Alex, along with the girls, was heading toward the exit from the basement. Before leaving the room, he glanced back, checking if he had forgotten anything important. But, as before, the room was left with only the equipment brought by the Maelstrom gang members, who now lay on the floor, a reminder of their pitiful fate. The girls noticed his hesitation and exchanged glances.
«Why did you stop?» Lucy asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.
«Just making sure I didn't miss anything,» Alex replied, shaking his head.
Satisfied that he hadn't left anything behind, Alex and the girls headed toward the hole in the wall through which he had fallen into the basement. On their way, they passed the bodies of the Maelstrom members who had become victims of his rage. Kiwi slowed her pace a little, walking alongside Alex. She wanted to ask him a question, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.
Alex, noticing her hesitation, glanced at Lucy and Rebecca. Both girls said nothing, giving Kiwi space so she could finally ask what was on her mind.
«If you have questions, don't be shy,» Alex said, sensing her tension.
Kiwi hesitated, her thoughts swirling in her mind like a thousand flies, making it hard to focus. Everything she had experienced in the last few hours felt like a surreal nightmare. Not long ago, she had pointed a gun at Alex, and now she had to come to terms with the fact that he was a demon from another world where gods walked among mortals. But right now, that wasn't what bothered her. Her question was much more personal.
Suddenly, Kiwi stopped and grabbed Alex by the hand.
«Can you heal people with your magic?» she asked, looking him straight in the eyes.
Alex expected her to ask something, but he still raised an eyebrow in surprise. It seemed odd to him that she would ask something so obvious—hadn't Lucy told her about his abilities?
He looked at Lucy, who had stopped with Rebecca a short distance away, giving them space to talk privately. Lucy shook her head, indicating that Kiwi hadn't brought this up before.
«Yes, I can. Why are you asking? Didn't Lucy tell you about that?» Alex responded, slightly puzzled.
Kiwi sighed, realizing it was time to ask the question that had been troubling her the most.
«How effective is your healing?» she asked nervously.
Alex sighed, understanding that Kiwi was likely concerned about the problems related to her cyber implants. He understood her doubts: to her, he was the last hope for a normal life, but it was important for him to know exactly what she wanted to heal before making promises.
«I can heal almost anything,» Alex replied calmly, with a slight smile. «I can even bring someone back to life, though that requires special conditions.»
Kiwi's eyes widened in surprise. The very idea of resurrection shocked her, and before she could process what to ask next, she blurted out:
«Like a zombie?»
Alex almost burst out laughing when he heard that. He had often encountered similar reactions when people heard about resurrection. Rebecca, hearing her question, couldn't contain her laughter and covered her mouth to stifle a loud laugh.
Alex gave her a reproachful look, then turned to Lucy, hoping for her support, but she just blew him a kiss, clearly not wanting to get involved.
«No, not like a zombie,» Alex answered, sighing and rubbing his brow in exhaustion. «Resurrection and turning into a zombie are two different things. And, by the way, there are different types of zombies, but now is definitely not the time to discuss that.»
He continued to massage his temples, trying to calm himself before they moved on.
Kiwi nodded, listening to Alex's explanations about healing magic. She had no real interest in resurrection magic or turning people into zombies—it was just idle curiosity, as she, like the other girls raised in the modern world, had never encountered magic before.
Her real question was different—she wanted to know how serious of an injury Alex could heal. But how to phrase the request? Gathering her thoughts, she finally looked at him, deciding to ask the question that mattered most to her.
«Then, can you help me with your healing magic?» Kiwi asked hopefully.
For her, Alex was the last hope for recovery. Alex raised an eyebrow slightly, not understanding why she was so hesitant to ask for help. After all, wasn't that what friends were for—to help each other in tough times?
«Of course, but not right now,» he said with a kind smile.
Kiwi felt a wave of relief hearing his agreement, but frowned when Alex added that he couldn't help immediately. Lucy and Rebecca also looked at him in surprise.
«Why not now?» Kiwi asked, unable to hide her surprise.
Alex sighed, glancing at Lucy and Rebecca, who also didn't understand his decision. Seeing their confusion, he barely held back a smile.
«First, we're expected upstairs. If you show up without your mask, everyone's going to have questions. Second, I don't even know exactly what needs healing. Third, girls, let's not forget common sense: we're in a world where we're constantly being watched, and I don't want to use magic outside of a safe place where I can be sure no one will see,» he explained calmly.
Kiwi nodded, realizing the truth in his words. Magic in this world was indeed beyond the understanding of most people, and if the corporations noticed its use, Alex would surely become their target.
Though she didn't know the full extent of his abilities, Lucy's words gave her only a general idea: Alex was a man from a world of gods, a former adventurer, but Lucy had left out the more detailed aspects.
