***
Two hours. Two agonizing hours of empty road, and the drone of the engine. The sheer monotony was killing Jiro inside.
She couldn't keep still. How could she? Max was out there. She didn't know how he was. How he was doing? Whether he was okay? Her leg bounced erratically against the door at the last thought. Her hand unconsciously going to her earlobe and twirling it.
"Have patience, dear." Eleanor's voice cut through her tension. Her head still locked on the road.
Jiro flinched, her hand snapping down to her lap. "O…oh, sorry."
She stole at a quick side-glance at the elderly woman before her gaze dropped just as quickly back down to her laps.
"You can ask what's on your mind, Jiro." Eleanor added, a small smile tugging on her lips.
'Was I that obvious?' Jiro cringed internally. She coughed awkwardly before asking. "W…well, how exactly are we going to find Max? It's not like I don't think we'll find him, but you haven't exactly said how we'll find him. Not that I'm doubting you, but…"
Before she could ramble on, thankfully, Eleanor stopped her.
"Jiro," Eleanor said softly, "Have you ever fixed a car?"
Jiro blinked. Confusion plastered on her face. So obvious that Eleanor asked the question once more.
"A car?" Jiro repeated, her brows furrowing. What did a car have to do with finding Max.
"Yes, a car." Eleanor nodded. "Imagine it's broken down, and all you want to do is fix it as fast as humanly possible so you could drive it again. That's what I always did with our car. This very car we're driving in. Do you know what happened?"
Jiro shook her head. "What?"
"It broke down each and every time." She chuckled. "Each time I tried to fix it faster, more efficiently, it was like the car had a vendetta against me. It broke more…
"So one day, Nagi, my late husband, told me this. I can still remember his damn words that Saturday afternoon.
'El, just because you want it to work faster doesn't mean it will just magically do so. You'll miss something. Take your time with it, give it care like a child, and it'll come around.'
"You're impatient, Jiro." Eleanor stated. "A trait I once shared with you."
The car came to a stop. Eleanor turned in her seat, facing the girl, a small, kind smile on her face. "I want to find Max as much as you. Lord knows I'm just as worried. But rushing because we're desperate will make us blind. We take our time. Not to be slow, but patient and precise."
Jiro took in a deep breath, letting the words sink in and settle. She nodded. "I think I get it. Thanks Eleanor."
She paused, a smile tugging her lips. "Your husband must have been very wise."
Eleanor squeezed her face instantly. "That old coot is as wise as a brick." She grumbled, and Jiro could almost swear she saw her pouting. Eleanor! Pouting!
"C'mon." Eleanor opened her door, stepping out. Jiro promptly followed her.
They were standing in front of…a bank. Well, if you ignored the fact that the front doors of the bank looked to have been blown wide open.
Eleanor's eyes narrowed, a golden gleam dimming over her eyes as she scanned her surroundings. "No one else is around."
Her hand went to her pocket as she removed a device. It looked like a piece of plain regular glass to Jiro. A faint ripple washed over the device. "Max was here." She said.
At the sound of his name, Jiro immediately became hyper-alert. "Max? Where is he?"
"I'm not certain." Eleanor frowned, "His bracelet was last used in this area. The signals spread from here…" she pointed at a street a few metres away from them,"...to 100 metres down that street. The tracking isn't precise, it only gives a general area."
"But he was here!" A surge of hope bloomed in her. He was here, he must be close by then. She could finally see him.
"Yes," Eleanor confirmed, walking around the area. "But it seemed a battle took place—" suddenly, her voice cut shut.
Jiro's smiles faltered, "Eleanor, what's wrong?"
She hurried over to Eleanor's side to see what was wrong. Her head dropped down to what she was looking at. Her eyes dilated, breath leaving her lungs.
"N…no." She croaked out as tears began to sting at her eyes.
Right there on the pavement, like a smudge in the background of a painting. One that you would likely miss on the first glance and only notice if you pay close attention to it. Though faded and rusty, its distinguishable red tint was unmistakable.
It was blood.
'M…max'
A cold shudder ran through Jiro's body, her mind racing down to all the wrong possibilities. Had she lost him again? Was she too late? Panic seized her lungs. Before she knew it, tears flowed down her face.
Then, firm hands clamped down on Jiro's shoulders.
Jiro blinked, staring up at Eleanor's steady eyes.
"Jiro, breathe," Eleanor said softly, "Do not assume the worst."
"B-But there's blood!" Jiro stuttered out, the words sending her spiraling even more.
Eleanor gripped her shoulders before she could spiral more. "The street was a battlefield, it could have been anyone's. And even if it is his, his pendant is still pulsing. Look." She showed her the glass-looking tracker device. "It means he's still alive, Jiro. So I'll need you focused. Get yourself together."
Jiro gulped, slowly nodding her head. She wiped the tears from her face with her sleeve. "Yeah…I'm good. I'm fine.*
Eleanor nodded. "His pendant just flared. He's alive and moving. Let's go!"
She rushed towards her vehicle, Jiro quickly following her.
***
"Ooh, I'm so happy you're part of us now, darling!"
The girl, who Max now knew as Vox, beamed from beside him.
She leaned in, wrapping her arm around his. "You had me worried that you wouldn't take the deal. That would've meant I had to dice you up, but that's totally not a problem now."
Max shrugged her off, trailing Kazumi from behind. The idea of working with this people felt revolting to think about. But this was the contract he signed. If walking through the gutter was the only way to Raphael, he would gladly follow it.
The three stepped into Kazumi's office, the bodyguards at the door nodding to each of them as they stepped through. Kazumi took his seat behind his mahogany desk, fingers wrapped together as he leaned forward. His eyes fixed on Max's
"Your first mission is a simple cleanup." Kazumi stated calmly. "A client has…defaulted on his agreement, so you're going to remove the problem."
Max clenched his jaw, "Whatever," the words tasting like bitter ash in his mouth.
"Vox will be accompanying you," Kazumi added calmly, shuffling through some files on his desk.
"What?" Max glared at him. "I don't need help. I can do this myself."
Kazumi shook his head, glancing up at him. "It's risk management, kid. Can't have you messing up and getting busted on day one. Think of it like supervision."
He waved his hand at them, his eyes going back to his work. "Now be on your way. And don't fuck this up, will ya, kid."
Max's jaw clenched in protest. Without another word, he turned on his heel and left the office.
"Yay! We get to spend more time together, darling." She giggled, skip
ping after him
Max closed his eyes, letting out an exhausted sigh.
This was going to be a long, long mission.
***