Alina walked into the living room without saying a word, while Jason closed the door behind them. In fact, Jason observed, she had been silent since they left the school grounds.

“What would you like for dinner?” asked Jason, casually attempting to break the silence.

Alina turned to look at Jason, her prominent frown telling him how she felt when she spoke. “Why are you pretending? I know what you're going to do, Jason.”

“Why ask the obvious? They're a threat, and they won't stop. They'll just target us when we're not near your school. No, not just us. Your friends too,” Jason's words and cold eyes made Alina shudder.

“Imagine what they might do to Asami or Emily, they're not as strong as you and Michelle. So, I'll deal with them, make sure they're never a threat.” Jason headed to the kitchen as he spoke, opening the fridge and pulling out a marinated chicken, surrounded with potatoes. He unwrapped the plastic covering and placed it into the oven, which turned on automatically.

Next, he took some fresh vegetables from the fridge and began chopping them to make a salad. Alina watched him for a moment before she decided to head upstairs and take a bath.

As she walked up the stairs, Alina was pondering on what Jason had said. She knew he was right: people like those idiots wouldn't stop and they'd try to get revenge. But what truly made her helpless was the fact that Jason was planning to fight them alone.

If only I could help him carry that burden, she thought, as she entered the bathroom and started to undress. But he'll never let me, he's willing to train me but he refuses to let me fight with him.

By the time Alina finished with her long bath and returned downstairs, Jason was setting the table. The aroma of the dishes on the table was tantalizing. There were buttered buns, green salad, and herb-roasted chicken with potatoes. Finally, a bottle of coke and two large slices of cherry cheesecake. She was surprised that he only set the table for only one.

“Have a good meal, make sure to eat at least some salad, do your homework, and oh! Remember to go to bed early,” Jason instructed as he took off his apron and started getting dressed.

“Wait, aren't you gonna eat before you go?” Asked Alina, her hands below the table were tightened into fists.

“No, that'd make me queasy,” he joked as he grabbed his leather jacket. “Don't worry, you already know I don't need to eat much. I'll be back soon.”

As Jason left, closing the door behind him, Alina scowled as she stabbed her fork into a potato slice.

“That's not what I meant, dummy.” She grumbled, stuffing her face in an attempt to alleviate her emotions.

***

Emily was walking down the busy streets absentmindedly while playing with her phone. She wanted to waste time until it was late at night, then return home. As she walked aimlessly, her thoughts went back to the first time she met Jason...

Like every other night, Emily waited until it was near midnight, knowing her family would be asleep at that time, before leaving the shopping mall and heading home. Trying to take a normal shortcut that cut through the dark alleyways as she usually does, but that night Emily was intercepted by a rowdy man. His clothes and tattoo indicated that he was a gangster. The man leered lecherously at her, then blocked her path with a stretched out hand. His breath stank of cheap, piss-like alcohol and his tobacco blackened teeth made her shudder.

“Hey there, girlie, why are you in a hurry? Why don't you stick around and keep me company?” The man reached out and grabbed her arm as he spoke.

“Let me go!” shouted Emily as she began to struggle against him. Seeing how futile her struggle was, she grabbed a discarded holo-frame from a nearby dumpster and smashed it over her assaulter's head.

“Bitch!” The man bellowed as he backhanded her, sending her sprawling on to the ground. Right after, he grabbed her from behind, his strength was nearly twice as strong as before, signifying that he activated a spell or his ESPer ability.

“Scream all you want, no one's gonna save you girlie,” he laughed as he tried stripping her lower clothes off.

He's right, She thought. There's no hero or anything in the real world, no one to save me. Screw it, might as well let him do what he wants. Coward like him will probably be tiny and finish quickly.

As she stared blankly ahead with unfocused eyes that were unmoving, a commotion occurred behind her, and the weight of the gangster pushing her downwards disappeared, while a heavy thud sounded out. Looking back, she saw a third figure hidden by the shadows protruding from the alleyway. This third person had grabbed her would-be rapist and flung him against the wall.

“Oi, wait in line, asshole,” the gangster said as he dazedly picked himself off the ground.

