It had been a couple of hours of so since he had last did that job for Gerard. To say the least, catching the boar was quite easy, so easy that Zanto had wandered if the sickness also weakened wild animals? Lying on his back in the bed, he would wonder if Gerard had figured out what happened yet, if not, the he would have to leave Baska once again. He wasn’t about to stay in a town that had been swept by one of the Four Horsemen. There was a evil plague in Baska and he wasn’t about to catch it. Currently, it was around 6pm, so he was about to head in the bathroom and take a shower, but of course he could never get any rest while in Baska. Just as he was about to go into the bathroom of his room, he would hear a knock at the door. Changing his direction, he would come to move towards the door to see who could be outside to annoy him today. He had been getting quite a lot of people coming in and out due to how fast he completed quests. Now he just wanted to know who it was wanted him to complete a quest nearing night time.

Opening the door, he would see that it had been the same maid who had give him the letter from Gerard the last time. She was quite cute, but Zanto didn’t settle for low girls. He needed someone of class. Not someone who worked as a hotel maid. He didn’t have anything against them, it was just something that he didn’t prefer. “What can I do for you today?” Asked Zanto as the maid would produce yet another letter. “It’s from Dr. Gerard, he says it is urgent.” Said the made as she would take off back down the hallway. It always seemed like there was a matter of urgency with Gerard, he just wandered what it was this time and what he would have to do to stop it. The letter, unlike the last one appeared to be quite a bit rushed, so it seemed like this indeed was a matter of urgency.

Gripping the letter, he would go to plop on the bed as he would break the seal on it. The letter would say:

Zanto, meet me in the alley near the Town House, tell no one!”

Now, Gerard was a pretty selfless guy. What could he be doing late at night hiding in alleyways. Zanto would only smirk. His complex mind making him want to investigate what was happening in Baska. If the doctor was hiding in alleyways, then it would have to be something important. Putting on his usual clothing, Zanto would make his way out of the door as he would prepare yet again for another quest. A quest that would unfold the town of baska like a blanket that had been wrapped up for a new born baby. It was up to for not folding it back up.

WC: 513

As he walked out of the door of the hotel, Zanto would begin the short distance walk to the Town House. It was around the corner from the hotel and if he laced himself, night would fall upon them just as he got to it. As he walked, he would slowly think about what Gerard was doing. Had he found out was happening with the plague? If so, why meet and secret? Why not just tell the people and have them prepare more efficiently for it? Though, Gerard like Zanto was a complex man. A man who cared greatly for the world. If he wanted to meet a man like Zanto in the night, then it would be of huge importance.

Soon, Zanto would near the alleyway by the townhouse and see a mysterious figure leaning up against the wall in the alley. He had on some pretty basic clothing and a hat that gave him more of a shady look. Walking into the alley, Gerard would look up at him as he would say “This is a matter of urgency.” There would be a slight pause as Zanto would nod. “What exactly can I do for you that wasn’t in the letter Gerard?” Asked the Red Head. Curious as to what the doctor had planned for him this time. The doctor would shift his fingers, telling Zanto to come closer as he would say “I need someone with your particular set of skills to do something for me. I really don’t want this coming back to me as I might die.” Said the Doctor as he had a look of dispair on his face. Zanto would refrain from smirking, it seemed like the doctor was about to grant him with a very interesting task. Something he had never had in the town of baska.

“Years ago, people were hired for a mining event. Most of those people being members of the Cold Collier’s Gang. The leader holds resentment from what has happened in the past and I believe he has a lot to do with the plague that has affected my town. Many men had died in the mining accident, but to affect the people of the town is something outrageous and something that I will not tolerate. Never had I thought that they would be capable of something like this ever.” Said Gerard as he seemed a bit angry. Zanto had ignored most of Gerard’s words, as he would wandering if the man him to take out the gang or simply investigate. He would prefer taking them out since they were messing with his place of residence, but whatever for the doctor’s boat. Staring at Gerard, Zanto could feel the anger and wrath flowing from his body. It seemed like the kind and caring doctor had some characteristics that were equally displeasing. And it had only taken something as big as a plague to release them from their cell in his complex mind.

