“Everything we had were cybernetic crumbs that took us here, but we let the agencies handle the situation by themselves. Not our best decision, if you ask me,” snapped Yana Mazón, the Cherut Spanish agent through her phone, running out of the stadium as part of the distressed crowd. Outside she met Adriel Yankton, an American Cherut agent. Both clung to each other, pretending to be a couple in need of comfort. They stood around to report the pandemonium happening outside the stadium. “We can’t deny that what happened today was an attack here perpetrated by a woman. Could it be the one we’ve been searching for?” Yana concluded, following Adriel out of the way of the hurrying paramedics and police.
“Hold any conjecture. Shereen Khouri doesn’t resemble Mila Ferro at all.” Svend answered, reading a private and secure message sent from inside the Jack Foster’s operation room.
“The attacker’s been hauled away,” Adriel said, blending with the crowds moving closer to watch the terrorist be taken away. “Apparently the woman was acting alone.”
“Kei and Gadiel, were you able to get closer to the victims?” asked Svend, walking briskly toward the western exit together with Leo.
Everything happened so fast. There were people, who in their shock froze in place, lost and confused and about to be run over by the pushing and screaming crowd.
“Are you hurt?” Svend asked a lady sitting still in a stair. He helped her up and led her out to the nearest paramedic station.
“Let’s keep moving, we are almost out,” Leo said, nudging the people gently out of the stadium.
“Yes, and that is something peculiar and will be better explained by Gadiel,” replied Kei, glancing at Gadiel, the ancient Sachapuyo Healer and modern-day physician.
“Please don’t process any of these victims as dead. Please don’t take them to the morgue.” Gadiel instructed the paramedics, showing his international medical badge.
“But Dr. Shein, they are obviously dead. They don’t have a heartbeat!” one of the paramedic answered, shaking his head. They put the unconscious person in the ambulance. “We are take them to the hospital and they will determine what to do.”
“Then, we’ll better follow you.” Gadiel said, walking after Kei to the car.
“The affected people aren’t dead.” Kei said on his phone, preparing to follow the ambulances.
“What?” Eli asked, making eye contact with Hadi Kalef, who was entering the café.
“What are you talking about?” asked Yana, who was also a doctor. “I saw a woman before the paramedics took her. No pulse, no heartbeat.”
“The affected aren’t dead; they are paralyzed by the potent substance they inhaled,” Gadiel replied calmly. “It seems to be the effect of a coma-inducing blend. I predict they’ll be out of that state in a day or so,” explained Gadiel. “We’ve taken samples to study. But I dare to say the intent wasn’t to cause harm.”
“Yet I just heard an agent pronouncing the victims dead on Jack Foster’s intercepted line.” Eldad said, following the detour indicated by the traffic police.
“The vitals appeared to be those of a dead person, yes, but their hearts are still beating,” Kei added. He had looked with his special ability inside the bodies of one of the victims being rushed out by the paramedics.
“Hopefully, by the time they get to the hospital, the drug might have dissipated, and their heartbeat will be audible to the normal ear,” explained Gadiel.
“So the attacker’s goal was to terrify the masses?” asked Bastian Blum, the German agent, leaving the stadium through the north exit. “If an attack was promised, but a big scare was delivered, then what was the real aim?”
“It’s a game of perception and deception!” Eiji Kudo said, the Japanese agent, joining Adriel and Yana in the parking lot where they had left their car.
“We are now on our way to the hospital,” Kei announced. “We are following the car rushing the woman to the Georgia health department.”
“I’ll check with our people within the agencies for any new intel.” Svend said, getting into his car. “Everyone, gather at the safe flat.