As Team 0 arrived at the Legal department of the Awakener Association, a sense of unease settled over them. The floor’s stark, utilitarian layout, with its cold fluorescent lighting and minimalist decor, did little to ease the tension. A secretary immediately directed them to a sparsely furnished waiting room, where each member found a seat on the rigid, unforgiving chairs.
"You'll be called individually to answer some more questions about the ongoing investigation. If you are honest and cooperative, you'll be done soon." The woman told them, smiling professionally.
Indeed, soon after, James was called to the nearby room. He rose from his seat, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, somewhat surprised at how weird this whole situation made him feel.
It should be just more of the same, so why am I so nervous? The last two times we were called, they asked the same questions and only kept us for a few minutes each, but something is different now.
His heightened senses detected the presence of two people in the interrogation room, both of whom were Awakeners. Their energy felt shifty, not overtly hostile but certainly not welcoming, hinting at an agenda beyond the apparent purpose of this meeting.
James entered the room, which was sterile and uninviting. The walls were white and bare except for a single uninspiring print of abstract art. A long, metallic table dominated the space, with chairs that looked more designed for endurance than comfort. The room's only window was small and placed high on the wall, offering little in terms of a view or natural light.
This was not the room he had been received in during his last few visits to the department, nor the one where he had recorded his statement after killing that man. Evidently, there was something afoot.
Sitting across the table were two men, both in their late forties. The first was tall and lean, with sharp features and meticulously combed gray hair. He wore a crisp suit that accentuated his rigid, almost mechanical demeanor. The second man was shorter and stockier, with a round face and thinning brown hair. His suit was less immaculate, giving off the air of someone who had been working long hours.
Both men exuded a sense of authority, but something about them put James on edge. Their energies felt guarded as if they were holding back or concealing something.
Yeah, these guys are different from the ones that asked us questions before. They were not Awakeners for once, while these are at least D-rank. They probably don't see much action these days, what with their job as lawyers, but they could subdue any of us if something went wrong. Curiouser and curiouser.
"Mr. Summers." The taller man began, his voice smooth and practiced. "I'm Richard Sterling, and this is my colleague, Henry Abrams. We appreciate you coming in today. We understand that you've been through this before, but for the record, we would like you to recount the events that transpired in the laboratory dungeon."
James took a seat, his mind racing. He had indeed told this story several times, and the repetition was beginning to wear on him. However, deciding to go along with whatever was happening to see if they sprung anything, he launched into the narrative once more.
He described the team's initial entry into the dungeon, their fights with its monsters, the unexpected ferocity of the chimeras, and the shocking discovery of the human experiments. He recounted the team's strategic approach to neutralizing the threats and the moral dilemmas they faced upon uncovering the full extent of the horrors within the lab.
As he spoke, James watched the lawyers closely. Sterling maintained a mask of professional neutrality, his eyes occasionally flicking to his colleague or down to his notes. On the other hand, Abrams seemed more invested in James's account, his brow furrowing at specific details, a hint of genuine concern flashing in his eyes at the story's brutality.
James finished recounting the events, noting how Abrams's expression shifted from concern to something more inscrutable as soon as he was done. Sterling cleared his throat, bringing James's attention back to the present.
It’s almost like he didn’t know about it before, but then why would he have been given this assignment?
"Has there been any new information regarding the organization behind the facility?" James asked.
Abrams flipped through his notes before answering. "There are several promising leads, but things are a bit slow since the main witness didn't make it out of the dungeon alive." James sensed a light rebuke in Abrams's tone but ignored it. It wasn't like he could have done anything different.
"Thank you for your detailed account, Mr. Summers. Now, we need to discuss your activities since that mission." Sterling interrupted, his tone shifting subtly, indicating a new phase of the interrogation.
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James's brow furrowed slightly. "My activities? I've been training with my team and going on missions. We've been focusing on improving our skills, especially since we've achieved the E-rank now, and we want to push to D-rank within a few months." He replied, being deliberately vague with his real skills. It wasn't so much that he had any compunction about saying how strong he was, but how the two lawyers talked to him automatically made him go on the defensive.
Sterling nodded, but it was Abrams who spoke next, his voice laced with a casual curiosity that didn't quite reach his eyes. "And during this time, have you had any contact with your teacher, Leila Walker?"
James paused, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. "No, of course not. She's still missing. We haven't heard anything about her whereabouts. Why, do you know something?"
Abrams and Sterling exchanged glances, a ripple of surprise passing between them. James's psychic senses picked up on the subtle shift in their energies, a sense of unexpected revelation. His heart rate quickened as a suspicion began to form in his mind.
They genuinely thought I was in contact with her. What the fuck, what's going on?!
