[Maya's POV]
The Guild facility looked different when you were brought in the back entrance....
There was No comfortable lobby, no coffee station, no professional staff with welcoming smiles.
Just concrete hallways, fluorescent lighting, and the kind of institutional efficiency that made Maya's skin crawl.
"Ms. Chen," the uniford Guild officer said, checking his tablet. "Your Interview will comnce in Room C. Your cooperation is appreciated."
*Cooperation.* As if she had a choice in the matter.
Maya had been "invited" for questioning twelve hours ago..... it's been a day since Riven and Marcus left for their interview.
It all started with a polite knock on her dorm room door, followed by two Guild representatives who made it clear this wasn't really optional.
They'd been professional about it, even apologetic...but...the reason they went to her was obvious.
The interview room was exactly what she'd expected from watching too many cri shows.
Like any typical interrogation room it had Gray walls, a tal table, two chairs facing opposite each other, and a mirror that was obviously one-way glass.
The only surprise was that they hadn't cuffed her to anything.
Yet.
The door opened and a woman entered, carrying a file folder and wearing the kind of neutral expression.
"So this is the interrogator." She was maybe forty, with dark hair pulled back severely and eyes that missed nothing.
"Ms. Chen, I'm Agent Morrison, Guild Internal Affairs. Thank you for coming in voluntarily."
Maya almost laughed. "Was I supposed to say no when two Guild officers showed up at my door?"
"Well, they're options you could have gone with though....like 'You' could have requested legal representation. You could have demanded to contact your family. You could have asked for a formal warrant." Morrison settled into the chair across from her, opening the folder. "The fact that you didn't suggests you understand the seriousness of your situation."
*Or it suggests I was terrified and didn't know what else to do.*
"What situation?" Maya asked carefully. "I haven't broken any laws."
"Haven't you?" Morrison consulted her notes. "Unauthorized entry into dinsional rifts. Association with unregistered system users. Participation in illegal Veil operations. Material support for activities that endangered civilian populations."
Each accusation hit like a physical blow. Maya felt her pre-d training kick in, trying to stay analytical despite the fear and nervousness crawling up her spine.
"Those weren't illegal when we did them," she said. "Riven wasn't registered because he didn't know registration was required. We were just trying to help."
"Ignorance of Guild regulations isn't a defense, Ms. Chen. But your cooperation now could influence how we proceed."
Morrison pulled out a tablet and began scrolling through what looked like surveillance footage. "Let's start with your first Veil entry. Riverside District, two weeks ago. What was your role in the operation?"
Maya watched herself on the screen, looking terrified and completely out of place in tactical gear.
It felt like watching soone else's life.
"dical support," she said quietly. "I brought first aid supplies in case soone got hurt."
"And the subsequent entries? The equipnt procurent? The training sessions in the abandoned warehouse?"
*They knew everything?!.* Of course they did. The Guild probably had surveillance on anyone who ca within fifty ters of a Veil site....but still...how did they find out about the warehouse too?
"All I did was the Sa role. dical support and... logistics."
"Logistics." Morrison made a note. "You an providing material support for illegal dinsional operations."
"I an helping my friends stay alive while they tried to find Riven's family."
Morrison looked up from her tablet. "Ah yes, the missing family. Tell about that."
Maya felt the trap closing around her. Every answer she gave was being catalogued, analyzed, and turned into evidence of sothing.
"Riven's parents and sister were in a Red Veil incident two years ago. He thinks they might still be alive. He was looking for answers."
"And you believed this was possible?"
"I..." Maya hesitated. The logical part of her brain knew the survival statistics. But she'd seen hope in Riven's eyes, and hope was sotis more powerful than statistics. "I thought it was worth investigating."
"Worth risking civilian lives for?"
"We weren't civilians when we entered the Veils. We were... I don't know what we were. But we knew the risks."
Morrison leaned back in her chair, studying Maya like a specin under a microscope. "Ms. Chen, you're a pre-d student. Top ten percent of your class infact. No criminal record, no history of reckless behavior. What made you decide to throw that away for dinsional adventures?"
The question hit harder than Maya expected. Because it was true. Everything she'd worked for, all her carefully planned future, she'd put at risk for Riven's impossible quest.
"He needed help," she said simply.
