Kenji’s head tilted as he saw The Twins running towards him. Ume looked at his expression and started to chuckle to herself. The two of them looked nothing like twins at all. There was a pale-skinned young, energetic woman with a head full of long red curls, a face full of freckles, and bright green eyes. Her petite frame bounced towards them.

  Walking next to her was a tall, dark-skinned male. His long dark curls slightly twisted and flopped over to the right side of his head to show off the design shaved into the left front side of his head. His light brown eyes had a more stern expression. Both of them had baby faces, And, upon further inspection, had several similar features.

  “What? Never seen twins before?” The young woman asked as she poked Kenji in the chest. Kenji stammered, not knowing what to say or if he should say anything. The Twins laughed,

  “Dad was giga Jamaican.”

  “Mom was super Irish. You get 2 chances to guess which we take after.” The brother and sister responded, respectively.

  “Okay, that makes sense.” Kenji finally understood what Ume said earlier; he wouldn't have given them a second glance if he had seen these two walking around in public. Other than the two of them being eye-catching, the word "twins" did not spring to mind when he saw them.

  “Kenji, these are Roisin and Zidane Reid. Twins, this is Suzuki Kenji.”

  “Hello, and I prefere Trigger, these days.” Trigger waved,

  “Cool, s’up?” Both of the twins responded nonchalantly.

  “Lovely, now that the children are here, let’s return to work, Zizi,” Roisin said with a smile as she turned back towards the destroyed forest, waving a strange device that looked like an over-designed remote.

  “Right, right.” Zidan pulled back the sleeve of his winter coat, and a virtual screen popped up in front of him.

  “Did you guys find out anything of value?” Ume asked as she trailed behind the two of them.

  “Of value? Not really, we just confirmed what the four of us already knew.” Zidane said.

  “And what’s that?” Trigger asked.

  “Devin’s full of shite!” Roisin cursed as she looked over her shoulder.

  “How so? Is Zac human or…” Trigger tried to infer.

  “Oh, not that. Zac is 100% not human; we’ve known that for years. But honestly, who gives a shite about that?” Zidane chuckled.

  “No, we mean him going crazy for no reason.” Roisin corrected.

  “What happened?” Ume inquired.

  “We don’t know exactly, but there was a fight here, and it wasn’t another monster. There were humans here. Zac didn’t just lose control; he got pissed… I’m sure you can probably guess why.” Roisin said as she stopped scanning.

  “Someone killed Shaila.” Trigger clenched his teeth.

  “Right in front of Zac…” Ume clenched her fist.

  “Exactly, at least that’s what we think. Based on everything we’ve gathered from the debris.” Zidane added.

  “Only Zac will be able to tell exactly what happened.” Roisin chimed in.

  “Do you know where he is?” Trigger responded.

  “Yeah, he’s moping around here somewhere; we already told him we’re here to help him. So he should be back soon.” Zidane said.

  “Wait, you already found him?” Ume asked.

  “Of course.”

  “Duh…” The Twins responded, almost insulted by the implication.

  “You know that device we made for tracking targets? You know the one where you just need a DNA sample and a general location, and it literally gps’ you to the target?” Roisin said.

  “Yeah, the so easy a monkey can use, device that you and Zac struggle with for some reason… that thing?” Zidane added with a smirk.

  “Yes?” Ume’s annoyed voice answered.

  “Weeeeeell, we just made a new one specifically designed to track Zac; we found him instantly; it was so easy…”

  “Yeah, super easy.” The Twins started to laugh.

  Trigger started to laugh as he looked at Ume’s face. Seeing Ume on the receiving end of this kind of treatment was a nice change of pace. No one was able to keep pace with her mentally, except Zac and Shaila, and it seemed the Twins were even a step faster than her. He understood why she spent most of her free time around them.

  “According to said device, Zac is returning right now. I’ll give it about 30 seconds.”

  “30 seconds?!” Trigger was shocked.

  If Zac was that close, he was sure he’d be able to pick up on his presence at least a little. Trigger then looked over his shoulder. The snow kicked up behind him, and a masked, cloaked figure stood in the midst of that snow. That mask peeled away to reveal Zac’s haggard face.

  “Hey, kids,” Zac said lifelessly.

  “Sensei, are you alright?” Ume asked with a concerned look on her face.

  “What do you think?”

  “Yeah, stupid question.” Ume lowered her head.

  “Don’t sweat it, kid.” Zac rubbed the top of Ume’s head as he walked past the group to look at the destruction that he had caused.

  “Zac, what happened?” Trigger asked.

  “I’m sure The Twins and Devin told you everything, right?” Zac said without looking at the two of them.

  “About you not being human, yeah, but what happened…”

  “With Shaila? I killed her; it's my fault.” Zac's dead eyes looked over his shoulder. The four of them looked at him shocked, and Trigger frowned,

  “Zac, please… what happened?”

