"That was the last time I agreed to something that crazy!" Toby complained as their team was escaping the museum. "I have never run for that long! Do I look like someone who can handle a marathon?"
In a way, the plump teen had the right to be annoyed - after all, he had been the one to deal with goblins, which wasn't the least problematic task.
On the other hand, had there been at least one effortless job tonight?
Somewhere behind their backs, two trolls were trying to stop goblins from rampaging, but no one dared to turn back to check the situation and waste precious seconds they had won.
"Though…" Toby continued after giving it some thought. "It seems that I've won all prizes possible…"
"No way," Jim chuckled, and Douxie smiled as well. Somehow, it had been so ridiculous - to barely escape the deadly situation and discuss their friend's progress with his Chubby Tracker.
"Yeah, and if I die tomorrow from overworking myself, you can have the cooler, Jimbo," the gingerhead joked. "Archie can pick something too - he deserves it after keeping goblins away so many times…"
"I'd rather have a salmon - don't remember it being in your list of prizes," the familiar responded, taking the proposal seriously.
"Anyway, what's the deal with humans turning into trolls?" Jim started the second they reached the exit.
He got no answer as Douxie stared right before them.
"Fuzzbuckets, we've relaxed too early," the wizard-in-training muttered. As if taking the hint, Archie shifted into his cat form, landing on his shoulder.
"Is that police?" Toby asked in bewilderment. "Who called them?"
"With all the commotion we've caused? That could be anyone," Jim sighed. "How will I explain it to mom?"
The lanky teen wasn't eager to get caught by authorities as they had actually broken some laws with their infiltration inside the museum. Alas, it wasn't as if any of them could fight against the police who were simply innocent people, not involved with the supernatural in any case.
His hand reached for the talisman, preparing to cancel the concealing magic, but Douxie stopped him:
"Don't."
"Why? Haven't you told us that we shouldn't reveal the supernatural?" Jim raised his eyebrows in confusion.
"Do you trust me?" the young man asked.
"Is it even a question after everything?" the Trollhunter smiled sadly.
"Then, at my command, follow me. As fast as possible…"
"Oh my gosh, again?" Toby groaned but protested no more.
"One, two…"
They all stepped forward, and…
"Three! Gassus flotulus! Go, go, go!"
That was the spell Douxie had used way before meeting Merlin, the smokescreen meant to assist in an escape. Perhaps, someone else would have abandoned something like that decades ago, but there had been some emotional attachment, and well, the years of polishing turned it into an amazingly convenient assist.
The young man couldn't help chuckling, seeing police stumbling blindly in the thick smoke.
"It brings back so many memories," Archie commented, most likely remembering all those times they had had the need to run from authorities. In hindsight, there had been a lot of escapes through all of the years.
At least, this time, much to Toby's relief, there was no need for another marathon as Douxie led his friends into the back alley and obstructed it with a barrier.
"Okay," the plump teen drawled. "Can I freak out and panic now? Because I will!"
"What's even happened inside the museum?" Jim inquired. "I have too many questions without answers! No one has told me trolls could shapeshift! Or is it another thing I should have learned from the Brief Recapitulation of the Troll Lore?"
"First of all," Archie butted in before Douxie had even managed to open his mouth, "no troll can possibly possess the noble talent of shapeshifting - it's exclusive only to outstanding representatives of selected races…"
"Shapeshifting, assuming human form, illusion - it doesn't matter," the Trollhunter interrupted the explanation. "The fact is that the museum curator is an evil troll! And, as far as I understand, the security guard too! Who else can turn human? Bular? Barverra?"
The only thought of that possibility made the teen's blood freeze. He had learned more than enough about the daughter of Gunmar, so imagining her theoretical ability to hide among the human crowd… What would prevent the vicious female from coming into his mother's clinic and starting a massacre there?
No, he had to calm down - there was no way that Barverra had learned his identity. And without that knowledge, she wouldn't target his dear people.
"Jim, I seriously doubt that either of Gunmar's children can turn human," Douxie stated firmly, noticing his friend's visible distress. "There's a way for a troll to get such ability, but those two would rather die than go for it. Being human is a genuine disgrace for them…"
To be honest, Merlin's apprentice wasn't that sure deep inside. Not after seeing an actual Gumm-Gumm who was also a changeling. Granted, that one was most likely just a foot soldier, and higher ranked dark trolls would continue to keep with their pride, but what if? Gunmar could possibly have lost patience to the point that any honor stopped meaning a thing to him. What would have prevented him from forcing his children to go through the changeling-turning ritual?
