-0637 HRS. Room 1025—Alex's Dorm room, Day 75-

Saturday… no classes.

A cup of coffee could help someone to start the day, as they speak. But this time, Alex thought otherwise. He was up early while maintaining his guns on the desk. This isn't the issue that bothered him. It's the interview that was coming up tomorrow. He didn't feel the eerie bliss of maintaining his weapons with such things on his mind.

"Sure I did interviews but that was on TV. And not to mention I was on duty, telling what happened in an incident and that was it." He thought to himself.

"Hmm… Maybe I should talk to Uncle about this." He spoke to himself as he sets aside his tools before he turns on his computer.

CALLING… LT. DOUGLAS BARNES…

"Alex?" The man answered the call.

"Nice to see you again, old man." Alex smirked slightly.

"So how's your wounds, kiddo?" Douglas asked.

"Nightmares slowed down for once, but I'm all better, thanks for asking."

His uncle slightly nodded while giving an "uh-huh…"

"Look… It's not my wounds that I want to talk about. It's something else." Alex started to get to the point.

"Oh? What's up?"

"Any advice for someone who's gonna be interviewed in a magazine?" Alex asked.

At this point, his uncle couldn't help but to chuckle. "Is that what's bothering you?"

"Why? What the hell's so funny about it?" Alex asked with irritation in his tone.

Douglas pointed out his reason. "Well, I thought that you'd be worried that you'd talk about whatever shit you went through, but I really didn't expect to hear… well… this."

"It took some… convincing to me. Don't judge." Alex reasoned.

"Remember what we told you, Alex…"

Alex calmed down at this point. "Ah… that. Yeah, the things life throws at you is pretty damn unpredictable. You and dad told me this bull." He reminisced.

"Exactly. Look, Alex. You're making a big fuss about this. Come on, you got looks, you're a cop, what's more not to like? Just calm down and do what you usually do during TV interviews, all right?"

Alex sighed. "I was hoping for a better answer."

"If ya want, you can take that Charlotte gal with you." He winked and clicked his tongue at the last part.

Alex was taken back with a red tint on his face. "What the hell are you saying?!"

Douglas had a hearty laugh while seeing his nephew's reaction. "Just kidding, tough guy! Come on, you never take a joke!"

Alex stammered. "Uh… yeah… joke…"

"Look, I gotta go. Just take care of yourself, okay?"

"Yeah. Say hi to Gunner for me. Later, old man."

CALL ENDED…

"What the hell, uncle… You and your thoughts. Remind me to tell you to lay off the loaded stuff." Alex face-palmed. After fixing his gear, he packs them along with his tools and sets them aside.

A quick wash of his face, and dental hygiene and a quick change of clothes—preferably a pair of black running shoes, with gray track pants and a blue hoodie that bore the logo of his department. He rolled his sleeves and went out of the room.

-0715 HRS. Cafeteria-

Just a few students in the cafeteria. It wasn't exactly empty but it had a couple of students, along with the rain outside to accompany the scenery.

For once, the day was peaceful enough for Alex to relax for a bit. Sure, his instincts can kick in at a moment's notice, but despite his awareness, it was oddly satisfying to enjoy this moment of peace. The thing he could do is take a magazine with him and order a hearty breakfast—a mug of Americano, A couple of baked potatoes with bacon on the side, and a bagel with cream cheese.

He had one earphone to his right ear that was attached to his phone, as it played some music that people usually hear from your usual café. He reads his magazine while taking a bite out of his breakfast.

For once… everything seemed peaceful. Everything seemed right. There's the occasional swoons from the girls though, but he didn't mind. As if he was getting used to it. Or enjoying it.

A few pages later, he was greeted by a certain lady.

"Bonjour, Alex." She spoke, smiling at him.

He puts down his magazine to see who she was. In the process, he reveals a calm expression with a small smile and a pair of eyeglasses that matched his cold-blue eyes.

"Oh. Hey, Charlotte. Good morning." He spoke to the French representative, who was holding a tray of her own style of breakfast—Latté, French toast and cooked eggs. She was wearing a white and orange jacket with black track pants and white sneakers. Her hair wasn't tied to a ponytail like everyone usually sees.

"There's one more room for another person y'know." He gestured for her to sit down as he sees that she was just standing there. Unbeknownst to him, Charlotte was somewhat mesmerized during that time.

"Huh? Oh yeah! Sure. Thank you, Alex." She sets her tray and sits down in front of him. She notices the eyeglasses that he was wearing.

"Oh… Are those corrective eyeglasses, Alex?" She asked.

"This? Nah. My eyesight's fine. I just wear this from time to time. Kinda gives me a bit of focus." He answered.

"Ah! I'm glad to know that!" She chirped. Alex was taken aback by her reaction.

He blinked and sweatdropped. "Um… why's that?" He asked.

"Well… I thought I was the only one doing that. Wearing glasses just to get more focus when reading…" She fidgeted.

"…or feeling smarter when you read with glasses…" He continued her sentence, with interest being evident in his tone.

"Exactly!"

"You do that too, Charlotte?!" He perked up.

"Yeah, I do! I thought I was the only one!" She chirped.

He stammered. "Wha—Really? I thought I was the only one! Most people thought it was weird or, narcissistic."

"Is that so?"

"Well… Yeah, I suppose. I mean… what's wrong with putting glasses on while reading a book?" Alex noted.

"True, true. Say, Alex. Mind if I say something?" She asked.

"No one's stopping you, Charlotte. Just ask away." He gestured her to continue.

"Well… I've never seen you this relaxed before. And it's kinda new to me." She said.

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What made you say that?"

