Horror Game 89 - The Terror of Option

The rain was heavier the next morning.

It struck the windows along the corridor, running down the glass until the buildings outside were difficult to make out. Even with the lights on, the upper floor seemed darker than the last time Seth came here.

He stopped in front of the Guild Master's office.

The staff member who brought him upstairs said something before leaving. Seth gave a small nod, although his attention remained on the door.

There wasn't much to wonder about.

Liora knew about the anomaly. So did the Guild Master.

The Bureau would be next.

For a while, Seth stood without moving. Then his lips slowly curled.

"Stuck, I am once more."

His voice was quiet.

There was nobody nearby to answer.

He adjusted his sleeve before raising his hand.

To Tok!

"Come in."

Seth opened the door.

The Guild Master sat behind his desk, with a folder placed directly in front of him. His walking stick rested beside the chair, and a cup stood near his hand.

He wasn't smiling.

Seth paused near the entrance, looking towards him before closing the door.

Behind the desk, water ran down the wide windows. The city was barely visible through the rain, leaving only a few lights scattered beyond the glass.

"Sit down."

Seth approached the chair.

He sat carefully, adjusted his position, and rested both hands against the armrests.

The Guild Master watched him.

There were dark circles beneath Seth's eyes. His face was pale, and when he moved his hand, his fingers trembled slightly before settling again.

But he was still smiling.

"I think I know why you've called me here."

The old man's attention returned to his face.

"I'm thankful for what you've done, and—"

"You mentioned wanting a loan, correct?"

Seth stopped speaking.

For the first time since entering, his expression changed a little.

His brow rose.

"…A loan?"

"Liora told me."

"Ah."

Seth looked towards the folder.

Then back at the Guild Master.

"I did."

"How much were you hoping to borrow?"

"Quite a lot."

The answer came without hesitation.

The Guild Master rested his hand against the folder, but didn't open it.

"There are certain conditions attached to those loans. We don't usually offer them to people outside the Guild."

Seth remained quiet.

"The arrangement is intended for our members. Since your assignment is temporary, you wouldn't qualify under the usual terms."

"Of course."

He nodded slowly.

His expression settled again, the brief interest disappearing as he looked towards the rain.

A few droplets struck the window harder than the others.

Seth followed one until it joined the water running down the glass.

Then he returned his attention to the desk.

"I understand. If that's the case—"

His hands pressed against the armrests.

"But what if you weren't an outsider?"

Seth stopped.

The Guild Master's hand remained against the folder.

For several seconds, neither moved.

Then Seth slowly settled back into the chair.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"….."

The rain filled the silence.

The Guild Master waited, his fingers shifting against the end of the cover.

Eventually, Seth spoke.

"Are you proposing a marriage alliance? I thought they'd only do that in novels."

The old man's hand stopped.

Seth continued looking at him.

"…I'm not quite sure it'll work out."

The old man's brows furrowed before they relaxed and he shook his head.

"That isn't what I'm talking about."

"Then…?"

The Guild Master lowered his gaze.

He opened the folder, then stopped with his hand resting over the first page.

"I'm…"

The word faded.

Seth waited.

The old man looked up at him again, but whatever he was about to say didn't come out.

Instead, he reached for his cup.

His fingers touched the handle before withdrawing.

"….."

Seth's gaze followed the actions.

Then it returned to his face.

The Guild Master let out a slow breath.

"Have a look at this."

He took a paper from the folder and placed it on the desk.

For a moment, he kept his hand against it.

Then he pushed it towards Seth.

Seth looked down.

He didn't reach for it immediately. His attention moved over the first few lines before he leaned forward and picked it up.

The old man stared at his face in silence as Seth quietly read the papers.

His eyes moved down the page, occasionally stopping before continuing. When he reached the bottom, he went back to a section near the middle.

Outside, the wind pushed the rain against the windows.

The sound grew louder.

Seth turned the paper slightly, bringing it closer to the light.

His smile remained.

Only his fingers moved, tightening a little against the lower corner before loosening again.

Eventually, he looked up.

"We're related?"

