Kidnapped Girls (2)
Valencia's granddaughter had been kidnapped, so the Hero Association was undoubtedly on high alert. She wasn't just anyone—she was the association president's granddaughter. Every hero in the organization was probably throwing everything they had into rescuing her. In other words, if he just waited, they'd handle not only her but Rachel too.
But he was going all out as well. Daring to kidnap my daughter? That was unforgivable. After all those steamy nights with Emily, Rachel was as good as his own daughter.
With three info lines plugged into the Hero Association—Yuna, Memory Hunter, and Ice Queen—he figured he'd move solo until word came from them.
Bam!
"Cheetgirl!"
"Kyaaang?!"
He kicked the door open, and Cheetgirl, who had been lounging around yawning lazily, bolted upright in shock. She's ripped her clothes to shreds again.
"Knew you'd do that, so I brought spares."
"Kyaaang! Kyaaaang!"
"Behave. No time to roughhouse right now."
Even seeing her stark naked, his dick didn't twitch. His was a high-tech cock that knew its time and place. Right?
Anyway, in this urgent situation, there was no screwing around with Cheetgirl. Once he'd dressed her, he headed straight to Rachel's room, grabbed her pillow, and came back out.
"Here, sniff this. That's Rachel's scent, yeah? We're going to find her now."
"Kyaaang! Kyaaang! Kaarung!"
"Cheetgirl."
"Kyaarung?"
He grabbed her thrashing face and locked eyes with her, speaking from the heart.
"Not sure if you get what I'm saying, but Rachel's in danger right now. I need your help to save her. If you don't, we might never see her again. You okay with that?"
"....."
Did his sincerity get through? Or did she understand? Either way, Cheetgirl settled down. She buried her nose in Rachel's pillow and started sniffing.
"Can you track her?"
"Kyaarung!"
"Whoa, hold up!"
She nodded vigorously and bolted for the door, so he instinctively grabbed her tail.
"You go out like that, people will spot you."
Bad rumors were already swirling around Emily and Rachel in the neighborhood. A pretty widow and poverty made easy gossip fodder. If word got out they were living with someone as suspiciously freaky-looking as Cheetgirl, who knew what the locals might do to the mother-daughter duo.
He'd suggested moving to a better place plenty of times, but Emily always refused. This was where her memories with her late husband lived; she couldn't leave.
What could he do? For those two, he'd make it work.
"Put this on and stay quiet."
He plopped a hat over Cheetgirl's head and scooped her up princess-style.
"I'll do the running. You just point the way. Got it?"
"Kya, kyaarung..."
Was she embarrassed? Cheetgirl's face flushed red.
Anyway, trusting her nose, he set off in pursuit of Rachel.
*****
Just as Steel Armor predicted, the Hero Association was in full panic mode.
"That fucking bastard Shadow Killer..."
"How the hell did he even know about the president's granddaughter? Her info's top secret!"
But something he hadn't anticipated had happened.
"If he hacked the president's personal files, doesn't that mean ours are compromised too?"
"Honey! Why aren't you picking up? Call me back!"
The association head's personal details had been leaked. If Valencia was hit, theirs had probably been swiped ages ago.
Plus, eyewitnesses from the kidnapping said the perp called himself Shadow Killer. With a ruthless villain like that holding the president's granddaughter, anything could happen. And he might target other heroes' families next.
"Uh, I've got a family emergency at home..."
"Hey, Marine Boy! Didn't I cover your shift last time? Swap with me now. What? You can't? You wanna die, fish boy?!"
About thirty percent of the heroes slated for the search started making excuses and balking.
"Guess I'll head out first then."
They defied orders to hold position and bolted home to their families.
"Hahaha..."
Valencia let out a hollow laugh at the sight.
He understood their feelings—family came first. But fleeing the Hero Association like rats? Was that the heroes he knew?
It was me.
Then it hit him.
I was the one ruining the Hero Association.
He'd created them. For over forty years, from his prime, he'd been a hero. He'd seen it all and learned one hard truth: money.
Scraps of paper that crumbled even the mightiest heroes, armed with superpowers and unshakeable convictions.
From then on, Valencia obsessed over cash. To keep money from breaking heroes. To stop it from shattering their beliefs.