"I usually see you as the serious and a very busy person. And the kind of guy that everyone shouldn't anger. I know how the nature of a policeman's job works…C'est Dangereux… but to you, it's more than that." Charlotte reasoned.

Alex somewhat understood the French representative's reasoning. He took off his glasses. "I think I get what you mean, Charlotte. Mind if I give the reason?"

She nodded and "hmmed" along the way.

"It's been a while since I had a day where I could get some peace of mind. I mean… after all what's happened. My arrival here… the attack on the academy, attempted assassination on Ichika Orimura, so on and so forth…" Alex started out.

"Oh, I see." Charlotte couldn't help but to show a small smile.

"Hey, it became rocky even on my first day in the academy. It wasn't easy being a student at the IS Academy, and not to mention the ONLY Police officer in the place. I had criticisms here and there. And to add up, Cecilia wasn't the most hospitable at first."

"Ah, that." She slightly giggled at Cecila's brash behavior towards Alex. She remembered hearing a story that Cecilia became rude to Ichika on his first day.

"But nonetheless, it all changed. It wasn't a walk in the park, had to put my back into it through and through. I couldn't complain because things are never easy… but hey, things are becoming good bit by bit. If I had a moment like this where it's peaceful, or everyone admired you in a good way or you have another purpose, I'd hold on to it." He finished his reason.

Charlotte admired his sense of purpose, no doubt that with a mindset like such, he earned the respect of his colleagues. It was a mystery how Alex became this way and what happened for him to be what his Uncle mentioned.

"Are you happy with that?" She asked sincerely.

"Yeah, I suppose. It's kind of peaceful, now that you mentioned it." Alex answered.

"…And you're going to enjoy this?" She asked.

Alex paused for a second before giving an answer. "As long as I can, and as long as it's there." He said.

This made her worry. "What made you say that?" She asked.

"Let's just say that you'll never know when a good thing in life will last. And good things in life never last long." He answered. Both of their smiles started to fade.

"But what if… someone asked you something that you'd rather not hear or rather not talk about? What would you do, Alex?"

The small smile which adorned Alex's face faded into an unreadable expression until both of them weren't smiling anymore. "I wish I knew…" He thought.

"I'm sorry…" Charlotte muttered. "I shouldn't have asked."

Alex took note of this and gave a gentle pat on her head, like that of a child or a person so dear to him. As he continued patting, she looked up to see him giving the small smile again.

"It's okay, Charlotte… You were asking. Where was the harm in that?"

She smiled for a bit when Alex assured her. "Thank you, Alex…" She muttered.

"Ah… I shouldn't be so pessimistic in a peaceful time like this. I think all of you have heard enough rambling for one time." He cursed himself.

"No no no… It's okay, Alex. For me, you're just opening up on what's on your mind." She assured him.

"You think so?"

"Oui… I think so. It's nice of you to open up to me. It's a good change of pace." She said.

"So sweet of you, Charlotte…" Alex muttered.

"What was that, Alex?" She asked.

"Ah… Nothing, Charlotte." He said as his mood brightens again. "Now come on and let's finish up our breakfast. It's gonna get cold."

"Oui, Alex."

As Alex reach for his cup coffee, Charlotte grabbed the top of his hand. A small gasp, and she was looking at Alex until both of them were looking at each other in the eyes.

"O-Oh… This must be your cup…" He stammered.

"N-No, No. I think this is your cup, Alex." She said nervously.

"I guess we ordered the same cup then." Alex joked. Both of them giggled then he stopped and covered his mouth.

"Um… don't read much into that. I sounded ridiculous." He muttered embarrassingly.

"It's only a giggle, Alex! I find it really adorable!" She chirped while smiling at him.

"Really, Charlotte?"

She nodded.

Alex was stunned by the complement that Charlotte gave to him. "First the smile, now the giggling… Gee whiz, Charlotte… Where is this coming from?" He asked her in wonder.

She giggled and blushed as she was asked that question. "I don't know, Alex." She said as she cupped her cheek with her hand.

-1039 HRS. Dormitories-

Alex was taking a walk around the academy for a while now. But as he goes back to the dorms, he just noticed the faint smell of new paint on the upper floors. Most of the girls weren't at the academy during the weekend, they were either someplace else or at their homes. What he noticed is that new rooms were constructed recently.

"Ah! Hello, Alex! How are you today?" A certain green-haired teacher greeted from behind.

Alex turned around and greeted back to his teacher. "Oh hey there, Maya. I'm all right as well, good morning to you too."

"I see that everything's okay for now, Officer?" She asked.

"Yup. Nothing out of the ordinary. But… I'm taking the day off for now." He said.

Maya was surprised by what her student said. "Oh! That's a nice change of pace! I'm happy that you're taking the day off to relax!" She chirped.

Alex just nodded.

"But… do you still have a gun with you?" She asked hesitantly.

"Yup. Still armed." He answered as he tapped his left side. "But for proof, I'll show you." He said as he opens his hoodie to reveal a shirt with a concealed vest with a shoulder holster strapped to him.

"W-Waaah! Alex! D-Don't strip in front of me!" She yelped as she covered her eyes as well as the deep shade of red on her face.

"I'm wearing a shirt underneath the hoodie, Maya." Alex sweatdropped.

Maya went silent for a while but still retained that deep red shade. "Oh… R-Right!" She chuckled nervously as her face turned red.

"How's your arm, by the way? I was still worried because one of my students was shot!"

"I'm fine now, Maya. See?" Alex assured her as he rolled his sleeves to show the bullet wound was already healed. "See? All healed, entry and exit points are patched and I'm still kicking."

"But still… I heard how the bullet went through! It could have killed you!" Maya whimpered.

