Chapter 23

Brilliant Light Industries

The director stared at his watch, waiting every second tick by until the hand reached the exact hour. When it did, he reached the black door and placed his hand on the scanner beside it.

It traced his hand with a transparent green light, and an automated voice spoke, “Biometrics confirmed. Welcome, Director Sullivan Osbourne.”

The door opened, followed by a wintry welcome as a blast of cold wind greeted the director of the Golden Lion Organization.

“Welcome, Director Sullivan.” Said the voice of a woman who sat atop the hill inside the snowy room as he entered.

The director silently trudged up the icy hill and through the cold winds and met with the woman who sat atop it, on a tea table where none of the snow reached. Her skin was fair and pale, like the snow that they were in, and her hair was a shade of light purple. She was dressed elegantly in hues of blue and purple.

“Good to see you, Estelle.” He said as he took a seat on the metallic, white chair. On the table was a tea set and a plate full of biscuits.

He picked up the teapot on the table and poured himself a cup full.

“As always, you’ve arrived exactly when you said you would… Still, I was hoping you’d call more often.” She jokingly remarked.

“I would but I never have any good news to share.”

“Still, you really didn’t need to come all the way to my office just for a meeting. Have you never heard of the internet?”

The Director tilted his head up and watched the curtains of vibrant dancing colors above them, “I like the scenery here. I’m always amazed at this artificial marvel.”

“I’m glad you liked it, it costed me a pretty penny.”

“However, I don’t like it when you use it on yourself.” He grabbed a sugar cube and began to stir it in his tea.

“Come now, is this really any different from a woman wearing make up?”

“Because that’s not what it is.” Director answered bluntly.

“And I suppose you want me to turn the off the scenery as well? Even though I had all of this prepared for your visit, honestly.” Estelle lamented and placed her palm on her cheek.

She reached for a remote on the table. As she clicked it, half of her face began to glow with blocky, transparent blue boxes, which faded away.

Her real appearance was in full view. With a black eyepatch covering her right eye, and burn scars covering half of her face, reaching up to her ear. It was not dissimilar to Anastasia’s, but was far worse in appearance.

“So then, what brings the sudden visit?” She said before sipping her tea, her sweet tone of voice gone and changed to something more somber and petulant in front of the one who spoiled her fun.

He opened his scarred eye, and its orange glow glistened within the snowy simulated world, “Were you creating a matrix key, by any chance?”

Estelle spat out her drink and asked, “W-what have you heard?”

“We’ve picked up two of its fragments recently. According to one of our operatives, Maria Readman, its data signature belongs to Brilliant Light Industries.”

“We were… working on it, yes.”

“And you lost it.”

“… It was stolen almost two months ago. We believe the suspects involved a certain… Harbinger.”

“Why did you not inform the other organizations about this project of yours, or about the fact that you lost it?”

“We were hoping that we would be able to retrieve it soon enough, and besides, we didn’t need to inform you of anything. We’re all busy working on our own projects, aren’t we?”

“We’re an alliance for a reason. We share our information.”

“Then you should have done it first. I only found out about your superhuman projects thirteen years after you’ve started. No agreements involved, no rules were set up, no news of where the funding went.”

“All of the shareholders were given appropriate news of the progress. Brilliant Light didn’t offer to fund in Project ASTRAEA.”

“Because we did not know! Thirty years we’ve known each other, Sully. Thirty years! You give information, you get information. That’s how this works.”

“You would have been against it.”

“Of course, I would have been against it! You were killing children! Eight-hundred orphans, Sully. Eight-hundred children were slaughtered in your experiments. For what? So that you could have ten? Twenty of your super soldiers?” Estelle broke out in a fit.

“We stopped using orphans.”

“That’s not the point! And having people volunteer to their deaths for a measly few grand isn’t much better, Sully.”

“Project CHIMERA is also doing the same thing.”

“They were supposed to be bringing back extinct creatures, I don’t understand how they ended up that way!” She yelled as she kept slamming her hand on the table with a disappointed look on her face.

The director lowered his head for a few seconds, watching the steam flow out of his cup before taking a sip.

“Sigh… so, is this all it’s about? We lost the matrix key we were working on, and your agents found it? How much do you want for us to buy it back?”

“It’s been fragmented, broken into five, maybe six pieces. According to Maria, they’re useless as they are currently, so I want to know what it was made for.”

“It’s a Matrix Key. It’s designed to break into any security there is. What else?”

“Is it possible for you to track down the remaining pieces?”

“We’ve been trying to do that for a while, and so far, no luck.”

“I see.”

“And? That can’t be all you came to say, is it?”

“… We’ve come in contact with a Jackal’s Fang.”

