Fatal Mistake

TNF stories.

TW//Angst, Major Character Death, Criminal

“Yon?” Caine noticed Rion, his best friend gathered with several TNF kids in the living room of the wine house. They looked tense, and the atmosphere around them was heavy. He could sense something was amiss between them.

Rion, seeing Caine descend the stairs, neatly dressed in his EMS uniform, immediately cleared his throat. “You gonna get going now, Caine?”

Caine narrowed his eyes, eyeing that purple-haired friend of him suspiciously. Then he looked at Key, Ruby, Selia, Gabe, Riji, and Zero, who were sitting around the living room sofa. They all looked serious, dressed all in black. And from their slightly disheveled appearance, Caine could immediately tell that they, including Rion, had just returned home.

“What is it? Is there something wrong?” Caine asked, looking at Rion and the kids in front of him one by one.

Rion immediately shook his head. “Nothing. We just need to discuss something. You can go, Caine. Nothing serious happened.”

Caine’s eyebrows rose, not immediately believing his best friend’s words. Honestly, he had been feeling something was off for the past few months. Rion and several TNF kids often went out together, dressed all in black. But it was never clear where they were going. Caine never tried to interfere, because since TNF officially ceased activities and the kids were free, Caine felt he no longer had any control over anything they did, including Rion. He and Rion were bestfriends, but that didn’t mean he had to be involved in every one of Rion’s affairs, and vice versa.

But lately, things have been strange. Caine can clearly sense the tension at home. Some of his children always seem on guard. And Caine instinctively recognizes that atmosfer. It feels like when the TNF was at war with another criminal group in the past. To the point where Caine can almost guess that Rion and some of his children must be involved in some kind of conflict and its connected to a crime activity. Caine may no longer be the head of the largest criminal family in the city, but experience never lies. Caine can guess that Rion must have brought his children back into the criminal world. And now they’re facing a problem.

"Are you sure there's nothing wrong?"

"Yup. Don't worry much, Caine." Rion grinned. He seemed to really not want Caine to interfere.

Caine could sense that Rion really didn't want him to know about their problems. So even though he suspected something was wrong, he chose not to inquire further. To him, as long as they didn't do anything too dangerous, there wasn't a significant problem.

"Okay, I'm going to the hospital now. Bye, guys," Caine said, smiling slightly at his children.

"Bye, Mih!" Key waved with a smile.

"Mih, dinner with Ruby tonight!"

"I’ll leave Noy with Marchie later. If you want to play with Noy, you can meet her at the hospital, okay, Mi!"

Caine chuckled, nodding in agreement. Then he walked out of the house to get to work.

Rion watched his friend disappear behind the door. Then he sighed heavily as he looked back at the children in front of him.

"Don't let Caine find out."

"But I think Mami already know about it, Pi." Selia glanced toward the door for a moment.

"Yeah, Mami seemed suspicious earlier."

"But Caine wouldn’t interfered if I didn’t asked him. He knows how not to overstep boundaries." Rion massaged his forehead gently, "and I think it’s safer for Caine if he doesn’t know anything. This is our conflict with The Bears. As Darkwire, not TNF. So Caine has nothing to do with this."

The children in front of Rion immediately nodded in understanding.

Rion cleared his throat, his expression returning to serious. "Now let’s get ready. I’m sure The Bears will attack tonight. We’ll finish them all off, once and for all, tonight."

"Ready, kids."

“Yeahhh!!"

Rion grinned as he saw the excited children in front of him, seemingly impatient for the excitement to come. The extermination of the Bears, a criminal group that had become their enemy after the attack on a major bank during Darkwire robbery scene. Rion was excited too. He couldn’t wait, anticipating the tension of the war to come.

This was why Rion could never truly quit the criminal world. Why Rion invited some of his children to form Darkwire and resume illegal activities. The tension, excitement, and adrenaline of all the conflicts in the underworld, the fun things he could only experience as part of the underworld. All of that made him feel alive.

Unlike Caine, who now chooses a normal life. That’s why Rion never invited his best friend to join Darkwire. Rion knows Caine is already comfortable with his life now, and he wants him to continue living peacefully as an EMS, protected from all the dangers of the underworld after struggling to build a quiet life. Let him remain the only one known as a criminal, because he is.

Tonight, Rion will ensure the slaughter of all his enemies. He will show no mercy.

“Down 1!”

“Down 2! Down 2!”

“Car on the right, pih!”

“Shoot the tires!”

“There are 4 people on the left, Ji!!”

