First step

Different types of police officers were present in the hall for the award-giving ceremony, including agents and detectives.

The hall was filled with many of them, all wearing their white uniforms with medals on.

Commissioner Emily stood on a pulpit with a speaker at his mouth.

"Welcome, everyone."

Mateo sat among them, wearing a bright smile on his face.

"Who's gonna win tonight award?" A police officer asked.

"What do you expect if not Mateo? He has four medals on his clothes," July said, and Mateo shrugged.

"I work hard to gain it, I'm not sure I'm going to be winning this year's medal because when there's Grayson," Mateo said, looking at Grayson, who was also staring at him.

"As you all know, tonight is the 2024 award-giving ceremony for the best and loyal police agents we have," Emily said.

Everyone clapped.

"So tonight, I'll be calling the winner to the stage."

"He has solved many crimes, he's one of the best, a very skilled police officer who wouldn't think twice to put his life in danger to solve a case... Mateo, can you come on stage?" Emily said, and Mateo furrowed his brow, then turned to July.

"Go, man, we all know you deserve this," July said, and Mateo stood up and walked to the stage majestically.

His loud boots made a clicking sound.

Mateo might be a police officer, but his presence was one of the strongest — his dark hair, sharp hazel eyes, and the way he carried himself made every head turn.

He stood on the stage, and everyone kept clapping, while some frowned, obviously not liking him.

Grayson's eyes followed him as he walked, then brought out a smile.

He did the police sign, and Emily installed the red Star medal in his police uniform.

Immediately he did that, all the police officers stood up and saluted him.

Mateo smiled.

This had always been his dream since he was a small child, and his dream was slowly coming to pass.

Everyone clapped their hands as Emily pulled out his cap and put another one on, a shining new cap.

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations, senior!" July walked up to him and hugged him.

"I'm proud of you," July said, and Mateo patted him.

"You would also get to this position, a little time is all you need," Mateo said.

While July let out a smile, Grayson suddenly walked up to him and stretched out his hand for a handshake.

"Congratulations," Grayson said, and Mateo shook his hand.

"Thanks, Ånziano (Elderly senior)," he said in an Italian accent.

"Mind if we have dinner together tonight?" Grayson asked.

"You know I can never refuse you Ånziano," Mateo muttered, and Grayson chuckled.

"Why do you keep calling me Ånziano? We're now the same, you beat me to it," Grayson told him, and he let out a low laugh.

"When I was still a junior, I used to adore you, senior... Let's just say you were my role model, and just because I became a senior like you doesn't mean that you're no longer my role model even if years to come, you'd still be my role model, which I adore," Mateo spoke.

"Never knew I got so much place in your heart, awnnn," Grayson muttered, and Mateo smiled as they both walked.

"It's still so surprising how the both of us still haven't brought down that Antonio," Mateo said.

"He's a devil, and it isn't easy to hunt down a devil. And do you know what your next mission is?" Grayson asked, and Mateo halted in his step.

"I have no idea," Mateo spoke.

"Then why don't you find out yourself?" Grayson muttered.

"Whatever it is, I'm prepared for that, since it's gonna be an easy task," Mateo said.

"Your journey here has just started... Don't think it's gonna be easy like when you're still a junior," Grayson told him.

"And just like I said, Ånziano, I'm prepared," Mateo replied confidently.

✧✧✧✧

LION HELL, ANTONIO CLAN*

Danger

Hell

Death

Darkness was what you could easily perceive — it was their daily perfume.

The clan was silent like hell even a throwing pin could easily be heard, and their loud heartbeat. You could easily hear their heartbeat, the pounding of it in their chest.

Their eyes met with the mon$ter who was sitting on the golden chair, as he puffed out a thick and heavy smoke from his mouth and nose.

The smell hit the victim who was tied in a long wood, his legs were hung on top of the wood while his head was meeting with the ground, he could perceive the heavy dust coming from the ground.

SWEAT covered his face, his tears were like blood.

The devil just stared at him without a feeling of remorse... Rumors had it that he died and came back to life... He defeated death.

His long black bob midnight hair covered his face, his muscles popped out, and you could easily see his tattoo, which he drew on his neck - an eagle.

And his arms were a skeleton tattoo then his second arm was a lion head.

He's ruthless.

Dangerous.

Heartless.

Merciless — those best describe him.

He has many criminal cases, but it's just like the law can't do justice, his perfume was death... And also rumors had it that... He doesn't feel attracted the normal way... No one has been able to stand that little mon$ter of his... Was he into men? No one knew.

His dark lion eyes roamed around his victim, who was tied down.

"What's the punishment for those who go against me?" His cold thunder voice asked, making the man shiver.

"Hmmm..." the man tied down kept realizing hot, heavy panting.

"I fu!cking need an answer." He shouted, his vain popping out.

"Death." The man managed to say.

"So you knew that and yet you betrayed me?" He asked.

"Sorry." The man pleaded, and the word he spoke unlocked the beast in him — just how much the word made him even angrier.

