House of Cards

Confrontation

               “Thanks for the report.” We left the headquarters after giving a report about what happened and went to the cafeteria to get something to eat. “Good day, what will you be having today?” the clerk asked the moment we stood in front of the counter. “The usual please.” I replied without even looking at the menu and went to find a seat. “I’ll take the double cheese hamburger please- oh! And can you please add a can of soda?” I heard Aron told the clerk his order before following behind me.

               “The cleanup team had already cleared the body from the alley, I’m told that the cause of his death was something sharp piercing his nape. You didn’t bring anything sharp with you did you?” Aron asked once he sat down. “Why would I bring something like that when my whole body is a weapon on itself?” I replied with an uninterested tone. “Yeah, right. That was a really stupid question to ask. So what do you plan to do?” our order arrived shortly after Aron admitted his stupidity. “I don’t know. To get some useful information I need no- we need to catch someone from a higher rank just as you said. So I want you to carefully investigate some place that we can get a hold of someone higher ranking but be careful, I think their higher rankings are composed of dangerous persons.” I gave him a little task as we eat. “It surely will be dangerous if we are to proceed with a plan in mind. So how are we going to look for higher ranking officers? Do you have a plan in mind?” he agreed to my concern as he bury the burger in his mouth.

               “I don’t think we need to do some very grueling tasks to weed out some higher rankings. If my guess is right, some of them might be looking for me so if I just attack some of their branches they might eventually show up to either stop me or get rid of me.” I proposed our plan with their safety in mind. ‘Since that guy told me to be careful then they might not know that I have another card with me. If that’s the case then it is easy to weed them out if their only target will be me but that does not guarantee that they will not attack the others and use them as hostage to take me down. If that is the case then I should consider breaking away from all of the people around me in the future if things do not go as planned.’ I thought to myself as I glance at Aron who is surprised when I glanced at him. “Let’s finish this, consider what I said tonight and think really hard to devise a plan to catch a higher ranking.” I said as I eat the last grain of rice on my plate and left for the parking lot. “I’ll head out first, just tell me what you think at the house.” I said as I waved my hand goodbye.         

               ‘When will she arrive? It’s already past eight am in the morning as per our agreed time of meeting and yet she is still not here. What is that girl up to?’ I glanced around to see if Freya is already in the area and is just trying to annoy me but I did not see even her shadow. I started to worry maybe something happened to her while she was on her way to meet me. ‘I know that the news of murders of the card holders mysteriously disappeared without a trace not too long ago without any definitive explanation from the media and other sectors who were getting involved to end the murders, even the internet stopped talking about it as well. Father even mentioned that there is nothing to worry about, did he know something about the news’ sudden disappearance?’ I’m starting to get worried about Freya when I glanced at the watch in my wrist and saw the time when all of the sudden I felt a presence behind me so I guessed. “Freya, I swear if you try to scare me off like that I will trap you in a barrier for the entire day.” I said without looking behind me. “Geez you’re no fun.” I heard her indistinct voice with a disappointed tone. “Really? After showing up late you would try to scare me? Should I trap you now?” I complained as I turned back and saw her disappointed expression. ‘Wow did I really spoiled her fun like that?’ I thought to myself as I stare at her with a blank expression. “Should you be the one disappointed or me? I have been standing here for almost half an hour waiting for you and you have the nerve to be disappointed just because I stopped you from getting your fun?” I asked with a really annoyed tone. “Don’t you know how worried I am?” I added then she apologized. ‘I’m sorry, I overslept and did not realized that it was almost time for our meeting.” She said as she hugged me.

               “Well, as long as you apologize then there is no problem but next time please send me a message or call me and don’t just stay silent.” I scolded her as I stretch my legs. “My legs are feeling a little numb, let’s just go.” I lead the way and went inside the mall. “Hey Hannah, have you heard anything from Rain yet? I have been reaching his phone since then since my father is interested in him but I was not able to reach him at all, do you have any idea what happened to him?” Freya asked suddenly while following behind me. “I don’t know, I was trying to contact him as well but I did not get an answer from him. Do you think he forgot about us? Come to think of it he told us not to get associated with him right before graduation.” I replied as we stepped on the escalator. “Yeah, I remember that time.” Freya confirmed. “If he doesn’t answer us then there is one way to get a hold of him.” Freya flinched and look towards me. “I will ask my father if I could meet with Mr. Bradley and talk to him myself.” We were on our way to the place where we want to go when all of the sudden we saw Rain passed by a few store ahead of us.

