The front door slammed open. A flick of the switch followed.

  “What in the bloody hell happened to you, Jin?”

  Old Man Sid’s voice boomed across the living room. He stood by the entrance, staring at Jin, sprawled on the couch like a discarded puppet, one arm across his eyes.

  Jin didn’t move. “I need to sleep, Sid.”

  “You need to–?! What the fuck happened to my precious?!” Old Man Sid gestured wildly towards the outside of the house. “You turned the garden into a warzone, then play possum?!”

  Jin cracked an eye open. “Not me. Some kids did that.”

  Old Man Sid’s face purpled. “You better start talking–”

  “In the morning.” Jin’s voice was a low gravel. “I’ve got a RIFT hangover, done meeting with some weird arse people and now, all I care about is a date with my pillow.”

  Old Man Sid’s retort died on his trembling lips. He knew that tone. The one that said, ‘push me, and I’ll push back harder’. With a grunt, he stormed up, muttering about ‘ungrateful bastards’ and ‘my precious’. Especially ‘my precious’.

  When morning came, he was waiting.

  Not with breakfast. Not even with coffee. And neither was there sympathy. Only a scowl sharp enough to flay skin and a newspaper crumpled in his hands. “You.” He jabbed a finger at Jin, who was nursing a cup of black coffee like it was the elixir of life. “What happened last night? Who the fuck destroyed my babies?!”

  Jin didn’t look up. “Ah. Them kids. A gang of bikers.”

  “What?! In my neighbourhood?!” Old Man Sid’s voice cracked. “I swear to God, Jin, if I see one of those pierced, neon-haired delinquents–”

  “You’ll what?” Ironshield’s deep chuckle rumbled from the doorway. Jin went ahead and let him in. “Heard you from outside. And talking about that, the hell’s going on with your garden?”

  Jin explained to both of them what happened last night down to every detail. If he needed backup when the police came sniffing around later, these two could support him. Especially Ironshield, since he seemed to be a guy who was on good terms with everyone, including law enforcement.

  “I’m going to bash their head in, alright!”

  Old Man Sid was still furious. Even after Jin explained that the Saitama Mad Angel biker group was under his leadership now, and they’d do anything to rectify their youthful misdemeanour.

  “With what? Fists? You’re old, Sid. What can you do by going up against a group of thugs?”

  Old Man Sid rounded on him. “This isn’t funny, Ironshield.”

  “No?” Ironshield’s grin didn’t waver. “Could’ve fooled me. You’re redder than a tomato at a vegan convention.”

  Jin chuckled. “He’s got a point. Come on, let it go. We have a long day ahead of us, right?”

  “Oh, shut up, both of you.” Old Man Sid flung the newspaper onto the table before taking a couple of deep breaths. “Damn it. If I don’t keep my cool, before tonight's end, I’ll be dead. If not from a heart attack, it will be from her.”

  Jin’s brow twitched. “Her?”

  “The one you’ll be meeting to appraise your stuff at the auction house,” Old Man Sid groaned, rubbing his temple. “But enough about her. Or me. Let’s get your junk sorted first.”

  “Yeah. You mentioned that you pulled some gear from that RIFT,” Ironshield cut in. “And I’ve got an item to auction myself. But if you’d rather handle this alone, I’ll wait outside.”

  “Nah, stay,” Jin said, grinning. “I consider you a friend. If you don’t mind me being me, that is.”

  Duane ‘Ironshield’ Johnson clapped Jin’s shoulder, his massive arm closed to crushing him. “Pleased to be your friend, Frank.”

  “Pleasure’s mine,” Jin replied.

  Sooner or later, he had to tell Ironshield his real name if he wanted the veteran Player to see him as a proper friend. But that time was not now.

  “Reckon you got a room that is private. Secure?” Jin asked.

  Ironshield smirked. “Got one. Private, secure and…”

  “And?”

  “You’ll see. Come on. No time to waste.”

  A while later, the trio arrived at the SeComm headquarters. Ironshield swiped his keycard, summoning a dedicated lift. Beyond the third floor, it required Silver I clearance, and his keycard granted that access. A few security doors later, they stood outside to what the hulking one-armed man proudly called his ‘personal abode of zen.’

  “What in God’s name,” Old Man Sid spluttered, his eyes bulging as if they might pop right out of his skull. “You call this an ‘abode of zen’? It’s a pig’s den!”

