The Zetta Sonic
The Box's

“Rando?” Alex mentioned the name of his opponent appropriately.

His opponent did not answer, of course. As Alex remembers, the Rando he met at the fish cannery was a fighting figure. It's so good that Alex hopes to never see him again. Having a pair of iron hands in the real sense is also long hair. Just like back then, a short warning appeared on his screen display: DANGEROUS.

“Honey once, I don't have much time.”

Rando does not seem to want to talk to his opponent. The man ran towards the box that had fallen between them. Alex, somehow, knew clearly that he had to take the box from her. The fight happened.

Rando swung his legs as Alex approached. The boy was ready. He held the kick with both hands. Since the practice routine, Alex realized now has much better reflexes. Besides, he can also make the defense better. Rando's attack didn't knock him out. His opponent looked surprised. His eyes were wide at the thought that the Zetta Sonic had progressed much better than he had expected.

Alex reached out to grab the box. Of course, it's not as easy as it looks. Rando, who was kicking with his right foot, turned. Alex lost half of his defense by holding out one hand. Rando's spinning kick hits Alex's head. Had it not been for the combat uniform, he would have lost his consciousness, even worse than that. Fortunately, Alex just fell backwards due to the attack.

As Alex tries to recover, Rando has taken back the box.

Alex wouldn't let him. Using both of his hands, Alex stomped at him. His body was thrown in the air, his legs managed to hit the back of the opponent who was about to flee. Rando did not fall. He just took a little and continued running. Alex didn't give me a chance. This time, he stomped his foot onto the ground to lung at the opponent. His hand managed to reach Rando, making them both fall to the ground, and — again — caused his box to be thrown back.

Something sparkles in the dark. It's so close to Alex's head. He can't recognize what it is, but the system can. A knife. Rando had been holding a knife. Somehow, he managed to scratch Alex's right arm.

[Retreat! It's poisonous!] Emil's warning came a little late.

Alex was trying to protest. He was wearing a uniform. The poison would not be able to touch him, unless it could pierce through his uniform. Later, Alex realizes that the poison is not for him. The poison was for his uniform. He saw the scratched marks start hissing. Whatever poison was smeared there managed to make his uniform melt.

Next, something slid in the air. Alex recognized. Icpa bullets. Tiger has come and given his help. Rando held the shot with his hand and immediately there was a small explosion. The bullet must have failed to harm him because Alex could hear his voice in a puff of smoke.

“I'm impressed. “We will meet again, Zetta Sonic. Sure.”

Alex circulated his gaze but his opponent had vanished out of nowhere, as well as the box earlier. The system in his helmet did not detect where the figure was going. Alex stepped up, came to where the box had fallen and clucked in annoyance. However, his frustration did not last long. He saw a red liquid on the ground.

Tiger ran to Alex's side. At first, he was just squealing. After realizing that the liquid was exploding on the ground, he squatted down to get better vision. The liquid is like the lava of Mount Merapi, only more liquid and small.

“That's not blood, ‘kan?” Alex asked, confirming his suspicion.

Jason the drone floated over and down. Along with that, Emil's voice was heard. [I'll get a sample.]

“It was definitely not Rando's blood,” Tiger said.

“Then, maybe that's what's in the box.”

Tiger mutters. Not intending to answer. The big man turned around. “Come, back.”

Alex took a glance back once more. The drone came down closer. There was a tiny claw and a tiny stick wrapped in a kind of cotton. Although not talking about it with Tiger, Alex understands that such a thing is not good news, both for the ICPA and the world.

On the way home, Alex chose not to say much. So did Tiger. The only thing that made them chat was the sound of consecutive clinks. Alex spontaneously turned his head back while Tiger glanced through the rearview mirror.

Unasked, Emil spoke. Just one word. “Wow.”

“Both.” Emil pulled his leg and sat cross-legged on the car. His eyes were glued to the laptop screen in his lap. What he saw managed to keep him glued. “It's a great discovery. Nadira will love it. Also upset.”

Alex squinting. He managed to see a square object stuck on the edge of the laptop. He recognized. It's an ICPA-made flash drive. The thing he had seen in his father's office was also the thing he managed to get when he was at the underwater headquarters. It looks like Emil managed to unpack what it contained.

“Conspiration?” guess Alex.

“One of them.”

“So, we will uncover many evil plans?”

“Maybe. Stopping that is one thing. Finish it up another thing.”

“What do you mean? You found evidence?”

“Very. A bunch. Proof. There is some evidence that could solve some cases. Give me a reason to arrest some people. Most cases of corruption. Also added punishment to Nikola. Money laundry.”

Tiger immediately chuckled. “Nadira will love it.”

“She won't like this.” Emil now throws his gaze at Alex. “Complete data for Special Force.” members

“Don't tell me that Jayden's kidnapper has data—”

“Yes. We all. Jayden Garnet's. Emil Morgan Reed's. Eugene Demarco's. Caitlin Daniels's. Otto Wilson's. Vanessa Lilly's. And, Alexander Hill.”

Alex felt his breathing hold. He knew that his secret could be revealed. With the ICPA's strict security, he thought it might take at least ten years until that happened. He never thought that his secret would be revealed so soon. Then, he realized something else. “Wait. Eugene's? Your name's Eugene?”

“Silence, boy!” Tiger growling.

“That's a great name. No offense.”

“Maybe for you.”

Alex did not continue.

Tiger's back on Emil. “Someone managed to infiltrate the ICPA and get all our data, huh? Didn't Nadira just open the existence of Zetta Sonic to another ICPA? How did the data get leaked so fast? Since when did the intruder enter?”

Emil speechless.

Alex has a guess. “There was one person who used to be with us.”

“No!” Tiger replied, rejecting Alex's thoughts even before the boy finished talking. “I believe he's not involved. She's a good agent.”

“How do you know? We can't guess people's hearts, can we? He has a motive, after all. He's assistant professor Otto, a trained agent, and he hates me. That makes it even more suspicious. I'm sure Caitlin was involved in Jayden's abduction.”