The desert sun was torture on their skin. It turned their bodies into a broiling pot of flesh and follicles across their face and forearms. The inside of Leon's hoodie had been converted into an oven. He would have compared himself to a Thanksgiving turkey that had been slow-cooking overnight. His hand feebly attempted to block the visible heat waves raining down from above. "How do people live here," his lollipop bobbed up and down as he spoke.

Rosa approached from behind, "You're telling me." Her afro usually stood proud atop her head, but the heat had melted whatever products kept it full and killed the leaves that were peppered around the exterior. "I'm wilting here." She pulled on a thick rope in her hand, taking with it the broken spirit of Brock trudging along behind them.

The man had a loose knot tied around his neck and a makeshift harness attached to his torso. Behind him (being pulled by a sleigh) was the giant sack of emeralds and gemstones Leon mined over the past seven days. If Leon and Rosa were sweating bullets then he was secreting mortar shells.

Rosa didn't pay much attention to his situation, she was currently trying to wipe sweat from her eyes. "Brock, give me your shirt."

"What?!"

"I'm sweating enough to quench the village's thirst for three days. Give me your shirt."

"No!" He put his hands over his chest, "Wipe your sweat with your own shirt."

Rosa snatched him by his ears. Somehow she managed to make a closed-eye smile more chilling than her snarl. "Until your boss gets here, you're still under my control. You don't want to get embarrassed in front of Leon, do you?"

Brock silently whimpered, "But it's embarrassing to be the only one without a shirt."

Rosa lifted his chin higher, giving him a clear view of her aggressive grin. "Strip." Brock held back tears as he shamefully pulled his shirt over his head. His bare chest was now visible to the scorching sun. The botanist gave a polite thank-you as she wiped the sweat off her forehead and from her scalp. She daintily dapped under her arms before tossing the cloth back in his face. "See, was that so hard?"

Brock was barely audible, "No ma'am."

Rosa took a coarse peek at his exposed body, "Good. Now put it back on."

"W-What?" Brock prayed this was a sick joke. Leon's hood hid his surprise at Rosa's obscene order.

"We're not animals. Put your clothes back on," she commanded.

"B-But, your sweat's all over it."

Rosa's pleasant tone switched to a demanding bark, "I said... put... it... on." Brock whined but meekly complied. The damp tee-shirt chilled his overheated body. Rosa's sadistic smirk returned. She again rubbed the short hostage's head like an owner praising their pet. "How does it feel, Brocky?"

Brock was on the verge of tears, "...Moist."

"Good boy." She scratched the underside of his chin like a dog.

Leon made a mental note not to get on Rosa's bad side. He tried to ignore them but it's hard to look away from a train wreck.

Luckily, the gruff sound of a man clearing his throat broke the awkward scene. Bo approached from the bazaar's entrance. Tagging along behind him was a woman wrapped in pink and purple garbs. One of the woman's bright eyes could be seen between the cracks of her unique burqa. Her purple crop-top gave way to a slim midriff which linked the golden baggy pants she wore with style. But Leon's eye was caught by the bright medallion on her forehead. The bright yellow eye's green pupil seemed to be staring at him with a bored expression.

Bo happily introduced the group. "Good news. Our new ally Tara has granted us the pleasure of using her buildings for shelter."

The mysterious woman waved their way, her single eye squinting as she possibly smiled at them. Bo continued to speak, "She has also told her workers to direct Bull and his men to our building upon their arrival." He took Tara's soft hands in his firm grip. "We cannot thank you enough for your help." He brought her hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss upon her knuckles.

She affectionately waved him off as she retreated inside the large market. Leon felt a jolt as the green pupil of her medallion kept an eye on him until he was out of view.

Rosa gave Bo a smug grin as Tara walked away. "What?" His confused demeanor complimenting his noble stature.

The stroll down the sandy street was enriching; Tara's collection of markets were adorned with a plethora of eccentric stores. Whether it was souvenirs from Sandy's Gift Tent or exquisite cuisines from the Culinary Corner, there was something for all visitors.

