Alex stretched to loosen his stiff muscles, then grabbed the package from the bar and tucked it into the inner pocket of his jacket. He was about to leave but suddenly remembered an important detail. His gaze shifted to Gloria, who was sitting at the bar, stirring her drink. Alex wanted to know if she planned to stay there or head home when he went on his delivery run.
"Gloria," he called out, catching her attention.
Gloria stopped focusing on her drink and looked up at Alex.
"Hmm?" she said with slight surprise, turning her head.
"Are you going to wait here or head home?" Alex asked, looking at the thoughtful woman.
Gloria paused, considering his question. On one hand, it was about time for her to head home—work was tomorrow, and she had been given time off after a recent tragedy. On the other hand, she wanted to wait for Alex and return together. Why was he asking this all of a sudden? Her curiosity grew.
"Why do you ask?" she questioned, giving him a sharp look.
"I just wanted to know if we'll be heading back together or if I'll have to return alone," Alex replied, waiting for her decision.
Gloria thought for a moment. Though Alex wasn't familiar with the city, it made sense to wait for him to avoid unnecessary problems. He could get lost or run into trouble on the way. So, she decided to stay.
"I think I'll wait for you—just in case you get lost," Gloria finally answered with a light smile.
Alex grimaced as if he'd bitten into a lemon. He wasn't a child who would get lost. In the worst-case scenario, he could always use a map and navigator.
Though, to be fair, he didn't quite remember which apartment Gloria lived in or on what floor. Those details had slipped from his mind as quickly as they appeared.
The group, overhearing their conversation, couldn't hold back their laughter. Pilar laughed the loudest but quickly stopped after receiving a solid punch in the gut from his sister, Rebecca.
Alex shot them all a blank, absent stare, which only made the laughter grow louder. He seemed embarrassed by how Gloria was taking care of him, almost as if he were a lost child.
"Yeah, yeah, real funny. I'd like to see you all in an unfamiliar place," Alex said dryly, glancing around at the laughing group.
"Stop laughing! It's not his fault he doesn't know the way home," Gloria defended him, causing another wave of laughter.
Alex dramatically placed his hand over his heart, pretending to be betrayed. Gloria, though trying to defend him, only made things worse by implying he was helpless.
"Ah, traitor," Alex thought to himself with inner sadness as he looked at her.
Their eyes met. Alex's gaze held deep hurt, while Gloria's had an apologetic smile. She realized that her words had only made the situation worse.
"Alright, I get it, jokers," Alex said, shaking his head in disappointment as he prepared to leave.
He was ready to get out of the place as fast as possible, deliver the package, and return, but he was stopped.
Lucy, who had also laughed at him, noticed he was about to leave. Remembering that Alex wasn't great with directions in the city, she decided to go with him to make sure he didn't get lost or run into trouble. Besides, it was a good chance to observe how he handled himself during the job.
"I'll go with you, so you don't get lost," Lucy said, standing up and joining Alex.
Alex thought that one extra person wouldn't slow him down much and was about to agree when suddenly Rebecca chimed in. She had been laughing at him along with the others, watching the scene unfold from the sidelines, until she saw Lucy planning to go with Alex.
This irked her, and she immediately decided that she should go too. She was curious to see how Alex handled the job and what would happen if something went wrong.
"Hey, I'm coming too!" Rebecca shouted, running over to join Alex and Lucy.
Alex, who was about to agree with Lucy, stopped when he heard Rebecca's voice. He looked at her with slight confusion. His brain frantically tried to process the fact that now both girls were coming with him. He glanced at Maine, hoping for support, but Maine just smirked, clearly not planning to get involved.
"Sorry, choom, but that's for you to figure out," Maine said, shaking his head and showing that he wasn't going to intervene.
"You're the leader, you could talk them out of it!" Alex grumbled, feeling his eye twitch in frustration.
"True, but this will be good for them. They'll watch you work and form their own opinions," Dorio chimed in, speaking for Maine. He nodded in agreement.
Alex rubbed his forehead irritably. If only Lucy had gone with him, they could've finished everything quickly, but with Rebecca—this would definitely slow him down. He couldn't imagine running through the city with two girls without drawing attention. He looked at them again, realizing they clearly weren't going to accept a refusal. He had no choice but to give in.
Rebecca noticed Alex rubbing his forehead and assumed he was trying to get rid of her. She immediately got angry.
