"After that, I didn’t see you again," Jawn continued, "and when we graduated from HAFA, I thought you’d end up as a rcenary or an agent. I was pretty surprised to see you enter the academy. Since then, it’s like you’ve beco a new person."
The last monster fell, and silence settled over us.
I could only smile at him, feeling a mix of nostalgia and gratitude. "People change for the better," I said softly.
We walked a little further before finally reaching our eting point with the others.
"How co the two of you were the last to arrive here when you were the first to leave?" Troy asked, eyebrows raised.
"We were suddenly ambushed by monsters on our way back," Jawn answered casually.
Cypher, always pragmatic, nodded. "Now that everyone’s here, should we discuss each path we took now or just send it to our group chat later?"
"Just send it to the group chat," Ezekiel agreed with a nod.
"Should we go have lunch? I’m starving!" Angela exclaid, rubbing her stomach.
"I’m not going; I need to go sowhere else," Kairos said simply, turning away and disappearing into the portal.
I waved goodbye as the rest of the group only looked at him.
"Does anyone here also have sothing to do later?" Cypher asked, glancing around.
When no one responded, Troy clapped his hands together enthusiastically. "Okay! We should get going then! I know a famous restaurant here in Salos!"
We exited through the portal, passing through the briefings by the agents guarding it. They quickly checked our conditions before allowing us to leave.
We were now waiting at the bus area when my smartwatch beeped.
{Are you ready for another mission?} Kairos’s ssage flashed on the screen.
"Sure. Just send the details," I replied instantly.
Suddenly, Angela leaned in, her eyes narrowing. "Who are you ssaging?" she asked, trying to peek over my smartwatch.
I gently pushed her forehead away with my finger. "It’s bad manners to poke into soone else’s business," I simply said.
She pouted, clearly wanting to know more. "I just want to see who you’re texting."
"It’s my boss," I shot back, trying to shut her up.
"Boss? You’re working already?" Angela’s voice was full of surprise.
Before I could respond, my smartwatch buzzed again.
"Is that your boss?" Angela asked, leaning closer as she tried to see the screen.
{I can’t send you the full details. I need to hand it over to you in person,} Kairos ssaged back.
"When?" I typed back, pushing Angela back slightly.
{Now. I’m sending my location.} The ssage ca with a set of coordinates.
I glanced around at the others. "Sorry, I can’t hang out with you today. I’ve got sothing to handle," I said, then took off running.
"Wait! Aren’t you gonna wait for the bus?" Ezekiel yelled after .
"No need! I’m training while I run. Catch you later!" I shouted over my shoulder. Honestly, I just didn’t want them to see my big bike.
Once I was out of sight, I pulled on my bracelet and dropped it to the ground. It imdiately transford into my sleek, high-tech bike.
I checked the coordinates again and hit the gas, zooming off.
What’s Kairos up to now?
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Luxe Plate Restaurant, Salos
I parked my bike outside, taking a mont to study the sleek facade of the restaurant. The modern design, illuminated by soft, ambient lighting, gave off an air of exclusivity.
When I stepped inside, a host appeared instantly, offering a warm smile. "Welco to Luxe Plate. Do you have a reservation for today?"
I frowned, realizing I’d forgotten to ask Kairos for his fake na.
"Uh, I—" I started, hesitating.
The host seed to catch sothing from his earpiece as he looked at for a split second. His smile seed to widen even more, slightly creeping out.
"Are you perhaps Miss Remillia Lockhart?" he asked, voice smooth.
My eyes widened. "Yes?" I replied cautiously. "About the reservation—I just needed to ask—"
"Don’t worry about that, Miss Lockhart," he interrupted politely, bowing slightly as he gestured for to follow. "My apologies for not imdiately recognizing you."
"T-There’s no need to apologize. I just have a eting with soone," I explained/
The host nodded, then added, "That soone you’re eting is the owner of this restaurant," as he pushed open a door and motioned for to go inside.
I paused, my mind racing. Kairos is the owner of a Michelin-starred restaurant?
I opened my mouth to ask more, but before I could, the host gently closed the door behind , leaving with my thoughts swirling.
My mind raced—what should I call him? Using his real na felt dangerous, reckless even. If I slipped up, I might reveal too much or worse, put myself in jeopardy. I clenched my jaw, biting back the urge to speak recklessly.
