A small coffeehouse bustles with the after-work rush as Sarah pressed keys on a gray laptop in the corner. Small lines of seemly incoherent writing crossed her eyes as she heard Jimmy return to her subconscious. "You're going to get wrinkles with your face scrunched up like that," Jimmy laughed.
"Can't talk like this," Sarah whispered as she eyed the green apron wearing baristas as they darted to and fro behind the counter. The crowd they were accommodating consisting of a mix of businessman and young adults.
"Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you during work hours," Jimmy excused himself. Sarah was more surprised she could hear him over the conversations in the shop than bothered. "I just need to warn you about something. I think you're being watched now."
Sarah looked up slightly with a brief look of paranoia. She scanned her eyes around the shop but didn't find anyone that looked out of place. What she did see was an unfortunate high school girl in a red bow and a blue scarf trip over a table leg. The girl fell and face-planted onto the tile floor. As soon as it happened she was helped up by a short thin girl with pink hair, red ribbons, and a loud childish voice. With nothing appearing completely out of the ordinary, Sarah pulled out a small earpiece from a pocket in her laptop bag and placed it in her ear. "What makes you say that?" she spoke normally.
"I was contacted by that Ino guy you were talking to yesterday, apparently the good doctor sent a few people to tail you last night," Jimmy was miffed. "What did you say when you met him?"
I guess that was to be expected. He seemed too trusting. Sarah shivered. "I told them the truth Jimmy, but I guess that truth is a little hard to prove with nothing but my word. How did he get your number?"
"I don't know, I get a call during my morning exercise and a deep voice on the other end just says "Hey Jimmy, can we talk?" and it didn't seem appropriate to ask him," Jimmy's voice wavered. "Sarah, I don't like where this is going."
"I have nothing to hide. When he finds that out he will stop the surveillance," Sarah cooed. She then gave out a cocky smile. "And if the doctor does want to throw down I bet I can take whatever he can dish out."
"Let's not test that theory shall we?" Jimmy asked immediately taking the wind out of the woman's day-dreaming sails.
"What did Doggie say?" Sarah pouted as she pulled a nearly empty cup of Americano to her mouth.
"Because of some developments that happened a few days ago Eddy gained a couple of new friends," Jimmy sounded relieved. "Also it turns out the town may be indebted to him now."
"Oh?" Sarah was surprised by this news. "How so?"
"He may have had a hand in ended this- Second Week I guess it's called," Jimmy replied. "Ino said it's a big thing with the higher ups."
Sarah held off on her typing and pulled a file up. Pictures of Abe's record filled the screen. "It sounds like a big deal in the notes. Wonder how he was able to swing that."
"Based on what Ino briefly said about it, Second Week sounds like Endless Summer," Jimmy recalled softly. Sarah looked down and closed her eyes. The name hung in the air like a ghost as the two allowed any further inquiries in the matter to grind to a halt. Sarah slowly pulled out of her reverie and went back to her easel. She had to allow the smell of bean brewing and decorum to guide her focus away from those painful memories. After a while Jimmy changed the subject, "It's nice to hear you acting more like yourself again. All things considering."
"Thanks, the rest really helped," Sarah said pulling a couple stray hairs back behind her ear. Her curiosity brought the call back to the forefront again. "Was there anything else?"
"He wanted me to ask you if an Oliver McGee rings a bell. Does it?"
"Eddy's uncle? He usually showed up during the holidays before the Endless Summer. Why?"
"Ino said there was a message addressed to "Sarah". He was wondering if Oliver meant to give it to you."
The woman rose an eyebrow to this. "Did he say what it's about?"
"He didn't say much, just that it was what he dubbed "high concept", like consciousness and reincarnation, stuff like that."
"That definitely sounds like him. Don't know what that has to do with me though," Sarah shook her head. It was then that she started noticing the girl with the blue scarf in the corner of her eye. Notably that she was making long stares at her from across the shop. She was also writing small things in a notepad. A quick cursory glance around showed that no one sat near enough to make Sarah believe this was just a coincidence. Sarah's paranoia had a focal point now. "Hold on."
Jimmy fell silent as Sarah pulled off her headset. She looked at the girl in the blue scarf closely. A few moments later the girl's sky blue eyes met Sarah's green. The girl yelped as Sarah's eyes turned into a glare and she rose out of her chair. "Oh no, she found out!" Sarah heard the girl exclaim in her native tongue.
