"Well, if you ask me, it probably a revenge gig." Carol sipped on the coffee before continuing, "Probably a mob thing, they're the only guys who bother putting up such a show. Might be a warning to other guys."

"Yes, it would obviously be that, and probably the same man from the other killing… we should check the bounty lists for the men, that's the best place to look for revenge seekers" Ky answered while absent-mindedly stirring his own tea. Both officers, now having been charged with the coordination of the case, had decided to take a break and look over the current information after a rigorous night of filing papers on the dead man. Both were currently seated in an office room, the desk and surrounding file cabinet being positively overflowing with everything about Lancer. Carol was in some ways, the opposite of Ky. Older, wider in width after many a day sitting in a chair while eating junk food, and also dressed more messily than Kiske, wearing a crumpled age worn coat over his uniform and thoughtfully chewing on a smoking cigarette, much to Ky's distaste. But he was still a good officer, and had worked with Ky on a few cases before, so they were on friendly enough terms to work together.

"Already got that." Carol reached to a small stack of paper on the cabinet behind him, "I figured the same thing as well. So I got the list for the other dead guy too."

"Let's see." Ky got up to reach for the list that Carol handed him, "Lancer's bounties consisted of… mostly minor things, robbers and such. Also killed some beasts that disturbed villages… It appears that Lancer had recently succeeded in capturing a very major crime lord, in fact, on that we had been hoping to get, "Kale Cryte."

"Did you say Cryte?" Carol looked up from his own sheet.

"Same man?"

"No, but the other bounty hunter, Blaken, here got his brother, same family, same business."

*****************************

Mizell Cryte had long been "released" from prison recently, and continued his family business of rather…shady dealings. His brother unfortunately, got into prison not too long after, it would be obvious that teaching the two punks the rewards for messing with the Cryte family would be in his schedule somewhere. Ky himself would have dragged Mizell back into prison if he could, but no evidence had yet to nail Mizell again.

"Ah! Mr. Kiske, the knight! And Mr. Carol! So what brings you Cryte Steel Works?" The Russian with matching accent was hardly the fat mob boss you imagined up when you heard such titles. A lean and muscular man with signs of mustache appearing, his shirt and pants did much work to show the athletic build of Mizell.

"We just want to ask you some questions." Ky replied rather coldly. He was dressed in his old Knight uniform, of which people had always wondered why he still wore that old thing. The Thunderseal was also by his side.

"Oh? Is that it? Then explain to me why your sword is here. Unless you have confused an interview with arresting on suspicion!" Mizell gave a hearty laugh, for a man who had seen the underworld, trivialities like arrest was a joke to him. Ky just continued staring at the Russian

"Look Mizell, we don't want any trouble. Just help us out on a few questions, alright?" Carol interjected.

Mizell just shrugged and gave a sigh. "Well, I'm not as much of a dick as my brother, so I guess. Let's talk in the office." Carol gave a look to Ky before following the Alleged mob leader.

"So…I guess you're not on good terms with Kale?"

"Bah, of course I am. I'm just pointing out some truths about my brother, no?"

"True."

The three stepped into the chamber on the far end of the warehouse that was Mizell's base of operations for his 'mere' steel making company. Mizell took his seat in the usually rotating leather armchair, while the two officers took the seats on the other side of the desk.

"So what do you want to ask me about?"

"You know that your brother has been sent to prison, right?" Ky asked.

"Yes, all my friends have been talking about it."

"And you also know that the man who captured him was just killed yesterday."

"Yes, saw that on the news."

"And that also the bounty hunter that caught you had been killed in the same fashion a little before. Just after you were…released."

"Ah ha!" Mizell got up from his chair to move to the liquor cabinet nearby, as if trying to find a reason to suddenly get up from the realization, "I don't need to guess what you are asking. You think that I ordered those men's death."

"Well, you seem to fit the motives." Carol piped in.

"Well then, let me assure you that I did not ask for such… Whiskey, Carol?" Mizell turned to the detective, not bothering to ask Ky. He already knew he wasn't a drinker (or as Mizell so tastefully put it, "those ball-less pansies").

"Sure, but give me a reason why you wouldn't bother avenging your brother."

"Indeed." The Russian moved back to the desk, two glasses in hand, and handed one to Carol before seating himself. "I tell you, it was unpleasant how my brother's dark habits could be revealed to such a prestigious family as us, especially revealed by bounty hunters, those jobless mutts."

"Of course…" Ky said with much sarcasm, but Mizell didn't mind, he asked for it anyways.

"As much as I would had liked to see my brother restored his honor, he brought such his own sentence upon himself. Moron, should have kept his nose clean and stayed to clean businesses."

"So…you don't intend to help him?"

"Of course not! Why should I help someone else's problems? Yeah, he may be my brother, but it's his own fault he got in prison when he decided to deal drugs. The teacher is best when he punishes without a divided mind. Family code sort of thing."

"I see… do you have any idea who could have had wanted revenge on these men?" Ky asked.

