The Zetta Sonic
Smoky Sky

Alex doesn't want to guess how many enemies a man like his father has. The criminals obviously do not like the presence of the ICPA, especially every leader. With just a simple command, they can prevent petty crime globally. To kill something, it was indeed easiest to target his head.

But, what about her?

His mind was cut off by the sound of a machine. More precisely, the advanced computer sound of Gavin's car. The voice is like a female voice. When speaking, the screen in the center of the dashboard shows the sound wave symbol and a short caption ‘Parana’.

[Starting signal scrambler.]

The sound made Alex aware that the computer system was aware of the transmission that kept emanating from the Zet-Arm.

Gavin looked back through the rearview mirror. He knew a car was following them closely from behind. The car that Alex was riding in did not leave him. He could imagine the largest member of the Special Force being behind the wheel.

“Cancel, Parana,” Gavin said. Then, he glanced at the boy beside him. “Signal scrambler will not work. Not for you.”

[Warning for an unknown transmission from inside the car within a twenty-meter radius. Are you sure you want to cancel the signal scrambler, Gavin?]

“Cancel.”

[Signal scrambler canceled.]

Alex pyn commented. “Lumayan. Advanced computer system inside sports car seamless.”

“Still losing to yours. Everyone at the ICPA knows Nadira is leading the way when it comes to technology. Not harm. You're also dealing with shitty criminals. Robot killer like when's the day? It's amazing technology.”

Unknowingly, Alex smiled wryly. Gavin is right. Ordinary signal scramblers won't be able to disrupt Zet-Arm transmissions. The network is hard to penetrate. While still connected, Emil and Tiger in the back car can continue to monitor what Alex talks and its location.

“Where did you take me?” ask Alex.

“Safe place. For you and for the people in your house,” replied Gavin.

“I didn't know you had a safe place here. This is not your area.”

“Trust me, we have many places outside ICPA supervision. One of them is in port.”

“Kargo? Empty warehouse? Port?” guess Alex.

Gavin was silent for a moment. Although he refused to admit it, he continued to praise. “You are much smarter than my shadow.”

“Rules there are quite loose and easy blurred access.”

Gavin glanced at Alex again when he realized the boy was constantly staring at him. “With a little slippery money, some pseudo business profiles, insiders, — and loosening of regulations there — we can get the best container to serve as a hiding place. Not one, not two. Tons.”

Alex squinting. “You are aware that our conversation can be heard by others, ‘kan.”

“You mean, car in the back? They need the right time and reason to search everything.”

“So, you helped me run away from a killer who wasn't clear why's after me?”

“You set me up a computer there?”

“Don't get me wrong, ICPA equips every hideout with food, medicine, vehicles, weapons, and computers. That's the standard of completeness. You can survive long there if there is a zombie or alien attack.”

“Zombie? An alien? Very funny.” Alex chuckles. Then, he realized there was another possibility. He also nodded. “Wait! You guys were dealing with zombies before? Also alien?”

“Zombie in the sense of a living corpse again? Yep. Couple times. They spread. Fortunately, they do not spread the virus through bites. They are only spread through injections of chemicals. That kind. An alien? Almost. There are foreign transmissions that are still being investigated to date. Better hope they don't attack us for real. I'm not sure we're ready.”

“You're serious about it all?”

Gavin glanced at Alex once more. “You got an injection of a potion called Dragon Blood. Dealing with killer robots. Seeing humans turn into monsters with their own eyes. Then, you question whether zombies exist or not?”

Alex was amazed. His eyes watched the wide and quiet road that began to climb up. They were crossing a long overpass with a port at the end. Seeing the vast sky unfold and empty made him aware of many things he could not understand at this time.

Does he want to meet a real zombie like Gavin? In the depths of his heart, he would not lie. Alex wants to meet and see what they look like. Every continent has its own problems. If Gavin says Nadira leads the technology field, it is indeed a boost because the criminals they face also use high technology.

“How do you cope with zombies?” Alex asked again. “You won't fight zombies with zombies, ‘kan?”

“So far there was thought about that. Of course, a lot of debate has arisen. People often think of anything they cannot understand as a monster. So do zombies and biological weapons.” Gavin lowered his voice and did not dare to look at Alex's expression. “We fought them with weapons. Target his head. They will fall if their heads are crushed.”

“You treat them as monsters.”

Gavin was silent, not wanting to answer.

“Do you also think that biological weapons are monsters?”

Gavin didn't want to answer that question. He deliberately kept quiet, hoping that Alex would change the topic. His own mind looked for a diversion, but found none. Finally, Gavin replied. “I saved someone from the river some time ago.”

Alex is waiting for Gavin to continue. After some time passed, he realized that it was all that Gavin said. ‘Someone’. The word stuck in Alex's heart. Gavin did not call him a monster or a biological weapon as he had heard from some parties.

Even so, the memories of nightmares back to tease Alex. He doesn't want to think about it anymore. Unfortunately every time he talked about Damon and Dragon Blood, he was aware of the risks. He could be a monster like Damon. Maybe it's just a matter of time, nobody knows. Without professor Otto, the secret of Dragon Blood seems to have been buried for good.

As their conversation gradually subsided, Parana broke the silence. [Gavin, memorial from Safe House 72. Code 10-70.]

Alex frowning. He did not memorize such codes, but he got an unpleasant impression. “What does that mean?”

“The container where we stayed overnight today is on fire.”

“What's wrong?” Alex couldn't believe it.

“Oh.. No.” Gavin bit his lip.

They've approached the end of the overpass. The eyes of the two of them could now see black smoke rising in the middle of the night sky. Source's clear. A huge fire was burning from the sea side. The size can not be covered by a pile of containers. The sirens sounded louder. From behind, a row of fire engines and new police cars overtake them.

Is this a sign that they have been found?