"So, still got nothing?"

Scratch turned to Nathan with a blank look. "Sorry, bud, all lines are dead ends. I asked around but it looks like no one knows who these two are. Not even off planet."

She returned the picture to Nathan.

"Whoever they are, Hound is a close friend of theirs."

"That's what my guess is," Nathan knew more than he led on. He hadn't quite yet explained to everyone about his dream.

Jonah was enjoying his breakfast while Ivory was conversing with Sally. Wicked had long disappeared after they returned to Igneous. But deep down they knew she was just lurking in the shadows.

None cared as long as she didn't cause trouble, and they doubted she would considering Abe was around. Speaking of the Redeemer, the demon was over at the counter enjoying a cup of coffee. His attention was focused more on the newspaper in his hands.

"How about you, Sal', seen anything?" Scratch asked.

"Nope!" The peppy bot said. "You know, just because I'm a machine doesn't mean I have any grasp of the internet."

Nathan slumped in his seat. "Great, the only reasonable lead and it took us nowhere."

"Well, at least that'll give us some time to do jobs," Jonah noted. "You got anything for us, Scratch?"

"A couple, are any of you up for some hunting?"

"Yeah, you guys do that…" Sluggishly, Nathan rose to his feet and went off on his own.

"Is he a little down?" Sally wondered.

Ivory shrugged her shoulders. "I guess he was hoping too much from the trip. All we found were Hound's addiction to Lemon Blast, and his previous occupation."

"I mean, being a history teacher is an admirable line of work."

Jonah sighed. "Still a dead end. Hey, I love the guy but I'm ready to give up."

"Best not," Abe said as he walked up to them. "He has done enough to warrant your help, Jonah. All of our help."

"Not mine, if anything, he owes me more." Scratch said smugly.

"With Miss Cain's situation different to ours, we have many reasons to owe Nathan. A man who is generous such as him should be repaid for his efforts."

"I am curious," Sally pressed her claws against her chin. A question mark displayed on her screen. "What exactly did Nathan do to get such loyal friends?"

Abe laughed. "Aside from being so kind to us, Nathan always gave his time to help with our community. Especially for the apartment building. You've probably heard this from the other neighbors, but he considers himself the Head of the Welcoming Committee. Despite being just the two of us. Hey, how about you join? There are always newcomers in the building and I'm sure our friendly faces would be helpful."

"I'll think about it. So, what about you three?"

"It's a long story," Jonah said. "But, let's just say I wouldn't be here without him."

"At first it was simply business, but now I see the value in him as a friend." Ivory explained.

Scratch held her head high. "Me? I found them of course! Got Nathan and the Gluttonous Maw back on their feet and even recommended them to Ivory."

"How did that happen?"

"Would you believe that I saw a walking puppet rummaging through my garbage?"

As they were going down memory lane, Nathan walked aimlessly through the streets. His chest felt a little heavy, not because he was distraught. It was the fact that Gluttony clung to him like a sloth on a branch. Her little claws clenched around him as she hid under his jacket.

"Excuse me, are you perhaps Nathan White?" If this woman had called him by Hound, Nathan would've lashed out blindly. These days they were so cautious, he would've attacked anyone who knew his old self.

This stranger caught him off guard with her beauty. Her flaming red hair went past her shoulders. Eyes of emeralds that just sparkled under the sun. That smile she wore felt so calming. And her voice was like soothing music.

"I…" He stuttered a bit before he could finally answer. "Yeah, I'm Nathan White."

"I've been looking for you! What an interesting coincidence to find you here, Mr. White."

"Guess so?"

"Well, it must be God's will for us to meet so soon!"

"Yeah, He does work in mysterious ways. Can't say I know what His plans are for me seeing what I've been through. You can call me Nathan. So what exactly do you need from me?"

"Tell me, have you been accused of crimes you've never done?" An odd question. People are always in trouble for things they've never done.