The Guild Master's lips parted.

This time, he didn't look away.

"I'm your grandfather."

"….."

The paper remained in Seth's hand.

He looked at the old man for several seconds before lowering his gaze towards it again.

There was no immediate question. To the point where it almost felt unsettling as Seth continued to stare at the papers in his hand.

The Guild Master waited while Seth read the same section once more. Each second that passed felt longer than the last.

Then the paper slowly lowered.

Seth placed it between them, smoothing the corner with his thumb before leaning back.

His hands returned to the armrests.

The old man's attention followed him. He lifted his gaze towards Seth's face, searching for something that would tell him what to say next.

But Seth only looked back, his smile the same.

The Guild Master felt a rare trace of unease as he stared at Seth's unchanging expression.

Something about him… felt off.

There were quite a few things he was prepared to explain. Questions he expected, and others he hoped Seth wouldn't ask yet.

He was even prepared for Seth to get up and leave.

To show some semblance of emotion.

But instead, his grandson remained seated, looking at him as a gust of wind drove the rain against the glass.

Seth's eyes briefly shifted towards the window.

Then they returned to the desk.

The old man reached for the glass once more, stopping himself again. Taking a small breath, he managed to get a few words out again.

"I understand that this has come out of nowhere, and you must be shocked. There are things I should've told you earlier. I wasn't certain how to approach you, and every time I thought about it…"

He stopped.

Seth was listening.

At least, he appeared to be.

His gaze remained steady, but the old man couldn't tell what he was taking from the words.

"I understand that this might be difficult for you, but—"

"How much?"

The old man stopped.

"…Huh?"

Seth looked straight at him, no change in his expression. He felt there, but also not.

For the first time in a very long time, the Guild Master felt something he hadn't felt in a very long time.

He felt…

"How much can you lend me?"

Unsettled.

-x-X-x-

"How…?"

The Guild Master repeated the words quietly, his expression slowly changing into a stunned one as Seth leaned forward and stared at him right in the eyes

"The loan. How much can I get?"

"….."

For a moment, the old man looked down at the paper between them. Seth's name was still visible near the top, alongside information that took quite some time to gather.

He looked back up.

"Did you understand what I just told you?"

"Yes."

Seth's answer came immediately.

"It's great that we're related. I'm really happy about that."

The Guild Master's lips parted, but he eventually forced a thin smile.

"That's good."

Seth nodded again, his attention briefly moving towards the folder.

"That means we've resolved the issue about me being an outsider. There shouldn't be any problems with that part anymore."

His gaze returned to the old man.

"In that case, how much can you lend me?"

"….."

Rain struck the windows behind the desk.

The Guild Master remained seated, unsure of what to say.

He looked towards the paper once more, wondering whether Seth was deliberately avoiding the subject. Perhaps this was his way of expressing his anger.

That would've been understandable.

But when he looked at Seth's face, he couldn't find any anger.

There wasn't much of anything.

Only the same small smile.

"Seth."

"Yes?"

"There are things we should discuss."

"We can discuss them."

The old man waited.

Seth waited too.

After a few seconds, he looked towards the folder again.

"Is there a form I need to sign?"

The Guild Master's fingers curled around the knob of his cane as he took a small breath.

It was in that moment that he started to understand.

Seth wasn't trying to upset him.

He wasn't even looking at the papers anymore.

'It's as if he can't think about anything else.'

The thought left him feeling worse.

He could deal with anger. He could answer questions, explain himself, or accept whatever Seth wanted to say, but this…

The Guild Master took another breath as he looked at his grandson sitting across from him, waiting for him to answer.

Everything else seemed unable to reach him.

The old man's grip over the knob tightened before relaxing.

Right.

He couldn't expect to place a piece of paper on the desk and have everything turn out the way he wanted.

Perhaps this was part of the price he needed to pay.

"We can—"

"Okay. Then lend me as much as you can."

The words stopped in his throat.

Seth leaned forward slightly.

"I'll take as much money as possible. Don't worry. I'll pay it back eventually."

His hands continued to rest against the armrests.

"Just lend it to me."

