A.n I own Nothing.
Sorry about the late update. Work has been hell, mental health has been hell and well...it's been a bad time. Anyway, finally got around to doing the editing and I had to rearrange the structure and re-write certain elements a few times. Anyway, I've got a couple of things I would like to cover.
1. Bartlamo was mentioned in a previous chapter as being an Assassin. This is not the lovable Straw Hat Fan-boy, this is Bartlamo from the AC games. He's one of Ezio's most trusted allies. He has a love for battle and leads the mercenary faction. He's always looking for the next fight.
2. Once this Arc is done I will be taking a break to cover some of the One Piece Movies. Not all movies will be covered and Post Time Skip arc films will not written up later.
3. The Icebreaker family Arc will feature 2 Assassins and one ally. Feel free to guess who it will be.
4. One Piece Live action starts tomorrow on Netflix...I want it to be good.
The next morning during breakfast, the crew was joined by Kokoro and Chimney. Chimney expressed her desire to spend some time with the pirates, while Zoro planned to search for a replacement sword for the one that had rusted at Enies Lobby. However, he doubted he could afford anything decent since Luffy had previously spent all the crew's money. Connor felt hesitant, but Luffy encouraged him to spend time with other kids, considering his usual limitations.
Chimney's idea of hanging out involved going down to the beach to collect shells, as various types of deep-water shells and unique species of clams washed up on shore a few days after Aqua Laguna. Sanji showed interest and asked Connor to bring back some shells for him to cook. This raised the question of who would watch them. Kokoro volunteered, but the Straw Hats wanted someone from their crew to be present in case anything happened. Luffy immediately declared that he would do it, though Nami remarked that someone else should go since Luffy would likely get involved and run out into the ocean. However, Luffy insisted vehemently that he go with the kids. Kokoro also offered to accompany him to ensure that the rubber captain didn't drown, and the crew found that to be a sufficient arrangement.
As breakfast was winding down, Robin excused herself from the table and left the residence. Ezio followed and quickly caught up to her before Robin could get too far.
"Excuse me, Robin," Ezio said.
"Yes," Robin responded, turning to look at Ezio.
"If you do not have plans, would you go out to lunch with me today?"
"L... Lunch?" Robin asked, caught off guard.
"Yes, there are many fabulous restaurants overlooking the canals, and the food in Water 7 is always exceptional," Ezio smiled.
"Oh, um... thank you for the offer, Ezio, but I don't think I will be able to make it today," Robin politely declined.
Ezio frowned and reached out, grabbing her arm. His demeanour suddenly became intimidating, and his aura made it clear that refusal was not an option.
"No, really, I insist on having lunch with you," Ezio said in a low tone.
Robin froze, unsure of how or why, but Ezio had suddenly become very assertive, exuding an aura that told her she couldn't refuse.
"I... I... I can't, sorry," Robin managed to stammer.
Ezio let go of Robin's arm, but his dangerous aura lingered.
"Very well," Ezio said, turning his gaze toward Luffy and the rest of the crew who were still eating breakfast. "I wonder what they are doing today. Perhaps I shall join the children on they're outing."
Ezio took a step toward the crew, but Robin stopped him before he could go any further.
"Wait... um... what time and where did you want to meet for lunch?" she asked, feeling a sense of obligation. She did not want Ezio alone with Connor.
Ezio's aura instantly dissipated, and he looked at her with a big grin and excited eyes.
"Wonderful! Let's meet at La Volopanise," Ezio suggested. "It's in the main restaurant district. Say around... 12:30 PM?"
"Of course... I'll be there," Robin replied nervously.
"Then it's a date, and I will count the seconds until you honor me with your company," Ezio said. He blew a kiss to Robin before turning and walking over to the Straw Hats.
"Sanji, I will not be here for lunch. I have a date with Robin!" Ezio cheerfully announced.
Sanji kicked him in the face for that comment and started yelling at him. Robin watched the interaction and let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, slumping to the floor.
'D... D... Did I really just agree to have lunch with one of the most dangerous men in the world?' Robin thought to herself.
Zoro walked up behind her.
"Hey, something wrong?" he asked.
Robin looked up at him, fear evident in her eyes, but she didn't respond. She looked directly at Ezio, who was now sitting down and flirting with Chopper.
"Did he say something to you?" Zoro asked.
"No... He asked me out to lunch," Robin answered.
"Ah, that explains why the perverted cook is upset," Zoro stated and glanced at Sanji, who was now crying and trying to get Nami to comfort him, although she was trying to keep her distance.
"Just be careful, I've got a strange feeling about Ezio," Zoro cautioned.
"Strange how?" Robin asked, looking up at Zoro again.
"Don't know, I can't really explain it. He comes off as a flirtatious bastard without a care in the world... but at the same time, he makes me wary. It's like he's someone I would never want to meet or make enemies of," Zoro said.
"I know what you mean," Robin agreed. "Sometimes the way he looks at people sends shivers down my spine."
"Yeah, when we were fighting the Marines... I couldn't get a read on him."
"What do you mean?"
"Usually, when I fight someone or work with someone, I can gauge their strength by their motives... but not him," Zoro said. "And I don't think it was just me—the other Marines were terrified of being in his presence, and it was only out of pure desperation that they fought."
"Desperation?" Robin asked.
"It was like if they didn't fight him, they would all die," Zoro said. "And his fighting skills are no joke either. I've never met anyone like that... not even Mihawk. It gives me a bad vibe," Zoro continued.
Robin nodded and looked back at Ezio. She and Zoro instantly froze as they could have sworn he was watching them with a predatory gaze.
Once all arrangements had been made, Ezio left the residence, giving a friendly wave of good morning to some of the shipwrights as he went. Once he was out of Dock One, Ezio wandered the streets of Water 7 leisurely. Every so often, his eyes would glance up at the rooftops but not see anyone. Eventually, he turned into an alleyway and, using some piled-up crates and barrels, he climbed onto a low rooftop.
He glanced around, but he was alone, and he had chosen a significantly high rooftop where he wouldn't be overheard or spotted from the street. Once he was sure of both, he let out a sigh.
"Alright, La Volpe, you can come out now," Ezio said.
Suddenly, La Volpe emerged from nowhere. "Since when have you been able to detect my presence?" the thief commented.
Ezio turned to face the thief with a grin. "I cannot, and I did not detect you. I just knew you were following me," Ezio claimed.
"And just how did you know I was following you if you can't sense me?"
"Because you told my mother and sister you would keep an eye on me," Ezio reasoned. "If I had to guess, I'd say you've been doing it since yesterday."
La Volpe nodded. "You are not wrong, though I lost track of you when you went into the tunnels yesterday."
"That was probably for the best," Ezio claimed. He did not need La Volpe telling his family that he dived into a pool that led to the afterlife. Nope, he was going to avoid that conversation as much as he could.
"Why are you out here by yourself?" La Volpe asked. He walked over to the ledge and glanced down at the street; he did not see any of the other Straw Hats around or nearby.
"I am not a prisoner of the pirates, La Volpe. I can come and go as I choose."
"Then why did you have a chaperone with you yesterday?"
"The ship's doctor was worried my fever would come back, and the captain invited me to explore town with him."
"I see... and how are you feeling?" La Volpe asked with concern.
"I am doing surprisingly well. I get tired easily and lack my usual stamina, but another day or two, and I will be back to normal," Ezio assured.
La Volpe nodded. "Good, you had me worried. After you passed out, I fed you some medicine, but..."
"You did?" Ezio asked.
