School was over. The cries of cicadas marked the peak of summer. A few students talked and laughed with each other. Despite the emptiness, their joyous laughter created a relaxed, lightened atmosphere. Yet, there were always exceptions. In the hallway, a young man, lingered with a somber air. He walked with a heavy gait. His balance between slim and muscular achieved the physique of health trainers on TV. His black jeans made his legs look like long shadows, melding in the darkness. The stone gray sweatshirt complimented his sliver gray eyes, which were razor sharp. His black hair fluttered from the draft of afternoon breeze. Hands in his pocket, the young man strode through the corridor and stopped in front of a door at the end of the hallway. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE It was Bryan. Unlike last time, he came of his own volition. He wanted to graduate. Finals came and went in a flash. Bryan had studied mountains of books at college level. Along with his outstanding memory, exams were a formality. He planned to complete his exams during summer break. He would then execute his next plan, creating a bloodbath in Great Colows. Although Bryan tried to be indifferent about the ordeal, he was very expectant. His past was something he wanted to bury in the darkest depths of his heart. Destroying the town was a way to liberate himself from the shackles of servitude. He would be a free man. Before he could travel to Great Colows, Bryan had to confront Mr. Otters. Setting a suitable time to take the exams was why he came here, albeit reluctant. He never liked talking with the sly old fox, but he had to get it over with. Regulating his breath, Bryan knocked on the door three times. His knocks were aggressive and loud, echoing through the hallway. In response, an assertive voice sounded through the door. “Come in” With his usual indifference, Bryan opened the door without hesitation. What greeted him was the same eccentric office. Behind the desk, an elderly robust man settled in his seat, his arms crossed. He stared at the black-haired youth with a contemplating gaze. Under his scrutinizing look, Bryan plopped down in front of him. Not seeing the usual shyness of kids his age, Mr. Otters gave up. He lightened his heavy gaze. The mountainous pressure on Bryan lifted in an instant. Yet Bryan showed no relief of joy, rather his face turned stern. A steady voice flowed out his mouth. “I want to graduate early.” Silence pervaded the room. Mr. Otters let out an exuberant laugh, looking at him with amusement. He thought whether his ridiculous demand was a joke. Seeing the stern look on the youth's face, he knew the answer right away. Mr. Otters leaned forward. “No one in the history of Blackthorn High school has ever uttered those ridiculous words, except you. What makes you think I'll accept your request? Do you think I'll make an exception for you, a below average student?” Mr. Otters glared at Bryan with an undisguised hostility, different from his usual calm, sly gaze. Mr. Otters felt insulted. In all his years, he always ruled with an iron fist. He sought great pleasure from seeing his adversaries lower their heads before him. After becoming an elder of The Dark Rose Society, his arrogant, lofty demeanor solidified even more. Yet, what was happening before him tested the patience he developed over the years. A young brat walked in his office, asking a ridiculous request, without any modesty or respect. It had been a long time since someone swaggered to him with such confidence. Let's see how far his confidence takes him. “It was frightening what happened with Mr. Rogers, I thought he was an upright fellow and trusted him. Sigh.” As if he was his own son, Mr. Otters showed a discontent and embarrassed look. A tinge of sorrow glazed over his dropped eyes. The sudden change in topic caught Bryan off guard. But Bryan wasn't falling for it. “Wow, you should get an Oscar with that acting. Bravo.” Although he was praising the elderly man, the sarcastic undertone caused Mr. Otters' eyebrow to twitch in exasperation. Realizing his pitiful act towards Bryan was fruitless, the sympathetic elder vanished. “The incident earlier this year, that was you, wasn't it?” A sly smile perked up as he waited for Bryan to panic. “So what if it was?” Bryan responded with his eyes narrowed, a cocky smirk opposed Mr. Otters. “Ha got you brat! I'll expel you from society itself.” Mr. Otter's face flushed red with excitement. He picked up the phone. As he was about to call the admissions office, a husky voice sounded, stopping him dead in his tracks. “What? I never said I did it? Unless you have evidence, you can't expel me. Which you don't, right?” His tomato face drained immediately. Anger flitted across his face before returning calm and calculating. He looked at Bryan, who was blank, before picking up his tea cup. He looked as if his sudden outburst never happened. “Fine, so you want to take next year's exam in the summer? I can do that. Although, your failing will be none of my concern.” Mr. Otters glanced at Bryan with subtle annoyance before taking a sip. He signaled with his eyes towards the door, shooing him away. “Great. I want some connections as well. Although Bryan got the signal to leave, he no notice of it, continuing the conversation. At this point, the sight of Bryan irritated Mr. Otters. Bryan played him for a fool the entire conversation, but he could only endure it. He had to keep calm. However, he still showed his displeasure indirectly. “Connections? Why would I give you that?” Mr. Otters spat back, his words dripping with poison. “Because I'm smart, and I can help you. That is, in the Dark