The next day, Lincoln was doing his usual deliveries after taking care of the thugs from last night. Lincoln used his new glider trick to return home; he and Ronnie Anne discussed that he may have exposed The Reaper to the public. Despite being active for three years, the general public heard nothing about The Reaper. This was a mystery, a puzzle the Enforcers had managed to keep hidden, suppressing knowledge of his existence and taking credit for operations he took down. The secrecy of The Reaper's existence was a key element, a puzzle that even the high-profile criminals were suppressing his existence if two assaulters didn't know about him.

"I'll have to fix that,"

Suddenly, Lincoln got a call from Ronnie Anne and answered it via his headset.

"Hey Ronnie, what's up?"

"Hey, Linc. I got a call from Mom a little while ago. Do you feel like having dinner at my mom's tonight?"

"Sure, I don't-wait, is she going to be there?"

"Lincoln, I know you don't want to stomach dealing with Lori, but for my mom, please,"

"Hey, I'm not the one who keeps picking fights over my being The Reaper,"

Lincoln's eldest sister, Lori, stands out among his siblings as the sole voice of dissent in his ongoing battle against The Serpent's Wheel. Unlike the others, she openly criticizes his actions, deeming him a hypocrite for adopting the vigilante role. Lori believes that by taking the law into his hands, Lincoln undermines the very principles he claims to uphold. This fundamental clash of ideals has created a palpable tension between them, prompting Lincoln to distance himself from Lori intentionally. She, in turn, is equally wary of their interactions, leading to a strained relationship marked by avoidance and unspoken hostility when near. Their once-close bond now hangs in the balance, overshadowed by conflicting beliefs about justice and morality. Locked in a cold war, each side silently dared the other to take it just one step too far.

"C'mon, Lincoln, look, Mom is a little lonely since Abuelo and Abuela went to Japunda, and she couldn't go."

"I understand, but it's getting to the point I don't want her in our wedding,"

"Please,"

"Fine, as long as Lori keeps her comments to herself,"

Later that night, Lincoln and Ronnie Anne headed to the Casagrande's apartment 2A, where Maria was busy preparing dinner.

"Hey, Mom, Lincoln, and I are here," Ronnie Anne called.

"Hello, Mija, can you help me in the kitchen?"

"Sure Mom,"

"Lincoln, could you pick up some supplies from the Hi 'N' Buy? Bobby closed the Mercado early to go get Lori,"

"Sure thing,"

Lincoln left while Ronnie Anne prepared to help her mother cook dinner.

"So Ronnie Anne, I saw some of Lincoln's handy work in the news today,"

"Yeah, the Enforcers are pretty pissed; three years of keeping The Reaper a secret is about to be undone,"

"Well, at first, I thought what he did to those men was a little overkill, but after hearing about how they tried to hurt that woman, it was well deserved,"

"Yeah,"

"But is the branding necessary?"

Ronnie Anne shrugged. "It's his calling card,"

Later.

After dinner, everyone sat at the table playing cards on the building's rooftop; Lincoln and Lori kept shooting dirty looks at each other. Bobby and Ronnie Anne tried their best to relieve the silent tension between their spouses.

"So Lincoln, I hear your parents are going to that island next week,"

"Yep, they are, but considering I don't trust Vic, I'm going with them,"

"Don't you think you've dragged our family down enough with your BS?" Lori mumbled.

"Lori!" Bobby quietly berated. "So, Nini, how is work?" Bobby said, changing the subject.

"Well, I have a new assignment that I'll be starting soon, but I have to work with Ramos,"

"Ugh, that jerk who keeps hitting on you and acts like he's better than Lincoln?!" Maria complains.

"Don't worry, I can handle that jerk. Wouldn't be the first time."

"I wouldn't know how to deal with a situation like that," Lori commented.

"Lucky for you, you don't have to worry about that because Bobby is the only guy on this planet who can still find you attractive even after getting to know you," Lincoln mumbled.

Lincoln and Lori gave each other hard stares; everyone could see the silent tension boiling.

"So, Ronnie Anne, isn't there something you can do about him?" Bobby asked, trying to ease tension.

