Few days after John woke up, he was allowed to leave hospital, although in a wheelchair. Aaron was kind enough to be his escort and pushed the chair. Having waited almost a week to visit the mines, John was now growing even more impatient. He wanted to visit it immediately.

To reach the mines, one has to leave the town of Brinston, and go deeper into the mountains. There lie many mining towns, or ruins by now. Due to technological development, mining was no longer a worthwhile job for most citizens which is why most moved away, leaving behind empty towns. The mines themselves were even further into the mountains, to contain noise. Nearby usually were several merchants, selling precious gems and ores to travellers.

The one thing John was most interested in was a blaze stone. They are unexplainable by science, being able to evaporate water with ease and its disability to burn anything made it a useful object. These stones are heated within molten ore and stone, and once it solidifies only the core remains, which is a blaze stone.

Steamworks engineers require them, to have simple and compact methods of heating water to create a constant amount of steam.

Despite their troublesome journey, when both John and Aaron arrived there, a certain sign got in their way.

"What do they mean 'Mines closed for industrial purposes'!"

He couldn't believe what he saw and shook his head, believing it wasn't real.

"Perhaps it was bought up by some company?"

Agitated by this, John tried pushing his wheels to move in but Aaron held onto the chair, knowing it would not be a wise idea.

"John, I hate to be a bully but this must be private ground now. If we trespass we will get in trouble." Dust from the rotating wheels started to cover his black cotton trousers.

"I know," John sighed as he let go of the wheels. "It's just that we went through all this trouble only to turn around."

After he had calmed down, they turned around and went through the empty towns to look at the old buildings. Rough stone homes built into the mountains, with pipes running all over the streets and around the buildings. Outdated sandy land roads, with lantern poles decorating them, of which their candles hadn't been lit in years.

"I cannot help but admire this view," Aaron looked around and soaked up the aesthetics of the town with an open mouth. "I mean, it's part of history. Today we have gas lanterns, underground pipes and asphalt roads, not to mention proper buildings."

"I agree to some degree, I think it is amazing how much changed since then but," John yawned. "Don't you think it's also really boring? I mean should we not be enjoying the present more than the past?"

"Whilst that may be true, sometimes it is important to look at the past to do just that. The present is the present because of the past after all."

Confusedly John stared at Aaron, unable to understand what he meant before hearing an eerie, ringing sound. His partner also heard it, and could also tell the direction it came from. In this moment his thoughts made him freeze, but his instincts made him act. He pushed away John with his wheelchair as hard as he could before it hit the ground.

"Aaron? What are you---"

From the corner of his eye he saw something descend upon where Aaron stood, creating a strong impact, stirring up the ground. Meanwhile he hit the wall of a building. Sand and dust scattered through the street, making it difficult to see through.

After getting a hold of himself, John turned around to try find his partner but could not see anything behind this dusty veil.

"Aaron! Aaron, are you alright?"

However, there was no reply, leading him to have worried thoughts and memories of his past run wild.

"No, he can't be. Please don't let him be... please no. He can't die! If he died protecting me... it would be just like then," he suddenly began to scream with all his breath.

"Aaron! Don't you dare die on me! Not like this!"

Then, with a strong breeze, the mist of dust began to lift, revealing a crater in the street..

"Oh shut up you idiot! I am not dead."

Hearing this relieving voice, John pushed himself to where it came from and found Aaron laying on the ground with his usually kempt back hair now in a total mess, coated in dust. He was only a few meters away from the crater.

"You look horrible," John smiled. "But how did you manage to get away?"

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"You don't look much better you know and... I have no idea how. Something just knocked me away."

While wiping of their dirty faces they looked closely where the crater was and where the dust was still floating around. Coated in a veil of sand a black silhouette stood tall.

"You two alright?"

John remembered the voice, he heard it not too long ago. He looked even closer until the dust finally completely settled down, unveiling a short boy. White hair, crimson red eyes and shabby black clothes.

"You are that kid from back then, but what are you doing here?"

"Well I planned on playing bodyguard for you, but I guess saving your friend will do."

The boy managed to jump in and knock Aaron away in the knick of time, whilst also preventing himself from being hit.

"I see, are you alright?" John stared at the kid, who was still wearing those claws and the damaged pressure tank.

"Stop being such a worrywart, I think we have worse things to deal with right now."

He pointed at a roof in the distance, where a slender shadow could be seen with what looked like a rifle, with a container on the back of the person.

