Chapter 8: New Mission

*Next-day*

Beep Beep Beep

The digital alarm blares loudly, jarring the stillness of the early morning. The room was dark, and the only light was coming from the red glow of the alarm clock.A hand reaches out from under the blankets, fumbling for the snooze button. In the process, the hand hits the clock, causing it to tumble off the nightstand and crash to the ground.

The sudden noise startles Adam awake, causing him to sit up quickly, his heart racing, eyes searching for something off. He rub his eyes, trying to shake off the grogginess of sleep. Looking around the room, he see the clock lying on the ground, its numbers 8:30 blinking in protest. Seeing the red numbers, Adam quickly realizes he has overslept. He has a class at 9 am, and he needs to leave in the next 20 minutes. He jumps out of bed and rushes to get ready.

While getting dressed, he hears a commotion outside. It was coming from the direction of the orphanage, which was only a few blocks away from his house. Curious, Adam peeks through the window and sees a small crowd gathered on the street corner near the orphanage. He notices a man standing on a small platform, addressing the crowd with a microphone.

Adam was intrigued and decides to take a closer look. He rushed out of his apartment and ran towards the crowd, hoping to hear what the man is saying. As he got closer, he heard the man's voice more clearly.

"I believe that it's the responsibility of the wealthy to give back to the community," the man said. "We need to ensure that even the low-income families have access to healthcare, education, and other basic necessities of life."

Adam was impressed by the businessman's words. He has always believed that the wealthy should do more to help the less fortunate. He decides to listen to the speech for a while longer, even though he was already late for his class.

The man continued,"I have been working with several charities and organizations to provide opportunities for the underprivileged. We need to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor, and I believe that we can do that together."

Listening to the man's speech, Adam was impressed. He realized that the man was making a valid point. However, he can't help but feel skeptical. He wondered if the man's intentions are genuine, or if he's just trying to improve his public image. He made a mental note to look him up when he had more time.

As much as Adam wanted to stay and listen to the speech, he knows that he can't be late for his class. He reluctantly teared himself away from the crowd and rushed towards his university.

'Shit, shit shit,' Adam thought as he neared the college, he could feel the sweat pouring down his face. He had never been so close to being late for class. He quickened his pace, dodging through the crowds of people who were milling around on the street.

By the time Adam finally made it to his class, he was ten minutes late. His professor gave him a stern look as he walked in, but he didn't say anything. Adam quickly took his seat and pulled out his books, trying to catch up on what he had missed while ignoring his friends smirking faces.

"Look who decided to grace us with his presence," Sarah said, smirking.

David added, "You're so late that you missed the entire lesson."

Jack chimed in, "Yeah, Adam, what's your excuse this time? Did you forget to set your alarm clock?"

Maria giggled, "Or maybe he got lost on his way to school."

Adam was feeling embarrassed and frustrated. He knew his friends were just teasing him, but he couldn't help feeling annoyed.

"I had a dentist appointment this morning, okay?" he said, trying to defend himself.

"Of course, you did," Sarah said, grinning.

"I bet you spent the whole morning getting your teeth polished."

Jack laughed, "Yeah, but I bet the dentist gave him a lecture about brushing his teeth more often."

Maria giggled, "Or maybe he got a gold star for having the shiniest teeth in town."

Everyone laughed, and Adam couldn't help but chuckle along with them. Even though he was late, he was glad to be back with his friends.

"Hey, what's so funny?" the teacher asked, looking up from the lesson.

The group quickly composed themselves and tried to look serious.

"Nothing, sir," Sarah said, trying to keep a straight face.

The teacher looked suspicious, but didn't pursue the matter any further.

As the lesson continued, Adam couldn't help but think about the man. His mind kept drifting back to the speech he had heard earlier. He couldn't help but wonder if the man was really as genuine as he seemed. He knew from experience that most people were only interested in making a profit, and he couldn't help but be suspicious of anyone who claimed to be doing good for the community.

As the class ended, Adam gathered his things and headed out with his friends towards the cafeteria putting the matter of the man back in his mind.

As the group make their way to the cafeteria together, laughing and chatting about Adam and his training with system. They noticed a news flashing in the holographic tv which was fitted into the corner of the cafeteria.

They can hear the anchor discussing the recent disappearances of several young girls from the residential neighborhood.

The group gathered around the TV, listening intently to the details of the case. Sarah spoke up first,

"This is so scary. I can't believe this is happening in our city."

Jack added, "I heard there were some witnesses who saw a suspicious van in the area around the time the girls went missing."

David chimed in, "I wonder if the police are any closer to finding them."

Maria looks at Adam, sensing his concern. "Hey, man, you okay?"

Adam nodded his head as the group moves towards the empty chairs to sit and have some food. The group continued the discussion, throwing out theories and ideas about what could have happened. As they finish their breakfast, Adam can't help but feel a sense of unease.

Just in time, he felt a slight headache and the same mysterious voice ringed out,

[ DING!! MISSION ARRIVED]

[EXPLORE THE DISSAPERANCE]

Saying this, the mysterious voice flicked out.

"Are you okay, Adam? What happened?" Sarah asked, her voice filled with concern.

Adam shaked his head," The voice it's back. It wants me to explore the disappearance of the girls" Adam said in a hussed voice.

Adam's friends look at him with surprise and concern. They had all just heard about the disappearances, but they had never expected this strange voice to give a mission about it.

"Guys, let's meet at my place after college", said Sarah as she eyed her friends.

Everyone nodded as felt grateful for his friends' support. He knew that he couldn't do this alone, and he needed their help to figure out what was happening.

"Thanks, Sarah. I really appreciate it," he said, feeling relieved that he had someone to turn to.

After class, Adam met up with his friends as they all walked together towards Sarah's house in the residential district, where they could discuss the recent disappearances

As Adam and his friends arrived at Sarah's house in the beautiful residential neighborhood. As they walked down the tree-lined street, Adam couldn't help but feel a bit perplexed.

Compared to his own neighborhood, which was run-down and littered with trash, this area was pristine and well-maintained. The lawns were neatly trimmed, the houses were painted in bright colors, and there were even flowerbeds lining the sidewalks.

"Wow, Sarah, your neighborhood is really nice," Adam said, looking around in amazement.