Man of Fiction

One Week Ago

It was a hot Wednesday afternoon, and Detective Bentlee detested Mavon City's court the most at such climates. Nothing was worse than attending a wanted thief's trial on a hot day, where everyone was on the edge. The last day of the Slash Bandit trial had already begun when he slowly entered the room. While he was approaching his seat, he saw Frank Finchlin on the Defendant table. He was cuffed and he wore the prison's blue jumpsuit. Beside was a reluctant lawyer, who was clearly dragged into the case. The young detective took his seat, when the judge was already close to declaring the verdict.

"Frank Finchlin is hereby guilty of his crimes of theft across Mavon City ," the judge said. "He will be sentenced to fifteen years in prison. Case dismissed."

The moment Frank stood, everyone in the spectator's area went wild. The news reporters scrambled to the front, getting as near as possible to the lawyers and to Frank. The Court Bailiff took the Slash Bandit by the arm, and guided him away from the crowd. The detective stared long and hard at Frank's face, who grinned in spite of his verdict. He turned to meet Alaric's intense gaze.

And he winked.

*****

Alaric headed back to Mavon City Police Department that same night, with the memory of the trial stuck in his mind. The rising of the Racket Vengers perfectly explained Frank's relaxed disposition, that very day. Screw him, Alaric thought in frustration. He never thought that a thief that just slitted women purses would cause this much trouble, even when he was in jail.

He brought files of the Slash bandit to his already crowded desk. He looked up all the past cases, and Frank's complete profile. The man did not have a family, nor any close relatives. The papers told him nothing about Frank's private life, making OCPD Detective Lenny's speculations difficult to prove. He suddenly remembered what Gareth told Emily earlier.

'Some gangs are very loyal to each other, Emily.'

"That means he has a follower, of some sorts." Alaric figured, dropping the papers into a heap of others. On his peripheral vision, he spotted a red folder. It was another file he held when he spoke to Emily Rose about a certain Doctor Rowan Adonis. He manipulated his friend, by telling her that he found some information on Gareth's missing girl. But in reality, he did not. He found something else about the girl's name, and Alaric contemplated on whether or not it was worth sharing to Emily.

He stood up and headed back to the records room.

*****

The last novel slipped from the pale Emily's hands and fell on Emily's bedroom floor. She wrapped her arms around herself, as her own body quivered.

The night has been nothing but tough on her and Gareth. They were attacked by a rising gang, that may or may not have something to do with the Slash Bandit, they spent two dragging hours sharing statements at the police station, she had an uncomfortable confrontation with Alaric, and they skipped dinner.

She tried to get her mind off things by reading 'The End of Mob Mentality'. The events of the last novel did not make her feel any better, however. When she came across one tragedy, she strived herself to read more. She hoped for a ray of light to come at the end of this hollow tunnel called Mob Boy Order. Her finger held the last page, but the words did not bring any sort of solace. The end of Mob Boy Order broke her soul into a million pieces. Magda Travey was wrong; she was not just going to cry.

She was going to grieve for a doomed Gareth-- if he chose to return home, which was going to be his tragic end.

Gareth could not take his eyes off of Emily Rose.

With a rising mysterious gang lurking between the major cities of the West, the monk feared that Operation Adonis would have to be put on hold. His instincts told him that he was a major target, because he believed that the Slash Bandit was the catalyst for this whole gangster catastrophe. This meant that Emily Rose was also in danger.

The whole situation made him tighten his fist. A part of him wished that the Qishi energy would return, but he was mostly angry that he brought an innocent young woman to get into this mess. Emily was nothing but kind to him, ever since he got transported to her world. She had every option to leave him alone, but she decided to help him go back to Adonis. Gareth made it a point to do everything in his ability to protect her.

During their commute to work, Gareth watched over the oblivious Emily Rose like a hawk. Once they got on the bus, his green eyes leered at every single passenger on board. Finding a seat for his lady companion was no longer his priority. His new mission was to look for any signs of Racket Vengers and their incoming threats.

The monk held Emily tightly by the shoulders, as they stood inside the full bus. He tried to sense his surroundings and for any movement heading towards them, but for some reason his bearings were no longer as sharp as they used to be. His ears used to be so sensitive that he could hear the buzzing of a housefly from a few feet away. He heard the sound of the Slash Bandit's pocket knife tearing through the worn-out fabric of Emily's old purse, and that was how he was able to catch him. But his ears only gave him mundane silence. He shook his head slightly; he had rested well the night before, just as the doctor advised him to. He still did not feel like himself. Ever since his depression episode, all the skills that he had learned at the Meiyan Monastery had grown weak or dormant. Is this place turning me into a regular person, just like everyone else here? Gareth thought, worriedly. If that was the case, he must complete Operation Adonis. But he had to make sure Emily Rose was clear from the Racket Vengers first.

"Are you okay?" Emily asked.

He looked down on her and caught a quick glimpse of Rowan in her worried expression. He pushed away the thought. "I'm fine," he told her, straightening his proud posture. They got down at Mavon Mart, where Emily bid him farewell. Before she left, the monk gently grabbed her sleeved arm. "I'm going with you to the hotel, today." He said.

