《Flash Bang》


 Block 17 Captain

    MC walked down the sidewalks filled with umbrellas and a mix of upbeat nightlife and shady figures. The more he walked, the more commotion he saw. Neon lights and ads reflected off puddles and windows.


    He¡¯d been at it for months now. Scouring the underworld for information as a member of The Organization. All he¡¯d found so far was a trail of nothing. When a trail goes cold like this it only gets harder to find any traces as time goes by, but he didn¡¯t care. His body was fueled by hate and the need for revenge.


    Rain clouds opened up as midnight rolled past the clock. With each passing hour the night seemed to grow increasingly dark and cold. For MC, it was the perfect time to hunt down some Black Diamond members. Clad in a hooded overcoat, he trudged through the night in search of his prey. Becoming cold from the rain and tired from the night wouldn''t be near enough to stop him.


    A group of college students stumbled out of a bar, laughing and falling all over the place. The group meandered down the sidewalks covered by overhangs of the businesses. They jogged between covers to stay out of the rain. Not a thought in their mind was of the Black Diamond or The Organization. They didn''t even notice when they¡¯d passed one of the most dangerous members on the block, but then again most wouldn''t.


    The Black Diamond captain sunk back into the shadows against a building. A hood was pulled low over his face while a single orange cherry floated in front of where you¡¯d guess his lips were. His relatively average stature helped him to blend in and observe things around him and at that moment he observed a threat. Trying not to bring any extra attention to himself, he slowly lurched forward and began walking down the sidewalk. His pace quickened and he passed the group of college students in a flash. The captain knew he¡¯d be in serious trouble if he didn''t get out of there quickly. His feet carried him around the corner and then around another. Soon the neon lights and bustling bars faded far behind him and the roads became much darker. He paused to look over his shoulder and saw only an empty street sparsely lined with cars.


    ¡°Must have given him the slip,¡± he said as he let out a deep breath of relief.


    ¡°Must have given who the slip?¡± MC said. His voice seemed to echo from the shadows all around.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± the captain screamed in surprise and took off running down the closest alley. His feet splashed through puddles. He toppled trash cans behind him as he went. He knew the area well, but in haste he¡¯d made a mistake. It was a dead end. A tall metal fence stood before him with no way around. He turned and pulled out his pistol, facing the dark alley. ¡°Where are you?¡± he shouted into the darkness. There was no reply. Only the sound of pouring rain and far away cars. He scanned the alley back and forth as his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. ¡°What do you want with me?¡± he said into the void.


    The sound of metal clanking on the ground alerted him to look down. A metal canister rolled into his field of view and before he could fully make out what it was, it exploded. A bright white light and a booming sound went off all at once. A flash bang grenade. The light illuminated the entire alley for only a fraction of a second. MC¡¯s bodily outline was cast like a bolt of lighting and a nearby car alarm went off as the concussive sound wave vibrated the air.


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    The sound of the flash bang was music to MC¡¯s ears and the flash seemed to strip the darkness right out of the air. MC¡¯s bodily reaction to the flash bang was not like anyone else''s. Within seconds, he felt the changes take place. When exposed to the flash bang detonation, his brain produced adrenaline chemicals and flooded them into his bloodstream. They were far more powerful than any drug would ever hope to be. With this, he was able to push his muscles past their limits. His reaction speeds became faster, his thoughts became clearer, and his human limits faded away. For him, this was the power of the flash bang.


    ¡°Ahhh what the hell was that?¡± the captain yelled as he took out a pistol and began shooting randomly into the darkness until only soft clicking remained. He stumbled back in a disoriented gaze until he leaned against the metal wall behind him. If his ears weren¡¯t ringing so loudly he could have heard the slow marching footsteps closing in.


    MC grabbed the captain by his shirt collar and picked him up off the ground, pinning him against the wall. His gun fell to the ground. ¡°The Black Diamond captain of block seventeen. I¡¯ve finally found you.¡± MC¡¯s eyes were wide and staring like a predator.


    ¡°You¡¯re that new guy in The Organization aren''t you?¡± His voice was shaky. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you tracking down Black Diamond members in the night. They¡¯ve been calling you different things. Light-Haired Demon, Flash Bang, and Captain Killer. So what do you want with me?¡± asked the captain.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Jin?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Who?¡± The captain struggled to hear over the ringing in his ears.


    ¡°Jin! Where is he?¡± yelled MC as he shook the captain and threw him onto the ground.


    He rolled over on the wet pavement grunting from the pain. ¡°You mean the higher up guy? I don¡¯t know. I haven''t ever seen him myself. I swear.¡±


    ¡°Tell me where he is or I just might fulfill that ¡®Captain Killer¡¯ name.¡±


    ¡°Please no! I just told you I don''t know where Jin is.¡±


    ¡°Where can I find someone who does know?¡±


    ¡°Nobody knows. He¡¯s like a shadow in the midday sun. You know he¡¯s there somewhere, but you never really see him.¡±


    ¡°How do you talk to him? I know he gives you guys orders.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a different number every time. He calls me, I don''t call him. It¡¯s not often either. Been weeks since his last call.¡±


    MC turned and angrily kicked a metal trash can next to him. The captain closed his eyes and shuddered with fear covering his head with his arms.


    ¡°Don¡¯t kill me. I swear I don''t know where he is. I don''t know anything else.¡± He laid there for a few moments waiting to die, but death never came. He opened his eyes. His vision was slowly returning and his ears were ringing a bit less now. MC was gone without a trace.


    With the alley far behind him, MC¡¯s shoes splashed in puddles that pooled in the uneven sidewalks. His head slumped low. ¡°Another dead lead,¡± he said out loud to himself. His steps were staggered and he swayed back and forth. ¡°Jin¡­ I¡¯ve got to find Jin,¡± he mumbled. His thoughts bounced around as he tried to determine his next move, but he ended up with no solid ideas. Frustration turned to anger. I¡¯m never going to be able to rest. Not while the man who killed my father is still out there. He took everything from me. My peace of mind, my home, my family. Since that day, I¡¯ve lived for the sole purpose of killing Jin and nothing is going to stop me. He clenched his teeth and disappeared into the darkness of the night.

 The Detectives

    Morning light had just begun to pour into the streets of Strongzinburg city as the rain came to a stop. Police were putting the final touches on blocking off the dingy alley with yellow caution tape when the detective unit arrived. Aiko, a fairly new detective, stepped out of the passenger seat from a dark tinted car. She was wearing dark dress shoes and a light black jacket over her white button up and black tie. It was the standard uniform for the detectives. Classy and clean. Her curls of long dark hair bounced as she walked into the crime scene.


    Emi, the leader of the detectives, sprang up out of the driver¡¯s seat. She had a badge that said ¡°Captain¡± hanging around her neck. Her bright pink hair was a contrast to her detective uniform that matched Aiko¡¯s.


    The two detectives flashed their badges to the officer guarding the scene before ducking under the yellow tape and starting to look around." Apparently there were three calls last night reporting either a gunshot or a firework. Either way there doesn¡¯t appear to be evidence of either one,¡± said Aiko.


    ¡°As we expected. Did the report mention a description of anyone involved?¡± asked Emi.


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    ¡°Nope.¡±


    They both walked slowly, scanning the ground with their eyes until they came to a bright chalk circle the police had drawn around the casing of a flash bang grenade.


    ¡°Yep, looks like it was him again,¡± said Aiko. ¡°There¡¯s been an increase in his activities lately.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. And look there on the ground,¡± said Emi pointing to a patch of asphalt where some dirt was obviously scuffed around. ¡°Looks like there was a struggle, but there¡¯s no body. No immediate signs of blood either. Suppose most of it could have washed away with all the rain last night though. All I know is that this person should consider themselves lucky that they didn''t end up dead.¡±


    Aiko bent down and with a pair of gloves on, put the flash bang casing into a ziploc bag. ¡°We¡¯ll take it in for prints, but it¡¯s likely to come up negative like all the ones before it. From a glance around, there doesn¡¯t seem to be any other evidence.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to do much for this case with so little evidence to go off of,¡± said Emi. ¡° There¡¯s no doubt that this was the work of the Flash Bang, but what is he after? Why does he keep coming after people? He¡¯s got to be looking for something or someone.¡±


    ¡°The sooner we figure that out, the sooner we can catch him and put this case behind us.¡±

 GM Collects

    Three years earlier, a man named GM who belonged to The Organization was fulfilling one of his daily missions. He sat in his car and finished the last few puffs of a cigarette. ¡°I really hate jobs like this,¡± he said out loud to himself, rolling his eyes. He exhaled smoke and it floated past the stubble on his cheeks and up around his dark sunglasses and nicely parted blond hair. It was just past noon and the sun was out in full swing. The sound of chirping cicadas and speeding cars along the road behind him was the melody of the summer. He put the cigarette out in the overflowing ashtray, then a sigh, stood up out of the car, straightened his tie, and patted down his long tan overcoat. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get this over with,¡± he said, preparing for his knowingly unpleasant mission of the day.


    GM walked up to an apartment door and knocked twice. ¡°Jimmy, you in there?¡±


    Jimmy came to the door and cracked it open. He took a moment to squint and then realized who it was. ¡°Oh, GM come in,¡± he said as he closed the door briefly to undo a chain lock and then opened the door fully.


    ¡°Sorry the place is a mess. I wasn''t expecting a visitor. Can I get you a cup of coffee or anything?¡±


    ¡°No thanks, I''m good,¡± said GM, stepping into the living room. It was a pigsty. Dirty dishes, garbage, and cigarettes overflowed off the coffee table onto the stained carpeted floor. A pile of laundry heaped on top of the couch. There was a layer of dust on the window seals and the tv stand that put your great grandma¡¯s place to shame. Typical for a man who¡¯d spent the last few weeks high out of his mind.


    ¡°Ok yeah, so what¡¯s up?¡± asked Jimmy as he pulled a blanket around himself and shivered slightly.


    ¡°Jimmy, you know why I¡¯m here dontcha?¡± asked GM, pulling his shades off and stuffing them into his coat pocket.


    ¡°H¡­ How would I know?¡± Jimmy stuttered.


    ¡°Come on, Jimmy. Don''t play dumb with me,¡± said GM as he loudly kicked the door closed behind him.


    ¡°You know I really hate doing things like this. I¡¯ve got ladies to see and drinks to drink, but if you need me to spell it out for you I will.¡± GM walked over Jimmy¡¯s dining room table and pulled out a chair. He sat down and lit up a cigarette. ¡°Come, sit.¡±


    Jimmy came and sat in a chair across the table from him. ¡°Here, have a smoke,¡± said GM as he held out his pack of cigarettes. Jimmy took one and stuffed it between his lips. GM held out his lighter and lit it for him. Jimmy inhaled the smoke deeply and exhaled up into the air.


    ¡°Ok GM I know I owe you guys a lot of money.¡±


    ¡°Great, so we¡¯re on the same page after all.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have all of it.¡±


    ¡°Oh that¡¯s no good, Jimmy. You see, that''s the same thing you told me when I was here two weeks ago.¡±


    ¡°I know I was supposed to get the money, but things came up, you know.¡±


    ¡°We gave you enough drugs to pay for a brand new sports car. You¡¯re part of the deal was to sell them and give us half the money. Only half! Even though The Organization supplied the product. All you had to do was be a salesman, but you couldn¡¯t keep it together once you saw all those pills in front of you, huh? Not just that either right? You¡¯ve been going down to the hotel for a good time too right?¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help myself, GM. I got ripped off and¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late for excuses. Excuses were two weeks ago. Today we¡¯re talking payment so choose one. Right or left?¡±


    ¡°What? I don¡¯t get it. What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Right or left?¡± GM sternly repeated.


    Jimmy hesitated with concerned eyes. He audibly gulped. ¡°I guess¡­ left.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. That wasn¡¯t too hard was it,¡± said GM as he stood up.¡±


    Jimmy saw a flash of movement and then felt a sharp pain on his neck. His world went dark as his eyes closed and his body went limp.


    Jimmy slowly drifted back to consciousness. He felt a hard surface under his back and a throbbing pain in his neck. He attempted to look around, but his head was stuck in place. ¡°Where am I?¡±


    ¡°I guess it is a pretty weird view huh? It¡¯s not everyday I find myself staring at the ceiling above my own kitchen table either,¡± said GM.


    Jimmy attempted to get up but found that he was tightly restrained with what seemed to be an ample amount of duct tape. He struggled for a moment, but couldn¡¯t move at all. He heard GM rip off another piece of duct tape and felt a pressure as it was placed on his leg. ¡°That should about do it,¡± GM said as he tossed the roll of duct tape over his shoulder. ¡°Oh yeah, you said left earlier.¡± Jimmy was too disoriented and confused to speak. GM went to the kitchen and rummaged through several drawers until he found a permanent marker. He bit the cap off between his teeth and spit it onto the floor as he walked back over to Jimmy and pulled up his shirt revealing his stomach. ¡°I¡¯m not much of an artist, but this ought to work.¡± He drew a smiley face on the left side of his stomach. ¡°Sorry it had to be this way. Not like I enjoy doing jobs like these. Don¡¯t worry our nurse team is good so you should live through the operation. They¡¯ll make sure to bring plenty of ice for the bathtub too.¡±


    Jimmy started to figure out what was going on. ¡°No¡­ GM you can''t be serious.¡±


    ¡±I¡¯m afraid I am.¡±


    ¡±No! You can''t take my kidney! No no no!¡±


    GM grabbed a sock off the ground and forced it into Jimmy¡¯s mouth, then placed a strip of duct tape over it sealing his mouth closed.


    ¡°Relax, you¡¯ve got two of them for a reason. You only need one of them to live. Like I said, I don¡¯t enjoy this, but you¡¯ll be fine. Let this be a lesson or something. Remember the last time I had to come and rough you up at the motel because you wouldn¡¯t pay the girls. You¡¯d think after something like that, you would have reconsidered your lifestyle.¡±


    GM pulled out his phone and dialed a number. ¡°Yeah, Gil, Jimmy is all ready to go. Send someone over, he¡¯s not going anywhere. I¡¯ll leave the door unlocked.¡±


    ¡°Excellent work as always, GM,¡± said Gil from the other side of the phone. GM opened the door and walked out to his car leaving Jimmy¡¯s muffled screams behind him. ¡°Knowing you, you probably wont like this, but I¡¯ve got another job for you to take care of.¡±


    ¡°What, another job? Already?¡± GM complained.


    ¡°Unfortunately, yes. And this one¡¯s not going to be quite as easy as taking care of Jimmy. There¡¯s a lot of people I could have sent to Jimmy¡¯s, but you¡¯re the only person I trust to complete this next mission. You remember our old acquaintance, William, correct?¡±


    ¡±Yes, of course.¡±


    ¡°And you remember his son?¡±


    ¡±Vaguely, but yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to recruit him into The Organization. It seems he¡¯s been struggling ever since that time. I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s hell bent on getting revenge. Can¡¯t say I blame him. Let¡¯s make sure that if he¡¯s going to do something stupid, we can at least make sure he doesn¡¯t get himself killed.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a hassle, but alright. I¡¯m on it.¡±

 MCs Daily Life

    MC stood slumped behind the counter at his convenience store job. It had been almost half an hour without a customer. That¡¯s just how the flow of the store went at one in the morning. He¡¯d just completed the list of nighttime tasks and then downed an energy drink. This was when the boredom usually started setting in until the rush just after two A.M. when the bars and clubs closed down.


    MC leaned against the back display wall behind the counter with his arms crossed and just thought for a while. He didn¡¯t enjoy being alone with his thoughts so he turned on the radio. It told depressing stories about another shooting incident and a car theft before warning not to associate with people who had tattoos of black diamonds on their body. Some group called the Black Diamond was using the symbol to identify its members. It explained what everyone in Strongzinburg city already knew. If you saw a person with a black diamond tattoo, usually on their neck or face, it meant to turn around and go the other way.


    He tried to stay busy to pass the time but no matter what he did he couldn¡¯t help but feel out of whack. He despised the night shift. Not only was it a total pain to acclimate to the schedule, it was boring and a little creepy at times. His thoughts drifted to a scenario of a shady figure walking into the store and robbing him at gunpoint as he stood there scared and alone. The news radio didn¡¯t seem to help his paranoid delusions so he turned it off. He shuddered and pushed the possibility of the scenario from his mind.


    To his delight, a customer walked in right about then. It was a girl wearing fancy-looking clothes with her hair all done up in colorful pins. She had on a pink shirt with a bow tie and a dark jacket with fur around the hood. Her short skirt flowed in the wind as she walked with a certain aura that seemed to brighten up the store. MC tried not to stare as she headed back to the refrigerator section, but he couldn¡¯t help himself. He didn¡¯t get a good look at her face, but there was something familiar about her. He had a sense that she was one of the regulars that he¡¯d often talked to.


    Oh man, I''d love to ask her on a date. Should I talk to her? Would she think I¡¯m weird? Would it be extra weird because I¡¯m working right now? There¡¯s no way a girl like that would go out with a guy like me. I¡¯m just a convenience store clerk after all. Sweat touched the top of MC¡¯s brow as his overthinking got the best of him.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    His anxious thought train was interrupted when he saw her turn around and head for the front of the store. He shifted his gaze and pretended to look busy as she approached the counter.


    The girl set a water bottle on the counter.


    ¡°Hello, did you find everything alright?¡± he asked as he nervously grabbed the bottle of water. He was too nervous to even look up at her.


    ¡°Yes, thanks, MC,¡± she said.


    ¡°You remember my name?¡± he asked as he scanned the water bottle. She must be a regular customer after all. I probably gave my name during some small talk.


    ¡°Yes, and well, you¡¯re wearing a name tag,¡± she said with a laugh. ¡°Here¡¯s a test. Do you remember my name?¡±


    When MC finally looked up at her he couldn''t believe his eyes.


    ¡°Aiko? Is that you?¡±


    Aiko blushed and giggled. ¡°So you do remember me.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here. It¡¯s been so long. What¡­ almost ten years?¡±


    ¡°Just about,¡± she said. There was a momentary pause as they both were unsure what to say next.


    MC told Aiko her total and she scanned her card for payment. ¡°So what have you been up to all this time?¡± MC asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to college right now. Working on a degree at Strongzinburg City University.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exciting! I¡¯m happy for you. I always knew that you¡¯d do something important with your life.¡±


    Aiko looked at her phone. ¡°Ahh, I¡¯ve gotta run. It¡¯s getting pretty late and I¡¯ve got class in the morning. It was great to see you.¡± She turned and headed for the exit.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± said MC.


    Aiko paused. ¡°Yes, what is it?¡±


    ¡±Oh, uh I was just going to say that it was a good choice to buy a cold bottle of water. It was a hot day. Still pretty warm out there. They¡¯re saying the same for tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Thanks I will,¡± she said and headed out the door.


    The internal struggle had gotten the better of him. He desperately wanted to ask for her phone number or if they could meet again, but he wasn¡¯t able to muster the words. He just watched as his old friend walked right out the sliding doors.


    Aiko got in her car and cracked open the ice-cold bottle of water wondering what it was that MC really wanted to tell her on her way out of the store.

 MC Weighs a Decision

    About a week after the encounter with his old friend, Aiko, he was still thinking about her. He wondered if she¡¯d be coming back to the store again. Surely next time he¡¯d have the courage to get some sort of contact information.


    His schedule changed and he was on the swing shift now. Getting off late in the evening was fine with him. He was happy with anything besides working all night long. This particular day was payday.


    Upon leaving the convenience store, he headed straight for an ATM he conveniently passed by on his short walk home. He inserted the paycheck into the ATM lit under a lone streetlight. He frowned when he saw his account balance. It was expected, but seeing the numbers actually made it real. ¡°Still not nearly enough,¡± he said out loud to himself.


    After securing his meager paycheck he headed home. He sat down at his kitchen table with a steaming bowl of instant ramen and flipped a business card in his hand. It was a white card with a phone number and a weird sentence about beer. He¡¯d received it from asking around about a hitman. Strongzinburg city was not what it used to be. These days it was easy to search a few dark alleys and get in touch with some shady figures who provided the information for a small fee.


    His main problem was saving up money to actually hire a hitman. The prices he¡¯d been told ranged from only a few thousand dollars to millions of dollars depending on several variables.


    He¡¯d been told of a special ninja-like assassin and another one who used poisons. Both were much too expensive. He looked over another card he¡¯d been given a few weeks ago. He¡¯d written hastily on it, ¡°Half a million. Sniper. Twenty confirmed kills.¡±


    MC wondered how things like this could even be possible. If the news didn''t constantly talk about the underground and the problems they caused, he wouldn¡¯t have believed a word any of the alleyway thugs told him. In fact, happenings like this were so common in Strongzinburg city, that it was even common small talk among people to discuss terrifying people walking the streets at night. The city was becoming a dangerous place.


    MC had struggled with the idea of hiring someone to kill Jin for a while now. There were two main reasons why he hadn''t yet. The first was his lack of funding. Working at the convenience store only made so much money. At the rate he was going it would take decades before he could even make a decent offer to someone and that was just the start of the problem. Even if he did save enough money, it was Jin that he was going to have killed. From what he¡¯d read in the paper and seen on the news, Jin was a ruthless higher up in the Black Diamond who was capable of just about anything. A force to be reckoned with. Not just anyone would be crazy enough to try to kill someone like that even if the price was right.


    The second reason why he hadn¡¯t hired someone to kill Jin was that it seemed rather impersonal. Another person killing the man that he had such a grudge against? Something just didn''t sit right about that. It was his problem and he wanted to solve it for himself. He wanted to see that man die before his very eyes, but could he really kill someone? He¡¯d never even been in a real fight before.


    His ramen went cold on the kitchen table as he weighed the decision to call the number on the card. He fixated on the thought of revenge against Jin. His teeth clenched together and his brow curved with rage. He remembered the night his father died and how his mother had been in the hospital ever since. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    After some time, he realized it was getting late and he¡¯d planned to visit his mother in the hospital before his next shift.


    He sat and stewed for another while and read the strange business card again, ¡°They say revenge is a dish best served cold. Not as good as cold beer, but you know, something like that.¡±


    What the hell does that even mean? Gotta be the weirdest description I¡¯ve ever heard. Is this even legit? I bet that shady dude just gave me some weird card to scam me out of a little cash. I think I ought to take a walk to clear my head at least.


    MC pulled on a jacket and headed out on a walk around the neighborhood. He weighed the decision and decided to call the number on the card after all. He popped into a phone booth, punched in the number, and waited for it to ring. He gripped the phone and felt a drip of sweat run down his forehead. It rang a few times and just as he was about to hang up, a voice answered the call.


    ¡°Hello,¡± said the voice with a hint of tiredness. There was a slight background noise of what seemed to be a television. Then came the sound of a scooting chair on a wooden floor.


    ¡°Uh, hi. I um¡­ saw your listing.¡±


    ¡°Listing? What listing?


    ¡°Um, your business card. It had this phone number on it.¡±


    MC heard the sound of a great swig and gulp of some unknown liquid. ¡°Hmmmm,¡± the voice thought out loud. ¡°I don''t remember making any business cards.¡±


    MC was genuinely confused. Had he typed the number incorrectly? Was his imagination playing some kind of trick on him? Was it actually some scam?


    ¡°The card says something about beer being served cold like revenge,¡± said MC.


    ¡°Oh that card!¡± said the man with a chuckle. ¡°That was awfully quick. I only distributed those yesterday. So why do you want to hire someone for something like this?¡± His words seemed deliberately discrete so MC decided to match the tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be blunt. I hate this person. I can¡¯t live life the way I want to. I¡¯m haunted every day by the memories of this person.¡±


    ¡°What is it like an ex girlfriend or something?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing like that.¡±


    ¡°Why don''t you do it yourself?¡±


    ¡°I want to. In fact I would much prefer to do it myself than to hire someone. I don''t even think I have enough money for something like this, but I wasn¡¯t told the price so I decided it might be worth a try.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess. You¡¯re just too chicken to do it yourself?¡±


    MC thought and really reflected on his inner hatred for a moment before answering. ¡°No, I think I could do it. If your rate is too high I think I will just do it myself. I don¡¯t know how yet, but I¡¯ll figure it out.¡±


    ¡°Whatever floats your goat. Anyway, my price depends on a few different variables. Who the person is, how far they are, you know things like that.¡± The man gulped another swig of whatever he was drinking. ¡°So who do you have a grudge against?¡±


    ¡°You want me to just tell you their name?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, how else am I supposed to know?¡±


    ¡°This might come as a surprise. I know there¡¯s a bit of a stigma around this person. Since you¡¯re involved in thhe underworld like this, you¡¯ve probably heard of them before.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to tell me or not?¡± GM interrupted.


    ¡°His name is Jin.¡±


    There was a great pause. All MC could hear was the background noise. A tv blaring and the occasional glass clanking.


    Finally, the voice spoke up in a more serious tone than before. ¡°So then, you must be MC.¡±


    MC froze in fear. How does this man know my name? What¡¯s going on?


    ¡°W¡­ What did you just say?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°It¡¯s you isn¡¯t it?¡±


    MC wasn¡¯t sure what to say. He felt himself begin to panic. He slammed the phone onto the hook and stepped out of the telephone booth.


    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± he said out loud.

 MC Visits His Mother

    MC stood outside the doors to the long-term care hospital. Morning fog was beginning to disperse and the signs lit up with a kind and familiar feel. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and took notice of the scent from the flowers he held in his hands.


    MC walked into the building and checked-in with the front desk. They gave him directions to his mother¡¯s room, but he knew the way on his own. He headed down the hall and opened the thin white door to a small square room. A label on the door said,¡±¡®Julianna.¡±


    The inside of the room was fairly bare and sterile. A TV mounted on the wall quietly played the home decor channel. Light shone through the thick glass window and painted the bare walls of the room.


    ¡°Hi mom,¡± he said. His mother remained silent while sitting upright in her bed. Her long black hair and pale thin face reflected the daylight carried in through the window. MC walked over to a table near the window and picked up a vase containing old wilted flowers. He dumped them into a trash bin and replaced them with the bouquet he¡¯d brought with him. His mother¡¯s eyes continued to stare out the window. MC¡¯s presence didn¡¯t faze her one bit. It was as if he was a ghost in the room. She was looking right through him. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    MC grabbed a chair from against the wall and brought it close to the bedside. He clutched his mother¡¯s hand, but still her gaze did not shift. She exhibited her usual numbness to the world around her. He knew that she wouldn''t hear a word he said, but still he talked to her as if she were in a genuine state of mind. ¡°I¡¯m getting closer now, mother. I¡¯m narrowing down the paths to take and I¡¯m going to find Jin. It might not be today or tomorrow, but one day he¡¯s going to pay for what he did to you and dad.¡± MC gritted his teeth. ¡°I¡¯m never going to be able to move forward unless I do. These feelings of hatred. These nightmares. They won¡¯t end unless I find a way to move forward. I know you¡¯d like to see me do more with my life, but I just can¡¯t yet. More like I don¡¯t know how unless I get this weight off my shoulders. I feel guilty that I¡¯m working a shitty job living in a shitty apartment. I don¡¯t have any hobbies and there¡¯s no hope of grandkids for you in the future. I even saw Aiko the other day. You remember her right? My first crush. When I was younger I really thought she and I would get married and live a happy life together. Now thoughts like that are far away. Don¡¯t worry, one day I¡¯ll be able to make you proud of me.¡±


    MC stayed for a short while just enjoying the presence of his mother and the subtle nostalgic comfort of the home decor channel.


    Eventually he got up and pushed his chair back against the wall. He felt that it was nice to visit his mother, but seeing her in a state like that always put him into a gloomy mood. ¡°Goodbye, mother,¡± he said as he closed the door behind him and set off for work.

 How MC Meets GM

    It was an average day at the convenience store. People came and went. There was a rush between noon and one as businessmen in suits flooded the store in search of lunch and then it slowed back down for the early afternoon.


    The sliding doors beeped as a man in a tan overcoat stumbled in through the doors of the convenience store. The smell of urine wafted in with him. He was mumbling, ¡°Need¡­ more¡­ beer,¡± or something along those lines. Quite the sight, but people like him were all too common in the convenience stores located in the slums of Strongzinburg city.


    MC¡¯s eyes followed the man closely, as he took his time looking through the alcohol refrigerators in the back of the store, making sure he didn''t stuff anything into those deep coat pockets. After what seemed to be a very careful consideration of beverage choice, the man approached the counter with a six-pack of beers. A strong stench of urine burned MC¡¯s nostrils. Despite this, the man seemed to be sporting a fresh and fancy haircut that looked like it had been gelled and parted nicely at some point several hours ago. Under his tan overcoat was a white button-up shirt with a plain black tie.


    Is he a businessman of some sort? He sure doesn''t seem like it. Maybe he had a rough day at the office then went out and drank too much.


    The man pulled out his wallet and a wad of money fell out. To MC¡¯s surprise, it was several times the amount he got paid in a month. The man fidgeted with the money, attempting to grab a single twenty-dollar bill.


    There¡¯s something strange about this guy. I feel like I¡¯ve seen him before or something. I get this feeling once in a while, but with him, it really seems like I know him from somewhere. MC scanned the beers and told the man his total. ¡°I see a lot of people I know come in and out of here, but you seem familiar, sir,¡± said MC.


    ¡°Oh, you finally noticed?¡± the man said with a smile. ¡°You¡¯ve seen me plenty of times before.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I guess after a while the faces all blend together. I see so many people every day. Just one of the things that comes with working here.¡±


    The man handed MC the twenty and MC put it into the register and began counting his change.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. I¡¯ve actually never been in this convenience store before.¡±


    MC was slightly taken aback. His speech doesn''t seem drunk at all, but I swear he was just plastered and what does he mean that I¡¯ve seen him before if it wasn''t here?


    MC handed the man his change with a confused eyebrow raised.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you later,¡± the man said as he stuffed the change into his pocket. He grabbed the beers, turned around, and waved over his shoulder.


    It was dark outside as MC finished his shift at the convenience store. He grabbed his coat from his locker in the break room and pondered the mysterious man from earlier. Where have I seen him before? Why did he have so much money? Why did he smell so bad? Too many questions to answer at once and is it really that important? He donned his coat and made for the doors.


    Upon stepping outside, he was greeted by the smell of cigarette smoke. A regular occurrence in the city. He looked to his right to identify the origin of the cigarette and saw the man from earlier. He was casually leaning back against the brick side of the building smoking away.


    ¡°Bout time, kid,¡± said the man, taking one last drag from his cigarette and tossing it onto the ground. He looked up to meet MC¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What the?¡± said MC. ¡°What are you still doing here?¡±


    ¡°Still? I went home and came back. You think I¡¯d waste all day waiting for you? Talk about entitlement. I bet I don''t smell half as bad as earlier too,¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°Last night I overdid it and woke up in the damn alley again, but that¡¯s a story for another time.¡±


    It was true. The stench was gone. His hair was neatly parted in the middle and he smelled like a strong church cologne.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I guess you really don''t remember,¡± said the man stretching out his hand to shake MC¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s me, GM. We spoke on the phone last night.¡±


    MC turned pale as a ghost. The mysterious man from the phone call last night had suddenly appeared before him in an even more mysterious fashion. GM observed MC¡¯s shocked aura and attempted to bring the situation down a notch.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯m here to help you,¡± said GM.


    MC paused as he weighed the decision to run away or scream for help but he came to a sudden recognition of the man. Fuzzy memories began to clear up the more he dwelled on them until he had a vivid picture of where he¡¯d met this man before. ¡°Of course¡­ You were my father¡¯s friend.¡± He recalled seeing GM a few times at the barbecue parties that his father used to throw for all of his coworkers.


    ¡°Bingo!¡± said GM pointing his finger like a gun at MC.


    ¡°I remember you coming around sometimes when I was just a kid. What do you want with me?¡± asked MC, crossing his arms.


    ¡°I just came to check-in on you. I felt that I owed it to your father to at least make sure you were doing ok.¡±


    ¡°Well if that¡¯s it, I¡¯m doing fine, but that doesn¡¯t explain how you recognized me by just my voice last night on the phone.¡±


    ¡°Oh come on don''t be so concerned. Why don¡¯t you come with me? I''ll treat you to some food and we can talk.¡±


    MC hesitated but decided that getting food with his father¡¯s old friend couldn''t hurt, even if he was a little weird. He was more than a bit curious about solving the mystery of the phone call as well. ¡°Ok, but I¡¯m not staying long,¡± he said, following GM to his car.


    GM took them through the drive through of a taco restaurant and then to an empty parking lot a ways out from the main roads of the city. ¡°They¡¯ve got some of the best burritos. They make their own salsa daily. Pretty spicy if you¡¯re not used to hot stuff,¡± said GM as they got out of the car and used the trunk as a table lit by the large overheard parking lot lights. GM handed MC the burrito he¡¯d ordered and they started to eat. ¡°So what brought you to call that number last night,¡± asked GM.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re one of my father¡¯s old friends, I think you already know the answer.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I just wanted to make sure that you knew why you called.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯ve given up on. I¡¯m going to handle things on my own. I dont have the money to live and hire someone to do my dirty work and I never will. Working that dead end job will never give me enough money and it was hard enough just to find work.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and you really think you¡¯ll be able to handle this business all on our own?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think I could.¡±


    ¡°You really think that you could kill Jin. The Jin. The man that killed your father who was a hero among The Organization.¡±


    ¡°Wait what?¡± said MC. ¡°My father was in The Organization? And he was a hero?¡±


    ¡°So you didn¡¯t know about your old man? I guess you were pretty young when he used to have us over for those barbecues and such. William, your father, was a member of the very team that I¡¯m now the leader of.¡±


    MC was frozen in place for a moment. ¡°I always thought there was something like that going on, but I never imagined it was something like this.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, your father showed me the ropes when I was new to the business.¡± GM looked out into the distance as if he was remembering a time long ago. ¡°He taught me some of the skills that I still use today. He even bought me this old thing,¡± said GM as he held open up his overcoat to reveal an aged and worn looking katana sheath with a handle sticking out the top of it. MC only stole a quick look before GM whipped his jacket closed again. He realized that GM¡¯s sword stuck out a few inches past the bottom of his jacket and now seemed to be unable to take his gaze off of it.


    ¡°All this information doesn¡¯t change what my goal has always been: to kill Jin. However, now that you put it that way, it does sound a bit far fetched. The only thing I¡¯m sure of is that I won¡¯t be able to feel peace until I finish this. I¡¯ve had enough suffering and I¡¯ve had enough of letting Jin run around in the shadows of the city. Every day that scum walks the earth is another day that my father¡¯s grave is spit upon. I have no choice.¡± MC said.


    ¡°Well then, how do you plan on doing it?¡±


    ¡°I suppose I could get a gun and shoot him. Easy enough right?¡±


    GM laughed. ¡°I don''t think that would be satisfying enough for you. A decade of hatred just to be quenched with the smoke of a barrel? And quite frankly I don¡¯t think that would work. He¡¯d sense your bloodlust coming a mile away. Remember, this guy is a professional.¡±


    ¡°Then what else? I could fight him.¡±


    GM bent over as he burst out in laughter. ¡°You? Fight Jin head on? Oh that¡¯s funny kid.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think I could?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do a little experiment. How about you show me what you¡¯ve got?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Show me your moves!¡± demanded GM, setting the remainder of his burrito on the trunk of the car.


    ¡°You want me to just hit you like some sort of Brad Pitt movie?¡± clarified MC.


    ¡°Yes, now come on,¡± said GM, tilting his neck to the side and rolling his shoulders around.


    MC wasn¡¯t even sure how to hit someone. He¡¯d seen it in the movies before, but he¡¯d never actually punched anyone.


    ¡°Is there a certain place you want me to hit you?¡±


    ¡°Anywhere is fine. Come on come on we¡¯re wasting the day.¡±


    MC shrugged off his concerns then made his fist into a ball and swung for the center of GM¡¯s chest. Just before the moment of impact, GM turned his body to dodge the attack. MC¡¯s fist hit only air and he stumbled forward a few steps.


    ¡°I thought I told you to hit me,¡± said GM. ¡°Now give me your best shot, not some wimpy punch like that last one.¡±


    ¡°Alright I¡¯m going to pack some heat into the next one then.¡± MC repositioned himself and cocked his arm back. He lunged forward once again aiming for GM¡¯s chest. This time GM did not dodge, but instead, threw his palm up in front of MC¡¯s fist, completely neutralizing the attack.


    MC stepped back, astonished. ¡°How''d you do that? I just threw my hardest punch and you blocked it like it was nothing.¡±


    ¡°Well that one definitely had some power behind it,¡± he said, making a sour face and shaking the pain out of his hand. My point here is that you¡¯re never going to be able to take out Jin if you can''t even land a solid punch on me.¡± There was a more serious tone to his voice than before. ¡°Imagine if I had a weapon to fight back with, which Jin will. You¡¯d be dead ten times over by now.¡±


    MC came to a sobering realization that his revenge was even farther away than he¡¯d realized. ¡°What? Did you think you could kill someone just because you wanted to? Don¡¯t underestimate what your goal really is. Taking a life is a serious thing to do.¡± GM pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his shirt pocket, put one between his lips and lit it. ¡°Jin isn''t someone you can afford to take lightly,¡± he said as smoke billowed out of his mouth. ¡°He¡¯s a trained killer. And a teammate-killing bastard at that. You still have a lot of life ahead of you and I don''t think you should throw that away trying to do something crazy. That much, I do owe your father.¡±


    MC clenched his fists in frustration ¡°So, what am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to keep living with this weight on my shoulders? I¡¯ll never be able to get back the things Jin took from me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I get it. I don''t like him either. In fact there¡¯s quite a few people who have similar feelings as you. Jin¡¯s managed to make quite the name for himself and it hasn¡¯t been a good one. If you¡¯re serious about this, then I have a possible solution. How about you join The Organization?¡±


    ¡°What exactly is The Organization?¡±


    GM was surprised. ¡°You really don''t know?¡± The Organization and the Black Diamond are the two biggest criminal organizations in Strongzinburg City. They¡¯re basically the only two. Any others that pop up get squashed out before they can even establish much of a following.


    ¡°I¡¯ve at least heard of the groups. They mention Jin being in the Black Diamond.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. These aren¡¯t your normal everyday taking old ladie¡¯s purses and holding up the convenience store type organizations. I¡¯m talking about organized crime. Billions of dollars worth of business and access to weapons, training, information, and more. Things you¡¯ll need in order to carry on down the path you¡¯ve chosen.¡±


    ¡°I never really pay much attention to that stuff. All I know is that they cast fear and violence like a shadow behind them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong there, but there are differences and also necessary evils. If The Organization allowed the Black Diamond to run free, there would be much more ruthless crime, not to mention the pain and suffering that goes along with it,¡± said GM.


    ¡°So The Organization is like a group that¡¯s involved with these shady activities, but also helps to keep the Black Diamond in check from getting too powerful?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Our existence alone protects the city. And I know that¡¯s not your main concern, but it might help you see where I¡¯m coming from. If your goal is to take out Jin, it might be worth your while to join. Frankly, it¡¯s not a goal you¡¯d be able to achieve on your own.¡±


    ¡°So this was your plan all along and it started with the phone call last night,¡± said MC, putting the pieces together.


    ¡°You¡¯ve figured me out. I¡¯d heard about you asking around about a hitman from some of our lower level members. Like I mentioned earlier, I owe it to your father to make sure you don¡¯t do anything too stupid. We sent out the business cards and waited for you to call and it didn''t take long at all. I just needed to confirm it was you for myself.¡±


    MC was impressed. ¡°And if I say yes to joining The Organization?¡±


    ¡°If you say, yes. You¡¯re in. The boss was actually the one that sent me to find you. He wants you to join. Me, I don''t really care either way. I think you¡¯re better off moving far away from here and living a peaceful life on a farm or something, but if you want to take part in The Organization, I¡¯m here to hopefully make sure you don''t get yourself killed.¡±


    MC paused and thought deeply. He rested his back on the trunk of GM¡¯s car and looked up at the skyscrapers and night sky.


    ¡°So what do you say?¡± asked GM.


    MC thought for another moment before meeting GM¡¯s eyes. ¡°As much as I¡¯d just like to do this myself, I¡¯m going to give it a shot. I¡¯m in,¡± he said confidently.

 MC Meets Sora

    After being formally hired by The Organization, MC was provided a room to live in at a clubhouse with his team. The clubhouse was a large one-story space similar to a college dormitory. There were several rooms, a shared kitchen, laundry, and a living room area. GM explained that he¡¯d lived here with his roommate, Sora, for the past few years. During that time, there were other residents, but none lasted very long. They either died or quit before too long. After all, only extremely talented individuals survived in The Organization.


    It was evening and MC followed GM up to the door of the clubhouse. His hands were filled with bags containing all of his belongings. GM fished the keys out of his coat pocket and put them into the lock of the clubhouse door. ¡°Here we are,¡± he said as he turned the knob and pushed open the door. MC shuffled in behind him with his arms full. The area by the door was littered with coats and shoes on hard tile. A step-up led them into a living room. It was one big circle with a center that dipped down into the floor lined with an in-place couch complete with carpeted floor and a TV in the middle. The place was messy beyond belief. There were clothes and blankets scattered about. To the right of the door was a small kitchen that had dirty dishes stacked high enough in the sink to rival a busy restaurant. The floors were stained and littered with garbage.


    Hesitant thoughts crept into MC¡¯s mind with unfamiliarity of the living situation. It was far from traditional. He felt overwhelmed by being out of sorts with everything that he carried on his shoulders on a daily basis. An even heavier weight pressed onto him as he stepped into the doorway and shut the door behind him.


    ¡°Sorry it¡¯s a bit messy. We don''t get around to cleaning very often,¡± said GM. MC¡¯s face said it all. The place was disgusting.


    ¡°Your room will be the one over there,¡± GM said, pointing across the common area to a light brown door. He led them over and opened it up. Inside was a barren room with a light carpeted floor. The lack of windows made it seem darker than it actually was, but at least it was drastically cleaner than the rest of the house. ¡°Looks like it needs light bulbs and such. We can order you a bed and some essentials through The Organization¡¯s funds so don''t worry about buying that stuff yourself. For tonight you can throw down some blankets on the floor or fight Sora over some space on the couch.


    ¡°Sora? That¡¯s the other member of the team right?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°Correct. It will be us three living here together. Where is she?¡± GM turned back to the living area. ¡°Sora! Where are you?¡± He waited a moment, but there was no response.


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s not here right now,¡± said MC.


    ¡°Oh she¡¯s definitely here somewhere. It¡¯d be a miracle if she ever left the house. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll pop up eventually. She¡¯s kinda moody. Anyway, make yourself at home. I¡¯ve got a roast going in the slow cooker. Should be about ready. I¡¯ll serve you up a plate soon as it¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± said MC as he set his bags down in his new room. He took a moment to grasp the state of his new living situation. The house was a mess. There was a slight smell to the entire place that he couldn¡¯t quite pin. It could have been the mound of dishes or the overflowing garbage can. Perhaps a combination of both. Despite the immediate drawbacks, it was a free roof over his head and GM seemed nice enough. Having The Organization pay for necessities was another plus.


    Despite all of the perks, he felt that he was going sideways instead of forward with his life. He only wanted to eliminate Jin and clear out that dark cloud looming over his head. He didn''t care about the free housing and paychecks. He just wanted to be alright in the head. He didn¡¯t want his late night thoughts to throw him into a panic. He wanted his mother and father. He wanted everything to just be ok.


    Deciding that this was at least not a step in the wrong direction, he went out to the living room and stepped down into the area with the couch. He tossed some clothes aside to clear a spot and plopped down.


    Movement stirred under a pile of blankets right next to him. ¡°Huh what¡¯s that? GM do you have a dog or something?¡± Out from the heaping pile of blankets emerged a girl with long brown hair going every which way. Long bangs hung down over her eyes. She pushed her hair aside and rubbed her eyes with the sleeve of her sweatshirt that had some sort of blue hair haired anime girl on it. Then she looked up and finally noticed MC. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Gyah! Who the hell are you?¡± she shrieked, pulling the blanket over her head and scooting back a few feet.


    ¡°Oh there she is,¡± said GM from the kitchen area. ¡°MC, this is Sora.¡±


    ¡°Oh. So you¡¯re the other team member that lives here?¡± MC asked. There was no response from under the blankets.


    ¡°Sora, don''t be rude to our new housemate. Speak up.¡±


    ¡°You woke me up!¡± she yelled, bursting out from her cave of quilts.


    MC scooted back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn''t mean to.¡±


    ¡°Oh boy, here we go,¡± said GM, rolling his eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t it about time you got up for the day anyway? It¡¯s almost seven.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it? I¡¯ve only slept ten hours then. I need another two or three.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re way too lazy. Get up and come have dinner with us. I¡¯m dishing you guys up right now.¡±


    A surprisingly pleasant scent had begun to fill the house as GM spooned meat and vegetables onto three plates.


    ¡°Alright fine,¡± said Sora. ¡°Only because there¡¯s food. I¡¯m starving.¡± She stood up and made her way to the refrigerator shooting MC a glare. She opened the refrigerator door and grabbed an energy drink out. Her fingers cracked open the can and she started chugging it, then went and sat at the dinner table. She yawned and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and waited for food.


    MC got up from the couch and sat across from her at the table. It was dirty and cluttered with papers and trash, but there was still plenty of room to eat. MC and Sora sat in an awkward silence both avoiding eye contact with each other until GM brought three steaming plates of food over to the table. He took his seat and cracked a tall beer can open.


    ¡°Gotta make sure we treat our new recruit to a proper meal his first night at the clubhouse, right?¡± said GM.


    The food looked delicious. It was a nice balance of meat and assorted vegetable chunks. ¡°Thanks, GM,¡± he said, before taking a bite and then another. It tasted even better than it smelled. He looked over and noticed GM seemed to have hardly touched his plate yet. He had a preoccupied look in his eyes.


    ¡°I can''t believe the changes they¡¯re making around The Organization. I¡¯m glad for the pay increase, but it¡¯s impossible to keep up with the missions Gil wants us to do while checking in on our regular duties. For starters, the restaurants pay us good money to provide protection from hooligans and such and we¡¯re hardly ever there except to collect pay from em,¡± said GM.


    ¡°You worry too much,¡± said Sora. ¡°Who cares if the restaurants get mad? I think Gil should start sending some of those freelance guys on more missions instead of us. The Vampire and some of those weirdos just get to do whatever they want to do.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only fair. They¡¯ve always been there when we needed them and they continue to support The Organization. It¡¯s not like Gil can exactly tell those guys what to do anyway, they don''t work like that.¡±


    Sora stuffed bites into her mouth, dodging the vegetables. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right about that. Stupid Gil making everyone work more. Hmph.¡±


    MC didn''t understand much about what they were talking about, but he was interested in the passion of the discussion.


    ¡°On the other hand, I heard a few of our newer members barely got away from the detectives the other day,¡± said GM. ¡°They probably got put on a mission that was more than they could handle. Some of those detectives are actually pretty powerful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you haven''t caught their attention by now, GM. You¡¯re way too sloppy.¡±


    ¡°I do better than most!¡±


    ¡°If you say so,¡± she said, rolling her eyes. She got up leaving a plate of vegetables behind and went over to the TV. She turned on a game console and started playing away.


    ¡°Twenty-six years old and still not eating her vegetables,¡± said GM with a sigh before looking up at MC. ¡°She¡¯s a bit standoffish, but she¡¯ll come around eventually¡­ I hope. Anyway, tomorrow we¡¯re going to get started on training for you. Let¡¯s get up bright and early and head for the training grounds. Should be in for some nice weather like we¡¯ve been having.¡±


    ¡°Ok, I can''t wait to get started.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re tired. Let¡¯s get you set up for bed.¡± GM grabbed a fresh pile of blankets out of a closet and handed them to MC. He decided that he wanted to keep a distance from Sora so he chose to sleep on the soft carpeted floor of his new room for the night. With one blanket underneath him for a little extra padding and one blanket above him, he drifted off to an early sleep.

 Training

    MC had been awake for almost an hour. He sat on the couch in the living room waiting for GM. I guess we never agreed on a specific time, but I figured he¡¯d be up by now. Another hour passed and finally MC went to check on GM. He strolled up to his room and knocked.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± GM said from inside.


    ¡°It''s MC. I¡¯m sorry if I woke you, but I thought we were going to start training today.¡±


    ¡°Oh, are you ready already? I¡¯ll be out in a minute.¡± Half an hour went by before GM emerged from his room. ¡°Ok, kid let¡¯s get going. We¡¯re going to head to the training grounds.¡±


    MC was a little annoyed at how long he¡¯d already waited, but was willing to go along with his new trainer¡¯s schedule. GM grabbed his keys off the hook next to the front door and stepped outside. ¡°Holy sheep shit, that¡¯s bright,¡± he said, shielding his eyes with his hand.


    They loaded into the car where GM promptly put on a pair of sunglasses. ¡°Much better.¡±


    GM drove them across the city and finally a little ways into the outskirts to an old junkyard. He stopped the car outside a tall rusting metal gate, unlocked it, and then drove the car through. There were piles of metal scraps of all shapes and sizes along with several deep holes. Some of the holes were as big as Olympic sized swimming pools. They were filled with old cars, dishwashers, and just about any other metal scraps you could think of. The piles seemed to go on for miles. A ways ahead he saw what looked like an old warehouse or some sort of large shack. It was leaning to the side quite a bit and one of the support beams was split in half. It seemed like at one time someone might have lived there to serve as security for the junkyard or something along those lines. ¡°Where are we?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°We¡¯re here. The training grounds,¡± said GM. MC looked around to see large cranes, dump trucks, and scrap piles the size of small buildings.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like any training grounds I¡¯ve ever seen. Let¡¯s not waste any more time though. Can we get started?¡± he eagerly asked. MC bent over and began stretching his legs.


    ¡°There¡¯s that go getter attitude!¡± said GM. ¡°Now grab that ladder behind you and climb down into that hole with the washing machines. We¡¯ll start there.¡±


    MC picked up a ladder and extended it to climb into the deep hole. Even fully extended to about thirty feet, the ladder barely touched the bottom of the hole. MC carefully climbed down into the pit.


    ¡°Go get a look around. We¡¯ll start in a few minutes. I want you to familiarize yourself with what all is down there.¡±


    MC did as he was told. He walked around and checked out different pieces of old and rusted metal. It was all in stacks or piles with trails going in between. The ground was terribly dry causing a light layer of dust to collect on everything down there.


    ¡°Ok now come on up out of there¡± shouted GM.


    ¡°Sure, but why did you have me come down here just to get back out?¡± asked MC, but as soon as he turned around he found the answer. GM had pulled the ladder up out of the hole. ¡°Hey! What¡¯s the big idea here?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°Go ahead and come on up here. You¡¯ve got plenty of materials to make your way up. Just stack up all of those washing machines or car frames. Lunch is waiting for you when you make it back up,¡± said GM while displaying a submarine sandwich.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me,¡± said MC.


    ¡°You didn''t think this was going to be easy did you?¡±


    Crazy old bastard always has some sort of kooky agenda of his own. I guess he is right. In a way this will give me an opportunity to build my strength. All I need to do is move the metal scraps into a pile until it¡¯s tall enough to climb up. Couldn¡¯t he have just taken me to the gym though?


    MC turned and assessed the materials before him. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll start with this car frame. It will give me a decent amount of height.¡± He grabbed on with both hands and gave a pull with all his strength. It only slid a few inches. ¡°This is going to take a while.¡±


    The morning sun intensified and shifted in the sky. By the time it was directly overhead MC reached his hand up out of the large hole and grabbed the edge while balancing carefully on a rigorously crafted pile of scraps. He struggled and pulled himself up out of the hole. GM greeted him, ¡°Hey MC! You made it! It only took you about five hours. You¡¯re actually earlier than expected. You¡¯ve got some serious drive.¡± GM walked to the edge of the hole and looked at the large pile of metal stacked against the wall. It was a combination of washing machines, car parts, televisions, and just about anything else you could imagine.


    ¡°So what exactly was the point of that?¡± asked MC, wiping the sweat off his brow.


    ¡°Oh come on MC I know you¡¯re smarter than that. Just some good old fashioned strength building. I like to make training fun ya know. None of that traditional iron pumping and push-ups crap,¡± said GM with a smirk. ¡°Plus, you¡¯re too naive. It taught you to always watch your back. You should have seen your face when you saw the ladder was missing,¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°Yeah, that sure was fun,¡± said MC with an eye roll. ¡°I figured it was something like that.¡±


    GM tossed MC the sandwich he displayed earlier. ¡°Here have a seat and eat. You¡¯ve earned it.¡± He pointed to a couple of lawn chairs that he¡¯d set up.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    MC sat down and ate while observing several cans of beer and a magazines sitting next to GM on the ground.


    After they finished lunch, GM announced that they were going to start the next part of his training. ¡°Alright MC, next we¡¯re going to do a little cardio.¡±


    ¡°Oh boy, I can¡¯t wait to hear about your methods for this one,¡± said MC.


    ¡°So you may have noticed that there¡¯s a ten-foot fence around the entirety of the junkyar¡­ I mean training grounds,¡± said GM.


    ¡°Yes, and what of it? It¡¯s probably meant to keep people from coming in and stealing things, right?¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s where you¡¯re half correct. It¡¯s to prevent theft of course but the other part is to prevent those vicious dogs from getting out,¡± said GM.


    MC looked at him with a confused expression. ¡°What dogs?¡± He spun in a circle looking around.


    GM put his fingers to his lips and whistled loudly. The hairs on MC¡¯s neck stood up as he heard the sound of savage barking and feet patting against the ground at an alarming rate. Three dogs appeared in the distance running at full speed. They skidded in the dirt as they rounded a corner of scrap metal and headed straight toward GM and MC.


    ¡°You better start running kid,¡± said GM.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± yelled MC. He turned and began to run as fast as he could. The dogs sprinted past GM and focused solely on MC. ¡°This is insane!¡± MC yelled as he continued to run.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re off to a great start. I¡¯ll leave you guys alone for a while,¡± shouted GM. He then sat down in the lawn chair, leaned back, and covered his face with a magazine.


    The sky started to turn pink and orange as the sun set. GM stirred in his chair and took the magazine off of his face. He rubbed his eyes and looked around. I must have been out for a while. ¡°Hey MC! Where you at?¡± he called out. There was no response. ¡°Huh, where did those damn dogs get off to?¡± He put his fingers to his lips and whistled. Not long after, the dogs appeared in the distance running towards him. When they were close enough, he gave a hand motion with his palms facing down and the three dogs stopped and sat in front of him. ¡°Ok MC it¡¯s safe to come out now,¡± GM yelled. A few minutes later MC started walking slowly towards GM in the distance. His clothes were shredded. The dogs looked back at MC and growled, but GM hushed them. ¡°How was your first day of training?¡±


    MC didn¡¯t even have the energy left to speak. He collapsed to the ground from pure exhaustion.


    This style of training continued the next day and the day after that. At first he was sore beyond belief but he slowly got used to it and became stronger and faster as time went on. He began to fall for less of GM¡¯s tricks and learned to deal with the intense conditions. GM watched the progression of his new team member with happiness and remembered his own training days alongside MC¡¯s father.


    They¡¯d just finished training for the day and the sun was setting at the junkyard. MC wished they''d been able to get an earlier start, but like most days GM hadn''t woken up until the early afternoon. It had been six months now and a new and improved MC stood in front of GM. His muscles were harder and his hair was longer. He¡¯d hardly done anything besides training and sleeping all that time. There seemed to be a certain maturity about him as well as if he carried his posture differently.


    GM walked up and put his hand on MC¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve put in a lot of hard work to be where you are today. How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°I feel tired. I feel like I got hit by a train.¡±


    ¡°Perfect! I¡¯d be shocked if you felt any other way.¡±


    ¡°You know, GM, at first I really wondered if I¡¯d made the right decision joining The Organization, but I think now I can see that this is the only way I¡¯ll become strong enough to get my revenge.¡± MC clenched his fists. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since my father was murdered. I miss him all the time. He¡¯s my motivation to keep going, to get through the challenges.¡± MC¡¯s hands began to shake. His gaze focused down at his feet. ¡°You see, there¡¯s a part of me that isn¡¯t quite right and it won''t be until I get my revenge. I have to kill that man. He killed my father and left my mother in a shattered state. I¡¯m not giving up until I get my revenge.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re pretty determined, but you¡¯ve still got a ways to go. Come on, hop in the car. I''ve got some more things to tell you about tonight.¡±


    They left the junkyard and picked up some burgers on the way home. MC was so hungry after his training that he scarfed his food down in seconds. It was quiet most of the way home aside from the car radio spewing nothing but bad news. Nothing new to the chaos that was Strongzinburg city.


    They got home to the clubhouse and sat at the table. Sora was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Go ahead and wash up, then we¡¯ll talk,¡± said GM.


    A little while later, MC came out to the dining room table and sat with GM. He continued to dry his hair with a towel.


    ¡°So GM, what was it that you wanted to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with a question rather than an answer. How do you feel after your training today?¡±


    ¡°Like I said earlier, I¡¯m exhausted. Probably dehydrated too. I managed to stay clear of the dogs for the most part, but they did a number on my clothes. I¡¯ve never ran so much in my life. My hands aren¡¯t even covered in blisters anymore, but they still occasionally get scraped up. They¡¯ve calloused and hardened up.¡± MC looked down and examined his hands. He¡¯d covered them with bandages and ointment after showering. They were trembling slightly as he attempted to make a fist.


    ¡°Do you think you could keep up with training like this?¡± asked GM.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to. Right?¡±


    ¡±Right. But I just want to make sure you understand that things will only get harder from here on out. Not just the training either.¡±


    ¡±What do you mean?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°Did you hear that story on the radio while we were coming home from the training grounds today?¡±


    ¡±Yeah, it was some story about people dying and others losing money. This and that.¡±


    ¡°One of the people they mentioned dying was a member of The Organization. They were killed by a Black Diamond member. The kind of people you''re wanting to go up against. Not just anybody can waltz up and take out Black Diamonds and members of The Organization. They¡¯re trained to fight.  They¡¯re strong. There¡¯s a reason why The Organization and The Black Diamond are such powerful forces in the city.¡±


    GM was more serious than usual as he spoke. MC leaned in and listened intently.


    ¡°These people who are team leaders and higher ups aren¡¯t normal people. They¡¯re people who have trained for years or decades to obtain the power they have. People who can virtually dodge bullets. People who can sprint as fast as Olympic gold medalists. People who have unimaginable murderous intent. A lot of those hit men that you were researching are members of one of the two groups. So, now ask yourself this: do you really want to try and go up against someone like that?¡±


    MC¡¯s reply didn''t skip a beat. ¡°Yes, I''m sure of it. I¡¯m going to kill Jin and take down the entire Black Diamond if I have to. Now I¡¯ve just got to complete my training and become one of those people capable of terrible things. Not to cause chaos in the city and terrorize civilians, but for my own goal.¡±

 Collection Agency

    ¡°Come on MC let¡¯s get going,¡± said GM gettin up off the couch.


