Chapter Nineteen:

“Good morning, Inquisitor Goldwyn.” Tom greeted.

“Morning.”

Jacob Goldwyn preferred the last secretary much better. She was much more professional in that she was clearly only here because of the paycheck. That made her a lot easier to deal with. The job was just a job, so she did what she needed efficiently and professionally and nothing more.

This new assistant was nosy. Too much of his life was in the job, and he expected some of his social needs to be met here.

And he had too much ego for a coffee fetcher. The assistants here were overpaid. Most ministry jobs paid much better than a job for a private business would. But they were wasting money giving officials so many overpaid assistants and overpaying unimportant positions.

“I’m here for my meeting.” Jacob said.

“The minister is running a bit late with his current meeting.” Tom said, whispering behind his hand for no reason. “And after that he’s having his lunch.”

“Then I’ll join him for lunch.” Jacob said dryly.

“Well, the minister gets busy.” Tom said.

As if that was any excuse for the delay.

“I was already forced to wait a week for this meeting.” Jacob reminded Tom.

Just then the minister's office door opened and the minister himself stepped out.

He looked about the same as ever. A beer belly even though he never drank. A bit red in the cheeks even though he was never cold. But he still looked about the same as ten years ago. He was still young at fifty and his jovial face helped that, but his military fitness had long withered when he got the office job.

“Urm, Tom.” The minister said, stroking his shaven chin. “My lunch order should be coming soon?”

“Right away, sir.” Tom said, snapping to his feet.

“Inquisitor!” the minister said, finally noticing Jacob. “Okay, Tom. I’ll see Mr Goldwyn in and then I’ll be down for lunch. Can we work that in?”

Tom looked displeased but obliged enthusiastically.

“Come on, inquisitor.” The minister said, stepping aside to let Jacob through. Always the gentleman with his old charming ways. He was just like his grandfather had been.

The minister let the door shut in and took a seat at his desk.

“Sit, won’t you?” the minister said warmly.

Jacob nodded and obliged.

“I must apologize for the delay in our meeting this week. i actually ended a call now a bit early because I didn't want to keep you waiting outside when you got here. There have been lots of events recently. Kept us all busy.”

“Then I’m sure we’re talking about the same thing.” Jacob said evenly, but hopeful inside.

“Perhaps.” The minister chuckled. “Big business, the dorm games! Lots of regulations and events to finalize. I’m not sure if the inquisitors are involved-”

“Hardly.” Jacob said more cuttingly than he meant to.

“Serious business then.” The minister said, locking his arms and settling into his chair. “Well go on then.”

“There’s been spikes of cultist activity internationally.” Jacob said slowly. “Keralia, England, Romania, Greece, Korea and China. The same countries that were affected by the Hollow cult.”

The minister stuttered immediately to try to shut down Jacob. “The hollow cult was never confirmed to be real. Demonic activity was at a high at the time, and most nations were slow to react to it.”

“It’s sixteen years later, and now the same nations affected by the Hollow cult are seeing spikes in demonic activity.”

“Only you’re seeing it, Jake.” The minister said, replying immediately again.

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“Minister, there’s almost two percent increase in the number of mage women involved in disappearances or violent crimes. The highest in 16 years. And the same countries involved in the Hallow Cult attacks are involved again.”

The minister shook his head. “Two percent... Look Jacob, it’s not unusual for women to be victims of crime is it? Perhaps this year has been more difficult and if so the we most certainly will do more to fight that. But that’s the work of criminals- not cultists! And those criminals will be punished damnit! Criminals can be punished, but not conspiracies! And it’s nowhere close to what was happening sixteen, seventeen years ago. Demonic activity is low. We’re winning the fight for once… It’s about time you accept that.”

“With all respect minister, the last time this happened, it went away on its own. You say it wasn't the Hallow cult, that the cult is a myth. But no one knows what caused the events sixteen years ago. What happens if i doesn't go away this time? Even if it isn't you need to find out what it is. I need a team of three hundred."

"Three hundred." the minister chortled quietly.

"And international jurisdiction and permission to travel to these countries to investigate."

The minister shook his head.

