BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM C.814 Police Station (2)

"Ok. You stay here," Erik said to June.

"I need you to keep an eye on what happens outside and let me know. In the meantime, I will sneak in. I doubt they will find me while in a fly form. These guys are not the mercenary guild, and especially they are not the Blackguards."

"Yes, Master," June said.

"Let's keep a mental channel open, then."

"Yes."

With that, Erik undressed and gave his clothes to June. Then he turned into a fly and headed toward the police station's main entrance.

As Erik, now in the inconspicuous form of a fly, buzzed towards the main entrance of the police station, he slipped through the doors unnoticed amidst the comings and goings of the officers.

Inside, the station's fa?ade of normalcy unraveled. The once orderly interior was now marred by a sense of disarray that spoke volumes of its new occupants' true nature.

Desks and offices, meant for the city's protectors, were cluttered with weapons and contraband, highlighting the criminal underbelly that had overtaken the establishment.

Officers, or rather gang members, sprawled across chairs with their feet on desks, their laughter echoing off the walls.

They shared tales of close calls and successful heists, their conversations peppered with a mix of arrogance and casual cruelty.

The insignias of the Crystal Cross Gang were omnipresent, adorning walls and uniforms alike.

The conversion was extensive. The gang took over every inch of the space, transforming a once-respected institution into a den of crime.

Erik ventured deeper, moving towards the heart of the station where the most sensitive operations were conducted.

Here, in the private quarters, the fa?ade of police work was discarded even more than in the other rooms.

The place buzzed with the activity of high-ranking gang members orchestrating their schemes.

Detailed maps of New Alexandria and its surroundings were spread across tables marked with territories under gang control and potential targets.

Amidst the clutter of stolen goods and contraband, plans were being laid out for expansions, heists, and ways to tighten their grip on the city.

<This is fucking ridiculous… > Erik was flabbergasted.

However, he kept searching around. Though he realized he couldn't find this guy, Zachary, if he didn't ask where he was.

The man earlier said he was at the police station, but what if he left? In that case, Erik would waste time there.

It was then that Erik entered a changing room. There was a guy there that had just taken a shower and was drying himself.

<Perfect… >

Erik then morphed into a human again, behind the man. He grabbed his head and pushed it against the wall. The man lost consciousness.

<There is no reason to smear blood everywhere, right? > 𝘧𝑟𝓮𝓮𝓌𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝓵.𝒸ℴ𝑚

Erik then copied his face, hid him in a corner of the room, under a pile of dirty clothes, and wore his uniform.

<I may take a liking to this. >

Erik left the room and headed down the corridor. He needed to ask the other officers where Zachary was. As he walked down, another officer approached him.

"Boris, you took your time under that shower!"

<What a bother. > Erik put up a smile and then said,

"Yeah! I had to wash my ass throughly since the last time I took a shit I didn't clean it!"

The officer's expression changed from amusement to shock. It was a weird reaction, to be honest. "Jeez man, I'm joking, I'm joking."

<What's with that reaction?>

The man sighed. Erik didn't know if it was because of relief or for some other reasons.

Like, these two weren't a couple, right? Because, based on the man's reaction, a pretty dark thought crossed his mind.

"G-Gerard is searching for you. You better go before he gets mad."

"Sure," Erik said. He then faked having recalled something.

"Oh, do you know where Zachary is? I forgot to tell him something earlier."

"Earlier?" the other officer said. <That's it, these guys are a couple… I bet he is thinking they met in the shower. >

"Yeah, I received a call from a patrol outside saying they got attacked, but I forgot to tell him about the suspect."

"Attacked? That's weird."

"Right?"

The other guard thought about it for a while, relieved the two didn't talk into the changing room.

"He should be in his office."

"Ah, thanks!"

With that, Erik turned around, and instead of going to that guy, Gerard, as the officer told him, he went the other way around. However, the officer called for him again.

"Where are you going?"

<Fuck… the office is not in this direction. > However, the changing room was.

"Ah, I forgot something in the locker room," Erik smiled.

<Well, at least now I know the direction I have to go in. >

Erik faked going to the locker room to retrieve something and waited for the officer to get the fuck out of there.

Then he started roaming around the station, sometimes changing his face to match that of people that left the area.

At least, that way, they couldn't suspect there was one of them roaming around.

His search was methodical, leaving no stone unturned, no door unopened.

Finally, he stood before the last unexplored room, culminating his search.

With a subtle knock, he announced his presence, and the response from within stirred something deep within him.

The voice from the other side was early familiar, but Erik couldn't recall where he heard it.

As he entered the room, his eyes locked onto the figure seated behind the desk.

The sight of the man sparked a torrent of memories, each one fueling the growing storm of rage within Erik.

The room seemed to shrink and a wave of murderous intent enveloped Erik.

He remembered who he was, where he heard the name Zachary, and why his name was familiar.

If a look could kill, Erik's gaze should have been able to do that easily.

In front of the man, there was a target stating the man's name and rank.

Zachary looked up to meet Erik's eyes, unaware that he was staring into the abyss.

The moment was frozen, a prelude to the inevitable confrontation, as Erik stood poised on the edge of vengeance.