“I never thought I’d see the day this beast of a man would finally settle down. Of course, I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised to see the woman who managed to tie him down.” Devin chuckled as he smiled at Zac and Shalia. He then looked out over the fine dining rooftop restaurant he rented out to host this engagement party for the couple.

  Among the formally dressed crowd of guests were the Renegades, including Zac’s “Tiny Tots,” who had only joined their ranks some months prior. Within their ranks sat Kenji, too distracted by another guest to pay too much attention to Devin’s speech. In the seat next to Devin at the head table sat an elegantly dressed Léonie Laurent, leader of the Oleander Boutique. She made eye contact with Kenji and fluttered her fingers at him playfully.

  “You gotta be shit’in me,” Kenji mumbled under his breath.

  “It’s fine. Zac and Devin wouldn’t allow her here if she was a threat.” Akiko said as she placed her hand on Kenji’s arm.

  “I know it’s just weird,” Kenji responded.

  “To Zac and Shaila!” Devin finished his speech.

  Kenji reflexively raised his glass at the end of Devin's speech along with everyone else. Once Devin had sat down, Shaila stood up, her elegant black dress hugging her figure,

  “I have another piece of news to share with everyone here.” She smiled and started to hold her stomach.

  “You’re kidding?” Zac stood up quickly,

  “You’re going to be a dad. God help us all.” Shaila started to laugh.

  “Congratulations!!” A loud roar burst from the crowd.

  However, Kenji looked over at Devin and Léonie and saw that the smile on their faces seemed…forced, for lack of a better word. Before he could focus too much on them, he found himself swept up in the festivities of the engagement party.

  “So we finally meet Mr. Suzuki.” Léonie’s sultry voice made its way into Kenji’s ear. He looked over his shoulder to see the olive beauty staring at him.

  “Wish I could say it’s a pleasure.” At Kenji’s words, Akiko and the other members of Team Watabi and Team Micheal turned to face Léonie. They all tensed up, clearly not giving her the warmest of welcomes.

  “Are you seriously still upset about that? Really? That was ages ago.” Léonie dismissed their concerns.

  “It hasn’t even been a year, love,” Micheal responded while sipping his drink.

  “Well, for someone I planned on killing, surviving even a day is already a lifetime. So from where I’m standing, it was ages ago.”

  Everyone tensed at her words, and she simply chuckled as she put her hands up in defeat.

  “No need to get worried, kids; I have no intentions towards Kenji anymore. Devin wouldn’t allow me to be here otherwise. I just came over to bury the hatchet, as it were. Nothing personal, business and all that.” Léonie stretched out her hand to shake Kenji’s

  “Leave my kids alone, you French witch,” Zac grumbled as he smacked Léonie ’s hand away.

  “Zac, as charming as ever. You’d think you’d be more appreciative of me supplying you and your lovely fiancé with the finest clothing money can buy.” Léonie frowned as she looked at the gray and black with gold trimmings fine tailored suit at the Oleander Boutique, supplied for Zac.

  “Please, be happy I’m wearing this shit. You know I make it look good.” Zac flashed her a cocky smile.

  “Whatever the good Doctor sees in you aside from your overbearingly handsome mug, I’ll never know. But congratulations nonetheless, on three counts or so I’ve heard.” Léonie spoke, not denying Zac’s words.

  “So you’ve heard? Me and Devin are going to need to have a long talk.” Zac responded.

  “By all means, please do. It will do us both some good. We can discover whether he’s in a relationship with you or me.” Léonie abruptly turned around, walking back towards Devin, but not before looking over her shoulder to wave goodbye to Kenji.

  “Don’t mind her too much kids. She is disturbingly good at separating her business and personal life. If you learn anything from her, learn that.” Zac told them.

  They all began to shower Zac with their own congratulations. After talking to all his Tiny Tots, Zac walked towards the open patio. He motioned for Kenji to follow him. Over the past months, Zac and Kenji had become rather close. It was shocking to them at first, considering the way they constantly bumped heads. As time passed, it seemed natural. They were the only two Taboo Children and had similar upbringings.

  Even though his real father was back in his life fully, Kenji seemed to use Zac as a replacement for him out of spite. Even though Zac knew this, he didn’t shy away from Kenji’s openly childish actions; in fact, he embraced it for unknown reasons. Even Ume, who was oddly attached to Zac, embraced their dynamic.

  “Congrats,” Kenji said as he saw Zac leaning against the railing before him, holding his drink.