“It’s not like they can do anything with their mad scientist trapped in Cocytus. We have other things to worry about.”

“Don’t forget the tens of thousands of people they killed.”

“So what? So have Dahmer, and the Shaman? Why are you so fixated on the Jackal’s Fangs? Don’t forget that the government is doing everything in their power to shut us down one agency after another.” She responded frantically.

“No. According to the report, he claimed to have been a new member.”

“So, they’re rebuilding? What a stubborn group.” Estelle picked up the pot and began pouring herself another cup.

“Not only that, but according to Felix, he also had what sounded like your illusion tech?”

She looked up to his, unaware that her boiling hot tea had spilled over her, “…What? Ow! Tsk! Eh?”

Estelle looked at Sullivan, whose serious expression softened with a relieved smirk. “As clumsy as ever.”

Her wide-eyed expression turned into an irritated pout, “So you had me disable my virtual make up just to see if it was really me?”

“Or if you were really here.”

“Honestly, Sully. You piss me off more and more every time we see each other.”

“So, you really have no idea how they had your illusion tech?”

“It’s possible for them to be developing their own, but… you’re saying that I have a traitor among my ranks?”

The director said nothing in response, only a quiet gaze.

“I’ll look into it. Anything else? I would really like you to leave before you piss me off any more.”

“Then, are you free any time soon? There’s an event I would like to hold. I’d like to invite you to watch it.”

“I… will make some time.”

Director Sullivan smiled softly, much to her annoyance. He reached for one of the biscuits and looked up once more, his mismatched eyes of black and orange gazed up to the artificial aurora borealis above them.

*

Anastasia fumbled around the chrome-white halls. Outside the windowed walls was the were the dark skies of night, with barely any stars to show for.

She took a swig from the brown bottle from her hand.

As she lowered the bottle, she stared at the alcohol waved back and forth. The brown bottle reminding her of the events prior to her return.

“Liar!” A sad, angry voice echoed as she prepared her things. She turned back and saw two men in black armor, one yelling at her with a brown, glass bottle in hand, “You let Harveydie!”

“Calm down, man! It wasn’t her fault. Quit shouting at the commander!” The other man said as he tried to stop him.

“It wouldn’t have turned out like this if Rico was still here!”

“Come on, man! Stop it!”

“He used his powers to save us! To save me and Harvey! Why couldn’t you do the same?!”

“I ran out of power.” She answered.

“Shut up! You just want to save your own skin. I thought I’d be safe with you espers! Like we were with Rico!”

Anastasia opened her mouth, “I’m sorry I’m not Rico. But you all knew the risk, even Harvey. I did what I could for the least possible casualties.”

“You bitch!”

“Come on! Stop it.”

Another man came along and pulled away the drunk, angry man. “Sorry about that commander, he’s had too much to drink.”

As he was dragged away, Anastasia mumbled softly with a downtrodden expression, “…I did what I could.”

“I know you did…”

“… Just because we have powers doesn’t mean we can do everything.”

“I’m sorry about him… it’s just… Rico was… Rico was superhuman… he gave us this unreasonable hope that enhanced humans… espers… could do anything and died trying to prove it.”

The angry man struggled and broke free from the other subordinates’ grip and threw the bottle in his hand right towards her. Anastasia caught it with ease, but because the bottle was upside down, its contents spilled all over her face.

“C-commander Tundra. I’ll go grab a towel.”

Anastasia bit her lip in frustration as the alcohol dripped down her white eyepatch down her cheek.

She took another swig, the last one before the bottle ran out.

As she threw away the bottle, she noticed a familiar face coming into the hall. Felix exited the washroom, he met with the short, red-haired woman staggering in the hallway.

“Oh hey, you’re back.” He said awkwardly.

“That’s—hic—right. Did you… do your training hic.” Anastasia replied with the thick scent of alcohol on her.

“I did. Are you okay? Maybe you should go somewhere to rest.”

“I’m really not, but let me just... sober up a bit…” She said as she opened the door and went into the washroom.

The door to the kitchen opened, light filled the room. it was dark, and a man with glowing red eyes entered went inside, only to meet the only other man with glowing red eyes already inside, sitting on the counter.

“Hm?” Nero looked back with an angry, yet curious expression, only to find Grant walk into the room.

“Nero? What are you doing here?”

“Midnight snack.” He replied as he bit off a piece of the sandwich in his hand.

“Ah… I just came here to get a beer. What’s up with the scowl?” Grant asked as he made his way to the refrigerator, commenting on Nero’s furrowed eyebrows while he chewed his sandwich.

“Something’s been bothering me lately.”

“Care to share?”

“If we create heat and light, doesn’t that make us radioactive? Do you think we have cancer?”

