Chapter III

Arkwright City/Warehouse 15

Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace
And rest can never dwell, hope never comes
That comes at all.
- John Milton

---Sam sat in the private booth thinking over what Regulus had told him. Why did he care so much? He asked himself as he watched the dancers, when he noticed someone looking at him. The person had the same colored eyes as he did, he had black hair, like he did, and he looked about the same age. Sam stared coldly back at him. The figure turned away and continued talking to a person sitting at the table with him.
---Banvora stared at his younger brother, he’s never seen him before, at least when he wasn’t killing, or out of a photo. He came in with his bodyguard and he knew they must have come after him. So he had disappeared into the crowd and hid amongst the bodies of the dancers. Only when he saw them sitting down at a table did he realize they weren’t after him, he breathed a sigh of relief and sat down. He focused on his brother again, although there wasn’t much to see since he hid behind a black hoodie.
---He sat there for a few minutes and watched his bodyguard leave and watched his younger brother again. He wondered if he knew about him. He looked down at his white hoodie and realized he had his hood up as well. Good, that will keep Sam from seeing him. He looked back at the boy and realized he was watching him as well.
---Shit! Now he’s going to think I’m going to kill him... He thought fidgeting slightly. That was until SHE sat down. He turned to see Helen sitting in the seat on the other side of the table smiling happily.
---“Hey little twerp, fancy seeing you here.” She said sweetly.
---“What do you want Helen? Shouldn’t you be torturing a helpless kitten or something?” He said letting out a slight sigh of relief, now he’s safe.
---”Aww, is that any way to treat the killer of Regulus the Lion?” She said happily.
---Banvora spat out some of the soda he was drinking. “Your kidding right?” He said staring at her.
---”Nope.” She says smiling at him.
---He looks back up at his younger brother who seemed to have vanished and he panicked and started looking around the dancers. Where did he go? he asked himself.
---Helen noticed that Banvora was looking for someone and stared at him. “Expecting someone little twerp?”
---”N-No.” Banvora stutters, he always sucked at lying.
---”Your lying.” She says in a sweet but sinister tone. He began to fidget as he saw she was staring right at him.
---”N-No I’m not...” He says drinking some more from his soda.
---”Right, well I know the little abomination is here, oh how I wish the Boss would give us the order to kill him.”
---”I kinda hope he doesn’t...” Banvora says under his breath.
---After he started to get bored he left the table and headed for the door, he was just stepping out when a knife was to his throat and the voice of a kid drifted into his ear. “Don’t say a word and move slowly.” Banvora nodded slightly and moved quietly out the door into shadows, which was where his younger brother guided him. The knife tightened but didn’t enter him.
---“Who the hell are you?” His brother asked, “Why are you following me?”
---”I-I’m not following you.” Banvora said stuttering, he hated fighting.
---”Then why were you staring at me in there? Do you know who I am?” Sam said angrily the knife making a tiny slit in him.
---”The famed Oki killer, Sam. I was staring because I couldn’t believe it was true...”
---”Lies!”
---”Not! Please, I’m not going to hurt you! You can even check my pockets! There’s no weapons on me!”
--- And his younger brother did just that, he searched Banvora’s pockets and found no weapons on him. He let the knife leave his throat and the sound of his footsteps moving away from him.
---”You never saw me. Got it dumbass?” Sam said not turning around.
---Banvora nodded and gulped. This was his younger twin brother... A souless murderer.




---Oki, Sanders and Natasha stared with unbelieving eyes at the cold lifeless corpse that had just been Regulus, a good friend to all of them.
---The doctor fidgeted uncomfortably before going into the details. “He was killed by an Automatic rifle. From the size of the bullets, we believe it was a sniper rifle, but the range was too close so we think the assassin took him by surprise.” He mopped his brow, “Uh, the um, scene had the remains of several of his, and the assassins rounds all over the place, he obviously put up quite a fight.”
---Natasha sniffed and dabbed at her eyes. “He wasn’t one to go quietly, no, he always said he’d go out kicking and fighting.”
---The doctor nodded and brought over a box of belongings. “These were found on his body at the time.”
---He told them setting it on the table. Inside were his clothes that he had been wearing, his guns, and a picture of him, Sam, and Oki taken before the Market crash.
---“Who was it who took him out?” She asked out loud. “Not just anyone could kill Regulus, who has the most skill out of all of us.”
---“Helen Grieves.” Everyone turned to this unknown voice, a woman with white skin, short brown hair, and wearing a T-shirt, blue jeans and a pair of black tennis shoes.
---“Victoria Grieves ma’am, my sister Helen Grieves has the skill, she’s been with Vincent Bolvin for a while.”
---Oki sat down, crossed her legs, and met Victoria's eyes. “Miss Grieves, as i recall they call you Capricorn Hunter.” She tapped her foot on the floor. “Feel like going for a hunt?”
---Victoria smiled and tossed her short brown hair. “Yes ma’am, I most certainly would.”
---Oki turned to Sanders. “Keep an eye on Sam, make sure he doesn't try anything stupid.” ---”Alright.” Timothy said nodding.
---“Natasha you too, check on him, and do what you can.” Natasha nodded and patted her shoulder.
---“Alright go on all of you.” She said angrily, first she was upset about the death of her most trusted of men, now she was just plain pissed at Bolvin.
---They all left the room save for the doctor who stayed behind.
---“Uh my apologies ma’am, I know you and he were, uh, well,”
---She gave him a withering look. “We weren’t, he was my friend, confidante, he loved my son very much but we never had a thing, not like that at all.”
---The doctor nodded and made himself busy with his work.

