The clock struck 11:30.

Drew barged into the Crow’s Eye to find Senior Neilson and Jay standing around Leader Rothe with a fleece blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Compared to when he last saw her, she looked completely different.

Her dark chocolate skin had turned a sickly shade of dirt brown. Heavy eyebags that fell to her sunken cheeks could be seen under her once bright silver eyes that had become a murky gray. The edges of her former sharp locks were now frayed and scattered across her face. Her lips were dry and trembling as she held a cup of hot tea in her cracked and bloodied hands.

She was a complete mess.

“Uh…I-.” Her dry voice shook as she tried to find the words to say. “I barely made out alive-“

Drew was at a complete loss as to what to say to the individual before him.

Just what had happened ever since the raid at the Heartman Manor?

“The Commissioner,” The Llelf continued, placing her tea on the porcelain saucer on the table with her wobbling hand. “That man is a wild Beast. He’s cast aside his consciousness for his cause. No, a madman would be a better way to describe him.”

“What happened afterward?” Drew inquired, kneeling to Leader Rothe’s level.

“I ran. Cowardly, isn’t it?” She replied bitterly, her body shuddering with fear as she recalled the unpleasant memories from the Manor. “He was too much for me, or anyone brought along to handle. I stayed at one of the safe houses, and some other Leaders managed to flee. There weren’t many of us left by the end of the night. However, the horror didn’t end. While sitting idle, the Hunters had been wiping our outposts at an unforeseen rate. Before we knew it-“

Leader Rothe gulped down a mouthful of saliva. Her voice trembled as she forced the words out of her mouth.

“The Tourmaline Fangs… were gone. Now, they’re going after the other Crews with the assistance of the Vermillion Tribe. With nowhere to go back, I have taken upon myself to request a service from the Crow’s Eye.”

There was a long pause.

Who knows how long it was, but it felt like an eternity.

“We, the remaining Leaders, would like to request Asylum.”

This was the first time Drew had ever heard of someone requesting Asylum from the Crow’s Eye.

>>>

Asylum is one of the most expensive services the Crow’s Eye offers that requests the complete elimination of information for an individual and guaranteed safety. It’s a long-term service that expires only when the client dies and requires extensive resources to employ, mainly because multiple phases are involved with the service. These phases include purging all information concerning the individual found digitally, burning any physical files, assassinating parties threatening the individual’s safety, and long-term 24/7 protection.

>>>

Neilson tilted his head.

His Feline ears perked up upon hearing her request.

“Are you aware of the cost of Requesting Asylum?”

Leader Rothe nodded resolutely.

“We know the price we have to pay. That’s why-“ The Llelf pulled a locket from her pocket. “We intend to pay for a part of it with this.”

Upon opening the locket, there were three microchips inside of it. Each one was marked with a different color dot to differentiate which chip belonged to who.

“These are all the intel files we’ve gathered on individuals who pose a threat to us. There are about seven thousand of them in total. We all use them to recruit such persons before they become a greater danger to us. You’ll recognize many names on this list. Some with bounties in the millions of Kalas. Everything from their biological characters, habits, fears, and even the persons they’re associated with are all there. No viruses, but you can check to confirm.”

Jay took the chips away from Leader Rothe and scanned them with his wristband. It didn’t take long before he gave the green light.

“They’re good.”

“Send it over to the Appraisers,” Neilson ordered before returning to the distressed Leader Rothe. “We’ll have an evaluation of the info you provided in an hour. Please rest here. Your safety is assured at the Crow’s Eye. If you have any questions, Dealer 3960 will answer them. I will be back soon.”

“Thank you.” Leader Rothe expressed her gratitude while Neilson and Jay left the room.

When they shut the door, Drew and Leader Rothe were alone.

A few seconds passed before Drew spoke.

“Would you like any more tea?”

The Llelf shook her head, her long Llelf ears swaying from side to side.

“No. I’m okay. Thank you.”

