The Zetta Sonic
Fifteen Minutes

“What do you do?” Alex yelling. His hands were trembling with rage. Even so, he didn't know what to do. “You won't get away with this!”

[Alex, calm down.]

“Fifteen minutes, Alex. That's the time you need to tell the hotel to find the bomb or evacuate all visitors. It's also time for you to be patient here. If I see you dare to get out of the tunnel, you know what will happen.” The baron smiled once before getting into the car.

“Why are you doing all this, Baron?”

“Why? Quite simple. You destroyed my world. Now I will destroy your world!” The baron got into the car and immediately the car drove fast.

Alex and Jayden could only see the Baron leaving them. Emil helped them contact the Fleur de Lis hotel. Jayden was busy checking security cameras to follow Baron but failed due to the lack of surveillance cameras.

Fifteen minutes passed in torment.

Alex is tired. Hugely. Weary. The Dragon Blood energy within him was already almost depleted. Besides, he also felt so stupid. He sat leaning against the edge of the quiet tunnel accompanied by the robot. The uniform's been shed, she doesn't need it anymore tonight.

Jayden broke the silence. [Sixteen bombs have been found. There were no casualties. Your mother survived too.]

“Tomorrow he will decorate the headline. Bomb news with news of his affair,” said Alex Lirih.

[You don't think that your mother is cheating—]

“Yes. I know what he's doing. Killer Bee found a lot of evidence. I can write more articles from those paparazzi.” Alex took a long sigh. He threw his face away, not wanting Jayden to see it coming from the robot's camera. “He lied a lot. More from dad, whereas all this time I thought I learned to lie from dad.”

[What are you doing?]

Alex doesn't like the direction of the conversation. He was agitated and impatiently left from there. “Find out mom's schedule, make sure where she goes, with whom, when.”

[No. That's not what I meant. What are you doing, Alex?]

“That's free.”

[Really?] After turning off the uniform, Jayden could only see it from the robot. She doesn't want to rotate the robot's position and hopes Alex turns to her.

Alex finally did turn away, as if to challenge. “No. I did a lot of things as Killer Bee. You think I'd do something like a baron? Put a bomb in my mom's room?”

[No. You can do something else.] Jayden's words made Alex take a deep breath. “Listen, I know that's a shitty problem for you. But you are not alone. There's me and the others at the base. You can tell us. And, you have Preston at home. Speaking of Preston.].

Alex frowning. He waited for Jayden to continue.

[I sent the security video to Zet-Arm.]

“What security video?” Alex raised the Zet Arm in front of his chest. A screen appeared floating in the air.

There, he could see pictures from his home security video. Inside was Preston and a kid like him. His face, his mannerisms, even his manner of speech.

“Do you guys spy on me all the time? And where did you get this clown? He is not at all like me,” Alex protested, ignoring all his admiration for the actor who played him.

[Don't ask me.]

Preston served breakfast to his fake employer. He watched for a moment and spoke slowly. His voice did not sound clear but Jayden had slightly modified it to be audible.

Preston said, “Listen to young people. I don't know what happened to Alex, but he better be okay.”

Alex's figure shook his head and said, “What do you mean, Preston?”

The video stopped there.

Alex glared at the video in front of him. “It's creepy.”

[My advice, once you get home, give the old man a warm hug. He's really worried about you. Rover too. He said the dog initially tried to attack and did not want to enter your room at all.]

“He waited for me outside.”

[Everyone is waiting for your return.]

Alex smiled faintly. On his return from Kloster's rumors, Alex did spend the night at Zetta Sonic's headquarters. His condition, which has not recovered properly, requires supervision from Dr. Vanessa. Just declared stable and allowed to go home, Bompeii instead appeared again. As a result, they stop by the port before returning Alex.

“How about you?”

Jayden chuckles. [I told you everything, ‘kan.]

“I destroyed Jason.”

[Keep, what's the problem? I can make it again. He was made to help you on the pitch when others couldn't. Rather than asking how you destroyed it, I wonder if he is useful?]

Alex fell silent. He remembered how the drone had drowned in the water. “Think, yes.”

[Good. You know, when you got out of control at the docks and Tiger told you to leave, it showed concern. Gavin told me about Kloster. Fergus may not seem to play a role, but he helped me escape from the hospital, worried that Kloster would attack. Emil, even if he seems silent, makes Nadira allow me to Kloster to look for you. All waiting for your return to this city.]

“You need Zetta Sonic—“

[No. We need Alexander Hill. The situation would be much different if someone else were Zetta Sonic, Alex.]

“Even if..if he was Caitlin?”

Jayden. [Especially.if he's Caitlin. Nadira will regret half dying if he makes Caitlin as Zetta Sonic. Barons dangerous. He has a vast criminal network under his twin brother's name. Includes connections to get a killer robot and access to Kloster.]

“We need to warn Caitlin.”

[He won't believe us. Remember the time he helped save me from the kidnapper? He did it to prove that the Baron was innocent. Now, look who the real mastermind is. Baron washes his brain.]

Alex clenched his hand. Jayden's right. Caitlin would not have been that easy to believe in them, even if they had given her the evidence. For a moment, Alex felt sorry for Caitlin.

[We'll find another way.]

“I know. You still have a lot of homework. One of them, gave the robot its name.”

[Okay, I'll start there.]

Then, Alex's eyes caught the light from the side of the tunnel. A white SUV came. Tiger opened the glass and waved at him. “I heard you need a ride.” Just jokes.

Fifteen minutes have passed. Alex confirmed it through Zet-Arm. He got in the car and Tiger drove him home. This time, Tiger delivered it right in front of the terrace instead of in front of the fence.

Alex saw Preston standing at the entrance. As soon as Alex closed the car door, Tiger drove out. From inside the house, his black dog came welcoming. Alex rubbed the Rover's head in place for a moment before finally running around hugging the butler.

Preston blinked, confused. Then, patting his back, he smiled. “Welcome back, Alex.”

“I'm home.”