Chapter 18

Orientation

Lauren Williams headed back to check on Felix’s condition with a clipboard in hand, where she saw two women standing up at his door.

Her eyes focused on the older woman in the deep green vest with a cigarette in her hand.

With a shock-ridden expression, the nurse stormed into the room and confiscated the cigarette from the chief’s hands.

Chief’s orange-tinted glasses dropped slightly as she reacted, “Eh?”

She announced, “Miss, this is a no-smoking zone!”

“Ah… r-right.”

She then licked her finger and pressed it on the part that was lit, then threw away cigarette in the trash bin.

The Chief looked down on the recovering Felix through the opaque lenses of her round, orange lenses, “So I see that both of your eyes are now blue. It’s always such a unique sight to see glowing eyes.”

“Yeah… I guess it happened when… when I…” Felix placed his hand against his forehead, unable to recollect the events of the last mission, “What… happened?”

“Maria told me everything. How you defeated Bentley East, who is now in our custody. About Moritz and the laser weapon he used, and the man he was with, Oscar. As well as the tragic passing of Agent Petrichor.”

He looked at Maria, who smiled sweetly back at him, and then his eyes shifted to his shaking hand, which he clutched tightly, “So, when are we gonna hunt them down?” He asked excitedly.

“Calm down. Other operators will handle it. For now, there’s people I want you to meet with.” Chief then turned around and instructed, “Come with me.”

“My patient isn’t going out until he makes a full recovery.” Lauren adamantly declared as she got in between the two.

Felix could only watch with wide eyes and an awkward smile as the two stared at each other.

“Do… you not know who I am?” The Chief asked in disbelief.

“I don’t care who you are. My patient has not fully recovered, and as such, is staying here. Now all of you, get out.” The nurse pushed all three of them out the door.

Speechless, the only word the chief was able to blurt out was, “…Huh.”

From outside the room, the chief looked back and said to the blue-eyed young man, “Felix, I expect your report soon.”

“Y-yes, sir.” Felix answered.

The nurse then angrily shut the door on the chief.

“Well, that just happened.” The chief was completely dumbfounded by the nurse’s actions.

“From the looks of it, Felix will be fully healed in an hour or so. It won’t take long. In the meantime, I’m gonna go kill some time before my mission.” Maria shrugged.

Both Chief and Isabelle stood silently as they watched her leave.

“I should be going too.” The Chief stated as she started walking away.

“Chief Nguyen… is the person you want him to talk to… David Soldier?” Isabelle replied as she followed.

“No.”

“But… he’s still going to be taught by him?” She tilted her head.

“How did you—?”

“I overheard your conversation, you know, enhanced senses and all that. I’m sorry if this is stepping out of line, but... don’t you think he shouldn’t?”

She then turned towards Isabelle and confronted her, “Are you suggesting that the two of you teach him in David’s place?”

Isabelle lowered her gaze, “It’s only been six months since we went through the implementation. We aren’t exactly experts, either.”

“Then…”

“David isn’t the only one, right? If David taught him while he still holds those heavy feelings, then I doubt he’d learn. Maybe… maybe the one who recommended his gun?”

The Chief paused for a brief moment as she stared down the white-haired agent, “Nero’s right. You really are a busybody, aren’t you?”

Isabelle looked up at the chief with solemn eyes.

“Sigh… she’s… difficult to handle. But I’ll see what I can do.” The chief answered. “For now, I have a meeting to set up for Felix.”

*

Hours passed, and the sky was bright and blue. When Felix woke up, he stretched out his arms. No longer did he feel the pain.

“It’s amazing, but… you’re good to go. Just take these every three hours, and here’s some pain killers.” Lauren handed him the medicine.

Felix sighed as he made it back to headquarters. He crossed through the glass doors beneath the gold and red banner.

“I need some co—”

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“Felix?” Carol spoke, sat on the couch at the entrance.

“Oh, hi Carol.” He greeted softly.