Nathan watched as she brought out a pamphlet from her bag.

"More specifically, related to your beliefs? Hello and good morning to you, Nathan White. I am Samantha Byrne, a representative of the House of Adam."

House of Adam.

It was the first time he heard of them. Curiously, he read the pamphlet given to him.

It was a church consisting mostly of Earth religions. Strangely, it sounded absurd that such people would come looking for him. Even more when the House of Adam sounded a bit more like paganism. Honestly, it disappointed Nathan a little that she wanted to see him about joining the House of Adam.

"You guys are worshiping Adam, the first man?"

"Why yes, the All-Father, made from the image of God Himself. We mainly give our thanks to Adam and celebrate our existence!"

Nathan sighed as he realized what this was about.

"How did you guys even learn about me? This just kinda came out of nowhere, honestly."

"Because you're a hero, Nathan, and we appreciate you!"

A hero. That really struck Nathan where it counted.

"We've heard about your battle with a dangerous individual. Proven to be in the right by Kam Dorr and Kalasraast. Everyone in the House of Adam knows of your heroic endeavor and how the authorities of Titus wrongfully accused you. We would love to have you join us!"

"I mean, I wasn't alone… my friends helped me out with the problem."

"The more the merrier!"

Nathan took a step back. "I'll think about it."

"I hope you will call us soon. Oh, before you go, could I ask you for a favor? A member of ours lives around here and I need this letter given to them as soon as possible."

Samantha took out a sealed envelope. Nathan took notice of the address and realized it was the apartment they lived in. One of his neighbors was a member of this church.

He saw no issue with it; Nathan was going home anyway.

"Thanks again for your time, great hero! We will be waiting for your decision."

Nathan couldn't help but smile when addressed as a hero. Even when Samantha left, he couldn't help but feel proud of himself. For once it wasn't trouble and impending doom in his mind. But the idea that he did something good for everyone.

"Hero, huh? I like the sound of that."

"Don't let it get to your head," Gluttony said. "Can we hit Trusty's for some cheese pizza?"

"We can just order, I'm sure we'd meet Trusty back home. Guy is honestly super fast. Think he's a speedster?"

"Don't know, don't care, I just want my pizza."

It didn't take long before they got back home. The address written on the letter was for someone who lived on the next floor from theirs. The building was four stories high, with most of the tenants in the first three.

People always come and go. Despite living there for a few years, Nathan couldn't help but remember the names of every single soul in the building.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

As he climbed the stairs he greeted everyone he met along the way. Some greeted back, others only smiled, and a few ignored him. He can't win them all.

Once he reached the top floor, Nathan entered a dimly lit hallway.

Despite having plenty of vacant rooms, there were only two that were in use. Which was new to Nathan since he only saw the ones from door 405.

"Nathan!" A group of Martians greeted. They were a total of five who all lived in a small apartment. Of course, it was small to the standards of a human, but to the Martians it was decent.

"Hey, girls! Where are you all headed?"

One stepped up. Her name was Conn, the leader of her little group. Greenest one too. "We were planning to go to the movies to watch the new Shattered Crown film, maybe pick up some smoothies right after. Care to join us, big man?"

"Can't do, I'm actually here to drop off a letter."

"Is it for me?" D'mym batted her eyes at him. "Oh, Nathan! You should use your words!"

Conn jabbed D'mym in the shoulder. "Leave him alone will ya'. So, who's it for, Nate?"

"Your neighbor in 401. Are they home?"

"Wait," Conn looked over to the door in question. "Someone lives there?"

"I was surprised too, didn't think there was anyone else on this floor but you five. Have any of you seen them?"

One of them raised a hand. "Oh, I did! Thought it was Miss Mabel at first, cleaning some rooms and stuff. But thinking about it now, they were a little shorter than her. Couldn't really see his face though, because they wore a hoodie."

