The echoes of gun shots firing afar startled Surveil the cat from his slumber. He's used to it, but this time, it sounded differently.

Perhaps it's due to the evening's silence? No. He thought.

There's also this odd chill that crawls from his spine through his tail. Perhaps it's the cold breeze? No. It felt different.

He suddenly thought of his master who made his evening business (as usual). He's quite late. This never happened before. Concerned, he walked near by the main door, hoped and waited for it to move open and see his master greeting him with meat buns in hand..

Or perhaps someone else does..

- What happened, cat?

The cat didn't noticed me, as it was too worried about something I couldn't understand.

It looked at me with its lost eyes...

- Oh, dear... - this cat was looking really sad - do you want to say something?

I sat near on grass.

- I will not understand, as you are a cat, but if you will feel better...

I found a part of sandwich in my pocket. I unwrapped it and found piece of ham inside.

- Here - I threw it in the cat direction.

Vanbrilliance returned from his trip, half-crazy with the murderous rage in the streets. He met with ol' reliable Jaime Soto and gave him instructions to find 'specific' meat sources. After that, Van decided to pay Sceadu - his old comrade - a visit. 

When he reached Sceadu's home, Van felt a shadowy cloak of mystery...it feels like the embrace of death. Nearby, he saw a mysterious looking girl in a blue and white dress. She smiled wryly; Van smiled back and turned his attention to the figure shuffling towards a ham sandwich on the grass. Ham sandwich. He made a mental note to create Durden sandwiches next. 

"Surveil?" Van muttered. He just gazed at the approaching cat - the cat gazed back.

The wind howled. A wall of silence drastically enveloped the three souls.

**

I raised my eyes to see a man which stopped nearly.

I didn't know him.

- Oh, hi - I said as silence started to be uncomfortable - you know this cat?

Silver's eyes rolled when he saw the door opened gently. Thought it's his master. But a dazzling figure smiled upon him. He's not familiar with the lady and Her scent was quite sweet as the butter cakes of his master's favorite coffee shop. Surveil snatched the offered piece of sandwich and devour it completely. 

Nyayayaa~: (An expression of delight)

He rolled over MaryBlue and purred. She pat his head and Surveil snuggled at her lap.

Then another shady figure showed-up. It's juicy meat scent is familiar. MEAT BUNS! He's sure of it. He rushed to Van's location looked up to him like waiting for his waiting for his all time favorite meal. 

Vanbrilliance turned to the lady. He smiled gallantly.

"Hello. Sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Mr. Brilliance. How about you, fine lady?" Van spoke. "This cat, if I'm not mistaken, is known as Surveil. He is my friend's ever-loyal cat, though I know little about him...or his 'furry' capabilities. I just remembered that my friend, Sceadu, told me that Surveil is bound to make changes and carve stories in this great Life of ours."

Van patted Surveil's head and took out a piece of meat bun from his leather pouch. The bun is still hot and fresh. Surveil nibbled at the bun happily, just like what he did to the sandwich.

**

From a distance, hidden by shadows cast due to a broken streetlight, I just watched the scene unfold.

I've not seen him pal

Maybe he's with that cow I disappeared though?

Just a thought.

Van quickly shifted his gaze to the shadowy part of Sceadu's lot. The shrubbery seems to hide something...or someone. The broken streetlight concealed whatever entity is hidden there. Could it be a hitter, ready to determine his life? Or perhaps is it Death Incarnate ready to unleash a wave of crazed Durdens? 

Surveil stopped purring and stared at the location of the 'shadowy' being. Even the lady stood up. 

"A gift for you, friend!!" Van exclaimed. With force, he took a meat bun and flung it across...it landed with a 'squish' on the pavement. No movement from the shadows.

**

I watched on as this strange-looking man started talking to a cat, even calling it "pal".

"He must be high on crack...", I thought to myself.

As I ignored the crack-head, I watched on and noticed the guy holding the meat-buns stare at my location.

Without a word, he tossed a meat-bun towards me, but it landed a few feet short.

