Free Web NovelChapter 383: Promotion
The next morning,
Jade City.
The sun rose over the sprawling, hyper-modern skyline of the city, reflecting off the towering glass citadel that served as the regional headquarters for the Evolved Human Authority.
The EVA maintained control over the Athens continent, operating out of only three primary command bases: one in Azure City, one in Amber City, and this central hub in Jade City. It was a fortress of bureaucracy and lethal enforcement, where the continent’s most elite operatives managed the fragile balance between humanity and the anomalous threats that lurked in the shadows.
Deep inside the upper echelons of the Jade City base, within a sleek, glass-walled shared office, the morning was already in full swing.
At her designated workstation, Captain Jenny was entirely absorbed in her work. Her striking pink hair was tied back into a pony tail. She was the same no-nonsense operative who had attended the interschool tournament in Emerald city weeks ago alongside Fred.
But today, her intense focus was directed solely at a glowing holographic corkboard hovering over her desk. It was a messy web of redacted files, timelines, and blurry security photos all connected to a single name: Jayden Starrk.
Across the room, Fred sat at his own desk, his boots propped up casually on the edge of his console. He sipped from a steaming mug of dark coffee, watching his partner obsess over the teenager he was secretly trying to protect.
"You are going to burn a hole straight through that monitor, Jenny," Fred remarked lightly, a charming, easy smile playing on his lips. "You’ve been staring at those timelines since six o’clock."
Jenny didn’t even blink, her dark eyes rapidly scanning the data. "The timeline has gaps, Fred. The boy was at the tournament, and anomalous energy spikes occurred when he was present. There’s more to him than he’s letting on... I can feel it. I just need to figure out the exact correlation—"
CRRKK! CRRKK!
Her desk console suddenly chimed sharply, cutting her off. Then an authoritative voice echoed through the intercom.
"Captains. Report to the Commander’s office immediately."
Jenny sighed, swiping her hand to dissipate the holographic board. Fred swung his legs off the desk, adjusting the collar of his jacket.
Two minutes later, they stood at attention inside the Commander’s office. The room was imposing, lined with dark mahogany and digital maps of the continent. The Base Commander—a broad-shouldered, grizzled veteran with a cybernetic eye—leaned forward, resting his heavy hands on his desk.
"I have important news," the Commander stated, his voice a low, gravelly rumble. "There has been a massive development regarding the masked vigilante operating in our sectors. Fred, as of this morning, you are no longer the leader of the Vigilante Task Force. You are off the case."
Fred frowned, his relaxed demeanor vanishing. "What?! Why?" he blurted out in shock and confusion. "Sir, with all due respect, you can’t do this. We are closing in on his operational patterns... I just need a little more time. I can—"
"It wasn’t my decision, Fred," the Commander interrupted sharply. "The mandate came directly from HQ. The vigilante has gone completely off the deep end. Last night, he engaged an elite EVA strike team and rescued a B-Rank beast from execution."
Jenny’s eyes widened slightly in shock. A human saving a beast? It made zero sense.
Even Fred was surprised. "What the hell are you up to, kid?" he thought.
"It seems he is not on our side after all," the Commander continued grimly. "He is a rogue element, and he needs to be brought to justice by any means necessary. Which is why the agency has decided to bring in special operatives to join the task force. And it is also why they have requested that you, Jenny, take over as the new leader of operations."
Jenny was stunned by this news. But she masked her surprise flawlessly, keeping her posture rigid and professional. "But sir, I am currently leading a highly sensitive case—" ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
"Is it the Starrk boy?" the Commander scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "You haven’t managed to pull a single lead on that kid in weeks. It’s a futile chase. One I want you to drop."
Jenny opened her mouth to argue, her stubbornness flaring, but the Commander cut her off with a hard, unyielding glare.
"That is an order, Agent. From this second onward, your only focus is on catching the vigilante. HQ has put several measures in place to find him, but they believe you and your task force will be the most effective asset we have."
Jenny set her jaw, accepting the reality of the situation. "Yes, sir. I will do my best."
"Good. I expect nothing less." The Commander then turned his gaze back to Fred. "And you are not being left out in the cold, Fred. The reason HQ pulled you off the case isn’t just because Jenny is better suited to lead the hunt. It’s also because they are taking you off the field entirely."
Fred blinked, genuinely surprised. "What do you mean, sir?" He asked.
The Commander leaned back, a rare, faint smile cracking his hardened features. "It means you are getting a promotion. Starting now, you are officially a Senior Sentinel Agent. You are to report directly to HQ from tomorrow. That is where you will be working from now on. Congratulations."
Fred stood stunned for a second before nodding. "Thank you, sir."
