It was 10 minutes into the duel, and it was still anyone’s game. Both Hugo and Vincent were giving their all, trying as many tricks as they could. But every trick was being matched, and every move was being countered. Until Hugo suddenly charged his Ki far beyond Vincent’s restricted limits and gave him a couple of lusty blows in the gut before moving behind him and grabbing him in a chicken-wing hold. He brought out a knife and put it on the bounty hunter’s throat.

“Ready to yield?” he asked.

Everyone thought the battle was over. But, within the blink of an eye, Vincent’s image faded away and reappeared behind Hugo. A few flashes of white lightning escaped his body as he placed the index finger of his right hand on the middle of Hugo’s back.

The Zaatsu chuckled. “Good anticipation,” he said and charged down his Ki.

“That was a dick move, clown,” the bounty hunter countered.

“That is why you were conserving strength. You knew I would break the rules to end the battle.”

Vincent leaned closer. “Will these people stay to watch us eat as well?” he asked, whispering

Hugo smiled and said, “I sure hope not.”

He called his sister over and told her to take Vincent inside. Then, looking at the crowd he shouted, “Show’s over, people! Get out of here!”

As the crowd began to disperse, Hedish called Hugo over.

“Did you see that?” Hugo asked pointing behind at the street.

“Saw very many things,” Hedish replied. Then looking at the Seear, he said, “The boy is right. He is no ordinary crook or a gun for hire. That man has beyond exemplary precision and, his battle ethics are very sound. He fights like a master of the Martial Arts… disciplined.”

“I must say that I agree,” Renekom said with a nod. “His fighting style is a mix of many styles ranging from Cultists’ to the Sanctum’s.”

“Exactly.”

“But the question still remains,” he once again looked at Hugo. “Do you have a way of acquiring the information we need?”

“I might have a long-winded way, sir,” Hugo said, looking down.

“Time is of the essence, son.”

“Sir,” he looked up. “Then I say begin interrogating him. Wring the truth from him.”

Renekom smiled and looked at Hedish. “Guess you were right, Hedish,” he said with a bright smile. “You can’t go wrong with this man!”

The Master Mystic was also smiling. “Come now, Renekom,” he said. “We all have faith in Master Baylis.” Then, looking at Hugo, he said, “You promised him a meal so let him have it. Then send him back down to the Atramentum.”

All parties dispersed thereafter.

Inside, in the hall most frequented by senior Martial Artists, Vincent was sitting alone with a mess tray on the table in front and a glass of water in hand. Camille came over and sat across from him.

“Every table in here has ten chairs,” she said. “Five on either side. You’re occupying a whole table.” She smiled, leaned ahead, and whispered, “That’s not nice.”

“Don’t you know who I am?” the White Bolt asked without taking his eyes off of his water.

“Safe to say everyone here knows exactly who you here.”

“Mmm... not the same.”

“How so?”

He placed the glass down and pushed his chair closer to the table. “Everyone is either afraid or disgusted by me,” he said, picking up the fork and knife. Looking up at Camille, he added, “You’re neither.”

She smiled and asked, “Should I be?”

He took a few bites before saying, “Afraid, you shouldn’t be. I can’t hurt you unless someone takes these braces off. Disgusted, you could be. I am a criminal lowlife…”

“Neil, huh?”

“Yup. He seems like a fun guy.”

She chuckled as both of them looked back down and continued eating.

“So,” she said and looked at him. “Grilled chicken, brown rice, and steamed veggies – I see you’re quite conscious about your health and fitness.”

Without moving his head, Vincent rolled his eyes up to look at Camille. With half a smile, he said, “Baked chick thighs, lentils, and salad – you’re not too shabby yourself.”

“Oh, why thank you.” After a slight pause, she placed her fork down and said, “It’s just that I can’t imagine you in a grocery store picking out veggies to boil…”

Vincent’s smile was bigger now. “Well,” he said then took another bite. “The fact that you’re trying to think of me in a grocery store just says a lot.” Leaning back, he added, “Most of your friends would have me in a dungeon with a bunch of snakes and demons… in their minds, of course.”

