A Normal Enemy (2) is the eighth chapter of Takashi Shiina's Zettai Karen Children.
Synopsis[]
The Children, wearing anti-ESP handcuffs and captured by the Normal People, sit in a warehouse discussing their plan of action. Aoi suggests that they avoid provoking the Normal People as they might put Minamoto and their helicopter pilot in danger. One of the Normal People comes in through a door and Kaoru quickly attacks. Because Kaoru has her powers suppressed, she is easily stopped by the grown man. He tells the Children that his superiors ordered him to bring of the Children to them. Shiho warns the Normal People that even children don't forget what is done to them and that she'll be sure to make them regret their actions. Aoi hits Shiho telling her that not to provoke them.
Kaoru is brought past a large ECM and to the room where Minamoto is being held, he is tied to a chair and has been beaten. The leader of the Normal People tells Minamoto to give him the password for access to a list of all special service Espers stored on Minamoto's laptop, and he threatens Kaoru with a knife. Minamoto calls them inhuman for laying their hands on a child, and Kaoru calls the knife-wielder a sadist. The leader of the Normal People tells them that Espers are not human, that they are monsters. Minamoto argues against this, but the leader is not interested in listening to him. He brings the knife close to Kaoru, and then Minamoto gives up the password.
The leader of the Normal People inputs the password into the laptop. A voice starts playing through the laptop's speakers saying that the emergency mode has been activated, all data files have been destroyed and the ECCM has been activated. Kaoru notices that her powers have returned and sends the Normal People flying through a window. Minamoto explains that the ECCM, ESP Counter Counter Measures, is equipment to jam ECMs. The leader of the Normal People realises that the ECCM device is small and will run out of power soon, and orders for the ECM output to be increased. The Normal People start shooting at Kaoru and she struggles to block the bullets. The ECCMs power runs out at as bullet is about to hit Minamoto. Kaoru panics and destroys the entire warehouse. In a blind rage she threatens to kill all of the Normal People, but Minamoto comes out of the rubble and stops her. Kaoru pulls close to Minamoto and starts crying. Aoi teleports herself, Shiho and some B.A.B.E.L. soldiers to the scene. Shiho gladly announces that it is payback time.
Chief Taizō Kiritsubo phones Minamoto to ask about the current situation. Minamoto reports that everything is okay while watching The Children torture the now captured Normal People by revealing all of their most embarrassing memories.