The consequences of the raid on the Radiant Guild were manifold, but if Leila had to be asked what the worst one was, she’d definitely say the constant patrols she was saddled with.
She had been instrumental in taking down Mettermeier and his little gang, which meant she was given with the responsibility of handling the mess he left behind.
In a way, they had been lucky that the KLF had attacked contemporaneously. The chaos of that night had allowed the AA to move the proper assets in place, thus making the takeover of Brooklyn much easier and less painful than it should have been.
By the time the Guilds stopped freaking out about the terrorists having infiltrated the States, there was nothing they could do about it. The AA had consolidated its hold over the borough, and people didn’t raise a fuss about all the patrolling teams of Awakeners in such a delicate moment.
Still, while that part was successful, it meant she had to personally participate in several overt and covert rounds daily.
It’s better than being on the bench, forced to worry about the kids without doing anything, but it’s nowhere near the excitement of a real dungeon run.
Standing on top of a squat building at the crossroad between 61st Street and 21st Ave, Leila heard the sound of raised voices in the distance. She quickly crossed the distance to reach Washington’s cemetery’ entrance, where two AA Agents were animatedly speaking with a group of people in plain clothes. However, from the feeling they gave off, they were not mundanes.
Before jumping in, she made sure to check her surroundings, sweeping them with her senses and wishing, not for the first time, that she had James’ Skill. Not that hers was terrible, as she could feel every shadow in her range and, with some effort, could glean important information from it, but the teen’s was simply much quicker and more direct. Finding nothing immediately alarming, she proceeded.
“What seems to be the problem here?” She asked, emerging dramatically from the shadows to throw off what she suspected to be a Guild team trying to raise a fuss with the AA.
Everyone turned towards her, their expressions a mix of surprise and annoyance. The AA agents, a young man and a woman, both D-rank Awakeners, visibly relaxed at her arrival. The plainclothes individuals, however, stiffened, their postures defensive and cautious.
"We were just discussing the... increased presence of AA patrols in the area.” The leader of the group, a tall, muscular man with a scar running down his left cheek, said, his voice laced with thinly veiled contempt. He was unmistakably a Guild member, his aura betraying his power as a C-rank Awakener, and with little effort, Leila was able to place his features. This was a high-level member of the Crimson Blades, a guild from Albany that had been trying to make inroads in New York, and evidently saw the power vacuum in Brooklyn as the perfect occasion to do so.
Leila raised an eyebrow, her gaze piercing. "Discussing? It looked more like harassment from where I was standing. The AA has every right to patrol this area, especially after the recent events." Her tone was calm but firm, the authority in her voice unmistakable.
The Crimson Blades members exchanged glances, the tension between the two groups palpable. The air was thick with the unspoken threat of a potential clash. Leila, however, stood unflinching, her control over her powers evident in the subtle flickers of shadows dancing at her feet.
"We don't need the AA meddling in our affairs. Brooklyn has always been under a Guild’s protection. Just because Radiant is not here to do so doesn’t mean you can overreach like that.” Another member, a woman with piercing blue eyes, chimed in, her hand inching towards a concealed weapon.
Leila's expression hardened. “The Guilds’ 'protection' hasn't stopped the KLF from causing chaos, has it? The AA is here to ensure the safety of the civilians, something the Guilds have evidently failed at. We are the ones who took care of the terrorists, not you.”
The stand-off continued, the air crackling with the potential for violence. Just as the situation seemed to reach a boiling point, Leila felt a new presence approaching.
The man was in his thirties, wearing a leather jacket and sporting a bun made with his braided hair, his skin was dark and eyes covered by aviator sunglasses. His presence was commanding, his power palpable even to those not sensitive to such things. He was clearly an A-rank Awakener.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“Enough." He said, his voice cutting through the tension. "This isn't getting us anywhere. Now is not the time to fight with the government.”
The Guild members immediately deferred to him, their postures relaxing slightly. Leila, however, remained on guard, her gaze fixed on the newcomer.
"Who are you?" She asked, her tone cautious but not hostile. It wasn’t often that someone as powerful as he seemed to be was unknown to her, which made her wary, but she couldn’t really afford to fight someone like him in the middle of the city. The casualties would be staggering.
The man gave her a half-smile. "Call me Amos. I'm with the Ten Thousand Eyes Guild. And before you jump to conclusions, I'm not here to fight. I've been observing the situation in the country, and especially in this city and I believe there's more going on than meets the eye.”
Leila's interest was piqued despite her initial reluctance to trust a member of a Guild. "What do you mean?”