    ¡°Huh? Where are we going? It¡¯s rare to see you so fired up before noon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s collection day. We¡¯re going to go collect. You didn¡¯t think your paychecks came out of thin air did you?¡±


    ¡°I guess not,¡± he mumbled as he realized he¡¯d never really given it much thought.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to head downtown. Got a few collections to make,¡± said GM as they got into the car. He pulled a pistol out of the glove box and stuffed it into his coat pocket. ¡°You never know when something could get out of hand.¡±


    ¡°Uh, right,¡± MC said, suddenly feeling a little uneasy.


    ¡°Collection usually goes pretty smooth,¡± said GM. ¡°Sometimes you gotta rough ¡®em up a bit, but they always pay one way or another if you know what I mean.¡± They buckled up and sped off down the road.


    ¡°Our first stop will be the convenience store on nineteenth avenue. A couple of old folks run that place. They pay us to have an Organization member there twenty-four seven. We offer a cheaper rate than the local security companies and the security guards always get unlimited free icees. It¡¯s a great job actually. A win-win type of situation.¡±


    After a short drive they arrived at the convenience store. GM walked in first and MC followed. Next to the door stood a man that wore dark sunglasses and had his arms crossed. He was tall and had wide shoulders.


    ¡°Hey, Reggie. How you doing today?¡±


    ¡°Hey GM. Not too bad,¡± Reggie said with a smile. ¡°Is it collection day already?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You got that right.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s the new guy you got with you?¡± Reggie asked as he motioned to MC.


    ¡°This is MC. He¡¯s the new member of our team. He¡¯s still a little green so I¡¯m taking him along on the collection route today.¡±


    ¡°Good luck, new guy,¡± said Reggie with a chuckle. He picked up a blue icee from the table next to him and slurped it through a straw.


    MC walked up to the counter where an elderly woman sat on a stool. ¡°Hey, Muriel. You got the money ready for this month?¡±


    ¡°As a matter of fact, I do.¡± She reached down and opened a drawer. Inside was an orange envelope. She handed it to GM. He opened it and quickly counted the money.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s all there. Thanks, as always! I hope Reggie has been earning his paychecks.¡±


    ¡°He sure has. Without him, this place would be robbed blind. He always spots people stuffing candy bars up their sleeves. Mostly those damn teenagers. It¡¯s been ages since we had any sort of major incident. Before we had him here, people waltzed in here and threatened us the time. All for some measly change from the register.¡± Muriel sighed and formed a stern expression. ¡°Now that we have security, anyone who walks in here with the thought to try anything simply turns around and walks out. They don¡¯t want to deal with a trained member of The Organization. If they mess with him they mess with the whole lot of you, right?¡±


    ¡°You got that right!¡± said GM. ¡°If someone came in and threatened or harmed our security guard here, we¡¯d send a whole squad out looking for those suckers.¡±


    ¡°As it should be,¡± said Muriel.


    ¡°Thanks again for the payment. We¡¯ll see you next month.¡± He turned and walked out of the store with MC following close behind.


    ¡°You see, kid. Lots of folks get the wrong idea when they think about us, but here we are helping a little old lady run her business. The city has gone too rotten to just have a regular store run a regular business and that¡¯s where we come in to help out. Everybody eats.¡±


    MC was beginning to understand some of the workings of The Organization as they went to several different businesses and collected money. They provided services and worked with an extremely diverse population of businesses. There were every day people meshed into the operations of the city that were all held together by The Organization so much so that they were an essential part of the community''s economy. They went everywhere from gas stations and restaurants to luxurious office buildings. After each stop they went to the nearest ATM and deposited the money. GM insisted that it was safer that way. He was right too. It wasn¡¯t a good idea to walk around with a pocket full of cash. It just gave people a reason to target you.


    As GM drove them around from stop to stop he explained some of the inner workings of the two opposing groups. ¡°One big difference between The Organization and The Black Diamond is that three people are in charge of running The Black Diamond. Jin is one of them. The other two are the Sakamoto brothers. They¡¯re virtually inseparable twins. The sole purpose of the higher-ups is to continue on with the legacy of The Black Diamond. I used to see them around once in a while, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve been on a regular mission in public for years. In fact, some people these days don¡¯t even know they exist. Most of the attention gets put on Jin for being active as a member, but even then, he¡¯s been seen less and less as of recent.¡±


    ¡°If the twins are so strong, why don''t they go on missions? Surely it would mean a guaranteed completed mission each time.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re far too caught up in running The Black Diamond to have time for missions. Well, a mix of that and sitting back and enjoying their riches.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you could take one of the higher-ups in a fight?¡± asked MC.


    GM put his hand to his chin and thought for a second. ¡°Hmmm. I¡¯m not so sure. Currently, if it was one-on-one, I¡¯d likely lose that battle. Against both of the twins I¡¯d surely lose and I know Jin¡¯s too strong for me to take on alone.¡±


    ¡°So I know a little about Jin, but what are the Sakamoto twins like?¡±


    ¡°The elder twin is named Shiro and the younger one is named Kuro. They¡¯re both a few years younger than I am. I heard their dad was some kind of big Yakuza boss in Japan and he came to Strongzinburg City to start his own group. This was the beginning of the Black Diamond. Eventually, he died of some sort of medical condition and left his leader position to the twins. That was around eight or nine years ago.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I never thought you¡¯d actually know so much about this.¡±


    ¡°You stick with the game this long and you learn a thing or two. Those higher-ups are bad news too. Sure if you join a group like this you expect a certain lifestyle for yourself, but it shouldn''t directly cause civilians any harm. They¡¯re just trying to live ordinary lives. Gil does a really good job of ensuring that civilians aren¡¯t getting mixed up in our business, but The Black Diamond is different. They recruit more people with less morals. They teach them to kill without reason. Those higher-ups don¡¯t give any care to anyone else but themselves. Their greed for money and power is too strong. They might even destroy the entire city underneath themselves just to get what they want. Gil sees The Organization as a business. He knows you can¡¯t run a business without customers and a product to sell or a service to provide.¡±


    ¡°Gil really goes through all that trouble just to help offset some of what the Black Diamond does?¡±


    ¡°Yep. Gil actually cares for the city. He¡¯s like an underground mayor or something like that,¡± GM said with a chuckle. ¡°The Organization actually developed in response to the creation of the Black Diamond.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± asked MC, with more than a bit of curiosity in his voice.


    ¡°When the elder Sakamoto created the Black Diamond it was total chaos in the city. Their group ran rampant doing whatever they wanted. They were just small enough for the city not to declare them a major threat, but also just large enough for people to look over their shoulder when going out alone after dark. That¡¯s when the original leader of The Organization decided to create an opposing group to offset what they were doing. He hired security like we saw back at the convenience store. He also organized teams to go out at night and fight against the Black Diamond. This didn¡¯t come cheap though. Paying people to go out and street fight was far from free. It was funded by a few local politicians who recognized how much damage the Black Diamond was doing. If they were able to secure high ranking political positions there¡¯d be nothing for them to be part of if the Black Diamond kept up what it was doing. Eventually they all either left the city or secured their wanted positions and forgot about The Organization. That¡¯s when our leader was forced to turn to some of the less ideal ways of paying and maintaining the business. Underground casinos, drug dealing, goods smuggling, stock manipulation, you name it. But even still, we try to do only what we have to. The less negative influence it has on the city the better.¡±


    The rest of their ride was quiet as GM chain smoked cigarettes and sped down the road. ¡°This next one should be the last stop on the list for today. This place is a restaurant that The Organization uses as a trade route for certain items. It¡¯s right on the edge of friendly territory. Just a block down from where the Black Diamond trade routes start. Just so you know, there has been increasing tension in that area lately. Shadows seem to move around in the back alleys if you catch my drift.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it will go as smoothly as the other collections?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°If all goes well, then yes. It¡¯s been a month since I¡¯ve been over here and a lot can change in that amount of time. I¡¯m a little worried about this place to be honest.¡±


    A few minutes later they were parked and exiting the car. GM walked up to a restaurant decorated with bright red Chinese dragon statues and opened the door. Inside people sat all around and ate. Small talk and quiet music created a friendly atmosphere. MC noticed the delightful smells of different foods. GM walked up to the ordering counter and asked to speak with the manager. A waitress went into the back of the restaurant and came back out with the manager trailing behind. He wore business slacks and a polo shirt that hung around the edges of his thin neck. Sweat ran down from his short dark hair. ¡°GM, it is so nice to see you,¡± said the manager nervously with a thick asian accent. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Are you doing ok? You look a bit pale,¡± said GM. ¡°Uh, yes. I am doing fine. I would like to have a word with you in the back if that¡¯s ok?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing. I hope you don''t mind if my associate comes along.¡±


    ¡°Please, all are welcome,¡± he said with a nod.


    The three went into the back of the restaurant and walked through the kitchen where several people cooked amazing smelling foods. The manager opened a door to a small office room. It was messy and cramped. A small desk was coated with a lamp, piles of papers in folders, and a laptop. It was rather dark in the room as well. A much different atmosphere than the rest of the restaurant had provided. The man sat in a chair behind the desk and put his face in his hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you have some bad news for me,¡± said GM.


    ¡°I am sorry, GM. I have been threatened.¡± The manager spoke with nervousness in his eyes. ¡°The Black Diamond people came in threatening to hurt me and the business if I didn''t cooperate. They took all of the money. You have always been good to us. We have run a steady deal for years now, but these people are trying to come in here and take everything away from me. I know we do bad things, keeping and selling suspicious items here, but this is something that we never expected.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what¡¯s going on. See, MC I told you that something like this might happen eventually. What a pain,¡± said GM with a sigh. MC wasn¡¯t sure what to say so he just remained silent.


    ¡°You care if I smoke in here?¡± GM asked, pulling out a pack of smokes.


    ¡°Good idea,¡± said the manager pulling out his own pack of cigarettes from the desk drawer. Smoke quickly hotboxed the small office.


    GM crossed his arms. ¡°So, when are these Black Diamond guys coming back?¡±


    ¡°They come almost every day just after we close and knock on the back door. They said if we don''t pay them every day they will break the door down and destroy our kitchen!¡±


    ¡°Perfect, I was getting a bit bored lately. I could go for a good ass kicking today. It¡¯s time to put your training to the test, MC.¡±


    MC felt a pit in his stomach. He¡¯d never been in a real fight before. He¡¯d been working out and training a lot which had whipped him into the best shape of his life, but still there was a difference between being strong and being able to apply that strength to a fight.


    The manager escorted GM and MC back to the main part of the restaurant and provided them both with heaping plates of food. They hung out and waited until closing time at the restaurant.


    All of the patrons, servers, and cooks had gone home. Only the manager, MC, and GM remained.


    Not long after, there was a knock on the back door.


    ¡°That¡¯s them!¡± said the manager, already beginning to panic.


    ¡°Don''t worry, we¡¯re going to take care of them. You just wait here. Let¡¯s go, MC.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    GM opened the back door. Three rough looking thugs stood before him.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± one of them asked with confusion on his face.


    ¡°Good evening, gentlemen,¡± replied GM. ¡°I¡¯m GM. Who might you be?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the motha fuckin Black Diamond, bitch,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°Where¡¯s the manager? I need to talk to him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the manager is too busy to deal with the likes of you. You see, he¡¯d told us that the Black Diamond has been coming here and taking his money. Money that belongs to The Organization. But what I¡¯m now realizing is that you¡¯re not Black Diamond. You don''t even have the stupid diamond tattoo that they all have.¡±


    ¡°What of it? You think you know everything, gramps?¡± His two buddies chuckled behind him.


    ¡°You see, my associate and I are members of The Organization and we¡¯re here today to ask you to stop taking our money. If you¡¯re willing to cooperate, by leaving this poor establishment alone, we¡¯ll call it even. Just don''t ever come back here again.¡±


    ¡°Hell, nah. I¡¯m not listening to some old¡­¡±


    GM punched the thug square in the face so fast that MC could barely tell  he¡¯d moved. The thug stumbled back and fell on his butt in the middle of the alley. His two buddies backed up a bit. GM and MC stepped out into the alley and shut the door behind them.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. You¡¯re a dead man!¡± Yelled the thug, getting up with an already swelling eye.¡±


    ¡°Have it your way,¡± said GM, taking his coat off and dropping it onto the ground. ¡°MC you handle the guy on the left. I¡¯ll take mister big mouth and the one on the right.¡±


    They split off into the alley. MC wiped his sweaty hands on his pants. Sounds of beating came from behind him where GM was already unleashing a great pounding on those two. The Black Diamond member didn''t seem nervous at all. He had a slight grin like he¡¯d been hoping for a fight like this. MC spread his foot stance and prepared to fight. The thug made the first move. He closed the gap between them with a lunge and punched MC in the stomach. MC hunched over gasping for air just to meet a knee to the face. He backed up holding his stomach. The pain was more severe than he¡¯d imagined. I can¡¯t do this. There¡¯s no way I can beat him.


    ¡°Is that really all you¡¯re good for, not even worth calling you a punching bag,¡± said the thug.


    He¡¯s right. I can''t actually fight someone. I¡¯ll just hold out until GM finishes with those two and comes to help me.


    The thug came in again. MC ducked down and covered his face and stomach the best he could with his fists up. He was at least going to take on a defensive posture if he was going to hold out. He blocked a punch and then another. His feet slid back on the crumbling pavement.


    ¡°GM, a little help here!¡± He yelled, but GM was too enthralled in beating the pulp out of the other two. ¡°This is your chance to shine! Show me all that training you¡¯ve been doing hasn¡¯t been a waste!¡± he yelled over his shoulder.


    I guess I have no choice. I¡¯m going to have to step up. He¡¯s right after all, if I plan on taking out Jin, I¡¯m going to have to face this and get a lot stronger. The thug came for MC again. MC threw a punch. They both collided, hitting each other in the face at the same time. They both staggered back and caught their balance. I did it. I landed a punch! Pain overwhelmed him and his eyes watered.


    The Black Diamond thug quickly recovered despite now having a crooked nose that was starting to leak blood. ¡°You¡¯re gonna pay for that,¡± he growled.


    MC took a deep breath and gained his fighting stance back. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± MC waited until an attack came at him. It was a right hook. He shifted his weight and put his left arm up to parry the attack and then unleashed an uppercut under his enemy¡¯s chin, but he completely missed. His opponent quickly took charge of the fight again with a flurry of punches. MC had no choice but to start backing away while trying his best to block the attacks. He stumbled back and fell over onto the ground. The Black Diamond member jumped onto him and kept the punches coming. MC felt more pain with each blow. He put his arms up to protect himself, but it didn''t do much good.


    GM had just finished his fight. One of his targets was groaning on the ground and he had the other one in his hands. He held him by the seat of his jeans and the back of his shirt and tossed him down the alley like a bag of potatoes. He skidded and rolled on the hard concrete. GM hurried over to MC and grabbed the enemy off of him. He executed a quick punch to the jaw, knocking him out instantly.


    MC laid on the ground trying not to succumb to the pain. It was worse than he imagined it would be.


    ¡°Alright you wannabe Black Diamond wimps, get up off the ground and get the hell out of here,¡± said GM. ¡°If you¡¯re ever caught on our block again you¡¯ll get a beating twice as bad.¡±


    The three thugs slowly got up and started running away down the alley. Once they were out of sight MC finally felt like he could relax a little. His body hurt like it never had before. It was sharp throbbing pain. Not something he was used to. He looked up at GM. There wasn''t a scratch on him. Amazing.


    ¡°Looks like we did it, kid,¡± said GM. ¡°The training you¡¯ve been doing really has paid off. When you first moved into the clubhouse you never would have been able to take one of those guys.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± said MC sitting up and wiping the blood off his lip. ¡°That guy totally clobbered me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but you landed a solid punch on him. Stronger than the average person that¡¯s for sure. I saw it out of the corner of my eye. He was half finished when I got to him.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go let the manager know those guys won''t be bothering him anymore and then we¡¯ll get you home and patched up.¡±


    They went inside and explained to the manager that they had taught those lowly thugs a lesson. The manager was so happy he was almost in tears. He must have been concerned about this for days. ¡°Thank you, GM. You have always been good to us. We might do some bad things, but without The Organization and the ability to do this, our restaurant wouldn''t be able to make enough money to feed our families.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Rest easy, friend. I¡¯ll see you again next month. If anything happens this month just call me. I¡¯ll come right on down and settle things. Those wannabe Black Diamond punks shouldn¡¯t be back.


    ¡°Thank you thank you!¡± said the manager with his hands pressed together.


    MC and GM walked in the door to the clubhouse. MC¡¯s bottom lip had swollen to several times the size it should have been despite keeping a bag of ice on it that the manager had given him on the way out of the restaurant. The skin around both of his eyes was already starting to bruise too.


    ¡°Geez, MC what happened to you?¡± asked Sora.


    ¡°MC got in his first fight is what happened! And he almost won too!¡± announced GM.


    MC shrugged and nodded, ¡°Almost winning isn¡¯t much to brag about, but I guess it went better than it could have.¡±


    ¡°You can celebrate later. Let¡¯s get you some more ice. Looks like that bag is mostly melted,¡± said Sora.


    ¡°You guys have fun. I¡¯m going out,¡± said GM.


    ¡°Already?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°Yep, we had a long day. I¡¯m ready for a drink¡­ or three.¡± GM opened the front door. ¡°Good work out there today,¡± he said before leaving.


    MC went and sat on the couch with his head back. Sora brought him a fresh bag of ice and sat with him.


    ¡°So how do you feel?¡± she asked.


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°About today.¡±


    ¡°I feel pain. Today was mostly a failure on my part. I still need to get stronger. More experienced. However, today was one small step closer to being strong enough to get my revenge. I only took on one person while GM took on two by himself. He¡¯s still much stronger than me. I need to be even more powerful than him if I¡¯m going to be able to complete my revenge. Makes me wish I took karate lessons or boxing when I was younger. It¡¯s been so hard starting from scratch, having never been in a real fight or anything like that before.¡±


    ¡°The fact that you made it out alive definitely shows something. It may not have been the victory you were hoping for, but it seems like it¡¯s a step towards the way you want to go.¡±


    Sora went back to her video games that she¡¯d been playing when they¡¯d returned home and MC just laid down on the couch too tired to move much. He drifted off to the noise of a blaring fighting game. In contrast to the day, it was a peaceful, relaxing evening.

 MC and GM Report to Gil

    The day after the team was sent on the monthly collection mission, GM and MC went to meet with Gil at The Organization headquarters. The Organization headquarters building was a decent way across town from their clubhouse to a part of town he hadn''t been to since his return to Stronginzburg City. MC took in the sights of the buildings and recalled his childhood among them. He noticed that the buildings, while seeming to almost touch the clouds above, still seemed smaller now than the way he remembered them from his childhood.


    GM drove as usual. The car made a sharp turn into a parking garage and went up three stories before finding an open spot. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe that all this parking is all for The Organization,¡± said MC.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re actually a pretty large business,¡± said GM as he got out of the car.


    Signs led MC and GM through the parking garage and to a sky bridge that connected the parking garage to the building. MC looked over the railing as he walked and observed the streets below. Busy traffic and the hustle and bustle of people shuffling around creating an almost dizzying site.


    At last they came to a door to enter the building on the third floor. GM placed his hand on a screen beside the door. A red light scanned his palm from top to bottom and then lit up green. The door unlocked with a subtle clicking sound. They walked into the building which seemed like it could belong to any regular business in the city. The hallway in front of them went straight for a few hundred feet before turning out of sight. The floors were decorated with a thin blue carpet. ¡°Let¡¯s get in an elevator. The bossman is on the top floor,¡± said GM.


    As they walked down the hallway MC observed several rooms to either side. Most were empty, but a few were filled with groups of people in business suits sitting around tables and showing powerpoints.


    ¡°This place really is a business isn''t it?¡±


    ¡°Of course. On a plain basis what we do is business,¡± said GM as he continued guiding them towards the elevators in the distance.


    ¡°Who were those people in suits in that last room?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°Not really sure. Most likely financial analysts or something. The Organization selects a few candidates from top colleges every year and offers them jobs. We¡¯re able to pay more than most other general business positions around the city so we actually have a pretty good team of business nerds.


    They approached the elevators and GM hit the button to open the doors. The elevator dinged and opened up. A huge hooded man in dirty black clothing straightened up from leaning against the back wall of the elevator and walked out past them. A jolt of a feeling hit MC as the man passed by. He had an aura about him, but it was more than just that. A weak but filthy scent wafted into MC¡¯s nose as the man passed. It was like a rotting animal. They entered the elevator and GM pressed the button for the top floor which was labeled with the number ¡®twenty-four¡¯ and the doors closed.


    ¡°Who was that guy?¡± asked MC, still noticing a hit of the man¡¯s lingering stench.


    ¡°Oh that guy we just passed? That was The Vampire. At least that¡¯s what everybody calls him.¡±


    ¡°That guy had something strange about him. Almost like the air around him felt cold when he walked by or something. It¡¯s hard to describe.¡±


    ¡°I know what you mean. He¡¯s been with The Organization for quite a while now. He got his nickname from the way he operates on his missions. Always seems to leave a bloody mess and you¡¯re lucky if he actually gets the mission done. I think at this point Gil is afraid to fire him to be honest. He¡¯s one freaky fucker. Probably best to steer clear of him.¡± MC took a mental note.


    After a short elevator ride they arrived at their destination on the top floor. The door opened to a small room where a receptionist sat at a desk. Her long blonde hair contrasted against her dark gray business suit. GM approached her and said ¡°Hello, I¡¯m here to meet with Gil.¡±


    ¡°Great to see you, GM,¡± the receptionist replied with a smile. ¡°Go on in.¡± She motioned to a door on her right. GM and MC walked through the door into a large square room. The floor was made of dark polished marble that met a red decorated carpet resting under a desk. Behind the desk sat a wall of large windows overlooking a portion of the city. The walls of the office were lined with filled bookshelves that were dimly illuminated by a standing lamp next to the desk. Gil sat facing the window, shrouded to GM and MC. Rain poured down the window causing an opaque like effect. The city glowed yellow and orange against the dark gray sky. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°Gil, you wanted to see me? I¡¯ve brought MC as requested.¡±


    Gil slowly turned around in his chair. The sides of his face hid behind shoulder length hair. His dark suit was flawless. The last wisps of smoke floated up into the room as he smashed the end of a cigar into a clear glass ashtray. ¡°It¡¯s great to see you, GM. Thanks for coming all the way out here. And MC too. Please sit.¡±


    MC noticed his surprisingly inviting voice and mannerisms.


    They sat down on red velvet chairs decorated with fancy carvings on dark maple. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve asked to see me in person, Gil,¡± said GM.


    ¡°That it has. It feels like yesterday when you and I were in the field together. I miss those days, you know. Sometimes I even consider getting out into the field to join you again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like that very much sir. I¡¯m sure you''re as keen and agile as ever,¡± GM joked. Gil emitted a laugh.


    ¡°Hey now, I may not be what I once was, but don¡¯t discount me as some sort of nursing home-bound geriatric,¡° Gil said with a smile. ¡°Anyway,¡± Gil turned and grabbed a tan folder off of a large stack and opened it in front of him. He opened it up and skimmed over its contents. ¡°What¡¯s this about a scuffle out back behind the chinese restaurant?¡±


    ¡°It seemed that some low-level thug group had been posing as the Black Diamond. They were pressuring the restaurant for money. We took care of what needed to be done,¡± said GM.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like there was much to it.¡±


    ¡°Correct. We were able to handle the situation with ease.¡±


    MC forced a smile. Speak for yourself. I got my ass beat.


    ¡°So, other than this, MC how are you doing? Is The Organization treating you well?¡±


    MC paused briefly before answering as if trying to choose his words carefully.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing quite well. I¡¯m appreciative of the hospitality that I have been offered as part of The Organization.¡±


    ¡°Splendid. I know you''re in good hands with GM. We¡¯re glad to have you as part of the team. Let me get a good look at you.¡± Gil got up and walked around the desk to inspect MC. He leaned in close to his face. His breath was hot and smelled of tobacco. His presence was overwhelming and MC felt the urge to look away. After the brief inspection Gil returned to his chair and turned to GM. He does remind you of him doesn''t he? William, I mean.¡± said Gil.


    ¡°Yes, quite a lot, sir.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just his appearance either is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s much more than that.¡± GM cleared his throat and changed the subject. ¡°Training is progressing smoothly. We are using similar methods to when I was in training for old time¡¯s sake,¡± said GM.


    Gil looked up from under his eyebrows, ¡°In that case I sure hope MC has had his tetanus shot. If I remember correctly there were junkyards and dogs involved.¡±


    ¡°Your memory serves you well.¡±


    MC winced at the thought of those junkyard dogs.


    ¡°Perfect. I¡¯ll leave GM to oversee your missions as he sees fit. I recommend taking a few days to rest and then getting moving again. Jin has been a thorn in our side for far too long. I have high hopes for you, MC. I believe it is your destiny to finally rid this city of that son of a bitch. If you need anything, don''t be afraid to ask. I¡¯d love to do anything to help you along your journey.


    GM sat in a recliner chair with his feet up while Sora layed on the couch in the living room of the clubhouse. GM¡¯s big toe stuck out a hole in his sock. The subtle clanking of metal weights being lifted and set down came from inside MC¡¯s room.


    ¡°Everything on tv these days is bullshit,¡± said GM.


    ¡°Then turn it off,¡± said Sora, not taking her eyes off her handheld game.


    GM grumbled and continued to watch the news. ¡°The media is blowing recent events out of proportion like they always do, telling people to lock their doors and stay out of the streets after dark. In a general sense they¡¯re right to do so, but it¡¯s not like the Black Diamond are going out of their way to target random people for no reason¡­ well maybe some of them are.¡±


    ¡°Who even cares, GM. God you¡¯re so annoying,¡± said Sora, adjusting the pillow under her head.


    ¡°I need a drink,¡± said GM. He got up and made for the fridge. To his dismay, they were out of alcohol.


    Just then, MC came out of his room heading toward the shower room. He was shirtless and covered in sweat.


    ¡°MC! Perfect timing. I need you to run to the store for me. We¡¯re out of beers.¡±


    ¡°What? No way. Go get it yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that this is part of your training.¡±


    ¡°Like hell it is. Go to the store yourself. I¡¯m going to shower,¡± MC said as he walked off.


    ¡°It was worth a shot,¡± said GM, closing the refrigerator door.

 Gms Day Off

    In a run down bar, GM stuffed another handful of peanuts into his mouth and bit down with a loud crunch. He waved the bartender over and ordered another tall glass of beer. ¡°Man, what a great day.¡± It¡¯s been too long since I did some good ol day drinking. All I¡¯m missing is a beautiful lady by my side,¡± he said to himself with a laugh.


    The tv above the bar blared news about local tragedies including several related to the Black Diamond. They mentioned Jin, showing a blurry photo of his face and saying to report any suspicious behavior or anyone that looked like him. The entire bar seemed to ignore the message of terror it was trying to send.


    A patron next to GM leaned in to start a conversation. He was a greasy man who sported a beanie cap and a long beard. One of his front teeth was missing and age showed prematurely on his face. ¡°Hey man, what do you think about those Black Diamonds? Been seeing them in the paper and hearing about them in the news more often lately.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, there seems to be more news about them every day. If you ask me, they¡¯re a bunch of weirdos,¡± said GM.


    ¡°Seems pretty scary. The streets of this city ain''t safe. Not that they¡¯ve been very safe for a while. You even hear things about The Organization. Those guys have always been up to no good too, but the Black Diamond is really dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Hey bartender, can you put some sports on or something. All this news is depressing the patrons.¡±


    The bartender nodded and flipped over to a baseball game.


    ¡±Now this is more like it,¡± he said with a chuckle. ¡°Good old fashioned entertainment.¡±


    GM¡¯s phone buzzed on the table in front of him. He wiped his hands on his pants and grabbed it. As his eyes scanned the message his smile faded with a long sigh.


    Well, I guess it was too good to be true. At least I got to enjoy part of the afternoon. Dammit, Gil, didn''t you know it was supposed to be my day off. GM stood up with a wobble and adorned his long tan overcoat that had been draped over the back of his chair before brushing peanut crumbs off his sweater.¡°So long, friend. Enjoy your afternoon. I¡¯ve got work to do,¡± he said as he tossed money onto the bar counter.


    ¡°Good luck,¡± said the bearded man with a small wave.


    GM stepped outside and gently slapped the sides of his face. ¡°Ok time to sober up.¡± Bright sunlight caused him to squint as he made his way to the car. He started the engine and gripped the wheel before noticing something very important. ¡°Wait a second, I¡¯m drunk as shit. I can¡¯t drive like this.¡± Faced with a decision of driving drunk or failing to go on the mission, his jumbled brain searched for a possibility and that was when he saw a bike perched up against the wall of the bar.


    Wind whipped through his hair and his coat flapped up behind him as he pedaled down the road. The bike was a wild horse under him. Each dip or crack on the ground was a hellacious obstacle. It wasn¡¯t long before he took a sharp corner going a little too fast and found himself flat on the ground in the middle of the road. ¡°Shit that hurt like a bitch!¡± he yelled, sitting up and holding his knee. A dribble of blood painted a small red spot in the middle of his pant leg. A car stopped and honked as GM was sprawled out blocking almost the entire lane. ¡°Fuck you! Go around!¡± he yelled, waving them by. They honked again and swerved around him, revving their engine. ¡°Ahh go to hell you stupid.¡±


    After a moment of recovering he peeled himself off the ground and mounted the bike again. ¡°Good thing I¡¯m drunk or this would hurt a lot more. I¡¯ll definitely be feeling that one tomorrow.¡±


    After an almost hour-long bike ride, he arrived at his destination. He parked the bike under an awning at The Organization-owned motel on block thirteen. It was the kind of place that ordinary folk would avoid after dark. The parking lot was lined with broken down cars missing hubcaps among deep cracks and potholes in the pavement. The building was a faded green that seemed like it was painted at the same time the stained curtains were bought.


    Sweat dripped off GM¡¯s chin onto the checkered tile floor as he walked into the lobby and went up to the front desk. A sleazy-looking man in a stained t-shirt was reading a magazine, completely ignoring GM. ¡°Hey!¡± shouted GM, giving the man a start. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    The man pushed his glasses into place on his nose and regained his composure. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you GM. Sorry about that,¡± he said with a sense of nervousness.


    ¡°What room?¡±


    ¡°Thanks for coming on such short notice. Normally our guy handles things like this, but he¡¯s out today and¡­¡±


    ¡°Room number,¡± said GM, sternly cutting the man off mid-sentence.


    ¡°Forty-eight.¡±


    GM turned and left the lobby. He took the elevator up to the fourth floor and made his way to room number forty-eight. He knocked loudly with his knuckles and waited. The door opened to reveal a woman in a lingerie nightgown. She was incredibly skinny and had dark bags under her eyes. ¡°Oh it¡¯s you, GM,¡± she said, instantly smiling. She jumped up and hugged him. ¡°How have you been, honey?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Been better. Nice to see you, Bonnie.¡±


    ¡°Oh honey, you need to come see me more often. All the girls have been talking about how much they miss you.¡±


    ¡°Is that GM?¡± came a woman¡¯s voice from inside the room. ¡°Oh it is!¡± she said, excitedly coming to the door. It was another skinny girl with bags under her eyes. This one had bleach-blond hair with about half an inch of roots showing. ¡°I can''t believe they called you in for this measly business. So good to see you.¡± She leaned in and hugged him.


    ¡°Great to see you too, Vee,¡± he said with a half smile.


    ¡°Well, come on in,¡± said Bonnie, stepping aside.


    GM entered the room. It was a small one-bed room with dark brown carpet and a thirty-two-inch flat-screen tv. Inside was a man and two other girls besides Bonnie and Vee. The door clicked shut as Bonnie closed it behind them.


    ¡°This guy owes me five hundred dollars,¡± one of the girls said.


    ¡°He said he ain''t gonna be able to pay until next week,¡± Vee chimed in.


    ¡°I see,¡± said GM calmly.


    He went up to the man who was sitting in a corner chair.


    ¡°Jimmy, you never learn, do you?¡± asked GM.


    Sweat ran down Jimmy¡¯s neck and passed several bruise marks before wetting the collar of his shirt. ¡°GM, it¡¯s like they say, I couldn¡¯t pay today. You see, I got some deals lined up and stuff. I¡¯ll be good for the money I swear.¡±


    ¡°Remember what happened last time you told me that?¡± asked GM, eyeing Jimmy¡¯s stomach area. ¡°Now, clear up this misunderstanding here so we can get the ladies their money and we can all be on our way,¡± he said with a smile.


    Jimmy looked GM straight in the eyes. His eyebrows furrowed. ¡°That bitch never said nothing about no five hundred dollars. Besides, I can get it. It¡¯s just gonna be a week or so.¡±


    GM stiffened up. ¡°First off, we don''t disrespect the ladies.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Jimmy snorted.


    ¡°Second, give me your wallet.¡±


    ¡°What? Hell no.¡±


    ¡°This is your last warning, Jimmy. If you¡¯re not going to cooperate, things are going to get a lot harder for you.¡±


    Jimmy hesitated. His eyes darted around the room as if he was looking for some sort of escape route.


    In the flash of an eye, GM pulled out a katana from under his long coat and stuck it into the arm of the chair that Jimmy sat in. ¡°I suggest you get that wallet out,¡± GM said quietly.


    ¡°Oh¡­ yeah ok. Good idea,¡± he said with wide, fearful eyes. He produced a wallet from the the back of his jeans and handed it to GM.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    GM opened the wallet and took out the man¡¯s ID and credit card then tossed them over to Bonnie. ¡°They¡¯re going to keep you accountable, Jimmy. You¡¯ve got exactly twenty-four hours to bring six hundred dollars cash to the man down in the front lobby. You don''t wanna know what¡¯ll happen if you don''t.¡± He yanked his katana free from the chair and took a step back, putting the weapon away under his coat.


    ¡°Six hundred? You all said five hundred.¡±


    ¡°Should we make it seven?¡±


    The man stared hard at GM. ¡°Six hundred. Got it,¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°Good. I¡¯m glad we were able to come to an agreement on this.¡±


    ¡°Ok girls, why don''t you all go on down to the cafe and get yourself a little something? Jimmy¡¯s paying. That credit card ought to work.¡±


    Their faces lit up. ¡°Thanks, GM, you''re the best!¡± said Bonnie.


    ¡°Don''t thank me, thank Jimmy for being such a reasonable guy.¡±


    Bonnie opened the door and they all piled out. Vee blew a kiss at GM over her shoulder as she left.


    ¡°Great doing business with you, Jimmy,¡± said GM, leaving shortly after the girls. An awestruck Jimmy remained seated there with his jaw on the ground.


    GM shut the door behind him and sent a quick text to Gil letting him know the mission was completed. ¡°That definitely killed my buzz.¡± He sighed deeply. The wrapper of a cigarette pack crinkled as GM fished it from his pocket. He lit one up and went down the elevator to ground level. Leaned up by the office doors was the bike, right where he¡¯d left it. He looked over at it as if pondering whether to get on it again. He took a deep drag from his cigarette and then walked home.

 Training 2

    Morning light peaked over the skyscrapers of the city and cast long shadows on the dusty junkyard. It was earlier than MC and GM usually started the day. ¡°You¡¯ve done well in your training so far, but this will be the hardest part yet.¡± said GM. Now that you¡¯ve had your taste of a real fight, we¡¯re going to need to hone your skills a bit. We¡¯re going to do some sparring and I want you to fight like your life depends on it because that¡¯s how it will be when you go on a mission. I may not always be around to help you finish the job,¡± said GM.


    ¡°If I¡¯m going to go up against Jin and the Black Diamond I suppose this would be the next step,¡± said MC, feeling a little nervous.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± said GM. ¡°So, for today you and I will be doing some light combat training. Obviously, I¡¯m going to hold back a bit to start off.¡± GM shed his layers, folding his jacket and shirt nicely and setting them aside. To MC¡¯s surprise he had a chiseled set of abs and muscles that seemed to defy his graying hair. MC gulped and sweat began to run down his chin as he grew more nervous. He took off his shirt as well. ¡°No need for anything fancy. I just want you to come at me like you mean it.¡± GM took a fighting pose with his arms raised. ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±


    MC¡¯s face changed into a concentrated stare. He clenched his fists and prepared for the fight. What should I start with? A punch? A kick? Whatever, I¡¯m just going to rush in and see what happens. He ran up to GM with his arm cocked back ready to strike. His attack was dodged and returned with a stern shove on his back that carried his momentum forward and made him tumble onto the dusty ground.


    ¡°See how I used your own attack against you to make you lose your balance?¡± said GM. ¡°Keep going.¡±


    With his arms up like that it makes it seem unlikely that I¡¯ll land any attacks by just punching and rushing in. Let¡¯s try something a little different. MC came towards GM with a flurry of kicks. GM pushed his attacks aside with ease until he eventually grabbed MC¡¯s leg flipping him over onto his back. ¡°One again, I used your own position against you. What do you think that means?


    ¡°I think it means that I¡¯m covered in dirt and dust now,¡± said MC, getting up and patting the dust off his pants.


    Their sparring took place until the sun began to set. MC was covered in sweat and breathing heavily while GM was completely unscathed and relaxed. ¡°Well, let''s call it a day,¡± said GM.


    ¡°But I didn''t even land a single hit on you,¡± said MC.


    ¡°That may be true, but I didn''t expect you to. Today was about more than just making sure you know how to hit someone. If you haven¡¯t noticed that yet, then we have even more work to do than I thought.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I knocked you flat on your ass over a hundred times today yet you still kept coming at me with the same motions and attacks. I¡¯ll let you in on a little secret. Attacks come secondary.¡±


    ¡°What could possibly come before that?¡±


    ¡°Balance. If you had just made sure you had solid footing and looked out for my attacks, you could have avoided getting knocked over at least a few times.¡±


    MC was stunned. It seemed so simple. He realized that he focused so much on attacking GM. He was too caught up on offense and didn''t think to try and set himself up for defense at all.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you home and cleaned up. You¡¯re filthy,¡± he said while cringing. ¡°Set your t-shirt on the seat under you so you don''t dirty up my upholstery.¡±


    That night, GM ordered Sora to go over martial arts techniques and theory with MC. The organization had hundreds of books and videos on combat and martial arts to train the new members. Sora grudgingly accessed their online database and spent far too long forcing MC to watch videos. Eventually he fell asleep right at the dinner table they were sitting at.


    The next day, MC and GM went back to the training grounds. ¡°We¡¯re going to do the same thing we did yesterday. Keep in mind what I told you. It¡¯s not all about attacking. Attacking is important, but it means nothing if you¡¯re not able to defend yourself.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± said MC, feeling determined.


    Throughout the day, MC was still unable to avoid being knocked down even once. He was covered in dirt and sweat. A dirty mess once again. ¡°Not bad, MC. I can see you tried, but you¡¯re still figuring yourself out.¡± MC laid on the ground panting. ¡°Sheesh, you reek. I brought a towel this time. Put it down on the seat you stinky bastard,¡± he said with a laugh.


    MC¡¯s training continued this way for the next several months. GM had also ordered Sora to teach MC technique and theory on an almost daily schedule. MC was usually so tired he studied with Sora until he passed out wherever he was. His skills slowly improved over the next few weeks. He was now able to keep his balance for the most part, think faster, and move automatically through several martial arts techniques. He was even landing a dozen or so hits on GM most days.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done well progressing through the sparring. If you went up against that guy that beat you behind the restaurant a few months ago he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. This means that today we¡¯re going to start focusing on actual fights you may encounter,¡± said GM.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± asked MC. GM answered his question by pulling a folded pocket knife out of his pocket.


    ¡°The enemy won''t play fair or go easy on you,¡± replied GM. He flicked out the blade and rushed towards MC, ready to strike.


    ¡°What the hell,¡± yelled MC as he backed up, almost stumbling over, but regaining his balance at the last second.


    ¡°Good. You instinctually backed away and kept your footing. Keep it up!¡± He charged at MC again and continued to swing the knife around. He flipped it in his hand and went from holding it one way to another. He lightly cut MC¡¯s arm and then his chest. The cuts weren¡¯t deep. They were swift and light, hardly even deep enough to start bleeding. It showed just how skilled GM was with a blade.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t fair. I don''t have a weapon and you do,¡± said MC.


    ¡°You of all people should know that life¡¯s not fair. Especially when you choose to join a criminal organization. If you can land three hits on me, we¡¯ll be done for the day. Keep up your defense until then or you¡¯ll go home looking like you got in a fight with a pair of scissors.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    MC paused and gathered himself, taking a defensive stance.¡°Alright. I can do this.¡± He watched GM¡¯s eyes to see where he might strike. He studied his foot placement to predict movements. Just these simple skills showed that he had improved tremendously in the last few months.


    The attack finally came. It was aimed at MC¡¯s left arm. He stepped back with his left foot to dodge and threw a punch at GM¡¯s abdomen only to be pushed away by his free hand. A series of quick attacks and blocks followed. MC stepped back with three new cuts on his body and one single punch landed on GM.


    ¡°Oof. I felt that one!¡± said GM, rubbing the spot of impact. ¡°Only two more to go. I¡¯ve got to keep my wits about me if I¡¯m going to give you a challenge today.¡±


    Hours passed and they were still at it. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re getting the hang of it. I haven¡¯t drawn blood in almost an hour, but you¡¯ve still only got one hit against me¡± said GM. ¡°Let me tell you about another technique in fighting. Something the books and videos wont go over.¡± GM relaxed his stance and pointed his finger up like a teacher. ¡°When faced with an enemy that has a seemingly impenetrable defense, you might have to take a trade.¡±


    ¡°Take a trade?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°Yes. What I mean by that is to allow them to land an attack on you to open up a spot in their defense. Think about it. The moment I land a cut on you with my knife is a moment when my right arm is at a drastic disadvantage. I can¡¯t attack and defend at the same exact time. It takes precise timing and judgment. For example, you wouldn¡¯t want to take an attack from a sword just to land a punch. It has to be a trade where you''re going to give more damage than you¡¯re going to receive.¡±


    It all clicked in MC¡¯s head. He was still having trouble landing attacks on GM in general, but if he allowed GM¡¯s attack to go through he¡¯d have an opportunity to pounce back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try,¡± said MC.


    ¡°Just try your best,¡± said GM, raising his weapon and lunging forward. MC concentrated on the strategy that GM had described. He watched every swing of the blade, waiting for a time when he could get an attack. It didn''t take long before he saw an opportunity. In a swift motion, he let GM¡¯s attack hit him in the arm while he swung a fist back at him. To his surprise, GM was able to dodge his punch. MC jumped back, his feet skidding in the dirt.


    ¡°Hey what¡¯s the big idea?¡± he said angrily. ¡°I did just what you said.¡±


    GM laughed. ¡°What, did you really think that strategy would work first try? You¡¯ve got to be realistic especially against someone who expected it to be coming. However, that attack was much closer than you¡¯ve been getting for the last hour. Just remember to use proper judgment and timing like you did there. If my attack had been aimed at a vital part of your body, it could have been lethal.¡±


    It made so much sense it seemed to slap MC in the face. There had never been anything easy about GM¡¯s training and this exercise was no different. Day turned to night and still MC had only managed to land one hit on GM. His body was covered with small cuts and his pants looked like they had gone through the dryer with a pocket full of razor blades. ¡°You¡¯re starting to slow down. We¡¯ve been at this for too long. I¡¯m getting bored. Let¡¯s head home,¡± said GM.


    MC didn¡¯t want to give up. ¡°Can we keep going a bit longer?¡±


    GM smirked. ¡°If you really want to keep getting scratched up, be my guest.¡±


    A half moon rose up over the horizon and illuminated the training grounds. MC¡¯s attacks continue to hit nothing while GM¡¯s fancy footwork and speed were blurred by the darkness. MC concentrated. He used all of his senses. He listened to the padding of feet on the ground and the sound of arms swishing through the air. That was when he landed a blow on GM. It was just a tap, but it was a landed attack nonetheless.


    GM backed up a little, surprised. ¡°How¡¯d you swing that one? I figured you could hardly see my movements. I can hardly see yours now as well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly how I did it. You and I are mostly blurred in the shadows of the night, but the silver blade of your knife is reflecting the moonlight. That means I can see you more than you can see me. Just having that slight advantage allowed me to get a hit in on you.¡±


    ¡°Now I see why you wanted to keep going. Very smart, but can you land one more hit to finish the exercise?¡± GM challenged.


    It was late. Almost the middle of the night. They kept sparring and the moment MC had been waiting for finally came. He noticed GM¡¯s attacks hitting less frequently. He was getting sloppy. It was a war of attrition. He knew that GM hadn¡¯t had any alcohol yet today. Being such a heavy alcoholic, his body started to have effects of withdrawal. His hands got shaky and he started sweating a bit, causing his grip on the pocket knife to weaken. It slipped around in his hand like a wet fish. MC realized he was at the end of his limits as well. Each attack he threw felt like it could be his last before collapsing from pure exhaustion. He had to put all of his effort into one last attempt. MC paused for a moment, letting GM hit him with a quick strike then unleashed all of his energy into his own attack. It threw GM off guard and MC¡¯s first landed in the middle of GM¡¯s chest, causing his feet to skid back in the dirt. .


    GM stood there stunned for a moment before relaxing. ¡°Well done!¡± he applauded.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± said MC with a smile before falling over onto his back. GM sat down in the dirt and they both looked up at the stars while catching their breath.


    ¡°Looks like you learned a lot today. When you were fresh in the fight you were able to hit me pretty quick. Then, you waited until night to have the sight advantage over me because of my shiny blade. Last, you waited until I started feeling alcohol withdrawal symptoms to have the physical advantage over me. Not bad. You were strategic and used your strengths and my weaknesses all at the same time.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I was able to hold out that long, but I don''t think I can move now. GM, could you help me up?¡±


    ¡°What the hell happened to you guys?¡± yelled Sora, when they stumbled into the clubhouse. MC¡¯s upper body and face were covered in what seemed to be hundreds of tiny cuts. GM was pale as a ghost and struggling to hang his car keys on the hook by the door due to his shaky hands.


    ¡°Nothing a few days of rest won''t fix,¡± answered GM with a smile. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m heading to bed,¡± he said as he grabbed a beer out of the fridge and made for his room.


    MC laid down on the floor only feet away from the front door. ¡°Sorry, Sora, don''t mind me. I''m going to sleep here for the night.¡±


    ¡°Not like that, you aren¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re covered in cuts and some of these are dripping quite a lot. You¡¯re getting the floor all dirty.¡± She went off and came back with a wet towel. ¡°Here, MC. Clean yourself up.¡±


    MC took the towel, but it slipped right out of his hand. His arm flopped onto the floor. ¡°Here, take it.¡± Sora put the towel back in his hand, but he was out cold.


    When MC woke in the morning he rubbed his eyes and was instantly reminded that he¡¯d pushed his body past its limits yesterday. His arms were stiff and sore and he felt a sting all over his body. To his surprise he was covered with a soft blanket. Despite sleeping on the floor, he felt nice and cozy underneath the blanket. He sat up and noticed that he had bandages applied to some of the deeper cuts on his body and all the blood had been cleaned off him. ¡°What happened? Did Sora do this?¡± He said out loud. ¡°All I remember was trying to hold a towel last night and then falling asleep.¡±


    He stood up and walked over to Sora who was awake and playing a video game on the living room TV. ¡°Sora,¡± did you do this?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Sora, jumped with a start and her face turned red.¡±


    ¡°I don''t know what you¡¯re talking about. Anyway, you sure slept in today. It¡¯s almost noon.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡± said MC. ¡°Where¡¯s GM? Aren¡¯t we training today. Is he up yet?¡±


    ¡°He already left. He said to tell you that there¡¯s no training today.¡±


    ¡°But I need to get stronger.¡±


    ¡°No complaints. We¡¯re taking the day off,¡± said Sora, shaking her finger and mocking GM¡¯s voice.


    MC laughed. ¡°I guess it probably would be best to take a day off. I might do more harm than good to my body if I tried to train in this state.¡±

 The Skills Needed for Revenge

    Sora sat at the dinner table playing a game on her laptop while GM watched the sports channel on the TV. He¡¯d just got done yelling at a player for missing a catch as if they could hear him when Sora¡¯s computer beeped as a notification came up on the screen. It was an alert from one of The Organizatoin¡¯s security cameras. ¡°Uh oh,¡± she said. ¡°Hey, GM there¡¯s some suspicious people lurking around storage warehouse number seven.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked, surprised by her statement.


    ¡°It looks like they could be trying to break into the building. Four hooded people just pulled up outside the warehouse in a big box truck.¡± She turned her screen for GM to show the live video feed.


    ¡°Shit, this hasn''t happened in a while,¡± he said.  GM ran over to MC¡¯s room and knocked loudly on the door. ¡°MC, we need to go. Urgent mission.¡± He knocked again.


    MC came right out. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked, in a slight panic.


    ¡°They¡¯re breaking in,¡± said Sora as she watched the live feed of a person jamming a lock open with a thick metal crowbar.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain on the way. Let''s go!¡± said GM.


    On the way there, GM explained to MC that there were people breaking into a warehouse that was filled with supplies that The Organization had stocked up on. He wasn''t sure what exactly was inside this warehouse but they usually held weapons, valuable electronics, piles of cash, and more. There were warehouses scattered around the city and it was fairly rare to see one being broken into. Most people knew not to mess with The Organization¡¯s goods.


    GM pulled up and parked the car at the warehouse. It was a fairly large building at the end of a gravel road. The only other buildings around were old and dilapidated with small grass fields in between. They were just outside the main part of the city where the skyscrapers served as a tall background.


    Pulling up on a gravel road didn''t allow for any kind of stealth. The intruders were going to know they¡¯d arrived. ¡°Hop out MC we are going to go straight in and see what¡¯s in store for us.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± he said with little apprehension. After the last time they faced enemies behind the restaurant he¡¯d been weaker and they were still able to drive them off. Now he felt much stronger and confident. He almost felt a bit of excitement to test out his newly acquired skills. ¡°Shouldn''t we call for backup or something though?¡± MC said to GM.


    ¡°Normally, I would call and wait for another team to show up and help, but this is urgent. If we let these guys get away, they¡¯re likely to steal thousands or maybe even millions of dollars of inventory. We can''t afford to wait for another team to show up. Besides, Sora already altered the nearby teams and they were unable to make it due to their own missions. A team from farther out will be coming, but it¡¯s going to be a while.


    ¡°Do you think we could try and talk things out with the intruders?¡±


    ¡°Not likely, but I¡¯m going to give it a shot before we engage in a fight.¡±


    GM walked toward the warehouse. Its long metal frame was dark against the night sky. There were two garage doors and one of them was open with the box truck sitting in front of it ready to be packed with their stolen goods. The quiet sounds of people shuffling around came from just inside. GM walked up to the open doorway with MC right behind him and announced himself. ¡°Hey folks, what¡¯s the meaning of.¡±


    ¡°Shut up and get on the ground!¡± yelled one of the masked intruders with a thick metal pipe resting over his shoulder. He was wearing a black ski mask. The others froze around him, each holding a box of supplies in their arms.


    MC took a few steps back in shock. He took in the scene all at once. Hundreds of wooden crates and cardboard boxes were stacked around the warehouse almost creating a maze of ailes that opened up into a rectangular shape around the garage door entrance. It didn''t seem to be a particularly large warehouse, but it was tall enough to stack boxes twice his height and spanned about half the length of a soccer field. The air was heavy with the smell of lumber, mildew, and something else he couldn¡¯t quite identify. He looked at the box truck that was parked closely to the door opening. It was a little less than halfway filled with crates and boxes already.


    ¡°Well, aren''t we a little rowdy tonight?¡± said GM ¡°Are you sure you want to do this the hard way?¡±


    ¡°Get on the ground, this is your last warning,¡± said the intruder. He sounded young. Probably about MC¡¯s age.


    ¡°So what are you guys, Black Diamond or what?¡± asked GM.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re from The Black Diamond. What¡¯s it to you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s surprising. Did anyone tell you who you were stealing from?¡±


    The masked man hesitated. ¡°That part¡¯s not important. All this stuff is ours and if you wanna keep your life you better stop chit chatting and start praying.¡±


    ¡°You see, these things here belong to The Organization. No good to be stealing from one of the largest crime organizations in the city.¡±


    The young Black Diamond thief seemed surprised. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±


    ¡°Nope! My associate and I were the closest team to the warehouse and so we came down here to see what was going on. We don''t want to make things messy, but we can''t have you guys running off with our company¡¯s goods.¡±


    The masked man¡¯s eyes widened behind small circular holes. ¡°We gotta get this stuff and bring it back or we¡¯re gonna be in trouble.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of my concern. You should have asked who you¡¯d be stealing from before the higher ups sent you on a suicide mission. I don¡¯t know who you pissed off, but they must have sent you here knowing you¡¯d be confronted.¡± GM stood tall and widened his foot stance taking on a stern face. ¡°Now that you know that, I¡¯m gonna give you all ten seconds to start unloading everything you packed into that truck.¡±


    The thief wavered for a moment, but came back with full fury. ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell us what to do. Besides, it''s us four against you two. Come on boys, let''s teach these Organization losers a lesson.¡±


    GM turned to MC, ¡°At least I tried,¡± he said with a shrug.


    MC gulped and nodded. Am I going to be able to take on these intruders? He stepped closer to GM and prepared for a fight. He felt scared. He¡¯d been in a real fight once, but this was different. They had weapons. It wouldn¡¯t be just a beating. He could die if he made a wrong move.


    The three other Black Diamond thieves gathered around as well. Each one had a weapon in hand. Two had baseball bats, one had a knife, and the last one who had done all the talking, took the metal pipe off of his shoulders and prepared a fighting stance.


    ¡°This is going to be too tough for you tonight, kid,¡± GM said to MC. They¡¯ve all got weapons and you¡¯re unarmed. I¡¯ll handle this.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re unarmed too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you think.¡± GM opened his overcoat and revealed a katana at his waist. He grabbed the handle and unsheathed the shining blade, taking on a sudden serious expression. MC took a couple steps back out of the garage opening to give him some space. ¡°So, which one of you is first?¡±


    The one with the metal pipe ran in. In a flash, GM swung his sword, slicing the metal pipe in half and putting a deep cut into the enemy¡¯s arm in the process. The metal clanked to the floor and he screamed out and grabbed his arm in pain. Blood spewed onto the ground. GM moved on to the next picking up his speed. He quickly closed the gap between his target and dodged a strike of the knife before delivering a powerful hit to his stomach with the handle of the katana. The knife wielding enemy collapsed, gasping for air. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    MC felt a sense of frustration building up inside. He came along on the mission, but wasn''t able to do anything. Without a weapon of his own he was bound to be useless in this kind of fight. He couldn''t help but think that he needed to take part and pull his own weight. He watched as GM blocked an attack from an aluminum baseball bat with the sword and parried with a punch to the enemy¡¯s face. Three down and one to go. GM looked over his shoulder towards the last opponent and saw something unexpected: a red dot gleaming from across the room like a laser pointer.  The red dot came from a pistol that was positioned directly in the center of MC¡¯s chest. GM thought quickly and knew that he needed to get between the gun and MC.


    The enemy looked scared. Like he¡¯d never killed anyone before. GM moved with speed at which MC had never seen before. He stepped in front of the gun¡¯s line of sight blocking MC¡¯s body and charged at the shaking opponent. A single slice of GM¡¯s blade cut through the gun and a few fingertips in the process. The enemy had hesitated too long and GM¡¯s quick speed triumphed. The weapon split in half clanking to the floor and rendering it useless. ¡°Put your hands up,¡± he calmly said to the Black Diamond member. Slowly, two shaking palms, minus two fingertips and a bleeding palm rose into the air.


    Even though his team had won the fight, MC felt defeated. I didn''t manage to do anything besides almost get myself killed. GM did everything. I was completely useless. The fact that he came so close to death ate at his stomach. He couldn¡¯t stop thinking about how GM stepped in front of the gun that was aimed at him. It was the most daring thing he¡¯d ever seen anyone do.


    MC and GM tied up the Black Diamond members with some duct tape and waited for backup to arrive. He wasn''t sure what was going to happen to the thieves after that, but he didn''t particularly care either. Once the backup arrived, their job was over.


    GM noticed MC was particularly quiet in the car on the way home. ¡°So, you see how serious this gig can be?¡± said GM. ¡°I¡¯m not going to lecture you like a child, but I want you to know that this can be life or death. In our training and daily life I mess around a lot and do stupid shit, but out here against the Black Diamond, one slip up could mean death and there¡¯s no coming back from that. You¡¯ve got a lot of life ahead of you. I¡¯d hate to see it thrown away.¡±


    MC remained quiet under the hum of the car ride. He looked out the window at the passing streetlights and ruminated on his lack of ability.


    The next morning MC and GM went to the training grounds like usual.


    ¡°So did you get much sleep? You seemed pretty down last night.¡± said GM.


    MC allowed his thoughts to burst out of him. ¡°I wasn''t able to do anything!  What would happen if I went up against Jin and wasn''t able to do anything? I don''t want to face it, but I¡¯m still far from ready to fight a serious opponent. You have weapons and skills from years of practice and I only have the basic skills I''ve learned recently. I need to take it up a notch. I need a weapon of my own. My very own specialty.¡±


    ¡°I figured you¡¯d say something along those lines. I think it¡¯s time to show you a part of the training grounds that you haven''t seen yet.¡±


    ¡°You mean there¡¯s more to this place than dirt and piles of junk?¡±


    ¡°Just follow me and you¡¯ll see.¡± GM led MC to a familiar place. It was a house near the center of the junkyard. More of a shack than a house these days. He¡¯d run laps around it hundreds of times while being chased by dogs. The overhang of the front porch was held up by two scrawny beams and the entire of the house was leaning to the side. Every glass window was busted out and the floors inside were filthy and coated with dust.


    ¡°What are we doing in here? This place is disgusting,¡± said MC.


    ¡°I told you, you¡¯ll see.¡± GM bent over and felt around for a moment and then grabbed a tiny metal handle on the floor and pulled up a hatch. ¡°We¡¯re heading down here.¡±


    MC was amazed that there was a secret hatch. It was like something from a movie. ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s pretty dark down here.¡± He followed GM down a flight of stairs and then another. They must have been almost fifty feet underground. Just when it was getting almost impossible to see, GM flipped on a light switch. Thick gray cement walls and a thick floor to match spanned out in front of him. The ceiling was lit by hundreds of square tiles. It was like an underground concrete football field. Other than a computer with a deck and chair and a refrigerator, there didn''t seem to be much of anything else in the large empty room.


