章 61: Two News

SBC News Headquarters.

Daniel was in a meeting with the chief of security arrangements – Maniz.

"Are you sure no one can trespass my house?" Daniel impatiently asked while reading the report on security arrangements.

"You can rest assured on that. We have installed the best electromagnetic fields around the house so not even teleportation is possible," Maniz pointed at the relevant pages on the report, "Then there are motion and thermal sensors as a fail-safe to warn us in case of intrusion."

"In the case of intrusion?" Daniel was angered, "You just claimed no one can trespass but you are also implying someone can intrude?! Is this what I pay you for?!"

"Even the best security arrangements can be broken if one knows their way around," Maniz patiently explained. "We have the best security arrangements in the city so chances of such a thing happening are close to zero."

"Close to zero is not good! I want it to be exactly zero!" Daniel threw the report in the dustbin.

"At least tell me why you are so frantic?" Maniz couldn't understand why his boss was always in a negative mood. Before, he used to be cordial to everyone, but now he found faults in every small matter.

"The city is in chaos with the happenings in the wasteland and slum, so how can I not be frantic when my home is not safe?!" Daniel angrily asked.

Maniz quickly took his leave after promising to improve the security further. Daniel then opened a file on his computer screen which dealt with Kiba.

The abridged version of the file said pretty much what was common knowledge among the corporate circle:

{ Kiba first made his appearance approximately 3.5 years ago. There are no records of him before that period. Even now, there is no info on what he does when he isn't working or sleeping with women. The corporates and government officers so far have no idea how he masks his presence in this digital era. It is evident that Kiba has two abilities: enhanced strength and teleportation. He should be counted as one of the strongest mutants in the city. Women with whom he has slept are... }

Then Daniel opened another file dealing with the finances of Kiba. He couldn't help but grit his teeth while reading the names of companies: Maiden's Love Circle, Wife Pleasuring Service Ltd., Mistress' Massage Centre, Naughty Bunny Corporation, etc...

Motherfucker! Are you serious?! This seems more like a list of brothels instead of financial companies!

What made him almost cough up blood was the last line on the report: "All employees and customers are females only. The companies are non-profit organizations!"

"This bastard...does he have no shame? No! Is this even legal?!"

"How the hell is he even able to run them without any profit?!"

-----

Daniel had never felt so helpless. A man had warned him of his motives for his wife, and yet he couldn't tell others about it! He could neither seek help from the police nor share the details with another person, especially his wife!

How was he supposed to say that the infamous Wife Hunter wanted to sleep with Sarah!? He could imagine the looks of schadenfreude if this information leaked. Even his wife would look at him as if he were a loser!

"Sarah...surely you won't cheat on me, right?" Daniel wondered to himself as he gazed at the family photograph. He wanted to believe in his wife, which was why he only enhanced the security arrangements, but then he gazed at the list of all wives who have slept with Kiba. Surely they were also in love with their husbands... And then there were the words Kiba said during the 'courtesy call'.

Gritting his teeth, he messaged someone with the following text: "Put Sarah on surveillance. Be discreet."

-----------

Dream Rise House.

"Dreams are the only reason why I live, so I don't mind spending on them!" Zed took a handful of water from the waterfall.

Felicity didn't say anything, for she already knew why he built the villa. She believed it was his business how he spent his money as he pleased.

Jessica, on the other hand, believed he should conserve his wealth for the future instead of spending it vainly. She was from a conservative family with limited resources, so naturally her beliefs were different.

"What is the use of money if you don't use it the way you please?" Zed asked after Jessica expressed her thoughts.

"I guess that's the opinion only the rich can afford to have!" Jessica replied.

"You are right on that," Zed agreed. His finances were pretty much managed by Eva and Claudia, so he wasn't least bit worried about money.

Whenever he felt he lacked money, he would simply 'borrow' from the banks, corporates, and government officers just like how he 'borrowed' many of the lab equipment.

Obviously, he had created enough smoke screens to avoid suspicion.

[[Sir, there is something important you need to take care of, so please come inside]] Claudia's voice came from a small speaker embedded on a nearby tree.

Zed quickly took his leave.

