At the Restaurant
Glober sat calmly at his table near the window, placing his laptop in front of him as if he were just another customer passing time. He opened the device, the glow of the screen reflecting softly in his composed eyes.
A waiter approached with a professional smile.
"Have you decided on your order?"
Glober glanced at the menu, studied it for a few seconds, then said,
"I'll have salmon onigiri and green tea."
The waiter noted the order and walked away.
Glober returned his focus to the screen.
The internet was overflowing with activity… but to him, it was nothing more than a tool.
Just days ago, he had begun working in software development in an "unofficial" manner.
Security systems.
Encryption architectures.
Firewalls that could not be bypassed.
In a short time, his name—an alias, of course—had become a mystery among major corporations.
Job offers from globally known companies.
Long-term contracts.
Unimaginable salaries.
He rejected them all.
He did not work under anyone.
As he moved between open windows, notifications began appearing one after another.
Financial transfers.
One after another.
His digital wallet surpassed a number he didn't bother lingering on:
Nearly one million dollars.
He showed no surprise.
"Natural…" he murmured quietly.
"When something is impossible to hack, they'll pay any price."
He immediately began opening various websites.
He ordered computers more advanced than the one in front of him.
Communication equipment.
Advanced storage tools.
Components not usually sold to the general public.
He closed the final window and leaned back in his chair.
"Now… the fun begins."
On the other side of the city, one of the men dressed in black was still following Glober's duplicate.
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
He answered immediately.
"Yes, sir."
The commander's voice came through, firm and cold.
"Find an opening and grab him now. We need to interrogate him."
"Understood, sir."
The man lifted his head and locked his gaze onto the target ahead.
He drew closer… step by step.
Suddenly, the figure turned into a narrow passage between buildings.
A faint smile appeared on the man's face.
"Got you."
He quickened his pace and entered the alley.
But—
He stopped abruptly.
A dead end.
No doors.
No exits.
No one.
He frowned and looked left and right.
The silence was heavy.
There was nothing there except a large trash container.
He approached cautiously and lifted the lid.
He froze.
Clothes only.
A jacket.
Shoes.
No body.
He slammed the lid shut, anger rising in his chest.
He pulled out his phone and called immediately.
"Sir… I lost him."
"What?!" the commander snapped.
"How did you lose him? Did he know you were following him?"
"I don't think so…"
He hesitated, then added,
"Honestly… I don't understand how he disappeared at all. There's nowhere to hide here. All I found were his clothes.
The strangest part… everything happened in less than four seconds."
A brief silence followed.
Then the commander spoke, his tone colder.
"Fine. Withdraw for now. Tighten surveillance on his family members.
Most likely… he'll contact them."
"Yes, sir."
The call ended, and the man left the area, still trying to make sense of what he had seen.
What he didn't know…
Was that the duplicate hadn't vanished when it entered the alley.
It had melted.
Its body transformed into a translucent green liquid, quietly flowing into the trash container and settling there without a sound.
It was a direct order from Glober.
An order given earlier in the restroom:
If anyone gets close… dissolve immediately.
The game was being played with precision.
And Glober… was always one step ahead.
Glober left the restaurant after calmly shutting down his laptop, his eyes scanning the street for a place to stay. It didn't take long—his attention was drawn to a luxurious inn overlooking the main road, its elegant façade radiating nothing but affluence.
A faint smile crossed his lips as he thought to himself.
He was certain those men would never suspect that someone barely over twenty would stay in a place like this. Their simple logic would lead them to cheap inns and shadowy neighborhoods… and for that exact reason, this place was the safest.
Glober entered the inn and completed the reservation quickly using a payment app on his phone, without discussion or drawing attention. Minutes later, he had his room key.
The moment he entered, he threw himself onto the bed, surrendering to brief rest, while his mind waited for a single thing:
The arrival of the equipment he had ordered.
Elsewhere, far from the city's noise, the commander of the men in black was lost in thought. He sat motionless, while beneath his feet one of the Serafex insects spread quietly as usual.
(The narrator notes that the reason Serafex can remain active for long periods—despite dissolving after two hours—is because the insects continuously rotate and replace one another.)
The ringing of a phone interrupted his thoughts.
The number on the screen: 3.
Number 3:
"What's new?"
Commander:
"This person called Koichi… he's highly suspicious."
Number 3:
"So he could indeed be the alien creature, right?"
Commander:
"It's very likely that the real Koichi died days ago, and this being completely took his form."
Number 3:
"And what makes you think that?"
Commander:
Something strange happened with one of my subordinates… the person he was following vanished in an alley. We found nothing but his clothes."
A brief silence followed, then Number 3's voice returned, filled with excitement.
Number 3:
"How fascinating… so he possesses extraordinary abilities?"
Commander:
"I can't confirm yet… but for now, yes."
Number 3 (clearly excited):
Excellent! Hurry and capture him. I want him in my hands as soon as possible… I want to dissect and study him.
The commander's expression darkened.
Commander:
"That's disgusting… and exactly why I hate working with you."
Number 3:
"I'll take that as a compliment. I'm a brilliant scientist—of course I'd be excited.
These are things that usually only happen in movies."
Commander (with a sigh):
Fine. When we catch him… we'll bring him to you.
Number 3:
I'll be waiting eagerly…
The call ended, and silence returned once more.
The commander leaned his head back, exhaustion clearly visible.
"…I hate working with that pervert."