Kaiza was stunned as he watched the four men collapse to the ground in an instant. 'What the hell just happened?' he thought, his eyes darting across the room. His gaze landed on the spot where M. Boss had been standing moments earlier, only to find it empty. The man had vanished without a trace. A chilling thought crossed his mind, sending a shiver down his spine.
"He's Alien"
Kaiza's gaze shifted to Keaton, noting his vulnerable state. He seemed just as confused as Kaiza about what had transpired. Suddenly, Kaiza noticed a dagger moving toward Keaton. He couldn't tell what the weapon intended or where it had come from. His eyes quickly traced its source and locked onto a man standing at the far end of the corridor where he'd been earlier. The man's hand was outstretched, controlling the dagger as it hovered menacingly against Keaton's neck.
Kaiza initially thought the dagger controlled by M. Boss was meant to kill Keaton instantly. But as he watched, soon that assumption faded. Keaton didn't collapse like the four guards; instead he stood firm, his body frozen as if frostbitten. His head jerked back unnaturally, and only then did Kaiza realized the dagger was pressed firmly against his neck
Kaiza, having never witnessed anything like this before, was both intrigued and drawn in, completely lost in the unfolding scene. He watched as the man up on the corridor descended gracefully to Keaton, now standing frozen in the middle of the room. The man lingered behind Keaton for a moment, and Kaiza began to pick up faint traces of their conversation. Though the words weren't clear, he had no doubt they were talking about him—and everything connected to him.
Reality hit Kaiza like a jolt. If this man killed Keaton, he would undoubtedly be next. A surge of urgency coursed through him as he suddenly remembered his uncle and the taxi driver waiting for him outside.
It was then Kaiza realized the grave danger he could bring upon his innocent uncle, the taxi driver, and himself. Panic surged through him, and he was about to make a run for it when M. Boss's voice echoed in the room, calling out to Keaton again. Kaiza froze, curiosity holding him back as he strained to hear what would happen next.
He heard M. Boss instruct Keaton, "Inject him with this." Kaiza peeked cautiously and saw a strange weapon being handed to Keaton. That was all the prompting he needed. Without another second to waste, he turned and bolted for the car.
When Kaiza reached the point where the taxi was, he met with nothing—the taxi driver had already left with his uncle. Just then, a message pinged on his phone. It was from his uncle, instructing him to find another taxi and meet him at the airline.
Kaiza felt a mix of emotions. He was partially relieved by his uncle's decision, but a nagging sense of disappointment lingered. He blamed himself for staying too long, likely frustrating the driver and forcing his uncle to leave without him. However, he couldn't shake the thought that his uncle should have ensured his safety before leaving, especially knowing how dangerous these people were.
The realization stung. Why would his uncle abandon him so easily, knowing the risks? The thought made Kaiza feel a deep sadness.
Shoving his hand into his pockets, Kaiza began walking down the cold, dimly lit street, heading toward the nearest bus stop—or getting a taxi, if he was lucky.
As Kaiza trudged down the cold, desolate path, his mind kept drifting back to the strange events in the hall. The image of four armed men collapsing in a split second replayed vividly in his head. How could someone accomplish such a feat and then appear on the second floor almost instantly?
'That wasn't human,' he thought, his breath visible in the icy air. Or could it be…?
The possibility lingered, sending a chill down his spine that had nothing to do with the cold night.
Kaiza wrestled with his thoughts, trying to make sense of the possibilities. "If that man was an alien" he reasoned, "then surely my father would have mentioned him—or reported him to the authorities." But another thought crept in. "What if he had threatened my father?"
The questions piled up, each one more frustratingly unanswered than the last. Eventually, Kaiza settled on a more plausible explanation. He's just human, he concluded, someone who's mastered the abilities taught in the alien-provided books. These books had been humanity's lifeline during the second Dowolf Beast invasion, enabling them to fight back.
The thought sparked a flicker of excitement in Kaiza. He remembered that soon, he'd be attending military school, where he would finally learn some of these abilities himself. He could have started earlier, but the military had wiped off all ability books and restricted their access to within the walls of the academy. No ability books were allowed outside, except in rare, tightly controlled cases.
The idea of finally gaining access to these abilities fueled his determination as he continued down the cold street, his mind momentarily distracted from the dangers behind him.
Those who possessed abilities were either graduates of the military school or children of millionaires. Despite the strict rules surrounding ability books, there were still loopholes. The military discreetly sold these books to first-class citizens, allowing them to privately train their children.
