Family Secret

Machi's heart was beating like a hammer. It was so loud she worried that Leon could hear it. She told herself that she only sat close to him so they wouldn't draw attention.

"I think we might need to leave the city. Do you have anywhere safe to go," Leon asked as he looked around at the passing crowd?

Machi paused, "I can disappear if needed."

"Great, so here's what's going to happen-" Machi suddenly stood up and slapped Leon cutting him off.

"Fine, if that's how you feel, I never want to see you again." Machi ran off, and somehow tears stained her cheeks.

"Fine, just go, why don't you." Leon played a long storming away in the opposite direction as Machi. He was surprised that the ice queen was such a good actor.

"I guess I'm going back home." Pulling out his family phone Leon dialed up the home number.

"Master Leon, it's good to hear from you. How are you doing." Leon smiled when he heard Gotoh's voice.

"It's good to hear from you too. I hope you got out of Meteor City okay," Leon asked as he walked back to his hotel.

"It was tricky. After selling all the items, the Mafia caught wind and tried to surround the building, but your father saved me just in the nick of time. I've been working as Tsubones protege to take over as head butler in a few years. But I digress. What do you need, Master Leon?"

Smiling, Leon entered his room and started to pack, "I need you to send an Air Blimp to my location. It might not be a smooth process so tell the pilot."

"I'll have it arrange right away, oh and Lady Zoldyck wants me to tell you that she is pregnant again and is expected sometime soon within the next three months."

Leon paused for a second, 'Another one, I'm delighted I never caught them doing it.

"Well, I'm on my way home, so hopefully I'll be there on time. Is that all?"

"One more thing, Master Leon, I want to thank you for hiring me. Without your help, I don't know..." Gotoh trailed off.

"Don't mention it. I wouldn't want any other person taking care of my family." Leon hung up as he finished packing and grabbing Ymir, who had gained some weight after overeating fish from the hotel.

Hiring a taxi, Leon paid with his hunter's card. The taxi driver didn't ask any more questions before dropping Leon off in the Gordeau Desert.

Leon was only had to wait a few minutes before an Air Blimp landed in front of him. Refusing any of the snacks or drinks offered to him, Leon hoped how Machi was doing.

Leon had to give it to the pilot. The flight only took an hour, and it was the smoothest flight he had ever been on. Leon made a note to tell Gotoh to try and hire the woman.

Stepping off the blimp, Leon was greeted by Gotoh and two other maids. They went to bow, but Leon waved off their formality.

"It's good to talk face to face again, Gotoh." The butler had a slight smile, "Indeed, Master Leon, but your father wishes to speak to you in his private quarters."

Sighing, Leon asked one of the maids to take Ymir to his room as he talked with his father. Standing outside the door, Leon knocked and awaited his summons.

"Come in, son."

Opening the door to his father's room, Leon looked around at the familiar couch he used to play on as a kid.

"Why do you want to talk to me, dad? I know it's not to apologize for Meteor City," Leon said, standing in front of Silva.

"Your right. What I want to talk about is the message I received from Issac Netero." Leon winced as he had been hoping to keep his hunter status a secret for a little longer.

"Well, the cats out of the bag. Are you here to discipline me," I asked as I started to draw circles on the ground.

"I am not here to ridicule and poke holes in your judgment. Having a hunter's license is a precious tool. But what I'm more concerned about is the assignment that he offered you."

Leon immediately knew what he was talking about, "The Dark Continent. I told the old man no. I followed the rules."

Silva nodded, "You did but to every rule, there are exceptions. Your uncle is still alive on the dark continent. He's been working for the family all this time. Trying to create a place for the Zoldyck family to expand to."

"What do you mean, expand," Leon asked, leaning forward.

"Two decades ago, my brother was also a hunter and was chosen to go on a mission to explore the dark continent. But his loyalty laid with the family, so he was given a secret agenda. Fake his death and stay on the island to create a haven to send our own soldiers to make the dark continent our own.