The government building was large in the way old institutions always were, like it had been designed to intimidate the living out of asking questions. It sat crouched beneath a gray sky, all concrete and tinted windows, with cameras perched at every corner like metal birds. Jade kept her expression neutral as she and Aamon approached the entrance. Neutral was easy. Neutral was her specialty.
Inside, security lines moved in slow, obedient increments. The air smelled faintly of disinfectant and printer ink. Jade could already feel her day trying to become a headache. Aamon, meanwhile, looked like he belonged anywhere he decided to stand. Black slacks. Black shirt. Red tie. He wore it all with the same casual arrogance he had when entering any space, like the world had never once told him no.
The guard at the front scanned Jade's badge, then glanced at Aamon.
"Sir, do you have clearance?"
Jade opened her mouth to explain, but her words fell short when Aamon stepped forward. He just smiled, small and calm, as if being stopped by a human with a scanner was the cutest thing that had happened all week. Jade's stomach tightened, the image of the nightmare creature he had become the night before flashing in her mind. Jade was afraid for the guard and the guard noticed.
"Sir," the guard said, suspicion sharpening his tone. "You can't be here without clearance." The guard's eyes narrowed as he looked from Jade to Aamon. "I'm going to need you to—" The guard was speaking as he leaned down to find something on his desk.
Jade opened her mouth to explain, already bracing for the headache. Aamon didn't flinch. He stepped closer and lifted one hand, palm angled loosely as if he were brushing dust from the air. His fingers moved in a lazy, dismissive wave. The guard watched him with angry eyes but then blinked. Once. Twice.
The tension in his shoulders melted as if someone had let go of the strings holding him up. His expression smoothed into a polite blankness, eyes glassy, mouth faintly parted. Aamon spoke softly, voice calm and absolute.
"I work here."
The guard nodded at once, as if that had always been true. "Of course, sir."
Jade's stomach clenched. Aamon didn't look at her. He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as though they were sharing a harmless secret. "Who's in charge of this facility?"
The guard answered instantly. "Dr. Foster. Second floor, west wing. End of the hall."
"And his office?" Aaom questioned the man in a voice so serious it chilled the are around him.
"Door says Dr. Daniel Foster. You can't miss it." The guard rambled on robotically.
Aamon smiled, thin and cold. "Perfect."
He turned and walked away as if he'd been granted permission by God Himself. Jade stood there for half a heartbeat, staring after him. Then she forced her face into neutral and followed, because apparently her life was now a parade of terrible decisions. By the time Jade had reached the Lobby, Aamon was already out of site.
Aamon moved through the halls like he owned them. He walked with purpose, fast and intentional. People passed, busy and blind, barely sparing him a glance. It was as if the building itself had decided he belonged. The west wing smelled like paper, toner, and anxiety. At the end of the hall, he found the door. DR. DANIEL FOSTER.
Aamon didn't bother to knock, he entered as if it was his own office.
Dr. Foster looked up from his desk with a frown that deepened into alarm. He was short and chubby, bald, and pink in a way that made him look perpetually overheated. For a second, his mouth opened but no sound came out, as if his brain couldn't decide whether to be angry or afraid.
"Who the hell are you?" Foster snapped finally, pushing back his chair and getting to his feet. His face flushed a darker shade of pink. "You don't belong in here. Security will have you out of this facility in—"
Aamon lifted a hand. Foster froze mid-sentence. His mouth stayed open. His eyes stayed wide. His body locked in place as if someone had hit pause on him. Aamon stepped closer, eyes steady, voice soft enough to be intimate and sharp enough to be a threat.
"I work here," he said. "And you will give me clearance, now."
Foster's throat bobbed. A faint tremor ran through him, but he nodded, locked in the trance like a puppet, concious but not without freedom. Aamon watched him for a moment, calm as a predator. Then, finally, he lowered his hand and with it, the trans that held Foster allowed him to move. Foster was rigid and unnatural, like his body was obeying a command instead of a choice. He turned to his computer, fingers tapping at the keyboard in a mechanical rhythm.
A moment later, a card printer hummed from the corner of the office. Aamon's smile returned, small and merciless. The badge slid out with a soft whir. Foster stood and retrieved it, holding it out with both hands like an offering. Aamon took the card and glanced at it.
