Author's Note:

Thank you everyone for all the great reviews thus far! Please continue to let me know what you think of APYJCK, so I can continue to improve. :)

This chapter was betaread by rasclieboobear. If you want your story in excellent hands, send it over to this user! Your story will be returned promptly, with clear edits, and great feedback! Thanks again!


It was well into the night when Natsu pulled up to his destination. He parked the car in a tiny space across the street from a building with a giant illuminated sign above the entrance that read: Pegasus. It was this sign and the line of colorfully dressed people waiting to get inside that indicated to Natsu he was in the right place. Crossing the cobblestone street, he bypassed the line and made his way to the front entrance. The bouncer took one glance at Natsu before he admitted the treasure hunter in. A chorus of complaints rang out behind him, but they were drowned out by the loud wave of music that erupted around him when he entered the building.

A mob of people clad in bright, glittering, and revealing outfits danced to the loud music on a lit up dance floor. The room flashed with colors from the pulsing lights that beamed down from the high ceilings. A DJ on a raised platform ushered the mob on as he blared techno music from the speakers. Along the left side of the room, a wet bar was set up. Muscular bartenders wearing white dress pants, white suspenders, and white bowties were intoxicating the guests in more ways than one, as they served the alcoholic drinks shirtless. On the opposite side of the room, lounge areas were purposely situated into the shadows. Club goers took refuge in these dim-lit areas to pursue other forms of entertainment. Natsu's eyes turned skyward as he noted the clear glass railing around the second floor. A velvet rope cut off the entrance to the stairs where more bouncers were stationed, permitting only a select few to enter. As one of the hottest places to dance and drink the night away, Pegasus's guest list was as varied as the colors of the clothes on the people who passed their evenings there. The frequent club visitors included celebrities, politicians, and even wolves of the mafia.

Natsu tensed as he felt a presence slink next to him, but relaxed once he realized the person didn't pose a threat. On his right, a woman in a tight orange dress with a plunging neckline had appeared. She smiled seductively at him, batting her false eye lashes.

"Dance with me," she demanded, tugging on his arm towards the dance floor. Natsu arched an eyebrow at her in response, but didn't budge. The woman was undeterred. She slinked closer to him again, wrapping herself around his arm as she pressed up against him. "Or we could skip all of this and take advantage of one these dark corners," she purred into his ear. Before he could refuse, another figure appeared on his left. Natsu's nose wrinkled and his shoulders grew tense with irritation at the figure's arrival.

"You don't want to waste your time on him, kitten. He's here to see me." A short, stocky man dressed in a tailored white suit with an impressively large nose and rectangular face spoke, flipping his long, auburn hair over his shoulder. The woman looked up at Natsu then back down at the man in utter shock.

"No fair," she pouted, as she slowly released Natsu's arm. "All the cute ones play for the other team."

"Don't worry my pretty little kitten." The man twirled to her side and took her hand, placing a slobbery kiss on it. "I play for all teams." He sniffed up her arm, his eyes rolling in the back of his head in ecstasy. The woman squealed in disgust as she snatched her arm away from him, running in the opposite direction.

"I'll follow that lovely scent of yours to the end of the world," he called after her.

"Ichiya." Natsu glared down at the man, irritation sketched across his face.

"After all this time you're going to greet me with a glare? Oh meeeeen!" Ichiya threw up his hands and twirled on one foot, before halting in a dramatic pose. "You haven't changed, Salamander."

Natsu muttered some obscene things under his breath in response as he moved passed Ichiya towards one of the lounge areas. He slid into a half-moon-shaped booth, and Ichiya soon joined him. The booth was located furthest from the dance floor and the DJ's speakers, allowing the pair to actually hear one another without shouting. Reaching up above his head, Ichiya pulled on a thick, braided cord. A black curtain tumbled down, providing them with another layer of privacy.

"My nose hairs were practically tingling with delight when you said you needed me." Ichiya propped his elbows on the circular table, resting his chin in his hands.

"I believe I said I needed information," Natsu clarified, annoyance coloring his tone.

