The Zetta Sonic
Audio Visuals

Alex does not believe what kind of punishment awaits him.

Given that Nadira still does not want ordinary ICPA members to know the identity of Zetta Sonic who turns out to be a dozen-year-old student, the punishment must be carried out inside the Special Force headquarters itself. Alex had imagined some kind of physical punishment. Call it a push-up, squat, marathon, or something like that. He also had time to suspect some punishments such as social work, such as cleaning the toilet or the like. Later, he recalled that Nadira was a fan of violence. He also imagined the punishment of whipping. Alex obviously didn't like the last idea. Ah, naw. He doesn't like any ideas.

Punishment is still punishment.

Even so, Alex did not expect that the punishment was to be confined in a room with a large screen, a large table, a large chair. The room is like a mini-teather. The screen in front of him stretched as big as a wall. Opposite him were three rows of loveseat like cinema chairs. Each row contains four seats separated by a road. Only the big table was the wrong position. His desk was in the front row, covering a pair of chairs.

Tiger sat on the next row. One leg was lifted past, armrest, blocking half way. He held a large pack of potato chips. His mouth chewed on the chips noisily. His voice was mixed with the action film that was playing.

“So,” says Alex, “I heard about punishment.”

“You're two minutes late.”

“I do my homework first,” Alex said again.

“We don't accept excuses in military, boy!” Tiger spoke without turning his eyes to the screen. The fight has just ended and the lead role is shot in the chest while her lover is taken on the run from the villain using a helicopter. “Every second should be counted!”

Alex rolled his eyeballs. “Sorry.” Apologies sound sincere even if they are not.

“I don't expect an apology.” Tiger's hand reached for potato chips. While not getting anything, Tiger peeked at his pack. He also squeezed the package. His other hand grabbed the remote and turned off the film. “I want to hear if you promise to do your best.”

“I promise.” That easy. Alex is doing his best.

“When I ask for ten, give me eleven!” Tiger jumped to his feet. Both of his hands were folded behind his back. With a brown uniform suit, barely bare cut, a scar on the forehead, Tiger looks like a real soldier who just came home to war. “You understand?”

Alex frowning. “No.”

“Give me more than I asked for!”

“Oke.”

“Good. Now push up forty times!”

“What?” Alex protested spontaneously. Then, he saw how Tiger was squinting at him. He also swallowed. Throw the bag into an empty chair. Alex stepped to the front of the screen where there was quite a large area. “Fourty, ‘kan?”

Alex did what Tiger asked. That feels easy. Really easy. Since often doing combat training in the training room, Alex does feel physically stronger. His once ideal body now showed a muscular indentation that even Willy envied. However, Willy would not be envious of Alex's scars. Fortunately, he had not seen it all. Alex himself has no intention of adding to the scar collection.

One of them that has not lost — and does not seem to be missing — comes from his fight against killer robots. Those memories always make her feel bad. Angry on one side, scared on the other. Unfortunately, fear is not an emotion that a Zetta Sonic should feel.

Tiger sat in his chair again as long as Alex did the push-ups. The big man watched the boy. Just like Alex, he was counting too. Somehow, his count was already over forty now. Tiger smiled broadly. Alex stopped right on the count of fifty.

Instead of standing, Alex let herself sit on the blue carpeted floor. “Completed.”

“You dare to sit in front of your wife? Stand!”

Without the need to snap, Tiger's voice was loud. Especially in a room like that. The impact felt jarring. Alex stood up straight in front of Tiger. He thought that military punishment was waiting for him.

“Good,” Further Tiger. “Now sit!”

Alex glanced at the pair of seats in Tiger's row. A pair of chairs with a large table. At that time, he realized that one chair was empty, but the next chair contained a pile of brown malls. He sat in the empty part.

Tiger's turn to stand. “Now, it's time for punishment.”

Tiger chuckling. “Don't be spoiled, boy!” Tiger thrust the remote on Alex as well as a large tablet PC. “Nadira who had this idea.”

“So, I don't need to give more than requested?”

Tiger grunting.

“I'm just kidding,” says Alex fast.

“Nadira wants you to watch videos of other ICPA agents and read their mission reports.” Tiger pointed at the pile of brown maps. “After that, you should write your own report on anything you learn.”

“How much is this?” Alex looked to the side. His hand took the top map. It's pretty thick. There are piles of paper staples so one complete with old photos. The edges of the paper are yellowed. The aroma reminded Alex of the old closet in the house warehouse.

Tiger sneering. “Two dozen.”

“OK, it should not be long.”

“You didn't count the ones inside here.” Tiger's index taps on the big screen of tablet PC. “What's on that map is just a selection report from the best agent. Emil helped me sort it out. But, what is on this tablet PC, is the report of ICPA agent Sinde continent in completing the mission level A and B.”

“You have mission level?”

“Do not worry, will not apply to you.”

Alex opened his mouth to ask about the level of the mission he had worked on. Then, he changed his mind for fear of getting the answer. “You... want me to read all their reports?”

“Watch videos and read reports.” Tiger repeated the order.

Alex checked the contents of the tablet PC and looked straight at it. “Everything?”

“Of course not. Nadira asks for nine.”

“Nine missions or nine videos?” Alex felt a very unpleasant premonition crawling his back. Especially when Tiger gives a similar smile grin. Alex knew Nadira's punishment wasn't easy.

“Nine. Hundredth. Clock.”

Alex nodded in the chair while holding his forehead. “Nine hundred hours watch these videos?”

Tiger laughed out loud. “Come on, it won't be as boring as your shadow. Anyway, I was just kidding.”

Alex was not happy. He knew Tiger was not trying to comfort him. He could read that Tiger just wanted to prank him. Again. Tiger used the opportunity to give punishment instructions as an opportunity to torture him.

“Actually, Nadira asked you to spend a thousand hours in this room. But, since I was kind, I thought nine hundred hours. Understand what I mean, right? You only need to spend time in this audio visual space for nine hundred hours, whether it's reading a report or watching a video.”

“Thank you, but it's not very helpful,” Alex said honestly.

“You prefer a thousand hours?”

Alex put on a fake smile. “Cutting my words earlier. That's helping. Very helpful.”

“Good, then start watching. You won't know what you can find. Don't forget to write down everything you learn. Nadira waiting for your report.”