"Definitely gonna need these," Jason muttered as he chose the Stun Bolas over the Anchor Grapple. While the Anchor Grapple would be useful for disarming and hanging inattentive opponents, the Stun Bolas were much more practical; he could use them when preying on an unsuspecting opponent, during a battle, or even when an opponent is fleeing him.

As he settled the last bit of modification, a thought crossed his mind. Couldn't he also add an anchor to the bolas? When the bolas went taut, the balls would connect and discharge a jolt of electricity. At the same time, Jason could add an anchor into the twin weights with a cable that could launch itself in any direction. That way, the opponent would be hanging while tied and electrocuted. Conversely, the Anchor Grapple's cable could also be made with conductive material that stuns an opponent like a taser before hanging them from the other end of the cable.

Not a bad idea, Jason thought after contemplating for a while. He quickly jotted this idea down on a notepad that was on the table but knew it wouldn't be possible to implement this idea until he had time to calibrate the final modifications to the Anchor Grapple first. It would be a very useful application. I could tie and hang Elizabeth up … mmm. That would be ... fun. [1]

"Jason," Ava interrupted Jason's fantasy to warn him. "Alina and Alice have entered the Rubric Building. They will reach the Loft in exactly one minute and fifty-two seconds."

Jason nodded before realizing something and looking down. He was still wearing his armor, which was plated in only some places. Other areas were … form-fitting with leather-like bulletproof cloth, leaving very little to the imagination.

"Fuck!" Jason swore as he began stripping madly while running for the hoverlift. "Ava, clothes! Where're my spare clothes?!"

"Third floor, second room to the left," Ava called out to Jason who was already moving upwards.

A minute later, the doors opened and Alina arrived with Alice in tow. Both were dressed in two different outfits; Alina was in jeans and a cotton shirt while Alice was wearing a cute shirt and skirt.

"Hey, Ava, where's - whoa," Alina saw the worktable and peered past Ava's shoulders to see the bolas and anchor. Her eyes flashed with interest and she turned to Ava. "What's that?"

"Something Jason was working on," Ava answered while sealing the worktable. Alina pouted a bit when she saw the table closing itself in the ground when an idea crossed her mind and she turned to Ava again.

"Think you can send me the schematics?" She asked while nearing Ava and placing an arm over the latter's shoulder. The way she was whispering and acting made it look like they were partaking in an illegal tradeoff but Alina couldn't help it as she was very interested in what she saw. The Bolas was a piece of staple equipment for ninjas in media, and the Anchor Grapples were very similar to a gadget from a game she couldn't quite recall.

"No," Ava answered calmly without glancing at Alina.

"No? Well, I didn't want to use this but I've got no choice," Alina said to herself before smiling at Ava. "How about this. Ava, you give me the schematics, and I won't tell Jason that you've been peeking into his … bedroom activities."

Ava was quiet but she sent a holo-file of both the Stun Bolas and the Anchor Grapple to Alina while the latter grinned.

"Appreciate it, thanks," Alina said with a smile that wasn't a smile as she unhooked her arm from Ava.

Alice who was watching the two with muted interest suddenly jumped and turned to look at Ava weirdly. She knew that Ava was just an AI but she never would've imagined that the robot would be interested in … that. Was Ava trying to understand human emotions through watching intercourse? Alice wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.

"Hey, you," Jason came down the hoverlift while pulling his shirt down; he was wearing charcoal jeans along with a black v-neck t-shirt. Jason smiled and kissed Alice while picking her up.

"What are you doing here?" Jason asked Alina while trying to pay the latter's head.

Alina dodged his hand and grumbled. "I had an inkling you'd be here sulking."

"I - I wasn't sulking," Jason refuted defensively while Alina and Alice both grinned. "Let's just get going. Ava, wanna join us?"

Ava looked at Jason with surprise. Her face was more expressive than even Asami's and she smiled.

"Yes. I'd like that," Ava said as she and Jason put their shoes on.

"So, what are we watching?" Alina didn't like Ava since she would act her emotions. To Alina, it was fake and she disliked that. But regardless, she was also happy that Ava was joining them. It was like a real family going out, so much so than when it was just her and Jason.

"Eh, it's a secret," Jason said with a half-smile. He led the group out while holding Alice.