"There is an AI here?" Jessica asked Felicity. She knew there were low-rank artificial intelligence units located in most rich houses to take care of miscellaneous tasks, but she was surprised by the range of AI in the villa.

"Claudia is in every part of the area owned by Zed. It also includes his vehicles and cell phone," Felicity answered. "She is a high-rank AI."

Jessica and Felicity stepped into the practice room. This was the main reason why Felicity brought Jessica here so that she could practice her new ability. Felicity also owned a villa with training facilities, but her parents didn't allow her to use it as she pleased due to safety concerns.

[[Lady Felicity, what level of obstacles would you like me to create?]] Claudia asked. Currently, the training room was filled with nothing but white.

"Level I, suiting Jessica's abilities. I will help her in the process, so you don't have to worry about her safety," Felicity answered.

Zed had issued her enough authority to do as she pleased in the villa. Of course, she wasn't aware of the secret floors underground.

[[Understood]] The white room transformed into a forest filled with lifelike beasts.

"Nice bracelet," Jessica remarked to Felicity as they changed clothes for training. She hadn't noticed the bracelet before, but now that she did, she thought it looked rather elegant.

"I hate it, but I have no choice; otherwise, Claudia and Zed will feel bad," Felicity said with a sigh.

"Oh!" Jessica was surprised.

It was a gift?

She had heard the rumors about Zed and Felicity dating, so she thought it made sense.

"You two must truly love each other to handle the opposite elements of personality!" Jessica remarked with a smile.

She thought she should finish up the training soon and leave instead of further disturbing the couple. They were already kind enough to her as it is, and she didn't want to reduce the time they spent together.

"Of course," Felicity nodded her head, "Having an annoying brother like him is a headache, but I love him far too much to give up on him! I fear he will die from boredom if I am not there to provide some thrills!"

"Brother?" Jessica was shocked.

Did she perhaps think I am referring to brotherly love?

Jessica felt her back drenched with sweat. She now understood she had judged the relationship wrong.

"We might not be blood-related, but we are as close as siblings can get," Felicity sighed and said, "I feel I am spoiling him too much. I should take him for more thrill rides instead of letting him rot here, but the visitors from the government..."

Felicity once again cursed the person who created the incident in the wasteland...

How was she supposed to bring adventures into Zed's life when she was occupied by other tasks?

--------

In the living room, a humanoid droid served Zed with a cup of coffee and some biscuits. Zed sipped his coffee while waiting for Claudia to start.

[[The preliminary investigation team sent by the government has started the investigation. I am under the assumption the main team has yet to arrive.]] A virtual screen appeared in front of him, showing information on the preliminary team.

"I thought so," Zed took a bite of a biscuit, "I assume they will also investigate the massacre in the slum."

[[So far only the local authorities are investigating the slum, but no doubt, the investigation team will take over in the slum. There is nothing to fear though, as most likely the investigation team will conclude the massacre in the slum was unrelated to the events at the wasteland.]]

"I guess that's reassuring."

If possible, he didn't want to involve slum dwellers.

[[The worrying part is that the events of four years ago will be reinvestigated with a fresh perspective.]]

"The plan we created will work, so there is no need to panic. There are very low chances of 'Zed' being suspected, but in case it happens, then you know what you have to do."

[[Yes.]]

"Anything else?"

[[There are two news: one good and one bad. Which one would you like to hear first?]]

"Bad one first," Zed replied with a sigh, "I want to leave the good for the end."

[[My analysis of Sarah has been done. She belongs to the third category.]]

"Happy marriage!" Zed felt the world was unfair. Why did one trouble have to arise after the other?

Couldn't she have a broken or adventurous marriage? This would have saved both time and effort!

[[Indeed.]]

"Well, we have to look at the bright side."

There was a devilish glint in his eyes as he continued, "This will be a lot more fun!"

[[The good news is that I have completed my preparations for reducing the troubles of Agatha. At the very least, she will no longer suffer abuses from her relatives and friends.]]

The virtual screen showed the details of the plan Claudia had created. After reading the details, Zed's throat turned dry.

[[I need you to create the background so that I can activate the plan by tomorrow. Plus, I want you to handle a few minor tasks as Kiba so that there are no loopholes.]]

"...Of course," Zed silently prayed for the poor souls who were going to be sacrificed tomorrow.