               “Are you sure you got the information right? We’ve been walking here for a good five minutes now and we still did not find the place.” Rain complained as we walked and checked every store that we pass by. “I know that the store is here somewhere. I just can’t get a hold of my head properly.” I retorted with an annoyed tone. “Do you know what time I get to have a shut eye after what you told me? Even the intelligence group that I had to work with did an overtime and did not get to even have enough sleep, now they are on their workplace sleeping like a log.” I added with an angry tone as my voice rose. “Ah- I didn’t tell you to do it immediately. I thought I told you that I need to hear your response after you get back home.” He reminded.

               *GULP!*

               ‘Oh shxt! He did tell me that. Let’s just pretend that we didn’t hear that and change the topic.’ I started sweating when I felt his malicious gaze behind me, strong enough to wake me up from drowsiness. Fxck! I forgot that this guy is a total monster.’ I bit my lip hoping for better things to happen. “I think we are here.” I muttered after I saw the same sign that is written on my notes. ‘Thank goodness we found it.’ I sigh in relief but when I was about to open the door, I felt his grip on my shoulder. That is when the hair on my whole body stood up in surprise. “You still did not tell my why you carried out the investigation last night.” he said with a deep cold voice. “Well, whatever. Now that we are here there is no need to discuss some trivial things. Leave this place to me, it would be dangerous if you were to get involved in this.” he suggested as he grabbed the door knob. “What are you waiting here for? Leave now.” I left as soon as he repeated what he said earlier.

               *DOOR OPENS* *KACHAK!*

               Following what he told me, I did not retreat entirely but just went to a safe distance since the information said that the people in this place is a little off and there were reports that the owner of the store is quite hot tempered and doesn’t listen to words. It took quite a while after Rain went inside the store so I decided to get some food while waiting. “Right, I did not get to eat before we left. Looks like Rain is taking quite a while might as well grabs some food while waiting huh.” I went and grabbed a few easy to eat food and even grabbed an ice cream on my way back to the spot that picked when all of the sudden a few familiar voice called me out. “Teacher Aron, what are you doing here?” a chill ran down my spine after hearing their voice. ‘What the?!’ I turned my head and saw the previous students that were with Rain their entire stay at Olympus, Hannah and Freya.

               *GULP!*

               ‘Why do they have to be here in a really crucial moment?’ I put down the goods that I bought and immediately pulled out my phone. “This is urgent. I want the people in my area evacuated immediately, do not let anyone go in this part of the mall. I repeat this is an urgent request please move out immediately.” I said through the phone as the agents of our organization immediately stormed the mall and secured the area. “What are you doing here girls? Shopping?” I faked as smile as I eat the ice cream in my hand. Both of them looked at me with a suspicious expression as they turned their heads to the exact store that Rain entered. ‘Oi- don’t tell me they saw Rain walked inside that store.’ I nervously swallowed the ice cream accidentally as I felt the chill in my throat and made me cough.

               *COUGH!* *COUGH!* *COUGH!*

               “Damn that hurts.” I continued to cough in front of them but it looks like they are not falling for it. ‘Damned kids, my throat actually hurts damn it.’ I clenched my fist in anger. “We were on our way to a store teacher.” Freya replied with a confusing smile on her face. “Oh! Is that so? Well, they say girls do prefer shopping over anything so I guess it is true. So what shop do you want to go? Want me to accompany you?” I said and tried to get them away from here as soon as possible and lead them to safety but my heart stopped when they pointed at the store where Rain entered. I looked at them indifferently with a blank expression. “Really? Do you know what is inside that sto-“

               *BOOM!*

               I was not able to give them a piece of my mind when something exploded all of the sudden. The store that was standing a few seconds ago was reduced to rubble when a few silhouette leaped out of the store and one of them was Rain.

               “Boss! We received a report just now that the branch in BB Mall was located by the enemy! An employee rudely opened the door of their leader, Kadmus and interrupted him while he was on the phone. “What?! That branch?!” he immediately ended the call and ordered for the men on that branch to stay calm. “Do not let them engage regardless of situation!” Kadmus yelled as he picked the phone but then his employee did not leave which made him confused. “Boss, I don’t think that’s possible. The head of that branch is notorious for his short-temper, I was advised a few seconds ago that they have already engaged with the enemy. Kadmus froze in shock after hearing what the employee reported. “Oh- fxck! That bastard! I will tear him to pieces!” he yelled as he slams his hand on the table spitting it into two.

