Chapter 4: Cooperate With Me

As the trio proceeds up the road, Jonah can't help but notice the curious onlookers peering from their windows. He cracks a smile and glances at Iah, only to realize she's lagging behind. Jonah extends his hand to her, but just as she attempts to grab it, a voice calls out to the girls.

"Caedi, Paccia, are you two okay?"

The three stop and turn their attention to the man—an inch taller than Jonah, chubby, almost bald with an unkempt beard. The man scrutinizes Jonah with his hazel eyes, daring to pierce straight through him. His gaze shifts to the girls.

"Come tell me what's going on, Caedi?"

Caedi avoids eye contact, keeping her mouth closed, but Iah tries to explain.

"We're going to look for their father," Jonah interjects. "Let's go, you two."

However, as Jonah moves, the distinctive sound of the cranking of a gun catches his attention. He freezes, and the smile vanishes from his face. The atmosphere darkens.

"Look, old man, I was in a good mood until just now."

Jonah glances back to see a pistol aimed at him.

"Let the girls go," the man demands.

"I'll give you just ten seconds to put that gun down."

The man hesitates, sweating profusely. Iah steps in front of her uncle.

"Uncle, it really is okay. We're fine. Please put the gun down."

"3, 2, 1."

With a swift movement, Jonah pulls Iah towards him and shoots the uncle on the left side of his stomach. The uncle drops his gun, clutches his wound, and begins crying out in pain. The girls rush to their uncle.

"That's what you get," Jonah speaks, "even if there were no bullets in there."

Caedi, enraged, confronts Jonah about the seemingly unnecessary act.

"So, you shot him knowing he wasn't going to shoot!?"

Jonah smirks, eyes slightly filling with color.

"Well, I was only 90 percent sure. I ain't taking any chances, let me tell you."

"You devil!"

"See this collar? I'm fine with dying, but as long as this collar remains on my neck, you'll die with me. We don't want that, now do we?"

Caedi's expression falls, and she stays silent.

"Now, both of you step away from him."

Iah returns to Jonah's side, but Caedi, tears threatening to fall, hesitates.

"That wasn't a choice." Jonah holds two fingers on the collar. "Shock collar number 46."

"Ah!"

Caedi yelps, bites down on her teeth, and squeezes her eyes shut. When the shocking stops, she opens her eyes again, tears hanging at their corners.

"Now, step away from him."

Slowly, she obeys and walks to Jonah's side.

"Good. Now..."

Jonah points his gun at their uncle. Caedi tugs at Jonah's hoodie.

"Wait! Don't kill him, please! I'll do anything you say, so please."

The color in Jonah's eyes returns. He puts his hand on her face and smiles.

"I'll remember that."

Jonah's eyes darken as he turns back to their uncle.

"I'll just confiscate those. Caedi, take the gun, and Iah, take the knife he's hiding. 'You're strong, old man, but aren't you too old to be doing this?' Jonah says, 'Let's go.'"

He extends his hands to the girls once more, and after taking them, they walk away.

Meanwhile...

On the road, the police officer from before was talking to someone on his walkie-talkie.

"Ma'am, do you know anything about it? I've never seen anything like it. Is it a lost military weapon?"

"No," the person on the phone says, "I've checked with other nations, and no one has lost any military weapons in our area."

"That's strange because that guy Jonah isn't adept in technical stuff, so he didn't make it himself."

Earlier that day a bit after Jonah went over to Caedi's house, the police got a report from a neighbour who had heard gunshots in the house. Police went to investigate only to find that both of Jonah's parents were laying next to each other, unconscious.

They both had collars on their necks and there were a bunch of bullets holes around them. They did find bullet holes in their clothes but there were no wounds. They found a note in the mother's hand. It said 'Jonah Runihara was here'. Police searched for information on this person because he shared a first name with the victims son but the last name was different.

"Are you sure that this thing is real?" The person on the phone asks, doubtful.

"Positive, ma'am. I saw the way that they shared cuts and bruises; the girl he held hostage was in so much pain, and if that can happen, it's not so far-fetched that everyone wearing that collar would die with him."

"The leaders are discussing what we should do next. Do you know his motives?"

"He didn't say, but he requested that we send a personal doctor that he could put a collar on."

"I'll see what I can do; he doesn't need to die before we figure this out."

Now...

Jonah and the girls were deep into the woods, still following the dirt road when they stop at a crossroad.

"Hey, so your father's garden is to the right, right?" Jonah asks.

"Yeah..." Iah replies.

"Good," he lets go of their hands, "Follow me."

They continue down the path for 8 minutes until they meet a man approaching them.

The redskin man is 2 feet taller than Jonah, with hazel eyes. He's wearing khaki pants and a green t-shirt along with another shirt tied on top his head. His whole attire is plastered with stains, and his black boots thump on the ground loudly, shaking off dirt as he walks.

Jonah stops, leaving about 5 meters between them. He pulls out his gun, pointing it at the man, and he instantly freezes.

He looks at Jonah, then at his daughters.

"Caedi, Paccia, what's going on here?"

The girls stay silent, and the man swallows his breath.

"Jonah, what is the meaning of this?"

"Oh, so you do remember my name."

Jonah grins at him, then pow, he shoots the man in his thigh.

"Argh!"

He kneels down on the ground, holding onto his wound.

"Well, girls, should I kill him?"

Silence.

"Kill the bastard, I don't care," Iah finally says.

Jonah looks to Caedi.

"Do what you want," she says, then turns around.

"Well, there you have it."

A face of utter defeat drowns the man's face.

"Wait, whatever you need, I'll get you. Whatever you want, I'll do, so please spare me!!!"

Click the man flinches.

"Oh, lucky you."

Jonah reloads his gun, then points it at the man once again.

"Fortunately for you, I have something important for you to do."

Jonah reaches into his bag and pulls out a collar, then throws it at the man.

"Put that collar on for me, okay? Here's what I'm gonna need you to do-"

After Jonah finishes giving the man orders, the three continue their journey to his cabin. On their way, they meet a girl coming from her garden.

She is wearing a beautiful black dress, has light brown skin, dark brown eyes, and curly black hair reaching down to her shoulders. She's holding a light pink handbag.

As the group gets closer, Jonah reaches into his hoodie, and immediately Caedi holds his hand down and approaches the girl herself.

"Hey Grace, how have you been doing?"

"Oh, CeCe, is that you? Let me get my glasses."

Grace opens her handbag, pulls out a pair of circular glasses, and puts them on her face.

"Pffff-" Jonah holds in his laughter, covering his mouth and turning around.

"Uhh... What's with those glasses girl?"

"Yeah, I know I look funny in them, but I've broken my last pair, and this was all they had in stock. That's why I've been trying not to wear them."

"Okay, well anyway, we're heading to a cabin Jonah has in the woods."

"Just the three of you? What are you gonna do there?" Grace asks.

"Watch movies or anime, eat delicious food," Jonah says.

"It's getting pretty late, though. Are you gonna sleep up there?"

"Yup. He has a separate room for us."