Marco knew that Firefist was a hell of a fighter, but it cannot compare to how it was seeing it up close. It was strange to see her kill someone without batting an eye. It was like seeing someone else.
Curiel and Rakuyo shared the same thoughts with him although they never dared to voice them out. They kept their thoughts to themselves while throwing a few glances at Marco. All Whitebeard's commanders were close to Ann. They bonded with her, befriended her, and even treated her like one of their own. This kind of betrayal did not only affect Marco, but everyone in his family. It made Ann's betrayal even more painful.
"They knew something we don't." Curiel voiced out when they went back to their local headquarters in the area.
"I am puzzled as well. What identity were they referring to?" Rakuyo frowned while racking his brains at any possibilities but failed to point out what exactly Ann and Big Mom's commanders were talking about.
With their brainstorming going nowhere, the three of them decided to report this incident to Pops.
"What do you think, Pops?" Curiel asked.
"Hmm... Intriguing. War, huh?" He only nodded, pondering at what his children reported.
"Do you have any idea about this, Pops?" It was Rakuyo who asked. Marco remained silent, not bothering to share his thoughts and let his siblings report this incident.
"A storm might hit Grandline anytime soon." It was odd for their father vaguely answer their question. But they did not press for more information. Likely their father might also have no idea about what mysteries lie with Ann.
===XXX===XXX===XXX===
Kidd was silent on their way back to their base after handing Sab over to the Cipher Pol agents. He watched as they took her away unconscious.
"Thank you for the wonderful cooperation, Eustass. Take one last look at the traitor's face. The next time you see her, she will be all over the news and dead. Hahaha!" Jabra laughed hysterically as he grabbed Sab's hair, pulling it hard enough to put her unconscious face displayed in front of Kidd.
The red-haired man felt a tug on his chest at the sight of his ex-lover. He clenched his fist to quench the irritation slowly building in his mind, and before he could say anything, the Cipher Pol left the location on their way to the secret base they did not inform Kidd about.
Watching the vehicle disappear into the horizon, Kidd felt the desire to get his car and follow them. He squashed the feelings when he reminded himself she was a traitor like Killer.
Now, he must deal with him.
"Kidd. Where have you been?" Killer immediately asked as soon as he saw Kidd, Wire, and Heat come back to their base. Some of their men were stationed outside, leaving the four men here along with a few officers Kidd trusts.
Kidd only stared at Killer, drinking in the sight of his best friend whom he thought would never betray him. He figured it was easy for Killer to stomach this betrayal if it was for a woman. Kidd would have understood if it was a different woman. He would have understood Killer's actions, deeming them as foolish decisions of someone blindly in love. What he could not forgive was of all women in Grandline, it had to be Sab.
It was a pill he can never swallow. Even though Sab betrayed him, Kidd knew deep inside him that she still has a place in his heart. It had always been there, deeply hidden and concealed by the hatred and grudge.
"Kidd?" Killer noticed the intensity in his friend's eyes. He wondered what was going on. Judging from the way the other members looked at him, he knew something was not right.
"We delivered someone to Cipher Pol." Kidd started with a deadly stare as he kept his eyes on Killer's reactions.
"Cipher Pol? I thought they were after us? Did you strike another deal with them?"
"I did."
"Who did you deliver?"
"I delivered the head of the person they wanted the most." He smirked at Killer, amused by the frown on his face. "Blue." As expected, the moment Kidd revealed the truth, Killer's eyes widened in shock, his mouth gaping and in disbelief at what he heard.
"W-Why? Why did you do that?!" Killer's voice echoed in the room, anger flaring at Kidd who expected this reaction from him. Seeing such a reaction, Kidd knew that he was right.
"And why not? Betrayal is a common concept on the streets. Blue might be from the revolutionary army, but they are still part of the underground world."
"You..." Killer gritted his teeth and he looked at the other members. None of them were as shocked as he was. Which means they excluded him from this transaction. "Where are they? Tell me!" The panic in his eyes only proved everything Kidd was told about.
