Book I Chapter 7: Things Fall Apart
The story is better formatted in AO3. I was able to make the text message portion look like an actual conversation on a phone. Unfortunately, FF doesn't support this.
We also have a discord! pPUd7HyF49
scroll down to the bottom of your server lists and press the little plus sign for "Add a server" and then press "Join a server" under "Have an invite already?" and copy and paste the wacky code!
I was able to recruit some of the proofreaders and editors from Rhodes Island's Psychologist. So hopefully they will be able to help. As I'm sure you're all aware of by now, updates to this story usually include updates to several chapters. The editors work at their own pace.
I worked tirelessly to get this out on Christmas. So merry Christmas everyone! Think of this as my present to all of you. If you're feeling generous, u can gift me reviews LOLOLOL. Anything to make this story better
The return trip was mired with hostile silence. Aurelian didn't require an empath to understand Ch'en was still upset. So he, not wanting to agitate the officer further, trailed a few paces behind. Aurelian had never seen someone so infuriated but he refused to apologize. He had no regrets. He stood by his statements and if, given the opportunity, he'd say them again. He sighed mournfully. I'm sorry, I don't think I got through to her…
They had barely reached Ch'en's car when her radio erupted with nervous chatter. "Officer Ch'en, er… 10-62, Officer Ch'en."
"10-6, this is Ch'en." She spoke into her Handheld-Transceiver.
"10-4, Ch'en sir. We got a uh…" The sound of shuffling paper was audible through the transceiver. "10-35…? Yes, a 10-35 down by the central bank. And… 10-seventy… eight…?" The unsure voice questioned as it trailed off."
"10-4, 10-76 central." She spared him a glance. "What're you looking at? You heard the woman. Get in the damn car!"
Definitely still upset.
Ch'en haphazardly tossed her gear onto the backseat and deftly slid behind the wheel. She turned the ignition as Aurelian scrambled for the door. "10-68, this is Ch'en."
"Uh…10-56. 10-60. Officer on duty wants an ETA."
"10-77: 15 minutes. Dispatch, mind your codes. That's a demerit." Now , he felt a little guilty. The poor woman had nothing to do with their argument but ended up on the business end of Ch'en's ire.
"What's going on?"
She hurled a scathing glare. "Some hotshot committed suicide at the central bank."
"You got all of that from a bunch of numbers?"
"They're not numbers. They're codes . Each officer is required to memorize them." She forcefully handed him a field manual from her map pocket. "And you will too. I want it done by the end of the week."
"End of the week?! But it's Friday!"
"And? Do you have anything better to do?" He couldn't deny that. Ch'en had a point.
"Well, no, but—"
Ch'en stiffened. "While you're here in Lungmen, you will work under my rules. Failure to do so will result in an immediate return to Rhodes Island. Am I clear?"
Aurelian bit back a grumble. "Yes…"
"Yes, what? "
"Yes, Ch'en."
"You may only refer to me as 'Madame Ch'en' or 'Ch'en sir'. Demerit. I will send Dr. Kal'tsit a notice to dock your pay."
"What?! But earlier you—"
"Is that a complaint?"
"No, Ch'en sir."
She hmphed. "Good."
He could now add Ch'en to the growing list of people who wanted him dead—right under Firewatch and Texas. Speaking of Texas, I forgot to tell them I was in Lungmen. Whipping out his phone, he slowly finger-pecked a message.
Aurelian
Need help. In lUNGMEN with cHEN. i think she
hates me. she docked my pay.
He was surprised when Texas, of all people, responded with a phone call almost instantaneously. He hadn't pinned her as a fast responder. That seemed more like an Exusiai thing. Regardless, Aurelian let it ring. He preferred a phone call because his typing skills were next to abysmal. However, he was afraid that Ch'en would further dock his pay if he answered the phone.
Texas
pick up the phone when someone calls
you. it's rude. wth did you do? why didn't
you call me? did you join the lgd?
Aurelian scratched his head. wth? What the hell is wth?
Aurelian
wHAT is wth
Texas
What The Hell
He slapped himself in the face. It was evident in retrospect.
