The Unseen Foe

Unmasked by Jay's blunt inquiry, Helena's expression bore no surprise. With a light laugh and a toss of her hair to put some distance between them, she acknowledged, "So, you were watching closely."

"My memory isn't that bad. Your mask at the underground, remember?" Jay shrugged. "I saw your face then; your pretty disguise didn't do much."

"I thought as much, but I couldn't be sure you had 'vision.' Now, I am certain," Helena said, scanning their surroundings before standing. "This isn't the place to talk. Follow me; there are things you need to hear."

The game was climaxing, and the stands roared with fervor. As fans rose in waves, their shouts melded into a booming cacophony indistinguishable from thunder. Pushing through the exuberant crowd, Jay followed Helena to the deserted lower levels of the parking garage.

"So," leaning against a support pillar, Jay asked, "how should I address you? 'Huntress' or 'Alicia' both seem a bit silly now."

"Just call me Helena," she said with a smile. "That is my real name—I assure you."

Jay sensed truth in that—at least it was a good start.

"Do you work for the government?"

"Sort of. I'm with a special operations division, formed after the Doomsday Invasion, recruiting agents with particular talents for extraordinary missions," Helena shared.

"So, I assume you haven't told anyone about me?"

"Not yet," Helena admitted. "I left out your part when I reported to my superiors."

"Thanks, I guess I owe you one," Jay said thoughtfully before adding, "You didn't come here just to hear a 'thank you,' right?"

A serious expression replaced Helena's charming smile for the first time since Jay had encountered her that day.

"Indeed, I have critical intel you need to be aware of," she stated. "Two days ago, my superiors alerted me of a member from an assassin syndicate spotted around Metropolis. They're a vast network, each member more ruthless than the last, drenched in blood. Our agents have clashed with them multiple times, yet we still know so little."

"Like some comic book villains named after wines?"

"I'm being serious, don't interrupt."

Jay clamped his mouth shut as Helena chastised him, then she calmly continued, "I was dispatched to investigate. Acting on a tip, I identified one of their temporary hideouts and raided it last night. They slipped away, but I extracted data from their computers, possibly related to their mission here. And then, I found this."

As she spoke, Helena manipulated her wrist gadget, projecting a miniature holographic screen. Jay, having seen such tech only in spy films, pondered if he should acquire such a cool device.

In the center of the screen, a picture loaded, and Jay's own portrait popped up, leaving him gaping in disbelief.

"Is that me?"

"Obviously," Helena confirmed.

Jay frowned. "You're saying I've been exposed?"

"Unless you know any other high school student who's a target for an international terror syndicate," Helena retorted with a spread of her hands. "And before you ask again—I didn't leak it. I haven't disclosed a word about you to my superiors, let alone to a terrorist."

Where had he slipped up? The underground incident was the first time Jay had publicly used his powers, and he was quite sure Helena was the sole witness. Unless these people had ties to his body's original owner before he arrived in this world.

That seemed the most likely explanation.

"I can't confirm their exact objective, but I'm certain of one thing—they're here for you," Helena said.

After a pause, Jay replied, "Well, thanks for the warning. I'll be careful."

"Do you mind if I ask what you plan to do about it?"

"What can I do?" Jay chuckled bitterly. "If it's confirmed that they're after me, in the worst-case scenario, I'd have to say goodbye to my current life. I'd need to abandon this identity and disappear, ensuring no one linked to me gets dragged in."

Helena blinked. "Are you prepared for that?"

Silence lingered before Jay answered.

"I don't know. But I guess I have no choice."

"Then I sincerely hope it doesn't come to that," Helena said, patting his shoulder. "I'll keep you posted if I find out anything else."

"Thanks, regardless."

Jay parted ways with Helena, his thoughts swirling in disarray. He felt a strange premonition that unseen clouds of trouble had gathered over his life in the past two days, disrupting the delicate balance he'd maintained for so long.

As Helena turned to leave, making her way to her parked car, her fingers barely grazed the handle when a cold blade pressed against her throat. An overpowering aura of malice enveloped her, and her limbs turned ice-cold. Instinctively, she knew better than to resist—her assailant was far superior.

Jay's heightened senses picked up the anomaly just as a silent shadow materialized behind Helena, pinning her in place. Clad in black tactical gear with white-lensed goggles, he held her neck with his elbow, the gleaming blade threatening her porcelain skin. His intense gaze warned Jay not to act rashly.

The enemy had arrived, much sooner than Jay had anticipated.