  Jin sidestepped a mannequin, weaving between scattered barbells and swaying sandbags. “It’s not that bad. This is your own personal gym, right?

  Ironshield nodded as he scooped a few scattered metal weights and piled them at the corner of the room. “One hand or two,” Ironshield said, flexing his fingers, “I gotta keep moving. Otherwise, I’ll rot.”

  “The only thing rotting is my nose,” Old Man Sid shot back, clamping two fingers over his nose. “Do you even wash those towels? And where the hell are we supposed to sit in this cesspool?”

  Ironshield then grabbed the sweat-soaked towel Old Man Sid was glaring at, yanking it aside to reveal a stained carpet. “Here. Sit. I’ll sort this out.”

  By ‘sort,’ he meant hurling the towel into a half-full laundry basket. Old Man Sid groaned in disgust, while Jin bit back a laugh, patting his clean-freak friend’s shoulder in mock consolation.

  “A Cleaner should at least put in some effort to be clean,” Old Man Sid grumbled. “But forget it. In a room like this? Only rats, roaches, and ants would live here. No sane Player would step foot in this place. Except you, Ironshield.”

  “And us,” Jin said, cutting in. “Now, stop sweating over the small stuff. Let’s get to business. I want to appraise everything I’ve gotten from that RIFT.”

  “I pulled that Stat Seed from the Bronze Chest. You the same, right, Frank?”

  Jin nodded. “I got two Bronze Chests and three more.”

  “WHAT?! FIVE CHESTS?!” Ironshield’s eyebrows shot up. “I thought we each only got one!”

  “Two Bronzes, two Silvers,” Jin said, “and a Gold.”

  “A GOLD chest?!” Ironshield clapped a hand over his mouth, then winced. “Shit, sorry. I keep interrupting. But damn, Jin. In my whole career, I’ve never even seen a Gold chest. Not even in an A-class RIFT.”

  Jin smiled. “Guess I got lucky.”

  “More than lucky, you sly bastard,” Ironshield laughed. “What’s inside if you don’t mind telling me?”

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

  “For now?” Jin said, “It’s nothing but a shiny rock. Could be garbage, you know.”

  “Or could be world-breaking treasure,” Ironshield added, rubbing his chin in glee.

  “Anything else?” Excited by what he‘d heard, Old Man Sid demanded to know the rest. “You said you got two Silver Chests, right? Not only did you piss off Sifu from Underworld, but you pestered the Chief nonstop to give you the VIP pass to Athena Auction House. So, it got to be something good.”

  “A sceptre. A robe,” Jin listed off. “And like the rest, a Stat Seed.”

  Jin had to lie to his friends. Not because he didn’t trust them – he did – but because the truth would’ve blown their minds. Ironshield and the others had each walked away with a title and a single Stat Seed, good for +100 to all attributes.

  Jin? He had twenty!

  “So,” Ironshield recapped, ticking them off on his fingers. “Gemstone from the Gold. Sceptre and robe from the two Silvers. Stat Seed from the Bronze.” He frowned, his hand hovering. “That’s only four. Where’s the fifth?”

  Jin smirked. “Some weird hunk of metal. Useless to me. Since I’m no Artisan, might as well sell or auction it off.”

  Old Man Sid turned to Ironshield. “Are you selling your Stat Seed?”

  “Depends,” the veteran Player rumbled. “Got to see what it’s worth first. The others might do the same. Especially Brun.”

  Jin raised a brow. “You said before, but are you sure you’re not keeping it?”

  “What for?” Ironshield shrugged. “Like I said, I’m retired. All I do is teach newbies like you now. I don’t need the stats. But others?” Ironshield let out a wide, toothy grin. “They’d love to get their hands on it.”

  “So, you’re going to scout the price first before putting yours for auction,” Jin added. “I got the feeling someone will definitely sell theirs.”

  “Most likely,” Ironshield said. “Once the news gets out, all of us need to be careful. Remember that.”

  Jin didn’t need to be told twice. With their plan for Athena’s Auction House set, they hit a snag. They had no ride. Personal errand meant they could not use one of the SeComm’s cars.

  “We’re definitely not walking there,” Old Man Sid groaned. “The auction house is across the damn bay. Half a day on foot, and by the time we reached there, all the good items would be gone.”

