Darkness Yearns for Light
By the time the powerful heroes had wrapped up the academy entrance ceremony, Maxwell was finishing his grueling schedule and returning to Black Cell. He still had one stop to make along the way.
"A children's bedding specialty store, you say?"
"I'd like to replace the blankets and pillows for the children in my care. Of course, I've already received permission from the Director."
"In that case, Mr. Maxwell, I know of a place. Shall we head there?"
"That sounds fine. I appreciate it."
Fortunately, the bodyguards and driver agreed to the slight detour. Maxwell began pondering which colors to choose for the bedding. How would the three of them react to these gifts? The thought filled him with genuine anticipation as he turned his gaze to the window. Watching the scenery blur past on the highway, he reflected on the day's mission.
Just as the Director said, it really did feel like a refreshing vacation.
Being surrounded by good people had clearly influenced him. Still, once he returned to Black Cell, he would need to pull his nerves taut once more. There was still a long way to go, so Maxwell quietly savored the lingering warmth from the academy. Of course, he would be working overtime until dawn again, so he tried to catch a short nap in the car—until the bodyguards riding with him suddenly stirred.
"What's the matter?"
"M-Mr. Maxwell, right beside the vehicle…"
Following the guard's words, Maxwell quickly checked both sides of the car. Masked figures on motorcycles had appeared. Before anyone inside could process what was happening, the riders pulled something from their jackets. Every vehicle on the highway froze in shock.
Tatatatatatatatang!!!
Screeeech!!!
A sudden hail of gunfire erupted. The attackers' target was solely the Black Cell vehicle.
"Ghh?!"
"What's our status?!"
"It's a specially reinforced armored limousine—this level of fire won't breach it!"
Thanks to the VVIP-priority design, the barrage left nothing more than scratches. One of the bodyguards possessed a barrier-generating ability, layering additional protection. Even so, stray bullets ricocheted into nearby cars, turning the highway into chaos.
Whoever they are, they're after us.
They needed to exit the highway immediately to minimize further casualties. Maxwell pressed the device the Director had given him and ordered the driver to leave the road. The chauffeur—clearly demonstrating why Black Cell had hired him—expertly wove through traffic and obstacles. The vehicle smashed through a guardrail and finally succeeded in leaving both the highway and the regular road behind. The attackers followed on motorcycles, however, making it impossible to shake them.
Before long, the riders continued firing as the car tried to enter the forest—
—BOOM!!!
"Above us?!"
"I can't do anything about that!"
"Just keep driving!"
One of the assailants had climbed onto the roof. Using incomprehensible strength, he began tearing the roof apart. Through the widening gap, their identities became clear.
Crack-crack-crack!!!
"We'll avenge our brothers!!!"
They were the remnants of the mutants who had attacked Black Cell. Realizing they had been used, they had come for revenge. A bodyguard blasted compressed air through the gap in the roof, sending the mutant flying with a spray of blood.
"Damn it… How the hell did those scum find us?"
"Mutants, of all people—"
"Everyone, calm down."
Maxwell explained that his first public appearance at such a large event had likely drawn attention. The bodyguards gritted their teeth and kept repelling the pursuing mutants. The chase carried them past a nearby village and deep into the forest. Spotting the dense trees, the mutants cheered.
"Hahahaha! Idiots!"
"How are you planning to escape in that oversized vehicle here?!"
"The blood of our captured comrades will be avenged!"
As expected, the tightly packed trees forced the Black Cell vehicle to stop. Sensing victory, the mutants halted and aimed their guns at the car. But they were the ones trapped.
Rustle.
Strange footsteps echoed from the surroundings. Several mutants possessed hearing far superior to ordinary humans and quickly sensed the anomaly. Unidentified soldiers appeared in their vision.
"W-What are those?!"
"Is there a military facility nearby?!"
"No! Those are…!!"
The soldiers' uniforms bore the Black Cell symbol. As countless Black Cell special agents revealed themselves, unease flickered across the mutants' faces for the first time. A powerful circular barrier enveloped the limousine. The bodyguards stepped out, and Maxwell—their most important protectee—emerged with them. He glanced around. The sun was sinking below the horizon, and the deep forest was rapidly darkening. Only moments ago, he had been in a warm, sunlit place. Now he stood in this cold, dark realm.
So the saying "darkness yearns for light" is true after all…
Maxwell offered a quiet, bitter smile. The head of security spoke in a low voice.
