The story moves back to where we left Krystal.

Chapter 12: Connection lost

From a hundred to nothing in a mere second, the Chevy stops in between two other cars. Time for careful parking isn't there, so the vehicle is parked in a barbaric manner: front bumper and right front wheel onto the sidewalk while the back-end with the busted tail light are partly on the street. Even though oncoming traffic is at its minimum, it could be another busted tail light or even worse. Especially since the fog hasn't cleared whatsoever. It's actually a little thicker too, feeling like an encasement.

On Phantom's mind, all these negatives are the least of his worries; Krystal is in some freaky state of half-life. Looking like a drunk hooker picked up at a street corner of a dirty neighborhood after a rough night, she lies collapsed and sprawled out on the passenger seat. Her mascara is drenched out and trails of tears cover most of her cheeks. From time to time, she's able to say something, but very slurry and mumbling. Phantom gets out of his car after a deep sigh taken from seeing Krystal like that. He closes the door and walks over to the trunk. He opens it to find his black coat and a compartment containing something.

*My old weapon. Grrr... I guess Psycho's arsenal would be necessary someday.*

He enters a 4-digit code into the compartment's lock as it opens after several verifications. Fingerprint, voice recognition and even a saliva scan. Psycho might have been a murderous, one-dimensional character, there is no doubt he wasn't concerned with safety. Without any show, it simply snaps open. There, lies an magazine-less RPK-74 with two separate magazines lying next to it. The bipod underneath the barrel is folded and shows signs of intensive usage in the past. Mainly the two spikes on the bottom which can thrusted into whatever material for a better control over the weapon during continuous fire, look blunt and dented at the sides. With all this, a roll of tape seems out of place.

*Hello old friend.* thinks Phantom as sees the scrabble on the wooden, faint orange-brownish stock. His real name is scratched in instead of Psycho. It goes to show that he did have some sanity left in him. The "M" at the end spells "MARK" downward from there on. It was a gift from him to Phantom during his time as Psycho. The moments of sanity they had together. Rare occasions amongst all the brutalities.

He lifts his head a little as his paws support on the opened trunk-lid. Mark, aka Cowboy, was his best friend. It was like love at first sight, but a little more like bros. There was this instant connection, much like he and Adonis had. And even when was turned into a blind guy firing two single-action revolvers that only reacted to sounds and scents, he and Phantom stayed in touch. It was Mark who kept Psycho's insanity in check. It was Mark who reminded Psycho that his real name of Phantom. That he wasn't a murderer. That he was a friend. His… best friend.

Seemingly emotionless about it all, his grip loosens on the trunk-lid as they now reach for the RPK. All an act, as he just bottles it all up. No one needs to know what's going on inside him.

He grabs the weapon from the compartment and hangs it over his right shoulder. Underneath his coat that is for some concealment of the weapon. He covers it up behind the coat-flaps as best as he can. He tapes the two magazines together before inserting those into the weapon. He cocks the bolt, aggravatingly enough poking into his right side. He closes the trunk and walks over to passenger side. He has his left paw ready in case Krystal droops out of her seat the moment the door opens. Luckily, that isn't necessary. She still looks terrible though.

'How's it going?' he asks friendly as he ducks to be on the same level as she is. She doesn't answer, even though she nozzles her lips to form words. 'That bad huh?'

He looks around to see if no one's watching them. Those who do will receive a bullet hose if it's up to him. 'I promised you some rest and that's what you're gonna get.' He turns around. 'Hop on.'

But Krystal wants to go nowhere at all. Like a reluctant child who didn't got what he wanted she turns away. Only so far as her body will allow.

'Oh come on Krys. I know the world sucks right now but you can't stay in here. It's my car remember?' he says on a funny tone. But Krystal is persistent, moaning and complaining. 'I'm fine... g-go away...' she whimpers.

Phantom sighs at what he has to do. After a last check around the street he turns around. 'Have it your way then.'

