Lysander's voice had a weighty gravity to it.

"So, Aiko," he said, his tone serious and measured. "What do you know about the Widow Makers?"

As Lysander posed his question, Aiko's mind raced with thoughts. She couldn't help but wonder what she truly knew about the widow makers beyond their status as notorious outlaws. And then, of course, there was the nagging suspicion that Alecs was somehow connected to them. She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts before responding to Lysander's inquiry.

Lysander regarded Aiko intently, her words seeming to echo in the stillness of the room.

"To be honest with you, I don't know much," she responded, her voice soft but steady. "Other than the fact that they are dangerous outlaws." As she spoke, Aiko's mind raced, searching for any scrap of information that might shed light on the enigmatic group. But despite her best efforts, she found herself drawing a blank, realizing that other than the tenuous connection to Alecs, she had little to offer in the way of insight.

Lysander raised his glass and took a sip before setting it down with a clink. His tone was serious as he leaned forward, fixing Aiko with a suspicious gaze.

"So, you mean to tell me that you've never come across one of the bounties on their heads?"

Aiko couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as Lysander's questioning continued.

Is he interrogating me?

She kept her composure, responding calmly,

"No, I don't take side bounties." Her voice was steady, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Lysander was digging for something more. As he took a sip from his glass, she braced herself for what might come next.

Lysander's eyes creased as he smiled widely, almost as if he was pleased with Aiko's answer.

"I just had to make sure," he said in a light tone, sipping on his drink.

Lysander's voice was calm and collected as he addressed Sullivan without shifting his gaze.

"Tell her what we've gathered about the situation," he said, his tone conveying a sense of authority and confidence.

Sullivan's voice clicked and his neck twitched as he spoke,

"Our mission is to retrieve the stolen data and eliminate Markos Salazar and Clio Agathangelou," he said, addressing Aiko. "We've located Markos Salazar near The Edge of The World, in the wastelands."

As Sullivan spoke, Aiko felt an inexplicable shiver run down her spine again. His voice seemed to have a peculiar charge, like electricity tingling across her skin, and she couldn't quite understand why.

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Lysander ran his fingers through his hair, his gaze fixed on the table in front of him.

"It's time we divide and conquer," he said, his voice firm and decisive.

That’s it?

Aiko couldn't help but feel disappointed as Lysander's words echoed in her mind. She had expected a more intricate plan from the Shinsekai Division hunters.

Nevertheless, she kept her thoughts to herself and maintained a neutral expression.

Lysander's voice carried a tinge of amusement as he responded to Aiko's unspoken thoughts.

"Sometimes, the simplest plans are the most effective,"

Aiko felt a jolt of shock as the thought crossed her mind:

Did he just discern my thoughts?

She quickly composed herself, but the suspicion lingered in her mind.

Lysander's voice cut through the silence, jolting Aiko back to reality.

She blinked in confusion, wondering if he had somehow read her thoughts again.

"All we need now is to divide the work," he continued, his eyes flickering between Aiko and Sullivan.

Sullivan stepped forward, cutting through Lysander's words.

"I will find and eliminate Clio Agathangelou," he declared.

Aiko sensed a subtle shift in his tone, something different from the usual coldness and detachment. It was as if he had been eagerly anticipating this moment for a long time, relishing the opportunity to hunt down and eliminate this particular target. Aiko couldn't quite put her finger on what had changed, but it sent a chill down her spine nonetheless.

Lysander's eyes widened momentarily as he looked at Sullivan.

"Very well, we'll leave the girl to you," he said in a measured tone.

Without uttering a single other word, Sullivan stood up from his chair and strode towards the exit with purposeful strides. Aiko couldn't help but notice the unsettling aura that emanated from him.

She watched as he left the room, feeling a sense of unease in the pit of her stomach. She turned her attention back to Lysander, who seemed unfazed by Sullivan's departure.

"Don't mind him," Lysander said nonchalantly. "He's just very dedicated to his work."

His voice was firm as he laid out the plan.

"So, you and I will go to the wasteland," he said. "We'll capture Markos Salazar, get whatever information we can, and eliminate him." His eyes were fixed on Aiko, waiting for her response.

Aiko nodded in agreement, her mind still processing everything that had been discussed. She felt a mix of excitement and apprehension, knowing that this mission could potentially change the course of her life. She couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

Lysander rose from his chair, adjusting his suit as he prepared to leave.

"We leave at dawn," he said, turning to Aiko. "Make sure you're prepared."

As he made his way towards the door he paused, then turned back to face Aiko. His eyes sparkled with curiosity as he gestured towards her face.

"Your eyes," he remarked, "they're not baby blue. Where did your code name come from?"

A sense of recognition washed over Aiko as Lysander questioned the origin of her bounty hunter name, "Baby Blue." She couldn't recall why or how she had acquired that moniker.

"I'm not sure," she said, "it's been my code name for as long as I can remember."

Lysander's laughter reverberated across the room as he raised a hand to stroke his chin in thought. Aiko couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at his reaction to her confusion. She truly couldn't remember the origin of the name, despite having used it for years.

"That's strange," Lysander repeated, his eyes fixed on Aiko. "Perhaps it's a mystery for another time." With that, he turned on his heel and strode out of the room, leaving Aiko alone with her thoughts and the looming task ahead.