Chapter 12: Noble Balin (Narrated by Benjamin Kane)
The newest Noble Balin that Fridericht recently resurrected threw an ignorant glance toward me and Ste, as we entered the room which Fridericht prepared to be the Balin's personal laboratory. That Noble Balin died in the tender age of sixteen. He looked very childish and as innocence as a juvenile zombie could look like. His Eurasian face beamed with enthusiasm, his black eyes focused on a glass, crystal ball set on a stand in front of him. He filled the ball with his power, made it glow with flashes of golden electricity. His fingers made the electricity dancing vigorously, following the trace of his movement.
"What is he doing?" I enquired Fridericht. The Viking warlock did not move his eyes, fixated to the boy. His round, fat face beamed with satisfaction when he was observing his own masterpiece, like a proud father at the sight of his son's success.
The fat sorcerer shrugged his shoulders and played with his long, braided, blonde beard as he answered. "He said he wanted to perfect his pet Balins' transformation ability."
I could feel my face got stiffened upon hearing the statement.
"I heard his four Balins had successfully drawn Law family and their subordinates' attention. Not to mention The Magellinian warlock, McAllen's, attention."
Fridericht's green eyes disappeared under his thick eyebrows when the middle-aged man grinned. "As usual, your information is always up-to-date, Young Master Kane."
I cleared my throat. "Do remember that my father does not expecting unwanted attention before our objectives achieved."
Fridericht broke into laughter. "No need to worry. That kid is almost perfect. If I able to create one Balin like him, then the rest would not be any problem. Especially, if you manage to find that Aramanth girl. I believe, with her talent and skill, we will be able to create perfect catalysts."
I cleared my throat once more. From my peripheral vision, I could see murder in Ste's eyes. The older warlock's jeer was indeed right on the money and especially a slap in the face for Ste. It was his task, nonetheless, to find Megan Aramanth. ASAP.
"Don't you worry about Megan Aramanth. We will deliver her in time. Anyway, you still have stocks of her catalysts to create dozens of Noble Balin, right? Why don't you take my advice: focus on this Noble Balin you recently created, make sure that he is flawless, and, after you've done it, create more of them. With that, your duty will be a lot of easier, since Noble Balins could create their own Balin army for our disposal."
Fridericht chuckled to my warning. He did not say another word and returned his focus toward his pet. The said pet was now making the crystal ball glowing with more brilliant golden electricity. The golden light blinked a couple of time, before it finally broke away and raided the whole room.
"Young Master, look out!" Ste warned me. His hands had shone to cast his magic in order to protect me, but my own hand had rose faster. I pulled out my power and my own silver-blue electricity immediately swallowed the golden ones.
"So, you are an Esper," said a boyish voice from the end of the room. The Noble Balin cocked his head and observed me profoundly.
"Insolent brat!" Fridericht yelled. He approached his pet with wide steps. "Lucky you didn't hurt Young Master Kane, Yuspov!"
The Noble Balin rolled his eyes and ignored his master. He was, conversely, approaching Ste and I, dumping his master on the other end of the room. Fridericht's jaw dropped open and his eyes gawked in disbelief. I held the urge to laugh and saw Ste also desperately try to hide a smile.
The boy was now standing in front of me. He tilted his head so high. With his 163cm height, he desperately tried to take a good look of my face in 196cm height. After he satisfied, he paced around me, as if I was a piece of art at some exhibition. He then stood once more in front of me, cocking his head aside like a bird.
"Yuspov!" Fridericht warned from the other end. "Don't you dare to be disrespectful to the Young Master!"
Like previously, the boy turned a deaf ear for any of his master's command. He just looked at me with interest. I could feel Ste's aura started to grow at my back. He put his guard on, in case the Noble Balin tried to lay his hand on me. I threw a faint smile to my bodyguard to calm him. I had feeling that this boy warlock had no slightest intention to hurt me. And not that I couldn't handle him myself if he did, anyway.
"You're an Esper," he affirmed. I nodded. "I think that girl's an Esper too. Do you know her?"
"What girl?" I asked, utterly confused.
The boy shrugged, pouting. "She could change herself to various kinds of mythical creature..."
I glanced at my bodyguard, hoping that he could shed any light for me. He understood my inquiry and hastily extended his pad to my view.
"I think what he meant is one of the Law's subordinates. Her name is Alexa Blaire, an animorpher."
The Noble Balin tiptoed and invited himself to peek on the pad screen. His boyish, speckled face promptly beaming when he saw the picture of a ginger with chin-long, red hair, and blue eyes. He even clapped his hands and jumping on the spot.
"Ah! That's right! It's her! It's her! So, you do know her!"
I flashed a smile when I saw his reaction. "Why'd you ask about her?"
