Chapter 192: Blood On My Hands (1)

Tyler woke up and noticed Zinnia was still gone but everyone else was sleeping. Ritsu was back and he knew he had nothing to worry about, so he went about his morning like he normally would. Sophie and Nyx eventually woke up and started getting ready for their day. School was no longer something they even bothered with. The dean still hadn’t bugged them about anything and classes were the last thing on their minds.

What was the point of going to beast taming when you had 12 powerful Eidolons? The one class they still found useful was the third year dueling one, just because it gave them a chance to train together without repercussions. Even with most of the top dueling students away helping the military, the ability to go all out helped Tyler power up his staff. Day after day they’d go to the class and have the four ladies and his Eidolons send as much magic to the staff as they could.

One day the entire class sent magic at it.

’I’m not even going today. We have bigger things to accomplish,’ Tyler thought to himself while he let Kass and Amanda sleep.

Nyx and Sophie were planning their next move: the Mojo strike.

"Tyler, can you really kill someone so easily? You haven’t actually killed anyone before?" Sophie asked with a frown.

"I’ve killed plenty. Leviathan swallowed a bunch of the Necrams and I slaughtered countless ones when I met that General." Tyler said confidently.

"Those aren’t people. They’re AI bots and the humanoids invaded our planet. I’m talking about someone you don’t know, showing up and just ending their life." Nyxara said calmly while giving Sophie a faint smile. "I get it Sophie, trust me."

Tyler thought about it for a second. This wasn’t a "kill or be killed," type situation. But he remembered his fight with Tim and Blake after Kass told him they were trying to take advantage of her and if Sophie wasn’t there, she probably was forced to do things she didn’t want to do.

"Fuck that guy. He’s trying to hurt Zinnia and they’re trying to hand us over to the Necrams. I can rid the world of filth. If their goal is to hand my wives over to the Necrams on a silver platter, I have no problem ending that mother fucker," Tyler said with a giant smirk.

"Well, that’s how a prince should act," Nyx smiled and hugged him. "You’re going to have to make really hard decisions one day on the fate of someone’s life without having clear cut evidence like this. We can work together but I’m glad you have this side, even if it seems ruthless."

"I have to protect what matters and that’s all of you. This guy is a threat to Zinnia and we need more information about who is above her. She can’t be constantly looking over her shoulder and neither should any of you," Tyler said as he kissed her forehead.

"Well, just be careful. The last thing I need is you getting busted," Sophie said with a faint smile. "I’m serious Tyler, we have to be careful. In and out. Make it quick and don’t regret it. I don’t need you beating yourself up but I don’t need you becoming some cold-hearted killer either."

"If I ever take it too far, that’s when I need you to tell me. I’ll always listen to my wives and if Zinnia really was working undercover all along, then it’ll be a lot easier for everyone to accept her."

Tyler didn’t realize Kass and Amanda woke up and were walking toward them.

"What do you mean working undercover all along?" Kass said with a confused expression.

"Morning babe. It’s like I said, when I charmed her and asked her if her intention was to ever harm me or hand me over to the enemy and she responded that no she did not and her plan was to protect me." Tyler said calmly.

"UGH! This makes everything so much weirder. Why did my adopted sister live? None of this makes any damn sense!" Kass sighed in frustration. "I’m really glad to hear that, but it’s just confusing me!"

"Kass, I know. We can spend some time together today after I’m done with this Mojo mess, ok?" Tyler said while walking over and giving her a kiss.

"Yes, I’d like that." she said while wrapping her arms around him.

"So Sophie and Nyxara were right...there really is something more and Isis knows more than all of us. Maybe you’ll find out more today when you go see Mojo?" Amanda asked.

"Maybe...but I’d rather just get it over with and not start thinking too much and have someone hear him yell," Tyler said while holding onto Kass.

*****

Zed was still trying to recover from his early morning conversation with Zinnia.

He told her that he only messaged her because he didn’t want it to escalate above her because he didn’t know what that looked like. The last thing he wanted was Agent Z poking around when it was a simple matter he could take care of and it was one of the new recruits he interviewed that stirred things up.

Zinnia was furious with him, but it was more of a facade. She understood why Zed would reach out and she was glad he did. She just couldn’t let him know that, especially with what was coming later today.

She was back in her safe room before she decided to pay Mojo a visit. She walked into his hideout and everyone stopped in silence.

"Go about your fucking day what are you looking at?" Zinnia shouted, annoyed people were still getting used to her being in charge.

She didn’t use her regular knock on Mojo’s door. Instead, she knocked and said, "It’s me, open your door."

Mojo’s black masked assistant opened the door and quickly left.

{System ping Tyler my location}

"Huh?" Tyler said out loud while eating breakfast with his wives.

"What is it babe?" Sophie asked.

"I just got the location of Mojo’s hideout from Zinnia. She must be there," Tyler said with a wide grin.

"Probably should message her back baby," Kass said while grabbing his hand. "I really want this to go smoothly. You’re not worried about how you’ll feel after you take someone’s life?"

"Nope, because I have all of you to make sure I don’t go crazy. Plus, I think with my system quest of Path of the Righteous, if I did something wrong, there would be a setback. A lot of my quests have come with a punishment for failure. This one doesn’t have one, but that doesn’t mean there couldn’t be a programmed failure mechanism."

<Got them. Please be safe, Zinnia. The girls all want that too.>

"What are you smiling about?" Mojo asked.

"Just enjoying this new promotion and we handled a little issue we had in one of the slums this morning. How certain are you that your people are loyal to you?" Zinnia asked casually.

Mojo slammed his hands on the table. "This is fucking ridiculous! You staged D’s betrayal somehow, I know it I just can’t prove it you dumb bitch."

’I knew he’d be pissed I passed him but that’s an accusation he shouldn’t be making.’ Zinnia thought calmly. She knew she couldn’t lose her cool.

She took out her cellphone.

"One phone call Mojo. I have to make one phone call and tell someone you just accused me of treachery. You want me to make that call?" Zinnia smirked.

"No! Ugh, just what do you want? Are you here to flaunt how you’re above me now and how you’re better than me?" He said while waving his arms.

"No, I want you to get your fucking slum in order and stop ruling by fear. We need recruits to become more powerful, not just to feed your fucking ego." Zinnia said before standing up to leave.

"So that’s it huh? Make the slums better... that’s your grand plan?" Mojo laughed. "Such a waste. We should just hand all these useless people over and make ourselves stronger."

’So he’s received some form of Necram power or he wants it.’

She turned around and put her hands on his desk. "Watch your damn mouth and do as I say. Get your shit together Mojo, your slum is useless."

She walked out, dismissing the angry curses.

{You’re going to have to take his black mask captive, he just walked back into his room. I’ll teleport and alter his memories to make it look like he did it.}

Tyler got the message.

’Looks like I will have two sets of blood on my hands now.’