Civil War (3)
"Darwin local police, come in."
"We need to block the entry to Highway 3."
Deputy Director Jason finished his call on the secure line and climbed down from the truck. Staring at the black vehicle that had been utterly wrecked and slammed into the roadside tree, he felt dazed, unable to tell if this was a dream or reality. No matter how urgent the situation, pulling out a gun and slashing the car to pieces with a sword? Was this something a modern civilized person could even think of doing?
Right or wrong aside, it was just shocking.
"Team Leader Kim Mi-young."
"Ah! Yes?"
"Patch that guy up."
"Pardon...?"
Thud—
Cheol-woo dragged the agent from the driver's seat and dumped him on the ground. Blood poured endlessly from the agent's wrist, his face growing paler by the second. As Cheol-woo glared with a look that said, What are you waiting for?, Mi-young finally hurried over with a tourniquet and started treatment. The cut was clean—disgustingly clean—so reattaching the hand wouldn't be too hard if they got him to a hospital fast.
"Mr. David Min. I hope you can prove your claims right here. If you're wrong, both you and I are headed straight to a cell."
"Don't worry about it."
Cheol-woo hauled out the slumped corpse of the agent with a bullet hole in its forehead. Without hesitation, he jammed his dagger into the back of its skull. Jason's body twitched at the sight. Cheol-woo grunted and twisted the dagger for a while, but Yuri shoved him aside with an "Ah—move—" and sliced off the top of the skull in one clean stroke.
Splurt—
The upper head slid off, oozing green slime. A mangled alien corpse tumbled out from inside, its legs severed. Jason let out a deep sigh. This was the moment his unbelievable claims became reality.
"D-Deputy Director. What the hell...?"
"Listen up. Until you get that hand reattached at the hospital, don't say a word to anyone. If anyone asks, just say you don't remember. Inconsistent testimonies will end us. Got it?"
"..."
The agent nodded vigorously.
Covering up the accident wouldn't be hard, but internally at the Secret Intelligence Agency, there'd be demands for an explanation. The problem was figuring out what to say. What scenario could justify the deputy director ramming his subordinates' car with a truck and killing all but one?
He'd have to brainstorm hard from now on.
"Treat everyone not here as a potential enemy. They'll probably try to infect you too with high probability. Watch out for that. I'll assign you directly under me, so report back immediately after your wrist is fixed. If you don't return after discharge, we'll assume you're infected and come to kill you. Keep that in mind."
"...!"
The agent nodded even more frantically.
After briefing the agent fully, Jason patted his back and turned around. Glancing back, he saw David Min had already stuffed all the bodies into the car and tossed in a smoke grenade.
Fwoosh—
White smoke billowed out, and the vehicle was engulfed in flames in seconds. As Jason stared blankly, David Min shot him a look like, What? Well, if they got caught with the heads bashed open, it'd be trouble—so turning the bodies to charcoal was the safest bet.
"I'm really sorry about this, Mr. David Min."
"Why so nervous?"
"A little help won't cut it anymore. The Secret Intelligence Agency will need to rely on you quite a bit."
Anyone who could spot parasites at a glance wasn't going anywhere. Plus, the marksmanship to nail tires from a moving car without aiming a pistol. Jason felt his hopeless trip to HQ might be bearable with this monster along.
"Stay with us until we purge all the parasites from the Secret Intelligence Agency."
"No thanks. Don't push it."
"Your two identities have a lot of gaps. Sloppy records too. Before the Security Intelligence Agency notices, I'll fill in the paperwork."
"...Are you threatening me right now?"
Cheol-woo's eyes flashed murderously as he growled, and Jason felt the hairs on his neck stand on end. It was a gaze that could kill.
"Of course not. And we'll cover the full cost of building that bunker."
"No matter how much it runs?"
"Yes. Absolutely."
"Shall we draw up the contract now?"
Cheol-woo's attitude flipped instantly. No matter the cost? That meant no budget limits—he could design a massive bunker without holding back. His heart raced.
