Zero Chronicles

Chapter Eighteen

Zero,Anya and Jessica were walking down a white hallway with doors on each side.They were occasionally pass other Agents along the way.As they walk,Zero notice that Anya had a worried look on her face.

Zero:Don't worry so much.Hunter said that even though he's badly injured,he's alive.
Anya:If you say so.
Jessica:Sorry that I can't be as worried as you guys are since I haven't met Agent Justine before.
Zero:Its alright.
Anya:You see Jessica.Justine helped me and Zero when we were in the Philippines.That's how all three of us became friends.
Jessica:I see.That's good to hear.(smiles)
Anya:Zero.What happened anyway?(looks at zero)
Zero:I don't know the details but that's why were here.Though this is only a small lounge for Agents,it's the only facility in the Philippines to treat Justine's injuries under short notice.It would have taken longer if he was taken to Singapore HQ branch.It was a good thing this lounge was close to Manila.
Anya:I see.
Zero:Anyway,we'll know what really happened to him.Hunter is here and he'll tell us everything.

They soon stop in front of a room.It automatically slides open to the right as the three Agents enter the room.Inside,they see a sleeping Justine on a bed.His entire upper body was wrapped in bandages.Sitting on a chair next to his bed was Hunter,who was reading a book.He stops reading once he sees Zero and the rest.

Hunter:Glad to see that you're here.

The three of them stares at Justine's injured body.There were blood stains on some parts of his bandages.

Zero:What happened to him?(looks at hunter)
Hunter:He was attacked.But what surprised me the most is how injured he was.His attacker was no ordinary being.
Zero:How can you be so sure?
Hunter:Because the entire incident was caught on a nearby CCTV.Naturally,we confiscated the video and destroyed the copies of it.
Jessica:Can we see the video?
Hunter:Of course.

Hunter takes out a laptop under Justine's bed.Everyone gathers behind him as he opens a video file.He plays it and the video reveals a parking area.The camera's point of view was several feet from the parking area and seems to be sticking to a wall.As the video plays,they see Justine being approach by a man wearing a ragged old cloak with a hood over his head.Moments later,they begin to fight and not too long,the man gets the upper hand and injures Justine.He then burst into a thick black smoke before flying in the sky with great speed.The video ends and Hunter close his laptop.Zero and the rest couldn't believe what they just saw.

Anya:W-what the hell was that?
Hunter:That is the million dollar question.Up until now,we still don't know who...or what that was.All we know that it's powerful enough to take down an Agent with little effort.
Zero:How's Justine by the way?
Justine:Oh he'll live.Don't worry about it.
Anya:At least there's good news.I was worried for a bit there.
Zero:And there's more good news regarding Anya's request.Am right?(looks at anya)

Anya doesn't make eye contact and simply looks away.

Hunter:Sigh.Looks like she's still mad despite what happened was just an accident.
Zero:I'm sure she's thankful for mentioning her request to the higher ups.
Hunter:Jessica,please go get us something to eat.I think there's a vending machine not to far from here.
Jessica:Right.

Jessica leaves the room.Zero and Anya takes a couple of chairs at the back of the room and sits near Hunter.

Hunter:Listen carefully.The higher ups have approved your request but there's one condition.
Zero:And that is?
Hunter:You have to rescue all those subconsciousness that are trapped in there.And I mean ALL.
Zero:I think that's impossible.These Sandmen have been around for such a long time.Who knows how many people are there.
Hunter:No,you're wrong.Not every details are listed on the Organization's public database.
Zero:So there are things that even Agents aren't allowed to know huh?
Hunter:Those are the rules.However,your case is different so you two are allowed to know.In regarding a Sandman's dimension.Each Sandman has his own dimension unlike in the files that says that the dimension they use is the same one.
Zero:I see.Then that makes things easier.We just have to rescue all the people that "our" Sandman has caught.But how do we know how many people he has in there?
Hunter:We already took a look inside your Sandman's head.Results show that he has a total of 16 people that are trapped in his dimension.
Zero:16 people huh? Are you up to it Anya?(looks at anya)