Lutherson Snow and Mike Roberts; police detective and sergeant on a hunt for three dangerous Alliance fugitives. The two men were walking towards a rather modest medical facility huddled despondent among the huge city buildings.

“This is the fourth medical facility we’re visiting!” Mike complained. “Are you sure we are not wasting our time here?”

“Sergeant, do I tell you how to go about soldiering?” Lutherson asked. “No, becau-“

“You haven’t had the chance to,” Mike interrupted. “We haven’t been in a fight yet.”

“Well… if we do get into a fight situation, rest assured I shall not go about telling you how to conduct yourself; because that is your job and you know it better than I do. My job is finding people and solving mysteries. Is my point clear?”

Mike sighed but nodded affirmatively.

“Good. Now that we have cleared that, let’s get going. We have been to the crash side and we know that at least one of the fugitives was injured, due to traces of blood. They couldn’t have gone far away without visiting a medical facility and that’s why we are visiting the doctors closest to the site of the crash landing.”

The two men entered the facility. It was a large room with windows that had no bars over them. To the right was a long, red leather sofa and to the left a matching settee. The walls were covered with bookcases. A middle-aged man in a white uniform, cleanly shaved and with black hair, was standing behind a desk.

A loud ringing sound could be heard. The man picked up his mobile phone. “Damn it!” the man shouted. “Tell him to fuck off.” He had just flipped his finger at his phone when he saw Lutherson and Mike approaching his desk. At once he put up an awkward smile and with a polite voice he stated, “What can I do for you gentlemen?”

“Not a good day?” Mike said.

“You’re here for treatment or are you here for chitchatting?” the man replied. “Because if it is the second, then you should get the fuck out. I’ve got lots of work to do.”

“Dr. Beck?” Lutherson asked.

“Yup,” the man nodded. “The one and only.”

Lutherson showed his badge. It shined brightly.

“Cop?” Beck asked.

“Police detective; Lutherson Snow. And the guy with me is sergeant Mike Roberts. We are here to ask you if you’ve seen three fugitives.”

Lutherson placed a small device on the desk and activated it; a holographic image of John, Sara and Nicole appeared before the doctor. Beck examined closely the figures, scratching his head and trying to remember where he had seen them before.

“We believe that one of them was wounded and they may have visited the facility for medical aid,” Lutherson added. “It is of vital importance that you tell us anything you can remember about them.”

“I might have seen them but… honestly, I don’t remember,” the doctor replied. “Sorry but I see many, many patients and I’ve got trouble of my own, so I don’t remember everyone who comes here; especially if they aren’t regular patients of mine.”

Lutherson took a deep breath. "Relaxation allows people to remember things more clearly. The brain is influenced by 'theta waves', which are associated with relaxation. I know a breathing technique that allows people to relax. So I want you to follow my instructions and clear your mind of all other thoughts."

“Oh come on!” Beck protested. “Don’t give me this pseudo-spiritual crap! I don’t buy that bullshit!”

“Don’t get this the wrong way, but you really need some relaxation – regardless of the investigation.”

“You better do as he says,” Mike interjected while cracking his knuckles. Beck took the message and nodded in agreement.

“Close your eyes and take a few big, deep breaths,” Lutherson smoothly instructed Beck. “Breathe in. As you do that, imagine that the air is filled with a sense of peace and calm. Try to feel it throughout your body. Breathe out. While you're doing it, imagine that the air leaves with your stress and tension.”

Beck breathed as the detective instructed him to. “That’s good,” he whispered. “I really, really needed that.”

Lutherson shushed him. “Cleanse your mind of all thoughts. Relax and allow yourself to focus on those three fugitives.”

A few moments later, Beck opened his eyes. “I remember!”

“See?” the detective said to Mike with a smug smile on his face. He then turned his attention back to the doctor. “Tell me doc, what do you remember?”

“They came here five days ago,” Beck replied. “That boy had a speeder accident, or so they told me. I treated him. They asked me where they could rent a cheap apartment and told them to head to a friend of mine who owns a skyscraper in one of the lower-class neighborhoods.”

“Give us the address,” Mike interrupted. “Lutherson, call your team; we are going to raid that place.”

Knock!

“It’s Darren. May I come in?”

“Sure!”

