MIDAS'S APARTMENT – NIGHT – POURING RAIN
The building shook at its foundations. Silva jolted awake. Amélie, in the next room, opened her eyes wide.
"Midas…"
They ran out. The walls were punctured. The roof was caved in. Rain poured in in waves.
Midas stood in the middle of the living room, his arms golden, his body covered in bruises.
In front of him, a rabbit. A stuffed animal. A two-meter-tall plush toy with oversized paws, empty eyes, and a stitched-on smile.
"Stay back," Midas ordered.
Silva wanted to move forward. Amélie held her back.
"He said not to interfere."
Silva clenched her fists but stepped back.
In the street, under a streetlamp, a figure watched.
Perfecto. He was smiling.
That's it, my king. Show me what you can do.
---
THE FIGHT – IN THE RAIN
The rabbit attacked. Its giant paws hammered the ground. Each impact carved a crater. Midas dodged. Rolled. Got up. His golden body chipped under the blows.
"You took my men," the rabbit growled.
CRACK.
"You took my territory."
CRACK.
"You took my business."
CRACK.
"So now… I'm going to take your life."
Beneath the plush toy, a face.
A face that was smiling.
An immense, disproportionate, almost psychotic smile.
Flashback.
---
YEARS AGO – THE AMARU HOUSEHOLD
Amaru was small. His brother was big. A hero. Or at least, he wanted to become one.
"Never stop smiling."
That was his request. His brother was leaving. He was joining the Association.
Amaru smiled. He always smiled. For him.
Then the calls became rare. Then the news, bad.
One day, the answering machine lit up.
"I can't take it anymore. Mr. Gambete this, Mr. Gambete that… I'm paranoid. I'm hysterical. They're breaking me, Amaru. They're breaking me."
Amaru listened. Once. Twice. He listened to the message again and again, until the answering machine's battery died.
He didn't cry. He smiled.
An immense smile. A deranged smile.
He would become the worst enemy of the Association. To avenge his brother.
He would keep smiling. Forever.
End of flashback.
---
BACK TO THE PRESENT
Midas's arm transformed. The gold stretched, sharpened, became a blade.
He slashed.
The plush toy split in two.
Amaru appeared. A young man, his face scarred, his eyes wild. A wide smile, broad as a scar.
Midas recognized him.
"Would you happen to be… from Mr. Gambete's family?"
Amaru didn't answer.
His leg spun.
It cleanly cut off Midas's left arm.
"AAAARGH!"
Midas collapsed. Blood sprayed. He put one knee on the ground.
Amaru raised his foot to crush him.
Midas rolled. The foot sank into the ground. A crater. A gash appeared on Midas's brow.
The fight continued. Blows rained down. Midas could barely hold on.
Amaru did an acrobatic flip, landed on Midas's shoulder. Midas spat a stream of blood.
The kick shot out.
But Midas was no longer there.
He was behind.
He struck.
Amaru dodged.
His leg cut off the second arm.
"AAARGH!"
Midas had lost both arms.
But he didn't fall.
His gold pushed forward. From his stumps, golden blades erupted. Blood. Gold. Willpower.
He leaped.
His golden blade slashed.
Amaru grabbed his heart.
His own heart.
He crushed it against Midas's golden hand.
The Golden Touch activated.
Gold spread. Over Amaru's hand. Over his arm. Over his chest. Over his face.
His smile froze. Permanently.
Amaru was a statue.
---
ON THE DOCKS – A BOAT
Midas was panicking. His body bled. His stumps burned.
"Where am I going to hide this body?"
A voice behind him.
"I have a plan."
Perfecto. He held a moored boat.
They climbed aboard. Perfecto took the helm. The engine coughed, then purred.
They moved across the black water. The rain kept falling.
Perfecto helped Midas push the statue.
It tipped. The gold struck the water.
It sank.
Midas watched the last bubbles disappear.
"Perfecto."
Perfecto turned.
"Let this stay between us. All of this must remain secret."
Perfecto smiled. A Machiavellian smile.
"Yeees. We're bound now."
Midas looked at him.
In the pale light of dawn, the long nose, the gleaming eyes.
What have I done?
He didn't know it yet.
But he had just sold his soul.
---
TO BE CONTINUED…