The Party (1)

  Fox stepped forth, letting Melissa have a better image of his face, which was a bit dark from the poor lighting. Melissa stood rooted to the spot, looking at Fox, with her child waking up. When Fox was close enough, she sharply breathed in before letting it go in one burst. Fox stopped and asked with his head inclining down, “It's me. We met… a couple of times before. Back in Preut.”

  “Indeed.” Melissa lifted her shoulders and leaned her head to her left, knitting her eyebrows sadly. She grabbed her child with a good lock before extending a hand to Fox, “it’s really you. And you’re here, too. Amazing…”

  “I…” Fox began, but he felt stopped when processing the complete change of attitude after he appeared in her line of sight. Melissa looked down, darting her eyes left and right. She placed her hand on his cheek, which Fox allowed, letting her see the boy he once was.

  “Care to help me with a few things?” Melissa asked, her head a bit low. Fox could say many things and end his ‘shift’ here, but he nodded. Melissa smiled and nodded back, bouncing her son in his arms a few times before helping him down. She looked up at Fox’s face with a startle, “Oh, would you like to hold him instead? We’re going to walk quite some distance.”

  “I am daughter-based,” Fox shook his palm along his head. Melissa twirled her lips, twitching her eyebrows with the left corner of her mouth extending. “Alright… Just follow me. It won’t take that long with your strength carrying all these things.”

  Melissa got to work, guiding Fox to grab 3 large cardboard boxes. They weren’t too big, but they had a considerable length and height. Piled on his arms, Fox was able to carry them even without his left arm’s sheer strength. He followed Melissa’s footsteps as she gently guided him, calling him out a few times, and directing him with a few touched to his arms and backhands.

  He could feel some had 3 levels of food containers, filled with either snacks or provisions, which were at least a little sweet and better than the old military rations. Others had thin, 1L or slightly more quantity water bottles, and the other seemed to have a mix of clothes, blankets, plates, and few ointment cases.

  Fox didn’t comment and followed Melissa. He was first brought across the reception area, where he was seen, and quite a few surprised exclamations went out. Then, he was guided into a wide, square room where old people were waiting with children beside them or sitting on their lap. They had some coarse sweaters with broken shirts beneath them, while the children had oversized but decent clothing.

  The grandpas and grandmas looked up at Melissa and Fox when they went through the double doors, with the kids running to their respective oldies in an orderly manner. Melissa smiled at some brats before having Fox lower the box with fabric, blankets, plates, and ointment cases.

  Opening the box, she went to each elderly person and gave a set of ointment case, sweater, a plate, and a blanket. They already had a set of these, but this extra had nothing wrong. Besides, the more the merrier.

  They took the things with peaceful expressions, placing them safely at the sides in their mini drawers, small and with wheels to move them with ease. But when it came to the fabrics, which were some more sweaters for the elderly, worse off than those the children already had, they placed them in the kids’ drawers, momentarily wearing annoyed expressions.

  Melissa didn’t even bother saying something about it, giving everyone their bit, with some not receiving an ointment case. Afterwards, with some children looking vacantly at their grandparent, they left for another area. Seeing all of this, Fox didn’t feel a thing.

  Fox was brought to a diner, if it could be called that. The light was so poor that each group of people carried their own light, be it a lantern, flashlight, phone, or lamp of any kind.

  They had their plates ready, and some seemed just arriving. Fox was walked to them with the box with the containers open. She gave them one piece of bread each, or that is what it looked like. They had their water bottles, filled, of which Fox smelled some had started going bad.

  After giving everyone their part, Melissa walked Fox to the last area, which was where some workers came from before walking into the reception area. There were a dozen volunteers holding baskets, all waiting for the box Melissa brought.

  It seemed like Melissa coming here was a surprise, with the dark lighting hiding Fox’s identity. Although it was mostly because they didn’t care and the only knew Melissa. She had him stand around while filling each basket with those bottles to the last one.

