“You knew this was going to happen, yet you never said anything,” C asked.

"There's no longer a reason to explain, so pull the trigger and get it over with,” Joshua said.

The gun fired, and Joshua dropped into a prone position.

Suddenly Joshua’s legs flew and he kicked C’s gun out of the way, using cat-like reflexes. Joshua grabbed C and threw him towards the wall, causing a bang sound to be radiated, knocking him unconscious.

Joshua walked slowly backward toward Madam Bourget motionless and finished wrapping her hands. He turned himself and walked towards Madam Bourget’s room while looking at the virtual projector in front of him.

He kneeled, knocking on the floor to feel a hollow spot. As he knocked, he felt an empty part on the floorboard.

Suddenly his hand glued and his eyes slowly dimmed down as he smashed into the floor, everything cracking around it except a plutonium-encased safe.

A virtual code was shown, numbers 1–9, on a virtual pad. Joshua typed in 2092, one by one, a slight click cracking before gas erupted from the safe. Joshua coughed, learning he had been tricked. Sleeping gas that would render everybody unconscious.

He quickly pulled his hand inside grabbed a small purse and stuffed it in his pocket. His hand started to burn as swelling began to increase for every second he put his hand inside.

Holding his wrist, Joshua quickly looked around him; soon, the gas was going to burn him and make him unconscious. He realized his best situation, but he hoped it wouldn't hurt too bad. Joshua ran towards the window that left a clear view of Caldera and its glow as the sun broke through. The sky was painted orange and purple as Joshua saw the magnificent view, lunging his body with his entire weight, and cracking the glass.

Joshua seemed to have floated in the air for a while as he looked at the road on the side of a mountain. His best bet was to land perfectly on the car. He pushed his arms and legs towards him as he tucked everything together, crashing into the vehicle below.

The car exploded in honks and marble; it immediately went manual; as tired, it popped back into place and no longer floated. Joshua lay there in pain, slowly bringing himself to be seated upwards, as his back was in immeasurable pain.

Before he could react, he heard sirens and whooshing sounds above him. The caldera officers came to report the disturbance, and he had to quickly go.

–

Lieutenant C awoke in a steel room; his eyes were groggy, but he could not raise his hand to rub them. Light ruptured his eyes as he pulled his face away when suddenly a splash of water rained over him.

He struggled, shaking the chair he was trapped in, and his eyes burned from the light above, hissing and stretching to grab an opportunity for escape.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you.” A familiar voice advised.

"Huh, I guess the plan failed."

"Shit, we underestimated him, only if you were not controlled,” Madam Bourget, popping out of the shadows, said.

Lieutenant C kept quiet; he did not want to agitate her.

"I lost two of my fingers because of you,” she revealed to him.

Lieutenant C gulped, keeping his eyes on the table.

"I'm sorry. I hope this does not happen.”

"You're lucky I'm keeping you here; these are easily replaceable, but another mistake like that, and you’re gone forever."Madam Bourget threatened.

Her hand went out to grab his neck, but she paused as the door opened and a huge figure appeared.

"Madam Bourget, you must calm down; you almost missed the meeting that you held for that stupid plan, so you are also in the wrong, so free Lieutenant Cree.” The man ordered.

His handcuffs opened up, and he rose slowly, looking at the two people inside the room, the atmosphere raging as he shuffled his feet to leave.

"That man was wrong; I should punish him for cutting my fingers.” Madam Bourget was angered as she showed off her two new robotic fingers.

Her arm was suddenly clipped back on, and her face was disheveled and in a messy manner.

The man’s gruff face was in full light, except not his full face. His eyes were covered by a robotic mask. The lower third area of his face was covered in a full gray beard, and his nose was crooked and purple. His body rose and intimidated anyone near him at a height of around 6’6. He was wide and heavenly proportioned, except his neck was as wide as his head. He took off his mask, showing his emerald eyes.

"My apologies, Commander Pohl,” Madambourget said apologetically, raising her hand in a salute.

The commander smiled and said, “It is alright, my child. Let us go on towards the meeting and also bring Lieutenant Cree; he could be of some use on his journey.

"That creature is useless.”

"It does not matter; they are strong; he is strong. We are just lucky enough that he revealed it to us after his missions, and he’s trustworthy; he’s one tough reptile.”

