Doctor Richard grabbed Lady Camilla's hair and dragged her on the ground. Barb Malley tried to intervene but ended up getting kicked on the chest. He fell to the ground with a grunt, then coughed out blood.

Doctor Richard released Lady Camilla and crouched beside Barb. "I don't want to kill you, Barb. You're not my enemy." He watched the tycoon have a coughing fit while blood dribbled down the corners of his mouth. "You should have cut ties with this city once you heard the wings were missing. I guess you were more than happy to get Lady Camilla instead, weren't you? I mean, who wouldn't. She's beautiful."

He stood and turned to the duchess. "Your previous husband killed my mother, and you protected him." He smacked her face with the back of his hand. Lady Camilla hit the ground, blood running out of her eyes, nose, and mouth. "I wanted you to feel the same pain I felt, but the mercenary failed to do the simplest task."

He pressed his foot on her throat. Lady Camilla scratched his legs, struggling to breathe. But Doctor Richard had planted it firmly.

"For years I watched you get everything you desired: Power, money, and control. And with those three, you influenced the court to clear your husband's name."

"What–What are yo–you talking about?" Lady Camilla asked.

"Oh, you don't remember?" He pressed his foot harder. "Over twenty-five years ago, your late husband had a mistress. But you knew that. Father told me you did. When the mistress wanted to leave him, he murdered her. And when it was time for him to pay for his crime, you told the jury..."

He bit the inside of his cheeks, and tears welled in his eyes. The thought of repeating what Lady Camilla had said about his mother burned his heart. How could someone be so heartless towards another? Weren't people created to love and protect each other?

"You told the jury, and I quote, 'Why would my husband leave a beautiful and powerful woman like me and go for a low-life rat like her?'"

"I–I didn't know."

"It doesn't matter. Even if she wasn't my mother, she could have been someone else's."

"I apologize."

Doctor Richard laughed, then wiped off the tears streaming down his face. "You apologize? Do I look like I came here seeking an apology?" He snarled. "I came here to burn your accomplishments. The only way someone like you will learn is if you get treated how you treat others."

"Is that what this is all about? You want to kill me?"

"Kill you?" Doctor Richard cackled then rubbed back his curls. "I won't kill you. You just got married. You need to live with your husband and have a miserable life. But before that, I will make you watch as I tear Stella into pieces with my bare hands."

"I won't let you harm my daughter."

"You won't let me?" He snarled. "Who said I was seeking permission?" Without a moment of thought, he smashed his fist against her temple. Lady Camilla's head hit the ground before she laid on her back. He straddled her chest and clenched his hands. "Your. Time. At. The. Top. Has. Come. To. An. End." Each word came with a hard punch, tearing her face.

"Please, stop!" Barb shouted. "You are killing her."

Doctor Richard paused and pressed his forefinger on Lady Camilla's neck. "She's not dead," he said.

"Son," Michael called.

"What is it, Father?" Doctor Richard rubbed off the blood on his face with his sleeves. Then he stood and turned to the robot. After he had activated it, it shocked Doctor Richard at how fast his father adapted to being in the metal body.

"An airship has departed the docks in Sin City. It's heading our way."

Doctor Richard smirked. "Someone captured Don and Sky? Good for them."

"What about Stella? Do you think she'll come to save her mother?"

"I hope so."

o-o-o-o

"What's wrong?" Don asked while standing beside Sky on the upper deck.

Sky glanced at him, then looked away. She wasn't good at expressing her feelings to a stranger. Ah messed up big time.

Images of her little sister resurfaced in her mind. She saw Sandie smiling as she ate a slice of bread covered with peanut butter. Her heart ached when she remembered the bullet holes between Sandie's eyes. Ah should have taken better care of her. Ah should have been more protective. She's dead because of me.

Tears ran down her cheeks. She didn't bother wiping them off. Sandie had a lot to offer the world. She would have grown up to be an excellent mercenary. And even if she decided not to be one, Sky would have respected her decision.

"I know we've had our differences over the last couple of days, but you can talk to me about anything," Don said. "This thing that's troubling you does it have anything to do with Stella?"

What's the point of not telling him? Stella will kill me, anyway. "Ah think ah was wrongly informed about Stella killing my sister. Because of ma anger, ah didn't bother searching for the truth. Ah went after Stella because she was an easy target. Ah never hated her, but ah needed someone to feel ma pain."

"I understand," Don said. "Honestly, I would do the same if I was in your shoes. Family is the only thing we have. And if we lose that, then we end up alone in this terrible world. And nobody wants to be alone."

Sky felt the pain in his words. "Ya family was murdered?"

"I never knew mine." He gave a light chuckle. "I grew up in an orphanage before getting kicked out for stealing other kids' food. Later I joined the fighting pits, and then I met Pipi. He became my family."

"Wow," Sky said.

"I know, right. I have a sad childhood."

"No, it's not that. Ah just realized ya have been a bad thief since ya were a child."

Don laughed. "It seems so."

For a few seconds, neither of them said a word. Don stared at the sky, while Sky looked at him. His eyes sparkled. She had seen it before, back at the auction when he had asked her for a mask.

"What–" A massive explosion rocked the airship before Sky finished her sentence. The airship tilted to the side, and Don slid away from her. "Don!" She reached for his hand, but she was too late.

Luckily, Don grabbed onto the railing and hung for dear life. "I don't want to die," he said. The airship returned to its original position, and Sky pulled him to safety. "Thanks. I owe you one," Don said.

"Ya better not forget it," Sky said. She then nudged Don's arm and pointed at the sky. "Look." A black military-grade airship like theirs hovered above them. On its side, it had the initials A.E.C painted in white. "Admiral Edge Carlton," she muttered.

"What does he want?" Ono said, appearing behind them.

"Hand over Don and Sky!" Edge's voice came through the large speaker on the front part of his airship. "Refuse, and I will destroy you. You have a minute to decide."

"What does he want with us?" Don asked.

"It must be Mother's doing," Stella said while standing beside Ono. "I won't be surprised if she sent him to capture you two."

"Doesn't he know what's going on in Virtue City?" Don asked. "Everyone can see it's burning." He pointed at the floating city. Fire enveloped its buildings, making the city glow.

"I don't think he cares," Stella said.

"Well then, there's only one thing to do," Ono said.

"Please, don't tell me we're fighting him," Don moaned.

Ono smiled, then said, "Everyone, gather all your weapons. We're going to war."