" I told you to stop doing that!" squeaked the pink haired girl sitting across from blue scarf. A mixture of anger and fear was in her voice. Steam puffed out of Sarah as she started walking to them. "It's bad enough you're still wearing that scarf in weather like this."
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm new to all this," The coral-pink haired girl whined. "And she looks so pretty. I always wanted to get my hair as silky as that."
"And now we're boned," The pink girl held her head in her hands. "Hopefully she's like Rookie and can't understand Japanese. Maybe we can salvage this if we-"
"I do and you won't," Sarah replied with an angry leer. Despite only being about 5' her presence towered over the perpetrators. If they weren't in a crowded shop, the two girls would of screamed bloody murder. Sarah softened her face when she saw the bandages on the scarfed girl's hands and around the pink girl's legs. Then with a brief look of shame, the woman turned away from the girl's shocked expressions and walked past their booth. She then sighed and looked back at the scarfed girl."Thank you, I like your hair too." Sarah saw the pink girl as she attempted to hide her embarrassment behind a scowl. The girl in the scarf had a little red in her cheeks.
"Thank you," The blue scarf girl murmured looking down with a bashful smile. Sarah left the two and got in line for another cup. The girls fled by the time the order was done. With new fuel for the furnace Sarah plopped down at her work table and placed more directions into the terminal.
"Sorry about that, what were you saying?" The woman returned to her conversation as she placed the receiver back in her ear. A small pause was what greeted her. "What?"
"What did you do to them?" Jimmy asked with subdued annoyance.
"I didn't know what you're talking about, I don't fight children," Sarah defended. Jimmy was about to object but he was interrupted. "And even if I did a couple of times before, they looked like they dealt with enough already so I wasn't going to make their day worse."
"You didn't want to get kicked out," Jimmy corrected. Sarah hung her head a few moments later than shuffled back into her work. She didn't want to argue and Jimmy had evidence from past experiences to back up his theory.
"Where were we at before?" She asked after a few new lines were added to the 5 hr old monstrosity she was creating in her computer.
"That message I believe," Her overseer recalled. Sarah picked up a sense of melancholy in his voice. "Maybe if we see it that will lead us to learning more about this Second Week thing. Who knows maybe it will give us some insight into why Eddy ended up here?"
"It's worth a shot," Sarah agreed over her clacking. "Maybe I should get in contact with Oliver when I can. Is he in town as well?"
"I- was afraid you would suggest that," Jimmy spoke solemnly. "I don't really know how to say this softly so I'm just going to spit it out. Oliver- was murdered a couple days ago."
Sarah turned away from her laptop. "Wh-what?"
"No one really knows the full story, " Jimmy said sadly. "There's radio transmissions about the incident but they became classified by the town council, no one is allowed access to them."
Sarah sat in silence as she struggled internally to not start crying. She wanted to ask if there was going to be a funeral, but knowing the briefing Jimmy gave her it would have been viewed as a pointless endeavor. Death and Legacy wasn't viewed the same way as it did everywhere else.
People don't die, they're just removed.
"Is there anyone left?" Sarah asked as the wick to the stockpile was lit.
"Sarah," Jimmy knew where this was going but he tried to stop it anyway.
"He saves them and this is how he's rewarded?" Sarah was too lost in her anger to listen.
"Sarah we're not in Peach Creek anymore, it won't end like that," Jimmy pleaded. "Please don't do anything rash."
"I-I have to see him, make sure he's ok, no meetings, no spying, no bullshit," Sarah seethed as hot tears graced her cheeks. She closed her laptop. "I'm doing it tonight, the hell with it." She packed up her belongings and headed out.
On the way she passed a tall purple haired girl sitting in a booth nearby. The girl's eyes were in a book with an sinister eye on the cover. She knew the book by heart so she only needed to look like she was reading. She watched the woman leave then lowered her head as a powerful guilt washed over her. She figured if the woman didn't scare her off, her sister would probably have came to the same conclusion she did eventually. She started to nervously fiddle with her hair as she tried to contemplate what to do with this new development.
No...
They wouldn't believe me anyway.
She sighed and placed a closed hand on her chest to try to control her nerves. Then with a nod of finality, she got up and exited the shop.
Her Father's Monster form needed to know what she discovered.
