Chapter 21 - Try Settle for the Night
Gumbo's Police Department Station
Gumbo was understandably not having a good day.
After his humiliating losses to the Bad Guys, he had to ride back to his station with an ice pack below his long, sore jaw. He feared losing all his teeth by then, but fortunately, no single tooth fell from its gum.
The weary driver in front was smoking away with a bandaid underneath his eye. The windows were thankfully opened. Gumbo's seatbelt nearly peeled off as he slumped further in his seat, uncaring how his posture might lead him to slip off. Reflexively, Gumbo narrowed his eyes and grabbed a fistful of the couch's material underneath him.
For a common cop like Gumbo, he would have been cursing away. The crocodile could put up a calm, snarky attitude. But he was also aggressive. And the thought that those criminals would run around without explaining the damage they were doing would put the city in trouble. It was unfair that all his attempts for a peace offering were tossed aside.
Eventually, his rising temper sizzled. Not even a growl escaped from Gumbo's lips as he let go of the couch. Instead came out another long, exhausted sigh.
He was tired.
Always, but this hit a new high score.
A part of him wanted to walk away, but he wanted to stop the Bad Guys before they could blow up another building.
Finally, near his department's small, humble station block, Gumbo tossed the ice pack aside without looking and slithered out from the car. His hulking structure made it look hard for him to get out, but he was flexible enough. Once outside, he pulled his hanging tail away before shutting the door lock. The driver turned his head to him with a sarcastic smile.
"You look like you got poached, Milton," he teased with a sneer.
"I prefer the addressing 'Officer Gumbo' please, Freeman," muttered Gumbo thoughtlessly. "Thank you very much."
The apathetic driver rolled his eyes in return as the crocodile turned his back. A couple of more cops passed by him, some of them sporting bandages from the mysterious ninja's attack. Gumbo hummed a little upon seeing them. It was a pretty rough day. Though, he kept those thoughts to himself as he marched to the building.
Sort of.
"Been doing alright, mate?" asked one friendly blonde passing by.
"Oh, a ripper haircut," said Gumbo on instinct. "I love the part where I got an uppercut."
"My face got scratched across the road when it hit."
Gumbo laughed dryly before turning that remark into a concern when he looked back at the blonde cop. "Though seriously, that was an outright stabbing back then. How are you still walking? Did you hit your head hard on the floor?"
The blonde shrugged with a reassuring look. "Not that hard. Though, I'm more concerned about whether the Bad Guys' furphies are true."
"You and me. Just go to first-aid if your head's bleeding."
"Hey, alligator!" called another cop, a brunette. "I miss that smile of yours. Where is it?"
"Oh, just wiped away from the bleach cleaning just now," said Gumbo, starting to make slow steps.
"Sounds like a whole lot of cleaning right there."
"Didn't clear away the blood stains yet."
"I got a bottle of alcohol to do the trick," joked the brunette. "Oh, by the way, the chief wants to see him today. He has to tell you something."
"Oh, well, better check my inbox in case it's overfilled with spam." Gumbo stopped, processing the order from the brunette. "W-Wait, he wants me over?"
It didn't take long for Gumbo to find his way to the chief's office. He would feel alright about this but was somewhat nervous about being called to see his chief. His boss. The one guy who controlled his job in this department. And after a day of failure, this couldn't be good.
The crocodile barely showed a hint of emotion, but internally, he felt something brewing inside.
He removed his hat and peered through the office window to find his boss talking with a new rookie. The new rookie looked like another face in the crowd, but the chief he recognized: a male human with brown skin, gray short hair and a small mustache. However, his face looked younger than his hair, a sign of him not giving up on life yet. He was even still in great shape, a toned build concealed in that suit.
When the chief saw the peeping crocodile through the window, the rookie also looked upwards.
"Oh, that's Milton Gumbo," said the chief, lifting his mug. "He's the one I called in soon."
"Wait, is that the croc who's on the spectrum?" asked the rookie bluntly.
"Wait, what?! How did you know?"
"Eh, I saw it shortly when you looked through your files. This might be a problem-"
The chief slammed his mug down, a loud clump resounding his disapproval. "Don't think of him like this. He's a cooperative teammate."
Gumbo thought of walking away to give the two some privacy. But he could appreciate that his boss didn't demonize him. Even though he was the only tall crocodile in this department. The rookie, on the other hand, looked more reluctant as he left the office.
With the rookie gone, Gumbo took his place and slinked into the office.
"Ah, good to see you!" said the chief with a friendly grin. His chipper nature was a significant aspect of him to everyone. "I have been wondering when you'll be back."
"Hey there, Chief Blade," said the more stoic Gumbo, keeping his posture firm and straightened. "Doing alright?"
The chief was more casual, resting his arms on the armchairs comfortably. "I'm all good. You know you can refer to me as Agon, Milton. It's already a year."
"No, just refer to me as 'Officer Gumbo'," reminded Gumbo, sitting in the largest chair in the room. Unlike Agon's position, his seating manner was stiffer and stricter, a professional stance he thought was necessary to maintain. "The other commissioners don't call each other by their first names."
Agon shrugged. "Alright then. You must be wondering why you're here today."
Gumbo nodded, keeping his emotionless expression. "Is it about the Bad Guys?"
"Oh yes," said Agon, fiddling with a pen. "Now, I already told this to the others from your rank and will tell everyone else about this situation. I know that your class is passionate about keeping Melbourne safe and it's hard for me to say…" He paused, his fingers nervously tapping the sides of his pen. "I don't mean to surprise everyone, but…um…"
Without noticing that his boss was hesitating, Gumbo took over. "Chief Blade. I call that we need an investigation on the Bad Guys now. They refuse to surrender. Last night's crash and today's explosion might connect to an ulterior motive. An arrest warrant is often required, but we need to strengthen it to-"
Agon inhaled sharply, waving his hand. This silenced Gumbo and the chief opened his mouth to tell the truth.
