The summons came quietly.
No alarms.
No raised voices.
Just a knock on the door to room 000.
Makoto opened it.
Kaelis stood outside, posture straight, expression unreadable.
"Get dressed," he said. "Both of you."
Akio sat up immediately, heart sinking. Something about Kaelis' voice felt heavier than usual.
"What's going on?", Makoto asked.
"A meeting," Kaelis replied. "Mandatory."
That was all.
The boys got dressed immediately, anxiety rising. After they were done, they left their room together, approaching the briefing room.
Though this time not everyone was present. Only those who mattered.
Palm sat at the head of the table, hands folded, his red eyes sharp but tired. Katsuko leaned against the wall instead of sitting, cigarette lit between her fingers. Kouya stood near the back, Ermina perched tensely on his shoulder. Viola hovered near the door, arms crossed. Kaelis took his place beside Palm without a single word.
Akio and Makoto were the last to enter.
Palm's gaze landed on Akio almost immediately.
"Sit," he said.
Akio obeyed, posture tense, Makoto taking the seat beside him.
Silence settled.
Then Palm spoke.
"We have a problem. The Revenant Forge has made a demand."
Kouya scoffed, while Ermina made a similar noise.
Palm continued, eyes never leaving Akio.
"They want one of our members."
Akio felt a chill crawl up his spine.
Makoto's fingers curled into fists.
Palm exhaled slowly.
"They want you, Takahashi."
The room went silent.
Too silent.
Akio stared at Palm, the words echoing in his mind.
*They want... me?*
Makoto stood abruptly. "Absolutely not."
Palm raised a hand - not sharply, not angrily. Just enough to silence him.
"This is not a discussion yet," Palm said. "This is information."
Akio swallowed hard.
"Why?"
Katsuko laughed softly. The sound was empty.
"Because you're valuable," she said. "And because they think we won't be willing to lose you."
Akio's hands trembled in his lap.
"I didn't even do anything," he muttered.
"That's the point," Kaelis said quietly. "You don't need to."
Makoto turned towards Palm, jaw tight. "And what happens if you say no?"
Palm didn't answer immediately.
When he did, his voice was calm.
"Wolfgang Nebelwald promised the dismantling of this organization."
Kouya's hand tightened around Ermina, who chirped anxiously.
Akio felt sick.
*This is my fault.*
Palm leaned back in his chair.
"I will not make a decision tonight," he said. "Nor will I hand anyone over blindly."
Makoto scoffed. "Good."
"But," Palm continued, "we must prepare for the possibility that refusal will cost lives."
Akio's chest tightened.
Lives.
Not his.
Others'.
He stood before he realized he was moving.
"I'll go."
Every head snapped towards him.
"No," Makoto said immediately.
Akio shook his head.
"If I don't, people will get hurt. Maybe killed. Because of me."
"That's not on you," Kouya said sharply.
"Yes, it is," Akio replied. His voice didn't shake as much as he expected. "They want me. Not you. Not anyone else."
Katsuko finally looked at him directly.
Her eyes were dark.
"You have no idea what they'll do to you," she said.
Akio met her gaze.
"Neither do you."
Silence fell again.
Palm studied Akio for a long moment.
"You are not a bargaining chip," he said slowly. "And you are not expendable."
Akio smiled weakly.
"Then why does it feel like I am?"
No one answered.
Palm stood.
"This meeting is over," he said. "Akio, you will remain under protection. You do not leave this facility without authorization."
Akio nodded hesitantly.
Makoto grabbed his sleeve as they turned to leave.
"You don't get to decide alone," he hissed.
Akio didn't look at him.
"I know," he said quietly. "That is what scares me."
Later that night, Akio couldn't sleep.
Again.
He sat on his bed, staring at the blank wall.
*Useful.*
That word echoed louder than anything Wolfgang had said.
Akio glanced at Makoto's side of the room. It seemed he couldn't sleep either, as he tossed and turned.
"Hey Makoto...", he whispered.
Makoto grumbled in response.
"What do you think does that Wolfgang guy want from me?"
Makoto grumbled again, but eventually he sat up and looked at Akio.
"He wants to use you in one way or another, if I had to guess. Probably because of your ability."
Akio looks down at the ground, taking a deep, shaky breath.
"But... What is the point in all of this? I'd rather join their organization than have this one be targeted. I don't want to be the reason people die."
"You will be the reason for that anyway."
Akio looked back up at him with widened eyes.
"W- what do you mean..?"
"Ah forget I said anything. I was just joking," Makoto said, trying to hide the fact he just said that out loud.
"I see...", Akio pondered.
This time both of them stayed silent.
Until Makoto yawned.
"I suggest we go to sleep now. We can continue thinking tomorrow."
Akio sighed.
"I guess you're right. Goodnight, Makoto."
"Goodnight."
Somewhere, not too far away, was a man standing near the window of his office, looking outside. It was dark already, yet the city lights were illuminating the whole atmosphere. He held a cup of herbal tea in his right hand, sipping from it gracefully.
Wolfgang disliked The Hollow Hand.
It practically reeked of inefficiency. Not its members per se - its ideals.
Palm's ideals.
Their goal was to enforce order by removing instability from this world. In other words, they'd "delete" people they deemed as danger to society, despite them being one themselves. But they were not ready to realize that yet.
Their ideals were unrealistic. Nothing else.
To make the world a pure and perfect place. That was simply impossible. Even if it truly was a beautiful thought.
Compared to The Hollow Hand, Wolfgang's goal was quite simple. At least he thought so, himself.
He wanted control over the chaos that would happen anyway. Not something delusional like world domination or universal purity, no. He sought predictability. Certainty. Inevitability.
Predictability may become boring to some, but to Wolfgang it was a safe space. It meant nothing could go wrong. Nothing could step out of line.
People have told him before he was crazy for trying to pursue that goal. Except for one person...
Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the wooden door of his office.
He knew immediately who it was.
"You may come in, Irena," Wolfgang exclaimed, not too loudly but audible enough for the person outside to hear.
The door opened and in came a woman with short, black hair.
Wolfgang didn't turn around to face her yet, he simply stared out the window with his hot cup of tea still in his hand.
"What do you need, dear?"
The woman - Irena - closed the door behind herself and leaned against it.
"Boss. It is late. Are you not able to sleep?"
Wolfgang still didn't turn around to meet Irena's gaze.
"Ah, it's not that, Irena. I simply love how the people down there look like tiny little ants, while I am the one watching. This must be how God feels like everyday."
Irena deadpanned at that, but responded anyway, looking at the clock on the wall.
"Sir. You should really go to sleep. It's already 2:34 a.m. Watching people won't cure your insomnia."
Wolfgang finally turned around to face her, giving a small smile.
"Yes, you're probably right. Let's talk instead."
Irena didn't look amused.
"No, boss. I am tired. And you should be too."
Wolfgang blinked a few times.
"Hm? If you're so tired, why don't you sleep? I'm not stopping you. Even a competent assistant like you needs some rest."
"I am just worried about you. Please go to bed."
Wolfgang looked mildly surprised, before he chuckled a bit.
"Alright, alright. As you wish, Irena."
Those who deemed him crazy for wanting control will be proven wrong.
*That* was a certainty.