AFTERMATH

In the cosy confines of the German household's kitchen, Ella Kroll danced a silent tune as she glided toward the oven. Donning oven gloves, she welcomed the warm breeze that enveloped her upon opening the door. Inside awaited a tantalizing sight—a tray of chicken pasta bake, its golden surface glistening under the oven light, seemed to beckon her with promises of culinary delight.

"Hey, you," Ella whispered affectionately to the savoury creation, her eyes twinkling with culinary admiration.

Her culinary reverie was abruptly interrupted by the resonating chime of the doorbell. With a delighted gasp, Ella's excitement soared.

"Oh, he's hereee! Lukas! Could you get the door, please? I think it's your brother!" she called out, her voice brimming with anticipation.

Descending the stairs with a heavy tread was Lukas, his countenance a stark contrast to Ella's vibrant energy. Each step seemed to echo with a silent burden, his expression betraying a weariness that hinted at unseen struggles.

"Yeah, yeah," Lukas muttered, his voice devoid of enthusiasm.

With a resigned sigh, Lukas approached the door, his movements weighted with a sense of resignation. As he turned the key and swung the door open, a figure bathed in an aura of authority and familiarity stood before him—Jurgen Kroll, the Chief Executive of the Dove Police, and Lukas's elder brother.

"Lukas! How've you been, man?" Jurgen greeted warmly, his smile radiant with familial affection.

Lukas's response was a mere sigh, a silent acknowledgement of the burdens he carried.

As the door closed behind them, Lukas couldn't help but mutter to himself, his thoughts shrouded in the shadow of impending events.

"Long night ahead," he murmured, his words a sombre prelude to the trials that lay ahead.

The inviting aroma of the pasta bake wafted through the air, filling the German household with a sense of warmth and comfort. Ella, Jurgen, and Lukas sat around the dining table, the half-full tray of food serving as a centrepiece for their family gathering.

"Look at us! Just like old times!" Ella exclaimed, her voice tinged with nostalgia and affection.

Jurgen smiled warmly, nodding in agreement. "Always good to be around family. Missed you guys."

"We missed you too, Jurgen," Ella replied, her gaze filled with fondness.

Lukas, however, scoffed and shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips as he observed the scene.

Ella noticed Lukas's sullen demeanour and sighed, her shoulders drooping slightly. "Lukas..."

Jurgen, ever the peacemaker, intervened with a gentle reassurance. "It's okay, mum."

Ella picked up her fork, trying to maintain the cheerful atmosphere despite Lukas's obvious disinterest.

"I still missed you, Luke," Jurgen added, his tone sincere.

Ella shot Jurgen a warm smile, silently thanking him for his efforts to bridge the gap between her sons.

Meanwhile, Lukas kept his gaze fixed on his plate, refusing to meet his brother's eyes.

"But seriously, Jurgen, I want to see you more. Can you come visit more often?" Ella asked, her voice tinged with longing.

"I'll try, mum. Just been really busy lately," Jurgen explained, his expression reflecting the weight of his responsibilities. "We're approaching the 10-year mark, meaning more beasts have been able to penetrate the kingdom. Beast attacks have been rising as a result, and criminals have also been taking advantage of the chaos to commit their murders and blame it on the beasts."

Ella nodded understandingly, acknowledging the challenges her elder son faced in his line of duty.

But Lukas couldn't resist interjecting with a hint of scepticism. "Excuses."

Jurgen sighed, his patience wearing thin. "These aren't just 'excuses', Lukas. These are facts."

Lukas scoffed dismissively, refusing to accept his brother's explanation. "Increase in beast attacks... don't make me laugh. It's always been this bad. You can gaslight our 67-year-old mother but not me."

The tension in the room thickened as Lukas's words hung in the air, casting a shadow over the otherwise cheerful family dinner.

Jurgen's icy stare bore into Lukas, his patience wearing thin as his younger brother continued to dismiss his concerns with disdain.

"Gaslight? Have you not been watching the news?" Jurgen retorted sharply, his tone laced with frustration.

Lukas scoffed, waving off Jurgen's words as he leaned back in his chair. "Oh, the news? The propaganda-filled 'news'. Making up stats to hide the incompetencies of the Dove Corporation."

