The car dropped him off in front of his house. Avery thanked the man before getting out. Normally, he would leave a generous tip. Unfortunately, he had no cash on him.

  His house, or mansion, was isolated from the city's main area. Multiple SCAR agents patrolled the house in case of an emergency. The mansion loomed over a lake, its towering pillars and high windows made it extraordinary. The exterior was crafted from white stone that was polished by workers every weekend, sparkling with the help of natural light. Surrounding the mansion was a miniature garden with tomatoes, basil, and carrots. His father had a passion for gardening and tended to it in his limited free time. The main door was a metal door that required a fingerprint to open.

  He took the two steps of stairs to get to the front door and scanned his finger. A green light flashed, causing the door to open automatically. He was immediately met with a crystal chandelier with many miniature bulbs. The walls contained family pictures of Avery, his father, and mother, and sometimes Ridley. Straight ahead was the staircase roughly 14 steps to the next floor. Avery knew the number since he counted each step every time going up.

  Avery went upstairs, assuming his father was in his room. He knocked on the oak door.

  No answer. He knocked again. And again. Still nothing.

  “Oh well.” He turned the knob and opened the door himself.

  The room was small, but there was enough space to move around. The wooden floors were clean, and the dresser had nothing on it. A bright light shone through shades that weren't fully up.

  His father was at the desk with headphones on. So that’s why he didn’t hear the door. His father was still in his red and black striped pajamas, his fingers snapping to the beat of the music blasting in his headphones. It was loud enough for Avery to hear.

  Avery banged on the door multiple times like an intruder. It worked since it got his father’s attention.

  His father jumped out of his seat and rapidly placed his headphones down while holding onto his chest. His heart must’ve skipped multiple beats.

  “Avery?” His eyes widened like a cat's, and his mouth slowly dropped.

  “I’m home, father.”

  ***

  The dinner table was small with four chairs—one for father, one for Avery, one for Avery’s mother, and an extra one in case of a guest. Well, Avery’s mother’s chair was used as a guest since her exile.

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  Avery’s father made fresh steak with roasted potato wedges. The steak was a juicy medium–rare with a creamy brown mushroom sauce that had the perfect amount of pepper. The steak wasn’t chewy and was cooked perfectly. The roasted potato wedges also had a bit of pepper in them. The wedges were shaped like a thick, crescent moon that was soft, but not too soft that it flopped in your mouth. It had some stiffness to it.

  “So tell me,” Kajo said while cutting his steak, “How was the outside world?”

  “Eh, same old, I guess. Nothing special.”

  “I see, I see.” He cleared his throat. “You didn’t take your suit. Did you not need it?”

  The suit Kajo spoke of was a SCAR suit. Kajo gave it to Avery as a gift, but Avery never wore it. He never had a reason to wear it.

  But that SCAR suit was stupidly powerful. It’s a defensive type with multiple abilities. On top of that, it was ranked as an A–tier. It was the only wearable A–tier suit. It was nothing to take lightly.

  Avery however, didn’t care. He didn’t want or need the suit. The only reason he still had it was because it was a gift from his father. He wouldn’t dare to give a gift away.

  “No, I didn’t need it, father. The outside world isn’t as dangerous as you guys think.”

  He took a small bite of potatoes before speaking. “Valid argument. However, it’s better to be safe than sorry.” He looked over at Avery, who took only three bites worth of steak. “You’ve barely touched your meat. Are you not hungry?”

  Avery shook his head. “It’s not that. I just feel…guilty…I think. I’m not so sure. I killed the king of the outside world and betrayed my half–brother. I couldn’t even see Mom because of that stupid SCAR agent.” Avery put his fork down and adjusted the maroon napkin on his lap. “I just wish things ended differently in the outside world.”

  “I sympathize with you. What happened in the outside world was tragic. It must be done, though. Archon called the order, and his word is absolute.”

  Avery wanted to mention how his father met with the king a few times before his demise. He had a few questions in mind, like: Why warn the king about his future death? Was chaos the only thing Archon wanted, or was there something else?

  He kept quiet for the sake of conversation. He didn’t want to drop all the hard-hitting questions when he just returned.

  “It’s ok,” Avery said. He pushed his chair back and stood. “I’m a little tired. Long day and all, so I’m just gonna hit the sack. I’ll put the food in the fridge and save it for later.”

  “No need. You must be exhausted. Please, get some rest. I will handle the kitchen work.”

  Avery smiled for a brief second. “Thanks, Father.”

  He went to his room where he sunk into his mattress. He stared at the white ceiling with a pair of lightbulbs that were off. A deep breath was followed by his fist smashing down on his mattress. All he could think of was shooting his half–brother in the leg. He prayed that he was found, though he wasn’t sure how they would treat him. A bullet isn’t something the outside world is familiar with.

  Avery placed the back of his hand on the bridge of his nose.

  “I want to be a better person…”