"Hey, are you against me, choom?" she yelled, suddenly punching Alex in the stomach.
Her fist met his abs as if hitting a steel wall. Rebecca pulled her hand back, shocked, looking at both her hand and Alex, who didn't even flinch. The pain in her fist made it clear she'd hit something extraordinary.
"Hey, are you hiding a metal plate in there?" she asked, rubbing her hand.
"I'm not hiding anything," Alex replied, looking at the "gremlin" who had just tried to attack him for no reason.
Ignoring his words, Rebecca grabbed his shirt, deciding to lift it to check if there was any implant underneath. Alex hurriedly held down his shirt with one hand, using the other to push Rebecca away, but she wouldn't give up. He looked around for help and locked eyes with Pilar, who was watching the scene with clear amusement.
"Pilar, stop your sister!" Alex shouted, desperately hoping for support.
But Pilar, hearing the plea, immediately turned away, avoiding Rebecca's gaze, which caused her to grin smugly. She made another attempt to pull off Alex's shirt.
Alex looked at Pilar, feeling betrayed but also understanding. Dealing with Rebecca could be too much even for her own brother. His eyes shifted to Lucy, who was standing nearby and could have helped too. However, she was just smiling, clearly enjoying the situation.
Lucy noticed Alex's helpless expression, but instead of stepping in, she only smiled wider. Alex narrowed his eyes at her but said nothing. Rebecca realized no help was coming and redoubled her efforts.
"Alright, alright, stop, Becca. I don't want to strip in front of everyone!" Alex finally gave in, holding onto her hands.
"Oh, come on, don't be shy! Lift your shirt—I want to make sure you're not hiding anything!" Rebecca insisted, still trying to break free from his grip.
Alex sighed in exhaustion. Internally, he noted that Rebecca was a strange blend of Loki and Hestia, which slightly unnerved him.
"How about we compromise: I'll show you when no one's around," Alex offered, hoping for some middle ground.
"Hah! No way! What if you hide something by then?" Rebecca immediately refused, not even considering it.
Alex let out a heavy sigh, realizing he was stuck in yet another situation that would be hard to escape from.
His eye twitched at the gremlin's behavior. Initially, he thought Rebecca was just a gun enthusiast with a rough personality, but in reality, she was a real menace.
"Fine, I'll show you! Just stop pulling my shirt—it's the only one I have," Alex said, still holding her hands.
Rebecca realized she had won and felt a bit guilty—she almost tore his last shirt.
"This could've all been avoided if you'd just let me see it from the start," she muttered, stepping back to get a better look at his torso.
Alex's eye twitched again, but he decided not to drag it out. Everyone was watching him closely, waiting to see what was hidden under his shirt. Gloria wasn't interested, as she had already seen him without clothes when she washed the blood off him. Without much fuss, Alex lifted his shirt, revealing his abs.
"You've got some solid muscles, choom," Maine said, giving him a thumbs up.
Dorio, after examining his torso, decided that Alex just had that kind of body structure, and his muscles weren't as bulky as hers. Nevertheless, she nodded.
"I see you take care of yourself. That's good."
Lucy and Rebecca stared at his abs, but while Lucy managed to keep her composure, Rebecca acted differently. While Alex was distracted by the others, she quietly reached out to touch him.
Alex looked away, not wanting to explain anything. He was too lazy to train, and the only things he did were either going on dates with goddesses or training the girls in his family. Most of his time, he spent in his workshop, like a true recluse.
Not wanting to show off any longer, Alex quickly pulled his shirt down, avoiding Rebecca's attempt to touch him. He heard her click her tongue in frustration.
"Almost had it..." Rebecca muttered, disappointed.
Alex narrowed his eyes, looking at the gremlin, trying to figure out what she was trying to do. It seemed like she just wanted to grope him. Strangely, he wasn't against it, but considering they had just met, it felt inappropriate.
Deciding not to drag it out further, he waved his hand and said goodbye:
"I'll be back soon. Or at least I hope so."
Lucy and Rebecca followed him. As soon as they stepped outside, Alex received a message on his phone with the delivery address.
"Where to now?" he muttered, glancing around.
"You seriously don't know?" Rebecca asked, looking at him in surprise.
Alex turned to her, unsure of what to say. Lucy answered for him:
"He's new to Night City and isn't familiar with it yet. Or did you forget?"