There's still a lot out there to do, He thought as he listened to Alina and Alice guess what movie they would be watching. A lot of mysteries and even more people to kill, not to mention Katelyn … There's still so much I have to do.

But right now - this - this is all that I need, Jason held Alice tighter, giving her a slight squeeze before grazing his lips on her head, gently kissing her hair while smiling.

***

"Tadaima!" Asami said out loud as she entered her house and kicked her shoes off. She stretched before throwing her school bag away and entering the living room.

"You're late, Chibi," a voice said to her and Asami smiled.

Looking over, she saw a man with gray streaks in his hair sitting in the living room on a cushion with a backrest. The cushioned seat had no legs and was on the ground while the man's legs were hidden in a kotatsu and, despite relaxing and sipping on some tea, he looked beyond fatigue.

"Aww, but daddy, I was out having fun with a friend," Asami said in Japanese while skipping to hug her father.

"A friend, or a friend?" Mr. Chiba asked while placing his tea on the table.

"... Uh … both…? We only did it once!" Asami said sheepishly and her father sighed. He was traditional but with only one child and he really wanted grandkids. However, he had accepted his daughter's sexuality long ago.

"Well, it's good that you're safe," Mr. Chiba said with a sigh of relief.

"What do you mean, Chichi?" Asami asked, confused at her father's concern.

"You didn't know?" Mr. Chiba was surprised before showing the news from a holo-screen on the kotatsu. It showed footage of the missile strike while covering live reports on the injured and the death toll.

"O ... m ... g" Asami raised a hand to her mouth. This was the second time a terror attack happened in less than a week and she recognized the place very well.

Alina! And Jason! Shit! Asami quickly texted Alina, asking her if she was okay but didn't receive a reply. Mr. Chiba, seeing her frantic typing frowned.

"Do you know something, Chibi?" Mr. Chiba asked, his voice stern.

"Hmm? Nope, no way. How - why would I know?" Asami said while laughing.

"Well, since you say so …" Mr. Chiba shrugged before gesturing at an area behind Asami. "You just need to convince your mother."

"Haha, that's funny, Chichi," Asami laughed nervously. "Haha is in Japan, she's not here."

"So there's no way I'm standing behind you, is that it?" A voice said from behind Asami and the latter froze before she began pouring out bullet-sized beads of sweat.

Asami rolled sideways and bolted for the hallway when the sound of a blade being sheathed came out from behind her. Asami quickly stopped and turned around while raising her hands in surrender.

Standing in the living room was a beautiful Japanese woman who looked like she was Asami's older sister, a Katana in her hand. Her long waist-length hair and kimono only accentuated her beauty, and her calm eyes made her appear like a quiet serene beauty.

"Oh, hi, mom, I just remembered … that I …" Asami hesitated as she tried fibbing her way past her mother.

"Need to …" Mr. Chiba muttered.

"Needed to … uh …" Asami repeated with realizing.

"Laundry," Mr. Chiba whispered.

"Do the laundry," Asami repeated. "Wait, what?"

Realizing that she was being played by her dad, Asami looked at her mom with doe eyes, hoping for some mercy.

"Asami, sword training. Two hours," the beauty, her mother, said coldly.

"Noooo!" Asami screamed dramatically while her mother dragged her away.

"I'll burn some incense for you," Mr. Chiba muttered while clapping his hands together before sipping his tea. There was no way he'd go to save Asami at his expense, that was a lesson he learned the hard way long ago.

***

Michelle emptied an entire clip from the gun she was shooting with. Her aim was impeccable as each shot hit the chest or head of the human-shaped shooting targets that were moving erratically.

"Not bad," Junco who was watching her nodded with admiration. "You're better than most AEM recruits."

"Vraiment?" Michelle was over the moon at receiving a compliment from Junco, the ace sniper that was ranked amongst the best in the entire AEM organization. "Merci Jeanne!"

Junco, who's real name was Jean, nodded with a smile as she watched Michelle secretly pump her fist. She then noticed that the latter wished to say something but was hesitating.

"What's wrong Michelle?" Junco asked. She had known Michelle for years, ever since she joined Raphael's team and the two were known to be good friends.

"Do you think mama will let me bénévole?" Michelle asked.

