was too late. I was an open book.


    "I''m going to be honest with you," Father said, "My original intention with you marrying another was to drag you back to the estate. Your great-grandfather forever stained the honor of the Murcielago name by having relations with a Non-Paradigm. But in your case, the circumstances are rather special."


    As Father mentioned his grandfather, I could hear the disdain in his voice. Great-Grandfather Issac was the reason for Father''s clandestine quest to regain the family''s honor. Issac was executed for getting a human pregnant without blooding her. The baby didn''t survive, which was a separate but predictable tragedy. Mythics couldn''t reproduce with humans. Our magic is too much for a new human life to take in. It''s the reason one must blood a human if they plan on having children.


    Growing impatient with Father''s theatrics, I leaned forward again. "What''s this have to do with Francis," I said, forgoing any notion to dance around the topic.


    Father''s smile finally faded. He turned to the left, putting his cigar out, and sighed. "As much as I wish for Beatrix to stay out of the business, I was surprised when she suggested something for your benefit."


    At this point, I wasn''t sure how much more insane this night was about to get. First, my Father wants to parade me around like his golden son, and now my evil stepmother cares about me. "What did she suggest?" I asked, attempting to humor this insanity.


    "She said it''d be beneficial to keep such a skilled Shaman in our employ," Father explained. "Not many other families have access to Weird Magic, and even then, the skill is intermediate at best. Since your engagement is entirely political, a case could be made for you to have a concubine."


    I bit my lip, desperately fighting back the urge to shout. It was one thing for the family to see me as a helpful tool, but Francis was another matter entirely.


    "Look, son... I''m making you an offer that''s too good to refuse. Last night, I met with Isoarashi-gumi''s boss, Isoarashi Yasuo. He is the elder brother of your bride, Isoarashi Yayoi. They both are willing to overlook the Shaman, even welcoming her as a concubine so long as she knows her place. Agree, and I won''t be forced to do my least favorite thing."


    My Father was many things, but being a good person wasn''t one. I knew I could count on him to stay true to his word in both circumstances. I began to think of Francis. I felt that if I agreed, she wouldn''t take so kindly to this. Maybe she would leave thinking I was just like my Father, putting family before what we had. Then there was the thought of her being a pawn in my Father''s schemes. She''d be put in harm''s way. But I knew I couldn''t refuse. I knew the alternative.


    "Tell me about Ms. Isoarashi then," I said as I resigned myself to the consequences of shaking hands with the devil.


    Father''s smile returned, and then he opened the file. "Isoarashi Yayoi, better known as the March Storm. When the previous Isoarashi head died in an assassination, she and her brother took over. Many describe her as being on the more cutthroat side. Often opting to be her brother''s enforcer. She also has a secret I''ll reveal to you now."


    A secret of the Isoarashi? They were rarely the type to allow such things to fall through the cracks. Or it wasn''t an Isoarashi secret.


    "Paradigms possess four distinct kinds of magic," Father stated. "Shadow, Madness, Curse, and Void, each of which a Paradigm normally has access to one in particular." As he came to the word "usually, " Father lingered on it as his narrowed gaze was fixated on me.


    "However, as Pandora, the sorceress that created our kind by unleashing her unspeakable evils upon the Earth, she allowed one more magic to persist. Those who have it have what''s called the Sin Factor." Father opened the folders of both women. I''d expected the files to contain information about them. However, there was something extra. A special symbol drawn on a blank page was the first page on each, and they were distinct.


    "Those who possess the Sin Factor," Father continued, "Suffer from symptoms of Sanguine-Psychosis in exchange for their immense power. Although they do not lose their sanity like the detestable Vampyres, they can not live as long without it. But they are, without a doubt, the strongest Black magic wielders on the planet. Comparable to even the Archangel Acolytes and the Shaman Matriarchs."


    While these Sin Factor guys were undoubtedly news to me, the Archangels were the stuff of legends. If you ask a John Doe Paradigm off the street about them, they will try to run away. As for the Matriarchs, I''ve heard Francis talk about them. You''d think she''d found God or something from how she spoke.


    "I take it that these two are one of those Sin factors, then?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.


    Father nodded, then closed the file. "Yes... and Yayoi will be your blushing bride. I''d figure her over, Lenore, since the two of you are effective killers. I''m sure the new upstart Capo of the Murcielago can handle the March Storm of Wrath."


    I''d have been flattered if he hadn''t slipped that last bit of information in there. "Wait? A Capo?"


    Father leaned back in his chair, and a sly smile tugged his lips. "Yes... Since you earned the attention of the Queen of Pride, Jeanne Rotterdam herself. It''s only natural you''re rewarded."

 Crime Report 6: Unwanted Gifts

    I expected many things before walking into my father''s office. A pat on the back, sure I did decent enough. A few words of encouragement or an offhanded insult, almost certainly. But becoming a Capo, being betrothed to some super paradigm, and possibly getting into heavier jobs. No, that was all beyond me.


    But here were are. I stared dear old Dad down as if he''d just shot me. "I don''t even have a crew," I said, finally finding an argument to counter this sudden promotion. "None of our associates will even listen to a word I say."


    "That''s why you''ll have some help," Father said as he finished the last of the maid''s blood. "There''s another Capo I''m sending to Dogland tonight. He''ll be there to ensure you have everything you need for your assignment."


    "Assignment?" I asked, "I''ve got another job so soon?"


    "Yes," Father said, "The Isoarashi-gumi wishes to transact with the Huang Triads. I have volunteered, and the Murcielago family has bodyguards for Yasuo, but he wants to meet his protectors."


    "In doing that, I get to meet my blushing bride, I guess?" I asked, letting venom ooze all over my words.


    "Exactly," Father answered, unfazed, "Now I have some business to attend to. Furio will return you to your boarding house to meet with your new associate." Father reached into the desk drawer again and pulled out a newspaper. Opening, I saw the headline "Hector Andrade" released from Prison," it said.


    I wanted to know more. But Father was one to save time. He didn''t have to. So I stood from the chair and headed for the door.


    "One more thing," Father said without looking up from his paper. "Happy Belated Alex. You''ve done well keeping up with your mother''s coat."


    I stopped, suddenly grabbing the collar of my... of Mom''s coat. It''d been ten years since I was given this coat. The worn-out black leather made it look like I''d taken it from an old photo. It was the only thing I had left from her.


    "Thanks..." I said without turning back. Opening the door, I left Father to his reading. The hall was empty save for the tacky paintings and expensive furnishings. I wanted to get out of this place as soon as I could. There was so much I wanted to vent to Francis about and so much more to tell her.


    But then, would she even stay? Would she leave because I had to do my duty as a son of Drakon Murcielago? I knew how to answer these questions, but things would become complicated. I could''ve said nothing, but keeping information was a big part of how I came into existence. So there was no time to think of that now. Walking through the corridor, I heard someone coming up the stairs. I was lost in thought about how to tell Francis what happened that I hadn''t realized who was coming until they spoke.


    "Oh, look," said a feminine voice from the top of the staircase. "It''s the Bastard." To me, the voice sounded like someone dragging their nails on a chalkboard or the sound of an incoming bomb from an airplane. Everything screamed, "I need to get the hell away from her." But there was no way I could avoid her. As the woman reached the top of the stairs, her eyes narrowed with contempt. Her wicked smile unnerved me so much that I patted my jacket for Wanda.


    Beatrix Murcielago, the daughter of Anthony Alessandra, the Lionheart, and Husband of the Devil Dragon, Drakon Murcielago. Her frost-white hair somehow matched her cold blue eyes. Eyes that felt as though I was gazing into a bottomless abyss. Something about her made men bow down and worship the ground she walked. Even Father, who usually was a man of focus and composure, even lost to her charm, and by how she looked, I couldn''t find a way to discount that. She had every quality of a villainous vixen, lovely, somehow blessed in womanhood, and a nasty personality. She held her slender hand as she approached me, cupping my chin. "I take it you and your father had a pleasant chat."


    I didn''t answer, not wanting to give this woman the satisfaction of seeing me annoyed. It made no difference to her as she examined my features thoroughly. "I''m always shocked to see how similar our eyes are. You almost fit the bill to be one of mine and Darling''s. It''s a shame I know you''re nothing but a good-for-nothing bastard."


    "If you think that, why convince Father to involve me in the business?" I asked, hoping for an answer today. Her cruel smile widened as she met my gaze.


    "Despite being a bastard... You have proven yourself to be useful," she said. "I''m sure you''ve heard that many times recently. But I have my reasons."


    That caused me to raise a brow. Even though I wasn''t her child, she may have found a use for me. But no, anything my "mother" wanted from this was as good as poisoned fruit. "You should be happy," she continued as she let go of my chin. "You can still be with your little Mademoiselle while being useful to our family. That could''ve easily gone a different way."


    She was right. I should''ve been happy. I''ve heard many guys talk about having multiple women to fool around with to be bliss. But Francis made me realize how different it is when you care about someone. I''m sure Mother just insinuated that she had some control over this. "While I can thank you for your sudden care for my love life," I said, "I''d like it if you''d keep out from now on."


    "Come now, Bastard," Beatrix said, sounding hurt. "I''ve had a change of heart. I thought your time on the Western front dulled your abilities, but instead, you''re just as good as you were then. I have stellar expectations for you, Alexander."


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Hearing her say my name was constantly grating, yet it felt strange this time. There was slight pain at the front of my head, but it went away just as quickly. "Tell me, Alexander," she said, her voice losing that irritating haughtiness. "Did you hear anything strange while you were out?"


    Then I remembered I still needed to tell Father what the Irishman said. With Mother asking, it couldn''t hurt. Since she did me a favor in convincing Father to allow Francis to stick around if she chose to, I could at least do this. "The fatso mentioned something about there being bigger rats than him," I said in a low voice. "They''re bigger than the Huang Triads and the Rotterdam family."


    "Did he happen to say anything else?" Mother asked as she circled me as a predator would its prey. "No," I answered. "He didn''t have the chance to." Mother stopped in front of me, clapping her hands together gleefully. "Very good, Alexander," she said in a softer tone. "I''m so happy you''ve done your job so well."


    Before she could say more, footsteps echoed through the staircase. It was Penny, and as soon as she saw Mother, her face twisted into anger. "Mother, leave Alex be." Mother backed off, but she kept that smile she had. "It''s alright, Penthesilea. I was merely praising Alexander for a job well done."


    Penny grabbed me by my arm and began dragging me toward the stairs. "I''m sure that''s what you were doing. If you praise him, then call him by his name." I was confused. Mother had been using my name this entire time. Though it was strange she was being a little too nice, she at least gave me a break from the bastard moniker.


    "Oh, Alexander," Mother said before Penny pulled me down the stairs. "Be sure to keep what you heard a little secret. Just for us." Mother placed a finger on her lips and winked. I wanted to tell her I still had to tell Dad what I told her. But I felt as though she would.


    As Penny pulled me along, she was muttering something about Mother being out of her mind and wishing she''d be nicer to me. I saw a rather large man waiting by the door when we came downstairs. When I said the guy was large, I meant you could mistake him for a giant or something. His arms were massive, like he could squish a watermelon between his biceps. He wore a black three-piece suit with a red tie and had slicked-back black hair that seemed well-maintained.


    "I''ve got him, Mr. Furio," Penny said as we stopped at the large man. Furio looked annoyed, like he''d been waiting for a late train. He took out a pocket watch and examined the time.


    "Young Master Murcielago," Furio said, his voice booming throughout the room like he''d been a God-making decree. "Given your new promotion. It would do you some good to be punctual."


    Penny turned to me, seeming surprised about the notion of a promotion. I could see she wanted to jump up and hug me, but in the presence of Father''s underboss, she didn''t move.


    "You''re right, Furio," I agreed, "I just got caught up, is all." Furio rolled his eyes, seemingly to let my excuse fly by. He nodded toward the door and headed for a car parked outside the estate. As I''d followed him out, I''d waved goodbye to Penny.


    "Hey, Alex," she called out. "Make sure you take care of my flowers while I''m gone." It took me a second to realize what she''d been saying, but I got the message and only replied with a nod. I didn''t want to risk shouting back to her lest Furio would be forced to interrogate me.


    As I was about to get in the car with Furio, I noticed something in the back seat¡ªa violin case with the same logo that was carved into Wanda.


    "What''s that?" I asked as I got in the car. "A present from me," Furio answered with a smile. "I have to get you something for your eighteenth. Besides, I know you''ve been caring for Wanda and Bethany."


    I turned back, looking at the case, my curiosity nearly getting better. Not now, not while we''re on the road. It''d take some time before we got back to Dogland, so on the way, Furio and I caught up with each other. He asked about Francis and to see if my weapons needed any repairs. But I''d known how to disassemble and reassemble Wanda and Bethany like the back of my hand.


    He let me out when we arrived, and I grabbed the case from the back seat. "Good luck to you, Alexander," he said, laughing. Then he drove away as quickly as he pulled up.


    When I got in for the night, I noticed a few things that were out of place inside. The first was that Mr. Martinez needed to handle the front like usual. The second was that there was an unfamiliar voice in the kitchen. I''d heard Francis, too. She''d been talking with someone I didn''t know. Someone with a heavy English accent, possibly a Londoner. I first waited, listening to see if there was distress in Francis''s voice. But when I heard none, I slowly approached.


    As I entered the kitchen, I saw a tall man with brown hair wearing glasses and a brown suit. He''d have a cane at his side, though he looked like he wasn''t a cripple. He was in his late thirties and looked quite intelligent. But I could tell he was a Paradigm. He seemed to be sipping something. From how steam came out of the cup, it was probably tea or coffee.


    "Oh," the man said as he noticed me come in. "Forgive me, Ms. Fran?ois. I believe Alexander has returned."


    Francis turned to the entryway to see me, then gave me a small wave. "Alex, you''re home early."


    "Yeah," I said, trying not to sound too stunned. "Who''s this?" I hoped my question didn''t come out as accusatory.


    "Sorry," the man said as he placed his cup down. "Ms. Francis here has just been entertaining me with stories of you. It''s an honor to meet the Boss''s son." He held out his hand to me as he smiled. It wasn''t a mischievous or condescending smile, which made me feel better.


    "My name is Walter De Santis," he said, giving me a slight bow. "From this point forward, I''ll reside here in Dogland." It finally hit me. This was the Capo Father mentioned. "I see," I said, those being the only words I could muster.


    "I''m sorry to intrude upon your home," Walter said as he picked up his cane. "But if I''m to mold you into an excellent captain, then it''s best we remain close."


    "Right," I said, "You at least let Mr. Martinez know?" I asked the question as I wondered where the old geezer went.


    "More than that," answered Walter, "I''ve even handsomely paid him for my lodging. He''s gone to settle some affairs."


    More like going off to enjoy some nighttime company, but it couldn''t be helped. At least Mr. Martinez wouldn''t complain about another unwanted visitor.


    "Alright," I said. "If you don''t mind, I''d like to talk to Francis. It''s important." Walter turned to Francis, seeming to check on her. She didn''t seem worried though she did lose her smile a bit.


    "Very well," Walter said, "I''m not here to get in the way of your relationship anyways." He raised his cane and started heading for the door. He stopped beside me and even leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Be ready tomorrow night. We''ll be meeting with the March Storm."

 Crime Report 7: Compromise

    Walter left Francis and me in the kitchen alone; I listened out to see if he was gone. I felt some relief when I heard footsteps going up the stairs. Setting the violin case down, my gaze met Francis''s. The words I wanted to tell her were suddenly stuck in my throat. I wondered again if I should say to her about this. But hesitating right now was only going to make this more difficult.


    "What''s wrong, Lexi?" Francis asked as she approached me. Her eyes filled with so much worry that I felt she might start shooting crazy questions.


    "Listen," I said, trying to get the words out of my throat. "It''s my Father... he knows about you... about us."


    The worry in her eyes quickly changed to horror. Francis sat down at the table as she tried to calm herself. "What''s he going to do?" She asked, her voice shaking. "Is he going to kill me?"


    I shook my head, pulling up a chair next to her. Then I wrapped my arms around her, holding both her arms. "No, nothing like that. But it is a bit complicated."


    Francis turned to me, the worry filling her eyes again. "Father has been watching Dogland for a long time," I explained, "If he wanted to do something to you, it''d have been done. But that usually isn''t a good thing either."


    My eyes fell, looking at Francis''s hands. I loved how soft they felt against mine. More than that, I loved how clean they were. I was okay with bloodying my hands, but hers. I couldn''t bear the thought.


    "He wants to use me?" Francis said, her hands clenching as she spoke. "He must''ve noticed how good my magic was." It was strange how Francis said this, as if she knew she was talented. Maybe it was that she was the only Shaman I knew, but it just felt off.


    "Well... yeah," I said, "But it''s not just you. When I was coming up in the Estate. I met face to face with the Queen."


    "The Queen?" Francis repeated, "She spoke to you?" I nodded and allowed her a moment to process that. "We were both too good," I continued. "Father has promoted me to Capo. It''s why Walter is here."


    "With a promotion comes more responsibilities, doesn''t it?" Francis asked as she seemed to put the pieces together.


    "Yes," I answered, "Father wants me to marry into the Isoarashi family." This was it. I expected her to shake me off and storm out of the kitchen. I was ready to beg her to stay and tell her I had no choice. But, like always, Francis blew my expectations out of the water. She did shake me off, but she didn''t get up. Instead, she cupped my cheeks in her hands and kissed me. It wasn''t a long kiss, but it felt reassuring enough.


    "Alexander, vous ¨ºtes un homme stupide. I hope you didn''t get any silly ideas as I''d leave you," Francis said, her voice dripping with disbelief. "I know you, Paradigms, have your customs. I''m not some idiot human girl."


    Now, it was my turn to be confused. Like an idiot, I let my jaw hang open after hearing her say that. It didn''t make any sense. Beatrix was angry with my Father when he came back with me.


    "Look, Alex, you''re good at what you do. Your Father finally sees that. If I have anything to be upset over, it''s the fact that he intends to use me." Francis let go of me and crossed her arms. Now she was getting upset. "I only want to use my magic to help you. I''m not going to take orders from your Father."


    I know Francis was serious, but I could tell help but laugh. No one I knew other than Furio or Jude could have the guts to speak about my Father in such a way. "What? It''s not funny," Francis protested.


    "Sorry, Franny... I''m just laughing at myself. You''re right. I am a stupid man." I hugged her again and gave her a peck on the cheek. She still was a bit cross with me, but it wasn''t too bad.


    "So... Which Isorashi?" Francis asked, leaning into my shoulder. "Yayoi," I answered, "Yasuo''s sister." Francis sat back up, that worrying look coming back to her. "Any particular reason?"


    Her question raised a brow, but I decided to humor her. "It''s to strengthen our alliance with them," I said, "as well as something about her being a sin factor." Even though that fact didn''t mean much to me, I noticed Francis went stiff after hearing it.


    "A Sin Factor," she repeated as if the two words felt heavy. "You''re sure?"


    "Y-Yeah, you know anything about it?" Francis didn''t say anything for a moment. The gears in her mind seemed to spin so fast they might fall off.


    "Do you know anything about the Sin Factors?" Francis asked, her mind finally coming to a halt. I just told her what Father said to me about them. When I was done, she took some more time to think. She turned to me again and placed her hand on my chest. She muttered something I couldn''t understand, and suddenly that slight pain I felt when I met the Queen returned. But it vanished as quickly as it came.


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    "Alex, I need you to answer my next question, honestly," Francis said, her tone becoming more serious. "When you met the Queen. Did she give you anything?"


    I''m unsure why I''d lie to her about that, but she had her reasons. Maybe some Shaman thing I needed help understanding. I took out the medal, and the wad of cash Queen Jeanne gave me and showed them to Francis. She didn''t seem as interested in the money as the medal. Taking it from me, Francis began to examine the medal as if it were a precious diamond.


    "Alexander," Francis called out, her tone unlike anything I''ve ever heard. "Your Father... What use did he have for me?"


    "He didn''t say," I answered, "He just wanted you to stick around. He even went as far as to give his blessing on being my concubine. Not that I think that low of you."


    Francis shook her head, "That''s perfect. I want to join you when you meet Yayoi. "


    "Woah, are you sure?" The question escaped my lips faster than I could hold it in. "Won''t that be a bit awkward?"


    "Yayoi will likely know of your Father''s compromise already," Francis said. "Besides, despite not having such a custom since the Edo period, the Isoarashi is an older family. Meaning they would allow me to become a sokushitsu. I am a magical creature, after all. Not a human."


    The entire Edo period went over my head, but I could grasp the basic concept. I wanted to avoid getting Francis involved in my work, though. It was dangerous. There were even times when I almost died. Yet, she''d been talking like she wouldn''t change her mind. Something had driven her to want this, so who could I deny that? "Alright, I give," I said, throwing my hands up. "Where are you supposed to be meeting Yayoi tomorrow? You have to promise me you''ll be safe. I won''t let you unless you do."


    Francis kissed me again, this time for a little longer. "I promise I''ll do whatever it takes." For just a few more minutes, we sat together in the kitchen. Then we got up and started heading to our room after I picked up my violin case.


    Francis returned the medal, telling me to keep it on me no matter what happened. The gold coin seemed a lot heavier than before. When we returned, Francis crashed immediately, not even bothering to put on some night clothes. I stayed up a little to see what Furio had given me. Placing the violin case on the desk, I opened the locks. Inside was a submachine gun, specifically the Thompson, the American''s brand-new weapon they liked waving around. The metal was black with the exact bat wing engraving Wanda had.


    The Thompson was a work of art. It could quickly cut down a squad and was compact and easy to carry. What would happen if we had more of these in the West? But the fact I was getting one now meant that there would be more dangerous jobs to go on. Now that Francis wanted to come with me, I felt an enormous uneasiness in my gut. I even worried that she''d interfere in the job if it came down to it. Father, using her was the main worry. Don''t get me wrong; Father knew how to cut off a rotting limb.


    Sitting the Thompson down, I plopped right down on the bed. Francis was already sound asleep, so there were no talking things through any further. I brushed some of her hair off her face and burned her beauty into my memory. Then I slipped into the bed beside her and pulled the covers over us. "I promise, Franny," I whispered, "I won''t let anything happen to you.


    The next day went the same as usual, although Franny spent most of the day with me. She''d given me my daily blood to drink and tried getting me to sleep. Francis mainly spent the morning practicing more spells, creating runes of different kinds. Whenever I''d wake, I''d catch her meditating or carving a new rune in a stone she had. It wouldn''t be until a little bit into the afternoon that she''d rejoin me in bed. A few hours later, sundown came, meaning it was time to go.


    When I got up, I entered the closet and picked out a suit. I might want to look good since I would meet the boss of another family and my bride-to-be. I only owned two suits, one black and one grey. Taking the black one, I got changed as quickly as I could. Before putting on my jacket, I pulled out my harness holster and began hooking it on. For a moment, I turned back to see Francis waking up now. She began to change, too, opting for the wool suit she kept around for when she went out for the day. She even wore pants, a vest, and suspenders. Other than the nightgown, I couldn''t remember the last time I saw Francis in something a little more feminine. But I just chalked it up to being not her style.


    I reached into the closet, getting the other harness holster for Francis to put on. When I held it up to her, she looked a little puzzled. "If you''re going with me, you''ll be carrying. I got a spare piece in my bag."


    "You''ve only taught me how to shoot a handful of times," Francis laughed nervously. She did take the harness, though she was hesitant. I didn''t want her to take the gun because I didn''t trust Isoarashi. They were violent, sure, but next to the Rotterdams, the Isoarashi were the most honorable gang of thugs in the city. The Huangs, on the other hand, were an entirely different story. I''ve only dealt with them a few times, but I knew they primarily dealt with opium and prostitution. They ruled most of the entertainment district in Iscariot City and had a reputation for having wild parties. At some of those parties, I heard people didn''t come alive.


    Going in my back, I pulled out the Colt 1911 I''d been issued when I volunteered. I ensured it wasn''t loaded initially, then pulled out a couple of magazines. Handing all of the items to Francis, I crossed my arms, waiting for her to proceed with a weapon check. Francis pulled the slide just a bit to see inside the chamber. There wasn''t one loaded already, but it was nice that she remembered. Francis then checked the gun''s safety, which was already on, then slid the magazine back into the gun. She almost went to pull the slide back, but I put my hand over hers before she could do so. "Nope... Remember, Franny, the gun is only there to defend yourself. Only hotheads keep one chambered."


    "R-Right... D¨¦sol¨¦ ma ch¨¦ri," Francis said as she holstered the gun. "Now, shall we go?" We descended to the first floor, where Walter awaited us. He had on a nice grey suit with a fedora to match. He honestly looked like some detective for justice. As he saw us come down, he looked confused, which he had a right to be.


    "I hadn''t known we were having a third come along," Walter said cautiously, reinforcing every word.


    "Relax, Mr. De Santis. She''s practically got my old man''s blessing." That wasn''t a lie, but Walter didn''t look like he wanted to dispute it.


    "If that''s the case, welcome aboard, Mademoiselle Abreo," said Walter. "And please... Call me Walter. Now we best be going. Yasuo Isoarashi dislikes those who aren''t punctual."

 Crime Report 8: The March Storm

    The three of us got in a car that Walter prepared for us. One of his soldiers was driving, so I was glad I didn''t have to hear anything demeaning the whole ride. We''d go to the Isoarashi compound to meet with Yasuo and his sister. Though the entire time, I''d been a nervous wreck.


    I''d heard stories of the Isoarashi-gumi''s intelligence network and how they knew everything about anyone who waltzed into their territory. I even heard they managed to find a guy who robbed one of their own one night. The scarier part was that they were waiting for him at his house. The thing about the Yakuza was that they were a lot more noble than some of the other big names in Iscariot City besides the Rotterdams. They mainly worked to protect the people who lived in their territory, with illegal business being an afterthought.


    As we were riding, I took the time to glance at Walter. Even though he looked almost as young as I did, I could see the years of experience in his eyes. They were like some older soldiers I fought with a few years ago. I slipped up and let Walter catch me staring, but he only smiled. "Something I can help you with, Master Alexander?"


    "You don''t have to refer to me as Master," I said dismissively. "But you can entertain me with your story." Walter took a minute to consider my question as if searching for an old book.


    "My father was a Brit, and my mother was Italian," he said, seemingly reading through a script. "I grew up in London till I was about seventeen when I met a paradigm for the first time."


    "You were blooded?" I asked, the curiosity surfacing a little more in my tone.


    "Yes... I was born in 1863. If I were still human, I''d have been 58," Walter leaned back into his seat a little more as he began to recall his memories. "It was by a woman I loved. But she was killed shortly after."


    "I''m sorry to hear that," Francis said in a low, sorrowful voice. "I can''t imagine what that must''ve been like."


    "You needn''t waste your sympathies for me, Mademoiselle. It isn''t as if you were the one who killed her." Although I knew Walter meant what he said, I wanted to know more. But if I were that brave, I''d have probably learned about my mom by now. Instead, I chose to change the subject.


    "What do you do for my Father then?" I asked, "I''ve never really seen you before."


    "I mainly protect Mr. Alessandra and your father''s trade routes between New York City and Rome. Mostly merchandise and tools." His tone lingered on "tools" and "merchandise" as if the words had a separate meaning. Even though everyone in the car, including the driver, was in the game. Walter was cautious not to say anything, as if he had a secret to hide. The caution was warranted, given that Francis was the only non-made member. We both knew Francis wasn''t an informant, but rules were rules.


    "That must mean you''ve got an immigration pass," said Francis, sounding as if she were guessing. Walter nodded, confirming it. For a paradigm to travel between the hive cities or to even be in a human city, they had to apply for an immigration pass. It was one of the conditions for humans not to go ballistic and try to genocide us. It went the same way for humans to be in our cities, although we didn''t mind as much.


    "I must say the tests for those are extremely difficult," Walter said, looking out the window at the busy streets. "Especially the Americans, they even slip their citizenship tests in." That wasn''t surprising at all. Even Father said something about the tests being hard. What was the word he used again? Asinine, I believe it was.


    "What of you, Alexander?" Walter asked as he turned back to me. "I''ve heard you fought bravely during the Great War." I wasn''t expecting to tell stories of my own. I almost declined to talk about it until I saw Francis looking at me as curious as I was moments before. I couldn''t refuse now. So I elected to tell a short story that would be exciting.


    "I was a part of the American Expeditionary Forces in 1917," I said as I dragged the memories of the war to the front of my head. "I lied about my age, saying I was 18. Even got some forged documentation to prove it. Since humans didn''t know about us, it was easy to get blood and easier to fight. The hardest part was getting people to believe I was lucky enough to survive."


    Being able to heal from drinking blood saved me more time than I cared to admit. Recalling the blood and carnage on the Western front easily felt worse than drowning in water. I began to feel nauseous, and my hand trembled as I remembered seeing the faces of the dead. Even the two Irish guys cut. I tried to push down whatever made me sick and continue the story. Francis took my shaking hand into hers, attempting to calm me down. I let out a breath I didn''t even know I was holding. "We were deployed here and there until we went on the hundred days offensive. There isn''t much that I can talk about beyond that."


    Walter was silent for a moment. Since he''d seen my fit of shell shock, he was trying to figure out how to approach the subject more cautiously. "I don''t mind if ya ask," I said, "It only comes when I remember that time."


    "Actually," Walter said, "I was going to ask if you were at the Massacre?" For a moment, I was a little surprised about what he asked until I remembered. The Massacre of Berlin was the event that threw Mythics into the spotlight again.


    The thing was, I was there. At least, that''s what I was told. They found me unconscious on that bloody field. I only nodded, not wanting to elaborate any further.


    "To think you receive such third-rate treatment from your peers," Walter said, a hint of anger in his voice. "That must explain why you''re so effective at what you do."


    I wasn''t apprehensive about what others thought of me. But Walter''s words, mixed with Francis''s look of worry, cracked my tough exterior a bit. "T-Thanks..." I blurted out, not thinking about it. "I''ve never really talked to anyone about this."


    The rest of the ride was silent. The lingering sorrow over my story hung over us like a thick cloud. We arrived at a restaurant named "Sotenbori," apparently named in honor of the D¨­tonbori in Japan, as Francis was so eager to tell us. As we exited the car, we were met by two scary-looking Yakuza members standing guard outside.


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    "You lot the Bats?" One of the men asked as he approached us. He had his hand around his back, though he didn''t seem eager to pull anything out.


    "Yes," Walter said, "I''ve got a Bat right here." The Yakuza member turned to his partner and began speaking Japanese while looking at me. Francis leaned over to me and whispered, "He''s telling his partner to let Yasuo know you''re here."


    "How do you know that?" I whispered back, keeping my eye on the two guys. "I studied a few languages when I was younger," she answered.


    The first guy returns and then takes a cigarette from his pocket. He holds the pack up to me, offering one. Taking it, I make a hand motion similar to striking a match. The guy takes out a pack of matches, then lights one. First, lighting my cigarette, then his. He nods his head toward the door, then goes inside. Following him, I first noticed the smell of the food. It smelled pretty good, though it looked like raw fish rolled up with rice. A few Patrons were sitting at a bar, looking like ordinary citizens. Even humans were here, though I had to look away to curb my urge for blood.


    We were led to a secret room in the back with a freezer door. There was another Yazuka member dressed in a snazzy-looking suit guarding it. As our guide conversed with the guard, he came over to us. "Buki wa nan de mo ii kara yokose," the guard growled as he held his hands out.


    "He said to hand over your weapons," Francis translated. I didn''t like the idea of handing Wanda to someone else. But for the sake of the job, what I liked wasn''t a factor. I reached into my coat, pulled Wanda out of its holster, and handed the gun to the guard. Walter and Francis took out their guns, handing them to the guard. He set the weapons in a box on a table beside the door, then took hold of the door handle and unlocked it. As he pulled the door open, the inside was revealed to us.


    It was a small room with a few tables in the back and one in the center. There was a table for five, with two already sitting at it. The first was a woman wearing a dress or robe that was colored red and had white flowers patterned into the fabric. Her hair was tied in a thick ponytail with a flower ornament. I''d recognized her as Yayoi from Father''s file. She was almost the opposite of Francis in terms of appearance. Well endowed, tall, and gave off an aura of arrogance, though, like Queen Jeanne. I could even see Yayoi reach for her chest before stopping herself, hoping no one else noticed.


    Meanwhile, the guy sitting next to her was nearly a spitting image. His face looked rougher, and he had a huge scar around his left eye. He wore a pair of black slacks and a shirt. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing many tattoos. He stood from the table. He spread his feet, bent his knees, and placed his left hand on his hip, reaching out the right one. "Good evening to you, sir." He greeted me with a warm smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Isoarashi Yasuo."


    My expectations of the Yakuza Crime Boss were suddenly shot dead in the street. I thought he was more of the high and mighty, "You''re beneath me, so you''d better butter me up with compliments and money." I didn''t want to seem rude, so I just copied his gesture and shook his hand.


    "It''s nice to meet you as well, Mr. Isoarashi," I said as we shook hands. Standing back up, he waved his hand dismissively. "Please, worry not about formalities. After all, you will be my brother soon." Yasuo motioned for the chairs, and we all took our seats. Yayoi''s gaze seemed to stick to me for the entire exchange, her eyes having a judgemental glint.


    "This is Yayoi," Yasuo said as he held his hand toward his sister. "I''m sure your Father has spoken of her." Yayoi bowed her head but not as eagerly as Yasuo was before.


    "Nice to meetcha," Yayoi said as she continued to give me that scrutinizing look. "You''re much more handsome than I thought you''d be." That was bold, considering I was the son of another family, and Francis was sitting right there.


    Speaking of Francis, Yayoi turned her gaze to her now. "You must be the Shaman," Yayoi guessed. "I hope you know your place."


    "Please, sister," begged Yasuo, "These are our honored guests. Alexander-San is also meant to be your groom. So you''d do well to show some respect."


    Yayoi closed her eyes for a moment and then bowed once again. "My apologies, my dear," Yayoi said, her tone boarding on sarcasm, "I meant no disrespect."


    "It''s fine," Francis said, "Don''t worry, Ms. Isoarashi. I understand my place." That confused Yayoi for a moment. Her eyes now showed some interest. Yasuo cleared his throat, "While I''d like to spend some time getting to know each other. I believe we have some business to discuss."


    "Right," Walter said, "please explain what you can."


    Yasuo began to go into detail about what we needed to do. The Isoarashi were meeting the Huangs to settle some territorial disputes. Some of their underlings had gotten into disagreements over territory, and Yasuo and Yayoi would meet with Huang Haoran himself. The Murcielago family was meant to serve as bodyguards for the siblings.


    "Where''s the meeting taking place?" I asked, trying to get a firm grasp on the situation.


    "At a warehouse in neutral territory," Yasuo answered, ushering one of his guards to fetch us a drink. "There are buildings all around. Tall enough for some men to watch from above." That was a good thing to know. The first step was to position good lookouts for the feds or unwanted guests. "What are the parameters for our job?" I asked to ensure I had everything right.


    "Your priority is the safety of my sister and I," Yasuo answered. "Whether or not this deal goes well is our business." Simple enough, a protection job. Only two lives truly mattered in this situation, and failure was not an option.


    "When will the meeting take place?" Walter asked. A woman came into the room, bringing us glasses of blood. Francis got a glass of water. "In two nights at midnight," Yasuo answered, "Only you three will be allowed in with us. Carry whatever weapons you wish."


    "Which Huangs will be there other than Haoran? I asked, taking a sip from my glass.


    "Xiuying," Yasuo answered. "Haoran''s daughter..." Yasuo''s voice trailed off as he looked at Francis, then back at Mr. "She knows," I said.


    Yasuo let out a sigh of relief, "Oh good... I know some shamans know of our little secret. But it''s difficult to discern which ones. Now... to discuss your lodging."


    "Lodging?" I asked with a raised brow. Walter hadn''t mentioned anything about staying here. Though from how he''d shifted in his seat, I took it as he wasn''t in the know either.


    "It''s best if you all stayed with us for the time being, Yasuo said, "The warehouse is some ways from your residence. Will this be an issue?"