Alex shrugged the thought. "My body armor stopped the bullet. It wasn't the first time I was close to getting killed, anyway."

"WHAT?! I-It wasn't the first time?!" Maya screamed.

"I've… done worse." Alex said.

Maya gulped at what she was hearing. She knew the nature of his job but she didn't know how dangerous it could get.

"Well… Now that I know, I really should say that I want you to be more careful on the job! I know it's not in my position to say, but I'm saying this as a concerned teacher—No, as a friend!" Maya said.

Alex blinked at the last part. "…As a friend?"

Maya stammered. "Well… You did make an impression to both teachers and students… and you considered me more as your teacher."

"How so?"

"Instead of saying Yamada-sensei, you started to call me by my first name! And you let me help with your work." She remembered.

"Ah that… I did make an impression, I suppose." He realized.

"That's right, Alex! So please… Be more careful on your duty… It makes everyone worry… You're not expendable!" Maya pleaded.

Alex blinked for a few moments. "…Everyone?"

"Well, yes… Everyone did not took the news of your injury lightly. The representatives were also worried as well."

"Ah… I think I remembered how they reacted when they saw me in bandages." Alex scratched his head for a bit. "Still… It's been over a month, why are you telling me this NOW?"

Maya fidgeted for a few minutes to say the answer. "Well… After all the stuff that happened, you were so stressed out, and the way you acted after, I was so scared of what will happen and I couldn't approach you without the fear of provoking something in you."

Alex somehow cursed himself on realizing how he affected everyone in the academy, He thought by being alone and away from them would somehow get them away from the fire, but he thought wrong.

"I didn't realize that… Maya, I-I don't know what to say." Alex stuttered.

"It's okay, Alex… I know it's taking some time for this to sink in, but I'm glad I can voice my concerns." Maya assured.

"Thank you, Maya… I appreciate that. I can't promise that I'll avoid dangerous situations, but… I'll try my best to stay alive." Alex assured.

"That's fair enough, I suppose…" Maya pouted.

"Right… Say, was there some construction on the upper dormitories? I've been noticing the faint smell of paint for the past few days!" Alex said, breaking the tension.

"Ah, so you have noticed! Well… with the new students increasing, they thought that it'll be wise to make more rooms for the students!" Maya answered.

"Makes sense." Alex shrugged.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" She asked.

Alex turned his thoughts… Before speaking, he looks around the area to see if there are any people there. Fortunately it's just two of them.

"Yeah… Now that you mentioned it, Maya… Mind if I ask something? I'm kinda bothered with this…" He said.

"O-Oh… What is it then?"

"Well… you've spent time with the representatives for a while—even before I arrived…" Alex started.

"Yes… and?"

"I was wondering if… I could ask you about them…" He said.

"Oh goodness, Alex! I never thought that you'd ask that! Is it possible that… You're in love with one of them?!" Maya yelled.

"What?! No, Maya! Not like that! I was gonna ask you if you know someone who did modeling and interviews!" Alex yelled back.

Maya sweatdropped as she heard what he said… "That's what got you bothered?"

"Maya, you can consider me as your friend and all, I respect that, but seriously, you need to get your mind out of the gutter." Alex deadpanned. "And for fuck's sake, don't scream bloody murder over these things, damn!" He added while having a faint shade of pink on her face.

Maya, on the other hand, observed his emotions. On the back of her mind, she might be right on what she said. Nonetheless she sets aside this thoughts.

"R-Right, Alex. Yes, I did spend some time with the representatives myself. They were good people that I was glad to bond with them. To answer that other question, I think Cecilia Alcott was a model herself!" Maya answered.

Alex blinked at this. "Cecilia was a model? Well… In hindsight it wouldn't be a surprise…" He muttered.

"Thanks, Maya. I owe you one, I guess." He thanked.

"Not a problem, Alex! Happy to help!" She chirped. "Mind walking with me back to the faculty room?"

Alex nodded. "Sure. I don't see any harm in that."

-1047 HRS. Outside the faculty room-

"A teacher's work is a hectic one…"

As they walk along the school's halls from the dorms, Alex found himself to be carrying some papers. Eventually, they stopped at the room.

"Thank you for helping me with these, Alex…" She said.

"Not a problem. I'll just enjoy the day for now, so should you." He said.

"Right… I will, Alex. Oh… and another thing."

This one made him stop in his tracks.

"You know, it's okay to be in love with someone… Try it." She said before giggling.

Alex sighed and rolled his eyes. "If that happens, she's either brave or insane—probably both."

"Whatever you say, Alex." Maya chuckled before entering.

Alex sighed at the mere thought of Maya assuming that he was in love. "Seriously… What gives with people nowadays? First my uncle, now Maya… Geez." He muttered to himself.

"Time to visit the princess, I guess…"

-1052 HRS. Room 1036—Cecilia Alcott's Dorm-

*Knocking*

"Cecilia? You there, Kiddo?" Alex called. "No one's answering…"

*Knocking*

"Hello? Anyone home in there?" He called once more. He sighed and knocked once more.

*Knocking*

"LAPD, I got a search warrant! Open the door!"

"Who is it?" Someone answered.

"It's Alex!" He answered.

"Ah! I'll be there in a minute!" She called. As the door opens, it revealed a girl with short, blue hair. She was a bit shorter than Cecilia. It was Shizune Takatsuki. Cecilia's roommate.

"Ah. Hey there, Shizune. How are you doing?"

"Fine as always, Alex. How can I help you?" Shizune asked.

"Seen Cecilia around?" He asked back.

"Oh. I think she went to the arena an hour ago. She should be back anytime soon. Alex, haven't you seen her doing something weird?" Shizune answered. Alex was intrigued for a moment.