Arkwright City/Oki Family Compound

---Timothy sat watching Sam with worried eyes. Sam hadn’t said a word to anyone since he heard the news, he just asked to see Regulus's guns. They brought him the guns and he just spent the past hour cleaning them, mainly to the point where, when he had finished, they were practically glittering in the pale florescent light of Sam’s room.
---It was hard for everyone in the Mansion to believe it, the Crimson Lion, dead, of all people, he was the first in the last out, and he always made it out. He showed an actual heart instead of the usual cold heartless killer that the basic public is used to seeing.Yet, there he was, lying in the morgue, a lifeless shell, that no longer held a soul.
---Natasha came in,she looked at Sam, who was just staring at the pistols, hugging his knees. She saw Timothy sitting down on Sam’s bed looking at him and joined him.
---“How is he?” She finally asked after what felt like a lifetime of watching Sam, her voice was quiet, almost to the point of not being there.
---Timothy shook his head, “He hasn’t said a word, its almost like he’s not even here.” He replied with the same tone as Nurellia.
---She sighed and rested her head on her hands, “I know how he feels...”
---”No you don’t.” A voice said and they all looked at Sam, he was still staring at the guns. “No one does, I don’t want your sympathy.” The voice stung and almost made her cry.
---Sam finally moved, he shifted the guns and put them next to him as he laid down and put his hands behind his head staring at the roof. “Get out.” He says in a pained voice.
---They both looked at him as if he was crazy. “I said get out!” Sam said in the tone that he used when he wanted to kill someone.
---Timothy nodded and Nurellia burst into tears. Tim wrapped his arms around her and escorted her out.
---The second he heard the door close, knowing they were gone he sighed.



---Tyler sat sipping champagne from a his glass while the boss laughed and cackled with glee as Helen recounted her daring and ingenious defeat of Regulus, the Crimson Lion. When her tale was done Vincent clapped his hands in applause.
---“Ah, yes! My deadly sweet Angel of Death you did very well.” He reclined in his chair putting his feet up on his desk. “I bet that showed that Oki bitch! Now we’ll see how their little family fairs without their voice of reason. “ He laughed doubling over. “Oh yes! Fifteen years that ‘Lion’ served her with utmost loyalty and now he’s gone, let her sweat, let her wonder, what will happen to the moral of her putrid family? “
---He wiped tears from his eyes and downs his glass of champagne, Helen slowly sipped her drink.
---“So sir please tell me what of the abomination? What will be done about him.”
---Vincent settled back in the chair. “Nothing, at least, for the moment. For right now, we’ll leave him alone. We’ll savor our victory, and then we will finally put that monster to sleep, for good.” He told her.
---He refilled his glass then drained it in one gulp again.
---“Don’t worry my sweet Dream Angel I’ll give you the honor of it after all you’ve more then earned it.”
---She smiled at him over the rim of her glass. Vincent returned her smile just as Tyler cleared his throat.
---“Then what now, sir? The Loyal Guardian, is gone, and all that really stands between you and Hinaoki is an old drunk that is dead set on remaining drunk.”
---Vincent nodded and leaned forward, “She knows this, and she’s gonna be on the alert now. We wait, after the monster is married and they live their happy-little-lives in bliss for a few months, we make our move.” He said baring his teeth in a savage smile that made Tyler shudder.
---“So we wait and then we strike?”
---Vincent nodded then leaned back again and smiled at Tyler and Helen. “And when we strike, it’ll be a blow she’ll never forget.”
---He couldn’t help it, he laughed long and hard. For years that Oki bitch had hidden behind her guard dog, and now that he was gone. Soon her little brat too, then her entire family.
---“Make sure Skylar knows his duty to us.”
---Tyler clear his throat again, “And Banvora, what of him?”
---Vincent sneered. “What do I care for the whelp? He was never any use to me, he can rot in the room of his with his useless text books and books, he’s filled his head with to many pathetic things, he’s made himself completely useless to me.”
---Tyler nodded and left the room. Helen looked at him over the rim of her glass again and smiled yet another sinister, dark, and innocent smile. She crossed to the door and locked it. She walked to him smiling coyly and peeling off pieces of her clothing as she went.
---“I hope you were pleased sir.” She said in a rather, playful tone. He leaned back in his chair as she rounded the desk.
---“Yes, very pleased. And I await to be further pleased.“
---She smiled that foxy grin at him, “Wouldn’t want to disappoint.”