  “We were attacked by people calling themselves Theronites. I assumed they were after me and led them away from Shaila. Turns out they were after our baby… fill in the rest.”

  “That doesn’t sound like you killed her, stupid!!!” Roisin blurted out.

  “Then I guess you lack imagination,” Zac said as he sat in the snow and slumped against a downed tree.

  The four of them knew there was far more to the story, but from Zac's current state, it was clear he wasn’t keen on sharing. Trigger, on the other hand, was in shock when he heard the name Theronites. Now he understood why Devin was so sure that Zac would try to kill him. He took a deep breath and then said,

  “You were attacked by Heka…”

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  “What is Heka, Trigger, and how do you know?” Ume said with a frown on her face.

  Trigger explained what his mother had told him about the Persequion and Heka and then looked over at Zac, saying,

  “My mother is a Disavowed member of the Theronites, an Oathbreaker. I found out right before Devin called us in.”

  Ume placed her hand over her mouth in contemplation, and The Twins looked towards Zac, who was still sitting with a blank expression on his face.

  “HEHEHE HEHEHEHAHAHAAHAHA!” Zac began to break out into hysterical laughter. Ume broke out of her concentration and stared at Trigger with concern. It was hard to tell what state of mind Zac was in, so there was no telling what he could do.

  The snow kicked up in the blink of an eye, and Zac loomed over Trigger.

  “Sensei!”

  “Zac!” Ume and the Twins called out in panic.

  The pupils of Zac’s dark purple eyes turned into sinister slits, and he placed his hands on both of Trigger’s shoulders. He stared into Kenji’s eyes, and a familiar arrogant smile stretched across his face,

  “Thanks, kid.” That's all Zac said as he turned around and faced the other three.

  He seemed to have been rejuvenated in an instant.

  “I finally have a target.” Zac chuckled.

  Ume and the Twins let out a sigh of relief.

  “Fuck’in Devin… seems my mother was right, as usual,” Zac said with an annoyed groan.

  “What do you mean?” Ume asked.

  “Devin is a very aggressive individual. There were only two times that was not the case. With my mother and Trigger’s. I always assumed that was out of respect for me and The Bone Collector. But no, it was because he knows who and what they are. He’s been playing me like a fool for a very long time. My best friend… my biggest blind spot. I wonder how many secrets he's been keeping from me.” Zac snorted.

  “Did Shaila leave you anything like this?” Trigger asked as he and Ume held up his bracelet with the cube hanging from it.

  “Of course…” The twins responded in tandem.

  Zidan had a cube hanging from his left ear, while Roisin moved her hair to reveal the cube from her right ear. Zac looked at the cubes and smiled,

  “She didn’t leave me anything like that, just this…” Zac pulled a necklace from under his tattered skirt, which was shaped like a teardrop, and had a purple shine to it.

  As soon as he revealed the necklace, the cubes began to react; they all broke apart, and their pieces floated toward the teardrop. The teardrop necklace detached itself from Zac and floated in the air before them as the cube pieces formed a frame. The teardrop filled the frame with light, and a purple image of Shaila’s face appeared,

  “I’m glad to see you guys all together.” Her voice visibly shook Zac, and inhaled deeply his breathing trembling, before clearing his throat.

  “I have a lot to tell you, and there isn’t much time. So listen closely.” Shaila’s image quickly continued.

  “First, Zac, my love. I’m sorry for keeping what you are a secret for so long, but your mother never told you, so I assumed she wanted you to live as a human as long as possible. Talking to her, that became more obvious.”

  “Then what am I?” Zac asked.

  “I don’t know. You’re unlike anything recorded in any record. Only your mother could know.”

  Zac took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Trigger looked at Zac, clenching his fist, and then looked at the sad expression on the “Shaila” on the screen.

  “Speaking of Devin. After having a conversation with your mother laced with underlying meanings, it was clear she knew exactly the type of person Devin was.”

  “Explain…” Zac groaned, his emotional state becoming more unstable.

  “I started digging after Devin declared that he intended to overtake The Oleanders and Weaving Adders. He hid it very well, but with the Twins' help, I got my hands on some of his correspondents.” Zac looked over at the Twins at her words.

  “She asked us to make a device that could hack anything and reconstruct deleted or long destroyed data, in a matter of seconds. We didn’t know what for, and we did it during a lunch break. We didn’t give it much thought.” Zidane explained.

  “Yeah, well, I managed to access everything and everyone he’d ever communicated with. To the point, the most interesting information involved talks about you, me, and Trigger.” Shaila’s voice turned dark.

  “And he was talking with a group calling themselves Heka.”

  Everyone went silent and looked over at Trigger, who had explained to them everything he had been told by his mother. Devin was born into their ranks if he was in contact with Heka.

  “It looks like you guys have already figured some things out that I hadn’t. Good, then maybe you’ll be able to fill in some of the holes.”

  “If Devin is a part of Heka, then he has been a part of them since childhood. That means by the time he entered the Oleanders as a recruit.” Ume started,

  “He was under Heka’s orders.” Trigger finished.