WC: 500

There would be a pause after Gerard had explained the past of the gang. Zanto wandered what was going on in the doctor’s mind as whatever he would say next would be the changing course for the whole town. Zanto didn’t think the man was lying, from working with him. Zanto knee that Gerard wouldn’t lie to him and if he was out doing something like this. There had to be a sense of truthfulness somewhere in the hay. Now if it was the full truth he didn’t know, but he wouldn’t take it with a grain of salt as Gerard had come to be one of his great acquaintances.

“The source of the plague has originated from a large water source in Baska. Where all of the town’s water supply is located. It’s why mostly everyone has been affected, save for those who prefer distilled water purchased from the stores over the natural water gifted to them by the river. Though, this river isn’t in the open. It is hidden deep inside of a cave on the outskirts of Baska. It’s pretty hard to find due to the force of the water that comes from the river blocking anything from getting in, but I’m sure the Cold Collier’s gang has found a way to do it and I’m sure you can to. Find your way into the cave and report the findings back to me. I need to know if my hypothesis is true.” Said Gerard as he would disappear back into the night.

Zanto would simply nod, hide and gather intel seemed to be the mission and he didn’t want to fail it. Gerard always payed him a quite amount of jewels and he didn’t want the opportunity to be taken away from him. The man had left coordinates for Zanto to follow. Beginning his journey, Zanto would head to the outer edge of the town as he would need to get to the water source and see if the Cold Collier’s Gang was indeed polluting the waters of Baska. It would take about ten minutes, but he had gotten to the river itself, it seemed to be flowing from a mountain. And mountains had a large natural source of water due to the ice. So, he wasn’t surprised to the cave had been located here. Taking his time, he would walk up the side of the mountain, making his way pass the stream.

Fish jumped out of the water, but the jumping was erratic. With each jump, they seemed to want to jump onto land. The look on their faces seemed vicious as if they wanted to make Zanto their next feast. Were fish even carnivores? He would shiver a little at the thought of a fish eating him. Continuing his way up stream, he would hear a rushing noise coming from the opening in the mountain. He was sure that this was the cave. Now he just had to figure out how he was going to get in it.

WC: 510

For about ten minutes, he sat at the stream. Wandering how he was going to get into the cave before he realized that the stream was just something to throw people off. Upon walking more up the mountain, there had seemed to be a hatch at the top of the cave and it was open. Going to it, he would climb down it slowly, trying hard not to make any noise as he didn’t want whoever was down there to hear him. Soon, he would reach the bottom where he would go and hide behind some metal pipes. Voices could be heard as one would say “The boss is really smart. Poisoning the source of the water was a good move. Those idiots villagers still don’t know what is hitting them. If the animals don’t kill them, then the plague surely will.” Said a deep voice. Peeping over the box, Zanto would see the man dump a huge gallon of green flowing liquid into the pool of water. It would make a hissing sound as the water turned green for a moment then went back its natural color.

So, it had seemed like the doctor had been right all along. Now he would just need to report these finding back to him before the situation got even more worse. The gang members would come to disappear back up the hatch, not even noticing the eavesdropping Zanto as they made their way pass him. Upon hearing the hatch close, Zanto would make his way up the ladder and see that the hatch could only be opened from the outside. He would sigh because he thought he was stuck, but then he had realized that the only way out was through the river itself. He wasn’t scared of the power of the river, because he knew how to swim and he could breath very long in the water. It was just the thought of getting affected with the plague that had yet to affect him and a small amount of other people in the town.

He would begin running, as he would dive into the pool of water. The forces of the water as if magnetic would pull him under and through a large hole at the bottom. Moving him from side to side as he would make his way out of the cave and into the world outside. Soon, the water would become weaker, allowing him to swim upwards. Swimming to the surface, he would see that he was about 10 meters outside of the cave. Swimming to the shore of the river, he would pull himself over. Regaining his composure a little, he would begin running back to the town. Soon he would arrive and meet Gerard back at the place that they had first met. His run had dried him off somewhat, but he still looked a bit wet. Seeing Gerard, Zanto would say “The Gang is indeed affecting the town’s water supply. You have to hurry if you want to stop them. They’re pouring some type of green flowing liquid into the water.” Said Zanto as there would be a pause of silence. Gerard would nod before giving Zanto the bag of jewels.

WC: 550