A/N: Apologies for the lengthy hiatus. I needed to take a break from this story simply because it can be rather tiring. I am also in the midst of a horror/thriller that is an original work. I am debating whether I should upload it to another site, but I had been hesitant about even uploading this story due to the amount of original content present since it is based off an app game with no plot.

But enough about that. After listening to my epic music playlist for countless hours, this chapter is finally complete.


"The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man: nothing else he builds ever lasts. Monuments fall, civilizations grow old, and die out. After an era of darkness, new races build others; but in the world of books are volumes that have this happen again and again, and yet live on, still as young and fresh as the day they were written, still telling men's hearts of the hearts of men centuries dead. " -Clarence Day

"How true it is. This is one of many, all of them interconnected by the endless universe that is the mind, and bound by limitations only broken through will. Books bring these to the physical for all to share, and to then be stored for their minds that have planted a barrier around their own world, unaware of their reality. What he says is missing something. And that is..." -A World Maker


Chapter 21- Guardians II

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Ray sat in the cluttered office with his eyes taking in the details of the various sports gear that littered the shelves. A few dozen posters were tacked to the walls with baseball batting averages, football rushing yards, and the like. Manilla folders and unmarked binders, fit to burst, towered in corners. A loveseat was shoved next to the computer desk across from where Ray sat on the sofa. One seemingly insignificant detail about the room was the trashcan overflowing with water bottles displaying different brand names.

The phone in his pocket vibrated and he checked the alerts displayed at the top of the screen. A limited-time dungeon had opened in the Puzzle and Dragons app. It would only stay open for an hour, which was how long his session would last with the therapist. It wasn't much to be concerned about since it was a dungeon for rare evolution materials, many of which he had duplicates of. He just wanted to beat the last dungeon of the set to nab a free magic stone. It would turn up some other day.

The door to the office opened just as Ray pocketed the phone and silenced it as an afterthought. A big middle-aged man walked in with graying, close-cropped hair. He had a slight beer belly with contrasting muscular arms that forced them away from his body. It was a strange build, but he was not entirely out of shape by any means.

He gave Ray an apologetic smile as he settled himself in the loveseat across from him. The man made no indication that he was going to open the folder with the information from their last session that sat on the mahogany end table.

"Sorry about all the confusion with scheduling," the man said. "My secretary had you down for next week by accident. I'm glad we had a cancellation."

Ray shrugged. "It's not a problem. Happens."

"I looked over the information your previous therapists sent me, especially from your cognitive therapist. I'm sure they've told you that you aren't alone when it comes to this negative way of thinking."

Ray chuckled humorlessly. "Plenty." He appreciated the fact that this man skipped all the pointless pleasantries and frivolities the others had been accustomed to.

This one-word response seemed to trigger something in the man's head, for his light expression took a serious turn. He rubbed his stubble-of-a-beard for a moment, leaned forward, and clasped his hands.

Ray couldn't place it, but this man had a foreign nature compared to the other professionals he had spoken to. He was strange. The office wasn't kept tidy like the other ones he had sat in, his mannerisms along with his tone gave their conversations a more amiable rather than mechanic feel, and his tendency to individualize instead of categorizing him into a group of people with similar "issues" was a pleasant change of pace.

"Honors student, successful athlete, dependable...just to name a few of the words your parents used when I spoke to them," the therapist said. "One in particular, and I noticed that touch of concern in their voice despite the seemingly positive aspects of the term, 'selfless.'"

Ray remained silent as the man listed a few more choice words.

"But that word 'selfless,'" the therapist continued. "It can come with an equal amount of selfishness. Which is something I would like to delve into. It is also accompanied with your desire to please others, despite the fact that you claim to have a deep loathing for humanity. Not an uncommon contradiction. Do I mostly have a grasp on this part of your mentality?"

Ray's deadpan expression morphed with just the widening of his eyes. Even with the notes in that manilla folder, compiled over the course of two years, this man had pretty much nailed those bits. And all after just one session of discussion that lasted a little over an hour two weeks previous.

Ray's change in demeanor was enough of an answer for the good-natured man. He let the quiet settle over him to give his patient some time to take in the understanding of the problem.

The therapist broke the silence after a long minute, "Tell me, Ray. What makes the world?"

"It's inhabitants," Ray answered without hesitation.

