Since that late-night conversation, life returned to its usual rhythm. However, the events with Pilar had reawakened Alex's long-dormant paranoia. It occasionally surfaced, but so faintly that Alex barely paid any attention to it.
He believed this world to be much safer than the one he came from. There were no monsters or gods seeking chaos here. But, to his disappointment, this city had its own monsters. Only here, they were called cyberpsychos, and also the Scavenger gang, willing to do anything for money.
Time passed unnoticed. Alex went about his usual activities: working in his workshop and occasionally taking on jobs. After Maine ended up in rehab, the number of jobs dropped significantly. But Padre came to the rescue, sometimes offering him profitable tasks.
Thanks to this, Alex built up a reputation among the members of the Valentino gang. They started giving him various jobs, ranging from deliveries to eliminating unwanted individuals. Usually, these were people causing trouble in gang territory and trying to hide, but with Alex's abilities, it was impossible to escape. He quickly earned their respect.
Through Padre's connections, other fixers also learned about Alex and started offering him work. He always completed the tasks quickly and efficiently — something highly valued among mercenaries. If combat skills were required, Alex always took Rebecca with him so she could test her new ammo.
These missions usually ended with Rebecca turning the firefight into a bloody carnival. When stealth was needed, and data had to be stolen, Alex called on Lucy. He even turned some jobs into impromptu dates: if cargo needed to be delivered, he brought Valerie along, who was getting bored sitting at home.
As the workload increased, so did the money flowing into Alex's account. After all, living with four girls under one roof wasn't cheap, especially when one of them was a gun fanatic.
Rebecca bought weapons the moment Alex looked away and even took them from enemies during missions. Now, her corner of the workshop was packed with a firearms arsenal, for which Alex had to make various types of ammunition. Rebecca looked at him with such sad eyes that Alex just couldn't say no.
Lucy also did her part, taking private contracts for data extraction to help the family budget. Alex offered to make her a personal bike, but she refused, saying she could use "Fenrir" when Alex wasn't using it.
One day, Rebecca got so bored that she decided to participate in street races. For that, she needed a car, and naturally, she set her sights on Alex's beloved car, which he cherished like his own child. Under her pressure, Alex gave in but on the condition that he would watch the race.
The whole family gathered to watch the race, even Gloria, who usually kept away from such chaos. Before the race, one of the participants tried to taunt Rebecca, calling her a child who should stay home instead of racing with the "grown men."
He didn't know that Rebecca's car was practically a tank, even if it had no weapons. But why would a car need weapons when there's a real gremlin behind the wheel, one who doesn't know how to forgive? In the end, only Rebecca made it to the finish line.
And when the friends of that racer tried to confront her for "unfair" play, they quickly realized that threatening her was not the best idea when there's a shotgun aimed at your face.
One day, Alex offered to make Gloria a personal car for her safety, but she declined, saying she was fine with Alex or G.I.R. giving her rides. However, after the incident with Pilar, Alex decided to create a protective shield.
He was inspired by energy shields from a video game, but he aimed to make them compact and less noticeable. It took an entire week to develop, but in the end, Alex created a working prototype — a bracelet that was inconspicuous but could activate a protective field.
When Rebecca received her bracelet, she immediately wanted to take it apart, which Alex forbade. Instead, he gave her defective prototypes that she could play with since they were useless in combat.
When Lucy got her bracelet, she thanked Alex but then asked a question that stumped him: "Why not just use magic? " Magic, of course, would be simpler, but Alex believed that living in a technological world, it was better to follow its rules to avoid standing out. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," he said, explaining his principle to Lucy.
One day, while Alex was in his workshop, creating yet another dangerous weapon that he probably wouldn't use, G.I.R. kicked the door open. It was such a dramatic entrance that, for a second, Alex imagined special effects behind G.I.R. — smoke and explosions. Quickly shaking off those thoughts, Alex calmly looked at the robot, waiting for an explanation.
Without wasting time, G.I.R. jumped onto the table and connected to the computer. A face immediately appeared on the screen — it was someone Alex had been searching for a long time. One of the people responsible for the accident that injured Gloria. Apparently, G.I.R. had been tracking them for a while and had found the perfect moment for elimination. The screen displayed the location where the man was set to participate in street fights.
«Good job, G.I.R.,» Alex praised, scratching his robo-dog behind the ear.
Looking at the clock, Alex realized there was little time left, and he needed to act fast. He wanted to avoid another chase or shootout and decided to finish the job quickly. For that, he needed a sniper rifle, and he planned to borrow one from his favorite «gremlin.»
Approaching Rebecca's table, he grabbed the first rifle he saw and randomly chose some bullets, stuffing them into his pocket. With the rifle packed into a case, Alex was ready to go.
As he opened the workshop door, Rebecca stood in front of him, eyeing him suspiciously.
«Where are you going?» she asked, glancing at the gun case in Alex's hands.
