Shindo couldn’t help but grit his teeth as he made his way to Ben. Damn that informant! She wanted him to join HOC? No way in hell would he ever become a hero! Not now, and not never.

Yet, that little woman knew how to apply pressure. Her thoroughness and her calm demeanor was something different from other informants he has met in the past. In fact, Shindo would bet she was a known figure amongst her peers.

He had successfully escaped her clutches, but it wasn’t worth it at all. She did mention she had profiled for at least one month,yet the word of an informant should never be taken to face-value. Insted one should look at the bigger picture: If she had access to the street and security cameras, this made Diva an extremely dangerous woman.

But the worst of this situation was that he screwed up. In his anger, Shindo slipped and used the informant's language against her. A colossal mistake when talking to one as well-informed as her.

Informants had their own language to assess and inform themselves while also revealing certain queues to their peers and clients. An example would be when he told Diva "he pleaded the fifth." Saying these words is basically announcing to all that knew the language that the target will stay quiet when spoken to, and that they should fuck off immediately. He enjoyed using that on unprepared informants.

Still, Shindo's gut feeling never went away. Everything was considered information in the eyes of an informant. Even the barest of reactions was enough for them to look into a target. And she had managed to annoy him. Pair that off with her daring yet confident attitude, and this little interaction may have put a big target on Shindo’s back.

That's why the way she reacts to this denial will define how Shindo will react in the near future.

Shindo stopped a bit as his back started itching. He slowed himself and grabbed his right hand. He took some deep breaths before hearing a voice behind him.

"Hey, Shindo!"

"Oh, senior!"

Angela was walking along with one of the two interns in the store. They caught up with him, but he could notice the disdain in Angela's face.

"What's wrong, Angela? You don't seem well."

Her face hardened at that question and started shaking with anger. However, the intern placed both of her hands on Angela's shoulders, a motion to calm her down.

"He's here, and earlier than what Ben had briefed us on. In fact, he made a B-line straight towards Ben." The intern said as Angela started griping one of the pockets of her toolbelt.

"Of all the cursed things in the world, he is here today, the god damn hog is here," Angela said in a low voice. "He is talking with Ben about the store, again."

Shindo rubbed his temple. "Again? He trully is trying his hardest to fuck us over."

An angry silence surrounded the three until Shindo opened his mouth again.

"Where are they again?" He said in a cold tone. The shaking Intern gulped a bit before speaking.

"They are at Ben's office on the second floor."

Without a word, Shindo went straight towards the stairs. His face was unreadable, up until he was in front of the office. The angry tone of one of the voices inside irritated Shindo to no end, but his anger started flaring.

That was when his back started itching again, and Shindo gritted his teeth. He quickly took a small pyramid object into his hands and clutched it in his palm, breathing heavily.

Clutching it tightly, he leaned against the door, trying to hear the conversation that was transpiring.

"--ady told you, Manny, the DSG has nothing to do with how we craft our gadgets." Ben's tired voice resonated through the door.

"Yes, we do. We regulate the security of gadgets all around the city, Ben. Your gadgets have been falling into the villains' hands ever since the night --." Manny responded.

"You and I both know that is fraudulent information, Manny. We do not deal with villains."

"Then why do you make "strings"? We both know that "strings" are the villains' visors ever since that bastard Her--."

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"That is a misconception, Manny," Shindo couldn't wait any longer and interrupted their conversation. Ben was sitting on his desk, while an older and rugged man with pink hair was angrily tapping his foot.

This was Manny Judge, the third chair of the Department of Security and Gadgetry or DSG. He was a greedy bastard that had preconceived notions on gadget-smithing. He had a special chip on his shoulder for Unwin’s, specially for Shindo himself

However, there was something about his stance that rubbed Shindo the wrong way. He was shifty, and his green bloodshot eyes darted from Ben to Shindo and back to Ben. Something had him on edge today, and he was taking all of his anger out on Unwin’s.

Noticing him, Manny gave Shindo a disgusted look.