    Though we hadn''t counted on staying, it''d be an insult to refuse. Even if our cultures differed,  that had to have stayed the same.


    "Very well," I said after taking another sip. "Walter, arrange for our guys to meet us tomorrow to review the job." Walter nodded and then got up from the table. As he turned to leave, I had another thought. "Walter, hang on a sec." Walter turned back just before he left. His brows raised high, expecting another order. "Make sure they bring the proper tools, including mine. I don''t wanna be unprepared if Yasuo is worried."


    "Don''t you worry, Alexander," Walter said with the biggest smile, "I''ll have our friends bring the finest tools for the job."

 Crime Report 9: Respect is Due

    Walter left us to make the proper arrangements for the job. He was likely returning to the estate for the night to bring in a crew. Before he made his departure, I made sure to tell him to grab Iggy on the way back. Iggy may not have been made, but having lupus on our side would do us a huge favor. Besides, I had to make good on my promise to let him accompany me. As a lookout, for the most part, if any heat came down, I didn''t want him getting in the crossfire.


    "Please excuse me," Yasuo said as he stood from the table. "I have some preparations of my own to make. Feel free to mingle and enjoy more drinks until I get back." Yasuo took one of his bodyguards with him as he left. On the other hand, Yayoi had been staring daggers at me since I''d sat down. Without Walter or Yasuo here to say talk about something to distract me from noticing, I''d better address it.


    "So... Yayoi... Is there any reason you''re trying to blow my head off with your eyes?" I hoped she just hated me or something. I could see it considering we were to be married, consent being questionable.


    "Majima-san... Get us some more blood," Yayoi ordered, then reached into her clothes and pulled out a frightening red mask. It had pointed teeth, yellow eyes, and a wicked smile. She placed it on her face and then pulled it to the side. Suddenly, the pain in my chest grew enough to warrant some worry. The bodyguard, Majima, stepped out to get us some more blood to drink. "Murcielago Boy... What are you?"


    That wasn''t the line of questioning I''d wanted to hear, but it was better than being hated. So I decided to humor her. "I''m an 18-year-old Paradigm bastard with no magic and a knack for making people push up daises." Which was the entire truth to my knowledge. Since I didn''t know who my mother was.


    Yayoi leaned forward in her seat. Her eyes narrowed like she heard me insult her or something. "You lie, Gaijin... There''s no way you don''t know. You can feel the resonance, can''t you?" I didn''t know how to answer that. Thinking back on when I met Queen Jeanne, I can say that this pain is what she''s talking about. But I didn''t want to acknowledge anything I didn''t know about completely. I''d be beaten to the punch as I opened my mouth to speak. Francis bowed her head toward Yayoi. "Lady Yayoi, would you allow me to speak on Lexi- Alexander''s behalf." Yayoi''s gaze shifted to Francis. Then she gave a slight nod. "I can confidently say that Alexander has no idea what you''re talking about."


    That was an interesting choice of words. Even though she just saved me from whatever Yayoi was on about. That only created more questions than I had before. Yayoi sighed as she leaned back into her chair. Majima returned with two more glasses of blood and a cup of tea for Francis. We each sipped our drinks as he sat the cups down for us. By the time Yayoi and I finished, Walter came back.


    "Alright... Our preparations have been made," Walter said. "We''ll be ready to make our plans for tomorrow." Good, something to get me out of this mess. "That''s great to hear, Walter. You make sure that Bethany and my new toy are coming?"


    "Bethany?" Yayoi''s brow raised as she looked at Francis again. "His shotgun," the latter answered for her. "He tends to name his guns. I''m sure he misses Wanda, the Mauser he came here with." Yayoi looked puzzled, the earlier glint of scrutiny disappearing from her eyes. My face fell in my hands as the embarrassment overcame me.


    "It was a habit I picked up in the Trenches. Just don''t pay it any mind." Walter and Francis let out a hearty chuckle at my expense, and even Yayoi giggled a little. "Ah, I see you all are getting along," Yasuo said as he returned. "Please follow me. Your rooms are ready.


    The three of us followed Yasuo out back from where we came. At the door, Majima returned our weapons, and two cars pulled up. Walter, Yasuo, and I got in the first car while the ladies got in the second. Yasuo and Walter discussed how the Murcielago family''s legitimate business was coming. My family owned a few restaurants and some cigar stores. That second bit was more for Dad since he puts away cigars like they''re going out of style. We''d reach the hotel in no time, and as we got out of the car, I started paying close attention to Francis and Yayoi. The two looked like they were getting along, which was good. This marriage business was already awkward enough with the concubine stipulation.


    The hotel was called "The Lotus," and I had to hand it to Yasuo. He knew how to treat his guest. The hotel was a little small, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in luxury. Yasuo went to speak with the manager while we waited in the lobby. There was a bunch of nice-looking furniture and a sweet dining room on the ground floor. The more miraculous part was how many paradigms and humans were mingling with each other. They were probably bloodgivers like Becca.


    "Alright, I have your rooms in order," Yasuo said as he returned to us. "Please, enjoy your stay here at the Lotus." As Yasuo started heading for the door, the thought began to occur to me as to how in the world we would have a change of clothes. We didn''t bring any on the way to meet with Yasuo. But before I could answer the question, Yasuo was already absorbed in business with another of his associates. Looking at Walter, who looked just as confused as I, we shrugged and watched as the ladies went ahead of us.


    "Maybe they know something we don''t?" The question''s answer became more apparent once we saw them disappear up the stairs. "Perhaps we should just follow their lead," Walter said as he looked around. So that''s what we did, to the fourth floor, where the ladies would take the door leading to the halls. Another Yakuza member dressed in a white suit awaited us when we went there. He bowed and said, "Gentlemen, your room is just down this hall. We have provided clothing for your stay."


    "You gave us clothes?" I asked, "But how?" The Yakuza didn''t answer immediately, instead beckoning us to follow him to the room. It was the fourth on the right, and a lovely suite was inside. There were two beds, a desk, two chairs, and a large closet filled with clothes. "Yasuo retrieved your measurements from your last physical. You two were the easiest to find clothes for. The Shaman is probably getting sized for the clothes she will be gifted now." Another thing my dear old man forgot to mention.


    The Yakuza bowed and then left us to our own devices. Walter sat at a chair near the desk, and I plopped on the bed. "Goodness, tonight has been full of surprises," Walter said as he loosened his tie. "If I hadn''t known any better, I''d say Yasuo was more like a hotel manager than a crime boss."


    "Don''t let him hear you say that. Besides, I''m sure there''s a reason why the Isoarashi are everyone''s friends." I loosened my tie, too, and reached for Wanda. Checking the gun, I found all the bullets were still inside. Then I checked if the safety was still on. Good, they didn''t mess with my gun. I then took the bed closest to the door, carefully considering the view from it to the bed. I didn''t want to end up like those poor Irish pricks.


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    "Anyways... how many guys are we gonna have for tomorrow?" I asked as I put Wanda underneath my pillow. "I''m thinking we need ten or fifteen."


    "Counting Francis, myself, your friend Iggy, and you. Fourteen in total," Walter answered, putting his gun underneath his pillow as well. "The job shouldn''t be too difficult. But with the recent rise in Vampyre attacks, Drakon has ensured we''re well armed."


    "My Old Man is worried?" I asked, almost laughing at the thought. "Blood Psychos are too chicken-shit to mess with us in a group." I expected Walter to laugh off the notion with me, but the lack of even a weak smile told me otherwise.


    Walter approached me, leaning close to my ear as his eyes stayed trained on the door. "The Barnes family to the city''s south has had some casualties in the recent attacks."


    "You''re kidding!?" I hoped he was joking, but he shook his head. The Barnes family was another of the significant players in Iscariot City. They were a small-time family that moved in from Harlem after our existence got revealed. They mainly kept to themselves apart from their bootlegging routes from New York and Louisiana. It''s ironic because Becca is related to one of their guys by marriage.


    "I''m afraid so. That''s been the one thing that''s consistent about their attacks." Walter sat on his bed, beckoning me to do the same. We both leaned in when I did, getting close enough to whisper safely. "Listen, Alexander. I won''t lie to you. The only reason why I''m telling you all of this is because you''re a captain now. It''s your job to know these things for someone of your station. The first lesson in warfare for those of higher stations is information is a better weapon than a gun. That is your first lesson."


    If I hadn''t known the Isoarashi family, I''d have been skeptical of this lesson. From my experience, a gun gets you results. But considering all the Isoarashi knew about us and how accurate it was. I wondered what else knowing the right thing could do for me. Yet, simultaneously being taught this lesson infuriated me, as Francis knew something I didn''t.


    "Alright, I''ll take your word for it, Walt. Is there anything else I should know?"


    Walter began removing his shoes, then undressing to his boxers and t-shirt. "No more lessons for tonight. Dawn is approaching, and you''ve gotta earn the respect of your new soldiers tomorrow." Walter laid his glasses on the nightstand, then pulled his covers over him. So I followed his lead, and the next two nights were going to be exhausting to deal with. It''d take me a while as I''d been running through what the plan might be. I''d drift off once I figured out what I wanted to do.


    The next night, Walter and I meet up with our friends in a meeting room in the hotel¡ªat least ten guys, including Iggy, who seemed too excited to be there. The Isoarashi siblings and Francis sat in our meeting since they would be involved. Yasuo had gotten us a blueprint of the warehouse where the meeting would occur and a drawing of the surrounding area.


    Most of these guys I knew from my days taking care of business for dear old Dad. At some point, I''d run into some of them cleaning bodies or driving get-away cars. But they all had something in common. They didn''t look thrilled about me being their leader. The scowls and crossed arms were all I needed.


    "Ahem, Gentlemen, I thank you for coming today to discuss business," Walter said, pacing back and forth in front of the group. "Know that your service to the Isoarashi family is a service to our Boss. But I will now turn it over to your captain."


    As Walter paced by me, he patted me on the shoulder and gave me a wink. I was worried about how to handle leading a group of men like this. I was a grunt, a footsoldier. I was better at following orders than giving them. I could feel my nerve start to waiver, so I reached into my pocket and took out my pack of cigarettes. I looked to Yasuo for a moment for permission, and when he nodded, I went ahead and lit it. After a short huff, I started thinking of what my Commander in the West would say at times like this.


    "Alright... I want to start by being upfront with you guys. None of you expected me to take charge of any family operation. Hell, I wasn''t either. But if we work with each other on these things, we''ll handle it. We aim to ensure the Isoarashi siblings make it in and out in one piece. If we do that, we''ll get a nice paycheck. But how I handle my jobs is that I make sure I''m confident that I''m alive to be able to spend much cash."


    Some of the men started listening now. Guys who either cared about too much money or had some debts to settle. Here came the hard part: the guys who saw me as the runt or were loyal to my Father.


    "Now the boss won''t be happy if either of these two loses even a hair. So from this point forward, your fuck ups are my fuck ups and vice versa, capiche?"


    Everyone generally understood that. So it was time for the final piece of my persuasion. Going over to the drawing, I took a pen and began drawing points along the map, specifically at the points in the surrounding warehouses and the meeting spots.


    "Since there''s thirteen of us, we''ll be able to cover much ground. Five of you will be placed on top of the surrounding warehouses while five of you patrol the warehouse. You big man," I said, pointing to the relatively large fellow in the third chair. "What''s your name?"


    "Silvio," he replied, his tone gruff and hoarse. "Right, Sil, you''ll be in charge of what we''ll call the spotlight division. Anyone suspicious enters the premises. I need you to make sure we know about it."


    Silvio nodded, his brow raised, seeming impressed about something. Then I looked at another guy sitting at the other end of the table. He was an older gentleman with a huge scar on his face. Pointing to him, I say, "Alright, out with a name."


    "Vito," the older gentleman said, almost attempting to stand. He honestly looked as though he could''ve been my drill instructor. "OK, Vito, I''m gonna lend you my friend Ignacio over here," I said as I pointed to Iggy. "He''s got a good nose. So make sure you use him to your advantage."


    I honestly hated to put it that way. But in this case, Iggy could get away quickly if the heat came.


    "Anyone got any grievances on how this will all go down?" Scanning around the room one last time, I began to take notice of the faces in the room. Some were old, and some were young. Some wore nicer clothes, and some looked like they''d just got off from working at the factories. I''d reached the desk in front of the meeting room and opened the drawer, pulling out a sheet of paper. I wrote Spotlight and Patrol and then put Silvio and Vito''s names underneath them while writing numbered slots. The number two for the patrol team got taken by Iggy.


    "Alright, I''m gonna pass this around. You pick which slot you want. Once you write your name, that''s it."


    The group gave me a collective nod. While I didn''t think I had their respect, I thought I''d earned their attention, at least as the paper made its way around the room. I finished my cigarette. By the time Vito brought it up, I''d be nearly done smoking.


    The way it went was the Spotlight team comprised of Silvio, Chris, Leo, Jimmy, and Mike. In contrast, the Patrol team comprised Vito, Iggy, Al, Lucky, and Enzo. I went around the room to learn who they were, to keep it memorized. When I was done, I stepped back up to the front of the room. Gentlemen. It''s been a pleasure meeting you all. The meeting is at midnight tomorrow, so be there an hour early. Walter, Francis, and I will arrive with our charges within the hour. Is that understood?"


    I got a volley of "sures" and "Yeah, whatever you say" from the crowd. I decided that it would have to do for now.


    From this point forward, Walter took over for me, telling them about the stake rounds and the iron they''d get to pack. I''d let them get to that while I cared for something else.

 Crime Report 10: Secrets

    I let Walter take over the rest of the meeting. He mainly told the guys what iron they''d pack in this job. Hopefully, none of us had to fire a single shot. Honestly, I now had something different in mind. As Walter spoke, I began tuning him out, finding my eyes glancing over Francis''s direction every once in a while. My thoughts would return to the news about the Barnes family. They were things I wasn''t supposed to know before, yet now I could afford to know them. That was family business, however, something I knew I wasn''t supposed to know.


    But Francis seemed to know something about me that even I didn''t. Since she was keeping it to herself, it''s what she thinks she''s protecting me from. It wasn''t like I hated her keeping secrets. After all, we agreed not to talk about our pasts as much, but we never knew anything about each other. This only went to show how much I knew about Francis.


    I''d feel someone shaking me, and when I looked up, I saw Yayoi. "Alexander? Are you okay?" I took a quick scan of the room. The guys were getting up to leave, Walter shaking each man''s hands as he went. The meeting was over, and I''d been running around in my head. Looking around for Francis, I noticed she wasn''t even there anymore. "I-I''m fine," I said, quickly getting to my feet. I''d try and head for the door before Yayoi started asking me more questions, but I ended up being stopped as she tugged at my jacket.


    "You were staring a little hard at Francis," she whispered. "Everything okay between you two?"


    "As my fiancee, are you sure you should be asking me that? I didn''t picture you the type to be okay with such an arrangement." Yayoi wrapped her arms around mine and started pulling me toward the door. "It''s not my style to break up such a happy couple. Besides, I don''t want any tension between the three of us. Francis is fine about it. What more could you want from her?"


    "I think she may be keeping secrets from me." That answer made Yayoi go quiet. As we headed out the door, she appeared to ponder my statement, almost fighting something inside herself to say anything. From what I knew of Yayoi, she was pretty honest. Only a few of her types are left in this thing of ours. It was even more shocking that she went from nearly interrogating me about my origins.


    "My brother would do the same when we were little," Yayoi said, "Any time he''d want to keep me calm, he''d hide it from me. I do admit some of what he hid was for my good, but there were times that I needed to know." ''


    "So you agree with me then?" I only asked, thinking I''d have some hope that I''d have help with this, but as Yayoi shook her head, my hope fluttered away. "Then what do you think I should do about it?"


    "Let her come to you about it. Even if she doesn''t tell you immediately, you said it yourself. Francis doesn''t keep secrets from you. This means it''s important enough to risk the trust between you two." I didn''t want to admit that Yayoi was right in a sense. Though looking back, Francis never liked this line of work. This had been the first time she''d ever been involved, and it was because she heard that Yayoi was a sin factor. I could understand more if I got more insight into what made her do this.


    "So... What''s it like being... You know... One of them?" Before the question escaped my lips, I hadn''t fully considered what could happen if Yayoi was to get annoyed. Yet before I could muster a quick apology, I noticed her mouth set in a hard line and her brows furrowed. Sure, she was annoyed, but I didn''t think it was mainly directed at me. "If I weren''t an Isoarashi, I''d be called a blood psycho. Can''t go a night without having any blood." As we walked together, she held out her hand, and a small red flame lit up in her palm. "I usually don''t have anything to take the edge off. If I hadn''t had blood already, I''d probably have taken more offense to your question."


    "Is that so? Here then," reaching into my pocket, I pulled out two cigarettes, one for her and one for me. As she put the flame out, Yayoi took the cigarette out of my hand. The way she''d been staring at it was like a child eyeing an item they''d find strange. Her eyes were wide with curiosity. "You know I''ve never smoked before, right?" I didn''t know, but it''d be an issue unless... "Would your brother mind?"


    Yayoi put the cigarette between her lips and snapped fingers over the tip. As the dark red flame lit the cigarette, she began to inhale, though she immediately coughed up a ton. "Woah there, casanova, you can''t just dive right into it."


    When she got done, I lit my cigarette and placed it between my lips. "You suck the smoke in and hold it for a sec." I took in a large puff, then let go of it seconds later. "Like that."


    Yayoi tried it herself. I''m taking it slower than she did before. Sucking the smoke in, she let it settle for a second, then blew it back out.


    "Feels better, right? Like all your troubles just fluttered away." We''d reach the lounge, where we''d find a small booth to sit in. I took another hit of my cigarette as the nicotine began settling in my system. "Why do you smoke?" Yayoi asked as she took another hit herself. "I never pegged you the type."


    "A little gift from the war. In comparison, many soldiers got shell shock or were sociopaths. I ended up with Sanguine Psychosis. Smoking is how I curb the bloodlust, at least for a while."


    "Damn. Don''t tell me I''m marrying a blood psycho." Yayoi let out a cute giggle, and I could tell she meant no harm. "How much blood do you drink? Or at least, how long can you go without it."


    "My longest has been about two nights. Then the bloodlust comes in," I finished the last of my cigarettes, putting it out in an ashtray. "I only smoke when I''m stressed or after a job. It usually beats alcohol."


    "Don''t you have any... other ways of destressing," Yayoi began drawing circles around the table with her finger. Usually, when people ask that question, they ask about suggestive encounters with others. "I''ve only done that once with Francis... if there''s at least one thing you''ll get out of me, it is that I can be pretty committed to one person. Well. Except for our special arrangement."


    Although I believe I made a joke, Yayoi wasn''t laughing. Instead, she put out her cigarette and began scooting out from the booth. Her eyes were peering into mine with the same fierceness from yesterday. "I like Francis. She''s a nice girl, but I have a duty to you as my future husband. I''ll convince her to visit you."


    "You will? Are you sure that''s appropriate given our circumstances?"


    "We of the Isoarashi wish for harmony. A house that has the slightest tinge of discord within it will fall. Besides..." Her voice trailed off. Her fierce gaze began to fall, and she fidgeted a little.


    "Something wrong?" I asked, nearly getting out of my seat. But Yayoi held her hand up and shook her head. "I want to know... does Francis smoke with you?"


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    It was an odd question, but it didn''t hurt to answer. "No, Franny doesn''t. She doesn''t even like it when I smoke." I could''ve sworn for a moment I could see Yayoi''s mouth curve a bit like she was going to smile.


    "Well... you''d best be grateful that I shall allow such things. Now, to make good on my word." Yayoi took off, not leaving me any opportunity to wonder what she was on about.


    For a moment, I sat there alone, taking out another cigarette. I realized I had run out when I searched my pocket for another match. I could find a shadow element user somewhere or buy some more matches. As I looked around the dining area, I noticed fewer people like last night. A happy human couple was sitting together on a date. They were talking about planning a trip to Paris one day. That just made me think of Francis some more.


    Another occupant that stood out to me was a single man sitting at a table near the corner. He was rather significant, more on the athletic side. He wore a collared shirt that seemed too small and some brown slacks with brown loafers. I couldn''t see his face from where he was sitting, but I could see he was bald with a thick black beard. I didn''t know what it was, but something felt familiar about him. As I tried to think about it, I was hit with a sudden hazy pain in my head. So, instead, I decided to go back to my room.


    When I got there, I found that Walter hadn''t been inside. He must''ve been with Yasuo or some of our guys. I didn''t know which, but I didn''t mind. I did, however, find Bethany, my new gun, and a bag on my bed. So it might be a good time for some cleaning.


    Putting Bethany on the table, I checked the gun to ensure it wasn''t loaded. A shell was still in the chamber, so I pulled it out. Then I fished some tools out of the bag, knowing Walter probably had all this brought here. I disassembled the shotgun when I found them and cleaned whatever pieces I could. There needed to be more to clean as Bethany had not seen much use since the war. I typically didn''t want to turn someone into a mess of blood and gore when I got into trouble. I saw enough of that back in 1918.


    When I''d finished cleaning and started to put the gun back together, I heard a knock at my door. Walter had a key so he could get in whenever he wanted. Meaning it was someone else. Putting the parts down, I headed for the door, listening to the wood. "Who is it?" I asked.


    "It''s me," I could hear. It was Francis. I reached for the doorknob but felt a slight tug at my arm. It wasn''t anything physical but more like I couldn''t.


    "Can we talk?" Francis asked beyond the door. I didn''t know why I was hesitating now. Yayoi had been good on her word. Francis was here and was probably ready to tell me everything. Yet I hesitate. So, I opened the door without giving my brain more time to think about it.


    There she was, just as beautiful as the day I met her. She''d been wearing a robe similar to what Yayoi wore. Only it was colored white like snow. "Can I come in?" She asked, her voice sounding a bit silvery yet overshadowing its softness.


    "S-Sure," I said, "come in, sit..." Letting her through the door, I closed it before anyone else could come by. Throwing the chain lock on, I turned, finding Francis seated on my bed. I would''ve sat with her, but it only distracted me from why she came here. So I pulled the chair I was sitting in while taking Bethany apart.


    "I wanted to check on you. See how you were doing." I wanted to meet Francis''s eyes, but she kept her gaze low, almost avoiding me. "I smelled your cigarettes on Yayoi, and she told me to come see you."


    "Yeah, I was just trying to take the edge off. This job is just getting to me a little, that''s all." I didn''t know why I lied like that, but I''d have to roll with it now.


    "Look... I suddenly agreed to come along with you on this, Lexi. But you have to know it''s for a good reason."


    "Can you tell me the reason?" I leaned back in my chair, trying to relax. The chance she was going to say nothing was coming. I just knew it.


    "There''s a lot I want to tell you, and I will eventually, but..." Her voice trailed off, and it almost came off as wobbly.


    "Look, Franny. You don''t have to tell me if it''s too much. I''m sorry, I just... you never keep secrets from me. Not one''s like that anyway." I honestly felt terrible for distrusting her like this. If it were something else, I''d let it go. Francis shook her head, and then she took my hands. "No... you had every right to think the way you did. But I have to face the facts. You''re going to find out anyway. I just. Need a little more time."


    If she understood this, then why wouldn''t now be the time to tell me? Something was off with Francis the moment she heard Yayoi was a sin factor. Then there was the Queen who gave me that strange coin. Francis had looked at it as if she knew something. I wanted to keep how I felt down in my stomach, but it felt like I couldn''t contain it.


    "Francis, you should know better than anyone that I don''t know anything about myself." The anger inside me kept boiling over, as much as I wanted to keep the lid down. It was going to explode. I snatched my hands away, balling them into fists but keeping them at my sides. "My Old Man never told me a single thing about my Mother. I don''t even know her face or her name. The only thing I have left of her is this jacket! Don''t hide things from me like he did."


    Francis held her hands close to her face, her body trembling as her eyes reddened. "Please, you have to understand¡­"


    "What is it that I have to understand?" I asked, my voice booming throughout the room. "Why can''t you tell me?"


    "Because I don''t want to lose you!" Francis bellowed as she came to her feet. Her eyes flooded her face with tears. "I love our life together. I hate it when you have to go on these dangerous jobs. I never want one of your father''s bumbling fools to come to Dogland''s doorstep to tell me you didn''t make it."


    I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I was stunned. This was more of what I was expecting a few nights ago when I told her of Yayoi. Realizing this was becoming an argument, I shut my mouth briefly and took a few deep breaths. "If you liked our life? Then why agree to this arrangement? Where was this anger before?"


    Francis sat back down, tears continued to stream down her face, but she wasn''t as angry. "It''s because we could still be together. If you knew everything, you''d be in more danger and go so far that I couldn''t catch up to you. Or even worse, I could be the one thing used against you."


    From the pain in Francis''s voice to how her lips quivered, I finally realized the gravity of this secret. I wanted to reach for her, hold her tightly, and let her know that I understood. But my throat became dry as if I''d walked out into the desert. My vision reddened, and all I could see of Francis was the blood coursing through her body. I grabbed my wrist and backed away, holding myself back from lunging toward her. Smoke, I needed a smoke now. But I''d run out of matches.


    "Francis, I think you should go..." Looking at me, she went from a confused shock to a frightening understanding. She stood up and started backing toward the door, being extremely cautious not to turn her back to me.


    "It''s alright, Lexi... you''re hungry... I understand..."


    It was Francis''s voice, I was sure. But I didn''t see her lips move. She was still backing toward the door and had almost made it. "Go..." I managed to strain, "now."


    Francis unlocked the door and quickly hurried out, almost slamming it shut. When she was finally gone, I dropped to my knees. I could feel the pain quaking throughout my body. Blood... I needed blood. I had to have some blood.


    I was so stupid that I let the blood run away. I need to chase after her now. I have to find her. Struggling to my feet, I reached inside my jacket and pulled my gun out. As I headed for the door, I noticed the know was jingling, so I stopped. Aiming my weapon at the door, I waited to see who''d try and stop me.


    Seconds passed by as the door began to open. Mere moments started to turn into minutes. Then suddenly, someone wrapped their arms around my neck.


    "Oh, dear child... you must be patient... You will have your opportunity soon... the Pithos will open once again."


    As the minutes began to speed up again, I lowered my gun slowly. My thoughts finally slowed down. Before my strength began to fade, the door opened. Walter and Yayoi pushed through the door. Walter caught me before I hit the ground. I could see Francis standing outside the door, her hands still shaking from fear. I was sure Walter and Yayoi were yelling something, but I could barely hear. By then, I could even want to wrap my head around what just happened. I couldn''t see anymore.

 Crime Report 11: The Dragon Greets the Storm

    Even though I had never drunk alcohol before, I heard suffering from blood withdrawal felt like a hangover. It was strange, given that hangovers were from drinking too much. When I woke up, I noticed my chest was hurting a ton, and my stomach felt like I''d eaten too many of those horrid rations. The next thing I noticed was that I was moving.


    "I think he''s waking up, Walt," someone said. It sounded like Francis. That''s when I jolted upward, reaching in my jacket for Wanda. But she wasn''t there.


    "Woah woah woah, Alex, calm down," Yasuo said, "It''s alright, we''ve got you." I tried to find a moment to relax, but the adrenaline was still pumping. I scanned my surroundings, finding that I was in a car. Walter was driving with Yasuo seated next to him. I''d been seated between Francis and Yayoi.


    "What the hell happened to me?" I asked, placing my hand over my chest. "Where are we going?"


    "To the meeting," Walter answered, "you suffered from blood withdrawal last night. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before."


    Right... blood withdrawal. Because I wasn''t an idiot and didn''t drink, I started feeling something rise in my throat and doubled over. A bag was conveniently placed between my feet, so I grabbed it. For as much as I had to throw up, I felt like I would need another bag.


    Francis rubbed my back as I finished puking. I didn''t sit up right away. The dizziness started getting to me, too. "Sorry, Francis..." I managed to get out finally.


    "Arr¨ºtez d¨¦j¨¤," she spat, "if I have to hear again how sorry you are, I''ll toss you onto the next street." She paused for a moment. Even though I couldn''t see her, I imagined she was pinching the bridge of her nose. "D¨¦sol¨¦, you''ve just been saying that the entire time."


    "Wait... I''ve been saying that?" Looking up, I noticed everyone in the car either smiled or nodded. I must''ve been talking like a crazy drunk in my sleep the entire time. Oh, the horror, my reputation indeed was in the pits.


    The best part about this was that I hadn''t felt hungry anymore. I looked to Francis, who''d had her arms crossed, looking at the window now. She wore similar attire to when we met Yasuo and Yayoi. However, she wore black slacks and a clean white shirt. I turned to Yayoi, who''d been eyeing me with concern.


    "You gave us a scare last night. Are you sure you''ll be able to do your job?" I wanted to be a big tough guy and boast about how I could do the job with one arm. But for the moment, I wasn''t feeling my best.


    "I just need some blood. I''ll be fine." Yayoi shook her head, then raised her wrist for me to see. Her wrist had been bandaged from something. "Francis and I already have you some blood while you were out. You should be fine."


    Turning back to Francis, I saw she had the same bandage. "W-Wait... No, you shouldn''t have had to do that."


    "Worry not, Alex," Yasuo said, "We''ll just keep this between all of us."


    I would''ve been okay with some human blood¡ªanother thing to feel guilty about. I leaned back in the seat, hoping to come down from the immense discomfort I''d been feeling. I glanced over at Yayoi again and then back at Francis. The difference between the two was night and day. While Francis seemed annoyed by me, Yayoi kept turning to me at minute intervals. She was trying to act annoyed, too, but seeing me like that must''ve put her on edge.


    I noticed she was again wearing a long black skirt with one of those robes. It was red this time with golden trims. Resting in between her legs had been a sheathed sword. It was one of those Katanas I had heard so much about. But something about it was strange. The hilt was wrapped in a cloth that had black markings on it. It''s like one of those Acolyte seals.


    I was going to ask about it when the car suddenly stopped. "We''re here," said Walter as he cut the engine. We all began to disembark from the car in front of the warehouse. Looking behind our car, there were two more cars parked behind us. It was the Patrol and Spotlight teams. I saw Iggy pop out of the passenger side of the second car. He hurried over to me as soon as he laid eyes on me.


    "Yo Alex, this loco mi amigo. Thanks for giving me a chance." He patted me on the back the threw his arm around me. I was glad that at least one person was excited about this. "Don''t get too excited. I''m counting on you to keep us alive if the heat comes down."


    "That''ll be no problem," Iggy stepped back and pointed up. "I''ll be in top form tonight under this moon." Looking up, I could see the moon was full. For once, Iggy might''ve been onto something. Iggy beat his chest, then got down on all fours. His body began to jerk violently as his bones cracked, and pieces of his skin began to fall off like paper on a Christmas present.


    He tore off his shirt, and the Visage of a towering Wolfman stood before me. He snarled a little but stuck his tongue out. Vito approached us, carrying a Thompson. "We''re good to go, boss. Right on schedule."


    "Good... start your patrol. Iggy can understand you, so make sure he alerts you of anything." Vito nodded, then whistled for Iggy, who''d been licking his arm. He and Vito went down to the others to give them the go-ahead.


    I felt something poke me in my back, and when I turned around, I found Francis holding Wanda in one hand and Bethany in the other. "You''ll need these, right?"


    "How''d Bethany get put back together?" Francis pointed to Walter, who''d been talking to Yasuo. "He said he knew a little about trench sweepers."


    Taking Wanda first, I checked to see if it was loaded. There wasn''t one in the chamber yet, and the safety was on. "You remembered."


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    "But, of course, I didn''t want to shoot myself accidentally." I smiled, then holstered Wanda. Taking Bethany, I checked for any shells. It''d been loaded but not chambered as well.


    "Look... I know you don''t want me to say it. But I am sorry... I didn''t mean to..." Francis put her finger on my lips to silence me. She shook her head and got a little closer. "Make it up to me by fulfilling your promise," she said in a smoky voice.


    The hair on my neck almost stood up. I threw Bethany onto my shoulder by the strap and nodded. "You may need this too, lover boy," Yayoi said as she came by. She handed me a bayonet with a rune carved into the hilt. "It''s got a pain spell infused into it. The pain will be enough to keep anyone down even if you don''t kill them."


    Wincing as I stared at the blade, I wondered what kind of pain this little spell could''ve added that wasn''t already going to be. Pushing that morbid thought to the back of my mind, I tool Bethany by the strap and slung the weapon over my shoulder. I''d have liked to try out my new Tommy, but Bethany would do just fine for today. She certainly beat a carbine.


    As we entered the warehouse, it had crates stacked on top of each other to the roof. But those were mainly along the walls. Other crates were scattered about, and they''d been left half open. Taking a look inside one, I found it was filled with lumber.


    At the center of the warehouse was a table in the shape of a circle with only four seats, one in each cardinal direction. Judging from the ashtray filled with finished cigarette butts and stains that plagued its surface, it was likely a table the workers used on breaks.


    Walter tossed the ashtray while Francis drew a cleanse sigil onto the table. A blue light shined from her fingertip, marking the table. The table was clean in seconds, as if it''d just been bought.


    "I have to say, very impressive," said Yasuo as he pulled up a chair. "I''ve never known Shamans to be able to cast without chanting."


    "I''ve had a lot of practice," said Francis, "Believe me, there are some out in this world that are better."


    "Yet not one I''ve heard in Iscariot city," Yasuo noted. He sat down and pulled his chair up to the table. He then dug into his jacket for his pocket watch to keep an eye on the time. "The Huangs should be arriving any minute now."


    Walter took position near the warehouse entrance where we came in. He didn''t have a gun, but I suspect he''d be ready to draw immediately. However, I didn''t like being caught with my pants down. So I took Bethany off my shoulder from its strap and held it at collapsed low ready. My job was to stand right behind Yayoi the entire time. I was to spring into action when I noticed something was up. Francis took point behind Yasuo, still eyeing his pocket watch as if his life depended on it.


    Twenty minutes later, the door opposite us would open. Two chinamen in black suits came in first. The first thing I noted was if they were armed. Both didn''t carry anything in their hands, but I could tell they were ready to draw when needed.


    Another man was next to enter the warehouse, presumably in his forties. His eyes looked worn out, much like my old man''s but without that disgruntled stare. Then someone else entered behind him. A woman, but maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me.


    It was Francis. She''d been wearing the most beautiful white gown I''d ever seen. Her cheeks were colored red, as well as her lips. I thought her in a nightgown was breathtaking. But I couldn''t imagine she could look prettier than that. Seeing it now, it brought a tear to my eye. But then I felt a strange pain in the front of my head. Something eerily similar to whenever I spoke with Mother. The next thing I knew, Francis and Walter had yanked me back.


    "Alex, snap out of it," Francis said as she tugged my arm. She wasn''t wearing that pretty white gown anymore, but she wasn''t behind me either. Instead, a woman was wearing a long black coat from China with a round top-rimmed hat. She had silky black hair that was braided and stretched down her back. She raised her hand to her face, the sleeve of her coat concealing her appendage, and I could''ve sworn I heard a giggle.


    "My apologies Sir Isoarashi," said the older man, "I''d forgotten my daughter''s... special traits still can have a profound effect on a mind that is ill-prepared." The older man took a large slip of paper from his pocket and then bit his thumb enough to make it bleed. He then began drawing on the paper for a few moments, and when he finished, he stuck the paper onto the woman''s hat. The paper was written in Cantonese, but I didn''t know what it said.


    "I should be apologizing, Sir Huang," said Yasuo as he stood up and bowed, "I''d forgotten to brief Alexander on Ms. Xiuying." Yasuo rose and then turned to me. "Everyone, this is the esteemed Huang Haoran and his daughter Xiuying. Xiuying is the Sin Factor of Lust."


    "It is an honor to meet the Queen''s favorite," Haoran said, "I''ve heard much of your family''s service."


    "It''s an honor that you''d even acknowledge a family as low as ours," I said, bowing slightly to show some respect. Haoran was another of the five heads and the third I''ve met this week. Normally, someone like me would only hear of these people. But to be standing in the same room as they solidified how different things were from before.


