Rickle’s eyes were glowing red as he directly looked into the One Gang member’s eyes. As this was happening, the One Gang member felt his brain start to slip into unconsciousness.
He was in a daze, almost asleep, his eyes droopy as he gave an answer.
“I don’t know where Rumper Karn is.”
Frustrated with the answer, Rickle pushed the man further up against the stall door, bending part of the metal frame on the other side.
“A man in a white robe, anyone that looked like they were from NIRV that are in this building, where are they?” Rickle asked again.
As he did though, there was no answer, confirming that he had no idea. Rickle finally let go of the man, allowing him to break free.
Right after, he quickly moved his hands, and blood started to fall from the One Gang member’s neck. The gang member fell to the floor, his life having vanished from him.
Kneeling down, Rickle then placed his hand on top of the body.
Closing his eyes, the body started to change. It was bubbling at the skin and breaking off; it continued to break off, turning into nothing but particles and ashes, and eventually was nothing but dust.
In Rickle’s other hand, he had grasped a crystal tightly, and then quickly lifted his hand, and the crystal had vanished.
When one looked at the ground now, there was no trace of blood, there was no body itself; it was as if the man had never existed.
“I should have asked him if he knew anyone that would know the answer, then I wouldn’t have to go searching around like this,” Rickle clicked his tongue. “I’m being far more impatient than usual... I just hope I’m wrong about Rumper,” Rickle said to himself, exiting the bathroom stall.
Dean, who had been keeping watch from the outside, saw Rickle exiting and was already walking down the hallway.
There were quite a few people in the hallways now as things were getting busier in the stadium as time went on.
It would get harder and harder for them to find out what they needed.
“What happened, did you find out anything?” Dean asked, catching up to Rickle.
“No, we need higher-ups. Harvor will be busy with the fight, but I’m also sure that Rumper wouldn’t let just anyone protect him.
“We need to find one of these Zodiacs or whatever they're called.”
Dean nodded in agreement but had another question pending on his mind.
“What about the man you took in there, don’t we need to do something? What if someone else enters the stall, or he asks others questions?”
“Don’t worry, he’s been dealt with. We can’t have anyone interrupt our work,” Rickle answered. “This is becoming too important of a task.”
After doing a few scheduled interviews and such, it was time for Gary to move on with Allan to the head-to-head photo shoot.
Now he was going to meet Harvor, and it was the only time the two of them would meet before the fight was to take place.
They were walking through the halls to one of the rooms which had been set up.
“Don’t worry,” Daphne said, whispering. “I’m here by your side. Remember what we said, we have a chance.”
With just her presence there, she also thought it was less likely that Harvor would do something. After all, it was an unlikely alliance, and they had no idea the Bree family were ready to attack and take over Inferno City.
Allan opened the double doors, and Gary could see a small stage up ahead. There was an image of him with a painted Werewolf behind, then there was Harvor with swirling energy surrounding him on the backdrop.
Not only that, but multiple media representatives were sitting in seats as well as photographers, who had turned and instantly started to take photos of Gary.
Turning his head to the side, Gary could see Harvor and Stanley enter as well. A large smile was on Harvor’s face as they walked up.
Gary continued to walk, heading towards the stage where the two of them would stand.
‘Is this what Jayden had to go through as well? Before his big fight. He had to spend all of his time with this sick guy!’ Gary thought. ‘And he had to hold it all in, to unleash it when they got to the ring.’
Finally, in the middle of his thoughts, Gary had stepped onto the stage, and Harvor had done so as well, who was walking toward him.
The two continued until they were only two meters away from each other.
“And so we finally meet,” Harvor said the first word, and instantly several devices were recording and taking photos of the two of them.
Clem was even in the room as part of this conference, but Gary didn’t notice her, too focused on Harvor in front of him.
“I have to admit that I’ve never been more excited for a fight before. Maybe it’s the fact that we're both Kings, or maybe it’s because of the grand prize on the line.”
The others listening thought they meant prize money of 50 million dollars to be used—an amount that would just add to the vast wealth of the two that they already had.
“I’m surprised though, to see that you have her by your side and not your friends. Were you worried I would do something to them?” Harvor asked.
Gary gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.
“You know damn well why they aren’t here. You... are a disappointment, and not the champion I thought you were.”
With those words, Gary was too frustrated to continue, and so he turned around and started to walk back out of the room.
At the end of the day, they wouldn’t cancel the fight just because of one press conference that had a reaction like so.
Eventually, he stormed out, and that was the end of the only meeting that would occur before the big fight.
“It seems my opponent has decided to rest up for the big fight,” Harvor said, turning to the others. “So I shall do the same.”
Ending the press conference early, Harvor and Stanley had returned to their preparation room, and in an instant, Harvor swung his hand and slapped Stanley right across the face.
His cheek turned bright red in an instant.
“About what he was saying up there, is it true? Did you do something behind my back again?” Harvor asked.
Stanley didn’t reply and only straightened his glasses.
“Did you think I was going to lose? That you were the one that needed to act? Don’t do something behind my back like that again, don’t you dare ruin my fun.”
Now it was Harvor’s time to leave the room, leaving Stanley on his own.
When Gary had returned to his preparation room with Daphne, he looked at the clock again. It was now 3 PM. Three more hours until the first fight was to take place.
‘Why... why aren’t the others here yet... what happened to you?’ Gary thought.
****