The Captain handed him the motorcycle’s key card, then bid him farewell and returned to the tent. Ares, meanwhile, walked toward the motorcycle, which was parked just outside the encampment, amidst a patch of tall grass overlooking the forest ahead. He swung a leg over the bike and inserted the key card into a small slot. A holographic display illuminated the control panel between the handlebars, and a female voice announced:
"Echo 5000 activated. Please place your thumb on the illuminated blue square."
He pressed his thumb to the indicated area. A confirmation symbol appeared on the screen, and the voice continued in the same monotonous tone:
"Thumbprint confirmed. Welcome, Mr. Ares."
"Welcome, my beauty," Ares said with a sarcastic grin. "Now, let’s ride."
A three-dimensional map appeared before him. He touched the screen, selecting the city center as his destination. The motorcycle hummed to life, its wheels lifting off the ground and rotating to a horizontal position, emitting a deep blue glow. Ares realized it was the new model of motorcycle that utilized the Meissner effect. There was no friction with the ground; the bike hovered a few centimeters above it, allowing it to reach speeds double that of a conventional motorcycle. In the absence of friction, it was as if it were flying. Ares put on his helmet, adjusted the pack on his back, and looked ahead. He saw the red disk of the sun on the horizon and knew that night was beginning to cast its wings over the city. He had to hurry before visibility was lost. He pressed the accelerator, and the motorcycle shot forward, cutting through the wind. He sped past the encampment, then skillfully navigated a sandy slope, heading for the outer road. He tore through the city at a tremendous speed as the sun cast its last golden rays, painting a breathtaking scene before the darkness descended.
Ares activated the autopilot, and the motorcycle began to navigate toward the designated location on the map. He pressed a few buttons on the control panel, then pulled a tablet from his bag. He turned it on, tapped a few icons until he found what he was looking for, and then activated the thermal imaging feature.
A radar-like map appeared on the screen. A pointer, like the hand of a clock, swept around the map several times until it began to flash at a specific location.
"I’ve found the first one," Ares said to himself.
He attached the tablet device to a spot below the motorcycle’s control panel, deactivated the autopilot, and took control. He turned left at an intersection, heading toward the flashing point on the map. A few minutes later, he arrived at his destination.
Ares parked his motorcycle in an alley and headed into the small forest before him.
He moved through the trees, keeping an eye on the dot on the map. As he drew closer, it split into two points, very close together. A surge of excitement went through him.
"I’ve found two at once," he said. "This is my lucky day."
Ares walked through the trees, enjoying the birdsong and the cool air that filtered through the interwoven branches. Sunlight dappled the forest floor, creating a cheerful scene. He turned right, crossed a small stream, and emerged from the trees to find a small slope and a long, straight road. Along the side of the road was a single row of houses made of oak, giving it the appearance of a large farm road. He scanned the area, searching for his target. After a few seconds, he saw a person dressed in what looked like a priest’s robes, walking down the street with an air of cold detachment. Ares hid behind a tree and watched him closely. He knew who this person was, and his heart tightened with tension.
"Oh, God," he said to himself. "Isn’t that Sairi? That creepy bastard. Did I have to run into him first? He’s the last person I wanted to see right now. His stare creeped me out during the tests, even though I’m not afraid of anything."
Ares looked to his left and saw a distant temple and a white tower, similar to the one he had come from. His suspicions that this was Sairi were confirmed, and he was unsure of what to do. Should he reveal himself and tell him everything, or avoid him, which would be the better option? But he knew that Sairi was extremely powerful and would be useful for his mission. Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚⚫𝙣𝙚𝙩
As he was thinking, he was surprised to see Sairi stop and look toward the forest. A shiver ran down Ares’s spine.
"Did he really sense me?" he wondered. "Or is this just a coincidence? That bastard has a creepy aura."
Ares placed his hand on a tree and activated his camouflage ability, his skin taking on the color and texture of the tree trunk. He continued to watch from between the trees and saw that Sairi had looked away from the forest and continued on his way. Ares breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for his power, a power that could completely conceal his existence, even the physical energy emanating from him. He moved cautiously between the trees, watching Sairi, no longer feeling the desire to reveal himself. After a short while, he noticed someone else watching Sairi from between the houses—a person cloaked in a long, black robe.
Ares retrieved a pair of binoculars from his pack and began to observe the unknown individual with curiosity. Who, precisely, is this? he wondered. Is it one of the others, searching for the rest as I am, and became apprehensive upon identifying Sairi as his objective?
He shifted his gaze back to Sairi, while simultaneously monitoring the cloaked figure. Why was this person following Sairi? Could it be a disguised robot, preparing for a surprise attack? Ares retrieved a pistol fitted with a sound suppressor from his pack, ready to fire if the situation demanded it. He continued his surveillance with extreme caution, camouflaging himself amongst the trees and grass. After a few minutes, he witnessed something that astonished him.
Sairi, who had been walking down the road with an air of utter indifference, suddenly veered toward one of the houses. He began to scale the building, clinging to its edges, until he reached the roof. Ares’s jaw hung slack with surprise. He understood then that Sairi had sensed the cloaked figure.
He must be able to sense ambient energy signatures, Ares concluded, and even pinpoint their source.
Sairi stood for a few minutes atop the wooden house, observing the cloaked person, who had disappeared behind a neighboring building. From his vantage point, Ares could no longer see the second figure; he could only see Sairi’s back.
Suddenly, Ares saw Sairi leap into the air.