Black Box Society Day 4: Evening
...
"Yeah, sorry about that. Keep forgetting it's still night there."
-We're sorry, the number you have dialed has been disconnected.-
"I'm still trying to get my way around. It's kind of hard to explain."
-We're sorry, the number you have dialed has been disconnected.-
"No Ed I'm not going to be a samurai. And can you get any closer to the mic? I don't think they can hear you on Mars!"
-We're sorry, the number you have dialed has been disconnected.-
...
"Abe-san, I know you were very serious when you said you were taking me home," Eddy said groggily as he looked up through the back window of a very new looking car. He was sprawled out in the back seat at an odd angle. "But you could of woke me up first! I didn't ask to be given a piggy-back ride through the substation by a mad scientist!"
Abe-san laughed. "Take heart in the fact that no one thought it was suspicious. One nurse even said you looked adorable when she saw you sleeping on my back."
"Ok you think that helps, but that really doesn't," Eddy answered mortified. "That just tells me that if I get abducted I will at least look cute during it."
"It was unnecessary you have to admit," a teenage girl's voice startled Eddy into a more alert state. He watched the old man wave off what he was going to say in response then looked at who was driving. A girl with raven haired locks and amber eyes behind black wire-framed glasses glared at Abe in an annoyed huff. "You already do questionable things around town, the last thing you need is everyone thinking you're stealing children on top of it."
"That's the beauty of being as old as I am Eri," Abe smirked. "What appears to be creepy for someone younger than me to do becomes endearing when I do it. Me and Edi-oun can pass off as family and the ages fit so for all they know, I'm just a loving grandpa making sure my grandson gets home safe."
"Again, not helping," Eri and Eddy spoke in unison.
"You guys sound like Doggy," Abe grumbled. He sighed. "Alright, I won't do it again. I'll drag bad kids by the feet to my shack at Christmas time like I'm supposed to."
"I hate that rumor," Eri looked away. She shook her head then changed the subject. "It's nice we get to meet like this McGee-san, sorry about the transition."
"As long as I get a book deal after this, I'm all for it," Eddy joked getting up in his seat. He looked around the car's cabin. The interior was clean with a white leather upholstery on the seats, a polished wood-like lining on the doors and around the dashboard, and what wasn't covered by the two had a shiny chrome finish. Eddy got back on track. "You sound familiar though didn't we meet last night?"
"Well-" Eri seemed uncertain about her response. "I tried helping when you had your- memory problem last night. If- that's what you mean."
Eddy looked down trying to hide his embarrassment. "Oh right, that. Look I- I didn't mean to freak you guys out. I don't know what happened there."
"I think Kei-On did something he wasn't supposed to," Abe cracked his knuckles as he glared out the window. "Not that it matters though, whatever you saw involving Yuri didn't happen."
"Abe-san, we can't just ignore what happens during Second Week," Eri spoke pensively.
"Second Week?" Eddy interjected.
"Don't ask," Abe growled. "And it doesn't matter what happens during Second Week, we're not in Second Week. So in theory it doesn't exist anymore, can we change the subject?"
"What's with the attitude all of a sudden?" Eddy asked getting chaffed.
"McGee-san," Eri spoke softly. "I'll tell you later alright? It's a very touchy subject and I don't- want tempers to flare in here."
The apprehensiveness of the driver's voice made Eddy back off. It was obvious he wasn't going to go anywhere if he continued the conversation. A ringtone breaks the awkward silence, with a huff of annoyance Abe pulled out a flip-phone and looked at the number. His foul mood morphed into one of curiosity.
"Who is it?" Eri asked a little surprised at the man's change.
"Not quite sure," Abe chirped before placing the phone to his ear. "Moshi-moshi."
After a few minutes of witnessing the old man converse angrily in Japanese to whoever was at the other end, Eddy chirped. "Dare I ask?"
"I wouldn't," Eri sunk in her seat uncomfortably. "He's not- saying appropriate things I should say."
The next few miles was very much the same awkwardness until Abe hung up his phone in disgust. He rubbed his face and gave his summary of the call. "Doggie fired the scheduler, sorry about that."
"Was that Asaki-san on the other end?" Eri asked warily.
"What? No, that was the scheduler. Guy thought he could strongarm me into overruling the order," Abe grumbled. "If he actually wanted to go toe-to-toe with me that would be the best day of my life."