  “Yeah, thanks, kid.” Zac sighed, as he looked at the lights of Downtown Seattle.

  “You, don’t seem too excited.” The apprehension in Kenji’s voice is evident for anyone to hear.

  “That’s the problem, kid. I’m TOO excited. Things seem to be going a little too well.” Zac spoke as he took a sip.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Blessings come in threes; at least, that’s what they say. But bad shit starts to happen when things are going too well. So, I like to throw away a blessing if too many pile up.”

  “What are you talking about?” Kenji started to laugh at the nonsense coming out of Zac’s mouth.

  “That Dr. Hamilton, your team recruited 2 months ago. She’s really something else. She made a breakthrough.” Zac looked at Kenji without saying a word.

  Kenji’s eyes widened,

  “You mean?”

  “Yep, I’ll be able to get Nano’s at the end of the month, give or take.”

  “That’s awesome!!!”

  “Yeah, I’m thinking about not taking them.” Zac let out another sigh as he took a sip of his drink again.

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  “What? WHY?!... Right, throwing out a blessing.” Kenji said as he slumped his back against the railing. He looked at Zac with disbelief. This was what Zac wanted for the longest; Kenji doubted that Zac actually believed in such a superstitious practice. However, if he had to give up something between his future wife, a child, or power, that was an easy choice. At least to Kenji,

  “It can’t be that simple, right?”

  “And why can’t it be? I thought I wanted power. That was right until Shaila said she was pregnant. Then suddenly, Nanos, Programs, and all that shit became worthless.”

  “A normal life is starting to look good, huh?” Kenji jokes.

  “I wouldn’t go that far, but… getting a Program means one thing. More responsibilities, which means more time away from my kid.”

  “That’s fair. More than fair.” Kenji said as he thought about his own situation and then looked at Zac, whose father died before he was born. Even if he was Zac, anything could happen in this line of work, and given who Zac is, they would be more likely to give him more dangerous assignments.

  “There’s a couple other reasons if I’m being candid.”

  “Feel free to share; I’m all ears.”

  “Well, I haven’t hit a wall yet.” Zac then remained silent.

  Kenji stood there in shock,

  “What?”

  “You heard me, I haven’t hit a wall yet. I’m getting faster and stronger every day, with no signs of slowing; in fact, I’ve noticed an increase in my progress lately.” Zac responded.

  “In the not-so-distant future, you may be the only one who can keep up with me, at least physically.”

  “Have you told Devin?”

  “I haven’t told anyone.” Zac chuckled.

  “What’s the other reason?”

  “I want to see where the wall is. If there even is one. I want to see how far we can go without the Nano’s. So I have a proposition for you, Kenji.” Zac finished his drink, placing it on a table beside him.

  “I’m listening.”

  “Devin always had an image of what he wanted me to be. But now I have other priorities and a more interesting goal. So… you be what they think I should be. While I’ll become what you could be.”

  Kenji gazed at the serious look on Zac’s face. His intentions were obvious; Zac wanted to overtake other Chasers with his body and brains alone. However, he also recognized that when everything was said and done, he would not be as powerful as Kenji.

  If he was to believe what Zac was saying, then the task presented before him was more significant than he could have imagined. Kenji let out a deep breath,

  “No pressure, huh?”

  “Well, pressure makes diamonds."

  “Yeah, well, technically, pressure also makes black holes.” Kenji retorted,

  “You’re not wrong. But in our line of work, both are pretty good.”

  Kenji smiled for a moment before a thought ran through his mind. He looked at Zac with questioning eyes but didn’t dare to ask,

  “Just say what’s on your mind, kid, damn. At this point, what are you still holding back about?” Zac snapped with an annoyed expression.

  “Fine, ah… are you sure not taking the Nanos is a good idea? What if you know?”

  “What, end up in the same situation as you and your dad, or like me and mine?” Zac finished his thought. Kenji nodded his head affirmatively.

  “I don’t know. It might end up like that even if I take the Nanos. All I know is that I want to create a world where that little thing can grow up happy and healthy. And with everything I don’t know, this is the best path… I think.” Zac started to chuckle to himself.

  Kenji’s eyes widened. This was the first time he heard Zac be unsure about anything. Kenji was staring out into the city lights when he felt Zac’s hand on his shoulder.

  “Being a parent is hard, the hardest thing you’ll ever do. So maybe give your dad some slack, huh?”

  “Oh, how would you know? Your kid’s not even born yet!” Kenji slapped Zac’s hand away. His sudden statement visibly annoyed him.

