CHAPTER 37: DEDUCTIONS

Jack blinked, caught off-guard.

’M-Me?’

Everyone turned to him.

A murmur spread.

"Him?"

"Why?"

"Isn’t he a rookie?"

Jack stiffened, feeling all eyes especially from the other rookies latching onto him for the sudden attention.

"Stand up."

Captain Riot didn’t raise his voice, yet the command hit like a hammer. His expression said plainly: Move, before I move you.

Jack swallowed and stepped forward.

Whatever the reason, it was clear that a meeting had already been held about all this, and as a subordinate—an employee—there was nothing he could do but follow orders.

Jack went between the 3rd and 11th Division Captain.

Standing felt suffocating. Their presences alone were enough to make veterans sweat.

Jack’s vision briefly flickered with red question marks over the two captains. Even if he resisted, they could end him in an instant.

At the same time though, the air shifted.

Everyone were confused why a rookie, of all people, was suddenly being showcased.

As if he knew what everyone was thinking, Captain Johann gestured to the CCTV clips.

"You may have recognized his face from the footages."

"!!!"

"So that was him?"

"I thought I was mistaking it."

After talking to her Vice-Captain James to fill him in, Captain Flower of the Third Division then spoke up from her seat to interject happily without hesitation as if she had been planning to from the very start.

Jack is a new member of Division 12... and possibly the main reason Public Safety was brought into this operation!" She announced like a child.

"Hey, woman. Watch it."

Captain Riot who was seating at the very end snapped instantly.

But Flower only grinned, tilting her head like a teasing sibling.

"Oh? Why so defensive?" she teased, "Aren’t you even a little proud?"

Riot’s jaw tightened. The air around him seemed to hum with barely restrained aggression.

"I don’t give a damn. If Cries is involved, I’ll hunt them down—permission or not."

His raw hatred made even other captains flinch. They knew of Riot’s history with Cries—but the depth of that anger? Few could claim to understand it.

Riot’s gaze then landed on Jack.

"Newbie. Talk. We’re wasting time."

The fox-eyed 6th Division Captain stepped in with a gentler smile and patted Jack’s back.

"Take a breath. Just tell us what you know. You’re the only one here with direct and recent contact with the target."

Jack forced a polite smile, acknowledging the gesture, though he bristled internally. He was twenty-four, not a child.

Straightening his posture, he let his mind shift into focus.

’I guess this is unavoidable.’ He thought, ’Moreover, if Cries is involved, this is serious.’

He wasn’t dumb or wasn’t going to act dumb like usual.

He didn’t know everything, but he has an idea what happened with some members of Cries and the former members of Division 12 and the former members.

It was actually a famous story among older employees which many knew but didn’t dare talk about.

Two years ago, Riot had led a raid outside the city to apprehend terrorist-awakeners... only to encounter Cries’ members who happened to be in the area for an unknown reason.

Two rookies who hadn’t even been employees for a month died. The others were maimed beyond repair. And three had yet to wake from comatose states. Since then, Division 12 had been shorthanded. That was the official story.

That was the official story.

Jack inhaled and studied the footage.

’It’s my first time knowing that the blonde guy I fought was a Grave Ash member or my first time hearing of them. Regardless, when I fought the Skarn in the alley... he was later talking to someone through his earpiece. He was looking for someone. It could be because of what the previous user did. But I don’t think I can tell them this...’

Proceeding, he decided what to say.

"When we observed Joe Carlos at his diner... he acted like a normal, well-liked uncle. He cooked for kids. Laughed with workers. He seemed to have a decent reputation among the community. My team members can vouch for that."

Jack then paused, recalling the underground lab when he was alone.

He could still hear the metallic tangs, the suffocating fumes, the smell of chemicals and Carlos’ unnervingly steady voice as he explained.

"When I was trapped with him belowground, he tried to kill me at first."

Jack then internalized and spoke out his thoughts.

"But then after a while, he calmed down and talked to me. He wasn’t afraid. He was... confident. As if he never cared what I can do. Until I freed the cat, the survivor of Substance 56. He became very angry and even went as far as activating his ability. But when the cat went out of its cage, all the focus of Carlos went onto it. So, I used the cat’s disturbance and fled.’

Jack said, merely relaying the same information he told the authorities before.

"In the next footage..."

The image of Lucy fighting Sharon flashed.

This was the clash on the bus roof. Jack saw in the footage the time he fired the pistol so many times hitting Carlos’ head but his wounds closed like nothing happened.

