The Chen Family Residence, Bayside Central.
The family's punishment room. A few hours later.
Solander sighs. "For the last time, Mikael..." He starts. "What do you know about the Fallen that we don't?"
He is sitting on a foldable metal chair, facing his son, who is chained to a wall. Mikael's bandages are still on, though, for the most part, they are bloody and covered in sweat.
"Eat shit," Mikael says.
Solander strikes him again across the face, followed by a left-handed jab to his midsection.
Mikael coughs up a bit of blood.
"I'm so tired of this, Marie," Solander says to his wife, who is still seated, looking unbothered. "I knew this was a dead end. I told you to at least try and use your abilities on him."
Marie turns to look at him coldly. "You and I know that won't work. It'll just draw out whatever demons he's got lurking inside him."
"Those demons have names, Mother. Crow, and Legion." Mikael says, grinning with blood running down his lips.
"Tragically, I care not for the nature of such things," Marie replies. "How do you suppose we go about this investigation, then?" She turns to Solander.
"Anywhere but him." He points to Mikael.
Marie sighs. She takes out a pocket watch and stares at it for a brief second, before putting it back in. "It's dinner time, and I am weary of this already." She gets up, looks at Solander, before walking out of the room and shutting the door behind her.
"Fuck," Solander says, sitting down.
"It's got to be rough, dude." Mikael says, smiling.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Solander stares at him.
"You've spent the last three hours beating the shit out of me, and all you have to show for it is an argument with your wife. Why wouldn't I be enjoying it?"
Mikael starts laughing as Solander gets up and walks away, slamming the door after him.
A few minutes later, a housemaid comes into the room, with a plate of food, water, and a first aid kit. The housemaid is short and has bright blond hair with her bangs covering her right eye. Her skin is pale, and she has fairly blue eyes.
"Master Mikael, your food is here." she says.
"You don't have to address me that way, Aurora." Mikael says, spitting out some blood.
"I apologize...Mast- Mikael." She says, helping him out of his chains.
She starts tending to his wounds while Mikael engages her in a conversation. After she is done patching him up, Mikael gets to his feet, leaving his food.
"What about your dinner?" She asks.
"I'm not hungry."
"Shall I prepare your bedroom for you tonight?" She asks again.
"No need. I'm out." Mikael says, turning to her.
She pauses, as Mikael takes his father's shirt from a coat rack next to the door.
"Master Mikael..." She starts.
"Just Mikael..." He corrects her again.
"Mikael...The house has been empty these past two years. It's always so bleak and dreary. Even Mistress Ramiel isn't living here anymore, and when she does spend the night, she's all by herself."
"Aurora..." Mikael turns to her. "You always have a friend in me. If you want to speak to anyone or you need someone to pass time with, I'll be here for you. And ONLY you. All you need to do is to reach out to me."
He walks over to her and taps her head. "Till next time, baby 'rora."
He leaves her in the room and walks towards the entrance of the house, where he meets Gabriel, who is just returning from Headquarters. Mikael pays him no mind and makes to walk by him, but Gabriel refuses to give him the same courtesy. He pulls him back by the collar.
"Where the fuck are you going by this time and why are you even here in the first place?" He asks.
Mikael stares at him. "Surely you don't expect a straight answer from *me* of all people."
"You're injured." Gabriel says, pointing to the various visible bandages on his body.
"No shit." Mikael says. "Maybe you should ask Father why that is..." he pushes Gabriel's hands off his collar and walks past him.
"You plan on spending tonight at Chica's place instead of here?" Gabriel says, stopping Mikael.
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"Is that supposed to be an insult?" Mikael adds. "I don't think Chica has ever tried killing me before."
Gabriel looks away. "Suit yourself. Not like anyone here still bothers themselves with you."
Mikael steps outside the house and takes a powerful leap in the air, distancing himself from the Manor as quickly as possible.
About an hour later. Anominé, Bayside.
Mikael arrives at Chica's apartment, sitting outside her door with arms crossed and carrying a look of worry on her face. She rushes to embrace him at her first sight of him.
"You haven't called me in days. What happened to you?" She asks, feeling his injuries.
"I'll tell you in the morning. I'm tired." Mikael says and kisses her forehead before walking inside, heading straight for the bedroom.
Outside of Bayside. Rift Valley, Leadville.
At the same time...
The moonlight shines through the roof of an abandoned warehouse as a man walks in. This man is the same one who appeared during Mikael's first meeting with Marvin, Peter Tremolo.
"Whoever you are, you've got some nerve." He says into the dark corners of the open lobby. "I don't know how you got my card, but you've got another thing coming if you think I'm letting myself get jumped."
Suddenly, two bright amber eyes pop out in the darkness behind him. He notices and immediately flings a penknife at it. It does hit something, but shortly after a young man, somewhere in his early 20s, walks into the moonlight, raising both hands, one of which the penknife has impaled.
He is average height, has black hair, and very tanned skin that looks pale under the moonlight. He is wearing a long, hooded cloak, with the hood down.
"Who are you?" Tremolo stares him down. "What do you want with the Enclave?"
"Relax, I have no ill intent towards you..." The young man says, ripping out the penknife from his palm, leaving a tear in the middle of his palm, which heals up nearly instantly.
"Really, now. What was all that evil aura you were giving off when I walked in here?" Tremolo queries.
"I was just making sure." He says. "I was sent here. I hear the Enclave are sympathizers of Fallen."
"You'd be correct. Though not entirely." Tremolo replies.
"I want to join in."
"Request Denied." Tremolo says and walks past him. "We're done here."
"What? Why?" The man asks, dumbfounded by his lackluster response.
"Fucking hell, dude. What do you think we are kidnappers? You think we just take anybody?"
"Well, what do I have to do?"
"You're awfully interested in putting your life at risk." Tremolo starts. "You do know that the Winnowers are stronger than most of the Enclave, and they don't do a lot of forgiving to us."
"I'm well aware, but I have one guy in my sights. And I'll have to get to him myself." He says.
Tremolo looks at him with curious eyes. "Pray tell, who is this *one guy*...?"
"Mikael Chen." He replies, menacingly.
Kaine Residence, Rhine Valley.
At the same time.
Marvin arrives at the front of his family Manor, with Beatrice Mercer and Vincent Mallory. He steps out of the car, turning to them.
"Thanks for the ride." Marvin says.
"Don't mention it. It's the least we can do for knocking you out cold for seven hours." Mallory says, The Jack-o-lantern still firmly on his head, turning to Beatrice.
"It's a pretty big house you've got there." Beatrice adds.
"Thanks." Marvin says. "Your nephew sure knows how to bring trouble with him wherever he goes."
"Mikael isn't our nephew, Marvin." Mallory says. "We aren't even married-"
Beatrice punches him in the arm. "Take care of yourself, Kaine. Find a way to make yourself useful to Mikael and Ramiel, because Mikael won't leave you alone anytime soon."
"Will do, ma'am." He says, and she rolls up Mallory's window and drives away speedily.
Marvin walks into the house, with the lights coming on as he walks into the grand living room.
He walks over to what seems to be a family portrait. His father seems to bear most of his features, his older brother and mother sharing the same features - a rounder face, brown eyes, and lighter black hair.
Marvin stares at the portrait for a while.
"I will find a way to get stronger. For us all."