La Volpe nodded again. "I did. It didn't work."
"Ah... No, I suppose it wouldn't have," Ezio responded in a resigned voice.
"Ezio, why did our medicine that is known to cure almost anything not work on your fever?" La Volpe asked. "Just what kind of illness are you suffering from?"
"It is not what you would call an illness," Ezio claimed.
"Then what was it?"
"Classified."
"Ezio."
"La Volpe," Ezio said in a serious tone. "If you have any respect for me, please stop asking. I cannot tell you."
"Very well. Why did you call for me?"
"I have a favor to ask of you."
"What information do you need this time?" La Volpe assumed.
"Information is not what I need this time. I would like you to go on a... long-term assignment."
"Ezio, that is not my expertise," La Volpe pointed out.
"All you would need to do is observe a target, interrogate with them, and report back," Ezio claimed. "No assassinations or anything else required."
"Ezio, I run an underground information network. I do not do long-term assignments," La Volpe pointed out. "You have plenty of recruits and other ranked Assassins for such things."
"I cannot give this to just anyone. I need someone I can trust, and I need them to have certain skills," Ezio claimed. "You have all the skills needed, and you are already here. Besides, it involves a potential new recruit."
La Volpe frowned. That was odd; normally Ezio just picked and chose his recruits if he saw talent and potential in them. He offered them a place immediately, no matter who or where they were from. He didn't leave his Assassins or anyone to watch and observe them for any period of time. So La Volpe had to wonder just what made this time different.
"What's the assignment?"
"I need you to join the Straw Hat Pirates," Ezio said.
"No," La Volpe responded flatly.
"La Volpe, hear me out."
"No, Ezio, that is ridiculous. Why, of all people, do you think I would want to join a pirate crew?"
"Because you are a thief and an information broker," Ezio claimed. "Imagine what you could steal and what you could learn on all the islands you visit, let alone expanding your network."
"Why do you even want someone to join that pirate crew?"
"There is a boy on the crew, his name is Connor. He has Eagle Vision, and I wish to recruit him," Ezio clarified.
"Really? He has it?" La Volpe asked, interested. Ezio nodded.
"Then just do what you normally do and make them the offer to join us,"
"I tried. Connor is not yet an adult, so I asked the Captain to leave him in my care, but... complications arose, and he cannot join us as he is now," Ezio claimed.
"What do you mean?"
"He is under the effect of the Brand-Brand fruit," Ezio said gravely.
The blood drained from La Volpe's face. Now he understood why Ezio was going about recruiting this boy a different way.
"I see... that makes things... difficult," La Volpe claimed. "So what do you intend?"
"The boy has Eagle Vision, there is no denying this. The captain and crew are unwilling to part with him, but they are not opposed to allowing a teacher to join them. I want you to join the crew, train the boy to use his gift, and monitor signs of its evolution," Ezio explained.
"How old is the child?"
"13,"
La Volpe nodded. "I see, so he's already in the early age bracket that Eagle Vision could become Eagle Sense," the thief pondered. "I assume he hasn't had any formal introduction to it as of yet?"
"Given the fruit he is affected by, it is unlikely,"
"Well, I can see why you asked me, but surely there are other Assassin Masters you could assign to this,"
"Who? Jacob and Evie have their hands full with training Arno, while he has an evolved sight, he is not at a rank to take on an apprentice and he's only a year and a half older than Connor. Additionally, Master Agaté is training Aveline, Basim is off with a Viking crew with his apprentice Hytham, who knows where, and Desmond's sight only emerged recently, and he's only just barely gotten the hang of Eagle Vision's base level. Can you really see Altaïr taking on a student?"
"What about you?"
"I can't just up and join a pirate crew; my mother and sister would literally kill me if I wasn't on this Island when they arrived," Ezio pointed out.
"Surely there are better candidates than me," La Volpe claimed.
"Well, I called Bartolomeo and Yusuf to ask them. But Yusuf couldn't get away from Sayyid Aga and Bartolomeo said he and Bianca were leading their men to fight in a war and bring victory to the Assassins,"
"Wait... what war is he talking about?" La Volpe asked, confused. As far as he knew, Bartolomeo was not involved in any serious fighting campaigns.
"Not a clue. When I asked, he said, and I quote, 'I'll let you know when I find one,'" Ezio claimed.
"Of course, he did," La Volpe sighed. "Why did you call them if you were going to ask me?"
"You are denying that Yusuf and Bartolomeo would not make good pirates?" Ezio asked skeptically.
La Volpe opened his mouth to argue against that, but he could not. From what he had learned of the Straw Hats from official sources, his own spies, and Jacob and Evie's recount of the time spent with them, Ezio was right. Yusuf's easy-going attitude and playful habits would make him a good fit. Whereas Bartolomeo's lust for battle, glory, and victory celebrations would certainly be met and fulfilled.
"Ezio, why would you ask Yusuf and Bartolomeo?"
"Neither of them possesses Eagle vision to begin with,"
"True, but both are very perceptive and eager. But when it comes down to it, you have Eagle Sense and they do not. Plus, you have taught every Assassin in the Brotherhood to use this gift since the merge, save for Altaïr and Basim," Ezio pointed out. "What is one more student?"
"You are correct, Ezio, I have taught others to use this gift. But all of them had already joined the Brotherhood. Should Connor do the same, then I will gladly teach the boy. But not until then," La Volpe responded.
"Ezio, we need to make an exception for Connor; he's in a position that won't allow him to join us," Ezio tried.
"Ezio, you of all people know exactly how powerful Eagle Vision truly is. Even knowing the secrets or how to focus and harness it can be incredibly dangerous. Imagine how much more of a threat Haytham would be if he knew how to focus it like we do," La Volpe reasoned. "Given the boy is affected by the Brand Brand fruit, the risk of teaching him without securing his loyalty or a way to prevent him from ever speaking of those secrets is an even greater risk."
"La Volpe, if we do not do this or have someone on that crew when they leave, we are condemning an innocent child to death," Ezio said seriously. "To do nothing will be the same as if we ran him through with our blades."
"That is not fair," La Volpe shot back. He then let out a sigh. "Fine, I will observe the captain and crew for a day. If I like what I see, I will consider it."
"Thank you, La Volpe," Ezio said. "I take it this means you won't be watching me today?"
"No, why... did you have plans?"
"Of course, I have a date," Ezio grinned.
Robin sat nervously at the restaurant that Ezio had suggested. She was early and hoped that Ezio would not show up. As she counted down the minutes until 12:30 pm, she couldn't help but feel nervous and wonder why Ezio had asked her out. He likely had some hidden agenda or a more sinister reason. Perhaps he wanted to lure her away from the others to finish what CP9 started.
Much to her disappointment, Ezio arrived exactly on time and greeted her with a smile.
"Salute, Robin, thank you for joining me today," Ezio greeted. "I do hope you were not waiting long."
"No, I've only been here a few minutes," Robin replied.
"Bene, shall we see what is on the menu today?" Ezio said as he sat down and picked up the menu.
Robin did the same, holding up the menu and looking at it nervously, never taking her eyes off the man she was with. Ezio, on the other hand, was completely relaxed. He leaned back, slouching in his chair with one arm resting on the top and the menu in his other hand, holding it lightly. He had one leg crossed over the other and looked like he was casually studying the menu.
Robin didn't want to be here. After everything that had happened at Enies Lobby, she really wanted to just be with the crew and watch whatever trouble they got into. They had a few days to relax after they returned and everyone had recovered from fighting the government. Everyone was taking it easy and enjoying themselves while Franky made them a new ship. Earlier this morning, Ezio had asked Robin if she would meet him for lunch. Initially, Robin had declined, however, Ezio had insisted in a low and dangerous voice.