Or Skullcrusher's kin could have made such a decision themselves. It was highly unlikely in Bular's case, but his sister… Somehow, Douxie could imagine her doing something like that.
No, that had to be just an assumption, a dangerous paranoia born from tonight's events.
"We still have no explanation why and how trolls turn into humans," Toby complained. "Blinky and Aaarrrgghh cannot, so what's the difference?"
"Those were changelings," Archie said with some disdain. "Unnatural beings, infused with forbidden magic."
No wonder that the dragon disliked changelings - messing with the nature of some creature was akin to going against natural laws. Such actions always had a price to pay.
Douxie's mind trailed back to Morgana - no matter how many years had passed, he still failed to understand the reasoning behind her actions. Yes, she had always wanted to let trolls live freely, but… Was there any freedom in living under the fake identity? And what about all those children ending in the Darklands to support such a system?
A long time ago, the young man had believed that the witch had been an extremely kind and compassionate soul. Now? He didn't even know anymore.
"Why do evil guys have so many cheats? They have final boss vibes without that!" Toby groaned. "So, how many changelings are there? Please, tell me that those two are the only ones."
"Well, no," Douxie admitted sincerely. The entire Janus Order was out there, covering for Bular's messes. Who knew how many of their members hid in Arcadia. After giving it some thought, he proceeded to tell everything he had learned about the matter.
"Just great," Jim smacked his forehead. "Are you hinting that they have connections everywhere? How could it possibly happen?"
He imagined some of his predecessors should have dealt with the matter.
"Because changelings shouldn't have been Trollhunter's responsibility to start with," Merlin's apprentice suddenly stated with some barely concealed frustration. "That has always been a 'day' matter, not a 'night' one. How could any troll possibly deal with enemies who easily escaped, protected by the sunlight?"
No, that one should have been the task for the remaining Camelot knights and various Merlin's associates. If the Janus Order had impressive influence at the moment, that had been entirely the human side's fault.
"Does it even matter, who's guilty here?" Toby shrugged. "What I've gotten from all of the talks is that we shouldn't get caught by police during our night activities because our identities may be leaked or something…"
"Exactly," Douxie nodded. "Besides, it's better if no one sees the amulet…"
A weird glance his friends had exchanged hadn't escaped the young man's attention.
"Don't tell me you've shown the amulet to someone, Jim," he started, hoping that his suspicion wasn't correct. No, Merlin's apprentice was more than sure that Jim would never show the amulet right and left after learning about its significance. However, there was that brief period when he had no idea about anything supernatural-related.
"Of course, no," the lanky teen responded hastily. Too hastily.
Something had happened for sure - Douxie hadn't even slightest doubt about that after hearing the nervous response.
"Remember, I've mentioned that the amulet doesn't work properly for me?" Jim continued quieter. "Well…"
"It summoned the armor in our school once without Jimbo's command," Toby butted in, obviously attempting to help.
That wording… Douxie guessed that no one had witnessed the moment of summoning - otherwise, his friends would have mentioned it earlier. However, it also didn't mean that the boys had managed to escape without any consequences.
"How many people did see the armor?" Merlin's apprentice asked with a sigh. What was the point in crying over spilled milk? The damage had been done a while ago - the question was how serious it had been?
"Not that many," Toby forced a smile. "Just Mr. Strickler…"
"And everyone at our school play's tryouts," Jim added, shifting on his feet guiltily.
"What?" Douxie refused to believe his own ears. He had expected one or two people, but it turned out to be way worse than he had anticipated.
"We told everyone it was just a well-made costume," the plump teen continued, "so no one suspected a thing…"
"Yes, and some days have already passed," the Trollhunter suddenly stated firmly. "If there was a changeling among those people, my identity would be known a long time ago…"
Deep inside, he convinced himself that it should have been the case there. No attacks equaled his secret's being safe.
"Hopefully, you're right," Douxie nodded. He still had some unpleasant gut feeling that something was really wrong. It was as if they missed some vital piece of information. "However, starting from today, please, treat everyone as a potential changeling."
Yes, that one would mean being outright paranoid, but… Anyone could be the enemy at this point.
"Without any exceptions?" Toby raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "Even me?"