"HR can't do much for two reasons: 1. His daddy is a high-ranking politician and veteran who donates to the Enforcers, and 2. Even though he's a creep, he's good at his job,"

"Maybe he isn't a creep; maybe he just sees what everyone else refuses to acknowledge,"

"Lori!" Bobby growled.

"No-no, Bobby, let her finish; what do you and Ramos see, Lori?!" Lincoln asked.

"Well, I see a dangerous criminal pretending to be a hero when all he's doing is beating up others and branding them, someone who shouldn't be anywhere near children, especially mine, and thinks he's above the law!" Lori snapped. "But even though I never met this Ramos, he and I agree on one thing! You're not good enough for Ronnie Anne!"

Lori's harsh words struck everyone like a cold wave, leaving a palpable silence in their wake, and even she was momentarily taken aback by the weight of her own venomous comments. Across the table, Lincoln's expression shifted ominously; his eyes began to darken, the sclera deepening to an inky black while his pupils ignited with a vivid, almost unnatural orange glow.

Lisa discovered this bizarre phenomenon after discovering she couldn't remove the cybernetics. A side effect of the cybernetic enhancements embedded within Lincoln's body was not merely for show but intricately tied to his emotions. Whenever his anger escalated beyond a crucial threshold, those eerie, fiery pupils served as a warning—a visual manifestation of his growing rage. In that tense moment, the atmosphere thickened with apprehension as everyone braced for the storm brewing within him.

"I knew you were going to do it; I knew you were going to come out and say something—!"

"Lincoln, your eyes!" Ronnie Anne informed.

Lincoln took a deep breath before pulling out a pair of shades and covering his eyes, knowing they wouldn't return to normal until he calmed down.

"Thank you for dinner, Ms. Santiago," Lincoln thanked while getting up from the table and grabbing his backpack.

"Lincoln, you shouldn't walk away angry,"

"Mom, he needs this,"

"Bobby, say hi to Loreline and Hector for me, Ronnie Anne; I'll see you home,"

Lincoln walked to the edge of the roof before standing on top.

"Get this through your pointed head, Lori; my life is my business, and your life is your business, so why don't we do each other a favor and stay out of each other's business?"

"Lincoln…I,"

"No, Lori, I didn't deserve that, just like I didn't deserve to be ignored when I needed help or tortured for three months. But what I really don't deserve is a sister like you. So I'll tell you right now, since you think I don't deserve to be with Ronnie Anne, I'll save you the trouble of seeing us get married,"

"Lincoln-I,"

"Goodnight, Lori!"

Before Lori could gather her thoughts to respond to the realization that her brother had kicked her out of his wedding, Lincoln took a deep breath and leaped off the roof. He plunged into the narrow alleyways between the two shadowy buildings, quickly disappearing into the darkness. Heart racing, Lori sprinted to the rooftop's edge, her eyes wide with concern and awe. Just as she reached the ledge, she saw Lincoln's grapple line shoot up into the night sky, almost like a shooting star.

He instantly transformed into The Reaper, his dark costume billowing around him as he soared upward, gliding effortlessly through the cool night air. Lori stood frozen, her heart heavy as she watched her brother fade into the inky blackness. A rush of regret and shame surged within her, gnawing at her conscience for the harsh words she had spoken.

However, before she could fully process the whirlwind of emotions, she was jolted back to reality by the stinging impact of a slap across her face. Her sister-in-law, Ronnie Anne, stood there with fury in her eyes. The harshness of the moment left Lori momentarily dazed, caught between the regret of losing Lincoln and the anger radiating from Ronnie Anne.

"You just couldn't keep your stupid comments to yourself, could you!?" Ronnie Anne yelled. "Who the hell gave you the right to tell him he's not worthy of being with me?!" Ronnie Anne growled. "Ever since Lincoln decided to do this, all you've done is verbally bash and insult him! You're supposed to be his sister, Lori, not his worst enemy, and I'm sick of it!"

"Ronnie Anne, look at him; look at what he did to those two men last night! Trying to play hero, and now he's selfishly showing off to get attention from everyone!"

"So he was supposed not to make a couple of rapists pay for what they were doing?!"

