Chapter Sixty-four: Negotiations
Happy new year folks.
As promised, I'm back.
Inside a dark, enclosed space.
Minimal overhead lighting flickered weakly.
It casted a narrow cone of light that illuminated only a small section of the room.
Just enough lighting to reveal a single figure standing within it.
Her luscious black hair hung loosely, and strands fell forward as her head remained lowered.
Slowly, deliberately, she raised it, revealing hollow, unfocused eyes staring in front of her.
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Several translucent panels materialized in front of her.
Yet despite that, she completely paid it no mind.
Her thoughts drifted backward, pulled relentlessly into yesterday.
Morgan.
Just the thought of his name alone tightened something in her chest.
The person she cherished most, second only to Lysandra, had been the very one she stood against.
Why… didn't he tell me?
She gritted her teeth tightly, clenching her fists as her brows furrowed.
No.
Maya released her clenched fingers slightly.
Wasn't that selfish too?
She had decided everything on her own.
Maya had chosen revenge without listening to or letting either sibling explain.
Or even hearing them out.
The realization settled heavily.
Now, all she could do was laugh at herself.
A dry, self-deprecating chuckle threatened to burst out, but it never did.
No matter how much she wanted to mock herself, the sound wouldn't come.
Ahn ahn~
Even that thought felt hollow.
'Until the very end, I was a scatterbrain. I'm sure I no longer have a place with them.'
Her shoulders sagged almost imperceptibly.
Maybe… I should have never tried to get close at all.
Negative emotions flooded her mind in waves.
Regret, bitterness, shame.
Each one crashing after another regardless of the current procedure underway.
Terminating an implanted Micro-realizer was never as simple as they made it sound.
Unless it was done through extra careful means…
And, even then, the chances of success without major damage to the host were only generously high.
For Maya, someone who had developed special abilities because of it, the consequences would be far worse.
She didn't even realize she had begun walking.
Her feet carried her forward on their own until she stood before a familiar door.
The director's room.
Slowly, she lifted her head.
A soft, tired 'ahh…' slipped from her lips.
Without knocking, she reached out and swung the door open.
Right inside, Issac Ray Pelham Westcott and Ellen Mira Mathers were there.
The director was sitting down his seat while his right hand woman stood behind him.
Seeing her entrance, he leaned against his chair with a smile forming on his face.
"You're finally here, though it's a shame we'll be saying goodbye soon."
"Get to the point. Why did you call?"
Maya's brows furrowed sharply.
Now that she was essentially staring down a death sentence, restraint no longer mattered.
Something snapped.
And it wasn't her sanity.
Maya remained completely rational, even as the words left her mouth.
However—
Fwip!
Her collar was ruffled up, clenched tightly, pushing against her.
It was Ellen who had rushed up to her.
"For someone about to die, how insolent."
Ellen barked, but Maya simply sighed.
"Ahh, you sure do bark the loudest."
"…What!?"
Those words struck Ellen straight in the face, though Maya did nothing but speak.
But almost as she said that, she slapped Ellen's hand away, gaining her ground.
And then slowly, she walked forward, with one step, then a second, and finally, a third.
Her boots echoed against the floor as she closed the distance.
Maya stopped only when she stood directly in front of Westcott's desk.
"I see, indeed. A cornered rat with nowhere to go will fight for its life."
Westcott said calmly, unamused.
He leaned forward slightly, interlacing his fingers, entertaining her.
"So, what is it you want?"
Westcott continued with a thin smile.
Maya had no doubt he was enjoying her current reactions.
And it pained her that she was the subject of his sick amusement.
Indeed, she really was a cornered rat now.
Thus, her lips parted as something rose from the depths of her stomach.
If you ever come near him—
The words almost left her mouth.
But now… what could she do?
Nothing.
That was assuming she even survived the operation.
Yet Maya's expression didn't waver.
Then, it was at this moment something in her thoughts finally connected.
"You don't seem surprised. Since when did you know?"
As though finally connecting the pieces, she tilted her head slightly in a confused manner.
For the first time, Westcott's lips curled into a sardonic smile.
"You gracefully exposed your connection with the Sinclairs. Was it not obvious as day?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"And your little cover all these years, did you truly think I wouldn't notice?"
So that was it.
Perhaps even her position had been a trap from the very beginning, to watch her closely.
Which meant—
"Still, I didn't expect the greatest thorn on my side to be the child of those two."
Westcott continued, leaning back into his chair.
He reclined further, gaze drifting upward as his thoughts turned inward.
Now that the male had Artemisia, no, even from the footage alone..
..it aligned perfectly with his assumptions.
They could safely be placed one tier above normal Wizards.
Rather, to put it in simple words, they have achieved an advanced state.
Close to an evolutionary process, but not entirely; they have simply reached a new state as a Wizard.
How much they benefited from that advantage, however… remained uncertain.
