The Gangsta’s Paradise, a safe ground for all monsters of different backgrounds. Whether enemies or allies, it was a no fire zone. Mostly because of the man who ran it, no one wished to defy his power. Or the man who backed him.

  It was a fenced area with many stone seats with umbrellas covering each of them. There was a very large food truck at the back of the fenced area, it had no wheels as it no longer needed to be mobile. Supported by cinderblocks. From there you’d get your food.

  The Gangsta’s Paradise wasn’t always a no fire zone. The events of Kisscensiata lead to the decision.

  As Bryant went into the fenced area with the others, immediately all eyes on him. It was a no fire zone but still, Detectives and other Confederation kind still didn’t like coming there. Due to the man who protected the area, they hated that they couldn’t defy a simple monster. Especially the son of the Representative, it made the monsters in the restaurant flinch.

  “Calm down, he’s with us,” Able stepped forward and declared. Immediately, they calmed down but began gossiping. Knowing who Able’s affiliations were with, it was certainly a topic.

  “Yo, Skadi! Carry some of the usuals over here!” Able sent his request to the guy running the food truck. “We’ll be here for awhile!”

  “On it, you little turds! Oh, and princess!” Skadi said, while giving Emilia a certain exception. Emilia rolled her eyes. Skadi was a very large and beefy man, with Nordic tattoos along his arms and over his left eye. He had a beer belly that could be seen from his tanktop.

  “So… this is the Gangsta’s Paradise,” Bryant looked around, he wasn’t too impressed. “Where the girls at?”

  “Dude, really? You’re surrounded by people who you are trained to kill, and your first thought is about women?” Peaches asked with a skeptical look. He laughed and sensed Bryant’s [Pheromones], “You and Asmodeus have a strong affinity.”

  “I don’t mind my lust and… As if I care about what the Confederations tells me now,” Bryant glared as he recalled the recent events. “We were taught to never come to close to here, that’s all.”

  “How do we even know if we can trust this guy?” Emilia hissed at him. Of course, she wasn’t easily going to play along. “He’s a Detective, am I the only one concerned about that?”

  “Emilia has a point. Is it really in our best interest to have him in our safe zones?” Tristan observed Bryant. They both were Demons, so was Emilia. Bryant seemed like he didn’t care.

  “That’s what we’re here to find out,” Able smirked at him.

  “Orders up,” Skadi came, balancing fivedishes of his specialty burger with waffle fries. “Warrior princess, I saw your crush at the festival. Did you finally man up and approach!”

  “What!? I don’t have a crush on him!” Emilia retorted and was starting to become pink. “And why can’t he approach me!”

  “You can’t fool me, princess! I am your uncle, I can read these things,” Skadi rustled her scarlet hair and laughed. “So, be honest, how’d it go?”

  Emilia frowned and slouched against Tristan, “He was with another girl…”

  “Well, you win some and you lose some,” Skadi shrugged and placed his butcher knife against his shoulder. “I thought I lost my wife too but when you’ve been alive as long as I have, it’s bound to happen.”

  “But I don’t want to wait a millennium, Skadi,” Emilia was comfortable in this man’s presence so she could talk freely. “I need to stop being like Brita.”

  Skadi and Emilia’s conversation wasn’t too loud and so, the others conversation could continue.

  “You believe their words, don’t you?” Able got comfortable in his seat and asked. Taking in the scent of food and monsters. “That the Confederation tells you.”

  “I grew up hearing them all my life… Of course, I would but,” Bryant thought clearly on it. “Recently, it has been hardly to stand by.”

  Able smiled at him. Who knew there was hope in the descendant of their greatest enemy, “Minohwa never belonged to the Confederation.”

  “What? I was taught that after the [Grand Approach], the Confederation took control of the Americas from the apocalyptic state,” Bryant responded. He wasn’t stating it like it was facts, he wanted answers.

  “Yes, the world was in an apocalyptic state but there were many groups here. Many societies,” Able told him, recalling the information he learnt. “Minohwa belonged to a group known as the Natives, specifically to the family who ruled the Natives at that time. My family,”

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  “The Zorians.”

  “Then why did we take it?” Bryant asked, feeling that there was a grueling truth hiding beneath.

  “Most of the world was in an apocalyptic state still, except for Minohwa,” Able continued on. “Long before easterners came and conquered here, the Natives lived in the Americas. And where we call Minohwa is something like the most holy grounds for us.”

  “With the [Grand Approach] occurring and no one understanding how to fight it, we already knew what it was. My people quickly took back Minohwa and we thrived,” Words of his ancestors echoed in his mind. “Minohwa wasn’t a city but, actually a massive lake of pure waters. We had the best harvest and extended livelihoods because of it.”

  “Jason Mauter, the bitch that lead the Confederation, didn’t want the Natives to become a threat. So, he massacred us and took Minohwa,” Able clenched his fist and glared at the sky. “And many things happened after that.”

  “Jason was the Director of the Confederation?” Bryant asked in shock. He had no clue of this. He was just taught that along with the King of the Damned, he was one of the most wanted. “Why weren’t we told this.”

