The commander walked to his car and slid inside. The engine roared to life, and the vehicle pulled away.
Xentan mounted his bike and followed him from a distance.
The woman holding the baby noticed Xentan. Her cold eyes followed him as he disappeared down the road.
Suddenly, Ron rose from the ground, casually holding a cup of tea. He spotted the biker leaving and glanced around.
"Here," the woman said.
Ron turned.
She tossed him the keys to a nearby motorcycle.
Ron caught them. "Thanks, ma'am. I'll return the favor."
He got on the bike and sped off.
The woman sighed and flicked her wrist.
A masked Guardian appeared out of nowhere.
"Catch them. Bring that man and Xentan to me," she ordered.
The masked man nodded, leapt onto a wall, and disappeared to the other side.
The woman stepped into her **Rolls-Royce Phantom limousine** and sat inside.
She looked at the baby. "I've found your father."
The baby giggled.
Meanwhile…
Xentan continued chasing the car. The commander had noticed him from the very beginning.
*Xentan?* he thought.
He increased his speed, waiting for the perfect moment.
It was late. The highway ahead was nearly empty.
The commander suddenly turned right onto a wide, deserted stretch of road. Without warning, he drifted toward Xentan and pressed a red button.
The car's bumper rotated inward, revealing mounted guns.
"Oh no," Xentan muttered.
The commander pressed a button on the steering wheel.
The guns opened fire.
Xentan swerved right. A truck with its car carrier ramp lowered was ahead.
Ron, speeding behind them, saw bullets flying. As soon as he turned the corner, gunfire came straight at him.
Ron performed a stoppie, flipped off the bike mid-motion, balanced on one hand, twisted his body, and landed in an alleyway. He took cover as bullets tore past.
He looked up just in time to see Xentan accelerate toward the truck's ramp.
Xentan rode up the carrier and launched into the air.
The commander's eyes widened.
He jerked the steering wheel and accelerated.
At the last possible second, Xentan landed on the car, gripping the roof with all his strength as the vehicle sped forward.
Ron rushed back to his bike and continued the chase.
As Ron sped ahead, two bikes pulled up on either side of him.
Ninjas.
Two riders per bike.
They drew baseball bats from their backs and swung toward his head.
Ron ducked.
The bats collided midair with a loud crack, throwing both bikes off balance.
Ron grabbed the bike to his right, yanked it closer, and headbutted the driver. The rider lost control. The passenger swung again, but Ron caught the bat, shoved it hard, and the bike toppled.
Ron smirked—
Then more bikes appeared.
His smile vanished.
"I'm cooked," he muttered.
And I can't even use my powers…
Suddenly, gunfire erupted from behind, striking the pursuing ninjas.
They turned toward the source.
Ron glanced back and recognized the car.
Jake.
A futuristic armored car roared forward, equipped with mounted guns, reinforced plating, and spiked bumpers on every side.
Jake leaned out slightly. "I've got your back!"
Instead of lethal rounds, metallic sphere-like projectiles launched from the car, striking the ninjas in the head and knocking them unconscious.
Bikes crashed across the road.
One fallen ninja grabbed a walkie-talkie.
"A futuristic car appeared. We lost the target because of it."
Inside his speeding vehicle, the commander responded through his communicator. "Take care of the intruder."
He checked the side mirror.
Xentan was still clinging to the roof.
The commander veered sharply into the shopping district. Ron followed.
The reinforced car smashed through storefronts, glass exploding everywhere. Still, Xentan refused to let go.
A bowl of noodles hit him in the face.
He shook his head. The bowl flew off — but the noodles stayed in his mouth.
He chewed.
Ron narrowly avoided the flying bowl.
More bikes closed in behind him.
In the Sky
A black helicopter bearing the Eclipse logo hovered above Jake's car.
The Masked Man was inside.
As he looked at the futuristic vehicle below, a sudden pain pierced his head.
A flash.
A memory.
A child being trained by a stern adult.
The masked man, barely nineteen, dropped to his knees.
"Bruce—" he whispered before collapsing. Nearby personnel caught him.
He gritted his teeth in agony.
"Ma'am, Code Name Shadow isn't well," one of the men reported.
Inside her limousine, the woman responded calmly. "What happened?"
"He's holding his head…"
"That means he encountered something connected to his past," she said, smiling slightly. "What could it be… or who?"
"Ma'am… he's saying something."
"What is it? Listen carefully."
"He's saying… 'YOU LEFT ME.'"
Her expression shifted. "What does that mean?"
"Ma'am, he's unconscious. Should we extract him or assist the commander?"
"Take him. The others will support the commander."
The call ended.
She stared out the tinted window.
"Our former member, Xentan… chasing our commander. Why? And who is the other man helping him? What is their purpose?"
Interesting. The woman thought.