"Oh? That was quick. Have your other therapists posed this question to you as well? Seems like pertinent information, but I didn't see this in any of their notes."

"They didn't. It's something I think about from time to time."

"I'd venture to say it is more than just time to time."

Ray didn't see any reason to argue with the assessment. It was true. He pondered his place in the world constantly, whether it be while mindlessly mowing the lawn or solving a word-problem on a math test that triggered this contemplation. It was a constant stream of questions asking the what-ifs and whys. Always these same questions returned without any progress. It was a stagnation.

"I feel like..." Ray paused as he considered the right choice of words. "I don't belong here."

The man frowned with genuine concern at this simple statement. He asked his next question for clarity despite his certainty of the response. "Where do you not belong?"

"This world." Ray couldn't think of a better explanation. If the world was dictated by its inhabitants, then he believed he was a direct contradiction to them.

The therapist stared at the ceiling as he considered Ray's words. Ray was a young man who showed symptoms similar to others he had spoken to. But he couldn't quite place it. Something was different.

"Could it be this purpose you mentioned to the others you've spoken to? You've spent most of your life pleasing others. You fear quitting what you've started due to the possibility of letting them down, or worse, disappointing them. You are convinced that you hate people, and yet, you don't want them to harbor the same feelings towards you. Once again, a common contradiction that humans face. A strange contradiction, but it has been confirmed all the same. And yet..." He trailed off and rubbed his temples, deep in thought.

It was now Ray's turn to let the man think.

The therapist spoke again, "With your talents you have the potential to attain most of anything you want. You have abilities most people would kill for, but you can't seem to put your mind to it because you are so focused on this unknown purpose that eludes you. Is it because you have spent most of your life doing things you don't want to do?"

"Perhaps."

"To clarify, are you sure your purpose doesn't exist in this world? Have you ingrained yourself in a fantasy world based on-" The man stopped himself almost immediately. "No, your parents made it clear you've been like this since childhood. Even before they adopted you you were like this. Right?"

Ray nodded without a word.

"I want to ask what you believe your purpose might entail. Even if it is just the smallest details. However, I need to confirm some information concerning your strained relationships. Let's begin with your father..."


The Virtual World

Pirugan Continent, Prosell (Special Dungeon-Mythical)

In-Game Timer: Day 28

6:45 PM

The mind is a mysterious thing. It is said that one's life flashes before his/her eyes when encountering a near-death experience. The mind is the source of reasoning, and the body, in turn, responds to some subconscious reasoning in order to provide a better chance of survival no matter how small and seemingly futile. A part of this contingent of chances is emotion, one that can be controlled through awareness from this flash of events approaching death.

Ray didn't think he was nearing death. Not just yet. The random memory of being in the office on that particular day felt like a result of a serious routing. The brain registers pain and sustains enough impact for a solid jostling. If a person's brain could be compared to a filing cabinet and the memories as paper, then Athena had ripped open all of the drawers and threw the paper into the air.

But the brain wants the body to survive, and so it retrieved one of these sheets in desperation, thrust it into Ray's face and said, "Remember this, and you'll find a way to survive."

Ray wiped a line of blood that crawled down his face. In response, more blood erupted from the cut near his temple where Athena's spear had grazed.

He looked down at his chest and examined the deep gash that extended across to his thigh. Her spear had sliced straight through the armor. Only a thin strip of metal on his shoulder and a piece a few inches wide on his hip kept the armor from falling apart completely. More blood crawled down his right arm and dripped from his fingertips. The source of the blood was from a deep lesion along his tricep.

Only his ridiculous reflexes saved him from the spear that swiped across his sight just millimeters from his eyes. He stumbled as one of his heels clipped a mound of metal to his rear. He turned on his other foot to regain his balance and ducked under another horizontal swing from Athena's spear. As Ray's gaze was forced downward, he noticed that what he had tripped on was the decimated body of the mechanical horseman he had been fighting, which received the brunt of the force from the immense power released by the dungeon.

Ray instinctively fell into a shoulder roll and the blade of the spear dug into the stone floor where he had been less than a second previous.

This was the situation since the dissipation of the Player barrier. It seemed the dungeon had used most of its energy in that one devastating attack and was now relying on Athena's own combat skills to finish him off. After all, the dungeon saw Ray as just another weak human.