Exusiai
ヽ()ﾉ
ur in lungmen?!
since when?
where?
why didn't u tell us?
and why is the first person u hang out with chen?
are u cheating on us with the lgd
Aurelian
Yes.
This morning in her car. Forgot.
Forced. what
Texas
im still waiting for your answer.
wait. did you just say you were in her car?
Exusiai
Σ (ﾟДﾟ)
did u get arrested?!
Aurelian
no, i did not.
He glanced over at Ch'en who was still scowling.
Aurelian
i think.
It was hard to tell.
Texas
then you did join the lgd?
answer the damn questions.
Alrihgt geez. no rhodes island
Ch'en cut their conversation short. "We're here."
Aurelian
talk later. have work.
Texas
don't you dare
Tucking his phone into his battered cloak, Aurelian peered through the windshield. The entire plaza had been cordoned off with barricades, Cruisers, and ARVs staffed by members of both the LGD and SIU. In the distance, a tall flagpole stood in the center of the plaza.
Ch'en drove up to a makeshift checkpoint. Rolling down her window, she flashed her badge and ID. The guard on duty saluted.
"Thank you for coming Madame Ch'en sir. Parking's on the far side and the other officers have gathered near the flagpole."
"Thank you."
"Also, Miss Nine called while you were away. She asks that you take tomorrow off."
"Noted." Rolling up her window, Ch'en navigated to the designated parking zone and threw the parking brakes. Performing their usual routine, Aurelian soon found himself standing in front of an increasingly hostile Ch'en.
She jabbed his chest with a pointed finger. "Don't think I've forgiven your comment." She hissed. "I may not be able to break him, but I can break you."
Despite the great disparity in their heights, at that moment, Aurelian felt like the officer could crush him beneath her feet. Hell, he was nervous, scared, and intimidated, but he refused to back down. Not here; not now; not ever. Of course, Aurelian would later deny having such feelings.
"I don't need your forgiveness, Ch'en sir and I won't ask for it. I stand by my words whether you like them or not.
"If you think you can show me the error of my ways, then go ahead—do it." The lung whirled around with a guttural snarl, striking his body with her tail.
"Worth it."
Ch'en led him along a staggered brick path. They passed saluting officers and ducked beneath police tape. When he was first hired, Aurelian had thought Rhodes Island was a marvel of modern technology but compared to the LGD's equipment? Rhodes might as well have been a country farmhouse.
And the uniforms! There were so many it boggled his mind. In particular, was the group of officers with the word "FORENSICS" sewn into the back of their blouses. A majority of them were gathered around a van twice the size of Texas's alongside an obnoxiously yellow truck-like vehicle. What they did there was beyond him. The most surprising sight was the bizarre scene of a tiny Zalak child standing atop a soap box belting out orders at breakneck speeds.
As they approached the flagpole, it immediately became obvious that something had gone wrong. At first, he could only see violent splatters of blood. Then came the body of a well-dressed man, sitting propped up against the pole's foundations. There was a gun in his right hand and a letter in his left. A little ways away from the scene stood: Hosiguma and Firewatch; Swire and Red; and a tall man with feline features he didn't recognize. Judging by his animated reactions, he seemed very close with Swire. Aurelian caught the trailing end of their conversation just as he and Ch'en had entered earshot.
"…and I told him, 'Bea's only 23! She doesn't need a husband!' And that brother of mine, do you know what he said?"
"What? Don't keep it to yourself!"
The man chucked. "He said, 'You're damn right she doesn't need a husband! The only man she needs is her papa!'."
Swire giggled. "There's no way! No way that old man said that!"
"I kid you not! Every word I spoke is the truth and nothing but the truth." The pair shared a laugh. "So, are you feeling better? I know this," he said gesturing to the gruesome scene, "is a lot to take in, especially for the first time. I hope my little story helped."
Swire nodded and hugged the man. "Yes, thank you Adam, but I think I still need a bit more time."
"I understand."
Ch'en quickened her pace and walked up to them. "Swire, Superintendent." She said with a respectful nod. "Sorry for the delay, a certain someone was holding me back." All eyes turned to Aurelian. Within seconds, Red had closed the distance and scampered up his back. She sat on his shoulders and rested her head on his halo.
