While Alex and Lucy were having breakfast, his thoughts revolved around how to arrange everything so that the police or other services wouldn't think that the Valentino gang was involved in the crime.
There were several options, but they all ultimately led back to the Cult of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, which Alex wasn't ready to reveal to the public yet. His face had already been exposed to Maine's group and twice to Kiwi, forcing him to act more cautiously.
Alex slightly turned his head and locked eyes with Rebecca, who was clearly annoyed that he hadn't revealed what he had prepared for her. When she noticed him looking, she dramatically puffed out her cheeks and turned away.
«Don't be mad. Once we arrive, I'll give it to you,» Alex said with a light smile.
Rebecca, refusing to respond, puffed her cheeks even more and turned away, muttering to herself about how he teased her and then ruined all the fun. She was especially irritated because she hadn't managed to peek inside the case before Alex stashed it away.
«Stingy Alex,» she continued, glaring at him as if she could burn him with her eyes.
Lucy watched the scene with a soft smile. She knew Alex well and understood that he always liked to spoil his family members. Yes, he could be strict when it came to training or safety, but he always did his best to pamper the girls. The fact that he took the case from Rebecca only meant that he didn't want her to accidentally hurt herself, and he was probably already planning to offer her something else to make up for it.
«Becca, don't pout. I'll give it to you when we get there,» Alex said, taking her hand.
Rebecca jerked her hand away and huffed, but she was secretly sneaking glances at him, trying to figure out if he was mad. Alex wasn't upset with her; he knew how much she loved weapons and was confident her passion for new "toys" was like an addiction. He gently took her hand again and didn't let her pull away.
«Listen, Becca, if you stop sulking, I'll make you the same kind of inventory I have, just for your 'babies,'» Alex said with a mischievous grin.
Rebecca's eyes lit up, and she was already imagining pulling out a massive gun from her pocket and shooting at enemies. Her expression changed instantly—there was no trace of annoyance anymore, and now she giggled like a crazed gremlin.
«Is it still too late to ask you to marry me?» she asked, her eyes gleaming.
Lucy shook her head, watching the exchange. The moment Alex gave Rebecca anything related to weapons, her mood shifted from grumpy to ecstatic.
The thought of marriage also crossed Lucy's mind, and like any girl, she dreamed of it being a special day. But knowing her boyfriend was the Demon King who traveled between universes, it would likely end up absurdly ridiculous.
«As soon as you're ready, I'll make you a ring,» Alex said, giving a thumbs-up.
Rebecca blushed, hiding her face in her braids, and embarrassed, kicked Alex's leg before turning away. Her dream was simple: to start a family and live happily with the one she loved. After finding that person, she felt much better, and the nightmares that used to plague her had disappeared. But she was still shy when it came to Alex's sweet gestures.
«All right, enough flirting,» Lucy said, breaking up their little romantic moment.
Alex laughed and pulled Lucy into a hug, making sure she also felt loved. She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her chin on his shoulder, and shot a victorious glance at Rebecca, who was still peeking out from behind her braids. Lucy's gaze said it all: this time, she had won their silent battle for Alex's attention. Rebecca squinted her eyes and gritted her teeth in frustration but didn't give up.
After finishing breakfast, Alex and the girls started getting ready. As usual, Rebecca tried to take an entire arsenal with her, but Alex stopped her just in time, telling her that one sniper rifle would be enough for the mission. He didn't want Rebecca to turn the warehouse into a fireworks show.
They were also joined by G.I.R., who was sulking because he hadn't finished watching his morning show.
«You can finish later,» Alex said, turning off the TV to stop the noise.
But G.I.R. continued grumbling until Alex reminded him that he could stream the show online. Once he got access to the channel, G.I.R. instantly calmed down, and Alex just shook his head, once again realizing that giving him access to the internet hadn't been the brightest idea.
«You coming or what?» Rebecca shouted from the hallway.
