"Decha," Amir croaked the moment he saw Decha walk into the room. Amir was taken out of the capsule and placed in private quarters in the Agency's infirmary.

"Fatso," Decha retorted playfully, and a grin formed on Amir's lips. Decha walked up to the bed and leaned against the frame. "How do you feel?"

"Like I just told death to screw itself." Amir chuckled slightly. He held his hand to his side and groaned. His body was still painfully sore from the lack of movement.

Decha was worried but refused to show it. However, the awkward silence was more than enough to let Amir know Decha's thoughts. "Don't just stand there, come closer. Take a look at my battle scars. Tell me what I missed." Amir joked. "I promise, I'm not a ghost."

"You haven't changed a bit." Decha rolled his eyes, hiding his joy. Then he slapped a hand on Amir's shoulder, causing him to jerk forward.

"You look like you've lost weight." Amir's eyes glossed over Decha's appearance. He looked a bit pale and thinner around the face. "Holy Crap, you've got a scar now! You look just like the Director. Who messed up your face?"

"It's a long story." Decha huffed. "I can't say that this case hasn't been stressful."

"Have you been eating well?"

"Trying my best to," Decha smirked.

"You can't let yourself go that easily Decha. Shite. What happened while I was out? I heard it's almost been 2 months."

"I wanted to catch up before giving you any details about work. It's too soon. I don't think you'll handle it well, so much information at once." Decha crossed his arms and placed his back against the wall. "You need to rest up."

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Tell me what's gotten YOU, of all people, so on edge?"

"Well, for Starters, the Walls collapsed."

"That I know." Amir snorted. "Director Chen helped remind me."

"Everything sort of spiraled out of control after that. We had to take Bracket refugees temporarily."

"Are they going to rebuild the wall?"

"The Council is still drafting a construction plan, so I'm not sure." Decha shrugged, but the response agitated Amir. He wanted nothing more than the walls to be rebuilt to keep the Bracketers out.

"A strict curfew was enforced right after, but the bombs continued. The Matching Program was interrupted when one went off. The whole venue in midtown collapsed." Decha clenched his fists. "We lost a Council Member."

"You're kidding." The color on Amir's face left. Hearing that a Council Member was killed at one of Astell's prized events was so unheard of. The last time it happened was over 80 years ago.

"Strout originally assigned the case to me. But I'm infuriated that he never got to see it come to an end."

"I don't blame you," Amir balled his hands. "How did the Council retaliate? Are we at war with the Brackets?"

"No."

"What?! Why not?" Amir spat.

"Astell can't afford another war. And it wouldn't be right to punish an entire nation because of one death. Sector B is already on the brink of the end. There are innocent people who live there that don't need to be involved."

"What the heck are you saying, Decha? The Brackets are obviously responsible for this! We have to fight back!"

"We need to find the culprit and put an end to this." Decha corrected him. "Bracketers do seem like the primary suspects, but it's still our job to investigate carefully."

"Are there no clues to help find the culprit?"

"The Agency seems to think so." Decha sighed. "Yesterday, some of the Agents brought in a man named Jamison Clarke. A Bracket man who works at a Butchery by the Border of Sector B. In my investigation, I also found out he's connected with Kilos."

"The company?" Amir huffed. "Then that solves the case! He's the one who's been smuggling Rusty parts to make the bombs! When is the court and execution date?"

"Neither has been set in stone because I'm still looking into his case."

"Did that new scar take away your brain power? You've lost your mind, Decha! You have the culprit in the palm of your hands and you're refusing to take advantage of it?"

"There may be more to the story, Amir. Based on what Jamison told me during his interrogation, I have to consider everything."

"You don't have to do anything! He's a Bracketer! Of course, he'll try to defend himself and swear he's not responsible. He's only doing that to mess with your head!"

"The suspect has managed to bomb the Walls, Interrupt Astell's prominent events, and kill a Council Member. If you think Bracketers are so stupid, do you really think that one of them could've caused these crimes on a great scale without being detected or caught by me?"

