James and Xavier stepped out of the car. Before him, a small welcoming party waited for them, at the head of it an old man with thin, greying hair and thin glasses. His hunchback appearance made one feel he wasn't a threat, but James' gut told him otherwise: the man before him was dangerous in a way similar to Xavier, a being driven by untamed curiosity.
"Old man." Xavier strolled forward with his arms spread and embraced the old man with genuine affection, "How have you been? Is your stomach any better?"
"No need to put on a show for your new friend." The old man pushed Xavier off, but smiled. James watched and saw a strange amount of pride in the man's eyes when he looked at and spoke to Xavier. Xavier smiled and turned to James.
"James, meet Fredrick Spanner. He has the fancy title of Grand Elder, but I prefer to call him doctor." James moved forward and held out his hand to Fredrick. Based on what Xavier called him and the way Fredick looked at Xavier, he could only assume that the old man was one of the old fellows who took part in the experiment to create a child with foresight.
"A pleasure." James politely said and instinctively activated his eyes. Looking at Fredrick's body, he was shocked to see that the man wasn't an ability user. Xavier looked at him and chcukled seeing the shock on his face.
"Don't look down on him just because he doesn't have one, dear detective. The doctor was the man who started the little experiment with me." Fredrick looked at James, more specifically his eyes, with great interest.
"Is he the one?" Xavier nodded in reply to the old man. Fredrick stared at him and smiled, "You see how this world is made up. How much more could I achieve with that?" Fredrick said with longing, but sighed, "Ignore me. Just an old man's desires." Fredrick turned around and signalled the two to follow him into the building.
James looked around the city of Estella. It was an old city, filled with history. Although they were in a newer section of the city, it still retained much of the old city's design, with the hotel before them featuring large marble pillars that created a grand entrance. Around them, many other buildings had similar designs, with marble and brick as the two favoured building materials.
James looked up and felt the warmth of the sun on his skin. It was a weird sight to see a clear sky, and he wondered what one over Newport would look like. Following them, the party they had come with split, with them three and the ISD agent attached to Xavier heading to the top floor. The doctor looked at the Agent strangely, but pushed it aside, trusting Xavier and led them into his room.
James couldn't help but be shocked at the amount of blueprints and information spread across the room, each one filled with immense detail about the Children of the First and the Church of the Martyred. Grabbing the biggest, he spread it across the table and looked at the three.
"Before we begin." Fredrick looked to Xavier, "Are you sure about this? If we do this, those in opposition to you within New Horizon will become our enemies. As for the Chilrden that goes without saying." Fredrick turned to the Agent, "And can we trust an outsider?"
"My orders are to keep Mr Taylor safe. What you do, so long as it poses no threat to the Unified States, is of no concern to me or the wider ISD. Do as you please and ignore me." Fredirck stared a little longer, only happy to continue when Xavier gave the okay.
"Then," the old man's finger landed on the floor titled the Archive. "This is where you will likely find the key. Whilst I have a blueprint, these are old and are subject to change, but knowing those conservatvies I doubt it." James wondered how New Horizon could get their hands on such a thing, but quickly realised. They weren't a criminal organisation based in one city, but an international religion with immense reach. It may have been expensive and hard to get, but doable.
Xavier stared and rested his hand on the blueprint. Fredirck looked at him with great interest as a silver flash ran through his eyes. Blood poured from the right eye as his body shook. Seconds turned to minutes, and eventually he moved, letting out a deep breath and holding his eyes.
"I can't see it." He said with annoyance and rubbed the blood off his face, "There's something blocking it."
"We expected this much. I had hoped things would be clearer with this, but it is fine." Fredrick moved his hand across the blueprint, "If the archive isn't where we will find it, then it is here." His finger hovered over a room titled the Chamber of the Blessed One. "These are the only places that I know exist where it could be. However, we must factor in those we don't know of."
James looked at the two and frowned, "I've been wondering." The two stared at him, "Have you not thought about trying to buy it or negotiate for the key. These fellows don't seem to care for Zoktis Home or what the key can do. In fact, I would assume an existence such as Zoktis is heretical for them."
Fredrick chuckled and shook his head, "It's not that simple. We have tried, but these people are our enemies. Even now, the peace Xavier is here to forge will be an uneasy one that will likely break within the decade. You don't trade with your enemy, especially something that could aid them. We could have tried through a third party, but it wouldn't take them long to realise who is behind said third party and end the negotiations."
James nodded in understanding and sat down, "So what do you want me to do. The way you describe it, this won't be easy. How do you expect me to sneak in and steal it?" Xavier smiled and stared at him.
"You have the ability to see the aura of abilities, and recently, you were able to copy a person's aura and make it your own. You should be able to avoid all the traps and surveillance they placed with your eyes. As for getting in without catching a person's eye, well, New Horizon has many people who can turn invincible. You're going to learn to copy it." James stared at him and sighed, grabbing his forehead, wondering why he agreed to such a mission. It was beyond suicidal.
-------------------------
"Sir." A woman with white hair and yellow eyes coolly said to the man sitting behind her, lowering her phone. Putting the phone down, she pulled the car over, before the Church of the Martryd and stared at the grand dome that sat above the Basilica. Its golden dome reflected the sun, atop it the symbol of the Children, a Pentagram with an eye inside.
"Yes, Freya?" A young voice politely said.
"Xavier has landed in Estella." There was silence as Freya stared at the church. Minutes passed until the voice behind her spoke again.
"Okay. Tell Lucas that this is his chance to hurt New Horizon in Newport." Freya nodded and pulled out her phone.