January, Tuesday 12th. 32XX

Akira's Apartment, Cyber City

Morning

"...If my social worker asks; I'll tell her I hurt myself trying out skateboarding. Nah, too far fetched..." Akira was muttering to himself as he's cooking up a believable story before his eventual meeting with Cristina as he hasn't seen her in a while. "Damn it, what could I actually tell her when she asks? Think Akira, think..."

"Maybe you could tell her ya fell down th' stairs?" Tiara suggested, having been sitting on her air mattress painting her toenails while bending in a contortionist manner.

"Oh because that'll definitely fly with the injuries I have on me.

"Won't know 'till ya try~"

"Whatever, I gotta go to my college today anyhow." Akira shook his head as he gets his cardigan on and grabbing his bag.

"Don't ya have yer Social Worker comin' by today still, or is she comin' by in the evenin'?"

"She's got it to where she'd see me at the college instead of here as there's less of a chance for me to miss an appointment than in the evenings. No thanks to your master no less."

"Hey, don't blame him for this. You just gotta manage yer time better."

"I can manage my time thank you very much."

"And yet you've arranged to start meeting your social worker at your college than at home."

"More convenient that way." Akira retorted, picking up his keys from a bowl near the door.

"Well, have fun nonetheless~" Tiara replied with a smile.

"I'll try..." Akira said before leaving the apartment and head on over to the campus.

Main Street, Cyber City

Morning

On his way over to the campus, he would get an unwanted meeting with Anton Veruca when the reptile is out for a jog in his red sweat suit with two bodyguards accompanying him while other people passes them by and was quick to greet him in his trademark manner. "Yo. What's up Four-Eyes, you off to be a bookworm while practicing polygamy or going over to go and plow Kanga after a show? I don't judge... Mostly."

"Morning Anton..." The wolf greeted robotically, ignoring his vulgarity and knowing he had something to do with the attack from yesterday. "It's a good day isn't it?"

"Oh, definitely bro. Makes me want to plow a chick in broad daylight and getting some tan or having a bit of the chilled bubbly but I do have an important meeting later and I don't mean the one involving your mom." Anton laughs at his own joke. "It's also a good day for me to come and ask if you've changed your mind yet. You know how violent the streets can get and might need the best protection possible."

"About you? Nope, still the same."

"Haha, aren't you a real smart ass..." Anton said with a little scornful face before continuing; "No. I mean you dropping him and come working for me."

"And what you said to me last time?" Akira crosses his arms.

"Eh, that's ancient history. I'm a reasonable dude and I think you're just as reasonable yourself." Anton said in a smarmy tone while jogging in place. "I think you're a cool dude misled by a two-bit thief with an agenda against me. I believe we could both be the best of friends once we get to know each other better. Maybe be like bro—"

"What can you offer that would make me jump ship to your crew like you did with some of his homies?" Akira cut in firmly. Knowing what he's trying to do.

"Let's see... I could make you become wealthy like me and get you really good jobs that most would give an arm for. Make you apart of my inner-circle and rule the streets like a duke. Make all your problems go away with a wave of my wand. If it's power, I can give you some. If it's money, I'll give you more mobiums than you'll ever see in your life. If it's a harem of babes you want, oh I know some who can hook you up with the best and hottest babes you could ask for..." Anton says while trying to tempt the wolf to come to his side. "If there's someone you're after for revenge, I might know a few who could help you there. All you have to do is join me to reap the benefits and be able to roam the streets safely. What do you say to that my good dude?"

Akira considered the offer. It's a very tempting one to accept with the thought of him finding that particular someone he's after for a long time since first meeting them and Anton is offering to help him get closer to achieving his goal...

"...This is your way of trying to make betray my friends and I doubt you can fulfil the promise you're making there. There's nothing you have I would want. You're only interested in me because of who I'm associated with. If not for him, you wouldn't give me the time of day under any other circumstance." Akira declines calmly. "You can keep your offer because I firmly refuse to accept it from the likes of you."

"Welp, it's your funeral buddy. You've made your bed and you'll have to sleep on it. Don't say I didn't told you so~" Anton calls out to him as he jogs away with his bodyguards in tow, passing the wolf a conniving look. His parting words having a threatening undertone to them.