Drew nodded, then fished some tissues from a nearby cupboard.

“You know, kid, Neilson never entrusts a random Dealer to accompany a Crew Leader. You look too green to be any normal Executive.” Leader Rothe observed as Drew placed a neatly folded stack of tissues right at the edge of the table. “How long have you been working here?”

“Half a year.”

“Not long indeed.” Leader Rothe smiled. “Why would a talented young lad like you be doing this dirty work?”

The Avian answered, scratching the back of his neck, “I can’t explain it too well. It just happened.”

“A poor soul who got roped into the Underworld.”

“That’s a good way to put it.” Drew chuckled. “You?”

“An escape.” Leader Rothe sighed, combing through her frayed hair. “Wanted to get away from the life of poverty and didn’t know any other way to do so. I’m sure this is on file, but when the Tourmaline Fangs formed, we were a bunch of kids from broken homes. We had no one to protect us from all the vices, so we sought comfort amongst each other. To me, the Tourmaline Fangs were the family I needed. Nothing could ever replace how precious every last member was. Now, that family I’ve grown with, and cherished, is gone. The blood of each person that has passed on my hands. Even those who’ve resided in the Underworld for decades are not completely detached from the guilt created by death. It’s simply impossible to be impervious to these kinds of things.”

Hearing her words, Drew understood that even experienced individuals in the Underworld weren’t completely heartless. Death still impacted them the same way as it did everyone else. In the end, they were all beings with a form of consciousness.

“Are you blaming yourself for this?”

The Llelf placed the back of her hand on her forehead.

“No. As much as I want to, I shouldn’t. I’ll be burdening those in the afterlife. I’m a Leader, and my job is to keep plowing forward in these tumultuous times. If my morale crumbles, everyone else’s follows along with it. It’s a domino effect. Please take it as a life lesson, lad. You’ve got a bright future if this damned place doesn’t end you first.”

Drew nodded, taking her advice to heart.

The Avian was essentially a Leader like Rothe. Many more would rely on him in the future, and he couldn’t let them see him crack. If he did, it would cause many problems for himself and the people who work under him. Plus, it would also reveal a weakness that his competitors could take advantage of.

“Then, how are you able to move on so quickly?”

“Have a goal. Simple or grand—it doesn’t matter. If you have a goal to accomplish, that will help you move on. It’s not perfect, but it serves as motivation. Do not try to suppress it; the more you do, the more it’ll eat you up. Do take note that this may not work for you. It’s simply a suggestion. Take it or leave it. It’s up to you.”

It was then something in the Avain’s mind finally clicked. His mind was scattered, unsure of what to make of the graphic scenes from the Manor. The guilt squeezing his heart over the days had grown tighter. He felt those welled-up emotions would explode and shatter his mind sooner or later. Sure, he had to admit, he wasn’t entirely ready to face the reality of the profession he was entering. Put it into perspective, who is ever prepared to take a life?

No one.

No one, even if they receive that so-called “preparation,” only by committing the deed could a person understand the feeling, the cyclone of emotions, that comes as a result. The real problem comes when coping with those emotions and realizing that an individual killed someone, a common occurrence in these times.

With his conversation with Leader Rothe, Drew understood that there were many ways to deal with how he was feeling. There isn’t one that is right or wrong, and the Avain would have to find what works for him the best. After all, everyone is different. Hence, for Drew, it was a matter of exploration and experimentation.

“I understand.”

>>>

It was 14:00, only an hour until the fateful meeting with the Crow’s Eye.

“Get ready to leave!” The Commissioner ordered as all his subordinates scrambled into their vehicles.

The reveal of the events from the Manor to the media had gone smoothly. The Commissioner clenched his fist. He had waited many years for this moment, and things were going as he wanted. Now that the Hunters were a known organization to the public, people began forming their opinions. Some, who share the exact cause as the Hunters, would attempt to seek them out, while others, who were hostile to them, would openly try to oppose them. With technology, identifying who was an ally versus an enemy amongst the common people would be much easier.

