BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM

Erik's hand trembled as he held up the pin for Rebecca to see, not with fear but because of his rage. His voice was tight with the significance of his discovery as he explained, "This is the pin of the Crystal Cross Gang."

Rebecca stepped closer to get a better look at the pin. The implications of what Erik had just said were sinking in, and her expression mirrored his concern.

"The Crystal Cross Gang?" she repeated. "Who are they?"

"They're a notorious criminal organization in Frant, the most dangerous in New Alexandria," Erik replied. "The militaries there haven't even been able to dismantle them. They deal with everything from drugs and prostitution to extortion," he explained.

"Ok, but why are they here?"

Erik's eyes narrowed as he pondered the question, his mind racing with the possibilities. "I don't know, but honestly, I don't think this is a coincidence." Erik's tone was solemn. If the Crystal Cross gang was here in Testrovsc's Rest, it meant something big was going on.

"Okay, let's assume it's really them, and this pin is not something Lysa owned to sell. Why would they steal Thaids' bodies?"

Erik's eyes shifted uncomfortably as he searched for the right words to explain what he knew. The weight of his omission bore down on him, but he knew he had to tell Rebecca the full story.

"There's something I didn't tell you, Rebecca," he began, his voice filled with both seriousness and regret. "This is related to my first private quest given by Lyria. She asked me to find a man, Doran Stedman."

Rebecca's eyebrows furrowed as she listened, sensing the seriousness of what Erik was about to reveal.

"I found him," Erik continued, "in a lab, and Catrina was with him. What I didn't tell you when I found Catrina is that she, like Doran, was conducting human experiments that involved Thaids."

Rebecca's eyes widened, and her mouth fell open in shock. "What? Human experiments involving Thaids? But how... why?"

Erik took a deep breath, steeling himself to share the disturbing details. "I read some of the files in Doran's lab, and it's as horrific as it sounds. Doran was likely trying to implant Thaids' brain crystals into humans, and Catrina was doing the same. I think they got inspired by Etrium's new technology."

The words hung in the air, their implications sinking in. Rebecca's face paled, and she reached out to grip the edge of a nearby crate as if to steady herself.

"That's monstrous," she whispered, her voice quivering with both horror and anger. "But this doesn't explain why the Crystal Cross gang is here."

Erik shook his head, his expression troubled. "Examining some video footage during my first quest, I found a link between Etrium and Frant. People from Frant were working with Doran before the guild started searching for him. He and Catrina probably went rogue."

Erik's gaze was fixed on Rebecca, his eyes filled with determination. "I think that whoever was financing Doran and Catrina made everything they could to capture them, that is the reason I was tasked to find them, and now that they have them again, they resumed their research, this time making it so they can't escape. The Crystal Cross Gang probably works for them."

Rebecca met his gaze, but a look of confusion could be seen in her eyes. "Okay, but if they had the means to finance them, why did they send a criminal organization to steal the bodies? Couldn't they have sent someone to kill the Thaids or buy the corpses?"

"I think the scope of operation is so big they do not have enough money, or this is simply the Crystal Cross Gang's way to profit more."

"I don't know. If someone bigger is the one financing the operation, sending the Crystal Cross Gang makes little sense. They could have done things much more covertly. Sending people to do so bold things here is weird."

"You are right. The only way is to find out who sent the gang, but I don't think it will be easy," Erik said that because he suspected it was the Blackguards behind everything. Uncle Benjamin worked for them, after all. Erik's idea was that Uncle Benjamin was the one coordinating the Crystal Cross gang here in Etrium. He was the only viable person he knew who worked with Doran who could do that, and if this was true, then the Blackguards were involved.

"We are going to search for these guys," Erik said, "but keep in mind that their members are known to be powerful individuals, and their leader remains a mystery. "

He turned the pin over in his hand, studying it as if hoping it would reveal more of its secrets. This was no ordinary crime, no simple burglary. They had stumbled upon a connection that reached across borders and delved into the shadowy underworld of organized crime.

"We need to be careful," Erik said, his voice low and serious.

Rebecca nodded, her face set doggedly. "We'll sort this out."

Erik pulled out his phone, his fingers moving deftly to dial Mira's number.

"Mira," Erik said tersely when the call connected. "I need you and your team here right away. Aiden, Kael, Lila. All of you. We need your help."

"What's going on?" Mira's voice came through the phone, sharp and concerned.

"It's for a quest; we need more people to investigate the matter."

A pause followed, and Erik could almost hear Mira's mind working, processing the information.

"We'll be there in half an hour," Mira replied, determination in her tone.

"Thank you," Erik said, ending the call and sliding his phone back into his pocket.

He looked at Rebecca, his eyes hard with resolve. "They're on their way."

"Why did you call them?" Rebecca asked.

"The presence of the Crystal Cross Gang implies many thugs will be present. Since we will probably be busy fighting, I need someone to search this place better and monitor other things."

Rebecca nodded, her expression mirroring Erik's determination.