WARNING: This fanfiction is NanoFate and it is rated M for strong, disturbing, violent, and explicitly sexual, content and situations, as well as intimate scenes between women. If this type of content is not to your liking, or if you are underage, please do not read it.
DISCLAIMER: MSLN Characters belong to their rightful owners. All the situations and characters presented in this work are fictitious, any similarity with real, historical, or present situations or individuals, is not intentional.
TRANSLATOR'S NOTES: Life's been a little hectic but we're trying as much as possible to keep publishing at least one chapter per week. Thank you for reading.
Acronyms:
CCE - Control Center for Epidemiological Risks
DIAF - Department of Intelligence of the Armed Forces
The Shadow by Aleksei Volken
Chapter 4. Your gaze in the shadows.
— X —
"Only he whose bright lyre
has sounded in shadows
may, looking onward, restore
his infinite praise.
Only he who has eaten
poppies with the dead
will not lose ever again
the gentlest chord.
Though the image upon the pool
often grows dim:
Know and be still.
Inside the Double World
all voices become
eternally mild."
― Rainer Maria Rilke, Sonnets to Orpheus
— X —
"Hello…"
The voice was soft and clear at the same time, almost thick as it ripped the darkness that surrounded the woman and reached her, piercing deep like an arrow; she was immediately on alert from the dark corner of the cell where she was crouching. The cold, damp and numbness had her almost in a state of suspended shock, but hearing that voice so close to her, had her heart rate speeding up frantically and a thin layer of sweat covered her naked body.
She hadn't heard him approach. She hadn't sensed any presence either, but when her gaze shifted forward, toward the bars of her cell, she found a shadow casually leaning on the edge.
From where she was standing, the girl could only see a shadow darker and denser than the gloom around the silhouette. She did not distinguish any features in detail. The figure in front of her was tall, slender, broad-shouldered, and completely sharp on all the edges. The silhouette that she saw and the voice that had spoken to her were masculine but they were not familiar to her.
She had remained speechless, static in her position, waiting. Was that the man who had attacked her in the park? How long had it been since then? No one had approached her, no one had spoken to her, until then. Although at some point someone must have been there like that figure was since food had appeared in a chink of her cell. She hadn't seen who had brought it to her. At times, despite being cold, numb, scared, and in pain, or perhaps precisely because of all that, she would remain suspended in a hazy and sticky sleep like the humidity that she felt all over her body. While she was in those trances of exhaustion, plunged into a dull despair, she wanted to wake up to discover that she was not there; but each time, she woke up again with a start to discover that it was not just a bad dream. The nightmare was real.
During what seemed like endless waking hours, she had heard movements in other cells but had not seen anyone since that ghostly face she had glimpsed at first. In her mind, the overwhelming certainty that there were more people in the other cells than she could intuit was taking hold more and more. However, no one had spoken to her. And she waited without speaking either. She felt that if she spoke and someone answered her she would feel terrified, but she would feel even more terrified if no one did. She had no idea what was happening or why it was happening to her, but a primitive and savage self-preservation instinct that she never even sensed she might have told her to wait. To stay as still and quiet as possible and wait. Her rational mind told her not to wait like a cornered animal that crouches waiting for its predator, but something stronger than her mind told her to stay alert… and wait.
"Hello..." the figure repeated with a warm and soft voice, as if they were in the park, surrounded by the golden light of the sun instead of the dense darkness of a reeky dungeon.
From all the questions running in her mind, she was able to only voice out one, in a barely contained tone, "Why?"
He smiled but she could not see it. "The girl looks promising," he thought. "Where everyone screams and cries outrageously asking for help or to be let go... where others ask stupid questions like what are they doing here or who the hell am I... she doesn't say anything, doesn't scream, or kick around... she doesn't despair... she just asks, Why?"
"I'm so sorry I struck you in the park," he said with an incredibly soft, deep, masculine voice, without answering her question. "It was not very gentlemanly of me to do so, but it couldn't be helped… it was… necessary."
The young woman froze. What had happened to her had been premeditated. That was her assailant.
"What is the nature of a predator?" he asked. Although she could not see more than the shadow of his silhouette, the tone of his voice transmitted the smile floating in his lips.
The girl shuddered, looking disconcerted at the figure.
What did that man expect from her? Why had he taken her to that place?
The dark cell in which she was found and everything that seeped around her did not bode well for someone who admitted with such ease and calm having attacked her.
She had to answer and buy time… Wait and see how she could survive.
Controlling her body and her voice from shaking as much as she could, without moving an inch from where she was, she replied with a barely quivering voice, "... survival?"
His laughter froze her blood.
"No…" he said with the laughter still dancing in the tone of his voice. "That's the nature of the prey."
She still heard the echo of that laughter reverberating on the stonewalls long after it had faded and the shadow had left.
— X —
Midchilda City.
Day 17, Tenth Month, 2044 - 06:30 hrs.
Fate liked being early at the office… but not that much.
After the previous evening's call from Hayate, Fate had gone again through a terrible night and the worst curse for any employee had befallen over her: a restless night, spent in the middle of en erratic sleep-wake mode only to fall sound asleep thirty minutes before her alarm went off and waking up abruptly to a thunderous racket, disoriented, hardly knowing where she was but with the absolute certainty that it was very late.
Blinking like an owl, Fate realized it was six-thirty in the morning and jumped out of bed.
After a more than rushed shower and half a cup of cold coffee she drank from the same cup she had abandoned over her empty kitchen countertop the previous night, or the previous to that one, Fate finally managed to leave her apartment at six-forty.
If she was lucky, she might just be able to make it to the office without activating the siren of her vehicle.
Her luck ran out ten minutes later.
At ten to seven, the digital screen of her car's modern dashboard alerted her she had an urgent incoming call from Hayate's device. Having the device wirelessly paired to the dashboard, Fate didn't take longer than a second to answer Colonel Yagami's call.
