(Reverence 6, 59 / 5:49PM)

  The city lights sparkled against the evening sun.

  As the road led them to the bustling city, the driver shook a sleeping middle-aged woman from her nap, causing her snoring to cease. Opening her eyes, she looked towards the metropolis, which got closer and closer as the asphalt road pulled the van.

  Like a magnet, David was drawn to the bricked buildings and evening lights, the sun radiating a calm orange.

  (David) That’s Ridgemente. I hope we can get to the port in time.

  (Luke) They said that the train would leave at 7, so we should arrive no ter than 6:45.

  (David) But still, Christian and Pacifica have to haul ass toward the bridge once I give Christian the wheel.

  Driving inside the city, the roads weren’t as vehicle-friendly as they thought.

  Originally, some roads were meant to pass horses. Since the van wasn’t fit with the times, driving through the narrow streets filled with pedestrians and old horse carriages was…

  Excruciating.

  His left hand scrunching up the wheel, his eyes began to darken the more traffic piled up in front of him. Again and again, horse-carriage after horse-carriage.

  David gnced down at his watch, followed by a long exhale of air which coarse his parched throat.

  (David) Stupid rush hour…

  An hour ter.

  Rush hour traffic finally dissipated, and David drove through the winding streets that enclosed them to the van. The exterior of the van barely hovered against the passing parked cars and automobiles, a trickle of sweat wept down from his nose.

  In the back, Luke, Pacifica, and Christian all clutched their hands as they sat patiently. Looking out the window, Luke gnced at the white chiseled buildings ranging from one to two stories high, followed by the yellow city lights gleaming from out the windows.

  The sun still unable to set below the horizon, Luke rubbed his eyes with the knuckles of his pointer fingers, pressing them deep into his sockets.

  (Luke) I thought the drive from Lagefor to Dodgerock was bad…

  Softly smiling, Luke noticed Pacifica who had her eyes downcast, her hands folded below her chest along with her right thigh pressing onto her left knee.

  Her hands let out a single twitch, she kept them bnketed by her armpits so as to not make it noticeable. Unluckily for her, both Luke and Christian already sensed the nervousness from her, as Luke pressed both of his boots on the floor.

  Standing up, he carefully walked in front of her, the top of his head barely hovering below the ceiling of the van. Tilting his head down, her eyes sparkled under the soft smile that kept her lips sealed.

  (Luke) Are you ok?

  (Pacifica) Don’t-Don’t worry about me, boy. I’m fine…

  (Luke) Are you sure?

  (Pacifica) … I want that elf boy safe…

  He pced his hand on her shoulder, his fingers softly caressing her brown jacket as she locked eyes with him. Her feet loosened from the ground, only the tip of her boots firmly pressed on the floor, her back straightening as her throat began to quiver.

  Pushing his eyes down, his soft and warm smile began to thaw away her body like a heater, her cheeks warming up from just staring into his red eyes.

  (Luke) Don’t worry, most likely he’s with everyone else that was bound. I don’t think anyone would be separated … I hope …

  (Pacifica) Are you sure?

  (Luke) I’m … I’m positive.

  (David) This is it Luke, here’s your stop.

  The van’s wheels ceased to a halt. Its rubber screeching for just a split second, it was enough to spit out the abhorrent smell of burnt rubber.

  Pulling his hand away from her shoulder, Luke pced it inside his jacket’s pocket, his hand unwilling to curl it into a fist. Keeping it ft, he looked over to Christian, who stood up and hunched his back whilst his hair grazed the metal ceiling.

  Both men extended out their right hands, their palms smmed against themselves to form a cp, a cp that startled David, Iris, and Pacifica.

  (Christian) Try not to get beaten too much man. You’ve had a lot of broken bones in the past couple of days.

  His rapid fight with Briggs, his duel with Sean, and his sparring match with Kenji, all contributed to heavy injuries which caused Luke to let out a cold shiver. Despite remembering all those kicks and punches, broken bones and bruises, swelling and blood; he remained standing.

  (Luke) No worries, I don’t pn to. I won two out of three of those fights.

  (Christian) That’s because the Boss forfeited the match.

  (Luke) He did say whoever forfeits would be the loser.

  Pcing his other hand into his pocket, he began walking out toward the van door, the mechanism clicking twice before it swayed open.

  The person who opened the doors was none other than Iris, her cold eyes staring at Luke with a glint of sparkle amongst her pupils. The wind blowing against her back, she cleared her throat before pushing her eyes downward.