    Both the Huangs and Isoarashi''s sat down and began their meeting. They mainly discussed some things regarding trade routes between their two territories. The Huangs had control of most of Iscariot City''s Red Light district, aptly named "Rapture," and a couple of blind tigers. The business side of our thing was more of Jules''s speed. I could never wrap my head around all the percentages and numbers people would throw around. It''d be about nearly an hour until they were done. Haoran and Yasuo stood and shook hands.


    "I''m glad we could come to a valid agreement," Yasuo said, "Getting imported liquor into the country has been quite difficult given the American''s prohibition laws."


    "Bah... these Americans allowed their women to dictate their country," Haoran spat. "It only makes us profit more from their stupidity."


    "Now, Haoran, we can not entirely blame the women. The Americans cannot exercise temperance that got them in this mess."


    "Opportunities multiply as they''re seized, Yasuo," said Haoran, stroking his chin. "I was skeptical about coming to this country years ago. Had I hesitated, my family would''ve never prospered. But... speaking of family." Haoran reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Then came around the table and handed it to Yasuo. "Read it. And be wary, my friend."


    Yasuo was hesitant to unfold the paper, but the fact that Haoran gave it to him seemed to sway him to open it. As he read its contents, Yasuo''s usual calm expression turned to utter shock. "Is this true, Haoran?"


    I knew we weren''t supposed to listen in on their conversations, but the curiosity was getting to me. So I focused my hearing on them.


    "We do not know if Hector is involved. But Andrade henchmen have been seen driving in trucks. They''ve been transporting Vampyres."


    Vampyre trafficking? Into Iscariot City? What kind of lunatic would even think of doing something so dangerously stupid? Though it does explain the sudden rise in Vampyre attacks lately. Plus, the Andrade Cartel''s involvement was out of the ordinary. From what I heard from my old man, Hector Andrade hates Vampyres more than any Paradigm on Earth.


    Haoran backed away from Yasuo, "I hope we will have your cooperation," Haoran said as he turned halfway from Yasuo. Yasuo nodded, his brows furrowed, and his usual smile was nowhere to be seen. His lips parted to speak, but a sound from outside would silence him.


    The sound was a bloodcurdling scream.

 Crime Report 12: Bared Fangs

    That scream was practically the bell tolling our impending doom. It came from the direction Haoran entered, and as soon as we registered the danger, our instincts kicked in.


    Yayoi and Xiuying were first. Yayoi took hold of her sword while Xiuying stepped behind her father. Walter and I joined the Huang bodyguards, pointing our guns at the door. A loud clang thundered throughout the warehouse as something struck the door. Then came the terrible rending of metal, followed by the image of a giant claw mark created with blood oozing. Gunshots echoed through the night, though they''d be silenced shortly after.


    "Fuck... Vampyres..." a Triad guard said, his hands trembling in fear. I wanted to say he was wrong, that there was no way Vampyres would attack us here. But in this city, anything is possible.


    "We''re getting the hell out of here now," I said, "You two start barricading that fucking door." The Triad guards didn''t like me giving orders, but arguing about it was off the table. The two men grabbed pieces of lumber from one of the open crates and headed for the door. They each placed one between the handles to act as a bar and braced themselves against the entrance.


    "Walter... Francis... Take the clients and the Huangs to the cars. Get in and don''t look back."


    "We can''t just leave you here," Yayoi said, "They''ll tear you to shreds." She stepped to my side, gripping her blade tightening as she waited. "I''m not going to leave you here to die."


    "Nor will I," Francis said as she aimed her gun at the door. Her hands trembled feverishly as she tried to keep her aim steady. From beyond the door came more screaming and the sound of meat being torn asunder. My mind played the events of last night and the night I''d killed the two Irishmen. How their bodies slumped to the ground after being shot, and how cold they felt. That same thing could happen to everyone here. But there was one thing I''d been forgetting. I was still alive, and no way occurred under my watch.


    I reached over to Francis''s gun and placed my hand over the slide. "You can''t do that. You''ve gotta go with Walter."


    Francis''s jaw hung briefly, her disbelief evident in her teary eyes. "You can''t do this, Alex... I can''t lose you..."


    I honestly agreed with her. I knew there was no way I could make it out alive if they left me behind. But I had to try and kill as many of them as possible so everyone else could escape. Even if it seemed hopeless. Turning to Yayoi, I tried my best to smile. She smiled back, but she nodded. Taking her hand off the hilt of her sword, she grabbed Francis''s arm.


    "It''s his job, Francis," she said in a low, shaky voice. "He has to..." I felt terrible hearing how defeated Yayoi sounded. But this was for the best.


    Francis looked like she wanted to protest, but Walter grabbed her other arm before she could. He and Yayoi dragged her back toward the other entrance with Yasuo and the Huangs.


    "No!" She shrieked, "I''m not leaving him here! Come with us, Alexander, please!


    The exit opened, and Vito and Iggy were on the other end, with the car already warm and waiting. I just waved as the love of my life was taken to safety. Iggy went around the trunk, pulling out the Tommy gun stashed in the car and a couple of extra magazines and shotgun shell belts. Bringing them over to me, he placed them at my feet. "Here... I know you don''t want me to stay. But that''ll give you a better chance."


    "Make sure Walter talks to Julius," I told him. "There''s a huge lump of money for Dogland."


    "Fuck the money," Iggy snarled, lightly punching my shoulder. "Just come back alive."


    I nodded, though I had no control over that. He hurried back to the car and climbed on top of it, closing the trunk. Then the sound of tires screeching through the night rang through my ears.


    Slipping my jacket off, I wrapped the shell belts over my waist. I then checked my jacket for any extra bullet strips for Wanda. I had at least three. Then I had at least two drum magazines for the Tommy gun. I suggest using those up first before switching to Bethany. Wanda would have to be my last resort.


    Checking the Tommy, I saw it was already loaded. Bethany was next, followed by Wanda. All three guns were ready for their last hoorah.


    "Alright, men... fix bayonets..." I whispered to myself. I didn''t have one to attach to the Tommy. I wasn''t even sure if it could mount one. But Bethany would be the best club or spear when I ran out of time to fire any.


    Then another round of tearing metal pierced my ears. When I looked at the entrance, I noticed the Triad guard to the left stagger as blood began to rain from his side onto the floor. He slumped over against the door, collapsing to his knees. Then, the second guard would back away from the door only for something to tear into the metal and pierce him in the stomach. He tried firing his gun into the door, but the Vampyre that got him didn''t let go.


    I aimed at the door, right at the Triad guard who was run through. He was dead anyway, so it wasn''t humane to let him suffer. Squeezing the trigger, a hail, bullets ripped into him, and some managed to plow straight through into the door, albeit very poorly. Both assailant and guard stopped moving.


    I wasn''t expecting the gun to have so much recoil. So I held it a little tighter. Then the door burst open. I heard stories of the Vampyres. Their pale faces and talon-like claws were the stuff of nightmares. They looked like Paradigms but were far too near death to seem alive. I''m just glad they couldn''t use magic. To see one charging me at full speed was unlike anything I''d faced with the Jerries. Nevertheless, death was coming for me anyways, so I might as well not panic.


    I elected to fire in bursts now. Dumping such precious ammo into one or two would send me to an earlier grave. It''s just like Commander Holt taught me. Aim carefully and squeeze.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    I didn''t know their numbers, but they would be enough to overrun me. I needed at least three more guys to put down one properly. Hopefully, these pain bullets could slow them down.


    At least five bullets would greet the first to come through as it passed through the door. It slowed it down, but not enough to be happy about it. Firing three more rounds, I managed to pop it in the head. It collapsed to the ground. Then another ran in after it, along with a second and a third. I fired as many bursts as I could before just switching to spraying. I''d also have prayed if I was religious, but I did not want a skull-splitting migraine amid battle.


    I began backing toward the door as the fourth came into the door. The other two were only slowed by the hail of bullets. As I aimed at number four, I squeezed the trigger, yet nothing popped out. I was empty, and there was no time for a reload. Throwing the Tommy gun to the ground, I brought out Bethany. I blasted it right in its face when number four was about four feet close. Its head exploded in a rain of blood and gore.


    Two and three were close to getting back up, while one had seemingly dragged itself toward the corpse of the first guard. He''d bit down on its neck and began draining the leftover blood from within the poor guy.


    As two entered that four feet of death, I''d laid out. I fired the next shell, but it ducked so low that it only got hit with a few shots. It then crawled on all fours toward me, gripping my ankle. I pointed the gun down and thrust forward, sticking the bayonet into number two''s head. Then squeezing the trigger, I cocked the trench gun and fired, turning two''s back into a gaping mess of damaged meat. Its grip loosened, and as I looked up to deal with three, it lunged at me, knocking me to the ground.


    Bethany was sent spiraling away from me as the Vampyre, and I came to blows to the ground. I tried to hold its face away from my neck as it held my right arm down. I couldn''t reach Wanda. Not while I was on the ground. Three was pushing its head down against my head. My strength failed to keep it from my neck as its jaws opened near my throat. I began to picture seeing Francis one more time.


    I thought maybe they''d have gotten to safety, and I held these hungry bastards off long enough as I looked toward the open door. But as I saw something in the doorway, my grip nearly slipped.


    Three gunshots ripped into number three as it lurched and spasmed above me. It was Francis. Coming through the door, guns blazing. She fired four more times, hitting number three in different spots. Its body seized momentarily, then slumped over on top of me.


    "Dammit, Francis, what the hell are you doing here!?" I pushed the dead Vampyre off of me and hurried to Bethany.


    "Saving your life," she said, "I won''t let you die here. Not after I promised I''d tell you everything."


    "Is this the fuckin'' time for that? You''ve gotta get out of here while there''s still..."


    Two more Vampyres broke through the door, and even number one was back on its feet. They snarled as they saw their three dead comrades. The two of us kept our eyes trained on them.


    "Sorry, Lexi... but we no longer have any say in that option." She reloaded her pistol and pointed it down range. Following her lead, I loaded a few more slugs.


    "Have you finished your last rites," said number one as he stepped forward. I never knew they could speak, but I never expected to see one, let alone six. I put three down, which was enough to earn a name.


    Francis held out her hand and knelt, placing it on the floor. A large yellow ring formed around us as she poured her magic into the floor. The three Vamps charged us, number four being the closest, and plunged its hand toward the circle aiming for my chest. But its hand smashed against an invisible barrier-breaking several bones in the process. One even splintered out of it''s its skin. However, the barrier didn''t hold up, as Francis nearly collapsed afterward. I''d never seen her perform magic like this before. Usually, it required her to draw or carve a rune. But I wasn''t going to complain about that now.


    She''d used a lot of magic preparing our bullets, so that magic would be the least helpful in this case. Pointing Bethany at the surprised Vamp, I squeezed the trigger blasting it once. Then pulled the slide back, still holding the trigger down, and pushed it forward, firing another round. Man, I love to slam fire.


    By the third slug, the Vamp went down, but its other two buddies charged us too. By the way, they were approaching us. They seemed to be mainly aiming for me. Before I could pull the slide back for another shot, one tackled me to the ground. Number five grabbed my right arm and twisted it as hard as he could, snapping my arm and tearing it away. I screamed for a second, then clenched my jaw so hard I accidentally bit my tongue in half. Blood pooled in my mouth, so I reached into my jacket, drew Wanda, and fired three rounds into five.


    "Alex!" Francis screamed as she fired wildly at five. Though only two shots hit, it was enough to make the Vamp fall over.


    "She''s a feisty one," One cackled. "I''ll have her first, then." It let go of me, and I tried maneuvering my gun to fire at him. But he gripped my remaining arm in the same fashion five did and twisted. The second arm was torn from me, losing the only way I had to fight back. Then it rose to its feet and turned to Francis. I couldn''t scream. I couldn''t cry out for it to stop. I couldn''t even manage an insult.


    I spat out the blood and leftovers of my tongue, looking up. Helplessly watching as the Vamp slowly approached Francis. She fired two more rounds before the gun began to click repeatedly.


    "First you... then your lover..." He smiled. He raised his hand, its fingers pointing clenched together like a spear. It was done as quickly as I''d seen it. Its hand pierced through Francis''s stomach. She dropped her gun and gripped his arm with both hands.


    "You... won''t... have me... that easily..." Magical power began to burst from Francis''s hands in the form of blue light. The Vamp was blasted back without his arm toward the rear exit. Francis stumbled forward, slowly losing her strength until she stood over me. She allowed herself to collapse on top of me on her side.


    I could feel tears stinging my eyes as I could feel her slow breaths against my neck. "Drink..." She coughed and then tilted her neck toward me. I didn''t need to drink; I needed to get her some help. But I couldn''t... Francis was going to die here.


    I closed my eyes as tightly as possible, hoping this was some nightmare. But as I heard her repeat the command, my wishes were dashed to the wayside. I inched myself toward her neck and opened my mouth. She held me tightly as if we were snuggling together in our bed.


    "That''s right... drink until there''s nothing left..."


    I wanted someone to help us. I wanted anyone to help us. I wanted someone to come dashing in like some hero and pull us out. But no one was coming. No one was going to save us. I''d die like the dog I was, and I foolishly let the one good thing on this earth I''ve ever had part with me.


    "Poor boy... dying with the woman you love most in your arms. All the while, the vile thing that killed you both still lives..."


    "No... I can''t die. I can''t let her die here..."


    "This day was always going to come to pass. The life of a gangster is bound in sorrow and death..."


    "But I just wanted to build our lives. I wanted us to be happy."


    "Then if you wish never to lose this again... drink every last drop of her blood... make it so that your enemies will despair as you did... become a monster and do whatever it takes."


    "Yes... I''m ready to do what I have to... I don''t care what happens to me..."


    Opening my mouth, I bit Francis''s throat as hard as possible. Then began to drain every last drop of her blood.


    "There we are... Good Morning... My Despair¡­"

 Chapter 13: The Abyss

    Who would''ve thought this would be the last time I''d tasted the sweetest blood ever? I wanted to have the sweet sensation of feeling Francis''s warm body against mine for as long as I could. Yet today was the day that ended. She''d grown cold, her life already being absorbed by me. Even stranger, this was a sensation of power coursing through my veins now. I could feel something new and hot rising within me. Though the entire time, I could only think. "Haven''t I felt this before?"


    I''d somehow regained feeling in my arms, my wounds healing so fast it was as if I''d been regenerating magically. A ghostly crimson hand crept up toward Francis''s head, and as I went to swat it away, I realized. It was my hand. Somehow I''d sprouted a magical limb. Magical? Was I using magic?


    When my strength recovered, I rose to my feet, ensuring Francis''s body was safe until I was done. I then reached into my pocket, pulling out my pack of cigarettes. I only had one left. The strangest thing about this one was that it had something written on it.


    "Congrats ma ch¨¦ri..."


    It was to be a celebratory cigarette for when I completed this job. So I slipped the box back into my pocket. There was no need to smoke it now. Now it was time to paint the walls with the blood of these killers.


    "I dunno what the fuck''s going on... But it''s easy enough to tell someone signed your death warrants..." I bent down and picked up Bethany and Wanda. Sliding the latter into its holster, I took four shells off my belt. "You freaks got some sick thrill out of killin'' my girl... But you forgot to kill me first. So now every one of you is going to die screaming."


    "It is you who will die, Paradigm," hissed One. "Your death won''t be as quick as your dearly beloved. Get him!"


    The two Vamps behind me charged me head-on as One watched. Turning around, I pulled the slide forward, loading the first shell. But I wasn''t going to shoot yet. Instead, as soon as the two approached me, I bent down and charged the one on the left with my shoulder, then rammed the shotgun straight into its chest. I lifted it off its feet for a few moments, then pulled the trigger and held it down. It jolted as the shell erupted in its chest. Pulling the slide down and back up, the gun fired again, blasting the Vampyre in half.


    As the pieces of its body crashed against the floor, its partner froze momentarily in fear. I tried to step back but wouldn''t let it go quickly. My brain told my body to reach out and grab the Vamp, and when my body responded, it caused me a sudden fit of confusion. When I reached out, it would be with the hand I''d been holding my weapon. It was now empty, attempting to grasp the Vamp. When I took hold of my enemy, it would be by the arm, and I hoisted it up in the air without much effort.


    Even though the thing looked like a woman, it was still a monster, so I wouldn''t feel bad about killing it. When I slammed it back to the ground, I let go to pull my arm back and plunge it straight into the Vamp''s chest. Then my hand felt different. It was like I was holding Bethany again. That''s when I realized my arm had transformed into a trench gun.


    The Vamp looked terrified after it saw this. It desperately tried to pull my arm or weapon out of its chest. But Francis was scared too. She was frightened for herself and me. I finally knew that fear and was glad this thing knew it too. I pulled the slide back and pushed it forward, loading the next shell. Then I pulled the trigger blowing out the Vamp''s chest cavity. Its blood spattered all over me, and I''d licked some off my face. It tasted revolting but hearing the Vamp choke on its blood made it less vile.


    Taking my hand out, it morphed back into a hand, and now I''d come face to face with number one. He''d been trembling at seeing me and even began heading toward the exit.


    "No, you don''t," I hissed, then held my left arm toward the door. It stretched out toward the door handle past number one and grabbed the door handle. I then used my entire body weight to slam the door shut before him. That was a cool new feature. I wondered how I was doing it. No time to think about that now. A Vamp needed to suffer.


    I stopped for a moment as a ringing began to plague my ears. It didn''t hurt, but it was enough to get my attention. It was like information was being spoken into my head.


    Using my elongated hand, I began to draw on the door. A crimson symbol appeared on it, and the door glowed red. Pulling my arm back, the Vamp tried to run for the door to open it again. Yet when it pulled the handle, it did not budge. It pulled as hard as its strength allowed him. I could see the muscles tightening as it used every ounce of their strength. But it was futile.


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    I slowly walked toward him, picking up the Tommy gun. The gun assimilated into my left arm as Bethany did. I didn''t walk at a quickened pace. No, I wanted it to hear every step as it was seconds ticking away at a clock. Its doom approached it as steadily as I allowed it.


    "You''re hurting my feelings... trying to leave before we play." As I finally reached it, it had its back against the door. Its body was on the verge of thrashing about in terror as it looked into my eyes.


    "What the hell are you," it said, "what kind the fuck kind of monster are you!?" Hearing this Vamp trash call me a monster made me uncomfortable. "You''re enjoying this, aren''t you? The killing of men..."


    It had the balls to call itself a man? Men don''t kill wildly and eat their prey. Men don''t torture their victims with games. Men didn''t kill the innocent for kicks. Though now that I think about it, I was playing a sick game too. An enemy was before me, cowering in fear, close to begging for its life, and I was torturing it. But I wasn''t going to feel bad for it. No, it was now that I realized I''d also become a monster. A death-bringing monster that slays those who play at being monsters.


    "Tell ya what... if you tell me who sent you. I''ll make your death quick..." It was a lie. Something we both knew deep down in our hearts. So with this knowledge, the Vamp closed its eyes for a moment, then opened them again. It spat on the floor at my feet.


    "Damn... here I thought I''d scared you enough." A smile tugged at my lips as hard as it could then I reached into my jacket, drawing Wanda. I punched the Vamp in the abdomen with my free fist, then caught him before he fell over. The crimson haze my hand was made of began to morph Wanda''s form. The barrel became larger, much like a revolver with a larger casing. I stuck the barrel into the Vamps shoulder and then fired, blasting the remains of its shoulder off.


    Somehow, the pistol was stronger, which is a perfect thing. I aimed for its other shoulder blasting its other arm off. I then aimed for its legs, blasting them off too. He''d scream and shout every time I fired, which made it all the more satisfying.


    Then I pushed the barrel into the Vamp''s forehead. Gripping its hair with my free hand, I lifted its head so it could look me in the eyes.


    "You know... I never killed anyone personally. It''s all been business... or my duty as a soldier... whether you''re just a random group of Vamps or someone sent you. I''ll make anyone that had a hand in this pays with their lives. Starting with you..." Now its eyes were full of fear. Blood-red tears began to stream down its face, but before it could even make a sound, I squeezed the trigger for a final time.


    Letting go of the Vamp, I stood over it, taking in what I''d done. Then I turned back to Francis''s corpse and made my way over to her. Picking her up, I carried her over to a nearby wall. Slumping against it, I began to feel my fatigue setting in. I cradled her, though she was as cold as ice. I made sure to close her eyes, then took out my cigarette. But as I did, I realized something.


    "Shit... I forgot she doesn''t like it when I smoke near her." So I put the cigarette back in my pocket and let my body rest.


    The haze that formed my arms began to expand until the form of a woman nearly identical to Francis appeared before me.


    "Finally... we can now speak face to face," she said. She sounded like Francis, but I could tell it wasn''t her. "It''s a pleasure to meet you finally, child... I''d been waiting for so long."


    "Who... are you?" I asked, yet in the back of my mind. I felt like I knew.


    "I am the Sorceress Pandora," she said triumphantly, and my spirit has wandered this earth for hundreds of years to find a worthy vessel."


    "What makes me so worthy of vessel? I couldn''t even protect the woman I loved." Pandora came closer to me. Her ethereal hands brushed against mine and Francis''s cheeks.


    "Francis was my direct descendant. She was supposed to find my new vessel, and she did. You were perfect. A bastard whose only purpose was to be used as a weapon. A man with so little that even one significant loss could tear your world asunder. One who was fated to die like a dog today."


    I wanted to object, to tell her she was wrong and that I was much more than she thought. But then I thought about my meeting with my father, with the Queen. I''d become a Capo because I''d proven myself a useful tool. Even at this job, my priority was to be a shield. "Why choose me?


    Pandora tilted her head, and an evil smile tugged at her lips. "It''s simply because you''re interesting."


    I''m... interesting?" I repeated, baffled by the answer.


    "Yes... you have repeatedly abandoned your hopes in favor of the ones people place on you. You became the vessel of the last object within my Pithos. As such, you have become the greatest act of rebellion against this world. Thus making you the most perfect to be the Sin Factor of Despair... my ultimate vessel."


    I didn''t understand the gravity of what Pandora was telling me, and as my mind attempted to process it, my eyelids grew heavy.


    "It''s quite alright, child... rest now... you have an eternity to regain all you have lost...

 Crime Report 14: Van Hellsing

    As my eyes opened, I saw the light. Thank goodness it wasn''t the sun''s light but still too bright. From what I could tell, I was in a bed in a room unfamiliar. Raising my hand to my face, I saw it was wrapped completely in bandages and clamped in irons. Of the many things I wanted to say at that moment: "The only thing that came out was, "Shit... how long have I been out."


    "A couple of days," a soft feminine voice would answer. Turning my head, I saw a woman sitting beside me at a desk. She placed a cloth in some water, then wrung it out right back out. She wore black robes with a white band over her forehead, much like a nun. Her eyes were colored light blue, and she had the warmest smile on her face.


    "Good evening, my Paradigm friend," she said as she placed the cloth on my forehead. It was warm and, luckily, wasn''t drenched in holy water. "I''m glad you''ve awakened."


    "Who are you?" I asked. "Where am I?" I looked around the room. It looked like a sick bay somewhere. There were other cots, yet I was the only one in one.


    "My clinic, specifically the Silverman clinic near the east residential district," she answered. Turning to me, she took my hand, holding it in hers. Her touch was so gentle, so much so that I felt no danger. Even a chill came over me.


    "You''re an Acolyte, aren''t you?" Even though I said that, I didn''t take my hand away. She nodded, then traced her fingers along my hand.


    "The Lord called me to serve as Sister Uriel of the Romaniconti Order," she stated, "but you may call me Wynn D or Wynn if you''d like."


    "Wynn D?" It was a strange name, so that Wynn would work for me. "Are you the one I should thank for my being here?"


    "My partner is the one you should thank. We found you passed out, clutching a deceased girl. Though getting to you was the harder part."


    I raised my other hand, looking at my bandaged arms again. I could feel the wriggling energy trying to escape the confines of the cloth, but the material seemed to hold it at bay. My arms were probably never going to be the same again. Another thing I had to live with. "What of the girl I was holding?" I asked. As I remembered clutching Francis''s lifeless body, I couldn''t help but think about her. In her last moments, she had me drain her of all her blood, her life essence. If I weren''t a Sin factor, I''d have become the monsters I slaughtered.


    Wynn''s smile vanished, and she released my hand. Her gaze dropped to the floor as her eyes clouded with sadness. "I ensured she received a proper burial. I''m sorry we didn''t save her in time." A part of me was angry to hear that there was a chance that Wynn and whoever her partner was could intervene. But they would''ve probably just been victims of the Vampyres too.


    "It''s not your fault Wynn," I said, turning toward her. "It''d be insane for you to charge into a den of monsters, even if you are one of the Archangels." Besides, we didn''t know each other beyond what we were. "The name''s Alex, by the way. Alexander Murcielago. Thanks for not leaving me for the feds."


    "Well... I wouldn''t say that so soon." Now I needed clarification. The way Wynn looked away and scratched at her cheek elicited some confusion. The door on the other side of the clinic opened, and a man roughly in his thirties stepped in. He wore an oversized trench coat with a black vest and blue tie and a black fedora with a blue rim. He had short salt and pepper hair and a large amount of stubble on his chin. His slim-rimmed glasses made him look too serious for my liking. He approached us, pulled a chair beside my cot, and removed his hat. "Well... Look who''s finally awake."


    My body tensed up, and I sat up so quickly that it was almost dizzying. My hand instinctively reached under my pillow, but it was useless. They''d taken Wanda from me, and I had no access to Bethany or Tommy. "Relax, kid. I''m not going to hurt you or anything." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a badge. "I''m Detective Dominic Harker of the Federal Bureau of Magical Affairs, codenamed Van Hellsing. It shouldn''t ring any bells because, to most of the world, we don''t exist."


    All I needed was to hear "Federal," I didn''t think he''d just casually reveal that, given I am on the other side of the law. "I''m not saying anything to a pig," I spat as I leaned against the wall. Dominic raised his eyes, then looked to Wynn, who giggled when I said that. My mind finally put the pieces together and realized I had messed up big time.


    "It''s ok, kid... We''re not interested in your criminal activities," Dominic said as he stuck his badge back into his jacket. "Besides, I''ve got everything I need about you." He then dug out a small notepad, opened it to a particular page, and cleared his throat. "Your name is Alexander Murcielago. You just recently turned eighteen last week on April 15th, 1921. You live with four other residents at the old Dodgerland Boarding School for Boys and Girls. You''re a veteran of the Great War and were a part of the hundred days offensive."


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    "Ok, I get it. You know a lot about me. Just get on with what you want." I was worried he''d start discussing my being involved in our thing. I hadn''t found a job that I could work since being back from the war, which was now causing me more harm than good. "What is it that you want?"


    Dominic reached into his pocket again, pulling out a pen this time. He flipped to another page on the notepad and seemed ready to jot anything down. "We want you to tell us anything you may know about the Vampyres that attacked you last night. You don''t have to go into detail about what you were doing at that warehouse, just about your assailants."


    I didn''t want to give away too much since I didn''t know what they attacked. Telling him about Andrade''s possibly being involved is out of the question since it was just speculation. Plus, it violated everything about this thing of ours. "I don''t know why we were attacked. It all happened too fast, and those assholes weren''t eager to sing."


    Dominic began scribbling something into his notepad, then lifted the pen to his lips. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the notepad then his gaze shifted back to me as he thought of his next question. "When we examined the crime scene, you clutched a woman''s body. By the way, you were holding her. She was someone special. Were there any other victims besides you and her?"


    I remembered the screams from outside the warehouse and the two triad guards that barricaded the door only to get sliced open. "Just whoever you saw. The only one I knew was my girl Francis."


    Dominic scribbled some more on his notepad, then turned the page. "Alright... Last question, I promise. When we found you, you had this red stuff taking the form of your arms. What is that stuff?" Wynn paid closer attention to this question in contrast to the others. I scarcely knew the actual answer myself. I didn''t know if telling them or anyone about Pandora was a good idea. But with the Sister here, I couldn''t lie to them completely. Wynn would know.


    "It''s something I got during my fight with the Vampyres. It just turns out I was more special than I realized." Dominic seemed confused by my answer, but it seemed Wynn got it as expected. Humans didn''t know of the Sin Factors, but I knew the Acolytes did. Answering this way gave Dominic almost no information, which was fine by me.


    "Hmm... You don''t seem too inclined to give me definitive answers," said Dominic as he put his notepad away. "That''s fine. It''s good that you don''t trust me. But something tells me that you''ll be more involved in our investigation whether you like it or not." On the opposite side, he dug in his jacket pocket for the final time. He then took out Wanda, holding the gun to me by the barrel. "Go ahead... Take it. It''s got no bullets."


    I looked to Wynn, who didn''t seem too pleased to have a firearm in her clinic. She sighed, crossed her arms, and turned to her desk to find something to distract herself. As I took my gun, I realized how much it changed. It no longer had that short skinny metal, but not it looked like some long gun. I checked the chamber, and the Detective turned out to be right. No bullets whatsoever. "Magic is a funny thing, isn''t it?" I mused, setting the gun down on my lap.


    "Look... for what it''s worth, I am sorry for your loss," Dominic said, leaning forward as his tone lowered. "I hope to prevent any more tragedies caused by the Vampyres. Unlike your paradigms, they do not desire to coexist with us. Whoever is responsible for this rise in their numbers will answer for their crimes." His voice hardened as the last words escaped his lips. It told me more about the Detective than I initially knew. But to pry into whatever history he had was a bit wrong. These two have done more for me than most would.


    "Ugh," I groaned as I thought of at least offering some of my help. It was against the code to cooperate with the feds. "Look... by no means can I cooperate with you since you''re the feds. But nothing bars the Sister here from helping out so long as the fact that she''s with your little organization remains a secret." Dominic''s eyes shifted to me, his brow raised, and a slight smile tugged at his lips.


    "That can be arranged," he said as he looked to Wynn for approval. She turned back to us and thought for a moment. Then she nodded. "Yes. I could offer my assistance as a member of the order. Word of that attack last night has probably spread pretty far, meaning the High Table can no longer ignore this. They may not want to cooperate with the federal government, but they never refused to cooperate with the order."


    That was true. My kind wished for peaceful coexistence with the rest of the planet. Although we were the world''s evil, we were the necessary evil. Balance must be maintained in mother nature, and now whoever made Vampyres was a threat to that balance. Besides, could these two help me find the bastard that sent those Vamps to attack us? I wouldn''t let a valuable asset to my revenge get away from me that easily. How much I resembled my Father trying to use these two disgusted me. But unlike him, I won''t cast them aside. After all, I owed them for burying Francis.


    Detective Dominic stood and fixed his coat. "If that''s all, then I will be leaving. It was a pleasure to meet with you, Alexander. Your suggestion will be most helpful, even if it''s just a little bit. I''ll send an anonymous tip of your location out to the Rotterdams. Many people have been looking for you since that day." He turned to Wynn, "Ensure the right people pick him up."


    Wynn nodded, and the Detective turned away to walk toward the door. But as he got as far as the end of my cot, he stopped. "Oh yeah... one more thing." He reached into his pocket again, pulling out a "Black cat" cigarette box. It was mine. "That last cig looked important. Make sure you savor it when you return home."

 Crime Report 15: Father and Son

    Sometime after Dominic left, Wendy had gotten me some blood. I could tell she didn''t wish to take from the supply she kept, but nursing me back to health was a larger concern. Later than that, a bell rang near the front of the clinic. Wendy went to see who it was that arrived. I was left to myself for the moment, thinking over tonight''s events and last night or so, I thought.


    "So Alexander... it appears you''ve taken the first step at getting your revenge," Pandora snickered in my ear. "Gathering allies is important when trying to accomplish your goals."


    I''m just stuck with you now. My grip tightened on my sheets as I remembered Pandora speaking, not Francis. "What are you supposed to be, a devil on my shoulder?"


    "That''s rude," she pouted, "I''m more of a friendly guide to aid you." Even though I couldn''t see her, I was sure Pandora would be floating around me like a little fairy who wanted to play tricks. I wasn''t in the mood for her games right now.


    "Look, I can guarantee that I''m not in any rush to let people know I exist. So take solace in the fact that I am not a body-snatching harpy. Besides, I wouldn''t know what to do with your manhood." The prospect of an old evil Sorceress being baffled at having male parts made me chuckle, much to her dismay.


    Wendy returned with Walter behind her. "Alexander!" Walter shouted as he saw me. His eyes widened as relief eased his heart. "You''re alive... when we didn''t find you or Francis at the warehouse, we feared the worst." Walter made his way over to me, sitting in the chair the detective sat in. He looked worn out, like he''d been up even during the day.


    "Im alright, Walter... took good care of me." I wanted to tell him about what happened to Francis. The words, however, got stuck in my throat. Walter seemed to take notice.


    "You... don''t have to say. Sister Uriel informed me of Francis''s passing. I''m sorry that this happened. You can be sure we will seek justice for her murder." On that, we very much agreed. I peeked behind Walter at the door and noticed Yayoi and Penny standing there. Walter turned to see them, too.


    "It''s quite alright," said Wendy, "I''m sure you''ve all been worried." As soon as Wendy gave her ok, Penny ran toward my cot. Brushing past Walter, she nearly jumped onto my cot, wrapping her arms around my neck.


    "My God, I''ve missed you. Do you have any idea how worried I was? How could you just up and disappear like that, you colossal asshole!"


    "I... missed you too, Penny," I groaned. Returning to her embrace, I felt a little joy knowing I was missed.


    Penny didn''t let go of me entirely. She just pulled back, making a portion of my cot her seat while holding my hands. "My Goodness. Those blood psychos did a number on you. I hope you killed them all. because if not, we''ll finish the job."


    "There are probably more out there. But the ones that attacked us are dead. I made sure of that." This brought a smile to Penny''s face, but it didn''t last long. I looked at Yayoi, who was still standing at the door. Her arms were crossed, and she looked annoyed, but not her usual way. It reminded me of how I felt standing around at one of the family''s dinner parties, uncomfortable and out of my league.


    "It''s alright, Yayoi," I said. "You don''t have to stay over there." Her face lit up momentarily, but her eyes darkened just as quickly. She lowered her arms to her side and clenched her fists. "It''s not ok... it''s my fault... if I had been paying better attention. I could''ve stopped her."


    I could see the tears begin to well up in her eyes. She was fighting them back vigorously, almost as if she wasn''t crying out of sadness but out of rage. Rage against herself. Letting go of Penny, I tapped my sister''s shoulder, telling her to move. Swinging my legs out, I tried getting to my feet. It was easier than I thought. As I tried approaching her, Walter stood to help me, holding my arm as my brace. As we made our way to Yayoi, I held my hand toward her.


    "Francis is... was a crafty girl. She always had something up her sleeve, no matter the situation. There wasn''t a thing you could''ve done to stop her. Believe me." I felt like I was trying to convince myself more than Yayoi. I wanted to know if there was something I could''ve done to prevent what happened. If I had acted faster, I''d not have brought her along. But she did save my life. If not for her, I''d have been in a grave.


    "How''s Yasuo?" I asked to take her mind off of Francis. "I see you made it out in one piece, but what of him?"


    "He''s been beside himself since your disappearance. He''s been using all of his resources to find you. When we got a tip you''d been at this clinic, he and your Father would come here themselves."


    Now that would''ve been a sight¡ªmy old man visiting me in a clinic. I''d pay to see that. "I think I need to return to the Estate," I said, turning to Wendy. "I need to make sure everyone knows I''m alive."


    "That''s quite alright, Alexander," Wendy said with a smile. "I''m sure your family is worried about you."


    Walter and Penny went to the car while Yayoi and Wendy helped me prepare. I''d been wearing some black trousers that Dominic had left me and some socks. The official story behind the leftover trousers was that a patient forgot them, and they''d luckily been my size.


    While collecting my wallet, Wendy brought my Mom''s jacket to me. The sleeves had been cut short, but the rest of the jacket remained intact. It was even cleaned thoroughly. "I hope you don''t mind the alterations," Wendy said as she handed it to me. "Your sleeves had been torn to shreds and covered in blood. So I did my best."


