The Nether Elite manages to leave the theater without incident as they continue to argue with each other outside of the front entrance, heading to their own car.

“Adrian is going to have a field day about this one…” Ryoko reflected.

“Between her and Interpol, yes,” Ayeka agrees.

“WOLVES!” A loud booming voice beckoning the group that echoed from miles and miles caught the attention of the four wolf girls.

They all turned around to see a prominent and muscular male jackal kemonomimi standing at the front entrance with the long platinum blonde hair, light purple eyes with olive skin wearing a custom-made suit to fit his frame.

The Nether Elite didn’t really have to guess who this man was, as Natalia’s description of the man who brutalized her fits the jackal kemonomimi standing before them completely.

“Bĕhēmōṯ Firas, Imperatoris De Neque,” Kayla identified.

Bĕhēmōṯ nodded in confirmation as he spoke to the wolf girls in a low velvety voice, “Undoubtedly. But you have been called to liberty, my brethren, only let not your liberty be an opportunity of the flesh, but you should be serving one another by love.” He quoted. “Free will. I thought that was an illusion myself, but others who have power and influence. Anyone who has meant more than others will always be in control. Creating such laws and regulations.”

Bĕhēmōṯ casually strolls over to the group as the four wolf girls are cautious of him. As well as they should since he towered every last one of them and even with their combined strength, would not be enough to take him down. Ayeka knew that firsthand.

Eerily enough, Bĕhēmōṯ was welcoming and open towards his adversaries, “Kayla Anderson. Ryoko Shimizu. Ayeka Junichi.” He addresses, but when it came to Natalia, he said absolutely nothing to her. Instead, he didn’t acknowledge her at all, pretty much remembering the last time they both met. Trying her hardest not to cry and to stay strong, Natalia did not look away. But deep down, they both knew she wanted to run.

“The four of you thought you were honestly free to do whatever you wanted, but you were never really free,” he continued. “You have sold your souls to those who never really had power, to begin with. Yet only used your power to fulfill their own agendas and destinies, while you stood hungry and unfulfilled. For many among you, death was the only freedom.”

Suddenly, a bunch of police cars arrived at the front entrance surrounding the area. Miles got out of her own vehicle and approached a group. She didn’t miss too much, but at least she arrived just in time.

Witnessing this sudden change of the situation, Bĕhēmōṯ carried on as he spoke to Kayla, “if you wanted to know who I was, Anderson, all you had to do was ask me. I mean, Noel did give you my information. I guess I owe you that much on why I destroyed your precious syndicate and disenfranchised many of you. I didn’t do it because I could, that would have been selfish. I did it because it had to be done. Gaining perspective of all of you toiling around in your own perversions of being false goddesses and superheroines was enough for me to make that decision on my own.”

Then Bĕhēmōṯ addresses Ryoko as she was utterly horrified by the towering jackal kemonomimi, “But you ladies never were, Shimizu. Sooner rather than later, even if it weren’t the Holy Mother or myself, someone else would have given you a reminder of how mortal you really were. In the end, you’re all smart and strong and resilient as they allowed you to be.”

Bĕhēmōṯ then walked over to Ayeka who was primed to defend herself at any cost, “and yet, you blindly and stupidly buy into a façade that was more of an exercise of blind abandon and self-destruction. And yet you blame others for your downfall like Zayne. Like Redgrave. Like the Holy Mother. Hell, you even went out of your way to blame me.” He acknowledged with a wicked smile.

“Yet, it was all you’re doing. Families were torn apart by prejudice, and it was all you’re doing. The world was about to be torn apart by fear and debauchery, and it was all you’re doing. All because of what? Do you even know yourself, Junichi? Maybe you need to look at yourself in the mirror for once and take ownership of your own faults. Or maybe you need to start doubting those who feed you in the first place?” Even though it felt like a lifetime, Bĕhēmōṯ finally addressed Natalia who stood like a stone statue just like she did moments ago with Maria.

Seeing this behavior, he couldn’t help but preach to the disenchanted Natalia, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near, and their doom rushes upon them. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” Bĕhēmōṯ preached.

