Chapter 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 relative pages on the report as he continued," Then there are motion and thermal sensors as a fail-safe to warn us in case of intrusion."
"In case of intrusion?" Daniel was angered by the words, "You just said no one can trespass but you are also implying someone can intrude?! Is this I pay you for?!"
"Even the best security arrangements can be broken if one knows his 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 a dustbin nearby.
"At least tell me why you are so frantic?" Many couldn't understand why his boss would always be in a negative mood. Before he used to be cordial to everyone but now he is finding faults in every small task.
"The city is in chaos with the happenings in 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 a common knowledge among corporate circle: "Kiba first made his appearance approximately 3.5 years ago. There are no records of him before that period as if he appeared out of nowhere. Even now there is no clue on what he does when he isn't working or sleeping with women. The corporates and government officers so far have no idea on how Kiba mask his presence in this digital era. It is evident that Kiba has two abilities: enhanced strength and teleportation. There are records of him using his enhanced strength as a domain by converting it into pressure in the surrounding area. He even converts this strength into an invisible armor around his body. As for his teleportation ability, he rarely uses it during a fight. He should be counted as one of the strongest mutants in the city. Women with whom he has slept for sure are...."
Then Daniel opened another file dealing with the finances of Kiba. He couldn't help but grit his teeth while reading the name of companies: Maiden's Love Circle, Wife Pleasuring Service Ltd., Mistress' Massage Centre, Naughty Bunny Corporation, etc...
Motherfucker! Are you fucking 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 even able to run them without any profit?!"
--
Daniel has never felt so helpless in his life. A man has warned him of targeting his wife but yet he couldn't tell others about it. He could neither take the help of police nor share the details with another person including his wife.
How was he supposed to say that the infamous wife hunter wanted to sleep with Sarah? He could imagine the pleasure others will take if the news of the conversation was leaked. Even his wife will look at him as if he was a loser.
"Sarah...surely you won't cheat on me, right?" Daniel muttered 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."
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Dream Rise House.
"Dreams are the only reason why I still live so I don't mind spending on them," Zed took a handful of water from the waterfall upon which the villa was partly built.
Felicity didn't say anything for she already knew about why he built the villa. She believed it was his business on how he spent his money. It was none of her concern as long as he doesn't spend it on bad habits such as drugs.
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 her beliefs were different.
"What is the use of money if you don't use it in the way you please?" Zed asked after Jessica expressed her thoughts.
"I guess that's the opinion one can have only after they are rich," Jessica said.
"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 will simply 'borrow' from the banks, corporates, and government officers just like how he 'borrowed' many of the lab equipment.
Obviously, he has created enough smoke screens in order to avoid suspicion.
[[Sir, there is something important you need to take care of so please come inside]] Claudia's voice came out a small speaker embedded on a tree nearby.
Zed quickly took his leave from Felicity and Jessica.
"There is an AI here?" Jessica asked Felicity. She knew there was low-rank artificial intelligence located in most rich houses to take care of miscellaneous stuff but she was surprised the range of AI out in the open garden outside 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 walked towards the practice room in the villa. 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 for her safety concerns.
[[Lady Felicity, what level of obstacles will 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 said. Zed has issued her enough authority to do as she pleases in the villa but of course, she wasn't aware of the secret floors underground.
[[Understood]] The white room transformed into a forest filled with life-like beasts.
"Nice bracelet," Jessica remarked to Felicity as they changed clothes for training. She hasn'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 has 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 said with a smile.
She thought she should finish up the training soon and leave instead of disturbing the couple. They were already kind enough to her as it is and she didn't want to reduce the time they spend 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 him up. 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 has judged the relationship wrong.
"We might not be blood-related but we are as close 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 for it was stopping her from carrying out her responsibilities.
How was she supposed to bring adventures in Zed's life when she was occupied by other tasks?
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In the living room, a humanoid droid served Zed with a cup of coffee and some biscuits. Zed sipped in 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 the information about the preliminary team.
"I thought so," Zed took a bite of a biscuit as he continued, "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 is unrelated to the events at the wasteland.]]
"I guess that's reassuring," Zed didn't want to involve the slum dwellers if possible.
[[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." Zed said.
[[Yes.]]
"Anything else?" Zed asked.
[[There are two news: one good and one bad. Which one will you like to hear first?]]
"Bad one first," Zed sighed and said, "I want to leave the good one for the end so that I don't have a bitter taste."
[[My analysis of Sarah has been done. She belongs to the third category.]]
"Happy marriage," Zed felt the world was unfair. Why does one trouble have to arise after the another?
Couldn't she have a broken or adventurous marriage? This would have saved both time and efforts.
[[Indeed.]]
"Well, we have to look at the bright side," There was a devilish glint in Zed's 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 the abuses from her relatives and friends.]]
The virtual screen showed the details of the plan Claudia has created. Zed felt his throat turning dry after reading the details.
[[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.