Darren walked into Iris’ room. Iris was lying on her bed. She wasn’t sleeping. She was staring at the ceiling but she wasn’t really looking; she was too caught up in her thoughts. She was thinking of John. Back in Bremman, he viewed him as somewhat of a nuisance. He wasn’t exactly the most mature person either. Yet now she missed him;he was the person closest to her along with Darren. She couldn’t bring herself to think of the possibility that he could be dead. She thought of what she would do if she could see him tomorrow. She thought of how it would feel to turn and see him standing near her and what would happen if they ever met again.

“Iris!” Darren said, bring Iris back into the real world. He had a forced smile on his face.

“Yes?”

“I’ve evaluated the situation; we are going to rescue John, Sara and Nicole, assuming they’ve survived.”

Iris was barely able to contain her excitement; she jumped out of her bed as soon as she heard those words.

Darren laughed. “Knew this would lift your spirit… We shall be leaving tonight, at nine o’clock. Only Xar shall be coming with us. We do not want a large team that would attract attention.”

“Thanks,” Iris said. “I know this decision must have been hard for you to take. It is a risk to head to El Salvar, but you still decided to do it.”

“What can I say? You aren’t the only one who’s grown fond of the boy,” Darren chuckled. “But, more seriously, I did it for both you and them. They are part of my team and I cannot abandon them, despite the risks involved. And I cannot sit by and let you fall into depression; you are part of my team too.”

More than ten heavily armed Helian troopers, with full-body plate armor, surrounded the apartment where the three fugitives were staying. They were pointing their rifles at the apartment door and were waiting for the signal to barge in. Lutherson and Mike were there, overlooking the operation.

“Let’s get them, boys!” Lutherson ordered.

Two of the Helian soldiers, who were in front of the line, were holding a battering ram. With their boss’ signal, they busted down the front door. All of the soldiers, along with Mike who had unsheathed his laser pistol, charged into the apartment.

“FPD! FREEZE! Put your hands in the air!” the soldiers yelled at the top of their lungs. Yet there was no one inside. The apartment was clearly home to people, as they could tell from the beds and kitchen, but there was no one inside.

“Damn it!” Mike swore. “They’ve left. Do you think they knew we were going to raid the place?”

“Don’t think so,” Lutherson replied. “Most likely, they are out for some business. They will return at any time.”

“And when they do, we will be here waiting for them.”

“Will tell my men to stay stationed in the building,” the detective said. “We should also talk to the other tenants. Maybe they know something about our fugitives which might prove useful.”

Mike nodded in agreement.

“That last punch of yours was soooo cool!” Nicole smilingly said. “You knocked him out for good.”

“It wasn’t easy,” John replied. “That bastard was quite the fighter; I had to use all my skills to take him down. But I did enjoy that last part. I concentrated, ran as fast as I could and slammed my fist onto his face. It was awesome to finally knock him out.”

Sara shushed John and Nicole. He grabbed both of them by their shirts and pushed them backward.

“What?” John whispered.

Sara pointed at the building in front of them. It was the skyscraper where they were renting. Outside of the building, more than a couple of armed Helian troopers were waiting.

“Quiet!” Sara said. “We’ve been discovered.”

“How?!” Nicole asked. “Do the-“

Before she could finish her sentence, Sara interrupted her. “Not now. We’ve got to get going.”

John sighed. “Great! Just my luck; after a tiring day of fighting against an orc, a fight I barely won, I cannot even rest because my apartment is being raided.”

“Shut up!” Sara said. “We need to get back to the casino.”

“And then what?”

“We can ask Wang for some place to stay.”

“That gangster?” Nicole couldn’t hold back her contempt for the man. “We are going to ask for his help?”

“We don’t have much choice…” Sara replied. “It’s either that or hanging out with those troopers.”

“Wang?!” Lutherson repeated. “Wang Jiadi?”

The crying woman was nodding in affirmation. “I’ve already told you all I know,” she sobbed.

“So… those three fugitives went into a fistfight with Wang Jiadi and two of his men to protect you and your child, right?”

“Yes. They saved my life.”

“Sure, they are real heroes… Knights in shining armor!” Mike humphed. “They are terrorists who’ve killed good soldiers of the Realm!

Lutherson shushed his partner. “And after the fight, you saw the male fugitive talking with Wang… interesting. If you know anything else, now it’s a good time to tell us.”

“That’s all I know!” the woman screamed. She was barely holding together, crying uncontrollably and shaking in fear. “Please, let me and my child go. We’ve got nothing to do with those fugitives of yours.”

“Fine…” Lutherson said. “But don’t leave the building, at least for today. We may have to question you again.”

The woman nodded and went back to her apartment with her young son, leaving Lutherson and Mike alone to ponder on the situation.