"Did Messiah behave?"
"Eh… yes and no?" He whispered back. "I didn't do anything wrong, but Ch'en sir now hates my guts. Well, I gave her advice, but I think I deeply offended her."
"Messiah, don't need, dragon. Messiah, part of, Red's pack."
"Tell that to her," he replied, pointing to Ch'en. "She's making me memorize 101 codes by the end of the week." Projekt Red frowned.
The Superintendent approached with a friendly jaunt. "You must be the new hire little Bea keeps talking about!"
"I do not! And look at his state of dress! A fashion mass murder. It's not even symmetrical, furthermore, his coat looks more rugged than it did in the morning!"
"Calm down, dear. I'm sure he has his reasons." The man presented a hand. "My name is Adamas Schwire. I'm the current Superintendent of the SIU and little Bea's uncle."
Swire redden. "Uncle please!"
Adamas chuckled. "Oops, I suppose I should have said 'Jr. Officer Swire'. Regardless, it's a pleasure to meet you." Aurelian grasped Adamas's hand with his own, giving it a firm shake. The Superintendent's hands were rough and warm. Clear signs of a hard worker. Brownie points.
Acting on instinct, he whipped a proud look toward Ch'en. Hoping to gloat over his assimilation into modern society. However, he was reminded of their current situation when she spat on the ground. Oh… that's not good. Red offered him a conciliatory pat on the head.
"My name is Messiah and the pleasure is mine, Adam." He paused. "Oh um, I'm sorry. I'm not a new hire, I'm only training here temporarily."
Adamas was visibly confused. "Is that so? According to our records, you were officially listed as a temporary transferee under Dr. Kal'tsit's direct order as of…" he checked his watch. "10 minutes ago."
"…"
"You are to address the Superintendent as 'Mr. Schwire', 'Sir', or by title. Demerit." Aurelian wished he could slap the smirk off Ch'en's face.
Adamas gave him a firm pat on the back. "Don't let it get to you, lad. I've got a feeling this encounter will be enriching for both of us."
Aurelian's shoulders slumped forward. He could only hope Adamas was right. Projekt Red suddenly shuddered.
"What? Red, what are—"
"Hello, This-is-Battalion-Chief-Shaw reporting-for-duty!"
Aurelian jumped. "Holy shit! When did you get here?"
"Just-now."
Adamas smiled. "Ah! Fire Battalion Chief Xiao! Thank you for coming. I apologize for the inconvenience, but regulations are regulations and the Fire Department must respond to unlisted emergencies."
"I-understand. We-are-always ready-to-do our-part."
Aurelian felt like everyone had missed the rampaging elephant in the room. "Wait, did you just call her chief? You let a child lead a fire battalion?" He was hard-pressed to believe the validity of Adamas's claims.
Shaw's short legs made quick work of the distance between herself and Aurelian. From his height of over six feet, he could only see her face, as her head obstructed a majority of her body. "I-will-have-you-know that-I-am-in-fact 23-years-old and-I-have five-years-of-experience. I-may-be a-poppet, but-don't-underestimate-me okay? There-are-jobs the-other-members are-unable to-perform."
"She's older than me?!" Aurelian stopped to think. "That's actually pretty cool. Respect that." Shaw's smile could have lit a city block.
"With pleasantries out of the way, I think it's time we get to business." The Superintendent continued. "I'm sure most of us, by now, know who this is—er… was . But for our Rhodes Island friends plus Messiah."
Aurelian groaned. Why did Kal'tsit approve this? The entire LGD was out to get him!
"He was Matthias Huang, Minister of Domestic Affairs, our representative in Chief Wei's government," he paused to collect himself, "and a good friend... Officer Daeven of Forensics will fill you in."
A spectacled Lung stepped forward. "Thank you, Superintendent. Based on evidence gathered by my team, Mr. Huang was shot in the head using the M-1 originium pistol found on his person. The Greyson Counter detected approximately 0.45 mg of residual originium around the body.
"As you all know, originium powder is the main propellant in most firearms. This residue is a common occurrence with gun discharge.