"Volunteer? For AEM?" Junco looked at Michelle with mild astonishment. "You want to apply for the extra credit? You don't need to worry about that till your third year in high."

"Non, is not that," Michelle shook her head. "I want to help people. Just like how mama and frère help."

Junco wasn't certain of what to say. She knew that both Watson and Raphael wouldn't approve of this, but she felt that pushing Michelle away would only draw her closer to AEM. Perhaps she would go searching for danger herself if she was refused, Michelle was stubborn enough to do that.

Just like him … Junco thought as her mind drifted to Raphael. Against their better judgment, she fell for him and he also fell for her.

"How about this," Junco thought for a moment before suggesting to Michelle. "I'll broach the topic to Raphael a few times, see if I can change his mind before you bring it up to anyone of them."

"Merci, Jeanne, if anyone can changement his mind, it's vous," Michelle said.

Upstairs, Raphael was in his office after his discussion with Watson. He tapped his fingers as his other hand slowly massaged his temple. He had this nagging feeling that he was forgetting something but he couldn't put it in words.

Ah, fuck it, Raphael thought as he booted his computer. I'll think about it after finishing my reports.

Going through his files, Raphael was about to start writing his most recent report when an open window popped up. On the file explorer, he saw a clip that was repeating itself in a loop on a small thumbnail. Dismissing it, Raphael was about to close the window when he caught something on the thumbnail. Immediately, he opened the video clip and played it again, stopping when he reached a certain frame.

Raphael stood up in shock as he recalled the little girl that followed behind Jason, cutely calling him daddy. He activated his comm and spoke to the operator in a hurried voice. "Get me Colonel Watson, ASAP. Tell her it's vital."

The video frame was frozen on when Jason unmasked Katelyn.

***

"Hey, I'm home," Emily called out. After hanging out with Asami for a little longer, Emily came home with tired feet while inwardly cursing high heels.

"Hey, sis, how was your day?" Jared popped his head out of the kitchen and asked.

"Tiring, I hung out with a very … energetic friend," Emily answered.

"Yeah, I can tell," Jared said while looking at Emily's new haircut.

"Something wrong with it?" Emily asked while showing off her short hairstyle from different angles.

"Nope," Jared said. "It's nice. Better than that girly look you had before."

"Are you saying your gorgeous older sister doesn't look good in long, stylish, highlighted hair?" Emily asked with a hint of a threat and Jared ducked back into the kitchen to avoid her wrath while a girl who was a little younger than Jared jumped into her arms. "Hey, Mia. What, you miss me already?"

"Course I missed you," the brown-haired mousy girl said, her cheeks puffed with adorable anger. "Last time you were caught in the Carnival Attack and now another happened! I was scared! Ooh, nice haircut! I want that cut next time!"

"Wait, hold up," Emily frowned as she raised a hand to slow Mia down. "Another attack? What do mean by that?"

"You didn't know?" Mia began explaining everything as Emily headed straight for the kitchen. She shooed Jared away from the kitchen, but not before patting his disgruntled head when she saw him cutting some vegetables in large, uneven chunks.

"A missile hit a building? Why? Which building? How many are injured?" Emily asked while putting an apron on.

"Don't know the exact number but they're saying over thirty people were injured and seven died in the fire that spread in the building," Mia said and Emily gasped in horror.

"That's …"

"Details are scarce, but it hit a penthouse in the fancier parts of the city," Jared said. "They're also saying it's a terrorist attack, unlike the last time."

"I see …" Emily said but didn't ask for more information. She wasn't aware that the penthouse was the one Jason and Alina lived in. And right now, she was only concerned about making dinner for her siblings.

Checking the fridge, Emily realized that there wasn't much left and she thought about what to make. There were vegetables like tomato, zucchini, and cilantro as well as a chicken breast from the leftover roast. Putting them all together, Emily decided on making pasta with veggies and shredded chicken.

Jared, who was watching her carefully, clenched his fists but said nothing. Emily had just come back from outside, and she immediately went to the kitchen for their sakes, something he understood. He knew she wasn't treated well since she was a foster child, and he hoped that she would focus on herself rather than them.

Stronger, Jared thought. I want to get strong enough to protect both my sisters. I have to.

Soon, Emily was done and dinner was served on the table. As all three sat down to eat, Emily looked at Jared.