“How are you feeling? I heard what happened.”

“A little stiff… but I’ll—” He stretched out his arms before realizing, “Wait, how?”

“…um… a robin told me.”

“I see.”

“I was worried about you, so I wanted to see how you were doing.” She tiptoed and patted him on the head.

Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat and his face quickly turned red. He placed his hand on his hair where she patted him. He recalled moments like that one from a time long past and far out of reach.

“I see… a-and how are you?” Felix sheepishly replied

“I just got back from my last mission.”

“Oh, I’m glad to see you’re okay. What was it? Or is that classified?”

She breathed into her palms and answered, “I had to capture Lewis Shaw. He should be in custody by now.”

“Lewis escaped again? Are you cold, tired? Would you like some coffee?”

“I’m fine, just a little tired.”

“Th-they do grind us to the bone.” Felix laughed awkwardly as he scratched his cheek, “As long as you’re protecting the peace, right?”

“About that. Something I envy is that the Golden Lion is that the people in it are actually working to fix broken parts of the system, even though its achievements in doing so are small.”

“Didn’t all the twelve agencies do that?”

“The people in Cygnus Enterprise are more interested in lining their own pockets than anything.”

“Is that so? I wouldn’t be surprised. Most corporations are like that aren’t they?” Maria asked as she opened the door and walked up to them with a container full of cookies in her hands.

“Oh, hi there. My name’s Carol. It’s nice to meet you.”

“…I’ve seen you before. Lying in a hospital bed where Felix brought you.”

“I see…” Carol replied, not knowing how to reply to her statement.

“Cookie?” Maria offered from the newly bought cookies.

“Ah, th-thank you.” She answered as she took one.

“Maria Readman. Nice to meet you.” She introduced herself with cheerful wide eyes.

“So, what brought you to the agency?”

“Um…Actually, I came here to see the Chief Vivian Nguyen.”

“Then you should have scheduled an appointment.” The chief declared as she walked up to them with an irritated look on her face, “I’m quite a busy person.”

“Chief? Something wrong?” Maria asked.

“I received some... troubling news. Nothing that concerns you. Looks like the other guests have arrived.” She responded as she looked out the glass walls of the lobby.

From outside, a car could be seen crossing through the gates. The two recruits from Frontier Industries flashed small pins to the glass door and it opened. A young woman with silvery white hair and a young man with golden blonde hair, both of whom with different shades of red eyes.

“Hiya.” Isabelle gleamed and waved.

“Oh great, you two.” Maria blurted out in dismay.

“Formally make an appointment next time, understood?” The chief instructed.

“Ah… y-yes.” Carol nodded compliantly.

“Chief? Where’ve you been?” Felix asked.

“Just got back from Agent Petrichor’s funeral. Now, the rest of you, with me.” The chief called to the rest of them.

The four operatives followed the chief to a red library, where two figures in white robes stood.

Felix saw an unfamiliar face and asked, “Professor Tetsuya... and?”

“Professor Levi.” Isabelle waved at the professor with sunglasses above his slick-black hair.

“So this is Levi Ripley.” Maria commented as she invaded Professor Levi’s personal space and straightened out his tie, tightening it to an uncomfortable degree.

“Um— uh, that’s a little… It’s difficult to breathe.” The professor patted on her forearm, signaling for her to stop, as if to cry uncle.

“You know him?” Her partner asked.

“He’s the one responsible for the new generation espers, Nero, Isabelle, Kaitlin and… someone else.” Maria answered as she let go.

“How did you know that?”

“I’ve done a little research.” She cast her dark gaze over to the chief.

“Maria…” The chief lowered her orange-tinted glasses and pressed against her forehead.

Felix went inside and sat while the other three turned their heads and glanced around with curiosity on their faces. The two professors stood ahead of them. Both Professor Yusuke Tetsuya and Professor Levi Ripley stood to greet their greatest achievements.