"We have taken the liberty to read his letter in hopes of finding a motive. What we read shocked us: a history of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety; mounting debt; and a divorce." He sighed with a shake of his head. "It's always the happy ones… Regardless, if we consider the aforementioned facts, we can conclude that he most likely committed suicide."
Adamas thanked the officer. "That's all. Any questions?"
"Is that it? We're not executing a formal investigation? What about the coroner's report?" Aurelian breathed a sigh of relief. For once, Ch'en wasn't angry with him. He was perfectly fine with letting the Superintendent take some of the heat. "I apologize if I'm overstepping my bounds, but shouldn't we take more time with this?"
At that moment, Adamas appeared to age several years. His body deflated with a morose sigh. "You're right, Officer Ch'en, and god, do I wish we could. He was like a brother to me, but with the increase in violent incidents in Lungmen, we can't afford to spare the resources for an investigation like this. We just… Can't. We must prepare for the next incident. I have to set aside my personal feelings for the sake of the city."
Undeterred, Ch'en pressed on. "With all due respect, sir. I believe this is the next incident."
"Impossible. An incident has never targeted a member of the government, especially not one as high ranking as Matthias." He said dismissively, "No one would be so foolish to attack one of Chief Wei's advisors. It's just not possible."
"Yes, but just because it hasn't happened, doesn't mean it won't happen. What if, instead of one culprit, we were dealing with multiple? What if all these incidents are related?" Aurelian begrudgingly agreed with Ch'en. She was right: precedence doesn't imply a natural pattern. All it took was one counterexample and the entire theory would fall apart.
"Officer Ch'en, if we stood here asking 'what if questions' we'd be here until the day we die. It's time to move on. Understand? As much as I want to investigate this, I can't. Not with our shortage of funds. You're a good officer with a good heart, Ch'en. I'd hate to demote you for insubordination."
Ch'en looked down. Aurelian was afraid her gloves would tear if she clenched her fists any harder. "I understand…"
Adamas nodded. "Good, I'm glad we could come to an agreement." Waving, He hollered to his men. "SIU! Start cleaning up! Get this body into cold storage! My apologies, I have an important meeting. Back at HQ, so you'll have to forgive me." Adamas promptly left the scene with Swire and Daeven in tow.
The group stood in silence as they watched the Forensics team fetch a stretcher from their van. Hoshiguma spoke with a grave look etched on her face.
"Ch'en."
"Yeah, I know."
"What about the squirrel?" They both turned to face Shaw.
The Zalak fidgeted in place, unnerved by the giants glaring down at her. "Is-there-something-you-need?"
Ch'en sighed. "No. We thank you for your cooperation. You and your team may leave." Shaw left with a bow. "Messiah, Projekt Red, and Firewatch, you three are coming with me. Hoshiguma will meet us there."
"Where are we going?" Firewatch asked.
"My place. We need to talk. Something doesn't add up…"
Aurelian groaned. "Why do I have such a bad feeling about this…" No, I shouldn't tempt fate. I do it every time and every time I end up regretting it… As the others went their separate ways, Aurelian paused. Acting on an impulse, he whipped out his phone and took a quick picture of the gruesome scene. Could come in handy.
After collecting their belongings, the operators reconvened in front of Ch'en's car, unsure how to proceed. Irritated, Ch'en practically forced Aurelian into the front, leaving Projekt Red and Firewatch with the backseats. The first few minutes of the ride had been tense and awkward. No one felt comfortable starting a conversation, because they knew Ch'en was in a particularly foul mood, so they elected to sit in suffocating silence. It came to a point where Aurelian was desperate for relief. He pulled out his phone and paled: a missed call from Texas and several messages…
Aurelian
talk later. have work
Texas
don't you dare
hey! what do you mean u joined rhodes?
Today 13:45
Texas
answer your damn phone!
Today 14:00
Texas
And the last thing we need
is the lgd after us.
Today 14:20
Texas
so don't get too close
Exusiai
(）︵
texas stop.
u sound like a clingy girlfriend
going through a breakup.
(﹏)
Texas
i do not
He felt bad for rubbing Texas off like last night's temporary tattoo, but the situation was beyond his control. Aurelian responded with an apology.