    ¡°This whole place was here under us the whole time?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°Yep! It doesn''t get used very often, but I figured it was time to finally show you. Just wait until you see what¡¯s next.¡± GM walked over to the wall next to the stairs to a computer. He turned it on and then entered a password. Immediately after, a compartment next to the computer emitted a mechanical hum and a space in the wall slowly slid open. The space was filled with all sorts of supplies and weapons. There were at least twenty different guns, explosives of all shapes and sizes, knives, swords, axes, and even some high-tech looking electronics MC didn''t recognize. ¡°This is where you can try out different weapons. I¡¯d like to spend today figuring out what best suits you.¡±


    MC was in awe of what he was seeing. There were more weapons than he¡¯d seen in his life in that compartment.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with the handheld old fashioned stuff shall we?¡± said GM, grabbing a heavy medieval sword off the wall and handing it to MC. ¡°I find cold steel to be fitting, but I¡¯m a rarity in that way.¡±


    MC held it up and marveled at its silver beauty. He took a few steps back and started swinging it around. Slowly at first and then faster. He spun around and jumped in the air. ¡°Hey this isn''t bad,¡± he said. Almost immediately after finishing that sentence he lost grip of the sword and flung it onto the floor with a loud clang that echoed around the room. ¡°Well¡­ it was almost perfect,¡± he shrugged.


    GM sighed as MC returned the sword to its resting place in the cabinet. They experimented with a variety of different weapons and eventually moved on to modern guns. GM set up a target along the far end of the wall for MC to practice shooting at. For only having a BB gun as a kid, he was a pretty decent shot.


    Next, they started experimenting with the explosives. GM got out a thick piece of bulletproof glass and set it up so they could stand behind it and be safe from the explosions. First was the fragmentation grenade. GM demonstrated first. He pulled the pin out and chucked it as far as he could then, stood behind the glass. After a few seconds a loud explosion shook the ground and shrapnel bounced around the room.


    MC was stunned. ¡°That was amazing. That was probably my favorite so far.¡±


    ¡°It might be fun every once in a while, but it¡¯s hard to picture something like that being a weapon of choice. Am I right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right, but it was one of the most extraordinary things I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re gonna love what¡¯s next. The Flash Bang!¡± GM grabbed a flash bang grenade out of a foam holder inside a metal case. This thing is gonna be loud so cover your ears. They¡¯ve got a pretty short fuse too. And whatever you do, don''t stare directly at it.¡± He pulled the pin and threw it across the room then stuck his fingers in his ears. MC did the same. The flash bang erupted with a bright light and a bang sound at the same time. It was even louder than the explosion before.


    ¡°MC had a sudden flashback of the night his father died. He remembered the brightness of the flames and the cracking of the wooden beams. He felt adrenaline shoot through his body and his heart started pumping as fast as it could. He lost touch with reality. All he could see was white and flames. He screamed as if he were going to die and then felt a gentle touch on his shoulders. He returned to reality, his vision still bright and blurry, but he could just barely make out GM¡¯s figure.


    MC wiped his eyes in an attempt to get his vision to return to normal.


    ¡°You ok, kid?¡±


    MC composed himself a little, still breathing heavily. ¡°I think that explosion just triggered a powerful memory. I was totally immersed. I remembered the night my father died. It was almost like I was right back there again. On top of that, it feels like I just looked at the sun for a minute straight.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it has that effect. Even worse when you¡¯re close up. Your vision should return to normal in a few minutes. It doesn¡¯t take long for your eyes to adjust back to regular light. Might be best to stay away from this one. Don¡¯t want you having flashbacks or something like that every time you use it.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I think this might be the one for me. Those memories are my power. They¡¯re what help to remind me why I¡¯m living and why I¡¯m doing what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    ¡°Whatever floats your goat,¡± said GM. It¡¯s practical, that''s for sure, although it is a nonlethal explosive.¡±


    They went on to test a variety of different weapons for the day and eventually went through the entire arsenal.


    ¡°Just let me know what you liked best and we can get more. I want to make sure you have a weapon for our next mission. Things are heating up lately and I don''t want to see you get killed by some Black Diamond punk.¡±


    ¡°Right. Things are serious now. This is where my training comes into use. I want to use the flash bang grenades.¡±


    ¡±Are you sure? If you get in a pinch and need to take someone out, they¡¯re only going to stall them.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°I guess we can get more of those in then. You really want to use those though?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, at least take this too,¡± said GM as he handed a pistol to MC. ¡°You never know when you might need it.¡±


    ¡°If you say so,¡± said MC.

 As Time Passed

    As time passed, MC continued to learn the tools of the trade. It was a transformation of body and mind that took a helpless kid with a need for revenge and formed him into a sculpted machine of malice.


    For the most part, GM was there to guide him. Especially in the beginning stages. After going on a few missions and continuing daily training. MC¡¯s body was turned into a masterpiece on the level of a competitive athlete. Despite disagreeing with GM¡¯s methods of training, the results couldn¡¯t be argued with. His daily routine consisted of five hundred push ups and a ten kilometer run as a warm up. His stomach was home to chiseled abs and his arms, while not too bulky, were one hundred percent muscle. His diet was strict and consisted of a good mix of lean meats and vegetables.


    Through thick and thin, GM was there to lead him through the trenches and out onto the other side until eventually, he was able to fend for himself. The two fought together through hellish scenarios and protected each other''s lives more times than they could count. They had gotten to the point where they could almost predict the other¡¯s movements and strategies through practiced exercises and critical missions despite GM¡¯s never ending drunken stupor.


    There was a fine line between life and death which MC painstakingly learned to traverse. The grueling battles he saw in those two years were nothing like what he¡¯d ever seen in the news and media and he had the scars to prove it. His body was a canvas of deep wounds that had healed over time.


    MC often thought how amazing it was that the true details always seemed to be left out of the news. The body counts dulled down to reduce public panic, the scenes of the crimes straightened out before being shown to the public eye. It was all a facade for within the clash of The Black Diamond and The Organization was a battle just as wicked as any that ever plagued the earth. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Missions became second nature to him. All it took was a text and he was out the door. He infiltrated Black Diamond bases, recovered stolen supplies, fought head to head, and desecrated the enemy''s numbers. After a while the missions all started to blend together. He learned to complete them with lethal precision and began to work up a reputation within the underground community.


    Out of almost a hundred different teams, GM¡¯s team began to be recognized as one of the more accomplished ones. After all, most members of The Organization didn¡¯t last more than a few months before dying or getting out of the game, but even among the long-standing teams, MC¡¯s accomplishments stacked up.


    Gil began to entrust high stakes missions and confidential information to GM¡¯s team. This was always a bother to MC, but he went along with it just as a means to an end. He knew that The Organization would supply information on Jin as soon as they had it. He needed their resources and connections to complete his revenge so he kept trudging along.


    MC grew accustomed to a weapon that he referred to as the flash bang. It was shortened down from being called a flash bang grenade, which was the proper name. In those two years, he came to a harmony between offensive and defensive combat utilizing the power of the flash bang. He was able to disrupt the enemies defenses and create opportunities for quick and lethal attacks. In the age of modern weapons, breaking the enemy''s defense meant a quick end for them. Guns and blades that made for instant death among those blinded by the fearsome flash bang.


    Of course, this time took a toll on MC¡¯s conscience. He had to weigh the complexities of life and death which was no easier task for him than the average person. His drive for revenge kept him going through the haze of good and evil. The line between right and wrong blurred from black and white until he only saw shades of gray. Every life taken, was a sacrifice to a greater good: a world without the devil, Jin, the darkest of evils. He was still out there pulling the strings from behind the curtains, MC was sure of it.

 First Mission Arc

    On the night that MC returned from block seventeen, he went straight into his room, threw off his sopping wet clothes, and changed into something dry. He laid in his bed fighting what felt like a strong caffeine buzz. The effects of the flash bang were still lingering.


    As usual his sleep was restless and fitful. He was plagued by nightmares, having the same dreams almost every night. The dream where his father was killed by Jin. It was slightly different every time. This particular nightmare was fairly true to his memory. He saw Jin¡¯s blurred face in the shadows of the flames. His childhood home burning in a sea of hot flames. He remembered the feeling of how powerful that fire was. The intensity of the heat felt from the front yard.


    The next morning, MC slept in a bit. Eventually he woke and walked out of his room and headed for the kitchen portion of the clubhouse. The door to GM¡¯s room hung open, meaning he had not returned from whatever shenanigans he found himself a part of last night despite it being nearly ten in the morning. Sora was still fast asleep on the couch with a laptop on the ground next to her. Her legs stuck out from under the blanket as she snored softly. Typical morning around here.


    He walked out into the kitchen area of the clubhouse. His hands rummaged through the refrigerator until he found a carton of eggs and cracked several of them into a blender. Next, he added a variety of green vegetables to the mix until he was satisfied with the portion. Gently, he held the lid on the blender and started it up.


    Sora stirred from her slumber like a troll under a bridge. ¡°MC! What the hell are you doing?¡± yelled Sora. Unaware, MC kept blending the mixture into a rather unappetizing looking smoothie. ¡°Dammit MC,¡± yelled Sora. She flopped her arms and legs around in protest. MC turned off the blender and reached for a tall cup in the cupboard.


    Now that Sora was finally able to be heard she bombarded MC with a barrage of insults ending in, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you woke me up so early.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I woke you? Sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°Never mind,¡± Sora sighed, wiping the sleep from her eyes.


    MC poured the smoothie into a cup and gulped it down.


    ¡°How can you drink that stuff?¡± asked Sora as she sat up out of the blankets. Her baggy sweatshirt and sweatpants flopped about. The same clothes she¡¯d worn the previous day.


    ¡°The smoothie¡¯s not too bad. You get used to it. What I don¡¯t understand is how you keep falling asleep on the couch despite getting woken up like this most mornings. You¡¯re lucky I slept in today.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, baka!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that mean again?¡±


    ¡°I told you like a hundred times. It means idiot, idiot.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah that¡¯s right. Is that person on your shirt a baka?¡± he asked, pointing at the blue-haired anime character on Sora¡¯s sweatshirt.


    ¡°Gahh, you¡¯re so annoying.¡±


    MC chuckled. ¡°Just giving you a hard time.¡±


    ¡°At least now that I¡¯m awake I can get back to finishing those reports for Gil. I¡¯ve been staying up even later than usual to get them done.¡± Sora leaned over and picked up her laptop. She typed in a lengthy password and then used a facial recognition scanner to start the software up. ¡°Compiling all of our potential data breaches into a single spreadsheet is so much work. Not to mention boring. Can¡¯t Gil just give me normal easy stuff like hacking into security cams or remotely hacking smart cars?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re so talented with electronics. I couldn¡¯t do half the stuff you do on a computer and I like to think I¡¯m decent with that stuff.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, let¡¯s do a little hacking just for fun,¡± said Sora. ¡°There¡¯s a new project I¡¯ve been working on,¡± she said with a devious smile as she waved MC over. He rinsed his empty cup in the sink then went over and sat next to her on the couch.


    ¡°What kind of hacking is it this time?¡±


    ¡°Check this out.¡± She pulled up several camera feeds on her computer screen that showed the inside of a car from three different angles.


    ¡°Is that GM in the car? It totally is him. He¡¯s even wearing that old tan overcoat he always wears. Looks like he¡¯s driving right now.¡±


    ¡°Watch this,¡± she giggled and typed furiously at her keyboard. All of a sudden, the windshield wipers came on and wiper fluid sprayed the windshield.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck!¡± GM yelled in confusion. He turned knobs and flipped switches but the wipers kept wiping and the fluid kept spraying. Sora laughed hysterically. MC even let out a chuckle.


    ¡°Looks like GM¡¯s about to pull up outside. Act natural!¡± she said as she slammed her laptop closed and turned on the television.


    A moment later, GM walked in through the front door. ¡°What a morning,¡± he sighed.  Gil¡¯s got more work for us and my car¡¯s busted. Damn smart car got another virus or something.¡±


    ¡°More work?¡± Sora exclaimed, shooting a side eye to MC.


    ¡°Not so much for you, Sora. Mostly for MC and I.¡±


    ¡°Is the mission related to Jin?¡± asked MC, ignoring Sora.


    ¡°No, calm down kid, it''s just a rescue mission. Allow me to explain. Some of the noncombatant members from The Organization have been kidnapped by the Black Diamond. I think they¡¯re from the business department or something. Damned Black Diamond. It just never stops with those guys.¡± GM walked across the living room to a lengthy steel case on the wall and typed a passcode into a nine-digit pad next to it. The pad beeped with each input and then let out a pressurized squeal. The case popped open revealing an arsenal of different weapons. ¡°Our three guys are being held in a makeshift prison on a ship out in the harbor. Our intel says they were transported there about an hour ago. Gil said they¡¯re essential to The Organization. That¡¯s probably why they¡¯re not dead already. The Black Diamond wants ransom money in exchange for them.¡± GM grabbed a pistol out of the case along with a couple extra cartridges of bullets. ¡°I¡¯ve got a plan, but it involves waiting until tonight. We might need that time to get some supplies together anyway. Come on over here MC we need to start getting ready right now.¡±


    MC went over to the case and GM handed him two compact submachine guns. We¡¯re going to keep you nice and light. I¡¯ve got something special prepared for your role tonight.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of that,¡± said MC nervously.


    ¡°On a normal mission there are fewer factors to consider. This one is slightly different. We need to make it out alive with the noncombatants that are being held hostage. On top of that we have to sneak onto that ship in the middle of the harbor which is a feat by itself.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t Gil just pay the ransom?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°There¡¯s several reasons but for starters if he does pay the money, they¡¯ll know we cave in and they¡¯ll try something like this again. Also, he thinks we can just rescue the hostages fairly easily. Let¡¯s hope he¡¯s right. It¡¯s a price that comes with being good at this job. Getting put on stupid high stakes missions like these.¡±


    Despite typically being an unreliable oaf, GM really is top tier when it comes to missions. He knew to follow GM¡¯s directions when he was serious. If they slipped up, it meant death¡­ or worse.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be much trouble,¡± said GM. With all the training you and I have been doing, it shouldn''t be out of your physical limits. Stay smart and use your head. I know I¡¯ve taught you well.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you call it? Teaching? You mean passing out in a lawn chair and letting junkyard dogs chase me around all day.¡±


    GM made an embarrassed face. ¡°Besides that! Man, you¡¯re ungrateful. You wouldn¡¯t be who you are without me! How long has it even been since we did that junkyard dog bullshit anyway? At least a year.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then you mean the time before that when told me to dig a hole as deep as I could and then took out the ladder when I wasn''t looking?¡±


    ¡°Ok ok I get it. My training was a little unconventional. Forget that for now. Just do your best tonight and remember to keep your wits about you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, GM, I only joined The Organization because it gives me access to resources like weapons and information. I¡¯ll make sure to complete the mission to continue to be a part of these resources.¡± MC walked into his room and began to pack his supplies.


    ¡°He seems off today. What happened?¡± GM asked Sora.


    ¡°He was out late last night with no luck. I guess his last lead didn''t know anything either. The block 17 captain.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s so fixated on the same thing all the time. Would do him some good to go out and do something fun every once in a while. As far as training and such, his abilities already almost match mine and he¡¯s been with The Organization for only a few years. There¡¯s only so much I can teach him. It¡¯s been mostly hands-on training with him completing missions and going out on his night time excursions looking for information.¡±


    ¡°He really is like a prodigy or something. I¡¯ve only ever seen a few people as strong as him in the org and most of them are dead now,¡± said Sora.


    The day grew late and night fell upon Strongzinburg city. Far above the streets of cars and pedestrians clear up on the top of a skyscraper, MC looked over a waist-high barrier that spanned the length of the roof. A strong wind buffeted his body threatening to send him over the edge. His eyes would have been watering if it weren¡¯t for a pair of dark protective goggles.


    The harbor below was dimly lit by the remaining lights after all the dockside businesses had closed for the day. The water below was sheltered from the wind and gentle waves sparkled with reflections of orange and yellow lights.


    The harbor was not an exceptionally large one. Docks lining the water spanned about a two-mile long half circle around the edges. Along the docks were various boats tied up with thick cords to connect them to the dock for the night. Leftover fishing gear and scraps littered the wooden planks of the docks creating a smell that even MC caught whiffs of all the way up on top of that building.


    He adjusted a strap on the backpack containing a parachute ensuring it was firmly mounted to his back. Submachine guns strapped tightly to his sides were locked and loaded with full clips. His tight black outfit was thick to protect against the cold of the night. A high collar wrapped around the bottom of his chin and neck. Hanging from shoulder to waist was a sash that held six flash bang grenades mounted like oversized shotgun shells across his torso.


    His earpiece crackled and then he heard Sora¡¯s voice come through. ¡°We¡¯re about ready for you, MC,¡± Sora said over the comms. ¡°GM is moving into position.¡± Sora, was miles away, at home in the clubhouse. She monitored the mission through satellite cameras and GPS trackers embedded in the team¡¯s gear. Several computer screens filled her vision as she monitored everything at once. She even had a rough image of the yacht¡¯s deck, but there wasn¡¯t much to see in the darkness aside from the occasional flickering of a flashlight from the security guards performing their duties.


    MC pressed the goggles firmly onto his eyes and stood on the railing. He could see the entire harbor from there. The black water flashed with orange as it moved and swayed with currents and in the middle, was the yacht where his fellow members from The Organization were being held captive.


    GM steadily paddled a blown up raft through the water. Carefully and quietly he approached the yacht. The raft was hastily spray painted matte black for stealth in a timely fashion for the mission.


    He felt a little uncomfortable not wearing his usual long overcoat. Instead he was clad in black clothing from head to toe. The darkness of the night was his ally.


    ¡°Ok MC, GM is close enough,¡± said Sora over the comms.


    MC climbed onto the railing of the balcony. He took a deep breath and dove off the rooftop. Wind rushed past him as his body careened through the darkness. He went headfirst with his hands tucked at his sides at first, then changed his form into a star shape with his arms and legs outstretched to slow the descent and carry him forward slightly. Wind pushed against his frame and he positioned himself to glide closer towards the water.


    Upon approaching the airspace above the edge of the water, he pulled the cords releasing a parachute from the backpack. It flapped in the wind and yanked hard against his body, slowing him down into a soft and steady glide. He could just barely make out four guards patrolling the ship with flashlights and rifles in hand.


    The yacht stood tall and firm in the water. This particular model had a deck big enough to comfortably play a game of volleyball, thus providing for plenty of landing space.


    Once in position about a hundred feet straight above the ship, he took a flash bang out of its holster and pulled the pin. He dropped it straight down onto the deck of the yacht. It landed and bounced around with a thud. Guards all spun around at once in response to the unexpected sound and that was their downfall. The flash bang erupted with a loud bang and an intense flash of white light that blinded and disoriented. A successful surprise attack. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    The parachute slapped in the wind as MC steered closer to the ship. Now being only about thrice the length of a man above the ship, he pulled the cords and released himself from the parachute like a jump from a swing on the playground. His booths landed directly on the back of an armed Black Diamond guard. He took extra care to land with a sharp stomp, killing the guard instantly. Upon landing, he tucked his body and did a somersault across the deck then instantly stood up with guns drawn in each hand. A guard about twenty feet away turned around to see what had happened. Wasting no time, MC aimed and fired a burst of rounds into the chest of the guard. It was so quick that he didn''t even have time to react. His body dropped into a pool of dark crimson.


    ¡°MC is on board,¡± commed Sora.


    ¡°Really, I couldn¡¯t tell,¡± said GM sarcastically as he docked against the yacht.


    MC¡¯s glamorous entrance onto the ship caught the guards by surprise.  One of the guards who¡¯d missed the brunt of the flash bang attack turned towards MC in alarm and reached for his weapon, but his vision was clouded by a white haze.


    MC¡¯s unexpected flash bang attack had done exactly what it needed to. It frightened and confused the enemy. Dulling their senses and creating a significant handicap. Their reaction times were slower and their aim was nonexistent. MC spread his arms wide, aiming each gun at a guard to his sides and blasted their bodies full of rounds.


    GM fastened the raft to a metal rung that hung off the side of the yacht and climbed up. He reached his hand over the edge just in time for MC to grab his wrist and pull him aboard.


    ¡°The deck is cleared,¡± said MC. ¡°Five targets down. There¡¯s likely to be more inside.¡± He pointed to a door that led into the downstairs area of the yacht.


    ¡°Just like we planned. You go to the captain, I¡¯ll go down below and get the prisoners out, " said GM.


    MC nodded then threw off his goggles and took off up the stairs leading to the captain¡¯s cabin. His steps were swift and almost silent.


    Down below, GM had started making his way to wherever his fellow Organization members were being held. It was a tight hallway hardly big enough for two people to walk by each other. There were rooms on both sides of the hallway. Each one fitted with a small porthole window on the door.  As quietly as he could, he walked down the hallway and looked in each window for either a threat or the prisoners. He¡¯d looked in five of the six doors so far and found only empty rooms. Only the last one of that level remained.


    He carefully poked his eyes just high enough to look into the room and was met by a flurry of bullets that ripped through the door. His reactions were quick and he avoided the shots by dodging to the side. There was a pause in the shooting. The man inside must have been reloading. This was GM¡¯s chance to get the upper hand. He pressed his pistol to the wall and aligned it to where the bullets came from and fired twice. A moment later, he heard a soft thud. He peeked inside once more and saw that his shots had hit their target. The first floor had been cleared.


    MC approached the captain¡¯s cabin. There was a thick wooden door with a porthole carved into it. He peeked his head up to peer inside, but he couldn¡¯t make much out in the darkness. It appeared to be a rectangular room only large enough to cram about eight people into at the most. There was a small glow from various sensors and meters, but it was very faint. He decided the best route would be to burst in with guns drawn rather than try and creep in quietly. There was sure to be someone waiting for his arrival inside.


    GM pressed a button on his earpiece, ¡°I¡¯m heading down to the bottom floor,¡± he said. He turned and continued down into the ship. He descended the small staircase and turned into the hallway. BANG! A bullet whizzed past him and he pressed back around the corner on the staircase. Hushed voices were heard alerting him that there were multiple enemies. He sighed and reloaded. ¡°This isn''t going to be easy. They¡¯re in different rooms too.¡±


    It was a stalemate. Both GM and the enemy were tucked behind walls. If either one peeked it meant a chance of death. GM pulled a crumpled pack of cigarettes out of his pant¡¯s pocket along with a lighter. He put a crooked white cigarette between his lips and lit it, inhaling deeply. ¡°Well, here we go.¡± He took the glowing red stick out from between his lips and flicked it as far as he could around the corner and down the hallway. It bounced off the wall and onto the carpet igniting it in seconds. If the enemy attempted to stomp out the fire they¡¯d be exposed to being hit, but if they let the fire spread they¡¯d have only one way to go and that was towards GM who blocked their passage out of the ship. GM heard hushed mumbles that grew louder as a minute or two ticked by. Smoke began to collect along the ceiling in the hallway. The Black Diamond members had no choice but to surrender or make a deadly charge into a shootout.


    ¡°We surrender,¡± one of them shouted. They each tossed their guns up the hallway and they landed close enough for GM to see them. ¡°We¡¯re coming out,¡± they yelled. They began walking with their hands behind their heads, jumping through the fire to avoid getting burned. Three total.


    ¡°Are there any more of you guys down there?¡± GM asked.


    ¡°No just us three. There¡¯s three prisoners in the cell room too.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± said GM before quickly knocking out two of them at once by banging their heads together. They collapsed at his feet. The last one attempted to fight back. He threw a punch that went over GM¡¯s head as he ducked and sent a punch back at the enemy¡¯s stomach. He heaved over and GM gave a quick knife hand strike at the base of his neck, knocking him out along with the other two.


    Flames were growing down the hall and started to engulf a large area of the hall. GM sprinted for the last door at the end of the hall and jumped through the flames. He looked inside the porthole window and saw the three people tied up with their faces covered by pillow sheets.


    The door was locked but with a stern kick, it broke off the hinges. GM whipped out a silver pocket knife and cut them all free. When the prisoners took off their blindfolds, GM was recognized as a friendly face.


    ¡°We¡¯re saved,¡± one of them said.


    ¡°I thought I was gonna die,¡± said another one as he began to tear up.


    ¡°We¡¯re not out of here yet,¡± replied GM as smoke started to fill the room. ¡°Come on, quickly, follow me.¡±


    He led them out into the hall where they saw a great blaze overtaking their path. If you run through you should be fine. Just don¡¯t stop. Make your way up to the deck and I¡¯ll meet you there.¡±


    The three stood still, fearful of the path ahead. None of them dared venture into the great blaze. GM noticed their fear and shook his head in disappointment. ¡°Ok, let''s do it this way,¡± he said. ¡°I forget you pansies are from the business section of The Organization.¡±


    He picked up the closest one and threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He ran through the flames until he was on the other side and set him down. ¡°Go up the stairs,¡± he commanded and the man followed his instructions.


    GM ran back and did the same for the second person. ¡°Go up onto the deck!¡± He ran through again to get the last remaining person. By now the flames were melting the roof and spreading to the rooms. GM¡¯s clothes and hair were singed all over. He picked up the last person and threw him over his shoulder. As fast as he could, he ran through the flames for the last time and set the man down on the other side.


    He began to ascend up the steps himself, but as he stepped over the unconscious Black Diamond members on the floor his consciousness nagged at him. He was torn with a decision of letting them burn or dragging them out. After a moment of consideration he grabbed one of them and put his limp body over his shoulder. He grabbed the other two by the wrist and dragged them up the stairs. He dragged them all the way to the deck above where he figured they were likely to make an escape before the boat completely burned. ¡°That¡¯s as far as I¡¯m taking these bastards. They¡¯re on their own from here.¡±


    The three business members from The Organization stood around in a daze unsure what to do. GM took charge. ¡°Over here he called out to them.¡± He showed them the spot where they could climb the rungs down onto the raft below. One by one they started their descent into the dark and damp raft.


    Where the hell is MC? He should have had plenty of time to confront the captain by now. Did something go wrong? ¡°Sora, where¡¯s MC?¡± He commed into his headset.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from him since you did. Stick to the plan. Get down into the raft. He¡¯s MC, he¡¯ll be there soon.¡±


    GM lifted his leg to step over the deck railing and climb down as he witnessed his fears coming to reality.


    The window to the captain''s cabin shattered as MC¡¯s body hurled through it. He fell past the stairs and all the way to the deck below.


    MC had opened the door to the captain¡¯s cabin and tossed a flash bang in. He¡¯d waited for the detonation and then stormed in with his guns raised. The next thing he knew he was crashing through the windows and heading for the deck below.


    His head bounced off the wooden deck and he felt a warming sensation coat his face. Glass shredded parts of his clothes and cut into his skin. He put his arms under himself and tried to stand up and as he saw that he was separated from his guns. They were laying on the ground several feet away.


    The attacker leapt from the shattered window and landed on MC¡¯s back. Mc felt several ribs crack or break and struggled to breathe.


    MC jerked him off and stumbled to a kneeling stance. ¡°Are you the captain?¡± MC asked in a wheeze.


    ¡°You really don''t recognize me after all these years? I suppose that¡¯s to be expected.¡± It was dark on the yacht. The figure had straight dark hair and eyes that were like dark holes in the night. His black overcoat made a ruffling sound in the wind.


    ¡°Recognize you? Who are you?¡± asked MC, squinting into the darkness.


    The figure bent down next to MC¡¯s face. MC couldn¡¯t believe it. After all this time, Jin was standing right in front of him.


    ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re Jin.¡±


    ¡°So you do remember.¡±


    MC began to seethe with rage. His arms started shaking and he clenched his teeth. All of his training and sacrifice was for this moment in time. The moment where he would face Jin.


    ¡°Are you alright, boy, you seem to be having a little trouble controlling yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you,¡± MC snarled through clenched teeth.


    ¡°You don¡¯t really seem to be very capable of that right now,¡± said Jin while flaunting a pistol in the air. ¡°To think a little surprise attack like that would throw you off so much. I¡¯ve heard about your reputation in The Organization and to be honest, I expected more.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± yelled MC. He was furious with himself for letting a simple surprise attack catch him off guard like that, but there was something different about it. The attack was so quick and powerful. The flash bangs didn¡¯t even seem to have affected him either. MC wondered how he was still alive after being hit with a combination of attacks on that level.


    Jin put his own gun away in a holster at his side. ¡°Come on, MC let¡¯s see what you¡¯re actually able to do without your weapons. Show me how far you¡¯ve come. How much you¡¯ve trained. How deep your hate is.¡±


    MC was still catching his breath and felt intense pain in his back and abdomen. He pushed it aside as he¡¯d done many times before and steadied himself for a battle.


    He took a flash bang and popped it on the ground right between them. The impact of the detonation didn''t even faze Jin, but MC suddenly felt a bit rejuvenated. The pain dulled and his senses heightened. His fist curled next to his body and he leapt forward with a powerful punch. Jin easily dodged with his hands casually at his sides.


    MC swung again. Another miss that was returned with an attack. Jin punched MC in the face and he felt his feet slide back on the wet deck.


    This isn¡¯t good. I¡¯m losing ground and I¡¯m putting my full attack power into the fight. If I hadn¡¯t started off so badly injured, I¡¯d be quicker. Before he knew it, he was taking a kick to the face. He toppled over and heard Jin shift his foot stance to come in for another attack.


    ¡°This is really the best you can do?¡± I expected more,¡± said Jin. As he spoke flames flickered out the entryway to the downstairs area where GM had gone. Smoke poured out through every loose board and seam making the air thick and hazy.


    MC thought fast and grabbed a combat knife out of the holster on his leg. He swung it at Jin¡¯s ankle, but missed as he jumped up into the air. MC used the opportunity to roll across the ground and spring onto his feet.


    ¡°Hey, not bad,¡± said Jin, clapping quietly. If I¡¯d been a regular inexperienced Black Diamond member, I¡¯d be dead by now. So I guess you¡¯re not completely talentless.¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up. You¡¯re dying here tonight.¡± As he spoke, he began to doubt his words. Jin was much stronger than he¡¯d anticipated. GM¡¯s warning and years of training really were necessary. It was easy to see that right now, Jin was just toying with him.


    MC squeezed the handle of the knife and made a dash at Jin. He swung the blade and Jin moved out of the way and parried the attack with a strike to MC¡¯s forearm.


    He¡¯s much faster than GM. It¡¯s incredible.


    MC spun the knife around in his hand to a new grip and went back in for another attack. He slashed, punched, and kicked, but couldn¡¯t land a solid hit. A new plan was necessary. He came up with the quickest and most effective thing he could think of.


    He closed the distance between them again and unleashed a flurry of attacks. In his motions, he pulled a pin from a flash bang that was on his chest and allowed it to detonate right there. It was an attack that Jin had no way to dodge, but neither did MC. The flash sparked bright on the harbor, lighting it up like a firework for a brief second while the bang rang out louder than a gunshot.


    GM could only watch. He knew better than to interfere in a fight of this level and even more, a fight of revenge.


    After the detonation. MC and Jin both jumped back from each other a few feet. They had to be careful where they stepped now. Flames were spreading across the deck of the yacht. The heat was intensifying and the smoke was making it hard to breathe. ¡°I really didn''t expect that,¡± said Jin. ¡°That was quite a reckless move.¡±


    ¡°This is all or nothing. I¡¯ve waited years for this moment and I¡¯m not letting you best me. Do you even know what happened to my mother?¡±


    Jin was silent.


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t spoken a word since that night my father died. She¡¯s a shell of a person.¡±


    ¡°And is that why you feel so strongly about killing me?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°I see. Your hate is shallow. Almost selfish. You need to learn a real reason to hate. You only know me as the man that killed your father, but you don''t even know why you should really hate me.¡±


    Those words came as a surprise to MC. What did he even mean by that? MC was puzzled. All he knew was that he needed Jin dead to feel better.


    Flames crackled and began filling more of the deck. There wasn¡¯t much room to move around and fight without getting singed.


    ¡°Looks like our reunion has run out of time,¡± said Jin. Before MC could react, he jumped high into the air into a backflip over the fire and over the rails of the ship. MC raced through the flames and climbed onto the railing where fire tickled his feet. It was pitch black in the water and there wasn¡¯t a sound of splashing either. Jin was gone just like that.


    ¡°Arrrggghhh!!¡± MC yelled in frustration. ¡°Jin! I¡¯ll kill you,¡± he screamed at the top of his lungs.


    Footsteps sounded on the deck behind him. It was GM. ¡°MC come on. We¡¯ve got to go. What are you doing? The ship is sinking and the fire¡¯s spread too much. If we don¡¯t go now we¡¯re going to be treading water. Don¡¯t forget our mission. We have to get these guys to safety.¡±


    ¡°Fuck the mission. I have to find Jin.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s gone, MC. There will be another chance.¡±


    ¡°He was right here in front of me. I¡­ let him escape.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go. We need to get the hell out of here.¡±


    MC stood still and thought deeply. The flames rose and crackled around him, singing his shoelaces and the ankles of his pants. He gave one last look and listened for signs of Jin, but there was nothing. He scowled and turned away from the water.

 Detectives Clean Up

    The Organization and the Black Diamond were the two main forces colliding in the city, however there existed a third force. This was the force of the law. The morning after the ship sank in Stronginzburg harbor, the docks were coated in red and blue lights. The police knew that there was no way to completely eliminate the criminal organizations, but if they were able to reduce public impact then they felt they were maintaining sustainable order. On a regular basis they would have liked to avoid issues like ships catching fire and shutting down the entire harbor.


    Within the vast ranks of the law, there was a special department dedicated to elite tasks. This group was called the detectives. While they were called detectives, their role was not always just collecting evidence and clues to solve a murder mystery or sitting in a car taking photographs of suspects. Most who served in the special ranks of the detectives preferred to go toe to toe with the criminal organizations. For this reason, it was not exactly a highly sought after role. It consisted of the elite, the insane, and the truly noble.


    That morning at the docks, Emi, the captain of the detective force, was calling the shots. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this area taped off,¡± she commanded. ¡°I want witness reports. Somebody call the police chief. And where¡¯s my coffee?¡± Everyone rushed to follow her orders.


    Emi had been a respected detective for the last few years. Last year, at age twenty-six she became the captain of the detective squad. She was a calm and calculated person who fit the job perfectly. She had strong deduction skills and was quick to pick up on clues.


    Aside from her personality, she was always well dressed in a business suit. It filled her role as captain. Her inner genius leaked out into her hair which was relatively short and usually dyed a light pink color. Emi¡¯s friend, and the newest member of the detective team was Aiko.


    Aiko had just finished interning with the detective squad while finishing her last year of college. Her and Emi instantly grew close through their opposite personalities and intense skill sets. After her internship with the detectives she was instantly hired. Within the last few months she¡¯d helped the detective agency take on a variety of cases and even assisted in a couple of intense battles against the criminal organizations.


    Aiko grew up in Stronginzburg city. To her parent¡¯s displeasure, she¡¯d always been a bit of a trouble maker. This forced them to put her into a private school that she was almost expelled from twice. Her father¡¯s influence, aka donations, to the school were the only thing that kept her enrolled. Aiko¡¯s father was also a detective and well respected member of the community. He was the type of person that could have run for mayor.


    During her time in college, Aiko maintained a stern four point grade average. She was very intelligent and hardworking when she needed to be. Her time in private school placed her ahead of the average population making college quite easy. This was a combination of good and bad. On the positive side, she had a lot of free time after doing her assignments so quickly.


    Aiko had a big heart and wished only good upon the world, but couldn''t stop causing trouble even in college. Her reputation for having fun and causing mischief seemed to never end.


    During her first year of college she sat before the dean of students for disciplinary actions after posing as an official events organizer from the school. The entire college got to enjoy a concert from one of the most famous bands in the country right in the center of the campus courtyard. Once again, her parent¡¯s influence was the only thing that saved her from expulsion. During her third year, she developed a rapid-test for that year¡¯s flu using only the campus science lab. It saved hundreds of absences and possibly even lives. This had been an accomplishment that her parents were actually proud of. It gave her a bit of immunity with her bending of the school rules as well. Lastly, just a few months ago in her last semester of college. She organized a precisely timed building-wide shutdown by having every toilet flush at the same time which caused shaking in the century-old floors and walls. Everyone mistook it for an earthquake. Her motivation was nothing more than forcing the rescheduling of a quiz that would have caused half of a class to flunk. Students swore that the professor was out to get them. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    She had all of the traits needed to join the detectives. She was elite, a little crazy, caring, and came from a prestigious family that provided a recommendation.


    After graduating, the weather began to warm and Aiko Settled into her new role as an honorary member of the detective team. When she pulled up to the scene of the crime at Strongzinburg harbor that morning, she instantly began to look for clues and analyze the situation.


    ¡°So what happened here?¡± Aiko asked Emi, holding her hair back as it whipped around in the brisk morning wind.


    Emi started down the grated ramp onto the wooden docks and Aiko followed. ¡°Still piecing the scene together, but it seems like there was some sort of dispute between The Black Diamond and The Organization early this morning. It ended up with that yacht catching fire and sinking.¡± Emi pointed to the tip of the ship sticking out of the water about a hundred feet out from the docks. ¡°Looks like they tried to make it back to the docks to grab hoses and put out the fire, but didn¡¯t quite make it before sinking completely. According to reports, a few Black Diamond members jumped off and swam to shore, but we¡¯ve got a few bodies that were pulled out of the water as well.


    ¡°They drowned?¡±


    ¡°Definitely not. Their bodies looked like Swiss cheese. They were dead before the ship sank. This particular yacht belonged to a known Black Diamond member so we can be pretty sure that it was The Organization that attacked them.¡±


    ¡°The groups are getting more and more aggressive. At least no civilians were involved. I can''t stand when innocent people get hurt over their ridiculous activities,¡± said Aiko with a stern expression.


    ¡°They¡¯ve certainly increased their activity. There has to have been some sort of change happening. The groups have never been this troublesome before,¡± said Emi as she stepped to the edge of the dock and looked down. She stared into the murky salt water and thought deeply, trying to piece together the information.


    An assistant detective walked up to Emi with a clipboard in hand. ¡°Captain, we have identified a parachute that was just pulled out of the water near the ship.


    ¡°A parachute?¡± she said, confused.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, captain. That''s all the new information I have for now,¡± he said.


    ¡°Thank you. It''s starting to make a little more sense already,¡± she said, turning to look at the nearby skyscrapers. Her eyes bounced from the tips of each building as her brain fit pieces of the puzzle together. ¡°In order to attack the ship with so many Black Diamond members on board they needed a distraction. Someone must have parachuted down from one of the nearby buildings and landed on the ship allowing backup to come onto the boat while they served as a distraction and caught everyone off guard.¡±


    Aiko thought for a moment and then chimed in. ¡°To think that they¡¯d try something as risky as this. Average people aren¡¯t skilled like that. They must be working with someone who¡¯s really dangerous.¡±


    The detectives finished the day out by dragging bits and pieces out of the water. By the end of the day you would have never known there had been a half-sunken ship just off the docks. The harbor was back open for regular business.


    The local fishermen and dock workers were more than a bit shaken up by the event. There were rumors that went around about the criminal organizations planning more attacks and paranoia of that sort.


    When a picture of the incident made its way to social media and the news, people were all up in arms. The general public was aware of the criminal organizations for the most part, but generally they were no big threat. Not much more than a couple of wild bumblebees on a spring day. This event was different. A whole ship had sank in the harbor causing a huge economic shutdown for the day. It worried the public. It forced the inner gunk of Strongzinburg city to the surface.

 Aiko and Emi Talk

    The second floor of the detective office was lit by the glow of computer screens. It was only Aiko and Emi that remained to finish up the last bits of data entry before the rest of the crew returned tomorrow morning. Their fingers clacked on the keyboards as they relentlessly entered detail after detail.


    ¡°You know Emi, when I joined the detectives I didn¡¯t think there¡¯d be this much paperwork involved,¡± said Aiko leaning her head back and spinning in the desk chair.


    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Emi replied with a monotone voice. ¡°It¡¯s getting pretty late and there¡¯s still a good bit to work on. Let¡¯s go downstairs and take a little break. Grab a cup of coffee and such.¡±


    ¡°You don''t have to tell me twice!¡± said Aiko, bolting up from her chair.


    They headed downstairs and poured lukewarm coffee into a couple of paper cups. ¡°Creamer?¡± asked Emi as she poured a generous amount into her own cup.


    ¡°Yes please.¡±


    Emi finished doctoring up their stale coffee and they moved over to a couple of foldable chairs surrounding the table.


    Aiko sat down with a sigh.


    ¡°It¡¯s been hard hasn¡¯t it? asked Emi.


    ¡°What¡¯s been hard?¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°The job. Being a detective isn¡¯t always saving people and solving interesting cases is it?¡±


    ¡°No, but after my couple months of interning here, I knew what I was getting myself into. Aside from the occasional late nights filled with boring data entry, I love this job.¡± Aiko paused and took a sip of her coffee leaving a small pink half-circle around the edge of the cup. ¡°There are really good perks. Free gym membership, self-defense lessons, and the pay too.¡±


    ¡°Oh Aiko, you¡¯re far too serious. All of those things don¡¯t matter if you never go out and do something fun.¡±


    ¡°You do have a point. It¡¯s been a while since I hung out with friends or really went out and did any serious shopping.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go do something this weekend?¡±


    Aiko put her finger on her chin and looked up in thought. ¡°You know, maybe I will. I keep seeing people posting about a club online lately. I could use some dancing and drinking.¡±


    ¡°Who knows, you might even meet a guy or two.¡±


    Aiko giggled. ¡°Emi, you always know just what I¡¯m thinking. Anyway, it just so happens that a guy from an online site asked me out.¡±


    ¡°Just comes with the insight of being a detective,¡± Emi replied while shrugging her shoulders and putting on a smug look. Who¡¯s this guy, huh?¡±


    ¡±He¡¯s not my usual type. Just someone from a dating app. He looks like the type that can pay for my drinks and show me a good time though.¡± They shared a laugh. ¡°Do you want to come out too? I bet you could use a night out as well.¡±


    ¡°No I¡¯m much too busy. You go have fun. Besides, I wouldn¡¯t want a to be a bother like last time.¡±


    Aiko¡¯s face went pale as she recalled holding Emi¡¯s hair back as she lost her lunch in the restroom. It wasn¡¯t often, but when Emi partied, she really didn¡¯t know when to stop.


    ¡°That settles it. I¡¯m going out this weekend!¡± Aiko said with a smile.

 Seeking Information

    MC fought nightmares and kept up on his regular fitness routine. Seeing Jin and feeling as powerless as he was, ignited the flames inside him. It¡¯d been about a week since he¡¯d fought Jin and he was back on his regular nighttime routes looking for information. He retraced his steps and interrogated Black Diamond members, but continued to come up empty handed.


    Sora and MC hung around the clubhouse that evening. MC felt restless with so little to do, but knew it was good to just rest once in a while. He was still nursing his injuries as well. It would be several weeks before his broken ribs fully healed, but there wasn¡¯t much he could do to protect them or speed up the process.


    GM had just left and didn''t say where he was going. It was a usual occurrence with him. He would often leave saying, ¡°I¡¯ll be back eventually.¡±


    MC finished a workout and thought deeply as he did. He glanced over at his lists tacked to a large map on his bedroom wall. It showed several dozen names that had been crossed out. All dead leads.


    After a while, MC came out to the living room. ¡°Sora I don''t know where to look for Jin anymore. I¡¯ve run out of all the leads I had and recently there hadn¡¯t been many to begin with.¡± Sora didn''t say anything. She just stared at the tv screen and furiously mashed buttons on a game controller. ¡°Oh come on Sora, aren''t you listening?¡± She continued to play the game for a moment until her character died.¡±


    ¡°Gahh you''re so distracting. I couldn¡¯t focus with you talking to me,¡± said Sora. ¡°Anyway, have you tried working with the information brokers?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The information brokers often hang out in The Demon¡¯s Lair. I heard they just started coming around again. Seems like the media talking more about the yacht incident and other major conflicts spurred them to start coming around again. There used to be more of them, but for the last while they¡¯ve been sparse.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s an information broker anyway?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just how it sounds. People that deal in information. I doubt there¡¯s any information about Jin, but it might be a place to check out. The Demon¡¯s Lair is a popular nightclub. Lots of people from the underground hang out there. On a regular day you might see a few Black Diamond and Organization members mixed in with the bunch since it¡¯s a neutral hangout. Overall it¡¯s just a regular nightclub where people go to have a good time and dance.¡±


    ¡°Why didn''t you tell me about this sooner? I¡¯ve been hunting Jin for months.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, the information brokers just started coming around again. We used to work with them a lot, but for a while nobody needed them. Since nobody needed them they all skipped town or started doing some other sort of business. Now that the newspaper headlines are screaming again, I heard a few of the brokers have come back.¡±


    ¡°Send me the address for that nightclub. I¡¯m heading there now,¡± said MC determinedly. MC felt frustrated that there was a resource like this that he¡¯d never heard of. Especially one that seemed this promising. It was hard for him to admit to himself that he didn¡¯t know everything.


    After making his way to The Demon¡¯s Lair, MC discovered that it was literally an underground nightclub with a staircase leading from the sidewalk down to the entrance. The stairs were illuminated by a red neon sign on the wall that read, ¡°The Demon¡¯s Lair.¡±


    MC opened the door and took in his surroundings. Speakers were blasting upbeat dance music through the large square room. Purple and blue lights illuminated the entire room, but it was still fairly dark. In front of him was a thin walkway that separated the dance floor and the rest of the establishment. To his left were tables and booths. Along the side, a set of open stairs connected an upper floor to what looked like expensive private parties. Some people were even standing around the tables for lack of seating. The house was packed. To his right was the bar area. Stools lined a dark wooden counter where people watched the bar workers shake and pour fancy drinks. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    MC walked up to the counter and ordered a ginger ale in a glass. His drink was quickly prepared and slid over to him on the counter. He passed the bartender a couple of bucks and started walking around the bar. He didn''t know what he was looking for, but before long, a man approached him. He was quite large and wore a stunning white suit.


    ¡°Ay, my boss wants to see you,¡± said the man just loud enough to hear over the music. He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder.


    ¡°Your boss wants to see me?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°What are you deaf?¡± replied the man.


    He was surprised by the man¡¯s rudeness, but figured it would be best to play along. ¡°Alright, lead the way,¡± he said. The man led MC through the bar to a corner table. The table was filled with a large circular booth. A short man with tan skin and a white suit even more stunning than the first was seated there with beautiful girls on either side of him. The large man motioned to MC to sit down and he plopped down into the booth.


    ¡°MC, it¡¯s so nice to finally meet you,¡± he said with a spanish accent. ¡°The name¡¯s Carlos. I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± He took his arm off the girl¡¯s shoulders and held his hand out at MC. MC hesitantly shook his hand.


    ¡°How did you know I¡¯d be coming?¡±


    ¡°I know lots of things,¡± said Carlos as he stroked his mustache. ¡°I know that you have come here looking for certain information. I just might happen to have the information that you are looking for.¡±


    ¡°And what information would that be?¡±


    ¡°Hold on now. Before we talk business I want you to drink with me. Let¡¯s calm the nerves a little. See, look around you. Everyone has a drink.¡± The girls next to him giggled. Carlos grabbed a tall bottle from the middle of the table and filled a shot glass. He then slid it across the table. ¡°Drink up.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m good. I don''t really¡­¡±


    ¡°I said drink with me,¡± Carlos said sternly.


    ¡°I guess if this is the only way I¡¯m going to be able to get information then I don''t have a choice.¡± MC downed the drink in a single gulp and exhaled loudly as the liquid burned his throat. ¡°Good my friend,¡± said Carlos, smiling, before downing a shot himself. Then he refilled the shot glass in front of MC. ¡°Now we are having a good time. You see, I just like to have a good time and if others are not on my level. I cannot speak with them. This is the way of my business.¡± MC grabbed the glass and downed the second shot.


    ¡°So MC, I believe that you are here to ask me about a certain person.¡±


    ¡°Jin.¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± said Carlos as he leaned back and confidently stroked his mustache.


    ¡°Do you know where he is?¡±


    Carlos was quiet for a moment and carefully thought out his sentence. He leaned a little closer and said, ¡°I can tell you where he is going to be.¡±


    MC¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°Tell me where.¡±


    ¡°Hold on now, hot shot. This kind of information is not free. I need something from you.¡±


    ¡°What do you want? Money?¡±


    ¡°No, I do not want your money. Your measly chump change is no good to me. What I want is for you to fight.¡±


    ¡°Fight? Fight who?¡± It became apparent to MC that Carlos might have had this plan all along.


    ¡°There¡¯s an underground fighting club. I want you to go there and fight. The weekly matches are best of one. The Champ, as people call him, has been undefeated for the last five weeks. I want you to go there and beat him. The odds will be stacked against you, but I know you will win. When you do, I¡¯ll rake in some actual dough from the betting counter. Much more than the pennys I¡¯d get from you.¡±


    ¡°And how do you know I can beat him?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°You ask a lot of silly questions, my friend. As I told you earlier, I know lots of things,¡± Carlos said with a smile as he refilled MC¡¯s glass once more. So, do we have a deal? You win the fight next weekend and I will tell you the information you seek.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we have deal.¡±


    Carlos reached out and shook MC¡¯s hand then called over to a passing server. ¡°I want to buy everyone at the table a drink to celebrate our deal.¡±


    MC was beginning to feel sick to his stomach already. Carlos had everyone at the table tell the server what they wanted. At this point MC ordered something just to wash the stale burning sensation out of his mouth.


    Carlos went on to tell MC that the fight would take place exactly a week from today on a Saturday night. He conversed with MC charismatically and explained how it was only a boxing match and that he really had nothing to lose. The night grew late and MC lost track of how many drinks he¡¯d consumed. At a certain point he ended up with a can of beer. When the conversation finally wrapped up MC felt an uncomfortable tug at his lower stomach.

 Nightclub

    ¡°Gotta piss,¡± he said out loud and got up from the table. He pushed through the crowd and headed towards an illuminated restroom sign. His body swayed and his vision started to spin. ¡°I think I might have drank too much.¡± The spinning of the room increased his struggle and he barely managed to keep his balance. Beer spilled from the almost empty can in his hand as he approached what appeared to be half a dozen restroom signs. Upon reaching the door, he saw that it was locked and a closed for cleaning sign was posted on it. His stomach gurgled. I¡¯m gonna explode and at this point I¡¯m not sure what end it¡¯s gonna come out of.


    He turned around and saw an exit sign across the dance floor. It was the closest one. Gotta get out of here. He forced his body onto the dance floor. It was crowded and the music was blasting. He felt every beat of the bass vibrate against his aching bladder. The crowd was thick as he shimmied his way through the swarm to the door. He pushed it open as fast as he could and ran outside. It had opened up into an alley on the side of the building decorated with a large blue dumpster just to his right. Light from the main road provided a dim light to the alley and there was a smell that was anything from pleasant.


    He saw the shadowy outline of someone a little ways down the alley, but it didn¡¯t matter. At this point he was going to go in front of someone if he had to. It was most likely someone living on the streets anyway. Nothing they hadn¡¯t seen before.


    He quickly ran to the opposite side of the dumpster so anyone coming out the nightclub door wouldn¡¯t see him. With a quick unzip, he let out a long relieving piss, balancing the near empty beer can in his hand as he did. After he managed the daunting task of zipping up his pants back up in the dim light, his stomach came at him with a fierce pain of alcohol rejection. He bent over and puked onto the ground.


    MC didn¡¯t notice as someone came out the same back door that he had. It was a guy and a girl. The guy was big and tan. The girl wore a fancy tight dress and had her hair all done up with pins. Chad, it¡¯s getting late and I want to go home,¡± said the girl as she tried to push out from under the arm of his leather jacket.


    ¡°Come on, aren¡¯t we having a good time?¡± he asked as he ran his free hand through his tall gelled hair.


    ¡±No, I want to go home and it¡¯s cold out here. Let me go!¡± She struggled, but Chad was twice her size. There was no escape.


    ¡°We¡¯re just gonna have a little more fun.¡± The girl struggled more and reached for her purse to pull out the pepper spray she carried for situations like this one. Chad grabbed her hands and pinned her to the dirty alley wall.


    MC, still oblivious to what was happening only a few feet away, finished the last sip of beer to wash away the flavor of puke. He aimed for the dumpster and tossed the empty can only to hit Chad square on the top of his head.


    ¡°Hey, who threw that?¡± asked Chad.


    MC, clueless, gripped his head in his hands and slumped against the wall, inches away from his freshly produced bodily fluids. ¡°Ohhhh man I definitely overdid it,¡± he groaned. ¡°Freakin Carlos, man.¡±


    Chad grabbed the girl¡¯s purse from her and stuffed it into his jacket pocket. There went the girl¡¯s phone and wallet. ¡°You stay right there,¡± he commanded and stormed off to see who had dared to disrespect him from the other side of the dumpster. He peeked around the corner and saw MC, who was already snoring with his head slumped over.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re gonna get away with this,¡± said Chad. He grabbed MC by the collar of his shirt and pulled his body up off the ground using the momentum to throw MC flat on his face.


    MC woke with a startle. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked, frantically.


    ¡°You disrespected me in front of a lady,¡± said Chad.


    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± MC mumbled. Then the pain seemed to hit him all at once. He gritted his teeth and clenched his eyes shut. ¡°Ow my head! I think I can feel a lump forming already. I¡¯m lucky to be totally wasted right now otherwise this would probably hurt a lot more.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it. Sounds like you still haven¡¯t learned your lesson,¡± Chad said. The girl watched in concern as Chad approached MC. Her vision was blurring and she was starting to feel a sudden wave of weakness. It only took a second to realize that he¡¯d slipped something into her last drink.


    Chad¡¯s hand turned into a ball and he punched MC with a stern right hook. His body flopped and rolled on the ground from the force of the impact. He laid motionless for a few seconds. ¡°That¡¯ll teach ¡®em,¡± said Chad with a smirk. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°Dude, that really hurt,¡± MC said, sitting up and spitting blood onto the ground. His teeth were coated red. ¡°Talk about a vibe kill. Not that I was having a very good time to begin with.¡±


    The girl covered her mouth in disbelief of what she was witnessing. ¡°Stop it!¡± she yelled, but her slurred words didn¡¯t penetrate Chad¡¯s thick head. He stepped forward towards MC and attempted to punch him in the face again. MC leaned back and dodged the blow with significant ease.


    ¡°Huh?¡± said Chad. MC wobbled to his feet. Chad swung at him again and MC ducked down dodging the attack once more. Chad attempted to punch again, but was stopped by a swift palm in front of his face.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± commanded MC as he held his palm an inch from Chad¡¯s face. He turned and away and fished around his mouth with his fingers and looked at the saliva he pulled out. ¡°My teeth are totally bloody. Must have bit my tongue. Way to ruin the night, man. At least my teeth didn¡¯t get knocked loose.¡± Chad¡¯s face twisted with rage and he attempted a headbutt. MC moved to the side and Chad¡¯s head collided with the thick wall of the nightclub. A small piece of the building crumpled as Chad¡¯s limp body collapsed. He laid on his side in a pile of piss and vomit.


    ¡°Poor guy must have knocked himself out,¡± said MC. ¡°Oh well, serves him right.¡± He stepped over Chad''s hulking body and headed out towards the main road, spitting blood as he walked past the girl.


    ¡°Thanks, mister! That guy was totally creepy.¡±


    MC turned towards her. ¡°Huh? Oh yeah. Sorry your boyfriend¡¯s out cold.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely not my boyfriend, but¡­¡± the girl paused and stared at MC as if in a trance. ¡°Wait, MC is that you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Do I know you?¡± He asked, steadying himself and facing her with an inquisitive look. He was still seeing double.


    She walked closer to MC. ¡°It¡¯s me, Aiko,¡± she replied.


    MC looked closely and swayed slightly from side to side.


    ¡°Aiko? I must be more wasted than I thought. For a second I thought you said Aiko.¡±


    ¡°I am Aiko! I knew it was you! There¡¯s no way I could forget.¡±


    MC realized he might actually be seeing who he thought he was. Maybe it really was her. He took a good look at her and focused. She looks really different tonight, all dressed up. That really is Aiko though.


    Without warning, she fell over and hugged him. MC stood there with his hands at his sides, unsure what to do.


    ¡°Can you hold on for a second?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± he mumbled.


    She turned and walked over to chad. He had a stupid look on his face, and blood was crusting on his forehead, but she didn¡¯t feel the least bit concerned. Without hesitation she kicked him in the balls as hard as she could. ¡°Hope he feels that in the morning!¡± she exclaimed before turning back to MC. ¡°Uh oh, I¡¯m pretty dizzy,¡± she said as she slumped down onto her knees in front of him. MC crouched down and held her shoulders. She attempted to steady her head still as it bobbed like a tree in the wind. ¡°Hey MC, I don¡¯t feel so good.¡±


    Oh man, Aiko looks pretty messed up too. That guy must have slipped something into her drink.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sowwy. This is so embarrassing. Can you give me my purse? She said pointing to where it was sticking out of Chad¡¯s pocket. He fetched it for her as quickly as he could. She pulled her phone out, but she wasn¡¯t even able to dial a phone number.


    Her hands are trembling. She¡¯s pretty shaken up. There¡¯s no way she¡¯s going to get home by herself in this state. I better help her out. He crouched down and helped her up into a piggyback ride. She closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder. MC made it out front of the club and put Aiko down on her feet making sure she had a wall to lean on and drunkenly waved down the first taxi he saw.


    The next morning Aiko woke up on the couch in her apartment. She instantly shot up to a sitting position. ¡°How did I get home last night?¡± she asked herself. There was an awful taste in her mouth that reminded her of what happened the night before. She remembered a series of events leading to falling asleep in a taxi. Then she remembered MC. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he was there last night,¡± she said as she tried to piece the blurred moments of the night together.


    She slowly got up and downed a full glass of water accompanied by a dose of headache medicine. ¡°Surely that was him. He¡¯s not someone I¡¯d so easily forget.¡±


    MC returned to the clubhouse that night. Sora was still awake lounging on the couch typing away on her laptop. GM¡¯s door was open and his shoes were missing. He hadn¡¯t come home for the night yet.


    MC walked into the kitchen and grabbed an ice pack out of the freezer. Then, poured himself a tall glass of water and plopped down on the couch to relax and numb his face.


