Gifted | Sleepy Bois Inc

Chapter Twenty-Four

Philza. Rojo. Biru.

The three Heads of Tryxel, engrossed with their secrets, using us like a flock of crows to do their bidding.

I knew Philza. I knew he was a good person, but when he was with Rojo and Biru, I almost forgot the Phil that I knew. It was as if a switch would flip inside of him, changing him, locking the real him away from us.

But of the three, apart from Phil, I couldn't care less about any of them.

"Okay," I said, opening the back door for Wilbur. He ducked down and got in. I stepped up into the truck and sat down next to him, closing the door behind me.

"You could at least pretend to care more," Phil remarked tightly. He looked uncomfortable in the driver's seat, with his large black wings pinched tightly by his sides. Another reason why he didn't like riding in cars much.

"Come on, you know I've never liked them," I said, rolling my eyes. "They're weird. They don't work with us bounty hunters."

"I'm part of that 'they,' Techno," Phil said, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. "Watch your words carefully."

He had to be really angry at the current situation to be threatening me. I bit back a retort and silently pulled the seat belt across my chest.

The drive was dead quiet --- which was understandable, seeing how someone had died. Probably multiple someones, if Smiley really had killed a Head.

Rojo or Biru? Who would I rather be dead more?

I'd be lying if I said I cared about who it was. Honestly, I had considered ending their lives myself on multiple occasions. There were plenty of bounties on their heads, placed by wealthy enemies or rival organizations. But in the end, I always knew that it would cost me more trouble than it would be worth.

Even so, the news that Smiley had killed one meant that he was back and ready to destroy.

I shook my head and sighed quietly. I needed more time. I needed a lot more time. More training with Skeppy, more badminton practice, more swordsmanship practice with Phil. I needed it all. But I couldn't have any of it anymore. I felt like an under-prepared soldier rushing into war with my helmet missing.

"We found his body half an hour ago," Wilbur said lightly, trying to make conversation. "Nobody noticed. It's as if it just... appeared."

"We were all preoccupied," Phil said. "None of us expected something like that to happen."

"Where was it?" I asked curiously.

"The body? Hanging above the entrance of the Tryxel building." Phil shook his head in disgust. "He's trying to put out a signal to us, and we sure as hell have picked it up. Not only that, but he's scaring the common folk. The government is terrified right now. I'm sure they're trying to keep it private as best as he can, but it's bound to get out eventually."

We turned into the parking lot. Phil shut off the engine and opened the door, stepping out into the cool air. He spread his wings and stared up at the sky, looking like a bird missing its home up above.

I got out as well, immediately turning my gaze to the doorframe. There wasn't a body there, but I could see dried blood stains on the wall. A smile was drawn beside a particularly large stain. Beside it was the crude image of a pig.

"He's calling to you, Techno," Tubbo said, standing next to me.

I gave him a sideways look. He was staring at the drawings as well, his gaze distant. "What?"