Location: MID Interrogation Room

Time: Unknown

   I tried to raise my hands to my face, but the handcuffs chaining them to the table didn’t have that much slack. Instead, I had to lower my face down in order to satisfy an itch.

  After I’d lost consciousness Hana stayed true to her word, to an extent. I’m grateful that she didn’t kill me. Still, I wasn’t planning on getting arrested either.

  Well, I was before, but that was nothing more than a temporary measure. If I was given a choice I’d rather not be chained to a table for any amount of time.

  That’s why I spent most of my life living out in the slums, never daring to approach the city proper. Yet there I was.

  “It’s inconvenient, right?”

   I felt myself shiver as she spoke.

  The woman sitting across from me hadn’t bothered to introduce herself. She was older than Sara, maybe in her late twenties, but her beauty was comparable. There’s probably a lot I could describe about her, like the scar dominating her forehead, but the emblem on her chest held my focus. The Ministry of Investigation and Defense.

  “Here, let me help.”

  The woman reached across the table and grabbed the chain binding my hands. The metal links started to frost over before shattering completely.

  “There, that should make things easier.”

  “Thanks, but, is this alright? Aren’t you going to get in trouble for that?” Was this supposed to be the good cop?

  “No, don’t worry. I don’t know why they bothered to cuff you in the first place. Besides, I’m in charge of this agency.”

  “In charge?”

  “Exactly. My word is the law, and the law is justice.”

  Justice again, huh? Somehow I couldn’t shake the feeling that her definition didn’t match Jaxon’s ideals.

  Actually, I wonder what happened to him.

  “Then can I expect your word to be lenient? I know I’m unregistered, but there’s a reason for that. If someone like me tried to get registered with the city I’d be arrested anyway. I’m a danger, a liability, I get that. That’s why I was living outside the city. If you let me go I’ll keep living a life that won’t bother anyone.”

  “Let you go? No, that’s not happening.”

  “I figured.”

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  “In fact, I don’t think I’ll let you out of my sight.”

  “Huh?”

  “From now on, you work for me.”

  “Work for you? What do you mean?”

  “I heard about it, from Hana. Your noble sacrifice. Fighting bravely against an evildoer with nothing to gain and everything to lose. Truly a selfless pursuit of justice.”

  Hana? She went too far! I didn’t want to be killed, but I didn’t want to become a hero either. Was that her idea of repaying a favor? Just let me fade away.

  “No, that’s not. . .”

  “I get it. You’re overcoming the shadow of darkness your parents put over you. How could I not support you?”

  “No, I’m not someone to support. I can’t-”

  “And can you believe it! Baa is calling for you to be released into their custody, and even my own mid is trying to pressure me into executing you!”

  Baa and mid? I really don’t think they're supposed to be pronounced that way.

  “You’re protecting me? From the BAA and MID?”

  “Of course! Despite how they act, baa has no authority over me, and within mid, I get final say over augmenteds. Only an order from the Ministry Director can overrule me. But even then, I wouldn’t let him take my precious comrade! I won’t let anyone have you!”

  There are two kinds of people that can pull out that kind of unwarranted confidence. I won’t even bother talking about the second group. The first group however are the ones with the power to force reality to match their whims.

  I decided to put my faith behind the idea that this woman was in that first group.

  “Yes, that’s me. Your precious comrade!”

  I tried to mimic her tone. I had no idea who this woman was, but she was an out. Or a least a delay. It seemed like the fight between Charles and Oliver was nothing more than the first act. The beginning of hostilities between the BAA and MID over me. If this woman was willing to protect me, I’d be a fool to push her away.

  “Exactly! A kindred spirit! Now, I can’t actually hire you, but I can make you an intern. My personal intern!”

  “An intern? Great!” It certainly beat being a criminal. As long as I stayed on her good side I’d be safe. If I played my cards right, I might actually be better off than I was before. I’d have to thank Hana if I ever saw her again. Although as an intern I can’t imagine I’ll have many interactions with people like Hana. “What kind of things will I be doing?”

  “No idea!”

  “Eh?”

  “My agency never had one before.”

  “And exactly what agency is that? What do you guys do?”

  “What? Didn’t Oliver explain it to you?”

  “Oliver?” The noisy one, as Sara would put it.

  “Yeah, he works for me too. It’s our job to hunt down and kill any augmenteds that seem to be up to no good. The perfect place for a noble person like yourself!”

  My face went pale as I listened to her. Hana, what kind of woman did you leave me with? I was supposed to go on assassination missions with the people that were just after my life? Absolutely ridiculous.

  “You okay? Need some water? Here.” She pushed a cup she had brought with her across the table.

  As I grabbed it I felt a chill run through my bones.

  Frozen Solid.

  “Um, this is a cup of ice.” Not ice cubes, but a single piece.

  “Ahaha, you’ll get used to it! Welcome aboard Emelia Emin! Let’s work hard together!”

  Like I said, absolutely ridiculous.

  Despite getting my survival delivered on a silver platter I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d lost without resolving much of anything. Well, that shouldn’t come as a surprise. In the end, this was nothing more than a prelude on defeat.