Jayson skids into an alley and takes a running leap behind a dumpster. He stays low and his heart races. Smoke rises from his singed fur and hair, which is standing and crackling from leftover static. He winces as the fabric from his clothes shock him from every little bit of movement.

The dumpster vibrates and lifts off the group. Jayson looks up and his ears droop. Mortimer is at the base of the alley, eyes burning from pure rage and his gloves hands engulfed in sparking storms.

“Okay, I can see that you're upset. I promise never to call you Morty again,” says Jayson.

Mortimer slams the dumpster down. Jayson leaps to avoid it and bolts down the alley, and Mortimer slides the dumpster after Jayson.

****

Inside Electra's Electronic Shop, Mariana Cross is standing behind the counter, looking bored. Behind Mariana is a wall of locked cages of various electronic devices. Claribel is on the other side, looking through a catalogue.

“This gaming mouse and keyboard is just what I need!” says Claribel.

A dumpster suddenly breaks through the wall and destroys all the caged electronic goods. Claribel shrieks and jumps back to shield herself from the flying debris while Mariana remains unfazed as the rubble and dust cloud passes her. She calmly pulls out a bottle of water and drinks it, and the dumpster is pulled back by magnetic force, breaking through another part of the wall and causing a piece of the building to collapse, leaving Claribel to watch the destruction with wide eyes and a rattling tail.

*****

Outside, Jayson runs down the alley and looks over his shoulder. The dumpster is launched towards him. Jayson jumps and uses the dumpster as a launch pad to get to a higher windowsill, and scampers up to the roof. When Jayson reaches on the roof, he watches the dumpster speed across the street and hit another building. He looks at the edge of the roof and sees Mortimer lift himself off the ground using the power of electromagnetism and metal.

After Mortimer lands on the roof, he uses fancy hand movements, rips the fire escape ladder off the side of the building is tears it into pieces, creating multiple crude spears.

Jayson backs up, sweating and gripping his cosmic wood sword tight.

“Can we talk about this?” asks Jayson.

“Oh, now you want to talk,” says Mortimer.

“Yeah, let's talk. You're under a lot of stress.”

“And I'll feel better when you die.”

“But you see, that's not going to make me feel better, so maybe we can compromise?”

“Like you not fighting back when I kill you?”

“I was thinking you tell me where Ramsey Prosper is, and I'll let you have a free hit.”

“A free hit?”

“Yes.”

“Anywhere?”

“Uh... Well, not a fatal hit.”

“Okay, now you're moving the goal posts.”

“We already established that I don't want to be murdered.”

Mortimer spins the crude weapons in their magnetic fields and aims them at Jayson. “Then maybe you shouldn't have dicked around with Mama Bear's stuff!”

Mortimer charges Jayson and starts whacking and stabbing. Jayson blocks and dodges what he can. But he cannot get a hit on Mortimer, there is just too many crude weapons in the way.

Then a gunshot rings out and Mortimer is knocked off his feet. The crude weapons drop, and Mortimer struggles to stand up.

Another gunshot rings out and Mortimer is knocked over the edge of the building and lands on a fruit cart, shattering it upon pact. People scream and scatter, and Jayson climbs down the side of the building while Derrick lands in front of Mortimer.

“Ow... Cheap shots...” groans Mortimer.

Derrick pulls Mortimer off the broken cart, and swiftly hog ties, gags, and black bags him while sirens wail in the distance.

“Meet me at hideout two when you have the snake. I saw her heading to the mall, which is where Lexia is. So have her help you get the snake,” says Derrick.

Jayson nods. “Right. Snake. Mall. Lexia. Got it.”

Derrick flies off with Mortimer, and Jayson runs away while the sirens get closer.

*****

Inside the Bliss Town Mall food court, Lexia is alone at a table, drinking a large strawberry milkshake; her face a wet, bloodshot mess from crying.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Jayson runs up to Lexia, sweating, panting, and dirty, and he grips her muscular shoulder for support as he rubs his heart and catches his breath.

“Lexia, have you seen the snake? Derrick said he saw her going to the mall,” says Jayson.

“You mean Clarilame?” asks Lexia glumly.

“Yeah.”

“Nope.”

“Well, we got Mortimer. Now we need her so we can figure out where Ramsey is so that way Trafford will leave me alone.”

Lexia stops drinking her milkshake and looks at Jayson curiously.

“Did Trafford do something to you?” asks Lexia.

“No!” blurts Jayson.

Jayson runs off without another word, and Lexia watches him with a hint of concern until he is out of sight. Then she finishes her milkshake, and throws it away as she trudges out of the food court.

*****

Meanwhile, Jayson runs past a bunch of empty or near empty clothes stores, and stops a random group of three shoppers with dilated eyes.

“Have you seen a female snake around here?” asks Jayson.

“I see snakes in the sky. They are fading like dust in the rain... Or is it tears in the wind?” says the first shopper.

“Dust in the rain?” suggests the second shopper.

“Rain on a plane?”offers the third shopper.

Jayson shakes his head and runs away.

*****

Lexia walks around on the second floor, rubbing her chin. Her wet eyes are halfheartedly scanning the area and she is barely picking up her feet.

“If I was a scaly where would I go?” wonders Lexia.

Lexia stops and looks around. Many stores are abandoned, and half of the open stores are partially stocked. She shakes her head and continues walking.

“Where oh where...?” says Lexia.

She suddenly stops and her body stiffens when she sees Claribel enter a shop called Clark's Computer Place.

“Bingo,” says Lexia.

*****

Inside Clark's Computer Place, Claribel stares in disbelief. Mariana Cross is behind the counter, looking insulted by the mere presence of an individual.