“So… who is this… Wang Jiadi?” Mike asked.

“The top enforcer of the Boss,” the detective replied. “The leader of the local mafia. Not a guy you would want to upset.”

“If we have to upset him, we will.”

Lutherson smiled. “Brass, brave, with a golden military record and a hatred for the Alliance.”

“Are you analyzing me?” the sergeant asked. “What? Are you psychologist too?”

“Not exactly but I do venture into that science a bit to help me with my cases. I analyze you because you are my partner for the case. I need to know with whom I am dealing with. Your profile tells me that you are determined in your cause, a determination that is not simply the result of a sense of duty. If I had to guess, someone close to you died and this affected you.”

“Me and my brother joined the military, mainly for cash,” Mike replied, with a smile on his face. He was reminded of simpler, better times. “Stable source of income and a good retirement scheme, assuming you survive. Not a bad deal… I was good enough soldier but by no means a pro. It was a job, I did it as best as I could and that was all.”

“But then something changed…”

Mike nodded affirmatively. “My brother died. Not in battle. A terrorist attack on a civilian base by Alliance terrorists. They had it out for a high-ranking Helian official, took out whole district. My brother was among the dead. It wasn’t a job for me any longer; I wanted revenge. Where I would train for a few hours, now I would train all day long. Instead of simply accomplishing my mission, I would go out of the way to cause the highest enemy casualties possible. Soon enough, I became a… legend of sorts. I built up a reputation – and here I am.”

“I can see how such an event can motivate a man to change…”

“So… what is your deal?” Mike asked. “Why did you become a detective?”

“Since you’ve answered my question, I will have to answer yours. My… parents were murdered. Brutally. The killer was never caught. I became a detective to bring criminals to justice and t-“ Lutherson couldn’t help himself anymore and burst into hysterical laughing. “Sorry. I do apologize. It was just a joke. You really bought this melodramatic story?” Seeing the cold, deathly stare of Mike, Lutherson gulped and stopped at once his laughter. “Alright, alright! Truth is… I just do this because I crave for mental stimulation. I am an addict; I love challenges, I love putting my mind at constant testing.”

“Really? All of those cases you’ve solved over the years – murders, thefts, kidnappings and other crimes – are just a game to you?”

“Yes,” Lutherson calmly replied. “It is just a way to stimulate my mind. If I wasn’t doing this, I would be doing some sort of drugs. I am addicted to this… game.”

John, Sara and Nicole had rushed inside the ‘Young Prince’ casino. It was, as always, full of people. They were unable to see where Wang was so they stopped one of the waiters, a young man dressed in white shirt and black trousers who was carrying drinks on a golden plate.

“Do you know where Wang Jiadi is?” John asked.

“He is in Pit 7,” the waiter replied. “He is playing Three Card Poker.”

“Thanks.”

The three sorcerers rushed to Pit 7. There, they found Wang playing. He was drinking a glass of cognac while chatting with a gorgeous blonde woman, in her early thirties. She was wearing a long red dress and high heels.

“Wow,” John exclaimed. Noticing the annoyed looks of Sara and Nicole, he corrected himself. “I mean, wow, here is Wang! Let’s go see him.”

As they approached him, they could see that Wang had a large stack of purple and black chips and more than a few green and red ones. He was playing two hands to which he had affixed table max bets on both spots of three card poker, a thousand credits a shot.

“Hi,” John said. Sara and Nicole too waved at Wang but retained some distance; it was John whom Wang knew better and they did not really want to have much contact with the gangster. They had seen him leering at them more than once when they were near him.

“Here is my boy!” Wang exclaimed. He turned to the beautiful blonde and said, “You know who he is? The new champion of the combat tournament! Quite the guy. Today he knocked out an orc warrior with a powerful punch on the face.”

“Yup. That’s me…” John awkwardly smiled as the blonde sized him up.

“So, what can I do for you?” Wang asked.

“You see… I need a favor. I kind of… don’t have a place to stay. My apartment is not really available right now and I need a place where I and my friends shall not be bothered.”

“I knew you had trouble with the law! That’s it, right?”

John nodded affirmatively.

Wang laughed. “Knew that despite the nice-guy persona, you are a rebel. Look; you make me lots of money on the arena and I have taken a liking to you. So why don’t you stay in my villa? It is just outside the city and a large enough place to house fifty people, so you will not be imposing on me.”

“Thanks,” John said. “I really appreciate you helping us.”

