Hans was in a spacious office with an ornate wooden door and antique furniture everywhere. The one off thing about the room was a large steel statue of a snake I'm the shape of infinity eating its own tail which was also known as an ouroboros. Standing across from Hans was a short and unhealthily thin, middle-aged bald man with a long mustache and unnaturally green eyes. That man was Peter Peters, the elimination agency's clean-up guy and even though his position sounded miniscule he was so important to the agency that he had as much power as a member of the board of directors.

"So you're telling me that you thought the guy was a regressor just because he was abusive to his girlfriend?" Peter asked and let out a long winded sigh of defeat.

"Yes. I think that this man is a regressor. Not only was he hurting a significant other, which is by itself nonsensical. He was also doing so as an awakened person. You know this already sir but the law is especially hard on awakened violence towards the non-awakened. Because of those reasons, along with the fact that the man seemed unreasonably erratic in the way he moved I came under the impression that he is infact a regressor" Hans replied.

Peter shook his head in disapproval. He then reached below his desk and took out a bottle of top shelf whiskey and a black mug which he filled to the top with said whiskey before putting it back.

"Please tell me the real reason behind your decision. I know you're bullshitting me" Peter sipped on the mug of whiskey as if it was coffee.

Peter always had some sort of sixth sense when it came to noticing people's lies. Hans could hear the other employees talk about him as if he was some sort of omniscient being that could catch them every time they lied but Hans has never believed them. At least until he had to lie in front of him.

"Sir, it is my honest belief that that man is a regressor." Hans stuck to his guns.

Peter took a big loud gulp of his whiskey, looked at Hans in the face and then took another one while maintaining eye contact.

"You know…I refuse to believe that the best interviewee that we've had in years that also managed to pass that god forsaken test on their first try would genuinely believe something like that. Why would you lie to me?" Peter asked as if he knew for a fact that Hans was lying to him.

For the first time since returning back in time Hans felt truly anxious. Peter had something about him that made Hans uncomfortable. Hans had a deep respect for the man due to the quality and efficiency of his work but he could feel an air of power around him. The permanently overworked man who was a pushover to the enforcers of the elimination department of the agency had such a domineering look at that moment. A look Hans had not experienced.

"Sir. This is my truth. Would it have been preferable for me to stay on the sidelines as a member of the agency?" Hans believed that if he could stick to his guns long enough, Peter would have to give it at some point.

"Very well. Since that was your honest approach to this I'm afraid I'll have to let you go. This is the regressor elimination agency. We are not kids and we don't make mistakes. One mistake from us can cause a huge ripple to many people. We cannot trust you as a member of our track and discovery team. You will be receiving the amount stated in your contract under the 'sudden termination' clause. Goodbye." Peter was cold and emotionless in the way he spoke.

Hans looked at his feet. He felt…weird. It felt as if he was trying to swallow a rock. His stomach felt tight and his heart was beating fast and loudly. It was an easy out so he could try the vastly more ludicrous career of a hunter. He didn't have to walk on eggshells anymore. But he didn't want to go. That agency was his life.

He had tried to convince himself that the only reason he wanted to stay was so he could prevent what happened in his previous life from happening again along with any future copycats. But that wasn't the whole story. His job was important to him. It was his life's work. Keeping regressors from harming the natural course of life was one of the driving forces in his life. And even if he had become what he once hunted. He could do so much more good. He could fix his mistakes and stop catastrophes. He didn't plan on becoming rich and powerful. He just wanted to help people.

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"I understand. It's okay." Hans said, his voice meek and lacking all conviction. At least his report would keep Dan locked up for long enough to allow Olivia to serve him.

"NO IT'S NOT OKAY!" Peter slammed his mug on the table, causing it to break and spray whiskey across the room.

Hans did not react. He was surprised that Peter exploded but he could have been like that before Hans joined the elimination department.

"Do you think I'm an idiot? I can literally SEE the fact that you are lying to me." Peter sighed loudly.

He brought his hands to his face. He opened his left eye widely with one and removed a deep green coloured contact lens and then he did the same with his right eye. When he took his hands off his face he revealed the fact that his eyes had a bright silver, almost bioluminescent colour.

