The Unexpected Alliance

Before hitting the ground, Ezequiel quickly grabbed Marie and used his own body as a cushion to soften the fall, protecting her from any harm. "Are you alright?" he asked, concerned. She responded with a slight nod, though she blushed slightly at the way he had held her. "Excuse me, Miss M..." he started but didn't finish, because before he could, a large fist struck the ground again with great force.

"I see this guy doesn't mess around. Go somewhere safe," he instructed her as he got to his feet. Ezequiel moved toward the man, dodging his attacks with agility, and threw a direct punch. The opponent didn't even flinch and countered with his enormous arms, which seemed made of rubber due to their ability to stretch excessively. Ezequiel blocked the attack by crossing both arms in the shape of an X. "I need to be careful; those blows are devastating. If I take another one, I could be incapacitated or, worse, killed. My attacks don't seem to affect him at all; it's like he's not human," he thought, continuing to dodge the enemy's assaults.

The man launched another attack, but this time he caught the agent with both hands, preventing him from moving. He began spinning him in the air and then hurled him brutally to the ground near Marie. Ezequiel was bleeding from his forehead, and his suit was torn at the arms, revealing a white shirt underneath. Breathing heavily, Agent B slowly stood up and said, "This is going to cost you; that jacket was extremely expensive." He removed what was left of the jacket and rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, preparing himself for the fight once more. He dodged the man's attacks and managed to land a precise blow to his head. To his surprise, the opponent began to disintegrate into dust. Ezequiel took a breath, believing it was over, but suddenly two identical figures emerged and advanced toward him.

"Damn," he muttered, "I barely managed to defeat one, and now I have to face two. I don't think I can hold out much longer." The figures were already close when he heard a voice say, "Alpha five protection withdrawal." Immediately, the two adversaries vanished. Exhausted and battered, Ezequiel collapsed to the ground. A man as tall as the other figures approached him. Ezequiel no longer had the strength to move, but the man opened his mouth and poured a liquid from his bag. Ezequiel grimaced in disgust, thinking, "What the hell is this? It tastes horrible!" However, moments later, he felt his body regain vitality. The man asked if he was feeling better, and Ezequiel nodded, accepting his hand to stand up.

Marie approached the scene and asked Ezequiel if he was alright. As she raised her gaze, she recognized the man. "Aren't you Agent E?" she asked. He replied that it had been a long time since anyone had called him that; now he simply went by Eduard. Marie didn't know all the agents' identities, but she knew some of those with whom she had become friends. She briefly explained why they were there. "I see," Eduard responded. "You got too close to Adia's house, and that triggered the defense protocols she implemented with the help of technological and extraterrestrial agents. They're experimental systems; they probably saw you as a threat. Generally, they don't attack anyone, though people rarely come around here. You're lucky I was nearby," he added with a smile.

"Well, what's the reason you're looking for the boy and the dog?" Eduard asked. "Actually, we're more interested in the dog than the boy," Ezequiel replied. "I didn't recognize you; you look older, my friend," he commented with a grin. "You don't look very young yourself," Eduard retorted. Both laughed. "So these are your special potions. They're disgusting, but effective," Ezequiel remarked.

Eduard began to tell them that the boy they were looking for might be in... but before he could finish, Lidia and Rino's vehicle arrived on the scene. They had been alerted by Marie during the fight. From the car, Lidia asked, "Is everything alright?" Marie responded, "Everything's fine." Lidia and Rino got out of the vehicle, but not before pulling Maria and Billy out from behind the car. They had discovered the children moments earlier when they hit a deep pothole, and the car's movement revealed their presence. Although they initially planned to leave them, Marie's emergency call convinced them to bring the kids along.

Marie asked, "Who are they? Great, more kids," she added sarcastically. Lidia explained, "These kids are stowaways. Apparently, they snuck into our car after we went to the orphanage. They're probably being looked for, just like the other boy, Aiden."

Marie turned to Eduard and asked him to continue telling them the location of the boy and the dog. Eduard observed the children, who looked sad yet determined not to return to the orphanage without finding their friend. "I'm sorry, Marie, but I won't tell you where to find the boy and the dog unless you take these two with you," he declared firmly.

Marie reflected for a moment. She didn't want to involve these children, as they weren't part of the organization, but if she didn't agree, they wouldn't get any more information. "What should I do?" she thought. Finally, she said, "Fine, but I'll regret that. If you want me to take them, you'll come along as their babysitter." Eduard, without hesitation, agreed. "I can't waste any more time. Nick doesn't have much time left, and if that dog is the answer, I need to find it as soon as possible," Marie thought.

Eduard interjected, "We need something more than a car to avoid detection and prevent international issues."

Marie took out her phone, made a brief call, and hung up. Shortly after, a sound similar to a helicopter was heard. It was a helicopter-shaped craft, but designed to comfortably transport eight people.

Marie gave orders to the pilot. Lidia asked what would happen to the vehicles left on the ground. "Don't worry, operators are already on their way to take care of them," Marie replied.

Everyone boarded the craft and secured themselves in their seats. Before the children could indicate their destination, Eduard suggested, "Take me to my mountain first; I need to grab a few things for the journey." They arrived at his house, and Eduard asked them to wait. When he returned, he was carrying a large bag on his back. "This will come in handy," he said. "More of that disgusting concoction?" Ezequiel remarked to Marie. The children also shuddered at the thought.

Once back on the ship, Marie turned to the children and asked, "You, kid number one, and you, kid number two, where should we go?"

Maria interjected firmly, "My name is Maria, not 'kid number one,' and he's Billy." "Sounds just like your name," Ezequiel commented sarcastically. Marie shot him a sharp glare and then addressed the children: "Alright. Where should we go, Maria?"

Maria took a deep breath and responded, "We need to go to Italy, specifically to Milan."

Marie relayed the destination to the pilot and ordered him to activate the camouflage to avoid any issues with invasion or detection. The pilot nodded, and the craft set course for Milan.