"Are you on your way to the office?" was Hayate's blunt question, who, to Fate's surprise, sounded unusually agitated. Hayate could be unpredictable and uncontrollable on a personal level but she was cool and accurate on a professional level. Seldom, very seldom did she ever get distressed. The reasons to get such an effect on her boss and childhood friend were often extremely serious. And just from the restraint in her voice, Fate could tell with all certainty, that Hayate was very distressed.
"I should be arriving in ten minutes," Fate succinctly and waited, feeling the tension gripping in her stomach.
"Turn the siren on," Hayate told her, "And get as fast as possible to the coordinates I'm sending you." After a brief pause, she added, "There has been an attack on the Main Transfer Station of Midchilda's Subway, Fate."
Fate was speechless for a few seconds.
"I'm sending all the team to the area of the attack… we still don't know the magnitude or its consequences. Several emergency squads are already on their way as we speak. I need you, Signum, and especially Shamal to get there as soon as possible, but I also need the rest of your team."
"Of course," Fate replied, finally recovering from the shocking news. The facilities of Midchilda's subway moved thousands of people every day. "Anything necessary, do we have any idea of the… number of those affected?"
The Enforcer, which was fully in emergency mode by this time, turned on the siren and hit the gas fully. The powerful engine of her black sports car roared, increasing power and speed significantly, in two seconds Fate was already maneuvering at the maximum possible speed in the middle of the morning rush hour traffic.
"Not yet," Hayate replied. "From what I've been told an artifact exploded in the terminal a few minutes ago and the area is all chaos."
Driving aggressively through the crowded streets, Fate imagined the condition of the main transfer station. A place where several subway lines converged... and it was the beginning of the rush hour.
Hundreds, if not thousands of people must have been already there.
"I have already sent an emergency message to all elements, Fate, but contact your team, Rein is already sending all the agents the coordinates where each one should report."
After that very brief indication, Hayate cut the communication.
Fate realized then that a cold sweat was covering her. They had never handled a bombing in Midchilda.
Because there had never been one and much less of the magnitude that Hayate's brief description allowed one to imagine.
As she drove, Fate gave instructions to her mobile device, and seconds later, she was conferring with her subordinates. They were all already on their way to the same coordinates as Fate some closer and some farther away. Signum and Shamal were the ones closer.
Amidst all the voices, Fate was surprised again when Nanoha's voice indicated that she was already at the place and she was requesting instructions with a precise, professional voice.
"You're already at the station?" Fate asked.
Everyone else remained in a silence of astonishment.
"Not exactly at the station," Nanoha explained. "There's a blockade several streets around it. The coordinates Colonel Yagami sent to us correspond to the command post assigned to Section 6 and the teams from the CCE. It seems that apart from the Immediate Response teams, we will be the ones closest to the epicenter."
"Epidemiological Risks?" Fate asked, disconcerted. "I thought it had been a bombing."
Everyone was as confused as she was, but then Fate remembered Hayate's words. "... especially Shamal."
Fate had assumed it was an explosive device, but apparently, it could be something even worse.
"What's your ETA, Signum?" Fate asked as she calculated her own.
"Two minutes," her second immediately replied.
"Nanoha, don't do anything until Signum and Shamal get there. Just inquire about the situation with the commanding officers. I should be there in five minutes tops," Fate ordered. "Everyone keep your communicators open on the general frequency, but also ready with our internal frequency. We should receive some information in the next few minutes from Hayate or Director Gracia."
From various points of the city, the different agents of Section 6 approached 'ground zero' with the same concern, gripping them in the chest:
What the heck had happened?
— X —
Midchilda City.
Day 17, Tenth Month, 2044 - 07:15 hrs.
Signum's brief and concise preliminary reports did not prepare Fate enough for the surprise she received when she got to the right point.
From many streets back, traffic was already being diverted to give priority to emergency vehicles heading to 'ground zero', the point of origin of the attack. In the distance, Fate could notice the strange and excessively black column of smoke that was coming from the main building of the transfer station.
In the streets, the police officers did their best to evacuate from the area all the people who lived, worked, or simply were passing through the place at the time of the explosion, while various teams tried to coordinate to control the area close to the explosion.
When she got closer, in addition to the dozens of emergency vehicles, she saw them.
Numerous individuals, too many for Fate's peace of mind, wore ominous orange advanced biohazard suits. Fate's experience in that range was not vast but she was sure that the outfits she was seeing were used for handling pathogens of the highest threat level.
Her car's engine still hadn't turned off completely when she was already running to the rendezvous point. Zafira, Signum, Shamal, Nanoha, and as well as Griffith and his team, were already there and waiting for her with the news.
Around the group, an entire infrastructure to set up the mobile command centers of TSAB and CCE units was already in place.
Without even a greeting, Signum gave her the information in the most concise and succinct way possible.
"The subway sensors detected that a device exploded in the main tunnel of the line at six-thirty a.m., no one has yet reached the point of origin of the explosion but there is a record that it affected the structure, the communication, and surveillance systems, and the train was partially trapped in the tunnel... It is unknown at this time if it happened during the same explosion but it has been confirmed that a pathogen was also released, Fate. There are hundreds of people affected by either the direct explosion or the pathogen. The emergency teams were the first to arrive but they have had to wait for those from the Epidemiological Center to be able to transfer the first affected and injured, Midchilda General and the Army's Hospital of High Specialties are already setting up special pavilions to receive the wounded depending on their condition."
After a brief pause, Signum continued.
"Agents from the CCE are trying to assist the people who managed to leave the facility on their own and preparing a direct inspection crew to measure the contamination of the area before anything else can be done. The police are trying to control the collateral situation. While the explosion caused localized damage that firefighters are still trying to control, the issue with the toxic release is becoming much more difficult."