Humans are sure funny... Sorry... Sorry... How can he ever explain to them that sorry doesn't even exist in his reigns.

"Vinegar." He called, and the innocent-looking girl appeared on him.

"Yes, Don Antonio." Vinegar replied, shivering.

"He's your stepbrother, isn't he?" Antonio asked, and she nodded.

"Then why don't you k!ll him? I want you to k!ll him in the most brutal way ever." He said.

"Don, I can't... What you're asking me to do... I can't." She shook her head as she said those words.

"Don, I know she can't do it you just have to k!ll the both of them." Skylar muttered behind her, she's also a one hot sexy lady... She's a redhead.

"She's gonna do it you don't have to worry, Skylar." Antonio's voice came in, and Vinegar knelt down.

"Please, Don... Don't make me do it." She pleaded.

"I won't repeat myself again pick that sword and slice his head out from his body." Antonio muttered.

"Boss, she can't..." Skylar didn't even get to complete her sentence when Antonio raised his hand in the air... Shunning her... Just that one move from him made her keep quiet.

Vinegar shookfully, picked up the sword, and walked to her stepbrother.

"Brother, please I hope you forgive me for what I'm about to do." She said in between tears and sliced his head from his body... The splash of blood met with Antonio's head, and he smirked, wiping it away.

His head rolled down to him and stopped beside his knees.

"Hang his head in the outskirts city let them know that I'm not someone who should be messed with." Antonio replied, then he stood up and walked out from the torture room.

Vinegar knelt down in the group and stared at her shaking hand she just killed a human...

Skylar smirked and also walked out of the torture room.

"Isn't this scene so amazing." Jerry said to Spider, and she smacked his head.

"That's what you know." Spider muttered.

"C'mon, it's fun." Jerry said to her as they both walked out also.

Hotdogg fixed his big glasses properly and also walked out soon, they began departing, leaving only Vinegar to mourn on her own.

✧✧✧✧

NIGHT*

"Thank you, Gray, for the meal." Mateo said as they walked out from the restaurant.

"It's nothing." Grayson replied, and he smiled.

"Their treats here are amazing their food is now my favorite." Mateo muttered.

"Then should I be buying it for you? I'd be giving it to you when I come to the station." Grayson said.

"You don't have to do that." Mateo replied, and he furrowed his brow.

"Thought you said you enjoy it are you backing out now?" he asked.

"I don't go back on my word... Their food is the best, but you buying it for me every single day is a no." Mateo said.

"You consider me as your elderly senior, right?" Grayson asked.

"Yeah." He muttered.

"And also your role model?" he asked again.

"Yeah, why are you asking me this question?" Mateo asked.

"If you consider me both, then you'll have to accept it, please." He pleaded.

"Fine, senior." he muttered, and he smiled.

"Be early tomorrow, ok." Grayson said as Mateo climbed on his scooter.

"Sure." He said and wore his helmet.

"Bye, drive safely." Grayson told him, and he chuckled.

"Bye." He said and drove off, then he entered his car and also drove off.

✧✧✧✧

NEXT MORNING, LIGHT STATION*

Mateo's scooter came to a halt in front of Light station, and he got down, just to see all the police officers gathered at a particular scene.

*How did this happen!

*Who placed it here?

Mateo walked, and immediately the junior officers sighted him, they saluted and greeted him. July suddenly ran to him, and Mateo held his arm.

"What's going on?" Mateo asked.

"Even I don't know, I just got here right now." July murmured.

"Then let's go and check it out." Mateo said, and they both walked to where the commotion started, some police officers giving way to them. Emily and Grayson were also present, some detectives making some calls.

Mateo got to where Grayson was, and he looked up to see the head hang around the pole.

"What's this?" he asked Grayson.

"I think it's a message from Antonio." Grayson replied.

"Why did they hang him here?" Mateo asked.

"I also don't know, but I'm guessing whether this message means no one can mess with him." Grayson spoke out confidently.

Emily suddenly spoke up, and all eyes turned to him, including Gray.

"We need someone to hunt this devil down, if care is not taken, he would kill everyone, and the law wouldn't be able to do anything. He's gonna turn the city of Italy into war, where killing is acceptable, if this goes on, then for sure, I can guarantee that he's gonna kill all of us."

"We need someone that's gonna bring him down, that would stop him from wreaking havoc into our community." Emily said, and Mateo stepped out.

"I would... I would go on this mission." Mateo said, and Grayson held his hand.

"What are you doing?" Grayson asked.

"I'm a police officer, not an ordinary man... And what's our job, to save the people from any harm." Mateo said.

"Then Antonio is not the right person he's a big-time devil, a mon$ter, people trembled at his sight give up on this mission." Grayson whispered gently to his face.

"Yes, senior, you can't mess with Antonio." July muttered beside him.

But Mateo faced Emily.

"I promised to bring the Almighty Antonio's head to your feet if you can just say the word." Mateo muttered boldly.. His eyes filled with determination.

✎ . . .𝑻𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆𝒅. . . ✎