"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness… therefore I will boast gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me…"
— 2 Corinthians 12:9–10.
Washington, DC: the great capital city of the United States. The streets were bustling with pedestrians and vendors. The air was heavy with the faint hum of traffic and conversation, but the wide avenues and open green spaces kept it from ever feeling cramped.
Near the Covenant Bureau of Investigation headquarters, Angelina Easton stood admiring the building's massive structure.
The young woman was always curious about what went on inside the facility. Her curiosity didn't come without reason; the CBI was a branch of law enforcement tasked with handling criminal, supernatural affairs. They ensured that the Accords between the Seraphites and Netherites were strictly abided by.
Here I am, still pondering on the matters of the paranormal, when I am as average as a Tuesday afternoon.
In reality, Angelina wasn't exactly a regular Jane Doe. She was born with hair as white as snow and eyes so green and bright that they pierced through your soul when she looked at you. None of her family members, both late and present, had these traits.
Angelina was also the only member of her nuclear family who wasn't a Seraphite. Her father had always joked that she was a fallen angel who lost her wings and powers. Part of her clung to that joke, hoping that, deep down, she would suddenly awaken and an ability would manifest.
She had heard of the sudden emergence of new Seraphites and how the people involved had shown no signs of awakening. The recent events had ignited her faith like a matchstick. Maybe I'll awaken too…
A shrill whistle broke her chain of thoughts.
"Gosh, what's this sudden interest in the Bureau? You've been visiting HQ every day since the start of this week; want a job or something?" a blond, buzz-cut man chuckled.
"Very funny, Daniel. Don't you have any important stuff to attend to?" Angelina asked, finally acknowledging her brother's presence.
"I've rounded up all my assignments and paperwork for today. I'm as free as a bird!" he exclaimed, strolling toward her.
Daniel placed his hand on his sister's shoulder. "C'mon, sis. Don't tell me you still wanna become a Seraphite. You don't realize how lucky you are," he said, pulling a handkerchief from his suit pocket and dabbing his face.
"Yeah, coming from a dude who can spontaneously combust stuff, how lucky am I?" she quipped.
"It doesn't work that way," he replied, chortling.
"Well, how would I know? I'm a mundane," she shrugged.
"Ah, you know I didn't mean it that way. Tell you what—some agents from HQ are going to a Seraphite institution next week as guests for their recruitment and screening program. Since you're so curious about what goes on there, you can watch the final process," he concluded.
Angelina stared blankly. "Am I meant to be excited to watch a bunch of dudes take a test?"
Daniel raised his eyebrow in confusion. "Test? The final screening process is a duel. I want you to see some Seraphite action."
Angelina covered her mouth in surprise. "No way! You're actually letting me see the agents in action? This is amazing—thank you!"
Daniel motioned downward, signaling his sister to contain her excitement. "First of all, it's the recruits fighting, not the agents. I can pull some strings and call in a few favors, so you could tag along as a special guest."
The young lady was overjoyed. This would keep her curiosity at bay for months to come. "Thank you, Daniel. Wait, what about Dad? You know how he is."
Angelina's father left her completely in the dark about the Bureau and Seraphitic affairs in general. "Professional confidentiality," he always said. He also forbade his son from talking about work in detail. Of course, this fueled the young woman's curiosity like dried leaves in a wildfire.
"Father is still busy with the project he was assigned in Lunaria. He won't be back for at least a month. Apparently, one of the higher-ups needed his expertise," Daniel explained.
The elated lady hugged her brother, her grip tight like a vice. "You know you're the best, right?" she asked.
"Of course!" he replied, beaming.
Their moment was interrupted by the sudden ring of an alarm. Daniel left his sister's embrace and reached into his pocket to silence his phone's reminder. "Damn it, duty calls. My department is having a briefing. Catch you later, sis!"
Angelina waved her brother goodbye. Well, I guess I won't be sleeping until next week! Her entire being was filled with excitement; she couldn't wait for the week to be over.