Akira watches him leave before heading on his way to the campus. Wondering if he just signed his own death warrant or showed to him that he won't betray his principles for him and have integrity unlike most of Manic's former homies who happily accepted his offers... Unwilling to betray his mission.

Cyber City College Campus, Cyber City

Morning

Akira would soon meet up with Fiona who had been checking her text message inbox while on the way to class. "Morning."

"Yo." Fiona greeted as she looked over. "You look chipper today. Better than yesterday."

"For a guy nearly beaten to death."

"True. I heard the police caught most of the guys that attacked us."

"Good. Doesn't make up for their delayed arrival yesterday though." Akira breaths out a sigh. "According to a friend of mine, they're led by a guy named Marc Offz and he was there yesterday for the attack whom I think is among the lot left behind. They aren't a big gang from what I'm told."

"I don't imagine so. They have small-time crooks written on all of them."

"Small-time or not, I don't look forward to being in another situation like that again..." Akira subconsciously runs a gentle hand over his bruised torso area which he noticed wasn't as sore as last night possibly due to his Persona powers. "But that's all in the past now. Any clue on what our classwork will be for today?"

"Well, we have Mobian History today. I think we're learning about one of the ancestors of the Acorn Royals."

"I'm guessing either King Theodore the Bereaved, his firstborn son Emerson the King Who Never Was or his second son King Raphael the Young. It is one of the more tumultuous points in the Royal Acorn Family's history and otge most tragic in the form of Emerson's death which is also the origin of Theodore's Policy you'd be familiar with." Akira taps his chin. "You more than likely know of the famous poem 'The Castor Prince' by Kirby whenever you hear of Emerson Acorn."

"I've heard of it. Remind me about it. I'm a little fuzzy on the details."

"Think it went something a little like this..." Akira clears his throat as he recall the way the poem went from memory. "Emerson Acorn. The young of heart, pure of soul... His curiosity for the world and his compassion for nature that inhabits it so are with saintly kindness. In Roundabout Creek, he became friends with one he calls Paladin; a child as curious as he but acted with recklessness and he wielded the reaper's iron that gazed upon a bird perched on a tree unaware. Emerson give his kind soul for the feathered ave so that it lives to fly to freedom forevermore while he lives nevermore..."

Fiona gave an impressed nod. "Well said. You'd probably make Princess Sally blush with how beautifully you recited that."

"It's what I can remember of the poem and it's mainly because of it being based on Castor and Pollux from Greek Mythology. The author likening Emerson and Raphael as being Northamer's equivalent of the demigod twin sons of Zeus. It's easy to guess who's the Castor between the two." Akira shrugs. "If I impressed the Princess with that, it's be something alright."

"It is her family's history and with her being next in line for the throne, she'll have a lot to live up to. Even if I think she's got her own problems..." She added in a low, inaudible mutter that sounded bitter.

"Not crazy about her yourself?" Akira raised a brow, having picked up on her comment.

"Well... Maybe not in the way that I.G.N and most of her critics are but let's just say that... I personally knew a much different Sally Acorn..." She sighs; "But then that's the nature of war for you and people can be very different during wartimes."

"You rarely hear many of those involved in any given conflicts discuss firsthand of what they saw or what they did in conflicts whenever they come home and for good reason. Those who brag either never saw the horrors nor the evils war brings out in people unless they're the ones committing the evils themselves." Akira said to her. "The Dingo Regime sees a lot of their actions in the Great War as justified while we think differently on those matters. I imagine she'll be different now after the liberation of Robotropolis and everything else that happened in 3235."

"Who knows?" Fiona responded with a shrug.

"How's your other guys been doing?"

"They're doing alright. Can't complain too much."

"And how's Grady been doing?"

"Safely-kept, outta sight and outta mind. None of his buddies are ever gonna find him."

"You say like they'd actually go out of their way to get him back or risk their lives for him." Akira scoffs. "Anyways, let's go attend class..."

Lunchtime

Akira would breakaway from Fiona to take the time to go see his social worker at a room reserved for visits from non-campus folks over in one of the buildings. Johnny had messaged the wolf earlier to let him know that they're still collecting evidence and testimonies against Anton like what they were doing yesterday in his absence with help from their two insiders in the Hooligans.