The rescuer ignored his words and simply walked up to him, then slammed a fist into his chest, sending him down to his knees again. Then, he turned to Emily and slowly walked towards her, revealing his features to her blurry sight.

Short black hair styled messily and obsidian eyes that sucked the very soul from her was what she first saw. His square jaw and wide chin had a shadow of a beard that made him look rugged, while his muscular, tanned, body screamed Hollywood to her.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” She asked tremblingly, misunderstanding him, as she had assumed that he wanted to do the same to her as the rapist. “Just get it done, already.”

“You … want to be raped?” He asked bemused with his head tilted to one side.

“Of course not, who would?!” She retorted from within her gritted teeth.

“I would or, rather, was,” he replied, stunning her into silence. “But if you don’t want to be raped, then why didn't you fight back?”

“Yeah? And what good would that do? I'd just end up beaten and raped anyways!” she shouted, her emotions overflowing because of her harrowing experience.

The man didn't reply, he simply looked at her as she picked herself up. Then, he took a step forward and lifted her chin with his hand, his eyes on the bruise she got from the scuffle. Emily winced from his touch, she did not mind him touching her but the fear was instinctual after what had occurred.

“Which hand?” He asked her quietly.

“I … what?” She asked back.

“Which hand did he use to hit you with?” Jason clarified.

“The right …” Emily uncertainly answered, her cheeks red.

“Huh.”

The man walked back to the rapist who raised a hand to indicate his surrender as he spat blood out. Grasping his outstretched wrist, Jason applied pressure, crushing it. A split second later, he clutched the forearm and snapped it downwards while pushing up, forcing the trochlea to jut out from the rapist’s arm. The poor bastard started off screaming when his wrist broke but ended up fainting from the trauma inflicted by the second crippling.

Emily gasped as she watched on, her hands covering her mouth. Unbeknownst to her, the fear and hopelessness that almost consumed her had disappeared, and shock with a hint of satisfaction replaced it.

The man reached into the gangster's pocket and pulled out his phone. Grabbing the cripple's good hand, he used it to unlock the phone and checked the data, then tossed the phone away.

“I'll walk you back home,” he said when he got close to Emily once again.

“No, I don't need that, you can leave me alone now,” Emily insisted, distrusting of him, as she turned to walk away from him.

“Please, I insist,” he said unwaveringly, leaving no room for discussion.

Emily stopped when she heard him and turned around to look at him, her eyes narrowed.

“So, you do want something in return,” she stated while looking at him suspiciously.

“Sorta, yeah. Give me a chance to explain?” He asked while ruffling his already messy hair. “We can talk about it while I walk you home.”

“Fine,” Emily replied uncaringly, knowing she could do nothing if he wanted to harm her.

As they walked side by side down the streets, Emily waited for him to speak, which didn't occur even when they were halfway to her home. Only after asking him again did he start explaining.

“Look, you're a student at Second Academy right?” He paused waiting for confirmation before continuing. “My sister, name’s Alina, she will be joining their high school curriculum soon and I was hoping you'd look after her. So what do you say? Can you do it?”

“That's ... it?” She asked incredulously, feeling that the request was anticlimactic.

“Yep,”

“And you want nothing else?”

“Nope, should I?”

“I guess not,”

While Emily felt relief at his simple request, a part of her was disappointed that he didn't request something else. When she looked at him, she realized that he would smile whenever he spoke proudly about his sister, Alina.

As they continued walking, the area started to become more derelict, similar buildings from the mid-2000s. This area was known as the Sumps, the area nearest to the Slums. Soon, they stopped in front of a rather old house, the lights of which were on, where sounds of yelling and arguments could be heard clearly. Emily sighed when she heard it, she was hoping that it was quiet and peaceful by now. Jason didn't say anything either and, instead, he looked nostalgically at the house, an unknown memory coursing through his mind.

“Thank you for agreeing to watch over my sister, I'll be off now,” Jason said while checking his holo-watch, swiping a screen away. He started walking away from Emily who hesitated for a moment.

“Wait,” She called out to Jason, who paused without turning around. “Can you tell me your name?”

