With the appearance of the hero ranked third strongest on the list, Adam was dumbfounded.
"Vamp? What are you doing here?" [Adam]
"That's what I should be saying! I went to your house, but it was in shambles!" [Vamp]
He seemed a bit panic stricken, but there was more relief than worry.
"...Then why are you knocking on this house?" [Adam]
"I was gathering information. Since I didn't know where you went, I was going to try asking the neighbors." [Vamp]
"Oh… But that doesn't change why you're still here." [Adam]
"What? I said I was coming to visit you soon." [Vamp]
Adam froze. It was then that he realized that Vamp did indeed say he would come visit.
("Oh god... I completely forgot. It felt so long ago because I was stuck in Askyros' memories.") [Adam]
"O-oh… I remember you saying that. I forgot to tell you our neighbor was nice enough to let us crash here until we got a new home." [Adam]
"Really? That's… generous of them. Not many people would actually do that." [Vamp]
"It's probably because the owner of the house is the older brother of my best friend." [Adam]
"Aren't the parents supposed to own the house?" [Krino]
("...Hush. He won't know.") [Adam]
"..." [Krino]
As the two chatted in the front, Felix exited the bathroom. He came out dressed in new clothing, along with a bath towel over his head.
"Adam, who's at the door- Vamp?!" [Felix]
"Heya." [Vamp]
He leaned to the side, waving at a stunned Felix.
"T-T-To what do we owe the pleasure of meeting you?" [Felix]
He stammered with his words. It was clear that he wasn't going to calm down soon.
"Oh, I was just here visiting. Um… Can I ask where your parents are?" [Vamp]
"My parents? Oh… I… Uh…" [Felix]
"Calm down bud. Let's not rush things here." [Vamp]
"Y-you're right. Just uh… give me a sec…" [Felix]
He took a deep breath, exhaling and inhaling slowly. By the time he was done, Felix was completely calm.
"Phew… Thanks for waiting. About my parents… I actually don't know. They've been working abroad since the moment I was born." [Felix]
"I see. Then, is your brother here?" [Vamp]
"He's… also out right now. I think he went camping somewhere." [Felix]
"Your family really likes to leave the house don't they?" [Vamp]
"Yeah…" [Felix]
With nothing left to say, a moment of silence filled the room.
("Awkward…") [Adam]
"Now that I'm here, how about I give you two a tour of my office?" [Vamp]
"Seriously?!" [Felix]
"Office? I thought you didn't bunker down anywhere." [Adam]
"I changed locations a while back. Remember that phone call? It was my secretary calling me about all the work piling up there." [Vamp]
"Did you do all of it when you got back?" [Adam]
Hearing his question, Vamp averted his eyes.
"...So where's Vivian?" [Vamp]
("He changed the subject…") [Adam] [Felix]
"She's not home right now. I think she's out shopping." [Adam]
"Is that so? Then you two want to go over to my place right now?" [Vamp]
Without even glancing at each other, Adam and Felix already knew what the other was going to say.
"Let's go." [Adam] [Felix]
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The two were taken to a plain four wheel drive at the front of the house. With Vamp at the wheel, he had Adam and Felix sit in the back.
"How do you guys like my ride?" [Vamp]
"Isn't it… kind of plain?" [Adam]
"This is my ride for when I go "Incognito". I can't have people swarming me when I'm trying to get some "alone time", now can I?" [Vamp]
He reached downwards of the steering wheel and turned on the car.
"Woah!" [Adam]
The engine whirred to life, and the car trembled along with it.
"What model is this car?! I don't think it's supposed to shake like this!" [Felix]
"I told you! It's my "incognito" car! Just because it looks plain doesn't mean it's customizations are!" [Vamp]
"You modded it?!" [Felix]
"You know it!" [Vamp]
Just as the engine finished heating up, Vamp turned up the radio. Music blasted from inside the car, shaking it more than it did before.
"I named this car El Boombox! Here we go!" [Vamp]
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
By the time they arrived at their destination, only two out of three of them felt sick.
"Ugh… My stomach…" [Adam]
"My ears… I know I have photographic memory, but I can't even remember what was happening." [Felix]
"Aw come on, it wasn't that bad." [Vamp]
Adam wanted to protest, but no longer had the energy to do so.
"How do you like my office?" [Vamp]
Trying to look through his quesiness, Adam faced forward. He saw a tall building, as if a large rectangular slab was thrust into the ground. It's walls were covered in tinted glass, just dark enough to barely see inside.
"Where's the company sign?" [Adam]
"I'm… still working on that." [Vamp]
Vamp approached the entrance, and the two highschoolers followed. The doors to the office were made out of glass, but it somehow seemed sturdier than it looked.
"Is it automatic?" [Adam]
"Yeah, just give me a second." [Vamp]
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a black card and tapped it on a black box next to the entrance. After the sounding of a beep, the doors opened inwards.
"How fancy." [Adam]
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Entering the building, Adam saw white black marbled floor and red carpeting. There didn't seem to be many people in the building, so the group simply strolled up to the receptionist at the front desk.
"Hello, how can I help you?" [Receptionist]
A Brown haired woman with glasses sat behind two PC monitors. The desk she worked at was made of wood, but the top itself had black marble on it to match the floor.
"Can you issue two guest cards for the kids behind me?" [Vamp]
"May I ask what your room number is?" [Receptionist]
"Room 408." [Vamp]
"Thank you. I'll have them in a minute." [Receptionist]
She tapped away on the keyboard behind the desk. Moments later, a machine near her spat out two white cards.
"Here you go. Two guest cards for the young men in the back." [Receptionist]
"Thank you." [Vamp]
He took the cards from her hand and passed them back to Adam. Right after, he ushered the two away to a nearby elevator.
"Wha-what's the hurry?" [Adam]
"Just go in." [Vamp]
Closing the elevator doors behind them, Vamp quickly selected the fourth floor as their destination.
"C'mon… C'mon…" [Vamp]
The number on the elevator went up, and the doors opened with a ding.
"Did we make it?!" [Vamp]
"Did you make what?" [???]
A blonde woman appeared from behind the elevator doors, and Vamp's expression turned into shock.
"...I regret everything." [Vamp]