"I… don't know myself," the woman admitted, her gaze flicking toward the window. "From what I heard, Carter was married. Everything was normal at first. Then… his wife reported him to court—with strong evidence. Enough to destroy him."
Ron's expression hardened. "What about Locki?"
"Locki?" She hesitated. "I have no idea why he was taken into custody. No one's saying anything."
Ron's eyes widened slightly. "Alright… thanks, ma'am."
He stood, dropped a few bills on the table, and walked out of the café. The afternoon light hit his face as he scrolled through his phone.
Then he froze.
Breaking News:
Bruce… died in an accident two years ago.
Ron stared at the screen, his reflection trembling in the glass window beside him.
"Bruce?" he whispered.
He immediately changed direction, heading toward Bruce's base. His footsteps echoed through the empty street.
Halfway there, something on a crumbling wall caught his eye—a tattered poster fluttering in the wind.
WANTED: BILLY
Reward: 1,000,000,000,000
Responsible for the death of multi-trillionaire Bruce.
Ron's jaw tightened. His heartbeat pounded in his ears.
"Bruce is dead?" he muttered under his breath. "No… no way. He was too strong to die like that."
He looked up, eyes burning with disbelief.
"And who the hell is Billy?"
Ron couldn't believe what he was seeing.
He soared through the air, gazing down at Bruce's city — silent, lifeless, almost frozen in time. Without wasting another second, he turned and flew toward DA's house.
The place sat far away from everything — a lonely structure swallowed by wilderness. The roof was half-collapsed, windows shattered, ivy crawling up the walls. It looked like it hadn't been touched in centuries.
Ron landed softly and knocked on the door. No response.
He knocked again. Nothing.
After several tries, frustration built up in his chest. Then he remembered the old man's words —
"DA may also be in another dimension."
Ron sighed and stepped back. There was no point waiting.
He returned to his own house, opened the door, and sank into the sofa. The silence pressed against him. His mind replayed everything he'd seen — the headlines, the arrests, the disappearances — trying to find a pattern.
He thought until the sun dipped below the horizon.
Nothing made sense.
Then he glanced at the clock.
"Carter's trial must be over," he muttered.
Ron stood, grabbed his coat, and headed for Carter's mansion.
The moment he arrived, he felt it — the air was thick with tension. The place looked more like a high-security prison than a home.
Armed guards surrounded the gate, surveillance drones buzzed overhead, and energy barriers shimmered faintly in the air.
As Ron approached, a guard stepped in front of him.
"No visitors allowed."
"I'm his old friend," Ron said calmly. "I came from far away. Just give me ten minutes with him."
The guard hesitated. "I'll ask my boss."
Before Ron could say anything, the guard's phone rang. He answered, nodded, then looked back.
"The boss has allowed it."
Inside, the house was crawling with cameras, sensors, and security equipment.
Ron's eyes landed on Carter — sitting quietly on the living room couch, a shadow of the man he once knew.
"Long time no see, Carter," Ron said, stepping forward.
Carter looked up slowly. "You shouldn't have come here."
"Why?" Ron asked.
Carter's tone darkened. "Me, Locki, and everyone connected to us are being targeted. You heard about Bruce, didn't you?"
"Yes. I saw the news — said he died in a car accident."
Carter chuckled bitterly. "Bruce? A man who fought monsters? You think a simple accident killed him? He was always prepared."
Ron frowned. "What do you mean?"
"'Accident' was just a cover-up," Carter said, leaning closer. "Locki knew something was wrong. He reopened the case, found real proof. But the next day, he was arrested. They framed him — said he was working with the enemy."
Ron lowered his head, silent.
After a moment, he said quietly, "And you… I heard you remarried?"
Carter nodded. "Yes."
"May I ask why?"
Carter exhaled, his voice heavy. "Because of my family. I had no children, and I own too much. After I die, what happens to all this? My mother is old, and I have three sisters — they can't handle this empire alone. So I remarried."
He clenched his fists, eyes darkening.
"But that was the worst decision of my life."
Ron's brows furrowed. "Why? What happened?"
"She was a traitor."
Before Carter could continue, a voice interrupted.
"Excuse me, sir — your time is up," a guard said sharply. "You were allowed because you came from far away. From now on, please avoid contacting Carter. He's a criminal."
Ron's jaw tightened. "He's not. Your higher-ups are the real criminals," he muttered under his breath.
Only Carter heard him.
As Ron turned to leave, Carter called out, his voice trembling slightly.
"Ron… please. Take care of my mother and my three little sisters."
Ron looked back, eyes steady, and gave a single nod.
Then he walked out — the heavy doors closing behind him.