    "No... you''re fine. It''s just something I''ll have to adjust to." I let her put the jacket over my shoulders, but I wouldn''t fit my hands through the sleeves.


    "By the way, Sister," said Yayoi as she stared at my arms. "Why are Alex''s arms all wrapped in Heaven''s cloth?" Wendy seemed very inclined to answer, but I held my hand, barring her from speaking.


    "Look, Yayoi... something has changed. I don''t want to talk about it now. But I will need you to do me a favor."


    Yayoi''s brows raised, and her worry about what I might say became strikingly apparent. I checked my jacket pocket to see if it was still there. I found the small medal still tucked deep into the pocket. Taking it out, I held it up for Yayoi to take.


    "It''s probably going to be a lot to ask. But could you take this to Queen Jeanne... tell her we need to talk." A sudden wave of understanding hit Yayoi the moment she saw the medal. As she took it into her hands, she quickly examined it as if checking if it were real. Wendy''s eyes widened as she saw it, and then her gaze seemed to dart between the heaven''s cloth on my arms and the medal.


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    "I''ll give this to her as soon as possible," Yayoi promised. She then tucked the medal in her sash and then went outside.


    "Thank you, Wendy," I said. "I''m sure we''ll be in touch soon."


    "You needn''t thank me, Alex. It is my duty as God''s servant that I care for his creations. Even though you were born of evil, that too is by his benevolent will." Wendy approached me, taking my hand and holding it up for me to see. "This cloth is very special. It will keep your power in check while maintaining the form of your lost arms. Just give the cloth a gentle tug, and you should be able to use your powers."


    "You know, of all people, I wouldn''t think an Acolyte would be ok with a Sin Factor having the key to his collar." I would''ve thought she would''ve tried to keep me in check because of how dangerous it was. She and Dominic were the only ones to see it in action.


    Wendy shook her head. "This power is a part of God''s will. If he did not want it to exist, then it wouldn''t. Besides, it is part of you. What you do with it is what you will. Besides... I know you''d only use it for what you think is right." I couldn''t understand why Wendy would trust me this much. I wasn''t a good person. But to question such trust was the same as an insult or disrespect. Neither was an option. So I nodded, and Wendy let go of my hand. Waving a not-so-final goodbye to her, I left the clinic.


    The ride home was pretty decent. It didn''t help that Walter and Penny mostly talked to each other the whole ride. I think they were getting the car ready. Yayoi had left ahead of us. She''d been driving one of those new motorbikes  I''d once seen in Europe. An Indian Scout, I heard it was called. I almost wanted to take it for a spin to see how it rode. But I had more pressing things to care for, like letting everyone know I was alive.


    When we arrived at the estate, it''d been a bit past midnight, meaning the estate would be lively. Walter and Penny walked with me to the front door, and as I went to knock, it opened before I could even strike the wood.


    "Alexander Murcielago! Do you have any idea how worried I''ve been," Judith shouted as she hugged me tightly, her voice sounding so hoarse you''d think she''d been screaming all day. "You stupid, reckless boy. I wouldn''t know what to do if I''d lost you. Are you hurt anywhere? Are you hungry? Do you need more cigarettes?"


    "No, yes, and yes," I answered quickly, "Slow down, Jude. I''m alive." She pulled away from me momentarily and started pulling on my cheeks. She then saw my arms.


    "My sweet Alex," she said in a shaky breath. "What have they done to you?" If she''d seen where my actual arms were, then she''d be even more horrified to learn what happened to my arms.


    "He''s fine, Judith," said Jules as he approached the door. "Come on, let them through. Father wishes to see him." It was good to see Jules still his usual self.


    "Fine," Jude pouted, "but I will ensure you get plenty of food and blood later." She leaned close to my ear and whispered, "I''ve found another carton for you too." Judith rose to her feet, smiling at me. She turned around and returned to the house. Walter and Penny followed Judith to the dining room, I told them I''d join them as soon as possible. Going up the stairs, I headed straight for Father''s room. But I would only get there with resistance.


    Coming out of Father''s study was Mother. She didn''t seem so surprised to see me. She wore her usual devilish smile, and as usual, it was unsettling. "So you lived? You are a tenacious bastard, I''ll give you that."


    "I won''t blame you for thinking I was gonna die," I said, throwing my hands into my pockets. "You don''t have to sound so disappointed about it, though."


    "You may be your Father''s bastard, but it doesn''t mean I want you dead." Mother crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "I did hear your little shaman lover didn''t make it." For once in the many years we''d known each other, I felt my anger boil. I never cared what she said about me, not once. Mother had every right to despise me as the bastard child born between my father and some woman that wasn''t her. I couldn''t jump to conclusions, so I kept calm and heard her out.


    "I am sorry that she died," Mother sighed. Wait, that wasn''t right. I thought she might''ve said something different than that. There was no way she was feeling sorry for me at this moment. Maybe she was saying that to mess with me. "I know you probably can''t believe my words, but I mean it," she continued. "Penny told me a bit about your relationship with her. How she loved you reminded me of my younger days with your father. I can''t help but feel responsible since I was the one who suggested she be a concubine." Mother''s sly smile vanished, and she approached me with her arms held out. For once, I didn''t know what to do. I froze up. She wrapped her arms around me in a soft embrace, her left hand rubbing my back as if to soothe me.


    "I''ve been doing some thinking. I believe it''s time I start calling you by your name from now on. I realize you are only a product of your father''s adultery, and he seeks only to use you as a pawn. Yet seeing you all battered and broken like this. It... just feels wrong to torment you any further." She pulled away from me, placing her hands on my shoulders. As our eyes met, I could see something in her gaze I''d never seen in her. Emptiness... The deep blue of her eyes seemed devoid of all happiness and joy. There was only raw bitterness in a sea of nothing. "No matter what happens from now on, Alex. Be better than your father. His obsession with the family name has driven too deep of a wedge in this family. No matter who he ruins in his wake, he gets to do as he pleases." Mother''s grip tightened on my shoulders as the bitterness in her gaze became dark and grotesque. "Do what you have to do for the people you care for. No matter who stands in your way."


    We stood in the hallway for some time after Mother spoke. The silence between us allowed me to hear the crescendo of our heartbeats. After a full minute of Mother being overwhelmed by her emotions, she took a deep breath. The devilish smile tugged at her lips again, and she let go of me. "Alright... Now that we''ve had that little heart-to-heart, Aleksander, you can forget that last part."


    "Aleksander?" I repeated, confused as to why she pronounced it like that. "It''s Alexander." The color from her face drained completely. She made another expression I was unfamiliar with, at least with her, complete shock. It only lasted a moment as she recoiled back into the smile she wore. "That''s right," she said as she shook her head. "I''m being silly, a slip of the tongue. Go on now, Alex. Your Father is waiting."


    Mother quickly darted toward the staircase before I could even get another word out. It was for the best, though. I could believe she would be nicer to me. "Be careful, boy," Pandora warned, her voice ringing in my ears. "It seems like you''ve changed more than she expected." I hadn''t known what she was going on about, and quite frankly, I didn''t care. However, it did sound good that, for once, I made the terrible Beatrix Murcielago retreat. Turning back to Father''s study, I knocked on the door. Father''s maid opened it, and he''d been sitting at his desk scribbling away at a paper with a candle lit with his shadow flame. The strange red light brightened the dark room.


    "Ah... The prodigal son returns. I almost believed you were dead for a moment. Come in... sit." I entered the room, sitting on one of the chairs across the table. "The Isoarashi''s spoke highly of your service to them," Father continued, "Yasuo especially was deadset on locating you when your corpse didn''t turn up."


    There were so many things I wanted to say to him at that moment. The first was to joke about how I was raised from the dead. Another would''ve been to mention his nonchalant attitude upon my return. But something far more critical was brewing at the forefront of my mind.


    "She''s... she''s gone, Dad... Francis is gone..." Father''s writing came to a sudden halt. He closed his eyes briefly and then placed the pen down. He finally meets my gaze. His hands were steepling near his chin. "I''m sorry to hear that, son... she was talented. It''s a shame that such talent is lost now. But such loss comes with our way of life."


    "That''s it? Just sorry. She was good at what she did. Oh well?" Taking hold of my chair''s arms, I clenched them tightly.


    "Yes... at least now you''ll be able to focus on Isoarashi Yayoi. Such tragedies are inevitable, as I''ve just told you. If you take such offense, it is only natural to blame yourself for bringing her to such a dangerous place."


    I couldn''t believe what I was hearing. I knew it was my fault. She''d be alive if I didn''t allow her to accompany me. If I''d done a better job of ensuring she got away, she''d still be here if she hadn''t loved me so much. Then she wouldn''t have wanted to save my life. "I know I shouldn''t have gotten her involved. I even tried to get her away. But she came back to save me. She died to make sure I lived. I thought you''d understand... since you loved Mom."

 Crime Report 16: A House United

    Pandora returned my arm to me before I reached the stairs. She told me she would sleep to give me time to grieve. As I descended the stairs, I stopped to see Judith setting plates. "Oh Alexander, I was about to send... My goodness. What happened to your arm?"


    Dammit, I''d forgotten to wrap it back up. Oh well, she was bound to find out. "It''s a long story... but I have magic now." I even tried molding the mass that was my arm into a dog''s head. But it just ended up being a garbled mess.


    "Oh, Alex..." Judith brushed her hand against my cheek. She noticed the tears that were still leaking from my eyes and wiped them away. She then pulled back, though she didn''t want to. "Go on, Alex... I''ll have one of the maidservants pack you some dinner."


    "Are you sure, Jude? I even said..." She shook her head and closed her eyes. "You always have a home here. But the home you made needs you. I''ll have Penny take you back."


    She kissed me on the cheek and then went off into the kitchen. I pulled the cloth again, and it began to close on the haze, forcing it back into the shape of my arm. I stepped outside into the night, looking at the sky as I waited. It would be thirty minutes before Penny came out with a couple of tins of food. "Come on, you lout. Let''s go."


    We''d taken Penny''s car back to Dogland. She left me alone for most of the ride. I just guessed she sensed I wasn''t in the mood to talk. When we arrived, the lights on the ground floor were on. Mr. Martinez was probably up late doing something he shouldn''t have. Getting out of the car, I approached the front steps, but that was as far as my feet would allow me.


    I wondered if I even deserved to come back to this place. It was my job to take care of Francis, and I failed.


    I felt something slap me hard on the back, and when I turned, it was Penny, holding our food in one hand. "Come now. You can''t hesitate. They''ve been worried sick about you all this time."


    "I know that... I just... I don''t." Before I could say what I wanted to say, the door opened. In the entrance stood a short woman with mahogany skin dressed in a white buttoned shirt with brown overalls. As she saw me, her hazel-colored eyes widened in disbelief. "Lexi!? Is that you!?"


    It was Becca. She must''ve been on the way on one of her midnight strolls. She rushed down the stairs, threw her arms around me, and squeezed tightly. Lifting me off my feet, she spun me around. "Holy shit, you''re alive. The way Iggy was talking, I thought you''d be blood psycho food."


    "Y-yeah, I''m alive," I groaned, "Now, could you put me down." Becca set me back on my feet, then hurried to Penny to hug her.


    "So you aren''t worm food," greeted Mr. Martinez as he approached the door. "I see you''re short one..."


    I was afraid he pointed that out. Meaning this conversation was going to happen now. Right after, I''d just argued with Dad. Mr. Martinez sighs then nodded toward the door. "Come on in before you get cold, Chucho."


    Penny and Becca would head in before I did. We followed Mr. Martinez to the dining hall where Iggy was sitting. "Alex," he called out. "You''re alive!?"


    "Yeah, I''ve been getting that a lot," I chuckled. However, the amusement didn''t stick.


    "Sit down, Tio," Mr. Martinez told Iggy. "Alex has something to tell us." He grabbed a glass from a cabinet and a bottle of hooch he''d been hiding. The residents of Dogland gathered at the table around me, waiting to hear.


    "W-well... as you can see," I started to say. I tried to find the nerve to get it out. It''d been so much easier before. Everyone who knew Francis''s fate so far didn''t know her well. But Becca, Mr. Martinez, and Iggy. The difference in their knowledge was too significant.


    "Francis didn''t make it," I choked. "I did everything I could to stop it." Becca cupped her mouth with her hands as tears lit up in her eyes. Iggy clenched his fist, almost striking the table in frustration. But Mr. Martinez just poured himself a glass. I didn''t notice his puffy eyes or realize he looked worse than usual.


    "When Ignacio came home," he began, "he told us that the two of you stayed behind. Suppose you had shown up that night. I''d have blamed you for Francis''s death."


    That was something I was prepared for. Mr. Martinez was the one who took Francis in. He treated her as if she were his daughter. Putting the glass to his lips, he drained its contents completely before he would set the glass down again. His eyes drifted over to me as his mouth set in a hard line. "I know that girl loved you dearly. There can''t be a greater love than someone willing to give their life for yours. This I understand. But know that even if she is no longer of this world. She remains with us through our memory."


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    Mr. Martinez poured another glass. He allowed me to let his words sink in as best as possible. Reaching into my jacket pocket, I pulled out the cigarette pack and opened it. Holding the cigarette up, I remembered to examine the words again. "Congrats, ma ch¨¦ri" it read.


    "Did you at least make those pendejos suffer?" Iggy growled. "I heard the warehouse was a complete mess." Putting the cigarette back down, I held my now empty right hand and tugged on the cloth. It unraveled, allowing the crimson miasma to free once more. I then focused on Bethany''s shape, and the haze morphed into the weapon.


    "Woah..." murmured. "That''s certainly new." Iggy''s tail thumped against his chair excitedly as he examined my arm.


    "You''re a real devil now," Mr. Martinez sighed. "I''d hate to be any poor bastard that pisses you off."


    Becca reached her hand up to my shoulder as she cautiously examined my weapon arm. "Alex... are you gonna be ok?" I knew she wasn''t asking about my new ailment. I returned the arm to its more natural form and tugged the cloth again. "I will be," I answered, "when the bastard that sent those blood psychos there pays."


    "Hold on," Iggy questioned after standing abruptly. "That wasn''t just a random pack?"


    I shook my head, remembering what Haoran told Yasuo back at the warehouse. "Someone sent those things to kill us. They wanted it to be written off as a blood psycho incident. But I guess it was a rush job. Considering that pack of freaks were uncoordinated."


    "It makes sense," Mr. Martinez admitted, "it''s hard to bump off a crime family boss. Especially in Iscariot City. Let alone two."


    "Who could''ve wanted Yasuo or Haoran dead?" Iggy asked. "Mr. Yasuo is the nicest guy ever."


    "More importantly, how in the hell did they find out about the meeting," I pointed out. "The only ones who knew were the Isoarashi, Huang, and Murcielagos."


    The room grew silent again as we all pondered the possibilities. I knew my family wouldn''t want to screw up our reputations that badly. Besides, Dad hated vampyres. It would make little sense for the Isoarashi to attack the Huangs with their boss in the crossfire. The same logic applied to the Huangs. Then what Haoran told Yasuo played in my head again.


    "Listen... I know this is going to sound crazy. But what about the Andrade family."


    "No," Mr. Martinez objected, "Hector would never do something like this. The man hates vampyres as much as Acolytes worship God. He''d sooner bathe in sunlight than ever consider using them."


    "How are you so sure, Mr. Martinez?" Becca asked. Even though I wasn''t saying Hector was behind this, I am curious about Mr. Martinez''s certainty.


    He stared at his glass for a moment, debating whether or not he should tell us. He took a sip of his drink and then sighed. "I used to work for Hector in the cartel. He let me walk after I''d grown too old. I''ve seen that man do unspeakable things to Vampyres... it made me wonder who was the real monster at times."


    "What makes you so sure it''s someone in  the Andrade family?" Penny asked. "What about the Barnes family? Or an outside source?"


    I''d like to know if I should''ve told them this. But thinking about it for a little longer, I realized no harm could be done since the worst thing had already happened to the enemy. Vampyres attacked two families, and they already suspected someone in the Andrade family, perhaps even one of Hector''s brothers.


    "Someone within the Andrade family is making moves behind Hector''s back. But they got too ahead of themselves, and their faces were blown up. They''re the ones behind Francis''s murder."


    "Then that settles it," Becca spoke up. "We just gotta find this guy and put him in the ground." I wanted to tell Becca to calm down and think this through. But Mr. Martinez and Iggy snarled in agreement, and even Penny agreed.


    Just like Francis, they all were so raring to go. Part of me wanted to tell them to stay out of it. To keep them as far away as possible. But to repeat such a mistake could''ve been fatal to them. They were a stubborn bunch. So, I elected to try a different approach.


    "If you''re gonna help," I said, "we have to do this smart. We must figure out who is working behind the shadows and draw them out. We can''t just throw baseless accusations and cause a war between the families."


    "How do you plan on luring them out?" Mr. Martinez asked, taking another sip of his drink. It was a decent question I had only considered once the suggestion came up.


    "What about Yasuo?" Iggy asked, "Couldn''t he and his sister help?" Yasuo likely would''ve started an investigation of his own in the matter. I could ask him for his help. I was to be his brother-in-law. Plus, he''d probably want to find the ones responsible for attempting his life. But that could also lead to an accidental war with the Andrades. Yet there was one more option, which led me to think of my old man.


    "The Acolyte that saved me," I mentioned, "She''s not just any Acolyte. She''s one of the Archangels. Maybe she could help us too?" I had to leave out Detective Harker. Too many people knowing about my new association with the feds would likely get them killed. The less they knew, the better.


    "What makes you sure she''ll help us?" Mr. Martinez questioned. "The Acolytes only care for maintaining order."


    "They''ll do it to stop the spread of Vampyres," Penny said, "Iscariot City was the first of the hive cities. They wouldn''t allow Vampyres to ruin the accord with the humans."


    "Then I guess I''ll call the clinic tomorrow," I said, examining the cigarette again. I needed a smoke, to be honest. All of this behind-the-scenes play was different from my style. But if Francis was going to rest easy, I needed to find whoever was responsible. So I couldn''t smoke this cigarette. Not now, at least. Putting it back in the box, I slipped it into my pocket.


    I couldn''t bring myself to smoke that cigarette yet. I hadn''t done anything worth congratulating. Still waiting...

 Crime Report 17: The Crimson Death

    I decided to turn in early that night. It''d have been the first time I''d been in my bed since the Isoarashi job. When I got to my door, I reached for my key. When I unlocked the door, I didn''t open it for a moment. Inside this door would be an empty room with clothes, a bed, and a desk. But no Francis, only pictures and her clothes she''d never wear again. "Aww... poor child," Pandora purred. "So lonely without his woman."


    "You are a devil on my shoulder," I snarled, "I thought you''d be asleep." I raised my hand and tugged the cloth. As it unraveled, Pandora''s form separated itself from my shoulder. She''d somehow materialized before me, though now my left arm was completely gone. She reached for the door, opened it, and headed inside. The idea of telling an ancient evil sorceress not to prance around my room so casually was not something I was willing to do currently. So I just headed in with her.


    "You have a far more boring room than I thought you would," said Pandora as she rummaged through my bag. "I''d have thought you were some sort of Gun fanatic or a chain smoker. Color me disappointed."


    "It''s not like I had any idea of what to do with the room," I said. That was at least the truth. I never knew what to do with the place besides the bed and the desk.


    "Yes... but if you were going to have a home away from home, you should have spiced it up," Pandora said. When she finished rummaging through my things, she approached the desk and placed her hand on it. "Oh well... I guess I can help you out." The crimson miasma spread from her hands, consuming the entire room. Every object in the room, including my clothes, had vanished.


    "What the hell!?" I shrieked before clamping my hand over my mouth. "The hell are you doing?"


    "I''m simply rewriting the entirety of this place," Pandora said." Why are you surprised? You know you can do this."


    "No, I..." Then I remembered. Bethany and Wanda were changed when I absorbed them into my arms. They were far deadlier than they were originally. "Well... I do, I guess. But how does it work?"


    "You''re hopeless," Pandora sighed, "But it''s cute, so I''ll let it slide. Tell me, what do you think happens when you drain someone of their blood?"


    As my mind processed the question, I tried to come up with an easy answer. But it was far more difficult than I initially thought. "When we''re young," I began, "most Paradigms are taught to drain someone if their blood was to drain someone of their essence. In a sense, that person became a part of you. It''s why Vampyres exist. They go mad after they''ve drained so many people."


    "That''s pretty good. But that''s knowledge without knowing a sin factor," Pandora said. She held out her finger and drew a sigil from a red light. It was similar to the sigils Francis used to draw. I remembered that this one was called change. It was a circle with an X in the middle. But wait, why was Pandora able to do it?


    My bed was expelled from the crimson haze and came out looking completely different. It was still a full-size bed, but now it had a wooden frame and headboard. The sheets were black, along with a red blanket. Then I came to a startling realization of what Pandora was trying to show me.


    "Are you saying I''ve got Weird magic now?" Pandora nodded as she spat out a new desk from the haze. It was wooden and quite large, much like Father''s. "You''re virtually a living act of rebellion against the laws of this world," she said, but I wouldn''t get carried away if I were you. Monsters tend to lose control when they''ve consumed too much."


    I could probably go full-blood psycho if I drain too many people. Come to think about it, that must be how the other factors felt.


    "Well, I am finished,¡± Pandora sighed, "Come now. It''s time for bed." She hopped into my new bed, pulling the covers over herself and leaving me a spot to join her. "Uh... what do you think you''re doing?" I asked.


    "What''s it look like, Lexi... I''m offering you a chance to fall asleep beside a beauty like myself?" Pandora said it in a way to make it sound enticing. It didn''t work.


    "Look, just because you have Francis''s face doesn''t mean you''re her. Besides, what if someone sees us?"


    "Relax, killjoy. I''m not trying to tear your clothes off. You Paradigms are practically my children. I only wished to offer you comfort, nothing more. Besides, once I fall asleep, I''ll just turn back into your arm again."


    Though I still had reservations about lying next to someone who looked like Francis. But my fatigue and lack of a cigarette were bothering me way more. So I just kicked my shoes off and climbed into the bed. Pandora wrapped her arms around my collar and whispered something in my ear. I couldn''t hear it as the sleep call deprived me of consciousness.


    Though I''d have preferred to stay up all day like I used to. My dreams were full of those memories of the other night. The sounds of gunfire and the terrible image of Francis''s form were pierced by a clawed hand¡ªthe sound of torn flesh and the spilling of Francis''s precious blood.


    It wouldn''t be until the early evening that I''d wake again, and it would be the sound of someone hammering at my door. My right arm returned to me and was wrapped in heaven''s cloth.


    "Yo Alex," Iggy called through the door. "Wake up, Hermano. You''ve got someone who wants to see you." I slowly climbed out of bed and trudged over to the door. When I opened it, Iggy was about to go down the hall. "Who is it, I asked?"


    "It''s probably better if you come to see. They seem like they mean business." Wondering who could''ve been at my doors at the beginning of dusk, I got myself together in case it was someone important. Some green trousers, a white shirt, boots, and my jacket were the selection for the night. I began listening to the happenings outside as I approached the front entrance. The vibrant hum of engines could be heard, as well as some idle chatter. But what I heard would not have caused me a minor concern. It would be a faint pain in my chest. The pain was similar to when I met Yayoi and the Queen, though it felt like it was doubled, no... tripled. It was the resonance the former spoke of. The Queen was dressed in Rotterdam''s signature uniform, though she added a coat and an ushanka that rested atop her head.


    As I opened the door, I found Yayoi and Queen Jeanne standing at my doorstep with a very tall woman slouching forward, wearing the Rotterdam uniform under a fur coat. Even though she''d been leaning over like a sad tree, she still towered the other two somehow. But the strangest part was that I knew her from somewhere, but I couldn''t put my finger on it. Then there was Yayoi''s usual Japanese garb. Though it was patterned with pink blossoms, I never saw before.


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    "Queen Jeanne," I chirped, "it''s quite the surprise to see you." The Queen smiled and embraced me as if I were an old friend. "It shouldn''t be," she whispered, "after all, I received your message."


    The medallion I''d returned to her was a message, but I expected her to send a messenger or call me. Instead, she just showed up here on her own.


    She turned back to the crowd of men encircling Dogland as she let me go. With a simple wave of her hand, the soldiers took various positions out of sight but close by. She appeared to command them like a conductor masterfully commanding an orchestra. "Is there somewhere the four of us could talk in private?"


    On the third floor of the boarding house, there was a staff room for the adults from the time Dodgerland was operational. Francis kept it clean, though none of us used it. "If you''d be so kind as to follow me then," I said.


    Leading the women up the stairs, we came to the third floor. It was smaller than the second it did house the bigger rooms. On the first door on the right, there was a hefty-looking door with "Staff Room" almost faded out of sight. Turning the knob, I opened the door with little trouble. Inside was a room lined with counters and a singular table. There were chairs stacked up in the corner. After flipping on the light switch, I gathered four chairs around the table for us all to sit.


    "I gotta say, Alex, you''ve got a nice place here," Yayoi said, "I was expecting it to be a bit more dingy."


    "My father spent some of his resources rebuilding the place to be habitable," I explained. "He told me if I were going to live here, it wouldn''t be good to  fall through the floor."


    "Your Father cares more for you than I realized," Queen Jeanne noted. As much as I liked to think so, something in me couldn''t even consider that true. I waited for the ladies to take their seats and sat down myself.


    "My apologies, ladies. I''d have had some refreshments, but I hadn''t expected..."


    "It''s quite alright, Alexander," Queen Jeanne said, cutting me off. She then held out her hand to the taller lady and smiled.  "Before we start, I''d like to introduce you to my younger sister Lenore."


    I almost blurted out, "That''s your younger sister!?" But the worry of what happened to me for such rudeness overtook me.


    "It''s... nice to... meet you... irregular factor..." Lenore said, sounding extremely tired. Even though I could barely see her eyes, I could tell she was looking right at me. It made me uncomfortable. Though now I remember her from Father''s dossier. I hoped Julius was okay with me sitting with his bride-to-be. Though honestly, I wondered how their first meeting went.


    "Do not mind, Lenore. It is her nature," Queen Jeanne said. "Now to business. I believe you have something to show us."


    Looking at my wrappings, I wondered how I''d show her. Considering I could feel the resonance with the three of them, it was safe to assume they were all Sin Factors. It was a little startling to learn that Queen Jeanne was also one. But then she wouldn''t be the queen. So it could be safe.


    Tugging at the heaven''s cloth, it unwrapped itself, revealing the crimson haze that made up my arm. "Wake up," I said, much to everyone''s confusion. Out of the haze, two hands emerged from its abyss. Pandora hovered over the table, stretching her limbs as she woke from her slumber. As she rolled to her stomach, she evaluated the situation before her.


    "Ah... more of my children," Pandora sighed, "I take it this is some secret meeting the world doesn''t know about."


    It was safe to say that the ladies were stunned. The only other person Pandora revealed herself to was Father. I hoped that the other sin factors would at least know of her or have some sort of voice speak to them. But it appeared I was the odd man out.


    Queen Jeanne took a moment to collect herself, and then her gaze turned to ice as she looked at me. "Alexander, have you shown her to anyone else?" I shook my head, even knowing that Father saw her. "Good... do not reveal her to anyone else."


    "Trust me, I''m well aware of the uproar I''d cause if my existence were revealed," Pandora said. "Now, out with your questions."


    "There''s... only a need... for one question..." Lenore spoke as she straightened her back with a sickening pop. "That''s right," Yayoi agreed, her attention now focused on the elder sorceress.


    "Is Alexander the Crimson Death?" The Queen asked, her gaze fixated on me. Pandora rotated herself upright above the table, now sitting atop the wood. Resting her chin in her hand, she opened her mouth to speak. But instead of her usual playful tone, her voice had an air of magnanimity, as if a powerful ruler were making a decree.


    "Yes," Pandora revealed, her voice sounding as if several people were speaking simultaneously. "I have chosen Alexander Murcielago as my vessel, my monster that shall rise and become your Emperor."


    "Emperor?" I gasped, "You didn''t mention anything about that. I don''t even understand anything about being a factor." I knew that I had to accept this power to stay alive. Yet... I hadn''t expected something so grand.


    "I''m sure you haven''t," Queen Jeanne said, "But it is something we are aware of when we receive our Factors. Pandora visited us when they awakened and spoke of a monster she''d been searching for. When the darkness we were born from would begin to grow, one despairing soul would be selected. Pandora''s herald would then impart that soul a gift. The very essence of their being."


    I wanted to protest, saying I''d never met Pandora''s herald, yet that would be a lie. Pandora told me that Francis was her descendant. Yet why would I be chosen? For what reason did Francis and Pandora have for giving me this Factor?


    "You knew all along, didn''t you, Your Highness?" I asked, recalling the moment she met me. She could only tell me I had the Factor because I drank Francis''s blood. "I only suspected," she answered, "The resonance was faint, but it was there. I wanted to keep you on our side for as long as possible."


    "You''re saying that like the other Sin Factors don''t get along with you all?" A question that answered itself as the Queen sighed. "Other than Xiuying, who has recently joined us after the horrific events of that night. The other Sins do not share our desire for kinship. Gluttony has gone into hiding due to the killings the Barnes family has suffered. Then there''s Envy and Greed who belong to the Andrade family."


    "It is why a meeting of the five is being convened," Yayoi said. "We wish to stop any conflict before it begins."


    "A conflict? In Iscariot City? While I admit things are escalating, it shouldn¡¯t be anything more than a small-scale fight?"


    "The revelation I gave to the Factors was not solely due to your arrival," Pandora said, her voice returning to its normal smokiness. "It is only the beginning. War is coming to Iscariot City, and it shall determine its fate. As the Crimson Death, you will be the main actor in this play of fate. All because one of my Heralds fancied you enough to become one with you."


    She''d probably have been dead if Francis and I had never met. It was a fact that I swallowed.


    While I was doing that, Queen Jeanne appeared to retrieve something from her coat. It was a black envelope with an upside-down cross printed on it. She placed it on the table before me. As I picked up the envelope, I examined it for a moment. "What''s this?" I asked after a moment.


    "An invitation... to the High Table," the Queen said," usually we''d have to unanimously vote on a family''s acceptance to the high table. But the coming of the Crimson Death has complicated things. But worry not. You have the support of three families."


    As I stared at the envelope, the weight of the letter suddenly doubled. What I held in my hands now was practically everything my Father worked for.


    Pandora was right... I''d been nothing but a vessel of hope.

 Crime Report 18: The High Table

    It''d be about ten before the Rotterdams left. Yayoi stayed behind to look after me for a while. By the time we''d left the staff room, all of the Rotterdams were already gone. Pandora had retreated into the crimson haze, restoring my arm to me.


    I returned to my room, where I''d accidentally left the door open, but that was fine. I was still in the building. As I waltzed right in, I sat on the bed, trying to ponder what my life would be like from now on. Yayoi sat in my desk chair, carefully watching me like I''d break down. "L-Look, Alex," she said, "I know it''s a lot for you to take in... especially since... well, you know..." Yayoi wasn''t wrong, yet I felt this was the beginning of my troubles.


    "It is a lot," I admitted. "But no matter how much I want to think this was all a bad dream. It just... isn''t." This was my reality now¡ªa monster who was supposed to be the worst of them all. The thought almost forced a chuckle. Since I was this Crimson Death, I wonder if my enemies also knew this. Because if they didn''t, they would find out soon enough.


    But then there were my friends and family. Even though I could''ve been the worst of the bunch, they would be in danger. That Vampyre killed Francis right before me, and who''s to say whomever he''s working for won''t do the same? The same thing could happen again. But that''s what comes with our kind of business, right?


    "I''m sorry you got stuck with a guy like me," I said as I reached into my bag and grabbed a box of cigarettes. "I seemed to have gotten myself into a pickle."


    "N-No. You do not need to apologize," Yayoi said, "if you didn''t help us escape at the warehouse... then maybe." Her voice trailed off as if the words were getting stuck in her throat like hair clogging a drain. We were both just sitting here, blaming ourselves for things we couldn''t control. Stuffing the cigarettes in my pocket, I lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling.


    "You should know that I''m no fun," I said, breaking the brief silence. "My only hobbies are fiddling with guns and smoking, and I occasionally admire motorbikes."


    "What''s that got to do with our present situation?" Honestly, nothing, but this would be a good time to tell her at least what she was in for.


    "It''s gonna take a while before I can come to terms with Francis''s death," I admitted. "You''re a pretty nice girl. So I thought it''d be despicable of me to at least not give you a fair warning."


    Yayoi switched from the chair to sitting next to me in the bed. "Well, it''s not like I wish to be Francis''s replacement. I''d be more disturbed if you did try to make a move now. I had no evidence to believe Yayoi would come to expect such a thing. However, we had been through a harrowing experience together. Then there''s the fact that she''s been the only other person I''ve felt I could trust with what''s happening in my head.


    Sitting up, I reached into my pocket for the box of cigarettes and pulled out two. Handing one to Yayoi, I stood from the bed and pointed my thumb toward the door. "We should probably get going. I''ll have Mr. Martinez put you up for the night in one of the guest rooms."


    Yayoi gave me a slight nod, then followed me to the first floor. By now, Penny and Becca were awake. We found them sitting and enjoying some eggs and sausage when we got to the kitchen. Penny had a cup of blood that seemed too sweet-smelling to resist.


    "Oh, hey Alex," Penny greeted as she smacked on a piece of sausage. "I take it this is your bride-to-be?" I gave her a nod, then turned to Becca and said. "This is Yayoi Isoarashi, my fianc¨¦e. She''ll stay in Dogland for the night when I talk to Mr. Martinez."


    "Wow... Francis is gone only a few days, and you already brought another girl home," Becca half-joked. "You are a dog."


    "It''s not like that, I promise," Yayoi said in my defense. "My elder brother and his father arranged this." Becca blinked several times, unable to mask her surprise. "Relax, Ms. Geisha, I''m fucking with you. Francis told me all about it. Sit, and join us. I want to know everything you think about our most loyal dog." Becca stood up and scurried to Yayoi, taking her arm and pulling her away for girl talk. Deciding to let them be, I went to find Mr. Martinez. As I went to the front porch, I found him sitting on the steps.


    "Ignacio told me what all that racket what''s earlier," Mr. Martinez groaned before I could speak. "The Isoarashi girl can stay the night for my usual fee."


    "You charging me?" I asked through gritted teeth, "You must''ve lost another poker game today." Mr. Martinez would go out during the day to play poker with his drinking buddies. Today wasn''t his day.


    "Some new fuckin'' asshole practically robbed me blind," Mr. Martinez said, his voice raising a bit. "I know your money''s good, and it''s only to get me through the week."


    Sitting down on one of the steps below, Mr. Martinez, I picked out another cigarette from my jacket. I also picked out a small stack of bills from my wallet and handed both items to him. "Gracias, Chucho," he nearly chuckled. "You''ve saved this old man yet again." I just smiled and then took out my lighter for our cigarettes.


    "As long as you''re not spending it on whores and your poker night, old man," I said. We both took a huff of our cigarettes and half the night away. I didn''t know why, but I couldn''t tell him about the Crimson Death. It would only make things worse if he knew. But I''d say to him as soon as possible. Just not tonight.


    Before going off to bed, I gave Penny the letter from the Queen. As soon as I told her what it was, she jumped up, scrambled some clothes together, and took off in the Duesy. I could only imagine what opening that kind of letter would be like. After drinking some blood from Becca, I said goodnight to everyone else and passed back out in my bed.


    The next time I woke up, I did so early. I put on my suit from the Isoarashi''s and met Yayoi at the door. Becca had given Yayoi one of her more excellent dresses, which she seemed to need to be more accustomed to wearing. She still had her red sash around her waist and the Hannya mask she wore on her head. "You''re up early," she said.


    "I have to be. Drakon Murcielago should be pulling up any moment." A black Rolls-Royce Ghost pulled up to the curb as I finished my statement. In its front seat sat Furio and Walter while Father sat by himself in the back. As we stepped outside, Furio got out to open the door for us. "Good evening, Alexander," Furio greeted," and condoglianze."