"Unfortunately, I cannot permit it to go forward," Agon said mournfully.
The sound of a pen clattering was the only sound as Gumbo absorbed this news.
Disbelief was written over Gumbo's fearful eyes. "What?"
Agon always had to stay strong in maintaining eye contact, but he nearly averted his eyes. "I'm sorry, Officer Gumbo. But we are not allowed to. We were given a call by the White House."
Gumbo was growing confused. "The White House?"
"On behalf of Los Angeles governor Diane Foxington…" Agon took a few seconds to recompose himself, rubbing his sweaty forehead. "They recently called all police departments in Melbourne to not interfere with the Bad Guys. It's for a government mission."
The crocodile's jaw nearly dropped open, his chin close to touching the desk. The Bad Guys? Letting them go off the hook? For a mission? But, it didn't look like a mission after their mischief. Gumbo's mind was in a scramble, unable to adjust to this new information. He felt twitchy. It didn't feel like it set itself right in the circumstances.
"You got to be kidding me," he muttered, keeping his tone flat.
Agon nodded grimly. "As much as it shames me to say, we are forbidden to arrest them for any means until further notice."
Gumbo had to take the time to think before he could speak. If he talked, then it would create a mess. He wanted to spell his words correctly to guide the brush for a clean stroke. Once he felt ready, he let his words be known to the ear.
"I understand, Chief Blade," he said slowly. "But don't you think there's more going on than just a 'mission'? This needs priority. They mucked around last night."
"They said it was an accident." Agon snorted, sharing his disgust with Gumbo to last night's joyriding incident. Despite the order, Agon even found the Bad Guys despicable. "Their supervisor was said to have a close eye on them."
"Well, this supervisor isn't doing a good job, ain't they?" said Gumbo, crossing his arms. "We shouldn't let them go. If we can find out their intentions, then people can be reassured that everything is under control. We need to know why they might have hurt people."
"You know they don't intend to hurt people, right?"
"They're still criminals!" said the frustrated Gumbo, his voice raised louder. "And you're going to turn a blind eye away from an explosion that possibly has one casualty?! Our work is supposed to be helping people! Not enabling chaos!"
The crocodile immediately recoiled, realizing his mistake. However, Agon didn't show any reaction. His unreadable expression could read a thousand pages. What Gumbo didn't know was that Agon wasn't only concerned but sympathetic to him. This kid was begging for justice on those reckless criminals.
And in his thoughts, Agon could feel the deep voice reverberating in his ears about the government's threat.
Agon's eyes were half-lidden, saddened. "Officer Gumbo, please listen carefully. I know how you're feeling. The people I told already were as confused as we are. And I even question too. However, these orders aren't made on my accord. When I asked, the government told me that interfering would shame the entire Victorian police. Do you…really want to know what would happen if we interfere?"
Gumbo grunted in stubbornness. "I know what would happen. But isn't it better to put safety over image?"
Agon knew that would be the response, but he feared telling the crocodile this. Just imagining the heartbroken look from his colleagues was enough to get Agon hesitant to tell.
"You're not listening to my point," he said. "I'm addressing safety as well. Just promise me that you won't pry into whatever business the Bad Guys have. They are some of the most infamous crime gangs of California, but if the government is collaborating with them, then that would mean it's something none of us understand."
Gumbo clenched his shivering teeth, feeling panicky. To think that he should stay away from the Bad Guys would be an absurd idea. He couldn't comprehend it. His body trembled in frustration and despair. It didn't feel right. It invalidated everything he did to have this job in the first place. Once again, his stoic look covered up these emotions, his eyes drifted to the ground for no one to see closely.
"This…this isn't what should be happening," he could only choke out. "We should…I'm sorry, Chief. I don't think it's…"
Gumbo winced at how vulnerable he sounded. He shouldn't be acting like this at work! This wasn't the time for tantrums.
However, Agon barely made a fuss about this. He already knew many would be upset with this reveal. It was going to take a while for everyone to accept it.
"Don't kick yourself, kid," said Agon, leaning forward with a soft look. "I know you're passionate about getting your work done. You're still one of our most diligent commissioners. But you're still in the process of learning. So do the other good cops here. They had the same reaction.
Time to learn and understand. Gumbo knew that. But hearing this again made him think why he suddenly became involved with the Bad Guys' hijinks. What a cruel turn of events.
I shouldn't be drawn into them, he would have said.
When the quiet Gumbo showed little outward emotion, Agon sighed to himself with nothing else to say.
"I'll let you know if there's anything else," he said. "You looked pretty banged up. I suggest you take a break if you need it."
Gumbo thought of refusing it. He couldn't overcome the need to stand down and let the Bad Guys go freely. He was attached to his job. However, he was growing aware of how weary and exhausted he was after his injuries. He wanted to stop thinking for a while. He wanted to let his mind just…stop for once.
"Sure," he said awkwardly.
Agon smiled warmly. "Don't need to be afraid. We'll sort this out together."
Night Time, Chrome Bar and Cafe, Los Angeles, America
The familiar neon lights of Los Angeles kept Hornet awake as he rested on the dashboard of Mira's car. The soft black material that made the dashboard was hard yet comfortable for him to simmer down. Mira didn't need to, but Hornet called her to help him supervise Moe for a small dinner meal outside. The breezy air-con cooled the little bug down from the intensity of his work case.
But his full attention was drawn to the colorful nights of the secluded streets of LA. The night sky was devoid of stars, fully black by the proximity of headlights. The number of people wandering around was lesser than in the daytime, already residing in their own shelters.
A feeling of tiredness urged Hornet to fall asleep. No one was fully around at this time of hour. But the neon lights illuminating everywhere allowed him to stay awake. Blurry stripes and circles passed him, bringing life into the dark. Colors all around to remind the casual stroller that there was nearly nothing to feel grim about when the sun was done.
