The midday sun beat down on Unitop Cebu, casting long shadows over the bustling marketplace as Reese navigated through the maze of stalls and vendors. He was on a mission today, searching for blue barrel drums to store water for his next breakthrough. The air was filled with the lively chatter of shoppers and the enticing aroma of street food, but he was in a hurry.
As he made his way through the crowded marketplace, Reese couldn't help but overhear snippets of conversation that caught his attention.
"No matter how many times I hear about what happened at SM Seaside, I still can't believe it was real."
"Yeah, it was unbelievable; I mean, a winged creature and a masked man with that kind of ability."
Reese's ears perked up at the mention of SM Seaside. It was just hours ago that he fought the two lieutenants, and now it seemed that the incident was already the talk of the town.
"It's crazy how fast news spreads," Reese muttered to himself. With today's technology, any kind of news spreads like wildfire.
After scouring the marketplace, Reese finally stumbled upon a vendor selling the blue barrel drums he needed. With a sense of relief, he quickly negotiated a price and purchased five of them, ensuring he had enough to meet his water storage needs.
After securing the blue barrel drums, Reese quickly realized that transporting five of them would be no easy task. Transferring the five barrels in the Amethyst Orb was not an ideal option in public. He approached the vendor, hoping for a solution.
"Excuse me, sir," Reese said. "I need to transport these barrels to my home. Do you have a pickup truck available for hire?"
The vendor nodded, eyeing the barrels curiously. "Sure thing. Where to?"
Reese explained the location of his home and offered to pay for the service. The vendor agreed, and together they loaded the heavy drums onto the truck bed.
After a short journey, they arrived at Reese's rented home, and Reese wasted no time getting to work. With the help of the vendor, Reese filled each drum to the brim with water from a nearby hose. Once they were full, Reese thanked the vendor for his assistance and waved him off as he drove away.
Alone now, Reese carefully transferred each drum inside the Amethyst Orb. After successfully transferring the five barrels into the Amethyst Orb, Reese let out a long sigh of relief. With water now readily available inside the orb, he no longer had to venture outside just to cleanse the impurities from his body. Satisfied, Reese went out of the Amethyst Orb to check his phone to see if Dwight had sent him a message.
Emerging from the Amethyst Orb, Reese's eyes blinked against the harsh light of the room as he reached for his phone. With a flick of his thumb, the screen illuminated, revealing a barrage of notifications.
Curiosity piqued, and Reese scrolled through the messages from Ryan and some of his peers back in Bogo City, his brows furrowing in surprise. They were all about the incident at SM Seaside, each one clamoring for his opinion and questioning the validity of the unbelievable events that had unfolded.
Reese's fingers danced across the screen of his phone, crafting responses to the flood of messages that inundated his inbox. Each tap of his thumbs sent a simple but resolute confirmation: yes, it was true.
There was no need to lie; the events at SM Seaside had captivated the city, spreading like wildfire across social media and news outlets alike. Reese knew that denying the truth would be futile in the face of overwhelming evidence.
Before Reese could put away his phone, he received a chat from Dwight. "Speak of the devil," Reese said while smiling.
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Dwight: "Reese, urgent! Mr. Ramirez wants to see us before 5 p.m."
Reese's brows furrowed in confusion and concern. Why would Mr. Ramirez want to see him on such short notice? And why the urgency? With a quick glance at the time, he realized he had less than an hour to make it to the Ramirez residence.
In the quiet confines of Mr. Ramirez's office, Reese and Dwight found themselves seated across from each other, their minds preoccupied with the impending meeting with their boss. With nothing else to do, Reese and Dwight attempted to ease the tension with casual conversation.
"How was your weekend, dude?" Dwight asked as he leaned back in his chair.
Reese looked at Dwight with a smile. "The usual, fighting monsters and stuff, you know." Half telling a joke and half telling the truth.
Dwight couldn't tell if Reese was serious or not. "Monsters, huh? Speaking of monsters, what do you think about the event at SM Seaside last night?" Dwight asked, eager to know Reese's answer.
Reese noticed Dwight's excited expression. "Honestly, I don't know. It's all so surreal. This kind of thing never happens in public. If it were all true, then we need to be vigilant," Reese said, like it had nothing to do with him, thinking about the League of Shadows and their sinister activities.
Dwight's expression shifted from excitement to curiosity. "What do you mean? Do you think something else will happen?"
Reese pondered for a moment before answering. "I don't know. It's just a gut feeling, but it's better to be prepared, right?" He chuckled a little.
Dwight nodded. "You're right. But, I don't think I could fight a monster like the one on the news," Dwight joked.
