Darius Hornet, Jack's father and a veteran mber of the Speedwagon Unit, sat quietly in the armored personnel carrier (APC) as it rumbled toward their destination. Clad in a sleek battlesuit, he listened intently to the stream of intel flowing in from the main comms channel.
"The target is in combat with Tiger Unit and November Unit! Be warned, the target is immune to firearms and tranquilizers!"
"Be advised, a new gargoyle has been spotted on 3rd Harmonious Ember Lushville Lake Street! It has a proximity ability! Do not get close!"
"Code Skynet has been approved. I repeat, Code Skynet has been approved. We're sending TERMINATORS to your area! Hold the line and minimize civilian casualties!"
The constant chatter filled the cramped vehicle. Darius and his colleagues exchanged wary glances as their leader, Speedwagon, muttered curses under his breath from the farthest seat. The CEO of Speedwagon rcenary Inc. was clearly irritated.
"A bunch of morons, especially that self-proclaid "L"! The target's just a kid with so transformation and teleportation powers. We could've educated him and gradually converted him to our side. But no, they had to escalate things because of that power-tripping detective!"
The hypocrisy wasn't lost on the team. The unit had just witnessed Speedwagon himself shoot Carn's mother, triggering the chain of events that led to the current chaos. Still, no one dared voice the thought, though skeptical glances were shared.
Darius broke the silence, shifting in his seat.
"Captain, that kid shouldn't be able to teleport endlessly. Shouldn't we head to the combat site and contribute? If we sit back, the ECD will claim all the credit and slash our pay."
Speedwagon frowned, leaning forward as if addressing a novice.
"That won't happen. That kid's teleportation isn't sothing we can exploit like you're hoping. He'll keep going as long as he's breathing."
Darius raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "Why? Isn't teleportation supposed to drain a ton of mana? Even seasoned casters struggle to pull it off once or twice."
"For most people, true. But that kid's not like most people. First, he's young. He's got what I call the 'Einstein brain.' You know, like those kids who breeze through Math Olympiads or those geniuses at MIT. For them, running complex algorithms in their head is as easy as tying their shoes. For casters like him, it's the sa deal with magic."
Darius squinted. "You're saying it's all about the brain?"
Speedwagon nodded. "Exactly. When you practice a spell long enough, it becos instinct. Like muscle mory. Have you ever done sothing so many tis it feels automatic? It's the sa thing. Teleportation must have been second nature to him now. He doesn't even have to think about it. As long as his body holds out, he can teleport indefinitely."
Darius cleared his throat, breaking the tension. "That's... insane. Are you sure about that? A kid can't keep teleporting indefinitely, can he?"
"Ha! Have you seen the leaked CCTV footage of the cannibal pastor incident? If that gargoyle was the kid, it's clear he's had a lot of practice. Pulling off moves like that? Like so ghost in a horror flick?"
Speedwagon paused, leaning forward as if he were about to give a lecture, "So tell . Why the hell should we risk our necks chasing a kid who can disappear and reappear like that? Let the ECD play hero and get themselves killed. We'll sit back, enjoy the show, and clean up afterward if there's anything left."
The soldiers sat in silence, so nodding begrudgingly. Darius let out a dry laugh, uncertain whether to resent the captain's cowardice or accept his pragmatism.
The APC ca to a halt in a nearby parking lot, where the tracker signal for Carn had vanished. The squad exited the vehicle, scanning the area. Black smoke rose in the distance from a crashed helicopter, and a PX convenience store stood nearby, seemingly untouched by the chaos.
Speedwagon was the last to step out, his eyes drawn to the wreckage and the mundane sight of the PX store. One of his subordinates broke formation and entered the store, either to relax or grab so supplies.
Inside, they found a retired veteran, an Asian woman, two off-duty Marines, and five employees running the place.
The soldier in the battlesuit waved nonchalantly at the employees. "Relax, folks. Just grabbing a few things."
He picked up so beer and snacks. As he approached the counter, his eyes briefly landed on the Asian woman. She was testing out new clothes, speaking casually with one of the employees. Sothing about her seed familiar.
'Have I seen her before? Deja Vu?'
The soldier stared at the woman for a long ti. His eyes locked with a blond employee, who was tending the store and talking to the Asian woman. As he felt uncomfortable, he shook his head and left them alone.
"Must be my imagination."
.
anwhile, in the PX Store
Wong, still inside the PX, had been keeping a low profile. Because her dress had been damaged during the earlier chaos, she had taken the opportunity to change clothes while waiting for the commotion outside to subside.
As she stepped out of the changing room, she froze. Standing at the counter was a soldier in the sa type of battlesuit as the one who had shot her. Her pulse quickened, and she instinctively pulled a blond store employee to her.
In a calm but slightly forced Arican accent, Wong spoke, "Ma'am, can you help find sothing like this dress in a bigger size? It's a little too tight." She paused, leaning in to whisper, "That man and his n are trying to kill . I need help."
