Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 144: I’ll Be Going There As Someone Else

Chapter 144: I’ll Be Going There As Someone Else

"And not only is Garvin in that organization..." Kato paused, letting his words sink in before delivering the final blow. "But a young boy named Jaden is there too."

"What?!" Scarlett’s voice trembled with rage, her crimson eyes burning fiercely as she took an aggressive step toward Kato. Her nails elongating into razor-sharp claws, as if ready to strike.

Kato remained still, his expression filled with quiet remorse. "Yes, Scarlett. I know I’ve done terrible things, but I swear, I’m not the same man anymore. You changed me." His voice was firm, but there was a hint of desperation in his tone. "From the moment I met you, I liked you. That’s why I stayed with your group, why I learned things about you. But I never wanted to betray you. That’s the reason why I’m giving you this information."

Scarlett barely seemed to register his words. Her anger only grew as she stalked closer, her crimson eyes burning with an intensity that could have set the entire room ablaze. "Where is that organization located?" she demanded, her voice sharp as a blade.

Kato swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he carefully chose his words. "I know where it is, and I can take you there. But, Scarlett..." he hesitated, his usually confident voice uncharacteristically uncertain. "It’s dangerous. More than you can imagine."

Scarlett took another step forward until she was mere inches from him, her elongated nails mere breaths away from his chest.

"I don’t care how dangerous it is," she growled. "You think I’ll just stand by while Garvin and Jaden are being held hostage?!"

Kato exhaled heavily. "I know how much they mean to you," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "But the leader of that organization knows it too. That’s why he’s keeping them hostage. The moment you show up, they’ll use them against you. If you don’t get yourself killed in the process, they will die instead."

Scarlett’s breath hitched, her mind warring between fury and the crushing weight of Kato’s words.

BANG!

The door burst open, slamming against the wall with a resounding crash. The sudden noise shattered the tension in the room, making Scarlett and Kato snap their heads toward the entrance.

Ethan and Ryder stormed in, their eyes darting around the room with urgency.

"What’s going on?" Ethan demanded, his brows furrowing. "Why were you two taking so long to come outside?"

Before Scarlett could respond, a soft wail filled the air. It was from Hope.

The infant’s cries instantly pulled Scarlett from her rage. The fire in her eyes dimmed, her claws retracting as she hurried to the crib. Gently, she picked up the baby, her expression softening as she cradled the tiny bundle against her chest.

Ethan and Ryder, however, weren’t done assessing the situation. Their eyes widened as Kato pushed himself off the remains of a shattered wall, dust and debris falling from his shoulders.

"What in the hell happened here?" Ryder asked, stepping forward to inspect the damage. His fingers brushed against the cracks in the stone, his brows shooting up in surprise. "Did a damn earthquake hit this place?"

Kato dusted himself off, his expression unreadable. "It’s nothing," he said smoothly. "Scarlett and I were just testing our powers. A little practice session. She won, of course."

Ethan and Ryder exchanged skeptical glances.

"Practice?" Ethan echoed, crossing his arms. "Then why do you look like you got thrown through a damn wall?"

Kato let out a low chuckle, but it lacked humor. "Because I did."

Scarlett, still holding Hope, shot Kato a sharp look. But he only shrugged as if being hurled into solid stone was just another part of his daily routine.

"Owwww... what did you expect, anyway?" Ethan burst into laughter as he strolled toward Scarlett’s bed, where she was gently rocking the baby in her arms. He plopped down beside her, his grin wide with amusement. "Scarlett was bound to defeat you, no doubt about it."

Kato shot him a flat look but remained silent.

Ryder let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "Remind me never to spar with Scarlett."

Ethan continued, smirking. "That makes it twice today, Kato. First, you lost the cooking competition, and now, a fight. Man, today just isn’t your day."

Kato exhaled heavily but didn’t argue.

Ryder, however, frowned, still eyeing the collapsed wall with curiosity. "Wait, something doesn’t add up." He turned to face Kato and Scarlett. "How come we didn’t hear a single sound from outside? You two were fighting, yet Ethan and I didn’t hear a damn thing."

Kato let out a small chuckle before offering a knowing smile. "That’s thanks to Scarlett’s powers."

As he spoke, he connected a mind link to Scarlett.

"If you’re going to save Garvin and Jaden, then we need a solid plan."

Scarlett’s expression remained unreadable as she immediately responded through the link.

"Oh, I know that."

Kato’s tone was serious, his words laced with urgency. "I’m familiar with the leader of the organization. I was once like him, after all. If I pretend that I’m interested in rejoining, I can get inside without raising suspicion."

