Interstellar Legend

025 Starship (Part 2)

Command center.

Looking at Mike's pale face on the screen, Reno asked, "What do you know?"

Mike struggled to swallow a mouthful of saliva. "Reno, come out and surrender immediately. I assure you, we won't hurt you."

"That's not the answer I want." Reno shook his head. "I'll give you three chances. You've wasted one already. Now, this is the second time I'm asking. If you don't understand my question, I can make it clearer... Why did you capture me?"

The old black-clad man shook his head. "You can't threaten me. Reno, you can't do anything to me."

"My finger is on a button. Press it, and the elevator's brake will disengage. Then this big tin can will free-fall. I think you know what that means." Reno's voice turned icy. "Now, for the third time, why did you capture me?"

The old black-clad man stared at the camera.

After a moment, he suddenly laughed. "You wouldn't dare to kill me."

"Wrong answer." Reno sighed, his finger gently pressing the button.

The elevator first trembled with a roar, then plummeted downward.

"No!" Both black-clad men screamed loudly.

As the elevator was about to crash to the bottom, a sharp, grating sound of friction echoed. The elevator gradually came to a stop amidst the unpleasant screeching of brakes. The elevator floor indicator displayed "-5", indicating they were nearing the bottom level.

But before the elevator doors opened, it began slowly ascending again.

Reno's voice echoed once more. "Mike... Your name is Mike, right? Congratulations, you won a bet once. I'm not someone who easily resorts to killing. I hesitated and had a moment of weakness at the last minute. But as a soldier, there's no doubt that such behavior lacks courage and bravery. So, I intend to correct this mistake. Fortunately, we have the chance to try again... and even more than once."

"No, no!" Mills was already trembling from the free fall earlier. "Don't do it again, Mike, tell him, tell him the truth. You damn bastard, if we keep going like this, we'll scare ourselves to death even if we're not thrown off. My heart is about to jump out!"

Old Mike's face turned grim. "Fine, I'll talk. Reno, I know you find it strange why the Secret Police suddenly came to arrest you, but Francily, it's not just about you."

"I know, it's about all the survivors of the Abrody."

"So you already know about this. As for why, it's simple. There have been some problems with the people on the Abrody."

"What kind of problems?"

"I'm not sure of the specifics, but I've heard that some strange things have been happening on that ship."

"Strange things?" Reno's eyes lit up with curiosity. "What kind of things?"

"That's for you to find out, Reno," old Mike replied. "Have you noticed anything unusual about yourself recently?"

Reno's eyes suddenly sparkled with an eerie light. "What do you know?"

Old Mike shook his head. "I don't know anything. Reno. All I know is that events are never isolated. Many things may seem unrelated on the surface, but in reality, they are interconnected in very complex ways. They are causally related and mutually influential. If you want clearer answers, you should go to those with greater power."

"Who has the greatest power? That small mustache? Who is he? What's his name?"

"He's called Ned Brad, the deputy director of the Secret Police Earth Headquarters."