Chapter 58

Luke kept his cool. “I am more likely to see you begging on the streets than here. What an old man like you is doing here? Catching sunlight? Where is Mi-Yung in this... situation? Wasn't she supposed to be here? Summoning has many remarks... or possibilities. Who didn't like it? What, even? I would rather see her than you, Kaufman. No offense.”

He couldn't be more blunt, which was his strength and weakness. Kaufman didn't mind his attitude at all, even if he was well above all of his superiors combined.

“I was curious and she let go of some locks and reason some time ago. Her troubles with aftermath left me hanging, so she left me in charge of your end line.”

“Is that so? To me, it seems like you want to get involved with this, out of... what interest?”

Kaufman smiled, tapping his fingers on the table. “Truth be told, I know about a lot of things from the beginning. Whispers are hard to forget and history is more than interesting. That whole crisis a decade ago. It left many scars and people to rot and question. It is sad.”

“And nothing strange. Some survivors always survive. That's what they do. That's what people always did after Dawn, so what are some Incursions?”

“Yes. Exactly! What are they? Why they are? Oh, so many questions. Fewer answers.”

“Shut up... please,” Luke mumbled, fingering on his seat and hoping to get lost.

“Oh, you learned well, boy. I wonder from whom, eh?”

Luke coughed and grew nervous. “What else?”

“It went from the beginning. A few days ago, I was shocked. It doesn't matter if it is me or her. I can help young Gale regardless of Mi-Yung's troublesome ideas, or what she did. She could've asked anyway, but she is a stubborn woman. Why engage with the Academy anyway? You both should use your head if you thought this far, and ask others. But no! She had to do it alone. What a joke of a Pillar.” Kaufman gave him a tough lesson and leaned against the soft cushioned chair. He apparently enjoyed such a position and felt great having it every once in a while.

Kaufman was more or less retired and dealt with different things than someone like Luke. Thus, he wasn't always in the Federation and wandered around the world.

William sat on a chair beside Luke, hesitant and wondering what sort of reason and man this Kaufman was. Was he behind everything as he proclaimed, did he know the past as he suggested, or was he someone William could trust?

At least he learned Mi-Yung was an important Walker. If that's what her name suggested, a Korean background was no small matter.

Wasn't it destroyed dozens of years ago? William thought. Nothing was left there. Not one bit of land. According to rumors, of course. And those are rumors. Maybe I am not thinking straight about it.

Luke didn't answer any of Kaufman's questions.

All the while Kaufman wished to have a cigar. “I heard only a few occurrences where a Rank 5 Walker was assigned with retrieving a kid like this, boy. That is a one-of-a-kind mission that pushed on your shoulders, and her head, I reckon. Seriously, stealing from the Academy?”

“Is that a problem? Nothing changed besides some hours.” Luke said and couldn't appear more bothered by this topic. He already figured that Academy was unhappy and something bad happened. What? He could see a point in asking for answers, yet... to this old freak?

“Timing was terrible.”

“I heard. How so? I never heard of any troubles, unless some mission came through. How would I know it?”

“Want some guesses?” Kaufman said, suggesting. “I know things, Luke. How this place operates, or how missions lead to success.”

“Whatever you know doesn't concern me.”

“Academy doesn't, true. But the Federation is different. It concerns Academy also, and you have some valid concerns because of Mi-Yung.”

Luke shrugged and wished to leave, but if she was in trouble, he couldn't. “This issue is for others to decide. You might as well get involved to touch it, old man, but that doesn't mean I am here for it. You think Mi-Yung will be happy about it as well?”

“Oh, you would say that to me? I can kidnap that kid and no one would bother me.”

Luke tensed up and shifted in his chair. He clutched his fist and frowned. “Stop doing it.”

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“What?”

“Everything.”

William wasn't sure what that meant. He felt a strange pushing breeze and the curtains fluttered like crazy.

Nothing was visible in the room.

“Anyhow, you took care of it well,” Kaufman smirked and the curtains calmed. “I have no idea what Mi-Yung thought. I am not too familiar with what will happen either. Perhaps it was because you served with Viktor, or it could be because she wanted to use you like a guarding puppy, or like a taxi. That's how this situation changed, perhaps.” Kaufman joked around and wished for a wine or glass of whiskey next.

Unfortunately, nothing happened. He understood what types of people were involved in this mess. He also knew himself fairly well, and he wondered what that kid beside Luke had to say. He watched him very little for the time being.

“She told me to do it justice,” Luke declared and slammed the table. “I did it! I agreed with everything and did what she wanted. Not because of pride or duty. It was what felt right. So, now...” Luke pushed his legs on the table and relaxed. “I am done. Work with it if she can't, or I will wait for her with the kid behind. You won't take him either. Why would you? Why would I let you?”