"Why? Don't tell me you are going to rescue Blue?" The sarcastic remark from Kidd only made Killer angrier than he was.
"How could you do this Kidd? I cannot believe you!" He was about to walk out of the room when Kidd suddenly spoke, rendering him frozen at the door.
"You care too much about Blue." Kidd snorted. "Was it because you knew Blue is Sab?"
Killer turned around, wide-eyed at the revelation. He should have expected he will discover Blue's true identity if Cipher Pol revealed it.
"You knew all along and never told me about it. You knew she was Sab. You knew I was dealing with that traitor!" Kidd was now pointing his gun at Killer. "And you are too! How long, Killer? How long have you been backstabbing me?! Was it fun, huh? Was it fun to make a fool out of me?!"
"I never backstabbed you, Kidd. Not now, not ever."
Kidd's laughter grew louder that he almost looked like he was going crazy. Perhaps the word crazy was what can sufficiently describe what he was feeling now.
"Is that so? How do you explain this?!" He threw the pictures given to him by Jabra. "Tell me, Killer! How do you explain this?!"
Killer was silent, contemplating if he should tell Kidd but he remembered his promise to her. All he can do was shake his head.
"You handed her to Cipher Pol all because of these pictures? I know you hate her. Only I didn't know it was to this extent." Killer dodging his question only fueled Kidd's anger.
"What do you expect? She betrayed me. You betrayed me! It is the price she has to pay!"
"You don't even know what burdens she had to carry! Kidd. Please. Where is she?!"
"What? Are you going to rescue your little lover? Is that it, Killer?!" Kidd's hands were trembling from anger. None of the members dared to make a sound, only observing the scenes played out in front of them. They knew how massive the blow was for Kidd to know that his most trusted friend betrayed him like this.
"Let me tell you, Kidd. She is not my lover."
"Then explain to me why you were with her! Tell me why you wanted to protect her to the point of betraying me! I trusted you, Killer! Of all people, I never thought you will betray me and make me look like a fool!"
The atmosphere was heavy. Kidd was trembling from the anger erupting from his heart and the silence from Killer only made it worse.
"You can't even tell me? You fucking liar!"
"Kidd, please... Just tell me where she is! If you don't, then I will go there alone. Even if it means I am walking to my death, I will not let Sab die." Kidd, Wire, and Heat were baffled about what was driving Killer to protect Sab at all cost.
"You want to rescue her badly, huh? Is that how important she is to you? How ironic, Killer. You used to hate her. You were against us from the very beginning, and look at you now! You will throw the world at her feet! If you are not her lover like what you claimed to be, then what was driving you to protect her like this?! Tell me what reason you have for betraying me, Killer!"
The clock was ticking. They have no time to argue because Sab might be dead if they are too late. Killer knew it was a race against time, and even if he denies everything, Kidd would never believe him.
He would have insisted, but the desperation in Kidd's eyes told Killer that his friend deserved to know the truth. Even if it means he needs to break his promise to Sab.
Two years. That was how long he kept the truth from his friend, hoping Sab would find the courage to tell Kidd herself. But it never happened. This may not be the best time for Killer to spill the truth, but Killer had no choice.
"I am protecting her because of my failure, Kidd. Because I failed you." The memories of that night came back to him. His conscience could not bear the utmost failure in his life.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Kidd sensed the change in Killer's tone. He knew his friend in the back of his mind and something was wrong.
"I am protecting her out of guilt. Out of my failure." Killer drew a breath to muster his courage to finally speak about the secret he kept for two years. "Because I failed to protect your children."
Kidd's face turned ashen when he heard these words. "What the hell are you talking about, Killer?" His voice was low, trembling from the shock.
"I am sorry, Kidd." The blonde was breaking down from the guilt. "Sab never wanted you to know. About what happened two years ago."
Flashback. Roughly two years ago.
After sending Kidd to prison, Sab felt the worst she had ever been. Sometimes, she would stare at the picture she displayed in her room and weep for sending her lover to jail. The final trial will be held two weeks from now, and she knew that the judge will sentence Kidd to prison, guilty of the crimes his enemies fabricated for him.
