CHAPTER 36: BLACK NET

The hologram continued to zoom in, red markers blinking ominously across the map of Crios City—ports, underground tunnels, drainage systems, and two abandoned industrial complexes.

Everyone stared in silence.

Jack felt his throat tighten.

Lucy had pulled her hoodie up, still gripping the hem nervously, making Jack wonder what the hell their Captain told her. On contrast, David leaned forward, eyes bulging in excitement rather than fear as Captain Johann of the 6th Division pointed at the cluster of red dots.

"These are the insertion points Cries intends to use to get in. For this, the Association has asked for our service to collaborate and is labeling this operation Black Net. Our objective is simple: intercept, destabilize, and capture."

Johann said.

The divisions selected lit up on the hologram.

"The Higher-Ups have authorized only a handful of divisions for this interception. 3rd Division: Interrogation and PSY-Ops. 5th Division: Black Operations. 6th Division: Long-Range Support. 7th Division: Close-Quarters Combat. 12th Division: Public Safety, assisted by the 11th Division, Medical Ops."

Seeing Division’s 12 name on the screen, David fist-pumped the air like a hyperactive child while Vice-Captain Simon seemed to be tired already.

"As you can see, this will be a collaboration of five divisions in total but we only have four designated important insertion points." Johann continued, pointing to the hologram, as everyone listened, "The military and association agents will take care of the rest."

A montage of CCTV footages then flashed on the screen, shocking everyone, and even making Jack’s eyes widen.

’!!!’

First, it showed him the footage of him fighting against that blonde stranger in the alley in the lower districts. It was the first time he had seen such footage.

Second, the remnants of the underground laboratory and profile of Joe Carlos was shown. Lastly, the battle in the streets at nights against Joe Carlos and Sharon was showed, showing Lucy and him again.

His face wasn’t zoomed in but if one watched closely enough, Jack’s posture and face, was in every clip. Lucy’s presence in the last clips also didn’t help.

For a moment, Jack sensed some faces looking towards his direction.

Then the image of a thirty-year-old man who looked like a young Joe Carlos swallowed the screen. Then on the other side, it showed a fifty-year-old version. Now, the face was that of a smiley-looking uncle who looked like the young man.

Surprisingly, this was the Joe Carlos that Jack remembered, the uncle who owned and worked in a diner.

Johann tapped the screen, showing Joe and even Sharon now, who was labeled as his subordinate.

"We’ve been monitoring several high-value targets connected to Cries, but only this man has confirmed, direct, recent interaction."

He paused.

"This man’s name is Joe Carlos, a former member of Grave Ash who reportedly defected from them two years ago."

A low murmur rose from the crowd gathered. Even the captains’ expressions sharpened.

"Some of you only know the watered-down version," Johann then continued, voice gravelly. "But now, this man is a current threat to national security."

Everyone fell silent.

The captain pointed at the hologram as details magnified—ingredients, formulas, symbols, and mutilated lab tables.

"Two years ago, Joe Carlos was an ordinary citizen who worked at a pharmaceutical subsidiary of the Association. He rose from an ordinary employee to one of their top doctors. He is a savant, a genius at chemistry, and a madman."

The Captain said, and continued, "But also two years ago, Joe Carlos made contact with Grave Ash and became their member and participated in their charity activities. During that time, he retired from the Association as an ordinary citizen."

The captain’s expression darkened.

He clicked the remote again.

"A year later, he severed all ties with Grave Ash after reports surfaced linking the organization to criminal activities, and he has been on the run ever since. Rumors claimed he fled the country. But just this month, new information about him emerged—now as an awakened Vernathi, his appearance drastically aged, as if twenty years passed in only two. And in a hidden laboratory in the city, he has allegedly been manufacturing Awakener Breakpoint Drugs.

A hush fell.

"Breakpoints drugs...?"

The captain nodded grimly, and gestured for the poised and elegant 11th Division Captain or the Medical Operations to speak.

Captain Flower then started.

"As everyone knows, awakening occurs as a natural process when one’s mind and body are forced beyond their limits. We can train hard, put ourselves into severe stress, or experience a near death experience to awaken. We call that Breakpoints."

She pointed to the hologram.

"What Joe Carlos did was replicate that process—chemically."

The next slide appeared.

Mutilated animals. Injections. Growth serum charts.

"He began injecting on animals. Some died instantly. Others awakened. The mutations were... unpredictable. Whatever he is, he is a madman." Captain Flower said, her face looked like she both admired and disappointed with Joe Carlos.

"But then," she continued, "he eventually moved on to human trials. We can assume he began in the lower districts, where surveillance is minimal, shifting locations frequently. However, due to Grave Ash’s increasing influence in the area, he apparently fled and went into hiding in the Upper Districts, where he continued experimenting on both humans and animals."

Someone cursed under their breath.

"We don’t know yet why Grave Ash and Joe Carlos are so at odds with each other. But both are enemies of humanity."

A new slide appeared, showing pictures of the same vials Jack saw in the laboratory all labeled Substance 56 or Glioxiosa.

"These are the Breakpoint drugs he made—the results of his experiments. They force the body past human limits. Awakening is possible but... the user often loses sanity, organ stability, or simply dies."

A rookie gulped loudly.

"Wait... does that mean it can awaken a person safely?" A captain then murmured.

Hearing him, Captain Flower shook her head.

"We have no evidence it works safely on humans. Only Carlos knows the complete formula, which makes him a very dangerous individual."

A collective breath hitched across the room.

Another video appeared.

An ordinary looking black cat who can move in absurd speed, have great strength and even enlarge itself to become four times its normal size!

Jack naturally recognized the cat immediately as Shadow and actually has been in the room itself when they were doing those tests since only his presence made the cat move and do as it was told.

Johann resumed speaking.

"In the hidden lab, this cat is a survivor of Substance 56. It is an awakened cat. Enhanced reflexes. Extreme muscular density. And even high intelligence. The only unknown is how long will it live."

The room collectively inhaled.

"And that," Johann said, "is why Cries wants him. They need his formulas. His mind. His research. So, he cannot be allowed to leave the city."

"The good news: we are certain Joe Carlos is still inside Crios. He cannot escape. The Association and military have sealed the borders. But Cries is coming for him."

"..."

"And if they get him—if they mass-produce Substance 56..." Johann’s voice dropped to a whisper, "...the world will suffer."

The Division 12 members looked at each other. Except for the Captain and Simon who knew about it beforehand maybe in a meeting prior to this, the three rookies cannot believe how big the missing cat case actually was!

Jack especially swallowed.

’I... caused this...? All those clues... all those events... were part of this insane mess?’

Just then, Johan lifted his voice again.

"Before we begin assignments..."

His fox-like eyes swept across the room and landed on Division 12.

"Division 12 Rank 1 Employee, Jack, step forward."