The Commander turned back to Jenny. "If you pull this job off and bring the vigilante in, HQ might strongly consider making you the Chief Sentinel."
"If they do, I will simply decline it, sir," Jenny replied smoothly. "Just as I have done for the past few years. I belong on the field, not behind a desk."
The Commander sighed heavily, chuckling under his breath. "You are one stubborn agent, Jenny." He shifted his gaze to Fred, shaking his head in amusement. "How have you managed to cope as her partner for all these years?"
Fred offered a warm, incredibly genuine smile, glancing sideways at her. "It hasn’t always been easy, sir. But I have enjoyed every single moment I’ve ever spent with her."
Jenny’s stoic, indifferent facade cracked instantly. A visible, rosy flush crept up her neck and dusted her cheeks, a stark contrast to the cold professionalism she usually projected. She quickly looked down, clearing her throat softly.
The Commander laughed a hearty, booming sound. "Well, it’s a good thing you two will still be able to see each other at home, then."
Fred nodded with a smile, while Jenny remained perfectly silent.
"Okay, you may both return to your stations," the Commander ordered.
Fred and Jenny left the office together. As they walked side-by-side down the sleek, brightly lit hallway back to their own workspace, Fred seemed deeply lost in thought, his brow furrowed.
Jenny noticed his silence, her analytical eyes studying his profile. "What’s on your mind?"
Fred snapped out of his internal strategizing, instantly slipping his charming mask back on. "Oh, it’s nothing. I was just thinking about where I’m going to take us to celebrate my big promotion. I’m thinking the Black Claw restaurant. They have great ambiance."
"I can’t go with you, Fred," Jenny sighed, running a hand through her pink hair. "I have to get to work immediately. I need to learn everything there is to know about this vigilante and begin tracking his movements."
Fred slowed his pace. "So... that means you’ll stop investigating Jayden?"
"For now," Jenny confirmed, her dark eyes flashing with determination. "Finding the vigilante is more important, I suppose."
"Okay," Fred nodded slowly. He looked at her, his voice softening. "Just go easy, okay?"
Jenny looked up at him, a genuine, beautiful smile breaking through her serious demeanor. "I will. And you better not get too comfortable up in that fancy new HQ office of yours. I could still call you down to the field to assist me at any time."
Fred placed a hand over his heart, bowing slightly. "No problem, milady. I would always answer your call. No matter where I am."
Jenny blushed deeply again. She reached over and playfully jabbed him in the side. "Quit that."
Fred chuckled, catching her hand. "Quit what?"
"You know what," Jenny muttered, looking around the empty hallway, awkwardly hinting at the way he was shamelessly flirting with her. "The whole... thing you’re doing. To make me feel weird inside. We are at work, Fred. It’s unprofessional." freēwēbnovel.com
"Okay, okay, I’ll stop," Fred laughed, holding his hands up in surrender. "But only if you agree to go out with me to celebrate my promotion. Who else am I supposed to go with?"
"There are plenty of other girls in the agency," Jenny huffed playfully. "You can just ask any of them."
"True," Fred mused, tapping his chin. "But none of them are as beautiful, or as special, as you."
"Fred! Stop!" Jenny scolded, though the deep blush on her cheeks remained stubbornly in place.
"Only if you agree to come to the restaurant," Fred bargained effortlessly.
Jenny rolled her eyes, defeated. "Fine. But I am only going to stay for exactly one hour, and then I am coming right back to work."
"That is fine by me," Fred grinned, slipping one hand into his pocket while retrieving his holotab with the other. "As long as you are able to finish a bottle of wine with me."
"No fair," Jenny protested immediately. "You know I don’t like wine. It makes me tipsy."
"Well, too bad," Fred said smoothly, his thumbs flying rapidly across the holographic keyboard. "It’s either that, or you’re not coming back here."
"You’re just trying to get me drunk so I won’t be able to work again today," Jenny accused, narrowing her eyes.
Fred didn’t reply immediately, his eyes subtly focused on the message he was typing out through a certain encrypted line.
Jenny leaned over, trying to peek at his screen. "Who are you texting?" she asked.
Fred smoothly tapped ’Send’, dismissed the holographic screen, and slipped the tab back into his pocket in one fluid motion. "It’s just a friend. I’m letting him know about my promotion."
Jenny looked at him with a sharp, glint in her eyes, as if contemplating whether to believe him or not. Then she shrugged. "Okay." She said. But she was far from being convinced.
They continued walking down the hallway, making light chatter as they returned to their office, maintaining the perfect illusion of two close partners, keeping the deeper reality of their relationship behind closed curtains.
......
