It was sickening.
Absolutely sickening.
Here was a man hailed by the public as a hero, a champion for the underprivileged, a fighter for justice. Yet, beneath that polished facade, Arthur Maxwell was cut from the same cloth as the very monsters he was supposed to protect the world from. He was no better than the oppressors, the abusers, the unseen predators who thrived in the shadows.
The people whose voices should have been heard, whose lives should have been protected, were instead trampled underfoot by men like him. This was the reality of the world—a reality I was determined to shatter.
My hands trembled with rage as I took in the scene before me. Two young kids, no older than ten, were locked in cages, their frail bodies bruised and malnourished.
They said children were the future, the next generation that should have been nurtured, protected, and given a chance to thrive. Instead, they had been reduced to this—broken, terrified, and treated like animals, why? Why exactly are these precious innocent souls were subjected to this treatment, how the duality of this fallacy made me furious. The sight of this man made my stomach churn, and the anger burning in my chest threatened to consume me.
I turned to Arthur Maxwell, who lay unconscious on the basement floor, his face a bloody mess from the stomp I'd delivered earlier. He looked so pathetic now, a far cry from the powerful DA the world admired, the him just now that walked to this basement like a god. I made sure he was out cold, ensuring he wouldn't wake up anytime soon. He didn't deserve the luxury of an easy death, not after what he'd done to so many others, I will not grant him that.
With a deep breath, calming my raging anger, I turned my attention to the cages. The two children inside stared at me with wide, fearful eyes, their small bodies trembling as I approached. My heart ached at the sight. They were so young, so innocent. They shouldn't have been subjected to this kind of horror. I knelt down, my movements slow and deliberate, trying not to scare them further.
"Hello there, little ones," I said, my voice as gentle as I could make it, though it was tinged with sadness. "Don't worry. I'm not here to harm you two at all… I'm here to help."
The girl who seemed slightly stronger—Remy—spoke up first, her voice trembling. "R-really? You're not lying, are you, mister? Please don't lie… We don't want to get hurt anymore. We'll listen, please…"
Her words broke me. No child should ever have to beg for safety. I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing myself to stay calm for their sake. "I'll never lie, Little one, I promise," I said, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. "No one will ever hurt you both ever again… Not as long as I'm here. What's your name, kiddo?"
"I'm Remy," she said weakly, managing a small smile despite her fear. "And this is Remi. We're twins!"
"Remy and Remi, is it? What a beautiful name, you got there, Kiddo's, Now, come here… let's get you both out of there," I Said carefully.
I glanced at Remi, who was quieter and more guarded than her sister. She didn't speak, but she nodded slightly, her eyes never leaving mine. There was a spark of hope in her gaze, though it was buried deep beneath layers of fear and mistrust. I grabbed the cage door and ripped it opened, then I held out my hand to them, and after a moment of hesitation, Remy took it, pulling Remi along with her.
"Have you eaten yet, Remy? Remi?" I asked, my voice soft as I carefully lifted them into my arms. They were so light, so fragile, it felt like I was carrying nothing more than a pair of pillows. The realization made my chest tighten. How long had they been starved? How long had they suffered in silence?
"Not yet, mister," Remi said quietly, speaking up for the first time. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "It's not time yet. Master hasn't fed us today. Are we… are we not eating today, mister?"
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. My grip on them tightened instinctively, though I was careful not to hurt them. Arthur Maxwell wasn't just a monster—he was a sadistic, twisted creature who derived pleasure from their suffering. The thought of what they'd endured made my blood boil, but I forced myself to stay calm. They didn't need to see my anger. They needed comfort, safety, and reassurance.
"You'll eat," I said firmly, my voice gentle but resolute. "You'll eat whatever you both want…and you'll never go hungry again. This mister promises."
I carried them up the stairs, their small bodies clinging to me as if I were their only lifeline. The house was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that felt heavy and oppressive. I found an empty bedroom on the first floor and carefully set them down on the bed. The room was plain, but it was clean and far removed from the horrors of the basement.
"You're safe now," I said, kneeling in front of them so I could meet their eyes. "No one will hurt you anymore. I'll make sure of it."
Remy nodded, her smile returning, though it was still tinged with fear. Remi, however, remained quiet, her eyes darting around the room as if she expected something terrible to happen at any moment. I reached out and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, hoping to reassure her.
"You're both so brave," I said, my voice warm. "And you're going to be okay. I'll take care of everything."
