"Enough chit-chat, you two. Get ready. We're hitting the road," Lucy ordered as she stepped out of the bathroom, fully dressed and carrying herself with her usual authority.
"Yes, Master..." Alfie and Rebekah answered in unison, immediately straightening up.
They quickly got dressed, collected the breakfast Lucy had arranged for them, and set off without wasting another minute.
---
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Baska...
Lyon and Sasaki wandered through the busy streets, their eyes moving from one passerby to another as they continued searching. After spending the entire night questioning motel owners, Lyon's patience was beginning to wear thin.
"Hey, partner," Sasaki muttered, suddenly stopping. "We've been walking around all night, asking every damn motel owner about a woman travelling with two children... a boy and a girl. Don't you think we're wasting our time?"
Lyon sighed and rubbed his temples.
"What do you suggest we do? We don't have any better leads. This is the only way to find out whether they've been here."
Sasaki folded his arms, his impatience becoming increasingly obvious.
"Then let's stop wasting time. We should use drone bugs to search every kingdom in this direction. We can teleport between kingdoms and scan the areas much faster. That's our best chance of catching them before they get too far away."
"You idiot," Lyon snapped, dropping onto a nearby street bench. "Do you have any idea how much Renshi that would consume? I can't keep teleporting from one kingdom to another and expect to have enough energy left. If I run out, how am I supposed to back you up when we finally confront that woman?"
"You won't need to," Sasaki replied with an unsettling grin. "I'll deal with her myself. Just find them before they disappear."
Lyon stared at him, his expression darkening.
That damn Exca... You're the one feeding him these ideas, aren't you? You already know I've been stalling to give that woman more time.
He clenched his jaw.
Fine. If he wants to move faster, I'll give him what he wants.
"Alright," Lyon said, rising from the bench. "Let's find somewhere we can work without attracting attention."
"Right behind you, partner," Sasaki replied, following him with the calm, predatory smile of someone already anticipating his next hunt.
---
Elsewhere in Baska...
"You boys are finally awake," the Shinra who had sheltered Jackson and Marcel the previous night remarked. "You must have been completely exhausted."
Jackson groggily climbed out of bed, barely able to keep his eyes open as he shuffled toward the table.
"Hey, Jackson! Get a grip..."
Marcel's voice brought him back to his senses.
"Huh? Oh, crap! We have to find Papa!"
Jackson suddenly sprang to life and dashed toward the door.
"Thank you so much for everything, sir... And thank you for the meal, ma'am," he called over his shoulder.
"Yeah, thanks a lot..." Marcel added, hurrying after him.
Within seconds, both boys were racing through the crowded streets.
"Why didn't you wake me up earlier?" Jackson demanded as they ran.
"I tried," Marcel shot back. "But the Shinra's wife wouldn't let me. She insisted we get some proper rest."
Jackson abruptly slowed down.
"Wait. Do you remember where we last saw my Papa? Wasn't it near that shop?"
Marcel glanced around, struggling to recognise their surroundings.
"Are you kidding me? The whole town looks different during the day. The streets are packed, and I can't even tell where we are."
"Damn it..." Jackson muttered, frustration creeping into his voice. "If Papa has already teleported out of this kingdom, we're in serious trouble."
Before either boy could think of a solution, a Shinra galloped past them on horseback.
"Out of the road, brats!"
The boys hurriedly jumped aside, narrowly avoiding being trampled before stumbling onto the pavement in front of a shop.
Jackson clenched his fists.
"How the hell are we supposed to find them now?"
"It's over..." Marcel wailed dramatically. "We're trapped in a foreign kingdom. We'll end up as slaves for the rest of our lives."
"Shut up. I can't think with you whining in my ear," Jackson barked.
"What's there to think about?" Marcel retorted, throwing his hands into the air. "We're way out of our league. We're not even full-fledged Shinras yet."
He slumped onto a nearby bench, looking utterly defeated.
Jackson fell silent for a moment.
Then his eyes suddenly widened.
"Wait... That's it."
He spun around and took off running.
"Come with me."
"Hey... Don't just run off without explaining anything!" Marcel shouted, scrambling to his feet and chasing after him. "What's the plan, Jack?"
"Just follow me, rock head."
Jackson continued running until they rounded the corner of a shop and entered a quieter passage.
Then he abruptly stopped.
"What the hell...?"
Marcel nearly crashed into his back.
Several towering figures stood directly in their path, their imposing frames blocking the way forward.
One of the men stepped closer, his deep voice carrying a menacing edge.
"Well, well. Look what we have here. Two little brats wearing Shinra robes, but not a single sword between them."
His eyes travelled over their clothing before a greedy grin spread across his face.
"Those robes look pretty expensive. Hand them over, and maybe we'll let you walk away."
Marcel's eyes widened. He leaned closer to Jackson and whispered.
"Jack... These guys are criminals. What's the plan?"