"A potato smells like a potato no matter how it's cooked," Ichiya sang, as he inspected his well-manicured hand. Natsu pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. Out of all of his informants, Ichiya was one of the most difficult to handle. Dealing with his vibrant… personality was a strain on Natsu's nerves. If he wasn't so good at gathering information, Natsu would have cut ties with him long ago. However, despite his looks and his mannerisms, Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki was someone to be wary of. He could sniff out information on people like it was a fine fragrance, earning him the alias: Parfum Man.

Regaining control of his growing irritation, Natsu breathed out slowly and opened his eyes. "I trust you already know why I'm here then," he said, keeping his voice steady.

Ichiya breathed in dramatically and shivered. "You wouldn't be inquiring about that cold breeze that drifted into Venice a week ago, now would you?"

"If that's the case," Natsu started; "that would confirm my suspicions. I thought Rome was unusually chilly this time of year." He reached into his leather jacket and pulled out the picture he had grabbed of Gray before he left. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the folded picture to Ichiya. It landed in front of the man, who picked it up and immediately smelled it.

"A request from Gold Pistol, I smell," Ichiya said as he unfolded the paper.

Natsu ran his hand over his spiky hair. "Not anymore. It's personal now."

Ichiya's eyes flickered to Natsu. An unamusing glint had appeared in them that made Natsu's irritation flare up.

"Not that type of personal matter," he growled. He thrust his finger towards Gray's picture. "That's the idiotic princess I'm trying to find for a… friend. He's gone and got himself caught up in the Mafia's Underworld. I'm getting his sorry ass out of there before her stubborn self decides to get killed trying to rescue the bastard."

"Meeeeeeeeeennnnn," Ichiya sniffed. "This scent – it's so rare coming from you. It seems like our mystery 'friend' might be the cause of it. Now that would be a lovely fragrance to sniff out."

"Knock it off," Natsu glared. "Don't forget I warned you what would happen if I caught you sniffing out information about me."

Ichiya gulped and pinched his nose shut. "No need for one of your infamous glares Salamander. My nose and I wouldn't dare uncover your foul secrets."

Annoyed, yet satisfied, Natsu directed the conversation back to the main reason he had contacted Ichiya. "Gold Pistol's goons are clumsy. I read the background investigation they did on the princess and I know for a fact that there are things on there that are incorrect. I need you to sniff into his past for me. I have a feeling there's something there that might explain a few things about this cold weather we're having."

"Meeeeennn! You always give my nose hairs such a thrill with your requests." He fanned his face with Gray's picture, momentarily pausing to take quick sniffs of it. "My nose and I will look into this. In the meantime, I have a request for you."

"Request?" Natsu scoffed. "Were you sniffing up something that made you forget that you work for me?"

Ichiya fanned his hand in front of his face. "Oh, Salamander, your face is pretty, but I would never hire you to work for me. That glare of yours would frighten all my beautiful customers away." Ichiya pulled on the cord above him again. The curtain furled itself up, revealing the sight of the nightclub once more.

"Really, it's a simple request – one that you might find… informative." Ichiya jumped onto the table and started to perform some elaborate dance moves as he spoke, moving to the throbbing music. "The cold breeze in Venice has brought a mutt in here, and it's making the second floor VIP room smell like wet dog. I don't have the heart to tell it to leave, but I'm sure you'll be able to." Natsu arched his eyebrow at the man before switching his gaze to the second floor. "I'm sure if you offer that poor creature something it can't refuse, it will show you a trick or two. Meeeeeennnn!"

Nodding in understanding, Natsu smirked as he slid out of the booth and made his way to the foot of the staircase leading to the second level. The bouncer looked over Natsu's shoulder as he approached. Natsu knew Ichiya was giving a silent command to the bouncer to admit him. After all, Ichiya was the owner of Pegasus. It was one of the reasons he was so good at gathering information. He created environments that were inviting and disarming, making people drop their guards and let loose information they wouldn't otherwise. Pegasus performed as a giant information gathering machine, and the clubbers didn't even know it.

The second level VIP room had a different atmosphere than the first floor. The lower level that entertained the masses focused on anonymity. It was about letting loose and forgetting oneself. It made the club goers feel as if they could be anybody and nobody. However, the upper level focused on power and prestige. Ichiya had set it up the VIP room to make the guests revel in their authority, giving them the illusion that they were in ultimate control.

