Chapter 776 Retaliation (2)

Chapter 776 Retaliation (2)

Alexander peered through his binoculars, perched high atop a skyscraper overlooking Caelora.

Flying cars buzzed by, searchlights sweeping the city below as the manhunt for Erik intensified.

But Alexander just grinned, enjoying the view as the clueless authorities scoured the streets.

Little did they know the man they sought had already changed his face, blending seamlessly into the crowds.

And Erik wasn't alone - he had an army of clones ready to aid him, 31 brothers scattered throughout the city in various disguises.

Though Alexander could not see them from his vantage point atop the skyscraper, he knew they were around, searching for the Blackguards.

They were Erik's eyes and ears, scattered throughout the streets.

As a flying patrol car passed disturbingly close, Alexander ducked down, pressing himself flat against the room's wall.

He didn't dare use his binoculars now - the glint of lenses would give him away. But he didn't need them to picture the scene below.

He had memorized the area earlier, identifying choke points, defensible positions, potential traps - anything that could prove useful to Erik.

Soon the patrol car moved on, fading into the distance. Alexander raised his head, peering over the window once more.

On the ground, the blockade was a hive of frenzied activity as mercenaries and police searched the crowd for any sign of Erik.

They manhandled the young men, throwing them against walls to frisk them, ignoring their protests.

One officer wrenched a man's arms behind his back, making him cry out in pain as they interrogated him. Another mercenary shoved a boy to the pavement, kicking him as he tried to crawl away.

Panic was spreading through the penned-in citizens, their fear palpable. Some screamed and sobbed as heavy boots and rifle butts struck them.

"These guys are shameless..." Alexander said in disgust.

Suddenly, he noticed some movement behind the cluster of mercenaries and police.

The captain shouted orders for his men to continue the search as Quakestrike disappeared into the smoke-filled streets.

<Motherfucker... > Quakestrike shook his head as he strode away from the captain. <This guy is making me waste a lot of time. >

He clenched his fist in frustration. The servos in his armor whirred from the pressure. <Romano is still out there somewhere... >

Quakestrike's thoughts wandered back to the intense battle that had taken place at the mansion. Romano's strength caught him off guard.

<How the hell did he get more than two brain crystal powers? > Quakestrike wondered.

<That should be impossible... > He had seen nothing like Romano's abilities before.

Quakestrike was eager to capture Erik and interrogate him. He needed to understand the source of the man's uncanny strength. What was his secret?

The number of questions posed exceeded the amount of answers provided. Quakestrike hastened his pace, causing his cloak to billow behind him.

Without warning, a beeping noise came from his helmet communicator, alerting him to an incoming call. Quakestrike, with a swift motion, pressed the side of his helmet to answer the call.

"Report," came the stern voice of Momentum, leader of the Blackguard squad, tasked with capturing Erik.

"No sign of the target yet," Quakestrike said. "The search continues."

"Be on high alert," Momentum warned. "Alone, you are no match for Romano."

The insinuation made Quakestrike's hackles rise, yet he couldn't ignore the fact that it held a certain amount of truth. Quakestrike was considered a genius when he was younger, and it couldn't be different to enter the black guards.

People respected and feared Quakestrike because of his link to the organization.

Never had he lost a duel, except to his fellow Blackguards.

He was unaccustomed to defeat, but savored it for the first time against a kid at least ten years younger than him.

Erik had proven unpredictable and powerful. If Quakestrike faced him alone again, the outcome was certain and he would die. He would need to be cautious and stick to the squad's plan.

"I will be ready when we find him," Quakestrike assured Momentum. Failure was not an option with the higher-ups demanding results. They had to get Erik and learn his secret.