"What?" Hans flinched and took a step back. He didn't know Peter was an awakened. It had never even crossed his mind. Not even once in all those years but it was as if that was the missing piece of a puzzle he didn't know he had in front of him.

"B rank skill. Lie detector. I can tell when someone is not being truthful. Now tell me the real reason behind your actions or take your leave." Peter said.

Hans looked at the door and then at Peter. He took a deep breath and let out a long sigh.

"I heard that woman tell him that he was hurting her so I tried to help. Not as a government employee. Not as some stuck up asshole who thinks he's better. But as a person." Hans said

"I thought that as an awakened I could take care of the situation if he went violent. But he was a hunter. He told me that. I used the agency as a way to diffuse the situation without a fight. I'd get some kind of disciplinary action but as a high value awakened I'd get a promotion anyways so I could take the fall. But he fought. So I fought back." He continued.

"Then why are you sticking with it so hard? You did what you wanted. Why didn't you stop there?"

"She was scared that he'd retaliate. And I wholeheartedly agree that he most likely would. She would be in danger if I didn't do this."

"That's not your job. It's the job of the awakened police force."

Upon hearing that name Hans' body tensed up and adrenaline started coursing through his veins. He hated the APF. He hated them with all his might. Their incompetence killed his best friend. After being in a coma for 2 years, Hans' best friend, Ronnie was taken off life support a month before Hans graduated the academy.

"Excuse my language but I wouldn't trust those clowns to butter my bread. One of my friends is dead because of them. They cared more about their paperwork than taking care of him and now he's dead. HE IDOLIZED THEM. WE BOTH DID. THEY ARE JUST BA-" Hans didn't realize it but he was screaming by the end of his explanation.

"I understand. You didn't have to raise your tone. I'll be straight up with you. How do you feel about becoming an enforcer for the elimination department of the agency? If you accept I will scrub this off the records. If you don't then disciplinary action will be taken by your department head. I'm giving you a big opportunity here. Even at entry level your pay will almost quintuple. " Peter said. It was an offer too good to pass up.

"That's what I've wanted since enrolling in the academy. Of course I'll say yes." Hans replied and offered a handshake to Peter.

Peter looked around his desk for a contract that avoided being covered in whiskey. He grabbed one that was only a little wet on the side and wrote down Hans' details before handing it to him instead of accepting the handshake.

"Here you go. Just sign at the bottom. You can read it but you can also not." Peter said

Hans quickly scribbled down his signature after skimming over the contract. It was nearly identical excluding the payment he'd receive. The payment was 50% larger than it was in his previous life.

"Here you go." Hans handed the contract back to Peter.

"Very well. We will contact you soon with specifics about your training. You can go now." Peter put a stamp on the contract and left it near a posted plant.

"Have a nice day." Hans left the office and made his way to the exit for the second time that day when he decided to look at his phone.

It was almost midnight and he had an unread message from an unknown number. Hans opened the message and it was a simple two words. 'Thank you'. He smiled and put his phone back into his pocket.

-

Peter was cleaning up his office from the whiskey when he heard knocking on his door.

"Who is it?" Peter asked.

"It's Gabriel" A man said from behind the door.

"Come in" Peter said with a sign as he sat on his chair.

The door opened and a dark skinned man in his mid thirties with a short afro and brown eyes entered the room. That was Gabriel. He was wearing a loose button up shirt and it was clear he hadn't shaved in a few days.

"What do you want?" Peter asked

"I heard we just got a talent on our hands. That's what the hunter division's unusual Romeo told me at least. He's on the tracking team." Gabriel replied

"Gary that bastard. Of course he had to tell you."

Peter sighed loudly and pushed the paper he was organizing to the side, giving Peter his full attention.

"I bought him out for a coffee every Tuesday. Gotta step your game up Petey."

Gabriel did finger guns pointed towards Peter with a proud smile on his face.

"A coffee on Tuesdays? That's just…. Anyways. I got the kid already. He will be joining you after I have him raid some dungeons."

"Oh come on. I can train him myself."

"You can have him after he gets through basic training"

"Lameee"