6. Specialized Covert Enforcement and Tactical Response Agency (SPECTRA)

A week since then has passed.

Before the skyline of the ruined city – his home – Lucas stood with his head bowed down, Mildred’s arm around him.

Beral was slain in a battle against Muriel. But not before killing Argus – a legendary feat – and grievously wounding the White Sovereign.

While Muriel escaped, it would take years, and hopefully even decades before she recovers.

However, there was no sense of victory.

To Lucas, he felt only hollow defeat.

Many perished, and they did not even have a grave.

While they were out of sight, millions of Ashen – previously the city’s populace – now occupy it. Their roars and groans he could hear in the distance.

He raised his head and looked around. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered all grieving in sorrow – all holding a candle of light.

With voices filled with vengeance and hope, in unison, they sang.

“Beneath the ashen sky,

A cry echoed, a last goodbye.

In the chaos, amid the pain,

A sacrifice not in vain.

Against the endless tide,

Blade raised, we will not to hide.

O’, in the embers, where hope seems gone,

The great Dominions rise.

From Noah, where twin rivers flow,

To White Hills, where mountains glow,

To forge anew our home bereft,

We shall ever prevail.

Against the endless tide,

Blade raised, we will not hide.

O’, in the embers, where hope seems gone,

The great Dominions rise.”

***

Following the candlelight ceremony, Lucas and the Hummingbird Unit flew to the City of Marianne. It’s where SPECTRA’s headquarters is located.

They entered a tall office building, but this was no ordinary place. It was a disguise.

This is the headquarters. They were all supposed to discuss Lucas’ punishment for abandoning command.

Normally, one of the worst things that could happen following insubordination in the military or the Defense is imprisonment.

But in the case of SPECTRA, if insubordination is proved, the punishment is worse than death – his soul core will be permanently shattered.

And Lucas himself believes this is fair. Most SPECTRAs, especially Primes, are provided military-grade spells like Mist and Blink, so it is only fair that the privileges and the power they were given for free would be revoked if they were insubordinate.

This understanding is what ironically made him more anxious as they climbed the elevator.

This doesn’t mean operatives are slaves to SPECTRA. They can leave after serving for 10 years if they want to.

Finally reaching their destination, Mildred halted before an office door, raising her hand, and gesturing for the others to stop. “They’re talking.”

An excited high-pitch, but gentle chirp, replied to Mildred. It was Lucy. She’s always so bubbly, a contrast to Mildred’s usually cold demeanour. “They?! Who?!”

“Master Livia and the Director.”

The wizard? What’s she doing here? Lucas thought.

Mrs. Livia is the only Class III wizard in all of the nation. She is also the headmaster of Noah Awakened Academy – one of the League’s now only five Awakened academies. And also it's the most prestigious.

Just like the rest of the academies, the NAA is named after the city-state it’s located in – the Dominion of Noah – the capital city of the League located about 200 kilometres north of Marianne.

But one of Mrs. Livia’s duties includes helping train Primes at SPECTRA. So, pretty much all Primes know the wizard.

“Let me eavesdrop,” Lucy said but her smile suddenly dropped a moment later. “I… think they might be talking about you, Cassy.”

Lucas raised a brow and stopped manually limiting his sense of hearing, wondering if they’re talking about his punishment. Eavesdropping is not that difficult because the Awakened have stronger senses compared to the non-Awakened. They just had to train to control these senses.

He surmised the others must have done the same thing seeing the frowns on their faces.

“Lucas is Marked. A proof of a 13th’s potential existence. Protecting his identity is paramount. Are you sure this is the best course of action?” said Mrs. Livia.

The Director replied with his usually stoic tone. “We already are undermining the League, Livia. If we want to avert suspicion? Then yes, this is the best course of action.”

“I’m not sure I like the idea. He’s still a child. They… are all still children.”

“Primes. Members of SPECTRA. They’re all Awakened. Not children to be coddled,” said the Director. “It is a sad truth, indeed. But this is a sin we all must carry and someday must pay for.”

It was quiet for a while. A silence only broken with Mrs. Livia’ audible sigh. “Five. They were five when we began to sharpen them like blades to be thrown into the gutter, just because they were Primes,” said Livia.

“…Livia. The monster Muriel has become is naught to do with you.”

“And I wish I could find comfort in those words.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Lucas suddenly felt a touch on his shoulder, gently pushing him out of the way.

When he looked over, Soren had an impatient look on his face. “Let’s just get this over with,” the androgynous red-hair said.

“Wait Soren––” Mildred tried to stop him, but Soren already kicked the heavy door open. “Jesus…”

Lucy chuckled and followed Soren in, but not before parting Mildred a pat on the back. “It’s a bit rude that they’re talking about us when they know we’re listening, no?”