Yet, as big of an impact as the reveal was, this was only the stage. The one who would stand on that stage would be someone else.

A puppet?

No, not at all.

A symbol.

A manifestation of a being who will reshape this planet with his hands.

“Sir,” Elias, standing behind the Commissioner, called out.

“Oh, it’s you, kid. Are you ready? Be honest.”

“Nervous,” The Human responded. “I never imagined I’d be standing here.”

“You are young, so it’s understandable.” The Commissioner continued lighting a cigar. “The meeting today is to prepare for the next phase. You must stay alert as the Crows are never easy to deal with.”

“Who are we seeing?”

“The big man himself. The one who supposedly runs that circus. We’ve also been informed that a few other Crows will attend, including Dealer 3960.”

Elias gnashed his teeth upon hearing that the Dealer would be present. Within the last few months, he’s encountered the Dealer multiple times. Every time his smug all-knowing face popped up in his mind, he couldn’t help but feel vexed. However, there was also a sense of familiarity with him in the way he acted. Almost as if he were facing Drew but ten times more annoying and psycho. His head ached the more he thought about it.

“Don’t worry,” The Commissioner assured. “He’s the least of our worries in front of that cunning old cat. Besides, if my hunch regarding Neilson is correct, we have a much bigger fish to catch.”

“Then what is my role?”

“You are the subject of our conversation. Can’t have you getting harmed before departing. Besides, we need you around for the Crow’s Eye to do its job best. Don’t worry. We’ve got insurance to prevent the worst.”

“Good.” Elias nodded, folding his arms together. “I wouldn’t want my family to get involved with my matters. But aside from sitting pretty, what else do you need me to do?”

“Learn. Learn from our transaction.”

“Of course.”

Accepting Elias’s acknowledgment, the Commissioner puffed a cloud of smoke from his cigar.

“Superb! Let’s get a move on!”

“Yes, sir!”

>>>

Back at the Crow’s Eye, Leader Rothe was being escorted out by Drew.

The final evaluation of the information provided by the Leaders was enough to cover their Asylum. Drew had to admit it was cowardly, but in the face of an entity that could easily crush you, fear would overwhelm the mind, with the first instinct being survival. Save yourself before anyone else.

At this point, the era of the Four Crews was over.

With the Hunters' series of consecutive relentless attacks, the other Crews have been unable to respond. Though few in numbers, the Hunters knew precisely where to target to cause the most damage. The Commissioner was beyond meticulous in his planning; every action was purposely crafted and executed in a systemic way akin to a symphony composed by Beethoven himself.

It wasn't very comforting.

“What will you do now?” Drew asked Rothe, a cab pulling into the Borealis driveway.

Former Leader Rothe rubbed her arm.

“I’m not sure.” She pursed her lips together. “I’ll think about it. Perhaps something will come up. I wish you all the best in your endeavors, Dealer.”

Drew bowed, sending his regards to Leader Rothe, who entered the cab.

“As to you, Leader Rothe.”

“It’s Ro now, whippersnapper!” She laughed as the door slammed shut. “Bonne chance~!”

And like that, the cab sped off into the distance with Ro no longer to be seen.

Jay, who was standing by the entrance, rushed over to Drew’s side.

“Oh, Young Boss,” Drew smirked at Jay.

“Shut it. I’m not used to being called that,” Jay replied in his snarky Young Master manner. Despite that, he was crying on the inside from disrespecting the true Young Master before him. “The Boss has summoned you. The Commissioner will be arriving in an hour.”

“Seems like we’ll be seeing a good friend of ours with him as well, so I’ve heard.”

“That is the case. The Boss asks you to make any necessary preparations.”

“Alright, alright.” Drew shrugged in all Dealer fashion. “I’ll be there soon.”

“Time is of the essence. You better get a move on.”

“Yish! How cold.”