Chapter 6

The room was silent. A needle drop could be heard within this silence. All were shocked to hear what the Defense Secretary has just said. The Scions below looked up at the observation window, wondering what they should do next. A moment later, Siegfried broke the silence. "Pardon me, Mr. Secretary. I don't believe I heard that-"

"You heard me correctly, Doron." The Defense Secretary cut him off. His voice was stern and firm. "You all heard me correctly. Project: VANGUARD is hereby shut down." He added. A scoff can be heard from Lucille after recovering from the initial shock. "Earlier ago, you stressed how urgent it is that we launch this project. That's why you came here personally, correct? And here you are, backing out suddenly. With all due respect, sir, make up your mind. I haven't recovered yet from that video but here I am taking in all of this because I want to help." She ranted. "I thought the demonic threat was dangerous. So, what's with the sudden change?" She asked.

"I'm aware of what I said earlier, Ms. Adineatha. And I still acknowledge just how big of a threat the demons are." He said in a low voice. He then looked at the Scions below. His eyes seemed to see them with contempt. "But from what I saw here, they are more dangerous." He said, pointing at them. "You said that the last light construct they defeated simulated Adamantite, correct?" The Secretary asked Siegfried. "Yes." Siegfried answered. "Then you do know how hard real life Adamantite is. If those to can cut through it as if it were wet paper, then it's all the more reason that they don't get loose on the streets. Those two are basically walking nukes. It'll be adding more danger to the lives of the citizens instead of eliminating it." He reasoned. "I always thought that the power of the Scions were just stories, propaganda to boost a soldier's morale. Now that I've seen it, I'm more convinced than ever. That's why I'll say it again. Thise Scions are not to leave this facility." He commanded

"Then what do you suggest, Mr. Secretary? Scions are the only ones who can fight demons. You saw what happened to the Deviant Team that encountered it." Siegfried asked, annoyed at this sudden development. "They were unprepared at the time. With proper planning and coordination, the Deviant Response Team can handle it. Now, enough of this discussion. I'll be at your meeting hall. Pick your best Category Four Deviants so we can hunt and kill this demon. I'll be waiting." The Defense Secretary then left the observation room, leaving the three others conflicted on the recent development.

"What is this, Siegfried? I was already on board with this. The facilities are nearly completed. I didn't come all the way here just to get stumped." Lucille complained after the Defense Secretary left. "Don't complain it all on me. You're not the only one who put a lot in this project." Siegfried snapped back. "Both of you calm down." General Dubois interjected. "We have no choice but to follow now. But still, though I understand the Defense Secretary's concern, I have my reservations in his sudden change of heart." The general added. "So, who do you have for us?" He asked. "Well. I do have a team that can handle extreme missions. But I still think that the Scions are better suited for this. However, since the Defense Secretary said so, we don't have a choice but to follow, like you said. I just hope that he knows the consequences of his decision." Siegfried said.

Siegfried pressed the intercomm to patch him through the training room. "Cade. Arthur. You two may rest. Await for further orders." He told them. The two Scions obeyed and left the training room. Next, he pressed another button that patched him through another part of the headquarters. "Squad S. Be ready." He simply said. He then looked at his other colleagues after he made his call. "Well. Let's not make the Defense Secretary wait." He said then all of them left.

After a few minutes, the three of them arrived at the meeting room. Defense Secretary Ortiz was there waiting for them just like he said. "You three sure took your time." He remarked. "We apologise Mr. Secretary. We needed time to digest and reevaluate our plans." Siegfried said. "Very well. So, where are the Category Fours that I've asked four?" He demanded. Siegfried simply nodded and pressed a button on the table. From the ceiling, a projector came down and released a holographic image of five persons. They all wore black body-fit, armor-plated suit and helmets. The only distinguishable feature on them were the different symbols carved on their chest plates. Other than that, their different builds and figures also helped to differentiate them.

"This is Squad S. The team that consists of the only Category Fours in my entire Deviant force. They handle the most dangerous and sensitive missions which borderline to secret. And due to that matter, I can't disclose their identities to you. I hope that's understandable." Siegfried explained. The Defense Secretary looked at the holographic figures intently before nodding. "I understand. Carry on." He said. "Very well. They do have codenames to help you distinguish them." He said. He then pressed some buttons so he could cycle through each member of Squad S.

