The Zetta Sonic
Making Call

The rest of their journey continued in silence. Total silence. None of them talk. Tiger concentration drives. Emil again tinkered at the tablet PC in his lap. Alex was trying to overcome all sorts of feelings in his mind. Starting from the annoyance of yourself to the curiosity of where Melodiza was moved. Even when they were at the base, the three of them did not talk to each other.

Tiger walked away with quick steps.

Emil steps unsteadily in the company of low-flying Jason.

Alex, he's leaning against the closed door of the SUV. The garage lights dim, making it look like a cave. Alex observes until Tiger and Emil vanish from the runway to the inside of the base. It didn't take long, Alex had slumped to the floor. He did not care if the floor was dusty and the tires of the car nearby were muddy. In bad shape, Jayden is usually there. This time, no. She's alone.

Alex holds his phone. He wanted to talk to someone who could understand. And, just then the name crossed, Alex found his phone contacted the person. Dr. Vanessa called. Alex knew he was still ready to take another scolding. He also received the call.

“Halo?”

[Where have you been?] The doctor's question sounded like the voice of the public prosecutor. [I tried to contact you repeatedly. Why ignore everything? Don't you know we're all worried about you?]

“I...” Alex lost his word.

[What? Trying to do everything yourself? Did it work? No, right?]

Alex flinching. He bent his legs until he could hug his knees. Her ears listened to how the female doctor was nagging.

[Are you aware of what you've done? You run away from trouble. You ignored Nadira's orders. You're in another problem. Then, you ask for help from criminals. Seriously? Do you realize what you're doing?]

Alex still didn't answer.

[Hello? Are you listening to my voice? Say something!]

“Ya, yes. I'm still here.”

[Good enough. Now think carefully about everything you've done. Do you realize where you went wrong, Alexander Hill?]

Alex gulps. There is no good thing when your name is called complete like that. “Yes. I'm sober. I put myself and the Special Force in danger,” Alex said, repeating Tiger's scolding in the car.

[That's exactly! You understand your position, don't you? If you're an ordinary member, Nadira will immediately fire you.]

There's a pause for a second. Then, Dr. Vanessa hastily corrected.

[Wait! Not that I meant to say that you get special treatment. Of course, you're special. You're the Zetta Sonic, the only one who has Dragon Blood. Special treatment is appropriate. Come to think of it, you actually did not join because of your wishes either, so going against orders was not surprising either. All right, but that's not my point. You are stuck with us!]

Alex frowning. “Yes, that's right. Stuck.”

[Like a family.]

“Wait. What?”

[You might think this is all like a game, the reality is not.]

Doctor Vanessa's voice softened. He said the same thing Tiger said in the car. Tiger said he thought it was all a game and Emil said he wasn't really listening. Alex does not deny. He began to realize the things he had intentionally missed. Reasons easy. Alex didn't really take all of those things seriously.

[Thousands of people, maybe even millions of people, rely on ICPAs. We try to make a difference every day. Every agent fights to secure the world for the sake of their loved ones. Like us. Special Force Zetta Sonic is made to fight criminals who disturb the peace.]

[What? Of course not!]

Vanessa's doctor's answer made Alex roll her eyeballs. Everyone demands him to be a hero. Alex has to admit he's happy until that day. The day he saw people shot in front of his own eyes and Jayden kidnapped. Alex blames himself for not being able to do anything about it. He should have been a superhero.

[Is that what made you go against Nadira's orders? Thinking of doing everything your own way?]

“Well...” Alex was about to talk, but again lost for words..

Doctor Vanessa sighed softly. His voice sounded softer.

[Hey, Alex, listen to me. No one asked you to be a superhero by yourself. Why do you think this Special Force is a team? We should have worked together. Like family. Are you aware of the sacrifices made by ICPA members? They leave their families, hide their identities, keep their lives a secret. It's a deserted road. And, here at the ICPA, we got a new family. Same with the Special Force. We are all family.]

Alex didn't try to hold back her tears this time. One by one the warm grains went down his cheeks, down to his chin, until they dripped down to his knees. Vanessa's doctor's voice made her feel like her heart was twisted. Surprisingly, Alex found himself smiling. Doctor Vanessa's words were like a mother's gentle reprimand. Something she never got from Alicia Remnant, her own real mother.

[You're not alone, Alex. Don't face everything alone.]

Alex sniffles. How hard he tried, he couldn't help but cry so as not to get across the phone.

[If I can get home from here, I'll give you a warm hug.]

Alex could not answer, still sobbing. He thought the phone would be shut down soon. In fact, Vanessa's doctor was still there, waiting until Alex stopped crying or talking again.

After successfully holding back, Alex finally asked in a slightly trembling voice. “What should I do now?”

[I heard about the case at school. Are you hurt? Observe yourself first, take a break, fill in the energy, then apologize to Nadira. Trust me. As hard as Nadira is, she herself goes to great lengths to save Jayden. He knows what to do. Always was. I beg. Follow what he said.]

Alex nodded even though the interlocutor did not see. “Do you think I still have a chance? I. I want to fix everything. Doing the mission right. The unanimous determination. More serious.”

[Don't you think you've done it? Hearing you talk like that, I'm sure you're better prepared to be Zetta Sonic.]

“Is that?”

[Of course. One more thing. Have you been melting things lately?]

Alex recalls a truck incident that happened when they were trying to chase Jayden. “It's a long and complicated story. I don't understand myself why that happened. It... It just happened.”

[Good!]

Hearing Vanessa's reaction, Alex gets a bad premonition. “That's a bad thing?”

[Have you spoken to professor Otto or Emil?] Doctor Vanessa ignores Alex's questions by asking them, though she eventually answers her own. [Oh, of course you haven't spoken to them. Oh, my God, is this really happening? It's a big thing. It can be good and bad.]

“I'll see him.” Even if Alex agrees with Vanessa's doctor, it doesn't mean he's willing to see the professor. Alex dislikes professor Otto, who always treats him as a guinea pig rather than a human. “Where did you know about this, doc? Emil told you?”

[That's.] Doctor Vanessa paused for a moment. [Alex, can you help me? Forget about this. Don't tell anyone I asked you, okay? Now, you better get Professor Otto and get some rest. Zetta Sonic must be ready if Jayden is found.]