Jonas felt the nostalgia was strong, and it was easy to reminisce about the first time he had hopped the gates of the sewage plant, knocked on the door, paid the fare, and nervously traversed the long tunnel pathway that led to Little Wrath City. He wasn't in the mood for dwelling in the past because Ahmed's cold body was heavy in his arms and weighed even more on his heart. Sometimes he felt like he couldn't bear to look down and see his dear friend because it would twist his heart into a pretzel and make his stomach feel empty and useless.

A part of him was missing, and he'd lost it after seeing the demise of his two friends. Jonas had never lost anyone the way he lost Ahmed, so the experience was new and unfamiliar. If someone dared to ask, Jonas would tell them that losing a friend was worse than having his heart removed or his brain turned to mincemeat. However, he was trying his best not to feel and caught himself in a situation where he pretended to be cold and uncaring like the real Sinners of Hell.

"Just up here, I think," Jonas didn't need to squint because his vision was much better than before he discovered Sinning, and the dim lighting wasn't enough to stop him from seeing the exit door ahead.

"Good," Simon whispered. "What should we do about the toll? I don't think any of us have money," but he saw the look on Jonas' face and knew they weren't paying anything that day.

"This is not the main headquarters for the Von Trip gang," Bannji said quietly. "I don't think anyone guarding this entrance is a Sinner. We don't need to worry about a bunch of low-level bangers that ol' Billy had sent to collect tolls into Little Wrath City."

"If Bannji says there's nothing to worry about, then I'm not worried," Pete crossed his arms, and his Sin Scars began to glow.

Up the metal steps, they exited into the sewage plant and found themselves walking down a metal hallway, and they were hungrily anticipating the breath of fresh air that was mere seconds away from them.

"Jesus Christ," a man wearing green clothing was waiting at the door. He saw the blood covering all of them, saw the dead bodies, saw the size of Ralph, and he saw Jonas Ariel. Half a dozen people played cards at a table to the side, and they looked over after hearing their companion's surprise.

"Bad news," Jonas' voice was plain and contained no emotion. "Billy Von Trip is dead."

"Don't joke around like that," a man held his cards tightly and glared over at Jonas. "Seriously, don't ever say that again."

"Call him," Jonas wasn't bothered by the threat. "If you don't believe me, send someone down to visit the Hurts gang. They're all dead: a Maldread got them. Why do you think a bunch of top-five fighters are here unsupervised? Do you not know who this is?" Jonas used his thumb to point at Bannji, who smirked.

"Bannji Balewa?" The small-time gangsters knew the face of their best fighter but didn't have the privilege to meet him up close and personal.

"That's right, mother fuckers. Billy Von Trip is dead, and your best fighter is no longer offering his services. In America, I think they say that the gig is up."

The gang members exchanged looks, and the one who had been rude to Jonas was the first to speak.

"Caycee, call Billy. You can all stay here until I figure out what to do with you," one gangster pulled out his hell phone while the others glared at Jonas' crew.

"Don't be a fucking idiot," Pete shook his head. "We've got Yotama Yuki, Jonas Ariel, and Bannji Balewa on our side. Do you fucking idiots want to die? We can help you experience reincarnation if you want," his words did the trick because the gangsters were all forced back to the reality of the situation. Their small group of fighters wasn't a match for even a single top-five fighter.

"We can't just let you go," the rude gangster looked over at Caycee, who had the phone glued to his ear and was scrunching his eyebrows.

"Boss, listen to this," he pulled the phone down and put it on speaker, so they all could hear.

"Thank you for calling this number. Unfortunately, the owner of this hell phone is deceased and cannot answer. Thank you for calling. Goodbye," there was an uncomfortable silence as the message played.

"You can't fake that," Johnson shook his head. "Billy's dead. You can collect his body down at the Hurts gang. Now, we're leaving, and the first person who tries to stop us will die. We're not playing games," and he stepped forward, along with Jonas and the rest of their group. The faces of the Von Trip gang members were brutally shocked, and none of them found the courage to say or try anything. Their leader was dead, their best fighter was escaping, and Howard Hurts might be dead too.

