"Were you living in the jungle or something?" the man tsukumi'd after calming down.
Surprised at the fact that they didn't even know about the regulations of hunting inside the city.
Leo nodded. "Literally. Or you think I would go out of my way just to ride with you for no reason?"
"So you want a ride to the office I work for," Lara sighed, getting his meaning. "And why is that?"
"Nothing much. I know hunters exist, so I want to meet the leaders of that group," Leo said, and Lara just looked at him.
Just from her sense, she knew the man in front of her wasn't really normal, and from the moment they met, she could feel the raw beastial nature of these two.
And thanks to her unique detection ability, she could tell for sure—they had the ability to flee, but they didn't.
And by detecting the talk they were having telepathically, she chose to change her approach, under the assumption that they were part of some of the old clans. That strengthened by the second. After all, just the silver alloy used in the shackles was enough to weaken most supernatural creatures under certain thresholds.
"Our ride is here." Saying so, she exited the truck, followed by the men.
Surprisingly, the car was actually some kind of customized Lincoln car that could have Leo sit down comfortably.
Leo looked at the leader with confused eyes.
"Well, since you're a psychic ability user and still had sentience, then you get the respect you deserve," the leader said, no longer hiding it, and stood beside the door. "And if I'm not wrong, you're part of the old clans. The Hunters' Bearer Head is expecting you."
In reverse of the harsh reaction they had at first, now they showed respect for no clear reason, acting confused even Leo.
What caught his attention was the expression of the soldier before, now becoming ashen.
Leo started to compile all the info he got so far, and while on the trip, he smiled, noticing the symbol on the badge at the leader's waist. At the realization, he sighed and looked out the window.
Soon, they found themselves in a highly guarded facility outside NY. After entering, Leo noticed three people waiting for the car in suits—but not the only ones there.
All around the front of the building was packed with armed personnel and stuff, as if waiting for something.
"So it's as I guessed," Leo said, noticing a very familiar smell from the tree elders.
Catching his murmur, the leader and the driver raised an eyebrow at that, raising their confusion even more. After all, they got a call from the big head to be cautious and respectful if possible, and now the man talked as if he noticed something and now it was confirmed.
"What's the catch?" Loyed asked frankly, as he hardly caught Leo in this excited mode.
Leo looked at him and smiled. "Just that I found some of my people are actually still alive."
If his guess was right, those people were of the few he trained and fought alongside before he got sealed.
if that was the case, then the world was just getting more interesting—after all, last time he checked, they were normal humans.
After the car stopped, Leo followed the leader and her escort to meet the people in front.
Two men looked in their 60s or 70s, but Leo knew for sure that they were as old as modern society, along with a lady in her 40s. And of course, the same applied to her.
What they didn't take into consideration was the tree elder, that always had a dignified and respectful facade, breaking outright crying. And the lady just stepped in front and jumped into Leo's lap, screaming "Dad" and apologizing repeatedly.
"So it's you tree brats after all," Leo said, relieved somehow to find a physical connection still existed. "It's okay, it's not your fault, it's okay."
Not knowing what to do, he looked at the two. "Hey, Alfred, Alekhandro, are you going to just watch or help me out here?"
The irritated voice was still the same despite the additional rich emotion, forcing the three to laugh.
"Now you're laughing. I swear, Billy, you're still confusing as the sea weather," Leo said, patting her head. "It's great to see you again, but how about we talk in private."
He signaled at the frozen and shocked people around that didn't know what to do at this moment.
"Well, your hair somehow changed to black or else, they already realized who you are," Alekhandro stepped in and took Leo, standing in front, in a bro hug. "Well, except that, you didn't change much."
"I can't say the same about you," Leo said. "Not that it's a bad thing. I honestly thought you would be gone by now."
Leo's line of thought was after all based on their origin: a couple of orphans that stuck as cursed, saved by him. And instead of leaving, they stuck to him in his last years. In the end, he was forced to train them, and by the time he left, they became salted hunters with famous reputation.
The last time he saw them was the all-out war against the Volturi. And if he wasn't wrong, most of the force that answered the call got out intact. After that, he had no idea.
"Well, that for sure would have happened if we didn't awaken our psychics," Alfred said and looked around.
"Psychics?" Leo asked, confused. Looking at Loyed, if he stumbled on it in his investigation. The latter rolled his eyes on Leo, who expected this much from him in two days of investigation.
"Well, we have a lot to talk about, it seems," Alfred said, leading the way inside the building.
Inside, they passed several monitoring and communication stations. And farther inside, they noticed a couple of training spaces. And from the movement of the trainees, they were quite used to fighting.
"Well, what is all this about?" Leo asked. "You kept on the creed going?"
In his last days in this world, he trained the little boys and girls on the condition they use what they got only in protecting themselves and doing what they saw as just.
And in the end, they took it as their creed of life. After Leo vanished, they started to recruit humans and other races with no favoritism, for the only reason—to take down the dark side.
"And what exactly is this dark side?" Leo asked, sitting in the meeting room along with the high-ranking people.