“Riji, help Key on the right!”

“Roger!!”

“Down 2 more!”

“The last car fled towards Shandy Shores!”

“Chase them!!”

War broke out in the night. As Rion suspected, Darkwire immediately encountered the Bears as soon as they left their base. The battle broke out on the street. Gunfire was inevitable, with chases, brushing shoulders, and exchanges of fire. The Bears were superior in numbers, but the young gang was easily defeated by experience. Their opponents were a group whose members were veterans of the underworld. A fatal move, as these veterans were led by Rion Kenzo, the man who had held the title of commander of the left toll road in his heyday.

"A silver sedan is cornered on the SS cliff, Pih!"

"That’s Jones' car, Pih! Jones and David, the leader and vice-leader of the Bears, are positive there!"

"Chase them! Corner them! Don’t let them escape! I’m almost there!" Rion shouted over the radio. His foot pressed the accelerator faster after Gabe killed the last enemy on the motorcycle following them.

"Roger!!"

"Its an easy win," Gabe smiled with satisfaction, reloading the Eagle dessert on his hand.

Rion grinned, "It's class. This much is easy." He then laughed.

He arrived at the intended location, where the car of the Bears' leader and vice leader was cornered at the edge of a cliff. The crashing of waves could be heard below, making the two men beside the car even more looked miserable. Both men held their guns taut, facing Riji, Selia, Key, and the other Darkwire members who had surrounded them with their weapons.

Rion and Gabe got out of the car, smiling triumphantly at the sight of then two arrogant men in front of them, now helplessly cornered.

"How is it? Are you happy to see your members die tonight?" Rion asked, fiddling with the gun in his hand.

Jones, the man with short hair and tattoos covering his entire face, gritted his teeth in anger. His hand clenched a python.

"Fuck you, Mr. Nobody." An angry hiss erupted.

“Fuck me?” Rion laughed evilly, “Well, at least now you know how fucked up you’re.”

“Damn, hahaha!”

David, the Bears leader standing next to Jones, spat. “Tch!”

“Oh, you little—”

“Patience, Be.” Riji pushed Gabe away, who was on the verge of getting angry. “Why get so worked up over someone who’s about to die?”

“Yeah, just leave them be. When else can they act so arrogant?” Ruby laughed.

Rion signaled for his children to calm down. Then he took a step forward, undaunted even though the two enemies in front of him were still pointing their guns. What did he have to fear? The Darkwire members surrounding them.

“I gave you a chance, but you and your group got big-headed.”

“You think we’ll bow down to you? Damn it! we’re better off dead!” Jones scoffed.

"So, we'll grant your wish." Rion raised his hand, "Your chance is over."

"You'll regret this for the rest of your life, Rion Kenzo." David's red eyes blazed with anger. "Bears and I may die here, but you'll lose something most precious!"

Rion laughed, staring intently at the two men in front of him. "Really? I'll wait." He turned to his men. "Kill them."

The crack of gunfire was immediately heard. Followed by two lifeless bodies falling down the cliff. The sound of crashing waves swallowed two men who had once been Rion Kenzo's enemies. The smell of gunpowder that night marked the end of the criminal group known as the Bears. Now only a name remained after all their members had been wiped out by the brutality of the war with Darkwire.

Rion turned back to his car, followed by Gabe and the other boys. They returned to their respective cars, preparing to leave the scene after having thoroughly slaughtered all the Bears members.

Rion smiled lopsidedly, stepped on the gas pedal, and without hesitation, rammed Jones and David's car, which had remained behind, causing it to bounce off the cliff and crash hard into the sea before sinking.

"Let’s go to the wine house," Rion ordered, gazing contentedly out at the ocean.

Upon arriving at the wine house, Rion and the other children, who had already changed into their normal clothes, were immediately surprised to see Marchie, Mako, Iana, Gin, Glen, Bimo, and several other children gathered in front of the house. They looked chaotic and restless. Rion’s instincts immediately kicked in, sensing something was wrong.

"What are you guys doing?" Rion asked as he got out of the car and approached the children with the others.

Gin was the first to respond, looking uneasy. "Hey, have you seen Mami?"

"Caine?" Rion frowned, "What's wrong with him?"

"Didn’t Mami go to the hospital this morning?" Selia asked, puzzled.

Gin immediately shook her head, "No, Mami didn’t go to the hospital. Mako and Marchie said Mami wasn’t at work, and I couldn’t reach him either."