He assumed the only thing keeping him alive for even this long was the fact that he had placed most of his stat points into abilities focused on survivability: perception, agility, ailment resistance, etc. But Athena was just simply too fast and powerful.

Ray deflected a straight thrust from Athena's spear. This small reprieve was spoiled as Athena stepped forward and slammed her shield into Ray's side. It would have most likely broken a few ribs if he hadn't turned himself at the last possible second to cushion the blow. Still, it hurt like hell.

It was enough to disorient him, and he soon found himself flat on his back when Athena hooked one of the curves of her spear around his ankle and pulled his feet out from under him.

His vision blurred as the back of his head collided with the floor. When his eyes cleared he was staring at the tip of Athena's spear.

So that's it. Ray sighed inwardly, dejected. I...I lost.

Athena brought her arm back to prepare the finishing blow.

All I had to do was survive. And still-

A heavy thunk interrupted his thoughts and he slowly shifted his vision towards the flat of the spear's blade. Its tip dug into the stone next to his head. He could see his distorted reflection despite the fresh blood that still caked it.

He didn't recognize his own face for a few seconds. His own eyes drew him in. Something that had been lingering there had made itself acknowledged, unbeknownst even to himself due to the desperate thoughts that clouded his head. But his eyes told the truth of what he was really feeling.

Anger.

Anger built up over the course of years. Anger at life, his world, its people, and above all, himself. Anger with glimpses of reason and then without.

Ray gritted his teeth and stared at Athena who was now trembling uncontrollably with her arm locked to hold the spear in place. Tears streamed down her face as she shut her eyes out from the destruction around her. Her lips quivered as if she were about to say something, but it was forced back by a choked sob.

Pain. So much pain. Unbearable. Pain to carry alone.

Ray's anger and Athena's pain...

Go to hell. The three words indicated Ray's embrace of the anger and pain.

Ray wrapped his fingers around the blade of Athena's spear and embraced the throbbing hurt that pulsed in his fingertips. It felt as if his blood was burning.

I want to win.

He used Athena's blade as support and lifted himself to one knee.

I want to win.

His legs went numb. He reached for his sword. Then his arms too were numb, followed by the rest of his body.

I want to win. I want to win. I want to win. I want to win. Iwanttowiniwanttowiniwanttowin.

Completely shutting out the mind was wrong. But it was a first step. Leilan's advice was not a solution, but a rung on the ladder. The mind needed to be controlled. The next rung was that one thought. Focus on that one thought and associate it with a goal.

I want to win.

The dungeon that inhabited Athena's body broke through its host's feeble resistance and spoke, "What is this sudden conviction?" The dungeon frowned and observed this new Ray with a keen interest. "Have you pushed beyond will?"

A sputtering growl escaped Ray's lips and he lashed out at Athena with his katana. She blocked it with ease and was about to set herself up for a counter when the hidden blade attached to Ray's wrist suddenly appeared and whisked past her weapon-wielding arm.

Athena frowned as a line of red emerged on her forearm and trickled along her wrist.

Ray's arm was wide open and Athena went into a half turn and dug the blade of the spear into the wrist guard. Athena's eyes narrowed. The spear was lodged into the wrist guard when it should have cut clean through much like it had when slicing Ray's chestplate.

Ray stared at the blade that was now stuck in his armor.

Thanks Sophie, he thought as he stepped forward into Athena's stance.

Ray grabbed the pole of Athena's spear and drew her in closer, taking full advantage of the opportunity when he saw the surprise on her face. He then hooked his left arm underneath hers at the elbow and established wrist control. He stepped in front of her and adjusted his weight to apply pressure to her shoulder which would then hopefully drive her to the ground.

She was strong. Impossibly strong for her appearance. She was also a god monster under the control of a powerful force. But it would be enough to buy the time he needed.

Athena shifted the weight on her feet but was unable to release her arm from Ray's lock. This was not a technique familiar to her. It was a human fighting strategy from another world. It was beyond risky, but effective. He was left wide open to an attack from nearly any blade but her own. The length of the spear was too long even when held near the blade to deal any damage to him. And with all the weight on her weapon shoulder she could not hope to move more than her wrist. Ray didn't need to win. He just needed to force them into a stalemate, which is exactly what he had done. He had placed all of his faith into that one piece of wrist armor with the hopes that it would resist her strike enough to place himself close to her for this arm lock.

