134 FIRST KISS
"He's a special operative from Fortress Myrone," Damen said evenly. "That's all I can say. Its classified."
Lander studied him for a long moment, then nodded slowly.
"A super soldier…That made sense," he noted.
Lander knows of Damen's ties to Fortress Myrone which was no secret. He also knew of the new supply arrangement between the Aukouma and Myrone.
Sending a Rank B super soldier with a secret identity to protect their supply routes and personnel in Melrose City wasn't unthinkable.
"We've never seen a Rank B in Melrose city before", Dorin noted.
But a shadow of unease came over them.
"This is not good…If Rank Bs are fighting in the city now, it means the game in Melrose was changing fast", Lander said and paused, before adding, "We're living in dangerous times."
Before anyone could reply, the doors slammed open.
A group of students barged in—led by Cyara Atheris.
"What the hell are you doing at my party? You're not invited," Zairgid said sharply.
"I'm not here for you," Cyara snapped, turning toward Damen. Her voice trembled. "You. You owe me an apology."
Damen blinked. "Apology? For what?"
"You humiliated me in front of the whole school!" she said, her eyes welling with tears.
Cyara Atheris was a top student, the beloved daughter of the Atheris family, and she never lost in her life. She wasn't used to losing.
No one had ever dared to beat her… until Damen.
"'Bully'? You were the one who picked that fight," Damen replied evenly.
Zairgid snorted. "Hey, you two—get a room. We are having a party here."
Cyara's face burned red. She turned and fled the room, tears streaking down her cheeks.
"Are you just going to let her go like that?" Dorin asked.
"What for? She's not my problem," Damen said coolly.
They went back to their drinks, laughter filling the air again, but Damen wasn't really there. He never liked parties. After a while, he stepped out for air.
The Black Owl's garden was quiet, with mist curling between the lamps. He often came here for a break from the noise. Then he heard it—soft, broken sobs.
He followed the sound and found Cyara sitting on the grass, crying.
"Come on," Damen said, half-exasperated. "Haven't you cried enough for one night?"
She looked up at him, her eyes glistening and somehow cried even harder.
He sighed, offered her a hand, and helped her up. He was about to hand her a tissue when she suddenly lunged forward.
For a second, he thought she was attacking. His hand curled into a fist and then froze.
Her lips were on his.
For a heartbeat, Damen just stared, shocked. It was the first time anyone had ever kissed him.
Then pain flared—she bit his lip.
"What the hell was that for?" Damen shouted, pushing her back.
"That's for humiliating me," Cyara said coldly.
"Not the bite—the kiss! Why kiss me?" he asked, completely thrown off.
She smirked through her tears. "If I didn't kiss you, do you think you'd let me bite you?"
And with that, she turned and walked away.
Damen stood frozen for a long moment, touching the cut on his lip.
"…What the hell just happened?" he muttered, bewildered, before heading back inside.
Zairgid, half-drunk and grinning like a fool, stumbled over to Damen.
"Hey, buddy… your taste in girls is dangerous, should stick with …," he slurred.
Damen blinked. "What?"
Zairgid wagged a finger at him. "First there was Eryn Veyran, now Cyara Atheris. You realize both their families have you in their wanted lists…kill list, right? You should take my advice—go for the nurses. Less drama, more comfort."
"Shut up before I deactivate your sex drones," Damen muttered, dropping him unceremoniously onto the sofa.
Zairgid snored almost instantly.
Damen glanced around the room one last time. Cyara was nowhere to be seen. The laughter and music faded into background noise.
He sighed. "Girl problems… they're harder to deal with than aliens or super villains."
With that quiet thought, Damen made up his mind.
From now on, he'd focus on one thing only—
becoming stronger. There would be no more distractions and meaningless attachments.
-----
Exoren Atheris sat in a cramped diner tucked into the poorer districts of Melrose City. He rarely ventured into places like this, but today he had a purpose.
"Sir," Acyros said softly, nodding toward a worn building across the street, "that's the Strong and West detective agency."
Exoren's gaze followed her finger. Lander Strong was just arriving for work, adjusting his tie, unaware of the eyes tracking him from the diner.
"Is that… Lander Strong?" Exoren murmured. "The one who slipped past the SIA's execution?"
"Yes," Acyros replied. "It's remarkable. An ordinary man outmaneuvering even the old foxes at SIA."
Exoren's lips pressed into a thin line. "He must've had help… perhaps from the Quantum Mind at GenSyn Labs."
"The Zetheris have had him on live tracking for months," Acyros said. "Yet he hasn't contacted anyone suspicious. Maybe he isn't involved in the Quantum Mind's rescue at all."
"Maybe," Exoren said, eyes narrowing. "But he's our only lead. Godfather wants that Quantum Mind—that's why we're here. Not to help the Zetheris' petty quarrels."
Acyros hesitated. "Aren't we supposed to get reinforcements for dealing with Black Halo?"
Exoren shook his head. "Godfather isn't bothered with Black Halo. Forget reinforcements. Helping the Zetheris is merely a convenient pretext for coming here. Just focus on the mission."
Acyros' jaw tightened. "And what of Umbros' death? I want vengeance."
"Acyros will never die. Once we return to Silver city, he'll be revived", Exoren said.
"But that would be a different Umbros", she protested.
"Remember your place, Acyros," Exoren said, his voice cold. "You're not the only Rank B meta under our employ. You know how Godfather handles those who question orders…he would send you back into the tank for reconstruction."
"But…", she wanted to protest.
Alone, without the backing of the Atheris family, she had no hope of defeating Black Halo—or avenging Umbros, her partner.
But defiance was impossible.
-----
The night in Melrose City was thick with mist and reflections from flickering streetlamps, the kind of darkness where shadows could hide a dozen secrets.
Dorin walked along the alley behind the detective agency, unaware of the eyes tracking her from above.
Acyros waited, perched silently atop one of the building's fire escape. Her aura was barely perceptible in the night, but it hummed with lethal intent. She had studied Dorin's habits for days.
Tonight was the night for action.
As Dorin passed the midpoint of the alley, Acyros struck.
In an instant, a shimmering force pinned Dorin in place. Her legs gave way as she hit the ground. She looked up, startled, to see a figure in black descending silently.
"Who—what are you?" Dorin gasped, trying to summon her meta defenses.
"You're coming with me," Acyros said, her voice calm, almost clinical.
Behind Dorin dark menacing figures emerged as they grabbed her before she could retaliate. "Who the hell are you people…" she protested before her mouth was gagged.
"Good…silence", Acyros said.
-----