Net.” Bryan had an innocent smile of a kid, but to Mr. Otters, it was like the devil's. Mr. Otters stared at Bryan with widened eyes. “What are you talking about? I think you're mistaken.” Mr. Otters feigned innocence, sipping his tea gently. Yet, Bryan knew he had him on the ropes. He needed one last blow to expose him. “Sybil Miller, is she one of your subordinates?” Hearing his casual remark, Mr. Otters stood up at full attention. His eyes showed a dangerous light. “What do you want brat?” He growled. “Your response basically proves my suspicions. So tell me, do you have any connections?” Anger started to well up, wanting to rip the plastered smile off his face. Even so, seeing the situation he was in, he started to simmer down. After adjusting his agitated state of mind, he started to ponder about his inquiry. Mr. Otters thought he could use this to his advantage if he played his cards right, gaining a reliable subordinate. He suspected Bryan had a hand in the notorious incident that occurred. Although no solid evidence against him, his intuition was telling him otherwise. The investigation turned up with no leads, meaning Bryan had wiped out all traces. Honestly, he was surprised. In all his years, he had never seen such a calm, shrewd, and talented young man. If he could rope in such a talent, wouldn't he get a lot of merit? Recognizing the incredible opportunity, all the rage towards Bryan fizzled out. His eyes squinted into crescent moons, plastering a business smile. “So, Bryan Hayes, are you interested in Dark Rose Society?” Mr. Otters leaned back into his leather chair. His legs crossed and his hands interlocked, resting them on his knees. Bryan raised an eyebrow in response, asking curiously. “Dark Rose Society… What do they do?” Bryan roughly knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it from Mr. Otters. “Dark Rose Society does everything for everyone. Even some government officials hire us. We do anything from assassinations, kidnapping, and gathering intelligence. That's to name a few. So Bryan, what can you do?” Mr. Otters explained, a tranquil expression on his face. “Hm. I specialize with hacking. I can do other things as well.” Bryan responded. The Dark Rose Society was a good place to start. He needed a backing of a large group. Once he gained enough reputation, he could leave if he wanted to. The Dark Rose Society had versatility with their services. Therefore, he decided to be transparent about his capabilities to boost his 'resume' as much as possible. Obviously, he didn't mention the system. “Hm?” Mr. Otters' expression morphed into one of surprise. He never took Bryan as the intellectual type. But, reminded of the broadcast and private messages he saw in the auditorium, it all made sense to him. “Alright, you don't need an entrance test since I'll be your guarantor. You can take up any missions we have on the mission wall. We have many safe houses scattered across the country. If you need anything, the locations of the safe houses are on the phone. If you try to leak anything, we'll know… All communication and information is through this phone. It's encrypted, so no need to change the SIM card. Sybil will call if a mission comes up that requires your abilities. You're still young, once you enter this line of work, there's no going back.” Mr. Otters especially emphasized the word 'guarantor', taking immense pride in it. He pulled out an off brand smartphone, a symbol of a black rose etched on the back. Bryan couldn't care less about his prideful boasting. He shoved it in his pocket. When he got up, he said in a low voice. “I'm certain about my decision. I have some business to take care of. I'll be gone for a week. Likewise, I'll take my exams after that.” Seeing him change topics, Mr. Otters swatted him away towards the door. “Brat.” Before Bryan left, Mr. Otters called out to him. The dull youth turned his head back, an elderly man had a subtle grin that irked Bryan. “Welcome to The Dark Rose Society.” *** “Grandpa! I can't believe you let him in like that. We don't even know who this kid is. Even I had to do a trial, and I'm your granddaughter!” An angry spouting voice blew the speakerphone. Mr. Otters called Sybil to inform her about Bryan. She didn't take it too well. “Relax, Sybil, he's a talented kid. I'm sure the other elders will agree with me after seeing his performance. He caused the incident at school earlier this year. He's what we need to fight those Hydra bastards!” Mr. Otters gnashed his teeth when he mentioned Hydra. “Are you sure he caused that incident? He's a kid.” Sybil asked in a disbelieving tone. “Well, that 'kid' ruined a man's future and got him arrested for pedophilia. The look in his eye is dangerous, he's definitely killed before. Do not underestimate him just because he's a kid, Sybil. You hear me? I know he's more than capable.” Mr. Otters voice turned grave, mentioning the latter. Hearing her grandfather's words, Sybil reminisced her first encounter with Bryan. Thinking of his cold aloofness sent chills up her spine. Under a brief silence, Sybil spoke in a cute, helpless tone. “Fine, I'll catch him up to speed. By the way, how did he find out about us?” “I'm not sure.” “Grandfather?” Sybil called out after his awkward response. “I said I don't know. That doesn't matter. Just keep an eye on him. The kid is like an unpolished gem. Polish him up before Hydra completes their mission.” “Hm? Okay.” Sybil was still curious why he spoke about him in such a favorable light, despite his condescending tone. She didn't linger on her thoughts too much. Even she barely got any straight praises without any insults mixed in from him anyway. ***