"What caused him to get canned?" Eddy asked.
"He scheduled Puppy alone with Doggie's fireworks that's what happened, she mistook the timing on the wicks and the explosion sent her flying," Abe saw the fear rising in his co-riders and immediately corralled it. " She's fine, don't worry. She had to use Doggie's Render Mask to accelerate her healing but she is right as rain now. Doggie gave me the confirmation a while ago."
"Are you sure she's alright?" Eddy asked still very petrified.
"If she wasn't, that pissant's address wouldn't of made it past noon," Abe's voice may as well have dropped the temperature in the car by 30 degrees. A few moments later he sighed slowly in regret as he rubbed his forearms. "I need to meditate. Eri, there's a convenience store up ahead, just, go ahead and drop me off there. I can make it the rest of the way."
"Are you sure?" Eri asked her voice painted in worry. "We're not too far, I can take you the rest of the way."
"Yeah, I need to calm down. I heard the sound of rain is good for that," Abe answered with a light cackle to himself. He pulled out his wallet as a white storefront came by. The car pulled over just past it. He pulled out a few 1000 yen notes and handed it out to the driver. "Here, this should cover your gas."
"Abe you're family. You don't have to pay me back for helping family," Eri replied. "This isn't even my car anyway."
"I insist, you are missing your club to help me out. I have to give something in return for the trouble I'm causing," Abe glanced at Eddy. "You may want to feed him with it anyway. He looks like he's having an existential crisis."
"Uh, Abe let me ask you something," The gears were turning in Eddy's head as we spoke. "You know Ino more than I do, does he read manga by chance?"
The old man pondered for a moment. "Whenever I see Doggie reading anything, it's usually just magazines and cheap comic books, he usually doesn't bother with anything else. Why do you ask?"
"And did you two come to the hospital together?" Eddy's face was turning red.
"No, he was still sleeping when I left. He was up for three days carving stones for some reason. Where are you going-" And that's when it hit him. "Oh, oh! AHAHAHA!"
"What's so funny?" Eri was interested watching Abe lose it. Eddy moved a palm to his face. A few mental connections later she figured it out as well. Her face became flushed and she looked down as a small mischievous smile appeared. Her voice became sultry. "Oh Nejima-chan, I didn't know you were into that as well. Good choice too."
"Did "Doggie" offer to give you a sponge bath?" Abe asked the kid who was on his side in the fetal position. Eri nearly swooned as steam bellowed out of her.
"Begone demons! You ain't welcome in this land!" Eddy yelled angrily in response. He rose up again and crossed his arms.
"Ah~ that's fantastic!" Abe exclaimed as he calmed down. He opened his car door. "Thanks for the ride Eri. Edi-oun congrats on your third letter, and- thank you for that." Abe cackled and left the car.
"Wasn't for you to get your jollies, but whatever," Eddy grumbled watching the codger walk out of sight. He then noticed Eri lightly smiling at him. He felt a little self-conscious. "What?"
"Have you ever had Ramen before?" Eri asked starting the car again.
"I had the instants before," Eddy relaxed a bit. "Not the authentic stuff. Why?"
"I want to change that. There's a shop near here that I go to all the time," Eri beamed as she pulled away from the curb. "That is if you want to go that is."
"I'm pretty much open for anything at this point," Eddy leaned back. Not even going to ask why at this point. The wind can blow my feather ass into an open flame for all I care. I just want some semblance of an answer to what the hell is going on in this town.
"Great, because we're already here," Eri laughed.
"What?!" Eddy looked out the window, the shop was only three stores down from where they stopped last time. "Why didn't we just walk here?"
"It- would have been awkward if you said no," Eri shrunk in her seat. Eddy conceded.
…
"So what is Abe's connection to Yuri anyway?" Eddy piped up as two large bowls of noodles, veggies, and fish were placed on the table. "Are they related?"
"Before I answer I want to make sure I'm not repeating things you already know," Eri smiled as she split apart her chopsticks. "Do you know anything about the Mentor program?"
Eddy raised an eyebrow. "It does seem familiar, Obe talked about something like that just after I became coherent. He didn't get into details," He then slumped. "That seems to be a pattern now that I think about it. So I guess Abe is Yuri's mentor, whatever that is?"
Eri nodded. "A mentor in her case is someone that has a deep connection to their ward. The mentor uses this connection to help wards acclimate to raised standards."