"And now he's in Guild custody, facing charges that could end his life. Mr. Chen is being processed through Training Unit Seven. And you're sitting in an interview room looking at potential conspiracy charges."
Maya felt her stomach drop. "Marcus is okay?"
"Define okay. He's alive and uninjured. Beyond that..." Morrison shrugged. "His future depends on how well he adapts to Guild protocols."
*Training Unit Seven.* Maya had heard only rumors about Guild training facilities. Not all the rumors were pleasant.
"What do you want from ?" Maya asked.
Morrison smiled, and it wasn't a friendly expression. "Information....about Mr. Duke's system classification, it doesn't match our databases. We need to understand how his abilities work, their limitations, their potential applications."
"I'm not a system expert. I just provided dical support."
"But you observed his abilities closely. You docunted their effects. Your dical background makes your observations particularly valuable."
Morrison pulled out a different file, this one thicker. Maya could see her own na on the tab. Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on novel~fire~net
"We've reviewed your academic records, Ms. Chen. Exceptional analytical skills, particularly in biochemistry and neurological assessnt. The Guild has use for people with your talents."
*Here it cos.*
"What kind of use?"
"System research division. This division deals with understanding how abilities interact with human physiology, Developing counterasures for hostile system users. Important work that serves civilian protection."
Maya felt the room spinning around her. "You're offering a job?"
"I'm offering you a chance to contribute aningfully to dinsional security. An alternative to your criminal charges and academic expulsion."
*Another non-choice, I guess this is what Kane had given Riven.*
"And if I refuse?"
Morrison's expression didn't change but the aura around her changed. "Then you face the full legal consequences of your actions. From Criminal conspiracy. To Reckless endangernt and there's the Violation of Guild security protocols. Your dical school applications would be... problematic."
Maya stared at the folder with her na on it. Everything she'd worked for, everything she'd planned, reduced to leverage in a Guild recruitnt sche.
"How long do I have to decide?"
"You don't. The decision is being made now, based on your cooperation level during this interview."
Maya felt trapped, but her analytical mind was still working. If she was going to be forced into Guild service anyway, maybe she could use that position to help Riven and Marcus.
"What would my actual responsibilities be?"
Morrison smiled again, this ti with what might have been approval. "Smart question. Initial assignnt would be system analysis support. You'd be working with Guild researchers to understand unusual abilities. dical assessnt of system users. Developing safety protocols for training operations."
*Like the training operations Riven and Marcus were going through....I might actually be able to help them*
"Would I have access to information about Training Unit Seven?"
"In your capacity as a dical researcher, yes. System users in training require ongoing health monitoring."
Maya made her decision. Not because she wanted to, but because it might be the only way to help her friends survive whatever the Guild had planned for them.
"What do I need to sign?"
Morrison slid several docunts across the table. "These are Standard Guild employnt contract. Even Security clearance paperwork and most importantly the Confidentiality agreents."
As Maya signed each form, she felt like she was signing away pieces of herself. But if it ant she could keep an eye on Riven and Marcus, maybe find ways to help them...
"Welco to the Guild, Ms. Chen," Morrison said, collecting the signed papers. "Your supervisor will contact you within twenty-four hours for orientation."
"What about Jake? Is he..."
"Mr. Morrison is being handled separately. His situation is... different from yours."
Before Maya could ask what that ant, Morrison was standing and heading for the door.
"One more thing, Ms. Chen. Your friends' survival depends on successful adaptation to Guild protocols. Personal loyalties can be... problematic for that process. I trust you understand."
Maya understood perfectly. *Keep quiet, do your job, and maybe everyone makes it through this alive.*
As the door closed behind Morrison, Maya sat alone in the interview room, staring at the one-way mirror and wondering what she'd just gotten herself into.
But at least now she'd be on the inside. And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to help when her friends needed it most.
The door opened again, and a different Guild officer entered.
"Ms. Chen? Ti to go. Your transportation to Research Division Seven is waiting."
*Research Division Seven. Of course it would be connected to where they're keeping Riven and Marcus.*
Maya stood and followed the officer toward whatever ca next, carrying the weight of her decision and the hope that she'd made the right choice.
Even if it ant trading her freedom for the chance to help her friends survive the Guild's version of rehabilitation.
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[Jake's POV - Interview Room B, Sa Ti]
Shit.
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