the Guy next door

(12 days before fireworks.)

1st day of festival.

a guy enters on a restaurant. he is wearing cowboy white boots. he is wearing light blue jeans and a black t-shirt with white stripes. he has long golden curly hair. he walks with elegance and calmly. he has a black cowboy hat on. he has a golden mustache.

this man is young. he doesn't seem to be older than thirty. he sits in front of Frigus. a middle age lady sits next to him. she smiles coldly.

the middle age lady has long black hair. she is wearing glasses with a red frame. she is wearing red clothing. she looks like a business woman. she has a mole above her left eyebrow and a mole under her lower lip. she is really pretty.

the young blonde cowboy is a leader of a guild. the lady is also a leader. he belongs to the Fallen Hero guild Rabies Tuesdays. she belongs to the guild Coffee Saves Lives. as strange as it is. a Hero is sharing table with two Fallen Heroes.

blonde cowboy's name is White-Tie Robber. the lady is no other than Atonella. their meeting is risky. Frigus is putting his life on danger by just being in there with them. if anyone else finds out. he can die.

Antonella send letters to the other two. she wanted to have this meeting. Antonella makes an offer for a light alliance. just to help each other with enemies. White-Tie Robber and Frigus are silent.

Antonella talks about her hatred for Joaquin. she didn't explained much. there is no need for unnecessary details. she only said how much she wants to destroy him. she puts some objects on the table.

White-Tie Robber is ambitious. he wants to climb the power ladder. if they work together they can eliminate threats. if they take care of the bigger fish, then the rest of the journey will be easier. he accepts.

Frigus needs help. he knows too much. it is obvious Master of Lies will erase the smaller fish with information. he needs protection. Frigus accepts.

Antonella drinks water. she doesn't trust them blindly. she is only making a deal. she is just making sure she is safe around sharks. they can be the lesser sharks, but something is better than nothing. the other two also need of her.

White-Tie Robber has a deal with Federico. Bird-E helped him to meet him. he isn't thinking about betraying Federico. he is only adding allies to his favor. now this deal seems to be nice.

Frigus doesn't just knows too much, he knows everything that Federico is planning. Bird-E and Federico included him on every meeting. they let him heard it all. he knows the math of that equation to be simple. they are thinking about cutting him off.

Antonella drinks more water. she is going to take Joaquin down no matter what. the rage she feels knows no limit. in this world forgiving your enemy is naive and stupid. she has to destroy him to prove a point.

White-Tie Robber stands up. he goes to the bathroom. two minutes later he comes out of the bathroom. he dries his hands with a handkerchief. he smiles and then leaves.

Antonella stands up and leaves. Frigus is left alone. he trebles while drinking coffee. he feels like someone is watching him. he feels like if he had committed a horrible crime.

Bird-E sits in front of Frigus. he is silent thinking of an excuse. Bird-E looks around. Frigus haven't done anything wrong jet. he can't be judged jet.

"don't do it. don't bring your death earlier."

"I am already dead. there is nothing that can save me now. if I am going to die, I will do whatever I can do to give him a fight. I am hard to kill."

.....

two days ago.

Frigus is on Pandora's tower. he is trembling. he drinks a glass of water. two guards are standing behind him. the guards are looking at him. they don't like him at all.

after some time Pandora arrives. she sits on a red chair in front of him. Pandora puts a red envelope on a wooden table. she push it towards him. she has a cold smile.

Frigus takes the envelope. he opens it. there are photos of people following him. there are also notes about Federico's orders. there is an order about killing him. there is an audio that he plays. it is about a conversation in which Federico gives the order.

the two guards wait for orders. they are angry because Pandora seems to be sad. she is about to cry. she gives them the order to leave. at first they refuse to leave. she asks them a second time to leave. this time they listen to her and leave.

once Pandora is alone with him. she starts to cry. she wants to scream full of anger. Pandora covers her face with her hands. she keeps crying even harder.

"he has turned into a monster. I can't believe that this is the same man I once used to love. this can't be real. how is that he became such a horrible monster."

"you don't know nothing about the real him. he is a blood thirsty beast like no other. you have no idea of what he is planning to do."

"it can't be that bad. no God would ever allow a mortal to go wild. they will put him down. he can't be a complete idiot."

"you can't be more wrong and naive. if you knew what he is about to do. he has the absolute support of the Deities. no one will stop him because he will do something no one has ever done in this games. he will unleash a massacre like no other in just one night. and the worst part is that his plan is perfect. everyone is on the right place."

"that can't be the Federico that I know. that has to be some monster using his face. the sweet and nice gentleman can't be this monster you are talking about."

