Director Kens continued to hang around until everyone else had excused themselves from the room. It was, after all, his duty to maintain his presence as the one in charge. He dismissed them, after all. It was only the natural order to things. Everything went in accordance to the natural order as well, as everyone filed out of the room, and Decoy’s hologram projector shut off, terminating the tinker’s presence in the room. However this natural order was thrown off as Lillian approached him rather than leave, and asked a question.
”A meeting with Decoy?” he repeated, raising his eyebrow and straightening his tie.
”I don’t see why not. Decoy, are you still listening?”In response to his question, the projector turned back on, flickering the image of the overweight Japanese man back into existence.
”I am,” it spoke, heavy with accent.
”Right then, I have too much work to do and a fortnight’s worth of sleep to miss. I’ll just leave you two to it.” Director Kens stood up, pushed in his chair, and made a beeline for the door, clearly hoping that nobody requested anything else from him.
Lillian waited, watching and listening, until everyone was gone and it was just her and the holographic projection. Even then she waited for a few moments, her face switching between various emotions as she thought. And then, finally, she opened her mouth to talk.
”Ira's leaving. And… I'm - well, she said some things and there was something weird and I'm just not sure -” she took a deep breath before continuing.
" You were closest to her and, I don't know, I guess I'm hoping there's at least you and I'm not all alone and maybe you can make this make sense.”She knew she was rambling, she was wringing her hands and pacing after all, but she couldn't help it.
For several moments the projection said nothing. It didn’t move, save for the slight flicker and hum that was omnipresent. The projection gave no indication that Lillian’s words had been registered or heard by any living thing. Finally, after several painfully awkward moments, the projection spurred to life with only a single sentence.
”We need to talk in person.” Then without warning, Lillian was left the only one in the room. Isolated all around, but a beep on her communicator let her know she had not been abandoned. A room had been highlighted on her schematics of the building.
Lillian started as the projection left, opening her mouth before she heard the beep. Biting her lip she obliged the schematics, confusion growing. What was going on?
She stopped outside the door, hesitating before she raised her hand to knock once. She heard an audible
click as the door unlocked itself. With a moment's hesitation she entered with a low
”H-hello?"The door sealed shut behind Lillian no sooner than her back heel had crossed the threshold, leaving her in a most unfamiliar, yet small room. It appeared to be more of a middle chamber, one which bridged the gap between the outside hall, and a larger room. In some ways it reminded her of an air lock, or a pressure room in an underwater station. A middle point to be exposed to space, or ocean, and then back to normal atmosphere. The comparisons continued as a ray of light swept over Lillian, scanning her body for several moments, before the light shut down and the door on the opposite end clicked open.
Lillian stepped in and froze as the door shut behind her. If she were claustrophobic this room would be hell. She cleared her throat nervously before the light came and she froze again. Her eyes closed briefly as she held her breath and then came the telltale sound of the other door opened.
Cautiously she moved forward, almost worried that she might break something, as she called out nervously.
”This is all cool and stuff but I'm kinda freaking out right now.” Still, though, she pushed through into the next room slowly.
As Lillian opened the door, first in a crack but widening more and more, a voice spoke out to her quite calmly in what sounded like Japanese. Odd enough, but moreso the voice had been decidedly feminine. Then the door opened in its entirety, and Lillian beheld the
personal, private sanctum of Decoy. A large room with technical equipment along all of the walls, a central computer dominated the middle. Holographic displays saturated the air and walls all around, and in the center of it all sat a
woman monitoring the various video feeds.
She took a moment to tear her eyes away from the constant information output to meet Lillian’s gaze, and spoke again in Japanese. Recognizing the lack of understanding in Lillian’s eyes, the woman playfully smacked herself on the forehead, then addressed the younger girl again, this time in perfect English.
”Apologies, Grant-chan. I am used to speaking with Riese-chan in our native tongue, and do not allow other visitors. Please, make yourself comfortable. Partake in any drink or snack you like.” She gestured to a table not too far away, which housed a large number of cookies, sweets, and snacks, as well as various teas.
Lillian stood just inside the room, staring almost blankly at the woman and the unknown language being spoken. And then her brow furrowed as her confusion depended, looking between the woman and the table, before she spoke up hesitantly.
”I didn't think your cape name would be….literal like this.” she blurted out. She flushed immediately after, muttering a small apology.