    ¡°You reek of booze and perfume,¡± Sora complained. ¡°It¡¯s usually GM who comes home like that.¡± She looked up and saw his swollen face. ¡°What the hell happened?¡±


    ¡°Carlos talked me into drinking a lot and I ran into an old friend.¡±


    ¡±So you met Carlos, huh? That guy always reeks of tequila. You said you saw an old friend? I didn¡¯t know you had any of those.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Her name is Aiko. I hadn¡¯t seen her since I worked at the convenience store. What¡¯s it been? About two years I think.¡±


    ¡°A girl?¡± Sora asked curiously.


    ¡°Actually, she used to be my best friend. I can¡¯t believe I just happened to run into her at that nightclub. I hope she doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m some sort of weirdo for puking and pissing in that alley, but who knows if I¡¯ll even see her again.¡±


    ¡°You did what?¡± exclaimed Sora.


    ¡°A lot happened tonight. I¡¯ve got to report my information to Gil tomorrow. I can¡¯t deal with all these questions right now. I¡¯m just gonna head to bed.¡±


    ¡°MC!¡±

 Aiko Tells Emi About Her Night Out

    Aiko returned to the detective office following her overly eventful weekend. It was a regular day at the office, but she just couldn¡¯t seem to focus. Her mind kept replaying the events of the nightclub. How long had it been since I¡¯d seen MC? What would I have done if he hadn¡¯t been there?


    ¡°Daydreaming?¡± asked Emi.


    Aiko rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°How was your date?¡±


    ¡°Terrible.¡±


    ¡°That bad, huh?¡±


    ¡°That stupid guy tried to drug me.¡±


    ¡°Aiko! Are you ok?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. It could have gone a lot worse. Let¡¯s just say he¡¯s going to need an x-ray on his you know what.¡±


    ¡°Aiko!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°If you say so. I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re ok.¡±


    ¡°On the bright side, I ran into an old friend and can¡¯t stop thinking about him.¡±


    Emi shifted from concerned to interested. ¡°Oh so it¡¯s like that, huh?¡±


    ¡°No Emi! He¡¯s just a friend. Well he was my first crush though.¡±


    ¡°So it really is something like that,¡± laughed Emi. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re just scared to admit it.¡±


    ¡°You may be right. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m sorting myself out.¡±


    ¡°Maybe some air will do you some good. We need to go check out a fresh scene. Grab your coat.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Aiko and Emi arrived at the crime scene. It was a seedy hotel. Outdated green paint chipped off the building and the parking lot was filled with large potholes. It wasn¡¯t the kind of place that you¡¯d stay on a nice family vacation.


    Photographers and cameras were already there reporting what had happened on the morning news. Emi let Aiko silently slipped through the small crowd, completely ignoring the reporters as they were hounded with questions. They flashed their badges and ducked under the yellow tape surrounding the building.


    The ground was littered with bodies that led to an open door on the ground floor. Inside was a room coated with bullet holes. There didn''t seem to be a single square foot without a bullet hole through the wall. On the bed were various drugs wrapped in bags with duct tape, some ripped open and spilling out.


    ¡°The details we have show that it was some sort of major drug deal between the Black Diamond and a supplier gone wrong,¡± said Emi.


    ¡°It appears so,¡± Aiko tied her hair up and donned a pair of surgical gloves in preparation to look around.


    A pair of binoculars glinted in the fifteenth floor window of another hotel just down the street from the crime scene. The curtains were pulled back just enough to allow a peek. In that room were the three higher ups of the Black Diamond. Jin, Kuro, and Shiro.


    Kuro brought the binoculars down from his face and turned around to face his twin brother and Jin. Shiro sat in a chair while Jin stood leaning against the far wall. ¡°Do you know how much this is going to cost the Black Diamond?¡± Kuro asked the room.


    Jin anxiously put his hands in his pockets. ¡°I¡¯m not sure of the exact cost, but It¡¯s likely going to be in the hundreds of thousands.¡±


    ¡°You got that right,¡± said Kuro.


    ¡°This is not acceptable. It took almost three months to plan this deal out and it ended with a shootout. We told you to put reliable people in charge of the deal, Jin.¡±


    ¡°I did. There was no way I could have predicted something like this happening.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to take care of this mess. Bribe some of the police to get some of the product back if you have to just make sure we don¡¯t lose any more money than we already have,¡± ordered Kuro. ¡°If anyone made it out of that shootout alive I want to see their fucking heads.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir. I¡¯m on it,¡± said Jin with a nod of his head before calmly walking out of the hotel room.


    Kuro sat down on the bed and let out a long sigh. ¡°Father never would have let something like this happen would he?¡±


    ¡°The Black Diamond has grown much since the times of father. The more people involved the more difficult it is to coordinate these kinds of things. Sure, in the general sense the more people we have means more income streams, but it¡¯s harder to run a smooth operation with so many variables,¡± said Shiro. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Do you think Jin did this on purpose to spite us?¡±


    ¡°No, I really don¡¯t think that. We have kept him under stern control for so long I doubt he even has the will to rebel. Besides, he knows what would happen if he did. We¡¯d execute his last connection to his past.¡±


    ¡°That damn girl. He¡¯s still doing what he¡¯s told so he must still love her after all this time. What a fool,¡± said Kuro. ¡°It¡¯s amazing how long the threat of a loved one will keep a person in check.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. We will continue to use it to our advantage as well as keep a close eye on him as usual. Today¡¯s events have been unfortunate, but in the long run, they do not matter. We will make the money back and we will acquire more resources. Such is the way of the city.¡±


    Aiko paced around her living room trying to decide what to do. She wanted to meet MC again, but the uncertainties kept creeping into her head. She¡¯d spent the last few days struggling with the idea of calling the convenience store where she¡¯d met MC. It was only a matter of time before her emotions got the better of her. She finally picked up her phone and called the convenience store. A man with an off putting staccato voice answered. ¡°This is Ninth Street Convenience. Manager speaking. How may I help you?¡±


    ¡°Hi, my name is Aiko and I¡¯m calling with the detective unit for Strongzinburg city. I''m calling about an employee named MC. Is he available?¡±


    ¡°Oh that guy? What? Did he do something bad? I always knew there was something off about that guy.¡±


    ¡°No he hasn¡¯t done anything bad. Quite the opposite actually.¡±


    ¡°Huh, I don¡¯t know if I believe it. He¡¯s not here though. He quit a while ago.¡±


    ¡°Oh ok. Do you happen to know how I might contact him? A phone number perhaps?¡±


    ¡°I have a number on file still. Guess I could give you that.¡± The man rustled through a binder stuffed with old paperwork until he found the MC¡¯s file. The manager provided the number and Aiko jotted it down and thanked him.


    Next, was the real hurdle. She prepared to call MC, calming her body with a deep breath. ¡°Ok, Aiko, you can do this. You make tons of phone calls every day. It¡¯s just to thank him for what he did the other day.¡±


    She dialed the number and let it ring. There was a surprisingly quick answer.


    ¡°Yes?¡± answered MC. He had just laid down on his bed after finishing a large portion of dinner.


    ¡°H¡­hello, this is Aiko. You know, from the nightclub.¡±


    ¡°Oh it¡¯s you?¡± he said in surprise. ¡°How¡¯d you get my number?¡±


    ¡°I uh¡­ called the convenience store you used to work at.¡±


    There was a brief pause. ¡°Ahh that idiot manager still has my information. I should have known. So what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to call and thank you for the other day. That was really heroic.¡±


    MC¡¯s felt his face turn red. ¡°Yeah, it was no biggie,¡± he said, trying to sound cool. ¡°That whole situation was really weird.¡±


    ¡°Really, thank you. Could I treat you to a coffee or some food sometime?¡±


    Is she really asking me on a date? Is this some sort of dream? Ok ok gotta stay calm. Don¡¯t sound too enthusiastic. ¡°Sure, I could make some time to grab coffee.¡±


    ¡°Great, how about this Saturday morning.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that works for me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll message you the address of the cafe. Thanks again.¡±


    ¡°No problem. Looking forward to it.¡±


    Aiko hung up the phone and felt her heart beating a million miles an hour. ¡°That was so intense. Why do I feel like this?¡± she asked herself out loud.


    MC set his phone down on the desk in his room. Wow this is a moment I¡¯ve dreamed of for years. Why don¡¯t I feel more excited? I think I¡¯m conflicted. Maybe GM would have some sort of advice. He¡¯s always hanging around with girls in his free time.


    MC went out into the living room and passed Sora snoring on the couch. GM was in the kitchen finishing the last few bites of a beef jerky stick. He looked like he was about to head out for the evening.


    ¡°Hey, GM do you have a minute?¡±


    ¡°What do you want? We already did your training for the day?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about that. I was wondering if you had some advice about a girl?¡±


    ¡°Oh I see. So it¡¯s something like that.¡± GM put his hand on his chin. ¡°Well, I suppose I¡¯ll hear you out.¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s this girl that I¡¯m going to hang out with. I used to have a crush on her. I guess you could call it my first love or something like that.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem there? Sounds great to me!¡±


    ¡°That was my thought too. The only thing is that I don¡¯t feel very excited to actually go see her.¡±


    ¡°Is that it? You¡¯re conflicted.¡±


    ¡°I am?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You spend so much time being serious and going on missions and hunting down information. You probably just feel guilty about taking time off. You¡¯ve always done this guilt thing. You feel bad about what happened when you were a kid and now it¡¯s consumed your whole life.¡±


    MC felt like GM hit it spot on. He didn¡¯t like the way it made his stomach feel. ¡°So the solution was that simple all along?¡±


    ¡°Yep, I think you need to start drinking more. That usually solves most problems for me. Plus you¡¯re like a workaholic or something. It¡¯s always Jin this Jin that. Taking a day off wouldn¡¯t hurt. Go enjoy yourself. You¡¯re much too serious. And have a beer or two.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass. Thanks,¡± said MC remembering the last time he drank. ¡°I ought to give you more credit. You¡¯re actually pretty smart about certain things.¡±


    ¡±What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± said GM.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you figure that one out.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s all you got, then I¡¯m out of here,¡± said GM, turning for the door.


    ¡°Make sure you''re back in time for my training tomorrow.¡±

 Coffee with Aiko

    Streetlights were beginning to turn on as Aiko and MC arrived at the cafe. They each ordered a coffee and found some open seats around a small square table. MC felt sore from his training with GM earlier in the day and rubbed his aching shoulder while thinking about what to say to her. He¡¯d never just sat around and caught up with someone before. He was out of his usual element.


    It didn¡¯t help that he felt thrown off by seeing Aiko. He recognized her, but it was like looking at a different version of her. She wore fancy clothes that he guessed had something to do with current fashion trends. She was much taller and her hair was longer than he remembered. Her face had a bit of maturity to it. He¡¯d only seen her twice in the last ten years after all.


    Aiko couldn¡¯t stop smiling as she analyzed MC. She noticed a maturity and quietness about him as well. A memory drifted into her head and she broke the silence.


    ¡°Hey MC, do you remember the time when Our families went on that camping trip? That bear stumbled into our camp.


    MC smiled, remembering that day. ¡°How could I forget? To this day, I¡¯ve never seen an animal behave like that again. I remember the camp ranger telling us later that it had been caught the next day when it was climbing into a dumpster. It had rabies and wasn¡¯t thinking clearly.¡±


    ¡°The memory is a bit blurry, but I remember you falling over backwards as we tried to get away. The bear looked at you and snarled. I picked up the only rock on the ground and only had one shot to stop that thing from charging at you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you made a good throw. You hit the bear square in the nose! It turned around and ran away as fast as it could. Must have given it quite the startle.¡± MC chuckled.


    ¡°So Aiko, what are you up to these days? Something heroic I¡¯m sure,¡± he joked.


    ¡°As a matter of fact, I work in the detective unit here in Strongzinburg city.¡±


    A detective? MC felt a sudden sickness to his stomach. How could Aiko be a detective while he was a member of The Organization, one of the biggest criminal organizations in the city? Couldn''t she have said that she was a veterinarian or something? He pushed away the feeling and continued the conversation.


    ¡°You really were always coming to the rescue back then when we were young. Look at you now, you¡¯re still coming to the rescue, but in a different way. Being a detective means helping people, in a nutshell.¡±


    ¡°I never thought about it that way but I guess I do have a way of always being the hero,¡± Aiko laughed.


    MC smiled, leaned back, and looked out the window. The city was busy. Even in the night, there were plenty of people passing by those large reflective windows. Who cares if she¡¯s a detective. She¡¯s still just Aiko.


    ¡°By the way, thanks for rescuing me. You know¡­ at that club.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no problem. I just did what anyone else would have. It was nothing really.¡±


    Aiko sighed and relaxed a bit. ¡°Anyway, now that I¡¯ve got my thanks out of the way let¡¯s move on. I¡¯d prefer not to dwell on that night.¡±


    MC saw that despite Aiko being a brave detective, she was still human. ¡°So what are you up to these days, MC?¡± asked Aiko.


    ¡°Trying to find my footing in life, you could say.¡± He chose his words carefully, not wanting to reveal anything about his actual activities of late. ¡°I spent a lot of time on my own, but I¡¯ve made a few friends recently. They''re a quirky bunch, but I fit right in with them. I¡¯ve been working on becoming more physically fit with a personal trainer and boy let me tell you he doesn¡¯t make it easy.¡±


    ¡°Great. I¡¯m glad you found some friends. The city can be lonely all on your own. Not to mention, dangerous at times. It looks like you¡¯ve been working out so I doubt anyone tries messing with you, though¡± she teased with a smile.


    MC never thought of his workout routines as a strength in this way. He was usually the aggressor when hunting Black Diamonds.


    ¡°The crime in the city has been getting more and more dangerous. You never know when you might get caught up in their crossfire,¡± she warned.


    ¡°Sure sounds like they¡¯re making your job harder.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Tell me about it. We¡¯ve been doing nothing, but going over crime scenes for weeks. There¡¯s even word of some kind of flash bang member who¡¯s been going around lately. He uses flash bang explosives to stun his enemies. That¡¯s totally crazy!¡±


    MC Choked and nearly spit his drink out.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± she asked, concerned.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± he said in a raspy voice. ¡°Just went down the wrong tube.¡±


    He reflected on Aiko¡¯s words and her perceptions of the city. Aiko had always been a voice of sounding for him. This is the first time I¡¯ve had mixed feelings about the way I¡¯ve been going about life as a member of The Organization. It¡¯s all to allow me to get closer to Jin. Jin Jin Jin! That¡¯s my sole purpose right now. I need to find him. By taking him out I¡¯ll be doing the entire city a favor too.


    ¡°Are you feeling ok? You¡¯re making a pretty serious face.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t realized how focused he was as he completely lost track of their conversation for a moment. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m ok. Just tired I guess,¡± he said, forcing a smile.


    ¡°Hey, I have an idea,¡± said Aiko. How about we work out together sometime. We could go on a run or something. I workout most days anyway to stay in shape for my job.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d really want to do that?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I said it didn¡¯t I?¡±


    They finished their conversations and made plans to meet together for a morning run. MC left feeling happy, but conflicted. He questioned his motivations and actions regarding Jin and The Organization. Never did he think the conversations today would lead to him feeling this way.


    As he drove home, he thought back to a time that seemed so long ago. He sat in front of a white frosted birthday cake decorated with seven candles. Around him were various family members along with his mother and father. He remembered Aiko and her family, his parents, and several family friends.


    The candles were blown out and presents were opened. A time when he felt so complete and loved. It was a time before he felt the hatred that fueled him so strongly. A time before he¡¯d lost everything. Strangely enough, Jin was at that birthday party. He sang along with the birthday song and even brought a gift. MC remembered how Jin never missed any of his birthdays. It sickened him that his father¡¯s friend ended up killing him.


    That evening, as the adults turned the child¡¯s birthday party into a party of their own, MC and Aiko ventured out into the backyard. It was quite spacious for a backyard in the city. They strolled through the garden and past the fountain as they played.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to catch all of the bad guys!¡± Aiko exclaimed as she climbed onto a waist-high decorative boulder.


    ¡°Not if I catch them first!¡± MC yelled.


    They ran around wildly swinging sticks like swords.


    Times like these were the ones that MC looked back on most fondly. It had been years since he felt that carefree feeling he felt on those summer evenings.


    How far he¡¯d come. Wanting to catch the bad guys and ending up becoming one himself. He felt a tug between who he was and who he wanted to be.


    Aiko had a stronger meaning to him than he thought. Her words seemed to hit harder than anyone else¡¯s could. He gripped the steering wheel the whole way back to the clubhouse.


    That night, Aiko slipped into a pair of cozy pajamas and toweled her wet hair in the bathroom mirror. She admired the highlights, but noticed that she might need to dye them again soon as they were starting to fade. Sure does take a lot of work to be a girl.


    Just then, she got a call from Emi. She answered and headed out to the couch where she sat with a plop.


    ¡°AIKO! You have to tell me how your date went,¡± demanded Emi.


    ¡°Oh come on Emi, can¡¯t I keep anything to myself?¡±


    ¡°You know I could never have fun and go on dates and meet guys like you do. I¡¯m so busy with work and to be fair, I¡¯m too dang picky.¡±


    ¡°Ok fine. If you insist. It went good. He¡¯s really how I remember him being and I like that. He¡¯s kind and I can tell he really likes me. He seemed a bit nervous.¡±


    ¡°Tell me more!¡±


    ¡°We ordered coffee and talked about life. We mostly just did a bit of catching up.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Well, I can tell he¡¯s having a bit of trouble in life, but it seems like things are starting to come together for him. He told me about how he¡¯s been making friends and ¡®figuring things out¡¯ or something like that. You know, I think that thing that happened to his family really put him in a certain mindset. I think he probably blames himself at least partially or has some sort of guilt or resentment about what happened to his parents.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like baggage.¡±


    ¡°In a way yes, but, it¡¯s still nothing serious for now. I think it¡¯s best to let him figure out whatever he has going on before stepping into a relationship. We made rough plans to go workout together soon.¡±


    ¡°So he at least has one thing going for him huh? A hot bod?¡±


    Aiko blushed. ¡°Well¡­ yeah.¡±


    Emi cackled hysterically.

 Going for a Jog

    It was early. Fog crept off the lake and covered parts of the trail as the morning sun crept above the horizon. MC had come here to work out before. He¡¯d often run a good portion around the lake but never completed the entire loop. Today, he and Aiko were planning to jog ten kilometers. It was an average workout for Aiko, but fairly light for MC.


    MC stretched his legs while he waited for Aiko. She wasn¡¯t late, he was just early.


    Aiko arrived right on time. She¡¯d picked out a flattering outfit of leggings and a tight T-shirt. She wore a smartwatch that helped her keep track of steps and distance. It also helped to serve as communication with Emi if the detectives were called into immediate action.


    MC¡¯s first impression was that she was wearing some makeup. Most people wouldn¡¯t bother with that when doing a morning workout. The only girl he was regularly around was Sora and she hardly ever wore makeup.


    ¡°Hi, MC,¡± she said with a bubbly wave and smile. ¡°Hope you weren¡¯t waiting too long.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I was just finishing up my stretching. I¡¯ll let you get ready for the run too.¡± Aiko spent a minute stretching and fixing her shoe laces while MC did a few extra stretches.


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯m all ready to go,¡± she said.


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll match your pace.¡± They took off down the trail with the lake to their right and the forest to their left.


    ¡°You know, MC this definitely beats working out alone or with some of my boring coworkers like usual,¡± said Aiko. ¡°I¡¯ve always been a bit¡­ different than them. I suppose you could say, I have more fun, but I get myself into more trouble too. I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯d call it exactly.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you know how to live,¡± said MC thoughtfully.


    ¡°Yeah, maybe you''re right. I like that,¡± said Aiko with a thoughtful expression. ¡°So what exactly are you training for, MC?¡±


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m not looking forward to anything in particular.¡±


    ¡°Oh come on there¡¯s got to be something.¡±


    ¡°Well, I do have a boxing match coming up.¡±


    ¡°Boxing match?¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Yeah, a guy I know talked me into it. It¡¯s just something I¡¯m trying out. I¡¯ve never done it before.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that sounds intense! I hope you do well and don¡¯t get too hurt.¡±


    ¡°Me too. I¡¯m a little worried since it¡¯s something new. I feel like there¡¯s a lot of pressure riding on me. Not my well-being or finances or anything, just¡­ you know¡­ things.¡± He didn¡¯t want to say too much and reveal his exact reasons for the boxing match.


    Aiko wasn¡¯t entirely sure what he meant by that but decided she shouldn¡¯t ask. He must be talking about his parents. He probably wants to prove himself by training hard and boxing. That¡¯s how guys are.


    She was half right. MC was doing this to avenge his father¡¯s death and his mother¡¯s health. The boxing match was partially to prove himself in a masculine way. He felt that he¡¯d be happier if he could beat a strong opponent. That meant that his training and work toward taking out Jin was progressing.


    They were both quiet and kept pace together for a while before Aiko realized that she was breathing a lot heavier than MC was.


    ¡°Hey!¡± How dare you go easy on me.¡±


    ¡°Huh, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re hardly even breathing hard. I can tell I¡¯m slowing you down.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s nice to have a lighter workout than usual.¡±


    ¡°If you say so,¡± said Aiko through rushed breathing.¡± Aiko¡¯s watch beeped and alerted her that she was approaching the halfway mark for the workout. They were going to need to turn around soon.


    ¡°Hey you see that stump ahead next to the trail?¡± asked Aiko.


    ¡°Yeah, you want to turn around there?¡±


    ¡°Race you to it!¡± she exclaimed, speeding ahead.


    ¡°What?¡± said MC, surprised.


    Aiko arrived first, slapping the stump with her palm. ¡°I win!¡± she teased.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± said MC with a chuckle. ¡°Want to take a rest?¡±


    ¡°Yes please,¡± she said, bending over and putting her hands on her knees. ¡°Just give me two minutes, then I¡¯m good to head back.¡±


    ¡°If you say so,¡± said MC, attempting to steady and slow his own breathing.


    Aiko perked up and put her hand on her forehead, looking into the distance over the lake. ¡°Sure is beautiful. This lake has been here since my great grandfather moved to Strongzinburg city. He was actually one of the people who helped build The North Dam that created this lake. I¡¯ve heard stories about what the city used to be like back then. It was obviously much smaller than it is now, but still bigger than a lot of other towns that were near here.¡±


    ¡°For some reason I just assumed the North Dam had always been here,¡± said MC. ¡°It¡¯s huge.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s actually one of the biggest dams in the world. Man made lakes sure are interesting. To think this would all be a much lower valley with a river at the borrow if the lake wasn¡¯t here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough history lessons for today, let¡¯s head back or I¡¯m going to be late for work.¡±


    They were both a bit too winded to talk much on the way back to the parking lot. When they arrived back, they both said their goodbyes and agreed to keep in touch to do something like this again.

 Turning the Sky Red

    MC sat at the kitchen table in the clubhouse and drank a post workout drink. Sora was still awake from last night. She was finishing up some sort of quest in her game that caused her to yell every four or five minutes due to dying and having to start over.


    ¡°Why do you even bother with this stuff if it makes you so mad?¡± asked MC.


    ¡±Because it¡¯s fun!¡± She said no sooner than letting out a grunting screech and punching the pillow next to her on the couch.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ fun,¡± said MC with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°Oh shut up. You wouldn¡¯t get it,¡± said Sora, getting up and heading to the fridge. She opened it up and grabbed the carton of milk and drank straight from it.


    ¡°Sora, that¡¯s not just your milk. We all drink out of it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah so?¡±


    ¡°Just¡­ never mind,¡± he said, not feeling up to an argument. He just sighed and smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯re funny, MC. You¡¯re really a mysterious guy, you know. You always do this thing where you keep your thoughts to yourself even though I can tell there¡¯s more you want to say.¡±


    Sora¡¯s insight shocked MC a little. ¡°Despite how you usually are, you actually say some pretty interesting things sometimes,¡± said MC. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°That¡¯s why they keep me around. Well, that and my superhuman technology skills,¡± she said with a giggle and returned the milk to the fridge.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you go this morning anyway? You look all sweaty. Did you already go and train with GM today?¡±


    ¡°No I went on a run with Aiko.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡± said Sora. ¡°You were out with a girl?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The same one that I went and got coffee with the other day.¡±


    ¡°You got coffee with her too? That¡¯s like a date.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, some might see it that way. It was more like catching up with a friend after a long time apart.¡±


    ¡°So you know her from the past?¡±


    ¡°We grew up together. We were friends for a long time. She was my first crush.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna puke,¡± said Sora.


    ¡°Oh come on, it''s not all that mushy.¡±


    ¡°And do you like her now? Is she your girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°No it¡¯s nothing serious like that,¡± said MC. ¡°It¡¯s just been nice to catch up and find someone that I can talk to about the past before things went south for me. She is beautiful though. I wouldn¡¯t mind getting closer with her. I¡¯m worried she might not feel the same though.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worse than I thought,¡± said Sora, her face turning red. ¡°I¡¯m heading to bed,¡± she said and walked across the living room and into her bedroom. She slammed the door.


    ¡°Sora never sleeps in her room. She slammed the door too. What¡¯s her problem?¡± MC said out loud.

 Boxing Match

    MC watched his breath cloud up in front of him as he got out of this car. He grabbed his gym bag from the passenger seat and walked silently beneath the streetlights. He began to feel the excitement and nervousness of the night to come.


    As long as he won the match, he would be one step closer to finding Jin, but would he really be able to do it without the help of his flash bang equipment? He¡¯d won plenty of fights without it, but it was usually against street thugs, not trained boxers.


    He approached the building labeled with the address that Carlos had provided. From the outside, most people would mistake it for a regular gym with a rough crowd. The sides of the building were spray painted and the windows were locked behind metal bars. As he walked into the building It looked like a regular gym. There was a mix of weights and different machines.


    MC wasn¡¯t sure where to go since there didn¡¯t seem to be many people there. He looked over at a man sitting behind the counter who was busy scrolling on his phone. The man was wearing a white stained tank top and had his feet resting on the counter like a foot stool. The man glanced up briefly, motioned to the side with his head, then returned his focus to the phone. It was a mysterious interaction, but MC figured it meant he was good to follow the muffled sounds of the crowd.


    He walked across the gym and down a set of stairs. At the bottom of the staircase was a small platform where two large men wearing sunglasses stood, blocking a closed door. ¡°Security check. Arms up,¡± the man on the left ordered. MC lifted his arms and the men patted down his clothing. They opened his gym bag and looked inside too. It was a fairly thorough inspection which helped MC feel that it would be hard for anyone to slip a weapon through. ¡°All clear,¡± said the guard on the left. Without further hesitation, the guard opened the door to reveal the backs of a cheering crowd. The heavy scent of cigarettes and sweat rolled out the open door.


    Within the center of the crowd was a square boxing ring. It had a fence Consisting of three red elastic ropes to keep the fighters inside the boundaries. People cheered loudly as two fighters beat the hell out of each other for everyone to see. On the side wall of the basement was a window sealed with a panel of thick glass aside from a small opening at the bottom. Labeled above was a sign that said, ¡°Betting Counter.¡± Sitting behind the window was an elderly man with a mustache who briskly counted a stack of cash and provided a receipt to a woman covered in piercings.


    On the opposite wall was a small bar counter with a single bartender. Colorful bottles were displayed on the shelf above. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have fighting and gambling without a few drinks now could you?¡± said MC out loud.


    MC walked along the wall at the edge of the crowd. There must be at least five hundred people here. He stood on his toes and watched the action happening in the ring. One of the fighters collapsed after a right hook to the jaw. Saliva sprayed from his mouth and he was out cold. The crowd roared and then quickly dispersed as people rushed to the betting counter to collect their shares while others stood around refilling drinks and chatting.


    As the crowd continued to disperse throughout the room MC passed by an oddly familiar man. He was taller than average and had his hood pulled down low over his face. MC wasn''t able to see his eyes, but his aura was oddly cold. The crowd in here was a rough one and that man seemed like a devil among demons. All of a sudden the thought hit him. He realized where he¡¯d seen that man, or more accurately, felt that feeling before. It was at The Organization building. That man was The Vampire. What¡¯s that guy doing here?


    The sudden feeling of someone grabbing his shoulders from behind jolted his attention. He spun around in a panic to see that it was Carlos. ¡°Hey, MC it¡¯s almost showtime,¡± said Carlos. Are you ready?¡± His Spanish accent was as thick as ever.


    ¡°Ready as I¡¯ll ever be.¡±


    ¡°That''s the spirit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got the match all ready to go. I had to pull some strings, but you''re set to go up against the reigning champ tonight.¡± He pulled MC close and lowered his voice a little even though you had to shout to hear another person anyway. ¡°I know you''re going to win. You¡¯re going to have to if you want that information we discussed by the end of the night.¡±


    ¡°Glad to see your confidence in me,¡± said MC determinedly.


    Carlos smiled and pointed to a blue metal door along the wall next to the betting counter. The number four was painted white on it. ¡°See that over there? That¡¯s your locker room. Go get dressed during this intermission. Your fight will be up in a little while. When it¡¯s time, the announcer will call you out. Just wait there until then.¡± MC nodded and went into the locker room.


    It was larger than he¡¯d expected. There was a bench, a shower, and a wall of about a dozen lockers. He stuffed his things inside an open locker and got changed into a pair of shorts. He did some stretching and tried to calm his nerves. He wasn''t particularly worried about being the center of attention, but was worried about losing the fight. There was a lot riding on his abilities. He tried to remind himself, ¡°If Carlos is sure that I¡¯ll win, then I¡¯ll win. It¡¯s his job to know things after all. Right?¡± MC wasn¡¯t even sure if Carlos really did know what he claimed to know about Jin.


    In the other locker room was the reigning champ and his manager. The Champ is what people had started calling him since he¡¯d been winning so many fights. The Champ was tall and lanky under his olive skin and spanning muscles. He had a chest full of curly hair and a head to match.


    The Champ¡¯s manager took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it between his lips. Smoke swirled around his bulging stomach and tan suit. ¡°I¡¯m telling you I don''t know anything about this guy you¡¯re fighting. He doesn''t have a manager or nothin. Probably just some small fry.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll win this match?¡± asked The Champ nervously.


    ¡°Of course you¡¯ll win this match. You¡¯re The Champ! I¡¯m not sure how you got put up against this guy. I¡¯ve been arranging all the fights, but this time I was told that you were already assigned to someone. We both know there¡¯s been a lot of money riding on your fights so folks are likely to keep betting good on you. Best not to let the fans down.¡± The manager began pacing back and forth with nervousness as The Champ finished getting ready. ¡°Just make sure to use your signature technique and everything should be fine. We may have been matching you up with mediocre opponents, but that special move of yours ain¡¯t no joke. Remember when The Organization was trying to recruit you a couple years ago?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I worked for years to develop my move. I¡¯ve got this.¡±


    ¡°Here take these fresh gloves,¡± said the manager as he pulled out a pair of red boxing gloves and handed them over to the champ. He put them on and wiggled his fingers around inside to get comfortable.


    In the main staged area, an announcer spoke over the crowd through a microphone that hung down from the ceiling while pacing around. He wore a striped referee shirt that was tucked into his black pants. ¡°Alright ladies and gentlemen, we are about to start the next fight. It will be between MC and The Champ! It will start in just five minutes so place your last minute bets now.¡±


    In front of the betting window was a swarm of people. There was confusion and some uncertainties among them. ¡°Who the hell is MC?¡± someone asked.


    ¡°I don''t know, but he sure ain¡¯t gonna beat The Champ.¡± someone replied.


    ¡±Yeah, especially not with that powerful signature move of his.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone in the world could beat him.¡±


    The crowd was pushing and shoving each other to get to the counter as fast as they could. The man behind the counter took money and entered names into a computer system with blazing speed.


    At last, the time of the fight had arrived. The referee stood with the microphone in the boxing ring again. ¡°Ok gather around everyone,¡± he said as the last few people placed bets at the window. The energy and noise inside the basement quieted down a bit.


    MC pulled his boxing gloves onto his hands and stood at the door of the locker room, ready to come out when called.


    ¡°Come on out MC!¡± the announcer belted into the mic. The lights dimmed in the room and a spotlight shone on MC¡¯s door. He swung it open and walked out towards the ring. The confidence he showed was much more than what he felt. The crowd parted, making a path for him to get through. Varied shouts bellowed out from those around him.


    ¡°He¡¯s not that big.¡±


    ¡°No way this guy is going to beat The Champ.¡±


    ¡°Why is The Champ even wasting his time on this guy?¡±


    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s more to him than meets the eye.¡±


    Carlos was there in the crowd too. ¡°Don¡¯t let me down! You got this,¡± he yelled to MC as he walked by.


    MC climbed up into the ring and stood against a post in one corner. The referee then called The Champ up. ¡°Next we have, The Champ!¡±


    He opened the locker room door and the crowd parted for him as they had for MC. The volume of the crowd increased with every step. He walked confidently up to the stage as people shouted encouragement. Once the two fighters were on the stage it was time for the match to start.


    ¡°Alright you guys know the rules. There¡¯s only one way to lose. If you are knocked down or collapse onto the ground longer than my count to ten you¡¯re done for. MC and The Champ both nodded. The referee put his hand out between the two fighters and lifted it straight up while shouting, ¡°Fight!¡±


    The two fighters backed away from each other trying to determine an area of weakness or a first strike to take. MC kept his distance with his arms up in front of him. He looked at the muscles in his opponents arms and core. This guy certainly looks tough. I¡¯ll hold back and let him make the first move.


    ¡°Arrghh! Ready or not here I come,¡± said The Champ. He ran across the ring at full speed. Raising his right fist above his shoulder he prepared to strike. MC moved to the side and narrowly avoided the attack. He knew it was a moment to strike while The Champ was off balance. MC punched him twice in the side which sent him against the ropes. The crowd¡¯s shouts intensified. The Champ paused for a moment and glared at MC who glared back just as hard.


    This guy is pretty fast. I was barely able to dodge that attack. I better do something else before he runs at me again. He slowly scooted in to close the distance between them while keeping his guard up. The Champ swung at MC who defended with his gloves, but the impact was powerful. It broke his guard for a moment and he had to steady himself. Right after that, The Champ unleashed a flurry of quick punches. MC was able to block most hits, but a few got through to his arms and lower stomach. He backed up to get away from the attack, but another set of punches followed. He kept defending with his arms up, but couldn¡¯t do anything more. He was out of his element, not used to having his hands immobilized in a set of thick gloves and a crowd around him. He didn¡¯t even have any weapons. It was up to his raw strength and experience to win this fight.


    MC opened his stance and let a punch get through to his face in order to send a punch back at The Champ. A technique he¡¯d learned from GM.  Both punches hit hard and the fighters separated. MC¡¯s cheek split open while the champs turned bright red. A glare told MC that his opponent wasn¡¯t happy.


    Near the back of the room two girls stood side by side. They were shrouded by the darkness that collected around the edges of the crowd. There was something different about them. A certain aura that separated them from the rest of the crowd, but the untrained eye would be unlikely to notice. They did not cheer and they did not yell like most of the others. They had little interest in the fights. At least that was their opinion until MC came onto the stage. When he walked up as an opponent for The Champ, Aiko was quite shocked. It made sense after seeing him stand up against Chad that night at the nightclub. She knew that he was an experienced fighter and coming to the fights here could grant an experienced fighter a lot of money. It all added up. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Emi, that¡¯s him. That¡¯s MC, the guy that rescued me from Chad at the nightclub.¡±


    ¡°You mean that guy you wouldn''t shut up about? What¡¯s he doing here? I¡¯ve never seen him in one of the boxing matches before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It sounded like he was figuring his life out, so maybe he needed some extra cash.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never even heard anyone mention his name around here before,¡± said Emi as she crossed her arms. ¡°I guess this just got interesting.¡±


    Back on the stage the fighters were going at it. Moisture glistened on their bodies and dripped off their chins as they unleashed a flurry of attacks on eachother and for the moment, they were trading blows equally.


    ¡°My title is on the line. Not to mention the money. I¡¯ve got to end this soon,¡± The Champ whispered to himself. He cocked his right arm back as far as he could while defending with his left and swung forward. MC dodged by ducking straight down and identified an opening.


    He put too much into that last one. There¡¯s no way he can defend against an uppercut. MC launched back up and smashed into The Champ¡¯s jaw with a stern punch. The blow bent his neck backwards causing him to stumble and fall back onto the boxing ring. The referee put his arm out towards MC to hold him back and started counting. As he got to, ¡°Three,¡± The Champ was getting back on his feet and the referee backed off allowing the fight to go on.


    The Champ was more hurt by that last attack than he showed. He was running on pure determination of defending his record. His face and head throbbed, but as a seasoned boxer he knew how to block out the pain and keep going. ¡°I¡¯m not giving up no matter what,¡± he shouted and the crowd roared.


    MC was paying close attention to every aspect of the fight. He was learning his opponent¡¯s speed and attack patterns as well as he could. It was what all of his previous training had taught him. Every missed attack was a chance to learn what to strike with next.


    I¡¯m going to put a lot of power into this one. I know his speed. He¡¯s been slowing down with every minute that¡¯s ticked by.


    The back and forth continued with MC having the upper hand. The Champ was landing less punches now. He was getting tired. MC clearly had a more intense training regiment. He may not have been a fighter as long as The Champ, but his hard work had paid off. A blow to the face made The Champ stumble back, creating space between them.


    That¡¯s it. I¡¯ve got to unleash my signature move or this kid is gonna beat me. Instead of charging back into the fight, The Champ kept his distance for a moment. He crouched down a little and held his right arm straight by his side.


    What¡¯s he doing? He¡¯s leaving himself vulnerable. I should take advantage of the moment. MC closed the gap and wailed on The Champ, but he stood there, still bent over just absorbing the tough blows as best as he could with his left arm holding his shoulder, until he finally retorted by straightening his legs up with a lighting fast punch from his right fist. It hit MC straight in the stomach and sent him flying back against the bungee ropes so hard that they stretched back and then rebounded him onto the floor of the ring.


    It was a pain more intense than he¡¯d experienced in a long time. Despite his solid muscle, it felt like that punch had bruised his internal organs and hit his spine. He laid on the floor for a moment and tried to catch his breath. A feeling of vomit started to fill his throat, but managed to hold it back.


    What was that? It felt like I was hit with a sledgehammer. Is this what he was doing that whole time? Preparing some sort of super attack?


    Several years ago, The Champ was in a car accident that caused injuries to every major joint in his right arm. After surgery and physical therapy he was good as new, but they had put several screws and plates into his shoulder, elbow, and wrist to heal them in place. He knew that eventually the pain would grow and he¡¯d lose mobility in his arm before he grew old, but this didn¡¯t stop him from wanting to continue his career as a boxer. Over time he learned how to position his joints just right so that the screws locked together. This allowed his arm to remain straight. He just needed to use the power of his legs and his arm was like a battering ram. By using this special technique he was able to launch an unexpected attack that essentially hit MC with the hardest impact possible. It was like taking a baseball bat to the stomach.


    The referee started counting. MC laid on his stomach and tried to get up, but the pain was powerful. Any strain to his chest or abdominal muscles sent a shockwave of pain through his body. It was like his abdominal muscles were torn and unable to lift him. He heard counting as if muffled around him. ¡°Five, six, seven¡­¡±


    There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to lose this fight. I¡¯m going to kill Jin and some bastard like you isn¡¯t going to stop me!


    MC bent his neck back and slammed his head on the ring, bouncing him up several inches allowing him to get his legs underneath and stand up.


    His vision was white and hazy for a few seconds and during this, he heard the referee say, ¡°Continue the fight.¡± A blur of The Champ came stomping forward with his fist in front like a battering ram.


    MC backed up until he felt the bands around the ring press against his back. He kept backing up against the bands until they stretched tight against him. He was ready to spring off of them when the moment was right. The Champ kept coming and MC kept stretching the ropes.When the time was right, he released his footing and the bands flung him forward. He put both fists in front of him and tackled The Champ. Nothing could be done to stop the attack for it was an uncontrollable cannonball. They both flew and rolled on the ground. The Champ¡¯s body was limp. MC managed to sit up onto his knees.


    ¡°One¡­ Two¡­Three¡­ Four¡­¡±


    This guy better stay down. I¡¯m totally out of steam.


    ¡°Six¡­ Seven¡­¡±


    MC looked down and saw his stomach turning red and purple already. There¡¯s no way I can take any more. I¡¯ll be lucky if I¡¯m able to walk out of here.


    ¡°Nine¡­ Ten! ¡°The winner is MC!¡± The referee yanked MC to his feet and held his gloved hand in the air.


    The crowd went crazy with a mix of booing and applauding. A few moments later, The Champ sat up and realized what had happened. He remained seated on the ground, sulking in his loss with his head drooped low.


    Carlos laughed with joy and went straight to collect his cash at the betting counter. ¡°I knew that kid had it in him,¡± he yelled enthusiastically, punching the air in front of him.


    ¡°I guess he really is good at fighting,¡± said Emi as she stood up from leaning against the wall. ¡°That was the last fight of the night. Let¡¯s go outside and do a little work,¡± she said, making sure to keep her voice from being heard from anyone near them.


    ¡°Right,¡± said Aiko as she quickly followed behind. She was curious about MC and wanted to stay, but her responsibilities to fill the detective duties ruled over her.


    Once outside, Aiko and Emi were the perfect tag team. Groups of people stood and talked loudly while smoking cigarettes and finishing drinks in a small fenced off area. Aiko and Emi hung around just within earshot of various conversations trying to soak up as much information as they could. Most of the people at the underground boxing fights were up to something shady. It was a hub of deals and rumors.


    The detectives were undercover on duty, but they weren''t there to arrest anyone or cause a scene. It was far more important to collect information than blow their cover as detectives. The boxing at this sketchy venue wasn''t illegal, it just happened to attract an unsightly crowd that made for valuable and easy information collecting. Emi had been coming to the club undercover like this for a long time and it didn''t take Aiko long to learn the ways. They had a system that allowed certain information from the underground groups to make its way into their databases.


    MC trudged back to the locker room and showered. His stomach was in serious pain. He felt around and decided that his ribs weren¡¯t broken, but there were at least two that were probably cracked. It was mostly damage to his muscles. He popped a strong dose of pain medications that dulled the pain a bit and he was able to slowly get dressed and pack up. ¡°I won,¡± he said out loud with a smile through a fat lip. In the end he didn''t care about winning the boxing match. All he really cared about was getting the information from Carlos. He had to know where to find Jin. With this win, he was one step closer to getting his revenge.


    When he left the locker room he noticed that most of the people who had filled the basement only a short time ago had already shuffled out. Carlos was waiting just outside the locker room. ¡°MC," he said with a smile. ¡°You made me a lot of money tonight. Now it¡¯s time for me to uphold my side of the deal.¡±


    MC nodded silently with a sense of sudden seriousness. ¡°How did you know I would win the fight tonight?¡±


    ¡°I didn''t.¡±


    ¡°You didn''t know that I¡¯d win?¡±


    ¡°Well, I had a sketchy source tell me that you were a skilled fighter. All I really knew was that you desperately wanted the information so you would try your hardest. In the end, it all worked out.¡±


    This guy isn¡¯t right in the head.


    ¡°Now let me tell you what you wish to know.¡± Carlos stepped close to MC and motioned with his hand for MC to lean in. Carlos spoke quietly into MC¡¯s ear. ¡°In five months and three days Jin will be at the St. Jimmy Auditorium. The Black Diamond holds a ceremony once a year to welcome a batch of the new recruits. The location changes every time, but they have to rent a space out pretty far in advance. He never misses those ceremonies.¡±


    Carlos leaned back and reached his hand out to shake MC¡¯s. MC stood still as if he was stunned and then slowly put his right hand out. Carlos grabbed it and shook firmly. ¡°Our business is done here,¡± he said and happily strolled away with his earnings.


    MC stared into space for a few moments. Five months¡­ It¡¯s still so far away.


    He felt feelings of frustration boil up inside of him. His bruised face felt hot. Fists clenched tightly at his side as he attempted to channel his feelings. Strong emotions washed over him until he forced himself to take a few deep breaths. A calming feeling slowly came over him and he loosened his fists. I¡¯ve waited this long already. If I have to wait a few more months, then so be it.


    He sighed and picked up his gym bag. ¡°Man, my body hurts. I¡¯d better head home for now,¡± he said out loud to himself. He slowly walked up out of the basement and into the crisp night air. Groups of people stood around still smoking, drinking, and laughing. Some discussed where to meet up for the after party while others dampened the mood talking about how much money they¡¯d lost on their bets.


    Aiko saw MC come out of the gym doors. ¡°Emi, there¡¯s MC. Do you think we should talk to him? He might have important information that he¡¯s willing to share.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you don''t just want to use this as an excuse to talk to your boyfriend?¡± Emi teased.


    ¡°He¡¯s not my boyfriend!¡± said Aiko, as her cheeks turned red.


    Emi laughed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go congratulate him on his win.¡±


    They kept their distance and followed MC a little ways down the block before Aiko hollered at him, ¡°Hey, MC!¡±


    He stopped and turned around thinking it may have been some unruly patron that was mad after losing their money. When he saw who it was he was quite surprised. ¡°Aiko? What are you doing here?¡± he asked.


    She was hesitant to tell him that she was there on detective duty collecting information so she strategically answered, ¡°I¡¯m here with my friend, Emi.¡±


    ¡°Hiya,¡± she said with a wave.


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± he said.


    ¡°I watched your match,¡± said Aiko. ¡°You¡¯re even better at this kind of stuff than I would have imagined.¡±


    ¡°Oh thanks. I¡¯ve had a lot of practice. I guess that¡¯s another thing that¡¯s changed since the old days.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s funny. I seem to keep running into you after not seeing you for so long. It reminds me of when we used to always be hanging out together.¡±


    He¡¯d only known GM and Sora for a short time and was still getting used to them, but with Aiko he felt natural just being around her and talking. He felt like collapsing onto the ground and resting, but he couldn¡¯t pull himself from an opportunity to see her.


    ¡°I better not keep you,¡± said Aiko, seeming to know exactly what he was thinking. ¡°I¡¯d ask you to come along with Emi and I for some drinks or food, but I¡¯m sure you want to get home and rest.¡±


    MC smiled despite realizing that he was missing a perfect opportunity to spend more time with Aiko. ¡°Yeah, I should be getting home. Probably for the best,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°What about this Friday?¡± Emi butted in. ¡°Aiko has weekends off. Why don''t you guys plan something for then?¡±


    ¡°Emi!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± said MC.


    ¡°It¡¯s a date then,¡± said Emi.


    They all laughed. And Aiko¡¯s face turned red again. ¡°I¡¯ll be in touch,¡± said MC, trying to smile as well as he could through a fat lip.

 Its a Date

    Aiko spent twice as long getting ready as she normally would have. She tried on a handful of outfits until she decided on something fairly casual. It was a short skirt with a tight shirt that showed her stomach and a bulky jacket over the top. It was a look that she¡¯d recently seen popping up in magazines more frequently lately. To complete the outfit she put on a pair of relatively plain black shoes with cream colored leg warmers that went about halfway up her shins. Her hair was put up and styled, then kept in place with a couple of colorful hair clips. After spending ample time observing herself in the mirror, she headed to the restaurant they¡¯d decided to meet at.


    Soft voices and the sounds of clanking silverware created a delicate atmosphere. Nicely dressed servers made their way through obstacle courses of tables and guests in the dim setting. It was the kind of place that usually would have required a dress code if it wasn¡¯t for the raw chipping concrete walls styled to look elegantly modern and rustic at the same time along with the music over the speakers which was soft and soothing.


    MC and Aiko were seated across from each other and were deciding what to order.


    Aiko sipped wine while MC did more looking than drinking with his glass. He felt a little sick remembering what happened the last time he drank.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never actually been to this restaurant before,¡± said Aiko.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t either. It¡¯s the kind of place that you pass by every now and then, but never really have the opportunity to go to. I¡¯m glad you suggested coming here.¡±


    ¡°Are you feeling better after getting some rest this week? That boxing match looked like it really took it out of you.¡±


    ¡±Oh yeah, nothing a bit of ice and rest couldn¡¯t fix. What about you? Have you been overwhelmed with things at work?¡±


    Aiko rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s been nothing but busy. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of representative Eisenhower. He¡¯s the newest talk of the town. Just another politician trying to make a name for himself. He¡¯s been causing quite an uproar in the community lately. Taxes this, money that. Everyone¡¯s conflicted. Our job at the agency is to make sure nothing gets too out of hand along with everything else we already do.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you guys really care about the city and making sure things stay as calm as they can.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a big part of our job. Most of the police units are too overwhelmed dealing with petty crimes and responding to general emergency calls. That¡¯s where we come in and deal with the higher up type of problems which is mainly dealing with The Black Diamond and The Organization.¡±


    ¡°Seems like that could be dangerous,¡± said MC as he couldn¡¯t help but feel bad that he was a part of the reason for the detectives to work so hard. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°It sure can be. Most of the time it¡¯s boring paperwork and meetings, but once in a while we get tasked with some pretty risky missions. Nothing I can¡¯t handle though,¡± she said with a smirk.


    ¡°You really are something, Aiko. You¡¯re so independent and driven.¡±


    ¡°Oh, stop that!¡± said Aiko.


    ¡°I mean it. I¡¯ve always thought that about you. Even when we were young. You always had such passion in your eyes about whatever you were doing no matter how mundane.¡± MC wasn¡¯t trying to be over the top with the compliments, they just seemed to flow.


    ¡°You¡¯ve always been too nice to me. I¡¯m glad we¡¯ve reconnected.¡±


    They spent the rest of dinner reminiscing over the past and exploring each other''s thoughts about life and the modern world. As they finished dinner, MC couldn¡¯t help but feel like he wanted to continue to spend time with her.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve got a place I want to show you. Would you mind staying out a little longer?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course,¡± said Aiko, also wanting to stay with him longer.


    ¡°Great, it¡¯s not too far from here.¡±


    They drove a short ways and reached the top of a cliff on the outskirts of the city. A short walk across a field of grass revealed a view from above. He placed a jacket down on the ground for them to sit on. The city lights hid the stars, but just seeing all of the lights seemed to be a universe of its own. Highways weaved between buildings creating snake-like trails of light and dotted lines of light were like towers in the darkness.


    ¡°I know you¡¯ve lived here your whole life, so you¡¯ve probably seen this view before, but I thought it would be nice to see it together,¡± said MC.


    ¡°It¡¯s never looked so beautiful.¡±


    Together, they gazed silently into the blinking and flowing city and enjoyed each other''s company.


    At that moment, MC almost felt like they were in a bubble unaffected by the rest of the world. It was a peaceful place so different from the life and the city he knew. His busy mind almost seemed to slow down. The chronically anxious feeling in his stomach quelled itself and he felt his tight muscles started to relax.


    It grew late and he noticed Aiko¡¯s eyes struggling to stay open. She leaned over and put her tired head on his shoulder. It was dark, but MC could tell she was smiling.


    He enjoyed the warmth of her pressed against him for only a moment before deciding it was time to go home. He stood her up and put his coat around her shoulders. She dozed off in the passenger seat.


    The next morning, Aiko woke up in her apartment still wearing MC¡¯s coat. She wrapped it tightly around herself and smiled as she thought about last night.


    MC was conflicted. He¡¯d let himself get too close to Aiko. She was too much to resist. He knew that he could never be with her until he finished what he needed to do and left his life of crime behind.


    Dad, if you were here. What would you tell me to do?


    He spent a good portion of the day working out to clear his head. He lifted weights and poured sweat trying to sort things out.


    I need to finish what I started before I can move on. Getting any closer with Aiko would only hold me back. I can¡¯t afford to have a relationship like this. It¡¯s more than just that. Someone like me can¡¯t get involved with someone like her.

 Gil Sets up the Bridge Project

    Gil paced back and forth in his office while thinking out loud. ¡°This is the biggest deal I¡¯ve ever made in my life. Why hasn¡¯t Alexander called me back yet? He was supposed to call me this morning and it¡¯s almost one in the afternoon. Was it not enough money? Did I say something to offend him?¡±


    Just then the phone on his desk rang. ¡°That must be him!¡± He quickly picked up the phone. ¡°This is Gil.¡± He said as he composed himself.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me,¡± said Alexander in a slow groaning voice. ¡°I¡¯ll take the offer. I¡¯ll help you get your bridge built.¡±


    Gil tried his best to hide his excitement. ¡°Wonderful! We can set up a meeting with the construction board in a few weeks.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure sounds good,¡± Alexander replied. ¡°Now if that¡¯s all, I¡¯ve got to go and take care of this headache.¡±


    Gil did a short celebratory first pump into the air, but he knew this was just the beginning of his endeavors. He called up a member of The Organization from the business team and spent the rest of the afternoon preparing a presentation for the construction board with plenty of facts and numbers knowing that¡¯s what would help win them over.


    Over the next few days he made a handful of calls to the construction board and prepared the meeting for Alexander. The first few steps were going as planned for the most part. It was a big investment, but it was going to be worth it in the end. His business team had calculated that The Organization would be able to profit an extra fifteen percent each year if the bridge were to be built. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Days ticked by and Gil had prepared a key presentation that Alexander would present to the board of construction. The business team had crafted a presentation with carefully collected charts and notes. All Alexander would have to do was read the information. Something even he couldn¡¯t mess up.


    The project seemed to be going well until Gil received an alarming phone call from a Black Diamond informant. The phone on Gil¡¯s desk rang and he quickly answered. The informant¡¯s hushed and rapid message rang out like a siren in Gil¡¯s ears. ¡°The Black Diamond knows about the bridge project. They¡¯re likely sending in a hit man to take Alexander out. I don¡¯t know where or when, but I think if he stays put in his house for now, he¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    ¡°Damn it! How did they find out?¡± asked Gil.


    ¡°We were told that they found out from Alexander himself.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Gil yelled.


    ¡°According to what I heard, Alexander went around bragging that he was making a bunch of money just by presenting an idea to the construction board for a new bridge.¡±


    ¡°That idiot! How could he be so careless?¡± Gil hung up and slapped the desk phone down onto the receiver. ¡°I¡¯ve got to make sure that fool doesn¡¯t get himself killed. First step is going to be getting him some personal security. He needs a bodyguard.¡± Gil sat back in his chair and thought about what to do. I can''t just let any member of The Organization be his security. This is far too important for another idiot to mess things up even more.¡± After a bit of contemplation, he decided to go with GM¡¯s team.

 Big Ramen

    ¡°Come on MC we¡¯re going to be late and you know how Sora gets when she¡¯s hungry,¡± said GM.


    ¡°Alright, fine. I¡¯m coming.¡± MC grabbed his wallet and walked out the door behind GM. It was a short drive down the road to a restaurant called Big Ramen. It was Sora¡¯s favorite local food and pretty much the only place she ever agreed on eating at. It seemed like she was there every chance she got and when GM offered to take them out to lunch she insisted on nowhere besides Big Ramen. She was sure to make everyone miserable if she didn''t get her way.


    MC and GM entered the front door of the restaurant. ¡°There she is,¡± said GM, pointing to Sora across the room. The hustle and bustle of waitresses and the commotion of people eating created a warm atmosphere.


    GM sat down across from Sora in the booth with MC next to him. ¡°Ouch!¡± GM exclaimed as his face twisted with pain. ¡°What the hell was that for?¡±


    ¡°You took too long getting here,¡± said Sora, crossing her arms.


    ¡°You didn''t have to kick me under the table. Besides it was MC that held us up. He wasn''t ready when I told him it was time to go.¡±


    ¡°Whatever, just figure out what you¡¯re going to order.¡± she snapped.


    ¡°Sheesh, she¡¯s really fired up today.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for sure,¡± agreed MC.


    A few minutes later, a waitress with dark hair pulled tightly into a bun approached the table with a tablet in hand.


    ¡°What can I get for you today?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I want the extra big monster ramen,¡± said Sora with enthusiasm.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the house special,¡± said GM.


    ¡°I¡¯ll also have the house special,¡± said MC.


    ¡°Thanks, we¡¯ll get that right out for you.¡± The waitress finished inserting their orders into the system and buzzed away. Sora got her phone out and became instantly absorbed into a mobile game.


    ¡°So, let¡¯s get right to why we¡¯re having this team lunch today. MC, there¡¯s a new mission for you,¡± said GM. ¡°It includes you too,¡± he said looking over at Sora. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    She didn¡¯t respond or even look up, but he could tell she was at least listening.


    ¡°What is it this time?¡± MC asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bodyguard job. Gil wants you to provide protection to representative Eisenhower while he gets the bridge project in motion.¡±


    ¡°Representative Eisenhower? Gil really wants me to protect that slimy dude? What a pain.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s the spirit,¡± said GM sarcastically. ¡°I know he¡¯s not the ideal person you¡¯d want to spend time with. What I¡¯ve been seeing on the news lately has been unbearable.¡± He turned to Sora, ¡°For this mission, you¡¯ll need to provide tech support for MC. We¡¯re going to need you on surveillance duty.¡±


    ¡°Huh, yeah ok sure,¡± she said while her eyes remained fixed on her phone screen.


    ¡°Come on Sora, pay attention.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m doing my dailies,¡± she protested.


    ¡°For God¡¯s sake,¡± said GM as he rubbed his forehead with his palm.


    ¡°Anyway, in a few days, representative Eisenhower is going to have a meeting with the bridge construction board. That¡¯s the day that we need you to provide protection.¡±


    ¡°Why does this guy need protection anyway? There are tons of these scummy political guys that walk around without security,¡± said MC.


    ¡°This case is a little different. Representative Eisenhower is going to be advocating for the bridge to be built in the middle of The Organization''s territory. If this project goes through, it''ll give an extra trade route into the city making it easier to bring in goods. The Black Diamond doesn¡¯t want that. There¡¯s been talk about a potential assassination just to stop the project.¡±


    The waitress returned with three steaming bowls of ramen. Sora put her phone down and grabbed both sides of her face, ¡°Waahhh I can¡¯t wait any longer,¡± she said. The waitress placed a bowl and chopsticks in front of each of them. Sora¡¯s ramen bowl was clearly much bigger than the other two.


    ¡°Itadakimasu,¡± Sora said as she broke chopsticks apart. ¡°Is there anything else I can get you?¡± asked the waitress.


    ¡°No, thank you very much,¡± said GM politely. The waitress headed back to the kitchen once again. MC and GM watched in awe as Sora inhaled noodles like a feral animal.


    ¡°As I mentioned earlier, Sora is going to provide tech support. For this mission, I want you two to have a comm setup. I also want her to have access to all the cameras and to research the schematics of the building that the meeting is going to be held at. If the Black Diamond does attack, we want to have the upper hand. Information is the best resource you can have in a fight.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a lot of work,¡± said Sora through a mouth full of noodles.