    "Thank you, Furio," I said, letting Yayoi get in first. "It never does, my boy," Furio said. We got in the car, and Furio drove off to our destination.


    Furio and Walter talked most of the ride. They seemed excited about what was happening. The Murcielago was finally back in the big leagues, which meant more opportunities for us. Meanwhile, my father was as silent as a statue. Even though he seemed collected, this did have some effect on him. His brow was furrowed, and he''d been rubbing his temple. Then he couldn''t keep his foot from tapping against the floorboards, even though he wasn''t being loud. It felt nice to see him nervous for once.


    We would arrive at a restaurant near the center of town. It was called Sinful Paradise, a nice and classy joint. The kind of place my old man took Beatrix whenever he wanted to appease her. There were other fancy cars parked outside the restaurant, and people were standing all around. Some were smoking, and others were either coming or going. It was a nice inconspicuous place to be. As we parked and got out of the car, my father momentarily pulled me to the side.


    "Listen, Alexander," he said, sounding much softer than usual. "When we go in there, I want you to stand beside me with Furio." I raised a curious brow, and then he touched my shoulder. "The Queen decreed it. But even if she didn''t, I''d have you standing there anyway."


    I could still feel my anger from the other night festering in my mind. But I had to let it go tonight. I had to present a united front for the Murcielago family. I just gave him a nod and a small smile. He patted me on the shoulder, and we entered the restaurant with the others. A woman met us at the door, blonde, pretty, and wearing a little too much red lipstick. "Welcome to Sinful Paradise," she chirped. What can I get y¡¯all."


    "We''d like the Deadly Seven," Father said. The waitress''s gaze darted between our faces, and her smile grew. "Alrighty, I''ll have y''all seated in the Paradise suite. Follow me." Performing an impressive about-face, she began walking toward the restaurant''s staircase. As I looked at all the Patrons, I noticed a few had blood-givers seated with them. I started to reach for my cigarettes, only to see a "no smoking" sign on one of the walls. As we reached the top of the staircase, the large floor was somewhat empty, save for a room on the right side with two men standing guard next to it, one tall and lean, the other short and quite built. One of the men beckoned us toward the door.


    "Alright. Everyone stand in a straight line and stretch your arms out," he instructed. Great, a pat down. I knew Wanda was getting confiscated. Furio and Walter had their guns taken from them. Yayoi didn''t appear to have her sword and was relatively clean. Then came my father, who was also clean. When they got to me, they found Wanda resting in a holster. "Woah... the hell is this thing?" The lanky guard said as he drew Wanda from my holster.


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    "It''s a Mauser," I said, "Custom built. My father knows a pretty good gunsmith." It was a bad lie, for sure. One that I''m sure could get chewed out for. But it was only for some to buy.


    "This is impressive," complimented the short guard. "Well, personally, my heart belongs to 1911. But you can''t knock the krauts for their style. Don''t worry, kid. We''ll keep it safe and tight for ya."


    He''d better, or else he would have to hear it fire. The waitress escorted us inside, where I saw five other groups sitting and standing around a round table. I recognized the Rotterdams, Isoarashi, and the Huangs. Yasuo''s eyes seemed to light up as he saw Yayoi and me.


    Father found an empty seat at the round table with Furio and me standing by his sides. Yayoi returned to her brother''s side while Walter waited at the door. I began to feel a faint pain in my chest. The resonance was stronger than I''d ever felt it before. Looking at the people I didn''t recognize, I caught the eye of a tall Hispanic man with dark hair and a scar on his cheek. He''d been standing next to a man who looked similar to him, with the only difference being the man was a little shorter and had slicked-back hair.


    Then, there was a small group of black men seated near Dad. The one seated was an average-sized man with a crew cut and a thick beard. Next to him was a rather skinny-looking bald guy. He was one of the people giving me that faint pain in my chest. By my count, he and one of the Andrade men made seven that were present, including myself. The last one either didn''t know about it or didn''t bother to show up.


    "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," Queen Jeanne greeted as she stood. "I''m happy that almost everyone has decided to join us for the night."


    The Hispanic man straightened himself in his seat, nodding to everyone in the room. I made a safe bet thinking that this was Hector Andrade, the big boss of the cartel. "My apologies for my brother-in-law," Hector said, "He had some business to take care of."


    "More like he''s probably trying to hide," said the Barnes family''s boss. The two guys flanking Hector looked like they wanted to pick Barnes''s boss up and toss him out the window. But the skinny guy got in between them.


    "Adonis... Hector," the Queen called out, "I will not have violence in front of our new guests, and I will not give either of you a second chance." As the Queen spoke, a golden light took the form of chains that wrapped around the bodies of the men. While they didn''t restrain them, the men looked so unnerved by them that they backed off.


    The Queen cleared her throat, and her lips formed a warm smile. "Now then... I''d first like to address our new guests. After all, they will be the new members of this esteemed table." The attention of everyone in the room was now focused on us. Father tugged at his collar as he sat forward in his seat. As he stood, he bowed before he spoke.


    "My name is Drakon Murcielago," Father said, "I''d first like to thank the High Table for even considering us to join this esteemed society."


    "The pleasure is all ours, actually," Adonis said, "Any Father that raises his kid to put down blood psycho trash is more than deserving to sit at a table with us."


    "For once, we agree on something, Donny," Hector said, "I''m hoping there was more where that came from."


    As lovely as their compliments were, I didn''t earn them. Not yet, anyway. Turning to Father, I noticed a slight smile forming on his lips. However, he seemed careful not to look too proud. "I assure you, we will do our very best to ensure that whoever allowed these abominations to walk our streets is brought to justice," he said.


    "As I expect," the Queen agreed. "Speaking of the Vampyres, I''d like to know their origin. I''m sure there have been some disturbing rumors floating about." The room fell silent. With the potential of people tossing around accusations, I expected the silence to be brief.


    "I''m gonna put this out there now," said Hector, "Mi hermanos and I would never deal with such monsters. Mi Madre would rise from her grave and slit our throats if that were the case." The room erupted into laughter at the remark, but I remembered what Mr. Martinez had told me about Hector.


    "Well put, Hector," the Queen said, "We must deal with this recent outbreak of Vampyres. I hope I can have everyone''s cooperation in that endeavor."


    Adonis raised his hand, and the Queen nodded, prompting him to proceed. "I can lend whatever we can do to help. But I''m afraid I can''t actively go looking for a fight."


    "I understand," the Queen said, "Your family has suffered greatly at their hands. Regrouping is a valid strategy."


    "It''s okay, Donny. We''ll pick up your slack while you lick your wounds," Hector jabbed. Even though Hector seemed as though he was breaking balls, Adonis didn''t look too pleased.


    "You''re the one with slack," he jabbed back, "Your Sin Factor isn''t even here. What makes you believe I''ll buy for one second that you aren''t just giving us the runaround?"


    Hector slammed his hands against the table, looking like he would start shouting. But the chains around his body tightened, which caused him to grit his teeth to keep from crying out in pain. The Queen now stood, crossing her arms as she looked down at the two family heads.


    "I believe I ordered that your hostility be tamed," she said in a low tone. "I''m sure everyone knows I have never repeated a decree." Everyone tensed up after hearing the Queen speak. She didn''t have chains around anyone else, but it felt like it. I''m glad I was never rude to her when we first met.


    "Good... now... from what we know, several members of different families have disappeared or have not been seen. The timing may differ, but the consensus is around the time of the attack."


    Yasuo and Haoran must''ve done their digging while I was gone. Though there was one thing I thought about, The Irishman and his warning. Thinking about it made my head feel a little hazy. But it was something of note that I had to tell everyone, especially now. Typically, I would''ve just said what was on my mind. But something compelled me to raise my hand first. I remember Francis doing the same thing whenever Mr. Martinez and I would argue about money. As the Queen acknowledged my extended hand, she directed everyone''s attention toward me.


    "I''m sorry, I''m only remembering this now," I started, "But the rat I cared for before. Before he exited, they told me that bigger players were at the table. He made it seem like he was working for someone who wasn''t the feds. "


    "I believe his exact words were... There''s an even bigger rat than me. Rotterdam... Huang... those big fish don''t even realize they are being played."


    As the words settled in the minds of the High Table, I began to ponder them myself. The uncle wasn''t talking about the feds. Detective Harker assured me of that. No, rats meant something completely different.  "Whatever the case," Haoran began, "We must remain vigilant. There may be an attempt to poison the alliance we have built so far."


    "That''s it!" I suddenly shouted, the excitement of finding the answer coming just as quickly as it went. I had just realized what I stumbled upon when something I learned from Francis came to mind. "Poison... the Vampyres are a sickness among our people. The only sickness. That means whoever is behind the Vampyre attacks is trying to wipe us all out. Not just as paradigms, but Mythics as a whole."


    "Oh, come on," scoffed Hector. "Everyone knows only a paradigm can become a Vampyre. Why would the humans be concerned with other Mythics." That usually would be the case if this were an ordinary opponent. But there was something else I knew. "Iscariot City is one of the few Hive Cities that Paradigms control. But that''s enough if we all get wiped out or just enough for us to be unable to maintain control of the city. Whoever these guys are could come in and clean the house. They''d have the right to."


    "But that''s a huge risk," Yasuo pointed out. "They haven''t been too careful to hide their deeds from us." That was true. We had the upper hand because we knew they were trying to do this now. But how does that work if they get caught in the act?


    "Perhaps they are aware of such risks," Father suggested. "If the Acolytes... no... If the Humans discovered Iscariot City could no longer be controlled, it would hurt our position everywhere. Even if we were to stop them from spreading Vampyres across the city, it''d be too late."


    "... Meaning to stop the spread of Vampyres, hunting them isn''t enough," the Queen surmised. "We must cut the infection at the root and lure out the mastermind." The room erupted in applause; some hissed while others bellowed excitedly. I had to hand it to the Queen. She knew how to get a room going.


    With the Queen''s little show, she concluded this sit down. She''d gone to Yasuo and whispered something in his ear before departing. The Barnes didn''t stay long, but the skinny one approached me and winked. That was his way of introducing himself since he was a Sin Factor.


    Father placed a hand on my shoulder as our party got up to leave. Leaning close to my ear, he whispered, "Stay a minute. I wanna talk to you." As the room emptied, Father let the guard outside know we''d be staying a second longer. Then he turned to me.


    "Listen, son... I know we disagreed the last time we saw each other. But I want you to know your anger was justified." As he spoke, I began to understand my Father''s earlier behavior. I''ve seen him meet with the Queen, and he usually could keep up his stoic image. But this... this was rare.


    "I just want to tell you I am proud of you," he continued. "The work you''ve done for our family... your steadfast loyalty, and even your recent sacrifice... it all does not go unnoticed nor unrewarded." He reached into his pocket, probably for money or some trinket. That''s what I usually get. But this time is different.


    Instead, he pulled a slip of folded paper from his pocket. Handing to me, he said," Go on... it''s yours."


    Holding the paper in my hands, I weirdly treated it as an antique vase that was too expensive to handle without care. Opening the article, I found out it was a photo. A portrait of a gorgeous woman, her short salt and pepper hair with a long bang swept to the right. The way she smiled felt so warm and gentle. It reminded me of Francis whenever she''d care for an injury of mine or make me something warm to eat. Yet, in contrast, her dark eyes nearly drew me in like I was staring into an abyss. "Who''s this?" I asked.


    "Her name is Rozlynn... I met her eighteen years ago in Barcelona on a business deal. Letting you have this is the least I could do."


    Before I could say anything, Dad just turned away, leaving me in the room alone to absorb what he''d just given me. Then the dots began to connect. I could only stare at the picture as tears started to fill my eyes. There was only one word I could match with this woman. Even though I''d just learned her name, I could only call her...


    "...M...Mom?"

 Crime Report 19: Sending a Message

    It¡¯d been three weeks since the meeting at the High Table, long enough for me to question if a shadow group was trying to take over Iscariot. The Queen wanted every head to report on different nights of the week. If we saw anything unusual, we were to report it directly to our bosses. But as far as I could see, nothing was going on. Other than the standard loan sharking and hootch moves here and there, it''d been mostly quiet. For once, quiet made me more nervous than anything. The Isoarashi job went pretty well until the last moment.


    Speaking of Isoarashi, my bride-to-be began tagging along on my jobs. Yasuo felt it best to get at least to know each other if we would eventually tie the knot. I can''t say it has been a terrible experience. For starters, she wasn''t precisely the worry-wort that Francis was, quite the opposite. I can''t say I''ve ever seen a guy lose his mind over being threatened with a sword. It''d been an early Saturday evening that Yayoi and I would find ourselves on a night on the town. It was another collection job I never thought I''d go on. We rode on Yayoi''s motorcycle to get just a couple blocks from our destination. It''s better for no one to hear us coming that way. Yayoi nudged my shoulder, breaking the minor haze of thoughts piling in my head. "So, this deli shop. Is there any reason why this is so urgent?" she asked.


    "Mainly because the owner is one of my old man''s most respected associates. Giuseppe Tancredi came from the old country with him. He''s supported our thing since our first tobacco store in the States."


    "You know I sometimes forget you''re Italian, Alex," Yayoi giggled. "It''s weird to hear you talk about your home country."


    "Well, that''s because I wasn''t born there," I admitted. "You''re looking at the only Murcielago born in the States." Yayoi''s eyes widened, "Seriously?"


    I nodded, "It''s one of the biggest reasons I could fight in the war." Another was mainly because Firo owed me a favor and forged some documentation for me. The rest was just the good old Paradigm physique. I did wonder if it also had anything to do with my Mom. But bringing that up now might sour the mood.


    "Sounds like you''ve at least had an exciting life," Yayoi whispered. Once she noticed the words came out, she covered her mouth and almost started apologizing. "Look, it''s fine, unlike my other siblings. I''ve at least gotten to travel more."


    "W-well, that''s nice. The only place I''ve traveled to is Iscariot City. This place is a bit too different from Osaka." When I heard Yayoi mention Osaka, another tingling feeling came to my brain. I started having bits of knowledge left over from Francis pop into my head whenever someone said something like a location or something boring that she would know. So I blurted out, "Well, I don''t see anything wrong with Osaka. It''s charming this time of the year. Seeing the Sakura trees bloom around Osaka castle is a sight to die for."


    When I realized what I had said, I covered my mouth like I''d just belched a loud one. Yayoi giggled again, so much so that it evolved into snorting several times. "Lay off, would ya, It''s becoming a bad habit."


    "No, no... it''s fine. I know that''s just Francis talking. But I''ve gotta admit, it''s way weirder hearing you say it."


    "Trust me, if I had known that Francis was this much of a bookworm, I''d have gotten the library in Dogland rebuilt first." It was still awkward to talk about Francis after her death, but remembering the good things at least made it a little easier.


    We were a block away from Giuseppe''s deli by this point in our conversation. The place was called Goolies, named after Giuseppe''s famous gabagool. Even I had to admit that the stuff was good. Mr. G never wanted to tell you what he put in the stuff to make it pack a punch. As we approached the shop door, I came to an abrupt halt and reached for my jacket. Yayoi stopped alongside me, but it was more because she looked worried about my jumpiness. "What''s the matter?" she asked as she looked between the shop and me. "Goolies is closed on a Saturday." Stepping up the door, I kept my hand near Wanda. With my other hand, I knocked on the door, "Mr. G, you in there?" I waited a good two minutes, but there was no answer.


    Yayoi reached for her Katana and unwrapped the cloth that kept the blade in place. A violet mist began to ooze from the sheath as she gripped the sword. I tried opening the door, but it was locked. I didn''t want to do this, but it looked like I had no choice. "Yayoi, go around the back. Make sure no one gets out without you knowing." She nodded and then hurried into the alley behind the store. Using my teeth, I tugged the cloth at my free hand, and as the wrappings came undone, my right hand oozed a crimson haze. As it seeped through the door''s lock, I materialized my fingers to unlock it from the inside. Once the door was opened, I drew Wanda aiming, pointing her inside the shop. The place was so quiet it was unnerving. Usually, a group of chatty customers would fill the void. The area also had a foul stench, like all the meat went bad. Either I would break Giuseppe''s balls about how he let the place go, or I would find Giuseppe rotting away with his meat.


    I looked behind the counter. The cash register hadn''t been touched, which was a good thing. But the meat was starting to get stale. I then started heading toward the back, and the closer I got to the meat locker, the more foul the stench got. The worst part of it was that the meat locker was cracked open. Pulling the door open and peeking inside, I finally got my answer. Hanging on one of the meat hooks was Giuseppe. He looked like he''d been dead for a few days, which explained the spoiled meat smell. What was worse was that he''d been stripped and tortured. His tongue was pulled through his neck, and his body had been cut deeply in different areas. No way in hell, Mr. G deserved something like that.


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    I wouldn''t get the time to mourn him at least a little as a loud crashing sound could be heard from the front of the store. Turning around, I went to check it out. On top of a damaged table, I found a scrawny Vampyre rubbing his ass. Pushing Wanda''s barrel against its head, I pulled the hammer back. "Oi cocksucker," I greeted through gritted teeth. "Whatcha doin'' in Giuseppe''s shop?" The Vampyre froze as his head touched cold steel. It tried turning back to me, but it quickly learned that was a bad idea. "L-Look, you don''t want to mess with me," it said, "I''ve got friends coming back. They''ll tear you limb from limb."


    It''s a bluff, but not a bad one. If he had friends, I''d hear fighting by now. "Sure, tough guy, and I''ll find the leprechaun''s pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The next thing to come out of your vamp''s mouth better be an explanation, or it''ll be your blood." The Vamp''s stiffness turned to a feverish trembling. I swore I could smell a little pee there. "L-Look... all I was supposed to do was to send a message. I just got a little too excited, that''s all." A little too excited? The man was tortured and murdered. I hated to see what this little sack of shit called fun.


    "Turn around," I ordered. I wanted to look this one in the eye. This guy was just like the one who killed Francis. One who took too much joy in killing. I needed it to realize that there were consequences to that kind of sick satisfaction. As it turned to face me, its eyes widened almost as if it''d seen something it''d seen before. "Y-You''re that kid," it squeaked, "the one that made a mess of Bodhie. I''m guessing the one that killed Francis was named Bodhie. I didn''t even know these things kept their names. But aside from that, I just hit the jackpot. A Vamp that''s connected with Francis''s killers. Plus, he was much more chatty than the rest and easier to convince to cough up what he knew. Squatting down in front of it, I moved Wanda''s aim to its heart. "What''s your name, kid?" I asked. The vamp calmed down a bit after noticing I wasn''t as angry now. "Jack," it whimpered, "the name''s Jack."


    "Alright, Jack, if you can tell me who your boss is, I''ll let you walk. Forget this whole thing happened." It was a blatant lie, but Jack could not call out. "I-I can''t," he answered. "I can''t tell you something I don''t know." I clicked my tongue, then pushed the barrel against his chest. "That''s not an answer. I want to hear Jack."


    "I swear it''s the truth! They won''t let us even see the boss''s face. The only one I''ve seen is the guy, and I don''t even know his name." A guy? That was at least one piece of good info. "The guy, then? What''s he look like?" I asked.


    "Kinda tall, medium build, he always wears a hood so we don''t see his face. But I can tell he''s clean-shaven, and he''s not white. Is that enough?" That was the best I was going to get from this thing. It''s best now to just shoot him and get it over with. I rose to my feet, returning my aim to its head. But I didn''t expect the sniveling coward to do this next. He cracked a smile, his fear forcing something to come out. He began to laugh hysterically.


    "Y-you know, I''m rememberin'' to whom I was supposed to give that message now," he said. I thought he was just trying to buy some more time, but I decided to listen if he had more to say. "Go on..."


    "That''s right... You''re the one. Alexander Murcielago. I was told you had a special gift mailed to your place soon." A deep-rooted dread began to fill my stomach as he mentioned my home. Was he talking about the estate or Dogland? Instead of wasting time asking questions, I did not mention it. Holstering Wanda, my left hand began to form the barrel of Bethany, and I prodded the Vamp in the chest with it. "Talk ugly, or you''ll lose your balls."


    "We''ve got some hard pipe-hitting fellows ready to make meals out of all those people you love too much at that boarding school," it snickered. "Since you weren''t gonna let me go anyways, I could at least screw with you before you bump me off."


    I clenched my jaw and swore I could hear an intense ringing in my ears. I didn''t even give the asshole a chance to revel in its last little game as I blasted a hole in its chest. With my arm returning to its original form, I wrapped it back in its clothes and stormed outside. As soon as I came out, I began shouting Yayoi''s name, abandoning all the need for subtlety. As Yayoi returned around the corner, she called, "Alex, what''s wrong?"


    "It''s Dogland," I said. "Those bastards are going for Dogland." That was all she needed to hear. The two of us bolted down the street, crossing until we got to Yayoi''s bike. I hopped on but forgot that she was the one that drove. But that didn''t matter since she tossed me the keys. I''d only driven the motorcycle once, but that didn''t matter. Yayoi wrapped her sword and hopped on, wrapping her arms around my waste. Revving the engine, I put the bike in gear and sped down the road as fast as the bike would allow. These things were built for something other than the Ghost''s speed, which I hoped for. So I decided to try something. I momentarily raised my left arm to my mouth and tugged on the cloth, unleashing the crimson haze again. Then, I allowed it to engulf the bike''s form merging with the vehicle. The bike''s form morphed into something much larger and louder than before. Its black metal frame develops crimson stripes along its surface. I looked back and saw that Yayoi was even seated on an extra seat that the bike seemed to have now. "Sorry about this, Yoi!" She shook her head and gave me a look that said, "Just shut up and drive stupid."


    Without any more argument, I sped up and started taking alleys to return to Dogland. After twenty minutes, we were only a couple of blocks away. I could hear the sounds of gunfire and fighting. It only got worse when we reached the place. A few cars parked outside of Dogland, and the door was hanging open. Intruders were entering our home. Taking a deep breath, I ensured whoever was inside could hear me.


    "You... You sons of bitches... The place that I... My friends... You''ve got some balls trampling all over my home... I''ll kill all of you!"

 Crime Report 20: Home Invasion

    Unwrapping the cloth around my right arm, I charged through the door shoulder first. The first living thing I''d see was two Paradigms who''d been standing over someone on the staircase carrying pistols. As they whipped around and saw me they frantically raised their weapons, but they wouldn''t get to fire. Squeezing the trigger I pulled the slide unloading the first buckshot into the Paradigm to the right. Loading the next slug I fired into the second without giving him time to fire. I could hear shouting from upstairs mixed with the snarling of Vampyres.


    "K-Kid..." I heard, then I turned to the staircase only to find Mr. Martinez lying on the stairs. He''d been shot a few times, including in the stomach and chest. I rushed to his side and wanted to try and apply some pressure on his wounds but they were too numerous. "Ah, shit... Don''t worry Mr. Martinez we''re gonna get you out of here."


    He shook his head and grabbed me by the collar. "N-No... Get... the girls... and Iggy..." Blood filled his throat and he moved his head before coughing it out. Yayoi came to me shaking my shoulder. "Alexander... Go I got him." As our eyes met I wanted to protest and try to help her. But I had to trust her. Besides, seeing Mr. Martinez''s wounds not heal, I doubted there was much to do. So I nodded. I absorbed Bethany back into my arms and manifested Tommy. Then I bolted up the stairs. Before I could step on the second floor I barely was able to duck back before a volley of bullets shot down the hall. They had Tommys as well which was going to make this a lot harder. If the bullets were enough to put a lupus down they''d be hell for a Paradigm. As the volley of bullets let up I peeked around the corner taking notice of the two enemies reloading. Taking advantage of the moment, I charged through the hall and started spraying. It was mainly to get them to back off for a moment so I could get in closer, but one of the enemies got cut down by the first spray. The other guy was a bit smarter and ducked into an open room. Absorbing the Tommy, I drew Wanda from its holster and aimed toward the wall near the door. Firing three rounds, I''d hear a body drop on the other side followed by some groaning. When I came to the door I saw the injured paradigm trying to reach for a pistol in his pant but I just clipped him with two bullets.


    So far I hadn''t seen Iggy or the girls meaning they probably rushed to my room to take shelter. It was the most fortified place in Dogland so that was smart. These bozos may not have been here for very long so it was a strong possibility that there were still some just roaming around. I''d have to get rid of them all before finding my friends. Looking back down the hall I began focusing my hearing to try and locate Iggy and the girls. I could hear the sounds of snarling coming from the floor above us as well as some goons losing their minds over the gunshots they heard. There were three paradigms plus a Vamp on the third floor and two more paradigms on the ground floor that I missed. I figured Yayoi could handle them at least.


    Though now that I had the time to think, just handling them wasn''t enough. I needed to capture at least one. "Would you like me to relay the message?" Pandora asked as she manifested herself. "Yeah... tell Yayoi to keep one of them alive." She nodded then flew off leaving me with one arm. It was enough to use Wanda and maybe the Tommy. Coming back to the staircase I slowly ascended the stairs. The Paradigms were one thing to handle but the Vamp was another. They were more up close and personal meaning Bethany would''ve been better to use in this occasion. Holstering Wanda I manifested Bethany but not as the full gun. My hand all the way down to my elbow became the entire barrel and slide of the shotgun, with the bayonet sticking out at the end. Jerking my arm back and forth the slide moved the same way loading the next shell. I then peeked down the hall on the third floor. I had to draw them out, make''em sloppy.


    "You guys know who you''re messin'' with!? Your little messenger got off a lot easier than any of you will!" The enemies on the third floor got quiet. Going out there now was a one-way ticket to death''s door. Then I could hear a door open and only a step was taken. Next something rolled against the ground toward me and before I knew it I was staring at a grenade. I turned around to head down the stairs but the grenade went off before I could get completely out of range. Shrapnel and shards of wood ripped into my back like bullets and I tripped down the stairs and slammed against the wall. My ears were ringing so loud I couldn''t hear a damned thing. Plus my entire body quaked in pain. When I could see again I found a Paradigm standing atop the damaged staircase looking down at me. He then pointed a pistol and fired a few shots. While the first few missed a couple shot into my leg and side. I gritted my teeth trying to focus on my rage rather than the pain my body was being put through.


    "Make sure he''s dead," I could now hear followed by slow footsteps coming from the stairs. I wanted to retaliate but my legs wouldn''t work. I tried to sit myself up but I still didn''t have my other arm yet. But I needed to get up, this was not going to be the end. The miasma that made up Bethany in my left arm began to ooze from the gun''s frame, growing stronger as it enveloped my body. The Paradigm who shot me fired again but I felt nothing. Instead, the Crimson miasma protected me, absorbing the bullet into the strange haze. It was then Pandora appeared beside me and knelt down patting me on the head. "Oh no... this won''t do. I can''t have you kill my Monster yet."


    As her hand caressed the top of my head the pain vanished. The feeling in my legs returned and Pandora helped me to my feet. "W-What the hell!?" The Paradigm screamed, "But those bullets are enchanted?"


    A devilish grin tugged at Pandora''s lips, her eyes never leaving the frightened Paradigm. "Your Shaman''s Weird Magic is mere child''s play to unravel. Give up while you can little man." Pandora''s form began to dissipate returning to just being my arm. Dashing up the stairs past me was Yayoi with her blade at the ready. When the Paradigm turned his attention to her, he raised his pistol to fire off more shots, only to hear a series of clicks. Yayoi drew her sword leaping up toward''s her enemy. Her blade disappeared for a moment before she stopped in front of her enemy. The Paradigm stiffened then his body went limp. Yayoi stepped out of the way and sheathed her blade as the man tumbled down the stairs. It didn''t look like he''d been cut, but when I checked his pulse, there was nothing.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "You alright?'' Yayoi asked as she headed back down. "Y-Yeah," I replied, though honestly, I wasn''t sure how I was. Then a tiny piece of wood fell out of my side. I started to feel around and noticed that the shrapnel was being pushed out all on its own. I was healing, but I hadn''t had any blood yet. It wasn''t as fast as usual but even that was strange. "Here," Yayoi held up her wrist to me while looking back to check for any more enemies coming our way.


    "You sure?" I asked, seeming a bit hesitant given the implications. "Just do it, you need to heal." Not wanting to argue any further, I took her wrist in my hands and bit down being careful. As Yayoi''s blood dripped onto my tongue I heard her whimper a bit. I guess she''d never had someone else drink from her before, but then again neither have I. It was a completely different experience drinking from a Paradigm. Everything just felt... right. My body was warming up and an intense rush overcame me. When I finished drinking, I materialized Tommy but lingered near Yayoi for a moment. As our eyes met I momentarily got lost in her gaze. The two of us were enraptured by the moment... or each other...


    The sound of rapid footsteps approaching the stairs broke our little moment with a Vampyre gunning for us on all fours. I threw my arm around Yayoi''s shoulder and pulled her away putting myself in between her and the Vamp. As it lunged at us, I aimed the Tommy and pulled the trigger riddling the blood psycho with a hail of bullets. As his body dropped from the air it caved in a bit of the floor right before us.


    "Uh... shit... um... here," reaching into my pocket I pulled out my door key and handed it to Yayoi. "Iggy and the girls should be in my room. Check on them while I bag this last guy."


    Yayoi blinked a few times, then rubbed her eyes. "Y-yeah right... I''ll go do that." She stepped away from me, nearly tripping over the remains of the Paradigm she killed. "Is this really the time to be flirting right now?" Pandora asked, almost unable to contain the glee in her voice. "S-Shut-up..." I said as I started heading up the stairs. As I made it to the third floor I slowly ventured down the hall. The door to Becca and Penny''s room was wide open. Though now I could smell blood, Becca''s blood. Coming to the door I found the other two Paradigms feeding off of Becca, who had blood oozing from her head. Before they''d get the chance, I tossed away Tommy and drew Wanda firing two rounds to drop the first. The second Paradigm got enough time to hold Becca in front of him as a human shield.


    "Careful asswipe... the girl is still alive, and if you''re not careful I''ll drop her head on the ground." The Paradigm held his hand near her throat. A mass of black energy formed into a blade that barely touched her neck. It was then Becca began to stir from unconsciousness. As she opened her eyes she saw me aiming the gun at the guy holding her.


    "Alex..." she muttered, barely managing the energy to even say anything. "Don''t worry Becks... I''m gonna get you out of here"


    "You''re not gonna do shit," spat the Paradigm. "Just drop the piece and walk, or the bitch gets it." I wanted to just blow his brains out right then. But the moment I even squeezed the trigger he''d just bleed her right there.


    "You guys got some balls coming into my house making demands," I dropped Wanda on the ground and held my hands up. "Let her go and you can walk..."


    The guy was hesitant but he did lower that magic blade. I couldn''t make any sudden movements or else Becca would end up dead. I wish I could sneak an enchantment or something past this guy.


    "Get away from the door," he demanded. I stepped back to the opposite wall keeping my hands up. With every step back they would come forward. When they made it to the doorway. Before Becca and the Paradigm would make it out, she rammed her elbow straight into his stomach, the Paradigm doubled over and Becca tried to get away. Yet the Paradigm recovered just enough to take a swing at her side cutting into her flesh with ease. I rushed forward as she reached for my hand, pulling her toward me. Then I morphed my free hand into Tommy once again and fired a short burst of bullets at the Paradigm hitting him twice in the chest. That''d be enough to put him down for a second, so I could focus on Becca.


    "Becks! Rebecca!" I shouted as I held her in my arms. She was conscious but she was getting cold really fast. There wasn''t much I could do at that moment to stop the bleeding meaning she''d more than likely bleed out all over me. There was only one thing I could think of in order to help her now. Changing my right left index finger into the bayonet tip I made a small but deep cut on my neck. I could a warmth beginning to leak out and saw blood running down my shirt. Holding Becca''s head close to my neck I whispered, "Drink Rebecca... It''s your only shot to live..."


    Thankfully she''d been conscious enough to do as she was told. As her lips pressed against my neck I could feel as she licked any drop of my blood as she could. I slumped against the wall as I let Becca feed. The more she fed the more aggressive she''d get with it. Clutching me tightly as she drank whatever she could of my blood. I heard it was normal for humans who got the taste of Paradigm blood to go a little crazy for a second, but I didn''t think she''d get this rough. I could''ve sworn her fangs would just sprout out and she''d tear out my throat.


    After a minute, Becca finally calmed down and even began to fall asleep. I checked her side for the wound and I felt so relieved that the injury had closed up. She''d be asleep for a while during her transition meaning we''d probably need to find her some human blood, and fast. Looking in the doorway I noticed the Paradigm I gunned down was still squirming around. Good... I thought I killed him for a moment. Setting Becca down on the floor I stood up and trudged my way over to my enemy. My arms began to take form in the crimson haze. It was like I had armor strapped to my arms or something. Taking the Paradigm by the collar I lifted him up to meet my eyes.


    "You don''t get to die just yet... You''ve got some questions to answer..."

 Crime Report 21: Less than Civilized Methods

    Dogland was a total mess. By the time the fighting had stopped, and I finished tying up our new prisoners, so many bodies filled up the place that I had to run to the phone to make a call. The first person I''d call was Wendy since she could at least patch up our injuries. As soon as I called her, she wasted no time getting the details from me. The next to call was the estate. I would need Vito and the others to clean up the bodies. When the operator connected me with the Estate''s phone, Judith answered.


    "Hello? Who am I speaking with?" She asked. "It''s me, Judith," I answered, "Could you tell Father to send Walter and some guys to Dogland?"


    "S-Sure, Alex... Is everything okay?" I wanted to lie, but there wasn''t a point. I needed all the help I could get, and I needed it as soon as possible. "N-No... We were attacked. Just tell Father to send whoever he can with Walter."


    Judith didn''t waste any time. She hung up the phone, allowing me to rest for a second. I''d heard someone approach me, and as I turned, I saw Yayoi with a worried look in her eyes. "Alex... Mr. Martinez is..."


    "You don''t gotta say it," I told her, "Seeing how bad he looked, I doubt he made it." Yayoi''s gaze fell to the floor, her silence telling me I was right. "How''s Iggy and Penny?"


    "Penny''s fine," Yayoi answered, "Iggy took a bullet to the shoulder, but he should be fine with some medical attention. What about Becca?"


    "She''s in transition," I said. Yayoi''s eyes widened, realizing what had likely happened. There was no more to explain. In a couple of hours, Becca would no longer be human. All because someone had sent thugs to my home. Three weeks... all that time, nothing had gone on. Now they were trying to screw me directly. The most concerning part was how they even knew about Dogland in the first place.


    "Alex... your arms..." I''d seen my arms still in that strange armored state as before. I tugged at the cloth, and it wrapped around my arms again. Though now the miasma struggled a little against the fabric. It took a little longer than usual for the haze to be controlled. "It happened during the fight... Don''t worry, I''m fine..."


    We returned to the front of the house, where we found Iggy and Penny sitting with Mr. Martinez''s body. Iggy was balling his eyes out at seeing his uncle''s corpse while Penny sat there frozen until we came. As she looked our way, she may have noticed that Becca wasn''t with us.


    "Alex... Alex, where is she?" Penny asked, her voice sounding hoarse as if she''d been crying this whole time.


    "Relax," I said, throwing my hands up, "Becca will be fine... She''s just in transition..."


    "Was there no other way?" Penny asked, tears filling her eyes as she approached me. I just hugged my sister as tight as I could. If Wendy could''ve gotten here sooner, then circumstances wouldn''t allow that. "She''s up in your room if you want to be with her when she wakes up." Penny nodded, and I let Yayoi take her upstairs. Meanwhile, I went over to Iggy''s side. By now, he''d stopped crying but just sat there.


    "Iggy... I''m sorry..."


    "Sorry, won''t bring my Uncle back, Lex... he was the only one I had left..." I didn''t know how to help my friend. I never wanted him to get mixed up in any of this. "I''m sorry, Lex," Iggy said after a while, "You didn''t deserve that."


    "No... you''re right. Nothing I can say or do will bring your uncle back... I wish I got here sooner."


    I sat next to my friend, placing a hand on his shoulder. If anything, I wanted him to know I''d be here for him. I tried to get him and Becca out of here and somewhere safe now.


