*24 HOURS EARLIER*
"They're here in Dreieck ... In Dritte Winkle to be precise. It's why ever since we arrived here the memories have been increasing," Hunter stated.
"Would you look at that?" Diana said, showing Hunter the screen of her phone. "Skylar finally sent me our secondary school certificate ... They're forged documents of course," she added.
Hunter sighs. "Diana ..."
"Okay," Diana sat next to Hunter on the bed. "Let me get this straight, you're asking me, your wife, for permission so that I'd let you, my husband, go to another woman whom you can't get out of your mind?"
"Please don't put it like that," Hunter said, a small smile on his face.
Diana laughs. "Did Skylar tell you anything about Olivia?" Hunter asked.
"Yup. She said Olivia did show up at Sector 5," Diana replied.
"Then I was right, Sasha is alive!" Hunter exclaimed.
"From what you've told me, those girls can't be left in the care of that man," said Diana.
"But what about the mission?" Hunter asked.
"I can handle it. Besides, it's a very simple job of keeping watch on two bratty kids."
"You too are a kid," Hunter pointed out.
"I'm 21."
Hunter smiles. "What about Camille? What do you think she'll say?" He asked.
"She'll ask you not to go and since they're currently doing a full dive back at Sector 5 she won't send anybody until after that's finished."
"What's a full dive?"
"It's this thing where the Sector 5 fully submerses down to the bottom of the ocean."
"Wait, so we were at the bottom of the ocean back then?" Hunter asked.
"Yes," Diana replied.
"What's the point of a full dive?" The sprite asked.
"Well, before a full dive starts, the Alpha Sector informs all its members of the impending event so that they can all return. During the full dive, the Alpha Sector cuts off all sorts of communications with the outside world. Even communications between different teams in the Alpha Sector are limited. The point is to allow members time and freedom to arrange and organize the intelligence gathered before the dive, report and examine progress, review development, and so much more. It basically gives us time to breathe and organize our thoughts. According to a review during the last Mystical Organizations audit, activities by the Alpha Sector increased by an astounding 4738% after a full dive."
"Why do you know that number by heart?"
Diana shrugs. "Because of restrictions by the Bureau," she continued. "The Alpha Sector cannot perform any clandestine or covert operations independently. Camille started the current full dive to fool Olivia into thinking the Alpha Sector isn't currently doing anything while we try and gather evidence on the Archaeons' wrongdoings," the snow-white-haired woman explained.
"But if Olivia is visiting the Alpha Sector then surely she suspects something is up?" said Hunter.
"You're right but she's yet to find anything to confirm her suspicions so I'll say we still have some time."
"I guess ... So I can't tell Camille about Sasha."
"Not until you've saved her and the other girls. She won't like it, but she wouldn't stay mad for too long either."
Hunter rises to his feet. "I should get going then," he said.
"You should. Remember to call Camille when you're done so she can take the girls to a safe place."
"Sure. Thanks, Diana."
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Sasha's eyes widen once her gleaming purple eyes meet the Hunter's teal-green ones. "I - It's you! Hunter Heffernan."
Hunter took a step away from the ecru-haired girl before handing her dagger back to her. "It's been a while," said the sprite.
Sasha collects her dagger from the dark-haired boy, her eyes fixed on his face. "Has it?" She said. "How did you find me?"
Hunter turned to the purple-eyed girl. "I've been getting more and more of your memories lately," he revealed.
"That's mutual; I've seen everything about you since the watchtower."
"Wait, EVERYTHING?" He asked but Sasha didn't respond, a small smile on the corner of her lips.
"Sasha!"
Sasha sits on the ground, a wide smile on her face. "I don't know why but I suddenly feel very happy," said the dark-skinned girl.
[Hm ... Your connection with her must be similar to the one you have with Chelsea.]
Hunter sat on the ground next to her, letting out a sigh before speaking. "Back at the watchtower ... I thought I killed you," said Hunter.
"Well, here I am." Sasha paused. "It's related to Merlin's magic, isn't it?" She queried.
"First off: why does Merlin get the credit for something I created?"
"You didn't really create it though, did you? Merlin was using it ages before you knew what it was."
"That's not true!"
[That's very true.]
'It was like two months before I did and he only used it twice. The first on Joseph and the second was when we fought.'
Sasha laughs.
'You can hear my thoughts, huh?'
"Yes," Sasha replied out loud. "You can hear mine too, can't you?" She asked.
"I can."
"Can I hear your theory on what happened to us back at the watchtower?" She asked.
"It's not a theory anymore, I'm fairly certain that's how it went down. During our fight, I must have accidentally taken your soul and thus taken you out of the fight. There's only one other person I've seen take people's souls and that's Merlin and anytime he did that, the victim always ends up dead."
"But I'm very much alive."
"That is correct and that leads us to the branching in my story, I'm not sure which of the two happened."
"I thought you said you were certain you knew how things went down?" Sasha asked.
"I said I was fairly certain. If I knew exactly how things happened I'd have been certain certain of it."