    ¡°That¡¯s because it will be,¡± said GM rolling his eyes. ¡°If the bridge proposition goes through, it will mean more money for The Organization and in turn bigger paychecks for everyone involved so it''s worth it. Don¡¯t you want to buy more video games and more of those miniature statue things you collect?¡±


    ¡°Fine fine. And they¡¯re called figures!¡±

 Political FIgure

    ¡°Are you sure this is really necessary?¡± Complained MC to Sora while fidgeting with his concealed earpiece. Traffic and pedestrian chatter almost completely overtook his voice.


    ¡°Yes, I¡®m sure. This greedy shmuck has had a target on his back since he started spewing about the bridge project. You better be careful,¡± said Sora through the mic. ¡°If this guy is able to succeed in getting the bridge built, The Organization¡¯s going to increase their profits, remember?¡±


    ¡°Like I even care about that,¡± said MC. ¡°This suit is uncomfortable too. It¡¯s restrictive to my movements, but I guess it¡¯s not the worst.¡±


    ¡°The Black Diamond higher ups don''t want this to go through so stay on your toes. If they were going to try something, today would be the day. They don¡¯t care about bad publicity either. They¡¯d involve civilians and act in broad daylight.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah, that¡¯s what GM was saying. I know how they are anyway. Ruthless bunch of animals,¡± MC sighed. ¡°What a way to spend the afternoon. Babysitting some rich asshole. I could be out training or hunting down information,¡± said MC.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got better things to do as well. Let¡¯s just get through this and hope nothing goes wrong. Remember I¡¯ll be monitoring everything through the building¡¯s cameras and various tracking devices. By the way, Mr. Rich Asshole should be arriving in a few seconds,¡± said Sora.


    A black car pulled up and the driver cracked the passenger side window motioning for MC to come over. MC walked over and the back door opened revealing a tall man in a suit with an overly orange tan.


    ¡°Ah yes, you¡¯re my security for the day right?¡± asked Alexander as he looked MC up and down. ¡°Couldn¡¯t they have sent anyone a little bigger?¡± He asked as he turned and grabbed his briefcase out of the car.


    ¡°We¡¯re off to a great start?¡± said MC under his breath.


    ¡°Try not to get in the way, will you?¡± said Alexander as he brushed past MC and walked up the stairs to the building, dodging through the crowds of people hustling around like a hive of bees.


    Inside, was a spacious lobby with tall marble pillars. In front of them were four receptionists behind desks. It looked to be a very old building. Perhaps one of the oldest in the city, but still very well maintained. Elevators were chiming with a busy commotion of people coming and going. A dull roar echoed off the high ceilings. A receptionist lady with a bob cut looked up to greet Alexander. ¡°Oh representative Eisenhower, so glad to see you. They are ready to meet with you in the conference room on floor five.¡± Alexander thanked the receptionist and went into an elevator packed like a can of sardines. MC and Alexander squeezed in and made it to the fifth floor.


    ¡°Come on now, do keep up,¡± said Alexander as he quickly exited the elevator. MC hurried his pace while continuing to scan each passerby for threat.¡±


    ¡°We really should be going a little slower if you want me to be able to be able to serve my role as your security. I can¡¯t see everyone in these thick crowds and¡­¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t send you to be my chatting buddy. They sent you to be my security. I¡¯m here to get this meeting over with and go home. My head is pounding.¡±


    Great, he¡¯s hungover. This guy really is an idiot. Guess that¡¯s why he seems so annoyed or maybe that¡¯s just how he is.


    The fifth floor hallway was elegantly decorated with plants and string lights wrapped around large Roman style pillars. ¡°When we get to the conference room, I¡¯d like you to wait outside. I wouldn¡¯t want to be seen with someone as unsightly as you in a business meeting.¡± MC gritted his teeth and nodded his head.


    ¡°He¡¯s pleasant,¡± Sora sarcastically said into the mic. MC rolled his eyes.


    They approach the room labeled ¡°Conference.¡± Alexander paused briefly outside of the door and ran his fingers through his slicked back hair. He pulled down and adjusted the jacket of his suit. MC continued to scan people as they walked by. Visually searching them up and down for weapons and signs of aggression or threat. There were so many people it was hard to keep track of who may and may not be a threat. It would have taken three MC¡¯s to fully check everyone. Luckily, for the most part, everyone just seemed like business folk just going about their daily duties.


    Alexander reached for the door handle when out of nowhere, a loud bang silenced the hustle and bustle of people in the hallway. MC oriented himself towards the direction of the sound. He observed a man wearing a suit and sunglasses holding a massive hand cannon pointed at representative Eisenhower a ways down the hall by the elevator they¡¯d come from less than a minute ago. MC grabbed Alexander who was frozen like a deer in the headlights and threw him behind a marble pillar. The crooked politician¡¯s mouth hung open in disbelief and he was frozen in fear. MC followed behind and tucked against the pillar. Alexander sat on the ground leaning against the pillar, covering his ears with his hands.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± MC asked. Alexander was unable to provide an answer. MC looked up and down Alexander¡¯s body which showed no noticeable wounds. Another gunshot rang out and impacted against the pillar causing chunks of debris to fly throughout the hallway. The silence had turned into screams as people scurried around in terror. The unidentified assailant pushed his way through the crowds and made his way closer to his target.


    ¡°MC there¡¯s an active shooter,¡± said Sora.


    ¡°Tell me something I don¡¯t know,¡± replied MC, taking a pistol out of the inside of his suit jacket. I can¡¯t use a flash bang with all these people around.


    ¡°This floor¡¯s cameras don¡¯t give me much of a view,¡± said Sora. He held his gun down and slowly peered out from behind the crumbling pillar. A bullet hit only inches above his head, throwing debris onto the floor.


    ¡°Shit! We¡¯re pinned down here. I¡¯m not going to be able to get a shot off,¡± said MC. ¡±I¡¯m gonna need some help. Get us out of here, Sora.¡±


    ¡°Already on it. You¡¯re going to need to go down the stairs at the end of the hallway and make your way to the basement. I¡¯ll direct you from there.¡±


    ¡°The basement? We need to get out of this building. We¡¯ll be trapped in the basement,¡± said MC. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°It¡¯s likely there¡¯s more threat outside of the building hiding amongst the panic. There¡¯s an underground parking garage you can exit from too. It¡¯ll give you the best odds,¡± said Sora.


    ¡°Alright I guess I have no choice,¡± said MC. ¡°We have to move,¡± MC said to Alexander. ¡°Stand up now!¡± Alexander remained sitting on the ground staring blankly at the floor. MC grabbed his shirt collar and yanked him to his feet. ¡°We are going to run to the closest staircase at the end of the hall and go down to the basement,¡± said MC quietly so the assailant couldn¡¯t hear their plan.


    He grabbed Alexander by the wrist and started running toward the stairs. The last few pedestrians ran about in panic. Another gunshot was fired and hit a lady right next to Alexander. The bullet must have been a large caliber because her body spun back and twisted, painting the walls with warm blood. Then, another shot. It went past and hit the wall in front of them.


    MC opened the thick metal door to the stairs and ducked as he entered, pulling Alexander behind him. A bullet dented against the door just as it shut.


    ¡°The enemy is going to keep coming after us. We need to keep going down to the basement.¡±


    ¡°O¡­ ok,¡± Alexander mumbled. MC and Alexander descended the stairs as fast as they could while the unknown shooter trailed them from just a few flights above. After several flights, they got to the bottom level.


    ¡°There should be a silver metal door to your right,¡± Sora commed. MC attempted to open the door, but the handle wouldn¡¯t turn.


    ¡°The door¡¯s locked.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna die!¡± yelled Alexander. Tears began to run down his face and he crouched down holding the sides of his head.


    ¡°Sora, the door has a nine-digit keypad lock. Can you get it open?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m working on it now.¡± She furiously typed on her keyboard for a second then paused as a program loaded the unlocking sequence. Footsteps rang through the stairway above as the assailant moved closer and closer. MC grabbed the door handle and shook it violently, but it didn''t budge. He took a step back and kicked the door, but it did nothing. It was thick steel.


    ¡°Cover your ears,¡± he told Alexander as he took a flash bang out from under his coat. He pulled the pin and waiting a second before throwing it straight up in the middle of the stairwell. It went up about two flights before detonating right next to the enemy. The sound was more intense than usual as it echoed through the enclosed chamber of stairs. ¡°That ought to slow him down, but it wont stop him. Come on Sora, we need to get through this door.¡±


    ¡°Almost there,¡± Sora said. The number pad lit up green and the lock clicked. MC opened the door and shoved Alexander through then slammed the door behind them. A subtle click of the lock confirmed that it was sealed again. They both backed away and a moment later there was a slam against the door. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that will hold for long. He might be able to shoot straight through the door¡¯s handle or hinges with that high caliber gun he¡¯s got. He¡¯s probably still rattled from the flash bang though.¡±


    MC turned to observe his surroundings and determine the best way out of where they were now. It was a dim parking garage that was littered with cars between where they were and the exit ramp on the far side of the lot. ¡°This way,¡± MC said to Alexander as he pointed to the exit.


    ¡°Ok let¡¯s go,¡± he said and took off running.


    ¡°Hold on, MC, I can see three people walking down the ramp right now. They appear to be armed,¡± commed Sora.


    ¡°Wait!¡± said MC to Alexander. ¡°There¡¯s more enemies coming down from that way. Looks like we¡¯re sandwiched between them. Get down behind a car.¡±


    Alexander swore under his breath and crouched down between two cars.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to engage the enemy, Sora,¡± MC commed.


    ¡°Yep, backup is on the way, but they¡¯re a ways out. Traffic is chaos up top. Most civilians have evacuated the building and I don''t see any more enemies. It¡¯s just you against these four.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± he said, taking off his suit jacket and tossing it onto the floor. He gripped a flash bang in one hand and a pistol in the other, prepared for a fight. ¡°Stay here. Don¡¯t move or make a sound unless I tell you to.¡±


    MC dashed behind another car making sure to put enough space between himself and Alexander to avoid getting him into any crossfire. He heard rushed footsteps coming down the ramp into his parking garage level. It was three Black Diamond thugs all with large diamond tattoos on their necks. MC peeked through a car window and held his gun up. I¡¯m going to be able to take one of them out instantly, but then the others will scatter. I¡¯ve got to make sure to time my flash bang and my shot just right.


    He pulled the pin from the flash bang and then lined up a shot. The bullet was going to go through two windows so its force was likely to be weakened and there was no guarantee the trajectory was going to be accurate either, but in the moment it was the best he could come up with. He pulled the trigger of the pistol and the shot rang out. Before he could even tell if it was a hit or not, he hucked the flash bang towards the three of them. They were only able to run a few feet before it detonated and stunned them. MC stood up and put two bullets in each of their bodies, assuring that they would all be dead.


    ¡°Ok, we¡¯re clear. Let¡¯s go out the way those guys just came in,¡± yelled MC, but there was no response.


    When he ran back over to where he¡¯d left Alexander, he was nowhere to be seen. Where did that guy run off to? I told him to stay put. There¡¯s still one guy who was chasing us. If he gets through that door he could die.


    It was then when MC realized in the commotion of fighting the other three, the door was breached.


    ¡°Stop right there,¡± said a stern and harsh voice.


    MC looked towards the voice and froze. It was the guy who had been chasing them. He held Alexander in front of him like a shield with one hand over his mouth and a gun pointed at his head. ¡°Drop your weapons, flash bang.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. So you know who I am?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯m not here to play any games. I¡¯m here to make orders and get a job done. Drop your weapons or I¡¯ll shoot this guy.¡±


    ¡°You really think you have this all figured out don¡¯t you. If you shoot him, then I¡¯m going to shoot you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah and if I don¡¯t shoot him you¡¯re going to shoot me. So what I¡¯m thinking is that I just shoot you first and then him after.¡± The Black Diamond member pointed his gun at MC.¡±


    ¡°Not a bad logic there, but you¡¯re forgetting one thing.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? And what would that be?¡±


    ¡°That you think you¡¯re just fighting me.¡±


    The lights all shut off at once. It was pitch black in the parking garage. Sora had come through. The Black Diamond member shot in the direction that MC had been in, but didn¡¯t hit anything.


    MC knew he had to move fast otherwise the guy was just going to kill Alexander. He used the opponent¡¯s gun shots as a reference point and moved to the side in the darkness. MC swung his combat knife which produced a slicing sound like that in a butcher¡¯s shop. The Black Diamond member collapsed to the ground leaving Alexander standing there trembling.


    ¡°Sora, lights please,¡± he said out loud. The lights came back on.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said MC.


    A small unit from the detective team led by Emi arrived at the scene. Aiko matched Emi with their standard detective suits. They wore bright red lanyards and name tags to distinguish themselves as the detectives. It was common practice when investigating a scene with high amounts of the public around.


    Upon entering the parking garage, they discovered the corpses of Black Diamond members. Emi took notes and began to analyze the scene. She crouched next to one of them and put her bare hand on his cheek. ¡°Still slightly warm.¡± She squatted down next to the lifeless body of a former Black Diamond member lying in a pool of dark blood. ¡°A single precise and lethal strike with a knife, huh? We¡¯ve got a professional on our hands.¡± She looked around the room looking for more clues to what had transpired here.


    ¡°Not every day you see a kill this clean,¡± agreed Aiko. ¡°Not a single other clue aside from the bodies. No blood from the killer. Not even a footprint.¡±


    ¡°Likely a member of The Organization,¡± said Emi. ¡°We¡¯ve got to stay alert and document this carefully. Someone trained as well as this could do a lot of damage if they wanted to.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± said Aiko, pulling on a pair of gloves.

 Funding

    After the incident with Alexander, many were skeptical about the bridge project. The media preached about the construction project until it became stale. Everyone was tired of hearing the words, ¡°corrupt politician,¡± and ¡°Representative Eisenhower.¡± It was all true though, he was as crooked as could be. He accepted bribes, avoided taxes, used government funds for his own pleasure and that¡¯s just getting started. Worst of all, his attitude was terrible. He was a total asshole.


    Every interview either ended up with him storming out or refusing to answer questions. His personal assistants did everything they could to help him maintain some sense of composure, but nothing seemed to help much. One of his lower points was being interviewed in support of funding for a local youth organization while completely drunk. He ended up swinging at the lady interviewing him and had to be escorted off the premises by the building security when he refused to leave without her phone number.


    The Organization paid for streets to be lined with signs in support of him along with nonstop digital ads. Gil was willing to throw as much money as needed to support him in order to get the bridge built. It was an investment that they knew would outweigh the expenses.


    For representative Eisenhower, things were easy. He continued doing what he did best; denying the accusations and holding his head high with confidence. He was happy to keep collecting paychecks from The Organization and using the money to go a little further off the rails each day with a little more drugs and a few more girls.


    For Gil, this was a stressful time. It was one of the biggest moves he¡¯d ever made with The Organization. He had a lot riding on the votes to start the construction of the bridge. The overarching plan was to be able to build a new channel of income for The Organization with tax dollars of everyday citizens. The city would pay for the entire project if the vote was passed. All he had to do was sustain funds to make sure Alexander was able to represent the idea and somehow stay in favor of the public eye. It was beginning to get to the point where he wondered if he was spending more than the project was worth.


    Sora was part of the team managing social media and internet presence. She was not fond of the project, but then again there wasn¡¯t much that she was fond of. She stayed pretty busy hacking into news articles to change their information and deleting pages all together. The easiest role was being tasked with deleting any security footage that the cameras had of MC and Alexander the day of the attack at the construction building. Reports all confirmed that Alexander was there and he had a security guard with him, but there was no firm evidence that it was MC. All this work made her crankier than a house rat on Christmas Eve.


    The Black Diamond attempted to fight back in order to make Gil spend as much only as possible on the project. The higher ups were tapped into the community and had a few other politicians and city officials under their control. A bit of extra cash was all they needed to sway corrupt figures in key places. The higher-up twins, Kuro and Shiro, even showed themselves publicly a few times. While there was no proof that they were leaders of the Black Diamond, there were plenty of suspicions from those who paid close attention. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Gil kept a close eye on the news broadcasts and occasionally saw them in the background whispering into the ears of politicians and shaking hands with bribed figures.


    MC and GM had time off from missions. The Organization was not doing much during this time due to Gil being too busy to really handle much else. Usual routes and check-ins still applied, but for MC and GM they were free to do as they wanted. To GM¡¯s displeasure MC was always asking for more training every day. He was like a dog that begged at the door to go play fetch outside. Reluctantly, GM agreed to spar and train with MC once every couple of days. When he did agree to the training he would mostly just drink a lot and read magazines while ordering MC around. MC didn¡¯t mind as long as he had guidance on getting stronger. He was used to GM¡¯s unorthodox ways at this point.


    Eventually, the day of voting came around. The vote was either in favor or against the construction of the bridge. It basically came down to a matter of how much the public trusted Representative Eisenhower. The Black Diamond twins ramped up their efforts in order to make Gil spend as much money and resources as they could. It really could have gone either way.


    On voting day, booths and mailboxes were stuffed with opinions. Everyone was swayed by the media and their own wants and needs. The bridge was not only going to open up a resource route to The Organization, but would also provide quicker ways to neighboring cities. Commute times would be reduced and traffic would be filtered for certain parts of the city. In general it was a great idea for anyone who lived in that entire district and the ones around it. Selling the idea in turn for a tax increase was the tough part.


    When all was said and done, the votes were counted up.


    Gil watched the news live for their announcement. He sat on the edge of his chair in anticipation. Tips of his nails were chewed to bits by his restlessness.


    The news reporter came on with her hair styled and fancy, but not too fancy blouse. She announced with the typical matter-of-fact voice that news reports do. ¡°The votes are in, ladies and gentlemen. We¡¯ve had a heated debate over this topic for the last several weeks. There¡¯s been no shortage of stories, that¡¯s for sure and today all of your anticipation will be answered. If you voted in favor of the bridge project, you¡¯re going to be pleased to know that it has passed!¡±


    Gil and The Organization members all were relieved and excited. Their plans for increasing their area of activities meant bigger paychecks for all and now Gil could quit dumping money into publicity.


    MC, GM, and Sora were the same in the way that they didn¡¯t care much if the bridge was built or not. MC was glad the voting was over so he would be assigned to a new mission. Sora was glad to be done with media control. GM said he didn¡¯t care, but everyone knew he was excited to be finished dealing with the tension and drama. He was good friends with Gil and they hadn¡¯t had one of their, ¡°get plastered and talk about the good old days,¡± in far too long.

 Bridge Construction

    The construction area was assigned a security group of members from The Organization. After spending so much time and effort to get the bridge plan in motion, Gil wanted to make sure that plans went through without a hitch. It was predicted that the Black Diamond planned to somehow interfere with the construction of the bridge. As everyone knew, once the bridge was finished, The Organization would grow much wealthier and stronger than before.


    Several weeks went by and the bridge began to span over the waterway. MC was stationed where the bridge began to climb over the water just at the edge of the city. Almost a full city block was closed off for the construction. A ten foot high chain link fence surrounded the area guarding the equipment and keeping people out. There were dump trucks, cement mixers, forklifts, and several other heavy machines. A few trailers had been brought for the construction teams to have a sort of home base. They were just large enough to house the team of workers for meetings and lunch breaks.


    Piles of rebar, bags of cement, and various other supplies were carefully stacked in preparation for future use. About a dozen construction workers were brought in for the project, led by their foreman. He was a respected businessman usually clad in blue overalls and a hard hat. He was friendly enough and often worked hard along with his trusted team that he¡¯d been with for over a year now.


    That was an important factor. If a random assortment of new hires were on the job, that would open up the chances of a Black Diamond spy. If they were infiltrated, who knows what could happen.


    The plan for the bridge was for it to span just under a mile across the water and reach land on the other side. It was going to be wide enough to house four lanes; two in each direction and a sidewalk on each side. It really was a massive project.


    The construction began by placing large concrete piles deep into the ground under the water. The piles were like concrete poles that served as a sort of skeleton for the rest. The piles were driven into the bed of the river until steady. Once all of the piles were in place, they began to place a base layer on top which took on an actual bridge shape. This part was held together with large steel beams that were linked together like building blocks. After this, concrete reinforced with rebar strands was added to shape and mold the project into a bridge shape. The final task was adding asphalt to the top which they did in block-like sections as they went. With everything slightly past halfway done, construction was going smoothly and according to schedule.


    MC, GM, and two other teams from The Organization were inside a trailer on the construction grounds making a total of eight people for security. Everyone except for MC sat around a circular table with cards in their hands.


    ¡°I cant believe we¡¯ve been able to sit here and do nothing for this long. Easiest job I''ve ever had,¡± said one of the members as he drew a card from the deck.


    ¡°That¡¯s for sure. We¡¯ve been able to stack paychecks and play cards for days now,¡± said another member. ¡°Bit boring, but I get paid the same whether I¡¯m out doing dangerous missions or lazing around like this. All that¡¯s missing is the beer,¡± he laughed.


    ¡°For a while I was really on edge. I thought the Black Diamond would be out here every day trying to sabotage the construction. I thought we were going to have to fight, but we can just sit here and keep watch out that window there.¡±


    ¡°Look at how smoothly this has gone. Maybe they really didn¡¯t care as much as we thought.¡±


    MC sat away from the table staring out the window. His leg rapidly bounced up and down with impatience. ¡°Gaahhhh!¡± he suddenly erupted. ¡°I can''t take this. This is the most boring thing I¡¯ve ever done in my life. I¡¯m wasting my time here.¡±


    The team paid little attention to him. ¡°He¡¯s at it again,¡± said one of the members.


    ¡°Yup. Third time this week. Poor guy doesn¡¯t know how to relax and chill out,¡± said another member.


    MC continued to have a fit until finally calming down into a sulk where he went back to bouncing his leg and staring out the window with a frown.


    GM turned to him. ¡°Come on MC, why don¡¯t you join in the next game? I¡¯ll deal you in.¡± He showed the deck of cards in his hand. ¡°You¡¯ve been complaining like this for almost a whole month. It¡¯s starting to bring the vibe down.¡±


    ¡°No kidding,¡± another member chimed in.


    MC glared at the group and then stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going to go see if the construction crew needs any help,¡± he said. ¡°The faster we get this project done, the faster I can go on an actual mission.¡±


    ¡°Oh not again. Come on dude, haven¡¯t you ever heard of milking it? We¡¯re milking this job. Some of us would rather not be sent on death missions you know.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    MC got up and walked out of the trailer.


    ¡°There he goes, boys,¡± said GM. ¡°You gotta admit he¡¯s got spirit.¡±


    MC set out to talk to the foreman. He found him with another worker explaining a blueprint attached to a clipboard. ¡°Foreman,¡± he interrupted. ¡°Where can I help out today?¡±


    ¡°Ah, MC. You¡¯re ready to work again? Great! We want to be able to finish this before August ends and the rainy season sets in. You know how bad it gets that time of year. Miserable working outside when it comes to that. Why don¡¯t you go out towards Samuel¡¯s crew and see if they could use a hand with the asphalt work.¡±


    ¡°Will do,¡± said MC.


    The idea of pouring and smoothing asphalt wasn¡¯t particularly thrilling, but felt better knowing that any extra help provided would get the bridge done quicker. He walked out on the semi-constructed bridge past several workers mixing concrete and others carefully measuring different areas until eventually he got to the small crew of workers running the hot asphalt mixer. ¡°Hey, we¡¯ve got MC again!¡± A worker said in a cheerful tone. ¡°Always good to have an extra pair of hands.¡± The worker grabbed a spare hard hat and a flat rake, then passed the items to MC. ¡°How about you use this rake to help us spread the warm blacktop out.¡±


    ¡°Whatever¡¯s going to help speed up this process. I need to stay busy Or I¡¯m gonna go insane.¡±


    MC put on the hard hat and began working alongside the crew. The lot was fairly quiet with everyone completing their individual duties and MC left his mind to wander.


    In a way, he felt productive and valued. He imagined himself being a regular member of society working alongside them. He thought about each of them going home to their families and eating dinner together. Finding joy watching some meaningless sports game. Imagining it seemed such a strange and dull yet fulfilling harmony. He thought about having a family of his own one day, but it was almost hard to see what that would look like. His only views of proper family were from a decade ago. He was a grown man now. What did a family even act like? What would his role even be in a relationship with a spouse or children of his own. Sure he¡¯d watched movies and shows before, but it left a lot to mystery.


    For the next few hours he remained quiet and focused along with the rest of the crew. After some time, the clock struck noon and the crew left their equipment for a lunch break back at the trailers. They were all happy to get out of the hot sun and put some food in their stomachs. MC decided to stay behind and continue to work. He poured more asphalt and smoothed it out all by himself.


    One of the workers came back from lunch. ¡°Forgot something,¡± he said as he walked out past MC and continued on his way down the bridge. A short while later, he sprinted back past MC heading back towards the trailers. He ran past the trailers and out past the fence gate. He got in his car and drove off. It was suspicious behavior. A few of the workers questioned what he was doing. GM felt uneasy about the situation. He got up from the table that he¡¯d been playing cards at and walked outside to see if anything was going on.


    Just then, GM heard a loud bang. The sound came from far out on the bridge. The bang was followed by a cloud of smoke and debris. ¡°What the hell?¡± He said out loud. Everyone came pouring out of the trailers to see what was going on.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± yelled one of the workers in panic.


    ¡°Look, the bridge! It¡¯s shaking,¡± yelled another worker.


    ¡°Where¡¯s MC?¡± GM asked in a stern tone.


    ¡°He stayed out there to keep working on the bridge,¡± replied a worker.¡±


    The ground began to shake and everyone watched as pieces of the bridge cracked and swayed. Chunks of metal and concrete fell into the water with great force. Eruptions from the impact on the water below sprayed into the air. It was a sight of pure horror as their days of hard work crumbled before their eyes. The bridge appeared to be completely collapsing.


    There was still no sign of MC. GM scanned the bridge, but he was nowhere in sight. Whole portions of the bridge were now falling down into the water


    ¡°Hey look. I think that¡¯s MC,¡± said one of the workers.


    As the bridge collapsed behind him, it was without a doubt MC running for his life. Only feet behind him, the ground gave away.


    ¡°Waahhh!¡± he screamed as he ran and jumped across crumbling ground. His feet touched asphalt for only a second before it loosened and fell from under him.


    ¡°Come on MC,¡± yelled one of the workers.


    ¡°You can make it!¡± yelled another.


    MC didn¡¯t dare look back. For some reason all he could picture were those damned junkyard dogs nipping at his heels. He closed in on the last leg of the bridge as he felt the ground give way under his feet. He pushed off as hard as he could and jumped to the solid earth, tucking and rolling. Everyone stood there speechless. Mouths hung open in disbelief.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± yelled the foreman at MC, waving his arms violently.


    ¡°Me? I didn¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m lucky to be alive right now.¡±


    ¡°I know you criminals are responsible for this mess up! We should have never let you help out on the construction!¡± The foreman yelled with such force that his face turned red.


    ¡°Hold on now,¡± said GM, stepping in. ¡°We saw one of the workers acting suspiciously. He came in for lunch and then went back out to the bridge. When he came back he got in his car and left real quick like.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I saw him come out there. He went out past me on the bridge. I can¡¯t say for sure what happened, but it did seem abnormal,¡± said MC.


    ¡°My crew has worked with me for more than a year now. You really expect me to believe someone I trusted did this? I don¡¯t know what happened but I¡¯m not going to be held responsible for this!¡± yelled the foreman, slamming his hard hat onto the ground.

 News

    It was shortly after the destruction of the bridge project that the authorities declared the Black Diamond to be responsible for the incident. They were said to be a serious and immediate threat. Every newspaper and media channel was filled with words directed at the Black Diamond. They were no longer just an underground organization that came out after dark. They were a threat to society. Tension was rising sharply.


    The Organization was mentioned often as well, being the other big threat to society. The authorities had deemed them as part of the ongoing problems that they¡¯d been working to eliminate. While it was never properly announced, people in the general population were able to put two and two together. It was no secret that they were heavily involved in the bridge project. It cost taxpayers millions of dollars to lose it which impacted the entire city''s economy including that of the Black Diamond, but they didn''t care as long as they could maintain equal footing with The Organization.


    The city determined that the police force needed to expand in order to crack down on the issues of late. The more shady figures that they got off the streets the better. The police force and detectives were funded to expand twenty percent. The detective force was small, but the city government knew they played the most important part in working to keep the peace.


    Investigations performed by the detective team led to information showing that the worker who acted suspiciously on the day of the incident had used fake information to apply for work. A fake name, birth certificate, social security number. It was all fraudulent information. He¡¯d worked for the company for a year and a half. Just goes to show how far the Black Diamond were willing to go in order to keep their footing. Many of their members had the loyalty of a brainwashed prisoner. It was how they handled their control over people.


    The construction company was found not to be at fault. They were simply the ones picked to build a bridge and were infiltrated by a Black Diamond spy. Unfortunately the construction team was not going to have another chance at building the bridge because the city council decided the bridge project was more of a problem than what it was worth after everything that had gone on. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Intense feelings washed through members of The Organization after their biggest project had literally crumbled out from under them. Gil was furious for days. He raged in his office speaking out loud in frustration. ¡°How was it that we didn¡¯t see this coming?¡± he said, slamming his fists down on his desk. ¡°To think that The Black Diamond would be so reckless that they¡¯d cause such a public uproar. This must mean that they were really pushed into a corner.¡± He lit a cigarette then poured another shot into a small clear glass and gulped it down. ¡°Dammit!¡±


    The detectives had their own frustrations as well. Far across town in the detective office, Aiko sighed and plopped down onto an aged leather couch. She unzipped her long jacket and sprawled out. ¡°The situation between the Black Diamond and The Organization continues to escalate. So far we¡¯ve done nothing but clean up after them,¡± she said as Emi walked into the room.


    ¡°It''s the police force¡¯s job to deal with most of the arrests and intervening anyway," said Emi.


    ¡°We need to do more. If I have to take pictures of one more crime scene I swear I¡¯m gonna freak out.¡±


    ¡°I figured you''d be saying something along those lines. I think I can help.¡± Emi slapped a tan folder loaded with papers onto the table in front of her. ¡°This just came in.¡±


    ¡°And this is?¡±


    ¡°The details for time, date, and location for an upcoming Black Diamond meeting.¡± Aiko¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement.


    ¡°Finally, something interesting! This is our chance to actually make some moves! We could probably even get a bunch of information from this meeting.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited, there''s always a chance that it could be a trap. We got the information from a source that''s been reliable in the past, but we can''t be certain.¡±


    The Vampire heard the talk of the town and kept up with the stories of the bridge project. It was all music to his ears. He didn¡¯t care about The Organization, the Black Diamond, or the law. He was just glad to see some good old fashioned panic and chaos.


    After hearing that the forces of the law planned to expand, he felt the gears turning in his head. His maniacal thoughts turned into a plan to play a little game between the Black Diamond and the detectives.

 Caught Between Enemies

    Emi rounded up the detective squad and prepared to brief them on the upcoming mission. The detectives squeezed in close with laptops ready to take notes like a bunch of college students. Most of the team was present and they filled in just over a dozen chairs. Aiko sat front and center.


    Emi addressed the group next to a white board coated with information about the mission. ¡°Ok everyone, so as you all know by now, we have been given intel on the time and date of an upcoming Black Diamond meeting two days from now. The source of information was The Vampire, a well known member of The Organization. He has given us information before which we used to make several moves against the Black Diamond.


    ¡°So what makes you think that this information is credible this time?¡± asked a detective in the second row. ¡°Why would he continue to just give us information?¡±


    ¡°Remember, The Organization wants the Black Diamond gone just as much as we do,¡± answered Emi. ¡°If we can remove even a single Black Diamond member, it means one less person for The Organization to have to deal with.¡± As always, Emi provided a quick and efficient answer.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to have some backup from the police and swat team for this mission too. We¡¯ll have one squad of each able to go with us just in case we need the backup. I understand that you¡¯re all very capable. You wouldn¡¯t be on this team if you weren¡¯t, but it never hurts to have more backup.¡± Emi paused briefly. ¡°Any questions about this before we move on to the mission itself?¡±


    The room was quiet aside from the sound of fingers clicking on keyboards.


    ¡°Moving on then.¡± Emi pointed to a map with a big red circle on a portion of it. ¡°This circle represents where the Black Diamond is going to be meeting. We expect between six and ten members at the meeting. They will be meeting in the church on block forty-six.¡± Emi grabbed a marker and drew small green circles around the big red circle.


    ¡°These green circles represent each of us. There will be a total of twelve friendlies. Eight of us and four from the police and swat force. We will need the rest of you to stay here at the office and monitor comms and calls in case something else happens. We will definitely have the advantage of numbers here. If all goes well it won''t matter. We aren¡¯t trying to get into a firefight, but it¡¯s something that¡¯s a risk on any mission dealing with the Black Diamond.¡±


    Emi broke the group up by showing who was going to stay at the office and who was going to be present on the mission. ¡°We need to start prepping for this ASAP. If there¡¯s no more questions, you¡¯re all excused.¡±


    The team spent the next two days preparing. They ran drills based on their plan for apprehending the Black Diamonds. Each of the detectives involved in the mission took a drive past the church on the forty-sixth block in an undercover patrol car. They all needed to know the layout of the area in case something went wrong and they needed to make an escape. Knowing the roads and buildings around the site would greatly increase their tactical advantage.


    Aiko was the last to patrol around the church. She drove Emi and herself around the block. ¡°There really aren''t many other buildings here,¡± observed Aiko. It was located in the empty part of town on the outskirts. In a way it was hard to believe that just a few miles away were towering skyscrapers.


    The area around the church was a field about two acres wide on the left and back sides. The closest building to the church was a gas station just right of it. To the left and behind it were long spanning production warehouses decorated with several sliding garage doors. It looked to be abandoned for at least half a decade like most other buildings are this area. Windows were broken out and boarded up on several of the surrounding houses and apartment buildings. The few taller buildings that had been hotels were abandoned as well. Deep cracks in the road and parking lots showed that it was a part of the city that was notedly more impoverished.


    ¡°It will be hard to blend in arriving with a bunch of cars and parking along the block. We¡®ll park far enough down the block where they won''t notice anything out of the ordinary¡± said Emi.


    After the patrol, they returned to the detective office and assisted in preparing the remaining supplies. The day grew into evening and it was time for the detectives to go home for the day. It was the eve of an important mission and they all needed a good night''s rest.


    ¡°MC answered a call from Gil. It was the first time Gil had ever called him directly.


    ¡°MC is that you?¡± asked Gil. The tone of his voice sounded urgent and rushed.


    ¡°Yes. What is it?¡± asked MC as he answered nervously.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a publicity nightmare that¡¯s about to happen if you don''t do something.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that damned psycho again. He¡¯s going to kill a group of detectives and Black Diamond members in broad daylight. He has them all in the church on block forty-six. I think he¡¯s going to blow up the church or something. This is too much.¡±


    ¡°Aiko,¡± MC thought. His legs felt the urge to move and carried him to his car as fast as they could. He didn¡¯t have time to grab any equipment. He¡¯d have to go with what he already had in his car. Luckily he kept the glove box pretty well stocked. He knew he had at least three flash bangs and two pistols.


    ¡°Where¡¯s GM?¡± asked MC as he slammed his car door shut and pushed the keys into the ignition. ¡°He¡¯s all the way across town on another mission. Normally I would have just called him.¡±


    ¡°Shit. Shit!¡± yelled MC, speeding out of the parking lot. Tires screeched as he turned onto the main road.


    ¡°All I know is that The Vampire sent me a hand drawn picture of a burning church. It was nothing more than a scribble with markers. It said ¡°Black Diamond¡± and ¡°detectives¡± inside the flames of the church. I guess that¡¯s his way of letting me know what he was doing. Damned certified psycho.¡±


    ¡°Is there any other information you can give me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I know. I need you to get down there to try and reduce the casualties and damage. By casualties I mean the detectives. I don''t care about those Black Diamond sons of bitches, but we don''t want the negative attention of burning a bunch of detectives in a church. There hasn¡¯t been any announcement about a fire yet. I have several members monitoring the city and looking for smoke clouds as well as listening for any chatter about it. There should still be time to stop this from happening.¡±


    Aiko followed closely behind Emi. They were equipped in full tactical gear that weighed them down as they jogged along the sidewalk. Each individual held an assault rifle and wore a black helmet on their head. Some were confident and others nervous. It was a big mission that rattled even the experienced. The Black Diamond was known for being an aggressive group and today they were going to corner them. When a dog gets pushed into a corner, it bites.


    Their team was calculated to drastically outweigh the group through numbers, but even then, they might not go down without a fight.


    The group continued along the sidewalk clanking in their gear with each step. Aiko saw the other half of their squad coming from the opposite side of the church as they closed in with the pincer attack. She silently acknowledged a mix of exotic sports cars and dented rusted jalopys parked outside the church which was a sign that pointed towards the Black Diamond members. She passed the gas station next to the church. As expected, it was empty aside from a cashier peering out the window with wide concerned eyes at the sight of their squad. In the gas station parking lot was a single car. Typical for a business on the outskirts of town. They were never very busy. That was a good thing. The less people around, the better. If the mission did turn out violent, it would be safer to have less civilians around.


    The two detective units met in front of the building. There was a tall and wide staircase leading up to the stained glass doors of the church. They paused briefly and then Emi motioned for the squad to head up the stairs. They shuffled as quietly as they could, avoiding excess jingling or clunking from their equipment.


    Once at the top, Emi prepared the group to breach, standing second closest to the door. She gave a hand signal and the man closest to the door carefully propped it open. The group quickly filed in and surrounded the entryway.


    They were in a small foyer used for greeting guests as they entered the church. It was just wide enough for all twelve of the detectives to squeeze in. There were doors on either side of the small room that went into the main hall. Emi gave hand signals to the team and they split evenly between the two doors. She counted down from three with her fingers and they burst through to the main hall at the same time.


    This spanning room was filled with rows of thick wooden benches coated in red velvet. There must have been about thirty rows before reaching a small raised stage at the back of the room. Afternoon light beamed in through tall stained glass windows on both sides. There were a few small cabinets by the stage and along the sides that held ceremonial items such as religious books, silver plates, and wine glasses. A tall wooden cross decorated the center of the stage.


    Emi quickly counted nine Black Diamond members and Instantly recognized several by their pictures in the detective database. She looked down the barrel of her rifle and yelled, ¡°Everyone freeze.¡±


    Their entry and sudden command took the group by surprise to say the least. They¡¯d all been casually sitting on the stage or in the front row of pews. The rest of the team shuffled in and made a line against the wall by the doors. All had their rifles raised at the Black Diamond.


    A few from the Black Diamond put their hands on their guns instinctively, but they were all smart enough not to draw them out. A line of rifles pointed at them had that effect.


    ¡°Everyone put your hands up,¡± Emi commanded.


    None of the Black Diamond members moved an inch.


    ¡°Put your hands up, now!¡± Emi shouted again.


    At that moment, The Vampire¡¯s plan was in full swing. It was going exactly as he¡¯d calculated. He looked with a scope from the third floor of a nearby abandoned building. The moment he saw the detectives go into the church he¡¯d triggered a small electric sparking device he¡¯d planted on the cashier¡¯s car at the gas station. It ignited the oil that had spilled around it from a pierced oil pan and lit the car on fire in seconds.


    Black smoke drifted by the gas station window. Concerned, the cashier came outside. What¡¯s going on today?¡± he yelled. ¡°My car! This is bad. This is bad!¡± He started dialing the number for the fire department and then ran down the sidewalk to get a safe distance away, knowing that a fire at a gas station could elevate into an enormously dangerous situation. There were two large tanks underground that housed gallons and gallons of gasoline. If the fire somehow spread to a hose connecting the tanks to the surface, the entire surrounding area would be in danger.


    Flames spread around the car until they found a bigger source of fuel and lit the gas tank on fire. A thundering boom blew the car half a foot off the ground as flames rose twenty feet into the air before turning to an even darker black smoke. Gas station windows shattered from the force and bits of burning fuel spat around the parking lot. The fire spread around as more gas leaked out of the car, flowing like a river of flames across the cement.


    In the church, nobody knew what had happened when the car blew up. In fact, most assumed that someone had fired a shot as the car¡¯s gas tank erupted. Everyone ducked and scattered at the same time. The detectives crawled on the ground along the back wall as the Black Diamond started shooting at them and took bits which were mostly the benches and cabinets. The benches were hard oak and while a bullet was able to pierce one or two, it would not go through them all.


    ¡°Permission to return fire,¡± Emi yelled over the sound of gunfire.


    Aiko stuck her head over a bench to get a better look at what was going on. A bullet whizzed past her hair and she ducked back down. Her eyes wide and her heart racing. ¡°Keep your head down, Aiko!¡± Emi yelled.


    One of the detectives stuck his rifle over the benches and started firing. He hit a black diamond member in the chest. His body fell to the floor and a puddle of red grew around him, matching the velvet of the pews.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    MC weaved in and out of traffic going twice the speed limit. He strained to focus on the road over his emotions. He was furious with The Vampire, with the Black Diamond, and with the world. He felt a sense of worry that was unfamiliar to him. Aiko¡¯s name was swirling in his head as he thought of every worst case scenario imaginable.


    As he turned onto the forty-sixth block he saw the gas station parking lot on fire. He heard guns firing from inside the church. He stopped his car in the middle of the road and jumped out leaving the door open. ¡°So this was The Vampire¡¯s plan,¡± he said to himself as he instantly grasped the situation. It was much more simple and clever than he¡¯d imagined. While the Black Diamond and the detectives were fighting inside the church, the gas station next to them was a ticking time bomb. Once the fire spread enough, it was going to explode and level the entire area.


    His pistols were tucked into the back of his pants and he clutched the three flash bangs he had in his hands. He ran to the side of the church, then pulled the pins and lobbed all three of the flash bangs through the stained glass window just above his head. It shattered and the flash bang grenades bounced and clinked together on the thin carpet.


    ¡°What the fuck was what?¡± yelled a Black Diamond member as the grenades crashed and clanked to the floor.


    The Black Diamonds and the detectives were all tucked behind benches and cabinets, each side peaking as they could and firing a few bullets off. Both the detectives and the Black Diamond were down a few members. Nobody knew how many casualties or injuries there were. All they knew for the moment was to stay alive. Their fight or flight instincts all told them to fight as a result of both lifestyle and training.


    MC crouched low and then sprinted up to the side of the church. He jumped and crashed through the remains of the stained glass window covering his face with his arms. The flash bangs all went off within a fraction of a second of each other. The sound was deafening to anyone who was within close proximity of them. They were much louder than any of the guns in that room. The light was sure to temporarily blind anyone who was close as well. The effects of the flash bang worked best in an enclosed space like this. Almost every person in the room was disoriented for at least a brief moment.


    MC soared through the air and accepted the power that the flash bang granted him. His nervous system reacted and went into overdrive. He twisted in the air and grabbed the pistols out of the back of his pants. His eyes darted from side to side as he took in the situation and then he saw Aiko. She was on his left along with several other members of the law. To his right were the remaining thugs, each with a diamond tattoo visible on their neck or face.


    He twisted and fired shots at any exposed Black Diamond members he saw before landing on the floor between two rows of benches. The bullets ripped through their bodies tearing skin and organs apart, leaving two members dead.


    The shooting stopped for a few seconds as everyone attempted to figure out what was going on. Emi wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket but it didn¡¯t help her see any clearer. ¡°Flash bang explosive,¡± she yelled, attempting to provide information to her stunned team.


    Aiko could barely hear the sound of Emi¡¯s voice through the ringing in her ears, but it was clear to her what had happened. In training, she¡¯d been subjected to a flash bang and recognized the symptoms. It was easy to recognize. Hearing and vision loss after a sharp bang. She blinked vigorously in an attempt to wipe the white film from her vision, but it didn¡¯t help much. All she could do was wait out the effects. Their mission had gone from routine, to worst case scenario in only a few minutes.


    MC crouched and stayed low, but never stopped moving. What am I supposed to do in a scenario like this? I¡¯m pinned between the detectives and the Black Diamond. If I tried to yell about there being a fire outside nobody would pay it any mind let alone hear me after those flash bangs. That gas station is sure to blow up as soon as flames engulf the pumps. There¡¯s probably enough gas under the pumps lot that¡¯ll blow this entire building off its foundation when it ignites.


    Shots had become less accurate as people stumbled and fired at random while others crouched low to the ground and held on for dear life. I need to act quickly if I¡¯m going to get these guys out of here. I need to get to Aiko. After a few seconds he decided on a plan. With the power of the flash bang running through his brain, his sped-up thoughts put together something just crazy enough to work.


    The first step was getting another look around the room. MC focused energy into his legs and sprang into a backflip above the row of benches. He aimed and fired, taking out a Black Diamond member before landing back on the floor. There¡¯s really not very many of the Black Diamond left. It¡¯s the detective side I¡¯ve got to be careful of. If they think I¡¯m an enemy, which they most likely do, they¡¯ll try and kill me.


    ¡°Who or what was that?¡± Aiko asked Emi.


    ¡°It¡¯s got to be the Flash Bang, but I can¡¯t be certain¡± she said over the sound of guns firing.


    ¡°What are your orders, Captain?¡±


    ¡°Eliminate any remaining Black Diamond members. If someone points a gun at you, take them out,¡± Emi shouted to the group as she stood up over the bench plopping her rifle down on the back of it for stability. She lined up a shot with hazy eyes and fired a spray of lead. Another Black Diamond down.


    MC counted only five Black Diamond members left. He wasn¡¯t sure how many detectives remained, but he figured between seven and nine. He knew he needed to get out of there as quickly as possible to save them, but most importantly to save Aiko. Knowing that the gas station was going to blow any second, he continued his plan.


    MC stuck his wrist over the benches and emptied the clip of one of his pistols towards the Black Diamonds. It was not intended to be accurate, but to provide a cover for himself while he moved. He left the empty pistol on the ground and moved as fast as he could while crouching and making his way to the end of the row where there was a walkway. He peered around and saw he was in the clear.


    ¡°Captain, this guy fired shots at the Black Diamond. Is he a friendly?¡± asked one of the detectives.


    ¡°Your call!¡± she answered.


    Aiko felt the effects of the Flash Bang starting to wear off slightly. She could see almost normally now but there was a slight haze as if she were wearing white tinted sunglasses. Her ears were ringing, but she could hear Emi¡¯s orders loud and clear. She mustered up the courage to start fighting back against the Black Diamond. She moved to the side of the benches where the walkway was and saw MC.


    Huh, who is that? He looks just like MC. Is it that I just can¡¯t get him out of my head?


    MC kept running closer to her and didn''t have a weapon in hand. She made the decision not to shoot. ¡°M¡­C?¡±


    ¡°Aiko!¡± MC yelled. He was now standing and running full sprint towards her. There was now no doubt that it was him.


    Aiko¡¯s head failed to wrap around the situation. A hundred questions ran through her mind at the same time. She was overcome with emotion. To say the least, it was something that she¡¯d expected.


    MC got low and slid on the ground as he closed in on Aiko. She was stunned so much that she couldn''t move. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her back behind the bench. ¡°We¡¯ve gotta get out of here. The gas station next door is on fire. It¡¯s going to blow up!¡± MC yelled.


    Emi, next to Aiko, attempted to make sense of the scenario as well. Why is MC here? The gas station is on fire? Was this some kind of setup?


    ¡°M¡­C¡­¡± said Aiko as she started to put pieces of the puzzle together. She realized that MC was not entirely who she thought he was. He had another side that she didn''t know about. Of course he did. He had his own personal life. He wasn''t obligated to tell her everything or even anything. She had expected that he had secrets. Secrets this big though? Here was the man she loved fighting Black Diamond members like it was nothing. Like he was the captain of a special operations division. His body moved faster than she¡¯d ever seen a person move. When he pulled her around the corner of the bench, it felt like he was lifting someone half her weight. All at once, it was revealed that he was not just an average person or even an average member of an underground group. He was the Flash Bang.


    MC hated that she had to see him for what he really was. Nothing more than a killer. The face of shock that he saw in front of him was crushing. Still, his mind was bent on saving her from the situation. Nothing else mattered if she was dead.


    ¡°Come on Aiko, we¡¯ve got to move,¡± said MC as he crouched and stepped back towards the exit.


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t,¡± she said.


    ¡°We have a job to do,¡± Emi chimed in. ¡°Can''t you see our dead comrades on the ground. I don''t know what you¡¯re talking about with the gas station, but we have to finish what we started here or we¡¯re going to get shot in the back attempting to leave.¡±


    Aiko looked at Emi and then at MC with hesitation. She was too overwhelmed to make a decision let alone continue to fight the Black Diamond at the moment.


    MC weighed scenarios in his mind with haste. He needed to finish off the remaining members of the Black Diamond in here. That would allow them to make a safe getaway out of the church and free their obligations from their duties.


    ¡°Emi,¡± said MC. ¡°I can take these guys out, but I need your help. It¡¯s too dangerous to keep peeking over the benches like this. I need a higher angle to see them. I need you to give me a boost.¡±


    ¡°I don''t understand.¡±


    ¡°Lock your hands and fingers together. I¡¯m going to have you throw me into the air. When I¡¯m higher up, I¡®ll have a clear shot at all of them.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Emi said as she put down her rifle and placed her hands together.


    ¡°Yep, just do it.¡±


    MC placed his dominant foot on her hand and counted down from three. When he got to one, he launched off the ground and with Emi¡¯s help, soared high above the benches. He gripped his pistol tight as his body spun in the air. He was fully upside down now almost ten feet above the everyones head. He locked on to the first Black Diamond target and put a bullet straight between their eyes. His body was now at the peak of his hang time. Even quicker than the first, he eliminated two more. That left just one alive.


    Gravity weighed on MC¡¯s body pulling him back towards the ground. He lined up his shot and fired. His aim was as accurate as ever. With that, he thudded to the ground next to Emi and Aiko. The room was silent. He didn''t want to waste any time. Now fully standing he announced, ¡°That¡¯s all of them. Get out of this building NOW!¡±


    ¡°Exit the building!¡± Emi commanded and her troops began to move. Aiko got up too and joined the line out the door with MC right behind her.


    The fire at the gas station had grown tall. Flames now engulfed more than half of the building and the car was unable to be seen at all through the orange and yellow glow. The gas pump wasa surrounded by the fire, but had not yet been breached.


    Emi led her troops out of the building as she saw the fire. He was telling the truth. ¡°Everyone get as far away as you can,¡± said Emi to the group as they shuffled down the stairs and the first few sprinted down the sidewalk in the opposite direction of the fire.


    The last one out was MC right behind Aiko. They were about halfway down the steps of the church when the gas pump ignited. The fire was hungry and its search for fuel had been found. Tubes that ran down into the ground under the cement guided the flames down into the inner chambers of the main gas tank. The ground erupted, blowing the entire gas station into the air. Cement was torn apart and thrown like styrofoam blocks. The force shattered windows almost a quarter mile away. MC Grabbed Aiko from behind and they were thrown into the air. She screamed and he held her tight. A furious heat pressed against his back and he closed his eyes, not knowing how high or far they¡¯d been launched.


    The next thing he knew was the feeling of hitting the ground. He was lucky enough to land in grass, but the impact was enough to knock him out. The explosion had thrown him and Aiko in a way that spun them around. He¡¯d landed on his back with a good bounce that smacked his head against the ground and he¡¯d immediately gone limp. Aiko had a more cushioned landing. Rather than hitting the ground she landed on top of his body and then rolled across the ground when his arms lost their grip on her.


    Aiko laid there for a moment and waited for her vision to stop spinning. She peeled herself up off the ground, noticing that she was covered in small scrapes and bruises, but didn¡¯t seem to have any major injuries. She looked around at the scene. There was no sign of the sky above. Gray smoke masked whatever oxygen remained in the air and made it hard to breathe. The gas station was completely gone. Only the main support beams of the church remained.  It had been almost totally demolished in the blast. Judging by how far she was from the church now, she determined that the explosions must have sent her close to a hundred feet away.


    It was hot. Patches of the ground were on fire as gasoline had been sprayed in every direction. She saw her team scattered around her. Some were thrown even further then she had been. There was no telling who was alive and who was dead. Emi was already standing and came over. ¡°Aiko, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°We need to get distance from here. It¡¯s still not safe,¡± she said before heading over to check on another detective.


    Aiko turned and saw MC on the ground. His clothing was burned in places and he was covered in plenty more cuts and scratches as she was. He wasn¡¯t moving. Aiko felt a sense of alarm. She had so many questions, but none of them mattered right now. All that mattered was making sure he was alive.


    She got up and scurried over to him. Tears were beginning to form at the corners of her eyes as she was overwhelmed by emotion. In an instant, she remembered her medical training. She put her ear to his chest. A slow thumping told her that he was alive. Next, she put her hand up to his mouth. She could feel a slight breeze. He¡¯s breathing. What a relief. The impact must have just knocked him out.


    MC stirred. He was in an awful amount of pain, but it was something he was used to. Nothing felt immediately broken or damaged beyond repair though. He looked up and saw Aiko resting her head on his chest. Tears made paths through the dirt and ash caked to her face. She sat up and looked into his eyes. Her face was full of sadness. MC set his head back down on the grass and looked up at the direction of the smoky sky. ¡°Aiko¡­ you¡¯re ok. I¡¯m glad.¡±


    There was a pause before she responded. ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked.


    MC didn¡¯t have a response to the question. Her words hit him like a ton of bricks. He knew exactly what she meant. He¡¯d been hiding his life from her. Of course it had to be like this when she found out. She was a detective and he was a member of an organized crime group not to mention a trained killer.


    Aiko stood up on shaky legs and MC sat up a little, wincing in pain.


    The rest of the squad had managed to get their bearings. Everyone who had made it out of the church was still alive. Emi gathered them up and instructed them to get as far from the fire as possible while she stayed back near Aiko and MC.


    ¡°Aiko. We need to go,¡± she said.


    Aiko knew she was right. She needed to group back up with the team and assess. Emi shot a glare at MC before saying, ¡°I¡¯m going to join the group. I¡¯ll be expecting you soon.¡± She turned and jogged off to her team, barely visible through the thick smoke.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Aiko asked.


    MC stayed quiet. He couldn¡¯t look her in the eye.


    Aiko asked again, this time she raised her voice, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Her voice cracked and the tears started flowing. She wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands, but it wasn''t enough to dry her face. The tears just kept streaming. MC¡­ please, just say something. Anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± was all he could muster.


    Aiko lost it. She started sobbing uncontrollably. MC wanted to hug her. He wanted to make it all better, but he knew he couldn¡¯t because he was the one responsible for her sorrow.


    ¡°Go. I don¡¯t want to see you anymore,¡± she said through a sob. ¡°Go! Get out of here. I never want to see you again.¡±


    MC got up and left in the opposite direction as her team. It was all he could do for her at the moment.


    ¡°Goodbye, Aiko,¡± he said under his breath.

 Aftermath of the Church Mission

    MC parked his car in his usual parking spot and threw the keys onto the dash in front of him. He put his face into his hands feeling an overwhelming sense of numbness, guilt, shame, and several other things he couldn¡¯t quite distinguish. What am I gonna do? That look on her face. She hates me. He sat there for an hour before bringing himself to get up and go inside.


    MC stumbled into the clubhouse. His clothes were tattered and burned. Dried blood smeared across his skin in various exposed areas. He was more than a mess. Sora, sitting on the couch, looked up from her laptop and gasped. ¡°MC what happened? Are you ok?¡±


    ¡°He stood in the doorway and stared at the floor for a second. His hair draped over his face hiding his pathetic expression. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°You certainly don¡¯t look alright.¡± Sora stood up and walked over to him, examining his state a little closer. ¡°I¡¯ll get the med kit just hold still.¡± She hurried off to a cabinet across the living room and retrieved the supplies.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll patch myself up. Just ran into a bit of trouble is all. I want to be alone right now.¡±


    ¡°Uh, huh. Seems like it was more than a little trouble. Are you sure you don¡¯t want any help?¡± she asked, passing the med kit to him.


    Instead of responding he just walked to the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Sora was feeling a bit worried so she sent a message to GM warning him of MC¡¯s condition. It seemed like he was more than hurt physically. Something happened that upset him. As the night went on there was no reply from GM. She figured he was likely at a bar ignoring his phone.


    A while later, MC emerged from the bathroom. He was showered and had a towel wrapped around his lower half. He was covered in bandages and burn cream. There were a few particularly deep wounds that would in time age to go along with his collection of scars. He¡¯d done a good job of taking care of his injuries.


    Sora didn¡¯t want to bombard him with questions but had to at least try and pull some more information from him. He often came home covered in cuts and bruises, but this was pretty extreme. In addition, when he did come home like this, he was never this quiet and usually welcomed the help.


    She stopped him on his way to his room. ¡°MC what happened today? I¡¯ve seen several reports online about a gas explosion today. Were you involved with all that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not talk about it,¡± he said as he kept walking past her.


    Red and blue lights coated the scene of the crime and became more apparent as the sun began to set. The detectives grouped up and watched from afar as the fire department slowly stopped the spread of the fire. Police surrounded the area and helped evacuate anyone who was still within the surrounding area. The police discussed that luckily, aside from the gas station and the church, there weren''t many other buildings nearby meaning there weren''t many people in the area to begin with. The explosion itself had not resulted in any casualties.


    The detectives tried to collect themselves under clean white blankets and warm coffee. It was little comfort to match the atrocities that had occurred. Nobody said much, but it was clear they were all on the same page. They had just lost several of their members in the shootout and practically failed their mission. The Black Diamond members were gone. There were no arrests made and there was no information collected. All that remained was a trail of dead bodies. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Emi remained a strong leader as usual. It wasn''t like her to sulk after a loss. She kept a fairly even baseline even in times like these. Since joining the team she¡¯d seen many comrades die and always pulled her head right back into the game. That¡¯s why she was the leader. Not a soul blamed her for the losses. They were unavoidable and truly unforeseen.


    Aiko cried quietly along with some of the other detectives, but her reasons were mixed. She was saddened at the thought of never seeing MC again, but more than that she felt angry. Her trust in him was betrayed. How could MC be a criminal? She kept repeating the question in her head. He killed people, but he also saved people. If he hadn¡¯t helped us defeat the Black Diamond and warned us about getting out of the building, it''s likely we would have all died. But he betrayed my trust. He¡¯s literally on the most wanted list. Even if he did help us, it doesn¡¯t change that fact. I¡¯ve been so stupid not to see this. How couldn¡¯t I have known that he was the Flash Bang? Thoughts kept rolling over each other as her brain tried to make sense of the events that had transpired today.


    When it was finally time to go home it was hardest for those who went home by themselves. Those with families waiting for them were greeted with concern and support. For Aiko and Emi, they had no one but themselves.