“Anytime,” Wang winked. “Now, let’s return to the game.”

Lutherson and Mike walked inside the office of the chief of the Frazzar Police Department. Chief Diego was sitting behind his large oak desk, eating a box of chocolates; his love for delicacies explained his wide belly. He was in his fifties but had snow-white hair. He smoothed his blue silk tie and blinked behind his gold-rimmed glasses; although they had knocked before entering, the two men still startled the chief.

“Detective! Sergeant!” the chief warmly greeted the two men, getting up from his chair to shake hands with both of them. “How is your investigation going?”

“I have found out that our three fugitives were seen having a fistfight with Wang Jiadi and two of his men,” Lutherson replied. “One of the fugitives then had a chat with Wang. He may not necessarily have something to do with their sudden disappearance from their apartment, but we have to look into it. They may be working together; Wang does recruit people who impress him. Better call him here and ask him some questions.”

“I get your zeal, detective. I really do and I appreciate it. But, as you already know, we have a fragile peace here on Frazzar. Going against the Boss will mean the start of an all out war that will ravage the city. I cannot have that. If you are going against the Boss, you will be going alone; I cannot stop you from investigating him but I can choose not to allocate any resources towards your efforts.”

“Chief, do remember that we are on a mission from admiral Heinrich,” Mike interjected. “I am not here to bother your local mafia or tell you how to do your job; I am here to hunt down Alliance terrorists. So, do cooperate, please.”

“Your admiral does not have jurisdiction here: on Frazzar, it is me who calls the shots!” Diego shouted. “I shall contact Wang Jiadi and tell him to come here for questioning but he shall answer only if he wants to and he can leave the place whenever he wants to. Understood?”

“Yes, chief!” both the detective and the sergeant said.

Wang walked inside the small room and sat down. He noticed a mirror on the wall and knew it was a two-way mirror; they could see him but he could not see who was behind the mirror. The room was plain, with a single table and a few chairs. Soon enough, Lutherson and Mike walked into the room.

“Detective Lutherson Snow,” he introduced himself. “And he is sergeant Mike Roberts.”

“Please to meet you,” Wang replied. “Heard lots of things about both of you. So… why a brilliant detective and a war hero want to see me?”

Lutherson placed a hologram device on the table and showcased a holographic image of John, Sara and Nicole. “We know from eye-witnesses that you had a fistfight with those three and then you chatted with the male one. Is that correct?”

Wang looked to the right and touched his face for a few seconds before replying. “Yes. I did have a fistfight with those three. However I have not had any contact with them since then. I know nothing more about them. Why are you asking? Are they some sort of fugitives?”

“They are Alliance terrorists,” Mike said. “They car-“

Lutherson interrupted Mike before he could divulge the part about them having X-Corp files. “They are wanted for multiple attacks on our troops.”

“Ah… I see.” Wang could tell that the two men were holding something back from him. “Well, I am sorry to have disappointed you. If I see them anywhere, I shall notify you at once.”

“We may have to ask you more questions; I suppose we can find you on the ‘Young Prince’ Casino?”

“I would not recommend coming there,” Wang replied. “The Boss does not like it when cops interfere with his business. If you want to chat, we shall chat on my terms. You’ve been warned.”

Wang stormed out of the room.

“What a jerk!” Mike said. “Do you think he was telling the truth about not knowing about them?”

“No. Wang looked to the right for a moment. When right handed people lie, they look to the right; this allows them to access their imagination and invent an answer. I could tell from his hands that Wang is a right handed person. Also, he temporarily touched his face. A chemical reaction causes people's faces to itch when they lie."

“You are good!” Mike exclaimed. “I will give you that. So… what is the next step?”

“Going to the casino and investigating!”

“Lutherson, this time you are going too deep!” Diego said.

Lutherson was sighing and could barely hide his disappointment as he was sitting on a chair and talking with his chief about investigating Wang.

“Why don’t you know when to stop? No one cares about that admiral and his mission. It isn’t the Unity Party that runs the shots here; it’s the mafia. For fuck’s shake, even high-ranking party members and government officials are in their pockets. If you do go there, you will be going alone along with your soldier buddy. I’ve told you before; expect no aid from the department.”

“Then we shall go alone and uncover the truth,” Lutherson said. “We shall find those Alliance soldiers – and bring Wang to justice if he is aiding them in any way.”