"You could have told him about your plan, Sab. At least, tell him that you will get him free him afterward." Ann suggested after finding her sister's sullen face. Luffia was nodding from the side, worried about Sab.
Of the three sisters, Sab had the hardest mental fortitude. She was headstrong, calm, collected, wise, and very strong. To see her like this, they knew the guilt in her must have been hard to bear.
"I don't plan on telling him about this."
"Why?" Luffia asked.
"This is the best way to cut our relationship. We all know that our path won't be easy. It will be deadly. It involves several factors in Grandline. The deeper we go, the darker it can get. It is the best way." She insisted.
Sab spent a lot of time thinking about what she must do now that Kidd was in prison. After getting him out of there, they would go separate ways. He might come after her for revenge, but at least should her secret gets out, her enemies can never use Kidd against her and vice versa.
With such plans in mind, she contacted Killer to meet him secretly. As expected, he was angry at her for betraying Kidd, but she explained her plan.
"Why are you doing this? Don't you think you are making things complicated by fooling Kidd? You could have told him about this plan of yours. He would gladly go to prison for a few years if needed." As much as Killer hated such thoughts, he could never deny that Kidd might do this if Sab asked him. He knew his red-haired friend will do anything even if it means sending himself to the depths of hell.
"I cannot." She looked at Killer with a complicated look in her eyes. "It is because he will do that." She cannot allow Kidd to make sacrifices for her. Not because of pride or anything, but because she knew Kidd will gladly sacrifice everything for her, not once, but countless times if needed. "I will provide you with the documents needed. You can provide them to your lawyer so that they can appeal for another trial. If everything else will go according to plan, he should be free in 3 months. The final trial will be in two weeks. After a week, you should appeal for a re-trial and serve these documents as proof."
"I don't understand why you are doing this." Killer did not elaborate, but Sab knew what he was asking about.
"Just don't tell Kidd. Please, don't." Kidd reluctantly agreed to this plan of hers despite wanting to tell Kidd about the truth. He was an intelligent man. He knew the risks Sab was getting into by providing him with the documents.
With things progressing, Sab thought her plans would go well until that morning when she felt her world turned upside down. Literally.
She woke up one morning feeling as if she was beaten from hell to back. Her stomach was complaining, not because of hunger, but because of something else she could not describe until she felt the reflux going upwards, making her barf. Her feet quickly took her to the nearby bathroom where she let everything out. And when she calmed down, realization dawned on her.
"No way..." She muttered weakly under her breath. With the last bit of strength, she forced herself to stand up to get the medicine kit she had in one of her cabinets. She rummaged the box till she found a pregnancy test kit. "Shit... No. No." Her heart was beating loudly, hammering in her chest at the possibility of being pregnant.
She could not describe the emotions surging in her heart while waiting for the results. To say she was trembling was an understatement.
And when the results came, her knees buckled as she found herself on the bathroom floor, weakened and in shock while staring at the test result.
Two lines. She is pregnant.
Slowly, tears were building in her eyes till they fell on her cheeks, accompanied by a few sobs from her throat. Was she crying because of happiness? Certainly not. She was not happy because this was not part of the plan.
How ironic. She never planned to get involved with Kidd, neither did she plan to fall in love with him, yet she did. She fell in love so bad that she was surprised at how deep her love was. And now, this.
With trembling hands, she touched her belly, feeling the life growing inside her. What was she supposed to do now? How can she continue her plans with her sisters if she is pregnant?
Feeling lost, she instantly told her sisters about her predicament. She thought they would be angry, but instead, they only solemnly nodded at her as if they were waiting for her to decide what to do.
"You're not going to... abort it, will you?" Luffia was careful in asking this question which took Sab by surprise. Yes, she was shocked that she was pregnant, but such thoughts never occurred to her. Certainly, that option is available. If she is not pregnant, she can continue with her daily routine without any worries but the thought of aborting the life she was carrying made her quiver.
"I am not prepared. I don't know how I can do this. I..." She trembled again, biting her lips in the process. "Hell, I never thought of being a mother. But no. No. I will not be killing this child. It may slow down our progress and I apologize - " Sab stopped when she saw the relief on her sisters' faces.