"A steamworks railgun? Of course... that would explain this enormous impact. They are one of the strongest military weapons at the moment but how did that person get one."

Right after he said that, the person ran away.

"Stay alert, we don't know if there are more, or when he will strike again," the boy said whilst he spat out some sand that got into his mouth.

"You are right," John held out his hand. "But let me thank you for saving Aaron."

"I think I should thank him too then, after all I was the one who was saved."

The boy turned around, taking a glance at the hand before looking away.

"You don't need to thank me, I just wanted to apologize."

"Apologize? For what?" John angled his head, looking puzzled.

"Dumb question, I almost killed you back then. So I wanted to make it up to you, by at least protecting you until you were back on your legs."

As the young man sitting in the wheelchair heard those words, his attitude abruptly changed. A wide grin carved its way into his face after he pushed the handles of the chair against his partner and ordered.

"Aaron!"

"Let's go home! We have no more business here."

"What? So sudden?"

Barely having calmed down from almost becoming part of the dust, he was flustered by his partners sudden change of mind.

"Yes, after all I have to make use of the fact that he will be our bodyguard for the way home," he grinned in a way that made Aaron think a pair of horns grew from his partner's head.

"I never said--"

"Oh yes you did! You said you would protect me until I was back on my legs. Now look at this chair, does it look to you like I am able to walk back home?"

A cruel tone came from John, who just caught his prey.

The boy shook off the sand, knowing that he dug his own grave and mumbled. "Fine..."

After leaving the town, they headed home by train and in the evening arrived at Port city. It is an industrial city, about 2 hours away from Brinston by train. It has a big harbour, a beach, and a large industrial area. Most importantly it was also the city in which the detectives office was. Even though it is an office, it was also a flat, with 8 rooms.

As they entered the flat, both Aaron and John could not help but breathe in peace with the feeling of being home again. For convenient purposes, Aaron also lived there in one of the guest rooms.

"So then, can I go now?"

His red eyes began to tire from the tough day and felt he was allowed to leave, now that his target is safe.

"Sure, after you answer my question," holding up his Index finger.

Aaron looked at John with a confused look in his eyes, while the kid was willing to listen if that was all.

"Go ahead then." He sighed.

"What is your plan now? The police is looking for you after all, you are a wanted man... or kid. You will have to face the consequences for your actions.

His partner wondered what he meant, since he never told the police any details. All they were looking for was a young male criminal since John didn't want them to trouble the boy.

"I know, I have already decided to atone for what I have done, and give myself over to the police. You were right, I was wrong, I was blind with revenge and now I know that I am no better than the person whose life I took. At most, I am worse."

"Wrong."

Their ears sharpened as John began his lecture.

"What you are about to do, is wrong. If you confess to the police you will be held in prison, rotting away. How about you rather atone for what you have done by making up for it? You already showed me that you are willing to help others. You saved us after all, even though we were enemies not too long ago."

"John, what are you trying to say?" Aaron could barely believe what his partner was trying to say.

"I am saying. Stay here! Work as my assistant, you have the strength and the wits for it. This way you can help me solve crimes and help others. It is much better than just sitting in a cell all day."

"Yes, but--"

"No 'but', I don't want crap. I just want a clear answer. Will you live here with us, helping me as an assistant? Yes or no?"

They were completely overwhelmed by his reaction but most of all was the white haired boy. He could not grasp his luck, this opportunity. Looking down at his hands and claws, scratched up and dirty, he made a choice.

"Yes," he bowed down. "Thank you very much for having me! I hope I can be of help to you!"

Whilst Aaron was still bothered by having a criminal now live in the same house as him, John was smiling.

"Just to be sure, you are older than 14 right? Since child labour is against the law, you see."

"Oh, yes I am 15, I turned last year in December."

"Great, and what is your name?"

"Sir, my name died alongside my past. So I don't have one anymore."

His tone changed and became more formal, since he wanted to fit the role.

"Well we can't have that, I need to be able to call you!"

"I am terribly sor--"

"Matthew! Or Matt for short! Yes that is just perfect."

"I beg your pardon? I suppose... that sounds quite nice. Matt it is then. Thank you sir."

With that, Matt was welcomed as a new member of the team and with a smack on the back John softened up his new assistant. Enemies of the past became partners. However something still made John worry. Why was someone attacking them, and why did the person have that weapon?