  Once they were done, and the people with the baskets walked out together, with the sound of cheering as the previous group of people with baskets were relieved, Melissa smiled at Fox before gesturing with her head. Fox dropped the box at the side, where more boxes like these were placed, and followed Melissa to a balcony on a higher floor.

  Everyone knew Melissa, treating her with kind, even the grunt and grumpy. The balcony was after a double door, which was small but safe, with safety nets below, in case anyone felt… Fox looked down once before facing Melissa, who seemed tired and weak, but determined.

  “I’m glad to see you doing well, Phesx… Fox?” Melissa looked at Fox and teased him, forming a small, sad smile. Fox looked at it and blinked, looking down at the ground while Melissa thought of the past. She said, “You know, I searched for you for 4 days after coming out of Preut.”

  Fox placed his wrists on the railing atop the small wall and observed Melissa as she did the same and narrowed her eyes, looking at the sky. “I had my children secured, with food and care from the government, but I was pregnant and weak, too.”

  “Still, I’m glad you went out of there, although I was ‘notified’ in the worst manner…” Melissa’s eyes went down, pensive and lost. “I also cried when I saw so many people wanting to find and kill you. I was too terrified back then.”

  “You had no relation with me,” Fox shook his head. “It was other people who should’ve been fearful and shocked. Ahh… but even they didn’t ‘lose hope’ in me. Like that sweet old lady, she gave me tons of hot chocolate when I stayed in her house.”

  “Right, hehe. She was such an icon of your strong defense. What a woman, mm?” Melissa smiled again, this time brightly. Fox nodded a little. His polycoria eyes slightly lost. “Maybe she gave her heart out to stop the war, mn?”

  “Mnn. Lye,” Melissa nodded upwards twice, lifting her left hand like a toast. Fox looked at her, rising his eyebrows, somewhat surprised. He said nothing and nodded, a thin grin plastered on his lips, “Lye.”

  A comfortable silence surged, bringing them to a peaceful scenery of the capital. After a few minutes, Fox faced her, leaning on the railing, “You knew nothing about me but treated me good and cared for my safety like no one did after you. Well, more or less.”

  Melissa looked at him and gently smiled. Fox continued, “I guess that qualifies you for the title of aunty.”

  “Bwahahaha, what does that mean?” Said Melissa in good humor. Fox squinted, halting the moment before placing a hand on her left shoulder. “I’m also glad you came out of there safely. Your kids did, too, you say?”

  The escape of Preut before the borders were opened were definitely something dangerous and bound to be exhausting. Fox didn’t need to check with records, be it PSD or the government. He already knew what fate befell Melissa’s group. He also saw no one from that group back then.

  There was only Melissa. Fox observed Melissa, who cleaned her ears, void of makeup, perhaps a habit from the past; long past. She has suffered a lot. The others definitely suffered, too, but they weren’t here.

  “Well, my kids are studying. They come here only after the afternoon. Because of the program, they can stay in a good place for a few hours more to socialize and spend a better time before coming here. They help a little.” Melissa flashed Fox a strong smile with squinting eyes.

  “What about the youngest?” Fox asked. Melissa protruded her lips forth, taking a moment to speak, “He doesn’t have the same opportunities. He was born autistic with large limits in his capabilities. I take care of most things, and he’s learning well… But I wish he had better ways.”

  “Well, Melissa,” Fox ambiguously commented. She looked at him, frowning for a moment before staring at him with a tiny pout, awaiting. Fox tilted his head, “I didn’t come here to see you and make sure you remembered me.”

  “I want to first tell you that, what I want to offer you won’t use them as advertising or governmental experiments-” Fox didn’t stop and continued, but Melissa extended her palm to stop him, speaking after he respected her gesture. “Bratty punk, I do trust you.”

  “When you helped me, us, when you could’ve just have left and said nothing, that meant a lot. How can I not see what person you are when those are the things you do in such horrible days?” Melissa stepped twice closer to Fox, showering him with an admonishing, gentle glance.

  “But… do tell me what you have in mind. It must be functional for everyone,” Melissa squinted her eyes, slightly combing Fox’s hair with her fingers, tracing her fingertips on his white flock of hair. Fox nodded, “There are two sides to this, one is carried here, Lymoca, the other in Terka.”