Hornet smiled in admiration of the vibrant spectacle. The bright light sticks forming cute shapes from the store signs were his favorite. It reminded him of the goodness in this life. The billboards were also no slouches from the taller buildings, their animated advertisements flashing from one image to another in a smooth transition. It was much better than the still and dim building of Sunnyside Labs.
At the thought of that creepy laboratory, he remembered the video files he found. Any chance of looking through more was slim since the police had already taken them away. It would take long for him to find them again unless he could infiltrate the police stations. If he wanted those reliable leads back, he needed to devise a good plan without being caught by the authorities.
He remembered the footage Professor Franken had created. The mad scientist behind the Eden Apples. Hornet wondered what happened to this professor since he couldn't remember seeing him.
He tried thinking back a little, his eyes narrowed.
But even that little physical willpower wasn't enough to spark a memory.
His past memories were a little blurry. It only strained him. Like something was blocking him. It couldn't be him feeling it wasn't safe. Like a piece was missing. All those memories now carried the same element: noticeable glitches impairing the true identities of his previous surroundings.
The thing that confused him was Franken's relations with Susan and Marmalade.
Hornet didn't expect the human to seemingly get along with the professor. Alex would have known that Susan was an intern unless that role was a bluff. Unless it was a cover-up from Susan herself. And with Marmalade's involvement, what did he exactly do?
So far, Professor Franken and Professor Marmalade had the answers. The former might be hard to find. Unfortunately, this would go the same for the latter since who knows where that damned guinea pig ended up in?
After going through these two suspects, Alex agreed they would need to keep an eye on them. For now, they might have to return next time since finding out Franken's and Marmalade's last coordinates would take more than weeks.
And as much as Hornet wanted to disagree, he needed a break after his discoveries.
Besides, he didn't want to overthink in case he had another breakdown.
The music playing loudly got him to come out of his thoughts and back on now. Looking upwards, he spotted the iconic Chrome Bar and Cafe, a place where he usually hung around or during his dates with Piranha. Ironically, Diane went to that bar as well.
He hoped it wouldn't be crowded, but it seemed packed, judging by the loud music reverberating through the car. They could feel it. The flashing lights were an indicator as well, poking through the windows and front door. There were even groups of people hanging around at the front lazily.
Mira was quick in finding a parking spot. "Remind me again. What should I do?"
"Just keep an eye on Moe," said Hornet, flying upwards. "Wolf told me that he regularly brings him to these places to improve Moe's 'social skills'. I don't think I'll be able to catch him if he runs off."
Mira stared at the orange tabby cat, sleeping soundly on the seat beside her. Moe was curled up in a ball, seemingly unaware of the nearby noise. When Hornet flew down to scratch his ear, Moe yawned and sat upwards slowly. The cat looked so patient and calm. What could possibly go wrong?
But as they departed from the car with Moe in her hands, Mira noticed Hornet watching Moe. Too closely. When close to the bar's front door, Hornet patted Moe's nose to get his attention.
"Alright, Moe," said Hornet, pressing his hands together. "No matter what, don't walk away from Mira. You got it?"
"Meow!"
"Are we on the same page that it's a bad idea to wander alone?"
"Meow?"
"You know that none of us have a leash, right?"
"Meow!"
Mira smiled. "Then that means we trust that you won't run away-"
And then, a fly flew by. An intrigued Moe immediately hopped out of Mira's hand and chased after the fly through the door's small gap.
"Nope, he did," said Mira flatly. "He just ran away."
Hornet sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Oh no. Not again."
[Good Times - Finger Eleven]
[0:06]
Immediately, Mira kicked the door open and the two of them leaned back by a heavy sensation that rumbled through the air. The smell would have been bad enough to deter their visit due to its caffeine, sweaty high inside. The rave lights and the loud music were the main factors that blinded them from stepping in.
A band was already performing at the nearby small stage, flaunted with orange and purple lights. The normally humble wooden walls and tables were decorated with multiple posters of new rising bands and musical groups. Chandeliers were glowing an unusual purple color, unlike the normal beige glow used. There seemed to be more people inside the bar, but at least a few of them were dancing on the dance floor without stomping their feet too hard.
The music continued on, its foundation refusing to die down.
[0:20]
Through the noise, the gatherings of people at the tables made it easy to find Moe walking through the gaps between legs. That cat was still trying to catch the aimless fly. Until he bumped into a familiar clunky boot.
He sniffed and a friendly scent greeted him. He meowed happily when he noticed the dark figure over him and the colorful ponytail dangling from their head.
That was strange, thought Hornet. Neither he nor Mira expected Alex to be here. Unless they had information and knew where they were.
Alex was just resting at the bar deck, their arm resting against the deck holding up their chin. Empty mocktail cups surrounded them. They seemed to be induced in a tired state. Noticeably, their eyes were baggy for staying a little too up at this hour. Their dark eyes only lit up upon the ticklish sensation of something licking against their leg.
It was Moe, pleased to see a familiar face.
Alex flinched at first, but they dropped any tension upon recognizing the cat.
"Oh, hey there, kitty," they said, picking him up on the deck. "What are you doing here?"
Moe meowed cutely, reaching out a paw to touch their face.
"Oh, thank you for finding him, Alex," said Mira as she and Hornet arrived.
Alex jumped a little when they saw them. This time, they were quick to settle. "Is there…anything you need to tell me?"
"Just came here for a dinner meal," said Hornet, shrugging. "Not for business. Though, you know that this is where secrets are usually held. The Chrome Bar is one for the underdogs."
There was a loud crash from the other side of the room. A group of men were laughing over the sound of slamming their beer cups against the table. One even decided to eat the glass shards. A messy chomp and clatter of broken glass that cut through the louder bass.