More of Ichiya's shirtless, white clad workers delivered expensive drinks to the patrons alongside beautiful women in white dresses. Cozied up to the wealthy and powerful men and women in the lounge areas, were more of Ichiya's alluring white wearing workers. At first glance, one would think that they were harmlessly catering to the needs of their guests. However, Natsu knew better. The drink servers continued the flow of drinks, loosening the lips of the guests, while those entertaining in the lounge areas, giggled and flattered, snuggling closer to collect every piece of information that dropped from the VIPs tongues. They were doing more than entertaining; they were actively spying, sniffing out bits of information that Ichiya would bottle and sell to the right customers.

One of Ichiya's girls squealed with laughter, catching Natsu's attention. She tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder to disguise the silent message she sent towards him. In that motion, she had pointed to the area at the end of the room. Natsu followed her direction, stopping at the last lounge area. A shirtless man wearing multiple gold chains leaned into the soft leather cushions as two of Ichiya's girls snuggled up against him. Multiple tattoos covered the man's lean body, but one in particular caught Natsu's eye. In bold, block letters a tattoo that read 'BAD DOG TOBY' was inked into his skin across his right pectoral. The man noticed Natsu and waved him away.

"Bring me another round for me and my ladies," he ordered. "And make it quick. You don't want to keep me waiting."

Natsu smirked as he ignored the man, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets and taking a seat across from him. The two girls took one look at Natsu, before transferring a silent message between themselves. They untangled themselves from the man's groping grasp and walked away.

"Ooonnn," the man called after them, stumbling to stand. "Come back! We're not through." When the girls didn't return, the man turned his glare to Natsu. "You scared my girls away, brat."

"They looked happy to leave, if you ask me."

The man grabbed the collar of Natsu's jacket, pulling hard on the leather. "What did you say, punk? Keep talking shit, and I'll cut you to ribbons."

"Is that a threat?" Natsu asked cooly.

"It's a promise," the man growled.

"You really shouldn't make promises you can't keep. " Natsu shook his head as he gripped the man's wrist. "That's one of my pet peeves." He squeezed on the man's wrist, until the man released his hold on Natsu's collar, grunting with pain. The man snatched his wrist from Natsu's grasp, glaring at him as he tried to hide the fact he was in any discomfort.

"Ooonn! You don't know who you're messing with, kid." The man sized up Natsu.

"Actually, I do. But the same can't be said for you, Toby."

The man's—Toby's—eyes widen in surprise. His brow knitted together as he regained his composure. Natsu noted how Toby's feet shifted slightly back and how his body went tense all over. Toby maintained his glare as he reached for the bottle on the table. He poured himself the last bit of booze and shot it back in one motion. A little of the tension in Toby's shoulders released, the alcohol loosening him up.

"What do you want?" Toby growled. "I'm not interested in playing with little boys."

Natsu let the jab slide. "I need information regarding your master," he said simply. "And you're going to be a good little dog and tell me what I need to know."

"Oh, really?" Toby laughed dryly as he set his glass down. In a quick motion, he reached into his pant pocket and pulled out a switchblade. He unleashed the blade and pressed it against Natsu's neck.

"You've seriously pissed me off. Tell me who the hell you are before I slit your throat."

Wet dog indeed. Natsu thought, smirking to himself. All bark and no bite.

"Toby. Toby," Natsu chided. "What a shame, I even warned you not to make promises you can't keep." He smacked Toby's hand away and grabbed his wrist, twisting on it hard. Toby cried out in pain, releasing the blade. Before the blade could hit the ground, Natsu snatched it from the air and pressed it against Toby's neck. "It seriously pisses me off."

Beads of sweat formed on Toby's brow, dripping down the sides of his face. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, as he swallowed hard. Natsu's glare terrified him. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't. The knife that kissed his neck stilled him from trying to escape. He had seen how fast Natsu could move, and he knew he didn't have a chance.

"Now, let's try this again," Natsu offered. "I need some information, and you're going to tell me what I want to know. If you don't, then there will be consequences. Understand?" Toby nodded in response, his eyes bulging in fear. Regardless, the blade pressed harder against his neck, almost breaking the skin. "Surely your master taught you how to speak."

"I-I understand," Toby muttered.

"Good boy." Natsu released Toby and flipped the blade closed. "Now you and I are going to go on a short walk."