The group stopped in front of a heavily reinforced metal door, and the bald doorman looked over at his fellows because he was confused and had no idea what to do. The rude gangster sighed, shook his head, and beckoned for his fellows to follow him.

"J.P, let them through. I'm going to the Hurts gang to see what the fuck is going on. Billy is dead. You can't fake a voicemail like that. Jesus fucking Christ, Billy Von Trip is dead," the doorman lifted the hatch, pulled the door, and swung it open to reveal the bright crimson sky of Hell, a wave of cool fresh air, and the first beams of sunshine that they had all seen in a long time.

"Freedom," Jonas whispered. He stepped forward, and the rest of his group followed behind him. It was like being released into the wild after being held captive for so long. His skin cells screamed in protest as they bathed in the light, and his body seemed angry that Jonas deprived it of sunlight and outdoor stimuli for so long. The rest felt the same as they all stepped into the abandoned courtyard of the sewage plant and allowed the hot white sun to bathe their skin and the cool breeze to blow their hair and clothing around.

"Freedom!' Simon screamed, and the sunlight revealed how dirty, pale, and malnourished he was. He clapped Johnson on the shoulder and gave Theo a big hug. "I never thought I'd ever escape. I didn't think I'd see the world again. Jonas, thank you," he knew that his dear friend was still hurting and upset, but he had to express himself because his feelings were flowing out.

"Let me see Ahmed," Johnson held his arms out. "You need to call our ride. Don't argue with me," Jonas sighed and gingerly passed Ahmed's body to Johnson.

"Give me a minute. My phone hasn't been on in two years," Jonas pulled out his hell phone and held the power button. It vibrated, the screen flickered, and an opening sequence played. Then the lock screen came up, and Jonas typed in his password. The phone instantly began singing and vibrating like crazy as it received numerous text messages and other notifications.

"Someone's popular," Pete snickered, and Jonas was quite surprised that he'd missed so many messages. He opened his texts and saw that two numbers had left messages during his time at the Hurts gang. The first messages were from Phillip Glatorius.

"Hi, Jonas. We hope you're doing well and have found a lead on your brother. Good morning, Jonas. We hope you can text to let us know you're alright. Hi Jonas, it's been a week since you left, and Amberlee is worried about you. I've tried calling, but it's going straight to voicemail, so please text as soon as possible. Dear Jonas, I hope you're okay. I've used my resources to try and find you, but you've gone off the grid. Please try and stay safe, and if you see these messages, please call as soon as possible," on and on the messages went, and Jonas didn't bother reading all of them in detail, but it warmed his heart just slightly to see how worried the two Glatorius' were for his sake. Along with the texts, there were also about twenty unanswered phone calls and a dozen voicemails.

The second number was unknown to Jonas, and there was only one message.

"Good luck with your escape, stupid disciple. If you manage to make it to the surface, give me a call. We need to talk about some things. If you died, oh well. Love your master, Old Louie."

"What the fuck," Jonas squinted at his phone. "My master sent me a text wishing us luck in our escape. How did he know?"

"Perhaps the same way he healed you?" Simon narrowed his brow. "It seems this Old Louie character isn't as simple as you think," even though Old Louie hadn't healed Jonas' heart, Simon was correct in assuming that the old quack was highly capable and more mysterious than Jonas had once thought.

"Give me a minute. I'm calling," Jonas' heart was a bit nervous as he clicked on Phillip's contact and called. His phone rang, and he didn't think anyone would pick up. However, by the tenth ring, the phone connected, and Jonas heard the unmistakable polite voice of Phillip Glatorius.

"Jonas, is that really you?"

"Hi, Phillip. I'm sorry it took me so long to call," Jonas felt a weight lifted off his shoulders, and the anxiety began to wash away.

"What happened to you? We've been trying to contact you for ages. Are you okay?"

"I'm good. I got caught up with a few gangsters in Little Wrath City. Have you ever heard of it?"