He reaches into the car and grabs her arms. He turns her front to his back and places her arms on his shoulders. He reaches for her legs and lifts them out to press them against his sides. Her right leg is pressed against the RPK within the coat, that serves a comfortable protective layer. The bolt is now pushed further into Phantom's side. As if it wasn't agonizing enough. He bites his tongue, being strong for her. If he already breaks down from a sting in the side...

When Krystal is saddled, he closes the passenger door with his foot. It's tricky keeping balance with that extra weight on both shoulders, but it's a welcome burden. He crosses the street, brisk walking to reach the hotel. His worries about her safety and state of mind subside a little as he feels that she has laid her packed head on his neck. She exhales elaborate; a way of conveying that's she comfortable. It seems that her earlier reluctance was acting, just to show that she could handle her own. But in her state it's practically impossible. Against better judgment, she continued the facade. Phantom saw through it and gave her the help she deserved. In hindsight it was luckily so.

'Where are you taking me?' she whispers very soft. If there was anything else making the slightest noise he wouldn't have heard it.

'We're nearly at the hotel. Just a toss away.'

He hops onto the sidewalk and stops before the hotel door. Unable to use either paw, he instead kicks it in. The owner behind the counter, who was polishing the room keys, is startled, dropping the key on the floor.

'Ah Merde!' he complains as he reaches towards the ground to pick it up. 'Excuse me sir. What's the reason of your violent entry?' asks the owner with a half eye on the now dirty again keys.

'This woman is the reason for my entry. She has had a tough time behind her.' explains Phantom whose legs begin to experience the weight of that "welcome burden" a little. 'So if you would hand our room keys back so she can have her rest.'

But the owner refuses. 'I'm sorry sir but your rooms are already taken.' states the owner disinterested as he already focuses more on the perfection of the key.

'Already taken?' says Phantom, thinking that's nonsense. 'Already taken!? There's no one around for miles in this fog mess.'

The owner shrugs as he brushes the dirt of the key with a cloth. 'It seems they were here when you two left. Frankly, we're packed.'

Phantom looks behind the man and sees multiple keys hanging on a board. 'Then what are those?'

'A nitpick too huh?' snarls the owner as he ticks them off the board one by one. 'So. Like I said: we're packed.'

Krystal can feel Phantom begin to boil. 'Phan. We can go someplace elsewhere.' she suggests to prevent Phantom from going overboard.

'No Krys. This is just not fair. And I don't have time for stupidity.'

The owner crosses his arms and chuckles.

'Perhaps you should try the other hole next time...' he suggests heavily tending to sexuality.

'Excuse me?' inquires Phantom hoping for that man's sake that he didn't hear what he just thought he heard. If that is the case…

'You know? Woman have two holes down there.' points the owner towards his own crotch area. 'Reading her face suggests that she indeed had a hard time. How much did he pay you sugar?'

Krystal barely reacts but mutters instead: 'What? Pay...? For what?'

'Are you now... seriously saying what I think you're saying?' inquires Phantom again. He feels like exploding right now. This might turn out even worse than with Panther; he could seriously pull the trigger on this one.

'But of course. I suggest you two finish it off somewhere else where they do offer vacancy for disgusting people like yourselves.' he says genuinely disgusted by what he imagines happened.

'Phantom... we should just go.' advises Krystal.
'This guy just called you a whore.' he replies angry as he repositions Krystal back as she has drifted off a bit. 'I'm not taking that!'

The owner hangs over the counter and comes closer to Phantom's face. 'And between you and me; the next time you need company, there is a street corner downtown. I drive by there sometimes.' He comes even closer and whispers: 'Hundreds of examples way prettier than the one on your back.' he ends with a wink.

Phantom has reached his boiling point. In fact, it was already overcooking at the second to last remark. Now, he's just exploding. The only thing preventing him from emptying the 45 rounds loaded in his RPK, is Krystal. Her presence close to him is a soothing feeling. She begins to change from a welcome burden carried like a backpack, wrapped around his neck and sides, to not a burden at all giving him a hug.

'Hey asshole!' calls Phantom as he awkwardly reaches the trigger. 'Say cheese.' The muzzle of the barrel comes out of hiding and points directly at the owner, who immediately throws his hands up in the air. 'Told you I don't have time for nonsense. Now be a doll and hand us the keys.' grins Phantom smug and victorious. Even Krystal manages to a crack a smile at the comment.

