Meeting of the Heads

Zain had invited Ali into the Heads section (which was the hallway behind the reception) to have a little chat with the other Chief Pillars, Agent Dayang of Tekno and Agent Ganz of Kombat. He had also invited Generals Rama and Astor join along. His friends, however, were to wait in the Lounge until the meeting was over.

"Ali's so lucky!" Moon said enviously, staring after the retreating figure of Zain, Ali and Generals Rama and Astor. "He gets to meet with the Chief Pillars- and in person this time!" 

"I suppose they only want to hear about what happened to Ali before this," said Alicia.

"Where's the Lounge, though?" Iman asked, checking around the hall for any signboards.

When Ali had left, all the agents in the hall had hastily stowed away their weapons, probably still befuddled at what had just happened, and had resumed doing what they previously were.

"What about Serporia?" Khai added.

"I can do that," Moon said excitedly. 

"I'll follow Moon," Jet grinned, making to stand beside Moon.

"We'll wait for you guys in the Lounge, OK?" said Khai.

Jet and Moon nodded, and headed out of Headquarters again, before stopping abruptly.

"Hey, Alicia," Jet called across the hall. 

Alicia turned around irritably, as the others stopped in their tracks too.

"What's the password? For later when we come back?" Jet shouted, so that a couple of agents passing by shot ugly looks at him. 

"Your favourite number and a place you can find garbage," Alicia replied annoyingly.

The others made to go, but Rudy had smirked and said, "Like you" before following them. Jet clenched his fists angrily. Moon glared after him too, but they had more important things to do at the time.

"Forget him, let's go and find Serporia," Moon said, grabbing Jet around his wrist and pulling him out of Headquarters and into the cool night air once more.

***

"If that is how it is..." Dayang said critically, who was sitting on a chair. "Then I say we should attack them now, before they are ready."

"I agree," replied Ganz harshly. "The more earlier we attack, the more likely chance they are unprepared."

Ali could only keep quiet as he watched the three Chief Pillars think of what to do next after he had given them all the information they had wanted. He sat there nervously on the edge of a floating chair similar to Dayang's, unsure whether he was supposed to be listening to their discussion at all. He was after trapped inside a holographic meeting room with all the Chief Pillars. 

"But also the same for us," Zain said in his strong, soothing tone. "If we go unprepared, we would also lose. The main thing here we must focus on is not how to defeat Uno's men, but how to defeat IRIS."

There was a moment's silence when the three of them thought.

"We can use the electromagnetic field created by exploding Azurium?" suggested Dayang.

"And risk disarming ourselves too?" Ganz laughed. 

"But what other choice do we have?" Dayang pressed on. "If IRIS enters the battle, we won't stand a chance. At least if we deactivated IRIS, our agents stand a fighting chance."

"I thought IRIS had became a human being?" Ganz snarled. "Electromagnetic field won't have any effect on it."

"Uh-" interrupted Ali. "Actually, he just became a humanoid. I think he's still powered by something."

The three Chief Pillars stared at him. Ganz looked on the verge of snorting, Dayang at him curiously, while Zain satisfying. 

"Dayang," said Zain, making them turn his attention to him instead. "We will need the Tekno agents to make Azurium cased bombs. Make sure they're stable and only explode when shot."

Dayang nodded. 

"This would be the plan," said Zain, as a hologram projector before them activated, displaying the location of Uno's hideout. "We will send three teams there. Two teams will be sent into the cave first. The third team is back-up if anything happens."

"Hm," Ganz grunted. "And also, they must be armed with the best weapons."

The other two nodded in agreement. 

"Should we enter the battle too?" asked Dayang. "Djin's very powerful after all. What if our agents won't be able to defeat him and his team?"

Zain considered this. 

"Very well then. The first team will be consisting of us and Rizwan."

Ganz actually snorted audibly at this. "Why Rizwan? You know how hesitant he is whenever Djin is mentioned."

"He is MATA's best agent, I have faith in him." Zain said firmly.

"Um...Agent Zain," Ali said anxiously. 

"Yes, Ali?" 

"My friends can be the second team. I'm sure they would want to help."

Zain smiled. "Your friends have proved brave loyalty of rescuing you from what they thought to be a vicious faith. Because of this, I will allow you and your friends to be the back-up team."

"But we can help," Ali said desperately. "I don't care if I get hurt, as long as it's for protecting MATA from Uno, it will be worth it."

Ganz glanced at Dayang, who gave a shrug. The both of them turned towards Zain. 

"What do you think, Zain?" Dayang inquired. 

Zain, after a few moments staring observantly at Ali, at last came to a decision. 

"If you are willing to, I will of course allow you to be the second team," Zain said, smiling.

Ganz didn't even bother to hide an eye roll to express his annoyance. 

"Alright," Zain said. "For team three, I say we bring Astor, Bakar, Serporia and Geetha."

"I agree," said Ganz. "At least we must have a group of proper agents."

"Let's just hope this will be the end of the Numeros..." Dayang said warily.

"I will make sure of it," Ganz grunted.

"Make sure the Azurium bomb is prepared beforehand, Dayang," said Zain. "This mission would be a failure without it. We will all be waiting."

The two other Chief Pillars left the room, Ganz shooting Ali a disgusted look as he passed. Only Zain remained behind with Ali.

When Ali made to get out from his seat, Zain said, "Wait a moment, Ali. I still have a few matters to settle. Rama, Astor, please enter."

The two Generals trooped in and stood at exactly at where Dayang and Ganz did seconds before.

"Agent Zain," the two chorused, saluting again.

"Thank you," Agent Zain said. "Please have a seat."

Neither sat of them sat down, however. They still stood stock-still, awaiting for their orders.

"General Rama, three teams are to be sent to these coordinates. This is the coordinates for the location of the Numeros' hideout. Please make sure the agents are careful when approaching it."

"Yes, sir," General Rama said tartly.

"Team one will be consisting of me and the other Chief Pillars and Rizwan. Team two will be of Iman, Moon, Alicia-"

"Pardon me, Agent Zain," General Rama interrupted abruptly. 

Surprised by being interrupted, Agent Zain raised an eyebrow.

"Can Alicia not join this mission? I'm afraid that her condition might be still unstable for a mission like this. Since she has just healed from a recent...disease."

"Of course," said Agent Zain smoothly. "You are admiringly caring for her, as any father should be. She will be replaced by Jet then. And the Tekno agent would be Ali."

"This boy?" asked General Astor incredulously, while Ali silently fumed at this remark. Why does every body address him as 'a boy'? Wasn't it clear is already a teenager?

"Yes," said Agent Zain. "I have faith he will be able to carry out this mission, and he is willing to do so too."

General Astor gave Ali a glance of the most surprise that only gave Ali a savage triumph that General Astor's opinion was overthrown by the Neuro Chief Pillar. He was so busy dwelling over his satisfaction that he did not realise that the meeting was over.

"C'mon, Ali, I bet all your friends are waiting for you," said Agent Zain gently, who was waiting for him by the door.

Ali staggered out of his seat in his haste to not wanting to keep Agent Zain waiting. As he and Agent Zain walked back to the entrance of the Heads hallway, Agent Zain had suddenly stopped in his tracks. 

"Oh, wait, I think I forgotten to tell Dayang something. Ali, you can go here on out by yourself, right? "

"O-oh, of course," Ali said hastily.

Agent Zain turned around and walked back towards the way they came from. And Ali, left alone once more, made his way through the packed hallway back towards the Main Hall, thinking all he had just witnessed.

Had he just been inside an official meeting? With the Chief Pillars?