"Mom and dad?" She asked casually.

"Don't know, don't care," Jared replied.

"Hey," Emily said with reproval.

Jared didn't say anything but grunted while digging into his plate. He ate the pasta with gusto, stuffing his mouth so fast it looked like he was going to swallow his own tongue.

"Easy now, there's no need to eat so fast," Emily said while watching him with amusement. "There's plenty in the pan."

"Hmm," Jared made a noise while swallowing his mouthful when he stopped and looked at Emily. "You okay sis?"

Emily saw Jared's concerned gaze and followed it down to her hand which was one the table. Unknowingly, it had been shaking this entire time. She quickly pulled her hand back and placed it under the table.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just ... tired," Emily said while smiling. She then turned to Mia and listened to her excitedly explain how her day in school was.

After dinner, Emily returned to her room which was shared with Mia. Fortunately, Mia was watching TV in the living room, giving Emily her privacy.

Damnit, it's back again, Emily thought as she gritted her teeth. The heroin she purchased was within her grasp, and since then there was this insatiable feeling of needing to inject herself with it. As much as she fought it, the feeling would return, stronger than ever, and her body would go through spasms.

Just a little bit, Emily thought as she pulled a syringe from her purse. Bastard gave me two doses … but I'll use only one-fifth of the suggested dose. Just enough to stop the shaking.

Emily injected the drug into her arm and an exhilarating sensation passed through her even as she felt the pain of the needle digging into her skin. It took her a moment to realize that was the feeling of satisfaction and she didn't stop until she noticed that she used one-third of the syringe.

No! Emily thought as her eyes flashed with worry. I didn't control the dose.

Soon as this thought appeared, the drug started taking its effect on Emily and she quickly hid the remaining amount in her purse before sitting back and sighing. The feeling of content along with euphoria, similar to what she felt when taking Accelerant, returned and Emily closed her eyes blissfully.

Just this once, She thought as she leaned back in her chair. I'll use it more carefully next time. Next … time …

***

Jason took Alina, Alice, and Ava to Joe's Diner for a quick snack. He remembered how he promised to get Alice another giant parfait, and he couldn't help but spoil her by buying her one again. Right after that, Jason, Alina, and Alice, all lip-synced to Bon Jovi which confounded Ava who was experiencing all this for the first time in person.

Finally, after a slight delay, Jason led them to an old fashioned theater where they watched the first Toy Story movie together. Jason, who watched the movie with Elizabeth, paid more attention to the group. He smiled when he saw Alice cheering Woody who was down, and when she gasped with horror when Woody and Buzz were picked up by Andy's neighbor who enjoyed destroying toys. He felt smug when he saw her sitting in the chair, her legs dangling since she was short while munching on a large bucket of popcorn. And secretly, he used his lens to take pictures of her face, along with the group from different angles.

Yeah… these will definitely go into the family album, Jason thought. Alice's first time in the theater …

After the movie, Alice skipped out of the theater while holding Jason's hand while the latter pointed at the park that was across the road.

"Hey," Jason said while looking at the rest of them. "You guys wanna take a walk in the park?"

The others agreed, especially Alice who jumped up while exclaiming her agreement and Jason led them down the park.

"You've got a friend in me, you've got a friend in me," Alice hummed, singing the song from Toy Story.

"Boy, you've got a friend in me," Jason joined in, singing in a soft voice and surprising Alice. "Yeah, you've got a friend in me."

"If you've got troubles, then I've got 'em too," Alina sang, chiming in and Alice's smile grew wider as they continued singing together.

"There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you," Jason sang.

"We stick to together -" Alina sang when Alice joined her.

"We can see it through," Alice finished, their voices merging into one.

"Cause you've got a friend in me. You've got a friend in me," Jason, Alina, and Alice sang together. Jason gestured at Ava to join them but the android only tilted her head bemusedly.

"Some other folks might be a little bit smarter than I am," Jason continued with raised arms like it couldn’t be helped.

"Bigger and stronger too," Alice said while jumping onto a bench. She flexed her non-existent muscles as she sang.

"Mmm, maybe," Alina sang while shaking her hand, indicating that Alice might be wrong.

"But none of will ever love you -" Jason sang while picking Alice up and leaning next to Alina.

"- The way I do," Alice finished.