The Guild Master looked into his eyes.

The light from the windows reached one side of Seth's face, but his pupils remained dark. Even when the old man shifted in his chair, Seth's gaze barely moved.

"….."

The Guild Master drew a breath.

Then another, a little deeper.

For some reason, the first didn't feel like enough.

That surprised him.

He spent most of his life dealing with people far more dangerous than the young man sitting in front of him.

And yet, he was struggling to converse simply with the young man before him.

Eventually, the old man nodded.

"…It will be sent to you shortly."

"Thank you."

Seth stood up.

The movement was so immediate that the Guild Master looked up at him before he could say anything else.

Seth adjusted his sleeve and pushed the chair back into place.

"I appreciate it."

He turned towards the door.

The paper remained on the desk.

The Guild Master watched him take several steps before finding his voice again

"Seth."

He stopped.

"About the BUA…"

"Tell them."

"….."

Seth's hand settled against the door handle.

"Tell them everything if you must. To be honest, I couldn't care less. Since I'm not actually controlled by a disease, all is good. They'll treat me better than before."

The old man slowly straightened.

"You understand what that could mean?"

"Yes."

Seth turned his head slightly.

From start to end, he never stopped smiling.

"That's…"

The Guild Master stopped, trying to find the words.

Seth opened the door before he could.

"I'll be ready."

Then he left.

The door closed quietly behind him.

Clank!

For a while, the old man remained seated, looking towards the entrance.

This wasn't how all of it was supposed to have gone. No, in his mind, everything had played out completely differently.

"Should I be happy it was this easy…?"

His attention eventually returned to the paper.

Seth returned it so neatly that it was almost in the same position as before he picked it up.

The old man reached towards it.

Then stopped.

Outside, the rain continued falling.

"I feel strangely unsettled."

***

Seth hummed quietly as the elevator descended. He looked to be in a rather good mood as he continued to hum whilst looking at the floor display, his fingers resting loosely against his side.

"I've got money~ Money~ Money~"

He didn't know how much money, but he was certain he was going to be getting a lot of money.

His phone vibrated before the elevator reached the lower floors.

"Hm?"

Taking out, he looked at it. A message appeared on the screen, confirming that the transfer was being arranged.

Seth read it once.

Then again.

His smile grew slightly before he put the phone away.

The humming resumed.

Ding!

The elevator doors opened.

He stepped into the Containment Department and continued past the workstations. Several people glanced towards him, although he didn't seem to notice.

One of them stopped speaking when Seth passed whilst another stared at him without looking away.

Seth continued humming.

"What's so funny?"

Suddenly, he stopped.

Marcus stood beside a workstation, his jacket folded over one arm.

"You're awfully happy after the situation you caused."

"I caused?"

Seth tilted his head.

Marcus's brows furrowed even more tightly. Especially when he noticed the smile on Seth's face.

For a moment, he felt something uncomfortable settle in his stomach.

It was the way Crow was looking at him.

That smile of his…

Marcus stepped closer.

"You really think this is a joke, right?"

"Ah? A joke? What is…? I'm just happy. I recently got approved for a lo⎯"

"I don't care for that."

Seth blinked, his words stopping mid-sentence as Marcus's jaw visibly tightened.

He moved close enough to press a finger against Seth's chest as he poked it several times.

"You're the reason everything went to shit. If we didn't have to look out for someone like you, then—"

"Then what?"

Marcus stopped.

Seth's head tilted a little farther.

His eyes remained on Marcus.

"….."

A few people nearby turned towards them.

Marcus barely had the time to pay attention to them as he felt Seth's stare directed right at him. For a moment, he hesitated, part of his neck tingling. But the realisation made him even angrier as he pressed his finger harder, pushing Seth back half a step.

Seth let him, moving back with little to no resistance.

From the way he was looking at Marcus, he almost seemed amused.

"What do you mean, then what? I just…"

The words barely left his lips before he stopped.

Looking at Seth, he felt the breath leave his body. Something about the current Seth felt incredibly unsettling. Especially the dark circles beneath his eyes, which seemed even more glaring than before.