Today 14:35
Aurelian
Sorry.
Had to help with an "investigation"
If you could even call it that
Exusiai
o(〃〃)o
He's alive!
Investigation?
Aurelian
I think the officer on duty's
got a screw loose.
What's up with Texas?
Exusiai
I think she's just concerned
about loose ends
Do you think she sounds like
a clingy girlfriend?
Aurelian wasn't dumb enough to answer that in front of Texas. He had heard tales of her infamous Sword Rain from operators back on the Island and wasn't in a rush to test his luck.
March 13 22:35
Exusiai
Uh. hey messiah… u left ur
luggage in the back of the van
LOL try not to soil ur undies 3
Today 14:40
Aurelian
A bit yea.
Exusiai
( ͡ ͜ʖ
Aurelian
Stop that. That's creepy as
hell. You better not tell her
Exusiai
ιﺤ
Aurelian
Exusiai that's not funny
She wouldn't. Aurelian trusted his fellow Sankta. However, out of an abundance of caution, he decided to ignore her, robbing her of the attention she craved. He had hoped, it would deter her from any misadventures. It didn't…
Today 14:45
Texas
i will find you.
and I will kill you.
Exusiai
LMAO
ιﺤ (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞
Aurelian
Why?!
He could only imagine the torture Texas would bring upon him when they met again. Maybe she'd forget about it with a change of topic? It had worked with Exusiai, and Sankta were said to be incredibly intelligent…
Aurelian
Could i get your input
on something?
Texas
nice try.
Rats… now he needed an actual "something" to clear his good name.
Exusiai
Lemuel would be glad
to help you, Messiah!
Aurelian
Why do you keep insisting
I call you by your name?
Exusiai
It's in my blood
Aurelian's train of thought came screeching to a halt. He sat thunderstruck as his mind wandered back to the scene of the crime. How did I miss that?!
Aurelian
Exusiai, you're a genius!
Exusiai
If you're truly thankful,
then call me Lemuel.
Texas
No.
Aurelian
…Fine
Making the proper adjustments to her name, he continued texting.
Texas
what?!
Lemuel
()( ʃƪ)
Aurelian
Stop you two. This is serious.
Texas
what happened?
Aurelian
Take a look
Scrolling through his short list of photos (a majority of which were Hibiscus Selfies), he tapped on the image of the crime scene.
Aurelian
[MMS Attachment]
Texas
dio mio…
Lemuel
matthias?!
( -̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥᷄ω-̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥᷅ )
.
.
.
what the fuck happened?!
he was so chill!
Aurelian
Committed suicide
this afternoon.
Texas
are you sure it was him?
is that a suicide note in his hand?
Aurelian
Yeah. Mentioned something
about debt and divorce.
Lemuel
what?!
Texas
so they read the letter?
Aurelian
Yeah. I snapped this right
after they left.
Texas
so why the hell did they
put it back?
Lemuel
Now that you mention it…
If he was holding the letter
when he shot himself…
Aurelian
Then why is it free of
blood?
Texas
judging by the
positioning of his body,
the letter should have been
covered with blood.
Lemuel
then the letter must have
been planted after he died!
Aurelian smirked.
Aurelian
Bingo
Lemuel
texas! we're detectives!
"It was a set-up…" Ch'en slammed the brakes, throwing him against the dashboard.
"Holy shit, Ch'en. What the hell was that?!"
"Explain." She demanded.
"Superintendent Schwire and Officer Daeven said the letter was written as a suicide note, right?"
"And?"
"If he wrote the letter before he killed himself, then why was it clean? Logically, if he was holding the letter when he shot himself, wouldn't it be soaked in blood? I mean, even the hand holding the letter was painted red."
Her eyes dilated. "仆街!" Ch'en cursed Lungmen slang. "How could I have missed that?!"
That's what I said!
Gunning the accelerator, the car lurched forward, swerving around angry drivers.
Aurelian panicked. "Holy shit, Ch'en! Slow down!"
"屌你! 𨳒你老母臭閪!"
"She forgot how to speak Universal!" Firewatch cried in a break from her stoic character.