"We're glad that you will not abort that child. We may be walking this tragic path, but we're not crazy enough to kill a family member. What would our parents say if they find out? They would be disappointed if that happens." Ann said, wearing a smile that reassured Sab she was not alone in this journey.
"I'm going to be an aunt! Yay! Can I name the baby? Can I name the baby?" Luffia was merrily clapping her hand, cheering Sab from her previously depressed state.
"Before we celebrate, we need to think of a plan. What do you plan to do, Sab? Are you still going to free Kidd?" Ann brought up the next steps. Now that they had to consider Sab's condition, they knew they had to be careful about what they should do next.
"Yes. I will tell him the truth once he's out."
"I don't think that is the best way, Sab." Ann shook her head.
"What do you mean? You do not want Sab to tell Kidd about her pregnancy?" Luffia asked.
"That is not what I meant. What I mean to say was that you cannot free Kidd in three months or the short term. Kaido's group will be suspicious if they suddenly find out that Kidd managed to turn around this situation. They will point this out to you no matter how much you cover it up. You were the only one who handled the case. You knew about it in the back of your mind. Without question, you knew their proofs' flaws better than anyone. If you free Kidd, they might attack you. I don't doubt you can kill the assassins, but you have to think about your situation." Ann was referring to the baby Sab was carrying.
If she suddenly gets attacked, who knows what might happen to the baby? The situation forced her to re-evaluate her plans till she arrived at a certain decision that will involve Kidd's sacrifice once again.
After the final trial where Kidd was sentenced to prison for several years, Sab felt even worse while watching the police officers taking Kidd away, and escorting him to his prison cell. She fought hard to keep her emotions in check while clutching her stomach.
As Kidd's men passes by, she briefly looked at Killer who only nodded at her before following the other members. They agreed to meet in a week to discuss their next actions.
When the night of their meeting arrived, Sab immediately told Killer that they need to change their plans.
"What do you mean Kidd has to stay in prison for a long time?"
"Delay it for at least a year," Sab said.
"I know I have no power to demand anything, but can you at least tell me why?"
"Because I am pregnant." Sab took out the ultrasound pictures Chopper gave her when she had her ultrasound a few days ago. Killer took the pictures and saw two blob-like dots, blinking a few times before realizing that Sab was telling the truth. "I only found out three weeks ago."
"Twins..." Killer muttered. "You know... I can imagine what Kidd's reaction would be like if he finds out he is going to be a father. He might faint in shock." Both laughed at the idea of the badass Eustass Kidd, fainting because of the news that he was going to be a father. "So? What do you plan to do?" They turned back to discussing the pressing matters on hand.
"After I sort things out here in Grandline, I planned to leave at least until I give birth. I know a place where the children will be safe. As much as I want to free Kidd, I cannot. The people in Kaido's group are smart. Apoo will no doubt be coming back to me should Kidd be released from prison in such a short time. I am not afraid of being attacked, but I cannot risk the children's safety."
"I understand. It would also be best if we do not meet up for now. While we may be careful, it is still too dangerous should the enemies find out about our meeting."
"I think so too. I will meet with you in a month before I leave to give you another set of evidence."
"Alright. But Sab... Will you tell Kidd? He deserves to know."
"At first, I thought of completely severing our ties. But things changed. It seems like our ties will not easily break, not when we will have twins in the future." That made Killer heave a sigh of relief. At least, Sab planned to tell Kidd someday once he's free.
"Okay. Be careful."
"Don't worry. I will. Also..." Sab smiled at Killer. "I think Kidd would agree, and he will be happy if you become our children's Godfather."
Her words brought a rare smile to Killer's face. "I would be honored."
Everything was smooth sailing after that conversation except every day, Sab had to experience the worst kind of nightmare on the bathroom floor, throwing up everything she had eaten the night before. The first trimester was a nightmare and not to mention, she was always craving weird food. Despite the quirks, she was still happy to know she was carrying their children.