Reese patted Dwight's shoulder. "Hey, don't sell yourself short, man. Compared to other people, you have a better chance."
Before Dwight could respond, the door abruptly opened, and Mr. Ramirez entered, followed by Mr. Lopez.
Reese and Dwight stood up and greeted them. "Good afternoon, Mr. Ramirez, Mr. Lopez," they said in unison.
Mr. Ramirez walked to his desk and sat down, while Mr. Lopez stood behind him. "Gentlemen, please sit down."
As Reese and Dwight took their seats, Mr. Ramirez regarded them with satisfaction. Who would have guessed that he would have two capable young men at his beck and call?
"Alright, you two must be wondering why I called you here so urgently," Mr. Ramirez said, leaning back in his chair.
Reese and Dwight nodded.
"I'll get straight to the point. You two will be going to Bantayan Island tomorrow to accompany Jasper and Chloe," Mr. Ramirez said, watching their reactions.
Reese was confused. He was supposed to hide his identity from Jasper. If he accompanied Jasper publicly, his identity would be exposed.
Reese was about to question Mr. Ramirez, but Mr. Ramirez beat him to it.
"I know what you're thinking, Reese. Don't worry, you will still hide your identity. I want you to pretend to be Dwight's cousin," Mr. Ramirez said, clearing Reese's confusion.
After hearing Mr. Ramirez, Reese relaxed a little and continued to listen.
"I want you two to be very vigilant when you get there. Check the rooms of the hotel first before Jasper and Chloe check in," Mr. Ramirez paused, letting the gravity of the situation sink in. "I heard from my informants that one of my opponents in the upcoming election is going to try something."
Before Mr. Ramirez could continue, Dwight spoke. "Sir, if there's a threat coming from your opponents, then why would you let Jasper and Chloe go to Bantayan Island?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
'Yeah, why would Mr. Ramirez let his kids go if there was a threat?' Reese thought inwardly.
Mr. Ramirez sighed when he heard Dwight's question. "To tell you honestly, I don't have a choice. The son of a close friend of mine is having a birthday party, and my daughter Chloe and his son are childhood sweethearts, and she insisted on going."
'So that's why,' Dwight thought, understanding the gist of it.
"If that's the reason, then why is Jasper going?" Reese asked Mr. Ramirez, his curiosity piqued.
Mr. Ramirez leaned back in his chair, letting out a heavy sigh. "He also insisted on accompanying his sister and catching up with his friends; he's been looking forward to this trip for months. Trying to keep him from going would only make things worse."
Reese raised an eyebrow. "So he's going despite the risks?"
"Jasper has always had a rebellious streak," Mr. Ramirez explained, his tone tinged with frustration. "He's been difficult to control lately, especially with the pressure of the upcoming elections. He's determined to live his life on his own terms, and forbidding him from going would only push him further away."
Reese nodded, understanding the delicate balance Mr. Ramirez was trying to maintain. "So I need to ensure his safety from the dark while respecting his wishes."
"Exactly," Mr. Ramirez confirmed, a note of resignation in his voice. "I need you two to be my eyes and ears. Make sure Jasper and Chloe are safe, but try not to smother them. Let them enjoy their time while keeping a vigilant watch."
Reese leaned back in his chair, contemplating the situation. "Understood, sir. We'll keep a close eye on them."
Mr. Ramirez's eyes softened with gratitude. "Thank you, both of you. This means a lot to me. Jasper might be stubborn, but he's still my son. And Chloe... she deserves to have a bit of happiness in these trying times."
Dwight gave a reassuring smile. "We'll do our best, Mr. Ramirez. You can count on us."
As they left Mr. Ramirez's office, Reese and Dwight exchanged a look of determination. The mission ahead was clear: protect Jasper and Chloe while allowing them the freedom to enjoy their trip.
Outside the office, Dwight turned to Reese. "It looks like we're going on a trip," he said with a smile.
Reese smiled back and nodded. "Yeah, no worries," he said calmly.
Dwight laughed, seeing his friend so calm. "Man, I wish I had your confidence and fighting skills."
Aside from the League of Shadows, what could make Reese worry? He was even glad for this trip; it gave him the time to relax after two consecutive days of fighting.
"Anyway," Dwight continued as he checked the time on his phone. "It's only 6:45 p.m.; why don't we go grab a bite to eat?" Dwight suggested.
Reese pondered for a moment, but Dwight tempted him further. "It's my treat."
"Alright, let's go," Reese responded without hesitation. Who could pass up a free meal?
Dwight laughed as they walked out of the Ramirez residence.