Diego laughed. “Justice? Oh, come on! Leave that bullshit to someone who doesn’t know you. You are no moral crusader; you don’t give a fuck for justice. You are just too deep into that mental game of yours, too addicted into challenging yourself. It is thrill you are seeking and mental stimulation, not justice. Only this time your need for stimulation will get you killed.”

Lutherson got up from his seat and walked out of the office. He was going to solve the case, even if he had to do it only with Mike.

Wang was in his spacious office, sitting on a big black leather office chair behind a vast mahogany desk. On the walls were filing cabinets and paintings. A marble statue depicting a naked woman was decorating the room. Two serious-looking muscled underlings were standing with their arms crossed and listening to his orders. He had just returned from his questioning at the police station.

“I want you to do research on John and his friends. They belong to the Alliance but I don’t think they are simple soldiers if the authorities want them so badly they are willing to risk upsetting the Boss. I… also want you to monitor Lutherson Snow and his soldier friend. They said that they may come to the casino for further questioning; if they do, take them out before they arrive there.”

“But, sir, shall we really put up a fight for those Alliance terrorists?” one of the underlings asked.

“I don’t care about them. However I do care that the police know that they cannot meddle with the Boss and get away with it. If that detective wants to mess with us, he will get what he deserves. It is a matter of principle.”

Chancellor Maximilian, Lord-Protector of the Helian Realm and Supreme Leader of the Unity Party, was sitting on the plain, curved desk of his private office. The office’s deep red runner was matched by softly curving walls, long comfortable walls and a huge arc of window behind the desk, offering a mesmerizing view of the metropolis. The sun was giving the sprawling city of Biscecenza an amber glow.

Maximilian’s gray-white hair was glinting in the light from the window behind him. His face was wrinkled. He had brown eyes and an aquiline nose. He was thin and wearing a long grey silk robe. Before him were his three sons: Michael, his eldest son. A dashingly handsome man in his late thirties, cleanly shaven and with short black hair and brown eyes, he was wearing a red silk robe and had golden rings on his fingers. He had an athletic body and exuded a sense of confidence; he was the favorite of his father and the one most likely to succeed him. He was every bit as ruthless and power-hungry as his father.

Richard, the second son, was on a wheelchair. Since young, he suffered from paralysis. Although he could have been given robotic implants and replaced his legs with bionic counterparts, he refused to do so; the thought of becoming half-machine wasn’t one he entertained. He had long straight hair, a beaming, serene and delicate face and green eyes. He wasn’t athletic likes his two other brothers but he was slim. Richard had never been a favorite of his father; he was considered too ‘soft’. He focused mainly on reading books and writing poetry. His only involvements in politics were some rather failed attempts to influence his father towards showing more clemency and restoring some level of democracy.

The third son was William – the playboy ‘wasting’ money on women, drugs and partying (as his father liked to complain). He could be every bit as ruthless as Michael but lacked his elder brother’s interest in politics.

“The reason I called you here,” Maximilian said, “is to discuss the increased ferocity of pirate raids.” Maximilian was referring to the Kairer Asteroid field; a massive asteroid field on the western edges of the Helian planetary system, it was serving as refuge for pirate starships which could raid Helian merchant ships. “The situation has gotten much worse and attacks are becoming almost daily. It has been some time since we last sent forces to campaign on the Kairer field.”

“I agree, father.” Michael said. “We must show overwhelming force and crush those criminals. We must send a fleet of warships to bombard the asteroids and destroy any pirate facilities.”

“I believe that we must also focus on the reasons that men turn to piracy,” Richard interjected. “We must have programs to aid young kids from underprivileged backgrounds from turning to a life of violence and crime.”

William, unlike his brothers, was uninterested in the whole debate. He was standing still, waiting for the discussion to end so that he could return to his penthouse. Three gorgeous women were waiting there for him. ‘I will be having quite the night…’ he thought.

“William!” Maximilian shouted. At once William turned his attention back to the discussion. “I want you to lead the military expedition on the Kairer field.”

“What?” the three brothers asked in unison.

“Michael, you are already experienced with military campaigns. Richard, you are too much of peace-lover to lead a military expedition. William, on the other hand, is an immature brat wasting his time on partying and living a degenerate lifestyle. Undertaking such an important military task shall straighten him out and hopefully instill some military discipline in him.”

“Yes, father,” William replied. “I shall not disappoint you.” William’s heart was racing. He was trying his best to keep calm but he could not hide his nervousness at having to undertake such a task.

“I hope so. You shall go to the Ravager. It is under the command of Admiral Natasha. Hopefully she shall get you to become a proper man instead of the degenerate scumbag you are now.”