None of the other VIPs had witnessed the actions that had occurred between Natsu and Toby. Ichiya's spies were not only adept at collecting information; they were skillful at making sure information didn't get out. There was a staircase that led to the back of the club. It was used for guests who didn't want it known how frequently they visited Pegasus or who they left with. Natsu ushered Toby down these steps and out the back door. The alley behind Pegasus was deserted, except for a few stray cats that rummaged through the dumpsters. There was a dim light hanging over the back door that pooled a few feet into the surrounding darkness, acting as the only source of illumination in the dark area.

"Are-are you going to k-k-kill m-me?" Toby stuttered after he realized they were alone. His tough guy act had melted away the moment Natsu had threatened him with his own blade.

"Kill you?" Natsu laughed. "I promise I won't kill you. I take no pleasure in putting down dogs. You'll be fine as long as you answer my questions."

Even with Natsu's promise, Toby didn't relax. His eyes kept darting from Natsu to either side of the alley. He was searching for an escape or someone to rescue him from the situation. This only further validated what Natsu had told Lucy earlier: there are no heroes in the Underworld, only hungry wolves, and this mutt was certainly no wolf.

"Alright, Toby," Natsu clapped his hands together. "Why don't you tell me what your master is up to? Let's start there."

"I-I-I don't know what you're talking about," Toby lied, visibly shaking. "You have the wrong guy… Yeah, that's right, so you can just let me-"

"Toby." Natsu glared at him. "I'm going to be nice, but I'm not known for my kindness. Lie to me a second time, and I promise it will be painful."

Toby gulped, shaking harder. "W-w-w-w-well, maybe… yeah… wait! I remember something, now that you mention it. The Boss suddenly wanted to come to Italy for a… a… a… a personal matter!"

"A personal matter?" Natsu leaned against the back door, stuffing one hand in his jacket pocket and twirling the switchblade in the other.

"Just over a week ago, the Boss gathered a group of us, saying we're going to Italy to take care of something personal. We weren't told what it was, but we were all given different jobs, and that was that. I sw-swear I don't know any more than what I told you."

"All right, Toby," Natsu pushed off from the door, tucking the blade into his jacket pocket as he walked over to Toby. He placed his hand on the other's shoulder and smiled. "A promise is a promise."

With that, Natsu punched Toby in the stomach. The man gasped, leaning over to clutch his midsection. Before he could recover, Natsu kneed him in the forehead, sending him skidding across the cobblestones. The rough stones cut against the exposed skin of his back. Toby cried out; his body twitching in pain.

"I promised it would be painful if you lied to me again," he said as he stood over him. "And I always keep my promises."

Toby curled up, whimpering in pain. "Okay! Okay! Okay! I'll tell you everything you want to know. Just-Just please," Toby begged. "Don't hurt me." Natsu remained silent as Toby continued to speak. "I don't know about the others, but-but my job was to distract Gold Pistol's men. Make it look like we aren't even here, ya know? The Italian Mafia may look powerful, but they're all brawn and no brain." He coughed as he shifted to kneel on his knees. One arm was wrapped around his stomach, and his free hand pressed against his forehead. "Damn, my head," Toby moaned.

"What else?" Natsu looked at his watch. This was taking longer than he expected. He needed to get back before Lucy's time limit wore off, and she contacted the embassy. It was true that it wouldn't do her any good, but it would cause more of a headache than it was worth. Knowing her luck, she would find the one embassy worker that wasn't in Gold Pistol's pocket, and a whole lot of aggravation would follow. It would give Gold Pistol another reason to target Lucy, and Natsu wasn't about to let that happen.

"Ooonn. I don't know what else to say? I-I don't know anything else!" Natsu shifted slightly, sending Toby into a new bout of trembles. "Wa-wait! Wait! I-I… yes! I remember. I accidentally overheard the B-Boss congratulating the others for picking up a guy last week. But he told them he needed them to pick up one other person in order to move onto the next part of his plan."

"Your Boss is looking for someone else?" Natsu controlled his features in order to hide his shock. Two? So the princess wasn't the only target. But who could be the second?

Toby shook his head furiously, but stopped when the motion caused him too much pain. "I'm not that high up. I just do what I'm told. That's it! I promise I don't know anything else. I'm just-"

"A good dog. I believe you." Natsu knelt down beside him, but the man cowered next to him. Natsu smirked as he patted Toby on the head. "Now when I leave, I don't want you telling anyone about our little meeting. If you do, then I'm going to have to do something I really detest. Promise?"