    A half-hour would pass before some more cars would arrive at Dogland. Getting up to see who was there, I''d see Walter along with Vito and Furio. The latter of whom began to bark orders to secure the streets. As Walter entered the house quickly assessed the situation.


    "It was them, Walt," I said, "It was those fucks that attacked the meeting."


    "How sure are you?" He asked, reaching into his pocket to pull out a small box of cigarettes.


    "A hundred and ten percent," I confirmed. "When I went to check on Mr. Gisueppe, I found one of those blood psychos, and It killed''em."


    Walter ran a hand through his hair and sighed, "Bloody hell..." If Walter was freaking out in his head, then we were screwed. I took a cigarette from Walter and pulled my lighter out. After lighting it up, I pointed upstairs. "I got two of the guys tied up in my room. You up for an interrogation?"


    "Only if you don''t kill them too fast," Walter said, "I''ll have Furio lead in clean-up duty." Walter went outside to inform Furio of what was happening while I went upstairs. As I approached my room door, I could hear the two prisoners we had arguing over something in the room. Unlocking the door, I found them both firmly tied to their chairs. Pulling the heaven''s cloth, I manifested Bethany in its complete form, though without the bayonet. The two quickly closed their mouths when they saw me, which was fine.


    Going into my closet, I dug out some shells and began loading them into Bethany. Turning back toward the two prisoners, I loaded a shot in the chamber for them to see. I slowly circled them while maintaining eye contact like a predator zeroing in on its prey. The first thing to note about the guy closest to me was that he was Chinese, and his accomplice was Hispanic. Meaning they were recruiting guys from different families. I then sat down on my bed and snickered a little. "You have no idea what kind of trouble you are in..."


    "Go to hell gweilo," spat the Chinese guy, "You won''t get anything from us." Feeling my eye twitch, I rose from my bed. I hoped Walter would forgive me for starting without him. "Thanks for making this a bit easier for me..." I prodded the Chinese man''s knee with the barrel of Bethany and leaned in close to his face. "Alright... let''s play a little game. It''s called the name of the asshole who put you up to this. If you tell me, you get to walk... and you know what happens if you jerk me around."


    "I thought you''d at least wait for me," said Walter as he entered the room. "Sorry, Walt... My volunteer here made me a little impatient." Turning back to the china man I narrowed my eyes. "So... what''s your answer..."


    "Ah... yes... my answer," said the china man, initially sounding nervous. Though his nervous demeanor quickly reverted to the cockiness he had before. "His name is Wipe, my Cantonese ass, you gweilo trash."


    "Hmm... That''s a weird name to have... So I guess that''s not the answer I''m looking for." I squeezed the trigger, and the china man''s knee exploded in blood and pieces of bone. He screamed so loudly it almost hurt my ears. For his sake, I hoped the pain was enough for his friend to be more compliant. As I walked around them, I pushed the barrel against the Hispanic guy''s knee and loaded another shell, now looking him in the eyes. "Your turn... name your boss."


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    This guy wasn''t as talkative as his friend. But he was willing to spit in my face. Wiping off the spit, I tried not to look too angry. "Hmm... I don''t think your boss would tell you to spit in my face. But I''ll take it as your answer." Squeezing the trigger, I blew out this guy''s knee. He was more than willing to use his voice now than he was before.


    "Wow... I don''t think you''ll be able to get it out of them like that, Alex," Walter said.


    "If you want to try, be my guest," I offered. Before Walter could even agree, I heard, "No, no, no... I''ll talk. Just don''t hurt me anymore, please." It was the Hispanic guy. I wished he had been more cooperative before I blew his kneecap out.


    "You stupid bastard, don''t you tell him shit," barked the china man. I shook my head, loading the next shell in Bethany. "Nope, none of that," I said before blasting his brains all over my wall. I then got back in front of the Hispanic man and pushed the barrel against his head. "Talk..."


    "Okay... I''ll talk... Armando Juarez sent me," he confessed. "I''m close to him on his payroll. He told us to come here and kill everyone in the building. Whether they were old, young, or human didn''t matter."


    Armando Juarez? I remember the name Armando from the meeting three weeks ago. He was one of Hector''s guys, the Sin Factor of Envy, the one that didn''t show up. "You sure that''s who you''re talking about?"


    "Y-yeah... I''m sure... He may have had a hood over his face. But I recognized his voice. I took orders from him a few years ago pushing dope... He said this job had a lot of money, and I needed it."


    "Is he the big boss?" Walter asked the Hispanic man. The latter shook his head. "I thought he was at first. But there was a day I went to take a piss, and I saw him talking with someone... A woman, I think. She seemed very angry with him."


    A part of me wanted to start firing off questions about the woman. But I began to analyze every word he said before saying anything myself. If he mentioned the woman but didn''t mention any features, then that likely meant that this guy wouldn''t even know who that person was. Just my luck...


    Handing Bethany off to Walter, I kicked the china man''s corpse off the chair. Turning the chair around, I sat beside my temporary new friend. Taking out my pack of cigarettes, I plucked one and held it up to my captive. "You smoke?"


    "N-No... My nephew is a little boy. I quit years ago." Shame, it would''ve probably been a good thing to do before he died. But I could at least keep him talking for a minute. Make him feel comfortable. "What''s your name then?" I asked.


    "Carlos... Carlos Montoya Diaz..." Hmm, a mouthful, but good enough. "Alright, Carlos... is it ok if I call you Carlos?" He nodded quickly. "Good... What''s your nephew''s name?"


    "Issac," he croaked. "Nice name," I said, "Well, listen, Carlos. I''m going to explain some things to you... First, you''ve made a poor life choice coming into my house and shooting up the place. A very dear friend was even killed in this." As I spoke, Carlos began to tremble feverishly. He probably thought I would kill him, but he was half-wrong. "Since you''ve been a little more cooperative than your dead friend here, I won''t kill you." I turned to Walter, ¡°Il mio buon amico, could you do me a favor and fetch my helpful friend to relieve Carlos of his pain?¡±


    Walter was confused for a moment, so I helped him out by letting my hand morph into the shape of a dog''s head, which he got. He left, allowing me to return my focus to Carlos.


    "Listen, man... I was just following orders. I needed the money." A sentiment I could empathize with. A lot of people I killed I was just following orders as well. I started feeling bad. "No... We can''t... He works for the guy who caused Francis''s death," my voice boomed in my head.


    "Listen... in our world. There are many risks. Something I recently learned. But I think when want to take someone''s life, it''s only fair that you should also have the risk of having your life taken."


    As I said this, I could hear Walter coming back into the hall with another set of footsteps. What I was about to do next unsettled me a bit. But I needed to do this to ensure the few people I had left at least had a chance to get out of this.


    "Why are you telling me this?" Carlos asked, his eyes widening as my little lie was slowly being unveiled. "Simple... My friend just lost his uncle... The dear friend, your gang of idiots killed. So I will allow him to decide whether you get to see little Issac again."


    Walter and Iggy entered the room just as I said this. I then reached into my jacket, pulling out Wanda. "Iggy... here." I made sure Wanda was loaded before handing it off to Iggy. "I''ll let you decide... Kill him or let him go."


    "No, No, No!" Carlos begged as he turned to Iggy. Tears began to fill the man''s eyes, and his nose oozed snot. Standing from my seat, I positioned myself next to Iggy and leaned on his shoulder. "I don''t think he killed Mr. Martinez specifically, but he''s the last of those guys. I''ve already worked out my frustrations.¡±


    "Alex, is this necessary?" Walter questioned, ¡°Besides, it''s better to have him alive, right?¡±


    Turning to Walter, I narrowed my eyes. "I''m sure you saw this guy attack me, right? He got loose somehow and almost tore my throat out. I had no choice but to shoot him."


    Walter blinked twice, then pushed his glasses against his face and sighed. "You''re right... There was nothing that could be done."


    Turning to Iggy, I took his hand that held Wanda and helped him push the barrel against Carlos''s head. "It''s just one quick tug, Iggy... That''s all you gotta do."


    Iggy''s hands began to tremble as he held the gun. His lip quivered though his eyes burned with rage. Carlos turned into a blubbering mess, trying to persuade Iggy to let him go. I let go of Iggy''s hand; it was all his choice from here.


    The scene before me felt so familiar. I was holding the gun up against the head of someone begging to let them go. My father told me that it was my choice. A part of me wanted him to just get on with it. But this single decision will change Iggy''s life. Those decisions are best left to the life that it''ll change.


    "You guys... You''re the one who killed my Uncle... Because of you, he''s dead." Iggy placed his finger on the trigger but didn''t squeeze it yet. Wanda had no hair trigger, so the gun wouldn''t go off unless pulled.


    Moments turned into seconds, and the following seconds turned into a minute. The longer Iggy held the gun, the more incomprehensible Carlos''s begging became. When I saw that Iggy wouldn''t shoot, I simply placed my hand over the weapon¡ªand pushed it down.


    "You can''t do it, Ignacio..." Using Iggy''s name felt strange. But from here on out, that''s who he had to be. If he wasn''t going to shoot this guy here, he wasn''t cut out to be a part of this life. "B-But... I have to..." Shaking my head, I took the gun from Iggy and turned him around. "Listen, Iggy... I know you want to, but this kind of thing isn''t you. Besides... Your Uncle wouldn''t want this if you didn''t."


    I wanted to keep him from the world his uncle left behind, especially now. His gaze fell as more tears came to his eyes. "Listen, Iggy; we''ve got the name of the guy who sent them. I''ll make sure we get him for you. Until then, it''s better if you leave town."


    "B-But..." He started to say. Then I held my hand up. "You''ve got a whole life to live, Iggy. I won''t let the old man down by letting you die in some ditch in this city." I went into my closet and pulled out a bag full of money. Handing it to Iggy, I pulled out a couple of stacks for myself. "Here..."


    Iggy hesitantly took the bag, and his eyes widened when he saw how much was there. "Alex... this isn''t what I think it is, right?"


    "Yep... It''s the money I was saving for Francis and me. I can earn more, so take it." Iggy tried to return the bag to me, but I pushed it back into his hands. "But you''ve earned so much, amigo. This isn''t right."


    "Look, just take it... Go somewhere far away, find you a nice dame, and have some fuckin'' kids. Tell them about the old man and how he owed their uncle Alexander a lot of money." Iggy still looked unsure, but he nodded, accepting what he''d been given. Turning to Walter, I had him take Iggy back to his room to pack his things. Carlos, relieved not to be a corpse-like his friend, began thanking Iggy as he left.


    "Alright, Carlos... Today''s your lucky day; you''re not dead. If you would be so kind as to cooperate with my associates on any information, we can see about getting that leg fixed up for you." As if on queue, two of Furio''s guys came in ready for any orders I needed to give.


    "Y-yes... Sure... anything you want, hefe," Carlos said. I smiled, then told the two to go ahead and take him. I didn''t know what my Father would do to them once they extracted whatever information they could, but at this point, it didn''t matter. Now we had a lead on the mastermind behind Francis''s killer. We were even more fortunate that this one appeared the type to anger easily. I just hope whoever this woman Carlos mentioned doesn''t get angry enough to bump off Armando first.

 Crime Report 22: Expedited Plans

    The news about the attack on Dogland got around faster than anyone could predict. By Paradigm standards, it was a bold move to attack somewhere in the middle of the night. In addition, it became apparent that our enemy no longer intended to hide. My old man called the Rotterdams immediately after he got the news. The Queen prevented the police from swarming the place while we cleaned the bodies. Burning the Vampyre bodies took priority over the rest of the clean-up. If humans got wind of the Vampyres working with paradigms, we''d suffer more than just a loss of face.


    Penny was still upstairs waiting for Becca to wake from her transition, so I decided to look for Yayoi. As I trudged through the halls of Dogland, my regret at not killing Carlos slowly wormed into my head. There was no way any of us could live here anymore. I''d lived here for years, raising money to get this place back in shape. Even going as far as doing whatever dirty work my old man would throw my way so that I could get Jules to help me save. It would''ve hurt less if they just came to rob us.


    Then there''s the Armando asshole. Even though I only knew his name and he was working for someone. He isn''t one to try to approach unwisely. He likely disobeyed orders, sending his goons to burn Dogland, meaning he didn''t have much to lose. There was also the fact that whoever was paying him couldn''t afford to lose him. So the most he''ll get is some reprimanding and a demeaning punishment. But the most important fact I never glossed over was that this was the second time he trampled all over me.


    ''Alex... Alex!" I heard from behind. Turning around, I found Yayoi with Yasuo. I almost saw that worried look Francis would give me occasionally on Yayoi.,"Sorry, Yoi... I was lost in thought. Hello to you too, Yasuo."


    "It is not an issue," said Yasuo. "It''s to be expected that an attack on your home would vex you." What an understanding brother-in-law. Julius and Yasuo would get along nicely.


    "Thanks for understanding..." I hated that any of this happened in the first place. I hadn''t even known why I was specifically targeted. Aside from the obvious, no one should''ve known I was the Crimson Death. I was getting too popular.


    "Listen... We are happy to house your remaining residents in our compound," Yasuo offered. "It''s the least I could do in case your family can not take them in." I almost answered Yasuo right away, but I was quickly reminded that only one other resident of Dogland left. I didn''t think it was best to allow Becca to go to the place where she''d been threatened with death if she showed her face again.


    "If it''s alright, I''d like Becca to stay with you. I''m sure you heard from Yayoi about her current condition. I''ll figure something out for myself."


    "Are you sure, Alex?" Yayoi asked. "You could always stay at the compound with us."


    "I appreciate the sentiment, but I don''t know how the son of one boss is in the care of another family like that."


    "Nonsense," I heard from the staircase. "Go ahead." It was Furio. He''d been coming up the stairs and wiping his hands with a bloodstained cloth. "Your father has ordered you to remain with the Isoarashi for now. It''s best to pack your remaining things and leave before the cops arrive."


    "B-But... What about Dogland?" Furio shook his head. He took a moment to take in the scenery before him. "This place will bring you nothing but painful memories. You''ll become unfocused and make a rash decision. Such actions could prove fatal for you or those around you."


    I wanted to retort with something like, ¡®It seems like just existing is causing that.¡¯ But that wouldn''t be appropriate. So instead, I just said, "Alright... I''d have given more lip if this were coming from the old man. Let me check on Becca, and I''ll get to packing."


    Furio nodded, and the Isoarashi siblings let me by as I headed for the staircase. When I reached the third floor, I found Penny sitting in the hall outside Becca''s room, clutching her legs like she''d been holding Becca. Her eyes were red from crying, and I''m sure she''d have to change that lovely black dress she wore from all the tears and snot.


    "What are you doing out here?" I asked her as I sat by her side. "The sister you called needed me out... I guess I was annoying her."


    "I''m sure it isn''t like that. Sister Uriel wants to ensure Becca gets the best treatment possible." There wasn''t much the Sister could do for a Paradigm, but Becca''s case was a little particular. Since the black magic hasn''t yet taken root within her, Sister Uriel can ensure Becca''s wounds don''t become life-threatening.


    "She''ll be ok," I assured Penny, throwing my arm around her shoulder, and pulling her close. "I''m sorry I had to do it."


    "No... It''s fine... I asked you to do it in case something happened anyway... At least now you can keep an eye on her." When Paradigm bloods a human, the two become connected in a way. Judith told me that a blooded pair will always know where the other is and can share the magic. As I reminded myself of that startling fact, I had no idea about what it meant for a sin factor to do this.


    "Penny, I think it might be best to return to the estate," I said. I expected my sister to push me off her and declare that she wouldn''t run away, especially if it meant protecting Becca. But I could feel her shivering under my arm. I''d forgotten she''d never really seen any action before. "I''m going to have Yasuo and Yayoi take care of Becca. Help her get back on her feet."


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    Penny clutched my jacket and shook her head. "No, I want you to do it." There wasn''t much I could show Becca about how to be a proper paradigm. I was nowhere near the definition. "Becca wanted to make sure we got out, even if it meant her death," Penny continued. "Everything was so scary. Sometimes I thought they''d catch us and do who knows what. I didn''t know what to do, Alex. I was so scared I couldn''t..."


    "Shhh... It''s fine, Penny. Those guys are dead... Come on... We''ve gotta get you out of here before the cops arrive." I began to stand up and beckoned Penny to do so as well. When we got to her feet, I wiped away some new tears in her eyes. "Go find Furio and have him take you home. I got Becca, ok?"


    Penny sniffled and wiped her eyes. "You''ll call me if anything happens?" I smiled and nodded. Penny lowered her gaze, continuing to wipe her eyes. She then headed for the staircase to meet with Furio. I would go to Becca''s room, where I''d find Wynn wrapping Becca''s head with bandages. "Hello again, Alex," Wynn said as I entered the room. "Miss Loveless''s condition is stable. All she''ll need is some blood when she awakens, and she will quickly recover."


    "Thank you for all your help, Wynn. I''m sorry I called on such short notice." Wynn nodded, "It is by God''s will that I aid those who need it."


    "Look... I know this is something you like doing. But I''d like to pay you at least. I don''t like asking for favors when I already owe so many." Wynn tilted her head, seeming confused, then shook it. "No... I can not take any financial compensation for aiding you. It would be against the teachings of our lord to do so."


    "I''m not talking about money... Information for our mutual friend." Bringing my voice to a whisper, I said, "You got something to write with and on? I want to give you both a recipe, at least to try. " Wynn knelt next to Becca''s bed for her bag and got a notepad and a pen. Handing them both to me, I wrote down everything Carlos told me and handed the notepad back to her. "Make sure our mutual friend sees that. Tell them the second ingredient is more spicy."


    Wynn nodded, appearing to understand the code I was speaking. Placing her notepad back into her bag, she picked her back up and headed for the door. But she turned around before leaving. "Before I leave, I have to ask? You''ve progressed, haven''t you?"


    I raised a brow, wondering what Wynn could''ve been talking about. Then I began to feel the miasma beneath the heaven''s cloth stir like Pandora had said something irritating or concerning. "I noticed there was a change during the fighting. But other than that, I don''t know what you mean."


    Wynn just smiled. "Worry not, my friend. Just be careful of how far you progress. You wouldn''t want to fall even further from God''s grace." On that harrowing note, Wynn made her exit. It was frightening how much she knew. I wondered if she had some kind of all-seeing eyes or something.


    "I never expected her to be so perceptive," Pandora whispered. "You''d best be careful about that one, Alexander."


    "Yeah... Yeah... shut it and go to sleep." Turning to Becca, she seemed so peaceful in her sleep. I hoped she wouldn''t turn into a raging storm when she woke. Leaving Becca to rest, I went back to my room. More soldiers were finishing up cleaning the China man''s brain matter. "Hey, there''s a girl upstairs in the second room. Make sure the Isoarashi''s people take her to their compound before the cops get here," I ordered.


    "Sure thing, boss," one said after wiping the blood. I then went over to my closet and started packing everything I could. I would only take a few clothes, a suit, and ammo. I did use the crimson miasma to store the desk, as Pandora showed me. After gathering the last of my things, I checked around the room to make sure there was nothing else I left. There were only the old books Francis used to read all the time. I started shoving them in the haze like the desk. There was no point in letting them collect dust. I took one more look around my old room as I approached the exit. I then dropped the key right on the ground. Furio was right. I didn''t want to spend a second more in this place now.


    When I got back outside, I saw Yayoi waiting for me in one of the Isoarashi cars, along with her driver. The driver collected my things, putting them in the trunk, and Yayoi and I got in the car. Yasuo was sitting inside, contemplating something I probably couldn''t wrap my head around. We quickly pulled away as the driver got in, driving back toward the Isoarashi''s territory. Turning around, I saw some of Yasuo''s men carrying Becca into a car to follow us.


    We''d pass by Sotenbori after a while before someone broke the silence. That someone was Yasuo, surprisingly. "Alex... Yayoi... I wish to ask something of you both."


    "What is it, brother?" Yayoi asked as she straightened herself in her seat. "It is presumptuous to ask this, but I managed to discuss what you found out from your captive with Walter," Yasuo began. "The man Carlos named is the Andrade family''s Sin Factor. Remember his absence from the meeting of the High Table." Probably not the best move on his part, to be honest, but crazier things have happened.


    "In advance, I had my little birds ascertain the location of anyone missing from the meeting. It appears that Armando resided in his home with his wife, Carmen. There was no evidence of magic being used, and he made no effort to hide his face."


    "So what are you telling me?" I asked. Carlos fed us some bullshit!?" Yasuo held up his hand, urging me to calm down. "Not exactly. I had to do some digging, and I can confirm that Carlos indeed moved drugs for Armando, as he said. Carlos neglected to tell you that the IPD picked him up shortly after for getting caught with the stuff. But the police were paid off to release him."


    So that didn''t mean Carlos was lying, but we still don''t have proof of Armando being guilty right now. "So what can we do?" I asked.


    "Simple," said Yasuo. "If Armando knew exactly where to hit you to hurt you, it means he likely knew there was a chance he would fail. Whoever this mystery mastermind is will probably inform him of his blunder. This job was personal, and he''ll likely go after you again. So we will have to weave a web to entrap him."


    Yasuo was speaking my language. I wonder if he could use someone he cares about as bait. Wait, no that would make me no better than him. I tried wrestling with a few ideas, but have yet to think of anything. Then I noticed Yasuo seemed to be waiting for me to stop thinking. "Well... what do you have?"


    "I hate that I''ve even considered this, but I must use you and my sister as bait." I had to admit, that was pretty ballsy.


    "But brother? How do you plan on doing that?" Yayoi asked. Yasuo''s eyes darted between us, and he stroked his beard with the strangest look on his face. "Simple... As soon as I get the okay from the other bosses... You two will be married."

 Crime Report 23: Bachelor Night

    If anyone could see the look on our faces that night, they¡¯d think Yayoi and I were going to toss Yasuo out of the car. Now I admit, our engagement has been in the background of the recent happenings of the past few days, but the two of us were never expecting to be married so soon. To top it all off, it was all to catch a psychotic egomaniac who has a bone to pick with me because I wasted a bunch of his blood psychos.


    So believe me when I tell anyone about the past week since the attack, my mind has been everywhere except for the fact that I''m getting hitched. It did take a day before Yasuo could get the okay from the other bosses. When Hector found out, he nearly grabbed a pistol to shoot Armando dead on the spot. But we needed Armando to take the bait and attack us while we thought our guard was down.


    Now, as far as I know, the Queen told Yasuo to wait an additional week to ensure proper preparations could be made. An operation on this scale requires careful planning and the right amount of attention.


    Now I know what you''re thinking because I''ve asked this before. What about the attack on Dogland? Isn''t this too soon to try to have a wedding? The answer to such questions was more infuriating than having to ask them. The story was that some hoodlums were trying to rob the place. They killed Mr. Martinez and started fighting amongst themselves over the mountain of money. Then they killed each other. It even cost a bit of money to plant as evidence. At least this way, only those who were a part of this thing of ours would know what¡¯s up, which included Armando. I hated to admit it, but Mr. Martinez did help us beyond the grave. Armando would likely believe he''d gotten to me by a close friend after being killed during the attack.


    I''d been staying at the Isoarashi compound on the east side of Iscariot City near Red Rock Canyon. It was a little farther from the Murcielago Estate, but my current schedule didn''t allow me to visit home much. Since I would be marrying into a Japanese family, I was told to familiarize myself with Japanese customs and traditions. So I''d been taking lessons from my future sister-in-law, Sakura. Between the lessons on the ceremony, the Sakazuki blood oath, and Pandora''s constant teasing about taking it a little too easy. I was nearly at my wits'' end, but all of this was for a purpose, I told myself. Even though there was the possibility that Armando could not be either that stupid or prideful about to march into a lion''s den.


    Even though I wasn''t having the best time having to go through all of this, it was made worse by not having the only silver lining I would''ve had. Ever since Yasuo expedited our wedding, Yayoi has been avoiding me like it was the night before the ceremony. Now I could easily say it was due to the fact that she let me drink her blood, but actually saying that could land me in some trouble. If we weren''t engaged, I''m sure if Yasuo found out, he''d cut me down for soiling his sister''s honor. Even though we agreed to keep it between us, it was a little weird that she''d been avoiding me.


    Tonight of all nights, I''d been told I''d finally get relief from the lessons. I''d been sized for my Haori that evening, and I was told Yasuo and Walter would pick me up later tonight. So what better way to spend my free time than to go pick up Mom''s jacket? It''d been nearly ripped to shreds during the attack, but it was salvageable enough to restore. Too bad it took a week for it to fix. In the compound''s western wing, Yasuo''s tailor, Akiko, had Mom''s jacket folded neatly for me with a note that said, "Take better care of this next time."


    Throwing the jacket back on, I ventured out toward the front gates of the compound. Don''t get me wrong, the Isoarashi''s place was nice enough, but it reminded me too much of the estate. When I got to the gate, I found Becca standing against the wall to the left. She''d been dressed somewhat like Yayoi was. I guess she found it nice. She''d been looking up at the moon, which was slowly rising as time passed.


    "Yo... Becca," I called out. Her gaze shifted away from the moon to me. A huge grin tugged at her lips, revealing her new fangs. She waved at me and said, "Yo, Alex. What''s up, soul-brother!"


    "Not too much. I just got my jacket back from Ms. Akiko," I answered. "You waiting on Penny?" Becca nodded, and I joined her in her moon-gazing.


    "You¡¯re adjusting well, right? No sudden urge to tear anyone''s throat out?" Becca shook her head. "Thanks to Isoarashi, I can keep my hunger at bay. It was rough when I first woke up, but I''m getting better at the not nearly draining people thing."


    "That''s good," I said. "Honestly, if I had another choice, I wouldn''t have put you through this."


    Becca playfully punched me in the shoulder. "Come now, Alex... Without you, I''d have died that night. I''ll admit, becoming a paradigm wasn''t something I wanted, really. It''s actually not that bad. Gonna miss going out in the daylight, though."


    Hearing the Duessy''s engine from a distance, the sound would be followed by its appearance. Penny had been in the front seat wearing a white scarf and a brown dress. "Good evening, Becca... Alex."


    "Hey, you two going out?" I asked. "Yeah," Penny answered, "Becca and I are going to Sotenbori again. I''ve never had such a delicacy like sushi before?"


    "Doll, it''s Sushi," Becca corrected. "Oh right, yes. It''s so strange to use Japanese words," Penny giggled, "Alright Alex, we''re off. Have fun tonight, and don''t do anything to make my sister-in-law sad capiche."


    "Of course," I said. "I''ve seen her handle that sword, and I''d rather not be on the business end of it." I waved them off as they began pulling away from the gates. Getting a cigarette, I lit it and began smoking my one for the night. I''d been waiting for Walter to arrive with Vito and Furio. They wanted to take me to this blind tiger on 32nd Street that Vito had heard about a few days ago. I wasn''t interested in the hootch, but the place doubled as a jazz club.


    Even though I wouldn''t be going unarmed, I felt naked without Wanda. I was told I couldn''t bring it with me because I didn''t like hiding it in the crimson haze.


    "It must be exciting playing a normal mook for once," Pandora said. "The carnage and death are nice, but a little fun is good for the soul." I tugged at the heaven''s cloth on my arm, and Pandora manifested herself in a much smaller form, much like a fairy on top of my head."I may be your monster, but I''m still a paradigm. Can''t always rip and tear into people."


    "Oh, come now, it''s not like it''s all bad. You''re a lot harder to kill than most, plus you''re very powerful. Most men would sacrifice their firstborn children or massacre entire civilizations for what they have."


    "Cut the shit," I snapped. "This power is only a means to an end."


    "Relax, Frankenstein''s monster, I was just pointing out the facts. I know you better than you know yourself." I''d refute that if she wasn''t always swimming around in my head. "Wait... how do you know about Frankenstein? You''re supposed to be some century-old witch."


    "Sorceress," Pandora corrected, "and you forgot about the pile of books you left inside the haze. Your old flame had an interesting selection." Right... I''d forgotten about that.


    Pandora would spend the rest of the time finding new ways to irritate me until a car pulled up to the front gate. I''d quickly scoop her up, throw her back in the crimson haze, and tug at the cloth tightly. "Hey, you jerk, watch the hair!" she''d shout before disappearing back into the haze. I could see Walter and Vito sitting in the car''s front seat. "Aye, the little boss got his jacket back," Vito said. "Come on, get in, ya skinny bastard."


    I couldn''t help the grin that formed on my face as I opened the door. Hearing someone break balls and not mean it for once was nice. I found Furio and Julius sitting in the back when I got in the car. "Jules!? Are you coming too?"


    "Why yes, dear brother," he answered with swagger, "if you think I''d miss the first opportunity to celebrate something with you, then hell will freeze over tonight. Father will be attending as well. He''s going to meet us there."


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    The old man was coming too? He really has changed. As Walter pulled off from the compound, the guys started talking about what they would do to the blind tiger. I could remember some of the things they talked about, like Vito saying, "Don''t worry, little Al, we won''t get you into any trouble with the missus. But there''s nothin'' wrong with checking out any sweet dames."


    Then Furio started fake crying, "Il mio piccolino, all grown up, marrying a good woman. I mean, it''d be nice if she were Italian, but this one will do."


    Since I was the man of the hour, they''d do nothing but break my balls until we got to Fuentes. When we went inside, it looked like a normal restaurant. Julian spoke to one of the waitresses, who beckoned us to follow her to the back. There we''d find a door with a little slot at the top. The slot opened, and someone said, "What kind of spice complements life?"


    Julius leaned close to the door and whispered, ''Variety is the spice of life." The slot closed, and the sound of various locks emanated from the door until it opened, revealing a large club within. There was a mix of paradigms, lupus, a few shamans, and even Acolytes attending. Even men and women of the cloth needed to cut loose.


    The waitress showed us to a large table booth where Father sat with Yasuo. Father had a lit cigar in one hand and a glass of blood he''d been sipping in the other. When we reached his table, Father patted the space next to him as he looked at me. "Over here, son... Tonight you sit with me." Putting his glass down, he snapped at the waitress. "Bring some blood and a bottle of Campari. Antonio should''ve got a shipment yesterday, as per my request." The waitress bowed and then scurried to fulfill my old man''s request as the rest of our little party sat down. Another waitress brought by some menus for the rest of them. She told us to just call her over if any of us were ready. "Hello Alex," Yasuo greeted, "I''m pleased that Akiko has restored your jacket."


    "Yeah, she did a good job. I just wish I didn''t have to keep getting it fixed all the time." Taking one of the menus, I flipped through it even though I only wanted one thing. Finding it on the menu, I raised my hand for the waitress as she was returning. "Hey, could I get the Gambas al Ajillo?" She smiled and jotted down the order on her notepad. "Sure thing, by the way, that was an excellent pronunciation, sir. You a Spaniard?"


    "N-No," I lied, "I just had a very good friend who taught me a lot." Well... technically, that wasn''t a lie. Mr. Martinez didn''t teach me any Spanish, but he spoke enough for me to understand what he was saying. But no one at the table except for my father knew of Mom. The moment of awkwardness didn''t even last as the others began ordering their food. Much to my surprise, Father ordered the same thing I did.


    We had a pretty decent time during dinner. Vito and Furio were cracking jokes. Walter told a few stories of his life before becoming a paradigm. There was even a point where Jules was telling us about some lucrative investments he''d made recently. During the attack on Dogland, Jules met with Henry Ford himself to discuss some stock purchases in his company. With the way the economy has been lately, we''d likely make so much money our heads would spin.


    When the food and drinks arrived, the conversation turned into a discussion of everyone''s first marriages and some advice for me. Yasuo''s advice was more based on him being her brother than on anything. My old man was a walking testament of what not to do in a marriage. Uncle Furio told me to be spontaneous to keep things interesting, like what he does with Auntie Maria. I felt like a little kid compared to all these old men. He probably looked the part, too.


    Halfway into dinner, things began to pick up in the blind tiger. Another crowd came in and sat at the bar. Out-of-towners, from what it looked like, and they were a little rowdy. I finished my cup of blood and move on to the Campari Father poured out for me. The bottle was almost empty, so I thought of ordering the next one. After confirming with the old man that there was more, I called the second waitress. "Hey, can you get us another bottle? These wise guys nearly drained what was supposed to be for me."


    "Sure, I can get that bottle for you while I''m at it, hun," she smiled. I grabbed the bottle and handed it to her, and as I did, our fingers briefly touched. As I went to apologize for that, I felt a small jolt in the back of my neck. It was strange, but briefly, the waitress leaned down to my ear. "Don''t say anything," she said, though she wasn''t speaking aloud. She was speaking directly into my thoughts. "Look, I don''t know how this is possible, but are you a shaman too?"


    Technically speaking, yes... But there were a lot of problems with admitting that straight away. "It''s complicated," I thought. "Whatever the case, maybe just go along with whatever I say, and I''ll pretend I didn''t sense it." She backed away. "Don''t worry, sir, I''ll be sure to get you more food in just a bit."


    The waitress scurried away before anyone at the table could question that strange tension. Father nudged me on the shoulder, saying, "Careful, son... you don''t need to follow my example that closely."


    "Relax, old man, I was hungrier than I thought," I chuckled. Looking at Yasuo, I put my hands up to push the story further. "I''ve got a good track record of being faithful."


    "That I don''t doubt," Yasuo said, "Trust me, I have a keen eye when it comes to any matter regarding my dear sister." He laughed as he took another sip of his drink.


    "That was a close one," Pandora snickered in my ear. I just gave her a mental message to shut her trap and carried on as if nothing had happened, or at least I tried to. I might''ve just been jumpy because of recent events, but I noticed I''d start glancing over in the waitress'' direction whenever she appeared. I even started scratching my cloth like she''d come up to our table and zapped us with an electricity rune.


    "Son... are you alright?'' Father asked as he tapped me on the shoulder. "Y-yeah... Of course." I felt his hand atop my head, meaning my answer wasn''t convincing. "Don''t get me wrong, remaining vigilant even now is smart. But I''m sure you''d know if there was anyone that would be a problem. Right?"


    Realizing what he meant, I apologized to Pandora via a mental message. I''d forgotten that our existences were tied together, so if I bit it, so would she. Pandora has already shown me that she''s more than willing to help me survive and save others, even if she can be annoying sometimes.


    As our night began to wind down, the idiots at the bar grew rowdier. Almost to the point now that they were bothering the other customers. "Can you believe these fucks?" Vito said.


    "They''re probably tourists from the New York hive," Walter guessed. "I remember some of those crews being a bit more lively."


    "Whatever the case, they''re disturbing the peace," said Vito. "Boss, you want me to say something?" Father shook his head, "Leave them be. Allow the blind pig''s keepers to deal with them." It was an order becoming increasingly easier to hear and harder to follow as the seconds passed. It was probably the Campari making that happen. When I heard the waitress''s voice, I tried picking out what they were saying. "Get the hell off of me, pig!" I turned around and noticed one of those thugs had her by the waist. "Come on baby, I''d like to give ya a nice tip, if ya know what I mean."


    Father grabbed me by the jacket as I tried to come out of the booth. "Alexander... I believe I said let it be."


    "I''m not going to pick a fight. I gotta piss..." Father narrowed his eyes, and I was sure he could tell I would still do something. "Just be careful then... You seem a little drunk." That was as good an ok as I was going to get. So I got up from the table and started heading for the restroom. Before tonight I''d never drunk alcohol before. Most of the time, due to being underage a couple of months ago. I didn''t realize I''d be such a lightweight. The room spun around slowly, and even though I could walk in a straight line, it was only because I was taking it slow. When I reached the bar, the little dispute between the waitress and the pushy thug had escalated slightly. She''d been trying to pull away from him while another employee tried to pry her colleague away. Allowing myself to sway a little more, I bumped into the guy, making sure I used more force to add to my drunkenness.


    "Aye, watch it, bub," the guy shouted as he pushed me to another''s party''s table who consisted of two bald men, one of them seeming familiar but the booze was impairing my ability to recognize faces. Even though I was sure I wouldn''t fall over easily, I let myself fall over so that everyone could see I was unjustifiably attacked. The only part I wasn''t counting on was for it to hurt as much as it did. "Ow... you sonuvabitch!" I shouted. "The hell ya do that for!?" Standing back up, I tried to maintain my balance.


