66 Ch. 64: Hell's Chariot

Jon materialized in the parking lot, a sea of seemingly ordinary vehicles stretching out before him. The unassuming cars, bathed in the soft glow of the overhead lights, were a stark contrast to the extraordinary world Jon had just stepped out of.

But Jon knew better. Beneath the veneer of normalcy, these vehicles were marvels of high technology, capable of transformations that would boggle the mind of any ordinary person. They were terrestrial chariots, designed to blend seamlessly into the mundane world while possessing capabilities that bordered on the miraculous.

[Ding! The side mission has been completed, explore the MIB HQ, and get 800 penalty points]

A soft chime echoed in Jon's mind, a system prompt indicating the completion of his side mission. He had explored the labyrinthine headquarters of the MIB HQ, and this parking lot was the final piece of the puzzle. A sense of accomplishment washed over him, and he allowed himself a moment to breathe, his gaze sweeping over the rows of vehicles.

His aim now was to choose a terrestrial mount, a vehicle that would serve him in his role as the Ghost Rider. But which one? His eyes scanned the lot, the cars' ordinary exteriors failing to ignite any spark of interest. They were perfect for blending in, but as the Ghost Rider, Jon craved something more... extraordinary.

As he meandered through the lot, a pair of sports cars tucked away in a corner caught his eye. They were sleek, their glossy black exteriors reflecting the overhead lights like obsidian mirrors. Their open-air design exuded an aura of raw power and freedom. A thrill ran through Jon. This was it.

Transforming into the Ghost Rider, Jon approached the sports cars, his flaming skeletal form casting an eerie glow on the vehicles. Suddenly, a swarm of agents descended upon him, their laser guns trained on his fiery figure.

"Stay away from those cars!" the lead agent commanded, his voice echoing in the silent lot. "They're the director's. They have the most sophisticated safety locks in the world. You won't be able to open them."

The Ghost Rider turned his flaming gaze towards the agents, an unspoken challenge in his eyes. He reached out, his burning skeletal hand caressing the glossy surface of the sports car. Hellfire enveloped the vehicle, the intense heat instantly overriding the sophisticated safety lock. The car's driver door slowly opened, inviting the Ghost Rider in.

The lead agent watched in stunned silence, his words caught in his throat. The roar of the engine shattered the silence as the Ghost Rider ignited the Hell's Chariot. The agents scattered as the flaming vehicle charged towards them, the lead agent's warning echoing too late.

The Hell Chariot, now a blazing comet, headed towards the closed garage door. The agents could only watch as the fiery vehicle, showing no signs of slowing down, crashed through the barrier and disappeared into the night, leaving behind a trail of flames and a stunned silence.

***

"Director!"

The urgent call echoed through the director's office, pulling Z from his thoughts. Another agent, his face pale and his breath ragged, stood in the doorway.

"What? Did the kid pull another vanishing act?" Z asked, his voice heavy with resignation. Jon's antics had been pushing him to the brink of his patience.

"No...no, it's not that...he...he..." the agent stammered, struggling to find the words.

"Out with it!" Z snapped, his patience wearing thin. He felt like he was prepared for any absurdity at this point.

"He...he drove away in your sports car!" the agent finally blurted out, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What?" Z roared, shooting up from his chair. The agent flinched at his reaction.

"My car has the world's most sophisticated safety lock! How did he manage to bypass it?!" Z's voice echoed through the room, his disbelief palpable. He felt like he was on the verge of a meltdown.

"Where is he now?" Z asked, his voice dangerously low.

"He...he got away?" the agent replied, his voice trembling.

"What do you mean he got away? The headquarters is on lockdown. He couldn't have flown out even if he had eight wings!" Z retorted, his gaze piercing the agent.

"But...he didn't fly out. He drove your sports car right through the parking lot gate!" the agent confessed, his face turning a sickly shade of green.

Z let out a string of expletives, his frustration reaching a boiling point. He took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. After a moment, he spoke again.

"Hold on, the parking lot gate is made of a special material. Even with the strength of my sports car, it's impossible to break through it!" Z argued, his mind racing to make sense of the situation.

The agent stuttered, "I...I don't know how he did it. He transformed into a burning skeleton, and the car...the car was engulfed in flames. He just...he just drove right through the gate. It was like it was nothing. The car...it didn't even seem to be damaged!"

"So, you're telling me that even though the car was on fire, there was no visible damage?" Z asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

The agent nodded, "Yes, that's exactly what happened!"

Z sank into his chair, his hands covering his face. "How is this possible? I don't know of any alien capable of such a feat. It defies all logic!"

After a moment, he lifted his head and issued a stern command, "Issue a nationwide alert. I want him captured at all costs. If capture is not possible, he is to be terminated on sight."

Suddenly, the supercomputer in front of Z flickered to life. "Hey, Z! Can you hear me?" J's face appeared on the screen, his voice echoing through the room.

Z snapped, "What do you want?"

"Whoa, easy there, Z," J responded, taken aback by Z's outburst.

At that moment, O stepped in, her voice soothing, "Director, why don't you take a break? I'll handle things here."

Once Z had left, O turned to J, "I apologize for Z's behavior, J. We've had a...complicated day at headquarters."

She took a deep breath, then asked, "Now, what have you found?"

J replied, "It's a C-class spacecraft from the Kylothian military."

"Serleena!" O exclaimed.

"Z's ex-girlfriend?" J joked.

"Possibly," O responded, "She's the queen of the Kylothians, hell-bent on destroying the Zarta planet in her quest for their light."

J frowned, "What kind of light would drive her to destroy an entire planet?"

"The Light of Zarta," O answered.

"And what is that?" J asked.

"It's not on Earth, that's for sure," O said, her brow furrowed in thought, "We've already dealt with that issue."

"Clearly, you didn't handle it as well as you thought," J retorted.

"That's...unfortunate," O sighed, "Twenty-five years ago, the Zarta people came to Earth to hide the Light that could save their planet. But in doing so, they risked dragging Earth into their conflict with the Kylothians."

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(A/N: Congrats for the fan who guessed it right, I will mention him as character in he novel as I promised:) when he/she contacts me of course. The next arc is Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba!)