EPISODE FIVE
CRYPTONYM

Kagaro unclasped his cloak and flicked it into a corner, not bothering to check where it fell. The room felt heavier than the air itself, still suffused with the tension of recent events. He was halfway to the door-his mind already racing through the next set of tasks-when Momoko's voice cracked the silence.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come to help you," she said quietly, regret threading through each syllable. Shimin was there to guide Jenna to the Southern Headquarters hence she was able to help them but Momoko being a new agent had to guide herself and that held her down, wounding her pride as the first one to leave the house, and her pride as Jenna's older sister, leaving her younger sister alone during a crisis.

He paused, turning. The steel in his posture softened, just a little. "It's okay," he reassured her, doing his best to ease the burden he saw in her eyes. "Jenna stepped in, and I get why you couldn't be there."

Momoko nodded, her shoulders sagging in relief, though she still frowned. "I was late, and by the time I got here, Jenna had already called me. Said she sent her Star to your location."

Kagaro gave her a subtle nod, stretching his arms slightly as if to demonstrate he was physically fine. "Look-we were all saved. No harm done. Don't worry about it."

He started toward the exit, but Shimin, quiet at the edge of the room, finally broke her silence.

"Want an apology from me too, Captain?" Shimin asked, leaning causally against the wall.

"Hah. Save it, Agent. You couldn't find your star item I assume?" Kagaro grinned, shaking his head.

"Sure. What's our next move, Captain?" she asked, her voice controlled but edged with urgency that cut through the shadows of their friendly banter.

Kagaro glanced back, already shifting into his leader's persona. "We're splitting up," he said. "Commander Awara suspects several sites may be hiding Jeneme factions. Teams will be sent out to each of these possibly Jeneme infected sites to investigate-and, if necessary, to clean them out."

"When do we begin?" Shimin pressed.

"Next week," Kagaro replied simply. "Once the roster's ready, we deploy as soon as orders drop. Keep yourselves ready. And your stars."

The tension in the air seemed to double at the end of his words. Kagaro turned once more, pausing at the threshold, his voice growing colder. "Orders are for everyone to gear up. Have your Star items and weapons within reach at all times. This isn't another E-type fight. No excuses."

He left with a final click of the door that split the quiet once more.

Shimin let out a slow breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Her thoughts spun as the weight of what was coming hit her. The eradication of the Jenemes-the mission everyone in JEO had dreamt about, battered for, bled for, but never quite believed would come. They'd fought endlessly to survive, pushing the enemy back, but never erasing them. If they succeeded, it would mean freedom. But if they failed... she didn't dare finish that line of thought.

Shimin scanned the faces of the agents rushing past the hallway as she exited the room along with Momoko, minutes after Kagaro, searching for her own apprehension reflecting back at her, but all she found was an unsettling calm. Coping, maybe. Or trust. Shimin, though, felt a heaviness rising in her chest.

Kagaro strode quickly down the hallway, his steps measured, purposeful. He reached the hovering capsule and stepped inside as its doors slid open, the seamless glass panels humming faintly. The capsule tore downwards, passing floors in a blur before coming to a gentle halt at the basement.

He exited into a narrow corridor leading toward JEO's secret garden. Security protocols there masked everything from prying eyes, a necessity for agents whose entire existence depended on remaining unseen. The passage opened onto the Garden of JEO-one of their most guarded secrets-a hidden sanctuary in the city's heart.

From outside, the "garden" looked like nothing more than an abandoned house, walls crumbling and windows long past repair. Science disguised it perfectly, a trick for any ordinary passerby. But inside, the reality was lush and vibrant, a peaceful contrast to the city beyond its invisible borders. Flowers in every color thrived under the subtle, controlled sunlight. Security grids shimmered just under the surface, repelling any intruder.

Kagaro pulled off his mask as he reached the garden's gate, letting the cool evening air brush across his skin. He paused, taking a silent moment to breathe and remember what he was fighting for. Then he stepped onto a concealed pathway that led him out to the city.

JEO agents couldn't afford a public face; their safety was built on secrecy. The Jenemes were relentless, always searching for weaknesses. If any agent's identity leaked, the entire organization might fall.

Kagaro blended into the streets of the bustling city, moving with the easy self-assurance only years of stealth gave him. His form slipped through the alleyways, a shadow among shadows. Alone, he ducked into a narrow passage, withdrew a small square capsule, and pressed a button. The capsule sprang open, releasing an olive-green cloak that fluttered out like a living thing in the evening breeze.

He deftly fastened it, pulling the hood over his head, sinking his face into darkness. He was invisible now, protected by the layers of fabric and technology. Kagaro moved deeper into the alley, his steps precise. When he came out on the other side, the street was even quieter-isolated and wind-bitten.

From his bag, he pulled out his roller shoes-an engineer's marvel, Gairen's creation, designed for silent speed. He slipped them on, crouched for a heartbeat, then shot forward. The shoes powered him like a vehicle, letting Kagaro race across empty avenues in a blur. Colors and neon streaked by, the wind howling at the edge of hearing. In the span of moments, he was at his destination-a vast wooden house, stark and imposing, strange in the midst of steel and glass.

He stopped before the grand door and rapped twice. Instantly, a voice on the other side responded:

"Password."

A green holographic screen lit up in front of him, keypad glowing with digital keys. Kagaro typed in the code, his fingers certain and fast. The doors, though they looked old, slid open with a whisper, revealing the technology pulsing within. It rivaled anything built for JEO, or the famed labs in Shinjuku.

He stepped into a reception room unlike any other. Light bled blue and white through the space, every surface polished. In the center was a curved desk, glowing from below. Recliners hovered in place along both walls-metal softened by gentle underlights. Blue plants seemed to shine out from glass partitions, their leaves alive with subtle movement. The air was clean, almost clinical.

Behind the desk, a woman stood in her olive-green cloak, her smile warming the room. Her eyes glimmered with curious amusement as she watched Kagaro. The floor seemed to gleam beyond comprehension-he saw himself reflected on it as he approached her.

He knew this building well: above, more rooms, dining spaces, libraries. But this desk was the true crossroads.

The woman offered a formal greeting. "How may I help you?"

Kagaro grinned, his tone playful but edged. "All this technology and your security's still a bit lax. What if I were an enemy?"

Instantly, tension spiked. Guards flanking the doorway moved in unison, circling Kagaro, bodies snapping to readiness. Their eyes narrowed, hands ready to act.

Before the atmosphere could tip into danger, a voice cut through:

"Which he is not."

The crowd turned as Liza descended the staircase, every line of her posture radiating confidence. Her gaze found Kagaro immediately, a faint smile on her lips, but her eyes were as sharp and keen as ever.

She reached the desk and greeted him. "What news do you have for us?" There was an undercurrent in her voice-expectation, maybe concern.

Kagaro swept his hood back, his black JEO suit catching the light as he unfastened the cloak and laid it on the desk. He leaned in, elbows against the cool surface, head bowed in a moment of quiet.

For several long seconds, silence lingered. Then, finally, his voice cut through, heavy and deliberate.

"JEO's planning a full ambush."

The statement landed in the room like a blow. Liza's composed mask slipped; her hands clenched, her eyes burned. "What?" she whispered, almost hoarse.

Kagaro raised his gaze and met hers directly. "They're coming for the Jenemes. All of them."

All the hushed sounds in the room seemed to vanish. He watched her face, knowing that neither of them could afford to show any more weakness than they already had. The consequences-in the building, in the city, across their secrets-were held in that brief, loaded silence.