The first one had a tall, lean build. The crest on his chest plate was reminiscent of that of a fire. "This one is Codenamed Flare. He's the current leader of the squad and has the most experience in the field. His powers enable him to generate fire from his hands. His maximum output is equivalent to five flame throwers."

Siegfried pressed a button again to show another member. Their build also suggest that he's a man. However, he has a more slender figure than Flare. The crest on his chestplate resembled a water droplet. "This one is Torrent. He's Flare's second-in-command. Whenever Flare's on another mission, he picks up the slack. His power enables him to manipulate any water source. The largest amount of water he has ever controlled was the entire contents of a water tank."

He then went to another member. This one seemed female judging by the subtle curves of their figure. A spiral crest was on her chestplate which symbolizes wind. "We call her Breeze. When not part of s Squad S mission, she usually joins relief operations and rescues that are too much for other Deviants. Her powers are similar to Cade."

The next one Siegfried showed has a rather large yet plump build. The crest on their chestplate appeared to be a boulder. "Don't be fooled by his large size. He may look like an oversized brute but Granite is anything but. His ability to move five-thousand-pound boulders with his mind is impressive but it pales to his tactical capabilities. He's Squad S' tactician which really goes well with his earth prowess."

"And lastly, we have Voltage." He said, showing a person short in stature and had a slim build. "She's the youngest in the group and relatively new. Still, she's quite powerful and had excellent precision in her power. The strength of the electricity she can generate can range from the potency of a taser to something as powerful as a lightning bolt." With that, his presentation of Squad S has ended. He pressed a button which turned off the projector before looking at Defense Secretary. "Are they a suitable substitute, Mr. Secretary?" He asked.

The Defense Secretary thought deeply after the presentation. Compared to earlier, he didn't have the concerned look he displayed earleir when he witnessed the Soul Arms. After a moment, he gave his answer. "Yes. I approve of them. They're definitely more suitable for this mission." He said. "Have them sent over here so they can be briefed of their mission. I want this current problem solved immediately." He ordered.

"Right away, sir." Siegfried complied. He then pressed the intercomm but before he can deliver his message when General Dubois' phone began ringing. "I'm sorry. I have to take this." He said then picked up his phone. "What?! Are you sure?!" He asked. It seemed that he has received some surprising news. "I see. Thank you. Carry on with your work." He said then hung up before looking at the other people in the room. "That was from an insider I put in the police force to keep a close eye on case involving the serial murders. Since this project is connected to this case, I made sure to always be updated." He explained. "Anyway. How much do you know about these serial murders?" He asked Siegfried.

"Just the important details and the pattern. I know that this attacks happen once a month at almost the exact same day. I know that this is the fifth victim who was a woman just like the others. The first victim was found in District 3 of Lightspire. From there, the spree went outward until it reached District 8. The method of killing is the direct removal of the heart without any surgical tools. It was as if it was grabbed from inside their chest. And lastly, I know that these women met a guy from an online dating site before their eventual demise. This man, known as Henry Johnson, is the prime suspect and is currently at large. The police thinks that this man was good at hiding his tracks that's why he's never been found. However, my head scientist and resident occult expert suggests otherwise. He said that we are dealing with a shapeshifter here. But if that's true, then this would have caused a lot off problems for Mr. Johnson here. For a serial killer, he has a pretty public profile. His account in the dating site is very straightforward. Also, he leads a pretty normal life when I did some digging. And with his face practically broadcasted in every news site because of crimes he did not commit, he should've been arrested." He said.

"You're well-informed." The general remarked. "The police are indeed baffled by how well this man can cover his tracks. It doesn't fit the usual profile of a serial killer. Throughout history, serial killers would always leave one shred of evidence as a form of taunt to the investigators. This man does not." He added. "Now, that question has an answer. The reason why Henry Johnson can effectively erase his tracks was because he can't leave tracks. He was dead before the murders even started." The general declared, bringing silence to the room.