'Please! Don't kill me!' pleads the men desperate.

'I'm not gonna kill you.' assures Phantom. 'Just give us the keys.'

The owner swallows as he runs through the database. 'Only her room.' he says after some scanning.

'Excuse me?'

'Only her room is available. Your room is already taken, but hers will not be occupied for three more days. She can stay for that long.'

Phantom smiles and nods, finally getting what he wants. 'I love it when we all agree on something. Saves a lot of time.' he states euphoric as his finger comes off the trigger. He reaches his arm out with open paw, ready to receive the keys.

'The keys sil vous plait. And don't even think that I can't reach for it anymore.'

The keys are puts into his paw as it closes around it. Number 417 it reads on an attached tag; it's the right key.

'Second floor directly on the right. You know the way for the rest?' guides the owner feeling under excessive peer pressure of a possible bullet barrage.

'I know my ways.' assures Phantom as he leaves the lobby and begins to climb the staircase. The lift is busted so he has no choice. Underway, Phantom tries to keep Krystal from passing out again by talking to her. She gives no response all the way through. Instead, she uses different toned groans and muffled growls. The last one only when Phantom brings up Panther. When Phantom climbs up the last step, she speaks a full sentence:

'Thanks for standing up for me Phantom.' Her voice sounds a little more lively and very grateful much to Phantom's joy. 'I really appreciate it.' she ends as they have already reached their room.

'Hang on.' warns Phantom friendly in advance as he puts the key in lock, turning him a little to the right. The door opens without any problems. The room is just like she left it. Maybe a little cleaner but that's a detail. The bed sheets are refreshed and made up on the bed. Actual sunshine, very rare this morning in the city, shines through the open window on the opposite side of the room as fresh air blowing in seems to hit her for the first time today. It flows by her face like the soft breeze it is and strokes through her braided hair, miraculously still in shape.

Phantom closes the door behind them before looking around the room. It's like his room was but mirrored; his bed was on the right of the window while hers is on the left. He walks over to bed, turns around and seats her onto the bed.

'You seated?' he verifies so he can let go of her.

'Hmhm. I' am.' she responds as she also gives him a tap on the shoulder. It's a relief; finally the bolt of his RPK is no longer a pain in the side. Euphoric for a better reason this time, he takes the weapon off as he utters a sigh of relief. His side feels especially relieved. He lifts his coat and jacket up to see the damage.

'That was pretty f-ing painful.' he starts complaining to Krystal's minor entertainment. 'Ooowh! That's gonna be black and blue very soon. Shiiii... I guess I know now how kidney stones feel.'

'Phantom?' asks Krystal out of the blue, breaking Phantom's complaining.

'Uh... yeah?' he answers off-guard.

'Could you turn around?' she asks innocent. The question has an unknown undertone, a possible ambiguous meaning. Phantom has no idea what to expect as he turns around.

'What is... mmmmh!?' Before Phantom could finish his question or even fully turn around, he receives a smooch on the lips from Krystal. Of all forms of gratitude she could show him, this was at the bottom. Not that's trying to get away from it anyway.

'Thank you for everything you've done for me Phantom. You're a true friend.' she declares after a kiss lasting a good five seconds.

*Why not just a hug in that case?* runs through Phantom's disoriented mind much like various others. He's a little overblown by this unexpected yet pleasant surprise. 'Uhm... yeah. No trouble. Uh I mean problem. No problem.'

As red as a tomato, he begins scratching the back of his head as he slowly backs out of the room. But not losing Krystal out of sight for a second. Not even after almost tripping over chair, to Krystal's entertainment. Her giggling is a good sign.

'You know... You are my responsibility.' claims Phantom as if it's just that and nothing else. 'And an attack on you... is an attack on me? Right?' he asks himself completely dazed. 'Yeah... um... if you need me or anything else I'll be right outside the door, okay?'

