Chapter 66

They ended up staying up until the early hours of the morning in search of a hotel while using Erica's ID last night. Therefore, Lily was visibly drowsy as she held onto Ajax's pants. Ajax felt a sense of nostalgia wash over him as the feeling of returning to Boirdale after having left for about a month and a half finally set in.

He glanced at the "WANTED" hologram of a poster that was displayed by the academy's gate, and he couldn't help but smile wryly. He had finally gotten the recognition he had always yearned for, though it wasn't how he expected it to go.

Ajax, accompanied by Erica and Lily, entered the academy grounds as his eyes darted around, keeping his head on a swivel as he ensured no one was paying much attention to him. The Apollo Academy seemed to have been affected by the recent events as there were fewer students present and an increased number of security personnel.

Ajax proceeded to beeline his way to the dorm building where Alana lived. He had maintained regular contact with her and even exchanged updates on their lives ever since he borrowed the 500,000 eddies from her. Sometimes Alana would be the one to call him, while other times he would be the one to contact her, discussing various topics and deepening their relationship in the process.

However, Ajax hadn't informed Alana of his return, but he knew her class schedule well enough to anticipate her presence in the dorm room. And he was correct, as it didn't take long for Alana to reach her dorm room door, engaged in conversation with her roommate.

She was wearing a white sundress and her hair was loose as it cascaded over her shoulders, she had on some black Converse sneakers that contrasted with her outfit, yet also seemed to compliment it, adding simplicity and comfort to a formal attire.

Ajax decided not to approach her and instead sent her a text message that read: "Turn around." Alana looked back and noticed Ajax's figure leaning against a wall which caused her to pause momentarily before urging her roommate to go inside without her. She then made her way over to Ajax.

"OH MY GOD! When did you come back? Weren't you supposed to be away for a few more days, a week at least?" Alana hugged Ajax and then broke off and looked him up and down, her face was lit up with unmistakable joy.

Ajax smiled back at her in response. "I arrived last night. I thought it would be a good surprise."

"It was a wonderful surprise. But... you're still wanted," Alana's expression shifted as she recalled Ajax's current situation, her gaze darting around.

"Don't worry, everything will be just fine. They're still unaware of my presence here. Plus, I came to see you, just as I had promised." Ajax said as he adjusted his hat, covering his now scarred face from anything that was above eye level.

"You've...you've changed a lot," Alana remarked as she bit her lip lightly before she let out a sigh. Although Ajax's attire remained modest, his demeanor exuded confidence and a demand for respect, showing how much he had changed since his departure over a month ago.

"Have I now? So how have I changed, is it in a good way or in a bad way?" Ajax inquired, acknowledging the fact that he had indeed become incomparable to his old self.

"In a horrible, down the fucking hill, hit by a truck, fell off a cliff kind of bad," Alana replied with zero hesitation, though a smile quickly replaced her serious expression. "It suits you though."

Ajax smirked before looking down at his Vox, "Well, seems like you're off to class now. I'll wait for you and we can continue our conversation later."

"No, don't worry about my classes and let's go chat elsewhere," Alana suggested as she picked up her Vox to request permission to leave the academy. As she was doing so, Erica and Lily approached.

Lily, whose eyes were closing due to her drowsiness suddenly opened and she blurted out: "WOW, is this your girlfriend Ajax? She's so pretty."

Alana and Ajax suddenly went stiff when they heard the unexpected remark. Erica quickly covered Lily's mouth and pulled her ear, signaling her to remain quiet.

"Are these your friends..." Alana pointed at Erica and Lily before asking Ajax once she had regained control of her emotions.

"Yeah, these are some of the friends I made at the border. They also wanted to meet you," Ajax replied as casually as he could. Alana quickly greeted Erica and Lily, understanding that ordinary individuals couldn't just venture out from the border whenever they pleased.

The four of them proceeded to a dessert shop across from the academy, where Alana and Ajax engaged in a lengthy conversation. Meanwhile, Erica and Lily sat together and dove into the various treats the shop had for sale. When Alana inquired about Ajax's plans, he didn't hesitate to share them, repeating the same things he had told Erica in the conversation they'd had the previous day.