    Emi was strong and maintained, but for Aiko it was harder. She was inconsolable. She went home and showered. Shampoo took the smell of smoke out of her hair and comfy clothes reminded her that she was safe at home. She got in bed and couldn¡¯t stop crying. It took several hours tossing and turning before her body gave out and graced her with sleep.


    Emi spent the next few days arranging funeral plans with families of the lost ones from their unit. Everyone else filed what seemed to be endless reports about the incident. It was surely not the first time that a detective lost their life on duty, however it was not often that so many were lost all at once.


    The entire justice system was shaken by the incident. The Vampire had done exactly what he intended to do: spread chaos. The police force was furious and spoke aggressively about the devastation that had occurred. Going up against the Black Diamond or The Organization never seemed to end well, but this mission had proven just how violent the city had become.


    Word of the true identity of the Flash Bang spread through the agency. Of course people had heard of him before, but now they had some real evidence. They had a face and a name. MC was put in their system as a known criminal and member of The Organization.


    The next day, MC met with GM and Sora. He hesitantly explained what happened with the detectives at the church the day before. GM, given his nature, wasn¡¯t the best emotional support, not that MC needed support very often.


    ¡°You¡¯ve really done it now, haven''t you?¡± said GM.


    MC sat on the couch and dropped his head into his hands.


    Sora was floored. She¡¯d seen and heard a lot of things over her years in The Organization, but this was up there in absurdity.


    ¡°Sounds like you miraculously managed to save her life, but you¡¯ve also blown it with your little girlfriend or whatever,¡± said GM. ¡°There¡¯s just one thing I know for sure and it¡¯s that these events are likely to complicate things. You¡¯re going to have to be careful from now on. There¡¯s going to be a warrant on your head. You¡¯re going to have to lay low unless you want the law to get their hands on you. Not that I really think they could take you in if they tried.¡±


    MC emitted a long sigh and took on a more serious face. ¡°This is the path I¡¯ve chosen. In a way, I always knew it would come to something like this. I always knew that my game of playing normal with Aiko would end eventually. My goal of finding and killing Jin has always been the same. This is for the best. Now my distractions are gone.¡±

 Emi Makes a Deal with Gil

    ¡°We have to be willing to make sacrifices and try something different. It¡¯s transparent that what we¡¯ve been doing has not been working,¡± said Emi as she shifted and crossed her legs. ¡°I¡¯ve been given a green light to use whatever methods possible for putting a stop to this absurdity that¡¯s been going on.¡±


    ¡°I feel like we¡¯ve tried just about everything by now. What¡¯s even left to try?¡± asked Aiko putting her finger to her chin in thought.


    ¡°Have you ever seen those fish that cling to sharks in the ocean? The most common one is called a Remora.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course I¡¯ve seen my share of ocean documentaries.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember why those fish cling to sharks?¡±


    ¡°If I remember correctly, it''s a symbiotic relationship. In other words, they both benefit each other. The Remora, despite being much smaller and weaker than a shark, helps eat parasites and such that would otherwise bother the shark.¡±


    ¡°Correct!¡± said Emi holding up her finger and smirking. ¡°The other portion of that is that the Remora gets to eat bits of scraps from the shark when it snags some larger prey.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I remember that part too. So what¡¯s this got to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°We are going to be the Remora. After taking so much time to go after the Black Diamond and The Organization, we have decided to work with the lesser of two evils. The plan is to work together with The Organization to take down the Black Diamond. The Organization is a powerful force like a shark in the ocean. If we let them have their way and just pick up the scraps ourselves, we might actually be able to get a hold on the Black Diamond and restore some order to the city.¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind, Emi!¡± exclaimed Aiko throwing her hands in the air.


    Emi remained cool and collected despite Aiko¡¯s outburst, ¡°Think about it, Aiko. It¡¯s a perfect plan. I¡¯m going to reach out to Gil from The Organization tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Do you even think Gil can be trusted?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it¡¯s the biggest and best situation I can think of. We¡¯ve been fighting these groups for years and continue to become overwhelmed by them. It¡¯s time to try something more radical. Like the saying goes. The enemy of an enemy is a friend, right?¡±


    ¡°I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± said Emi. ¡°There are a lot of scenarios where this goes south. If it does, we get to blame The Organization. Simple as that.¡±


    Aiko came to a halt. ¡°In theory it does make a lot of sense. It''s one of those ideas that¡¯s so crazy it just might work.¡±


    ¡°Now you see,¡± said Emi as she stood up and crossed her arms triumphantly.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯m fully on board. Have you talked about this with the rest of the team?¡± asked Aiko. ¡°Do you even know if Gil will agree to something like that?¡±


    ¡°First of all, I¡¯m the boss, so the team will have no choice but to agree. Second, I think Gil will agree,¡± she said confidently. ¡°He¡¯s got to be pulling his hair out after what¡¯s been going on recently. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s willing to try almost anything at this point. He doesn''t have much to lose.¡±


    ¡°If you weren''t right so often I¡¯d question this a lot more.¡± Aiko let out a sigh. ¡°But as our captain, I trust your plan.¡±


    The remnants of the detective team gathered together in the office and Emi broke the news to them about the plan. None of them were overly eager to work with The Organization, but in the end it was unanimously agreed that the plan was worth trying. The team was shaken from loss and knew there needed to be a drastic change.


    Emi strode into The Organization headquarters building. Dirty looks coated her from every corner of the lobby. Members of The Organization all knew to steer clear of a detective, but what were they to do when one of them waltzed into their headquarters?


    It was standard protocol to send the security to stop anyone that wasn¡¯t welcome. Two members were immediately dispatched to intercept her before she got much further than the front doors. They were two large and well-dressed men who looked both capable of being either rough or very respectful depending on who they were dealing with. One was slightly taller than the other and had a light beard while the other wore glasses and had a more manicured look to him.


    They walked straight up to Emi and crossed their arms. ¡°Can I help you?¡± asked the one with the beard.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to talk to Gil.¡±


    ¡°Never heard of him.¡±


    Emi slowly grabbed her suit jacket and pulled it open for the security to see. They reached into their own jackets to grab pistols. Emi revealed only the inside fabric of her jacket. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not armed. Let me speak to Gil.¡±


    The security relaxed their arms. ¡°Not gonna happen.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking,¡± she said, narrowing her eyes.


    A crowd was beginning to form a circle around them. Many of the onlookers sported looks of malice and disgust.


    ¡°Look, I know who you are, but you have to at least realize where you¡¯re at and what you¡¯re doing. You¡¯re in no place to be making demands. One wrong move here and it''s likely any of these guys would kill you in an instant. Do you even know how many of our members you¡¯re responsible for arresting and even killing?¡±


    ¡°I assure you that I¡¯m not here to cause any trouble. I just need to talk to Gil.¡±


    The bearded man paused and put his finger up to his earpiece to listen closely. He appeared to be getting some sort of instructions. ¡°Yes sir,¡± he said out loud.


    ¡°Gil would like to see you,¡± he said to Emi.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± said Emi with a smirk.


    The onlookers shouted in protest, but none dared to defy her entry through the building.


    She was led to the elevators and escorted to the top floor where she was greeted by reception and allowed entry to Gil¡¯s office.


    Gil looked up from paperwork on his desk. ¡°Ahh yes, Emilia. So nice of you to come by. Please come in and have a seat. What can I do for you today?¡± he said with a smile.


    Emi entered and stood in front of Gil¡¯s desk on the thick red carpet. ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve ever actually met before although your name is a popular topic where I¡¯m from.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t imagine why,¡± he said sarcastically. ¡°I¡¯m sure you aren¡¯t just here to flatter me.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get straight to the point. I¡¯m here to offer a deal,¡± said Emi. ¡°I¡¯m going to help you by helping myself. Jin has been a stain on the city for years. The detectives and you share a similar goal. We want Jin gone. More than just him though, we want to eliminate the Black Diamond along with those twins too. Let¡¯s work together.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite interesting. And the justice system would allow that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. I¡¯m the captain of the detectives. The police chief has already agreed.¡±


    ¡°You really expect us to believe you. Even if you were telling the truth, it wouldn¡¯t matter anyway. Our plan has always been to eliminate the Black Diamond.¡±


    ¡°And how have you been faring?¡±


    He was quiet and hesitant in his answer. ¡°You and I both know it hasn¡¯t exactly been going well.¡±


    ¡°I bet it doesn¡¯t help when you can¡¯t even reign in your own members. That fucking Vampire got half my team killed.¡±


    ¡°Terribly sorry about that,¡± said Gil. ¡°I sent someone to stop him, but it appears that he was a bit late to the party.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re running a shit show. That¡¯s why you need the help of the detectives. I can set up a covert operation. If we all work together, we can do this. So far we have just been going at it as two separate groups and even working against each other in some cases. If we unite we can make this happen.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°It certainly is an enticing idea.¡±


    ¡°I want it to be a small operation to avoid widespread commotion and panic. If it gets too out of control I won''t be able to keep it under the radar.¡±


    Gil lit a cigarette and puffed a gray cloud in thought. ¡°You¡¯ve convinced me,¡± he said with a Smokey exhale. ¡°I have just the team in mind for the job.¡± Gil stood up and came around his desk putting out his hand to shake hers. ¡°You¡¯ve got yourself a deal.¡±


    In the following days, Gil and GM met to form a plan. They sat around a table in Gil¡¯s office. ¡°My biggest concern is the kid. MC has something going on with that girl from the detectives.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going to have to be able to set things like that aside. You guys are my most capable squad. There¡¯s a reason I always choose you guys for the most important missions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do. I think he¡¯ll straighten up once things get rolling,¡± said GM as he lit a fresh cigarette. ¡°So what exactly is this mission?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to take the Black Diamond higher ups and any of their other members that we can along the way. As you know, MC has shared with us that Jin will be at the welcoming of the new Black Diamond members coming up. We¡¯re going to work with the detectives to eliminate him at that event. We can¡¯t miss an opportunity to take out a higher up. To be honest Jin is a formidable enemy. He¡¯s smart and didn¡¯t become a higher up for no reason. If he suspects anything going wrong, we¡¯ll miss our opportunity. We want to keep the operation as small as possible which is why I¡¯m only sending your team. The detectives plan on only sending a few members into the operation as well.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a huge pain in my ass, but as always I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to have you on the mission,¡± said Gil with a smile.


    GM returned to the clubhouse and broke the news to MC and Sora.


    ¡°What!¡± yelled Sora stomping her foot down on the hardwood floor. ¡°You want us to work with the detectives? You¡¯ve finally gone senile haven¡¯t you?¡±


    MC was silent. He just stood with his arms crossed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not my idea, it¡¯s Gil¡¯s. We need to do what he says. Besides, I actually agree with the plan.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you thought of MC? He doesn¡¯t want to work with them. You know what happened!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± said MC, breaking his silence.


    ¡°Huh? You will?¡± asked Sora.


    ¡°Thought so,¡± said GM with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do anything if it means A better chance of taking out Jin.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll leave him to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not happy about it, but I guess I¡¯m in if both you and MC are,¡± said Sora.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± said GM, turning for the door. ¡°I¡¯ve got some business to handle. You guys hold down the fort.¡± He grabbed his jacket and left.


    Sora sat down on the couch. ¡°MC are you really sure you¡¯re ok with this?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to have to be. If I had it my way I would have just gone after Jin by myself, but in reality I probably could use some backup. If everyone else can play a role it will make my job have higher chances of success.¡±


    ¡°Are you nervous about working with Aiko. You haven¡¯t seen her since that day.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± his voice trailed off.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re trying to pretend like you don¡¯t care, but do you really think it¡¯s going to be easy to work with her?¡±


    MC was astonished. Her question was abrupt and unexpected. ¡°I''m not so sure. I care about her, but can¡¯t let her come between me and my goals. Before, when I was with her, I just felt better. It was a feeling I got.¡±


    ¡°Feeling like what?¡±


    ¡°A good feeling. I felt almost happy like everything else didn¡¯t matter. When I was there at the church, the only thing I could think about was making sure she was going to be ok.¡±


    ¡°What do you think that means?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure.¡±


    Sora sighed and turned on her game system. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough conversation for today,¡± she said as she put on her gaming headphones.


    The next day, MC woke up early like usual. He completed his morning workout routine and started to make breakfast. Sora had been sleeping on the couch, but was starting to wake up from the sound of clanging dishes.


    ¡°It¡¯s too early for this,¡± she grumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s eight in the morning. It¡¯s a perfectly normal time to be eating breakfast. You should sleep in your room if you¡¯re going to complain about everyone else making noise out here.¡±


    ¡°Gahh, stupid MC,¡± she said as she pulled the covers over her head.


    ¡°Here I even made you some,¡± he said, pointing to a plate of scrambled eggs on the counter. Sora peeked her head out.


    ¡°You think food is enough to quell my lack of sleep fit?¡± Her stomach growled loudly.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I think.¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose you¡¯re not wrong.¡± She got up and came and sat on a stool next to the counter. She was wearing the same oversized sweatshirt and shorts from the day before. It was stained with various spilled foods from her previously scarfed meals. ¡°Fork,¡± she grumbled.


    MC passed her a fork from the silverware drawer and watched as she inhaled the plate of eggs like a wild beast.


    ¡°Feel better now?¡± he said with a chuckle.


    ¡°A little.¡± Sora wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her sweatshirt.


    ¡°Coffee?¡± MC asked.


    ¡°Eewww gross. I¡¯ll stick to my energy drinks.¡±


    MC laughed. ¡°Suit yourself.¡±


    MC felt at home on these relatively mundane mornings. He was used to his routine and the way that Sora and GM fit into his life. It was comfortable, but at the same time quite unusual for the average person¡¯s lifestyle. At times this comfort was scary to him. He didn''t want to get stuck. He sometimes thought that if he became too comfortable, he¡¯d never be able to move forward and achieve his goals, but for now he just ate his breakfast and enjoyed the comfort.


    Over the next few weeks, Gil and Emi worked closely to exchange information and create a plan. Emi made sure not to let it slip to Aiko that MC was going to be on the team selected to work with them. It was best to just rip a bandaid off all at once rather than chip away at it in apprehension.


    Gil passed down information to GM about the cooperative mission, however he was usually too busy drinking at the bar or hanging out at a gentleman¡¯s club to pay much attention.


    Eventually the day came for GM¡¯s team was to meet the detectives. MC knew Aiko was going to be there. He was nervous to see her after so long. He hadn¡¯t talked to her since that day. A heavy pit weighed his stomach down.


    GM was clad in his usual button up shirt and tan overcoat with dark slacks. He looked like any other businessman. Sora actually dressed up for once. She wore nice new dress shoes and tights with a button-collar shirt. She had her hair pulled up out of her eyes. She actually looked presentable.


    They got out of the car together and walked up to the door of the detective office. MC was surprised by how small the building was. While it was two stories high, it was rather slim.¡± Emi came to the door and greeted them.


    ¡°Hello, you must be GM, Sora, and MC.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Emi,¡± said GM. Sora and MC silently nodded to her.


    ¡°Follow me up the stairs. I¡¯ll show you to our meeting room.¡±


    The entire detective squad was waiting. Emi had told them of the meeting and what to expect. There had been a legend of MC going around for a while and all of the new detective members seemed to blow the stories of him out of proportion. Then there was Aiko who still seemed bothered ever since the day she found out he was a member of The Organization.


    The group of ten detectives sat in two rows of chairs waiting for the members from The Organization to come up and discuss plans. Aiko sat patiently in the front row sipping bottled water and scrolling on her phone. Little did she know that MC, the man who betrayed her love and trust, was about to be standing in front of her.


    GM, Sora, and MC followed Emi to the front of the room. ¡°Ok everyone, we¡¯re going to begin this meeting. Allow me to introduce these people. First off he have GM. He¡¯s the leader of this team. Next is Sora, who¡¯s their intelligence operator. Last is MC who serves as a combatant. Many of you know him as the Flash Bang.¡±


    Aiko¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground. MC looked around the room trying not to make eye contact with her.


    Murmurs around the group spurred up all at once.


    ¡°Did she just say that was MC?¡±


    ¡°Oh shit this isn''t going to be good.¡±


    ¡°Is that really him?¡±


    ¡°Ok quiet down,¡± said Emi as she observed the chatter from the group and Aiko¡¯s flustered expression. ¡°This is the team we¡¯re going to be working with.¡±


    Emi talked about the team and asked them a few questions, but Aiko didn''t hear a thing that was said. She knew she had to try her best to be professional. She tried to pull it together, but remained pretty far from calm and focused.


    Emi paused after introducing the team and asked for questions.


    Sora raised her hand determinedly. ¡°Yes, Sora, what is it?¡±


    ¡°So which one of you is Aiko?¡±


    Aiko flinched.


    ¡°Aiko is our second in command. That¡¯s her in the front,¡± said Emi gesturing to Aiko.


    ¡°You!¡± said Sora with a scowl. ¡°You¡¯re the homewrecker. You¡¯re the reason for all the commotion.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± said Aiko, shocked.


    ¡°You better behave yourself. MC hasn''t been the same since then.¡±


    Aiko was so surprised she didn''t know what to do. For all she knew the next thing that was going to happen was a meteor falling out of the sky. Commotion? Homewrecker? What is she talking about? Who is this girl to MC anyway? Has he been worried? No. I can''t think that way. He¡¯s a criminal. I can¡¯t let my feelings interfere in this.


    ¡°Listen here, missy,¡± said Aiko. If you¡¯re going to be like that, you can walk right out that door. We''re supposed to be working together here.¡±


    MC stood there, bewildered and unsure what to do or say.


    GM put his hand on his forehead. ¡°She¡¯s right, Sora. Calm down,¡± he said.


    ¡°Aiko, we need to be cooperative,¡± Emi chimed in. ¡°Nobody¡¯s walking out any doors until we¡¯re finished here.¡±


    Sora and Aiko glared daggers at each other, but the tension seemed to fade.


    The meeting continued and Emi briefed them on the rough plan for their joint mission. Questions were asked and notes were taken. Sora and Aiko were silent.


    ¡°Ok, we¡¯ll meet again next week. You¡¯re all dismissed for today,¡± announced Emi.


    As the group dispersed, GM turned to Emi, ¡°Thank you for your cooperation,¡± he said as he reached out and shook her hand.


    Sora turned and rolled up her sleeves and started stomping across the room towards Aiko. She didnt get more than three steps away before GM grabbed her shoulder. ¡°Come on Sora, time to go home. You¡¯re seeming a little hangry,¡± he joked.


    ¡°Let me go! Let me go!¡± she protested, jerking GM¡¯s hand off of her shoulder.


    ¡±Sora, I¡¯m saying this as your team leader. We are leaving,¡± he said sternly.


    She paused. ¡°Hmph,¡± she said and then turned her nose up before spinning around and heading down the stairs.


    ¡°Come on MC let¡¯s go,¡± said GM, unfazed. MC followed, but not before stealing a look at Aiko over his shoulder. Their eyes briefly met and he quickly turned away as his stomach tying itself into a knot.

 Cooperation

    The team regrouped at the clubhouse and GM gave Sora a stern lecture about working together with the detectives. Afterwards they went back to a normal evening. MC stood in the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water while GM sat and watched the TV. ¡°Did you really have to give her such a lecture?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°She deserved it. Makes me feel like her dad even though I¡¯m really not that much older than her. We can¡¯t screw this up. Both Gil and you have a lot riding on this mission. I think the only way to actually make it work is to cooperate with the detectives.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised she even sat still for a lecture that long. Where did she go by the way? She never leaves on her own.¡±


    ¡°She shut herself away in her room. Probably pouting or something. Serves her right. She¡¯s a spoiled brat sometimes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a point.¡±


    ¡°So kid, what about you? Are you sure about working with them? That girl of yours was pretty pissed right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me,¡± MC groaned. ¡°But¡­ if we have full cooperation from their team, I think we may be able to defeat Jin. Even still, remembering his power last time we fought, it makes me think it might barely be enough to bring him down.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s really become that strong then huh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s stronger than anyone I¡¯ve ever faced.¡±


    ¡°Then this isn¡¯t going to be easy. Not that I thought it would be in the first place. Those detectives better be leaving any of their unseasoned members back at their little headquarters building otherwise they might lose some more lives. It¡¯s going to get hectic. That¡¯s the only thing I know for sure.¡±


    With that, GM got up and headed out the door for his nightly outing. MC went to bed for a good night''s rest. Sora sulked in her room playing video games most of the night.


    The next few days were spent doing nothing out of the ordinary. MC continued his daily training to which GM occasionally joined in. Sora lazed around and watched anime while keeping up with her regular duties for Gil.


    Finally the day to further plan the mission arrived. They met in a smaller room in the detective office. Only Emi and Aiko were present from their side. They planned on passing whatever was discussed to the rest of the team in another briefing. MC, GM, and Sora all seated themselves at a round table across from the two detectives.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin,¡± said Emi. ¡°MC, what information do you have?¡±


    ¡°The information I was given says that on Saturday night two weeks from today, Jin will be presenting to the new recruits. It will be at the auditorium on seventy-fifth street.¡±


    ¡°Same as the information that Gil and I discussed previously. There¡¯s nothing else you know,?¡± asked Emi. MC shook his head. ¡°Alright. That auditorium used to be owned by the same people that ran a grocery store close to my house. I heard that they sold the building off about ten years ago.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± said GM. ¡°I¡¯ve looked into it quite a bit. It seems that an active member of the Black Diamond now owns that building. They must have purchased it as a convenient meeting location since it¡¯s pretty far from their headquarters building across the city. It would make their meetings more convenient to have a space to use anytime instead of going all the way to their main building. In fact they probably have a dozen or so of these locations. It¡¯s the same with The Organization.¡±


    ¡°On a busy day it can take over an hour to get from one side of the city to the other,¡± said Emi. ¡°We do the same thing more or less, with being able to use any of the police stations as a sort of temporary home base.¡± She typed on her laptop for a moment and then leaned back in her chair. She turned to MC. ¡°So, what exactly was the plan that you had in mind for taking out Jin¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°It was going to be simple. The reason for the gathering there in the first place is to welcome any new recruits that had wanted to join the Black Diamond. I was going to attend as a new pledge in disguise since it¡¯s basically an open invite that gets passed around the underground through word of mouth. There¡¯s going to be lots of shady figures with hoods drawn low over their faces and all that so I¡¯d be able to slip right in amongst them. As soon as I saw Jin, I was going to kill him.¡±


    ¡°And how exactly did you plan to make it out of there alive? There¡¯s going to be a bunch of scared and pissed off Black Diamond recruits sitting there after you kill their leader.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it out somehow. I always do.¡±


    ¡±That was your plan?¡± blurted Aiko, startling the room. ¡°You¡¯re going to get yourself killed. Even if you make it as far as getting in there and eliminating Jin you planned on taking on¡­ what? A hundred or more people all at once?¡±


    MC was surprised by her outburst. He didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot. Go ahead and do that. See if anyone cares!¡±


    Emi reached over and touched Aiko¡¯s arm. ¡°Let¡¯s calm down. That¡¯s why we¡¯re meeting today. To make a solid plan where we can avoid things like this. We don¡¯t want to have any unnecessary casualties.¡±


    Aiko relaxed and composed herself. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t want to lose anyone from our team and I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t either,¡± said GM. That¡¯s why Sora and I came up with a plan. As you can clearly see, while MC has great skill and ability, he lacks in the planning department. Sora, why don¡¯t you share the outline of the plan?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± she said.


    Sora shared the plan that she and GM had composed and everyone listened intently. Even MC had not yet heard their plan. They talked in detail about everyone¡¯s roles and positions as well as timing. They even shared a plan B in case the mission fell apart. Emi and Aiko presented their ideas for improving the plan until it was agreed upon that they would have the highest chance of success and the lowest chance of casualties. There were unknown variables that made each of them feel a bit uneasy, but there was no way to account for every single thing.


    Emi voiced a concern, ¡°From what we¡¯ve gathered in the past, there¡¯s usually some sort of ritualistic initiation into the Black Diamond and it¡¯s always different.¡±


    ¡°In The Organization, we don¡¯t have anything like that, but I¡¯ve heard the same,¡± said GM.


    ¡°In our reports it¡¯s been some pretty horrific situations. I¡¯m serious, there was one initiation involving self mutilation where a communal goblet was filled with blood and sipped by every new member. That¡¯s just one off the list. That¡¯s one reason The Black Diamond has such a bad reputation and is more willing to make crazy moves. They¡¯re brainwashed from the start.¡±


    GM put on a more serious face. ¡°We¡¯re likely to face something along these lines, but if we play our cards right and adapt to the situation I don¡¯t think any of us will be involved in any kind of sick games like that.¡±


    After several hours of discussion they wrapped up the meeting and left on a note of continuing to think on the plans and staying in contact with any changes or updates.


    They all got up and headed for the door and Aiko grabbed MC on his shirt sleeve. ¡°Can you wait A minute, MC? I want to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah sure,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll catch up with you guys later,¡± he said to Sora and GM as they left the room. Sora gave a scowl at Aiko over her shoulder.


    ¡°Sounds like you need some space. I¡¯ll be up straits in the office,¡± said Emi.


    The room cleared out leaving only MC and Aiko.


    ¡°What did you want to talk about, Aiko,¡± he nervously asked. Aiko stood close to him, still holding his shirt sleeve. Her head was down and her long bangs covered her eyes.


    ¡°Just promise you¡¯ll be careful,¡± she said quietly.


    Her words surprised MC. They weren¡¯t much, but they were the thoughtful and caring words that he thought he¡¯d never hear from her again. MC felt a tight feeling in his chest.


    ¡°I will,¡± was all he said, not fully knowing how to judge Aiko¡¯s current state. They both stood there in silence until Aiko let go of her lingering hold on his shirt sleeve. She picked her head up and forced a focused expression. ¡°Let¡¯s get going. We¡¯ve both got work to do,¡± she said.

 Jin Revealed

    The auditorium was vibrant with the energy of at least a hundred new pledges for the Black Diamond. The space was as large as a basketball court and was lined with folding metal chairs that were beginning to fill up. Most people were antsy. They weren¡¯t quite sure what to expect however, there were some who came with friends and others who seemed all too cool to care about anything or anyone. It was a group where ordinary civilians didn¡¯t belong. Among the people inside the auditorium, MC, GM, and six detectives mixed into the lot. Most of them wore low hoods or cloaks to hide their identity. MC and GM were big names in the underworld and were likely to be recognized easily. The detectives needed to hide their identities too. There was a chance that they¡¯d be recognized as previously engaging with some of the recruits.


    Everyone entering the building was searched by two large security guards. They clearly stated that weapons were not allowed. They thoroughly patted everyone down upon entry and scanned using a metal detecting wand. There wasn¡¯t a chance of slipping in anything bigger than a couple of pocket coins. Anyone with a gun or blade was politely, yet firmly asked to leave and come back without it.


    The recruits came in all sorts. Some were fresh out of high school while others had hair streaked with gray. The Black Diamond didn¡¯t discriminate. They welcomed anyone if they had skills and interest in working for a criminal business.


    As people settled in, MC looked around the room from under his low hood. The person sitting to his left was a burly man who wore dark blue jeans and an oversized ten-gallon hat. He looked like someone who obviously didn¡¯t belong in the city. The person on his right was a girl about his age. She had pink purple spiked hair and tons of piercings. Her dirty leather jacket and blue jeans were stained with what looked like drops of blood.


    ¡°Almost showtime, get ready everyone,¡± said Sora over the communication device her allies all had in their ears. Just then, the lights dimmed slightly and the stage in the front lit up. The dull chatter of the crowd died out. A man stepped out onto the stage from a doorway to the left. He quickly walked over to the microphone and adjusted the stand to his height.


    ¡°Welcome everyone!¡± he said with a welcoming smile. ¡°It¡¯s great to see so many new faces. For those of you who don¡¯t know me, I¡¯m Moses, the captain of block seventeen. Now, I suppose you all know why you¡¯re here. The purpose of today is to be welcomed to the Black Diamond.¡±


    MC recognized the captain from their previous encounter. It had been a while, but it was him alright. He kept his hood pulled to avoid being recognized.


    Moses gave a long and enthusiastic speech about all the reasons there were to join the Black Diamond. He talked about how his father had been a Black Diamond captain before him and how he was carrying on the legacy. After that, he went on to talk about money and how their economy worked and impacted the city. The crowd clapped and Moses paused his speech until the applause died down. ¡°We are going to have each of you sign up on the paper pads to the sides of the room. After signing up, stick around for an assignment to your first mission and don¡¯t forget to take your randomly assigned number card from the security guards after signing up.¡± He pointed to a couple of tables on the side with clipboards, papers, and pens. ¡°But before we go into signing up and all that business, we have another presenter today. I¡¯d like to welcome the man that recruited me into the Black Diamonds, himself!¡± The crowd cheered as Moses walked to the right side corner of the stage. As he did, a person came out from the left side entry and stood behind the mic. All was quiet and a menacing aura filled the room.


    MC felt his blood boil at the sight of Jin.


    ¡°MC don''t you get any funny ideas,¡± Sora said into the headset.


    He paused and realized that if he attempted to kill Jin now he would only be sabotaging the entire mission and if he failed, who knew when he¡¯d get another chance? He looked down at his lap and sighed a deep breath. Just follow the plan and I¡¯ll get my chance. As soon as the crowd thins out we¡¯re going to all spring out and jump him at once. He won''t be able to take all of us on at once even with the help of a captain. Even if that fails, the entire block is surrounded with a detective car on all four corners.


    ¡°Everybody relax. The plan is going well so far. You¡¯ve managed to infiltrate the Black Diamond meeting. Now you just have to wait. Once the time is right, we will strike,¡± Sora commed.


    Jin had dark bags under his eyes like he hadn¡¯t slept right in ages. His hair was a bit of a jumbled mess. He stood close to the microphone and began to speak. ¡°I am here today to supervise.¡± His voice was dull and uninterested. ¡°Go ahead and sign up by putting your information on the sign-up sheets. After that you will be considered honorary Black Diamond members. As a member, you will be expected to complete missions that will ask you to engage in illegal activities that will put your life on the line. This is not for the faint of heart. In these missions, you will even be asked to kill.¡° Jin paused and scanned the room with his dead eyes as if trying to weed out anyone with a sense of insecurity before continuing. ¡°Moses is in charge of the first mission and has briefed me on it. I will tell you all that it is a life or death mission. If you fail, you will die. If you do not wish to sign up, then this would be the time to leave. That is all.¡±


    The captain winced as Jin spoke as if he was poked in the side. Something he said must have rubbed him the wrong way.


    The crowd stood up and headed for sign up sheets. There were low murmurs  from the pledges who voiced both concerns and excitement. Only a few people left before signing up. Many stayed and put down their information on the sheets. The two security guards that had been at the door collected the papers and handed out the random number cards then asked people to then return to their seats. MC¡¯s team and the detectives all filled out the papers with false identities that they had previously established. It was all going to plan.


    People returned to their seats and a dull roar of conversations took place. A sense of curiosity filled the room as the new members wondered what their first mission would be. Others voiced concerns about their own life while weighing the perks of the job. Payment was listed on the sign-up sheets and it was very generous. It instantly dispelled most doubts and concerns that the people had.


    Moses stepped back up to the microphone while Jin stood to the side of the stage. ¡°Now that everyone has signed up, let¡¯s begin with your first mission. We want to make sure that everyone is loyal to the Black Diamond and as the paperwork explained, there is no going back now. Look at your assigned number cards. There will be a partner somewhere in the room who has the same number on their card as you. Find them and pair up.


    MC looked down and saw the number eight written on his. The group mingled and he eventually found the other person with a number eight on their card as well.


    ¡°Now, I want you all to take the chairs and stack them on the side of the room to get them out of the way. We will then form two lines with everyone standing across from their partner.


    MC and everyone else did as they were instructed. With almost a hundred people, MC was fairly close to the beginning of the line. Right next to him was Emi. She had number seven. The whole group now formed two long parallel lines across from each other in the auditorium.


    ¡°Ok everyone, here in my hands are two large six-sided dice.¡± He held up two wooden dice blocks about the size of a softball. He handed one to each person in the front of the lines. ¡°Roll the dice!¡± he instructed. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    The two people in the front of both lines tossed their dice onto the floor. The person in the front of MC¡¯s line rolled a six while the person in the front of the other line rolled a two.


    ¡°We have our first winner,¡± said Moses with a grim smile. He then reached into his jacket pocket and produced a pistol. He quickly placed a single bullet into the chamber before handing it to the person who had rolled a six. ¡°Now, shoot the person across from you in the chest.¡±


    MC¡¯s stomach sank as he and everyone else realized what was happening. They had all just become part of some sort of sick and twisted death game.


    ¡°W¡­ what?¡± The person with the gun stuttered.


    ¡°I told you to shoot the person across from you,¡± said Moses with anger in his voice. ¡°Do it now!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡±You will do it or I will shoot you instead.¡± Moses pulled a pistol out of his other pocket and aimed it at their head. ¡°I thought you wanted to be a Black Diamond member and here you are refusing your first mission. You¡¯ve got three seconds to make your decision.¡±


    The new Black Diamond member aimed their gun at the person across from them as their arms shook.


    ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t shoot me!¡± the person across begged. With a thick gulp, they gripped the pistol and fired. The gun recoiled in their trembling hands as the bullet slapped into the chest of the victim knocking him flat on his back. Blood soaked his shirt and pooled around his body. The bullet had pierced his heart killing him in seconds.


    ¡°Good. Next,¡± said Moses as he plucked the gun from the new Black Diamond¡¯s hands. He picked up a dice block and handed it to the next person in line. A shaking hand took the dice and threw it onto the ground and the process was repeated. The pledge with the higher role was told to kill the person across from them. Another dead body.


    Tension filled the air as most were too scared to run or fight back. Emi struggled to come up with a plan. What can I do? I¡¯m the first one of our team in line. If I participate in the dice roll, either I die or I have to kill the person across from me. They may be a Black Diamond member now, but that doesn¡¯t mean it''s right or even legal to just kill them.


    Boom! She winced as another shot rang out. Her turn was getting close. She reached her hand out and nudged MC¡¯s arm as if to silently ask him if he had a plan. He looked over at her but didn¡¯t say anything. He wasn¡¯t sure what to do either. They had prepared well and thought of variables, but nothing like this was reported to have ever happened before. Was there a reason that the Black Diamond was doing this? Was it to weed out the imposters? Did they know they were being infiltrated?


    Emi¡¯s concentration broke as the person next to her was shot dead.


    ¡°Next,¡± said Moses, handing Emi the wooden die to roll. Time seemed to slow down for her. She¡¯d faced death many times, but this was different. There was much more than just her life on the line. The rest of her team was in the same dire situation as her. She gripped the cube and tossed it lightly into the air.


    MC made his move in a flash. It was so quick that it surprised everyone in the room. He kicked the die right into Moses¡¯s chest like a soccer ball. Moses was so surprised he didn¡¯t know how to react at first. MC made for the pistol that Moses had in his hand. He twisted his arm and forced him to drop it. MC caught it out of the air and looked to the stage where Jin was. He only had one bullet, so he was going to make it count, but there was a problem. When he looked at the stage, Jin wasn¡¯t there.


    What? Where did he go? I know I just saw him there a second ago.


    ¡°Behind you!¡± said Emi, but it was too late. MC felt a gun press against his back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± said Jin. MC froze. ¡°Drop the gun.¡± He did as he was told and Moses picked it up off the ground.


    ¡°Come on, Jin. Let¡¯s make an example out of this guy. We¡¯ll show him what happens if you cross the Black Diamond. He threw the hood off of MC.


    ¡°You? You¡¯re the Flash Bang. You¡¯re the guy who¡¯s been taking out our members looking for Jin. I remember when you even came after me in that alley. Look how the tables have turned,¡± he laughed.


    As much as his team and the detectives wanted to intervene, they couldn¡¯t. It would be death.


    Jin turned his head towards the doors to the auditorium. ¡°You hear that?¡± he said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Moses. ¡°Sounds like someone called in backup. We¡¯ve been infiltrated.¡±


    The auditorium doors flew off their hinges as a car smashed its way through, screeching to a stop in the middle of the room almost hitting MC, Jin, and Moses. They all scattered, jumping out of the way at the same time.


    Two detectives got out of the car with their guns drawn and another car pulled up right outside as backup. Pledges started running out the doors, but some foolishly stayed to show their loyalty.


    MC stood up and oriented himself, trying to find where Jin went when he felt a sudden and horrendous pain in his back and chest. He stood in place, too stunned to move or rather, his body didn¡¯t quite respond even as he thought to move. He fell straight forward in shock. A bullet had pierced straight through the right side of his chest and Moses¡¯s gun smoked. MC instantly struggled to breathe as blood started spouting out the wound. He struggled to stand up as the detectives and the Black Diamond security all started shooting each other at once.


    For a moment, everyone else ducked down to protect their lives. The car was used for cover and the detectives had the upper hand in the shoot-out.


    MC put his arms on the ground and pushed himself into a crouch, blood seeping from his chest. He stood up. He had to make sure Moses wasn¡¯t reloading and ready to fire at him again. When he turned around Moses was already dead in a pool of blood.


    His thoughts turned to Jin. I don¡¯t see Jin. Where did he go? He scanned the area as bullets whizzed through the air until he caught a glimpse of Jin exiting through the door on the stage. He¡¯s getting away. I can¡¯t let him escape. He took a step to chase after him and was greeted by searing pain and a gurgling breath. He took another step, ignoring the pain until he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was GM.


    ¡°MC we need to get you out of here,¡± he said.


    ¡°Jin¡­¡± he wheezed, weakly pointing to the door.


    ¡°The plan is compromised. Lay down. We need to assess your wound.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± MC yanked away from him and took another step in the direction of Jin. He struggled for air and spit blood onto the floor.


    ¡°Everyone get out of here! Clear the area,¡± One of the detectives announced on the car¡¯s loudspeaker just after eliminating the last armed Black Diamond member. None of the pledges argued at this point. They all knew that going up against several armed detectives wouldn¡¯t end well for them and there were far too many pledges for the detectives to keep track of or handle in the current circumstances.


    Emi fulfilled her role as captain and pulled the unit together. She made sure everyone was armed with extra weapons provided by the backup cars.


    ¡°MC!¡± Aiko screamed and ran over. She stood in front of him and put her hands up. ¡°You need to stop.¡±


    ¡°Move,¡± he said.


    ¡°No! You need medical attention right now. We¡¯re calling the mission off.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it you stubborn bastard,¡± said GM and grabbed MC. He forced him to the ground without hurting him the best he could. MC didn¡¯t struggle much. His body was going into shock. GM tore open his shirt and went straight to providing medical support. He quickly opened his wallet and took out a credit card. He pressed it against the hole in MC¡¯s chest to fill the air gap and help him breathe. MC gasped for air and spit blood again.


    ¡°How bad is it?¡± asked Aiko.


    ¡°He¡¯s was lucky, but not that lucky. The good news is that the bullet went clean through his lung. The bad news was that a bullet went through his lung. Here, help me put him on his side so he doesn¡¯t choke on blood. Hold on, kid. Help is on the way. This is all I can do for now,¡± he said, plugging the hole on his back with another credit card.


    MC started to feel like he couldn¡¯t control his body. The world was moving around him in slow motion. He looked at Aiko¡¯s face. He saw a helpless and fragile person. Someone who was scared and confused. It was so different from his regular perception of the fearless hero, Aiko. He gasped for air with an agonal breath. The room became dark and cloudy. He recognized the feeling. I¡¯m going to pass out. He felt so tired he couldn''t keep his eyes open. Voices muffled around him and his eyes closed.


    ¡°MC, stay with me.¡± said Aiko. ¡°Please don¡¯t die,¡± was the last thing he heard.

 Dreams

    MC found himself in a long and dimly lit hallway. The floors looked completely black and the walls had an old-style repetitive wallpaper spanning the length of them. He turned and looked behind only to see the same hallway seeming to span without end. He took a step to the way he thought might lead him out of the never ending hallway and his foot came down with a slight splash.He hadn¡¯t noticed, but the floor was wet beneath his feet. He didn''t know where he was, but knew that wherever he was, he needed to get out.


    He started running down the hallway struggling to see ahead in the low overhead lighting. Water splashed around his feet as he went. The same repeating wallpaper kept coming and coming and the dim light of the hall seemed like they were getting darker by the minute. ¡°Get me out of here!¡± he yelled and continued running.


    He came to a space ahead where a single overhead light bulb was glowing a bit brighter than the rest. As he got closer he could barely make out what seemed to be a figure standing, facing away from him. As he approached, he slowed and walked a little more cautiously. The figure was dressed in dark clothing and continued looking away, even as MC¡®s wet footsteps came closer. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Hello?¡± said MC. There was no response. ¡°Hey, who are you?¡± The figure was still.


    MC walked up and reached out, touching the figure on the shoulder to spin them around. He gasped. ¡°Dad?¡±


    His father¡¯s face looked not at him, but through him. His lips were tightly closed. ¡°Dad is that you? Where are we? How did we get here?¡±


    His father didn''t say anything. MC grabbed him by the shoulders. His clothing felt damp and his body felt strangely soft like a sack of skin stuffed with mud. It startled him a little and he let go. His father¡¯s body began sinking into the liquid of the floor. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Where are you going?¡±


    His father¡¯s shins disappeared and then his thighs. MC grabbed at his shirt to hold him up, but he kept sinking as if he were standing in quicksand or melting into the ground itself. It was then that he started sinking as well. They were both being dragged down into the dark liquid of the floor like a tar pit. MC attempted to pull himself out, but the entire floor had turned soft. He looked at his father to see his face disappear underneath the darkness. ¡°Dad!¡± he screamed.

 End of a Team

    MC jerked awake in an unfamiliar place. He realized that he¡¯d attempted to scream but his throat was so dry that nothing more than a whimper came out. Sweat dripped down his face and if there had been a mirror in front of him, he would have thought that he looked as pale as a ghost.


    He scanned the environment and realized that he was in a hospital room. Clean white walls matched the sheets on top of him. He weakly felt around with his hand and discovered tightly wrapped bandages covering the wound on his chest and a respirator that was strapped to his face.


    ¡°MC you''re awake!¡± said Aiko, as she sat up in her chair next to the bed. Dark bags under her eyes told stories of sleep deprivation.


    ¡°Water,¡± croaked MC, taking off his face respirator.


    Aiko handed him a glass of water from the bedside table. He drank a small sip and licked his dry lips.


    ¡°How long was I out for?¡± he asked.


    ¡°About four days. They performed a procedure on you and then kept you pretty sedated. They said you¡¯re going to be ok, but you¡¯re going to need to take it easy for a while.¡±


    ¡°What happened to everyone?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all ok. There were no injuries or casualties on our side¡­ besides you.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Jin? Did you guys catch him?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ok MC. Just calm down. You should take it easy.¡±


    ¡°Just tell me, Aiko.¡±


    Aiko could see the genuine concern and panic on his face. ¡°Jin got away. When we called in the backup, it left gaps in the roads we had blocked off.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s still out there,¡± he said quietly.


    ¡°The mission was considered to be almost a complete failure. The only good we can say we did was to stop some of the killings governed by Moses. We took out the security guards too, but that should have been avoided. They didn¡¯t have to die, but in the moment our forces had no choice but to retaliate with deadly force.¡±


    ¡°What about Moses, he died right? I remember seeing him covered in blood.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we weren¡¯t exactly sure who killed him in the commotion, but in the end, I suppose it didn¡¯t matter.¡± Aiko leaned back in her chair and took a breath as if she was bringing her mind back into the room. MC realized that she was still sorting things out in her head from four days ago. ¡°That¡¯s enough about all that for now. You really do need to rest. I¡¯m going to call GM and Sora to let them know you¡¯re ok. They asked me to let them know as soon as you woke up. I¡¯ll grab you something from the vending machine while I¡¯m up. You want anything?¡±


    ¡°No thanks.¡±


    Aiko strolled out and left him alone in the room. He noticed the beeps of machines next to his bed at regular intervals and voices down the hallway. As he adjusted in the bed a sharp pain stung his chest and he coughed. The machine¡¯s beeping intensified, signaling the nurses to attend.


    When Aiko returned, two nurses were adjusting the straps of the respirator mask and tending to the machines. ¡°You ought to lay still. You¡¯re in no shape to be moving about,¡± said one of the nurses before turning to Aiko. ¡°Ok, missy, I think it¡¯d be best if he didn¡¯t have any more visitors for the day. He needs more rest. In fact, you look like you could use a proper rest yourself.¡±


    Aiko¡¯s face shone with embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯d like to stay, but if that¡¯s the case I¡¯ll be back tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Bye, MC. I¡¯ll see you soon, she said with a smile and a wave.¡±


    That night, MC lay in his hospital bed and reflected on the events that had unfolded the last few days. Jin is still out there somewhere. I lost my chance to kill him¡­ again! How could this happen? I¡¯ve become too weak. My attachments are what led to this. I¡¯ve wasted too much time with Aiko. All that time I could have spent training and hunting Jin. And then there¡¯s Emi. I jumped in to save her, someone I hardly know, but if I hadn¡¯t, Aiko would have never recovered from her loss. I had to step in. Then there¡¯s GM. Always trying to convince me to just give up. He stopped me from going after Jin. He doesn¡¯t understand. Sure he¡¯s trained me, but he never really supported me. He just does whatever Gil and The Organization want him to do like a little puppet. At this point, I don¡¯t need him or The Organization. I¡¯m more powerful than GM anyway. There¡¯s nothing left for him to even teach me.


    MC¡¯s thoughts spiraled in a half-awake half-sedated stupor all through the night. While he wasn¡¯t awake and upset, he was asleep fighting nightmares.


    MC spent the next week recovering in the hospital. Every morning the nurse would come in and turn the TV on with the news blasting. It always talked about The Organization and The Black Diamond. They described a horrific scene at the auditorium and showed blurred pictures on the screen. This only stoked a fire inside MC, but he knew he had to do things differently next time. He was going to make changes and the only way to get there was to remain calm and recover as fast as he could. He¡¯d waited years already, what was a few more weeks of recovering and resting. He was at least smart enough to know that he needed to get his body back to one hundred percent before making any big moves. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Aiko visited him every day, although sometimes not for too long, due to her busy work schedule and follow up on the failed mission. GM and Sora had been in a few times. Despite Sora¡¯s hate for leaving the house, she felt that she needed to be there. GM was his usual self, shaming MC for trying to do things on his own, while commemorating him on his empathetic deeds of saving Emi.


    GM, despite taking the lives of so many, valued the lives he deemed important. He was surprisingly caring.


    Once he was able to walk and breathe normally again he was sent home. When MC arrived back at the clubhouse he noticed that nothing had really changed. It was no different than being away for a day. Sora and GM had their same old habits and quirks. The only thing that really had changed was the size of the dishes pile and the amount of garbage overflowing from the trash bin. Disgusting. Just another example of how I¡®ve waste time. Cleaning up after those two slobs when I could be training or getting information.


    MC still wasn¡¯t quite back to normal. He was going to continue taking it easy for a good while before getting back to missions. For the time being, MC, Sora, and GM all sat on the couch. GM read the newspaper while Sora played a game on her phone. She pounded her hand on the couch cushion as her phone flashed a game over screen.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to have you back, MC,¡± said Sora, changing her focus.


    ¡°Oh, yeah.¡±


    ¡°I bet you didn¡¯t sleep well in the hospital. Sure, will be nice to be back in your own bed won''t it?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± he said, as he stood up slowly.


    ¡°Want to play some video games later?¡±


    ¡°No thanks. I¡¯m just gonna go lie down for a bit,¡± he said as he headed into his room, and closed the door behind him.


    Sora turned to GM. ¡°He¡¯s been even quieter than usual,¡± she said.


    ¡°That¡¯s how he is. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s sorting out a lot of things in his head. If you haven¡¯t noticed by now, he¡¯s kind of fucked up.¡±


    ¡°Even I know that. I just hope he doesn¡¯t end up doing something stupid after letting you know who get away again.¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s smarter than that. Just give him time. He¡¯ll come back around.¡±


    For the next several weeks, MC focused on resting and completing small exercises and physical therapy. During this time he remained more quiet and focused than ever. He started ignoring Aiko¡¯s calls. He stopped going out into the living room to hang out with Sora and GM. He¡¯d changed.


    Eventually came a day where MC left the house. He was gone almost all day. Finally, in the evening, he called GM and asked if him and Sora wanted to meet at Big Ramen to go over his new plan. They gladly agreed. It had been so long since he¡¯d wanted to hang out with them, it was a nice change of pace being invited to eat some food together.


    Sora and GM sat in a booth at Big Ramen. Servers buzzed around. Customers came and went. ¡°He sure didn¡¯t say much on the phone did he?¡± asked Sora.


    ¡°Well if he said he¡¯d be here, he¡¯ll be here.¡± They ordered drinks and waited until MC finally showed up. He walked in and sat down at the table across from GM Sora and GM.


    ¡°Finally,¡± complained Sora. ¡°I was about to order without you. I¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡°Hey MC, nice of you to join us,¡± said GM with a teasing tone. ¡°This is just what we¡¯ve been needing. A team get together over some good food. I hope you¡¯re not still sour about that mission.¡±


    MC sighed and forced a smile. ¡°There¡¯s some thing¡¯s I¡¯ve been needing to say to both of you.¡±


    ¡°Sure what is it?¡± asked GM.


    ¡°GM, thank you for saving me. Without you there that day, I could have died. That was thoughtful of you. It shows that you truly care about me.¡±


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d come around, kid,¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask the boss to put you on some light duty missions. Deliveries and that sort of thing for a while. It will give you some time to clear your head. Besides, we don''t even know where or when Jin will pop up again. I talked to Carlos and even he didn''t know anything.¡±


    ¡°Sora, thanks for helping me out and giving me some laughs,¡± said MC.


    ¡°Yeah, no problem, That''s what I¡¯m here for.¡±


    ¡°Both of you, thanks for everything you¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. You know after working together all this time I think we¡¯re finally becoming a good team,¡± said Sora.


    ¡°That brings me to my next point, as of today I will no longer be part of this team.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± asked Sora. ¡°What are you talking about? Gil hasn''t said anything to me about you changing teams.¡±


    GM calmly waited for a response.


    MC sat quietly for a minute as if collecting his thoughts.  ¡°I¡¯ve realized that these connections we¡¯ve shared have been holding me back. I need to do something different. I need to get stronger if I¡¯m going to eliminate Jin. I¡¯ve decided to leave the team.¡± GM and Sora could tell he was serious by the look in his eyes.


    ¡°You can''t leave us! You can''t turn your back on the team,¡± said Sora.


    ¡°My mind¡¯s made up. This is something I¡¯ve got to do,¡± he said with a stern voice.


    Sora looked over at GM for support. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± GM asked calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. Being part of this team was not something I ever intended to do anyway, it just helped me get closer to my goal. Now that I¡¯ve seen how the bonds between us have become a weakness I have to leave this behind.¡±


    ¡°You can''t do this, MC,¡± said Sora, slamming her fists down on the table.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say for now.¡± MC stood up and faced away from Sora and GM. ¡°See you around,¡± he said over his shoulder before leaving.


    Sora put her head down on the table. Tears dripped down onto her lap. GM patted her gently on the back. ¡°It¡¯ll be ok,¡± he said. ¡°He¡¯s just in his rebellious phase¡­ I hope.¡±

 MC Seeks The Vampire for More Power

    MC sat in a dark hotel room. He hadn¡¯t been eating or sleeping right for days. Missed calls stacked up in his phone. Dark circles were forming under his eyes. He was fixated on getting his revenge more than ever. Distractions had to be eliminated. He didn¡¯t see or talk to anyone unless it favored him for the sake of information. He still hadn¡¯t fully recovered. While his skin had closed and scarred, the muscles and tissues underneath were still repairing themselves.


    Jin had caused every problem that he¡¯d ever faced. How could he allow this person to roam free in the world? Jin needed to be punished. MC often thought that even killing Jin would not be enough to undo all of the evils that he¡¯d unleashed unto the world.


    In order to take out Jin, he decided he was going to need to make some changes. The first was to leave his connections behind. They were only holding him back. The second change was to become stronger. GM¡¯s unorthodox training methods weren¡¯t going to cut it anymore. He needed something more serious. He needed to learn from someone stronger. GM was one of the best in The Organization and he was confident that he could beat GM in a one on one fight.


    After some consideration he picked the only person stronger than GM that he knew of; The Vampire. As the sun began to set, MC left the stuffy hotel room and went out onto the streets in search of The Vampire.


    Traditionally, a vampire comes out at night and sucks the blood from unsuspecting victims. The Vampire wasn''t much different. He was most active after dark.


    For MC, Narrowing down his location wasn''t too difficult. There was a recent string of especially bloody murders in the far Northwest corner of Strongzinburg city. They were all committed at night. MC could be fairly sure that The Vampire would be found there.


    It was a Friday night. Crickets chirped and a thin layer of dust had settled on the sidewalks.The streets in the Northwest corner of Strongzinburg city were filled with a spectrum of action. MC staggered down the street with a hood low over his face. People stumbled out of busy bars while others sat and sipped bottles alone on the sidewalk. Women in short skirts and high heels approached men passing by while a ragged person bent over at the waist and seemed to be asleep while still standing.


    People wore short sleeves and shorts. A mother and father walked down the sidewalk with their two children. They crossed the sidewalk before getting too close to MC and some of the other less slightly creatures. His sulking figure and staggered pace alone would have made any regular family do the same and it didn¡¯t help that the streetlights almost seemed to go off as he approached them.


    MC changed his pace and hid himself in the shadows. He wasn''t sure exactly where The Vampire would strike, but he knew that there was plenty of prey out tonight. There was a slim chance that an alpha predator would pass up an opportunity like this.


    Wandering in the shadows of the city for hours led to no luck. It was almost two in the morning. MC decided to take a new approach and headed up a hill that led a winding road up a mountain where the buildings changed gradually into shrubs and trees. Perhaps I¡¯ll see more of the city if I get a different angle.


    After a jog up several winding switchbacks towards the top of the hill, there was a pullout for cars along with a small grass park. It was an overlook for this portion of the city. It reminded him of the night he and Aiko had at a similar park across town.


    When peering over the side of the short steel fence that blocked cars from careening over the edge, you could see the snake-like road below. From that point you could see for miles. The city lights shone as far as the eyes could see.


    There was a single car at the park. It was unusual to even see one car here at this time of night. It was a nice car. It looked like someone had put a lot of work into it. Its black paint reflected moonlight from hood to the spoiler.


    ¡°I thought I might find you here,¡± said MC in a voice just loud enough to be heard inside the car. There was no sign of movement inside the heavily tinted windows. ¡°I need to talk to you.¡±


    The window rolled down an inch. ¡°Go on home, kid.¡±


    ¡°I need your help. I need to become stronger. I know The Vampire is the only one who can help me.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The window rolled back up and a moment later, the door popped open and The Vampire emerged. His tall figure towered over MC. His fur-hooded overcoat and heavy boots seemed to add girth to his already monstrous aura. MC didn''t flinch. He stared him right in the face.


    ¡°I can''t work with GM and Sora anymore. I need someone stronger to train me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re from their team, huh?¡± The Vampire said in a raspy voice. ¡°I can''t deny that GM¡¯s gone soft. He¡¯s lost his lethality.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill Jin. I can''t do it unless I have your help. I¡¯m not strong enough.¡± MC¡¯s demeanor was still and cold.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re going to take out Jin? That¡¯s almost funny. I¡¯m not taking on any training duties. It would be a waste of time anyway. You¡¯d probably just die. That¡¯s all I have to say to you. Now get out of my sight,¡± he said as he thrust his palm at MC¡¯s chest to push him away. A powerful smacking sound erupted as MC blocked the blow with a forearm, casting The Vampire¡¯s arm to the side. MC stood firm. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± said The Vampire with subtle surprise. ¡°So it looks like you''re not completely powerless then are you?¡±


    ¡°Help me and I¡¯ll make it worth your while,¡± said MC.


    ¡°You know your eyes are similar to mine. They have a fatal look to them, but they tell me that you¡¯re still too afraid,¡± said The Vampire. MC glared daggers at him.


    Am I really that easy to see through?


    ¡°I have no reason to work with someone like you. I¡¯ve been on my own for a long time and that¡¯s how I like it. I only want to see two things, blood and chaos.¡±


    ¡°I can promise that if you work with me, there''ll be plenty of blood and plenty of chaos.¡± Without another word he pulled the pin off of a flash bang from under his hoodie and tossed it high into the air. He leapt at The Vampire, tackling him. Their weight difference was too much. The Vampire only stepped back slightly, but it wasn¡¯t MC¡¯s intention to throw him. He grabbed tightly. Around The Vampire¡¯s arms as the flash bang came down and exploded only feet above The Vampire¡¯s head. There was no denying that it was a direct hit.


    Absorbing the power of the flash bang, MC felt a surge of strength. His veins pumped and his muscles flexed. The Vampire raised his arms and broke MC¡¯s grasp. MC was quick with his next attack. He started punching The Vampire in the chest, causing him to back pedal into the grass park behind him. Even MC¡¯s adrenaline-fueled punches did little against The Vampire¡¯s hulking mass. Each punch felt like it hit a steel beam. He knew that if he wanted to he could aim for a lethal blow, but that wasn¡¯t his intention. Even then, he had little hope that a lethal strike would even hit. The Vampire was almost completely blind right now and was still managing to block and return most of his attacks.


    ¡°You¡¯ve very quickly become a pain in the ass,¡± said The Vampire. With that remark, he grabbed MC¡¯s forearm and held him off the ground. MC curled his legs up around The Vampire¡¯s arm and attempted to put him into a lock against his arm joints. The Vampire spun around like he was throwing a shot put and threw MC over the guardrails. MC panicked as he saw nothing but clif and ground hundreds of feet below. The Vampire jumped off the cliff after him.


    They exchanged blows in the air as they both fell. MC¡¯s accuracy and power faded greatly as he saw the  ground below him getting closer and closer. ¡°This is why you''re not strong. You¡¯re too afraid. Too afraid to die. You¡¯re holding onto too many attachments.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± MC yelled as he kicked off The Vampire¡¯s chest, sending himself towards the rocky cliff face. He grabbed onto a rock that chipped off instantly sending him into a spin as he slid down the cliff grabbing onto whatever he could. His fingers bloodied as he tried to find a grip and stop his fall, but each ledge crumbled away only slowing him down a bit. MC¡¯s body bounced off the cliff like a rag doll before finally coming to a thudded halt in a pile of brush. He¡¯d managed to slow himself, but it threw his shoulder out of the socket and he was sure some ribs were broken. He staggered to his feet as quickly as he could. With a bloody hand he grabbed his left wrist and attempted to pull his right arm back into the socket. His hand slipped off his wrist. There was too much blood to get a good grip.


