Seeing the wounded cat and the red warning on his interface, Jack's eyes widened. He discreetly scanned the surroundings and opened the Map feature.
In an instant, the world dimmed and shifted to black lines, grids, and floating markers in a translucent map over his vision.
Then he saw two red dots seen blinking at the top of a building overlooking them.
[Two awakened identified with 100 meters radius.]
'It's the third building across the street.'
'Are they here by coincidence? But the system says they're hostile…' Jack's thoughts tightened. 'They're enemies. What are they here for? Are they monitoring me or is it the cat?'
Jack kept his composure and acted normal but his mind raced with a hundred thoughts as his heartbeat quickly thundering in his ears.
Then, Jack closed his eyes, turned on his heel, and calmly stepped out of the yard and onto the street, acting as if he forgot to buy something on his way home.
He took one last glance back at the roof as he looked for the black cat, but it was gone.
Then before he realized, the black cat was on his feet and brushed against his leg.
"Meow."
A cascade of notifications appeared immediately.
[Subject: Irregular Cat]
[Name: Shadow]
[Age: 4 years old]
[Status: Injured.]
[Note: Has consumed Substance 56.]
Jack clicked his tongue. He crouched and picked the cat up despite the frustration boiling in his chest as he moved far from the house.
As he began walking, the red dots on the map started moving too, following them, mirroring his path with disturbing precision.
'It's the cat, isn't it?' he thought sharply, 'Is that what they're really after? Substance 56…'
Shadow felt light in his arms. Just like a normal cat.
But Jack could still remember how agile and fast the creature was. Seeing it injured like this tells me it was indeed running from the two awakeners.
He clicked his tongue again though. While the sight of its wound pulled at his conscience, holding the cat annoyed him.
"Why did you have to come to me? How the hell did you even find me?" he asked as the cat rested on his arms.
Jack smiled grimly.
He didn't want to do it, but he wanted to leave the black cat. After all, while he wanted to help, he wouldn't do it at the expense of the safety of his family.
'My priority right now is to get away from our house. '
He was sure he could not go home right now as that would put his family in danger. His situation was really grim. Two awakened is going after him!
'Are they going to kill me? Would they leave me alone if I give them this cat? Who are these guys? Are they affiliated with Joe Carlos?'
Jack's eyes shined as he activated the appraisal skill, trying to gauge the distant figures. But like he expected, he couldn't get any results to the distance. Not even a sliver of insight.
Joe Carlos flashed into his mind, when his skin reddened and body mutated in the same way a monster would. The underground lab, the experiments, the blood.
Jack's jaw tightened as he chuckled lowly.
He knew from the memories of White how dangerous the awakened society was. The awakened world was brutal. People died every day.
He kept walking, and was in a slightly crowded street.
He soon boarded a bus that would go around the neighborhood before going to the city. He also made sure to scan everyone to make sure there were no other awakeners, and making sure there was enough distance for him to protect himself and run if ever.
Jack sat at the back of the bus as Shadow curled comfortably on his lap, purring faintly.
"Why are you so relaxed? Is it because you're hurt? Or because I freed you back then…?"
Jack shoved the thought aside and opened his phone again.
He immediately sent messages to Lucy and the Division 12 group chat.
– I'm being followed by two unknown awakened. I'm in danger. They know where I live. I have changed locations and is currently riding a bus.
-Please send help.
– I also have the cat from the Substance 56 case. It's injured. I'm on Bus 13, Yellow, Filias Route, Plate 431–456.
Lucy replied instantly:
– On my way. Where's the bus right now?
Jack replied in an instant too.
– Do NOT follow me. Make sure Mom is safe. Please.
The bus continued looping around the neighborhood, picking up and dropping off passengers.
Then, after five minutes, at the next stop, a beautiful girl with black hair stepped in. She wore a black outfit, her hair tied back and her eyes sharp. Jack also noticed the two pistols carefully strapped across her back.
"Hello." Lucy greeted.
Jack wasn't smiling.
"What about mom?" his tone was heavy and flat.
Lucy instantly looked away and was nervous. The look on Jack was the scariest she had ever seen him.
But she immediately answered.
"The Captain and the others already arrived," she said. "They secured the perimeter. Samantha will be fine. The captain chose to guard the place."
Jack exhaled shakily, realizing only then that his hands were trembling. He might now know him and have problems with him as a boss but he trusted the Captain. After all, he had appraised him before and his profile was covered in question marks.
If anyone could protect his mother, it was someone like that.
'It's not like I trust Lucy too.'
Jack was nervous as he clenched his fist.
'Shit.'
He was angry for putting his family in danger, and even getting his house address revealed, but at the same time, he was angry for not expecting this and preparing countermeasures.
Lucy continued, "Senior Simon and David are tracking the bus. They're in a black SUV behind us."
Jack turned and discreetly looked out the rear window.
But there were so many vehicles, and it was currently already night with neon lights reflecting everywhere.
Still, he felt a wave of relief hitting him.
Meanwhile, the two figures who had been following them, was holding a conversation. On a rooftop overlooking the moving bus, two figures who has been jumping from building to building, observed the yellow passenger bus, noticed something.
The first was a large muscular woman with big frog-like eyes reflecting the neon cityscape. His hair brushing faintly against the wind.
"He's been on that bus for too long." She narrowed her eyes, as if she found something interesting, "And that little woman who just entered the bus, it's also a rookie, right? He's not completely useless, ain't he? He must've already called his allies the moment he entered that bus. Impressive survival abilities, I guess. I now understand why he was able to escape from you."
"That damn cat and him." The other said.
The second guy was square-faced man with fresh claw scars over his right eye. Wearing a lab coat, eyes reddish with faint veins pulsing beneath the skin. This man was Joe Carlos.
His voice was low, simmering with hatred.
He could still remember how Jack who he thought was a cornered prey messed everything up.
"Who's protecting this territory?"
"Relax," Joe Carlos said with a small smile, baring his teeth, "It's just Division 12. They're useless and undermanned."
Hearing this, a slow eager smile then spread across her lips, as a heartbeat later, she hurled herself off the building, striking the bus roof with a thunderous impact that echoed through the street.
[Ability has been used on Host.]
[Ability user's race identified: 40% Ogre.]