I shook my head with disgust. "What a waste of good food, he should have just fed it to the starving cat.", I told myself.

- Who is there? - I asked myself, or maybe Mr. Brilliance or maybe... this thing in the shadow. Whatever it is...

My mind showed me terrible imagination of death from the shadow...

"Not again..."

I looked at Mr. Brilliance to check if he is afraid of THIS

My eyes shifted to the girl on the grass. I sensed she was being troubled by my presence.

I realized that I may already be sticking my nose into someone else's business, so, as quietly as I came, I sneaked out and high-tailed it out of there.

Wondered for Van's actions, Silver took a peak at the nearby window and saw two figures from the shadow. When Van threw a piece of meat bun towards their direction. The scene seemed running slow motion as Surveil watched the meat bun glide through the air. Water filled his mouth as tears run down from his eyes thinking of that poor meat bun. Quite intense, he thought.

When the other figure shook it's head, Van snorted and MaryBlue seemed to be concerned about whats going on. Confused, Surveil ran to snatch his purse of tools and handed it over to Van.

"Nya~o!"

Surveil rolled his eyes to Van.

"Hhmm?"

Van check the contents of the purse and got surprised. It's full of god damn explosives! Home-made barrel bombs! He looked at Surveil and was amazed that the cat was just smirking like a human. Van then turned to MaryBlue with a confused look.

- What are these - I asked Mr. Brilliance.

These little items looked... like anything I saw before.

But the man next to me all of sudden turned pale...

- Are you ok? You are not looking good... Hey Surveil, are these your toys?

"Nyaaoo~n!"

~Smirked~

The excitement can be felt on Surveil's expression as he respond to MaryBlue's question. He then looked up to Van, expecting something to happen.

Van smirked and turned to MaryBlue, the lady. Surveil feels more excited as moments pass.

"These barrel bombs are masterpieces of Surveil! We are going to shape America with these...these home-made bombs capable of shredding a Durden into pieces. Sceadu once told me about the usefulness of these bombs." Van took one barrel bomb and stared at the location of the shadow. If the meat bun failed, the barrel bomb will not. Maybe the shadow is a Durden. Maybe not.

"A gift! For the love of God!!" Vanbrilliance flung the bomb with the force of a Sicilian brute. As the bomb flew in the air, MaryBlue covered her ears and waited for the impending destruction. Surveil leaped in excitement and prepared himself to throw another bomb.

**

Jumping like a maniac, Silver's adrenaline rushes all through his body. Always get hyped when explosions and all that is already involved in situations like these.

Then in just a blink of an eye, a massive explosion cuts the evening silence.

But it was not the explosion that got Silver shocked the hell out of him and almost made him piss on his underwear. It was the scene unfolding from the smoke of explosion! Out of the nowhere came a man who proclaimed himself as, "The Cat Man!"

(Batman soundtrack playing on the background)

Silver shook his head several times just to make sure it's not his favorite prime time cartoon character standing across the street! Just right before his eyes! He quickly grabbed the "Cat Man" fan made banner and waved it side-by-side to get the Cat Man's attention.

Van and MaryBlue just looked at each other with a more confused look than before..

Van watched Surveil wave his makeshift banner. Meanwhile, the renowned 'Cat-Man' is surrounded by smoke caused by the barrel bomb. MaryBlue noticed that police sirens are whirring in the distance. Instead of worrying, however, everyone seems transfixed at the mysterious superhero emerging from the smoke. Everything seems weird and hazy, just like the montage of a dream.

Van ripped his shirt open. "Cat-Man, if you are real, then let me show you my Sicilian buns!!!"

"Mr.Brilliance..." MaryBlue spoke softly, as if planning to stop Van from doing something...strange.

"Yes?" Van turned to the lady, his eyes twinkling. 

Surveil, on the other hand, is still excited with Cat-Man's appearance. Is it real? Or just a fragment of a dream gone haywire? Or maybe it has something to do with the barrel bomb. 

All three breathed heavily...waiting.

**