ACCESS: LEVEL 4.
His gaze lifted to Foster's face again, and Foster shivered, though the room wasn't cold. Aamon's eyes weren't just watching him. They were burrowing.
"You're going to forget me," Aamon said, voice low. Aamon leaned in just a fraction, and his words crawled from his mouth like something alive, slow and poisonous.
Foster swallowed hard, slowly nodding in agreement.
"While you're at it, forget any suspicion you have of an employee here named Jade."
Foster's breath hitched. A chill swept through him, visible in the way his skin tightened and his eyes watered. He nodded again, helplessly obedient. Aamon held his stare another beat longer, ensuring the command settled deep.
"Good," Aamon murmured.
Then he turned on his heel and walked out, leaving Foster standing there with his mind hollowed clean of doubt.
When Aamon returned to the lobby, Jade was waiting. She looked calm for the most part. It was passible for most people, especially those not watching. But Aamon took notice of the way she rubbed her thumbnail with her pointer finger. The shift of her eyes scanning the room without being obvious. Jade was a master at blending into the illusion of casual, but she was anything but.
He held up the badge when her eyes found him. "Problem solved." He said as Jade made her way to him. Jade stared at the card, then at him.
"What did you do?" Her voice came out low and furious.
Aamon's smile didn't change.
"I saved you paperwork," he said, and walked past her into the facility like the world was a door that opened when he asked.
Jade stared. "How did you—"
"Bureaucracy is a religion," he said lightly. "People worship the right stamp."
Jade could only stare, her mouth agape as they passed the second level security desk without issue. A million questions passed through her mind but she was terrified to ask, terrified to know the answers. Aamon seemed to do as he pleased, whenever he wanted, however he wanted and it didn't seem like the universe had any issue with it at all.
Jade tried to tell herself not to think about the guards. Not to think about Dr. Foster. Not to think about the fact that her entire career existed in a place where the truth was locked behind seven layers of clearance and a threat of federal prison. Then Aamon's voice cut into her thoughts.
"Where is your office?" Jade looks up at him, her mind not yet caught up to the current moment.
"How did you get in here? What did you do?" Jade questions him. Aamon places a hand on his chin as if he was considering her question.
"Well, aren't we the demanding type?" Aamon responds, avoiding her question. Jade frowns. The entire way to her lab, Aamon manages to dodge her quesitons. Each time, he offers a new idea to further upset her. Aamon found it amusing to see how red her face could get, and on more than one occasion pointed it out.
"Seriously, is it only you Jade or is that normal for all humans to turn red?" Aamon was now looking at her very closely, his face getting to close to hers for comfort. "We aren't even talking about your love life and you're still getting red in the face."
"I'm not a research subject you know." Jade found her voice after Aamon had finally given her space to breath again. Jade let out a sigh of defeat as she leaned against a door, ready to enter her office. "Aamon, please. Is it really so difficult to give me a straight answer to a single question?" Jade says, almost pleading with him as they enter her office.
Jade drops her bag in silent defeat on one of the lab tables, letting her body fall into one of the empty lab stools. "Ah come now, I'm only teasing. It's kind of what demons do you know." He says, his words sounded as if he was begging her to respond to him but she still ignores him. "Alright. I can see you no longer wish to play this little game of ours." He straightens folding his arms across his chest, his bemused expression fading. "I used a mind trick." He says flatly, lowering to study Jade's face now with a much more serious tone to his words. "Happy?"
Aamon moves past the topic, not leaving room for Jade to respond. "Now, where's this box?" He questions as he looks around the room.
Jade turns in the chair, ready to scold him but his gaze freezes her anger before it has a chance to ignite. He seemed to be scrutinizing her, almost accusing her of something she couldn't understand. Jade takes a moment to collect herself before slowly explaining in full detail, the events that occurred the night before.
"When I finally came out of the bathroom, everything was cleaned up and the guys were gone; and well you know the rest." She watches Aamon as she finishes her story. He no longer made her feel as if he suspected her, but he didn't appear satisfied. He had hadn't gotten the answer he had hoped for.
Jade could feel his disappointment and hangs her head solemnly. "Sorry. I don't know where your friend is."
