The interior of the van didnt stay dark for long, as dull interior lights flicked on automatically and revealing the inside in its entirety. The inside seemed to be made to be as multipurpose as possible, transport as can be seen in the two rows of three seats on either side of the inside just beside the door, and in the front of the interior there is a mesh screen just behind a large and surprisingly thin tv just above some kind of computer. Well thin for the time. And there was a phone built into the top of the computer for some reason, which was interesting. One part surveillance van, one part transport vehicle. Hell, looking around I see some hints of moving parts that are covering and holding who knows what in the walls, ceiling and roof. But it somehow looks sleek and clean despite everything shoved into it. This kind of stuff is expensive. Really expensive. The design looked like it was built for everything. If a zombie apocalypse happened, this is the only vehicle I would need to survive for a long time.

‘Just what is UMBRA?’ I wondered not for the first time as I admired everything. I doubted I could come up with a better design myself. In fact, I knew it. If I ever got this good at designing vehicles, I would be a master of it at that point.

My appreciation and slight awe at the vehicle seemed to fit with the character I built up as well, so I didn't even try to hide my expression.

The screen flickered on with a small click, and though it wasn't dark enough that it was the brightest thing in the van, it cast a glow over everything as my head snapped to it. The image was pretty unclear and dark, but I could make out a dark figure sitting on a chair that was turned to the camera. Like a stereotypical anonymous spy boss silhouette, wearing a trench coat that I could barely make out. He was also bald, and his skin was incredibly dark with the low light where he was sitting and a bit of a backlight as well.

I nearly burst out laughing as I looked at the sight with a knee jerk reaction that came from watching too many cheezy spy movies, but I kept a straight face as I calmed down. Though with a second or two of looking, I couldn't help but become deadly serious. The image held a sort of weight that I could feel. Like whoever was on the other side was watching me, and they were powerful. Important. I could almost feel… something. There was an odd sense that I couldn't place that seemed familiar, but dull and more repressed than anything. I could barely tell it was there. I stayed quiet. ‘This is the Director. I… understand the team’s reaction outside at the mention of their name.’ I thought to myself as I inspected him. I could feel him inspect me as well somehow, through the camera.

It was silent for a moment, a palpable pause with a silence that was deafening. Only the low buzz of electronic things working pierced through it, and my own breathing that seemed to echo. I swallowed. I took some comfort in The Long Game as it flashed its pointers out to me, gently guiding my expressions and body language and feeling a bit comforted in it. Like holding a hand.

“Ardika Ekia.” The Director spoke with a deep voice, more of a statement than a question, tinged with a hint of tiredness. Kind of reminded me of Morgan Freeman, but more no-nonsense.

“So we finally meet. You have caused quite a storm, you know?” His voice seemed tinged with a bit of amusement as he sat back, just watching me. But his question seemed rhetorical as he straightened and leaned into the camera to continue. “I would like you to watch something with us.” He announced and we waved his hand at someone in the background, causing a click to ring out in the quiet van and the screen shifted as a video started to play.

It was pretty low quality, CCTV security camera footage if I was guessing. It showed an ice cream parlor from across a street. A familiar parlor. I hunched forwards a bit, leaning forwards on my seat, my hands moving to my chin as I supported it as I watched with an expression as expressionless as I could. ‘They got whatever happened on video! Thank god. I would have had a panic attack if I started being questioned on whatever happened.’ I thought to myself as relief and curiosity mixed, my attention drawn purely to the video.

I could hear a shuffle from David on the seat opposite to mine as he presumably adjusted himself to watch it closer as well.

The camera view changed and I could see to the end of the road, probably from a building beside the parlor if I placed it right. It seemed early evening, just before sunset judging by the light on the road. I remembered this much at least. This was when… Percy and I went to get ice cream. ‘Oh shit.’ I nearly winced as I realized what that meant. ‘They know Percy and I are connected, and I cannot have anyone messing with Percy. I need to protect him and I need to preserve the timeline. Things need to go the way I remember. Everything will fail if I don't. All my plans.’ I tightened my face just a bit as I saw me and Percy rounding the corner, smiles on our faces and talking to each other enthusiastically.

I glanced at David, and I could see his eyebrows furrowed as he watched.

‘Right… This might be salvageable with him here. He might hold some sway over the Director and the higher ups of this thing if they think about doing something. Then again… who knows? I will need to do something.’ I thought with a frown as I turned back to the screen, and I could feel a hint of an idea occur to me with help from my Passive that was running at full force. It made sense for me, acting as the character I made up, to be a little overprotective, doesn't it?

The video didn't stop though and no questions were asked just yet, so I kept quiet as I watched. The video cut to another camera from across the street, aimed at the parlor.

Percy and I walked for a little more, then paused as Percy took in the shop before continuing on our way. I opened the door, then as Percy walked inside I saw me pause. I saw me slowly put my hands into my pockets as I looked around behind me into the empty street. ‘Right. This is when I put on Masatr, because I felt the monsters…’ I noted, remembering that. Though it looks strange from an outside perspective. I could see suspicion and some alarm on my face for a split second, but it was really low quality so just barely.

