"Sasha! Where the hell were you?" He asked angrily.
"I -- I --" She stuttered. "I don't know," she replied.
"You don't know?!" He said infuriated. "Why are your legs all bloody then?" He asked.
Sasha shakes her head unable to put any words together.
"Did the Red College give you a new mission?"
"N -- no."
"Where's your dagger?" He asked.
.
.
.
Hunter opened his eyes to see Diana sitting next to him. "Are ... Are you watching me sleep?"
Diana smiles but doesn't respond.
Hunter grabbed his head and winced. "My head is killing me."
Diana got up from the bed and grabbed a cup from the counter before turning on the tap to fill it with water. "Skylar said you'd feel that when the curacion high starts to wear off." She extends her hand to give him the glass of water. "This should help."
Hunter looked at the glass of water and then at the snow-white-haired woman. "Thanks but I'm not drinking that," he stated.
"Why not?"
"I prefer bottled water," he said.
Diana places the glass of water on the table next to the bed. "Well, if you change your mind."
"Wow!" Hunter said running his hand through his head. "No wonder Skylar said I was going to hate her when it wears off."
Hunter sits up. "Also, I apologize for my behavior earlier."
Diana waves. "Not a problem. I only considered divorce twice."
Hunter laughs. "Have you figured out where the twins are?" Hunter asked.
"No. The human settlements are the ones closest to us and I'm not sensing much energy so they're definitely not there."
The duo had left Sector 5 after Camille had informed them of the situation and what they needed to do.
The Archaeon twins were at a curious location; Dreieck.
Dreieck was a region in the east with three different races living in harmony. North of the Dreieck was Erste Winkle, where the Orcanes lived, a race that claimed to be descendants of the now-extinct orcs. They had green skin but the same body type as humans.
Southwest of Dreieck was Zweite Winkle, a fairy city-state whose inhabitants were predominantly fairies. The ruler of the land was Medea, a descendant of a Drumalak who married a fairy.
Southeast meanwhile was Dritte Winkle, where humans lived, most of them mystics.
Camille feared the twins were there to either destabilize the region, threaten the orcanes to join their cause or steal the Jidda cube, an artifact the fairies of Zweite Winkle claim was given to the first King of the city-state by Jidda, the oldest known fairy, before she vanished.
Diana and Hunter's job was to keep an eye on the twins, and if they were to try any of the aforementioned plans, ensure they do not succeed. Camille also warned them not to make any direct confrontations with them as if anything were to happen to the twins, Karl would realize something was up.
"We'll have to move westward to see if I can sense anything from the fairy's city-state," said Diana.
"Sure."
'Speaking of sensing things ... I cannot sense Chelsea.'
[Probably another effect of the curacion pod.]
'Yeah, I thought so too.'
"Come on hubby, let's get out of here."
"Gimme a second ... My head feels like it's going to explode."
"Maybe if you had drank the water I gave you."
.
.
.
• Republic of Leinheim
"I just got out of a call with your dad, he wants to know if you've heard from the twins recently." The speaker was tall and had a shaved head but his eyebrows and lashes were smoke-white. He also had beige eyes and wore a black suit and blue tie - a member of the Archaeon branch of the Drumalak family.
"I am talking to you, Jason," he added as he didn't get any response.
Jason who was scrolling through his phone sighed before setting down the device next to him. He had short, spiked hair which along with his eyes were as white as pearl.
"Sorry, I didn't hear. What were you saying?"
"Have you heard from the twins?" He asked again.
"No. Shouldn't they be where the target's at?" Jason asked.
"We haven't heard from them since they reached Drieck."
"Relax Kilian, I'm sure your sisters are fine," said Jason as he rose to his feet. He was tall but not as tall as Killian and was much younger than the beige-eyed man. Jason was wearing black trousers with a midnight blue turtleneck shirt.
The door eased open and a woman with brown skin and brown curly hair walked in.
"Mr. Jason, your transport is here," said the woman.
"Thank you, Maxine," He smiled. "Go ahead, I'm right behind you."
She bowed slightly before turning on her heels and leaving the room.
"Who was that?" Kilian asked.
"That's Maxine Esposito, she's my new personal assistant," Jason replied. "She only started this week but is already doing a great job. Also helps that she's easy on the eyes," he added.
"What happened to the old assistant?"
"I didn't trust him anymore ... I think he was a spy," said Jason.
"He wasn't a --" Kilian sighs. "Your new assistant, did you at least do a background check before hiring her?" He asks.
"Of course, I may be young but I'm not stupid, you know." Jason frowns. "Maxine is a survivor of the Glinerian apartment explosion sixteen years ago. She attended a mysticism school thanks to a sponsorship from the Archaeon Foundation. She graduated as an S-grade student and worked in the Bureau for three years as a weapons research expert. For the last two years she's worked as a freelancer for the Obelisk," said Jason. "She's the perfect assistant for any Archaeon."
"Too much so," Kilian mumbled.
"What was that?" Jason asked.
"Nothing. What would it take for you to let her go so I can hire her as my assistant?"
Jason laughs. "Very funny." He says before picking up a dark blazer from the arm of the couch and making his way out of the room.
Jason made his way to the outside of the building where Max was waiting for him in front of a limousine.
"Sorry to keep you waiting; my cousin is a bit of a talker," He said.
"No problem sir," said Maxine as she opened the car for the Archaeon before sliding into the seat in the back next to him.
The driver started the car and soon, they were driving through the streets of Leinheim. "You know who I'm meeting with?" Jason asked.
"Baron Hubert at Eleventh-Eleven Restaurant."
"I don't mean what's written in my schedule. I'm asking if you've ever come across him during your time in the Bureau or working for the Obelisk."
"Never," said Max. "But I've come across the name several times while working at the Bureau."
"Anything important?"
"He used to be a huge deal for The Bureau as a part of their special ops team."
"He's ex-bureau? I thought he was a criminal?"
"He is but he worked for the Bureau before that as part of a team called the Black Cloud," said Max.
"I think I've heard my dad mention that group before. What happened to them?" Jason asked.
"I don't know what went down but he and the rest of his colleagues were declared terrorists by the Bureau and placed on the organization's most wanted list," said Max.
The car came to a stop and Jason got down from it with Max following closely behind him. "Can you get me a detailed report on this 'Black Cloud'?" He asked.
"I think I know someone who still works at the Bureau that owes me a favor," Max said.
"See if you can get them to send you that report. I'll need it for my evidence," he said before walking into the restaurant.
Max takes out her phone and dials a number on the device.
"Himmel's Pizza, what would you like to order?" The person on the other side asked.
"Watermelon pizza," the curly-haired girl replied.
"Maxine."
"Hey, Skylar. I need your help."
"What is it?" Skylar asked from the other side of the phone.
"Jason asked me to get the Bureau's file on the Black Cloud."
"Why in God's good name would you need that?"
"He's meeting with Baron Hubert. He also mentioned something about wanting the file for evidence but left before I asked any questions."
"I'm assuming you want the copy that isn't redacted?"
"Yes."
"Max ... Even if such a copy exists, it would be impossible to get one without Olivia noticing," Skylar explained.
"I need this Skylar."
Skylar sighs. "Okay ... This better lead to huge break."
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