Robin had been a bit frightened, and Ezio took it as a no. He then looked over at the crew and made a comment about joining them for the day instead. Fearing for the Straw Hats, Robin had instantly agreed to lunch with the Assassin's mentor. Despite Ezio's aid in saving her and his non-hostility towards the crew, the man still put Robin on edge as she knew how dangerous this man was.
"You know they have a signature dish here in Water 7," Ezio said casually. "It's called Bigoli in Salsa."
"Really?" Robin responded, trying to keep calm.
"Si, I've had it once or twice. It is quite tasty," Ezio claimed.
Robin didn't respond. The waiter came by and took their order. Ezio ordered the signature dish along with an entree, and Robin ordered a plate of pasta.
Once the waiter was gone, Robin looked at Ezio.
"You're going to kill me... aren't you," she stated.
Ezio looked genuinely taken aback by this.
"Huh? Why would you think that?" He asked, very confused. "Despite my reputation, I am not a monster."
"Then why did you insist I come out to lunch with you?" Robin demanded. "Why did you threaten my friends?"
"I haven't threatened anyone," Ezio stated.
"But you said you wanted to know what they were doing today,"
"Of course, if you turned me down, then I would have had to make other plans," Ezio claimed.
Robin glared at him, and Ezio let out a sigh and raised his hands in surrender.
"Alright, you got me. Had you not come with me, I would have killed the Straw Hats individually, picking them off one by one until only you remained and no one would ever find the bodies," Ezio said lightheartedly.
Robin gasped in horror.
"Madonna... that was a joke," Ezio assured. "Believe me, I have no interest in your friends, nor would their deaths serve any purpose."
"Then... then why ask me out to lunch,"
"Because you are beautiful. What else does one say when they meet such a belladonna like yourself," Ezio said.
Robin blushed at the compliment.
"But you are correct, I did have another reason to ask you here,"
"I knew it,"
"I want to know what you intend to do with the knowledge you have learned from the Poneglyphs," Ezio said seriously.
"Does it matter?" Robin asked.
"Si, it does," Ezio said. "And I need to know,"
"If you don't like what I say... will you kill me?" Robin asked.
"That depends on your answer. If it is not to my liking, I just may," Ezio agreed.
"Fine...nothing,"
Ezio raised an eyebrow at this.
"Nothing?" he asked suspiciously.
"Yes, nothing. I learned how to read the Poneglyphs as a child to become close to my teachers. They didn't know I could read it. I became an archaeologist because I was intrigued by the Poneglyphs," Robin explained. "You want to know what I will do with the knowledge I have learned... the answer is nothing. I just want to learn about the Void Century, and the only way to do that is to find the Poneglyphs and read them."
"Even though that knowledge is dangerous and could be used against the world?" Ezio asked.
"I know that the information on the Poneglyphs is dangerous... but I need to know. My whole island was destroyed because we asked too many questions about the Void Century. They could never discover the truth... so I will. I will discover the Void Century and the reason it's forbidden in the name of the Scholars of Ohara and for myself," Robin explained.
"Okay then," Ezio said.
"Wait, that's it... just okay?"
"Si, if you're doing it for educational purposes or to fulfill your people's dying wish... who am I to stop you," Ezio replied.
"So... you're not going to kill me?" Robin asked.
"I don't kill people for simply reading a book or understanding ancient languages," Ezio claimed. "Now, it would be a different matter if you took that knowledge and used it to hurt people, but since that is not the case, then there is no harm."
"R... Really?"
"Si, now that we got that out of the way, I want to once again assure you that I have no interest in taking your life or the lives of your friends,"
Robin nodded.
"Good. Now how about we relax and enjoy our lunch,"
"I... I do have one question for you first," Robin said.
"Oh?"
"Back in Alabasta... you gave me the choice to get on your ship or Luffy's... what would have happened if I had got on your ship?"
"I guess that is something you and I will never know," Ezio smirked. "Unless you wish to come with me now,"
"No," Robin said. "I am quite happy with Luffy and the others,"
"Then there is no reason to ask... ah," Ezio said as the waiter came over with their entrees.
"Lunch," Ezio said eagerly. "Just in time, I am starving,"
Before the waiter could leave, Ezio stopped him. "Oh waiter, some wine for myself and my lovely companion," he requested.
The waiter nodded and went to get the drinks. Once he was gone, Ezio cut a small piece of his entree off and put it on a side plate.
"Would you like to try some?" He offered, holding out the plate. "I do not wish to be rude and eat in front of you when you have no food,"
Ezio and Robin continued to eat their lunch. After their discussion, Robin appeared to be much more relaxed. She was still tense and nervous around Ezio, but it was not as bad as before. About halfway through dessert, Ezio looked across the canal and a confused expression formed on his face.
"Something wrong?" Robin asked.
"Is that your captain's first mate?" Ezio asked.
Robin looked across the canal and saw Zoro carrying four heavy shopping bags, two in each hand. He was wearing a yellow shirt that was far to small for him and strapped to his chest was a baby carrier with three babies squirming in it.
"I believe it is. Why is he wearing a shirt that is obviously far too small for him?" Robin wondered. "He wasn't wearing that this morning,"
"I am more curious as to why he has 3 babies in a baby carrier," Ezio added. "Shall we follow him and find out?"
"I think that is a very good idea," Robin smiled.
Ezio pulled out a small but heavy bag of coins and put several on the table to pay for their meal. The two stood up and followed a disgruntled Zoro. They followed Zoro at a distance, which was easy with their skills. However, it became a little trickier to do so when Zoro started running up and down different alleyways in an effort to avoid the crew. First, it was Nami who was out shopping, then it was Chopper, who was reading a book in front of a shop, followed by Kokoro, Chimney, Connor, and Luffy. The rubber Captain was carrying large pails full of clams, and finally, it was Sanji.
After Zoro was sure he had gotten away from the crew, Ezio and Robin made their presence known, as they had both been able to predict where the swordsman would end up based on the direction the other members of the Straw Hat Pirates were traveling.
"That looks hard," Robin commented.
"Yeah, it is…" Zoro sighed and looked up to see Robin and Ezio standing there. "GHAA YOU!"
"Ciao," Ezio greeted with a grin.
"Not. A. Word," Zoro threatened.
"Oh, don't worry, your secret is safe with me," Robin smiled and walked past him. Zoro eyed her suspsiouly but turned his attention to Ezio who was still standing there with a very big smirk on his face. Zoro glared at him.
"Got something to say?" the swordsman growled.
"Si, the middle child is about to pee on your shirt," Ezio stated.
"Huh?" Zoro responded and then felt a wet patch form on his chest "NOT AGAIN!" he cried out.
Ezio laughed and walked past him to catch up with Robin. Ezio spent another hour or so with Robin until they parted ways. Robin headed off to investigate Water 7's library, and Ezio escorted her to it. Once she was inside, he continued to wander around the city, taking in its sights. As he was walking, Ezio spotted Zoro rushing down the streets, being led by two young boys. He was still wearing that yellow shirt that was too small for him.
"Where's he going?" Ezio wondered.
"A loan shark has abducted those boys' caretaker and siblings. The caretaker has also adopted the swordsman for the day," La Volpe answered from the shadows of a nearby alley.
Ezio glanced over at him.
"Should we get involved?"
