Chapter 116: Chapter 116

Jin’s POV
   “This is bad. This is really bad…” Shannon mumbles. “If there is a war between first-world countries now, of all times, it would be much easier for King Atwood to swoop in and conquer this world.”

   Jin shrugs. “It’s not like it was even difficult in the first place.”

   Shannon glares at him.

   “Thank you. That makes it so much better.” she hisses.

   “Well, if it’s any consolation, the war isn’t going to happen immediately.”

   “How do you even know that?” the CIA agent asks him skeptically.

   “I mean, they would have to get rid of a huge thorn first, right?”

   Shannon’s eyes widened.

   “Are you speaking about-”

   Jin points his left index finger at himself.

   “Yup. Me.” he confirms.

   “Aren’t you being way too calm?” Aldenia asks him. “I know you’re really, really strong. Still, you should panic a bit, right?”

   “What good is that going to do?”

   “Well…”

   “Exactly. Besides, this isn’t the first time I got targeted by multiple countries. I remember that there was a huge, and I mean HUGE, bounty on my head at every single underground guild in Ifezan. And yet, here I am, safe and sound.”

   “I remember the bounty as well. The amount was so lucrative that even some of my family members were interested in it.” Audrey recalls. “The one who posted the bounty must be really vexed with you.”

   “What exactly did you do to get such a huge bounty?” Silva asks Jin curiously.

   Jin shrugs. “Nothing much. The one who posted the bounty was a cult leader who was planning to overthrow Atwood. I stopped his plan and got him locked up in a dungeon, but he was too slippery and got away the next day. Thinking back, I should have let him carry on with the plan if I knew His Royal Pain-in-the-behind Majesty was going to be a pain.”

   “Even if you did not capture him, I am very sure that Alyshia Oatwolf would have done the honors.” Audrey says.

   “Hmm, good point. Anyway, I’ve strayed enough from the topic at hand. My point is, before the countries decide to lay waste on each other, they would most likely join forces so that they could get rid of me. Once that’s done, they’ll get on with the war.”

   “Not all the countries. You have my word that America will stand with you.” Shannon assures him.

   “Are you sure that you’re speaking for your entire country?”

   Shannon is visibly taken aback by Jin’s question.

   “Whatever do you mean by that, Mister Minase?” she demands.

   “Hey, I watch international news too. I know for a fact that I’m not particularly popular here, just as I’m not welcomed back in Japan.”

   Shannon averts her eyes guiltily.

   “Besides, there’s your boss Samuel Clark. Your opinion won’t matter at all if he decides to join in the witch hunt.”

   “He of all people will not join in this madness! I swear it by my family’s name!”

   “I hate to be rude, but that doesn’t mean a single thing to me.”

   “Well it is true! Sam-I mean the President will never, ever stoop so low!” Shannon insists.

   Well someone’s being awfully defensive. And was she about to call him by his first name just now?

   “Why don’t you just call him and make sure, Diana?” Silva suggests.

   Something about the researcher’s tone made Jin look at her. She’s putting on a playful expression, mischievous even. As for Shannon, her face has become completely red.

   “I cannot do that! The President is a busy man!” she declines.

   “And this is a serious matter. I’m sure he has the time for this.” Silva tells her with a straight face.

   “W-Well, if you insist.”

   Jin will just ignore the fact that Shannon looks way too happy as she takes out her phone.

   “Please excuse me as I make this phone call, Mister Minase, Miss Audrey, Miss Aldenia.”

   “Sure. While you do that, I have my own phone call to make.” Jin says to her.

   As Shannon takes out her phone so that she could call Clark, Jin takes out his and calls Sergeant Wakaba. He wastes no time in telling her his hypothesis. She didn’t say anything for a few seconds after he was done.

   “I hate the fact that your hypothesis actually makes sense.” she eventually says.

   “So, what do you propose I do? Nuke all the countries that are keeping the homonculi parts?”

   “Don’t even joke about that!”

   “I’m being half-serious here, sergeant. I, for one, am not going to sit around quietly as anti-me WMDs are being developed and manufactured. If anything, this is an act of self-defence.”

   “Just because your hunch was right, it still doesn’t mean that you can lay waste to entire countries!”

   “Aww…”

   “I’ll be calling PM Yoshimori to report on this matter. Until I call you back, do not, and I mean DO NOT, do anything crazy. Promise me.”

   “I promise.” Jin promises.

   “Good. Talk to you soon.”

   Shannon is still on the phone and continuing her conversation after Jin is done with his, probably because in her case she’s calling her employer directly. She’s keeping her distance from the rest of them, even so, Jin could still hear her part of the conversation due to his overly-developed sense of hearing.

   “-No Sam, er, I mean Mister President, sir. Like I said, I am calling you for a serious matter! Oh, would you stop laughing and listen-” he hears Shannon saying.

   …Welp. This is awkward. He needs an excuse, ANY excuse, to get out of here ASAP.

   “So, what now?” Jin asks Silva.

   “I was going to ask you all to help me with the modifications of my gadgets, but I’m having second thoughts.” Silva replies rather sheepishly.

   Jin raises his eyebrow in surprise.

