“Hold on there, I think we still have some questions to ask them.” before any of the four students said anything, Glenda Grimes walked up between Professor Dorothea Clarkson and the four students: “They were the targets of these spies, and they were possibly involved with the other thing, and they also have their upcoming hearing which might be substantially connected to what we’re dealing with here, so I think they have the right to know at least something.”

“Glenda, I think they are on a need to know basis here. And please don’t reveal any more information about the hearing.” Professor Dorothea Clarkson said.

“I agree with Glenda - I mean Miss. Grimes - they deserve to know, at least about the hearing.” Professor Barnes said.

“I kinda knew you were gonna say that, Tony.” Professor Dorothea Clarkson sighed: “But for the record there’s no way we should entrust this kind of information to students. It’s a security risk for us and for them - if they’re gonna play their part then they should just play their part as they were supposed to.”

“Professor, I really don’t appreciate this kind of sudden requirement of secrecy.” Jason shook his head and said with a stern voice: “We’ve fought these spies, twice, okay? I think we can definitely handle whatever information you can throw our way. Not to mention the fact that we have some important information you probably need to know as well!”

“Twice? What do you mean you fought them twice?” Professor Dorothea Clarkson stared at Jason.

“Some guy wearing a pair of freaky blue glasses.” Thomas said: “He was stalking Jason, and we helped him corner this guy. A really creepy dude, we didn’t tell the academy because we were suspecting the same - that these people, whoever they are, had some connection to the academy administration, at least enough to call this upcoming bullshit hearing. Oh yeah, and there was another really sick attempt to use some kind of hypnosis spying spell on Caroline here while she was on a hunt.”

“Blue glasses, you say?” Professor Dorothea Clarkson exchanged looks with Glenda Grimes and Professor Barnes.

“Yeah, some kind of enchanted blue glasses, it’s like it could actually scan me and my information just by looking at me.” Jason said.

“So it is indeed them.” Glenda Grimes nodded: “I don’t think anyone else in the academy has a pair of Maykor’s Sight? What do you say, Dorothea?”

“Okay, limited information.” Professor Dorothea sighed.

Then, Caroline, Jason, Aimee and Thomas told the professors almost everything - about the people that tried to find some kind of “codex” or “key” from the academy, and their suspicion that they have something these spies want. But they intentionally left out the fact that the silver box they collected from the Martin House Warehouse was probably the one they were looking for, and the reasons are quite simple: they still didn’t trust the academy administration fully, and the headmistress of the Martin House was present, who they had very little doubt would try to confiscate the silver box on the spot.

And much to their dismay and disappointment, none of the faculty members in the room knew anything about this “codex” or “key” they were looking for - they were confused and alarmed, but none of them knew or even had a clue on what the “codex” was.

“I think this might be the part where we tell you about Professor Kapur.” Professor Barnes scratched his jaw and said while looking over the faces of other faculty members in the room: “You remember Professor Kapur?”

“Yeah, we asked for her help just the other day.” Caroline frowned: “I had been wanting to ask this - what’s the deal with the medicine we left at Professor Kapur’s office?”

“So it’s indeed medicine? It’s not something else?” Professor Dorothea Clarkson asked.

“Yeah, it’s medicine from our mas - I meant a power wielder friend of ours.” Caroline answered with her arms crossed.

“Well, it turns out things sometimes work out in mysterious ways. ” Glenda Grimes answered: “Those two spies, did have connections to the administration. In fact, they were hired off the books by the administration to help with the investigation into the contaminants. But as it turned out they had other ulterior motives and they ended up targeting you, presumably due to the ‘codex’ they thought you had. And they pressured the academy into holding the hearing. Somehow they caught wind that you went to Professor Kapur for help. And for some reason they were under the impression that you left some of your personal effects in Professor Kapur’s office, which they later attempted to tamper with in order to better frame you. They ran into Profesor Kapur and then had to improvise - they seemed to under the impression that your medicines were actually poison, so they forcefully fed Professor Kapur your medicine and mixed it their own poison -”

“Fuck!” “Motherfuckers!” Jason and Caroline cursed at the same time as they looked each other in the eyes.

“So the hearing was pushed by them? And the academy agreed?” Aimee frowned: “That is just so… wrong!”

“No, they pushed for immediate forfeiture of your personal effects, by invoking the emergency clauses in the academy bylaws.” Professor Barnes said: “And the hearing was a compromise.”

All the four students became visibly agitated and worried at the same time. None of them said a word for about a minute.

“So, now that we know this hearing is gonna be bullshit, you instead wanted us to still go to the hearing, play our part and bait them?” Jason took a deep breath and asked.

“Indeed, and at the same time we will try to have someone break into their personal living quarters.” Professor Randall Collins answered with a smile, seemingly completely unfazed by the tension in the air: “I assume that you would be happy to do it right? I mean, who would give up a chance to confront the ones who frame them knowing that it was actually the opponents that are getting screwed?”

“So, what do you say?” Professor Barnes asked: “Are you in?”