"It would do no harm. The loan sharks did mention selling the children into slavery for unpaid debts," La Volpe claimed.
"Something we cannot allow," Ezio said seriously. If Zoro was around when Sharki made the suggestion, he doubted the swordsman would have let it slide. "Where was the family taken?"
"This way," La Volpe said and gestured with his head down the alley. He walked off, and Ezio followed him; both disappeared from sight the moment they stepped into the shadows.
Ezio followed La Volpe, and they soon came across a fancy-looking house in the upper levels of the city. The two assassins scaled a nearby rooftop and surveyed the building. There was a large fence around it, and Ezio spotted at least six guards wandering and patrolling both the inner and outer fence. Getting in would be difficult, but not impossible.
"They are in there," La Volpe claimed.
"Are there any guards inside?" Ezio asked from his crouched position, his eyes glowing yellow as he memorized the patrol patterns.
"I count two dozen inside," La Volpe claimed. His own eyes also ablaze with gold. "There are 5 in the main hall, but most are in a room playing cards… they are all cheating."
"And the family?"
La Volpe's eyes shifted across the building, and he narrowed them. "In what seems to be a sort of basement. The children are very scared."
"It would be a simple matter to go in and take the guards out one at a time," Ezio said and stood up. "And I am without my robes and weapons," he sighed.
"I can loan you a dagger," La Volpe offered.
Ezio was about to accept when something caught his eye. Zoro was fast approaching the building, and he looked very angry. He rushed in the front gate, slicing the iron gate to ribbons, and the two boys stayed back as Zoro single-handedly took on the secretly guards and made quick work of them.
"I do not think we will have to get involved after all," Ezio commented.
"I believe you are correct," La Volpe agreed. "However, should we use this distraction to enter and rummage through the loan shark's list of contacts and any other paperwork he may not wish the authorities to find?"
"That seems like a good idea," Ezio grinned.
Ezio and La Volpe used Zoro's entrance to slip inside unseen. With the swordsman dealing with the guards and attracting every other guard in the complex, the two Assassins had no trouble finding the loan shark's office. Once there, they quickly got to work locating any incriminating documents or anything of interest. Thanks to both of their Eagle Senses and experience, it did not take long for them to locate a list of criminal contacts in different areas, from underground bankers to pirates with less than stellar reputations and slavers.
They also found multiple copies of loan contracts that were signed by both the loan shark and the one who he was loaning money to. However, the amount and details of the documents were vastly different.
"This is despicable," Ezio said as he read over some more documents.
"Indeed, it looks like he offers people loans with low interest and a reasonable time to repay them, but there is a second contract that demands unreasonably high interest after 30 days and changes the overall amount borrowed," La Volpe concluded. "There is even a section here that states the receiver of the loan agrees to let themselves and all they own be taken as collateral."
"And when he goes to collect, he brings the second contract to get more money," Ezio finished. "Those who can't pay have everything taken away and sold into slavery to pay off a non-existent debt."
"I wonder how he's been able to keep such an operation up for so long?" La Volpe wondered. "Given that Water 7 is one of the more peaceful islands in the world."
"Probably had them brought here to talk about the loan and then absconded away in the night or early morning," Ezio claimed "By the time anyone would have noticed citizens missing, their homes would have been emptied, and people likely assumed they moved away," Ezio observed.
"Make a copy of the list of contacts; anyone in the city who supports this operation, we will take them out. Let's be sure to leave the bodies where they can easily be found. That should get Iceberg's attention," Ezio instructed.
"And the loan shark?"
"I think we can leave him to the Straw Hat's swordsman," Ezio smiled. "If he doesn't kill him, then he will surely be a casualty when his business crumbles around him. Once he has nowhere to go, then we will take him out."
La Volpe glanced over his shoulder and looked at the floor, his eyes glowing yellow once more.
"It appears the swordsman has found the family; he is escorting them out now," La Volpe claimed.
"And the loan shark?"
"Fainted from fear," La Volpe claimed. "All the other guards are unconscious too."
"Good, let us get to work and be on our way," Ezio agreed.
Ezio and La Volpe spent the next hour copying and memorizing everything they could: names of people who had signed loans with this man, those who had been taken and sold, and all forms of evidence, they headed back out into the city.
Paulie was overseeing the distribution of supplies and assigning tasks to the various reconstruction teams. He diligently checked a clipboard, ensuring everything was proceeding as planned. Then, abruptly, his focus was shattered by a woman's piercing scream. Without hesitation, he spun around to pinpoint the source.
"You and you, follow me," he barked at two shipwright workers who were nearby, both of whom promptly abandoned their tools to join their foreman. Paulie raced off in the direction of the scream, the two workers hot on his heels.
Within moments, Paulie turned a corner and encountered a woman by the canal, frozen in fear. He approached her hastily. "Oi, what happened? Why'd you…" Paulie began to inquire but trailed off when he saw the cause of her distress.
There, floating in the canal, lay a lifeless body, face down, the water around it tainted crimson. Paulie's heart skipped a beat. No wonder the woman had screamed.
"Shit," he muttered under his breath, and quickly cast a length of rope toward the body. With practiced efficiency, he managed to haul it onto the bank. Upon closer examination, Paulie discovered a deep stab wound in the man's chest, just above his heart. Paulie's eyes widened; this was no accident—it was murder.
He scanned the surroundings for any suspicious individuals but found nothing out of the ordinary. Given the canals' intricate currents, determining the origin of the body was a complex task. It was likely the victim had been murdered elsewhere and dumped here, eventually drifting to where the woman had discovered it.
"Boss?" one of the workers queried.
Paulie was snapped out of his thoughts. He looked at the man as if coming out of a daze. "Get a sheet, and clear this area," he ordered. "Also, get this woman some help."
The workers nodded in acknowledgment and promptly followed Paulie's instructions. In a short time, the area was cleared, and the body was covered with a sheet. As Paulie contemplated alerting Iceberg to the situation, he knew the mayor would be displeased with the interruption. Currently, Iceberg was assisting in building the Straw Hats' new ship, and he had made it clear that he wouldn't assume his mayoral duties until the pirates departed. Therefore, Paulie was left in charge of the rebuilding efforts following Aqua Laguna. While not unusual, as Iceberg typically had other responsibilities during the initial weeks after the wave, it meant Paulie had to handle such matters.
"Paulie, Paulie!" another worker called out. Paulie's attention was pulled away from his thoughts, and he turned to see the man running toward him.
"Thomas, what's wrong?" Paulie asked.
"We've found a body," Thomas exclaimed.
"Yeah, I know, I just found it," Paulie responded grimly.
"No, I mean we've found a body in the marketplace," Thomas clarified. "It's just hanging there from a bridge."
"What?!" Paulie exclaimed.
Thomas led Paulie to the marketplace, and true to his word, there was the body of a well-dressed woman suspended from a bridge, a noose around her neck, blood seeping from a wound in her chest. Paulie stared up at the grim scene in horror, relieved that the market had been previously cleared.
"What happened?" Paulie demanded.
"We don't know. Me and Clive were transporting some supplies to the back streets when we crossed the bridge and heard someone scream. We stopped and saw the woman hanging there," Thomas explained. "Clive cleared the marketplace, and I ran to find you."
"You did the right thing. Cut her down," Paulie ordered. Thomas nodded and sprinted down a nearby alley, which led up to the bridge.
Paulie pondered the situation. They now had two bodies, both clearly victims of murder, discovered within minutes of each other. The situation was grim. Paulie reached for his mini-transponder snail; he needed to alert Iceberg. He was about to make the call when the snail rang unexpectedly.
