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Kato pushes the casing that was keeping him in. The ice was brittle and thin. He looks at himself in the side mirror before sneaking around the dump. He could recognize the smell. A familiar smell that he couldn't forget even if he wanted to. He found some clothes and started in the direction of his landlord. The landlord was surprised to find him ill-dressed. The landlord knew better than to cheat him so he handed the keys without fuss and got into his apartment without complications. He got himself cleaned up and then he looked at the state of his appearance that had been further refined.

If he dehydrates himself and then fast for hours. He'd usually get such a look. But now it was a look he'd get naturally. He called the phone number that came to his mind first. The call took about a minute or two before a serious voice questioned him.

“Who are you?”

“Strato. You okay?”

“Kato Lores. You’re alive. How did you escape?”

“Tricks of the trade, I guess?”

“I see.”

“How’s the situation in that place?”

“Not bad. Not great either. She got the Holy See up her ass. She can do what she wants. But the moment she tries to summon a demon. The Holy See’s going to have a problem.”

“The Holy See. That the Church?”

“Yup. The Church has been getting less influence, but they still hold a tight grip on less-technologically advanced countries of the world. It is a strange mix of faith and fanaticism.”

“How are they reacting?”

“Passive. I don’t know what they were planning in the first place. But that machine tore something in the world. And now the rate of demonic incursions have gone up lately.”

Kato groaned. “Then are things alright?”

“Alright is not the right word. Things have always been this way. But we have demons roaming the world and now every damn church who is on this side of the world has brought their God with them to combat this threat.”

“Won't Jesus be against violence?”

“The image of my savior has always been the kind that forgives, and the one that flips tables on the temple and brings the flaming sword of God upon evil.”

“Don’t know about that chief. I wonder if that is your own interpretation or gross misunderstanding?”

“It might be odd hearing this from a man made of metal.”

“How did you get out, Strato?”

“We have connections. The Embassy had an escape craft and most of their Guard had to hold down the horde of demons. It was quite a sight. And the Hellrunners being there had opened our eyes a lot.”

“Strong?”

“Strong. The Lady has been hiding a lot and we don’t know the extent of their holdings. Their level of tech is unseen and unheard. And they might have made a whole country underground.”

“Any infiltration plans?”

“Doubt it with how things are now. They locked their Island down. Most of the demons that they captured are in their storage now. And even though the Holy See’s demanding of their death. They aren’t exactly intimidated by the Church at the moment.”

Kato scoffs. “Try it and find out?”

“That kind of message exactly. Honestly, I’m impressed by your ability to get out. Is that some sort of technique?”

“What?”

“You left only ashes, Deadman. I had your ashes spread in the hometown you probably don’t care about now. Next time, Deadman. Tell me if you are dead before returning to that place.”

Kato wasn’t hiding his location.

“I need my gear back. If it’s still around.”

“It’s been destroyed, Deadman. The Lady burnt your body, remember? And I don’t think anything was left. What did you do that emptied your body?”

“Being filled with energy that tore through the mortal plane isn’t exactly making it easy to survive. I had help. But make no mistake. I can’t do it again.”

It was death.

Kato was sure that he died again.

Death took him before the true deadman yanked him out of the grasp. His soul was taken and then reformed miles away from the island. Kato didn’t trust the deadman fully. He is grateful, but there was something in the deadman that made him not fully trust him. If anything Kato would have been more accepting if he was given prices. Then again, Kato wasn’t fully foolish enough to believe that he didn’t have a plan for him.

The habit that didn’t want him to trust the big guys at the top remained. Kato solidified his gaze on the wall before flicking his finger like one would light a lighter.

A fire came out and he felt that he just lost one slot. The number of uses he could use was reduced. And that there was something that changed in the air. He could feel this stir in the air. A little bit minimal, but it was still noticeable.

“I feel a little bit of magic. The Magi Families… Did something change?”

“Then it’s true. It seems that whatever accident happened. It brought forth a great change in the air, plaguing the world with magic. If magic was emptied out by the millennium bug, then the machine had increased it.”

“How convenient.”

“Demonic incursions are noticeable.”

Strato made a harsh pause. Kato noticed the beeps and long pauses that he was doing.

“What happened to you, Strato?”

“I have been destroyed. I am in repair right now and most of my internals are destroyed. Fighting demons has not been easy when you have folk to protect.”

“Are you alive? Or is this a copy of you?”

“I’d like to believe that I’m still me.”

Kato searches his fridge for a beer and finds one. He takes a sip before leaning on the railing.

“I guess there’s a problem.”

“There is. If anything I’m glad that you died on me again.”

“I need to stop dying.”

“Kato, there are changes coming. The societies that support esoteric practices are clamoring about this change. They know that this change has made it clear that there are ways to bring magic and the lady of the Consortium holding a machine did it by summoning a demon into a mortal plane.”

“Are they trying to replicate it?”

“Death Squads. No one knows how it could be done and the  Consortium is doing their best to make it so that no one will ever remember. Only a few know and I doubt it can be replicated without the major superpowers doing something about this.”

