Nico walks down the streets of London, returning to Kaiser. He steps off of the sidewalk into a busy intersection. His eyes are closed, and the light is green. Still, no cars hit him. Even with his closed eyes, he sees better than most. He can feel everything around him, see with the miniscule fluctuations in air pressure.
Suddenly, he stops. Something is wrong. He can feel something moving across the rooftops, far enough away that it's barely perceptible.. He feels Julius Zeppeli flying through the air with his Beatles, following him back to his master.
Nico doesn't show his surprise. He goes back to walking. He keeps walking, calmly. He turns, stepping off into an alley. He feels Julius land on one of the rooftops overlooking the alley. He smiles.
With a flip of Nico's wrist, the buildings surrounding the alley burst apart as the molecules of oxygen holding their concrete together are ripped away. None of the rubble comes close to landing on Nico, pushed away by the swirling wind surrounding him.
Julius jumps from the roof as it collapses. He summons his Beatles and throws them into the buildings, capturing people and moving them to safety. Unfortunately, this leaves him wide open for an attack. A chunk of rubble, lifted up by the wind and thrown like a baseball, strikes Julius in the stomach. He falls to the hard ground.
After a few moments, the two buildings have completely collapsed, covering the alley in stone and glass. Nico, of course, is fine. A mass of condensed clouds appears at Nico's side, scanning the rubble with its red eyes. It spots Julius's hand, popping out from beneath a pile of rocks.
Nico waves his hand and the Stand uses its powers, harnessing the wind and digging Julius out of the rubble. Julius's unconscious body floats over to Nico. Nico grabs him, hoists him over his shoulder, and walks away from the ruined alley.
Johana looks up at the Shard, a massive triangular skyscraper of glass that towers over London. "Kaiser chose an ominous place to meet," Johana says.
"True, but there is little point in dawdling outside," Nero says.
The two of them step into the skyscraper and take an elevator to one of the highest floors. The walk into a restaurant; a chalkboard outside the restaurant denotes it as Billini Jolini's Italian Restaurant and Piano Bar. The restaurant is small, but nice. It contains a dozen small tables covered in white tablecloths arranged in front of a large glass window staring out over London. A man in a loose fitting tie sits at a grand piano, humming to himself as he plays old rock songs.
Kaiser Stroheim sits alone at a table next to the window, holding a half full glass of red wine. He swishes the wine around in the glass and takes a sniff. He shakes his head. "A far more recent year than what the waiter claimed," he says with a sigh. He notices Johana out of the corner of his eye and smiles. He waves the duo over.
Johana and Nero sit down across from him. "Johana Joestar and Nero Zeppeli, I presume?" he asks.
"How'd you guess?" Johana asks.
"Nero is far taller than the average british gentleman," Kaiser replies. "Of course, he is far more than the average briton in many ways, as are you."
"In what ways?" Nero asks.
"Strength, primarily. You've done quite well for yourself in the past few days. Your group has fought off half a dozen Stand Users without a single loss. It's really quite impressive," Kaiser says. "Of course, you aren't the only impressive ones in London. I have not had as many opportunities for combat as you, but I have not let my opportunities I've had go to waste."
"How many bracelets do you have?" Johana asks, arms crossed.
"Four, as well as my own," Kaiser says. He pulls out a briefcase and sets it on the table. He pops it open, revealing four silver bracelets with red jewels. "One taken from Fleetwood Mac, one taken from Sandra Dee, and one taken from Bethany Leadbelly."
Johana narrows her eyes. "Leadbelly is dead?" she asks.
"For all intents and purposes, yes," Kaiser says.
"So, she's alive?" Johana says.
"Did I say that?"
"You didn't say she was dead."
Kaiser sighs. "Bethany Leadbelly is dead," he says.
"What of Sandra Dee and Fleetwood Mac?" Nero asks. "Did you kill them?"