As a result, the children of the elite had access to personal ability books, giving them a significant head start. Likewise, the sons and daughters of military personnel benefited from access to the restricted resources within the academy. For Kaiza, this uneven playing field fueled both frustration and determination, as he resolved to carve his own path despite the odds stacked against him.
Aliens were no longer as common as they had been during the first war. After they provided humanity with the ability books and began creating systems to enhance those who had mastered them, an unexpected war erupted between humans and aliens. The attack was swift and devastating. Humans, armed with the very abilities they had learned from the aliens, turned against their benefactors.
The conflict led to the near-extinction of aliens on Earth. Most were killed, and only a few managed to escape. However, rumors persisted—whispers of a select group of aliens who possessed the ability to manipulate their blood, changing its color to red to blend in with humans.
Kaiza couldn't ignore the thought that this explained the man he had seen earlier, the one who fell on the wheel screen. Could he have been one of them? The possibility made his heart race as he pieced together the fragments of what he knew.
Kaiza's thoughts drifted to the briefcase he carried. What could possibly be inside that made these men so desperate to claim it? Curiosity tugged at him, and he decided to take a look. But just as his fingers brushed the latch, hurried footsteps echoed behind him.
He froze, his heart quickening. Taking slow, deliberate steps, he tried to confirm whether it was real or just his imagination. The footsteps softened, as though whoever it was had noticed his cautious movement and adjusted their pace.
Kaiza glanced over his shoulder but saw nothing—only the silent, empty road. Unease pricked at him, and he quickened his pace. The sound of movement behind him grew louder, accompanied by faintly echoing footsteps.
Whipping around suddenly, Kaiza caught sight of a manly figure slipping into the shadows. Though the figure disappeared into the darkness, its silhouette remained just visible enough to send a chill down Kaiza's spine.
Kaiza pretended as though he hadn't noticed anything, masking his unease. Pulling out his phone, he checked the status of his Uber ride, eyes flickering between the screen and the road ahead. Though his focus seemed split, he moved more cautiously now, his senses on high alert.
When he saw the tracker indicating that his ride was close, a small wave of relief washed over him. Just a little longer, he thought, forcing himself to walk steadily as though unaware of his stalker's presence. He knew the best chance of avoiding confrontation was to act natural, all the while keeping his guard up.
A few seconds later, the car pulled up in front of him. Kaiza wasted no time, grabbing the door handle to get in. But just as he was about to open it, a voice called out behind him.
"Kaiza."
He froze. The voice was familiar, too familiar. Slowly, he turned to see Keaton standing casually against a streetlight, his eyes fixed intently on him.
But something about Keaton was different now. This wasn't the man who had seemed willing to help him earlier. There was a coldness in his demeanor, a predatory calm that made Kaiza's stomach churn.
Kaiza's grip on the door tightened as his instincts screamed at him to flee. He knew why Keaton was here—to take the briefcase and eliminate him. Fear mixed with suspicion in his mind, and though his heart raced, he forced himself to remain silent, his gaze locked on Keaton, waiting to see what he would do next.
"I'm not here to hurt you," Keaton said, his voice steady but cold. "All I want is the briefcase. Hand it over and leave. No one gets hurt."
Kaiza swallowed hard, his mind racing. He stared at Keaton, unsure of what to do. Should he run? Or should he hand over the briefcase and hope for the best?
But then his father's voice echoed in his memory, "Guard that bag with your life." Keaton's demand only reinforced the weight of his father's words. If M. Boss wanted this so badly, it must not fall into his hands—no matter the cost.
Kaiza's eyes darted, taking in his surroundings as he quickly plotted an escape plan. He recalled what his father had told him about Keaton: he wasn't an alien, nor did he possess any special abilities. Keaton was a technologist who relied on advanced weaponry and martial arts, not the alien-crafted ability books that took months to master.
If he's like what his father described, then he might stand a chance. Kaiza tightened his grip on the briefcase, his breathing steadying as he prepared to make his move. He just needed the right moment.
Knowing this, Kaiza quickly formulated his escape. The distance between him and Keaton was just enough to make his plan work. Without hesitation, he leaped into the taxi and shouted at the driver, "Drive! Now!"
The driver, startled but obliging, stepped on the gas and sped off.
"Kaiza!" Keaton bellowed, his voice echoing down the street as he realized the boy had outsmarted him.
But instead of chasing after the car, Keaton muttered to himself, his tone low and ominous. "If that's how you want it, then you'll get it."
Kaiza glanced back through the window, his heart pounding, wondering what Keaton's next move would be. Whatever it was, he knew this wasn't over.