"Yeah, I was surprised because Mami usually calls me if he can’t come to work." Marchie nodded.

"Oh, Caine left this morning." Rion said, remembering that his best friend had already dressed neatly in his uniform that morning.

"Yes, Mami already dressed, wearing that blue uniform."

"But Mami didn’t go to the hospital, Pih. The others and I came straight here because there was no news from him."

"I thought Mami was sick or something."

"But Mami wasn’t home." Gin looked worried. "I was home all day, Mami wasn’t here. I also know Mami went to the hospital this morning."

"I couldn’t contact him either."

For some reason, Rion immediately remembered what Jones and David had said before they died. A bad feeling immediately gripped him.

Rion turned to Riji, Selia, and the children who had been with him. And as if they were having the same thought, they immediately looked terrified.

"Find him. Find Caine. Everyone scatter," Rion commanded, quickly getting ready to return to his car. Suddenly, his thoughts were in disarray, and fear spread. He silently prayed, hoping his premonition was wrong.

Caine had never been involved in Darkwire activities, and in fact, Caine didn't even know anything about Rion's group. Rion kept his return to the underworld a secret from his best friend. So, it shouldn't be possible for the Bears or any other criminal group to know about Caine.

Rion tried to think positively, who knew if Caine was just wandering around alone and passed out somewhere. As usual. In that case, all they had to do was find the red-haired man and treat him.

Yes, that was definitely it.

But unfortunately, all of Rion’s hopes quickly dashed when he couldn’t find Caine anywhere in Noir City. All he and his children could find was Caine’s official motorcycle parked in a corner of the harbor, between two containers. The large white motorcycle, which Caine often used on his EMS duty, was neatly parked, with the key still on. There were no scratches or dents, indicating Caine had gotten off the motorcycle himself.

With no other clues nearby, Rion sent the other children to search everywhere, but to no avail. Days passed, and the search for Caine widened. Now it involved the police. Riji, Gin, and Sui mobilized the police to find the red-haired man named Caine Chana.

Rion already restless. One day, two days, he was furious because Caine hadn’t been found. Three days, four days, Rion began to fear, constantly remembering Jones and David’s warnings. He began to regret killing the entire Bears group that night. Because now, he had no one to interrogate about Caine’s whereabout. From the fifth to seventh day, Rion and the TNF members began to lose their minds. Fear, anxiety, worry, frustration, and depression filled their days. Some of the female members, Caine’s closest children, often cried. They were terrified. They were truly afraid something bad would happen to their mami.

This was especially true after hearing Jones and David's warning from Rion and the Darkwire members, who were forced to reveal their group's whereabouts out of necessity in order to obtain clues to Caine's whereabouts. The TNF members, who had become like a family, were in disarray, arguing and blaming each other. Rion managed to calm them down by stating that finding Caine was the priority right now.

The Bears' base had been destroyed, and the TNF boys searched for Caine, but found no clues. Until finally, on a beach not far from Shandy Shores, an EMS radio was found lying broken on the sand.

"It wasn’t Caine’s, was it?" Rion asked, looking tensely at Mako and Marchie, who were still examining the radio they found.

Mako and Marchie looked at each other, then back at Rion, their faces went pale.

"Its Mami’s radio, Pih."

It felt like receiving news of a death. Rion and the other boys collapsed.

Echi immediately fell into Krow’s arms, limp with fear. "Mami..."

"No... it can’t be Mami..."

Rion clenched his fists until they bled. If Caine’s radio was found on the beach, did that mean...

"WHAT?!"

Rion and the others gasped in shock, turning to Riji, who suddenly shouted into his radio. Gin, Bimo, Juna, Glen, Rakean, Thea, and the other children, who were members of the police force, also immediately went paled, their eyes wide and their faces shocked. They suddenly stiffened as if they had just heard terrible news.

Selia immediately grabbed her husband's shoulders and stared at him in confusion. "Why, Honey?"

Riji stammered, staring at Rion in horror.

"The car... Jones’s car, Pih..."

Rion frowned, "Why?"

Rion felt like he was about to hear more bad news.

"Jones' car has been pulled from the sea... and..." the tattooed boy choked. Meanwhile, Gin and his other siblings fell to the ground one by one as if losing their strength. "Inside... inside, they found a body... Mami..."

It felt like being struck by lightning. Rion felt a sudden lump in his throat. His heart stopped beating. His world suddenly went dark. He heard the worst news ever.

Jones' car.

The car he threw into the sea.

And Caine's body... was inside...