  “And he just happened to meet Zac… an unknown super cryptid living as a human? No shot.” Roisin inferred.

  “Correct. From how the correspondence was worded, although coded, so admittedly, some things could have been lost in translation. Heka knew of Zac’s existence before they met and mine as well.”

  “No offense, but why are you so important?” Ume asked.

  “None taken… Heka believes I descend from some great line of humanity and was waiting for a chance to get their hands on me. They didn’t talk about it much, nor what its importance was. All I know is that Devin wanted all three of us.” Shaila said as she looked at Kenji.

  “Number 3….” Trigger muttered.

  “What?” Zac asked.

  “When I was running away from Devin, I confronted him about you being nothing more than his favorite pet. In response, he mocked that I was jealous of being #3. I’m guessing 1 and 2 were you and Shaila.” Trigger staggered back for a moment.

  Zac, who had been out of it for most of the time, hadn't even realized that Ume and Trigger had to hightail it out of Renegade headquarters to reach him. He chuckled at his own incompetence and at the absurdity of the situation. After gathering himself, Zac spoke,

  “Everything was manufactured. The Oleanders and Adders thinking I’m a Taboo child, the “vamps” killing Shaila’s parents, and us finding Kenji and his mother. Everything was set up.”

  “How do you know?” Zidane asked.

  “It’s what I would have done. If I wanted to possess us, I’d make us feel indebted. I always thought Devin was a naive idealist… hehehehehe, well played.” Zac chuckled.

  “Exactly.” Shaila’s image confirmed Zac’s suspensions.

  “Wait, is Devin responsible for what happened to Shaila?” Ume asked.

  “I don’t think so.” Trigger was the first to respond.

  Everyone looked at him, a bit annoyed.

  “Look, I’m not trying to defend the guy alright, but he seemed genuinely upset. Beyond that, my mom told me that Heka isn’t cohesive. I can see a faction of them wanting Shaila’s baby dead. Can’t you?” Trigger reasoned, and all of them bowed their heads.

  Trigger was correct; Shaila was from some great human lineage, and Zac was some mysterious, powerful cryptid. The more zealous of Heka could have seen it as some sort of abomination and would rather see that lineage end rather than be defiled by monster blood.

  “But… Devin was the only one who knew where Shaila and Sensei were having their honeymoon.” Ume's eyes narrowed as she brought up this fact.

  “Don’t get too worked up. We know too little right now.” Zac was the voice of reason. Trigger looked into his eyes and saw a frightening calm.

  Moments ago, Zacs was teetering on the edge of madness, and before that, he was in a bottomless pit of despair. Trigger didn’t know whether he was emotionally unstable or he had found his footing at this moment. He also didn’t know which one was more terrifying.

  “Do you have anything else for us?” Zac asked.

  “Just a couple of things. First, I know what you’ll do, Zac… and I’m totally on board.” The Shaila construct smirked,

  “I know.”

  “Second, I couldn’t pinpoint any of Heka’s bases.”

  “And I doubt they’re still staying anywhere my mom knows.” Trigger offered.

  Zac and the others nodded; it seemed everyone was on the same page on what was happening next.

  “But, the old adage might hold true, especially considering what you are. 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.' Happy hunting, my love.” Shaila's image winked at Zac before cutting off. The frame returned back to their individual cubes and made their way back to their respective owners. The teardrop necklace floated back into Zac’s hand. He stared at the teardrop device blankly for several quiet minutes, before closing his fist around it.

  “Did you two help her make this?” Zac asked the Twins.

  “Nope, this was 100% her.”

  “Crazy impressive.” The Twins responded.

  “So we’re going after Heka, right? What’s our first step?” Trigger asked.

  “You seem excited, kid,” Zac smirked,

  “Of course, those bastards ruined my life and have apparently been trying to kill me for years. What they did to you and Shaila… well…”

  “Yeah… but are you sure you’re comfortable working with a monster?”

  “Zac, I always thought you weren’t human anyway; this makes me feel like I wasn’t completely crazy. Besides…”

  “Who gives a shit about that anyway?” Ume butted in.

  “Exactly!!!

  “Exactly!!!” The twins blurted out.

  Zac started to chuckle. It was the first honest chuckle he had in the past day.

  “So what’s the plan?” Trigger said.

  “Well, first, Devin and I must have a long overdue heart-to-heart.” Zac turned his head over his shoulder; at that moment, Trigger also felt a slight disturbance in space. His head snapped in the same direction.

  Five people appeared in the snow in front of Trigger’s group. Devin stood in the center with Léonie and Franky on his right and left, respectively; next to Franky stood Helena, and next to Léonie stood Hachiman.

  “It didn't take you guys long to find my replacement,” Zac smirked.

  “I’d say it’s an upgrade,” Léonie commented.

  “Shut up, bitch.” Zac growled.

  "Lovely..." Leo muttered.