Marcus's finger slowly stopped pressing.

"You…"

Seth blinked, and tilted his head.

"What's up?"

His smile grew, and Marcus involuntarily shuddered. The realisation hit him quickly as he felt several people watching them now.

His face changed, but when he tried to finish what he was saying, nothing came out properly.

The longer he looked at Crow, the more difficult it became for him to look at him in the face. Something about his eyes didn't feel… alive.

'No, I must be crazy.'

His hand lowered.

Seth's gaze remained on him.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Then Marcus looked away.

"…Never mind."

He adjusted the jacket against his arm and turned.

His steps were a little quicker than before.

He didn't look back.

Seth watched him leave.

The people nearby gradually returned to their work. Someone started speaking again, and a chair scraped against the floor behind him.

Still, Seth remained where he was.

His attention stayed on the empty space where Marcus disappeared.

The same smile rested on his face.

"…What a wonderful day."

-x-X-x-

Tik! Tik!

The clock continued moving.

I sat at the desk, listening to it while the rain struck the window behind me. My phone rested beside the keyboard, its screen dark.

For a while, I remained like that.

Then—

Trrr!

I looked down.

Kyle?

The phone rang a few more times before I picked it up.

"Heyo."

⎯Did you see the articles?

Kyle's voice came out immediately. He didn't seem to be in the mood to joke around.

"Articles?"

I leaned back in the chair and thought for a moment.

"Oh, you mean those."

⎯What's going on? You must know something. They're starting to mention your name. Malovia, Malia… They're talking about—

"Don't worry about it."

My gaze moved towards the window.

"I've got it handled."

There was a short silence.

Then Kyle spoke again.

⎯Do you, though? This seems pretty serious.

"I know."

⎯Then who exactly did you provoke?

"Well…"

I looked towards the ceiling, giving the question a little thought.

"A guy here. A guy there. And then another guy over there."

Right, I provoked a lot of people.

"That's who I am."

A provoker.

⎯…..

"You know… People, right?"

He didn't answer.

I could hear something moving on his side of the call.

⎯Seth.

"Yes?"

⎯I'm being serious.

"So am I."

That was the truth.

There were quite a few people involved. I wasn't entirely certain how many, but listing them would probably take longer than either of us wanted. I mean, the obvious answer was the Hand, but they were made up of multiple people.

Kyle let out a long breath.

⎯Is there anything we need to do?

"No."

⎯Nothing?

"Nothing for now."

Another silence followed.

Tik! Tik!

The clock continued ticking behind me.

I looked towards it briefly before lowering my gaze to the desk.

Kyle was still there. I could hear him breathing, although he seemed to be struggling with what to say next.

Eventually, his voice reached me again.

⎯Will you be fine?

My lips parted.

'Will I…?'

I looked down at my hand.

The fingers resting against the armrest were trembling slightly. I curled them, pressing my thumb against the side of my palm until the movement stopped.

For a moment, I didn't answer.

Then I closed my eyes and gave a small nod.

"Naturally."

⎯…..

I opened my eyes again.

The rain continued running down the window.

⎯Alright.

Kyle's voice was quieter this time.

⎯Keep your phone with you.

"I will."

The call ended shortly afterwards.

I lowered the phone, watching the screen return to the list of recent calls before setting it beside the keyboard.

The room grew quiet again.

Tik! Tik!

I leaned back.

Outside, the wind pushed the rain harder against the glass. The sound filled the room for a few seconds before settling beneath the steady ticking of the clock.

My lips slowly curled.

I remained seated, taking in all the noise around me.

"I guess he does care a little."

***

There were several monitoring centers spread across the entire world. Each center was dedicated to the findings and monitoring of Gates and Anomalies.

Today, the BUA monitoring centre was busier than usual.

Most of the screens showed roads, intersections, and entrances to buildings. Rain blurred several of the feeds, making it difficult to distinguish the people moving beneath their umbrellas.

An operator near the far end of the room was speaking with a patrol.

Another was checking a report about a flooded road.

