Location: Conference Room

Time: 13:02 4/1/08

It had been a scene of intense debate only a few moments before, but the sound of a ringing phone had silenced it. I felt all of their eyes on me as I checked the caller id.

“Hana, don’t take calls during any of the meetings. You’re not even supposed to have a phone in here.”

The head of security at the venue was talking to me. It was within his power to be more direct with his demands, but he was hesitant.

“Agitated. Alright. Then I’ll leave.”

Ignoring his attempts to stop me I left the conference room. It wasn’t a call that I was willing to miss.

“Happy. Hello, Alli. I’m glad you wanted to talk.”

“Where are you?” Alli’s response was rushed and her voice was tense.

“Excited. You want to spend time together?”

“No, this situation is completely abnormal. We can’t get caught up in the usual routine. This is important. Where are you?”

“Concerned. At the diplomatic meeting with the Pacific Empire. This morning I was told they needed me for extra security.”

“Is Oakley with you?”

“Concerned. No. Why?”

“Listen. Don’t overreact to what I’m about to tell you. Earlier today I was kidnapped.”

“Angry. Who? Where are they?”

“Don’t worry about that, I already let my sister know where they are. And they took Olivia as well, so if half of what you’ve told me about them is true, I’m sure the ARA will go after them.”

“Confusion. Why did they take you and Olive?”

“Okay, here’s the thing, and this is the part I really need you to be calm about. It sounded like they were working for the Pacific Empire, I heard them mention a ‘prince’ multiple times. They also brought up the BAA. It seems like the Pacific Empire and the BAA are working together against the Prime Minister. To do that they decided to kidnap Oakley.”

My phone shorted out. The lights in the hallway started to flicker off as well. I had to calm down. If I got too emotional I wouldn’t be able to control myself. I’d end up making a rash decision that would reflect poorly upon Mistress Oakley and Father.

I looked down at my hands. The electric pattern hand already creeped onto my palms. Next they were stained with the blood that started dripping from my nose.

Never mind. There wasn’t time to calm down. Alli said the one thing I couldn’t ignore. Mistress Oakley was put in danger. Even though I knew I was acting rashly there was nothing I could do about it.

I was already committed. Trying to back myself down at that point wouldn’t solve anything. I sank into my shadow and started to move.

I didn’t bother searching the building. As part of the security detail I was already given an in depth review on where each of the delegates would be located.

Once I found my target I wasn’t going to take any chances. I leapt from his shadow and slit his throat before he knew I was there. It wasn’t the time to be having fun. I wasn't going to take any chances.

“We weren’t aware that the Free Cities were such a barbaric place.”

The VIP room’s second occupant talked to me while staring at himself in a large mirror that spanned one of the walls. I hadn’t met him before, but his overly gaudy clothes fit the image I had of him.

“Quiet. The only reason you’re not dead yet is because I want answers.”

“Foolish peasant girl. Is that anyway to address royalty? Although we suppose you've already shown how uncultured you are by killing the Director of the BAA without a second thought.”

Of course I didn’t spare him a second thought. Anyone who tried to harm Mistress Oakley would be dealt with. The other VIP would die soon as well, even if he was Eren Esterhaert, the wayward prince sent from the Pacific Empire.

“Why are you going after Oakley Oldridge?”

“That’s a question you should have asked the man you already killed. Kidnapping her, using the Emin girl, causing a panic, he was the man behind those plots. It’s almost amusing how easily the mastermind went down. Real life rarely matches the splendor of the theater.”

“I’m not here for entertainment. Don’t deflect your involvement. Why were you working with him?”

“Isn’t that obvious? We’ve got nothing to hide. That man and the politicians backing him made us a far better offer than that of the sitting Prime Minister. All we had to do was help them discredit, and eventually remove him from power. You shouldn’t get so worked up over politics. It doesn't suit your status.”

That man, the prince from the Pacific Empire, continued to stare longingly into the mirror. At one point he reached out and stroked his own reflection.

“Then what’s next for you? With him dead are you backing out?”

I was going to kill him either way, but I needed to know if Mistress Oakley was still in danger.

“Of course not. There are still plenty in this cesspool of a city that will support us once I remove the Prime Minister. Besides, we hate to say this after all the work our diplomats put in, but this entire conference is pointless. After how much we’ve conspired against him, there’s not a chance the Prime Minister will even consider any kind of dealings with us. Heavens forbid he tries to make a deal with our sister.”

“Are you going to continue to target Mistress Oakley?”

“Maybe. For now though, we’re just going to accept our loss and tie up loose ends. After that we’ll probably take a more active role . We shouldn’t have put so much faith in the BAA to control things. After getting rid of anyone who’s met with any of our subordinates we might revisit a plan that involves the Prime Minister’s daughter. Although those subordinates of ours can be stubborn. We can’t say if any of them might still be targeting her.”

“You’re being oddly talkative about all this, and it doesn't sound like you’re scared for your life.”

His attitude didn’t make sense. He was answering my questions, but it didn’t seem like he was even interested in my presence. I didn’t think he was lying about anything. He wasn’t trying to bargain for his life either.

