"We're fine," IM reassured her, brushing off the concern. "It was just a minor skirmish. Nothing we couldn't handle."
Yolan chuckled. "Yeah, IM made quick work of him."
Dove's expression remained serious. "Still, we need to be careful. The Seers are clearly getting bolder. We need to find out what they're planning and stop them before it's too late."
Just then, the door opened, and Gilg entered, dressed in his usual office attire, laptop in hand. "Ah... the three of you are here. I was just about to tell you something."
I tilted my head.
Oh, Gilg's here... Seems like he's going to give us some important information, I guess? I thought.
Gilg looked up from the laptop, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. "I might have found something," he announced. "There's a rumor circulating on the dark web about a secret meeting between high-ranking members of the Unveil Commission. It's happening tonight, at a hidden location on the outskirts of the city."
"Hidden location... can you track them?" I asked, leaning forward in anticipation.
"No need to track them. They gave the location, thinking I was one of them..." Gilg explained with a sly grin.
He placed the laptop on the table, revealing a map with a marked location.
Everyone gathered around, peering at the screen.
"That's at the market where I usually buy groceries," Vill said, surprised.
"That's unexpected," Dove remarked, her brow furrowing in thought. "A secret meeting in a public place like that? They must be very confident in their ability to remain undetected."
Irune quipped, "Or they're just stupid," earning a chuckle from the group.
Gilg cleared his throat, drawing their attention back to the matter at hand. "They're not stupid. They're camouflaged. It might be someone selling there who's actually a Seer... or there's a hidden room in there that they think is abandoned."
"Either way," Dove said, her voice firm, "we need to be prepared. This is our chance to gather intel on the Unveil Commission and their plans."
Yolan nodded. "We'll need to be discreet. We can't let them know we're onto them."
IM leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful look on his face. "I'll scout the area beforehand," he offered. "See if I can find any hidden entrances or suspicious activity."
"Good idea," Dove agreed. "Xian, you and Yolan can go in undercover. Blend in with the crowd, keep your eyes and ears open."
I took off my suit, "So no need to use the suits, right?"
Yolan also followed suit, removing her own costume.
"Yeah, no need. Just go undercover... or when you get there, you could... use your power to mind control them and make them think you're one of them," Dove suggested, a sly grin spreading across her face.
"That could work," I replied, intrigued by the idea. "But let's see what IM finds first. We don't want to rush into anything."
***
Later that night, we found ourselves back at the market. It was deserted, as expected, but the parking lot was surprisingly full of cars. Yolan was behind the wheel, driving us away from the market in a nondescript sedan.
"Let's find another place to leave this car..." she said, her eyes scanning the dimly lit streets.
IM and I nodded as she continued driving.
I looked out the window, lost in thought. "How about we use the invisibility trick again?" I suggested.
"That would be great..." Yolan agreed.
Yeah, invisibility can be really useful... to sneak up on the Unveil Commission or whoever they are, I thought, a sense of anticipation building within me.
Yolan pulled the car into a quiet side street, parking it discreetly behind a row of overgrown bushes. "Alright, let's do this," she said, turning off the engine.
I closed my eyes, focusing my imagination. We are invisible. No one can see us...
The familiar tingling sensation returned, and once again, we faded from view. We stepped out of the car, our invisible forms blending seamlessly with the darkness.
"Let's head back to the market," IM whispered, leading the way.
We moved swiftly and silently, our footsteps making no sound on the pavement. As we approached the market, we could see a group of people gathered near the entrance. Their voices were hushed, their movements furtive.
"They're definitely up to something," Yolan observed, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
IM nodded. "Let's get closer and see what they're talking about."
We crept closer, careful not to alert them to our presence. The group consisted of men and women of various ages, all dressed in plain clothes that did little to conceal the aura of power that surrounded them.
At the hallway of the quiet market, I strained my ears, trying to pick up snippets of their conversation.
"...the boss will be pleased," one of them said, his voice low and raspy.