He points at the door and confirms his own question for himself. She smiles friendly with her eyes follows every spastic and awkward move he makes. 'Okay Phantom. Take care.'

'Yeah. Y-you too huh.'

The door closes with Krystal crashing on the bed a little more comforted, while on the other side of the door Phantom is trying to break the wall with his head. Both lie their heads against something. Phantom buries his in the wall next to the door while Krystal's is getting snuggled by a pillow.

'Pffff!' she exhales trying not to think about too much detail. 'What a day.'

She is surprised how fast she recovered from seeing Panther with Estelle. Both made a dent in her self-esteem on the levels of love and friendship but she was strong enough to repel most of it. She needs some time to get her things in order. Panther was seemingly only important when her life was threatened. For the rest she was into, only Fox was on her mind.

'Luckily someone else is with me.'

That one sits against the door holding his three-barreled revolver to his forehead. The front post of its sight are being tapped against his forehead.

*I'm such a stupid motherfucker. I hold strong when the bolt was crushing my kidneys but a kiss meaning nothing more than "I can't thank you enough" throws me off!? I'm such a horndog.*

After several minutes, the stormy cloud of self-pity above Phantom's head vaporizes while Krystal has made up her mind about today. She doesn't how to express her regret to Fox. How could she possibly figure that a guy still listening to adolescent hormones at his age stay loyal to only one woman? She's fairly sure that he's cheating on Estelle as well.

*Estelle. It seems she wasn't a friend at all. Sigh... Am I gonna end up like Phantom? Not that it's something bad.* she corrects herself quickly as if Phantom could be able to hear it. *I've always dug that style ever since I saw strong feminine heroes in various movies. A badass gunslinger wearing dark sunglasses and a long black trench coat much like his. Well, his previous coat that was. But do I have to end up with no friends aside from just a partner?*

After a deep breath taken she tries to think about the positives of being such a person instead of relationship problems.

*How should I rename myself? He has Phantom... maybe a mix up of my name? Like... um... Kytal (Kay-tall)? Kty (Kè-taie)? Kursed? Wait what? Scratch that last one. Not in my lifetime. Hmmm... Krysis (Kris-is)? Karys (Care-is)?*

While thinking about it, something keeps following and nibbling that thought. It's the vile feeling of regret eating its way through every memory. Turning what was once a cheerful moment into a rotten nightmarish haunting. The more she tries to put it away, the harder it comes back. She puts her paws on her face, hiding that she's slowly getting emotional again. But her unsuppressed sniffing reaches Phantom behind the door.

'Krys?' he asks still sitting with his back against the door. He brings his head closer to the door to hear it all a little better. 'Are you okay in there?'

No answer comes. It's all static in Krystal's ears who just starts spewing her heart out when it all becomes too much. 'I'm so sorry Fox... I'm so sorry!' she cries out. 'Please forgive me... Please do! I-I love you. I c-can't live without you. Panther means nothing to me. It was a moment of weakness. It will never, ever happen again. Please... forgive me.'

Silence takes over inside the room as Phantom remains a listening ear at the door. *That was... incredible.* he thinks perplexed. *But if Fox is ready to forgive her? With that demon roaming around? Brrr! It makes me shudder.*

Suddenly, he hears the distinct footsteps of Krystal coming closer to the door. He has no time to stand up before Krystal opens the door. He looks up at her with cornered expression on his face: she looks nowhere near better than she was when Phantom left her in the room only minutes ago. Her tail hangs curled up in between her legs and she looks shivery with her arms crossed.

'Krystal?' he asks as he stands up and turns towards her. 'Need someone?' He spreads his arms slowly for only a second before Krystal pounces at him and doesn't let go. He closes his arms and coat-flaps around her like a cocoon where she can hide in. She keeps crying even when her eyes begin to burn.

'It's okay Krys. Realization comes in like a bomb, I can tell.' He holds her face in between his paws.
'Hey. I'm sure Fox will forgive you.' he assures her as he wipes a tear away that Krystal didn't notice.

'You really think so?'

Phantom nods. 'I do. If anything happens that's on the opposite side of things, you can certain that I'll exchange some tough words with him.'

