“Whoa. Hey, we’ve got a problem here, Me.”
“Yes, I, it’s definitely problematic.”
The twins’ search for the bear had led them to a clinic in New York City.
A crowd of rubberneckers had come chasing the rumors that a bear had appeared at a hospital, and several men in suits were standing in front of the clinic’s gate.
“Those look like cops, don’t they?”
“Yes. Fairly sharp ones at that. They may have connections to the DOI.”
As the twins were mingling with the onlookers, peering into the clinic, a car stopped on the road beside them, and several men and women emerged from it.
“…Hey, Me. Those fellas… They seem kinda nasty.”
“They certainly do, I. According to the photo we were shown, the fellow with the wrench is on the watch list here in New York.”
✦ ✦ ✦
“Whoa, what’s up? Who’s work site is jumpin’. Somebody die?”
The clinic had been quiet the previous day. Wondering about the crowd, Ladd Russo strode through the gawkers.
“Let me tell you a sad, sad story. This mystery crowd is blocking our way. It’s a strange new normal, and my heart is— It’s flummoxed! From here to infinity! What should I do? How can I reclaim my old normal?! Who stole it?! Was it the Martians? The Venusians? Or are we Earthlings supposed to keep fighting senseless wars with each other?!”
“Um, Mr. Graham? Mr. Graham?”
Nader had said he was going to get ready for the casino party, so they’d split up. Only Ladd, Graham, Lua, and Shaft had come to visit the clinic where their friend worked. Ladd couldn’t have cared less that the general public was watching, and Graham was following him, swinging his wrench around. As a result, the onlookers in front of the clinic immediately understood that somebody dangerous had shown up, and they scattered.
The guards who were posted at the clinic’s entrance didn’t budge. Instead, they turned wary eyes on Ladd and Graham.
“Those men are probably with the cops,” Shaft said, but Ladd didn’t care. He kept going, attempting to walk past the men and into the clinic.
“Hold it. Clinic’s closed today.”
“C’mon, do we look sick to you?” Technically, what he and Graham did could be considered pathological, and Lua’s color was never good, but Ladd didn’t let that stop him. “Well, we’re part of whatever’s in there. You’d better let us through.”
“H-hey!”
The guards hastily tried to stop him, but just then, a voice called from inside the clinic. “Oh, hey! Is that you, Ladd?! C’mere a sec and look at this! It’s really something!”
Right after that, another voice said, “Hey, don’t just call strangers in h— Huh? Ladd?”
Ladd smirked at the perplexed guards. “They’re calling me. Not much to do about that, huh?”
Shaking off the guards, he walked into the clinic, and then he saw something he genuinely hadn’t expected: a huge grizzly bear, nearly ten feet tall—and beside it, Isaac and Miria, who seemed all worked up.
“…Grrrr…”
The bear was growling deep in its throat, but it didn’t seem actively hostile. Isaac and Miria were petting its back without getting swatted, which meant it was obviously pretty used to people.
“What the hell is this? When did this place turn into a vet’s office?”
“Hmm… I could examine them, technically, but animals are outside my field of expertise.”
At the sound of the voice, he turned. The doctor Who worked for was standing there.
“Hey, Mr. Gray Magician. I came to give you a proper thank-you for looking out for Lua and Who on that train. What’s going on here?”
“It’s a lost bear, or so I’m told. A mafia syndicate’s escaped pet. It was apparently drawn here by the smell of the dried meat we were sending to the soup kitchen.”
“What’s the world comin’ to these days, eh? Where’s Who? Did it eat ’im?” Ladd asked casually.
At that, the door opened, and Who himself emerged. “If it had, would you go avenge me?”
“I dunno. Even I couldn’t tell you how bears think about life and death.”
“What, that’s still the standard?” Who gave him a cold look.
Ladd let it roll off him; he was gazing at the enormous bear. He’d never seen anything like it before.
Isaac, the one who’d called him into the clinic, ruffled the fur on the bear’s back. “You just missed Firo. He was here until a minute ago, but he left for work.”
“Yes, he’s businesslike! Time is money! The Gold Rush!”
Listening to the giddy couple, Ladd sighed at missing his chance to ask Firo about Melvi. Then his focus shifted to another person. The neurotic-looking bespectacled man had been glaring at him sharply for a while now.
“And? Who’s the guy who looks ready to grouse about his job to his turtle?”
“Oh, uh… That’s Victor; he’s the man who took me to Alcatraz!”
“Don’t go around tellin’ people that. And are you just gonna ignore that bit about the turtle?!” Victor snapped, cutting Isaac off. Then he walked up to Ladd. “…You’re Ladd Russo, right? Never thought I’d see the Russo Family’s button man walking around in broad daylight. It makes me wonder if there’s any point to my damn job.”
“Yeah? Are you with the DOI? Just for the record, I’m freelance now. Whatever I do, it’s got nothing to do with the Russo Family, get me?”
“Huh… Ricardo Russo? Well, I doubt they can do much either way. Forget that. I’m more concerned with what you’re up to here in New York.”
“Hey, that’s great to hear. Are you a fan? Here’s the problem, though. I can tell you’re the kinda guy I hate the most.” Ladd narrowed his eyes and rubbed his prosthetic left hand, his lips curving. “There’s a big ol’ bear in front of you, plus a hitman like me, fresh out of stir. And there you are cool as a cucumber… Don’t tell me you think you can’t die.”
Victor frowned for a moment, but his composure promptly returned. “And what if I do?” he asked, joking around.
“Well, lessee here. I owe this gray magician, the doc, so I can’t make corpses on his turf.”
“Smart choice. Although some might assume you got cold feet,” Victor said, issuing an open challenge.
Ladd seemed to get it. He set a hand on Victor’s shoulder and smiled sunnily. “So, see, I’m thinking I’ll repay him.”
“Huh?”
“If more people get hurt, that’s more dough for the clinic, right? I think an injury that’ll take thirty years to heal up all the way is best. How ’bout that?”
“How ’bout shit?! Some murder-happy hitman with no thoughts, pride, or even hits to take thinks he’s threatening me? Don’t you underestimate me, boy. Don’t delude yourself into thinking basic violence can do a damn thing against the powers of the state. You may go around butchering people, but the nation has tens of millions of lives in its hands. The only lives you can control are the ones you can see and periodically jeopardize with a bullet, you feebleminded twit,” Victor snarled, veins standing out on his temples.
The agent beside him spoke up. “Uh… Assistant Director? You sound like a dirty cop who’s hiding behind the state.”
“Shut the hell up! Forget that—just pitch this guy out on his ear!”
The moment Victor looked at his subordinate, Ladd raised his right arm high.
Isaac quickly attempted to mediate. “Whoa, easy, don’t fight—”
But he didn’t get to finish.
The grizzly, which had been crouching quietly until then, suddenly got to its feet.