In the darkness of the alley, Chase shuddered as he met Anti's haunting eyes.

Anti stared him down, drenched in blood.

Was he his next victim?

Chase could hear his heartbeat pounding against his chest.

"An . .Anti . . It's me, man. . It's Chase. What happened?"

Anti growled and took a step forward.

Chase took a step back.

Anti's mouth contorted into a big sick grin, showing his teeth, "Hheheheheh . . . . Stupid little cockroach. . . . Fucking asshole. . . . CUNT!"

Chase swallowed, not sure what to do or say.

He laughed again and took out a knife he had found and used to kill so many people earlier that night, "AHAHAHAHAHAH!!!  The whining and the remarks! The trolling and yelling! IT'S SO FUCKING LOUD! EVERYWHERE!"

Anti gripped at his head and started crying out of nowhere, "IT HURTS! IT HURTS! MAKE IT STOP! THEY WON'T STOP GOING ON AND ON AND ON AND ON!!! IN FUCKING CIRCLES!! The fucking comments!"

Chase blinked, 'Wait. . . . is talking about. . . the internet?. . . Shit. Did it all . . . overload him or something?'

Anti took another step forward, growing angry again, "You wanted to kill yourself. . . . . you wanted this. . . . you wanted to die. They all have sick minds and thoughts locked away hiding behind anonymous names! All the killing, sex, hate and capitalism!"

He took another step forward, his knife at the ready and Chase whipped out his gun, taking it off the safety, "Stop right there, Anti! You need to fucking calm down! This isn't you . . or at least I don't think it is! Come on, snap out of it!"

 "You wanted this. . . . to fade away into nothing . . . .  it's all for the views. . . . . . but no one is watching"

"It's just the internet!" Chase tried to convince him, "You're looking at the worst of it all . . . just. . . take a breathe. Relax, man. Step away from it"

He didn't know why he bothered getting his gun out. Anti had just glitched before so it went straight through him. 

Anti had a big creepy grin on his face, "ARE YOU READY!?" 

He lunged towards Chase, laughing with his knife ready to stab him.

Chase shot at him but still expected to die. He shut his eyes tight.

Only to realize after a couple of moments that nothing had happened.

He opened his eyes again and saw Anti was frozen looking down at his leg.

It was bleeding.

'What the hell?' Chase swallowed and his hands were shaking. He hadn't expected that to work.

He had shot Anti in the leg!

And apparently, the shock and pain of it was just enough to make Anti halt.

He dropped the knife and looked back up at Chase.

"Wha. . . . . . I. . . . . .it hurts. . . . . you shot me" he seemed just as shocked as Chase.

"Anti?" 

Anti started to shake and he sucked in a breath of horror, "I. . . . . I killed. . ..  so many people. . . ." he stared at Chase, afraid, "I. . . . why did I do that?!"

He started to cry.

Chase let his instinct carry him and he lowered his gun and rushed over to Anti, seeing that he was starting to have a panic attack.

He wasn't afraid of him anymore. He could sense that the danger was gone.

"Hey. . . hey, Anti" Chase grabbed Anti's shoulders before he could fall over, "Hey, are you okay now? Are you . . you?"

Anti just kept crying, "Why. . . . why was I . . . like that? What happened to me? I don't. . .I don't understand"

'I think I do' Chase thought to himself, 'I should have known better. The internet is a powerful force. No wonder it turned him into a monster like that after learning from it. I'm so fucking stupid'

He blamed himself.

"It's okay now, Anti. Let's just get you back home first, okay? Can you still walk?"

Anti sniffled and shook his head a little, "It hurts"

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. But it was the only thing I could think of to protect myself, buddy"

Anti didn't say anything and Chase just put Anti's arm around his shoulder, "Come on. It's not that far of a walk back home. Just keep close to me so no one notices you"

Surprisingly, it was a quiet walk home. Anti limped beside Chase as he helped him along.

Honestly, Anti just looked like a wreck.

It was like he was a completely different person than who he met in the hallway not long ago.

Thankfully, they managed to get back to Chase's 'evicted' home without any troubles and Chase helped Anti onto the torn up couch.

"I'm gonna go get my first aid kit from the bathroom. You stay right there and don't move, okay?"

Chase went to leave but Anti grabbed at his wrist, stopping him.

He look back down at him.

Anti was still crying, "Chase. . . .."

Really, Chase felt bad for him. He didn't mean to snap like that, "Yeah, man?"

