A small apartment building, home to a couple, lay next to the ocean on the border of the city. The scent of salt water in the air each day was like a greeting from a longtime friend. The couple was still in bed, wrapped in each other's arms, as the morning drew closer to its end. Elena cuddled with her lover, Kentaro, a young Japanese man, as she wore her pink, short-trimmed nightie.

  "Nothing like a lazy day off." Elena kissed Kentaro.

  "Elena, I wholeheartedly agree." Kentaro glanced worriedly at Elena's backless nightie, seeing her many scars. "And you'll have many more lazy days soon."

  "Many more lazy days?" Elena laughed. "Kentaro, honey, I love you, but you don't have the slightest clue what's going on in this city."

  "I beg to differ. I know exactly what's going on in this city. It's why I'm so worried about you."

  "Kenny."

  "I'll work hard so I can finally get that promotion at work. Then you can quit your job and be safe."

  Elena swiftly pulled away from Kentaro, sliding to the other side of the bed with a scowl on her face.

  "What is it?" Kentaro asked.

  "Stop trying to get me to quit my job," Elena shouted.

  "I'm only worried about you." Kentaro ran his hand over his face. "Why are you so attached to a job where you have to risk your life every day?"

  "Because it's something that matters. It gives me something to wake up for, to fight for other than money."

  "I just can't stand seeing those scars on you." Kentaro sighed. "It's like you get a new one every day."

  "I'll say." Elena fired another scowl at Kentaro. "Don't think I haven't noticed how you're touching me less and less."

  "No," Kentaro shook his head vigorously. "I've never wanted you more."

  "Prove it."

  Kentaro smiled as he heard Elena. He hastily moved onto her butt, pressing her down on the bed. With him on top of her, the two swiftly began kissing with great passion. However, as they were seconds away from making love, the door to the room burst open. And five assailants flooded into the room with their guns ready.

  The assailants aimed their weapons at Elena and Kentaro. But as they were about to fire, the valiant knight smashed through the far wall. The resulting dust and debris disoriented the five, making them cough and clean their eyes. Daniel took his chance to attack as his enemies were distracted.

  Daniel began his assault by attacking the two enemies closest to him. He fired a roundhouse kick that knocked them both down. Daniel continued to the next two, shooting jabs to his left and right, knocking them out. He subdued the final criminal with a slap to his face, sending him tumbling onto the wall.

  One of the criminals Daniel bested gathered the last of his strength as he lay on the floor. He fired his laser gun at Daniel before he could notice. As the shot hit Daniel, he was blasted through the wall as rubble fell on his head. The criminal readied to shoot Daniel again for the kill as he saw him weakened. Still, Elena dashed from her bed to the criminal as he was about to shoot, kicking him in the head and subduing him.

  Daniel emerged from the wall and hurried over to Elena, holding his ribs.

  "Officer Chavez, are you okay?" Daniel asked.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  "I'm fine," Elena said coldly.

  Kentaro ran over to Daniel and Elena, panting heavily.

  "V—valiant knight. I—I never thought I would get to meet you in person. Thank you so much for saving us."

  "Don't mention it, b—"

  Elena quickly sneaked behind Kentaro, picking up a wooden piece of debris and using it to strike the back of his head, knocking him unconscious.

  "Now calmly tell me, knight, what the hell is this?" Elena shouted angrily.

  "Well, you s—"

  As Daniel began talking, he noticed the voluptuous clothes Elena was wearing and became dumbfounded, seeing her exposed legs and bosom.

  "What are you wearing?" Daniel pointed at Kentaro, still unconscious on the floor. "Furthermore, who is this guy, and why was he in your bed?"

  "This is my nightie, and he's my man, you idiot," Elena screamed.

  "You have a man?"

  Tommy ran into the room with his gun ready. Still, as he went inside, he staggered back as he witnessed Kentaro lying on the floor, lifeless.

  "Kentaro," Tommy screamed.

  "Calm down, Black. He's alive."

  Tommy breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, God."

  "Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Elena asked.

  Daniel took a deep breath. "Elena, the big man is onto us. He knows about our deal."

  "What?"

  "It's true, Elena," Tommy added.

  "Elena, do you have any idea where Francoise is? We need to find her now."

  Elena gripped her throbbing head. "Yeah, I do. I remember her mentioning something about flower shopping with her fiancee on Dinah Lane today."

  "You two get the chief while I grab her. We meet at the Falcone warehouse."