    "You need to watch where ya going, ya fuckin'' wop. Beat it before I give you a world of hurt." Before I could put up my dukes, someone grabbed me by the back of the neck, then another giant hand reached for the asshole that pushed me. "Take this outside," said a strangely intimidating voice behind me. When I could see who picked me up, I almost pissed a little. This guy looked like he''d been one of those Greek sculptures that came to life. He was bald and huge, like Heracles. As he carried us away, the guy who pushed me began ranting about knowing who he was, and our escort regretted messing with him. We got tossed into the back alley, and the bouncer crossed his arms. "Alright... settle it... The loser gets kicked out forever."


    As the jerk got to his feet, he smiled at me. "Good... I can teach the pipsqueak some manners." I just stood and popped my shoulders, then cracked my knuckles. "Buddy... you have no idea what kind of trouble you are in."


    The jerk approached me with his fist held high and took a wide swing. I backed out of his range, stepped back in, held my arms out, and tackled him to the ground. We started wrestling for a second until I got a hold of his collar. Punching him in the jaw, I pulled back for another, but before it could land, he grabbed me by the throat and started squeezing. Feeling the air suddenly cut off, I stopped and tried to pry him off my throat.


    With his other hand, the jerk started reaching for something I was sure the bouncer couldn''t see. Assuming it was a weapon, I took my hand off the hand choking me and bit the heaven''s cloth. Pulling it off, the crimson haze began to manifest and solidified into that armored arm I had during the attack. Tearing the cloth from my other arm, it transformed as well. Then I had him by the throat with both hands, squeezing harder than he was squeezing me.


    It must''ve been way harder than I thought because he immediately let go to try to save his neck. "You got some balls, asshole... Thinking you could feel up on whoever you want... plus you thought you could shoot me in an alley."


    He tried saying something, but it came out as a garbled mess of gurgling and retching. I wasn''t going to kill him, just make him pass out. ¡°Careful, you''re on the fast track to having to kill a witness," Pandora warned. When I stopped seeing red, I noticed the guy''s eyes rolled to the back of his head. I let go and quickly got off him before I could do more damage.


    "Damn," said the bouncer. He knelt to check the guy''s pulse, then whispered, "ok, good..." The guy was still breathing, at least. He then checked the guy and found a snub-nosed revolver hidden in his pants. "Well, it''s what he gets for being bad at a fight. Not that you were any better, kid."


    The bouncer picked the guy up and tossed him over his shoulder. "Tell the barkeep that your table''s tab is on me tonight. Just say Heracles said it''s ok." The bouncer... or maybe I was mistaken, took the jerk back inside. I honestly didn''t think his name was Heracles. He would show everyone a new shining example of what happens to people who disturb the peace. Wrapping my arms back up, I felt the cloth wrap slightly tighter than usual. But something resisted it.


    "You wouldn''t wanna fall from God''s grace, right?" Wynn''s words echoed in my head.

 Crime Report 24: A Celebrated Union

    Let the record state that from this point forward, I will never touch another drop of alcohol again. After that little fight, I did tell the bartender what Heracles said. I also ended up competing with Furio and Vito in a drinking contest. Since I recovered faster than any other paradigm, the detoxing my liver was doing was so rough I thought I''d puke out my guts. The next evening, I''d wake in my room inside the Isoarashi compound, where I heard a knock on the door.


    "Alex? Are you ok in there? Yasuo is looking for you." Checking my pocket watch, I could see it was about eight o''clock. The wedding was in a few hours. So that meant I couldn''t spare any more time trying to recover from the hangover hell I''d suffered all day. I threw on Mom''s jacket, a shirt, and some pants, and then headed to the door. I reached for it only to be confused by the lack of a doorknob. I''d forgotten this was a Japanese compound. The doors slid instead of opening like normal. Pulling the door aside, I found Walter wearing a very fashionable black tuxedo with gold cufflinks.


    "Well, don''t you look like a crisp fifty-dollar bill," I teased. Walter smiled and straightened his collar. "Well, don''t you look like absolute shit?"


    That was fair, but that was only because I hadn''t gotten my ceremonial garb yet. "Come on," said Walter. "Yasuo has your attire ready for you." Following Walter down the hall, we passed by a few soldiers from different families going in the opposite direction. They looked like guards, though they were wearing tuxedos as well. Even if the wedding was to bait out Armando, the security was still pretty tight. In the central building of the compound, there was a room that Yasuo used for meditation. From what I heard, it used to be his father, Hanabusa Isoarashi''s training room. As Walter brought me to the hall, the room was located, and we found Goro and Kiryu standing guard outside. When they saw us approach, they opened the door, allowing only me to enter. Sitting inside was Yasuo, seated at the center of the room in front of a black haori, along with some more clothing. In front of the haori was also a Katana that looked brand new.


    "Ah... I see Al the Juggernaut has graced us with his presence," Yasuo greeted. "I worried for you after the fun you had last night. We wouldn''t be able to wake you from your slumber."


    I had no idea what it was Yasuo was talking about. But hearing my old army nickname started a line of questioning that I was too hungover to even begin asking. "I assume we had a lot of fun last night?"


    Yasuo stood and turned to face us. He had the widest grin I''d ever seen him have thus far. "Let''s say, if my father were still alive, he''d love to have you as his son-in-law."


    "I could allow you to live through the juicy memory if you''d like," I heard Pandora say in my head. No, thank you, I''d like no part of that. Yasuo turned back to the garb, his smile becoming less cheeky and more proud. "Akiko has been working on this haori since the night before the meeting with the Huangs. I hoped to present it to you earlier than this."


    "No, don''t worry about it. I''m happy that you''d even allow me to become a part of your family. Even if it is political."


    "Nonsense... You should hear how Yayoi speaks of you. Even if the two of you aren''t quite in love yet, I have a feeling you both have some space for each other in your hearts."


    "Even if I''m still hurting from losing someone I cared about?" As much as I didn''t want to ask that, it wouldn''t be fair to Yasuo or Yayoi for that matter if I kept my pain from them. "It''s beautiful that you had someone like that in your life. But from the way, Yayoi speaks with you and how you fight for her, I can tell that it will be no issue."


    Yasuo picked up the Katana and drew the blade. As he beheld it, I noticed a tinge of agony in his eyes. Like he''d recalled a painful memory. He then sheathed the blade and held it up to me. "Since the beginning of the Isoarashi clan. Those who are born into our family or marry into it are given a Katana that was forged in our family home. There are times when these blades are never used. There have been times when great fiends wield them to slay scores of men. Today, you will enter our family. So it is my greatest hope that this blade will protect the family you will build with Yayoi.


    I held out my hands, taking the blade from Yasuo. I''d never used anything longer than a bayonet. As I held it, I began to feel the strong aura of Weird magic that oozed from the blade. But for some reason, it didn''t feel strange to touch. Pulling the heaven''s cloth, it unraveled. Allowing my arm to manifest as the armored appendage it recently took the form of. Taking the blade by the hilt, I began to absorb the weapon until it disappeared. Then I summoned it once more. This time, it appeared as a black blade with a red guard.


    "Very nice," mused Yasuo, "I''ve heard the expression, ''allow the blade to become a part of you,'' but I must admit this is the first I''ve seen it put into practice. Now come... You must get dressed." He clapped his hands, and out of the walls, a group of women dressed in gray kimonos came in, each carrying something different. One of them carried a chair, which she planted right behind me and forced me to sit in. The others carried combs, brushes, scissors, and other tools and products for my hair. I never cared for how my hair looked before, I made sure to keep it nicely trimmed every once in a while, which I realized I''d been neglecting. But these girls were going the extra mile, trimming it a little shorter about neck level. They combed it back and applied petroleum and beeswax. The care they took to fix up my disheveled hair was better than most barbers.


    When they finished, one of the girls held up a mirror, showing me the fruit of their labor. My hair was now slicked back, and my forehead was visible unlike before. I hadn''t seen my hair this neat since before it got shaved when I went into basic. "You like yes?" One of the girls asked, her English a little broken. "Yes... Very much so," I answered.


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    "Oh yes, anything for big sister Yayoi," another chirped, "We make the husband look extra handsome for her." The four of them giggled before. "My apologies. Yayoi''s crew has been very excited during this process."


    "It''s no big deal," I shrugged. "Their friend is getting married." I wondered what Yayoi was up to now. Judith was with her, much like Yasuo was with me. Jude entertained Yayoi with stories of when I was a kid or whatnot. I got embarrassed thinking about it.


    While the girls were dressing me, Yasuo explained the plan to me. A couple of days ago, he managed to find out that Armando Juarez was back in Iscariot City. It was for a niece''s birthday, and the man''s sister would not allow him to miss it. So Yasuo made sure to send every member of the high table an invitation to the wedding, which included the Sin Factors. Now, one would think that Armando would refuse, and that would be the end of it. Yet Armando already missed one gathering at the high table. So if he wanted to maintain his cover, he''d need to attend. Then there was the point of getting Armando to try something. So, on the itinerary, after the ceremony and before the reception, I was to be presented with awards of recognition from the high table. Not only was this to reward me for saving not only two family heads, but it was also to recognize the Murcielagos as a noble family again.


    Considering Armando''s failure in attempting to destroy my home and the fact that I ruined his assassination attempt. It was time to do things in person. I could tell how much care Yasuo put into this plan. Not only had he made sure to not make security too lax or too tight, but he even planned in case Armando brought back-up in the form of Vampyres. Hence he decided to give me the sword now. By the time the girls were finished dressing me, I had most of the knowledge I needed to face Armando.


    Yasuo took me into the courtyard towards the rear of the compound. It was a beautiful place, decorated for the ceremony. There was even one of those shrines built near the rear wall. Yasuo told me all I had to do was follow the priests and Miko with Yayoi, then allow the priest to draw my blood. Once that''s done, it will be used in something he called a Sakazuki oath, which will bind our families. If I''d known I''d be drinking Yayoi''s blood in front of every Paradigm on the high table, I would''ve protested. Though since we weren''t directly drinking from each other, I guess there wouldn''t be too much embarrassment.


    As we were walking back to the central building where Yasuo was going to show me the reception. I began to have doubts about all this. There were so many risks in this plan that I wanted to have some assurance that this would work. That even if something goes wrong, this was for something. "So what is the plan if Armando doesn''t show his hand?" I asked. "What if he doesn''t show up or is way too smart to even try anything?"


    "You are a rising star," Yasuo said, "One that Armando''s master will want to see snuffed out as quickly as possible. You are the most dangerous person in their plans. Armando has failed twice now, so he will need to get rid of you by any means necessary. But knowing Armando, who wanted to hurt you by killing the residents at Dogland, will want to do it in the most spectacular way possible. He''s much like you... His desire for revenge is greater."


    "We aren''t the same," I snapped. "He''s just an animal who kills for sport. I just want those I lost to rest in peace."


    Yasuo smiled, then placed a hand on my shoulder as we stopped in the reception area. "I''m proud of you, little brother. Even though you fight monsters, you have yet to become one."


    From then on, Yasuo and I talked more about the ceremony, right up until the guests started to arrive. I heard I wouldn''t get to see Yayoi until the ceremony began, which was the most traditional thing I could at least recognize. Even though we Paradigms didn''t worship God as the Acolytes or Humans. We believed he at least deserved recognition. After all, he''s the one who dictated the order of the natural forces on Earth.


    As I waited near the compound entrance, I saw many people come in. The Queen was there and shockingly arrived in a conservative black dress. She did smile at me as she passed by with her sister following behind her as well as a pair of men, probably bodyguards. Next, I''d see the Huangs followed by the Barnes family. The Huangs I understood, after all during the time after the Dogland attack, Haoran and Xingying had sent some money to keep me afloat. As for the Barnes family, it was a nice surprise to see them considering how much their family had been going through.


    Twenty minutes later, the Andrade family was alive, and as soon as he saw me, Hector opened his big bear arms and squeezed me tight. "Ah, the Vamp killer! It''s been a while. I heard what you did to those thugs. Gracias on giving those vermin the what for Pablo." I almost asked who Pablo was, until I remembered Mr. Martinez worked for Hector at some point. "It was the least I could do for the old man," I said. As Hector let me go, he straightened my Haori back up and patted my chest. He then whispered, "I''d like to see you in action today, but I understand if nothing happens." Honestly, now that the hour was on the cusp of arriving, I wished that Armando wouldn''t do anything either.


    Next to arrive would be my family. Judith and Penny were already here helping Yayoi. Father wore a nice black suit with a gray tie that he didn''t look particularly happy with. Beatrix clung to Father, smiling at the other guests as they saw her enter. Thankfully, she didn''t wear anything that stood out too much, but it still showed off her figure a little too much. I caught some of the male guests staring on occasion. When I caught her eye, she gave me an unsettling smile. I remembered the last time I saw her and smiled back, hoping the moment would pass. , when Father saw me, his smile was a lot more warm and welcoming.


    I''d been looking at everyone finding their way to the ceremony''s location when I could feel a strange pain in my chest and a large shadow had been cast over me. When I turned around there was this rather large Hispanic man standing over me. I know I was only five and a half feet, but I didn''t think anyone could tower over me that much. His face was clean-shaven, and he''d been bald. His features were pretty unremarkable other than how much of a giant he was and the scar across his cheek. But I recognized this guy from somewhere. I couldn''t remember where though. "Alexander Murcielago, right?" The man asked as he examined my features.


    "Y-yeah... can I help you?"


    "The name is Armando Juarez," he greeted as he extended his hand. "It''s a pleasure to meet you. I gotta say I''m a big fan of your work.".

 Crime Report 25: Bloodied Hands

    The amount of restraint it took for me to not unwrap heaven''s cloth and dump an entire magazine of ammo into Armando''s chest was so great the universe had to compensate by making something terrible happen on the other side of the globe. There he was, Armando Juarez in the flesh¡ªthe man who destroyed my home and stole Francis''s life.


    I had to play it cool, I couldn''t blow this entire operation based on my rage. As much as I wanted to bash his brains all over the compound''s walls, I had to keep myself in check. I took his hand, shaking while fighting my rage. "It''s a pleasure to meet you too, Mr. Juarez. I''m sorry I missed you back at the meeting."


    "I should be the one apologizing little guy. As a fellow sin factor, I should''ve met you sooner. Would you like to walk with me?" My mind screamed, "No I want to kill you and mount your head in front of my bike." But I went with, "Sure, I''d love to."


    We began heading to the courtyard, and with every step, I had to fight my urge to waste him here and now. But I had to make him let his guard down. Get him to think I didn''t know anything. "When I first heard that a small-time runt saved the lives of the Isoarashi and Haoran heads, I first thought. Wow, this kid is something. No bozo I''ve ever hired has been that much of a badass."


    "Well, I was fulfilling my duties as a bodyguard," I said, trying to downplay my deeds. "The amazing one is my Father for even allowing me to have a gig like that in the first place."


    Armando shook his head, then wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "Nah, any egghead boss can set up a gig like that. The best your old man did was smooth talk one of those families into hiring you. But you took out a bunch of Vampyres all on your own. Do you have any idea what kind of balls that takes?"


    Huge, but I wasn''t going to toot my own horn on this one. "Listen, you have no idea how much that made me admire you," Armando continued, "From small time to the big leagues. You''ve earned the Crimson Death." We stopped before the entrance to the courtyard. Armando let go of me but didn''t leave my side. He leaned near my ear and whispered, "I hope you''ll like my gift. I''ve spent all my time since my boys screwed up preparing it for you."


    So Armando was going to do something at the wedding. He has the balls to admit that to me of all people. Considering this, it meant that if I slipped up and told someone, then he''d spring whatever trap he had. Trying to kill him right here was a stupid idea as well since I didn''t know his abilities as a sin factor. Even though I was tough to kill, pain was still a concept.


    "You''ll have to play his little game for now, Alex," Pandora said, "Be sure you''re ready for anything."


    "I''m sure whatever present you give me will be a winner," I smiled. It wasn''t the response Armando hoped for, but it was passable. He nodded and then walked into the courtyard to go take his seat. I''m sure as soon as he entered the courtyard, I''m sure the atmosphere would make a slight change.


    Coming down the other side of the corridor was an elderly paradigm dressed in white with a strange black hat on his head. two girls followed the man, each with a white robe and red pants. As they came around the corner, they smiled at me, and the guy in front approached me. "Hello Alexander-san, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Yamazaki Saboru. I will be the one to perform your cleaning ceremony... Follow my lead and everything will ."


    "Of course, sir," I said. He bowed and then held the scroll to his lips. "Now ordinarily your families would follow behind us during this time," Father Yamazaki explained. "But an exception had to be made considering the present circumstances." Yasuo must''ve explained the plan to Father Yamazaki.


    "Now," Father Yamazaki turned to the girls behind him. "Retrieve this man''s bride. We have a wedding to begin." The girls turned back, going around the corner once again. Before they did, Father Yamazaki handed me a nice ring with a medium-sized diamond. They''d come back almost immediately. Bringing back an embarrassed Yayoi dressed in an all-white kimono with a large white headdress resting on her head. She''d had a lot of makeup on which she normally went without. I didn''t know whether it was the fact that we''d already shared blood before or if it was my mind, but it surprised me how beautiful she looked.


    I did like Yayoi, don''t get me wrong. She was pretty even without fancy clothes and make-up. Plus, she could fight as fiercely as any man I''d ever seen, me included. Yet there was this part in my heart that couldn''t shake off my feelings for Francis.


    When that little part of me stirred, I could feel Pandora swimming about in the haze underneath my bandages. "You''re annoying, you know that. You can''t marry the girl and have her play second fiddle to the dead." Though I didn''t like the way Pandora put it, she was right. Yayoi has been fighting with me all this time and even saved my life. Even though it was in the heat of the moment, she trusted me enough to give me her blood. I''d be an idiot not to feel something.


    "H-hey," Yayoi muttered, "W-what do you think?" I clasped my hands over my cheeks, realizing I''d been staring like an idiot this whole time. Smiling, I said, "You look amazing... I hope you don''t mind someone like me."


    "Honestly... Thinking of all that''s happened. I was hoping you didn''t mind me. " Could she have been thinking what I had been thinking? This wedding is happening sooner than either of us expected, so the idea wasn''t that far-fetched.


    "Alright, you two," Father Yamazaki said. "The ceremony is about to begin. Please stand next to each other behind the Miko." Doing as we were told, the Priest stood in front of the Miko as he called them. He then began to advance into the courtyard with the four of us following him. When we made it out, another person came from behind us holding a large red umbrella over our heads. It was nighttime, so it was a little weird for that to be happening, but I guess it was a part of the culture. Plus, the courtyard had been lit by torches and candles even though it was already easy to see.


    As we followed the priest, I took note of everyone attending, finding Armando, Father, and Yasuo in the crowd specifically. Father and Yasuo were in the front seats since they were the patriarchs of our families. Armando was seated, which made it easier to keep an eye on him for the others. I didn''t know whether he did that himself or someone forced him. I did notice Detective Harkness and Sister Uriel in the crowd. I guess Yasuo must''ve invited her and allowed her to bring one person. When we made it to the shrine, Father Yamazaki began a prayer in Japanese and started doing something Yayoi said called purification. He''d used Shadow flame to light three incense candles and set them down at the shrine. He then got behind this small table and asked us to sit. The two Miko went and brought a small bucket with a handle. Father Yamazaki then reached into his sleeve, withdrawing a small curved blade. As he took a seat in front of us, he unsheathed the blade and said, "Friends... Family... and other guests. We will now begin the ceremony uniting the Isoarashi and Murcielago families in matrimony."


    Another bucket was brought, and this time, it was filled with water. I wondered if we had to put our hands inside, then looked at my own. Yayoi put her hands into the water first, then rubbed her hands together. She then clapped two times. So I followed suit. When the cloth touched the water, it didn''t come undone, nor did the cloth soak up the water. It''d been like I''d put it in my own hands. It made me wonder what would''ve happened if I tried dunking the crimson haze inside. Even though this wedding had an awful lot of religious aspects for paradigms to even consider. Pandora reminded me that only devotion to the big G counted. The Kami were gods of neutrality, much like the gods in her era were. I clapped twice, and even though I didn''t know any of the Japanese gods, I did say a silent prayer,  hoping we could make it out of this in one piece.


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    "Now... Alexander-san," Father Yamazaki called out. "Please repeat after me."This woman I marry, no matter what her health condition may be. I will love this person, respect this person, console this person, and help this person. Protecting the fidelity of this marriage until the end of my days." All which I''d repeat as he''d spoken. He then turned to Yayoi, giving her an altered version with some of the same words.


    He then went on to say, "We will now perform the union between the bride and groom." Taking the empty cup from the table, the priest went to Yayoi first. Yayoi held up her hand. Father Yamazaki slid the edge across Yayoi''s hand, and blood began to pour into the cup. When Father Yamazaki deemed it to be enough, he had Yayoi close her hand tightly. Then it was my turn. I unwrapped my cloth, and the crimson haze spilled out for only a moment. Transforming into something that looked like my old arm. If I''d known I could do that then I wouldn''t have needed this cloth. As Father Yamazaki drew my blood, his Miko placed three cups varying in size in front of us. Then Father Yamazaki filled each up with the combined mixture of blood. We were then instructed to drink once from the first up. I never tasted my blood before, not even to intimidate someone. Since we were drinking from cups, it wouldn''t be as awkward to drink in front of so many people. From each cup, we drank three times. As the blood passed into my lips I could taste Yayoi''s sweet blood. But now it had a bitter aftertaste much like coffee, so that part must''ve been me.


    It was after this that Father Yamazaki had us exchange the rings. When I put on Yayoi''s, I had a strange pain in my chest. It was like when I found that Vampyre in Gisueppe''s place. Something was going on, yet it was dangerous to act any differently than I had been so far. Since I had my cloth unwrapped, I could at least leave him be. I may not have had Wanda, but I did have my other weapons handy. After Yayoi placed the band on my finger, Father Yamazaki had us give silk and grain rice to the Isoarashi''s deities Amaterasu and Susanoo. I could hear some murmuring in the crowd among the Isoarashi-Gumi and the Huang triads. Something about a sword that needed to be given to me and why wasn''t it given? I didn''t hear Haoran say anything though which meant he either knew or understood.


    Father Yamazaki then turned us around to face the crowd. "Thank you, family, friends, and guests. It is my pleasure to present the union between the Isoarashi and Murcielago families. You may now begin or start with the offerings."


    The entire crowd burst into cheers, and our families in particular began to approach us. The Miko had set a table down in front of us for any offerings they''d bring. Each person came carrying an envelope filled with money, setting them down in front of us. Father and Beatrice took a seat next to me as Yasuo and his wife took a seat next to Yayoi. After our immediate family joined us, the other bosses began to bring their offerings. I''m pretty sure that after today, we''d have more cash than I''d ever earned under my father. When the offerings by the bosses were done, Yasuo had the money taken to a safe location, even going so far as to have Goro and Kazuma guard it.


    Everyone else was allowed to bring us offerings, which still consisted of money. Yet the one person in the room that mattered most now was Armando, who came strolling up the aisle with something that wasn''t an envelope of money. It was a long wooden box that was small enough to carry with one arm. As soon as he made it to our little table, Yayoi and I braced ourselves for whatever he had planned.


    "Congratulations, you two, It''s always a pleasure seeing two families tie the knot. I hope this little gift will satisfy the happy couple. Unfortunately, my wallet is a little dry." Armando then presented the little box to us. Holding it out so that everyone could see. There was something about the box that felt extremely abnormal. The pain in my chest grew so much that I started clutching it. With my pain now, visible Yasuo and my Dad tried to step in between Armando and me. But it was too late. With the most bone-chilling cackle I''ve ever heard, Armando opened the box, revealing a small jar.


    "My Pithos!" Pandora shouted. "Quick boy, get away!" But it was too late. My exposed arm lost its form and became unresponsive. I could feel my chest burning to the point where I almost tipped over. "Pandora! What''s going on?"


    "He''s attempting to seal your soul into the Pithos. If you do not move this instant, he''ll kill you!" Whatever I could think of it would be too late. As I tried to put some distance between Armando and I, the former manifested a strange-looking curved dagger in his hand. I''d never seen anyone move as fast as he did, and the only thing I could do was close my eyes and prepare for the pain.


    Hearing steel entering flesh had never sounded so sickening. However, when I didn''t feel anything pierce me, that''s when the sound became infinitely worse. When I opened my eyes, I saw my Father standing in front of me with the blade poking out of his back. At that moment, I saw Francis again. A Vampyre''s arm was stuck in her stomach with blood raining down from her wound. Again, someone I cared about had been taken from me. I could feel the abnormal power from the Pithos smothering the dagger. All I could do was watch as my father turned back to me.


    "Live, son... Carry on... the Murcielago name..." My Father turned back to his killer, his hands erupting in shadow flame. Using the last of his strengths, he grabbed Armando''s face and burned him until Father could no longer stand. Armando screamed as the flames melted the left side of his face, and then he shouted, "Start shooting you morons!"


    From above the courtyard walls, paradigms flew over and landed in the courtyard, then started firing on the crowd of people before them. Luckily Armando was louder than he needed to be allowing for most of the people in the front to take cover. Then next came the Vampyres who leapt over the walls as well.


    When our side started shooting back, the entire courtyard turned into a battlefield. Paradigms and vamps killing each other left and right. There was no time to even see who was dying and who was fighting. The best glimpse I got into the carnage was the horde of guards shielding the Queen.


    Yasuo and Yayoi grabbed me by the shoulders with Yasuo saying, "We must leave now!" Struggling to get to my feet, the three of us turned back to the shrine, and Yasuo pulled a thick rope hanging from within. A portion of the shrine began sinking into the floor, revealing a hidden door. As I was dragged inside, I tried looking back to see what became of Armando and my Father, though I already knew what happened. I wouldn''t regain any feeling in my arms until we reached wherever the hell we were going. As soon as we got down to this underground tunnel, Yasuo bolted the door shut so that no one else could follow us.


    Leaning against the wall, I''d unwrap the heaven''s cloth around my remaining arm. The crimson haze began to take the form of Pandora, who looked pretty pissed. "Those fools... dirtying my prized possession with their filthy hands. They even tried to kill me with it."


    "Kill you?" Yasuo questioned, "I thought you were immortal?" Pandora crossed her arms, leaning on the wall next to me. "I am... yet with Alexander being that spark of hope from the Pithos, he can easily be put back in. If that happens, he and, by extension, myself are as good as dead." Although that would''ve been nice to know probably weeks ago. Pandora would''ve mentioned it if it was a conceivable thought to her. Considering how angry she was to even see it in the first place. It meant that something was amiss


    "What should we do then?" Yayoi asked, "There are a lot of people up there, and some of them could die."


    "They''ll have to fend for themselves," Pandora stated. "Alexander was their target, and the Pithos is still in their possession. You saw what happened. He was completely powerless against it." Again, Pandora made a valid point, one that none of us could argue against. But there were still scores of people up there, so who knows what could happen."


    "It''s a good thing our numbers trump theirs then," Yasuo pointed out, "But we can''t afford to worry now." Yasuo turned to me, "Alex, can you stand?" My strength still hadn''t returned to me yet. Considering Pandora was using my remaining arm to manifest herself. It wouldn''t be easy to move around so much. "I''ll need help." Yasuo nodded, then tried helping me to my feet. Pandora lent me a hand as well, and we started following Yayoi through the tunnel.


    "I''m sorry," Yasuo groaned, "The possibility of Armando trying something was high. But if I knew it was this, I''d have..."


    "No... don''t blame yourself. I had the chance to kill him right there before anything started. But I wanted to believe in your plan. It worked, though... and that''s all that matters."


    "The boy is right," Pandora agreed. "None of us, even your Queen probably didn''t see Armando having that Pithos coming. The question is who is it that controls that man''s leash? As well as how in the name of Zeus did they know I resided within Alex."

 Crime Report 26: Sin of the Father

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    When we emerged from the other side of the tunnel, we''d come out in a small clothing store''s storage room. I remembered passing by the place on the way to Sotenbori once or twice. Yasuo told us to remain in the storage room until he could talk the owner down. It wouldn''t do for someone to lose their mind over four people emerging from a secret tunnel. The rest of us spent time catching our breath while we waited.


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    "I hope... some people... made it out... okay," Yayoi said as she tried to catch her breath. Feeling my right arm again in the crimson haze, I manifested it and slammed my fist into the wall. "Dammit!" I shouted. Pandora covered my mouth as she kept her eyes on the door.


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    "Shut your mouth, Alexander. We don''t need any attention before Yasuo can advocate for us." Pushing her hand away, I tried standing to my feet. As the feeling returned to my legs, I tried turning back toward the entrance. "We need to go back. We need to save our people... we need to save Dad.


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    "There is no saving your Father Alex," Pandora said. "You can''t stand, and you think you''re going to take on Vampyres!" I''d recovered enough to go back. As long as Armando doesn''t have that Pithos, I should be fine. I could finish what Dad started.


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    "You''re a moron if you think you can do anything to help," Pandora spat. "You may be very skilled and powerful, but as long as Armando possesses that Pithos, you''re as weak as a human. Don''t act reckless, boy." I heard enough. As soon as I was on my feet, I threw a punch at Pandora''s jaw. But she stepped to the side and then kicked me in the stomach. As I dropped to the floor, Pandora kicked me into the wall and then started stepping on my head.


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    "Pandora, that''s enough," Yayoi demanded. "Stop hurting, Alex." Pandora knelt beside me, taking hold of my chin, forcing me to look her in the eyes. "It''s either he gets hurt learning a lesson or he dies, Isoarashi girl. Don''t get too picky." Even if Pandora was trying to save my skin, the way she was going about it was too cruel. My family could''ve been dead or injured because of a stupid jar, there was nothing I could do to save them. When Pandora figured I wouldn''t fight back, she let go of me and sat to my left. "Don''t worry so much... Your thrall is probably


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    "His thrall? Do you mean Becca?" Yayoi questioned. Pandora nodded, "Even though she might not be able to use her powers right now, she should be hard to kill. Combining that and the full might of the other Sin Factors. There''s no way that Armando''s goons will get out without casualties. Armando may be a different story."


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    "My Dad burned him with Shadow fire," I pointed out, "He''s not walking away from that place alive." Pandora shook her head and wagged her finger, "Armando is a Sin Factor too. The dagger he was going to use to kill you had enough magic to destroy your soul. Be grateful you have such a loving Father."


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    Hearing Pandora say that, I think


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    As these thoughts festered in my head. The crimson haze that made up my arm and Pandora''s body began to expand. Everything about what I could see and hear was becoming too hazy to recognize. It wasn''t until Yayoi took my hand, clutching it close to my chest that reality began to set back in. "Alexander! Please, you have to wake up," I could hear her say. As I looked at Pandora, I saw that her form settled down, like she had some trouble keeping her looks. Yayoi''s eyes were filled


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    "We''ll get them," Yayoi sobbed. "We''ll get whoever did this and make sure they pay for all the deaths they''ve caused. "But you''ve got to stay here with us... You have to..." As Yayoi let herself rest in my chest, Pandora raised her hand. It had the ring Yayoi had given her on Pandora''s finger. Pandora''s expression softened, and her form began to return to being the crimson haze. When Yasuo returned, only Yayoi and I remained


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    "Alright... The store manager says we can wait out here," said Yasuo. "As soon as an hour has passed, I''ll see if I can get in contact with Goro or Kazuma to get the situation." I was so out of it I couldn''t respond, so I nodded. "I see Pandora went back," said Yasuo, "I may not be able to fight like you or my sister, but I can hold my own. I''ll keep an eye out for anyone coming this way. You two get some rest." I didn''t want to, but my body wasn''t giving me that much of a choice in the matter. My eyes became heavy, and as I slipped into sleep, I felt the heaven''s cloth wrap back around my arms.


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    The next I''d wake, I''d be in a car headed toward some unknown destination. I recognized the car to be the Buessy, with Becca being the one driving it. Yasuo, Yayoi, and I rode in the back, and both were sleeping beside me. Becca turned around and saw I was waking up, "Yo... you''re awake." Penny was in the passenger seat, and she turned around shaking her head. "Don''t get up, Alex. We''re headed to the estate. You don''t have to worry. The rest of our family made it out alive. We were lucky your Acolyte friend was there."


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    That was good to hear. I guess Armando didn''t plan on an Acolyte being there at the very least. Speaking of which, ''Where''s Armando? Did you guys manage to take him out?" Penny shook her head, then sat back straight in her seat. "Someone saved him during the chaos of the fighting. I saw him trapped under Father''s corpse one moment, then gone the next." I could feel a blood vessel getting ready to blow when I heard that. But there was nothing we could say or do about the situation other than be lucky we got out with our lives.


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    After some time passed, we arrived at the estate where several other cars were parkedbeen seated


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    "Alexander," Judith gasped as she came across the room to embrace me, her eyes worn out from crying. "My goodness, I had no idea what to think when you disappeared. I''m so glad you''re safe, little brother." Unlike most people here, I didn''t even suffer a scratch. Haoran''s head had been wrapped


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    "This was a complete disaster!" Adonis shouted as he slammed his fist into the arm of his chair. "We were almost boxed in like cattle and slaughtered. You said we had nothing to worry about, Yasuo."


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    "Hey pendejo," Javier jumped in, "You''re gonna start blaming people at a time like this!? If it weren''t for my brother, you''d be dead too." The pair started bickering over who was to blame for this entire thing until the Queen just


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    To hear the Queen in such low spirits meant that this plan had a lot more risk than I thought. But there was one thing she was wrong about. "This isn''t pathetic," I went on and said. "When I was on my tour, I saw a lot of guys lose hope after a battle that was lostsolely


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    "Greetings, Paradigms of Iscariot City. Considering the circumstances I have deemed it necessary to reveal myself to you. I am Pandora the Sorceress. One of the most powerful shamans to ever exist, a releaser of the world''s evils, and your creator. I hope you do not mind this Jeanne Rotterdam."


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    The Queen bowed before Pandora. "I''d never be so arrogant that I''d object against your wishes, my Mistress." With the Queen validating Pandora''s identity. The others bowed as well despite there being some skepticism of whom they were regardinggentlywas chosenbeen stolenbe executedWe''re going to declare all-out war with anyone who seeks to poison our kingdom with these diseased rats


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    The room burst into loud cheering, stomping, and whooping. The desire for revenge and feelings of anger were so deep that the blood lust could be seen


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    Judith and Yasuo helped me to my feet and onto the sofa. One of our maids brought glasses of blood for everyone and then left. Julius took the chair the Queen sat in, leaning back against it. He sighed as he rubbed his face, weary from the night''s events. "This has been a horrible night for us," Julius finally said. "Our Father and Furio are dead... Mother is in such a state that she hasn''t even left her room... and now we must carry the burden of our Father."


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    Furio was dead, too? As if my heart couldn''t take anymore tonight. Another name to add to the list to exact vengeance for. But more than that, this was a crippling blow to our family. Not only was our boss dead, but so was his underboss. Naturally"His instructions were that the girls and Alexander were to read their letters when they were alone


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    Yayoi held my hand as I stared at the letter on my lap while Pandora sat on the opposite side of me. Julius opened his letter and unfolded the paper inside. He''d taken a moment to read the letter himself first, and then his eyes widened in astonishment.


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    "I, Drakon Murcielago, on this evening of July 16th, 1918, will be writing this as my last will. The letters in the family safety deposit box must not be openeduntimelybe distributedcomfortably


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    Julius folded up the letter, allowing our father''s last wish to run through his mind. I knew Father had been preparing Julius to take over the family business. With the way our tobacco sales were rising, business was Julius''s calling. Yet, being the head of a crime family was a different business altogether. Money was still involved, but the income came in protection fees and illicit deals. Julius adopted Father''s scowl as the weight of being the new family head fell on his shoulders. "Walter... I must ask that you no longer operate within the Murcielago family as a Capo, but rather as my consigliere."