"...and you're alright with that?" asked Alex.
Hornet hesitated. "...it's the only open place with good cheap meals during this hour! The clean diners are pricey during dinner time."
"What about you, Mira? You're a journalist, right? Would you need to…"
"Not today, I'm not here to collect gossip," said Mira. "My ex-husband is taking care of our daughter tonight, so I don't have any other plans."
"That checks out. Anyway, since the child is at home, want to get smashed with a few drinks?"
[0:48]
"Aren't you too young to drink?" teased Mira. "You're not gonna crash when riding back home on your motorcycle."
Alex seemed to be easing up, more confident in how they talk, "Mocktails are my medicines for life. Just without the thing makes me feel oily towards seeing oil spills. A little party in a cup never killed anyone."
"Unless you're hyper," said Hornet with a giggle. "I know that Piranha for that!"
Mira appeared more serious about this, knowing the different kinds of car crashes from fatal choices to pure stupidity. Too many car crashes to write about in the papers.
On the other hand, Moe didn't seem to understand all of this since he had never drank anything 'bad' before. The cat tilted his head, wanting to know more.
"I like to see Mr. Piranha trying," chuckled Alex. "Is there that much on your mind?"
Hornet sported some of the quite tasty food at the tables. "I'll just pay for my own. I have my own money."
[1:02]
It didn't take long for what Hornet and Mira would have for the night. As the former was sticking by his diet, he ordered a deluxe salad bowl. A nice neat and tidy meal for the little bug's liking. Mira didn't mind as well since some vegetables could be good. Tell that to her child.
On the other hand, Alex was confused by the choice. Sure, the bowl of green leaves, tomatoes and bread crumbs looked appealing, but it was often more as a starter dish than meant for a single full meal. When served, Hornet looked happy to dig in and his size meant there was enough for Mira.
Alex watched in surprise as Hornet immediately picked up one green leaf to chew on.
Hornet was quick to notice their stare. "Uh, what's wrong?"
"I thought hornets eat small bugs," Alex pointed out.
"Gross!" commented Hornet, taking another bite of a green leaf. "Eating other bugs is so disgusting! That's why I converted myself to a vegetarian."
Alex raised their eyebrows. Sheepish yet they carried something similar to Gen Z's approach to vegetables. "Sure…"
Funnily enough, after a few minutes, Hornet tried feeding Moe one of the salad leaves. But the second the hissing cat turned the leaf into pencil shavings, the little bug's eyes widened and he fluttered away. Best decision not to be slashed into similar shavings.
In the end, Mira called for a glass of milk. Not entirely necessary, but Moe seemed fine with it. Alex found it funny to see the cat lapping his pink tongue against the white cream.
Through another munch of his salad, he noticed the tired, low-key way of Alex calling for another mocktail. They appeared drunk, their voice lackluster.
"Are you OK, Alex?" he asked.
Alex laughed mirthlessly, looking slammed. "Time of my life. It's a habit and I know."
"...this doesn't have to do with…anything?"
"I'm just not doing OK," joked Alex casually.
The fresh new mocktail arrived and they immediately sipped half of the glass in less five seconds. Their playful smile faded a little. They appeared haunted by lingering worries, a glazed look barely hiding the concern in their eyes.
"I'm not too upset," they said sincerely. "I'm more confused why my sister didn't tell me she worked as an intern at that dumpster."
Hornet hummed, rubbing the back of his head. "I didn't expect that as well. We both thought she ended up being a test subject."
"Well, I thought so. Science isn't her best strength."
"Maybe this Project Life connects to her studies?" suggested Mira. "This position might not need a school degree to be trusted."
"Some sort of training she required," muttered Alex. "But whatever it is, I don't know why she kept it as a secret for that long. Is it that important?"
[1:27]
Hornet gulped, suddenly remembering Ashton. The words he said to Gwen and Stefan when they questioned him.
"I accepted to help the government get back what's needed. I don't think you would understand when you see. You already have lives of your own, so you won't like what I know."
He didn't know why, but it nearly sounded like the same thing Susan would say. A heartbreaking message to her sibling. Thinking about it, he wasn't sure how Alex would exactly feel if they heard about Project Life in the first place through her.
"That project was really dangerous," said Hornet sadly. "No one was allowed any information. Something is up with this."
"I'll say it might not take them long until they crack under the pressure," said Mira.
"What makes you think that?" asked Alex. "When they have been doing this for like…years?"
"That's actually a good question," said Mira, taking a bite from her salad on her fork. "Too many people lower their standards when backlash becomes too much to handle. Seen this a lot. And a whole lot of protesting they need to prepare for. And all the small conspiracies they create just to make the victims more petty. Whoever is behind Project Life wants to preserve it to create the right and satisfying outcomes."
"So just like that, they're willing to take risks?" summarized Alex. "Just to make something too special?"
"Yes," said Mira simply. "One hides something and never shows the extreme measures they would take. Some achievements always come at a price. Work smarter, not harder, they would try to use."
Alex absorbed this with another sip of their mocktail, adopting a subdued look.
Hornet took a much slower approach by nibbling on a green leaf. That actually sounded scary.
"Guess Sunnyside Lab had the same attitude as my sister," they said. "The bad thing is that she can be too helpful. She pushes herself too much. Mind if if I ask, Hornet, is there anything at Sunnyside Labs that sets you off?"
[1:55]
Hornet nearly choked on his mouthful of salad. He couldn't point out that Alex phrased their words wrongly again. He nearly felt cold again if not for the warm orange light shining down on him. The memories were about to resurface but weren't as heavy as before. He looked down, trying to clear his mind. He didn't want to let personal bias get in the way of this. Besides, Hornet couldn't figure out the new glitches in his memories.