Rebecca remembered laughing when Gloria had said Alex could get lost. Back then, it seemed like a joke.
"Do you need me to show you the way, or can you manage on your own?" Lucy asked, watching Alex check his phone.
Alex turned to Lucy and let out a tired sigh. If he were alone, he would have reached the destination much faster. But with two companions, he had to walk like a normal person.
"If I were alone, I'd just run across the rooftops," he thought, glancing at the girls.
He considered carrying them, but then he'd have to explain all the jumping and strange behavior.
"No need, I'll use the map," Alex said, waving his phone in front of him.
Rebecca stared at the device in his hand, not understanding what it was. Without wasting time, she walked up and snatched the phone from Alex, turning it in her hands like it was some kind of mysterious toy.
Alex just sighed, looking at his now-empty hand, and decided to smoke while Rebecca fiddled with his phone.
"What is this?" she asked, still spinning the device and glancing at Alex, who had already lit a cigarette.
"It's a phone. And for several reasons, I don't use eye fixers," Alex replied, exhaling smoke upward to avoid blowing it at the girls.
"Why?" Rebecca stared at him with curious eyes.
Alex pondered how to answer. He couldn't just say his blood could melt any technology.
"There are reasons. I'll tell you when we get closer," he replied with a smile.
Even Gloria didn't know who he really was, assuming he was just a magician. Alex wouldn't mind telling her the truth once their relationship deepened and they trusted each other with their secrets.
"Alright. But can I take it apart? I want to see how it works," Rebecca asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Alex sighed, meeting her gaze, which reminded him of Hestia when she asked for something with the same enthusiasm. It was hard for him to refuse, but he only had one phone, and it clearly wasn't worth going back to the old man with a request for a new one, explaining that the "gremlin" had taken apart the first one.
"No, you can't. But when I find a place for my workshop, I'll build one for you," Alex offered, hoping it would appease Rebecca.
"Promise?" she asked, looking at him sadly and reluctant to return the phone.
"Yes. Here, have a candy so you won't be upset," Alex said, handing back the phone and offering her a candy. Hestia always calmed down when she got sweets, so he thought it might work with Rebecca too.
Rebecca stared at the candy in her hand, clearly contemplating whether Alex thought of her as a child who could be pacified with sweets.
"If you're offering candy, then give me more," she said, extending her hand for another.
Alex raised an eyebrow at the demand, realizing he was dealing with a real gremlin. He pulled out another candy and placed it in Lucy's hand.
"This is all that's left," he said, shrugging.
Rebecca glanced at Lucy, who instantly popped the candy into her mouth, understanding that Rebecca would definitely try to take it from her. After a brief moment of hesitation, Rebecca unwrapped her candy and popped it into her mouth, savoring the rich fruity flavor. She looked at Alex in surprise, not understanding where he had gotten such delicious treats, as everything she had tried before seemed like artificial sugar substitutes.
"When you get more, don't forget to share. Or else..." Rebecca trailed off, savoring the candy slowly and threatening him with a smile.
"And what will you do to me if I don't share?" Alex asked with an arched eyebrow.
Rebecca's smile widened.
"Heh, I'll make you a new hole in your ass," she said, her eyes glinting.
Alex looked at her and began to understand that if he invited her to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, together they could create real chaos.
"Wow, that's harsh," he replied with a smile, not taking her threat seriously.
Lucy watched the interaction between Alex and Rebecca and suddenly realized how similar they were, despite their obvious differences. While Rebecca was hot-tempered, rough, and always ready to jump into a fight, Alex seemed to be the complete opposite—responsible and caring. Yet, they appeared to be mirror images, just on different sides.
"They're so alike, yet so different," Lucy thought as Rebecca threatened Alex with "making him another hole in his ass."
"Shall we get going already?" she asked, interrupting their banter and catching both of their attention.
Alex looked at Lucy, then up at the sky, realizing it was already evening, and they shouldn't waste any more time. Opening the navigation app on his phone, he quickly mapped out the route to a guy named Rizz's apartment.
"Wow, what a handy navigator. It maps the route right to the door," Alex thought, looking at the screen.
Rebecca grabbed Alex's hand, which was holding the phone, and pulled it up to her eye level, surprised by how precise the technology was.