Ellis sat in front of two monitors, scrolling through the latest updates while Nolan checked a small monitoring device beside him.

"Another transfer?"

Ellis stopped scrolling.

Nolan glanced over.

"Ivory Thorn?"

"Yes."

Ellis turned the screen slightly towards him.

"They're handing over another set of licenses."

Nolan looked at the report before returning his attention to the device.

"That was quick."

"They're going at it like hawks. We're talking about a Guild that used to belong to the Oak Circle. It's… like there's no semblance of mercy. Just one incident is all it took for it to fall apart."

Ellis leaned back a little.

"It's just how it is. This isn't the first time something like this has happened."

"I know that."

He looked towards the report again.

"It's just a little ugly."

Nolan gave a small shrug.

"That's how it works."

"Doesn't make it any less ugly."

"No."

A voice came through the speakers above them, reporting that a patrol was moving away from one of the flooded streets.

Ellis acknowledged it before looking back towards Nolan.

"Who do you think will get most of it?"

"Most of what?"

"The entire incident."

Nolan lowered the monitoring device.

"Helios Vanguard."

Ellis turned towards him.

"Helios?"

"Yes."

"I thought the Big Five weren't making a move."

"Well, not under their own name."

"….."

Nolan reached towards the report and moved it farther down.

"It's obvious if you look at it carefully. The Guilds making the offers don't all have the money or personnel to operate everything they're trying to acquire."

"So you're saying someone is helping them from behind the scenes?"

"Wasn't it obvious?"

Ellis looked at the names on the screen.

Nolan pointed towards one of the proposals.

"Look at the guarantees. Who's providing the funding, who gets to supply personnel, and who gets access once the licenses change hands."

Ellis leaned closer.

For a while, he read without saying anything.

Then his brows drew together.

"So they're using other Guilds."

"It's easier than making a move themselves. The moment Helios openly tries to absorb Ivory Thorn, the other major Guilds will make their moves as well."

"But if several smaller Guilds take pieces of it…"

"Then Helios is just supporting their partners."

Ellis massaged his forehead.

"Right, of course. It was quite obvious."

"Very."

Nolan picked up the device again.

"Arithmus is involved in some of the proposals. Evening Sun too. Then there are the smaller arrangements for individual Gates and personnel."

He checked the reading before adding—

"Severed Stars is one of them."

Ellis looked up.

"Severed Stars?"

"Yes."

"They're acting for Helios?"

"Yes. It's—"

Nolan stopped.

His attention settled on the device in his hand.

The number on its display changed.

Then changed again.

"….."

Ellis waited for him to continue.

When he didn't, he turned towards him.

"What? What's⎯!!"

Nolan's expression changed as he noticed the reading on the monitor as it continued to climb.

"Bring up the city map."

Ellis looked at the device as he scrambled to the keyboard. The report vanished, replaced by a map divided into several monitored areas.

A marker appeared near the centre.

Then another beside it.

Nolan placed the device on the desk and leaned towards the screen.

"Camera coverage?"

"There should be several."

"Bring up the nearest one."

Ellis's fingers moved across the keyboard.

A street appeared.

Rain washed over the road, reflecting the lights of the cars waiting at the crossing. A few people stood beneath an awning while others hurried past.

Nothing seemed unusual.

Nolan looked down at the readings.

They were still rising.

"The camera on the other side."

Ellis changed the feed.

This time, neither spoke.

A car sat at an angle near the crossing.

The vehicle behind it was stopped too, its driver leaning out of the window.

Farther ahead, several pedestrians stood in the rain.

They weren't trying to find shelter.

They were looking up.

"Move the camera."

Ellis adjusted the controls.

The view slowly turned.

A dark outline entered the screen.

At first, it looked like the side of a building.

Then the camera moved farther, and both men went still.

"….."

Something stood across the far end of the street.

It was enormous.

Tall enough to reach past the lower floors of the surrounding buildings, with an opening that seemed to extend several meters into the air.

Ellis looked towards the map.

There was no structure marked there.

"Zoom in."

Nolan's voice was grave as he adjusted the image.

The dark outline grew clearer.