'And why would I say this, if you can do whatever you want, old freak, Luke feared in his mind. His whole body language refused everything, including engaging in Kaufman's mess, or reasons for this mission.

Kaufman liked that. “So much confidence might be lacking. Do you want a reason? There is nothing much here on my side, unfortunately. Mi-Yung left out some things for herself, telling this old man just a few pieces. I will go over it briefly until she returns, or give you a better look. How about it? I am her representative for the time being since she is out of the picture.”

“Not forever.” Luke folded his arms to his chest and waited. He didn't trust him; he heard some lies, followed by some truths.

“According to me, Luke, the decision and this retrieval were coincidental and fell on Mi-Yung's shoulders because of her stubbornness. It is no wonder. No one blames her too much, even if it was a thorn for her for a decade. She engaged in the research herself and found the bits that eventually led to that kid. How?”

William perked up and listened without speaking to what Kaufman had to say next.

“Was it due to the boy's coming of age, or reasons and information scattered everywhere? I mean, who was right if it was him of all people? It was a decade old news, so...” Kaufman glanced at William, who escaped his gaze out of nothing but sheer instincts. His Emblem started to churn the moment he sat down, as if afraid, pained, or excited.

William didn't like either of these things. He was curious and a bit nervous, but that was healthy. He was not that afraid. Not excessively so.

“I...” William said. “Why everyone thought I was a Gale? I didn't know my full name and my parents were unknown. I was five. I didn't know anything.” Apart from pain, white, and red.

“There is no need to be nervous, boy,” Kaufman assured him. “If you said what you said and Mi-Yung thinks it is the case, you are a Gale and your Emblem speaks for itself. That is good enough. Mi-Yung wouldn't be wrong, whereas I am a good old man. Not some freak. You can trust us. You and us are alike after all.”

Luke laughed at that. “Mi-Yung should've sent someone else. Fuck me, even a board would be better than this.”

Kaufman chuckled, finding his comment entertaining.

“Am I like my father?” William asked curiously.

“More or less, yes. Young and vigorous? Also yes. Curious like that young lady who hides behind the door? A little.” Kaufman pointed to the open door where someone couldn't move forward.

Anna waved her hand, her face barely visible in the open frame. “C-can I come in? I... didn't want to be.... n-n-nervous, mister Kaufman! I didn't expect your excellency.”

“You can come in.”

Anna stormed inside without a question, almost stumbling and hitting Luke's chair. Considering his unstable position, it was a miracle he remained calm and sitting.

Anna found a third chair and fumed in work and excitement over Kaufman. She sat far too close and pushed William's chair aside to be closer to this old legend.

“Nice to meet you, sir. I hardly had time to meet your Sky! It is an honor seen every once in a crimson storming moon.” She pushed a book to the table and offered a handshake.

Kaufman looked at her as if he saw a ghost, so he smiled and shook her hand.

“What a young lady. So fierce. It reminds me of someone...”

“I am Mi-Yung's assistant, so if this is too much, can I at least draw you, sir?” Anna made a puppy eyes and hoped for confirmation. She looked up to this Walker for a very long time. Kaufman used to have a rather great position in the Federation and people like him were hard to meet, let alone see.

Kaufman waved a hand and figured this girl was insane, but funny in a way. He let her aside, and she began to draw like crazy. Exhilarated, she found a fateful muse, including an etched sphere that was utterly mesmerizing to her eyes. It talked. It whispered. It spread the wings of her pen and she felt as if she was in agony of Bliss.

William had never seen her like that. He didn't know her that well and if he did, he wouldn't be surprised to see her like that. Not every day would someone see a Rank 8 Emblem.

Kaufman returned his attention to William and Luke. “What is hard to see is hard to know for a reason. This boy's existence wasn't a possibility at first, yet he survived for a long time. A lot of people knew of some truths, hiding, but not of what came of it, or... what came of his parents. Assembly passed it as an unfortunate turn of events and stopped caring soon afterward. Academy was the same damned thing. Some individuals opposed everything, which leads us to today. How quick, right? I skipped over a whole decade.”

“You've skipped and overlooked a lot of things,” Luke argued.

“Perhaps. I wasn't fond of this topic. I was fond of Viktor, however. And Mi-Yung cares a lot about this. Why? It is kind of easy to guess it.”

“You barely met him,” Luke argued.

“Who says that?”

“I do.” Luke nodded.

“I appreciated Viktor's talent, unlike many people.”

“And where did it end?”

“Here, with his son and time that was unfortunately hidden for far too long.”

“So people knew about me or not?” William wondered out loud and changed their attention.

“A little bit of everything.” Kaufman reckoned and thought of a past briefly. “There was some time... well, not time. Your parents met like crazy youngsters. They left many things behind, including their organization. For what? For you, perhaps... or them, their conviction, or needs. Research... perhaps? To me, it is an unfortunate time in history between people who fell apart.”