BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM

"No words from Quakestrike yet?"

"No, sir."

Momentum had a contemplative face under his mask. He didn't really think something happened to him, yet Dreadnought's insistence made him doubt.

Momentum was surprised to learn about the relationship between the two, whatever it may be.

Some members of their team, mostly the female ones, knew about it, but as for the males, the thought of Dreadnought having a relationship felt alien.

The woman was always calm and composed, thinking about orders first and everything else second.

As she thought, Dreadnought paced back and forth. She wanted to go out there and search for her man, but Momentum ordered her to stay there.

The woman was worried that something bad might have happened to the man.

Considering the day's events, he didn't show any abnormalities in his demeanor, at least not anything unusual at large.

However, a small, inexplicable oddity lingered in her mind, unsettling her deeply.

The man had disappeared. He was under strict instructions to stay in the villa and wait for further orders.

While his tendency to defy orders was known, his complete disappearance with no communication was unusual, even for him.

This sudden deviation from his usual behavior was strange and left the woman feeling concerned and deep in thought.

"I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF WAITING!" she turned to look at Momentum.

"Your orders are to stay here and wait, Dreadnought. This is the last time I tell you this. One more word from you and I will report you for insubordination!"

Amid silence from the woman, Momentum, the team captain, directed his gaze toward one of the guild's men, sent to help them in their search.

Quakestrike's tracking device had been deactivated, adding another oddity to the already perplexing behavior.

Momentum mulled over this situation, the gears in his mind turning.

Quakestrike's deactivation of his tracking device, though, made Momentum keen to believe to Dreadnought's assumption about Quakestrike's fate.

The possibility that he had met his end seemed increasingly plausible, a thought that hung in Momentum's contemplative silence.

"Did you find him?"

"No, sir. Until he was here, the tracking device in his suit worked fine. He turned it off when he left the place."

Momentum had a hunch. "Show me Quakestrike movements of the last days."

"Yes, sir."

Upon pressing a series of buttons, the man brought to life a vivid holographic map, which materialized before the onlookers.

This three-dimensional representation showcased the city in intricate detail.

Many orange dots illuminated the map, representing every place Quakestrike had visited.

The map unfurled a digital trail across the city's grid, pinpointing his past locations with remarkable precision.

Each marker provided a glimpse into his journey, mapping out his movements and shedding light on his intentions and destinations.

"This is from yesterday, when we fought Romano here at the Villa."

There were some dots starting from when the city entrance to the Villa.

"This is from today, when we sent him to Harmony Square to search for the target. But this…"

Quakestrike left the square after reportedly getting a lead on Erik Romano. The analysis of his captured movements showed a fast pace.

For several minutes, he dashed through the streets until he reached a secluded alley where his rapid footsteps came to a halt.

Then Momentum turned to look at the mercenary.

"How much did he stay in that alley?"

"The log shows no more than five minutes, sir."

"Mhmmmm… Contact the closest squads, send them to that location, and search around. Leave no stone unturned."

"Yes, sir."

The moment called for immediate action, and the mercenary wasted no time.

With practiced efficiency, the mercenary tapped into the communication network, his voice calm yet commanding as he relayed orders.

He coordinated the movements of various teams, each directive ensuring that all available operatives within proximity to the destination were mobilized with precision.

Dreadnought approached Momentum. "Did you find something out?"

"Did I not tell you to shut the fuck up?"

"Please! I need to know," Dreadnought said.

Momentum made a low, pensive hum. Then he sighed. "There has been suspicious movements from Quakestrike this morning."

"Yes, he left his post to chase Erik Romano. Do you think something happened to him during that time?"

"I'm sure he is just in a tavern chugging down alcohol, yet I don't want to rule out the possibility something really happened."

Apprehension caused Dreadnought to shiver.

"Don't sweat it, I'm probably just overthinking things."

However, after only five minutes, an urgent call reached the Blackguards' headquarter.

