Chapter 13
Eye of the Beholder
“Are the two of you calm now?” Roxanne asked as she separated the two Vampires.
Haru sighed in frustration and returned to slouch on the mattress while Ryu stormed off to the other side of the room to let out some steam. Haru knew Ryu had a point and tried to force himself to calm down. He fidgeted with his legs as he thought about what Ryu had said.
But now Haru felt tired. He never exhausted so much energy getting angry at somebody. Not even his school bully was on the receiving end of this much rage.
So, Vampires have anger issues? That's new.
Besides the clicking of Alyssa’s typing, the room fell silent.
“So, uh, let's continue?” Roxanne asked, trying to relieve the tension in the room.
After grabbing Haru’s attention, Roxanne dove into the next topic, the threat level system.
The threat level was a scale from one to five that measured the risk each Supernatural species were to the SRC. Risks may include being exposed as Supernatural to the public or risk of danger to the public.
The higher on the scale, the more significant the risk, at least in the SRC’s eyes.
Vampires are in the middle of the threat level, at level three.
If Vampires go without human blood for too long, they risk going ‘feral’ and killing innocent people for their blood. The SRC had established rules and procedures for Vampires to follow to reduce the danger they risk to the public. Being the Vampire that he was, Haru will learn more about this when he returned home.
Werewolves were the maximum threat level, at level five. The SRC only took extreme measures for any Supernatural that reached that high of a level. For Werewolves, it meant only one thing.
Extermination.
Unlike Vampires, Werewolves didn’t have any rules to obey or regulations to follow. Instead, they were hunted down and killed. The danger for Werewolves was too great for the SRC to try to control or manage their ferocity.
There had been a long rivalry between Werewolves and Vampires, so the Werewolves' high scaling on the threat level was seen as a victory for the Vampires.
However, for Haru, he felt pity. He remembered the Werewolf's last few moments after turning back into a man. The sorrow and fear in his eyes, knowing he would die. It was so memorable that it scarred Haru’s mind.
Shaman Spirits, on the other hand, were just a level one on the threat level scale, something Roxanne gloated about. Unlike Vampires or Werewolves, Shaman Spirits didn’t risk becoming ‘feral.’ Because of this, the SRC didn’t bother moderating Shaman Spirits as much as most other Supernaturals.
As long as they don’t transform in front of a crowd, that is.
“Do you remember when you killed those four men in that back alley, Haru?” Ryu asked. Haru was about to nod, but Ryu continued without waiting for a response. “You went ‘feral.’ That means you lost control. You went without human blood for so long that you went feral and killed people.”
“Werewolves go feral during the night,” Roxanne added. “Most Supernaturals have certain conditions where they lose their humanity and become a danger. The SRC tries its best to prevent that from happening.”
Haru looked down at his hands. He remembered them covered in blood on that night. He remembered the sensation of ripping flesh with his teeth. He recalled that sweet, sweet taste of human blood.
He really did lose control that night, something he never wanted to happen again.
“This is the last thing we need to talk about are the six divisions that make up the SRC. This is very important, so listen up!”
*****
The first division was the Division of Intelligence, Information, and Interrogation. This division was the intel collectors of the SRC, known for keeping many secrets that were mostly unknown to the rest of the organization. They excel in interrogations and investigations. They are the centerpiece of knowledge within the SRC. They were known as the ‘Triple I’ division, and agents from this division was represented by the blue stripes on their uniforms.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
The next division was the Division of Militants, Armory, and Tactics. This division was the strong arm of the SRC. Mostly made of heavily armed and well-trained soldiers whose main objective was to operate in raids for various reasons. Sometimes they hunt dangerous Supernaturals; sometimes, they provide protection to high-ranked SRC members. This division was sometimes known as the M.A.T. division and was represented by brown stripes.
The third agency was the Division of Regulatory Enforcement and Deliberation. They set the rules for each Supernatural and ensured those same procedures were followed. They can also provide emotional support for Supernaturals in need. Some act like mentors, and some act like counselors. These agents were represented by the red stripes on their uniforms.
