Heroes of the Cause

Chapter 15: A Neko that spilled the Beans

POV: Third Person: Ziko

"So this is where my mother and father..." Ziko's voice trailed off. Through Yukina's research, Yukina had figured out where Ziko's parents worked. A once highly regarded laboratory is now nothing but a pile of rubbles.

There were a few signs that told to keep away but Ziko walked past them as he neared the destroyed building. For 10 years, it was never cleaned up. Ziko remembered a few rumors saying that it was because something beneath all of it still lay dormant.

"Even if it was just rumors, there's no point if I don't check it out." Ziko was about to scan the building with his AR Lens when he heard something behind him.

"Oi, who the hell are you?"

He turned around as quickly as he could and pointed his grappler in front of the person that stood behind him. The person was a teenage girl with crimson hair. Her eyes had a jade glow complimenting her outfit which was a mossy green hoodie together with some dark turquoise pants with a strap. She had cat-like features which were cat ears and a tail with the same color as her hair.

Her eyes narrowed, "That's... a grappler, right? If one of those Agency bastards has one, then..."

Ziko couldn't process what had happened after a few seconds. He had found himself lying down to the ground with claws sharp as knives an inch above his neck. He was pinned down by a hand on his chest.

"Say, if I kill you now, that'd be one less agent I have to worry about, right?" A small grin formed on her face that contrasted to her eyes that were filled with pure hatred.

Ziko's eyes trembled a bit as his body struggled against the hand that pinned him down.

"Although, I'm surprised," She said, "Why would the Agency check this place out after 10 Years ago? Hey, answer me before I kill you. A dead body is no good at talking."

"I-I'm not from the Agency!" Ziko sputtered quickly as if he was in a time limit, "I got to know about this place from a close friend of mine!"

Her head tilted a bit, "If not from the Agency, then from the Black Hand, then?" Her claws got a few centimeters closer.

"I'm not!" Ziko exclaimed as he denied, "I'm Ziko Rodriguez! This building was owned by my parents, Zacarías Rodriguez and Emiko Rodriguez!"

The cat-girl's eyes widened, "You're..."

The pressure from Ziko's chest disappeared as the teenager stood up. Although, as Ziko was standing up, the young woman had already disappeared.

"Who the hell was that...?"

ーーー

Ziko was lying down on the couch as his eyes looked at the ceiling of Yukina's penthouse above him. The red-haired Lycoris that had stayed then was already gone as she had been escorted back to DA by Yukina.

"So you didn't get to check it out?" Yukina had asked. She sat on a couch beside the one Zika was lying on.

"Mmm... No." Ziko mumbled.

"Why?"

Ziko was pondering about the teenager he had encountered before. He closed his eyes and released a sigh. "Did you find any information about why the Agency killed my parents?"

Yukina looked at him, "I didn't find any particular reason from the Agency's database. It could be not listed there or it might've been something else."

"Something else?" Ziko sat up and looked at her.

"They could've been partnered with someone else," Yukina handed Ziko a tablet that showed a contract. He took the tablet from her and carefully read it.