Stunned, Grant placed in hand on his chin as he sunk deeply into his own thoughts.

“Wanna watch another movie?” Nero asked without regard for the dilemma he put him in.

“... Sure.” He answered in a subdued tone, wanting to get rid of the question radiating in his head.

From outside the room, Isabelle walked slowly through the hall with arms behind her back. Casually strolling around as she watched the lights flicker in the distance through the window walls.

The sound of running water could be heard in a small bathroom as Anastasia washed her face. Felix, who waited outside, sat on a bed while waiting for her to get out.

The room was light-greenish in hue, and was comparable to a hospital room.

“In my eyes, you’ve already reached the peak of what your body can do, but you’re an esper. My patience has worn thin.” Anastasia said from the sink.

“Maybe you should take a rest.” Felix said to her as she walked out of the bathroom, her hair still soaking wet.

“You were learning step by step. Very steadily, but that’s not enough. You’re expected to be the most powerful among all of us. Maybe it’s because you’re so powerful that you can’t control it.”

“I see… I’m sorry I’m taking so long, thank you for putting up with me.” Felix replied as he turned to look at her.

She walked outside of the bathroom as she wiped her face with a towel, “So I’ll have you learn the way I did.”

“Hm?”

“Aura… aura is defined by who you are…” The red-haired woman raised her arm. A bright orange flame then manifested from her body.

“I see.”

“Your next lesson begins now. Gripping.”

Suddenly, the orange glow emanated over Felix’s body.

“I mastered mine when I was near the brink of death. It’s not something anyone can explain, it’s something that they feel. Only you can define how you use yours.”

Felix was lifted into the air, as if he was a toy. His body tightened, more and more until he felt as if he was being crushed.

“W-wait— Gah, GRRAAAAKKHH…”

“You said you wanted to be number one, didn’t you? At this rate, you won’t even reach rank three.”

“H-hurkkk… Heeeeee” Felix wheezed.

“Back then, you might’ve gotten to first rank. But now physical strength can only get you so far. Cybernetics, nanomachines, and bio-armors continue to progress both in and out of the agency! This has become a brand-new playing field entirely!”

The volume of her voice grew larger as her frustrations erupted. “A very dangerous terrorist group is reforming; with weapons we have never seen. And a digital key that can potentially destroy the world is out there. Not to mention there are still countless other threats out there we still need to face, and yet you still haven’t realized this!”

“I— I… do… realize that… Kh-kaaah!!” The grip on his throat became tighter.

“Do you really?” She asked hysterically, “What happens when someone dies on the battlefield all because you couldn’t control your powers? What happens if you couldn’t control it and kill them yourself?!”

Felix’s eyes began to glow bright, and streams of blue electricity began to spring out of his body. Red, veiny marks could be seen forming from his skin, coiling all over him.

“So when will you learn? When everyone else has died?! When you’ve died?!”

“AHHHHH!”

As she said those words, Luna’s face suddenly flashed in his eyes. The windows shattered, and everything in the room had been crushed. A burst of blue light tore through the room, slamming Anastasia against the hard wall.

And yet—

Felix had remained mid-air, still held tight in her grip.

“Good. You’re getting there!” She yelled out as she got back up, her arm covered in wounds. “Come on, show me you can make it! Bring your ambition to the surface! Show me who you truly are!”

The door suddenly slammed open as Isabelle heard Felix’s scream, “What’s going on?!”

“Training.” Anastasia answered.

“You call this training?!”

“I-I… GAAHKK!!”

“If you can only use your power when you go berserk, then you might as well not be using it at all!”

“Stop, you’re going too far.” Isabelle said as she grabbed Anastasia’s arm.

“He’s my student, he chose to learn under me. And he will learn the way I teach him.”

“I can’t accept this.” Isabelle hissed.

“Wh-what are you—?”

Isabelle’s expression turned to a scowl, and instantly, her aura flared up, dyeing the room in a beautiful shade of crimson and devouring Anastasia’s sunset colored aura.

Felix fell to the floor and Anastasia slammed to the ground.

Her bright, crimson aura immediately dispersed after.

Anastasia bent over and clung against the wall as she began to vomit.

Felix broke into a fit of coughing, and Isabelle instinctively moving to his aide. She placed her hand on his head, caressing it.

“Are you okay?” She asked.

“Isabelle… I’m grateful… but I need to learn. I have… to be… better.” He said before losing consciousness.

“But… this isn’t learning…” Isabelle mumbled out as he put him on the bed.

“What a good mindset my student has.” Anastasia said as she wiped her mouth, “We’ll resume training tomorrow.”

As Anastasia walked out the door, Isabelle whispered frigidly to her, “Don’t do that again.”

Responding with a cold stare, the red-haired esper moved on.