One look at John's face and Rocks knew sothing serious had happened. His voice stayed even. "Co in."
Only after John stepped inside and the door clicked shut did Rocks ask, "You look rattled. What's going on?"
"We just intercepted a World Governnt cipher," Captain John said, hesitating as if the words themselves were hard to spit out. "It… it nas "
"Say it."
Rocks's brow creased. This wasn't like John. He curled his lip into a hard smile. "Let's hear what new parlor trick the Governnt thinks it's playing."
John took a pull from his flask and forced it out. "The addressee is Ares. And the contents ntion sothing… explosive."
"Ares?" For a half-beat, Rocks's chest tightened. A Governnt wire addressed to Tengetsu Ares?
He snorted. "Heh. Getting impatient, are we? They actually think a stunt like this will make believe Ares is theirs?" He shook his head. "Ares isn't a Governnt plant."
Ares's past couldn't be forged, and his nature feral, forthright was the opposite of a state-bred hound.
John nodded, relieved to agree. "He doesn't read like a mole to either. As for the wire itself…"
"It's about a Devil Fruit."
That got Rocks's full attention. He tipped his chin: go on.
"The cable references a Mythical Zoan," John said, wetting his throat again. "No model specified, but it's a Zoan-type Human-Human Fruit. The gist is: Ares is to 'leak' word of this Fruit to you, Captain bait the hook, stoke your interest. I suspect the Governnt's planning to work this Fruit into a larger gambit with you as the target."
Rocks often pored over his Devil Fruit compendium alone, and he'd set John to sniffing out Fruit rumors for months. John knew exactly how to tug that thread.
"The Governnt can't sit still anymore, it seems," Rocks murmured, a predatory smile warming at the edges. "And yes I am interested in powerful Fruits."
He let the next words land with weight. "A Human-Human Fruit of the Mythical class would interest anyone. If they're floating this on purpose, they must already be close to it."
His eyes hardened. "If it's real, I'll make sure they walk away empty-handed."
He chuckled, low and dangerous. "Let's see what they try next."
He knew this would be just one move in a longer sequence. If the Governnt had taken his asure his appetite for power, especially rare Zoans then they'd keep pressing.
"Do we bring Ares in and ask him straight?" John probed.
"No."
Rocks cut it off. "It's almost certainly a snare. Dragging him in only telegraphs distrust and the answer will be the sa regardless."
Whether he asked or not, Ares would say he wasn't theirs. Better not to plant the seed at all.
Rocks pivoted. "What about that treasure chart have you pinned the island?"
"We have." John's eyes lit up. Treasure was his favorite word. "Let take a team to retrieve it."
Rocks thought a mont. "Fine. You'll lead. And bring Ares. Consider it his first assignnt as a division captain. Keep an eye on things."
He explained, "I trust he's not the Governnt's man. I don't trust the Governnt not to manufacture doubts in others. So watch for gas."
John accepted the order and left.
Alone again, Rocks drifted to the window the place he always went to think eyes fixed on the sky.
"Ares vanished a year, then reappears by chance in the middle of a Heavenly Tribute convoy," he muttered. "Too neat… and yet he's the last kind to carry water for the Governnt."
He huffed. "His head's probably full of how to make his body surpass famous blades, nothing else."
A pause. Then
"Wait."
"Ares's dream…"
"Would the Governnt try to grease the path to that dream? Trade him help for… sothing?"
The more he turned it over, the knottier it felt. Rocks drew a long breath and stared out into blue. "We'll have our answer after this run."
In his bones he felt it: the day of open war with the World Governnt was drawing close.
Marineford, Marine Headquarters.
Admiral Sengoku pushed through the door and spoke before it swung shut. "Fleet Admiral Kong what was so urgent you had to drag in person?"
The lines in Steel Bone Kong's face were deeper than usual. "Sit. We'll begin when everyone's here," he rumbled.
Sengoku's posture straightened. So not just him. Bigger than he'd guessed.
Monts later, a familiar bellow sounded in the hall. "Hey, hey couldn't this be done over a transponder snail?" Vice Admiral Garp barged in, respect for decorum as scant as ever Admiral-designate Zephyr right behind him.
With all present, Kong went straight to it. "Intelligence says the Rocks Pirates are about to run a very discreet operation. We're going to use it to bag several of their division leaders."
"Division leaders?" Garp dug at his nose, bored. "Who we talking Newgate? Shiki?"
Kong shook his head. "No. *Captain John, Wang Zhi, Silver Axe *and Ares."
Garp's interest had been nil until that last na. He froze. "Na nani?!"
"Ares is a Rocks division captain now?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, you like the story? Wow, who knew. Go ahead, drop a review and throw so power stones maybe I'll be motivated to keep going.
The story's already ahead on Patron. Go there if you want to catch up faster!
[email protected]/_theon
Change @ to "a"
User Comments
0 comments from readers