"It's…"

"A Gate."

Ellis finished as his lips pressed together, his eyes reflecting a series of wooden benches standing in rows on either side of a central passage.

Nolan reached towards his radio.

His hand stopped before he picked it up.

Beside him, Ellis leaned closer to the monitor, his eyes moving over the benches before moving towards a specific desk.

Eventually, he muttered a few words.

"…A courtroom?"

-x-X-x-

I could tell the Guild Master wanted to keep me in the Guild.

I could also see that if I told him, he'd hold the news back and keep me free.

But there was no need for that.

The dark SUV inevitably came.

Two agents stood beside it, both wearing dark suits and sunglasses. One held an umbrella, while the other looked towards me as I approached.

I stopped in front of them.

Then I looked from one to the other.

"Mr. Thorne?"

"That's me."

"Are you ready?"

"Just a moment."

I reached into my pocket and took out my sunglasses.

Neither moved as I put them on.

A small chuckle escaped my lips.

"We're the same now."

"….."

They didn't laugh.

One of them opened the rear door.

"This way."

I nodded and stepped inside, moving across the seat before settling near the window. The agent with the umbrella closed it and took the seat beside me. The other went around to the front. Although they didn't say anything, it was obvious that they were moving like this in order to prevent me from escaping.

But I was a man who was used to being stuck.

The doors shut.

Shortly afterwards, the car started moving.

I leaned back against the seat, watching the entrance of Obsidian Bastion disappear through the rain.

"It's been a while since I've gone to the BUA headquarters."

The agent beside me turned slightly.

"I wonder how they'll treat me this time."

"You'll be briefed when we arrive."

"Ah."

That was all he said.

I looked towards the window again.

Water ran across the glass, blurring the people standing beneath the entrance. A little farther ahead, the car stopped while the barrier opened.

Then we continued.

For a while, nobody spoke.

The agent in front occasionally touched his earpiece, giving short answers to someone. The one beside me kept his hands resting against his legs.

"Don't do that."

"…?"

"Your hands. Don't sit like that."

The agent frowned, but under my gaze, he eventually moved his hands away.

"Good."

Outside, the rain kept falling.

The Bureau's headquarters appeared beyond the surrounding walls.

Several massive buildings stood within the complex, each different from the next. But even through the rain, one was considerably easier to recognise.

The Shell.

Its enormous metallic structure curved inward on itself, resembling the shell of a snail. The layered surface reflected the grey sky in dull silver, with rain running down the curves before disappearing from view.

I leaned slightly towards the window.

It looked much the same as I remembered.

Unfortunately.

Didn't really have many great memories of the place. In truth, it was probably the place where I had gotten stuck for the first time.

The car passed the main structure and turned towards another building. We stopped briefly at a checkpoint, where the driver handed something to the person waiting beside it.

A few words were exchanged, with the agent leaning down the window to look at me.

I waved them with a smile before they returned the documents and let us through.

Not long afterwards, the car stopped beneath a covered entrance.

"We're here."

The agent beside me stepped out first.

I followed, adjusting my sleeve while several people approached from inside the building.

The man at the front stopped a short distance away.

He was tall, with neatly combed black hair and a strip of grey above one ear. A deep crease ran beside his mouth, making his expression seem stern even before he spoke.

His suit was dark grey, and he had no sunglasses.

I took mine off.

"Seth Thorne?"

"Yes."

"Come with me."

He turned towards the entrance.

The others moved with him, leaving me little choice but to follow.

"Roland Venn," he said as we walked. "Deputy Director of Anomaly Investigations. I'll be overseeing your observation."

I looked at him again.

A Deputy Director.

That seemed rather important.

"It's nice to meet you."

He gave a brief nod.

"We've reviewed the recordings and the information provided by the Guild. Before we proceed, there are a few things you need to understand."

"Alright."

"There will be no medical examinations during this period."

My steps slowed slightly.

Venn continued walking.

"No routine checkups. No visiting physicians. Nobody will be coming to discuss treatment with you. I'm sure you're aware of why we're doing this, correct?"

"Yes."