As she listened, Fate was in disbelief. At that moment, they got communication from Hayate informing them of their responsibilities at that point.
"Except for Shamal who will assist the investigators from the CCE to determine the pathogenesis and work as a liaison between TSAB and them to coordinate activities, the responsibility of Section 6 is finding out who the hell perpetrated this attack," Hayate said and Fate was able to sense the contained rage in her superior's voice. "Shamal will make sure everyone has the maximum security measures in place, but we need to determine exactly what happened and how it happened."
Fate was sure everyone was after the same goal.
During the following hours, all of Section 6 elements were submerged in the turmoil that resulted from handling an emergency of this magnitude. They tried to help as much as possible but the most important thing they could do was find the most recent trace of who had committed such a cunning attack and how they had managed to circumvent the strict security measures of the subway.
So, amidst a maelstrom of firefighters, policemen, paramedics, military, and agents, they were trying to find traces, clues they could follow and kept alert to everything happening around them, registering it all.
By experience, they knew that the perpetrators vehemently required to know the aftermath of their actions. It was quite likely the culprits were around so Fate and Griffith decided to send Teana and Subaru to look around and investigate the surroundings to gather as much information as possible from the available video cameras.
Verossa Acous along with his team and Yuri Natsume later joined together with Hayate after meeting with the military commanders in charge of the incident control. Although the army and the police were gradually regaining control and keeping the press at bay, the different media were waiting for the event. Citizens who had been more or less close to the area of the incident recorded everything that happened, and the network was crammed with information, recordings, and photographs of all kinds made by the same people.
The hours slowly accumulated and when they realized it was past ten o'clock at night by which time it was possible to completely regain control of the area, secure all positions, and transfer all the wounded ... and the deceased.
Until then, Hayate summoned all of her team leaders along with Yuri Natsume to the armored truck they were using as the command center for that operation, for a quick progress and reporting meeting. They all looked tired and dirty but the gleam of determination didn't fade in their eyes. As the day progressed, everyone without exception grew more and more furious.
And at the time, Shamal was giving them one of the most difficult reports they had ever faced on that day.
"I'm sorry, what?" Hayate asked, startled by the news.
Shamal had been wearing the ominous orange protective suit for many hours and was sweaty, full of dust and soot after several forays into 'Ground Zero', which had already been fully secured.
"From the moment it was detected for the first time that a pathogen had been released, we have feared that there will be a considerable number of victims not by the explosion, but rather due to some type of contagion; however we have found a very significant and worrying anomaly… Many of the people exposed just over twelve hours ago have already developed symptoms of the disease and even before we had fully identified the pathogen… we have had the first deceases already… There are people within 'Ground Zero' who died several hours ago… as a result of the pathogen but due to the collapses caused by the explosion, their bodies have barely been recovered."
"What disease is it, Shamal?" Fate asked.
Shamal looked towards everyone present, but stopped her gaze on Fate when answering.
"Anthrax."
After a suspended moment of horror, Yuri Natsume, standing with her arms crossed at Hayate's side, expressed in a cool and calm voice what everyone was thinking one way or another.
"Are you sure, Doctor Yagami? …Anthrax, even in the case of bioterrorist attacks has an incubation time and appearance of the first symptoms much longer than the one you mentioned."
Shamal took a deep breath before answering.
"I know, Major Natsume, my colleagues from the CCE are working on that right now but we are barely on the first samples and results yet… according to what we've found, in this case, the first symptoms occur within the first four, five or six hours post exposition and develop over the next five to six hours… to a catastrophic outcome."
"What's the survival rate?" Hayate asked, feeling her heart thumping rapidly in her chest.
Everyone paled at Shamal's answer.
"So far… none of the victims who have developed symptoms has survived… The doctors of the Center are trying to extend the survival time on those that started to gradually show symptoms but so far they have been unsuccessful. The pattern seems to indicate that the closer to the point of origin they were, the sooner they start showing symptoms and once the sequence starts, in all cases it turns out to be fatal… There is something that has all of us… deeply disconcerted," Shamal said, trying to find some silver lining to the situation.
"What is it about?" Verossa asked, looking at her friend.
"Not all the people that were exposed are showing symptoms… at least not so far."
They all looked at each other a bit confused.
"How so?" Fate asked again, who suddenly felt very worried about Nanoha and all of her companions, who despite having the same protective equipment that Shamal was using, had already been around for hours and still continued, in the work of collecting leads.
"Yes, several people," Shamal explained, "that were more than clearly exposed, even in the critical area of 'Ground Zero' have not developed any symptoms so far. Some even had open wounds from the explosion that, in theory, should enhance the contagion of Anthrax cutaneous form but they are not showing any evidence of infection."
"Although we can't rule out they could show them," Natsume quickly pointed out.
"True," Shamal said. "For the time being, in the microbiological cultures carried out with the samples taken from these people, no traces of the pathogen have been found at all... Although they could be asymptomatic, they could very well be carriers as indicated by the Major, however, we are still at a very early stage to determine it with complete certainty."
Shamal didn't want to think about the implications that the early discoveries were throwing up at the moment, nor did she want to exacerbate everyone's apprehension and stress, so she tried to be as cautious as possible with her observations.
"Go back with those from the Center, Shamal," Hayate asked her adoptive sister. "Keep working with them all you can while we confer with the higher-ups to determine the next actions. I will contact you as soon as possible."
After quickly saying goodbye to her teammates, Shamal returned to the command module of the CCE somewhat disappointed by not being able to see Signum before going back.
On the way to her destination, she walked down an unusual street, full of vehicles and removed debris, looking around in search of that haughty figure she knew so well, to no avail.
According to what Alto and Lucino had told her, Fate's second-in-command was still in what they expected to be the last round of evidence search that night. Together with the forensic teams that had worked all day in the affected surrounding area, Zafira, Vice and Signum had entered "Ground Zero" several times already.
