Chereads / Storm 01 / Chapter 25 - ColdTech

Chapter 25 - ColdTech

ZODA, WINTER WEIR.

The Department H agents drove their black window-less van to a quick stop in front of a large building, too large for a building in Zoda. They sat inside the van but they could hear the rapid, and rampant movement along with laughs and mumbled speech.

Percy puts on green gloves that matched the sweater he already had on, and grey baggy trousers.

Sox wore a dark blue cardigan over a light-blue shirt, a light-blue miniskirt, and black stockings. The large-framed glasses she had on, completed the high-schooler look she was intending for and sparked the hidden beauty in her.

Sitting right next to Sox was Ada. Unlike Sox who took Miss Havishma's words to dress like a high schooler seriously, Ada wore simple Jean trousers with a black hoodie.

Electro 28 was also in the van and he wore a white suit. Miss Havishma looked at him and raise her brows. He returned the favor and boldly fixed the collar of the suit, making her look away with a hidden smile. Storm 01 was wearing a brown oversuit over a black hoodie and white trousers.

Miss Havishma pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Anyways," she started. "We are parked in front of an academy called ColdTech. A Q.R.C.-sponsored school in Zoda and The Realm. We are in Zoda."

"ColdTech?" Ada shouted. "There's no way I'm entering that place, please don't tell me we are going in there," she ranted.

Miss Havishma shifts her eyes to Ada. Without saying a single word, Ada went quiet and pinned her back to her chair. Havishma continued. "There's a report of an earthling suspect residing there as a student. That's what we are here for."

She took out five cards from her pocket and handed one over to each of them. "ColdTech holds this special tech competition every year, where students from both the Realm and Zoda compete for who has the best invention. Storm 01, Storm 05, and Storm 03, you three will be disguised as third-year students of ColdTech Realms. Mingle around and know the whereabouts and actions of the suspect then you go after him. We don't know how long they've stayed here for and how much they know, you all just need to use your brains."

Storm 01 looked at his card and raised his brows. "Andy Sprite. I kinda like it," he smiled, still staring at the information on the card.

Miss Havishma turned to Ada. "Agent Storm 02, I know you were schooling here before you joined the D.H. so it will be impossible to change anything they already know about you. That's why you'll act as a returning ace student to make a speech in this year's tech competition of ColdTech."

"Fuck," Ada cussed and buried her face in her hand. "I hate speeches."

"And you'll be coming with me to get better clothing, while the others proceed," Havishma added.

"Sure, why not."

Miss Havishma turned to Electro 28. "You know your role on this mission?"

He nods yes, as he fixed his necktie.

Miss Havishma typed into her tablet. "I'm sending you the information we know on the suspect now."

Storm 01's watch glowed as the information came in. He clicked it and the info projected out. Jacob Marksman was the name of the man they were searching for. His facial identity was also shown next to his name.

"The management of ColdTech has agreed to let us work the work and capture the criminal, but we need to be subtle. You'll have to dread carefully, the pupils in ColdTech are brilliant. You need to be careful not to give out your real information because you'll never know who's working with the suspect," Havishma forewarned.

The driver drove off as the four stepped out of the car. They looked around the surrounding of the school, unlike when they first arrive, there was only a handful of people left around.

"Looks like most of them left early for the contest," Percy noted.

"Split up. Use the comms to communicate," Joe ordered before going a separate way from the others.

Storm 01 bid the other agents adieu, and walked into the ColdTech main building. He was greeted by busy students running around with some scraps in their hands. There was only an hour left before the competition and everyone was rushing to put some finishing touches on their creation. He let out a sigh as he recalled the days when he used to walk around a school hall, it wasn't a pleasant memory. He had already studied the layout of the place, so he easily found his way around the building.

Storm 01 strolled forward, searching around and hoping to catch a glimpse of Jacob Marksman amongst the crowd but he got disrupted by some female standing in front of a door that had a poster promoting the contest on it. She wore a metallic costume with the school's emblem on the left chest. She had tanned skin with a reddish upsweep hairstyle.

"Hi, I haven't seen you before, are you from the Realm? There's still an hour left before the competition begins. still enough time to register and prepare your invention if you don't already have one," She asked with a forced smile on her face.

Storm 01 shoots her a smile. "I'm sorry... Err, I'm only here to watch my friends participate. Sorry." He turned to leave, but she grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

"Please just act like you are having a conversation with me, just for five minutes, please," she begged.

Storm 01 turned to face her. "O-kay?" He paused for a few seconds before adding. "I don't think anyone is going to register for the competition at this point."

"Well the doors are still open until 5 minutes before the competition starts so if you already have your things ready you can register now," she spoke without taking breaks between her words.

"What about you? Aren't you gonna register for the competition? You already have that to present," Storm 01 stated while pointing at the suit she was wearing.

She looked down at her suit and chuckled softly. "Oh, this was produced by the school, and I can't join the competition," she revealed. She glanced at her wristwatch and let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you so much..."

"... Andy," Storm 01 revealed.

She smiled and take his hand in a handshake. "Andy, nice to meet you, I'm Hailey. Thanks again." She nodded and began towards the exit of the building.

Storm 01 jogged as he followed behind her. "Why can't you join the competition?" He inquired.

Hailey looked at him with a slight furrow on her face. "It's nothing serious. I kinda have a beef with the student President so she's stopping me from registering," she answered.

"That's petty..."

"And I almost blew up half of ColdTech's building with a robot I created last year, so now they claim they'll have some technical team check my stuff before I can present it." She turned to look at him with an unsatisfied look. "Doesn't that take the mystery out of it if they already know what I am presenting?"

"Yeah but you almost blow up the whole building…"

[…]

"Correction," she chipped. "Half. Plus, it was a small mistake on my part. I only forgot to negate the equations."

She exits the building and they both stand outside, just in front of the door.

"So you are just going to go home and sit? Not even watch the competition?"

Hailey shook her head no. "I hate being in the crowd. I'd rather be the center of attraction, you know," she said before flicking a stray hair out of her face.

Storm 01 laughed. "Like you were doing earlier?"

[Jeez dude, at least turn off the speaker. I've been hearing your conversation since I was at the mall] Ada's voice rang through the comms he was wearing.

[Storm 01, avoid distraction unless it got something to do with the target. We need to capture the target and leave ASAP] Electro 28 commanded.

Storm 01 slowly moved his hands up and switched off the device.

"No, not that way. That was me in detention." she chuckled.

"I wanna be famous," Hailey added. "I want my work to be known all over the place. Like Ada and Alicia. Jacob would say it's impossible if he were here," she giggled.

Storm 01 raised his head to look at her. "Jacob?"

Hailey nodded with a smile. "Oh, he is a friend of mine."

"Looks like I got myself a target-related distraction." Storm 01 thought.

...