”Uhm. I suppose I should be honored? It's definitely not what I expected to happen today, though really nothing that happened today was expected between the fight, Ira, Sonar, that mess I made downstairs, and I'm rambling aren't I?”Decoy nodded as Lillian spoke, following along with every word. It was the only indication Lillina had that the older cape were listening at all, since she had returned her attention to the holographics displays that surrounded her.
”It is a natural reaction to being uncomfortable, Grant-chan. I imagine a great deal of today has been… Trying.””Yeahhhhhhhh. It started off absolutely amazing and then got weird but then it was good again and now everything is just confusing and -” she paused momentarily before continuing much slower and quieter.
”I'm scared. I don't know what's going on or who I can talk to. Who I can trust or if I'm just taking something said at a bad time in the wrong way and letting it color my thoughts." Decoy blinked. The first blink Lillian had seen the woman go through since walking in. She got the impression that it did not happen very often, and marked a radical change in emotion for the tinker. As it were, Decoy stood up from her seat, and slowly approached Lillian with open arms, but stopped a few feet away. She would not embrace the younger girl without some effort on Lillian’s part.
”All too well do I know the feeling of questioning your own judgment. Ever since my trigger event, I… Have not trusted anybody easily. Myself included. Letting you inside my room is something that I am… Extremely uncomfortable with. But let us take steps together.”Lillian looked up at the older woman uncertainly before slipping forward to hug her.
”Ira said she's leaving. And she said something else and I just don't know who else I could go to. You're the central communication point, right? You worked with her. So…I was hoping I could trust you?”Decoy held the Ward tight for several moments before she let the girl go. She sighed, heavily, before speaking again.
”Riese-chan has… Justified reasons for wanting to leave. Despite my best efforts, I cannot convince her to stay. Finding out her intentions has been devastating. She was the only one I could grow close to. Bond with. Leviathan destroyed our home. We collaborated as tinkers. I tutored her as her personal teacher. This development is difficult…” She trailed off, glancing to the side. Reaching out with a hand, Decoy typed out on a holographic keyboard. With two key presses, one of the monitors shut off. What had it been displaying?
”I am the one who informed her that we have a mole in the facility somewhere. I had hoped she would be able to help determine who it is, or at least clear the rest of the Wards from suspicion. If I am being honest, you are not completely clear from my suspicions either, Grant-chan.” Her eyes narrowed by reflex, but then were made softer, with some effort. She appeared to be intentionally trying not to come across as abrasive.
”I admit, the chances of you being the mole are considerably less than most others. Evidence of our information leak began before you joined. But that does not preclude multiple moles. An infiltration building a larger force from within. But Riese-chan trusted you with this vital information, so I have little choice in the matter. I will believe in your innocence.””I can't believe it's true,” Lillian said softly.
”I haven't heard anything and nothing seemed any different when I'm staying -” she trailed off as her eyes turned distant.
”It could be anyone. And what if it's the most obvious, but the least likely at the same time? Right? The old comics always were like that, from what Dad always said…” She sighed.
”I visited Sonar. Oh, yeah, I already said that. Sorry. I just want to help…”Decoy nodded along once again, acknowledging Lillian’s words. Once the Ward began to trail off, Decoy’s eyes opened up in sudden surprise, like she has just seen some sort of a viper. Quickly, she made a swiping motion with her hand, and a holographic keyboard suddenly appeared in front of her, fingers tapping away at the keys made of light.
”I am certain that you can help, Grant-chan. To begin however, why don’t you tell me how things have been going between yourself and Heather-chan?”Her tone remained steady, but her eyes told a different story. A screen appeared between the two, with words typing quickly across for Lillian to read.
Play along, and be careful what you say. The screen came equipped with its own keyboard, which Lillian could use with her own hands.
Lillian opened her mouth in confusion, shutting it without saying anything as she read the text. She looked, searching Decoy's face, before replying in a cheerful tone.
”Good but I'm kinda nervous. I've never really made good friends before and I'm not entirely sure what to do.” As she spoke her fingers moved across the keyboard quickly.
What's going on? Decoy, a bit amused by the direction Lillian had taken it, smiled as she typed away.