  (Iris) I hope you can meet my father’s expectations.

  (Luke) No worries ma’am, you and Jenny could reunite with each other again just like old times.

  (Iris) Why do you speak as if you are trying to rete to me?

  (Luke) David told me a bit about Jenny’s past, and how you and her got along a lot.

  Iris scrunched up her face.

  Letting go of the van’s doors, she looked at the van’s side mirror on the driver's side, noticing a smug grin coming from the cowboy hat-wearing man. Rolling her eyes, a dry scoff grazed both her upper and lower lips, followed by her hands pcing themselves onto her waist.

  (Iris’s thoughts) That stupid ingrate. Me and her getting along…

  She pushed down her cheeks, as a soft exhale of breath smoothed and moistened her skin. Both corners of her lips twitched, they desperately tried to push upward, yet it remained on her nonchant face.

  Finally, she began walking back to the van, going around the van to the side door.

  (Iris’s thoughts) Why would he expose me like that? That was Gabriel’s job…

  Opening the passenger side door, she let herself in before closing it shut. David, who raised his right eyebrow, let go of the bck leather wheel stained by his rush hour sweat.

  Pacifica and Christian looked into the open hole, whilst Luke gnced at the passenger side mirror to take a better look at Iris’s face. All three of them standing or sitting still, and not a single of them closed the van’s doors.

  (David) Aren’t you supposed to go with Luke?

  (Iris) You would need help in taking down Gabriel.

  (David) I can handle myself fine. Luke needs help in dealing with the rger—

  (Iris) The young man will be fine. My father told me specifically that he could take them on.

  David tapped his finger along the leather wheel, his nail scraping against the leather as he continued to stare into her eyes. No trace of sweat sparkling on her pale face, he took note of the world’s best poker face, her eyes, lips, and cheeks all creating a nonchant face that could hide the world’s secrets.

  But David scoffed with his nostrils, swaying his head back and forth while pcing his hand over his mouth. Both crevices of his lips churned down to form a frown, and a hint of red appeared in his scleras.

  (David) You’re doing this to avoid Kenichi huh? Afraid that fighting him might break your heart; the same way that he broke Jenny’s?

  Iris remained silent. Her lips sealing themselves, her hands began to tremble on her p, but only once as she continued to stare bnkly at him.

  (David) Or is it to feel nostalgia for kicking Gabriel’s ass, like old times. Or is it both? You can’t fool me with that poker face.

  Both her hands curled into fists, her throat quivering once as hints of red formed along the bottom of her eyes. Trapping whatever liquid wanted to pour out, her nose began to wrinkle, her poker face disintegrating right in front of David.

  Who took off his cowboy hat, as both his scleras stained red from the watery liquid wanting to pry out.

  (David) Tell me Iris, which is it…

  She grabbed a hold of David’s colr.

  Her fingers wrinkled and creased his leather jacket, he let his body be dragged close to Iris’s face, her breath smming against his. Unwilling to pry himself out, he let his hands remain motionless to his knees, as what he stared in front of him…

  Was a cold woman on the verge of breaking out in tears.

  (Iris) … Damn you.

  (David) I’ve been damned for far too long.

  Letting go of David’s colr, Iris slumped into her seat, a sniffle scrunching up her nose whilst her throat quivered evermore.

  Luke began to slowly walk away, toward where the train station was located, due South. Pcing both of his hands into his leather jacket, he kept his gaze down to the sidewalk, the buildings all around him having a sidewalk roof for the rain or sun.

  But he stopped.

  (Pacifica) Luke!

  Turning around, he noticed Pacifica holding the van’s doors, her eyes rgened and puffy while having her feet on the edge. Her body weight pressed down to the soles of her feet, she cleared her throat and extended her head the most she could.

  But she jumped out of the van instead.

  Running toward the wide-eyed Luke, Pacifica extended both her arms out wide, her smile genuine and soft like a warm cup of hot cocoa. Just as she was about to wrap her arms around the shy boy, Luke…

  Had both of his hands pressed onto her wrists, keeping her arms away from his waist.

  (Pacifica) What are you…?

  (Luke) Sorry Pacifica, but you have to go.

  (Pacifica) But-But what if that leaf licker doesn’t return … who else would I may—

  (Luke) He will come back. I already promised you that. Once this is done, you could pass your hug onto him, not me.

  A warm image of Chris pyed across his mind.

  Dropping his hands to his sides, he turned around, his gaze down as Pacifica stood with her fingers twitching. Inhaling the city air, she spun around to walk into the van, closing it before the van’s engines roared back to life again.