  “…?” Melissa’s intrigue was grabbed. Fox didn’t stop, “There are a lot of steps to this, and limitations for people of certain age, trauma, and their preference. I’m planning on having a lot of people serve hot chocolate around my boutique and the 9th Order Restaurant chain.”

  “Only that won’t be enough, Fox.” Melissa became pensive, crossing her arms, but remaining factual. Fox nodded, his hands to the sides in a gesture to let him finish, “From the get-go, I’m offering everyone a place to stay, food from the restaurant, and some allowance.”

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  “Okay…” Melissa’s expression eased, and so did her arms. Fox went on, “As time passes, they will be taught to work in the restaurants’ kitchens, or even as a janitor. It can be a boost for their lives, not their life-long compromise.”

  “It’s the same for my boutique, as we’ll need more people in the future to go international.” Fox said. Melissa’s eyebrows jumped, lifting a finger in realization. “Ah! And you hire young people with ‘less opportunities’ than others, so you will follow up with this trend of yours. And… You want to help Preutians gain a better foothold?”

  “That’s more or less it,” Fox lightly nodded a few times. He added, “In exchange, they will go through tests. Nothing scientific. Merely— how much can they run in a few seconds? Their innate stamina, reflexes, sensorial capabilities, and the raw potential of their bodies.”

  “Hmmm,” Melissa tightly crossed her arms and looked at Fox with upturned eyes. She was considering, but Fox felt she was just playing with him. After a bit, she dropped her act and blinked softly, echoing with a similar tone, “I will talk it out with the other co-founders. Coming from you, they will be excited. In case it goes perfect, how long do you need to start having all this functioning?”

  “Today.” Fox flatly replied. “But, yes. Take your time. When the 9th Order Restaurant chain starts growing too high, there could be any Ly working to do the same for less. And for the record, I’m not recruiting anyone for any war.”

  “I know. Yes, yes…” Melissa rolled her eyes and nodded before leaning her head, pressing her lips together, giving him a face. She released her arms and relaxed, looking at him a bit proudly with a hint of mischief glinting through her eyes.

  “I’ll tell you what the co-founders think about this. We’ll also speak with everyone,” Melissa sighed while speaking. Fox blinked and interjected, “How many people come here?”

  “It’s more than 90 million people from Preut, Fox. We attend 10,000 new people every month, who come and go to look for opportunities, most returning to have somewhere to stay, sleep, and drink without being a bother to everyone’s eyes.”

  “Even if it’s a minimal percentage of those 90, too many people from Preut are in the worst they’ve been after the war.” Melissa finished her answer. Her face showed some desperation. About 2.7 million Preutians lived like this. Anyone tasked with taking care of them would feel the same.

  “Why did you never come to me?” Fox frowned and finally asked what bugged him the most. Melissa ruefully smirked before elaborating, “I thought of it, but we also applied to the government about funding a program for all these Preutians. After the second failure, Lesly Rivera had to even come and speak to us that it wasn’t possible for the time being due to too many starting programs.”

  “It is seriously bothering me that nobody considers asking me for help, especially when they know how I am.” Fox complained, “Even Lesly came down?”

  “Yeah, that’s right. We had a chat with the vice president. How is it? You’re not the only one with connections.” Melissa acted all smug, pushing him with her shoulder. Fox grinned a bit before saying, “Alright, alright. It would’ve been different with me. Call me when you have a word.”

  “By the way, can I make use of my ‘status’ and hug you, kid?” Melissa 5 parts asked and 5 parts demanded. Fox faced her, still leaning on the railing, and smirked with a blow from his nostrils. “Yes, Melissa. But-”

  Thud. Melissa shot towards his body, hugging him with her face hidden on his solar plexus. Her words reverberated from there a few seconds later, “I also know the rumors about your dislike for physical contact… But I can take advantage as your aunty, can I not?”

  “…” Fox waited a few more moments before placing his hovering hand above her shoulder on her back, rubbing it a bit. Melissa needed it more than he did.