Krystal, with an undersized smile, drudges herself back into Phantom's coat. He starts to become more than just a friend. He's someone she can depend on when things aren't going her way. Who listens to her and can empathize with her. Perhaps that concept of being a PI like Phantom isn't such a bad idea after all.

The moment between the two is interrupted when they hear some people coming up the stairs. Estimated three. One of them sounds woefully familiar. Two Papetoonian Planetry Police men and owner appear from the staircase as they have their eyes on Phantom and Krystal, who's still under Phantom's coat. Only her head sticks out above the left flap. The innocent eyes scan the officers thoroughly, trying to give them a place.

'Urgh.' groans the owner at the sight of the two. 'I told you they were pimp and hoe.'

The at first innocent eyes turn into glaring poison stings aimed at the complaining face that turns around and wants to walk away. A face that Phantom would love to reconstruct with a revolver blast to the face. The best part being that Krystal would actually agree with that move at this point.

'Puh! Poison for the eyes I tell you!' he adds continuously. 'You good officers will handle these, will you not?'

Both of the officers think it's a little too sketchy. So what that she's in his arms while he has his coat over her? What so "pimp and hoe" about that?

'Yeah... urhum.' haggles the officer on the left to buy himself some time to think of something appropriate to say. Something that sends that nagging judgmental idiot back to his counter and doesn't agitate the falsely accused. He pulls his belts up as he has his sentence ready.

'You shouldn't worry. We'll fix this problem just fine.' he says more comforting towards Phantom and Krystal than to the owner. He explicitly didn't mention "those two" or whatever other synonym just to show that he's on their side. His colleague makes an underhanded gesture to Phantom and Krystal stay calm; 'We're the good guys here.'

Very creepily, the owner comes closer to the officer and whispers in his ear that Phantom doesn't just have a "Jack-in-the-box" inside of Krystal, but also another "Jack" in his coat; his RPK he aimed at the owner earlier.

'Thank you.' replies the officer with a tone saying 'get the hell of my back you creepy nigga!' The owner backs off and with a false sense of victory walks down the stairs.

'That devil is gone.' exhales the officer relieved. 'I'm sorry for that guy. If you punched him in the face I would have probably permitted.' he winks mostly at Krystal. Phantom lets her go as she stands on her own just fine now. She dusts her off and tries to look as presentable as possible. He apologizes soft for his rather dusty coat but Krystal has no trouble coping with a thin layer of dust on her suit. Her snout is a little different as she dusts that off looking humorously cross-eyed while she does that.

'Haha! Krystal, why do you do it like that?'

'How? Like this?' She does the exact same thing with her tongue sticking out, added for more humorous effect. Phantom tries not to laugh out loud. Adonis told him many times that his continuous laughter looked ugly as hell so tries to contain himself. He sets up a straight face, occasionally manipulated by crack turning into a smile every time he looks at Krystal.

'But eh... officers?' he changes subjects to include the present policemen into the conversation. 'What's the business here?'

The left one does the talking again as takes a step forward. Clearly he's the senior in this. Although the other seems fairly experienced as well.

'We're here because the owner filed a charge for threatening with a gun.' Reluctant, he sighs at the sight of the RPK's muzzle sticking out. 'And I'm afraid he wasn't wrong...' he attends to Phantom, who seemingly had no idea that thing was still hanging there. It was in a far corner of his mind.

'Aw shit! Seriously?' he exclaims pissed off and regretful. 'I was...' He stops mid-sentence has he tries to come up with an excuse. An extra, hard swallow buys him a little more time. But it's as useless as Panther's try. 'I can explain, okay?' he declares trying to keep officers at a distance.

'I'm sorry to say that an explanation won't be sufficient anymore. We're gonna have to take you to the station.'

'Oh come guys. She needs my being here. She just got a major rejection inside a crappy storage area while she is searching, with me, for a good friend of hers...'

He looks at Krystal to check if that's an okay enough explanation. She nods. 'I knew it already. Just checking.' he says with a wink. 'A good friend of hers that turned insane. That guy downstairs, fugly prick, refused vacancy to us simply because of some personal disgust and accused us from prostitution.'

