‘Feeling guilty?’ Bushfire asked Blitz.

   ‘Not at all. Well, maybe a little for getting the innocent people and police involved.’ Blitz said.

   ‘But in your eyes, all this is necessary, yes?’

   ‘Absolutely.’

   ‘Tell me, where do you draw your line when it comes to necessary evil?’

   ‘Where is this going?’

   ‘Shall we say this is, ah, an exchange of opinion?’

   ‘Fair enough. Well, I’ll kill if it means stopping a crime, but I don’t think I’m cold-blooded enough to kill a kid.’

   ‘What about women?’

   ‘Eh, I support gender equality.’

   ‘The feminists will be delighted to hear that.’

   ‘They’d better. I mean, they are the ones who won’t shut up about it. Anyway, I guess repent is an important factor too.’

   ‘In other words, you will be the judge and the executioner.’

   ‘I guess so.’

   ‘Won’t you let the real judiciary handle that?’

   ‘Them? Those corrupted jerks would happily accept bribes to fill up their already full pockets, even if it means pardoning an irredeemable scumbag. I know I’m just another pot who’s calling a kettle black, but at least I’m better than those judges.’

   ‘However, the public had been disagreeing with your actions, have they not?’

   ‘Humans were born to disagree! If I cared about everybody’s opinion, I won’t get anything done.’

   ‘So you will be like an arrow that sets its course on its target, and pierces through everything that stands between you and your goal. How wonderful!’ Bushfire remarked dramatically.

   ‘And you? Why are you travelling around the world causing all sorts of trouble?’

   Bushfire gasped loudly. ‘Is that what it looks like?’

   ‘Sure is.’

   ‘That is a false accusation, I tell you! I have a grand goal, just so you know!’

   ‘Enlighten me.’

   ‘You see, what I am doing is pushing the society forward by inciting conflicts between people.’

   ‘Oh boy.’ Blitz muttered.

   ‘Conflicts often bring out the spirit of competing that resides in humans. Through competing, people will learn and evolve. Through learning and evolving, they will be one step closer to creating an utopia where everyone can live happily.’

   ‘Everyone except those who are dead.’

   ‘Sacrifices are always necessary. You of all people should know that.’

   ‘I guess.’ Blitz said with a shrug.

   ‘I knew you would understand! Come now, won’t you join me in my crusade?’

   ‘No thanks.’

   Even with the hood blocking most of his face, Blitz could still tell that Bushfire was dumbfounded.

   ‘I… I beg your pardon?’

   ‘You were probably trying to win me over with your power, but let me tell you that it’s useless.’ Blitz reached inside his ears and took out two earplugs,then swiftly put them back.

   ‘I see, you somehow predicted or known that I would try to make contact with you, so you prepared those earplugs in advance.’

   ‘Yup.’

   ‘And you could still have a conversation with me because you know how to read lips.’

   ‘That is absolutely correct.’

   ‘Hmm, pretty clever.’ Bushfire admired grudgingly.

   ‘Why, thank you.’

   ‘Well, since I have at my plan to recruit you, I guess I have to conduct a tactical retreat. May we see each other again.’

   This was supposed to be the moment where Blitz tries to capture or kill Bushfire, but he did neither. The reason is simple. He noticed that there are a lot of human-shaped shadows at places where he could not see anyone no matter how hard he tries. Chances are, Bushfire’s cultists are using some sort of high-tech cloaking device, and they will not hesitate to use the weapons that they no doubt possess to eliminate Blitz before he can lift a finger. Blitz doesn’t worship any god or deity, but now he would occasionally thank the moon for illuminating the place.

   It would also seems that Bushfire did not bring any of the ability-users that he managed to brainwash with him. If he did, he would not have left just like this.

   ‘Well, there’s always next time.’ Blitz said to himself.

   [February 20th, 12:00pm, inside Desordre airport]

   ‘Chief, this is Team 2. President Rose has just arrived. We and his bodyguards will now escort him to the car park.’

   ‘Copy that.’