Although Shamal had personally ensured that all TSAB teams had the necessary security measures in place, she couldn't help feeling a flicker of concern for Signum. She cared for everyone, her brother Zafira was there too, her friends, Nanoha, Fate… but none of them could be as reckless as Signum could be at times. Or so stubborn.
Thus, brooding over her concerns on the way to the command center, Shamal saw in the distance an armored truck very similar to those of TSAB but much larger and with the 'JACES' insignia on the sides of the vehicle. Some elements in gray uniforms and the same insignia moved with various devices and gadgets around the truck.
At that moment, Shamal saw Superintendent Ryōko Yakushiji getting out of the truck, closely followed by Signum, still clad in the orange protective suit. The two women seemed to be discussing some detail with great interest, and neither of them identified Shamal.
Yes, Signum could be very reckless.
— X —
By three in the morning, Fate approached one of the supply tables to get a coffee and found Nanoha, quietly sitting over a provisions box, completely immersed in her thoughts.
Although they had been using the protection suit at several moments, by that time they were both wearing TSABs traditional uniform since that area had been cleared as safe.
"Hi," Fate greeted her before getting any closer to not startle the red-haired who seemed very focused on whatever she was thinking.
Nanoha quickly turned to see her team leader.
"Fate…"
Until then, Fate approached the table and Nanoha.
"How's it going?" she asked as she poured herself some coffee.
Nanoha had been working partly with Shamal and partly with Signum to collect data to help her create a profile of the person or group of people who had planned this attack. Hayate had been very insistent that Nanoha give her opinion on the situation later.
"We just finished," Nanoha explained. "Containment teams are already working in the area. From what Shamal told us a few minutes ago, everything seems to indicate that there are no more people injured that require transfer but the K-9 teams will continue working for a few more hours. Signum-san said that she would let you know."
After that, Fate turned smiling to see Nanoha.
"Yes, yes she told me, I was talking with her just now… Maybe the correct question was how are you doing? … You… I mean," Fate tried to control her nervousness and address Nanoha as she would any rookie recruit, "The truth is that you had a baptism of fire in your first days in the Unit. An exceptionally difficult case with the serial killer at hand… the cyber-terrorist attack and now this."
Fate tried hard not to seem over-concerned about her since she had been concerned about her entire team equally, although Nanoha was still a rookie in many respects despite her brilliant performance as a scientific investigator. And she tried not to think that she was also the woman she loved... even if she couldn't tell her so at the moment.
Nanoha sighed and closed her eyes.
"The truth… Fate-chan…" Nanoha didn't even realize that she had called Fate by the endearment term she had started using months before, "I don't think any of us was ready to see what we saw at the critical zone of the blast… Vice and Zafira have almost ready the model of the explosion to show us how the attack was done but what has been more… frustrating… while we have been there, in the affected zone, watching the victims as we gathered data, has been thinking about the extreme nonsense of this action."
Nanoha was still sitting on the wooden box of supplies and was looking down at the floor as she spoke, clasping her hands between her legs.
Fate leaned a little closer to her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
Nanoha looked up and Fate could clearly read the exhaustion and sadness in her eyes.
"These people hadn't hurt anyone; they had a work or school day like any other… until that device went off… Now their lives are changed forever… or it is simply gone… All the plans they had, everything they had ahead of them… by a sheer act of… mindless evil… that has no explanation. I cannot imagine what the people that have survived this incident are feeling. Or the people that are in the hospital without knowing if they are infected or not, without knowing if they will survive this day or not."
Fate resisted the urge to embrace Nanoha at that moment and just lightly squeezed her shoulder.
"Now, more than ever, we need your ability to understand those who did this, Nanoha. The forensics team and the guys may analyze the physical evidence, but we need to understand what's going on in the mind or minds of whoever did this," Fate said without letting go of Nanoha and without avoiding her gaze, "We have to capture them and stop them."
Nanoha remained still and silent but after averting her gaze, she asked Fate a question that left the Enforcer puzzled.
"Do you think this attack and the one to Midchilda's Central Bank are related?"
Fate slightly frowned.
"No one has claimed responsibility for this attack... And although at this point, no possibility can be ruled out, the two require very different logistics and resources," Fate said, thinking about the implications of what Nanoha was hinting at, "Why do you think that?"
Nanoha explained a little the ideas that had been accumulating in her mind along the day.
"It's very different profiling one person from profiling a group of people," she said at last. "However, the one thing that stands out for me is that both in the case of the bank and here, in the subway, we're talking about an infection."
The frown on Fate's brow grew more pronounced.
"The attackers to the Bank were able to do what they did thanks to the action of a high-level computer virus. Creating a virus like that is not trivial. It is not something that comes to you in an email... Apart from the fact that this is also an infection and pending to what the Center and Shamal-san discover, I suspect that this virus is also artificially created. No kind of Anthrax behaves as we are seeing here."
Fate remembered what Shamal and Major Natusme had said about the afflicted from the released pathogen.
"It cannot be a coincidence, Fate," Nanoha finished looking again at Fate with intensity.
"Let's find Hayate immediately," Fate told her, extending her hand to help Nanoha stand up from the box where she was sitting.
At the supplies table, Fate's coffee was left behind, just getting cold.
As they walked away, deep in the discussion of possibilities, neither of them realized how close they were walking to each other, touching each other's arms or shoulders every so often to emphasize a point.
Just like they didn't notice either when, at some point of their talk, Major Yuri Natsume had also approached the table for coffee and had stayed in a shadowed corner, listening to them and watching them walk away.
— X —
TSAB's Headquarters, Section 6-9 offices, Special Unit of Violent Crimes
Midchilda City. Day 18, Tenth Month, 2044 - 08:30 hrs.
Although it was past eight in the morning, the day had turned dark gray, cloudy, and rainy, as if even the sun was in mourning. The city slowly tried to resume its usual rhythm under the darkened horizon.