  Leaving behind the lone man, Luke took one st gnce at the bzing brown van.

  (Luke’s thoughts) Two girls are enough for me. I’m not interested in forming a harem.

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  (Reverence 6, 59 / 7:03AM)

  Right before Luke and the others hit the road.

  David had his handle on the driver's door, his head turned to the others who wielded their guns as they walked. Pacifica, who was the only one who didn’t wield any weapon, pushed a sleeping and disabled Luke. Having her hands firmly on the handlebars of the wheelchair, she managed to reach the back doors of the van, with Christian being the one to open them.

  Swaying them wide, the two brought Luke inside, but David quickly turned to look at the front door.

  (Boris) Hold up, David!

  (David) Boris!? Where the hell were you?!

  Running toward the cowboy hat-wearing man, the chubby man wearing a tuxedo suit carried with him a rge suitcase dressed in bck. Catching up to David, Boris bent down, huffing and puffing out chunks of dry air from his bck lungs.

  Extending his right hand, the suitcase hovered close to David’s stomach, leaving David no choice but to grab it. Taking the suitcase off from Boris, David uses his other hand to gently pce it onto Boris’s shoulder.

  (David) Hey? You ok? You shouldn’t push your body that much.

  (Boris) My body … pants … shouldn’t be of worry … gasps … for you.

  (David) No doubt, but why give me this suitcase?

  (Boris) Luke … pants … is going to need it.

  Bringing the suitcase up to his face, he let his eyes scan the yer of bck painting the metal, tracing the edges and borders of the handles and corners. Opening up the suitcase, he had the opening lid tint onto his chest, allowing whatever was inside to not pour out.

  Seeing the contents, David nodded his head back and forth.

  Lifting his head to Boris, his hard panting and breathing only worsened the more the morning sun scorched their bodies.

  (David) You should get back inside and rest. I’ll let Luke know about these during the car ride.

  (Boris) Before I go back inside, I’ll tell you why I wasn’t present at all…

  Finding the pavement a soft pce to sit upon, Boris softly pced his bottom onto the concrete, having his legs stretch out yet connected together. His palms holding his body weight, he stared at the rge town, viewing the brick buildings and wooden houses stretched along the red soil desert.

  (Boris) When the adobe was raided, I took shelter in one of the storage closets on the second floor. I had that suitcase and another object with me, guarding it with my life I did.

  (David) Is this suitcase that important to you?

  (Boris) For Luke, not for me.

  David gnced at Christian and Pacifica, both of them closing the back doors, the sound trickling through his old ears.

  Leaving just David and Boris to view the morning sun, the bottom tip of the star barely hovering over the horizon, its rays shining right onto their faces. David squinted and turned his attention back onto the seated down Boris, who took off his fedora.

  (Boris) Joseph bestowed me with that suitcase, and I’m not going to let anyone try to harm or destroy it in any way.

  (David) That man? Everything about him…

  (Boris) As if he has seen the future? I know.

  (David) Do you trust a thing that man says?

  Boris looked toward David, his hands and arms trembling harshly amongst the pavement that cushioned his butt. Pushing up his body, he had enough strength for his feet to help him up as well, his feet and legs wobbling violently the more he stabilized himself.

  Finally standing straight, he soon began to walk slowly toward the front door. Putting both of his hands into his pockets, his right foot began to limp, having it drag across the ground which scraped his boot.

  (Boris) Asking me stupid questions…

  (David) Hey, wait up! Don’t tell me what I just said hurt your feelings.

  (Boris) No! No not at all! I’m fbbergasted! Shocked! Questioning me about if I trust him— cough cough

  (David) Don’t push your lungs too hard old man.

  A coughing attack raided his bck coarse lungs, making Boris cmp his left hand onto his knee while balling his right. Bring his fist millimeters from his hand, saliva and mucus spttered onto his hand, along with…

  Blood.

  Stains of it leaving onto his knuckles, Boris’s eyes pushed downward, while David darkened his eyes and tipped his hat down.

  (David) If Kenji was my foster father, then that makes you my foster grandfather.

  (Boris) I’m only 10 years older than you.

  (David) Yet your body acts twenty years older than me—No, you probably won’t live another twenty years.

  (Boris) Consider myself lucky if I continue for another ten.

  David turned to look at Iris, who nestled herself inside the passenger seat of the van. Stalling their journey a couple of minutes behind, David pat Boris’s back softly, giving him a nod before walking to the driver's side door.

