Chapter 13.1: Volume 2 Prologue

  A tanned teenager with black hair yawned as he lied down on the bench inside a public park. The scent of fresh morning dew couldn't cover the unpleasant smell of burnt plastic, charred flesh, and dusty concrete from his clothes that appeared just as it smelled. Wiping his forehead, Jason only smudged more black charcoal onto his forehead as the morning crowd kept a wide berth from him.

"Ahh, what a pain," he muttered as he tried shifting into a more comfortable position.

Jason had just finished a killing contract which required him to protect a diplomat from a possible attack. He managed to find the hitman but the killer was rather boorish in his attempted attack; he had planned to bomb the diplomat but Jason stopped him before he could even reach his target. Unfortunately, the bomb went off during their scuffle, killing the hitman and injuring Jason. The bomb also destroyed Jason's holo-watch and any other ID chip he carried, leaving him penniless and homeless.

His current situation would have been rather amusing for Elizabeth had she been around, but it had been over four years since they had separated. Jason scratched his nose while closing his eyes, ignoring the pain he felt of when he thought about her.

Whatever, He thought. I'll just sleep and think on what to do later. Huh, maybe I can charge that diplomat more? Nah, that guy's probably gone. Well, shit.

Jason relaxed his body and soon drifted off into a dreamless sleep…

Hours later, Jason felt a hard stick stab him in the ribs multiple times. He frowned and tried ignoring it but the poking became more insistent.

"Huh, is it dead?" a childish voice asked nearby as they continued jabbing Jason with a stick.

"Uhh … you mind? Trying to sleep here," Jason turned his head and told the poker in annoyance without opening his eyes.

"Ohh, it's alive!" the person exclaimed her excited voice full of amazement and curiosity.

Hearing her voice Jason opened his eyes and looked at the commotion. He squinted as he looked at the two figures that were obscured by the sun that shone above them. One was a blonde girl, a teenager who was about a young teen, only a few years younger than Jason himself.

She was standing behind another girl, a young child who was about nine years old. Her tanned skin and round cheeks were full of enthusiasm, and her messy curled hair indicated her rebellious nature.

Helen?! Jason thought incredulously as his eyes locked onto the young girl. No, that's not her.

As he looked closely, he noticed that her eyes and hair were different. Still, he couldn't help but watch her closely as she studied him curiously.

"Hmmm," the little girl moved around quickly, studying Jason from different angles as though he were an interesting specimen from a zoo. "So, this is what a hobo looks like. You did mention that they dress strangely, right, Katie?"

Jason heard her and nearly collapsed on the bench, completely speechless. Scratch that, she really was treating him like an exhibit from the zoo! The teenage girl behind Jason avoided his eyes as she looked down at the little girl.

"Mistress Alina, it is rude to discuss a person's unfortunate and rather sad lifestyle in front of them," Katie said, causing Jason to deflate with shame.

They really think I'm a hobo! He thought.

"Oh is it?" Alina placed her hand underneath her chin as she once again looked at Jason. "But he doesn't seem to mind it!"

No, I do mind! Jason retorted in his mind. It's just that I can't keep up with you two!

"Somebody, save me," Jason muttered under his breath as his stomach growled for food. During his sleep, he used his powers to accelerate his healing process and this increased his metabolism, causing his stomach to literally scream with hunger.

"Here you go, it tastes funny but it'll fill you up," the little girl, Alina, handed him a candy bar that was already open with a bite taken. Accepting the bar, Jason turned to look at the label and nearly doubted his vision as he read it.

Uhh … pizza-flavoured chocolate?! Jason had tears in his eyes as he triple checked the cover. What kind of masochist makes this up?! Well, beggars can't be choosers …

Reluctantly, Jason took a bite but stopped chewing when the piece of chocolate entered his mouth. Without even trying to chew, he swallowed it whole; the piece of chocolate was visible as a bulge as it went down.

"I know right?" Alina said sympathetically as she patted his shoulder. "I thought it'd taste good, I mean it's both of my favourite foods combined together but - yucky - it was terrible!"

Then why hand it to me?! Asked Jason in his mind, unaware that he was much more animated after interacting with Alina.

Voices calling Alina's name came from a distance as several bodyguards in black suits ran up to the three. The lead man, a tough man close to his forties sighed as he looked at Alina before bowing slightly.

"Mistress, I know you don't like it, but we need to be escorting you," the man said to Alina who pouted and looked away with her arms crossed.

"You guys are boring, why would I wanna be followed by you? See how much fun it is without you?" Alina pointed at Jason. "Look, I was able to talk to a hobo! Would I be able to do that if you were around?"

The man finally looked at Jason when Alina finished and immediately froze. His eyes were narrowed as he realized the scent of blood and sulphur was emanating from Jason and he signalled at the other bodyguards who quickly positioned themselves for battle.

"Miss, please come here," he said in a serious voice. Katie realized something was off and grabbed Alina's hand, quickly leading towards the group of bodyguards. As soon as the two were safely surrounded, the man looked back at Jason and nodded, appreciative that he didn't attack the two.

Jason tried nodding back with a friendly smile but instead sent the man a constipated look as he tried finishing the bar. The man was confused until he noticed the bar in Jason's hand and was suddenly grateful to him. Had Alina not given the bar to Jason, he would have been offered it instead.