"We've gathered enough intel for now," another replied. "Let's go to the room."
Tak! Tak! They started walking.
The three of us followed them, keeping a safe distance behind.
The group moved deeper into the market, passing through rows of closed stalls and darkened alleyways. They seemed to know exactly where they were going, their footsteps purposeful and their expressions determined.
We followed, staying close to the shadows, our invisibility cloaking us from their sight. The air grew heavy with an oppressive silence, broken only by the occasional creak of a rusty hinge or the distant howl of a stray dog.
Finally, the group stopped in front of a seemingly ordinary stall selling fruits and vegetables. One of them, a tall, imposing man with a shaved head, reached out and pressed a hidden button on the side of the stall. A section of the wall slid open, revealing a hidden passage leading downwards.
One by one, the group disappeared into the darkness, their footsteps echoing faintly as they descended the stairs. We waited a few moments, then cautiously followed, our senses heightened, ready for whatever lay ahead.
The passage was narrow and dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and mildew. It felt like we were descending into the depths of the earth, the weight of the world pressing down on us.
After what felt like an eternity, we reached the bottom of the stairs, emerging into a large, cavernous chamber. The air was heavy with a strange, otherworldly energy, and I could feel a prickling sensation on my skin.
The room was dimly lit by flickering torches, revealing a group of figures gathered around a large, circular table. They were the same people we had followed from the market, their faces now illuminated by the flickering flames.
"We're here," IM whispered, his voice barely a breath.
We moved closer, careful not to make a sound. The figures at the table were engaged in a heated discussion, their voices raised in anger and frustration.
"The mission was a failure!" one of them shouted, slamming his fist on the table.
"We underestimated those brats," another growled. "They're more powerful than we thought."
"We need to regroup," a third voice, calmer than the others, interjected. "We need to come up with a new plan."
I strained my ears, trying to catch every word. It was clear that they were discussing the incident at the concert, and our unexpected intervention.
"Those Unveiled... with their heritage... they're a problem," the calm voice continued. "We need to eliminate them before they interfere with our plans again."
A chill ran down my spine. We had become a target.
"Elang's even been arrested..." The first voice spoke again, a hint of frustration in his tone.
"The Unveil Commission? They're causing trouble. Why did we even adopt them into our organization?" the calm voice added, a note of disapproval in his tone.
"They were useful at first," another voice chimed in, a woman's this time, smooth and calculating. "Their abilities allowed us to operate more discreetly, to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. But now..."
"Now they're a liability," the calm voice finished her sentence. "They're attracting too much attention, and their interference could jeopardize our entire operation."
"We need to get rid of them," the first voice growled, his anger palpable. "Before they expose us."
The calm voice nodded. "Agreed. But we need to be careful. They're clearly not ordinary humans. We need to find their weakness, and then strike when they least expect it."
I exchanged a worried glance with IM and Yolan. The Seers were planning to eliminate us. We had to act quickly, before it was too late.
"What about that last girl? The one with the invisibility power?" the calm voice inquired.
"Hmm? She can't even fight hand-to-hand. Let's just abandon her," the first voice dismissed dismissively.
The invisible girl... I thought to myself, remembering Lili, the girl I had encountered at the concert.
IM, without a word, phased through the wall and into the adjacent room. Now, it was just Yolan and me, hidden in the shadows, listening to the Seers' conversation.
A sense of urgency filled me. We had stumbled upon valuable information, but we couldn't risk staying any longer. I nudged Yolan, signaling that it was time to leave.
She nodded, and we cautiously made our way towards the hidden door.
Just as we were about to slip through, the calm voice spoke again, causing us to freeze in our tracks. "You know, I feel... strange. Like someone is watching us."
Both of us stopped, our hearts pounding in our chests.
Bwongg!
I turned around and saw a spectral figure materialize beside one of the Seers, a guardian spirit.
Shit... it's out, just like what I had that time... which means that person is strong. I thought, a wave of apprehension washing over me.
< Chapter 128 > Fin.