Rise: “(What the fuck? I blinked and that kid was gone – THEN he reappeared before I could even blink again. The voice behind me sounds familiar too, but...why do I feel so...sluggish? Everything from my body to my reaction time is screaming out in agony.

Besides that, what in the hell...IS this dangerous smell?)”

One: “*Feels back of neck* (Am I imagining things?) Damn. Of all my luck, not only was I stopped by some pint-sized monster and his pet, but even the infamous Monitor Man himself comes to thwart my mission! The day just couldn’t get any worse.”

Mr. Abrams: “Really?

Hm. What if I told you that...none of the students you were sent on this mission to assassinate, actually died?”

One: “Unfortunately for your conscious as well as your bluff, I personally killed two of them not too long ago. A little ways away, in that direction *points* you’ll find a headless boy and a girl with a crushed skull. And over there *points again* you will find the headless boy’s missing head. See for yourself.”

Rise: ”Wha…? *Feels cut on neck* I’m...bleeding?

...Me? ME of all people?”

Mr. Abrams: “Mm. Yes. I saw on the way over. However...I’m not bluffing you. Precisely because of this, I’m planning to bring you with me still recognizable instead of having you...disappear inside of the forestry.”

Rise: “What—did you JUST CALL ME A PET?!”

Mr. Abrams: “...(Slow reaction time? What’s this about?) Rise, are you feeling okay?”

One: “If that’s true…then this mission is a complete failure. *Breathes in*

Haah. It looks like it’s time to take my leave.”

Rise: “!! Ah...wait. He mentioned a girl with a crushed skull…?

Oliviera…

So you were made a victim too?

…

Actually, no. She probably became a victim first. She can’t run that fast.”

Mr. Abrams: “Oh? But what’s the rush?”

His eyes glowered with unstoppable fervor. Bluish white light emitted out from the magician’s left hand, brightening spasmodically. Then, without breaking momentum, the clasped fist opened and released streaming blue fireflies high into the sky, before they immediately descended to the forestry below. A radius of 30 feet, with One and Abrams at the center, alighted a ring of bright, cerulean light.

Mr. Abrams: “I could have sworn you were experiencing such fun with my students a moment ago. If you want, I’ll educate you on a thrilling derivative of ‘fun’. Take this ring, for instance...would you like to try crossing it? The sensation it spreads throughout your body is quite...thrilling~”

One: “No, no need. Huff…huff…

...I’ll pass, thanks to this!”

Rise: “I don’t think so Mr. Abrams, Everything feels like it’s moving on fast-forward, including the sound of your voices!”

Mr. Abrams: “...(You’re muddling the conversation Rise, so stop talking).”

*Thunk*

*Plop*

Mr. Abrams whacked both Rise and Noel out in the same way – with a trusty spell enhanced cane. Afterwards, his attention swiftly switched. He didn’t dare grant his opponent an opportunity to pull out any life-saving devices from the obvious plethora of hiding spots sewn into his own clothing. He knew from experience to NEVER let his guard down around an enemy – no matter HOW sure you were of your victory.

His eyes shone for but a moment only, before dimming. The effect was clear as day. Every pocket belonging to the man code-named One was magically sealed shut. A miniature energy barrier covered each of them as well, for good measure.

Mr. Abrams: “What were you saying? That you’ll pass thanks to...what?”

One: “…”

Mr. Abrams: “Go on, show me. I’m waiting.~”

One: “...(Six, I still have to check on you)….”

Mr. Abrams: “(Mr. Pierce should have notified security already. I’ve been monitoring everyone’s actions explicitly, and she definitely didn’t deviate from the security officers’ living quarters before I arrived to break up the fun on this side.) I take it, somebody inside the school hired you?”

One: “...Not many know about you Monitor Man. Not even I know who you are, or what background protects you from the shadows. But there IS one individual that does know...

...my boss.”

One of his vest pockets emitted a similar cerulean colored light to the ring surrounding the two of them. The magic Houdini cast was abruptly removed from that lone pocket as soon as whatever he harbored inside began to shine.

