BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM-Chapter 838 Nokisi Point (2)

<We must find some stuff, > Erik said, his gaze scanning their surroundings. 𝓯𝓇𝘦𝘦𝑤ℯ𝓫𝑛𝓸𝑣𝓮𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓶

June tilted his head, his bird eyes narrowing as she pondered Erik's statement. <Clothes, and…? >

Erik paused for a moment. <A phone. I need to make a call. >

June's feathers ruffled. <Are you going to call her? >

<Yes. With her help, we should be able to find Shade faster. >

<But what if they sell us? Didn't Noah say the Band of Giants kept the guild under surveillance? >

<Yes. That's why I will talk to Rebecca. I doubt she will sell us. >

<If you say so. >

Their quest for suitable attire led them to a quaint shop nestled between towering skyscrapers, its windows aglow with soft, inviting light.

Without hesitation, Erik landed on the ledge, his insect form barely noticeable. June perched beside him.

<Wait for me here…> Erik said. For this operation, he needed someone fast, and between the two, he was the fastest.

Erik's form expanded, his body stretching and reshaping until he stood in his human form, albeit with one significant alteration.

He molded his features, rendering his face unrecognizable. He couldn't allow someone strong enough to see him to recognize his face.

June, meanwhile, awaited in his avian guise.

Erik didn't waste time. He dashed into the shop in a burst of speed.

His hands, moving faster than the blink of an eye, plucked a selection of clothing and a small bag to stow them in.

Men's attire for himself and June. With the items secured, he made his way to the exit, his presence as fleeting as a whisper.

The shopkeeper remained oblivious to the spectral visitor. To any onlooker, the shop appeared undisturbed, its wares untouched by human hands.

<Let's go. >

With that, the two left the area and went to a secluded alley, where June reverted to his human form. The two dressed up and blended into the city's tapestry.

<What about the phone? > June asked. <I'm going to ask the system to take care of that. >

<System, connect to a nearby phone and call Rebecca. >

The system obviously saved her number.

[SCANNING FOR NEARBY DEVICES.]

[DEVICES FOUND.]

[STARTING CONNECTION.]

[CONNECTION ESTABLISHED.]

Erik heard a phone ringing directly in his head. Then someone answered.

"Hello?" The voice on the other end was cautious. She didn't know this number. No one should have had it.

Erik took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. "Rebecca."

There was a brief silence after those words, a pregnant pause in which the world seemed to hold its breath.

She recognized the voice on the other side of the phone, a mix of disbelief and recognition flashing across her face, though Erik couldn't see it.

"Erik?" Rebecca's voice wavered, a cocktail of emotions swirling within.

"Yes." Erik's reply was simple.

"Are you crazy? Why are you calling me? Don't you know there is a huge bounty on your head?"

"I know, but I need your help."

"What?"

"Let's meet up…"

…

…

…

Erik and June chose a bar as the meeting spot. His face was still that of another person.

They chose a cozy corner in the bar, where the rich smell of coffee blended with the scent of old wood and a hint of spirits, but from which they could keep an eye on the surroundings without looking suspicious.

Seated with an air of nonchalance, they leisurely sipped their coffees.

Yet, beneath this veneer of calm, their eyes darted towards the entrance, vigilant, betraying their true intent as they kept a watchful gaze on every newcomer.

<Do you think she will come? >

<Yes, > Erik said to his clone. <She has no reason not to. Hearing what we have to say is not helping us, anyway. She has nothing to lose from this meeting. >

<I still think it's dangerous. >

Then the door swung open. A figure whose presence caused a subtle shift in the room's atmosphere entered.

When the woman walked in, everyone stopped and stared. Her body was noticeable in her clothes, curvy in a way that caught everyone's eye.

Because her face was hidden by a mask, people couldn't help but let their imaginations run wild about how she looked. She moved confidently, making her way through the crowd easily.

The mask wasn't just for show; it was the same one she wore at Testrovsc's Rest, probably so Erik could find her quickly in the crowd.

In theory, only he should have been able to recognize that mask since she used that mask only on some occasions in Testrovsc's Rest, and only Erik saw it.

June, his eyes catching the familiar pattern of the mask, raised his hand.

"We are here!" the clone said, enough for her to hear over the ambient noise.

She turned around, looking over the room carefully until she saw Erik and June's table. But something didn't match up.

There were two guys sitting there, and neither looked like the Erik from the photos she had seen.

This confusion made her pause, wondering if she was looking at the right spot.

With measured steps, she approached, her eyes flickering between the two, a hint of caution in her stride.

Rebecca had never seen June before, but she also never saw Erik's face in person.

She had long learned that Erik Kay was actually Erik Romano from Frant.

She had seen his face in pictures and videos before. But the man sitting in front of her looked different, not at all like the young man she saw in the photos.

This man was older, showing wrinkles and some grey hair among the black. Next to him sat a younger man who looked a bit like Erik, almost as if he could be his brother or cousin. Yet, even with the resemblance, he differed from the Erik she remembered from the pictures.

The two guys at the table could be just about anyone. She wondered they recognized her.

Then it clicked. The mask she wore was something only Erik knew about. It was their secret signal. This detail made her think that despite the unfamiliar face, one of those guys had to be Erik.

Though suspicion clouded her eyes as she came to a halt by their table. She remained silent for a bit, unsure of what to say.

Erik met her gaze as he understood her problem. "It's me," he said, his voice carrying the unmistakable cadence and tone that Rebecca had associated with him.

For a moment, her eyes filled with doubt, wondering if she had walked into some sort of trick.

The thought that these men might pretend to be Erik and his friend worried her. She questioned the situation, feeling unsure, and a bit scared about what was happening.

The world they navigated was one of shadows and deception, where trust was both a valuable commodity and a potential liability. She couldn't simply trust these two guys. Besides, she assumed Erik was alone, so why there were two people?

Yet, there was something in his voice, a certain quality that cut through her reservations, resonating with a familiarity that was hard to dismiss.

Rebecca hesitated, her gaze shifting from Erik to June and back again. "How can I be sure it's really you? You don't have your mask, and your face is different from that on your photos," she asked.

Erik gave her a small, knowing smile, a gesture that looked odd on his unfamiliar face, as if he was in on a secret she hadn't been told yet.

Erik leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. He shared a memory, one deeply rooted in their experiences together.

It was a story so detailed and unique to their shared history that it left no doubt in her mind—it had to be Erik.

The story the man said was vivid and filled with little nuances and inside jokes that no one else could replicate.

As he spoke, the pieces fell into place, erasing any skepticism she might have had. This served as undeniable proof of his true identity.

As he spoke, Rebecca's posture relaxed, the lines of suspicion softening as recognition dawned.

It wasn't just the story he shared that convinced her. It was also the way he spoke, the choice of words, the slight inflection at the end of his sentences—undeniably Erik.

"Alright, Erik," she said, a trace of relief mingling with the wariness in her voice. It was clear it hadn't been easy to come here and find no one resembling Erik. Everything pointed to a trap.

She took a seat, her mask still in place. "Is this really your face?" She asked. She was curious. Erik had never shown her his face, and a photo couldn't obviously be like the real deal.

"This is another disguise. I couldn't let the passersby see my face, right?"

Then she thought about something. "Is this how you were able to enter everywhere without people not noticing?"

"No."

She sighed. "Still clinging to your secrets, uh? But I want to remind you it is you who asked for my help, so at least try to collaborate."

Erik nodded.

"So, what do you need my help with?"