The caravan jolted along the ruts of the unpaved road as it passes through a beautiful cityscape not far from sight. They we're driving towards Lianyungang City, perhaps. Noises from computers can be heard, the two hardworking System Enthusiasts grumbling for their work load for today. At least, not for Riley, sipping a cup of hot choco while a webnovel platform filled the screen of her smartphone. Sensing someone from the back of the van, she pulled out a knife and throw it with precision, almost hitting the subject.
"Sofie, there's no reason for you to read my journal," she sips the last of her hot choco and turned to see one of her 'very hardworking' system enthusiast froze as the knife almost hit her head.
"Why you seem to value this journal?" She look back at the journal, words written on the cover.
[Dream Recollections]
Sofie attempted to open it but another knife flew past her wrist. Riley's intimidating aura make her drop the journal, "Okay okay! I'll return it."
"Read it! The contents are really funny!! I have read it once and -"
*Bam.* A straight hit to the head. Yohan groaned in pain and shield his head, "I-I'm sorry!"
Riley let out a sigh. She close her phone's screen and spoke, "You'll think I'm crazy just by reading the first sentence."
Riley Cooper started to get recollection of memories from her life before, or was it. Talents have existed many years ago yet the world she recall was what she describe as the world with no 'Talents' or 'Uniques'. She's crazy, they thought. She was 10 years old at that time, thinking that it's just her mere delusion because she's a 'Regular'. Most 'Talents' are hereditary, so her father dump her for being a commoner, that's what they knew.
"But leader is a 'Unique', isn't she?" Sofie goes back to her desk and continue what she's doing. She look at Riley one more time and type a few words before accessing a known website for 'Uniques'.
[Unique State Records]
[Accessing Riley Cooper's Profile...]
+
Name: Riley Cooper
Age: 22
Talent: ⎐⟟☌⟟⌰⏃⋏⏁⟒⊬⟒
Rank: C
+
"Oh, have I told you that my Talent wasn't recorded to the system?" Riley leaned towards the holographic screen, looking at her profile. Miraculously, her Talent isn't registered to the system, unidentified letters appeared instead appear. She then leave the two to move in front of the caravan, where the driver seat is. Her step-brother, John Karevic, was busy looking at the holographic map just beside the steering wheel, "Those idiots never stop fighting."
He points at the two glaring at one another, statuses unleased. Of course, Sofie get the upper hand.
"I told you I'm better than you, idiot," Sofie smirked at Yohan, who still can't accept the results.
"There's no way!" Yohan, his mouth agape, continuously refreshing the site, still getting the same results.
"They always fight. But they're the best we have."
"If we ever live in a world like what you see, Riley, it will be much peaceful than now," he sighed. Riley also thinks like that in a way. A World where no 'Talents' or 'Uniques' existed. Humanity just live a normal life out of themselves. What could possibly be nicer?
The caravan suddenly come to halt. The idiots quarrel stops as they've been pushed forward by inertia. John have to step on the breaks prior to Riley's warning.
-Someone is here with us.
Sofie then approach the two at the front. Seems she was confused why they stop all of the sudden.
"Guys, what's the matter?" she looks through the front window of the caravan, nothing's there.
"Sofie, step aside."
Riley, pulls again another knife out of her sling bag and throws it all the way to the backside hitting something, as the knife stops midair. The figure whined, slowly releasing the invisibility that kept it hidden for a long time. A caucasian male, standing approximately 5ft tall, now pulling out the knife that pierced his lower thigh. Riley approaches him and aim another knife on his neck, "Greetings, stranger. Tell us your name before I, you know, bury this to your neck."
"A-As expected from an C Rank Unique, I have hidden myself better but you have noticed me, perharps you're a Detection-Class," He raised both of his hands and look straight at Riley, "Don't worry. I'm not a threat. I got interested to join your group when I see you departed the ship awhile ago."
"No other intentions?"
"Yes, no other. By the way, my name's Dan. Just, Dan."
"Are you taking him in, Riley?" The three others come nearer to them. Seconds of decisioning later, Riley agrees.
"Yes, for now. Tend his wound, Sofie, I'm sorry for hitting your leg," she ordered, leaving the scene. The others introduce themselves to the newly-proclaimed member while Sofie tends his wound. John starts again the caravan. After a long road journey, they finally reach their destination.
Mount Huaguo.
Barricades surrounded the base of the mountain with personnel roaming around the area. The idiotic pair of system enthusiasts then prepare their holographic screens, Riley on the other hand prepared for her combat gear.
"A black combat jacket with a hood and a combat boots. Isn't that inappropriate to wear for women?" Dan curiously ask.
"What outfit you want me to wear? A leather croptop with some fancy boots and all? Jeez, wear appropriate gears to protect you, not fashionable ones," Riley grab as much knives as she can carry and an handful amount of Titanium Ammo for her Wrist Gun Prototype.
" She doesn't want those, that's why," said John, on the other hand, carries the Captain America Civil War inspired Titanium Shield of his. Dan, unknowingly of what to do, approaches Yohan, who also turns around to see him, giving him a USB.
"Take this, with your Invisibility you can take this to the Central Command and plug it to one of their supercomputers. That will help us connect and hack to their system."
The waning moon shone across the wide night sky. Everything is all set, the three who are doing the field work each wear earpieces, with Riley leading the team.
"Y'all ready? Coz' this night will be a bloddy night, you see."