And what came out – was a gold emblem shaped like a bunny.

Mr. Abrams’s eyes turned bloodshot the moment that trinket flew out. His balled up fist trembled while the inner palm bled from his fingernails digging too deep.

Mr. Abrams: “WHERE did you get that! If you don’t open your mouth in the next three seconds, I swear to everything good and righteous in this world that I’ll make you regret being born of flesh! When I’m through with you, only a puddle of blood and scraps of dna will be left of your existence!!”

One: “...(Mo-Monitor man…? More like Judge man!

Scary!!

His expression – and more specifically, those eyes, they are just too scary!!!

Phew… thank goodness boss handed this to me with a warning. He said it belonged to somebody very ‘dear’ to Mr. Monitor Man that owes him a favor. It won’t protect me though, unless I have a reasonable, VALUABLE trade to give. Luckily again, boss gave me his second piece of preparation for this most DEVIOUS and devilish foe.)

Mr. Monitor Man. Please don’t think ill of me, my boss saved somebody special’s life before, and was granted this emblem in case we ever needed a single favor from the man she trusts the more than anyone in this world. I wasn’t told any details regarding who this ‘special person’ the boss saved is, but he gave this to me in order to request from you the ‘favor’ he was promised. We would like to cash in.

Furthermore it wouldn’t be for free – I know this rule more than anything. Since none of the children have died, I would like to strike a deal with you – in exchange for all of my memories only pertaining to this ‘mission’ specifically, I request permission to take my daughter and this broken man back with me.”

Mr. Abrams: “Are you out of your fucking mind?! Even if it’s HER asking for this: my answer is still no. Fuck, you killed my students once! Just because somebody revived them somehow DOESN’T wash away your crimes! You should be grateful I’m even talking to you with a calm and rational mind instead of hanging your ass from a tree and beating it off!

Besides. Although surprising, to use her as a shield is the wrong move. If I told her right now, that those VERY saviors who she gave her precious father’s gift to were performing a high school massacre and then using it to gain sanction after their ploy failed...how do you think she’ll respond?”

One: “I don’t intend to offend, but I doubt she would believe you. The person she gave this emblem to was my BOSS, not I. And my boss never came to take part in this mission. This was merely my selfish request to make enough money in order to pay for my wife’s surgical treatment. After accepting this mission, we took our client as the new temporary boss.”

Mr. Abrams: “Not a good enough reason to make a deal with my students’ murderer. Any information I want can be extracted after I’ve detained you all, PERSONALLY.”

One: “*Points index finger at cranium* Afraid you wouldn’t. I’ve set a chip in my brain to detonate on command. All it would take is a single thought and every ounce of information I, along with the other Numbers members here today harbor are lost forever. Boss won’t show himself either cause he doesn’t like these sort of missions, so you’d be officially out of luck at that point.”

Mr. Abrams: “(As if a thought can detonate a microchip….or can it?) Do you honestly expect me to believe that?”

One: “*Shrugs* whether you believe in it or not is irrelevant. The truth will always remain the truth. I’m betting EVERYTHING I own, even my own daughter’s SAFETY on this mission: all so that our broken family can become whole again. Losing the second payment hurts, but the initial deposit and selling a few things I hold dear should be enough, provided we all can survive this encounter.

Mr. Abrams: “...I’m sorry, but I-”

One: “Furthermore...there’s another attack happening. Real soon, too.”

Mr. Abrams: “!!! What?!”

One: “I can vouch for this information with my memory of the client’s exact words. I can even have my boss message me the details about it so we can perform a proper exchange that INCLUDES the next surprise assault’s details, plus the identity of the person who hired us. If not, then I’ll take my memories with me to my grave and you can stay awake wondering when the attack will happen, what day, time or year. If I don’t come back to the headquarters, Boss said he would report in to my client of the mission failure. Then they might even reschedule the attack on your students to a different day...perhaps hire more help. This is your ONLY chance to gain the exact information, Monitor Man. I can swear a soul oath that I’ll never touch your students again, so long as YOU swear an oath to let the three of us leave in peace.

Do we have a deal?”

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