"They're alive, if only barely," Kaiser says. He closes the briefcase. "Make no mistake, I am more than capable of killing your friends. Still, I am not a monster. I only kill when it benefits me, and allowing that duo to live did not hinder my goals."
"What does only barely alive mean in this scenario?" Johana asks.
"Fleetwood is imprisoned in a secure location. I hurt him, but I did not kill him. I will release him when Woodstock's game is over."
"And Sandra Dee?" Nero asks.
"Her location is a bit less...clear at the moment. I cut off her hand to take her bracelet. After losing her hand, she ran away," Kaiser says. "Let's change the topic from people who have been eliminated from Woodstock's game to a topic that is a bit more relevant: the individuals or groups still involved in this game."
"There are fifteen tracker bracelets. As I mentioned, there are five bracelets in my possession," Kaiser continues. "Assuming my intel is correct, your group has five bracelets. Kelly Zuko and Camellia Floyd both possessed bracelets at the start of the game. You, Johana, are wearing Mylo Xyloto's bracelet, and you, Nero, are wearing Syndey Young's bracelet. Your group also possesses Stefani Germanotta's bracelet; I believe it to be in the possession of Kan Nijimura, although I don't think she has put it on yet."
"You used to possess Max Burham and Louis Vuiton's bracelets, but you lost them during your fight with Young. They have presumably fallen into someone else's hands, although I do not know who. That leaves three bracelets in the hands of their original owners," Kaiser says. "One is possessed by a woman by the name of Eleanor Rigby. According to Woodstock, she'll be at the London Eye tonight at seven. I plan to take her bracelet then. The second one is owned by Luther Campbell, an old associate of mine. He returned to the US to gather reinforcements as soon as this game began. I suspect he will send weak minions after us for a while before finally having the courage to come to London himself. The fifteenth and final bracelet was still in Woodstock's possession, last I checked, although it is more than possible she has given it away by now."
Johana and Nero think for a moment. Nero frowns. "Juluis is dead, isn't he?" he asks.
Kaiser raises an eyebrow. "Oh? What led you to that conclusion?" he asks.
"You listed off the locations of fourteen bracelets. There are fifteen. You forgot about Stan Mathers's bracelet. Yesterday, that bracelet was in Julius's possession," Nero says.
"So, I forgot to mention it. That doesn't mean I killed your uncle," Kaiser says.
"You also mentioned our team had five braclets, when we should have six. And earlier, you said you have four bracelets as well as your own. Not including your own, as well as. Meaning you have five bracelets. This conclusion is supported by the briefcase. It has four bracelets, but there should still be one on your wrist," Nero says.
Kaiser is silent for a moment. Then, ever so slightly, a smile forms on his face. "Well done," he says. "Impeccable analysis. Although, there is a single mistake. I only kill when I must. Julius Zeppeli is still alive."
"But only barely, right?" Johana says, arms crossed.
"But only barely," Kaiser repeats. He sighs. "Julius Zeppeli made the foolish mistake to pursue a fight with Nico that he could not win. If I was a cruel man, it would be well within my power to use him as a hostage. But, I suspect even suggesting that makes you want to kill me."
"Not a wrong guess," Johana mutters.
"Your uncle will be returned to you by the end of the day," Kaiser says, crossing his arms.
A waiter wearing a purple suit and an apron approaches the table carrying a pitcher of ice water. Nero holds up his empty glass for the waiter to fill. The waiter ignores him. "Are you ready to order yet?" he asks.
"Not yet," Kaiser says quickly, before Johana or Nero can say anything.
"Oh sure, that's fine. Walk into the restaurant, talk about your crap, don't order anything. That's fine," the waiter grumbles as he walks away. Nero reluctantly sets his glass of water back down.
The waiter walks over to the bar, where his brother, a waiter in a blue suit, is pretending to mop up a spilled drink. "I thought he wanted us to kill them, why's he just talking to them?" Salvatore says as he sets down the pitcher of water.
"He said we were supposed to jump in when he gives the signal," Santiago says calmly.