"Mr. Maxwell, there's no need for you to come out. Please wait inside the vehicle."
With the special agents here, the mutants' fate was sealed. The man was asking Maxwell to spare himself the sight. Maxwell fixed him with a cold stare.
"I'm sorry, but I won't turn away from the consequences of my own orders."
He paused, then looked at the mutants and continued.
"Proceed."
The icy voice echoed through the forest. At the command, the agents moved. Weapons designed to counter high-level ability users appeared one after another. The mutants struggled desperately, but the forest had already been isolated from the outside world by Black Cell devices. In the end, not a single trace remained.
*******************
The sudden attack on the highway was resolved without issue. Of course, it wasn't truly over. Numerous dash cams had recorded their movements. It could have become extremely troublesome, but Black Cell's special agents handled everything cleanly. After altering all traces in the forest, they brought a new limousine and quickly transported everyone to Pyongyang. Dressed as ordinary security personnel, they greeted arriving heroes and reporters. Soon, news of the incident came over the radio.
[Where are the victims of the attack?]
[They've suffered severe shock and cannot meet anyone.]
[Why was Black Cell targeted?]
[We don't know.]
"As expected of the special agents."
"They really are efficient."
The agents' refusal to answer questions from reporters and heroes was reassuring. Once things settled, Maxwell was also able to purchase the children's gifts in Pyongyang. Entering Black Cell's underground parking lot, he felt strangely at ease.
Why do I feel safe walking into the heart of an evil organization…?
Humans really were creatures of adaptation. The bodyguards and driver had worked incredibly hard today. Especially the driver—what had he done before? His driving skills had been extraordinary. Since no one had been injured, he deserved a reward.
"I'll personally request a special bonus from the Director for you."
"Hahahaha, you certainly know how to handle people, Mr. Maxwell. But will you look after the others here as well?"
Maxwell glanced at the bodyguards standing with the driver. They all looked embarrassed.
"Ahem… Thank you very much for including us."
"No, no—I'm the one who should be grateful."
The bedding sets were quite large, so the bodyguards helped carry them. The driver coolly departed in the vehicle. All that remained was to report to the Director. Yet the moment they entered Black Cell's interior, the atmosphere felt strangely subdued. Even the bodyguards began to sense something was wrong.
"M-Mr. Maxwell, senior!"
"Amano?"
His pale-faced junior approached. From the hurried explanation, Maxwell learned the cause.
"An internal whistleblower was caught."
"Y-Yes…"
Today, Black Cell had not only identified the whistleblower but publicly executed them. The organization's mood had naturally soured.
"The whistleblower was one of my fellow recruits. But their nationality…"
"A Chinese industrial spy, then."
So the spy had felt enough guilt to abandon their mission. Yet the matter showed no signs of ending.
"There wasn't just one?"
"It seems there may be several. So please be careful, senior."
Amano warned him not to get on the wrong side of the Director or other members, lest he be falsely accused. The moment Maxwell heard those words, a flash of insight struck him. Could the Director be using this situation? The whistleblower incident had severely restricted the members' freedom. Everyone was now watching their backs and working even harder to impress the Director. If viewed as a tool of fear-based rule, the circumstances were perfect. Even if it was only a hypothesis, the Director might already know exactly who all the whistleblowers were.
After parting with Amano, Maxwell headed toward the Director's office to submit his report. The bodyguards carrying the gifts looked reluctant to enter, so he knocked alone.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Come in."
To his surprise, a very calm voice answered from inside. When he opened the door, an unfamiliar woman was waiting beside the Director. She looked strangely familiar. The Director greeted him warmly.
"Maxwell! You did excellent work today. I heard you were even attacked by some fools?"
"Thanks to your foresight, Director, we escaped safely."
"It's always better to have more defensive measures. Ah, and this is your first time meeting her, right?"
The woman waiting in the room was none other than the Director's new secretary.
"She's a talented individual our group recommended."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Maxwell. My name is Min Chae-rin."
The moment he heard the secretary's name, Maxwell's heart sank. She was the woman with lie-detection abilities. In the future, she had worked as a freelancer for the Hero Association. So she had been employed by Black Cell all along? He quickly grasped how they had caught the whistleblowers.
"Maxwell, about this incident—"
The Director had no intention of hearing his report. The ideological verification had already begun.