Under The Radar

"Damn, they're pulling the 'serve or be contained' card," an annoyed man scoffed, reading the same part as Theo. "They're not even hiding it. They just disguised it as some humanitarian aid."

Shine peered over Theo's shoulder and gasped. "No way… Are they serious? Why would they detain us just because we didn't join?"

"It's not just about not joining," Theo said bitterly. "It's about power. They're afraid that if some AMS become too strong and refuse to follow their orders, it would be hard for them to control it. So they'd rather suppress it."

The young man named Chino, who had strongly voiced his suspicions about the government a while ago while they were inside the military truck, shook his head. "I knew the government had something shady behind this. This just confirms it."

Theo's grip on the brochure tightened. His mind raced, his body tensed. They can't be trusted. Not fully, at least.

"Alright, everyone, listen up!" one of the soldiers suddenly announced, stepping forward. "All of you cleared will now be transported to your designated safe zones or preferred locations. Please stay in line and prepare to board the trucks."

Theo took a deep breath and stepped into the line. His mind was now set. He needed to get his mother and sister to safety as soon as possible, far away from any major city. If the infection spread, cities would become death traps. After that, he'd focus on getting stronger. 

If the government was aiming to control or eliminate powerful AMS, he had no choice but to make sure he'd become strong enough not to be easily contained.

But as he clutched the brochure tighter, a cold realization settled in his chest. 'If they find out about my Mutation Abyss System and how fast I'm growing…'

Theo gulped hard and glanced in Shine's direction. She gave him a small smile and said, "I'll see you later, Chubby. Let's part ways for now, I have something to take care of." She waved her phone in the air and added, "Let's keep in touch."

He simply nodded before stepping onto the truck.

Out of everyone, only Shine knew about his system, and for some reason, he felt comfortable around her. He trusted her. The only other person who might have a clue was the Commander, but Theo doubted he fully understood what he had said earlier. 

If questioned, he could always clarify it as nothing more than strange dreams he had since the meteorite struck him and knocked him unconscious. He exhaled slowly.

For now, his priority was clear, get his family to safety, grow stronger, and stay under the radar.

******

Aries rushed to the public hospital where their mother had been confined. The building was in poor condition after last night's meteorite impact, with cracks in the walls and flickering lights. She quickly confirmed that their mother had been transferred, her father had authorized it.

"I need to know which hospital she was sent to!" she demanded at the nurse's station.

"I'm sorry, Miss Luther, but our system isn't fully operational yet," the elderly head nurse replied. "The staff in charge last night can't be reached, and with the power fluctuations, we haven't been able to access the records."

Aries clenched her fists while the elderly nurse muttered under her breath, "This is exactly why I hate relying on computerized records. They should've kept a manual log for hospital transfers."

All hospital staff looked exhausted, scrambling to handle the overwhelming number of patients. Fortunately, they hadn't suffered the same chaos as Meta Doctors Hospital, where meteorite victims had been evacuated overnight to private facilities. But that only made Aries more anxious. Their mother had been moved, but to where? And was she safe?

"Please, is there anyone here who knows where my mother was transferred?"

The head nurse sighed. "Can't you reach your father? He signed all the paperwork and coordinated with the facility that picked her up. I don't mean to be rude, but look around, miss. Do you see how overwhelmed we are? We can't possibly remember every patient's transfer details."

"If I could contact him, I wouldn't be here begging for answers," Aries snapped in frustration. She had already tried calling him multiple times, but as usual, he wasn't answering. She had even asked their neighbor to check if he was home, but there was no sign of him. 

Their father barely came home as it was, and when he did, it was usually because he was too drunk to go anywhere else, probably hiding from loan sharks again.

"Calix?!"

Aries turned as an elderly security guard called out to the man standing beside her.

The guard looked surprised. "Why are you here? I heard about your hospital, the place you worked at-"

Before he could finish, Calix grabbed his arm and pulled him aside for a hushed conversation.

Meanwhile, Aries let out a shaky breath when her phone suddenly rang. She fumbled for it and quickly answered. "Theo?"

"Where are you?" his voice came through, steady but firm.

"I'm at the hospital. Their system isn't working, so no one can tell me where they sent Mom. Dad's the only one who knows, and I have no idea where he is."

Theo exhaled sharply. "Listen to me, go home and stay inside. I'll track down Mom and Dad. Just lock the doors and wait for me there."

"Theo-"

"Just do it, Aries." He ended the call before she could argue. She stood frozen for a moment, gripping her phone tightly.

Then Calix returned, gently grabbing her arm and pulling her toward a quieter corner. "Come with me. My friend's in charge of the control room and agreed to help. Wait for me outside in the garden."

Aries nodded and followed his instructions. She sat on a bench, heart pounding, watching the chaotic hospital staff rush around.

Minutes later, Calix came running back, breathless. "I found it. The records say she was transferred to Atlas Medical City."

Aries shot to her feet. "I need to go there."

Calix grabbed her wrist, stopping her. "No, it's too dangerous. There are military checkpoints on the way, and they won't let you in. The hospital is completely isolated. There's probably another military team clearing the area right now."

Her hands trembled as she dialed Theo's number again. "She's at Atlas Medical City, Theo… What do we do?"