"You're not a changeling for sure," Archie drawled lazily. "The runes at the GDT Arcane Books can detect those…"
"Awesomesauce," the plump teen whistled. "Oh, I guess, that makes Claire Nunez clear too - haven't she come in there too?"
Jim looked at his best friend with some gratitude. Apparently, Tobes was trying to find as many confirmed humans as possible. And, he brought up Claire to check if she had approached Jim because of her own interest, not some hidden agenda.
"Yes, she's human," Douxie nodded. Personally, he would hate suspecting Latina as well - especially after introducing her to magic. The girl was his responsibility at the moment.
"What about Nana or Dr. L?" Toby didn't give up easily. That was his confirmation that their homes were safe, yet…
"Mom isn't a troll," Jim stated firmly. No, not just firmly - his friends could swear he was ready to attack anyone who would dare to say otherwise.
"Jim, relax - no one suspects your mother," Douxie raised his hands in defeat. Even an idea of one of them being related to some enemy seemed ridiculous.
Even if Zoe hadn't managed to check Barbara Lake's background properly.
No, it was just stupid - Jim would have noticed if his mother acted suspiciously.
However, that was quite a discovery - not even in his wildest dream, Douxie could imagine his younger friend being that overprotective when it came to his family. No, he had known before that Jim cared about his mom a lot. However, wasn't his current nearly hostile attitude too much?
"So, we can relax at home, right?" Toby tried to divert the conversation, obviously taking a note of the mood.
"Yes," the wizard-in-training confirmed.
Jim sighed with relief, dropping his guard at once. The change was borderline uncanny, but Merlin's apprentice decided against continuing with the dangerous topic.
"Speaking about homes, we need to go back," he said with a smile. "It's already ungodly late…"
"True," Toby nodded. "Good thing that Nana thinks I'm at Jimbo's…"
Jim stayed silent. His mother had a late shift, so she shouldn't have noticed his absence too. He was still slightly annoyed because of those hints of any possibility of Barbara being anything but human. If his friends wanted to suspect anyone of being a troll in disguise, wouldn't his deadbeat father be a better candidate?
"Shouldn't we be careful?" Archie asked. "I think the police won't give up on catching you that easily - not after that smoke attack."
"Good point," Douxie agreed. "Our group will be suspicious… Let's do it this way - we cancel the concealing magic and go separately. Jim, you'll head out first. Toby, you'll follow in five minutes. I'll be the last. Then we'll reunite near Jim's house…"
Jim hadn't realized how much being in someone's company meant for him in his current state until he headed out from the back alley.
Now, without anyone around, all the concerns stroke tenfold, no different from goblins in that regard. Somehow, a relatively simple task of finding the green pests' den had resulted in something too big to chew.
Some trolls could hide among humans. That was too game-changing. If previously the lanky teen had genuinely believed that he could have separated his regular life from everything supernatural-related, now it seemed nearly impossible.
Everyone could be a troll. Like some of his classmates or teachers. Or his mom's co-workers. Or staff working at the stores he attended.
Ironically, their team had won at the museum yet had also gotten horrible mental damage. Jim wondered if he would be able to fight anyone he knew if they turned out to be a troll. Yes, he had managed to point his sword at the museum curator, but she was basically a stranger. It would be way more difficult to battle some acquaintance.
Besides, the Trollhunter couldn't help feeling some kind of deja vu. It was as if he had heard about trolls taking a human guise before. Or, perhaps, not trolls. Just something… inhuman.
Yes, it was about monsters, but who had told that?
The teen could swear that the answer was so close, yet it kept escaping him, no matter how much he tried.
Just a little bit, and…
"Mr. Lake," someone called out to him. Speaking about the bad luck - somehow, Jim had managed to bump into his school teacher.
To be honest, he had no idea where Mr. Strickler had appeared from - the street had seemed entirely deserted only some seconds ago. It was as if the man had been perching on a lamppost or something and had jumped down.
Sure, as if something like that could be possible. Jim smacked himself mentally for some uncalled paranoia.
"No matter how liberal your family is, I seriously doubt your mother permits late-night strolls, Young Atlas," the teacher was smiling, but his tone suggested disapproval. "Are those the reason for your recent exhaustion? If so, I may need to inform…"
"Oh no, it's just a one-time occurrence," the teen interrupted in haste. Why, out of all possible encounters, he had to meet the one actually concerned about his well-being? Only Barbara would have been more troublesome.