"It's me and you, boy," Alina sang while placing her hands on Jason's shoulder.

"And as the years go by," Jason said while putting Alice down on the bench again.

"Our friendship will never die," Alina sang loudly.

"You're gonna see, it's -" Alice sang.

"Our destiny!" Ava sang in a soprano voice while Alina's and Alice's voices merged with hers in the background. Jason smiled while gesturing at her with encouragement.

"You've got a friend in me. You've got a friend in me," All four sang in unison. "You've got a friend in me!" [2]

Alina and Alice looked at each other before turning to Jason and all three laughed while Ava smiled.

"Ah, that was awesome," Jason said while laughing. "I really needed that, kids. Thanks."

"Yeah, we really should do this more often," Alina said.

"So what's next?" Alice asked, her eyes bright with anticipation at what they would do next.

"Well," Jason said. "It's time for dinner and since I didn't cook that means …"

"KFC! Alice yelled while cheering. Jason smiled when he heard her but stopped when he looked over Alice's shoulder at a tree that was half-hidden in shadows.

"Yeah … yeah, KFC then," Jason said, his smile faltering for a moment before he focused on Alice again. "You guys go ahead and, uh, I'll - I'll see you back at the mansion."

"Dad?" Alice asked and Jason refused to look at Alice's eyes, the feeling of guilt overpowering him.

"Something's come up," Jason said. "Again. You three go on without me."

"Jason …" Alina asked with some concern. She felt that recently, Jason has been acting differently; he always kept secrets from her but not like this.

"I'll be fine," Jason said while gesturing at himself. "Fenrir, remember?"

That doesn't make you invincible, dummy, Alina thought as she held Alice's hand and left with Ava. Her phone kept vibrating as texts from worried friends like Asami poured in, and she finally replied to them as she walked away.

Jason kept staring at the tree near the bench, his eyes refusing to even blink. A few minutes passed before he spoke, his voice soft but commanding. "You can come out now."

The sounds around him faded as he focused on the breathing figure behind the tree who slowly stepped into the light. Despite focusing his hearing at its maximum, he couldn't hear a footstep as the shadow approached. The hooded figure watched Jason for a moment before slowly lowering their hood and Jason's breath stilled.

The face was so familiar yet distant, her cold blue eyes were shining like crystal blue sapphires, her creamy milk-white skin was as delectable as ever, and that smooth dirty blonde hair was just as he remembered. Jason's eyes lingered on her sweet, petal-like lips for a while, yet the look she gave him was far different from what she would bestow him previously.

"Katie," Jason whispered, his voice deep and husky from the various emotions he was feeling. Jason smiled as he looked at Katelyn, his emotions incredibly complicated.

"My, Katelyn … it has been a while," he said while she remained impassive. "You're more beautiful than ever."

Katelyn still didn't respond, her blue eyes were ice cold and she barely moved as Jason's guilty but pleased eyes roamed over her.

"You're still angry at me abandoning you," Jason said quietly. He broke eye contact with Katelyn and looked away. "You hate me for that?"

Jason took a step but appeared in front of Katelyn. His movement was so fast, he took a dozen steps with one single step. Katelyn tried jumping back but Jason grabbed her hands and placed a knife into it. He then thrust the knife to his chest, placing the blade right where his heart was.

"Then end me," Jason whispered like the devil. "Do it. If you hate me, want revenge so badly, then do it."

As he spoke, his hands which were wrapped around Katelyn's pushed the blade's end deeper. As the tip dug into his flesh, blood seeped through his wound but his eyes remained stoic while Katelyn's eyes widened.

"Push it," Jason whispered, almost lovingly. "End it, right here and now. Prove you don't love me."

The hands underneath Jason's shook and but didn't pull away. Katelyn's eyes were full of shock as he gently helped her push it deeper.

"DO IT!" Jason shouted. "END ME!"

With a scream, Katelyn pulled back and the blade's tip that was lodged in Jason came out easily. Katelyn threw the blade away and glared at Jason.

"No!" Katelyn hissed. "No. I won't kill you."

"I knew you cared," Jason whispered. On his face was a bright smile and, despite bleeding, he was beyond pleased. "That's the thing about love, Katie. It can turn into rage, maybe even hate, but it can never last. It will always have a hold on you and you will always, always, be held back by it."