But at TSAB headquarters and many other agencies, the pace was still frantic.
No one could even tell how many cups of coffee they already had. They all had pulled an all-nighter first at the area of the attack and then at TSABs offices almost till dawn. Some hadn't even showered yet.
"I appreciate the effort everyone's making," Hayate started saying at the meeting. "This is an unprecedented and remarkably complicated situation we had never had to face before. Even more in the conditions in which the Special Units Division is right now. For that, aside from thanking you, I need to ask you for your greatest effort."
In the main conference room, the three investigation teams that made up Section 6 under Hayate's charge had gathered; Fate, Griffith, and Verossa with their teams, along with Deputy Director of Special Units, Carim Gracia, and Administrative Director of the Section, Admiral Lindy Harlaown.
It was not customary to have meetings of such importance.
"Yesterday it was a dark day for the city's memory," Hayate continued. "But added to the pain that has been caused to hundreds of people and the significant damage to the city, we are facing a baleful threat to people's safety and to the authorities for which we have the responsibility to safeguard."
In the room, everyone was silent and despite the exhaustion, no one was discouraged or defeated. They were all firm and alert, waiting for the Colonel's next words. Hayate looked firm and confident as always, but a slight tension was evident on her face. As in everyones after what happened.
"This is a situation unlike anyone we've lived and we have to adapt and evolve to overcome it. For the past few months, we have tried with all our effort and professionalism to cover the requirements of our Section and those of the once Section 9 as part of our restructuring and organization internal process."
At that moment, Fate, who had had a bad feeling since Hayate had summoned them to that meeting abruptly after Carim and her mother arrived at the offices, felt her apprehension deepen.
"During those months, your work and effort have been instrumental in solving many cases and maintaining the integrity of the Bureau. However, the situations that we have faced in recent days, the attack on the Midchilda Bank and the one on the subway yesterday, call for measures of equivalent magnitude to be taken."
For the first time, they all looked at each other bewildered. Nanoha looked for Fate's gaze but the blonde Enforcer was only looking towards Hayate and her mother. Lindy Harlaown's expression betrayed nothing, but the admiral, like Hayate, was not in her usual mood and was slightly avoiding her daughter's gaze.
Hours earlier in the early morning, after the notification of Nanoha's hypothesis, Hayate had remained unusually quiet and said goodbye to Fate and Nanoha leaving for a meeting of higher-ups, assuring them that no hypothesis would be ruled out.
The Deputy Director for the Special Units Division, Carim Gracia, took the floor at that moment.
"Just as Colonel Yagami has said, the situations that have arisen have made it clear more than ever the need to have a Special Unit for the attention and investigation of these cases, as was the function of Section 9. The work that you have done, along with Colonel Yagami, to this date, has been truly commendable and outstanding, but given the current circumstances, we cannot have a single Unit performing both functions even if they are elite agents like you are."
Fate understood the logic of what Carim and Hayate were saying but she knew there was something else she wasn't going to like. Like Hayate and Lindy didn't either, despite the speech they were giving them.
"From this day on and effective immediately," Carim informed, "Section 9 of the Division will be restored and the investigation of the attacks on the Central Bank and the Midchilda underground will be under its jurisdiction. I must ask both Colonel Yagami and you all to go the extra mile just a little more, during a reasonable transition period, as the new Unit begins its duties in full."
Before any one of the attendees could make any comment, Carim answered the question floating on everyone's head.
"In charge of Section 9 will be Major Yuri Natsume, who is, as of right now, transferred from DIAF to TSAB," Carim continued and then dropped the bomb Fate knew was coming.
"Major Natsume is currently forming her work team but given the special circumstances of yesterday's attack, Major Natsume has especially requested the transfer of two members of Section 6 to her Unit and these transfers have been authorized by the General Tactical Directorate. From this moment on, Agents Shamal Yagami and Nanoha Takamachi will be reassigned to Section 9."
A murmur spread through the conference room as Fate abruptly stood up. She was able to control herself from speaking but when she became aware of it, she was looking at Director Carim intensely, feeling used; her hand on the table was clenched.
Signum had barely managed to control herself from doing the same as Fate and her gaze locked with Shamal's. The blonde doctor just shook her head negatively. Neither she nor Nanoha had been informed of that before, they were finding out like everyone else, at that moment.
Nanoha and Shamal, who had sat together with Alto and Lucino, looked alternately at Fate and Carim puzzled.
"Enforcer Testarossa," Carim said, raising a conciliatory hand, "I know this notification is abrupt and unexpected. It was for us, too."
Fate looked at Lindy. She couldn't care less at that moment that the admiral was her mother. What they were doing was unfair and everyone knew that.
Lindy, for the first time, approached Carim and addressed everyone, but especially Fate's team.
"Everything Carim and Hayate have said is accurate and true, and you all know it. The current situation for Section 6 has become overwhelming and unsustainable. There is no way that you can investigate cases that only investigators like you can investigate and also take care of cases related to attacks that also require special attention," Lindy said.
"That doesn't give you the right to form your task force with our agents," Fate said dryly before she could contain herself.
The look of his teammates around the table indicated that they all thought the same as Fate.
Lindy looked at her daughter and continued with the same firmness, "We all work for the same organization and with the same goal, Enforcer: Protect the citizens and capture those who pose a threat to their safety. I am afraid that Shamal and Nanoha's work was exceptional yesterday and very surely, that is the reason behind Major Natsume's very specific request."
Lindy looked at her daughter and all of her subordinates with authority before adding.
"The immediate restoration of Section 9 as an independent and autonomous team is a direct order of the Ministry of the Interior and the appointment of Major Natsume to the position has been carried out in an extraordinary session by the security council early in the morning. I must say that for Nanoha and Shamal it is a special opportunity since, although they are still in TSAB, they will have much greater responsibility in Section 9."