"You mean like RMIN standards? Why would they need to get used to work benefits?"
"There's more to it than that," Eri shook her head as she slurped up a braid of her noodles.
"Oh, here we go," Eddy smirked as he picked up a fish cake. "I knew the dog was holding out- on- me." He drooped his head and slammed down his sticks. "How was Boss able to turn into Ino? I need to know that now."
"Do you- want the short or the long version of it," Eri looked around the shop and found no one nearby. She pushed her glasses up her nose as a focus entered her mannerisms.
"I'll take the short version," The cake was bit.
"Ino Asaki-Nejima and Yoshitake Abe both died years ago," Eri glasses caught the light as her inspector voice crept out. Eddy spat out his catch.
"Long version please!" Eddy yelled after he dropped his fish pieces into the salty broth with a cough.
"Sorry, that was not intended to sound so crass," Eri lowered her head apologetically. "I sometimes forget I'm not addressing news to the Mill."
"No, that wasn't you. I was not prepared for that bombshell to come out so easily," The kid spat out as he recovered.
"It's not- really a secret, a quick search of the records would prove that their original addresses are lost, it also says- how they lost them," Eri looked extremely uncomfortable. "What we are working with is- actors wearing specialized Render Masks that contains all their information like their personality, abilities, memories, and the appearance they had at the time they were chosen for the Mentor program."
"So, let's say that I get that mask and put it on, do I become Abe-san?" Eddy's shock wore off into interest.
"More like you will become an actor playing the part of Abe-san, all compatible hosts can play the part but it won't be a 1 to 1 performance with another host. That's why you were able to tell the difference," Eri remarked than gave a giggle. "I'm actually impressed Nejima-chan was able to handle the transition a Mentor Mask forces upon its wearer. From what I heard from articles on the subject, it causes a great strain on the mind and body the first time it happens."
"Boss said batter has to go through a raging fire to become bread after all," Eddy smirked. At least I think that's what she said.
"She took that saying from something didn't she?" Eri smirked back.
"If she did, I don't know where," Eddy lowered his head and started eating again. The ravenette smiled.
10 minutes of banal conversation and noodle consumption passed before Eddy perked up again, "So tell me more about this RMIN Standard thing, I guess there's a double meaning in it?"
"There is," Eri nodded nearing the end of her bowl. "It's also the reason why no one is able to talk about high concept topics without the risk of developing Epiphany."
"For real?" Eddy raised an eyebrow.
"The RMIN Standard is a set of allowances that the Advisory Board gives out to people if they feel they can handle the burden of leaving what they know behind, it sounds simple but if it really was everyone would get it," Eri pushed up her glasses.
"The standard makes people smarter?"
"Well, yes and no, it- makes people more aware of their surroundings. Like- being more aware that there is a Second Week and-" Eri looked down nervously. "Knowing there's a difference between- you and me."
"Why are you acting coy all of a sudden?"
"I- i'm trying to explain it but the only way to really get it across is to l-let you hear it," Eri fidgeted. "M-my heart."
"I have an idea where this is going but I really don't want to get my ass kicked," Eddy muttered. He briefly glanced at Eri's modest D-cup posture.
"I-i don't want that either, but I can't explain it if I just say it out loud. I tried that but the people I was with didn't know what I was talking about," Eri explained as her face became flushed. "And worse than that it can cause Epiphany in people with only standard 2 if it's spoken out loud as well."
"This disease is crazy! How the hell is anyone supposed to talk if it just develops willy-nilly in people passing by?" Eddy fumed.
"Welcome to Palisade Town," Eri greeted with a sad smile. A few minutes later a waitress took their empty bowls and with the use of Abe's generosity they left the shop and went to the car. Eri went into the backseat first which made Eddy start to sweat.
"You want to do that now?" Eddy asked leaning in.
"It's- better to just rip the band-aid off all at once," Eri replied unbuttoning her blazer. She then shuddered. "Pun not intended."
"I'll ignore it," Eddy stammered as his upperclassman pulled her orange vest over her head. He entered the car and closed the door behind him. He noticed the smell of sunflowers as he gazed at the girl patting down her white button-down shirt.
"I-I'm ready if you are," Eri's face turned determined as she leaned back against the door and puffed out her chest.