   “What changed your mind?” he asks Silva.

   “Well, if things went south, we might become enemies. Wouldn’t it be really ironic if you end up fighting soldiers who are using the very inventions you yourself helped develop?”

   “Not really. By contrast, I would be excited. I mean, I hate it when the fights I got into are too one-sided.”

   “Yup. It’s better if there are challenges.” Aldenia agrees.

   Audrey rolls her eyes.

   “You people and your thirst for battles…” she mumbles.

   “Look, can we just leave this place? Please?” Jin requests as he sneaks a glance towards Shannon, who’s still talking on the phone.

   Silva lets out a chuckle.

   “Yup. Let’s do that first.” she agrees.

   Silva’s stomach chose this moment to growl.

   “Let’s head to the cafeteria.” she decides. “I could use some food right now.”

   Jin takes out his phone and checks the international time. It’s 10pm at night in America right now.

   “Is it even open at this hour?” Jin asks.

   “Sure is. You’ll never know who might need a midnight snack, after all.”

   Silva leads the way to exit the research lab and guide the others towards a much smaller building which has a sign that says “Cafeteria” on the roof.

   The interior of the cafeteria is similar to the cafeteria at Jin’s school. The interior design is simple, and there are lots of long tables and chairs. Currently, the place is completely empty. A man and a woman who are at least in their forties are sitting behind the counter. Both of them are dressed up in attires usually worn by cooks: hairnet, apron and face mask. They looked really bored, but weren't doing anything to relieve their boredom. Upon seeing Silva and the others, the duo look a lot happier.

   “Here for a meal, Mary?” the man asks.

   “You know it, Gus.” Silva replies with a smile.

   “Got it. Wait right there while I whip something up!”

   The man got up from his seat and was about to head somewhere, presumably to the kitchen, before his sleeve was being pulled back by the woman.

   “Hold your horses, you big oaf!” she says to the man called Gus.

   “What do you want, Lyn?” Gus demands.

   “Have you even asked Mary what she wants to eat?”

   Upon hearing the question, the man looks at Silva sheepishly.

   “I haven’t really asked you that, have I?” he asks while laughing awkwardly.

   “No, you haven’t. I’m in the mood for a cheeseburger, along with some beers. You kids want something?”

   Hearing the word cheeseburger made Jin instantly forget that his stomach is still full.

   “I want a cheeseburger too. With chili fries and Cola, if you have them.” he orders.

   “A double cheeseburger for me, also some fries and some soda.” Aldenia requests.

   “Did you not just have your lunch, Al?” Audrey asks her younger sister.

   “You seriously don’t think the food from the cafeteria at our school can fill my stomach, do you nee-san? Besides, we’re in America!”

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   “I do not see any connection between your last statement and ordering a cheeseburger even though you have just eaten.”

   “Oh, just let it slide, Audrey. It’s her stomach.” Jin tells the elder Graylock. “You plan on getting something?”

   “I do not. Unlike Al, I have a small appetite.”

   “So, is that all?” Gus asks. “Great. Help me out with the cooking, Lyn.”

   The woman called Lyn got up from her seat as well. She also let goes of Gus’s sleeve.

   “You guys sit down wherever. We’ll bring the food to you once we’re done.”

   “We’ll do just that.” Silva assures.

   As the cooks are busy, the others wait patiently for the food to arrive. After a few minutes, Shannon enters the cafeteria. She’s panting slightly, and she looks a bit flushed.

   “Why did all of you leave without saying anything?” she demands. “If some soldiers didn’t see you entering here, I would have spent the entire night looking for you!”

   “First of all, you could have called me or Silva-san.” Jin tells her. “Secondly, we would feel bad if we interrupted some alone time with you and Clark-san.”

   Shannon’s face got even redder, and Jin is pretty sure it’s not because she had been running.

   “I gave him a call purely for work reasons! I definitely did not have any ulterior motive!”

   “Uh-huh. And? What did he say about my hypothesis?”

   “He told me that he will discuss the matter with Prime Minister Yoshimori personally. Until then, we are to stand by.” Shannon replies with a businesslike look and tone.

   “And the homonculi scraps that we got?” Silva asks.

   Shannon sits down next to Silva before giving her reply.

   “You are allowed to take them apart and study them, but nothing more. Needless to say, you are forbidden from creating your own homonculi, or any creations which use them as materials.”

   “Fair enough.”

   It didn’t take Gus and Lyn to bring out the food that was ordered. Their aroma somehow made Jin’s half-full stomach growl with hunger.

   Jin picks up his burger with his hands and bites into it. The beef patty is cooked just right and full of juice. The slices of tomatoes, onions and the pieces of lettuce are fresh and crispy. The buns, on the other hand, are brushed with garlic butter before being toasted. And there’s the wonderful sauce too.

   “Wow, this burger is simply divine!” Aldenia, who’s already halfway done with her burger, compliments.

   Gus grins from ear to ear at the praise.

   “Glad to hear it!”

   “What kind of ingredients did you use for the sauce?” Jin couldn’t help but ask. “I can taste tomato sauce, beef stock and vinegar, but that’s about it.”