'You mean her, right?' comments the right one just to make sure.

'A detail. Listen, I can't leave her. She's my responsibility and frankly...' He turns his head slowly towards her. 'The best friend a lonely PI can wish for.'

She gets a blush on her face from that statement. 'Thanks Phantom. It means a lot to me.'

The officer has heard all and weighs to odds. It takes a few seconds before he presents his verdict.

'I thought I recognized you two.' says the officer more cheerful all of the sudden.

'Uh... really?' wonders Krystal.

'Oh yeah. It's just what our guy chasing the bank robber described. Private Investigator Phantom and… uhm…' He snaps his finger multiple times to come up with her name. 'Krystal… isn't it?'

'Yeah we are.' confirms Phantom proud as he casually puts his paws in his coat pockets. 'So you know the story?'
'About the lady there? Pfffr! Don't play me like a fool mister. The story is running as rampant as her insane friend. You seem to be the only caring enough about her to be sided with her.'

'But that doesn't grant Phantom immunity to law and order, does it?' remarks Krystal sad.

'No.' replies the officer dismissive. 'No, it doesn't.'

But Phantom isn't planning to go away. Personally, the siting of more exposition about his motives is well enough for him. He slowly lowers his paw towards the RPK's trigger as he asks whispering if Krystal could come a little closer. She does as she hooks onto Phantom's arm.

'Phantom. There's no need for this. Don't let your anger take over. Let them do what they are here for.' travels through Phantom's mind thanks to their connection still present since the car ride.

'Krys. I promised myself to look after you. If that means "go full retard" I will.'

'I don't you to end up in prison because of me. Especially if you kill two police officers.'

'Grrr... You're right.' His paw goes back into his pocket with present reluctantly.

'Thanks Phantom. I think you should handle this on your own.'

'What? You're not standing by me? I could be sentenced you know...'

'Don't try to talk guilt into me Phantom! Not even with joking intent. Jeez... you're worse than Fox.' she claims not too accusing.

'Huh... so it's still about him. Can't see I blame you really.' he reacts, knowing that he would think the same in that situation.

'I just some time off from this reality. You know? To his reality so I can get this all in order.'

'To reset those grinding gears in your grey mass. Well, I'll try to be back before dinner.'

'Sexist pimp.' she names him joking.

'Right back at ya: narrow-minded hoe.'

The connection breaks when Krystal lets go of Phantom's arm as she turns to her door. Both have a smile on their face as their eyes wave each other goodbye.

'I'll be back Krys. Faster than you think.'

'I'm counting on it Phantom. See you at dinner.' she jokes with a wink before closing the door of her room behind her. A little nonchalant yet smug, Phantom turns towards the officers.
'Dinner?' checks the officer.

Phantom chuckles. 'Ah. Women huh?' he says with his eyes rolling.

'I got ya.' jumps the other in out of nowhere.

'But eh... what's gonna happen now?'

'We'll take you down town, to the station, do some paperwork and you'll be out in an hour.'

Phantom lifts an eyebrow; he didn't expected it to over so fast. 'That fast? How about that filth downstairs? The filed complaint?'

'A Papetoonian wink to our outside colleague who helped us catching that bank robber.'

Phantom can't believe it. Looking at the other officer gives the same story.

'That was some nice shoulder-capping. The guy was bleeding out, nearly died when we found him. Paralyzed to the bone.' compliments the left officer.

'I reckon you didn't do that with your "Jack" huh?' comments the other.

'Nope.' He grabs his revolver out of its holster, spins it around on his index finger before holding it sideways for the officers to admire. 'Sweet huh?'

Impressed, the policemen nod their heads and tend to keep their puny Glocks hidden. Phantom meanwhile has put his revolver back where it belongs. 'I still have to now, don't I?' His attention turns to more important business. 'But what about Krystal? I can't leave her here like this.'

'Hmmm... I see the issue. Clark.'

'Yeah?' reacts the other officer.

'You stay with the woman. Phan and I are going to the station. We're back in about an hour or so.'