”Good friends? Yes, let us pretend that is what you and Heather-chan have become, hmhmhm.” I had never considered Sonar as a suspect before you mentioned him. It would make sense. I informed Riese-chan that the information leak was released with Ward communications access, and being under Riese-chan’s nullifier would be a good cover… If it were active. My records show it has been shut off the majority of the time he has remained in his room.”Well, I mean, it only happened today. I've never - y'know? I'm pretty nervous.” ... He said he could hear Ira and I outside his room talking but we hadn't been loud. But he seemed to be really considering the Nullification vial thing Ira made?”Perhaps your nerves are instinctual? A lack of comfort could be your senses picking up on something more sinister. Heather-chan is as suspicious as the other Wards, perhaps moreso with her extra clearance.” I constructed his room to be 100% soundproof to aid in his recovery. Short of you transforming and bellowing your loudest roar, it is impossible for him to have heard anything outside his door.”But I'm fairly comfortable with her. It's Ev that makes me scared and uncomfor - I can't believe I just said that.” Well, he heard us. He said so. Unless he was lying about that for some reason. ”Interesting. Chambers-chan makes you uncomfortable? Tell me, did that begin before, or after today’s events?” There is only one possible explanation. My system registers the device inactive at the time, which means he is perfectly capable of controlling his power without the helmet.”... Since the warehouse." So he lied to everyone? He's been, what, listening in for weeks and weeks?”A most terrible time for you all. Riese-chan in particular has had to deal with an awful trauma of that event. But what happened then with Chambers-chan?” It is possible that I am missing crucial details, in fact I am nearly certain of it, but that is the conclusion the evidence seems to support.”Her power. And today she just seemed so angry and it just… Scares me.” But if he's the mole, then how's he getting information out? Unless he's really not the only one. And Ira! She told me right in front of him.”An understandable position. Her attitude is troubling, yes. Extremists often get buried in the holes they dig, but she is dealing with a great deal of her own stress. Unless you think she could be our mole?” As I said, I suspect we do not have a full understanding, but it is definitely Ward access that is leaking the information. He could provide that access to any of his nurses or doctors if they are in on it, as well as any other staff. His power makes this incredibly troublesome, because if I am correct, then Riese-chan speaking in front of him means nothing and he has known that I have been looking for him since day one.”No, I couldn't see her working with villains. Unless she was a really good actor… She's got a pretty hard stance there. Honestly the only current Ward that I'm really unsure about is Elliot. He's never really socialized with us and he's a little eccentric. I've wanted to reach out but it's just so hard to get him when we're not on duty.” You're smart. I'm sure you're right. What about someone visiting a lot. You should be able to see that, right? Wouldn't that make them a higher suspect?”It’s not uncommon for actors to oversell their role, but you raise a significant point. As for Pratt-kun… I would not consider him especially suspicious. A case of bark worse than bite, as it were, and I wouldn’t think him to be intelligent enough to pull off a deception of this magnitude.” Not necessarily. You were recruited after his hospitalization, so you were never privy to a second use of his power the public did not know. He is able to speak directly to anybody he wishes within the same range as his hearing. Personal visitors are possible, but given his capabilities, it wouldn’t be smart.Lillian giggled before blushing.
”Sorry. That was funny. I think Elliot just needs some friends and needs to be willing to have them.” That's… Insane. Wow. Okay. Well, what about the Protectorate? Morales smells and so does the Director. Like alcohol and cigarettes, respectively. Mom always said people do those because of stress or pain. Inkscape just smells like paint and wet rubber. And Protean had no real smell. It was weird. Sorry, I'm rambling in text!”Friends and the situations they create are overrated. I should know from experience. In any case, I can imagine zero possibilities that he is our mole.” It is only natural they should smell as they do. The director has the most stressful job of all, and the captain is also a professional mixologist. His drinks are divine. To be frank, I do have a suspect among my fellow Protectorates.”Yeah...I know about that well enough… But okay, at least I understand the smells now." May I ask who? ”The more you know, right? Heh heh.” You let me worry about it. The more you know, the bigger target you become. For now, keep an eye on your fellow Wards, just in case. They all possess access to communicate outside this building.”I guess so. I'm kinda glad it all led to me being transferred out of that school, to be honest.” That hardly seems fair to you. I should do more to help. How can I be a hero when we're always being given the minor stuff? I want to help.”Well, I suppose that about wraps this up. More investigation is required, so I require you to do so. Stay alert, and pay special attention to Heather-chan. Her authority grants special permissions that places her in the best position for this betrayal, and your role as her girlfriend places you in the best position to divine any suspicious activities on her part.” Negative. This is off the books investigation, not even the director knows. It’s to protect you from the system as much as the enemy. Be sure you do not speak a word aloud within half a mile of this building.”Of course, ma'am. Thank you for everything," Lillian said quietly, subdued, before taking her leave.
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