Though, if Mr. Strickler actually decided to contact her about her son being out way past the curfew… Yes, Jim wouldn't be able to explain it effortlessly.
"Really?" the teacher raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure that you're not looking for trouble? On my way here, I've noticed some commotion near the museum. Apparently, some underaged punks broke in and vandalized an exhibition…"
Jim barely concealed his bewilderment. How could enemies cover everything so fast, making their party criminals? Douxie hadn't exaggerated the changelings' connections. If so, they all should have been even more careful.
"I have nothing to do with that, sir," the teen smiled, wondering if his nervousness would betray him. "I've just…"
He needed an excuse and quickly, or…
"Jimbo helps me to find Nana's favorite cat!" Toby stated loudly, appearing from the bushes with Archie in his arms.
"A cat?" Mr. Strickler seemed genuinely shocked, staring at both the plump teen and feline.
"Yeah, Mr. S, Archie is such a mischievous rascal!" the gingerhead continued confidently. "Goes on some adventure nearly daily. And you know Nana - how can she go to bed when one of her precious babies is out? Have you heard about all those pets' disappearances?"
"I see," the man uttered, obviously taken aback by the lengthy and surprisingly logical explanation. "You should go home, though. And… Be careful."
He put some odd emphasis on the last phrase and walked past the boys.
"Nice safe, Tobes," Jim whispered once he lost sight of their teacher.
"You're welcome," Toby grinned. "Though you owe me a dinner."
"Add some raw salmon too," Archie slipped away from the plump teen's hug. "And I'll pretend that I haven't heard the part about 'mischievous rascal'."
"Good thing that Douxie sent Archie with me, or I'd use the excuse involving the Russian mafia," Toby continued. "But seriously, don't you think he's suspicious?"
"Who?" Jim stared at his friend in confusion.
"Oh, please, don't play dumb, Jimbo!" his best friend groaned. "Why the hell Strickler is strolling around the museum at night?"
"Dunno. Insomnia?"
The lanky teen didn't like the direction the conversation had taken. In the end, he had always respected his History teacher.
No, not just that - Mr. Strickler was the man he would ask for a piece of fatherly advice. Why would have an evil troll in disguise cared, to start with? No, their teacher must have been a human - any other possibility was out of the question.
Yet, Toby refused to let go of his suspicions, voicing his deduction without any consideration:
"He can be possibly one of these changelings. And, to be honest, anyone else too! Like Coach Lawrence… Or Steve! Yeah, Steve has to be one for sure - no wonder that he's so hostile towards you. You're like his natural enemy, Jimbo!"
"Steve's been hostile for years, remember?" Jim spat back with annoyance. "And Strickler's been teaching history at Arcadia Oaks High since the dawn of history…"
They surely had to stop with that 'everyone can be a troll' logic. Or else…
Couldn't Jim be possibly one of those shapeshifters in that case?
No, that was impossible.
"Changelings infiltrate human society while substituting actual human babies," Archie pointed out all of a sudden. "So having an actual human background is never a proof…"
For some reason, the world started twisting around, and all the surrounding sounds grew duller. Jim felt a pang of headache as a male voice whispered in his head:
'That's not Jim. It's just a monster who stole his looks!'
What was that? A memory? An imagination?
Who had told that?
"Jimbo, hey, Jimbo!"
Toby's voice had returned the lanky teen to reality.
"You've gotten pale all of a sudden. Are you ok?" the plump teen inquired, visibly concerned.
"Just tired," Jim waved it off with a forced chuckle. "Too many events for one night… Will we get any time to sleep?"
"Ok, let's hurry then…" his best friend drawled. "I wanted to wait for Douxie, but it's probably not the best idea…"
One day there would be great news. Stricklander clung to that hope as if it was his lifeline. Though, was it so far from the truth? He had been walking along the edge for too long, and even the ultimate luck had its limits.
And the circumstances just kept growing more and more complicated. Just recently, Nomura had informed him about a new employee in the museum. She had called him a 'bully', so it didn't take too long to figure out who exactly it was.
Montgo, a former foot soldier in Gunmar's hordes. Some decades ago, Stricklander had considered recruiting that one, but handling another chaotic brute in addition to Bular hadn't seemed to be such a bright perspective back then.