Lutherson and Mike were walking down the street, heading for the ‘Young Prince’ casino. It was raining; droplets of water were pouring down at the two men. All was quiet and calm. Too quiet. Not a soul was out; even if the weather was dreary, this was still unusual.

“Something’s off…” Lutherson said.

“I can see that,” Mike replied. He unsheathed a laser pistol and held it tightly. “Just as a precaution.”

Gunfire!

Mike pushed Lutherson away; the detective fell on the ground and quickly hid behind a public litter bin. A second laser shot came their way and Mike pushed himself sideways, then ducked.

“Let me handle this,” Mike said. “You are the expert on investigating, I am on killing.”

The detective could not disagree with him. He remained hidden, hoping that Mike would take out the attackers.

Another laser shot was fired; Mike dodged the laser shot and was able to identify where it was coming from. He could see man from a balcony to his right. He aimed and with one clear headshot he had taken him out; the man fell downwards, crashing on the street. Blood was pouring and his dead body was a distasteful mess.

A flurry of laser shots came at Mike’s way, this time from straight ahead. Mike leaped to the left, landing hard on the ground but avoiding enemy fire. He saw a couple of thugs – five or six, he couldn’t really tell – approaching him from the street. The one closest to him had a patchy beard and dark eyes; he aimed his laser rifle at the sergeant and fired. His laser shot tugged through the fabric of Mike’s coat, just missing his ribs.

Mike gritted his teeth and charged forward, aiming his pistol at the man and firing a succession of rapid shots. A loud cry could be heard as the man collapsed on the ground, blood splattering all over the rainy street; it mingled with the falling rain. A second thug was on firing range. His rifle was aimed at Mike and he was about to shoot but Mike shot first; he hit the thug’s hand. He screamed and let go of his gun. Mike fired again and the man collapsed as the laser shot entered the front of his forehead and blew out of the back.

Two more thugs ran at Mike, firing with their laser rifles at him. Their shots were inaccurate but rapid and kept Mike on the defense as he was too busy dodging laser fire. His elegant movements were dance-like. The rain kept pouring down even harder and the loud sound of thunders could be heard.

As the men came nearer to him, Mike fired two shots. The first hit the first thug’s heart, instantly killing him. The second hit the second thug’s chest. He screamed and collapsed. He was yelling loudly when Mike approached him and with another shot finished him off. Two more men came to Mike’s sight of line just then. Mike aimed and fired, his rapid and deadly accurate shots taking out the final two thugs.

With all the thugs taken out, Lutherson came out of hiding. “Impressive!” he exclaimed, clapping loudly. “You are indeed quite the marksman.”

“Thanks. Still going to the casino?”

“No. I don’t think that a head on approach is the best way to go – unless we want to get ourselves killed. Even with your skills, we cannot take out the entire mafia. I do have a plan however that shall allow us to investigate Wang and quite possibly find where the three fugitives are.”

John, Sara and Nicole walked inside Wang’s office. The gangster was sitting on his desk. He had a wide grin on his face.

“Welcome,” he said. “Know why I called you here?”

“Not exactly…” John replied.

“I’ve learned that you are Alliance soldiers. In fact, you John are rumored to be a sorcerer. No wonder you managed to beat two of my champions in the combat tournament. That’s why the police are after you, right?”

The three sorcerers at once took a defensive battle stance.

“I warn you,” Sara said, “we are not simple soldiers.”

Wang laughed. “Don’t worry. I have not told the police about you. I like John and you two are cute enough… But I cannot really hide Alliance members here. It is bad for business to be at odds with the Helian government. The best outcome would be you leaving the planet; isn’t that why John is participating in the tournament? To get the money needed to escape this place?”

John nodded.

“Unfortunately, you will have to win quite a few fights yet before amassing the cash needed to leave the planet. I don’t think you have that much time; the Helians will not take long to discover you are here and I cannot grant you refuge. I could help you and allow you to leave the planet with one of our starships for free, allowing you to get out of here much sooner, but too bad the Boss will not allow that. If only someone else was in charge…”

“You want our help to overthrow the Boss?” John asked.

“That’s why I like you; you are a smart man. The old man has been the top dog for too long. He has grown complacent and weak. We need new leadership. With a sorcerer aiding me, I can finally take the mantle of leadership and become the new Boss.” Wang clenched his fists.

“Deal; we aid you in your coup and you grant us one of your ship to escape the planet.”