«On my way! G.I.R. didn't want to leave until he finished watching his dumb show,» Alex replied, joining the girls at the door.
Lucy and Rebecca exchanged glances at the now-silent G.I.R., who was lost in his show, occasionally letting out strange giggles. Alex shook his head, not wanting to delay any further, and headed for the door. Once they made it to the parking lot, he opened the car door and tossed G.I.R. onto the backseat like a bag of groceries.
Meanwhile, a silent stare-down began between Lucy and Rebecca—they were deciding who would get the front passenger seat and who would end up in the back. Rebecca looked away for a second, and Lucy took advantage of the moment to claim the seat next to Alex.
«Clever cat,» Rebecca thought, gritting her teeth.
Lucy smirked at her, but Rebecca quickly came up with a plan. With a huff, she circled around the car and sat directly on Alex's lap. Flashing a defiant look at Lucy, she acted as if she'd won the ultimate victory.
Alex was momentarily taken aback by her move. Not that he minded, but this way of riding could be dangerous for ordinary people. Then again, for him, it wasn't much of a risk, especially since his car was so sturdy that it could ram through the moon and still be intact.
«You know this is dangerous, right?» Alex asked, raising an eyebrow as he adjusted Rebecca to make her more comfortable.
«My boyfriend is the Demon King. I'll be fine; I know you'll protect me,» Rebecca said, leaning against him.
Alex just shook his head. She was right—he'd never let anything happen to her. But overconfidence could be dangerous. Even he never let his guard down in battle because things could go sideways at any moment, and that meant always being prepared.
Noticing that Alex wasn't against her move, Rebecca shot a triumphant look at Lucy. Lucy rolled her eyes and turned away.
«Alright, let's go,» Alex said, starting the engine.
Rebecca, comfortably perched on Alex's lap, began chewing on some candy she had pulled from his pocket. Alex drove slowly, enjoying the ride, and soon they arrived at a spot near the warehouse. He spotted a building with a good vantage point over the warehouse and parked in an alley.
When they got out of the car, G.I.R. stayed inside, still giggling at his show. Alex opened the back door, grabbed G.I.R. by the head, and pulled him out.
«So, who wants to be the princess, and who's the koala?» Alex asked, glancing at the girls.
Lucy and Rebecca exchanged glances and decided to settle the matter with a game of rock-paper-scissors. Lucy won, and she happily approached Alex with her arms wide open, ready for him to pick her up. Rebecca, pouting, climbed onto his back, resting her chin on his shoulder.
«Come here, my moon princess,» Alex said with a smile, lifting Lucy into his arms.
Meanwhile, G.I.R., having finished watching his show, looked around in confusion until he noticed Lucy and Rebecca clinging to Alex. Alex turned to him.
«Hold onto my leg,» he ordered.
G.I.R. obediently wrapped his arms around Alex's leg and stood on his shoe. After making sure everyone was securely holding on, Alex crouched down and, with a powerful jump, pushed off the wall and launched into the air. A few leaps later, they landed on the roof. G.I.R. looked slightly annoyed, as Alex had been jumping with the very leg he was holding onto.
After setting Lucy down, Alex walked to the edge of the roof and cast an illusion that hid them from prying eyes.
«Now we just wait for all the idiots to gather in the warehouse,» he said, watching the guards.
From his inventory, he pulled out a few chairs and a small table with snacks. It looked more like a picnic than a stakeout mission. Rebecca immediately plopped into a chair, satisfied with the food, while Lucy moved to the edge of the roof to keep an eye on the warehouse. Alex set up a chair for her, and after giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, she sat down to observe.
«How did you make it so they can't see us?» Rebecca asked, her mouth full of snacks.
Alex thought for a moment about how to explain it simply. Lucy also turned her head, waiting for his response. His explanations were usually too complex for her.
«Imagine it like a one-way mirror in a police station. We can see them, but they can't see us. To them, the roof looks empty,» Alex said, stroking his chin.
