Chapter 40: It's Complicated
The storm continued to rage over Iron Bastion long after the conversation had ended.
Sheets of rain lashed against the reinforced windows while distant thunder rolled across the blackened sky, each deafening rumble shaking the ancient fortress ever so slightly. Inside the Director's office, however, the atmosphere remained eerily tranquil. The soft hum of holographic projectors filled the silence as classified files continued to drift lazily through the air, their pale blue glow illuminating the otherwise dim room.
At the centre of it all floated the image of Daito Greyhell.
His profile rotated slowly above the Director's desk, surrounded by the dossiers of the seven rebels who had been captured alongside him.
Brandon Fu.
Champagne Vannian.
Wasabi Yuko.
Fah-jin Dou.
Zachia Grancumber.
Wei-Wan Lou.
Avenor Yakisa.
Shinsei Voss stood quietly before the suspended files, her sharp eyes moving from one profile to the next. The inconsistencies still refused to leave her mind. Every report contradicted another. Every official record seemed to have been carefully arranged to hide something, and the more she examined them, the more convinced she became that someone had deliberately rewritten the truth.
After several moments of silence, she finally looked towards Director Cassian.
"Should I notify the National Biohazard Authority?"
Cassian, who had reclined comfortably in his chair with both feet resting on the edge of his desk, lazily opened one eye.
"Hm?"
"The NBA."
Shinsei gestured towards the floating files.
"They publicly announced the capture of these individuals only a few days ago. Yet they're imprisoned here under our custody. If we inform them, they'll almost certainly request that the prisoners be transferred."
Cassian stared at the ceiling for another second before letting out a quiet sigh.
"Haaa..."
He slowly lowered his boots onto the polished floor.
THUD.
Without the slightest hint of urgency, he rose from his chair and stretched his arms above his head.
Crack.
Crack.
Several joints popped loudly inside the silent office.
Then, with little more than a dismissive wave of his hand, he answered.
"Forget it."
Shinsei blinked.
"...You're refusing to report it?"
Cassian casually walked past the floating projections, paying little attention to the classified documents surrounding him.
"Every time the NBA gets involved..."
He stopped beside Daito's rotating profile and glanced at it from the corner of his eye.
"...it becomes someone else's headache."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"I've already caught them."
He shrugged as though the matter were painfully ordinary.
"I don't need anyone's permission to keep what's already in my prison."
Shinsei remained thoughtful.
"And if they demand custody?"
"They can demand all they like."
Cassian continued walking towards the office door.
"It doesn't mean they'll get it."
The room fell quiet again.
Shinsei deactivated several floating files with a simple flick of her fingers.
SWISH.
One after another, the holograms dissolved into particles of blue light before disappearing entirely.
Only Daito's profile remained.
Her eyes lingered on it for a moment longer.
"...And if they escape?"
Cassian paused with one hand resting on the office door.
For the first time since the conversation had begun, his expression grew completely unreadable.
"They won't."
His answer came without hesitation.
Without arrogance.
Simply certainty.
Shinsei tilted her head slightly.
"You're that confident?"
Cassian looked back over his shoulder.
"If they know what's good for them..."
His smile returned.
"...they'll stay exactly where they are."
For reasons Shinsei herself couldn't explain, those simple words carried far more weight than any threat.
She had worked beside Cassian long enough to understand one thing.
He never exaggerated.
If he believed nobody could escape Iron Bastion...
Then there was almost certainly a reason.
Cassian grabbed the dark overcoat hanging beside the door and casually draped it across his shoulders.
"Enough work."
He rubbed his stomach dramatically.
"I'm starving."
Shinsei let out the faintest sigh before closing the remaining holographic displays.
"As expected..."
She quietly followed him.
The office lights dimmed automatically as the two stepped into the corridor.
WHOOSH.
A second later—
SLAM!
The reinforced steel door sealed shut behind them.
Silence reclaimed the office once more.
* * *
Several days passed.
Morning...
Afternoon...
Night...
Inside Iron Bastion, every day blended seamlessly into the next.
The prison operated with ruthless precision. Alarms echoed through the corridors at dawn, prisoners were marched from their cells under armed escort, meals were distributed with military efficiency, and every movement was monitored by dozens of watchful eyes.
Yet beneath that rigid order lay an unsettling sense of carelessness.
It was something few inmates noticed.
Even fewer questioned.
Heavy steel doors slowly rolled open with a deep mechanical groan.
GRRRRRRNNK...
Moments later—
GLING!
The entrance to the prison cafeteria unlocked.
Rows of prisoners shuffled forward beneath the watchful gaze of heavily armed guards.
CLINK...
CLANK...
The sound of chains echoed throughout the massive hall as suppressor restraints dragged across the polished floor.
Metal serving trays slammed onto counters one after another.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLASH!
The cafeteria buzzed with muted conversations, exhausted sighs, and the occasional angry shout from impatient inmates, creating a constant sea of noise beneath the harsh fluorescent lights.
For the first time since their capture, the members of Daito Greyhell's group were escorted into the same dining hall together.
One after another, they carried their trays towards a quiet corner far away from the larger crowds.
Daito sat first.
Brandon lowered himself into the seat opposite him.
Champagne dropped heavily into the chair beside Brandon.
Wasabi arrived next, followed by Fah-jin, Wei-Wan, Zachia and finally Avenor.
For several moments...
Nobody spoke.
The untouched food on their trays slowly released thin streams of steam into the cold air while the sounds of the surrounding prisoners faded into the background.
Every member of the group seemed lost in their own thoughts.
Until Brandon finally broke the silence.
"So..."
He leaned forward, resting both elbows on the table.
"...What's our next move?"
Champagne folded his muscular arms across his chest, his expression unusually serious.
"And before that..."
His eyes settled directly on Daito.
"...what the hell happened on that bridge?"
Every pair of eyes immediately shifted towards their leader.
The noisy cafeteria suddenly felt strangely distant.
Daito didn't answer.
Instead, he stared silently at the untouched meal resting before him.
His thoughts drifted back to that battle.
Cassian standing motionless.
The overwhelming force that had crushed the air itself.
The impossible pull of gravity dragging him helplessly across the bridge.
The clean strike that should have severed Cassian's neck...
...yet left not even a scratch.
He slowly released a long breath.
"...It's complicated."
No one interrupted him.
Because every one of them had witnessed something that day they still couldn't explain.
to be continued....