ASPHALT

(Spades International Safe House, London, June 2134)

The 2 prisoners groggily woke up, scanning their surroundings, shocked to find themselves in a dark room, gagged and tied up.

They squirmed in fear as they see several masked men and women approaching them.

"Mr and Mrs Beckett," said Aya, her voice masked by electronic scrambling, coming out as a generic robotic female voice. Everyone in the room are wearing the same equipment to mask their voices. "Real nice of you to join us."

Sean and Frederica removed their gags.

"Who are you? What do you want?" demanded Mr Beckett. "Do you know who we are?"

Aya laughed, sitting down on the table, where Xiao Tian is observing the interrogation and taking notes on his device.

"I warn you, release us now!" yelled Mrs Beckett.

Santos clapped his hands in one corner. Shirley and Khai put on gloves, walked over to the couple, and gave them a thorough beating, their screams of pain reverberated throughout the entire building.

Phineas and Reza next door readied their medical equipment to respond to an emergency.

Once they drew blood, Shirley and Khai stopped, leaving the Becketts crying in pain.

"Of course we know who the 2 of you are. British nobility, with royal lineage," Santos said. "Like we give a sh*t."

Seeing that their captors are unfazed by their status, the 2 shuddered in fear, not daring to piss them off again.

Santos walked up to them, winding up a timer as he did so. He stood above them, putting down the timer in front of their faces.

"Tell us about Dr Edward Sterling, a supposedly dead man suddenly being hired by Archangel's bio-research division on a 6 digit job, which is a down grade from his job with Rhode Life," asked Santos.

Following the lead on Dr Sterling, the UNSSD operators went to London. After investigating Dr Sterling's residence, which they soon discovered to be uninhabited since April, they decided to take the CEO in for questioning. They know that the Becketts are extremely vain and self-important and hence, not bothered to have a strong security presence out of an arrogant believe in their invulnerability.

"If you don't start talking when the timer rings, bang!" said Santos, doing a gun hand.

"Ahhhh!"cried Mrs Beckett in fear.

"Crying does not make the timer stop!" laughed Sean.

Xu Qing, who is observing the interrogation through the security cameras, rolled his eyes and turned to Phineas.

"So we are really doing a let the bullet fly reference?" he asked, referring to the movie from the last century.

Phineas shrugged. "Sean's idea."

The timer rang. The operators and contractors in the room all drew a pistol each, and aimed them at the Becketts as they had remained quiet.

"WE TALK, WE TALK!"screamed Mr Beckett, staring down the barrels of 7 pistols.

Sean chuckled, the entire scene has a lot dramatic irony from his perspective as all of their guns are in fact loaded with simunation bullets. While painful, they are not lethal.

"We were told by our superiors to bring in Dr Sterling after he left Spain!" wailed Mrs Beckett.

"He had long agreed to work with Archangel, Archangel paid Vanguard to fake his death!" said Mr Beckett.

"Bullsh*t," sneered Aya.

"Then why the hell are Asclepius Phages leased from the WHO with Vanguard?"

"Hiding lies in truths don't work here," she said.

Walter stepped into the room, he stared into the eyes of the Becketts, probing into their minds using Cosmic Energy.

The properties of Cosmic Energy still remain largely unknown to the scientific world. As of now, only 2 species are capable of using this newly discovered fundamental force of the universe, the Sellardraxians and the Deep Dweller monsters. Nonetheless, all living beings are connected to this strange form of energy, thus, allowing those in the Angel subspecies like Walter to directly read the minds of sentient beings by literally picking into their brain's electrical signals, like eavesdropping on a phone conversation.

However, what Walter received are only snippets of the brain electric signals, thus, this mind probing ability are limited to only to deducing which statements are lies based on the subtle differences in the expression of the electric signals, as well as pieces of the relevant memory.

"Lie," said Walter.

Walter started probing further into their minds, receiving more memory snippets, he noticed that whenever the Becketts thought of Vanguard or Dr Sterling, them chatting away on Telegram with a person will pop out of their memory.

Frowning, Walter probed further. As he continued, something felt off to him, there seems to be something surging within their brains.

Walter exclaimed in horror once he realised what is happening, immediately breaking off his probing, but he is too slow.

Amid the horrified looks of the operators and contractors in the room, Mr and Mrs Beckett collapsed, dead. Their brains had forcibly shut their organs down, killing them instantly.

"An advanced art," muttered Walter, recognising the skill used to prevent Angel mind-probing. Such a jinx can be remotely placed and activated once the sentient cosmic energy infused into the brain detects and attempt of an Angel mind probe.