The girls nodded, grasping the concept. Lucy continued watching the warehouse, even hacking into the surveillance systems of the nearby buildings to get multiple angles on the warehouse. Rebecca lounged in her chair, munching on snacks, while G.I.R. cozily settled onto Lucy's lap.
Alex, knowing they had plenty of time before the main target showed up, pulled out his notebook and started jotting down ideas for worlds he wanted to visit.
«That world would be interesting,» he thought, writing down a name.
As Alex continued noting his thoughts on different worlds, he gradually shifted his focus to ideas about borrowing weapons from various figures. Knowing himself, Alex realized he would probably never return anything he «borrowed.»
A sly grin spread across his face, and in the next moment, he burst into an evil laugh, reminiscent of a villain from a low-budget movie. Lucy, hearing this, turned her head and saw Alex scribbling in his notebook, laughing like a mad scientist. She just shook her head, once again reminded that her boyfriend was a bit strange.
«Why are you laughing like a maniac? Did you come up with something for me? If so, I'll kiss you all over right now,» Rebecca grumbled, turning her head toward Alex.
Alex cleared his throat, realizing he had gotten too carried away with his plans to steal weapons for his collection. He glanced at Rebecca, who was clearly expecting an explanation, and then at Lucy, who sighed heavily. Closing his notebook, Alex decided not to reveal his sinister schemes.
Even though Rebecca adored firearms, Alex preferred melee weapons—whether he planned to use them or just wanted them in his collection.
«Sorry, I was just thinking about the worlds I want to visit,» Alex said a bit sheepishly, trying not to give away his real thoughts.
Rebecca's eyes lit up, and she immediately jumped off her seat, settling onto his lap. She was eager to hear what other worlds existed. She already knew about Alex's world when he'd told her about it, and she was dying to dive into dungeons and shoot monsters. But of course, her interests didn't end there.
Lucy, who was keeping an eye on the warehouse, overheard the conversation about other worlds and started listening too. She used to dream of escaping to the Moon, to leave this city behind forever, but ever since Alex came into her life, her dreams had changed.
Now, she wanted to spend a lot of time with him and travel through many worlds. If the Moon had once seemed unreachable, Alex made that dream feel more real, closer, as if she could just reach out and touch it.
«Come on, stop stalling! Tell us about the other worlds!» Rebecca said impatiently, fidgeting on his lap.
Alex adjusted her to sit more comfortably, so she wouldn't accidentally make things awkward for him, and began stroking her head. He decided to tell them about two worlds he wanted to visit.
«There are two cities I plan to see,» Alex started with a slight smile, lighting a cigarette. He changed the scent so it wouldn't bother Rebecca, who often complained about it.
Rebecca was about to snatch the cigarette away, but when she didn't smell the usual unpleasant odor, she froze in surprise. Seeing Alex's half-smile, she realized he'd altered the scent just for her, and with a grin, she playfully bumped her head against his chest.
«What cities?» Lucy asked, now paying attention to the conversation.
Exhaling the smoke upward so as not to annoy Rebecca, Alex began to explain.
«One of them is underwater, and the other is high up in the sky,» he said with a playful smile. «But the most interesting part is that these cities exist in the same universe, but in different timelines.»
Lucy and Rebecca exchanged puzzled looks, clearly not understanding what he meant. What did "same universe, but different timelines" mean? To them, it sounded completely foreign. Alex noticed their confusion and decided to simplify.
«Imagine a tree. The trunk is the start of the universe, and each branch is its development. Every choice we make is a new branch. That's how new timelines form, where you could make one decision or another,» Alex explained.
Lucy was the first to grasp the concept and began to ponder.
«So, in one timeline, you're my boyfriend, and in another, you're not?» she asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.
«Unfortunately, no,» Alex replied with a smirk. «I'm unique. From the moment I appeared in this timeline, it branched off from the main one and started growing independently.»
