So I've been a bit busy, with school work and I got sick…I didn't get the chance to work on this chapter except for the original idea for it. Beware, it may be a little bit 'off'. Or it may not. Hope you enjoy, either way.

Chapter 14

The Inquisition

Allen shifted on the infirmary's bed uncomfortably. He didn't really understand why Matron wanted him here; he left the Asian Branch in a decent condition and that had only been a day or two ago. To prove it, she kept him on the same diet Bak created. And she restricted his activities to less than those of the average person going through with simple daily routines.

"You're so lucky, Allen," complained Lavi. "We're all here because of injuries. You don't even have a single scratch!"

"Look at Kanda. He's stuck here too!" Allen pointed out. The Japanese Exorcist glared at him.

"Don't even compare yourself to me," he growled. "You're just a freeloader here."

Technically, we all are freeloaders, Allen thought. We don't get paid, and we live off of whatever the Black Order provides. We do very little to reimburse them, too. Just kill a few Akuma on our missions.

"Do you think Crowley will wake up soon?" Lenalee asked. Allen turned to her, his eyes narrowing as he recalled a certain meeting he attended (without Matron's knowledge) late last night.

Flashback

"General Marian Cross, General Allen Walker," began Inspector Malcolm Leverier. "Do you understand why you are present at this meeting?"

"Because we're Generals," Allen replied at the same time Cross said, "Because the brat forced me to."

The both looked at each other with varying degrees of irritation. Their colleagues watched the display impassively.

""You two were present at the Ark Incident Not only that, but General Cross had been missing for several months before suspiciously appearing on the scene."

The red head shrugged. "I was working. You guys gave me a mission. I carried it out."

"If you failed, you would be facing severe consequences," Leverier said through gritted teeth. After a moment he cleared his throat, casting his gaze onto Allen. "Going onto the same topic, we became aware of another concern. How did you control the Ark, General Walker?"

"Ask Cross; I have no idea how the Ark works or exactly what I did. He told me what to do," Allen said nonchalantly. Most people believed Allen to be a bright, honest person…well, he was. Emotions and recklessness often ruled his actions, and he tried his best to be a good man. However, he lied on a daily basis. Usually Allen did so to keep his friends from delving into his life, or from worrying about him. Right now, he simply didn't want the Inspector to know anything about his ties to the Noahs. Not the wants he currently held. Or the ones that connected him to the Fourteenth through Mana.

Leverier waved the white haired boy away in a dismissive manner.

"We can go into detail later. If you do not know, then we may as well continue this meeting while Link delivers this request for me." Leverier lifted up a thin stack of papers, waiting for Howard Link to appear. The blonde young man obediently came over and took the papers. Once he exited the room, the Inspector looked around the table. "It was decided that we would use the Ark for transportation. General Walker's ability seems to have tipped the war into our favor."

"How so?" asked the Branch head Andrew Nansen of the Oceania Branch.

"The Ark was a factory for making Akuma. By capturing it, we have temporarily cut off that supply," Cross explained to them all. He propped his feet up on the table. "Not only that, it's transportation is what the Earl used to distribute his troops and his Noahs all over the world. Now that Allen is in control of it, we can use it for those very same reasons, while the Earl is stuck without a way to mass produce his machines. Unfortunately, he could easily make a new factory within the next few months."

"Indeed. It is imperative that we use this time to gather Innocence and build our army. The Ark will be extremely useful for this task."

Everyone made note of this, Bak excitedly whispering to his neighbors about exploring the Ark. Leverier's hand fell onto the table with a loud slap. The room fell silent once more.

"I still had one more matter to discuss: Lee, Lenalee. I think we should examine her more closely for the possibility of her wielding the Heart," he told them. Komui flinched, though he quickly realized it would be shocking not to hear anything about it. Allen's jaw clinched, hating the idea of his friend being put under that kind of scrutiny and surveillance.

"It's a little bit too soon to jump to conclusions, Inspector," Allen said quietly, his grey eyes hard as flint. "Hevlaska still hasn't taken a look at her Innocence. For all we know, this is simply what happens when one tries to exceed the limits of their synchronization. I don't think she should be subjugated to that, yet."

Leverier smirked. "Those are perhaps the most sound words, I've ever heard you say, Walker. I actually agree with you on that.

Flashback Ends

"Allen, are you alright?" Lenalee asked. "You look a little strange."

Allen gave her a reassuring smile. "It's nothing, really. And I'm sure Crowley will wake up soon. His stomach is too loud for anyone to get sleep around here."

TNT

Allen snuck into the infirmary's bathroom, quietly shutting the door behind him. He learned that it was near soundproof, when he tried to go to sleep during a particularly noisy bout of Crowley's stomach gurgling. He figured it would be the perfect place for him to hide.

Allen fished Timcampy from his pocket, smiling.

"Connect with Tyki," he whispered gently. The golemn shook with a huff of annoyance, the reluctantly obeyed. It took a minute, but soon Allen heard that familiar voice that sent a thrill of excitement coursing through his body.

"Hello, love. I see you've decided to make a midnight calling."

"I'm sorry," Allen apologized with a chuckle. "Did I wake you?"

"Not at all. I'm attending a ball at the moment, curtesy of Sheryl."

Allen raised an eyebrow, even though he knew Tyki couldn't see it. "I don't hear anyone else talking or music playing."

"I'm not going to take a call from you in a place where I can barely hear myself think." There was a pause. "Something is wrong. I can sense it."

"There is," Allen admitted." Yesterday there was a meeting I attended-"

"Ho, ho! Are you telling me all of the Order's plans now?"Tyki teased.

"Shut up, I'm being serious!" Allen frowned. "Leverier sent out a request to the Vatican. He sent it after I deflected his question to Cross, and even made a big show of giving it to his assistant."

"What do you think it was?"

"I think it may have been a appeal to question me through a mild form of the inquisition. Leverier knows more about the situation than he's letting on. He may even know about the Fourteenth."

"In which case you're in danger." Tyki's voice took on a flat tone. Allen scowled.

"You can tell the Earl about it, if he doesn't already know, but I'm not going to let you just whisk me out of danger. I want to figure this out on my own," he informed his lover in a firm voice.

"I already knew that. But Allen, we will steal you away from the Order if we decide you're in too much peril. Be careful."

"I will," Allen whispered.

Ugh, it feels like an old patchwork blanket. I feel like I had more typos in this chapter than any other one I have written before. Anyways, thank you for reading, I will update next weekend!