"Hello," Paulie answered.
"Boss, it's Nori; we're here in the southern back streets. A body has just been found on our supply wagon," Nori reported.
Paulie's blood ran cold. That made three.
"Hold on, I'll be right there," Paulie said and turned to run. "What is going on?" he muttered angrily under his breath as he rushed off.
Paulie arrived at his destination within ten minutes. As he saw the body, he noted the familiar stab wound just above the heart, matching the others. The foreman gritted his teeth. They had dealt with Lucci and the CP9 agents; they were beaten in Enies Lobby. So why were corpses suddenly appearing? In the next twenty minutes, Paulie received two more calls about discovering bodies in different parts of the city. This brought the tally to five bodies found.
He stared at the transponder snail in shock. There could be no denying it: a serial killer was on the loose.
Paulie immediately summoned all the team leaders of the reconstruction effort and issued orders for them to search the city. They were to bring any and all dead bodies they found to Iceberg's mansion, removing them from the streets and away from Water 7's population as quickly as possible. This would facilitate reporting and identification.
Once the calls were made, Paulie rushed to the junkyard where Franky, Iceberg, and a significant portion of the Galley-La company were diligently working on the Straw Hats' ship. His expression was a tumultuous mix of worry, frustration, and anger. He couldn't believe the sudden turn of events, after everything that had happened in the last few days, now they had a serial killer on the lose. After what happened with CP9 Paulie wanted to suspect the world Government was involved but apart from Vice Admril Garp's ship which had left a two days ago, no govment officials or marines were on the island or had arrived.
Which only left one possible person in Paulie's mind who could behind the murders.
"Paulie, here to help?" Iceberg asked, wiping sweat from his brow with a stained rag. Iceberg had been up on the mast with Franky, overseeing the installation of rigging.
"No, we need to talk," Paulie said seriously, his voice laced with urgency and concern.
Iceberg's brow furrowed as he looked at Paulie. He was very familiar with his Forman and the expression on Paulie's face told him something was very wrong. "What's the matter?" Iceberg asked, removing his work gloves and tossing them aside.
Paulie took a deep breath and started recounting the grim events. "About five bodies have turned up in the last half-hour," he reported, his eyes heavy with the gravity of the situation. "We have a killer on the loose in our city."
Iceberg's expression turned from curiosity to stark concern as he absorbed Paulie's words. His mind raced to comprehend the implications. Paulie continued, detailing the gruesome conditions of the bodies and the sequence of discoveries. He informed Iceberg about the rapid measures taken to remove the bodies from the streets and the urgency of the situation.
"I received three more calls on my way to see you," Paulie concluded, his voice heavy with dread.
Iceberg pondered this disturbing revelation. His mind began to race, connecting the dots between the bodies found, the modus operandi of the murderer, and the potential implications for Water 7's safety and who could be behind it and why. However like Paulie without actually identifying the bodies Icebergs mind drew to the same conclusion as Paulie had.
"Do you think Ezio is responsible?" Iceberg asked, in a low voice.
"He's at the top of my very, very short suspect list," Paulie confessed. "Considering his history and skills, it's hard not to consider him a prime suspect."
Iceberg nodded in solemn agreement. They both knew that Ezio, was an Assassin and member of the brotherhood. There had been very grave concerns amongst the Galley-la workers about bringing him back to Water 7. The Straw Hats had defended him at the time of course but now with 8 bodies littering the streets of his city; Iceberg had to wonder if it was a mistake.
"Why now though?" Iceberg asked "Ezio has been here for days…why is he only causing problems now?"
Paulie had no answer to that, it was possible the Assassin was just biding his time like CP9 had. In truth Paulie was worried that Iceberg would be targeted again
"Then perhaps we should talk to him, hear his side of the story," Iceberg suggested, his thoughts turning to their next course of action. He was well aware that jumping to conclusions could lead to disastrous consequences.
"That was my plan. I'm heading up to the Straw Hats' residence now. Do you want to come?" Paulie asked, the weight of responsibility evident in his eyes.
Iceberg hesitated for a moment, his mind racing. He'd already survived not one but two assassination attempts already. He didn't want to chance fate with a third; but as mayor he had little choice but to investigate.
"Then perhaps we should talk to him, hear his side of the story," Iceberg suggested. He hoped Ezio had a good reason for killing 8 people.
"That was my plan. I'm heading up to the Straw Hats' residence now. Do you want to come?" Paulie asked.
"I will. Just give me a moment," Iceberg replied. He turned away from Paulie and approached Franky.
"Franky, something has come up that I need to deal with. I'll be back when I can," he said.
"Sure, I can manage for a bit," Franky acknowledged.
Top of Form
Iceberg nodded and walked away with Paulie. The two headed to the Straw Hats' residence, and thankfully, Paulie didn't receive any more calls about additional corpses on their way there.
Arriving at the Straw Hats' residence approximately fifteen minutes after Paulie had informed Iceberg of the dire situation, they entered the house. Inside, Connor, Chimeiy, Kokoro, and Luffy were all sitting around the table. The two kids were busy sorting clams and shellfish from four brimming buckets, deciding who would take what home, while Luffy was attempting to secure more for Sanji to cook for dinner that night. Kokoro observed with amusement, sipping on a drink. Making comments how she didn't need as much as the straw hats.
Upon the arrival of Iceberg and Paulie, the occupants turned their attention to them.
"Iceberg, Paulie, what are you two doing here?" Kokoro greeted.
"Hi, old man, rope dude," Luffy cheerfully chimed in.
"I apologize for interrupting," Iceberg said. "But a situation has arisen. Have any of you seen Ezio today?"
"Ezio isn't here," Connor supplied. "He went out this morning and hasn't returned yet."
Iceberg and Paulie exchanged glances. So Ezio was out and around town…that did not bode well.
"Did he have any weapons with him?" Paulie asked.
"Hmm…I don't think so," Luffy responded. He hadn't seen Ezio take anything from the wardrobe this morning.
"You can check; his things are in there," Connor said, pointing to the wardrobe.
Iceberg and Paulie walked over and inspected the wardrobe. Everything appeared to be in its proper place and undisturbed.
"Is this all his gear?" Iceberg asked.
"The short sword on the left is mine," Connor stated. "But everything else belongs to Ezio."
"I see…has he opened this wardrobe today?" Paulie asked.
"He hung his robes up in there this morning," Connor explained. "His clothes were wet yesterday, so he wore his robes while they dried overnight."
"Yeah, but he changed back into those clothes this morning," Luffy added.
"I see…thank you," Iceberg said, closing the wardrobe and walked over to the table "what are you two doing?"
"We went down to the beach and got lots of clams and oysters," Chimmey declared proudly "we're just separating them but Luffy's being a greedy pirate,"
"Want one?" Connor asked and offered his bucket out to Iceberg and Paulie.
"I'm right," Paulie said.
"Thank you but no, I'm not that big of a fan of oysters," Iceberg politely declined "we'll leave you to it,"
The two men left the residence, leaving the occupants perplexed at their visit.
"Well, that was a dead end," Paulie huffed once they were outside. His irritation evident. He was frustrated that they hadn't located Ezio.
"Agreed, we can't rule him out even if he didn't take any of his gear with him," Iceberg said gravely. "After all, it is easy to purchase a knife or weapon of some kind."
"Right. We should find him before…" Paulie didn't finish the sentence before his transponder snail rang once more.
With Ezio and La Volpe.