“It’s Jason, Jason Sage.” He replied before he waved a hand and continued walking away again. Emily stood still, watching him leave, a complicated feeling brewing inside her.

***

Emily stopped in front of a pedestrian crossing, waiting for the signal to change when the roaring of an engine passed by her. Looking up she only saw a motorcycle, already a few blocks away, and she recognized the man riding it.

Wonder where he's off to in such a hurry, she thought.

Jason was looking at Emily through the rearview camera, which was wirelessly connected to the HUD of his helmet. He noticed Emily long before she did and checked her surroundings to see if there was any threat before speeding away. He felt that it was pointless to stop and chat, so Jason ignored her when he found a lack of danger near her.

In a few minutes, Jason passed the Sumps and entered the Slums. Originally, it was one of Sanctuary’s first construction site, however, the development stalled when it was discovered that buildings were below the expected safety standards. Eventually, the construction and development of the entire area were abandoned but the areas that had been finished already were rented out to those who were less fortunate while numerous gangs moved in to enforce what little power they had.

Jason stopped near the outskirts of a warehouse, the sole building that was in better condition than those around it. Studying its defenses, Jason found about four guards on both exits and hidden cameras observing both.

Hmm, so this is the place, he thought. Just like the intel that was in the cripple's phone.

“Ava, blind the cameras and intercept any alarms.” Jason smiled ferociously as he sneaked towards the sentries, knife in hand.

Two sentries were standing on each side of the door while the other two were chatting and looking ahead. Jason silently climbed the building from a blindspot, jumped and landed beside the two door guards. Before either could react Jason threw the knife towards the guard on the left.

The knife pierced the man's throat, piercing his carotid and effectively silencing him. The gun, strapped to his shoulder fell from his hands and he raised his hands to clutch his throat. Jason launched sideways and grabbed the guard on the right from behind. As they struggled, Jason used his left arm to chokehold him, then aimed the guard's gun and shot the two forward sentries in the chest as they turned around. Finally, he snapped the neck of the man in his grip.

Jason quickly grabbed a gun and hid in the shadows next to the door as footsteps approached him. The door was flung open and Jason grabbed the first grunt and used him as a shield while shooting those still inside. As four of the men collapsed from the gunshot wounds, the surviving five started shooting back at Jason but instead killed his human shield. Jason shot the three furthest men first, then quickly threw the body he was holding at the nearest grunt. After that, he quickly approached the two remaining survivors and shot one point-blank at the head. He judo flipped the last one and fired again, this time at the heart and then the head.

14, he thought. Still, there's the leader and the other 4 sentries left.

He then activated his ability and jumped onto the overhead beams, crouching into the shadows. Five minutes later, a man with a cap and gold chains scuttled out of a shipping container and was joined by the four sentries that were guarding the second entrance. They quickly formed up, each sentry guarding a side while Gold chain was in the center.

Idiots, with you being so close to each other how can you effectively use those rifles and shotguns in close range combat? Nah, on second thought, I won't get close and personal. These idiots are easy pickings.

Silently jumping from beam to beam, Jason positioned himself right above them before emptying an entire clip at them. The four sentries were hit immediately. Meanwhile, Gold chain screamed and kneeled to the ground, his hands covering his ears. Jason landed softly next to him and punched gold chain, sending him flying backward. Before he could pick himself up, Jason jumped and slammed a foot onto his chest.

“You're a small crowd, nowhere near a real gang. So, that means you work for someone else. Who?” Jason asked grimly.

“Fuck you,” Gold chain wheezed. “I ain't telling you jackshit.”

“Well, if that's how you want to play it,” Jason replied slowly before kicking him in the ribs, cracking them. “You know, I have a method. A torture technique that hasn't failed me yet. I'd rather not use it, so tell me what I want to know.”

Jason kneeled and aimed the gun at Gold chain and threatened him. Gold chain said nothing. Instead, he tried feebly to spit at Jason but failed.

“Alright, Have it your way.”