  “Yeah, but I’ve been raising 30 kids for 7-ish months. Technically speaking, that’s like 18 years worth of experience. Not to mention you guys are the worst type of kids… teenagers.”

  “Zac seriously…”

  “I’m being serious. Teenagers suck, overly emotional jackasses, all of you.” Zac retorted.

  “Zac! Would you do what he did?” Kenji asked.

  He stared at Zac sternly. He didn’t know what drove his father to make the decision that he made, and he didn’t want to know. As far as he was concerned, there was no excuse for not making any contact with him at all after all those years.

  “I don’t know your father’s full story, so I don’t know. If he felt what I’m feeling right now, then I know he did what he thought was best. But I probably wouldn’t have gone about it the way he did.”

  “That’s my point-”

  “BUT!!!” Zac cut off Kenji before the teenager could rant on.

  “I’m not your father; you're not your father. Neither one of us experienced what he did. Even with all those powers, abilities, and skills, at the end of the day, he’s only human.” Zac stared at Kenji.

  “I’m not telling you to forgive him; I’m not even telling you to understand him. Just listen to his story, kid. You owe that much to yourself. I wish my dad was alive to tell me his story.” Zac sighed as he turned his attention back toward the city.

  Kenji responded with silence as he stared at Zac’s back. Everyone in and outside of the Renegades looked at Devin as the driving force. But the more time passed, the less that seemed to be the truth. Zac seemed to have just as much weight on his shoulders, if not more, and he wasn't the only one. If Devin was the heart, Zac was the brain, as for who was the soul,

  “Look at you boys standing out here being all serious. If I didn't know better, I’d think you were an adult.” Dr. Varma said as she smiled at Kenji.

  “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re a real Doctor.” Kenji retorted.

  Shaila let out an exaggerated gasp while she playfully clutched the pearls around her neck. She then chuckled as she walked towards Zac with a drink in hand. Zac kissed the hand holding the drink before taking it for himself.

  “I am a real Doctor. I will let you know I was quite the celebrity in academic circles. 18 years old with multiple PhDs. I’m just not a licensed physician. Thanks in no small part to a vampire attacking me and my parents, during my residency. I managed to survive, my parents not so much.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t know,” Kenji said as he looked away

  “Yeah, well now you do. It’s not all bad; looking for that bitch, led me to Zac and Devin. That was a lifetime ago.”

  “How old are you guys?”

  “26”

  “27,” Zac and Shaila responded, respectively.

  Kenji snorted under his breath. They sounded like old veterans in their 40s at least, and with the way this hidden world worked, he wouldn’t have been surprised if they were older, even though they both still looked to be in their early to mid-20s.

  “So it was just the 3 of you in the beginning?”

  “Yep, and then we found The Twins. Then I got my revenge, but by then, I had gotten attached to our little group, so I stuck around. Not too long after that, we started the Renegades.” Shaila explained.

  “Found The Twins?” Kenji asked.

  “Ah, right. The Twin's story isn’t too different from mine, but it’s not mine to tell.” Shaila gave Kenji a soft smile.

  “Jeez… is everyone’s…”

  “Life shit? Mostly yeah. Everyone in this org...hell, in life, has a story. So you can’t have all the answers based on just yours.” Zac said.

  “Oh, is this about his father again? Kenji, you know one of my PhDs is in psychology. My doors are always open.”

  “I don’t need a therapist.”

  “Everyone in this organization needs a therapist, sweetie; that’s 50% of my workload. Well, closer to 70% now that you brought Dr. Hamilton.” Shaila said half-jokingly.

  “I’ll think about it,” Kenji responded.

  “Good, you should.” Shaila patted him on the shoulder.

  “Now, we should head back in. The main event that is about to start.”

  “What event?” Kenji asked.

  “Zac’s mom. She’s on her way up.”

  “Ah, shit!” Zac grumbled to himself.

  “So, be extra careful about Chaser stuff; we already told everyone else. And why are you more nervous than me? I’ve never met her.” Shaila warned the two.

  “She’ll just be happy I’m settling down. With who hardly matters.”

  “Oh, wow, thanks. I feel so special.” Shaila groaned as she pushed the two of them back towards the main room.

  Kenji was more interested to see what kind of woman could raise someone like Zac. Regardless of how extraordinary he was, just holding a conversation with him was difficult in some regards. He wanted to meet the woman who reigns in such a person and learn a few things from her.