"He should've called the Enforcers!"

"It was 3:00 in the damn morning! Do you actually believe they would have shown up in time?! What was he supposed to do, stand there and wait for the Enforcers to arrive?! What if it had been you or any of your sisters in that woman's position?! Would you be happier if he just stood there and watched while waiting for the Enforcers?!"

"I…I,"

"I bet you didn't even bother to read the whole story; you just saw two guys that Lincoln beat up and thought this justifies your stupid self-righteous BS,"

"I…I,"

"It's been three years, Lori, THREE…YEARS! Since he became The Reaper, if he was so starved for attention, why would he break his anonymity now!? Or let the Enforcers take credit for his successes this long?"

"Well, I,"

"And you're the last person here who should ever call anyone selfish when it's your fault Lincoln was kidnapped in the first place!"

"Ronnie Anne!" Bobby said.

"No, Bobby, she needs to hear this," Maria defended.

The summer day Lincoln was kidnapped, he was out riding his bike in Tall Timbers Park when he got a flat tire. Unable to ride home, Lincoln called Lori to pick him up since the rest of the family was busy in Great Lake City, and Lori was closer. Unfortunately, Lori refused to come, stating she was too tired and that he could just walk home. Suffice it to say Lincoln never made it home, but his bike was found the next day, starting a three-month search for him.

"That's right, somebody had to say it finally! None of this would be happening if you had just gotten off your ass and gone to get him when he called you for help, but instead, you couldn't be bothered and told him to fend for himself!"

"I didn't mean for that to happen; it wasn't like it was his first time walking home from Tall Timbers Park,"

"That doesn't change the fact that it's still your fault because you ignored him! Whether or not he puts on that costume doesn't change the fact that it's still your fault!"

Lori said nothing but continued taking her verbal beating from Ronnie Anne.

"But how dare you side with that pig over your own brother!" Ronnie Anne berated. "You think Lincoln doesn't deserve me? No, the truth is you don't deserve a brother like him or a husband like Bobby because my brother would never tear me down or hurt me like you did to Lincoln," Ronnie Anne said, her voice calming. "If you hate Lincoln so much that you'd say to his face how I'm better off with a pig who only wants me out of entitlement, then I agree with Lincoln; you shouldn't attend my and Lincoln's wedding in September! You have no business at the wedding that you believe shouldn't be happening in the first place!"

Ronnie Anne walked away, leaving Lori stunned as she returned to her mother and brother, who were watching.

"Mom, I'm sorry dinner ended like this, but I've got to go and catch up to Lincoln,"

"I understand, mija. Bobby, can you help me with something back downstairs in the apartment? I think Lori needs some time alone to reflect on herself,"

…Later…

While driving home, Ronnie Anne, still fuming, angered over Lori's words.

"I can't believe her,"

Ronnie Anne didn't want Lincoln to be The Reaper either, and anyone who knew didn't want him to. But they understood why Lincoln wore that costume and did what he did. Everyone at least showed support and encouragement when Lincoln needed it. Lori, however, offered nothing but hurtful criticism. Lincoln constantly tried not to react to Lori's words, but she finally struck the wrong nerve this time. Suddenly, Ronnie Anne heard a call coming in on her Enforcer band regarding an ongoing incident not too far from where she was. Deciding to go, Ronnie Anne headed to the scene only to find dozens of Enforcer cars and a crowd standing outside a building in the upper-class part of Great Lake City; grabbing her badge and her gun, she made her way to the front to see other enforces trying to keep the blocking crowd from a gruesome sight. A man's body was lying on top of a destroyed car, his body crushed from the impact.

"Agent Santiago, what happened here?"

"That guy was thrown from his balcony on the 25th floor half an hour ago; the guy who did it is still held up in the apartment."

Suddenly, a woman came rushing through.

"Let me through; he's gonna kill my baby!" the woman screamed.

The woman looked about Carlota's age as she tried to get past the Enforcers.

"Please let me through! He already killed my boyfriend; don't let him take my baby too!" she begged.

"Ma'am, let us handle it,"

"Ma'am, tell me what's going on right now!" Ronnie Anne said, showing her badge.

