“A monster hidden in kind sight….”

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===Neo Order – Recorded Case File 1 ===

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*Inside the control centre of the inner sanctum*

“Kai, Sans….. You better see this. I am bringing it up on the central big screen.” Daniel said without looking up from his terminal.

The giant holographic display came alive and a world map with several red markers came into view.

“So, what are we looking at?” Senpai asked.

“To be precise, we are looking at locations. Locations throughout the world that show areas with unusual Verzonal fluctuations. Things have been very strange lately. I think it is time to contact the blokes at the Spire district.”

The atmosphere was tense. They all felt that something strange was happening.

“It is definitely concerning. The Spire district is our best shot. He will definitely have good directions for us. What do you say Sensei?” Senpai went on.

Sensei pondered for a while. “I agree with your sentiments. But, Melvin has just awakened. If possible, I want him to get used to things. Only a few of the inner sanctum members are here. We need to find them too. We should strategize first.”

“You are right Kai. Cyb and Dae are not here so I have my hands full too. We are far from our peak capabilities.” Daniel said.

“So, how is Melvin doing by the way? He was training with old man Goro wasn’t he? And he has been laced with temporary limiters so the beating must be extraordinary!” Senpai chuckled.

“Heh!” Sensei gave a slight smirk.

Right at that moment, a resounding ‘BOOM’ was heard from the training room.

“Oops! Even noise suppression couldn’t hold back the sound huh…” Daniel said.

The three looked at each other and smiled.

Old Goro was a force of nature. Age be damned.

After a while, the training section’s door swung open and the two sole occupants exited it.

Goro was dressed in his work uniform and Melvin was still in his training gear. He was exhausted and even Goro was panting.

“So, how was it?” Sensei asked.

“Hohoho…. Without his suppressors, I might have died. Melvin is very powerful.” Goro said in his jovial and caring way.

“Old man, you pack a hefty punch. You are a great teacher!” Melvin blurted out.

“Hohoho… I will get to the café! It needs its manager after all! And Kai…. she will be here today too. I think it is time we bring up her case son.” saying this, Goro left.

“Well, you might just hold on to hope yet Melvin! Goro trained us when we were younger. If he is praising you this much, you are definitely strong.” Senpai said.

“Melvin…. there is a case that we need to handle. I think you can start taking up cases now. The inner sanctum usually deals with rare and bizarre cases. I have a feeling this one will be like that. How about you join me at the café after you recover a little…. Does that sound good?” Sensei asked.

“Of course partner! I have been waiting for this for a while!” Melvin exclaimed.

*** A few hours later, Inside Cat-A-Blues***

The entire place is spacious with neatly designed Victorian architecture and a warm and classy vibe. Saxophones and retro tunes can be heard in the location. It is a bustling place with a booming business. The ambiance added a sense of serenity as well as enjoyment that could not be rivaled.

“Ah, Kai, and Oh, Melvin! It is a pleasure!” Gorobe Ryusei walked up to the two of them and shook their hands.

“Hey, Goro-san. I hope you are not overworking yourself.” Kai spoke in a quiet but warm voice.

“Huh huh! I am fine!”

“By the way Melvin, are you getting used to this place?” Goro asked Melvin.

“Yeah! So far, I am really enjoying this work!”

As the two kept talking, Kai took a glance throughout the area and a particular customer caught his eye.

A young lady was seated at one of the tables. She was wearing a pink and white antique dress and had glasses on.

She was quietly having her usual meal; a vegetable sandwich along with Premium Cat-A-Blues Coffee.

Sensei approached her with a knowing look.

“Lady Jiselle! Thank you for your continued patronage” Kai said in a polite voice.

“Oh! Mr. Kyosuke! The meal is great as ever!” she replied enthusiastically.

“ I am glad to see you enjoying your meal. Take your time.” Kai said while taking a seat opposite to her.

He lowered his voice and spoke very carefully to the lady. “Miss Jiselle…. May I enquire if you have faced that trouble again? It is okay. We are here for you.”

The lady’s smile turned into an alarmed and somewhat saddened expression.

“Yes….. Actually….. Things have gotten worse. I can see them following me. I feel uneasy. This is the only place where I can relax.”

“Hmmm. I thought as much. Her eyes darting around, her somewhat haggard state and uneven breathing and her expressions made a pretty clear case.” Sensei thought.

“Do not worry. I shall look into this matter personally. “ Kai said.