The dungeon had underestimated the skill of a human when it unleashed the massive attack, thinking that skill alone was all that was needed to kill him.

Athena reared her head back and drove the front of her helmet into Ray's forehead. He didn't even flinch. His eyes were empty. It was as if he had removed himself from his body and locked himself in place like an immovable statue.

"You...you little..." the dungeon growled in its mixed voice.

The database on Ray's wrist flashed and he grinned.

It was then that the dungeon realized there was another purpose for this arm lock. Ray's left arm was hooked with his fingers still free. His right arm, which had the database on his wrist was gripping Athena's own and extending it out straight. The fingers of the left hand were near the right wrist. Which meant...

Athena's eyes widened as Ray activated the board of orbs on his database.

Ray's Player barrier emerged. Athena was at point blank range and received its full force. The Player barrier launched her across the room into one of the disfigured steel pillars as Ray released his hold on her. She gasped as she collided with the pillar at an awkward angle. Blood spurted from her mouth immediately following the violent collision.

Ray went to work on the board of orbs before Athena even had a chance to get her bearings. He matched the heart orbs that would heal Verche and Leilan while also making more matches to increase their power and the amount of health regained. He let the last heart orb hover next to its two brethren as he let out a sigh that held back his breathing.

The orbs vanished and a few more skyfalls were made in the process with a total of nine matches.

A burst of pink light erupted from the database and arced through the air, swirling and bending as it sought out Ray's wounded party members. It settled over Verche and Leilan, much of it seeping into open wounds to scout for any potential internal injuries.

Ray laughed with relief as he saw his comrades begin to stir.

We can win! Ray's mind shouted. We can win!

He only felt the excruciating pain around his stomach when the laugh subsided. He stared down at a deep laceration that drew along his belly to lower thigh. Red gushed from the wound. He realized what was happening as he opened his health bar on the database. The red line indicating his life was slowly receding. Then his vision dimmed and he couldn't even tell where the health bar was as multiple versions overlapped each other.

He knew what was happening. He was bleeding out. Bleed damage it was called. Athena must have settled her blade on his stomach just as he released her and used the force of his own barrier to slice his stomach.

A groan caught his attention and he saw Verche was now on his feet while assisting a disoriented, but very much alive, Leilan.

They stared in his direction and noticed his grievous wounds. Their first instinct was to rush over to his aid, despite the fact there was clearly nothing they could do to staunch the bleeding.

Ray held up his hand and mustered what little strength he had left to speak. "Finish it! Save her!"

Athena had already regained her bearings and was on the move. Her target: Ray. It was a last ditch effort to finish him before the other monsters could interfere.


Verche and Leilan took flight to intercept her. The agony continued to torment them as the heart orbs persevered in the painstaking healing process.

"Weapons of light! Hear my call!" Verche's own board of weapon orbs appeared and he finished them mid-flight as fast as he could. Light weapons emerged from the ceiling and rained down around Athena, slowing and forcing her off course to buy them some time to reach Ray.

Athena thrust her spear forward, aiming straight for the chest of the Player who no longer had the strength to move. His feet were firmly planted in place from shock with one arm limp at his side and the other holding his exposed belly.

Leilan cut through the air faster than she ever had before. Ray!

A resounding clang of metal echoed through the chamber.

Athena let out a short cry of surprise as Leilan's halberd forced her weapon to the floor.

The halberd swapped position with the spear and angled it to the ceiling with a quick shift of Leilan's wrist. She violently shoved the pole of her halberd into Athena's face without even bothering to settle her weight properly. Athena brought up a hand to hold back the pole of the halberd.

Leilan could feel her own anger building as she saw the dungeon suppressing Athena from within, along with the image of Ray hunched over his torn stomach, reflected in those red eyes.

"Don't touch him, bastard!" Leilan headbutted Athena as she screamed in frustration.

Verche took up position to Athena's rear and struck out with a double-edged axe that had been constructed from his active skill. His attack was blocked by Athena's shield despite her disorientation and Verche side-stepped to open up her stance for Leilan. Another quick jab from Leilan's halberd sliced along Athena's leg and a thin line of blood emerged from the resulting cut. Verche forced Athena to one knee as he continued his assault on the shield that now showed signs of wear equal to its bearer's limbs. He brought the axe up over his head and brought it down over and over like it was a sledgehammer.

