244: A Plague of Phantoms XXVIII

"Hey Astrid! That counts as your one!" I yelled down from the top of the valley as Coyote's crystalline structure was recalled into her mana crystal. She spun around, a smirk that seemed oddly out of place on the normally serious girl spread across her lips.

"That's fine…and you were right. These evos…they're better than what I wanted made!" Astrid yelled back. She started back up for where I and the Alpha were when a loud ping noise rang through the entire space.

The noise was the communication system of the gates was the communication system of the gates. Since Astrid and I had to surrender our manacite communication rings in order to get into the space that meant they were also connected to the space. So when someone tried to contact someone inside one of the holding cages dimensions their voice was broadcasted all through the dimension.

"Chase? Astrid? Where are you two, I managed to claim the cursed-tailed fox." Damon called out. I arched he'd my brows at that statement. Didn't take as long as I expected it to, I figured it'd take him a few days to bond enough with that evo.

"Good! Astrid's done as well!" I announced, knowing that my voice would carry to his ring. "Head to the main gate, Astrid and I will meet you there."

"Okay don't take too long!!" Damon replied.

At this point Astrid managed to reach the top of the Valley and was standing just behind me. As I turned to look at her I noticed her eyes were slightly clouded and she was staring off into the distance. The rapidly changing expression from at peace of angry quickly told me why. Coyote was taking advantage of the connection between her and him in order annoy her, something she'd have to get used to.

"Let's get out of here." I sad gaining her attention. Astrid focused on me and nodded. I turned to the alpha who was watching the two of us silently. It's eyes darting between us, as if trying to perceive something just out of sight. I was about to ask what was wrong when it suddenly snapped its wings open and flew back over to the perch it had been laying on when Astrid and I entered.

I shrugged at that and turned towards the exit, Astrid following one behind. Exiting the Solaris Wolfen environment felt as unpleasant as entering, with the slight dropping feeling in my stomach feeling slightly worse this time. Once we were back inside the ranch the lock which had taken our rings to enter spat them back out. Astrid and I quickly grabbed our rings and put them back on.

"So...what's next?" Astrid asked.

"This…" I said then activated my manacite communication ring, mentally connecting to each and every ring inside the system.

I broadcasted over the system. I quickly realized that my choice of words were very poor as I was bombarded by the voices of literally everyone, save Astrid, asking what was going on and what was the emergency.

***

By the time Astrid, Damon and I had reached the shop everyone else at Sho'lajah was already there and waiting for me. Including Bo, Indy, and KC who were all laughing and playing in the corner with Night shift and Gadget who were hopping and climbing all over the place.

The moment I walked into the store all eyes turned in me. There was a mixture of worried and concerned faces among my friends and employees. Those looks instantly made me feel guilty, the last thing I wanted to do was worry everyone. Jane, Iris, Haws, Angie, Louie, Nate, Jade, Madilyn, Grandpa Seamus, Bo, KC, Sin, Indy, and even Astrid, Alberto, Damon, and Chad. All of them were important to me, everybody here was family.

"What's going on Chase?" Jane asked, stepping towards me while Astrid and Damon walked around me to join the others. I took a deep breath before I answered her, I needed my mind clear and my emotions in check for what I was about to say.

"I wanted gather everyone here because we have less than five days now before we have to set off for Evo-cution. While we have all talked in great lengths about our presentations and the research we've been doing about the evos we're presenting…we've been skipping over the elephant in the room: the danger anyone that goes to Evo-cution will be in." I said calmly. Everyone shared a look before looking back at me.

"We know about the danger Chase…" Jane spoke up then paused and looked over at the troublesome trio.. "…but whether we stay here while Evo-cution goes on or travel with the company to Japan we'll be in danger."

"The Solidarium is still after Indy and we have no idea how many assassins are outside the stronghold. Even if you leave some of your strongest evos here there is a chance they could kidnap someone while the bulk of us are away." Sin said then looked around. "You only have Chad and myself as full times security and while you did extend your classmates contracts so they could help with security…we're taking over a hundred evos with us…we're going to need to take those three too or Chad and I will be spread too thin."

"Wait…are you suggesting we take everyone with us Sin? Even the kids." I asked and motioned to Bo, KC, and Indy.

"Hey! I'm not a kid!" Bo complained and crossed his arms.

"You haven't even reached puberty Bo, you're a kid." I remarked off-handedly. Bo looked like he was about to have a fit but Sin cut him off.