They were pulling into Ch'en's apartment within minutes. Stumbling out of the parking garage, they found Hoshiguma leaning against the front door. The Oni rushed to meet them, undoubtedly concerned by Ch'en's bleak expression. "Ch'en? What happened?"
"Not now. Wait until we get inside." She brought them through a lavish, modern lobby built from luxurious stones—such as marble and granite—plastics, and trendy materials like aluminum, glass, and steel. They passed an indoor waterfall and entered an elevator room. Ch'en aggressively slapped a keycard against a scanner before herding them into the nearest elevator.
Aurelian tapped Hoshiguma on the shoulder. "This elevator doesn't have any buttons…"
"Ch'en lives on the top floor—a penthouse. This is her private elevator."
"That seems like something Swire would do…" Ch'en punched him on the shoulder.
"I inherited it." She snapped as Projekt Red squeezed herself between them with a growl.
"Red, protect, Messiah."
Aurelian gasped with relief when the doors finally pulled open. Another minute and he was afraid Ch'en and Red would tear at each other's throats.
He whistled in awe. He had to admit, Ch'en had a very impressive place. He didn't have long to admire the extravagant apartment, however, as Ch'en violently shoved them into the open living space.
She and Hoshiguma walked through the living room, passed a pool, and sat on opposite sides of an indoor bar. Ch'en drummed her fingers impatiently against the pristine granite, glaring daggers at Aurelian. The Rhode Islanders rushed to join them. Hoping to avoid Ch'en's irritation, Aurelian sat next to Hoshiguma but found himself staring directly into her withering gaze.
That backfired…
Red protectively slid into the seat beside him.
"So what happened, Ch'en?"
"On our way here, Messiah was able to put two and two together.." She explained. "It was all a cover-up." Hoshiguma listened attentively as Ch'en explained his thought process.
"That's quite impressive, Messiah. Was there anything else you noticed?"
"Well, I thought it was weird how they returned the letter to Matthais's hand after reading it. I think this deserves some looking into."
Firewatch nodded. "I agree. Messiah, you took a picture of the crime scene, right?"
Ch'en and Hoshiguma whipped their attention toward him. Talk about putting pressure on someone, geez. "Uh…yeah? How'd you know?"
"You weren't exactly discrete about it. May I see?" The doe asked, rolling her eyes.
Ignoring the messages from Texas and Exu—Lemuel, Aurelian picked out the photo and handed his phone to Firewatch. She took it with a silent, if not begrudging, thanks. She looked at it for a long while, allowing him to look around the apartment.
As expected of Ch'en, the place was spotless. The shiny floor, composed mostly of polished white and beige marble tiles, looked like the perfect spot to lie on a hot summer's day. Their color blended perfectly with the off-white, cream-colored walls. Aurelian had once heard Saga describe this building style as "open-concept" and it was easy to understand why. The apartment had a distinct lack of walls and huge windows spanning the entire height of this floor . Since he sat on the barside of the counter, he had a perfect view of the narrow spiraling staircase that led to the floors above and below.
Looking back toward the elevator, Aurelian had a good view of the pool. Unlike most houses, Ch'en's apartment didn't have many doors, but a myriad of arches and entryways that vaguely divided her flat into room-like areas. The indoor pool was one such area. It stretched across the length of its room with a random false tree sitting in the middle on a square island. Rich people . He thought to himself. Massive framed, sliding glass doors were the only barriers that stood between the pool room and the large exterior patio.
Beyond the pool, was her living room. With three couches, a divan, a sofa table, and a dining table, it was one of the busiest rooms that he had seen in the apartment. Of course, the living room also had sliding doors that led to the exterior patio. With a beautiful view of Lungmen's skyline, it made for one hell of a smoking spot.
Aurelian's visual exploration was brought to an end when Firewatch finally placed his phone on the table with a subtle 'thunk'. She had zoomed in around Matthais's head. "Here. Look at this."
"What? What am I looking at? Ch'en questioned impatiently. "The entry wound?"
Firewatch nodded. "Yes, but look here, around his temple."
"Is that…?"
"This, second, hole."
"Unless this dude had superpowers, there's no way he can shoot himself twice in the head."