Aamon raises a brow. "What makes you think he is my friend?"
She looks back to him now feeling a bit uncertain. Had she been wrong? "Why else would you be so interested in the man from the box?" Jade tilts her head. "Unless, he's an enemy?"
"You're not wrong but you're not exactly right either." He says flatly.
Jade sighs, understanding that this too was a quesiton he was going ot avoid. Aamon remains silent for a moment to long and Jade's eyes trail back up to him. He seemed to be staring off behind her, lost in thought.
"In any case, you are sure you don't know where that man has got off too?"
Jade nods silently, who knew disappointing a demon would feel so bad?
"Behind you." A voice suddenly whispers in her ear in a sing song way, causing Jade to jump and almost fall off the stool. Something catches the back of her shirt, holding her in place. Jade turns her head, recognition. The blonde man from last night smiles back at her as he releases his grasp.
Jade spins on her heal, pointing at the man like a child telling on a friend. "You!" Jade raises her voice as she confronts him. "How did you get back in here?" The man tilts his head and gives her a small wave. "What do you mean back in here? I never left." The strange blue eyed man replies.
Jade lets her arm fall, frustration plastered across her face. Just as she is working up to question this man, Aamon steps forward. The man takes a slight bow, as if welcoming royalty. Jade notices Aamon shake his head slighly as the kid straightens. Her eyes narrow, taking note of the interaction.
"Jade, meet Zeth." Aamon explains without taking his eyes off Jade. "He is my.." He pauses, as if he did not know what to say next.
"His assistant." Zeth interjects with a cheerful voice.
"Assistant? Demons, have assistants?" Jade questions the two of them. Zeth's' eyes dart to Aamon quickly, Jade notes the hesitation. Something was off here; Jade could feel it.
"Of course." Aamon responds leaving no room for further questions.
"Is she yours?" Zeth questions as if Jade was not there at all. Jade feels her face heat with anger.
What kind of moronic question is that to ask about someone you just met?
Jade questions to herself.
"No. But. In a way, yes."
Aamon responds in a way that sounds more like a command than an explanation. Zeth tilts his head curiously, his eyes slide over Jade from head to toe.
"Then?"
"All in good time, Zeth."
The anger of being spoken about when she is very much present allows her to find her voice again. She takes a sharp breath in, loudly, catching the men's attention as she does.
"I'm standing right here, you know? I can hear you and I can speak for myself." Jade straightens, holding her head up in a defiant way. Her fists clench at her sides. Her eyes fall onto Zeth as she takes another deep inhale.
"Who are you exactly? And why the hell are you still in my lab? Do you have any idea how much trouble I could be in right now?" Jade's voice rises with every questions.
"AND YOU!" Her eyes fall upon Aamon with rage.
"I've had enough of your vague answers. Either tell me what is going on, or get out of my lab right now!" Jade narrows her gaze back on Zeth.
"Also." Jade continues, her voice now calm and quieter. "I do not belong to anyone."
The room falls into a heavy silence. Zeth stares wide eyed at Aamon who rests a cold stare on Jade.
Her anger holds but is quickly replaced with a realization that she had made a terrible mistake in raising her voice. Zeth takes a small step away from Jade which does little to still her growing nerves. Jade can feel the blood drain from her face when she remembers what Aamon is. He was watching her in a way that made her feel helpless.
"I.." Jade stammers, struggling to find strength in her voice. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. It's just...I mean..you can't..."
Jade tries to explain herself. Desperate for answers. She wanted to scream at them again, because it was unfair to talk about her as if she was nothing more than an object however, the way Aamon was looking at her made her throat so dry, speaking was impossible.
Aamon finally lets out a long sigh. The same way someone does when they are deeply disappointed in you. Jade felt herself shrink back reflexively. She was bracing for something though she was not sure what was coming.
"There is nothing inherently wrong with being curious however," Aamon never looks aways from Jade as he speaks, his voice low and calm. Each word deliberately slow.
"Mind your tongue when you speak to those you are unfamiliar with." His words growing sharp, cutting her into tiny pieces.
Jade lets her gaze fall to the floor, finding it too hard to breath while she made eye contact with him. "I just want to understand what's going on." She mumbles so quietly, she isn't sure he had heard her.