  Jin turned to Ironshield. “You don’t have a car?”

  The man shook his head. “Never needed to. Everywhere I go, I have been chauffeured around. Previously it was my old company, Valiant Blaze. Now, it’s the HQ. What about you, Frank? You look like you’re rich.”

  Jin laughed, wiping tears from his eyes. “I’m broke as hell. “

  “And I only commute between home and HQ.” Old Man Sid crossed his arms. “I take ride-shares for everything else.”

  “What was it again?” Jin said. “You sold off your old wagon years ago because you’re bored driving alone and the like?”

  “All my kids and grandkids are grown up. They have their own way to get around. Plus, ride-shares are easier. But Ironshield?” Old Man Sid gestured at the man’s massive frame. “No way he’s cramming into some tiny compact car.”

  “As he said,” Ironshield chuckled. “So, what now?”

  The three stared at each other. Without a ride, they wouldn’t reach Athena’s Auction House in time for the live weekly bidding event. Today was that day.

  And they needed to be early too. According to Old Man Sid and Ironshield, no one simply walked into the auction house. Especially not for the main event. Every guest needed to clear three separate vetting stations if they wanted to participate. One at the main entrance and two more inside. Only then could they register for the main event.

  To top it off, the auction house also assigned every buyer a personal guide before permitting them anywhere near the main hall.

  Though security was paramount, that same bureaucracy created a nightmare that consumed at least two hours – assuming the lines were short. If they didn’t clear security early, the first gavel would lock them out for good.

  “So, we have to be there at least five hours early,” Old Man Sid grumbled before he shot Jin a glare. “It’s not my house where anyone can come anytime they want and then do who knows fuck what. Them kids better be praying I don’t catch them.”

  Old Man Sid wasn’t going to let it go, ever.

  Wait.

  Jin’s eyes lit up. He had an idea.

  Those Saitama Mad Angel – his new acquaintances acquired the night before – were about to earn their keep. And what better way than a free ride? Especially one with a 500cc engine. Saki had a beast of a bike that Jin was itching to unleash, and judging by Old Man Sid and Ironshield’s faces, they were in for one hell of a trip.

  ***

  The roar of motorcycle engines cut through the street like a chorus of chainsaws. Even from a block away, the thunderous growl had passersby’s heads turning, wondering what the hell was coming.

  Old Man Sid stood with his arms crossed, glaring at the horizon. “So, these are the bastards who wrecked my babies, huh?” he muttered. “Got some nerve showing up after that.”

  “Chill, old friend,” Jin said, smirking. “You’ll get your revenge. Later. For now, let’s greet them properly.”

  A convoy of twenty-seven bikes rounded the corner, their engines revving, before screeching to a halt in front of SeComm’s building. But what caught Jin off guard wasn’t the extra bodies – the gang had grown overnight - it was how different they looked.

  “Saki?”

  “Yes, Big Bro!” She yanked off her helmet, revealing not the neon streaks from last night, but sleek, silky black hair. She hopped off her bike, the rest of the gang following suit, before dropping into a deep, synchronised bow. Ironshield and Old Man Sid stared, their jaws dropped.

  Jin chuckled. “Didn’t even recognise you at first. You ditched the piercings, too, huh?”

  Saki’s head bobbed with her face beaming like a child being praised by her elders.

  “We can’t embarrass you, Big Brother!” Take, the former Big Boss of Saitama’s Mad Angels, stepped forwards.

  His once-dirty blond mop was now slicked back into a relentless black sheen. It seemed like he’d used so much pomade that his hair looked less like fur and more like a polished bowling ball. Gone was the wild, unkempt look; in its place was a guy trying way too hard to pass for a gentleman.

  The rest of the gang had undergone the same transformation – prim, proper, and almost unrecognisable. Their group jackets still screamed ‘we tried,’ with the gang’s snarling emblem still emblazoned across their backs. Clad in boilersuits and tall, buckled boots, they looked like a pack of time-travelling greasers. Despite their tidy new look, their bikes remained loud, chrome-heavy, and adorned with over-the-top custom work.

  “People change fast, don’t they?” Jin mused. “Especially the young ones. Us old dogs? Stubborn as hell, though.”