“Hey guys!” Mildred chided them as she also followed in.

Lucas did not move for a while, and after hearing such a dismal discussion, he didn’t know what awaited him beyond that partially open door.

“Nervous?” he heard a voice behind him. It was Adelia. Like the rest of them, she’s like an older sibling to him.

Lucas nodded silently.

Adelia tilted her head and smiled. “It’s going to be fine, Cass.”

It’s going to be fine. A phrase all too often used when something goes bad. But not one of the Hummingbirds said it in the last two weeks, and Lucas sensed it was deliberate.

After all, he felt the same way. How could anything ever be fine again after all that has transpired? But for some reason, when Adelia said it, it felt as if everything was truly going to be alright.

“I hope so,” Lucas whispered back.

When he looked back forward, Cale stood there blinking. The only boy his age in the group. Even so, while Cale is like a brother to him, he finds it hard to relate to him sometimes. Cale is quiet, but ever so observant.

Lucas often wondered what his friend thinks about when he looks like he's spacing out.

“Hurry,” Cale said.

“Let’s go,” Adelia said and clasped Lucas’ wrist, dragging him with her.

***

For a Director’s office, it was pretty modest. Modest but elegant nonetheless. You could even see Marianne’s skyline from the wide windows adjacent to the room’s entrance.

Lucas would have been able to see the glory of Marianne, but his focus locked on him, sitting on a desk situated between Lucas and that great view.

One would think it was a silver-haired child who sat behind the desk, seemingly busy with the mountain of paperwork before him.

But no. While he looked like a child. That’s actually the Director.

Even after three years of being with SPECTRA, Lucas still did not get used to it. Apparently, the Director has some kind of a special condition.

“Sit,” said the Director without looking up, still flipping through his pages, making Lucas wonder why the Director didn’t use a computer at all.

Adelia briefly touched Lucas’ shoulder – as if to reassure him – before the three of them sat together on an empty couch perpendicular to the Director’s desk.

Before the trio, there was another couch, where Mrs. Livia sat with Mildred, Soren, and Lucy, who all nodded when their eyes met.

“It’s been a while you three,” said Mrs. Livia, who looked impeccable as always with her red dress and equally red hair. Her hair didn’t look like Soren’s at all.

Soren has locks akin to the colour of flames, but Mrs. Livia truly does have red hair like an apple. She also has bright, green eyes, because, unlike the Awakened, wizards retain their natural eye colour. So, she did quite resemble an apple–– if that makes sense.

But. If only her comely features and seemingly comely manners mirrored her teaching methods too… There’s a reason Primes call her the Nightmare.

But she’ll burn you if you call her that.

The trio greeted her back before Lucas glanced at the Director as he waited for the meeting to begin.

Still… without looking up from his desk, and STILL scribbling here and there, the chi–– the Director finally addressed the group. “As everyone is here, I suppose we can begin,” he said before FINALLY looking up. “Lucas Hale. Operative Number: 37 – of the Hummingbird Unit,” he said before pausing, silver eyes drifting to Lucas as if trying to gauge a semblance of a reaction.

Lucas gulped as he met the Director’s silver eyes.

“You disobeyed command. Why?”

Lucas averted his gaze and closed his eyes with a bow. “I have no excuses, Director.” It was a selfish act to operate by himself during the attack so he could find his family. But he knew he would do it again.

He sensed the Director’s eyes digging into his skull, never wavering as time seemed to cease, thankfully only for a brief moment. It was uncomfortable.

The Director hummed. “You have no excuses,” he said as he leaned back on his chair, his tone measured and calm. “Do you believe you deserve punishment, 37?”

Lucas didn’t know how to respond, only clenching his fist as he bit his tongue.

“...I will take that as a yes. So. What punishment befits you?”

“I… don’t know, sir.”

The Director then asked Mildred this time. “Hummingbird. As the team leader, does he deserve that punishment? A Soul Core Break?”

Mildred’s response was immediate, which surprised Lucas. “No, sir,” she said as she stood up.

“Why?”

“Technically, he did not disobey command.”

“Explain.”

“We were on standby prior to the attack–– free to do as we please. When it did happen, I have not been able to properly issue a command. Lines were down and I couldn’t reach 37,” Mildred said, before narrowing her eyes to Lucas, as if telling him to keep quiet.

Lucas knew it was a lie. He crushed his comms device when Mildred summoned the squad. When news of the assault spread throughout the League, he stowed away inside a Defense ship that rushed from Marianne to reinforce St. John. “But–”

But Mildred cut him off. “Not to mention. Even without his presence, didn’t we successfully accomplish our task?” she said. “We captured a Summoner.”