"Messiah is right. That means Matthais was likely assassinated ." Hoshiguma uttered grimly.
"I knew it…this has to be the next incident."
"We don't know that for sure, Ch'en. All the possible evidence has probably been buried beneath a bureaucratic quagmire."
"Then we dig it up! Don't tell me you're going to give up now, Hoshi!"
"You heard what the Superintendent said!"
Ch'en slammed a fist onto the granite counter. "I don't care what the Superintendent said! If he won't allow an investigation, then we'll investigate the incident ourselves!" She shouted. "I won't let his ignorance destroy Lungmen."
Hoshiguma looked bewildered. "How? We have nowhere to work. We can't work out of HQ: the place is crawling with members of Forensics and SIU. We have no idea who we can trust."
"Then we'll work from here. Firewatch, tomorrow, go with Hoshiguma to the Empress and collect your team's belongings. Everyone will be staying here."
"May I ask why?"
"While what we are doing is perfectly legal, here in Lungmen the Superintendent is the law. If it turns out that Adamas was responsible for the cover-up, then he could have you imprisoned on trumped-up charges for simply asking the wrong question. You should stay here. Not even the SIU can search this apartment. Not without approval from Chief Wei."
Texas is not going to like this... Forget about getting too close to the LGD, I'm practically living with Ch'en! And she didn't even ask if we wanted to help!
"We need a method of communication." Ch'en pulled out her phone from one of her jacket's many pockets. "Get out your phones and pass them around. When you receive a phone other than your own, add your number. Take back your phone once it returns to you." The ragtag group of investigators silently passed their mobile devices around the bar. Upon receiving his phone, Aurelian scrolled through his contact list.
Texas
Lemuel
Saga
Old Man
Kal'tsit
Hibiscus
Hoshiguma
Ch'en
Firewatch
Red
He couldn't help but smile. When Aurelian had left the temple, he had only known two people: Saga and the Old Man, maybe more if he counted the monks, but now, his web of contacts stretched from Sarkaz to Lung and back again. If he couldn't meet his family, he could at least make a new one, right? Well, maybe except for Ch'en, Texas, and Firewatch. It seemed like they wanted him removed from Terra's plane of existence.
"In the car, what were you doing with your phone?" Aurelian gulped. She more than likely already knew the answer to the question. He had two options: lie through his teeth or admit his fault—either make a fool out of himself or watch her make a fool out of him. Anger was a diverse emotion. The Old Man once said, "anger is a temporary madness that takes over the mind and body, robbing us of our ability to think and feel." That certainly explained the various knee-jerk reactions anger provoked. For Ch'en, it was silence. A nasty, ugly silence. He took a deep breath.
"I was discussing the cover-up."
And her silence spoke volumes.
Ch'en looked at the people gathered around her bar for a tense moment. Time crawled its creepy fingers around Aurelian's back as everyone waited for her to say something—anything. Taking a deep breath, she finally spoke with a slight tremble in her voice.
"For now, everyone… go get some rest. I have more than enough rooms to spare." With a nod, they dispersed to search for an empty room. Aurelian sighed with relief. He was glad Ch'en had let him off the hook. A good night's rest was all he wanted after the long, hectic day.
"No." They all turned. Ch'en stood up with her hands on her hips, she gestured towards him with her head. "You're coming with me." Aurelian trudged back towards the fiery Lung.
I knew it was too good to be true…
"The rest of you can go."
"Come on." Hoshiguma urged Firewatch down a hall.
"No. As Captain of this team, I believe I should stay."
"He'll be fine." Although hesitant, Firewatch reluctantly followed, leaving Projekt Red behind. Ch'en led the two remaining operators past the pool and into her living room.
"Wait on the Sofa," she instructed as she walked away, disappearing around a corner.
Aurelian sat with a huff, wondering what his friends were doing. Hibiscus was probably torturing her sister, Texas and Lemuel were likely finishing up their last job, Yato was probably training. He hoped Jessica was alright. The doctors said she could wake at any moment. Subtle movements along the sofa roused him from his thoughts. Red had taken it upon herself to curl into a ball beside him. Smiling, he petted the Lupo between her ears.