  “Who are you calling stubborn, eh?” Old Man Sid snapped. “And this”–he jabbed a finger in Take’s direction– “is the ringleader of the morons who trashed my property? Should’ve known.”

  Ironshield shook his head. “Frank, since day one, I knew you weren’t simple. But this?” He gestured at the gang. “How in God’s name did you turn this lot over in just one night?”

  “Oh, trust me. You don’t want to know.” Jin said with a grin. He then turned to the gang assembled in front of him. “This here is the legendary Duane ‘Ironshield’ Johnson. You’ll call him–”

  “Wait.” Ironshield cut in, coughing into his fist. “No ‘Big’ something. You’re already their ‘Big Brother.’ We don’t want to confuse them further. Ironshield will do.”

  “Can’t do that, my friend,” Jin said. “These kids need structure. Discipline. Especially him.” He nodded at Take. “He’s an Unregistered.”

  Ironshield’s eyes lit up. “Oh-ho. Then they’ll have to call me Instructor Ironshield.”

  “Nope,” Jin said. “You’re Master Ironshield.” His gaze swept the gang. “Understood?”

  They snapped to immediate attention.

  “Yes, Big Brother! Master Ironshield!” Saki shouted, leading the others in echoing unison.

  Jin then gestured at Old Man Sid, introducing him to them. “And this is–”

  But before Jin could even introduced him, the old man lost it. “You goddamn kids. Didn’t your father–“

  “PLEASED TO MEET YOU, GODFATHER!”

  The gang’s chorus cut Old Man Sid off mid-rant. Jin and Ironshield howled with laughter while the veteran Cleaner’s face twisted in pure, unadulterated rage.

  “This ain’t funny, you little shits!”

  “Now, now, old friend,” Jin wheezed, wiping tears from his eyes. “They’re repenting. Better to forgive.” He grinned. “Besides…”

  “Besides what?!” Old Man Sid grumbled.

  “Besides,” Jin said, “Take’s going under Ironshield’s wing. The rest?” He gestured to the gang, who now stood as stiff as statues. “They’re yours, Sid. Fresh meat for the Cleaners.”

  It was Old Man Sid’s turn to get excited; his eyes gleamed with anticipation. He inspected them, licking his lips like a wolf sizing up a herd of lambs.

  “Well, well.” His voice dropped to a sweet, venomous purr. “Aren’t you poor bastards in for a ride?” He cracked his knuckles. “I’ll work you mongrels to the bone. Break you down. Build you back up.” He paused, followed by a wide grin. “If you survive.”

  The gang’s faces drained of colour. Even Saki – Big Sister of the group – started sweating bullets; her grip on her helmet loosened. But no one dared protest. Not with Jin smirking like the devil himself, and Ironshield looming beside him, a walking mountain whose voice alone made their spines tingle.

  But first, Jin and the other two had to take care of the auction business.

  They only needed three bikes. As for the rest, Old Man Sid made a single phone call to the Cleaners' Human Resource office, fast-tracking the lot of them with a simple request; to make sure their training was ‘extra thorough’ and ‘exceptionally hands-on.’

  Meanwhile, Jin had already claimed Saki’s bike. Ironshield took Take’s, the bike’s suspension groaning under his weight. Old Man Sid picked one at random, muttering about ‘breaking in the new toys later’, much to the poor rider’s terror.

  With a series of revs, the three engines thundered to life. They peeled away from the kerb, leaving a cloud of tyre smoke and twenty-four terrified bikers in their wake as they dove headfirst into the noon traffic.

  “Damn,” Jin said as they idled at a red light a few miles later, the bike purred beneath him like a caged predator. He’d blazed through the highway so fast while the other two were still catching up. Every turn, every overtake, Saki – his pillion – clung tighter, her arms locked around his waist like a vice. Even now, as they stopped, she wouldn’t let go.

  “This thing’s a beast,” he admitted, revving the engine. Every time the engine growled, goosebumps swept all over him. “Could ride it all day.”

  “Yes, please,” Saki breathed, pressing her face on Jin’s back. “Ride me all day, Big Bro. I-I’d love to-ahh!”

  The light turned green.

  Jin grinned, cracking the beast wide open. The bike roared, launching forwards like a rocket. The other two, still trailing in his wake, pinned their own throttles, trying to chase their new Big Brother as he vanished down the street, Saki’s scream of delight mixed with terror lost in the wind.