Jason turned the gun to Gold chain's right knee and kept shooting until the bullets pierced right through the knee, destroying the ligaments and cartilage. Then, he grabbed Gold chain’s foot and thrust it upwards. Sickening crunches mixed with Gold chain's screams echoed across the warehouse while his leg was completely bent upwards. Finally, the pain was too much and he fainted.

“Told you,” muttered Jason as he twisted, then tore the leg off, waking Gold chain up again. “ Oh shush, shh, shh shush. See this? It's an anesthetic, it'll keep the pain away. Tell me what I want to know, and I'll give it to you. Pinky swear.”

Jason held an injector up and waved it in front of Gold chain's face. With his face covered in tears and snot, Gold chain nodded and opened his mouth to speak but a single pair of footsteps were heard.

“Well, what'd you know,” said Jason, pretending to be shocked, then raised his gun to gold chain's head, his cold face full of killing intent. “You were too late.”

A man entered the warehouse, as a loud bang was heard and Gold chain collapsed, half his head blown off. The newcomer grimaced as he looked at the surrounding corpses. He was a tall man with a lean muscular build. His dark chocolate skin made his short blonde hair look even more exotic. He was wearing an old, almost faded, green military camo jacket and his hands were stuffed into his cargo pants.

“You mind telling me why you killed my me- Jason? You … you're alive?” The newcomer asked calmly before seeing Jason's face and taking a step back.

“John…?” Jason asked back, stunned.

“You survived. What happened to the others? Where have you been all this time? Why didn't you come back?” John asked as he looked at Jason.

“Dead. Why do you care?” Jason apathetically answered.

“Shit, you think we had a choice? I couldn't even go near Budapest to find out what happ- no. No, that's not it. You think I wanted that to happen. You think I wanted you dead. Really Jason? After all we've been through, that's what you think?" John looked at Jason with wide eyes as he spoke.

"Is that why you never returned? You left us! Yo- you abandoned us! Us! When we needed you! When... I… when I needed you.” John exploded angrily then ended while looking downwards, his voice breaking. “After the incident, we were attacked from all sides. Mercenaries ganged up on us, our clients left, and fatty… Fatty Lui died.”

“Huh. So that's your play?” Jason replied blandly, his dead cold eyes burrowing into John. “Guilt tripping me? You know what I think ‘Papa John’? I think you started to worry about me. I was the perfect weapon, your gun, that you'd use on others. But when I started to think for myself, do things you didn't like? You got rid me. And that's what damned us all. That's why Fatty Liu's death is on you, not me.”

“Bullshit. That's bullshit and you know it Jason! I never wanted to control you and I certainly didn't want you dead!” John retorted.

“Really? Then what about Mary, huh? You knew I liked her but she always had a thing for you. But, somehow, someday, she started to date me. Now why's that, hm? And then, the night before I left for Budapest, right before the mission I see her go into your room. At night, John. Your room. For hours. Hmm?” Jason paused and waited for John to reply, who opened and closed his mouth without replying.

“Look at you, you don't even deny it. You used her to manipulate me, to control me. And I was fine with it, John, I was fine with it. Because I trusted you, I respected you! You were our captain, our friend, our fath- … our father-figure. You got us out of that hell-hole. But in the end, you betrayed me. You tried to kill me. And those kids … I used to hear 'em John, every night for the past 6 years I'd hear them screaming! Every night! They were innocent! You could've tried another way to kill me! Without involving them!” Jason bellowed, the first spark of emotions rippling through him. Wiping his eyes, while massaging them with two fingers, Jason continued.

“So, yeah. I left, John. I up and left after that. And I'm glad I did. I realized who I was, who you were, and I did whatever I wanted. And now I'm free. So don't try to justify yourself it doesn't matter. Not anymore.”

“Then why are you here? Revenge?” Asked John as he looked away, his eyes glistening with tears.

“No. These punks messed with my sister and her friends, so I decided to kill them. Consider it a warning, John. You or your men show up near any Second Academy student and I find out? I'll wipe out whatever is left of your group, even if they're my old friends.” Jason answered coldly as he walked away.

John watched him leave before looking upwards as tears fell from his face. Damn it all. It wasn't like that Jason, he thought. But what's the point in explaining? I fucked up, so maybe this is karma.