"Don't worry Athena." Leilan fought through fatigue with enmity and deflected a strike from Athena with a counter that opened her up for Verche in turn.

Verche took advantage of it and dealt more damage with his axe. "Just a little longer Athena."

Verche and Leilan were nowhere near a full recovery, but their relentless attacks from opposite sides were enough to bring Athena to their level. A parry on one side allowed wounds on another. Their enemy was barely able to avoid major injuries as she soaked up damage little by little. The dungeon that inhabited Athena's body stubbornly delayed the inevitable.

The two monsters struggling to free their friend fought back the tears that begged to be released. It would have been such a relief even if it was a hindrance. They wouldn't allow it. They fought desperately with the knowledge that Ray's body would soon submit to its wounded flesh. They fought wordlessly, relying on the synchronization between them built over many years.

Verche hooked one of the blades of his axe on the upper lip of the shield and forced it down to the floor. Athena's body followed it. The dungeon made one last attempt at defense, but soon the hand wielding its weapon was impaled by the blade of Leilan's halberd. Another slice to the back of the legs from Verche brought Athena to her knees.

It was over. The difference between victory and defeat could be determined by a single choice and actions taken within milliseconds.

The dungeon stared at the floor with Athena's eyes in disbelief. It had underestimated the Player. If not for that, victory would have been assured.

But there was little time left until Ray would reach death from the wound along his stomach.

The dungeon spoke quickly before the imminent final blow ended its control, "This world doesn't belong to you-"

Athena's body stiffened as the halberd drove through her chest. Her eyes hazed over and stared unseeing. The mix of fluids running down her cheeks had now dried leaving streaks that displayed mixed emotions from two different beings.

A race of strength waned between Ray and the defeated monster. Ray now lay on his side, his body spasming as the last of his life spread on the dungeon floor.

Their graying eyes met for a brief moment. And then, Athena was falling.

A few seconds later, her body vanished in an explosion of blinding light.


Seattle, Washington

United States

May 26, 2020

Real World Time- 7:00 PM

Victory. Ray, Leilan, and Verche had won. It was also a victory for Athena who had fought just as desperately, unbeknownst to those who watched with awe and wonder from the outside.

Emily was fussing with her ponytail again, and she didn't care. He had won. A part of her was relieved while another was apprehensive with what would follow soon after. But the majority was that of relief. She new this because her body felt light. It meant they had a chance. She wouldn't admit it to herself, but doubt had been creeping on the edge of her mind ever since this had all began. Only her past training had kept it at bay for so long. But now...

The room erupted into applause as Athena disappeared and the two monster partners knelt down beside Ray. The monster in the broken gold armor, Verche, removed Ray's limp hands from the stomach wound and replaced them with his own. The female monster, Leilan, sat on her knees next to him with her hands clenched and trembling on her thighs.

Verche removed his hands to reveal that the dungeon must have truly been completed since Ray's wounds were healing.

Leilan reached for Ray without hesitation and held him close, rocking back and forth. She rested her head against his and closed her eyes. Her lips moved and whispered something that the viewers couldn't make out.

Everyone watching went silent as they took in this touching moment.

Soon the light particles of data that were Athena began to converge. In place of where her body had once been was a golden egg.

The cheering from the audience was revived when Athena appeared.

The enthusiasm from everyone in the room was not enough to distract Emily from Thomas Malkin. He was whispering something to the Gamemaster whose elated expression had melted from everyone else in the room. A troubled frown was plain on his face and he went straight to his monitoring station.

Emily wondered if Malkin had sensed her gaze, for he immediately looked in her direction and approached as soon as he made eye contact.

He unexpectedly held out his hand, which Emily accepted.

"Congratulations," Malkin said evenly. "Your Player is the first to reach a full team of monsters. He is certainly an impressive young man."

Emily smiled. "That he is. He's taking everyone by surprise. I'm looking forward to seeing how everything unfolds for the other Players."

Malkin's mouth twitched ever so slightly at this statement and he made his exit.

Emily remained watchful as he made his exit and took in the stiffness of his form.

It was enough of a confirmation. Even if Malkin wasn't the leader, he was certainly involved with whatever plan was going on concerning the universal code. Emily figured Malkin was probably suspicious of her as well simply because she was the supervisor. Ray was on the radar, which now put Emily on the same ship.

Emily knew there would be risks. There had been risks from the start. But now they were piling on each other like a blizzard weighing on a thin sheet of ice.