He looked at Rebecca, who was wearing his T-shirt. It had taken a lot of effort to get her to stop walking around the apartment in just her underwear, and the compromise was that she agreed to wear a T-shirt over it. Alex knew that if he said too much, she would tag along, especially since she had been bored lately.
«A quick job, there and back. I just need your rifle,» he replied, pointing at the case.
Rebecca hesitated for a moment, then a mischievous smile spread across her face.
«I'm coming with you. Got nothing else to do anyway,» she said cheerfully, and without waiting for objections, she rushed upstairs to change.
She was back so quickly that Alex didn't even have time to say a word. Now Rebecca was in her usual outfit, and with a smile, she said:
«Alright, let's go.»
Alex shook his head and followed her. When they reached the parking lot, he carefully placed the rifle in the back seat and started the engine. Opening the map on his phone, Alex began searching for a building with a good view of the ring where the street fights would take place. Once he found a suitable spot, he headed towards it.
Upon arriving at the designated building, Alex looked around to ensure there were no cameras nearby that could capture his actions. Rebecca stood patiently next to him, silent as she waited for him to finish his inspection.
«Well, come here, my sweet gremlin,» Alex said with a smirk, lifting her into his arms.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he began to climb the wall, pushing off with his legs to reach the roof. Once they were on top, Alex checked the visibility — the ring was clearly visible.
Satisfied, he started assembling the rifle while Rebecca sat next to him, resting her chin on her hands, watching intently.
«Who's your target?» she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Alex pulled out his phone and sent her a message with the target's information.
«Brooks King? Who is that?» she asked, looking at the dossier.
Alex continued loading the magazine with bullets as he explained,
«He's the driver who was behind the wheel in the accident with Gloria. He's participating in the fights today. He's second on the list.»
After finishing loading the rifle, Alex lit a cigarette, watching the ring and preparing to execute his plan.
Rebecca's eyes widened when she realized that Alex's target wasn't just another job but personal revenge. She knew him well enough to understand that he wouldn't rest until he tracked down everyone involved. Unlike Lucy or Gloria, who might have tried to dissuade him from this path, Rebecca was ready to help, knowing that Alex needed it. Beneath her sweet exterior lay a true vengeful spirit, willing to go to great lengths for those she loved.
«You've been searching for them for a long time,» Rebecca remarked, leaning against his shoulder.
Alex took a deep breath, exhaling the cigarette smoke through his nose, and shook his head.
«I never lost them,» he said quietly. «Since we took out the first one, G.I.R. has been tracking the others. I was just waiting for the right moment to strike.»
That moment had come. Today, his target would be alone, without any protection, and that meant everything would go according to plan.
«G.I.R. has been monitoring them all along. I was just waiting for a lucky break,» Alex added, glancing at the rifle he had already loaded.
Rebecca pulled a pair of binoculars from her gear — a piece of equipment Alex had designed specifically for her. She always carried a mountain of weapons and snacks, like a true gremlin. But right now, her attention was focused on the ring.
«Two strangers are fighting,» she noted indifferently, sitting next to Alex. Such matches didn't particularly interest her; she preferred chaos and unpredictability.
Alex lay back and decided to take a moment to enjoy the night sky. Rebecca also turned away from the ring, resting her head on his shoulder. They both gazed at the stars, relishing a brief pause.
«Do you love me?» Rebecca suddenly asked, her expression turning serious.
Surprised by the suddenness of the question, Alex turned to her but smiled.
«Of course,» he replied softly.
Rebecca's cheeks flushed slightly, and she beamed at him.
«How much?» she continued, her eyes sparkling in the moonlight.
Alex hugged her tighter, pulling her close.
«You have no idea how much,» he whispered, his voice warm and sincere.
Rebecca pressed herself against him even tighter. She had always longed for the love and warmth that had been taken from her in childhood. Living under one roof with Alex, she finally began to feel desired and needed. Now she was willing to do anything to preserve that feeling, even if it meant burning the whole city down.
«What are you going to do after your sword is repaired?» she asked, glancing up at him.
Alex paused to think. He didn't yet know where he would go next. There were too many worlds, and choosing among them felt impossible.
«Probably head back home, and then we'll see,» he replied after a brief moment of contemplation.
Rebecca grabbed his cheeks, forcing him to look her in the eyes.
«You're going to take me with you, no matter what world you go to, right?» Her expression turned serious as she narrowed her eyes, as if demanding a vow.
Alex laughed at her fleeting seriousness.
«Of course. What kind of adventure would it be if I went alone?» he answered with a smile.
Rebecca happily hugged him, resting her head on his chest. They lay like that for an hour until it was time to act. Suddenly, Rebecca noticed movement in the ring. Brooks, their target, had finally stepped out.
«Hey, that idiot is in the ring,» she said, nudging Alex's shoulder.
