It had been a week since Jimmy's father's death. The company was proclaimed by his cousin as they believed that there was no heir anymore. Jimmy Valentine was dead months ago. Jimmy heard that his father used to remain sick after his son's death.

It felt nostalgic to see his mother again at the funeral. He stood at the railings on the terrace and looked at the Manhatten bridge shining like there was no tomorrow. He had dark bags under his eyes. He hadn't been able to sleep because of all the nightmares and memories that muddled up within him. Meanwhile, MiK and Norman did most of the X-DROID killings whenever the sirens went off.

As Jimmy stood there, he heard footsteps behind him. It was Lupin. He stood beside Jimmy with a writing pad. It was very quiet since it was early in the morning, about five. The sun wasn't up yet and neither were the people. It was slightly foggy and the buildings far ahead seemed blurry.

Lupin wrote something on his writing pad. All Jimmy could hear was the voice of the pen rampaging through the paper. He looked at it.
"How are you now?" It read.

"...Ragged, worn out, exhausted," Jimmy replied. Lupin was writing something when Jimmy took the pen from him and stared at him, "When I was young, I wanted everything my way. Dad always did everything to make me happy. He got me everything I asked and I was such a brat to him. And now, that I think about it, what did I give him in return? Pain. Pain of my fake death," 

He looked down, "It rips me out how terribly...I went downhill. It saddens me how my life turned out, and it scares me to ask my dad...If he's proud of me," 

Lupin touched his shoulder and nodded with a smile. Jimmy smiled back, "We will win,"

A few more hours till the morning sun rose up and Jimmy went down to the basement. He stood before MiK and looked up at him, "I am going to defeat you,"
He smirked, "I'm a machine,"
Jimmy looked at him, "And so am I,"

Jimmy trained like a machine. With gasoline pumping up his heart, and screws around his will, his sweat was the product of his boiling blood and in his eyes was the electricity of death. He fought with MiK every day, but never once did he win. Everyone seemed happy that he was finally serious. Everyone but Slaine.

So, he decided to talk to Jimmy. He went to the central park where Jimmy trained everyday. It was raining that afternoon but Jimmy was still busy training. He looked at Slaine and jumped down from the bars. He was drenched and flushed. Slaine stood under his black umbrella.
"Hi, Slaine." He smiled.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"Over exerting yourself."

"It's because I want to win, Slaine,"
"Why are you so desperate to win?" Slaine asked, "Even if we lose, our world will still be safe-"
"I don't care. They took my dad away from me, I'll make them pay for it,"

Slaine bit his lower lip and looked down. Jimmy removed his sweatshirt and squeezed the water out of it, "So, you just came here to talk about this?" 

"No," Slaine said, "I wanted to apologise."
"Apologise?"
"I'm sorry for hurting you. I was an ass and couldn't stand up for myself so I turned bitter. I'm sorry, Jimmy."
"It's okay, Slaine" Jimmy brought his hand forward, "We will win this together. Will you help me?"

Slaine shook his hand, "Deal,"
Jimmy started smiling "We buds now,"
Slaine looked into his eyes, "Actually, listen to me,"
Jimmy looked into his eyes as he dropped his umbrella, "You need to know this,"

Suddenly, they heard sirens from their headsets.
"I totally forgot about these." Slaine pressed his ears.

"Guys," It was Asselyum "There is an X-DROID in the city."
"Which type?" Jimmy asked.
"It's a C2."
"A 5th oblivion..." Slaine said and Jimmy ran off "Is it Emmett?!" He asked, aggressively. Slaine followed him. It was still raining like cats and dogs and the raindrops were striking him like bullets as he ran. They reached 5th Avenue street but Slaine got tired and stopped while Jimmy disappeared in the fog.

"No, it is the 3rd oblivion, Allianz."
"Where is it right now?" Jimmy asked as he ran.
"The 5th Avenue street. I'm reaching there right now."

"We just passed from there!" Jimmy stopped and turned back "Slaine let's go--" There was no one behind him "Slaine?"

"What happened?" Asselyum asked.
"Slaine disappeared."
"Where are you now?"
"I'm at the Met Breuer." Asseylum landed near him within the next few seconds.

"Go back to the bar." She ordered.
"But Slaine-"
"I'll go get him."
"I'm coming with you." Jimmy insisted.
"You're not."

Asselyum ran in the rain scanning for Slaine and Jimmy ran after her.

Slaine stood under a shelter at the nearby house with his board on his hands "My bearings-- Dammit!"
Soon, a girl came from nowhere and stood under the shed. He shot a glance at her from the corner of his eyes.

She seemed to be gothic by her black hair and demeanour. She wore a black shirt tucked into a black mini skirt and long black boots. She was as pale as bread and had black lips-- Perhaps a lipstick which didn't seem to be affected by the rain. In fact, she wasn't even drenched! They looked at the rain for a while.

"Do you like the rain?" She asked him.
"Pardon?" At first, he didn't think she was talking to him "Oh Nah--I hate it. It's gross."

"I like it. It makes me do this after all," She moved her hand and the rainwater surrounded both of them forming a curved wall. He felt as if he was in the eye of a cyclone. He looked at her "You're an X-DROID?"
She smiled.
"I might hate rain even more after this."

Asselyum was running everywhere on the street "Slaine!" She pressed her ear "Where are you? Can you hear me?"
There was no response from Slaine's end. Soon, she stopped and looked at something.
"Guys, Axel here. You should come back. Allianz's signals suddenly disappeared. She's not there anymore."

"You heard him." Jimmy said but Asselyum ran towards a shed and sat on her haunches. It was Slaine's skateboard. She picked it up.
"That's Slaine's property." Jimmy said.
Asselyum looked at it "They took him."
"What?"

"She was here only for him-- They took him, Jimmy!" She shouted as little blue sparks appeared from her right ear.
"Asselyum, calm down. Something is happening to you--"
"I won't let him die!" She pressed her ear as the sparks grew in intensity.
"Axel!" Jimmy shouted.
"Come back, guys." Axel commanded.
"But I haven't found Slaine yet." Asselyum said.

"How are you so sure that they have him? Maybe he's hiding somewhere." Axel reassured her but it was on vain.
"He's not!"
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because... Jo-Anne disappeared just like this... And I never saw her again. They raped her and then ate her."

The sparks grew more and more.
"Was she your--"
"My controller."
She moved away "I'm so weak it hurts. It isn't supposed to."

"No, I guess... it is supposed to hurt."

-To be continued

Allianz
5500 Rebellion