Chapter 28

Her uncle just walked in, after Alley was talking to her father about seeing the new Neo Heroes and trying to gain data on them. Not only that, but the leader, Blue has figured out that if Alley cannot 'find' Bofoi, then there is something afoot with the Association. Since then, it's been in the media, all asking about the disappearance of one Metal Knight, and how long he plans to stay in seclusion.

When she told her father the news, Alley ran into her uncle who insisted upon talking to her. They went to a new room to speak, her uncle lugged around this dirty old gym bag yet threw it carelessly on a near by table. Alley jumped as it landed with a thud, and wads of cash began to seep out of the rips and zippers. "What the hell!" she demanded.

Her uncle smirked. "Did some investigating of my own." He said proudly. "Neo Hero Koko, former underground fighter. 30% cyborg, and yet left a rather sweet gig to be a neo hero. I wondered, if someone like him became a Neo Hero, yet wasn't given an executive position…"

"Wait… Executive? Is that what they are calling their top heroes?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yep, heard it through the grape vine in a sense. But isn't that not the same term they used for the Monsters Association?" he questioned.

Alley paused to his words. "Wait… are you thinking…"

"Just throwing it out there. The thing that has me bothered is this, the fact that Koko is 30% cyborg, but wasn't given a better position, I have seen some of the Neo Heroes you are looking into… there are more cyborgs in there than I care to admit…"

Her eyes widened. "Uncle Knuckle, do you mean to tell me…"

"Not saying it's them… but take into consideration the company they keep." Her uncle explained. "I think we need to think that the Organization are part of the Neo Heroes…"

Alley thought it over. "It makes perfect sense though. They are going to try and take us down, we fall, they can bring the Neo heroes down from the inside after they obtained everything they need to corrupt the system and know how to manipulate it…"

Her uncle tapped the side of his nose. "Bingo kiddo."

She sighed aloud. "What do we do then?"

"That's the tricky part. At the moment I don't think there is much we can do. It's a game of wait and see who blinks first."

"They are already pushing it though. They have gone to the media and are asking Metal Knight to come out of hiding and verify that he did indeed leave his lab, inventions and fortune to me…"

Her uncle paused, Alley then noticed that his retina was turning about until it refocused again. "Oh… now I see how that would be an issue…"

"I've been trying to contact Boros to see if perhaps he can make a robot of Bofoi, but he is really busy right now."

Her uncle nodded. "Well, let's see what we can do to bide ourselves some time. Maybe make a digital replica of him?"

"With Neo Heroes who can see right through it?" she asked.

"Ah, shit…" He paused again. "Let me see if your other uncle has any ideas, he's the smart one."

She smiled and nodded, yet her eyes turned back to the old gym bag. "Do I really want to know how you came about with that kind of cash?" she asked.

He merely smiled. "If anything, lunch is on me for the next while!"

#

He had to take her for a night out on the town.

Metal Bat was given the order by Blue. Talk to his sister about breaking up with Garou's son. "We don't need this kind of bad press against us! He's the son of Garou, and they are all bad news. I don't care what people say or think about them, they need to go and soon! So, talk to your sister and see if she will break up with him."

It was easy for Blue to say. He hasn't invested years in his relationship. Even Bad helped it along when he could. Now… now Blue wants it done and over with.

"Big Brother?" she asked sweetly.

"Oh huh?" he snapped out of his blank stare, his ice cream halfway melted and was dripping on to the ground.

Zenko frowned. "What is with you, you've been acting strange for a while!"

"Oh yeah, well work has been a lot as of late…"

She stopped. Zenko finished her ice cream before her eyes glared at her brother. "What are they having you do this time?"

He has never seen her that serious before! Was she expecting something like this to happen? Does she know? "Look big brother, you don't have a good poker face, just telling you now. With that being said, I know for a fact each and every time we go out for ice cream suddenly, you have something to tell me and it's not always pleasant!" she stated. "So spit it out now"

He tossed his ice cream into the trash, Bad sighed aloud as he said. "The Neo Heroes don't want you dating Pac,"

She didn't express anything at first, instead she blinked a few times, almost processing it, until she snickered. Then a full out laugh. "That's it?" she said. "Please, like they are going to tell me what to do! Pac and I are dating, we're going to continue to date. No one is going to tell me other wise!" she said defiantly.

Bad however was silent on the matter. Zenko picked up on it rather quickly before forcing a small laugh. "You aren't seriously going to tell me to break up with him are you?"

He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Not certain as to what he wants to say. He likes Pac, he's always been there for him and his sister. Not to mention, the reason why Blue wants the relationship to end is to ensure that the Neo Heroes have no connection to monster. But that maybe more difficult considering Suiko's situation with Suiryu, although she said everything they wanted to hear out of her. She has no interest in reconnecting with her brother, she was disgusted that he became what he is, as well. She was even more disturbed that he has a family now.

That was news to Bad!

"Sis… I don't want you to break up with him either. I like the kid, he's been through hell and back for you. No other guy I know would do that for you besides me." He stated. Zenko nodded. "But at the same time…"

"No, I am not breaking up with him!" she protested.

"I know you won't. I just worry with what's coming. Blue wants us to up our presence in the cities. You are going to be protected needless to say, but still. I don't really know what's going to happen next…"

She fell silent to him as they continued to walk down the street. "Have… you talked to Alley?" she asked. "If it's going to be like this, then why be a Neo hero?" she asked.

"Zenko… it ain't that easy…"

"Sure it is! Alley even said so, she wouldn't hesitate to bring you in! At… at least think about it." She said yet whispered the last part.

Bad couldn't. He signed a contract with the Neo Heroes. Not to mention the extra protection he has for Zenko when he isn't around, also their cat who just had kittens again. He couldn't explain why he couldn't work for Alley and her Association. Perhaps it was just too full of memories he had from the time he was an S Class hero.

"I'll tell them you are not breaking up with Pac…"

"Don't," she warned. "Let's face it. If you tell them that, then they are going to try and do it themselves. I don't want them to have that kind of motivation… let's just say I did, but we are still going to date. Okay?"

"Yeah… okay…" he said and smiled.

Whether they believe him or not is going to be another story!