"Weird? How so?"

Shizune shrugged for a moment. "Well… Every night I've been hearing the door jiggling at first." She started.

"…And?"

"A few days ago I checked the door. Turns out someone's been breaking the doorknob! Then it kept happening again and again and again!" She exclaimed.

He was puzzled by what Takatsuki was giving him. "And where does Cecilia fit into this?" He asked.

"She starts to act weird whenever I ask her about it."

Alex's gears started to turn. Broken doorknobs? Door jiggling? Then he makes a move.

"Hey, Shizune… Mind if I come in and investigate while you stay by the door?" He asked, showing the badge.

"S-Sure, Alex! Anything for you!"

He rolled his eyes and entered their dorm. "Seems okay, I suppose." He muttered as he scanned the room.

"Hey, Shizune. You said that Cecilia's been acting… funny, right?" He asked the blue-haired teen.

"Yeah, Alex. Why?"

"What else did you observed?" Alex asked.

"Well… often times she was lacking sleep. And also, I do notice that she was always at her desk here when it's break time or there's no classes. When I asked her about it, she gets a bit… jittery." She answered.

"Jittery, huh? Where's her desk?"

"It's the one on the left." Shizune pointed. Alex approached the desk and checked for something. He checked every inch of it—from the books to the computer. She noticed this and was somehow alarmed. "What are you doing?"

"Just stay by the door and look if someone's coming. You got a couple of bobby pins?"

"Used to have them, why?"

"Did Cecilia borrowed some from you?" He asked.

Shizune thought of something for a while and remembered something. "Yeah… Now that you mentioned it, she does ask some from me a bit more often."

Alex nodded. As he checks Cecilia's desk, he felt some thin pieces of metal at his fingers. "Now we're getting somewhere."

He picks them up to show a handful of bobby pins. "Poorly fashioned… some of it broken…" He muttered.

"Hey, Shizune! I think someone's up to something." He said.

"How could you tell?"

"Who the hell else could bend bobby pins to a lockpick?" Alex retorted.

-A few minutes later-

"Hm? Shizune? Is something wrong?" Cecilia asked as she saw her roommate sitting on the bed.

"Ah, nothing. I think I know who's been breaking our door, though." Shizune said.

Cecilia stammered. "R-Really? Who is it then?"

"It's you, isn't it?" She asked.

Cecilia gasped. "The nerve! Shizune Takatsuki! How could you accuse me of such?!"

"Who else hides a handful of broken doorknobs under her bed?" A voice spoke, spooking the British representative, only to reveal Alex behind the door, with a handful of broken doorknobs and bent bobby pins.

"Geez, Cecilia. Hiding the evidence under the bed. Are you twelve years old or something? Because from lockpicking to hiding the evidence, you're downright sloppy. If you were some sort of burglar you would have been cuffed in a minute." He grumbled.

She lowers her head in defeat. "Darn it…"

"And another thing, Cecilia. You could have at least ASKED me to teach you how to pick a lock. Didn't I told you this when I first came here?" Alex reminded.

She groaned in annoyance. "I forgot!"

He sighed out of frustration, then pity. "Fine… I'll let this slide. Besides, I had some fault in it anyway."

The two girls asked. "How so?"

"Well obviously, Cecilia saw me pick the lock with a fucking couple of bobby pins. Second, I told her that if she wanted to learn how to do that, I told her to ask—Which she didn't do." Alex explained.

"So… you're letting me off the hook?" Cecilia asked.

Alex nodded. "Yeah, with Shizune as my witness." He said as he pointed at her roommate. He approached the doorway with the two girls stunned.

"Where are you going?" Shizune asked.

"To the classroom. What? Don't you want to learn how to pick locks?" Alex asked back.

Cecilia perked up. "So you're teaching us?!"

"I can't teach ghosts, Cecilia. Now come on, double-time!"

-1107 HRS. Room 1-1-

Alex picked up the necessary tools to train the two girls with some of his skills he learned in the force. A doorknob attached to a small slab of wood and plastic, to simulate a door and the side of the doorknob exposed to see the pins, a lockpicking kit and a handful of bobby pins and paper clips.

First he taught them the insides of a doorknob, basics in picking a lock, the do's and don'ts and other information that he experienced in the force.

"Okay… first let's go for the lockpicking kit…" He said as he prepared the kit and the knob. He first demonstrated how to pick a lock with this kit. "Here's the tension wrench, then here's the picks."

"Right… remember what I've told you, there are pins inside the knob. For this you have to find the right pick… Note that you do not put too much tension on the tension wrench. Just push it slowly and lightly."

So far, Shizune and Cecilia are taking notes, but the latter had some trouble figuring it out.

"Okay… Put the tension wrench first at the bottom of the keyhole then apply slight pressure. Then the right pick at the top, when you feel that you've struck a pin, put some pressure on it slowly until you hear a click."

"How would I know if I struck a pin?" Shizune asked.

"If you can feel the pick moving, you've hit one."

From the looks of it, the two are doing all right, but looking further, Shizune had some potential. Alcott was a quick-learner by nature.

"Not bad, Not bad… Okay… Let's teach you how to improvise."

The next lessons were the hard ones. Alex taught them how to improvise the lockpicking tools by hand. First, he pulled out some paper clips and bobby pins from his pocket.

It would be unfair if he used a multi-tool to make the tension wrench and the picks. The two girls focused on how Alex made the tools step-by-step.

"It'll sting on the first few tries, by the way." Alex warned. Cecilia gulped.

"Bend this here… and make a few angles on the tip… and there. That, ladies… is how you improvise a lock pick." He said, showing the improvised tools.