Daniel took long strides to his office. Deep down, he wished he could be like his younger sister: curious, fascinated, and most of all, mundane, oblivious to how flawed the Seraphites were. Some days felt like hell; he had to constantly convince himself he was making a difference. There would always be rule-breakers, violators of the Accords, and murderers.
Daniel joined the Covenant Bureau to put Seraphites who abused their abilities behind bars where they belonged. He worked his way from recruit to cadet, and eventually to Special Agent, locking up many criminals along the way.
Initially, he was having the time of his life, especially when he turned in evidence for testing to his dad. But recently, things had gone stale. Cases were taking longer to resolve, suspects were mysteriously dismissed, and the organization seemed more focused on protecting its public image than catching criminals.
Daniel reassured himself one more time before stepping into the conference room: he was going to keep fighting. He had to.
"Special Agent Daniel, glad you could make it," SSA Nika said, motioning toward a seat. "We were just about to start."
Daniel slipped into the seat next to his best friend and co-agent, Jermaine, who gave him a knowing look.
"So, any progress on the Bloodletter case?" Nika asked.
Agent Wilson cleared his throat. "The ritual killings have not only intensified, but their reach is expanding. Our New York Field Office reports a series of homicides matching the same signature: symbols carved into the victims' palms, and their bodies completely drained of blood."
The SSA let out a slow sigh, knitting her brows. "So in other words, no? And I'm guessing we still haven't been able to pin down any suspects."
Agent Wilson nodded, confirming her statement.
"SSA Nika, if I may input," Daniel asked, rising from his seat.
"The floor is yours, Daniel," she gestured. "Share your intel."
He walked to the board in front of the conference room, grabbing a marker on his way.
"I've been doing some investigation of my own, and I've noticed a pattern," he said, writing as he spoke. "Michigan was the first state to report this level of ritual killings. Weeks later, similar incidents appeared in New Jersey and New York. These cities are not only populous, but also have high concentrations of Netherite gang activity…"
A loud cough interrupted him.
"I'm sorry, Agent Daniel, but we already considered the gang angle. We brought in some of the members of all the major gangs from these states for questioning, and none were involved—at least regarding the ritual killings," Agent Li finished.
Daniel waved her off. "Yeah, I know we did. But it doesn't change the fact that Netherite gang activity in these areas has skyrocketed since the ritual killings began. And the gangs in all these states aren't the same. That's why I think the people behind these killings aren't just gang members… they're part of a faction!"
He dropped his marker with finality, eyes blazing with adrenaline and excitement.
Unfortunately, he was met with puzzled gazes from his fellow special agents and analysts.
"I'm sorry, Daniel, but I don't follow. Agent Li just explained we already reviewed the gang angle, and you just glossed over that?" SSA Nika asked. "The gangs aren't directly involved in the killings—not as a hive mind. From my investigation, I believe there are internal groups or cults within these gangs that conduct the murders."
Agent Nika pulled out a notepad and pen and began to write. Is she interested? Daniel thought. He had caught the attention of his superior; now he had to ensure his input was taken seriously.
"Think about it," he said, leaning forward. "Even if some of these gangs are large, they don't have the influence to spread this method into other cities without running into rival territories. Most gangs are too large to move as a single unit. I think there are small subgroups—cells—within these gangs that have spread across states. They'd be small in number, so if one or two members disappeared, it wouldn't arouse suspicion."
Agent Li frowned. "I'm sorry, but I still don't see the vision here. There are way too many gangs in these cities—Seraphites and Netherites alike. How do we narrow them down—"
"Way ahead of you," Daniel cut in, a flicker of confidence in his tone. "These bodies were carved up with ritualistic symbols—something common among Netherites. Our analysts and scryers already confirmed the markings are ritualistic, so Seraphitic gangs are off the list."
Li's voice was sharp. "Even if that's true, how do we find the cult members within the gang? This seems far-fetched."
Daniel adjusted his tie. "While it may seem far-fetched, it isn't impossible. There are only about forty Netherite gangs across these states, and not many could carry this out without raising alarm or suspicion. This has to be one of the major gangs. And now that the murders have appeared in New York, I'm certain of it."