Apparently, someone else hadn't missed the chance. However, whoever had arrived in Arcadia, would have never taken only one changeling with them. There should have been at least three, perhaps, even four helpers.
The Head of the Janus Order considered which one of his rivals would have dared to make such a step. That one would mean the hidden declaration of war. And if they contacted Barverra… He hated to imagine the consequences.
Strickler's phone ringed, and the man glanced at the screen with annoyance. There would be more bad news, that was for sure. And, of course, the hunch turned out to be true - it was an emergency number, a call he had no need to pick up as it simply was a signal that some disaster had happened at the museum.
Just great. It had escalated faster than anyone would have expected. But what exactly? Bular starting another rampage? Montgo attacking Nomura? Something even worse?
Walter drove to the museum prepared for everything, but some police cars and policemen coughing in some mysterious smoke or fog had caught him by surprise.
No, authorities being present could possibly mean someone calling them. But smoke? It just screamed magic.
On the other hand, the confusion helped him to sneak inside the building without being noticed. A quick look around had revealed some rather pessimistic picture. Some gooey splatters, the remains of goblins - definite proof of someone fighting those. Destroyed exhibits - Strickler would bet those had been Montgo's fault as Nomura was always careful. His assistant, disheveled and seething in rage. The braindead brute, even more infuriated, pacing through the room like a caged tiger.
And… Well, apparently, Stricklander learned the identity of his rival fast enough as the man in question was present himself, glaring daggers at everyone else. Walter's appearance obviously only pushed him over the edge.
Sethiz, known to his human acquaintances as Seth Wilkins, high-ranked police officer and probably the most competent when it came to covering messes. Loyal to no one, much like most of his brethren, and with a great ambition of his own.
A sly fox, however, still not that sly to compete with the current head of the Order.
"Stricklander! Why do I feel that you've neglected your duties recently?" Sethiz spat, obviously deciding to go on offense from the very start. "The defenses of the Bridge are pathetic!"
Strickler barely held himself from smirking. Exposing Walter as incompetent and shifting the blame? That kind of tactic could only work in case of someone influential present, like Bular or Barverra. With only two other changelings around, it was simply pointless.
"The defenses have been adequate for years," the man stated calmly, trying to figure out what exactly had happened.
"Adequate? It didn't take that long until the Trollhunter found it!" Sethiz hissed, still clinging to his useless strategy.
So, Young Atlas had made his move. Strickler wasn't even sure what to feel about that one. Using chess terms, that one had nearly placed him in the position close to check. However, somehow, his student had also given him the perfect opportunity to inflict some damage to the opposition party.
"Don't you find it a rather weird coincidence that the Trollhunter found the base only after your imbecile goon had arrived here?" Walter drawled, fully enjoying both Sethiz's dumbfounded expression and Montgo's snarl. Nomura was already smirking smugly, fully understanding that her superior had gotten the upper hand effortlessly.
"He could possibly suspect Nomura!" the police officer snapped.
What an amateur.
Instead of clinging to the already-sinking ship of his failed tactic, Sethiz could have simply tried something else. But no, apparently, he would prefer to drown together with his plan.
A rigid and slow-to-adjust mind would never bring that guy to the top.
"With all respect, anyone would rather suspect Nomura in an unhealthy obsession with pottery, rather than being connected to trolls," Stricklander gave him the most charming smile. "Our brutish friend over there, on the other hand, isn't known for trying to fit…"
The female sent him a dirty glare, and Montgo actually looked like he wished to rip apart the Head of the Janus Order, but Walter cared only about his rival's reaction. And that one didn't disappoint - after opening his mouth several times in a vain attempt to find some retort, Seth gave up and went back to his police subordinates.
The Gumm-Gumm changeling was next to leave, but only after promising both Strickler and Nomura a horrible and painful death after Gunmar's return. Nothing too original, just his regular empty threats.
"Talk later," Strickler muttered to his aide hardly audibly, knowing good enough she would give him a lot of valuable information.
Right now, his main goal would be catching up with Jim and whatever allies the teen had brought with him. Magical smoke had told him that the mysterious wizard had been involved in the night incident as well. Perhaps, the man would be lucky enough to figure out that person's identity.
Stricklander had always loved flying. It gave him some sense of freedom as no one could reach him in the sky. The man knew that his birth tribe was quite an anomaly among the trollkind. Trolls belonged to deep caverns and caves, after all, so most of those believed wings were useless.