Jason walked out of the warehouse and noticed a large group by the entrance, near a few parked cars. They were mostly young men and teens, the older ones carrying guns while the younger ones wielded pipes and bats. Only one was a female, dressed in normal clothes. Her brown shoulder-length hair blanketed her homely face and bright brown eyes. A look of shock appeared on her face when she recognized Jason. As the teens prepared to charge forward, the older ones stopped them, shaking their heads; they also recognized Jason.

“Jason? … how ...?” The woman began hesitantly but Jason ignored her and walked past her, to where he kept his bike. A roar sounded out as Jason drove past them, his motorcycle showcasing to them his prosperous status.

“Well, at least he's well-off, thank goodness,” John came out the warehouse just in time to see Jason riding off. “Oh, and you boys stay away from any Second Academy students you see, or you'll end up like those bodies in there. And no, I can't save you when that happens.”

He then turned to the woman who was looking back at him in confusion and sadness.

“Let's go home, Mary. I'll explain everything there.” He said quietly to her. Mary nodded and the two left in a car while the rest went to clean the bodies in the warehouse.

Jason drove for a while but stopped when exited the Sumps, his mind blank. Sitting on his motorcycle, Jason bowed his head trying to shake off the memories of his past...

A young boy, less than ten years old, was sitting on the shattered stairway of a bombed down building. His left hand clutched a sandwich, made from hardened black rye bread, and a book was in his right hand. The picture book was dirty and ripped, the words barely legible. The boy was focused on a specific page that showed a puppet with a long nose looking at a small bright fairy, making a wish.

“A real boy…” the boy muttered as he traced the picture. “ A father... a family …? But ... what is family? Does father mean … family?”

“Hey there Jason, watcha doing?” A bright voice asked him from behind. The boy turned to look at the girl who sneaked behind him. Her dirty brown hair and mud covered face couldn't hide the bright hazel eyes that were watching him interestedly.

“Nothing, just reading a book I found,” Jason said while closing the book and focusing on his sandwich.

“Wow, you learned how to read! Good job, Jason, I always knew you were smart.” The teenage girl said while patting him on the back. The happiness she displayed made it seem like she was the one who learned how to read.

“Nn.” Nodded Jason as he took a bite, then stopped chewing when he heard a rumbling noise. “Want some? It's a little too much for me.” Jason turned to look at the girl and handed his unfinished sandwich to her.

“You sure, Jason?” She asked while swallowing what little saliva she had. Jason nodded again and she took the sandwich with a bright smile.

“Thanks!” The girl said brightly as Jason turned to look back at the streets. His eyes followed the younger children who were walking by with their parents before he looked down at his lap. A strange hollow feeling was emanating from his chest when he saw these poor but happy children.

If I have a father or a family, does that mean I'd become a real boy too? Jason asked himself.

“There you are Jason,” a third voice joined them as a tall teen with delicate features joined them. He looked at the girl and nodded.

“Mary.”

Mary nodded in acknowledgment as she tried to swallow a mouthful of the sandwich and John turned to look at Jason.

“Jake's dead. The mercs beat him to death for running away during the last skirmish.” John gritted his teeth as his fist smashed against a wall. “The way this is going, we're all going to be killed.”

“What are you saying, Johnny?” Mary asked, confused. Unlike the two of them, Mary was not part of the mercenary band so she wasn't aware of how difficult it was to survive.

“Tonight. We start the operation tonight,” John said, looking at Jason. “But we can't do it alone. Jason, can I count on you?”

Jason lifted himself up and patted the dirt off his pants. He looked out the window once more before turning to John, his cold, dead-like eyes shone like two black jewels.

“Always, 'pops'. What do you want me to do?”

Later that night, many mercs were groaning after eating their meals. A few left their beds, ready to beat the children who made the food, thinking that they were food poisoned. Before they could leave, a small shadow flew into the room and started shooting at them. Each shot accurately hit their unprotected chest while the shadow left the room and entered the hallway.