The Ardacians found shelter inside a store called, 'Gene's Lamporium'. The shop advertised several genie-themed novelties and knick-knacks. The group found refuge on a distant wall at the back of the Emporium. The large wall of assorted multi-colored lamps above made them easy to see, and the position gave them a view of the front door.

With the spare gems they gathered while mining, they bought some snacks and drinks to pass the time. A particular lollipop flavor had caught Leon's eye. The spiral of pink and purple was named, 'Bubblegum Blowout'. It tasted like a swirl of cotton-candy had been mixed into the bubblegum center.

Brock didn't partake in equal luxuries. He had been ordered by Rosa to sit against the wall and watch for Bull's arrival. His frayed rope leash dangled at his side with the end sitting in Rosa's lap. A few judgemental stares were shot in their direction, but a far more intimidating snarl from Rosa silenced their queries.

They casually passed the time with simple conversations. But seconds turned to minutes, and minutes into hours. Their wait had lasted so long that a new shift of workers entered the building. Leon voiced his discourse, "Where is he?"

"Patience young one," Bo acted quickly and responded with an eerie calm. "He will come with time."

"You said that an hour ago!" Leon unintentionally made a scene. A few eyes drifted in their direction, but their conversation continued unhindered.

"We must not rush this, Leon. If we do, we risk losing this deal. We can't risk Nita's safety because of our impatience."

Rosa knocked back another drink. The knots in her hair had finally untangled and allowed her scalp to breathe again. "Actually, Bo, I have to side with Leon. We've been waiting for hours now. How do we know the bloke's still coming?" She turned to their captive, "Ey Brock, where's your boss?"

"How am I supposed to know?" he coldly responded. He quietly muttered, "Crazy Brit," between his teeth.

She swiftly clamped her fingers around his neck, "Speak up honey, I think I misheard you."

"I-I-I said I don't know ma'am." The feeling of her powerful hands around his throat had grown scarily familiar. She would always refrain from cutting off his oxygen; The grip was just to remind him of her abilities. Her free hand retrieved Brock's phone from her breasts. His eyes lit up at the reveal, "I thought you trashed it."

"I kept it safe." She placed the device in his hands, "Now call him."

Brock tried a few buttons on the front, but the screen remained black. "It's dead."

Rosa pinched the bridge of her nose. Again she dipped into her bosom and retrieved her personal cellular device "Use mine."

Brock looked at the home screen. There was an image of Rosa and Bea posing beside a small robot he'd met a few days ago. He went to the phone app then regretfully remembered another key detail. "Umm... I don't know the number by hand."

Rosa stood with a huff. The six-foot-one woman stared down at the five-foot-ten man. The soft look she gave him was perfectly complemented by a warm smile. The way she caressed his cheeks made him lean into her grasp. He had been trained to respond accordingly in his short tenure with the woman and her assistant.

Her comforting grasp reached around to the side of his head. Then latched onto his earlobe with enough force to tear it off. She whispered a command in his ear, "Remember it."

Bo and Leon sat on the side, watching as Brock frantically input numbers praying he'd find the right string of digits. A series of failed attempts made the air anxious. Leon assumed Brock wouldn't find the right number and started thinking up solutions. There had to be a way to get to Bull's without Bo knowing.

"Boss? It's me." Brock's one-sided call grabbed most of the emporium's attention.

Rosa signaled for him to put the call on speaker. They all listened as the sound of loud music spewed from the device. A gruff voice yelled over the background noise, "Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down? You're gonna have to be more specific."

"It's Brock, sir."

"Brock?!" Deep laughter could be heard from the other side. "Hey, Bibi! Get this, Twinkle Toes is on the phone." There was a brief pause filled with party music bursting from the speakers. "Bibi? Ah, she's busy. How are ya, you sad excuse for a henchman?"

"Sir?"

"You sound like a freshly-neutered dog. What happened to you?" Brock whimpered from the insult.

