How well does Florian know Troy? He seems more interested in me than the others. Well, him and Lacie. I can’t tell if she is looking at me or Wolf. From time to time, the two of them glance at each other from across the table. Lacie looks away every time I catch her looking. However, Troy’s glance has been stone cold, like a gargoyle. I am actually worried he is a gargoyle.

“I am feeling eyes, they feel threatening,” Wolf laughs.

Troy clears his throat, “You’re not a very good Ward then, are you?”

“Daad,” Lacie remarks.

“Oh, well considering he is alive, and isn’t harmed, I think I am the best Ward out there,”

“So you have an ego and a big mouth,”

“Daad, please, stop,”

“Should we move this along?” I ask.

Florian left, to turn over Zoe’s security footage to the tech department. We’ve been sitting in a conference room where the room has felt incredibly awkward. And I realize I don’t know how to engage with people. Should I make an attempt? Ah, I see now - what she was trying to say this entire time.

“What about?” Lacie ask, “We’ve already gone over the evidence we have.”

We are waiting for Florian to return.

“So,” I begin. I can already hear Wolf hold in a laugh, “Your Daughter and Father. What’s it like working together?”

Wolf covers her mouth. Attempting to hide the wide grin behind it.

“What’s it like working as Ward and Agent? I’ve actually never seen an Agent with a Ward before, you must be pretty hot stuff, or maybe you work as a model on the side?” Troy barks.

Wolf laughs.

“Oh, yes, he has a photoshoot after this,” Wolf retorts.

“Oh, wow!” Lacie says excitedly.

She frowns, “Wait. That’s a joke.” she continues and then buries her face into her paperwork.

What do I do? Normally we have a lot more to work off of and it’s easy to simply talk about the work at present. We don’t have a lot of information at hand right now.

“So Magi,” Lacie looks at me, “What does someone in the Order do when they aren’t working? I’ve always been curious.”

I can feel Wolf look over at me, there’s a grin in her eyes.

“Me?” I shouldn’t talk much about myself, “Well, I am sure most people engage in their-

-and what are your hobbies?” Lacie asks at me.

“Good luck,” Wolf tells me with a challenging smile.

“I,” tapping my fingers on the table, “Do puzzles.”

“So you’re like a Super Investigator,” Lacie says excitedly.

“What’s a Super Investigator!” Troy looks at her.

“You’re like the typical detective I see in my comic books,” Lacie tells me, “There’s detective Bernado who solves his cases like a puzzle.”

Wolf straight chortles this time. Now I feel incredibly awkward.

“I,um - it’s, I don’t - that’s,” great and now I cannot talk in front of them, “I do - and don’t do that.”

Lacie tilts her head, “You’re so normal.”

“Um-

-at first you were all stoic, and cool, and I just thought you were the super serious type, but you’re totally not,”

“She caught you,” Wolf tells me, poking me in the shoulder.

She looks over at Lacie, “He’s actually incredibly socially awkward-

-I am not,” and now they’ll likely think lesser of me, for getting so choked up so easily because of one question.

Lacie giggles.

“Shy boys are the cutest-

-are you a police officer or here to gossip,” Troy interrupts.

“I can like boys,” why does she sound so hesitant? “And be an officer. Being an officer doesn’t mean I cannot like clothes and makeup.” She glares at her Father, “Don’t be mean.”

“I er,” Troy looks like he’s mentally berating himself, “Sorry.”

She smiles, “You’re forgiven.”

“Er, yes,” Troy scratches the back of his head.

“Look at us, bonding,” Wolf teases.

Bonding, is that the term she would use? It has dawned on me I haven’t really interacted much with people in a long while. I don’t necessarily know how I am supposed to feel about that, I’ve mostly been in hotels - for my safety because-

-what do we have for the case? There has to be something, a link, a detail we’re missing, perhaps. I can feel Wolf’s eyes on me. I am sure she wants me to engage more in talking with the others more appropriately. What is our relationship, anyway? Wolf and I, that is. I’ve had Wards before - Troy is correct in mentioning that is strange for any Agent to have a Ward and that’s merely-

-I am sitting here in social awkwardness hoping for Florian to return with something, to ask a question. Something I know of.

“What,” I look at Lacie, she notices and exchanges a look, “do you like?”

“My hobbies?” Lacie asks, pointing to herself.

While I nod yes in response. Wolf gives a teasing, “Oh hoo-hoo.”

“Well, I like comic books, especially detective ones-

-isn’t that,” Troy begins and notices Lacie’s death look, “What I mean is - doesn’t that bother you considering you’re already a detective?”

“Well, it’s different,” Lacie begins, “These are magical detectives based on the Order of the Exalted history. Supposedly, they were once more like Knightly Paladins detectives who investigated the Shadow world - it’s, uh, what they call it in Cosmos Wonderland.”

Cosmos Wonderland? What’s that face Troy is making? Does he know something? That glitch, with the camera - why am I? I don’t - there has to be something I can look through to get myself out of this headspace-

-I’ve returned from the tech department,” saved by Florian, “I will have them looking over the security footage, until then, I am going to leave you with Lacie and Troy. Unless there is anything else you need?”

“I was wondering,” I state, “I feel we are missing a key component. The link, have there been any other recent accidents?”

Florian studies me. What is that expression Troy is making? I also would like to know where he has gotten all of his information about the Order from. He seems to know more than he is letting on? Or am I being suspicious for no reason?

"Well, there was a death in an apartment complex, I do not know if we're grasping at straws, but a man died of asphyxiation and his wife recently died due to self slaughter, I don't know if there is any connection to be had, but any insight you can provide would be appreciated," Florian states.

Then that’s where we should go next.

“I’ll look into, if that’s all right,” I state.

“Please do, if you find something, please let me know,”

“How long do you think combing through the security footage will take?” I ask.

“A day or two,” Florian tells me with a nod.

I at least know where to start. To either eliminate the connection or to determine if it is connected.