Toby nodded his head enthusiastically in response.

"Speak, Toby."

"Y-yes. I promise."

Straightening, Natsu reached into his jacket and pulled out a phone, tossing it to Toby. He caught it clumsily, staring at the device in his hands in confusion.

"It's a burner," Natsu explained. "That phone is programmed only to receive and call one number: mine. I need you to find out who this second person is and contact me immediately."

"H-hey, I can't snitch on my Boss!" Toby began to protest, but one look from Natsu stopped him from speaking further.

"You can and will," Natsu commanded. "You serve a new master now."

Driving back from Pegasus, Natsu puzzled over the information he had acquired. Ichiya had pretty much confirmed his suspicions on who had Gray. Coupled with Toby's intel, Natsu was more than confident that a trip to Venice would quickly end the hunt. However, it was Toby's revelation that the rival Boss who took Gray was also looking for a second person that made Natsu pause.

It couldn't be Juvia; otherwise, she would have been kidnapped the same day as Gray. Gold Pistol would have torn Italy apart if she was kidnapped. Even if the rival Boss was smarter than Gold Pistol, it would be hell trying to escape his offensive force when it came to her. Juvia was the very source of his power. If he lost her, then he would lose everything. If for some reason Natsu thought she might be targeted, Gold Pistol wouldn't believe him anyway. That man was made of pride. He truly believed no one would ever step to oppose him. Natsu knew that Gold Pistol didn't see Gray's kidnapping as a slight to his power either. If anything, he might even be grateful that Gray was out of the picture. As Juvia's husband, he would hold significant power in the mafia. If he played his cards right, Gray could even become Boss.

Could Gold Pistol have staged the princess's kidnapping for that purpose? Is he working with the rival Boss to get him out of the picture?

Remembering the droopy-eyed princess, Natsu smirked and shook the thought out of his head. Toby had mentioned that the rival Boss said this was a personal matter. Besides, Gray wasn't ambitious enough to become the Boss of the Italian Mafia.

He's a princess, not a wolf, Natsu thought. A princess with secrets, though.

When Natsu had first met Gray at the wedding, he immediately disliked him. The way he looked at Lucy greatly irritated him. He looked at her like she was about to disappear any second, and he wanted her all to himself. Just like a greedy princess. The look on Gray's face when he had stolen Lucy for a dance was priceless. He chuckled to himself remembering it. However, Natsu would never admit that his jealously towards the relationship Gray had with Lucy greatly influenced his dislike for the guy as well.

Now that the playboy princess was getting Lucy involved with the mafia, he gave Natsu reason to justify his irritation. There was no one in the Italian Mafia that held as much influence as Juvia did, so Natsu couldn't believe the rival Boss would target anyone else in the mafia. The background investigation Gold Pistol did was something Natsu couldn't rely on to help much either. When he read it, he almost laughed out loud. The little rumor he had started at Gajeel's wedding about Gray made it into the file as fact. Everything that was happening was connected to Gray in some way. Natsu just had to wait until Ichiya's investigation report to find out what that connection was. He had a gut feeling the second person the rival Boss was looking for had to be connected to Gray's past.

Who could it be? Natsu thought as he pulled up to his sister's blue house. He parked the car and fished out his keys. He was about to turn the key into the lock when he noticed the state of his hands. They were covered in blood from Toby's… discipline.

"Shit," Natsu swore under his breath. Besides his concern for Lucy's safety, he didn't want her to come with him to see him like this. Normally, his treasure hunts didn't involve this degree of violence, but dealing with the mafia meant certain measures had to be taken. Trudging back to the car, he searched for a rag to wipe off his hands. Surprisingly, there wasn't one. Natsu shrugged off his jacket and stripped off his shirt, using it rub the blood off his hands. Satisfied, he tossed the now blood stained shirt into a bin on the street. Grabbing his leather jacket, Natsu went up the stairs and unlocked the door. He had 16 minutes left of the two hour time limit Lucy had given him, returning just in time.

