Professor Dalton didn’t take long to reach the office of his contemporary - another professor in the college, one Eileen Grey. Dalton had explained that Eileen was the head of the QBEA Research Committee. They had interrupted her while she was marking papers, but had told her they could wait. She insisted that they didn’t and ushered them inside to see what all the fuss was about.
So they piled into the office, with Brand and Tommen electing to stand, whilst Dalton, Rosie and Ravena all found chairs. Dalton had initially told Brand that he should take the seat on account of his damaged shoulders and back, but Brand explained that he was quite alright standing and that sitting on a chair and positioning his arms on the rest actually felt worse than standing. It was only a half-truth as both bothered his shoulders similar amounts, but he was very comfortable standing for long periods of time regardless.
Also, Brand was starting to realise that he wasn't particularly fond of sitting down. He wanted to move!
But even more than that, he wanted to know the locations of Kelvin and Ember. So he waited while Dalton exchanged pleasantries with Grey, introduced the group and went about telling Eileen the reason for their visit.
“Kelvin and Ember you say?” Mused Eileen. “As a matter of fact I do remember them, though they never did any work for me.”
“You do?” Brand asked in a startled outburst. “When?”
“A little over a year and a half ago. I vaguely remember someone bringing them up in a committee meeting before that though. They had been trying to do their own research into the ruins, and of course we academics are more than happy to talk to whoever is genuinely interested in our work. Frankly, it’s such a relief to finally find people whose eyes don’t just glaze over when you start talking about - well anyway, they had been looking into QBEA themselves and discussing it with some committee members. Eventually they ended up approaching those committee members and asking to do research excursions for them. That's the main reason I remember them, we had a talk about whether or not to do that. Unfortunately we didn't have the funding, which is when Thaddeus swooped in.”
“Of course.” Said Dalton, exasperated.
“Indeed Theo. So I know they did some work for him, but I haven't heard of them since.”
“Sorry, who's Thaddeus?” Asked Brand.
“He's a former member of the committee. He was kicked out because we disliked his practices. While dedicated and intelligent, he's a looter, willing to damage and destroy the site to get more funding, and more than willing to use unsavoury means to find out what he wants.” Eileen explained.
“He's bad news.” Said Dalton. “He has connections with certain gangsters in Ash Baths and he's been helping them expand into Shingle City. Because of this he's been able to hire adventurers at a rate that we can't. And not just for research on QBEA, he's practically setting up a rival college. It's getting to the point where we have to do something about him or be swallowed up in the vortex he's creating.”
“Right. It's gotten to the point where I've begun Databeast training again. Just in case.” Said Professor Grey.
Dalton looked a little surprised at that. “I didn't realise you'd begun training again.”
“But you think that this Thaddeus might know where Kelvin and Ember are?” Brand interrupted.
Dalton turned to face him. “He's probably your best bet. But if you're serious then you really must be careful dealing with him.”
“I have to agree.” Said Eileen. “He's a dangerous man, and if he has something that you want he'll leverage it against you.”
“I see. But at the end of the day he does have something that I want, so I don't have much of a choice. I'll try and find out what anyone else might know, but if Thaddeus ends up being my only option then that's what it is.” Brand pondered aloud.
The two academics looked at each other. It was Professor Grey that responded. “Okay. I'll tell you where you can find him. But if something bad happens you can come straight to us and we'll do what we can to protect you.”
“We'd also be glad to know what he knows. Since our information is mostly public and his isn't, then we're at a disadvantage. His operations currently exceed ours and we need to know what he's up to to ensure that he's not damaging QBEA in some way. We couldn't pay much in BITs, but we could offer other things like training, support in getting Databeasts and research on your Databeasts once you have them.” Professor Dalton told him.
Brand could read between the lines. Dalton wanted him to play double agent. He was willing, but unsure if he wanted to cross this man he'd never met, especially when Thaddeus was the only lead he currently had. Did he really want to get himself involved with this brewing conflict, when he had bigger fish to fry?