The following agency was the Division of Supernatural Tech Research and Development. These are the scientists of the SRC, in charge of the research and development for the agency. They research the Supernatural energy that resided within every Supernatural and Unnatural, which can lead to them inventing tools that could be used by the SRC to help further their goal. Some inventions were used by Supernaturals to help cope with whatever they needed to live peaceful lives. Agents representing this division brandish white stripes on their uniforms.
The Division of Ethics and Internal Affairs was known as the watchman for the SRC, acting as the internal police for the organization. They keep the SRC accountable for malfeasance or misconduct and determine punishment for anyone found guilty. Easily the most disliked of the divisions. Agents from this division are represented by the green stripes on their uniforms.
The final division was known as the Division of Deception and Propaganda. This was the most mysterious of the divisions, even within the SRC itself. Their primary role was to ensure that they kept the work done by the SRC a secret by any means possible. Whether it was influencing the news or keeping politicians in check, they have full responsibility to keep the SRC within the shadows. These agents don’t usually wear uniforms. Instead, they wear black coats; hence they were nicknamed ‘the black coats.’
*****
“We are finished here,” Alyssa said as she handed the plastic bag to Haru. He stood up with a quick stretch and looked at the contents inside. It was a torn-up school uniform, which Haru quickly deduced that it was from the night he was attacked.
But how did the SRC obtain it?
“I should more properly introduce myself,” Alyssa said as she took out a badge from a pocket within her golden-laced uniform. “I am Alyssa McNebra. I am the Superintendent of the Division of Regulatory Enforcement and Deliberation in district E-26.”
Her badge had her name on it and her country of origin, and Haru was shocked to see that she wasn’t from Japan but South Korea. A bright golden star was brandished on the edge of her badge, the exact star she had on her uniform.
“Districts are the different territories in which the SRC splits the entire world. You reside in district E-26, which makes up all of Tokyo. Each district also has Superintendents that lead their own division within each district. You met Bret, correct? He is also one of them. Each district is also led by a district head. You have yet to meet him, and you probably won’t. He is a very busy man.”
To say the least, Haru was overwhelmed by the information he had just received. Of course, being the excellent student he was, he could keep a good memory of what he heard. The subject was interesting enough for him to keep his attention. On the surface, Haru may be a timid boy, but inside, he was someone who was aching to learn.
“I’ll lead you out from here,” Roxanne insisted as she guided Haru to the black door, with Ryu and Alyssa following behind.
The blackened door creaked open as Haru’s curiosity about the other side had been sated.
A long hallway was filled with more agents. All either had red or blue stripes brandished on their uniforms. They all scurried around the halls with papers and books as if they were in a middle of a rush. The hallway was also lined up with multiple black doors. As Haru reached the very end of the hallway, he approached a silver elevator door with a stranger in a black suit standing by.
“Haru,” Alyssa nodded. “You will follow this gentleman, and he will lead you home. An agent of ours will visit your house tomorrow, so stay prepared.”
The elevator opened, and the man led Haru inside.
“Ryu and I got some things to do here. We’ll talk later.” Roxanne said with a smile.
“We do?” Ryu asked in confusion.
Haru could see Roxanne yank Ryu’s ear and scold him as the silver door closed in front of him. He couldn’t make out what she said except for something about a ‘council.’
The elevator didn’t look special, but it looked odd. There were advertisements on the walls, and a nice red carpet was underneath. The inside was so colorful that it surprised Haru by its contrast to the room he was held up in. He also noticed the many buttons on the side of the elevator. Apparently, there were ten floors to the building he was in.
The elevator dinged, and the door opened up.
“Oh! Excuse me,” A stranger said from the other side. A family of four came into view as the door opened. Two adults, a small child, and a toddler.
The suited man motioned at Haru to follow him. Haru couldn’t believe what he saw. He was in the middle of a hotel lobby. There was a long line at the front counter and people chatting and socializing in a nearby lounge. Kids ran around, causing chaos that kids were known for. Windows all around let in the bright sun from outside.
Haru stayed close behind the man as he exited the hotel lobby to see a white Sedan waiting for him out front. But Haru was quickly distracted by the tall structure that met his eyes.
It was none other than the Tokyo Tower, looming tall on the horizon with the rest of the skyline. He was really far from home.
“Get inside,” The man said, obviously annoyed at the gazing Haru. “We will take you home from here.”