"I have," said Phillip, and there was concern in his voice. "That's not a place I would willingly visit. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"Long story short, they enslaved me and took my hell phone. A few others and I led an escape, and we just returned to the surface a few minutes ago," there was a long pause before Phillip could find the words to speak.

"Unbelievable. Jonas, where are you now? I'll send a car to pick you up. You can tell me about your journey once we get you back to the house," Jonas gave a faint smile.

"Please do. There are about eight of us, and we've got two bodies of our fallen companions with us. Could you bring something to put them in, if possible?"

"I'm sorry for your loss, Jonas. I'll send a limo and two body bags. Where are you?"

"The abandoned sewage plant on Exodus Street. Honestly, I'm not far from your house," Jonas looked around and saw many familiar sights. "I'm going to let you go. I need to tell everyone else the good news. Thanks, Phillip."

"No issue at all, Jonas. Just hang tight, and your ride will be there in fifteen minutes. See you soon," Phillip hung up, and Jonas knew he needed to make phone calls to his employees.

"My contact is sending a limo. It'll probably be about fifteen minutes," Jonas gave them all a short smile as he shoved his phone into his pocket and cracked his neck.

"I've never ridden in a limo," Johnson grinned. "We're leaving this place in style, aren't we?"

"Very generous friends you have," Ralph was still carrying the body of Jaden but looked completely unfazed because his strength was enough to hold three people for hours without feeling tired. "Lucky us."

"How did you meet this guy again?" Pete crossed his arms and gave Jonas a look full of skepticism. "I've never heard of anyone in Hell being that generous.

"He and his wife are the real deal: two genuinely good people. He bought me at a slave auction when I first arrived in Hell. I was to be eye candy for his wife and help her with tasks. However, they let me go after a week because I wanted to find my brother. Phillip took a loss of fifty thousand Sin Stones and even sent me a grand to help me on my journey."

"Jesus," Johnson whistled. "They paid fifty thousand for you and let you go just like that? People like them don't exist, right?" Jonas shook his head.

"They exist. It's hard to believe there are genuine people in Hell, but they're around."

"That was a good idea, asking for body bags for Ahmed and Jaden," Simon looked over and sighed at the sight of Ahmed's body in Johnson's arms.

"Well, this might be Hell, but walking down the street while carrying two bodies is still kind of strange. We still need to figure out where to bury them," said Johnson, and Jonas felt his heart twist when he thought of leaving their bodies in a dark hole. Were there graveyards in Hell? What did people usually do with their loved ones when they passed away? These intrusive questions were making their rounds through his mind.

"We'll bury them someplace nice," said Yuki, and she touched Jonas' arm as if she knew what was worrying him. "We'll do right by them, I promise."

"Alright," said Jonas, who was feeling sour about the topic. He didn't enjoy discussing it, and his thoughts shifted to the text message from Old Louie, also the anxiety he had about seeing the Glatorius couple again.

What could the old quack possibly need to discuss with him? Jonas had been sold into slavery by him, and so many bad things had happened because of Old Louie. The young teen had only negative thoughts and feelings about his old master, and he felt like he'd be inclined to punch the old quack in the face. However, a part of Jonas' heart wanted to contact Old Louie because he could learn the location of the Sin Assessment.

Then there were Phillip and Amberlee Glatorius, both of whom Jonas would see again in less than an hour. Maybe it was because he lacked faith in humanity due to recent events, but part of him was worried the couple wouldn't help him and his friends without wanting something in return. If that was the case, Jonas planned on revealing himself and his crew as Sinners, which would pique the interest of Phillip, who knew that Sinners were in high demand in the security business.

"They're going to be here soon. Listen to me, don't tell anyone you're a Sinner until I reveal the truth. It could attract unwanted attention. You might not know this, but I heard from Xiao Lin that revealing yourself as a Sinner can bring your downfall, and cruel men may try to claim your head as a way of proving themselves. Xiao Lin told me that Sinners in the Overworld will eat guys like us for breakfast."

"Even in Sun City?" Simon looked confused. "I thought you said Howard Hurts was a top dog in this town, and if you could beat him, it stands to reason that you're one of the most powerful men in this place.