But he'd overlooked something key: heroes were human, and human greed knew no bounds.
Once they tasted money, their convictions warped. They became slaves to it, not heroes crying and laughing for justice anymore.
"Marco, Marco, Marco... Is this the Hero Association you dreamed of?"
Marco Valencia—that was his full name. He gazed into the void, sighing deeply.
"Sorry I'm late, sir."
Then his secretary and A-rank hero Gumiho burst into the office, breathing hard from the rush.
"No, you're right on time."
"...President?"
She'd expected rage, maybe a rampage over his only granddaughter's kidnapping by Shadow Killer. But his calm demeanor puzzled her.
"You okay?"
"Huh? Of course not. My darling Bell's been snatched."
"Yet you seem awfully composed."
"What, should I scream my lungs out or smash the desk? If that brought Bell back, I'd level this building myself. But that's not how it works. And... now that you're here, it's time for me to move."
"....!"
Gumiho's eyes widened at "move."
"You'll handle it personally?"
"This time, yeah. Granddaughter kidnapped—grandpa steps up. I've been playing backroom geezer too long; my presence has faded. That's why they dared touch Bell."
"Understood."
"Meet in five. Since the kidnapper called himself Shadow Killer, I need to gear up."
"I'll wait outside."
"Good."
Moments later, Valencia emerged. His outfit was transformed: the dark red costume from his hero heyday, massive mechanical gloves on both hands.
The S-rank hero once dubbed Villain Pulverizer—Hardboiled—had returned.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
He and Gumiho slipped out alone via the rooftop.
"Can you track her?"
"Yes. I crossed paths with Miss Isabela once before; I remember her scent."
"Oh yeah, Bell's the one who found you first."
"Correct."
Like Steel Armor, Hardboiled and Gumiho began tracking the girls by scent.
*****
Meanwhile, the self-proclaimed Shadow Killer hauling the two girls stuck to back alleys with minimal eyes, heading for District 34—home to one of the Hero Association branches.
Thud!
"Eeeek?! You scared me!"
"Kuhuhuhu... Kahahahaha!"
"Aaaah! M-monster!"
But something was off about him. Whenever someone appeared in the alley, he'd deliberately step into view.
And weirder still: if there were two or more witnesses—
"Kyaaak!"
"Grrrrowl!"
"Aaah! H-help...!"
"Eeeek?!"
—the thugs who'd slaughtered Isabela's bodyguards would appear and kill one.
"....."
This is weird.
Rachel, seasoned in kidnappings(?), stayed calm and instinctively sensed the kidnapper's actions weren't normal.
Criminals hid their presence. Traces erased meant safety from pursuers. Identities concealed.
But not this guy. He'd announced himself as Shadow Killer amid crowds during the snatch, and now he was creating witnesses on the run.
Why? Heroes will catch up fast... catch up?
Pondering his motive, Rachel realized it.
He wants the heroes to follow?
Why? What for?
After scattering traces everywhere, the kidnapper reached his destination: District 34. His shadowy entourage dispersed, leaving just him and the two girls.
"Hero... Association?"
Rachel murmured at the passing building. Its neon sign clearly read Hero Association.
She didn't know it, but this was one of their branches. Dark City was massive; managing every district from the central HQ was impossible. They'd solved it with four branches in tough zones.
"Hel... no."
She bit back the instinctive plea for help. The heroes inside might not hear, and provoking the kidnapper was a bad idea—she knew that much.
"Ho? Smart kid. Unlike your friend, you're staying cool."
"....."
Intrigued, he whipped his head around to eye her mid-sprint, car-fast. Eyes off the road, yet he dodged obstacles flawlessly.
"Yeah... Kids have high mortality rates compared to adults, but survivors pull through too."
He muttered cryptically at her.
"Smart underlings aren't bad. Look forward to it, kid. I'll make you the new humanity. Kehihihihik!"
"....."
Rachel squeezed her eyes shut at his chilling, freakish laugh. But she didn't beg for mercy or release.
She knew better than anyone—pleading changed nothing.
*****
Flutter~
Flutter~
Flutter~
A butterfly spread its wings wide, drifting slowly through the sky like a tortoise. Steady and unhurried, it flew toward somewhere.