I nodded and looked towards the people following us.

"If someone approaches you claiming to be a doctor, you're not to engage with them. Notify the observation team immediately."

"And that would be…?"

"VILE-1048. Unless we establish otherwise, that's how we'll treat it."

"….."

I nodded.

That sounded rather straightforward, but thinking about the dream I had not too long ago, I had a feeling I wouldn't get to see the doctor in real life again.

"What if I don't notice?"

Venn stopped beside a secured door.

He held his card against the panel before looking back at me.

"You won't be relying on your own observations. We'll have people watching continuously."

"Right."

The door opened.

He stepped through first, and I followed into a quieter corridor.

The sound of the rain disappeared once it closed behind us.

Now there were only footsteps.

The people following a short distance behind, and mine.

I looked towards one of the cameras near the ceiling. Its lens turned slightly as we passed beneath it.

Another waited near the end of the corridor.

They were everywhere.

Venn stopped at a second door.

One of the agents moved forward, checked something on the panel, and waited until a light changed before opening it.

"This is where you'll be staying."

I stepped inside, but soon stopped.

"….."

A glass enclosure stood in the middle of the room.

A rather large one.

There was a bed inside, along with a small table and a chair. The glass extended from the floor to the ceiling, leaving a clear view of almost everything within it.

Beyond the enclosure, several monitors lined one side of the room.

Two people sat in front of them.

They looked up when we entered.

My attention moved towards the cameras.

There were several around the enclosure. One faced the bed, another covered the table, and a third looked down from above.

I shifted slightly.

On one of the monitors, a smaller version of me did the same.

"Hmm."

Venn watched me.

"Is there a problem?"

"…"

How is this even a question? There was literally no semblance of privacy. I was monitored from every direction.

I looked towards the bed. At least, it looked comfortable. It sat almost directly in the middle, with enough space around it for the cameras to see from every side.

"You'll remain here for monitoring."

Venn said, his voice stern.

We won't require you to undergo any testing. For the foreseeable future, our priority is to observe what happens when the anomaly approaches. Our main priority is to contain VILE – 1048."

"And if it never shows up?"

"We can discuss that later."

"…Right."

One of the staff members stood and opened the door to the enclosure.

I looked at it for a moment before stepping inside.

My footsteps sounded a little different on this side. It echoed quite loudly within the glass chamber.

Venn remained outside.

"If you experience any changes, tell us. Dizziness, difficulty concentrating, or anything you remember differently from the people around you."

I turned towards him.

His voice came clearly through a small speaker.

"Even if it seems unimportant you must tel us."

He added.

"I understand."

"Your phone can remain with you. We'll provide whatever else you need after it's checked."

I looked down at the phone in my hand.

At least that was something. Then again, I was sure it was tapped. Whatever I did with it was probably going to be checked or monitored.

"If someone needs to enter, you'll be informed beforehand. Don't open the door for anyone simply because they ask."

My gaze moved towards the door, and then I looked back at him.

"Someone will always be present outside. If you need anything, let us know."

"Anything?"

"Within reason."

"Ah."

I nodded slowly.

It seemed like they were prepared for quite a lot.

Venn watched me for a few more seconds before turning towards the staff.

A short conversation followed. I could see their mouths moving, but the speaker no longer carried their voices.

I remained standing beside the bed.

One of the staff members looked towards a monitor.

Then towards me.

Venn gave another brief instruction before returning his attention to the enclosure.

"We'll speak again later."

"Alright."

He left with the agents shortly afterwards.

The door to the outer room closed.

I listened to the sound settle before looking around again.

Glass in front of me.

Glass behind me.

A camera looking down from above.

"…I feel like stripping…"

The people outside all lifted their heads, alarm on their faces.

That…

I raised my hand slightly. Instantly, their expressions changed.

Oh…? Oh…?

I reached down for my shirt.

Then⎯

Ding!

My phone lit up, and I immediately glanced at the top notification. Opening the message and checking the sender, my lips pursed together.

"….."

After a moment, my lips curled.

"Looks like my money is here."

-x-X-x-

It was more or less what I expected.