'Got it.'

'Alright. Phantom... after you.' gestures the officer giving way to Phantom. As the duo walk down the stairs. Krystal lifts her listening ear of the door. She has heard it all and is very fond of the result.

*Didn't I tell him?* she thinks with a smile on her face. 'Haha. But now I'm stuck with some silent dweep which sucks. Uhm... vocabulary Krystal. Watch it. I'm starting to act like Phantom? Talking to myself? I really should stop doing that.'

A knock on the door startles her. 'Everything alright in there ma'am? My name is Officer Clark and I've been assigned to take over Phantom role for a while. If you need something, I'll turn some knobs on that idiot downstairs, okay?'

'Don't worry Clark. I'm not a spoiled broad like I've reflected as by many. Fox and I just had a rocky break-up. I wasn't sure and that hurt him tremendously. But as soon as Phantom's back I'll make it up to him.' she assures Clark romanticized.

'I hope it goes well for ya. And uh... that Phantom. Not your type huh?'

'Nah. Not so much as to love. More like someone to have an adventure with. Excluding this adventure of course. Just… someone to support on you know? And I don't think he minds it really.'

'Heh heh. So that whole thing with you under his coat was...?'

Krystal has to find a good answer for that one. 'I think it was his way of... making me feel safe?' replies Krystal, sounding more like a verification instead of knowing it for sure.

'A guardian angel? Not the case ma'am. I know types like Phantom.' states Clark while Krystal is already fed up with talking to him. Rolling her eyes around, she turns to her bed and collapses onto it. She stares at the ceiling and tries to ignore Clark's unstoppable yapping. She knows smart-mouths all too well and Clark is no exception.

*I'll just think about other things. Leave him to talk with himself. Giggle... at least than he has the illusion of a conversating partner.*

The thought is a little on the harsh side, she knows. But it's how she feels. And she doesn't feel like talking to guys like him. Especially when they start judging people around her while they have no idea what they are actually like. She just returns to thinking about a subject as the yapping turns into non-disturbing static on the background.

*Now, what should I think about? Like... uhm... Oh! How I would look like if I was like Phantom. Hmmm...* She grabs herself by the chin as she taps her finger against her lower jaw, deeply sunken into thought. *First of all, I would need a coat. Something that says: 'Back off! Dangerous girl!'*

Phantom's black coat comes to mind almost immediately. It's the most familiar one. Perhaps if she went a little further than imagining, looking for stores, she might change it. *Of course I need to shorten it. Don't want it to end up like a cape.* she chuckles thinking about a movie that mocked the use of capes on superheroes.

*Something in between my teeth too to add to my image maybe? Like a stick or... something for stress relief. And black tainted sunglasses. I could just keep wearing my Starfox outfit, with a necessary paint job on the blue-ish purple parts.*

The picture is complete. A weapon is a thing for another time. But as the effigy is made, the interest in it decays. The static becomes more and more clear, turning into Clark's voice again.
'My sweet Jeez!' she complains as she checks her phone. Only two minutes have passed. 'Urg! That felt like at least 10! I need to get out of here.'

She takes her mother's ring of her finger and holds it in front of her face. The jewel shines brightly when held in the light. Vague mists linger eerie throughout the bottom of it, as if they were alive. This ring was not only of her mother's as a ceremonial purpose. It also has to ability to channel the bearer to another realm and back. Also, within the executions, the ring would notice when the executed had a loved one.

Most Cerinian criminals that were sentenced to death, didn't have any loved ones left. But, if in the rare case that was true, the ring would activate itself and cast out a ghostly impersonation of that loved one. That impersonation would leave the executed from his shackles and bring him to his real loved one regardless of what time and or place. A very successful move since those where never heard from as criminals ever again.

Only one disadvantage to all this: once used, it takes at least three days before its reloaded.

'The spirits rest. Everything is okay. They'll help me.' She holds the ring between her thumb, index and middle finger as she holds it up in the air. She closes her eyes and concentrates herself. 'I'm coming Fox. No more postponing will interfere with our love anymore.' she states as the spirits start to hustle within the jewel. 'Take to my loved one spirits. I beg of thy.'