"Alright, thanks, Nal. Oh, hey! You girls are good with computers, right? I need a little cyber help with this." Nathan showed them the picture he acquired from Hound's apartment.

"I don't know, Nate, is this legal?" Conn was a cautious one. She knew their limits and sometimes things are just too big for them.

"I mean, I'm in the picture, so I don't think there's any problem with it."

"Consent goes both ways, dude. I'll have the girls do their magic tonight. We'll see you later."

Each gave their goodbyes and left Nathan alone with his task. The Martians were a nice bunch, but they mostly spent their time in their apartment. Nathan rarely had the chance to hang out with them as he was busy these days.

Maybe tonight, not like he had anything in his schedule.

The elusive room 401. It was the first time he heard that someone other than the Martians lived on the fourth floor.

It was surprising as well. Abe hadn't mentioned it at all.

His hand reached for the door and gave it a few knocks. Nathan was curious about who would answer. Could've looked through the peephole but that would've painted a bad picture.

So he waited.

"Hello?"

He heard some shuffling from inside.

Nathan scratched the back of his head. They were there yet his call was still unanswered. So he knocked once more.

"Excuse me? I got a letter for you! It's from the House of Adam."

That made things move along. Locks started to turn one by one. Then his face paled as this went on for a while. It was strangely terrifying how many locks this person needed. Was it paranoia that pushed them into purchasing an unreasonable amount? Well whoever it was, he'd find out soon enough.

A small crack opened but it was still too dark for Nathan to see them.

"Hello? Yeah, Samantha Byrne sent me."

"Miss Byrne?" She spoke in a hushed tone.

Nathan tried to push the letter through the gap, but that only caused her to shut the door in his face.

"Whoops, sorry ma'am! Just trying to give the letter to you." She was very jumpy, which explained the locks a little.

The door cracked open once more. This time, a frail hand reached out to him. Gently, he handed the letter to her. And that's it. The door slammed shut and Nathan knew he overstayed his welcome.

"Weird…" He said to himself as he walked away.

"You got that right." Gluttony agreed.

"What do you think? Ain't she a tad bit too careful?"

"Is she? I can't see through your jacket, so I wouldn't know."

"Wait…" It was a whisper, Nathan would've missed it if it wasn't for the fact he heard the door open again.

Silently, he approached her.

She then beckoned him in and it was that moment he saw her. The timid woman was just a head shorter than him. Looked a little too slim to be healthy. Casually dressed in a one-piece ankle-long dress with a pair of fluffy slippers at the end.

Nathan walked into her apartment and noticed how dark it was. Barely any light at all. Especially with the fact that the windows were barred off with metal panels. The only source of light was a very dim lamp in the corner of the room. It's a bit hazardous to walk around carelessly. One wrong step or bump, and it's curtains for him.

"Riley…"

"What was that?"

"I'm Riley…" She said loud enough, just above a whisper.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Nathan. So, what do you need?"

"Wait," Riley rushed through a steel door.

Nathan stared for a moment as he just noticed it. On one side of the room was a metal wall. An odd thing to find in someone's apartment. Everything about Riley only confused Nathan.

Even her furniture was sparse. The television was on the floor and there was no couch or chair. Just a blanket right in the middle.

There weren't even decorations. The room was bland and it was a bit too minimalistic. If anything, that familiar opened envelope was the only piece of decoration in the room.

She returned after a short wait with a small box in her hands. Before he could ask, Riley placed it by the door and hurried over to the television where she wrapped herself in the blanket.

He took that as a sign to leave. But just as he was going to ask more about the box Riley waved him over.

Nathan stood next to her but kept his mouth shut and eyed her carefully.

And she did the same with him.

Riley had a strange look in her eyes as she stared at him, and she didn't stop shaking.

"So, what's the box for?"

For a moment, she wouldn't answer which made a very awkward pause. But when she did, it came out as a whisper.

"Can you say that a little louder, please?"

She repeated herself, but once again, he couldn't hear her.