Ch'en swiftly returned carrying a mountain of paperwork. Striding past Projekt Red, she unceremoniously dropped them onto her sofa table. "As punishment for leaking sensitive information, you are to write today's report. It needs to be done by tomorrow morning. You can use these," she slapped the stack of papers, "as examples. You are not to eat, sleep, or leave this room until it's complete. Is that clear?"
"Yes, ma'am."
She continued. "If I find you sleeping or in any other room that isn't the bathroom, I will issue a demerit and a slash in pay. You may use the patio if you require fresh air."
He smiled, throwing Ch'en for a loop. "What time tomorrow?"
She cleared her throat. "I-I have a meeting tomorrow morning, but after that, I'd like to enjoy my day off. So I want it in my hands before I leave the house. Firewatch will check on you periodically." Ch'en stalked off towards another room with her azure tail drooping low. She stopped right before the door. "You better have those codes memorized by Sunday morning."
"Yes, Ch'en sir."
He waited until he was sure she wouldn't return. Removing his mask, Aurelian flumped back against the sofa. He sat limp for a few minutes, basking in the setting sun while thinking about his new life of misadventure. Feeling his fingers twitch, he pushed himself to his feet. The sudden movement caused Projekt Red to look up. "Messiah, okay?"
"Yeah… I think I need some fresh air." He said, sauntering over to the glass doors. Red quickly chased after him. Sliding them open, he was met with a wall of muggy spring air. Despite being hundreds of feet above street level, the patio was breathless—not a single breeze rushed to greet him. He reached into his coat and pulled out a box of cigarettes. Fishing a single stick from the box, he chuckled as Projekt Red's face screwed with disgust. Aurelian returned the box to his pocket before lighting the stick held between his fingers. He took a long drag and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. The twitching stopped immediately.
"You, bad, scent."
"Sorry, Red. Is it okay if I continue?"
Projekt Red paused to think. "Hmm." She grunted. "Okay, for now."
"Thanks."
"Why, Messiah, smoke?"
He grinned, borrowing a line from a friend. "Helps me forget."
"Messiah, don't, smile."
"Why not?"
The Lupo pressed herself against him, wrapping her tail around his waist, and silently communicated her playful, friendly intention. "Looks, weird."
Pulling the cigarette from his mouth, he laughed out loud. Normally, those words would have hurt, but coming from Red? It made him realize the ridiculousness of the situation: a trained dysarthric assassin and a wandering mutilated sage, relishing in their companion's warmth as it melded with their own. They held each other despite the lazy, sultry spring breeze, more comforted by their shared sense of camaraderie than bothered by the excess heat the other created.
"You know, Red, sometimes I think Dr. Kal'tsit put us together for a reason. It's almost like we get along too well."
"This, bad?"
"No, just interesting." He pulled her hood over her head and ruffled it, feeling the gentle pressure of her ears folding beneath his touch. He took another deep breath through the cigarette and sighed out a forlorn cloud of smoke.
"Messiah, what, thinking?"
"Just thinking of someone. For many years, I lived in a temple with my master, Saga, and a few other monks. We were known as a temple that accepted all worthy students, regardless of infection. This infamous reputation kept most people away, but every so often we would receive a visitor or two.
"Usually they came to enjoy the scenery, rarely did someone wish to learn. However, one day, a young lady about the same age as I was, came to our temple seeking shelter for a friend and herself. She said they were on a relief mission in Higashi to support the local infected when her Cautus friend succumbed to her Oripathy.
"Of course, we took them in. They stayed for about two weeks, during which the young woman and her friend taught me all kinds of things about life outside. In return, I used my powers to help guide Originium out of her friend's bloodstream through a very complicated blood-letting process.
"During these long sessions, she would tell me stories of her life outside of Higashi. She spoke particularly fondly of her younger sister who she had been cruelly separated from. I promised her that if I ever met her sister, I'd do everything in my power to make sure she was taken care of: I promised to guide her down the correct path.
"It didn't occur to me until this morning when Ch'en brought me to a tea house, but I realized that I knew the younger sister! It was so ironic, I almost laughed."
"This woman, name?"
"Talulah."