               “Despite that body and young age, you move like a pro. Are all Olympians like that? If so then I want to fight them all.” A huge and bulk man said as he grabs a concrete and threw it towards Rain.

               *KSSSSHK!* BZZZT!* *BZZZZT!*

               But before it could land on Rain’s body, he was able to stop the concrete and slowly redirected it on the ground with his lightning ability.

               *CRACKLE!* *CRACKLE!*

               “Hoh- not bad, to think that you covered your body in lightning and used the power of magnetism in the tiny bits of sand to slow the concrete down and redirect it. That’s genius!” he exclaimed with a huge grin on his face.  “Wait what? Lightning?” he mumbled after seeing Rain’s ability? “Oh!” he made a gesture that meant ‘I remember’ like a light bulb lit up above his head. “You are Rain Ambro, the Hero of the Fallen huh? Glad to have finally meet you. To think that I could have forget that tiny body and face of yours. It was rude of me, I apologize.” He said as he took a stance.

               ‘That guy is perceptive, were they aware of my identity from the beginning? Looks like they were already briefed about me.’ I dispersed the lightning that covered my hand and took a stance as well. “Oh! So you are a close combat fighter as well? I thought the report said that you are definitely a long ranged type. Well, I guess you got bored about it huh?” he said as he let out a chuckle. ‘They knew about how I fight too? They really did disclose that much information huh?’ now that he knows how I fight, I tried to attack him without doing anything as my lightning travelled on the ground to reach his feet but then he leaped in the air without even looking at the ground. I then moved to the next step of my chained attacks and appeared above him and did spinning kick directed at his head.

               *FWOOSH!* *BAM!*

               We was sent back to the ground immediately after getting him by my attack but I then retreated back after I felt something wrong. ‘That didn’t feel quite right. Did I really manage to land a hit?’ my eyes widen after seeing him guard on my spinning kick by forming and x with his arms and defended his head. “That was some strong kick you got there- are you really a single card holder? Because that kick’s power did not make any sense. Well, it would make zero sense if someone were to have two cards at the same time.” He added as he shakes his arms. “Looks like you have warmed up! That’s good, looks like I will not be able to hold back since you look like you are able to take a few hits.” He said with a smirk on his face.

               ‘That guy- even though I was able to block that attack of his the pain still lingers. Did the leaders really told us everything that we need to know about? This guys is crazy strong. He may be strong but I am stronger in terms of raw strength but his speed is troublesome. If he is able to move that fast and trade blows with me with the same amount of strength I don’t think I may be able to last long. I need to grab him immediately and deal the killing blow before this turns into a battle of endurance.’ I took the lead and charged forward with the intention of grabbing a hold of him. But then he disappeared and the same time I felt a sharp pain in my chest, when I looked down I saw him landing a punch on where I felt the pain.

               *BAM!*

               “KEUK!” he groan in pain after I landed a hit on his chest, he then suddenly backed down a few steps away from me. “That speed is really troublesome, to think that you can move like that and still land a powerful hit on me in spite that small size of yours.” He said as he wipes the blood on his lips and smiled.

               ‘Rain’s opponent is huge, can he really take care of that guy? But even with their difference in height, Rain seems to be taking care of this fight.’ I thought as I looked at the students beside me. “Teacher, what is happening? Why is Rain fighting that guy?” Hannah said as she looks around and then glanced at me waiting for an explanation. “It’s a secret. You both better get going before you get involved.” I said as I ordered them to get away as far as possible and call for their families to fetch them. “No- I will not move until you explain what exactly is going on!” Hannah retorted with a rebellious tone. I was about to lash at her but then the man that Rain was confronting grabbed a few blocks of concrete and threw it towards Rain.

               *FWOOOSH!* *FWOOSH!*

               Rain was able to nullify the first concrete but the other one was going straight for the civilians who are quite far away from the scene but the power behind the concrete block is definitely able to reach them when suddenly the concrete bounced off the blue colored box that covered the entire civilians. “Thank goodness I am here.” Hannah sigh in relief after realizing that her presence had some use. Rain turned his head to every direction and soon stopped when he saw his former classmates standing beside me. ‘Oh crap, he is definitely pissed.’ I thought to myself as his piercing gaze felt like it’s about to melt me alive.