"Eh….nah, I don't think so." Mizell downed the entire glass of liquor before continuing, "You know, it's best to ask the bounty office where the guys used to check in. Usually the guys there are sympathetic to their customers, and might give you a hint about who might have been this 'mysterious killer'."

*************************

"So…you think he's telling the truth?" Carol walked out of the warehouse with Ky, while reaching into the breast pocket of his coat for his cigarettes.

"He might be hiding something. He was unusually helpful."

"Mizell's a bit of a softie, which is a reason why the Kryte family is not exactly the biggest force in their world. Still, he did bring up a good point about the bounty offices." Carol said while lighting the cancer stick attached to his mouth. "I think I'll go check there. You wanna come?"

"No, we haven't finished all the filing back at the station. I'll go there and finish up, I might get some more clues there too."

"Suit yourself, later."

"See you, Carol."

"Heh, you make it sound like we're never going to see each other again."

"Enough! You make it sound like we're a couple. Bad enough there's been that joke about me being gay." Ky said with a laugh. Carol just smirked and waved it off before heading down the street away from Kiske.

*******************************

"Ugly girl!" A kid's voice shouted with hate. Ky heard the voice come from the alley, then a sound of glass shattering. Ky rushed in to the narrow passage to find a crowd mixed crowd of children, all glaring with hate. The subject in the middle of the crowd was another child who had since collapsed onto her hands and knees; glass shards of a thrown bottle were surrounding the girl. Kids were shouting in fury all around.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" Ky shouted to the miniature riot and walked over, suddenly feeling that rush of justice again. The kids looked up in shock, as if Ky had broken a trance of hate around them, and all ran away. Ky stopped beside the girl and helped the girl up. Her head was bleeding slightly, of which Ky noted out immediately.

"You're hurt. I should get you some help…"

"N- No… The pain was to be expected. The wounds will heal." The girl said in a quiet voice, while she placed her gloved fingers against the wound.

"But you're hurt."

"I will be better quickly enough. Please, do not concern yourself with my well being, I can take care of my self."

Ky was silent for few seconds. "If you say so…" Ky then looked at the girl's features. A child of the apparent age of 12, no younger than the Pirate May Ky had had a few encounters with in previous times. She wore frilled, sleeved, black dress and attached white apron that went down to her knees. It made her look like a maid, only lacking a head dress and the matching maid leg wear, which was replaced by casual black and purple stockings and worn brown boots. Another odd fashion statement she carried were the two chainless metal handcuffs on her wrists and the larger metal collar she wore on her neck. Her hair was a dull red hue with dyed black ends and was worn in a high ponytail, which then stretched down to her shoulders. But her eyes were the strange, her right eye held an icy gaze with a grim face, which held an equally icy blue iris.

But her left eye…

It scarred strangely, with three red triangles marking her upper lid, while an upside down one was on the bottom lid. The eye itself was pupil-less and not even white, but a blood red like the scars. The whole eye reminded Ky of some ancient runic symbol. It quietly gave him unease as he saw the red orb seemingly pierce into his soul….

"Um… what's your name, miss?" Ky asked, quickly pushing the feeling out of the way.

"….Z-ko. What is yours, sir?"

"Ky Kiske. Well, Z-ko what were you doing here?"

"Wandering."

"It's not safe here, you should be with you parents."

"I do not have parents. They died on the same night I was given this." Z-ko pointed to the scarred eye.

No wonder she's so cold… "Uh, I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"No, you didn't, and you don't need to apologize for such things." Z-ko suddenly shuddered and cringed, while holding a hand to head, obviously in pain.

"Are you alright?" Ky asked the girl.

"Y-yes. It… It is just a bad headache I've had since I was little, it will pass. I really must be going now mister Kiske, good bye!" In a rush, Z-ko ran off and disappeared, leaving Ky in the dust.

"What an odd girl…" Ky said quietly. A bit dazed by the sudden rush of events, he quietly continued out of the alley and headed back towards the precinct where his files were kept on the case.

***************************

Z-ko stumbled into another alley, panting and breaking out in cold sweats.

[We do not like you to converse with other humans like that. It was dangerous] One voice growled into Z-ko's mind

"Yes, yes! I'm sorry masters, forgive me…"

[Be thankful that you are on a mission by us, or I would have told Lord Nightburn about this misbehavior. For now, a gentle reminder will do.]

Z-ko suddenly felt sharp noises cut through her conscience, making her shut her eyes and whimper at the immense pain for the few seconds it existed.

[Are we understood, slave?]

"Y-Yes…"

[There has been a minor delay before the main kill. Another attack on our kind.]

"Oh?" came the quiet whisper, part of it in curiosity, like the child she is

[The vile one is here, and we deem you the one to carry out our justice. But we do not know where he is. Find him with the means we gave you.]

Z-ko briefly touched her red eye before responding. "Yes, masters."

[We will see you tonight.] The voice then disappeared, leaving the child wide-eyed and gasping for air.

"Tonight…." Came her quiet whisper again, before she slowly walked out of the alley, and disappeared into the crowds.

A/N: For some reason I don't feel 'right' for this story. I might do another chapter at most. I'll then leave this alone for a while, come back to it later while I mess with other ideas.