Just as he sank deeper into thought—
Bzzz—Chrrrh!
"Sir! Th—this is bad!"
A frantic voice shouted through the comms.
"...At the front entrance—X… X has appeared!"
Westcott's brows lifted.
Ellen stiffened.
At those words, Maya's heart dropped.
Immediately, Westcott raised a hand and summoned a holographic feed.
As he did, the image of the front entrance materialized before them.
Sure enough, he was there.
Near the entrance to their headquarters building, surrounded by armed security.
Not suprinsing, Artemisia was by his side.
She wore a casual wear like she was taking a picnic trip.
But what happened next caught Westcott off guard.
Morgan lifted his gaze toward the security cameras.
It was as though he could see straight through them.
Past the projection, to the person watching behind, him.
And then—
He waved, with a smile.
"Hahahaha!"
Westcott burst into laughter.
"Let them in."
Bzzz—Chrrrh!
"…Sir?"
A confused voice came from one of the security guard from the other side of the comms.
But that question infuriated Ellen.
"Are you a fool? Hurry up and let them in!"
She shouted that, loud enough for it to be heard on the other side of the call.
"Y–yes Ma'am."
The call was caught off.
In the feed, they saw the hesitant security guards lower their firearms.
They came at such an unexpected time when no Wizard could be quickly deployed.
'...'
Westcott merely stared at Morgan through the holographic screen.
Moments later, the doors slid open.
Click~!
The door opened, as someone stepped into the office.
It was none other than Morgan accompanied by Artemisia.
His eyes steered to Maya, only for a split second, before he deliberately looked away.
Ignoring her presence for now, he strode forward.
Behind Westcott however, Ellen was already on guard.
Her gaze snapped to Artemisia, burning with open hostility.
Artemisia didn't return it, instead, she displayed an awkward expression.
…afterall, these two were her former boss, so to speak.
"Oh? Never did I think you'd come here like this. Is it for revenge?"
Westcott said, leaning back slightly as Morgan blinked once, then with a tilted head…
"I thought about it, and I haven't forgotten."
As he spoke, he grabbed the chair opposite the desk, turned it around, and dropped into it backward.
He then placed his arms over the backrest like he owned the place.
Artemisia stepped closer behind him without hesitation.
That, more than anything, made Westcott's eyes widen.
Genuine surprise crossed his face.
But the girl kept her gaze lowered, deliberately avoiding eye contact with everyone in the room, so she wouldn't have seen it.
"Since I already know who's pulling the strings, there's no need to start a fight right now."
"What baseless assumptions."
Westcott replied coolly, but Morgan waved the comment aside with a wave of his hand.
"Forget it. If we keep bickering like this, we'll be here all day. Let's talk real talk."
Morgan leaned forward slightly as Westcott studied him for a moment, placing his hand under his chin.
Something about the way Morgan speak was…
How to put it.
"You speak an oddly familiar tone, but very well, I suppose you have earned that much. Speak. What is it you want?"
Morgan's gaze slowly turned toward Maya.
She stood near the shelves along the wall with her shoulders drawn inward and a downcast expression, hanging her head low.
Maya didn't even look up or at him.
Seeing her like that made Morgan's eyes narrow.
He turned back to Westcott.
"It's simple, return her to me. And we'll end this peacefully."
"Hou? Is that a threat?"
Ellen had already dragged her leg on the floor, about to lunge at them. However, the instant she moved—
Artemisia reacted.
Perhaps, it was due to pure instinct, but the moment she saw that small movement from Ellen.
A barrier engulfed her and Morgan.
"You—!"
"Silence, Ellen. Stand down."
Westcott didn't even turn his head fully.
He cast her a brief, dismissive sideways glance before returning his attention to Morgan.
Ellen froze, jaw tightening, but she dropped her stance all the same.
As she did, Artemisia too finally dropped her Territory.
Finally, Morgan stared at him once more.
"If anything, we are people who share the same goal. In a sense, I 'could' even regard you as a senior."
"The same goal? You speak as though you know me."
Westcott echoed Morgan's words, tilting his head slightly.
There it was, that familiar tone of his.
And if he didn't know better, he would have said Woodman had come to haunt him in a new form.
Eventually, Westcott shrugged slightly, resting his weight back against the chair.
But as he did, Morgan shook his head.
"Unfortunately."
Morgan added those words bluntly, without hesitation.
Westcott propped his elbow against the armrest, fingers brushing his chin as he sank into thought.
No matter how far technology advanced, no matter how refined his systems became…
They would never truly reach «Deus».
Not as long as she existed.
Because of her «Law»
And that power, naturally, Westcott wanted it for himself.
But if that was what Morgan was talking about? How did Morgan know?
Did he also have that same goal as his?
"So, you're saying you've found a way?"
Westcott leaned forward, propping his elbow on the table and intertwining his fingers.
In response to his answer, Morgan nodded with a faint smile.
