Heartless

Rhea and I drove our way to Louisiana. I looked out the window and watched the scenery. Rhea looked at me then looked back at the road. She turned her music down a bit.

"Do you remember the mission briefing?" She asked.

"New Orleans. Kill Barbara Pace. Rescue the Paid Relationship women." I said then looked at Rhea.

Rhea smiled. "You know. Our boss is doing this for your sake. Paid Relationship has some of the most exotic women and most of these women are either celebrities or some exotic being. Not only are you getting potential dates, but you're also getting battle experience."

"But I'm fine with the women I already have." I said.

"Come on, I know you're dying to try something new. So many women of our business and you want to stick with the same old same old?" Rhea giggled.

"Because you all know how to treat me." I said and crossed my arms, looking out the window.

Rhea smiled and turned on her headlights.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked.

"You just did." Rhea giggled.

I smiled and looked at her. "I'm serious."

Rhea smiled and giggled softly. "I know, Bubba...~ What's on your mind?"

"So the other day, I met a woman named Chloe Wise." I started.

"Chloe Wise? I know her. She used to date a guy named Shiro Moji." Rhea said.

I looked out the window again. "What's her story? I asked her about it and she just acted like she didn't know."

"Well...it is classified information and the only one who truly knows is Charlotte and us Agents, but since you're one of us now...I can tell you. After the ten years she's been gone, she managed to find her way back home from another world. That is what Chloe tells us." Rhea said.

"Another world?" I asked.

"Chloe says it's called Esoria. It isn't apart of our Solar System. I have no idea what Galaxy that planet is from, but she said that there was a gateway to it from Earth, but when we looked...there was nothing as she described." Rhea said. "But Charlotte believes Chloe."

"Who is this Shiro person? Coach Mark talks about him a lot and so does Coach Caroline. He's talked about a lot around Texas as well." I said and looked at Rhea.

"Shiro..." Rhea smiled. "That man is an icon. Believe it or not, he saved Earth. He isn't human...a man that can move like he can isn't human. He's incredibly intelligent as well. He fights in such a way that would surprise Wendy. Pure instincts. Also, a man who is able to woo the most impossible women is impossible to find. You kinda remind me of him in a sense."

"Eh? How?" I asked.

Rhea looked at me then back at the road. "Well you're incredibly hot, you're strong, you know how to treat a woman, your lust for us women...There's no doubt you and Shiro would've been great friends. Even your backstories are kinda similar."

"Ugh...Now I'm gonna be known as the fraud who wants to be this grand hero." I sighed.

"You are unique in your own way. Shiro never spoke any language outside of English and maybe some Japanese. He also never worked for an organization. You don't have some demon following you around, minus Eliza. And there's nothing wrong with being similar to someone as grand as Shiro." Rhea smiled.

"There's a huge problem with it. I don't want to be loved for the idea that I am similar to Shiro. I want to be loved for who I am and what I am." I said.

"Such a man with a strong heart. Bubba, you're taking what I say too literally. I love you for you, not because you're similar to Shiro. What I am saying is that you and he aren't too far different. Your goals might be different, but your care for us and your willingness to go beyond the extreme for us... it's the same heroism Shiro had for his women." Rhea said.

I smiled a bit and looked down at my mask. "Heroism..."

-----

As we drove, we hit a hard bump and Rhea grunted as she began to lose control of the car. Alice and the others noticed as they drove behind us.

Rhea grunted as she tried to control her car. She noticed smoke and figured out that her tires had been popped. The car ended up driving off the road crashed into a fence.

"Rhea! Ryder!" Wendy yelled out and stopped her car in the side of the road and got out of her car then ran toward us.

Alice and Eliza got out of their cars as well and hurried onto the field. Rhea opened her car door and groaned as she stepped out. She put her hat on then shook her head.

I grunted softly and stepped out the car and coughed a bit of blood. I fell onto one knee. Eliza noticed I had a piece of the windshield lodged into my stomach. She ran to me and ripped off my shirt then laid me on the ground.

"Ryder! Oh no..." Alice said then hurried to me.

Wendy and Rhea hurried over to me as well. They noticed Eliza extracting the glass from my body. They sat around me and Rhea placed her hand gently on my forehead.

"His left eye is out of commission, but his vital organs. They are safe." Eliza said as she healed me using her blood. "Whoever set that trap was obviously waiting for us. They took out our Ace. We need to call for-"

I stopped Eliza by grabbing her arm. I slowly sat up and my hair covered my left eye. "I'm alright. As long as I still have vision, I can fight."

I slowly stood up and looked around. I couldn't see to my left without having to turn in that direction. I put on my trench coat and put on my mask.

"Do you see someone?" Wendy asked.

I looked around and my gut was starting to ache. My sense for danger was going wild. "I hear them."

Alice heard a gunshot then dodged the bullet. Rhea deflected the bullet then looked around. Wendy braced herself for an attack. Eliza's eyes shined as she readied herself as well.

I adjusted my mask. I listened closely. "Left."

I dodged an attack from one of our adversaries then swept him off his feet with a kick. I unsheathed my katana then stabbed him. I looked to my right and noticed Eliza.

Eliza dodged the barrage of attacks from one of the masked assassins. The constructed a spike made from blood then shot it at the assassin, killing him.

"Vampire! We agreed no magic!" Wendy said.

