The Zeta Squad donned their robes once again and set out in search for the Keeper. Leading the way were the Seredums Erina, Eira, and Eila. On the other hand, the captain of the Zeta Squad had stayed behind. He was sitting at the Post along with his new prisoner cum recruit, the White Bolt.

“Nice move, clown,” said Vincent. “So, let’s talk. Because I’m not moving an inch without some answers.”

Hugo smiled. “I don’t think you have a choice,” he said then chuckled. “Like I mentioned to the Seredums, I am a student of Warren Ford as well.”

Vincent adjusted himself, sitting on a pile of rubble, and leaned ahead. “You knew him,” he said as his voice dropped an octave. “Don’t play games with me. He developed liquefaction in the last years of his life. Not many people know about it.”

The Zaatsu scratched his nose and looked away. Then, with his head bowed he said, “I used to go to his forest cabin in Kazakhstan quite frequently. Been almost 15 years.” Looking up at the bounty hunter, he added, “Many times, I used to find him playing chess with the last chief Seeker, Master Von Bergen… Vincent Von Bergen.”

“You’re an Outsider, huh? Or are you from one of those Amazonian Cults?”

“I really cannot say.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Hugo leaned ahead as well. “How about you tell me what the hell you're doing first,” he said. “Why are you posing as a bounty hunter and what is your actual name?”

“What do you mean by ‘posing’, clown?!” Vincent stood up. “I am a bounty hunter. Pays the bills and leaves enough for luxury. Unlike you people, I don’t scrape garbage off the Seear’s plate to keep me from starving to death. I eat whatever I want, whenever I want!”

“Wow…” Hugo leaned back looking at Vincent with wide open eyes. “You swear at us for being greedy and all you can think about is making money and eating whatever you want… bravo.” His gaze narrowed once more as he leaned ahead again and said, “Have some shame. How do you think your predecessors would feel about that, hmm?”

“I don’t give a good god damn about how they feel.” He looked away. “And have you ever considered that maybe they were idiots who couldn’t predict what was coming? And maybe it’s because of them that we’re even in this mess.”

“Just stop, man,” he replied, smiling. His spoke softly and with a hushed voice. “Your angry,” he further said. “I get it. But don’t belittle them. Judging by your looks right now, you must have been young back then, quite young. They did more than you can know. And predictions? Vince… they did.” After a slight pause, the Zaatsu nodded and added, “Your mother did…”

The bounty hunter kept staring but did not say anything.

“Yes. I’m afraid I knew her too. In fact, I am among the very few people alive today who actually know what happened that night… the night when she lost her life.”

Vincent, standing arms akimbo, once again looked away.

Hugo further said, “It was a long night, kiddo. Ambris had infiltrated a Cult. There was so much turmoil those days, there the Eye had no attack squads available to deploy immediately. The princess enchantress, the Zaatsu Magicist extraordinaire, Master Marion Von Bergen… she was sent out with two young Zaatsus.” With a smile he pointed at himself and shook his head saying, “The astounding mixture of Magicism and Wizardry that I witnessed that day… my God!”

He took a deep breath and paused for a few moments. Then, looking up at the ceiling, he said, “Ambris Ferrer… the Basilisk… the bastard had no clue. He thought he could take her.” He paused and looked at the White Bolt. With a chuckle he said, “She beat him like a drum. Even seasoned Zaatsus used to have trouble against him. Only Warren and yang had the guts to face him alone. But she was something else. And he lost both his legs that day.”

He giggled as he shook his head. A deep breath later, the Zaatsu continued, “Forced into a corner, he decided to run away with his goons and we decided not to give chase. We began helping the locals instead. It was a miscalculation on our part but he was always ahead regardless. Ambris always had an edge because of the information he had... always so well informed. Him and his gang went and attacked Marion’s home. Her two sons were captured. By the time we got there, he was already out. We finally followed him to his hideout… his stronghold. But unfortunately…” his head dropped. “Warren brought Ambris down but not before both Yang and Marion lost their lives. And before the sun came up on that bloody night, Warren had warned us of the coming turmoil within the Eye.”

“She lived her entire life hiding from your people.”

Hugo looked up. Vincent was half turned and had his eyes closed.

“Yes,” the Zaatsu said. “Because she knew that we can’t just leave them. She knew that she could do more by quietly sitting within their ranks and within their system. If we had people like her in this generation stepping up, making the necessary sacrifices, then things would’ve been different.”

“For years now, people like her have been mercilessly killed by the Eye while you’ve been quietly watching from the sidelines."

“We were doing what needed to be done. We’ve always done that.”

“Really?” Vincent looked at him. “What did you do exactly?”

“Me and many others like me, remained active inside the Eye so that slowly the truth could find its way back to the surface.”

“And yet you never thought about how the lie defeated the truth in the first place.”

“You think we did not?”

“Did you?”

“How do you think we survived? So many people are waiting for just one signal to regroup and mobilize.”

“Then give them the signal. What are you waiting for? Hell itself to come down upon us? What more do you want? Anyone with a contradictory opinion or stance to the Eye is being killed. Cult, rogue, anyone. They don’t care. There is no due process anymore. Attack squads of even the fucking Parliament are being sent out to take down random people only because they don’t agree with the Eye! While evil reigns supreme over the world, you assholes are busy trying to assert your school of thought upon people waiting on you to teach them how to think for themselves!”

“And apart from stealing dangerous artifacts and blaming others, what have you done lately?”

Vincent laughed. “You are way in over your head, clown,” he said. “You have no idea who I am or what I’m doing or why I’m doing it. And I never blamed anyone. I am merely asking questions…”

“Then tell me.” Hugo smiled. “Tell me the who, what, and why and set the record straight.”

“You were the one who disobeyed direct orders and didn’t kill me. You go first.”

“At this rate we’re not gonna get anywhere.”

“I agree.”

“Then how about I extend an olive branch.”

“Not interested.”

“Do you have a death wish or something?”

Vincent sat back down. “I know what you’re going to say,” he said with a smile. “Help me out with this and I’ll take a few years off your sentence, I’ll get you VIP food, or I’ll get you an air-conditioned cell…blah blah blah…” He shook his head and further said, “Grow up, clown.”

Hugo did not reply. Vincent added, “Don’t patronize, Zaatsu. I am not a fool, and you are not nice.” And after a pause, he said, “The only genuinely nice person in your ranks is your sister.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

Quite a few moments of silence followed. Hugo brought out a bottle of water from his umro bag and took a few sips. “How long did you train with him?” he asked.

“Four years,” Vincent replied. “You?”

“Just two. Where did he train you?”

“Some place safe... away from preying eyes.”

“Oh yeah? And did you enjoy your time there?”

“I woke up there.” Vincent smiled. “Are you questioning me right now?”

“Ha-ha no, no,” Hugo replied, laughing. “I am actually curious. How did you survive four years with that robot?”

“Oh, it wasn’t easy,” he chuckled as well. “But I didn’t have much of a choice.”

“Had it not been for your father I would have been dead in one!”

“O wow…”

“Don’t give me that look, kid. Ford forging, as it was known at the Palace, was not an easy thing to survive.”

Vincent stood up and said, “Well, fuck-face, let’s go get those remnants. I won’t let you bore me to death.”

Hugo chuckled and got up as well. ‘Why the urgency to get the remnants?’ he thought as he gave the bottle of water to Vincent and dusted himself off. ‘What are you hiding?’

Soon thereafter, the duo was away.