“We already told you, peasant girl, we’ve got nothing to hide. This is simply politics. For those of us who exist at the top of the Pacific Empire’s aristocracy this is nothing more than routine.”

Having heard everything I needed to, I channeled my electricity into my arms. My knife started levitating between my outstretched hands as I turned my body into an impromptu railgun.

After confirming my aim I launched the knife forward. The prince’s body offered little resistance as my knife passed through it. The knife found its final resting place, impeded in the mirror. The mirror fractured across the prince’s reflection before his body dropped.

“Then I’m sure you won’t mind my reaction.” I directed my final line to his dead body.

“Of course not.” The prince’s reflection in the mirror continued to speak to me as his physical body started to dissolve. “It’s happened so much we can’t even keep track of every time someone’s targeted our life. Now, if you don’t mind, and even if you do, we shall take our leave.”

The voice came from behind me. I turned around to see his face’s reflection in a pitcher of water.

Then it was gone. I considered searching the building for him, but it would have been pointless. A reflection doesn’t cast a shadow. What an annoying augmentation.

“Attention. Attention.” The PA system activated. “This is a security announcement. The building has been invaded by terrorists. All rooms will be entering lockdown until backup arrives and order is restored.”

The doors to the VIP room were kicked open and a man pointed his gun at me. I had a bolt of lightning rise from his shadow and strike him in the back.

I pushed my face into my shadow and gave the floor I was on a quick look. Nothing. I moved on to scanning other floors, picking them randomly. Nothing. There were no terrorists. I figured. Such an on the nose announcement wouldn’t be broadcasted across the entire building if it was legitimate.

Then why the bluff? To draw attention to the building? Were they planning something else?

Actually, wasn’t I a terrorist? Not really, but didn’t I complete their objective for them? I’m undeniably linked to the Prime Minister, and I killed the Director of the BAA. Isn’t that the kind of scandal they were looking for? That’s why the prince was so comfortable. They’d make up claims of the building being under attack, only to find one of the perpetrators; me, covered in the Director’s blood.

Obviously I could run, but I was supposed to be on security detail. I even disregarded the head of security’s instruction and went off on my own. If they were to find me missing it would be just as easy to pin it all on me.

A series of violent coughs escaped my throat. My sleeves were stained with fresh blood. There was nothing more I could do at the moment, I had to suppress myself. I forcibly severed most of my connection with the information dimension.

It’s inconvenient, having a body that weak.

Hadn’t I made a huge mistake? What was I thinking? I killed him. I killed the head of the BAA based on speculation and hearsay. And if that wasn’t enough, I attempted to kill royalty from a foreign country. I let momentary fluctuations in my emotions enhance my drive to protect Mistress Oakley.

It was an interesting sensation. After throttling back my connection to the information dimension I lacked the proper emotional range to panic, even though I knew I should.

What next? Ignoring my current predicament, two things he said concerned me. First was obviously his vague statement on whether or not Mistress Oakley was still being targeted. Even if there was a slight chance of danger, I had to protect her.

The second was his claim of tying up loose ends. Who had met with his subordinates? At least Emi Emi, Alli, Ren, younger Olive, and older Olive. There’s probably a few more, but it wasn't my job to worry about people I didn't know.

The Members of the ARA would be fine, they could defend themselves. The younger Olive would be safe too. I couldn't imagine her brother letting anything happen to her any time soon.

That left Emi Emi and Alli. Neither of them were weak, actually, they had potential to become competent augmented. But it was just that: potential. If they faced off against someone on the same level as Sara they’d stand no chance.

Those two were my friends, didn’t that mean I had to protect them? I had the strength to make sure they’d be okay. What kind of person wouldn’t use it?

But then what about Mistress Oakley? Protecting her was supposed to be my only reason for existing. Her getting targeted wasn’t a guarantee though. She might be fine. Emi Emi and Alli on the other hand were getting targeted for sure.

And Mistress Oakley was a VIP. After the first attempt she was probably being watched over by some of the Prime Minister’s most loyal men. She’d be safe, even without me.

Would she? Were any of the augmented the Prime Minister could call on capable of standing up to someone of Sara’s caliber? Anyone from the BAA was out of the question, and most of the MID were probably on their way to investigate the conference building. That would only get more time-consuming if they found the dead body in the VIP room.

Normally he’d use the older Olive, but he was busy with his sister.

Then again, he had to have connections I didn’t know about. People he could call on in case I ever went out of control. He’s not foolish enough to trust me completely. Emi Emi and Alli had no one. Well, Alli had her sister, but when it comes to a fight she’s useless.

Bringing the three of them together wouldn’t work. The attack on Emi Emi and Alli was guaranteed, so I’d be exposing Mistress Oakley to unnecessary risk.

Didn’t that make my choice Obvious?

I had to somehow cover up my most recent killing and protect my two friends all while watching over Mistress Oakley.

With that resolve in mind, I fished a phone from the BAA Director’s pocket and prepared myself to make two calls.