The group set off, chatting and laughing about the situations they had encountered. Alex talked about his activities, of course omitting many details. Lucy and Rebecca also shared their experiences, talking about their work and what they had been through. It helped everyone feel a bit closer.
After half an hour, they finally arrived at the destination. Alex stopped in front of the door, wondering what to say.
"Why are you just standing there?" Rebecca asked impatiently.
"I'm trying to figure out the best way to handle this, don't bother me," Alex replied, trying to calm her.
Finally, he decided to knock to announce the delivery.
"Open up, it's a delivery," Alex said, starting to knock on the door.
Lucy and Rebecca exchanged glances, surprised by his casual tone. The door opened, revealing a guy who looked perfectly ordinary, wearing some sort of strange device on his eyes that resembled a VR headset.
"Wow, what a guy," Alex thought, examining him.
"Are you Rizz?" he asked the guy.
"Yeah, that's me. What do you need?" Rizz lazily glanced at Alex, then his attention shifted to the girls.
"You have a delivery," Alex replied, pulling the package from his coat.
"Okay, give it here," Rizz said, not even bothering to look at Alex and continuing to stare at the girls.
After receiving the package, he immediately slammed the door right in Alex's face. Alex stared at the door in surprise, then turned his gaze to the girls.
"I hope he's already paid?" Alex asked, looking at them.
"No, I don't think so," Lucy replied, observing his reaction.
Alex frowned and turned his head back to the door. He didn't want to act in his usual way yet and decided to ask the girls for advice.
"And if the client doesn't pay, what should I do?" he asked with a hint of amusement.
"What else? Knock the crap out of him!" Rebecca said with a wide grin.
Alex looked at Lucy, who nodded silently. A smile slowly spread across his face, like a child receiving a long-awaited gift. Rebecca instantly understood what Alex was planning, and her own smile widened even more.
"And what are you going to do? Knock again?" Lucy asked, watching him with interest.
"You'll see," Alex replied with a sly grin.
He felt that he finally had the chance to do what he had been waiting for so long—punish the rude client.
Alex stepped back a couple of steps from the door and gestured for the girls to move back a bit. Taking a deep breath, he filled his lungs with air and shouted:
"FBI, OPEN UP!"
At the same time as his shout, Alex kicked the door. The door flew off its hinges with a crash and literally flew into the apartment. Rizz, who was convinced he had tricked the courier, was paralyzed with fear from the loud shout and sudden intrusion. He was about to start shouting in response but froze, seeing the very courier he hadn't paid for now standing before him with determination in his eyes.
"EVERYONE DOWN! SWAT IS IN THE HOUSE!" Alex continued as he burst into the apartment.
Rizz, who had been standing arrogantly at the door, froze with wide eyes in fear. Alex didn't waste any time: he rushed at him and, putting all his anger into a right hook, sent him to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Rizz collapsed onto the floor, and Alex, not missing a beat, kicked him in the stomach.
"I told you, face down, or are you hard of hearing?" Alex added with a smirk, giving Rizz another kick.
Outside, Lucy and Rebecca watched the scene unfold. Alex, who had knocked down the iron door with a single strike and stormed inside shouting, surprised them. Lucy wondered if Alex had done something similar in his previous organization.
"He must have been trained for this," the thought crossed her mind as she watched.
Rebecca, meanwhile, broke into a wide grin and couldn't help but laugh. Then she dashed after Alex into the apartment. Hearing him command Rizz to lie on the floor and then kick him again, she couldn't resist.
"Didn't they tell you to get on the floor, you bastard?" Rebecca shouted and kicked Rizz herself.
Alex glanced at her but only smiled without saying a word. He then turned his attention back to Rizz, who was writhing in pain and clutching his stomach.
"So, feeling tough now?" Alex taunted, crouching next to him and staring into his eyes.
Rizz didn't respond; he was too absorbed in the pain, which felt overwhelming, as if he had been hit by a car.
"Hey, were you asked a question, or are you deaf?" Rebecca exclaimed, preparing to kick him again.
"Wait, Becca. We're cultured people; we can settle this with words. Right, Rizz?" Alex said with a smirk, stopping her and turning back to Rizz.
Rebecca watched with interest as Alex handled the situation. For her, it was like a form of entertainment—she eagerly awaited what he would do next.
Meanwhile, Lucy entered the apartment, noticing that the noise was attracting unwanted attention from passersby. She didn't want them to be stared at. Seeing Alex crouch next to Rizz and Rebecca preparing to kick the poor guy again, Lucy realized how similar these two were.