Lindy didn't have to say that the orders they had received came from high up in the chain of command and there was no room for opposition. Fate wanted to say that Nanoha was still a rookie and she wasn't ready for more responsibility, but Nanoha asked to speak right then and stood up.
"Go on, Agent Takamachi," Lindy said.
"Admiral, Director, Colonel," Nanoha said, surprising a little everyone with her solemnity, "Shamal-san and I understand the reasons for our reassignment, but by taking two members of the same investigation team, that is also affecting the operation and effectiveness of Section 6. Except for yesterday's emergency, we have been very busy and focused on an extremely complicated case; you are aware of the seriousness of serial murders that have been linked to the same subject... A case like that cannot be ignored."
"At no moment has that ever been suggested, Agent Takamachi," Carim pointed out with severity.
"Nanoha is working on the killer's profile and, by his characteristics, it's turning out to be more difficult than other cases. Yesterday we were supposed to start a detailed analysis on the identified victims so far," Fate added to Nanoha's argument. "And we still have pending the interview with General Bassanius regarding his missing daughter."
"Without underestimating the seriousness of the case, I think the difference in weights is significant Fate," Carim said now looking at Fate, "By the time we entered this meeting, two hundred and fifty people had died because of yesterday's explosion or due to the toxic agent that was released... Without taking into account the economic repercussions of the attack on the Midchilda Bank."
Fate took a deep breath and clenched her fists. She knew that without needing Carim to remind her.
"Two hundred and fifty-seven, according to the last report Shamal gave me… yes, Director. Does this imply that the case of the attack has a higher priority than any other that we are investigating?"
Much to her regret, Lindy had to intervene after Fate's questioning.
"That implies, Enforcer Testarossa, that the necessary resources must be assigned to each case in an equivalent way," Lindy said seriously. Fate was always respectful of forms and Lindy could understand what the untimely news meant to her, but there was nothing they could do. The order was irrevocable and they had instructions to execute it immediately. It hadn't even been possible to warn Fate of what was coming. Lindy and Carim had barely gotten the prerogative of being the ones to inform Hayate and her people.
Yuri Natsume had turned out to be better positioned than anyone expected.
"I can assist in both cases," Nanoha said abruptly. "I mean, while we are on the transition period, although actually…"
The redhead paused, looked down, and when she raised her gaze she stared directly at Lindy Harlaown with an iron determination.
"I must help find this killer, Admiral… I won't neglect the duties assigned to me in Section 9 if that's the place where I can be of more help, but I cannot simply put aside the investigation of… those girls," Nanoha's gaze was indisputable, fierce and went from Lindy to Carim and Hayate before adding with contained voice. "This is not just about capturing a criminal and a murderer. Many of them are still alive and at the mercy of someone who mutilates and kills them little by little, and perhaps the only thing that keeps them alive is the hope that someone can get to them before it is too late."
"You are committing yourself to something quite serious, Agent," Hayate interjected abruptly. "Are you aware of the implications that would be there for you taking responsibility for something like that?"
"I'll do whatever it takes," Nanoha said without hesitation. "I may not have the experience my colleagues have but I will do my best."
Fate and everyone else looked at her in amazement but the passion Nanoha spoke with had set them on fire with the same desire.
"Besides," Nanoha added with determination, "I know I have the support of my teammates and that they want exactly the same."
That was as far as the agents' ability to restrain themselves was able to reach.
Everyone stood up and supported Nanoha's request. Fate noted with a certain mixture of joy and pride the change in Nanoha from months ago when she started collaborating with TSAB up to that moment. She had always known that the young woman was a brilliant researcher but she had just noticed that she was also a natural leader. Looking at her teammates, Fate realized that with just a few words, Nanoha had won everyone's support. Even from the team leaders, Griffith and Verossa, who approached Fate and let their bosses know that they would work together with Fate's team as well for whatever was needed.
Lindy and Carim exchanged a meaningful glance.
Hayate put the room back in order.
"I appreciate your unity and solidarity but we have to be very realistic about what we can and cannot do," Hayate said, "Major Natsume and Section 9 will have their own priorities and goals just like we do."
Lindy intervened again, she understood that Hayate wanted to make sure the expectations were very clear for everyone but she knew very well the importance of having the support and motivation of her team. Lindy, like Fate, had noticed the team's reaction to Nanoha's intervention.
"I find your proposal very interesting, Agent Takamachi," the Admiral said, "We certainly cannot miss any opportunity to clarify that case as quickly as possible. During this transition period, I think it makes a lot of sense for you to support the investigation that Agent Testarossa is leading and, especially, the work that Agent Yagami will lead with the CCE."
Then Lindy's gaze focused on Shamal.
"Your case is different from Agent Takamachi's, Agent Yagami," Lindy said looking at the young woman she had known since she was a child, "Your work with the CCE is instrumental for TSAB, not just for the Division of Special Units. Although you are immediately assigned to Unit 9 and report to Major Natsume as your superior for scientific investigations related to the attacks, you will have a special liaison role with the CCE and other organizations for which you will report directly to me and Admiral Graham."
Signum and Fate looked at each other with a frown.
Verossa looked at Shamal with concern.
Shamal looked at Nanoha, who was still standing.
"So they don't really trust Natsume was much as it would seem," Fate thought. That intelligence rat was not going to like that at all.
"We will have very busy and difficult days ahead of us," Lindy said looking at everyone present, including Hayate and Carim. "I am counting on your hard work and determination. Colonel Yagami and Deputy Director Gracia will inform you of the details and organize the activities during the transition period. Major Natsume should be in the office in a couple more hours and we'll have another meeting with her then."
After the meeting ended and all the agents left the conference room, Hayate and Carim stayed with Admiral Harlaown for a moment longer.