"Now. You have to be very careful when you make these. It may be made of steel, but that doesn't mean it'll last forever. These are just thin pieces of metal. So you have to be very careful when making and using these." He warned.

"Right, Alex." They said.

"Okay, Good. Now, let's test them out. Remember what I've told you." He said.

Alex observed how they pick the lock once more. Cecilia's doing a good job so far, and so was her roommate. So far, she might add up on the list of Alex's trainees.

"Okay, good. Very good so far, you two. Fast learners and good listeners too. As for you, Cecilia. Just… ease up on the tension wrench, all right?" Alex advised.

"All right, Alex. Thanks for the lesson!" They chirped.

"No problem. Dismissed." He said. Shizune was the first to leave the room. "Hold on for a minute, Cecilia. I got something to talk about." He said.

"What is it, Alex?" She asked.

Before asking, he looks at the doorway and towards the halls to see if someone was there. Fortunately, no one was outside.

"Right… You've… done modeling and interviews before, right?" He asked, somehow shocking Cecilia.

"H-How did you know?!" She asked.

"Yamada-sensei told me. Now. Mind if I ask something?" He asked again, this time approaching her.

"Wh-What are you planning to do, Alex?!" She stuttered.

"Look, I just need something from you." He deadpanned as he was close to the British representative.

Cecilia panicked and covered her chest. "Alex, don't! You're a police officer and a man of the badge! I respect you and you shouldn't take advantage of that—especially not like this!"

Alex was stunned and gave her a confused and irritated look. "What the fuck are you talking about, Alcott?! I need advice!" He exclaimed.

"Wh-What?"

"I needed advice from you! I'm gonna have an interview and maybe some modeling tomorrow and Yamada-sensei told me that you've done some modeling and interviews before and, so I figured I'd approach you for some advice!" He explained. "Jesus H. Christ, Cecilia! What the hell was running in your mind?!"

"I thought that—Well… Wait… What?" Cecilia asked, completely dumbfounded.

"Don't judge. So you're gonna help me or not?"

"Look, I was thinking of something else! I'll give you some advice." Cecilia said as everything sank in.

"Thank you! I'll shut up now and write the notes! That way we're even."

-1125 HRS. Room 1031—Charlotte and Laura's room-

Charlotte was alone and writing and reviewing some notes from previous lessons. She was serious about adapting the conventional tactics in the IS to that of Alex's tactics. So far it took some progress.

"I'd…better ask Alex about this." She sighed as she puts down and grabbed her pencil and notebook, and another book—specifically a novel, that she borrowed from him. Before she does that, she turned her head and looked at a photo of him on the table—specifically his photo during the service years. She smiled at first but she shook her head and placed his picture at her drawer.

"No… I shouldn't do that now. Charlotte, restrain yourself." She muttered, concerning how calm Alex was when she saw her this morning.

*Knocking*

"Charlotte? Can you open the door for a minute?" Laura asked.

"Ah! Coming!" Charlotte called as she unlocks and opens the door.

"Hey, Laura!" She greeted.

Laura raised an eyebrow a bit. "…hey?"

"What's wrong?"

"Are you sick, Charlotte? You're all red." Laura said to her as she looks at Charlotte's reddened face.

"Ah, that? No, I'm uh… I was… outside all morning! Yeah that's it! I was outside!" She stammered.

"…okay…whatever. Going somewhere?" Laura asked as she saw her with a couple of books.

"Um yeah… I was going to study tactics in the library." Charlotte answered.

Laura nodded. "Ah, I see. Well… If you're looking for Alex, he's either at the arena with Houki, I think."

Charlotte lit up as she heard that. "Got it! Thanks Laura!" She said as she hurried off.

Laura blinked for a couple of seconds and let things sink in. She chuckled to herself and crossed her arms as she leans on the doorway. "I guess you're going to chase after him…" She sighed as she sees her friend stroll off.

-1130 HRS. Arena 2-

Gunshots were heard as two people are at the arena, practicing, instead of an IS, It was only Alex observing Houki's performance as she insisted on practicing with him. She was using Alex's primary weapon—the UMP45.

"Hold on for a moment there, Houki. Don't hold the gun too tight, and try not to get too tense." Alex advised.

"Why so?" Houki asked.

Alex looked from the binoculars and sees that Houki missed the target. "If you shoot with tense hands you'll end up with a messy aim. And who knows, maybe in a situation, you might hit someone you're not supposed to shoot."

Houki gulped at the last part as she lowered down her aim. He sighed as he gently took his firearm from her hands and patted her shoulder. "You're slipping since we last trained, Houki. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, Alex… I just feel distracted, that's all." Houki sighed.

"I'm all ears if you need someone to talk. Walk with me." Alex assured and they walked away from the arena. Houki started to say something as they were at the exit of the arena.

"Well… Alex, mind if I ask something?"

"No one's stopping you, right?"

Houki sighed as she slumped on the wall. "How do you deal with things that kept haunting you? I know that I did and said things I'm not proud of but… why does it keep distracting me?"

Alex was caught off-guard at what Houki said. "Having some ghosts that haunt you?" He asked. Houki couldn't help but nod.

He sighed and sat next to the Japanese representative and pulled a flask. "I know I shouldn't drink on duty but…" He cut his words off with a gulp of whiskey.

"You're right, Alex. You shouldn't drink."

"My bad. But to be honest, Houki… I'm still finding the answer to that. One thing's for sure, these ghosts don't go away that easy."

Houki was surprised at what the American said. The last thing she'd expect was Alex not having a sound answer, but she understood what he said next.

"I was hoping for a clearer answer…"

"Maybe there's just some things I can't explain right off the bat. I mean… For me, my life is a damn gray area." Alex said.