   President Rose of Rikici was the second last president to arrive at Gemors, the last being President Levin Korney Artemovich of the Republic of Besporyadok, whose flight has been delayed by a few hours and therefore has not arrived yet. With the exception of Gemor’s president Matthew West, all the other presidents are now taking temporary residence at the Lord’s Peak Hotel, the largest and most prestigious hotel in Gemor. To ensure maximum safety, the hotel was requested to reject guests as early as one week ago.

   Currently, the only ones in the hotel are the presidents, their bodyguards, a sizeable number of the police, and the hotel’s staffs who had been background-checked thoroughly. Until the meeting is over, they will be protected from harm at all costs. That said, it is easier said than done.

   Bushfire, the notorious cult leader being infamous for inciting hatred and conflicts around the world is currently in Gemors. If he somehow managed to hypnotize the presidents, Hendriks shuddered just by thinking what would happen. There is also Silvano Fucile, Rosasco’s right hand man who went overseas before his leader’s murder. He may be alone now, but there is always a possibility that he will join another gang to cause trouble.

  Speaking of trouble, the underground heroes are also a great cause of concern. Just because they helped the police on several occasions, it does not mean that they will continue to do so. This theory is reinforced by the fact that they will stop at nothing to carry out their justice, including committing murder.

   Hendriks let out a long sigh. These two days will be very long.

   Three hours later, the plane that President Artemovich was boarding has finally landed. Out of boredom, Hendriks has decided to welcome the Republican president himself, with Simon and Dawson standing behind him.

   ‘President Artemovich, welcome to Desodre. I am the Chief of Police, Brody Hendriks. The two behind me are my assistant Claudia Simon and Sergeant Tilia Dawson.’Hendriks introduced after saluting respectively.

   ‘Oh my. To what honor do I owe for the Chief of Police himself to welcome me? Did I do something wrong?’

   ‘Of course not, sir. It’s just that, well, you’re the last president to arrive.’

   ‘Ah yes, I would like to apologize for that. I wanted to board the plane as per schedule, but just as I was about to leave my office, something completely unexpected and urgent was brought to my attention, so I had to take care of it first.’

   ‘Nothing to apologize, sir. I’m just glad that you’re fine.’

   ‘Thank you. Now, shall we get going? I don’t think I want to delay the poor driver who had to drive me to the hotel any longer, not to mention all of you officers who had been waiting here for so long.’

   ‘Yes sir.’

   And so, the last of the president is set for residing at Lord’s Peak. However, the work of the police is not over. Not by a long shot.

   ‘Alright, I want each and every one of you to stay on high alert. Don’t ever let anyone, and I mean anyone, to go near the hotel. If you found someone suspicious around the perimeter or inside the hotel, you have permission to wound. If that person turned out to be innocent, I’ll take full responsibility on your action. Remember, we can’t take any chances. Not with Bushfire around.’Hendriks spoke into his police badge with a built-in communicator.

   As per instructed, all police officers who are on shift are to move in groups of at least three at all times, and no one is allowed to leave their stations on pain of suspension. Not even toilet breaks are allowed. Hendriks want zero mistake on this guard mission, and with extremely good reason.

   Mutants. Super-humans. Freaks. Ability users. They were given many names since the first of their kind appeared ten years ago. Those who are willing to share their stories on how they got their powers have given an inconsistent directions to the researchers who want to find out the truth, as their tales vary from person to person. Three years ago, a man called Lester Ferguson became one of them.

   Prior to the fact that he became someone with supernatural powers, Ferguson was just a priest residing in the quiet countryside of Ogbaghara, a small town located at the borders between Gemors and Rikici. Day in and day out, he would preach the townspeople about the Almighty, and survive by receiving alms from them. Those who knew of him claimed that he was a quiet man who has never lost his temper.

   One day, a large group of people that wear black hooded cloaks hijacked the television station in Segadus. The police security in Segadus had always been criticized for being lax, making the hijack easy for the mysterious group. When everything has been prepared, a man stood in front of the cameras and showed his face. It was Ferguson.

   ‘Dear lost lambs of the world, my name is Lester Ferguson, and I stand here before you as the apostle of God Himself.’ Ferguson declared.