"We need to assign personnel. Who goes to Canberra, and who stays in Darwin."
Not everyone could head to Secret Intelligence Agency HQ in Canberra at once to normalize operations. Mi-young was non-combat, for one, and they needed someone to guard the agent hospitalized here for his hand. He was valuable manpower who'd seen the parasites with his own eyes and believed— a solid ally they couldn't just leave hanging.
"It's already decided, isn't it? You go to Canberra with the deputy director. I'll stay here with Mi-young."
"You sure? What about your ribs, sis?"
"They seem mostly healed."
"That's for the nurse to say. Team Leader Kim Mi-young, how's my sister's ribs?"
"Not fully healed yet, but as long as she avoids major impacts, they shouldn't break again..."
"Good. Then from now on, sis, no bullets to the chest."
"I'll dodge as best I can."
Even with body armor, Yuri's ribs were especially vulnerable. If she had thick padding like Lee Joo-eem under hers, it'd just bruise—but Yuri took the full shock straight to the bone every time, snapping them. Avoid hits as much as possible, and if hit, never let a large-caliber round slam the chest plate.
"The ballistic plates you requested."
"Ah. Thanks."
Thunk—
Jason unzipped the bag he'd set down, spilling out various plates. All Level 4, some even called Level 5 for stopping .50 cal rounds. Paired with ceramics, NewTontonMan could redeploy. A smile lit Yuri's face.
"And as requested, I've gathered as many swords as possible. Can't guarantee quality, though..."
"Oh."
Yuri nodded, satisfied, scanning the pile of longswords. Mass-produced junk mostly, but good enough for now. Swords were consumables anyway. Unless top-tier, they'd chip and snap under repeated impacts. Ten cheap ones beat two or three mid-grade blades.
"No trouble while I'm gone."
"You wanna die? Acting like parents leaving a moody teen."
"Worried you'll snap and start a fight."
"You me?"
Snap and fight? Is he talking about himself? Yuri scoffed in disbelief.
"Parasites pretending to be human everywhere. Starting shit means getting swarmed. Why would I? I'll hole up quiet in the hotel, no need to tell me."
"Just making sure you get it. Be extra careful sleeping. Hotel staff might pick the lock, or parasites crawl through vents."
"Ugh. Got it."
"Eek..."
Yuri and Mi-young paled instantly. In Hong Kong, hammocks blocked face-climbers, but here humans could sneak in and slap parasites on faces. Triple locks on doors. No sleeping exposed. This would suck.
"Hold on."
"Ah. What now."
"Let's check the tracker."
"Shit..."
Yuri clicked her tongue irritably, tilting her head back to bare her neck. Cheol-woo fiddled with the choker, pressed a button, and her location popped up on his phone app. Darwin hotel, northern Australia. Range was iffy, but better than nothing. If comms cut in a crisis, intact choker meant rushing straight to sis.
"And this is for emergencies."
"What's that?"
"Ah, first time for you, sis? Pure 99% refined blue drug."
"What!?"
Cheol-woo set the baggie of blue powder on the table. Yuri blinked in confusion, then recoiled in horror at the explanation. She and Mi-young backed to the corner, hands over nose and mouth fearing inhalation.
"Particles are coarse—no airborne risk. Relax."
"But why give it...?"
"Absolute last resort. When there's truly no other way."
"...You want me to turn mutant to protect Mi-young?"
"No—some people drink blue drug and don't mutate."
"Gamble, right!?"
"Not a gamble. Everyone with pre-existing superhuman abilities handled it fine. Seems like it amplifies their powers."
"How do you know?"
"I tried it myself."
"You what!?"
Cheol-woo's collar was suddenly gripped tight in strong hands. Ah—knew I shouldn't say it— He squeezed his eyes shut. Wanted to bury this forever, but had to pass the potentially life-saving blue drug and explain, so here they were.
As Cheol-woo explained how time slowed post-dose and such, Yuri ignored it all, just shaking him by the collar and yelling. Arms crossed, Deputy Director Jason watched the marital spat and shook his head. Pretty intense.