Alex, noticing Kiwi's saddened expression, approached her and gently placed his hand on her head, comforting her.
«It's going to be okay. You just need to wait a little longer, and you'll be free from your problem. Come home with us, and I'll help you there,» he said, stroking her head softly.
Kiwi felt the warmth of his hand and heard his confident, calm voice. She nodded, accepting his words. The problem had burdened her for years, and what were a few more hours of waiting compared to that? She felt a bit lighter inside, knowing that Alex had promised to help, and now she could relax.
Catching Lucy's gaze, who was watching her with a slight smile, Kiwi suddenly remembered their recent conversation. Lucy had hinted that in time, everything would fall into place, and now Kiwi began to understand that she really did like Alex. She even admired how calmly he reacted to her overhearing their conversation. In her place, someone else might have been angry.
Kiwi still had many more questions, but Alex didn't give her time to ask them.
«Alright, enough chatting. They're waiting for us upstairs, and it's time to celebrate the successful completion of the mission,» he said cheerfully.
The girls nodded. Questions and conversations could wait, for now, it was time to head back. They approached the hole in the ceiling through which Alex had fallen and heard voices coming from above.
Alex looked around, realizing it would be difficult for the girls to climb up. He glanced at them, considering how to solve the problem. Rebecca, standing nearby, also looked at the hole and understood that she couldn't jump up there herself, meaning they'd have to rely on Alex.
«And how are we going to get up?» Lucy asked, looking at him with confusion.
Alex grinned widely and turned to Lucy, making her immediately wary, sensing something unusual.
«Of course, we'll jump up! How else? Don't worry, we'll figure it out,» he answered with a smirk.
Without hesitation, Rebecca climbed onto Alex's back, wrapping her legs and arms around him. It was the safest place for her. Alex felt her secure position, and after glancing at Lucy and Kiwi, he scooped them both up in his arms before they had a chance to react.
Lucy yelped in surprise, grabbing onto his head to keep from falling, while Kiwi almost started to struggle, recalling their previous experience of jumping off the Arasaka building rooftop.
«And now, upward!» Alex said with a smile, slightly crouching before the jump.
Kiwi didn't even have time to protest before Alex leapt. He jumped and began pushing off the walls as if he were enjoying the movement. Although he could have gotten out of the basement with a single jump, he savored the feeling of climbing higher, leaping upwards. At moments like these, he felt like a video game hero, capable of running along walls.
Meanwhile, the rest of the group waited patiently upstairs. Well, «patiently» was a bit of an overstatement, as there was one person who just couldn't stop complaining.
«What's taking them so long? How hard is it to just go, grab him, and come back?» Maine grumbled, continuing his disgruntled comments.
Dorio could only sigh, watching her restless boyfriend who loved to complain. At first, he had stayed quiet when the girls left to bring Alex back, but after a few minutes, Maine started grumbling about the delay. As soon as he recovered from his bout of cyberpsychosis, he was back to being himself—the grouchy leader who was always dissatisfied with something.
Dorio was ready to smack him on the head again. Pilar, standing off to the side, just chuckled at his boss's behavior. In an attempt to peer into the hole to see what was going on below, Pilar nearly fell over when something shot past him.
«Damn it!» Pilar exclaimed, barely keeping his balance after the sudden rush.
His outburst caught Maine and Dorio's attention. Alex landed right in front of the group, smiling. He glanced at Pilar, who was still recovering, then turned his attention to Maine and Dorio, who were also staring at him in surprise.
«Hey there!» Alex said, gently setting Lucy and Kiwi down on the ground.
Dorio carefully examined Alex to make sure he was okay, and not finding any injuries, she nodded at him with relief. Pilar grinned, realizing everyone was safe. But Maine, noticing how close Kiwi was standing to Alex, raised his eyebrows with a smirk.
«So, you guys decided to hang out down there a bit longer? Or… heh-heh… were you up to something while you were gone?» he teased, squinting mockingly.
His gaze lingered on Kiwi, who was still standing next to Alex. Unable to hold back, Maine grinned even wider, turning to Dorio.
«See? I told you he'd be adding to his harem soon,» he said with a smug tone.
Dorio clenched her fists, ready to smack Maine for his comments. He turned back to Alex, feigning the face of a friend who'd been «ditched» for the girls.
«Listen, if you two decided to have some fun down there, you could've at least waited until you got home. Unless… maybe you're into that? A basement works too…» he continued, not hiding his mockery.
Alex heard Maine's comment, and his eye twitched nervously. He patted Rebecca on the shoulder, signaling for her to get off his back, since Maine was in for a «surprise.» Dorio, noticing that Alex was preparing for something, already raised her hand to smack Maine but paused when she heard Alex's voice.
