In the days that followed, Jiele and Enzo worked tirelessly, gathering information and strategizing their next move. They knew they had to act discreetly, as the city was becoming increasingly volatile with the emergence of SYND.
Jiele managed to establish contact with Jon, informing him of the recent developments and the danger they posed. Jon assured them that CREED would mobilize its resources and expose the truth behind the Syndicate's operations. He emphasized the importance of unity among the anomalies and the need to resist the manipulative narrative being spread by Julius Briskly and his allies.
As the city teetered on the edge of uncertainty, Jiele and Enzo remained in their hideout, awaiting further communication with Jon and CREED, ready to confront the Syndicate head-on.
They understood that the battle ahead would be arduous and fraught with risks, but they were fueled by a shared determination to protect their kind and restore justice.
The signing on the petition grew exponentially, amounting to thousands of signatures within twenty-four hours. The Syndicate division seemed to be getting massive support from the people and also favor in their sight.
In the depths of the secret hatch, their resolve grew stronger with each passing day. One night, Jiele would go out to get supplies and groceries from a convenience store.
"I'm going out to get groceries," Jiele conferred to Enzo.
"Alright, Jiele. Be careful out there, and don't stay out too long," Enzo replied.
Jiele exited the hatch and headed for a nearby convenience store. Walking into the store, she went to the grocery section and picked up supplies. In the process, Jiele couldn't help but notice a young man who seemed a bit off. He had a depressed outlook, slightly pale skin, and a sly demeanor. What caught Jiele's attention the most was a tattoo on his hands, closely similar to Jon's.
Tinged with suspicion, Jiele took her groceries to the checkout desk while keeping an eye on the young man. She exited the store and hid her groceries in a nearby bush, away from the sight of any humans or animals alike.
Though she had promised Jon and her brother to lay low, her curiosity seemed to be getting the best of her. They had trained, studied, and honed their skills, preparing for any unprecedented events that awaited them. Jiele patiently waited from a safe distance behind a bush for the young man to leave the store.
The man eventually came out of the store, walking along the tarred path with a box packaged in plastic wrap in his hands.
Jiele eventually gave in and decided to tail the young man, following him from a safe distance in the shadows. They both calmly strode along the city streets in the late night.
As the fate of the anomalies and the city itself hung in the balance, Jiele was determined to ensure that truth and justice prevailed.
As she followed the man, they came across a retirement home. Jiele realized her mistake and regretted her actions.
"Turns out he was just a regular guy after all." Jiele thought to herself.
The man proceeded into the building, presumably on his way to visit a friend or relative.
Jiele regained her composure and decided to suppress her suspicion, and move on.
"But that doesn't explain the tattoo, that's a CREED issue, how did he get it?" She wondered.
Suddenly, a loud blaring alarm went off.
Rushing out of the door was the hooded man, caught up in a supposed theft frenzy as he ran away from the building with a bag in his hand, leaving chaos in his wake.
Jiele coming into realization, immediately went after him, chasing him down the road as he ran with the bag.
"Hey... Stop!" Jiele commanded as she hastened to catch up to him. Briefly turning his head and glancing at Jiele, the man quickened his pace in an attempt to evade her grasp and escape.
After a brief moment of chase, Jiele grew fed up with the relentless and fruitless effort. She took a brief look around to make sure no other people were in sight.
Now coming up directly behind the man, Jiele unleashed a powerful sonic scream whose destructive force hit the man with such power, knocking him off balance causing. He dropped the bag he held in his hands and fell abruptly, rolling over the floor. Eventually, he came to a rest and lay motionless on the ground.
The stage was now set for a showdown between the hooded man and Jiele whose power was now revealed to lie in her powerful chords.
Jiele took careful steps forward, approaching closer to the young man. She came into view of his face but could not clearly grasp all the details due to the dim lighting in the area. She decided to take off his hood for maximum visualization.
Just as she bent over and was about to remove the hood masking his face, the man regained consciousness, springing up and releasing a burst of energy that sent Jiele flying across the road. She collided with the ground, briefly losing consciousness.
Now watching in astonishment at what he had just done, the man walked up to where he had dropped the bag and picked it up, still staring at Jiele. He had mistaken Jiele for someone else, and a remorseful expression now masked his face. Reluctantly, he shrugged off concerns about her current state and ran away.
Waking up a few minutes later, Jiele realized what had just happened. She composed herself and managed to stand up. Taking a long observatory stare at the landscape, Jiele gave up and turned around, ready to head back home.
"He's an anomaly," she thought to herself as she retraced her steps.
On the way back, Jiele came across the building the man had escaped from. Law enforcement agents had already arrived, despite the late hour of the day. She evaded their sight and proceeded to walk back to the area where she had hidden the groceries. She picked them up and continued on her way back to the hideout.