Snake's Tongue
As dawn broke, Bell stepped out of her lodging with a haggard face. Crossing the hallway, she sent messages to the three who would wake up later, noting the meeting place and time, then left the Management Bureau building. It was still early morning, so there was no bustle from last night—just the occasional sight of street vendors preparing their stalls. And starting from last night, tiny dots like drones were periodically patrolling high in the sky above.
Definitely more of them. That Walker guy's doing, no doubt. Bell recalled his irritating face, then turned her head at the intense aroma wafting nearby. It came from a tiny shop without even a place to sit. There, she paid for a beverage thick with cinnamon scent and held it in her hand.
"Thank you! Proxy ma'am!"
The shopkeeper was relatively young and replied briskly, which lifted Bell's spirits a bit. Taking in the quiet scenery, she sat on a bench near the Management Bureau and took a sip of the drink.
"Ugh—it's bitter."
Bell shuddered once. But the sharp aroma and flavor were subtly addictive, enough to make her take another sip.
Strange taste. Thinking that, she brought the cup back to her lips and slowly recalled last night's events. Her facial muscles felt awkward even to herself. Adolf, who had looked so pitiful just wanting a handshake, and her own worry about whether her smile had looked awkward—Bell pressed a hand to her forehead in disbelief. She was getting swept up in Adolf's boundary-less behavior now.
"Seriously... I should keep some distance."
As Bell muttered to herself, a low, metallic voice came from behind.
"Just how much fun did you have last night to end up looking like that, Captain Bell?"
Kyle Walker, with his pale face, approached from the Management Bureau's main gate, poking at her mockingly. His voice carried his signature sarcasm.
What rotten luck first thing in the morning. Bell scowled even more on her already tired face and took a sip from her cup. Kyle chuckled lowly and plopped down beside her. Bell shot him a glare for sitting so abruptly next to her.
"That face screaming how much you hate me—even I might get a little hurt."
It was no hurt expression, just one of utter disdain. Bell turned her gaze away and retorted.
"What's your business."
"Just checking what kind of slacking off you were up to."
As Walker sneered, Bell slowly turned her head to glare at him.
"You wanna fight?"
Bell felt even her small good mood vanish completely.
"As if."
Bell shot up from her seat.
"What a pain in the ass first thing in the morning..."
As she muttered venomously, Walker called out to stop her.
"I handled those drones."
He gestured toward the sky with his hand. Bell turned only her head and replied coldly.
"Sure you did. That's the Intelligence Analysis Department's specialty, right? Or should I say Intelligence Surveillance Department?"
Kyle's face went blank for a moment, then he burst into laughter. It was a line Brigadier General Jack had thrown at Deputy Director Phenex in the meeting records from the Intelligence Analysis Department.
Funny. Hilarious. He really thought of him like his own son.
Bell was startled briefly by Kyle laughing like a madman but soon glared at him with contempt.
"Ah, sorry. Something funny just came to mind."
"Good work."
As Bell tried to leave sharply, Kyle quickly added.
"In return, I'll give you a tidbit related to your mission."
Bell sighed deeply and glared at him with irritation, planning to let him spit it out quick and be on her way. Kyle eyed her reaction with interest and spoke.
"Don't you find it suspicious why the Science and Technology Department sent Lucia Beloche to this barrier?"
"Not at all. Major Stein's opinion that technical support might be needed was already approved as valid by the military."
Bell had no desire to play along with this word game anymore. As she passed by Kyle, a cynical jab flew at her.
"Surprising. I didn't know you were such an obedient proxy to the military."
Bell stopped dead. She flicked the cup in her hand. Should I just splash him? Holding back, she stared at him with cold eyes.
"By the way, this place's church leader. Heard anything about him?"
His arrogant tone grated terribly, but Bell recalled what Lucia had said last night.
She mentioned a 'revelation.'
But Bell just clamped her mouth shut. It wasn't appropriate as fellow military affiliates, but her personal gut feeling that telling Kyle would cause problems won out.
"Those eyes. Looks like you know something."
Meeting Kyle's gaze, Bell belatedly hid her expression and replied coldly.
"Nothing."
"Feels like you won't be any help at all."
Bell turned away, deeming him unworthy of further response, heading back to the Management Bureau.
"Luminot."
Kyle uttered it to halt her. The drug that made proxies. The serum that broke human limits.
"The Science and Technology Department has a subordinate organization that refines and distributes Luminot."
"What... are you trying to say?"
Bell barely held back from calling it bullshit. Ignoring her, Kyle continued.
"It's like home for Lucia Beloche. They must have judged she'd be helpful. Don't you think the Science and Technology Department also finds her path to becoming a proxy a bit odd?"
His tone lifted subtly at the end.
"Not following."
Bell felt a twinge of annoyance inside but spoke calmly. At her demeanor, Kyle giggled delightedly and explained.
"That phrase. 'Stop this regression defying God.' You heard it, right?"
As Bell just glared without responding, Kyle made a pathetic face before continuing.
"I thought it was just idiots stirring up chaos inside the barrier with ethnic tensions. Turns out they were actually sending messages."
Bell replied curtly, not wanting to see Kyle's frustrating explanatory face any longer.
"Ah, yeah. Proxies aren't chosen by God but drug addicts, so 'stop this childish regression' or whatever."
At that, Kyle's eyes narrowed instantly, his face showing surprise. Bell bared one tooth in contempt, feeling like he was appraising her. Still, Kyle scanned her with that uncomfortable gaze and said.
"I'm rethinking you a bit, Captain."
"Must be nice having such a vivid imagination."
As Bell sneered, Kyle chuckled lowly and nodded.