"I'm sorry. . . . . . I'm so sorry"

Chase took his hand in his, "Hey, don't worry about it. It's not your fault."

"But-"

"It's my fault for suggesting the internet. It was too much for you, obviously. On the brighter side. . . it looks like maybe you're becoming human  faster like we thought, huh? You said before that a gun couldn't work on you. You're hurt now. . . . let's uh . .. let's try and take things a little slower now, though, huh? No more internet"

Anti nodded, "No more internet" he let him go and Chase left the room to go get the first aid kit.

Meanwhile, Anti looked around the room. He knew he had created the damage. 

He looked down on himself, soaked in blood and. . .. bits.

Plus his messed up leg.

'He's right. . . . I'm more human now . . .. and yet deep inside, there is still all that hate and depression.'

The more he thought about it, though, the more it just sounded like Chase.

'Push it down . . . . Chase was right. . . I was seeing the worst of it all. The majority, unfortunately. I just need to see the other side of it. Of being human'

Anti looked over at the floor nearby at the broken laptop.

He didn't feel like trying again for a long while, though.

_____________________

Henrik rushed to the city hall, practically dragging Jameson behind him, not trusting him NOT to try and run off.

When they got there, it appeared they were just in time and went to a window to see if anyone was still there.

A slightly older woman who just looked sick and tired with the day stood a ways away filing her nails absentmindedly.

"Uh. ..  hello? Ms?" Henrik tried to be polite, "I vonder if you can help me vith something?"

The woman blinked and sighed, walking up to the window, ". . . .Yes? We're about to close, you know"

"Yes, yes, I know. I am terribly sorry but zhis is an emergency"

"Are you German?"

Henrik licked his lips a little self consciously, "Uh . . .. yes?"

She smiled a little, "Hmm .. . my late husband was German. . . . your accent's really thick." she sighed dreamily, "What can I do you for, sweetheart?"

Henrik blushed and for a moment, he forgot how to speak.

Jameson nudged him with his elbow.

Henrik cleared his throat, "Ah yes. . .. uh . . . your directories. . . we're trying to find a friend of ours. We cannot get a hold of him, though. Tis very important. I vas wondering if you could perhaps help us find vhere he lives?"

Normally, his accent wasn't THIS thick but since the woman enjoyed it, he wanted to really sway her.

She bit her lip, "Oh, I think I can  help you, love. . . What's his name?"

Henrik smiled, "Chase Brody"

"Okay" she started typing something on her computer, "And what's your name, sweety? I have to look you up, too, to make sure you're not a convicted felon or something."

"Henrik Von Schneeplestein"

"Oooooo~" she gushed, "What a name for a nice handsome man like yourself"

Henrik blushed again and grinned, "You're not so bad yourself, liebling. . ..  vhat is your name?"

"Sasha"

"Sasha" Henrik repeated, "Am I detecting a Russian accent from you, dear?"

Sasha giggled, "On my father's side . . . .Looks like you're good. . . your. . . not a felon at least"

Henrik smiled and licked his lips consciously this time in an attempt to flirt, "I'd hope not. . ..  my company vould not do too vell otherwise"

"Oh, you own a company?"

"Iris Enterprises"

Sasha gasped, "Oh my god! You're THE Henrik?! Oh wow, I didn't know I was talking to a celebrity"

Jameson was getting so done with this conversation and rolled his eyes. He nudged Henrik again.

Henrik got the idea, "Yes. . .. yes, anyway. . . . can you tell me vhere Chase Brody lives?"

Sasha typed in the name but her face fell, "Oh . ..  oh my. . . . I'm sorry but it looks like Mr. Brody's been evicted for a while from his home. There's no new address listed for him yet, I'm afraid."

"Evicted?" Henrik wondered out loud, "I did not know zhis. . . . Damn"

"I'm really sorry." Sasha apologized, "You could probably talk to the landlord but I doubt they'd tell you anything since it'd be confidential information. Landlords aren't allowed to give out personal information like that."

"But you are?" Henrik smirked.

"Well I figured you weren't all that harmful anyway, Mr. Henrik . . .. Are you sure you want to find this Mr. Brody, though, still? He's definitely a convicted felon. Went to prison for murdering his wife and son in car accident driving drunk it says"

Henrik already knew this information, though, "Yes, I'm sure. Zhank you anyway for your efforts, miss. May I borrow a piece of paper and a pen, please?"

