"Now that you bring that up, I had thought that it was odd that some of the best hunters were all killed around the same time. At first, I thought that it was a coincidence, but that is rather unlikely. When I have some more time, I will look into that fact that you brought up to me." Leo gives her a weak smile.
Brielle slowed down and walked beside Leo. "You are really torn up over this chick, aren't you?" She watches his expression turn into despair. "Look, I do not have a mission to go on for the next few days; why don't you share the names, and I will help you look over the files in between training Jenna. It is the least that I can do."
"As much as I appreciate the offer, but this is something that I need to do on my own. She is now my prey, and I swear that I will find her on my own. If you need anything, let me know. I will assign you some easier tasks, and you can take Jenna on the field with you… that is if you want to." Leo placed his hand on the door then stepped forward, and the scanner did a retinal scan. The door slowly opened.
Brielle looked at the room and nodded her head. "In all my years working here, this is only my third time here." She looks down at all the boxes, sighing, "I will try to keep up on my paperwork from now. I am sure that Jenna will make sure that I am on top of that."
Leo chuckled and pushed the cart in the room as they entered the door closed. "What to do a little exploring? I think that we should look at the year that our guardians passed away. I want you to go through the files of that time. Maybe there was something that was missing." He pushed the cart over the appropriate years and placed the boxes in the places that they belong.
"Really? I just made an off-hand comment, but the fact that you are agreeing is actually making me excited." Brielle's eyes go wide in shock, and she went back to files from fourteen years ago. She looks at all the boxes smiling. "There is less than I expected."
Leo came up behind her and looked at all the boxes. He pulled out his phone and looked through the inventory counts. Double counting, Leo notices that ten boxes were missing. Quickly he speed dialled Asurlon. "Asurlon, we have an issue. I was bringing files to the archive and noticed that ten boxes are missing from fourteen years ago."
"Ah, that is right. They are not missing. I have them locked in the vault due to the nature of the contents. I didn't want them to get into the wrong hands. You have clearance to get into the vault. Only you and I have that level of clearance. Let me know if there is something that is missing from there." Asurlon hangs up the phone and shakes his head. "Those kids are finally noticing things. What do I do, Sandra?"
Leo jogged to the vault and scanned his hand. "Handprint accepted, voice recognition." Leo lifted his eyebrow. "Leo Maslin hunter 24679." "Voice accepted, welcome hunter Leo." The door swings open, and Leo walks in with Brielle.
"For the files to be locked up mean that maybe we are on the right track. Do you think that I would be able to take them home with me? I can keep them locked up in my safe that only I have access to?" Brielle looks at Leo, unsure if she was asking for too much.
"That is not my call, but we can go and ask Asurlon. I am not sure what these files contain, but the fact that they are here means that we need to be careful with them. I am sure Asurlon would rather that we keep an eye on them than for them to go missing." Leo shrugs his shoulders and pushes the boxes out of the room; then, after Brielle leaves the room, he makes sure that the vault door seals and locks.
Brielle nodded her head. "That makes sense. I am curious at what the files may say. I have so many questions about the day that we all came to the hunters' association. As a child, I was told that it did not matter and that I should just listen to those around me."
"Yeah, I knew more than you two, but it was because my parents were in pretty deep, and I read everything that was in the study. I burned some of the files that I read. They would've been stolen if someone broke in. I still cannot forget that Mother and Father told me that they may have found me a bride. I never met that girl, but I know that they were going to meet here and all of a sudden they died, and she went missing. It was at that point that I swore that I would find her, and I still will. If you find anything interesting, you will share the information with me... right?" Leo looks over his shoulder at Brielle.
Brielle nods her head. "I understand. I will tell you what I can. That is if I even find anything in the files. They walk over to the main office and pull in with the boxes. "Hey, Asurlon. May I take these files home with me?"
"Leo, can you go and get me some fresh tea from the cafeteria, oh, and an apple fritter?" Asurlon smiles at Leo as he makes this request. "I haven't eaten, and my blood sugar levels are getting a little low. I am feeling a little faint."
"... I thought I told you to eat something before I left to help place the files in the archive? I will go, grab you that and a sandwich that I expect you to eat. Brielle, I will bring two sets of your usual for the child and you." Leo leaves the room, and it is silent for a few minutes before Asurlon speaks.
"You are going to read some things that are not going to make much sense, and I want you to keep what you read to yourself. Do not, under any circumstances, tell everything to Leo. You will understand what I mean when you read the files. Asurlon covers his eyes. "Burn then after you are done. We cannot afford them to be found out."
"So you are allowing me to take it all home, and when I am done, you want me to burn all of it?" Brielle watched as Asurlon looked tenser than usual.
"That is correct. There is too much that I know, and I can't be the one to bring myself to tell you, Leo, or Will. It will bring out too many bad memories." Asurlon shakes his head and looks at Brielle.
Brielle nods her head and looks at Asurlon. "Okay, you have my word that I will do as requested. I will store them at my apartment hidden away, and as I read them, I will burn them in the fireplace. So you will not tell Leo what is in the files then?"
"Now is not the time. Do you think he would be able to handle that news with the way he has been acting lately? In the last hunt he went on, he protected the package but acted like a cursed controlled being. Do you know what is eating away at him? He will not say anything to me." Asurlon looks at Brielle, hopeful.
"Sorry, I am not completely sure myself. I have heard that he was hunting for a person, but that is all the details I know. It is hard to trust where this rumour has come from, so I am unsure if the source can be trusted. Sorry that I can't be more help, Asurlon." Brielle looks at him regretfully.
"No, that is okay, you at least you told me something, rumour or not, at least I have a small idea now." Asurlon waved it away. "Oh, before I forget…"
Brielle looks up and hums at Asurlon, waiting for him to continue. "Yes?"
"Try to not scare this trainee away. I know that the ones you have had in the past were not the ideal candidates, but I like this girl. She doesn't have a lot of options, and then the only way she will be able to survive on her own is with this apprenticeship." Asurlon looked at Brielle, looking hopeful.
"What happened to her family, and what will be so difficult for her? If you want me to keep her around, it would be beneficial for me to know what is going on? I so far don't mind her as she is tolerable... at least right now." Brielle looked over at Asurlon, waiting for a reply when the door opened.
"I get the feeling that I came back at the wrong point in time. What's going on?" Leo looked between the two. He brought a bag to Asurlon, placed his tea on the desk, and then placed his items on his desk.