Chapter 271: Chapter 271: Seizing Power
Zoe Pierce had intentionally torn her suppression patch.
But she hadn’t ripped it completely off—just created a tiny, almost unnoticeable tear.
Unless someone stared intently at the patch on the nape of her neck, they would never notice it.
Except for Alphas, of course.
When the mingled scents of Freesia and Cedar flooded the air, Nathan Lockwood and Chase Shaw couldn’t help but be affected, even though they were in on Zoe Pierce’s plan.
The effect was particularly strong on Chase Shaw.
Their combined scent—light, yet impossible to ignore—drifted through the air.
Chase Shaw’s grip on Aaron Xavier’s shoulder inevitably tightened.
As time passed and the winds grew stronger, her vision blurred, even with her goggles on.
Before she spotted that group of people, this had been a problem.
But after spotting them, it became an opportunity.
The gap between Zoe Pierce and her teammates was widening.
Zoe Pierce could still use her spiritual power to brace herself against the wind, but Nathan Lockwood and the others had to rely almost entirely on Chase Shaw to stay steady.
It was the perfect time to make a move.
The sandstorm was fierce enough, and the distance was great enough.
Ostensibly, Nathan Lockwood and the others were focused on the path ahead, but in reality, all of their attention was directed behind them.
They were all waiting for the group to act.
Soon, Zoe Pierce sensed the people who had been lying in wait begin to move.
They were cautious. As a powerful gust of wind blew past, Zoe Pierce deliberately fell back seven or eight paces.
This distance was enough for them to make their move.
A separate group of seven or eight tall Betas approached from the side.
Seeing the lone Omega, they extended a hand in aid.
It seemed like a simple offer of help.
Then, the moment one of them grasped her hand, Zoe Pierce felt something sharp pierce her palm.
She immediately realized something was wrong and started to resist.
But her movements were slight. She could only manage a few actions at first before her struggles grew weaker and weaker.
She didn’t even have time to use her spiritual power.
Her gaze shifted one last time toward Nathan Lockwood.
As she met his eyes, hidden completely behind his goggles, a flash of relief crossed Zoe Pierce’s mind just before she lost consciousness.
’Good thing I tore the suppression patch from the start.’
Zoe Pierce slipped into complete unconsciousness.
-
To abduct an Omega who could use spiritual power and clearly possessed offensive capabilities and awareness, the captors had to succeed on the first attempt.
They couldn’t give her any room to resist or any chance to struggle.
The Betas in charge of the operation had prepared a tranquilizer potent enough to sedate an S-Class Xenobeast.
The dosage had been strictly calculated according to Zoe Pierce’s body weight; all they needed was a moment of contact.
The geomagnetic storm prevented Zoe Pierce from using her mecha, which further increased the mission’s chance of success.
Aside from Zoe Pierce herself, Nathan Lockwood and his group were also a primary focus for the Betas.
Evidently, the Alphas quickly realized there was a problem.
One Beta hoisted Zoe Pierce over his shoulder and took off along a pre-arranged route.
Nathan Lockwood and Aaron Xavier immediately gave chase.
The kidnappers immediately sent men to intercept them.
They couldn’t use electromagnetic weapons, but they still carried conventional firearms and ammunition.
A deafening blast immediately rang out.
It was conspicuous, but the Betas had no choice. Nathan Lockwood and his companions were too tough to handle.
Unable to engage the Alphas at close range, they were no match for Nathan Lockwood’s group in a direct contest of physical strength and stamina.
And Nathan Lockwood’s abilities were infuriatingly effective.
"Damn it, are they still on our tail?" There was only one Beta carrying Zoe Pierce, but he had seven or eight others with him.
The men were growing anxious. Without transportation, they couldn’t shake Nathan Lockwood’s pursuit.
And the explosions they had set off were certainly enough to attract the attention of the Military.
The moment Miles Sherman confirmed Zoe Pierce’s plan, he had reported the situation.
Instructor Joyce, who had been in the observation room waiting for the mission to conclude, immediately received Miles’s message.
’They have some nerve.’
’To make a decision that fast...’
Instructor Joyce hadn’t even had time to report to his superiors before Miles sent word that Zoe Pierce had been taken.
’Those damn kids.’
’You’d never guess they had such a rebellious streak, but it sure shows at the most critical times.’
’They’re nothing like the obedient cadets they were during training.’
He narrowed his eyes and calmly relayed the message up the chain of command.
The entire Military garrison on Planet E-987 immediately received the new intelligence.
Meanwhile, the Military command center was eerily quiet.
"M57 grenades."
"Q-63 firearms."
Had Zoe Pierce been present, she would have recognized the speaker.
It was Colonel Hanson, the man who had rescued them back on Harvestfall.
"Is the transport of hazardous materials completely unregulated?" Colonel Hanson’s voice was ice-cold. "Even for unsanctioned rescue missions, all supplies are subject to inspection!"
"And yet, here these items are, appearing out in the open."
"Our adversary’s target has been Zoe Pierce from the very beginning."
"I want a report on every rescue team. The registration data for every Beta."
His adjutant immediately complied.
A massive route map was displayed behind Colonel Hanson. He stood ramrod straight and continued, "As of now, I am taking command of this entire center. All directives will be issued by me personally."
"I will require every officer present to surrender all communication devices."
He glanced at his aide beside him.
Dozens of Alphas emerged from the surrounding corners, approaching the other Military Alphas in the room with outstretched hands.
One of the seated Alphas looked at Colonel Hanson. "Are you implying there’s a leak among us?"
Colonel Hanson’s expression was grim. "The possibility is high."
Having clashed with this organization so many times, everyone felt that its members were far too well-informed.
They always knew the precise means of escape and would vanish without a trace.
Now, they had even managed to interfere with a special training planet for new Military recruits.
Clearly, someone had leaked information.
Colonel Hanson, however, had been brought in unexpectedly. He hadn’t been in charge of training matters for a long time and had personally participated in the rescue of Zoe Pierce and her team.
More recently, he had been tasked with tracking this organization.
"As a precaution, I hope my colleagues will cooperate."
The Alpha who had spoken only narrowed his eyes before removing his Intelligent Brain and placing it aside, allowing Colonel Hanson’s men to collect it.
Once the first complied, the second followed.
Even if they felt Colonel Hanson was overstepping, only a fool would openly defy him at a time like this.
One by one, they silently surrendered their Intelligent Brains.
Meanwhile, Colonel Hanson’s aides immediately began sweeping the room with electronic scanners to check for listening devices.
Watching everyone cooperate with furrowed brows, Colonel Hanson merely gave a faint nod. "I appreciate your cooperation."