I spent the next day inside the glass box, doing absolutely nothing.

At first, I sat on the bed.

Then I moved to the chair.

After a little while, I went back to the bed.

The cameras followed everywhere I went. I even went as far as threatening to strip myself, but it seemed like the agents outside had grown used to my madness and just started ignoring me.

"....."

To make matters worse, I couldn't even bring out any of my anomalies. Not that I had any plans to.

In other words, I was thoroughly stuck.

"Haha."

Instead of being depressed, I laughed. This was exactly what I wanted.

Reaching for my phone, I started doom-scrolling.

?Here's a high-quality 50g of protein dish that only takes 5 ingredients.

"Five ingredients?! Madness! Water is an ingredient! That's six!!!"

Clank!

The video was interrupted by the sudden opening of the door.

Venn stepped inside.

He exchanged a few words with the people at the monitors before approaching the glass, a tablet resting in one hand.

I was becoming quite familiar with him.

More specifically, the way he looked at me before speaking.

As though he was talking to a mentally ill person.

They hired the right person.

"...How are you feeling?"

"Stuck."

His fingers stopped against the tablet.

"Besides that?"

"Well, nothing much."

I chuckled softly.

Venn didn't.

He looked down and entered something before returning his attention to me.

"Have you experienced any changes since we last spoke?"

"No."

"Dizziness?"

"A little."

"Worse than before?"

"Not really, no."

This was the surprising part. I actually felt okay...? It was strange, but at the same time, I felt a certain sense of unease. It felt as though it was the prelude of the storm.

He nodded.

"What about your sleep?"

"Actually, pretty good. I've been getting a decent amount of sleep."

I mean, there was nothing else to do.

"Do you remember anything unusual?"

I looked towards the ceiling for a moment.

Then I shook my head.

"Nothing new."

Venn continued asking questions.

I answered everything.

For the most part, the questions were rather easy.

There wasn't much to remember when all I did was move between a bed and a chair.

"Is there anything abnormal that you've noticed with your body? Pain in your nodes?"

"No."

"Just making sure."

He looked towards the monitors, and one of the staff members brought up another screen. It was just recordings of me doing absolutely nothing.

After a little while, Venn returned his attention to me.

"We'll come back once we finish reviewing the observations. As things stand, there doesn't seem to be any abnormality in your behaviour."

"Mhm."

"Your condition doesn't appear to be worsening either."

I stopped moving my thumb against the phone.

Venn glanced towards the glass.

"The containment measures are preventing VILE-1048 from approaching you directly. That's most likely why the symptoms haven't progressed."

"Most likely?"

"We're still comparing the information."

"Right."

I looked towards the people behind him.

They were both staring at me.

"So... you're saying that keeping me here is actually helping me?"

"More or less."

I nodded slowly.

Venn's attention remained on my face.

"That doesn't mean you should lower your guard."

"Of course."

"VILE-1048 isn't an ordinary anomaly. Once it sets its sights on someone, it continues pursuing them. It won't stop until it finally gets you. Nothing has happened yet, but that doesn't mean it won't happen. I want you to remain alert."

The room grew a little quieter.

Strangely, it felt as though the entire room had grown quiet.

Venn lowered the tablet as his voice lowered.

"I'm saying this because, from our experience, there's never been a case where VILE - 1048 has ever abandoned its target. It will always. Always get to them."

"....."

"I need you to understand that. Don't let your guard down."

"Wasn't planning to."

"That's good."

His voice remained steady as he nodded.

"I can't tell you a specific date for how long you'll remain here, but we'll try our best to get you out as soon as possible. We understand the inconvenience."

I watched him for a little while before smiling.

"That's good."

Venn's brows relaxed slightly.

"I'm glad that you're taking this seriously. We want to capture this anomaly as much as you do."

"Awesome."

I continued to smile.

The deputy remained in front of the glass for another moment before looking down at the tablet.

"That's all I have to say. I'll speak with you again later."

"Alright."

He left shortly afterwards.

The door closed, and the people outside returned to their work.

I leaned back against the bed.