"Listen, Brawler, we got ambushed, we had no prep time!" Eliza said.

Rhea grunted as she was struck on her face then stumbled backwards. Two more assassins surrounded Rhea. She unsheathed a second katana and smirked. The three ran toward her at full speed. Rhea sliced in one quick motion then all three began to bleed from their neck then fell to the ground.

Alice kept dodging bullets and looked around for the sniper. She groaned as she was shot in her right leg. She fell onto one knee then grunted. "A second...sniper..?"

All of a sudden, multiple red lasers took aim at us and we were being surrounded by gunmen. I looked around and watched them surround us. I took out my choker then put it on. The choker deepened my voice and I chuckled.

Rhea and the others looked at me.

"You all are from the Dark Web and work for the Black Market. Those who messes with our organization will be eliminated." I said.

"What is he doing..?" Alice whispered to Rhea.

"I don't know." Rhea said.

I adjusted my mask. "I am The Ace. You all know me as the Top Agent of Paid Relationships. You know of my combat abilities. I am giving you all one chance before we decide to wreak havoc upon you. You will be met with lethal force beyond recovery. You will be paralyzed, physically impaired, or you might even die. Choose your next actions carefully."

The assassins looked at me and still readied their weapons. I looked at them and unholstered my gun.

"You've decided your fate." I said and chuckled darkly.

"This terrifying presence.." Eliza said then licked her lips.

"Has he achieved it?" Wendy asked and her eyes became soulless. She was ready to kill.

"Yes." Alice said and her eyes also became soulless. She slowly stood up and stomped on the ground and the bullet came out of her leg.

"Heartless State." Rhea said then her eyes became soulless. "The Ace within...has awakened. It has chosen its new host."

I held my arms out and ran forward. I dodged a bullet then sliced off the man's hand then shot him in his head. I dodged an attack the sliced the woman twice. Her blood got on my mask and I watched her fall.

Alice parried an attack then fired a bullet through the woman's chest. She holstered her pistol then unholstered her shotgun then blasted a man away from her.

Rhea rushed past Alice and took her gun then fired a bullet that collided into another bullet, causing both bullets to ricochet into two of the assassins. She ran forward then sliced down the middle of her main target and watched his body fall to the ground.

Wendy palmed one of the assassin's chest with enough force to stop his heart then blocked a woman's attack and broke her arm with her knee. She then gave her a life changing right hook for the kill.

Eliza giggled and held her hand out. "Say goodnight..~" She said then used her Blood Magic to extract all the blood from her opponents then let it enter her body.

I looked around and noticed we killed every one of them. I crouched down to one of the bodies and picked up a walkie talkie.

"482 to Base! Pick up!" A woman's voice said.

I pressed the talk button and brought the walkie talkie to my mask. "Barbara Pace. It's nice finally getting to talk to you."

"H-Huh? Who is this?! What did you do to 482?!" Barbara yelled.

"More like what did I do to your entire squad. I know where you are and obviously you know where we are. It is a matter of time before we reach you. We will kill you." I said.

Barbara chuckled and sighed. "You only have 6 days and I will make sure you don't make it in time."

I kept the walkie talkie then hooked it along my utility belt. "Let's go-"

I groaned and held my head then fell onto one knee then the mask fell off my face then the choker snapped of my neck. I panted and looked at the mask.

"So you felt it. The soul that resides within the Ace. This mask was left behind by Shiro to Charlotte as a birthday gift. It apparently has the soul of some powerful being and the soul chooses the host. First Rebecca was the Ace...now it's time for you to become the Ace." Rhea said and picked up the mask.

I looked up at Rhea and noticed her holding her hand out. I took her hand then let her help me stand up. "What does "The Ace" do?"

"The Ace used to be some kickass fighter who used to work with Shiro from what Charlotte said. It even has this weird little marking on the forehead. Charlotte said it means Talent." Rhea said.

"The Ace...it is a powerful title and ability, but you can not misuse such power. Should you grow cocky, it will lead to your downfall." Alice said.

"Whatever I was on the battlefield, it didn't feel like me. It was almost like the mask took over me and I was an entirely different person." I said.

"The Ace awakens your true alter ego from within. Rebecca was a very lustful person as The Ace. You...you are cold blooded. A true killer." Eliza said and licked her lips. "Vengeful."

I took the mask from Rhea then put it back on. "The Dark Web and Black Market caused me to get rid of two of my closest friends. I will do whatever it takes to make sure they don't survive our wrath."

Rhea held my arms then looked at me. "We will be at your side in this. We all want them gone as soon as possible as well."

I nodded then looked at Rhea's car. "What are we to do?"

"You two can hitch a ride with me." Wendy said.

-----

We all made our way back on the road to New Orleans. I looked out the window and kept thinking about how I acted as the Ace. It was a wake up call to me. I questioned my sanity after discovering how The Ace brings ones alter ego to surface with the mask on. I was more battle focused, more vengeful, full of hatred, I wanted to kill. It terrified me on the inside. It wasn't who I am.

I stared at the mask and noticed it shimmer when the moonlight hit it then the Talent Symbol faintly shined. I noticed it and grunted softly. I looked back and noticed Rhea asleep. Wendy was too focused on driving to have a conversation as she was now on high alert.

I decided to close my eyes and get some rest for the night. I had a lot on my mind now.