“SHOULD I BRING YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?” 

Johann asked the guy who just crashed his motorbike.

“Nope. Been there,” the guy said as he quickly stood up by pushing his legs upwards and swinging it forward and made himself bounce in the air. “I’m Clay. What’s your name?”

“Err… Johann…” he replied while being unsure. He seemed fine but Johann was unsure what happened to the demon behind him. He tries to look for it but Clay steps forward and holds his hand for a tight and fast handshake.

“Hello, Johann. Nice to meet ya!”

“Uh…”

Behind Johann, Clay can see a man who just got out of a building and was now panicking because his motorbike was stolen. Before the man noticed the two of them, Clay maneuvered Johann in another direction.

“Hey, let’s go grab a bite! I’m new in this town and I would like a quick tour!”

“But I’m—” Johann tried to protest.

“Come on! My treat!” Clay said while dragging him farther and farther away from the hospital. They ended up in a fast-food restaurant and Clay ordered a lot of food. Johann could not believe how Clay could eat so fast as if he was starving. Based on his overall look, Clay looks like a rich kid. He even saw he had enough money in his wallet. But Johann could not help but feel weird.

“Aren’tchu hungree?” Clay asked while his mouth was full.    

They were sitting near a glass window and Johann could see other people busy walking on the streets. There is a bank and a jewelry store nearby. It reminded him of his birthday.

I wonder if I should buy another amulet.

“Hey! What are you thinking about?” Clay said as he tapped the table in front of Johann.

“Nothing. Are you a… tourist?”

“Sorta.”

“Where are you from?”

“Actually…” Clay said while unwrapping another food. “I forgot where I came from. I travel a lot and rarely stay in one place so…” Clay shrugged before biting on another hamburger. He seemed to be enjoying his meal. “How about you?”

Johann was about to think of an answer when he noticed someone run away from inside the bank building. Then a loud alarm can be heard from everywhere. Some people panicked while some crew locked the doors of the fast food chain they were in.

“W-what’s going on?” Johann asked one female crew member.

“Bank robbery. It’s the third attempt this year,” the female crew said while shaking.

Clay was already behind Johann and seemed to be intrigued.

“I guess the third time's the charm then.”

“You should stay down. If a shootout happened—hey!”

Clay opened the glass doors and went outside. He was walking towards the bank across from where they were. Johann could not help but grab his shoulder.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“To the robbery,” Clay said casually and honestly while looking back at Johann.

“What—are you crazy?”

“No,” Clay said while facing forward. “Just happy!”

Johann could do nothing but follow and watch Clay open the door that leads to the bank.

“My mom will definitely kill me,” he murmured as he thought of something to help and put themselves out of danger. 

“Your mom’s a killer?” Clay asked with an innocent look on his face as they walked. Johann was unsure if he was being serious. 

“No. I mean—”

As soon as they entered the bank, four masked men were holding guns. There are also three staff left. One of them is held as a hostage. A guard was shot in the leg. He was unconscious but seemed to be breathing. A negotiation seemed to be ongoing when they barged in and interrupted them.

Shit! I hope I can survive this.   

“Oh, I thought you’re at least half a dozen here,” Clay said while eyeing everyone. He made a gesture on his hands as if he was holding a binoculars. Someone grabbed his hoodie from behind and pointed a gun on his head.

The bank is small and filled with metal lockers. Some are already open so they can see the vintage jewelry inside. Some even have gold bars. It was the kind of bank that kept personal treasures or family heirlooms rather than cold hard cash.

One goon attacked Johann from the side but he managed to dodge and land a kick on his stomach before another one grabs a hold of him from behind.

“Who the hell are you?” one of the goons asked Clay who answered casually.

“I’m Clay. He’s Johann.”

“I’m not playing with you, you piece of shit! Are you working with the cops?!” the man yelled while pointing the gun on Clay’s head more firmly.

“Nah… I never worked with them. Too slow. And unreliable.”

It was the last line Johann heard before Clay moved fast to exchange placen with the one holding him. He moved to a position to see the one holding the hostage and the other staff trying to negotiate with the robbers. While bending the goon in a painful position, Clay used the gun the goon was still holding and shot everyone he set his eye on. Three were dead. The other two robbers were left shocked to see Clay move so fast. They dropped Johann and started firing their guns at Clay. Clay used the man he was holding as a shield. 

“Four down, two to go,” Clay said, which shocked Johann while he was covering his head as he ducked on the floor.

He was counting everyone inside the bank. He doesn't care if he killed someone innocent.

“Stop!” Johann yelled but gunshots drowned his words. The moment he looked up Johann saw Clay holding each arm of the robbers and let them fire their guns on each other. They lay like dolls on the tiled floor. Johann could not believe what just happened.

“What are you?” he asked while looking at Clay.

“Hmm? Me? You can’t tell?” Clay said while picking up a gun near him. Without warning he pointed it to Johann.

“A-are you a wanted criminal?” Johann could not help but ask so he could buy more time and look for an escape route. No one seemed to be alive at that moment except for him and Clay. He manages to stand but his movements are slow.

I need to make it to the door. But how? My legs felt like jelly. Damn! 

“Let’s just say… I don’t kill the innocents,” Clay said before glancing at the unconscious guard near the entrance.

“But those people—”

“Two of them are accomplices and were only acting out a part. While the other one, well, he was a pedophile and he deserved to rot in hell.”

“How do you know?”

“Oh, come on! I’m done pretending!” Clay yelled as if having a tantrum. 

He even stomped his feet once before he aimed his gun again. Johann saw his clear intent and knew he would be killed in that instant. Clay pulled the trigger. A loud gun shot was heard. Clay saw how Johann moved his head to avoid the bullet he fired. Still, a drop of blood fell on Johann’s cheek because the bullet grazed him. But the moment he opened his eyes it was no longer Johann. Clay smiled triumphantly. 

“Found ya!”

“Did you seriously try to shoot me in the head?” asked Cassian while reappearing from Johann’s body.