The house was quiet when he entered. He thought about announcing he was back, but thought better of it. Lucy, if she did listen to him, would probably be sleeping, and he didn't want to wake her up. Still, even as Natsu thought this, he got the feeling that this wouldn't be the case. She was so worried about her friend that she would most likely be waiting to hear what he had found out. All the concern that she was showing for the princess was making it difficult for Natsu to keep his irritation in check. He felt that Gray didn't deserve it. Natsu had seen Lucy worry about so much that he had wanted this hunt to be a means for her to focus on something else. It was supposed to be a vacation of sorts, but it turned into this mess. Natsu felt partly to blame for everything, too. If he was being honest with himself, he was most irritated that he had tried to do something nice for her, but it backfired. The only thing he could do now was rescue her friend and get them both out of this mess. The quicker they left Italy, the better, and for more reasons than one. Things were getting too close to a past Natsu had left behind – a past he didn't want anybody finding out… especially, Lucy.

A light was streaming out of the living room, and he headed towards there. Lucy was curled up on the couch with a book in her lap, asleep. Natsu laughed softly at the sight. It reminded him of the first night they had spent together at Levy's apartment. He tossed his leather jacket onto the couch and grabbed the book, flipping it closed and setting it on the coffee table. He picked her up and carried her out of the room and up the first flight of stairs. She unconsciously snuggled closer to him, making Natsu smirk and hold her tighter.

As he carried her, he continued to reminisce over the first time they met. The first thing he noticed was her smile. She had seemed so happy being surrounded by all the books in the bookstore that it lit up her eyes. Of course, he had to open his mouth and ruin his first impression. But then, instead of running away or crying like others did when he got demanding, she yelled right back. The light in her eyes flared up into a spark of anger. He was shocked that a stranger would stand up to him. He was intimidating for a reason. In his profession, he had to be. After she had left, Natsu had tried to get her name from the bookstore owner, but the crazy man could only remember her last name. Even then, he had told Natsu it was 'Heartfield'. Still, as he left the bookstore, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen her before.

After Gajeel and Levy's wedding, he had planned to search for her. For some reason, he wanted to fight with her some more. Teasing her was addicting. On the day of Gajeel's wedding, he couldn't believe it when he saw her there. He had been waiting outside to meet the delivery guy who was bringing the Iron Maidens to him. She didn't see him – she was too focused on whatever task she was doing – but Natsu watched as Lucy jumped out of a cab and ran up the stairs to the church. It took him a second for his brain to register what he had seen before his feet were running after her. When he entered the church, she was already gone. He had thought that the long nights and the little sleep he had gotten were making his brain play tricks on him. Except, when she started walking down the aisle, he couldn't help the smirk that formed on his face. He hadn't been hallucinating. There she was. In that moment, he had realized why she had seemed so familiar to him. Everything made sense. He had seen her picture countless times whenever he had stayed at Levy and Gajeel's apartment. Lucy Heartfilia, Levy's best friend. He had felt like an idiot for not making the connection sooner. It would have saved him several nights of sleep.

He couldn't say why, but Lucy made him curious. He wanted to know all the ways to tick her off; he wanted to know what she liked and didn't like. He was curious about the things that made her smile and even more curious about the things that made her cry. There was a sadness in her eyes that seemed to cause her pain. When he had found her crying in her room, he knew that something had happened to cause her so much sadness. He wanted to figure out what it was, but he didn't want to use Ichiya or any of his other informants to find out. Natsu wanted to discover everything he could about Lucy on his own. He wanted to be close enough for her to reveal these things to him herself. As it stood now, they were only just friends. He wasn't as close to her as Levy or Gray, and that bothered him. He wanted Lucy to be able to lean on him.

Lucy snuggled closer and muttered something in her sleep. Natsu snapped out of his thoughts and smiled down at her sleeping face. He entered the first bedroom and tucked her into the bed. He was hoping she would make him promise to stay with her again, but it wasn't his name that she whispered.

"Gray," she mumbled as she turned away from Natsu and snuggled against a pillow.

Jealously shot through him fast, but he smothered it down. The princess had spent years with Lucy, and Natsu had only spent a few weeks with her. 'Gray is very special to me.' Her words echoed in his mind. There were a lot things Natsu wanted in life; he had an addiction to rare things. He had told Lucy he kept all the best treasure for himself. Unfortunately, it seemed this time, someone had already beat him to it.