“I understand. Let me talk to Thaddeus first and see how it goes. But if anything comes up, I'll let you know.” Said Brand. He meant it. He didn't really want to get involved, but Ravena had agreed to go on excursion with him and protect him from the Cabletown guards. Furthermore, Dalton had been nothing but kind to him so far, and helped him attune his element stone. Brand figured he owed them some level of loyalty. Dalton nodded.
They then talked some more as a group, Tommen and Rosie recounting their short adventures while Brand stepped out of the spotlight, and then talking about the ruins Ravena had been looking into and its relevance to QBEA.
After talking for a while, the gang of Tommen, Rosie, Ravena and Brand excused themselves to go and find accommodation. Eileen and Dalton had told them where Thaddeus’ usual haunt was, Club Argent, so Brand wanted to go and find him.
They'd all agreed it was probably for the best to wait and mull it over when they were more settled in, but Brand didn't want to wait. He knew he was being stubborn and taking the emotional, not logical, position but he didn’t care.
“Listen, you're right. But I can't wait. I can't just sit around when there's a chance he'll know where they are, and I could spend tonight mulling over how to get there. You guys can stay here when I go.” Brand told them as they sat in the lobby of the hotel they'd booked. It was a cosy place known as The Wayfarer. Tommen and Brand were on a sofa, the two girls facing them on comfy chairs. A round table was in between them and it hosted four creamy hot chocolates. Brand took a sip of his after speaking.
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“Don’t be ridiculous.” Tommen told him. “We can’t just send you there into the lion's den all alone.”
“It might be easier getting him to talk if it’s just me.” Brand said.
“And it might be easier trying to save your life if there’s all of us there.” Rosie countered.
Brand didn’t seem convinced. “He’s not an absolute psycho, right?” He asked Ravena.
She shrugged. “Not really. I don’t think he’d do anything to you for just talking to him. The problem is once he digs his claws in.”
“Should be okay then.” Said Brand.
“We agreed to help you find Kelvin and Ember.” Said Rosie.
“You can, you will. You’re welcome to come with me. But I know you want some rest, and I want you to get some. If you really insist on coming too, I won’t stop you. But I don’t think you should feel obligated to. I’m just doing this so I can get some rest tonight.” Said Brand.
“You really feel like you have to go now?” Tommen asked. Brand nodded. “Then I’m coming with you. Don’t think you’re going anywhere without bringing backup.”
“Me too.” Rosie told him.
“It might be smart for me to hang back. If he recognises me it could reignite bad blood.” Said Ravena. The other three nodded. That was okay, it was what they had expected. They had the bonds of oath and battle between each other, but they had no such with her. Truthfully, Brand would have felt weird bringing her along. He knew she would help them out if they asked, but he didn’t want a live-in babysitter. And really, she had only agreed to help them out with the Cabletown guards.
“You’ll find Thaddeus in Club Argent. It’s only a 20 minute walk from here.” Ravena told them before giving them more in-depth directions. She had decided to head to a gym. They were places where a tamer could book a private room for all manner of training for themselves and their Databeast. The most common was simulating holographic enemies for the Databeast and tamer to fight, and Ravena had been wanting to try them out for years. But they decided to meet back at the hotel later and then head to Argyles for some good food.
So they split up and Brand, Tommen and Rosie headed deeper into town, heading towards the mysterious Club Argent. They had been warned that Thaddeus might not even be there, or that they might not be able to see him, so it may be a wasted trip.
Brand didn’t think it would be wasted even if they didn’t find him though. The town was an interesting enough sight and somehow it was even more special when it was just him, Tommen and Rosie. They were all experiencing this for the first time together. Bright, neon lights lit up the town and Databeasts abounded. The lights were almost enough to distract from all the closed down areas interspersed between shops.
A thuggish looking bald man with a wolf Databeast sitting at his heels hung outside a packed venue that caught Brand’s eye. It was the largest building on the street and by far the busiest. Two holograms were projected above the building, each with a tamer and a Databeast beside them, facing off.
One of them could only be described as a hunched over, bipedal mouse-monster that had taken on the aspect of a dinosaur. Two brilliant tusks jutted out. The writing beneath that said “Jessie’s Hy-Rex”.
