Ren steps out of his apartment, feeling the weight of frustration settle on his shoulders. The air is crisp, filled with the faint scent of rain-soaked pavement.
He heads to a nearby internet café, his thoughts racing.
I should look online, see if I can find anything about the agency. But I can't use my computer at home; it's too risky.
As he enters the café, the warm glow of the overhead lights envelops him. The hum of chatter and the soft clatter of keyboards create a familiar ambiance.
He scans the room, spotting a corner table with an empty computer station.
He approaches the table and sits down, the chair creaking beneath him. He glances at the menu on the wall, deciding to order a coffee and some fast food to fuel his research.
"I'll have a black coffee and a burger," he tells the barista, who nods and begins to prepare his order.
Ren settles in, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. He takes a deep breath, pushing his thoughts into focus. Let's see what I can dig up.
He opens a browser and types "paranormal activities" into the search bar, feeling a surge of excitement mixed with skepticism.
Many results pop on the screen. He scrolls through pages of links. Most are sensationalist blogs and dubious websites.
"Paranormal Phenomena: Real or Hoax?"
"Ghosts Caught on Tape!"
"Is paranormal even real?"
"Ghosts can see us, but we can't see them,"
"You want superpower,"
The titles are tantalizing, but he knows better than to fall for clickbait.
So much nonsense, he thinks, shaking his head.
Even though he just started, but the frustration begins to seep in. He tries more specific terms.
"Government agency supernatural."
The results are a mix of conspiracy theory blogs, debunked reports, and wild claims about government cover-ups.
One headline screams,
"Aliens Walk Among Us: The Government Knows!"
Ren's brow furrows. Hah, people do all sorts of things. Well, everyone loves a good story, but where's the truth? I don't see anything that proves these claims true.
A man steps to Ren, holding his order. Ren takes that and put them on the table. Holding the cup high, he takes a sip of the coffee, the bitterness grounding him.
Continuing his search, he types in "superhuman sightings," and several other articles pop up. He clicks on one that details a supposed encounter with a man who could run faster than a speeding car.
As he reads, he finds comments claiming to have seen UFOs, glowing orbs, and shadowy figures darting through the night.
"Crazy," he mutters under his breath, rolling his eyes at the absurdity. One user describes a night spent staring at the stars, only to witness 'Something or someone' racing past, pursued by police.
"I swear, I saw him zooming down the street! No way a human could move that fast!" Another commenter jokingly suggests,
"Maybe he just had to freshen up before the big race, huh?" Ren snorts at the humor but remains irritated.
Ren continues to search about the agency and after two hours of fruitless digging, he slouches in his chair, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
Damn it, I didn't find anything useful.
But what else can he even do. He continues and types in,
"secret government agencies tracking superhumans."
His heart races as he hits enter, hoping for something useful to pop up.
This time, he sees something useful. A forum post catches his eye:
"The Truth About Government Agencies and Superhumans."
His pulse quickens as he opens it. He begins to read a collection of stories and theories shared by people who claim to have encountered superhumans or seen strange happenings.
One post reads, "A man faster than cars. I know human speed, but he was really fast! The cops were chasing him in their car! But they couldn't catch up to him"
Ren reads a bit more. But what gets him a bit funny are the people's comments.
"Oh, really? That sounds insane!"
Another replies. "Was he black and the cops white?" A barrage of laughing emojis follows.
What a ridiculous comment, Ren thinks, trying to suppress a smile. Yet, the absurdity of it all only frustrates him more.
Just as he's about to delve deeper into another thread, he notices a girl walking toward him. She's petite, with a small build and an air of confidence. Her long, dark hair cascades over her shoulders, framing her delicate features. She has bright blue eyes that glimmer with mischief.
Ren finds himself captivated for a moment, studying her as she approaches. She's beautiful, but she looks young.
She looks good, should I do something with her?... Nah, let's not. I'm not in the mood now, and she definitely looks young.
She sits at the computer beside him, barely glancing in his direction. Just as she settles in, she leans over and peers at his screen.
"What are you looking at, old man? Do your work!" She tells ren, her voice a sharp contrast to the quiet café, breaking through his concentration.
Ren glances at her, irritation flaring. "Seriously? Old man," he mutters under his breath. She clearly looks and rude.
Anyway, Ren ignores her comments and refocuses on the screen. He types other specific lines to try to find something useful. He reads a few posts, but just after few minutes.
"Oh, come on! Right there! Shoot him!" The girl besides him yells in her mic.
"The fuck are you doing? He's behind you, shoot! Noooooo, don't come here! Save me!"
Ren looks at her, irritation bubbling over.
"Can you keep it down a bit? I'm trying to work here." Ren says politely to the girl.
Okay," she says without even looking at Ren.
He rolls his eyes, and continue doing his stuff. But after just few more minutes, she yells again. This kid… he thinks, pushing his frustration aside. He turns to her again and says,
"Look kid, I'm serious. Can you just—"
"Kid? Pfft! You're the one acting like a kid. If you want to work, go home!" Her voice is loud, attracting the attention of nearby people.
"And who are you calling kid? I'm 18, you old man!"
Ren feel irritated by how she talks to him. First he hasn't found anything useful online and now this kid.
"That's how you speak? You don't look like you're 18 at all, kid."
"Don't call me kid. I don't like being called kid just because I'm small. I'm 18, and am also strong. I'm a black belt, so watch it, old man." She crosses her arms defiantly, staring at Ren as if she is some boss or something.
"Oh, so you're not a kid? Then act like one, okay. I'm trying to work, so just keep it down." Ren says, staring back at her.
"Man, don't you call me kid." she snaps, a hint of challenge in her voice.
Ren looks at her, surprised by how she is talking. Even though she looks like a teenager and he doesn't like how she is talking to her, It is somehow turning him on.
I was going to let you go, but now that you've pissed me off... And turned me on. You say you're not a kid… a smirk creeps on his lips.
"That's good then, if you are 18, You're fucked" he thinks, standing up with purpose. He heads toward the restroom, a plan starting to take shape in his mind.
"Yeaa, just go home and do work, old man." She mocks as Ren stands up and leave.