Chris said: "We need to kidnap Edward."
Ace and Kevin were shocked. Kevin replied: "How can we kidnap Edward? He's insane!"
Chris answered: "It's actually very easy to kidnap him. He's not strong. Ace, you will fight Raven. He's a perfect opponent for you. I could fight him myself, but Edward would escape, so you will distract Raven. The mission starts now. Kevin, did you locate Edward?"
Kevin replied: "Wait, there's a code:
01001001 01101110 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101
00100000 01101100 01100001 01110010 01100111 01100101 01110011 01110100
00100000 01100011 01101111 01101101 01101101 01100101 01110010 01100011 01101001 01100001 01101100
00100000 01110100 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010
00100000 01101001 01101110
00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101
00100000 01100011 01101001 01110100 01111001 00101100
00100000 01110101 01101110 01100100 01100101 01110010
00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101
00100000 01101101 01101111 01110011 01110100
00100000 01100110 01100001 01101101 01101111 01110101 01110011
00100000 01100011 01100001 01101110 01100100 01111001
00100000 01110011 01101000 01101111 01110000.
I'll try to decode it. You and Ace go ahead, and I'll work on the code."
Ace and Chris left the hideout and headed to the city. On their way, Ace said:
"You know, Chris, ever since I was in the police, I fought for justice. I fought many criminals, but in the thirteen years I spent there, I never once heard of a mad scientist or a spy. One day, the department gave me a mission to track down a man… that man was Black Mask—you, Chris. Well, since I told you about my past, tell me about yours. We've got a long road between the hideout and the city; hours of driving slowly. Come on, man, talk to me."
Chris took a deep breath and said:
"About my past… I won't tell you everything. But I'll tell you what I did before becoming a criminal. I was a spy. I saved the city from criminals and gangs until my name spread among them. I also lived a normal life—woke up early, had breakfast, went to university. Nobody chased me, nobody knew me. Then came the day that changed everything."
Ace asked: "What happened that day?"
Chris replied: "What happened that day was—"
The phone rang. Chris answered: "Kevin, did you crack the code?"
Kevin replied: "Yes, I decoded it. I'll send the location to your phone. I think you're getting close. Oh, Chris, don't forget to bring me a chocolate peanut ice cream. Don't forget!"
Chris smiled: "Don't worry, I won't." He hung up.
Chris asked Ace: "You know where we're going, right?"
Ace: "Yes, I know. I'll speed up to get there faster. Hold on tight."
Chris: "I'm counting on you, Ace."
On the road, a car suddenly sped toward them and crashed into Chris and Ace. Ace tried to control the car, wrestling with the steering wheel.
"Do they think I'll be defeated this way?" he shouted. "Man, I was a soldier before I became police chief. They make me pity them. I was trained for this. But you, Chris, you weren't a soldier or a cop. How did you handle the situation so well?"
Chris replied calmly: "The situation doesn't call for panic. The car's damaged, but luckily they hit us inside the city. They still don't know where we're going."
After 15 minutes, they reached the target location. It was pitch black inside. Chris and Ace put on night-vision goggles and entered. The darkness was suffocatingly silent—until suddenly, Raven appeared out of nowhere.
"Looks like we have guests," Raven sneered.
Ace charged at him, kicked, and shouted: "I'm your enemy now. You can't defeat me, lowlife!"
Raven grinned: "You're strong… What's your name?"
Ace answered: "I have a rule: I only tell my name to those weaker than me. My name is Ace." He pulled out his pistol and shot Raven in the leg before engaging him in close combat.
Meanwhile, Chris searched for Edward. He noticed an open door, rushed inside without hesitation, and saw Edward running. Chris shot Edward in the leg, making him scream, then hit him with a taser. Despite his injuries, Edward tried to flee through a passage. Chris chased him, threw a rope that wrapped tightly around Edward, and restrained him.
Edward gasped: "What is this invention?"
Chris replied: "It's one of Kevin's gadgets. He tracked you from your first lab until now. He built this from the simplest tools."
Edward smirked: "Seems Kevin is a genius working for you."
Chris pressed his boot on Edward's head: "He doesn't work for me—he helps me. Unlike Raven, the worthless one. Our mission is over."
Chris carried Edward out and returned to find a shocking scene: Raven was lying on the ground, bleeding from his mouth, while Ace's hands were covered in blood.
Ace said: "Chris, looks like you're done. Let's head back to the forest. Don't worry, Edward—he's not dead yet. I haven't lost anything." Ace burst into loud laughter.
They loaded Edward into the car. On the way, Ace said: "Something's strange. Edward hasn't spoken or begged."
Edward retorted: "What should I say? I'm tied up. I won't lower my dignity."
Chris replied: "At least you're content with yourself."
Edward: "I'm eager to meet Kevin, the genius."
When they arrived, Kevin greeted them: "Looks like the mission's done. Well done, Chris. I never expected you to fail—you're the kind of man who always accomplishes what he sets his mind to."
Ace added: "If I knew it would be this fun, I would've left the police earlier and joined you guys."
Chris turned serious: "The important thing now is Edward. I won't ask you about Skull Head, nor about how Raven survived. But I'll tell you this: Edward, work with us, and afterward I'll return your family to you. In short—join us."