Amir froze. Decha had him. There was nothing more to say.

The two glared at each other in silence for a brief moment. Amir wasn't sure why, but he felt that something about Decha changed.

He had only been out of commission for a month, but it felt like a lifetime. Why was he so considerate over a Bracketers testimony, especially if he was the primary suspect?

When did Decha's 'act first and ask later' attitude change? He used to be so determined, so much that it scared Amir before.

The change was subtle, but Amir could tell it was there.

"Would you really risk all of Astell because of some pop-up lead?" Amir seethed.

"I want to keep Astell safe for all its citizens. But I am also obligated to protect the Brackets. The Council may run the majority of the country, but contrary to preferred belief, the Brackets do have rights as well." Decha massaged the bridge of his nose.

Amir sat up, grunting as his body began rejecting the motion. Decha quickly reached to help him, but Amir shook his head. "The day I can start walking again will be the day I'll be more than ready to finish this case."

"You need to focus on getting rest first."

"Weren't you the one who always talked against resting? You hate vacations." Amir chuckled.

"A little rest and peace of mind don't sound so bad right now," Decha mumbled. "You need it because of the state you're in."

"Relax, I'm not dying." Amir slapped Decha's arm and laughed.

"I've gotta get back to work," Decha announced and pushed himself off the wall. "Rest up. I'll update you when you're ready to get back into action. I need you to be tougher than before."

"You don't have to tell me twice."

Decha walked over to the door but stopped at the frame. He looked over his shoulder slightly. "It's good to see you again, Amir." He stated wholeheartedly. It was a relief to see his best friend alive and well. It felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders.

Amir was taken aback by Decha's heartfelt expression. He was used to Decha being very private and reserved, not willing to admit to anything that flustered him. But to see Decha expressing himself was very eerie.

Decha left the room soon after and walked down the hallway to the elevators. He was on his way to the Director's office.

Decha rode the elevator to the top floor, but he paused in the corridor when he spotted Abigail waiting in the lobby.

His eyes glazed over her as if she were nothing but an object. Before he could take a step in the opposite direction, Abigail stood straight and called out to him. "N96!"

Decha ignored her and took another step away. It wasn't until Abigail clasped onto his forearm that Decha turned to sneer at her. "N96! Would you listen for a second?"

"No. Now, release me and back away. Or else I'll flip you over my shoulder and dislocate your arm." Decha spat bitterly, not wanting to be near her presence at all. He was still very vexed that this woman went to his house to target Rory.

Abigail released him but continued to speak. "Something is wrong with that woman,"

"I don't want to hear it—"

"I think she's sick. And it seems that she's hiding it from you. I offered to take her to the hospital, but she refused—"

"Shut up!" Decha snarled and his voice echoed across the entire room. Abigail closed her mouth and flinched as Decha backed her into a pillar. "I don't want to hear another word about Rory coming out of you. Don't concern yourself with her, don't even attempt to reach out to her again. Any information about her is none of your business. Am I clear?"

Abigail's eyes widened once she realized it. "You already know." She whispered. "You know that she's not in stable condition."

Decha's shoulders stiffened. Instead of telling her off, he dismissed her. "The last thing I need is for a self-centered Astellian like you acting as if you care for her. Your fake concerns won't be tolerated by me."

"I'm being genuine with you, N96." Abigail frowned. She was telling the truth. After witnessing what happened to Rory, she felt bad for taking her to Kilos to test her.

"You still don't understand the level of danger you put her in. I set up restrictions in place, and you went against them. You went out of your way to— Why am I even talking about this?" He fumed. "You disobeyed my orders. If it weren't for her stopping me, you'd be sitting in a cell below the Agency, rotting right now."

"I know that, and I'm sorry." Abigail huffed. "I regret it. I wasn't in my right mind at the time."

"You think?" Decha retorted sarcastically. "You're still under surveillance. Make one more mistake and I swear it, I'll make sure to have your pin removed. You'll be demoted."