Amos glanced at the AA agents and then back at Leila. "The AA's intervention here has been... necessary, considering the mess the Radiant Guild was in, but it's only a part of a larger picture. I suggest you take a look in the AA archives about what went on in Washington in the days before the attacks. There's information there that might shed some light on the recent events.”
Leila considered his words. It was unusual for a member of another Guild to offer advice, especially to an AA Awakener. But his demeanor didn't suggest deception.
"Why are you telling me this?" she asked, her curiosity evident.
Amos shrugged. "Let's just say I have my reasons. Not all of us in the Guilds are blind to the bigger threats. Sometimes, the enemy of my enemy can be a temporary ally.”
With that, Amos turned and walked away, leaving the Guild members to reluctantly disperse. Leila watched them go, her mind racing with the implications of his words.
Once they were alone, the AA agents thanked her. "We didn't know how to handle them. Thanks for stepping in, ma’am.”
Leila nodded, her thoughts elsewhere. "Stay vigilant.” She advised them before taking to the shadows again, her mind already on what the AA archives might hold.
----------------------------------------
The moment the patrol was over, Leila made her way through the labyrinthine corridors of the AA headquarters, keeping her expression placid despite her troubled mind. As she descended into the depths of the building, towards the archives, the air grew cooler and the silence more pronounced.
The AA archives were a treasure trove of information, housing everything from mission reports to the first records of Awakener activities. The dimly lit room was lined with rows upon rows of digital terminals and physical files, a testament to the vast amount of knowledge collected by the organization over the years.
Approaching a computer, Leila entered her credentials and began searching for the Central Administration logs from the days leading up to the KLF attacks. She expected to find routine reports, perhaps some overlooked details that could provide insight into Amos’ cryptic suggestion. However, as she navigated through the digital archives, she hit an unexpected roadblock.
"Access Denied: B-rank Clearance Insufficient.”
Leila frowned, taken aback. It was highly unusual for her clearance level to be insufficient for such information. Usually, B-rank Awakeners had ample access to operational data, especially for events that had directly impacted their assignments. The warning on the screen implied that the information she sought was classified at a much higher level, which was both concerning and intriguing.
"Why would basic operational logs be classified beyond my clearance?" Leila muttered to herself, her instincts telling her that something was amiss.
As she contemplated her next move, approaching footsteps echoed through the archive room. Leila turned to see Gilt, the Regional Director's advisor, approaching her. Gilt was a tall man, always impeccably dressed, his sharp features often betraying little of his thoughts.
"Awakener Walker.” Gilt greeted her with a polite nod. "I didn't expect to find you here. Looking for something in particular?”
Leila straightened up, masking her surprise. "I was just following up on some leads about the KLF attacks. But it seems my clearance isn't high enough for certain information.”
Gilt's expression remained neutral, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes that Leila couldn't quite place. "I would advise against delving too deep into matters above your security access. Some things are better left as they are.”
His words sent a chill down Leila's spine. The implication was clear: she was treading on dangerous ground. "But if there's information that could help prevent future attacks or uncover hidden threats-”
Gilt cut her off, his voice firm. "The AA has its reasons for classifying information at certain levels. It's for the greater good, to ensure the security and stability of our operations. As a B-rank Awakener, your focus should be on your assigned duties, not on matters beyond your purview.”
Leila clenched her fists, feeling a surge of frustration. Gilt's words, while diplomatic, felt like a thinly veiled warning. The fact that he had found her here, in the archives, was no coincidence. It was as if he had been keeping an eye on her movements.
“Understood." Leila replied, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. "I'll keep that in mind.”
Gilt nodded, seemingly satisfied with her response. "Good. Remember, we're all working towards the same goal. It's important to trust the system and the decisions of those above us.”
With that, Gilt turned and left the archive room, his footsteps fading into the distance. Leila stood there for a moment, processing the encounter. The conversation had only served to deepen her suspicions. Something was being hidden, something important enough to warrant such secrecy and caution.
As she exited the archives, Leila's mind raced with possibilities. The warning from Gilt, the restricted access to the logs, Amos’ cryptic message – they all pointed to a larger, more complex picture. She knew she had to tread carefully, for diving into these mysteries could put her in a precarious position within the AA.
Leila made her way back to the surface, her resolve hardening. She would need to be smart about this and gather information discreetly, but she was no stranger to adversity.
As she stepped out into the bustling streets, blending with the crowd, Leila knew that her quest for the truth had just begun.