"What first happened here is that the cat — Shadow — suddenly showed up at where I was residing. Injured. And then apparently, he was being trailed by two awakeners which was Carlos and Sharon. When I noticed them, I immediately contacted the team. Then as you can see, the woman attacked the bus."

Jack then cut his thoughts off and veered away.

"Sorry," he said worried he confused them, and then spoke again, "The cat...Shadow is very important to Carlos, enough for him to expose his location even for a moment to acquire Shadow again."

Captain Johann nodded.

"We’re aware. The cat, Shadow, must be vital to his research. But can you tell us more about Carlos itself and his ability?"

Jack quickly summoned the system and read Carlos’ abilities and even Sharon’s, shocking everyone.

But honestly, he just read the potential abilities of the Vernathi race and Ogre race.

"I see." Johann, surprised nodded, "That is helpful. Is there anything you want to add?"

Jack nodded.

He knew that question meant for him to sit down, but he didn’t.

"This is just my opinion but Carlos and Sharon were willing to expose themselves publicly, fight in front of civilians, and risk detection—all for Shadow. That tells us something more."

His tone grew colder.

"And if Cries wants him... then Shadow isn’t just valuable. He may be irreplaceable."

Captain Riot who seemed tired of hearing him crossed his arms.

"This facility is a fortress. That cat won’t be taken."

Captain Flower interjected.

"Moreover, the Association had also sent two high rank agents to Sector D to guard the cat. And they are pretty capable."

It was at this moment.

Hearing the two Captains, Jack temporarily went silent to think, as something clicked inside his mind.

’How could I have not thought about that earlier?!’

In an instant, Jack opened the map in his head. The world dimmed and shifted to black lines, grids, and floating markers in a translucent map over his vision. Then he saw red dots blinking inside the building.

[Enemy Presence: 2.]

[Unknown status ???]

[Unknown status ???]

His expression darkened.

’These red dots weren’t there earlier...’

His expression darkened while looking at the location of the red markers – Sector D, where Shadow was being held. Jack was sure that while there were guards from the company guarding and monitoring Shadow, there weren’t red markers there just when he went there earlier in the morning.

Slowly, Jack opened his mouth.

"Those association agents. How sure are we they’re not an enemy? Are they the same people who always wore those black suits in missions?"

Captain Flower blinked.

"If you say black suits, yes, those are usually the government awakeners after all."

Jack’s eyes sharpened.

"Sorry. This has just been a real mystery. It was only five minutes after I escaped from Carlos’ lab yet no one emerged. Not Shadow. Not Carlos. No signs of movement. Unless they teleported, which is impossible..."

He paused.

"Indeed. I’ve never heard of teleportation as an ability. Some may reduce presence, but that won’t work with Association agents around," someone added.

Jack looked at the map and let a teasing smile creep onto his face. "Or... someone with authority moved them. May have, at least."

He nearly winced. Hinting at treason was dangerous—but his system confirmed it: two enemies were inside the building!

He laughed, a little too loudly. "Well, I could be wrong. Maybe I’m playing detective... but it’s believable, right?"

"That’s treason!"

"Dangerous accusation," one senior said.

"Evidence?" another snapped.

"Rookie, you’re overreaching. Really?"

"Watch your mouth."

Jack kept calm. Because what he was saying was true.

’There’s no way I’m wrong.’

But he couldn’t afford to give away the full extent of his ability.

Surprisingly, Riot then finally stood up and prepared to leave but his voice was calm but deadly serious.

"I believe the kid. Let’s look into it."

A tense silence followed.

Then came a laugh. James clapped Jack on the shoulder so hard he nearly staggered. "Interesting!"

"..."

"That’s very interesting!"

Several seniors especially those from other divisions glared at James.

"James, you’ll get us all killed!" another vice-captain hissed. Then turned to Jack too, "Same with you rookie!"

Hearing the vice-captain, James only smiled, eyes narrowing. "Don’t mock him for saying what you’re too afraid to admit."

The silence tightened even more like a noose.

It was at this moment. Captain Johann’s whose eyes remained sharp and unblinking widened and his gaze were deadly serious.

"A traitor within the Association?" He folded his arms. "Absurd... but we should definitely look into it."

"A traitor in the Association?" he murmured. "Absurd... but worth investigating."

Jack exhaled.

Then his lips curved in a small, secretive smile.