The next morning, the usual routine at headquarters felt strangely normal—like the world hadn't just shifted on its axis the night before. Elites moved through the halls with purpose, reports were filed, and the aftermath of the mission was already being handled.
But beneath the surface, I could feel the unease lingering.
Oliver's return had left a mark, and even though no one spoke about it outright, the tension in the air was unmistakable.
I found myself seated in one of the briefing rooms alongside Heesung, Kaito, Cherry, and Xavier, waiting for Sora's arrival.
Kaito leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "So… what now?"
Heesung scoffed. "We wait for them to tell us what to do next. That's how it always goes."
Cherry frowned. "But shouldn't we be doing something? We just let Oliver walk away. Shouldn't we be trying to find out where he went?"
Xavier sighed. "We don't even know if that's our job. Sora might tell us to leave it alone."
That thought didn't sit well with me.
The door opened before I could say anything, and Sora entered the room, followed by another figure I hadn't expected to see.
Cheern.
She was one of the other Elite Council members, known for her unpredictable energy and almost overwhelming enthusiasm. Seeing her standing next to Sora with a rare serious expression immediately put me on edge.
"Good, you're all here," Sora said, wasting no time. "There's been an update."
I sat up straighter. "About Oliver?"
Cheern nodded. "Yes. And we need you to listen carefully."
The room fell silent.
Sora stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "Last night, after you reported Oliver's return, we started looking into his past records. There was something odd—his file was sealed after his supposed death. Normally, that wouldn't be strange, but when we tried to access it…"
He paused, glancing at Cheern.
She crossed her arms. "It was wiped."
My breath hitched.
"What?" Kaito narrowed his eyes. "Someone erased his records?"
Cheern nodded. "Not just erased—someone went out of their way to make sure no trace of Oliver Jackson existed in our system anymore."
A cold chill settled over me.
Sora's gaze was sharp as he continued. "That means someone doesn't want us looking into him."
Heesung frowned. "But why? If Oliver's alive, then why hide it?"
Silence stretched between us.
I swallowed hard, my mind racing. Oliver had told us that he walked away, that he had seen things differently after his mission failed. But now… it seemed like there was more to the story.
Much more.
Cheern sighed, rubbing her temples. "We have no solid proof of anything yet, but what we do know is this—Oliver didn't just leave. Someone made sure he wouldn't come back."
My grip tightened on the table.
That changed everything.
Sora's gaze met mine. "That's why I'm assigning you five to look into this. Discreetly."
I blinked. "Wait… you're putting us on this mission?"
Sora nodded. "Officially, the higher-ups have deemed Oliver a non-priority. But I don't believe in coincidences, and I know you don't either."
He wasn't wrong.
"Your goal isn't to capture Oliver," Cheern added. "It's to find out why someone wanted him gone in the first place."
Xavier exhaled. "So we're investigating our own people."
A heavy silence followed those words.
It was a dangerous line to walk, but we all knew the truth—something wasn't adding up. And if Oliver's reappearance had taught us anything, it was that the past wasn't as simple as we thought.
I looked around at my team, at the people who had become my closest allies. We had been through hell together.
And now, we were about to step into something even deeper.
I took a deep breath and met Sora's gaze.
"We're in."
---
The streets were quiet as we made our way back toward headquarters. Our patrol had been uneventful, not a single lead in sight. I should've been relieved, but instead, a strange sense of unease settled in my chest.
Something felt… off.
We passed by dimly lit storefronts and closing market stalls, the day fading into the cool embrace of night. That's when I heard it.
A voice—faint but unmistakable.
"Akari…"
I froze mid-step.
The others walked a few paces ahead before noticing I had stopped.
Xavier turned first. "Akari?"
I barely heard him, straining my ears to listen. The wind rustled through the alleyways, carrying distant city sounds, but then—
"Akari…"
Again.
I wasn't imagining it.
"Is something wrong?" Xavier asked, stepping closer.
I shook my head quickly. "It's nothing. You guys go ahead. I'll catch up."
He narrowed his eyes, clearly not convinced. "You sure?"
"I just need to check something real quick."
I could tell he wanted to argue, but after a moment, he sighed and nodded. "Fine. Don't take too long."
I watched as they continued down the street before turning toward the source of the voice. My instincts screamed at me to be cautious, but curiosity burned stronger.
Carefully, I followed the sound, weaving through narrow alleys until I reached a dimly lit passageway. Shadows stretched long against the walls, and there, leaning casually against the brick, was a hooded figure.
I stopped a few feet away, my hand instinctively hovering near my weapon.
The figure didn't move. The hood concealed all their hair, and a smooth, expressionless mask covered their entire face.
"Who are you?" I demanded.
The voice that responded was calm, almost amused. "No one of great importance. Just someone with valuable information for you."
I narrowed my eyes. "And why would I believe anything you say when I don't even know who you are?"
A short chuckle. "Because, Akari Tsukumo, this information could change everything. You just have to trust me for a few minutes."
I stiffened. Whoever this was, they knew my name.
"Speak quickly," I said, forcing my voice to stay steady. "Before the others get suspicious."
The figure leaned forward slightly. "I know who set the fire. The one that killed your mother."
A chill shot down my spine.
For a moment, I couldn't breathe. My fists clenched at my sides, my nails digging into my palms.
Lies. It had to be.
"…What?" My voice came out quieter than I intended.
The figure tilted their head. "You heard me."
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my expression unreadable. "That fire was an accident."
Another chuckle, this one sharper. "Was it?"
My heart pounded. "What are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying that someone wanted your mother dead, Akari."
I felt the weight of those words settle into my bones.
This was ridiculous. It had been years. There was no evidence of foul play, no reason to believe—
But deep down, something inside me wavered.
Because if there was even the smallest chance that they were telling the truth…
"…Who?" I whispered.
The figure straightened, as if satisfied by my response.
"Meet me here tomorrow night. Alone."
I tensed. "You expect me to just trust you and come back?"
"I expect you to decide whether or not you really want the truth."
With that, the figure turned and disappeared into the darkness.
I stood there, frozen, my mind spinning.
For the first time in years, a crack had formed in the truth I had accepted.
And I wasn't sure if I was ready for what lay beyond it.