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"How would we know?” Madam Bourget was questioned.

"It's not a matter of how we would know; it is a matter of trusting that we know,” Commander Pohl replied.

The three of them shifted from grayish walls to glass in an instant.

Glass ran across the walls as mirrors showed the reflections of all the others sitting on the table that stretched across the room. Everyone was silent; some tapped their legs, some shook their legs, and some continued to cough or do small talk to interrupt the silence.

The doors widened open as Commander Pohl entered the room, with Madam Bourget to his right and Lieutenant Cree to his left, slightly trailing the two. Their walks echoed across. Madam Bourget took a seat on the far end of the table, and Lieutenant Cree stood until Commander Pohl motioned for him to sit, which he did so hesitantly.

Commander Pohl walked, but his feet felt like stomps as they crashed the table up and down, before taking a seat on a chair too small for him.

"Well, commanders of each section of Caldera, I welcome you to the first meeting in a few years, but it is very important as we can see some fresh faces.”

Everybody stayed quiet; an unrelenting aura still filled the room as it left a few breathless.

"Well, quiet ones. Anyway, Section 2 commander, I hope the elites are not angry by our new arrival.”

The man stood up, wearing a bright white outfit and a clean smile. He had a blonde combover, but his face was also ⅔ covered by a white mask, where the sockets were pitch black.

"Elites are agitated at the moment, sir; some have threatened to pull funding if more threats start to come to Caldera, but it's nothing we can’t deal with. He is just one man, and by the looks of it, he’ll just leave.” The man explained.

"No, he's dangerous; how should we know that he won't just stay? Maybe start a syndicate; we need to pressure him out of our city, or even better, capture him and grab the reward?" Another man said, rising out of his seat, his badge saying Section 4.

"Letting him be is more important; we do not want to create more destruction; we have the economy and the rights of our people here in jeopardy. His goal is to go to the far ends of the galaxy, and I believe he should just do just that; he will leave us alone soon.” Section two leaders argued.

Madam Bourget rose out of her seat and said, “There should be no way he leaves; that man is not only a threat to us and Caldera but to the entire republic; it is our right for the republic to kill him.

"Bourget, if you want to succeed, get rid of those nationalistic ideals; our city is what we should truly focus on right now.” A woman angrily replied.

"Well, Boo-Hoo, I want to get rid of an evil; he almost killed me and the Lieutenant. I sacrificed my arm and two of my fingers, and I still couldn't capture him.” Madam Bourget shot back.

The table shook as hands and words were exchanged between one another, with two sides arguing about the most important thing for Caldera. Lieutenant Cree could only watch.

"Well, Madam, I must disagree with you, but I always have disdained you; your ideals will get us killed.” The woman shot back with a slight “I agree” coming from the all-white man.

"The both of you are wrong; we do not need his capture, but he will not leave this city unless we willingly force him out.” Section 4 leader argued.

"It is of utmost importance that the revolution be our main goal.” Section 2 leader explained, “They have been a nuisance; leave a man that is not Caldera’s problem alone.”

"As Section 5 leader, I say none of them; these problems will get rid of themselves; by perpetuating and bringing light to these actions, they will only push them more.” The woman announced.

The continuous arguing left Commander Pohl silent. As his eyes closed, his fist rose in the air and he struck the table, cracking it in half. Lieutenant Cree dodged out of the way as the eruption went through the table and towards the door, destroying it with a scrunched piece of metal.

For a second, everyone saw his virtual fists, but they disappeared as quickly as they appeared.

"No more arguing.” He said calmly, “Lieutenant Cree, explain your adventures with Franz Ferdinard Jom-Suttur.”

Lieutenant Cree, who had sat up nervously from the atmosphere, sighed. His eyes went from snake-like to human-like the instant he stepped forward.

"Franz Ferdinand does not show many signs; he acts charismatic, smug, and confident in his abilities. For a man who murdered his entire clan, he seems way too happy.” Lieutenant Cree explained.

"What do you mean by act?” The section one leader was interrogated aggressively.

Lieutenant Cree took a deep breath as he scanned the room, gulping at the eyes aggressively staring at him.

"He most definitely holds some other multitude of emotions with him; at surface level, he’s a dickhead, but under the mask, I don't know.”