Leon snatched the phone from his hands, "Where are you?!"

"Huh? Who's this?"

"My name is Leon! I'm the brother of the girl you stole!" A few bystanders gasped at the absurd situation.

"Leo? Girl? Oh! You! I forgot about you. How've you been, kid?" Bull had a nonchalant air to his words.

Leon's blood was boiling, "Where's Nita?"

"Nita? You mean Panda Bear? She's playing with the customers. I'm sure she's somewhere around here... Nita!?" A high-pitched voice was barely audible in the background. Another, much deeper voice, followed soon after. "Oh sorry, looks like Nita's busy right now. Would you like me to give her a message?"

Leon's rage threatened to flow freely until Bo grabbed the phone. He cleared his throat, "Hello Bull."

Bull's demeanor changed, "And the men finally get to speak."

"Why do you delay Nita's return?" Bull remained quiet, "Perhaps it's the payment you require. I can assure you we have gained more than the necessary-"

"Payment is not a problem." All the bystanders waited on bated breath as Bull let the tension grow. "And there is no delay."

"Then when will you arrive?"

There was a frightening silence in the air, "I won't."

All the listeners recoiled from his statement. Leon lunged forward, "You WHAT?!"

"See, I've grown fond of the kid. And most of the diner loves her as well. I can see why you want her back. But it's honestly unfair you kept such an amazing child hidden from the world. So, I think she's gonna stay here for a while."

Bo took over, "That wasn't the deal."

"The deal's changed. Now we keep the kid and you keep that waste of space called Brock." All eyes turned to the former beatboxing brother as he too grew enraged.

Leon spoke up, "You promised to return her. Brock already told us, it's me you wanted, not her!"

"Hitler promised not to invade Czechoslovakia, welcome to the real world kid. Besides, I would have returned her if she wanted to go back."

"What?" Leon's voice cracked.

"You should see how much fun she's having."

The air in the shop grew heavy. Bo's face was frozen as he tried to understand what he heard. Rosa bubbled up with rage. Leon's face was riddled with despair, "I-I don't understand."

"Ugh... how do I have to say this for you mountain men to understand? Brock, turn on face cam." The abandoned gangster didn't budge so Rosa did it for him. Though his face was heavily shadowed, they could tell he was a large male with jet-black hair. His golden nose ring shone under the dim lights within his room, and a sickening smile was plastered across his smug lips, "We're Keeping Her."

The phone's screen flicked off. For a second, you could hear a pin drop from outside on the sandy path. This daunting silence was quickly replaced by a feral growl. Leon's body was vibrating as a guttural sound was flowing from his hood.

The customers could hear him grind his teeth back and forth. Leon snapped his sucker to bits at the same moment his mind broke. He ruined the phone with a well-placed razor blade. The electronic sputters of the device were shadowed by the visceral scream of the exploding teenager.

His rage caused him to lash out wildly. His hands rapidly reached into his pockets and released a storm of blades. Several of the decorative lamps across the emporium earned the brunt of his ire. But a few unlucky customers had their skin punctured and pierced by his sharp discs.

Leon's outburst petered out in a few minutes. His dangerous tantrum had turned the Lamporium's walls into rigid pincushions. Behind their overturned table Bo, Rosa, and a loosely-restrained Brock peeked their heads. Their choice to avoid interference saved their skin but had harmed countless innocents.

The distant moans of injured civilians made Brock's stomach churn. Even Bull would refrain from hurting outsiders during internal affairs. Brock also felt bad for the kid. Leon had lost his sister and Bull had shorted him on their deal. He figured now would be a good time to get on at least his good side. Maybe he could get him out of his messy relationship with Rosa.

Brock cautiously approached the boy from the front. He could see Leon heaving for air before he heard it. His body was rising and falling drastically with each breath. The hushed warnings of Rosa and Bo fell on deaf ears. She reached for his leash but saw the lead balled up in Brock's hands.