Her sisters were fussing over her, making sure she was okay and eating well. Dragon knew her condition and arranged for her to avoid missions. Her next destination would be Baltigo Island till she gives birth to her twins and returns to Grandline afterward.
Without her noticing, a month has passed. She was now 13 weeks pregnant. Her departure would be tomorrow but tonight, she needed to meet with Killer to give him instructions about what to do with the documents she gave him. With the last set of evidence in her hands, everything was set for her to leave. No one must know about her pregnancy, lest everything she planned will be ruined.
Her conversation with Killer was a quick one. After handing over the documents, she bid her farewell only to sense that something was wrong. The area they chose was an abandoned junkyard. No one should have followed them here, so why were they suddenly surrounded?
As it turns out, they were Kaido's men.
"I will distract them. Leave now."
"What?!"
"You have to leave, Sab. I can't let you get hurt here!" Killer insisted on taking 10 men all by himself so Sab can escape. She knew why he was doing this but it did not sit well with her to leave him alone. "Think about your children!"
Sab can only nod and decided to leave but the men did not give her a chance. They fired one shot after another to kill her.
"I knew that this woman was working behind our backs. The Celestial Law Firm was not strict enough to investigate you!" One of the men shouted while shooting Sab who was frantically taking cover at a car. Killer was fighting with everything he got but there were too many of them. Not to mention he was also running out of bullets. "Hahaha! We were only passing by, but who would have thought, eh? Once our boss finds out, you are all screwed!"
With the dire situation, Sab decided to join the fray. She knew she cannot easily run to her car when there are still several men firing at them. Taking out her gun, she fought back, killing three men before she ran out of bullets.
Seeing her use a gun, Killer was quite surprised at how skilled she was. Killer and Sab fought side by side, running away from the men chasing after them. There were still five left and if they don't leave now, there might be more people coming their way.
They ran and hide, conserving the bullets that Killer still has. Three shots left. After running for a while, with Killer protecting Sab, they managed to arrive in his car to escape but little did they know that two men were waiting for them there.
"Fuck!" Killer cursed himself for being careless but it was too late for them. The two men pulled the trigger, shooting both him and Sab. He didn't care that he was shot as long as Sab was safe. The only thing he was worried about was the twins she was carrying.
Despite his efforts in shielding Sab, one bullet managed to get through her, drilling a hole in her stomach.
"Hahh... Hah..." She was gasping to breathe, hands trembling while looking at the blood flowing on her stomach. Tears fell from her eyes after feeling a liquid flowing between her legs.
"Shit! Sab. You will be a-alright." Killer who was shot three times was barely breathing. He was fighting to keep his consciousness to help Sab from this predicament. It doesn't matter if he dies. As long as Kidd's children will live.
The men chasing after them arrived and they thought it was their end but they heard more gunshots from the distance, taking out Kaido's men one at a time.
The loss of blood made everything around Killer a blurry mess. He heard someone calling Sab before he lost consciousness.
"Sab! Sab!" It was Luffia who brought Chopper with her. Sab sent a distress signal to Luffia who was nearby just in case something happened. With Sab's situation, Ann and Luffia took it to themselves to always be nearby to help Sab should she need it.
"L-Lu... H-Help..." She was sobbing while looking at the pool of blood on the ground, fearing for her children.
"You will be fine! You will be fine!" With Luffia's members' help, they took Killer who was on the verge of death, as well as Sab, to their base. Chopper treated Sab first in hopes of saving the babies she was carrying.
But no matter what kind of efforts he did, it was too late. She lost too much blood, and the bullet pierced through her womb, making it impossible to save the children.
She was unconscious when Chopper broke the news to her sisters. He did not have time to wallow in agony as he needed to treat Killer who had three bullets in his body.
A few hours later, Sab woke up, feeling groggy. The first thing she saw was the familiar room in one of Luffia's safe houses.
"Sab! You're awake!" It was Luffia who immediately called Chopper.
Sab still felt like a mess. The memories came back one at a time, making her tremble when she remembered the gunshot.