"With a leage of assassins trying to steal my son back there is no way I'm letting him out of my sight so Indy is going regardless. As for Bo and KC…" Sin said and was in turn cut off by Jade.

"They are safer near you." Jade said plainly. Angie nodded in agreement.

"I know that if anything were to happen you'd go to hell and back to protect everyone especially the kids." Angie said. "Something Louie and I can't hope to do against splicer assassins or American soldiers."

"So because we don't have enough security staff there's no choice but to take everyone with us…" I summarized. Jane nodded and back at everyone.

"I've already talked with everyone about this very subject over the last week. We've all come to the unanimous decision that it's safer for all of us if we take everyone with us." Jane said. I stayed silent for several moments while I thought of the safest way to ensure everyone's safety.

"Okay in that case we'll need to convert several cars on the King's glaive into living cars. For security reasons it'll be safer if everyone stays on the King's glaive instead of in the rooms provided on the island." I said.

"Already done Starlight!" Grandpa Seamus spoke up with a cocky smile. Nate stepped forward and smiled.

"Your Grandfather had me and my Orkands start renovating all the cars gradually as he, Bo, Iris all finished making them. They'll be finished renovating the last of the cars by tomorrow." Nate said.

"Wow…" I muttered.

"Then we'll assign Jiggles and his Ogarai squad to act as security for the mana train's living cars." Sin said.

"Wait then who will guard Moldworks?" Iris asked.

"Alpa'nagia and Bellial." I said then scratched my chin.

"But Alpa'nagia is your strongest evo. And Bellial is your newest!" Sin protested.

"Alpa'nagia is one of my most devoted evos as well as my best at wide ranged attacks. Not only that but he can attack over a long distance with pin point precision and seek put hidden targets. Perfect for guard duties. As for Bellial, his freeze attribute mana is good for capturing people and evos alive." I countered.

"But Chase is it a good idea to keep your stronger evos here?" Bo asked.

"Yes. Both Bellial and Alpa'nagia are my personal evos and because of that have a direct connection to me. They will report anything that happens to me." I said.

"I see…" Bo said.

Jane turned and walked over to Angie's desk and pulled a set of papers and brochures out of it. She then walked back over to me and handed me the stack.

"In that case it's best you look at these. It's the staffing duties of everyone at Evo-cution as well as the brochures of every evo we've made." Jane said. I took the stack and looked over the first sheet which had the staffing duties on it. I gave it a quick cursory glance before reading it aloud.

"Security staff: Audin Akkessin, Iris Philari, Chad Princeton, Damon DeCharles, Astrid Folders, Alberto Silva, Jiggles, Cobalti, Rubis, Normal, and Exotic. Sales Staff: Jane Soloman, Madilyn Justice, Angie Gents, KC Gents and Bo Kestrel. Evo Management Staff: Hawthorn Fredrickson, Louie Gents, Bo Kestrel, and Nate Kestrel. Enchanted item sales and creation staff: Jade Kestrel, Seamus MacClery, and Chase Kingston. Mascots: Colossus, Gadget, KC Gents, Bo Kestrel, and Indariq Walliaskir." I blinked a few times as I finished the list. "Wait why is KC part of the sales Staff and mascots? He's two! Plus why does Bo have so many jobs!"

"We're capitalizing on KC's cuteness to help sell evos." Jane said with a impish smirk. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"I'm pretty sure they'll sell themselves." I muttered.

"But we even made a cute little outfit for KC to wear…" Angie grumbled.

"Not to mention Bo and Indy…" Jade added.

"I didn't say I was changing anything. I'm just wondering." I defended. Jane snatched the duty sheet from my hands and folded it before pointing at the evo brochures.

"Enough about that. Tell me what you think about these." She said.

I took a look at each of the brochures and browsed through the information on each. Despite being short they were very detailed and very well done despite the fact they were mostly a rush job. The font was pleasing and easy to read, and there was even an illustration of each evo on the front of the pamphlet.

"Hollow series: Scare-adorable, Neptunian series: Mer-as-folk, Crier series: Gloom Hallow, Paradox series: Briar Lieon, Astral series: Lunar Liger Shark, Astral Series: Solaris Wolfen, Petty series: Lycan Zee Jaeger, and Devastation series: Ogarai." I said as I read the titles of each evo aloud then nodded. "Perfect!"