The guards clashed with the group. Each one taking one guard. Stephan blocked his guard and kicked out before round-housing his guard in the face and knocking him down. He kicked the gun away from the guard who managed to stand again looking for his gun.

Stephan wagged a finger. “Over here is where you should be looking!” A massive water sphere was gathered in Stephan’s hand and it would only wet the guard from head to foot. Stephan could use that water to trap him and not use as much energy as if he were to create water from nowhere as he did with Marco. Then again, never fight an elemental on his home turf.

He smiled and gathered a stream of water from the lake, and shot it like a whip at the guard. The guard dodged straight into the water sphere and Stephan closed his fist. The guard was surrounded by water on all sides, except for his head.

“We can play twenty questions, or you can tell me what I want to know.”

The guard tried to spit at him. The saliva trickled back into his mouth, choking him.

“I can play this game all day.”

###

Isaias elbowed his guard in the solar plexus hard enough that the poor guy had to draw a breath, but Isaias was on him again. He punched the guard and kicked him in the stomach, before twisting and spin kicking him in the face, sending him to the ground. He kicked the gun from the guard's hold and pointed his own at the guard, who lay there huffing.

“Who sent you? Which Don?”

“I’m not…!”

Isaias smiled pointing his gun at him, and the guard talked.

###

Marco simply shot at the guard as he came closer, getting him in the leg. He walked over calmly and pointed his gun at the guard’s head. “Now you’re going to tell me everything I want to know...or I’ll rip it out of your mind...your choice.”

###

Zen hopped over the bench and rolled as the guard shot her. She noticed the shot was a tranquilizer and not a bullet. Shit if I get hit with one of those It’ll be naptime all over again.

Use me Zen. I can unmake him.

I can’t stay still Ishevara!

Who said you had to?

A bright light engulfed Zen and the guard took a step back. Zen stopped running away and turned brilliant eyes towards him. She raised one hand and wove it. “Disappear.”

The guard couldn’t scream as he was erased from existence. Zen dropped to her knees and inhaled. Ishevara, that was…

It was necessary.

I hope so I just erased a human being from existence!

Zen stood and walked over to where Stephan was still playing with his guard. Like a cat with a mouse, Stephan would let the guard breathe and answer his question then stuff him in the bubble and away from the air until the guard struggled. Stephan would then let him breathe again.

“I told you all there is! Let me go, please!”

“Guess there’s no need for you then is there,” Stephan grinned, as tentacles of water dragged the guy under and held him til he ran out of air. Stephan removed the bubble completely, and let the man fall to the ground soaked and unconscious.

Zen crossed her arms as she approached. “You really like to torture huh?”

“Not really. It’s just a habit ingrained into my psyche from the past. I’m really a nice guy when you get to know me,” Stephan said grinning as he rolled over the guy and searched him for his Don’s sign. He found it. A jaguar jumping into the sun.

“That’s Don Vasquez’s sign,” said Zen.

“Yeah, but I bet you a hundred it ain’t Don Vasquez in charge of these guys,” replied Stephan standing beside her.

Zen tucked a piece of flyaway hair behind her ears. “No. Come on, let's find out what our brothers have found out.”

Stephan stopped her for a minute grasping her hand gently. She turned to him with a rather surprised gaze,

“Zen, I know if I don’t say it now I won’t say it later. I’m sorry for hurting you earlier. I was messed up but I shouldn’t have taken it out on you,” he said soothing her fingers gently.

Zen snatched her hand back. “That’s all you have to say for yourself? You were messed up?” She said cheeks burning red from her indignation.

Stephan nodded. “If Marco has been traumatized by his past why is it a stretch to believe the same about me?”

Zen scoffed. “Maybe cause you act normally and don’t have any coexisting signs!”

“I don’t show them to anyone, Zen, but I’m as messed up as my brother probably more so,” he sighed. “Look we’re getting off track. I’m done playing your games. I apologized. Take it or leave it,” he said walking off to Isaias, who had knocked his guard unconscious.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Anything?” questioned Stephan.

“They were sent by a Don Tito, the father of D’Angelo. I smell a double cross but from which side is up in the air? The emblem though is New Arctica’s.” said Isaias.

“Ours was Venezuela’s” Zen said, hoping no one knew about her guy. She never got a good look before Ishevara unmade him. She didn’t know what to do about Stephan’s apology or if she trusted him again. Subconsciously she did, but fully aware she couldn’t, not yet.

“Mine was Arrio but he wasn’t sent by Bernado. Luis sent him,” said Marco as he came over to the small group.

“Already thinks himself the leader without disposing of the Don first?” Isaias scoffed.

“If the Guerreros are turning against your uncle, he doesn’t have to Isaias,” said Marco, raking back copper strands from his face.

“Wait! The Guerreros are turning on uncle?” cried Zen.

Isaias sighed and nodded. “Marco and I heard some disturbing things in the hovercar, Zen. Things are about to get ugly for the Arrio. Civil war and uncle may have lost already.”

Zen tugged at her hair. “The Arrio can’t be led by someone like Luis! I hate being helpless!”