At the rate they're going, they'll be nearly ready to send the evidence to a police officer that isn't in Anton's pocket nor apart of Krouch's group of cronies and get the department to look into Anton's crimes without him being in the position to obstruct it. They wouldn't have to change the lizard's heart after all if everything goes according to plan. Tatiana doubted they could bring him down but Akira is positive they can do it if they play it smart.

If they succeed, Sofiya and them won't get sold to a brothel... They'll get justice for all those affected by Anton's criminal actions.

Anyhow, the wolf went to go see Cristina whom hasn't seen him for a while over the weekends and thus didn't know what he's been up to following Friday last week. She had a smart tablet on the table in front of her as she had been waiting on Akira.

"Ah, Akira." She greeted him when he entered the room. "It's been a while, almost too long even. I trust you're doing well, yes?"

"Yeah, I've been doing alright. Did some shopping over the weekends and hanging out with frie—"

"Akira, what happened to you!?" She asked, looking shocked and concerned upon seeing his markings. "You didn't get into a fight, did you?"

"I did but it was only because me and a friend got jumped by a gang of thugs." Akira replied as he sat down with her.

"As long as you weren't actively getting into fights of your own accord, that's alright."

"Of course."

"Si. Because if you had been actively looking to get into fights, I would have to put that down as aggressive behaviour and report that back to the state."

"Understood."

"With that said..." Cristina said, adjusting her glasses, "How have things been otherwise? Nothing too exciting or intense, I hope."

Akira could recount the events of his weekends plus Monday to her and leaving out the facts about him investigating the Hooligans or the business surrounding it. She wrote down every single detail Akira disclosed to her, nodding her head occasionally.

"...So, it seems you're doing just fine. That's good. You're adjusting to college life quite well, it seems." She adjusted her glasses again. "You know, even though the state is paying for your tuition and housing costs. I I think personally you should consider getting a part-time job for a little extra income. Not only that, it would provide you with some extra work experience for when you fully enter the working world."

"I've thought about it since coming here, though I'm still yet to fully experience Cyber City for what it offers." Akira told her. "Not only that; it's also the fact that I'll need to learn who's currently hiring college students like me. I have been spending the first week just to adjust to being here but I should be able to make time to look for part-time jobs, even if they're for a short while."

"Good." Cristina said with a nod, "Do so at your own leisure. There's no rush but again, I would highly recommend it."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"So, is there anything else you wish to report? Any questions or comments or concerns?"

"...Well, a friend of mine told me about this girl he met the other day belonging to this group of people. A girl that no matter what she does gets treated like shit by her so-called friends and even the guy she's trying to please. Nothing she did was ever good enough..." Akira recounted Johnny's talk with Patty. "More often than not, they call her a tramp to her face. All she wants is someone to love her and tell her she's worth something beyond her body, letting her know someone actually gives a damn about her as a person. What you would do about it?"

The collie thought for a moment, adjusting her glasses. "...I think... I would tell her to leave these so-called 'friends' of hers because if they are belittling her to that extent, then they aren't truly her friends."

"He thinks the same too."

"I hope for her sake, she makes the right decision." She replied with a nod.

"I think she's doing just that since he had that talk with her. Same for her only real friend in that group."

"Well, that's good to know. Anything else?"

"I think that's about it."

"Alright. Then I suppose I will see you next time."

"Okay." Akira got up and went over to the door.

"We'll meet again in two days." Said Cristina, adjusting her glasses. "Same place, same time. Sound good?"

"Sure. That sounds fine with me." The red wolf replied before leaving the room and go on his lunch break.

Manic and Little John's Hideout, Geno City

Evening

Akira would arrive at the hideout and his injuries from yesterday feeling less sore now, putting that one down to his connection to the Metaverse. Though the others hadn't seen the state of him yet since they didn't see him around yesterday while they were doing their own thing. Manic was in the process of cooking canned ravioli on the electric hot pad in the kitchenette area, listening to some ancient 90's pop on a tape deck he had nearby.

"Come stand a little bit closer... Breath in and get a bit higher. You'll never know what hit you 'till I get to you! Ooooh, I want ya, I don't know if I need ya, oooh, I'd die to find out~ Ooooh I want ya, I don't know if I need ya, oooh, I'd die to find out~"

"The others here yet?"

"They will be in a bit." Manic replied to Akira as he was coming in. "Johnny texted me earlier and said he and Cortez are getting ready to come over."