    A presence was felt from behind. MC¡¯s jaw dropped and his eyes reflected the moon like dinner plates. The Vampire was standing right behind him. How did he get behind me without making a sound? How did he recover so quickly after a fall like that? He felt a tug on his right arm as The Vampire lifted him off the ground and shook him slightly. His shoulder popped as he felt his joint regain its place in the socket.


    ¡°Well, come on then,¡± said The Vampire, releasing MC¡¯s arm and setting his feet back on the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s walk back up this damn hill. It seems that you¡¯ve actually got some potential.¡±


    MC was shocked. ¡°Are you agreeing to train me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not agreeing to anything. I simply think you might be fun to have around for a while. You¡¯re more unhinged than I thought and I like to see that in a person. Keeps things fresh.¡±


    MC¡¯s demeanor changed as he was accepted into the care of a new mentor. He held his throbbing shoulder and followed The Vampire into the night.

 From Prey to Predator

    I wonder what my training is going to look like with The Vampire. My ribs are going to feel pretty bad for a few weeks, but at least my shoulder is already better. I wonder why we¡¯re all the way out here though.


    The Vampire had driven them into the countryside away from Storongzinburg City. They¡¯d driven for a good portion of the day and ended up in a place unfamiliar to MC.


    Dense forest surrounded them as they parked and started up a steep and muddy trail. It looked like at one time it might have been a frequented hiking trail, but it was surely neglected for at least a decade if not more.


    Sure is different being way out here. The air feels cleaner and it has a nice smell to it. It¡¯s been ages since I did something like this.


    ¡°Not much farther now,¡± said The Vampire. Almost three hours and a completely lost trail later, they seemed to have arrived at their destination.


    ¡°Where exactly are we,¡± asked MC.


    ¡°Where do you think we are?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. I¡¯m lost as hell. It¡¯s going to be way past dark by the time we get back to the car. I¡¯m lucky I still have a bit of battery left on my phone so I can use a light to see the ground later.¡±


    ¡°Let me see your phone.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but why?¡± asked MC, handing it over.


    ¡°Your gun too. And any weapons you¡¯ve got on you.¡±


    ¡°I just have this pistol,¡± said MC.


    ¡°Perfect. Now I¡¯m heading back to the car and taking this stuff with me. You¡¯re going to do a bit of camping.¡±


    ¡°Camping? How¡¯s this supposed to be training?¡±


    ¡°I think in time you¡¯ll come to find out.¡±


    ¡°How long is this camping going to be for? I thought we were going to do some real training or go on missions or something.¡±


    ¡°We need to start with this. It¡¯s one of the ways that I got as good at the job as I am now.¡±


    ¡°Camping?¡±


    ¡°Wilderness survival is probably a more accurate term.¡±


    ¡°What is this the Boy Scouts?¡± MC sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come back and get you when your training is done. If I were you, I¡¯d focus on finding some food or water first. Good luck.¡±


    ¡°How will you know when I¡¯m done? Is there a certain amount of time I¡¯ll have to be out here?¡±


    ¡°Just trust the process.¡±


    This guy is more like GM than I thought. Some stupid abstract training. Never know exactly what¡¯s going on in that weirdo¡¯s head either.


    Two days later MC woke on the ground after using a rock as a pillow and some pine branches as a blanket. His clothes were torn and tattered as well as filthy from sleeping on the ground and trouncing through thick brush. He¡¯s had trouble sleeping due to hearing several howling sounds that were a little too close for comfort. His belly growled at him for having not had a proper meal since he left the city.


    Wilderness survival. Probably the most stupid pointless thing I¡¯ve ever done in my life. Look at me I¡¯m covered in dirt and filth and I¡¯m starving. Haven¡¯t eaten anything out here except a handful of mushrooms and some berries. I¡¯m lucky it¡¯s the warm season or I¡¯d be freezing too.


    He got up and went out in search of more berries. In places, the foliage was thin and he was easily able to walk steadily for miles, but in others, the brush was so thick his pace was slowed to a crawl. He feared an injury to his eye or a deep cut from an unseen jagged branch or rock. Caution was among him as he was out of his element.


    After hours of trekking through the fir and pine he came to a creek. Water hadn¡¯t been too hard to come by in his excursion and he¡¯d found several other creeks like this, but he took advantage of the moment and drank his fill straight out of the babbling flow.


    Upon lifting his head, he was startled to see an animal not far down the creek from him. It was a large black wolf. It had yellow eyes and massive front legs with claws that protruded into the muddy riverbank.


    MC was frozen in fear. He didn¡¯t know whether to run or to stay still. He observed the beast as it also drank its fill and was eventually joined by several other wolves. MC continued to be still, naturally camouflaged with patches of dirt all over himself and the scent of being in the forest for two days. He remained completely still until eventually the wolves all went on their way. They were keen predators when they wanted to be but, this was not one of those moments.


    That was a close call. If those wolves wanted to make me their dinner, there¡¯d be little I could do to stop it. I¡¯ve never seen an abnormally large wolf like that first one. Better be careful when I go to sleep tonight. Wouldn¡¯t want to make up in the mouth of one of those things.


    It was at this moment that he decided making a fire tonight would be a good idea. He wouldn¡¯t necessarily need it for warmth, but more to keep away whatever might lurk in the night.


    MC spent the rest of the day putting as much distance between himself and that creek as possible, only stopping to graze on little bits of berries here and there. By the time the sun was only a few fingers over the horizon it began growing dark under the thick canopy of the forest.


    He took a little while gathering a bundle of logs and then found the straightest stick he could along with a slab of cedar. He was going to attempt making fire by rubbing the sticks together. I¡¯ve seen this on those survival shows. It can¡¯t be that hard right?


    Long after sundown, MC remained in the darkness. His hands were worn raw from rubbing the wood with such force. His chest and ribs were aching. In the end he was only able to produce a small amount of smoke. He eventually decided it was time to rest and laid up against the trunk of a tree. At least if something did come to attack him, it wasn¡¯t going to come and get him from behind. Feeling tired, he began uncomfortably nodding off before being startled by the howl of a wolf. It was close. Much too close for comfort.


    MC instantly stood up and grabbed a nearby branch off the ground. Moonlight sporadically peeked through the clouds allowing him to catch small glimpses of fur and yellow eyes. The pitter patter of paws on the ground seemed to circle all around him. He held steady, makeshift weapon in hand.


    By the time morning came, he was barely able to stand. Sun shone through the trees and lit up patches of shrubs. He hadn¡¯t heard or seen the wolves for what felt like at least an hour so he figured it would be safe to get moving.


    He thought about why The Vampire sent him out there and when he was planning on picking him back up and how he was even going to be found way out in the middle of nowhere. Maybe he was just being toyed with and left in the middle of the woods for some kind of sick joke. Was he even going to be picked back up?


    For breakfast, he ate a few berries and foraged for water like the days before. Upon his search, he suddenly found the carcass of a deer. The bones were licked clean of any scraps of meat. It was a reminder that if he was going to survive, he''d need to find a reliable source of food like this. After searching the ground he found a large stick and attempted to bend it around his knee. It didn¡¯t budge. This ought to be strong enough. He returned to the deer remains and gathered what looked like a bone from one of it¡¯s legs. He whacked the end against a rock to create a sharper tip and then sacrificed his shirt to tie the bone to the end of the stick. He held up and examined the primitive weapon he¡¯d created. ¡°This¡¯ll never do,¡± he said out loud. ¡°There¡¯s no way I could throw a shoddy spear like this through the hide of a deer. At least it may offer some protection from the wolves. I¡¯m just hoping I don¡¯t need to use it.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    His hands remained sore and raw from the night before and he made a decision on what to do for tonight. I could go up in a tree and try to sleep there, but I¡¯d probably fall down while sleeping if I don¡¯t set up some sort of base to lay on and I don''t have any tools to use either. Maybe I should try making a fire again.


    He settled on the idea of trying to make another fire. This time he was going to start much earlier in the day. Just like before he found a stick on the ground and a slab of wood. He started spinning the stick between his hands and fought back against the pain. Each turn set his palms ablaze with a stinging sensation. It took a while, but he eventually saw smoke. Ok this is how far I got before. I just need to keep going. He paused briefly to shift a pile of twigs and dry grass closer to him before resuming the task. With some more rubbing a small ember formed at the base of the stick. He piled on the grass and twigs and blew a steady and soft breath into the ember. Small flames shot out of the bundle and he stood up with it in his hands. He was so panicked he almost didn¡¯t know what to do. Fire was now bursting to life in his hands. He carefully set it on the ground and piled a few larger sticks on top and watched as they lit up. ¡°Yes I did it!¡± he yelled.


    I may not have food in my belly, but I¡¯ll be safe from the wolves tonight. If I build it up, this fire is sure to keep them at bay. It was a small win, but a huge morale booster.


    That night, MC stoked the flames into a great bonfire. The warmth was so strong that he needed to stand back aways from it in order to avoid getting burned. His stomach ached and he felt oddly tired for the time of day. The lack of nutrition and sleep was getting to him.


    The sun began to set and it didn¡¯t take long for the sound of howling to start. He would have been afraid to admit it but that piercing howl struck primal fear into his ears. He grabbed a long stick and stuck it into the fire until it was burning on the end and held his makeshift spear in the other hand. He turned around and faced the darkness that surrounded him. Deep in the brush were glowing yellow eyes and dark shadows that seemed to flicker and move before he could tell exactly what or where they were. He squinted and tried to make out details, but all was lost in the dark of the night.


    A low growl came from the side and MC turned just in time to see a huge black wolf creep into the edge of the light. ¡°Raaaaghhh!¡± he yelled, attempting to scare it off to no avail. He waved the torch around, but the beast did not budge. Two more wolves, slightly smaller, closed in from the sides. MC stepped back closer to the fire Feeling the heat on his back. Why isn¡¯t this keeping them away? Are they that starved that they¡¯d ignore a prominent danger just to try and eat me? If that¡¯s the case I¡¯ll have to fight this head on. They¡¯re a lot different than fighting humans that¡¯s for sure and I have no weapon aside from this makeshift spear. This isn¡¯t good.


    The largest wolf lunged in and MC evaded by quickly dodging and rolling to the side. The other wolves stayed back as if letting the large one handle the catching of their dinner. MC felt like he was going crazy. How is this happening? I¡¯ve lived in the city my whole life and now I¡¯m stuck in the middle of the woods fighting for my life against a pack of wolves.


    The alpha wolf lunged in again. MC dodged to the side and smacked the wolf in the head with the torch. It only seemed to make it angry because it instantly turned around and swung a hefty paw, knocking his legs out from under him. This was like nothing he¡¯d experienced in a fight before. The wolf was literally made to kill. Thousands of years of evolution had piled together to create a predator much larger, stronger, and faster than a human.


    He lost his grip on the torch and it rolled away on the ground, but he made sure to hold his spear tight. The monster bared its teeth showing rows of long fangs perfectly made for eating flesh. The wolf crouched slightly and pounced, aiming its jaws for MC¡¯s face. MC braced the spear on the ground and pointed it up towards the savage animal. He felt the bone pierce the wolf¡¯s stomach as warm liquid instantly spewed from the wound. He pressed harder, feeling not only more liquid but a reeking hot breath on his face. The wolf snapped its jaws and struggled like a writing worm. MC twisted the spear attempting to kill the animal as quickly as he could. It continued to thrash around for another few seconds before becoming dead weight. The Spear must have pierced its heart. I can¡¯t believe I got so lucky. If it had landed in it¡¯s stomach or even missed completely, the wolf would have completely crushed my head between its powerful jaws.


    He struggled himself free and stood up to see an entire pack of wolves at the edge of the bonfire light. They were all looking at him and a few stepped back as he fully stood up. He reached over and grabbed the torch that had rolled away, relighting it in the fire. MC tensed his body and roared ferociously at the pack. He expected the pack to jump in and attack him, but they didn¡¯t. They just stayed where they were like some sort of primitive standoff.


    He waited, feeling the wolf blood that coated his body becoming cold and crusted. His senses were alive and he heard the trees swaying in the night time breeze while the fire crackled behind him. He felt the hard ground under his feet and bent his knees in preparation to move quickly upon an attack.


    ¡°Come on! I¡¯m not afraid of you!¡± MC yelled. One of the wolves responded with a long and low howl to which the other joined in. They slowly retreated into the darkness.


    I must have scared them off after taking out their leader, the alpha wolf. Just hope they don¡¯t come back. He relaxed a little and looked over at the dead wolf.


    The next morning MC was clad in a wolf skin pelt. He held a long and jagged that he¡¯d extracted from his foe. His stomach, full of wolf meat. Now this is an upgrade. I have a weapon and I¡¯ve got a shirt back. How many days had it been since I¡¯d eaten a meal that filled my stomach?


    That day, he remained fairly close to his fire to camp there again. It was more work than it was worth starting a new one. He felt more prepared with a better weapon and some of his energy returned from the food he ate.


    He spent a good portion of the day roasting meat to preserve it and just lazing around falling in and out of light sleep. He wasn¡¯t sure what the next night would bring him, but his instincts told him it wasn¡¯t going to be good. The next alpha wolf in line may be back for revenge against him. The whole pack might try and attack him all at once. He tried not to worry about it, but thought about how to be prepared for a variety of different scenarios.


    That night a sound woke MC from his light sleep. Paws on dirt alarmed him. Here they come.


    He took a defensive stance as the pack circled in, dual wielding his weapon of bone and spear. The pack did laps around him in a circle. The sound of their steps were almost rhythmic together until they all backed away leaving behind a large portion of a deer carcass.


    At first he was confused. Was it some sort of threat signaling what they would do to him? When he didn¡¯t move, a single wolf came close and nudged the deer towards MC.


    ¡°Is this for me?¡± he rhetorically asked the wolves. When they still didn¡¯t attack he started to realize that they didn¡¯t mean to harm him. They just stood back and watched. He reached out and grabbed some meat off a bone and pinned it to a sharp stick to roast over the fire and within a few minutes he was ready to eat. Saliva dripped out of his mouth as he raised the tender meat to his mouth and bit down. It was heavenly. Much better than the tough and wolf meat that he¡¯s planned to survive on.


    He kept watch over his shoulder to make sure the wolves weren¡¯t planning some sort of unexpected attack, but they just observed and kept their distance.


    Once he had his fill, he picked up the remains of the meat and tossed it over to the wolves where a few of them savagely gnawed meat from bone.


    ¡°Not so much different from regular dogs are you?¡± He covered himself in the pelt and went to sleep by the fire.


    The next morning, MC found himself awoken by the sound of wolves howling. He quickly sprang up into a ready position, but realized he was not in danger. The wolves all seemed to be looking off into the distance in the same direction. What¡¯s going on? Their noses are all up. Maybe they smell something. Maybe they¡¯re already going to go on another hunt.


    The pack started off into the forest and MC followed with pure interest leaving his smoldering fire behind. He struggled to keep up with the wolves through the thickets and rough terrain, but managed to stay within sight of the pack. The thick fur pelt he wore helped keep most of the sharp thorns and branches from scratching him.


    Branches continued to stutter his pace and he was falling behind until he found what the pack was after. A few hundred feet in front of them was a massive herd of elk. There must have been at least twenty of them. The wolves tucked down low to the ground and watched the grazing giants. They seemed to be waiting on something. Almost like they were waiting on a leader to start their attack on the prey. MC got low to the ground and started crawling, spear in hand. The wolves stayed low until they were close to an elk that was slightly secluded from the rest of the herd. They popped up out of the grass and startled the elk along with the rest of the herd. They formed a circle around it, but their alpha wolf who would have taken it down, was gone. The task was up to MC.


    MC stood up and got as close as he could and then hurled the spear. It was a direct hit. The elk tried to turn and run, but the wolves blocked its path until it collapsed onto the ground while the rest of the herd scattered away.


    MC went straight to work. He cleaned the elk and separated meat from bone. He tossed great hunks to each wolf and finally saved a bit for himself to cook on the fire tonight.


    Two weeks later, The Vampire strolled through the woods in search of MC. Let¡¯s see if that kid is still out here. He may be dead. That would be a waste, but if he did, it just shows that he wasn¡¯t cut out for this anyway.


    Early morning light shone through branches as The Vampire navigated the terrain with ease and seemed to be walking just as easily as if he was strolling down the sidewalk. It was almost as if his feet floated above the ground.


    After a bit of searching, he came upon a pack of wolves. His presence was almost non-existent as he strolled right into the middle of their pack. MC slept on the ground with the pelt covering his body.


    The Vampire nudged MC with his foot and MC shot up, startling the wolves awake. He relaxed when he realized it was The Vampire and the wolves didn''t seem to mind him.


    ¡°Looks like you made it through the first part of my training,¡± said The Vampire.


    ¡°That easy, huh?¡± said MC with a smirk.

 Where is MC?

    Smoke blew past his lips and into the wind as GM exhaled into the warm afternoon air. He laid on his back and looked up at the passing white clouds above. The grass under his coat was slightly damp in the thick parts, but it made for a comfortable spot to lay. Small white flowers poked their heads above the green blades and swayed with the breeze. Quiet sounds of a creek below and the occasional passing of people on the paved walking trail above kept him company.


    He laid and pondered many thoughts while enjoying the feeling of the sun on his face. Weather¡¯s finally getting nice. Pretty soon it¡¯ll be hot as hell and then comes the rainy season, but days like these are just about perfect. I wonder how MC¡¯s been fairing. It¡¯s been a few months since he went off on his own.


    GM spent some time pondering what was in store for the future of The Organization. It was a time of change and the future held many uncertainties. Gil had been making big decisions. He had to, with the political climate between The Organization and the police forces. Gil was trying his hardest to keep business like it''s always been, but more arrests were being made. The police force had cracked down on crime. They wanted to set examples for anyone involved in either The Organization or the Black Diamond. It was like a witch hunt for anyone involved with either of the two groups.


    The detective force was a part of the city''s ecosystem that didn¡¯t see a lot of change during this time. Emi continued to run the detective force with Aiko by her side. For them, it was just more of the same thing. Cleaning up crime scenes, narrowing down suspects, and collecting information.


    Aiko sat on the couch in the detective office with an open laptop next to her. She neglected her focus for a short while to daydream. She wondered why it had been so long since she¡¯d heard from MC. When he¡¯d first disappeared, she began to feel a sense of worry in the back of her mind. She tried to stay busy with her usual life of work and hobbies, but couldn''t help thinking about him. She¡¯d tried calling him several times, but days went by and there was no response. She did her best to avoid feeling upset about it.


    The whole office knew him at this point. He was intertwined with her life. In her efforts to keep her mind busy, she worked overtime, hung out with Emi, and did more than her share of shopping at the mall.


    On that particularly sunny day, MC slept in a run down motel. He¡¯d been staying in different places for no more than a few days at a time. He¡¯d become accustomed to mostly being awake at night to fit The Vampire¡¯s schedule. He¡¯d been going on missions with him for a while now. Some were paid missions given out by Gil. Others were for The Vampire¡¯s own business and twisted amusement, but most days were not mission days. In fact it was seldom that they had a legitimate mission from Gil. Some of the days were spent on training. The Vampire referred to training as doing whatever it was that he¡¯d schemed up for that day like the wilderness survival that MC tried to constantly forget.


    Despite them spending so much time together, MC still didn¡¯t even know The Vampire¡¯s real name so he just started calling him Vampire.


    Slowly, MC began to notice a difference in his abilities. It was more than just physical strength. He learned discipline, patience, stealth, tracking and how to use fear and intimidation against his enemies. That was one of The Vampire¡¯s most powerful traits. The feeling of fear that he was able to instill into a person with his presence alone. Fights that would have given him a hard time before were easier. He was able to learn a different side of power that he never could have from GM.


    When the day had long ago turned to night, MC and The Vampire stood at the basement level of a building on the old side of the city. Dead bodies coated the floor around them while the last remaining Black Diamond member of the bunch sat quivering on a dilapidated wooden chair. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    MC raised the barrel of a pistol to the man¡¯s forehead. ¡°So you really don¡¯t know anything? You have no idea where Jin is? And you don¡¯t know anyone who does?¡±


    ¡°I told you I don¡¯t know. None of us knew. All we know is that one day two guys walked right into our building claiming to be in charge. They gave us a task to do and showed us a briefcase with a ton of money. They said it was half of the payment and we¡¯d get the other half once the mission was done,¡± he said pointing to a briefcase across the room.


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, then you¡¯re of no more use to me.¡±


    MC put a bullet in his head to permanently silence the pile of human garbage. ¡°Worthless,¡± he said out loud, putting his gun away. He¡¯d learned not to let scum like that live after the incident with Moses, the captain of block seventeen. They¡¯d only hold grudges against him and serve as interference in the future. He thought about how his own revenge had potentially spurred the revenge of others against himself. There must have been some sort of life lesson in there somewhere, but he tried not to pay it too much mind.


    ¡°Another dead end,¡± said The Vampire.


    ¡°Nothing but dead ends. At this point I¡¯m amazed at how well Jin has been able to remain in hiding. He really covers his tracks and doesn¡¯t leave loose ends behind.¡±


    ¡°Sounds about right for that guy. Always has been a quiet and careful one. I doubt anybody will find him until he wants to be found.¡±


    ¡°Still, I¡¯ve got to keep trying.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wasting your time if you ask me, but hey what do I care. Anyway, it¡¯ll be light in a few hours. Let¡¯s call it for tonight.¡± He turned and walked out of the house and onto the sidewalk. His breath shone in the air in front of him. ¡°Rainy season is coming. I can smell it in the air,¡± said The Vampire with a sniff.


    MC walked next to him. ¡°So what¡¯s next for my training?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still going on about that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I have to make sure I get as strong as possible.¡±


    The Vampire let out a chuckle. ¡°Realistically, your training is never over. There¡¯s always something a person can learn in this field. However, I think you¡¯ve grown a lot just in the last few months that we¡¯ve been working together.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not enough.¡±


    ¡°It is. I just watched you take out a squad of six Black Diamond mercenaries by yourself. I just stood back and watched. It was a beautiful scene.


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing new. Those guys were amateurs anyway.¡±


    ¡°True, but it was in the way that you did it. There was a cold ferocity about you. I can tell you are more confident. More precise. Your weakness is still that you¡¯re too empathetic. You go right for the quick kill rather than testing the limits of their humanity.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to get myself killed by messing around.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for sure. Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± said The Vampire, rolling his eyes.


    ¡°You always go on about things like this being entertaining. I just can¡¯t see it.¡±


    ¡°Then, there¡¯s where I think you should improve.¡±


    ¡°Not happening.¡±


    ¡°I guess your training is done then. When we started working together I dropped you in the middle of the forest. That tested not only your mental endurance but your ability to adapt with very little resources. Since then, you¡¯ve been tracking people almost as well as I do. You¡¯re able to see, smell, and hear things that you didn''t before.¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t done me a lot of good since Jin¡®s still nowhere to be found. Shows how far his abilities are above mine.¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily. He¡¯s just been quiet. More cautious than ever. He¡¯s probably planning something big and we won''t know what it is until it happens.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of that,¡± said MC, squinting his eyes in concentration.


    ¡°You¡¯re just going to have to accept it. In fact accepting things is another trait you really lack. Always so impatient and refusing to give up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say that¡¯s a strength. If I gave up on this I¡¯d have nothing to live for,¡± said MC.


    ¡°If you call it that, then it¡¯s a reflection of another area you¡¯ve been able to grow in.¡±

 Power is Noticed

    The first light of the day had barely crept over the horizon. GM walked along a dirt path down by the river. Grass and trees grew over the majority of the walkway causing him to duck under stray branches as he went. He was there on official business from The Organization. Gil sent instructions for his current mission as usual. There was a cluster of hovels not far ahead that were said to house an informant from the Black Diamond. He was there to collect any current information that the informant had. It was fairly often that a loose lipped member of the Black Diamond popped up, but it was rare to ever find one with relevant or accurate information. His hopes were that this would yield positive results.


    As GM continued along the beaten path he took short puffs from a cigarette trailing thin clouds as he went. His long tan coat was buttoned tight around him. It was still cold in the mornings despite the summer season being in full swing. After a short time, he came upon the area of housing. The cluster of run down shacks were constructed under a large bridge. Their unique outside consisted of irregularly thrown together pieces of wood, metal, and other debris that sufficed as walls. It was plain to see that this part of Strongzinburg city was in a financial crisis to say the least.


    When GM approached, he saw that the rickety wooden door was already open. In fact it hung by only a single bottom hinge. It was quiet, as expected early in the morning, but there was an odd feeling in the atmosphere. He entered and proceeded with caution. Inside, it was mostly dark aside from light cast through the doorway. Immediately, he saw dark red pools on the ground. They were fresh. He unbuttoned his jacket for easier access to a weapon. It didn''t take more than a few steps before he saw the back of a figure standing over a person sitting on the floor. The standing figure was clad in tight black tactical clothing. The man on the floor was breathing heavily. His clothes were torn and he appeared to be beaten badly.


    ¡°GM, its been a while,¡± said the figure. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    GM recognized the voice instantly. It was MC¡¯s voice. ¡°I was wondering when I¡¯d run into you. It was only a matter of time, really,¡± said GM.


    ¡°I was just finishing up here.¡± The figure turned, revealing that he really was MC. When his eyes met GM¡¯s they were cold and expressionless. GM noticed that gaze had a power to it.


    ¡°Is there anyone left alive in here?¡± asked GM.


    ¡°Nope.¡± said MC as he pulled the trigger pointed at the man on the floor. Tiny drops of red splashed onto the side of MC¡¯s face as the sound of the gunshot rattled the cottage.


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad. Gil sent me here to find someone. Looks like I wont get the chance to talk to them.¡±


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t anyone here worth talking to in the first place.¡±


    GM felt a strangeness within himself having met up with MC after so long. He was never attached to anyone, but he had a fondness toward MC. It seemed like Sora never stopped blabbing about him either.


    MC put his weapon away and made for the door walking right past GM. GM reached out and put his hand on MC¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You know. It would be nice to have you around again. It hasn¡¯t been the same for Sora and I. I know you¡¯re doing what you¡¯re doing for a reason, but you could at least send a message or something.¡±


    MC turned slightly and grabbed GM¡¯s wrist and lifted it off his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    GM dropped his arm to his side and watched as MC walked up the dirt path. He watched him walk until he was out of sight and then rolled up the sleeve of his jacket. Red bruises were already beginning to form where MC had grabbed him. ¡°He¡¯s certainly gotten stronger. Damn kid had a grip like a vice,¡± he said out loud, shaking the pain out of his arm. And what¡¯s with that look he had on his face? It was MC¡¯s face, but that expression was nothing like him. It was cold and lifeless.

 Baseball

    MC had continued to visit his mother quite punctually. He usually kept the visits short and the time which he was able to go was often varied due to his current lifestyle. Most of the time, he went on a Monday. There was nothing especially symbolic about that day other than there seemed to be less people around which he preferred.


    On this Monday, he checked in with the front desk at the hospital and headed to his mother¡¯s room. He noticed a feeling in the bottoms of his feet. They were sore as he walked. He¡¯d been on his feet a lot lately. Nonstop hunting Black Diamonds in the night and then going on missions with The Vampire had been pushing him. His face was more pale than usual and he had dark circles under his eyes. Even forcing a smile with the receptionist upon signing in had taken effort. It seemed to move muscles in his face that he wasn¡¯t used to using lately.


    Despite this, MC felt like he was in the best shape of his life. He was stronger than he¡¯s ever been. His combat techniques were sharp and refreshed from constant use. He was just waiting for the day he found Jin to tear him apart.


    When he entered his mother¡¯s room, he was greeted with a stern breeze from an open window. It felt cold in the room, but his mother¡¯s blank face told him that she didn¡¯t seem to notice. Like usual, she stared blankly at the television as it blared commercials.


    Normally, MC would have greeted her and went and sat by her bed for a little while, but he¡¯d noticed something other than the window being open as he stepped into the room. There was a baseball sitting on the corner of the window seal. It was not an exceptionally strange item, but it was something that had never been in his mother¡¯s room before. Surely the nurses wouldn¡¯t have brought something like that either. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    He walked over to the small white sphere and picked it up, turning it over in his hands to see a bit of writing. He¡¯d half expected to see some sort of baseball player¡¯s autograph on it, but instead there was something much more interesting. It was a set of two numbers each with decimals. He knew right away that they were coordinates. Under the set of coordinates was the name Jin.


    MC¡¯s blood boiled and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stick up as he gripped the ball with almost enough force to crush. His breathing quickened and he felt the urge to leap right out the window and get to those coordinates. Instead he paused.


    This could be a trap. In fact it likely is some sort of trap. Could this note really be from Jin? If it is, why would he finally just give himself away when he spent so long hiding?


    There was only one way to find out. He had to get to those coordinates.


    MC turned to his mother, ¡°Sorry mother, I had planned on a visit with you today, but something¡¯s come up. I¡¯ll see you next week.¡±


    His mother¡¯s expression did not change and she didn''t even look away from the television. A reminder of why that man needed to die.

 A Visit to the Past

    Aiko had been frequenting all of the locations where she thought she might find MC. She stopped by the clubhouse every once in a while and talked to GM and Sora, but MC was never anywhere to be seen. She spent time on her detective patrols going through decrepit neighborhoods where crime was seen happening openly on the streets. A place where MC might be roughing up some Black Diamonds for information, but she never found him there either. Every couple of days, she even swung by the remaining foundation of MC¡¯s childhood home. It gave her comfort remembering the good times that she had as a child at that place. The backyard pool birthday parties and the time spent running through the back forest and collecting crayfish in the creek just at the end of their property.


    Her day had been slow and she decided to park her patrol car and grab something for lunch. She¡¯d picked a deli that she¡¯d often frequented during her college days. After a quick lunch she headed back out to her car and noticed something out of place. It was a small piece of paper placed under the windshield wiper. She pulled up the wiper and snatched the piece of paper with curiosity. I wonder what this could be?


    She turned the paper over and read it.


    MC and this entire city are doomed unless you manage to defeat me tonight. It¡¯s finally time to show me what you¡¯re really capable of.


    There was a set of numbers that she recognized as coordinates and Jin¡¯s signature to follow.


    Aiko froze in place and then quickly looked around behind her with fear. Jin was here? Or is this some sort of joke? Maybe it¡¯s a trap of some kind? I need to tell Emi.


    Aiko punched in the coordinates and got in her car. Once she saw the location, she called Emi.


    Emi answered the call. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡±Emi, someone left a note of my car with a set of coordinates and Jin¡¯s signature. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s real, but I¡¯m en route to the location the coordinates marked.¡°


    ¡°Are you serious? Do you think it¡¯s real?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m not going to pass up this opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll round up as much of the squad as I can. Do not engage until backup gets there.¡±


    Aiko hung up.


    Her thoughts were a flurry, but her rational mind told her that she was going to need as much backup as possible. She tried calling GM and Sora, but there wasn''t an answer from either of them. ¡°I probably shouldn¡¯t waste the time to stop, but luckily, their place is right on the way. I¡¯ll just swing in.¡±


    Aiko furiously knocked on the door to the clubhouse and waited for someone to come to answer it. After a prolonged time went by with no response. She called both Sora and GM¡¯s phones again. No answer. ¡°Come on, come on,¡± she said.


    She knocked again, this time louder. Still no response. She hesitated and thought for a second looking down at the door knob. She grabbed it and turned the handle. To her surprise it opened right up. GM¡¯s drunk ass must have forgotten to lock it when he came home last night. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Inside she saw both Sora and GM¡¯s shoes by the door. Guess they¡¯re here.


    It was dim despite it being late afternoon. She cautiously walked in and saw Sora asleep on the couch. She was snoring loudly.¡±


    She walked over next to the couch. ¡°Sora. Sora, wake up.¡±


    She stirred and turned over with an angry expression.


    ¡°Wake the hell up, Sora!¡± she yelled, shaking her by the shoulders.


    ¡°Waaaahhh!! What¡¯s going on?¡± she screamed.


    GM burst out of his door wearing only a t shirt and boxers holding his katana in his hand.


    ¡°Aiko?¡± GM said. ¡°You should have told us you were coming. I would have made tea.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± asked Sora.


    ¡°No time for that. I need your help.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? What¡¯s the matter? Don¡¯t tell me MC¡¯s in trouble or something?¡±


    Aiko¡¯s face told it all.


    ¡°Oh, then it is serious,¡± said Sora, surprised.


    Sora and GM listened intently as Aiko quickly explained the situation.


    GM and Sora looked at eachother. GM walked over and put his hand on Aiko¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Of course we¡¯ll help you. If MC needs us, we¡¯ll be there,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess I¡¯d be willing to help out,¡± said Sora.


    ¡°Thanks, you guys.¡±


    ¡°And GM will you put some damn pants on!¡± yelled Sora.


    Emi began to round up her forces. The detective team piled into their meeting room, each grabbing a chair in front of Emi and her whiteboard. Various barely legible words were scratched onto the board with simple rushed drawings that resembled architectural schematics of a building.


    There was an energy to the room. A mix of nervousness and heroic excitement. The detectives remembered the last time that they went directly after Jin and how it had ended. While there were no friendly casualties, however it was a mission that ended up completely off the rails.


    ¡°Ok everyone, as you all know, we called this emergency meeting because we plan to go after Jin today. We will not be alone on this mission. The team we worked with from The Organization is gathering as well. If you remember, they were a powerful asset and we¡¯re going to need all the help we can get.¡±


    One of the detectives raised their hand. ¡°Do you think we can really trust them? They¡¯re criminals after all. Sure they helped us out before, but can we really rely on them if we end up in a bad situation?¡±


    Emi didn''t miss a beat. ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe we can fully trust them. We currently share a common enemy and that¡¯s why we¡®re working together. We¡¯re going to rely on each other as much as we can while they rely on their own team. We will provide backup as needed to make sure the mission succeeds, but do not expect them to go out of their way to help us individually. Before we get any other questions about that, let me explain your roles in this from the brief planning GM and I have been able to do.¡±


    Emi turned to her whiteboard and pointed to what looked like a building. ¡°This is a new building that¡¯s currently under construction. The apparent clue that Jin has given left coordinates that point exactly to that building. It¡¯s a little ways past block one hundred twenty three and out towards the outskirts of the city. Our intelligence team has told me that the building is currently ten stories high. It is a construction zone and by that I mean there will be a mess. Think buckets, cranes, piles of steel beams, hammers strewn about. That sort of thing.¡±


    Emi paused and thought for a second, putting a dry erase marker to her lips in thought. ¡°The majority of you are going to be serving as backup. That means none of you will actually go inside of the building. All of you have one main task and that¡¯s to create a secure perimeter. If Jin is inside that building, do not let him leave.¡±


    Another hand raised. ¡°Is there a possibility that this could be a trap?¡±


    ¡°Yes. However it¡¯s very unlikely. Jin has never chosen to reveal himself before. If it is a trap it¡¯s far too obvious. That¡¯s part of the reason why I don¡¯t want any of you inside that building. There are too many variables and our information is too spontaneous to be reliable.¡±


    ¡°Ok, here¡¯s the last bit of information I have. We¡¯re in for lots of rain and nasty weather. Make sure to show up in your detective issued rain gear. There¡¯s no telling how long we might be out there in the elements. If anything changes, I¡®ll send out a message to everyone so keep an eye out. Now go!

 Final Battle

    The rooftop was a work in progress. Industrial lights flickered in the heavy wind and rain. Puddles pooled up in low spots of recently hardened concrete. Ladders and scaffolding littered the rooftop along with tall piles of lumber, bags of concrete mix, steel beams, and other sorts of the construction project. Some beams and panels were screwed and cemented into place while others were strewn about.


    The center of the rooftop had a large square opening where a pulley system suspended ropes down the deep crevice ten stories down to the bottom floor. It appeared to be what would in time turn into an elevator shaft.


    Jin stood casually and puffed on a damp cigarette as he waited for MC and those who would accompany him. He looked up at the dark sky above and took in the feeling of rain splashing down on his face. He was prepared for this long awaited and carefully planned moment and wanted to savor the time because while MC had been working hard, he had been doing the same.


    MC emerged from the dark stairway and stepped out onto the roof with the silence of a ghost. Jin turned to face him, seemingly having sensed his presence. He stood just past the elevator shaft in the center of the floor. A gust of wind blew past and threw his overcoat around as he inhaled a breath from the glowing cigarette. He tossed the damp white stick aside and exhaled smoke that quickly dispersed into the billowing wind.


    ¡°So, you were able to find me after all?¡± said Jin just loud enough to be heard over the pouring rain.


    ¡°Jin, this time is going to be different. I¡¯ve said it before, but this time I mean it. You¡¯re going to die tonight. Years of work have gone into preparing me for this moment. I¡¯ve dedicated all this time and effort for the sole purpose of killing you. Only then, will I be able to move on.¡±


    ¡°It pains me to say this, but I¡¯m glad to hear that,¡± said Jin, with a grin. ¡°I can tell just by the way you handle yourself that you¡¯ve changed since the last time we met. You¡¯re more serious. More mature.¡±


    ¡°Enough talk. Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± said MC.


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    In the blink of an eye, MC grabbed both pistols from his sides, roughly aimed, and began to shoot. Bullets erupted out of the guns and the rain created a dense steam as it coated the hot barrels. MC stopped firing and saw only Jin¡¯s coat laying on the ground. Where did he go?


    He felt an instant sharp pain as Jin kicked him square in the side of the ribs, sending him flying and skidding across the floor. He¡¯s still so fast.


    MC recovered, catching himself in a crouch, then instinctively ducked behind the cover of a chest-high stack of plywood. He put one of the guns away and grabbed a flash bang from his sash. His arm flung it up and over the pile of boards and into the sky. It erupted mid-air, dousing the area in a bright flash for a fraction of a second. It wasn¡¯t likely to do much other than startle Jin and it was most likely that he had expected a move like that anyway.


    Staying low, MC moved to another spot of cover, this time a partially constructed wall of rebar and thin concrete. He looked around as he moved, but Jin seemed to have vanished. Blam!! A bullet pierced the wall right next to MC¡¯s head and he sprung into action, running behind the wall as bullets plunged through. Each one piercing the wall and trailing right behind him. MC ducked and slid head-first into the open as he came to the end of the wall. With a tight grip on his pistol he aimed for the position where the bullets had been coming from. He fired twice at Jin as he slid through puddles. Both shots missed. He somersaulted out of the slide and ducked behind more cover. He pressed the action on the side of his pistol to extrude the empty clip onto the ground and replaced it with a fresh one, taking note that he only had two more to spare.


    Jin closed in and surprised MC from around a corner. Even in the puddles of the roof, Jin was dead silent. The swish of his arms as they cut through raindrops was almost undetectable. MC threw his hands up forming a cross just in time to block a punch. The force of it sent his feet sliding back on the wet surface. Jin followed up with more close ranged attacks. His raw power was like a fight against The Vampire, but with a more structured and rehearsed technique. What once seemed like a random assortment of flashy moves were decipherable now. MC was able to pick out each attack as they came and blocked while predicting the next attack, but he was on the defensive. Despite relentless effort and training, Jin was still very powerful.


    A fakeout caught MC by surprise and Jin struck a pressure point in his left shoulder with expert precision. He blocked out the pain as he was used to, but felt a strange tingling in his arm. He tested his grip and felt his muscles unable to perform.


    My arm isn¡¯t responding the way I need it to. Seems my wrist, hand, and forearm are ok, but my shoulder feels like it¡¯s hardly moveable now. He only hit me once, but it sure was a bad one. I need to turn this fight around. I have to get on the offensive.


    The next attack came straight away. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, MC? Giving up already.¡±


    ¡°Never.¡±


    MC ducked under a punch and moved to the side of a strike from Jin¡¯s knee and did a handstand. His legs were much more powerful than his arms. As he spun and kicked at Jin, he pummeled his flawless defenses to no avail. He sprung off his hands and did a backflip reaching into his sash and pulling the pins off two flash bangs and tossing them with a flick of the wrist. Jin shielded his eyes with his arms as they both detonated right in front of him. There was no doubt that his ears were severely impacted.


    MC landed in a crouch, placing his hand on the ground for balance. Jin was already back on the offensive closing the gap again despite a loud ringing in his ears. MC stood up as quickly as he could, but Jin was faster. The barrel of a pistol touched MC¡¯s chest. He tightly wrapped his hand around the barrel of the gun to prevent it from firing. With his other hand, he struck it from the side with Jin¡¯s wrist, sending the gun flying across the floor. That was a close one.


    Aiko was the first to arrive at the location. She parked close to the building next to two cars that were already there, tires sliding the car to a halt. She burst out of her car hearing gunshots from the rooftop above as she ran to the entrance. She should have waited for Emi and other backup, but paid no attention to rationality. All she knew was that she needed to get up there and help MC. She plunged into the dark entrance of the building and started making her way up the winding sets of stairs, pistol in hand.


    Jin came in with what seemed like a new found fury. His momentum between attacks flowed powerful and unpredictable like a current in the ocean. MC palmed a punch headed straight to his face, but the power of the blow smashed his own hand back into his forehead. Jin used the opportunity of MC¡¯s imbalance to deliver a series of quick, but heavy strikes to several specific points on MC¡¯s body. MC felt a loss of control over muscles in various places all over his body. He needed to get some serious distance between them to take inventory of injuries and recover for a moment, but he couldn¡¯t get away.


    The sound of footsteps coming from the stairs to the roof interrupted the battle. Aiko emerged from the staircase. The fight between MC and Jin paused briefly as they both mentally calculated a new variable into the battle.


    ¡°Aiko, what are you doing here? Get out of here now!¡± he said without taking his eyes off of Jin.


    ¡°Took you long enough to get here,¡± said Jin.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± questioned MC.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t the only one who received a call to action today.¡±


    ¡°You bastard. Leave Aiko out of this!¡± yelled MC.


    ¡°Shame that you don¡¯t understand that she¡¯s just as big a part of this as you are. This is bigger than just you and me. This is about the entire city.¡±


    ¡°Enough with the shitty metaphors. I don¡¯t care.¡±


    Aiko quickly analyzed the situation and saw MC¡¯s shaking legs struggling to keep him up.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let you do this alone. If you died I¡¯d never forgive myself.¡±


    ¡°This is too dangerous. Get out of here.¡±


    ¡°No. I can¡¯t let you do this alone. You still don¡¯t understand that you¡¯re not the only one with the same goals. You have allies you can count on. We all want the same thing. If we all work together we can achieve our goals together.¡±


    ¡°This is my fight. Stay out of this.¡±


    ¡°Oh please. You¡¯re fight? The detectives have been hunting Jin and taking on the Black Diamond since before you were born.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s got a point, kid.¡± said GM, emerging from the stairway behind Aiko.


    ¡°GM, you¡¯re here too?¡±


    ¡°Come on now, I can¡¯t let my team member go into a fight like this without backup. She¡¯s right about what she said. We¡¯re all in this fight for the same reason. We want to support you and end this issue that¡¯s gone on for far too long.¡± GM paused and looked MC up and down. ¡°And from the looks of things, you could use a hand.¡±  Stolen novel; please report.


    Far below, the group heard what seemed to be the sounds of several cars arriving at the building. There were sounds of tires skidding and doors clunking loudly.


    Jin straightened up. ¡°So MC, it looks like all these people are here to help you reach your long awaited goal. Do you really think they¡¯ll make much of a difference? I know you¡¯re far stronger than any of them, and we can both tell that this fight isn¡¯t going well for you. Even with this pause in our fight, you¡¯re hardly even catching your breath.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of them. They can do what they want.¡±


    ¡°Really? It seems you¡¯ve spent quite a lot of time together with these people. In fact I remember that detective girl from long long ago. Funny how you guys are still linked together after all this time. I guess I could have seen that coming. You two were inseparable when you were kids, but now you¡¯re saying that you don''t care about her. Something doesn¡¯t add up here. Is it one of those one sided things?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend like you know anything about me. You could never understand me. Now come on Jin, we¡¯re finishing this now!¡±


    MC leapt into the air and spun around, delivering a series of kicks blocked by Jin¡¯s forearms until his leg was seized in a tight grip. Jin spun in full circle and let go. MC flew straight into a brick wall that toppled down onto him.


    ¡°MC,¡± Aiko screamed. She took a step to run over to him, but GM put his arm out to stop her.


    ¡°Wait. If you run in to help him right now you¡¯ll die,¡± he said. ¡°Let me go in and if you see an opportunity, you can step in and help.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do what I can,¡± she said, drawing her pistol.


    GM unsheathed his katana.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, GM? asked Jin. ¡°No gun?¡±


    ¡°You know me. I¡¯m old fashioned. Besides, a gun would take the fun out of this.¡± GM readied himself and rushed towards Jin.


    Jin drew a combat knife from his hip and rushed right back at him,  seeming to enjoy the thought of a blade on blade battle. He knew he needed to keep moving and stay close to GM, otherwise Aiko would have an opportunity to shoot at him.


    The cold steel collided with a quick spark. GM swung his blade. It swished in the air, cutting through raindrops. Each strike had lethal precision and killing intent, however Jin was not only able to dodge the attacks, he struck back at GM. The combat knife, being only about ten inches long, was much lighter than the katana, but GM held strong against his speed. Surprisingly, his skills with the blade were more practiced than Jin¡¯s.


    Aiko couldn¡¯t do anything but watch with her pistol drawn as the two struck metal together almost faster than her eyes could see. Each attack ended with a clang and the occasional yellow and orange sparks instantly extinguished by the rain. She took aim, but didn¡¯t dare to get any closer than she was. She felt that if she moved even a single step forward it would be like stepping in front of a semi truck.


    A sweep of the leg forced GM to jump and change his attack to a plunge with his legs tucked and sword aimed straight down. Jin predicted ahead and rolled across the ground, jumping back up when he was clear of the attack and re-engaging. He came even faster now. He was already learning GM¡¯s attack patterns. The pace of the fight quickened.


    GM made an attack and their steel bounced off of eachother. He spun around and his coat was thrown around in a whirl. When he faced Jin again, his katana was in his right hand while his left hand gripped a pistol. It was almost point blank, but Jin saw it coming.


    Jin swiped GM¡¯s forearm away and the bullet fired into the ground. The defensive swipe was followed up with an attack coming straight for GM¡¯s throat. He had no choice but to drop the gun and defend with both arms bracing the handle of his katana. They pushed close together with blade on blade, Jin bracing the back of his knife with his free hand. The weight of GM¡¯s blade won the argument and pushed Jin back. In one sweeping motion, GM¡¯s blade finally struck its target, slicing Jin across his chest. It was not a deep cut, but if he¡¯d been an inch closer organs would be spilling onto the ground.


    Jin staggered back making sure to keep cover between himself and Aiko. He touched the wound on his chest to assess the damage. ¡°Not bad. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to land a hit like that on me.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ve severely underestimated my abilities with the blade.¡±


    ¡°With you as a master, it¡¯s no wonder MC was able to become so powerful. Unfortunately, I¡¯m going to have to take this fight a little more seriously now,¡± said Jin. He spun the knife around in his hand so that the blade was facing down like a kunai knife. His body tense and ready to deal deadly damage.


    GM was fast to act and ran the blade straight through Jin¡¯s shoulder and pinned him to a wall. Jin delivered an inhumanly strong kick on GM¡¯s stomach and he flew back landing next to the pile of bricks MC was still under. When he looked up, Jin was gone. His bloody sword rested on the ground.


    I see. That knife changing stance and big talk was all to get me to think he was doing something else. He deliberately let me land that attack to separate us. Is he going to try and escape?


    GM stood in silence and scanned the area around him trying to pinpoint Jin¡¯s location. ¡°Aiko, where¡¯d he g- behind you!¡± GM yelled, but it was too late. Jin delivered a quick strike to the back of Aiko¡¯s neck and she collapsed to the ground. She was no match for his speed and stealth.


    ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± said GM. At least he didn¡¯t deliver a lethal strike to her. I¡¯ve got to get MC back in this fight. I¡¯ve barely been able to keep up and I¡¯m going to need his help. He rushed over to the pile of bricks and started pulling them off of MC until he saw his face. He was a bloody mess. He coughed and spat blood as GM pulled his body from the rubble. ¡°On your feet, MC. You¡¯ve still got some fight left in you.¡± MC stood weakly and looked up to find the enemy. Surprisingly, Jin hadn¡¯t attempted an escape yet. He was in the center of the area next to the elevator shaft. He¡¯d tied Aiko with the rope from the pulleys, binding her arms to her sides and dangling her over the deep shaft. He held the rope of the pulley in his hand. With his other hand, he pulled out a flash bang grenade. The same kind that MC used. He¡¯d been concealing it. He pulled the pin with his teeth and threw it at MC and GM. It was a direct impact in front of them. Its area of effect was much too large to dodge in time. GM was stunned, unable to see or hear anything.


    ¡°MC, is this where we say goodbye once again?


    Aiko stirred, waking up from unconsciousness. ¡°Huh, where am I? I can¡¯t move!¡±


    ¡°This is your final test. I¡¯m going to drop this girl down this hole and if you don¡¯t save her, she will die. The choice is yours.¡± Jin let go of the rope and ran for the exit door.


    ¡°MC!¡± Aiko screamed.


    MC froze not knowing what to do. He¡¯d come so far for this moment. To kill Jin. Jin was injured and he was pulling a desperate move. This could be his only chance to kill him. To avenge his parents. To right the wrongs of his world. He needed to end the nightmare.


    He watched as Aiko¡¯s body plunged down into the depths and the pulley system began spinning wildly, dragged down by the weight of her body. He watched in slow motion as Jin ran for his escape. Each step took his goal further and further away. His mind told him to go after Jin, but his heart told him to save Aiko.


    He sprinted as fast as he could and grabbed the rope. It slid through his hands stripping skin and flesh as it went. He gritted his teeth and gripped tighter holding on with everything he had. Was he too late? Would his grip hold out enough to stop the lethal descent?


    Jin darted away into the darkness of the stairway, but MC didn¡¯t even bother to look his way. The rope was slowing, but not enough. His hands had lost all strength. He changed tactics and put the rope in his mouth, biting down as hard as he could. He felt it sliding through his teeth. He sunk his teeth into the rope and finally felt it slowing. He let his arms fall limp at his sides and with the rope clenched between his teeth he slowly backed up. Step by step, he pulled Aiko to safety. GM, now able to slightly see, grabbed the rope and helped MC pull Aiko back up and out of the shaft.


    She was a mess. Tears had run makeup all down her face and she was shaking uncontrollably. GM grabbed her from out of the crevice and untied her on solid ground.


    ¡°Y¡­ you saved me again,¡± she said, looking at MC.


    ¡°I¡¯ll always be here to save you,¡± he said with a smile.


    She hugged him as tight as she could. His bloody hands still limp at his sides. He closed his eyes and cherished her.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d make the right choice, kid,¡± said GM. ¡°I didn''t doubt you for a second. You might not have realized it, but I knew you loved this girl. Anyway, not to spoil the moment, but the detective force is out there with the building surrounded. I know it sounds crazy, but it¡¯s not going to be enough to stop Jin.¡±


    ¡°Right. Let¡¯s follow and provide backup,¡± said MC. He took quick mental note of his body. While his mind was still full of fight, his physical self was on its last stand. He could hardly lift his arms at all and his mouth was bleeding from the rope sliding through his teeth. He felt a mix of both minor and severe injuries on almost every portion of his body.


    ¡°That won''t be necessary,¡± said Jin, returning from the dark entryway.


    Shock came over he group and for a moment, MC didn¡¯t believe what he was seeing.


    A thick tension struck the air. What¡¯s he doing? Is this some sort of trap?


    Jin slowly emerged from the stairway and walked forward revealing The Vampire behind him.


    ¡°Figures,¡± said The Vampire. ¡°After all that training you still almost managed to let Jin escape.¡±


    ¡°Vampire? What are you doing here?¡± asked MC.


    ¡°I caught wind of this situation and decided to check things out for myself. Turns out if you follow about ten detective cars all flashing their lights and sirens, you end up at some pretty interesting scenarios. I¡¯m glad I came because I¡¯ve caught quite a big fish.¡± He pressed a shotgun to Jin¡¯s back.


    ¡°Now this is what I¡¯ve been waiting for. The grand finale. You and your allies have really got me this time, MC.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s funny. I was actually half expecting you to show up, Vampire,¡± said MC. ¡°It would have been pretty out of character for you to hear about this and not come and join in the chaos.¡±


    ¡°You got that right.¡±


    MC quickly went and collected his, Aiko¡¯s and MC¡¯s guns and they all aimed them at Jin although MC was hardly able to grip his and was unsure if he could even fire it.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad this time¡¯s finally come. I¡¯ve been waiting,¡± said Jin. He started slowly walking backwards with his hands raised.


    ¡°Stop moving,¡± commanded The Vampire, but Jin just carefully kept walking.


    ¡°Hold on, Vampire. Don¡¯t shoot,¡± said MC. ¡°He¡¯s not going anywhere with us all on him like this, but what are you doing, Jin?¡±


    He just kept slowly walking until he approached the edge of the rooftop.


    The team all thought the same thing at once. Is he really going to do what I think he¡¯s going to do?


    The detective team on the ground saw Jin¡¯s figure appear along the edge of the roof and shone several bright spotlights from the ground. It illuminated raindrops and cast a shadow over Jin¡¯s face.


    Everyone watched him as he broke the moment with an unexpected statement. ¡°Thank you all. Please take good care of eachother.¡± He closed his eyes, smiled, and leaned back off the building with his arms outstretched. His body careened through the air like a stone until it struck the hard ground far below.

 Jins Letter

    Just because Jin was dead, didn¡¯t mean his business with the detectives was over. There needed to be a careful examination of the body. The reports from Aiko and the team confirmed that it was indeed Jin who they had fought and who had died that night, but doing things by the books meant providing the proper evidence. The death of the One of the biggest crime lords in the city needed to be carefully documented. Any evidence on his person could be used to further investigate the Black Diamond and lead to more justice for the city.


    Emi was present for the examination along with the coroner. While it was not her specialty to participate in these kinds of examinations, she had a keen eye when it came to evidence and clues.


    It wasn¡¯t long before they found little bits of evidence. The dirt on his shoes revealed that he¡¯d been somewhere with red clay, narrowing down locations for potential Black Diamond hideouts. The material underneath his fingernails didn¡¯t have much to show and neither did a hair follicle test. No drugs or substances were detected in his system or on his person. Emi found herself searching for an answer. Why did you jump off that roof? Why did you kill yourself after all you¡¯d been through? There¡¯s no way you would have just gone out without one last fight.


    Upon further examination of Jin¡¯s corpse, an envelope was found in the inside of his coat pocket. Emi slowly pulled it out, her gloved hands careful not to tear it. There were several pages of what seemed to be a letter. She opened up the first page and started to read. Her eyes opened with sudden interest.


    As she read, she found herself truly captivated. It answered every question she had. It was the key to it all. ¡°I¡¯ve got to get this letter to him,¡± she said.


    MC had been in a bit of a funk since Jin¡¯s death. He was having a hard time figuring out what to do with himself now that his biggest motivator in life had been essentially conquered. He¡¯d moved back into the clubhouse after apologizing to both GM and Sora. After a stern lecture from GM a never ending nagging session from Sora, all was right again. It was like he¡¯d never left.


    MC and Aiko spent time together when she was free from detective duties, but MC was abnormally quiet. Aiko had expected him to be cheerful after finally ridding the world of that wretched man, but he wasn¡¯t.


    Aiko poured them both a glass of tea and came to sit next to MC on the couch in her apartment. ¡°MC, have you been alright? You¡¯ve been a bit quiet and I¡¯m a little worried.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Oh please, don¡¯t give me that. I know something has been on your mind. You can tell me,¡± she said with a reassuring smile.


    MC sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t feel how I thought I would. I feel almost sort of empty. Jin dying didn¡¯t fix my mother¡¯s condition and of course I knew it wouldn¡¯t. It didn¡¯t bring my dad back from the dead either. I thought I¡¯d be able to accept the reality of it. The Black Diamond is still out there. Jin wasn¡¯t the only person who was pulling strings. There¡¯s still senseless violence and more going on. I almost feel obligated to continue fighting the Black Diamond.¡±


    ¡°You never made anyone choose to join the Black Diamond or to commit senseless violence and crime. Don¡¯t you think you should live a normal life now? Leave all that crime fighting stuff to us detectives and the police. You¡¯ve accomplished a lot.¡±


    ¡°But I know I can do more. I¡¯ve worked so hard to become this strong. I¡¯d feel guilty knowing that the Black Diamond is still out there when I could easily keep fighting against them. I know it¡¯s not my battle to fight, but I want to help the people of this city.¡± MC stood up. ¡°Sorry Aiko, but I think I need to go and be alone with my thoughts for a while.¡±


    ¡°This is a big change for you. I¡¯ll be here when you¡¯ve got your head sorted out.¡± She stood up and gave him a kiss on the cheek before he left.


    On the third day after Jin¡¯s death, MC received a call from Emi asking him to come into the office to discuss some closing matters. He waltzed into the detective office and headed up the stairs. Upon reaching the top he saw that the office was empty aside from Emi sitting at her computer station. She looked up as he came into view at the top of the stairs.


    ¡°You wanted to see me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes. I have something for you. It¡¯s a bit of a private matter, so I arranged for just us to be here today.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh. So what is it?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯d better read this,¡± she said, getting up holding the folded pages of the letter found on Jin¡¯s person.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°It was found in Jin¡¯s jacket pocket while performing the autopsy.¡±


    ¡°He wrote this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we confirmed his handwriting to previous evidence we¡¯d collected. It has his fingerprints all over the pages as well. There¡¯s no doubt.¡±


    ¡°And why do you want me to read this? Jin is dead. I don''t have a care about him anymore,¡± he said, raising his voice in frustration.


    ¡°Awful strong words for someone who apparently doesn¡¯t care. Listen, I know you¡¯ve been a little off since that night. You feel robbed. You spent years trying to kill that man and then he goes and does the job himself.¡±


    MC clenched his fists and began to boil for a moment before releasing the tension with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive him. I still feel like I¡¯m stuck. Like I can¡¯t move on. His death didn¡¯t change much. I still feel like the helpless kid who couldn¡¯t do anything while the city continues to spin out of control.¡±


    ¡°I know, but trust me. This is likely to clear some things up.¡±


    ¡°Alright, just give me the damn papers already.¡±


    ¡°Here you are,¡± said Emi as she passed him the letter. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some time to yourself. I¡¯ll be downstairs in the break room if you need me.¡±


    Jin¡¯s Letter:


    My son,


    If you are reading this letter, then I am surely dead. It probably doesn¡¯t mean much, but I¡¯m sorry for everything I put you through. I¡¯ve been very selfish and I don¡¯t expect you to forgive me even in my death. The life you¡¯ve lived has been anything but an easy one. This letter is to be an explanation so that you may understand why these events have transpired. Let me start with the beginning:


    The smell of hot dogs and burgers grilling on a charcoal barbecue filled Jin¡¯s nostrils as he walked around the house to the propped open side gate. As he rounded the corner into the backyard, he realized there were more people than he¡¯d expected to see. Kids ran and jumped into the pool causing an overflowing splash. Upbeat music played over a speaker system as people stood around and chatted. Beers were abundant and from the look of things that delicious smelling barbecued meat was about to be ready to eat.


