"You're a rather tall man," Dougryn remarked.
"Let me in?" he asked the muscular man in his mid-thirties, who wore a long black coat and sunglasses.
"We're closed." He looked at Aashex. "Besides, this isn't the place to bring your father after going shopping." He gestured to the bags Dougryn held.
"I'm not his fucking father," Aashex replied, annoyed.
"Keep it down, Gramps." Dougryn turned back to the man standing by the door. "You really shouldn't piss people off. If you're not going to let me in, tell your boss that Dougryn's here, and I know for a fact he's in there."
The man looked between the two of them, his brows furrowing, before going inside.
"You know he won't be the last person to think we're related," Dougryn remarked, a laugh escaping him.
"I shudder at the thought of that," Aashex replied.
The man opened the door.
"Please, come inside," he said, gesturing.
Dougryn walked past him, followed by Aashex.
They sat at a high table, with a man in his late thirties seated on the opposite side.
"I am very sorry. Please forgive my security; he's relatively new," the man said.
"Don't worry about it, Fazrit," Dougryn replied.
"I appreciate your understanding."
He signalled to someone on the other side of the room.
A woman brought them drinks and a pack of cigarettes before leaving.
"Please, help yourselves."
"Thank you, but we can't really drink right now. And Aashex quit smoking, didn't you?"
Aashex looked at the table, then back at Dougryn.
"Yes, I did."
"Well, is there anything else I can off—"
"We'll be gone in a bit." Dougryn cut him off, pulling a small, clear bag from his pocket and placing it on the table. "You don't happen to sell this as well, do you?"
"No, sir, I don't."
"Why? You sell all the rest, don't you?"
"I-I do, but this one is still new on the market. Don't know if it's worth selling yet," Fazrit replied. "Mind if I ask how you got this?"
"I do, but I'll answer anyway. I found it with a salesman. He said he got it from around here." Dougryn looked at him.
"I'm telling you the truth when I say I don't sell that."
"I know. It was from a mobile vendor. But you knew this was in circulation. How long has it been?"
"A little more than a month."
"Where is it made?"
"I don't know where—"
A bottle flew past Fazrit's head, crashing into the wall behind him.
SMASH!
"Your aim needs work," Aashex remarked.
"I'm just rusty, but I doubt I'd miss twice," Dougryn replied.
Fazrit raised his hand, signalling the security guard not to move.
"I don't know exactly, BUT..." He noticed Dougryn reaching for the second bottle. "There's a warehouse downtown in Garzi. It's a custom building that appeared around the same time."
Dougryn smiled as he stood up.
"Was that so hard?"
"No, sir. Is there anything else you want?"
"Since you asked..." He looked at Aashex, then at the table. "I need a walking stick."
"I don't think we have something like that," Fazrit replied, looking around.
"It's fine." Dougryn ripped one of the table's legs off. "This'll do. And also, I need your guard's glasses."
Fazrit held out his hand. The man handed him the glasses, which he then passed to Dougryn.
"Thank you."
He stopped just before leaving.
"One more thing. You don't happen to have a car I can use, do you?"
"Follow me," Fazrit said, standing up.
He walked through a door into the back room, then through another that led outside.
The vehicle had large tyres and a thin frame. Its green sides reflected the sunlight, contrasting with the black roof and hood that soaked it in.
Aashex whistled at the sight of it.
"This is a good-looking car."
"It is," Dougryn agreed, looking at Fazrit. "I ought to tax you more."
"Please don't." He forced a smile. "You can keep it."
Fazrit handed Dougryn the keys.
"That's very generous of you."
Dougryn tossed the keys to Aashex, who was already getting into the driver's seat.
"I hope we don't have to meet each other again," Dougryn said as he entered the car.
"I hope so too," Fazrit replied.
Dougryn laughed as they drove off.
***
They arrived at Varze Street. Turning a corner, they spotted a man whose body was wrapped from head to toe, with only his eyes visible.
"Excuse me," Varen called out.
The man turned, his eyes widening slightly. His gaze drifted to Ria, then back to Varen.
"What can I do for you?" he replied in a polite tone.
"I'd like to make a purchase."
"I'm sorry, but I don't—I don't sell anything."
"Really?" Varen brought out the transparent bag. "I was told you sold these."
The man stared at the bag, then shrugged.
"You're mistaken. I don't sell anything."
He turned away.
"If that's everything, I'll be leaving."
"Please don't be like that," Varen said, watching the man walk away.
The moment the man turned a corner, he began sprinting.
"Ghraz Avenue," Varen said to Ozic, who ran after the man.
Varen took a few steps back before running at a building, jumping onto the side of its wall, his fingers sinking into it.
Ria watched as he climbed the structure and reached the roof before taking off after Ozic.
The man cut through buildings in an attempt to escape them.
Ria had already caught up with him when they came across a busy road. They spotted him heading down an adjacent alleyway and followed.
Coins littered the floor. Sickly children scrambled for each one, clawing at them whenever they stepped on a coin.
"Get off!" Ozic yelled as he pushed through the children.
He saw the man running straight ahead, but he took a turn instead.
Ria kept her eyes on him and continued the chase. He went down a narrow path, jumping over pipes and crates, but Ria's speed didn't falter.
Shit, she's getting closer, he thought.
He emerged at a crossroads and stiffened when he saw Ozic on his left, metal rods in his hands.
CLANG!
A rod struck the ground ahead of him, forcing him down the path on his right.
They followed after him.
"Where'd you get those?" Ria asked.
"I may or may not have taken them on loan," Ozic replied.
The man turned again, coming out beside a restaurant. He barged inside, with Ria following behind, grabbed a bowl, and threw it straight at her face.
Ria swatted it away in an instant. It crashed to the floor.
KRRINTSKH!
He broke through the window and landed back on the road.
