257: The gift

The gift

When the alarm bells in the building rang at full blast, everyone — residents and staff — gazed up on instinct. There was only one reason for this emergency bell would ring, and that was the building was under serious threat. Hence the panic.  2

Residents evacuated their units while all the staff made sure to assist. Those in the management alerted the authorities to check why the alarm went off. The people outside the building couldn't help but stop in their tracks to look at the building, wondering if there was a fire or if it was a different emergency. 

Meanwhile…

Bear was on his way into the lobby from the parking space when the uproarious emergency alarm went off. His steps slowed down, entering the other entrance of the lobby. As soon as he reached his destination, the first thing he saw was the staff sprinting in different directions. 

'What's going on?'he wondered but didn't find the need to rush himself. 

Heaven was right outside the building to meet her pretentious friend. Sebastian was in school and Dominic was at work. Axel also went out, since his presence was needed in his own small company. Thus, his lack of urgency. 

'I don't think we're under terrorist attack. I guess it was just a small problem.' Bear shrugged, marching to the corner to wait for Heaven's call. But as Bear was on his way to find a quiet spot to wait for Heaven, he caught a figure from the corner of his eyes. 

The lobby was pretty hectic, with all the staff running in all directions to do their jobs. Bear had to avoid bumping into them with a smooth motion and amid this chaos, it was easy to spot those indifferent about the situation.

For instance, that person lazing around the couch in the lobby. 

Bear stopped in the middle of the busy lobby, turning his head in a particular direction. The moment his eyes landed on the lounge couch, he narrowed his eyes. 

There, on the couch, was a man lolling on it. His legs were resting over the armrest, his feet were swinging back and forth simultaneously, and the rest of his body was lying on the couch. Bear could only see his legs and knees and the device the person was holding up over him from his vantage point.

'Let my guess be wrong,' thought Bear, having this strong feeling this emergency got something to do with this person. 'There's no way he will come here…' 

When Bear stood a few steps from the couch where the person was lounging, his expression turned grim. From this distance, he could see the man's face. Even though the latter was wearing big sunglasses with a lollipop in his mouth, Bear would never mistake this person. 

"Joker," called Bear under his breath, earning the man's attention. 

Joker, the man with glasses and a lollipop, arched his brow. His eyes underneath the shades veered to the owner of the voice. 

"Uh." Joker blinked, savoring the sweet taste of the candy. "What are you doing here?"

"I should be the one asking you. What are you doing right now?"

"Making everyone panic?"

Bear frowned and, in the blink of an eye, his large hand clasped the other man's collar. The man panicked a bit as his body left the couch, snapping his eyes wide open, but held on to his device as Bear held him up in the air. 

"Woah, woah!" Joker's lips fell open, causing his lollipop to fall to the floor. "What the — are you crazy? Do you want to die?"

"What do you want, Joker?" A glint flickered across Bear's pair of silver eyes, ignoring the man's ignorant threats. "Did you come here to cause trouble for me? Or were you so bored you came to die?"

"Huh?" Joker scrunched his face in dismay but then realized he wasn't on good terms with him. 

Right. 

Among Hera's people, Joker was the only person who rebelled against her will. Joker didn't accept her death and thus, he blamed everyone in the organization. However, his anger mostly fell on Bear. Therefore, Bear and Joker promised not to see each other again because if they do, Joker swore to end him right then and there. 

"Speak." Bear's eyes narrowed, emitting a dangerous aura he never did in a long time. "Which one is it?"

"Hehe… come on. Why ask when you'd kill me if my answer was either of those two?" Despite the murderous aura seeping deep into his bone, the man called Joker was unfazed. "It's neither, fool. I didn't even know you were here. If only I did, I would've planted bombs instead of rigging the security system."

Bear's grip on Joker's collar tightened, assessing the man's expression. Even though the man was wearing dark glasses, he could see the honesty in his claims. 

'That's right,'thought Bear, mentally rocking his head. 'This animal wouldn't simply do something to scare me off, knowing full well if he didn't kill me in his first move, he'd die.'

"Then what brought you here? Don't tell me you are working with someone who is targeting someone in this building?" Bear narrowed his eyes suspiciously, aware that Joker had been in contact with people in the underground and even making alliances with those people Hera hated the most. Although Joker was mostly freelancing, he audaciously disregarded their disbanded organization's principles. 

Joker looked at the old man with disinterest. "It would have been nice if that is the case, but nope. Can you let me go? Or should I blow myself and take you with me?"

"What did you come here for?" Bear repeated, unfazed by the man's threat. "It's easy to blow yourself up, but at this point, all I want before death is to punch you in the face."

Joker frowned as the lingering indifference in his eyes faded. 

"Was it you?" he asked in a quiet yet chilling tone. 

Huh?

"Tell me if it was you, Bernard. Then I will leave just as quietly as I arrived in this country," Joker continued, tilting his head down with his eyes over the sunglasses. "Were you using my gift to her?"

Deep lines appeared between Bear's brows as he processed Joker's remarks. It took him a few seconds to recall the 'gift' Joker was talking about. 

The Emperor's Eyes. 

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