Even though Ayeka, Ryoko, and Kayla weren’t so fond of the Holy Scriptures of the Bible, but Miles understood precisely what they meant. Especially in the situation with Natalia.

“Alas, when all you have left is vengeance and redemption that is keeping you from breaking apart piece by piece, all that is left of you is an empty frail shell,” Bĕhēmōṯ reflected as he took a few steps back from Natalia. “Endspiel… My own uncle felt the same way. So I guess it’s just you and I now, Natalia? As it should be while I am giving you the same choice Maria gave to him: call forth your lightning, strike me down with great vengeance and claim your blighted redemption. Or you can take my hand… Atone for your sins, as I will forgive all of you… And abandon your crusade upon my house… And that will be the end of it.”

The ultimatum that Bĕhēmōṯ gave to Natalia was not only puzzling but appalling. Yes, Natalia was never really a perfect person, and she had her fair share of spilling innocent blood, but Bĕhēmōṯ was no saint either.

Disgusted by this proposal, Ayeka lashes out, “you of all people…! You want her to apologize?! After what you have done to her?! You are fucking insane!”

“Isn’t he?! This is too much!” Ryoko feverishly contradicted. “We should have never done this in the first place. We should never have come here! We should have just left well enough alone!”

Miles was paying close attention to the wolf girls as one by one spoke up. However, someone who was uncharacteristically silent was Kayla. It was like she wanted this to happen.

Indeed, Miles broke her silence as she tried to become the voice of reason, “No one is making you do anything you want to do, Natalia.”

Natalia didn’t even look over to her team as she kept her head down. There were so many thoughts racing through her head at once. Sadness, sorrow, anger, regret… But she had to make a choice.

Over time, Bĕhēmōṯ approaches Natalia again as he addresses her one last time before she makes an important decision, “remember, you may not think they are watching you up there, but the whole universe is.”

With a deep breath, Natalia raises her head and looks Bĕhēmōṯ in the eye. The same man who ended up destroying not only her but everything that she cared about years ago. Indeed, she did a lot of soul-searching in the old Natalia would’ve tried to punch a hole through his chest and rip out his heart.

Instead, she did something that was even more out of character for the coldhearted lone wolf. Natalia took both of his large hands and kisses them both. The site of her doing so made Ayeka cringe as this shock pretty much everyone. The only person who wasn’t at shock was Kayla as she stood there neutral without any kind of expression.

After her gesture of submission, Natalia looks up at him with tears in her eyes, “I don’t know what I am anymore… I was a false hero, leading an army of darkness… An unworthy general with no authority and direction. So, I ask of you, your Majesty… Please forgive us. Please forgive me for what I’ve done…”

Natalia finally breaks down and dissolves into tears as she starts to cry uncontrollably. Ayeka wanted to rush over to her side and pick her up, but she just couldn’t. She couldn’t protect her anymore. She threw herself in the mercy of Imperatoris De Neque, and there was no turning back.

Tonight was full of surprises, and there will be one more when Bĕhēmōṯ helps Natalia to her feet as she was still on wobbly legs with her body still shivering from the emotion. Bĕhēmōṯ even lifts her chin up as he looks into her bloodshot eyes.

Bĕhēmōṯ’s expression softened as he felt remorse of his actions years ago, “it is only proper that I ask for your forgiveness as well.”

Natalia’s eyes widened as she didn’t expect him to ask for any absolution. But Natalia wasn’t complaining. This was a breath of fresh air for her as she nodded in agreement, “I already have.”

Taking a huge breath of relief, Bĕhēmōṯ sincerely smiled, “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him,” Bĕhēmōṯ then gently rests his large hands on Natalia’s warm, sensitive face as was comforting her.

“This, then, is how we should pray:” Bĕhēmōṯ pulls her in for an embrace as Natalia wraps her arms around his waist and rests her head on his chest. He then wraps one of his arms around her and rests one of his hands on the back of her head.

Together, they pray in unison, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, you will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.”

Bĕhēmōṯ breaks away from the embrace and kisses Natalia’s forehead as he looks into her eyes and discovers in the motion, not everyone thought she had to begin with: happiness. This even made Bĕhēmōṯ wanted to cry himself knowing he found closure as well.