"That's a bit risky, don't you think, Admiral? Natsume is not going to like it at all that Nanoha has one foot in Section 9 and the other in Section 6," Hayate said straight to the point.
"Hayate," Carim said, "We already have enough with having the DIAF entering our territory to also have generalized insubordination in your Section right now... Starting with you, by the way. Your attitude in the meeting with the higher-ups was not exactly diplomatic. The decision the Admiral made is the most appropriate for the current situation."
"Someone has to tell them how things are from time to time," Hayate said, trying to sound nonchalant even though she really wasn't at all.
Lindy, who had just finished pouring herself some tea and was adding several spoonfuls of sugar into it, turned to Hayate, smiling innocently.
"Yuri Natsume has vast experience in international espionage, counterespionage, terrorism, and intelligence issues that have also earned her an important network of contacts between the high-ups... That is undeniable," Lindy said sipping her tea elegantly, "But there is a point that we must not forget girls."
Hayate and Carim looked at their boss, intrigued that she was looking so relaxed considering the situation.
But Lindy only looked at Carim, and when she spoke, despite her smile, her gaze had a relentless glow.
"No matter who sponsors her, actually here in TSAB, Natsume will have to report and answer to me. If we could handle Regius Gaiz, we will be able to deal with her. It's just a matter of time for things to fall into the place they have to be. Nanoha-san's proposal is exactly what we need right now and I was not expecting any less from her. Now we must support her, and Hayate's team… and Shamal most of all. Her work will be, by far, the most difficult and vulnerable, but she is the only one we can trust for that."
Carim looked at Hayate.
Sometimes she forgot that Shamal, Signum, and Zafira were her family, and although that fact never interfered with the job that had to be done, surely it had to be difficult for Hayate from time to time.
"The Admiral is right, Colonel. I had not seen it like that. You will have my support… as always," said Carim, who although did not have a military career, had earned her name by pure raw effort as a high-ranking officer in TSAB.
"Leave Natsume to us," Lindy said, finishing her tea and then abruptly changed topics. "I was told Superintendent Yakushiji has already deployed her influences and resources…"
"Signum and Fate told me about that," Hayate replied concisely. Lindy Harlaown never brought a topic for no reason.
Lindy remained thoughtful for a few moments.
"Unlike Natsume, I believe she might be an interesting ally, Hayate, it would be good if you would reconsider your opinion on her."
"I have an excellent opinion on the Superintendent," Hayate replied with an innocent expression. "It's her methods, the ones I find slightly… questionable."
Carim shook her head slightly from side to side and stroked her chin lightly as if thinking hard, to then add, "I don't know who that reminds me of…"
After laughing a bit and relaxing the tension between them, the three women said goodbye to face the challenges of the day ahead of them.
Hayate was also internally preparing for the personal challenges she would have to face after that announcement. Although Nanoha and Shamal were so willing and asked to help in whatever was necessary, she very much doubted that Fate and Signum would be so measured and docile.
— X —
Fate didn't have time to mull over the implications of the changes they had in front of them in Section 6, considering that as soon as she stepped foot into her office, she found the acclaimed Superintendent Yakushiji, comfortably seated in HER chair, tending to two people who were currently with their backs turned to her the moment Fate entered.
"Oh, Fate... excellent, so good you can meet with us," Ryōko said, completely installed in Fate's office and in her role.
An older man in an elegant dark suit stood up and turned to Fate.
"General Bassanius… Enforcer Fate Testarossa, this is TSABs agent in charge of investigating the case of the serial murderers we were talking about," Ryōko explained, standing up as well.
"Marius Bassanius," the General greeted her with a somber countenance and without making reference to his rank.
"General…" Fate said, bowing her head slightly in greeting.
Next to the General, a beautiful young woman with shoulder-length auburn hair had also stood up.
"My daughter, Euris," the General introduced her, "Superintendent Yakushiji gave us some details of the investigation you are carrying out.
"I am very sorry that the meeting with you yesterday could not happen, General, you are aware of the situation, - Fate said, really sorry with the General. Regardless of the attack, every minute that passed, for them had to be hell. Fate knew with clear certainty.
"We met with the Superintendent and Colonel Yagami's assistant yesterday; we heard the news on our way here in the morning and when we arrived Clyde and Lindy Harlaown brought me up to speed. We have already left all the information we have with Agents Finieno and Izumida, I hope it can really be useful to find my daughter," said General Bassanius. It was clear on his face that he had not slept or rested enough.
Fate gestured for them to sit down again and at that moment Ryōko handed her a device that Fate quickly checked.
Apparently, Shari, along with the Cranagan Superintendent and her assistant, had interviewed the Bassaniuses in the absence of Section 6, and all the data was already integrated into the database they used for the investigation.
"We have to correlate this data with the information we already have and most likely, we will have to talk to you again, General," Fate said and after a quick review of the information, she asked, "Did your daughter Sofia live alone?"
"No," the General's daughter answered. "We've shared an apartment since we attended University."
Fate adjusted the notes on the device.
"Did Sofia ever… went out for some days without letting anyone know?" Fate asked with as much delicacy as she was able.
"Never," the General answered bluntly. "She always says where and who she is with. She has grown up in a military family even if she did not choose that path. You know how that is, Enforcer."
Fate nodded. She knew. But she also knew there were times in which not everything was said to one's family.
"The report mentions that she was dating someone, Miss Bassanius… Have you ever met your sister's suitor? Did he ever go to your house?" Fate asked without getting into more detail.
"I saw him a couple of times when he came to pick up Sofia," Euris replied. "But he never stayed for more than two minutes; he would just come in, say hi, and almost always, would say goodbye and leave. They never spent any time of their… dates in the apartment."
"Did you know if he was ever at your home when you were not there?" Fate asked softly.
Euris looked at Fate puzzled for a moment, looked at her father, and thought carefully before answering.
