They arrived at the main ERI building, a structure that loomed against the bleak, cloudy sky like a foreboding shadow. Zhu, Qingyi and Yanagi waited in a stark, dimly lit holding area, where the silence seemed to amplify every distant echo of footsteps or the low hum of machinery.

The air felt thick, weighted with a tension as biting as a winter blizzard, and Zhu found herself almost unable to speak. Beside her, Yanagi stood quietly, clutching her clipboard tightly against her chest, her face unreadable.

Yanagi's mention of the Veil had left an unsettling chill creeping into Zhu's thoughts, one that no amount of self-reassurance could shake. The pieces of her investigation seemed to be closing in on a truth she wasn't sure she wanted to face.

Could Elias really be entangled with the Veil—a rogue agent, or worse, a double agent hiding in plain sight? Zhu felt a faint heat rising in her cheeks, mingled with a shame that gnawed at her.

A PUBSEC Captain who fell for a double agent… what a great headline that would make, she mused bitterly. But under the embarrassment, a deeper instinct pushed her: the need to know the truth, whatever the cost.

In the silence, she could almost hear her own heartbeat, its steady rhythm a painful reminder of how vulnerable her emotions had made her.

Yanagi's eyes flickered to her, briefly studying the tension coiling in Zhu's posture. Then, as if sensing the need to break the silence with something light, she tilted her head and smirked, the corners of her mouth curling upward with playful intent.

"So," Yanagi started, her voice carrying a teasing lilt that cut through the air. "Who's the mysterious admirer sending you desserts? Come on, you can't expect me to believe you're not curious about that, too."

Zhu blinked, startled by the sudden shift in tone, the pressure on her chest momentarily lifting as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She opened her mouth to deflect, but Yanagi pressed on, her voice light but with an unmistakable spark of mischief.

"I mean, someone has caught an eye to our next PUBSEC Commissioner Zhu, and I'm dying to know who it is. No harm in a little harmless curiosity, right?" Yanagi's teasing gaze never left Zhu's face, watching her reaction carefully.

Zhu elbows Qingyi, signaling her to not to add up more mischief. "Come on, Yanagi, I won't be sharing anything unless you open up first."

"You know that I'm busy raising Soukaku, buried under paperwork, and out in the field on missions." Yanagi smiled, tugging at the edges of her clipboard. "You probably have more time for dinner dates than I do."

Zhu gives a light chuckle but immediately feels the weight of her own thoughts. She's still thinking about the case and everything that's tied up in it.

"How did you dig up these names?" Yanagi asked, her eyes narrowing slightly, still pressing. "The ones you've been asking about… What's the connection to our patient?"

Zhu hesitated. Her fingers fidgeted a bit before she spoke, glancing at Yanagi. "I've been looking into some cases—cold ones, actually—about weapon smuggling. The heist at the Golden Eridu Hotel? I think you're familiar with it."

Yanagi tilted her head, her gaze unwavering, waiting for Zhu to continue.

Zhu swallowed, trying to form the right words. "There's something I think we missed. The missing item… I'm just starting to put pieces together." Her voice faltered just slightly, her mind racing.

Yanagi's expression darkened slightly, her brow furrowing as she leaned in. "And what exactly are you connecting here?"

Zhu avoided her gaze, suddenly more aware of the silence pressing in around them. She knew what she was getting into by digging this deep, but she couldn't back out now. "I'm certain that it's connected to the long-gone Hollow Smugglers case that is tied with NEDF, the clearer it becomes. There's a lot more to this than we thought."

"I see… I'm really impressed by the efforts of your team, Captain Zhu."

They were called into the isolation room. The patient was ready, one of the attendants said flatly, leading them into the hall. As they walked through the stark, well-lit corridor, the metallic floor beneath their boots seemed to amplify every step—sharp, calculated, with a rhythm that seemed to mock the chaos swirling inside Zhu's chest. Her pulse, erratic and uneven, felt like a broken clockwork, a frantic drumbeat against the sterile chill of the hallway.

The space around them was oppressive, a cold steel-and-concrete design that seemed more suited for interrogation than healing. The walls were harsh, the fluorescent lights above too bright, too cold. Every step felt endless, like the hallway stretched on forever, the hollow echoes of their footfalls bouncing back in perfect sync, only adding to the sense of isolation. ERI, with all its reputation, felt more like a grim monument to a forgotten era than a place of recovery.

They finally reached the isolation room—a cold, clinical space. The door opened with a sharp, metallic hiss. Inside, the room was stark and imposing, the air thick with tension. A massive mirror spanned half the wall, its reflective surface looming like an observation window into their very souls. The harsh lights reflected off it, casting sharp angles that made the room feel even more oppressive, like they were trapped in a glass box.