Sasha shakes her head disappointedly. "The first branch is that I did, you know, kill you when I took your soul but since I had your soul, I brought you back a while later when I realized what happened."
[Similar to what happened with Chelsea when you wished you had more people you could trust and she appeared.]
"The only problem with this branch is that Diana said she swept the watchtower once I had returned and since I was unconscious for almost two weeks after that fight I shouldn't have been able to bring you back until after I awaken but Diana didn't find your body so?" He shrugged.
"And the second branch?"
"I did take your soul but you somehow didn't die. I also formed a bond with you so that I'm able to summon you to my aid at any time."
"What's the problem with this branch?"
"Apart from the fact that Merlin had studied souls for years and still couldn't figure out how to remove souls without killing the victims but I somehow did it in my first attempt?"
"... Yes?"
"Your left hand."
"What's wrong with my left hand?"
"Every time Merlin took someone's soul, their left hand loses its skin and muscles leaving only the bone there. That didn't happen to you."
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•Leinheim
"What happened back there?" Max asked the pearl white-haired boy as she served him some coffee.
"My dad got himself in some bullshit is what happened," said Jason as he picked up the coffee and took a sip from it.
Maxine sits on the couch opposite the Archaeon's. "I don't think I get it," she said.
"My dad has been kidnapping people all over town for some stupid experiments," Jason explained.
"And that is bad because ...?"
"Because it's bad!" Jason shouted. Max raises an eyebrow at the pearl-white-eyed boy who sighs before running his hand over his face. "Sorry. It's just ... I know the Archaeons are known for doing terrible things but we have principles. We may sponsor a lot of rebels or move criminals to different regions but we don't quite do those terrible things ourselves - at least so I thought."
'Wow, this guy is really out of the loop when it comes to the Archaeons business,' Maxine thought. 'What does he think the twins do when they are away?!'
"And what exactly does your dad want from you?" Max asked.
"The only thing he ever has; I can open portals to any realm so my dad wants me to open one to Hel so he can move his hostages before Olivia learns of what happened," he revealed.
'Open a portal to Hel?' Max thought. "There's no way, right?'
The Alpha Sector agent maintained an indifferent expression, leaning forward before speaking. "Let me ask you this, Jason: What is your goal?"
"If you had asked me this yesterday I would have said to prove to my dad I'm more than just my mystical ability."
"And now?"
"Now I just want to put Olivia away," Jason stated.
"Jason, I understand that you are guided by some principles - and it's good that you are because without principles we are nothing but lawless savages."
"But ..."
"You have to keep your eyes on the finish line. You want to put Olivia away? You're going to need the support of the patriarch of the Archaeons and one of the most influential people in the Drumalak family. That person, Jason, is Karl Archaeon. So when he asks you to move some hostages to Hel, you move some hostages to Hel."
Jason sighs. "You're saying I shouldn't have refused his request."
"Yes, I am."
"Don't you think --" Jason stops and stares at the brown-haired woman. "You're right ... I have to keep my eyes on the prize."
Jason rises from his seat. "You mentioned something about putting Olivia away, how do you plan to do that?" Max asked.
"I'm putting together evidence so that I can prove to the other Drumalaks and the council of mysticism that that woman is nothing but a greedy witch who only cares about herself."
"Can I see the evidence you've put together so far?" The brown-eyed girl asked.
"Of course. Here," Jason said handing the shifter a bunch of keys. "There's a vault behind the huge painting in my room. Unlock it with that key then input this password to access the files."
"Got it."
Maxine got up and started to head to the room. "Maxine," Jason called. "I know you worked for the Obelisk so I want you to hear it first from me."
"Huh?"
"I am a sponsor of the White Flaggers," he replied.
'Wow, I certainly didn't expect that,' Maxine thought. 'That explains where the Flaggers get their money from.' Maxine looks up at the man. 'He's telling me this because he thinks I worked for the Obelisk when in actuality I was working for the Flaggers.'
"I only worked as a freelancer for the Obelisk and I hold no grudges against the White Flaggers or the people that sponsor them. I also trust that you had a pretty good reason for helping them," Maxine said causing Jason to smile. "Thank you, Maxine," said the pearl white-haired boy before he left the room.
The brown-haired girl took out her phone and headed to the balcony. She dialed Camille's number on her phone. The call rang three times before the director of the Alpha Sector picked up.
"What the hell, Max? I thought we agreed not to make any contact unless through Skylar?" Camille said.
"We did but I thought this was important," said Maxine.
Camille sighs. "You called, the damage is done, spit it out already!"
"You know how you said Jason's a bit of an idiot and you don't why the other Archaeons keep him around?"
"No, I said they probably keep him around because of nepotism but --"
"Camille ..."
The red eyed woman clears her throat. "Ahem. You were saying?"
"Thank you. I've figured out why they keep him around," said Max.
"Okay. And why is it that they keep him around ... If not nepotism?" She said the last part silently.
"Apparently, Jason can open a portal to Hel," Max revealed.
"No way!"
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