Then I seemed to snap out of it, and I saw me turning back into the shop to Percy. I could just barely make out Percy and my figures through the windows of the parlor, talking to Cally. Then we got our ice cream and went to go sit down, before I was called over to Cally and we began to talk. Nothing was clear in the video, but it was clear even just from the body language that we were talking seriously. I saw me slump on the counter a bit. ‘This is when we told each other about what we were.’ I remembered as I was watching.

I saw me raise a hand to shake Cally’s hand. ‘This is when we made the little deal, and then getting the quest to protect the parlor.’ I recalled, watching me walk away from the handshake before pausing, then nodding and heading back to Percy.

‘Ok, so far this looks suspicious as all hell from an outside perspective.’ I thought with a small mix of a mental groan and a laugh. Though with my Passives help, I controlled the reaction a bit to not show it.

The video sped up from there, going into fast motion and the light slowly came down as me and Percy talked and ate our ice cream. Then we stood up and walked out of the parlor, both of us saying goodbye to Cally before we left and started walking back to the dorms.

The video paused there, as we disappeared around a corner and I blinked as I sat up again, looking at David first and then back to the screen as it turned back to the dark figure of the Director who was looking at me.

“Now, Mr. Ekia, I am sure I am not the only one who found this just a little strange, nevermind what happened afterward.” The Director told me, as he raised a hand and gave a few gestures to someone off camera again.

The screen shifted to an image of me looking around at the entrance of the parlor.

“This…” The Director drawled a bit, “This looks like you are looking for enemies, Mr. Ekia. Or monsters, apparently. Why is that? You seemed rather chipper before, what is with the sudden change?” He asked first, suspicion heavy in his voice as he sounded almost accusatory but curious. “And who…” The screen shifted to a picture of Percy, making my face harden just a bit, “Is this?”

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“He is not related to this. You will leave him out of this.” I said harshly, looking at the screen with a hard expression. I didn't have to act much to show how I felt about that line of questioning, and I am sure that gave the man some pause. David took a deep breath beside me as well, sounding like he was about to say something but stopping as the Director cut him off.

“What is he to you, Mr. Ekia?” The Director asked me once again, clearly not ready to drop it.

David had other ideas as I heard a somewhat low but firm voice come from beside me, making me turn to him. He seemed a little on edge as he looked at the screen, talking to the director. “Director, with all due respect-” He started, but this time it was my turn to cut him off.

“No, it is fine. If he wants to ask, he can ask.” I told David somewhat coldly, before turning to answer the screen. “He is my friend. And he is the type of person to me that if I find out you are threatening or even talking too, you will wish you didn’t.” I said in a low voice, not bothering to veil my threats. Goddamn that felt badass.

“Woah, woah… Let's all calm down. We have no intention of threatening anyone.” David cut in there again, but I was looking into the place where I saw the glint of the camera poking out from the top of the screen, not breaking eye contact. My face was as deadly serious as I could make it. There was a moment of silence again, both of us in the van waiting and looking at the screen.

“No.” The Director agreed with a hint of respect if my ears weren't wrong. “I believe we can agree to forget about him, if that is what you want.” He said decisively, making me nod, satisfied with that.

“But on the other hand, I am curious about the woman you went to meet with.” The director asked, getting back into the questioning without pause. The screen showed a blurry picture from the security camera again, showing both Cally and my forms through the window. “Calandra ‘Cally’ Pedinton, according to her license. A woman who nobody knows or remembers, no school records, no travel records, no records of any kind. According to the paperwork, she came into existence just over a year ago and has been running that little parlor of hers ever since.” He expounded with a tone of clear exasperation, before the screen switched to his dark form once again as he stared at me through the camera.

“Quite similar to yourself in that way, wouldn't you say?” He asked, though I could see he seemed to be getting to the point finally.

“I don't know about that. Would you like to hear my story, or hers?” I replied to his question with a question of my own, a tilt to my head.

“Let's start with Ms. Pedinton.” He prodded carefully as I thought about my response.

I leaned forward on my seat, thinking. ‘Let's think. So, I am not going to tell them that she came from another world of course, that would be stupid. Let's keep it vague on that.’ I decided swiftly.

“I met Cally a few weeks back, I believe. I went and had ice cream at her parlor with a few friends from school. I thought she was a monster at first, but now I am pretty sure she isn't. Most of what I heard of her was through a friend who heard it from her mom, who apparently had business with Cally in some way. Her parlor seemed to appear overnight about a year ago. But that's just what I heard. I hadn't talked with her before that. That video was the second time we met. We had a talk, where we both got to know each other a bit. She told me she has a friend through which she got here and opened her parlor. I won't tell you more, you will have to ask for yourself.” I gave the details of all that I know about her and how we talked.

‘Though… I wouldn’t if I was them. She might not like it.’ I thought with a frown.