"Well, we do know now that Archangel has some serious brass in their pockets," commented Sean.

"Unfortunately the evidence is gone, and the lead is broken," sighed Aya.

"Yeah, and we have the deaths of 2 royal members to settle," quipped Santos.

Their original plan had been to simply wipe the memories of the Becketts and smuggle them back to their house.

"Alright, execute plan B," said Xiao Tian.

Santos left to find Jay and James. The 3 returned later, dragging out the 2 bodies and putting them onto the fancy car, driving off.

A few hours later they returned after taking public transport.

"Done?" asked Reza.

"Headlines tomorrow will be the Becketts died in a car crash after driving off a cliff," said Jay nonchalantly.

"Should I be worried at how lightly you all are taking this?" asked Phineas.

Santos shrugged. "We had been doing such things for a long time, before UNSSD, before Delta." 

"What now then?" asked Nanami, turning to Xiao Tian.

Xiao Tian is seated on a sofa, with a cup of tea placed on the coffee table in front.

He took a sip, looking at the time.

"Go to bed first, we will discuss this tomorrow," he said.

Everyone turned to each other, confused. Though they all soon dispersed, deciding to follow their commander's orders.

"Darling, you want me to pour you another cup?" asked Aya, reaching for the empty cup on the table.

Xiao Tian smiled, declining it. "When in work, address each other by post," he reminded.

Aya pouted, retorting that since he had already dismissed everyone, now is after work hours.

Xiao Tian laughed, he suddenly coughed.

"You ok?" asked Aya worriedly. "I demand you to go to bed now!" she said.

Xiao Tian nodded, deciding that he will not risk pissing her off today.

After all, he knows the consequences if this Chryso lady were to get physical with him.

"I will make the bed," she said with a smile.

Xiao Tian frowned. "Hmm?" he asked.

"There aren't enough rooms in this safe house, it's 2 to one room," said Aya.

"I know that," replied Xiao Tian, staring at Aya in the eyes.

"You know..." fidgeted Aya.

"...we are dating and what not..." she mumbled.

"It's against military discipline for people of the opposite gender to sleep together," said Xiao Tian firmly.

Aya pouted, her cheeks red. "Didn't we stay in the same hotel room in the 1 week holiday?"

"That's because we were on a holiday," replied Xiao Tian.

Aya looked down, dejected. She is increasingly getting worked up over the fact that Xiao Tian seems to be disinterested in physical intimacy beyond an occasional kiss and hug.

(The next day, late afternoon)

Jay, James, Sean, Frederica, Phineas and Ariel are sitting on hoverbikes, speeding through the streets of London on them.

"Empty handed again," muttered Sean.

As per Xiao Tian's orders, the 2 Teams had split up and continued to investigate Archangel facilities in London, as well as continuing to search for Dr Sterling's whereabouts, trying to uncover the mystery behind Archangel and its relationship to Vanguard.

"Let's go back to the safe house first," said Jay, acting as the group leader. The sun is already setting.

Suddenly, out of the blue, a few more hoverbikes sporting extravagant neon lights raced past them, speeding above the speed limit.

"Drag racers..." muttered Sean.

Just then, more bikes appeared, surrounding them tightly.

"What the hell?" asked Phineas.

Sean analysed the situation, sighing. "They are hoverbike gangsters, and they aren't here to chit-chat."

"Should we?" asked Ariel, pointing to her concealed carry pistol.

"I am ready to give these buggers a thorough beating!" declared an eager James.

"Negative," ordered Jay. "We need to keep a low profile."

"Aww," groaned James disappointingly.

The hoverbikes in front of them stopped. The 6 of them also stopped their bikes, looking at the hoverbike gangsters with caution, unsure what they are planning to do.

"Hey ladies," said the men among bikers, wolf-whistling at Ariel and Frederica. "Can I get your number sweetie?"

"Care to show us a great time?"

"What do you want?" asked an angered Sean. He stepped off, keeping both of his hands close around his waist, where his loaded FN 5-7 pistol is hidden in.

"How rude and confrontational," said the leader, a woman. She stepped off as well, taking off her helmet.

She licked her lips upon seeing Sean's face. "How rude of you to be so fierce to a maiden. Have you been told before that you are a little cute boy?" she taunted.

Frederica reached for her pistol, only to be stopped by Jay's glance.

"The only one here who is rude is you, b*tch," sneered Ariel. Her hoverbike is the leading hoverbike amongst the operators.

The leader laughed. "You got the fire."

Ariel smiled, an aura of flames forming around her.