He motioned towards Melvin with his eyes. Both Goro and Melvin got the hint. Goro knew about her well and understood what Kai wanted to do.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Melvin walked up to the table.

He sensed something from the lady and gave a quick glance at Kai who gave a knowing look.

“This, Miss Jiselle is one of my trusted associates. He is Melvin Havencort. You may have heard of him. Melvin, this is Lady Jiselle. She is a regular here and would like to have consultation with us.”

“Oh! You are the famous writer! I am a big fan!” Jiselle exclaimed.

“Wow! I am thrilled! Thank you for endorsing my work my lady! I shall be of assistance!” Melvin gave a wide grin and a dramatic theatrical bow.

Kai gave a short smile. “ This might help her calm down.” He thought.

“Melvin and I shall do our best to protect you from the stalkers.”

“Thank you! Um, please visit my apartment when you get the time. I shall discuss things in more details there.”

Around this time, old man Goro comes up with a few extra dishes for the lady.

“Another sandwich and today’s special dish for the lady! It is on the house!” the old butler announced.

“Wow! Thank you!”

“Huh huh huh! No need for thanks. Your excellent suggestions have really spiced things up here. We could use an excellent chef like you here!”

With a happy smile, she finished her meal.

***A short while later in Sensei’s Office***

“So, Kai ….. does the lady have some mutant ability like ours? The verzonal energy is quite concentrated around her.” Melvin asked.

“Yeah…. She does. I believe she is not aware of it.” Kai replied.

“What is her ability?”Melvin asked in a curious tone.

“I believe she has the ability to calm creatures and befriend them. It works really well with animals. I have seen it first hand. She has two pet dogs who adore her. More so than usual. Every single creature allies itself with her. I believe even we feel somewhat relaxed around her. You must have felt it yourself.” Kai explained.

“Beautiful and scary…. Just the way I like my stories!” Melvin said, his author-mind’s curiosity getting piqued.

“Well, we’ll see it soon enough. We are going to her place. You and I. Bosker will be on intel and surveillance support. Senpai is on a different mission at the moment. This is your first case, so go for it.” Kai said and looked out into the streets of Kazel.

**** A few hours later : At Jiselle’s place ****

“I’ll recount in brief, okay. For the past few months, people have been following me from the shadows. At first, I thought those were coincidences but the more I see it, the more I come to realize that I am being stalked. Cat-A-Blues has been a safe haven for me but I am tired of watching over my shoulder every second.” Jiselle said in one go. The anxiety in her eyes was palpable.

“Thank you lady Jiselle. And you are right in trusting your gut instincts. They are seldom wrong in such cases. Now, we have a few questions if you do not mind.” Kai said.

“Of course Kai!” Jiselle said.

The two dogs came waddling in with their tails wagging, reaching for Jiselle in a reverent manner.

Melvin and Kai exchanged a look.

“Melvin, please keep track of the information. So, do they keep following you till you reach home? If so, this location is quite unsafe. And, have they ever tried to come close to you?” Kai asked in his professionally cold tone.

Now that you say it, they have never followed me home. They appear whenever I go to any location but disappear when I run home. And, yes, one person did come extremely close to me but a cute fox nearby came to my rescue. Chased him away!” Jiselle explained.

“Hmmm.” Sensei humms pensively.

“So, how did you come to be in Kazel?” Melvin asked.

“Ah! Yes. You see, I want to be a chef and an animal care specialist. I can feed people and animals as well as care for the animals that roam this world. Kazel is a bustling scene at the moment. I became an apprentice chef at the hotel next door’s kitchen and I am a member of the Kazel Animal Welfare Group. I take care of the local fauna. And, I am studying linguistics…..” Jiselle continued.

“That’s amazing! You’ve got a lot going on for you huh!” Melvin admired.

There was a knock at the door. Jiselle excused herself and went to open the door.

“Oh! Mr. O’Riley! Thanks for checking up on me? Are those the premium Kaz-Biscuits? Thank you! And hello to you to Henry.” Jiselle exclaimed.

The man named Henry gave a strange smile to Jiselle but spoke quite less. He was looking intently at her. He was perhaps in his late twenties and was quite plain save his auburn hair.

“Heheheh! Enjoy my dear. Do you have friends over?! Hello! I am Ron O’Riley. I am the owner of the building. Thank you for being friends with the little lady. ” the jovial homeowner exclaimed.

He was a middle aged man in a simple t-shirt and gurkha pants. He was quite unremarkable save his eyes. They were quite tired.