“That’s rather ‘sure’ of you to say.”

“Because the millennium bug ate everything. We are not believers of the esoteric ways, but we keep the knowledge we learn.”

“Let’s go back to be ‘glad’ that I died again. How will that help?”

“I don’t know what magic you did, but your memory has become hazy to some. I remember it because I am a machine. Still, I like the idea of having an Agent of ours that isn't bound by anyone. I also thought of it. But it’d be best if you remain independent in these affairs.”

“So I’m getting fired?”

“Partly. Just need you in the shadows. It’s hard to trust folk that you don’t know much.”

“Not that we were that good as friends, Mister.”

“Forgive me then. I’m very old. It’s hard to live in a world that has grown too much for you.”

“Any plans on retiring?”

“Can’t. Do you think this old man can retire now? Only death can take me now. I’ll send you the details.”

Kato put the device on the side. He takes his things and then climbs down and finds the bar hidden in the alley. Julie’s wiping the glasses. He snuck up, slid into the bar, and then leaned his forearms while nodding at John who was texting someone.

Julie turns and finds him.

“Oh, you’re back.”

She scowls at him.

“Rude.”

Her hands went into the counter and a beer was placed immediately. The masterful way that she did it made Kato admire it.

“You look… better. Did you finally get augmentations?”

“Honestly, I don’t know if what happened to me can be called one. Let’s just say that I experienced a rebirth?”

“Are you into cults now?” She places the cloth aside. “Didn’t know that you’d get into one. Now, tell me, are they offering packages? It’s not a cult that focuses on the freedom of flesh, right?”

“Are you familiar with that kind of thing?”

“No. I heard that’s what they do. I dated a lot of odd men.”

“Is that why you are into women?”

“Partly. So you’re not into a cult? Lame.”

“How old are you again?”

“Forever eighteen, obviously.”

“Right, you’re a cake now.”

Julie breathes air out of her nose. “I may have to warn you about pissing off your bartender.”

“I discriminate equally, Julie.”

“How righteous. Hmm, so be real, what happened?”

“A job went wrong and then went right. I died. Then was resurrected?”

“Okay, I need to know what drugs you are doing.”

“I don’t do drugs.”

“No wonder you ain’t salivating at my presence.”

He raises a brow.

“Confidence is a drug itself, eh. So, anything exciting?”

“I almost got into Val’s pants.”

“You did?”

“Yup. Too bad she doesn’t hit on the two sexes. She’s got one hell of a body.”

“Saliva dripping out.”

Julie turns around and wipes her lower lip.

“Anyway, a shame. I think I fucked up.”

“Well… you did try hard and fail. I’d be surprised if Val didn’t want you to try hard again.”

“Enough about my unfortunate love life, how are you?”

“Pretty wild, considering.”

Julie leans forward and stares him down.

“I was sure that it was a dream. Thing is, I was sure that I didn’t meet a competent delivery boy a few weeks ago. I honestly thought I was in some drug-induced dream.”

“Can I hold your hand for a moment.”

Kato took her hand and then wrote a seal secretly while she’s raising a brow at what he’s doing.

“Are you doing this to read my fortune or something?”

“You got rough hands.”

“Bullshit. I have soft hands. I expect yours to be more rough.”

Kato finishes the seal.

“That okay?”

“Hey. That was kind of neat. What’s with that? What acupuncture technique? I feel like my mind is clearer and I can remember your dumb ass clearly.”

“It’s magic.”

“Tsk. Anyway, are you going back to work or something?”

“Maybe sooner or later. I got demons to kill. People to murder and things like that.”

Julie blinks. “Sometimes I wonder when you will stop trying to pull my leg. Then again, you merc-types always have this tendency to be so… apathetic.”

“It’s not about apathy. It’s forcing you to think that it’s either me or them. Honestly, I don’t know it myself. I just got my ass kicked so hard that I practically got revived from death. And honestly, if you can make a living by not fighting. Who wouldn’t want that?”

“You sure are long-winded sometimes.”

“A bartender’s supposed to listen to her customers.”

“Tell that to someone else. I don’t try to be personal.”

“Says the woman that tried to hit on my colleague. Please, hate it or like it, you’re my friend.”

“It’s very gross when you say it like that, creep.”

“Glad that you affirm my suspicions.”

Julie shrugs and leans on the counter while eyeing the door.

“Hey, got any more hot and fit friends?”

“No.”

“I’m sorry. We’re not friends anymore.”

“Cheap hearted woman.”

Julie grins and hands over a beer. Kato takes the beer from her and then drinks it.

“Oh yeah, my real name’s Kato by the way. Not Robert.”

“Is that your thing? Having many names?”

“I’m not sure myself. But I do like my true name.”

“That sounds complicated, man.”

“Welcome to my life.”

Kato went silent. He eyes the beer stein while his mind went somewhere else. He’d guess that there was a lot to do. This place truly had become his Eden.