KISMET ─ vento aureo.

▹ TWENTY-SEVEN ;

And not only that—

"Where's JoJo?" Fugo asked. As if he'd been listening the entire time, JoJo came onto the bridge, standing a little behind everyone else.

Fugo gave him a hard glare. He was going by pure intuition and gut instinct. Other than that, there were really no clues. His hair and eyes were different, as well as his demeanor and entire character. But the way his face would twitch, and those momentary lapses when it seemed like someone else was there . . .

"We're continuing without the Captain, then?" JoJo asked. Fugo's point exactly. He acted shy but he was always quick to get at the heart of the matter.

"No, we're going after the Captain," Mista said, setting his jaw. His words came out in a rush. "We'll drift back into the Black Zone like we did before. People said it was impossible to survive and look at what we just did. All we have to do—"

He stopped. Everyone did. People tended to do that when Purple Haze made an appearance.

"We're not doing anything like that," Fugo gritted out. The smart thing to do would be to recall his Stand before it melted someone's face off, but he needed everyone to shut up for a minute.

"We're a thieving crew. And more than that, one under the employ of the most infamous man in the galaxy. If it weren't for our Stand abilities, we would be dead by now." Fugo met each crew member's eye. "We're obligated to carry out our job. Going back to get the Captain would take too long. We only have two weeks left; less than that. Even if we could find the Captain, Zero would kill us by the time we get out. Right now, the choice to me seems either to risk everyone's deaths, or honour the Captain's sacrifice and continue on. The Captain banked everything on this job. They would've wanted us to continue no matter what."

No one said anything. They were thinking, though. Fugo dismissed his Stand.

"We'll vote," Fugo said. "All in favour of continuing on, raise your hand."

Fugo raised his hand. He waited.

He waited until everyone had raised their hand. Even Mista.

"If we continue on, we'd be doing it under your leadership?" Mista asked. Fugo couldn't read the tone in his voice.

"If there are no objections."

"You're heartless and callous, I think there are a few objections." Mista glowered at Fugo. He looked off into the distance for a few moments. Sighed. "But you're right when you say the Captain would have wanted us to continue. They made me swear it. And I don't think I'm in the right mindset to be leading anything right now."

"I'm glad we agree."

For the first time, Fugo noticed Mista's eyes were red. He kept blinking, holding back tears.

He thrust his hand out.

"Promise me you won't get us killed, you bag of flack."

Fugo took Mista's hand and shook it firmly.

"I don't intend to."

He let go of Mista's hand and turned to Narancia. He looked up at Fugo, barely managing to scrub away a tear that fell down his cheek. Behind him, he heard Trish stifle a sob.

They would get through this. Fugo would make sure of it.

It was what the Captain would have wanted. It was what all of his plans were banking on.

"Set a course for Minos. We don't have time to waste."

- ✦ -