Kai looked at him for a moment. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Mr O’Riley. I am Kai Kyosuke. I am glad to see that Miss Jiselle has a good caretaker. It would seem you are quite tired after your daily toiling, yeah?” Kai uttered.

“Ha! I am moving up in age after all. Oh to be young again. Not as much as you guys though. There are certain privileges of life that only slightly older people will understand. Well, have a great time!” He left with a wink.

“What a character!” Melvin chuckled.

“He is an awfully kind man, you know. I always text him when I am in trouble. He keeps the door open for me. He even recommended me to reconsider my lodgings if things get worse. He would help me search for them he said. And, Henry might seem off but he is very sweet. He cleans the building and runs errands for Mr. O’Reiley.” Jiselle said in a kind tone.

“So it would seem….” Kai mumbled and gave a small smile to Jiselle.

“I would recommend staying in touch with any other ladies that you know around here. And, I will send our neural access bands to you, Lady Jiselle. Contact us the moment you see anyone tailing you. We shall depart now. Rest assured, we will find an end to this issue. Melvin has noted all of it down.” Kai promised.

“Alright…. Thank you guys!” Jiselle replied in a warm but concerned tone.

***Outside: The streets***

Kai and Melvin were walking down the street. They could feel someone trying to tail them. But tailing espers was not that easy.

“You can come out now. We know you are there. Sorry!” Melvin quipped with a cheeky voice and grin.

A young woman in her early thirties cut the corner and appeared in front of them. She was a very fashionable lady with a confident smile and a haughty pose. She had black hair that was somewhat slicked back and held together by a hair-clip. She was wearing a fancy red half-shirt over a black t-shirt and a red formal pant. Her boots were designer boots. She had various rings that adorned her fingers and she was carrying a fashionable handbag.

“I’ll cut to the chase. Are you kids friends of Jiselle?” the woman asked in a very suave and confident voice.

“Look out for her will you….. I have been helping her for a while. I am her next door neighbor. I am -“ the woman was about to complete her sentence but Kai interjected.

“Miss Celine Irving. I saw your name on the list of members. You are a famous actress and model. I believe the young ladies adore you.”

“You are up to date, huh! Are you a fan?” the lady asked with an amused smile.

“I just know a lot of things. Call it a ….. professional habit.” Kai finished.

The lady gave a laugh and a smirk. “Heh! Smart guy!”

“Now that we are on the clear, mademoiselle, would you mind giving us a few details?” Melvin asked with his usual over-the-top chivalry.

“Flattery won’t get you anywhere. But yeah, please take care of Jiselle. I don’t want to scare you kids but it would be better if she could shift somewhere else. This area is a bit rough….”

“Can you share something more, signorita?” Melvin asked again with his cheeky smile in place.

“Nope. A bunch of kids like you need not know anymore. Don’t you dare try to play detective either. I will report the mess that happens here to Sensei Consultancy Services.” Celine answered.

“But we-…. Mmph!” Melvin tried to say something but Kai put his hands on his mouth.

“We understand Miss Irving. We will not do anything stupid. Good luck for your upcoming shoots.” Kai said in a serious tone.

“That is good.”

“And, you, big guy….” She turned towards Melvin. “ You know, ladies like a man who understands and listens to sound logic. You will be extremely popular if you just work on that one thing.” She pats the heads of both the guys and confidently walks away while lighting a cigarette.

Kai had an amused smile while Melvin was wide-eyed. Ah sweet reversal of situation (almost)!

“Kai. My dear Mr. Kyosuke. How many interesting characters are we going to meet? She is not even a mutant but she is a shocker alright.” Melvin questioned.

Kai tipped down his hat to hide his grin, put an arm over Melvin’s shoulder in the typical best-bro fashion and quietly walked ahead without a noise.

After walking a safe distance, they laid out their plan.

“Melvin, I am more or less sure about the cause of the incidents. She is in grave danger. Miss Celine will not be able to make it in time. Our presence today has jeopardized her safety. And before you ask, yes, she is not an ordinary model. She is the secret chief of the Kazel Security Force. She is for sure an ally. I will explore everything later. For now, we must act fast. We lay our trap tomorrow morning. I will tell you the gist of our plan.” Kai said in a flurry.

“Wait, that fiery woman is the chief of –“ Melvin began but a pleading look from Kai made him feel guilty. “Right, later….. Please continue.”

Kai explained their plan.

“The true culprit is …..”