Alex rolled onto his side, crawled toward the rifle, and looked through the scope. He saw Brooks and aimed for his chest, but he didn't pull the trigger. He waited, taking his time to finish the job.
«Why aren't you shooting?» Rebecca asked, noticing his hesitation.
Alex tore his gaze from the scope and looked at her.
«It seems like he's about to fight for the championship title. And you know what's the cruelest part about it?» Alex smiled. «I'll shoot when he thinks he's finally achieved something. I'll shatter all his hopes at the most unexpected moment.»
Rebecca's eyes widened at Alex's words, but soon she burst into wild laughter, realizing that a simple death was too boring. It was far more interesting to let the victim taste victory first and then crush all their hopes and dreams.
«What a cruel thing to do… but I like your style,» she said with a predatory smile, reminiscent of a gremlin's grin.
Alex laughed along with Rebecca and shifted his gaze back to the fight in the ring. In the first minutes, Brooks was losing, pressured by the champion, but gradually he began to fight back. His strikes became more precise, and soon he seized the initiative.
Brooks unleashed a series of powerful blows to the opponent's torso, not allowing him to catch his breath or change tactics. He pushed the champion into a corner, continuing the onslaught, and then delivered a crushing right hook to the jaw, knocking out several teeth and breaking it. The moment of triumph was near — Brooks stood in the center of the ring, celebrating. The referee raised his hand, proclaiming him the new champion.
Alex realized that this was the perfect moment to shatter all his joy.
«Well, you won't enjoy your victory for long,» he murmured, taking aim.
Brooks, intoxicated by his victory, didn't have time to savor it fully. He proudly raised his arms, showcasing his superiority when a sudden pain pierced his chest. He looked down and saw a hole the size of his fist, from which blood gushed out. Barely realizing he had been shot, he fell onto his back, landing in a pool of his own blood.
Alex watched the scene unfold through the scope with a slight smirk. Although he hadn't killed Brooks with his own hands, as he had with Dylan, this method of murder felt fitting. After all, the worst thing is to lose everything just when you start to feel victory. Alex bitterly recognized this truth from his own experience—one should never relax too soon in any game.
Shifting his gaze away from the ring, where a crowd had gathered around Brooks's body, Alex turned to Rebecca, who was playfully swinging her legs while holding binoculars.
«Well, I think we're done here,» he said with a slight smile.
Rebecca tore her gaze from the binoculars and looked at Alex, whose calm smile radiated as if he had simply decided to take a break on the roof with a sniper rifle at hand.
«You're quite the villain, killing him in the moment of triumph,» she remarked with a cheerful chuckle.
Alex began to dismantle the rifle, carefully packing it back into its case.
«The worst thing is to lose everything just when you've tasted victory,» he said, shaking his head.
Rebecca huffed, jumped onto his back, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
As Alex gathered his rifle, he approached the edge of the roof. With ease, he stepped into the void and landed near his car, leaving a web of cracks in the asphalt beneath his feet. Rebecca jumped off his back and looked down.
«I still can't get used to how strong you are,» she said, poking him in the stomach with her finger.
Alex felt a slight tickle and smirked.
«I'm not hard; I'm just durable. That's a different thing,» he replied, grabbing her finger.
Rebecca pondered for a moment. Something in his words sounded strange. She had playfully bitten him more than once, and his skin felt just like anyone else's, except it was much tougher.
«Where to now?» she asked, looking at him with curiosity.
Alex thought for a moment. He hadn't planned anything special after killing Brooks, figuring he would just head back to the workshop and continue his experiments. But he knew for sure that Rebecca wouldn't leave him alone.
«I guess we could go on a date with my favorite gremlin,» he said, pinching her nose.
Rebecca laughed happily and ran to the car, jumping into the passenger seat. Alex, smiling, followed her, placing the rifle case on the back seat before taking the driver's seat.
«So, where do you want to go on our little improvised date?» he asked, looking at her.
Rebecca thoughtfully rested her finger on her chin, and then her eyes lit up with excitement.
«Let's grab some burgers and take some weapons from some idiots!» she suggested with a wide smile.
Alex could understand the burger part since sometimes it felt good to eat something unhealthy. But why take weapons when their workshop was already full of dangerous gadgets, and Rebecca's personal arsenal could rival a small armory?
Her inventions were always both brilliant and crazy. She could probably create a Death Star in her basement if she wanted to.
«I can get the burgers, but don't you already have enough of what you have?» he asked with a smile.
Rebecca rolled her eyes as if implying that there's no such thing as too much weaponry.
«Everything will go toward spare parts. Why spend money when you can just take it from idiots?» she said, as if it were obvious.
Alex smiled and started the engine, heading to the diner for burgers. After getting a whole bag of food, he looked at the address Rebecca had sent through her connections—a hideout of a petty gang. Smiling, Alex drove off for a fun date with Rebecca.
To be continued...