"Thanks to the people you like to call pawns, I finally got my answer."
Westcott rubbed his chin again, and instinctively, he looked at Artemisia.
She was no doubt the trigger and the pawn Morgan was talking about.
But something didn't sit right.
"…Then what exactly are you negotiating here?" Westcott asked, voice measured.
Morgan's smile widened just a fraction.
"Mm?" he replied casually. "Who said I was negotiating?"
The room went still.
"What?"
"All I'm saying is that you don't want to start a fight with me."
It wasn't a bluff, nor had Morgan overestimated himself.
Rather, the reason he did this was because he was sure.
This was exactly why he picked this time of day to proceed with this plan.
"Not to mention, though it was for a brief moment, but I took over your servers, and you know what I mean…"
Ellen's face stiffened instantly as her expression froze.
Maya also looked up in utter shock, as disbelief washed across her face.
All the while,
Morgan casually placed his elbows on his thighs and rested his chin on his hand.
"Simply sending all of this to Asgard, might spark a war between you two, no?"
Indeed—
While Asgard Electronics might currently be lagging behind them in terms of influence and technological presence.
…they were by no means incompetent or powerless.
Not to mention, they had Spirits on their side.
Then there were the two standing right in front of him now.
X and Saint.
According to the reports from yesterday.
X alone had already proven himself capable of disrupting EMP interference waves entirely.
Right now… it would be best not to start an all-out war.
At least, not now.
That was what Morgan was implying, wasn't it?
Westcott remained silent for a moment, his fingers tapping once against the desk as his gaze narrowed slightly.
"Well then," he said at last, a thin smile creeping onto his face, "you've already proven to be a thorn on my side."
He leaned back slowly in his chair.
"I can return Agent Kyo to you."
Morgan's eyes narrowed immediately.
That was easy, way too easy.
No, he would be a fool to believe the man sitting across from him would so easily acquiesce.
"So, that's it, tsk. You sly tanuki."
Morgan clicked his tongue.
He remembered Beta had reported a wave fluctuation that deflected his strike yesterday.
DEM had already achieved «Advanced Computational Domain» too.
In other words, they were both just buying time.
After all, it had only been a single day since everything had changed.
Morgan himself didn't fully understand what he was now capable of.
Even the servers he claimed to have taken over…
DEM was already tightening its security.
Fortunately..
Morgan had thought about that too and had ordered Beta to create an exact copy.
Having secured that, he had already sent the remaining data over to Japan.
Specifically to Para Abellum and Elaine McFaren.
Morgan had quite literally handed them the ammunition they had been waiting for.
And that—
That was what he brought to the table.
"Last night cyber attack was your, no, your AI's doing?"
"Knowing you, you wouldn't turn this over to the government."
Westcott leaned forward crossing his fingers.
Not once did he believe Morgan would do such a thing.
It would have been foolish.
Especially considering that DEM's influence extended even into state affairs.
"So, what is it you want?"
"—Quit playing mind games already."
Morgan cut in with narrowed eyes.
"We both are at a standstill currently. So, for now, let's ceasefire, and stop all operations in Tengu—"
"That can't do."
Westcott cut in just as quickly.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Instead, they locked eyes.
Both men poured intent into their stare.
The sternest, most unyielding glare they could muster.
The pressure in the room spiked instantly, sharp enough to put all three bystanders on edge.
Because if either of them decided the negotiations were over—
The next moment would be violence.
And it showed.
Ellen had already taken a step closer to Westcott.
Upon command, the trigger happy Wizard would don her CR Unit immediately.
At the same time, Artemisia shifted forward, positioning herself closely behind Morgan.
Maya even joined, taking two cautious steps towards Morgan.
"Well. That's a problem."
Morgan muttered at last, tapping his temples as he rested his elbows against the armrest.
Westcott chuckled softly in response.
Yet there was nothing humorous about the sound.
"Exactly, would go so far as to protect the Spirits?"
Westcott truly didn't understand.
"Protect? I never said anything like that."
Morgan said, shaking his head, and then, he lifted a finger slightly, as if clarifying a point.
"Indeed, I do have a relationship with two of them, and my help would only extend to those close enough to me."
Hearing that, Westcott finally nodded.
So far—
He was pleased.
"Fine, however, a month. All operations will be halted for only a month."
Morgan nodded in response.
"Understandable."
After all, Westcott might be the director of DEM.
But even he wasn't free from complications within the organization's hierarchy.
Not to mention—
One month should buy Shidou enough time.
He had given the task of assembling all Pokémon however they wanted in any style they wanted.
Since «Deus» was still a problem that he couldn't ignore now.
He needed to do the bare minimum to keep her in check.
Basically, he put her on a wild goose chase while plotting against her.
And this was why he seemed to be helping Shidou, who is still stuck on episode two.
This was no longer an easygoing world.
With the advent of «Advanced Computational Domains»
…there was no telling what any of them could do.