   “Sorry kid, I’m afraid I can’t tell you. It’s a family recipe.”

   “A shame.”

   Silva took out some cash and paid the cooks for the food.

   “I’ll pay you back after I went to a money changer.” Jin promises the researcher.

   “Same here.” Aldenia agrees.

   “Ah, don’t worry about it. They’re just food.”

   “You want something too, Diana?” Gus asks Shannon.

   “No, thank you.” Shannon declines politely.

   “Suit yourself.”

   As Silva, Aldenia and Jin were attacking their food, the two cooks made themselves comfortable and sat down in front of a table next to the others.

   “Everyone, meet Gustav Buckley and Lynda Randall. They have been working in this cafeteria for almost ten years now.” Shannon introduces formally. “Gus and Lyn, meet Minase Jin, Aldenia and Audrey Graylock.”

   The two groups nod politely at each other as a way of greeting.

   “So, what got you so desperate that you allowed three children to enter this place?” Buckley asks Shannon.

   “I need their help with the humanoid incident that has been happening lately.”

   Her reply surprised the two cooks.

   “Are you telling me that these kids can actually do something about those, THINGS?” Randall asks while staring at Jin and the Graylock siblings.

   “Absolutely. For starters, the boy is Silver Wolf himself.”

   If the cooks were surprised before, they’re now absolutely dumbfounded.

   “I don’t believe it. A kid this young is THAT Silver Wolf?” Randall mutters in disbelief.

   “What does age have to do with it?” Buckley asks her.

   “Well, nothing I guess.”

   “Exactly. Anyway, we’re really glad that you’re here to help. It’s been so chaotic around here these days. The police and the army need all the help they can get.” Buckley tells Jin and the Graylock sisters.

   “Don’t thank us yet. We haven’t even start with the clean up yet.” Jin says.

   “Indeed. We are not even sure that we could help.” Audrey agrees.

   “You worry too much, nee-san. What happens, happens I say.” Aldenia says optimistically as she finishes the last of her burger.

   Jin and Audrey exchange a tired glance.

   “At least the three of you are willing to help. Can’t say the same for most of the politicians from our country.” Buckley says.

   “It’s dangerous to say things like that, Gus.” Shannon warns.

   “How so? It’s not like you guys will snitch on me.”

   “Don’t you guys have the, um, what you’d call it? The First Amendment to say whatever that you want without getting punished?” Jin asks the Americans.

   Randall lets out a snort.

   “Those rules only protect the rich. If us peasants so much as mumble something that they don’t like, it’s the prison for us. Not that most of us care.”

   “Besides, this freedom thing has a hidden clause. It comes with a huge “but”.” Buckley adds.

   “Ah.”

   “So yeah, we aren’t completely free in that sense.”

   “That is exactly the reason one should think carefully before opening his or her mouth.” Shannon concludes.

   All these laws and whatnot is starting to give Jin a headache. He decides to change the subject.

   “How’s the damage caused by the homonculi so far?” he asks Shannon.

   “In that regard, there was next to zero damage and casualties. Every single one of them appeared out of nowhere, but barely did a thing. That said, they caused significant damages to livestock and farms.”

   “Oh, right. Even though they aren’t alive, they still need to eat in order to keep moving.” Jin recalls.

   Silva’s eyes sparkle at that.

   “So that was the real reason they were killing farm animals and destroying crops? I’m getting more and more interested in them now! What else can they do? Well? Well?”

   “You’re being too close! As to what they can do, you can figure it out yourself when you dissect them.”

   “Aww, you’re no fun…”

   “What about ability users and creatures that are not from this world?” Jin asks Shannon next.

   “The latter has been appearing for months now. As such, their threat is nothing new. As for the former, they are on the people’s side. Even so, we are not accepting them entirely.”

   “Let me guess. They’re working as illegal mercenaries.” Jin guesses.

   “Precisely. They often demand exorbitant fees for their services while disregarding the economical condition of their clients. Hence, they are running an illegitimate business.”

   “What happens to those who can’t pay?”

   “They’ll be forced to pay one way or another.” Randall replies darkly. “I would know. One of my cousin was forced to sell his house just to get rid of those hooligans.”

   “In more extreme cases, the family members of the victims or the victims themselves were sold as slaves to pay off the debts.” Shannon adds.

   “Wow, talk about being unreasonable.” Aldenia says as she’s chewing some fries.

   “Indeed. In a way, they are more of a threat than the creatures of other world and the homonculi combined.”

   Aldenia grits her teeth. “They’re so despicable! We’re going to stop them, Minase!”

   “Hmm, I guess I might as well. It’s not like I have anything better to do at the moment.” Jin mumbles. “You in, Audrey?”

   “I do not mind. That said, it might take some time if we are to search for them one by one.”

   “No worries in that regard. A vast majority of them have banded together and formed a single team. Crush the said them, and the individual ones will surely surrender.” Shannon informs.

   “What’s the name of that team?” Jin asks.

   Shannon takes out a name card from her shirt. Jin takes the card and reads the words printed on top.

   ““The Detroit Hammerheads”.” he reads out loud.

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