"I'm almost sure he didn't. Sofia would have told me. She often mentioned how reserved Alex was."
Ryōko watched Fate asking the questions and subtly appreciated the investigative qualities of the agent.
"Have you had any news of this… Alex," Fate quickly glanced at the file, "Rowe, after your sister's disappearance?"
"No," Euris replied with sadness. "He was the first one I called but he has not answered in the number Sofia gave me."
Fate decided to leave things as they were with the Bassaniuses. She needed to refocus on the case and put her team to work with all the information Ryōko had collected.
The first thing they had to do was make contact with that guy, Alex Rowe.
"We will investigate your daughter's disappearance in conjunction with the Midchilda Police, General... I assure you that we will do everything possible and keep you personally informed of what we find. The case of your daughter may not be linked to the investigation that Superintendent Yakushiji was talking about with you," Fate pointed out, internally wishing that it were so.
"Let's pray for that, Agent Testarossa," the General replied. "Please tell us if you need any additional information, we will be here immediately."
"We will need to visit your apartment, Miss Basannius," Fate said, addressing Euris. "And it would be best if it was as soon as possible. We also need to visit your sister's workplace and maybe interview some of her friends and close people."
"Anything necessary," the General replied again. "Some close friends are already aware since, at first, we tried to find out if Sofia had reached out to them. All are willing to help."
Fate nodded.
"We will be in contact, General," Fate said as the General and his daughter thanked the superintendent and said goodbye to leave, saddened but still hopeful.
When they were alone, Fate looked at Ryōko who was still sitting in her chair.
"Does it bother you that I used your office, Fate?" Ryōko asked lightly.
Fate made a slight gesture of surprise.
"More than bothering me, it surprised me, Superintendent," Fate said in a cold and distant voice.
"Wow… how cold!," Ryōko said, standing up to leave Fate's chair free, "And we had already agreed that you would call me Ryōko."
Almost as if she didn't care what Fate might add to that comment, Ryōko just continued.
"Signum's office is very good to work in it, it is comfortable and functional for a single person, but it is not the best place to receive a Major-General with the rank of Marius Bassanius and least of all in a case like the one we have," Ryōko explained without flinching, "With yesterday's emergency, fortunately, Junichirō and I were here early and we were able to advance with the interview while all of you were in the area of the attack. The General and his daughter were here since seven in the morning. Agent Rein Force gave me clearance to use your office.
Fate controlled her disgust so that her face didn't show any expression. Rein owed her one.
She also had to accept that Ryōko was right.
Thanks to them being there, the investigation had not been completely halted.
"I will ask the guys to compile the data and results they were working on up until yesterday and integrate the information that you got," Fate said very professionally, "We can have a meeting in the afternoon to review the progress and determine the following actions."
Ryōko nodded, smiling.
"As you order, Enforcer," she said in a submissive tone that Fate was not buying at all and walked out. "Could you tell Signum to meet with me in her office? There are several points I'd like to discuss with her before the meeting."
Fate internally felt a little sorry for her friend. But she was grateful that she didn't have to personally deal with Ryōko all the time.
It was not until a while after the Superintendent had left her office that Fate realized that Ryōko had direct communication, whenever she pleased, with Signum. She didn't have to ask Fate to tell her.
Even in those moments, Ryōko enjoyed playing with them. Or maybe it was just her way of being and she couldn't help it.
"Woman from hell," Fate whispered as she plunged through the pile of work she had accumulated.
— X —
Midchilda - Cranagan Conurbation Area
Day 18, Tenth Month, 2044 - 12:30 hrs.
The images followed one another, dizzying and silent on the screen.
The news services hadn't been talking about anything else since yesterday morning.
He was a little fed up.
"It's gotten really boring," he said as he delicately sliced a piece of meat, perfectly cooked and seasoned, "They seem to know what they're doing but they're actually stupider than a dog chasing after its own tail, don't you think?"
After pouring himself a new glass of red wine, he raised the glass to his lips and took a very small sip, then continued chewing. The bouquet of wine mixed with meat filled him with pleasure.
"They will engage in a search to make sense of something that does not have it. There is no reason to hurt, you know? All those who say otherwise are either liars or ignorant. There doesn't have to be a reason. Reasons take away the meaning of the act.
He watched the news with the audio turned off, so the succession of images on the screen made no sense at times.
"Do you think they cared how many people were going to die?" He asked but no voice answered, "Of course not. In the same way that a laboratory researcher does not care how many rats or monkeys live or die from his experiments. Life and death are simply two opposite states of an experiment. A vulgar means to an equally vulgar end. There is no art or beauty or pleasure in what they do."
When he finished eating, he wiped his lips with an extremely neat white napkin, poured himself a new glass of wine, and stood up, leaving the table as it was.
"Life should be so much more than that, than a mere vulgar experiment; much more than a pointless succession of days. We should breathe in and feel each second… intensely, don't you think dear? ...Come on, it's the moment to live… intensely."
The man walked through the room where they were, to a small opening where some stairs descended. Outside, the gray and cloudy day made it necessary to maintain some lighting even at that time of noon but he always had a few lamps on regardless of the time or the weather outside.
Several floor lamps strategically positioned at various points created very soft lighting; he hated bright, intense lighting and was almost always better off with only the dimmest possible lighting.
Although in reality, there he didn't have to worry about natural lighting at all; the room they were in didn't have a single window.
It would most likely rain in the afternoon.
He liked those gray, rainy days.
They deserved a special meal.
When he reached the bottom of the stairs, without turning to look at her, he spoke to her. His voice, which until then had been soft and silky, changed, becoming sharp and hard.
"Don't be late," he said and started down the stairs.
From the corner where she had been, a girl with very light brown hair, long and tangled, naked and barely covered with what looked like a hemp sack; she used both arms to crawl across the polished wooden floor and follow him.
She had to do it that way since she, she only had one leg.
— X —