Chapter Eleven

The Archbishop whispered a few words to the inquisitor next to him before turning to follow Knox as he moved toward the door. “Mills, you’re with us,” Knox said as he led the Archbishop out of the room.” The Deputy Director gave a brief sigh of resignation, clearly hoping to be left out of the politicking, before following at a brisk pace to catch up as they stepped out of the room. An awkward silence fell over the room as the senior leadership on both sides left the room.

“Well at least we dodged that bullet, definitely glad to not be one of the brass right about now,” Ramirez said with a grin breaking the long awkward silence following the senior leadership on both sides exiting the room. There were a few half-hearted chuckles at Ramirez’s joke before the silence returned as both sides looked at each other waiting for someone to speak. “Well, I suppose we should get started,” Elly said. As the only person in the room familiar with both sides she felt obligated to attempt to break the tension. “I know this result was unexpected but.” A loud snort rang out interrupting her speech.

“Something to add?” She clipped as she spun to stare at the offender. Elly’s first impression of the mysterious psi-operative had been rather good. After all, it’s hard not to think well of someone who had just saved your ass. Not to mention the sheer skill and power he had demonstrated in the process had left her slightly awestruck, doubly so as her aetheric senses allowed her to see through his techniques and appreciate the just how impressive it really was. However, from the second he finished fighting the daemons every single thing he had done had chipped away at that initial dazzling image.

First, it was torturing the cult leader. She could get over that. Yes, he should have waited for the inquisitors to question her in that matter, but given what that bitch had just done and the possibility of her having valuable time-sensitive intel it was understandable even if it had rubbed her the wrong way. The execution was another story. The cultist hadn’t been a threat at that point but he executed her the second he decided she didn’t have information. Sure, the cultist would have been executed anyway, but there was a process that included among other things a trial. Not agents playing judge, jury and executioner. Then, he had forced her into a hairbrained attempt to regain the track on the original target. If it weren’t for the other matters she probably wouldn’t have minded that much, after all there was some possibility of it working, but with his earlier offenses it just added to her growing distaste for his entire attitude. It was like he considered rules and regulations beneath him. Then Knox covered for him and said he authorized his side op when Elly knew for a fact that he hadn’t, which just angered her more. It was like he was condoning Jason doing whatever he wanted, and now he felt it was a good time to interrupt her as she was trying to help smooth over an awkward and unprecedented situation.

“This was a rather obvious result. It’s what they both wanted from the start.” Jason answered her with a smirk. “What are you talking about this has never happened before?” “Neither has the situation we’re in.” Jason responded. “That may be but how do you figure this is what they wanted. Surely they would both have rather run the op themselves now they have to run everything through another organization and deal with people they aren’t used to.”

Jason never stopped smirking as she spoke causing Elliana’s anger to rise the whole time. “Knox just lost an entire assault team. There’s no way he wants to keep full responsibility for this. Especially, since the target got away, but if he hands off the whole thing it’s even worse. It would make him look weak and incompetent if the inquisition took over and succeeded where he failed.”

“I suppose that makes sense, but why would the Archbishop want this.” “For one, Knox wasn’t wrong when he said that the Inquisition and the Enforcement Branch would pair well for dealing with this group. Their gangster behavior combined with heavy use of psionics, spirit magic and forbidden rituals make them unlike anything either group has ever gone after. However, his biggest reason is fear of failure, he wants someone to share the heat with if the operation goes south again. After what happened earlier the whole city is paying attention. If he rolls in here and takes over and then it’s all on him. This way he has Knox to take half the blame.”

“A fair assessment,” The lead inquisitor cut in before Elliana could respond, “You don’t reach the positions they have without knowing how to play politics and the Archbishop never would have given in so easily if he didn’t consider this the best case scenario. Their motives however, are irrelevant to the task at hand. We have a job to do and this bickering is getting us nowhere.” She said shooting a frosty glance at both Jason and Elly. Elly’s rush of embarrassment at being chastised, especially because to inquisitor had a point, quickly turned to anger when she looked over and saw the other culprit looking completely un-apologetic. “Of course, let me run you through what have,” Ramirez responded before any further arguments could erupt.