Arkwright City/Financial District

---The Golden Dragon, also known as Timothy, stared down at the rabble that served as an arm. Every once and a while ‘Drifters’ will come to Arkwright city thinking they can raid and pillage from everyone in the city, at least, the semi-prosperous part of the city. However Hinaoki wouldn’t have any of that. Usually Regulus would be doing this, but he wasn’t here...
---Timothy had to fill in for him now, and boy those were big shoes to fill. The leader of the little gang, Buster as they called him, was staring him down with a large metal bat swung over his shoulders. Since these joker didn’t have guns it was a rule not to waste ammo on opponents that couldn’t shoot back. Laz Romanski was shaking next to him holding his machete close to his chest.
---The kid wasn’t much of a shot, so now, he was gonna have to fight without a gun. Timonthy took a deep breath and tried to think of what Regulus would do, then he got an epiphany and remembered a similar occasion he just hoped he’d sound convincing.
---“Alright, scram you shitheads, keep moving along, you got no business here.” He shouted at them.
---Polly, Busters second in command, sneered at him, “Hey there, boss! This ugly little twerp just told us to scram! I heard him say it with my own eyes.” Obviously, old Polly was a bit behind in his times.
---“You know, you right there Polly! Maybe we should teach him a lesson.” Buster said in a sneering tone. Timothy eyed him, tensing, he sounded really tough.
---“Oh yeah then come on up here you sack of shit I can kick your ass all day.” He shouted back at what he hoped was a fierce voice.
---Laz, who was next to him, went as pale as a sheet, “Oh, GOD! No! Don’t say that! They might believe you!”
---Timothy sent him a withering look, “Man up Laz, we got our pride and dignity to defend.”
---Laz was all but whimpering, “Oh... I-I think my leg is working up again.”
---Tim rolled his eyes lightning blue eyes at Laz, “Battle position boy, we ain’t got time for your blubbering.”
---“Oh my leg!”
---Buster was hooting with laughter at the two, “Come on boys! Lets shave these turkeys.”
---He started to climb the rubble to reach them.
---Laz went even paler, “I’ll tell you what I’m defending, my life.”
---He turned to run when Timothy grabbed his coller, “You so much as think of running, and I’ll pull your ass through your mouth!” Laz stayed where he was, but now, he was shaking with renewed vigor.
---Timothy lifted his machete, and cut down the first man to climb up the top of the mound of rubble. The man let out a blood curdling scream as he fell to the ground.
---Along with himself and Laz were four other ‘Maid’ men, two with axes, and another two with machetes. The mound was pretty steep and the Drifters couldn’t reach the top fast enough to defend themselves, so every time one made it to the top they got a good taste of cold hard steel.
---After a while Buster, as slow witted as he was, saw the folly in this and retreated down the mound with what was left of his pitiful gang. They all gave Sanders and his men withering glares as the trudged silently away demoralized and utterly defeated. Timothy wiped his brow, “Well that went well.”
---Laz was still shaking and gave Timothy a withering glare, then just collapsed. Sanders shook his head, how Laz became a ‘Maid’ man was a mystery to him.
---This little brawl did one thing for Timothy, it reassured him he could command these men competently. After all the Crimson Lion wasn’t an easy man to kill, and now Sanders had to fill his shoes and that would be a hard task to do.

Arkwright City/Financial District

---In the distance on top of an abandoned building a boy with a white hoodie over his pale face looked over the scene shaking his head.
---The Grim will come soon... Best get out of here.
---He turned shoving his hands into his pockets as he kicked a piece of debris and walked away.

Tyler is now the yes-man.

funny you should mention that colin...