"A gray area?"

"Think of it this way: One time you're a hero, the next you're a monster. I've said and done some things that I ain't proud of as well, Houki." Alex said.

"You mean…?"

Alex sighed and gave a pat on her shoulder. "That's another story for now, Kid. You told me that you guys owe me an explanation, remember?"

She sighed in reluctance. "Ah, yes. How could I forget?" Houki remembers something, the time he stood up against Chifuyu. "Wait. Can I ask something else?"

"Go nuts."

"Why did you stood up for us back when we quarreled? What made you train us or at least make an effort to do so?"

Alex sighed and patted her back. "I'm not keen on seeing my friends tear each other. Let's put it that way, All right?"

Houki was reluctant, but showed content along the way. "All right. Fine. Listen, Alex. I have to go. See you around?"

Alex nodded. "Sure, Houki. Just let me know if you want to practice again." She nodded and hurried off.

"Hey!" He called.

"Yeah, Alex?"

"Quarrel in front of me again, and I'll fire off a couple of warning shots." He jokingly threatened.

"We won't, Alex!" She hurries off.

"Good kid…" He silently chuckled and turned to his left side. "Lovin' what your hearing, Charlotte?" He asked.

"H-How did you know I was here?!" Charlotte stammered as she shows herself to the American officer.

"Lilly-scented perfume. I think you've put on a couple of sprays too much." He said.

"O-Oh, is that so?! Geez, what was I thinking?!" She cursed as she chuckled nervously while playing with her hair.

"So um… May I help you?" Alex asked.

"Oh, yeah! Here's that novel I borrowed from you." She said as she returns the borrowed novel. As Alex gets the novel back, he gives a small smirk.

"You know, Charlotte? Of all the novels I had in my room, I think you guys got attached to this one the most."

"The Pacific?" She asked.

"By Hugh Ambrose, yeah. First, Houki read this… Now You."

"I find that book interesting, actually. I was focused on Eugene Sledge. You've read the book yourself, Oui?"Charlotte asked.

"Finished it a couple of times, actually." Alex said. "Asides from Eugene… Who else is your favorite?"

"John Basilone." She answered.

"Manila John?!" He perked up.

"…eh?" She asked, dumbfounded by the nickname.

"That was his nickname! John Basilone, AKA Manila John."

"O-Oh! Is that so? I always wondered who he was when I read the book!" Charlotte said.

"…How many chapters did you read in that book?" Alex asked curiously.

"I'm almost finished. I was reading the part where Eugene Sledge was already home." She asked, surprising Alex.

"You borrowed that from me three weeks ago and you almost finished it?! It took me a month and a half to finish that the first time I read it!" He exclaimed.

"I'm a fast reader…" She explained. "And I love to read a good book. I'm open-minded to any kinds, actually."

"Oh. Well… I'll be heading back to my room to relax for a bit. You want to keep reading the book? It is pretty interesting." He said.

"Well… I would like to have a chat with you about some things." Charlotte offered.

"Sure, why not? What's the harm in that?" Alex accepted and they walked with each other to the hallway. Charlotte smiled while hiding the red tint.

"So, how did Eugene Sledge interested you?"

-1655 HRS. Room 1027, Alex's room-

The two talked and talked for hours and they did not realize the time spent. Charlotte was learning more when Alex cleared some confusions that she had, and they were having small, off-topic conversations at times.

"No, you can't suppress and flank at the same time by yourself, Charlotte. The benefit of being in a squad is that the tasks are equally divided, and each squad member is valuable—not expendable." Alex lectured when they discussed what was in Charlotte's notebook. They may not notice it but it has been hours since they went from the arena.

"I see. That's why you focused more on two-man teams and squad tactics." Charlotte analyzed.

"That's one of the reasons. Solo combat is a bit complex in its ways, I'll say that much. But another reason is that obviously, Ichika isn't alone. He's got you girls, and now he's got me."

"Yeah. You weren't exactly soft on Ichika when we started training under you—Well you do sometimes, but mostly you're a bit hard on him." Charlotte explained.

"I have to be hard on the kid. Otherwise he isn't going to learn if I go soft. Same goes for you guys. During those four weeks, you may have observed how I trained you. Tell me, Charlotte. What did you observed?"

"You were hard and strict on us a few times, sometimes it's the opposite." Charlotte said.

"And do you have a conclusion?"

"Sometimes, it's this one thing I can't understand. You want us to learn under you but your training methods are tough and at the same time tolerable. It's like you keep your methods and tactics balanced for us to adapt or adjust… in… such… ways…" Charlotte's words drifted off before coming to a conclusion.

"I think I got it!" She chirped.

"Exactly. You learn, you adapt, you adjust. And how do we do that? We keep our tactics balanced and fitting in the situation. Sometimes we become aggressive, sometimes, defensive. Sometimes, we're the spearhead, or the shield. A guiding palm but an iron fist, wouldn't you say?" Alex said the answer.

"Goodness, Alex! I guess we really learned a lot from you!" She praised.

"So far, You, Laura and Houki got the answers right. And by the way you guys performed during all of that, I guess I've taught you guys well." Alex said.

"Oui… I suppose so." She said as she cupped her hand. As she looked at the table, she finds a notepad and notices that it was all about tips on modeling, interviews.

"Tips on modeling?" She asked him, only to see him turn around in embarrassment. Charlotte couldn't help but giggle at it.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

"You did a lot of interviews yourself, right Alex?" She asked.

"But that was on the job! Not to mention I'm not the one to model or pose in front of a camera!" He defended.

"And you have notes on how to do this… why exactly?" She asked.