I did say I wanted answers... Eddy train of thought ceased as he draped his arms around Eri and slowly rested the side of his head on her chest. Eri wrapped her arms around him in affirmation and he closed his eyes. A few moments passed until he slowly opened them again. "I don't hear anything."
"That's- because you are more aware now," He heard the girl explain. There was a soft almost affectionate tone in her voice. "If you didn't have your third letter you would of heard a heartbeat."
"And why is that?" Eddy looked up into the girl's dark orange eyes.
"A real heartbeat divides the two types of people who live here, the File-less: Those that don't have one, and the Doki: those that do. Because I'm a File-less I'm considered less "important" to the powers that be than those that have them. Those that advance from Standards 2 to 3 has to come to terms with this to understand anything about the problems the Rumor Mill tries to alleviate. And not many people can handle this knowledge when they first get exposed to it. This is what caused you to have problems last night," Eri explained.
"How so?"
"If what you remembered last night is true, you were forced to prepare my cousin's body for something," Eri held the kid closer as she felt him shiver. "If she was like me, she would of just disappeared when she died and there wouldn't of been anything left behind to prepare. And if she didn't make a Final Recording, no one would even remember her."
"Why do you sound- calm about that?" Eddy eyes narrowed. "I can't even manage a memory, and I prided myself as a man of the world."
"Yuri- passes away at the end of Second Week, every- single- time," Eri's breathed slowly as she explained. "I tried to prevent it, so many times, but all that ever did was make my remaining time with her miserable for both of us. And because I was aware, I had to watch the degradation of her mental state first hand again and again. Eventually- it made me hurt too much to continue trying to postpone what I thought was the inevitable. The only way I was able to deal with my ineptitude was to just push through to First Week, then I was able to forget all that for a little while until Second Week came again."
"How did you figure out all this anyway?"
"Abe and Kei-On," Eri nuzzled her chin on Eddy's scalp. "They used to keep really accurate notes."
"Used to?"
"That's- really something you have to talk to Abe about, all I know is that there was a falling out between them recently. And that was before what happened at Stormcha-" Eri hesitated when she felt Eddy tense up. She lowered her eyes in regret. "My sincerest apologies, I had no right to bring that up."
"I'm just- surprised you are the first to bring it up," Eddy rose his head to rest on Eri's pillows again. "Though I guess everyone else thought I was going to the festival to distract myself so they didn't- talk about it."
"Was that intended?"
"I- don't really know honestly, I feel like a heel saying this, but I feel like I cared more about what happened to someone I just met. Over a member of my family who allowed me to move into their house and helped me for weeks while I dealt with this box thing," Eddy said. "It's starting to really freak me out."
"That sadly, is a very common feeling here," Eri felt droplets pelt her shirt followed by feeling Eddy unravel himself from their embrace. "McGee-san?"
"Sorry," Eddy mumbled covering his eyes with his arm in a vain attempt to hide the water forming. His voice and his breathing started betraying him as well. "I-i'm usually more- in control than this."
"You're mourning," Eri replied in a nurturing voice. "It's alright. You don't need to be strong around me."
"I-it's n-not fair," The boy murmured.
"What?"
"It ain't fair!" Eddy roared shaking like a leaf. "I save the only family that fucker had and he Old Yellers the only family I have, how the fuck is that fair?!
"McGee-san," Eri tried to console but it didn't get through.
"Obe told me beautiful stories about this place! Those stories gave me a way out when times were rough back home! And now that I'm out there is no swashbuckling, no beating up street thugs, no giant monster battles, it was all a lie! Just like everything else I was told by the people I looked up to!" The tears were unhindered now. "No! Instead! Since I got here there's been nothing but death, disease, weird monsters that look like my friends and worst of all. All the numbers I tried to call home lead to nowhere, I can't call my friends, I can't call my folks, and now because of this stupid "awareness" ever since I woke up in that stupid river I have been pretending I could!"
Eddy then slowly gained a look of horror that shook the Rasputin to her core.
"T-the river," Eddy realized. He placed his hands to the side of his head.
He felt a circular scar just above his left ear. Hidden under his short hair.
The boy went pale. "Oh- oh my god-"
And Eri's eyes glowed-
_ CONFIDENTIALITY LINK ESTABLISHED_
_FURTHER RECORDING IS POSTPONED UNTIL RASPUTIN AUTHORIZATION_