"I need her. Her DNA could help me."
"Help you how?"
The jet-black hair was dancing in the air as the boy nodded his head. "I need her DNA to create more mythical creatures. I think her blood could help to stabilize the transformation of my pets. No matter what, I need her! I need her! I need her!"
He suddenly stopped dramatically and tiptoed again to look straight into my eyes. "Could you help me?" He asked sweetly.
I smiled to his plea, casting a glance to the end of the room where Fridericht merely glared at his pet. His fat hands were folded on top of his fat belly. However, this time he did not scold his pet for his impudent behaviour.
I turned my glance toward Ste. He immediately stepped forward, was ready to execute my instruction.
"What do you think, Ste? Could we help him?"
"I'll deliver the girl in two to three days," Ste promised.
"I know you're up to speed, however, it's not fair if it's only my bodyguard who do the hard work, right?" I gave the boy warlock a pointed look.
He frowned. "What do you want?"
"Lend me some of your pet Balins to help, then you may get the girl tomorrow. What do you say?"
He frowned even deeper. The boy's tall nose let out unwilling snorts a few times. "Two," he eventually gave in.
I flashed three fingers. "Three."
He snorted once more, but nodded to my term. "Fine, three."
"Then wait for her tomorrow," I promised.
Chapter 13: Turning Point (Narrated by Abel Lee)
My eyes were occupied, following my brother pacing around the kitchen while humming a cheerful melody. Someone was in the good mood, apparently. Well, Danzel was very cheerful lately, like someone who was in love. My brows shot up when the thought crossed my mind. Did he make up with his girlfriend? Or maybe he found a new one? Well, either one would be good. As a good brother, I always hoped my baby brother could be happy. That boy had been through hell during his childhood years, so I hoped he could be happy now, after he came out from that dark place.
I smiled again when I watched my brother carefully put the heated leftover brownies in his lunch box. His thin lips smiled proudly when he made sure the cake did not get burnt from over-heating. His black, almond-shaped pair of eyes were wildly cast in search for other container for his rice and chicken. A snort came out from his straight and narrow nose when he found one and sniffed into the container.
"Bro, did you not wash it properly? It smells," he threw the container into the sink. "Do we still have another one? We really need to buy more of these."
I smiled to his comment. That wasn't something you could hear every day. Danzel was a man of few words and could be extremely quiet when he was unhappy. So, if he was in chatty mood like today, he indeed was in a very good mood.
"Take mine. I'll just buy something at the office canteen," I tried to suppress my curiosity as best as I could. "It's unusual for you to bring lunch…"
I swore I could see glimpse of blush on my brother's high cheekbones when I took a peek from behind the newspapers.
"I'm bored with the canteen food," he then shrugged.
That was definitely a lie. He always got stiff when he was lying, like he just did. I think my suspicion was justified. Danzel brought lunch so he could spend his lunch break with his girlfriend instead of queuing for something to eat in the canteen. He did complain about the long queue in his school canteen during the lunch break before. Not to mention, lately he also became less interested on my business. He was barely asking about my job, unlike before. Not that I complained, though, because sometimes it was difficult to answer his questions. I signed a non-disclosure agreement with Miss B, but I also did not want to lie to my one and only baby brother.
I stopped my reverie and returned to my initial resolution. I needed to scan Danzel and make sure he was an Esper or not.
"Won't it'll be great if he is an Esper? We can recruit him," I had a flashback to Alexa's words, which solemnly agreed by the rest of my colleagues, including that two sorcerers.
"We'll need any helping hands," McAllen carried on.
"Just prove it to us that your 'heaven's eyes' are as good as you always brag on," that bastard Vsevolod Order's warlock even chimed in.
I put a halt on my reverie. Those bastards hardly understood how hard it was to spy on Danzel. He was so vigilant. These past few days I had been trying to scan him(including for the past thirty minutes(but to no avail. Each time my iris was about to change colour, he would turn his body around and look at me in the eye.
"Why do you keep watching me?" He asked. Humour was in his eyes.
"Nah…," I tried to dismiss his suspicion. "I just realized that you seem so cheerful and happy lately."
My hawk vision definitely caught shred of reds on his white cheeks, thus, erecting my gossip radar. I stood up, discarded my papers and leaned toward my brother, made him jerk away.
"What the-…?!!"
"Are you in love?" I teased him, successfully made him blush so red and put shame on any Washington Apple. "Do you have new girlfriend? When will you bring her home and introduce her to me?"
He blushed even heavier. It was surprising to see someone could be that red. He decided not to pay any attention to me. Danzel hurriedly stuffed his lunch-boxes and water bottle into his backpack and was about to flee out. Of course, that kind of reaction, cast out by the usually calm and compose baby brother, certainly drawing out my brotherly protective instinct instantly. I jumped and blocked his exit before he could reach the door.