Yanagi stepped in after them, her presence almost serene in contrast to the undercurrent of dread that hung around Zhu. She stood by the wall, clipboard in hand, her posture relaxed, as if she were about to sit down for a casual meeting rather than standing in a room with a man who couldn't speak, but whose presence carried a silent weight.

Zhu could feel the walls closing in, her thoughts unraveling with every breath. Yanagi's calm demeanor seemed almost out of place here, as if she weren't disturbed by the cold, indifferent design of the place—or the fragile tension in the air. But Zhu's anxiety was a tangible thing now, a heavy pressure settling on her chest, each inhale a little more difficult than the last.

The mirror shifted, becoming transparent, and a door appeared across the room. Zhu and Qingyi stood, both tense, waiting for the patient's entry. The silence between them was thick, almost unnatural, with no words exchanged. The only sound was the faint hum of the overhead lights, a dull contrast to the storm brewing in Zhu's mind.

Yanagi, however, remained nonchalantly at ease, standing just behind them, her presence almost casual as if this were just another day at the office. Her stance was relaxed, almost too relaxed, as if she could be doing anything else besides standing in a cold, sterile room with two people who felt anything but comfortable.

Zhu tilted her head slightly, taking in the cold lines of the room, the smooth, featureless walls, and the bright lights above. Why do hospitals always have that depressing vibe? she mused, trying to distract herself from the growing tension in her chest. A muffled hiss from the door broke the silence, and a cloud of disinfecting mist slowly billowed into the room, momentarily obscuring the view.

A figure in protective gear emerged first, followed by the silhouette of a wheelchair. As the mist cleared, the patient came into view—Gatsby or Gavin Carter perhaps. The same man they'd seen just the week before. He was still tethered to medical equipment, his body covered in bandages, the dull redness of his bloodshot eyes the only indication that he was aware of his surroundings. Behind him, another figure in protective gear pushed the wheelchair, their movements precise but restrained.

"Yanagi, are you sure this room's safe from ether contamination?" Zhu asked, glancing back with a flicker of concern.

Yanagi gave a reassuring nod, her expression calm as ever. "Don't worry, this room is secured. Negatively pressured," she replied with a small, friendly smile. "And, they can't see us on the other side of the mirror."

The man pushing the wheelchair gave a thumbs-up to signal that they were ready. Another figure, a medical personnel, followed behind, holding a remote in hand, which he placed at the arm rest of the wheelchair just above his bandanged hands.

The radio speaker above them crackled to life. "Left button is No, Right button is Yes, his response will come out on the monitor above the mirror on your side." came the announcement. "The patient is still paralyzed and tethered while we continue removing ether crystals, but he can definitely respond."

Zhu and Qingyi exchanged a brief glance, their eyes locked on the patient's faint movements. Zhu wasn't entirely convinced by the setup. "Okay… How can we be sure he's actually responding?" she asked, voice tinged with skepticism.

The medical person made a note on his clipboard, his pen moving fluidly. He held up the number 8 card for the patient to see, then asked, "Is this number 6?"

The patient tapped the Left Button. "No."

"Is this number 8?" he asked again, showing the card once more.

This time, the patient tapped the Right Button. "Yes."

Zhu leaned in slightly, her expression hardening. She couldn't ignore the nagging feeling of unease. "Are you Gatsby? Gavin Carter?" she asked, direct and unflinching.

The response was simple, but it carried weight. "Yes."

Zhu looked back at Yanagi, her eyes asking if she can continue she just nodded.

Qingyi silently pulled out her tablet, her fingers tapping the screen as she started taking notes. Zhu, however, was already focused, her gaze intense as she addressed the patient.

"Okay, Gavin, are you with PUBSEC?" Her voice was loud and steady, but the words felt heavy in the air.

The answer came quickly, the light tap of the "Yes" button echoing in the sterile silence.

"Did you kidnap a bangboo?" She asks, her narrowing.

Gavin didn't respond right away but he pressed "Yes."

Qingyi takes note of it, "Did you rig or plant explosives on it?" Zhu added.

"No." Zhu was perplexed looking back and forth to Gavin and the monitor, she looked at Qingyi that is obviously perplexed, biting her lip thin.

"Did you kidnap the bangboo for… Food delivery?" She hesitated to dictate that food even though it seems quite absurd because all of their evidence where pointed at him.

"Yes." Button was tapped, Zhu upon seeing this finally snapped.

Zhu didn't hesitate, pressing forward. "Do you know… Hyun Li?" Her voice faltered briefly as she said the name, a faint tremor in her chest. It felt like she was pushing against a wall.

There was no response.

"Gavin?" She asked again, her voice a little more insistent, almost pleading. "Do you know Hyun Li?"