Flashback on

Caine hummed softly as he rode his motorcycle. He was heading to the hospital to begin work when he received a signal for help from his EMS radio. He checked the incoming signal and, without further ado, immediately turned back toward the port upon seeing the location of the incoming emergency patient. As an EMS officer, this was his job: helping anyone in need. It didn't matter if he hadn't arrived at the hospital that morning, just to check in or something, because, for a doctor, patient safety was paramount.

Caine arrived at the port, maneuvering his motorcycle between the containers, checking his phone and radio several times to check the patient's location. Once he found him, he immediately got off the motorcycle and ran over to the patient, who was lying on the ground with wounds to his hands and legs.

"Sir? Are you still conscious?" He crouched down and immediately checked the patient's physical condition.

"Hng..." The patient's soft groan made Caine nod slowly. The patient was still conscious, so he quickly pulled out a first aid kit from his waist pack.

Judging by the patient's condition, he most likely fell from the container; He was probably moving things, as there was a box lying nearby. The wounds on his hands and feet didn't look serious, so simple first aid would suffice.

"May I examine your hands and feet, sir?" Caine prepared to carefully lift the patient’s hands, in case there are bones broken.

"Gh... sorry... doc..."

“Huh?”

Duakk!

Caine instantly fell unconscious to the ground after being hit hard on the head from behind. For a moment, though blurry, Caine saw several people approaching with weapons in their hands. He remembered thinking “shit!” to himself as his consciousness faded.

Trouble always seems to come to find him.

Caine didn’t know how long he was unconscious, but his body jerked with shock and his consciousness immediately returned as cold water splashed to his face. His golden eyes widened in shock, especially when he realized he was strapped to the electric chair. His head spun and throbbed, the impact of the previous hard blow. But his eyes immediately cleared. He stared in shock at the world and the people before him.

“Huh…!”

“He’s awake.” One of the men in front of him, standing next to another man holding a bucket, had his hands on his hips and was smiling sarcastically. His entire face, down to his neck, was covered in tattoos.

Caine immediately frowned, confused. He didn’t recognize the person. “Wh-who…?”

Caine didn’t understand. He didn’t know this tattooed person. He didn’t know any of the people around him either. Why had they kidnapped him?

The person laughed, gripping Caine’s chin roughly. “You must be wondering why you were brought here?”

“Ugh…”

“You’re Caine Chana, right?”

Caine’s brow furrowed, "Yes... do... I know you?"

"You didn’t. It’s the first time we’ve met."

"Then why..."

An evil laugh escaped the man, roughly throwing Caine's face to the side. Caine's vision slightly dizzy. The back of his head throbbed again.

"You don’t know us. But we all know you, Caine Chana. Former TNF presidente."

Caine squinted; they knew him as TNF presidente. Did that mean they were old enemies of the TNF? But Caine didn’t remember these people at all.

"Don't worry, our problem isn't with you. It's with Rion Kenzo and Darkwire."

Caine immediately remembered how Rion and the kids had gathered in the living room of the wine house this morning. They seemed tense and suspicious. Caine could sense the conflict, but chose not to interfere because Rion didn’t seem to want him to know anything about his business. Hearing the stranger in front of him mention Rion and Darkwire’s names made Caine even more certain. That Rion had indeed returned to the criminal world with the children.

But what did that have to do with him now?

He was just an EMS officer now. A doctor with no ties to the criminal world.

"What do you want?" Caine swallowed, staring at the tattooed man in front of him with a sharp gaze. "I have no connection to Darkwire."

"You don’t have any connection to Darkwire. But you have a connection to Rion Kenzo and his children. This is revenge, poor Mr. Caine Chana." He looked at Caine with a look of mock pity. "Those shits attacked our base, slaughtered our members, so... we’re going to destroy them now."

“But I had nothing to do with that!--akgh!!”

Slap!

Caine’s head was immediately thrown to the side once more as a hard slap landed on his face. He immediately went still, the corner of his lip bleeding and slightly torn. His cheek throbbed with pain.

“No need to scream, I’m not deaf.”

“Boss, the electric chair is on, and here are the pliers you asked for.”

“Great.” A grim, sinister smile crossed the man’s lips again. He swung the pliers in his hand casually. “You may not have interfered in the conflict with Darkwire. But the fact that you’re a friend and family member of that bastard Rion is enough. Consider yourself unlucky, Caine Chana.”

Caine stared at the man in front of him with horror. He shook his head slowly, watching the pliers approach him in horror.