  While carrying the bck suitcase in his hand.

  Opening the door, David’s ears perked up, causing him to not let one foot in that van.

  (Boris) David.

  He didn’t turn his body all the way, his head turned right at a 90-degree angle. As Boris pced his fedora on the top of his head, he kept his chubby hand and fingers on top, the sun unable to brighten his ghostly pale face.

  (Boris) Godspeed.

  Without nodding, David led himself into the van, closing it shut as he turned on the ignition. Making the engine roar its way back to life, the wheels burnt against the pavement as it drove off.

  David looked through his side view mirror, watching the chubby man stare at him.

  (David’s thoughts) You too.

  ______________________________________________________________________________(Reverence 6, 59 / 6:59PM)

  It’s high evening.

  The desert sun barely hovering over the horizon, the city lights still flickered and shined through the evening air. The wind, carrying enough sand to wipe out a small vilge from existence, circled the outskirts of the capital, putting Ridgemente into a ndlocked state.

  But the train couldn’t wait any longer.

  The conductor, who took reign of the engine controls and circuits, let out a harsh whistle blow that pierced the air. Making every agent look in that direction in unison, some of them gnce down at their wrists, their watches telling the time of—

  (Agent #1) Hey, hold up now. Someone’s coming.

  A young man walked through the open station with hands in his pockets.

  Having light-brown hair, red eyes, and wearing a bck leather jacket and scks, he also wore boots and a white shirt underneath his jacket. Lastly, a right side bang covered his right eye, his stare nonchant as every agent looked eyes upon him.

  And in unison, every agent aimed their handguns at the young man.

  (Agent #1) You must be real stupid to walk right in here. Are you willing to surrender to us, Luke Fenix?

  Luke looked around the station, the dry air causing every spore from his body to stain his clothing with sweat.

  Taking in the infrastructure, the ptform where people enter and exit from the train was in front of him, followed by the rge bridge that overlooked the trains when they passed. The railings reaching the height of a normal man’s waist, he gnced around the sides of the station, with no extra bridges or buildings in sight. As for the agents—

  He began counting.

  (Luke’s thoughts) One, two, three, four…

  His eyes took note of every agent aiming their barrels at him, more than two to three dozen stood in front of him. All of their fingers already pced onto their triggers, Luke nodded his head with every agent he counted.

  (Luke’s thoughts) Twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight…

  Trailing the bridge on top, another dozen or two took position, their primary eyes squinting the most they could. Feeling their cold stares grow more frozen with every second he counted, Luke stopped the count—

  (Luke’s thoughts) And fifty.

  (Agent #1) Are you willing to surrender to us!? Our orders are to bring you dead or alive, so don’t think twice we won’t put you six feet under!

  Luke lifted his hands to the height of his shoulders, taking a step back as he kept his stare at the agent in the middle.

  Licking his tongue all over the inside of his mouth, his breathing fastened, his vocals binding his words like a tongue that licked frozen metal. After some brawling, the words won, the written air slithering out of his moistened lips.

  (Luke) S-Sorry! I was just lost in thought!

  (Agent #1) You better not think of another pn of escaping! Or better yet! A pn to get your groupmates free!

  (Luke) N-No worries! I don’t have a pn!

  His lips formed a soft smile, the setting and tone of his warmth weren’t suitable, as the middle agent rubbed his teeth against each other. Slightly pushing amongst the metallic trigger, it wasn’t enough to fire, but noticeable for Luke whose face grew paler.

  Sweat drenched his face, flowing down to his throat and upper chest, his lungs and heart pounding against his ribcage relentlessly. Like experiencing the aftermath of running a marathon, his lower body began to crumble, but he quickly spread both of his legs and feet apart.

  (Luke) I won’t do anything I swear! I’m not harming you at all!

  (Agent #1) Then wipe that smirk off your face! I don’t even know what’s going on inside that brain of yours!

  (Luke) I’m not a criminal!

  (Agent #1) Yet you’re dubbed a sinner! Last chance Fenix!

  Luke softly closed his eyes, slowly pulling down his hands but not low enough for them to shoot at first sight. Having them extended, Luke opened his eyes, his fingertips feeling the hot dry air pass through the edges of his nails.

  Wiping the smirk off his face, Luke snted the crevices of his eyes inward to the top of his nose, forming a gre that stopped the agent dead in his tracks.

  (Luke) I’ll go with you. But hear me out for one second.

  (Agent #1) And what would that be!?

  (Luke) How am I the sinner in your story?

