One look at John's face and Rocks knew something serious had happened. His voice stayed even. "Come in."
Only after John stepped inside and the door clicked shut did Rocks ask, "You look rattled. What's going on?"
"We just intercepted a World Government cipher," Captain John said, hesitating as if the words themselves were hard to spit out. "It… it names "
"Say it."
Rocks's brow creased. This wasn't like John. He curled his lip into a hard smile. "Let's hear what new parlor trick the Government thinks it's playing."
John took a pull from his flask and forced it out. "The addressee is Ares. And the contents mention something… explosive."
"Ares?" For a half-beat, Rocks's chest tightened. A Government wire addressed to Tengetsu Ares?
He snorted. "Heh. Getting impatient, are we? They actually think a stunt like this will make me believe Ares is theirs?" He shook his head. "Ares isn't a Government plant."
Ares's past couldn't be forged, and his nature feral, forthright was the opposite of a state-bred hound.
John nodded, relieved to agree. "He doesn't read like a mole to me either. As for the wire itself…"
"It's about a Devil Fruit."
That got Rocks's full attention. He tipped his chin: go on.
"The cable references a Mythical Zoan," John said, wetting his throat again. "No model specified, but it's a Zoan-type Human-Human Fruit. The gist is: Ares is to 'leak' word of this Fruit to you, Captain bait the hook, stoke your interest. I suspect the Government's planning to work this Fruit into a larger gambit with you as the target."
Rocks often pored over his Devil Fruit compendium alone, and he'd set John to sniffing out Fruit rumors for months. John knew exactly how to tug that thread.
"The Government can't sit still anymore, it seems," Rocks murmured, a predatory smile warming at the edges. "And yes I am interested in powerful Fruits."
He let the next words land with weight. "A Human-Human Fruit of the Mythical class would interest anyone. If they're floating this on purpose, they must already be close to it."
His eyes hardened. "If it's real, I'll make sure they walk away empty-handed."
He chuckled, low and dangerous. "Let's see what they try next."
He knew this would be just one move in a longer sequence. If the Government had taken his measure his appetite for power, especially rare Zoans then they'd keep pressing.
"Do we bring Ares in and ask him straight?" John probed.
"No."
Rocks cut it off. "It's almost certainly a snare. Dragging him in only telegraphs distrust and the answer will be the same regardless."
Whether he asked or not, Ares would say he wasn't theirs. Better not to plant the seed at all.
Rocks pivoted. "What about that treasure chart have you pinned the island?"
"We have." John's eyes lit up. Treasure was his favorite word. "Let me take a team to retrieve it."
Rocks thought a moment. "Fine. You'll lead. And bring Ares. Consider it his first assignment as a division captain. Keep an eye on things."
He explained, "I trust he's not the Government's man. I don't trust the Government not to manufacture doubts in others. So watch for games."
John accepted the order and left.
Alone again, Rocks drifted to the window the place he always went to think eyes fixed on the sky.
"Ares vanished a year, then reappears by chance in the middle of a Heavenly Tribute convoy," he muttered. "Too neat… and yet he's the last kind to carry water for the Government."
He huffed. "His head's probably full of how to make his body surpass famous blades, nothing else."
A pause. Then
"Wait."
"Ares's dream…"
"Would the Government try to grease the path to that dream? Trade him help for… something?"
The more he turned it over, the knottier it felt. Rocks drew a long breath and stared out into blue. "We'll have our answer after this run."
In his bones he felt it: the day of open war with the World Government was drawing close.
Marineford, Marine Headquarters.
Admiral Sengoku pushed through the door and spoke before it swung shut. "Fleet Admiral Kong what was so urgent you had to drag me in person?"
The lines in Steel Bone Kong's face were deeper than usual. "Sit. We'll begin when everyone's here," he rumbled.
Sengoku's posture straightened. So not just him. Bigger than he'd guessed.
Moments later, a familiar bellow sounded in the hall. "Hey, hey couldn't this be done over a transponder snail?" Vice Admiral Garp barged in, respect for decorum as scant as ever Admiral-designate Zephyr right behind him.
With all present, Kong went straight to it. "Intelligence says the Rocks Pirates are about to run a very discreet operation. We're going to use it to bag several of their division leaders."
"Division leaders?" Garp dug at his nose, bored. "Who we talking Newgate? Shiki?"
Kong shook his head. "No. *Captain John, Wang Zhi, Silver Axe *and Ares."
Garp's interest had been nil until that last name. He froze. "Na nani?!"
"Ares is a Rocks division captain now?"
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