All day, Alex had appeared calm and collected, asking only necessary questions, but now he seemed like a completely different person—aggressive with a sarcastic smile. The inner gremlin that had been hiding inside him had finally burst out.
"Can't even imagine what it would be like if they both went on this job together," Lucy thought, watching Alex pat Rizz on the cheek.
Alex was absorbed in the situation and completely unconcerned about what anyone might think of him. He had finally found an outlet for his accumulated stress, and Rizz was the perfect target.
"Hey, can you hear me?" Alex asked, continuing to pat him on the cheek.
When he saw that Rizz was finally focusing on him, Alex squinted.
"Tell me, was it worth it?" he asked, looking into Rizz's eyes. "You could have just paid, and we would have left."
Rizz, tortured by pain, could barely understand Alex's words, but he continued:
"Now you'll have to pay not only for the delivery but also for the broken door, broken teeth, and emotional damages." Alex raised his hand, counting off the points on his fingers. "So get ready, buddy, the meter's ticking."
Lucy watched the scene unfold, raising an eyebrow involuntarily when she heard Alex mention "emotional damages."
"What emotional damages? He looks like he was expecting this situation," she thought, continuing to observe.
Rebecca looked at Alex and was surprised at how he could demand money from someone who had angered him in such a manner.
"Right, pay for the emotional damages," she agreed with a smile, supporting Alex. Lucy simply shook her head, not wanting to interfere, and silently watched their confrontation.
Rizz was completely confused. What broken teeth? What emotional damages? His teeth were still intact!
"Come on, pay up before I hit you again," Alex declared, giving Rizz a slap to speed things up. The slap made Rizz's ears ring.
"Alright, I'll transfer the money, just stop," he croaked, his eyes lighting up in panic.
Alex glanced at Lucy, who nodded, confirming that the money had been transferred.
"That's more like it," he said, getting up, ready to leave. However, Rebecca, not wanting to miss the opportunity, spoke up:
"What about the emotional compensation?" she asked with a mischievous smile.
Alex froze, realizing he had indeed forgotten about that part.
"Right, how could I forget? Now there's the matter of compensation for the inconvenience," he said, turning back to Rizz, who was already trying to get up.
"What emotional compensation?" Rizz asked with a terrified voice.
"This kind," Alex replied with a wide smile and kicked Rizz in the face, knocking out his teeth.
Rebecca, pleased with the outcome, smiled. In this world, if you couldn't stand up for yourself, you'd be crushed first—that's the reality here.
Lucy looked at Alex again. It became clear to her that a normal person couldn't go through what Alex had and remain the same.
"He must have been through more than I have, if he reacts like this," she thought, speculating that Alex was merely holding back accumulated anger.
Alex, looking at Rizz, whose mouth was bleeding, grimaced slightly, realizing he had once again given in to his dark side. In a world where no one could restrain him or help him find inner peace, such moments became inevitable.
"Alright, let's go," he said, catching Lucy's and Rebecca's attention.
When they stepped outside, Alex lit a cigarette. As he exhaled smoke, he looked at the girls and realized he needed to explain his behavior somehow.
"I'm not really angry. It's just that recent events have pushed me to my limits, and Rizz was the last straw," Alex said, trying to justify himself.
"Earlier, my family helped me deal with this side of my character, and I became softer. But now everything has changed," he continued, taking a deep drag from his cigarette and releasing the smoke through his nose.
"Where is your family now?" Rebecca asked, clearly wanting to know more about him.
"Very far away," Alex replied with a wry smile.
Both girls, hearing his answer and seeing the sad smile, concluded that his family had likely died. Lucy felt a deeper connection with Alex, thinking that he had experienced something similar to her own losses. Rebecca wanted to support Alex—she had a brother who was always around, while it seemed Alex had no one left.
"I'm really sorry," Lucy said quietly, and Rebecca looked at Alex with a sympathetic gaze.
"It's alright," Alex responded, understanding that they had mistakenly assumed his family was dead. He couldn't tell them yet that his relatives were simply in another universe.
Seeing the sad expressions of the girls, Alex felt that he had created this awkward situation by remaining closed off. But revealing everything now wasn't the best idea—time would tell if he would become part of the Main team or remain a lone wolf.
To be continued…