Canada, 7 AM.
Banayote and the girls were walking along the street, following him. Hannah turned to Banayote and said, "No wonder you're so rich. You can travel wherever you want just by opening a portal."
Banayote chuckled. "Well, this power does have its benefits."
Hannah, with a playful smile, asked, "Can you open a portal to Hawaii? I'd love to visit it."
"Sure," Banayote replied, "but how about we save the world first?"
"Okay," Hannah agreed, "as long as you promise."
"I promise," Banayote said with a grin.
The younger girl chimed in, "Where are we going?"
Banayote glanced at her and said, "I need to gather an army. I can't face this alone."
Hannah frowned. "Do you really need an army? Can't you just talk to your girlfriend?"
"I know," Banayote sighed, "but I need backup in case the demons go berserk."
"Why can't your girlfriend control them?" Hannah asked.
"She can control her army, but no one can truly control a demon," Banayote replied.
The young girl asked again, "So, where are we going?"
Banayote smiled knowingly. "We need a gun expert, and I know just where to find one."
As they walked past an abandoned school, the young girl asked, "What happened here?"
"It was probably closed due to the accident," Banayote replied.
"What accident?" Hannah inquired.
"You'll know soon," Banayote said cryptically.
They soon arrived at a small house. Banayote knocked on the door, and the sound of footsteps approached from inside. The door opened to reveal a girl with bandages covering part of her face. She looked at them warily and asked, "Can I help you?"
Banayote nodded. "I believe you can. May we come in?"
The girl hesitated for a moment, but then sighed and stepped aside. "Fine, come in."
Banayote and the girls entered, taking seats in the living room. Banayote sat in the middle, with Hannah and the younger girl beside him. The girl with the bandaged face made them coffee, and Banayote took a sip before placing his cup on the table. He looked at her intently for a moment, then broke the silence. "It's okay," he said gently. "You don't need to feel guilty anymore."
The girl, shocked, looked at him with wide eyes. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Banayote took a deep breath. "It's alright, Jessica. You don't have to hide anymore."
Jessica's eyes widened. "How do you know my name? How do you know I'm hiding?"
Hannah and the younger girl looked confused, completely out of sync with the conversation.
Banayote's expression softened. "2022, 9:30 PM. Seven bodies were found in a school."
Jessica began to shake, tears welling up in her eyes.
Banayote continued. "The bodies of seven students who bullied a classmate every day..."
Hannah and the younger girl still didn't understand, feeling as though they were missing the entire context.
"The student they bullied was you, Jessica," Banayote said softly. "They took you to the lab one day, pinned you down, covered your mouth so you couldn't scream..."
Jessica, now crying, whispered, "Please stop."
Banayote didn't stop. "One of them grabbed a chemical, saying it was just an experiment. They poured it on your face. Your skin turned red and began melting. They laughed as you cried in agony. You broke free and ran away from school. The next day, you didn't return, and they mocked you for 'not liking your new face.'"
Jessica's sobs grew louder as Banayote described the horrific event.
"But that same day, a masked figure appeared at the school. One by one, the bullies were hunted down. Some were shot. Others were stabbed. The last one... was forced to drink the very chemical they used on you. The perfect crime, with no witnesses, no evidence."
Jessica looked away, trembling. Hannah and the younger girl sat in stunned silence, their faces pale.
Jessica turned back to Banayote, her voice shaking. "So, are you here to arrest me?"
Banayote shook his head. "No, Jessica. Never. The world isn't fair. People always ask who the school shooter is, but they never ask why. I didn't come here to judge you. I came to ask for your help."
Jessica's expression shifted to one of confusion. "Help? With what?"
Banayote took a deep breath. "My girlfriend has started attacking cities, taking people hostage in an attempt to find me. She's unleashed demons into the world, and if we don't stop them, millions will die. I need your help."
Jessica's eyes widened. "Wait... you're the one everyone is talking about? What's going on?"
"It's a long story," Banayote said. "I'll explain later. Right now, we don't have time."
Jessica hesitated, then asked, "How could I possibly help you?"
Banayote smiled faintly. "I'm impressed by what you did. How does a normal high school girl kill seven students without leaving a trace of evidence? You have skill, Jessica, and I need that skill to fight these demons."
Jessica's face hardened. "This is crazy. First, you show up at my house unannounced, then you tell me you know everything I've done, and now you expect me to fight demons? Do you even hear yourself?"
"I understand you're frustrated," Banayote replied gently. "I'm sorry for putting this on you. But I really need you. You have potential."
"Just because I killed seven people doesn't mean I can fight an army of demons!" Jessica snapped. "Why don't the military or the government handle this? They have tanks and nukes. Let them deal with it."
Banayote sighed. "Those demons can't be killed by ordinary bullets, tanks, or even nuclear bombs. And even if they could be, using such weapons in cities full of innocent people would cause more destruction than the demons themselves."
Jessica fell silent, her gaze averted.
Hannah and the younger girl looked at Banayote in awe of his reasoning.
Jessica finally looked back at him. "Okay, let's say you're right. Let's say I agree. How could I possibly help?"
Banayote placed a unique gun on the table. It was pitch black with silver engravings.
Jessica, Hannah, and the young girl stared at the gun. "What is this?" Jessica asked. "Didn't you just say guns don't work on demons?"
"This is no ordinary gun," Banayote explained. "It's blessed by angels, designed specifically to kill demons. It has unlimited bullets and never needs reloading."
Jessica stared at the gun, her eyes welling up with tears. Banayote watched her with concern. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Jessica stood up, tears streaming down her face. "This is too much. I'm not a murderer... I just wanted revenge."
She ripped off her bandages, revealing her disfigured face. Hannah and the younger girl gasped.
"I'm not a murderer. I'm not even an expert. I just wanted them to pay for what they did to me," Jessica sobbed. "Look at me! My face is melted! I look like a monster! I can't live a normal life. Everywhere I go, people stare at me like I'm some kind of freak. I can barely smile. My skin is fused to my lip. I can hardly see out of my left eye. They're dead, but I'm the one still suffering every day!"
Banayote stood up quickly and approached Jessica. Without hesitation, he placed his hand on her face.
Jessica's eyes widened.
Banayote's voice was calm and serious. "Reverse."
He removed his hand, and Jessica's face began to shift and change. Hannah and the younger girl watched in awe as Jessica's face slowly healed. The redness faded, her skin returned to its natural color, and her features returned to their original state.
Jessica cautiously approached the mirror. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly opened them. When she saw her reflection, her mouth dropped in disbelief.