"I-I'm not telling." He pouted.

She chuckled for a bit. "Oh come on, Alex! Drop the condescending look."

"To know what to do in modeling… It's not my Forte." He said and lowered his head in embarrassment and defeat. He sighed and looked at Charlotte, who had mixed emotions.

He sighed as he threw himself face first on the bed. "Go ahead and laugh… It's ridiculous, I know!" He groaned as his voice was muffled through the pillow that covered his face.

She couldn't help but giggle for a few times. "Aww… poor thing." She joked as she went to his side and patted his head.

"Alex… If you get asked for the interview, all you have to do is answer." She said.

"I'm more worried about the modeling." He said.

"Then I'm sure that they will make you pose as if you're on-duty with the police!" She assured. Alex sprang up and looked at her.

"They will?" He asked.

"Oui! I'm sure they will! You don't have to be nervous anymore if they do that! All you have to do is to act natural."

Alex give some thoughts about it. "Well… if it really happens. Fine." He reluctantly accepted before seeing her smile.

"I can't believe I agreed to this." He sighed.

"Well, you made the decision, and you're going to have to get through with it." She pouted.

"Yeah… hey, Charlotte… I kinda told my uncle about this. The interview, I mean." He started.

"And?"

"He kinda suggested to take you with me…" He said embarrassingly.

"…He did?" She asked.

"Well… yeah… I mean it's okay if you don't want to go… I understand." He said until they were both fidgeting.

"I… I'd better go and um… freshen up…?" Alex muttered awkwardly as he grabbed a spare set of clothes.

"Yeah… you do that." She said as she sees the bathroom door close and hear the water running.

She sighed for a while out of embarrassment and lowered her head. "Mondieux… What was I thinking?" She muttered.

As she looked around his room, she admired how neat it looked, despite all the guns and equipment that he uses. Other than the usual equipment that was fastened to his uniform, and personal belongings that was usually at his desk, it looked just like it was still unused.

She looked at his bedside table next. There was only a small, leather-covered photo album that sat under the lamp on his bedside table. The leather that bound the photo album looked a bit weathered due to age.

Charlotte became curious about the album. She was hesitant to look at what's inside at first. But she looked at the bathroom door to hear the doorknob turning. She panicked and just sat on the bed, just to look at a freshly-clothed officer who was wiping his head dry. He wore a simple t-shirt and black cargo pants.

"Still here, Charlotte?" He asked as he looked at the fidgeting French representative.

"Yes, Alex… I'm still thinking about what you and your uncle said." She murmured. He sighed and sat next to her.

"You know you don't have to force yourself, Charlotte. It's okay if you don't—" Alex was cut off on what she said next.

"It's okay, I don't mind." She chirped.

Alex blinked for a few seconds for it so sink in. "…Eh?"

"I said, It's okay. I don't mind coming with you." She said while smiling.

He scratched the back of his head in reluctance and hesitation. "Well… if you say so, then all right."

"But I get to watch only!" She warned.

"No harm in that." Alex nodded. "And Charlotte?"

"Yes, Alex?"

"Breathe. You're too tense." He said. Charlotte took a deep breath and sighed as she slumps on his bed.

"Merci Beaucoup, Alex. I needed that." She sighed before hearing her stomach growl. She got embarrassed by it to the point she lowered her head.

"Sounds like you needed that too." Alex pointed out.

"I am kind of hungry… What time is it?" She asked.

"It's… Whoa, it's almost 5 PM already." Alex said.

"Five?!" She shot up. "Oh goodness, I have to go!"

"Wait, Charlotte! You're gonna hit the—"

As she sprang up from his bed, she yelped as something hit her from the side, causing something to fall from where it was placed.

"Ow… Ow…"

"Hey, Charlotte?"

She whimpered.

"You okay?" He asked, only to feel her grab his shirt.

"It's just a scratch… Silly me." She made a pitiful laugh.

Alex sighed. "Be careful next time, Okay? Ah, man… I messed your hairdo." He said as he grabbed her ribbon.

"Turn around, Charlotte." She did so and he fashioned her hair into a ponytail that he's so familiar with.

"There…better?" He asked.

"Better."

"All right, then you better get something to eat." Alex said as she turns around. All of the sudden, his stomach growled.

"Urk… I mean… Let's get something to eat…" He said weakly.

"Y-Yes… Alex."

"And, Charlotte?"

"Yeah?"

"Please… try not to be so uptight. Hn?" As he said that, she pouted at him.

"I was supposed to say that to you, Alex." She smirked.

"And you wanted me to enjoy myself. Is that right?" Alex said.

"Of course, Alex! Just like you said this morning—you want to hold on to any good thing that comes to you, right?! So think of this as a good thing!" She reasoned.

Alex was a bit surprised by what she said. "You… really meant that?" He asked hesitantly.

"Of course, Alex! Stop doubting such! No more rambling for now... Please?" Charlotte pleaded.

The look of surprise became a look of understanding as he sighed in between. "All right. I'll do it." He assured the French representative.

"Do I need to shave?" He asked as he touched his cheeks.

"No need. It's not that obvious." She answered before rubbing her thumbs on his cheeks. "It's a little rough, but not that obvious. And your hair is neatly trimmed…"

"Well…"

"Well what, Officer?" She asked.

"You sure you wanted to come? Final answer?" He asked. She sighed and rolled her eyes as she pressed her finger on his lips to keep it shut.

"No rambling, Alex. You promised."

"Fine. I promise. I'll join you guys later, all right?" Alex said.

"Sure, Alex." She said as she leaves the room. Once he's alone, he looked at his phone and put another thought into it.