Pandora starts to cry again. she asks for more information about Federico's plan. Frigus asks for protection first. in exchange for protection he will tell her everything. he doesn't know who to trust. he needs somewhere to hide on the 'Fireworks Night.'

because every operation has a name. Federico gave a name to his own operation. he calls it the 'Fireworks Night operation.' that is the name everyone else uses. that is how that night will be remember. the night of the fireworks.

Pandora asks for her bodyguards to come inside. the door is opened. the two bodyguards get inside. their names are, Brutal Leftmann and Roughly Right.

Brutal Leftmann is wearing a black suit. he is bald-headed. he has a huge brown mustache on the shape of a croissant. he is 6'4. his body is extremely muscular. he is a middle age man. he is wearing glasses with a white frame.

Roughly Right is wearing informal clothing. he has long light blonde hair. he seems to be pretty with light facial hair. he is 5'4 at most. he seems to be extremely slender. he is about twenty something. he is wearing sunglasses. his eyes are of a bright blue color.

they had been working as bodyguards for about seven years. Pandora found them. and then she took care of them when they were alone. she gave them a job and a home. they care for her. they are capable of anything for her.

Frigus asks for another favor. he asks her to find names of anyone who can be of help. he wants to have allies. he can't go against a monster like Federico alone. only David was able to defeat Goliath. and Frigus isn't as lucky nor smart. not even strong enough.

Pandora nods. she gives an order to her bodyguards. Roughly Right leaves the room. he went to get the list for them. Brutal Leftmann sits next to Frigus.

"he will be your bodyguard from now on. he is excellent for the job."

"then. I will give you a piece of information. or maybe I will tell you the whole plan now. who cares, right? he has bombs around of the city. he also had armed men ready to go after certain targets. in one single night he will take down many of us."

"that is outrageous. how can one single man take that much power? how can a man be so cold? that can't be, that isn't him."

"with all do respect. you have no idea of what he is capable. I just want to wish you luck. for some reason I am pretty sure that he will seek for you on that night. he is going to reveal his true self.... now if you excuse me, I have things to do."

"it was a pleasure meeting you Mr. Frigus. Leftmann make sure that he is well protected at all time."

Pandora cleans her tears with a piece of clothing. she screams letting out her anger.

Roughly Right comes back inside. he tries to console her. he tries to find hopeful words. Pandora asks herself if she had done things different when she had the opportunity. how much different could had been the end result?

Frigus is walking on the hallway. he looks at old paintings. he sees some treasures. he feels more confidence now. with a muscular monster as his bodyguard. he is well protected for now. he just needs some more hands to help him.

but the issue is to find someone who could be an actual treat to Federico, who happens to be extremely smart and well connected.

.....

actual time.

Frigus is smiling at Bird-E. it is written on his face, he doesn't care about Federico. he thinks he is his equal right now. he isn't egocentric like others, but he is too prideful to take a step back or to bow his head.

Bird-E doesn't care about Frigus. he just wants to avoid as much blood as possible. if those two go to war against each other. they will drag innocent lives on the middle. he is already regretting becoming a bad guy. but things seems to get worse.

Frigus understands Bird-E's worries. the issue is that Fregus doesn't care. the Heroes who used to be his allies are dead. as a Fallen hero he has zero friends on both sides. in his case he has to do whatever he can to live. he is desperate to stay alive.

"if that is your final answer. go ahead and sacrifice every soul for your selfish instincts. but I won't save you. if you fall, you fall alone. since it was your choice to run alone."

"I know I am doing something really stupid. but I don't have choices to take. he has already given the order to take my life. at any minute I can be gone."

Bird-E tries to see his point of view. he stops thinking about that. it is clear that everyone here is on a corner. everyone takes drastic choices on drastic times. maybe, just maybe he is the same as Frigus. or even worse than Frigus.

Frigus stands up. Brutal Leftmann walks behind him. he is like a shadow. he doesn't stay too far from his boss. nor is he ever distracted. he is the perfect bodyguard. Frigus feels safe with a professional bodyguard. someone who is like a shadow.

Ludwig Van Chopin follows Frigus. he keeps a distance to not be seen. Federico only gave him the order to follow. so he will await until he is given the order to kill. he doesn't take pleasure on killing. but he is so good at it.

Ludwig Van Chopin informs his boss of what happened. he waits for the next order. Federico tells him to continue. soon they must be eliminated. as everyone moves forward with their next actions. Federico on his office laughs like a maniac.

Frigus committed a grave mistake by underestimating Federico's abilities. at the end of the day the actions he took to save his life, are the same actions that are condemning him now.