Ezio stood on a rooftop the other side of the canal, he was watching some Galley-la workers collect another body and take it away. La Volpe stood by his side and he crossed another name off they're list. Using the list from Shaki's office and their own Assassin abilities, the two Assassins had headed out into Water 7 to deal with any contacts the loan shark had. Between the two of them, they were able to locate them all and deal with them. The two Assassins purposely left the bodies in a way that would ensure they would be found by either the Galley-La workers or some passing citizen who would report the discovery.
Ezio had also taken all the contracts that had been signed and both real and the modified ones. He stapled them together, keeping those signed with the same name together, he planned to slip into Icebergs office later and put the stack on his desk. He would make sure to put a certain contract on top, as the name signed would really get the mayor's attention. Ezio also made sure to give the list of slavers and outlines of this operation to La Volpe for safe keeping. Once they had taken out all the associates in the city, the other Assassin would return the crucial information to the Sharki's desk once the Galley-La company started their investigation. This also prevented Sharki from destroying the evidence when he woke up.
Ezio knew Shaki would not leave the island without it being destroyed, nor could he tell his contacts and criminal underground associates that he lost such incriminating evidence.
"So what do you think of the Straw Hats?" Ezio asked casually as they walked.
"They are interesting, that is true. Despite being pirates, the citizens treat them as heroes," La Volpe stated. "They do not take advantage of that status, except for the red-head. She seems to be a bit of an extortionist."
"Oh, how so?"
"She was being followed by reporters and photographers today, and she demanded 10,000 beli to have her photo taken. She demanded 100,000 for a lewd shot," La Volpe claimed. "Something that several reporters resorted to by calling their editors and employers to see if they could get the money."
Ezio laughed at that. "I would think she was being very smart. Out of curiosity, did anyone actually pay?"
"One photographer did," La Volpe claimed. "He paid the 10,000 beli up front, and I saw him taking photos of the other members of the crew as well."
"It is highly unlikely that any local newspaper or magazine could afford such a high price," Ezio said, concerned.
"You are correct; none of Water 7's publishing companies could afford it. I believe this photographer to be employed by the government. Given the events at Enis Lobby, we can expect the Straw Hats will have increased bounties issued within the next day or two," La Volpe concluded.
"Well, there is not much we can do about that," Ezio claimed.
"Indeed, after this, I turned my attention to the swordsman, whom I followed for the remainder of the day until I met up with you," La Volpe continued.
"You spent the day watching him?" Ezio asked in surprise.
"He was the most entertaining," La Volpe claimed. "I got bored watching children find clams on the beach and the others do shopping. Besides, once I saw you on your date, I knew there was no point in watching Nico Robin for long… though I did observe some of your interactions."
"And what do you think of her?"
"She is different; I can tell she cares for the other Straw Hats," La Volpe claimed. "Her reputation of bringing down and being the only survivor of many notorious criminal organizations does seem to be exaggerated."
"She has been quite nervous around me since Enis Lobby. Though I suspect that came from her belief that I was a threat to the others and herself. She relaxed once I alleviated those fears," Ezio said. "I do not believe we need to worry about her. She is not a threat and is only interested in history."
"The Void Century was it, an interesting line of research," La Volpe agreed.
"How did… wait, you overheard that conversation?"
"Ezio, I was sitting at the table behind you and her," La Volpe claimed.
Ezio sighed. "You know, one of these days, I am going to learn how to detect your presence."
"And I wish you luck in that endeavor. The day I am seen when I do not wish to be is the day I will retire," La Volpe smiled. "But that day is very far off."
As they approached Dock One, La Volpe stopped a few streets away.
"Ezio, tell Luffy I will meet with him and his first mate tomorrow morning at 10 am," La Volpe said.
"Does that mean you agree to join them?"
"No, I will give them a test. Should they pass, I will join them and teach Connor," La Volpe said.
"And if they fail?" Ezio asked.
"We'll see…" La Volpe answered cryptically.
Ezio nodded. Looking down on the Galley-la workers once more. "How many left on the list?" he asked.
"Another 10," La Volpe answered, counting the names they had left to Assassinate.
"Can you handle it? I'm getting tired and if I don't get back soon there will be consequences," Ezio claimed.
"I thought you said you weren't a prisoner," La Volpe responded with a worried tone "that you could come and go as you pleased,"
"I'm not, but I might miss dinner and Sanji is an amazing cook," Ezio said "I do not wish to miss any mean he makes,"
"His food can't be that good," La Volpe claimed.
"it is, if I was not Mentor, I may just consider training Connor myself…if only for the benefit of eating Sanji's food three times a day," Ezio claimed "that and I would be in the company of two beautiful women,"
La Volpe let out a sigh. "I can take care of the rest," He said.
"Bene, then I will head back," Ezio said with a smile and gave La Volpe back his knife, he climbed down from the rooftop once the coast was clear and started making there way towards Dock One. Stopping at Icebergs manor to deliver the discovered documents into his office, doing so was a simple task for Ezio and once done he slipped out unseen.
Once back at the Straw Hats' temporary residence Ezio noted the time that he arrived, he greeted Luffy and Connor as they were the only two members of the crew in the residence. Luffy tensed a bit as Ezio approached, as the Assassin passed the table he reached into the bucket of clams a pulled one out and tossed it at Luffy. The rubber captain caught it and looked at the shelled mollusc in his hands.
"That one has a pearl in it," Ezio claimed and headed for his bunk and lay down in it "I'm going to have a nap, wake me for dinner," He requested as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
He woke up just under two hours later and by this stage all the Straw Hats were back except for Zoro. Sanji was cooking and Nami was examining the pearl Luffy had pulled out of the Oyster that Ezio had pulled out of the bucket. Ezio joined them at the table and spoke to them about their day. Zoro eventually made it back, and upon seeing the swordsman, Ezio and Robin were very keen on asking how his day went, the swordsman turned a bright shade of red and shut both their lines of inquiry down.
Once Sanji was finished cooking the crew all sat down for dinner, which was the clams and shellfish that Connor and Chimney had collected from the beach. Even with Chimney taking some home for her and Kokoro to eat, there were plenty left for the crew, and they all ate them with relish. Sanji's cooking skills once more shining through with all the different ways to cook and dishes that could be made with the collected seafood.
During the meal, Luffy was once again silent like the previous night. He didn't try to steal anyone's food and kept to himself; he did eat all of his share of the food this time. Though every now and then Zoro noticed the rubber captain's eyes flicker to both Connor and Ezio. Every time he looked at Connor, his eyes got sad, and he watched the boy. Connor seemed to notice and glanced up at Luffy whenever he felt the captain's eyes on him. He occasionally glanced around to see if Luffy or the others wanted anything, but no one ever spoke up. Chopper asked if Luffy was feeling alright, and the rubber man claimed he was fine.
After dinner, Ezio passed on La Volpe's message to Luffy and Zoro. The two were nervous but agreed to the meeting nonetheless. Once done, Zoro demanded Ezio to accompany him on a walk, seeing as he had nothing better to do. Ezio agreed; however, it soon became very apparent that Zoro was not going on just a regular walk.
As they were leaving the Galley-La dock, Paulie rushed up to them. "Hey, hold up,"
Zoro and Ezio looked over their shoulders at the foreman. "Something up?" Zoro asked as Paulie came to a stop in front of them.
"Yeah, a whole bunch of bodies turned up today, and I need to ask you some questions," Paulie said in an accusatory voice as he glared at Ezio.
"Bodies?" Zoro asked confused.
"Very well, ask away," Ezio said with a smile.