“Actually, a word of warning about her.” I said suddenly and seriously. “I don’t know what she is or what she can do, but I am sure that I wouldn't want to be on her bad side. I would avoid doing anything she might take badly, and I really would not recommend interfering with her parlor.” I advised slowly, making sure to communicate that clearly. ‘I doubt she would appreciate it if I didn't try to get them to leave her to her business. We other worlders have to watch out for each other.’ I thought to myself.

There was a pause that seemed heavy in that moment, and I could sense some confusion and worry coming from David. The Director was silently considering my words as he looked on. He finally nodded, accepting it. I relaxed a bit at that, job done.

“We will make a note of that. Now… I don't suppose you could explain this?” The Director moved on fluently, gesturing once again and making the screen flick back to a recording from a security camera. It was still on the same street that the parlor was on, but way later. Late into the night at that point. The video quality was terrible in the spots the lamp posts weren't shining directly on, anything in them was invisible. Though there were a few more sources of light in the street, from the buildings and a small light from a particular alley.

‘Oh, this is when I picked up the scent of the monsters. I remember this part, mostly.’ I realized quickly, shifting around in my seat to get comfortable.

The video continued on for several seconds, and I saw nothing. I wasn't even sure that the video was playing at first. Then the camera angle changed, despite nothing seeming to happen on the low quality footage. Then from the shadows, I saw a figure emerge out into the light of a spotlight positioned almost directly in front of the parlor. I heard a slight intake of breath from David beside me. It was me, for sure. I was wearing my leather jacket, with my hands in my pockets. I didn't seem to do anything for a second or two, just looking around aimlessly. Then suddenly my entire body changed, my head snapping to a particular direction as my eyes locked onto something. Then I took a step back in the same second and vanished from view into the shadows.

‘Woah. That looks crazy from an outside perspective. The sixth sense thing I have going really is insanely cool. And a little scary…’ I thought to myself, feeling a bit impressed with myself for a moment.

The camera changed to the street view again, and I watched for signs of me moving around in the dark but I didn't see anything. Maybe if I could zoom in, but no. Then the camera zoomed into the alley entrance, where a dark figure was causing a black spot by blocking the light coming from the entrance with their body. ‘That would be me looking in.’ I noticed, watching raptly at the developments.

The dark figure rapidly retreated from the entrance after a second, disappearing again as something else happened. Two large, absolutely massive dark figures emerged from the alley and started walking slowly away, though I noticed a small flicker of movement behind them that was probably me. Unlike me, the monsters made no attempt to hide as they went. Lights glinted and showed their huge and rough forms. The laestrygonians.

The video paused as they passed under a lamp post, their blurry and indistinct forms unclear but obviously inhuman under the light.

“So…” The Director started with a bit of a drawl again, “These are the monsters that you and our team encountered, correct?” He asked to confirm, which I did with a nod. “Now, let's get into it. What are they, and how did you know they were there?” The question that I expected finally came.

“Laestrygonian Giants, a race of cannibal monsters. They like eating mortals a lot, unlike a lot of other monsters that don’t bother with them. They are one of the worst monsters around in that way.” I explained carefully, recalling the descriptions from the book quickly. “As for how I knew… I got a request from Cally to take care of them. She and I both felt it was being watched for whatever reason, and she asked if I could get rid of the problem. I would have probably done it if she didn't ask, mind you, monsters like that deserve to be killed.” I explained as best as I could, trying to stay in character with my explanations and giving a look of disgust as I looked at the monstrous figures.

The silence in the van turned heavy again, and I could feel a slight hesitation coming from David.

“What do you mean by you felt it was being watched?” The Director asked instead of asking about killing the monsters, to my surprise. ‘Ah… This is tricky. Clearly something is going on that they couldn't see just from the video, it was like I suddenly just knew a few times. Well… might as well give them the truth here.’ I thought as I came up with a reply quickly.

“Have you heard about the sixth sense?” I asked first, a bit tentatively and trying to look hesitant and unsure. David looked at me questioningly, but I continued with my explanation anyway. “I could feel them watching, and that night where it was coming from. It's an instinct. You just know. A lot of people don't have that, but I knew a lot of people that- that did as well… It’s not as uncommon as you think… But monsters go after us more than other people, for whatever reason. They can smell the difference.” I said, making myself choke up a bit as I mentioned knowing other people. ‘Good going… sell the act of grieving teen…’ I congratulated myself as I worked hard to keep my act up. ‘Damn this is hard.’

There was a heavy silence and I could see David looking shocked at me, before shaking his head and turning back to the silent screen where the Director was watching us from. ‘At least he bought it.’ I thought to myself with a bit of satisfaction as I noted his actions and body language. Though the Director… I can't know for sure, but I think he knows something off. Though… There is something off with him as well… That small feeling, it's familiar somehow…?

I put it off my mind, I must be imagining it. I just need to keep this up for the next… however long the Director is planning on doing this. I can do that. “Let's continue then.” The Director said decisively, pressing play on the video once again. I watched as the event started playing.