After receiving a nod of acknowledgment from the inquisitor, Ramirez began walking everyone through the case beginning with the initial altercation at the docks. A few minutes later the inquisitors were deep in discussion with Ramirez and a few of the enforcement branch analysts as they tried to find a way to track down their shared target. Soon after, the already crowded room became even worse as the crime scene units from both sides returned from the warehouse to report in.

Elly stepped away from the table to create more room, she wasn’t that much use in the current situation as Ramirez and the lead inquisitor seemed to have things well in hand. Taking a deep breath, she glanced around the room before stopping on a familiar face. At the end of the line of paladins standing on the other side of the room was one of her oldest friends. She and Derek had spent a lot of time together growing up as their parents were old friends. That friendship had turned into a crush while they were both training with the church, but their intense schedules had precluded it turning into anything more than a couple of quick hookups before she was sent off to train as an enforcement agent to complete her education as a tracker.

Elly gave him a quick smile when she saw him take notice of her attention. He returned it before quickly shifting back to a neutral expression and glancing over at the paladin commander to see if he noticed. He got his answer a few seconds later when the paladin commander looked his way and growled out, “If you want to flirt Prescott you do it on your time, not God’s.”

“Yes sir.” Derek said immediately, knowing better than to try and plead his case. The commanders comment caused Elly to flush with embarrassment as several people chuckled at their misfortune.

“Well, I’m bored,” a new voice rang out through the room just as everyone had settled down. Glancing over Elly saw Jason had also stepped away from the table and was standing next to her. “You’re bored?” Elly sputtered scarcely believing her ears. “Yep,” He responded unabashedly, “Nothing for me to do right now. When you guys figure out where these assholes are hiding let me know. I wouldn’t want them to get away again. In the meantime, I assume there’s a good place to eat around here somewhere.” Elly’s mind churned as she attempted to come up with a fitting response to his cavalier attitude, but before she could. “Food court is on the second and third levels, the lounges on thirty five and sixty five have buffets and there’s an Italian place on seventy-two if you don’t mind spending the money,” Ramirez said before turning his attention back to the display. “Thanks,” Jason said giving Ramirez a quick nod as he made for the door.

Halfway there he stopped and turned towards the paladins with a mischievous grin. Oh no, what’s he up to now, Elly thought as she watched him leave. “You lot don’t seem to have much to do. Care to join me?” His question once again drew the attention of the room. Looking over Elly noticed that a couple of the paladins including Derek found the offer tempting but didn’t say anything. “Thank you for the offer, but-,” “Go,” the lead inquisitor interrupted as the paladin commander was in the middle of refusing.

“There’s nothing for you to do here and this place is overcrowded. We’ll let you know when we need you in the meantime you might as well stay loose, eat, get some sleep. We have no idea how long this will take could be days, but once we find them it will be mostly up to, your team and Agent Raine.” “Very well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to blow off some steam let’s go.” The commander agreed before turning to head for the door motioning for Jason to lead the way.

Seeing the paladins following Jason out of the room gave Elly a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. As she moved to follow them, she was stopped by the Lead inquisitor. “Walker get back here. Unlike the meat heads we might still have use for you, and this is a good learning opportunity if nothing else.” “I’m worried there might be some trouble with them,” She protested. “The commander won’t let things get out of hand, and that asshole could stand to have some respect beat into him. He might be a good fighter but the paladins are the best of the best.” One the Inquisitors said. From the nods she saw from the rest of the room that sentiment was clearly shared even by those from the enforcement division. A few hours ago, she had believed the same thing, but now she was worried even all of them together might not be enough. Unfortunately, no one else shared that opinion except maybe Ramirez. While everyone else was nodding along as the Inquisitor expounded on the strength of the paladins; he shot Elly an uneasy look.