Stephan placed his hand on her shoulder. “Hey, right now we have to get you out of here. My crew managed to preserve some of the poison from the bodies. Maybe it wasn’t your uncle who poisoned them.”

“What do you mean?”

Stephan sighed. “Anyone could have poisoned those men. If we can prove that the killer is not your uncle then…”

“He might be able to gain his credibility back, and the respect of the Guerreros again!” Zen said smiling.

Stephan nodded. Isaias glared but turned his head to Marco who was grinning.

He rolled his eyes. “First thing’s first, you need a safe place to...mielda! More incoming!”

“Stephan, can you teleport to your ship?”

“Not while it’s in hyperdrive, and I bet it is.”

“Zen, what are you doing!”

“Taking out my knives. I’m not fighting exclusively with Ishevara. That’s not fair to her or my skills.” A tingle ran up her spine as she pocketed her dimensional pocket and strapped on her knives. She had also taken out her swords and was strapping those on her back.

Stephan admired the weapons. “You know how to use them?”

“Does she? After her knives they're her favorite weapons,” muttered Isaias as he readied his gun again.

“Let’s use our heads for a minute. There are two teleporters in the group. One can teleport to wherever there is water. Zen, you go with Stephan and get out of here while I take your brother. We’ll meet at the fountain at the plaza,” Marco said before Isaias could respond. Marco tugged him and disappeared.

Stephan shrugged and tugged Zen towards the lake. “This is some cold water. I warn you now.”

He and Zen jumped in. He swam deeper and held Zen’s hand then in a ripple they were gone from the lake.

###

Isaias shoved Marco as they landed by the plaza fountain, sending him faceplanting.

Marco sat up rubbing his nose. “Ouch! What was that for!”

“What the hell were you thinking Marco!”

Marco sighed and stood dusting himself off and avoiding another push. “I was avoiding another confrontation, Isaias!”

“But you put my little sister with your brother! Why?”

“Maybe because he has a longer reach than me on an island surrounded by water. He could get her out quicker.”

“That’s not the reason and you know it!”

“Isaias…”

A ripple from the fountain caught their attention as Stephan and Zen appeared seconds later soaked and freezing. There were exclamations of shock from a lady and several photos taken, as Stephan took the water off first Zen then himself in broad daylight, not caring for the gawkers and tourists who had never seen an elemental.

Marco shook his head as the two approached him and Isaias.

“You were supposed to remain incognito Stephan.”

“I wasn’t about to let her freeze to death Marco. That water is freezing. I can take it because of my element but not Zen. She’d get hypothermia first.”

“Well, we better move. The guards are bound to notice the hubbub you just created,” said Isaias who was standing rigidly by a lamp post. Zen walked over to him and squeezed his shoulder. “We’ll get out of this one Isaias. Don’t we always?”

Isaias grinned, raising his hand to pat her shoulder. “Yeah sis, we always do.”

“Good. Come on.”

Isaias returned to the small group in a better mood. He turned to Marco who had a slightly swollen nose and blushed. “Sorry for pushing you, man, I was just…”

“Strung out. I get it. What are we going to do now though?”

Isaias took out his dimensional pocket and searched around till he pulled out a big tome.

“Historical Landscapes of the Amargarita Namesake.”

“I took this out of the Guerrero library because I thought I might need it. It holds all the hidden houses of the Amargarita, from every continent. All the Dons once belonged to a single family, and guess what family that was?”

“The Arrio?” questioned Zen.

“No, the Amargaritas. Mom sure knows how to pick them,” said Isaias leafing through the tome.

“Wait, Dad was royalty?” asked Zen.

“According to this, he was part of a long and ancient house of original Dons,” he said.

“So we have properties!” she cried.

“Yes, little sister, and the closest one is…'' he ran his finger through the tome. “A day in that direction,” he pointed to the South, “but like Marco said we have two teleporters. It’s close to the beach, in the rainforest.”

“I can get there in three jumps dispersed with a few hours in between,” said Marco, reading the book's coordinates.

“I can get us directly in the ocean, but it’ll be a walk to the rainforest from there unless there are waterfalls,” said Stephan, glancing at the crowd and the annoyed tourists. New Arctica was a bit against elementals.

“D’Angelo said something about rapids I think. Will our blood open the property? Will, it even be there?” asked Zen.

“Only one way to know, hermanita,” said Isaias closing the tome.

“Well, we have a plan. Let's get moving. I don’t like the looks the crowd is giving us,” Stephan said.

Zen turned to the crowd and sure enough, they were pointing and whispering. One woman was glaring. “Yeah let’s go.”

“Back into the water then,” Stephan said, leading Zen up the fountain steps. He grabbed onto her waist. “Ready?”

Zen squeaked a “Ready!”

They submerged in the large fountain, and with a ripple were gone. Isaias took hold of Marco who had a wide smile. “Never thought of you as playing princess.”

“You are my chauffeur. You are not carrying me,” muttered Isaias.

Marco placed his hands on Isaias’s waist and raised him laughing, “We can fix that.”

Isaias squeaked and both vanished leaving a stunned crowd. One little boy put it perfectly.

“Mama, what just happened?”

His mother blinked. “I don’t know dear. Finish your ice cream.”