Chapter 130: Bait

[Nine years ago]

"Wake up."

A pair of blue eyes snapped open at the voice, and they slowly adjusted to the sudden influx of morning light.

"Big brother?" A boy no older than ten said as he got off the makeshift bed.

The one who had woken him up, his big brother, was a boy with similarly colored blue eyes, but with even darker hair.

"We’ve got a job," the big brother said with a smile, and the kid suddenly turned to him. "Really?!"

"Yup, and this one’s paying quite a bit," he nodded.

"Then what are we waiting for?" The kid grinned and quickly pulled on the same worn jacket he’d been wearing for the past few days.

"Where are we going?"

"West district," his brother answered as he grabbed the package sitting beside the door. "Somebody’s paying us to deliver this before noon."

"That’s pretty far."

"Which is why they’re paying us more."

The boy’s eyes immediately lit up. "Then we’ll be back before lunch, right?"

His brother smiled and ruffled his hair. "That’s the plan."

The two of them left the small apartment and began walking through the streets.

They weren’t exactly a normal delivery service.

They didn’t have a vehicle, an office, or even proper equipment. Most of the time, they simply accepted whatever delivery jobs they could find through the local gray market.

As long as someone was willing to pay them to carry it, they would.

It wasn’t glamorous, but it kept food on the table.

And lately, they’d been barely managing that, "big brother."

"Hm?"

"Do you think we’ll be able to buy a real delivery bike someday?"

His brother glanced at him before smiling, "Maybe."

"Really?"

"Yeah. If we save enough."

The boy smiled before placing a hand on his chin. "Maybe we’ll do an even faster delivery if I awaken a Factor."

His big brother chuckled as he asked, "Wouldn’t you want to be a hero if you awaken?"

"Does becoming a hero pay a lot?" The kid asked, his curiosity evident on his face.

"Of course," his big brother said, turning to him, "if you become a hero, then the HA will start paying you, and if you become popular enough, then popular brands will also start paying you to use their stuff."

"Whoa, that’s pretty cool." The kid’s blue eyes seemed to glimmer.

In his little mind, fame now equated to money, and that meant they’d be out of this dump.

"But the chances of either of us awakening are quite low." his brother’s words pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Huh?" He seemed a bit confused. "Why?"

"Why?" His big brother placed a hand on his chin. "Well, our Pragma doesn’t seem to be anywhere near the ’threshold’ the scientists keep talking about."

"I see," the kid muttered, his expression becoming slightly disappointed.

His big brother smiled and ruffled his hair again. "But that doesn’t mean we can’t keep trying."

They continued walking through the streets, the package safely tucked under the big brother’s arm.

The streets gradually became busier as they approached the West District, and the two brothers wove through the crowd while discussing what they would do with the money from the delivery.

"Maybe we can finally buy some meat," the kid suggested.

"Some meat?"

"Hmm,"

His brother nodded. "Fine, if we’re paid enough, we’ll get some."

"And maybe some juice?"

"You’re pushing it."

The kid grinned as he added, "Please?"

"We’ll see."

They eventually arrived at the address written on the delivery slip.

However, the moment they turned onto the street, his brother’s expression changed.

Unlike what the instructions stated, there was no one waiting for them.

"Strange," the big brother said with a frown still on his face.

"What?" The younger brother said with a confused expression.

"They told us to meet them here."

His brother looked around before checking the delivery slip again.

"Maybe we’re early."

The kid looked at the package and then back at his older brother. "Should we wait?"

"Yeah."

His brother leaned against the wall while the kid sat on the nearby curb as they waited.

Thirty minutes passed before a black vehicle came to a stop in front of them, and the kid immediately stood up from the curb.

"Finally."

His older brother didn’t say anything; instead, he stared at the vehicle, noticing that the windows were tinted, making it impossible to see inside.

"Is that them?" the kid asked.

"Maybe," he answered, still looking at the car.

The doors opened, and two men stepped out, though neither of them looked like the person who had hired them.

One of the men looked toward the package beneath his brother’s arm before approaching. "Are you the delivery guys?"

The big brother nodded, "Yeah."

"Good," one of the men nodded, "bring it here."

The kid’s brother frowned and shook his head. "We were told to hand it to the person who hired us."

"Is that so?" The man’s expression seemed to change for a second.

"Forget the package," the second man interrupted, his eyes moving between the two brothers. "We’re here for the kids."

The big brother’s expression immediately changed, and the kid immediately noticed it.

"Big brother?"

"Stay behind me," he said in a whisper, "run when I tell you to."

The first man sighed, "I guess the cat’s out of the bag. Grab them."

A moment after his words, multiple men walked out of the car, but before they had the chance to do anything, the first man was forced to dodge when the package came hurling towards his face.

"Run!" The big brother said a moment after, as he grabbed the kid’s hand and ran in the opposite direction.

The two brothers sprinted down the street, their footsteps echoing as the men immediately gave chase.

His brother tightened his grip around his hand as they weaved through the crowd, and the kid looked behind them before he asked, "Where are we going?!"

His brother glanced around, quickly looking for a way out, until he noticed a narrow alley ahead. "That way!"

They ran into the alley, but his brother suddenly stopped, causing the kid to nearly crash into him.

"What are you doing?"

His brother looked toward the entrance and then back at the kid. "Listen to me."

The kid stared at him in confusion. "What’s wrong?"

His brother crouched down and placed both hands on his shoulders.

"I’m going to be the bait."