  The rest of the agents still kept their fingers on their triggers, their eyes continuing to trail Luke’s fingers and feet. Feeling their stares, Luke took another step back, the bottom soles of his feet going numb the more he stared at the leader agent.

  As if dozens of colonies nibbled deep into his tissue, Luke’s legs wobbled violently, his chest freezing to his pouring sweat.

  (Luke) Do I look dangerous? Am I dangerous? I look just like any other guy that you would see on a busy walk.

  Inhaling a good chunk of dry air into his lungs, Luke pushed it out from both his nostrils and mouth, his windpipe parched from the excess air. Wiggling his fingers repeatedly, the agent in the middle still kept his finger on the trigger, as he took a single step forward.

  (Luke) I’m not good at this leader stuff. Being confident? Resourceful? Useful? I feel like a good luck charm is all I could be.

  The middle agent took another step forward, his finger already pushed halfway into the metal mechanism of his revolver. Pressuring the cobblestone pavement cracking from underneath his feet, the soles of his feet dug deep into the ground, his scleras shading a hint of red.

  Which caused Luke to lower his hands down an inch, but not low enough for him to grab his guns. Keeping his fingers wiggled, the blood flow from within his body soared and ruminated every bone and knuckle, wetting them like a bnket full of water.

  (Agent #1) Last chance. Walk forward before I shoot you down myself…

  The dry wind that flew around them ceased.

  As if someone had put a leash on the howling noise, not a single grain of sand trickled through the stone holding the still-standing Luke. Only the sound of his beating heart beating against his chest, not a muscle moved…

  Once Luke gave them a warm smile.

  (Luke) I’ll test those odds.

  Luke reached for both of his uzis.

  His fingers barely touching the grip of his guns, the agents in front of him…

  (Agent #1) FIRE!!

  A hurricane of bullets savaged the air.

  Hot lead filled the gap between Luke and them, fifty or more bullets escaped from their barrels, all bending the air like rubber bands. In that single instant, those same fifty bullets reached the decibel level of five cannon shots being shot at once.

  Tinnitus to slow to grow against their ears, pistol, and revolver bullets alike all reached the point of no return.

  Closing his eyes, tilting up his head, and arching his back, a warm smile enveloping his face. Like receiving a gracious gift from God, the bullets swarming toward him began to reach their destination.

  Meters, centimeters, millimeters.

  Then came—

  One or two bullets started grazing the edges of his leather jacket.

  Time set in slow motion, the slow-moving bullets grazed the very tip of his clothing, his jacket, shoes, scks, and parts of his hair being cut against the edges of the bullets. The evening sun glowing in front of him, an Oscar-worthy portrait was then created…

  As Luke welcomed the near-hitting bullets, with the orange sun glowing onto his face.

  Then came the rest of the bullets.

  All of them ripping and tearing small amounts of his clothing, only a couple grazed his fingers and hands. With the first one or two bullets finally drizzling onto the stone a meter or two behind him, a sprinkle of dust and stone seethed from it.

  And then the rest of the bullets followed.

  Plowing and digging into the cobblestone ground, the dust cloud in the back of him appeared like the snap of a mousetrap being activated. Time flowing naturally again, the agents continued to fire and twitch their fingers, leading bullet after bullet to shake their metal weapons.

  Fifty, hundred, one-hundred fifty…

  They continued to push and push their triggers relentlessly without mercy. The dust cloud already enveloping the area, not even their eyes could pick up a trace of what was left of Luke’s position.

  Two hundred, two-hundred fifty, three hundred.

  The bullets ceased.

  Pcing their fingers on the side of their guns, all of them lowered their barrels down to the floor. Staring deep into the white-dusted cloud, the middle agent pced his revolver into his holster, his fingers still hovering over the grip as he began walking forward.

  (Agent #1) Seems like your luck ran dry.

  (Luke) Yours did.

  Something blew away the cloud of cobblestone dust.

  Plowing out from it, was a man flying and soaring straight toward the leader agent, whose boots spewed out candle-shaped fmes. The young man’s eyes snted inward, both his left and right hands dual-wielded micro SMGs, causing the leader agent’s face to gulch a deathly pale. Not fast enough to aim and shoot his revolver, the agent could only stare wide-eyed at the sinner that soared with his…

  Rocket boots.

  At the st second, Luke turned his body away from the lead agent, as if he was pying the world’s fastest game of chicken. Despite not tackling him, the agent colpsed onto the ground, the back of his head hitting the stone ground hard.

  Which made every agent unleash another hurricane of bullets.