"Ah." Akira took a seat at the table in the living room. "I figure today would be a good time to buy some new equipment and items for whenever we head into the Metaverse again."

"It's just the supplies we need to get and buying new melee weapons. Maybe buy some better firearms if our budget can cover it."

"Let's hope our cuts can afford them all.

"Fingers crossed on that one. I've kinda been hurting for cash a little bit lately. In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have bought that new new drumkit to replace my old one so quickly... And in hindsight before that, I probably shouldn't have damaged that thing in shock when I was watching that music show and the singer I was rooting for lost. It's amazing what we sometimes forget when we're multi-tasking."

"Multi-tasking produces sloppy results."

"Yeah, it can. Very few have fully mastered the art but those that have them; bless them all for having a pitch-perfect attention span. It sucks I struggle to do that myself."

"...We'll need to explore Anton's floors and learn more of his secrets there."

"I couldn't agree more. The more about him we know, the easier it will be to put him away."

"Agreed."

"So, how soon today do you want to get our shit? I'm good at any point after lunch."

"Whenever the others are over."

"Good to know... Because this big batch of canned ravioli is almost done cooking~"

"Little John about?"

"Yeah, he's cleaning the bathroom. Apparently, there was like grim buildup on the bathtub he wanted to clean up."

"I see."

"Yeah, he'll be here a little bit."

When Johnny and Cortez arrived, Akira explained what happened to him yesterday in better detail to the pair. Telling them on what the Jerbroni Gang were going to do to his friend when they're done with him if not for the appearance of a squirrel brawler.

Then whenever Manic was done with his feed, Cortez opted to stay behind to mind Jean while the rest of them went out to go do their shopping for their next trip into Anton's Palace. Johnny having to shop separately from them to avoid the risk of being sighted with the three by Anton's cronies.

They started by going to that airsoft shop they went to last time fto pick up some more gear. Once there, Manic began looking through the selection of airsoft submachine guns and picking out an MP34 submachine gun.

As soon as they got what they need from there, they'd then go over to the Horowitz's drugstore for their consumable supplies. The group managed to pick up some meds, bulk packs of medical supplies, some drinks to revitalize their energy and also a few extra higher grade meds.

"...And that'll be how much?"

"About seventy-five mobiums." Akira paid up the amount with his money and gave it to the owner. "Thank you for your business."

"How's Sofiya's been doing?" Little John asks as he lifted up a duffel-bag of the paid items from the store.

"Better than she has been..." The older mouse replied. "She's trying to keep her spirits up as well as keep her little brother's spirits up as well."

"Life's too short to be worrying all the time Mr. Horowitz." Little John says with a curt nod. "Sorry to hear what happened the other night with you, hope those good for nothing thugs didn't hurt you too much."

Mr. Horowitz nodded. "I had to apply stitches to my head myself… We can't exactly afford hospital visits right now…"

"We can thank yours' truly over in Cyber City making that difficult."

"It hasn't been easy with how they view us over here..."

"With all the poverty that's on the streets, the Mayor decides to go with the housing plan option instead."

"It's a mess... He's way too ambitions and in all the wrong ways... He keeps looking far forward and yet ignores the present-day problems."

"He's just a disingenuous crook in office like the rest of his friends."

"He only got elected because the previous administration was less-successful and efficient than the one that preceded it. Used everyone's anger over their failures to get elected into the mayor's office. A dirty trick that unfortunately worked..." Mr. Horowitz sighs. "He'd no sooner gentrify this entire half of the city than he would help solve the poverty there. Thinks that if he puts new housing here then the people that live here can just instantly live in these new housing blocks. He doesn't seem to know how poverty works or even know what it is..."

"His opponent seemed to know how to actually solve it. Too bad he lost out just because he's from Geno City and we won't ever get to see what he would have done for the city if he had won the mayoral election without Fumfer's people playing greasing a few palms." The brown hedgehog said with a frown. "I still think there's fraudulence involved in him getting the candidacy."

"He knows the problem's in plain sight but won't actually acknowledge it lest it's a persistent enough to force him to do something about it." Akira shook his head. "There's nothing being done about the growing extortion crisis here over it on his end.

"It's unfortunate but there's not much we can do except wait out his term and pray he doesn't get re-elected..." The owner said with a nod.

"Yep..." Little John nodded before he, Manic and Akira heads for the door. "Anyways, thanks for the meds!"