Aamon's eyes soften slightly. "I understand, but are you certain you want answers?"
Jade looks back up at him apologetically. The image of what Aamon really is flashes in her mind again. If there was an even greater secret here, she was certainly curious, but maybe giving her mind time to come to terms with what she already knew was a good idea.
"I still want to know, but maybe later?" Jade responds carefully. Aamon nods slightly, appearing to accept. Jade lets her eyes fall back to the floor and sighs.
"Assuming I'm still alive later."
"What do you mean?" Zeth interrupted suddenly, concern sharpening his tone.
Jade's shoulders rose and fell, uncertain. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "Special agents came last night." She looked at Zeth this time. "I think they were looking for you. It sounded like they were really mad you were gone."
Her gaze dropped again.
"If they find out I'm the reason their cargo went missing…" Jade's words trailed off. She didn't need to finish for them to understand.
"Is that all?" Zeth let out a small laugh.
Jade's head snapped up. Her eyes were wide, and something in her expression hardened fast.
"That's… all?" she repeated, voice quiet in the way it got right before it turned sharp. Jade's face darkened, pain evident in her eyes.
"I know we're strangers," she continued, voice steadier now, "and you don't owe me anything but don't stand here and treat me like I'm disposable."
Zeth blinked, caught off guard. "No, no, I didn't mean it like that. I just mean, Aamon's going to handle it, so you're not going to die."
Aamon's voice cut in, flat and cold from the doorway. "Correct." Aamon's eyes flicked to Jade. "No one is killing you," he said with annoyed certainty, as if death were an appointment he could reschedule.
Zeth pointed at Aamon. "See? That's what I meant. He's terrifying, but he'll fix it."
Jade's brow twitched. "That's… not comforting."
"Do you believe me incapable of handling this situation?" Aamon crosses his arms, and for a moment, Jade swore she saw the hint of a smile on his face.
Why did that sound so familiar? Jade thought back to the thugs from the night before and as if he could read her mind, Aamon nodded.
"We've a few matters to discuss. Privately." Aamon shifts the topic, leaving Jade feeling dizzy and still without explanations. "Just focus on your work for now. I'll explain what I can later." Aamon offers her a small comfort before turning and heading to the door.
Zeth follows close behind as Jade watches in defeat. She was reluctantly accepting the fact that Aamon would never answer her questions, not really. Zeth presses against the door, holding it open and waiting for Aamon.
"Oh, that's right." Aamon pauses at the door and looks over his shoulder lazily. "When will you be done by the way?" He questions her, a softer tone in his voice now.
Jade gawks at him for a moment, startled by the random question. "Actually, I really don't have much to do. I'll be done in an hour." Jade starts to feel the dull thrum of a new headache, subtly reminding her of her lack of sleep.
"I think I'll head home when I'm finished, catch up on my sleep." Jade gives the men a small smile.
"I see." Aamon nods and turns. Jade clears her throat, ready to say her goodbye when Aamon cuts her off.
"We'll be back in an hour to walk you home."
Aamon is gone and the door is closing behind him and Zeth before his words fully resonate with Jade. The sudden silence was overwhelming after spending the last few hours with Aamon. Jade sits down hard in one of the rotating chairs. She had expected this to be the last time she'd see those two. She was fine with that. She had enough on her plate as is, but that lumbering shadow demon and his side kick seemed intent on hanging around, drawing attention to her.
Jade sighs from frustration. "I'm over demons today. Time to focus on something else." Jade says aloud to the empty space as she pulls out files for the local museum and attempts to review them. After only a minute, she sets the file down. With all the other information swimming around her mind it's impossible to focus.
She looks to the face clock, already noon; the museum was open. Jade tussles her hair in frustration. "Screw it." Jade says as she stands and grabs her bag. She always went to the local museum on Mondays and she knew he'd be waiting for her.
Jade slings her bag over her shoulder, as she enters the hallway almost running face first into one of the security personnel. Jade jumps back in surprise as she glances around the hall. Everyone was buzzing about, preparing the port room for an incoming specimen. Jade felt her curiosity spike. She hadn't been notified of an incoming shipment today.