The next part of the plan needed to be put in motion, and she only had hours to do so.


Mooresville, North Carolina

United States

May 26, 2020

Real World Time- 4:00 PM

He didn't like this world. Not one bit. But he didn't hate it, and for some reason he didn't know why.

So many 'didn'ts.'

What was it that made him so conflicted about this world when he had always despised the others his son had engrossed himself in?

Edward Andylon couldn't comprehend it.

Despite the uneasy feeling he had watching his son converse with those strange, humanoid monsters the day previous, he found his heart skip a few beats as relief washed over him seeing his son's victory over an opponent that clearly out-classed him.

Seeing his son pull off a wrestling move against the female monster almost had him rising from his seat at the kitchen table where he had at first been distracted by his newspaper. He couldn't help but watch the fight in the virtual world. The newspaper just wasn't big enough to obstruct his entire vision and the dismayed shouts from his daughter watching the violent display seized his stubborn attention.

The wrestling move was a Russian Tie-Up. Ray had used a similar version of it against those bandits the day previous. It wasn't necessarily the most orthodox choice given the situation, but it had worked. It made the enemy monster's spear almost useless. He had been surprised when the monster didn't drop its weapon in favor of trying to land a few punches on Ray's face. But Ray had positioned himself almost behind the monster to keep it off balance to the point that it needed the other hand to remain standing.

"He may not have enjoyed wrestling as much as you hoped," his daughter said as her excitement died down. "But he'll be thanking you later for that."

Edward considered her words as she got up and went to the garage to fetch a drink.

He stared at the aftermath of the battle and took in the expression on the face of the female monster (since he couldn't really see the face of the armored one). She held his son close to her and rocked back and forth as relief replaced anger and desperation. The look on her face as Ray's eyes opened made him swallow uneasily.

Definitely too real. This is to the point of being seriously disturbing. I don't like this. Not at all. This is wrong.

He rose from his chair and was about to grab his cellphone when his wife intercepted him in the hallway. She waved the home phone in his face as if taunting him with it.

Edward sighed. "Seriously? Them? I don't have-"

"-Time," she finished for him. "Sorry, but this woman is very insistent."

"Fine." He grabbed the phone from her and addressed the woman on the other end roughly. "What is this all about? I'm busy."

The woman on the other side had such a sweet, seemingly genuine apologetic voice that he almost felt bad about his tone. "I'm so sorry Mr. Andlyon. My name is Kirsten from GNU Private Citizens bank in Charlotte. I apologize for the inconvenience. I am just calling to confirm that you received our message in the mail concerning a false account established under your name."

"Yeah, I got it," Edward attempted to shift his tone, but the frustration in his voice was persistent. "And how in the world did this happen?"

"Well, apparently it was set up using a false drivers license along with providing a previous account and bank routing number."

Edward's jaw dropped at the last bit. Someone had gone to great lengths just to set up a fake account under his name? Why? Did he make an enemy at the hospital in the investigation office he collaborated with? He couldn't believe it.

But then again, maybe all of this was a scam to get the information in the first place. People were pretty sophisticated with creating fake websites and believable credentials.

"Just to make sure. Could you please read to me those numbers?" Edward asked as politely as he could.

"Yes, of course."

She read the account and routing number to him without stutter or hesitation. It was legit.

"How else did they manage this? You must have some security footage right?"

"I'm afraid not sir. I think one of our new employees was misinformed about our acceptance of certain faxes. The numbers were provided physically, but the account itself was not established in person with the license."

Edward rubbed his eyes with his free hand. It wasn't uncommon for someone to make that sort of mistake. Colleges, businesses, almost everyone used faxes. But still, to get a hold of all those numbers...

"Has the account been used yet?"

"No sir."

"Then let's get this overwith now."

"I'm afraid that is impossible sir. It would have to be done in person with a physical signature for the purging of the account and to prevent another occurrence."

Edward took a deep breath and finally managed to fully calm himself. "Okay, how about tomorrow during my lunch?"

"That would work fine. We will make an opening for you because of the inconvenience this has caused. We will have compensation, I assure you."

"Well, that's dandy." He gave her the time and hung up the phone after he set up the appointment.

What a pain in the ass, he thought.

He turned his attention back to the television where Ray and his partners were now reunited with the monster they had just fought.