Outside the hotel, totally oblivious of the oncoming transfer between this world and Nether, Phantom gets into the backseat of a police cruiser.

'Watch the head.' warns the escorting officer almost automatically.

Phantom closes the door as the officer gets behind the wheel.

'That was some nice piece of acting talent there Phantom.' compliments the officer looking into the rear-view mirror. Together, they faked that Phantom was arrested not only for aiming a gun at the owner but also for forced prostitution and for being a pimp. Screaming, pulling, kicking and resisting he was forced out of the building. As if it was all real.

'Heh heh. How would that fool react if I came in like; 'Sup? Going back to my girl. Problem? Didn't think so either.'

'I'm already picturing it.' says the officer dreamy.

'Talking about coming back; how long is this gonna take?' asks Phantom already watching the clock.

'Oh yeah. Let's go downtown.'

The car starts and drives off into the mist that is still around for whatever reason. While Krystal's room looked sunny, the whole city seems hulled in fog. A very eerie feeling strokes itself over Phantom's spine. 'Hmmm... strange.'

'What is it?'

'You haven't seen many people on the street, have you?' asks Phantom suspicious, hoping that he would say that they just weren't here.

'Now that you bring that out... no. I haven't. Why the concern?'

'Just because. Just because.'

He stares out the window, hoping to see people around. But there are none to be found. Windows are closed, covered by curtains. Doors are locked. The whole city looks like a ghost town with the fog emphasizing it. Then, he sees a faint figure wearing something gold and shiny on his face speed off into an alleyway. He can't believe it.

*An operative!? A Butcher operative!?*

Well known as the "Inducers of Sleeping Beauty", they were the guards and main muscle of the private army that Butcher had become. As guards, they kept watch over the cryotubes, were he as Psycho had to sleep in; upside down. Along with his best friend Mark, Swipe, Ninja and Steelhead.

"Sleeping Beauty" was a drug that suppressed all feelings, leaving the user like a zombie with two choices: just hang there or go to sleep. Sleep was always chosen. Once the dose lost its effect, it was around 7 o'clock in the morning. With a bad aftertaste yet having the strength and energy to move giant boulders, they woke up at the sight of these "Inducers" and their golden masks. It was just a stone's throw away from looking like an Inverted Cross. Guided by them into the briefing room, they were ready for another mission were blood would certainly flow.

'Hey officer.' asks Phantom. 'Any reports on disturbances or small skirmishes on the police radio?'

The man shakes his head. 'Sorry. Nothing. Might this questioning have something to do with your lady?'

'Maybe. Maybe not.' He stops staring out the window and tries to forget about the Butcher stuff. But it keeps plaguing his mind. If Papetoon City is their target, who knows what might happen. 'How long until we reach the station?' he asks.

'Well. The road goes downward from here on so expect us to be there within a lackluster ten minutes.' He turns on some AC/DC and pushes the button for the sirens. 'Or maybe 5. Yeeeaaah!' screams the officer, stomping the throttle almost through the car. Phantom can only love it some sincere Papetoonian Police craziness.

Someone aside of Krystal is on his side for once. The howling and screeching of the sirens never felt so good. He relaxes his head against the head support as the road indeed goes downwards. The fog seems to clear even more as vision increases up to a kilometer; the station is in sight.

However, blunt faith must toy with his endeavors as suddenly a blue shock-wave erupts from Krystal's room. It blows away all the fog and makes the ground shake. The cruiser meanwhile stopped as Phantom got out of the car. Powerless, he stands there staring at the blue traces of energy still visible from Krystal's room.

'Oh fuck. Krystal, what have you done?' He feels that their connection has faded away; she is somewhere else. And he surely hopes that it isn't where he thinks she went.

Hope you've enjoyed another chapter. Sorry for the lack of chapter remasters but I'm focusing now on the newer chapter. If I can, I'm working on them 24/7. This is to let you know that I'm opening up a poll to vote for Krystal's PI-name. Hopefully, many of you will follow. If you must know, my favorite is Kty (Kè-taie).