This time, a quiet, deliberate tap of the "No" button came from the patient.

Zhu's eyebrows furrowed, and her gaze shifted to Qingyi, confusion and concern flashing across her features. Hyun Li told us he knew him...

She opened her mouth to question further but stopped herself. The silence stretched, thick and unnerving. Gavin's eyes, wide and bloodshot, remained locked on the one way mirror, his stare intense, unblinking, yet something in it felt almost… terrified. He was trapped, and the walls were closing in around him.

Zhu bit the inside of her lip. "Are you sure? Be honest."

But there was only silence. Gavin's gaze didn't break from the mirror; it was as though he was avoiding her—no answer, no response. His eyes flitted nervously, but his bandanged hands remained motionless. The tension in the room thickened. Zhu's patience snapped. She could feel the anger building, the frustration welling up from somewhere deep inside.

"Okay, let's skip that for now," Zhu muttered under her breath, trying to push through the mounting pressure in her chest. Her words came out sharp, "How about Elias? Do you know Elias?"

The tap of the "No" button came almost too quickly, the cold mechanical sound cutting through the room with a suddenness that made Zhu flinch. Her face tightened in frustration, and she rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to push past the irritation that was threatening to spill over.

"How about Jaxon? Does that ring a bell?" she pressed on, her voice low, tight with anxiety. She barely finished the sentence before the "No" button was tapped once again, the response swift and unwavering.

Zhu's shoulders slumped slightly, her exhaustion visible. Her thoughts raced, but nothing seemed to connect. The room felt smaller now, the air thicker. "Decryption device?" she asked, her voice strained. Her body leaned against the cool surface of the mirror, her fingers curling into the glass, as though she could force some kind of answer out of him with sheer will. But again, there was no response. The stillness in the room weighed on her, suffocating.

"Please, Mr. Gavin... cooperate with us," she said, her voice softer now, almost pleading. "Decryption device, do you have any ideas about it?"

The "No" button was tapped, final, unyielding. The silence after the word hung in the air like a threat.

Zhu let out a long, frustrated sigh. The words felt like they were tearing through her throat, but there was no other way to keep going. Where is the lead?

"Golden Eridu Hotel heist? There was a heist just yesterday." she asked, her voice steady but her eyes narrowing as she watched Gavin intently. His bloodshot gaze flickered, just for a second, but it was enough. His pupils dilated—she saw it. He reacted.

She leaned in closer, her breath barely audible. "Do you know any plans regarding it?"

"No." The answer was crisp and final, but Zhu could still feel the weight of his eyes, like he was holding something back.

Zhu stood motionless for a moment, watching Gavin's unblinking gaze, before she glanced at Qingyi. The quiet tension between them was palpable. Qingyi, ever composed, was watching the patient closely, biting her lip as she absorbed the information—or lack thereof.

Yanagi, standing behind them, had yet to speak, but her eyes were fixed on them. She adjusted her glasses again, a small, almost imperceptible gesture, as if to say she was still waiting, still watching, still analyzing.

The room felt colder now. And still, no answers came. Yanagi stepped closer to Zhu, her fingers lightly tapping Zhu's shoulder—a quiet gesture of comfort, though the weight in the air wasn't lost on either of them.

"Anything more to ask on the patient?" Yanagi asked, her voice low and even, yet there was an unspoken understanding between them. Zhu didn't answer immediately, her gaze fixed on the motionless patient through the glass. She couldn't shake the feeling that the man was just playing them—sitting there, eyes darting, silent in his responses.

Zhu's shoulders sagged as her resolve cracked for a moment. "None for now, Yanagi," she muttered, a sharp edge of frustration cutting through her voice. She exhaled deeply, her fingers pressing against the cold glass of the mirror as though trying to extract some truth from the other side. "I'll find a way, as I always have."

Yanagi's eyes softened, but only briefly. There was concern etched across her face, but her expression quickly hardened as she motioned to the figures beyond the glass to dismiss them.

"Zhu… if this is regarding the Veil, let the HSO handle it. We'll keep you in the loop once we've gathered more intel," Yanagi said, her tone quiet but firm, urging caution.

Zhu glanced back at her, the corner of her lips lifting in a half-hearted smile. "I know," she replied, her voice tinged with quiet resolve. "HSO and NEPS-PUBSEC are different agencies... but I'll get to the bottom of this, Yanagi. You'll see."

Her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of the case, and perhaps something deeper—something only she was willing to uncover.

Editor's note: Dear readers, as you may notice on my story Yanagi and Zhu Yuan had a friendly interaction versus the canon, this is a fanfic so please bear with my imagination! Let's just think that this story is one of the Movies in Random Play!

You may also notice that Wattpad version is different to FFN; some chapters here are completely uncut and didn't pass the final editing.