"But that means you're going to have to walk back here." Emily protested. The monk shook his head, and released her arm. "The Racket Vengers could be anywhere," he explained. "I have an assumption that the Slash Bandit has informed them that I was the one who apprehended him, so it is possible that taking me down is one of their main goals. By doing so, they can get to you."

"Is that what you think?" Emily asked. "You don't have to worry about them during the day. I'm going through crowded places, where it is impossible for gang raids to occur."

"Let us not eliminate other possibilities, Emily." Gareth urged, with his thick brows furrowed. "The Opal City Detective may have said they commonly attack at night, but that does not mean they won't do anything during the day. Detective Bentlee also said that we must stick together. So please let me safely escort you to your office."

Emily reluctantly nodded to him, as they headed to Blates Luxury Hotel. "Do you really think they are after you?" she asked.

"Yes I do," Gareth replied, looking ahead. "It is also possible that they can use you against me. That is something that I cannot allow." Emily softened at this response, and she continued to walk silently with him. Soon, the towering hotel was right before them, and it was time for the young woman to get back to work.

"Please wait for me as soon as you are done with your shift." Gareth ordered, his hands behind his back. This time he was gripping them, controlling his nervousness. He could not sense anything during their walk, either. "Text me when you are done with your work, and also if you are going to leave the premises within the day. Call me if you feel scared or if anyone suspicious follows you around. Do not also hesitate to contact—"

His good friend placed her hand on his firm cheek, making him stop. "I got it," she said, smiling. "Do not worry about me. You should look after yourself, while going back to the grocery. If you think the Racket Vengers are after you, then you better be on guard too." Gareth sighed, bringing his tense hands up to take Emily's reassuring hand in his. "I just don't want you to be in danger because of me." He said, sincerely. He has had enough other innocent people getting hurt because of him. He dealt with that in his world, so he would not allow it to happen in this world—especially to Emily Rose.

"I know," she said, gently. "I will do everything you asked, so don't think too much. We got a lot of good people on our side, so you don't have to worry about dealing with this alone."

Alone. He brought such a brooding habit along into this peaceful and simple world. Why did he always assume that he had to go through things alone, when he himself hated being lonely? He cursed to himself. He forced himself to believe that having friends and companionship was a good thing and that it made him stronger, but the darkness in him was still persuading him that bonds only made him weak. They break him down, when he loses them.

No, he thought. I can't think like this, here.

"Just be careful, please." Gareth said, before letting her go.

*****

It was lunchtime and Emily Rose still looked at her right hand.

She replayed the moment when Gareth took her hand in his. His loving touch was warm, but his face was filled with hurt and sorrow. Gareth was getting ahead of himself—just like in Mob Boy Order, he always acted like he needed to do everything on his own. He thought that he had to defeat all of his enemies by himself, and now he was thinking that he had to deal with the Racket Vengers.

Emily knew he was not alone in this. He had Alaric, the police force, and the justice system by his side. But most of all, he had her to guide him back home.

Home.

Did he really have to go back? Did he really have to go back to the brutal ending that she read in the final novel of his series? Emily feared that he was going to say yes.

"Emily!" a voice woke her.

She blinked her brown eyes at Magda Travey, who stood in front of the slow company elevator. Emily put down her hand and returned her attention to her receptionist friend. "I'm sorry, did you say something?" she asked.

"I don't feel like eating at the pantry," Magda pouted. "Can we eat somewhere else like Bby Box? I rather have affordable dried beef over stale broth."

Emily's stomach churned at the idea. She never liked the food in the pantry but she thought of Gareth, who probably did not want her to go anywhere. However, he did not explicitly tell her not to go anywhere else. Instead, texting him of her current whereabouts were a part of his instructions. "Bby Box sounds like a good idea," Emily decided, making Travey smile.

Magda pressed the down button, and Emily relied on the possibility that gangs do not just attack during the day. When they got inside, the young brunette took out her smarphone and texted Gareth, like she was told.

'I will be having lunch at Bby Box with Magda.'

The popular fast-food chain was busy as usual. Emily and Magda had to endure a line before they could tap their orders on the front menu screen. When it was finally their turn, Magda ordered Beef and Tomatoes, while Emily decided to have some Beef and Spicy Vegetables. They lined up again at the cashier and when they got their steaming orders, they took a sticky vacant table near the Bby Box's entrance. Magda grimaced at the uncleanliness and brought out a sanitizing spray. Emily gave a dry smile at her friend's old habit.

"Where are the janitors or the other servers?" Magda complained, spraying some sanitizer in her hand.

"It seems like an extra busy day," Emily reasoned, taking their seats. Her friend simply groaned and took a bite at her beef order. Emily Rose also started to eat her meal, but Magda was not yet done talking. "How's the novel coming along?" she asked.

Emily paused her chewing and the memory of the book's ending crashed into her mind. It was hard to think about it, especially when the main character came to life. "Do you think he's really dead?" she asked Magda. "The ending was left open-ended when it came to that."

