Chapter 15 - I'm Going to Prison! Yay!
The next day, a caravan of black sedans, a SWAT van, and a military truck gathered in front of Han's house. Armed military men surrounded the property while a helicopter hovered the neighborhood.
Standing on his front lawn with arms raised, Han smiled wryly. He had expected the ECD and Secret Service to follow up on yesterday's events, but this welcome escort seemed excessive.
A group of five men in white hazmat suits walked over, carrying bulky tranquilizer rifles, capable of launching 200 tranquilizer needles in one minute. Each needle was potent enough to put an elephant in comatose for months.
One of the hazmat officers stepped forward and asked, "Special Agent Han? Where is your son?"
Han nodded toward the house, "He's coming out in a moment. No need for a search."
As Han finished speaking, the door behind him was opened. Carn stepped outside with his hands raised, looking around in astonishment.
"Holy shit. Is this what a five-star wanted level feels like in real life?"
Han rolled his eyes, "Stop messing around and follow the agents. Do not resist. Remember, COOPERATE!"
"Aye, aye, sir."
Carn sighed and walked toward the men in white suits.
The agents pointed guns at Carn even though he did not resist. Two of the agents escorted Carn, bringing him to a tall van.
Entering the van, Carn found a restraint trolley, which appeared a lot in asylum-related movies. It was also completed with a bite mask and a straitjacket.
One of the officers showed Carn a pair of handcuffs. He asked, "You have two choices. Cuff yourself or we use all the restraints."
"That's a very odd protocol." Carn found their method amusing and illogical. Had it been regular cops, they would have handcuffed Carn before they even brought him to the van.
The agent answered, "That's because you have a clean record, and you assisted us in dealing with a doppelganger. Otherwise, you'd already be sedated and laid on that trolley of shame."
"I see. I'd like the handcuff, please."
"Good."
The agent handed Carn a pair of handcuffs, which he promptly secured on his wrists before taking a seat in the van. The other agents closed and locked the doors from the outside.
Meanwhile, a team of hazmat-clad agents entered the house, carrying advanced detection and containment equipment. Wong stood outside, watching the ECD agents examine the scene. After several minutes, they exited, giving Wong and Han a nod of approval.
"All clear. Good work."
Han shrugged. "Of course. So, when do we get relocated to the ECD safe house?"
According to ECD regulations, if two or more family members demonstrated mana capabilities, they qualified for relocation to a specialized secure zone under ECD protection. The entire family would receive mandatory training, education, and job opportunities within the organization.
The ECD also offered competitive pay, with entry-level agents earning a starting salary of $85,000 annually. This didn't include hazard pay, skill-based incentives, free housing, comprehensive health insurance, and other benefits.
With everything combined, the average agent's compensation often exceeded six figures, far more than Han and Wong's current income. The prospect was tempting, but they needed confirmation.
"When your son has been verified as SAFE," Replied the lead agent.
Wong and Han nodded, glancing at the tall black van marked with the ECD logo.
Around them, the military personnel were packing and preparing to leave. The hazmat agents signaled to Han and Wong to follow them to headquarters for Carn's assessment and capability tests.
Han locked the house and joined the team, bringing Carn's belongings and their luggage for what would likely be a lengthy stay at the ECD facility.
.
.
Carn had lost track of time. Being confined within the featureless van with no windows for eight hours, he dozed off, passing the time in a vivid dream.
In his dream, he relived a distant memory of his father, the demon lord's final moment.
The demon lord lay on his deathbed deep within the dungeon's treasury. Gold coins, gold bars, ancient artifacts, and countless treasures piled high like miniature mountains.
Outside the room, Carn's siblings and lord's loyal followers gathered. Some grieved as their master's lifespan was about to end. Carn stood among them, gazing into the treasure room.
Weak but resolute, the demon lord addressed them directly through telepathy, ensuring his final words reached everybody, including Carn.
When it was his turn, Carn heard his father's voice in his mind.
[Pebble, you are the most gifted of your siblings, but also the most vulnerable to politics and deception. After my passing, they may seek you to uncover your vulnerabilities or ask you to join their little faction. Remember this, never reveal your inspirations or your true power. Pretend to be an idiot if you can. Soon, the ones you trust will battle over my throne and these treasures. Leave this place, and don't concern yourself with my remains or this place. Live freely, my child.]
That event was irrelevant to Carn's current situation, but it reminded him of the importance of keeping secrets. After all, because of the silence, nobody discovered his weaknesses for almost a thousand years. He wondered if he should also keep his real power a secret.
'Come to think of it, there was once a saying: Loose lips sink ships. I should keep the Aether part a secret. Oh, my inspiration should be kept under wraps too. I can't let them know about my teleportation tricks.'
Determined to shut his mouth during the upcoming interrogation and tests, he thought of a way to fool the ECD guys.
What should he tell them?
.
.
8 hours of the long journey made Carn's butt sore. Carn wondered when the van would reach its destination.
*RUMBLE*
A sudden loud noise and the shaking made Carn flinch. The vehicle finally came to a stop. Echoing footsteps of a dozen military personnel outside warned Carn about the changes outside, forcing him to be on high alert.
*CLICK*
The van's doors opened. A hundred high-lumen spotlight flashed, shining upon Carn. Taken by surprise, Carn narrowed his eyes and raised his arms to block the lights.
"GET OFF THE VEHICLE!" A muffled sound from a speaker ordered Carn.
Although Carn was still dizzy, he stepped out of the van as instructed. He still couldn't see much around him because of the blinding lights.
"LOOK ON THE FLOOR AND FOLLOW THE YELLOW LINE! DO NOT LOOK UP!"
Again, Carn followed the instructions. He lowered his head and looked at his feet. Indeed, a yellow tape pointing upward gave Carn enough clues to understand what they were telling him to do. He started walking.
Taking three steps ahead, Carn's eyes adjusted to the blinding light. He managed to open his eyes a little wider.
At that moment, Carn discovered colorful hazes around him. Green, yellow, pink, blue, red, orange and black haze mixed together, yet the spotlight penetrated through the mist and pierced his eyes.
Carn inhaled deeply as he recognized the air around him.
"Wow… Artificial Aether?"