Hearing the gunshots, the mercenaries bunking in other rooms all gathered their sidearms and came out to the hallway as well. Jason, despite being surrounded, didn't hesitate and continued firing at every person he saw as he kept moving.

His small stature and speed gave him an advantage when the mercenaries tried to shoot him, but he could only shoot their stomach or legs. This led him to shooting each merc twice: one in their lower body, and another in their upper body when they kneeled.

A stray bullet from a downed merc hit his back and the force sent him flying forwards. Rolling to negate the force, Jason stopped in a crouched position and returned fire at any target near the shooter. Another merc closed in and sent a kick at him, but his weakened legs didn't do much harm to Jason who blocked it with the butt of his gun, then proceeded to shot the merc between his legs.

Twelve minutes later, all the mercs were killed, and Jason, despite wearing armor, had multiple gunshot wounds inflicted on him. The bullets did not peirce the armor, however, they dug into Jason's skin, leaving minor flesh wounds.

"This is Fenrir, all targets on the second floor have been elimina- ... ted..." Jason fell to the ground, his sight fading, as he succumbed to his injuries. As the darkness took him, Jason was thinking if he had been useful to Papa John.

"You okay? You've been like that for a while now."

Jason lifted his helmeted head and looked at Emily, who was leaning forward, watching him closely.

"I'm fine. Just met some people that I once knew," Jason took his helmet off as he replied not realizing that he was still brooding.

"Let me guess, they were once your besties and now you don't even recognize them." Emily tapped her finger on the side of her face as she tried her best Sherlock impression.

"What makes you say that?" Jason asked, amused at her antics.

"Because I had friends like that too," Emily sadly replied. "But, you know, that's all they are. Friends. They won't walk with you forever and that's the point. You keep moving forwards while cherishing the past and what you have in the moment. That's how I live."

As Emily finished talking, the sadness she first showed evaporated and she smiled confidently.

Keep moving forward while cherishing what you have in the moment. These words reverberated through Jason's mind, stunning him. In his mind, memories of the past few years flashed through his eyes...

A beautiful redhead, covered in only a bedsheet, loomed over him as he lay cuffed to the bed.

"Lemme show yer what real love is, laddie," she whispered in a drunken voice as she leaned forward...

A twelve-year-old boy lay in Jason's arm, a gunshot wound causing him to bleed out from his chest as the train moved on.

"Ha, what'd ya know? I saved ... Fenrir. Jason, it's cold... I don't wanna die alone. It's cold ... but you have to leave. Live ... for the rest of us. Please... live..." The boy coughed blood as he spoke, the light fading from his eyes...

An old man in a monk's outfit slowly shook his head after observing him.

"Amitabha, you have turned into an Asura already. The most I can do is give you a scripture to recite that will lessen your bloodlust. But you must become a disciple in this temple for a short while..."

A young teen, about fourteen of age, laid on a cheap bed, tears filling her onyx eyes as she smiled. Surprisingly, her features were similar to Jason, however her face carried a softer, sweeter touch.

"Jason, it's alright. It's just like the fairytales you told me. Even if I lose all my memories, even if you grow old and I don't age, we'll still be family. Just like Hansel and Gretel. And no matter what, I'll always love you, brother. Heh, brother. Still... sounds... weird..."

The girl silently fell into a death-like sleep as her hand, which was gripping his, fell to her side...

Finally, an arrogant little girl stood in front of him, with her hands on her hips. Her brown skin and curly black hair accentuated her round cheeks as she smiled.

"You don't have a home? Well you could live with me! On one condition though, you be my bodyguard and beat up anyone I tell you to! Just like you did right now! Oh, my name is Alina, pleased to meet you!"

Jason, unaware of it, was staring at Emily while he was remembering his past, and she looked down at her shoes with embarrassment. He smiled as he returned to the present, his mind clear.

"Thank you, Emily," he said softly while she gently smiled back.

"No problem!"

She's right. The past doesn't matter, I should focus on what I have right now, Jason thought as he remembered Alina's smile. And no matter what, I'll protect this new life. I'll protect her. And if anyone, ANYONE, gets in the way? I'll simply kill them.