After the departure of the other members, a select group of about 10 individuals remained in the room as instructed by Aron.
Among them were John, Edward, and a few others who had been assigned official positions during the meeting.
Aron, dragging a chair closer to the group, planning to provide them with detailed briefings regarding their specific tasks.
"Alright, gentlemen, now that we have commenced our operations, it is crucial that you thoroughly briefed on your respective responsibilities," Aron began talking to them.
Turning his attention to John, Aron conveyed the upcoming plans. "John, in two days, you will be part of the first group, alongside myself, heading to Eden. I have arranged for you and Edward to meet some new acquaintances who will ensure your transition and stay there are as seamless as possible," Aron informed him.
"Yes, sir," John responded, dutifully acknowledging the instructions given to him.
Aron retrieved a stack of paper from his bag, about the size of a finger and comprising around 200 pages. He handed it over to John, remarking, "Inside this document, you will find everything you need to know in order to initiate the operations of our group."
Aron then added, "Read through it and dispose of it by the end of tomorrow. I trust your ability to remember everything, considering the changes that have occurred since the day I treated you," implying that Aron was aware of the transformations John had undergone following his treatment.
"Yes, sir," John responded respectfully, accepting the folder with both hands and placing it on his lap.
Aron then redirected his attention to Edward and said, "Regarding the weapons procurement, you and the team selected to work with you will need to travel to Syria and Afghanistan for this mission. Make sure to acquire only the latest weaponry available. I don't want any outdated weapons in the hands of my forces."
He reached into his bag and pulled out another stack of papers, approximately half the size of the one given to John, and handed it to Edward. Aron continued, "Inside this folder, you will find the names and locations of weapons smugglers who can provide you with the latest gear in the market. Additionally, there are several Swiss bank account details to facilitate the financial transactions. Don't worry about the cost; just procure what is necessary."
Aron paused momentarily before adding, "Regarding the transportation of the weapons, there is a preliminary plan outlined in the documents. However, it will soon be modified as you will receive assistance from Eden's army to smuggle the weapons into the country. You will need to wait for the updated plan before making any movements. In the meantime, you can start training based on the initial plan, and only retrain the modified parts once the new plan is sent."
Edward nodded and replied, "You can trust us, sir. We will ensure the procurement process is carried out safely and securely."
Aron looked at Edward intently and emphasized, "Keep your phones nearby during the weapons transfer. This will enable me to disable any devices that could potentially transmit digital signals, preventing anyone from tracing the location where the weapons are being sent."
"Yes, sir," Edward responded.
"Walter, as you are responsible for communications, you will also be among the first people going to Eden. Your primary task will be to maintain communications between the Eden army and Ares during the next three months leading up to the mission. After that, your responsibilities will be updated," Aron explained to Walter, handing him a stack of papers containing further details about his task.
"Yes, sir," Walter replied respectfully, accepting the stack of papers.
Aron proceeded to give the remaining members their respective orders, ensuring they had a clear understanding of their responsibilities. He provided them with a stack of papers containing detailed information to support their comprehension.
As he concluded, Aron opened the floor for questions. Edward took the opportunity to seek clarification.
"Sir, I have a question," Edward spoke up.
Aron nodded, granting Edward permission to proceed.
"Do I need to maintain a relationship with the weapons smuggler for future arms procurement, or is that not necessary?" Edward inquired.
Aron paused for a moment, contemplating his response.
"While I anticipate us not needing to rely on them for future weapon purchases, it is wise to maintain a positive rapport with the smugglers as a precautionary measure. In the event that any issues arise with my plan for independent production, having a favorable connection established may prove beneficial," Aron explained, indicating his intention to phase out reliance on external sources.
"Understood, sir," Edward acknowledged
"Any more questions?" Aron inquired once again, scanning the faces of the remaining members. Silence filled the room, indicating that no further inquiries were forthcoming.
"Alright then, you may now resume your tasks. Remember, if you have any questions or require further clarification, feel free to contact me," Aron stated
With those final words, Aron stood up, resulting in the others doing the same. He made his way towards the door, but just as he took two steps, he activated a concealment rune. In an instant, he vanished from sight, leaving John and his comrades frozen in surprise. They watched as the door swung open and closed on its own.
...…
"That scared me," John muttered under his breath, momentarily taken aback by the mysterious disappearance of Aron. However, he quickly regained his composure, reminding himself of the task at hand.
He returned to his room, finding a seat and carefully unfolding the document in his hands.
As John delved into the contents of the document, he realized its importance was even more than he previously thought.
It outlined the positions and responsibilities of each member within ARES, providing a comprehensive overview of their tasks and duties.
It became clear to John that Aron intended him to be the sole individual entrusted with this complete knowledge of the organization.
The document also contained crucial information about their arrival in Eden, including the specific warehouses that needed modification to cater to their temporary needs.
These needs encompassed training facilities, accommodation arrangements, and secure storage for their weapons, among other necessities.
John spent the remainder of the night studying the document. Thanks to his enhanced memory, he absorbed every detail, etching the information deep into his mind.
Upon reaching the final page and confirming that he had internalized every aspect, he picked up the match on the table.
Carefully igniting the match, John watched as the flame danced and consumed the document. He maintained a vigilant gaze until every last page was reduced to ashes.
Finally, he discarded the remnants into the waste bin, ensuring no trace of the document remained.
....
After returning home, Aron followed his usual routine and logged into the Universal simulation.
"Is there anything I need to take care of in America before heading to Eden?" He asked.
[No, but There is something else that occurred while you were away,] Nova reported.
"What happened?"
[While you were away, the FBI tapped into the fiber optic wires connecting me to the internet. They are attempting to intercept and monitor all the data you send out from home.] She reported.
"At last they made their move. Did they manage to intercept anything important?" Aron asked, unsurprised by their chosen course of action.
He knew that the only options left for them were either kidnapping him or targeting his family, both of which were heavily protected. However, he understood that this action was not guaranteed to succeed.
[They have intercepted all the encrypted communication I had in the past 4 hours between me and the company's server,] Nova reported.
"Then it will take them a few centuries to decrypt them," Aron said, smiling at the futile attempts the government was making to gain blackmail material.
[Yes] Nova answered laughing together with him.
"If that's the only issue, then I can consider it resolved. There's nothing else that requires my presence to be solved, right?" Aron asked.
"Yes," Nova confirmed.
...….
The next day, John gathered all the ARES members in the same conference room where they had met with Aron the previous day.
He distributed printed papers to each member and addressed them, saying, "These papers contain the names of everyone and their assigned positions, including the batch and day you will be heading to Eden.
After learning your position and day of travel, immediately start your preparations for the journey. Once your preparations are complete, thoroughly search your room for any sensitive material or potential clues regarding our operations or destination. Dispose of them by burning them to ensure no traces remain. I expect a clean sweep before my final inspection tomorrow morning. Is that clear?"
"YES!" they replied in unison.
"You are dismissed," John said before leaving the conference room and returning to his own room.
Everyone else stayed behind and started reading the papers to find out their assigned positions and the day they would be moving to Eden.