Bo signaled for her to observe the boy in the middle. There was a dark overcast under his hood. The black abyss that housed his face seemed to be seeping out. An inky aura was spewing from his head and engulfing his body. Rosa and Brock cursed at how oblivious the others were to the danger.

Brock relinquished his hold on the rope so he could properly interact with Leon. His nervous start was less because of Leon's current mood and more because he lacked words to say. He tried his best to channel the public speaker within him, "Listen, kid... I get it." Rosa tried to call him back, but he pushed onward. "I'm sure your sister is okay. Bull's a monster but he's not heartless." As Brock's monologue went on, the atmosphere became so dense even the civilians could notice the change. They helplessly attempted to stop the fool from walking into a lion's den.

"If it makes you feel any better," Brock rested his hand on Leon's head. He had a sincere smile across his face. It almost looked like an older brother was trying to sympathize with his least favorite junior. "I hate him too."

"haha," a soft chuckle came from the boy. Brock's skin shivered from Leon's offbeat chortles. His laughter should have calmed the growing tension but the mood grew dimmer with each passing second. Brock, unaware of the danger, joined in with unsteady snickers.

The two laughed together for around a minute. Leon's laughter grew wilder with time. His head rolled back, aiming his ghastly guffaws at the ceiling. What was left of his lollipop's stick had been bent by his jaws. Brock smiled at the boy, "See, that's the spirit." He reached for a friendly shoulder bump.

Leon's body moved around Brock like running water. It was an effortless act to dip around Brock's outstretched hand and latch onto his left arm like a vice. Using the point of his elbow in combination with his opposing knee, Leon made a scissoring cut at Brock's arm. The speed and power of the opposing forces caused Brock's arm to audibly and visibly snap in the opposite direction.

The bystanders gasped in horror, one man threw up what little lunch he had. Bo and Rosa groaned as they saw the white of Brock's bone threaten the burst through his skin. However, Brock's mind was too slow to register the action, his body was still in shock from the sudden attack. His nerves eventually relayed the signal to his brain, and the scream he released could be heard through the entire bazaar. Or it would have been heard if Leon hadn't stuffed Brock's mouth with his broken arm.

Brock's muffled screams were silenced by a swift flipping kick to the jaw. The sound of his teeth chomping down on his appendage was accompanied by a projectile of blood flying from his mouth. Leon quickly landed and snagged Brock's leash. The downward force of Brock's head careened into a rising knee through his nose. The brittle bones around his nostril shattered into tiny pieces. Brock crumbled against the table he regretfully approached from. He whined pathetically while Leon calmly walked towards him. The assassin was still silently laughing to himself.

"It was you." Brock's hand fell out of his mouth as Leon took his steps in stride. "None of this would have happened if it wasn't for you." His footsteps echoed through the crowded room, "If you didn't suck at your job, if you never came to our village, my sister would be at home. Peacefully sleeping until she woke up to chase a wild boar in the bushes." Leon slipped some more blades between his fingers. The flick of his wrists alone had enough force to embed the razors-sharp edges deep into Brock's biceps. Though he was experiencing excruciating pain Brock couldn't produce any sounds. His mouth was still exuding a thin trail of blood. "Because of you, she's being held hostage miles away from here. She's alone, she's scared, and she's in pain."

Eight blades sailed into his thighs leaving Brock immobile. The still-conscious heap of flesh tried to beg for forgiveness, but his body couldn't complete the action. He was forced to sit and watch as the boy tortured him.

Luckily for Brock, Bo jumped in between the two. He kept his tone soft but ensured his voice carried the necessary severity. "My boy, quell your rage." Leon froze with his hands in his pockets. For a moment Bo thought he had reached him. But the heat that radiated off Leon's body only grew stronger. Bo contemplated retrieving his bow from its sheath. He wouldn't like to risk a hand-to-hand confrontation, but with Leon's current state, drawing a weapon would only antagonize him more.