"Better than being stupid."
Bell gave no reply and reentered the Management Bureau building. Kyle sniffed the aroma from her cup and headed to the small shop nearby. He recalled the internal security footage he'd dug through late into the night in Rain Code's Intelligence Analysis room last night.
I thought she was just dumb holding hands with the lieutenant in the hallway, but she's surprisingly useful. Kyle mentally reevaluated Bell as decently competent while chuckling to himself.
A massive transport helicopter descended onto Rain Code's heliport. The propeller's hum faintly reached Kyle Walker's ears as he headed to the Intelligence Analysis Department room.
Regular army troops, huh. Kyle smirked and quickened his pace. He hadn't met the proxy supposedly assigned to coordinate with Rain Code's person in charge yesterday.
But once they learned he'd used central authority to forcibly deploy Rain Code's drones, they'd show themselves before things escalated further. He smirked. He planned to keep creating situations where they couldn't stay hidden.
He'd found it suspicious how they'd avoided him like clockwork from day one. Strictly speaking, he was nominally here to "help" Rain Code.
Glancing at the figures disembarking from the heliport visible through the window, he stopped in his tracks.
"Fraction-6 troops."
He muttered amusedly. They wore gear and equipment superior to regular army, stepping out of the chopper.
Major General Annet's being stubborn again. Why does she keep checking the Grand Marshal like this? I heard she wasn't like this back in the early total war days.
Major General Annet had refused regular army support for safe barrier maintenance, citing Adolf's absence as reason. Seizing the chance, General Hassel had deployed his increasingly well-armed forces instead.
Kyle glanced at the troops briefly, then instead of heading to Intelligence Analysis, turned sharply toward the Strategic Planning Department.
The Strategic Planning door opened, and Kyle approached the desk. The staffer startled at the cold atmosphere and said.
"Do you need verification or assistance?"
"Yes, mind if I borrow the phone for a sec?"
"The phone?"
The desk staff looked puzzled. An officer should have a secured terminal for instant comms—why this? But they guided him to the communication booth as requested, for emergencies.
An old-fashioned phone booth not connected to the Aria network.
"It's linked only by each barrier's unique frequency, so there might be delays."
"Thanks."
It was essentially an unused emergency radio installed for if all networks failed. Kyle smirked as he punched in the unique code.
> Connecting—Accessing emergency channel. Security may be vulnerable; proceed with caution.
> Attempting connection with entered code.
> Connected. Recipient side requests switch to general line. Reconnecting via Lumen Guard barrier recipient code.
A brief silence followed, then a click, and the other side's voice flowed out.
"Heh heh, running a disaster drill or something, Captain Walker?"
A man's silky tenor, slithering like a snake.
"Oh, hearing your voice here is surprisingly pleasant, Deputy Director Cristel."
Kyle sneered right away, but Phenex chuckled lowly and said.
"Hmm—let's think. Why would you suddenly ask me out on a date like this?"
"Nothing much. Just don't like this Intelligence Analysis Department here. Looking for some leverage on how well they're managing."
At Kyle's words, Phenex on the other end smirked in the dim Intelligence Analysis room, crossing his legs.
I'll play along.
"So, find anything?"
"No, but I'll probably meet them soon. Should come up in conversation, right?"
"Oh, Captain Walker. We Intelligence Analysis folks shouldn't cause unnecessary friction."
"Exactly. Haven't found the protectee yet."
"Well, they're probably trying not to show. By the way, Captain Walker. Any idea why Science and Technology sent Beloche?"
"Hm, probably Luminot-related. There was a first report downplaying it, but according to our intel, something's off."
Phenex raised one eyebrow. As expected, Kyle was dangling bait to unsettle the biter.
In truth, no such report existed in Central Intelligence Analysis. The initial intent was to plant unease in the barrier.
Too big a scale for mere citizens. Inside Rain Code barrier. Someone inside wanted to show off.
But if they thought they'd shot themselves in the foot, how would they act? Kyle grinned. To cull those swept by the anxiety and moving now.
Ethnic tensions were already known to all deployed Intelligence Analysis teams. So Lumen Guard hadn't taken it too seriously at first.
But contrary to expectations, the conflict escalated severely. This material couldn't drag on this long. Militias grew numbers, nearing clashes, yet Director Remar stayed silent.
Rain Code Intelligence Analysis failed to identify threats. Or pretended to.
And the Science and Technology's sudden personnel deployment. Post-Ri Siarin's death, amid much dissatisfaction, it was Stein's proposal—Phenex found it questionable.
2nd Generation proxy Lucia Beloche from Science and Technology. Phenex had already investigated her records thoroughly.
Most striking was the psych evaluation interview log. Her trigger for becoming a proxy was unique: she claimed a revelation.
A revelation? Laughable. Luminot wasn't some romantic drug.
He concluded her proxy path was fabricated. Already a proxy, no need to eliminate—but Phenex took this act as a challenge.
Phenex returned to his usual smiling face and said.
"Oh, quite worrying. Can't have threats in the barrier."
For now, just playing along with Kyle, reevaluating him—laughing at using even the deputy director as bait.
In this situation where even the deputy got involved, the cautious ones would attach meaning to even these speculative words.
"Haha—but Fraction-6 troops mean the Grand Marshal's taking it seriously, right?"
"Of course, Captain Walker. The Grand Marshal won't tolerate threats."
"Yeah, hope it resolves quick. Hanging up."
"Good luck. Ah, don't call this number next time. Security's weak, and he really hates it."
Walker looked satisfied. Hanging up the receiver, he headed straight to Rain Code's Intelligence Analysis Department.