“That’s odd. I thought that there would be four of you.” Professor Levi commented.

“There are four of us?” Isabelle tilted her head.

“I meant the espers.”

“You mean him?” Nero pointed towards the figure hidden behind the shadows.

“Hm?” Isabelle, Felix and the chief turned their heads to where he pointed, and saw a figure in the corner of the room with crossed arms.

“How did you know I was here?” The figure from behind asked.

“It’s not that hard when your eyes glow in the dark.” Nero cynically remarked.

“It’s been a while. How are you, um…” Isabelle waved awkwardly, trying to be polite to the man in the shadows.

With glowing crimson irises, the man stepped forward, revealing himself with dark brown hair tied to a ponytail behind him, and a small scar on his chin.

He extended his hand to the blue-eyed agent from beside the door and the shadows. “You must be Felix Aster.”

“That’s right.” Felix replied as he shook his hand as he was still standing, illuminated from behind the door.

“I have high expectations of you.” He said with a cheerful smile.

“Of course you do.” The blue-eyed man responded with a tinge of sarcasm, “And you are?”

His hands felt cold and hard, as if it were wrapped in metal. Maria watched as the two shook their hands with a suspicious glare.

“He’s Grant Jaeger. He was a bounty hunter who found his way here, and possesses a similar skill set to Maria in terms of hacking and breaking in.” The Chief explained.

“S-so there you are Grant, all of you take a seat.” Professor Levi awkwardly mumbled.

“I’m sorry, but this is for the espers only.” Professor Levi gestured for Maria to stop.

“But isn’t Maria one of us?” Isabelle tilted her head.

“She’s a stage one, only an enhanced human. She’s not like the rest of you.” The professor clarified.

Maria scoffed and crossed her arms, declaring, “I’m Felix’s partner, where he goes, I go.”

“Yes, but—”

Felix placed his hand on the professor’s shoulder and asked in a polite manner, “She’s my partner. She goes where I go.”

“I see. I suppose we can make an exception. Alright then, right this way…” Intimidated, Professor Levi responded defeatedly.

“That’s more like it.” Maria patted the professor on the shoulder and peppily entered the room.

The rest all followed suit and sat on the chairs that they were provided. Felix particularly scowled at the bearded old man sitting on the table ahead of him, and the bearded man waved with a smile.

Professor Levi wiped his sweat off and said, “Then, there’s one last missing from batch Delta…”

“Actually, that’s all of them.”

“What? But there should be four of them with red eyes, right?”

The chief gestured her finger for him to come closer, and then whispered in his ear, “Kaitlin McCay is dead. Her body is on its way back.”

“Wh-what?”

“She was still alive yesterday, but her regeneration only prolonged her suffering. The ravens reported that they couldn’t find Rico Bryce’s body, either.” The Chief pinched her cheek and muttered in a disgruntled manner, “This is why those fools should have never let her go into the field.”

“But I requested them not to let them out yet?”

“After spending thirty million, they grew impatient and sent her to an early grave.” The Chief gnawed on her fingers and continued, “Fortunately, they didn’t blow her brains to smithereens. Hopefully, so we can still salvage and try again.”

Professor Levi cast his gaze down, taken aback by the suddenness.

But before he even had the opportunity to take it in, the Chief spoke, “I’ll be going to retrieve her body. Only tell them what they need to know.”

He adjusted his sunglasses and nodded his head, “Alright then.”

On his chair, Felix turned his head and noticed Chief Vivian’s shadow beginning to move away, “Chief? Where are you going?”

“I have a quick errand to run.”

“That translates to “I’m gonna have a smoke break.”” Felix explained to the rest of them.

“How do you know that?” Isabelle asked him.

“Something my mentor taught me.” He smiled and scratched his cheek.

The Chief then turned her head towards the room, “You all wanted answers, didn’t you?”

‘You all?’ Felix thought to himself, only to realize that all of them looked at the chief with narrowed eyes. All of them were starving for answers.

~