Decha stepped away from her. Before he could stride away, Abigail uttered another statement that made a chill go down Decha's neck.

"She's perfect for you."

"What?" Decha snapped back around.

"I can see how much you care for her. So I want to wish you both the best."

Decha's face changed color. He tried to calm himself by taking a deep breath, but the red in his ears was easy to see. "That's not necessary."

"Of course, you'd think so, because you're embarrassed. Your reaction is clear." Abigail sauntered over to him and whispered so only he could hear.

"Stop acting like you know me." Decha hissed.

"I don't know much about you, but anyone can tell how flustered you are right now." Abigail tapped his shoulder with a soft smile. "Tell Rory I said hi." She finished and went on her merry way toward the elevators.

Decha swore under his breath. "I'm not gonna tell her anything." He retorted in a hushed tone, not wanting Abigail to have the last word.

"Tell who what?" Theodore's voice caught Decha's attention.

"Submit a request for me to meet with the Council." Decha brushed the question off and changed the subject.

~~~

"Gosh, it always feels so empty here. That child of mine doesn't know how to add some decorations to spruce it up. He always treats it like he doesn't reside here." Jessica opened Decha's bedroom door and walked inside.

Rory was behind her but hesitated going inside. She felt like she would be intruding without Decha's permission. She decided to remain waiting for Jessica.

"Don't most parents want their children to keep their rooms clean?" Rory mumbled softly, finding no problem with Decha's room. It was spotless, everything was placed neatly, and it was well organized.

She felt like it was so different from her bedroom back at her home in Sector B. It was small and cluttered.

"Please," Jessica snorted and dismissed her statement with a wave of her hand. "My son isn't normal. I never had to scold him about cleaning that much as a boy. He always had this obsession with keeping everything in order. But it ruined his taste. He doesn't know how to make a room feel less... creepy. I would only wish to yell at him to clean his room."

Jessica opened one of the drawers of a dresser and began searching through Decha's clothes. Rory was surprised to find casual long-sleeved shirts and slacks in his belongings.

She couldn't vision him wearing any of them since he wore his General Uniform so often.

Jessica grumbled in frustration before closing the drawers. "I know we have extra blankets in here somewhere." She walked over to the queen-sized bed and got on her knees to look underneath. Then her eyes lit up and she pulled out a flat bin.

Pushed out with the bin was a large book. Jessica picked the book up and eyed it suspiciously before tossing it on top of the bed. Then she opened the bin and pulled out 2 sets of blankets. "Here we are!"

"What's this?" Rory pointed at the book that Jessica tossed aside.

"I don't know. Probably one of Decha's school notes from years ago." Jessica closed the bin and pushed it back under his bed.

"His school notes? When did he graduate?"

"Hmm... 7 to 8 years ago? It's been a while."

"Yeah, it's been a while since I've been in high school too."

"Highschool? No, sweetie. He graduated Grandell University 8 years ago."

"Wait... that can't be right. I thought he and I were around the same age."

"How old are you?" Jessica tilted her head at Rory.

"I'm 24."

"Ah," Jessica nodded. "Decha is older by 2 years. I think, wait..." Jessica paused to think about her son's birthday. "Yeah, he's 26. He'll be turning 27 later this year."

"Wait... but how? How did he graduate from Grandell 8 years ago? He wasn't old enough to attend—"

"Decha's very smart. His brain power is unmatched. He graduated high school when he was 14. Then I sent him to Grandell because he always complained about how bored he was at home."

"That's honestly the coolest thing I've heard." Rory huffed. She wondered what it was like to be in the same position as Decha. Yeah, she was good at inventing machines, but she wasn't able to graduate early.

Jessica handed one of the blankets to Rory with a smile. "You're attracted to his intelligence?"

"N-no. That's not what I—"

"Don't be ashamed. I won't be angry. It makes me very happy to know that someone actually loves my boy, and not only for his looks, or position."

"L-love? No, it's just a crush." Rory blushed and looked at her feet.

"Same thing." Jessica shrugged before placing the blanket in Rory's arms. "Take this, keep it in your room. It'll be colder this week because we're getting a blizzard."