Mr. Horowitz replied back; "You're quite welcome. Don't get into too much trouble, you hear?"

"Trust me, we won't." Manic replied back.

"I'll make sure of it." Akira added.

"Good." Mr. Horowitz said with a smile as the group leaves the store.

"What else to get?" Little John turns his head to the other two while they walked.

"That depends." Manic said, looking to Akira. "You need anything?"

"We got the main essentials more or less. Johnny's off getting the additional materials we need for the job and we got what we need. So, we're good there then."

"In that case, we can head down to Rockwell's if we have nothing else right now." Little John said to them. "Could even approach him about the extortion."

"Figure we could also get a milkshake or something while we wait." Akira nodded to them. "Let's go grab one."

"Awesome, man!" Manic said with a grin. "One of you two gotta buy though. Like I said, I'm strapped for cash right now."

"A real romantic technique for sure."

"Cut me some slack. Being a master thief isn't always glitz and glamour, y'know?"

"When did I say it was?"

"Heh heh heh... You're funny."

They'd go over to Rockwell's on Soucie Street while Little John told Akira about the time one of their former gang members had broken a sake set by accident in their bullheadedness and how they refused to owe up to it by passing the buck onto someone else. Manic had ordered them a round of milkshakes as they did so, though his mind seemed elsewhere as they talked away at the table.

"...Whole thing could have been avoided if he admitted it." Little John said to Akira, glancing over to Manic. "What's up?"

"...I just..." Manic replied, eyes narrowing. "I dunno, I got this weird feeling... Like something bad's about to happen..."

"...How bad?"

"Just bad, y'know? Really bad..."

"...Hey Jeck." Akira calls to the owner behind the counter. "You expecting someone?"

"Not really…" Jeck replied, seeming to be trying to focus on wiping down a glass.

"...Heard anything recently?"

"Nada."

"Thought a man running a business like this would ha—" Akira cancels the thought as two mean looking thugs walked in through the entrance. Recognising the two as Grant Sterling and Francis Young respectively from his gang infiltration as well as Manic ID'ing them the other day.

"Yo Old Bastard, how's the business looking?" Grant Sterling said to the owner with a sneering thuggish face.

"G-Going quite well, actually..." Jeck replied, straightening up; "I assume you're here for collections... You should know I already paid up for this month..."

"That's funny..." Grant takes out a brown baton and taps his chin with it. "Because we came here to collect the money you owe us that you've been skimping on lately and if I recall correctly..."

He smashes a gumball machine on the counter with his club. "You called us a pair of no-good two-bit thugs!"

"That's exactly what you both are." Little John glares at the pair as he stood up from his chair. "Two-bit thugs."

"Yeah." Manic added, also standing from his chair, "Why don't you guys make like a tree and fuck off out of here?"

"Boys, don't..." Jeck told them; "Please, don't make trouble for my sake..."

"These ones are troublemakers themselves." Akira got up with a grimacing expression on his face. "They're never satisfied with what they have, so they want more by extorting Soucie Street."

"Guess you wanted to have more money." Little John cracks his knuckles. "It's never enough for the likes of you."

"Take, take, take, never give..." Manic responded with a scowl; "That's all you guys do. No matter if they pay or don't pay; you're still hungry for more..."

He did some pre-fight stretches to limber up. "It's bad enough you're extorting the businesses on other streets... "Now you gotta move in on Soucie Street? Fuck that."

"Listen to yourself Manic." Francis Young retorted with a growl. "Always preaching about doing what's right when you're no better than we are. You never think twice about the people you steal from or what effect your actions have on them."

"As long as you and your neighbourhood is doing alright, screw everyone else. Even those who lost their homes and jobs because of you." Grant added as if trying to own him in the argument.

"You're the last people on this planet to be giving lectures to anybody." Akira fired back. "You're all a bunch of hypocrites!"

"At least we're honest about what we are and what we do while your friend there is still busy trying to play the good guy in a mugger's game." Francis said to the wolf. "Not to mention the people he's alienated because of his own pursuits to live up to his father's memory. Ask him about it some time."

"Give us the money now." Grant says to Jeck with a mean face. "Or else we'll start getting really upset."

"Alright, alright... I'll get it..." He ducked behind the counter, opening the safe under it to retrieve the required payments and handing it to Grant. "Here. This should be enough."