On the other side, facing it down was an enormous looking plant with a huge mouth full of teeth and vines flailing everywhere. The writing beneath that one said “Tristan’s Triffedera”.
It didn’t take a genius to work out that these were two vanquisher-stage Databeasts. Brand had heard about this place before. It was - as the enormous lettering on the front also helpfully informed him - The Excel Arena. It was a place where tamers could put their Databeasts to the test, receiving BITs, items and element stones as compensation for winning.
They got some from defeating another tamer anyway, of course. Even when they were attached to tamers, defeating a Databeast would still lead to a loss of BIT, element and EXP to the winning tamer. So losing a Databeast fight could still set you back. Of course, losers in The Excel Arena would still get paid to show up if they had a bit of a name to them.
Brand had always thought he might compete one day.
The trio passed by shops, restaurants, hobby houses, and lively bars on their way to Club Argent. The atmosphere was nice. High energy, but not overly dangerous. In a place like Shingle City that had accumulated most of the young people in the area out on excursion, it would be risky to attack anyone if you didn’t already have a good grasp on how strong they were. So the trio didn’t feel particularly unsafe, despite being surrounded by people more dangerous than them.
They made it to their destination sooner than expected. Club Argent was large and loud, with a long line out the front door. Brand balked at the thought of waiting around there for ages. Besides, they weren’t exactly dressed for the club compared to all the flashy outfits on display in the line.
There was another section, clearly for VIPs. Brand looked at the other two, shrugged, and made his way over there. Two bouncers stopped them in their tracks as they approached the door. One of them was tall, the other was short, but they were both about the same width despite that.
“You aren’t coming in dressed like that.” Laughed the short one.
“We’re here to see Thaddeus.” Said Brand, unbothered.
“Is that right? Haven’t seen you around before.” Sniffed the tall one.
“Haven’t been around much before.” Said Tommen.
“We’re here about QBEA.” Said Brand, hoping that’d get them in. It did. The short one laughed and the tall one rolled his eyes, but chaperoned him into the building and down a side door. The intense poppy-punk music blared for the few seconds they were in the club but once they’d got down the side door it almost completely disappeared. Brand wasn’t necessarily a fan of entering soundproofed hallways, but it was what it was.
They passed through the hallway up some stairs. Unlike the over the top exterior of the club, this area was anything but. It was worn down industrial, with white paint flaking as they walked past. Concrete stairs were accompanied by a bannister of stainless steel. They ended up down another hallway on the second floor. It was fairly wide and there was only one room at the end. A man sat out in front with a chair and a desk, filling out some paperwork. He looked up as they approached.
“Yes?” Asked the scholarly grunt. “You don’t have an appointment.”
“These lot claim they have information about QBEA.” Said the tall bouncer.
“What is it?” Said the grunt, looking at the trio with interest evident in his face.
“Well I didn’t say that. I said we’re here about QBEA.” Brand replied, a little more sheepishly than he liked. He really wasn’t used to misleading people, though it’s something he’d been doing a lot lately.
“What?” Said the tall guard, annoyed. He turned his body to face them, looking intimidating.
“Well what about QBEA then?” The scholarly grunt asked impatiently. “You’ve got three seconds before I throw you out.”
“Well it’s not so much about QBEA-” started Brand.
“That’s it!” Exclaimed the tall bouncer, walking towards them. The grunt stood up from his desk, ready to move to action.
“It’s about my friends Kelvin and Ember!” Said Brand loudly, squaring up as the big guard approached.
“Get them out of here!” Yelled the grunt. The bouncer lunged to grab Brand, and Brand grabbed him too. He wasn’t prepared for the strength of the man though, who shoved him into the wall. Tommen jumped on the man’s back and Rosie sent a hard kick with steel toe-capped boots into the bouncer's shin. The grunt was moving now, but was interrupted by a door opening behind him.
A man strode out from inside the room. His hair was mid length and pulled back. He was a fairly large man, but lean and had a scholarly look about his face and a dangerous gleam in his eyes. Brand didn’t doubt for a second that this was Thaddeus.
“Kelvin and Ember, you say?”