She sighed then chuckled. “Well, they are they and I’m me…”

The Sokidu glanced over at the Zeta Squad standing about 10 meters away leaned against the kitchen counter.

“Tell them I’m almost done,” Vincent said and got back to eating.

“Take your time,” she replied, smiling at him and shaking her head. “At this point, I think they have more issues with me than you.”

“Can I say something?”

“Sure…”

Vincent leaned back, picked up a tissue, and cleaned his mouth. “I have been successful in my business because I can see through a façade,” he said picking up the glass of water. “I can tell when people are lying, holding the truth, or bending it.”

“So can I…”

He nodded with a half-smile. “I can tell…”

“So, get to the point.”

“You are the only third person I have not been able to decipher.”

Camille smiled. “But that begs the question,” she said, “how does that make you feel?”

Vincent waited a few moments before softly saying, “Intimidated… unnaturally, intimidated.”

The smiles slowly vanished. “We both have our areas of expertise,” Camille said. “Yours is hiding, and mine’s seeking. And neither one of us is going to back down.”

Vincent drank the water and placed the glass back down. He leaned forward and placed his forearms on the table. “That’s not the issue,” he said. “I’ve met many with a job similar to yours.”

“The problem this time is that you’re afraid of losing.”

“No.” He shook his head. “You’re the problem.”

The Sokidu was shocked. Her eyes were left wide open as her head bobbed back. “How so?” she asked.

“You have way too much of a clean heart. You are a kind soul in the business of soulless devils with their eyes and orders.”

She looked down and smiled. Looking back up, she said, “When we are taught, or rather prepared to become spotters, we’re told of how people may use a leverage to break through our defences.”

With a narrowed gaze, the White Bolt leaned closer with a smile and asked, “Do I look like a guy specializing in torture?”

The conversation then came to a halt because Hugo came in and took Vincent away. The bounty hunter was dropped off at the Atramentum.

An hour before sunset, Hugo was finally able to head home. He walked slowly, clumsily, and yawned all the way through. But there was one task still left. And it was waiting for him just outside the hostel.

“Cami,” he said, looking at his sister sitting on the pavement. “What are you doing here?”

With a smile, she replied, “I’ve been waiting for you for an hour now, bro.”

“Oh… well, ok. So, what’ve you got?” He came and sat with her. “Were you able to get anything useful from him?”

“Right… straight to it.” 'When is he ever gonna learn?' She offered a faint smile, then shrugged. “Well, ah… he’s good, man. I mean… I don’t have anything.”

“Yeah.” He looked away. “He’s a tough nut to crack.”

“The markers are all off. Everything about him is a contradiction. The way he fights and the way he talks, it feels like he’s been very well trained and disciplined. Yet he has no affiliations and displays absolute contempt for both the Eye or the Order.”

Hugo rubbed his eyes. “And he can’t be from a Cult either.” He paused for a moment then looked at her and asked, “Do you think you can get through?”

“There’s nothing to get through.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s nothing there, bro.” She shook her head. “He’s not lying. He’s just talking. And the moment I ask him a question which he doesn’t wanna answer, he simply tells me that he will not answer it. It is irritating!”

“By any chance, do you think he is chatting to you because he wants more information about us?”

“Oh, for damn sure! But he isn’t even hiding that. He understands how our spotters, interrogators, or analysers might work, and isn’t giving me any room to work with whatsoever.”

“Then I guess it was a good idea to bring in some hardcore interrogators.”

Her gaze narrowed as she looked at him and asked, “Who did you call?”

“I didn’t. They called Carlisle and Layla Meredith.”

“From The Ravens? Are you joking right now?!”

Hugo shook his head in negation and looked away.

“They are not interrogators, bro. Those people specialize in torture!”

“Desperate times, desperate measures…”

“Unbelievable.” She stroked her hair back and looked away. Looking back at her brother, she asked, “What happened to the man of rules, huh? Just to get through a tough opponent’s defences you’re willing to give up everything you stand for?!”

“The stakes have changed, Cami, and the game has changed.” Hugo finally looked at her and added, “A new game plan has to be forged…”