For the first time, Remi's guard seemed to lower slightly. She leaned into her sister, her small hand gripping Remy's tightly. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes. They had each other, and for now, that was enough for them, as for them, I knew that they wanted to believe in me, in what I promised for them.
I left the twins in the bedroom, their laughter and the sound of cereal crunching filling the room with a rare sense of normalcy. It was a small victory, but one that mattered. For the first time in who knows how long, Remy and Remi were smiling, their faces lit up with joy as they devoured the cereal, I'd brought them. It was a simple meal, but to them, it was a feast. Watching them eat, their tiny hands clutching the spoons like they were treasures, made my chest ache. They deserved so much more than this. They deserved a childhood free from fear and pain.
"Mister! Is that… cereal?" Remy had asked, her voice trembling with excitement as she shakily stood up on the bed. Her eyes were wide, like she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Yep, Remy," I replied, forcing a smile despite the anger simmering beneath the surface.
"And~ it's for you and Remi… Here you go." I set the bowls down on the bedside table, pouring the cereal and milk for them. The way they lit up at the sight of something as simple as breakfast cereal was both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
"Yay!" Remi cheered, her small arms shooting into the air. She took her first bite, her face lighting up with pure joy. Both of them dug into their food with gusto, their laughter filling the room. It was a sound I hadn't realized I needed to hear until now.
I went back to the kitchen and grabbed whatever I could find that the kids might like—fruit, crackers, juice—anything to keep them fed and happy. I set it all out for them, making sure they had enough to eat as much as they wanted. For now, this was all I could do. But there was still one more thing I needed to take care of.
"Remy, Remi," I said gently, crouching down to their level and patting their heads. "Mister's going to have a talk with that evil man in the basement for a little bit, okay?"
Remi looked up at me, her eyes wide with worry. "Okay… but be careful, mister. That evil man can hit you."
Her concern, so pure and innocent, almost broke me. "I'll be careful, kiddo," I assured her, my voice soft. "Just stay here for a little bit, alright?"
Both Remy and Remi nodded, their mouths full of cereal. They were too engrossed in their meal to ask any more questions, and I was grateful for that. I didn't want them to see what was about to happen.
As I closed the bedroom door behind me, the warmth I'd felt moments ago evaporated, replaced by a cold, seething rage. My fists clenched so tightly that the leather gloves I wore creaked under the pressure. Every step I took toward the basement felt heavier than the last, the weight of what I was about to do settling on my shoulders.
At the basement door, I paused, pulling a small disk from my utility belt. It was a Silencer Disk, one of Magina's inventions. I pressed it against the door, and it activated with a soft hum. From this moment on, the basement would be completely soundproof. Not a single scream, not a single plea for mercy, would escape this room. Arthur Maxwell's punishment would be his alone to endure.
I opened the door and stepped inside, the light from the hallway casting a long shadow over the basement. Arthur was still on the floor where I'd left him, his face bloodied and his body trembling. He looked up at me, his eyes wide with fear.
"W-what do you want, man?" he stammered, his voice shaky and weak. He was trying to sound tough, but the terror in his eyes betrayed him.
I didn't answer right away. Instead, I walked down the stairs, each step echoing like the toll of a death knell. The sound of my boots against the concrete seemed to amplify his fear, and I could see him shrinking back as I approached.
"Please, man… I'm sorry, okay? Look, I'm a good man, a good lawyer… Come on, man, I'll pay you anything you want!" Arthur's voice was desperate now, his words tumbling out in a frantic attempt to save himself.
I stopped in front of him, my shadow looming over his broken form. "Arthur Maxwell," I said, my voice low and rough, like the growl of a predator. "Look at what you're wearing."
He glanced down at himself, his eyes widening as he realized he was still dressed in his white garb and pointed hat—the symbols of his twisted pride. His face paled, and for a moment, he seemed to forget how to breathe.
"Do you really think," I continued, my voice dripping with venom, "that you can offer me anything to let you walk out of here… alive?"
Arthur's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, but no words came out. He knew, deep down, that there was nothing he could say or do to change what was about to happen. His reputation, his connections, his power—none of it mattered here. In this basement, he was nothing more than the monster he truly was.
"For everything you've done to others," I said, my voice cold and unyielding, "I will repay you a hundredfold. You will not die… not without my permission, you disgusting filth."
The basement door closed behind me with a final, echoing thud. The Silencer Disk hummed softly, sealing Arthur Maxwell's fate. His punishment had begun, and there would be no mercy.