"Okay—okay. My name is Karen Kaven. The man who did this is my ex-husband Brent. We divorced 2 years ago, and I had full custody of our 12-year-old daughter; he had visitation, but I had to cut it this morning after he attacked my boyfriend the other day. He's a violent sociopath; look at what he did to my boyfriend, Rick!"

"Start from the beginning, and be quick,"

"Okay, I dropped my daughter off at my boyfriend's apartment to look after her while I headed to work; an hour and a half later, I got a call that someone had broken into my Rick's apartment and thrown him off the balcony onto my ex-husband's car. I rushed home and found a whole block in chaos and my boyfriend dead on top of that car,"

"Which apartment is he in?" Ronnie Anne asked.

"Apartment Y7,"

"Why aren't you guys moving? A child is in danger,"

"We received orders from the Lt. commander to wait until SWAT arrived."

Ronnie Anne knew there was no time to wait for a SWAT to show up, so she decided to take matters into her own hands. Returning to her car, she drove away from the crowd and into a secluded alley. Ronnie Anne got to the 25th floor using a back entrance and the elevator. Luckily, she didn't have to look for the door for long as it was already broken. Sneaking in, Ronnie Anne heard footsteps as she walked through the apartment. The apartment was extravagant, like her friend Laird would live in. Now, it looked like a mess, turned upside down by what seemed like a struggle, and culminated with a man being thrown out the balcony window. Ronnie Anne could see a man pacing in front of a window.

"Look what that bitch has done, and that bastard died too quickly,"

"Freeze! Enforcers!"

The man turns to see Ronnie Anne holding a gun, causing him to back away. Ronnie Anne could see that the man looked about Bobby's age but was also covered in cuts and bruises; it was apparent the two men fought before the victim was killed.

"Don't move! Where is the girl!"

"She's in the back room hiding in the closet, but please listen to me; this isn't what it looks like!" The man pleaded, clearly scared now that there was a gun in his face.

"Really? Because it looks to me like you broke into your ex-wife's boyfriend's apartment and threw him off his balcony window,"

"Okay, that is what happened, but I had a reason for why I did what I did!"

"They all do. So, by all means, tell us," said a voice behind the man.

Startled, the man turned around to see a figure cloaked in orange and gray with a menacing appearance.

"What the hell are you?!"

"The Reaper, and if you don't want to know why I'm called that the hard way, I suggest you keep talking," Lincoln said in his Reaper voice.

While training to become The Reaper, Lincoln learned how to change his voice, a skill he didn't learn from Myrtle but from his sister Luan, to better separate his two personas. If anyone could teach him that, it was a ventriloquist. Ronnie Anne was slightly off guard since she didn't see Lincoln coming.

"Keep talking!"

"I-I, look, this morning, my parental visitation rights were revoked after I punched that bastard the other night, but I only did that because he made a sexual joke about my daughter. I was driving an hour ago when I got a call from an unknown number; it was my daughter calling for help; she told me that the bastard was trying to hurt her, but she locked herself in his bathroom," the man explained. "I rushed here and broke in; the moment I got inside, I heard my daughter screaming from the back room. I rushed in and found that bastard on top of my daughter, trying to undress her. I don't remember what happened next; the next thing I remember was throwing him through that window and out about over the balcony,"

"Do you have any proof?" Ronnie Anne asked.

"His phone, my daughter Crystal called me from his phone, and that's how I learned the entire truth,"

"Which is?"

"That pedophile and that bitch were never in a relationship; she was trying to pimp our daughter out to him for a large sum of money," the man revealed. "That's why he goaded me into that fight so that I would lose my visitation rights. It's all in the text messages,"

"Where is the phone?" Ronnie Anne asked.

"Crystal has it in the closet,"

"I'll get it," Ronnie Anne said, putting her gun away.

Ronnie Anne headed to the closet she found and opened it, revealing a scared 12-year-old girl hiding in the corner clutching a phone.

"Don't be afraid, Crystal, I'm one of the good guys," Ronnie Anne said, showing her badge.

"Is he gone? Is my dad okay?"