"Ella!" Jurgen snapped, shooting a warning glance at Lukas. "Stay out of this mum!"

Ella recoiled slightly, her eyes widening with concern as the tension between her sons escalated.

But Jurgen couldn't contain his anger any longer. With a swift motion, he sprung to his feet, his fiery eyes locked on Lukas.

"Don't you talk to Mum that way!" Jurgen's voice boomed through the room, his frustration boiling over.

Lukas's initial defiance wavered for a moment as he stared back at Jurgen, his expression a mix of fear and defiance. But then, to everyone's surprise, a twisted smirk spread across his face, and he began to giggle.

The sound sent chills down Ella's spine as she watched her son's unsettling transformation.

Lukas slowly rose from his seat, his laughter growing louder and more manic with each passing moment.

"Or what, Jurgen? What are you going to do?" Lukas taunted, his voice dripping with contempt. "Arrest me?"

His smug demeanour only fueled Jurgen's frustration, but before he could respond, Lukas launched into a tirade, his words cutting like knives.

"I can see right through you, Jurgen. I can see through all of you Dove hosts," Lukas sneered, his tone mocking. "Always trying to do the thing that will get you the most praise. You all automatically think you're better than everyone, just because of the spirit in you." He chuckled darkly. "It's quite embarrassing to watch sometimes. The self-righteous brigade will fall one day, and trust me, I will be there to enjoy every single second of it."

With a final smug glance, Lukas turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Ella and Jurgen stunned by his venomous words.

"Lukas! Lukas, where do you think you're going?" Ella called out, her voice trembling with a mixture of worry and disbelief.

Jurgen remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the spot where Lukas had stood. Then, with a heavy sigh, he turned to Ella, his expression weary but determined.

"Mum, it's fine. He'll be okay," Jurgen reassured her, though uncertainty lingered in his eyes. "We'll all be okay."

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Ren, Atamai, and Udo gather on the worn-out living room couch, their faces reflecting the tension that fills the air. Kimberley paces back and forth, her frustration palpable with each step.

"We had them! They were right there and we blew it! Fuck!" Kimberley's voice reverberates through the room, filled with frustration and anger.

Udo rises from the couch, his movements cautious as he approaches Kimberley.

"Kim, relax. We've just managed to meet one of the members of the Herd, this definitely won't be our last chance," he says softly, trying to calm her down.

Kimberley whirls around and grabs Udo by the collar, her eyes blazing with fury.

"You! What were you doing on the ground!? I thought you wanted to save Bowen!? What the fuck happened back there!?" she demands, her voice laced with accusation.

Udo meets her gaze, guilt evident in his eyes as he struggles to find an explanation.

"I... I don't know," he admits, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ren interjects, his tone calm but firm. "Kim! Calm down."

Kimberley's grip on Udo's collar loosens, and she releases him, her expression softening slightly.

"My bad," she mutters, turning away and resuming her pacing with more relaxed steps. "I just... I've been waiting for this moment for a long time... but I guess you're right, Udo. We met them once, so we can definitely do it again."

Ren shifts the focus back to the task at hand. "But what's the plan now?"

"We'll have to meet up with Kelly. She'll know what to do better than any of us," Kimberley replies, her voice tinged with determination.

Atamai interjects with a question. "Have you guys seen Alko by the way?"

"He's in the shower, I think," Ren responds. "Didn't he hop in like an hour ago?"

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Water cascaded over Alko's long, blonde hair, the steady spray melding with the distant drone of the shower. Yet, his mind was far from the soothing rhythm of the falling water. In his thoughts, a vivid memory flickered to life—a moment frozen in time, seared into his consciousness.

In a quick flashback, Leah turned to face him, her features unmasked, revealing her true identity. The shock of recognition coursed through Alko, rendering him speechless, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Seizing the opportunity presented by his stunned reaction, Leah wasted no time. She unleashed a powerful punch with calculated precision, catching Alko off guard and sending him flying.

Back to the present, Alko remained motionless, his eyes fixed on the shower floor, unseeing and lost in a whirlwind of memories. The sound of water became nothing more than background noise, drowned out by the echo of that pivotal moment in his mind.