The employee, who was surprisingly composed, glanced at Wong's dress. The label clearly indicated it was larger than Wong's actual size.
All employees here were either wives of special agents or forr special agents themselves. It wasn't hard for the female employee to notice the subtle tension in the air. She played along, protecting her custor.
With a bright smile, she nodded. "Of course, ma'am. Let's find you sothing that fits better."
She leaned closer and whispered back, "Are you in danger? I noticed blood on your shoes."
Wong looked down and cursed internally. She hadn't noticed the bloodstains. She nodded.
"Yes. They tried to kill and my son."
The employee's deanor didn't falter. Gesturing toward another section of the store, she led Wong away from the soldier's line of sight. But instead of continuing the charade, the clerk guided her into the staff room.
The clerk locked the door behind them and sighed. She then complained, "Those ECD thugs are all the sa. They're always chasing innocent people because they think everyone's a doppelganger."
Wong bowed deeply, her voice heavy with gratitude. "Thank you. You've saved ."
The clerk smiled warmly and extended a hand, "I'm special… no, I'm Gwen, forr special agent. You're welco."
Wong shook her hand, taking a mont to study Gwen's youthful face. "You look young. Are you even 20?"
Gwen laughed. "I'm 29."
Wong's eyebrows rose. "You're still young! Why did you leave the service so early? My husband's over 40 and still in the sa rank as you."
Gwen hesitated, then glanced around to ensure their privacy. Lifting her pant leg, she revealed a sleek artificial limb. Pulling up her shirt slightly, she exposed a cybernetic fra replacing much of her lower torso.
She explained, "Special agents get sent into rifts as part of their training. Thanks to my genius superior officer, half my body got blown to bits. Now, I'm mostly tal—only my brain, heart, and lungs are original."
Wong's face turned pale. "Did it... hurt?"
"The injuries? Yeah. The augntations? Not so much." Gwen shrugged. "Look at it on the bright side, I don't age anymore. No more expensive makeup or tampons. Small victories, I guess."
Despite her light tone, Wong sensed a deep sadness in Gwen's voice. She hesitated before asking, "Do you have kids?"
Gwen laughed bitterly. "Nope. My ex-husband walked out the mont I beca a machine. Said he couldn't handle it. Guess he didn't like the idea of a 'steel pussy,' as he put it."
Wong frowned. "Living alone must be tough. Can you even handle housework in that body?"
"Oh, that's easy. I've got a housework AI installed. It's very convenient! My body does the cleaning and laundry while I nap. If I want to cook, my arms and body move automatically. I've even got a collection of French cuisine recipes installed for those."
Wong's eyes lit up with an idea. She clapped her hands together. "Are you interested in a blind date? My son is single!"
Forgetting entirely that her family was now wanted criminals, Wong grinned with enthusiasm. Gwen, however, stared at her with wide eyes, caught completely off guard.
"Ma'am, you've just escaped from thugs, and now you're trying to set up with your son? Do Asian mothers really scout for their sons' girlfriends these days?" Gwen chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief.
Wong smirked, unbothered. "My son's terrible at dating. He's never brought ho a single girlfriend. If I don't help him, who will?"
Gwen laughed, "Haha! Fair point, I guess. How old is he? What does he do for a living?"
Wong's smirk widened as she spun a quick lie. "He's freshly graduated, just 18 years old. Handso, smart, full of potential, and a big pair of balls. Right now, he earns $40,000 a year, but trust , it's just the beginning. He'll do much better soon!"
Gwen raised an eyebrow, amused by Wong's blatant sales pitch. She laughed so hard that a single tear of lubricant slid down her synthetic cheek. "You're really selling him, aren't you? Alright, since you're so insistent, can I see his picture?"
"Of course!" Wong eagerly pulled out her phone and handed it over.
As they exchanged contact details, Gwen revealed her full na. Wong glanced at the screen and gave her a knowing look. "Gwenevere, huh?"
Gwen winced and shrugged. "Yeah, that was my birth na, but it's Gwendolyn now. My parents were obsessed with Arthurian legends. I still hate them for it."
"I can tell. That's definitely... unique," Wong said with a faint smile, trying not to laugh.
"But enough about , what's your son's na?" Gwen asked, curiosity piqued. At 29, with her half-android body, opportunities for romantic connections were slim, and she wasn't about to let this lead go.
"Carn," Wong replied without hesitation.
Gwen froze mid-laugh, then raised an eyebrow, "Carn? Is that an Asian thing? What does it even an?"
"It's from a Latin word that ans 'flesh' or 'red at.' I nad him that when I was hungry," Wong said with a completely straight face.
Gwen broke out into nervous laughter, "Oh wow, that's... creative. Let's just say your naming sense gives my parents a run for their money."
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