  Daniel sprinted out of the apartment the way he came in, going through the hole in the wall.

  The sweet aroma of many flower species filled the air of a certain neighborhood in the city. It had the distinction of being one of the city's primary hubs for flower sales, with its businesses catering to the numerous events that would happen each day. Business at Dinah Lane was booming as thousands of customers visited the shops that lined either side of the street. And Francoise and her fiancé, Scott, a young cacausian man, was among them as they walked down the line of shops.

  "Scott, sweetie, how about this place?" Francoise asked.

  Scott rubbed his chin. "I don't know, my love."

  "Why not?" Francoise huffed.

  Scott pointed at a price sign in the window. "Its just so expensive."

  "Oh, please." Francoise took in the scent of the flowers. "They're worth it. They smell great and look beautiful. So why not?"

  "Its just that I want to still have some money left after the ceremony," Scott retorted.

  "You worry too much."

  "You worry too little."

  Francoise growled like an angry dog. "Why do I put up with you?"

  "I could ask the same question." Scott huffed back at Francoise.

  Francoise and Scott began trading glares at one another. But as they locked eyes, their expressions hastily softened. And the two quickly shared a kiss.

  "Oh, try as I might, I can't stay angry at you." Francoise kissed Scott again. "You're much too addictive like a drug."

  "Can we make a deal?"

  "I'm listening."

  "Allow me to choose one of the cheaper shops for our wedding. If you still don't like it then we'll go with your idea."

  "Fair enough. Do you have one in mind?" Francoise placed a hand on Scott's cheek.

  Scott pointed at a shop across the street with an elderly woman selling red roses before it. The couple promptly walked over to the old woman, holding hands. As they arrived, Scott quickly began talking business with the woman. But the roar of a car's engine speeding down the street soon caught Fran?oise's attention.

  As Francoise turned her head to look at the approaching car, she witnessed someone poking out of its window. It was Natalie, carrying a laser Tommy gun in her hands. The gangster hastily unleashed a salvo with the gun as the car drove by. The couple, the elderly woman, and several other civilians were in the firing range as the shots were loose.

  The valiant knight sprinted to the scene at blistering speed. Daniel ignited his intangibility as the shots were inches from their victims, catching them in his energy field. The attack went harmlessly through them, hitting the flower shop instead and shattering glass. Still, Francoise and the others passed through the ground as they became intangible. And Daniel dived for them as they fell to the sewers underground.

  Daniel and the others fell into the river of sewage that flowed beneath the city. As they hit the black, foul-smelling water, Daniel reached his limit and his intangibility was deactivated. However, using the remainder of his strength, Daniel grabbed Francoise, Scott, and the old woman, swimming them to safety on dry land.

  Francoise violently coughed up water. "V—valiant knight, what was that?"

  As Daniel was about to talk something caught his attention. The other civilians bellowed screams of terror as they flowed down the river.

  "I—I'll talk to you in a few minutes." Daniel dived back into the river.

  The valiant knight regrouped with Norio and his police officers in Falcone Warehouse. The silence in the building was more deafening than a sonic boom. There was only one sound present so intense that it could break its stranglehold on Norio and his officers. It was the sound of Daniel's angry footsteps tapping against the floor.

  Daniel paced back and forth before his allies. "I should have known. I should have seen the signs."

  Norio cleared his throat."Knight I—"

  "I knew from the beginning something like this was going to happen, but I still stupidly went along with it," Daniel screamed.

  "I still don't understand. How did they find us out?" Tommy asked.

  "Like it matters now," Daniel retorted.

  A closeby phone rang and Norio went to answer it. "Yes."

  "Chief Fa, there's someone calling the station for you," Phineas said over the phone.

  "Who is it? I don't have any time right now unless its life or death."

  "Unclear, sir. The caller says he will only speak to you."

  Norio sighed. "Fine. Please patch them through"

  "Yes, sir."

  Norio heard static come through the phone, but a familiar voice came to replace it.

  "Hello, Chief Fa," James said over the phone.

  "Oh, no."

  "Oh, yes. Your lap dog in the armor put on quite the performance today. But I think its time to end this little game."

  "End it how?"

  "Norio help me," Charlotte shouted over the phone.

  "Charlotte?"

  "You and the armored pest will come to the old metal factory outside of the city alone in two hours. Do anything we don't like and your wife dies."

  "But I—"

  James hung up the phone. As the call was over, Norio hung his head downwards before dropping onto the floor and drawing the concerned gazes of the others in the room.