Magda shrugged. "Who knows," she sighed. "I like to think that he isn't dead."

"You do?

"Yeah, that's the beauty of open-ended stories like that," Magda continued, taking another bite of her lunch. "It usually means that the author wants to leave it up to you to decide on how the character lives on. When Don Head Tower crashed, I like to think Gareth got out of it." He actually did.

"But, he broke his leg and arm after his fight with Cyrus." Emily said. "The Qishi energy abandoned him as soon as he committed revenge. Do you think he was able to move after that?"

"It's possible!" Magda muffled, chewing her food. Particles of rice came flying out of her mouth, indicating her passion for the series. "Gareth deserves a peaceful ending after what he has gone through, don't you think? So I like to think that he managed to get out, or his master rescued him. Then he abandoned that life to start a new one."

"His master?" Emily repeated, trailing to the Meiyo Master that trained Gareth; a man that he truly respected. "But I thought his master wanted to kill him. He did not want Meiyo to be used for the restrictions that were placed."

"What if he had a change of heart?" Magda argued, sipping her iced tea. "You should read articles or watch video essays about Mob Boy Order's ending. The theories will make you feel better."

"What about the Qishi energy? Rowan said it was killing him." Emily said.

Magda's shoulders dropped at the question. "That's the only detail that can dispute all the Gareth Survival theories." She admitted. Emily nodded, aware of the grim Meiyo rule. Once a monk uses the Qishi energy on any of the three restrictions, they are branded as rogue and are supposed to be sentenced to death. At first, Emily assumed that the monks simply wanted to protect their sacred art from being used for selfish and evil purposes. The last novel, however, revealed that the consequences were much greater than anyone could imagine and the monks were just saving these rogues from the total destruction that the Qishi energy would bring. Gareth, unfortunately, was not spared.

Emily pieced it together, ignoring the piece of meat that fell from her spork. "He can't go home, at all." She realized.

"Who can't?" Magda asked.

"Oh it's nothing!" Emily said, catching the beef and shoving it in her mouth. But Magda leaned back and raised the brows that she carefully plucked earlier that morning. Her cat eyes gleamed with questions. "You've been acting weird, today." She observed. "What is bothering you?"

Emily waved both of her hands in front of her and forcefully laughed. "I told you, it's nothing!" she swayed. Magda's face was not convinced, but she returned to her meal. "Fine, if you say so." She sighed, letting go of the matter.

Once they were done with lunch, the two girls brought their trays to the trash bins and disposed of the empty Bby Boxes. When they stepped out of the establishment, they ran into Gareth.

Magda smiled at the blonde. "Gareth! It's been a while!" she greeted. The monk smiled back at her. "It's nice to see you too, Magda Travey." He said. "I'm here to escort you both back to the hotel."

"Oh? You're not going to have lunch here?" Magda asked, pointing inside.

"There's no need," Gareth replied, his hands behind his back. "I already had my lunch with my superior. I decided to use the remaining time to make sure you two go back to your work, safely."

"Wait a minute," Magda said, her suspicious gaze returning. "How did you know that we were here?"

"Emily has informed me about it, by texting me." He simply answered. "I told her to text me of her whereabouts. I'm glad that she was able to follow." Magda wagged her finger and faced her secretary friend with a brighter smile. Emily was taken aback, wondering what was going through her mind. "You're dating, aren't you!" the redhead exclaimed.

Before any of them could protest, they suddenly heard loud gun noises, screeching cars, and screaming. Emily automatically held her phone to call Alaric, but then everything else happened so fast.

A white van appeared at the front of Bby Box, and members of the Racket Vengers flooded out of the vehicles. The men brought out guns and some of them started shooting up at the sky. The shooting noises caused the surrounding citizens to scream, duck, and run. Unfortunately, the men in black tracksuits pounced on the people who escaped, like lions jumping on their prey. Other members went for Emily, Magda, and Gareth.

"Get behind me!" Gareth yelled, punching the first guy that approached them. Emily moved the frightened Magda back inside the fast food chain, but more men went past Gareth and grabbed them. Magda screamed more, alerting the attention of the fighting monk. The blonde man tried to get to them, but more Racket Vengers blocked his way. Emily and Magda struggled as their captors forced them back inside the white van.

Magda was shoved inside and it was Emily's turn. But before the Racket Venger member could push the brunette inside, Gareth kicked him away. He then took Emily away from the gang's vehicle. The young girl pointed back, her brown eyes widened with horror. "Wait, Magda is still inside!" she shouted. Gareth turned his back, only to see the Racket Vengers going back inside and sliding their van door shut. The van's engine roared and whisked its members and their female hostage away from the street.

"MAGDA!" Emily yelled after the van.

"Call Alaric now!" Gareth said, running after it.

Her hands shakily went for her phone and she desperately tapped for the detective's number. She raised her phone to her ear and watched the monk run with all his might. He was known in the show for having a high level of agility. He was so fast in Mob Boy Order that you could not see his movements. However, Emily saw no intense speed from his legs. He ran like the best track-and-field athlete that she could think of, but he was not as swift as a Meiyan Monk.

"This can't be happening." She said.