"Yes, He told me what happened. Is that the man's phone in your hand?"

"Yes,"

"Can I see it?"

"I accidentally closed it after my dad told me to wait in the closet,"

"That's no problem, sweetie. I know someone who can open it,"

Gaining Crystal's trust, she handed over the phone before walking out of the room with Ronnie Anne and into her father's arms. Crystal became afraid again upon seeing Lincoln, but Ronnie Anne quickly eased her fear.

"Don't be afraid of him; only bad guys should be afraid of him,"

"Are you a superhero?" Crystal asked, getting only a nod from Lincoln.

"You look like that vampire from that book,"

"Great another one!" Lincoln thought.

"I need this unlocked,"

Lincoln activated Yoon, having him hack the phone from the chest compartment unlocking it. Ronnie Anne immediately went through the text messages and found that everything that had been said before was true, which angered her.

"How could someone do this to their child!?"

"Brent Kaven, you have 5 minutes to come downstairs and surrender with your daughter, or SWAT will come after you and bring you out dead or alive," called a voice.

"Looks like that creep finally gave the okay, and knowing him, dead or alive, isn't as optional as he wants us to think it is,"

"Take them downstairs, show them the evidence," Lincoln instructed.

"What about you?" Ronnie Anne asked.

"I'll be close by,"

"4 minutes!"

"Go all of you, now!"

Ronnie Anne led Brent and Crystal downstairs. Ronnie Anne stepped out first, telling the SWAT to stand down before Brent and Crystal walked out. Crystal caught a glimpse of her mother smiling arrogantly, which caused her to cling to her father more. One Enforcer approached, attempting to arrest Brent, but was stopped by Ronnie Anne.

"That man is a murderer,"

"This man is no murderer; he was acting in defense of his child, whose mother tried to prostitute her to the victim,"

"That—that's not true, I would never!" The mother protested.

"The proof is in the victim's phone," she said, handing the evidence to the enforcer. "If he needs to be taken into custody, okay, after he and his daughter have been treated at the hospital, but the mother needs to be arrested now!"

The Enforcers moved to arrest Karen, but she pulled out a gun, causing the crowd to scatter. "You little brat! You ruined everything again! And you should've stayed out of my business bitch!" Karen screamed, firing at Ronnie Anne.

The bullets were hurtling towards Ronnie Anne with terrifying speed, a deadly hail of lead that seemed impossible to evade. Time seemed to slow down as the projectiles sliced through the air, their trajectory aimed directly at her. A gasp of horror escaped the crowd as they watched, frozen in fear, anticipating the inevitable impact.

Suddenly, a blur of orange and gray erupted onto the scene, a figure materializing seemingly out of thin air. With lightning-fast reflexes, the mysterious man, clad in a striking costume and wielding a pair of wickedly sharp sickles, intercepted the bullets. The metallic clang of metal against lead reverberated through the air as the projectiles were deflected, their deadly paths altered. Initially stunned into silence, the crowd erupted in a chorus of gasps and exclamations, their eyes wide with disbelief.

The most shocking revelation, however, was the identity of their unexpected savior. As the dust settled, the figure stepped forward, revealing himself to be none other than the enigmatic Reaper. The sight of him, the vigilante very few had only heard whispers of, standing before them in flesh and blood sent shockwaves through the onlookers. A palpable sense of awe and fear mingled in the air as they witnessed the Reaper's extraordinary abilities firsthand.

"What the hell is that guy supposed to be? Some kind of cosplayer?" a person in the crowd asked.

Shocked initially, Karen tried to shoot again, but Lincoln dashed at her, slicing the gun into pieces in her hand. Shocked, Karen couldn't react in time before being grabbed by the throat and tossed to Ronnie Anne's feet.

"What kind of mother tries to sell her daughter off as a sex slave!?"

"The kind who never wanted to be one in the first place! I never wanted her, my life was perfect until she came along. Then suddenly everything was about her; she was his world, not me!" she growled. "Even after I divorced him, hoping he'd beg for me to take him back, all he cared about was Crystal, so I knew I needed to make them both hurt, that when I met Rick, he wanted her and offered me a lot of money finally that little bitch was worth something, but you all ruined it,"

Crystal teared up. "Mommy?"