«Maine, wanna see a magic trick?» Alex asked, smiling in a friendly manner.
Lucy and Rebecca exchanged glances when they heard the offer and immediately felt pity for Maine. They knew all too well that whenever Alex offered to show someone a trick, it always ended badly for the «lucky» participant. Dorio, seeing their sympathetic looks, realized that Maine was about to experience something unpleasant but had no intention of stopping it—he had brought it on himself.
Pilar perked up, excited to see the trick. He was still curious about how Alex had once turned an ordinary pen into a flower. Maine, not paying attention to the warnings, just smirked.
«Go ahead, choom, surprise me,» he said with a wide grin.
Alex grinned back and slowly vanished from his spot, leaving only an afterimage behind. Maine didn't even have time to blink before he felt a chill behind him and heard Alex's quiet but eerie voice.
«Wait, I was just kidding!» Maine tried to shout, but it was too late.
Alex appeared behind Maine, hands folded, with his index fingers pointed forward. He took aim and struck with full force.
«Ninja secret technique: Thousand Years of Pain!» Alex announced triumphantly as he delivered the blow.
Maine yelped in surprise and pain, while the rest of the group burst into laughter.
Everyone had been watching intently, curious about the trick Alex would show Maine. When Alex suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind him, Lucy knew her suspicions were right—Maine was definitely going to suffer. She didn't pay much attention to his jokes anymore, having gotten used to his endless whining, but Kiwi was surprised to see that Alex could move just as fast as users of the Sandevistan implants. Everyone tensed up when Alex mentioned his «secret technique,» and only then did they realize what was coming.
The answer didn't take long—Alex jabbed his fingers right into Maine's rear. Maine's face contorted with pain, and that was just the first part of the «trick.» The technique's main goal was to send the «victim» flying, and just as Maine was about to protest, his feet unexpectedly left the ground, and he crashed into a nearby crate with a loud thud.
«And that's the trick,» Alex said innocently, glancing at Maine.
Everyone froze with their mouths open, unable to believe what had just happened. Pilar couldn't hold it in and started laughing like a madman at the sight of his leader's state. Dorio turned away to hide her laughter, and Rebecca's eyes lit up as she immediately ran to Alex, demanding that he teach her the technique, finding it way cooler than anything she'd done before.
Pilar, hearing his sister's request, felt instant dread—he knew he'd be her first victim. He frantically waved his hands, signaling to Alex not to even think about passing his «secrets» to Rebecca.
Lucy watched the scene unfold with a crooked smile, shaking her head: Maine had gotten off easy—Alex could've used his famous stick, the one he often used to discipline idiots. Kiwi raised an eyebrow, and upon hearing Lucy's hint, realized that Alex was indeed capable of some bizarre things, all while maintaining that innocent face.
Maine, rising after the collision with the crates, slowly realized what had just happened. His thoughts were jumbled, and it was only now that it dawned on him: Alex had shown a trick that ended with a painful strike to the most inconvenient spot. He was still feeling the pain, and his glasses had slipped down his nose while his eyelid twitched nervously.
«You little bastard... I treated you like a friend, and you stabbed me in the back,» Maine shouted as he got to his feet.
Alex simply raised an eyebrow and replied innocently.
«First of all, it wasn't in the back; it was in the butt. Those are two different things. And second, you agreed to the trick yourself.»
The group erupted in laughter. Even Lucy and Kiwi couldn't hold back anymore. Maine wanted to refute Alex's words, but realizing that he had indeed agreed to it, he only muttered something displeased and walked toward the group. Alex smirked and turned to Dorio, deciding to provoke Maine even more.
«Dorio, listen. If Maine starts rambling again, I can lend you my stick to teach him a lesson,» Alex suggested with a cheerful grin.
Dorio raised an eyebrow, not understanding what stick he was referring to, but those who knew the story of that stick were already looking at Maine with pity. If it ended up in Dorio's hands, Maine's life would become unbearable. Hearing about the stick, Maine flinched.
«What stick?» Dorio asked, noticing the change in the others' faces.
Alex approached her with a wide smile. «It's a special stick I made for hitting idiots. It causes very, very intense pain but leaves no lasting damage.»
Dorio, catching the joking tone of Alex, decided to play along to scare Maine a little: «Of course, if he starts babbling again, I'll definitely take you up on that offer.»
Maine, desperately shaking his head, pleaded with Dorio not to take the offer seriously. She only smirked back at him, hinting that if he behaved himself, everything would be fine.
«Alright, it's time to head back. I think we should grab some food and drinks to celebrate this mission,» Alex suggested with a smile.
The group readily agreed with him. Maine, grinning, devised a cunning plan: «Then you're paying,» he said, slapping Alex on the shoulder.
