Parker looked around the emergency meeting she had called. Sitting in the large conference room, her mechanical eye turned green. From it, multiple projections formed on the chairs around it and at the head; Director Read looked displeased.
"What is it, Parker?" Read spoke with a subtle annoyance as he worked through a stack of documents, not giving his full attention. Looking at the other higher-ups of the ISD, she noticed most were busy with their own work, only showing up as a formality, and on the rare occasion, it was important.
"Sir, first I have to ask. How much trust do you and everyone here give to Miss Grey's ability?" Read paused for a second before he continued reading.
"She is vital to the organisation. If it were possible, I would immediately have her join the ISD and offer an entire department for her to run." Read said with a calm tone, and stopped what he read, looking to Parker, "Has something happened to her?" The other higher-ups also stopped and stared. Each one knew that Skylar was the only reliable way to understand a person's true feelings regarding the state. Without another like her yet, any threat posed to her was enough to make any one of them move.
"It is regarding the new recruit we discussed. James Graham." Holding her hand out, her palm opened. From it, a bulb appeared, projecting the information they had on James on a screen, "Skylar has calmed down now, but during her assessment of Mr Graham, she came across something in his mind that she described as hidden. She thought it was hidden trauma at first, but when she probed, it snapped her connection to his mind and flooded her with undescribable pain."
Read stopped what he was doing and focused intensely, taking a deep breath when Parker finished, "Pain." Interlocking his fingers, he leaned forward and fell into thought, "Anything else?"
"She says it was inhumane. Too much for a single human. She doesn't even know herself what she saw and claims it was a fraction of a fraction she touched. Right now, she is recovering. It also seems Mr Graham doesn't even know what it is." Parker's eyes hardened, "We already knew Mr Graham could be dangerous based on the potential of his ability, but with this, I believe our threat assessment must be upgraded."
Read looked at the other higher-ups and saw each one seriously contemplating Parker's words. All of them knew Skylar well and knew that she wasn't one to lie. In matters of the mind and memory, they were all far outclassed by her and had learnt to trust her words, even if her claims were outrageous.
"He is still an asset we can use, but your worries are noted. Let me think on this." Read finally spoke, getting a nod in reply, "Is there anything else?" Parker nodded.
"It's in regard to those fools chasing Zoktis. The threat they pose must also be upgraded. We had believed it to be common criminals, but according to Mr Graham's testimony, the one who is leading their organisation is an undocumented time ability user. One of the highest calibre." Although no one was physically there, Parker could feel the room tense up.
"He is certain?" Read said after a few seconds of silence, "That is not something you can say lightly."
"I tested his ability to read a person's aura. He knew exactly how mine looked and acted within my body, I trust that. As for his personal encounter with this man, Agent V has also told me the story. Based on everything, I am certain," She paused and stared into Read's eyes, "That he is someone only you can deal with, director."
Read stared back at her and nodded, "What did he look like?" The question was strange as Parker closed her eyes.
"According to Mr Graham, he had dark black hair, like the midnight sky, tall, and most striking." Parker tapped under her mechanical eyes. It changed from the green colour to a bright red, "Ruby eyes. Ones that looked like the finest rubies on the planet."
It was subtle, but everyone could see Read tense up. His fingers bounced as he closed his eyes and shook his head, "Stay clear of this man. Do not antagonise him personally." The old man smiled, "Let Mr Graham go, and have him be the one to chase this. Offer support in the background, but try to keep it quiet unless necessary. Wait for me to get in touch. I must see someone." Read turned to the scholarly-looking man, "Come to the capital, Kennedy. Any matter you are dealing with, hand it over to someone else. If they cannot be, hasten it and have it solved within two weeks."
Read's figure vanished once he finished speaking, leaving the rest of the higher-ups alone. Kennedy left a second later, leaving the others to look at one another.
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James looked up at the door that opened. Parker walked in alongside another Agent who unlocked his cuffs and left. Closing the door behind her, she stood before him and sighed, still looking at him distrustfully.
"Director Read has given you an order." James was stunned and stared ahead, wondering if he had misunderstood. It was one thing if she gave the order. He had already assumed during his recruitment period that she would be his handler. But for the Director himself to give an order was strange.
"Is she okay?" Not getting lost in the moment, he asked. Although it wasn't his fault, Skylar's screams still echoed in his mind, never having heard such a pained cry in his life.
"She is resting. You can trust that Doctor Grey will recover. She has delved into the minds of evil you can never imagine and managed to walk out with a smile. But that is not important right now." Parker looked at James and, seeing him sigh in relief, eased up a little, "The Director has ordered you to pursue Zoktis as your first task. More importantly, the Ruby-eyed man in charge of that organisation. We will provide support, but nothing openly."
James gulped and nervously chuckled, shaking his head. "Forgive me, but that feels way out of my pay grade." Even as he said that, Parker noticed the small smile James had, which hid his suicidal excitement.
'Crazy bastard.' Thinking to herself, she shook her head. With all the details she knew and the Director's reaction, she wanted nothing to do with the case, wishing to stay as far clear as she could. Obviously, if ordered, she would faithfully carry it out even at the cost of her life, but she would get no enjoyment that James seemed to find.
"Are you disobeying a direct order?" Parker asked, regaining her composure. James lips twitched. Shaking his head, he slowly rose from the floor.
"I had already asked to be allowed to pursue this." Looking into Parker's eyes, he smiled, "But I need Xavier if I am going to do this. From what I have seen, abilities and Artefacts related to time are the only way to truly counter it. Of course, there are exceptions."
"Mr Taylor is smart. If he is prepared accordingly, he will be released from custody in due time. If not, the ISD will take over under the pretext that he is a threat to national security. Of course, Mr Taylor knows and won't like this. That is why he has likely made all the preparations necessary." James nodded and smiled.
James looked to the ground and thought about the ruby-eyed man. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, unable to believe what he was about to say. "May I use any means to deal with him?" It was a phrase he hated as it allowed anything to be justified, but remembering how it felt to be locked in place, unable to move as time came to a halt, he couldn't think of any other way to go about it. He was far outclassed, to the point where not using everything would always mean a losing battle. If he didn't have that scale inside of him, he couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like.
Parker thought for a moment before giving a slow nod. "You have my permission so long as it doesn't pose a threat to national security."
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Read appeared from thin air in front of a large prison complex. The building was massive, built deep into a mountain. The guards at the first gate quickly raised their weapons. Read waved his hand, locking the two in place, before pulling out his identification showing who he was.
"The warden knows I am here. You were smart to react this way, but do not make mistakes when you have been told of my arrival." Read coldly said and strolled forward as the gate opened. Delving deep into the complex, he stopped before a cell that was different to the other. Unlike the barren room, for a typical prisoner, this cell had a large, king-sized bed, a flat-screen TV, and every luxury one could ask for.
Read let himself in and closed the door behind him. Seeing an old man sitting, staring at a chessboard, he took the seat opposite and reset the pieces. "You're like this today. I was scared it would be the other form."
The old man opposite him chuckled and looked Read in the eyes, "You should have come yesterday if you wanted to see that."
"Are they treating you well?" Read said with care, like he wasn't talking to a prisoner. It would have been strange, but he knew better. The man before him wasn't a prisoner, but someone kept under lock and key by his own request.
Looking up, he met the man's eyes, a deep blue almost purple resembling Tanzanite. "I am fine. But it's rare you visit."
"He is moving again." Read said with a cold voice, moving his pawn. The tanzanite-eyed man frowned and moved his piece, sighing.
"Of course he is. He never stopped."