“don’t…”

“Just enjoy it, Caine Chana.”

“Aakkhhh!!”

Caine's body slumped limply, thrown helplessly into the trunk of the car, still tied up. The EMS uniform he wore was tattered and bloodied. His fair skin was covered in fresh open wounds and black bruises. His face was swollen and battered to the point of being almost unrecognizable, with several of his front teeth having been forcibly removed.

His usually neat red hair was half burned, covered in burns and oozing blood. His condition was horrific. Anyone who saw it would shudder in horror.

Caine didn't know how long, or how many times he screamed in pain. Torture after torture continued to rain down on his body. And now, with blurred vision and almost lost consciousness, Caine could only watch the cruel men close the trunk of the car, enveloping him in darkness and suffocation.

Caine was helpless, his breathing shallow. He could feel his body breaking apart. And the intense pain numbed his body.

During the torture, Caine remembered that demon asking several times about Rion and the children. Of course, Caine didn’t answer at all. Caine wouldn’t say anything that could harm Rion and the children, no matter what. Even if it meant his own death.

Caine thought, this is the end. He's going to die. They'll dump him somewhere, maybe bury him alive.

Rion...

He only remembered thinking about Rion and the children’s reactions if they found his body before the darkness swallowed him up again. His best friend would surely be devastated.

Caine regained consciousness when he felt the car brake harshly, his body hitting the trunk hard, and the sharp pain returned. He didn't know how long he'd been unconscious, but as soon as he heard a familiar voice from outside, his ragged breathing began to quicken.

The voices of Riji and his children.

Could they have discovered he'd been kidnapped and come to rescue him?

But again, his ears were ringing, and his consciousness seemed to waver. Caine couldn’t hear the conversation outside clearly. he don’t even have the energy to even moan or move a fingers. Caine kept thinking he had to make his presence known to Rion and Riji outside, but his body wouldn’t listen. It wouldn’t move at all, filled with pain.

Rion... I... am here...

His eyelids fluttered, starting to feel heavy. But with all his might, he tried to maintain his consciousness, which was already on the verge of collapse.

"Kill them."

Rion's voice rang out, followed by the sound of gunfire. Then, soon, there was silence. Caine had thought that Rion and the kids had finally defeated whoever kidnapped him and would soon get him out of the trunk.

But what happened next was his body being thrown inside the trunk along with a loud crash. One thought crossed his mind.

'Ah... so Rion doesn't know I'm here...'

And darkness engulfed his entire life once again.

Flashback off

"Hukk!"

"Mamii!!"

"Sob!"

Rion froze among his children, who were falling in tears and grief. He stared straight at the face visible from inside the body bag. The face was unrecognizable, swollen and his skin color was discolored badly. But that red hair was unmistakably Caine’s, his best friend.

The police only showed the head from the body bag, saying that the condition of the body, which had just been recovered from the sunken car at sea, was too appalling to look at. Yes, just from the face alone, a normal person would feel nauseous looking at the body.

But not Rion.

As soon as he recognized his friend's red hair, Rion simply stood there frozen. His world seemed to turn into a deep void. Suddenly, silence fell. His mind was racing, repeating over and over again, "No, it can't be Caine," like a maniac.

He didn't want to believe that his best friend, Caine Chana, had died in such a tragic way. His friend, who had been missing for almost a week, couldn't possibly be found, only a body that was no longer recognizable.

It couldn't be Caine... no, Caine...

"Dad, they’re taking Mami’s body to the military hospital for an autopsy." Riji approached Rion with unsteady steps. The boy couldn’t even bear to look at his Mami’s body bag.

Rion couldn't remember how or what happened after that. His mind was in disarray, only following the movements of his body. Going to the military hospital, filling out the necessary information, waiting for the autopsy, facing the hysterical cries and screams of his children—it all happened so fast and Rion lost his bearings.

A corner of his heart still refused to believe that the body inside is Caine’s.

Caine is alive.

There was no way Caine was dead.

"Name: Caine Chana. Identity confirmed by DNA testing using the deceased's personal toothbrush from a family member. Cause of death: drowning. Injuries all over the body are suspicious, clearly indicating torture before drowning."

Jderr.

It felt like hearing the most horrific news.

Caine still alive when Rion threw the car into the sea.

Rion finally swerved. He fell helplessly backward, his body caught by a panicked Juna and Sui. And then his vision suddenly went black.

Caine was still alive... when Rion slammed and threw that car into the sea.

Rion killed his own best friend.

That fact alone made Rion fell.