He wondered back to before the discovery of the destroyed room. He didn't know where to start. Seriously, who had the brightest idea to have a Satanic ritual?! That was too surreal to tell anyone. No one might even believe him anyway. He even tried finding any other leads to these experiments, but they ran dry.
In the end, he only gave a simple answer.
"Unfortunately, they…" He cringed, sheepishly grinning. "...seem incomprehensible. I think those who went missing had to do with these tests, but…I think the police want to sort them out instead, excluding Project Life."
Alex looked confused. "...Moe, what about you?"
The orange tabby cat just finished his milk, nearly losing attention on the other three. He looked up and opened his mouth to speak but closed it when he wondered if explaining it would be silly. He couldn't even speak English for God's sake!
Alex was disappointed, pouting. "Oh, so you have nothing."
Moe shook his head in response.
"He has nothing as well. Would you believe us if I told you that time travel is real?" asked Hornet blankly.
Mira and Alex glanced at each other, appropriately weirded out.
"...no, not really," both humans said in unison.
"Then let's not talk about it," said Hornet in relief. "Trust me."
A thought came to Alex's mind. "Hey, um, Hornet…can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
Alex quickly gulped down the last of their drink before turning to him. "How did you become a criminal?"
[2:27 - End of Song]
That question caught Hornet off-guard, nearly dropping his fork. Alex's dark eyes shone in interest, studying the little bug before them. Inspecting the tough-as-leather jacket. The bright colors despite being a dark criminal himself. They say these leather jackets weren't meant for the good ones. Hornet glanced back at Mira and she seemed to be interested as well.
Alex let their mouth run, explaining their wonder.
"Well, it surprises me that…you would become one since you're not that much of a bad guy." Alex took a verbal step back, holding their hands up. "Wait! Not like that! You're not that mean or rude or…you know. A lot of people like taking the look of the rebellious 'bad guy', such as…me for example? But outside of appearances, it surprised me that your business already helped many. And aren't you still…a robber?"
Hornet had no idea how to respond to such a question like this. Nearly everyone asked this question, usually from reporters and those who never engaged in criminal activity. His reason came too close to home for him, especially telling what might have led him to it.
An empty feeling developed. One of isolation. He remembered really clearly. He closed his eyes and shook his head. He didn't want to be sad over what was already done. He didn't want to go back.
Mira noticed Hornet's body slouching a little. Subtle, but it was noticeable. A slow reveal of what was underneath his stoic facade. She bit her lip and looked away, not wanting to invade his privacy.
Hornet saw this and reminded himself of how she had entered his and the Bad Guys' lives. He glanced at Moe tilting his head, reminding him about his journey. And Hornet reflected on his own. Then, he remembered something that brought light to the question. He took a deep breath and gave the best explanation possible without revealing anything too personal.
"I'm not really a good guy," he admitted. "I don't think of myself as that. It seems to have worked out for you, but it doesn't….work on my end. Maybe what I'm doing is a step towards that, but not to be a full hero. It's not always easy to be fully good when you have a lot of people who can take advantage of that."
Alex was about to apologize, but Hornet smiled at them.
"It's not all too bad," he reassured. "I picked the right crowd as a criminal. The Bad Guys are my family, as they helped me become who I am today. I didn't make that many friends before, so they brought me to new adventures."
"...even when they start trying to redeem a little?" asked Alex.
"I'm still trying to get used to it," said Hornet, rubbing one of his antennas. "But we are not splitting up. It means a lot to all of us. They mean a lot to me. It's also how I met Webs and Piranha before officially joining the Bad Guys."
Mira leaned in closely, interested. "How so?"
"In a nutshell, when we were young. I met Webs first when she was supposed to be in high school. She was a teen prodigy. Chill back then, but she loved hopping in first. She almost tried to eat me too. Back then, Piranha just moved into the country and he pretty much wanted to take whatever he could find from the 'American Dream'. He was crazier back then."
Hornet laughed to himself at the memory of him and Webs first meeting Piranha. He remembered the adorable fish bouncing around them with many plans to wreak havoc in the streets. During their chats, Piranha sometimes sat down like a baby, kicking his legs whenever he got excited. It was at the time they tried starting their criminal careers, but Piranha was the least prepared. Apparently, being a street brawler came with more physical consequences.
It was such a nostalgic contrast to now, which made Hornet miss the good old days.
Mira noted that Hornet wasn't tense. He must have felt safe telling all of this. Of how he met the Bad Guys. This got her wondering about the youngest members of the Bad Guys.
"Did it work out for any of you?" asked Mira.
Hornet chuckled. "Not that much. I think I ended up needing to wait an hour while an angry mob tried to attack me from below. Piranha lost a few teeth. Only when he joined the Bad Guys early was when he strategized properly. Webs was surprisingly cautious, though she was disgusted at herself for not taking daring leaps."
"And that would be when you and Webs joined the Bad Guys?" asked Alex. "He came in first before you two."
"Only a year later," said Hornet, taking another bite of his salad. "You know, probably staying in the criminal world for long also helps me get closer to Piranha."
"And when did you two start off? I heard how it's going, but never the beginning."
Mira resisted a snicker, knowing the rumors. However, Hornet didn't seem to notice, drifting off in deep romantic pleasure.
"Oh, it was a spectacular night one time," the little bug narrated. "We didn't even expect to tell each other's feelings when we went out drinking. It's so surreal that I nearly thought I was dreaming."
Many years ago at the same bar AND spot…
Hornet wasn't prepared for this when Piranha received a bottle of some kind of alcoholic drink. The dim lighting made it hard to read the labels, but it had to be alcoholic. With a small cup, Piranha poured a 'little' amount of the drink into his glass and sipped some. As the team's muscle, he never hesitated to try something not usually for his size.
"Hey, Hornet," offered Piranha with a grin. "Why don't you take a cup yourself?"