"There are powers hidden all over the Overworld, in every city. Just because they don't show their face to the public does not mean they don't exist or are not strong. Sinners hide because it's dangerous to reveal themselves publicly. They'll attract the attention of other Sinners who wish to snuff them out."

"Sinners living in the shadows see one of their kind come into the light and show themselves off to the public? Pete might've asked, but he knew the answer before Jonas spoke.

"They see it as a threat that they can neutralize," Jonas had an epiphany. "It's probably another reason why it's so hard to find information on Sinners: they are scared of each other. Nothing frightens a Sinner more than being hunted and killed by a stronger Sinner."

"In other words," said Johnson. "Don't reveal yourself if you don't want to be hurt," there was a murmur of agreement among their crew, and they nodded their heads to show they understood the severity of the conversation.

"Exactly. My brother used to say there was always someone stronger living next door. He meant you shouldn't get cocky because you're a bit tough. We should all take that advice; I think it could save our lives one day," Jonas noticed the poor expressions on his friend's faces and realized that he had been drowning their excitement. "I don't mean to be so negative. I'm not in a great mood right now; however, I'll try my best not to bring everyone down," he looked up into the breeze and found that he'd never examined the details of Hell's sky. The sun was white, but the sky glowed a brilliant, mysterious red that made the atmosphere feel evil. The clouds were a mixture of wispy whites, murky grays, and ominous charcoals, and they all littered the sky at varying degrees.

He looked down and saw the crimson weeds, the auspicious blades of red grass that blew in the wind, and in the distance, he saw giant trees with grayish-brown trunks and bundles of scarlet leaves blowing and swaying in dance. Jonas never thought he'd call Hell beautiful, but he felt that way after being deprived of outdoor scenery for so long.

"You're not bringing us down," Simon smiled, but he didn't want to annoy his grieving friend too much. "You're allowed to feel and mourn. No one here expects you to just move on after an hour. Their deaths will hurt for a long time, but eventually, you'll find yourself growing numb to that pain too."

"We all loved Ahmed and Jaden," said Johnson. "I'll be doing most of my crying tonight when I'm alone, so feel free however you need. Simon and I will support you. Whether you're crying or yelling at us, it doesn't matter because we'll be there," Simon nodded, and the two of them gave warm smiles to Jonas, who felt his icy heart melt a bit.

Yuki watched as Jonas nodded and gave a slight smile to his two friends, and she internally grimaced because she had failed so many times to make him feel better. Was their friendship not deep? Why did she have such a hard time connecting with Jonas in their moment of grief and pain? It made her question her feelings, and she began to see Jonas as if he was standing at a distance and not within reach. She opened her mouth because she wanted to say something inspiring or helpful, but no words came to her, and anything she could have said felt hollow and not worth much compared to Johnson and Simon's support.

The wait for the limo seemed like an eternity until the time was up, and through the tall wrought iron bars, Jonas could see a black vehicle approaching from the distance.

"Is that them?" Pete adjusted his eye patch, stared at the distant car, and anxiously tapped his foot. Jonas stepped toward the metal gate locked shut with a padlock, similar to the ones used on the slaves' cages back down in the Hurts gang. He was about to cut himself to use Original Sin when Theo called out.

"Wait, Jonas," Theo stepped forward and pulled a black chrome dagger with a golden hilt out of his pocket. "You left this back in the Hurts gang, but I thought you might like it as a souvenir," he grabbed the blade and held out the handle for Jonas to grab.

"A souvenir?" Jonas looked unconvinced. "Why would I want a reminder of Howard Hurts?"

"Howard said they custom-forged this dagger to look like a sacrificial knife used in Egyptian times. This knife represents sacrifice, doesn't it? It represents Jaden's sacrifice, Ahmed's, your own, and every other slave and fighter cut by it. Sacrifice stains this blade, and every time you use it to cut yourself, you're sacrificing yourself to commit an act of True Sin. I feel this knife is special and that you should have it."

"You have a convincing way of putting it," Jonas narrowed his brow and considered taking the blade.