Finally, I forced out a tentative, "Boss," with an awkward smile.
For a mont, I thought I saw sothing flicker across his face—a faint curl of his lips, like a small, knowing smile. But when I blinked, it was gone. His expression was unreadable again, the usual calm mask in place.
Kairos’s calm voice broke through my thoughts. "Sit down."
I took a seat across from him, feeling the weight of his gaze. "Regarding the mission, can I—" I began, eager to steer the conversation toward business.
He cut off. "Have you already eaten?"
Is he serious right now? I was just about to have lunch when he texted out of nowhere. I forced a casual tone, "Yes, boss," though my teeth clenched tightly.
"Well, I’m starving, so let’s eat first," Kairos said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
I was about to protest when he snapped his fingers. Instantly, the door swung open, and waiters entered swiftly, pushing a cart laden with dishes.
"Wait, I—" I started, but the waiters began lifting the do covers. The irresistible aroma of freshly cooked food drifted toward , and I swallowed hard.
"About the mission—" I tried again, distraction flickering in my mind as I watched Kairos slice a steak and pop a piece into his mouth.
When he caught my hesitant stare, he smirked slightly. "It’s awkward to be eating alone. Why won’t you join ?" he asked softly.
Caught off guard, I hesitated. "I—I’m full..." I trailed, glancing at the array of tempting dishes. "B-But since you asked , I’ll gladly join."
Quickly, I picked up my utensils and took a bite.
The silence stretched thickly over the table, only broken by the soft clink of utensils and the faint rustle of napkins. Once lunch was over, I went back to the main topic.
"Let’s get back to business," I said as I wiped my lips. "What’s my mission?"
Kairos’s lips curled into a subtle smile. Without a word, he reached into his shadow realm, pulled out a folder, and handed it to .
I carefully flipped through the pages, absorbing the details.
Na: Kara Lughen
Condition: Once human but was turned into Rogue, family doesn’t know it yet
Sex: Female
Age: 33
Situation: Currently in hiding, being guarded 24/7 by Rogues
Location: Nilama, Panja
I scanned the rest of the docunts and found a list detailing her nurous cris—drunk driving, reckless endangernt, assault, and more. My brow arched in surprise. With this many offenses, why hadn’t she been arrested yet?
Kairos’s eyes seed to read my thoughts. He leaned forward slightly. "She is the daughter of Neeve Lughen, the Director General of the Police Association Force. Many clients put a target on her but I chose the highest bidder and this client—whoever that may be—wants her dead. She caused the road accident three days ago, which resulted in the deaths of all the passengers in the bus she crashed into."
I exhaled slowly, processing the implications. A high-profile target like Kara, with such a powerful family, and a motive rooted in revenge or perhaps political maneuvering. The stakes just got much higher.
"So? Will you accept this mission or not?" Kairos asked.
I tilted my head, raising a brow in return. "How much is the reward?"
"Five million Glacium," Kairos replied, "but it will be split fifty-fifty."
Fifty percent—2.5 million Glacium. Not a bad sum, especially considering the stakes. I needed this money, and the chance to pull off a high-stakes job like this was tempting.
I nodded decisively. "I’ll accept the mission," I reached out and handed the folder back to him. "When’s the deadline?"
"A week from now," Kairos answered succinctly.
I stood up. That was enough information for now. Ti to prepare the things I need.
"Okay," I said, turning towards the exit. "That’s all I need to know. Thanks for the lunch, boss."
I rode my bike and before going back to the academy, I decided to stop at a shop and ordered desserts for Macaron.
I swung my leg over my bike, the mission details already swirling in my mind. Before heading back to the academy, I made a quick detour to a small shop, picking out a selection of Macaron’s favorite desserts.
After that, I quickly went back to the academy and I considered checking on Glacier. Kairos might be back in his room by now, but I wasn’t entirely sure. Still, it was worth a shot. I strode passed towards my room and approaching Kairos’ door.
Knock! Knock!
I waited for a few seconds, listening for any movent inside. Silence. It seed he wasn’t back yet. I sighed inwardly. I’d check on them again later. Right now, I needed to get back to my room and start checking Kara’s exact location in Nilama.
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