Hornet waved a hand, declining the offer. "Nah. I don't drink, remember? Trying not to get health risk."
"I get it," teased Piranha, offering an empty glass to him. "But you'll never know it's harmless unless you try it."
Hornet frowned, eyeing the glass that was three times higher than him. "Come on, Piranha. Seriously, I won't."
"Just one little drop," tempted Piranha with a big goofy grin. "One drop already has the cup of your size, but just a little bit."
Hornet sighed, taking out a straw to use. "Fine! Only to make you shut up."
The second Piranha poured the drink to fill in half the glass, Hornet took a long sip.
…after several glasses, both Piranha and Hornet were utterly and overwhelmingly drunk. The two Bad Guys were having trouble holding their glasses again, their vision impaired and blurry. Everything was spinning around them like it was a merry-go-round. Their bodies could melt to the ground like jelly.
However, it made them feel light-headed, like they were on an airplane. They could feel the clouds around them and all their worries disappearing.
It felt great.
It felt terrible.
"Y-You know," scolded Piranha, messily taking another sip. "I-I never t-thought-I never t-thought you could just l-l-leave us like that!"
"I d-didn't-I didn't leave y-you, guys!" replied the woozy Hornet. "I-I-I was only m-m-m-m-moving out to have my own, to have my own… business!" He took another sip, only for some to spill onto the floor. "It's not-it's not like I-I'm moving away f-f-from you guys, fooooorever~!"
"B-b-but you… still left!" whined Piranha. He was unable to cry. His head felt like it got smashed by a heavier object. "After all those years we t-t-took care of y-y-you, you didn't w-want to, you still didn't want to s-s-s-s-stay with us~."
"Noooo!" reassured Hornet, taking one last shot. "No, Piranha…nooo, you guys w-will always b-be my family. You are always b-be my best friends, n-no matter what~!"
Piranha laughed hysterically while slamming a fist on the table. "Why d-don't I f-f-feel like it?"
Hornet turned to Piranha with tired eyes. "W-What is u-u-up with y-y-you? W-W-Why do you think t-t-that I would l-l-l-leave you guys all of a sudden? W-What's the big deal?"
"T-T-There's, there's no big deal!"
Even when drunk, Hornet wondered how Piranha was feeling right now, especially how he blabbered about Hornet leaving the team. But it wasn't about the team. It was about something else.
"Ooooooohhhhh…" groaned Hornet, hovering forwards. "Are you…are you wo-worried that I w-would leave you~?"
"N-N-Noooooooo!" insisted Piranha, shaking his head. "I-I don't know what you're t-t-talking about?"
The little fish turned his head away from Hornet, but the latter immediately knew what this meant. He rolled his eyes and with a smirk, flew onto Piranha's lap. When close enough, he held onto Piranha's hand gently…well, as gently as possible.
"Come on, Piranha~," cooed Hornet. "I-I don't know if you, if you know, but…I sorta, I sorta…I sorta like you~."
Despite being drunk, Piranha snapped out of his dizziness to ask, "You-You do?"
"I do, since I first met you~," confessed Hornet, nodding. "S-So, even though I-I left our home, doesn't mean I-I would-I would leave you too~."
"Hornet, you…you have n-no idea how that makes me so happy." With a giddy smile and a sniff, Piranha lifted Hornet closer to his face. "I-I, I…l-I like you too. And…I, I don't know what I'll do…with-without you~."
"I'm-I'm always here, Piranha. I'm always here. Y-Y-You want me to prove it~?"
"Oh, n-n-no, I…"
"Come here, come here~."
Despite Piranha's size, Hornet was able to grab Piranha's lips and pull him closer, kissing him. Eventually, Piranha found himself so lost in the kiss that they remained like this for a while in grand passion.
Their heads tilted in opposite directions before releasing for just half a second.
And kissed again.
A couple of light smooches that replicated the blissful sounds of kisses and glitter sparkling on their cheeks. Hornet kissed Piranha a little harder, wanting more.
"You're so feisty~," said Piranha in between kisses.
Hornet then pulled away with a lovely look. "W-Wanna take this kiss to…to the next level~?"
"Mmm, I thought you never ask~," hummed Piranha hungrily.
And so, Piranha got off his seat and the two of them decided to leave the bar for the night, spending it on an epic finale that was never seen from the curtains.
"There were only a few things that I remembered," said Hornet, grinning widely. "Aside from stealing the motel keys from one of the guests and that smooth skin of Piranha, it was nearly…a blur. Like a blackout. A dreamless sleep. But we did see we went a little too far when we woke up. From there on, we went steady with our dates. Tried not to go into a bigger temptation yet. For what it's worth…" He trailed off, looking at the small golden ring wrapped around his finger. "...it was a great adventure."
Alex's eyes were sparkling, bearing the look of a child discovering pure fantasy. Their cheeks were turning red at the thought of what Hornet and Piranha did that night. It reminded them a lot of the romantic sitcoms they watched. However, hearing Hornet tell them that he and Piranha were really happy together with no complications was a dream.
Like any Gen Z teenager, Alex started wishing for a relationship like this, their face blushing.
Moe didn't seem to understand what Hornet and Piranha exactly did that night. To him, it was 'sleeping together' much like how he curled next to Wolf when sleeping. He wondered why Hornet looked satisfied by his 'sleep' with Piranha.
On the other hand, Mira was giving Hornet an all-too-knowing smirk. "Good thing he didn't rip you to pieces when you guys were in that state."
"I think Piranha was trying to be careful with me because, even though he's drunk, he knows I'm too small and fragile." Hornet sighed dreamingly, his eyes sparkled in glitter and cartoon hearts. "That's what I like about him. He's so humble…"
"So this must be how true love feels like," said Alex, rubbing their eyes in thought they were tearful. "I would like a ring on my finger."