"I used to be the DM for my Dungeons and Dragons group," he grinned. "Naming rare artifacts and giving backstories is kind of my thing. Take the Blade of Sacrifice and let it guide you on your journey to find your brother, oh great Crusader," Theo used his deep and powerful narrating voice, and while Jonas was inspired, the rest of the group was cringing.

"Does anyone in real life name their weapons?" Jonas grabbed the blade by the hilt and pulled it toward himself.

"Not really. However, every King Arthur needs an Excalibur, right?"

"I'd hope my Excalibur is more than a tiny toothpick made of modernly-forged stainless steel," Jonas shook his head and used the blade to slice his finger, which caused crimson blood to leak out. The practice had made perfect, and he found it much easier to coat the inside of the locking mechanism. Then he corroded the inside using True Sin, and with one hard pull, the lock broke.

"Well, it might not be Excalibur, but it'll come in handy when you need to make yourself bleed, right?" Jonas nodded his head, put the knife in the strap of his pants, and used a bit of True Sin to heal the wound.

The car got closer, and it became clear that it was a long, black, sleek limousine. Jonas threw the lock on the ground, pushed the gate open, and swaggered over to the side of the road while his companions followed behind him.

"Wow," Bannji whistled. "Your friend knows how to travel in style."

"Wait til you see their house," Jonas watched the limo pull up beside them, and men in black suits, black glasses, and strapped with swords and other weaponry got out of the front doors.

"Jonas?" One of the well-dressed men approached and stuck out a hand. "You look so different. My name is Toby. I worked the night we picked you up from the Dark Fly auction."

"Nice to meet you, Toby," Jonas shook his hand. "Did Phillip come with you?"

"No, Sir. We were already en route when the boss called and sent us to pick you up. He also said you needed body bags for your fallen companions?" He looked over and saw the two corpses held by Johnson and Ralph.

"We do," Jonas sighed and pointed behind himself. "Please tell your men to be gentle."

"Affirmative," Toby nodded and spoke to his fellows. "Get their companions wrapped and put them in storage for now. Be respectful," the other men nodded and opened the bottom storage compartment on the limousine. Then they pulled out two large black bags made from fabric and marched toward Jonas' crew.

Respectfully and effectively, the six men under Toby's command placed Ahmed and Jaden into two separate bags. Then they carried them toward the limo and safely stored them in the compartment.

"Mission accomplished, Sir," Toby spoke respectfully to Jonas, though the young man didn't know why. "Are you ready to leave?"

"Let's get out of here," Jonas and his companions didn't hesitate any longer, so Toby opened the limo door and gestured for them to climb in.

"It's huge in here," said Johnson as he climbed in. The manufacturer had raised the ceilings to fit someone of Phillip's size, and the vehicle was much bigger than a standard limo. Jonas climbed in and saw the familiar luxuries he had once taken for granted the first time he rode in the limo: smooth leather benches, a bar refrigerator stocked with refreshments, and television screens built into the wall.

"Alright," said Toby as he watched the last of them climb in. "Is this everyone?"

"It is," Jonas nodded and sank back into the leather seat.

"Then sit tight and help yourself to some refreshments while we bring you to the safe house. ETA is twenty minutes," Toby shut the door and left Jonas and his friend to sit and talk in privacy.

"Don't mind if I do," Pete opened the bar fridge, grabbed a can of beer, cracked it open, and began chugging its contents back. It took him seconds before he pulled the can back and belched loudly. "That's fucking delicious. Does anyone else want one?" As the car gently lurched forward to take off, Pete began throwing beers to his fellows.

"I'll take a bottle of champagne," Yuki turned her nose at the smell of the beer. Pete laughed, uncorked the bottle with a bang, and tried to fill a giant champagne glass without spilling any on the carpet. The first round didn't last very long, so Pete threw more beers and poured more glasses.

"To Ahmed," said Simon while holding up his drink.

"And Jaden," Pete lifted his beer and clinked it against Simon's.

"To freedom," Yuki lifted her glass, and they all drank after the toast was over. No one knew what the future held, but at least the next twenty minutes would be full of alcohol.