In the midst of the confusion, Cookie was listening to a “voice” that seemed to be calling him.
There are various theories about bears’ hearing. Some say they can only hear as well as humans, while others say their ability to detect high-pitched sounds is far superior. Still, others say they’re more sensitive to low frequencies.
While individuals vary, Cookie—or Charlie—did have better hearing than the average bear. Although Cookie himself wasn’t aware of this, it was likely a product of the various types of training he’d been put through at the circus.
He’d go toward whatever was calling him.
It might mean food.
Or a new show there.
He might find new “small person” friends.
Maybe the people he loved and missed were waiting for him.
With these hazy emotions in his heart, the grizzly began lumbering through town.
Before long, his pace was a little too fast to count as a walk, until finally he was in a full run, leaving the uproar behind him.
✦ ✦ ✦
He never noticed Isaac and Miria clinging to his back.
The present
“What the hell is that?!”
The thing that had appeared in the park really was Carzelio Runorata’s pet bear.
Even stranger, Tim thought he could see a man and woman hanging on to its back. A vaguely familiar man and woman, in fact.
Then two motorcycles burst into the park, following the bear.
Are those…Carzelio’s guards?!
They were Runorata Family elites who had originally worked directly under Bartolo, then had been assigned to guard Carzelio. Tim knew about the twin bikers, but given his boss was allied with the Runoratas, he assumed they wouldn’t end up fighting each other.
However, the occupants of the vehicle crashing through the park fence after them were bad news.
One of them was Ladd Russo.
Meanwhile, a young guy with a wrench was gleefully doing a handstand on its roof, even though the car was traveling pretty fast.
What is this?!
Not only that, but something was clinging to the back of the car.
The bespectacled man’s clothes were shredded, but he seemed to be hanging on to the rear bumper of his own free will. What was he doing?
✦ ✦ ✦
There was one thing Tim didn’t notice: In the sky above Central Park and the chaos about to ensue, several birds were wheeling overhead.
Somewhere in New YorkChané’s room
“Chané? Salomé and the others are about to fight some people they probably shouldn’t in Central Park.”
Chané Laforet turned to look at her little sister.
Leeza was currently staying in Chané’s apartment with her. According to their plan, she would find Huey’s enemies in town, and then Chané would promptly go intercept them.
That said, they hadn’t spotted any obvious enemies since Nader’s escape the previous night.
“Salomé is icky, but… What should we do?”
Chané had no reason to hesitate. She wasn’t particularly close to Salomé, even if he was her father’s subordinate. Still, since he did work for her father, she should probably go save him.
As her heart continued its transformation into a machine, Chané stood up slowly. Her expression was blank. She seemed to be asking for the group’s location.
Leeza averted her eyes slightly, then asked a searching question. “…You’re going?”
“?”
“Nader isn’t there, but somebody else you don’t like is… No, it’s not just you. I’m also… I’m not…”
Chané realized something was off.
Despite being younger, Leeza was quite mature, often coming off that way more than Chané did—except right now, she was trembling with some kind of emotion.
Terror.
Right now, Leeza was clearly terrified of something.
“…”
Deciding this was important, Chané wrote a question on the notebook that sat on the table.
“Who is there?”
Leeza’s eyes swam uncertainly. Then, remembering the fear she’d experienced, she said his name. “…It’s Ladd. Ladd Russo.”
✦ ✦ ✦
“…!”
✦ ✦ ✦
And so the second “crazy ruckus” of this incident began in Central Park, some distance from Ra’s Lance.
It might as well have been an evening pre-event for the final ruckus that would happen at the casino on the third day.
✦ ✦ ✦
All while the sun was still high in the sky.