"Well, when's he going to give the damn signal?" Salvatore snaps.
Back at the table, Kaiser takes another sip of his red wine. "Let's be clear, I did not invite you here to fight you," he says. "I invited you here to make a deal."
"What kind of deal?" Johana says.
"A deal that ends with you forfeiting Woodstock's game and giving me the five bracelets currently in your position," Kaiser says.
Johana laughs. Kaiser sighs. "You wanted no part in this little spat Woodstock arranged," he says.
"Yeah, but we're a part of it now," Johana says. "And us being here, taking out people like Mathers and Young, that keeps them from killing innocent people."
"True, there are monstrous people in this city that need to be stopped. People like Bethany Leadbelly," Kaiser says. Johana clenches her fist. "I removed her from the equation, and am more than willing to do the same to any other Stand Users that don't meet your moral standards."
"Who are you?" Johana asks.
"My name is Kaiser."
"No, who are you really?" Johana asks. "Why should we trust you? We know next to nothing about you. How do we know that you aren't the monster we should be hunting down?"
"You fought our grandfather once," Nero says. "I do not always agree with Grandfather Joseph, but he rarely seeks out fights with those undeserving of defeat."
"Your grandfather. Joey Joestar. He's still alive, isn't he?" Kaiser asks.
"As of yesterday, yes," Nero says.
"I remember our fight, if you could even call it that. Joseph learned of some of my more...unsavory enterprises and travelled to Rome to dismantle my operation. He was completely and utterly outmatched. I defeated him without raising a single finger. And I let him live," Kaiser says. "I spared your grandfather. Do you know why?"
"Why?" Nero asks.
"Because he is a good man and I have no desire to kill good men," Kaiser says.
"What did you do to make Grandpa Joey attack you?" Johana says.
"I have been many things over the course of my long life. A scientist. A brother. A businessman. A criminal. A philanthropist. But, beyond that, there is one aspect that has defined my life: I am a Stand User. I am a Stand User with incredible destructive capability. But...there are limits to my power. I sought to expand my abilities to new heights," Kaiser said. "I began experimenting with a Stand Arrow stolen from the Speedwagon Foundation, creating new Stand Users in an attempt to find one that suited my purposes. I abandoned this enterprise after Joseph showed up in Italy with the Speedwagon Foundation; I could have destroyed them, of course, but it wasn't worth the effort.
"How noble," Johana says.
"Still, some good came from this endeavor. I bequeathed a Stand upon a young girl you know as Woodstock. Woodstock's Stand was nothing special, but her new abilities inspired her to hunt down artifacts related to Stands. Two years ago, she discovered a charm known as the Requiem Key that can be used to unlock a Stand's full potential. Using the Key, she became strong enough to defeat me," Kaiser says. "She refused to give this Key to me. Instead, she made me an offer: she would create a game and give the Key to the winner. You see, even with the Key, Woodstock lacks the strength to accomplish her goals. She seeks to find a Stand User strong enough to utilize the Key properly."
"What does she want this Stand User to do for her?" Nero asks.
"I don't know," Kaiser says.
"More importantly, why do you want the Key?" Johana asks. "It makes people strong, but you're already strong-"
"I possess the power to kill and destroy," Kaiser interjects. "My dreams require something else. Something radically different from any Stand I've ever seen."
"What do you need?" Johana asks.
"A Stand strong enough to shatter the shackles of death," Kaiser says.
Johana and Nero stare at him for a minute in complete silence. "Okay..." Johana says, in the way a parent would say it if their child said that aliens kidnapped their teddy bear.
"We've gotten off track. Let's get back to the reason we're meeting here today," Kaiser says. "Your surrender."
"Not happening," Johana says.
"What if I sweetened the deal?" Kaiser says.
"What do you mean?" Johana asks.
"Sweeten the deal is an idiom meaning to make something sound more attractive," Nero says.
"Remember when I said that I killed Bethany Leadbelly?" Kaiser says. "That was, perhaps, not completely truthful."