Nathan tried to lean closer but that only proved to be a terrible choice as her shaking got worse.

Without a choice, Nathan sat down next to her which thankfully calmed the strange woman a bit.

It was hard to get some answers when she refused to speak louder. So the two just sat there in silence. Nathan needed a different approach, so he went with a terrible idea.

"Hey there, Riley!"

Luckily the walls were thick enough to keep sound from escaping. Because the blood-curdling scream Riley released nearly deafened Nathan. And the cause of it? Nathan's idea of using a puppet to get Riley to talk confidently.

The only downside of that plan was the fact the puppet was none other than Gluttony herself.

All this taught him was that this method would be flawless if Gluttony looked more friendly.

"Oh, don't be like that! Hey, I'm Gilda, nice to meet you!"

Riley only hid under her blanket.

"Gilda, I don't think this is working. It was definitely a dumb idea to begin with."

"Well, you are the dummy of the team, you always have dumb ideas. Hey, Riley, I know I don't look friendly with all these teeth, but I assure you! I'm just your friendly puppet, Gilda!"

Still no progress.

"Say, is that a TV? What kind of shows do you like? I and my porcupine-head of a partner here are fans of Justice and The Peacekeepers. How about you?"

This got them a reaction. Riley had stopped shaking thankfully.

Nathan studied Riley a bit. A woman her age was easily frightened by him and Gluttony. This little task of delivering mail was more than he thought. Now he was trying to comfort a stranger he just met.

He smiled warmly as he held Gluttony closer to his chest. "I haven't finished the show yet, but every single episode doesn't disappoint."

Slowly, Riley pulled the blanket back. She muttered something but was inaudible.

"There's Riley!" Gluttony practically sang. "Hey there, I'm Gilda! It is so very nice to meet you."

Riley suddenly changed the moment she had a good look at Gluttony. "H-how did you do that?"

"That's a big secret on my part!"

Fear made way for fascination as Riley slowly crawled up to the puppet.

"Well, if you like that, then maybe you should see us at the park during the weekends! If you make us laugh, we will give you a coupon for a free pepperoni pizza from Trusty's Pizzeria!"

"If you have any doubts about that, trust in Trusty!" Nathan said.

"Listen to the dummy, he's smarter than he looks."

Nathan whispered something to Gluttony. This idea paid off in the end and it seemed that Riley was warming up to them.

"Say, Riley, what is my pal supposed to do with that box?"

"It's okay… you don't have to use the puppet…"

"If you're fine with that," Nathan tucked Gluttony back into his jacket. "Take your time, don't have to rush about the box."

At first, she didn't answer. Riley kept her mouth pursed.

"For Miss Byrne…" She finally told him. "You need to-to call her and follow the uh… the instructions."

"Well, alright, is that all?"

For a moment, Riley had her eyes glued to the black screen of the television. She reached down to her side and brought up a remote.

The silence broke as she turned the TV on. Nathan made to stand but Riley caught him by the hem of his sleeve.

"Can y-you stay?"

"I don't know, I should probably get going now if I want to get that box to Byrne."

"I can pay you…"

Nathan nearly slipped on nothing by that offer. It just came out of nowhere.

"You're uh- a mercenary, right? You guys take money for anything? Three grand. I can give you t-three grand if you stay."

That was a tempting offer. But the task for it doesn't equal the pay.

As he looked into her eyes he saw something familiar in them. She looked lost, with only just a hint of hope. As if an opportunity was brought to her feet.

Nathan declined the offer and simply sat back down. "So, what you watching?"

"Kira and Claire…"

"Cool, what is it about?"

"This actor guy, Kira, is-is trying to convince a shape-shifting witch to join his indie movie studio."

The premise was easy to follow, and despite not starting from the beginning, Nathan understood the story. It wasn't complicated, pretty straightforward.