"Urgent communication, sir!" The assistant's voice was filled with urgency and concern, breaking the room's focused silence.

"Transfer it to my device." Despite the tone, Momentum was calm, yet with an underlying tint of unease.

After a couple of seconds, a voice spoke. "Sir, we found a dead body at the location you provided us!"

"Who is it?" Momentum asked.

"The man doesn't appear on our systems."

That made Momentum understand.

"Send me a photo of his face."

"Yes, sir."

In just seconds, Momentum had the photo on the device in his hands.

Right away, he knew that the man in the photo was unquestionably deceased. Worse, it was Quakestrike.

His complex expression turned to face Dreadnought as he swiftly turned, shaken. Unsure of how to deliver this message to the woman, he ultimately opted for a direct approach.

"What?!"

"They found Quakestrike. He is dead, presumably since this morning."

In that instant, Dreadnought let out a heartbreaking scream that affected everyone there.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Despair consumed the woman, causing her body to shake amidst uncontrollable sobs.

Tears streamed down her cheeks in relentless torrents, her breath hitching in her throat with each heart-wrenching cry.

Her swollen, red eyes mirrored the anguish in her soul.

She clutched at her chest, as if to hold together a heart breaking into a thousand pieces. However, the anguish started turning into rage.

"ERIK ROMANOOOOO!"

***

Erik darted through the bustling city streets, his heart racing with a mix of excitement and urgency.

He sought revenge on Lyria while simultaneously neutralizing a highly dangerous person.

Lyria was smart, cunning and resourceful, and he was sure she would have been a real thorn in his side if he didn't take care of her.

He maneuvered through the throngs of people, his eyes set on the distant greenery of the park.

As the concrete jungle gave way to nature's haven, he slowed his pace, his eyes scanning the surroundings for his clones.

But they were nowhere in sight.

With a flick of his wrist, Erik pulled out his phone and dialed June's number. The phone rang briefly before June's voice answered from the other end.

"I'm at the park. Where are you?"

"We're in front of the park statue."

"Wait for me there."

Erik quickened his pace once more, his boots thudding against the paved path of the park.

In no time, he arrived at the designated meeting point, where his thirty-one clones stood in a disciplined formation.

June stepped forward, his gaze piercing through Erik.

"Did you take care of all your matters?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Was it Lyria?" June asked.

"Yeah. That she helped the Blackguards didn't sit well with me and I went to pay her a visit."

"Is she dead?" Alexander asked.

"She is a headless corpse." Then Erik turned back to June.

June had been given an important task, and Erik was eager to know if he had completed it.

Erik's intense gaze revealed the significance of the matter as he anxiously awaited June's response.

"Did you bring the two rifles we stole at the gate the last time?"

"Yes, Master." He pointed at two clones, each one holding two huge briefcases. "We put them there to ensure they didn't get damaged."

"You did well. Is there something you should report?" Erik asked.

"No, sir. The enemy doesn't know there are more than two people here besides me and you, and I didn't have particular problems escaping their search." June's tone was matter of fact.

"Good."

"Shall we leave, master?"

"Yes. I can't stand staying in this city any longer. Let's head for the city's exit. Once outside, we will fly to Noah and the others. About that, is there any news about them?" Erik asked.

"Yes. They are in Liberty Watch Village. The whole guild moved there. Amber and the others are there."

"All right."

However, Erik was a little unsettled. If the entire guild and Amber were present, then it would imply that she should have already met Mira. He wondered what they would say once he got back.

Before departing, he looked at the group, his eyes lingering on each clone.

"Be warned, guys, they have laser weapons that can kill thaids. Stay alert, or you might not make it."

The clones, unfazed by the danger, nodded in unison. June's expression softened. "We wouldn't mind dying for you," he said.

"I know, but I would like to avoid that…"

With a last nod, he turned, leading the way out of the city, his clones following behind him.