"Want to find out?" she smiled threateningly.

"Now, now, no need to blow this out of proportion," said the leader, "how about a race? Bike for bike?"

Ariel retracted her flames.

"I ain't got time to deal with plebs like you," retorted Ariel.

Phineas chuckled. 90% of the time his childhood friend is a sweet and loving girl, but if one managed to piss her off, she is a beast.

The leader shrugged, driving over next to Ariel, and whispered words into her ear.

"Ariel Wagner," she whispered, shocking Ariel to find out that she knows who she is.

"You were an orphan who is feared by your fellow orphans and staff for your horrifying cosmic energy strength. No one wanted to adopt you until the Wagners did when you were 4."

Ariel shuddered, shocked at how such information is available to a complete stranger.

"Then, you moved to Hong Kong as part of your adopted mother's dining business empire construction. Unfortunately, no one in school wanted to play with you, as they are all scared of your magic hurting them. You were perpetually tormented by loneliness," continued the leader.

"Until, a certain special someone came into your life, the first person besides your adoptive parents who accepts you as who you are, someone who is unfazed by your flames, someone who wants to be your friend. How beautiful," she teased, glancing discreetly at Phineas.

"He made your world pink, right?" she taunted. Ariel grew even more suspicious, as that is a phrase on the back of her framed picture with Phineas. "After his assistance in your learning of how to control your powers, you fell madly in love with him."

"After leaving Hong Kong and finishing university, you went to the Bavaria SEK, then is selected into UNSSD, placed under a Special Operations Brigade, and now the UNSSD SOC," she finished.

"Who are you? How do you know all these?" demanded Ariel, she is also blushing slightly.

"Catch me if you can," smiled the leader, and on her orders, the bikers sped off.

Gritting her teeth, Ariel revved her hoverbike, speeding after them, ignoring Jay's orders.

"After her," ordered Jay, and the rest immediately followed.

To catch up to the speeding bikers, Ariel is now driving above the speed limit.

Seeing that Ariel had taken the bait, the leader sneered, then asked her men to do as planned.

They brought Ariel into a busy traffic section, speeding dangerously through the vehicles, causing a few collisions.

Ariel swerved sharply, avoiding the crashed vehicles.

One biker tried to ram into her, which Ariel stopped by throwing a wind punch, knocking the biker off his hoverbike.

"Oh hell nah," muttered Jay as they drove past the crashed vehicles. "We aren't playing Asphalt racing here!" 

"What did she say to Ariel?" asked Sean.

"Nothing good," said Phineas worriedly.

"AH!" screamed James as he swerved sharply, narrowly avoiding a collision.

Frederica glanced at Sean and nudged in the direction of another road. Sean got her intention, asking her to be careful.

Frederica then turned, speeding onto the other road.

"She is going to flank them from above," said Sean.

"You 2 are so in sync," chuckled Jay.

Ariel had now managed to catch up to the leader, who then deliberately slowed down, then ramming Ariel in the back of her hoverbike.

Ariel grunted, swerving out of the way, speeding side by side with the leader now.

The leader suddenly took out a compact submachine gun, spraying at Ariel.

"SH*T!" cursed Ariel, immediately crouching to dodge the bullets. The bullets whizzed past her, hitting a car next to them, killing its occupants.

The leader then aimed the gun at the vehicles in front, emptying the magazine, causing the 2 vehicles to catch fire from the incendiary bullets used, and the 2 burning vehicles collided with each other, rapidly rolling towards Ariel.

Ariel immediately swerved, so low that she is essentially sliding. She freed one hand, stopping the wreckages from hitting her using telekinesis.

"Oh that does it!" she declared, drawing her CZ P07, firing on the leader, disabling the bike, throwing the leader off onto the road.

"Oww..." groaned the leader, standing up. She reached for her gun, only for it to be be engulfed in a fireball.

"Want to talk now?" asked Ariel, walking over, keeping her gun raised.

Behind her are her teammates, who had beaten up the other bikers that tried to harass them.

Sean kicked the badly beaten up biker in his hand to one side.

James grabbed a biker up and hurled him over his head, throwing him onto the ground hardly.

The operators then drew their pistols, pointing them at the bikers, keeping trigger discipline, warning them to back off.

Just then, the wailing of sirens are heard, and soon they are surrounded by British police.

"DON'T SHOOT! PLEASE!" yelled the leader, pretending to be the victim.

"DROP YOUR WEAPONS!" yelled a CTSFO officer.

"Blast it, why do the police always come at the wrong time..." muttered Jay as they dropped their pistols as required.