Homecoming | sequel of "Home" [✔️]

Chapter 20

No one was in the mood to start a conversation. Not even Viktor, who seemed to be the friendliest agent out of the group, was instantly silenced by the sight of his former best friend. The carefree, clumsy boy that he'd grown up to know was gone, replaced by a stranger who'd descended from outer space, quite literally.

Perhaps silence was the best option, for they were facing unnamed thugs, who were patrolling the dark storage unit. There were hundreds of them, all wielding advanced weapons, faces hidden with white masks. The crash of the waves was overwhelmed by the humming of machinery.

Ali and Nikki's team hid in the shadows, standing atop a crane's heavy load, watching over their operation in quietude. Their position was perfectly blended in with the night, the clouds masking their silhouettes from the moon.

It was tranquil; so silent that the breathing of his team was enough for Ali to consider sound pollution. The heavy breaths and heaving sighs, the clatter of a grit, it was all broadcasted like live television, though he was the only one to receive it.

Alicia exhaled sharply, though her expression was unreadable in the dark. Ali glanced over to the others, to see Viktor, the Techno agent, furiously typing into his tablet, most likely searching for any databases for weapons of the same caliber to the ones they were facing.

"How is an operation like this not attracting any attention from authorities?" she breathed. Ali could hear her grip on her slingshot tightening, the creak of her gloves on its handle.

So this was a real mission? Ali turned back to the front, eyes narrowing. It was strange, how'd they were sending him back to the field so soon.

He looked down to Viktor's tablet, catching the time and date.

A gasp was caught in his throat.

"Maybe they're still gathering forces," Viktor suggested, voice trembling, catching the others' attention. "They're using weapons that not even MATA has tabs on."

Of course he would know. A typical Techno agent.

They might not know, but it was simple for Ali to recognize. They weren't just any weapons—they were from outside Earth. He's busted enough illegal operations himself to tell the legal weaponry apart from the unethical ones.

Whoever was behind this crime would be alien, Ali thought, eyes narrowing. He thought back to the day where Bakar and Bobby were caught, and Fang's breakdown over technical issues.

It's been a week without communication with our Earth team.

Ali sighed, not from disappointment, but a mere reaction. This was preventable, but MATA, once again, has made it difficult for just about everyone. This was his department, a mission just up his alley.

"Ali, you can fly, right?"

Ali turned to Nikki, though he couldn't see her face.

"Agent Bobby gave me the report about you in TAPOPS," she clarified.

He could feel the others turn to him, all but Alicia. Ali turned back to the front, eyes glued on the crime happening below, lips parting.

"No comment." Ali closed his eyes.

"You could fly down there now and give us a distraction," Rudy retaliated, not believing Nikki.

"So could you, if you survive."

He didn't need super senses to know that Rudy was glaring daggers at him.

"Alright, break it up," Nikki interrupted them. She turned, though towards who, Ali didn't know. "Viktor, use your drone to give us a closer look."