"Thank you for the intelligence, I'll take my leave." Damien nodded towards the Intelligence Officers and glanced at Devon. "We will meet again..."

Devon nodded back as the black-suited young man faded from existence, leaving behind a group of bewildered people. It reminded the intelligence operative of the clone ability.

"Truly a covetous ability." He mumbled to himself and turned his attention towards the Intelligence Officers. "Ensure that nothing about our meeting with Damien gets out of Langley."

"Have our hounds delete every shred of information that might point to the interaction between Block 5 and Block 7. None must know."

Hearing his words, the Intelligence Officers nodded in agreement. It wouldn't do well for either SIGIL Division if word got out about their cooperation.

Meanwhile...

Damien stood on the rooftop of a towering building adjacent to the Intelligence Headquarters. The edges of his lips rose as he held his briefcase tightly.

"Los Angeles, huh? It seems that the west court might be the backyard of those bastards." What better way to ensure the success of the tribunal than by filling every seat in the court with your ally?

Above the clouded heavens, a piercing shriek echoed as Gryphos descended with pride and grace. It flapped its feathered wings and landed beside its master.

"Our destination is Los Angeles, residing on the West Coast of the Federation." The Griffin shook its feathered mane as Damien hopped behind its back.

"What a coincidence. It appears that the reunion of Block 7 occurs much sooner than expected." He smirked, recalling that Hawk and Echidna were headed to the West Coast.

Gryphos flapped its wings and soared into the clouded heavens. It chirped a piercing cry as it punctured through the skies with unprecedented acceleration.

A sonic boom was left behind as the battered remains of Washington stood in the background. It was the capital of the Old World Superpower, the United States of America.

However, it became the main battleground during humankind's revolution against the Clan. The result was its utter decimation.

The battlefield between the strongest of each species doesn't leave unscathed. Even the black tower presiding over it no longer exists.

Such were the effects of the confrontation between Paragons and True Bloods. One would wonder the battlefield of humanity's strongest against the progenitor of the vampires.

It remained a mystery to both sides, as the two participants didn't utter a single word about what occurred in the greatest battle the New World had ever encountered.

Half an hour later, Damien saw the capital of the West Coast, Los Angeles. Its skylines pierced through the blurred horizon where the Pacific lay beyond.

Behind the feathered mane of Gryphos, he observed the city with a scrutinizing gaze. It was much more different than the fortified settlements of the East Coast.

"So, this is Los Angeles, huh?" Whether it'd be before Heaven's Fall or after, he had never stepped into the city, only hearing about the world-famous Hollywood.

It wasn't as fortified as the cities on the East Coast, a significant difference in cultures between the two coasts of the New World.

Gryphos fluttered its wings as Damien gazed towards an empty parking space where he could make his landing. Patting the Griffin's feathered made, the two descended from the skies.

People walking on the sidewalk were astounded to see an aetheric beast landing in the middle of the city in broad daylight. Some even ran away the moment Gryphos made its appearance in their eyes.

Some brave ones got closer, looking at the Griffin with curiosity. They would be the first ones to die in a disaster, making it a wonder how they survived so long in the New World.

But such was the great mystery of life, always unexpected and unclear.

Damien hopped off the feathered mane of the Griffin and smiled at the surrounding people. Not only was Los Angeles barely defended, but its people were much more easygoing.

With a snap of his fingers, he blinked out of the parking space, leaving the people aghast. The Griffin narrowed its piercing gaze and flapped its wings, soaring into the heavens above.

It wouldn't be good news if his existence caused a stir.

"The location of the tribunal is deep underground. The high echelons of the Federation and the Paragons, alongside their elite officers, would attend the court trial."

Damien muttered under his breath, walking through the streets and blending seamlessly into the crowd. Infiltrating inside wouldn't be a problem.

Getting out was where the challenge would start.

Of course, the plan would only be enacted if the tribunal concluded haphazardly without a proper trial. It didn't matter if it was treason in the eyes of the federal government.

His loyalty was to humanity and the SIGIL Block 7.

Nothing more, nothing less.

As his steps became a muted echo, Damien's lips curved into a subtle smile as he lowered his fedora, shading half of his face.

"I look forward to the tribunal."

---

Amidst the skylines of New York, Hecate opened her eyelids, finding herself staring towards an unfamiliar ceiling. Her velvety eyes glinted with calculated scrutiny as she recalled fragments of her memories.

She remembered how her partner cared for her during the journey towards New Janus and the short trip to New York. Not only that, her master was currently facing a trial against the Federation.

Hecate pushed herself up, looking at the luxurious bedroom with a bit of intrigue. She recalled her partner asking a doctor for help.

The doctor's name was Krieger, a so-called genius.

"You finally woke up." Before she could collect more of her thoughts, the crimson-haired vampire heard a soft voice from the hallway. There, a beautiful lady attired in a pristine lab coat, stood.

"You're the first vampire to have experienced a fever. In simpler terms, sickness. Tell me... How does it feel for your first time?" Doctor Krieger grinned at the vampire.

Hecate smiled back and stretched her arms upward. "It was the worst experience I have ever gone through in my vampiric life."

"I'd rather not go through such a moment of weakness ever again. It's the first time I actually felt helpless without the need for a depressing thought."

"That is sickness for you. It makes you weak physically and mentally." Doctor Krieger walked forward, observing the crimson-haired vampire from top to bottom.

"It seems that the treatment worked. The fever would have kept going for a few days if it hadn't been treated. You're fortunate that your partner is a smart one," she remarked.

"I am truly fortunate to have Damien as my partner." A gentle smile etched itself onto Hecate's face, prompting Krieger's grin to widen.

"Oh... Would you look at that? A vampire is in love with an Aberrant. This is the romance of a century." There was a trace of sarcasm in her words, yet a hint of respect also radiated from them.

"I hope that the two of you would be able to realize your love." Doctor Krieger lightly bowed as Hecate ignored her remarks and looked around. "Where are we?"

Even though she had a feeling that they were in New York, she didn't know where in the vast city.

Krieger glanced at her and responded. "You are in my penthouse, under my treatment and care. You should be honored."

"Rarely do people get treated by me. And when they do, all would be cured without a doubt." She said with pride, while the crimson-haired slightly chuckled. "Alright, genius of the century."

"At any rate, I won't stop you if you want to catch up with that partner of yours. I do not have the power to do so, even if I were capable. I don't hinder dreams." Doctor Krieger said with determination.

There were some things she supported, a few she disliked, and ignored. Halting those who wish to chase after those important to them was a line she didn't want to cross.

After all, she was a dreamer like them. It was through her pursuit of knowledge and Aetheric science that the Armament Technology was created.

Hecate looked at the serious doctor and nodded in appreciation. "I thank you for the support, Doctor Krieger. But I must take my time and rest. I trust my partner to do what must be done."

"No wonder he was confident when he dropped you in my penthouse to get treatment." Doctor Krieger smirked at the crimson-haired vampire. "Your trust with each other runs deeper than I expected."

"But that's what makes it great, correct?"

"Indeed, deep trust is important between partners." Hecate nodded towards the manic doctor who kept chuckling out loud for no reason.

The crimson-haired vampire could feel the change inside her body. It was transforming into something else. If she tried to catch up, it would ensure that the evolution takes longer.

A detrimental outcome to the plans of her partner.

"I have to trust him... After all, he is my Damien." She clenched her fingers and turned her velvet gaze towards the windows where the towering buildings of New York lay.

A beautiful sight, yours truly.

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