Upon arrival, they were greeted by a quaint, weathered cottage hidden behind an overgrown garden. The atmosphere was eerily quiet, as if the house held secrets within its walls.
Jiele approached the front door and hesitantly knocked, but there was no response. She exchanged a glance with Enzo, silently agreeing to explore further.
Enzo got close up to the door and placed his palm against the wooden surface of the door. Taking a deep breath and then exhaling calmly, Enzo immediately swooshed through the door, materializing on the other side. He seemingly had the ability to teleport within short ranges. Enzo opened the locks from the other end, allowing Jiele to follow.
Inside, they discovered a dimly lit living room, filled with books, dust-covered furniture, and a sense of melancholy. Jiele's eyes caught sight of a family portrait on the wall—a younger Martha smiling alongside a man and a woman. It was a snapshot of a different time, a memory frozen in frames.
As they ventured deeper into the house, they stumbled upon a room filled with research documents, journals, and old photographs. The pieces of Martha's past were scattered, waiting to be pieced together.
Jiele's heart pounded with a mix of excitement and trepidation. She began sifting through the documents, trying to unravel the enigma that was Martha. The more she read, the clearer the picture became.
Martha had been a brilliant scientist, assigned to research stage one anomalies. But as she delved deeper into her work, she discovered the sinister intentions of the organization behind it all.
Unable to bear witness to the suffering inflicted upon those with extraordinary abilities, Martha made the brave decision to flee. She changed her identity, her life, and sought refuge in this secluded house.
Jiele's hands trembled as she uncovered the truth, her mind filled with admiration for Martha's courage and determination. She realized that Nero, too, must have been drawn into this dark world of anomalies and secrets.
As Jiele shared her findings with Enzo, a sense of urgency took hold of them. They knew they had to find Nero, to offer him the truth and their support. The pieces of the puzzle were slowly coming together, revealing a complex web of deception and danger.
Jiele and Enzo using a tiny device, scanned all the papers, taking a copy of her documentations with them. They continued across the house, searching for anything that might help all the more trace Nero.
As Enzo and Jiele cautiously moved through Martha's house, they heard a faint noise emanating from a room behind them. Enzo's instincts tingled, warning him that they were not alone. He felt the presence of someone watching them, and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.
Before they could react, Nero sprang out from the room, launching himself at them in a desperate attempt to attack the perceived invaders. "Watch out!" Enzo screamed, swiftly grabbing Jiele and teleporting across the room, narrowly evading Nero's strike. Nero lunged at them again, but Enzo's teleportation skills gave them an advantage, darting from one end of the room to the other with lightning speed.
The trio engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat, turning the room into a battleground. They traded blows and blocked attacks, causing objects to crash and shatter around them. Enzo's teleportation made it challenging for Nero to land a solid hit, but Nero's determination and strength made him a formidable opponent.
Amidst the chaos, Jiele noticed something peculiar about the room. A section of the wall seemed slightly different from the rest, hinting at the possibility of a hidden compartment. Despite the ongoing fight, her curiosity was piqued, and she kept the observation in mind.
Eventually, Nero's relentless attacks began to wane. He paused for a moment, and looked at Jiele and Enzo with a mix of confusion and recognition in his eyes.
"Wait! Stop... just stop!" Nero said, his voice heavy with emotions. "I don't know who you are or why you're after me, but I can't keep running."
Enzo and Jiele exchanged a cautious glance, realizing that Nero might not be the enemy they presumed him to be. They eased into a defensive stance, ready to protect themselves if needed, but willing to listen to what Nero had to say.
Jiele's expression softened, revealing a hint of vulnerability. "We're not after you, we come in peace," Enzo affirmed to Nero.
"I wanted to believe you were a bad guy, up to no good, but the other day, when I chased you, and you knocked me out, you ran away. Even if I was after you, you could've ended me right there. Seems there's more to you than meets the eye," Jiele confessed.
Nero took a step back, trying to collect his thoughts. With a sense of caution, Jiele listened as Nero was about to speak.
"I've been on the run for as long as I can remember, doing what I knew how to do best," Nero said, now wearing a sad face.
"Perhaps, but Martha must've trusted you, and I'm pretty sure you trusted her. If you're here, it means you should know something about her research," Jiele contemplated.
Nero stood for a while, holding back tears as he stared down at Jiele. "Martha's dead," Nero affirmed solemnly in a calm voice.
Enzo and Jiele exchanged surprised glances, shocked at the revelation.
"She was diagnosed with cancer and was placed in a retirement home where she would receive care to live out the rest of her days several months ago. Unfortunately, those against her couldn't bear to let her live for the time left," Nero explained, his expression filled with agony.
"Did you know Martha?" Nero asked, cautiously lowering his guard.
Jiele shook her head solemnly. "No, not really. From what I gathered, she previously experimented on anomalies, but later on, was now concerned with finding a cure for anomalies."
The revelation left Nero stunned. He had stumbled upon a deeper conspiracy than he ever imagined. Martha had been deeply involved in the dangerous world of anomalies and had sought to undo the harm caused by District Inc and the Syndicate.
Enzo and Jiele's initial suspicion began to subside, replaced by a sense of empathy. They understood the weight of carrying extraordinary abilities and the burden of being hunted by those who sought to exploit them.
Nero now stood facing Enzo and Jiele amidst their conversation.
In that moment, Jiele made a choice. She extended a hand towards Nero, offering him solitude and comfort among their crew.