“Hi, welcome to Clark's Computer Place. We got computer stuff for you if you can afford it,” says Mariana.

“Weren't you at the other place?” asks Claribel.

“Yeah.”

“But now you're here.”

“Yeah.”

“How?”

“I have great time management skills. Are you going to buy anything or not?”

“Wow, rude customer service.”

“Leave the complaint on a comment card.”

Claribel huffs. “Okay, I'm going to be the adult here. Do you have any gaming mouses and keyboards? Money is not an issue.”

Mariana goes to a locked cage, and Claribel follows her. With Claribel distracted, Lexia rushes in and draws her knife. But in mid charge with no time to slow down, Mariana retrieves a Block World themed mouse and keyboard, and Lexia's eyes widen. Her knife is almost penetrating Claribel's shoulder and she alters her course, and with the power of momentum, her stabbing turns into a duck and roll, and she hops up and coolly leans against the counter while pretending to inspect her knife.

Claribel and Mariana freeze in mid exchange and stare at her.

“Feel better?” asks Mariana.

“Don't mind me, I'm just here,” says Lexia.

Claribel frowns. “Lexia, I'm not trying to kill you today. It's my day off.”

Lexia smirks coolly. “So you say. But I'm curious. Are you a Block World fan, too?”

“I... Am.”

“So am I! Wow, that is so cool. The hitman hired to hit me likes what I like. What a coincidence!”

“Fixer.”

“What?”

“I'm a fixer. Hitman is an ugly word.”

“Oh... So, who's your favorite streamer?”

“Uh...”

“I like Ms. Fritz Bee. She seems like she'd be really nice to meet in real life.”

Claribel chuckles nervously and holds her items tighter. “Well, you know what they say. Never meet your heroes. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go and fix some stuff.”

“After you pay,” says Mariana.

“Right. I'll pay.”

Claribel goes to the counter and pays while watching Lexia intently. And Lexia stays leaned against the counter picking at her little rabbit claws with her knife.

“So, I have a question, from one Block World fan to another,” says Lexia.

“I don't have a favorite streamer,” says Claribel.

Lexia waves her knife dismissively. “Oh, no, it's not that. I'm just wondering if we can talk in private for... Bonding reasons.”

Mariana bags Claribel's purchased goods and gives them to Claribel. She grabs the bag without taking her eyes off Lexia.

“No. I need to go home,” says Claribel.

Claribel leaves Clark's Computer Shop and Lexia follows her out. A few paces later, Claribel frowns and turns to Lexia, rattling her tail.

“You really need to bug off. It's my day off and I'm not interested in killing you right now or bonding with you,” says Claribel.

“Well, that's a problem, because I really need to ask you some important questions.”

Then Jayson runs up the stairs and stops behind Claribel.

“Good job, Lexia. We have her trapped now!” says Jayson. He points at Claribel and fortifies his stance. “Alright, the jig is up, snake. You're surrounded and you're coming with us!”

Claribel groans to the ceiling. “For the love of God, I'm not trying to do anything! It's my day off, and I just want to go home and play my game. I didn't even bring my weapons today!”

“Jayson, we need to go easy on her. She's a Block World fan, too,” says Lexia.

“That's nice. But we still need to kidnap her and interrogate her for information,” says Jayson. “So, what says you, snake? Are you going to come quietly or-”

Claribel yanks out a can of pepper spray and sprays Jayson's eyes. Jayson shrieks and drops to the ground, clutching his burning eyes.

“AHHHH! MY EYES!” cries Jayson.

“Jeeze!” shouts Lexia.

She draws her knife, but Claribel wraps her tail around her wrist, tugs Lexia off balance and pepper sprays her face, too.

“AHHH! You fiend!” cries Lexia, dropping to her knees and holding her eyes.

Claribel then punches Lexia in the nose and stops on Jayson's crotch, leaving both of them to writhe and moan on the ground while she leaps over the railing and disappears from view. A crowd gathered, murmuring and snickering while the two vigilantes roll on the floor, clutching their wounded face.

Then Nermal walks up, holding a large soda from "Soren's Soda Shop", and shakes his head in disappointment as he watches Jayson and Lexia crawl on the floor, trying to find something to help them stand up. Their eyes are squeezed shut and tears stream down their faces.

“You know, in a better time I would've arrested you two. But since you technically didn't kidnap anyone, I can't do anything to you,” says Nermal.

“Lexia, who is that?” asks Jayson.

“How should I know? All I see are tears and pain!” says Lexia.

Nermal sips his soda. “It's me, Detective Nermal.”

Jayson's ears perk. “Shit… The snake started it!”

“Yeah, totally did! 100 percent! As sure as the sun sets East.” says Lexia.

“Lexia...”

“Ah, crap. I think I messed that up.”

Nermal throws his drink away, and hoists Lexia and Jayson up by their collars. “Well, I'm going to take you-”

“I can't go back to jail! I can't handle another day in their showers!” blurts Jayson.

“No, I can’t go to jail, either! My mom needs me!” says Lexia.

Lexia flails her arm around and Jayson holds his cosmic wood sword tight against his chest. Their blood red and wet eyes squinting at the haze of bodies around them. Their commotion brings Nermal to roll his eyes and tighten his grip on their collars.

“I'm going to take you to Derrick’s tree house,” says Nermal.

The two vigilantes immediately calm down.

“Oh... That's better,” says Jayson.

“What was that thing about the showers?” asks Lexia.

“Showers? What showers? I didn't say anything about showers!”

Nermal frowns and the crowd parts ways as he drags Lexia and Jayson along the floor, muttering to himself.