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    Walter nearlybe honored


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    "I don''t mind at all," Yasuo said, "You are my brother-in-law. The least we could do is work together." Yasuo approached Julius, with the latter standing up to shake the former''s hand. The two left the rest of us in the living room to discuss whatever the future may bring. When it appeared that Pandora was no longer needed. She disappeared into the crimson haze once again, allowing me to regain control of my arm. Tightening heaven''s cloth. I stood from the sofa and began to leave the living room, taking my letter and glass of blood. "Alexander? Will you be alright?" Yayoi asked.


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    "Y-Yeah... I''ll be fine. I need some time alone. Spend some time with your new sisters." I tried to sound cheery, but that worried her even more. Yet Yayoi nor my sisters desired to follow me as I headed for the stairs. There was only one place in this house I wanted to be. When I reached the door, I found one of Father''s maids standing guard at the door with her hand behind her back. It was the same maid''s father who drew blood from when he made me capo. "Master Alexander?" she called out with caution. "Is it too much to ask to get in?" I asked her, hoping for a no but expecting a yes.


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    "Actually... Master Drakon wished for only you to enter his study for the time being. He knew the first place you''d come if he were to ever die." The maid turned around and unlocked the study door. As the door opened, she stepped aside and revealed the handgun that was hiddenextremely


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    I was now all alone... With my thoughts and the last words, I''d ever hear from my Father.

 Crime Report 27: Keep Your Friends Close and Enemies Closer

    As I sat my glass down on my old man''s desk, I plopped right in his large chair. I''ve always thought that he had the most comfortable chair in the world, given how much he sat in it. It wasn¡¯t what I thought. It was hard, the cushion not even saving me from the wood underneath. It''s like my old man sat in this chair for fifty years. Maybe when the place opened back up to Julius, I could warn him beforehand. Unwrapping my heaven''s cloth on both hands, the crimson haze leaked out. My right arm morphed into that armored hand I had during the Dogland attack while my left turned into Pandora once more. As she sat on the desk, she looked down at the envelope I held in my hands. "You wanna go ahead and read it?" she asked me, her tone not having a hint of that haughtiness she was known for. "I should probably save it like I''m doing Francis''s cigarette," I answered.


    "Your father wouldn''t have made sure you received it if he didn''t think you wouldn''t need it." If Pandora wasn''t being so pushy, I''d have stuffed this in the desk for later. But I decided to humor her. Giving her the envelope, I let her open it and handed the letter inside back to me. Before I started reading its contents I dug in my pocket, pulled out a silence rune I made, and then crushed it. It wasn''t as good as anything Francis could make, but it was good enough for what I needed. A small bubble of magical energy enveloped the area around the desk, allowing me to speak without being heard by anyone outside of it. The note itself looked like journal entries. They were rather short, but there were at least three.


    "First Entry: To my son, Alexander Murcielago. It is April 15th, 1921, at the time that I, Drakon Murcielago, am writing this. By this time, I''d have sent you on a job to take care of a rat problem for the Rotterdam family. If you succeed, you should receive this letter sometime after my death. Despite our differences and the way, you see me. I hope you understand it was to prepare you for the horrors of this world beyond wars waged by humans. I never told you the reason why you were taking care of these rats. You would''ve been in grave danger if you''d known. It has everything to do with those who were behind your mother''s death. If I''m to find an answer as to why she was killed and why the Pithos had been stolen, then I''ll be one step closer to the truth. I will continue to write any updates to these notes as time goes on. But I hope I can tell you all this myself once this puzzle is put together. Now, if only I can get Beatrix to stop meddling with you, that would be fantastic."


    I stopped reading for a moment, almost feeling nauseous as I read the last of that first paragraph. Dad mentioned Mom had died, but he never mentioned she''d been murdered. Then he mentioned the Pithos. I remember him telling me about the Sin Factors the night after the fact. He even mentioned the pithos as well. I didn''t know he''d be actually talking about the real thing. And what was up with Beatrix? I understood she liked to torment me, but why go as far as to mention it? I sat forward, being extra careful to read the information.


    "Second Entry: April 21st, 1921. It''s been an hour since you left my office. I have to admit I''d never seen you so angry before. Hearing that you also defeated multiple Vampyres, mostly on your own, was especially terrifying, but not as much as your new companion. Though I''m sure by now you''ll realize the gravity of your new bond with the sorceress as I did. It is only a matter of time now, so the next time we see each other, I shall tell you of your mother. But I must tell you as little as I can. Given the ambush at the meeting, the walls are beginning to have ears. The Isoarashi would never allow such sensitive information such as a meeting between two family heads to fall into the wrong hands. It could only mean there''s a traitor among our ranks. If I''m right... These traitors are the thieves I''ve been looking for."


    A traitor? It was a little too far-fetched to think anyone in the family would betray us. Yet it all made perfect sense. Someone had to have leaked the location of the sit-down much like Dogland''s location was leaked as well. Then, there was Dad''s familiarity with Pandora. They weren''t exactly old friends, but he knew of her existence. Checking for the third entry, I realized the date was only a couple of days ago.


    "Third Entry: September 15th, 1921. Isoarashi Yasuo has just informed me that he intends to use your wedding as a well-constructed trap for Armando Juarez. I''d asked him to allow me to interrogate the captive you managed to get your hands on, and Yasuo was more than willing to cooperate. I''m glad to have you marry the Isoarashi girl. With your prestige and achievements, I''ve been able to gain more information in the last few weeks than I have in the past seventeen years pending my investigation. I know Armando is in possession of a strange box he keeps on his person at all times. I''m sure you and Yasuo would not know to look for such information, so when I did, I ensured to keep it that way. The poor fellow knew too much, and I still had a traitor to root out. I have begun to note that Beatrix has been acting strangely. More so than usual. It has been ever since my last entry. She usually tries to put me under her Mesmer, but she isn''t aware that I have an acolyte to bless my eyes. It was painful, and I would forever have weary-looking eyes now, but at least she could not bend me to her whims. But seeing her give up trying to charm me for information so easily has me worried. Additionally, she''s been excited about the wedding, almost as if she planned it herself. I hope I''m just being paranoid... but if my worries are sound, then you will need to be careful, son. The estate will no longer be safe. In fact, nowhere in Iscariot City will be... So, before you read my last entry... check the desk drawer and knock on the bottom."


    I looked at the small drawer on the desk. Using the crimson haze, I picked the lock and opened the drawer. With two knocks, I noticed that the bottom sounded hollowed out. Taking Dad''s cigars, pens, and documents out, I found a little string on the other end and then gave it a tug. The little panel pulled up, revealing a singular key along with a note. It looked similar to one from Dogland. Taking the key and the note, I placed both on the table. The crimson haze reacted strangely to the before I could open it, and Pandora took it for herself. "Hold on... I''ll have to dispel this," she said. "If you opened this without thinking, then this entire house would be blown to smithereens." She tapped the paper twice and drew a small rune along its surface. Then the paper glowed a bright red, and the magic that was woven into the paper crumbled to pieces like a mirror. Pandora handed the note back to me, and even though I saw her dispel the enchantment, I was still a little wary of it. When I opened the note, I found a fourth entry, one written the evening before the wedding.


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    "Fourth Entry: September 16th, 1921. Today is the day, son. If you found this note, it means that what I feared has alas become true. I am dead, and it was likely the Pithos was used in an attempt to assassinate you. Now that I know Armando has it in his possession. I advise that you do not even try to fight against the Pithos in your current state. You will only be weakened and killed in the process. When you finish this note, destroy it and only trust one person with this piece of information aside from Pandora, who is no doubt by your side. The key that came with this note is the key to the basement in Dogland. I''m sure you know I''d never have let you stay there if I didn''t think it was safe. During your stay at the Isoarashi compound, I''ve had Dogland repaired in secret. But the basement is being reconstructed as well and it should be done by next month. By the time you finish reading this, I will have had a messenger sent to Isoarashi Yasuo to inform him of this new joint base."


    "Alexander... I know how you must feel about Armando Juarez. Many people, including myself, have been killed in his word. Yet you know he is not our true enemy. Your true enemy should actually be approaching this office in just a few minutes. You must put everything back the way it was and throw that key in your pocket. Pretend you know nothing and leave as soon but as naturally as possible. You have proven yourself to be the spitting image of myself and your mother. From this moment on, you must use every resource you have to outsmart this enemy. Good luck to you... and make sure I have a grandchild."


    As soon as I read the last words of the note, it burned up in my hands. I quickly put everything back in the desk drawer as neatly as I could before the silence spell ran out. Pandora returned to me, and I tugged at both clothes, having them wrapped around my arms, and tossed the key into my pocket. I then heard someone speaking from beyond the door, a woman. I''m probably speaking to Dad''s maid. Since the silence spell was slowly coming down, I couldn''t make out who it was. There were few women in the house, yet I was sure Yayoi, and my sisters hadn''t come up the stairs yet. Then the lock on the door clicked, followed by the knob turning. Bracing myself for whoever had been coming in, I gripped the arms of Father''s chair, trying to keep myself from lunging at whoever this was. Then, I began to feel a very faint pain in my chest. It was like when I met the sin factors, but it was much weaker.


    "I wondered why Eliza was guarding your father''s study, But I hadn''t expected you, Alexander." Seeing Beatrix enter my father''s study nearly sent me into a rage. I wanted to chalk this up to a sick coincidence, but there was one thing that made this make sense.


    "Sorry, Mother," I said, trying to support my apparent ignorance. "It''s only been a few hours since Father''s passing. I just wanted to feel a little closer to him." Beatrix came around behind me, wrapping her arms around my neck, and hugging me from behind. The way she did so made it seem like she genuinely wanted to comfort me. But it honestly felt like she''d just dropped two snakes around my neck.


    "You know, if there was one thing to admire your father for was his devotion to his children," Beatrix said, her voice switching between motherly and caring too venomous. "Even after that woman passed away, he still cared for you like I''d been your mother. He even had the gall to ask me to care for you." Clearly, that didn''t go over well. Beatrix moved around, coming into my view as if she was slithering about around me. She had that unnerving smile, tugging her red lips as her eyes assessed every movement I made. "You know... I''m starting to think he was right... Allowing my emotions to get the better of me has caused me so many problems as of late."


    "I can certainly see what you mean," I said, trying to play along, "Father was always trying to be level-headed in any situation. It didn''t matter what happened to him." Beatrix giggled, then stepped back to sit on Father''s desk. She''d no longer have been wearing her dress from the wedding, instead opting for an outfit for traveling. A nice long wool coat with pants and leather boots. "Going somewhere?" I asked. I doubted I''d get anything substantial considering how careful she''s been.


    "You know Alexander... I''m thinking of taking your father''s advice and starting to place logic before emotion. My husband is dead, and I need to be alone for a while. So, I''ll start by giving you something nice... The truth is... I never despised you... not once in your life. Sure, I treated you like utter garbage to make you see your place as the bastard in the family. But when I saw you rise above losing your friends and your little playhouse, you called a home. I realized that your father could never live up to the man you''d become. So, I hope from here on out I can continue to watch you grow and overcome hardship until the day you become this city''s shining beacon of hope." Beatrix stood and began to head for the door. But before she''d leave, Eliza came in, her hands now empty where she should''ve been carrying a gun. Seeing what was going on, I tried to stand on my feet, but the maid was a step ahead of me. Even though she was a human, she leaped over the desk, and in her right hand, a dagger identical to the one Armando used to try and kill me manifested in her hand. The pain in my chest grew so much that I began to feel as weak as what happened at the wedding. As the maid held it to my throat, a bloodthirsty smile appeared on her face. Beatrix looked back, and her eyes glowed an ominous violet color as her smile grew as maniacal as her slave. As Beatrix''s lips opened to speak, so did the maids.


    "I hope you keep exceeding my expectations for you, Pandora''s monster... I''ll be sure to crush you a lot more thoroughly next time." I tried to stand up to do something to not let Beatrix escape. But Andriana had that dagger so close to my throat that if I made a wrong move, she''d behead me immediately. I didn''t want to test if I could survive without my head just yet.


    ¡°Oh yes¡­ one more thing. I¡¯m disappearing and you won¡¯t be following me. But I¡¯ll allow you to tell one person about what you know. Break my rule and everyone you so much as glanced at will drop dead. Be a good doggy and play nice. Buh-bye now Alexander.¡± Beatrice then waved goodbye and


    She¡¯d been playing with us the whole time. Pulling strings from behind the scenes, feeding people everything about us. On top of that, there was the resonance and Armando¡¯s dagger. Why in the world did they share powers?


    I¡¯d lost at a game that I didn¡¯t even know I was playing. And now I had to watch as the culprit disappeared into the night.

 Scripture 1: Sluggar

    August 16th 1924


    Iscariot City, Nevada


    It''d been three years since Julius took over the family. At that time, I''d been carrying out my duties as the Murcielago Family''s Underboss. Now, I admit, I never really saw myself in this position before all that craziness happened, but it was the world I lived in now. Aside from missing the people that were no longer with us, life had been alright. Yayoi has been teaching me how to fight using Amatsu, Julian has been passing on his leadership skills, and Yasuo even got me started in the tobacco business. I had my local brand of cigarettes, and I ended up naming Pandora. Trust me, Pandora was very flattered about that. Plus, now I''m just sitting on money, considering the cut of the family''s earnings gets kicked up to me.


    Though things were going so well, some woes in life still plagued my mind. I''d been searching for Armando but needed to get a lead to his whereabouts. There''d been Beatrix, who disappeared the same night she revealed herself. She only allowed me to tell one person I knew of her involvement. I almost called her bluff one night, but I managed to avoid it. Even though I had no idea where those two were, they could certainly find me wherever I went. I''d get letters from Beatrix every year on my birthday that would burn up when I read its contents. They never said anything more than, "Happy Birthday, my favorite son. Give my regards to the sorceress."


    Speaking of which, Pandora has been having the time of her life. Ever since she revealed herself to everyone, she''s gotten more freedom to materialize whenever she feels like it. I''ve never seen someone more enamored with the 20th century than she was, but she was a centuries-old sorceress, so I cut her some slack. We got along much better since our first year together, and she''s been the perfect accomplice.


    My business would lead me to Iscariot City''s Santo Durango district tonight. The district was the Andrades territory, so I had to play nice to avoid a diplomatic incident. It wasn''t hard because the Andrade siblings liked me enough, and I never gave them any reason to think I''d cause trouble. The Andrades run an underground fighting ring in an old blind tiger called Los Muertos. There''d still be booze and revelry, but someone was getting their lights punched out. Whenever I was on business, I''d wear one of my father''s favorite suits, a black single-breasted with three buttons and the Murcielago logo sewed just below the pocket. Yayoi and Yasuo had finally gotten me into more formal attire, so whenever I wasn''t wearing either Father''s or Mom''s jacket, I wore a white buttoned shirt with black slacks and suspenders. Of course, I always kept Wanda on my person since one could never predict what would happen.


    This night was a little rowdier than usual as tonight had a special contender. While searching for Armando, I''d kept in touch with the Andrades since they gave me the okay to bump him off when I found him. Their new boss''s terms were "Make sure you carve that traidor up like a pig and hang him by his cajones." It was the new boss who called me to Los Muertos. One of her regular patrons had some info on Armando. The Patron didn''t want to divulge the information for free. So, I was called in to help handle the transaction. I didn''t care about spending whatever money it took to find Armando, which saved the Andrades some cash.


    I''d arrived at the blind tiger hidden within a suit tailor''s store called Soldanas. Usually, I''d be riding with one of my guys, but I wanted to take my new set of wheels for a spin. I gave Yayoi her motorcycle back after Father''s funeral. She told me I could''ve kept it, but I felt bad since it was her ride. Little did I know that she had Walter help her find my twenty-first birthday gift. A Brough Superior SS80 is one of the most beautiful machines I''ve ever seen. I could go double the speed of most cars and look good while doing it. Plus, thanks to my handy trick, I never had to worry about beating the shit out of any would-be thief. Parking outside the store, I stood up and unwrapped the heaven''s cloth, allowing the crimson haze to absorb my bike.


    "I still can''t believe Yayoi got you this cumbersome thing," said Pandora as she materialized on my shoulder, using my index finger as her catalyst. "What can I say," I smiled, "I know how to pick''em." Pandora shrugged, then returned to the haze, probably to get some sleep. As I entered the tailor''s shop, Carlos, the guy I interrogated years ago, stood at the counter. "O-Oh... Mr. Alexander! It''s nice to see you again."


    "Likewise Carlos... How''s little Issac?"


    "Oh, he''s good. He''s been doing so well in school. My sister thinks she''s got a little genius. Listen, I want to thank you again for talking to the Andrades. If it weren''t for you, they''d have me in a ditch somewhere for what I did." I just threw a hand and shook my head, "Nah, you''re the one who chose to cooperate. It''s my pleasure."


    "You''re a lifesaver. What can I get you?" I looked around for a moment just for appearances. "Something exotic... Tiger print..." Carlos smiled and then ushered me toward the back of the store. In the back was an office with a closet door on the opposite wall with a padlock on it. Taking out a key, he unlocked the lock and opened the doors, revealing a hidden door within. "Alrighty, Alex, give my regards to the missus." I gave him a nod and then began to descend the stairs, the sounds of cheering getting louder as I did.


    When I came upon a door at the bottom of a short staircase, I found myself at another door with a slot near the top. I knocked three times, then paused before knocking again. The slot opened, revealing a pair of red eyes. "Password?" The bouncer asked. "Apparitions hum the requiem," I answered. The slot closed, and a series of clicking and jingling came from inside the door until it opened. "Right this way, La Muerte Carmesi," the bouncer smiled. Inside was a theater turned into an arena for undesirables or people looking for a good time. I approached the other side of the arena through the crowd, heading for the Andrade siblings, who''d been front and center to see all the action. I''d be stopped by one of the Andrade bodyguards until someone came up behind him and pulled him away. There, I''d come face to face with the two brothers, Javier and Jesus, and a tall woman seated in a throne-like chair. Now, when I say she was tall, she was about as tall as her brothers, who were already pretty macho. But unlike them, she didn''t look like she could fold a jerry tank in half, although I''m sure she still could. She was gorgeous, too, with voluminous black hair and olive-colored skin. She wore a long black dress that mostly covered her up, though I could still see how blessed she was. I''m shocked that Armando chose to be stupid and get divorced.


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    This woman was Carmen Andrade, the youngest of the siblings and the new Sin Factor of Greed. She took over the family following Hector''s death and Armando''s subsequent bounty placement. Javier was too much of a musclehead to run the Cartel, and Jesus was far too diplomatic. La Muerte," Carmen greeted. "Que pasa?" Before I could answer, she stood and hugged me tightly, almost squeezing me a little too hard. "Ugh, It''s nice... to see you... too," I groaned before she finally let go. "Thanks for coming, Alex. I gotta tell ya, I''ve been waiting for this day for years. We''ve finally got the chance to ice that pendejo ex-husband of mine. But I''m sure you''ve been itching to take a crack at him."


    "I sure am, Ms. Carmen," I replied. "Alright... What''s the job?"


    Carmen threw her arm around my neck and pointed me toward the left side wall. A rather pudgy guy was wearing a white shirt that barely fit him with trousers and suspenders. He''d been wearing a bowler hat, which made him stand out among the ruffians. "That gringo''s name is Peter Fallon," Carmen explained, "Says he''s got information on Armando''s whereabouts. But he''s a smart asshole who wants to make it a business transaction. No money, give the next fighter an ass beating."


    "Any reason for wanting me to beat this guy?" I asked. "Simple... the guy slept with Pete''s wife," Carmen answered, "He wants revenge. No killing, just beat him bloody." She then turned me toward the left corner of the makeshift arena, where a rather sizable Russian guy stood. He didn''t have much muscle, but that usually didn''t matter. Heracles looked bigger, and I got punched by that guy. If I had an accurate arm, I''d surely have been downing blood for two days after that. "Alright... I''ll take him. What do I do if he doesn''t play fair?"


    "Pfft... Fair!? Carmen laughed, "The hell is fair? They''ll probably cheat, too. Just do your best to hide it." I smiled and then cracked my knuckles. Jesus offered to take my jacket and shirt from me, and I also left my loafers with the Andrades. Javier stepped into the arena and bellowed, "Pendejos and Mamacitas, welcome to La Muerte! Tonight''s match is going to be a special one. In the blue corner, we''ve got the Bear of Brighton Beach, the Machine of the Soviets, Vlad Petrovitch!" The small crowd of Russians bellowed and beat their chest as Vlad started swinging his fists and showing off his vast body.


    "And in the red corner, we''ve got a special contender tonight. A legend in our very home. Hailing from Paradise, Iscariot! La Muerte Carmesi, Alexander Murcielago!" I held my hands up as the crowd began to cheer me on, I didn''t mind giving them a show now and then. Tonight felt a little different. Normally, I''d just bet on some other guy getting his teeth knocked out or fight an easy match myself. But this guy was now standing between me and Armando so that I might break a leg tonight."


    As we approached, I looked up to meet Vlad''s gaze. He flashed a cocky grin as he cracked his knuckles. "I never thought I''d get to pulverize an underboss, I hope you can hold yourself together." I cracked my neck as I got myself ready to fight this bear of a man. It''d been a while since I had a decent fight. "Trust me, comrade, I promise not to make you uglier than you already are." The two of us bumped fists and then got some distance from one another. The guy may have slept with another man''s wife, but at least he had some honor regarding the ring. It was a damned shame.


    Putting up my dukes, we circled each other, now combatants locked in semi-mortal combat. My mind had already begun processing ways to win and ways I''d get the teeth kicked out of me. Vlad''s hits would likely be rough to eat, so dodging most of them was the best idea. Vlad started his approach, taking the offensive from me. He came in with a haymaker, which I''d duck under and hit him in the stomach with two jabs. Backing away quickly, I noticed my punches had little effect. It was time to go harder. Holding my arms near my face, I tugged at heaven''s cloth, loosening it slightly. The crimson haze wouldn''t leak out, but I could use a little magic now. Time to eat this sandwich, I thought. So I dove in, throwing a series of japs and hooks. Most of them connected through Vlad shrugged them off. Vlad then cocked his arm back and came in low with a heavy punch aimed at my gut. I tried to sidestep. I could feel a strange fit of fatigue hit me, making my moves sluggish¡ªa lucky break for Vlad as his fist slammed into my gut and dropped me to my knees.


    I tried to refocus myself as Vlad started showboating for the crowd. Blood began to pool up in my mouth, and I spat it onto the floor. The pain wasn''t as significant as whoever had just cast Weird magic on me. "A cloaked figure in the crowd," said Pandora, "Likely someone who doesn''t like you. I''ll get it dispelled. You kick the comrade''s ass." I nodded, then dipped my finger in the blood and drew in the palm of my hand. It was the Weird Rune for Pain. I learned how to enchant properly thanks to having a Sorceress in my head, a new employee, and Francis''s notes on Weird magic. I could even do so without an incantation, thanks to Francis. Standing back up, I threw up my guard again. Vlad turned around, and his grin grew wider, "Wow, You take punches like Russian, Italian boy."


    "I''ve taken more than that," I retorted. Now, it was time to get serious. I changed it a bit, spreading out my feet and holding my fists up to protect my face better. This time, I''d take the offensive, charging Vlad with fists ready. I''d throw two quick jabs at his chest with my non-enchanted hand. Then, he swapped hands, delivering a hook straight into his jaw. For a second, he staggered back, even dropping to one knee. The magic was already taking effect, but there was no reason to let up now. Have to make sure he stays down. That''s what the client wants. Charging him again, I grabbed him by his hair and started punching him repeatedly with the enchanted hand. He surprised me after the third punch by grabbing my arm. He shot to his feet, and I let go of his hair. Then he sent his knee crashing into my gut. This was one tough bastard. I''ve even seen Vamps go down longer than he did. But I couldn''t let myself. Using a crimson tendril that slithered out of the small hole in heaven''s cloth, I gave the cloth a complete tug, and the haze was now unleashed. The guy couldn''t grab onto something that wasn''t solid. That caught him off guard, which gave me an advantage.


    Charging into him with my left shoulder, I quickly tugged the heaven''s cloth again, and it wrapped around the case, forming my arm again. I then wrapped my arms around Vlad''s waist, to which he returned the favor. Now we''d just been wrestling to see who got tossed on their ass first. But the Russians only had some glory to gain out of this. I had a little more at stake. So I just started punching him in the gut. No matter where the punch landed, it was going somewhere. Honestly, punching this guy felt like punching a boulder. But I could feel him get winded enough to loosen his grip. When he did, I took my chance and broke free, then started throwing haymaker after haymaker until I got him back on his knees. His whole body turned red, and his muscles tightened as magical pain coursed. The crowd went wild.


    The thunderous roar of angered fans and my fans'' cheers filled the room. Unlike Vlad, though, I hadn''t intended on showboating. Though I had to admit, I did like how I got the crowd going. I looked towards Carmen, who had been grinning as she sat on her throne. Then to Pete, who looked pretty satisfied. I then turned to Vlad, who''d been pretty beaten. Thanks to the Weird magic, he''d been feeling that pain for a long time. I guess it''d be good to knock him out for now. I tapped the back of my non-enchanted fist on Vlad''s cheek, then pivoted around and slammed the back of my hand against Vlad''s cheek. He''d crash to the ground with a thud. Then Javier approached me, took my wrist, and hoisted my arm.


    "Well, there you have it, everyone! We''ve got a winner! Give it up for... LA MUERTE CARMESI!!!"

 Scripture 2: Dogland Reborn

    After the fight, Peter met with Carmen and me. I earned a good bit of money fighting and beating Vlad which had me guessing the house¡¯s real confidence in me. The meeting with Peter went smoothly. He even paid me double for beating Vlad like I did.


    Now for the information Peter had it was mainly about some of the Vampyre activity in Iscariot city. For the past three years, there were some attacks, but they were quickly handled. But recently the attacks have become bloodier than usual. One particular instance was a few days ago when Peter happened to be a witness. I heard about this one, but I''d been on a business venture with Yasuo, so I couldn''t investigate it myself. Vampyres normally just drain their victims of their blood and leave them there. There are some cases where the victim fights back but usually, it''s not bloodier than some mild dismemberment or a puddle of blood. No, this time the victims had their skin peeled off and portions of their entrails devoured. The Vampyres were still vampiric so they only should drink blood. But this time even flesh was devoured which gave an entirely different vibe.


    Now I would''ve normally dismissed this information since it had nothing to do with Armando himself. But then Peter mentioned that this wasn''t the first time he had heard of something like this happening. Peter had just come from France the night he encountered the earlier scene, and he heard some nasty rumors in another Hive City there. Their limbs were ripped off and some people had their brains eaten. Considering Armando was the one who was leading the operation to plague our city with Vampyres, it was safe to assume he had something to do with this. After all, something happening once was a coincidence but twice was a pattern. I thanked Carmen for letting me meet with Peter and even kicked up a small percentage of my earnings tonight to her to further show my thanks. Then I departed the fight club to head back home.


    Now home wasn''t the Murcielago Estate or even the Isorashi Compound. For the past three years, my two older brothers have been helping me find the rebuilding of Dogland. After the attack, Father tried to get a requisition to get the place rebuilt. Julius and Yasuo took over and within the next year, the place was up and running. The easiest part was getting the deed to the place since technically Mr. Martinez passed it down to Iggy, who by the way is doing good. He followed my advice and found himself a nice girl named Juanita down in the Morelia Hive City in Mexico. They''ve been thinking of having a couple of pups soon.


    Originally Dogland was going to be a hotel, but with the increase in Vampyre, victims followed the rise of orphans in our city, both Mythic and Human. So I decided to take the kids in, even going as far as to hire people to work there. Now like with Mr. Martinez, I never paid with dirty money. Like usual, Julius helped me clean the money I earned conducting business for this thing of ours using his various businesses and a bit from Pandora Cigarettes as well. I also made it a habit only to hire people who didn''t ask questions, but that wasn''t very rare in a city like Iscariot.


    As I pulled up to the street corner where Dogland stood I took a gander at the large building. Unlike years ago the sign for Dogland read exactly as such. What''s more the building had been cleaned thoroughly, and the place didn''t have too many broken windows. Absorbing my bike back into the Crimson haze I wrapped up my arms and headed inside.


    As I stepped through the door I was bombarded by a crowd of kids who all wanted to hug me. They were shouting, "Welcome home Mr. Alex," as they tried pushing each other out of the way to hug me. "Woah there kids, slow your horses. Thanks for the warm welcome."


    "Yo boss you''re back," said someone beyond the crowd of kids. When I looked up I saw a young blond man who was about my height. He''d been wearing a dark green suit without a tie, and like him, he was a paradigm. "Sorry about the gang of brats, Ella let them get past her."


    "It''s fine Tony," I said as I patted one of the kid''s heads. "I don''t mind seeing the kids." Tony, or Anthony Procenzo was one of the new hotshot Capos in the Murcielago family. Julius ended up recruiting some more made guys after our numbers dwindled a bit. Out of all of them who became made, Tony was our brightest star. I took Tony on as a prot¨¦g¨¦ when he was a soldier, and now he''d been working closely with me since his promotion three months ago. "Alright kids, Mr. Tony and I have to discuss some business. Be good boys and girls and go back to Ms. Ella."


    As if I''d summoned her, a raven-haired woman came around the corner nearly losing her balance since she''d been running so fast. It was Ella or Gabriella Mendoza, another I hired for the orphanage. She''s a Shaman who''d just arrived in the city a couple of years ago looking for work, and we happened to cross paths. I hired her since I had a soft spot for Shamans. "I''m so sorry Alex, I tried to catch up to them, but these kids gave me the slip on the second floor." She turned her attention to one of the kids, a little brown-haired boy named Donny. "Now listen ya little runt. You can''t keep the other kids up all night. Some of them aren''t like you."


    "But Ms. Ella we don''t wanna go to bed yet," whined one of the other kids. "Yeah I''m just making sure they don''t get into anything," Donny said. Ella looked unconvinced, and I knew she wouldn''t budge on the matter. But I felt sorry for the kids, so I decided to help them out. Kneeling to Donny''s side I placed a hand on his head. "Listen little guy. The day walker kids need to get some sleep. Focus on the nightwalkers and make sure they don''t get into trouble alright?" Donny looked a little saddened by this. He was fairly popular among the kids. Reaching into my jacket pocket, I carefully pulled out a piece of candy and slipped it into his pocket. "Listen to Ms. Ella and there''s more in it for you." He felt his pocket then looked at me and smiled. Turning to the other kids he said, "Alright Day walkers we''ve been beat. Come on."


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    The other kids groaned and complained but ultimately followed him. Ella crossed her arms, her annoyance now directed at me. "I saw that Alex," she said with a disapproving look. "Sorry Gabriella, I just can''t help myself," I said. "I''ve been feeling a bit fatherly as of late." Her disapproval turned into curiosity. "Oh? Is Yayoi expecting?"


    "No nothing like that," I said, "Although Yasuo keeps hounding me about it. Our jobs leave us a little too busy for children at the moment."


    "It''s not like you couldn''t," Tony chimed in, "This place is so well guarded, the president could live here." He wasn''t wrong, after the attack three years ago I upped the security of this place considerably. It took a decent portion of my earnings every month to make sure the personnel were paid throughout the clock. "We''re both pretty busy nowadays," I repeated, "Besides, I''d rather not have any children of mine in a world where Armando and his boss are still breathing." The atmosphere changed at the mention of Armando''s name. Both Tony and Ella had their grudges against the Paradigm.


    "Speaking of which, have you found anything out, boss?" Tony asked. "Yeah, but let''s talk in my office. Can''t let the kids hear any of this." The two of them nodded and followed me upstairs. The third-floor meeting room was completely redone to be my office and bedroom. When we arrived at the floor we found Becca heading for the stairs. "Oh hey soul brother, how''s tricks?"


    "Pretty well actually," I said, "You busy?"


    "I was about to go meet Penny," Becca answered, "But I see you three are on your way for something important so she can wait." I hoped my Sister would forgive me for dragging her woman away for a second. Anyway, Becca now joined us as we made our way to my office. Outside the door, there was a maid standing guard. It was the same maid that Beatrix had control of when she revealed herself to me. I asked Julius to allow me to hire her as a personal maidservant. I didn''t want anyone controlled by Beatrix to remain in the estate. Yes, it was probably a bad idea bringing her here, but it was better than potentially another boss. For the first few months, I had Pandora watch the girl even though Pandora assured me I had nothing to worry about. Her name was Eliza, and she was pretty nifty to have around.


    After she saw me approaching she went ahead and unlocked the door to my office. "Welcome back Master Murcielago," she greeted. "Will you and your companions need a drink tonight?" Looking at the girl made me hungry. I wanted to resist given we had business to discuss, but it was too risky given how much energy I used earlier. "Yes, that''d be lovely. I''ll heal you up after that." As the five of us entered my office, I took a seat at my desk. The others except Eliza sat on a couch I had placed in front of the desk, I wanted any guests of mine to be comfortable. I tried to model the place to look like my old man''s office, something I was often teased by Julius about.


    Eliza pulled a switchblade from her pocket and slit her wrist. I reached into the bottom drawer and pulled out three glasses. Placing them on the desk, Eliza allowed her blood to fill each cup. Taking her wrist I drew the rune for "heal" on her and the wound began to seal up. "Go on Eliza, take the night off to rest, make sure you eat something." Eliza bowed and then excused herself.


    "So boss, what''d you find out?" Asked Tony as he took one of the glasses. "Did you guys know of the Vampyre attack the other night?" I asked as I took my glass. Tony and Becca knew, but Ella didn''t.


    "The victims weren''t like the others," I explained, "We all know what Vamp victims look like, so it''s understood that peeled skin and devoured entrails isn''t normal." Ella covered her mouth as her mind conjured an image of what that all must''ve looked like. "Are you serious?" Becca asked, "There''s no way that was a Vamp."


    "Unfortunately, no other Mythic can do that kind of damage," I said. "The same thing happened in France recently. There may be more victims in the future. Armando is the cause of this outbreak of Vamps, so the fact that they are growing more deranged can only mean someone has been busy."


    "So, you want us to go out and crack some more heads?" Becca said as she cracked her knuckles, though I shook my head. "I''m meeting with Yasuo and Julius tomorrow night. We can''t act too wildly without the High Table''s approval. I may be the Crimson Death, but I have my limits." My investigation into Armando''s whereabouts hasn''t yielded any results in the last six months. I''ve tracked him to different places in the US but, whenever I went to look for him, I got nothing. The fact that Carmen had a lead was the best news I''ve had in a while. "We''ll have to play by the rules for a bit. I''m already in hot water with my two elder brothers for how I''ve been handling things so far." Not to mention Yayoi has crossed paths with me too.


    "Alright, we''ll sit tight," Tony said as he stood up. "Take care boss, come on Ella." Ella followed Tony out of my office leaving Becca and me alone. "I''m guessing your brothers are still hounding you about Beatrix?" I just sighed, electing to let silence answer Becca''s question and let myself slump against the desk. "Well that''s what you get for acting weird about it," Becca said.


    "I don''t have anything to say about it," I groaned. "Plus no one has considered if Armando was the reason for her disappearance." Beatrix wasn''t my Mother and the two of us never got along. My siblings on the other hand wanted to move hell and earth to find her, but I wasn''t too enthusiastic. In truth, I couldn''t be. She was Armando''s boss, and she told me I could only trust one person with her identity. Given how she controlled Eliza when we last met, there was no telling who else she had under her spell. "Look, whatever your reasons, you could at least be nicer about it," said Becca as she took her glass. "Or even at least offer your help."


    "Technically I am helping," Is what I wanted to say. But I opted for, "I''ve been keeping my ears open during my investigation into Armando. Not a word of her being around has reached my ear."


    "If you say so bro," Becca said as she stood from the couch. "Alright, I''m going to go snuggle up with your sister. I''m sure you''ll be aware of that."


    "Piss off already," I chuckled, then let Becca go. As she left I started thinking back to that night. How Beatrix manipulated everything behind the scenes. Looking for her now I''d more than likely lose more than I gained. For my siblings that was their Mother. The woman who raised them.