“Jacob, there is nothing happening.” He said and waved his hands to say he was finished. “If you ever, ever have any real concerns or proof of unusual demonic activity then please present it again. But don’t abuse your position to constantly nag me with your own hang ups!”

So it was going to be this again, Jacob realized.

“I’m sorry that I wasted your time, Minister.” Jacob said, rising to his feet immediately and bowing to leave.

“Wait!” The minister clambered. “That was harsh and unprofessional of me. I apologize for that, but my point still stands. I will not concede my view on the matter. Nor will I concede your right to address valid concerns to me.”

“Thank you, Minister.” Jacob said, replying immediately- just as the minister had done. And with that he left the office.

*************************************************************************************

The door slammed and thee sharp splitting sound echoed in the office, and just as suddenly there was a knocking on the door.

“Oh, come in.” the minister sighed, recognizing the sharp knock of assistant.

“Is everything alright, Minister?” Tom asked, stepping inside. “Inquisitor Goldwyn left quite violently. I was just making sure everything was alright. For your safety, sir.”

“My safety is fine.” The minster said, rolling himself back into his chair. He looked at his fireplace, and it caught flame. Just what he needed. His feet never seemed warm recently. Some good exercise would do him good. Ever since he got into politics his muscle mass was overgrown by fat. And he’d entered the game nearly fifteen years ago.

“Inquisitor Goldwyn didn’t sign out at the security desk.” Tom continued. “That a problem for the security reports. The audit-”

“Ignore it.” The minister said, finally feeling warmth. “He’ll be in a mood for a while now.”

“Some people have no respect, Minister.”

“Don’t accuse Jacob Goldwyn of having no respect.” The minister snapped. “That man has more honour than any I’ve served with. But he is troubled.”

“How?” Tom asked curiously.

That’s why the minister liked about Tom; he was always so curious. A curious mind, always on the look out to know more.

“Do you remember anything from around 17 years ago?” the Minister asked.

“I remember I was playing tag.” Tom joked.

“People were scared around then.” The minister said fondly, though that was from reminiscing. He had no fond memories of the time. “Do you remember the curfews?”

“Oh, yes.” Tom said darkly. “I remember. Witches were being hunted during that time, weren’t they? They said it was some cult. My father flat out refused to let my sister leave the house during those days.”

“There was never a cult, it was just a rumor. Maybe the ministry themselves started it to blame someone else for how bad things were. We were losing the fight against the demons in those days.” The minister said. “During those days, I was serving in the military. Myself and several others were working for a very young Jacob Goldwyn. He was one of the youngest to ever hold a rank then. Some of us didn’t like that, seeing as how were older than him. But he kept us alive during some of the worst demon attacks we’ve seen. Now, at that time, Tom. For some reason women were targeted very highly those few years. There were so many old wives tales circulating about why. The ministry at the time didn’t catch it because it was mostly human women and a few low born witches. No one very important was ever kidnapped or assaulted and it generally stayed that way. And then it ended. The Koreans believed that the demons from the lust ancana were facing a surge of activity. And that surge ended. And that was all that happened.”

Tom nodded.

The minster stared into the red of the fire.

“Jacob had a wife did you know?” The minister said softly. “She was pregnant around that time, and I knew her only through him. She was wonderful. Wonderful. Jacob was always an intense fellow, but he was also more outgoing back then and those two always livened the room.” The minister said fondly.

Tom didn’t look too pleased hearing all this for some reason, but it was important.

“She was wonderful, but what we didn’t know, was that she was well… Insane.”

That startled Tom.

The minister nodded gravely. “She started acting oddly during the pregnancy, and the night she gave birth at hospital she disappeared and left the baby with Jacob and the doctors. Then she came back completely deranged. She was never the same. There was clearly something wrong with her, but no one ever pressed on to find out why. Maybe it was severe post-partum. She never wanted treatment or help, refused any help. And then one day she even attacked her child. Tried to kill him, called him a monster. And Jacob defended her the whole time. Eventually she killed herself. Some said that Jacob did it to finally end her insanity. But he only ever defended her, he never lost faith in her. She was insane. Clearly insane, but because it was happening during the time it did- with the cult and women being attacked. Jacob was convinced that was the reason. He was convinced that his wife was innocent, and that something was done to her.”