  … After leaving the aid center, Fox boarded a small jet from the presidential precinct. Luis gave the green light to anything he asked, this was but one of those things. Fox traveled to Lyekes, a state with borders to the Lyclan Sea, where he was to meet old teammates.

  Arriving at Lyekes, Fox was driven to a safe house, where he entered a neat place, finding his old teammates in a room with beverages and even liquor. It was those 6 he knew, they were there. The moment Fox opened the door to have a look, they immediately turned their heads to it.

  That was an expected reflex, which they hadn’t lost. Fox looked at them as they looked at him. There was Gustavo, the squad’s second-in-command when Fox joined the Prequa’s military camp. White, tall, with curly short brown hair and honey brown eyes.

  Jonathan, Ulises, Edwin, and Diego, the tech and crafting expert that showed Fox some of the basics, were there, too. Of course, there was also Karla, the gem of the squad. She was as beautiful as always, and her charm only increased within these couple of years.

  A pale, tender white skin, very tall, with raven, long black hair and large eyes. Furthermore, she stood near Edwin, the cruel but most energetic in the team… with a small belly.

  “Phesx!” - “No, no. It’s ‘Fox’ now.” - “Aaahh, right.” - “Hehehe, Fox. It’s so good to see you!”

  “Hey, guys.” Fox blinked and stared at them before walking towards the group. There were only 6, not 7. He looked at everyone before setting his gaze on Karla and Edwin. “So, it happened in the end. Someone from the squad destroyed the rule of no relationships.”

  “What fucking rule of no rela- YOU BANGED OUR LEADER EVERY FUCKI-” Edwin barked at the top of his lungs, when the group laughed uproariously. Karla even had to grab his wrists and cover his mouth, “Baby, he’s teasing you. Oish!”

  “Hahahaha….” The group laughed some more, and with this, the reunion began, with whatever crystallized ice formed after these years breaking in those first few seconds.

  Fox talked a bit with everyone, holding a beer bottle which remained full until the end of their chatting, while they drank and cheered, going for a third and even fourth. Edwin didn’t drink, while Karla would drink even less.

  Gustavo opened a business, where he found Diego looking for a job as a technician. They aided each other and found their little lovebirds while growing the business. Jonathan was a celebrity bodyguard, most recently of a rapper who approached a sentiment through nationalism with Lymoca, bringing a lot of love to their equally good style.

  Ulises was simply moving around Lymoca, traveling before settling down in Lyekes, where he found the other 2 were working at a company, but he decided to help his now wife’s family business; a large local store.

  Edwin and Karla moved to Lyekes with Gustavo, having already talked about it before parting ways to move into Lymoca back then. They made some money from ‘odd jobs’, such as stealing from some criminals, nearly getting into trouble a few times, before buying a house and starting their own business, too.

  They were all still training regularly, but more like ordinary civilians, and not monstrously like they did in the assault squad. Karla and Edwin had a better physical condition, even compared to Gustavo, who remained bulky even after years focusing on his company.

  Nevertheless, as their chatting came to an end, silence engulfed them, bringing their attention to Fox, who looked down at the void and was extra silent compared to them.

  “Where’s María?” Fox asked, lifting his head and frowning a bit. But they didn’t respond. More so, they seemed helpless. Karla was the one to break the awkward pact of silence, wearing a worried and saddened expression, “We don’t know, Fox. Ever since Preut, María disappeared as soon as she became a Ly. We have no idea what happened to her.”

  “But she did talk to us. María told us to go on with our stuff, that she would catch up with us at a later date… It’s been a couple years, but we still have no idea what happened to her.” Gustavo added, finding bravery in Karla leading the charge.

  “So she has disappeared all this while?” Fox frowned a bit, squinting his eyes in rapid, heavy thoughts. The group didn’t have something to say. At last, he looked up at them and voiced, “Well, I think this is it for our reunion. You know I won’t stay for long, but thank you for letting me see you, everyone, again.”