"What did you do today?" Paulie started.
"Well, after breakfast, I went for a walk and then on a Yagra ride, stopped at some stalls, bought the daily paper, and had lunch with Nico Robin," Ezio answered. "After she and I walked around for a bit more, we parted ways at the library, and then I headed back to the residence, where I have been until now,"
Paulie narrowed his eyes.
"I assume the walk was around the upper areas of the city near the docks. Where'd you get the Yaggra?" Paulie asked.
"It was, and I took one of the ones that were provided for the Straw Hats to use," Ezio said.
Paulie nodded. He knew Iceberg had organized 5 Yaggra for the Straw Hats to use, and they were currently residing not far from Dock One. It would be easy to check if Ezio's story was accurate with the Yaggra handler.
"You said you went to lunch; where was it and what time?"
"It was 12:30 pm at La Barvinsa. Robin and I were there for at least two hours," Ezio answered.
Again, that was easy to check. Paulie nodded, and Zoro watched the whole exchange; so far, nothing Ezio had said was suspicious.
"Were you with Nico Robin the whole time?"
"Si, right up until we parted ways at the library in the lower city. Though we did meet up with Zoro on the way briefly," Ezio claimed.
Paulie looked past Ezio. "That true?"
"Yeah, our paths crossed, but only for a moment though," Zoro answered.
"What time was this?"
"Not a clue," Zoro answered.
"It was just after two-thirty," Ezio supplied.
Paulie nodded. He'd have to check with Robin. So far, Ezio was only giving him what he did before the bodies were found.
"What time did you part with Nico Robin and get back to the residence?"
"Nico Robin and I parted ways not too long after bumping into Zoro… perhaps ten or fifteen minutes later, as for returning to the Residence…it was around four in the afternoon… might have been closer to 4:05 when I returned to Dock One," Ezio finished "I was sleeping until just before 6pm,"
Paulie nodded. The first body had been found just after 3pm. Paulie knew travel between the lower city libraries and Dock One wasn't that far. Which meant that there was a time period where Ezio was by himself that matched up to when the first body was located.
"Before you came back to dock one, after parting with Nico Robin, where were you?" Paulie asked.
"I was at the marketplace," Ezio claimed.
Paulie would have to check with some stall owners, but he knew the market would have been busy at that time. More than a few stall owners would have seen him. Plus, during that period, he and Iceberg were at the Straw Hats' residence and had confirmed that all of his gear was left behind and were alerted to more bodies being found. But none of them were in the Market at the time.
"Does the name Sharki mean anything to you?" Paulie asked. Zoro tensed at the name.
"No, should it?" Ezio responded casually. Not giving anything away.
"No," Paulie responded. "Alright, arms up, I need to search you for weapons."
"Why?" Zoro asked suspiciously.
"Just a precaution,"
Ezio shrugged, took a step back, and raised his arms out in a T position. "Search away, I have none on me, nor do I have anything to hide,"
Paulie stepped forward and patted Ezio down thoroughly but didn't find any weapons. Once he was done, he huffed. "Alright, you can go, but I will be back if I have more questions." He turned and walked off.
"Have a good night," Ezio called after him.
"What was that all about?" Zoro asked.
"It doesn't matter, shall we continue our walk?" Ezio asked.
The swordsman led Ezio around in circles around town, and Ezio began to wonder if he was trying to confuse the Assassin, or if he just had a really bad sense of direction.
"Where are we going exactly?" Ezio asked Zoro.
"To find a bar," Zoro answered.
"Why?"
"Because Kokoro owes me a drink, and I want a word with you,"
Ezio was going to point out that they had passed all the entryways to the entertainment district no less than 6 times already, and they had done 3 loops of the same block.
"I see...hmm..." Ezio responded. He suddenly stopped walking and looked away. "Isn't that the sniper who was with you at Enies Lobby?"
Zoro stopped and looked in the direction that Ezio was looking, and sure enough, Usopp was walking down the street across from them. He did not notice them as he was looking down at a notepad and muttering to himself while scribbling notes.
"Yeah, that's him," Zoro said in a hostile voice and narrowed his eyes at the sniper.
"Should we ask him to join us?" Ezio asked.
"No," Zoro said in a short tone and continued to walk down the street.
Ezio followed him. "So what did you want to talk about?" He asked as they walked.
"I wanted to warn you not to try anything against us or Robin," Zoro said without looking back. "Robin has been through enough, and while we are all grateful for your help at Enies Lobby... but do not think for one second that gives you the right to try anything against us."
"Also, Luffy told me about you talked about. It's bad enough that Robin is scared shitless of you, but now you're holding Connor's life over our heads too," Zoro growled. "I don't know why, but I get this bad feeling about you. Like you're the kind of person a dying man sees before he passes," Zoro continued. "You're dangerous, and even I have little doubt if it came to a fight we wouldn't stand a chance against you."
"But if you try anything, make no mistake, our crew will fight you with everything we have. And just because we can't beat you doesn't mean we won't make it difficult for you to win," Zoro said in a very serious and deadly tone.
Zoro waited for a response, and when he didn't get it, he glanced over his shoulder only to find the Assassin was no longer there.
"Huh... where did..." Zoro asked, looking up and down the street for Ezio.
Zoro heard giggling and followed it back to the previous turn in the street to find Ezio. He very clearly had not been listening to the swordsman and was currently talking to a group of attractive young women who were dressed up for a night on the town and were swooning all over him.
"PAY ATTENTION WHEN PEOPLE ARE TALKING TO YOU!" Zoro yelled out angrily.
Ezio looked over at him and blinked innocently.
"Oh, my apologies, were you saying something?" Ezio asked.
Zoro's eye twitched in anger.
"No... well, never mind. These belladonnas were just telling me about this wonderful bar not far from here," Ezio smiled. "Want to check it out?"
Zoro could not believe it. This was the man who had faced the world government, this man had frightened Robin just by talking to her, and this was the man whose mere presence had high-ranking marines at Enies Lobby scared to even raise a weapon against him. The same man who gave Zoro a bad vibe just by being around him.
"Sure," Zoro responded.
Ezio smiled and let the girls lead him and Zoro to the bar.
Iceberg let out a sigh as he walked into his office, Paulie was with him, and the foreman had a very serious look on his face. It had been a long day, ever since reports of several murders being discovered in the late afternoon. When Paulie first learned of it, he did his best to clear the remains and crime scene. The repair work after Aqua Laugna had been going much slower than normal since most of the Galley-La company were helping build the Straw Hats a new ship but now it would halted completely until they caught the killer.
However, Paulie did not expect to be dealing with a murder investigation on top of managing the repair work. Iceberg hadn't been happy to be pulled away from working on the Straw Hats' ship, but he had his duties as mayor and with a serial killer loose in the city, he had no choice. The two had been investigating and responding to more and more calls all afternoon. It hardly felt like an investigation as all they did was go from one location to the next to collect another body. There were never any wittiness and as they had been so busy running from one location to the next they didn't have time to process the crime scene either.
Both of them fully suspected Ezio to be behind these murders as all the victims were killed in a specific way and he'd have the skills to kill without being seen or leave any evidence. Additionally, they couldn't find him. However, when they'd gone to check, all of Ezios gear was in the Straw Hats residence. This didn't prove his innocence as it wouldn't be hard to get a knife or weapon.