Gears in SSA Nika's head began to turn as she wrote everything down.
Daniel nodded. "This was a blood ritual; I have my money on the vampires or the witches—"
"That is absurd! You cannot just charge an entire race with a crime because of what they are! That's racial discrimination and a violation of the Accords we protect!" Agent Li's voice rang with authority.
Daniel stayed calm. "Agent Li, no one is being charged yet. I'm simply sharing details of my investigation and my suspicions. The vampires control the largest gang in New York, and the witches practically run New Jersey. These gangs are vastly different, but the killer's modus operandi is too similar to the methods used by these races to ignore. I want to urge you to maintain an open mind—"
Agent Li slammed her hands on the large table as she got up, enraged. "I think I have heard about enough of your fascist claims! This is why I am always against hiring inexperienced rookies: because of risky ideologies like this!"
The middle-aged woman was fuming. Daniel wouldn't be shocked if steam started pouring from her ears. Despite her outbursts, the agent still maintained his cool head.
"Respectfully, you shouldn't dismiss my contribution to an investigation on the sole reason of having more working experience than I do. I have earned my stripes as a Special Agent, and I would like to be treated as such."
Li scoffed, waving him off. "Stripes? Give me a break. Everyone knows how you really got here. Daddy knows best, no?" She sneered.
On the mention of his father, his calm gaze faltered. C'mon Daniel. Don't lay her out. Don't lay her out!
He clenched his fist away from the gaze of the agents. The young man took a deep breath before responding: "The only help I received from my father was evidence analysis after mission assignments, which I still had to cross-check myself, alongside other agents. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for your relationship with the Section Chief."
Daniel immediately felt the atmosphere become thicker. Agent Li's brown eyes began to glow as she stared at the young agent.
"I think I have had about enough of your shenanigans. Special Agent Daniel and Li, please stand down," SSA Nika said bluntly. Even without emphasis, her voice still carried an authority that they all recognised.
"Very well. Do what this rookie says and waste unnecessary resources on a wild goose chase. Just specify in the report to the Chief that I warned against it!" Agent Li stormed out.
SSA Nika sighed as she rose from her seat. "This is not how I would like to end this meeting, but due to Agent Li's absence, my hands are tied. In the meantime, let's examine things from Agent Daniel's approach. No jumping to conclusions yet; I don't want you bothering innocent Netherites for no reason. Dismissed."
All the agents rose from their seats and exited the room in an orderly manner.
Daniel was about to leave when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "If I may have a moment, Daniel," SSA Nika requested as she pulled him aside.
Oh, you've done it now, Daniel.
The young man let out a deep sigh, preparing himself for a reprimand.
"I must say I was satisfied with your input in today's meeting. You may not know it, but your investigation might be the key to catching the Bloodletter."
Daniel's cheeks immediately flushed red. "Oh, I didn't… I thought you were… Thank you, SSA Nika." He stumbled over the rest, the rest of his words dying halfway out. "I honestly thought you were gonna scold me for terrible meeting conduct, considering what went down with Special Agent Li."
SSA Nika chuckled to herself. "Nope. I think she learnt a valuable lesson today. Plus, the bitch had it coming, I can't lie."
Daniel's eyes widened. Did he witness the Supervisory Special Agent be unprofessional?
Nika raised a finger to her lip. "I didn't say anything. Bring me all your findings on these investigations, but don't reveal anything during our general meetings. You are dismissed."
Daniel gave his superior a nod of approval before he walked out of the meeting room. A smile slowly crept up his face. After what seemed like forever, the young man finally had something to look forward to.
Nika walked back to her office just as her phone rang. Unknown number.
"CBI, SSA Nika here…"
"N-Nika? It's me…" The voice trembled. This voice…
"Who is this?"
"Elise… Elise Everheart. I… I have bad news."
"Slow down, Elise. Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine… but Pearce—Agent Easton—he's dead."