They didn't do much after Riley's show played. Not a single word was said throughout the episode, not even a peep. He did of course bring out Gluttony so she wouldn't get bored. Riley gave him an odd look which turned into an amused one. Even giggled into her hand at how silly he was.

It continued like this for a long while. The three just watched whatever was on television until Nathan decided to make some small talk.

Albeit, he was mostly the one talking. It was somewhat bad since he felt like he was talking to no one. Yet he knew that whoever this woman was she needed some light shed into her life. A few times he'd ask questions she wouldn't answer. There was of course a rare chance that she was willing.

"Hey, where did you hear about me being a mercenary?"

"The others talk," She was reluctant at first. But she answered, eyes still glued on the screen. "How everyone from apartment 307 is a bunch of killers…"

Her head eerily swiveled so their eyes could meet. There was an emptiness in them which Nathan noted.

"Everyone here knows that you three kill for money. But I don't mind."

His neighbors had some opinions, and he respected that. Nathan wasn't a Saint, not even close. But he did his best to redeem himself for any sins he committed. Especially now that he knew who Hound was.

"If it changes anything, I'm not a mercenary. I just don't want to lose my friends."

Many things mattered to him, but Nathan cared more about his friends. He didn't want to lose the only people he could call a family.

"It isn't about the money, they're the only ones I can depend on. And I have the responsibility to keep them safe because I can."

"What if you can't?" Nathan was blindsided by that question. "You're just human, just like me."

"If I can't, then someone else will. As long as they have each other, then it'll be fine."

"Friends…" She muttered. "Would be nice to have some…"

Silence reigned once more. Another hour passed before Nathan took his leave. He said his goodbye, but Riley only stared at him as he went out the door.

He made sure to pick up the box and followed Riley's instructions. A number was written on the package and one call later, Nathan was off to finish his task.

For once, being a mailman was strangely relaxing. His time together with Riley was a bonus for sure. He met someone new, and she was a peculiar one.

******

As he walked out of the building, Nathan couldn't help but notice the lack of soul around him. The streets were empty, and not even a single car was in sight.

"Nathan!"

"Zero…" He answered her little call.

An old foe stood before him. Her injuries from the last time they saw each other were gone. Zero looked as if she had just woken up from a good night's sleep. Full of energy and ready to cause mayhem.

And just like before, she wasn't alone. This time though, she brought with her a squad of Evie's Scouts.

The Scouts surrounded him while Zero perched herself on top of a street light. If Nathan had to guess, she wore a very arrogant grin under her mask.

He looked around to assess the situation. These Scouts looked all the same as the ones he first met. All weren't armed with any sort of firearms. Instead, they held batons in their hands. One of them even had a shield. This looked like a bunch of riot cops about to gang up on one guy.

"So, a hero, huh!?" Zero leaned forward. "That sure does have a good ring to it! Nathan White, the Hound! Wait, I can do better! You. Are. The Green Sickle! Catchy? Yes, it is!"

"What do you want now?"

She clenched her fist on her chest and gasped. "Oh, how could you act so impolite!? To a good friend, even!"

"A liar and a pain in the butt, what else can you do?"

"This!"

Zero hopped off of her perch and landed gracefully on the pavement which ended a dramatic pose and a finger pointed at Nathan.

"If you're a hero, then I'll be your villain! Call me Dr. Zero- Actually, no, Zero is good enough for a villain name!"

"Where are you going with this?"

"Listen, the Alpha really tore me to shreds for trying to kill you. So she wants me to not kill you this time. These Scouts are a new version and the Alpha has chosen you to test them. Although, the Gluttonous Maw will just make quick work with these things, so I don't really see how this is a test."

"Can we do this next time? I got a package to deliver."

"Oh, what's in the box? Man, I love that movie. Anyway! No, she wants it done now."

Nathan brought out his weapon and held the box tightly against his chest.

"Glad you understand the situation you're in."

The Scouts prepared themselves to attack.

"Alright, get him."

***