"T-The babies... M-My babies..." Her tears fell like a waterfall on her cheeks, waiting for Chopper or Luffia to assure her that they were alright. Unfortunately, judging from their expressions, she knew she had lost them. She wept and sobbed for who knows how long, feeling devastated for losing her children.
If she didn't choose that junkyard as the location, perhaps her babies would still be alive now. Only if she was careful enough, she would have kept her children alive.
But it was too late to regret. They were gone. No matter how much her sisters console her, there was nothing in this world that can make Sab feel better. A week went by so fast, but she still felt devastated. She would sometimes cry in the middle of the day, blaming herself for getting her children killed.
She broke the news to Killer when he woke up a week later and it was at that time that she first saw him cry while apologizing to her for failing to protect them. That was the moment when Killer vowed to protect Sab no matter what happens.
Even though Sab told him that he can file the appeal for Kidd's case, he didn't do it. He waited for about a year before doing so. He knew Kidd was suffering in prison, but he thought that after he failed to protect her children, he cannot risk her life by selfishly freeing Kidd.
The guilt he was carrying was heavy, but he knew it was nothing compared to how she was feeling. She just lost her children. Even though he knew nothing about being a parent, he could tell how the loss affected her. As a part of his repentance, Killer would ask Sab to deliver flowers for him to her children's grave. She mentioned to him that she built a grave for her children and even went as far as asking Killer if he wanted to visit which he declined.
He vowed to himself he will not be seeing their grave until Kidd learns the truth which Sab was still adamant about. Killer knew it was out of guilt which he could understand for he, too, was guilty of that incident.
Back to the present time...
Kidd dropped the gun he was holding. It fell to the ground with a loud thud as he kept his eyes on Killer whose head was hanging low.
"I'm sorry, Kidd. I'm sorry." He kept muttering. "Sab never wanted you to know."
"Killer... That incident. That was when you suddenly disappeared for a week, isn't it?" Wire remembered when all of a sudden, Killer disappeared and reappeared a week later with injuries. No matter how many times they asked, he wouldn't tell them the truth.
Hearing all of this, Kidd felt like his world came crashing down on him. It was like his world shattered, breaking him to pieces. He was lost for words, and cannot comprehend the pain he was feeling after learning the truth.
"AAAHHHH!" He shouted in frustration, kicking the coffee table till the glass shattered on the floor. It was not enough. He threw everything he can get his hands on, thrashing the place till it was unrecognizable.
No one dared to stop him. Only God knows the kind of pain Kidd was feeling right now.
"W-Why?!" He shouted, voice breaking as he swallows the lump in his throat. His eyes glistened with tears about to fall. "Fuck, why?!" He shouted again.
No matter how many times he asked this, Kidd knew Killer could never give him the answer he needed. The complicated emotions in his heart were so heavy that his knees gave in, and he slumped on the floor, unbothered by the broken glass piercing the skin in his hands.
"Kidd..."
"Shit! Shit! Shit!"
"I know you're angry at me. I will accept any punishment you will give, but please... Let me rescue Sab." Kidd abruptly realized the situation he drove her into. With her, she might give Kidd all the answers he needed.
"But we don't know where they took her." Wire said and Killer immediately felt crestfallen.
"I know where they are." Heat suddenly said, getting the attention of everyone in the room. "I attached a GPS device in their care just in case you change your mind." Heat said while looking at Kidd who seemed relieved at the news.
Everyone was also preparing for the possibility that Kidd might change his mind. He might be claiming he hated her from the bottom of his heart - they, too, hated her for the betrayal - but everyone knew she was always someone special to Kidd no matter what happens. And after learning the truth, all the officers now began to understand the complexity of the situation.
With Heat's initiative, they now have the means to know the location of the Cipher Pol. Kidd drew a few breaths, pulling himself together as he stood up to face Killer and his men.
All these complicated emotions were still inside her, but he knew staying here and doing nothing will not give him peace. All answers will be on Sab.
"We're going now."
'Sab, you better be alive, otherwise, I will kill you myself! You owe me a lot!' Kidd inwardly said as they left the building to rescue Sab.