   He then explained that he received a revelation from God three days ago. According to the revelation, he was ordered to ‘become the cogwheel that connects the human race and evolution’, and he ‘shall do so by flaming the ember of competition residing in each individuals and turn them into great infernos’. In order to accomplish this holy mission, he was given the voice of God.

   ‘Henceforth, I shall be known as Bushfire, the one who will spread the flame to every corners of the world! As the God’s servant, I ask of you to join me in my mission!’

   After Bushfire made his announcement, he and his followers fled the station. A few days later, the police caught some of the cultists. Through a few interrogations, the police were told that every single townspeople from Ogbaghara has joined the cult. To verify this, the police went to the town, and found that not a soul lived there, not even the children and the elderly. The reason the police never took notice of it was that Ogbaghara does not have a police station, and it was too secluded a town to have visitors, not to mention the fact that the townspeople didn’t rely on other towns and cities for supplying food and drink.

   Since then, the Bushfire cult has grown at a tremendous rate. It was later known that Bushfire has the power of hypnotism, and the announcement he made on the station was a ploy to lure out people that want to hunt him down so that he could brainwash them into joining him. Bounty hunters, police officers and even heroes became his loyal followers.

   Truth to his words, Bushfire has spend most of his time travelling around the world and inciting conflicts wherever he goes. As a result, crime rates have skyrocketed like never before, and skirmishes and war became something common.

   The cult leader has become the most dangerous man in the world, far more dangerous than a mafia leader or a country’s leader that could activate nuclear missiles with just a push of a button.

   ‘And now, the man is somewhere nearby, where he could cause a massive chaos if he could get hold of the presidents.’ Hendriks, who were resting all by himself inside an alley said to no one in particular.

   ‘You’re in a real tight spot huh, Chief?’

   ‘No kidding. And don’t even get me started with those underground heroes, especially Blitz!’

   ‘Who, me?’

   Hendriks was about to reply, but then he paused and took a deep breath to brace himself. After he is mentally prepared, he turned around and looked at the direction where the voice came from. As expected, there stood Blitz, and he is eating roast beef on a china plate with a fork. A plate that Hendriks recognized from the hotel’s buffet place.

   ‘You know, Chief, you really got to toughen up the security in there. I mean, I managed to get this without anyone noticing!’

   ‘Yes, thank you for your feedback. I’ll be sure to tell off my men.’ Hendriks was so stressed out he did not even get upset at seeing Blitz.

   ‘Oh, and one more thing. Fucile was at Besporyadok to get a mind-controlling device, though he sold it to Piume Fruscianti after Becco Di Sangue was basically disbanded.’

   That got Hendrik’s attention. ‘What? Where did you heard that?’

   ‘From a reliable source.’

   ‘Great, as if one mind-controller isn’t enough…’

   ‘They just can’t stop giving you headaches, huh?’ Blitz agreed.

   ‘That goes for you too! Wait a second. Did you kill Rosasco because you knew what they were going to do?’

   ‘I heard that they were planning something, but I didn’t know the details, so I had to make do with killing him. Bushfire probably knew the whole plan, that explains why he agitated the minions. Even if Fucile does succeed in the mind control, he would need lots of bodyguards, since I doubt the device can control a lot of people.’

   ‘All right, thank you for providing that piece of information. As a reward, I promise your sentence will be light. Just twenty years instead of the usual thirty.’ Hendriks said while reaching for his handcuffs.

   ‘Oh, look at the time. I have a train to catch, so you’ll have to excuse me. Would you be so kind to bring these back to the hotel? ’ Blitz put the empty plate and fork at the floor and ran faster than the wind, away from Hendriks.

   Hendriks sighed and bent and picked up the plate and the fork. On his way to the hotel, he passed by a group of police officers.

   ‘Not one word.’ Hendriks warned as they were staring at the things he was holding.

   They straightened up and saluted, looking curious all the while. After Hendriks left, they continued their guard duty, not noticing the insects that were sneakily crawling their way to the officers’ ears.