“Thank you, Natalia. Take your friends and be prosperous in your new journey,” Bĕhēmōṯ bids farewell.

Natalia walked away from Bĕhēmōṯ, leaving everyone dumbfounded by her actions. Especially Kayla, who expected a significant bloodbath between the two. In all honesty, she was both livid and disappointed by the outcome.

Miles, however, took this shortsighted victory and called it a night, “stand down, officers! We are heading out!” She addressed the fellow officers in attendance as they got into their cars and drove off one by one.

The only one who was in protest, and that was Ayeka as she got into Miles’ face, “YOU’RE OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND!”

Miles, who was already furious at their collective insubordination, “Get in the car, Junichi.”

“THIS MAN CONFESSED TO EVERYTHING, AND YOU’RE JUST GOING TO LET HIM WALK?!” Ayeka berated.

“Get in the car!” Miles said with conviction as she opened up the car door.

“YOU CAN SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SAY ABOUT US, BUT AT LEAST WE’RE NOT AFRAID--!”

“GET IN THE FUCKING CAR!” Miles snapped, yelling in Ayeka’s face. “This is over…!”

Ryoko quickly climbed into the backseat along with Kayla. Ayeka saw Natalia go into their own car and drive off the property alone.

Feeling a lot of remorse not being there by her side, Ayeka still called out to her, “Natalia-chan!”

“Junichi! Let her go!” Miles ordered.

Defeated, Ayeka went over to Miles’ car and rode shotgun as Miles was in the driver seat. Without even looking back, they drove off the property and far away from Bĕhēmōṯ Firas, Imperatoris De Neque as fast as they could.

The ride back to their own headquarters in the city was a quiet one. Ryoko, Kayla, and Ayeka knew they messed up big time, and this could quickly reflect on their final evaluation. But none of that matters now.

What matters is that Natalia was somewhat telling the truth. The person who stood before them was not Alastair Copeland at all. It was another jackal kemonomimi who emanated such intense daemonic energy that they all cowered in his presence. It was that, and he was much bigger than Alastair. Also, Bĕhēmōṯ’s presence was that of man who demanded respect while not have to work too hard for it.

In the end, Kayla concluded that Bĕhēmōṯ had to be the one who assaulted Natalia and not Alastair. If that’s the case, then why is she protecting Alastair? Maybe out of guilt? What that why she asked for forgiveness? Was Bĕhēmōṯ Firas a weak substitute for the missing Alastair Copeland?

The silence went long enough as Kayla began to speak, “Ma'am, with all due respect, but…” Kayla knew she was pushing it with Miles, but she didn’t really much of choice. She needs to tell her superior about what she had discovered, “We have identified Bĕhēmōṯ Firas is indeed Imperatoris De Neque. He confesses to destroying the Oleander Syndicate and brutalizing many others who were in relation. And to our knowledge, he may have raped one of them that we know of…”

“You want us to arrest him?! No fucking way!” Ryoko protested in fear. “You saw him and how big he was! It was like… he was looking into your soul and was ripping you apart… piece by piece with his eyes... NO! I’m not going back there!”

Like a disappointed mother, Miles addressed her subordinates, “Nobody is doing anything, Shimizu. As of right now, you are all officially off this case. All of you are too personally involved in the first place. You should never have done this, to begin with, and now you know why! We have others right now working on this case, and you will let them, Anderson!”

Kayla sat back in her seat, shaking her head in disgust. Miles had to turn on the radio just to calm her nerves. She later then turns her attention to the emotional detached Ayeka, who is staring at herself in a side mirror.

“And what about you?” Miles questioned.

But Ayeka didn’t respond as she stares outside in the darkness.

When the group came back to Interpol HQ in London, they all decided not to bother Natalia, who was still in her hospital apartment. She was so exhausted and slept all day yesterday when she came back. They didn’t know how to respond to Natalia’s sudden emotional episode. Yet alone what to do next.

But Ayeka knew precisely what she wanted to do. She just wished that it didn’t have to come to this…