“And where was he when you made the summon?”

“As I said, we were on standby. And he was on a two weeks vacation in St. John. Have you forgotten, Director? As the one who approved his PTO?”

Lucas looked between Mildred and the Director. What are they talking about? That’s not what happened at all, he thought. Vacation? He didn’t remember being on a vacation. He was in Marianne before the attack.

“The government believes it is too much of a coincidence,” the Director replied.

Mildred raised a brow. “Is it?”

“Why did it so happen to be Claret? Does the person behind 37 have a familial relationship with somebody from the District?”

“All conjectures, Director,” she said with a casual shrug. “It just so happened that he was in the area. A cultural district known for its entertainment–– entertaining himself.”

The Director gave Mildred quite an unamused stare for a while. “…Right,” he said. A wonder how he managed to keep his calm. “Anyway. Claret was among those that was hit last. Wouldn’t it make more sense for 37 to be in the other districts that were hit first? Like the districts where the higher grade Ashens actually appeared?”

“It’s precisely because of Claret being among the last districts to receive military aid that 37 chose to remain, save for the evacuation area set up by the Defense. And since he was already on the area and evacuation efforts were already underway, remaining was the most reasonable approach. Without his help, thousands would have died.”

Lucas tilted his head as he listened, wondering why Mildred kept mentioning that he was already in the area in the first place.

Cale, who was playing some type of a pixelated game on his phone, seemed to have been able to read his mind. “Consistency,” he whispered.

“Sorry?” Lucas asked.

“When you lie, come up with an excuse and stick with it,” Cale replied.

Before Lucas could ask more, the Director cleared his throat and addressed Mildred once more.

“According to the Tribunal, if 37 were to have reinforced the military in more populated areas like the downtown––”

Mildred interrupted the Director. “That more people would have survived? By sacrificing one for two? I refuse to acknowledge a suggestion lacking any statistical basis. They have no case.”

She then briefly glanced at Lucas. “He must be commended, not punished.”

“This is just a performance review, Hummingbird. Not a military trial. So, I would suggest against insinua––”

Mildred looked pissed when she interrupted again. “My apologies. I understand you’re just doing your due diligence, Director. But I must have misunderstood the intent of this discussion when you suggested a punishment on something that even I was not aware of.”

The Director shrugged. “In any case, I suppose coincidences do happen all the time. But the fact remains that the government believes he shirked his duty.”

“Believes? Do they have proof? Or is it all just speculation?”

“What are you trying say?”

“Before that,” Mildred said as she pointed a finger upward. “Just for the record, we are conducting a preliminary report for the Hummingbird Unit’s activities during the attack, yes? And this is being recorded?”

The Director nodded. “You are correct. Recording and transcription of the meeting will be sent to the Department of Defense post-haste.”

Lucas wondered why Mildred asked that, before whispering to Adelia who sat beside him. “Why does she have to confirm that we’re on the record?”

Adelia just winked at him before placing her index finger before her lips.

Mildred sighed as she muttered to herself. “I see, I thought it would have been the Tribunal,” she said with quite the… sarcastic tone.

This didn’t sit well with the Director. “I’d have expected more decorum from you as a Named. But do go on.”

Mildred ignored the comment and retrieved her datapad, eyes scanning the surface. “Based on actual reports, there is nothing that suggests 37 shirked his duty.”

“Go on,” the Director said.

“According to multiple accounts, he cleared the path to 55th Street, helping allow the mass evacuation to proceed at the Upper Claret District. He reacted as a SPECTRA should in moments of chaos and uncertainty. He did all these when St. John’s chain of command was momentarily broken during the surprise assault. He did NOT shirk his duty, as I’m sure the elites of Claret can easily testify. Here, take a look.”

When the Director received Mildred’s data pad, he raised an eyebrow. “This witness account is pretty detailed for a civilian. Who’s Brock Moore?”

“Military. Retired. He led the evacuation.”

While the two discussed Brock Moore’s background, Lucas stared at Mildred in disbelief.

Sure, he did do the things she said he did, but it was because the Ashen on the path was on his way. And he already admitted to Mildred that he prioritized finding his mother and Micah rather than clearing the Ashen at Plume Boulevard to help people escape.

When he fought, it was only out of necessity. So, why would she omit those details?

The Director nodded. “Thank you for the clarification. You may proceed with the rest of the report,” he said.

With wide eyes, Lucas looked at the Director. What? he thought.

He expected a punishment.

What's going on? Lucas thought. It couldn't be favouritism, no. The last person he'd expect to show some sort of preference is the Director himself.

Adelia just giggled beside him.