  “No problem,” Gustavo shook his head, while Edwin and Karla were busy being mellow to each other. Diego looked at Fox and pressed his lips in a comforting smile, “She should be fine. María is our María, ain’t she? One day, it’ll be 8 of us, unless you get yourself killed, Fox.”

  “Hahaha…” - “Lye!” - “Lye!” The group responded to the call after laughing their asses off. Fox was once again surprised to see this, but he replied the same, “Lye.”

  Indeed, María was a big girl. She was one of the most powerful people he knew since Preut’s civil war, although not as a special agent. Yet, from the squad, while they were excellent, elite soldiers, only María had the potential to become a special agent.

  … Fox left the reunion with a few drivers for everyone, which they trusted Fox enough to let his bodyguards bring them back home. Ulises and Diego were the most worried, since their tigresses wouldn’t just accept a husband drunk and all contented returning home.

  Yet, when Fox was on his way to the airport, where the small jet awaited him, he received a call from none other but his therapist, Morena. Fox picked it at once, wondering why was she ‘bothering’ him so soon, since this was still the 16th of the month, so he barely spent a day back.

  “Yes?” Fox worded. Mona sounded from the other side, “Fox? It’s been so long since we met~. Why are you not here and telling me how bad of a man you are to little Nala? Come on, it’s been a while. Get me up to date and I’ll forgive you.”

  “Okay…” Fox readily agreed, with Mona ending the call right after, having gotten what she wanted. Fox looked ahead and thought, ‘If you’re going to make excuses, craft them with more enthusiasm, at least.’

  Fox didn’t bother and kept his phone, with the White Blood not speeding up or asking if he should. Like this, Fox boarded the jet and flew back to Proteros at a regular speed. When he arrived at the presidential precinct, Roam was there to accompany him a bit.

  There was an appointment the day before the celebrations, and Luis wanted Fox to be there. Both as a show to the masses, and to demonstrate that the ‘mass-killer’ Fox was the appropriate person to lead every single project he orchestrated.

  Casually accepting, Fox then went to his therapist’s office, missing his Myertha, which was with his women. Reflecting on his current lifestyle once more, Fox felt a little too blessed, but his face showed none of it, looking through the window of night Proteros City like a bored kid.

  Arriving at Mona’s office, Fox only went in after receiving a nod from the agents he sent to look around. A habit of his, even after Lymoca was cleansed of OCs, let alone criminal groups.

  He entered Mona’s office, wearing a pair of curious eyes as he opened the door to her floor, revealing pure darkness. Before Fox could identify anything in this fake darkness, a hand flashed towards him, grabbed his shirt, and pulled him in as the lights were turned on.

  “It’s your birthday!” A bunch of voices shouted, along dozens of silent confetti flying into the air, and some red lights showering the ceiling with red hue. Fox looked at everyone, who ranged from PSD special agents he’s hired before, to Mena, her cousin working in his boutique, Fabiola and a tall, muscular guy who had hearts in his eyes when staring at him from afar.

  Nala’s team, Colmillo and Miros, even Butler showed up, while Nala and Esmeralda were also among the crowd. Fox was ambushed, and he was helpless to do anything. Teon, some Green and White Bloods teams, and the representative captain Lian with his team members were also present.

  Immediately after, everyone ignored him except for his women, who sent enchanted daggers through their eyes for him to come to them. Walking past everyone, giving them a nod, and a polite, thin smile, Fox briefly glanced at the square table for 4, where Nala’s team sat. Nol and Alea sat opposite of each other.

  Then, Fox looked at his women, who ‘betrayed’ him with this trap, but still managed to somehow turn it to be of his liking. As soon as he got close to them, he softly coiled his arms around their waists and rubbed his face on theirs… rejoicing peacefully with their eyes closed.

  Everyone chatted with whom they wanted, with Fox and two breathtaking, heavenly beauties disappearing somewhere after the hour of the next day and his birthday reached this part of the world.

  His birthday was in the 17th of the 1st month, while 2 hours remained before that day began. Nevertheless, he embraced it wholly.

  …