33 Fate

"The dictionary definition of that word hasn't changed at all since the fortification, what did I do to warrant it being uttered to me?" Joao smirked and stood up, although only by an inch or two he was taller than Monty and that made him feel less intimidated by his position.

"I don't know, I just don't enjoy having to see your revolting face around us every day," Monty said as he slowly backed away from Joao.

Joao attempted to get nearer to him but the third placed an arm between them, he began thinking that maybe he told the others about his presence at the meeting. But quickly cast that thought aside. "At least tell me what I did?"

"You know very well what you did, but I'm not here for that today. That old lady in there, why did you guys go through so much effort to get her treated?"

"Maybe you should ask your boss, I am after all in no position to partake in the family's sensitive issues," Joao said lazily as he swept past Monty to leave.

Monty shook his head and signaled for an executioner to stop him, Joao who wasn't expecting it reacted in an extremely violent way. The executioner tapped Joao's shoulder, instead of turning around as expected Joao launched himself into the man's abdominal area. After landing a hit he flung him over and placed a blade on his neck.

It happened so fast that when Joao realized he was still with them there were already red dots on the back of his head. He let the blade fall to the ground and the two executioners cocked back their guns.

"What are you guys doing?"

Everyone turned around and saw Monke towering over Monty who tipped toed away quickly. "He attacked Kaine out of nowhere, and so we drew our guns to restrain him." The executioner with a black olive colored clip on earing said. Unlike the other two, he was almost dressed in tattoos, some people said they were medals or marks of how much you've achieved while in the family. He was known as Taiga.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about him. He is always like that around strangers, if anything you should be grateful he didn't kill all four of you while I was out." Monke giggled with a tiny smile displaying barely two of his front teeth.

Taiga and the other executioner named Kira akwardly chuckled along as they lowered their guns and put the safety on. Joao stood up and reversed into Monke, Taiga tried to stop him but Monke dragged him under his arm.

"Is there a restaurant around here, I am hungry?" Monke declared this time around without the same kind smile.

"We can't leave that old lady on her own, I trust that whatever she is involved in will be very important. If we let her be unguarded then she might get assassinated if my guess is right." Joao muttered as he tried to wrestle his way out of Monke's arm lock.

"You still haven't told me why you guys brought her here and spent over 10s of thousands getting her operated on." Monty talked in a very low voice, but the hospital hallway was quiet enough for his shy voice to be heard.

"Oh, she was being robbed and I broke her shoulder trying to save…"

"Did you hack into my account," Joao cut Monke off and growled at Monty as he went through his phone.

"I will not answer that. But why would you get yourself involved with a robbery?"

"Joao thought it wasn't that simple.

"Of course he did." Monty turned to look away. "If you are really hungry you can stay here while we go out and get you something."

"No, I want to go out." Monke let go of Joao and walked away. He wandered around the hospital block until he stumbled across a food truck. Behind it was an old man who told him that he was selling a magical breakfast that would grant an unrivaled fate to anyone who ate it starting exactly at midnight.

The only catch was that one meal cost over 5 thousand which was about the same as a smartwatch. Still, Monke bought it and started munching away when the clocks struck 12. The old man laughed once Monke was finished and told him that he could've just given him incurable bad luck.

He freaked out but quickly calmed down as they started to talk about the supernatural and witches. The conspiracy theories were hard not to believe considering that people were basically kept in the dark. Most people are born and get old with even seeing what lies behind the walls.

Even those who came from the villages said the trains and planes had tint black windows which stayed like that until they were within the walls. The government never said anything on this explicitly, sometimes they claimed that since tourists paid to see the beauty of the USSA so should the locals. But most villages had wildlife in them because their walls were either failing or just included a huge chunk of national parks. That minister was executed.

The sun normally came up later on in the morning, so until then people could only tell by the sky lightening up that it was morning. Which was the case for Monke who had bid adieu to the old man and headed back to the hospital.

It was around 9 am meaning that Monke had missed the morning worship which was a compulsory activity to everyone and a warm-up for those who went to their real churches at 10 am. It went on for strictly one hour, it normally comprised of praying to one god chosen by the government for the people. (Which I won't mention for reasons.)

The first thing Monke noticed was that there now more people in this small hospital. Because of the Oasis and other business ventures popping up in Babylon 3rd people were now able to afford private health care. Government health care which was free was just as capable but it was a matter of image why people paid money for a service they could get for free.

But on some rare occasions, private can end up proving more superior than Government. The government prioritized senior citizens, disabled people, pregnant women, and kids younger than 5 over the general public. Private prioritized better-paying members.

It must have been because of the three amigos in black but people weren't using the hallway Monke was walking down as much as he had expected. But he still saw them emerging from the other side.

Taiga had giant earphones on, he could've easily gotten an implant or something smaller, but he preferred these. Next to him was Kaine who had his hands over his head as if he was agonizing over something.

Right above Joao and Monty who was arguing about science stuff that Monke couldn't recognize was Kira shaking his head. The two boys looked like they were about to fight, it was no question that Joao would crush Monty but it was amussing that he would rather argue than take him out.

Monke arrived and asked what was going on and found out that they were arguing over whether gene therapy could give people the power of flight or not. The argument was started by Joao mentioning the video Monke previously told him about. Monty said it was possible that they used a force field and an emp. How they ended up talking about superpowers was a result of Joao trying to defend Monke's fantasy.

The doctor came in and told them that the old lady was up and had just had breakfast. He wasn't allowed near anyone by Taiga so he quickly left after giving them access to the room.

Taiga and Kira stayed outside because of the tattoos, Kaine along with the other three went in. Even then the old lady was still taken aback, he recognized Monke and Joao's tracksuits. Not because of the door incident but because it was the school's P.E uniform. Her son went to the same school and had told her that it was a nest for gangsters, seeing the condition she was currently in she feared them.

But she didn't fear them in a normal sense, as soon as Monke said hi she grabbed a plate and threw it at him. Monke slapped it away and she growled out

"What the hell are you evil children doing here?"