  “As if they would tell you anything,” Peaches scoffed, he found it na?ve. “The Confederation isn’t a society; it is a farm. They don’t want anyone to live their lives, they want slaves that will work and provide for them.”

  “So that the big shots can continue to eat good, and you guys provide the food,” Peaches pointed at him with a big smile. “That’s why you brainwash people when they say what they shouldn’t.”

  “You guys don’t want them to have freedom.”

  “I always thought that we were doing them a favor though,” Bryant slouched and rested his chin in his palm. It was puzzling to him. “Do you see the destruction these monsters cause.”

  ‘The living conditions of the Confederation is what makes these monsters.” Tristan spoke up. He already did his research. He was gradually eating his food. “The constant brainwashing creates strong emotions; one too many brainwashing will absolutely create a monster.”

  “Being restricted, forced to fear the Detectives and only knowing these obsidian walls… That’s what creates uncontrollable monsters,” Tristan pointed out, there was no argument to it. “If the population was taught to control their emotions and [Stimulus], the appearance of uncontrollable monsters would be less.”

  “Teach them?” Bryant felt like that was never an option, for some reason he thought the people had to be controlled.

  “Yeah, the King of the Damned has implemented this in some of his cities… There aren’t even walls surrounding them,” Able gazed at the large obsidian walls that wrapped around the settlement. “The people are taught to use their abilities, they have nothing to fear.”

  “They trust in their own capabilities and the King of the Damned.”

  Able turned to Bryant with strong look, “No one has to be brainwashed or thrown off the walls so that the big shots can eat good.”

  “But am sure she mentioned some of this to you before,” Able continued to gaze at the obsidian walls. “What were you and Xitalli?”

  “She was my woman,” Bryant felt bittersweet at hearing her name, recalling the sweet memories and sad reality. “She is a Native, isn’t she?”

  “How do you feel about the truth?” Able asked him. A silence washed over them. To the point that Skadi went back to the kitchen and allowed the silence to reign.

  Bryant gripped his fists and pondered. He knew at some point he’d have to make a decision. Is he fighting for the right side?

  “My! My! My! Look who we have here!” A man walked into the Gangsta’s Paradise. Having dark skin and curly black hair. Of average high and very muscular build, he wore a wife-beater and joggers. Behind him followed soldiers wearing a similar jackets. He pointed at Bryant, “The Prince of Minohwa!”

  “Oh, or is it actually you?” He then pointed at Able. Purposefully provoking at politics.

  “Watch your fucking mouth, Rodriquez!” Able snapped back at him. As per usual, letting his anger get the best of him.

  “Calm down, Zorian. Am just asking some question,” His group took a seat, and he sat atop the table. Facing towards them. “You already knew I hate pathetic leaders, much like my brother.”

  “I just want to know if the prince is going to betray his father,” Rodriquez looked at Bryant smirked.

  “Quite frankly speaking, I don’t think it is any of your business,” Peaches said to him slowly. “I don’t like how you’re disrespecting your own brother.”

  “What did I say about the next time you come in here and cause problems,” Emilia pointed at Rodriquez and growled.

  “Look! Am just saying, everyone who got strong had someone powerful behind them,” Rodriquez shrugged and continued to ramble on. “I had the Lover of the Nuirs. Emilia has Skadi. Tristan has the Threaded Soul. Peaches is very special himself.”

  “You had the King of the Damned, God of Thunder and many others…” Rodriquez pointed out and made them tense up, speaking at Able with a sense of rivalry. “Bryant has his dear father, the Representative of Minohwa, the Sick Serpent.”

  “So, I am asking, are you about to betray who made you strong?” Rodriquez laughed as he hit the climax of his point. “Just like I did?”

  Skadi suddenly came to Rodriquez’s table with food since he was causing a scene, “Cheeseburger and fries. Extra cheese, extra fries.”

  Skadi showed a fraction of his presence, making a clear warning, “No beefs can be settled in the Gangsta’s Paradise.”

  “Oh, I forgot it was a green zone,” Rodriquez rolled his eyes. He turned to eat his food and smirked at Bryant, “I can’t wait to hear your answer, Detective Lust.”

  After the scene died down, chatter started back up in the restaurant. Allowing the group to talk again since eyes were off them.

  “Our group is a faction of the King of the Damned’s Roundtable,” Able introduced themselves and continued. “We’re Zebra Effect.”

  “You know too much Bryant so,” Able smiled at him wholeheartedly. Peaches sneered, Able reminded him of the King of the Damned in that moment. “Join our team.”

  The others waited patiently to hear his answer.

  Bryant became silent. He knew well of the evils of his father and his brother. To the point his mother took her life, saying that she hated him too in that moment. There’s so much that the Confederation has to fix.

  Or rather, the Confederation has to be ridden of so things can become good. So that he can reunite with the woman he loves,

  “Xitalli…” Bryant muttered suddenly. His affirmations became clear, “Before I join, I have to make sure Xitalli is safe.”