"She's alive?" Johana asks.
"Yes and no. An ally of mine has the ability to trap people in a sort of suspended animation, halfway between life and death. I have the resources to painlessly remove your bracelets without doing any damage to you and your friends. Give me the bracelets, and Leadbelly will be yours to do with as you please. Kill her, torture her, question her, what you do is your decision."
Johana doesn't say anything. She just stares forward with a blank expression, lost in thought. "I offer you vengeance, an opportunity to succeed where your father failed and finally put this dark saga to rest," Kaiser says. "So, what do you say?"
"Johana needs some time to think," Nero says, crossing his arms.
"Fine," Kaiser says. He stands up. "I am going to use the restroom. I hope you will have come to a decision by the time I return."
Kaiser walks away and Johana slams her fist on the table. Nero puts his arm around her. "Are you okay, JoJo?" he asks.
"I'm fine," she says, her voice cracking. "Kaiser's smart, he knows how much I hate Leadbelly. He knows it's my weak point."
"He is trying to manipulate you," Nero says.
"I know, but what if he's telling the truth? What if I can kill Leadbelly. Don't I owe it to Josie and my dad?"
Nero kisses her on the forehead. "Do not worry, I have a plan," he says. "I will return in a few minutes."
Nero walks off, leaving Johana alone at the table by the window. He opens the door to the restroom. Kaiser stands by a sink, washing his hands. "Nero Zeppeli, have you come with your answer?" he asks.
Without warning, Nero lunges forward. His Stand, Viva La Vida, appears at his side and punches Kaiser with all of its strength. Kaiser barely reacts in time, summoning his Stand's arms and using them to block the punch. Even with this block, the punch still knocks Kaiser back, sending him crashing into the bathroom wall.
"I take it that you dislike my offer?" Kaiser says, brushing the dust off his back.
"I am very good at concealing my emotions," Nero says. "You are not the only one who possesses incredible destructive power, Kaiser. I keep my emotions in check to ensure I do not accidentally hurt someone. But, there are times when I simply cannot stay calm."
"Please, enlighten me. What did I do that make you so angry?" Kaiser says.
"You hurt my uncle, that is part of it. But more than that, you hurt Johana. Not physically but emotionally. You brought up events that have left a scar on her soul and used them to try and manipulate her. And that really pisses me off!"
"He went to the bathroom, is that the signal?" Salvatore asks.
"I don't think that's the signal," Santiago replies.
"Wait, hold on, the big guy is following Kaiser. Let's take the girl out while she's alone!"
"What if going to the bathroom wasn't the signal? Won't Kaiser get mad?"
"Who cares? Let's kill her while she's alone!" Salvatore shouts. He spreads his arms out and three metal birds appear, perched on his arms.
The birds fly forward. Two of them grab Johana by the arms, dragging her towards the window. Johana summons her Stand, but she's too late. The third bird headbuts her in the stomach, sending her flying through the window.
The brothers run over to the window and Salvatore's birds perch on his arms. They stare straight down, expecting to see Johana splattered on the ground below. "I don't see her," Salvatore says.
"I do," Santiago says, staring straight forward.
Johana stands fifteen feet from the window, stood atop a platform made of white bricks, her Stand at her side. Two more platforms raise up. Kan stands on top of one and Kelly stands on the other. Johana cracks her knuckles.
"Well, shit," Salvatore says.
TO BE CONTINUED IN
Chapter 43: Fortune Family and the Eagles, Part 3
STAND STATS
Name: Rock You Like A Hurricane
Dub Name: Hurricane Rock
User: Nico
Namesake: "Rock You Like A Hurricane" (Scorpions Song)
Appearance: A mass of living clouds with glowing red eyes.
Abilities: RYLAH has the power to control the air and wind in a nearby area with incredible power and precision. In addition, it allows Nico to sense nearby events through subtle changes in air pressure.
Stats:Power-A, Speed-B, Range-C, Durability-A, Precision-E, Potential-A