Chapter 20: Riqo

"So why are you spying on us?" Zephyr asked, staring down Riqo as he sat in his office. "Because I promise you this, if you have any reasons I don't like I'll kill you..."

Riqo stared at him, glancing down at his hands before looking back into his eyes. "I've never seen someone threaten my life while stuffing themselves with crab cakes..." Riqo said awkwardly as Zephyr stuffed his mouth full.

"Sorry, it's been a rough few weeks and Orion doesn't need to eat food, we skip meals a lot haha," Zephyr set down the food before looking back at Riqo seriously. "Answer my question."

"Well," Riqo started, smiling at Zephyr as he leaned back in his chair. "You guys are outsiders, ones that carry far too many weapons, and you came to my city which shouldn't be able to be found normally. I was suspicious..."

"Why would it be hard to find? It was right on the map."

Riqo turned serious, leaning forward. "Five years ago I drove all the big shots to the underground and took over this city, I recruited a kid to wipe Meso completely off the map, so how could it be on a map?"

"A kid? First of all. That's weird, child endangerment, and probably child labor as well. Second, I don't know what you're talking about, when we looked at the map it shaped the city perfectly, though I will admit we only knew the name because..."

Zephyr let his words trail off, smiling a bit as he realized something. "I recently had some trouble with a woman who altered my mind, I don't fall for the same trick twice, want to tell that bitch to stop peeking around in here?" 

Riqo smiled at his words, waving his hand and revealing the woman from earlier. "Sorry, just a precaution, I'm interested in how you managed to find Meso. My cousin tried to figure it out at the entrance but your friend shut him down very quickly... Good instincts I supposed?"

"Anyway, I have to ask since word came from my other cousin that one of our casinos was blown up... Was that you three?"

Zephyr, though he hadn't known what Riqo was talking about before, knew exactly what he meant now. 

"Are all the casinos connected or something? I didn't think the different cities would care about one-"

A knife was held against Zephyr's throat, and Luna, who'd been sitting quietly the entire time, stood up and placed a clawed hand on Angel's shoulder. 

"Stop this, I don't really care about one casino, I just really want to know why you came here of all places, and when the soonest possible date you can leave is..."

Luna spoke up, looking at Riqo. "We need at least a week here, we cut everything short in the last city because of one of our... Team members screw up."

"A week... Hmm, fine. Now answer the first question."

Luna hesitated but decided it was safer to reveal a small truth. "We're looking for the possessor of a powerful artifact. It's called The Serpent's Coil, and last we checked it was in New New Mexico."

Contrary to her several colorful expectations of how Riqo would react, he smiled and began laughing. Angel put the knife away and backed up, chuckling to himself as well. 

"So it's about that bastard? You guys aren't some heroes of justice or anything? Isn't that wonderful!" Riqo yelled as he laughed and slammed his fist on the desk. Compared to his appearance at the start of the meeting, he seemed much more friendly and relaxed. 

That bastard who has The Serpent's Coil used to be pretty famous, but when I took everything over they disappeared, never leaving too far, but still staying out of my way. If that's all you're here for then take your time... Though I can't offer support."

Luna was about to say something, but Zephyr clapped and stood up. "Great! We'll just go figure all that out and be out of your hair, thank you so much for meeting with us sir," He said, shaking Riqo's hand and grabbing Luna.

As they walked out of the luxurious hotel-looking building, Luna pulled away from him. 

"I was gonna ask about my parents, why'd you cut the meeting short?" 

"That guy... Something's strange with him. I can feel it since I have a lot of my own, but he... He has dozens of Artifacts. Mine were screaming in agony and I couldn't take it anymore. Let's go find Orion, I wonder what he's doing."

Meanwhile, Orion was doing something very out of character. He was doing nothing.

"Seriously? You saved a girl from being assaulted and you just leave her in the alley? You suck!" Qece complained as Orion sat on a bench, munching away at a food he'd never had before. A vendor had called them Tacos. 

'These things are delicious...' He thought as he ignored Qece, checking all of his cameras. He kept replaying the video footage of the cameras he kept on Zephyr and Luna. 

'I guess killing O is why we could find this place... But even if I hadn't killed O it's not like we could pull up the map anyway right?'

"Are you even listening to me?" Qece asked, zooming right into his face as he focused on her. 

"I hardly listen to you, and when I do it's because you're saying something important, which you aren't right now."

Qece pouted as Orion finished his food. 

"Now then... Should I spend some money? I smell like shit."

"Sir?" A voice said behind him as he winced. 

'Damn, did I say that out loud? So embarrassing,' He thought as he turned around, seeing a girl in his jacket that he didn't recognize.

"I-"

"Thief," He said, cutting off the girl's words. He quickly grabbed his jacket back, put it on and glared at her. "The crime in this city knows no bounds huh? Stealing my brother's jacket is very low criminal."

"Orion," Qece said with a sigh. "That's the girl you just saved, you literally gave her the jacket."

"Oh, well honestly that misunderstanding isn't my fault. I didn't want to look at her disgusting body you know?"

"She's still standing in front of you dumbass."

Orion focused on the girl and put on his best fake smile. "Don't worry about it miss, I didn't mean to save you, so there's no need to give me anything," He said before nodding and walking off.

"Wait! I wasn't going to say thank you," She said, grabbing his wrists. "I wanted to warn you. Once those two are found, Riqo's men will come for you," She said, worry creeping into her voice as she looked up at Orion.

"Oh... Kind of rude not wanting to say thanks but whatever," Orion said, shaking his head at the girl's rudeness before taking his wrist back. 

"Why'd they attack you anyway?"

The girl stayed silent for a second too long, and Orion just shrugged and walked off again. 

"Wait! Who walks off when they ask a question?" The girl said incredulously.

"Oh, I thought the conversation was over..."

"I borrowed some money that I couldn't pay back, So they came to get it back by... other means."

Orion nodded, continuing to walk away as the girl followed him. 

"Why are you following me?" He asked after a little while.

"I'm not, we're just going the same way... Anyway, what's your name?" The girl asked, smiling at Orion as he let her walk alongside him.

'The biggest crime of all, small talk.'

"Orion..." He said.

The girl waited expectantly for a while before her smile dropped. 

"Aren't you going to ask my name?" She asked, annoyed by Orion's behavior. 

"Nope."

"I'll tell you anyway, it's Maria."

Orion nodded as Qece laughed. "She's in your personal space Orion, and she's engaging in small talk, the two things you hate the most!" Qece said, laughing as Orion shooed her away.

"Look, I don't know why you're talking to me, but unless you're useful for something, please go away." Orion quickly sped up after saying this.

"Wait! I am useful, I'm Riqo's sister!"

Orion stopped in his tracks, calculating her usefulness before turning back and smiling. "Congratulations, you're about 20% useful to me," He said, letting her catchup.

'Sending men after his own sister? How... Disgusting.'