783 Strategic Meeting (2)
After the meeting ended, Erik didn't know how to process what he heard.
The Blackguards talked a lot about what to do to get him. However, they had more plans than just using his friends against him.
They discussed using drones, robots and even mech to find him. Erik wasn't worried about it.
Thanks to the biological supercomputer, he could easily bypass their systems and remain undetected, even by the most hidden camera.
He didn't fear people too. As with his shapeshifting powers, it would be hard to find him.
Yet Erik was in deep thoughts. The reason was simple: it was because of his father.
Two years prior, he came back and left him the biological supercomputer.
He didn't know if he knew what it was exactly, but it was clear it was something important, so much so that the Blackguards were doing whatever they could to get their hands on it.
They were so hell bent on finding whatever Lucius found that they hunted him. A man said to be on the same level as General Becker from Frant.
Lucius was being kept hostage by the crystal cross gang, but unfortunately, this team of blackguards didn't know where.
They were briefed about everything related to Erik, but not in such depth to allow Erik to find that information out and rush to his help.
The only people who knew where he was were his captors and the Blackguards' higher-ups.
Erik knew what the biological supercomputer would do, and he understood why the Blackguards were doing all they could to get their hands on it.
<Motherfu…>
As Erik was leaving the room, while his mind was a chaotic mess, someone called for him.
"Quakestrike!"
Erik turned. As he did, a woman approached him while the others left the room.
"What?"
Erik tried hard not to break character despite the inner turmoil, and the system didn't seem inclined to intervene to calm him down. Maybe he was not agitated enough to warrant its intervention.
The woman removed her helmet, revealing her features to who he assumed was Quakestrike. Her hair, a dark shade of brown, fell in a simple, utilitarian cut just above her shoulders.
Her face held no striking characteristics; it was a face one might overlook in a crowd. Her eyes, a hue of hazel, however, glanced towards Erik with a longing look.
"What, you say? Do you know how worried I was when I learned you went off chasing Erik Romano alone?"
<Ah… the couple, uh? These bastards, strangely, still have human emotions. > Erik almost sighed. <I stole the worts fucking identity possible. >
"Ah… Sorry… about that," he tried looking and sounding apologetic, but the truth was he didn't give a shit.
"The stupid officer who told me they spotted him sweetened his words so much he convinced me we could capture him."
Somehow, Dreadnought seemed persuaded by his words. <Maybe this guy pulled stupid feats like this often. >
Then, to convince her even more, based on Quakestrike character, Erik said, "Don't worry, I got sure to punish the prick before leaving."
"Good. Those peasants need to learn their place. How could he make you waste time knowing how busy you are?"
The woman then got closer. To close for Erik's taste, though, he couldn't break character.
It was clear the two were in a relationship or something of the sort, so he had to play along.
She took off Erik's helmet. Of course, under it there was Quakestrike's face.
Erik copied it down to the last detail and wasn't worried she would find something weird.
She put the helmet under Erik's arm, and with her free hand, she started drawing circles on his chest.
"You know, it's been a while since we had been alone. I wanted to spend some quality time alone before resuming the mission." Her hints were clear.
<Fuck. I need to decline somehow…>
Since Hais brain crystal power improved a lot his thought speed, Erik tried to find anything to say to refuse.
He couldn't lose time. After having heard everything he needed from these guys, he had the urge to rush to Noah and seek help to find his father.
Besides, Erik found the woman unattractive. It wasn't like she was ugly, but compared to the likes of Mira, Amber, or Emily, she wasn't even worth considering.
Maybe having Amber and Mira as lovers messed up his perception of people.
Though the only conclusion Erik came with was that he couldn't refuse.
He didn't know that much about Quakestrike. What if he was a womanizer and never said no to her? A refusal may seem weird and make her suspect it wasn't really him.
For those reasons, Erik hugged Dreadnought and kissed her. Then he grinned.
"Let me just go talk to Momentum. I have something to ask him. Go to the room up-stair and wait for me there."
"Oh? You are so aroused you can't even wait to go back to the hotel? What if someone see us?"
She said that, but the look in her eyes made it clear she wasn't bothered that much by the thought.
"Who cares?" Erik grabbed her armored ass. "Let them watch if they want."
Then he put his helmet back on and left the room. There was something he wanted to find out. Lyria's location.
That bitch was the likely cause for the Blackguards finding out about his identity. She was the one who found him, the one who gave him quests on behalf of the organization and likely the one who gave them his information.
It wasn't like the two developed a friendship, but he didn't think she would have been someone that would easily back-stab people based on what he saw about her.
The reality was that she had a selfish nature and only cared about herself, like a snake with no regard for others.
Erik, maintaining his guise as Quakestrike, navigated the debris-strewn halls of the villa. His steps echoed in the hollowed-out corridors.
Each room he entered bore the scars of destruction, with walls partially crumbled and furniture reduced to splinters.
The place wasn't empty. Though in almost every room there were three or more people.
Some were talking to others and coordinating their search for him. Others were guarding the places, while others were even eating.
He checked each room, only to not find the person he needed to find. Frustration simmered beneath his calm exterior.
It suddenly dawned on him that the woman had already left the villa. For that reason, Erik decided to ask Momentum, as he said he was going to talk to the woman after the meeting.
While leaving the structure, he approached a nearby guard who stood vigil. The guard, recognizing the towering figure of Quakestrike, snapped to attention.
"Have you seen Momentum?" Erik's voice, altered to match Quakestrike's, boomed from within the confines of his helmet.
The guard hesitated for a moment before responding. "Sir, Momentum is outside, by the truck. He's discussing the operation with some of the others."
The truck was parked just outside the Villa, 20 meters from Erik's position. As soon as he saw it, he started walking toward it.
Several people were gathered around it, engaged in a heated discussion. Among them stood Momentum, easily identifiable by his distinct armor and authoritative stance.
While approaching the group, Erik's presence caused a momentary lull in their conversation. Momentum turned, his gaze meeting Erik's helmeted face.
"Quakestrike? What brings you here?"
"I'm looking for Lyria. Have you seen her?"
"She left for Caelora city mercenary guild hall. She needs to coordinate the search with those guys, so I sent her there. Is there a reason why you are searching for her?"
"I wanted to ask her some questions regarding the target. If I'm not wrong, she had direct contact with him in the past."
"Indeed, but I don't see how this information would benefit you. You just have to follow orders."
The man's unwillingness to cooperate was irritating Erik, so he employed his instability brain crystal power to make him more likely to answer questions.
"It's just that I want to be prepared for when we find him."
That was an unusual question for the muscle head known as Quakestrike.
Though, under the influence of Erik's instability brain crystal power, Momentum's guard was lowered, and he didn't think that was weird at all.
Momentum nodded, understanding Quakestrike's reasons. "I'll tell her to come back here as soon as she is done, then."
Erik didn't need that, though, he faked agreeing to him.
"Thanks, sir."
After saying that, Erik turned around and made his way back to the Villa. However, once he entered the building, he immediately made his way to the opposite side and exited through a window.
With the combined use of Nathaniel's power and the Xeridon Anteris, he was able to enhance his strength, to the extent that his agile leap from the area went unnoticed by everyone in the area.
May privilege price will lower.
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m