Puzzle XI

Zen, Nebula, and Reyson returned to a new hideout of theirs on the Eastern side of Steam Bison. It was a simple apartment with a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom with a shower, one bedroom, and a hallway. The apartment was a mess as the thugs were too lazy to clean up the darn place. Thanks to a couple of solar panels that they managed to buy from the black market, they had electricity in their hideout. The thugs sat on the sofa, counting lots of cash that they had successfully stolen from the bank, and ridiculing the Steam Bison police for being so damn incompetent. 

"And that moron Bobsley keeps bitching about how people think his popo friends are incompetent?" Zen burst out in laughter. "I can't blame the poor fools for thinking so!" 

"You damn right, Boss!" Nebula joined in the laughter. "The police are so fucking useless!"

"We could always find a way to break Natasha out, you know?" Reyson suggested out of boredom. "With Natasha leading us again, that girl wouldn't even stand a chance against our lady in a fight." 

"Hold on," Zen paused on his cash counting and gaped at Reyson in surprise. Then, his expression became haughty. He smirked at Reyson in agreement. "Hmmm. Not a bad idea, Reyson! That Triton brat can have the girl for now cuz we're breaking Natasha out!"

"Whoa! Are you serious, boss?!" Nebula exclaimed at Zen, astonished by his sudden next goal. 

"Yes!" Zen reconfirmed. Then his expression became sour. "However, there is only one problem..." 

"The stupid ass Steam Bison prison is crowded with the popos and their damned robots everywhere," Nebula noted, irritated. "There's no chance in hell we'd be able to sneak around without inside help." 

"If you fools had just done your damn jobs, you three would not be in this situation." 

An unfamiliar, icily criticizing tone of voice spoke out from the shadows. 

Zen and his partners in crime stood alertly and pointed their handguns at the location from which the voice came. 

"Who the fuck are you?!" Zen demanded angrily. "Come out! I'm NOT fond of cowards trespassing on our turf!"

"Please lower your weapons." A man in a dark gray suit emerged from the hallway. He wore a medium-length, wavy black wig and a kitsune mask. "Men, I am here in peace." He raised his hands to show he was not carrying a weapon on him. "I will get to the point." He put his arms behind his back. "I can offer my assistance with your problem." 

"What?" Zen questioned in disbelief. Then, he guffawed alongside Nebula and Reyson. "How are we supposed to take you seriously with that freaky mask on?" 

"Yeah! Off with the mask and we'll talk!" Nebula huffed. 

"You heard him! We'll shoot ya if you don't!" Reyson said loudly. 

"I shall not remove my mask." The man declined coldly.

Four men in dark brown suits emerged, each carrying a machine gun in their hands, standing behind the man. Zen and his friends were frightened by the sight. Machine guns were more dangerous than handguns, and they wouldn't survive such types of guns. 

"Damn you," Zen growled, lowering his handgun. "So much for peace. Fine. Keep your damn mask on. So, speak of it, starting with your name." 

Nebula and Reyson nodded, lowering their handguns as well. 

"I'm glad we've come to an understanding, gentlemen." The man responded. He politely bowed his head. "My name is Kitsu Kageyama. I'm the leader of Aonokitsune. We offered solutions to a criminal's problem. I do believe we're on the same page. We had jailbreak our old friends from prisons thanks to our connections in the past." 

"So, y'all are friends with popos in corruption?" Zen snickered in disbelief. "I find your claim so unbelievable." 

"As the boss says," Nebula agreed, finding Kitsu somewhat unsettling. "We do not trust ya."

"And what if you betrayed us and snitched us to the cops?" Reyson added an accusation. 

"Oh really?" Kitsu snickered. "There is already corruption in the Steam Bison police as we speak. Why do you think the higher-ups have been keeping that Triton kid from investigating certain cases?" Then, he added in a darker, ominous tone. "That boy is too smart for his own good...He reminds me of that...brat...I've dealt with back in my home country... and he also reminded me of....that man." 

Zen, Nebula, and Reyson have no idea who the "brat" and "man" Kitsu was so bitter about, but now that he has mentioned Luke Triton, their feelings have exploded into outrage. 

"Do you fools want to avenge your leader?" Kitsu encouraged them in such a malicious manner. "You'd feel much better if you got revenge on the ones who wronged her."  

Luke was the reason why their leader was locked behind bars. If that brat hadn't interfered with their ransom of the mayor's daughter, they would have been super rich and left the dump of Steam Bison by now.

Again, if they succeeded with the kidnapping and ransom and had left the steam-powered city behind, they would have never met Suzume Mizuno, the Japanese tourist girl that Viktor had targeted for her family heirloom; the item must be worth a fortune if Viktor wanted it so badly. 

And the Great Detective Luke Triton has to interfere with Viktor's new scheme as well.

Screw that brat in the blue cap and his mentor in the top hat. They, a pair of British detective wannabes, have no business assisting the American police. 

Luke Triton and Professor Hershel Layton must pay for their nosiness.

"What is the price for your assistance?" Zen demanded, his eyes fixed on Kitsu intensely. "So, we can work together. We need to break Natasha out of that shithole she is in as soon as possible." 

"A suitcase full of cash is enough for us." Kitsu named his price, looking at Zen's open suitcase. "Yours." 

"You got yourself a deal." Zen closed his suitcase and handed it over to Kitsu. "Now, shall we get to the plan?" 

"Thank you for the cooperation, sir." Kitsu bowed his head politely as his men did the same. He snapped his fingers at his men. "My men, lower your guns, and join us for a chat." 

As Kitsu's men placed their machine guns down and sat on the sofa, Nebula and Reyson just looked at each other, still wondering if Zen had given in to a third party's help too easily. Well, anything to break a friend out of prison, they do think.

Zen, Nebula, and Reyson could not wait for Luke's and Layton's reactions to the whole prison break; it'd be so satisfying to see.