"Oh okay." Rory nodded. Jessica left the bedroom, not bothering to close the door behind her. As she walked downstairs, Rory turned to face the door. She reached for the knob to close it, but the notebook on Decha's bed made her curious.

She debated whether she should go back inside or go downstairs with Jessica. After her mind scolded her for even considering going back inside, she reasoned that it would only be brief. Curiosity got the best of her.

She strolled over to the bed and picked up the notebook. Then she silently scolded herself as she flipped it open.

The inside wasn't at all what she was expecting. Instead of messily written notes, there were sketches. Really good sketches of figures, portraits, and backgrounds.

"Wow..." Rory sat on the bed, stunned. It wasn't a painting, but it was close enough. Decha really meant it when he told her that he liked art. All the sketches looked so vivid and expressive.

"These are amazing!" Rory turned the page. There was a sketch of Avon and Jessica. Both of the drawings were an exact replica of how they looked. If his sketches were this good, she could only imagine how great his paintings were.

After a while, Rory found herself laying on the bed, back down while she still flipped the pages and studied each artwork. Rory put the book aside the moment she caught a whiff of the comforter's scent.

To her satisfaction, it smelled just like Decha. A fresh outdoors smell which she liked. She grabbed one side of the comforter and playfully rolled into a burrito with a smile on her face.

Not only was the mattress soft and comfortable, but the smell was alluring and the material instantly warmed her up. Rory didn't want to leave.

It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. In Just a few minutes, she spaced out and let her body give into slumber.

Hours went by. And Decha was very perplexed to come back to his room later that night to find Rory sprawled in his sheets. At first, he worried that something might have happened to her.

The first thing he did when he walked inside was checked to make sure Rory was breathing okay. When he got confirmation after placing a hand on her back, he groaned.

Why was she here? Why did she fall asleep in his bed?

Decha flipped Rory over on her side and frowned in disgust. His pillow was covered in her slobber. He was going to have to wash it later.

The sudden movement caused Rory to stir herself back into consciousness.

She blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes, still not realizing that Decha was right in front of her. Only when Decha started to speak was when she flinched away.

"Did you have a nice nap?"

"Decha! Jeez! You almost gave me a heart attack!" Rory screeched.

"What are you doing in my room?" Decha narrowed his eyes at her. It's not that he minded Rory being here, but he didn't understand why she decided to be here in the first place.

Humiliation coursed through Rory's veins when she realized that she was still in Decha's room. She swore under her breath and swung her feet off the bed. The notebook she was looking at earlier fell onto the floor, but it was still open.

"Sorry, I—" Rory reached down at the book and picked it up. Observing it, she wondered who the pretty woman was. She had a small face with sharp features and long black straight hair. "Jessica and I were looking for blankets earlier. I was about to leave but I got curious." Rory gestured at the book.

Decha clenched his jaw when he saw the picture of Chai he drew right before she disappeared.

"You're a really great artist. These sketches are phenomenal."

"Don't you know it's rude to go through someone's belongings without asking them?" Decha crossed his arms.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again." Rory pouted, embarrassed. But even though she felt ashamed, she wanted to know more about the woman. Rory didn't remember seeing her before. Was she someone who worked with him at the Agency?

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but who's this?" Rory handed the book back to Decha and pointed at the page of the lady.

"None of your business," Decha replied, coldly.

"Y-you're right." Rory fiddled with her fingers nervously. "I just thought she was pretty. I'm sorry again for intruding." She mumbled and walked toward the door.

Decha didn't know why he was acting like a jerk all of a sudden. It's not like Rory knew who Chai was.

If he didn't want her to know about her, he shouldn't have drawn the picture. He shouldn't have left the notebook in his room.

"Shite, Rory, wait," Decha called out, stopping Rory in her tracks just as she had one foot out the door.

~~~