Sasha was confused but handed him the items.

Jameson looked like he wanted to just lay in the middle of the cold tile floor and slowly die there.

Henrik wrote something down and handed it to her, "Here you are, liebling."

"What is this?"

"Tis my number." he winked, "Maybe I'll see you around, yes?"

Sasha blushed and smiled, "Maybe you will"

Jameson finally had enough and grabbed Henrik by his elbow, dragging him off and out of the building.

"Hey now" Henrik got out of his grip, "I vas just being polite to the lady"

Jameson rolled his eyes and tapped at Henrik's pants pocket where his phone was.

Henrik nodded, "Yes, yes. I'll text Marvin now and let him know zhis vas a bust"

________________________

Jackie walked down the now dark street with Marvin, the only lights being the street lights overhead and lights in stores and bars.

"So, you really think it was Anti that killed all those people? Or do you think it could have been Chase? Or what if it was Anti possessing Chase's body?!" Jackie couldn't stop imagining all the 'what ifs'.

It was driving Marvin a little nuts.

"I'm not sure. Something is weird about this anyway. Why suddenly go on a rampage like that? Before, he did it to get to Chase but now he HAS Chase" Marvin wondered out loud.

"I don't know but I'm not seeing or hearing anything" Jackie sighed, "Maybe he stopped?. . .I hope"

Marvin snorted, "How can someone so powerful be such a chicken?"

"Hey! I'm not a chicken!" Jackie argued, "I take offense to that!"

Ding!

Jackie took out his phone, "Oh, I guess I never turned off my notifications for food deliveries."

Marvin smiled a little, "You're still gonna do those?"

Jackie put his phone away, "Probably not tonight. But what's wrong with a little extra money on the side?"

"I guess"

Suddenly, Marvin's phone went off, too and he checked it, "Oh, it's Henrik"

"Did Mr. Pissy find our man?" Jackie asked.

Marvin read the text, "Hm . . . seems that Chase had gotten evicted a while ago and there's no new information on where he's living now. Or WAS living depending if Anti and him are at his new pad to start with"

"So it's another dead end, huh?" Jackie groaned, "Dammit. Now what are we gonna do?"

"Nothing, I guess"

"Huh?"

Marvin shrugged and texted Henrik back, "Until we can figure out WHERE they are, there's nothing we can do. Our only hope really, is on the chance that Anti decides to attack someone again and go from there"

"That's kinda bleak"

"It's the only shot we got. . . . . . . . Henrik just texted back that we should all stick together. He's offering his place to crash. You wanna come with?"

Jackie cringed, "I mean you can shoot me a text on the address but I think I'm gonna keep scouting the city just in case he's still lurking around. Maybe do some deliveries"

Marvin nodded, "Alright, sounds good. See ya later. Don't stay up too late tonight"

"Yeah, yeah" Jackie waved him off.

Marvin smirked and ordered an uber on his phone.

"I still don't understand why you can't just teleport"

"It's the rules"

"Sounds lame" Jackie rolled his eyes, "Sounds like this council just likes to keep other magicians down on their level"

Marvin blinked, confused, "What do you mean? On their level?"

"Oh come on, Marvin . . .We both know since the incident, my senses have heightened, too. I can sense you're hiding a lot of your power. I think the council is afraid of you and other really powerful wizards like you. They're keeping you all in your place by constricting you"

"It's for good reason, Jackie. They'd take away my magic if I went against them in any way"

"I don't think so" he argued, "You're a magician. You're powerful as hell and in situations like this, you should be able to do whatever the hell you want without fear"

Marvin gave him a little smirk, "I thought you were supposed to be one for the law? Mr. Hero?"

Jackie shrugged, "Sometimes, the law can only go so far"

Before anything more could be said, Marvin's uber arrived.

Jackie nodded to him, "See you later. Text me the asshole's address in case I feel stupid enough to visit"

"I will . . . ." Marvin waved him good-bye and got in the car, watching Jackie walk off by himself.

He told the uber where he needed to go. It was a quiet ride but Marvin had a lot on his mind anyway.

What if Jackie was right?

Sometimes the law only goes so far.

What if this was one of those instances where it wouldn't matter?

Marvin shook his head. He couldn't entertain those thoughts. He worked hard to become a magician all of his life. He couldn't let one night ruin it all.

The sooner they found Chase and Anti, the better. Then maybe they could finally get some more answers.

If Anti was in the talking mood, that is.