Katelyn had both hands over her head as she tried calming herself down. Her eyes slowly regained their coldness and Jason watched her without interrupting.

"I want my Alice back," Katelyn answered eventually. "I'm taking her away."

"You want her? Or the people behind you want her?" Jason asked slyly and Katelyn closed her mouth, refusing to say anything more but the look in her eyes revealed everything to Jason. "Who are you working for? Why work for them?"

"I owe them more than I ever owed you," Katelyn answered with vehemence.

"Even more than you owe Alina?" Jason asked. "Considering that, for all those years, all those moments together … that you were always a spy? Sent by her father? Meant to monitor and manipulate her?"

For the first time, Katelyn looked surprised and she looked straight at Jason's darker than black eyes. She couldn't fathom the depths of his knowledge and it shook her to get very core.

"You … knew? All those years, you knew," Katelyn whispered as her eyes went wide with realization. "You knew the moment you tested me. The second day you arrived in the Sage's Mansion."

"Oh, yes," Jason nodded, his voice gruff while he let out a small laugh. "I knew. That's why I couldn't trust you near Alina after you betrayed us. After you betrayed me."

Jason took a step forward while Katelyn stepped back, maintaining her distance from him. Her breathing intensified as Jason spoke.

"I couldn't let you near her again because I wasn't sure if you'd try to manipulate her," Jason said. "Just as you tried with me."

In truth, since the beginning, while Jason was teasing Katelyn, the latter was trying to seduce him. Both were playing with each other but at some point, somewhere along the line, it became real. However, this revelation did little to comfort Katelyn.

"And that's why you abandoned me? That's why you threw me away and doomed our child?!" Katelyn screamed as she lost control of her emotions.

"... What do you mean?" Jason asked with a heavy voice. A sense of foreboding overwhelmed him and Jason couldn't breathe. He had a vague feeling of what she meant, but he couldn't believe it, he refused to believe it.

"For all your bluster, you raged like a child throwing a tantrum that night," Katelyn said. Her eyes were full of hate and anger but deep down, sadness and regret were apparent. "You refused to even listen to me, even when I wanted to tell you … that I was pregnant."

An explosion went off on Jason's head and the world spun as he lost his balance, his body falling backward as he tried but failed to steady himself. Katelyn's voice kept on repeating in Jason's head and he almost fainted as she continued talking.

"I was pregnant with Alice. And I wanted to tell you," Katelyn said, her voice heavy with resentment. "But you abandoned me … you left me to fend for myself and then … it was a miscar -"

Katelyn's voice broke and she took a deep breath before screaming. "SHE DIED BECAUSE OF YOU! I LOST EVERYTHING BECAUSE OF YOU!"

Katelyn's scream pierced Jason's heart deeper than any knife could go. He sat down dumbfounded, barely registering anything. Everything clicked together at that moment and he stunningly realized that truth. Why was Katelyn so off those last few days, why she had wanted to know if he loved her, why she wanted to run away with him, why … she betrayed the Sages.

"Then Alice …?" Jason asked hoarsely and desperately.

"I couldn't live with myself," Katelyn said bitterly. "Not without my little girl, the only thing I had left. Then, they came. They promised to bring her back, give her a second chance, but only if I joined them. So I did. And they did bring her back. And I don't regret it."

Katelyn looked down at Jason. She didn't continue her words but Jason understood what she meant.

"I'm taking Alice with me," Katelyn said before walking away. "Tomorrow. You - you don't deserve her."

"Wait!" Jason stood up and began chasing after her when a bullet was fired at him. Dodging it at the last second, the bullet grazed his arm and he turned to look at where the shot originated from, only to see a figure on a rooftop packing their sniper rifle and fleeing. He turned back to where Katelyn was running but found no trace of her. "Katelyn …"

Jason's arm which was reaching out slowly fell back down and he lowered his head. Droplets of rain started falling, pouring and drenching Jason but he still remained standing in that position for a very long time. Finally, he looked up at the direction Katelyn had disappeared before leaving despondently.

[1] Yep, just like those skill trees in videogames, Jason can't upgrade either of them till he gains both of the gadgets since they're inter-related.

[2] Toy Story's song "You've got a friend in me" by Randy Newman.