"Yeah and it's wonderful," said Hornet. "Though, I'm assuming you were in love before?"
"A lot," admitted Alex. "Though, it jumps to being not my type every time."
"I'll say, Piranha must be the right type for you, Hornet," teased Mira.
Hornet's eyes widened once he realized who he just told.
"You…you didn't write any of that down, did you?" he asked, slowly turning around.
The journalist was struggling to wipe that smile off her face. "Noooooo?"
Hornet rubbed his face. "I just said the whole thing, did I?"
"Oh yes!" hissed Mira, pumping a fist upwards. "The rumors aren't false after all! And yet, I thought Twitter was spitting nonsense! I wondered if something like this would happen again."
Hornet rolled his eyes. "OK, Mira. Though, as a friend, I ask you not to share this in the gossip section. BUT if I spot any funny business, especially around Governor Foxington, I'll leave a LITERAL eye in your wardrobe to see what's in your normal life."
Mira's smile dropped and she gently nudged Moe away for some reason.
"Anyway!" said Alex, trying to change the topic. "I also want to ask: was the criminal world a nice place? In the sense that…there are not many people who tried to…take advantage of you? I-I don't mean to offend you. It's just…a lot of danger in this career?"
Hornet nodded. "I'll admit that there is a lot I don't trust and if it scares you, then I cannot really blame you."
Alex shifted a little. "I'm not scared."
"It's alright. I know as well. It's…a dangerous world when you're not ready."
"I just don't know if doing things your way would help us get to where we want," admitted Alex. "It's all about successes, right? Everyone's a competition."
"My competition?" said Hornet, tilting his head. "It's been a while since I have fellow rivals, if you don't count police cops. I had some run-ins with the bad kind of criminals, but in the end, I found myself safe in a good spot. Some coins can be left behind, I suppose."
"Then how come…you…make it look a bit easy? It's incredible that you and the Bad Guys achieved a lot." Alex rubbed the side of their head anxiously. "I'm worried about how things might go the longer I stay here."
Hornet gave them a reassuring smile. "Put it this way: it was encouraging to me that you took a step in coming here. And I'm sorry if I didn't tell you or think of that earlier. It would and still is dangerous. But you took the risk of finding reliable help in those alleys. I was in your shoes before, though everyone has a different approach. Maybe someday you might even find your own gang to turn to. It might get messy when in these 'edgy zones', but someday, you'll thank them for their blessings to support you. Once a loner, never a loner."
Alex took a few seconds to believe it. They would have continued to feel intimidated for long, but Hornet's reassurance was surprisingly genuine to them. Offering them a chance that they might even find the right people to turn to.
And they did since they turned to Hornet, who aided them when any other mercenary would turn a blind eye. Alex didn't know much about the bonds between criminals, but if what Hornet said was true, then maybe it wouldn't need to be too perfect with seeing the Bad Guys eye-to-eye.
They beamed brightly, feeling more confident than earlier in the morning.
Mira felt she should have known this before, but she didn't know how to feel when Hornet said all aloud. Moe was already nuzzling underneath her chin, finished with his drink. As she stroked the orange tabby cat, seeing him reminded Mira of how she was immediately welcomed as an ally of the Bad Guys. But she had yet to engage in any risky activities to prove ready.
She admired Hornet and the Bad Guys for their teamwork, but she sometimes wondered if there was more behind that when she got in. Like if she wasn't close yet. Hornet telling his first beginnings nearly made her choke up since it was alike finding comfort in the people and…having a normal life as well.
"Hornet, I'm-I'm glad of you," said Mira, finding her voice. "This is one thing I like about you Bad Guys. They are a good family with a blessing, aren't they?"
The little bug blushed, rubbing one arm shyly. "Yeah, well, it's special to me."
The back of his jacket began buzzing and he whipped out his helmet. It was a notification coming from Piranha. Hornet immediately stuffed one of the salad tomatoes into his mouth and excused himself. The two humans nodded and turned to each other as Hornet flew off. Moe was nearly inclined to follow him, but he settled to rest near Mira.
Hornet went to the far back of the bar, right into the hallway where the bathrooms should be. And the exit as well, apparently. He thought that it was a call from Piranha. But when he placed his helmet on and checked the notification list, it was only a text message.
sorry, abejorro unable to talk much tonight can only do small chat here. - Piranha
Hornet felt a little miserable that he wouldn't have a voice call with Piranha. However, he was confused as to how Piranha wrote in text. Normally, it would be lengthy and full of energy. There didn't seem to be any joy in it.
The little bug hummed, pressing buttons on his helmet to type in a text.
r u alright, sweetie? - Hornet
Piranha's message came back immediately.
i'm fine - Piranha
is there anything you want to tell me? - Hornet
nothing it's all good on my side what about you? - Piranha
Hornet was beginning to feel worried. It could mean that on Piranha's end, it wasn't pretty. He made a mental note to ask questions to Diane for this 'mission' she sent the Bad Guys on. But it might be something else as well. However, the little bug didn't know what to ask further. Deciding to tell what he found first, he started typing in his next message.
"C'mon, my queen!" whined a voice from the exit entrance. "That place is certain doom! We can't get through that security!"
"Not to mention the sick!" said another voice, sounding more firm.
There was a low grumble coming from a woman. "OK, fine. You two are no fun. If you say so…then we can proceed without needing Professor Marmalade."
"Marmalade?" squeaked out Hornet.
This didn't sound like good news at all.
A new lead.
As quietly as his wings could be, he flew to the exit entrance and peeked through the gap between the slightly opened door and the frame.
Only a dim lightbulb illuminated over three people talking in the dark dumpster alley. The bulky dumpsters would make good hiding spots for them to hide, but they didn't take cover from Hornet's eyesight. He thought of peeking closer but didn't want to risk it like a firefly close to fire. Squinting his eyes and using the helmet for night vision, he came to find familiar faces.