"Let's see..." Grant counted through the amount without looking at him. "That's not quite enough old man. We've recently bumped up our tax rates now by five percent."

"But it's all I have right now!"

Grant reached over to grab his collar. "You should have done as you were told last time then you stupid old bastard!"

He'd then shoves Jeck back onto the floor behind the counter.

"Hey!" Manic shouted, running to Jeck's aid. Little John tackles Francis before the latter could get Manic while Akira was left to deal with Grant. Manic checked to see if Jeck was okay first, then glared at Grant; cracking his knuckles as he charged right at him and emitting a loud battle cry as he began throwing punches at him.

Francis tried to get some swings in on the brown hedgehog upon getting back up to his feet but the latter was more agile on his feet than his stout appearance suggests, thrusting his palm into his face and making him snap his head back from it. He'd then grapple with the Hooligan thug before lifting him up and slamming the guy over shoulder onto the floors.

Manic managed to hold his own as well, throwing controlled flurries of punches and kicks to Grant while occasionally dodging hits strategically with Akira providing the occasional assistance; though his bruises from yesterday limited him on how much he can physically help out in the fight. Manic soon managed to knock down Grant with his strategic blows, panting a moment as he stood over him and planted a foot on Grant's chest; then grabbed him by his collar to glare daggers at him.

"Don't ever let me see you come in here again fuckstick..." He growled. "Got it?"

Grant spat a bit of blood at Manic. "Y-You can't do shit to us and we can do whatever we want in this side of the city asshole!"

"That's what you and your boss thinks..." Akira addresses Grant. "But that'll change someday. What comes around goes around."

"Tell me us something here; would you have come here without us around and present Jeck an "offer" to lower the rates..." He'd then question the two Hooligan thugs. "In exchange for selling off his daughter to prostitution like you would with your other victims? Complete with threats of violence to their families if they ever go to the police."

"Yeah..." Manic add; "Something tells me the payment today wasn't gonna be enough no matter what he does, am I right?"

Francis snarled. "We demand tributes—"

"Like his granddaughter for example?" Akira cuts off. "I know that you got a rapist in your treehouse club and the last time he set foot here, he was sent packing after he tried to make inappropriate moves on her. I wouldn't be surprise that you'll abduct her regardless if he pays up or not."

"So? Little bitch's old enough to be—"

"She's sixteen, you sick fuck!" Manic angrily yells at him. "She's only barely a quarter into puberty and you want to expose her to that kinda lifestyle? You're a fucking monster!"

"That's how Genocide City is you dumbass." Grant told Manic. "Your way of things ain't suited for it."

"Jeck?" Little John turns to Jeck. "What was it you said to them the last time they dropped by?"

"...I told them I would pay up front on the next collection..." The owner replied. "To be honest, I had a feeling I've been paying up several months up front and they were continually raising the tribute price with every visit since."

"Probably because they are." Akira told him before looking down at Francis. "That's what protection rackets are; extortion by any other name. Isn't that right Mister Young?"

"You ain't got no evide—AH!" Akira suddenly presses his foot firmly against Francis' crotch. "Yes! We are, we are!"

"And what about Karmen? Any plans involving her?"

"N-No—YES!" Francis admitted as Akira applied a little pressure on his nether regions to loosen the lips.

"Go on..."

"We're going to abduct his granddaughter on February 4th and sell her off to a brothel!" Francis quickly ran his mouth much to Grant's anger.

"You stupid big-mouthed—" Grant stops as he suddenly grew nervous at the sight of a new object in Jeck's hands. The lion had pulled a .44 magnum revolver from under the counter, pointing it at the two thugs with a scowl on his face.

"Like hell I'll let you take my granddaughter..." Jeck growled, glaring right into Grant's eyes.

"If you value living, I'd suggest you both scram on out of here while you can and never come back..." Akira suggests to the two Hooligans with a serious expression. "Oh and you might want to keep quiet about the fact you squealed on your boss to us unless you want him finding out one of you squealed at the slightest press. Just a thought..."

Once Grant and Francis were allowed to move freely, they scrambled for the door. Though not before Francis turns to them.

"Manic. You and your two friends here?" Francis snarls at Manic, Akira and Little John. "Expect the streets to get a whole lot more unfriendly to you... You three will be sorry for this!"