"Why do you ask about Miss Walker?" James asked, his tone sharpening. "Is there new information about her?"
Sterling recovered quickly, his professional facade slipping back into place. "It's standard procedure to ask about any potential contact with missing persons, especially in cases like this. We're just covering all bases."
James wasn't convinced. Their reaction to his answer was telling – they had expected something else. It was becoming increasingly clear that this meeting was not just about debriefing him on the dungeon incident.
"Do you suspect foul play might be involved in her disappearance?" James asked directly, deciding to confront the elephant in the room.
Sterling's expression tightened, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features before he masked it with practiced neutrality. “There is no evidence of that, Mr. Summers. All our investigations point to an unfortunate occurrence. The AA is committed to finding Leila Walker and bringing her home safely, and that’s all you need to know.”
James leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. The lawyers' reactions and line of questioning pointed to a deeper, more complex situation than he had initially thought. Their denial rang somewhat true, but what could two washed-out Awakeners know? Could a faction within the AA possibly be involved in Miss Walker's disappearance? And if so, to what end?
The room fell into a tense silence, the air charged with unspoken suspicions and questions. James knew he needed to tread carefully; the implications of this meeting could be far-reaching, affecting not just him and his team but the entire structure of the AA.
"I have no reason to doubt the AA's commitment," James replied evenly, maintaining a calm exterior despite the turmoil of thoughts swirling in his head. "But if there's anything I can do to aid in the search for Miss Walker, you have my full cooperation."
Sterling nodded, his expression returning to its professional demeanor. "We appreciate your willingness to assist. That will be all for now, Mr. Summers. We'll be in touch if we need further information."
As James stood up to leave, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had just stepped into a much larger, more dangerous game. The pieces were moving around him, and he needed to be vigilant to protect himself and his team from becoming collateral damage in a conflict they barely understood.
Whatever was happening within the AA, it was clear that Miss Walker's disappearance was a vital piece of the puzzle. He made a mental note to discuss his suspicions with the rest of Team 0. They needed to be prepared for whatever was coming.
James subtly gestured to his teammates to be on guard as he emerged from the room. He couldn't do much more than that, but it should be enough that they wouldn't be caught by surprise.
It's not like we have what they are looking for anyway, but better to be safe than sorry.
He settled back into the waiting room, his gaze unfocused as he pondered the meeting. The lawyers seemed genuinely surprised at his assertion of no contact with Miss Walker, which was revealing. It suggested they had expected him to lie or at least to hide something.
Could they have a skill similar to mine? Something that allows them to understand if they are being lied to? I know sensory skills become more common after the D-rank, so it shouldn't be too weird for two lawyers to have such an ability. But the fact that two people like that have been tapped for what should have been a regular meeting makes things even more suspicious.
As he waited for his teammates to complete their depositions, James observed each member being called in and emerging, their expressions ranging from confusion to concern. He could feel the subtle shifts in their energies through the walls, the spikes of surprise and guardedness from the lawyers, and the cautious responses from his friends.
It struck him then that this meeting was less about gathering information than gauging reactions. The AA, or at least some elements within it, was testing the waters, probing for information they didn't already possess. The question was, why? What did they hope to gain by scrutinizing Team 0 so closely, especially in relation to Miss Walker's disappearance?
If, and it's a big if, someone here made her disappear, they wouldn't be seeking information on her whereabouts. No, more likely, they knew something would make her disappear for a while - whether that is a willing choice from her or not, I don't know - and hoped she might have contacted us.
Anything that might have caused Miss Walker to go to ground was way too dangerous for Team 0 to be involved in. Still, considering how tightly bound mentor and mentees were, it wasn't impossible that she might have at least informed them she was alive, if she was capable of doing so.
The two lawyers' asking about any contact meant one thing. They believed the woman to be alive and well. That, more than anything, was a big relief.
We're going to have to get to the bottom of this. Not in our room, of course. If they suspect us of hiding something, it's likely bugged. I'll need to find a way to alert the others without giving the game away…
Finally, they were done, and the same secretary released them with a professional smile, accompanying them out of the department briskly.
As Team 0 walked away, a palpable tension hung in the air. James, leading the way, turned his thoughts to how he could communicate his desire for a private meeting without arousing suspicion, especially since he now suspected that their usual meeting places might be compromised.
He glanced at his teammates, gauging their expressions and pondering the best way to relay his message. The need for discretion was paramount.
“I think I’m going to take the afternoon off after this. The training this morning was pretty draining.” James said, earning surprised looks from his friends, as they knew him to be unrelenting.
With great care, James used his telekinesis to softly touch upon each of their left arm, He applied the pressure in a pattern, easily recognizable by them as letters, and doing so sent a message no one else could intercept. “Room bugged. Rat Dungeon at 6”