Rebecca waved her hand dismissively, not wanting to delve into complicated explanations. She was far more interested in the two cities, one underwater and the other in the sky.
«Enough of this complicated nonsense. I want to hear about the cities!» she said, grabbing Alex by the cheeks to keep him from going too deep into his thoughts.
Alex looked at Rebecca, who had grabbed his cheeks, and realized it was probably best not to dive too far into his reflections—there was a time for everything. As usual, he preferred to deal with problems as they arose. Maybe the solution would be simpler than he thought. Smiling, Alex decided to move on to the story of the two cities.
«The first city underwater is called Rapture. And how should I put this… it's not that different from Night City,» Alex said with a crooked smile.
He began telling them about Rapture, an underwater city that was like a mirror image of their world, except that instead of implants, they used plasmids that altered people's DNA, giving them various abilities—from telekinesis to fire attacks.
Rebecca listened to his story and frowned. Her confusion was apparent: why would Alex want to visit a place so similar to Night City, with the only difference being that it was underwater? Lucy also gave him a skeptical look, as if she were staring at some strange creature, eager to leap from one disaster to another.
«And what's the city in the sky?» Lucy asked, clearly hoping the second city would be something more inspiring.
Alex sighed, understanding their reaction. They wanted to escape Night City, not find themselves in another similar place. However, Alex wanted to see the underwater city for its beauty and to help those who had become victims of experiments—especially the little sisters who had been turned into monsters.
He hated seeing children suffer and was willing to do whatever it took to save them. But now wasn't the time for such thoughts.
«The second city is called Columbia,» he began with a smile. «It can either be seen as paradise or hell—depending on how you look at it. It was built by a fanatical, God-fearing leader who eventually decides to launch a crusade.»
Alex remembered his first impressions of Columbia—the grandeur of its architecture, the flights through the sky, but also the same tangled world of parallel realities that made newcomers' heads spin. He briefly mentioned the deep-seated racism embedded in the city's society, frozen in the era of the Civil War. And of course, he mentioned Elizabeth—the girl with the unique ability to travel between universes.
«So you just want to go there for her, huh?» Rebecca smirked, catching the main thread in his story.
Alex grimaced. Elizabeth was definitely interesting, but her sharp change in character as events unfolded made him wonder. It wasn't that he didn't want to save her, but...
«Her own father locked her in a tower and uses her powers to fuel the city. And this same man is the leader of the whole racist society,» Alex shrugged.
Lucy understood his motives: Alex wanted to save the unfortunate girl imprisoned by her own father. She had yet to realize that the father who sold her and the father who locked her in the tower were the same person. Rebecca thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up, and a mischievous smile appeared on her face.
«So, you're planning to rescue a princess like a true knight?» she asked with a sly grin.
Alex nearly choked. His «knighthood» was limited to caring for those close to him, but he wasn't opposed to causing chaos if things got boring. Lucy, smirking, added:
«Don't forget, he's the Demon King. He's probably going there to kidnap the princess,» she teased.
Alex instinctively nodded without thinking. The simplest way to save Elizabeth really would be to kidnap her. Rebecca burst into laughter, imagining how it would all play out, and immediately decided she would record the moment on video.
«Don't get ahead of yourself,» Alex stopped her, pinching her nose slightly. «We need to wait until Yamato is repaired before we can go.»
Rebecca, with puffed-up cheeks, swatted his hand away but immediately bit his neck in retaliation. Alex shook his head, puzzled by her antics.
«Though, I agree, causing chaos in a fanatical city and rescuing a princess from a tower does sound like a perfect task for a Demon King,» he smirked.
Lucy rolled her eyes, while Rebecca made big, sad eyes, as if she would cry if Alex didn't take her with him. Unable to resist, he promised to take her along when they ventured to that world. Maybe they could even help Booker avoid his grim fate.
Alex decided to continue telling them more about both cities to pass the time until evening, when it would be time to execute the next plan.
To be continued…