Hours passed, and the tension in the room seemed to thicken with each tick of the clock. Joseph paced back and forth, his earlier bravado replaced by a more thoughtful expression. He knew he had to play his cards right—he was skating on thin ice, and one wrong move could send him plunging into a world of trouble he wasn't ready to face.
The woman in charge, who Joseph had mentally dubbed "Captain Serious," sat at the table, her eyes never leaving him. The other officials had left to investigate the direction Joseph had pointed out, but she remained, a silent sentinel watching over him.
"So," Joseph began, breaking the silence, "Any chance I could get some water? Maybe a snack? I don't think I'm at my best on an empty stomach, you know."
Captain Serious didn't blink. "You'll get water when you start giving us something useful, Joseph."
Joseph sighed, his shoulders slumping dramatically. "Okay, okay, I get it. Hardball. I'm just saying, you might get better results if you didn't treat me like a criminal."
Her gaze sharpened. "Why don't you start by telling me why you came back here after all this time?"
He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "I told you the truth. I came back because… I missed this place. I wanted to see what had changed, if anything."
"People don't just 'miss' a place like this, especially not someone with your history," she replied, leaning forward slightly. "You have a reputation, Joseph. A talent for being wherever trouble is. And now, the academy's been attacked, and you show up. You can't blame us for being suspicious."
Joseph's eyes darkened slightly, his smile fading. "I know what people say about me. The guy who shows up at the wrong place at the wrong time. But this time… I swear, I didn't do anything. I just wanted to see if—if the academy was still… you know, like it used to be."
Captain Serious's eyes softened just a fraction. "You were a student here once, weren't you?"
He chuckled, a hint of nostalgia creeping into his voice. "Yeah, once upon a time. I wasn't exactly model student material, but I had my moments."
She leaned back, arms still crossed. "Why did you leave?"
Joseph paused, glancing away for a moment as if debating how much to reveal. "Let's just say… things got complicated. I had to make a choice, and staying wasn't an option. But it doesn't mean I forgot about this place."
Captain Serious seemed to consider his words carefully. "You know, we could use someone with your… unique set of skills to help us figure out what's going on."
Joseph's grin returned, wider than ever. "Is that a job offer? Because I could use the work. Benefits and all."
She shook her head, but there was a slight smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Don't get ahead of yourself. We're not quite there yet. But if you're serious about helping us… you need to prove it."
Joseph stood up straight, his grin fading into a more determined expression. "Fine. I'm in. What do you need?"
"Tell me everything you saw when you arrived," she said. "Every little detail."
Joseph took a deep breath. "Alright. I got here just before dawn. The place looked pretty normal, you know, for a burned-down academy. There was still smoke rising from some parts of the building. I didn't see anyone at first, but then… I saw a figure moving in the shadows near the east wing. I tried to get closer, but they were fast—really fast. I thought it was just my imagination, but… now I'm not so sure."
Captain Serious nodded, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "The east wing… that's where the science labs were. One of the bombed areas. Did you get a look at the figure?"
He shook his head. "No, too dark. But they were small, I think. Maybe a student? Or someone who wanted to look like one."
She scribbled something down on a notepad. "Anything else?"
Joseph hesitated, a shadow crossing his face. "Well… there was this sound. Like… a whisper, but not quite. It was… I don't know, hard to explain. Almost like… like the air was talking. It didn't make any sense, but it gave me the creeps."
Captain Serious looked up sharply. "A whispering sound? Could you tell what it was saying?"
Joseph shook his head. "No. Just… something eerie. Like someone trying to speak but… not really there."
She exchanged a quick glance with the guard at the door, then turned back to Joseph. "You're sure about this?"
"Positive," Joseph replied. "I've got a pretty good memory for weird stuff, and this… definitely qualifies."
Captain Serious tapped her pen against the table, thinking. "Alright, Joseph. We'll look into it. But for now, you're still not free to go. We need more information, and we're going to keep you under observation until we're certain you're not involved."
Joseph rolled his eyes playfully. "Oh, come on. You can't blame a guy for trying. But hey, if it helps, I'm willing to cooperate. Just… keep me in the loop, okay?"
She nodded, slowly. "We'll see. But don't get too comfortable. This isn't over yet."
Joseph smiled, leaning back against the wall again. "Wouldn't have it any other way."
The door opened, and two more guards entered. One of them handed Captain Serious a sealed envelope. She read it quickly, her face tightening with concern.
"What's wrong?" Joseph asked, trying to peer over her shoulder.
She looked up, her expression unreadable. "We just got word from the team investigating the direction you pointed out. They found… something. But it doesn't make any sense."
Joseph's curiosity was piqued. "What do you mean?"
She sighed, setting the letter down. "They found traces of energy, but not like anything we've seen before. Almost like… a distortion, a tear in the air itself."
Joseph's grin faded into a look of genuine surprise. "A tear in the air? What does that even mean?"
"We're not sure yet," she admitted. "But whatever it is, it's not normal. And if you're lying about not knowing anything… now would be a good time to come clean."
Joseph shook his head quickly. "I swear, I don't know anything about that. But… if there's a tear, maybe it's connected to that whispering sound I heard. Maybe… maybe there's something else going on here. Something bigger."
Captain Serious's gaze softened again, but only slightly. "That's what we're afraid of. And that's why we need you to help us find out the truth. But remember, Joseph—if you're playing us…"
Joseph raised his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm just as clueless as you guys. But I'm willing to help. Just… let's not assume I'm the bad guy until we have proof, okay?"
She nodded, reluctantly. "Alright, Joseph. You've got your chance. Don't waste it."
Joseph smiled again, a mixture of relief and determination in his eyes. "I won't. You can count on me."
For the first time since he'd arrived, Joseph felt like he was actually getting somewhere. The question now was… where would this path lead? And what secrets still lay hidden within the ashes of the academy?
---
The door closed behind them, and Joseph found himself alone with Captain Serious. A silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words. Joseph turned to her, his grin softening into something almost sincere. "So… what's your name, anyway?"
She hesitated, then finally answered, "Seraphina."
Joseph's smile widened. "Seraphina… nice to meet you. Now, what do you say we find out who really burned this place down?"
Seraphina nodded, a hint of a smile touching her lips. "Let's find out."