Location: Outside of Senator Jenson’s House

Time: 12:30 PM, February 14th 2108

I knocked on the front door while simultaneously enhancing and directing the sound in order to blow the door off its hinges. The thick slab of wood flew inward, crashing into a small table in the foyer of the house.

“Anyone home? I’m selling magazines. Can I interest you in a monthly subscription?”

Having heard me talking, or more likely, the sound of their front door being ripped out of the frame, a young boy came running to the scene. Once he saw the missing door he stopped and started staring.

I didn’t recognize him, but I also didn’t read the file I was given on Senator Jenson’s family. I’m guessing that kid was probably one of his children.

“Hey, your Dad home?”

I walked through the empty door frame and approached the boy.

“What are you doing in my house? Get away from my son.”

An older man came rushing from the second floor and stood in front of the kid, pushing the boy backward.

And I said older, but he wasn’t really that old, probably somewhere in his 30s. That’s pretty young for a senator in Velstand. Despite the fact that he had been at home at noon during the middle of the week he was wearing a designer suit.

This guy was probably Senator Jenson. I suppose I should have mentioned that I didn’t read the file I was given on Senator Jenson himself.

Well, it will work out.

“Hey, listen, if you didn’t want me walking in here uninvited you really should do something about that hole.” I pointed behind me. “I figured you guys had an open door policy.”

The man I assumed to be the senator didn’t seem amused. Jezz, can’t anyone take a joke?

“What are you here for, Oldridge?”

“Oh, have we met? Sorry, sorry. You don’t seem like the type I’d remember.”

“We haven’t met, but I know you well enough. You’re one of the Prime Minister’s favorite tools.”

I was already in a bad mood, and hearing him refer to me as a tool wasn’t helping.

“If you know that much I’m surprised you’re still mouthing off to me like that. You should be able to figure out why I’m here.”

“Because I’m one of the few senators remaining willing to block the Prime Minister’s plan to sell out this city to the Pacific Empire’s Sanguine Princess.”

“Only.”

“Excuse me?”

“At this point you’re not one of the few. You’re the only senator that plans on blocking the Prime Minister’s proposal.”

“That doesn't make sense. The others would-”

His eyes widened as he stared at me, realizing the situation he was in.

“No, you couldn’t. You shouldn’t have any jurisdiction over me. I’m not like Zea. I’m not even an augmented. Even the Prime Minister couldn't send you after me like this. It wouldn’t be legal. He wouldn’t get away with it.”

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“Hey, that’s not my problem. Besides, I don’t think legality is going to matter much longer.”

I decided not to tell him that the Sanguine Princess was the one who gave me these orders in the first place.

“That would mean. . . No, it couldn’t be though. Could it? He’s getting rid of anyone in his way, then he’ll force through his plan to make Velstand a Territory of the Pacific Empire? Then assuming Elodie Esterhaert is given jurisdiction over the territory she’ll be able to cancel any investigation into the missing senators.”

“Who knows? They don’t keep me around to deal with that kind of stuff.”

I wasn’t messing with him, I honestly didn’t know what my uncle and that princess were planning. I didn’t really care one way or another. His hypothesis did sound like something the two of them would pull though.

“That’s ridiculous. He’d never get away with it. The people won’t stand for it. You can’t just kill me and my family in cold blood. And expect no one to ask any questions.”

“Hey now, I never said anything about killing. I’m just supposed to keep any troublesome senators detained for the next few days.”

I wasn’t offended by the fact he assumed I was going to kill him. That’s typically how my work went, and my uncle wasn’t the type to leave any loose ends.

Fortunately for all of the senators I was ordered to round up, this plan was crafted by the Pacific Empire’s princess. And she didn’t seem to be the type to waste any potential human resources.

Not that I’m complaining. Despite the nature of my work for the ARA and my uncle, it’s not like I actually enjoy killing strangers. Sure, I might not be that bothered by the prospect, but that’s different from actively seeking it out.

“You’re not here to kill me?”

“I know, I was just as surprised when I got the news.”

“But, then, what? You’re just going to let me go after the Prime Minister’s resolution passes?”

“Maybe, I don’t know. That seems like what’s going to happen though.”

“Then what’s stopping me from making all this public? From inciting the public into fighting back against this ridiculous plan?”

“Listen buddy, I don’t really care one way or another, but I don’t think the Sanguine Princess is concerned about that. I’m already running late for lunch, so I’ll make this brief. You’re used to dealing with my uncle. He’s smart, but not perfect. He’s not the kind of guy that leaves loose ends. The Princess is different. She’s on the next level. She’s enough steps ahead that leaving loose ends isn’t an issue. She already knows you won’t be able to stop her, so there’s not any real reason to kill you.”

“No, none of this makes any sense. I’ve got calls to make.”

Senator Jenson tried to turn around and walk away, but I amplified the sound of his footstep enough to throw him off balance.

“Hey, I really hate repeating myself. You’re coming with me now. I know I’ve been perfectly friendly so far, but I’m actually in a pretty bad mood today. The last thing I need is to work over my lunch break. I’ve got to get things settled with you before 1:00.”

“I will not be-”

Just because he learned I wasn’t planning on killing him Senator Jenson started getting cocky and talked back.

I snapped my fingers, adjusting the sound so that as it entered his inner ear the vibrations caused him to lose consciousness.

His body fell to the ground, with his son barely managing to get out of the way in time.

The kid was confused, more so than you would expect. The entire time I was talking to the senator I was making sure no sounds were reaching the kid’s ears. I didn’t want anyone else to hear our conversion.

Personally, I’m not concerned with issues of privacy, but I didn’t know if this was supposed to be a clandestine mission or not.

Hopefully not.

I really only knew the bare minimum of what I was supposed to be doing. I was much more interested in the operation the Princess had Olivia working on. I tried to tell her that Olivia wasn’t ready for any assignments, but my complaints fell on deaf ears.

Oakley was given the same assignment as well.

The two of them shouldn’t be doing this kind of work. It’s too dangerous.

No, no, it was fine. Hana was with them. Hana might belong to Oakley, but she wouldn’t let anything bad happen to Olivia either. As long as the two of them stuck to the plan and let Hana handle everything they’d be fine. There was no reason for Olivia to try to act like a hero. She might have gotten the more dangerous power between the two of us, but that’s all the more reason for her to not use it.

It was supposed to be a good learning experience. That’s the only reason I let that Vampire Princess convince me to let Olivia go on Karen’s trip. She just needed to observe Hana.

But if anything happened to Olivia I’d find a way to kill Elodie Esterhaert and bring the entire Pacific Empire down with her. You know, even if anything happened to Oakley I’d probably get angry in her father’s place and get revenge on the princess.

Assuming I found a safe place for Olivia first.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the situations I was thinking about as I pulled Senator Jenson’s son away from his unconscious body. Even during the callback, I’m a loner that can’t stop thinking about family.