Actually, the term should be familiar outfits. The group of three reminded him of the two men he saw last night at the mall. They wore the same matching black leather vests and striped yellow and black shirts. They lacked the robotic makeover on their faces, however.
He could only identify the three individuals: one man with long black hair tied in a ponytail and pale skin, a Latino man with purple hair styled in a mohawk and an African American woman whose black dreadlocks with blue and turquoise streaks tied in a bun with the rest of her hair flowing. The woman's vest was surprisingly smaller, reaching the middle of her torso. It could nearly look like her only top if it weren't for her shirt.
"Speaking of which," said the Latino man. "Are you sure we need more Sunnyside Lab researchers? They're already dropping one by one. Your little 'experiment' has been going redundantly too long. We know it is enough to kill Splaarghön."
Hornet's heart skipped a beat. He audibly gulped. Dealers. What was their business with the former researchers?
And who's Splaarghön?
The woman could only laugh, shaking her head. "Oh man, you REALLY have no idea what will come. Those researchers keep running, so it's unfortunate they have to disappear from the face of the planet. But we cannot stop by there. The more we have in numbers, the more we'll succeed with harnessing the power of the Eden Apples."
The Latino man sighed. "You're crazy."
This only elicited a creepy laugh from the woman as she leaned forward to him. "Not the first time I heard it. You'll be thanking me, honey."
The Latino man nearly stepped away but crossed his arms in defiance. "All I ask is that you think about it."
The man with the pale skin muttered something in Russian. With no other reason to argue back, the two men leave. The woman took a few steps forward but stopped to gaze at the starry sky.
Finally, in full view for Hornet to see, he noticed the punk-rock aesthetic she embodied: a pair of black fingerless gloves, a brown belt with a silver buckle, a pair of black pants with a rip on the left side and a pair of dark brown leather boots. Simple yet tough.
Deja vu for Hornet. What was up with these people wearing leather jackets and striped shirts? Why now telling him they were involved with the former Sunnyside Labs researchers?
And then, it hit him. The footage Mira found from the mall's security footage.
Out of the shadow entered a dark figure. It was nearly hard to distinguish the face, but they could see that the person was wearing a leather vest. Another guy popped out in front of Susan, also wearing a leather vest. Susan appeared to be calm as the two men approached her.
It couldn't really be. Sunnyside Labs wouldn't hire bikers or drug dealers to kidnap their associates. But the three people he heard just now might be involved with Susan's disappearance and even behind the Eden Apples.
Susan must have been in contact with them for a long time due to her calm approach. When two of them confronted her the night she disappeared.
The mysterious woman didn't leave just yet. It was nearly hard to tell due to her blank look, but her eyes were wide like an animal. She briefly scanned her surroundings without moving her arms, finding new prey to play with. Her chest was heaving up and down, seemingly growing faster. Her lips opened to reveal her clenched, sharp teeth, matching her clenched fist.
And then, a rat jumped right on top of the dumpster. The woman turned her head to it, picking it up gently. She let it sniff her as it rested on her palms. She didn't react at all. Her hands did as one hand wrapped its fingers around the rat. The rat suddenly began to panic, feeling unsafe. Hornet didn't see the problem until he heard crackling.
The woman barely reacted at all as she strangled the poor rat. Especially when her left eye began glitching. From white to blue. From a regular black pupil to a demonic yellow pupil.
Unable to look, Hornet hid away in the safety of the brighter interior. There was a loud scream, crunching and something wet splattering on the concrete road. A chill came back through Hornet, his heartbeat speeding up. He was already thinking about what happened to the rat. All he feared was the exact image of the hornet that attacked him…
As he dared to, he peeked back out. The rat was nowhere to be seen. The woman appeared normal…minus the blood spots that landed beneath her lips.
In some sick pleasure, she licked it and brought the blood into her mouth. Tasting it, she grinned sadistically and walked away.
A paranoid Hornet continued staring at the empty dark alley, alone in his heavy breathing.
AN: This somehow feels like it should be the last chapter of this act! Talk about a cliffhanger!
This is where a few things start to build up with new problems. I figured that the Victoria Police shouldn't be involved and thus, them ordered to stand down plays a huge role. While I don't think I have explored this more later on, Gumbo embodies the confusion. It's way more complicated than he thought. I like writing his conversation with his boss since it gives insight into the kind of person he is.
Hornet, Mira and Alex meeting up at Chrome Bar take some inspiration from both Sonic the Hedgehog movies, though the Chrome Bar was already introduced in No Decision Goes Unpunished. This here is where I revealed the bar's full title. Given how much had happened, I figured that the three would need to unwind and have a little fun talking with each other. I originally planned for them to dance but ended up having them chat. But it still works since there's a lot to learn more!
Additionally, this is where his history with Piranha and Webs and when they joined the Bad Guys in this AU is addressed. The flashback with Hornet and Piranha getting completely wasted is a scene made by Rally! She came up with it when proposing how they became a couple in this AU. Thank you, mate! It was a fantastic scene!
And for those curious about the mysterious woman with the dreadlocks, that's actually another canon character. So far, we have Splaarghön, Shaård and Dr. Drillaärgh. Say hello to this AU's version of Undelord Onsàáy! Yes, it's this AU's version of her in the story! And she's more brutal than what her book counterpart shows. This is a huge choice I decided to make with including her in the story and I'm excited to show more! But for now, I can reveal that me and Rally potentially see her being voiced by Kimberly Brooks, the voice for Bumblebee in DC Super Hero Girls!
What do you think of this chapter? Let me know in the reviews. Thank you for reading this chapter! If you enjoy this story so far, be sure to favorite or follow. Constructive criticism is appreciated, but if any flames, then it's down the drain.
Until next time, keep on rocking!