Without hesitation, Alex agreed to treat his friends to food. Maine, realizing he hadn't managed to pull a fast one on him, surrendered and, grumbling about the unfairness of life, walked alongside Dorio.
Outside, a van was already waiting for them with Falco at the wheel, and Valeri was sitting in the front seat next to him. GIR, positioned on the roof, resembled a turret, waving a flag behind him. Upon seeing Lucy, he instantly jumped down and settled in her arms. They all squeezed into the van, which immediately turned into a can of sardines.
Since Dorio and Maine were the largest, they took up most of the space, while Pilar, with his long limbs, barely fit. Lucy and Rebecca sat in the front seat, with Valeri in their laps, and Alex squeezed in with the others. In the end, Kiwi was practically sitting on his lap since there wasn't enough room.
«Hey, Falco, let's go already, or I'm going to get squashed,» Alex complained about the tightness.
Lucy turned her head toward Alex, a sly smile on her face as she looked at his predicament.
«What's your complaint? You have Kiwi sitting on your lap; you should be happy,» Maine teased, glancing at Alex pressed against the wall.
Alex twitched his eye and reached into his pocket, hinting at his punishment stick.
«I don't mind that Kiwi is sitting on my lap. I just think we need a new van,» he grumbled, trying to shift into a more comfortable position so Kiwi wouldn't feel too uncomfortable.
Kiwi, who was now almost entirely sitting on his lap, raised an eyebrow and turned to him.
«Don't look at me like that; it's better for both of us,» Alex explained, justifying his action.
She nodded, relaxing and leaning against him. Falco, catching sight of them in the rearview mirror, chuckled and started the engine, heading to the store for food and drinks to celebrate the successfully completed mission.
While they were driving, Alex called Padre to report on the completed assignment and to find out how the cleanup had gone on their end. Learning that there had been less resistance at the other warehouses, Alex also asked if there had been any strange behavior from the Maelstrom gang members.
Padre replied that they had acted just like usual, which is to say, like crazies. After finishing the call, Alex was about to ponder this but was distracted by the sound of money being deposited into his account, and he immediately split the reward among all the team members.
After successful shopping, the group headed back to the base to celebrate. As they were approaching, Falco noticed a van parked nearby.
«Hey, do we have guests?» he asked, drawing everyone else's attention.
They all stared at the van parked by the base. Lucy immediately suspected something and glanced at Alex, who was smiling mysteriously. She realized it was his doing but decided not to say anything for now. When Falco parked the van, everyone began to get out and inspect the new vehicle.
«I don't know whose it is, but the van looks fantastic,» Falco remarked, admiring the vehicle.
Alex, lighting a cigarette, decided to cheer up his friend.
«It's yours,» he said with a slight smile.
Everyone instantly turned to Alex. Falco stared at him in shock.
«What do you mean?» he asked skeptically.
«I told you I had a gift for you. You asked me to modify the van, but I got too lazy to redesign it, so I just built a new one,» Alex replied with a smirk, pointing to the brand-new van.
To confirm his words, Alex walked over to the van and opened the doors. Falco's eyes lit up immediately, and he rushed to the van to check the engine. When he lifted the hood, he nearly cried from excitement.
Quickly turning to Alex, he rushed to hug him. The rest of the team looked at Alex in confusion when he said he built the van out of «laziness.» Only Lucy understood what he meant: Alex always preferred to create something new rather than fix something old.
«I appreciate the thanks, but I don't like hugging guys,» Alex remarked with a crooked smile.
Everyone burst into laughter and began to explore the new van. Alex had transformed it from just a mobile home into a full-fledged combat APC with living modules. He had installed turrets on the roof so Falco could provide fire support if needed.
Rebecca, hearing about the turrets, immediately claimed the position of gunner, stating that she was now in charge of the fire systems. No one thought to object. Pilar was especially pleased—finally, he could stretch out his long legs and sit comfortably.
«Okay, enough; you'll have plenty of time to check everything out,» Alex interrupted their excitement. «Let's go celebrate the new van!» With those words, he grabbed the bags of food and drinks.
Realizing that the van wasn't going anywhere, everyone headed toward the house. The only one reluctant to leave the van was Falco. He clung to the hood as if he had just met a long-lost love. If Alex hadn't grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and dragged him inside, Falco would probably have stayed there all night, hugging the van.
Alex understood that if he let go of him now, Falco would spend the entire evening next to the vehicle, examining it or even going for a test drive. So, Alex literally pulled him inside, despite Falco's desperate attempts to break free. With a wistful look at the door, Falco appeared like a man forced to leave his love for military duty.
After laying out the food and drinks, the whole team gathered around the table and began to celebrate their successful mission.
To be continued...