Episode 1 - Part 4

The Minister started to ignore Trace, and started to walk slowly while shooting again. Trace remained shocked, unknowing what to do, and doubting his own decisions. Did he really wanted this?

Trace took a deep breath, and started focusing. He had to decide what to do, and the options he had... And sadly... The odds were against him...

Trace started walking through the jewelry, walking to go deeper, while the Minister continued shooting, reaching some NPCs in the process, but obviously, he didn't care if he killed anyone, they were simple NPCs that would get back to life after some time after all.

After a short moment, Trace continued his way, finding a vault, and two guards who started shooting at Trace when the guards saw him. Trace instantly moved, taking cover, and after a moment of hesitation, he moved, and shot, killing one of the guards, but then, he also got hit.

Trace remained in cover, gathering himself for this. A new life, as he wanted, he finally had it, but he was still holding himself, but he had to stop holding... It was a new life... A new him... And then, he quickly moved, dashing, and shooting at the other guard, killing it with ease.

Trace walked closer to the vault, seeing both guards dead making him feel overwhelmed by multiple feelings, but this was the new him, and then, he observed the vault, trying to find a way to open it, but not finding anything.

After a moment of observing, suddenly, a hand is placed on his shoulder. Trace slowly turns around, and sees the Minister. The Minister stops looking at the bodies of the two guards, and then, smirks at Trace.

Minister: "Boy... Good first step. Not bad obtaining a double kill as your first time!"

The Minister then pushed Trace away, no matter anything, the Minister focused on the vault, while Trace got up from falling down from the push. Quickly, the Minister went slightly back, as Trace notices something on the vault. The Minister had planted a bomb to open the vault, and quickly, as Trace noticed, he ran away, but after a second later, the vault exploded into pieces, letting both see what remained inside.

Inside the vault, were a lot of tables and podiums and glasses, and a lot of expensive jewelry and gems everywhere they look. And quickly, the Minister didn't hesitate in entering inside the vault, and start robbing everything.

Trace: "Minister, why are we robbing? Just for steal? Just for have an excuse to shoot at anyone in here? Or for what?"

Minister: "Boy, don't ask such stupid question! Move here, and start stealing! The only answer I'll give you, is because I want this! You don't need to know anything else!"

Trace hesitated, but then, slowly nodded, and went inside the vault, assisting the Minister in stealing everything inside. And after a moment, they brought everything to the car, and quickly, the Minister started to drive away.

Trace: "Minister, I have to admit it!... I doubted from the start, but... Those gems look really awesome!"

Minister: "Of course they are awesome, boy. Otherwise we wouldn't have rob that jewelry, obviously."

Trace: "Yeah, that sounds right... Minister, how long have you lived in this world?"

Minister: "What kind of question is that, boy? Time is irrelevant, just enjoy, and don't waste your time on such stupid thoughts!"

Trace: "Seriously? Minister, for you, what is irrelevant?"

Minister: "Everything that isn't related to crimes, making others fear you, respect you, and living the life you feel you want!"

Trace turned to look at the back seats, observing the gems and jewels they obtained, and for a brief moment, there was a proudly silence of acknowledgement in between them. The Minister felt how he was shaping Trace to be like him, and how after the so many years, he finally had someone really worth of his time and effort, someone he could see as a son who was worthy to fill that empty father part inside him.

Minister: "Hey, boy!... How about I take you for a ride? I pay the first try, so make sure you go full on it, understood?"

Trace quickly turned around, surprised, but answer quickly, but in a mockery way, attempting to test the Minister.

Trace: "Y-yes, Grand Minister!"

The Minister rolled his eyes while slightly smirking, he knew it was a mockery, but he liked how Trace was actually mocking him, as both were smirking at each other.

Minister: "Playful already, boy? Well, in that case, let's not lose any time, and you better start preparing yourself to carry all of this loot to sell!"

Trace: "Everything? At least I could have something for myself, no?"

Minister: "... Sure, of course... Go ahead, and choice. But do it quickly, before when we reach, I won't let you grab anything else."

Trace then started to move to the back seats, observing which one he wanted, but as quickly as he started to move to the back seats, the Minister started driving with turbo, going faster, what instantly pushed Trace to the back seats, as if the gravity was pulling him with high strength, but slowly, Trace managed to sit on the back seats, but before he could grab something, suddenly, the car is abruptly stopped, what provokes Trace to get impulsed, and get out of the car through the front window, and be laying up of the hood, barely falling down.

Minister: "We're here, boy. Come one, get up!"

Trace growled slightly, not moving, while the Minister got out of the car, and started carrying some of the amount of gems and jewels from the back seats. The Minister continued, entering a pawn shop. After a while, Trace slowly got up, and moved down, trying to stand still, but being stunned and with a contusion.

Meanwhile Trace was quickly recovering himself, the Minister was selling everything in the pawn shop. All gems and jewels they robbed were being sold by good price. And after a big while, Trace was already almost fully recovered, and is surprised as is the Minister suddenly pulls him to get inside the car.

When both are in the front seats, Trace slowly looks at the Minister.

Trace: "... Minister?"

The Minister started driving, and slightly looked at Trace, before focusing on driving.

Minister: "You need to have a man body, but don't worry, I'll endure you, to have the body of a man! But first things, first!"

As the Minister continued driving, Trace remained recovering himself, still slight confused because the contusion, but quickly recovering. And after 18 minutes of driving, the Minister stops the car, and Trace looks outside, but are just buildings, nothing special or important, just a hotel near, much apartments, and other low relevant buildings.

The Minister got out of the car, and Trace followed behind, following the Minister through the road, seeing much people walking around careless about everything. Suddenly, after some walk, Trace sees how the Minister enters a strange highlighted bar called "The Velvet Room". Trace remained wondering the name, but it was a bar, he was used to see strange bar names, so he felt it was just another name with something behind, something he wasn't going to try figuring out.

After Trace entered inside the bar, he got surprised by seeing it was not a normal bar, but a more adult style one. Quickly, Trace rejected to move any further, and turned around, leaving immediately, now knowing perfectly what kind of person the Minister really was. Not only having people fearing him, stealing, even killing, but really doing whatever he wanted, and Trace decided to not see what exactly the Minister could reach to do, and so, Trace grabbed his sub-machine gun, and continued walking away. Leaving the Minister remain his own 'ride' joy for himself. This was his new life, and he was going to live it his way, not like a copy of someone like the Minister.