Some of the commanders laughed along with Pohl, while others looked at them in disdain.

"Those types of men, I hate the most, a weak man with power strong enough to level this entire planet if he wants to, yet he does not utilize this. I have read his file, and he is despicable, I cannot have a man like him running amok, especially on our planet, star system, or even the galaxy. Mark my words, I will catch him.” Commander Pohl continued, “Madam Bourget, which codes for which section did he access?"

Madam Bourget paused for a moment before sighing, “Section 3.”

Commander Pohl looked at the silent man on one of the edges of the table and said, “I never thought you would show up; it has been a while, Zi.”

The man named Zi did not stand up, nor did he pull his hood down; his headphones stretched over his ears. Pulling them down, he took a glance at Commander Pohl and nodded his head.

"Commence the operation, and ready your forces, you must capture or kill intergalactic criminal Franz Ferdinard Jom-Suttur. I appoint that operation for Section 3 commander Zi of the electronic district, and to call for Section 6 Red Light District owner, Miss Zulu, to offer assistance once one of you raises a message to her.” Commander Pohl ordered.

Everybody stood up and bowed down as Commander Zi stood nonchalantly, looking around. He slowly walked out the door before grabbing the shoulder of Lieutenant Cree.

"If anything bad happens to me, or rather inconveniences me," A shock radiated: “I will murder you.” He said it in broken English before walking away, letting go of the shock.

The rest stood up as Commander Pohl sighed a breath of surrender.

"Well, that should conclude the meeting, Madam Bourget. Call Miss Zulu and tell her mission; she may be inconvenienced by some crime in her district, so let her be. Now you can all catch up with one another, but remember, he must be caught with as minimal destruction as possible for Caldera.

"For Caldera,” everyone repeated.

Madam Bourget pulled out her cellular device, but suddenly the woman from Section 5 walked towards her, her tan skin and curly hair stretched in a frizzy manner, and she was in an untimely appearance.

"We have gotten off on the wrong foot, rookie, names Madam Birch says.”

"Bourget, it's a pleasure to meet you.”

"Well, I'll leave you to your work, but if you're ever up to it, let's get rid of all harsh and work-related feelings and come to Section 5. I promise it will be worth your while.”

"Alright, I'll take you up on your offer.” Madam Bourget chuckled.

The woman smiled, walking away, snarling, but her face turned away from Madam Bourget.

Madam Bourget called Miss Zulu from her contact list, and her earbuds tangled as a voice came in.

"Oh, H-Y-ello, what do you need, Madam?” Miss Zulu asked in a soft tone.

"Commander Pohl has ordered that you offer assistance to Section 3 leader Zi to find, eliminate, or capture intergalactic criminal Franz Ferdinard Jom-Suttur.”

"Oh, absolutely, my forces are already semi-mobilized; the red-light district soldiers are ready for any command, but just give us only 2 weeks.”

"Understandable. I will contact Commander Pohl; he will most likely understand.” Madam Bourget said it hesitantly.

She shifted her fingers around the phone, watching the other section leaders talk normally after an entire argument, wondering if she could do the same.

"Everything is okay, dear,” Miss Zulu carefully asked.

"Yes, I'm just very pressured to showcase my abilities; all these section leaders are tough."

"Do not falter, dear; it was the same for me; I still remember my first time meeting Pohl, so keep working hard and expanding your abilities.”

"Understand, Miss Zulu. Thank you for the advice. Now I’m going to push myself into work again, so I hope to talk again.”

Noises whispered in the background, peaking Madam Bourget's attention, but she did not ask, in fear of seeming too curious and prying into information.

"I hope so too; goodbye.”

"Goodbye"

–

Miss Zulu paused for a moment. Shadows surrounded her room, with only dimly lit candles showing a slight orange glow to mask the person inside. She sat cross-legged on a red pillow, and her face was filled with white makeup with a few red dots sprinkled on it. She was in a traditional robe from thousands of years ago, and her windows outside were dark, but a few orange glows and loud commotion gave a sign of constant life.

"I gave you two weeks; rest up; the next step will commence.” Miss Zulu hissed. Her eyes became reptiles, and her fan suddenly became sharp.

"Don't worry, I’ll make this all worth your while, and give you a reason for saving me” Joshua explained, popping out the shadows.