"Well, if that's the case, I can probably introduce you to someone who can help you out. Im pretty sure that he'll meet all of your requirements and he's also been eager to meet you for quite some time now," Alana suggested after a moment of consideration.

"Really? Who could this someone be? Is he someone I would have heard of?" Ajax asked as he lifted the brim of his hat slightly. Erica and Lily, intrigued by the topic, leaned in attentively.

"His name is AL, he is the heir of Qianling Heavy Industries. I met him when he used to attend school here at the Apollo Academy. He felt like his final year was too dull and decided to return home. He is also the one who purchased your ore at a high price and he's mentioned on several occasions that he wants to meet you," Alana explained.

"Are you serious? Him?" Ajax showed the expression of a man who was in deep thought for a while. He recalled how he had previously communicated with Al during their collaboration with Qianling Heavy Industries. Al had expressed a desire to meet him multiple times, but Ajax's reservations, stemming from his experience with Charles and his old boss Kent, had led him to keep their interactions brief and their relationship didn't develop beyond transactions.

Now that he had heard Alana endorsing him, Ajax found himself more open and intrigued to the idea of meeting him. He trusted Alana's judgment and had no reason to doubt it, so he nodded in agreement. Alana wasted no time and used her Vox to reach out to Al.

At noon, four blacked-out Escalade-style magnetic cars arrived at the dessert shop's entrance. Two robust men, resembling bodyguards, got out of the lead car and made their way to Ajax. One was about 7 foot 2, and the other was about 6 foot 9.

*TN: IDK man, this magnetic vehicle shit is retarded, but I didn't take it out in the beginning when I had the chance to, so it's too late now. Just imagine our normal vehicles from our world, but instead of having tires, they levitate above the ground like the car Howard Stark made in Captain America.

"Sir, our boss has sent us to fetch you," the shorter of the two, appearing to be the one in charge, addressed Ajax politely.

Ajax eyed the towering men and smiled before he turned to Alana. "Do you want to come with me?"

"I would love to, but unfortunately I can't. I have to catch up on my classes this afternoon, or I'll be reprimanded," Alana shook her head.

"Alright then, I guess we'll continue our talk some other day. We'll keep in touch," Ajax said as he tapped Erica's shoulder and ruffled Lily's hair, waking them from their semi-sleep state before they headed out.

"Goodbye, big sis," Lily waved sleepily at Alana.

The convoy of four blacked-out magnetic cars traveled for over two hours, eventually arriving at a deserted construction site. The site covered an area equivalent to ten standard football fields, the construction site was littered with various building materials and construction equipment, yet it was devoid of workers.

At the entrance stood a tall, slender man with a ponytail, standing next to a speeder bike (think Star Wars speeder) exuding a slightly dignified demeanor. He donned a colorful casual attire, complemented by black motorcycle boots with an ornate design, and was sipping from a silver flask that was decorated with an ornate tree of life that gave off an ancient and rustic vibe. This was without a doubt Al.

As soon as the cars came to a halt, the lead bodyguard approached Al. "Sir, the visitors you requested us to pick up have arrived."

Ajax, accompanied by Erica and Lily, stepped out of the second vehicle, eyeing Al.

"Thank you guys. Please leave us alone for now, I'll call you guys when we're done here," Al instructed the man.

Al waited for the men to drive away and once he saw them park a distance away, he made his way towards Ajax with a smile and his right arm stretched. "Mr. Ajax, The Border's Reaper, I've been eager to meet you. Never did I ever think that the day would come so soon. Word around town is you're dead, hahahaha..."

Al's easygoing demeanor and warmth exceeded Ajax's expectations. As they shook hands, Ajax caught a whiff of alcohol on Al's breath.

"Hey Al, and please, drop the 'Mr.' and just call me Ajax, also, there is no need for the title." This wasn't the border, and Al wasn't from Vanguard Outcasts. The term "Mr. Ajax" sounded a bit odd and felt out of place. Also, given the fact that he was here to seek Al's assistance, Ajax saw no reason to assert his authority over him.

"Sure thing, Mr. Ajax," Al replied, his words unchanged. He then turned his attention to Erica and Lily. "And who might these two young ladies be?"

"Erica," Erica said coldly, without looking at Al and instead looking off into the distance.

"Hello, brother. My name is Lily," Lily said enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling with joy.