Then the woman on the other end of the communicaton artifact laughed. It was a rich, amused sound.
The agents around her looked less amused.
Gustav tightened his grip on the handle of his weapon. Sasha looked like she wanted to argue. Mira simply sighed the bridge of her nose. Kalex and Cole exchanged glances. Bram muttered something about children being different from how they were when he was growing up.
Tess laughed again.
"Still, I have to admit, Jamie, I wasn't expecting that."
"You offered me a job."
"I offered you access to the most powerful information networks in the world."
"Thats child labour."
"No."
"It pretty much is."
The flame flickered.
Jamie could practically feel the woman smiling through the artifact.
"Explain why you won't just join us upfront."
"I don't like being told what to do."
Gustav snorted.
"That's your reason?"
"No."
Jamie grinned.
"That's one of them."
"Boss, can I hit her?"
"No."
"Can I threaten her?"
"No."
"What if I threaten her politely?"
"No."
Gustav sighed dramatically. Tess's voice came through the artifact, warm and conversational.
"Anyway, lets get straight to it. You want to know what I do right?"
Jamie shrugged.
"That would be a good start."
Tess chuckled.
"Well, I own several gambling houses throughout Veridian."
Jamie's eyebrow rose.
"Oh...wait, that's the career path Papa wouldn't approve of?"
"One of them."
Jamie whistled.
"That's actually kind of cool."
"It gets better."
"Among other things, I also have a share in the Free Guild." Tess sounded almost smug.
Jamie's eyes widened. She let out a long whistle.
"You're like, rich rich."
The six laughed and Tess sighed.
"The dividends from the Guild are nothing more than chicken change."
Jamie nearly choked.
'Chicken change?'
The Free Guild handled the finances of half the continent. How much money did this woman have?
"What I'm actually known for," Tess continued, "is being the founder and leader of an organization known as...Grapevine."
Jamie thought about it. Then thought some more. Then shrugged.
"Never heard of it."
Gustav immediately snorted.
"Of course you haven't. It wouldn't be a secret organization if every random kid knew about it."
Mira shot him a look.
"Gustav."
"What?" He waved his hand dismissively.
"The boss has already made up her mind. We've been exposed. We might as well explain." He glanced at Jamie.
"Besides, if worst comes to worst, we can always deal with the girl."
Silence.
Jamie smiled.
Gustav smiled.
Neither smile reached their eyes.
Then Jamie turned away first.
'Boring.'
If he wanted to posture he could posture alone. She looked back toward the artifact.
"So."
She tilted her head.
"Grapevine."
A pause.
"Kind of underwhelming not gonna lie."
Tess burst into laughter.
"Oh?"
"Sounds like a gardening club for old ladies."
The six collectively groaned. Tess laughed even harder.
"That's actually one of the nicer things people have called it."
Jamie grinned.
"Hmmm, if you say so. So what exactly do you people do?"
Before Tess could answer, the agents spoke.
"We gather information." Bram stepped forward first.
"We verify information." Cole folded his arms.
"We move information." Kalex continued.
"We acquire information." Sasha twirled a knife.
Mira sighed.
"We protect information."
Gustav smirked.
"And occasionally we break kneecaps."
Mira slapped the back of his head.
"We do not break kneecaps."
"We absolutely break kneecaps."
Tess coughed.
"Ignore Gustav."
"You literally paid me to break someone's kneecaps last month."
"I said temporarily immobilize. That whole kneecap thing is on you."
"That's the same thing."
Jamie nodded.
"I see."
"Who are you to judge me?" Gustav yelled, annoyed by the look Jamie gave him.
"There's nothing strange about liking a particular activity. We'll respect your boundaries." Bram said with a reassuring smile.
"Bram you bastard! I'm not into that kinda thing."
"Then why do you keep bringing it up?''
The argument threatened to continue before Tess interrupted.
"Our primary specialty is information."
The chamber quieted.
Then Tess asked a question.
"Jamie."
"Hm?"
"What do you think is the most powerful weapon in the world?"
Jamie thought about it.
One time she unfortunately decided to ask Aina about artificing and the girl had spoken endlessly about the artifacts sitting comfortably in her families storehouse.
'Funny, thinking about that prick at this time.'
"S.K said he made some really powerful artifacts." she answered.
Several people froze.
Tess paused.
"S.K?"
Jamie nodded.
"He claimed to be the greatest artificer in the world and even though he was an unruly old fart he was quite skilled."
The silence deepened.
Then Tess slowly asked,
"How do you know Sigmund Kilgowe?"
Jamie shrugged.
"We met him during winter."
"...What?"
"Yeah. He was living in this secluded space in the middle of Blackhavens forest. He taught me and Elias the basics of artificing."
The silence somehow became even heavier.
Jamie blinked.
"What?"
Tess spoke carefully.
"You met Sigmund Kilgowe..."
"Yeah."
"And he taught you..."
"Yeah."
Another pause.
"Oh, I see." Tess finally said.
Jamie tilted her head.
"Oh what?"
"Its-its nothing."
Then Jamie added casually,
"He's dead too by the way."
The artifact crackled.
Everyone froze.
Tess did not speak for several seconds.
When she finally did, her voice sounded different.
More serious.
"That..."
A pause.
"Is now the second time today I've heard something I did not initially know. That someone I know is dead."
The agents immediately noticed the shift. Mira stepped forward.
"Boss—"
"I'm fine."
"You don't sound fine."
"I'm thinking."
The woman became quiet.
Then she said,
"If something happens once, it may be coincidence."
