"Retire ME?!" Adria stood to his feet.
"WHY?!" Emilia also stood to her feet.
*Cough* "Dr. Please explain further." Sasha suggested calmly.
Dr. Pearl nodded. She snapped her fingers and the room suddenly became dark and then a holographic projection was displayed. "This is a news report about this night's attack at cornerstone district. According to the report, four people died."
"What!? It's not like this is the first time there have been causalities during a Vampire attack. HELLO! We call them vampires for a reason, right?" He stated justifiably.
"True! but this is an attack you would have prevented if you were doing your duty and patrolling the Facility like you were supposed to," Sasha added.
"Hey! I have been patrolling that place for weeks now. How was I supposed to know that the one night I decided to take a breather would invite an attack, huh!?" Adria defended in a tone that made him seem he was being wronged.
Dr. Pearl sighed, and she made a waving gesture with her hand. The news report changed. "What we gave the public was actually a fake report. This I'm sure you know. We have to cub public unrest as much as possible. Now take another look."
Adria saw the numbers on the screen as well as pictures of the bodies.
"Although Avalon has control of the police and what we feed the media, we still have to face these facts slapping us in our faces." Dr. Pearl continued, "That's a total of nearly forty people dead. Which also includes two passersby in the area at the time. Adria! This one was bad. It is your worst record of causality since the Blood invasion event three years ago. There is no other way around it boy! you will have to be punished."
"Seriously!? Come on. I am sure there is something you can do about this for me." Adria pleaded.
"I am sorry, but I can't. You will have to be removed from fieldwork."
"Hold up! If Adria is removed from fieldwork, where will he then be moved to?" Emilia asked.
"Well!" Dr. Pearl put a finger under her chin in thought. "I have not really thought about that." Then her one eye suddenly brightened. "I'll transfer him to a desk job. Now that I think about it, there are two receptionists' desks outside. I can just replace one of the staff there with him. Yes! That's what I'll do." She held her hands to her chest as she sank into her thoughts. "That way, I can see my baby anytime I want."
And behold, Adria could feel that rising headache again.
"NO!" He shamelessly dived at her feet. "Anything but that. Please! I can't be an office worker. I'll die from the boredom. No! I'll die from paper cuts."
"Hmmm!? No, you won't silly. Your regeneration rate can even beat an infectious virus."
"No! Please. I'll die from stalking papers. That's my kryptonite. please! Mummy, Please!"
"Oh, my Heavens! He called me mummy." She grabbed him and drowned his face once more in-between her chest.
*Cough* Sasha coughed bringing the attention of all in the room to herself. "I agree with Adria on this one. A person of his skill would do a better job in the field."
"Exactly!" Adria shamelessly pushed Dr. pearl away and dived at Sasha's feet.
"After all," Sasha continued, "he was once the face for Darklings to the public for the whole of Avalon. This speaks volumes about his ability and potential."
"Hmmm! True! True!! But that was many years ago, before the Blood Invasion incident. As it is, I can barely stand for him in front of the Board of Directors. He has become a total mess."
"Actually, there is something you can do. And I am sure that the board will approve." Sasha whispered a little into Dr. Pearl's ears.
"EXCELLENT!" Dr. Pearl's eye brightened up again.
*Cough* "Adria! There might just be a way out for you yet."
"Really! Oh, Thank you, mummy." He shamelessly went back to hugging her legs.
"BUT!" She raised a finger, and Adria suddenly had an ominous feeling about what was going to come next.
"You will remain in the field, but not any of the residential districts. You will be transferred to a place where you will be most needed."
"And where will that be?" He asked.
"The HOLE!" She gave a very bright smile. But that smile for some reason reminded Adria of a vampire's jaw.
"No!" Adria screamed.
Meanwhile, Emilia could not hold it back and burst into laughter.
"No! But Mummy, you can't do this to me. The Hole is a very dangerous place. There is a reason they call it 'The Hole'. Even Darklings have it tough there."
"And that is why I am moving you there. It will serve as a nice place of punishment for you."
"But... But..."
"No Buts. As it is, The Hole is lacking in personnel."
"It is always lacking in Personnel. That is why it is called the Hole. That is an entire city of blood-draining Demons." Adria defended.
Dr. Pearl sighed. "I am sure you heard. David and Victor? They were friends of yours right?"
Adria suddenly stopped his nagging and resumed his usual demeanor. "Yeah! I heard."
The atmosphere took a sudden dive.
Dr. Pearl sighed again, "Many of them have died. But It always hurts my heart the same every time. Oh, my Babies." She wiped a tear drop from her eye. Even Sasha and Emilia had a damped look on their faces. After all, those two that died were not only long-time friends but also a reminder that their batch was getting thinner in its members. Men and women, they had called brothers and sisters for so long.
"Adria!" Sasha called to him. "Can I see you for a minute?"
"Huh!" that did not sound right to Adria, but nevertheless, he complied.
She pulled him to a corner. " Adria! It's not even the fact that people have died. But rather your attitude towards them. You no longer value life like you used to. And not just Mother but the rest of us are also worried about you." She sighed, "I will just say it plainly. You lack human empathy, or at the very least, lost it. I think you should go to the Hole."
"But!"
"NO BUTS!!!" Her hair flared in the air like it had a life of its own. All its edges pointed directly at Adria. "You are going to the Hole and that is final."
"Yes MA'AM!"
"And do not embarrass yourself there."
They both came back to Dr. Pearl and Emilia.
"Is he going?" Emilia asked.
"Of course he is? Right, Adria?" Although she was asking, Adria could feel Sasha's hair pointing at his back like a surgeon's scalpel."
"Yes! I am going."
"Good!" Emilia reached for her side and brought out a suitcase. And then she opened it. "The vampires we hunted this night were carrying this. And yes. They were the smart type. Just like the ones we met ten years ago."
Dr. Pearl took the suitcase from her and opened it. The contents of the briefcase made her frown "I thought as much. We will have to take this to the Board of Directors. It's a good thing I already had a meeting planned out."
She turned to Sasha, "When is the meeting for?"
"Now! Dr."