They would have never understood the feeling of the cool night air coursing under the wings. And, well, it was their loss.
Walter had never lost a chance to utilize his superior mobility and sharp eyesight. In a way, he was a troll, perfectly built for a pursuit. Adding there his knowledge of the neighborhood - and he found his target without any complications.
Young Atlas was walking alone, obviously trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. So, his team had decided to split - a surprisingly sound strategy, Strickler would give them that.
Still…
He landed silently, assuming his human guise, and called out to his student. Jim's reaction was splendid - he got nervous at once, obviously trying to figure out some possible explanation for his night stroll.
Stricklander wondered if the boy had started suspecting him of being a troll - he could have possibly learned about the changelings a long time ago. And even without his allies at the Trollmarket informing him, Nomura and Montgo had foolishly revealed their true forms.
Only someone extremely naive would believe that those two were only changelings around. Young Atlas was intelligent enough not to make that miscalculation.
But, apparently, right now, Jim was simply just worried that his teacher would call his mother or something.
"No matter how liberal your family is, I seriously doubt your mother permits late-night strolls, Young Atlas," Strickler gave him a smile while watching for the boy's reaction. "Are those the reason for your recent exhaustion? If so, I may need to inform…"
"Oh no, it's just a one-time occurrence," the response was hurried and anxious, only cementing Walter's theory.
So, the young Trollhunter still had no suspicions regarding his favorite teacher. With that, the man hadn't lost his chances to get the amulet the peaceful way.
Though… Yeah, the boy had evidently gotten used to all the supernatural stuff. Right now, he was too composed for someone who had fought against two trolls not that long ago. Young Atlas kept growing into a true warrior, so the longer Strickler stalled, the more his chances shrank.
He had to attempt another psychological attack - it might have been his last chance for that one.
"Really? Are you sure that you're not looking for trouble? On my way here, I've noticed some commotion near the museum. Apparently, some underaged punks broke in and vandalized an exhibition…"
Yes, that was the best wording, the one hinting that Jim's trollhunting duties could easily ruin his life. He was a good boy, so society viewing him as a criminal should have been a low blow. Walter could already notice the teen's shock. Of course, Young Atlas hadn't considered the consequences - kids rarely thought about those in the end.
"I have nothing to do with that, sir," Jim forced a smile.
His words didn't matter in the end. As long as a seed of doubt was planted, it would grow and develop, poisoning the boy's mind.
"I've just…"
Yes, cornered and looking for excuses. It had been just too easy.
"Jimbo helps me to find Nana's favorite cat!" a bold and loud exclamation had broken the heavy mood at once as Tobias Domzalski marched from the bushes with some feline clutched to his chest.
"A cat?"
It was nearly impossible to catch Stricklander by surprise, yet the plump teen had somehow managed to achieve that feat.
It had been too random, however… Yes, Domzalski was a part of the Trollhunter's team, and, despite his seemingly lacking talents, he evidently possessed a quick mind and limitless fantasy to cover for his friend on the spot.
"Yeah, Mr. S, Archie is such a mischievous rascal! Goes on some adventure nearly daily. And you know Nana - how can she go to bed when one of her precious babies is out? Have you heard about all those pets' disappearances?"
That was a surprisingly effective tactic - to divert attention to some other topic, never letting the other person interrupt. Young Atlas was blessed with convenient allies, be it Tobias or that still unknown wizard.
It was pointless to stay for longer - Domzalski unwittingly ruined the mood Strickler had set. And without that, it would be impossible to control the conversation anymore.
"I see… You should go home, though. And… Be careful."
It was irritating to admit, but this night had ended in their side's defeat - the young Trollhunter and his friends had achieved way more than one could dream about. The base had been compromised, there was a high chance that Young Atlas or someone else had seen the Killahead Bridge. Nomura and Montgo both had revealed their true selves, making them useless as spies. Though, the dumb brute hadn't been good in that role to start with.
Nevertheless, it still wasn't that horrible for Stricklander himself. If Nomura had screwed alone, it would have complicated his already shaky position, yet… The Janus Order had sent reinforcements just in time, giving Walter some space for scheming and manipulations…
As for Young Atlas, Strickler could still approach him at school, perhaps, even hint that he knew about his student's involvement with the incident in the museum.
Yes, having a counseling session was long overdue. Walter had a need to break that recent estrangement and return his position as his student's main confidante…