009. Face To Face

Suddenly, a fleeting shadow darted across the road in front of Pierre and Nora’s car, so fast that if their eyes hadn’t been fixed on the road, they would have missed the humanoid shape streaking toward the canal. The speed was inhuman, far beyond what any person could achieve. Pierre barely managed to yank the car door open before sprinting after the creature with all his strength.
But just as quickly, the figure rebounded toward him at an alarming speed. Unarmed and without protective gear, Pierre was vulnerable, clearly facing imminent danger. As the situation closed in around him, Nora’s instincts took over. She drew her gun and fired, the shot echoing in the night. The hot projectile struck the creature's shoulder with pinpoint accuracy, halting its advance. At that moment, the form of the creature known as Miss X was revealed before their eyes.
There was nothing eerie about the beautiful girl standing motionless, her gaze fixed on Nora. Her blue eyes harmonized with the golden waves of her long hair. Dressed in a simple white, calf-length dress with short sleeves, she looked like a young woman who had just woken up and stepped directly out of her bedroom. Beneath the hem, her bare feet touched the ground, adding an innocent, almost surreal quality to her appearance.
"*Kallärkem*!" Pierre shouted in the Eldest Tongue, a language understood by all interdimensional beings. He raised his arms, palms open in a peaceful gesture, signaling his intent to the enigmatic figure before him.
But Miss X paid no attention to Pierre’s plea. Ignoring his peaceful gesture, she sprinted toward Nora, who stood paralyzed with fear. With precious moments slipping away, Pierre acted swiftly. As the gap between them closed, he lunged with explosive force, hurling himself into Miss X with all his strength.
The collision was brutal. Their bodies crashed onto the cobblestone street in a whirlwind of motion, the impact echoing like a thunderclap through the night. Miss X’s form smashed into a dark yellow metal mailbox with such force that it crumpled under her weight, the metal bending and twisting as if struck by a speeding truck. The mailbox's harsh screeching and denting seemed to emphasize the sheer power of the crash, amplifying the chaos of the moment.
Without a trace of hesitation or pain, Miss X sprang back to her feet. She launched herself at Pierre, who was still trying to steady himself. With a brutal force, she struck him, sending him hurtling into the roadside barrier. The collision was deafening—a violent crash that reverberated through the empty street. Pierre’s body slammed against the metal with a sickening thud, the barrier buckling under the impact. Dazed, Pierre lay sprawled on the ground as Miss X turned her menacing gaze back toward Nora.
Just as Miss X advanced, a beacon of hope emerged. Olivier, Guillaume, and Elodie burst onto the scene from different directions, their hurried footsteps pounding on the cobblestones. Their arrival was a fleeting promise of relief. Yet, despite the approaching reinforcements, Pierre’s resolve remained unshaken. Blood streamed down his face, mingling with sweat, but he fought through the pain. Ignoring the gash on his brow and the ragged breath escaping his lips, Pierre launched himself at Miss X with every ounce of his strength. His movements were surprisingly swift for a man of his size, a testament to his training and tenacity.
Miss X, however, was even quicker. With a deft sidestep, she evaded Pierre’s desperate lunge and darted toward the canal. Without a moment’s hesitation, Pierre leapt into the water after her. The cold shock of the canal’s surface met him as he plunged in, the water churning around him. He swam with all the urgency of a man on the brink of losing his prey, but Miss X’s speed was unmatched.
She moved with a fluid grace, vanishing beneath the murky depths of the canal. Pierre’s frantic strokes grew increasingly futile as the dark shape of Miss X became a fleeting blur, slipping away into the vast, open sea. Her rapid descent into the depths was like a shadow melting into the night, leaving Pierre to struggle against the relentless pull of the water, his efforts in vain against the creature’s supernatural swiftness.
"Guillaume, alert the EPCU!" Pierre shouted, his voice carrying an edge of desperation. The curly-haired man immediately fumbled with his device, fingers flying across the screen as he sent out the urgent warning.
The big man then scaled the canal ladders with determined haste, his movements swift and urgent. As he reached the top, he dashed toward Nora, who stood frozen, her eyes wide with terror, locked on the scene unfolding before her. The fear in her gaze was palpable, mirrored by the tension crackling in the air as the looming threat of Miss X still hung heavy over them.
"Are you okay?" Pierre asked, concern etched in his voice.
Nora responded with a tense nod. “W–why didn’t you kill her? You looked like you were trying to catch that monster! Didn’t you order TET for all your colleagues?” Her voice trembled with frustration, each word laced with the urgency of her fear.
Pierre offered a calm, albeit sheepish smile. "Sorry about that. Curiosity got the best of me. While I don’t want any more victims, I also need to understand what drives her actions."
"Are you out of your mind?" Nora shouted, her voice rising in exasperation. "Who cares about her motives? She drained spinal marrow from a human body! She’s dangerous—a monster!"
"When I saw how she treated the student differently from what we observed in the recording, it became clear she didn’t act in a mindless rampage," Pierre explained, his tone measured. "When she realized I was unarmed, she shifted her focus. She attacked you only because you shot her. If she were truly a monster, she wouldn’t have stopped when she saw people coming. She could have repeated her massacre like in Russia, but instead, she chose to escape and let you live."
Nora pondered Pierre's words, her mind tracing the contours of his insight. She recognized their truth, but a lingering unease persisted. The reality of Miss X still being at large cast a shadow of dread. As her thoughts spiraled into the looming threat, fear made its presence known.
"What if she comes back to get me?" she inquired.
"I don't think she will ever set foot in this area anymore. But we will continue sweeping this city until Miss X's whereabouts are known."
"Do members of FN regularly confront those kinds of beings?"
"Sometimes," Pierre answered nonchalantly. "Other times, hospitality is more effective."
The girl appeared deep in thought before asking, "What does it take to become a member of Force Noire?"
"Why?" instead of answering, the big man questioned back.
"I want to apply," Nora stated, a genuine determination glinting in her eyes.
"No!" Pierre firmly rejected her request. "But if you really want to choose this kind of life, immerse yourself in fieldwork and return in two or three years. If you've proven yourself more adaptable and flexible by then, I'll reconsider your application."