"…The hell, Abel!" He yelled exasperatedly. My brother tried to push me who was taller by 8cm from his 175cm height and weighted double of his own, away. Of course, I did not even flinch.
"Tell me first," I let out my best grin.
"I'm late, Abel!"
"Lie…, you still have one and half an hour before your school start. With your insanely fast driving speed, you can arrive at school in ten minutes."
He got red again, but I guessed this time it was more to him being irritated by me. He pushed back his raven fringes harshly and glared at me.
"It's not that! I'm late for an appointment!"
"With whom? Tell me first and I'll let you go," I teased him again. It could be quite addictive to tease my baby brother like this. I'd never thought that that cold and serious boy could wear such cute expression. Every single word I said make Danzel blush even heavier than before. He worried his lower lips to hold down his frustration and shyness. Once more, he tried to push me away with his slim, but muscular arms, from the door. However, the result of trainings I got from EOPID was certainly showcasing itself in that very moment. Even though he used all of his energy, Danzel still couldn't make me budge.
"The faster you tell me, the faster I'll let you go. And…, the faster you'll be able to attend that appointment with that particular someone," I winked at him.
"What's it into you today?! Why'd you sticking your nose into my business like this?!"
I laughed. "I'm your big brother, D'. You could care for me, but I couldn't do the same for you?"
Danzel stopped pushing me. He frowned and his gaze softened. He looked at me for seconds, before averting his gaze to the ceramic floor, as if there was something interesting to look at below there. I knew he was pondering my words.
He was about to open his mouth when my cells(which I put on the kitchen table(rang. Danzel immediately grinned smugly. His bashfulness wore off, replaced by a sly expression.
"It could be important you know… Why don't you take it?"
I glanced over to my cells, cursing anyone who'd called in such crucial time.
"Whoever that was, they could wait until you finish your story," was my reply, silently hoping that darned gadget would stop ringing!
… But it didn't stop ringing. With each ring it let out, my hope bubble popped off. I mentally cursed the caller with every curse word I knew.
"It doesn't stop ringing," Danzel teased back. He grinned and flashed rows of pearly teeth. "If you don't want to pick it up, I'll pick it up for you."
He had moved to reach for my cells, but I raced him to it. I finally decided to let him off the hook for today. Danzel saw me move and without wasting any second, he reached for the door and made his exit.
"Bye, Abel~!!" He laughed in victory.
"Don't you worry kid, as long as you still live under this roof, we'll continue our conversation!!" I yelled and hit the receive button, ready to curse any poor soul on the other end.
"You bastard, why'd you call on time like this…?!"
"What'd you just call me?!!" Miss B's voice was blaring through the speaker. Dang, I just cursed my boss. I scowled.
"Oh, Miss B… What'd I just say? I forgot. It wasn't for you, anyway. He...he...he…, I'm sorry. So, what's up?"
Miss B decided to look over my impoliteness and not to beat around the bush. "Abel, I need you to go to Alexa's house right away. We caught a high-index of extra-ordinary supernatural activity there. We think she got attacked! McAllen-Hannah and Shyu-Pats went there already, while Campbell-Anthony will meet them there!"
The news made my legs buckle. My brother's love life immediately dispersed from my head and replaced by storm of anxiousness about Alexa's safety.
"I-I'll be right there!" I locked the door and dashed toward the parking lot by the emergency stairs. I took two stairs in one time, rushing to get to the parking lot as fast as possible. Hopefully, the traffic won't be a bitch and I could get there in time.
"There's no time! James and Basil reported that there are three Balins and one first-class sorcerer commit the attack. That's also why McAllen requested himself to be sent there!"
I gritted my teeth to keep myself composed. I ran as fast as I could to my car. "I'll be there shortly!" Hopefully.
"Turn on your connector and Basil will ping your location. We'll try to warp you there from here."
I followed Miss B's instruction and hastily turned on my connector. I did not have to wait another minute before I was surrounded by bright light and transported to a vacant lot which I recognized to be somewhere nearby Alexa's house. She frequented this place to exercise in the morning. Alexa's house was a two stories high, boarding house where Miss B sublet it to her, James, and Basil. She had been living there since she joined EOPID because she only had her father left and he was imprisoned in Ireland at the moment. Thus, Alexa practically was an orphan and Mr. Alpha Law acted as her guardian, as well as for Basil. The house was located in one of the town house clusters in Southern part of J City, not too far from my apartment. Therefore, it was usually me who pick her up for work, since the Brains went to the office much earlier than the rest of us did every day. I was about to pick her up too, yet the news came sooner. Whoever tried to attack her did know how to pick a good time when Alexa was alone.
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