"Does she know…? No. Just to make sure…"

-2100 HRS. Central Police HQ, Los Angeles, California-

Natasha Fairs was doing the usual routine—papers, monitoring Alex, and more papers. Hours ago, her phone beeped to signal a message was received. It took a few hours to realize this and opened the phone and was confused and irritated at the same time.

"What the heck?"

The message showed a picture of Alex, pouting and raising a middle finger.

"What the hell was that for, Alex?" She asked. "Hey, Barnes!" She called his uncle, who was incidentally along the hallway.

"Yeah, Nat?"

"What's wrong with your nephew?" She asked as she showed the picture.

"Oh that. He's just edgy on the interview that he'll be in tomorrow. Poor kid asked me for advice." The lieutenant answered.

Natasha blinked on the last part. "What?"

"Oh, didn't you remember? He'll be in a magazine interview. Didn't Alex told you?"

It took a while for it to sink in and then she started to smirk. "Got it. Thanks, Lieutenant." As she was left alone, she called Alex.

"What do you want, Natasha?" Alex asked.

"Interview, huh?" She said.

"Don't ask. Already having some stuff on my back as is and I don't want to—"

"Not a word, Alex. Just enjoy." Natasha said.

There was a long pause before Alex responded.

"Are you drunk? Or high? Travis did something, did he?"

"Sober and Clean, Alex. We'll keep watch from here. Looks like Phantom Task won't bother us for now. You've noticed that for a while now, right?" She said.

"Yeah, no activities whatsoever." Alex said, giving some thoughts.

"But that doesn't mean you letting your guard down. Just stay on your toes, okay? If it ain't Phantom Task, it might be something else."

"Yeah. Got it. Thanks, Fairs."

"And Alex?"

"What?"

"Try to enjoy tomorrow."

"Yeah… Yeah, sure. Can I go to bed now? It's 2 in the morning in Japan for Chrissakes."

"All right, Alex. Good night."

-1045 HRS. Northwest Photography Studios-

The five were already at the lounge where the interview will start. Ichika and Houki were equally nervous for it. But they looked at Alex, who was taciturn for the whole trip coming here. Charlotte was sightseeing from where she stood.

"Well guys… we're here. Northwest studios." Mayuzumi said.

"It kinda reminds me of the photo studios back home during patrols." Alex said.

"Hey, Alex… thank you again for joining us. You know my sister wanted to interview you." Mayuzumi said.

"I'm sure that she'll be in a heck of a surprise."

"Same to you, Charlotte! Thank you for accompanying us." The young journalist chirped.

"I wanted to get out a bit more often." Charlotte said the alibi.

"Right, guys! Let's go inside." Mayuzumi said as she escorts her interviewees.

-1049 HRS. Interview area-

It was a simple lounge but it had a modern and classy look at the same time. On one of the tables, a woman, in her mid-20s arranged the spot as she waited for the interviewees.

"Onee-san!" Mayuzumi called.

"Oh! Mayu-chan! So glad you came!" She greeted before noticing Ichika and Houki.

"This must be my interviewees for today!" She said as she noticed the two.

"Actually, Nee-san, there's another interviewee that I'd like you to meet."

"Eh? Who is it then?"

Mayuzumi gestured the American to show himself to her sister.

*KYAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!*

All of her interviewees were a bit taken back by her reaction.

"Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh! Is it really him?!" She asked her sister.

"Ma'am, by all means be hysterical, but please don't forget to breathe!" Alex said as he tries to calm the hysterical interviewer down.

"Ma'am… Breathe. Inhale… count to four… exhale… count to four… inhale…" He instructed as the interviewer followed.

"Better?"

"Y-Yes. I'm sorry for my reaction, Officer Fields. It's just that I CANNOT believe that I will be interviewing you as well!" She reasoned.

"I understand. Well… your sister told me that you wanted to interview me and I kinda suggested to make it a surprise. Turns out it worked." He said while high-fiving Mayuzumi.

"Thank you so much, Mayu-chan! I'm so grateful!" The interviewer thanked while hugging her sister.

"Wait! We expected to interview Ichika Orimura and Houki Shinonono only! How are we supposed to squeeze you in?!" She asked.

"Oh dear… Are you putting him in the next edition?" Mayuzumi asked.

"I'm afraid so, Mayu-chan. I feel bad for saying this in front of him." She said, embarrassed.

"Ma'am, I have an idea. Why not make a back-to-back edition?" Alex suggested, making their heads turn.

"Really?! But why would you suggest that?"

"Well first, your publication company's been here for at least twenty-five years and they've been publishing some of my favorite magazines since I can remember. And I've heard they're releasing their latest edition to commemorate their Twenty-fifth Anniversary." He reasoned.

"He's kept track of it because they make his favorite magazines like Law Enforcement Weekly. Care to give it a shot?" Mayuzumi asked. Her sister thought about it for a while but when she looked at the officer in person, she made her decision.

"All right! I have two interviews to do! Thank you, Officer!" She chirped.

"Okay then! Ichika, Houki, you guys go first." Alex said.

"R-Right, Alex." They said. As they sat on the table, Alex couldn't help but smile for a bit as he looks at the smiles on their faces. Charlotte notices this and gets his attention.

"Something wrong?" She asked.

"Nah. It's nothing. It's kinda nice to see a sight like this—smiles on their faces and all. I think I'll enjoy it." He assured. She smiles and pats his head.

"Hey, not the hair." He said.

"It's messy, Alex." She pouted.

"It's already short enough, Charlotte. How could it be messy?" He asked, causing the French representative to stop and turn away for a while. She looks back and pouts at him, showing a faint red tint on her face.

"Alex, you pervert." She said.

"…Seriously?" He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"This'll be a long day…"