    Jin made his way through the backyard and greeted William who was flipping burgers on the grill.


    ¡°Hey, new guy. Glad you could make it,¡± said William. Jin handed him a bowl filled with salad and took in his features as he did. He noticed William¡¯s trendy sunglasses and colorful swim shorts. His physique showed that he spent a lot of time training.


    ¡°Of course. I figure coming to something like this would help me get to know some more people from work.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re glad to have you here. Feel free to make yourself at home. Jump in the pool if you wanna cool off.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, ¡° Jin chuckled. He noticed Gil standing against the tall wooden fence to the side drinking a glass of wine by himself. He grabbed a beer from an open cooler and went over to converse with him.


    Gil saw him coming and greeted him with a handshake. ¡°So are you getting to know everyone at The Organization yet?¡± asked Gil.


    ¡°So far I haven¡¯t met any other team leaders except for you. I only know a handful of other members.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s one of the perks of being out in the field. Wouldn''t want to be stuffed into an office all day having to do all that name learning and small talk bullshit.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know what you mean. So far my experience on the squad tells me it¡¯s a lot more exciting than that to say the least.¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯m your team leader, but we haven¡¯t really got to talk much about things other than regular daily business. What do you think about the pay so far?¡±


    ¡°Man, I¡¯ve never seen so much money in my life. I already went and bought a brand new convertible,¡± Jin said with a smile. ¡°Pay is way better than what I was doing before. Casino security guard and construction jobs were so boring and obviously way less pay.¡±


    Gil laughed. ¡°I bet. Welcome to the good life. It might seem easy for now, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find your own challenges soon enough.¡± He lowered his voice a little, ¡°We¡¯re in relatively peaceful times with the Black Diamond and the cops staying off our asses for now, but who knows how long that¡¯ll last. Let¡¯s just enjoy ourselves for the night.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drink to that!¡± Jin said as he held his can up towards Gil and took a swig.


    ¡°So where¡¯s your family? You didn¡¯t bring them out?¡±


    ¡°Oh nah I don''t have a family or anything like that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I suppose most in this business don¡¯t. Shame though, you¡¯re a good looking guy. All the training keeps you ripped too. Chicks love that! William over there has been married about a year. He¡¯s bound to have kids soon. Married the most beautiful woman I¡¯ve ever seen too. Lucky bastard,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Look, there she is now.¡±


    Jin turned his head to look towards the house. The sliding glass door closed behind the most stunning woman he¡¯d ever seen. Her long dark hair flowed out behind as she walked. Her eyes shone bright blue in the sunlight and contrasted her red dress. Gil went on to say something else to him, but he was so captured by her beauty he couldn¡¯t hear a thing. Gil noticed and gave him a nudge. ¡°Hey, wake up, newbie. Quit staring at Julianna.¡±


    Jin came to his senses. ¡°Oh shit, was I really staring?¡±


    ¡°Well yeah, you and just about every other guy here. Don¡¯t be getting any funny ideas. William¡¯s a nice guy, but don''t forget who he is. Piss him off and he could kill you or anyone else for that matter, quite easily. That¡¯s the way it is with a lot of the guys around The Organization.¡±


    ¡°Yikes, don¡¯t remind me.¡± He regained his composure and remembered how serious this business could be. ¡°I¡¯m still having flashbacks to the psycho that merc¡¯d his own team leader last month.¡±


    ¡°Oh, The Vampire? Yeah, he¡¯s a loose cannon. Wonder how long he¡¯ll be around The Organization for. He seems to like the job a little too much. I heard that after he did that, they sent a ten person squad to eliminate him and nobody came back alive. He might just be unstoppable. At least he still follows orders from the leader¡­ some of the time.¡±


    Jin began to sweat at the thought of going up against a guy like that. After all, he was an imposter. He¡¯d been leaking little bits of information to the Black Diamond higher ups since he was recruited to The Organization. Originally he was a member of the Black Diamond. Like The Organization, the Black Diamond attracted and recruited people who lived on the edge of the law. He would have joined either side, but the Black Diamond just happened to make him an offer first. Currently, he was being paid by both groups and raking in more money than he could spend, but it wasn¡¯t without risks. If he were to be found out he would almost certainly die a horrific death. To him, it was worth the risks. He¡¯d grown up poor and got into more than his fair share of fights as a youth. It taught him to be tough. It taught him shallow things like how power and money were the most important things in life. If he stayed in The Organization and leaked information for the next ten or fifteen years he¡¯d have enough money to lavishly retire anywhere on the planet. That¡¯s all he wanted. To leave this shit hole city behind and live the way he wanted.


    For the time being, Jin enjoyed himself at the barbecue. After several beers Gil began to rag on about the days when he¡¯d just joined The Organization. The ¡°glory days¡± he called them. He talked about how he¡¯d joined a few years before William and worked his way up to being a squad leader after his own leader retired from The Organization. Long before The Vampire joined and even longer before the so called peaceful times that they were currently experiencing.


    Day turned to evening and evening turned to night. People began to head out, which was Jin¡¯s cue to leave as well. He tried to leave about half a dozen times before Gil finally wrapped up his stories. By this time it was only him and Gil remaining in the backyard as William and Julianna started to put chairs away and clean up the foods and drinks. He bid farewell to Gil who was at this point ¡°resting his eyes¡± in a reclining lawn chair. Then, he went to say goodbye to William and Julianna. He felt a little nervous just to walk over near Julianna. She had such an aura about her.


    He approached them as they were cleaning up paper plates and condiments next to the grill. ¡°Thanks for having me over,¡± Jin said.


    ¡°Thanks for coming and keeping Gil entertained,¡± William joked with a smile. They briefly shook hands before William turned and took a tray inside.


    ¡°Thank you for your company, Jin,¡± said Julianna. She smiled with perfect white teeth behind pink lipgloss. Her voice smelled like alcohol and perfume. She stepped a little too close for comfort. ¡°It¡¯s always nice to meet William¡¯s work buddies.¡±


    ¡°It was great to meet you too. I appreciate you guys hosting this event.¡± He held out his hand to shake hers. She grabbed his hand and shook it lightly. Jin noticed her silky smooth skin. She was like the girl of his dreams. William was truly a lucky man.


    Things were going well for Jin and his team. They met up and had regular barbecues and hangouts. They worked closely together and bonded over their battles.


    Jin continued to leak bits of information to the Black Diamond. He never deemed it as anything very useful. It was mostly drug trade routes and suppliers or contacts for getting weapon shippments from overseas. He guessed that the Black Diamond used the information to poach suppliers and skim deals under The Organization.


    He started to enjoy the company of William and Gil. They started a regular schedule of playing cards on Saturday nights and frequenting a taco truck on Tuesdays. All was good. That was until William disappeared after being sent on a solo mission. This was the beginning of the end of their team.


    After William was gone for almost a month, Julianna was in shambles. She didn¡¯t know what to do with her life. As a stay at home wife she didn¡¯t need to work. William made plenty of money. All she did each day was wallow in sadness. She started drinking a lot. She was slurring her words by lunchtime most days. Her family would call to check on her and it would usually end in near-incoherent shouting. Dishes piled up and dust collected on the shelves. She hardly even bothered to turn on any lights in the house.


    Jin continued to meet in secret with the Black Diamond just often enough to avoid becoming suspicious. He asked about William, but the higher ups avoided it, deeming it a waste of time to talk about. Jin wasn¡¯t even sure if William had been caught or killed by the Black Diamond or not. For all he knew he was dead in a ditch somewhere.


    Gil had been over to visit Julianna at least a few times each week. He¡¯d brought gifts and such, but nothing could come close to make up for her loss.


    One day, Gil called Jin in for a meeting. He was in a somber mood and spoke with a quiet slowness. ¡°It really is a risk that you take in this kind of business. You¡¯ll have power and money, but risk it all on each mission. You know that each time you go out, you might not make it back alive. William was a very capable man. I wouldn¡¯t have sent him on any mission that I didn¡¯t think he could complete. As you know, his wife isn¡¯t handling this very well. Go and check-in on her. Bring her a basket of some fresh fruit or something. Just no alcohol, she¡¯s going off the rails with that stuff.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know her well but felt he owed at least that much to William who everyone assumed was likely dead at this point. He gripped a basket loaded with expensive fruits and other small gifts as he rang the doorbell. He waited a minute. It was still early. ¡°She might still be sleeping,¡± he thought to himself. He was about to turn and leave when he heard footsteps inside. The door opened a crack and Julianna peeked through. Her eyes were swollen from crying and her hair was a bit of a mess. She was wearing a robe with a nightgown spilling out from it.


    ¡°Oh, Jin. What are you doing here?¡±


    Jin held up the basket of gifts. ¡°I¡¯ve come with a gift. I¡­ uh¡­ I¡¯m not really good at this kind of stuff, but Gil said you would appreciate it. I wanted to show my support for¡­ what¡¯s been going on.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Thank you.¡± She opened the door. Come on in. I was just brewing some coffee. Jin hesitated, but decided it wouldn¡¯t hurt to come in for a quick cup. She seemed like she could use the company.


    He sat down on the couch and before he knew it, Julianna was on top of him with her robe thrown onto the floor.


    ¡°J-Julianna what are you doing?¡± he stammered.


    ¡°Please. I need this,¡± she said, looking down and blushing, her hair covering her face.


    ¡°No this isn¡¯t right, Julianna,¡± he said. He considered everything he¡¯d worked for over the last few months. His undercover position and upcoming retirement on the beach. Surely he would eventually find a beauty such as her for his own one day. This was not the time. He grabbed her by the shoulders and attempted to push her off of him. She grabbed his face and kissed him. His thoughts weren¡¯t strong enough to pull him away. This is fine, right? Her husband is gone and he isn¡¯t coming back, right? He¡¯s dead. He convinced himself. At that point it was all over. There was no turning back.


    He left her house feeling both triumphant and shameful. He¡¯d just slept with the most beautiful woman he¡¯d ever seen. He had thoughts of even making her his own. On the other hand, what if William did come back. At this point there was no chance. He¡¯d been gone for over a month.


    The very next day, William returned. The Organization declared him a hero. In his escape it was confirmed that he¡¯d killed four Black Diamond members with his bare hands and several more after taking a gun off one of their bodies. He told his tale only to Gil for he did not wish to repeat it. He was extremely underweight. It was easy to see he¡¯d been through horrific torture and living conditions. To everyone¡¯s surprise, he was not a broken man. He¡¯d stayed very mentally strong. His training in The Organization had prepared him for times like these. William admitted to Gil that he let secrets of The Organization slip. Gil didn¡¯t blame him. Gil was prepared for things like these anyway and did not often tell many secrets to the team members that would have detrimental effects if heard by the enemy. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    When William made it home to his wife she was shocked. She had written him off as a dead man. She cried with both joy and guilt upon his return.


    Jin¡¯s bubble burst. His short-lived daydreams of marrying Julianna were crushed. To his knowledge, she never intended to marry him anyway. She just needed someone to comfort her and it just happened to be him. He began to feel increasingly guilty.


    After a while, William was back to his old self and ready to take on missions again. Gil called a meeting with the team. William was used to hosting so they decided to meet at his house.


    Jin was a nervous wreck. He wasn¡¯t sure if Julianna had told William about what they had done or not. For all he knew he was walking into a death trap. Would William be mad? Of course he would be. Should I just come clean right off the bat and tell him what happened? His thoughts screamed with anxiety.


    Gil and Jin arrived and sat in the backyard around a glass table topped with an umbrella.


    ¡°Have a seat, guys. Julianna is going to bring us out some fresh lemonade,¡± William said happily.


    ¡°So, William, you think you¡¯re ready to take on missions again?¡± asked Gil.


    ¡°Absolutely. In fact I have more drive to do missions than I ever did before. I¡¯m going to make the Black Diamond pay for what they did to me. I¡¯ll kill every one of them myself if I have to.¡±


    Jin was frozen with fear. He watched William speak with such fire in his eyes. There was no way he could let William find out what happened between him and Julianna.


    ¡°On top of that, I also have some good news,¡± declared William. ¡°I¡¯m going to be a father. Julianna is pregnant.¡±


    Jin just about passed out.


    ¡°Congratulations!¡± Gil exclaimed.


    Jin managed to mumble, ¡°Congratulations,¡± although nowhere near Gil¡¯s level of enthusiasm. He felt himself going pale and beginning to sweat. His thoughts instantly tried to convince himself that William was undoubtedly the father. It was quite possible. It was actually most likely, however there was a chance that it was him.


    Just then, Julianna came out the sliding glass door with a pitcher of lemonade and a stack of cups.


    ¡°We just heard the great news that you¡¯re expecting!¡± said Gil. ¡°Congratulations!¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said with a gentle smile.


    Jin was Silent. His eyes were fixed on her stomach. It did not show any signs of pregnancy, but he knew that inside a baby was growing. Jin took a deep breath and pulled himself together as much as he could.


    ¡°Yes, congratulations,¡± he said. He continued to stare at Julianna as she poured them all glasses of lemonade. She didn¡¯t even look at him.


    William told Gil and Jin about his plans for taking out the Black Diamond. He was motivated to get his revenge. Despite all he went through he was still William. He managed to keep his sanity and was more determined than ever. He gave this credit to his daring escape. He¡¯d had the plan during the entire time of his capture, but had to wait for the right moment to strike. It was all or nothing. His patience ended up paying off. If it hadn¡¯t he wouldn¡¯t have been able to sit here with them today.


    In a way, Jin was thankful that William was able to escape. He didn¡¯t hate him, and he¡¯d been quite nice to him since they¡¯d started working together. They¡¯d even become something like close friends, but those feelings just added to his stress. He and Julianna had betrayed William.


    As William continued to describe his hardships and plans, Jin knew he had to make an excuse to talk to Julianna. He got up and stated he was going in to use the restroom. He opened the sliding glass door and entered the house. An uncomfortable feeling washed over him. He started down the hall looking for the bathroom, hoping to see Julianna on the way. Just then, she came out of a side room and walked up next to him. Her head was low. She paused for a moment and said, ¡°What happened was a mistake. I thought my husband was dead. Just forget it ever happened. This secret has to stay between us.¡± She strode away like nothing happened.


    ¡°Wait, Julianna,¡± Jin said. She paused, hesitantly. ¡°What if I¡¯m the father?¡±


    She turned and walked up to him and put her hand on his face. She looked him in the eyes. A quick pain struck him as she plucked a single hair from his head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll contact you,¡± she said.


    Seven months later, Julianna had her baby. She decided to name him MC which William happily agreed on. They were both thrilled to finally see their child after nine long months of waiting.


    A few months later, Jin received a letter in the mail. It didn¡¯t have a return address on it, but he had a pretty good feeling he knew who it was from. Julianna. He stood in his kitchen leaning against the countertop as he gently ripped it open. It was short and to the point. A single piece of paper written on with black ink. It said exactly what he¡¯d feared. ¡°You are the father.¡±


    For the next few years Jin held on to his secret and his guilt. He continued working with William and the team as well as leaking information to the Black Diamond. Eventually, they received a new recruit on their team at The Organization. He was a young man named GM. He was rough and from the poor side of town. Similar to where he¡¯d come from. To celebrate the new member, Gil asked them to all get together at a restaurant called Big Ramen.


    Gil, William, Jin, and GM grabbed a table and sat down for a meal. ¡°So everyone, this is GM. He¡¯s the new recruit on the team as of today. Go ahead and introduce yourself.¡±


    GM rolled up the sleeves of his sweater and began to tell the crew about himself. ¡°As you know, the name¡¯s GM. I¡¯ve been in more fights than I can count on my hands and toes. I thought it would be good to put my experience to work here with The Organization. Also, I ended up getting fired from my fast food job because I had relationships with almost all the girls I worked with. I can¡¯t help myself,¡± he shrugged. I told Gil that I¡¯m up for anything. If someone needs roughed up, I¡¯m your guy,¡± he said enthusiastically.


    ¡°He¡¯s certainly spunky,¡± Jin thought. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little afraid of a business like this? Sure we do our fair share of roughing people up, but you could actually die. These aren¡¯t like your little street fights. These people are professional criminals that we¡¯re up against. Not to mention those annoying detectives.¡±


    ¡°As long as I can make enough money to drink and take out some ladies, I¡¯ll be happy.¡±


    ¡°Are you even old enough to drink?¡± asked William.


    ¡°Depends what country I¡¯m in,¡± GM answered slyly.


    ¡°Oh for god¡¯s sake. Gil, you think this guy is gonna work out?¡± complained William.


    ¡°Either he does or he doesn¡¯t. It¡¯s up to him,¡± said Gil.


    William was frustrated, but he knew Gil was right. If GM couldn¡¯t keep up he¡¯d either die or run off before too long.


    Over time, GM proved his worth. He grew close to the team. Willaim and Jin both grew to appreciate him, despite his flaws and quirky habits.


    During this time, Jin continued to meet with the Black Diamond higher ups every so often in order to relay information to them. Most of the information he delivered was trivial. After all, he was just a member of the team. He wasn¡¯t even a leader of a team. He was never really told much of the important information. Aside from information leaks, he was sometimes sent on kill missions. Working with The Organization had given him a particular set of skills that others lacked. He could kill discreetly and efficiently. At this point he¡¯d killed more than a few handfuls of people. Mostly for The Organization, but sometimes for the Black Diamond as well. When he did these missions, he had to be careful. If Gil or any of his teammates found out what he was doing, he¡¯d be a dead man. They grew close as team and were even friends. This drove the guilt inside Jin to even higher levels. Some days he even felt like he was drowning. Living a double life and keeping big secrets from his friends constantly drained him.


    Jin stood in the bathroom at William¡¯s house one evening. He¡¯d been invited over for dinner. He noticed the wrinkles beginning to form on his pale face. The dark bags under his eyes. He thought about the fact that he¡¯d been with The Organization for almost fourteen years. A few more years and he¡¯d be at the average retirement age for this type of business. He reflected on his plans that he¡¯d had long ago. The plans to save up and move far away to a sunny beach. It had been so long. The things he¡¯d done. The secrets he¡¯d held weighed his body down. He thought about William and how they had become close friends out of necessity, but it was more than that. He genuinely enjoyed working with and being close with William. This caused even further turmoil in his thoughts. He loved William¡¯s wife and let him go on believing he was MC¡¯s father. Even after all of these, years Jin still marveled at Julianna¡¯s beauty. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he wanted to be with her.


    Whenever he asked himself why he continued to work in the two grouos, the answer was clear and easy. He wanted to be around for his son, his friend, and the woman he secretly loved. It was just one more secret to the many he carried.


    Despite not being able to be there as a father for MC, he was able to remain quite close. He went to every one of MC¡¯s birthdays and spent time over at William and Julianna¡¯s house all the time.


    Jin splashed water on his face and came back to reality. He walked out of the bathroom and back into the dining room. MC was sitting on the couch a room over playing a video game while Willaim and Julianna sat at the table finishing their meals.


    ¡°Let me get some of those plates out of the way,¡± said Jin.


    ¡°Sure, thanks,¡± said William.


    Jin grabbed MC¡¯s dishes and whatever else was no longer in use on the table.


    ¡°Man, I still can¡¯t believe what happened last month,¡± said William.


    ¡°You¡¯re still hyping that up, huh?¡± said Jin.


    ¡°You bet I am. That¡¯s one less higher up from the Black Diamond that we have to deal with. That old yakuza prick had been around far too long.¡±


    ¡°Honey! I¡¯ve told you no talking about work at home. MC is right there in the other room.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, I forgot sorry. I just get so excited thinking about it. I¡¯m one of the only people to ever¡­ remove¡­ a higher up from the B.D.¡±


    ¡°That stupid code talk isn¡¯t going to fly, mister. New subject,¡± said Julianna.


    Jin felt his stomach sink. It was because of this that he¡¯d been given a certain order.


    A few days earlier Jin was summoned to meet with the two new higher ups in the Black Diamond. It was shortly after Willaim had killed the third higher up who was their fatherr. They were furious. Even in that dark room, Jin could imagine their facial expressions. Their voices were raised as they spoke. The first one said, ¡°Jin, kill William.¡±


    ¡°What? You can¡¯t be serious. I¡¯ve been working with him for over a decade now. All the work I¡¯ve done to keep my secret position would be thrown away.¡±


    The second higher up chimed in, ¡°You¡¯ve played your little double income game long enough. It¡¯s time for you to come serve only the Black Diamond.¡±


    ¡°I want to keep working with the Black Diamond and The Organization.¡±


    ¡°This is not a decision that we are going to consider. Either kill William or we are going to consider you a traitor. You¡¯ve become too close with the enemy.¡±


    ¡°But, there¡¯s more to consider. This is a rash decision,¡± said Jin.


    ¡°Enough. If you don¡¯t do this we will label you as a traitor and order you and him both killed. If you¡¯re not going to do it we will send others,¡± said the first higher up.


    ¡°We might even kill his whole family,¡± threatened the second higher up.


    That¡¯s where Jin felt himself snap. He clenched his fists with rage. He thought about killing both of the higher ups right then and there, but knew that they were higher ups for a reason. With two against one he¡¯d be dead before he could get a shot off or a punch thrown.


    He tried to think through the scenario. He thought about all the ways that he would kill any other hit man that they sent after William and his family. He was plenty stronger than the average member, but knew that he couldn¡¯t keep up against the entire Black Diamond organization even if he had support from his team. They were likely to turn this into an all out war. After all, they had replaced their father that William killed.


    Dinner had finished and MC was put to bed. Jin, William, and Julianna sat in the living room simply talking about nothing and everything. William had lit one of his expensive cigars that night. He topped off his cup with light brown alcohol and leaned back on the couch, exhaling smoke before taking a sip.


    ¡°So Jin, what is it?¡± asked Willaim, setting his cigar in an ashtray on the glass coffee table.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± said Jin.


    ¡°Something¡¯s been off, Jin. Come on, you think that after this long I can¡¯t tell?¡± Jin¡¯s face went grave. ¡°That bad huh?¡±


    Julianna began to feel a little uncomfortable. She leaned back and took a sip of her red wine.


    Jin looked at the ground for what seemed like several minutes. His breathing was rapid. He heard his heart beating loud in his ears.


    ¡°William, there isn¡¯t really an easy way to tell you, but I have to say this to you.¡± William became much more intrigued. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to say it so I¡¯m just going to say it. You aren¡¯t MC¡¯s father. I am.¡±


    Julianna spit out a mouth full of wine.


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± said Willaim. ¡°Is this some sort of weird joke? If it is, it¡¯s not very funny.¡± He looked over at Julianna¡¯s pale face. He could tell by Julianna¡¯s reaction that this was more than just a joke. ¡°This is coming out of nowhere.¡± He raised his voice. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this? Julianna is this true?¡±


    She nodded, wiping tears from her face.


    Jin explained how the events occurred leading up to Julianna¡¯s pregnancy. He described his guilt and feelings of regret.


    William¡¯s face twisted with rage as tears streamed down Julianna¡¯s.


    ¡°Why did you do this, Jin?¡± Julianna yelled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Jin couldn¡¯t bring himself to say anything. He just stared at the floor.


    William stood up and punched Jin in the face. His neck bent sideways and he fell to the floor. ¡°You bastard! You were my friend! How could you do this?¡±


    Jin stood up. His nose was broken and already streaming blood down his chin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said.


    ¡°Sorry? Sorry doesn¡¯t fix this!¡±


    Julianna stood up. ¡°Willaim, stop this, MC is asleep upstairs,¡± but William had already snapped. He grabbed Jin by his shirt collar and punched him in the face again. His body slammed into the top of the glass table, shattering it. Alcohol stained the carpet and the smoldering cigar rolled across the ground, igniting it into a small flame. Blinded by rage, Willaim didn¡¯t seem to notice. He got on top of Jin and punched him again and again. Blood sprayed up onto William¡¯s face and coated the carpet.


    ¡°Stop it! Stop it!¡± Julianna screamed. Jin didn¡¯t resist. He knew he deserved it he was ready to die for his sins. It was funny how no one else seemed to notice it. How William had changed after being captured and tortured by the Black Diamond all those years ago. It was not often and it was very subtle, but Jin had seen it several times. William would sometimes be triggered into a state where he didn¡¯t notice what was going on around him. He turned into a blind fury of rage and that¡¯s what was happening that night.


    Jin had thought about what the Black Diamond wanted. They had told him to kill William or they would be killed. He knew that he could never kill the man who was one of his best friends. The man who he¡¯d lied to all these years. He felt that he owed him his life and that is what he planned to give to him.


    A fire was beginning to spread on the carpet. Julianna grabbed a throw blanket from across the room and began to swipe it at the base of the flames. It only seemed to make the fire spread.


    Jin could see the flames growing out of control, but William still didn¡¯t seem to notice at all. Even while facing his forced suicide, he thought of Julianna and MC. He didn¡¯t want their house to burn to the ground or for them to be harmed or even killed by the fire.


    ¡°Willaim, stop.¡± Muttered Jin. ¡°Fire.¡±


    William didn¡¯t stop. He kept wailing on Jin. He was completely out of control and unable to stop himself. The fire had engulfed almost half the room at this point. Julianna ran over and attempted to pull William off of Jin. ¡°We need to get out of the house. Now!¡± she screamed.


    William still didn¡¯t stop. He seemed almost determined to stay until the house burned to the ground. Julianna pulled on William some more. He pushed her away and she fell backwards. Her head hit the ground with a thump and she laid there, unmoving.


    ¡°How did it come to this?¡± Jin thought to himself. ¡°I have no other choice. I have to get up. I have to get Julianna and MC out of here. I came here expecting to die, but I can¡¯t let Julianna and MC suffer because of me.¡± Jin grabbed William¡¯s bloody fists and wrestled with him. They rolled over the glass from the shattered table, shredding their backs. ¡°William! Stop!¡± Jin yelled. William got back on top of him again.


    His words had fallen on deaf ears. William couldn¡¯t stop. He was completely out of control. Jin threw a punch. It connected hard against Willaim¡¯s jaw, knocking his body sideways onto the floor, giving him a chance to get up. His face was a bloody mess. He wiped his eyes so he could see and spit pools of blood onto the floor. Willaim got up and came towards him. They exchanged punches. Jin aimed for the top of William¡¯s jaw where he would be able to knock him unconscious. He felt strength leaving him. His body was trying to give out on him. He knew if this didn¡¯t end quickly, it was going to turn out bad. William threw a punch, hitting Jin in The stomach. Jin let it hit with full force. It gave him the opportunity to strike back with the most precision. His knuckle connected with the top of William¡¯s jaw, instantly knocking him unconscious. His body crumpled to the floor. Jin stood above him for a moment. The sound of the fire crackled all around him. The impact of what he¡¯d just said and done started to sink in, but it didn''t matter. He knew he still had to move.


    He ran over to Julianna where she laid on the ground, picked her up, and sprinted to the front door. Struggling to grip the handle with the blood on his hands and holding Julianna slowed him down. He stepped back and kicked the door off the hinges. After finally getting out of the house, he laid her body carefully down on the front lawn.


    He ran back into the house to get MC and William out. He could feel the heat from the fire as soon as he stepped in the door. Not far in front of him was MC standing in the hall. He was looking into the living room where Willaim laid on the ground. There were no tears, just a look of horror and disbelief. MC turned and looked at Jin. There was fear in his eyes. ¡°MC, we need to get you out of here.¡± MC barely recognized him with his face being a mess like it was.


    ¡°Jin, what did you do?¡± Jin!¡± said MC. ¡°I heard you and dad fighting! You hurt my dad!¡±


    Jin felt the shock of how the scene must have looked to a child. He was the bad guy, the villain. The heat was growing at an exponential rate. MC backed away from the living room, covering his face. ¡°Let¡¯s get you outside,¡± said Jin as he went up and grabbed MC.


    MC screamed and kicked at him. ¡°My dad is in there! I want my dad!¡±


    Jin took him outside next to his mother and set him in the grass. ¡°Stay here with your mother. She needs you right now.¡±


    Jin headed back into the house to get William out. He ran down the hall. Smoke was thick and flames seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. Jin stopped at the living room door. He looked and saw William¡¯s clothes were starting to catch on fire. It was a miracle that he wasn''t already dead. He went over and patted the flames down until they went away. He could feel his own clothes and hair getting singed by the heat. He slung William over his shoulder and started to carry him out. Just then, the frame of the door collapsed, completely blocking the path to the front door. Jin thought about what to do for a second then decided, ¡°I¡¯m going to throw him out the window. We¡¯ve got to make it out of here. The ceiling was cracking. All at once, it caved in. A thick wooden beam came down on him and Willaim pushing them to the floor. His head was spinning from the lack of oxygen. Each breath was hot and thick. He grabbed the beam and lifted it off of them. That¡¯s when he saw it. A broken beam of wood had gone right through William¡¯s chest. ¡°Willaim!¡± Jin yelled. He was horrified at the amount of blood pouring out of his friend¡¯s body. He knew there was no saving him. ¡°No no no!¡± Jin grabbed William¡¯s face and put his next to it. He cried tears that were instantly turned to steam by the furious heat.


    For a moment he considered just remaining in the fire and dying along with William. After all, he had planned on dying tonight anyway. It wouldn¡¯t be the worst way to go either. He was tired. So tired.


    That¡¯s when he heard a scream from outside. ¡°Dad!¡± MC belted.


    On his knees next to William¡¯s dead body was where he snapped. All he knew was that he was going to get back at the Black Diamond. He was going to make them pay.


    He had to get out of the house. He ran to the nearest window and jumped right through it. Shards of glass flew everywhere and cut him deep. His entire body was covered in wounds at this point. When he got to the front yard, Julianna was awake. MC hugged her tightly and held her in a sitting position.


    Jin walked up to them, looking a complete mess. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jin said.


    Julianna said nothing. She just looked at him with wide horrified eyes. MC cried and hugged his mother. They watched their house turn to ashes as Jin walked away into the night.


    Now that you know the truth, I am sure you will turn your efforts to eliminating the twins: Kuro and Shiro. A team including you, Emi, Aiko, GM, Sora, and The Vampire has been constructed by me. When your father died, I didn''t know what to do, but after careful consideration I came up with the perfect plan. I knew that I was strong. I could take on anyone in The Organization or the Black Diamond in a one on one fight and had a good chance of being the victor. The problem was that the twins never left each other''s side. On top of that they were both a pretty even match for myself. I knew that if they were ever to be stopped, a proper team would need to be assembled.


    My first step in this plan was to patiently wait and keep watch over you. I knew that your hatred would grow over time and you would do whatever it took to come after me and that you couldn¡¯t do it on your own. When you joined The Organization, my plan was officially in motion. You started to become strong and became close with GM, who had considerable strength on his own, but it wasn¡¯t going to be enough. When I first faced you on the ship in the harbor you were still weak. In that state you would never be able to beat me or the twins even with the help of GM. That¡¯s when I expanded my efforts.


    This is the most regrettable part of my plan, but it had to be done. The Organization needed to align with the detectives. My first step for this was setting up the date between Aiko and Chad. I made sure they would be at that nightclub the same night you were. Chad was working under me and I told him to provoke you into beating him up for which I agreed to pay him handsomely. I¡¯d like to add that I was never a fan of the guy. He deserved every bit of that concussion he suffered that night. Anyway, once you and Aiko, a member of the detectives, were reunited, I had to make sure that you two would end up working together.


    Next, I ordered Black Diamond members to interfere with as many things in the city as I could in order to cause more media attention on them while doing so in a slow way that the twins wouldn¡¯t notice. They actually helped fuel this part themselves because they were also ordering missions that caused uproars in the media, like sending an assassin after Representative Eisenhower. Once enough attention was on the Black Diamond, the detectives were forced to ask The Organization for help to combat the threat that had all of the city officials quivering in fear.


    By this point, things were almost ready to go. You had continued to train and get stronger and two of the three big teams in the city were united. When you guys showed up at the auditorium on our day to welcome the new recruits, I was actually surprised. It was unfortunately something I had overlooked. When you were shot by Moses, I instinctually killed him. I acted so quickly that I don¡¯t think anyone even noticed. It was a pretty chaotic scene.


    This actually spurred an event in my favor because afterwards, you joined The Vampire. You became even stronger and you were able to bring another powerhouse onto your team, even if he was a bit of a loose cannon. By this point I knew that with all of you together my job was done. There was not a doubt in my mind that if you all united you would be able to kill me and the twins. I have made the decision to rob you all of ending my life since I do not want you to feel responsible for having the blood of your father on your hands. Even if I tried to explain all of this to you, it would never be accepted. That is why I paid with my life. In order for these words I¡¯ve written to be seen as true and not as some excuse for sparing me.


    As for Kuro and Shiro, I¡¯m not sure exactly what they¡¯ll do after this, but they¡¯re going to be backed into a corner. They might try something drastic. I¡¯d start covering my bases around anything that could cause a major disaster. I¡¯m sure Emi will be able to narrow down the possibilities.


    That¡¯s all I¡¯ve got to say for now. I¡¯m happy that I can finally be free of my burdens. I was a tool for evil for far too long and now you and all of Strongzinburg city will get to see a brighter future.


    I only wish I had stopped by that convenience store more often and lingered outside that cafe window to see you laugh and smile with Aiko a little longer. I hope that when this is all over with, you will be able to set your hatred to rest and marry that girl. She¡¯s a keeper.


    With love - Jin.

 Settled in, but not for Long

    MC sat in his mother¡¯s hospital room. The television blared the usual news channel, this time filled with reports of hope and change. With the elimination of Jin declared, the people of Strongzinburg city were delighted with a taste of pleasant stories rather than terror striking horror stories. The detectives were given full credit for getting rid of the biggest threat to the city. The Black Diamond was talked about like a dying breed. Economic stability and financial success were paired with comments about the Black Diamond forces crumbling without their main coordinator.


    Juliannna blankly stared at the television like usual. Even the death of Jin didn¡¯t bring her out of the decade-long stupor.


    MC¡¯s red swollen eyes told stories of sadness. It was the first time he¡¯d cried since William died. It was the first time he felt like he could cry.


    ¡°If only you could have told me,¡± MC said with a chuckle. ¡°Now I can¡¯t do anything but laugh and cry. You know, this has given me a lesson on perspective. If I had only known the whole story, I¡¯d be in a different place now. I suppose some favorable things worked out because of that bastard though. Now I almost wish I had got to know him or something.¡± He stood up and looked out the window.


    ¡°I guess there¡¯s not much else to do besides finish the job. For so long my hatred was directed in the wrong direction. He was right for what he did. He assembled a team without any of us ever realizing it. More than that too, he assembled probably the best team of the most talented individuals in the city. With a team like that he could rest easily knowing that we would finish the job that he couldn¡¯t on his own. Now, we¡¯re going to go after those who are truly responsible for all of the misery that¡¯s impacted us. For all of the hate that I¡¯ve harbored.¡± He gripped his fists. ¡°They¡¯re going to pay.¡±


    Sora flopped down onto the couch after dying for the tenth time in a row in her video game. ¡°Sure has been quiet around here lately,¡± said Sora. ¡°I figured that MC would move back in with us, but it seems like he¡¯s content on his own.¡±


    ¡°Seems that way,¡± said GM, sipping out of a coffee mug and reading the newspaper.


    ¡°Is that really all you have to say? Don¡¯t you miss him at all?¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been enjoying the peace and quiet. I¡¯ve got plenty more free time now that I haven¡¯t been stuck training and monitoring his ass,¡± GM chuckled. ¡°However, I suppose he did provide a certain element that makes it feel a little empty here without him.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be busy again once Gil and Emi get things situated for our mission against the twins. Who knows if The Vampire will even opt to play a part in that or not. I¡¯m thinking he might, since he¡¯s taken a liking to MC.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope so. His strength is definitely worth having on the team as long as he cooperates. Still creeps me out though,¡± he said with a shudder, before gulping down the rest of his coffee.


    Aiko and Emi sat in the detective office diligently working on their laptops. ¡°Emi, it¡¯s been several days since he read that letter. Do you think he¡¯s ok?¡± asked Aiko.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. You should have a better answer than I would.¡±


    I¡¯m just worried about him. What if he goes off and does something stupid.¡±


    ¡°Not likely. If anything he¡¯s probably just moping around. Guys are like that.¡±


    ¡°You really think so?¡±


    ¡°What do I look like? A psychologist? I have no idea. Why don¡¯t you try calling him again if you¡¯re that worried?¡±


    ¡°I already called three times today.¡±


    Emi sighed and rolled her eyes. ¡°Then I suppose you¡¯ll just have to wait until he comes around.¡±


    ¡°I can''t wait. This is killing me!¡± said Aiko, pounding her fists on her knees.


    Emi laughed. ¡°You¡¯re so dramatic. We¡¯ve still got work to do anyway. We need to narrow down the possibilities of what Kuro and Shiro could be planning. In the letter from Jin, he said they¡¯d be planning something big, but there¡¯s a hundred things that it could be.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I need to focus. There are bigger things at stake here than my relationship. What are some of the possibilities that seem most likely so far?¡±


    Emi picked up a piece of paper and read her notes off of it. They spent the next few hours narrowing down a list of the top ten worst case scenarios and then called for a team meeting. The meeting didn¡¯t help much other than identifying that there were not enough staff in all the police force and detectives combined to monitor all of the possible scenarios. Each one seemed equally likely.


    They based the research on the Black Diamond stealing as much money or acquiring as much resources and terrorizing the city as much as possible. If they took control of a large portion of the city by pushing The Organization away, they could acquire trade routes and resources to make enough money for expanding their forces and becoming stronger again. It was almost a game of chance. Would the Black Diamond have the forces to be able to take over more territory or not? Unfortunately for the detectives, they were far off track. The twins no longer cared about money or power. For them, it was about honor and sacrifice.

 The North Dam

    The detectives continued working overtime trying to figure out the next moves of the Black Diamond. Little did they know, Shiro and Kuro had already set their plans into motion by utilizing another pawn.


    Jimmy was strung out. He¡¯d been up for days on amphetamines and hadn¡¯t eaten a meal in almost twenty-four hours. There was a certain combination of features that made anyone who saw him think, ¡°There¡¯s got to be something wrong with that guy.¡± Perhaps it was the dark bags that hung under his eyes. Maybe it was his swiveling jaw and grinding teeth. If it wasn¡¯t either of those then it was surely the bathrobe and jeans combination while the robe hung open just enough to reveal a large scar across his abdomen.


    Jimmy drove up the hill of North Dam road and parked his jalopy on the side of the road about a mile before the checkpoint for dam entry. He got out, grasping a convenience store bag loaded with junk food and cigarettes. He looked both ways to make sure he wasn¡¯t seen, then ran off through thick brush, to make his way deep into the forest. His bathrobe caught and ripped on tree branches and the haste caused him to sweat profusely.


    After a short time of flailing through the woods, he made it back to the excavation site. One large yellow backhoe seemed to be responsible for all the work. There were several deep trenches dug into the ground next to the river. The crevices were dug diagonally to the flow of the river and seemed to span on for hundreds of feet. Jimmy walked over to the machine and climbed into the cockpit. He reached into the plastic bag and took out some chips and an energy drink. ¡°This is what the goons be livin on,¡± he said quietly to himself with an uneasy smile. He cracked open the energy drink and chips and wolfed them down as quickly as possible. He then lit a cigarette and got back to work.


    He worked all through the day and into the night to finish the job he¡¯d been given by Shiro and Kuro with the promise of money and drugs waiting for him once he¡¯d finished. The instructions were simple, once he¡¯d managed to sneak the excavator into the woods with the cover of night, all he had to do was keep digging trenches next to the river. They were to be twenty feet deep and twenty feet across. They also needed to be long enough to reach just shy of North Dam road in order to keep the operation secret. If he got too close to the road, the machinery would be seen through the trees and reported. They wanted this to be confidential and to happen as quickly and quietly as possible, hence Jimmy working almost nonstop and being the only person on the project.


    After finishing the tenth trench he looked over all of his work. He even broke out the measuring tape to make sure they were up to the standards he¡¯d been provided. He took photos of his work, sending them to Shiro in order to confirm that it was done. Ten trenches in total were dug along the river between the dam and the closest housing development. He didn''t dare get any closer to risk people hearing the machinery. With that, he contacted the Black Diamond twins and told them that the job was finished.


    The rain had stopped, but thick clouds still lingered above Strongzinburg city. The twins suited up in their tactical gear upon receiving word from Jimmy.


    ¡°It appears the operation has begun as planned,¡± said Shiro.


    ¡°Yes, the city has become a festering and pungent place. I can smell it even now,¡± said Kuro in his dull voice.


    ¡°The city will never recover. Not in our lifetime. If we can¡¯t have it, we can make sure that no one can.¡±


    ¡°Yes, brother. That is what we will do,¡± said Kuro with a laugh. He passed a duffel bag of weapons and equipment to his twin and then pulled thick black gloves onto his hands.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to teach this city a lesson they¡¯ll never forget,¡± said Shiro proudly. Now that Jimmy has made the preparations, we can flood this damned place. The river, which would normally channel most of the water straight out to the coast, will not be an issue. The trenches will allow the water to divert and make its way down these filthy streets and wash them clean. Jimmy was a pawn but an important one at that. We cannot afford to move around right now. If our faces are seen we will be caught.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡±We¡¯re going to show them what it means to try and back the Black Diamond into a corner, huh brother?¡±


    ¡°Like our father before us. He built this empire and we aren¡¯t going to let it go out like this because of some damn brat and his group of sidekicks. We¡¯re going to unleash a flood of near biblical proportions and drown this putrid city of rats. It will not be easy. Once the water starts flowing, the reports will send our enemies to us. We will have to kill them all or they will stop us. It is a problem that our enemies have united, but we are strong. We have always been strong. That¡¯s how we kept that dog, Jin, under our control for so long. That¡¯s how we¡¯ve controlled half of Strongzinburg for all these years. When it comes down to it, only the strongest survive and thrive. Now, let¡¯s go and rally the troops.¡±


    They sent a message to all of their Black Diamond captains. Currently fourteen in total. It was an order for them to meet on the rooftop of a hotel deep in their territory later that night. They were told to bring as many members of their team that they could gather on the short notice.


    Once night fell upon the city, the captains started to show up one by one to the designated location. On the rooftop, there was a bar and pool. Dark brown wicker chairs were covered by faux straw cabanas and decorated with tiki torches. Two bartenders hustled around behind the counter to serve drinks to the Black Diamond members that had begun to show up and order. The rooftop was not packed, but there were plenty of members present. Some of the captains brought only one of their squad mates while others brought a handful.


    They were all on edge. It had been years since there¡¯d been a meeting that included every captain all at once. Many thought it felt reckless to have all of their leaders in the same place at the same time, but the drinks helped to ease tension and anxious thoughts.


    Once everyone had settled in and had a drink or three, the twins came up to the rooftop to address the group. They walked out of the elevator doors and everyone in the entire area looked at them. A few of the newer captains hadn¡¯t even ever seen the twins in person. They cast a commanding aura as they confidently strode through the group and over next to the pool.


    Shiro stood tall and addressed the room. ¡°Hello, and thank you all for attending this meeting today. If my count is correct, then all fourteen of our captains are here tonight.¡± He paused and looked around the room for a moment before continuing. ¡°As you all know, Jin is dead. He was the face of the Black Diamond and one of our most powerful allies. He died because he betrayed the Black Diamond and allowed weakness to tempt him into siding with the enemy. Now, it¡¯s time for us to strike back against them and this entire city. We will show them just how strong the Black Diamond can be.¡±


    The audience all clapped and cheered. ¡°Long live the Black Diamond!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s show them!¡±


    ¡°This is our chance!¡±


    Shiro allowed the applause to die down and then continued. ¡°Tomorrow, my brother and I will be leading a full scale attack on the city. We are going to take control of what¡¯s rightfully ours and crush The Organization and the forces of the law. In order to do this, we need all of you to be present tomorrow at the North Dam. You all must be there at dawn and be prepared for a war.¡±


    There was a cheer from the crowd again. The twins smiled evil grins even as the applause quieted.


    One of the captains stood up from across the pool. He was an older captain who wore a leather jacket and sported a long beard. ¡°Should we really be trying to battle our enemies all at once? I think that if we continue to chip away at the enemy, and weaken them the-¡±


    His voice was silenced by the sound of a gunshot. The barrel of Kuro¡¯s pistol emanated a whiff of smoke. The bearded captain looked down at his chest in surprise and then collapsed forward into the pool. The room was silent as the blue water was tainted a murky red.


    ¡°Does anyone else have any questions?¡± asked Shiro before pausing for about five seconds. ¡°Well what are you all waiting for? Don¡¯t you have some preparing to do?¡±


    The room erupted into chaos as everyone made for the elevators and stairs at once.

 Flood

    The Wishcah river was almost entirely a straight shot from the North Dam to where it released its flow into the ocean only a handful of miles away. Its muddy banks made it difficult to traverse unless you were a dedicated fisherman. In the rainy season, the water rose to make its way up against the backyards of houses in the Northern residential area, however there hadn¡¯t been a documented flood since the rainy season seventeen years ago.


    That day, Strongzinburg City was a hustle and bustle of people living their average daily lives. The residential area in North Strongzinburg was composed of average class residents. Mothers fed their children breakfast while their husbands were away at the office. Cars lined up at traffic lights. Grocery stores stocked their shelves.


    One particular mother sat outside on a deck after putting her baby down for a morning nap. She had made herself a plate of toast and eggs and enjoyed the fresh air and view of the river. As she enjoyed her breakfast, she noticed the water starting to turn a muddy brown. A sight that she had never witnessed before. The current picked up and the water was beginning to rise. ¡°A boulder must have fallen. Or maybe the dam needed to release a bit of water upstream,¡± she said out loud, trying to soothe herself.


    She could rationalize all day, but that wouldn¡®t change the fact that Kuro and Shiro had just held a dam worker at gunpoint and forced him to enter the codes to open the gates of the dam and executed him just as soon as it was done. Water poured out of the gates like a mouth spewing over. The trenches that Jimmy had excavated were already serving their purpose and guided thick muddy sludge onto the roads. The flood was beginning its journey through the city.


    Emergency calls came in by the dozens. The police station was used to widespread emergencies every now and then, but this was on a whole other scale. People were reporting their houses and businesses flooding in the close residential areas. They were trapped in cars, unable to go forwards or backwards. People began climbing onto roofs and second stories. Businesses locked their doors and plugged holes with towels to little avail. Terror grabbed the city by the throat.


    Emi¡¯s phone rang as she sat at her desk in the detective unit. It was the police chief. ¡°Yes, police chief, what is it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a flood in the North. I need you guys to get up there now!¡± he said.


    ¡±What? A flood?¡± What are you talking about?¡± she asked.


    ¡±It must be the Black Diamond.¡±


    Aiko, who was sitting across the room, overheard bits of the phone call and saw Emi¡¯s face turning pale.


    She slammed the phone down and felt her heart skip a beat as she realized the catastrophic size of emergency that the twins were about to cause. How could I have overlooked this? How could nobody on the team think of this? It¡¯s so big, there¡¯s just no way we would have thought it possible. No time to blame myself. I need to act now!


    Emi stood up from her chair and addressed the room of detectives. ¡°I need everyone to head to the North Dam, now! The Black Diamond is attempting to flood the city. Go go go!¡±


    A flurry of movement overtook the detective office as they all grabbed their things at once and made for the door.


    After getting in her car, turning the lights and sirens on, and speeding down the road, Aiko called MC. ¡°MC!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± asked MC, startled by the urgent tone in her voice.


    ¡°Kuro and Shiro are flooding the city. We¡¯re all heading to the North Dam right now.¡±


    ¡°You can''t be serious?¡±


    ¡°I''m on my way there now with the rest of our units.¡±


    ¡°Ok, Aiko, I¡¯m on my way. Good thing, I¡¯m already at the clubhouse. Sora, GM, wake the hell up!¡± he yelled.


    MC explained the situation to GM and Sora as they rubbed the sleep out of their eyes.


    ¡°Guess that explains the fourteen missed calls from Gil,¡± said GM.


    ¡±I¡¯m heading out,¡± said MC, grabbing his keys and pack.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t do anything stupid without us. We¡¯ll be right behind you¡± said GM as MC rushed out the door. ¡°Sora, you¡¯d better come with this time,¡± said GM. ¡°We might need you to hack into the security system at the dam. There¡¯s probably a password or something and I can guarantee whoever knows it, isn¡¯t alive anymore.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll pass.¡±


    ¡°Sora this isn¡¯t the time to say that. Stop being lazy and come with us. This is urgent.¡±


    ¡°What do I even care about if there is a flood or something?¡±


    ¡°If we don''t do something there¡¯s a chance that our house will even be flooded. There¡¯s a lot of water in that lake and we don''t know how widespread the damage will be.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just move,¡± said Sora with a shrug.


    ¡°Dammit, Sora.¡± GM thought for a moment and came up with an idea. ¡°Big Ramen could even be flooded. How would you like to never eat there again!¡±


    Sora was out the door with her computer and cords in hand a fraction of a second later.


    ¡°Come on, GM! Start that fucking car!¡± she frantically yelled.


    Houses were flooding by the minute as the dam poured its murky contents through the open gates. Roads quickly became streams. Emergency services had begun to block off certain streets in the North and were trying their best to predict the ways that the water would flow if it continued.


    GM was forced to take the long route around town while Aiko and the detectives were like a parade of a dozen cars that were rounding the winding road up to the dam. Aiko was the fourth car back with Emi right behind her followed by the rest of the detectives.


    The road leading up to the dam was strategically raised several feet above ground level specifically for purposes like this. If there happened to be a leak or emergency, cars would still need to be able to escape or get out the dam to solve the problem. The roads leading through the city however, were topped with several inches and in places, several feet of water. Luckily, most of the cars the detectives drove were raised mid-sized vehicles that had no trouble getting through.


    The parking lot was almost in sight when the first car in their line rounded a corner. Bullets tore through the windshield, killing the driver instantly, and causing his car to drive off the road and crash into a tree.


    Aiko slammed on the brakes and her car screeched to a halt along with the rest of the detectives. She ducked down as bullets pelted her car and crashed through her windshield. She turned her car sideways while staying as low as she could and got out using the car as a shield.


    She peaked over and saw the first two cars almost completely shredded by bullets, but the one in front of her had two survivors who were hunkered down behind their car just like she was. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Aiko heard Emi over her walkie talkie. ¡°Enemies ahead. Hold position and take cover.¡±


    Aiko took a second to pause and analyze the situation. It¡¯s only natural that they were expecting us, but I didn¡¯t think they would have put up a blockade like this. Those weren¡¯t the shots of random untrained Black Diamond members either. The bullet patterns were aimed too precisely. They must have brought in some serious heavy hitters for this. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they were all captains up ahead.


    The detectives started to return fire, but the Black Diamond was hiding behind trees and behind thick cement jersey barriers. They were prepared for a fight. The Black Diamond also outnumbered the detectives. For every gun that the detectives had, the Black Diamond had three or four.


    With a fleeting moment of bravery, Aiko readied both of her pistols and peered out from the trunk side of her car. She lined up a shot and started firing away. A body dropped. And then another. A bullet smacked the car close to her and she ducked back away to safety, dumping empty clips onto the ground and reloading. She thought about grabbing a larger weapon from the inside of the car, but didn¡¯t want to risk the extra movement.


    Emi¡¯s voice came over the walkie talkies again. ¡°Multiple friendlies and enemies down. Hold steady and use caution.¡± Her voice was stern and calm. She knew how to handle these situations. She wasn¡¯t the captain of the detectives for no reason.


    Only moments after Emi¡¯s orders, the sound of one gun became clear over the others. It was shooting fast and heavy. Aiko dared not look, but knew it was the sound of a heavy mounted machine gun. She saw a couple of bullets pierce through the car and keep going. She wasn¡¯t safe where she was anymore. If only she had ten seconds to run back and seek cover behind a car farther back. A scream came from the car in front of her where the other two detectives had been in front. It surely meant a severe wound. Another man down and out of the fight. Things were not looking good for the detectives.


    ¡°Steady now. Don¡¯t lose focus. Backup from The Organization will be here soon. Hold out until then.¡±


    It was as if she was commanding the impossible. Another few minutes and that heavy machine gun will have ripped through every bit of cover in the area. Aiko started to sweat with panic. She put her back on the door of the car and looked up as if hoping some sort of miracle would drop out of the sky. To her surprise, a screaming projectile flew about ten feet over her head trailing a cloud of smoke. It went by so fast that she couldn¡¯t even tell what it was.


    BOOM! An fiery explosion erupted from where the Black Diamond were stationed, creating an orange glow and spewing dark black smoke into the air. The heavy machine gun firing had stopped. In fact, most of the shooting had stopped all together. This is my chance. I¡¯ve got to move to deeper cover while there¡¯s a pause.


    Aiko got up and ran as fast as she could to get behind the cars behind her. She dove and slid across a hood and took refuge. An adrenaline rush filled her and she put her hands all over her body searching for bullet holes before exhaling a sigh of relief.


    She looked over and saw that she was now next to Emi. The still body of another detective laid next to her on the ground. ¡°Emi!¡± Aiko said. ¡°What are we going to do? We¡¯re pinned down real bad and above all else, we need to get to the dam and shut off the water.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in a tight spot, but backup just arrived and it¡¯s not who you¡¯d think it is.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Aiko looked over to see The Vampire swiftly climbing over cars with a four-foot rocket launcher slung over his shoulder. His long hair and coat flew out behind him as he made swift movements. ¡°What in the?¡± Aiko exclaimed as he ducked and rolled onto the ground next to her. ¡°You? What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Nice to see you too,¡± he said, already packing a rocket into the tube of the launcher. He stood up without hesitation and pulled the trigger. A fiery blast shot out the back of the launcher and the projectile fired. He ducked back down as a thunderous explosion shook the ground.


    ¡°What? You think I can let these Black Diamond fucks flood my city? That¡¯s my job. If anyone¡¯s going to cause chaos like that it should be me. Besides, if everyone gets flooded out of their homes and businesses, who am I going to have left to terrorize?¡±


    Aiko turned to Emi with a questioning look. Emi just shrugged her shoulders as confused as ever.


    ¡°MC and his team should be here any minute,¡± said Emi.


    ¡°Bout time,¡± said The Vampire. ¡°He¡¯s late to the action and I know these guys will have more tricks up their sleeves. I¡¯m sure that heavy machine gun wasn¡¯t the only challenge they lugged out here.¡± The Vampire reached up and grabbed the side mirror off of the car and held it up at an angle to look over without getting hit. ¡°Yep, this is bad.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Aiko.


    The mirror in The Vampire¡¯s hand shattered from a bullet impact. ¡°Snipers. And at least one damn good one.¡±


    ¡°Nobody peak. They have snipers,¡± Emi commed over their radios. ¡°Focus on protecting our sides. They could move around and try to flank us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised they haven¡¯t already sent a squad to pinch us from behind,¡± said Aiko.


    ¡°I was thinking about that as well,¡± said Emi.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anyone closing in from behind,¡± said The Vampire. ¡°Then again, I was right behind you guys.¡±


    The sound of guns firing from behind caused a lump in Aiko¡¯s throat. ¡°Is that them? Are they launching their flank attack?¡±


    ¡°I can''t tell what¡¯s happening much farther back from us. Team, I need a status update. What¡¯s going on at our flank?¡± Emi commed.


    ¡°It¡¯s MC, Captain. Our backup has arrived.¡± a detective commed back.


    ¡°MC! He¡¯s here!¡± exclaimed Aiko.


    ¡°Team, apply your eyegear,¡± Emi commed as she donned a pair of polarized glasses she produced from a pack on her waist. All the other detectives did the same.


    MC stood next to GM near the backup of cars. The bodies of slain Black Diamond members at his feet as his gun barrels smoked. They¡¯d arrived just in time to take out the Black Diamond squad that had circled around their back.


    GM wiped blood from his sword and sheathed it. ¡°Let¡¯s get up to the front near Aiko. You stay put in the car, Sora,¡± said GM.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me twice,¡± she replied, slumping down with a concerned look.


    ¡°If and when we need you, we¡¯ll call you up. We¡¯ll make sure the coast if clear.¡±


    MC and GM ran off into the mess of smoke and gunfire ahead. MC squinted and tried to make out what was going on, but wasn¡¯t able to see everything ahead. ¡°We have a bit of cover from the smoke,¡± said MC. ¡°Let¡¯s use that to our advantage and get up to the front.¡±


    Their legs carried them over and around cars and trembling detectives. The occasional stray bullet came close to hitting them, but the gunfire had slowed down substantially. They came to the set of cars just behind Emi, Aiko, and The Vampire.


    ¡°MC you made it!¡± said Aiko.


    ¡°Of course,¡± said MC.


    ¡°We¡¯re stuck hunkered down here,¡± said Emi. ¡°Think you can make some sort of play to break us out of here?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± said MC, pulling two flash bangs off of his sash. ¡°Follow my lead.¡± He hucked the flash bangs over the car and as close to the enemies as he could. That¡¯s likely to have at least blinded a few of them. He jumped over the car with a shotgun in hand and started pumping bodies. The spray was wide at his distance, but they were damaging blasts to anyone that was on the receiving end of the shells. GM followed with a shotgun as well and The Vampire with an automatic rifle.


    ¡°Come on, Aiko, they¡¯re clearing them out,¡± said Emi, hopping over the car, pistol drawn. The five of them kept firing until eventually there weren''t any shots fired back at them. They walked past the sets of barricades and finished off any remaining Black Diamond members that were still there and proceeded into the parking lot of the dam.


    ¡°Ok team, move up and surround the parking lot,¡± Emi commed. ¡°Stay on your toes. Use back to back formation. There¡¯s likely still some Black Diamonds hiding around.¡± She then ordered a few of the detectives to go back and retrieve Sora who hesitantly agreed to come out.


    When she got there to the parking lot and met up with the main team, she got out her computer and pulled up a basic schematic layout of the inside hallways of the dam.


    ¡°This is the main control room,¡± Sora said, pointing to a small rectangular room to the side of what seemed to be a much larger room.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get in there and shut off the drain command,¡± said MC.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± said Emi. Kuro and Shiro are likely to be inside there. We need to play this slow and safe.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± said GM. We just need to try and be quick about this to avoid as much damage to the city as possible, but if we end up dead, then there¡¯s no hope.