By the time Iceberg and Paulie got back to the mansion, had all the corpses collected and counted for; there were 30 victims found all around Water 7. After a quick preliminary examination by the Galley-La medical staff, it was concluded that all were killed in the same way, stabbed straight through the heart. Either from the front or back. Some indicated it they had fallen from a great height after being stabbed and a few had rope burns around there neck as they had been hung after death. The latter was likely to send a message of some kind while others had indications that attacker had jumped down from higher up to do the deed. The cause of death was the same.
All the victims had been identified and Iceberg had spent the last few hours calling up familis and next of kin to delver the terrible news, telling the suvining kin that they were investagiting and they could claim the body in a few days. Paulie had helped him esaplly with the 3 victiems that were Galley-la shipwitghts.
During this time, one of the Dock one night gaurds had called Paulie and told him he'd seen Ezio leave with Zoro. Paulie had rushed out to question him, Ezio had been surpisingly coropritve. He gave Paulie a summary of where he had been during the day and the general areas. Paulie made a mental note to call and ask around those areas to clarify Ezio's story and the Assassin had even let Paulie search him before the forman had let the two men go and he reported back to Iceberg.
Now it was late at night and they were no closer to figuring out who was responsible and why or proving that Ezio was guilty.
"It has to have been him," Iceberg said as they walked into his office.
"Agreed, but from what he told me it seems unlikely," Paulie said.
"We need to know for sure," Iceberg said seriously "we can't move against him unless we have proof,"
"I'll ask around the market place and call the restaurant he said he was at tomorrow," Paulie agreed and closed the door behind him.
"See that you do, the murders didn't start till the afternoon and the first body was found not long after he separated from the straw hats," Iceberg claimed "did you check his claim about what time he got back to the residence?"
"I did, I went there and Asked the straw hats, both Luffy and Connor say he came back at the time he said and was sleeping until just before 6pm," Paulie said "the others claim he was sleeping when they got back later too and they all state he was present with them for dinner,"
"That is…most disturbing. If Ezio was sleeping in the late afternoon than it may not have been him," Iceberg said "We were finding bodies all the way up till just after 7pm,"
"Ther straw hats were eating at that time," Paulie agreed "but there is still a good two hours where Ezio was on his own and without an alibi,"
"But if it was him…the murders would have stopped when he went back to the residence…but they didn't," Iceberg pondered. All the bodies were fresh barely even dead 10 minutes when they were found.
"So, what's the plan?"
"We'll need to wait and what forensics comes up with from each of the crime scenes. In the meantime…hmm…" Iceberg trailed off.
"Something wrong?" Paulie asked.
"No, I don't remember asking for papers to be put on my desk," Iceberg claimed as he walked over to his desk.
"I thought you weren't going back to work until the Straw Hats had left," Paulie claimed.
"I'm not, and I haven't found a new secretary, plus all paperwork and concerns are to be directed to you until the Straw Hats leave," Iceberg stated and narrowed his eyes at the two stacks of papers.
"So where did this come from?" Paulie asked.
"I have no idea," Iceberg claimed. He picked up an unmarked letter that was on top of the papers and opened it. Inside was a note with a single line written on it:
"For your consideration,"
"What's it say?" Paulie asked. Iceberg handed him the letter, and Paulie looked at it, not understanding. "It's not signed," he noted.
"Indeed," Iceberg agreed. He picked up the top paper and read over it; it was a list of names and contacts. Some names already had a red line through them while most did not. Iceberg narrowed his eyes, the names of all those that had been crossed out were the same names of the those that had been killed and were now lying downstairs in his lobby. A feeling of extreme dread came over him. He suspected these papers were from the killer, though whey the killer would leave them here and a note for him to consider the paper work confused him.
Iceberg put those thoughts and the list of names aside for the moment and picked up the first stapled papers. At first, it didn't seem like anything more than a harmless loan agreement; however, when Iceberg got to the second page, his eyes went wide, his hands started to shake and he found himself sweating and breathing heavily. He lost all feelings in his legs and his ability to stand. Thankfully, his chair was behind him, and he landed in it. However, it did not stop Paulie from rushing over to see what was wrong.
"Iceberg, what's wrong?" Paulie demanded.
Iceberg didn't respond, he stared at the contract in his hands with pure terror. His eyes focused on Paulie's name and signature that was clearly written on it.
Iceberg snapped out of his stupor and immediately picked up the second paper and read over it. It was the same as the first, like a madman he went through the next several papers, praying that this was a hoax. In a fit of panic, the more he read, the more he started to hyperventilate. Never letting go of the contract that had Paulies name on it. He knew Paulie had debts and a gambling addiction, but... to think it went this far...
"Oi, Iceberg, what's wrong?" Paulie demanded again.
"Paulie, did you borrow money from a loan shark named Sharki?" Iceberg asked.
"Huh, yeah, but I have 2 more months to pay that back," Paulie claimed, "and I was making weekly payments to pay it off right up until Aqua Lugna hit."
"Read this," Iceberg said and handed him the contract.
Paulie took the contract and read over it.
"Huh, this is what I signed when I... wait, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS SECOND PAGE!" Paulie shouted, "IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! THAT IS 100 TIMES MORE THAN I BORROWED!"
"Paulie... did you sign the second page?" Iceberg asked seriously. He knew Paulie's handwriting and signature, and both were on both pages.
"No, I only ever saw and signed the first one… what is this shit?"
"Gather some men; we are going to find Sharki," Iceberg declared in an enraged voice.
In under ten minutes, Paulie had some Galley-La workers gathered, and they headed out to Sharki's residence. Once there, they found the loan shark in a state of panic, and Iceberg used his authority as Mayor to enter and search the premises. When they got to his office, they very quickly found another stack of papers on the desk. Despite the office and the rest of the building looking like it had been torn apart and finding Sharki terrified, the papers were neatly stacked. Iceberg looked over them and learned the truth of Sharki's loan operation.
How figured out the second contract underneath the first one would be signed when the quill signed the top. How the amount borrowed and the interest needing to be repaid were far more than the people could afford, and finally, how he extorted his clients by inviting them to his house to renegotiate loan payments, taking their houses, possessions, and sold them into slavery when they could not pay. Only to repeat the cycle again once he had the money from the sale.
Iceberg knew the closest slave market was in Saboy Apogee and given what had been left on his desk and what he was reading now. It seemed that this operation had been going on in his city for years. Iceberg dreaded to think how many people Sharki had tricked and abducted, how may lives had he ruined without anyone knowing about. It was even worse as this was happening right under his nose and he did nothing about it.
Sharki claimed those documents hadn't been in his office moments ago when he'd torn his whole home apart looking for them frantically trying to find those papers and dispose of them. Realizing the gravity of the situation and given that Iceberg now had a collection of every single contract made and signed along with a sales list of those who had been sold into slavery, the realization hit Paulie as to just how much trouble he was in. If this hadn't come to light, he too would have been sold off if not for... for Ezio bringing this to light. This is why he killed all those people, it wasn't murder…it was vigilantism.
Iceberg had more than enough to put Sharki away forever. Iceberg was now confident the names crossed out on the list he had back at his office and the 30 bodies in his mansion matched up to those that were involved, supported, and profited from this operation.
Sharki begged for forgiveness, but Iceberg was not having it. Iceberg made a call to have Sharki's house cordoned off to allow an official investigation to occur, and wanted Paulie to investigate every single name on the list and on the contracts in his office. Iceberg wanted to know just how many of his citizens had been sold already and how many were in debt to this man.
As Sharki was being led away, La Volpe watched from the shadows with a satisfied smile on his face. Paulie stopped, thinking there was someone nearby; however, when he turned to look, he saw nothing but an empty street.