Bo patiently continued, "I understand your anger. I agree with your resentment, but this is not the way. Hukm would not be pleased with your actions." Leon was unresponsive, "What will you do when you are brought to the gates of O'lim and he asks you about the blood on your hands today?" A painful grunt escaped Brock's lips. He peeked over his shoulder to observe the broken man's figure. Somehow Leon had lodged four more blades into his chest while Bo was looking, 'When did he throw those?'

His head snapped back to Leon's position. His heart raced when he saw a cloud of dust instead. He caught specs of shimmering green smoke beneath him and the translucent figure of Leon. Their heads tilted towards each other.

Bo was alarmed by the horrifying open-mouthed smile Leon gave him. The broken pink-and-purple chunks of his sucker were scattered along his ruby-red tongue. The usual phrase was green with envy, but what Bo saw was a spiraling forest of madness within Leon's eyes. With an insane smirk, he whispered a phrase to Bo. "I'll smile."

Bo quickly lunged downward with arms outstretched. The young warrior easily ducked the imminent grapple and retaliated with a sweeping kick aimed at Bo's ankles. Bo reacted by jumping in the air. In a spur-of-the-moment decision, he spread his body out wide. Bo's bigger body would prove fruitful when he smushed the smaller fighter with an improvised cross-body splash.

Any normal person would have blocked the incoming attack, but Leon had long since strayed from normality. From his seated position he shifted so his hands were holding him upside-down. While still performing this awkward hand-stand (and without much torque to propel his movements), he unleashed a monstrous heel kick to his airborne opponent. The back of his foot collided with the chief's massive collar bone.

Bo's body crashed into the wall that housed a display of colored genie lamps. The shelf buckled from the impact and buried Bo in a gilded grave. Leon popped up to his feet with death in his eyes.

When Bo arose from his glamorous pile he tried to find Leon again. He was too late. Leon was already in front of Brock. "Don't!" he yelled to his villager.

The blood in his throat had cleared up. Brock began another pathetic plea for his life, "Please, I'm sorry." Leon was unresponsive, "Please, I'll do anything."

Leon cocked his head, "Anything?" There was a sinister green glint visible where his eyes would rest. Brock nodded the best he could. Leon raised a hand full of razor blades above his head. His toothy grin had turned a pinkish-red from his sucker. It was as if he was gaining genuine enjoyment in seeing Brock grovel. "Then Perish."

A straight green fist connected with Leon's jaw. The lights in his eyes faltered in an instant. Leon's unconscious body fell to the floor in slow motion. Brock followed the prickly green fist and the ebony arm attached to find his savior, Rosa. She winced at Leon's sleeping frame, "Bloody hell, that boy is dangerous."

A few of the bystanders got up from their hiding places. Some ran to inspect the scene while the others ran out of the emporium. Bo joined them with a defeated groan. "Thank you, Rosa." They both inspected the boy, his soft breaths could be heard beneath the commotion.

From the main counter, a strange purple being yelled some gibberish their way. Bo begrudgingly left Rosa with the lifeless bodies so he could run damage control. Rosa tried to clean up the boy so he looked like a sleepy prince instead of a napping drunk. "I hope you understand, love." She patted the hair under his hood as Bo returned.

"We will not be allowed to stay here any longer," he deadpanned. Rosa assumed as much. She didn't expect to stay much longer either way.

As the adrenaline subsided, Brock's riddled body finally began to hurt. He looked up to his saviors with clenched teeth, "th-ank... you."

Rosa crouched down to his level, "Don't thank me. I only saved you 'cause we need you alive." She lifted him by his blood-stained collar. "Now get up, your job's not done yet."

She threw his body back against the table, the man groaning as his blood started to pool on the floor. The blood loss was getting to him, He would blackout at any second. But Bo held his eyes open with a thumb. "You may not rest yet. Not until you tell us..." he pushed him against the wall. Bo unintentionally puffed up his chest. With the extra intimidation, his words carried a critical tone. "Where is Bull?"