Steel Fire

The cavalcade of degenerates didn’t seem to stop. For each, it took her only minutes to decide on an approach and implement it successfully. The majority of the detainees were just kids, rebelling against something they didn’t understand by doing something incomprehensible. Most crumbled under only a modest amount of pressure, and told her nothing useful other than how they had heard about the secret concert. She released them back into the custody of their legal guardians, to receive appropriate punishment. The ones that were left after that were more interesting.

The dark-haired, teenage girl sat at the table in the interrogation room. She was dressed in a standard school uniform, but with a pair of goggles around her neck. Her gaze was fixed on the one-way mirror that Olivia was behind. Even though she knew the girl couldn’t the see her, the golden eyes were unnerving in the draw it exerted on her. They held a promise that she knew she could never accept. The girl had probably told them everything she was going to say in polite conversation. Olivia did not look forward to her next phase of interrogation. Perhaps she would leave that part to André.

They were about to question an albino boy when one of her her aides warned her about a high-ranked visitor. He arrived shortly after.

A tall, creepily slender ghost of a man stood in the doorway of the observation room. Piercing blue eyes fixed on her from behind a completely white face mask. His voice was even worse.

“Commisioner Terzi,” he said, his voice an icy cold that slowly and polity crept deep into her skull. A shudder went down her spine, “I am here to observe your investigation.”

“Knight of Overwatch,” she said, and saluted. “To what do we owe this honor? There is no disloyalty among my officers, I can assure you of that.”

“I believe you.” The wraith’s voice was a sigh now. He glided into the room and closed the distance between them. The porcelain mask was just a few centimeters from her face now. His eyes bore into hers and her vision blurred for a moment.

“What can I do for you?” Olivia said, steeling herself internally.

“I only wish to observe,” he said.

The man, she reminded herself that was still what he was, towered over her. It wasn’t just his physical presence though. Everything about him signaled danger. His eyes, his posture, even the stains on the lapel of his coat (blood?) made her quiver with the animalistic fear of a prey animal. Was this how her prey had felt all those times?

“Then be quiet and stay out of my way,” she snarled and shoved him back. He took a step back like he had intended to do just that. His hands remained at his side. There was no emotion in his gaze. There was nothing.

“Commissioner,” André, ever loyal, said. “We are receiving a signal from the perimeter scouts. There is unsanctioned movement in the city.”

“Bear witness, Sir Knight,” Olivia said and spread her arms wide. “While you murder kin, I save the Republic.”

The ghoul just stared at her. She pressed up against him and moved him aside to reach the door.

“André,” she commanded. He followed hastily. “Move all essential personnel to their designated safety positions. After that, continue the interrogations.”

She looked over her shoulder at the Guardian with the white mask. “What is your name, Sir?”

“Arakiel,” he said and stepped closer.

“Follow me, Sir Arakiel,” she said. “We are both essential.”

“Forgive me when I do not humor your intimidation tactics,” Olivia said as they walked down the concrete corridors. “I know my rights. We are both hunters. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought it was my job to find traitors and terrorist, while you find...failed Guardians of the Republic.”

“You were almost a Guardian once,” Arakiel said, as he stared ahead. Two Enforcement officers passed by them, pressing themselves against the wall while they saluted.

“I never failed. A different path was chosen for me,” she said, forcing calmness into her voice. “There are no Guardians here. Why are you here?”

The mask turned to her. Arakiel’s hands were clasped behind his back and he bent forward slightly to be on her level.“I am here, because Guardians failed.”

“You mean the agitators?” Olivia’s gaze remained fixed on the hallway ahead. There was no response. “Are they not of this world?”

“What do you know about that?”

“My files are closed to you. Do not exceed your jurisdiction, Sir Knight,” she said, and finally looked at him.

She could’ve sworn she sensed a smile behind the mask as the eyes narrowed.

“You have served the government well, commissioner Terzi,” he said, slowly. “I am curious to see how you will serve them in this instance. There are many places the agitators could have come from; the Federation of Free Peoples, for example, or maybe from beyond the Wall of Mist. Yet, you thought they might be from another world. That.is.interesting.”

Olivia took a second to collect herself by opening the reinforced door they had arrived at. She almost fumbled the ten-digit security code.

“You think me a simple bureaucrat?” She swung open the door and motioned for him to go inside. “You think yourself untouchable? I’ll give you some advice, young man. The enemy of your enemy may not be your friend, but try not to make them your enemy as well.”

Arakiel stared at her impassively. She had expected his eyes to flare up, and maybe for him to escalate to physical threats. She had mentally braced herself for some reaction, at least, but none came for what seemed an eternity.

“You will die alone,” he said, calmly and with absolute certainty. He didn’t wish it upon her. He was merely stating a fact, and then stepped past her into the bunker.