"What is East doing here, Ben?" He addressed Ben, crossing his arms.

"Before you arrived so abruptly, I called Shindo here to evaluate some orders that came from the DSG." Ben responded calmly.

The three of them knew exactly what this meant. Ben will not even consider speaking to Manny if Shindo wasn't here.

Manny simply looked at Shindo with his chin raised. So prideful. In the end, he relented to Shindo being there.

"Good to know you are still the same old conservative I met four years ago." Shindo sarcastically said.

"As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, "strings" foment villainy, Ben. With each one you make, that is one more possible villain." At the end of those words, he glared at Shindo. It was very apparent what he was hinting at.

Ben stood and looked straight at Manny. "Let me be frank, Manny. Gadgets are not inherently evil. Shindo here is living proof of this."

Shindo simply stared at the two men.

"A prime example? Him??" He said, finally deciding to look at Shindo. "This man here has failed multiple times at other workshops!"

Shindo clutched his small pyramid and clicked his tongue at Manny.

"Don't start, Manny. ""Strings," and my personal life have nothing to do with this."

He was not going to deal with this shit today.

"Oh, I will get started, East. Your refusal to take off your visor is well known in the job. It is common knowledge that this arrogant demeanor of yours always scares the customers."

"You have no right to ask me to take off my visor." Shindo countered.

"You've even caused trouble for many heroes, even today at Murrow's station!"

"For your information, I was taken as a hostage, Manny! It is their job to rescue people, including me!"

For a while, the two men glared at each other before a shit-eating grin appeared in Manny's face.

"There is also the string you gave to Diva."

This shook Shindo to the core. Of all the fucking things!

"How do you know Diva?" He said, trembling. His back started aching.

Manny loomed closer. "That woman is a well-known informant, and she is fortunate that I know some information. I happen to know all of your exploits from these past four years."

Shindo's grip on his pyramid was so tight that it started causing pain to him.

"Stop Manny. My life is not your business."

"It is." He declared, dead cold. "That your arrogant ass is in a no-life workshop that is going to go bank—"

"That is enough!" Ben shouted.

The two men stared at Ben.

"Manny Judge. You already came to give your warning. Your personal attack towards my co-worker and right-hand man will not be tolerated in my store."

Understanding the message, the man headed straight to the door. As he was about to leave, he sent a venomous glare towards Ben and said:

"I'll come back tomorrow."

His steps resounded on the now quiet store, and in a few seconds, they disappeared.

Shindo slowly put his pyramid away and slowly sat down. Ben did the same, but not without giving Shindo a worried look. A deep silence overtook the room as Shindo's aching slowly faded.

"I'm sorry, Shindo, I really didn't know—," Ben started saying, but Shindo stopped him.

"Calm down, Ben. I've been with you for two years. Plus, Angela already informed me he was here. My issues are not that big."

Ben sighed in relief.

"However, you seemed to be worse than me. What were you talking about before I arrived?" Shindo said, worried. At these words, His boss slumped into his chair.

"He finally managed it."

Shindo's eyes widened. "He gained the second seat?"

"Oh god, no! Not that type of bad news! He finally got the workshop under his direct supervision."

"Gah!" First, he is apparently a high-priority target for a high profile informant, and now this? All the profanities of the world could not express his frustration now.

Ben leaned in, his brows showing his seriousness. "Shindo, you are my best worker; I know what it means for you to work for Manny. If you want, I can find you a place."

Shindo shook his head and stood. "Ben, I won't go anywhere. I owe you big time, and until I pay you back, I will not go away."

Ben looked thankfully at Shindo as he made his way to the office door.

"Well then, I'll retire myself for today."

"I agree, Shindo. We'll all be closing the store early. It has been a long day."

"Indeed." Shindo closed the door and walked straight to his locker.

The silent steps gave nothing away, but Shindo knew that things were going to go for the worse. As if to affirm this, the pain in his right hand slowly crept up the closer he got to the locker room.