With that, he fled from the scene alongside Grant like the cowards they are. Jeck sighed in relief as he put the revolver back under the counter.

"...Shit, man. I'm starting if that was even a smart thing for us to do..." Manic replied, running the fingers through his hair. "I mean morally, it was the right thing to do but long-term; I feel like this'll probably come back to bite us..."

"Me too..." Little John nodded in agreement. "We might have just dug ourselves a deep hole with that one."

"Damned if we do, damned if we don't..." Akira sighs. "Either we intervene and piss them off or do nothing and they beat him up instead. If Anton had anything to do with yesterday's attack, then he's probably making drastic moves against us already."

"Then we need to work fast on getting the proof finished up and do your jobs sooner than later." Little John says to him in a low voice.

Manic nodded, glancing at Jeck a moment but then whispered; "Yeah... The sooner, the better."

"You alright?" Akira would turn to Jeck.

"I'm good... I'll be alright. Thanks for intervening like you did."

"The moment he got physical, that was it..." Akira nodded before bearing a stern expression; "We need to talk. You've been refusing to pay them for a while and your grand daughter doesn't know about it because if she did, she'd be involved in all this. She still doesn't know about this; correct?"

"Correct. I... When I was in the Great War, I saw a lot of things that were wrong beyond belief... Then during Robotnik's regime, I saw things just as wrong all about... When I came home from the war and after Robotnik was defeated, I made a promise to myself I wouldn't let myself or my own be oppressed like that... Even if it meant not paying a bunch of thugs protection money."

"No matter what you would have done today, they had their eyes on her..." Akira said to him. "We've met another victim of theirs' and they used the offer of selling their daughter to them in exchange for lower rates but they wouldn't bite nor would they actually lower the rates as promised. How long has this been going on for? Seems to be a recent epidemic, particularly over in this part of the city."

"It's been going on a while... I can't even remember how far back it goes but I do remember some folks around this street getting harassed by Anton's goons lately."

"So you knew that asshole has been behind all this and you never told us?" Little John said in shock.

"No offense but... I didn't think you kids would be able to do anything..." Jeck admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "At least not without making trouble for you guys as well as us..."

"Your granddaughter's life is on the line here." Akira said to him. "We can't stand back and do nothing while Anton ruins another family with his greed. We want to take him down and we're going to take him down with proof of his crimes."

"If you're going to do that, then be careful. I'd hate to see you kids get hurt because of me..."

"Do you know anyone you could send your granddaughter out to for a while?"

"Yeah. There's a family friend over on the good side that I can trust."

"Send her there whenever you can while we work to put a stop to Anton and his gang. Tell them to be vigilant in case they try anything." Akira nodded. "If the police that aren't with Captain Krouch arrests him, you along with several others could provide testimonies against him. We'll get 'em. You have our word."

"Alright. Thanks by the way, I do appreciate it... Just uh, be vigilant on your end too. I don't think Anton's gonna take this one sitting down. I hear he's a sore loser over anything."

"You're welcome and for what it's worth, Anton had me pegged as an enemy within three days. Long story."

Jeck gave a slight chuckle. "Well, that's certainly a record..."

"We should probably skedaddle for now." Manic spoke up. "Us being here at this present moment kinda puts you at risk."

"Right, then let's make like a tree." Little John said in agreement as he, Manic and Akira flees from the scene.

"Jeez, that was a rush..." Manic said as he ran with the group, "We'd better watch our backs now... No doubt Anton will be dead on our asses now more-so than usual."

"It's imperative we start the infiltration tomorrow ASAP." Akira told hin "I expect the other half of the Palace to be tougher than the first half."

"Why not do it now while we have the chance?" Little John questioned.

"We could but should we do it when we're close to nighttime and among other stuff we have to do?" The wolf said as they ran. "We don't know how long it'll take to navigate the Anton Levels and I don't know what the Palace will be like during night or what effects that'll have on our progression. Plus, we might get jumped at night."

"Alright, then we do it tomorrow." Manic said with determination. "No ifs, ands or buts. Any plans we have for tomorrow we need to put on hold until after we finish this."

"We'll get to it as soon as I'm finished tomorrow. You and the others be ready when I come over."

"We will be. That's a promise."

"I'll have your stuff where they all need to be in the morning..." Little John told them as they continued running.

To Be Continued...