Nobody interrupted.
"If it happens twice..." She trailed off.
Gustav frowned.
"Boss, you're not suggesting—"
"I'm not suggesting anything. Yet." Tess's voice hardened.
"SK used Grapevine's services regularly. He was a client. A valued one."
She paused.
"And now he's dead."
The chamber stilled.
Then Mira spoke.
"Boss."
Tess hummed.
"You didn't answer my question Jamie. What is the most powerful weapon in the world?"
"Uh, the Kilgowe Series?"
"No."
The response came from all six agents simultaneously.
Jamie blinked.
"No?"
"The strongest weapon is information."
Cole nodded.
"Information moves kingdoms."
Kalex continued.
"Starts wars."
Sasha smirked.
"Ends them too."
Bram folded his arms.
"Everything revolves around information."
Gustav pointed dramatically.
"And we control it."
Mira slapped him again.
"You make us sound evil."
"We are evil."
"No we aren't."
"Sometimes."
"There is no sometimes. We are niether, good and evil are all subjective in the face of money."
Jamie watched the exchange.
They were strange.
Tess laughed softly through the artifact, though Jamie could still sense pain in it.
"What they are trying to say is simple."
The woman's voice became calm.
"Grapevine controls the flow of information with no ties to those who delude themselves with light and justice or those who are deranged and self destructive."
She continued.
"Whether it is news about a king cheating on his wife."
Gustav nodded.
"We've sold that."
"Or a conspiracy to overthrow a nation."
Mira nodded.
"We've sold that too."
"Or military movements."
"Sold those."
"Political secrets."
"Those too."
Jamie blinked.
"You sell everything?"
"For the right price."
That was mildly terrifying.
Tess suddenly spoke again.
"For certain reasons, S.K spent the last decade on the run."
Jamie's attention sharpened.
"Why?"
Tess hesitated. Then answered.
"A certain man from Fazhan University approached him."
The tunnel grew quiet.
"He wanted the professor's help with a certain operation."
Jamie listened carefully.
Tess continued.
"Shortly afterward, an accident occurred."
The woman's voice hardened.
"A priest in training named Igor Patrovski was maimed as a result. He was serving as our chaplain at the time despite how...weird he was."
Tess sighed.
"The professor was implicated. But the evidence proved otherwise."
A pause.
"It was a warning. That many more people would go through-"
"Death?" Jamie interrupted.
"Agony, if he didn't comply.'' Tess continued.
Tess continued.
"Our professor understood. So he ran."
She laughed humorlessly.
"By then I was building Grapevine."
"And you helped him."
"Yes."
Another pause.
"We were a small outfit by then but we supplied information."
"Safe routes."
"Warnings."
"False leads to throw those chasing him off."
"Anything necessary."
Jamie folded her arms.
"You're giving me perspective."
A pause.
"But not details. What operation was so major that he had to bail out?"
"I won't tell you."
"Who was the man?"
"I won't say."
"Why?"
"You don't need to don't know. Even my senior agents don't know."
Jamie frowned.
"A word of advice as your auntie."
"Auntie?"
"There are things that are best left unknown and while this may sound ironic coming from the founder of an information brokery but learn when to mind your own business. It will save your life, trust me."
Very interesting.
Then Bram spoke.
"If someone we've been helping disappears and we don't know about it..."
His expression darkened.
"Then somethings is wrong somewhere." Cole finsihed.
"Could it be connected to the couriers?" Sasha asked.
"Possible. But they could be unrelated as well." Gustav shook his head.
Jamie listened.
"What are you guys mumbling about? And who's this courier person?"
The six froze.
Oops.
They'd forgotten she wasn't part of the conversation. Everyone looked toward the artifact. The blue flame flickered.
Then Tess spoke.
"Jamie."
The girl straightened.
"Yes?"
"I think we've reached the point where you need to make a decision."
The tunnel became silent.
The six agents watched her carefully, their intents vibrant.
Waiting.
Tense.
Hopeful.
Suspicious.
Curious.
Tess's voice echoed softly through the artifact.
"Will you join Grapevine?"
Silence.
Jamie looked around, her gaze lingering on each face for a second before returning to the artifact in her palm.
She smiled.
"No."
The reaction was immediate. Hands went to weapons. The agents tensed. Gustav's expression hardened.
Jamie wasn't surprised. The reaction made sense. Then—
SNAP.
Her fingers clicked.
The Nullbrand Collar dropped from Gustav's neck.
CLATTER.
The talismans attached to the others burned away, crumbling to ash and the suppression disappeared. Everyone blinked, confused.
Jamie casually walked forward, bent down, and picked up the collar. The agents stared.
"What are you doing?" Gustav asked.
Jamie spun the collar around one finger.
"I'm not joining."
The weapons remained raised. Jamie grinned.
"But."
A pause.
"I never said I wouldn't become a customer."
The chamber froze for a moment. Then nderstanding slowly dawned.
"Ooooh." They said in unison.
"That makes sense."
"Smart." Mira added with approval.
Gustav pointed.
"That's cheating."
"It isn't." Jamie smirked sticking her tongue out at him.
Tess began laughing. It was a deep genuine laugh the kind that came from someone thoroughly entertained.
"You know," she said finally.
"I think I like this arrangement."
"So, what do you wanna know?" Bram asked.
Jamie folded her arms and rubbed her chin looking up. Her eyes followed a dog sized spided dragged somthing wrapped in green silk away before shrugging and speaking again.
"First, I wanna discuss the payment method."