CLANG!
Another rod landed in his path, but he ran past it, Ozic following behind with a smirk on his face.
Ria joined him as they chased the man through another alleyway.
The man spotted a rope lying on the floor.
He still herded me.
As expected, the rope rose to trip him, but he jumped over it, running past the person holding it.
The moment he emerged from the alley, a fist crashed into his face.
THUD!
His body hit the floor.
Aaniv and Varen stood over him. Rhade joined them.
"They always fall for it, thinking the first trap is the only one," he remarked.
Varen turned to Ria and Ozic as they walked up to them.
"Good job. You took your time, though. And why the rods?"
"To get... him here..." Ozic replied, panting. "You're in debt... by the way."
"Alright," Varen sighed.
"So what do we do now?" Ria asked, still energetic despite the chase.
"Simple."
Varen bit the flesh off his index finger, revealing a straight, sharpened bone. He drove it into the man's thigh.
"AAHHG!" the man screamed in pain.
"We just listen to a bird sing."
***
The car stopped in front of a warehouse. Dougryn stared at the side-view mirror, his eyes now a dull brown.
"Here." He handed Aashex the sunglasses and stepped out of the car. "Use the stick too. You'll be my blind uncle who's lost his medication, so we stumbled upon this place."
"Why are we doing this?" Aashex asked, annoyed.
"So they don't shoot us the moment we walk in. Or rather, shoot you." He gestured.
Aashex didn't reply. He put on the sunglasses and used the table leg as a walking stick.
They walked through the doors. It was a large space, with a long machine track covering one side of it. The people inside watched as the two of them walked in.
"Excuse me, but do you know where I can find medication for my sick uncle?" Dougryn announced.
The people exchanged puzzled looks.
A man sitting in a foam chair at the edge of the room made a gesture. A larger man walked up to Dougryn.
"You can find medication anywhere but here."
"Really? But I already see medication here, just no doctors. Are you allowed to make all this?" Dougryn asked in a curious tone.
"Leave before I—"
TCKK!
Blood trailed down Dougryn's hands as his fingers lodged deep into the man's throat.
"Why even bother if you're going to break character in less than a minute?" Aashex remarked.
THUD!
Dougryn pulled his fingers from the man's limp body.
"Sorry about that."
He looked at the people, all of whom were pointing guns at him.
"I'll still end up killing them, so there's really not much point."
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Bullets lodged into his body from all angles.
"I really miss my office right now."
BANG!
He flinched at the last bullet.
One by one, the bullets fell out of his body.
He looked at one of the people on his left.
"You."
He closed the distance almost immediately, leaving a crack in the floor where he'd stood. His hand covered the young woman's face.
"Who taught you that shooting below the belt is fair?"
He smashed her head into the wall.
SCHLUCD!
The man next to her trembled, his gun falling from his hand.
"Now, for formalities, who's the head of this organisation?"
No one spoke up.
"If you tell me, you're free to go," Dougryn added.
The man standing nearby pointed to the man at the far end, sitting in a foam chair.
"Thank you." Dougryn patted him on the shoulder. "You can go."
The man instantly ran out.
Lucky guy, Aashex thought as he watched him flee.
The man in the foam chair stood up.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Dougryn. That's Aashex."
"Why are you here?" the man asked.
They didn't reply.
"Answer me," he demanded.
"You didn't introduce yourself."
The man stared at Dougryn before answering.
"Ferjen."
"Okay, Ferjen. Did you ask permission before starting your little... business?"
"Permission from who?"
"Who else?" Dougryn replied, his eyes narrowing.
"Are you one of his lackeys? I'll give you more than the Troll King is paying."
"Tempting." He looked at Aashex. "What do you think of his offer?"
"If you weren't here, I'd take it," Aashex replied.
"Seriously?" Dougryn asked, puzzled.
"You haven't paid me in months."
"You own the most popular restaurant in this shit town. I don't even tax you. Why would you even need more money?"
"Just because."
Dougryn hesitated before replying.
"Can't argue with that."
That old man is one of his lackeys too. Is he also a Haima? Ferjen thought.
"Well..." Dougryn turned back to Ferjen. "I'll take the offer. The money I get per day is xxxxxxxxx."
Ferjen froze.
"Are you fucking around with me?" he yelled angrily.
Dougryn's expression turned serious.
"I'm not. This is a negotiation. I told you what I get, now you have to make your offer."
"Negotiation my ass!" The man stepped back. "Aim for his eyes!"
They aimed their guns at Dougryn once again.
Dougryn looked around and sighed.
"I knew I'd end up killing them."
SSKURG!
Dougryn thrust his hand through one of them as they fired at him. He closed the distance with another, snatched the gun from his hand, and smashed his head in with it. He then threw the gun through another person on the opposite side of the room.
One charged at him with a knife. He pulled her close, ripping through her neck, then threw her head, sending it crashing into another person.
"Stop!" one of them called out, holding a gun to Aashex's head. "I'll kill him!"
"Good riddance," Dougryn replied, snapping a neck.
The gun erupted in flames, setting its wielder's entire body on fire.
Yet he acts like a good boss, Aashex thought.
Dougryn continued tearing through their numbers until only Ferjen remained.
"If only you'd just asked, none of this would be happening," Dougryn said, walking towards him.
BOOM!
Dougryn crashed into the wall behind him.
Ferjen looked towards the side door.
"Threyn, where the fuck have you been?"
He turned to the young man who had just walked in. The newcomer had glassy purple eyes and dark amber hair.
"I'm very sorry, sir. What's happening?" Threyn asked, looking around at the scattered bodies.
"Never mind that. Just kill that son of a bitch!" Ferjen gestured towards Dougryn.
Threyn looked at Dougryn, his eyes widening.
"Sir, that's the Troll King."