"Don't call me that, I hate you! You ruined my life—I fucking despise–" Karen's rant was cut short by a punch to the face by Ronnie Anne.

"I've had my fill of selfish family members tonight; take this bitch away and get that worthless carcass out of here," Ronnie Anne commands.

Ronnie Anne then walked over to Brent, who was comforting a sad Crystal.

"Listen, you two are going to be taken to the ambulance to be checked out, but once that's done, you're going to be taken to Enforce HQ for questioning, but given she just confessed to everything, you should be okay, but Crystal is going to need someone like family to take her until you're cleared,"

"My cousins Cheryl and Meryl can look after her,"

Ronnie Anne was surprised to learn that Brent was related to Cheryl and Meryl.

"Hey, what do we do about this guy?" an Enforcer asked, pointing his gun at Lincoln.

"Don't worry, I was just leaving,"

Lincoln expertly launches a grapple line, the mechanism clicking into place as it secures the building's edge. With a burst of adrenaline, he begins his rapid ascent, his muscles straining against the effort as he scales the side of the towering structure. Captivated onlookers whip out their phones, capturing every thrilling moment as he climbs higher, their excitement palpable.

At the halfway point, Lincoln seizes the opportunity to activate his boost, a surge of energy propelling him upward with astonishing speed. The rush of wind whips around him as he slingshots himself skyward, momentarily defying gravity. With a deft maneuver, he activates his cape, which unfurls majestically behind him like the wings of a bat. Gliding effortlessly through the air, he casts a final glance at the crowd below, who are left spellbound and cheering at this breathtaking display of agility and skill.

"No turning back now." Ronnie Anne thought.

…Hours later, at the Enforcer Holding Cells…

Karen was sitting in an isolated cell, fuming over everything.

"That little bitch ruined everything again; I was so close to being rich, leaving this miserable life behind, and starting a new life worthy of me. But that Enforcer bitch and costumed asshole got in my way," Karen growled. "That clown is going to pay!" Karen vowed before the lights flickered.

"By all means, make me pay!" replied a voice.

Startled, Karen turned to see the same costumed man standing in her cell, leaning against the cell door. Before Karen could react, Lincoln grabbed her by the throat before slamming her against the wall.

"What…do…you want!?" Karen struggled to say.

"Nothing, just tying up a loose end that I didn't want to do in front of your daughter!"

"Who… are you!?"

"I'll give you a hint!" Lincoln said in a terrifying whisper.

Outside the holding cell, two enforcers were playing cards when they suddenly heard a woman scream from inside one of the cells. They rushed in and to the cell. Opening it, they found Karen on the ground, clutching her face, screaming, "My face! What has he done to my face!"

One of the guards went to check her only to find a disturbing site: the image of a skull had been freshly burnt into her left cheek. However, that wasn't the only disturbing site as the second guard discovered writing carved into the wall reading only.

The Reaper.

…Later elsewhere…

In an unknown location, a man cloaked in shadow was sitting at his desk watching the footage of The Reaper scaling the building before flying from his laptop. A low, angry growl escaped his lips before a person ran into his office.

"Sir, have you seen social media?"

"Of course I have," the man said, standing up and revealing his towering figure as he walked to his window.

"I don't understand; after 3 years, why reveal himself to the public now?"

"It seems our enemy is tired of fighting in the shadows, but he wants to bring our war to the light; I'll make sure his death is a spectacle no one will ever forget for what he did to me!"

The Moon momentarily broke free from the grip of the thick, swirling clouds, casting a silvery glow that danced across the night sky. Its pale light fell gently upon the man's face, highlighting the rugged contours of his features. As the light touched him, it illuminated a prominent scar etched along his cheek—a striking mark shaped eerily like a skull.

End of CH. 3

Author's Note.

Lincoln's Reaper voice is Keith David's Goliath and Spawn's voice.

There is a deeper reason behind Lori's hatred for Lincoln's vigilantism.

The man at the end of the chapter has a deeper connection with Lincoln beyond his scar.