Scarlett’s crimson eyes flickered slightly, her mind racing.

"We can’t act recklessly if we want to save them," Kato continued. "Rushing in with brute force will only put their lives at risk. This isn’t a battle we can win with power alone. We need strategy. We need intelligence."

"I already know that," Scarlett replied, her tone sharp yet focused.

Kato nodded slightly. "Then the best approach is to use my ties to that organization. Since I never formally left, never sent a resignation letter or anything, they’ll believe I’ve simply returned after completing an investigation for them. They’ll have no reason to suspect me."

Scarlett’s lips curved into a faint smirk. "You’re right. The only way to get them out alive is to use your past affiliation. If they still think you’re on their side, they won’t question your return."

Kato’s eyes gleamed with approval. "Exactly. But we need to act fast. The leader is holding Garvin and Jaden hostage as leverage against you. If we go in before he publicly makes his threat, we’ll have the advantage."

Before Kato could say more, Scarlett suddenly severed the mind link, ending the conversation abruptly.

Kato sighed but didn’t argue.

Meanwhile, Ryder let out a long, tired exhale, running a hand through his hair. "Well, it’s time to clear another zone," he muttered.

Scarlett turned toward him, her voice firm. "Yes, it is. But only you and Ethan will be going this time."

Both Ethan and Ryder stiffened at her words, exchanging stunned glances.

"Wait, what?" Ethan’s expression darkened as he straightened up, his brows furrowing in disbelief. "Are you seriously considering what that useless guard said? You’re actually going to Victor’s organization?!"

Ryder stepped forward, his face set in concern. "Scarlett, think this through. We don’t even know if this information is legit. And even if it is, you can’t just walk in without a concrete plan."

Scarlett’s gaze swept over them, unwavering. "I have no business with Victor," she stated plainly. "I’m not going to his organization."

Ethan exhaled in relief, but Ryder still looked skeptical.

Scarlett continued, "Garvin and Jaden are alive. And Kato and I are going to save them."

Ethan’s head snapped up, his expression shifting back to shock. "What?! How do you know that? Didn’t you say that if Hunter was dead, then the other survivors without powers wouldn’t stand a chance?"

Kato finally spoke up, crossing his arms over his chest. "Garvin survived," he confirmed. "And he’s being held hostage along with Scarlett’s son."

Ryder’s breath hitched. "Scarlett’s... son?"

Kato nodded. "You all know me as the bad guy. The one who eats human flesh, the one you can’t trust. But here’s the truth, I’m not just some rogue menace. I was once a part of an organization. And that very organization is the one holding Garvin and Jaden hostage."

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Ryder was the first to break it. "What?!" he exclaimed, his face twisted in confusion. "But why? Why would they take them hostage?"

Kato’s eyes darkened. "Isn’t it obvious?" His voice was laced with quiet intensity. "They want Scarlett. Every organization out there is after her for a reason. They all know the truth, the secret of how powers can be passed on through... specific means."

Scarlett’s jaw clenched.

Ethan’s expression turned to pure frustration. He slammed his fist against the bed. "Damn it! How the hell do they know that? I thought only we knew about this transformation!"

His mind raced with possibilities before he grimaced, his voice dropping. "And now that Victor has seen Scarlett’s face..." He turned to the others, dread creeping into his voice. "We know that organizations are connected, one way or another. If Victor is affiliated with any of them, then the truth about Scarlett is spreading. Every boss in every organization might know what she looks like by now."

Ryder, who had been pacing in thought, suddenly stopped and shook his head. "No," he said firmly. "Victor isn’t stupid. He wouldn’t share information like that with rivals. Even if he knows the other bosses, he wouldn’t risk giving them an advantage over him."

He exhaled, his expression tightening. "Turns out it’s not just Victor who knows about this method of power transfer. That means the organization holding Garvin and Jaden must have learned about it some other way and of course they know what Scarlett looks like too."

Scarlett’s voice cut through the tension. "It doesn’t matter."

The room fell silent again as all eyes turned to her.

She rose from the bed, her posture exuding determination. "Kato and I already came up with a plan," she revealed. She began pacing, her mind already working through the next steps. "And one part of that plan is simple, I won’t be going there as Scarlett."

Ethan’s brow furrowed. "What?"

Scarlett turned to face them fully, her gaze unwavering. "They know my face," she stated. "Which means if I walk in as myself, I’ll be recognized immediately. So instead, I’ll be going there as someone else."

Kato’s lips twitched into a small smirk.